There were so many questions, I didn't even know where to start. It would probably be for the best if I started out innocently.

"Has Esme always been the head of the company?"

"She has been the head of the company since I've started, but old man Stenton mentioned the place used to be under control by a woman named Sulpicia. She was Aro's first wife."

"Aro, that's Alice's father right? He had been married to Esme as well."

"Yes, apparently Aro and Sulpicia were unable to have a child, so they arranged for Esme to carry Aro's child. He needed an heir. That's when Alice was born. I guess… Esme and Aro ended up falling in love… to some degree… and kicked Sulpicia out of the loop."

I'm sure there might have been more to this story. But Katlyn probably wouldn't have the finer details of it.

"So, Esme ends up breaking things off with Aro, once she meets Carlisle. Edward and Emmett's father."

Katlyn's demeanor changed slightly, just the most subtle twitch to her lips. "Esme began to have an affair with Carlisle only a few years after Alice was born. Which ended her marriage to Aro."

"So, where is Aro now, I wonder…"

"I've been told that he has stepped into the position as the leader over the Galen reapers. It happened recently." Katlyn commented.

That was a little shocking to hear. I hadn't even considered that Aro may pop back into the picture. If he was the one controlling the Galen reapers… does this mean the peace between the two companies may end? I couldn't imagine that he would accept being allies with his ex-wife. What would this mean for the future?

I sat with this information for a while. Letting it fully sink in. This really only created more questions that I desperately wanted answers to.

"Do you think our alliance with Galen will continue?"

Katlyn shrugged. "It's hard to say. With Aro taking command… I'm not very confident that we will be working with Galen anymore."

"Why is that? Because of his relationship with Esme?"

Again, Katlyn made a peculiar face. I couldn't get a read on her. There was no telling what she was thinking. Which made me believe that I was getting close to a piece of information that Edward didn't want me to know about. Or maybe something that's a secret of the company.

"There is a reason that Edward selected me, to be part of his guard." She instantly turned the conversation to a different direction.

"What reason is that?"

"I can't tell a lie. It's… a price of my abilities." She lightly curled a piece of her blonde locks around her finger. "No one can tell me a lie… and in turn, I can't lie either."

"That's an interesting ability, I've never heard of something like that. I'm guessing honesty matters a lot to Edward?"

"Master Edward has always hated dishonesty. It became even more-so when Tanya was caught in the midst of her affair with Jasper. It was a huge betrayal." Katlyn said with a glum look. "I didn't think he would ever put trust in someone again. But then you came along."

I truly hoped that Edward did trust me. I would do anything to earn his complete faith.

"So, is there something you aren't allowed to tell me?"

Katlyn paused, another tremor shook her lips for a second. "Yes, there are several things that Edward doesn't want me to tell you. And even more things that Esme doesn't want others to know about. The only reason that I know these things is because of my abilities. People I come into contact with, tend to share their secrets… whether they like it or not."

It sounded like a truly frightening ability. But I wasn't afraid. There was nothing I had to hide. "I'm sure having that power is taxing on you."

Katlyn seemed a little taken off guard by my comment. A dainty smile came to her face. "You are a very compassionate woman, Bella. I truly think you are the perfect person to be Edward's life partner."

"Thank you for saying that. It means a lot. When I first decided to take this position I was prepared to not make any friends… I figured I would be the outcast amongst a group of reapers. But I really do hope we can be friends." I said with a warm smile.

I really liked talking with Katlyn. It was so easy. Like breathing. I'm sure we would get along well. She was nothing like Jacob.

"I'd be honored to be your friend. Believe it or not, but I don't have many friends…" She said quietly.

The two of us moved to lighter topics for a while. Mostly about her time with the company. The souls she has encountered. Death and sadness. Most of the other reapers didn't have a strong emotion towards reaping human souls, but to Katlyn it was a very off-putting experience. She didn't enjoy it. So, she had been relieved that she had been moved to a guard position. She liked the idea of protecting someone, instead of witnessing all the horrors of death.

At times we paused in conversation to just sit quietly and watch from the balcony, as the city of Boswel began to slow down. Traffic had calmed down. Less and less people crowded the sidewalks. You could hear police sirens off in the distance, invisible to us. The sun was beginning to sink down lower into the sky. The temperature was cooling down.

I chewed my lip as Jacob popped back into my head. Before I couldn't stop myself, words came tumbling past my lips. "I wonder if Jacob is alright."

Katlyn gave me a curious look. "Why are you worried about Jacob?"

I felt the urge to lie. I didn't really want to talk about Jacob. But my body wouldn't allow me to hold anything back. This must have been her abilities taking hold of me. "Worried is a strong word. Honestly, I just want to know what is going on in his head. I feel sorry for him… I want to help him. But there is just something about him that I don't trust. He lies. But I still don't want to lose him as part of my guard."

Katlyn nodded, heaving a sigh. "Jacob is a complicated man. He is more broken than he allows people to see. He has a dark past. One that he doesn't wish for others to know about."

"Does Edward know about his past?"

"Not all of it. And it really isn't my business to say any more on the subject. I'd like to respect his privacy."

"Right," I sighed deeply as well. "I just really wanted to know… if I should give him another chance… because I'm prepared to write him off completely."

"Edward picked Jacob for more than just his abilities against devourers. At one point, they had been really close friends. But when Aro and Esme divorced, Aro took Jacob with him."

