I watched closely as Aro shifted slightly, it was a movement I would have associated with nerves if I had been sat next to anyone else. "Very well, Isabella."

He turned to me and held out his hand, palm upward in invitation. I frowned in confusion, my eyes darting from his hand to his maroon gaze and back again, before I placed my hand in his; noting that there wasn't much difference in pallor.

"This was where it all began, what first piqued my interest in you." His thumb stroked the back of my hand and I struggled to keep my thoughts clear.

"That was in Volterra, you said you were interested before then." My voice still sounded clear, thankfully. My head felt like it was full of cotton wool.

He shook his head at me slowly, his eyes refusing to leave mine. "No Little Bird, the first time I came into contact with your power was when you were still within your Mothers womb."

I blinked at him and my vision blurred for a moment before refocussing again on his pale face, the moonlight only making it even more beautiful.

"I understand that you are shocked, but please allow me to explain." I remained silent and waited, deciding it was probably in my best interests just to listen to him. "I met Renée almost 21 years ago whilst she was on vacation to Italy. She had witnessed her friend become entirely too friendly with one of our race and so had the same choice that is put to all mortals who discover our secret."

"Join you, or die." I stated, my voice sounding cold and distant as I imagined a younger version of my irresponsible, ditzy mother surrounded by vampires. "But she is neither a Vampire or dead." I stated.

Aro nodded, his hand still holding mine reverently. "Her friend decided immediately that she wished to become immortal and I could tell her beauty would be of great use to us. Your Mother however was a little more reluctant. Something about her manner made me reconsider killing her, she asked for time so that she could marry her high school sweetheart just as she had always wanted and then she would disappear and come back to Volterra."

He sighed softly, his eyes searching my face as the confusion warred with anger at my Mothers disregard for Charlie's feelings.

"I allowed her to leave." He continued. "Against my better judgement and the advice of my Brothers, but I assured her I would find her if she disobeyed me. Six months passed and I heard nothing of Renée and so I made my own journey to America and Forks to fulfil my promise to her. When I found her she was indeed married, but also quite visibly pregnant." He moved closer to me and held my hand in a tighter grip, for a moment I worried about the circulation before I raised my eyes to his face and was once again captivated by his intense gaze. "Back then I had no qualms about killing a pregnant human Isabella and I sincerely hope that whilst the thought disgusts you, you will understand my human nature was long lost to me by this point."

"What made you reconsider?" I asked, already knowing the answer but needing to hear the details.

He raised his hand and stroked his finger down my face. "The only thing that has ever made me reconsider my actions and decide upon an alternate, less monstrous route. You, dearest one. I touched her skin and could hear nothing where previously her thoughts had been as loud to me as all others. You were protecting her, her thoughts, from me."

I said nothing not entirely sure what I was feeling. I was glad I had managed to save my Mothers life, but also horrified that if I hadn't had this power that I had absolutely no control over, we both would have died.

"I knew then why I hadn't killed her when I first had the chance, the thought that an infant, unable even to survive outside of the womb yet was able to protect not only itself but its Mother from my power enthralled me. Your Mother did her best to assure me that her every intention had been to return until she had fallen pregnant, and then as all Mothers do decided that she had to do whatever was within her power to protect her child. I believed her Isabella, even without using my power. I spent a long period of time with your Mother, convincing her that you were destined for our way of life, that the strength of your power even within the womb spoke of a powerful immortal. After time passed she believed me, but extracted the promise that you would be allowed to discover our world for yourself and decide on your fate without my interference. At least not directly. I swore to your Mother that I would protect you and allow you to grow without my influence and I returned to Volterra, enlisting the wolves to watch over you."

He had been right when he had voiced his fears to me about no longer wanting to associate with him after knowing the truth. Even I didn't know how to feel in that moment. My Mother knew about Vampires and Werewolves? She had met the leader of the Vampire race and came out the other side still human and alive? She had lied to me, for all those years.

"I stayed away with only yearly updates on your development. The separation from your Father made things difficult but by this time Renée knew she had something she could use against me. I had to let her leave Forks and take you away from the protection I had crafted for you. The understanding was that you returned to Forks when you were old enough to begin to comprehend our world."

"Which was why she was so enthusiastic about sending me to live with Charlie." I mumbled to myself, feeling unnaturally calm about what I was hearing. So many things made sense now. "Please tell me Edward wasn't all some big plan concocted so I could discover the truth about Vampires?" The thought took my breath away as humiliation and despair began to crawl up my throat.

"No Isabella, No. Edward wasn't planned. I swear it. Carlisle was tasked with keeping an eye on you, just as the Wolves were. The rest of his coven had no idea who you were or the interest I had in you." He stroked my hair in a soothing manner and I bowed my head in relief, fighting with the emotions I was feeling. "In fact Carlisle kept his son's relationship with you from me, knowing I would disapprove. When I had the chance to meet you I couldn't let it slip through my fingers. I visited your Mother whilst you were on your way to Italy to let her know everything that had transpired and she granted me the most precious memories I have ever taken along with the second promise that I protect you."

"She knows everything…" It wasn't so much a question as a statement, I was trying to wrap my head around how my Mother managed to keep this from me for so long. How everyone had lied to me.

"When I said other Vampires interacted with you and noticed their powers did not work, I meant myself. The day I went to kill your Mother was the day I rediscovered my humanity. The day I discovered you."

A/N: I'm back! Sorry for the delay, I hope there is still interest in this story. Don't forget to review!