DISCLAIMER: STEPHENIE MEYER OWNS TWILIGHT, IT'S CHARACTERS, AND ALL ELSE THAT IS TWILIGHT RELATED

CHAPTER 13

Thank you for all of the positive feedbacks I have gotten. I will continue the story and see it through the end. I'm not sure how long it is going to be so hang in there with me. Thank you all for the continued support.

I went to find Marcus as I grabbed my full coffee cup, taking it with me. Felix led me to the humongous library where I found Marcus going through some papers.

"Marcus, I need to speak with you if you have the time." I said as I approached where he sat beside a stained glass window that depicted the Virgin Mary holding Baby Jesus. I thought it was a strange place for that depiction, in a fortress full of human drinking vampires. He noticed me looking at it.

"That window was put in when we had the castle built. You see, Isabella, in my human life, I was a priest. I like to hold some resemblance of my humanity, so I chose to have a part of my religion built into the castle. We each have something we had built into our new home."

I nodded my head in awe. "It's very beautiful. Anyway, the reason I'm here is I need to speak to you about myself and Aro." I tried to hide the nervousness in my voice and failed miserably.

"Ah, yes, Isabella. What is it you would like to know? I will answer all the questions you have without reservation." He smiled and motioned for me to take a seat across from him.

As I sat down I took a deep breath, trying to steel my nerves. "I need to know about what you told Aro about us. I'm confused, I mean, I just buried my husband less than six months ago. How am I suppose to move on with someone else when my heart is still so broken? I wrapped my life around Conner Matthews. I'm so scared to move on with my life. I still grieve for him, no matter what he did to me. I will always love him. How does Aro fit into my life?"

"Deep breath, child." Marcus snickered. "Aro has never had a soul mate. His late wife Sulpicia was his companion and his best friend, though never a soul mate. She meant everything to him and when he lost her, it was awful. I thought he would never get over her and be the Aro we knew. He eventually made his way back to us. This would never have happened if she were his soul mate. And you would not be here. It would have changed him beyond all recognition.

As far as where you fit in, you complete him. I know you don't know him very well at all, but you are his and he is yours. All you have to do is open your heart and let him in. I'm not saying it has to be now, because you are still in mourning for Connor and Aro understands this. Aro doesn't expect you to forget your life with Connor. Believe me, his intention is not to push you into anything." Marcus spoke to me in a soft, fatherly tone.

"How long will he give me to mourn for Connor? I mean I know Aro isn't willing to wait for me forever. He will expect me to pull myself together at some point. How am I supposed to deal with all of this? It's so hard to process." I don't know when I began to cry.

"I suggest you speak to Aro about all of this. About your feelings, your fears, your wants; all of it. Do not leave anything untouched. You have a while, dear. Aro has waited for a soul mated for a millennia. A few more years won't hurt him now that he has you here with him. He will be patient with you, I promise." Marcus said, taking my hand and patting it.

"Go speak with him. He's in his office. Felix will lead you there." He said as he motioned for Felix.

I stood as Felix came to guide me to Aro's office. "Thank you, Marcus."

"Are you alright, Isabella? Is there anything I can do for you?" Felix asked me as we walked.

"No, Felix. I'm not alright, but I will be, with time. There isn't anything you can do for me except continue to be my friend." I answered him, glad he cared about me. We walked in a comfortable silence until we reached Aro's office. Felix knocked on the door and I heard Aro tell him to come in.

"Miss Isabella would like to speak to you, Master. Shall I show her in?" Felix stood just inside the door, announcing me.

"Of course." Aro said, almost elated that I had come to see him.

Felix stepped aside and allowed me passage, then he shut the door as he left the room.

"Isabella, I'm surprised to see you. Are you feeling well?" He was almost acting like our conversation last night didn't happen. I'm stunned almost into complete silence. Until Aro began to look at me with immense concern. "Shall I call on Carlisle? Are you well?"

"No, no. I'm well. I just don't understand so many things. I'm confused. Why did you just leave me last night? We need to talk about this. I need answers. Please, talk to me." I began to become a bit hysterical.

"I didn't mean to put you in this kind of emotional state, my dear. I left because I know that you are still dealing with and sorting out feelings left by Connor. I know these things can not be rushed. That was never my intention, Isabella. I would never push you into something you are not ready for. I know you have concerns and fears. Believe me, I do understand." Aro said as he led me to the fireplace where he had a fire going.

"It's just that I'm so confused. I was talking to you last night and you walked out on me leaving me even more confuse. Do you not want me that way? I mean, I won't mourn Connor forever. But you have to understand that he was my entire life. I had plans with him. I mean where are my choices? It feels like they have all been taken away." I told him, trying to stay calm.

"You are not ready. That's why I left. Because I knew you weren't ready." Aro quietly responded. "What choices would you like to have, Isabella. I will give you everything your heart desires. All you need to do is ask."

"First, I want to date before anything else. Take me to a nice restaurant one evening. Take me to the opera, or something like that." I was still trying to catch my breath.

"If all you wanted was a date, all you needed to do was ask, my dear. How about we go to dinner in town tonight and then we will go to Rome for an opera and dinner in a nicer place next week. Would you like that?" He asked me as he held me while I calmed down. I could only nod into his chest. "Alright, I will leave you to get ready for tonight. I have some work that needs to be done and I believe Esme would like to see you." He kissed my forehead and left.

Well, that's not all I want, but he was gone before I could stop him. I have to figure out what to do with all of this. I need to talk to Edward and Alice. I have to be sure this is what I want before I get too deep. But, then again, if fate says this is my path, I can't stop it, no matter how hard I try to deny any of this. I'm still so confused. I just don't know what to do.

