Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

OK so I realize that it has been a long time since I last update. I never thought it would take this long for me to finish a chapter!! If you are reading this, then you have obviously stuck through the wait and are continuing to read on!! Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!! Anyways, enjoy!!!

Chapter 11:

As we entered the darkened room, my eyes immediately landed on the shiny object that had aroused my attention. Reaching out, I carefully picked up the golden picture frame, studying the grainy, black and white photograph carefully. A young girl who couldn't have been more than seven grinned up at me, as she stood proudly beside a new doll. I stared curiously at her old-fashioned dress, and the large but clearly ancient farm house she was in front of. I smiled slightly, not quite knowing why, but somehow this unfamiliar, little girl reminded me of my own daughter.

"Wow," Edward murmured his velvet voice soft. "This entire room is filled with pictures of humans, especially this woman." I looked up startled, glancing around at the rest of the room I had ignored before-having been too entranced by the young girl's photo. An entire shelf was dedicated to a girl-the girl whose photo I held-from her baby pictures all the way up to one of her with white hair and wrinkled skin, smiling happily surrounded by a dozen children. Although she had changed perceptibly through the years, I was positive it was the same person throughout all of the photographs because in every single one she had a light brown, oval birthmark above her left eye.

"Who do you think she is?" I whispered, keeping my voice low. Carefully I placed the photo back on its shelf.

"I have no idea. I wonder if these are her children. Maybe the younger ones are her grandchildren too, these pictures look more recent." He traced a photo gently with his finger, his expression thoughtful. I hadn't thought of that. Could this entire room be dedicated to the life, and the descendants of this one girl? Why would she be so important to Alessondro and his wife that they would literally keep a room devoted to her?

"That is Aliza, our daughter," Caterina's quiet voice came from the doorway. I spun around, already leaning into a crouch, while my entire body tensed for an attack.

"Careful Bella." Edward said in my ear, his arms wrapping securely around my waist. I glanced into Caterina's warm, brown eyes, seeing nothing but love and tenderness in her expression as she gazed adoringly at a picture of the girl.

"This is your daughter?" Edward asked inquiringly, his voice polite and cordial, as if we hadn't just been found snooping around her house. Which we shouldn't have been caught doing, I scolded myself mentally. If we hadn't been so absorbed by our discovery we would have heard her approaching footsteps no matter how quiet they were.

"Yes, she is." Caterina answered her gaze still locked on the pictures.

"Oh, there you both are," Carlisle said sounding faintly surprised as he, Alessondro and the rest of our family entered the room.

"Ah I see you have met our daughter," Alessondro said gently, moving to stand beside his wife. He took her hand tenderly, caressing it, as he looked around at all of us crowded in the room.

"She is your daughter?" Rosalie asked her voice barely above a whisper. I saw her standing near the entrance way, studying the picture I had first noticed. I felt a rush of sympathy as I took in her sad face and slumped shoulders. Every one in the room heard the undeniable longing in her voice when she spoke. I knew Renesme eased some of Rose's earlier feelings about not being able to have children, and although she loved Renesme very much, I also knew how much she still craved a child of her very own. Emmett moved towards her, wrapping his arms around her slender waist and pulling her close. She rested her head gently on his shoulder, hiding her face from the rest of us. I turned to face Alessondro again, trying hard to give them some semblance of privacy and ignore what Emmett was murmuring softly as he tried to console her.

"I think perhaps, we had best tell you the stories of our previous lives." Alessondro said, tearing his eyes away from Rosalie and Emmett. He glanced up adoringly at Caterina, a small, sad smile spreading across his face. "I think it is necessary that you go be the one to recount our histories, my dear."

Caterina took a deep breath, her soft brown gaze meeting mine before she began.

"I was born in the early spring of 1889 to Maria and Dario Pacelli. I was an only child beloved by both my parents. We lived in Rome, and although my father was a simple merchant, and we never had a lot of money, I had a very happy girlhood." Her soft voice filled the room, and entranced each of us as her sweet tone painted its own magic through her words. "I was seventeen when I met Roberto. He was young, charming, and incredibly kind. We married just after my eighteenth birthday, I was so young and naïve, but at that time I was already prepared for life as a married woman. On our first anniversary I received the best gift of all; we had a beautiful baby girl. She was so small, so perfect, I called her Maria after my mother. When Maria was three years old, we had a strong healthy boy, followed closely by another little girl. I stayed home and looked after the children, while Roberto worked alongside my father. It was a simple life, yet it was perfect." A slow, sad smile spread across her face, as I saw a deep pain fill her ancient brown eyes. I realized with a start that this story would not have a happy ending.

