Holy Shite balls, 2 chapters in a month, I feel like I am a roll.

Anyways, I had quite a good time with this chapter, especially in the midsection. I hope you guys will like it and Please review!

If you notice I mention one of my favorite Irish songs, fun fact that I read up. Step It Out Mary was originally written in 1790's so 20 years after this or so. A lot of things I throw in here I try to make it close to canon, or historical fact. Like if you noticed I mention a boy by the name Christopher in the first few chapters, he was an actually a young boy of an immigrant family that was murder by a loyaislty shopkeep in Boston, just a month before the Boston Massacre.

A surprise appearance will take place in the coming chapters. Stay tune to see what happens next to Catherine! :)

-MassterAssassinMoon

Catherine was speechless at the sight of the native sitting in her basement but brushed it aside to walk over to greet him. "Connor, what in the hell-how the hell did you get in here?" She was pleased to see the lad. She greeted him with a firm handshake by the arm and pulling him into a one arm hug.

"The tunnels under boston….You have a passageway right under the cellar." He spoke as he stood up. "I came through here and thought to wait for you." Connor pulled away as he explained.

A secret passageway under her mother's tavern. Did her mother know about this? The Secrets were just piling up one after another.

"Where is it?"

The native boy beckoned her over to an old shelf where the floorboards had discolorated floorboards. Connor kneeled beside her to raise the floorboards to show a hidden trap door. Never had Catherine seen this before; it was another secret that her mother kept from her. All the lies her parents had kept from her through the years started to sting a little at a time. Catherine would never know if her mother intended to keep all of this from her, or was waiting to tell her at the right moment.

A creaking nose single Catherine that the door from upstairs was opening. She hushed Connor to a hiding spot quickly before she ran to greet the person who came looking for her. A light flashed down the dim stairs with James standing in the doorway. "Catherine? Is everything okay?"

"Aye James, I will be upstairs in a minute."

"Give me a shout if you need help." James nodded before shutting the door behind him.

Catherine sighed, that was too much of a close call in her mind. Connor was not Jame's biggest fan. Knowing him, James would probably throw an uproar if he saw that a native had come into Catherine's basement unannounced. It would cause a stir with the patrons, not to mention Hickey was there as well as the redcoats could be called. Haytham had eyes on her and he made it clear to her in the graveyard that his spies would be near. Thomas Hickey being upstairs was proof of that.

"Connor, please stay down here. I will be back at closing, please stay quiet."

The novice Assassin glanced at the wooden ceiling where the tune of Step It Out Mary was playing for the crowd. "I will be fine down here."

"I will be back with some food, don't worry, I will try to get this place closed up within the hour."

Catherine was true to her word, Azura was confused by the sudden urgency to close up for the night as well as James. but neither question it, Catherine gave full nights pay to Azura instead of half of the night. She had rushed her out along with some of the drunkards. James had one of the patrons, Paul, around his shoulder to help him walk home.

"Are you sure you are okay?" James asked as Paul was in a fit of drunken laughter. "I can come back to clean if that is alright?"

"No, it's fine."

The trio stood outside her tavern, never before had she felt more antsy to get James and loyal customers out of the pub before. She knew it looked suspicious, but she had made a false lie that she had run out of spirts for the evening. The patrons left soon after her announcement, a couple of the customers express how much a great job she was doing and Rose would be proud as they made their way with James standing with Paul.

James gave his farewell, "I will try to see you in the next few days,"

"Alright,"

Catherine shut the door soon as they left. Connor had already made his way upstairs and sitting at the table with Aries. The native showed interest in Aries as he stroked the hawk's feathers. "Where did you find him?"

"I bought him off a merchant that was treating him poorly. I haven't seen him fly though, so I am holding out that I can let him loose in the frontier." She took a seat at the bar next to him. Placing a small plate of bread and cheese for Connor to snack on while the two teenagers talked. Connor was already breaking the bread apart to feed to Aries.

"I am glad you are here…Its been a trying weak, not to mention I meet your father."

Connor grimaced at the mention of Haytham. "How did that happen?"

