Disclaimer- All recognizable characters belong to Mrs. Stephenie Meyer, whereas all new characters belong to me.

Chapter 3- The return of an old friend

I peered at the arrow that was laying on the long dining table. My lips curled over my teeth and I let out a low snarl. Aro put a hand on my back and ushered me to my seat. I made sure I was inches away from the arrow. I didn't even want to touch it again. Edward had his hands on my shoulders from behind me and was softly massaging them. It didn't help. Before coming downstairs I'd gotten dressed into a black shirt and pants. Ash and Mike were currently going around Volterra, searching for the person who'd shot the arrow. I knew as well as they did that the person was long gone by now. Aro let out a long sigh and picked the arrow up, inspecting it strongly. " It's Annebelle's." I snapped. " I know it is. Hell, I've been shot with them a couple times." Edward's hands tensed up and I could hear him let out a low growl. " Don't worry. Getting hit by them a couple times stopped me from ever trying to escape again. Well, until I killed her that is." I told him.

" If the arrow is here we can't be sure that she's-" Marcus began, his crimson eyes on mine. I hissed and went to stood up when Edward pushed me back down. I turned to him and arched my eyebrow. His eyes were black so I simply turned back to Marcus and smiled.

" She's dead." I stated simply, kicking my feet onto the table. " I sliced off her head, there is no way in hell she survived that." I closed my eyes and replayed the memories from my dream through my mind. She was dead, I was sure of it. A crash came from the hallway. A second later Lanina shouted out that it'd been her and not to worry. I knew she was still trying to get a hang on her small telekinesis power. It hadn't grown a bit in the year since she'd figured out she had it. She wasn't worried about it until she'd seen that arrow. Now she'd been working on it nonstop. I knew she was just as worried as I was. Annebelle didn't let other people touch her arrows. They were specially made for her and only her.

" Who was close to her?" Aro asked me quietly. I opened my eyes and glanced at him, then shrugged my shoulders.

" Nicholas, but I killed him." I answered truthfully. Nicholas had been Annebelle's sire who was even worse than her. But the apple did not fall far from the tree. He had taken it personally when I killed Annebelle, but waited to come after me until the time when the Cullens came back into my life. He had been one of the only people to truly scare me. I could've cried as soon as I saw his head drop to his feet. Shaking away my thoughts of him, I focused on anyone else who could've been close to Annebelle. I couldn't think of anyone until a woman popped into my head. " Wait-" I murmured quietly. " There was a woman. She had been her right hand woman I guess you could say. Everyone knew they were lovers. God, I can't remember her name." I growled and slammed my fist down on the table.

" Calm down Bella." Caius said from beside me.

" Easy for you to say, no one is hunting you down." Lanina responded, her hands on her hips. Her eyes were hard as she walked into the room.

" Her name was Rosemary." She said. I remember because Annebelle-"

" A rose for my Rosemary." I muttered, cutting in. She nodded her head and stood next to Edward. Her hair was down, reaching the top of her waist.

" She fell off the face of the planet after Annebelle's death. But I imagine she would be pretty pissed off about it." I bit my lip and shook my head in agreement. " I never really came into contact with her but Noleen-"

" I knew her." I finished for her. " She loved Annebelle. But Annebelle was. . . Well, she didn't love just one person." I groaned and swung my feet off the cherry oak table and stood up, this time not caring what Edward did. " I forgot all about her. How did I forget about her?"

" She wasn't that important. I mean, it's not some sign that you're losing your mind. If that's what you're thinking." Lanina reassured me warmly.

" Don't worry Nol, I'll send out a warning for her." I watched her walk out of the room, her hair swinging.

" Aro, Aro what's wrong?" Jane cooed, her fingers stroking her face. I rolled my eyes and gagged. She growled, but didn't stop her loving touches. I didn't know how he could even allow those fingers to touch his face. His eyes met mine, and I could see the sorrow behind them. I realized what was running through his mind and cleared my throat.