"I remember the night I was turned clearly. I was walking from my mother's house. She had ordered some new fabric for my father's store and she had wanted my opinion. I remember being so happy by the time I finally left. It was late and all I wanted to do was go home and see my babies, I simply wished to tuck them in for the night." She broke off suddenly, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. Alessondro reached over and rubbed her shoulders, soothing her with his touch. She continued like that, eyes closed, her brow furrowed, as though she were trying to banish the very images of her own story. "I remember thinking that it was so dark, and that I would have to light the candles in our apartment window soon, otherwise Roberto would never find his way home on the nights he worked late. I was hurrying through the streets, already planning when I would make the candles. He was there, waiting for me at the end of the street. I stopped suddenly, all thoughts of home erased from my mind, as I stared in astonishment at his perfect beauty. His skin was pale white, his dark, curly hair unkempt, and his clothes were obviously worn. And yet he looked like an angel, his only flaw being his piercing ruby eyes, but yet in a way they simply seemed to add to the magnificence of his appearance. I dropped to my knees in prayer, certain that I was looking upon an angel, if not a god. And when he spoke my entire world melted. His words were smooth, so effortless, and yet it was his voice, so seductive, so beautiful, that in that moment I was sure I would do anything-anything at all-for that voice." I glanced up at Edward, knowing all too well exactly how Caterina had felt. Caterina's voice became even softer as she continued; her words barely above a whisper. "It all happened so quickly after that. He began to feed, his hard lips sucking away my life, and yet I didn't care. I honestly believed I was in the arms of an angel. I can't remember why or even how, but for reasons best known to him, he didn't finish. One instant he was there and then he was gone. I managed to crawl into the abandoned store across the road where I stayed hidden for three days. The pain was unendurable. I waited those entire three excruciatingly long days awaiting death, fearing it, but willing it to come quickly, to relieve me of my suffering." A single laugh erupted from between her lips, a half-mad giggle, a half sob. I turned my face away from Edward as she mentioned the pain of her transformation. I recalled vividly my own agony with specific clarity, and I knew it would show clearly on my face. I focused solely on Caterina's story, banishing my own painful recollections from my mind.

"When I awoke after those three days, I thought I had died. It took me a few moments to realize I was still alive…at least in some way. I noticed the pallor of the skin on my hands and my feet, and it was of course, impossible not to detect the scorching sensation in my throat or my newly heightened senses. But I didn't think much of it…at first. My thoughts were focused solely on my family; I knew they would be worrying. It was nighttime when I crept out of my shelter, and although the moonless night smothered the world in darkness, I could see perfectly, everything was simply transformed into different, more intense colours. I hurried through the familiar streets, pausing only once to marvel over the speed at which I flew through the winding roads. I met no one on the streets, it was late enough that the streets were completely deserted, therefore I never once paused to consider the burning in my throat as the flames of pain increased each time I passed an inhabited dwelling. When I reached my own home and saw my husband, my mother and my children sitting by the fire, my youngest daughter sprawled sleepily across her sister's lap, I expected to feel relieved and happy to see them, instead I realized all I felt was desire. I could smell them; their warm blood pulsing deliciously beneath their tender flesh. It was then, as I stood outside my own front door, fighting the instinctual urge to devour my own family, that I even began to consider what I was…what I had become." Her voice broke in pain, as she squeezed her eyelids tighter, her forehead creasing, as she struggled to continue her story. My own eyes pricked, as though they would tear, as I simply thought of what I knew Caterina was about to tell us. Her voice was breathless and filled with ancient pain when she began to speak once more. "It was extremely hard, harder than I can describe with words, to turn around and leave." My head snapped up in confusion as I stared incredulously at her pain-filled expression. That was not the outcome I had been anticipating. The only newborn I knew of that had been able to resist the instinct to hunt within their first day of being 'born' was, well, me. I glanced up to find Edward staring down at me, his own face frozen in an incredulous mask, which I am sure was an identical replica of my own stiff features. Shaking my head as though to clear it, I focused once more on Caterina's words. "To this day I am still not sure how I managed to leave but somehow I did. I was absolutely revolted by myself, and that emotion seemed to be stronger than all of my other desires combined. I am positive that this must have been the one factor that allowed me to resist the temptation, yet I do not understand how I was able to flee as I did. I wandered aimlessly for a few days, traveling solely by night, and hiding during the day, disgusted by myself. I resisted my body's need, refraining from hunting, yet each day I grew weaker, and I knew that no matter what, I was going to crack soon. I knew that at any moment it could be too late, and an innocent bystander might wander to close…It was true that it was better that I have a faceless stranger rather than my Roberto, or my Maria. However, all I could think about was that whoever the unfortunate unknown stranger would be, they would be somebody else's Maria or Roberto, and that thought tormented me the entire time I stayed in hiding. On my fourth night I ran into some scouts for the Volturi. I hadn't even noticed that during my night's amblings I had walked straight into the middle of Volterra."

I stiffened immediately at the mention of the Volturi, my mind momentarily clouded by my own terrifying memories of the vampire royal family. I struggled to clear my mind, trying to pull my thoughts back to the present and Caterina's story.

"I stayed with the Volturi for thirty long years, hating every moment of my existence. I never hated myself more though, then after I fed. I mourned each time I ate, hating myself with a vicious passion, each time I stole an innocent human life. It was thirty long years before my reprise came. I was wandering through the halls of the Volturi's hideout when I heard Marcus, Aro and Caius discussing Aro's friend Carlisle Cullen." Nine pairs of eternal eyes glanced towards Carlisle as she spoke.

