Twilight 1. Chapter 1

**BULLETPROOF**

This is a new story that I had rolling around in my head. This story is Carlisle and Edward, however for a first for me it is AU and AH.

Twilight and its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

This does not mean I will not be completing Jealousy or starting the third in that trilogy. Both of these are in the works and will be completed.

Please let me know what you think of this tale as I will be guided by interest as to continuing the story.

* * *

Seriously, who had bullet proof glass in the shower?

Well now Edward knew who did, but that just raised a whole gamut of questions he was not even willing to think about at this moment.

Wearing a plush white robe, Edward sat on the king sized bed in his boyfriend's penthouse apartment, holding a wad of surgical swab against his thigh. He tried to ignore the red stain seeping through the cloth, holding it firmly as per his doctor boyfriend's orders. His injury, while slight, could have been larger or fatal, had not the glass in the large shower been armoured.

The shower in Carlisle Cullen's penthouse was on a scale that Edward had never seen. It was effectively a large bathroom suite within the master bedroom, encircled by switchable privacy glass on three sides; which had the ability to be completely translucent or opaque at the flip of a switch. The fourth wall was a 20 foot high stone clad wall. Inside the room were four steps down into a sunken floor that served as both shower and spa and consisting of a massive shower head, handheld sprays and taps.

At the moment of the attack Carlisle had pushed Edward down into the empty pool area away from the gunman, however the bullet impacts had caused glass shrapnel over area, which Edward inadvertently fell onto.

o.o.o

Carlisle stood the door to the devastated bathroom, now shielded by large drop sheets concealing the gruesome scene. Carlisle was speaking to two heavily armed men who had the manner of law enforcement but were clearly not police; also present was a well groomed man in a tailored suit and tie. The latter seemed out of place in the situation, not that Edward would have ever thought Carlisle would have looked right in such a place either, the well-dressed man seemed be coordinating the scene, however Carlisle was clearly in charge. As if aware of Edward's gaze Carlisle turned to look at the younger man and sighed when Edward quickly turned away, folding his body into itself in an attempt to hide from notice.

Carlisle confirmed that the clean-up was under control and excused himself; heading toward to the clearly distressed young man who was trying to become invisible. He knelt in front of Edward, taking the compress from him and lifting it to examine the injury. Carlisle was relieved that the limit of Edward's injury were a number of lacerations from the glass; that did not appear to required sutures.

After Carlisle had disposed of their attacker, he had carried a barely conscious Edward into the bedroom. He had called his security team, who had already been alerted by the gunfire. While waiting for aid he had focussed on Edward, his medical training allowed him to make quick work of assessing Edward' injuries and remove the shards of glass from his beautiful boys leg.

Edward had revived just as he completed cleaning the wound and rather than wrap his boyfriends leg, gave him the task of holding the bandage so to provide the young man something to focus on while Carlisle was taken away by the security team.

Retrieving a sterile bandage from his medical kit, Carlisle applied an antiseptic spray and then wrapped the wound, all the while trying to make eye contact with Edward.

"I would like to keep this bandaged up overnight and check it again in the morning," he kept his voice soft trying to determine what Edward was thinking. The attack had been sudden in both its execution and conclusion; an traitorous member of his staff had made the assassination attempt which he had dealt with efficiently with one of the many weapons secured around his home.

However looking at Edward he now suspected the duration would be longer than the war. The young man had been ignorant as to Carlisle's alternate career and looking at him now he was not taking it well.

He looked up as the young man speaks softly.

"I want to go home. NOW!" Edward declared as his hands start to shake, gripping together to stop the tremors.

"Tomorrow, baby. I promise," Carlisle murmured. "You need to rest, and we need to talk," Edward lowered his head and started to sniff, trying unsuccessfully to keep tears at bay. Carlisle reached for him only for Edward to move rapidly to the other side of the bed.

"Ok! Ok!" Carlisle lifted his hands and rose from the floor.

"I will get Carmen to assist you to the guest room," Carmen was one of the few staff that Edward had met on his previous visits, "Get some sleep and I will explain everything in the morning."

Carlisle was not sure how and what he would tell Edward, but he needed to word it carefully. He cared for the young man and would do anything to turn back time to early this evening; he would have gone with his original plan to take Edward to a late show at the movies and go home with his boyfriend and share homemade ice-cream in his family kitchen. But no they had been keen to move their relationship up a notch and Edward felt, and Carlisle agreed, that time away from the same roof as mother, would help Edward relax.

Watching a trembling Edward being escorted by his house manager, Carlisle knew that their plans were for naught and he would be lucky if Edward every spoke to him, let alone be willing to continue a relationship with him.

Packing his medical kit Carlisle noticed his colleague quietly waiting for his attention. He sighed and followed the men into the bathroom where the body of his attacker had been moved to a body bag and the room cleaned. The only remaining item was the installation of new toughened glass, which had demonstrated as being well worth the cost. Trying not to think of what could have been, or what he may have lost, he returned to the matter at hand.

o.o.o

Edward followed Carmen to the penthouse guest room. He had stayed in the room only once before; before he and Carlisle had started to become physical which, he remembered with a smile had happened the next day. Ignoring Carmen as she asked if he needed anything, he looked around and noticed his tuxedo and a pair of sleep pants on the dresser.

He thought of having a shower, of washing himself clean of the fear and violence; however the very thought made him shake and he ran to the toilet retching violently. Suddenly Carmen was sitting behind him, rubbing his back and making soothing noises. Turning, Edward grabbed the young woman and started to sob, continually whimpering, "I want to go home."

After a while he calmed to a point that Carmen was able to dress him in the sleep pants and put him to bed, leaving a cup of herbal tea beside the bed to help him calm and rest. She watched as he brought the cup to his lips and sipped the soothing liquid, he smiled at her in thanks. Carmen watched as he sat up in preparation to finish his drink and promising she would be close by, she left the room. Edward got up and poured the contents of the cup down the hand sink, he had no doubts that his doctor boyfriend would have ensured that the drink would have a sedative included in the ingredients, and as tempting as it was to fall into a dreamless sleep, he was afraid to under Carlisle's roof.

Lying flat on his back, he tried to work out how he ended up in this situation; what clues had he missed that such violence was a part of, and prepared for, within Carlisle's life?

Tears started to roll down his cheeks, "Carlisle please, let me go home," he sobbed.


	2. Chapter 2

**BULLETPROOF**

Twilight and its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

I would like to thank you all for your kind and supportive words. I do love the characters of Carlisle and Edward and it is nice to hear that others do as well.

Now the story continues…by heading into the past.

* * *

Edwards parents Elizabeth and Edward Snr were native New Yorkers, his father a respected investment banker and his mother a singer and actor who performed both on and off Broadway; but was most known for her contributions to the arts community.

Their most valuable contribution was Edward himself. At the age of three Edward was singing along with his mother, he would go to the theater with her and would be found off stage reciting the lyrics. His mother was determined that he would follow in her footsteps on the stage, however this changed dramatically one day when she was in the middle of a read through and a stage hand came searching for Elizabeth.

Concerned as to what Edward had gotten into, she walked onto stage, surprised that the majority of performers and staff were surrounding the orchestra pit.

Looking down she was shocked to find her four year old son sitting on a pile of music books to allow him to reach the keys and stage blocks tied to his feet to try and press the peddles. While he was having little success with the peddles, his playing on the keys was flawless.

It was not until he finished did the little boy look up to see everyone watching him. Elizabeth could see the moment when her sensitive young man panicked, thinking he was in trouble. She raced off stage and into the orchestra pit, picking him up and hugged him fiercely.

Even at four, Edward knew that his life's direction was chosen. He always knew that playing and creating music was what he wanted to do. Thankfully his parents were not blind as to think that he could live only on music training. He was sent to the best schools and tutors, allowing him to embrace his musical heritage and potential, but also give him a solid grounding in those subject to help him to manage his own career and run a business should he wish to write professionally. The only request he made in respect to his education was that he never board at school, even if there were opportunities interstate or overseas.

As he got older, his requests to stay at home became more determined, even when his mother had found a unique music boarding school which had been very keen to have Edward join them at the unprecedented age of 12 years old and offering a full scholarship for the boy. Edward had refused and declared that he would prefer to be home tutored instead. Edward's position was of some concern to his parents, the young man had limited experience with young people of his own age and they felt that he was too much of a homebody.

Edward himself knew that he was different, and not just in his IQ or musical talent. He had discovered at the age of ten that he found some of the young male performers at the theatre attractive. At the age of twelve this vague interest expanded when his awkward attraction was reciprocated by 14 year old Demetri; who was visiting from Italy with his father Eleazar. The two young men hit it off and would often climb to the roof of the theatre and talk. The day before Demetri left they shared a brief kiss, sealing in Edward's mind that he was gay.

While he was sure that his parents would be at least accepting of his homosexuality, he was unsure enough to keep this secret to himself particularly since his parents were already starting to invite girls his age to their parties to keep him company. In the end he kept his silence to not be a bother to them.

At the age of fourteen, Edward was invited to perform at a charity function along with Rosalie Hale a 16 year old cellist of high standard. Edward liked Rosalie, and enjoyed her company; she was fun and did not take life too seriously.

From very early on Rosalie knew that there was something different about Edward and would act as his buffer to the girls and young women the various mothers would surround him with.

One evening Rosalie's mother insisted that the young woman be introduced to an older conductor of some prestige and importance. Edward was left to his own devices and was quickly paired with a young girl of his age. Bella was the daughter of one of the main contributors; however at the age of 16 she was already a professional socialite, running events with her mother.

When he asked what she would do after school she laughed and flipped her hair, informing him that she had finished with school and would continue assisting her mother until she married and supported her future husband.

Over the next few weeks his parents, and of course Edward, were invited to more events than usual. At each event he noticed that Rosalie was absent and he was once again paired with Bella, who became more vapid and less appealing with every meeting. Two months of this he was at an end of show bump out event, at which both he and Rosalie had performed. He had missed her a lot and was keen to catch up with her outside of work.

This however seemed unlikely as Bella pushed herself into the mix, dragging him around the room. He finally pleaded the need to use the bathroom, escaping to the toilet trying to determine how to escape Bella. He opened the bathroom door to find Bella in the doorway; she pushed him back into the room and pounced, kissing him furiously. Horrified to find any woman's, let alone her, mouth on him he pushed her aside.

"Please don't Bella," he begged.

She grabbed him again, moving one hand uncomfortably close to his crotch. "Come on Edward, I know you want to. All that time together, everyone expects it, why fight it?" She moved her face towards him again, he tore himself away, pushing her from the door, "Bella no, I do not want this."

He left the room searching desperately for Rosalie. He found her in main room and seeing his distress Rosalie took him to one of the private rooms, where he spilled out the whole story; including how revolted he was at the kiss and actually retched at the thought of having had Bella's mouth against his. They sat together quietly as he calmed, only to jump when the door burst open; Bella, his and her parents entering the room.

"See, here he is with her," Bella screeched. "First he forces himself on me and then goes to this tramp. He has been leading me on, all the time cavorting with her."

"What?" Edward yelled.

Edwards father stepped forward, "is it true that you and Bella were in the bathroom together and that you kissed?" he asked.

"Yes, but…" Edward started but Bella screeched over the top of him, "you see he admits forcing me, after leading me on."

"No!" Edward yelled eyes wide. "That's not what happened, she came on to me. She forced her way into the men's restroom and threw herself at me." He looked pleadingly to his parents, "I would never…"

Bella scoffed turned on Rosalie. "You never would? Really! What have you been doing with her all this time then? Maybe not so sweet and innocent as Mother and Father think you are."

"No, I don't, I can't" Edward stammered, he looked pleadingly at Rosalie. His friend could not stand it any longer, Edward may hate her but so be it, these accusations were only going to get worse.

Rosalie stood, "Bella there is no fear of Edward having 'played' with other young women and he definitely would not have 'forced' himself onto you."

"Rose! No!" Edward pleaded.

"I am sorry Edward, but they need to know." At this Elizabeth Cullen sucked in a breath, how was she so blind, she who had forced many of these young women onto her son.

"Edward," his mother clasped his hand in both of hers, "are you gay?"

Bella gasped as Edward turned towards his parents and whispered, "I am sorry."

Elizabeth and Edward Snr were shocked at their sons apology, Edward Snr directed Bella's parents to escort her firmly out of the room. He looked at Rosalie, who smiled softly as she stepped towards Edward and gave him a firm hug, whispering "It will be ok," and then left the room.

The Cullen family sat and talked for a long while. Edward realised he had done his parents a disservice. In the end nothing had changed, except his mother apologised in advance of having more than a passing interest in any young man that may come his way. They all laughed and everything was ok.

o.o.o

As the years went by Edward's career progressed and his repertoire expanded as he mastered a wide variety of instruments; however piano was always his first love. Despite his mother's continuous efforts to introduce Edward to eligible young men, Edward focused on his career and supporting her charities.

However Edward could not be blind to a number of handsome gay men capturing his attention at functions. The most striking of these was a young doctor in his late twenties, Carlisle Cullen.

Unlike some of the charity attendees, Carlisle loved the arts. His family had been clients of Edward Snr for many years and the young man had only recently returned from studying in London and was keen to take up the family role as patron.

The first time Edward saw Carlisle, he had an equally handsome young man on his arm, named Felix. Felix was the youngest son of a local property developer and known to be the 'close friend' to a number of high profile gay men. He and Rosalie had smiled to themselves as to the speed in which Felix had worked to capture the eye of the social newcomer.

It was two more events in as many months before Edward was formally introduced to Carlisle by his father. The introduction had been delayed as Edward Snr had been away for business, leaving Edward and his mother to keep themselves to their own social group.

Upon his return Edward Snr was keen to have his son meet the young doctor if only to introduce his son to a young gay man who was a perfect professional and was becoming as respected in the community as Carlisle's late father had been. Edward Snr believed that his son's social interactions were becoming limited to other musicians and artists, and while the older man had no problems with that community, he knew that Edward would need to develop a wider social sphere. He felt that it was time for his son to grow into his independence, managing his own career and finances and trusting his own choices. He knew that Carlisle Cullen could show Edward how to present himself as a professional and respected young man.

At his father's encouragement Edward held out his hand to Dr Cullen.

"It is nice to finally be introduced Edward," Carlisle commented warmly. "Your father has spoken much of you and your talents; I am quite envious of your musical skills."

Edward blushed at the praise. "Thank you Carlisle. How are your settling into life here?"

Carlisle smiled, "Well it is great being home, but I am still finding my feet at the hospital."

Carlisle started telling of his first few days in his new job, Edward listening with keen interest. After a while Edward Snr left the pair sitting on a divan and chatting about the importance of finding the balance between work and relaxation.

Edward's mother came to let them know that everyone was leaving. They both looked up surprised before standing.

"Thank you for the lovely evening," Carlisle extended his hand out which Edward took in a firm handshake.

"Hopefully we will catch up again soon." Edward smiled shyly and followed his mother outside.

o.o.o

Edward did not see Carlisle for a couple of months, he had been commissioned to write an orchestral piece and escaped to his private studio apartment known only to his parents, himself and one other. While his mother had been originally concerned that her 16 year old son would be unable to manage alone, Edward Snr pointed out that the apartment was serviced by trusted member of staff and the boy could cook better than either of them, having been taught by chef.

During this time, Elizabeth and Edward Snr were asked by many, including Carlisle, as to where Edward was. Edward Snr was keen to let Carlisle know that his son was not purposefully avoiding him but a scowl from his wife stopped him from telling the doctor where Edward was.

o.o.o

Edward sat at his piano, arms resting on his thighs. He had performed a final run through of his composition and was letting himself decompress. He had spoken to his father earlier in the morning assuring Edward Snr that the composition would be completed before his 17th birthday the next day.

Packing up his work including the final copy and recordings of the score, Edward headed towards his family home reminding himself to ask Renata to close up the apartment. On reaching home he slipped up to his bedroom leaving his work on the desk and quickly changing before heading to the kitchen to beg for something sweet. He found Renata and Chef chatting and quickly foraged a cup of coffee and piece of homemade slice. They chat quietly, catching Edward up on the coming and goings of the house while he was away. It was only as the automatic curtains closed that the three realised that both Elizabeth and Edward Snr had yet to arrive home.

Edward stood reaching for his mobile phone, realising he must have left it upstairs. He went back up to his room to find that he had ten missed calls, five from his mother and five from an unknown number. He went to dial his mother and jumped when his phone rang from the other number.

"Hello, who is this?" Edward asked quietly as dread seeped into his bones.

The eve of Edward's 17th birthday, Edward Snr passed away in hospital. Edward had found out from his mother that his father had not been feeling well over the previous fortnight, had rapidly declined while the two have been shopping for Edward's birthday, and was rushed to hospital after collapsing and was in a critical condition.

Edward arrived at the hospital in time to witness his father being given the last rights. He sat with Edward Snr, holding his hand, while his mother sat on the other side. Edward Snr opened his eyes and tried to sit up; Edward leaned closer to his father who pulled his son closer. The dying man kissed Edward on cheek and whispered, "I love you both." He lapsed into a coma and passed away within the hour.

Sitting outside of his father's hospital room, Edward was oblivious to the activity as his father's body was prepared for the funeral home. Edward suddenly became aware as a person sat close by him. He looked up to find Dr Cullen sitting beside him. The gorgeous man looked at Edward gravely then opened his arms, at the invitation Edward threw himself into the other arms and started to sob hysterically.

At the sound of her son crying Elizabeth Masen looked out at the room, seeing he was in good hands she returned to sitting vigil at her deceased husband's beside.

o.o.o

At Carlisle's suggestion, Edward took six months off from performing, giving himself time to grieve. He took the opportunity to reconcile the family legal and financial situation. It turned out the family accounts were sound and well contained. Edward knew his father liked things in order, but he had not expected the arrangements and investments to be so tightly maintained, almost as if Edward Snr had known in advance the need for them to be in order.

The only matter that Edward and his mother eventually needed to make was in regards to the numerous properties that the family owned, and after much discussion Edward and his mother decided to sell a number of apartments, only keeping the New York, London, Sydney and Rome houses. Edward also kept his own personal apartment which was his first purchase out of his trust that he gained access to at 16.

A regular presence during this time was Dr Carlisle Cullen. Edward found Carlisle to be a good sounding board, helping Edward understand much of the business areas that his father had planned to teach him once he turned 17. Carlisle was a good mentor and Edward was grateful for his help.

Once he returned to work Edward saw less of Carlisle, he had chosen to stick close to home after accepting an offer to perform for a six month show and in attempt to fight the continuing grief and depression, he threw his body and mind into the production.

On the few occasions his mother or Rosalie would force him to leave the house, he begged off charity functions and instead joined them at dinner and once took his mother to a matinee showing of Casablanca, his father's favourite movie, for his parents wedding anniversary.

Other than going out on these few outings, Edward had become a recluse. It was only after he had begged off a number of dinners with his Mother that Rosalie took matters into her own hands. She insisted Edward join her in meeting a potential backer for a collaboration piece. It was something that they had always planned to do and Edward could never say no to her.

