Here is the moment you guys have been waiting for! I know I have thought this moment over and over again, but here it is finally. It will just get crazier from here!

I also want to say is thank you for all the reviews and follows I got. I have 100 followers! Thank you guys!

-Moon

Shay let out a whistle as he looked upon the walls of the Shippen mansion. It wasn't as impressive as some of the palaces he had seen in Europe, but it was still a beautiful home.

Shay whistled at the sight of the manor, "The Shippens knows how to blow money."

"They have money, of course, they would." Haytham gave his name to the servant at the podium before they were allowed entry. Haytham and Shay opted to wear a mask, they weren't here for pleasure, but for business.

"Ah yes, Lord Shippen is expecting you. You may head right in."

The two Templars walked into the double doors of the lavish home. The house was filled with laughter and music. A cheerful tone was the atmosphere.

The two men were dressed in finer clothes. Shay was dressed in a fine dark brown coat with a blue accent down the side. It was rather regal for his taste, but it fit the situation. Haytham was dressed in clothes similar to his normal attire. He had given his hat to the servant that was collecting articles of clothing for the cold weather.

"I want to have a look around to see if Catherine is here."

"I will let Edward know of the situation. You should see if Catherine is here."' Haytham spoke. He patted Shay's shoulder before they parted ways.

Shay looked onward into the party before taking a deep breath. He had rehearsed of what he would say to his estranged child.

In the middle of the room where dancing took place. Amongst the ruffles of heavy silk dresses and the women that wore them was a young redhead. In a charming way, she stood out among the rest of the other women. She giggled at a joke her dance partner told her ear after she took a misstep. Her grin lit up the whole room like no other woman beside her mother. Even with the mask, he could tell that it was Catherine. She had grown from the little girl to a young woman.

When the song ended, she crusty to her dance partner. She stood frozen like time itself to glance about the room. The younger Cormac was looking for someone, but Shay couldn't be sure of who. Catherine backed away before anyone else could swoop her into a dance. The teenager made her way to a table littered in sweets. He had to hide the chuckle when she slipped a piece of chocolate between her painted lips.

Shay slipped through the crowd hoping to approach her before he was spotted by his daughter. Her back was towards him as she ate the chocolate like she was hiding it. It was humorous to watch. Until she looked back up from the table and looked in his direction.

They stared back at each other for what felt like an eternity. The intense moment broke when another young man approached her for a request to dance. She politely turn him down, making a mention she had to meet someone.

Shay expected her to turn away, but she headed towards him. Each step seemed hesitant until she stopped only a meter from him. A blind man could see the uneasy tension between the two until Shay spoke.

"Catherine…"

Catherine bit her lip before talking to the man she hadn't seen in seven years.

"I was wondering how long it would take for you to find me, Papa." The sweet chocolate in her mouth turn bitter. Dread over came Catherine Cormac. "Should we talk in private?" she asked.

Shay nodded agreeing as he swiftly walked up to her taking her by the arm. He gently led her to a room on the side at what looked like the parlor.

"I've been looking for you."

Catherine snorted, "it would probably have been easier to find me if you would have been home." She cleared her throat. Emotions were pouring in. "What do you want?"

"Just to talk to you in privacy." He held his hands up to her showing her he was here in peace.

"About the Templars and assassins? I know all about that, I rather not get into that right now. I need to get back to my friends."

The feeling of seeing her father after seven years made her feel awkward. She wasn't sure if she should give a form of affection like a hug to her father. They had a balanced relationship before the death of her mother.

"I am enjoying myself," Catherine replied. "Is Haytham here too? Did ya come 'ere to check up on me." She accused. The prospect of running into Haytham didn't please her.

Catherine did not have the courage to look her father in the eye after so many years. Deep down inside she was afraid what he might do. She stared at the marble floor until her view changed to a pair of boots under her. He already suspected what she was up too from his tone of voice. The younger Cormac took a moment before she gazed upon her father's face.

He had aged since the last she had seen him. The crows feet at the edge of his eyes were much heavier. His once raven hair now grayed like a dark storm cloud, pulled back into a ponytail. Shay still kept his face shaved. His eyes were warm honey, a trait that Catherine shared with him. Under his eyelids were dark bags like he hadn't gotten enough sleep.

He let go of her chin and removed the mask from her eyes to gaze upon her feature. His frowning lips turned to a smile.