I went to find Esme, maybe while she tells me why she needs me, I can work in this whole thing and she can help me. After all, at one time, I thought of Esme as a second mother.

Felix was waiting for me outside of Aro's office. He gestured for me to walk in front of him as we made our way to Esme.

"Where is Esme?" I asked Felix as we walked.

"She is in her studio, working on plans." Felix said.

"Plans for what? What does she do here?" I asked him.

"Mistress Esme is in her studio working on some kind of plans for a building of some sort." Felix answered. "Take a right at the end of the hall and go up the stairs, take another right and go to the end of that hall, her studio is there."

"Are you not coming with me, Felix?" I asked him a bit confused.

"Yes, I'm coming with you. I just want you to get oriented with your surroundings. After all, this is your home now. You should know its halls and passages." He said through a wide smile.

I just smiled at him and kept walking. It seemed like it took forever to get to Esme's studio. Felix knock and Esme called for us to enter. He opened the door for me, then pulled it shut when I walked through it.

"Bella, I'm so glad to see you. I would like for you to help me on some real estate stuff in the states that have to do with this house." She said as she pointed to a blueprint of some sort.

"Okay, sure. who's house is it?" I asked her.

"It belongs to a former colleague of Carlisle's. He wants to build this house on the property, but he's not sure if it would be wise to buy the property that is bordering his property and combining the two. I would like for you to look into it and see if it would not only be smart, but profitable as well." I could feel my face light up. I know I never enjoyed real estate law, but at least this was a taste of my old life.

"Wait, have you spoken to Aro about this? Will it anger him? I don't want to take that chance." I said concerned for her safety.

"Bella, of course he won't mind. Baby, you're not a prisoner here. This is your home. You can still practice your law, and if you wanted, you could take the BAR here and practice law in Italy. Aro won't stop you. He wants you to be happy here." She told me.

"He told me yesterday when I tried to refuse to take the manila envelope Athendora gave me that I shouldn't have to worry about finances. He told me that because I'm apart of this family now that I'm entitled to the privileges that comes along with it. I'm not so sure he will like this." I protested, not that I didn't want to do it, but angering Aro wasn't something I wanted to do.

"Bella, honey, relax. If it will make you feel better, I'll call for him to come up here and you can talk to him yourself." Esme said without looking up.

"Yeah, actually, it would make me feel better. It's not as though I don't trust you, Esme. I just don't want to piss him off, you know. I need to talk to you about him any way." I answered her honestly.

Before I had finished what I was telling her, she was on the phone calling Gianna. Once she hung up, I waited for him to arrive. With his vampire speed, I didn't have to wait long.

"Yes, Esme, you wanted to see me?" He said as he came into the room.

"Actually, it's me who wants to see you. Esme has asked me to do some legal research pertaining to her project. I wanted to make sure you were alright with that before I did it." I hated asking for permission to do anything. But I am human in the vampire world.

"Isabella, you do not need to have my permission to work on a project. Besides, I already knew about this. Don't worry, my dear." He said as he kissed my forehead.

"Why didn't you tell me he already knew?" I asked Esme incredulously.

"I tried when I told you he wouldn't care. I didn't want you to think ill of me for going to Aro first." Esme told me.

"Okay. Um, thanks." I didn't know what to say to that.

When Aro left the room, I waited until I thought it was safe to begin talking to Esme. "How do you feel about what Marcus has revealed? I'm so confused."

"Aro is a good person, regardless of his choice of diet. He could have killed everyone of us because of your past relationship with my son, but he didn't. He said it would be a shame to destroy such a talented family and he was too fond of Carlisle. Then, when Marcus revealed your importance to Aro, I was elated. That meant that I would have my lost child back. I think it's good for you." She spoke from her heart, I couldn't fault her for that. But she rally didn't help me at all. I need some advice, not reasons.

"Esme, you're not helping me at all. I fee like my choices are being taken from me, one at a time. What if I don't ant to be Aro's soul mate? What happens to me then?" I asked, very irritated at this point.

"You're heart will lead you down the right path. Just listen to it. Right now, it's broken into a million pieces and Aro gets that. You keep thinking with your head, and that gets you into trouble, as it does everyone. The matters of the heart and matters of the head are two very different things. What does your heart say?" Esme asked, looking me straight in the eye.

"It says to stop crying over someone who never really loved me. I'm scared Esme." I whispered.

"Of course you're scared, Bella. It's only natural. Did you talk to Aro about this at all?" Esme asked.

"I talked to him last night on my balcony and when I asked him a few questions, I realized why I am here. When I pushed for an answer, he touched my cheek and left without saying a word. Then, this morning when I asked him why left, he said it was because I'm not ready." I told her.

"He's right that you're not ready. He knows you still grieve for Connor, and he doesn't want to interfere with that process. But, don't take too long, Bella. The heart wants what the heart wants." She was always like a mother to me.

"I need to speak to Edward and Alice about all of this. I mean, I feel as thought Edward should at least be listened to. And Alice may be able to give me the comfort I need." I told her. I also needed to change the subject to work.

"Do you have a phone number for this client of yours? I need to get some information from him before I can make an estimate." I said, taking out my cell phone.

We worked for a few more hours, when I told Esme I needed to get ready for dinner tonight. I told her of Aro and myself dating. I wanted to be courted by the man I am suppose to be with forever. I don't really know a lot about him, only he looks at me like I hung the moon and stars.