Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

A/N: This is not Beta'd and I only use spell check on Microsoft, so there are errors… I'm just too lazy to go fix them all.

Theories. They have theories about how we are all mated. They think they know why we are mated. They think they can explain why we are all supposedly bonded together. But they can't know; it's impossible for them to know. I'm in love with Edward; I'm supposed to be his mate. This can't be really happening.

"We realize it's a big change, but we promise this will be good." Didyme said with a kind smile.

I chose to not say anything and just let them do all the talking. I know what I want to say, I want to deny what they're telling me. I also know that they want to tell me. They want to tell me the complete opposite and I just really don't want to listen to it right now, but I don't really have a choice right now. So, instead of arguing with them and possibly making my stay here worse than it needs to be, I'll do my best to go along with the flow. Plus, it can't hurt to just listen to them. They can't change how I feel about Edward.

"The three of us have been together for a long time." Sulpicia said when she realized I wasn't going to say anything. "We have ruled together for thousands of years. Throughout that time we have only ever grown closer."

I would think you would get closer to the person you ruled with… for thousands of years. If one of them didn't get along with the others, I would bet anything they wouldn't hesitate in replacing them or something else to force them all to get along. I don't see them looking hostile towards each other, so I would imagine they were able to find common interests and not kill each other in all this time.

"Throughout the times we've had many different lovers." Didyme said, almost causing me to blush.

This isn't exactly what I wanted to listen to. I don't want to hear about their love lives, old or new. It's really none of my business. It's also not something I'm really comfortable talking about with people I literally just met. It took a while for me to be able to get close to Edward like that and even just before he left, we still weren't that physically intimate and I wasn't really pushing for me. Well, I wanted him to kiss me longer than the two seconds he would allow and to actually cuddle with me, but that's it. Nothing beyond that.

"The ones you may have heard about would be the ones we had when our dear friend Carlisle was here last." Sulpicia said.

She must be talking about the men that I saw in the picture in Carlisle's office that one time. Edward said that they were the rulers of the Volturi. The picture was of only the three men, Marcus, Caius, Aro and Carlisle. There wasn't anyone else in the picture. Edward lied to me about who they are. I'm sure he had a good reason to. I can't think of one right now because I don't see why it would matter if I didn't know or not if the Volturi leaders were female or male.

"Carlisle was real close to them. He was friends with them I suppose. Even after we warned him not to get close, he still did so. That's why he left. After it happened, he was mad with us. We had told him it was going to happen, it was only a matter of time before we got bored with those three." Athenodora said with an almost reminiscent look on her face.

"The three were wanted for exposing our kind. They were sentenced to death, but we saved them." Didyme said, thankfully starting to clear up my confusion without me having to ask.

I want to know what happened to those three men. I don't know why it really matters, from what it seems like they aren't around anymore. I just want to know why Carlisle would be affected by them so much that he would leave this place when he had once called it home. The Volturi's cruel streak aside, if Carlisle over looked their killing tendencies and what they feed off of to become friends with them in the first place, I want to know what would make him leave.

"Instead though, we decided to keep them around to help alleviate our sexual frustrations. It worked for a while too. All three of them were amazing, though we did have our favorites. I preferred Caius, Cia preferred Aro and Di preferred Marcus. In the end though, even though we did favor them, it wouldn't save them. They got too cocky and wanted to take advantage of our good will towards them." Athenodora explained, a look of hatred briefly crossing her face with the last sentence.

I shifted a little in my chair as I got more uncomfortable with the conversation. For some reason I do like that they are sharing their past with me and that they have no problem doing so like Edward did, but I shouldn't. I shouldn't want to know anything about them beyond knowing that they aren't going to kill me. I shouldn't like learning about their past, but there's something in me that just loves listening to them tell me this story. A story, I might add, that so far has nothing to do with why they think we are mated.

"They were planning a way to escape the castle. They had thought that they could keep their thoughts hidden from me. They thought that I wouldn't look into their minds every time we touched. They thought we had forgotten their crimes. Our job is to punish those that could get us all killed, we never forget." Sulpicia said in a sour tone. She clearly doesn't like it when people underestimate her like these three vampires did.

"The night they tried to escape we easily cut them off. We let Jane have a little fun and then burned them for all to see. We used them to set an example. They had tried to gloat that they would escape and get away with their crimes." Didyme said in a non-caring tone. Didyme seems to have already lost interest in this topic. I wonder how many times they've had to share this story.

