Assassin's Creed (c) Ubisoft

Haytham stared at the woman then his father then back at the woman then back at his father. "What?" he asked, wondering how this day could get worse. "Father, what are you talking about?"

"Haytham, why don't…" Edward trailed off upon noticing the state of his son's clothes. "Haytham, what happened?"

"The Assassins stole our treehouse!" Haytham seethed, folding his arms over his chest. "Jerks."

"There are assassins here?" Jenny asked. Edward shook his head.

"Nah, it's just a game Haytham and his friends play. His friends are the Knights Templar and this rival group of boys are the Assassin Brotherhood,"' Edward explained. "It's all just harmless fun."

"It's serious Father! One day we're gonna take over the world!" Haytham said. "And who is she again?"

"Haytham, Jenny is the person I told you that'll be staying with us for a bit," Edward explained. "She's your half-sister. Come here and say hi."

Haytham didn't say anything, just glanced at his father before slowly walking up to his father, he grabbed his shirt and stared coolly at his half-sister. "Hi. I'm Haytham."

"Hi, Nathan," Jenny said with a nervous little smile, glancing at Edward and then around the house. She swallowed, tucking some hair behind her ear.

"It's Haytham," Haytham said tightly, pressing himself closer to his father.

"Son, why don't you go et cleaned up, I'll order a pizza and we can all get to know each other better over pizza, how does that sound?"

"Why not have her go get it?" Haytham asked, looking up at his father. "I mean…"

"I can," Jenny said, "if… if it's not too much trouble. I don't want to feel like I'm imposing or anything…"

"Nonsense," Edward scoffed. "I'll just call, they deliver."

Well you are. Go away, you weirdo, Haytham thought but didn't say anything, just pressed himself closer to Edward.

Edward looked down at his son. "You never explained what happened to your clothes."

"Yes, I did!" Haytham sighed, rolling his eyes. "The Assassins stole our tree house! They used water guns, mud and slime balloons! Pay attention, Father!"

"Haytham… how old are you?" Jenny asked. Haytham spared his half-sister telling his father the tale of what happened.

"Haytham, don't be rude," Edward chided, interrupting his son. "Answer her question."

"Seven," he mumbled, not meeting his sister's eyes. "So as I was saying about what happened—"

"That's cool, I'm nineteen," Jenny said. "I want to be a fashion designer. I plan to attend the University of the Arts Central Saint Martins. It's a top notch design school." Haytham simply stared at her, as if she was an alien from another planet. "It's in London, Haytham."

"Oh."

"Haytham, why don't you go clean up and I'll call the pizza place," Edward said.

"But I want to stay with you?" Haytham protested, though he shot his sister a furious glare quickly. "Please?"

"Haytham, you're covered in mud and slime, go change and wash the mud out of your hair, Jenny isn't gonna eat me."

"Yeah Haytham, he's my father too," Jenny said, "I'd like to get to know him."

"He's mine," Haytham hissed. Jenny stared at her little brother in unmasked surprised. "You can help me get dressed!"

"Haytham, you're seven, you don't need my help," Edward sighed. "Go on, it's not going to kill ya."

"Yes it will," Haytham protested. Edward sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Go on Haytham," Edward said.

"Fine," Haytham said, heading to his room, hanging his head. He slipped in and stared at his father and half-sister, watching them for several long moments. Jenny said something that made Edward laughed and Haytham felt hot and angry. It took him only a moment to realize he was jealous. Softly he closed the door.

Haytham sat beneath the tree in the neighbourhood park. He was stripping a twig of its branches and only half-listened to his friends' chatter. "Hey, Haytham do you have any ideas on to get our tree house back?" Shay asked. Haytham looked up, then back at the twig he was mutilating.

"No," he growled, hunching his shoulders up. Shay looked at him then at the others.

"Is something wrong Haytham?" Charles asked, scooting closer to Haytham. "You know, we're your friends so you can tell us."

"Nothing's wrong," Haytham insisted, sitting up and setting the twig aside. "I just… haven't given it much thought." He wiped his brow. "Alright, we need to get our tree house back."

"Yeah, but how?" Thomas asked. Haytham rubbed his chin looking up at the sky.

