Disclaimer: All Characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. Plot is all mine.


The moment Jane left Bella alone in the guest room. Bella's brown eyes were glued to the door, feeling like any moment it would swing open again to reveal the dark-haired Volturi King behind it.

Everything was happening so fast that she couldn't even take a moment to catch her breath. The room started to spin and her forehead began to perspire. It was getting hotter and hotter. And something seemed to be rising in Bella's throat as she clamped a hand over her mouth and ran to the bathroom.

The all-white tiled bathroom and the lights reflecting off its blanc perfection nearly stung Bella's eyes as she located the toilet. And nearly missed and almost tripped over her knees as she bent forwards and emptied her stomach into the porcelain rimmed bowl. She gagged and heaved until there was nothing left but the acidic bitter aftertaste of bile in her mouth.

She fell backwards on her bum and tried to capture her breath again. She still felt lightheaded but the nausea was almost gone. When she was confident she could stand up again, Bella clutched the counter and hoisted herself up to bend over the sink and spray some cold water on her face.

After splashing her face a few times, Bella finally locked gazes with her reflection the large mirror over the counter. She grimaced at what she saw. She looked pale and haggard. Her eyes were a little red and teary from the retching. And her clothes were wrinkled and disheveled. The only thing that looked remotely normal was her hair which was always in a disarray of wavy curls. Beyond that there was not even a shred of a sliver-lining to hope for. But Bella pushed that thought away as she bent over the still running water and began to rinse her mouth thoroughly.

She walked back into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. Not knowing what to do with herself, Bella fiddled with her fingers. Her mind was numb and she avoided looking at the door. She didn't want to think about how long she had time before Aro would come through that door. And it seemed as though her thoughts were being heard aloud, for as soon as his name passed through her mine, the door opened.

Aro walked into the room and softly closed the door behind him. His red milky eyes surveyed the entire accommodation of the guest room before his eyes landed on the fragile little human sitting on the edge of the bed and casting her eyes downwards.

Aro frowned. So much has changed since last little Bella burst through their city trying to save the Cullen boy. Back then, she was strong and fearless, and she even had the audacity to meet the vampire King's glare head on and contradict him. Aro really liked her passion. And mostly of all he was entranced with her non-prejudice opinion on their soulless immortal existence.

Now however, the situation has changed. Even the girl has changed. She looked meek, tired, and downright defeated.

Very carefully the Volturi Leader walked to where the girl sat on the bed. Her eyes remained glued to the carpet. Aro held himself rigid for a moment, he already had in mind what he wanted to say to the girl when she arrived. But now that he took a better look at her, he wasn't so sure she could handle what he had to say.

He sat beside the girl and lifted his elegant hand, softly curling his fingers around the girl's jaw. She flinched at his touch but did not recoil. That was good. At least she didn't reject him. He controlled his smirk. He didn't want to appear conniving to the girl. He wanted her to be open with him, especially since he couldn't look into her mind and know her every thought. And he couldn't bind her loyalty to him as she was immune to Chelsea's talent.

As much as he loathed to admit it, Aro had to do this the old fashioned way. He needed to earn the girl's trust.

Aro slowly turned the girl's face towards him. She still didn't look at him. So he very softly said; "Bella, sweet girl, look at me." He laced his words with sugary tones hoping it would ease her nerves.

It seemed to work as Bella lifted her big doe eyes to look at the Leader. On the outside she looked calm, passive even. But he had no idea what was going on inside. First things first, he had to ensure she was physically looked after.

He stroked his thumb carefully over her jaw. "When did you last eat?" he asked.

Bella pressed her lips together. Either she hasn't eaten in a while or she couldn't remember. But either way, he did not like her response.

But at least now the human they hired can be more useful than just a pretty face behind a lavish desk. Aro scoffed at first when he read through her resume as she listed 'gourmet cooking' under her special skills. As if that would do her any benefits working for a coven of vampires. But now Aro was satisfied he could put her impractical skill to good use.

Aro released the girl's jaw and opted to holding her hand instead. Mostly because he wanted to see how much liberty she would allow him before it all started to become too much.

He began by saying; "I know it was not the most ideal of situations. But I am so very happy you took matters into your own hands and came to us of your own free will." He wanted her to at least believe she had some sort of power within her choices. Even if in truth she didn't.

He squeezed the girl's hand in assurance. "Believe me," he said. "I wish things didn't have to be this way. I did not wish to cause such hardship for you, nor to my dear old friend Carlisle. I know that in his mind he may have thought that he failed you. And I feel rather regretful to put him through that."

Bella didn't know if Aro was putting on a splendid act or that he was truly remorseful. As through her eyes, he looked genuinely filled with regret. Which didn't make any sense for her. Wasn't this whole entire deal orchestrated by him? He didn't seem like the repentant type if this was what he had planned all along.

"If you didn't want me here, then why am I here?" Bella finally asked.

Aro's red eyes hardened, despite the juxtaposition of his gentle touch on her hand. "Bella, I requested to speak to you privately because I wanted you to be aware from the moment you walked into our domain as to the real reason I had you brought here."

Bella frowned. "The real reason …?"

"Yes. After all this, and after everything I put you through. And what you may face during your stay with us, you only deserve just as much." Aro replied. His serious tone and lack of humor in his usually joyful demeanor startled Bella.

Bella shook her head and pulled her hand away from the Volturi Leader's grasp. "Wait … Wait! – I thought the reason I am here is so .. so the Cullens will be put under the Volturi's protection. Wasn't that the deal?"

Aro rested his hands on his lap. "That part of the agreement is … real – Do not think you have been cheated of your sacrifice from that. I gave my word and I intend to keep it." He then softly sighed as he gazed at the wall vacantly. "At the same time, it was also a farce. An illusion to distract the Cullens from the true truth."

