Hello again, looks like no one has killed me for letting Emmett die :) I wonder where we'll go this time ;)

Big hugs to my beta for all her support, sue273

As ever, I do not own twilight or any of it's characters

Chapter Fourteen

It took a couple of days planning before I could get around to visiting Aro, with Mom swinging in between crying constantly and whimpering in her sedated sleeps. It was difficult to be able to leave the house long enough that she wouldn't wake and need me. The perfect time came late Friday evening when Mom went up to bed. I gave her a sedative with a slight extra to it and walked down to meet Jasper at the front door.

As I approached Aro's front door, I saw the curtains twitch and the door opened just as I raised my knuckles to rap on it.

"Evening, Bella. How nice to see you," Aro said, his voice soft and raspy from years of excessive smoking.

"Hello, Aro. May we come in for a moment? I believe you may be able to help me with something," I smiled at him.

Aro gestured for us to go inside. I silently prayed that he had something useful to tell me. I was running out of ideas; Aro was my last hope.

"Aro, please don't think me rude for what I'm about to ask, but it could be helpful to me, and, quite frankly, I am running out of options and avenues to go down," I sighed.

"Before you start, I just want to say, I am so, so sorry about Emmett, Bella. He was a fantastic man and a talented doctor, my dear. Now, in respect of your question, what is it I can help you with?"

"The person who has been visiting you, with the bright red hair, who is it?" I muttered.

"Is that it, my dear? To know who has been visiting me?" Aro laughed.

"I'm sorry, Aro. But my dad was killed in my room, and when I was looking through to see if anything was missing or moved, there were bright red hairs in my hairbrush. Then I remembered seeing someone with red hair go past the house a couple of times and I wondered if there was any chance it could be something important," I mumbled embarrassed.

"Oh, my dear! Don't be embarrassed. I appreciate how you must be feeling. Her name is Victoria. She has been helping me with some assisted living. I am getting old, child, and I've started needing some help. Mundane things, but the help makes things a little easier for me. She started about five days ago. She cooks dinners and freezes them for me, she does a little cleaning and that's about it. Oh, and she makes sure that I have food in the cupboards. She's a quiet and furtive little things, but she takes in everything. She spends a lot of time cleaning my windows for me," he chuckled.

I sighed deflated. She had not been the lead I had been hoping for. A part of me had hoped that maybe it was a man, and that man would be Edward.

"Oh, child. I am sorry. She's due round in the morning. She'll be making some dinners for me for the weekend and doing the windows again. Perhaps you would like to meet her?" Aro mused.

"Maybe, Aro. I'm taking care of mom a lot of the time, but I'll try and pop round to meet her. She sounds lovely."

Jasper and I left after that. Aro gave me a small hug and said that his door was always open to me. I had known him since I was a little girl. Every birthday and Christmas, he would be at the front door with a present for my mom, my dad and me. Usually some timeless piece of jewellery for my mom, some book on medicine for my dad, and always a new toy for me.

No one needed to fear him. He was gay, so was ridiculed and teased often. My parents ignored the whispered comments that he liked little boys. We knew it was bullshit. Aro was the kindest and most warm spirit I have ever come across. Nothing was too much trouble and he would listen to anyone that needed an ear to bend.

I wandered back to the house to find Mom was awake and pottering around the house. She looked at me, but said nothing, busying herself in the kitchen. I left her to it, but kept an ear out for any telltale signs that she was going into hysteria again.

I knew she couldn't help it. It wasn't every day that you lost the only man you had ever loved in such a horrid fashion. Mom had been with dad from when they were in high school. Teenage sweethearts everyone called them, and they were still very much in love until that day he was taken away from us.

"I don't know what to do now, Jas. I've run out of options. I've thought of every possibility, but nothing adds up. The red head was my last try," I whispered.

"Bells, there isn't any more we can do. We'll just have to plod on and hope that the police can find him. Don't worry. It's hard, but you've done all that you can," Jasper said, as he hugged me.

