[A/N]: Thanks for reading! Feedback is always welcome!

As I mentioned last week, I won't be posting for the next two weeks, but it should be back to normal after that. Happy New Year!

Chapter 79

"Have you been in here all day?" Ezio asked her gently when she opened the door.

"More or less," she muttered. "Come, let's go for a walk."

The June weather was nice enough for it and Ezio wasn't going to sleep soon in any case, so he nodded and waited for a moment while she blew out her candle and stepped outside with him.

Neither of them said anything as they left the thieves' den and made their way through a nearby alley.

Ezio wasn't sure if he should speak again or wait for her to say something, but that dilemma was resolved after she let out a deep and audible sigh.

"What the hell does he want from me, Ezio?" she asked.

"I think the more important question is what YOU want," he replied.

"No, I already know what I want," she told him.

"Oh?"

"You can tell Antonio to shove his offer up his culo."

"Va bene," Ezio agreed, "I will, though perhaps not in those exact words."

Rosa let out a bit of a smile, which lightened Ezio's heart somewhat as well.

"You will have to forgive him one day, you know," Ezio added.

"Sì, I know," she admitted with a nod. "I'm just not ready for that yet. Seeing him there with all of those Assassins made me feel like…like I've been living as part of his lie for years."

"It is a strange feeling, I know," Ezio agreed, "but you did not seem angry when I told you about all of this last night."

She shook her head. "Seeing it for myself was different. It…hurt."

"What do you mean?"

"He's the closest thing to a father I've ever had. I thought he saw me in that way as well, but apparently not, else he would have told me about all of this."

"You're wrong," Ezio said. "Antonio sees himself as your father as well. He told me so once."

"He's said it to me as well, but those are just his words. They don't excuse this secrecy."

"No," Ezio admitted, "but his secrecy does not mean he does not care about you. My father never told me about this part of his life, remember? It was my uncle who revealed all of it to me after my father was killed."

Rosa did not reply, so Ezio continued.

"Perhaps Antonio wanted to, but he never found the right time or the right way," he said. "I don't think he's even sure if he wants you to join him. He seemed much more reluctant than my uncle. He cares about you enough to offer you the choice, though. That should count for something."

Rosa was silent for a few more moments, then nodded. "You can tell him I've made it, at least for now. Maybe I'll rethink it one day, but right now my mind is made up. Hopefully he can be content with it."

"I think he will," Ezio told her.

"Basta! I'm tired of thinking about all of this! Let's find something else to talk about. Did you ever find out what the Spaniard had in his box?"

"No, we didn't," Ezio groaned. "They are saying its contents are too dangerous for us to open it. They want to know what it does first, but I don't know how they can learn what it does without using it. Maybe they are hoping someone with knowledge of such things can help us understand how it works. I doubt anyone has such knowledge, but someone will have to study it sooner or later."

"Is Leonardo not available?" she chuckled. "That sounds like something that would excite him."

Ezio stopped in his tracks. "Sì, Leonardo!" he thought aloud. "Why did I not think of him? Most of the Assassins already trust him, after all. He's helped us decipher the Codex pages. I must go and see him!"

Ezio started to leave, but Rosa pulled him back.

"Have you forgotten what time it is?" she demanded, lightly smacking the back of his head. "Go and see him in the morning. We should get some rest anyway. Let's head back for the night."