Waiting at the restaurant that Rose has booked, Edward huffed quietly. Rosalie had rung a few moments earlier to say she would be late; the phone had dropped out before he could ask who he was meeting. Edward sat alone for a while before deciding to wait fifteen more minutes before leaving.

Just as he was about to get up to leave there was movement at the table. He looked up to see Carlisle Cullen standing beside him. Carlisle smiled and leant down, running his hand gently down Edward's cheek. Two large tears followed down Edward's cheeks, which became sobs as Carlisle sat next to the young man, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

After that night the pair did not go two days without seeing each other.


	3. Chapter 3

**BULLETPROOF**

Twilight and its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

Again thank you all for your support of this story, inspiration has been very much driven by your comments and reviews.

I cannot say that the updates will continue as rapid as they have been this week, but at the moment I am motivated by this story.

To those of who have asked, I give you…Carlisle!

* * *

Carlisle walked out his office ensuite having washed all remnants of the would be assassins blood from under his finger nails. He was furious, there had been no intelligence that the member of his staff was in anyway linked to any enemies of either himself or his family.

He had contacted Italy and London once the body had been removed, to rant at the respective areas responsible for maintaining the safety of himself and his patients. When he had finally spoken to his uncle he had broken down as the stress and realisation that he might have lost, may still loose, Edward who had been collateral damage in the fire fight.

Edward! The beautiful young man currently in his guest room. Carlisle would never have thought he would fall for a young man ten years his junior, someone who was so talented and wonderful, but also so innocent in the ways of the world.

Carlisle had first met Edward Snr in London at a hospital charity gala that Edward Snr was attending on behave of his employer. It was a good five years ago and they had been paired up by chance, discovering that they had similar tastes in music and art. Edward Snr had talked about his talented son with exceptional pride, and while Carlisle did initially think it was simply a parents over enthusiastic embellishments of their child talents, Carlisle had performed searches online for the, at the time, 13 year old child to find that Edward Snr's praise of his son had if anything been restrained.

Over the years Carlisle and Edward Snr had met on a number of occasions, most significantly when Edward Snr was given control of the Cullen family investment portfolio. The pair soon became friends and most conversations would include an update on young Edward's development, plans for the future and a father's concern over the young man's introverted nature.

o.o.o

A couple of years later Carlisle was presented with an opportunity to work in the USA; keen for a challenge he accepted the position. One of his first contacts was Edward Snr who he needed assistance in locating and purchasing an apartment that met his needs. Upon arrival in New York he was disappointed to discover that Edward Snr was in Europe on business.

Not wanting to attend his first function alone, he contacted an old fuck buddy Felix. They had been at school together and had often caught up for company and release when they were in the same city. This night they were just friends, despite the looks the Carlisle received from both men and women.

There had never been any question about Carlisle's sexuality, Carlisle Cullen was openly gay. Indeed his parents had never had any doubt in the matter, and it was only when Carlisle had left for University had he discovered that his experience was easier than most. There had been no anxiety, no dramatic coming out speech or hiding play girl magazines; when he had approached his mother about it she shrugged and pointed out that Carlisle's younger brother Jasper, "didn't have to announce he was straight, so why should Carlisle have to declare his sexuality."

Tragically both of his parents and his brother were killed in a car accident a month later.

It was at this first function that Carlisle needed to correct some assumptions, catching sight of a shock of red hair he knew that it must be Edward Jnr. The young man turned around, arm in arm with a lovely blond woman, and Carlisle blinked in shock. His conversations with Edward Snr had lead Carlisle to think of Edward as a child genius who was introverted and a bit geeky. This image conflicted with the gorgeous young man in front of him.

Edward Cullen was breathtakingly beautiful; his hair made have stood him out amongst the crowd, but it was his piecing green eyes that were captivating. Carlisle made a move to head towards the young man, when Edward's companion lead him to another part of the room. Carlisle looked up to see Felix smirking at him.

"Good luck with that one Car," Felix grinned. "Mother and Father guard that one like the vestal virgin he is."

Carlisle rolled his eyes and nudged Felix with his shoulder. "Let's move on," he instructed and they continued to mingle around the room.

As he talked to others throughout the evening, he received confirmation of Felix's rather crude statement. Edward Cullen Jnr was very much protected by his parents and the young woman he was with, Rosalie Hale. To just talk with him Carlisle was going to have to wait until Edward Snr returned and could introduce him to his son.

It was nearly three months until Edward Snr returned. During that time Carlisle had settled into his new roles in the hospital and private practice.

The event in which he was finally introduced was fairly dry. He had attended by himself with the plan to leave as soon has his obligations had been met. He was surprised to see Edward Snr and excited when his friend introduced him to his son. Carlisle's plan to leave early dissolved, as he and Edward chatted easily. The young man was beautiful inside and out. Edward was bright, intelligent and had clearly been given the opportunities to have many experiences in his young life.

Carlisle found himself simply watching Edward as he spoke of his favourite compositions, or the joy that he found when sailing or any sort of motor sport.

Edward's expression, when Carlisle informed him that his family had a permanent berth at Monaco for the Formula 1 Grand Prix and that Edward Snr and Carlisle had spoken about Edward joining him for the next race, turned into exploding joy. Carlisle decided there and then he would do anything to see that look on Edward's face again.

As Carlisle sat chatting to the young man, he found himself conflicted. This brilliant young man had the whole would ahead of him and while Carlisle found him extremely attractive, his thoughts were moving away from those of romance, to care and protection.

Who wouldn't want to protect this amazing young man, he was innocent, and precious, and brilliant, and exuberant. Talent like his should not be allowed to be tainted or abused. Carlisle could see why Elizabeth and Edward Snr took such care over their son. He was one of a kind, and Carlisle was glad to have been allowed to become his friend.

It was only after the death of Edward Snr, the cause of which frustrated Carlisle enormously, in the end recorded as a blood infection, his relationship with Edward shifted from a friend, to mentor and then after a time…boyfriend.

o.o.o

Carlisle jumped at the knock on the door, his call to enter saw Carmen appear; holding a cup with a steaming beverage.

"I thought you would like some tea," she murmured. Carlisle raised an eyebrow, "Oh don't be silly," Carmen chastised walking towards him and handing him the cup. "It's just tea. Unless you would like me to prepare something to help you sleep?"

Carlisle shook his head, "No, thank you. I don't think anything would help at the moment." He sipped at the beverage enjoying the warmth of the drink that held so many childhood memories.

Bringing his mind back to the present he asked quietly, "How is Edward?"

Carmen sighed, she hated to see her friend so distressed, but there was nothing that she could say. The young man had been in danger because he was in this house, such was the risks they all faced. Sadly Edward had been unaware of the dangers of being with Carlisle, and that was all on Carlisle.

"He was asleep last time I checked. I was planning to check him again now," she admitted.

"I will come with you," Carlisle rose. Carmen went to protest, but Carlisle raised a hand, "I won't enter the room, I just need to see he is ok."

Carmen nodded and followed her boss to the guest room. Gently opening the door she motioned for Carlisle to remain where he was as she crept into the room. Edward lay on his side facing away from the doorway, his body was hunched in the foetal position.

Carmen walked to his bedside checking that he was asleep. He looked so scared, so fragile, that she gently rested her hand against his cheek. Edward moved his face into the touch, Carmen looked closely but the young man was fast asleep.

"How is he?" Carlisle's raspy whisper came from the doorway.

Edward's reaction was instant, he tightened his body into a smaller ball and whimpered.

"Shh! Shh!" Carmen calmed him, throwing an angry look at Carlisle; who had the decency to look both chastised and devastated that the sound of his voice produced such an extreme reaction, even while Edward was sleeping.

Assured that Edward had calmed and was sleeping soundly, Carmen exited the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

"Carlisle, he is going to need time," she warned. "He has been over protected by everyone in his life, including you , and has just had the worst possible wake up to the nature of the world. He will probably hate you the most, because he trusted and loved you the most."

Carlisle took a shuddering breath. He knew all of this, he just didn't know what to do about it. They needed to talk. If he couldn't get Edward to understand the situation, to forgive him for the deception, Carlisle needed at least to ensure that Edward understood the need for secrecy.

He bid goodnight to Carmen, and walked back to his study to think.

o.o.o

Edward waited until the door closed and he could hear movement down the corridor. The sound of Carlisle's voice had caused such a panic, it had taken everything in him to not jump up and scream at Carlisle to go away.

Rolling onto his back, he stared up at the ceiling in the gloom.

He needed to leave his apartment. He knew that he would have to talk to Carlisle eventually, but for now he was terrified. Terrified for his safety, but more so terrified of the truth that waited for him in their impending conversation.

Edward did not want to know the truth. He wanted to stay ignorant.

He didn't want to know what the sound of bullets hitting glass and flesh sounded like.

He wanted to forget how expertly his boyfriend had handled and killed with a weapon that had been at hand, ready for such an attack.

He didn't ever again want to look into Carlisle's eyes after having seen the fury and coldness within them; before they had become horrified, full of fear and remorse, as they captured his gaze.

Edward could not stay and wait for his world to end.


	4. Chapter 4

**BULLETPROOF**

Twilight and its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

Thank you all for your comments and reviews they have been a great motivator.

No one is more surprised than me that this update has been posted so quickly. I could have waited to publish but it appears that these characters are keen to progress with their tale.

Please do not get used to such rapid updating, that being said I will write at the pace that inspiration hits.

So now…the morning after!

* * *

Edward lay, eyes open, staring at the ceiling. The light coming from underneath the door took the edge off the darkness but did not provide enough illumination to see anything other than vague shapes in varied colours of black. Not knowing how much time had passed, he was surprised when the pre-dawn grey light started to filter through the edges of the window blind.

Edward sighed and decided that since now he could roughly see that he would might as well get up and change. Removing the sleep pants that Carmen had put him in, he redressed in the slacks and dress shirt he had arrived in the previous night. He could not find his shoes, but there were pair of house shoes in the wardrobe which he put on. Sitting on the bed he looked at his hands, wondering what he should do now. He felt like a condemned man, waiting for his jailor to bring down the inevitable interrogation.

Looking around he caught sight of the empty mug, within which Carmen had attempted to drug him. Looking at the mug he suddenly realised that he felt like a cup of coffee. Steeling himself, he picked up the cup and walked slowly towards the door.

Opening the door he looked out, left and then right. The corridor was dimly lit and unoccupied so feeling a bit bolder he slipped out of the room and headed towards the kitchen. He was grateful that Carlisle was fairly relaxed about company and that they had spent a number of meals in the kitchens; as such Edward knew exactly where to go.

Entering the kitchen he was slightly surprised to see no sign of Carmen or any of the other staff. He realised that the events of last night probably upset the household significantly and normal routines had most likely been affected.

Looking around the room, Edward caught sight of the coffee maker and quickly had it going. While he waited he wandered into the large butler's pantry, searching for something light to have with his coffee. He caught himself wondering if Carlisle might like something and stopped as a sharp pain in his gut almost drove him to his knees.

Leaning on the pantry door, he almost fell as it swung in the opposite direction. It took him a second to realise what he was looking at. It was a small goods lift. He surmised that this must a discrete way of bringing up groceries to the penthouse apartment and must lead down to the loading area in the underground car park.

Edward looked at the lift for less than a minute before opening the doors and stepping in. The lift did not have much head room, but otherwise appeared sound. Pressing the down button he took a nervous breath as the door closed and the lift started to descend.

The ride was smooth but slow and without the level numbers that he would have found in a passenger lift, Edward had no real idea of how far he had travelled. The journey seemed like it was taking forever, but it was only a handful of minutes when it came to a gentle stop, and the door opened. Looking out he was relieved to find that he was in the loading area as he had suspected. He exited the lift and pulled the door closed. A clanging noise made him jump back as the door sealed into the wall and rumbled back to the apartment above.

Edward realised that while this was most likely a security feature, it would assist in keeping his absconding a secret. Walking swiftly, he exited the garage and turned towards the closest bus stop. It was at this point he was eternally grateful that his mother insisted he kept a money clip in all of his pants, however knowing he would need change he slipped into the nearby coffee shop, buying a coffee to get change.

Catching the next bus he travelled for fifteen minutes before disembarking and hailing a taxi to his private apartment. As he entered the lift to his apartment he felt the slosh of coffee residue on his hand. Looking down he realised that his hands were shaking violently. Concentrating of keeping himself together, he disembarked at his floor and entered his apartment.

It had been a few weeks since he had been in the building however the rooms were clean and tidy, suggesting that his mother had sent someone to freshen up the apartment.

Edward suddenly felt in a desperate need for a shower. Locking the front door, and then barricading it with a chair for good measure, Edward headed for his bedroom; which he also locked behind him and barred with the blanket box.

Entering the bathroom he undressed, relieved himself and then turned on the water. Unable to stop himself he locked the bathroom door, and while he hand nothing to bar the door, he instead wedged a couple of towels under the door.

He knew his actions were excessive and took paranoia to an extreme; but he could not face getting into the shower without feeling a secure as he could. Getting under the water he let the shower stream wash over him. Taking his body wash, he started to clean; not noticing when he started to scrub more and more until his skin was raw. The pain alerted him to the damage he was doing to his body, rinsing off the soap he was grateful to discover that while he had removed layers of skin he was bleeding, not even from the cuts that he had sustained from the attack.

Drying himself carefully he then brushed his teeth, removing the remnants of vomit and coffee. Slowly removing the towels wedged under the door, he unlocked and with a deep breath opened the door to the bedroom. Looking around he tentatively entered the room and then swiftly made it to his closet where he quickly dressed into tracksuit pants and t-shirt.

He was exhausted, but looking at the bed decided that his need for food was greater. Looking towards to the barred door way he mumbled under his breath, "Grow some balls Masen!"

He removed the blanket box and unlocked the door. Satisfied that all was quiet in the living area, he headed towards the kitchen, turning on the coffee maker and rummaging through the cupboards. Deciding to keep it simple, after checking that he had an unopened container of long life milk in the fridge, he prepared a large bowl of his favourite sugary cereal.

He stood in the kitchen eating his breakfast, in his head making a list of the groceries that he needed. He would have to use the delivery service rather than depend upon the staff, which reminded him he needed to send a text to his Mother.

He reached for the mobile that was the apartment phone and text her that he had suddenly been inspired to compose, that he was at the apartment and could she please not let anyone, including Carlisle (who remained unaware of the existence of the property) know. This was not an unusual request from him and his Mother's prompt response, "Ok! Sweetheart. Talk to you soon. xxx" satisfied him that he would have at least some time alone to think about the events of the last 24 hours.

o.o.o

Carlisle worked through the remaining night, writing a report of facts of the evening, an autopsy and death certificate for the assassin, and many drafts of exactly what he was going to tell Edward in the morning. The first two were routine and simple, the last was neither and he had not been successful by the time that dawn brightened the study.

He didn't want to face this day feeling like death warmed up, so he had a shave and shower in the ensuite changing into a spare set of clothes. As he was changing it occurred to him that Edward would not have any fresh clothes so, once dressed, he wandered back into the main bedroom and retrieved some of Edwards clothes from the draws he had allocated to his boyfriend.

Carrying the clothes, he headed towards the kitchen. Edward could not start his day without coffee, indeed he was quite an addict. If Carlisle was going to have a chance of speaking to the young man he was going to win his favour any way possible. In the kitchen he found Carmen preparing a tray.

"Is that for Edward?" Carlisle enquired.

"Yes," Carmen replied. "I have not heard from him yet and thought that breakfast in bed might help break the tension."

Carlisle threw her a grateful smile. Folding the clothes under his arm, he lifted the tray and headed towards the spare bedroom. As he left the kitchen he make note of the time on the wall clock. Anything past 7am was a late start for Edward so for him to be still asleep after nine was an indicator that he was most likely suffering from the shock and trauma of the previous evening; combined with the effects of the sedative that Carlisle had slipped in his tea.

Reaching the bedroom, he indicated that the guard open the door. Carlisle entered the room, placing the tray on the bureau. "Edward, sweetheart. It's time to wake up," he murmured as he walked to the blinds, opening them to the daylight.

Carlisle turned, and his stomach dropped. The bed was empty, the sleep pants abandoned on the floor and Edward's clothes from the previous evening were gone. In a desperate hope, Carlisle ran to the ensuite; however there was no sign of his boyfriend.

Ripping open the door he stood nose to eyeball with the guard demanding, "WHERE IS HE?"

The guard gaped at him, "I don't know sir. I have not seen him leave that room."

Hearing the commotion Carmen hurried down the hallway. "What! What has happened?" She asked, gently guiding Carlisle away from the guard.

"He's not in there," Carlisle almost wailed, "and his clothes are gone."

Carmen looked at Carlisle and then addressed the guard, "where you here all the time," she saw the flicker of guilt before the man shook his head. She felt sorry for him, the night had been rough of them all and it was normally possible for the guards to be relieved of duty before going to relieve themselves.

Carlisle went to launch himself at the man to find Carmen in the way. "Carlisle stop it! He can't have gone far, for goodness sakes Eric is not the only person who has been up all night. Edward has probably just wandered into one of the rooms. He could not have left this apartment, either by the stairs or lift, without being seen."

Unclipping the radio from her belt Carmen quickly coordinated a search of the substantial three story penthouse apartment. She and Carlisle headed towards the security room and reviewed the recordings to establish where Edward went.

It did not take long to find footage of the guard, leaving his post and less than thirty seconds later a fully dressed Edward peering out of the door and then head towards the kitchen, mug in hand. The camera's in the kitchen picked him up and Carlisle smiled as his boyfriend made himself at home. It had taken a while for Edward to be comfortable to help himself in the kitchen and had the circumstances been different Carlisle would have been so proud of his boyfriend.

They watch Edward waiting for the coffee and then turn towards the pantry, clearly looking for something to go with his coffee. It was at this point that it seemed the recording had frozen, Edward did not reappear and after a few minutes Carmen paused the recording and gestured Carlisle to follow. She had not been in the pantry this morning, maybe the young man had collapsed, or fallen asleep in the large room.

Entering the pantry she was disappointed to find it empty, "where could he have gone?" she mumbled to herself. She and Carlisle shared a perplexed look, "maybe he stayed in longer, we will have to keep reviewing the recording," Carlisle suggested.

Carmen turned to follow and her eyes fell on a door that she would not normally consider. She gasped, "Carlisle follow me."

Returning to the security room, Carmen pulled up the loading area and parking garage security camera recordings. There it was, fifteen minutes after entering the pantry Edward Masen stepped out of the goods lift, walked through the car park, and out of the building.

Carlisle Cullen stared in horror as his boyfriend walked away from him without giving him a chance to explain, more distressing was the fact that he had let the sole witness to his attempted assassination leave without ensuring that he would keep the matter confidential.

Either way Carlisle Cullen was screwed!


	5. Chapter 5

**BULLETPROOF**

Twilight and its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

Thank you all for your comments and reviews; they have been a great motivator.

Thanks specifically to **heylady** who picked up a major error in Chapter Two; Elizabeth Masen's staff member is Renata not Carmen (Carmen works with Carlisle). However I will add that there is a relationship between Carmen and Renata and only time will have it unfold.

