I blinked, sure that the shock was written plainly across my face as I gaped at him, my eyes darting rapidly from his face to the envelope.

No.

I wasn't ready to give my friend up yet. I wasn't ready to face the cold hard truth of him being Aro Volturi, of having to react to losing another 'friend' whilst he was stood in front of me.

"Wha- What are you doing?" I stuttered, feeling like all air had evaporated around me.

He looked at me strangely, tilting his head only slightly and pursing his lips to show his confusion. "Giving you your flight tickets, you wont get very far without them."

He handed the envelope to me, his eyes searching my face and suddenly all of the air had returned to me, so I gulped it down greedily.

"Right, yeah. Thanks." I said between gasps, for a moment such panic like i'd never known had gripped me. My heart still pounded in my chest and a look that almost seemed like disappointment passed over Aro's perfect face.

"We will of course be flying out together, I trust you will keep them safe until the time comes?" His eyes were intent and I found it difficult to meet his gaze, so instead I focussed on a spot just above his eyebrow as I nodded.

Again he frowned. "Then I will bid you goodnight, Isabella." Before I could bolt inside my hand was in his and he was bowing over it, his cold lips grazing my knuckles and sending a shiver down my spine.

I smiled weakly and nodded my own lacklustre farewell to him as I turned to the door and practically ran inside the house. I didn't stop until I was in my bedroom, even though I had tripped more times than even i'd thought possible and now possessed carpet burn on my knees. I heard the car start up outside, its low rumble making me cringe in embarrassment as I realised he had probably heard my enthusiasm to get away from him by the amount of times i'd thudded against the floor.

I slid slowly down the inside of the door to my bedroom with the envelope clutched tightly to my chest in both hands, well and truly wrinkled. Once the car had driven away, I realised that crumpled up flight tickets weren't good and tried to flatten out the creases with my fingers, flipping the envelope over and pulling a small slip of paper from within.

My breath caught in my throat and died there, my lips trembled as I looked down at something that was most definitely not a flight ticket.

Little Bird,

Forgive me.

Yours Eternally,

Aro.

I stared at the note for hours, time passed me by without acknowledgement and I only realised that my face was wet when my vision cleared and I noticed the ink had blossomed under my tears. My heart ached and I struggled to sort through the reasons why, to stop the sobs that were welling within my chest threatening to burst free.

It ached for the friend I had lost and the one I might have gained if it hadn't been for my reaction this evening.

I shut my eyes tightly as images of the hurt and confusion on his face once confronted with my panic that he was the one behind my letters flooded my mind. So he had said they were flight tickets, saved me from the confrontation that he had planned, save me from the big reveal and yet revealed himself to me anyway.

I had known I couldn't keep my friend a secret forever, it was foolish of me to even hope I could in the next month I had left in Forks. I most certainly couldn't once I moved to Volterra.I had known all of this and yet still I couldn't face him yet, couldn't identify the feared leader of the Volturi as the man who had given me such fine gifts and letters.

My hand pricked with pain and I glanced down in confusion only to see that I held my sapphire clutched so tightly that an imprint had been left behind even once i'd dropped it. Suddenly and all at once I realised what I needed to do, my body engaged before my brain and so I half threw myself across the room toward my computer, tripping over my feet as I went. It seemed to take an age to boot up but as soon as the home screen appeared I opened the chat window and scrolled through my recent contacts.

BellaSwan: It's me who should be apologising. I'm sorry.

I clicked send and then cringed at the brashness of my words, I would never make words work as well together or sound as beautiful as he did. As the contact was unknown I couldn't see if he was online or not, though it seemed doubtful as we had only just parted. My fingers itched to continue writing but I forced myself away, I didn't want to seem desperate. I meandered around my bedroom doing pointless tasks like getting changed or tidying for what felt like hours, but when I glanced at the clock only minutes had passed and no reply was forthcoming.

I huffed at myself in annoyance and forced myself from the room, deciding to head downstairs and watch whatever rubbish television was on at this time in the evening to distract myself. If I ran upstairs at every commercial break to check my messages, that didn't count and thankfully Charlie decided not to comment on my frequent toilet breaks.

After the third check I had stopped running up the stairs, by the forth I was barely even glancing at the empty screen. Just as I was turning to walk back downstairs after the fifth time ready to face Charlie's worried glances I heard my computer ping signifying I had received a message.

Vampire super speed had nothing on the speed at which I flew into my room at that moment.

Unknown: It's quite alright, I realise it must have come as a shock to you.

I breathed a sigh of relief and managed a wry smirk at his username. He wasn't exactly unknown anymore.

BellaSwan: Actually it didn't, I had already worked it out.

I could tell he was surprised that I admitted this due to the length of time that passed before he began typing his reply.

Unknown: I had wondered if you would, but your reaction this evening had me firmly believing that you'd had no idea.

BellaSwan: I didn't panic at the thought of it being you. I just… Didn't want to lose my friend yet, I wasn't ready to let him go.

I winced as I admitted this, not knowing quite how else to articulate my thoughts than the immature sounding statement i'd just sent him.

Unknown: What makes you think you would lose your friend? We are one and the same after all.

BellaSwan: I know, I just struggled with picturing you as the person who wrote to me. My perception of you until very recently did not fit with the persona of my letter writer and gift giver.

Unknown: I apologise for disappointing you.

I closed my eyes briefly and sighed at the hidden hurt in that statement. Why was I struggling so much to voice myself to him properly?