"We need to catch them off guard," Haytham said, looking at his friends. "Just like they did us. We also need to have a lot of water guns with us. Like maybe we can get some super soakers and a garden hose or two."

"My mom can buy some super soakers," William said.

"The hard part will be catching them off guard," Shay pointed out. Haytham smirked.

"No it won't," Haytham said, looking at Shay. "You're gonna go back and apologize."

"What? No!" Shay shouted. "I'll never apologize to those jerks! They pushed Charles in the mud that one time and Achilles just stood by while Ethan bullied those kindergarteners!"

Haytham grabbed Shay by his shoulders and shook him. "You're the only one that can do it, Shay! They trust you! Especially if you get Hope to back you up! Besides you won't really be joining them," Haytham said, "you'll just be acting like it. You'll come to my house later and tell me everything! Then we'll know when they are off-guard!"

Shay stared Haytham, saw the conviction in his eyes. "I don't know Haytham…"

"Shay, you're the only one that can do this!" Haytham said. Shay took a deep breath before nodding.

"Okay," Shay said, "I'll do it."

"Excellent! Now, all you need to do is go to the Green Dragon and beg the Assassins to take you back!" Haytham said, a little smile on his face.

"That's all well and good Haytham, but what if…" Shay stopped when he noticed someone approaching them.

"Haytham!" a woman's voice called. Haytham turned and cringed at the sight. The other boys stared at her too.

"Who's the pretty girl?" Thomas asked.

"Can you not be gross for once?" Charles snipped. Thomas stuck his tongue out at Charles once the other boy's back was turned.

"Haytham, do you know her?" Shay asked as the girl came up to them.

"Haytham, what's the matter? Dad said he's going to take us to the movies. Ádewalé gave him the rest of the day off, isn't that cool?" Jenny asked. Haytham made a face. "Haytham aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?"

"No," Haytham said, they were his friends. She was already trying to take his father, Haytham didn't want her taking his friends too.

"Oh, well alright," Jenny said, frowning a little. "C'mon let's go. Dad's in the car waiting for us."

"What if I don't want to go?" Haytham asked. He wanted to go to the movies, just not with Jenny tagging along.

"Who's going to watch you?"

"I'm playing with my friends, I can stay at one of their houses until the movie is over," Haytham explained.

"This is supposed to be a family thing, Haytham. C'mon, it'll be fun," Jenny explained. Haytham looked at his friends then back at his half-sister.

"Go on Haytham, we're pretty much done planning for the day," Shay said. Haytham huffed, got to his feet and followed his sister to the car.

It went on like this for several weeks. Haytham did everything he could to make sure Edward's attention remained fixated on him. When Edward left Jenny in charge of babysitting, Haytham would lock himself in his room, never coming out until morning. In the meantime, he would play with his friends, working out a plan to take back their tree house. Shay's intelligence gathering was proving a bountiful pay off.

It was after the Fourth of July, evening and Haytham was sitting on the front step with a cherry popsicle in his hand, Shay was beside him, eating a grape flavored one. "I think we'll be able to launch an attack soon," Haytham said. "It sounds like in a few days we'll be able to take back the tree house."

"You think? I hope Liam won't be too mad at me afterward," Shay muttered.

"So… is Liam really your brother?" Haytham asked. He had always wondered that, but never bothered to ask Shay or Liam.

"No, he's my best friend… my parents died when I was a toddler, I was put into the foster care system. Liam's family was my foster family," Shay said, "I've lived with them ever since."

"Oh," Haytham muttered, feeling awkward. "I… I didn't know."

"Nobody does. They put Liam and I in different classes," Shay said. "So, who is she?"

"Who?"

"That girl that's always coming to get you," Shay said. "The blond one."

"Oh her," Haytham said with a pout, sucking on the popsicle. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Sure, I won't tell," Shay said.

"She's my half-sister," Haytham muttered. "Her name is Jenny." He looked up at the sky. "I hate her."

"Isn't that a little harsh?" Shay asked, biting off the tip of his popsicle. "I mean… she's your sister—"

"Half-sister!"

"Same dad, different moms. My point is Haytham," Shay said, pointing his popsicle at Haytham, "I think you should be nice to her."

"No way!" Haytham snapped. "She's yucky! And I think she's really here to take my father away! No matter how hard I try, he pays more attention to her than me!"

