I Will Not Bow. I Will Not Break...

I splashed water on to Connor's face and he laughed out loud as we swam back to shore. I was a bit slower than him because of the soreness of my arm was becoming a little too uncomfortable. Connor helped me on to the deck which was now silent. The only sounds heard were the crackling of fires, soft moaning of the soldiers, and the waves softly lapping the shore.

There was a Patriot mounting one of the two horses near the docks.

"Wait!" I called out walking up to him.

"What?" he asked looking down at me from his horse.

"Are you riding back to Bunker Hill?"

"Yes, why?"

"Could you take us there? We need shelter and safety," I pleaded giving him my puppy dog eyes. I must've looked like a mess. My hood slipped of my head when I jumped from the ship. My long blond and rainbow faded hair was limp and wet resting on my shoulders and my robes were bloodied up a bit along with a small limp I had when I walked after that cannon ball blew up in my face and sent me flying.

"Get on the horse," he mumbled.

Connor mounted the horse first and pulled me up with my right arm. I held on to him wrapping my arms around his waist. "Nice work," he said quietly to me over his shoulder.

I giggled as I held him tighter.

"Follow me," the soldier called over his soldier to us.

The ground was littered with dead Redcoats and Patriots. The living were lying or sitting on the ground moaning in pain. The soldier took us through the remains of the city where we found more dead and crumbling buildings.

Bunker Hill was larger than Breed's and the men seemed more at ease. As we approached, we could hear Putnam's voice again but it wasn't angry or rude. They were inspiring words.

"The enemy advances and you tremble. They've better numbers, you say. Better weapons. Better training. But I do not fear, and neither should you. For what they have in material, they lack in conviction and care. But not us. We have discipline. We have order. And most importantly, we have passion. We believe! So maintain vigilance. Conserve your ammo. Ensure a proper line of sight. And above all else, men, do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes."

The soldiers seemed moved by Putnam's words. They got up and left going to their posts. Connor and I approached Putnam. He was sitting on a crate near the edge of the hill next to his mini lay out of the battlefield and encampments.

"Well I'll be damned, you did it," Putnam said rising to his feet.

"That was quite a speech," said Connor.

Putnam chuckled. "Lies, all of it, I'm afraid. Still, such words have carried us thus far..."

"And what of Pitcairn?" I asked.

Putnam spoke as we walked towards the edge of the hill handing his spyglass to Connor. "He's left Boston as I said he would, and set up camp on Moulton Hill. There's no good way to get at him – not with that maelstrom brewing down below. I suppose you could circle around a bit, or wait for us to thin their ranks."

I looked down below where there were hundreds of redcoats on the other side and only dozens of Patriots struggling to reload and take cover. Pitcairn was on the opposite hill on his horse with a white wig under his black hat and a deep red coat with a golden curved object that kept his cape on his shoulders. There were loud shots everywhere and lots of musket shots heard. Smoke filled the air and it was hard to breathe.

"There is no time," I said removing the spyglass from my eye. "We will have to chance a direct approach."

"That's twice today you've proposed the impossible!" Putnam said to me.

"I see no other choice."

Putnam put his cigar back into his mouth before speaking. "That's cos you're mad as a March hare, girl."

I walked up and close and stared at his face as I said, "I expect an apology upon our return," with that, I grabbed Connor's hand a led him away from Putnam.

Connor followed me to the closest cover spot where we ducked down to avoid incoming bullets.

"What is the plan?" Connor asked me.

"Well, first we have to get across this battlefield alive," I replied loudly. It was hard to talk because of all the shouting and gunfire. "On my signal, we run." I held for a moment waiting until I heard it. "Go!"

We ran for it to the next cover ducking down. If we weren't quick enough, we would probably have a dozen bullets in our bodies. There were only so many places to run to between volleys. But we made it to the other side alive and in one piece.

Once across, Connor and I ran up a small rock ledge to jump onto a tree branch. We had to hold for a moment being absolutely silent and frozen waiting for some guards to pass. We made it to the back of the mountain where we began to climb. Connor went first as I followed behind the pain in my shoulder increasing. I remembered noticing the heavy rain clouds above our heads. But a little rain wouldn't do us any harm. Thunder and lightning was what I hated the most. I was the most uneasy and nervous and on edge during a thunderstorm.