"He practically ambushed me at my mother's gravesite. He possible followed me and tried to convince me to come with him."

Connor grimaced at the thought of Catherine leaving everything behind to follow Haytham's ideology. "I am glad you didn't." It had been different without Catherine around when he had just become accustomed to having her at the homestead. "Your letter mention that you found something of interest."

Catherine nodded, "Aye, I did. It was letters between my uncle and mother during the seven-year war. I believe I know the location of the artifact that my father is hunting. Liam had disclosed it in a letter to my mother, as grim as the location is. It is actually quite clever."

The copper hair lass walked around the bar counter dropping to her knees to check the letters. She had originally stuffed them into an empty bottle that no one dared to look into. Yet, it looked like someone did. The old whiskey bottle was gone as well as letters. Catherine's eyes widen in horror.

"No, No, no." Catherine couldn't breath when she saw it gone before she started to curse. "Shite, Jayuse!." She bucked her head up quickly that she hit her head as she peeked at Connor over the counter. "It's gone! The letters are gone!"

"How? Did anyone else know about them?"

Catherine thought about it for the moment and shook her head, "No, not even James."

"Where is the location of the artifact?"

"…I think it's my grandfather O'Brian. Buried with him….I am not sure though. It clearly said buried with our father, but I don't want to desecrate his grave!"

The native understood her urgent sense but came to comfort her around the counter. He kneeled next to her to help her look. "Did anyone come in here that looked odd?"

"Besides you coming through the basement," She said as a joke, but with a serious tone. "I saw Hickey, one of Haytham's cronies, but he was far back in the corner. Azura had chased him off after I made up a false story about the man."

"Who is Azura?"

"A barmaid, I hired."

"I see…could she had any idea about the letter?"

Catherine shook her head no, there was no way she could know about them. "No…We have to check the grave." She jumped up swiftly.

Connor grabbed her arm to stop Catherine from doing something she might regret. "You shouldn't go running off. The Templars might have eyes on the place, besides could of you placed it somewhere else."

Capturing a moment to compose herself, Catherine tried to convince herself that it could have misplaced the letter somewhere during the night. No one could know what was inside the empty bottle since the glass was tinted. "Alright, you a point Connor, but I want to check the grave first thing tomorrow morning. We can take the rooftops to get there faster."

Catherine nodded, she needed to work on her free running but this gave her time to practice. "Alright, I trust your judgment, Connor…" This whole situation was stressful for her. "Come on, you can rest in my room. I will take my parent's bedroom."

Connor followed Catherine upstairs to the apartments. It seemed to be quaint, especially for it being a Templar knight home when he isn't out doing Haytham's bidding. "I thought you would have a bigger home…"

"Why?"

"Your father…I thought Templars are a wealthy group."

Catherine asked shaking her head, "My father has always been a humble man, so has my mother. We never needed anything bigger since it was just the three of us at times. We do have money, but at times it was hard for the taxes. My mother refuses handouts."

Catherine beckons Connor to her childhood bedroom opening the door. "Here, help yourself to anything in the kitchen. If you need anything let me know." Connor took a moment to look around her room and notice her drawings on the wall. He noticed the drawings on the wall and saw a man and a woman stood together. The drawing seemed to be one OF Catherine older drawings. "Is this your parents?" He inquired.

He could see the shared appearances between Catherine and them. She had her mother curly copper hair along with her bright loving smile. The teenager had her father's eyes. It was interesting to see the face of Shay Patrick Cormac after hearing so much about the infamous assassin hunter.

"Aye, it's them, the Cormacs." She made a tisked noise in the back of the throat. "Everyone knows, or knew my mother, Rose, but Shay Cormac is a mysterious figure in this part."

Connor could see the talk of her family began to bother her, so he changed the topic to her talent.

"You are talented,"

Catherine gave a small smile, "Thanks, it's late, so I am going to head to bed."

"Good night."

