To Onwind: I know we are trying to resolve some things, but until everything is worked out I figure I owe it to my readers to update. If I need to delete this story, I will, but not until we have everything straightened out.

To my readers: If this story does have to be taken down then I want to let you know I have another Caius/Bella fanfiction I have been steadily working on. So if I do delete this story and you are a fan of Caius/Bella fanfiction, never fear, I have another coming.

Chapter Fourteen: Caius

Exhausted, was a word that I never applied to myself. We vampires did not tire, and very rarely did any physical exertion render us fatigued.

But that human…

She made me wish that for one day we vampires could sleep. Her voice was incessant, and I could never escape her.

She was everywhere. Even when I was not in her company, I could see traces of her everywhere. I could see her in the way the guards talked- using slang and all other kinds of new-fangled vocabulary, I could see her in the walls of the throne room, which she and Jane had begun renovating, I could see her in the golden eyes that Felix and Jane now sported- proof of their new disgusting and repulsive diet, and in every direction I turned.

I leaned sideways, lounging on my throne, resting my head on my clenched fist. Just a few seconds ago Isabella had towed Aro out of the room talking about 'friends'? I didn't understand why Aro put up with her nonsense.

After that night three days ago, I had calmed somewhat- and the human had been doing less to be irritating.

"You are drifting brother."

My head raised slowly to look at Marcus.

"What?"

"You."

I had no time for his games- although admittedly in contrast there were no vampires in the hall right now but me and Marcus- therefore I had a lot of time.

"What about me you idiot?"

Marcus's lips twitched upwards in a slight smile.

I was stunned. Which was saying a lot.

Marcus smiled.

My brother, who had barely even stirred for the first century after my sister's death and spent the remaining moping about in desolation for his loss, had just smiled. For a moment I saw a ghost of the former cheerful man he had used to be before Didyme's demise.

It was obviously the girl. Marcus had seemed less withdrawn ever since the girl had arrived, recovering some of his sense of humor, life (no pun intended) seeming to creep back into him slightly.

I had asked it once, and I would ask it again- what was it about the girl that changed others so much?

Marcus's amused voice interrupted my thoughts. "It seems you, like most of the guard, have adopted Bella's way of speaking."

Did he just say what I heard?

"I- what?"

"You are acting decidedly human Caius."

I was at a loss for words- something that only happened to-…. Humans.

I regained my voice. "What is the nonsense Marcus?"

"Bella. You are infatuated with her."

"What?" I was not infatuated with the girl. I hated her! The whole speech three nights ago had proven that! She was weak- a liability, and I could not stand her. "I am not infatuated with the girl Marcus. The years have addled your mind."

"Perhaps. But why then brother, is your mind constantly fixed upon her?"

I cursed my mind for being unable to form a response. She was constantly in my mind because she was so damn irritating! I was contemplating all plausible versions of her demise!

But of course, Marcus who now seemed to actually care for the girl, as impossible as it sounded, would not take well to my answer, so I decided to edit... "She is not." …a lot.

"Indeed?" Marcus quirked an eyebrow. I had an urge to punch him in the face. A habit I had picked up undoubtedly from the girl. "Then why is it that she is all you talk about? For the past week or so you have been ranting on about her for goodness knows how long!"

I gazed at him, dumbstruck.

He continued regardless. "You are always complaining of her presence, and when she is not there you are complaining of what she does when she is. I do not believe that ever since she has arrived you have ever had a single conversation without mentioning her once or twice."

Was he implying that I…. How could my brother… Even worse than Aro…

"And from that you gather that I am drawn to Isabella?" My voice was disbelieving, but it didn't hold as much venom as I wanted it to.

"You called her Isabella."

I bit my lip to keep myself from screaming at Marcus. A habit I had caught onto from the girl I realized. I cursed, and slouched lower into my throne, glaring at the doors opposite.

Where had the girl dragged Aro off to now? I could hear muted scratchy sounds of a- what were the called- television, and harsh canned laughter. Obviously what the girl had been playing on that small square box with flashing lights.

A few more covens came in with their various reports and issues.

I could barely concentrate- and for vampires that was a great feat in itself. For the first time in my almost-three thousand years, I felt utterly and completely bored and in contempt with the petty issues that the other covens brought up. As Isabe- the human, had said a while ago- they were stupid and timewasting. I almost missed the girl in the room- at least that strange box she had was a distraction.

But then, that was almost.

It occurred to me then, that if Marcus was making hints at the girl, it would not be without grounds. And Marcus could sense relationships. Should I ask?