I was tired of fighting all the time, tired of waiting for whatever was going to happen next, tired of waiting for him to strike next and who I loved would be next. Already the Denali's had nothing to do with me because of their dog. It was all my fault, they said. If I hadn't been associated with the likes of Edward, then none of this would be happening. It made me sick to my stomach. Before I dated Edward, their daughter, Tanya, had been going out with Edward, and they'd had no objections to him then!

A part of me hoped that Edward would come after me and kill me. Then the nightmare would be over. I'd be gone and he'd have no reason to torture my family anymore. I wasn't sure how much more Mom could take. It was only a matter of time before she truly cracked under the immense pressure that she was under. The funeral home had been in touch repeatedly to sort of everything, but she never had the strength to discuss anything with them. I would have to do it. I knew what my dad had wanted - no one was to wear black. That was the only rule. Anyone wearing black would not be allowed to attend the funeral.

Jasper and I decided to meet this girl who had been helping Aro. It would be good to meet the person who was taking care of someone else that I cared deeply for. Aro was a good man, and deserved only the best when it came to his care.

Saturday soon came around, and once I had set Mom something to do that would take her mind off everything, we went round to Aro's. I knocked on the door repeatedly, but there was no answer. Weird. If Aro knew we were coming round, why would he go out? It was no matter, he'd told me years ago about the key he kept hidden behind the letter box.

Once inside, I nosied around the downstairs. I found meals in the freezer, but they were few. It looked as though Aro's help had not been yet. I looked at the windows and chuckled, this girl did like to clean them. They were gleaming so much I could see my reflection in them, even in broad daylight!

I asked Jasper to put the kettle on and get some coffee going, as no doubt Aro would be along shortly. I meandered upstairs. It had been a long time since I had been in the house and wanted to see if it was still all the same.

The bathroom was still the same light blue, the hallways white and the spare room was still a deep burgundy with black bedding. Aro would change the bed every month, even if no one stayed in the spare room. He always said that there was nothing better than climbing into a clean bed with the smell of freshly washed sheets meeting your nose.

I smiled to myself as I thought back to when I was a little girl and Aro laughing with me about his little clean sheets motto. I wandered off to what I assumed must be his room. I had never seen it. I didn't understand as a child, but, as I got older and heard the whispers, I realised why. He didn't want me and my innocent mouth to say I had been in Aro's bedroom, so many nasty people would misinterpret it.

I gently pushed open the door and gasped. The room was bright and open, the walls a yellow as bright as a sunflower, the bed was massive with pale orange sheets and the dressers were all made of oak and clearly varnished from their shine. The windows were clean with their curtains pinned back to let as much light into the room as possible.

I decided to be nosy and look through the wardrobe. I'd always been curious as to the type of clothes Aro wore around the house. There were shirts and jeans, trousers and dress shirts. A couple of smart suits and plain around-the-house shirts.

On the top shelf, I noticed a photo album and pulled it down. I flicked open to the first page and my breath was caught in my throat and tears pricked my eyes. There was a picture of me in my party dress - the one that I wore on my fifth birthday. My eyes were shining and my face full of laughter. It was the one year that Aro had been unable to make my birthday. He'd been sick, fighting cancer off. He didn't have the energy to deal with a buoyant child and all her presents.

My parents must have given him the picture. As I flipped through the pages, they were covered in pictures of me - birthdays, Christmases and New Years. All the years he had spent with us were documented in this album. All of us were happy. My parents' faces shined with love for one another, Aro laughing as he hoisted me above his shoulders, Aro and my dad wrapping each other in bear hugs and my mom appeared to be clapping in childish glee.

I felt the tears pouring down my face as I realised the love this man had for my family and me. He'd been there, one of the constants in my life. My dad often told me that Aro had once said him that I was the daughter he had never had.

Hope you are all enjoying so far :)