Hey guys. Back with a chapter again.

I know it's been very long since the last update but I got really busy with my exams!

I updated the moment I got the chance.

I couldn't make the chapter very long. But I'm gonna try make the next chapter longer.

Enjoy! =D

Ariana didn't even hear his phone ring before he took it out of his pocket and placed it against his ear. She involuntarily looked up to see his face.

The call was from Jane.

'We'll have to get back,' she said. 'I got another call from Aro. He's getting really impatient.'

'When?' Alec asked, shortly.

'I've made up my mind about Austin, the football captain,' Jane said. 'We'll take him back to Volterra.'

'Did you tell Aro about him?' Alec asked.

'Yes,' she replied. 'Aro thinks he's the right choice. And doesn't want to be kept waiting any longer. You'd better come here right now. Aro will call back a few minutes later. He was wishing to speak with you.'

'Did you say anything?'

'No,' Jane replied. 'I don't know why he wants to talk to you. While we're on the topic, I hope you told Ariana all about this particular mission because I brought Austin here right now.'

'You what?' Alec exclaimed.

'Don't tell me you didn't tell her!' Jane said. 'You've basically told her everything. So what's wrong with this piece of information?'

'Jane you're making this so hard for me,' Alec said through gritted teeth.

'Deal with it,' Jane said. 'You've to deal with it sooner or later. Did you even tell her about the choice she has to make now?'

'There is no choice,' Alec replied.

'There is, brother,' Jane replied. 'And it's not going to change no matter how much you try to deny it.'

'I'll talk to you later,' Alec said and hung up.

'Is everything alright?' Ariana asked.

'Everything is fine,' Alec replied. 'I need to go to my place right now. There are some things I need to take care of. Would you mind coming with me?'

Ariana shook her head. She didn't mind.

Alec's house was quite detached from the normal neighborhood. It was further north and edging near the forest.

'I knew this place since a long time,' Ariana said as they stopped in front of the house. 'But this house was always empty.'

'Yeah, we rented it out temporarily,' Alec replied. 'You'd be surprised to what extent Renata managed to renovate it.'

Ariana was surprised. She had once set foot near this house when she was a kid and had lost her way. Even then the house was spooky enough for her to make a run for it in the opposite direction.

The house looked nothing like before. It looked habitable. Hell, it looked luxuriously habitable.

Jane was downstairs in a flash.

Alec knew that he could no longer postpone Ariana meeting Jane. He sighed.

'Ariana, this is Jane, Jane, Ariana,' he did the introductions pretty straightforwardly.

'Hello, Ariana,' Jane smiled and all the time Alec kept flashing her a warning look. 'Nice to meet you.' She extended a hand.

Ariana took it without hesitation. 'Nice to meet you too,' she said, smiling back.

'Where are Demetri and Renata?' Alec asked, not smelling their presence in the house.

'They went out to hunt,' Jane replied. Jane's phone rang at that instance and she hurriedly received it.

'Master,' she greeted. 'Yes. Everything is ready.'

Aro said from something from the other end that obviously Ariana couldn't hear. But it looked like Alec did and he extended his hand to take the phone. Jane handed it over and he left the room, placing it near his ear.

'Is there a problem?' Ariana asked Jane.

'No, nothing,' Jane replied. 'Alec will tell you everything.'

Alec entered the room and Jane said, 'See what I meant? He's getting impatient.'

'I do,' Alec replied. Jane had clearly heard what Aro was telling Alec from the other side of the phone.

Jane gave one last meaningful glance at Alec and disappeared up the stairs. Ariana turned a questioning gaze at him.

'Will someone just tell me what the hell's going on?' she demanded.

'I'm going to have to leave soon,' Alec revealed gravely and apologetically.

'You what?' Ariana was sure she had misheard.

'I'll have to leave for Italy,' Alec repeated.

Ariana could only stare at him in disbelief.

'I came here on duty, Ariana,' Alec said. 'Our work here is done. So naturally we'll have to go back and report to Aro.'

'When?' Ariana asked her voice caught in mid word.