A second later, I mentally disassembled myself and burned the pieces. On the day that I became a repulsive vegetarian vampire like the Cullens- which would never in my existence, ever happen- would be the day I asked that of my brother.

So we both sat on our thrones ignoring one another. I could not believe that Aro was still being distracted by that infernal contraption which was playing loud enough that I could hear the infernal laughter every ten seconds.

"…adora…"

My head snapped up. Had someone just said…

"I swear- I saw her- she was standing right then waiting for someone- I swear!"

"Who?" Marcus snapped.

I tried to pay attention. Marcus rarely snapped.

"Athenadora milords, she was in a small town somewhere south of here."

Athenadora?

Shock. Happiness. Anger. Fear…. Hope?

Emotions that I had not felt for centuries flooded through me, each more outrageous than the last. Shock? Happiness? Anger? Fear? Hope?

Shock. She could not be alive. She was dead- I saw her burned to ash.

Happiness? Impossible. I had not felt that emotion in centuries.

Anger. Yes, that was appropriate. How dare that vampire before us flaunt her name with such ease.

Fear? No. I did not feel fear. I didn't fear for anything. I barely cared for anything, and so fear was out of the question. But. But the fear was not only that. Fear that what the vampire said was true, and fear that it wasn't.

Hope. A second chance.

A second chance.

"Where?!" I snarled, out of my throne, and gripping the vampire by his shoulders- Mark, I thought his name was- before I myself had caught up with my actions.

The vampire leaned away from me slightly, afraid- as he well should be. "By the neighboring town Master- south of here- I saw her standing outside the gates as though waiting for someone."

For a split second I wished I was Aro- a horrible thought- and could read all the memories with the slightest touch.

I needed proof- and as Aro was otherwise distracted…

"Describe her to me." I spat, hating myself for asking favors of others.

"She… She… She had brown hair… With gold and red streaks, she was tall… and… She was… She was wearing a necklace… With something that looked like a bird… And…" The vampire was shaking with fear, but I had heard enough.

I waved a hand dismissing him, and emotions I had kept locked up, buried so deep I could barely remember them, flooded over me.

It was true.

She was alive.

I did not know how it was true- I did not care really- but it was true. Thank the fates that Aro was not here- he would have ordered me a full escort, and spent hours deliberating, checking every facet of the truth. Marcus would be far more lenient.

A smile crept up on my face, scaring the vampire who was still in my grasp to death- I released the vampire, and returned to my throne to give him a formal dismissal. He left- Corrin accompanying him.

I gave a quick nod to my brother- who inclined his head. He knew my thoughts exactly. If it was Didyme- my sister- he would not have hesitated to leave.

I was just about to leave- the sun be damned, when a heartbeat sounded, getting closer- and then Isabella came into view.

I felt a sudden rush of gratitude towards the girl for keeping Aro distracted, and I did not even berate myself to feeling that way. Athena had always managed to bring about the strangest emotions in me.

She walked over to us nervously, and I did not even have the heart to begin with a scathing comment.

"So…" she was alternating between looking at me, and Marcus. "What's up?"

I was so eager to be gone from here- to see Athena… "How in hell's name did you manage to stand five hours locked up in a room with my brother?" I asked, a hint of admiration creeping into my tone. I couldn't have cared less. In a few minutes I would be seeing Athena again…. Athena….

I could see Marcus almost gapping at me out of the corner of my eye.

"Um... I, well, we weren't really talking… We just watched TV…" she stammered out. The way she blushed was a duplicate of the way that Athena had when she was human. My eyebrows lifted- a truly admirable feat to stand being with my brother for more than a few minutes at a time.

She gave a slight uncomfortable nod before asking in a way that was rather amusing- "So… You're not mad?"

Hardly.

Grateful in fact.

I shrugged, the need to leave this place- to find Athena- why had she not come here instead? I thought she was dead! Was growing.

I saw shock and disbelief clear on her face, but I no longer had time for formalities. "I'll go talk to him." I said- I had no intension of seeing my brother- he would merely delay me with his speeches and organize a full party of the Volturi to accompany me- but this was something I had to do myself. Unbelievable happiness bubbling up inside me. It was almost beyond belief how much Athena had affected me… At first I had been angry beyond reckoning, now she had transformed me into a lovesick fool- and I did not even mind.

I winked at Isabella- something that shocked me halfway to death- and by the look on her face, her too, and ran lightly out of the room.

I needed to see Athena.

Now.