Chapter 1: Two years later
Aro and a very human Elisabeth were tangled in a mess of limbs and silky bed sheets.
Aro was passionately kissing Elisabeth and she was kissing him back with just as much passion.
Aro spoke in a breathless voice. His eyes closed, his forhead against hers, his right hand lovingly running up her back over her angel wings tattoo.
"My love ,my treasure," he takes a shakey breath as if he couldn't belive he was saying it ,"my wife," There was a sliver wedding band on his left hand that was cupping Elisabeth's scared cheek. Then leaning in close to her he breaths, "my mate," He opens his eyes to reveal bright golden eyes.
Elisabeth smiled, cupping his cheek in her hands as well. He leaned in to her loving touch, you could faintly hear the sound of Aro purring, which no vampire could ever do unless they where in the presence of their true mate,
Elisabeth smiled lovingly at him and whispers, "My loving husband," In the little light of the room you could see a light sparkle or light reflecting off of the beautiful blue and white diamonds of her ring on her left hand that was pressed against Aros face. Leaning closer to him she whispers "my mate."
Aro growled low in his chest as he smashed his lips with hers.
Alice came out of her vision, blinking, a shocked look on her face. She turned to Edward who has the same look of shock on his face.
"His eyes, did you see his eyes?" Alice asked.
Edward just nodded his head, dumbly turning around to look at the girl who was sitting all by her self with her nose in a book and her hair in her face.
"Somebody want to tell us what's going on?" Emmet boomed.
Alice and Edward just stared at each other.
Should we tell them? asked Alice in her thoughts.
Edward nodded his head yes.
Alice turned to her family and spoke.
"You see that girl over there," Alice said angling her head to the table Elisabeth was sitting at. They all nodded yes in union.
Just before Alice could open her mouth, an Apple went flying across the cafeteria and hit Elisabeth is the side of the face, causing her to fall out of her chair.
Nobody but the Cullens heard the small sob come from the small girl on the floor.
"Hey freak!" Said one of the girls that was sitting with all the school jocks that where laughing and cheering at what the girl just did. "Why don't you go back to the circus?" The girl snarled in a nasally annoying voice.
Again nobody but the Cullens could hear the quite sob coming from her or smell her salty tears that where silently running down her face but weren't visible because of her very long thick black hair.
After the commotion died down, Elisabeth got back into her seat and tried to act as if nothing had happened.
"That's Aro's mate." Alice whispered. Everyone at the table but Alice and Edward froze.
"Your shiting me!" Emmett whispered looking at the girl who still had tears running down her face. Jasper was breathing very hard and was gripping the table tightly, almost crushing it.
"Jazz?" Alice whispered.
"She feels so alone, so much self hatred, pain,fear... God it feels like I am drowning. How is this girl still alive?" Jasper whispered brokenly.
"Edward what's she thinking?" asked Alice.
He put his head in his hands and concentrated on the girl's mind.
...What did I ever do to them...
...I suppose I deserve it...
Wish...I wasn't such a freak...
Wish mom was still alive...
Edward winced. Looking up at his siblings he took an unneeded ragged breath.
"I am only getting bits and pieces. It's like she's shouting it. I can't read her mind completely, but she thinks she deserves the treatment she's getting..." Rose hissed, "Why would she think that? She was minding her own business!" Everyone stared at her shocked.
Rosalie looked at them and growled "What? I Am not that big of a bitch."
Emmet laughed kissing on the side of the head.
"She thinks of herself as a freak." Edward whispered
Jasper looked over at Elisabeth, her hair moved from the side of her face just a little bit.
His eyes widened, "What happened to her?"
Everyone but Alice and Edward stared at her.
Emmett and Rose froze.
"Ooh." said Emmett
Rosalie looked like she wanted to cry for the poor girl. She didn't know why but she felt like she needed to protect her or at lest help.
"Where did she get those scars?" Jasper asked again.
"I don't know." Edward growled, "All I hear now is how much her head hurts."
"We need to tell Carlisle. He needs to tell Aro." Alice said.
"Why, so she can just get turned and hurt even more?" Rose spat.
"Rose," Alice whispered "in the vision I just had Elisabeth is still human and it is like a year from now maybe more. But she was human. I know because of the color in her face and she was married to Aro. Rose, she looked like she was alive and happy; not dead inside. She looked content."