An unexpected surgery had meant that I have not been able to update as soon as I would have wished. Don't despair Carlisle will catch up with Edward soon.

Now we continue…Carlisle reports in to his boss!

* * *

Carlisle was screwed. His attempts to locate Edward had been ineffective. His normal resources failing him he did what any other boyfriend would. He rang Edward's mother.

Carlisle's conversation with Elizabeth had been both comforting and frustrating. Elizabeth Masen had confirmed that she had heard from her son, however from her tone and willingness to chat with Carlisle, there was no suggestion that Edward had shared the events of the previous evening, or his absconding from Carlisle's home, with her.

She was very open that she knew where Edward was and that he was safe. However when Carlisle asked for Edwards location, Elizabeth Masen became less helpful. Numerous rephrasing of the request would not convince her to disclose the address; he even went as far as admitting that Edward had left his home without saying goodbye. Elizabeth commiserated with Carlisle admitting that both she and her late husband had the same happen to them when Edward had been inspired to compose.

Again she apologised that she could not assist Carlisle and suggest that he wait until Edward came out of his inspirational haze.

Hanging up, he was both frustrated and confused. Did Edward have another place that he would go to compose? If so where was this place? If it was a property that belongs to the family when and how was it property purchased? There was nothing in either Edward or Edward Snrs financial records; that he had closely reviewed when assisting Edward after Edward Snr had died, to indicate other properties, assets, or accounts.

Carlisle was impressed. Had Edward Snr manage to conceal a secondary financial existence from everyone? He knew that he needed to report this, but also knew that his failure to retain Edward would overshadow any other suspicions.

He stood and walked to the large tinted window and looked out feeling as if he could just stare long enough something would jump out and declare 'here he is'. He would run to Edward and despite his anger, and frustration, and guilt over the events of the past twenty four hours, Carlisle would sweep his boyfriend in his arms and kiss him with all of the passion and love that he could muster.

Carlisle could vaguely hear the phone; he ignored it as he would be interrupted if it needed his attention. Unfortunately it did! Carmen walked up beside him and paused, waiting for her boss to acknowledge her presence.

"I honestly thought that keeping him safe here was better than talking to him straight after, I mean how was I to know he wouldn't drink the sedative," Carlisle felt movement beside him, "No, I don't blame you for not watching him drink it. We both know that he hates to be coddled; we are all so over protective and he seems to enjoy it, I would not have though he would have been so proactive to leave the house." Carlisle sighed and leaned forward so his forehead pressed against the glass, "the whole thing has just been unfortunate events and bad luck."

Carlisle rolled his head so it is still resting on the glass, but he now faced Carmen.

Carmen grimaced, "Your luck has not improved. He wants to see you. At the office; right now!

Carlisle's eyes widened, he was not normally asked to come in; his role was such that separation from the agency was key to protecting not only himself, the other members of the bureau, and their clients. He could not image he had fucked up so badly that that in itself was reason enough to risk disclosure, Carlisle had a sinking feel that the events of the night before may have implications that he was currently unaware.

"Did you tell him about Edward?" he asked Carmen.

She snorted, "Are you kidding! I want to keep my job. Carlisle, we will find him for you; the fact that his mother knows where he is, and is unconcerned, is a good sign."

Carlisle nodded. He returned to the desk and popping a tiny lever he looked down at the small hatch in the floor, bending down he opened the small safe. Removing identification, pass and keys he went to the master bedroom and changed into tight black jeans, white shirt, black runners and a fitted black bike jacket. Exiting the penthouse he took the lift to the basement making sure to check that his appearance was appropriate in the floor to ceiling mirrors.

Entering the basement he was handed a set of keys to his Ducati, he started the motorbike and headed towards the hospital. As he rode he allowed his thoughts to head in a direction which he could not allow himself to earlier. He was angry…no he was fucking furious. The motherfucker was placed in his home by his employers. Why hadn't he been better vetted? What had caused him to attack? Why was Carlisle forced to kill someone in front of the person he loved most in the world?

The roar of the motorcycle covered the noised of him screaming in frustration, anger and pain. By the time he had pulled into the hospital basement staff car park he was calmer and in a mindset better for his upcoming meeting. Parking the bike into his space he stored his helmet in his locker, he also removed the leather jacket, replacing it with an Armani Jacket and matching tie. Checking his appearance in a passing vehicle window he made his way to a black Mercedes-Benz sedan with heavily tinted windows. Nodding to the two occupants of the front seats, he slipped into the back seats and closed his eyes. He knew where they were heading; he didn't need to watch the journey.

About twenty minutes into the journey that Carlisle opened his eyes and was not surprised to find himself at the gates of the secure Mamaroneck estate north of New York City.

Sitting up straight he looked over the grounds as they passed by. The car parked at the front doors and Carlisle alighted, nodding at his driver he turned and jogged up the stairs. He was not being escorted, or detained, this was his second home, a place where he spent a lot of his training and home to his Uncle and Aunt.

Wandering into the entrance hall he was met by Marcus, security director and his uncle's best friend. Marcus looked Carlisle over as if to assess for any damage, then grabbed him in a rough embrace, before stepping back and schooling his expression to something more official.

Walking up stairs they entered a relatively small office, but one that looked comfortable. The large wall of books, maps and artwork was in contrast to the multiple screens of information on the opposite walls. In between the walls were a large mahogany desk, in front of which were two large armchairs and beyond a large comfortable sofa. Behind the desk was a comfortable chair currently occupied by the Director Eleazar Denali.

"Carlisle," Eleazar smiled standing to embrace his nephew. He was more discrete than Marcus checking Carlisle for injury, already knowing that had this man, who was as a son to him, was injured Eleazar's wife Carmen would have informed him. No, Carlisle wasn't injured physically, but mentally that was to be seen.

Gesturing the two men to sit, Eleazar returned to his seat. "I am glad to see you are well Carlisle, however we need to address the very serious situation that we have found ourselves in."

Eleazar rested his hands on the desk, "I am shocked that Jasper attacked you. There was no sign that he was anything other than one of our people. Please be assured I have Alice doing some intensive background check to find out how we missed such a huge security breach." Eleazar shook his head, "Poor Alice is beating herself up as to how she missed what was clearly a cover story; she offered to resign for not having the vision."

Carlisle sat up straight; they could not lose someone as gifted at research and information as Alice. He was reassured by Eleazar's smile that he too knew that this situation seemed to be an exception and he was not going to let the talented young lady escape her duties at the agency.

"Now back to Jasper Hale," commented Eleazar. "From your perspective, what happened?"

Carlisle sat back comfortably and started his report on the events at the apartment. He held nothing back, including the intimate state that he and Edward were in at the time of the attack. Eleazar sat and listened to his nephew's report of accounts, assured that the evidence appeared to match the events as described.

Once Carlisle had finished his report, Eleazar closed his eyes and thought about everything he had learned on the matter. There was one thing that Carlisle appeared vague on though and he needed to clarify.

"So did you leave Edward Masen at the apartment, or return him to his mother?" Carlisle shifted uncomfortably at the question; he should have known that Eleazar would pick up on that detail. He was also grateful to his aunt to allow Carlisle to tell the director what had happened. He and Carmen had a good relationship, which meant that in office matters she would let him, as the senior agent, to report.

"Well!" Eleazar intruded on Carlisle's thoughts, "what happened to Edward?"

Carlisle cringed at Eleazar's tone, and started talking, "Eleazar, you have to understand, he was very distressed at the situation and did not wish to talk to him. Carmen and I decided to let him sleep and then talk to him in the morning. He needed space and I gave him the space he asked for, the problem was that I underestimated how proactive he would be and how upset he was." Carlisle looked up with pleading eyes, Eleazar and Marcus had to understand how devastated Carlisle was at the turn of events.

"In the morning, unknown to anyone in the apartment, Edward slipped out and was recorded leaving the building." Eleazar and Marcus both shared a shocked and panicked look as Carlisle continued his story, "I contacted Elizabeth Masen and to my relief she knows where Edward is, but she will not tell me and I am at a loss as to think where he might be. So in summary I have lost him."

"YOU WHAT?!" Eleazar could barely contain his shock and anger. Realising he had risen from his seat, Eleazar sat back down and running his hand through his hair glaring at his nephew, agent and medical director.

"How could you have lost him? He was in the apartment, surrounded by armed agents on high alert." Eleazar declared with incredulity, "Seriously, Carlisle what the hell happened?"

Carlisle tried to stand firm against the frustration and disappointment in front of him, "Eleazar, I have gone through this a million times, as has Carmen. I am gutted to think that I could not properly asses someone in trauma and his potential reactions. I am so angry that fate provided Edward with the window of opportunity to leave without being seen." His face became tormented and his face crumpled, "I am gutted that the person I love the most would choose to run and hide from me, rather than towards me."

Eleazar watched his nephew despair, he desperately wanted to move round the table and comfort Carlisle, but as sympathetic as he was to Carlisle's personal plight, Eleazar was still very angry that the young man had left, albeit unknowingly, the safety of the agency penthouse. The fact that his mother considered him safe was a consolation, but she, like Carlisle, was missing some key information which meant that no matter where he was, Edward Masen was no longer safe.

"Carlisle," Eleazar intruded on the others thoughts. Looking towards Marcus, he nodded. Picking up the phone Marcus mumbled into the receiver. Suddenly the room atmosphere changed, enough for Carlisle to lift his head and look to the two men.

"Carlisle, I have asked Marcus to shut down all recording and surveillance as what I am going to tell you is a tightly kept secret, known only to myself, Marcus and now you." Carlisle was shocked, this was unheard of, as covert as their work was; the agency was under oversight. What could be so serious that the directors would conceal information from everyone, including Eleazar's wife, Carmen?"

"Ok!" Carlisle breathed. He trusted these two men with his life, and he would continue to now.

"Ok!" Eleazar mirrored. Marcus pulled a chair up besides Carlisle and the three relaxed in the familiarity of the situation.

"Carlisle, much of this information will be familiar to you; however there are parts that will be new to you. They are not pleasant and I would not tell you if I did not need to, as your attempted assassination is related to what I am going to tell you now." Carlisle was now both curious and perplexed, "What, what are you telling me Eleazar?"

"What I am telling you, Carlisle was that your attempted assassination was not an assassination attempt. It was an attempted kidnapping…of Edward Masen."


	6. Chapter 6

**BULLETPROOF – Chapter 6**

Twilight and its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

Thank you all for your comments and reviews; they have been a great motivator.

After this chapter I will focus on 'Jealousy' before returning to Chapter 7.

Now we continue…What is Edward up to?

* * *

Edward wandered around the apartment, unable to settle. He needed to go out and get some groceries, but the local shops were not open yet, leaving him time to cool his heels.

In the meantime he opened the secure vault hidden in the bedroom floor. The vault contained a small selection of Edward's awards and prizes (the remainder of which were in the family bank vault) as well as pieces of men's jewelry inherited from his parents which he wore at performances. The vault also contained handwritten and embossed copies of a number of Edward's compositions; others were framed and hung on the apartment music room. These had been given to him by his father, who had surprised Edward at his sixteenth birthday with his entire back catalogue, and then continued with every piece he wrote.

It had surprised Edward, upon completing first composition after his father's passing, when a parcel was delivered from his father's estate containing framed handwritten and embossed copies of the work. The parcel had included a handwritten note from his father. _To my talented and extraordinary son, I will be forever proud._ He was advised that the estate was tasked to continue his father's tradition; the knowledge of which led him to sob in his mother's arms for hours.

In addition to these documents the apartment vault also contained a small wooden chest, inside were a variety of photographs. The photos were from his childhood, but also included a small number of his parents together prior to his birth; these seemed to be at his mother's performances however the dates and locations were not recorded. Sadly Edward did not have any photos of his parents prior to them meeting.

Selecting up one photo at a time, he was once again amazed at how young his parents looked, how beautiful his younger mother was and then how married life had settled his extremely slim mother, to become the voluptuous, but still striking, lady of today.

The next photos were taken immediately before and after his birth. None of the earlier photos were dated but everything from his birth onward was notated in great detail, including date, time, and location, identifying each individual; it was as if someone wanted to know exactly when things occurred. It was nice to see his family so happy, it comforted him after his father's passing, there was evidence of this; always loving and true.

He startled at the rude growling from his stomach, considering he had thrown up all of the dinner he had shared with Carlisle, he really should eat. Looking up at the clock he noted the time and that that the local grocery store would be open. Leaving the photographs spread on the table he grabbed his coat, keys and wallet and headed out.

He would be a liar if he said he was not a bit more careful, more aware of his surroundings, but he soon started to enjoy the walk, the fresh air and the feeling of normality to counter act the events of the previous night.

He smiled at the cashier as he entered the store; they were used to him turning up at all hours. Edward's inspiration would often be matched with a specific food craving. Chocolate for slow smooth pieces, crisps for faster tempo music and everything in-between. Alongside it all was caffeine. The brand or type did not matter; hot, cold, slushy he would imbibe caffeine at a probably unhealthy rate, but the music called to him and he needed the caffeine to stay awake to heed its call.

Wandering the shelves he filled his basket moving on autopilot. While his body was occupied with the shopping; his mind has been drawn back to the events of the past twenty four hours. What had happened was horrific and he was still angry at Carlisle, however he was starting to feel guilty; not for his reactions but for not letting Carlisle know where he was and allowing his mother to lie for him. His father would be disappointed with him and while he could not say what the future held now for him and Doctor Cullen, Edward was sure he was causing Carlisle distress at his seclusion. Edward knew he needed to man up, to grow up, and do Carlisle the courtesy of allowing him to explain.

That decided, it was with a lighter step that he paid for his groceries and left the store. Walking home he planned his next move. Should he get Carlisle to join him at the apartment? His father had always been so ridged in his instructions that NO ONE was to find out the location of the apartment. No! He decided, better go his mother's house and ring Carlisle from there. There he would have his mother's support either way.

Arriving back at his apartment, Edward was shocked to find the front door open. He had locked the door when he left, making sure at least twice before heading out. Despite a voice in the back of his head screaming for him to run, Edward edged towards the door. Hearing nothing from within he placed the grocery bags at the entrance and pushing the door silently, stepped inside the apartment. Grabbing the umbrella from the hall stand he tiptoed further into the apartment. As he got further in he heard rustling coming from the kitchen, rounding the corner he raised the umbrella and yelled.

The woman in the kitchen screamed at the sight of the young man brandishing his comical weapon. "Edward," she screamed in both shock and anger, "what on earth are you doing?" Edward followed her gaze, looking at the umbrella he still held high. Dropping the umbrella, he ran towards the women, "Renata, I am so sorry. I got a fright when I saw the door open."

Renata soothed the young man, "I am sorry love, I did realise that I had left it open, my arms were full," she gestured to the multiple bags surrounding her, "and it slipped my mind that the door was still open."

Renata stepped back from the young man whose family she had served from before he was born. "Is everything alright?" On close inspection she could see that the normally high strung young man was vibrating more than usual.

Edward started to tell Renata about what had happened over the last two days, but as he went to open his mouth his brain took a left turn, and for reasons that he could not identify made a decision to not disclose the details of recent events.

"Everything's fine," he smiled ruefully, "you know how it is." Renata returned the smile; she did indeed know how it was. The family had gotten used to Edward disappearing in the middle of the day, or even night, as the music called to him. She always secretly wondered at the oddly over protective freedom Edward and Elizabeth had given the child, now young man. They allowed him to do what he wanted but within clear boundaries, for example Edward could be up at all hours, but only at the house, or the apartment. He could go wherever he wanted (and was encouraged to do so) as long as he was accompanied by one of a handful of companions, his parents, Renata, a couple of long term staff, and more recently Carlisle Cullen.

"Your mother was worried, particularly since Carlisle has contacted a handful of times this morning, trying to track you down." She caught his grimace at this information and raised an eyebrow. "Problems?" she inquired.

Edward raised his hands against any possible over concern and forced his voice into a light tone, "No, no problems. I will have to apologise for running out on him though. I am not surprised he is not here with my overprotective guard." The last was said with lighthearted fondness. He was cared and supported, probably more that he should be at this age. Renata looked at Edward quizzically, "you know your mother would never" Edward interrupted, "I know she wouldn't, I was just joking."

He looked around at the spread of documents and photos, "I just need to write, that is all. I know that Carlisle will forgive me that."

Taking the hint Renata ceased her inquiries. "Well you get yourself started; I will pack away these groceries and prepare something for you after I make coffee." They all knew him so well, his likes, dislikes, habits and actions. He was predictable, even with his quirks he was stuck to specific actions. He smiled a bit at that, it must have shocked Carlisle no end that he had left; had the situation not been, well still was, so serious he would have been giddy with the fact that he had shed his quiet, dependable, music genius character to one of daring and risk.

He had always been protected, but looking back he could see that it was overzealous in comparison to the other youngsters he had encountered in his life. He was sheltered by his father and mother, Renata, and a small number of other adults who made up his life. He had interacted with very few children, mainly those of other performers, or in the case of Rosalie Hale, performers themselves. Unlike Edward, Rosalie was one of four siblings. He had never met any of her other family, they lived in Europe and Rosalie would leave to visit them three times a year, returning to New York for the next season, accompanied initially by her governess and then, as she reached adulthood, her manager. Even as a child Rosalie was allowed to be out and about, and would often beg on Edwards's part to visit the zoo, a gallery or a show without his parents or Renata.

He recalled asking his father once why he was not able to attend a performance in the park with Rosalie and her guardian. At the time, his father's comments of Edward being too young and needing his sleep in preparation for a performance later that week made sense, even to a disgruntled 15 year old. But now reflecting on it he remembered the look in his father's eyes, it was the same look he had seen in Carlisle's, a tightening around the eyes, withholding information, along with over-protectiveness and deep inside the gaze a look not unlike fear. In his father's eyes it had been a fear of what could be, in Carlisle's eyes the fear was more, it was terror, not fear of what could be, but terror at what had happened.

Edward jumped as Renata placed a mug of thick black coffee in front of him. "Sorry sweetheart," she apologised, "I didn't mean to startle you." Edward flushed, "No I am sorry Renata. I was miles away." "Alright then," said the housekeeper, "I have placed a lasagna in the oven, it will be ready in about an hour, if there is nothing else I will leave you to your work."

As she turned, Edward lightly grasped her arm, "Renata, can I ask you a question, about my father?" She turned back to him and lightly smoothed his hair; he had known her for so long that the maternal touch was one that was both familiar and as welcome as his mothers.

Looking at the photos he realised he had never really asked about his parents past, they did not volunteer information and it was as if their life before his birth were as an empty slate. He did not know of any other family and as a result he assumed there were none. He knew in his gut that if he asked his mother she would not answer, but maybe there were others who knew.

The women's eyes tightened, she then sighed and moved to sit across from the young man. "What would you like to know?" Edward furrowed his brow, what did he want to know? "I want to know what he was like before, before me, before New York. I love him dearly, but have realised that I only know a part of who he was." Renata nodded, "If you would like, I could tell you how I met your father." Edward smiled, "if you don't mind."

