Hello!

I want to thank all my readers, reviewers and followers, you really make all this worthwhile! Here's another chapter, sorry if it drags on a bit, I really want to develop everything in the first chapters. Thank you for staying with me though, I promise I will make this story the best I can! :D

! AC 3 Ending Spoiler Alert !

Disclaimer: All characters (except Annora) belong to Ubisoft, as do the cover images.

III - Haytham - After Haytham survives the night, Annora attempts to get to know him, both of them struggling with a growing attraction towards each other.

I hope you enjoy this one! ^^ - AssassinSuzy

III

'The only difference, Connor – the ONLY difference between myself and those you aid, is that I do not feign affection.'

Monday 17th September - Morning

His eyes opened and were instantly blinded by the incoming light from the window opposite the bed. The scorching sun was high up in the sky, it was about midday, and the crystal blue sky seemed completely clear of any clouds.

"Annora", her name rolled off his tongue in a whisper. He propped himself up with the little strength he gained and turned his eyes to her sleeping form. Her breathing was slow and deep and her silky golden hair fell over her shoulders. He laid his head back down, already exhausted from raising himself up.

"I'm getting old", he chuckled quietly, not wanting to wake her up. He struggled to lay on his right arm in order to face her small figure, desiring to watch her calm expression. It took him a few minutes but he finally managed to rest on his arm, finally having the chance to take a good look at her. His eyes softly traced her innocent face, the softness of her cheeks and the red shade that settled onto them. She suddenly started to tremble in her sleep, possibly as a result of a bad dream, and a tear rushed down her cheek staining it. She whimpered and he reached his other arm out, placing his large hand on her shoulder, nudging her gently. When she wouldn't settle, he shook her, to no avail. Finally her crying got louder and he began to get frustrated. He gathered his strength and lifted himself up, getting on top of her and shaking her with his hand again, this time more frantically, propping himself up on one elbow for support.

"Annora! Wake up!"

"No!", she screamed and her eyes bolted open in pure terror, meeting a pair of dark orbs staring right at her. The last of her tears slid down her cheeks and her breathing slowed down, her heart however still beating like a drum and ringing in her ears. They stared at each other for a few more seconds before she let her cheeks turn a hue of magenta, embarrassed by her own actions.

"I'm sorry", she mumbled.

"Why are you apologizing?", she turned her head to the side in further embarrassment, unintentionally displaying the pale flesh of her neck to him. His eyes lurked down, turning an even darker color as they inspected her skin and started to lust after it within mere seconds while she silently questioned why she laid beside him instead of the floor or her own bed. She dismissed the thought though, instead realizing how he miraculously recovered over the night.

"You're still alive", her voice came out as almost a gasp as she felt his warm breath on her neck, sending shivers down her spine as she struggled to mask her attraction to him and it's effect on the ever-changing shade of her face. She was never good at hiding her feelings, especially with men she found extremely handsome, such as the man hovering over her, and... She paused, her thoughts stopping for a second.

Charles. He made her feel like this, many years ago, when her mother suggested that- but the sensation wasn't as strong as it is now. She's losing her breath at even the slightest contact of her and the strangers palms. A night watching over a – once deadly – stranger completely broke her defenses. She had to fix that, right after she stopped falling for said stranger.

"Too late", she whispered absent-mindedly.

"Too late for what?", his voice resounded inside her in rhythm with her heart beat. She realized what she said and her eyes widened anxiously, her mind processing the possible excuses she could come up with. She let out an awkward laugh.

"Too late... For breakfast!", she turned back to face him, he gave her a quizzical gaze.

"Indeed it is, it seems it's already midday", he lifted himself and crashed back onto the bed, incredibly tired from hovering over her. He began to sentimentally consider his response to the sight of her neck, his lips still tingling at the image of her soft skin.

"I'll make you something to eat", she murmured and gave him a quick smile before slipping off the bed and walking towards the stairs.

