AWAKEN.

Aro was studying me again. He sat next to me as I read, pretending to busy himself with his own book, yet his frequent sideways glances made it obvious that the book was not what he was preoccupied with.

My gift fascinated him, but it also went even beyond that – it made him happy. He found much joy in my suffering, albeit not intentionally. And now, he moved closer, reaching out his papery white hand and delicately he slipped it into mine. I sighed, not contently but more softly, reluctantly. I found that if I closed my eyes, I could concentrate more easily. Even so it was still mentally exhausting, although I could no longer get physically tired. I still found myself feeling as though I needed to lay down, yet actually doing so did nothing to help ease the exhaustion.

Aro nodded when he was finished exploring my mind, and now returned to his book. I stood swiftly as Jane entered the room. I hated her – loathed her, even, yet I knew that it would be unwise to give her any more reason to get angry with me. If I stayed out of her way, perhaps she wouldn't use her power again on me. I absentmindedly rubbed lightly the place on my forehead where she focused the pain. Jane floated in and sat, perched on the edge of the chair next to Aro's on his other side. I did not return to mine.

"Aro, please, I need fresh air," I all but begged. He trained his eyes over my face for a moment before nodding, lifting his fragile hand and flicking two long fingers in Caius' direction. Great. I disliked Caius almost as much as I disliked Jane. Caius stood, slamming his book down. I'd recently learnt the feeling was mutual between us. He scowled at me before marching toward the ancient door.

Caius unwillingly led me to the same place I always was always led to on the rare occasions I was allowed outside for any other reason besides to hunt. It was a miniature courtyard, surrounded by an old fence twice my height. I pressed my face against the farthest side contentedly. I missed the heat, any kind of warmth. As the sun shone down against my face I could almost see its brightness through my closed lids, the great beam of light reflecting off my skin, creating odd shadows. I had no access to a mirror outside – I had yet to see what my face looked like as the sun caressed it.

I imagined that Edward would caress my skin as well.

A sharp, unwelcome shudder tore through me, threatening to open me up again. My eyes blinked open in time to see Caius's own eyes flickering away from me. Thinking of Edward was torture. I hated knowing that I had got what I wanted, but I had lost the reason I wanted it in the first place. It all felt so pointless as a result. But now, without sleep to ease some of the pain, he lingered in my mind, as unwilling to leave as I was unwilling to stay. Volterra was my prison cell, but I was serving a sentence not warranted.

Caius rolled his eyes sharply.

"Stop that, you ridiculous child," he muttered harshly. When I widened my eyes at him he turned away from me to finish his sentence. "We all know how much you miss your precious Edward, but let me tell you one thing, my dear," he said, bitterly mocking what Aro frequently called me. He spun on his heels, the movement was surely even swifter than anything I could produce. "Moping around will do you no good. You are best to embrace your new life, and leave the past as it should be – past."

I scrunched my hands tightly into fists. I desperately wanted to punch him. The desire to see his squirmy face scrunch up like a paper bag – from anger and annoyance, not pain – raced through my veins like adrenaline. But Caius solved my dilemma for me. He stepped back, pivoting on his foot again and growling lowly. He looked ready to pounce on me, but at the last second he thought better of it. He knew what Aro would do to him if he touched me. He exhaled sharply, as it wasn't out of necessity, it was clearly out of need to calm himself down.

"I think it's ridiculous that they keep you trapped here," he spat, not unkindly, but bitterly. "You are of no real significance – your gift serves no real purpose other than that of curiosity to Aro. We have no need for a shield here, we are too powerful as is. Of course we have spoken to Aro about this, and I have, myself, certainly made it no secret that I despise having your presence causing such disruption to our family. Well, you know how stubborn Aro can be."

He sighed, leaning back casually to rest against the rusted iron of the gate. "For what it is worth – and know it is not much – I wish you could leave as much as you do yourself."

I watched him for a long while, seeing unchanging annoyance in his eyes. He glared at the sun like I would at the rain and gestured sharply to the entryway back into the chambers.

"You have had enough sunlight, it is time you return to the darkness."

This time, however, he pushed me ahead of himself, letting me lead us back inside. We walked in silence while I pondered the impossibility of freedom.

Upon our return to the farthest chamber, where Aro preferred we spend our days, I noticed much had changed. Marcus sat where Aro had been previously, his mouth slightly agape in the same expression of muted grief that was constant on his face. Aro paced lightly in the tallest archway, his fingertip pressing into his lip as he wished he could leave an indent there. Jane was nowhere to be seen, and, of course, Alec was also oddly absent. Caius was the first to speak, shoving me out of his way and marching toward Aro.