'In a day or two,' Alec replied. Ariana took a sharp intake of breath. 'I'll come back. As soon as I'm done reporting back to Aro and done with this particular job, I'll come back.'

Ariana didn't reply. He took her hand and led her outside to a nicely decorated balcony knowing that the time had come to tell her the inevitable.

'Ariana there are some things I need to talk to you about,' Alec started.

'I know what you're gonna ask,' Ariana said.

'You do?' Alec asked, quite taken aback.

'I know I can't stay with you this way,' Ariana said. 'I'm not dumb, Alec. I'm human. You're not. It doesn't take a genius to figure this out. You guys are like the rule makers of the vampires. And I know what choice I have left. I should either be dead or turned.'

'Ariana, I'm sorry,' Alec replied, pulling her into his arms.

'Don't be,' Ariana replied. 'I'm not. You saw my life here Alec. It's nothing but a joke! I have nothing here.'

'So you wouldn't mind getting changed?' Alec asked, tentatively.

'No, why would I?' Ariana asked.

'It's eternity, in the same age,' Alec replied, with a glint of humor. Ariana made the whole discussion so much easier for him. 'Life could get pretty boring sometimes.'

'Eternity with you,' Ariana said. 'I think I can handle that.'

Alec chuckled. 'Thank you.'

'I still have to leave for a few days,' Alec said. 'I need to go and talk to Aro about everything first. I'll come back for you as soon as I can.'

'I'll hold you onto that,' Ariana replied.

'Shouldn't you be getting some sleep?' Alec asked. 'It's pretty late. Why don't you doze off for a while? I'll get you home at the break of dawn. I'll discuss some stuff with Jane in the meantime.'

'Ok,' Ariana replied. She wasn't sleepy but she knew she needed it if she didn't want to be dozing off in class the next day.

Alec took her to his room and ushered her inside. 'Go on get some sleep.'

Ariana climbed on the bed and settled down. Alec turned off the lights. ''Night,' he said and quietly shut the door behind him. Ariana was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Alec went to Jane's room and knocked.

'C'min,' Jane said. Alec twisted the door knob and opened the door. He entered and shut the door behind him.

'Ariana made her choice I see,' Jane said.

'Yes,' Alec replied. 'Didn't you tell me you brought the football star here?'

'Yeah, in the guestroom,' Jane said. 'I'm sedating him so that he doesn't wake up before we're safely back in Italy.'

'Are you planning to change him?' asked Alec.

'No,' Jane replied. 'Aro told me he wants to do it himself.'

Alec didn't reply.

'Are you really going to leave Ariana here even if it is for a short while?'

'She'll be safe here,' Alec replied. 'I scouted the whole place with Demetri right after that newborn attacked her. There's no trace of any vampires.'

'Wouldn't it be better just to take her now?' Jane said.

'I don't really feel safe taking her right into Volterra until after I've spoken with Aro,' Alec said. 'If all goes well she doesn't have to be here for more than two to three days alone.'

'How are you going to deal with the guy?' Alec asked Jane.

'I already told Renata to cut off his emotional ties with this world and everyone he knows,' Jane told him the details. 'So when he wakes up he'll only vaguely remember about his life here.'

'All planned out,' Alec said. It came as no surprise to him. Jane was always organized.

'You still didn't tell her about this mission,' Jane said.

'Not something she needs to know at present,' Alec replied back. 'I'll tell her everything later.'

They sensed it as soon as Renata and Demetri came in the house after their hunt. Alec and Jane left the room to tell them about their upcoming departure.

Alec left two days later. He said farewell to Ariana after school while walking her home. They intentionally took a longer route so that they could spend more time together.

'I'll be back before you know it,' Alec told her.

Ariana nodded. 'I'll miss you.'

He shook his head. 'You won't even get the time to miss me.'

Ariana laughed. 'I hope you're right.'

Alec pulled her to a hug and then lowered his head and kissed her shortly.

'See you soon?' Ariana said when they broke apart.

'Sooner than you think,' Alec reassured her.

Yeah, so that's it.

I'll update ASAP.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Guys PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!

=D