"Did you tell him?" Shay asked.

"I tried…"

"And?"

"He doesn't care! He tells me not to worry and to get along with Jenny, but I don't wanna! I don't like being a little brother! I want things to go back to the way they were!" Haytham shouted, folding his arms and putting them on top of his knees. "She's a stupid butt-face."

Shay snickered. "I'm sure she's not that bad." Haytham shot his friend a look. "Really! Maybe if you just gave her a chance you'll—"

"No! No! No! Shay, who's side are you on? Her's or mine?" Haytham asked, he bit into his popsicle, the cold of the frozen treat numbing his teeth, which swiftly lead to a brain freeze. "Aaah! Brain freeze! Brain freeze!" he moaned pressing his hands to his head and stomping his feet in place. Shay snickered, and it earned him an elbow in the ribs once Haytham had recovered.

"I'm on your side Haytham," Shay said, "I'm just saying that family is important. She's always gonna be your sister."

"But…"

"No buts! Trust me on this," Shay said, "I'd give anything to have my parents back… or to find out I had a long lost sibling…"

"Shay…" Haytham whispered.

"You know what it's like not to have a mom. At least you still have your dad and now you have a sister! That's a good thing," Shay said. Haytham didn't say anything, licking his popsicle in silence. Shay finished his before Haytham and stood up. "Well, I better get back home before my folks worry about me. See ya tomorrow Haytham," Shay said, waving a little bit.

"Bye," Haytham said, waving back at his friend. He watched Shay walk off before entering the house. He frowned when he saw Jenny, holding two plates of sandwiches.

"Hey, I was just about to get you and your friend," she said.

"Shay went home," Haytham muttered, not meeting Jenny's eyes. "What do you want?"

Jenny sighed. "Dad wont' be back late."

"I know."

"So, I'm in charge and I made us roast beef sandwiches for dinner. I was thinking we can watch TV together until it's your bed time," Jenny said.

"No thanks, I'm not hungry," Haytham lied, heading to his room.

"C'mon, you gotta eat," Jenny said. "Everyone says I'm really good at sandwiches."

"Can you stop," Haytham said, turning to face his sister. He had enough of this girl trying to be nice to him.

"Stop what? I'm just trying to be nice."

"Exactly! Stop it. I don't like you and I don't want you. Go away. Go back to where you came from!" Haytham seethed. "You butted in where you shouldn't've butted in!"

"Look Nathan—"

"It's Haytham! Hay-tham! It's not that hard!"

"Whatever," Jenny said dismissively as she set the sandwiches onto the table and walked up to Haytham. "He's my father too, and I have a right to get to know him and spend time with him."

"He loves me more than you! He always had! He never even once talked about you!" Haytham spat. "He loves my mother more than your mother too! So, why don't you just go away! We don't want you here!"

"Listen here you little termite!" Jenny seethed, grabbing Haytham. "I'm not leaving! I'm here to stay and he's my father just as much as he is yours! Stop thinking your such a special snowflake because you're not!"

"Let me go, you're hurting me!" Haytham cried, tugging at his arm. Jenny huffed, letting him go. "I hate you."

"Yeah, well the feeling is mutual," she snipped. Haytham sniffed, tearing up, his lower lip jutting out. He tore off towards his room and slammed the door. He heard Jenny scream in frustration-induced anger before the TV went on. Haytham knew he couldn't stay here. Not with her here. He suffered silently for weeks now and he just couldn't take it. Screw what Shay said about being nice to Jenny. Jenny was a big mean butt-face and he didn't like her.

He grabbed his backpack and stuffed his pajamas, some clothes, his stuffed eagle and a picture of him and his father into it. He slung the pouch Ziio gave him over his shoulder feeling his journal and pen safely within. He opened a drawer and grabbed some left over Easter candy and shoved that into the backpack too. Then he opened his window and popped out the screen the way his father taught him if there was ever a fire in the house. He glanced at his phone and almost took it but decided to leave it. He then slipped out of the window and ran off into the gathering night.

AAAAH!

Haytham runs away!

Thanks again to MohawkWoman and my koala bear for beta duties and general support. I hope you enjoy this chapters guys!

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Nemo