Hi! Here is another Chapter. I know it's super short, but there will be pretty long ones coming up.

-Moon

Catherine's eyes laid upon on the ship that would take her directly to the Davenport Homestead. Her heart pounded with excitement that she was returning home, but it was also filled with sadness. She watched her luggage being loaded onto the ship before turning to Charles Dorian. He held onto Arno's tiny hand before letting go, the young boy ran to Catherine to hug her.

"Do you have to go? I'll miss you." Arno asked as his head buried in her coat.

It had been an emotional past few days for Catherine. She had to say goodbye to the people she had come and known in her time of France. Two nights ago, she drank away her night with the novices that she helped train. The younger teens had looked upon the older assassin with much respect.

Though, the next morning she awoke with regret with a hammer racking her skull. It didn't give her much of the day to pack of what little she had gained over the years in Paris.

Catherine had fallen to her knees to give the child a tighter hug. "I know, I'll miss you too."

She pressed a soft kiss to his cheek before standing up to say her goodbye to her mentor. "I want to say thank you for all you have done for me the past few years. I would probably still be running my mother's tavern without really realizing about what was truly at stake."

"You have Connor and Achilles to thank as well when you return." Dorian moved his chin in a way to hide his embarrassment of her thanks. "You take care of yourself, don't do anything cocky, Catherine."

Catherine Cormac pressed her lips together in a grin, "you know me, I only cause trouble when Templars are involved."

Charles snorted, "that's what I am afraid of."

The younger assassin lingered in front of her mentor before she leaped and gave him a tight hug. "Thank you. I am going to miss you both."

Dorian stood a bit shock with the sudden burst of affection before resting his arms around her back to return the affection. "Make sure you write to us, Catherine. We want to hear updates from you." He lectured her in a fatherly tone. "Your family to Arno and myself. If I had a daughter, I would like to imagine she'd be something like you."

Catherine's heart swelled with happiness. The young Cormac could speak the ship's quartermaster called for boarding. "I guess it's time."

The young woman backed away from the father and son, grabbing her carry on bag strapping it over her shoulder. She waved to them both as she walked towards the ship's plank, the young woman turned around to walk up the plank.

Catherine could hear Arno shouting goodbye and good-luck over the sounds of the seagulls and harbor life. Catherine waved a last goodbye before boarding the ship. For a moment she could have sworn that Charles Dorian eyes carried a weight of sadness, but they were replaced with a vision of reassurance. In that instance, Catherine knew that Charles had faith in her succeeded in her goal.

She prayed that she would see him again someday soon. She looked above her head to see Orla circling the ship before gliding down to her mistress. She landed on a mast above her. Catherine knew that she was tucking herself away for a long journey back home. It was time to go home.

"FIRE!" Connor order

The cannons roared to life with another devastating blow to the old abandon fort. He watched as the last tower standing crumbled to a pile of rubble. Connor could hear as his crewmen cheered for victory while his eyes study the old fort. The sea captain stepped away from the wheel of his ship towards the quartermaster, Faulkner.

"The fort should not be troubling anyone no-more," Faulkner spoke as he eyed the damage. Bloody English have gone too far this time." He spat onto the ground as to cruse the enemy.

A few weeks ago, Mister. Faulkner had revived reports about raiders causing merchant ships trouble at Martha's Vineyard. Robert brought this attention to Achilles, who wanted to know if Connor would want to investigate into it. The Assassin took the mission to distract his mind. Connor was waiting for Catherine's arrival from France, he felt impatient for her to arrive.

"That is the problem. What reason would the English have to threaten Martha's Vineyard? It has no strategic value and its people remain peaceful. I fear the influence of a different kind saw to this." Connor's mouth filled with distaste.

Faulkner huffed, "Templars, bloody bastards."

"But what they intend, I do not know." He humbly put, his mind swayed to Catherine, maybe she could help place the pieces together.

"Your orders?"

"I need time to put these pieces together." Connor breathed to make a decision, "Set a course for home,"

"Aye." Faulkner walked with Connor to the helms to chart the course. "Want to be in a hurry to get home to Catherine, before she does? How long has Cormac been gone?"

"Close to four years." Connor hummed, "It will be good enough to see her again after all this time." In his mind letters were not enough to hear from her.

The journey home took only a week, Connor sat alone in his cabin to write notes in his captain log. Though the seas were not his major focus with the Templars, he still wanted to keep track of what was happening. He was deep in thought about what the Templars want with the east coast.

The war wasn't in full swing, but it seems that the Templars were preparing for it. He snapped out of his own thoughts when was realized when he heard the orders to the dock of the ship. He tucked away from the journal in his desk. He hung up his captain coat to change into his normal assassin robes. He was anxious to see if Catherine had made her return.

The journey on foot was swift back to the Davenport manor. Connor had changed back into his normal assassin robes as he entered the home. He walked upstairs to his room when he dead stopped in front of his door to only notice Catherine's bedroom door was ajar. A sense of happiness filled him as he stalked towards the room and opened it to notice new luggage and trunks lined the room.

He couldn't believe that she was home already. The native assassin jogged out the room downstairs to find Achilles. The older gentleman sat out back on his porch with his cane tucked neatly under his palms.

"I was wondering when you'd return." Achilles spoke as he gripped the cane.

Connor was unsure what to say, "Where is she?"