Catherine left her bedroom to head to her mother's room, she had only gone into the room once before. She could smell her mother's perfume and it gave her the sensation that her mother was near, but she wasn't. Catherine quickly undressed herself to get ready for bed in her under clothes. She didn't feel like going back to grab her nightgown, but instead, the girl wrapped herself in her mother's bedroom robes. Airies had managed to ride her shoulder into the master bedroom. The bird nestled himself near the window before resting his head between his wings to sleep.

She crawled into the queen size bed pulling her mother's quilt over her body. Being in this room, so late at night brought her a new wave of emotions she thought she was just getting over. Fresh tears slid down her cheeks as she thought about her mother. This was a silent pain that she had to bare by herself. After what seemed like an hour of crying, an overwhelming calm washed over in an instance allowing her mind to drift off into a strange dream.

When there was nothing, a voice spoke to Catherine in her head.

"Catherine," a soft melody voice rang in her ear, it was almost like the sound of a goddess.

It sounded unhuman

Catherine's view of the world change and realized that her appearance had changed tremendously. White fur covered every inch of her body with a tail slowly moving side to side, she had glowing yellow eyes. In the prints of the white snow, she could see paw prints in the snow that were made by her. The world felt so surreal. Her dream world had taken her to the abandon woods of the frontier on a cold winter night benight a starless night.

"Wh-where am I?" She wonders to herself as she padded through the snow. She had morphed into a beautiful wolf with auburn fur. How was this possible? After a moment of clear thinking, she realized this was a dream.

"it's alright Catherine," The voice spoke again, "I choose this form for you because I thought it would ease your mind." A larger golden wolf materialized in front of her and the dreamy voice came from it."There are things you don't yet understand, but your path finally crossed over into your destiny."

The wolf circled her when an image appeared next to her. Catherine guessed it was a she due to the sound of her voice. The image was of Connor, but he wasn't dressed in his normal clothes. He was dressed in the robes of an Assassin. The very same robes the Connor had his eyes in Achilles cellar.

"Connor? What does he have to do with this? All of this?" Catherine watched the gold wolf pace in front of her. "This is a dream, what are you talking about?"

"My child, we have much to discuss, but we have only a few moments." She sounded motherly, "You and Ratonhnhake:ton is important to this cause. Your lineage is important as his is, you date all the way back to the time of Adam and Eve. Being the first who discovered humanity."

Now Catherine knew that she was dreaming, talk of being related to Adam and Eve? How in the world? In a way, everyone was related to the two the worlds strongest religious icons, but that was datable worldwide. Catherine wasn't the religious type, but she wasn't going to argue with the talking wolf. Who was Ratonhnhake:ton? Was…he Connor?"

"You must aid him in finding the key that is crucial to this cause."

"A key? What kind of key?"

The wolf ignored her questions as she trailed on with her story."As we speak, dark forces are at work, gather, ready to take control of the land."

Another ghostly imagine appeared, but it was of the Templars gathering around a table. They seemed to be discussing plans at the imagine moved of them talking. It was just of Hickey, Lee, and Haytham, her blood boiled at the very sight of them, but she couldn't hear a word what they were saying.

"An important temple will be breached, and hope will be lost. What you are seeing now is today the beginning of your understanding of us."

Catherine felt sickening as if she heard a loud explosion and a disturbing image of Haytham and Lee taking control what looks like the temple that the she-wolf was talking about. Everything felt so real and deep inside she felt the words to be true.

"What do you want me to do, wise one?" She asked in a great respectful tone.

"Stay on the path you have chosen for yourself, you will have an important future lineage. Many will be connected through your children, and your children's children."

What could she possibly mean by that….

"You will help change the world, I have called you so you can full fill your destiny, and urge you to not give up on your quest. If the sanctuary has been breech before its time, it will undo everything that we worked for."

Catherine walked closer to the golden wolf, tilting her head, "What work?" Catherine couldn't open her mouth to speak, but she was speaking telepathically.

"Do not let them take control of the region, it will cause mass death to uproar…your mother will not be the last victim if they win." It was a gut-wrenching statement to be heard but nonetheless, it was true. She had been on the fence about helping the Assassins, but this strange dream had shown her clarity what would happen if she didn't help Connor.