" Aro, did you ever get ahold of anyone about my little memory problem?" I questioned. He went to say no when I winked. He smiled softly and stood.

" As a matter of a fact, I did. If you'll please escort me to the library, I'll show you." I kissed Edward softly and told him I'd be okay. Then I looped my arm through Aro's and we walked to the library. His face was hard and he didn't say a word as we walked through the empty hallways. I put my head on his shoulder and started to hum an old song I liked. Once we reached the library, he started a fire up and took a seat on the royal blue couch. I sat beside him and studied the look in his red eyes.

" It's her isn't it." I whispered. The flames danced in his eyes as he slowly nodded his head. I sighed and took his hands in mine. " Oh Aro."

" Bella, what am I to do? She's alive!" He replied softly, his words begging for a response.

" I don't know Aro. I really don't. Are you sure?" He lowered his head and began to twist my wedding ring around.

" I saw her image through Lanina's mind. . . She was close enough for the smallest of touches. It's her Bella. She looks as she did when I left her. The exact same." My heart silently broke for Aro. I knew what he was going through to some extent. Edward would most likely understand more. I drew him to me and wrapped him in a tight embrace.

" Don't worry Aro. Everything will be okay." I was glad Aro couldn't see my thoughts from touching me. Because then he would've found out that I didn't know if I should believe that. Because truthfully expecting the worst is often better than hoping for the best.

Hope snuggled underneath her covers and grinned up at me. I laid down beside her and pushed back some of her hair so it was out of her face. It was nap time for her. She had just been upgraded from a cradle to a big girl bed and she loved it. Naturally I was worried she would fall off, but Edward had assured me she would be fine while he had put the bed together. Her room was a light blue, I was so glad to find out she didn't like the color pink, and the furniture was all white. A dark blue canopy hang around her bed, she always said she was the princess of Volterra. Everyone agreed. She turned on her side and put her hand softly on my waist. " Tell me story mommy?" She asked quietly, her eyes slowly drooping.

" About what?" I asked her just as quietly. I put a finger on her cheek and wiped away a small piece of the chocolate she'd been eating. Kids could be so messy, but you couldn't help loving them.

" When you were a little girl." She replied, her eyes trained on mine. I thought back to something I remembered. I went through my memories until I finally reached a sufficient tale to tell. I scooted in closer to her and laid my head on her pillow.

" Let's see," I began. Her eyes sparkled like they always did when she was about to hear a story. " One time when I was six years old, my mom took me to this great big mall. I'd never been there before and everything seemed so amazing to me. She told me before we went in to stay by her no matter what. Because she didn't want to lose me. Well, once I was in the store I was taken aback by all the toys and books inside. Well, I wasn't really interested at what my mom was looking at, so I wondered off to look at the things that interested me. Pretty soon, I forgot all about my mom and I was just playing with the toys." Her eyes opened wide and she gasped.

" You didn't stay by her! You told me to always stay by an adu't!" She exclaimed. I held back my laughter as I gazed upon her shocked face. She was totally taken aback by me.

" I know, mommy was a bad girl. You should stay close to an adult at all times."

" Did your mommy find you?"

" Yes, after having called security to look for me. Finally I was found sitting in the middle of an aisle, playing with a toy truck. She picked me up in her arms and kissed me all over and said ' Isabella Marie don't you ever do that again!' And I never did. I learned my lesson that day once I saw the look on my mom's face." Hope nodded her head seriously and let out a tiny sigh.

" Does your mommy know you are a va'pire?" She questioned me suddenly. I shook my head no and smiled softly.

" Remember I told you that only you can know mine and daddies secret? Along with everyone in Volterra?" I asked her in return.

" Yes, you said that I was special because I was your dau'ter." I grinned and pinched her cheek softly. She laughed and tried to push me away. " Mommy don't!" She squealed, her laughter filling my heart. I chuckled and kissed her, then tucked her back in.

