He's not ready to be a dad. He's not ready to suddenly have a kid that's nine years old and a Sage—not that he has a clear picture of what that means yet—and a stranger. And he's not ready to meet him over the phone, instead of face to face.
"Is it better if I don't call you that?" Elijah asks. His voice is soft over the phone, and Desmond jabs his finger into the volume control, pushing it up so he can actually hear his son.
"What?" Desmond manages to ask. His throat is suddenly dry, and his voice sounds like a croak. He swallows.
"I called you Dad," Elijah says. "And you didn't say anything. I wondered if you would rather have me call you something else."
"No," Desmond says. "You can call me whatever you want, whatever you're comfortable with." He takes a deep breath, stopping the flood of words threatening to rush out of him.
There's a brief pause, static crackling over the line, and Desmond wonders what Elijah is thinking or doing on the other end. It's so hard to have this conversation without even being able to see his face. He wonders if his dad has a picture. He should have asked. It's probably too late now.
"Yes Sir," Elijah says at last, and Desmond closes his eyes. How has he already screwed this up? He's not the kind of guy that people look at and see a sir.
"You don't have to—"
"Did Grandpa tell you to call?" Elijah asks, and that's a whole new weird thing. Desmond is going to have to get used to. His dad is someone's grandpa. And it's one thing to know that, but another thing completely to hear that flat, careful voice say that about Desmond's dad, of all people.
"No," he says, with a trace of desperation so obvious in his voice that Desmond can hear it himself. "You can—it's okay." Please don't do that. Don't start us off on the wrong foot.
There's a long silence that's physically painful to Desmond as he stands there and waits.
"I have a lot of homework," Elijah says, and he sounds so cold that Desmond can't even argue, he can't say anything because he can't fight the lump swelling in her throat.
Then he hangs up, and Desmond chokes out a sob. He doesn't move, just stands there with his hand pressed into a fist against his forehead. All the time he's spent imagining their first conversation, ever since Layla first emailed him that he has a son. And now he's managed to completely ruin everything in less than five minutes.
He hears footsteps behind him, and when he turns he sees his dad there, probably to get his phone back. Desmond doesn't hand it over.
"Dad," he chokes, around the tears that are suddenly there. "I ruined it already, he won't even call me dad."
And his dad—his critical, impossible to impress dad, reaches out and wraps him in a tight hug. "You haven't ruined it," he says, and Desmond is torn between an intense desire to believe him, and a vague sense of wrongness at the soft, almost tender tone in his voice. "When you meet him, you'll see. Elijah, he's… difficult. And he's had a hard time with life. He knows things he shouldn't, Desmond, he just knows them, and as you might imagine that's gotten him into a lot of trouble in the past. He has a hard time trusting, and a hard time communicating. His mother never knew how to handle him, and so I don't think he knows how to handle family."
"But he has you," Desmond mumbles. "He calls you grandpa…"
His dad gives him a rough pat on the shoulder, and steps away just about the time when the hug would have gotten weird. "He'll call you dad someday," his dad assures him. "He will see that you love him, and to be honest I don't think it's going to take that long. He wants to be convinced, and he will be convinced. And the first time he calls you dad, all this worrying is going to feel stupid." He starts walking back toward where the animi have been set up. "Now come on, unless you think someone else is going to save the world for you this time."
Desmond hesitates, then calls, "Thank you. Dad."
There's an ever so slight hesitation before his dad nods, and then Desmond starts walking after him.
-/-
The kid's name is Javier, and Desmond decides very quickly that he likes him. He's a little nervous, Desmond can tell, but it's hard to blame him. There's something about the Temple that's so alien and inhuman that it's just hard not to be nervous.
"I don't think I ever saw Shay when I was going through Haytham's memories," he says. The two of them are sitting on a small rock, watching the techs fiddle with the last bits of animus setup.
"I have no idea who Haytham is," Javier says. "I haven't been in Shay's memories very long."
"Well apparently they're going to meet soon." Right, Altair?
Yes, his ancestor says. I have a plan. But first, I think we need to talk about Juno. This is her home, isn't it? This is the place you've told us about?
Yea, Desmond says. I don't know if home would be the right word, but yea.
Then I want to try and do what I can to ward us against her, before I do anything else.