"Sprout," He called her by a childhood nickname. "You look like your mum." He wrapped his arms around the middle of her back and pulled her into a tender hug. His face buried into her curls. Catherine didn't fight the hug but returned it.

Catherine smelt the filmier scent of musk and sea.

He spoke in a harsh whisper, "I've missed you my darlin' girl." Tears drip into her curls.

"I've missed you too Papa."

Shay studied his daughter facial features as he pulled away. His favorite part had to be was her freckles that were covered by a pound of makeup. "who in Davy Jones painted your face?"

"My maid, she instated that young women wore it like this."

"Your maid? Well, aren't you living like a princess." Shay joked.

Catherine cackled, "not like I had a choice. My sponsor wanted me to have a well-rounded education, and get to know higher society."

Shay glanced around "is he here? I like to meet him to thank him for taking care of you."

The prospect of Shay and Dorian meeting scared Catherine a little. Especially since Shay would more than likely kill him for the precursor box. She would never let the Templars have access to the box or manuscript.

"No, he sent me here with one of his friends to keep me company for a few weeks until he and I are ready to depart for Europe."

Shay jerked his head towards her. "Your leaving? You're leaving the Colonies."

"Aye, I am. I am surprised you don't know about this because of Azura."

"Pardon me?"

Catherine was fighting to keep things civil but emotions were slipping for her.

"I know about the spy Haytham put in my own home."

Shay sighed "It was for your protection."

"I don't want to talk about this, Papa."

Shay licked his lips before his facial expression hinder as he saddens about the news. "You could stay with me. I can give you an education about sailing." He hid the sadness well.

Catherine chuckled "Like grandfather Cormac did for you? Made you swap the decks."

"I'll make you royal regent of mop and bucket." He slapped her back.

Catherine snorted. "Papa…"

"I am glad someone laughed at that joke. Your Uncle Liam threatened to throw me overboard with that."

"I can see why. I remember him being rather serious. Him and ma always gotten into fights, but I couldn't remember the context of them."

"He loved your mum though." he swallowed hard like he was in long thought. "He may have done somethings that were meant to hurt me and your mother, but he still loved you both."

That caught Catherine's attention. "Like what?" She had never heard anything negative about her uncle.

"Ask Achilles, he will tell you the whole story."

"He did, he told me about his mistakes."

"Obviously not all of them." Shay sighed before changing the subject. "I am serious though, you should come with me. I'll teach you about sailing and I can teach ya how to chart courses. Don't say you want too because we both know I saw you on the Aquila."

"I don't want anything to do with the Templars or the assassins." Catherine crossed her arms over chest. "Not after what happen to mom…" The pain of reliving echo in her chest, her heart felt heavy from speaking of Rose. Her eyes watered, but she didn't let them fall. "I don't want to be around this." Her words were a lie, but her emotions were true.

Shay didn't speak a word before reaching his arm over her should pull her close to his chest. "I know sprout...I know sprout. I'm so sorry you had to go through this alone." He pulled her into a hug. "Your mother and I love you more than life itself."

"I sometimes don't know that. You both lied."

"We did it to protect you. You deserved to be blind from our past. I never came home to make sure you had a normal life without fighting." he reached into his pocket to pull out her birthday gift. She felt embarrassed looking back at having Aries deliver it to him. "I know you're angry with me, and you have every right too. I don't know what Achilles or Faulkner told you about me, but damn it I love you. So I ask that you accept this back…"

Catherine pulled away from her father a little bit only to nod. She knew her mother would have been rolling in her grave if she said no. She went behind her neck to unclasp her necklace. He took the gold chain before placing the leather cord around her neck. The silver pendant hung right above her chest. She took a moment to wipe a tear from her eye.

The thoughts of Templars and Assassins eroded away from her thoughts. Everything that happened in the last 9 months vanished. In a moment that feeling vanished when a knock was heard outside the door. Peggy, the young hostess of the party, poked her head in.

"There you are Catherine, we wonder where you vanished too." She stopped, "Am I interrupting something?" She could see the moment that the father and daughter were sharing.

"No, no, my father and I were just talking."

"Oh," She smiled, "Well, come back to the party. There are some people I want to introduce you too, Catherine."

The younger Cormac glanced at Shay before he nodded to her. "Go on, I need to talk to Haytham."

Catherine gave him a look. "Don't worry, nothing happening, I just want to confirm with him that you're okay." Catherine felt uneasy about Haytham, but she needed to make sure they did not fail at her mission.