Connor and I hid in the brush near the encampment of the British soldiers. Even from here, we could hear Pitcairn's speech as we silently moved in the brush.

"It seems we are well and truly at war... A pity, that. For it's a war we did not ask for. A war we did not wish... And why would we? We're killing our brothers down there – and for what? Duty? Honor? Liberty and justice as the Yanks claim? No. Clinton, Pigot. To me. We must ready the next offensive."

During Pitcairn's little speech, Connor and I had planned our assassination. Which I have to say, was a pretty darn good plan. I got to do what I do best.

"It's your job to get up that tree and assassinate Pitcairn," I muttered to Connor.

"What about you?" he asked me.

"Don't mind me. I'll do what I do best," I said with a grin.

He nodded. "Good luck," he whispered.

"You too," I whispered.

Then, in that one moment we were both leaning in and it happened so fast. Then we both stopped when our faces where just a couple inches apart. Did I want to kiss him? Be with him? Was I really falling for him? I though this in my head. Maybe now was not the best time to decide.

I moved away from Connor to the left. He was to go to the right because there were fewer guards and he could get to the tree he had to climb faster. Now it was time for me to do my job.

If there was one thing I was good at, it was creating diversions. I stepped out into the open my hood was still off and my long blond and faded rainbow hair that flows down my shoulders was already dry. "Hello, gents," I said smiling and waving to them.

"Oi! How did get up here? This area is restricted," a redcoat yelled at me.

"Really?" I asked in a stupid blonde voice as I looked around the fort. "Cause I didn't see a sign anywhere."

"Well I'm telling you to leave Now!"

"Um... how about no," I said to him.

"Don't make us shoot you," the redcoat snarled.

"Who says I'm letting you," I asked.

"Mister Williams," Pitcairn called from his horse. "Dispose of her."

The redcoat grinned at me as he raised his musket at me. By this point, most of the other guards had noticed me and were coming with muskets loaded and ready.

I saw Connor pick up the pace and begin to sprint towards the tree that he would climb. All the guards were focused on me by this point.

"Well this isn't very fair is it?" I asked putting my hands on my hips. "Might as well give a girl a chance to fight," I said. Then, pulling my gun from my holster, I fired it into a guard closest to me. He stumbled back and feel to the ground dead. Then the fight broke loose as another red coat came at me. I quickly grabbed him and pinned him against me as a human shield when the other redcoats fired at me.

I threw his dead corpse on the ground just as a large redcoat came at me swinging his musket. I quickly unsheathed my hidden blade blocking the bayonet from slicing through me. Throwing him backwards, he fell onto some of his fellow soldiers and they all tumbled to the ground. I fired a few more arrows into the guards around me and finished them off with my blades.

When I looked up again, I realized that a redcoat got smart and saw Connor. He had his musket aimed at him. I panicked as I shoved my way through the remaining guards to tackle the redcoat just as Connor was giving the killing blow from the flag pole. As soon as the blade entered Pitcairn, the world went into slow motion and then to a complete stop as Connor threw John from his horse to the ground.

I rose from where I had fallen on top of the redcoat.

"Why... why did you do this?" Pitcairn asked moaning as Connor kneeled down to him putting his hand under John's head to lift it.

"To protect Adams and Hancock – and those they serve. You meant to kill them–" Connor said.

"Kill them?" Pitcairn repeated interrupting Connor. "Are you mad? I wanted only to parlay. There was so much to discuss. To explain... But you've put an end to that now."

"If you speak true then I will carry your last words to them," Connor said calmly.

"They must lay down their arms. They must stop this war!"

"Why them and not the Redcoats?" Connor questioned.

"Do you not think we asked the same question of the British?" Pitcairn countered. "These things take time. And it would have succeeded, had you let me play my part."

"The part of the puppeteer," Connor spat.

"Better we hold the strings than another," Pitcairn retorted.

"No," Connor said forcefully. "The strings should be severed. All should be free."

"And we should live forever on castle in the sky," John mocked. "You wield your blade like a man, but your mouth like a child. And more will die now because of that..." He died with his eyes open.

Connor's voice became softer as he spoke to Pitcairn in Mohawk. "It is better to have faith in something that none at all..." then, he got up to walk away.

