We had arrived in Volterra under the cover of darkness and I hadn't seen much of the castle since my arrival a week ago. In fact I had only seen my own room and the adjacent library where Aro and I had been tirelessly researching to see if there was any history of such a situation as mine.

So far it wasn't looking good and we were both getting disheartened. He had kept his distance from me and I often found myself glancing up and watching him for extended periods of time without even realising it. He even perused literature with grace, resembling very much an Italian aristocrat from another era. I often saw him smirking before he would look up and catch my stare, at first I would look away, embarrassed to be caught. Now however I held his gaze, challenging him. It was always the same, one of his eyebrows would lift and he would gift me with a rare, uninhibited smile before going back to his reading, so intent was he in finding an answer to our problem.

It was on one of these long days I sighed deeply, fed up with dusty old books which held no answers. I closed the tome with perhaps a little more force than necessary and stood to stretch my legs, walking over to the large glass panelled window with my hands in the backs of my jean pockets.

At my movement Aro had looked up and his eyes had followed me across the room. He shut his own book with more care than I had shown and followed my path to the window. I could see his reflection behind me, more so when the sunlight hit his skin and it glistened like the purest diamonds. He raised his hands to my shoulders and rested them there, his thumbs moving over the bare skin in a comforting manner.

"I understand your frustration little one." His voice immediately had the last remaining rigidity in my body flee and I relaxed completely under his touch. "I have been remiss in keeping you hidden away up in here all to myself, perhaps you would like to look around the castle and its grounds with me?"

I smiled at him gently, somehow he always knew what I needed, without even being able to read my mind. "That would be perfect."

His hands ran down my shoulders, making me shiver and not because of the chill that lingered on his skin. He took my hand in his and together we walked to the large wooden door which I had entered through a week ago and had no need to leave through since. He crooked his elbow and placed my hand atop his suit clad bicep. I could only look down at his perfectly shined shoes and blush as I felt his muscle flex beneath my touch. He escorted me through the door and for the first time I realised how thoroughly private my rooms were from the rest of the castle. He really had hidden me away. Now that daylight shone brightly around us, the warmth of the Italian climate kissed my skin I could see through the large windows that dominated every stone wall that the main area of the castle was directly opposite us, and that I had been living at the very end of the large expanse of gardens in a tower of my very own.

"It's beautiful." I breathed, my eyes taking in my surroundings as we walked past the large windows to the end of the hall to where the gleaming silver doors of the elevator were so out of place within this beautiful, ancient building. Aro reached out with his strong, pale fingers and pressed the button once, the doors opened immediately and we stepped inside.

Mirrors surrounded us and I was momentarily struck by how good we looked together. His crimson eyes met mine in the reflection and I was immediately transported back to a similar moment we shared in Seattle. How much things had changed, though the burning intensity in his eyes had lessened none.

"It is my hope that you can be happy here Isabella." He seemed to think on the words as he spoke them, his face turned to look at my own and I appreciated the shadow of stubble appearing along his jawline. It sounded ridiculous but such an unintentional show of masculinity thrilled me.

I had been so used to Edward and his forever 17 year old body, as beautiful as he was he had begun to appeal less to me as I grew older and my own body changed. He had the body of an adolescent on the cusp of becoming a man, whilst strong and perfect there was always something I couldn't quite put my finger on. Something that screamed immaturity. However now I was stood next to a man, with broad shoulders and strong hands, a man who had the confidence of maturity and being fixed under his gaze flattered me far more than Edwards obsession. Again the comparison appeared in my mind, how different it felt to have the attention of a man, rather than that of someone who no matter how many years he had lived, was still very much a boy in my mind.

Power and strength radiated from the man beside me and I couldn't help but breathe in deeply to catch his inviting scent.

The doors opened and we stepped out into a courtyard, pillars of ancient brick separated us from the lush greenery beyond the stone path currently underfoot. The air was filled with the scent of flowers, the sunlight beating down and I smiled to be beneath her rays again. Since moving from Arizona I'd had very few encounters with the sunlight and only now realised how much I had missed it, how happy I was to freely walk in the sunshine with someone i-

I faltered for a moment and Aro's brow creased in concern, he had already been watching the joy on my face at my surroundings and so easily saw the transition to confusion.

"Is everything alright, my dear?" His hand now lingered at the small of my back, its gentle pressure as much as a comfort to me as the sunlight was.