BellaSwan: I'm not disappointed. Please believe that, it just wasn't what I expected. You have so many… options, what with who you are. I'm sorry, I can't seem to explain myself coherently to you. I'll just go and bang my head against a brick wall now.

Unknown: I insist that you withhold that action.

Unknown: It would be such a shame if through all of the protection i've afforded you, the harm to befall you was of your own doing.

I laughed somewhat startled at his dry humor. It would seem that I had been forgiven.

BellaSwan: Ok, i'll try not to self-harm. You know you're not really 'Unknown' anymore, so maybe you could change that?

Unknown: And what would you have me change it to? It suits my purpose, you know who I am and that is all that matters.

BellaSwan: I guess you're right.

I paused for a moment, my fingers hovering above the keyboard. I wasn't sure what to write now I had gotten my apology across. When I looked up again it was to see that he had taken the difficulty of thinking up conversation away from me.

Unknown: You were beautiful tonight.

BellaSwan: In an awkward, stunned looking fish kind of way?

Unknown: No, Isabella. I barely noticed any others in the room, I could not tear my eyes from you.

BellaSwan: Um… Thank you.

Unknown: Why do you struggle so much with being paid compliments, did Edward never tell you how beautiful you are?

BellaSwan: If he did I'm sure I was just as awkward about it.

Unknown: Perhaps the more you are paid, the less awkward you will feel about such an event occurring.

BellaSwan: Maybe.

Unknown: I apologise for putting you in that situation this evening, but it was the only way to satisfy my need to see you with the other plans I had to put in motion. I hope that you will not hold that against the chance of us furthering our acquaintance?

BellaSwan: You apologise an awful lot more than I expected you would. You don't need to worry, very few of the Cullen's matter to me anymore so their opinion doesn't hold as much weight. I'd like to keep talking with you.

After all I'd be living with him in a month. Though I wasn't quite brave enough to write that down and make him explain his actions, at least not quite yet.

Unknown: It would appear your bring out a great many things in my character Isabella Swan. I can't remember the last time I expressed such a thing before I met you. Being sorry isn't in my nature.

BellaSwan: What is?

Unknown: A great many things but I fear this discussion may be getting too in depth, considering it is through a computer screen.

BellaSwan: I just wanted to get to know you.

Unknown: I am still the same person you were writing to.

BellaSwan: In some ways you are, but there are things you couldn't speak to me about before I knew who you were. I guess we'll save those conversations for a later date.

Unknown: I think that is the wisest course of action.

BellaSwan: So, are you back in Seattle?

Unknown: No, we have imposed ourselves on the Olympic Clans hospitality for a little longer. I couldn't quite find it in me to be so far away from you now I have you so close.

I smiled softly at that and my stomach swooped as butterflies flitted their way around my abdomen at his words, I felt safer knowing that he was near and decided to tell him so. It was time to be transparent, I'd never been one for subterfuge anyway.

BellaSwan: It makes me feel safe to know that you are nearby.

Unknown: Really? You're not afraid?

BellaSwan: Why would I be afraid? You're not going to hurt me, are you?

Unknown: I would do everything within my power to ensure that you are never hurt again.

BellaSwan: There you go then, that's why I feel safe. I haven't felt this safe since I moved here. Thank you for what you've done to protect me and Charlie.

Unknown: You don't need to thank me Mia Uccellino.

I frowned and copied and pasted the words into my search bar, the translation 'My little bird' came up automatically and made me smile at the screen.

BellaSwan: So how long do you intend to stay in Forks?

Unknown: That depends entirely upon a force that is unfortunately, out of my control.

BellaSwan: The weather?

Unknown: No Isabella, not the weather.

I chewed on my lower lip as heat suffused my cheeks at the thought of him sticking around in the hope that he could spend more time with me. If that was indeed what he was saying, I was trying to read between the lines, though there was every chance that I was doing so rather unsuccessfully.

BellaSwan: So it must be quite crowded there now, with all of you under one roof.

Unknown: The Cullen's have taken Edward hunting. Apparently to help him calm down.

BellaSwan: So what are you doing with the rest of your evening?

Unknown: I had hoped I might be able to ensure our first real evening together ended on a more pleasant note.

BellaSwan: You've already done that.

Unknown: Allow me to continue? Perhaps this time without an escort.

I frowned at the computer screen, unsure of what I was reading. Did this mean that he wanted to see me again, at this time of the evening?

BellaSwan: I'm sorry but you've lost me… You want to see me again, now?

Unknown: If the idea appeals to you.

BellaSwan: It does, but how? Are you coming here?

I looked around my bedroom feeling like my vision was swimming with panic, it was all going too fast. He was a man, not a boy, I couldn't have him in my childhood bedroom.

Unknown: Please Isabella, do give me more credit. I wouldn't do anything so uncouth as appear in your bedroom without explicit invitation. I merely meant that if the travel from Forks to my business in Seattle was going to be a frequent occurrence then I'd like to get to know the town I would be staying in. As a native I thought your knowledge on the various sights would be extensive enough to be my tour guide.

BellaSwan: You're asking me to show you around Forks?

Unknown: Yes.

A/N: Here's a longer chapter to apologise for the delay! This chapter was deleted by someone who went on the laptop and updated it without saving the windows already open. As you can imagine I was pretty demotivated until I managed to recover the chapter and get back into the swing of things, so here you go! Please review :)