"What is it?"

Aro paused, pondering his answer. His eyes captured mine, and I was relieved when he released them. His glare was more menacing than I had known.

"We have…guests," he said, weighing the word in his mouth as if he would rather have used another. "It appears Carlisle desires to catch up with us."

I gasped loudly, so loudly that Marcus raised his face to look at me curiously. Carlisle! His name pierced through me as the sunlight had. It produced the same effect: my frozen body felt warm, lighter. I couldn't force off the smile that raised my cheeks for the first time in this lifetime. He was coming here, he would get me out. I knew that Carlisle would acknowledge that he owed me this much. His natural compassion would work in my favour: he would undoubtedly feel some guilt for my being in such a predicament.

Aro gritted his teeth and turned his body away from mine, as Caius had. I thought that such a gesture was clearly a way they all seemed to respond to me when they wished I wasn't there. But did Aro really wish I wasn't there? Or was it something else…

"When?" Caius breathed the word, the way a human would softly exhale while their lungs burned for air as they drowned.

Aro's face slumped slightly, making his features look even odder. His eyes passed Caius, and I realised quickly that they weren't – for once – directed at me. He was looking past me, and even past the open and heavy door several feet behind me. He was looking at the corridor that led to us, and as I turned I felt a strange prickling at the edges of my eyes.

So this is what crying felt like.

There stood Carlisle, in all his glory. His face and body were, of course, unchanged. His blonde hair was dishevelled the way Edward's always was…

I stopped the thought sharply, turning it off like a faucet. I focused all my attention on Carlisle instead. His eyes moved slowly over my meek frame, dressed in a hideous inky cloak, and fell flat on my face. He looked like he might have been crying also. He stepped forward, one careful placement on the cobblestones that made up the floor, as Aro appeared in front of me. I peered around Aro's side and looked desperately at Carlisle.

"Now is not the time, Carlisle," Aro said, his voice too kind that all sense of genuine emotion was erased.

Carlisle shook his head, he gripped his leather gloves tighter in his hands.

"Please, Aro. I respect you, you are well aware of that," he whispered. His voice was so familiar and warm, I bit back a cry as human memories flooded my now hazy mind. "However, I am not here to reunite with you. I am here for one purpose only, and that is to bring my daughter home."

I sobbed in earnest now, unable to hold back. I covered my mouth with both hands where Aro's head snapped back to glare a warning at me. Carlisle took another light step forward, and Aro reached his hand back to grip my elbow too tightly.

Carlisle was so close now, I could stretch my arm and almost feel his own arm.

"No one knows I am here," he said quietly. "Besides Esme and Alice – the others are away. Aro, please let's not let this last long enough for them to find out. I do not want to start a fight with you – you know my only hope is for peace."

So Edward didn't know – yet. The thought of returning home to see him – actually see him, physically touch him – burned through my skin. I bit back another sob. I would do anything to see it happen.

I would even lie.

"Aro," I said, pressing my hand to his arm. "You have raised me as well as anyone could hope," I swallowed, feeling venom that felt more like vomit in my mouth. I hated being kind to him, in any fashion. "But you, yourself, taught me the importance of destiny. You told me my gift was a part of my destiny."

I stepped back from him, but not towards Carlisle.

"And let's face it, Aro – you have no need for a shield here," I started, glancing for the briefest moment at Caius. "You are strong enough as is."

I heard Caius flex his jaw. I took another step away from a bewildered Aro, and carefully made my way toward Carlisle. I stood at the side of the man who would always feel like my vampire father, and rolled my shoulders back.

"You do not really need me, Aro. My destiny in this life has nothing to do with you at all. I do not say this to be cruel, or to seem ungrateful, but I say it because it is the truth. I know how you value the truth. I have barely complained, Aro. And while I may have been greatly unhappy during my time here, I have dealt with that with grace and dignity. I have barely asked anything of you, but now I ask of you the only thing I truly can. Please, Aro, please let me go."

All eyes flickered to Aro as the silence grew uncomfortable. After what felt like hours, Aro dropped his face.

"I suppose, I cannot hold you here any longer, Bella." He raised his eyes and his expression almost made me want to retract. Almost. "However, always know that we are here, and we will be here."

I sounded like a warm goodbye, a kind gesture, and also a warning. I quickly grasped Carlisle's hand and exhaled when his fingers tightly held mine. His touch was a reassurance.

Carlisle quietly thanked Aro, careful to avoid his eyes, and led me outside. Back into the sunlight.

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