Rose looked over at the small girl. If one looked close enough you could tell she's not very healthy looking and her hair was always covering her face. Her skin look pale and ashy; she looked sick, and under weight. It looked like it hurt for the poor girl just to breath.
Alice took out her cellphone and called Carlisle.
"Hello?" Carlisle awsereed in a smooth voice.
"Carlisle, you need to get home now. We need to have a family meeting."
"What's wrong? Is someone hurt? Did something happen?"
"I had a vision and its going to effect the family big time."
"Alright. I am on my way."
"Wait Carlisle there's someone's file I need you to get from the hospital."
"What? Why Alice?"
"Trust me, we'll need it."
"Alright what's the name?"
"Elisabeth Maryann Williams."
"Alright Alice, I'll be home in 30 minutes."
"We'll meet you there." she said snapping the silver cellphone shut. "Come on we need to leave and now." Alice said standing from the table going to empty her tray, her other siblings following her.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Everyone arrived home within 10 minutes, Esme was at the door a worried look on her face.
"Is everything ok?" she asked.
"We need to have a family meeting. Carlisle will be here in exactly 2 minutes." Alice said leading the way into the house.
They could already here his car coming up the drivway.
Carlisle came bursting through the doors. "Is everything ok?"
Alice shook her head, "Everything is fine for now, but it looks like we might be having a human hanging around with us soon."
"Why?" Carlisle asked completely confused.
"I had a vision and it's something that will effect us big time."
"Alright but may I ask why you needed Miss Williams file?"
"She's the reason an old friend of yours may change his diet."
Carlisles eyes widened. "Who?"
"Aro."
"But...I...wait...how?"
"Because Elisabeth Williams is Aro's true mate."
Carlisle froze. He took an unnessisary shakey breath. "One question, does she have scars on the left side of her face?"
Jasper chose this time to speak, "Yes she does, but they look like they are a year or two old."
Carlisle sighed, "Remember two years ago when I had to quickly travel to Italy?"
"Yes" everyone said in union.
"Well it was because something happened to Aro."
"He was walking into the throne room when all the sudden he was riddled with nothing but pain. At first they thought it was Jane or someone in the castle until cracks started appearing on his face. Caius was worried for him so he called me for help. Marcus said his mate bond had almost faded but then lite right back up but alot brighter.
"You all my not know this, but we have mates, the one who we would die for and protect. Then there's your true mate, if you find your true mate, it's someone you'd kill for, die for, sacrifice your very life for, but also you are connected in more ways then one. When your true mate is hurt, you are hurt. If they feel pain, you fell pain. If they die...you die."
Everyone looked shocked.
"Only very few have found there true mate."
"Is he ok?" asked Edward
"Yes. After a few days laying down not moving he was fine but he still has the cracks on his face. Not visible to the human eyes, only our kind can see it."
"How is he?" asked Jasper.
Carlisle sighed, "He was very depressed. He thought maybe she got into an accident. That is until a mouth later he started feeling something or someone was attacking him."
Edward picked up the thick manilla folder and started going through it, stopping at the date when she got the scars. "Its says when asked what happened, her father jumped in to tell doctors what happened. He said she fell down the stairs, but the doctors weren't convinced because they found shards of glass in the cuts. They asked Elisabeth if that's what happened and she said yes. They wanted to do an investigation but had little evidence.
"There is also alot more." Edward growled flipping threw the file. "A month later she came stumbling through the doors of the hospital because she was walking home and some students from her school attacked her, with little evidence of who did it no charges where filed."
Esme sobbed, "Why would someone do that to her?"
"I don't know," Jasper whispered, "but when we were in the cafeteria I focused on her and the emotions from just a few seconds ...it felt like I was drowning ..."He shuddered and Alice took his hand in hers and gave him a small smile.
"Yeah, not to mention when that cheerleader threw an apple across the cafeteria and smaked the poor girl in the side of the face." Emmett growled.
Carlisle looked shocked, "I have to call Marcus, excuse me." he said running up to his study.
Shutting the door he ran straight to the phone dailing Marcus' number.
"Hello." a smooth voice answered
"Marcus, it's Carlisle."
"Hello Carlisle what can I do for you?"
