Subject 16: Clay Kaczmarek

Author's Note: For those who haven't played Revelations yet, -unless you don't care-don't read this. It contains spoilers. Now, this is just a preview of my fic, Subject 18, and I had to get this out. My OC, Emily Valentine, is a descendent of Ezio and Altair like Desmond. Message me if you want to know how she got into the Black Room. Otherwise, I'll see you when I actually go to write this thing.

Again, I was pulled out of Marina's memories and thrown to the ground. I hated that so much. I heard Desmond groaning next to me. I rolled on my back, feeling that hot and cold sensation in my body that made everything tingle; the same feeling as every time I switched between Marina and Emily or Amelia and Emily.

"Sorry about that." Sixteen was leaning over me, an apologetic look on his face. His hand was outstretched for me. I grabbed it and he pulled me up. He did the same for Desmond. "It's harder to distract it with both of you inside. I slipped up. Oops."

"It's alright," Desmond assured him. He looked at me to make sure I was okay. I nodded to tell him I was fine. He glanced at Sixteen again. "Should we do our sequences separately?"

Sixteen disappeared then, reappeared sitting on a rock behind us. He stared at the portal. "No, I can handle it." He chuckled. "Yeah, I can handle it. I mean, what else do I have to do? This is the most interesting thing that's happened to me since my artwork at Abstergo." He chuckled again.

Desmond watched him warily, unsure of how to take Sixteen's 'special' humor. I looked at him wondering how he could joke about his suicide. All he wanted was to keep the information from the Templars and the only way he could do it was by killing himself. They drove him to it through the Bleeding Effect. Thinking about it made me angry. I felt that dark, twisting feeling in the pit of my stomach. I hate all Templars.

Desmond moved towards me, putting a hand on my shoulder. He regarded me adoringly. "I'll head back in first, alright. I'll see you whenever we are forced back out," he said softly.

I nodded smiling. "Alright."

"I'll try not to let the Animus get you two again," Sixteen said, sighing. He stood and wiped his brown shirt, unnecessarily.

Desmond walked to the portal with a determined look on his face and went through. I started to follow suit.

"Wait, Emily."

I stopped at Sixteen's voice. I looked at him. "Yeah, Sixteen?"

He smirked. "Sixteen. Yeah, Subject Sixteen. That's what they called me. Everyone forgot," he lamented. "I still haven't told you my name?"

I shook my head. "You haven't mentioned it, no."

He gazed at me, becoming abruptly serious. "Someone should remember then. Might as well be you. And, through you, Desmond and so on and so forth. My name is Clay Kaczmarek."

I couldn't help but smile. "Clay Kaczmarek. I'll take that name with me when I get back," I promised.

He took a step closer, a smile slowly creeping on his face. "Thank you," he whispered. Sixteen, Clay, reached up and cupped my face. His hand felt surprisingly warm on my cheek. I was puzzled to the fact that I could feel him. He was just a program, wasn't he? Then again, wasn't I right now? My body was lying next to Desmond's, wasn't it? I hoped so. This whole situation was maddening.

I must've had an odd expression because Clay was looking at me funny. "You alright? You look pissed off all of a sudden." I was fully aware of his hand still in place.

I frowned. "I was just thinking about this whole situation. I'm here and I don't even know where I'm at or…" I paused and thought deeper. It was more than maddening, it was horrifying. "I don't really know what's happening to me out there." This was all too familiar ground. I recalled being back at Abstergo in Scotland-whereas Desmond was in the one in Italy-and knowing where I was and at the same time I didn't. I had no clue what was really going on. Until, barely into Amelia's memories, Wallace and his crew came and got me. I had managed to get into Switlow's computer and take out the memory core of the Animus. I had planned to escape, after spending a week with them-they wanted me 'sane' the whole way through; said "I'd be useful afterwards."-but Wallace beat me to the punch, as I said.

Clay gazed at me, deep in thought, like he was contemplating something. After a few more moments, he smirked. "Clay, you need to get over this," he told himself ruefully. That smirk became a sardonic smile.

"What?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking…" he trailed off. He took a moment, and then he shrugged. "What the hell. I'm dead anyway, right?"

I gave him a puzzled look. "Clay, what are y-?"