"Why would he do that?"

"Aro had adopted him, in a way. Right around the time Alice was born. Esme found him, alone. On the verge of becoming a devourer. They took him in. Treated him like he was their prized possession. Mostly because of his abilities. But when their relationship ended, Jacob went willingly with Aro."

"That's a bit surprising. Edward and Emmett haven't really shown any sign of remotely liking him… or trusting him." I pointed out.

Katlyn hesitated to speak. "Esme has a huge influence over her sons. When she speaks, they believe her every word. And sometimes, Esme takes advantage of that. Sometimes the things she tells them… aren't completely honest."

So in other words, she must have filled their heads with lies surrounding Jacob. She made him out to be a bad person. Someone not to trust. I could only guess she did this out of spite. Against Aro.

It was sad. Jacob might not have deserved that. But now the question remains. If Jacob is loyal to Aro… and Aro is now leading over the Galen reapers… does that mean I shouldn't trust him? I couldn't ignore the fact that the replenishing station had human souls in it. Edward said it himself. He had reason to believe that someone had done this on purpose, a rival company. It had to be the Galen reapers… Aro wanted to take down his ex-wife's company. It made perfect sense.

So is Jacob truly still an ally? Or is he working for Aro?

Katlyn suddenly stood up from her seat, moving to bow down on one knee. She kept her head lowered. Right on time for Edward to appear, nearly out of thin air. He stood on the balcony, gray dust falling from his shoulders. His arms were crossed, a hard look on his face.

"I see you have been chatty today Katlyn. I hope you have been careful with the details." His tone was frigid. Not at all like the way he speaks to me. There was no warmth, or kindness. There was a firm, professional edge to each word. It made me instantly feel bad for Katlyn. I shouldn't have pushed for information.

"I was very careful, master."

I frowned a bit, standing up from my seat as well. I fought the urge to leap into Edward's arms. It was difficult to ignore the reaction my body had to him. Shivers rolled over my shoulders, my thoughts weren't clear. I became vividly aware of my heart pounding in my chest.

Edward's emerald eyes landed on me, a smirk came to his face, before he opened his arms to me. "Come,"

There was no way I could deny him. Running on pure instincts, I closed the distance between us, melting into his side. His arm wrapped around me as he swept down to kiss the top of my head. I could feel the tension wrestling around inside of him, vanish. A calmer demeanor took hold of him. And within myself, I felt an inner tranquility. Everything was right in the world, when I was in his arms.

"You are dismissed Katlyn, thank you for watching over Bella." His words were much softer now.

Katlyn lifted her head, making eye contact with both Edward and me. There was a startled look on her face, but a tiny smile appeared on her lips. She bowed her head once more, before disappearing in a cloud of dust.

I don't think I will ever get used to that. Reapers can just appear and reappear. Like a phantom. It was unsettling at times. This was something that all reapers had the ability to do. At times, I forgot that Edward was a supernatural being. This was usually what reminded me.

The two of us made our way back inside my apartment. Edward began to brew a pot of coffee, while I reheated some of the spaghetti that Katlyn had made. It turns out, since Edward had been late today, he was forced to be on call tonight. It previously would have been Emmett's duties tonight. So, Edward wouldn't be going to sleep. He would have to stay awake incase someone called him, or he was needed on a last minute job.

I didn't even want to know the extent of the drama that transpired between the two brothers. But I was sure it was heated. Edward's business attire was a bit disheveled. Small rips on the material around his shoulders, his tie was missing. These little things suggested there had been a physical altercation. I decided not to ask for details.

It was nearing seven o'clock. We sat at the table, having dinner together quietly. He filled me in on how his day had gone. And by the sounds of it, a lot happened. It was clear that Edward was stressed. Felix was proving to be difficult. His condition was still poor. He couldn't seem to get control over himself. He has been reduced to something closer to a wild animal. Lashing out at anyone and anything that came near him. Even Heidi. Who apparently was his baby sister.

There wasn't anything we could do for them at the moment. It was a waiting game. Edward mentioned that this could take weeks, or even months for Aaron to come back to his senses. But it was also entirely possible that he would permanently remain as he is now. Which was heartbreaking. At that point, they wouldn't be allowed to let him live. He would be too dangerous, to not just humans, but to reapers as well.

With everything that was going on it left me with a lot of uncertainties. A lot of this was out of my control. But there were so many good things going for me right now. A new job - that would allow me to provide the finances that Ana needed. A new and epic love - Edward, the most mysterious and wonderful man I've ever come in contact with. Of course there are other smaller things, like a cell phone, and a reliable car. I was even beginning to make some friends. There wasn't much that I could complain about, for once in my life. With all that good, there were some things I would have to take care of. By the sounds of it, my mother was struggling with alcohol again. If she starts blowing the money that I'm sending home on beer, this is going to start a big problem. And with the threat of an enemy company attempting to sabotage the company I work for, I had no plans on sitting on the side-lines. I would help Edward and Emmett get to the bottom of who is involved. Felix and Heidi didn't deserve to have their lives ruined. I'll do whatever it takes.

A/N: This takes the story to the halfway point. The next chapter will have a sizeable time skip ahead. So, it may take me a few solid days to have the next chapter ready. So, if you notice that I haven't updated yet, don't be worried, I'm just going to really take my time and make sure the time skip to smooth, makes sense. I hope you are all enjoying the read.