"How is he?" Carlisle whispered.
Marcus sighed "Not well. Today there was an indecent."
"What kind of incident?"
"He was in his chambers when we heard him yell. Caius found him on the floor clutching his head. He said that he felt like someone hit him in the side of the head."
"Is he alright now?"
"Somewhat. Carlisle I don't know what else to do. Aro is getting more and more depressed as time goes by. He won't leave his rooms for long periods of time anymore. And I honestly cannot remember the last time he fed. Caius and I are pulling every resorces we can to find her but no luck. Dimitri can't even find her because he's never met her and I can't risk other covens knowing about this."
"Marcus, old friend, what would you say if I told you I found her?" Carlisle asked in a knowing tone.
Carlisle heard something fall to the ground and fumbling.
"Carlisle...you know who she is and where she is?" Marcus asked in a stunned voice.
"Yes i do."
"How is she? What happened today? Does she have the scars as well?" Marcus asked rapidly.
"I dont know how she is Marcus. I haven't met her yet. Yes from what my children are telling me she has the scars too. I have her file will me."
"Do you know what happened to her today?"
"Yes I do old friend, apparently she is being bullied at school."
"Bullied...school? How old is this girl?"
"19 and she's a senior in high school."
Carlisle said looking in the folder.
"Is there anyway you can help her Carlisle?"
Alice yelled from down stairs, "Yes and we will be starting tomorrow. No one will touch her."
"Alice said yes we will be helping her."
"Good."
"Do we keep this from Aro for now?"
"Yes for now. I truly think if he found out now there would be a bloodbath. Because when someone hurts our mate ...we get violent."
"Yes I understand."
"Do everything in your power Carlisle to make sure she is well. Please old friend, I can't lose my brother. He and Caius are the only reason I am still here and I would not wish for them to go through the same thing as me."
"You have my word Marcus."
"Good."
"Goodbye old friend."
"Goodbye Carlisle. Please keep a good eye on her."
"I'll keep two on her when possible. The children will watch over her whenever they can."
Carlisle hung up the phone and put his head in his hands.
...
The next day the Cullens were walking into the cafeteria, Alice spotted Elisabeth starting to sit down at the table in the very back next to a window, and started to get out her book.
Alice and Edward walked over to Elisabeth's table. As they walked over the whole cafeteria went quite.
"Hello." Alice said in a high cheery voice.
Elisabeth jumped, pulling out her head phones.
"I...ummm..hi." She said in a very quite voice.
"Do you mind if we sit with you?" Alice asked.
"Ummm i...i.." Elisabeth said her voice shaking.
Great now the new kids are gonna hurt me too. She thought.
Edward frowned at that thought.
"I'm Alice and this is my brother Edward."
"Hello." she whispered
"I was wondering if me and you could be friends. I mean we're new here and don't know anyone."
"But...but..why..would you want to be friends with me?"
The last people who said they where my friends where the ones to hurt me she thought.
Edward was gripping the table underneath so he wouldn't show his anger.
"Because silly, you seem like a sweet girl that just needs a friend."
"I dont really have friends."
"Well now you do." Alice said, "And I just know that we'll be best friends!" she squealed.
"Ummm ok I...guess." Elisabeth stopped shaking taking notice that Alice really seemed like a sweet girl and didn't look like she had a reason to hurt her.
"Ooh yaaay! Oh we could go shopping or I could give you a make over! We should have a sleep over!" Alice said jumping up and down.
Elisabeth looked over at Edward and asked "Is this how she always is?"
Edward laughed and smiled "She's is much worse if you try to resist her." he pretended to shudder.
Elisabeth smiled a very small smile.
"Elisabeth would you like to go shopping with me?" Alice asked.
Elisabeth's smile dropped she thought about it. Edward listened.
I really need new clothes but I dont have any money because dad took it for liquor.
He was suddenly hit with a memory that was not his own.
...
"You little bitch!" The man slured. "I said I wanted dinner on the table when I got home, not cold slop." He stumbled up her with a glass liquor bottle in his hand, and slammed it to the side of her face The last thing she saw was her father standing over her with the glass bottle still in his hand.
Edward winced, he didn't really wanna witness that.
"She's worried about money." Edward whispered to Alice so Elisabeth wouldn't hear.