I couldn't finish, alas he was kissing me. He pressed his lips against mine with force as to take me off guard. Hell! Even if he kissed me lightly, I would've been taken off guard. The hand that was originally on my cheek had long moved behind my neck, where he held me closer. His other hand wrapped around my waist. I felt his tongue lightly run along my lips, bearing down with more force, like he was begging for entrance. Melting into him, I did. Our breathing became labored as it progressed. It wasn't one of those friendly kisses to test the waters, no. It was one of those I'm-Not-Screwing-Around kisses. One that means something. One that is shared between lovers; like Amelia and Altair, like Marina and Ezio, like me and Desmond.

Desmond's name was like cold water to me. I found my hands holding his shirt for dear life and I pushed against him. He got the hint and let me go. He was smiling blissfully after.

"Sorry," he said. Though, he didn't look like he meant it.

"What was that for?" I demanded, stepping away.

"You look like them. It's like you are them. I relived the time of Queen Elizabeth and he, who I was, fell in love with a maiden in the Queen's court. She was a fiery woman, had a take-no-shit attitude. Basically, she was a lot like you." He smiled at the memory and began pacing. "I've never felt like that about anyone."

"But, Desmond. Desmond…"

He waved that off. "I'm dead, Emily. Technically, you didn't cheat. One: I kissed you without your permission. Two: I'm a dead guy who's only alive in here." He gestured around us. "He shouldn't get pissed at you. But me…"

"I don't understand. I'm not the women from the past. Those your ancestors fell in love with, I'm not them."

He stopped moving and looked at me with penetrating eyes. "Ahh! But, aren't you? Aren't we all just repetitions of our past lives, our ancestors? When you were Amelia and Marina and you looked at a reflection of yourself, didn't you find a resemblance? It may not have been totally the same, but essentially…" He smiled in that insane way. "When people fall in love with each other, they fall in love with the same person they had before in a previous life. Yes, they may look different and have a different personality, but it's just nature repeating itself.

"That's how we go on. Look at you and Desmond and me and you. Both me and Desmond are descendants of Altair and Ezio. Think about it. You are a descendant of them too, but are like Amelia and Marina. It's nature repeating itself! And, in our cases, nature overcompensates and multiplies that very repetition."

What he was saying was making sense in a scary way. I could fully understand it even though he was speaking so fast. "So, what you're saying is that you're in love with me?"

He pursed his lips. "Pretty much, yeah," he admitted, nodding in approval.

I looked away from him, unsure of what to say or do next. A storm of emotions were welling up inside of me. I couldn't stop them from overwhelming me no matter what I did. I managed to ask, "So, Desmond and me, that's not real?"

Clay appeared behind me and he held my hand. "No. It's very real. He loves you and you love him. If I met you earlier, it may have been us. How can you love a dead guy? Besides, I got what I wanted. You gave me something I can hold onto until the end, whenever that may be. You have Desmond and that's really all you need to survive. You two have something amazing with each other." He took a deep breath. "If I were alive, Emily, I'd steal you from him in a heartbeat. I can't now. Listen to me." He leaned his head down so his lips were at my ear. "You are one of the lucky ones. There are very rare cases where soul mates like you two don't even meet until episode two or whatever."

I gave a small laugh.

"Yes, smile, Emily. That's what I want. That's what Desmond wants. Keep smiling and survive for the both of us. Now, go on," he ordered, letting me go. I faced him. "Finish this and get out of here. Desmond's waiting."

I nodded. "Thank you, Clay."

He nodded once and smirked. "I can die a happy man!" he laughed. "Pun intended!" He laughed again.

I smiled. I turned toward the portal. Desmond, here I come. It was time I returned to Marina and finish her life, her tale. Just before I went through, I heard Clay say, "I love you." Yes, Clay. I love you too. It was an odd thought, but I found myself smiling. I loved Desmond too and he was the one I had a chance with. He was the one who had me first. In another time, Clay would've had someone else, another repetition of me. He was right, we were all just repetitions. I realized that he reminded me of someone.

Someone in Marina's past.

Author's Note: Man, I wanted to just leave this alone until I actually wrote this fic, but I had to publish something since I haven't even touched this site for some time. I figured, "What the hell." Kind of like Mr. Kaczmarek. Now, if you think Emily is Mary-Sue, don't be so quick to judge. This is just a part of a larger works that's going through my head. As for Marina and Amelia, they are just the same: mere pieces of the puzzle. (I didn't like Maria or Sofia, so yeah…) Moving on. Review please, I'd like to know what you all think. Time for Cloudy to catch up on what she missed on her other fave fics. Until next time…