Okay guys, like I said, this story will not be updated frequently or consistently. It's a pet project more then anything else but I loved the response I received for the first chapter and, honestly, I've been working on this once since not long after I posted the first. I rewrote this several times trying to fortune out what I wanted to happen here and finally just decided to pick up where the last chapter left off. I don't really know where I'm going with this story but I at least know that it'll be a few chapters before Altair shows up. I hope you all enjoy this and seriously, I'm sorry but I honestly don't know when I'm going to get the next chapter out. But, yeah, read it and I hope you like it.

"I'm okay with rocks and stuff." Desmond admitted after a few minutes of throwing rocks at Ezio.

"Indeed." The Italian agreed rubbing his shoulder. "I have a bruise on my arm that can attest that claim."

Desmond giggled and Ezio smiled at him. The boy kicked his feet back and forth, looking down at the ground below. The two were sitting at the edge of he roof, Desmond's legs dangling over the side and Ezio sitting partially concealed in the shadows near a chimney. It was strangely impressive how the man could blend so easily into the background. He wondered if he'd ever be able to do that.

After a brief silence Ezio abruptly stood up. Desmond blinked up at him and the renaissance assassin grinned, holding out his hand to help Desmond to his feet. "Come Desmond, I have an idea." Hesitantly, the six year old too his new friend's hand and stood. "We will have to be incredibly silent though, can you do that Desmond?"

Desmond thought about it for a moment and then nodded with a tiny smile. Ezio smiled back. "Excellent," he began leading the boy away, "let's go."

The master assassin took them on a strange, round about route down from the rooftops and guided Desmond through the shadow's as the walked. A few times they would stop and Ezio would push Desmond gently behind him and go very still. Following his lead, Desmond would go still too. After a whille, they ended up in one of the farms training grounds. Desmond couldn't help but wonder why they'd chosen this one.

It wasn't close to the more residential area of the farm but their were definitely training grounds further away. Shadow's obscured most of the grounds from view including the targets where the assassins practiced throwing techniques. Ezio studied the grounds before nodding decisively and leading Desmond straight to the target's he'd just been eyeing. "Alright Desmond," the older assassin started as he pulled something out of his jacket and handed to him, "show me your stance."

Desmond looked at the thing Ezio was holding out to him and his eyes went wide. It was a knife, and even he could tell that it was beautiful. "I," biting his lips Desmond took the knife almost reverently from the man's hands and turned to face the targets. Ezio kneeled down beside him and partially behind him and Desmond took several calming breaths before forcing his body to take on the stance his instructor had shown him again and again. His limbs felt awkward and stiff and he couldn't remember what to do with his hands.

"Adjust your grip Desmond." Ezio couched quietly from behind him. Frowning and feeling incredibly stupid, Desmond repositioned his fingers on the handle and Ezio chuckled. "Not quite my friend." The man's large hands found his on the blade and shifted his finger's around. "Like this, hold it for a moment so you may understand the feel of the hold."

Desmond bit his lips again and nodded while staring at the knife. He fidgeted in place, turning to look to his left where Ezio was kneeling beside him. The man was watching him with quiet, gentle patience and something about that made Desmond relax. His limbs stopped feeling like they were awkward sticks and the stance began to feel more natural. After a moment he felt better and grinned as Ezio. "Can I throw it now?"

A laugh left the assassin and he dropped his forehead into his palm as his laughter quieted. "You are so impatient bambino." The Italian sounded amused and Desmond pouted at him.

"Please?" He all but whined and Ezio snickered again, lifting his face from his hand and patting Desmond on the shoulder.

"Si young one." He squeezed the small shoulder briefly. "Remember to keep yourself steady." The Italian stood and nudged his legs with one of his feet. "Adjust your stance Desmond." When the boy did as the older man said he grinned down at him.

"Excellent, now," he stepped back, "throw it."

And Desmond did. The knife hit mostly inside the center of the target with about half of the blade sticking away from the middle. Desmond blinked, and then grinned. He turned to Ezio, pleased to find the man smiling at him. "I did it, I touched the center!"

"Hush bambino," the man soothed but did nothing to quell his own grin. He kneeled down beside the boy once more and ruffled his hair. "We do not want to awaken anyone."

"But I did it." Demond repeated practically glowing and Ezio laughed.

"I know, it was a most impressive throw." The child grinned up at him.

"Show me again." He half pleaded half demanded and Ezio snorted but kneeled down beside him all the same.

"Very well," he conceded patting him briefly on the back. "But first, you must retrieve your knife."

Desmond blinked at him. "Oh yeah." He turned then and hurried silently towards the target. His little hands were quick and careful as he handled the knife and Ezio silently approved of his caution. When he was Desmond's age, he wasn't nearly as careful with such sharp and dangerous objects.

Fortunately, he learned very quickly to respect his weapons. If only because he'd nearly sliced his arm off, much to his older brother's amusement. It was probably good that despite their distant relation, Desmond didn't seem to be like him in that regard. Ezio's face took on a peculiar expression as a thought occurred to him. Oddly enough, the boy's quiet and determined demeanor reminded him a great deal of Altair.

Just as that thought started to form, Desmond stopped quietly beside him. The little child was holding the knife out to him with a proud smile on his face and it was so cute that Ezio couldn't stop himself from ruffling the boy's hair. "Excellent work Desmond, you were quick, silent, and careful." The man praised feeling his heart melt as Desmond practically glowed from the praise.

"Will you show me again now?" The question sounded somehow more excited then it had the first time and Ezio laughed quietly.

"Si bambino." The Italian assassin agreed. His hands griped Desmond's shoulders, turning him so that he once again faced the target. Immediately, the child fell into the stance Ezio had shown him before. It was the same stance his teacher had been trying to teach him for months but somehow, it came to him easier when Ezio was showing him. It came to him easier, but he still didn't have it quite right.

"Almost Desmond." Ezio hummed, reaching out to adjust the six year olds limbs and shift his weight just a tad. Desmond frowned, he'd really thought he'd gotten it right this time. "Don't look so blue child," Ezio soothed, "you will fall into the motions without a thought before long." Desmond smiled at him over his shoulder and Ezio smiled back.

"Okay, um," Desmond pulled his arm back, "like this?" He asked and Ezio's smile turned amused.

"Close," he helped Desmond hold the knife properly and once again ran him through the proper throwing steps. "Now throw it." The Italian told him.

Letting out a calming breath, Desmond did.

Well that's it, that's the thing folks.

OH AND BY THE WAY I GOT A REALLY GREAT GUEST REVIEW! I wish the person who'd left it hadn't been anonymous because I would've loved to respond to them. But because I can't let me just tell you here that it wasn't a hurtful review in any way and I was horribly glad to hear your opinion. I love getting reviews like that one where people tell me honestly what they think of the chapter. I'd like to know what mistakes specifically you were talking about but I suppose I can't really ask because, well, Guest review. But yeah, thanks for all of the reviews I received for the first chapter everyone! And thank you anonymous Guest reviewer, I hope you choose not to be anonymous if you review me again.