Renata laughed, "Darling I do not mind, by I will warn you I am a poor story teller and we were not very exciting. Please note that your mother will be less than pleased that you have asked for this story, for her own reasons she dislikes talking of the past, but he was your father and it is fair you hear about him."

Taking a deep breath the women spoke, "I first met your father when I was nineteen; he was working as a junior partner in his family's business. He had studied the law however due to an interest, almost genius, into finance and accounting he specialised in commercial law and financial auditing. He brought in a large number of clients to the law firm specifically due to his skills in this area. This is when I met him."

Renata's voice became softer as she immersed in the memory. "It did not take long for the company board to determine that Edward needed a staff and a focus for his work. The new department was named 'Special Projects'. In addition Edward was responsible for all of the family and commercial financial accounts, which had been transferred from a dozen or so companies to being solely under the purview of Edward and his Special Projects department."

"At this time, my sister was stepping out with a young man who worked within the more traditional areas of the law firm. Through her I was able to procure a position as your father's personal assistant. It was a good job, it paid well but that was in compensation for the long hours."

Renata looked at Edward, "As a young woman I had a crush on your father, but long hours working together created a bond and relationship that was more like siblings. We had our squabbles and our own separate lives. There were parts of your father's work that I had no involvement, he managed these things himself and I never understood fully the scope of his obligations to the family."

"The time that your father met your mother was a difficult one for me. My sister and her husband had a falling out with his family and decided to immigrate to the United States. I have not seen her in 20 years."

"Your mother was, as she continues to be now, a talented performer. My personal situation meant that I was not able to accompany your father to an important gala event for one of his clients. It was subsequently arranged that he be joined by one of the performers, Miss Elizabeth Pearson, your mother."

Renata smiled at Edwards grin, "They fell for each other instantly. Your father would spend as much time as he could with your mother. He would appear suddenly to hear her perform and then return to work. They courted for over a year but then everything changed, almost overnight. An opportunity was provided for Edward to set up the NYC office. A business opportunity the company could not pass up, required Edwards's presence immediately and they left the evening of Elizabeth's final performance. I was relocated to another part of the office and did not hear from your father until seven months later when he sent for me to be his business manager."

Edward gave her a look of confusion, "So you were here for my birth? I don't have any photos of you when I was born."

Renata reached over and grasped his hand, "Honey, a part of the reason that your father sent for me was that you were born premature. They had married in secret the week they left, it allowed Elizabeth to get a performing artists visa, however she did not work until long after you were born. She had fallen pregnant suddenly and you were born early. There were photos of you in hospital but once you were released your father destroyed them all before I arrived."

"Your parents adore you, and probably because of your shaky start into the world, have protected you more than most parents, and if everyone was being honest, probably a lot more than they should have. But you haven't turned out too bad," she glanced up at him slyly, he stuck his tongue out at her. "Edward the man you knew all your life, your father, was who he was no matter when or where he was. He was just younger."

Edward sighed, "I just wish I knew what he looked like when he was young. Do I look much like him then? People say I look like my mother, but I think that they confuse our similarities in talent to our features."

Renata interrupted, "Edward, of course you look like your father, and you look like your mother. Children are a blend and I think that YOU might be confused that although you are as gifted as your mother, this does not necessarily mean you get your looks solely from Edward."

"I am glad that I have been able to talk to you about this, I was devastated when your father died, I will never have a friend like him again, he was a good man, who worked hard and loved you with his whole being. This being said I would recommend that you do not disclose our conversation to your mother. Conversations about the past upset her. Remember your father as he was in your life, and let her be with her own memories." Renata smiled, but within it was a warning, not to press for more information, not to upset his mother.

Edward returned the smile, message understood. He looked down to Renata's wrist where she was unconsciously twisting a large bracelet around her wrist. He had not seen it before and leaned forward to look closer, "Is that new?" he asked.

Renata looked at her wrist, "This? No, this is a very old piece of jewelry that I inherited from my family estate. I have had it a long time, but only now started wearing it again." She showed her wrist to display the ornately wrought piece of silver work, set with a pair of dark ruby stones. "It's lovely," he admired. "It reminds me of some of my mother's jewelry, which have different coloured stones."

Renata nods absently at the comment. Looking at the other wrist she gasped, "Look at the time, I need to get back to the main house and you need to work. Can't have Carlisle thinking you will never see him again can we."

Her tone was light, but the words hit Edward in the gut. The conversation had been a distraction from the fear and distress that he had been feeling about Carlisle Cullen, but even with that now crushing back into his thoughts, he could not look away from the decoration around his god-mothers wrist.

His gaze was broken as she rose from her seat and started fussing around the room, it seemed almost an instant that she had collected her bags, kissed him on the cheek, and making sure to remind him that his mother had a workshop this evening and that he should contact Renata should he need anything and then she was out the door.

He jumped as the oven timer went off. It had felt like more than an hour since Renata had placed it in the oven. Dutifully he pulled the meal out and sat staring out of the window, not even tasting the food he consumed.

After dinner, unable to shake the unsettled feeling that had descended after Renata left; he gave up on the photos and any pretense of writing and went to bed. Falling asleep quickly he found himself submerged in a dream, but not a dream. It was a memory from years ago; he was six years old and was playing trains with his father. He remembered it particularly as his father had spent the whole week at home with him, just the two of them, which was odd and seemed to be linked to a strange visitor at the door a few night previous, when he had been sent to his room but could still hear raised voices coming from the entrance hall.

When they had tired of playing, his father had pulled Edward on his knee and talked to him about stranger danger and how a smart boy like him knew to not talk to, or go anywhere with, anyone other than his identified chaperons. A young man of six, Edward took his father's instructions without question and promised most fervently that he would do as he was instructed.

On this assurance his father nodded, but added something that had seemed a little odd, even to a child. "Edward, I want you to promise that should you ever meet someone wearing red eyes, you will run."

Edward had frowned as only a six year old could, "Are the eyes made of blood, father, is that why they are red?" Before his father could respond, Edward piped up again, "No matter what, they sound icky. Father, I promise to stay away from people with icky red eyes."

He remembered his father holding him tightly for a while; before his twitching and squirming forced the man to return the boy to the floor and resume their play.

.

.

.

Edward woke with a start, heart racing and palms sweating, "WHAT THE FUCK!"


	7. Chapter 7

**BULLETPROOF – Chapter 7**

Twilight and its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

Thank you all for your comments and reviews; they have been a great motivator.

And now a change in pace...

* * *

_**Translation from Italy Daily – 22 June 1975**_

A Celebration of Two Houses

Wednesday past saw the joining in marriage of two wonderful couples and with it brought the merging of two of Italy's most influential families.

From the house of Volturi Messes Marcus and Aro Volturi, heirs to the powerful Volturi empire, took in lawful marriage Miss Sculpture and Miss Didyme Draconi, daughters of politician and business man Vladimir Romani and his second wife Zafrina.

In the presence of an assemblage of relatives and business acquaintances, the simple ceremony was held in the Volturi family chapel at 10am, with family priest Father Stefan officiating.

The chapel was tastefully decorated for the event with white and burgundy rosebud and brilliantly lit by a dozen floor standing candelabra.

The brides were escorted on their father's arms wearing matching A-line scoop neck, tea length gowns in champagne. The simple gowns were draped in lace appliqued with small black flowers. Each bride carried a small posy of red roses and wore a stunning ruby tiara, a gift from their new husbands.

The grooms wore black tuxedos coloured only with accents of ruby cufflinks.

The groom's young step-brother Eleazar acted as ring-bearer, wearing a black tuxedo in the same style as his bothers. Their younger sister Esme performed the role of flower girl, wearing a simple A-Line knee high dress in burgundy and carrying a posy of white tea roses.

The joining of these two couples in matrimony sees with it the merging of two powerful families and the shift towards the Volturi family becoming the dominant player in the political and economic landscape of the region.

There is no doubt that the marriage of these young people signals a change in the prospect of the Volturi family and the impact of those surrounding it.

The couples will be taking their wedding tour at a date yet to be determined as pressing business saw the brothers leave their brides at the Volturi compound to attend obligations overseas.

* * *

_**Translation from Italy Daily – 14**__**th**__** April 1990**_

Tragic Fire Kills Five at Volturi Family Compound

Tragedy struck one of Italy's most influential families when on Thursday evening at 8pm fire rushed through the Volturi estate. Starting in the western wing the flames ate through the personal apartments.

The fatalities include Sculpture and Didyme Volturi, Didyme's infant daughter of two days, her ladies companion and their young chamber maid. Injured were Sculpture's youngest children, Jane and Alec, who were rescued from the flames, along with the ladies companion's young son, by their elder brother Caius. Sculpture and her children had been visiting Didyme and her new infant in her rooms when the blaze started.

The swift action of Eleazar Volturi meant that the fire did not spread to the other residential areas and the younger family's wing, as well as Sculptures own family rooms, were undamaged.

Aro and Marcus Volturi were away on business at the time of the fire, returned to the heartbreak of losing their loved ones and the sight of their partially destroyed home. The loss is most bitter for Marcus Volturi, who had yet to meet his only child, the couple having been rumoured to have suffered from multiple miscarriages prior to the birth.

Police and the coroner's office could not determine that there were any suspicious circumstances. The Volturi family interred the deceased in the family crypt in a private ceremony on the Saturday.

Aro and Marcus Volturi have relocated the remaining family, including Aro's three children, the younger brother Eleazar, his wife Carmen and his sister Esme, as well as the ladies companion's young son, Edward, to another family estate.

* * *

_**Translation from Italy Daily – 24**__**th**__** February 1991**_

From Grief comes Joy

Last Tuesday at 11am, in a private ceremony at the Volturi family chapel, Dr Carlisle Cullen and Miss Esme Volturi were married.

The couple met as a result of the horrible fire at the Volturi compound that resulted in the loss of life last year. Dr Cullen, a physician from the United States, was visiting the area and provided support in treating the injuries at the scene.

The marriage was witnessed solely by Eleazar Volturi and his wife Carmen and their young ward Edward whose mother passed away in last year's fire.

The couple will honeymoon in the United States, where they plan to settle and Dr Cullen will return to his practice in his home state of Washington.


	8. Chapter 8

**BULLETPROOF – Chapter 8**

Twilight and its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

Thank you all for your comments and reviews; they have been a great motivator and are very much apprieciated.

Now returning to the tale…

* * *

The young woman sat on the low bed in the dark poky room. She had screamed herself hoarse, worn the skin from her hands and nails from her fingers, scrabbling at the barred locked door and boarded up windows.

She had been given food and water, delivered through a slot in the door. She had not seen her captors and did not attempt to, she hoped that this fact meant she had a chance of being released.

She had been whisked off the street on her way to work. She had been blindfolded and hooded before being told to relax and advised that she was being held as insurance to ensure someone's cooperation.

So she sat in the gloom, fearful of what 'cooperation' would mean and wondering if her life was worth it.

Days and night blurred as the light seeped through the window crack, until the day the door opened and an uncloaked man reached out his hand and led her out of the room. She was escorted to a small chamber within which sat a pale man with blond hair. He was clothed all in black, the only colour were from ruby cufflinks and a ruby clasp fastening his black cloak. The outfit made the pale man's skin appear almost colourless.

"Ah, there you are my dear," the man drawled. "I apologise for detaining you, however it was necessary to ensure that your brother Jasper honoured his commitment to us. Lucky for you he decided that your life was worth performing an unpleasant task."

She caught herself feeling relief at his words, then felt somewhat ashamed, clearly Jasper had done something awful to secure her release. Also what of Jasper himself, where was he.

The pale man seemed to read her thoughts. "I am sorry to say that Jasper's willingness was not matched by his ability. He was unsuccessful in his task and lost his life in the execution."

The girl swayed on her feet, Jasper was dead? Her big brother, who helped and supported her, provided for her when their parent's fortune had fallen to ruin and father had killed both himself and their mother, leaving the family business to be bought out by a large international.

Without Jasper she was alone.

She focussed again on the pale man who was indicating to the man standing beside her, "We are returning from where we detained you."

Realising that she must have missed some of the pale man's words, she breathed a sigh of relief and shakily turned to her escort. The man gestured that she walk ahead of him.

She barely had time to react when he wrapped his arm around her and smoothly sliced her throat.

The last thing she heard was the pale man mocking voice "When you see your brother tell him hello for me and remind him we agreed that this would be the price of his failure"

Gasping for air she felt her life drain away with the stream of blood from her neck.

The young woman's body was wrapped in dark cloth. Her executioner picked up the body to take to the car.

The pale man walked up "wait" he instructed. He removed a ruby red rose from within his cloak and pinned it almost fastidiously to the wrappings.

He then spoke as if to the deceased woman "If you wouldn't mind Rosalie, would you please pass on this small gift to my Uncle. Just a token of my affections and a reminder of what we are capable of," he hummed quietly himself and waved his lackey to take her away.

~*.*~

Carlisle sat in shock at Eleazar's statement. What did he mean abduction? Who would try to abduct Edward and why would to make the attempt at one of the agencies most secure facility? Was that the reason, to show that they could infiltrate and take something from within?

Carlisle's thoughts were racing, unable to verbalise even one of the questions thrumming inside his brain. Movement in his peripheral vision distracted both his eyes and thoughts away from his mental maelstrom.

Marcus was staring intently at a tablet in his hand. Turning pale he moved around the desk, handing the device to Eleazar. The two men became clearly agitated. Marcus's eyes flicked up from the tablet and flicked to Carlisle who stood up, "I can wait outside if you need."

Eleazar raised a hand for Carlisle stay. Glancing at the document he quickly he shut his eyes "Stay, Carlisle" he whispered.

"Please, sit" he gestured to both men.

He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. "This intelligence received provides us the second half of our tragic mystery as to why a trusted member like Jasper Hale would be involved in such a violent act against the agency and a civilian."

Eleazar waved the report, "It turns out he was being blackmailed. A member of his family was being held hostage to be released in exchange for Edward."

Carlisle stared at Eleazar, knowing that this was not going to end well.

"When Jasper was unsuccessful and Edward got away, the kidnappers no longer needed their hostage" Eleazar grimaced.

"Rosalie Hale's body was found with her throat slit in her theatre dressing room an hour ago. From the way in which the body was staged and lack of blood, it is clear that she was killed elsewhere and her body planted in a location where she would be found. The show was on recess this past week so no one had missed her."

Carlisle rocked back in horror, Rosalie was Edward's best friend. Rosalie had been kidnapped and killed because someone wanted Edward by any means.

"What is really going on here, Eleazar? How? Why? What would make Edward in such high demand? Worth such a price?" Carlisle demanded in frustration.

Eleazar huffed out a breath, trying to contain his irritation at his nephew. He needed to keep in mind that while Carlisle was an agency member, he was also a terrified partner.

"All our information tells us that Edward has been under surveillance for a year or so."

"A year," Carlisle exclaimed, and then quietened at the look from his uncle and director.

Eleazar continued, "something changed a month ago, we are not sure what, but we believe this related not to Edward himself but Edward Snr."

"Why do you think that?" Carlisle tried to keep his tone even. He did not doubt his Uncle would withhold information if Carlisle was not cooperative.

"Carlisle, Edward Snr was not who you thought he was. He worked for us, but also was an undercover agent for the Volturi," Carlisle's eyes widened at the implication for Edward Snr's safety and the risk to the agency to have a known double agent in their midst. This was impossible; there was something inherently wrong with this situation.

Carlisle realised he must have been shaking his head in line with his thoughts, when Eleazar interrupted both, "Carlisle, there is a lot of history that you do not know, most of it not relevant to the here and now. But for now it is easiest if you accept Edward Snr was working for both sides."

Eleazar seemed able to pick the questions out of his mind before he could voice them. "As his physician you suspect, as we do, that Edward Snr was murdered and that it was related to his current assignments. It took me some time to confirm that the kill order was not issued from within the agency, once we determined that this was not the case we were able to focus our intelligence on who ordered his death within the Volturi."

Carlisle knew, as the other two men did, that such an order could only be made by a handful of individuals in the Volturi.

All this new information did nothing to calm his anxiety, "but what does this have to do with my Edward?"

Eleazar smiled at the term of endearment, "we are not entirely sure, but we believe that Edward Snr had left something with Edward that is of value, or critical, to the Volturi. For some reason it has become vitally important and Edward is presumed to know what or where it is."

Carlisle shook his head. He could not image Edward holding onto something of his fathers that related to his business or his espionage work. The young man had never been interested in his father business and until the night of the attack had been pretty much oblivious of his father's nefarious activities.

He raised these points with Eleazar, who nodded. "Edward Snr made a point of keeping Edward completely unaware of the agency and the Volturi. It was a point that both he and Elizabeth agreed upon, to the point that they would not allow any business to occur in the house or intrude in his education or career."

Eleazar slammed his hand on the table top, making Carlisle and the ever silent Marcus, jump. "There are no other options she is going to have to talk to me."

Carlisle raised an eyebrow in question, Eleazar calmed. "Elizabeth Masen needs to understand that the time of secrecy is over. We need to find Edward. He knows enough to be in danger, but not enough to get out of it."

Eleazar rang for his car and with a nod to Marcus, hurried Carlisle out.

~*.*~

The two men stood at the entrance to the Masen family home. Elizabeth Masen herself opened the door and was rapidly pushed back into the house by Eleazar, Carlisle ensured that the front door was shut and locked behind them.

"Elizabeth, where is Edward?" Eleazar demanded once they were standing in the entrance hall.

The woman stood ridged, a look of hatred laced with fear, on her face.

"Eleazar, I told you to never come here again." She raised her hand as to push him towards the door. To Carlisle's surprise his uncle stood firm and grasped her wrist, demanding.

"Where is he? Elizabeth now is not the time to continue this grievance; your son is in extreme danger."

She ripped her arm away and turned on Carlisle. "You! I told you Edward was fine. Why bring him," she gestured at Eleazar "and his trouble in to it?"

Eleazar moved between them and thundered, "Elizabeth someone tried to kidnap Edward, they tried to kill Carlisle and they have killed Jasper and Rosalie Hale."

Elizabeth stumbled back at the onslaught, barely catching herself before she fell. Her face turned pale grey as her fingers covered her mouth with a broken "Rosalie?" filtering through.

Eleazar reached for the woman, nodding for Carlisle to help her to a chair, before kneeing in front of her. "Elizabeth, Edward is in danger, I am not absolutely sure but I think he has been under permanent surveillance. So at this time these criminals know where he is and I am in the dark, unable to help him. Who knows where he is? Can they protect him, or are they a risk to his safety."

Her head shot up, the fear palpable. She stood and ran into the main part of the house, "Renata? Renata?!" she screamed.

Eleazar and Carlisle followed as she ran through the house continuing to scream. Having covered the ground floor she ran upstairs and pushed open a door that appeared to lead into a family suite.

They all had enough experience to recognise the signs of hasty packing.

"Renata," Elizabeth sobbed.

"Who is Renata?" Carlisle was not familiar with the lady, other than vague references by Edward.

"My business manager," Elizabeth responded quietly. "I hired her after Edward's father died; she has been responsible for all of the back end management of the family trusts and operations."

