Hey guys, just wanted to say I get so many notices saying that people have put my story on story alert, but i have NO REVIEWS, which is a little annoying because I have no idea of what you guys think of my story, so even if what you have to say isn't entirely positive, please review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Assassin's Creed or any of its characters (except Bellarosa :D)

Ezio and Bellarosa sat together on a bench, resting and collecting their breath. They had outrun the guards a long time ago, so neither of them was worried about being detected. After a while, Ezio cleared his throat.

"...You were better than I expected back there," he said, hesitantly. "Without you, I-"

"-would be dead," Bellarosa deadpanned.

Ezio looked up, a little startled. Bellarosa's facial expression was hidden by her hood, so he had no idea whether her words were meant as a jibe or an inoffensive comment. What stung him the most was that even though he hated to admit it, she was right; without Bellarosa there to save him, he would have utterly failed the mission, and he would be either dead or severely wounded by now.

The two sat in awkward silence. The tension between them was almost palpable. Finally, Bellarosa spoke.

"Earlier on, during the fight... when you called me... you didn't call me by my full name."

"Hm?"

Bellarosa paused for a moment before continuing. There was an uncertain, almost shy undertone in her voice. "You called me 'Bella.' Not 'Bellarosa.'"

Ezio realized it was true. At the time he'd been too preoccupied with the fleeing target to notice, but he had called her that. But why was Bellarosa bringing this topic up now? Had he offended her somehow?

"Mi dispiace, Bellarosa. I will refer to you by your full name in the future."

"N-no, it's fine," Bellarosa replied, just a little too quickly. "I was not offended. Just a little- surprised."

This time, even though he still could not see her face, Ezio was sure that Bellarosa was blushing. He had not lost enough of his younger, playboy self to forget how to read a woman's emotions.

"Va bene," he said coolly. The hint of a smirk appeared on his scarred lips. "Then you do mind if I call you 'Bella,' from now on?"

Bellarosa started a little at his sudden boldness. She turned her head towards him, her coral pink lips parted slightly. Her hood slipped back the slightest bit, allowing Ezio to catch a glimpse of those sable eyes. "I... I do not mind," she said, looking away again. Her husky voice wavered just the slightest bit. Ezio found this incredibly attractive, even endearing. He suddenly had the desire to reach up and touch her cheek with his hand.

He never had the chance to do this, as Bellarosa abruptly stood up, shattering the moment. She turned around to face Ezio. "Well, it has been a pleasure working with you. I hope that now that I've earned your trust, we can work together more often in the future." Her tone was brusque and business-like, completely different from her previous sheepish, child-like voice. Ezio felt a little disappointed at this turn of events.

Ezio remained seated on the bench. "I have enjoyed working with you as well. I look forward to doing so again as well," he said, his tone decidedly less more relaxed and casual than Bellarosa's. "But, I cannot come to you for help if I do not know where to find you." Those last words were accompanied by a lopsided grin.

Bellarosa had probably noticed Ezio's blatant attempt at flirting, but if she did she ignored it. "Trust goes both ways, Ezio. If you were hoping I would tell you where I live, I am afraid I must disappoint you. However, any time you need me, just come back to this bench; I will see you eventually." She was about to leave when Ezio interrupted her.

"And what if you are the one looking for me?"

"Then I will find you. You of all people should know how terrible you are at keeping a low profile." With that, she slipped into a passing crowd, blending so easily that Ezio lost her after a few moments.

He stayed on the bench a little longer, simply reliving his conversation with this strange woman. Bella was a mystery; sometimes she was shy, sometimes she was tough, sometimes she was aloof. Ezio didn't know a single thing about her past, yet she'd proven that he could trust her. Bellarosa intrigued Ezio, and not a lot of women had the power to do that.

Perhaps, he had found a new conquest?

Leisurely, Ezio got to his feet. He turned and began walking back to his lodgings and his welcoming bed.

THWACK!

THWACK!

THWACK!

Bellarosa reached for her knife belt, then found that she'd run out of throwing knives. Pulling down her hood, she walked forward and surveyed the damage she'd wrought on the training dummy hanging from the ceiling. Two knives were embedded in its forehead, three in its chest, six in various points on its arms and legs, and one in its crotch- just for good measure.

"Bella, dinner is ready-" Angelina Russo said, poking her head into the training room through the open doorway. She stopped when she saw Bellarosa plucking her knives out of the nearly ruined dummy. "Mio dio, Bella! Whatever did the poor thing do to you?"

Angelina was almost two decades older than Bellarosa, yet she was still an attractive woman. She had a petite figure and delicate facial features, framed by short, unwavering locks of chestnut hair. Despite her age, her porcelain white skin was free of any wrinkle or blemish. Her small nose and rosy lips complimented her baby blue eyes, which, at the moment, were the size of saucers.

Bellarosa heard Angelina's comment, but she refused to respond.

"Let me guess, bad day at work?"

Bella did not turn around, but her silence was enough to provide an answer. Angelina didn't pry further; she knew full well what kind of "work," Bellarosa was involved in.

"Well, whenever you are ready, come inside to eat, alright?"

This time, Bellarosa nodded glumly in response. Angelina left, leaving Bella alone with her misery and the unfortunate dummy. Bellarosa sighed as she yanked another knife out of the dummy's arm.

Why? Why did she have to be so... weak when she was around Ezio? She saved his life! And yet when she spoke to him, she had sounded pathetic. She had the upper hand, and she'd lost it within the first few seconds of the conversation. What was wrong with her?

Goddammit, she could stare down even the likes of Rodrigo Borgia! Ezio was just another man, how was he so different?

Bellarosa finished retrieving her knives and stashed them in her knife belt. She walked towards the door, intending to leave the room, when the image of Ezio's face loomed up in her head again like a spontaneous firework. Those deep brown eyes, always half-hidden under the hood, that perfectly-placed scar, those soft, full lips, twisted permanently into a sexy smirk-

With a roar of frustration, Bella snatched a throwing knife out of her belt, whirled around, and sent it flying at the dummy.

The knife sliced into the dummy's throat with an almost inaudible thunk. At the same time, the sharp blade severed the rope around the dummy's neck that kept it attached to the ceiling. The dummy fell to the ground in a heap, with straw pouring out of the numerous tears that decorated its burlap skin.

Bellarosa didn't even bother to get back her knife. She simply turned on her heel and stormed out the door, slamming it violently behind her.