Edward POV

E was fascinating.

His thoughts, his appearance, and the evidence in his hand were all fascinating. Well, in his hand now. He had dropped it when he rushed to Leo, and, his face reddening slightly, he had to go pick it up.

Despite the chagrin, he was worried with the vampire and wolf strangers around him, he was overjoyed to hold his "Lee" again, and he was plotting relentlessly. I was amazed, considering that Leo had not yet mastered this skill of thinking of many things at once. The skill made him worry more, though.

I walked over to him, and placed my hand on his shoulder. I smiled at him, but he gave me a desperate look in return. It wasn't right on his young face.

Please help me. Help me help Leo so we can finish this, E thought. He was quite right.

I turned to Aro. "Dear Aro, this is E, Leo's mate and love."

"Yes, I can see that," Aro said, smiling.

"In the shape-shifter world, a bond as powerful as theirs is called an Imprint, referring to the mark the other has left on their soul. They—"

"Edward," E interrupted. I hope its Edward. Man, I've never been good with names… "May I explain to them?"

I heard the excellent speech briefly rehearsed while he'd been running and stepped back to allow him to speak.

He cleared his throat, swallowing. "Lee—I mean Leo—and I were born to have each other. It is tradition in our tribe for two children to be born together, for each other. A few months into our parents' pregnancy, a third couple announced they were pregnant, committing the greatest taboo of all. With this unplanned child, a new order had to be formed. Leo was born as the first female shape-shifter in our tribe. L, being of poor heritage, was to be with Leo instead of her original suitor to make up for the weak genes. I am the original suitor. Leo would be...returned to me if L could not give Leo vampire children. If L could father shape-shifting children, I would be given a high social position."

E swallowed. I could sense Caius' impatience.

"When L was ten, he ran away, unable to deal with the fact that he could not shape-shift." I've always wondered what would have happened if L had stuck around. "No one thought he would return." Good thing he didn't.

"During a ceremony, our tribe was attacked by a vampire, and I was one of many sent after it. I saw that L was, in fact, the vampire attacking our village. In the attack, I was bitten by L, my tribal friend, now a ferocious newborn vampire. L left me there to die; I was considered collateral damage.

"Clearly, I didn't die, but Changed into that what my sole existence served to kill. When the Change was complete, I was lost and confused. After following L's trail from New York, I knew what I had to do to punish him for his crimes. In pure instinct, I searched for what I knew best. I searched for my Lee."

E was surprisingly formal in front of the Volturi. His thoughts had a very different voice.

God, I didn't think my Lee could be any more beautiful.

"I soon discovered that Leo was running away while I searched for her. Shortly, I saw that she had been attacked by the one who Changed me. The new, ferocious L.

"I watched her Changing, too petrified and shocked to intervene. I knew she had been sexually harassed, but I was too scared to do anything about it." How will Lee ever forgive me? "After some time, I mustered up the courage to go to her. Unfortunately, the Cullens found her first.

"Seeing that they were helping her, I forced myself to trust her in their hands and leave. They wanted to help her, but they had no business with me. If they found me a foe, they could destroy me. This much I knew. I vowed to watch over her, unable to let her go completely. If we were vampires now, we would be traitors to our Troop. The Troop would send out a slaying team. I had to make sure she stayed safe, but she couldn't know."

Funny, I don't remember smelling him in the woods when we found Leo. Maybe I had passed him off as an animal. Maybe.

Leo looked at her E. "You've been with me ever since…?"

Silly Lee. "I would never let you go that easily." He squeezed her hand, and she pulled out of her embrace to lean into his side instead.

"How does this prove anything?!" Caius roared, destroying the moment. "You are wasting our time!"

"I apologize, sir," E said with a bow of his head, "I have digressed. I present my evidence."

He waved to slightly yellowed papers in the air.

I took a sharp breath as I took in his brilliance.

"When humans are born, their birth is recorded in computers and in documents." E pushed one of the papers in Aro's direction. The paper was passed to the leader. Please be 'Aro'… "Aro, this is our tribe's document of L's birth. There is also a picture of L, taken the night before he ran away. When I was in New York briefly, I received a signed statement from the host Lancaster spoke of, confirming that Lancaster showed the required birth certificate to enter this 'monarchy', an exact copy of the document you hold in your hand, Aro. The host writes in his statement that L in the picture is the same boy as Lancaster—"

"ONE person's word—"

"Caius, friend," Aro countered calmly. "Let Lancaster explain for himself."

"He already has!"

"No."

Everyone stared at me incredulously. I felt Bella's eyes bore into my face.

"Aro, I can sense a…block he is putting in his mind. Leo has the same ability, and I would suspect E to have it as well. This block is strong enough to prevent myself, or even you, Aro, from learning the truth behind it."

"Speak for yourself!" Lancaster screamed. A thought slipped from behind his block. How did he figure it out? Damn you, Lee!

"Aro," I stretched my hand toward Lancaster, "his thoughts prove our point."

I could not hear Aro's thoughts because of Bella's shield, but Aro's countenance showed anger and a hint of curiosity. In an instant, he was at Lancaster's side, practically strangling the boy's wrist. From the change in Aro's face, he'd found the block.

Aro let go of Lancaster with a jolt, and he faced us. "My vote is to sacrifice neither the boy nor the girl." He looked to his guard. "Brothers and sisters, we must depart immediately to deal with…" he looked to Lancaster, unforeseen circumstances."

Was he was going to leave just like that? Leave as quickly as he'd come?

Aro turned to us. "My friends, your growing family is revolutionizing our vampire world. I cannot begin to imagine what your next addition will bring to our many volumes of history."

He was right. I looked around at the wolves, at my daughter, at Leo and E… Our family was changing the immortal race. What could possibly come next?

Slowly, from the back of their formation to Aro, they bowed their heads and threw their hoods over their heads. Like an army, they all turned in one swift motion, and walked away without another word. It was over. Just like that.

Their thoughts of defeat filled my head as Bella—and everyone else—relaxed and dropped her shield.

In that instant, Leo collapsed onto the ground, eyes distant as she dreamt. This dream was not brought on by her own power.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Next, we see Just how creepy Lancaster can be! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!