"Thank you", he smiled with as much sincerity as he could show. She nodded her head and skipped downstairs. She reminded herself to ask his name later on while making him something to eat from the food that was left. She hasn't been to the market for a few days now, and another addition to the household will limit the supplies furthermore. She sighed, suddenly gritting her teeth in pain. She held onto her finger in desperation and agony, feeling blood running down from the cut.

"Ow, ow, ow", she repeated stopping herself from violently cursing. She ran over to grab a spare cloth and tied it around her finger, praying that it would stop bleeding, "I have had enough of blood and gore for a years worth!". She decided to use her other hand, wanting to avoid accidental contamination of the food with her blood, especially now that the man seemed to be recovering. Half an hour later or so she rushed back up the stairs with the food, noticing the man staring at the ceiling, thinking things over, probably figuring out why he is still alive.

"What happened to your hand?", he inquired when he saw her place the plate on the bedside table. She followed his gaze to look back at the slightly blood stained cloth wrapped around her fingers.

"Nothing, just cut my finger with the knife, it's nothing really"

"It's still bleeding though"

"Its fine, I'll be fine"

"Let me see it"

"No, you can't come into contact with open wounds"

"If I survived the night I'll be alright, let me see it"

"But-"

"Let me check the damn finger Annora", he shouted. She was startled but, something told her he wasn't angry, he was just frustrated. She uncovered the finger, her soft skin cut open quite badly, blood still dripping from it.

"What were you trying to do?", he chuckled, acting as if he was her father. Even reminding her of her father.

"Let me see the damn knee Annora"

"What were you trying to do climbing a tree like that?!"

"Annora", he asked again, noticing how dazed she was. She looked him in the eyes and blushed realizing she wasn't listening.

"Pardon me", she noticed his puzzled expression, "what?"

"I was just asking if you have any alcohol I could clean the cut with"

"There should be some in the kitchen, I'll bring it"

"Do bring a bandage as well"

She was gone and back within minutes and sat down on her own bed opposite his, attempting to clean the wound herself.

"What are you doing?", he gave her another annoyed gaze.

"I'm-"

"Come here, I'll do it", he motioned her forward with one hand as he carefully sat up.

This time she listened and meekly sat next to him. He reached for some alcohol and poured it over her finger making it sizzle, just like his wounds did the day before, reminding her of everything. However this time she felt the pain, and it intensified when the memories of the night flooded her mind. She whimpered helplessly in torment, her eyes shutting and eyebrows furrowing.

"Shh", he hushed her and grabbed her waist with one hand, bringing her closer to him in an attempt to calm her down. Her cheeks flushed again and she forgot the pain the moment she remembered he was there with her. He took the bandages and carefully tied them around the finger.

"This should stop the bleeding"

"Thank you", she smiled softly. He took her hand and stared into her eyes, pressing his heavenly lips to the top of her injured finger, then pressing a few more kisses to her other fingers one by one while still gazing deeply into her shimmering eyes. Her cheeks heated up like fire and she felt a knot tie in her stomach, feeling an altogether different type of hunger. A hunger for him. He really was her ecstasy and it was so obvious, even if she tried denying it.

"It was a pleasure", he stressed the word sending another wave of shivers down her hand and arms, raising the hairs on the back of her neck. Why? Why was she acting, feeling like this? Why was her reaction so strong she couldn't breathe?

"You should have something to eat", she murmured, struggling to push the oncoming questions away. Failing to stop her heart beat increasing, and her reaction becoming so uncontrollable. 'Don't let yourself go insane over a man you've known for less than two days', she chanted in her head. Nevertheless she thought her heart was still with Charles, even if words of what had happened were never exchanged or her feelings for him mutual. At least that was the impression he gave her.

"Do you have anywhere to go after you recover?", she asked. Maybe ridding herself of his presence when the time was right would prevent herself from thinking she felt anything for him. Anything at all. He gazed up at her, and then thought for a second.