Later through the night after an hour after Shay and Catherine's reunion.

Catherine could feel Shay's stare burning in the back of her head. He was watching her make sure she didn't flee from the party after there long conversation. She had to admit she was a wonderful actress as she gave a fake laughed at a joke that a young man told her. It was odd that so many eager men approached her. Never had she experience such a treatment from the opposite sex.

It was almost painful to be asked to be dance, but she would decline. Never was she in such center of attention. Footsteps approach behind her, knowing very well it was her father from the deadly steps. Catherine turned around to greet him. He had two glasses of a red drink.

"I managed to find something non-alcoholic."

"Papa, I've been drunk before I can handle it." Catherine took the red liquid. She took a step of the drank to realize she was drinking grape juice. "I can out drink any man."

Shay chuckled, "I have no doubt sprout, but it's odd to give my daughter wine." he spoke like it was a foreign concept. "Last time I saw you, you were 7 years old."

"Time flies,"

Catherine spoke blandly remembering that day well. She was forced to stand on the docks to watch his ship sail away so there wasn't a chance for her to sneak on board again. She could remember William Johnson stood behind her rubbing her shoulder. Assuring her that Shay would be back.

Catherine turned around to smile at him before she stepped back. "You know, I haven't had a pleasure to dance with a gentleman that I like." She hinted for a dance.

Shay could only chuckle as he held out his arm to his daughter. "Your mother couldn't dance either, but she loved too."

"I know." Catherine smiled, "I saw you two once before I went back to bed. "

"You always knew how to lurk"

Catherine hung onto her father's arm knowing that it would soon have to end. She felt sick for lying to her father, who whole heartily believed her story.

She knew she needed to find a way to slip away, but for a reason unknown she didn't want too. The younger Cormac enjoyed her father's company. She misses him. Feeling the relief that he didn't suspect her in stealing from the Templar she just needed a moment away.

As luck would happen. James in his disgusted stood off of the entrance of the ballroom. He gave her a gesture that it was time. She needed an excuse to leave his side when luck was on her side.

"Shay Patrick Cormac?"

Shay pulled away to notice a older gentleman with a rescinding hair line that wore round spectacles. "Master Franklin," He spoke with a grinned.

"It is you. It's been years." he outstretched his hand to shake his hand. "Almost 15 years? hasn't it?"

"Aye, it has been."

Catherine blink, she had her head of the famous Benjamin Franklin. He was a resident of Boston, not far from where she grew up.

Shay smiled as he shook it before glancing at Catherine. "And who is this?"

"This is my daughter, Catherine."

Benjamin grinned before greeting her."So this is your little daughter you told me about."

"Aye, but not so little anymore." Shay patted her on the back.

".It's a pleasure to meet you miss Cormac." he smiled. "Your father and I worked on a project some years back such a thrilling story too. I almost got struck by lightning."

Catherine mouth hanged open a little, "What did you both do?"

"I was experimenting with lighting to help your father with an artifact from Egypt."

Catherine wanted to hear more about this story, "I'll have to ask my papa about that later." She gave a small grinned.

Master Franklin glanced past Shay. "Is your wife here tonight? I still haven't met your lovely wife."

Catherine's body tensed when he asked the question. she could see her father looked uneasy as. "She passed last March," Shay replied.

Benjamin Franklin blinked before apologizing, "I had no idea, I am sorry."

"Thank you…" Catherine cleared her throat. "It was because of the Boston Massacre. She was caught in the middle of the masses."

Catherine knew she had just made an awkward tension, but the words just rolled out of her lips. She stepped back clearing her throat looking for an excuse out.

Faith seemed to be on her side when she noticed James waiting for her. "Excuse me, I think I need to be alone for a moment. Don't mind me, I will let you two catch up." She smiled before patting Shay's shoulder. She could feel her father's line of sight follow her out of the room. James pulled her to the side.

"I can't find the safe." James licked his lips nervously, "I've ducked in and out of his study all night before I've been caught."

Catherine knew it was a risk to leave, especially with her father being here. She hated to do this to him, but the Templars left her no choice. She nodded making sure her father was still distracted by conversations of the past.

The younger Cormac looked out into the ballroom to see her father still talking to Franklin. She could even spot Haytham without his stupid hat talking to Lord Shippen.

"It's now or never. "She repeated it out loud this time.