"Carlisle was the most upset about it. He believed that the three weren't really trying to escape. He forgot my power. I doubt he has ever truly forgiven me for that night, but we have still kept in touch. I may even invite them over once we have everything settled here." Sulpicia said with a smile. It didn't take a genius to know what her hidden agenda was. She thinks that I will agree to be in a relationship with them and she most likely wants to shove that in Edwards face. Little does she know that I'm very stubborn when I want something and right now I want to be with Edward, in Forks with Charlie and with his family.

"Since those three vampires though, we have shared all our lovers since. Those three had managed to slightly turn our thoughts against each other. If it wasn't for Cia's and Di's power, I'm sure we would have fought and possibly went our separate ways. Instead though, it brought us even closer. From then forward, we shared even more together." Athenodora explained. I think we're getting closer to them explaining this theory they have.

"Since we are so close and have since practically shared everything, we believe the reason the reason we have the same mate is because that's what would be best for ourselves. We didn't want to have separate lovers again in fear of said lovers driving us apart." Didyme explained.

"With us having only one mate, it's impossible for us to fight each other because it would hurt you and we would never willingly do that to you. Our fear of repeating what happened in the past and what could have happened has made it so that we share the same mate." Sulpicia said, finishing the explanation.

So, if I understand this all correctly and I'm sure I do, they say I'm stuck with all three of them because they are afraid to have it any other way? Shouldn't soul mates basically be one soul that compliments one other only? Some even believe that soul mates are actually one soul that split into two halves, only to be complete again when they find each other. If what they say is right, that would mean that at least my soul was split three different ways to match them. That doesn't make any sense. That just can't happen. A person can only have one soul mate, I'm positive of that.

"That's not possible, a person can only have one soul mate and I already have mine." I said after realizing they were waiting for me to say something.

The emotions on their face were all different yet the same. Sulpicia looked similar to a kid that just got their favorite toy taken away from them. She seemed to fighting a pout from appearing on her face. Athenodora looked annoyed. She seems like she has a temper that could rival Rosalie's. Didyme is only giving me a knowing look. What she means by that look, I have no idea and that bugs me for some reason. She clearly knows something and whatever she knows she thinks it's in her benefit, I think at least. All three of them though, they all have a look of determination. They have been ruling the vampire world for centuries and throughout that time I'm sure they have come across people trying to dethrone them. So I'm sure they are very stubborn, but I'm very stubborn as well. Whatever they have planned or are planning, it won't work.

"You are going to be so much fun my dear." Athenodora said while giving me a smile that let me see the real predator in her.

"What makes you think that you and Edward are mates?" Didyme asked me with genuine curiosity.

That almost seems like it's a loaded question. I don't want to piss them off because I am technically their prisoner and they don't have to treat me that nicely. At the same time though, I want to make how I feel clear to them… just not a jerk way. They have treated me nicely so far and I don't want to ruin that. If I have to stay here for as long as they want me to then I want to do my best to make sure my stay is as comfortable as possible.

"I love Edward and he loves me." I started but was interrupted.

"Love doesn't always mean soul mates. There's a big distinction between the two." Didyme said and I couldn't help but take her word for it. Her power of being able to see bonds would literally mean she can actually see the difference of love between two people and love between soul mates. What she said though doesn't mean that Edward isn't my soul mate, that's not what she said at all.

"I know we are meant to be together." I said, choosing to not comment on what she just said.

Athenodora looked like she was going to say something but Sulpicia put a hand on her arm and kept her quite. Athenodora looked slightly put out as she slouched in her chair, crossed her arms over her chest and waited for Sulpicia to talk.

"So, you truly believe you and Edward are mates?" Sulpicia asked with a smirk. I know she's leading me into some sort of trap that I will probably get mad at her for, but I can't figure out exactly what she's trying to do.

"Yes." I answered with as much meaning as I could muster.

"And of course you know that vampires put their mates' safety and happiness above all else right?"

"Yes." I answered right away, not even thinking about why she would ask that. I probably should have put more thought into why she did though.

"Edward left you, something a mate can never do. He left you and lied to you about loving you. Mates can never do that. He knowingly left you to suffer alone. He took away what you had come to love as family. He took away your happiness and the only regret he had was that he no longer could smell your scent." Sulpicia said in what I believe to be a cruel voice though I'm sure to anyone else it would have been a calm and sympathetic voice.

I had heard this before when she told this to Edward. At the time though, I was too focused on them hurting Edward and taking him away from me. I heard what they said, but I didn't really listen to them. I ignored most of what they said because I was just too focused on Edward. I didn't like what they said then so I chose to focus on something else. This time though, I don't have anything else to focus on. I can't focus on what's happening around me because the sole focus in this room is me and what was just told to me. They're waiting for my reaction.