" Okay, it's naptime now Hope Adeline. Close your eyes and I'll come get you in a little bit." She puckered her lips up and kissed my cheek before finally settling down. I waited until she was sleeping before leaving the room. Pretty soon we were going to have to cut naptime, but I was glad to have it at the moment. I checked her window and made sure it was locked before closing the door. I didn't want to chance anyone getting my daughter. I was heading into my room when I heard a laugh come from the hallway. I furrowed my eyebrows and then the scent hit me. I closed my eyes and breathed it in, the blood lust filled me. But I pressed it down and ran to the person who was laughing. I stopped once Yuria's eyes locked on mine and let out a big smile. Then we met halfway and gave each other a bone crushing hug. Well, for him at least.

" Can't breathe." He said while I hugged him. I chuckled and backed away. His eyes were as green as ever.

" Sorry, don't know my own strength sometimes." I joked. He laughed and nodded his head. My eyes widened as soon as I saw Tori and her growing belly. I smiled and hugged her also. " Congratulations!" I exclaimed. " How far along?" She raised an eyebrow and studied me.

" You can't just. . . Smell and me able to tell?" She asked. I tilted my head back with laughter and nodded my head.

" It's more polite to ask." I explained.

" Four months." Yuzria answered for me and put an arm around his fiancée. I could hear the small heart beating inside her stomach and my smiled grew larger.

" Very healthy." I observed. I inhaled and allowed the smell of blood to fill my senses. " And type ab. Hmm, that's a good one." I said more to myself than to them.

" Yeah well no sucking my children." Tori joked. Her hair was a light red from the amount of sunlight she got. Yuzria's was still the touchable black curls. Their eyes suddenly turned serious, and I knew that they had heard about what had happened that morning.

" No worries. We'll find who threw the arrow and kill them. Then we'll do something to celebrate." I assured them. " Maybe rampage a small town and feast upon the citizens." Tori and Yuzira were silent, trying to decipher whether I was serious or not. " Kidding." I added. Their eyes lightened and they let out a small laugh.

" Vampire humor. I'll never get used to it." Yuzria responded. I shrugged my shoulders and then remembered the folder Lanina had given me before. . .Well before I'd almost been staked to the wall. " Let's go down to the kitchen, I'll get started on some stuff." He said, as if reading my mind. I smiled sheepishly and looked at Tori.

" Do you want to lay down? I'm sure the flight was long." She was about to shake her head no when Yuzria stopped her by telling me she would. She rolled her eyes and slapped his shoulder, but allowed me to lead her to a room. After making sure she was settled in, I went down to the kitchen to find Yuzria already working over one of the stoves. His sleeves were pushed up and he was murmuring something to himself. " You waste no time do you?" I teased. He jumped slightly, but then gripped the stove with his hands. I furrowed my eyebrows and walked over to him.

" What's wrong?" I asked softly, putting my hand on his shoulder. He turned to me and sighed.

" I just. . . I just thought all this was over." He admitted.

" It's never over Yuzria. Not for us." I told him softly. " But, I shouldn't depend on you to-"

" I want you to call me if something is wrong. I told you Bella, you'll always mean something to me. I want to help you any way I can." He replied strongly. " I would be angry if you didn't." I smiled and gave him a small hug, then we both turned to the bubbling pot. " Now let's get that memory of yours back on track."

" Yes please." I said sweetly and bent down to smell the potion. " Hmm, lemons." He laughed and added a sprig of lavender to the mix. I frowned, this was going to take a while. I walked over to the big steel refrigerator and grabbed a packet of blood out. I read the type on the front and sliced it open. Then I gulped it down. I had to drink three more others before I was absolutely certain I wouldn't be tempted to drink from Yuzria. His scent drifted back to me and I felt the blood rush through my body as I tensed to pounce. Then I opened the fridge and took another packet out. It's better to be safe than sorry.

A/N: Hope you liked this chapter! I'm so glad to hear you guys are enjoying the story so far! Review and let me know your thoughts on this one. Thank you so much for reading!!! Mwah to you all!

Until next time,

Faith