"Oh and I'll pay for everything; completely my treat!" Alice said praticaly jumping in her seat.
Elisabeth looked up nervously "ummm I don't know.."
"Do you not like shopping?" Alice asked pouting.
"Oh no no it's just I ...people don't really like me much so it's kinda weird having someone asking me to go shopping with them."
"Oh I understand." Alice said smiling, "how about this, what if you came over to my house tomorrow night and have a sleep over with me and my sister? Then Saturday we can go SHOPPING! Weeee!"
"I..sure..." Is the chick even sane?... No one compleatly sane ever gets this excited over shopping... Still... She does seem rather friendly ...
"Yaaaaay" Alice squealed hugging Elisabeth.
"I was wondering what was with that stunt they pulled yesterday?" asked Edward
Elisabeth started to shake.
"Ummm...I...I..don't .." she shuttered.
"What do you mean?" Edward pressed on wanting to know why these children would be so violet towards this shy girl.
"Ummmm..I really don't..know...Ever since I got in high school its been like this." She whispered. If they weren't vampires with supper sensitive hearing the probeabley wouldn't be able to hear her.
"Haven't you told a teacher?" Alice asked in a quiet voice, concerned for her new friend.
"Yes...but they say I ask for it."
"What?" Edward asked in disbelief.
Just then he heard one of the girls ...the same girl who threw the appple at the side of Elisabeth's face yesterday.
Ah the new kids are paying attention to that freak. Hmmmmm...maybe this will get them away. She went to grab an orange off of one her friend's plates.
Edward moved his chair so it was angled in front of Elisabeth.
The girl pulled her hand back and threw the orange across the cafeteria with all her might.
Just as it was about to hit Elisabeth in the face Edward's hand came up and caught it mid air.
The cafeteria was silent. The girl's face was shocked.
Edward turned around with a murderous glare on his face. Standing from his chair he walked over to the girl and slammed the orange down on her tray making sure that he got every bit of the juice on just her.
"I believe this belongs to you." he said the dark voice, the murderous look never leaving his face.
The girl was practally shaking.
He calmly walked back to his seat.
Alice was trying to hold in her giggles but was failing. "Hahah did you see her face hahaha!"
If Alice was human she would have had tears running down her face.
Elisabeth was staring at Edward she whispered "T...Thank you."
"You're welcome. I dont take too kindly to people being rude when nobody has done anything for that treatment."
Elisabeth smiled a small smile, it was small but it was a smile none the less.
Edward felt like he had a brotherly bond to this girl. He felt like he needed to protect her.
"Do you want to come over today after school for a few hours?" Alice asked.
"Sure." Elisabeth said looking a tad more cheerful.
"Yaaaaaay!" Alice cheered jumping up and down clapping her hands.
Jasper chuckled as he walked over and looked at Elisabeth, who looked a little weary of Alice. "Don't be worried, she is always like this." He placed his hands on Alice's shoulders to keep her in her chair. "You're scarying her darling."
Alice looked at Elisabeth and saw her looking at them curiously. She smiled and took Jasper's hand in hers. "This is Jasper. He is Rosalie's twin brother and my boyfriend." She pointed toward the table where Rose and Emmett sat watching them. "That's Emmett, he is Edward's and mine older brother. Due to him being really sick a couple years back he was held back a grade."
Elisabeth cautiously held her hand up and waved at them. Emmett beamed and waved enthusiastically at her. Rose gave her a small smile. Jasper sat down next to Alice and held his hand out to her. "Nice to meet you Elisabeth."
She slowly took his hand and shook it. She gasped at the coldness. Jasper shrugged. "Sorry, I forgot about my bad circulation."
Elisabeth gave a small chuckle. "I..It's n..nice to me..meet you too."
Jasper nodded and looked at Edward. "Did you really have to slam that orange that hard? I have to sit next to that bitch next period. All she will be complaining about is how the juice is ruining her clothes."
Edward smirked and leaned back in his seat crossing his arms. "Want to take a banana and slip it onto her seat right as she sits down?"
Jasper and Alice laughed. Elisabeth looked at him like he was crazy. He shrugged. "What? I really do not like bullies."
Elisabeth just gave him a very small smile while shaking her head. They are weird... But I like them.
She didn't see Edward nod and smile at his family.