and a very very new and shiny chapter this time, and since I am going on a holiday this will be the last for at least two and a half weeks. so it's a little longer then usual. I want to thank everyone for staying with me on this, I love you all. Keep the reviews going they make my day as do you...Thanks for Cindy for making this story better then it is.

I do not own twilight or any of the characters.


"Are you okay?" Alice asked as she approached.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" Bella replied.

"You just look a bit flushed," then realization dawned on her, "Oh, Bella!"

"What?" She hoped that she did not look that transparent!

"This is a museum, you two could have been caught! I mean ...seriously," Alice gave her a look that reminded Bella of the look her mother used to give her when she was caught doing something wrong. Carlisle wasn't quite how he felt about being chided by such a small woman.

"Yes I know, but he..." Bella started, but Alice cut her off:

"He started it, yes I know. They always start it, don't they?" Alice bounced back at her.

"Yes, indeed they do," Bella said, sticking her her tongue out.

"I'm going to the cafeteria for lunch, and after that we can let Aro know that we have completed the inventory."

"Okay, I'll be right there, I'm just going to let Carlisle out."

Alice look between the two skeptically.

"I swear," Bella assured.

"Fine, but if you're not with me within five minutes, I'm come and get you."

"Sure. Bye Alice." Bella said while she playfully pushed her friend towards the museum.

Carlisle and Bella walked to the door together.

"Now I have a question," he stated.

"What's that?" Bella asked.

"Have you and Alice ever... you know, been together?" He half-asked to try and lighten the mood and half-asked out of curiosity.

Bella looked at him with wide eyes.

"What? No," she denied.

"Really?"

"No. Well, maybe one time," she amended as she re-thought her answer.

"I knew it!" He said with a sparkle in his eye, feeling like a typical male.

"It wasn't planned or anything, it just sort of happened..."

"How?" Bella laughed a little at how he seemed entirely captivated but her revelation.

"Well it was a girl's night: pizza, movies, pyjamas... We were in a mellow mood and we started to play around and then one thing led to another," she said cryptically.

"Yes, I know how it begins but how was it?" Carlisle said and looked at her as if maybe if he stared hard enough he would be able to read her mind.

"Wouldn't you just love to know?" she teased.

"Come on Bella, I'm begging here," he said pleadingly.

Bella smiled coyly and looked over at him.

"I should really go join Alice, she's waiting for me and you heard what she said. Thanks for coming, it was really sweet of you," she said, and before he could protest she kissed him on the cheek and ran back into the museum.

Bella made her way into the cafeteria. She quickly grabbed a slice of pizza, an apple, and her lemonade and went to where Alice was sitting and plopped down next to her at a table.

"That was quick," said Alice.

Bella looked at her friend and stuck her tongue out at her.

"I told you I was only letting him out," and then she added ruefully, "and you were right, this is not the place for such things."

"Then why did you do it?"

Bella looked around, turned to Alice and leaned forward.

"This morning when I woke up, Carlisle and Edward were gone. I got out of bed to find them and suddenly I heard noises coming from the bathroom."

"Noises?" Her intrigue was piqued.

"Yeah, you know... moaning and stuff."

"Moaning? Oh!" said Alice, as she clapped her hand over her mouth.

"Yeah I know! So I tiptoe into the bathroom and there they are, together under the shower kissing and touching each other."

"Jesus," Alice whispered and she began to blush.

"Really Alice, it was so hot seeing them together like that and well, I couldn't resist. Before I knew it, I was touching myself while I listened to them moaning."

Alice started to giggle and Bella felt herself blushing.

"Anyway, I was asking him before you came back how long they have been intimate. Carlisle said they've lived in the same house and with their own lives for awhile before anything happened, but as time went by the contact with their friends subsided and they discovered they had a lot in common. So they started going out to clubs together and sometimes Edward would bring someone home. So, one night Carlisle had to go to the bathroom and the door of Edward's bedroom was open. Edward had brought someone home that night and when Carlisle looked inside the bedroom he saw them going at it. He kept watching and before he knew it his pants were at his ankles and he was pumping himself. The next morning, confronted Edward him; he had seen him, and that's when things started happening between them. They still fuck, but only if the need is there."

"Well, things like that can only happen naturally," said Alice, and she looked at Bella meaningfully.

"Right," Bella laughed, "Carlisle also wanted to know if we ever fucked," she whispered.

"And what did you say?"

"I told him once, but then he wanted to know how it was, but I didn't tell him," Bella said, and she leaned back in her chair.

"You're such a tease," Alice laughed, "I've actually thought about that night a lot lately," she confessed.

"Really?" asked Bella.

Alice nodded and looked at Bella.

"It was so good. You were very good, I understand why Carlisle and Edward can't get enough of you," Alice said and took Bella's hand over the table.

"It was very nice, indeed," said Bella, and she leaned towards Alice, "maybe we should think about showing it to Carlisle, instead of telling him?"