I know Edward left me, I know it. It hurt a lot, I barely survived and I don't think I would survive again if he left like that. Being away from him now is different than last time. He was forced away and I was forced to stay here. Last time he chose to leave me. He chose to leave and let me suffer, even after I told him that I needed him. He took away my family. The family, except Rosalie, that claimed I was one of them, that they loved me. He took it all away. I only saw him again because he thought I was dead and he decided to have himself killed as well to join me.

He wanted to die because he thought he would never see me again. Isn't that what happened when he left though? He left knowing he would never see me again. Just like they pointed out to him, why did he suddenly chose to die when he thought I was dead instead of when he knew he would never see me again. To vampires, isn't that basically the same thing? I know I wanted to stop living when he left me. I didn't because I couldn't do that to Charlie and Renee and I also hung onto the hope of him possibly coming back for me.

He willingly let me suffer alone. He knew I couldn't talk to anyone about how I was feeling because it would lead to me telling them about the Cullen's being vampires and I couldn't do that. He gave me the devastating blow with no way to fix it because if I did tell someone they would probably think I was crazy to think vampires existed and that I thought one of them was my soul mate.

Thinking about what he did now, especially with someone pointing it out to me, I can't help but feel hurt by what he did. I can't believe that I was so willing to forgive him and take him back after what he did to me. I understand why he left, he left to protect me, but in leaving me he ended up doing basically the same thing. I was practically dead with the way I was acting. I know Jacob helped for a little bit, but I never once thought that the brief happiness he brought me would have lasted. I knew it was only a matter of time before he met someone else that he would love and they would love him and I would be forgotten. I would be back in the same position.

"I… he… he wanted to protect me." I said weakly.

"Protect you from what? From being loved? There are seven of them, if one of them slipped again the others would be able to stop them just like they did last time. Once you were turned they wouldn't have to worry about that." Athenodora said in a calm voice, almost like she was afraid that if her tone was sharp like it normally is I would break. I actually think I might.

"He never planned on turning you though and you know that. His intentions were for you to grow old and die while he stayed young forever. In the end, you would still be left behind." Sulpicia added in an equally soft and calm voice.

"Well, I think it's enough of this talk for now. You must be hungry Bella, its well after lunch time after all." Didyme said after clapping her hands to try and break apart the heavy atmosphere that had fallen. She stood up from her chair, walked to stand in front of me and held her hand out to me to help me off the chair. "I think Gianna is in the middle of preparing some food for you two as we speak, would you mind if I escorted you to the kitchen area instead of Jane?"

I hesitantly looked at her hand and almost ignored it. A part of me wanted to stick to what I had been saying this whole time and ignore her chivalrous act of helping me out of the chair even though I don't really need it. Another part of me though wanted to feel what her skin felt like. I wanted to feel her hand around mine. I wanted to know what that contact felt like. So, after staring at her hand for a couple seconds, I grabbed it.

Didyme swiftly pulled me to my feet without any effort on my end and clearly little on her part as well. Once I was standing, she kept her hand wrapped around mine. I was tempted to pull my hand away from hers, but I actually like the way it feels. It feels soft yet hard at the same time. The coldness is something I had grown used to with Edward, but with Didyme, I actually don't really feel the cold. I know her hand is cold because all vampires have cold skin, but for some reason, her hand feels warm in mine.

"I'll escort Bella to the kitchens and then I'll come right back here." Didyme told the other two as she started to pull me towards the exit of the room. The other two only nodded in acknowledgment as we left. "Those two tend to put their foots in their mouths a lot and don't always allow time for people to think things through. So I figured we should leave and get you some food before they say something stupid. I hope you don't mind."

I can see how both of them would say something stupid. It seems like something they would both do. Sulpicia would because of her gift, so I assume she would just think she knows it all even when she clearly doesn't. Athenodora just seems like someone with a temper that says whatever she thinks before thinking it through. Didyme almost seems like she would be the peace keeper among the three. Like she's the person that just sits back and watches things and only speaks up before one of the other two do something they would regret. Why do I get the feeling that I will probably spend more time with Didyme than the others?

"That's alright. I'm happy to take a break from that conversation." I admitted.

I want to learn my way around this place so that maybe someday I can walk around here without Jane or one of the leaders. I doubt that will happen since that would mean a hungry vampire could make me an easy snack. Still, I found myself looking around the hall trying to memorize the way. Every few seconds though my eyes would wonder down to where Didyme still held my limp hand. I was holding her hand back, but I wasn't pulling away either. I'm still not sure if I like her holding my hand or not, but I don't think I'm entirely against it.

"I would think so. We brought up a lot of things that I'm sure were very emotionally challenging to hear." Didyme said in an understanding voice while gently squeezing my hand.