I stopped him. "Wait," I kneeled down over Pitcairn's body and just like with my father, I reached over and slowly ran my fingers over his face closing his eyes. Then I pulled the letter from within his coat. "We should go," I said as I looked up to Connor.

Just then, as we were running from the guards chasing us, it began to rain. It was a light drizzle that neither one of us thought much of. Connor quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me into the brush and darkness of the trees.

"You have to get out of here," he breathed.

"No," I said in protest. "I won't leave you!"

"Riley, I think I can handle a few redcoats."

"Fine," I muttered. "I'll meet you back at Bunker Hill." With that, I took off into the forest leaving Connor behind with his tomahawk in hand.

I didn't get very far before something stopped me. I stood in the middle of the empty trail, the rain continuing to pour as thunder rumbled in the distance. But I knew I wasn't alone.

"You're a smart girl," the deep voice chuckled.

"Then you should know better than this," I said. Then I turned around to face him, my blond wet hair moving lightly with me. "Hello, Charles."

Charles Lee laughed as he said, "Hello, Riley Anderson." He was pointing a gun at me.

"Come to finish me off yourself?" I asked. "I've been the pain in your ass these past two months after all."

"What would give you that impression?" he asked.

I pretended to act clueless as I put a finger to my lips and looked up at the sky for the answer. "Hmm... well, you were the one who shot me at Concord, you started the Massacre after I said that speech, you want to be Commander-in-Chief so badly you're willing to kill for it, I'm an Assassin and you're a Templar, and now here you are pointing a gun at me. So yeah, you've made it crystal clear."

"Good," said Charles aiming the gun at my chest. "I hoped so."

He came out of nowhere. In a flash of white and blue he appeared with his hood down exposing his face. But this time, I didn't know what he was going to do. Connor shoved me aside just as Lee fired. He jerked back a little as the bullet pierced his stomach. He bent over a little in pain as he looked at me.

"Connor?" I whispered. I got to my feet as Connor leaned backwards to fall. I caught him and he leaned on me. I quickly grabbed a gun from Connor's holster at his back and pointed it at Lee. "I'm going to spare you. I'm not the one that's supposed to kill you. So if I was you, I'd get my sorry ass out of here, now."

Charles, with fear in his eyes, left without another word disappearing into the darkness of the pouring rain.

Connor moaned softly as all of the sudden, he grew heavier and we began to sink into the mud together. "No, no, no, no, no," I said as I laid Connor down his head in my lap. "You can't do this to me! I can't go on without you!" My voice became shaky as I felt the tears leave my eyes and fall down my face on to Connor's like the rain that fell around us.

Connor's wound continued to pour blood staining his white uniform as his face drained of color. "I am so sorry, Riley." He whispered. "This is not your fault."

I sniffed and whimpered and my lower lip trembled as I spoke. "I should've taken that bullet, not you!"

He took slowly reached up and placed his large, warm hand on my cheek. "Thank you, Riley. For everything. I want you to finish this for me. I needed you more than you will ever know."

"No, please don't leave me, Connor! I'm only fifteen, you're only seventeen! You have so much life to live!" I cried out trying to contain myself. "We're a team! A pair! This is your story, Connor. Not mine!"

Connor gently stroked my cheek. "It is yours now." He took in a heavy breath as he removed his hand from my face and brought it to hold mine. "Can you sing for me? I would never admit that I liked it."

I smiled a bit at the memories of me singing when Connor and I would spar, clean up the manor, walk around the homestead, or do anything when we weren't on a mission. Then I sniffled before whispering, "Okay." My mind ran through all of the songs that my mother once sang to me as a child when I was scared or sad. There was one that stuck out to me. I gave a small cough, swallowed hard, then began:

I don't feel any pain

A little rain

Can hardly hurt me now,

That's all I need to know

And you will keep me safe

And you will keep me close

I sniffled before continuing:

You won't feel any pain

A little fall of rain

Can hardly hurt me now

I'm here

I will stay with you

Till you are sleeping

And you will keep me safe

And you will keep me close

You won't feel any pain

A little fall of rain

I had to take a few shaky breaths as I continued to stroke Connor's hair as I sang:

Can hardly hurt you now

I'm here

I will stay with you

Till you are sleeping

And rain...