"They were discussing his 'vegetarian' diet, and their astonishment of how he and his family could follow through with such an unappetizing way of life. They called him a compassionate fool, while they muttered on about him turning his back on his very nature."

Caterina' soft bell-like laughter echoed around the room, as she finally opened her eyes.

"I saw differently. Although they didn't know it, Marcus, Aro and Caius threw me a life line that day. They saved me from my own depression and my bout of self-loathing. I left Volterra that very day, in search of my own isolated place where I could pass my endless days in the same way as the mysterious Cullen family did. I was going back through my home town, entirely oblivious to the human war around me. I had spent the last three decades wrapped up nice and tight with Aro's small circle of protectors, so I was completely unaware of what was going on in the world." She flashed a rueful grin towards us. "I am gifted as well. I can immediately tell what 'gift' a person has and when they are using it."

She paused dramatically letting that information sink in as we all realized that she would be very aware of how all of us were using our gifts at that very instant. She would know that Jasper was controlling the emotions in the room, and that Edward was keeping tabs on her and her husband's mind, while I was protecting us all, and of course she would know how tiny Alice was keeping an eye out for anything that might change in the future.

"I also get sort of have an intuition, or a feeling-whatever you wish to call it- about how to stop that certain individual from using their powers. I guess you could say I have a knack for finding everyone's weakness." She flashed us another dazzling smile, although there was nothing hostile about her friendly expression. "As I am sure all of you can guess, Aro decided I would be useful, and he did not allow me to be destroyed when his scouts originally brought me back to face him. Instead, I was granted a high place in his ring of protectors." We all nodded in unison as we recognized the truth in her words. That sounded very much like something Aro would do. I grimaced as I remembered too vividly his enthusiasm with collecting people with unique and special talents. He had once wished to make Edward, Alice, Renesme and I part of his living, or perhaps a better term would be existing, collection. I shivered once, as the faded, cloudy human memory of Edward and Alice shrouded in long flowing cloaks, and piercing crimson eyes stared at me, before pulling my thoughts back to the room around me.

"I was passing through, hoping I might be able to catch a glimpse of my family before I forced myself to live in isolation forever. I knew I was strong enough that I wouldn't endanger them, however I had no intentions of facing them. I simply wished to observe them...one last time. My thoughts were focused solely on them, as I pondered how they would have changed in the past years. I was so lost in my own mind I didn't even notice the sirens signaling an air raid. I was walking slowly; any human might have matched my pace, when Alessondro found me, looking absolutely dashing in his uniform." She turned to face her husband, her eyes soft as she smiled, her hand reaching out to take his.

"That is when the bombing started," she continued with her story, her eyes hardening slightly, as her voice became sad once more. "The next thing I knew Alessondro was lying bleeding in the street, while I was stuck under half of a car. I could only see his face, the blood running rapidly down his cheek, pooling on the ground. I rushed over, staring hopelessly at his broken body. I could barely hear the faint sound of his heartbeat as he struggled to breathe. The pull to feed was so strong, with his blood soaking into the earth, yet somehow when I looked into his pain-filled eyes; I knew I couldn't kill him. M decision was made before I had even consciously decided to, and I bent over him, biting his neck as gently as I could, letting his system absorb my venom. I carried him over to a half destroyed building where I waited with him until his transformation was complete. When he awoke, I was luckier than I could ever possibly have dreamed. He was perfect for me; we got along together so well. We moved here after a while, isolating ourselves from humans until we were both able to interact with them normally, and to abide faithfully by our strict animal diet. Fifty years later we went to the adoption agencies and that was how we came by Aliza. She was a newborn baby at the time and the agency was having troubles finding her a home. We were both delighted to have a child of our very own, and although she didn't necessarily have an average childhood, we were very happy. She filled the hole in my heart that had been left when I was forced to abandon my other children, and although I never once forgot about them, she helped ease the pain I had carried with me for a century. She doesn't visit often now; she lives in Toronto with her husband and children." Caterina looked up at us, her face alight with joy, while she picked up a small photograph of a young, human baby boy. He had blonde hair, and bright blue eyes, with a small dimple in each of his plump cheeks. "She even has a grandchild now. He is such a cute child, so happy. Of course we can only see the children when they are young and won't remember us. We do not wan to put them in danger of the Volturi, you see. But still, we are very fortunate to even have the opportunity to have the semblance of a family."

She hugged Alessondro tightly, wrapping her thin arms around his waist as she finished her story. I glanced up at Edward's face, squeezing his hand lightly. I too knew what it felt like to be extremely fortunate.

Have you all seen the movie??? I thought it was good (of course nothing compared to the books…but I mean what movie ever is), but it was still amazing!!! I think Rob and Kristen did a great job, and of course KELLAN!!!! lol On a different note, I hope you all liked this chapter!!!! I hope to be able to update soon, but December is such a crazy month that unfortunately I can't make any promises!!!! Thank you though for sticking through the wait and continuing to read on!!!!! Please review!!! :D

Princess Ly