"Really?" Alice asked softly who also leaned slightly to Bella.

"Yeah," Bella said softly, she licked her lips, "I bet he'd like that."

"He wouldn't be the only one," Alice replied.

"Ah, here you are!" They heard Aro say from very close behind them. Bella and Alice jumped in terror. It was unnerving how quiet his footsteps were at times.

"Well, well, aren't we jumpy today, bad conscience ladies?" he asked, smiling inwardly at their discomfort.

Alice had to bite her tongue not to say anything.

"Aro, we didn't see you. What can we do for you?" Bella asked.

"I wanted to speak to the two of you in my office," he said and before the girls could respond or do anything, he was gone.

Bella and Alice quickly jogged after him. He held the door to his office open for them, something he rarely did and it made Bella and Alice be on their guard. Once Aro was inside, he closed the door and walked towards them.

"Tell me, Alice," he began, and he walked to his desk and made himself comfortable, "when we were having dinner and you began talking about customs and smuggling things, what did you mean by that?"

Alice looked to Bella for guidance but Aro interrupted her.

"Look at me, Alice," he said loudly.

Alice looked at him with a jerk, eyes wide.

"Nothing. It's just, I was curious. Sometimes you hear those stories..."

"About drugs you mean?"

"Yes," said Alice, and she looked around nervously, she wanted to look at Bella, for support, for anything but she didn't dare. Sure she could stand up for herself, she was strong and confident about herself, most of the time at least, but there was something about Aro that made her feel very tiny.

"You don't just ask someone how their collection came through customs, it must have come from somewhere," he hedged.

Aro looked at her and walked towards her, Alice avoided his gaze however. Aro grabbed her face and turned it towards him. The chill of his fingers were disconcerting.

"Alice, look at me," he demanded and she looked at him slowly, "I didn't move heaven and earth to get that collection here just because of its worth."

"What do you mean?" Bella said suddenly, narrowing her eyes at him.

Aro let Alice go and looked at Bella.

"I can't go into details, but Amun and Kebi's parents were old friends of my parents. They have known each other for many years. They even came to visit when father was ill. They had no secrets from each other."

"So your parents knew Amun and Kebi, too?"

"Yes, my mother has always had connection to many people and she had a knack for knowing who she could and couldn't trust and although she really liked Amun, there was something about Kebi what she did not trust."

"What do you mean?" Alice asked.

"According to Mother, there was something about him, he was different. She even once said that he is capable of almost anything to get his way."

"Even murder?" Alice said softly.

Aro looked at her, turned and sat down behind his desk.

"After we heard about the deaths of their parents, Mother and Father we devastated. My parents even went to their funeral. But despite the fact that their collection is worth very much, it was still in its place after the shooting. Mother didn't trust it, something was wrong. Why would someone kill Amun and Kebi's parents, but not take their most valuable asset?"

"That's a good point," Bella said, and she shrugged trying to appear nonchalant.

"Exactly," Aro said and he looked at Bella significantly.

"What exactly are you saying?" asked Bella, and she looked at him quizzically.

"We need to talk, but not here. The walls have ears, so to speak. Come to my house tonight, eight o'clock," He said, and it was clear that he wouldn't take no for an answer.

"By the way sir, the inventory is complete on the Egyptian collection," Bella informed him, he nodded in acknowledgment and dismissal.

On the way back to the collection Bella and Alice were very quiet, suddenly Alice grabbed her friend's arm and turned her around.

"Do you think he knows?" she asked.

"I don't know Alice, but it wouldn't surprise me."

"Then why on earth did he try so hard to get the collection here?" Alice asked why she raised her hands.

"Well, hopefully we get some answers tonight."

The rest of the afternoon was uneventful. Their work with the collection was finished and they began to identify other collections and that went a lot faster than the Egyptian collection.

When they turned into the drive way a few hours later and walked to the house they heard the sound of the piano again. Bella smiled as she walked inside. Alice almost ran off to Jasper, who greeted her with a kiss. Bella paused for a moment and watched Edward from a distance while he played on the piano, his long thin fingers lovingly caressed the keys. From the corner of her eye she saw Carlisle in the doorway of the kitchen. He smiled at her making her remember his words from earlier. After one last glance at Edward, she walked toward Carlisle, grabbed his hand and pulled him into the kitchen for a little privacy.

"We need to talk," she said.

"What is it?" Carlisle asked, and he sounded worried.

Bella sat down and Carlisle took the seat beside her.

"About earlier Carlisle, I care about you, but I care about Edward, too," she told him.

"I understand that you care about Edward, but I just needed you to know how I feel, you have a right to know," he said and took her hand over the table.

Suddenly a thought struck her, "This isn't going to make things awkward between us, right?"

"No, of course not. I promise things will not change unless you want them to," Carlisle said, seeing at that moment there was a possibility that someday Bella may love Edward the way he loves her and his love may be unrequited.