The Volturi King met Bella's gaze from the corner of his eyes as he confessed. "Isabella … understand that if I did not do what I had to do then you, the Cullens, and that little town you value so much would have suffered a force so devastating it would have left nothing but blood and wreckage in its fallout."

"I don't understand, what force?" Bella wished he would stop talking in riddles.

Aro ran a hand through his sleek ebony hair trying to decide how to carefully phrase his next words. "The day you first came here, when you stood in that very throne room – It seemed you left quite … an impression on someone who was there that day."

He shook his head. "I was not aware of it immediately. And it only came to my attention but a week ago – This person I speak of, well, they did not arouse my attention until the problem grew beyond my power."

Bella tried to grasp all the straws the Leader was throwing at her. But at her current dumbfounded state, she couldn't piece his words and the point he was getting at. He was speaking so obscurely that Bella couldn't even read the hints between the lines.

At that point, Bella had had enough. She just wanted the answer to be as clear as day. No more riddles, no more clues, or hints, or puzzles. She stood up from the bed and began pacing in front of it.

Aro remained silent as he stared at the girl's form going to and fro in front of him. She was working herself up. And he wondered how long it would take before she finally cracked.

His face remained smooth and impassive. But he couldn't help his red eyes slightly widening when Bella suddenly turned, walked up to him, and took a hold of his hand. He let her do so when he saw the tears building under her eyes, threatening to spill – it seemed she was going to crack faster than he anticipated.

"Please," She begged. "Please tell me the truth! I want to know why am I really here for. Why did I leave everyone I loved behind to come here? And why did you have to hide it from me and the Cullens? – Please just tell me what could be so bad that you had to go through such lengths?"

"Bella …" Aro began to say.

"Please!" Bella beseeched him, grasping his hand so tightly in turned her knuckles white.

Aro stared at the girl as her tears finally spilled over her cheeks. She slumped on the bed beside him and covered her face as she began to weep. When he knew she couldn't see his face, Aro allowed himself to feel a moment of sympathy for the girl before he schooled his features. What he was about to tell her was only but a fraction of the worse to come.

"Very well," He finally said after the longest moment in Bella's life. "I can only prolong the inevitable for so little time." He placed his hand over the girl's head and smiled at her when he saw her red-shot, tear aching, eyes stare back at him.

His touch may have been trying to offer a fragment of comfort. But to Bella it felt like the moment when her head was about to be pushed down and submerged underwater.

"For reasons beyond my current comprehension, you seemed to have sparked a fixation with my brother; Caius – After you left our castle his intentions were brought to my attention. In that short amount of time he seemed to have worked himself to a point where he was prepared to go all the way to your town and take you against your will," He then spoke in a gentle tone to the girl. "Believe me when I say that he wouldn't have cared who stood in his path. He would have cut them down with no remorse."

"This was the only way I could prevent any bloodshed, Bella." Aro stated firmly.

Bella suddenly stepped away from the vampire like his very touch burned her. She pressed her back to the wall and gazed back at the red-eyed King in shock. She shook her head repeatedly, refusing to believe what she just heard. This was some sort of sick joke being played on her. It has to be!

"Bella," Aro rose from his place and tried to approach the girl as if she was a wounded animal trapped in a corner.

Bella jumped and ran straight to the door. She turned the handle but it was locked. Thinking it was her brain fooling her, she turned the handle again. No, it really was locked. She was trapped!

This was insanity. They were all mad! Either that or they were all playing an elaborate hoax on the naïve, pathetic human.

'Yes, of course! This had to be prank!' Bella thought.

And turned to regard the vampire that stood in the middle of the room, looking at the girl like she just lost her marbles. But she didn't. Bella was as sane and grounded as they came.

She tried to smile. Despite her lips trembling, she tried to show that she knew she was being played. Even when Aro gave her a peculiar look. She ignored all the bells sounding off in her head.

"That was a good joke you played there." She tried to laugh but her voice faltered. "You almost had me f-fooled!"

Finally understanding the shift in the girl's demeanor, Aro's expression darkened. "This isn't a joke, Bella. As much as you want to pass it off as one – It saddens me to burst your self-concocted bubble of hope. However, my dear, this is the reality of your situation. I'm sorry."

Bella's face dropped and the blood slowly drained from her face when she saw just how serious the Volturi Leader was being. "But … B-b-but … Your brother wants me dead! Remember?! He said I was a liability, that I would expose your secret. Th-that he would rather see me die than turn into one of you!" Either she was losing her mind or the whole world had suddenly gone mad.

But then something clicked in Bella's mind. "This that it?" She asked.

Not knowing where the girl's line of thought was headed, Aro replied, "Pardon?"

"Is that why you had me brought here? So that your brother can have the satisfaction of … killing me with his own hands?" That was the only logic Bella could finally come up with.

Aro slowly walked up to the girl who had her back glued to the door. He deliberately placed his hands on her shoulders, ignoring how she jumped as her hot skin felt the coldness of his touch. He gazed deeply into her frightened eyes and said, "As long as I am here, Caius shall cause you no physical harm. You have my word – You are now a part of this coven, Bella. My coven. And I take care of my own."

The girl grew quiet as her body began to shiver. And despite how pale she already was, she went as white as a ghost. "I don't feel so good." She barely managed to whispered. Before her knees buckled and she slumped over.

She most certainly would have hit the hard floor face first if Aro wasn't fast enough to catch her. He gathered the girl in his arms and swept the hair away from her face. She appeared to have fainted.

There was nothing Aro could do for the girl except carry her over to the bed and then gently place her upon it. He sat next to the sleeping brunette and idly stroked her soft hair as he pondered on how was he going to salvage this catastrophe. All the while having to ensure that the girl wouldn't go completely insane in the process.