"You cannot deny I was being truthful, though," Ezio teased back, managing not to react to the poking. "Because you were indeed being vindictive in throwing the second knife after the first."

"Probably," Iris replied. She looked up at him. "Is something bothering you?"

"Hey, you're the one who told me to keep two handy at all times," Anna said with a grin. "So really I was just complimenting you on your teaching skills."

"It would seem I am still not used to time-jumping like this." Altair grimaced.

Ezio rolled his eyes and gave her a kiss.

"So you say," he teased.

Iris leaned against him a bit, cuddling closer.

"I can imagine," she said. She was quiet for a moment. "You know, with a little searching, I bet I could find out if Masyaf is still standing. Once we've done what we need to here, we could go see."

Anna just grinned and stayed there for the moment.

"Hey, at least I never actually managed to hit you. I'm pretty sure you would have thrown me off the roof or something if I had."

Altair was quiet for a few moments, keeping one arm around her.

"I went back," he said quietly. "After you came back here. I went back to Masyaf." He glanced at her. "It was controlled by Templars at the time. I removed their influence, but I do not know what has become of the city now."

"Of course not," Ezio replied. He grinned. "Not quite, at least. I might have chosen a smaller building first."

"I can find out," Iris replied. Leaning up, she gave him a kiss. "It won't be hard, really, especially if we find what we're looking for here."

Anna laughed at that. "Well, I have to tell you, if you try throwing me off any buildings now I'm going to have to take you with and use you as a landing pad."

Altair nodded. "Agreed," he murmured. He had to admit, he was curious to see how his home had fared the time.

"If you need a landing pad for anything less than a Leap of Faith, then I didn't train you properly," Ezio teased.

"I'm considering bullying the Apple again anyways," Iris mused. "I want our child to know what Masyaf was like when you knew it. It won't be the same if we only find it in this time."

Anna snorted. "I'd be using you as a landing pad anyway." She poked his side again.

Altair nodded. It had been very different when he'd visited after he'd left Venice. He wasn't even sure he wanted to know how far it had degraded now.

Ezio grinned and put his arms around her waist, pulling her close and giving her a kiss.

Iris cuddled close to him. Things were going to be different when the baby came, and she knew it. So she wanted to make the most of their freedom at the moment.

Anna rested there, kissing him again briefly.

"So, happy I found this place?"

Altair stayed there, keeping his arms around her, one of his hands resting lightly over her belly. But only lightly. He knew Iris's temper was not likely to be any cooler for being with child. So he decided caution was probably the best course of action.

"I am," Ezio replied. He hugged her a bit closer. "Thank you, la mia dolce."

Iris let him keep his hand there for the time being, just settling into his arms. He seemed to be more openly affectionate than usual at the moment, so she wasn't going to ruin it. She rested her hand on top of his gently.

Anna smiled and nestled closer, enjoying the moment while it lasted.

Altair was quiet, just staying there and surveying the people that passed by. The vast majority of them registered as harmless.

After a few more moments, Ezio reluctantly loosened his hold on her.

"Come," he said softly, "we should go and make sure Altair hasn't tried to kill anyone yet."

Iris was quiet for a few moments.

"Would you rather it be a boy or a girl?" she asked softly, breaking the silence between them. "The baby. If you had to choose, would you rather a son or a daughter?"

"I'm sure we'd have heard the screaming by now if the psycho Syrian decided to go play." But Anna let go of him, reluctantly, and headed for the door again.

Altair blinked and looked down at her.

"I had not given much thought to the matter," he said after a moment. "However, if I had to choose, a boy. But it is of no consequence, so long as you both are healthy."

Ezio doubted Altair would be sloppy enough to allow for screaming during his kills, but he nodded and followed Anna anyway.

"We'll see what we end up with, then," Iris said, laying her head on his shoulder a bit. "There are ways to find out, if you want. In a few months, unless you want to be surprised with it."

Anna started looking around, trying to think where Iris might have gone. As soon as she saw the gelato sign, she smiled.

"They're over there."

Altair shook his head. "If you wish to know, go ahead," he said quietly. "But I will wait and find out when the little one is born."

"Ah yes," Ezio said when he saw them as well. "Iris is likely indulging her sweet tooth, then." Because yes, he remembered that Iris had a fondness for sweets.

"You don't want to know as soon as possible?" Iris asked. That surprised her, she thought he would want to know.

"Oh I'm sure." Anna rolled her eyes. "At least she has good taste in her sweets." She looped one arm through his, though loosely in case they had to move.

Altair shook his head. "I would rather wait." He didn't trust this new technology all the time, and he'd been told that part of the experience was not knowing what your child would be.

"Indeed," Ezio replied, walking with her.

"Then I'll wait too," Iris replied. "It's not fair if one of us knows and the other doesn't. So we'll both be surprised."

Anna detoured briefly to see if she wanted gelato, since she could see Altair actually sitting close to Iris and being somewhat openly affectionate. And she was not about to interfere with that.

Altair smiled faintly and nodded. "Would you rather it be a boy or a girl?" he asked quietly. Hey, she'd asked him, so turnabout was fair play.

Ezio noticed as well, and gave the couple a wide berth as well. If Iris was succeeding in getting Altair to open up a little, more power to her.

"I wouldn't mind a little girl," Iris admitted. "I suppose every woman wants a little girl to raise. But I think my family has a genetic tendency towards males, since my father has only brothers and all of my older cousins are male. Half of my younger cousins are male, as well. So I think there's a good chance we may have a son."

Anna looked over at Ezio. "You want any or shall we find another convenient store to slip into and linger in while they're having their little heart-to-heart?"

Altair nodded. "We will find out in seven or eight more months," he said quietly, resting his head against hers, but only briefly. They were, after all, still in public.

"I think we should give them a few more minutes alone," Ezio replied. "It doesn't matter how. This is good for them."

"It seems like a long time," Iris commented, moving a bit closer to him and putting her head on his shoulder. "It still scares me... I don't know if I'm ready for a child. But I refuse to get rid of it, because I don't think that's right."

Anna nodded and slipped into the gelato shop. Cold and sweet sounded good right about then, anyway.

"We will be ready, when the time comes," Altair said quietly. "You need not worry about that."

"I hope so," Iris replied softly. She cuddled into his side. "I've always known I wanted children. I just didn't think it would be quite so soon."