Achilles chuckles. "She took off early this morning, I imagine she wanted to stretch her legs after being on a boat for close to 2 months. She got in late last night and didn't bother to say hello before taking off in the early morning.

Connor smiled, "I will go find her."

Achilles waved his hand towards the native asking for peace and quiet. He knew how loud Catherine and Connor could get when they were around each other with their consent teasing and running.

Connor took to higher ground above in the high pines. Focusing on his surroundings, he turned on his eagle vision. There was no sign of the Irish woman just a herd of deer down below. He scanned the area for any signs of the young woman. Striking gold, he saw the area near the deer disturbed. Scaling down the side of the tree, spooking the small herd towards the opposite direction. He could see tread marks that made a path towards the high cliffs where a waterfall poured from a river. It was one of Catherine's favorite place on the property.

As he neared the waterfall with the pool, he could hear a bell-like humming noise. As he came upon the open clearing, Catherine saw under the shade to beat out the midsummer heat with her sketchbook. Her sleeves were rolled up with her coat and bag near her. Catherine's auburn curls were pulled back into a sloppy bun with a couple of strains falling from the binding. He just watched her back as she worked in her notebook, he wasn't sure if he should disturb her. A moment passes before she snapped her notebook shut placing it in her bag before standing up.

She took a pause after she stood up from her spot, turning her body slowly to face Connor. A smile was plastered across her face before striding towards him. Catherine broke out in a light jog to him, taking a leap she tackled him a hug laughing.

"It's so good to see you again, I've missed you." She stepped back and looked at him. "You've bulked up." She squeezed his arm a little. "You're built like a bear. I am surprised the lasses haven't come calling."

Connor chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck. "You look good too." The native man looked embarrassed.

They had both heavily matured in young adults, leaving behind any childhood features. He watched her as she untied her sloppy bun, her curls cascaded down onto her shoulders. She had grown an inch or so taller since he had last seen her. She wore fine clothes showed that she had lived a life luxury in Paris. He took notice as she pulled her coat back on, even though it was a masculine fit. She looked sharp and dignified in it.

"Thanks, I feel like a mess though. I wanted to spend some time away from people after I got in. Living in a city like Paris for four years gets to you."

"I can only imagine, I was overwhelmed about the size of Boston, I can't imagine what it's like in a place as old as Paris."

Catherine reached over to take hold of Connor's arm. She interlocked her's around his. "I've gotten every letter you sent me, I managed to take a look around the property and you've done amazing work with the people living hear. They won't stop talking about you. I feel like I hardly missed a thing that went on in this place." Connor took hold of her bag to carry for her as they walked. He didn't mind being so close to her.

They made a causal talk on the way back to the manor, Catherine stopped to laugh as she told about the stories of her time in France. Connor could only listen and smile as he listens to her laughter. "I had to get up 4 hours before sunrise every day for a month after I broke protocol with the other novices."

Connor could only watch her talk and smile, he had nothing more to say to her. He only listened to her speak about her experiences, not interrupting her story. "I wish you were there Connor, I really have missed you."

"I've missed you too. Only letters do so much." Connor said as he met her eyes. The tension was felt between the two of them, the words they mentioned in letters could not be said out loud. Both of them embarrassed.

"I know, Connor, we talked a lot about us." She sighed as turned to face him. Catherine grasped his hand firmly, "We have plenty of time, but I want to help your people as well as the many tribes that will be affected. William Johnson and the other Templars have been too quiet for so long for them not to be scheming."

Connor's heart swelled at the amount of work Catherine had put into protecting his people. She was striving to help people she never met. "They have been too quiet, what do you purpose?"

"I want to meet with William Johnson."

"Catherine, no, that's risky."

"It's alright, the Templars will find out that I am alive sooner or later. I have an idea to reach out to Johnson without alerting the other Templars." She reached into her bag for her journal, "I've been studying my father's letters to me..." flipping open to the page she was working on, it showed copied signatures that read.

Shay Cormac.

Connor took the book from Catherine to look over the copied signature. It was impressive. "You're going to meet with him under the guise that he thinks that he is meeting your father."

"Aye, so it won't alert Haytham or Lee. No one knows where my father is, not even the Templars."

Connor nodded, thinking the plan would work. "Where would you met with him?"

"Somewhere not far from here, his estate is right on the edge of John's Town. So I am thinking to set up an arrangement in a tavern near there, a short notice so he does not have time to reach out to anyone."

Connor touched her shoulder to plead with her to reconsider. "I ask you not to do this. We need to talk to my people, I don't trust him and he can hurt you."

Catherine opened her mouth to ask him to reconsider the idea, but she saw how he pleaded with her not to go. "Fine, we will try it your way. I want to try to do this without bloodshed...Johnson is good man, unlike the others, he might listen to reason."

"If it comes to it, we can try it your way." Connor suggested, "For now, let's not worry about it. We can ride out to my tribe tomorrow."

Catherine nodded, "alright, for now….I need to unpack and enjoy some food. I am starving and food is garbage on a ship." She smiled showing her teeth, "let's head back." The young woman took a glance around before leaning to Connor to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. It stunned the native assassin to his spot, "I'll race your arse back to the house." She spoke quickly before taking off in a quick run.

"Catherine!"

Catherine laughed at the confusion that Connor displaced as they ran back to the manor.