"I'm not trying to get rid of you!", she hastily added, "I just want to make sure you will have somewhere safe to go if you had to leave". He looked back down at the plate from which he was eating, he had nowhere. London, that was his only option, but he had to organize transport first, and send a letter to his superiors. A letter stating his failure in finding the the key to the Temple. His expression sunk angrily.

"Any family? Anyone you could turn to? Anyone at all?"

"No, no one at all Annora", he admitted bitterly.

"Oh", she let out a puff of air. Her heart sunk just slightly and she avoided eye contact in case she had the instant urge to grab his arms and tie them around her, comforting him, saying that he isn't alone-

"I established my order here, but every one of its most powerful members perished in the span of what?", he lashed out, directing her attention back to him, "Ten, twenty years?"

"I-"

"All by the blade of my own son! My own flesh and blood!"

Her eyes turned to him, filled with new-found courage and she grabbed his arm, snapping him out of his ferocious rant. He suddenly looked back at her, noticing her slightly frightened reaction. His gaze softened and he tugged at his temples with his other hand, blinking a few times.

"I apologize"

"It's alright", she murmured. He smiled at her while she patted his arm soothingly. "You don't want to get really angry though, it affects your health", she added.

"I really appreciate what you have done for me", he handed the plate back to her. She took it from him along with the rest of the plates and stood up, carefully placing them in a pile on the bedside table. "I should recover soon".

"No, please don't get the wrong idea", she waved her hands about getting his attention, he chuckled quietly under his breath at her reaction. "I'm not suggesting you have to leave, of course not!", she pushed the armchair towards the bed and sat in it, looking down at her red and tired hands. "I'm not cruel like that, I can't leave an injured man out on the streets, I just wanted to know if you had anyone you could notify of what has happened, anyone except Charles...", she trailed off lovingly on his name, the man sensing something wasn't right.

"You seem to know Charles very well", the question caught her off guard and she shot him a surprised look. She shook her head, wanting to avoid a lie, but at the same time not wanting to tell the truth.

"It's all in the past now, I wouldn't appreciate it if we discussed it now", she expected the man to press the matter on, but to her surprise he answered in a polite and gentle, understanding manner, causing her to breathe out a relieved sigh.

"Of course, I don't want to upset you"

"Thank you"

"No need, you wouldn't want to share your past, whatever it might have been, with a complete stranger, I fully understand", he smiled at her once again, "My order also requires me to keep to a very strict amount of secrecy". She knew, after all, Charles was always very secretive, he never shared his 'Templar' secrets. Even with her. But she didn't want to meddle in his affairs anyway, he didn't want to risk her safety. She stared at the pile of plates awkwardly.

"I can imagine", she laughed softly and began a moment of silence, unsure of what to say next. He shuffled in the bed, and she reached her hands out to adjust his pillow, still offering him her soft smile.

"Get some rest, I'll write a letter to Charles explaining your recovery and send it off today", the man nodded apprehensively. And then when she was just about to leave, he called out her name, causing her heart to rise to her throat again.

"Annora"

"Yes?", she turned around to face him again.

"I am forever in your debt", he said smoothly, with a hint of honesty lurking around in that one sentence. She nodded, smiling, and then remembered.

"I never had the chance to ask your name, sir"

"Haytham. Haytham Kenway". The name repeated itself a few times in her mind. Such a beautiful name, it sounded British, and came off the tongue softly and sensually. Almost poetically.

"Haytham", she repeated. He smiled at her, for some reason feeling happy when she spoke out his name, desiring her to say it over and over again.

"I'm, as you know, Annora. Collet", she added, trying to somehow familiarize herself with this stranger using names, as if starting anew; without all the pain, injuries and an evening spent crying over his life.

"Do you... Know it's meaning?", he asked. She nodded her head and walked towards the stairs, leaving him confused, and her name shrouded in mystery. Her steps were soon heard and she was gone, leaving him tired, sleepy and very much intrigued.

A rather mysterious ending indeed! Please review + follow (if you haven't yet) if you like the story! Thank you very much for reading! :3