Eleazar suddenly looked sick, "do you have a photo of Renata?"

Elizabeth led them to her office and showed a candid photo of young Edward and Renata, studiously working together at the desk in the room.

Eleazar gasped in horror, "Elizabeth the woman in this photo is Chelsea, Carmen and Carlisle Snr's younger sister. She is in the pay of the Volturi family."

Carlisle rapidly stepped towards Elizabeth as she appeared to have stopped breathing, when she did draw a strained breath it was to speak, "Renata is Chelsea?" he mouth opened and closed and then a groaned, "I never met her when I was in Italy. I didn't know."

Suddenly her eyes screamed panic, "OH NO! Eleazar, Renate is the only person other than myself and Edward who knows about the apartment."

The two men shared a look, "Apartment?" Eleazar prompted quietly.

"Yes, Edward has his own apartment, a place that he can go to work without interruptions. Renata helped set it up; she always said that a young man of Edward's age and brilliance needed to be alone from time to time. A place of solitude where no one knew where he was," she trailed off in horror.

"Give me the address?" Eleazar's demand thudded into the silence.

~*.*~

Everything was dark. The hood over his head removed any sensation of light that the blindfold alone may have let in. His hands were loosely bound with thin rope in complicated knots which tightened when he struggled and eased again when he relaxed. He quickly accepted that while he relaxed he would be only gently restrained.

He had been walked through a large echoing space and then gently led up small stairs that bounced slightly as he walked up them. He internally guessed airplane steps which was confirmed when he was led to a room that felt contained and had the familiar smell of airline upholstery along with a faint smell of jet fuel.

Sitting in the comfortable seat within which he had been strapped in, he decided that this was most likely a private jet rather than a commercial plane. He did laugh to himself at that conclusion as he would have looked a sight, hands tied and head covered.

The thing was, despite the gentle restraint he had been treated well. His abductors had been very careful that he not be hurt.

Before too long the engines roared to life, the vibrations making him aware of the movement, taxing and take-off of the plane. Edward felt the plane rise and then level off. He unclenched his hands trying to relax away his fear of flying only to focus once again on the fact that he was been taken unwillingly from his home and family.


	9. Chapter 9

**BULLETPROOF – Chapter 9**

Twilight and its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

Please continue to provide comments and reviews; they have been a great motivator and are very much appreciated. They help me decide the stories path and show me where I have not been clear or need to provide more information.

And now the apartment…

* * *

The apartment building was just an average inner city block, the building had security and a doorman, but otherwise there was nothing particularly good or bad about the place. Entering the lift, Eleazar by his side, Carlisle watched as the numbers rose to the 12th floor; the single top floor apartment was the only sign of the money that had been invested into the property. Exiting the lift, there seemed nothing out of place; the hall way was pleasantly decorated and nothing indicated a sign of struggle or violence. Carlisle made note of the security cameras in the hallway pointing both to the lift, the apartment front door and the exit door at the emergency stairway.

Eleazar cleared his throat to get Carlisle's attention and they made their way to the front door. The door showed no sign of break in and looked completely undisturbed, it was possible that nothing adverse had occurred to Edward and they had arrived in time to ensure the young man's safety.

Eleazar knocked on the door and then waited for signs from inside. When a second knock resulted in no response, Eleazar used the key Elizabeth had given them.

Opening the door the two men crossed the threshold into the entrance way. Like the corridor outside everything was neat and tidy with no sign of disturbance.

"Maybe he has gone out," Eleazar mused. The both relaxed a little until they rounded the corner to the living room, as which point they stopped in horror.

The room had been trashed; furniture was tossed about, the couches and chairs sliced open, the carpet cut and then peeled back. The book cases and entertainment unit had been emptied. Even in his growing distress Carlisle noticed that while the furnishings seemed to be fair game the books, dvds, paintings and wall hangings had been removed, but were not destroyed. The level of respect for these objects showed a strange contradiction in comparison to the extent of the other damage.

Carlisle shook himself out of his stupor and ran through the apartment yelling Edwards name. He was faintly aware of Eleazar making a call to their support team down stairs.

Running into every room in a desperate attempt to find the young man, it became clear to Carlisle that destruction became more targeted as the intruders had gone further into the apartment. In the music room the inconsistent destruction continued, the furniture, floorings and curtains were damaged; however the music books, recordings and scores were stacked neatly. Edwards original scores that Edward Snr had had made and framed, had the backs removed; but were all neatly stacked next to the grand piano which have been horrifically damaged, all the strings had been sliced and the vandals had cut into the piano body in a clear attempt to find something that was concealed.

Carlisle was still at a loss to what the invaders could have been looking for. One thing was becoming distressingly clear, Edward was not in the apartment.

The bedroom was the last room Carlisle entered, the destruction here was slightly different. The mattress and bedside chair had been destroyed. It was clear that the drawers and closet had been searched, but not ransacked. Indeed there were piles of Edwards folded clothes on the floor next to a couple of different sized bags. Carlisle frowned in confusion and then his eyebrows shot up. He raced into the ensuite and was distressed to see all of Edward's toiletries were missing.

Running from the bedroom he yelled for Eleazar. Eleazar joined him in the hall, his anxiety visibly rising at the sight of Carlisle's distress.

"What?" he demanded.

Carlisle breathed carefully trying to stop the panic rising, "Whoever they are, they have packed clothes for Edward and taken all of his toiletries. Who does that? I mean this is suggesting taking him for an extended period of time."

Carlisle can hear the rising note in his voice as the panic settles it. Eleazar grabbed his arms, "Carlisle, come with me. Come now."

The older man leads his nephew out of the hall and into the kitchen. This one room looked as if nothing had be disturbed or removed. However sitting on the island bench was a sheet of thick white parchment. Written in heavy red ink in a curled flourished hand was...

_**My Dear Brother,**_

_**As you are aware this young man is one of ours.**_

_**I am claiming him on behalf of the family; him and anything that was left to him.**_

_**Tell his mother that her husband actions caused this.**_

_**AV**_

~*.*~

It was probably half an hour into the flight when the hood over his head was removed and the cuffs replaced with a single loop restrained attaching his right hand to the chair arm.

The removal of the hood was a huge relief as the feeling of claustrophobia was not helping him ignore his fear of flying; made worse by his sensory deprivation as his whole body clenched at even the slightest turbulence.

He must have looked pretty bad when the blindfold was lifted and a man who might have either been a hardened 35 or a fresh faced 50 (Edward suspected the former) peered at him.

"Are you unwell?" the man asked, his tone was mild and in no way aggressive.

The sudden light, combined with a bump in the plane, turned Edward green and the man was only just fast enough with the sick bag before the young man was violently sick. After a minute of retching into the bag, Edward was able to push the nausea back. His hand holding the bag was shaking violently, the man in front of him frowned in what appeared to be concern and gently took the sick bag, replacing it with another.

A woman brought the man a paper cup of water and Edward was encouraged to rinse his mouth and spit the contents into more durable round plastic sick bags that he was familiar with.

After he had cleared his mouth of the revolting taste, he became aware of the condition of his clothes and the seat and the all prevalent smell of vomit. The moment he became aware of the smell, his stomach revolted and he was grabbing for the new bag throwing up again. It took longer for the dry retching to cease, he had not eaten since the night before and was throwing up bile and water.

The man had not moved, holding him steady while he was sick. Once Edward's symptoms had quietened the man observed, "I am assuming this is motion sickness." Edward nodded, and then feeling he had cause to explain.

"I usually take Phenergan before I fly or go on an extended road or rail trip, however this trip was a little unexpected," he kept his tone light-hearted, even with the croak resulting for the burning in his throat.

The main gave him a small smile at Edward's attempt at humour. "I know that you have no reason to trust me, but I will say the person that I work for does not want you harmed and would be upset with me should you continue to be in such distress for the remainder of our flight, which will be for a number of hours yet."

Edward was very proud of his self-restraint; he had surmised that the man would not provide him answers to any questions. He was very much afraid of this man and his mysterious employer who could have him killed without anyone being any the wiser. Edward clung to the offered kindness, even if it was an deception.

Edward nodded to his captor, "you can help?"

The man nodded, "I do have medications on board that will help you. If you are familiar with Phenergan, I have an injection IV form of promethazine that I can administer you." Seeing the flicker of worry in Edward's gaze the man went on, "I can show you the ampules and the official seals prior to administering the medication."

"Seals and labels can be forged," Edward noted.

"Yes they can," the man agreed, "but you can choose to have faith they have not been or continue to suffer for the remainder of our flight."

Edward thought about this for half a minute, staring at the man and becoming increasingly aware of the rising tide of nausea returning to overwhelm him.

"Can you tell me your name?" he asked the man who looked startled at the request. "Felix, my name is Felix."

Edward groaned a little, "OK Felix, let's do this before it starts again."

Felix snapped his fingers to the woman who had remained in the background, she handed him the prepared injection and walked away into the cabin.

Felix looked at Edward, "ready?" he questioned. Edward nodded and tried to relax as the injection entered his thigh muscle.

Edward took in a sharp breath at the sting; waiting until Felix pressed firmly on the site with his hand to open his eyes.

Felix looked Edward closely, "feeling alright?" he asked. At Edwards nod he continued, "We will wait ten minutes and then you can wash and change in the bathroom. If you wait much longer you will start to feel sleepy and I do not want you to fall asleep in the shower."

It took a few minutes before Edward's brain caught up with the statement, "shower?" he questioned in astonishment.

Felix nodded, "If I can trust you to behave, I will let you have a shower unescorted. If you abuse that trust, you will be watched." The look and tone made it very clear that Felix was not joking. Edward would not forget that this man, the mysterious woman and whoever else was on the plane were his kidnappers, his captors, and it was in their best interests that he remain alive and unharmed; and in his best interest that he let them achieve that.

"I would really appreciate a shower, I am really starting to reek," Edward sniffed at his arm.

"Yes, you are," Felix agreed.

The man unfastened Edward's restraints and led him to the extravagant private shower suite. Edward was amazed at the interior of the plane as he followed Felix. The plane was no twin engine private plane, but a large jet. They walked past a lounge area with television, bar area with comfortable seating, to get to a shower room that was as large as the bathroom in his apartment. The connecting doors led to a queen sized bedroom lying upon which was a pair of tracksuit pants and a long sleeved top. Edward knew he should not have been surprised, but he kinda was, when he recognized the clothes as being his own from home.

Edward looked up as Felix approached, "Edward, your toiletries are in the shower suite and I have left a laundry bag in the room for your soiled clothes. I will be outside this door," he indicated a comfortable lounge chair in the sitting area outside the room. "Please do not give me a reason to not allow this freedom again."

Edward nodded, and when he felt Felix wanted more looked the man in the eye, "I promise."

Closing the door, Edward leaned against the door. Stripping off the foul smelling clothes he walked into the suite and after relieving himself moved to the shower; turning on the taps he was thrilled that the water was hot and fast.

Getting into the shower, Edward quickly washed, he was not entirely confident that Felix may not enter the room should he feel Edward was taking too long. After washing and rinsing his hair, he applied conditioner. As he turned to put the bottle on the bench he caught a look at his reflection in the mirror; he looked like hell, pale and drawn with dark circles around his eyes. His lips and eyes were red from the vomiting and he could clearly see tremors running up and down his body. Catching his own gaze in the mirror his already blood shot eyes seemed to blur as tears started to flow down his cheeks. No longer worried about the length of time he spent in the shower, Edward collapse to the shower floor, sobbing as quietly as he could.

It was only when the conditioner in his hair started to rinse out; leaving a soapy residue that slopped into his eyes making him curse, he then rose and washed out the conditioner. Once done he left the shower and dried quickly with some of the most luxurious towels he had even used. One thing he knew about his kidnappers they were rich; he supposed if you are going to be a captive a gilded cage is much nicer than other alternatives.

Returning to the basin he brushed his teeth, removing the last sign of the motion sickness. Walking into the bedroom he changed, the wonderful feeling of clean clothes could not be understated. Sitting on the bed, Edward started to feel light headed; his mind became soft and fuzzy and was unable to fight sinking into the blackness of sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Bullet Proof – Chapter 10

Twilight and its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

I am sorry for the long absence, and hope that I still have readers - I still have a story to tell.

Please continue to provide comments and reviews; they keep me encouraged and give me the confidence to continue this to the end.

Now back to Carlisle…

* * *

Carlisle had questions, a LOT of questions.

"Got it!" the agency technician called to Eleazar. Eleazar, Marcus and Carmen entered the kitchen. Carlisle was surprised, he had not even been aware of the other two arriving at the apartment.

The technician had set up three monitors with feed from the various cameras. Running them at the same time codes, they were able to get a visual of all activity in the front and rear entrance, stairwells, lifts and main corridors.

Carlisle took a seat next to Carmen. He could see her left hand lift to grasp the one Eleazar had resting on her shoulder as he stood to her side. The tension was awful as they waited for the monitors to synchronize.

The video started to run and they watched the story unfold. It was clear the abductors were planned and professional, which led to the question as to why they left video evidence of the abduction.

Every surface had been cleaned and any potential witnesses had been carefully avoided, so why leave such clear evidence? Carlisle became more confused as he watched a handcuffed and blindfolded Edward being escorted through a clearly planned route to one of a number of vehicles which left in convoy.

Eleazar's team was easily able to track the vehicles, which seemed to aim for every traffic camera thus ensuring they could be followed.

The conclusion of the strange journey of follow the leader was a commercial airstrip, from which Eleazar's agents sent surveillance footage and copies of the passenger list and flight plan for the large private jet on which Edward and his captors left.

"Where did they go?" Eleazar demanded of his agent on the scene. The man beside him pointed to the image on the screen of the flight plan. It confirmed what Eleazar already knew from the letter.

"Italy!" his voice leaden, "They really have taken him to Aro."

Carlisle looked at his Uncle sharply.

"You knew that, you are also not as much surprised but resigned. Why would Edward been a target of the Volturi? What is going on here?" Carlisle demanded.

Instead of answering Eleazar stood and made to leave the room. Carlisle grabbed his sleeve, "Eleazar!" he protested.

Eleazar shook Carlisle off his face cold, "My people will find Edward Carlisle and return him to us. That is all you need to know. Now if you will excuse me. Marcus, I need your help."

Marcus rose and giving Carlisle a look of helpless sympathy followed his brother out. Carlisle turned to look at Carmen, who had tears running down her face. He went to speak and she held up her hand, "Not here sweetheart, not now. Go home and I will be there soon, after I have calmed Eleazar down."

Somewhat mollified Carlisle rose, holding Carmen's chair to allow her to do so, he followed her out of the kitchen and then leaving her in the hallway, he left the apartment and the building.

~*.*~

Carlisle entered his apartment with barely a nod of acknowledgement to the man guarding the entrance way. Dumping his wallet, keys and phone on the hall table he paused a second before removing his shoulder holster and the weapon nestled in it pouch and then bent to his ankle to remove the weapon there. He unceremoniously dumped them on top of his other personal effects.

He walked through his apartment, entering the kitchen he turned on the electric kettle, and spooned some coffee into a mug beside it.

Apart from the guard at the door the apartment felt deserted, even though he knew that there were up to two dozen men and women within the three levels of the dwelling. He was not sure if there were hiding from him or giving him some privacy. Either way he was both appreciative and relieved. He just couldn't handle people right now. Carlisle thought whimsically maybe this was why people had pets. They allowed you not to be alone with you could not stand other human beings.

The boiling kettle pulled him from his thoughts and after pouring the boiling water into his mug, walked back through the apartment glancing into rooms as he passed.

Everything was neat, tidy and exactly in its place. Sipping his coffee he walked into his room. With a detached gaze he look at the repaired shower. The glass and blood had been cleared away and there was now no physical evidence of the attack, only his memory of the event remained.

As he stared at the shower unit he become conscious of how filthy he felt and was aware of the now distinctive odor emanating from his body.

Suddenly the need to be clean became an over powering one. He had not fully removed all of his clothing when he stepped under the scalding water, the last of his clothing kicked into the sunken bath area.

Scrubbing his hair and body he stopped only when this finger nails became flecked with blood, the scalding water becoming fire within the open wounds.

Turning off the water he wandered naked into the sleeping area. Reaching for a bathrobe he donned the garment. Bemused, unsure as to what to do next, he sat on the bed and looked around the area for a clue as to his next move.

Carlisle's gaze fell on his dressing table, which was bare except for the standing mirror and a small square box.

Looking into his reflection he could also see the box reflected back at him. Suddenly he felt as if the room had flown upwards as he dropped off the bed to his knees. He crawled to the dresser and with a trembling hand slid the box off the table. Leaning against the dresser he brought the box up to his mouth. After gently kissing the case he lowered, and then opened, it.

Inside the box, nestled in its velvet home sat a platinum ring, the band circled by the two bars of music from the song Edward wrote for Carlisle after their first date. The ring was custom made with sapphires (for Carlisle's eyes) inserted for each C note and emeralds (for Edwards eyes) for each E note. The remaining notes were inserted with jet. Inside the band was a simple inscription with the words "I promise".

Before everything went to shite he had planned to give it to Edward, hoping his love would accept the band as a promise of his devotion and love and a commitment that would be tightened further with the one day exchange of vows.

But everything had gone wrong and the box now sat in its home, instead on his loves hand where it belonged. It was this thought that smashed through his tightly wound control.

It was not a rage. It was on the scale of natural disaster.

Everything Carlisle set his hands on was destroyed; he tore apart, kicked and smashed the room. Feeling the destruction was not enough using his bare hands; he ripped open the floor safe, pulled out his personal weapon and started to shoot at the newly repaired glass.

He barely registered movement in his peripheral vision as two of the house guards stood at the threshold of the room.

Drawing their weapons, they made to enter the room, when Carlisle growled at them, "Leave!"

When they appeared to ignore his he roared, "LEAVE ME ALONE"

The guards left the doorway, taking position in the hall, ignoring the sounds coming from the room which shifted from sounds of violent damage to wretched wailing and sobbing.

~*.*~

Carmen looked into the room and sighed. Her nephew was hunched in a ball against the end of the bed. Stepping around the debris that has been the recently repaired room, she crouched next to him, pulling Carlisle into her arms. He tried to resist but she was determined and he was soon wrapped in her embrace.

Carmen rocked him as he sniffled softly; having run out of tears Carlisle was left with a dripping nose which he was too upset to blow. Reaching into her pocket Carmen found a handkerchief and holding it to his nose ordered him to "BLOW!"

Her nephew did as he was ordered, having the wherewithal to take the fabric from her grasp. Carmen remembered the number of times she had comforted her nephew, the most significant was upon receiving news of the death of his parents and sister. Carlisle's father had been asked to present at a medical conference in London and the whole family was going to enjoy the break when Carlisle had contracted pneumonia on a school camp, and had been left in Carmen and Eleazar's care. Not having children of her own Carmen enjoyed having her nephew to care for.

When they received news of the freak car accident, resulting in the fiery death of Carlisle's family, Eleazar had disappeared to investigate the incident and try to calm his suspicions of foul play. This left Carmen to tell nine year old Carlisle that his family was gone. Carlisle had taken the news calmly at first, bottling in his pain.