Like you did for me? Ezio cuts in. He's still not there as often as Altair, but he's in and out, and by now he and Altair are both used to it.
Yes, Altair says. Although of course it'll be harder, with her being so established here. It might not even work.
Still worth trying, Ezio says. I know the only reason I can sleep most nights is that I know she's not coming back here.
"Desmond?" Javier says. "You just sort of—zoned out."
"Yea," Desmond says. "Sorry, I just—I think there's something I need to do before we get into the animus. Give me a second?"
"What are you going to do?"
"It's… kind of a long story," Desmond says carefully, because he doesn't know how to explain all this quickly. "I'll be back in a minute."
But Javier follows him as he goes to get the apple, and then watches as Desmond cups it in his hands, waiting patiently for Altair to reach through him to the apple.
"Is that safe?" Javier asks. "I mean—aren't we all here because we want to stop Juno from using that thing?"
"Yes," Desmond admits, not quite looking at him. "But it's also our only way of warding this place against her and keeping us safe while we're here."
"You can do that?" Javier asks, perking up.
"I really hope so," Desmond mutters. Are you ready?
Ready, Altair says, and Desmond feels a surge or purposeful determination as his ancestor reaches through him, through his apple, and out into the world. It doesn't feel as uncomfortable as it should. Kind of warm, if anything.
That's the ward? Ezio asks.
It would be, Altair says slowly. If there was anything here to ward against.
There's a beat of silence, then Ezio says, What?
Juno's not here, Altair says. I can set up a ward to keep her from coming back, but I was expecting her to be here already, and she's just not.
Oh crap, Desmond says, because if she's not here, where they expect to find her, it can only mean she's somewhere else, causing trouble they don't expect.
I'm sorry, Altair says. I wish I had more information for you.
Desmond is silent for a while, thinking it over. He's still a little shaken from his conversation with Elijah, and he doesn't want to deal with whatever Juno's planning on top of it. Well… you said you could ward it against her coming back. Why don't you start with that—
Done.
Okay. So you start with that, and then we move on to whatever your idea is that's going to let me see Haytham's memories. Then we can get back to tracking her in the past, at least.
He sort of senses a nod from Altair, and then the apple glows warm again.
I don't understand the issue here, Ezio says. Someone explain it to me, please.
The issue is that I can only relive memories of my ancestor up to the point when they conceive the next ancestor in line. Which is bad in this case, because my ancestor and Javier's didn't meet until after Haytham had Connor. So I need to find a way to see his memories after the point where they should stop.
It's not that difficult, Altair says, although his words are slightly undercut by the fact that he sounds strained. It's not so different from the way we're all connected. In my time, I have already had two sons, and I don't believe I will have any more. That means that whichever of my children is going to be Desmond's ancestor, he already exists.
But we're still connected, Desmond says, catching on. Through the apple.
Yes we are, Altair says. And so is Ezio. I think—if I'm right—then all I need to do is connect Haytham as well.
That'll be fun, Desmond says drily. Haytham in my head. Making comments on everything. He likes having Altair and Ezio in his head, popping in at odd times, commenting on whatever's going on in his life. Haytham, on the other hand… he's kind of an asshole.
Sorry, Altair says. But this is about saving the world, isn't it? It's important enough to put up with small annoyances. He lapses back into silence, focusing, and Desmond lets him do it until one of the techs calls out to him and Javier that the animus is ready.
He can't help moving slowly, just to give Altair time to do whatever he needs to do to get everything set up with the apple. He's still fiddling and delaying (and Javier is already in his animus, all loaded up and ready), when Altair says, I think the only thing I still need is a read on Haytham himself. Go through into any memory, and I should be able to connect the two of you.
Thanks. He lies back down on the animus, then hesitates. He hasn't been in one like this before.
"Cool, isn't it?" Rebecca asks. She's the tech in charge of setting him up, which Desmond is grateful for. She still has a flushed, excited expression on her face, the same one she's had since they walked in here and she finally found out about all this. "Your friends brought a couple of them for you and the kid."
"And it's better than yours?" Desmond asks.
Rebecca nods. She looks excited about this, rather than nervous or jealous about the new tech. "They called it a sarcophagus, I think?" She shrugs. "But either way, I've been looking at this thing and I can't wait to try her out." She gives the machine a fond pat. "So go on. Climb in and get ready."