The tears continued to fall.

And rain...

Will make the flowers...

I whimpered and sniffled. Connor's eyes were drifting and he was going limp in my arms.

Will make the flowers...

Grow...

He was gone. I was alone.

I left Connor's side and got to my feet. The sky was dark from the pouring rain and thunder was bouncing off the hills and mountains as lightning tore open the sky. It was a depressing scene.

I lost my mother. I lost my father. And now, I lost Connor...

I fell to my knees in the mud as I cried out loud holding my face in my hands. I took a moment to breathe. Putting my fists between my thighs, I looked up into the rain. No, I will not bow. I will not break. It's not over yet...

As soon as I got back to my feet, it hit me. There was a blinding light that seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. Then, there was nothing.

Am I floating? Flying? Falling? Nope. I was just there in this black void. Then I was falling. I fell on to a floor and groaned in pain.

When I got to my feet, I looked down at my appearance. I was wearing the same clothes I had on when I first traveled back in time and landed in 1770. How was that possible? I don't know.

Then a woman was there. She was beautiful and tall. She wore a long flowing white dress and fancy headdress with a veil.

"Hello, Riley," she said with a smile. That voice...

"You," I said. "You're the one who dumped me here!' I pointed an accusing finger at her. "You let all this happen to me. You let me watch everything and everyone I loved die." I wanted to say more but my throat was choked up.

"I did this because your future is the most important of all," she said. "Your decisions will affect what happens in the future. For everything. So I offer you a choice." She lifted her left hand and floating picture appeared. My mother and father were in it smiling, laughing, and talking with a younger version of me. She then lifted up her right hand. Connor was there with me as we talked and laughed while jumping and running on snowy tree branches. "You can go back to your parents were that night never happened. Or you can go back to Connor who will still be there right where you left him."

I looked at my parents. They were playing with me a smile on both their faces. Then I looked to Connor who was running to catch up with me as we jumped from tree to tree a true smile on his face and pure love in his eyes. I made my decision.

...

The world faded around me. Then I heard thunder and smelled smoke. There was a body in my lap. The rain poured over my face and onto him.

"Riley?"

I looked down at him.

"You know you have a beautiful singing voice?"

"Oh, Connor," I whispered as tears fell down my face again. I crawled around to his side and laid next to him wrapping my arms around his neck. I sat up a bit to look at him. "I-"

Then Connor's lips were on mine. They were soft and yet still passionate. I kissed him back letting the moment sink in. I felt my whole body grow warm as he held me close to him. When he pulled away, he looked down at me as he breathed, "I love you too."

I smiled and leaned in to kiss him again. The kiss didn't last as long as the first one when I stopped it to get on my feet pulling Connor up with me. "I hate to do this, but we need to get back to Putnam."

He looked at me confused.

I pressed the letter I took from Pitcairn into his hand. "Read it on the way. We need to go before more guards come." I tugged on his arm and he followed me as we ran.

...

There were dead and wounded Patriots everywhere. The able ones were carrying the others to either the hospital tents or loading them on to a cart to be carried away.

Connor and I made our way towards Putnam.

"How dare you sneak up on me like that?! Why don't you just go off there and just help this camp retreat!" the soldier, terrified and shaky nodded and began to run off." Don't ever do that again you hear me!" The soldier quickly saluted Putnam before taking off. "God Damnit."

"General Putnam," I said.

"You live!" he exclaimed over his shoulder while his back was to us. He was kneeling over the mini layout again.

"The same cannot be said for Pitcairn," I said.

"Well done, I suppose," Putnam said sadly. "But it matters little now. I'm ordering a full retreat. We have lost too many in exchange for too little. If the Tories want this hill so badly, let them have it." he moved away from the table to look out over the waters. "Boston is the true prize."

"We have a bigger problem," I handed him the letter.

"What do you mean?" Putnam asked taking the letter from me after putting his cigar back in his mouth. He read through the letter, his eyes grew wider and the cigar fell from his mouth. "This can't be right. It says they plan to murder Washington!"

Well, there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Rise, an Assassin's Creed 3 Fanfiction. Part 2, Revolution is complete! Go find it in my profile. Thanks so much for reading!