The rest of the walk was done in silence, mostly because I didn't know how to respond to what she said. I agree with her. What they said was very… eye opening. It all gave me a lot to think about. It also gave possibly gave me a lot to regret in terms to how I felt and acted with Edward. I had thought we had the perfect relationship, granted I didn't really have any good examples to base my thoughts on because my parents' relationship ended in divorce and I hadn't had any relationships prior to Edward. I still thought it was perfect though.

When we got to the kitchen both Gianna and Jane were already there. Jane was sitting on a stool by the island and Gianna was stirring something on the stove. Didyme led me over to a stool next to the bored looking Jane and pulled out the stool in a gesture to have me sit there.

"Do you need any help Gianna?" I asked before sitting down. It's rude of me to just sit down and eat what was made for me without at least asking if she wanted help. I shouldn't just assume she doesn't.

"No, that's alright Bella. I actually prefer cooking by myself; it gives me a chance to clear my head. Thank you though." Gianna said in her normal kind voice without turning away from what she was doing. I didn't answer her but I did sit down the stool Didyme had offered me.

"Thank you Gianna for cooking for Bella as well. Bella, if you have any requests I'm sure Gianna would be more than willing to cook whatever you want for you." Didyme said to which I nodded in acknowledgement. I wouldn't ask for anything special, beggars can't be choosers and technically I'm a beggar here since I don't live here and I'm being held here against my will. "Jane, dear, when she's done eating please escort her back to us. I hope you don't mind Bella, but there is still more we need to discuss and it would be better if we discussed it as soon as possible." At my questioning look Didyme explained what she meant. "We just want to go over some safety precautions while you're here. You are human living amongst vampires after all. We would prefer to just change you and not have you so vulnerable, but we don't want to force you into anything and I don't believe you want to chance right now and especially not by us. So, in the meantime, we have set up precautions to keep you safe and we want you aware of them."

That makes sense. I really don't want them to change me… ever. I am, as Edward had once similarly said, a sheep in a lions' den. I'm more than willing to talk about what they plan to do to keep me safe while here and to keep me human as well.

"I don't mind, I would like to know."

"Then I will see you whenever you are finished eating and meet up with us again."

Didyme gave me an odd look, almost like she wanted to do something but thought better of it but chose to simply leave the kitchen instead without another word or doing anything else. I didn't like sitting in silence, but I didn't really know what to talk about with Jane or Gianna and I have too much on my mind anyways. So I sat and watched Gianna cook just like Jane was doing.

Once Gianna was finished cooking and had served us both food, she had ignored my offer to serve myself, she sat down on another stool at the island and we ate, once again in silence. Well, it was mostly silence. I had complemented the food, her cooking skill has to be that of a professional chef and she politely accepted the praise. Aside from that, we ate in silence while Jane stared off into space seemingly lost in her own thoughts. I'm sure she was thinking about other things, but I'm also sure that she was still completely aware of what was going on around her as well.

When lunch was over, Gianna once again cleaned up by herself and Jane right away escorted me back to the leaders. I wanted to help clean up, but both Gianna and Jane said I don't have to and that Gianna would be more than happy to do it. I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm going to have very little to do here.

I was led to the same room as before and I even took the same seat as before. The three leaders were all in the same seats and watched with smiles as I sat down in front of them.

"Did you enjoy your lunch dear?" Sulpicia asked as soon as I sat down.

"I did, though I would have liked to either help make it or clean up." I said, hoping they would get the hint.

"While you're here you won't have to do anything menial thing such as that; but if it would make you happy, I'm sure something could be arranged." Athenodora said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. I think they would prefer I didn't do any work at all, but that's just not who I am. If I can do it myself, why wouldn't I?

"I would like that." I said in a bit of a forceful way to show that I really do want to do it regardless of what they thought about it.

"I promise we'll work something out that will be agreeable for all of us." Sulpicia said in a tone that meant to end the conversation about this topic. "Let's go ahead with what else we need to talk with you about shall we?" Sulpicia asked in a much more cheery voice.

"We are not ones to keep secrets, at least amongst ourselves and that includes you. Anything we decide that impacts you in any way we will tell you and even make sure you are okay with the decision. As far as your safety is concerned, we will do everything we can to keep you safe while at the same time just not locking you away in a tower where no one can get to you." Didyme said with a small smile to let me know she was mostly joking about the last part. I'm sure if they thought I wouldn't be mad at them, they would lock me away and keep me hidden from everyone else. I'm already locked away as it is since I'm stuck here when I want to go to Forks. They're half way to doing what they say they won't do.

I really hope these plans aren't too bad and that if I disagree with anything they say; they will accommodate what I want.