ESME'S POV:

I was silent after she finished, the harsh treatments the girl had gone through resonating with me because of my abusive husband, Charles, before I meet Carlisle. I hugged Tilda who was wrapped in a thin blanket and pulling her knees towards her shaking body.

Even though I had had my arm around her shoulders through out a lot of her story, she only just seemed to realise I was there and she jerked away from my touch.

"I suppose you must have some questions?" The girl asked cautiously. My darling husband, Carlisle, inclined his head gently and said:

"Thank you, do you happen know where you were held? Country, city of anything?"

"I'm not quite sure." Tilda said very uncertainly, "it was hot, Spain possibly? Although out could have been Greece or Italy too."

Everyone was silent for a moment, just considering the new information, then I heard Carlisle whisper, so quietly and without moving his mouth so Tilda didn't even know He said anything. "Edward! Did she think about the 'worst punishment' that they did to her? Because we need to know what situations she cannot, under any circumstances, get into."

" Unfortunately not. " Edward whispered back solemnly. "She just kept saying 'It won't happen again, it won't happen again,' on repeat."

"Carlisle, you have to examine her." Jasper joined the quiet conversation, "What she did not say was that she has a ripped up back and probably done broken ribs by the look of it. It takes Tilda longer than humans to mend as well, just like with aging."

" I'll see what I can do. " Carlisle whispered back, and the conversation was finished only a few seconds after it started.

Carlisle made as if to leave the room and then said, aloud and as if it was an after thought, "oh! And Tilda, you haven't got and cuts or broken bones of anything that you haven't told me about?"

"Errrm...no. No cuts, bruises or anything a doctor would need to look at. None what so ever. Nothing, nada, rien." Matilda lied badly and said flustered-ly.

Jasper fixed his niece with a pointed look. "Matilda," he reprimanded her in a firm voice , "Co-operation, remember?"

She scowled and tried again, "alright maybe just a cut or two, and a couple of bruises."

" Matilda, " Edward injected, "You just thought about your injuries and they are nothing like that."

"Why don't you broad cast them to the world then!" Tilda hissed at him furiously.

" Ooohhhh, burn! " Emmet laughed which lightened the atmosphere a bit.

"It's your tale to tell," Edward said simply and I could see that Tilda could sense the honestly behind his words.

"Uhh, fine!" She said ruefully. "I may have some bad marks on my back and my side hurts when I breathe. Happy now?" She spat out the last bit, with tears in her eyes, but they didn't spoil over, I can tell she hates admitting any weaknesses, even if they are not her fault.

"That sounds kinda nasty, Tills." Emmet said looking at her. The young girl shrugged which made her wince and have a coughing fit. I lagged her back and felt her ribs stand strong against her flesh.

"Can I have a look at your injuries, to help you feel better." Carlisle said.

"No." Tilda said simply.

"Come on Tilda it won't hurt!" Alice said to try and induce her to agreeing.

"Nope." Tilda docked back away from us.

"Remember last time you didn't want Carlisle helping you?" Jasper added.

"Yeah, but I was bleeding to death then." She shot back

" Who knows that you are not dying of internal bleeding? " Rosalie countered.

"I-I-I think I'm not?" She said getting a bit confused.

" You don't know though, do you? " Bella added.

"Ummm, true but-"

"You don't want the mean and nasty vampires to win, by making you constantly hurt, do you? We don't either so please let us help you, Carlisle has been a doctor for over three hundred years, trust me he's knows what he's doing. " I said, my eyes pleading with her.

"Okay then!" She sighed. "But in the morning, alright? I'm tired and want to sleep. "

We all looked outside to realise that we were sitting in the dark, our vampires eyes meant that we could see perfectly well without any lights on. The sun had gone and the moon was shining.

"Good idea!" Carlisle said cheerfully.

Tilda stumbled to her feet, "couple someone come with me please, I'm so tired that I fell that I could fall asleep on the way up."

Rosalie stood up and they walked out, Tilda yawning and Rosalie smiling at her. I also smiled contentedly, that Tilda is beginning to trust us enough to ask for help.

Once they were pit of ear shot, things got serious.

"They interfered with Bella and Edward, they interfered with Renesmee and now they have completely messed with Tills. " Jasper said bitterly.

"To think that I was actually in the same building as her only three or so years ago." Bella said fiercely .

Have I missing something? Oh, wait - Ara, Jena, Alex, Felic and Caipus. Names that sound very much like Aro, Jane, Alec, Felix and Caius. Surely they are not very common names. The hot place she was held Spain or Italy! leading humans to their deaths with Heidi?

Oh no, that can only one thing:

"The Volturi!" I whispered in horror of Carlisle.

"Yes my love," he said back and he missed the top of my head and we embraced.

I could see everyone beginning to understand who had taken Tilda all those years ago, when:

"We have to work out who this Ara man is! " Emmet burst out.

"No idiot, we know their real identities." Jasper called back

" I've never met anyone called Ara, and never even heard of some one who is as big as me. " Emmet countered.

"No stupid, it's the Volturi! " Edward laughed.

"Well why didn't you just say so! " Emmet said, walking out.

Edward and Jasper laughed and shook their heads. As I walked outside with my husband I thought about how much I loved my sons childish bickering.

ROSALIE'S POV:

As we walked up the stairs I heard Tilda's quiet voice ask, "can I sleep in my proper room now please?"

"Of course, Tills," I said as we entered the room.

I rummaged around and found some sweat trousers and a long sleeved pajama top.

"Thanks" she mumbled through her sleepiness and changed into it in the walk in wardrobe.

After a few minutes she still hadn't come out again, "Tilda?" I called softly. But I got no answer. "Matilda I'm going to come in." Woo I walked in and found the small pre-teen girl asleep at the dressing table.

I carried her out accolades her under the covers. Sitting on the edge of her bed, I switched the bed side table light out and stood up to let her sleep in peace.

"Wait!" A small cold hand gripped my arm. " Please lie with me? Just for a minute? " she asked hopefully.

"Okay, but let me wrap you in your duvet so you don't get come because of me." I lay down next to her and tucked her in snuggly.

After a few minutes I heard her breathing even out so I knew she was sleeping, and I started to leave so as not to give her a chill.

"Rosie!" I heard her call me by a nickname, " where have you gone, it's so dark here. " her voice turned into a soft whimper at the end which almost broke my heart so I went back to her.

"Right here, sweet," I said getting back into bed.

"Good!" She pulled the blanket over its both. "Promise you won't leave until I wake up?" She pleaded .

"Only out you tell me why you seem to be afraid of the dark, Alice told me you loved going exploring art night? " I countered.

"Firstly I love outdoor dark, but not confined indoor dark." She said quietly. "and I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm afraid of what's in it. "

"I promise I won't leave you, and I promise there's nothing to hurt you here." I tried to pacify her, but I don't think she heard the last bit, because she was dead asleep in my arms.