Decided to throw this chapter together so that I can spend more time sketching the rest of the story. SM owns twilight.

Marcus POV

Aro, Caius, and I were sitting in Aro's office after they had practically dragged me from my room moments ago. I was still in shock about what Bella had revealed to me about what she's been seeing, more specifically who she's been seeing. Had Didyme really been alive this entire time, and now she's doing some sort of astral projection to get help? Why couldn't it have been me? Wasn't I her love, her life, her best friend? How can I feel so betrayed by someone who probably is still dead. What if Bella was wrong? She was still very traumatized and unhealthy, maybe she'd seen the painting in my room and then her mind played tricks. Even with that explanation, I knew that she wouldn't make this up. What was going on?

"Brothers we seem to have an arising issue at hand. The Cullens have called and informed me that one of their members, Esme, is missing and there has been an increase of activity from the moon children in North America. They will be coming in a few hours for help, and I want for the trial to happen soon after. Since Marcus has still made things unclear about his intentions with Bella, I have also decided that she will be turned on a chosen date and join the Elite Guard. Eleazar will come with the Cullens to help reveal what Bella's abilities are." Aro said.

"Absolutely not!" I screamed.

"Marcus, the girl was brought here to either be turned or to die. I feel that this decision is the best one for this situation, and with Laurent still out there her safety is not at a high." Aro replied.

" I'll be her guard if need be, or I'll appoint someone to her. Aro, she is ill and still needs to heal, a change could kill her because her heart is still weak. I will not let her life be subject to your plans for her." I shot back.

"Brother, this was going to happen, I don't understand why you are upset."

"Because you're making all of these decisions without consulting me, her life isn't just something we can pull strings on."

Caius started laughing humorlessly, and put his gaze on me.

"What did you think was going to happen when you saved her from me Marcus? For god's sake be realistic here. You don't even know a thing about her except for the fact she's in a weak point in her futile life, and her preferred name. Have you even looked up her information while she's been here or were you just to busy taking care of her like an injured dog. I don't know what bond you have to her, but you better make a choice here soon. I may not like this human, but I'm not blind to see that she's had a very positive impact on you. However seeing how losing Didyme affected you, what will you do if your little human dies or decides to stop playing house with you? Not even I, your sire and brother, could bring you back but this human could." Caius said icily.

"Are you jealous of Bella? Is this what this is about Caius, a human comes in and gives me the closest thing to hope for this infinite hell, and you're jealous you couldn't do that?" I countered.

"..."

"Have you ever been so lost that you couldn't seem to find an ounce of self motivation to help you get out? Didyme was the first person besides my mother to ever show me what a healthy and real love looks like from another human. And because you damned us to this life she was ripped away on the very ground we walk on."

"I damned you? You all would have died by that plague if it weren't for me, and look at what we've been able to do because of me!" Caius said and slapped me hard across the cheek. "For hundreds of years I watched you in pain, and every single day I thought that it was my fault. That just like the city I once ruled, my greed for control ruined the life of someone else. I can't fix or change what happened with our sister, so stop punishing me for her disappearance. Didyme was not the only one who loved you."

I was stunned to silence as I took in Caius's words. Had I really done so much damage to those around me?

"As touching as this could potentially be... I hear some commotion with some of the guard and think it may be about our human." Aro said and walked to the door. We all moved along the corridors in silence until we came to the end of a hall. Bella was completely void of color as she looked at something invisible beside her, and Santiago was slightly shaking her. He moved out of the way as I approached, and smelled something off about Bella.

"We don't know what happened? She tracked me here, got hungry, and later got like this." Demitri said quickly.

I walked over to her and saw Bella's lips moving in the smallest of movements, and her eyes were moving frantically under her lids. If I hadn't known any better I would have thought she was having some sort of attack on her body from a human illness, but I new Didyme must have taken her. I put my hands on both sides of her face, and turned her face towards mine.

"Bella, this is Marcus. You're standing in the castle right now and you were with Felix, Demitri, and Santiago. Follow the sound of my voice and walk away from her, she can't hurt you there and she won't follow you back here." I say to her.

I kept talking to her to try to ground her, and eventually it worked. Her eyes started to move less frantically, color started to return back to her cheeks, and her breathing and heart beat started to even out. She blinked and when she opened her eyes I could see that she was back, and wrapped my arms around her.

"What the hell just happened?" Caius asked.

"Why don't we let Bella eat and then she can tell us in my office. Felix, Demitri, and Santiago why don't you see that the Cullens and Eleazar are moved in when they arrive." Aro said.

They nodded and left, leaving Bella and my brothers with me.

"Can you walk alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, I just need some food in my system to make up for... Where's the kitchen."

"Can someone explain?''

"Caius, patience. I'll bring Bella once she's fed, now excuse us." I said and started walking away with Bella. The short walk was silent, and luckily Gianna was cooking again.

"You're on time for once... oh dear did you just wake up Bella or are you ill?" Gianna said.

Bella gave a small smile obviously not wanting to speak, as G gave her a bowl of meat stew. Bella ate in silence and I could see that something was bothering her, but respected her need for space. After she was done, we bid Gianna goodnight and went to Aro's office.

"Finally, they're here." Caius said as we sat.

Why was he suddenly so interested in Bella?

"So Bella, care to explain that episode?" Aro said.

Nodding much to slowly, Bella opened her mouth and started crying instead of speaking, and when this continued for a few more moments, Aro started speaking.

"Bella, it is obvious something is upsetting you, but we can't help you if you don't tell us what's wrong. What happened in the hall." He said.

Collecting herself s little, Bella pulled down the neckline of her shirt a little to reveal what looked like a sand clock over her heart.

"Sh-she connected my energy to her, and if I don't find her body in time I'll die. Not even the change can save me." Bella said, and cried again.

"Who is she?" Caius asked.

"Based on information Bella has recently given, we believe that Didyme has an astral projection of some sort reaching out to Bella." I answered, and started to comfort her.

"That's..."

"Impossible we know, but that doesn't answer what the connection to each other is."

Silence hung in the air, besides Bella's slowing breathing as some sort of sleep fell on her. Even though I didn't know the entirety of what she had just seen, I found myself angered that her life was threatened. Even by Didyme.

That was when I realized the truth. My truth.

When Bella arrived I thought that our bond was whatever she needed me to be, but now I realized how wrong I was. I needed her to be what I needed. I needed to hear her laugh, I needed to see her smile, I needed to see her well, but more importantly. I needed her as the true mate she is. I was so reluctant for her needs to be met, that I was ignoring my own. I loved Didyme as my first, but we both knew we weren't the other's mate. I even saw that but I ignored it, but right now I couldn't ignore the woman in my arms or the feelings I had.

Bella was meant to be my mate, and right now my mate was being threatened.

Sorry for the length, I'll make it up in the next few chapters.

What did you think?