I Do Not Own Twilight

Bella returned home from Phoenix and Edward's family helped her recover from all of her injuries. Alice most of all. Aro knew he wasn't the most important person in her life anymore. He was now relegated to third. Edward was the most important, Alice was second, and this left Aro her online friends as number three.

Aro hated this. He hated Edward. He hated how she snuck around to talk to him. She acted like he was a dirty secret. What Aro didn't know was the reason she kept him a secret was she was afraid Edward would figure out how much she liked Aro. She couldn't get Aro out of her mind. Everything she did with Edward she would be wondering what it would be like if she was doing it with Aro. If she read a book with Edward, she wondered what Aro would have thought about the book. If Edward held her in her sleep, she wondered what Aro's arms would feel like holding her.

Bella didn't believe Aro, who she thought was handsome and sophisticated, could be interested in a klutzy child. She thought about ending their time together but it made her physically sick to not speak with him every few days. She couldn't see what he was still getting out of their conversations. She was able to speak fluently in Italian to him and he was able to understand enough for him to do business.

Aro was telling Bella about two twins who worked for him and the trouble they cause. He explained how they were the only two he knows who can do what they do which is why he hired them. Bella assumed it must be some type of computer thing but she wasn't interested in computers enough to ask an intelligent question about it so she didn't.

They were laughing at how the twins had gotten the drop on Aro's two body guards Felix and Demetri when all of a sudden Bella stopped laughing. Aro noticed she looked not to where her door was but toward her window. Aro was very familiar with the layout of Bella's room as she had a tendency to move her web cam to face where she was sitting at the time.

"Edward?" Bella glanced at Aro, blushed, and looked back toward the direction of her window. "What are you doing here?" Edward had climbed uninvited through Bella's window.

"I heard you talking and laughing with someone Bella. I just wondered who it was." Edward tried to sound cheerful but from the scowl on his face Bella knew he was upset.

She smiled and glanced back to Aro, "I was just talking to my friend online. I am helping him learn English..." Bella was cut off.

"Bella," Edward scolded, "must you always do dangerous things. You are speaking to a stranger. This girl is probably hacking into you records right now. Are your financial documents even secure on that beat up old computer?"

Bella's face turned red not with a blush but in her anger. Aro scooted back from his screen when he saw the flash in her eyes. He knew he didn't want to make her angry. "Excuse me? First, this is my oldest friend and he has never once tried to hack anything. Second, I am eighteen I don't really have financial documents. Third, I didn't invite you here you just showed up and are offended. What we are doing is important to me."

Aro smiled he was thrilled she was defending their conversations. There was a low growl that could be heard in the background.

Edward's voice was clipped, "What do you mean he, Bella? Are you talking to a man? Does he ask you for pictures? He is making you discuss inappropriate things, isn't he? Why have I never heard about him if he is your oldest friend?"

Bella sighed, "I never told you about him because it isn't your business. He has never made me uncomfortable nor asked me inappropriate things. I however make him uncomfortable on a regular basis," she smirked at this probably remembering the lyrics to one of her rap songs. "I enjoy his company and I will not give him up."

Edward sighed, "Well, I want to speak to him then."

"No!"

"Why not, Bella? You know Alice can't see who you are talking to. I have known you were talking to someone for a while but never said anything. Why can't I speak to him?"

Aro jumped in and said to Bella, "Cara mia, non mi dispiace parlare con lui."

Bella smiled softly at the screen, "I'm sorry I don't care if you mind speaking with him or not. Edward," she glared at Edward as she said this, "does not get to make demands of my friends. My father knows I speak to you and how often. Edward is not my father." Bella clenched her jaw tightly as she dared the boy to try to argue with her.

"Fine, I'm just going to sit here and wait until you are finished."

Bella's whole body sagged in defeat. Aro knew she wasn't able to make him leave.

"Edward," he called loudly through the computer, "it is very rude to force your presence on any female. One could actually say it is more than rude. I realize you do not want me talking to your girlfriend but I am all the way in Italy. I cannot harm her."

Edward started to walk around the bed in order to see the face on the screen but Bella twisted quickly to keep his face to herself. "Edward," she said warningly, "stop right where you are."

"Bella what could you possibly have to say to someone twice a week for almost two hours at a time." Edward sounded petulant and whiney.

"Edward, I don't want to fight with you. Go home and I'll come by in an hour once I'm finished talking with my friend. He is a really good friend Edward."

Aro could hear Edward sigh and heard the window slide and slam.

Bella brushed a few tears away, "I am so sorry Aro. I know you are a good person. I don't know why he got so upset."

Annoyed at her instance to apologize for something she didn't cause, Aro whispered, "Cara mia, il ragazzo e uno sciocco. Sei un tesoro che sta cercando di mantenere duramente."

Bella smiled, "You think that is what he is doing Aro? That he is trying to hard to keep me."

"Yes, and that you are a treasure and he is a fool. But what seventeen-year-old isn't a fool?" He smiled at her, "If it is easier for you, we don't have to meet anymore. Tyrone was in Italy last week and I had no trouble understanding him. We even had a freestyle rap contest."

With this statement the trouble was forgotten and the laughter that had become Aro's joy filled the room, "Are you kidding me? You didn't tell me! Please, tell me Caius or Demetri or someone got that on video?"

"I have just now sent it, Cara mia. But do you want to continue our trysts if your beau is not happy about them?"

"Yes! I have stopped talking to a lot of people because he asked me too but I am not giving you up. Talking to you is one of my favorite things."

"Anche il mio."