Carmen had watched him carefully until the day that he exploded in a massive wave of survivor's guilt, feeling that he should have died with his parents and sister.

Eleazar had been unable to understand what the child was going through, his own upbringing was one lacking love and always tinged with sad events. His life with Carmen had introduced him to love and hope and was how he could get the courage to leave Italy and the family for good, but he still struggled with empathy for others.

So it was Carmen alone that helped the young Carlisle through his grief and then raised him to be the young man he was today.

"We will get him back sweet heart, I know we will," she mumbled into the blonde hair. "Aro would not have taken him if he simply wanted him dead. You know this! Tell me you know this."

Carlisle nodded, "I know! I just don't understand why. Edward had been kept away from the agency life, he knew nothing of this part of my life, and I understand that he knew nothing of his father's activities either. So why on Earth would they take him, and for what?"

Carmen shifted slightly and then touched his face encouraging him to raise his head. Looking him in the eye she said, "I am not entirely sure, but I suspect that this has to do with Edward Senior. There are things that even I do not know, indeed you know as much about Edward's father's death as the rest of us. Somehow, I think, this is related."

Carlisle frowned, "So will Eleazar or Marcus go to Italy to get Edward back?"

Carmen shook her head, "Sweet heart as much as they may want to Eleazar and Marcus cannot travel to Italy, they would never be issued a visa and even if they did they would be killed before they could get to Volterra."

Carlisle looked at her with shock, "but why?"

Carmen looked away; realising that she had given away something that Eleazar did not want his nephew to know. "The circumstances of our leaving Italy made our never returning a fait accompli. You would need to talk to Eleazar or Marcus to gain a better understanding of those events."

Carmen's look made it clear to Carlisle that there was no point of pushing as she would not disclose anything further without her husband's say so. Laying her hand on his arm she added, "Even if they could go they would not, their roles within the agency makes them too valuable."

"What about me?" Carlisle asked, "I am of limited strategic value, can be replaced by any one of my staff and have a connection with Edward that may help."

Carmen grimaced, "Eleazar will never risk you like that, and while Aro will not harm you he will not be pleased to see you."

"I have to try," Carlisle exclaimed, "how do I explain to Edward that I did nothing but wait." Standing Carlisle held his hand out to Carmen, helping her to stand he straightened.

"Carmen, I cannot simply wait around for Eleazar to tell me his version of what has happened again," his reference to his time waiting to hear of his parents and little Isabel.

"I CAN go to Italy and as you say, Aro has no need to harm me. Even if all I do is to confirm Edwards whereabouts and see that he is unharmed, that is more intelligence that we have now. If I cannot get Edward to leave with me, maybe I can find out what they are wanting from him."

He went to walk past her to the doorway when she grabbed his arm. "I will have to report you're leaving to Eleazar," she then smiled and turned to look around the room, "but first I will need to tidy up this mess."

Carmen winked at him as realisation hit, kissing her on the cheek he raced from the room. Grabbing a change of clothes he headed to his office where he collected one of the hand luggage sized bags prepacked with clothes and toiletries which were always available for such short notice trips.

Returning to the hall table he collected his phone, wallet and weapons. Crouching under the table he opened the safe located there and removed ammunition, money in various currencies, credit cards and his American, UK and EU passports.

Fifteen minutes later he was heading out of the garage on his bike. As he arrived at the airport his headpiece pinged in his ear and on the internal screen within his helmet, a text message appeared with a flight number, time and booking reference.

He loved his Aunt!

~*.*~

Carlisle stood where he had been deposited. The room was vaulted, with high windowed ceilings sending a diffused light throughout the room. A slight shimmer drew his attention and he noted the tell tail signs of laser security around and across the openings. Looking closer at the walls he could see various sensors linked with a wireless system.

He snorted at the amount of security for his location within the heart of the beast. A faint sound behind made him slowly turn around. Standing in the doorway was an older version of Marcus, which was a bit strange as he knew Aro to be the younger brother (a fact that made Marcus abandonment of the family business and flee to the USA even more perplexing). There were a number of guards, including the woman who had deceived them all, Renata. He had to resist the urge to clench his fists; relaxing, he returned his thoughts to the one person for whom he had entered this nest of vipers.

Standing next to the old man was his beautiful boy, his Edward.

Carlisle smiled at the young man only to frown as Edward refused to look at him, instead looking off to one side while playing with an expensive looking cuff inset with multitude of rubies.

Carlisle frowned with confusion, this was not what he expected and he suddenly felt unsure of the situation he had voluntarily walked into.

"Dr. Cullen, how glad am I to finally meet you. It is always lovely to meet long absent members of the family, Carlisle." The man's voice was high pitched, but each syllable rolled out of his mouth like venom.

"Mr. Volturi" Carlisle nodded in acknowledgement.

"Please Carlisle, call me Aro. I suppose much like our young Edward here, it is too early to expect you to call me Uncle?" Aro inclined his head in Edward's direction, who appeared abashed at the seemingly mild rebuke.

Aro's words confused Carlisle but was not keen to engage the old man in riddles.

"Thank you, Aro. As you say things have emerged rather rapidly and it is taking sometime to acclimate to the new realities." Carlisle hedged.

Aro had seen the flicker of confusion in Carlisle's face and smiled.

"Ah Ha, I understand," his tone however did not provide any clue as to what he understood.

Carlisle's gaze flickered towards the passive Edward. Catching the glance Aro turned to Edward.

"Edward! My boy! I would guess that Carlisle did not come all this way to speak to me." Aro's gaze moved back to Carlisle and then returned to Edward. "Please show Carlisle the gardens."

Edward's curt nod gave Carlisle little comfort. This was not going as he expected. While he knew it was egotistical on his part that Edward would run to him as if the young man was some sort of damsel in distress; this total lack of response made Edward appear almost catatonic.

Could it be that Edward had been in this nest of vipers long enough that they had broken his will? Or maybe he was under the influence of a drug? Or had he been threatened in such a way that he was not safe speaking to Carlisle?

"This way," Edward gestured, his tone giving away nothing and the distance he kept between them has Carlisle in mind of a guided tour.

Carlisle nodded to Aro and followed his absent boyfriend to a large walled garden.

Edward stopped suddenly in the middle of the path. "What are you doing here, Carlisle?" The young man's tone was accusatory and aggressive.

Carlisle took a step back at the venom in Edward voice.

"Edward, I came to see that you were safe. You left the city, hell the country, with no notice. It was clear that from surveillance that you were coerced; oh for fuck sake you were kidnapped. And I get here at great personal risk to get this?"

He gestured up and down between them, "to be treated as if I am a stranger, interfering in the little drama you have got caught up over here."

Carlisle knew that he was getting upset, but couldn't Edward see that he was here to help? He loved Edward, why wouldn't Edward respond to him, why was he being so strange?

Edward seemed to disappear into himself, his eyes glazing over and his right hand reached over to stroke the cuff on his left wrist. Suddenly without warning his eyes came back into focus, boring into Carlisle.

Edward spat, "You are a stranger, you and your lies. What is the agency, Carlisle? How are you involved?"

Edward slumps slightly, "I have learned more about my boyfriend and his family, heck even more about my own parents than I ever did in the United States."

Carlisle goes to interrupt, but Edward keeps talking, "Aro may have taken me by force, but ever since I have been treated with respect and he has shared much with me. I appreciate that you came to return me to my life of ignorance and boy prodigy musician, but Aro is giving me a chance to be a part of the family business, to learn and have a say in my future."

"What?" Carlisle's mouth fell open, how could this boy have things so turned around, Aro was not a benevolent businessmen; he was a malevolent criminal mastermind. Family or no he should not be within miles of Edward but here he was, with his spidery fingers clutching and surrounding Carlisle's beautiful boy.

Carlisle, realizing he has tuned out in his shock, returns his attention to Edward, "I'm sorry, what?"

Edward's eyes soften a fraction as if Carlisle's reaction had triggered a fond memory, but this soon vanished.

"Carlisle, I am not leaving with you. I am not leaving ever. I ask that you leave, and never attempt to contact me again."

Stunned speechless, Carlisle watched as Edward walked away. He went to follow, only to find two guards flank him and he was politely, but firmly, escorted; first out of the gardens, then the compound, then Volterra to eventually being escorted onto the plane on which he left the country.

It was only when seated in first class on the leg from London to New York, did he close the curtains to his seating area, wrap his arms around his pillow and cry.


	11. Chapter 11

BulletProof – Chapter 11

I would like to thank both my reviewers and readers for keeping me working on this story. My new followers also help me keep going.

My attempt to work on this story as part of Camp NaNoRiMo was over taken by real life. I will continue this story, most likely faster without the pressure of deadlines.

* * *

For the first month after his return from Italy, Carlisle spent hours going through footage of the kidnapping; reviewing the flight plan of the jet and delving into all other aspects of the case. He would roam through communication traffic for any reports from the Volturi generally or Edward specifically.

After many attempts to break into Carlisle's obsession, Carmen reached out to her husband. Eleazar had left his nephew to his efforts as Carlisle's myopic behavior had successfully identified a number of weaknesses in their security and added numerous individuals to the agencies database of known Volturi associates.

When his wife contacted him Eleazar was surprised at her ferocity however on his visit to Carlisle in the young man's office, Eleazar's relaxed attitude rapidly turned to one of concern. Carlisle's office resembled a cave, the desk was littered with paper files and printouts, scattered with various storage devices, USB sticks, hard drives and computer disks.

Two trestle tables had been set up with numerous laptops and tablets laid out. Every device was turned on; most displaying rapidly moving data, still and video footage or satellite and surveillance data. Others however stayed eerily blank, the white screens and flashing cursers unusually passive with the frantic movement surrounding them, as they waited to suddenly spring into action like their fellow machines.

At the far end of the tables, in full view of the bank of monitors, was a large recliner. The chair was draped with a crumpled duvet and on the floor beside was a discarded pillow, a pile of clothes and a tray of congealing food.

Eleazar stared in a mix of both admiration and horror. Carlisle had set up his own personal center of operations. Stepping up to the tables Eleazar was surprised at the materials both on the desk and on the computers. While Carlisle had authorised access to much of the information, a couple of the databases were clearly above his security access levels and he could see printouts from other secure sources.

This was no longer an issue of concern over his nephew's erratic behavior, but how Carlisle had obtained access to secure information and from what he could see had managed to perform analysis of it that surpassed many of his analysts.

Despite his nephews unauthorised access he was extremely proud of Carlisle's skills. But Carmen was right. Carlisle needed to be brought back to the fold, where his activities could be monitored and controlled.

Eleazar looked away from the computers at the sound of Carlisle entering the room from the ensuite. He had a towel in his hands, drying his hair. Seeing his uncle in the room Carlisle dropped the towel in a pile on the floor then ran a hand through his hair to tidy it.

"Good Morning, Eleazar" acknowledging his uncles presence in his room. "I presume Carmen has something to do with your being here today."

Eleazar gave his nephew a tight, almost uncomfortable, smile. "Well you know your aunt looks out for us both, she is worried about you."

"I know" Carlisle acknowledged, "I am not sure it is warranted, I am fine here with my work. I just need to be left to my research."

Eleazar shook his head slightly, "I had thought so too, but having seen all of this, "he gestured toward the cave like room. "I agree with her. Carlisle, this cannot be healthy.

"Healthy?," Carlisle's voice rose, "and how healthy is it for Edward to stay in Aro's clutches, falling deeper into that world. How long until he is lost to us, until he is indoctrinated further into believing he is one of them."

Eleazar sighed, "Carlisle, Edward chose to stay instead of leaving with you. He gave you no indication of wanting to leave with you, indeed according to your own report he was firmly against returning to the United States."

Carlisle stood still, face pale, shaking his head at Eleazar's words, "Eleazar, you cannot believe that he wasn't being influenced by others, threatened maybe, maybe he was protecting me. We cannot know for sure, but we also cannot leave him there."

"Carlisle, I know you want to believe that Edward was innocent in this situation, but you may have to consider that Edward may have been in part, or in full, complicit in his own disappearance." Eleazar stopped briefly as Carlisle's expression became furious but then continued.

"Carlisle it is not the first time one of ours has been lost to the Volturi, I am not saying that Edward has been, however I cannot spend time and resources rescuing a young man who does not wish to be rescued."

Carlisle took in Eleazar's words and frowned, "Who have we lost to the Volturi?" In his life he could not recall being told of any defectors.

Eleazar paused, "It was a long time ago, circumstances were different…"

"But who?" Carlisle interrupted.

"It does not matter" snapped Eleazar. "All that matters is that you put this obsession aside and return to your duties."

Carlisle opened his mouth to protest, Eleazar spoke before he could voice his complaint.

"It is clear that you are going to argue with me about this, I don't have the time to justify my orders to you, so I will tell you what is going to happen next." He paused as if to settle his temper.

"We are going to pack all of this up, while I will not destroy your work I will keep it safe until I feel you can be less obsessive about your research. In the mean time you will move back to the estate and your apartment there. You can continue your medical and research duties from there. These offices will be shut down for now."

"You can't" Carlisle breathed.

"I can and I will," Eleazar shouted. "You are one of my staff and you will obey my orders."

Movement at the doorway drew both of their attention, the woman drawn to the room by the raised voices. Eleazar gestured to his wife to enter the room, "Carmen, please assist Carlisle in packing his personal belongings, I would like him to be relocated to the estate and these offices closed up by the end of today."

Eleazar looked at his fuming nephew. Resting his hand on Carlisle's arm he murmured, "I know more than most how hard it is to let things rest, to let others continue your research. We will find out the truth of Edwards relocation to Italy, but officially and without emotion."

Eleazar patted Carlisle's arm and swept out of the room, leaving Carlisle and Carmen looking at each other, Carlisle in anger and Carmen in apology.

Carmen moved to Carlisle, reaching up to embrace him, Carlisle stiffened at her touch taking a step back, and then walked stiffly to the door.

"I had better pack" he turned and walked stiffy through the door.

~*.*~

It was with trepidation that Carlisle went down into the storage vault where the personal property of his parents, Edward Snr and now Ed Jnr each security locked. Before today he had no desire to visit these spaces. He had retrieved those things from his parents belongings when Carmen first brought him to live here and he had never felt inclined to delve further into their past.

Carlisle had been living at the estate for over a month, cooling his heels. It had taken two weeks before Eleazar had been willing to allow Carlisle back into any of the operations rooms at the estate and two more before he had grudgingly allowed Carlisle to recommence his research into Edward's disappearance.

However there had been caveats applied, he was limited to the data and information he had access prior to being pulled off the case and anything else he had security access to both internally and externally. Any other access would need to be cleared by Eleazar upon request.

With those limitations in force he had wracked his brain for possible leads and sources of information. It was a throwaway comment by his aunt at dinner one night, she had asked the family butler to retrieve some wine from the vaults, and he recalled that, in addition to wine, the vaults contained a hidden source of possible information and a documented history that would not be available elsewhere.

Opening the first vault he steeled himself. Inside were the remaining belongings of Carlisle, Esme and Tanya Cullen. After their deaths all the property and assets had been sold off or liquidated to be put in trust for Carlisle's education and living expenses.

What remained were items of sentimental value. His mother's jewelry and wedding dress and the painting his father had commissioned of the family, which he had never seen as it was commissioned only weeks before their deaths and delivered weeks after to Carmen who had locked. Also contained within the vault were his father's files and papers and a collection of professional and personal archival materials.

Of Carlisle's sister Tanya little remained. The child was only four years old when her body had been incinerated in the crash.

The small container that housed the girl's possessions included pictures drawn in her young style which by all measures demonstrated a flare for colour and life that would have developed into a wonderful talent.

Carlisle wiped away the tears that had restricted his vision. Moving the pictures aside he picked up the little floral hat decorated with images of blue iris and trimmed with blue ribbons. The hat was Tanya's favorite and her pride and joy. It was only a case of head lice that meant it had been left behind, much to the devastation of its owner. The hat had been fumigated however Carlisle could see left over blond hairs embedded in the fabric inside.

When placing the hat back in the box, he knocked over a small container that rattled as it tipped over. Much like the hat the delicate container was decorated with flowers, specifically blue iris, which had been Tanya's favorite flower from the moment she could express a preference.

Gingerly picking up the container, Carlisle turned it in his hands. Despite the noise it made when moved, it looked too delicate to be a rattle or toy. Opening it, he gasped. Contained inside were teeth, his sister's baby teeth, collected by their parents in exchange for the tooth fairy reward.

Closing the container, Carlisle returned it and the other belongings to the box which he then closed and resealed. Gently putting it aside he moved to the boxes of his father's personal papers and archival materials. These materials had been consolidated into two archive boxes which had been labelled with his father's name and the date range of records contained within.

Taking one last look at the family portrait, he picked up the two boxes and left the vault. Placing the cartons on the waiting trolley he locked the vault.

Next Carlisle moved to the vault containing Edward Masen Snr's belongings. Unlike his family's vault, this one contained nothing more than business and personal papers.

Looking inside the vault Carlisle was surprised that there were only half a dozen archive boxes. Opening one he found hundreds of disks and USB sticks. On the top of the box was a label advising that the contents had been migrated into the centers database. This meant he did not need to take them with him as a search of the central operations system would allow him to mine the data required.

Looking around he found two boxes in a corner, the first was labelled Edward Music and the second Edward Miscellaneous. Neither box had any additional labels or information, the seals suggesting that they had not been looked at since Edward Snr died. On a gut feeling he moved these boxes to his trolley.

Locking the vault he moved to the third and last vault of interest. Edward Jnr's vault was the hardest to stand in front of, let alone go into. It was only when he became aware that his legs and arms were trembling did he admit to himself that he could not venture into the vault.

Rather than push himself he decided to work through what he had and return to his loves belongings another time. This resolved, Carlisle returned to his trolley and headed to this suite.

Upon returning to his rooms, Carlisle methodically opened and sorted the papers. He scanned each document into the agency database, before re-packing the boxes being sure to return the materials as he had found them, then stacking them against a wall.

Running an OCR engine over the documents he was able to index some of the material however poor penmanship left many documents too difficult for the technology to decipher. These documents needed to be manually transcribed, which took a lot of concentration as well as a physical toll squinting at the computer screen trying to work out if the letter was an 'a' or 'e'.

As he progressed, he became familiar with the authors handwriting which allowed him to speed up a bit. But it still took time. The process slowed further as he became immersed in the documents that he was transcribing.

Frustrated that he was getting bogged down in the process, he forced himself to take a break and then returning resolved to focus on the text of the documents rather than the content and context. Three days after he removed the boxes from the vaults he had successfully registered all of the documents, saving them both in the agency system and on his backup external drive.

Now all was ready for him to delve into the prepared documents.

Carlisle rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

Moving to the door he locked it, ensuring electronic access was restricted to him and Carmen. Pulling up his most comfortable chair to his desk he tapped on the screen, opening up the first document.