Catherine could see the blue ghost image of her mother, lying in bed bleeding out with Catherine laying her head on her chest.

"II know in time you will have many questions, and time will have them answered. Now, my child, it is time to part ways."

The gold wolf charged at Catherine she embraced herself for the impact, but the she-wolf exploded into white pixels that were almost like snowflakes causing her world to become white.

CATHERINE!

Catherine woke herself up with a gasp as the air filled back into her lungs like she was holding her breath. Her eyes were on the ceiling, but with Connor leaning over in her line of vision. Slavia or some kind of foam was covering her lips. She didn't understand what had happened, but Connor's face grew with concern.

"Catherine, are you alright? I heard you screaming my name…my real name. I found you shaking on the floor."

Catherine blinked in confusion on why he said 'real' name. "I was calling you in my sleep?" It took her a moment to realized that she had rolled out of bed and onto the hard floor.

"Yes, you were calling my real name."

"What's your real name?" Catherine sat up on the floor with Connor's help. Her whole body was shaking with adrenaline.

"Ratonhnhake:ton,"

"I don't know how I know your name…"

"Neither do I, you never asked about it."

Catherine tried standing up to lean on the bed, "S-so hold on, your name is really Ra-Ratogado…"

"Ratonhnhak:ton,"

"Yes, that, why have you never told me that."

"As I said…you never asked."

Catherine felt quietly ashamed to not know this information, but what was even stranger that she found out through her dream with the wolves. "I think we need to discuss this in the morning."

"Agreed, I am going to stay in here with you."

Catherine flushed a moment of embarrassment, was he seriously thinking about sharing a bed with her? Her parent's bed. Connor helped her sit while he reached around to grab a spare pillow and threw it on the ground with an extra blanket.

"Connor, don't!"

"It's alright, I've slept on worse."

Catherine took a deep swallow, "We can share the bed. If I have another….episode, you can grab me before I roll off the bed."

The native seemed to think her idea over but agreed. It was late in the night and neither of them had the energy to discuss her dream. It would have to wait until morning, but for now, they would need to sleep. Connor slammed his pillow next to her head as he crawled next to her. The bed was big enough to hold them both. The Irish lass pressed her back against the native's torso as he outstretched his arm over her hip. Soon the two teenagers were able to drift off to sleep before Catherine had a chance to notice the wolf claw mark that had dugged into her skin. Living proof that it wasn't a dream.

Azura had made her way to the green dragon, knowing that is where Hickey was most likely lurking after Catherine had him thrown out. The Persian made a beeline to the upstairs portion of the inn. Hickey was drinking himself away with Lee sharing a pint with him. Haytham was at the end of the table working in his journal, the man always seemed to be busy, never relax once.

Hickey sat up from his drunken state, "Zuzu! Came back for more, love?"

"You are an idiot! Why in the hell did you show up tonight when I asked you not too?!"

Hickey shrug as he empties his pint, "I just wanted to see how you were doing, besides there is no way for little Cormac to know who I am." He declared as he sipped

"On the contrary, she seemed to know who you were."

"Wot?"

This caught both Lee and Haytham's attention. "You spooked her and she ended up closing the tavern early."

Haytham placed his quill down back into the well, "What exactly happen? Did she confront hickey."

"No, she looked like she flew into a rage to see him though."

Lee shot a glance at Hickey, "What did you do prat?"

"I didn't do a thing, Charlie." Hickey had an expression of confusion. "The few times when I went was when her mother alive, but only I 'ave ever done business with the Misses. I can agree Rose had a dislike towards me, but never showed it in front of the little one."

Catherine had met all the members of his inner circle some point in her life, for instance, there was that time she had snuck aboard the Morrigan and given himself a giant headache that he had to be a concern for the safety of a child. Yet, he was impressed with her stealthiness for a child. It was clear Catherine knew who belonged in Haytham's inner circle, but there was a variance in the conclusion. The girl had never known that Hickey was a Templar. On the outside, it is very hard to conclude that Thomas was part of any secret order to the general public. He was very loud and obnoxious, but it didn't mean he knew when to not keep himself quiet and closed off.