He does as he's told, resisting the urge to cross his arms over his chest and pretend like he's lying in a coffin. There's a reason Layla named this model the sarcophagus.
Rebecca inserts an IV, just in case, then starts the new animus up.
True to her word, it's amazing. It's like no other animus Desmond has ever been in. There's none of this usual period of almost clunky disconnect on his way into the loading screen, it just happens. One second Desmond is in his own body and mind, and the next he's standing in the white loading screen as Haytham.
That always feels weird, Desmond mutters. He crosses Haytham's arms over his chest. Taps Haytham's foot. Are you guys still there? You made it okay?
We can still hear you, Ezio reassures him, and Desmond nods.
I was worried you wouldn't be able to come through with me, Desmond admits. I don't know. Things just seemed like they're going too smoothly, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The rest of the world builds around them, and Desmond feels and knows as Altair, in his time, in the safety of Masyaf, reaches for his apple. There's a moment, a long, drawn out moment of silence, where Desmond can't do anything but wait for Altair to finish his work.
And then another voice. New. What—
Haytham sounds genuinely shocked as his voice echoes through Desmond's mind for the first time.
Listen, Ezio says, as Altair recovers from linking Desmond to Haytham through the apple. It's a long story, but we need your help to save the world.
And Haytham does listen. He listens carefully, although with a growing sense of disbelief. He says nothing to Ezio as he gives a cursory explanation, and does not even ask questions until the end. When it's finally over, he says, "So I'm supposed to just trust you?"
You don't have to ask questions out loud, Desmond says. But… yes. Please. I know it sounds insane, but what Ezio said about Juno, and the whole world being in danger, it really is true.
This time, there's a slight hesitation, and Haytham's jaw works. Desmond can feel himself sweating with nerves as they wait, and he wonders if it might have been easier to just hide from Haytham. If he hadn't had Javier to worry about, and if they didn't already know that Juno was there…
This is extremely inconvenient for me, Haytham says at last, just when Desmond is starting to worry he'll never agree to help. And I hope you realize that.
If Desmond hadn't been stuck in the animus and basically immobile at the moment, he would have rolled his eyes. Judging from the feeling he's getting from Ezio, his ancestor is rolling his. Only Altair abstains.
I understand that this is all new to you, he says. But if you need any proof that Juno is as dangerous as we've told you, there is a man that will be coming to you soon.
"And…" He stops, then continues in silence. Clearly, this is going to take some getting used to for him. And he will be able to corroborate this?
He will have quite the story to tell.
Haytham clearly isn't buying it, and Desmond wishes they could have come at this more gradually. Not only is Haytham the only Templar whose memories he's he ever lived through in the animus, he's by far the most skeptical, and the slowest to trust. If they only had the time…
But they don't.
So who are you? Haytham asks at last. Altair, Ezio—these are names I know. Desmond, I assume you are an Assassin as well?
Desmond hesitates, then says No.
Oh? Haytham raises an eyebrow, clearly both disbelieving and unimpressed.
Well, yes. But right now? First and foremost? I'm a Hidden One.
Haytham considers that. Snorts derisively. Shakes his head. This is absurd.
But you will at least talk to Shay? Desmond asks.
You have aroused my curiosity, Haytham admits. He sounds reluctant, but at this point, Desmond will take it. And I will speak to him.
-/-
I feel like this chapter took foreeeever to write... and I kept falling asleep in the middle, hopefully that doesn't mean it's boring. xD
Getting close to the ending now, though. I wanted to take a second to kind of talk about something I've seen come up a couple times, which is that yes, this fic is going to end after AC3-actually, I don't even know if it's fair to say after 3, because I don't think Connor is going to show up.
Originally I wanted this to cover all the games, and then I figured out that actually AC3 is a pretty good stopping point, since that's kind of the end of the Desmond saga in canon. But what I'm thinking about doing is a timeskip/sequel, with Connor, Arno, the Fryes, and Aya coming in part 2. Or, I might just end it with this fic, and not do a sequel. It depends entirely on if anyone is interested in reading more after this fic wraps up. I don't know. Sorry for the rambling, but that's where my thought process is at right now.