Starting with the documents from his father's vault, he began to form a picture of this parents of which he had been unaware. His father, a doctor from the states had whisked his mother away from her family and life in Italy. They had started a normal life in the USA until Carlisle Snr had been drafted into the organisation within which his mother was also an active agent, her life and times in Italy making her invaluable.

As a child Carlisle was unaware of any of this; he knew his father was an important doctor in the government but not that he was a founding member of the organisation that Carlisle now worked for. Carlisle Snr and Esme had been recruited by Carlisle's uncle Eleazar.

As he progressed with the document analysis, Carlisle tagged the each document. He identified key data elements within each document allowing him the ability to link the documents by date, place, persons and topics.

After a couple of hours he decided to run a number of searches to make sure that the document linking was correct. He stood up and stretched his back while the system prepared the results report. Glancing down at his results he was amazed to find the system making recommendations for documents that had been previously registered in the database, as well as the creation of links to other material in the system.

Carlisle was amazed that this information seemed to be suddenly and freely available in the system and presumed that he was now making the correct enquiries as to procedure the results. This presumption was thrown into doubt when based upon some correspondence that he had found in the files he ran some queries into his parents deaths. Prior attempts to retrieve any information on his parents had only resulted in official reports of the car accidence and the official autopsy's.

His new enquiry resulted in a disclosure of multiple reports and records which he frantically saved and printed incase this gift slipped from his grasp. As he saved the last of the documents to his portable drive a single message appeared on his terminal.

_Once you have read these. Please come and see me. Marcus._

Carlisle sat on the floor reading the last of the reports Marcus had allowed him to access. He didn't know why he should be surprised that he was not told the truth. His parents and sister had not died in a car accident. His parents had been murdered, execution style, and their bodies planted in the burning car. His sister's body was never found and had been presumed taken and killed elsewhere.

The conference in the UK that they were attending had been part of a clandestine operation for Eleazar which had gone horribly wrong. They had suspected a mole in the operation and a number of suspects had been permanently removed.

~*.*~

"Why? Why do you want to raise the dead?"

Carlisle leaned back in his chair where he across the large mahogany table from his Uncle. The sharpness of Marcus' tone caught him off guard at his request for more details on the family. Carlisle sat looking at his hands preparing to be scolded.

The old man shut his eyes and sighed. When he spoke again it was in barely a whisper but was still harsh and rough.

"I am sorry" Marcus murmured.

"The past is a place I try to forget but am always forced to remember. I am not like Eleazar, the past and its horrors within, drive him. The more he recalls, the less he speaks of it, it powers him like a furnace."

Marcus leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling briefly he returned his gaze to Carlisle.

"I am driven by the need to purge that which the past created. I will tell you my tale so I can try to bleed the pain from my soul through its telling."

"I am one of four brothers, I also had a sister. It is no secret that Aro Volturi is my eldest brother and Eleazar my half-brother, the former was instrumental in my leaving the family business and my exile from Italy while the latter provided me with opportunity to atone for the past sins of my family."

Marcus looked down at the table and quietly added, "My half-sister Esme, your mother, was a beautiful soul. In a family of boys she was the life and joy, when she was little she was my shadow, following me around every day. I was shattered when she was killed."

Carlisle felt like all of the oxygen had been removed from the room, he had always believed, had been led to believe, that his mother was Carmen's sister. Swallowing down his confusion and questions he waited for Marcus to continue. When the older man went silent Carlisle picked one question from the throng swarming his brain.

"You have three siblings, Aro, Eleazar, and Esme…" he swallowed hard against the grief rising at the thought of his mother and the fact that he had been misled as to her relationship with their family, "...and you are the fourth. Who is the fifth sibling?"

Marcus looked up at Carlisle, "My youngest brother was Edward Volturi, who you know as Edward Masen Snr. He was the only son of my father's mistress who had been hired as a ladies maid."

"What?" Carlisle chocked out, his mind whirling trying to piece together the family tree that had just been laid out before him.

The whole situation was bordering on the farcical, he understood the concept of need to know, but seriously as a member of this family didn't HE have a right to know.

He suddenly stops and looks at Marcus in shock, "Edward and I are cousins? That would have been good to know. Also what about Edward, I do not believe that he knew this." He turned white as a new thought crossed his mind.

"Do you think Aro would have told him, he had to have known? Could that be a reason why Edward didn't return with me, that he thought I knew and lied to him." Carlisle bent over with his head in his hands.

Marcus sat quietly watching his nephew's distress he made no comment watching as Carlisle settled and returned to once again look at the older man.

"Carlisle, there is no way of knowing what Aro has told Edward, unlike Eleazar I do believe that Aro would have told Edward of his family connection. As to Edward's reaction, you would know more about that than anyone else here, including his mother." Marcus lifted his hand to stop Carlisle from speaking.

"Carlisle, I believe that you are on the right track, there is something about this situation that feels as much about family as of business. Keep delving into the past, I will help you with what I know and I am sure Carmen will help too."

The older man stood without warning and made to leave the room. Carlisle stood and called out in protest.

"Marcus!"

Marcus turned, "Carlisle you have enough for now, keep digging. I suspect that retrieving Edward will depend on how deep you go."

With that he left the room. Carlisle stared at the door, trying to absorb what had transpired.

"What the hell?"


	12. Chapter 12

BulletProof – Chapter 12

I know it's a miracle, two chapters in as many weeks. Thank you all that have read and reviewed. Reviews help me focus and I am excited to move the story along. Please enjoy and let me know what you think.

* * *

Although Edward had only been in Italy a couple of weeks, his whole perspective on life and his family had changed dramatically.

His first meeting with Aro had been tense. They had been seated in high back chairs across from one another. His manner had been belligerent and uncooperative, demanding his return home. Aro had listened to Edward rant for about five minutes, watching the young man patiently until Edward lost some steam and quietened down.

Aro sat, quietly looking at Edward, his fingers steepled and leaning against his chin. He took a deep breath.

"My dear Edward, I apologise for the way in which we have to meet. I am even sorrier that we have not met before now."

"Why? Who are you? Why would I even know who you are?" Edward grumbled.

"Well Edward, this will probably come as a shock but we are related, I am your Uncle." Aro spread his arms out as if to embrace him across the divide.

"Uncle?" Edward shook his head, "I have no Uncles, or Aunts, or Grandparents. My parents had no one left, and now it's just me and my mother."

Aro looked at Edward as if he had two heads, "What about Eleazar, Carmen and Marcus?"

Edward looked at Aro, equally perplexed, "I do not know anyone named Marcus, and Eleazar and Carmen are sponsors of the arts and supporters of my mother's company."

The two of them stared at each other for a moment, seemingly unable to understand what the other was saying.

Aro was the first to break the silence, "So your mother never told you that Eleazar and Carmen are your aunt and uncle along with my brother Marcus, who is also your Uncle."

Edward stared wide eyed, barely aware that he was shaking his head, "No!" his voice a raspy whisper. Unable to comprehend this he demanded clarification, "You are all my relations?"

Aro gave him a grim smile, "Yes, we are. Marcus, Eleazar and Edward Snr are my brothers and Esme Cullen my sister."

"WHAT?" Edward screeched, "Carlisle's mother is your sister."

Edward couldn't breathe, couldn't think. If this man was telling the truth…then he had been lied to by his mother, his father and Carlisle.

"Carlisle, oh my god, Carlisle…we're cousins?" his voice broke in a combination of horror and distress.

Standing he started to pace the room, hands clenching and unclenching, acutely aware of Aro watching him from his chair.

"Edward…" the old man started, but stopped as the young man faced him, tears running down his face.

More quietly Aro tried again, "Edward, I am sorry for being the one to give you this news, I honestly thought that you knew. I understand if you do not want to believe me, I can show you photos and documents to prove to you that we are related. I think you know that it is the truth and I think that you would be interested to know that your father wanted you to be a part of the family business."

Standing Aro moved slowly towards Edward, "This has been a shock for you and again I am sorry. I will let Ani accompany you back to your suite, feel free to rest or take a walk. Unless there is something else you need?"

Arms crossed and head down, Edward sniffed loudly, then spoke quietly, "Do you have a piano?"

"A piano?" Aro ask, genuinely intrigued.

"Yes, if you have one that I could play for a while, it helps me relax," Edward explained.

"If I have a piano?" Aro laughed, "Edward I have many. Until I can get one moved into your suite, you are welcome to use the grand piano in the ball room."

Raising a hand he summoned the woman who had been standing in the shadows, unmoving, during the audience.

Ani stepped forward and taking Edward's arm led him out. Aro reached out as they passed and patted the boys shoulder.

"We will talk again Edward, but please accept that I am overjoyed to meet you and want to get to know you better."

Edward nodded quietly and walked with Ani out of the room.

While playing on the beautiful Steinway grand piano Edward considered the massive bombshell that had landed on him. After leaving him at the piano Ani had disappeared, returning with a folder of photos and documents. Playing with one hand he had flicked through the file, looking at birth certificates, newspaper clippings and photographs.

While most of the photos were old and included people that he did not recognise, he could clearly see his parents in the photographs, albeit much younger than he ever knew. He also recognised a man that so similar to Carlisle it was most likely his father standing next to a lovely young woman who could only be Carlisle's mother.

Edward played on for two hours before exhaustion started to set in. Stopping he sat quietly before turning to the ever present Ani and asked, "How about some lunch, Ani?"

The woman laughed, "You missed lunch Edward, how about some dinner? What do you feel like?"

Edward looked down guiltily, "I am sorry Ani, I didn't mean for you to starve waiting for me. I would kill for a burger, how about you?"

"A burger it is," she replied. "There is a great café that does burgers in the next town, would you like to get out the estate for a while."

Edward sat up, "really!"

"Well as long as you don't try to run away on me, Aro said you are welcome to visit the local area, see some of the region," Ani's tone was light but Edward could see the seriousness in her eyes.

"I promise," he agreed.

I was not long before the two of them, along with the driver and Felix as body guard, were on the way to the much recommended café. On the way Edward glanced at Ani from the corner of his eye. He was starting to like the woman, she was friendly but professional. She was clearly his minder, but her presence was not oppressive or intrusive. She had made him feel as if he was a guest not a captive and the longer he was with them the more he felt he wouldn't mind staying and find out more about his family.

~*.*~

After his initial audience he has further conversations with Aro, finding out about his family history and the international business that Aro ran and for whom Edward Snr had worked. The one question that he asked himself was, if his father was working for Aro why didn't his parents tell Edward about his family.

Unable to come up with a reasonable answer himself, one evening during their chat he had asked Aro. It was then that the picture became larger, scarier and made a strange sort of sense considering the event that had started this whole roller coaster for Edward.

Aro had initially brushed off the question, but when Edward had insisted the older man's response was so incredible it had to be real. When Aro backed up his words with evidence, Edward could not doubt that his newly exposed uncle in the United States ran a clandestine agency within which violence and crime was a normal part of life. Aro showed him evidence that Carlisle worked for this shadowy relative and how the violence that he had be subjected to in Carlisle apartment was a normal part of the others life.

Aro concluded it was this agency, this continual threat of violence, which was the reason for Edward and Elizabeth Masen withholding the truth from Edward.

It had given Edward much to think over and once Carlisle had decided to arrive to retrieve him, Edward had decided to stay. Aro had told him of Carlisle's impending arrival and gave the young man the option to stay or leave. Over the weeks he had been in Italy he had earned his hosts trust and had become genuinely interested in his Uncles business.

The day before Carlisle arrived in Volterra Edward asked to speak to Aro; he had considered his options and decided that he had the opportunity to learn more in Italy. Aro had appeared pleasantly surprised at Edward's decision to stay and the morning of Carlisle's arrival he gifted Edward with a beautiful cuff embossed with the Volturi family crest and encrusted with rubies.

Edward was not sure how he felt about Carlisle stepping into this group; the sight of him filled Edward with a confused sense of longing and loss. However the sensation of his new cuff reminded him of the lies and half-truths that he had been told; and Carlisle's complicity in them.

So Carlisle left…and Edward stayed.

~*.*~

Once he had chosen to stay Edward was embraced by those in the organisation. His natural friendliness and willingness to learn ensured his acceptance by Aro and his business staff, the administrative and service staff alike.

Over the next few weeks Edwards intelligence and seemingly natural flare for business and diplomacy amazed Aro. Edward also became friendly with his cousins, Aro's twins Jane and Alec, who were responsible for organising the social aspects of the organisation. His role initially was to learn, learn Italian and shadow the staff to find out more about the operations of the company.

As Edward observed and learned he could feel a discord in the company, a sour note that made everything feel a little off. Passing it off as cultural differences he pushed it to the back of his mind…for now.

~*.*~

Edward lay on the bed, relaxing in a post coital haze he reached out for his companion. After a couple of pats he found the other man's head. Rolling over with a groan he inched his body closer and wrapped an arm around the firm chest.

It took them both a few minutes to roll out of bed and to find his visitors clothing and a little longer for him to leave.

Closing the door behind his visitor, Edward leaned with his whole body against the closed door. Taking in a shuddering breath he turned to the rumpled bedroom. Picking up a robe from the floor he shrugged it on.

Moving to the bed, he stripped off the linen and tossed them into a pile by the door. The maid would collect them later, she would normally strip and remake the bed, but Edward needed them gone.

Opening the closet he removed a spare set of sheets he kept there. Making the bed he stepped on something soft which made a squelching noise. Bending down, he accidently knocked the bottle of lube next to the used condom.

Recoiling as if it were a spider he flicked it into the laundry pile, leaving it to the maid to dispose of. It wasn't as if his activities were in anyway private or secret, his dalliances with his lovers were no more than his way of earning Aro favors within the syndicates.

When Edward had started to join Aro at meetings and parties with his business associates and clients, there had be quite a stir and a number of persons, both men and women, had expressed an interest in having a closer relationship with the young man. Edward's Italian had been improving leaps and bound, but he had hidden his level of understanding as he found that it gave him and advantage, so he was not unaware of the interest in his person.

He was therefore unsurprised when Aro spoke of the interest Edward was receiving in his normally oblique manner, however Edward was amused when Aro left it to Ani to provide a clearer explanation that he was welcome, as part of his duties to the family business, to become intimate with those who invited to the estate.

Edward had stared at Ani for such a long time that it had started to make the woman uncomfortable. The young man stood abruptly.

"Tell Aro I accept his request to perform such duties, but also tell him…no women and I only top" he flew out of the room heading towards his suite where he immersed himself in playing the piano, leaving Ani to explain his stipulations to Aro in words that would meet the man's delicate sensibilities.

After his first dalliance Edward started to enjoy the time with his lovers. He always had a say as to who he socialised with and would always ensure that Aro and Ani knew what he was doing.

The situation became more serious when a new, extremely wealthy, client joined the party scene at the estate. Garrett was, in Edward's words, 'oily' and he resisted the man's attentions for a couple of weeks until Aro suggested that Edward not be so fussy, particularly if it mean they could close the deal he had been negotiating.

The next day Edward invited Garrett to a private dinner. The evening was pleasant and Edward found that they had much in common, particularly their love of music. The dinner ended with a peck on the cheek and a promise to meet the next day for lunch. This continued for a couple of days before Edward felt that things were serious enough to invite Garratt to his suite.

~*.*~

Edward lay on the floor, panting hard one arm wrapped around his torso.

His ribs were on fire, screaming at him from the multiple blows they had received.

Opening his eyes he saw the blurry image of Ani and Felix wrestling Garrett to the floor being watched by two other guards.

Edward's only real awareness was of the pain in his side and the cold floor against his bare skin.

"Edward, let me have a look" his eyes focused on the face above him, desperate fear in Ani's eyes as she took in the sight of her injured ward.

Trying not to hurt the young man she gently scooped Edward up and laid him on the bed. Reaching for a robe Ani gently lay it on the young man.

"I've called for the doctor," she assured.

"But before he arrives can you tell me how far Garrett went? I mean does the doctor need to examine you …ahh" she paused "…privately?"

"No he didn't get that far," Edward croaked, every breath causing dizzying pain. "My screaming for help stopped him, that is why he decided to beat me instead, he told me that I would be an 'easier lay' when unconscious."

Ani shook her head in grief, this young man, not long out of boyhood was her charge and she had almost lost him to one of Aro's 'business associates'.

Holding him close she gently stroked his hair, only letting him go once the doctor had arrived and then hovering while he was treated. She only left when ordered to report to Aro, and after checking that Edward was sedated and calm, she returned to her own rooms and broke down.

~*.*~

It took Edward weeks to fully recover, in that time he had only seen Ani and the normal domestic staff. It was his understanding that Garrett had been delivered home to his family in a similar condition to that he had left Edward in.

He had regular nightmares after the attack and woke in the middle of the night, covered in sweat with tears in his eyes. One night when the terror was too much, he woke struggling against his blankets. Looking around the room he was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of claustrophobia, desperate to leave the confines of his suite he donned his robe and slippers and slipped out his door into the main corridor. He headed for the kitchens to make himself a hot chocolate, slipping into the kitchen he was surprised to see Demetri the family chef, cooking up a rich and creamy dish.

"Can I help you with anything Edward?" the chef looked concerned, all of the staff had become protective of the young man who had landed in their world with a bang.

"No, thank you Demetri . I am just going to make a hot chocolate and go back to bed."

Edward smiled at the man, "How are the twins, did they enjoy their first day at school?"

Demetri nodded, "Yes they did, however little Olive suggested that after one day she had learned all she needed to know."

They both laughed, before turning back to their respective tasks.

A sound in the next room caused Demetri to hurry his preparations. Dishing out two serves of food, he straightened his clothes before taking the plates into the next room, Aro's private dining room. Edward heard mumbled conversations and then Demetri returned to the kitchen. Removing his apron he turned to Edward, who was quietly heating his milk on the stove.

"Edward I am heading to bed, can you make sure you clean up before you head back to you suite?" Edward nodded and wished the man goodnight.

Edward finished preparing his hot chocolate and sitting on one of the kitchen stools he quietly sipped his drink. He jumped when the sound of a hand hitting the table in the other room. A voice then growled

"How could you do that, put him at risk like that?" while Edward had never met Aro's oldest son Caius, he recognised the voice from teleconferences held in Aro's office.

"Caius my son, I never intended that such a thing would happen to Edward, it was not something I could foresee. Be assured that the perpetrator was sent home in a box."

"But why was he in the situation in the first place, why were you allowing these people to take such liberties with him. He is family. He is one of ours and you…you…"

It was clear that Caius was disturbed over what had happened to Edward however he could not understand was why.

Aro had clearly waited for Caius to stop before he spoke in his quiet way, "Caius, I am sorrier than you can image about what had happened. It is possible that in my excitement to show how amazing he was to my business associates I took it too far. The person in question mistook Edward's role and purpose, I have made it very clear to Garrett's people that he assaulted a member of my family, not someone hired to provide entertainment, and that the consequence for this insult would be harsh."

"Be assured that that is over. I will allow Edward to do what he wishes while he remains here. I will even give him the option to leave, if that is what he wants. But might I add, if you feel so strongly about his wellbeing, maybe he could join as part of your staff, he is intelligent like his father and I think could learn much from you."