Azura took a seat quickly to speak in a lower whisper, "There is one more thing, I saw someone of an concerning matter."

Lee gave a curious glance at the woman, "What? Who?"

"A man I've only heard in passing, but he is traveling with his young son. He goes by the name of Charles Dorian. A wealthy Assassins that comes from a very old family that has ties that connect to the assassins by a couple hundred years. He walked right past me to the bar, but he was getting a drink. A whole bottle of rum from the looks of it then he just left."

So it could be quiet possible that she knew Achilles, and was aware of the Assassins existence. The girl had given off the illusion that she was a crying daughter in grief over her mother. He could remember the anger and snarkiness in her voice as she spoke to him with no respect. Did she secretly carry the Assassin's convictions because of the tragic accident? Haytham knew that they were in a snowballing effect with young Catherine due to the loss of her mother.

The grandmaster had made his mind, he was going to have to keep a watchful eye on Catherine himself.

"Hickey?" Haytham spoke up, "I need some help from your …network."

"Yeah, boss?"

"Can you hire mercenaries to do a kidnapping?"

"Aye, I can have that done."

Azura stood there with her mouth agape at the idea, "You're not serious about that? Taking the girl by force until her father returns? I got this under control, I just need to gain the girl's trust."

Haytham looked upon the Persian woman, "I have no doubt in my mind, but it seems we are beyond that. We sometimes have to do the necessary evil. A high ranking Assassin from Europe has seemed to become interested in Catherine."

Hickey stood up, "I can get it done, just need a bit of coin."

Haytham didn't blink as he hands a small sack full of money inside it. "I don't want her harm, I just want her brought to Johnson home in John's town."

"I will make sure they know that,"

Azura stood there with a disapproving gaze, this wasn't the way to handle things. "Shouldn't be Cormac be returning within the month? There isn't a need for such hasty actions."

"If what you saw is to be true, Catherine might have wonder herself into unknown territory for herself. After everything Shay had done for us years ago, I will not let anything happen to his daugther…we already failed his wife."

Azura sighed, "Fine, do what you like, but if anything happens to that child. I swear I will have both of your arses." The woman stormed away from the templars leaving them to their drinks.

Thomas was the only one to watch her leave as he stuffed the money that was handed to him in his coat. He decided to follow her before she blew her temper on some poor bypasser.

He had to chase her down with her power walk of rage in the streets of Boston, but she seemed to loosen up when she saw him. "What is it, Thomas?" He had pulled her down an sad alley to talk.

"Why are you defending the girl?" Hickey was genuinely curious to hear what she had to say. Azura had only just met the girl a few days ago. Watching Azura push aside the idea of a hasty kidnapping made the templar think of a mother bear protecting her cub.

A stillness hung in the air until Azura found the right words to say to him. "That girl needs to make a decision for herself. She lost her mother, and isn't allowed to do anything about it."

"Why do you care so much, Zuzu?"

Azura looks could kill as she heard her infamous nickname. "She should be allowed to make her own mistakes. Her father abandons her, her mother died, she should find her own way without everyone interfering with it."

Thomas gave a disbelief look, "Even if it is with the Assasins?"

"Yes, because the rest of you can open your eyes and see what you have done. I will still do what you want me to do, but I have my options of this. Haytham and Lee have wrong that girl."

One of the many reasons that Thomas had admired the woman that stood proudly in front of him; because she wasn't afraid to speak her views. He would never admit this out loud, but he had an overwhelming fondness for this woman. some would say it was more than a crush for this Persian beauty.

Thomas cracked a smile that Azura caught, "What is it?"

"Have I ever mention that you're lovely when you go on your rants."

Azura felt her anger slowly roll away like an ocean pulling in the tide. Her rough waves had seemed to calm when she saw his goofy smile. "You always know when to say something at the right time."

The barmaid did something she knew she regrets later on tomorrow, but in the heated moment, she didn't care. She walked up to Thomas and grabbed him firmly by his coat pressing her lips onto his leaving them to kiss in the dark night under the starless night.

Thomas hopes that this game of cat and mouse would never end between them.