"Yes, sorry. I got distracted for a moment there. I was just thinking how nice it is to be able to do something so simple as walk beneath the sunshine with you." I was honest with him, as he deserved me to be for his own honesty. Though that didn't mean I needed to leave myself completely exposed to be hurt.

Aro looked around him and inclined his head in acknowledgement. "We are very lucky to have such a home where we can walk around unheeded by unwelcome eyes."

We had moved into the centre of the grass where a bed of wild flowers surrounded a marble bench, Aro gestured for me to take a seat and I did, enjoying the cool marble beneath my sun-warmed skin.

"I admit to having ulterior motives in bringing you outside Isabella…" He paused and sat beside me, taking my own hand in his and rhythmically stroking his thumb over my knuckles. "You are safe here, you are free to walk your tower and this garden at your own amusement, you are not a prisoner."

"Unfortunately I have been neglecting the most important part of my role in the Volturi and as such will be called away from you in order to see to my duties. You will of course be protected in my absence."

I frowned and bowed my head in disappointment. I had so been enjoying his undivided attention and company these last few days, it saddened me to hear he would be away. "Can I not come with you?" This slipped from my lips entirely without my permission and I pressed them together in frustration.

"Oh Isabella." Aro sighed, he lifted his hand to stroke my cheek adoringly. "I would not wish you to be witness to such a thing. Not when it is unnecessary."

I nodded once, watching from the corner of my eye as he caressed a curled lock of my hair between his pale fingers. "Ok… I'll keep researching."

"An excellent idea, i'm hopeful we will discover a solution little one."

"And if we don't?" I asked the question which had been lingering on my mind. What if I truly was the first of my kind, what if I couldn't be turned, or died when I turned, or worse… Became some twisted creature none had heard of.

"We will." He said, and I so wanted to believe him.

"In the meantime however, I would like it if you would allow me to write you, as before?" I met his eyes with what must have been a surprised look as he chuckled softly. "Except of course now you will know with whom you speak."

"I would like that." I said, truly meaning it as my heart soared with elation. "I have missed our letters."

"As have I." His eyes swept over my face. "You will have Heidi for company, your mother trusts her implicitly and she will protect you like you were her own daughter."

As if her very name summoned her the most beautiful woman i'd ever seen appeared from the shade. Her red hair gleamed like fire in the sunlight, her equally red lips stretched over perfect, white teeth in such a welcoming smile. She held her arms open and embraced me lightly as she bent toward me and kissed my cheek. She smelt of peaches. "Bella, how wonderful to meet you at last! Is your mother well? I so miss her, but she writes to me often."

I nodded dumbly and turned back to Aro, feeling panic begin to blossom in my chest. "Wait, when are you leaving?"

He took my hand in his and clasped it to his chest. "I must leave you almost immediately, little bird. I am sorry."

I already felt bereft, as though all life had been sucked from within me and yet he still sat before me. This was just at the thought of being parted from him. How was I to cope when it really happened?

I felt the wetness on my cheeks only when Aro's lips kissed the moisture away. It was such an achingly tender gesture that I felt myself flush with embarrassment at Heidi being witness to it.

"I will entrust Heidi with your safety and ensuring our correspondence reaches one another. Should you have a letter for me, Heidi will see it is delivered." His voice sounded deeper than usual and slightly choked. He pressed one last kiss to my forehead and stepped away. I forced myself to let go of his hand, even though he was holding mine just a tightly. "I will see you soon, little bird."

With that, he was gone and suddenly I realised how my depression at Edward's departure paled in comparison to the hole I felt would swallow me up at any moment.

But then Heidi was there. With her fiery hair and kind smile, with a gentle hand on my shoulder she guided me back inside.

"Come on Sweetheart, show me these books we need to look through. The sooner we find an answer, the sooner you can be at his side, where you belong."

Suddenly my world snapped back into focus. She was right. I needed to find an answer, to be strong and powerful at his side so that Archos could not control us, could not control me. I nodded and punched the elevator button with renewed purpose.

I would not be kept from him.

A/N: *Waves nervously* Hello! Yes, I am still here! So sorry about the wait, if you follow my work you know how dreadful I am at updating. I've had this chapter half written and sat on my computer for months so I do apologise! Please leave me a review of what you think! Any idea's you have or what you think might happen! I LOVE reading your opinions.