The room was quiet for a moment and then Caius huffed, "If you cannot care for him correctly, I see that I must. I will introduce myself at breakfast and we can talk."

The voices quietened again as Edward slipped from the kitchen, his hands shaking.

Entering his bedroom Edward wondered if, based upon what he had heard about Caius from the staff and from his cousins Alec and Jane, whether working with Caius would be any less perilous than entertaining Aro's guests had been.

Crawling back into bed he tried unsuccessfully to go back to sleep as he waited for his meeting with Caius Volturi.


	13. Chapter 13

Bullet Proof – Chapter 13 - Edward

**I apologise for the long break, it was not planned or particularly welcome on my part, it was however unavoidable. I posted a whim of a chapter last month just to clear my head, however some nasty trolling mean that I am removing it and will only post Bullet Proof from now on Fanfiction.**

**Due to some of the reviews and comments on the last chapter, I have decided to continue with Edward pov, to show how he progresses in the Volturi court.**

**Reviews would be most appreciated. I really need to get an idea of how this is translating outside of my head.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Edward straightened the papers on his desk. He had everything he needed for his appointment and was making sure his desk was spotless before leaving for it.

His meticulous nature was a cause of some teasing by the other staff however no one could fault Edwards ability to put his hands on the required information as needed, as a result of his OCD tendencies.

Glancing up at the large grandfather clock in the opulent room that made up the front of the business suites, he saw that he still had time, he rose and walked to the side table need the entrance and poured himself a glass of water from the carafe provided for visitors. As he slowly sipped the water he allowed himself to dwell on the last couple of months.

Even with the pre-warning that his eavesdropping had provided, he was not prepared for his first meeting with Caius Volturi. His oldest cousin had a reputation of callousness, intensity and ambition.

He was also fiercely loyal to the family and protective of the family business. Despite all of the stories he had been told, Caius had been friendly, even warm, toward Edward.

He suspected that this was due in part to what had happened to Edward while under Aro's care, and while it was clear that Edward Snr and Caius had had their differences, Caius had been equally as clear that as family Edward himself deserved respect.

Many things changed after that first day. His rooms were moved to Caius's wing of the estate and he was given a real position. His role was formally as an intern, however Caius made no secret of the fact that he expected Edward to learn the family business and serve in his role as a member of the family.

A desk was provided for him in the administrative offices next to Caius's Executive Assistant Michael, who was a friendly young man who, much to Caius's exasperation, was dating one of the upstairs maids. Michael had worked for Caius for years after being plucked from business school. Edward suspected that there was more to the story than he had been told, but did not enquire. This lack of inquisitiveness was appreciated by Michael and received silent nod of approval from Caius.

Edward would read materials that were provided to him and often sit in on meetings with business partners and other clients, taking minutes and seeing how Caius worked. As such he became as much Michael's assistant as Caius's intern. Not that he minded, he found the business very interesting and would request for more and more tasks.

Edward's ability to read and absorb information amazed Caius and in the end the man provided Edward with restricted access to the business records system, in addition he started meeting with Edward three times a week, often at breakfast and dinner time, to talk and discuss the business and Edward's reading, eventually his keen interest in learning the history of the family encouraged Caius to speak more of his own life and childhood and what he knew of their forefathers.

Despite his apparent freedom, Edward was aware that there were things that he was not privy to. While he was curious, he was not really interested in investigating, he had enough to keep him occupied without looking for things that may get him in trouble.

The one thing he had noticed since he had more regular access to Caius was that Michael slowly changed in his approach to Edward, he was not cold or rude, it was just a feeling of distance between them. He suspected it had as much to do with Edward taking on the role as minutes secretary for a lot of the time and that the other man was protective of his position as Caius's right hand and was not keen to give up even the most menial of his tasks.

Often Michael would go over the files that Edward had been working on during the day, in line with a Caius's standing order that all work be audited regular. He made it clear at the time that Edward was free to follow-up with Caius and Edward planned to do so, however the fire alarm went off at that time and it slipped his mind.

The fire alarms were something else Edward needed to get used to. While he had been living in Aro's part of the estate he had heard the alarms go off intermittently. He had asked Tanya about them, wondering in the main if he was supposed to do anything when they went off, she advised that it was for Caius's staff only. As a result of a large fire in the estate many years before, Caius ran fire drills at random intervals; all staff to follow the drills on pain of termination. Once when he had been in Aro's council chamber and a particularly still day allowed the sound of the fire alarm wash over the estate, Aro had sighed and shook his head clearly saddened by the memories revived each time the alarm sounded.

Edward had forgotten about the fire alarms, blocking them out as background noise as did most others in Aro's wing. However on his relocation to Caius's domain he was given a firm and thorough briefing on the fire alarm system, the fire escape routes and his evacuation location. It was only then that he realized the extent of Caius's pain from the memory of the fire. It had been made very clear to Edward of the warning system for failing to adhere to the fire alarms and he was tested by, and was to test, others in their roles and requirements.

By the time he had his first drill his tasks and evacuation plan was so drilled in his head that he followed it automatically. One thing that had caught his notice from the very start was that neither Michael nor Caius was allotted to his evacuation site. When asked, Caius explained that he did not want key people or family members, located in the same place should the worse occur and there was loss of life. He continued to state that this of course was to ensure the continuation of the business and was purely from practical reasons; however there was something in his eye, a sad, but slightly of balanced look, that caused Edward to not enquire further.

The fire drills could often impact work or a meeting in progress, so it was not unusual for minor matters to be pushed aside; Michael's seemingly official prod nosing was one of those things.

However it came back to his attention one night. He had finished for the day and after saying goodnight to Caius and Michael he had headed towards his suite. Halfway there, the solution to a problem he had been battling with all day finally hit him. His OCD nature wouldn't let the matter lie until the next day, it would drive him crazy all night if he didn't make the correction.

Unlocking the office he padded into the gloomy office, only the exterior lights from the gardens lighting the way through the large windows. Turning on his desk lap he fired up his terminal and opened the list of his current files. Checking that he had the right file, noting that the files metadata had not been changed since he closed it earlier, he opened the document and swiftly moved to the section that he needed to modify and stopped. Something was different in the file; there had been changed made since he had shut the file down. Returning to the file list he checked again that it was the correct file. The list confirmed that this was the correct file and that according to the system there had been no changes. He was confused; he knew what he had entered less than an hour ago, particularly since this issue had been causing him a headache all day.

Making the additions he had come back to make, Edward shut the file down and turning off the light, left the office. He would need to think about this. Why would someone make changes to a file but not want it recorded? How would they even do that? He knew the system very well and the security was top notch. Instead of going to the dining room or kitchen for a meal, he headed straight for his piano, which Caius had included in the move between suites. Sitting he played and played, trying to think the matter through. As he played he realized he needed more information. Was it just this file that had been altered? Was it a system glitch that needed to be reported? Or was it a wide spread system issue, which then needed urgent attention?

He knew that he was obligated to report any system issue, but didn't want to be seen to cry wolf, because he was lacking some knowledge or misunderstood some common practice.

His thoughts returned to that particular file. Was it a coincidence or was there something about it that was unique? It was a basic lone agreement with an external client; he dealt with a number each week. The difficultly he had had with the document had to do with the interest rates due to currency conversions, nothing really critical. The changes had been made to particular rates and currencies as well as very unusual looking terms buried in sub-clauses, clauses that were standard and would not normally be checked for accuracy as they were populated from standard templates.

So the question was why that file? Were there others? Were they just from his terminal? Were the templates corrupted? His thoughts were leaning back to the idea of a technical issue.

The stray thought that kept sliding into his consciousness was could he have done anything wrong to cause the problem? He knew that he could not. Despite Caius's confidence and trust, Edwards's access was limited and he had no ability to affect system parameters or access. But even so he was concerned.

So he thought, if someone is doing this on purpose, why were they doing it? What was the goal, he had not looked in detail at the text in the changed file, maybe doing a forensic review of that file he could identify the type of information that was being changed. Then he could develop some searches to identify if similar changes in metadata, content or templates had been performed on other files.

Deciding to risk reprimand he decided to keep his concerns to himself until he could provide Caius with the solution in addition to the problem.

Three weeks on and the in numeral hours spent working at his terminal, and in the compactus with the hardcopy files had lead him to this moment; waiting for a meeting with Caius. His presonal project had been masked as a review of the filing system, something that both Caius and Michael had moaned about regularly.

The current system had been very professional and represented the business as it had been but it had not evolved with the company and when Edward had made some suggestions that had peaked Caius's interest, he had given permission to write up a proposal for an update to the system.

Edward had done so, and in doing so had found that the number of his questions had increased, rather than reduced.

Edward was staring out the large windows when the door to Caius's office opened. Michael stood in the threshold, with Caius standing in the room. Entering Edward when to the chair as indicated and sat down. His presentation on the review of the filing system took 20 minutes as he went into detail on what he had done and what he proposed. The two men were impressed, however Michael did moan about how much the change would affect his workload, but Caius brushed it aside. He was proud that Edward was in his own way looking out for the family business.

So with his cousin's support Edward left with the authority to make the changes he had recommended. With Caius written authority to proceed he took it as read that he could do what he needed to make it happen. The next day he had rung ICT and after providing the system administrator with Caius's authorization, Edward had automatically been provided with the administrative access to those records in the business system.

The result of this access was that he now had the authority to delve deeper into the other problem that he had identified. It took him two weeks to perform the changes to the filing system, two hours to track down the source of the issue, two minutes to identify the culprit, and two nights without sleep to build up the courage to approach Caius with his findings.

Edward decided to wait until his next breakfast meeting with Caius to give his report. This was delayed by his cousin going away for a week accompanied by a small staff, including Michael. In many cases Edward would also come, however Caius told him that he wanted Edward to take some responsibility and manage the office on his behalf.

Edward was proud that Caius trusted him enough to hold down the fort and while this did not involve any high level meetings, he did look after the day to day operations of the office and needed to deal with a number of clients. If it hadn't been for the other issue he would have enjoyed himself, instead each pause in the day, each quiet moment, was haunted by the contents of the folder that he was holding close to his chest.

On the day that Caius returned, he was not in the best of moods. He swept past Edward at his desk ignoring the young man. Michael entered after his boss and gave Edward a small smile before sitting at his own desk.

An hour after their return Caius's office door opened and he called for Edward. The young man entered the office, along with a list of correspondence and related issues that required Caius's attention. He handed the file to Caius, who took it with a quiet thank you and then placed it in his in tray.

Gesturing for Edward to sit, Caius returned to his seat.

"I have had very good feedback on your work while I have been away. You have managed yourself with professionalism and treated our clients with the respect and honour that they are due."

Edward blushed a little, "Thank you Caius. I was honored that you allowed me to, even for a little while, serve in such a valuable role."

Caius smiled, "Well I am pleased that my trust in you was not misplaced, you are certainly growing into your role and as a member of the family."

Caius checked his watch, "I need to get to a meeting with Aro, but I would like you to join me for breakfast."

"I will be there!" confirmed Edward

"Wonderful" Caius gushed. "It will be just you and me tomorrow, Michael has other duties to attend to."

Edward got the feeling that Caius was a bit put out with Michael, but knew better than to ask. Caius watching him intensely almost as if he was daring him to, but when Edward made no comment he simply reached for the file that the young man had brought in. Edward seeing that his audience with his boss was over, stood and left the office. Returning to his desk he smiled at Michael who appeared more flustered than when Edward had gone in to see Caius.

"Was there anything I need to know?" Michael barked.

"No!" replied Edward. "Thank you. I was just briefing him on the call logs from while you were away. That thing was 40 pages long," Edward complained with a laugh.

Michael joined him chuckling, "Well you wanted to hold down the fort."

"I know," said Edward. Next time I should be careful what I wish for."

Michael hummed and then the 'blurp' of his desk phone interrupted their conversation. Edward returned to his work, so deeply engrossed that he was only vaguely aware of Michael finishing his call and returning to his own duties.

The next morning Edward arrived at the breakfast room overlooking the rose garden. He placed the folder he had brought with him at his place setting and then moved to the coffee station where he prepared a cup for both himself and Caius.

As he sat down at the table Caius entered the room. Seeing the coffee waiting for him he smiled at Edward.

"Thank you Edward. I really needed this this morning," he paused taking a sip of the drink. "The trouble with travelling across time zones is the way that even coffee cannot adequately give you back the time you are missing."

Edward smiled at his cousin and indicated to the staff member standing by to serve breakfast. Once served Edward nodded to the servant to leave, this was the norm for these breakfast meeting. Despite the multiple body guards and servants outside the door of the room, when it was just the two of them it gave the illusion of a private setting.

The pair sat quietly enjoying their meal, after 20 minutes Caius spoke.

"I must repeat my comments from earlier Edward, you did a very efficient job managing the office while we were away." The word efficient was some of the highest praise from his cousin and Edward basked in the approval.

Caius continued, "We had an interesting trip, but I did not achieve everything that I had wanted from the journey."

Edward nodded internally; this explained the tension between Michael and Caius. Michael was in charge of the itinerary and ensuring that the meetings held were the most efficient use of Caius's time away. It sounded like they had not been.

Rather than dwelling on whatever the issue had been, Caius spoke of a number of his successful meetings, particularly on those in which Edward had contributed in the preparation. Edward knew that there were a number of meetings of which Caius did not speak of, projects that were only known to a small number of staff within the organisation. It was the ultimate "don't ask, don't tell" as he could only guess at the repercussions should he find out something on a project or client for which he did not have access.

After listening to Caius regale him of a night at the theatre wineing and dining the young wife of an elderly client, the older man then shifted the conversations to the comings and goings of the compound.

Edward updated him with the normal gossip, who had visited and left, who had slept with who and the everyday comings and goings of a large estate like the Volturi household. Caius listened to all with interest. Before Edward coming under his protection, Caius had had little contact or interest with those he considered above stairs. With Edwards arrival and their regular chats he had had a whole new world opened up to him, that of his own estate.

Edward gave him information that he would have never thought important, however he had found the people that worked in the estate loyal and honest. They were able to ferret information about clients that visited and events in the local (and even further reaches) that provided, while not ground breaking information, information that could be added to his more formal sources and provide a more complete picture from which he could work.

Caius laughed at the fate of one of their long term visitors, who had tried to woo Jane by taking her for a boat ride on the lake, and had been left adrift as she flung the oars overboard and swam to shore. It was only after he had been missing for a couple of hours, had she let anyone know of his whereabouts, it turned out that the dolt could not swim and had been trying to paddle by hand. He left that very night, muttering about crazy ladies. Edward had helped clean out this rooms, only to find an alter to his cousin Jane, which Edward found both creepy and hysterically funny. While he never said so to any one aloud, he could not image any one being interested in the off balanced girl. The guy must have been crazy as she was.

As their time came to an end, Edward slid the file he had been leaning on for most of breakfast across to Caius. Caius raised an eyebrow; it was unlike Edward to raise work during this time.

As he made to open the folder Edward stopped him.

"In private, please!"

Closing the folder, his interest peaked, Caius slide the folder into his personal diary. If Edward wanted this to be private then he would keep it so, while young and new to the business, the young man had shown to be competent and trust worthy. He was also family, this fact automatically gained him a right to ask for confidence.

"Thank you, Edward," he murmured and exited the room, leaving the young man shaking slightly as he hoped that he had done the right thing.

Nothing happened for a full twenty four hours.

Exactly a day after Edward had passed the file over to Caius, Tanya turned up at his rooms advising him that Edward would be joining her and the kitchen staff to the village market day to purchase those items that they did not grow themselves on the estate.

I was not unusual for Edward to be a part of this party every now and then, however less often as his duties for Caius had increased. His growing anxiety over the contents of the file and Caius's reaction had made him jumpy and he had to bite his tongue before demanding why he would be leaving at this particular time.

Anyone observing Edward would not have noticed much, however Tanya was very much aware of the nervous tension radiating from her charge, as she too was surprised at his inclusion in the party, but was grateful as the two of them had not had time to just chat in a while.

On their return home, Edward helped unpack the loader trailer into the storerooms and kitchen. The chef had a special dinner ready for the intrepid travelers, ending with Edwards favorite lemon meringue pie.

As they were finishing dessert and the kitchen staff left to get some well-earned rest, Edward and Tanya left the kitchens to retire to their respective rooms when they encountered Felix heading towards them.

Without preamble the bulky man said, "Caius has asked me to retrieve you both. Come this way."

Felix led them to Caius's office. As they walked past his and Michael's desk, Edward could not help to notice that the other man's desk had been cleared of all items, leaving a surface bare of anything including phone or computer.

Felix lead him into Caius's office where Edward was a little surprised to see Caius and Aro seated, each holding a large balloon glass of the a deep burgundy red wine.

"Edward, please join us," Caius encouraged waving towards a nearby chair.

Edward sat watching the two men closely. He did not speak, knowing that one or the other would when they were ready.

Caius leaned forward and asked, "Edward, that material that you prepared for me, did someone tell you to look for that, or suggest that you do?"

Edward looked surprised, "Um..no Caius. As I tried to explain in my notes, I came across the error by accident one night and then when I tried to track it down identified some other issues."

Looking back and forwards to the two men he continued, "I am sorry if I done something improper, rather than bothering anyone with a couple of little issues I thought I would look into it and see if there was a bigger issue, or to be honest check that that I had not made an error."

Aro and Caius looked at each other, before Caius responded, "You have nothing improper I am just amazed that you were able to identify such a detail that would flag a possible issue from it. We are not in any way upset that you found the issue in the system."

Edward released a sigh, his body noticeably relaxing.

"What you have done, my child," Aro picked up "is saved this family and our company a very large amount of money and an even larger amount of embarrassment."

"A system problem could cause all of that?" Edward asked.

"No Edward," Caius smiled ruefully, "An imbedded case of corporate espionage would have caused that. Edward you skillfully, but unwittingly, managed to identify and trace a systematic and deliberate attack on our financial and client business records."

"Really?" Edward was honestly shocked. He knew that the problem was large, but his Uncle indicated a level of potential damage that Edward would not have even considered.

He hoped that he was not coming across too strong, it had been pretty obvious that this had been done deliberately, but he hadn't been able to identify the true scope with his level of access.

Aro placed his glass down and stood with a flourish. He moved to stand in-front of Edward and gestured the young man to stand and then wrapped his arms around Edward in a firm embrace. Stepping back he cupped his hand around Edwards chin.

"You are truly one of the family, you have shown that you are one of us that you serve the family and will protect your own. Caius will speak to you more about your new duties."

Now I will retire, "The cause and his associate have been removed and a top level cyber forensics team have been tasked using your work as a base to scope the depth of Michaels betrayal."

He gestured to Caius, "Your cousin and I agree that you should assume the role of his Executive Assistant, you with become his right hand and be full involved in the family and its business."

~*.*~

It was not until hours later, when he was safely tucked in bed, in the dark, that Edward allowed himself to fully realize what had happened.

He was accepted as one of the family, trusted with access into the family business and had been provided with a new role that he could shape as his own and serve the family further.

Edward face, hidden under the blankets, broke into a grin so large his face might have split.

This was perfect. This was exactly what Eleazar had been waiting for.


End file.
