Ezio noticed her slight change in mood and posture.

"Is something the matter?" he asked. A bath had crossed his mind, too, but he didn't want to get out of bed before Anna was ready to.

"Just glad I didn't end up under his tutelage. He freaks me out still. And I want a bath now." Anna leaned over to grab her clothes, sorting through the pile on the floor to do so.

Ezio grinned a bit and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back to him.

"There are baths in this place big enough for two," he teased her, kissing her neck a bit.

Anna laughed quietly. "Are there, now? Why am I not surprised that you know this, hmm?" She grinned and stayed there, for the moment.

"There are," Ezio replied. "I would think I know the things in my own hideout." He grinned a bit. "Perhaps we should go find one."

Anna grinned briefly. "We could," she teased. "Or I can go find one and sprawl out in there." Because now she wouldn't feel bad at all about teasing him, in more ways than one.

"And if I wanted to join you?" Ezio prodded, gently kissing the junction of her neck and shoulder. He used one finger to gently trace the feather on her back.

Anna shifted to make it easier for him. "I'm sure we could work something out," she said with a smirk, glancing back at him. "It does help to have someone else to wash my back, after all." Because now she was just giving him an opportunity and an excuse to play with her tattoo.

"Indeed," Ezio replied with a bit of a grin. "Shall we, then?"

"Lead the way." Anna grinned and managed to gather up her clothes again, because she still didn't like wandering around naked.

Ezio grinned a bit and just pulled on his pants. The shirts could wait until they were cleaned. Slipping an arm around Anna's waist, he walked with her to find a hot bath.

The next few days passed easily enough, although Anna did have to tease Iris about the very obvious bruise on her neck. And she really would have been content to stay in that time; she had Ezio, life was pretty good, and she hadn't actually been sent out on a mission yet.

And then she noticed the Apple glowing just a little, sitting on Ezio's desk, and she meandered over to go investigate. Preferably without picking it up.

Iris valiantly tried to ignore Anna's teasing about the hickey. Anna hadn't shown up without her share of marks, either. Besides, she was content with life for the time being.

She was with Anna when they noticed the Apple glowing, and she took half a step back from it.

"I'm not touching that thing again," she said to her friend.

"I'm not either," Anna said with a shrug. "I'm just looking." She frowned. "I mean, why is it glowing now? Think maybe we should tell Ezio or Altair?"

At least those two had some experience with the Apple.

"I have no idea," Iris replied, reluctantly leaning in to get a better look. "They might not even know."

"Maybe not but they at least have experience with the damn thing."

The Apple glowed a little brighter, apparently not at all pleased with being called "the damn thing". Anna totally did not squeak and move back half a step.

Iris watched it warily, and then nodded.

"Maybe we should go and get one of them--" she didn't get to finish her sentence, because the Apple flashed, and suddenly they weren't in Ezio's office anymore.

Anna blinked a few times, shaking herself to get rid of the residual grogginess from the time travel, and got up, looking around carefully. And then stopped when she recognized the house she shared with Iris.

"Goddamnit!" She glared at nothing, tempted to kick something. "Goddamn Apple!" Because of course it would take them back to their own time just as they were really getting comfortable in the Renaissance. Briefly she felt like sitting and crying for a few minutes, and then she shook herself. No time for that now.

"Iris? You okay?"

Iris blinked a few times as well, and unsteadily got to her feet.

"We're home?" she asked uncertainly, looking around. Her eyes teared up a bit. Home was good, yes, but it wouldn't be the same now. "Damn it..."

Anna clenched her fists. "We're going to find that damn Apple," she growled. "And we're going to make it take us back or bring them here." Because she wasn't about to give up now that she knew what she had.

And if she was tearing up as she spoke, well, she figured she was allowed.

"Between the two of us, we'll be able to find it," Iris said firmly as she tried to wipe away a tear that rolled down her face. "We have to."

Anna nodded and started up the stairs to her room. "I'm going to see if I can find anything about that exhibit again, or any evidence of Templars." And find out how long they'd been gone so she'd know how much damage control she had to do.

Iris nodded.

"I'll see if I can find any references to the Templars or the Apple," she said. "We can meet in the middle." Heading upstairs as well, she headed into her own room. Jeans and a nice tee would stick out far less here than in fifteenth-century Italy.

Anna changed back into her own modern clothes, wiggling around a little to get comfortable again, and decided to check on everything. They'd been gone for the same amount of time they'd been in Italy, which briefly surprised her.

Even more surprising was when she checked her bank account. The Apple had apparently seen fit to add an extra five zeroes to the end of her account.

"Hey, Iris? Do me a favor and check your finances." Anna sounded only a little choked.

Iris was fiddling with her smartphone when she heard Anna. Curious, she opened her web browser and pulled up her online bank account. It took her a minute or two to remember her password, and when she did her eyes widened.

"Hold shit," she said weakly. "I've never had that much money before."