Chapter Text
Aro stands in the hall looking at the only portrait that existed of his sister; it was the anniversary of Didyme’s death. Marcus was locked away in his wing. His normal yearly ritual, he will emerge in a few weeks hungry and ready to once again take his place next to Aro.
Aro was not a man with many regrets. He has lived centuries like a god on earth. The leader of his kind, all answered to him. Though looking at the oil painted face of his once-beloved sister, he did regret this. Killing Didyme was one decision he wishes he could take back. At the time Aro thought sacrificing his dear sister would be worth keeping Marcus by his side, but in truth, Aro miscalculated and he underestimated the bond between mates. To this day, Marcus has not recovered from the loss. He was not the man he was before and centuries later he is showing no signs of recovery.
”Master, oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to disturb you,” Elizabeth cautiously approaches Aro, her eyes taking in Didy’s portrait. ”I never had the opportunity to meet Mistress Didyme, but I have only heard great things about her.” Elizabeth, for the most part, was still a child. It had only been a few centuries since she was turned. Sadly she had no extraordinary gift but she was welcome nonetheless just another one of his many children.
”She was greatly loved.” Something at the time that Aro didn't hold much stock in but now seeing the Cullen’s and the bond between them, he thinks he might have greatly misjudged his sister's gift. He takes in his sister's face, seeing so much regret. He releases a sigh, turning his full attention to Elizabeth. ”What have you found my child?”
”Just to let you know that Demetri has yet to locate the Vampire Joham.” The hunt had yet to turn up any results, and Aro was most anxious to speak with this man and his other half breed children.
”He will turn up, tell my children to come home.” Are was always more comfortable with the full guard present and with his best enforcer and tracker off hunting, he couldn't help but feel slightly vulnerable. ”Alert all coven that Joham and his children are summoned here. In time he will come to us, patience is a virtue after all.”
”As you wish Master.” Elizabeth gave a small bow. Soon his children would all be home. With Marcus absent, Aro has little desire to go to the throne room with Caius being in a foul mood the last few weeks. He views the half breeds as a danger to their world and wants them destroyed. For Aro, he is most intrigued by them. Marcus, as usual, is indifferent. So not wishing to be alone with grumpy Caius, Aro instead decides to go visit Sulpicia. She too had loved Didy as her sister and mourned her still.
”My sweet!” He enters Sulpicia’s private room with a knock on the door. She was at her computer, how he hated the human’s modern technology, but Sulpicia did not share his view on it. For her, it was a way to go out into the world without leaving the safety of her tower, and if it kept her up here safe from harm, Aro would allow it. She jumps as he enters quickly shutting off the device. Why does she seem so guilty? Aro is immediately suspicious of this reaction. ”What are you doing my love?” The high pitch ’Nothing’ she offered as a reply did not help settle his suspicion. He pulls off his glove, ”Take my hand my sweet.”
”Aro, it is nothing.” Aro only tilts his hand to the side not breaking eye contact he extends his hand. She reluctantly moves forward taking hold. Sulpicia should know better than to try and keep secrets from him.
She's on some sort of social sharing site. Humans sharing needless information about their pointless lives, sharing photos like the world actually cared about to see. New baby, birthday parties, all pointless yet his dear mate enjoys looking at all the photos. One image takes hold. Holly Fraiser, American, age 17 The girl is the spitting image of Didi. The same hair, the same eyes, same smile, picture after picture flash one after another in Aro mind. His wife has been watching her for weeks, the sneaking minx!
”Look what you found my dear.” Aro smile bringing Sulpicia hand to his lips. ”It’s quite a likeness, isn't it?” Sulpicia looks to the ground, guilty.
”Aro, I just…..there was nothing to tell. I just watch her a bit.” Sulpicia says sheepishly, he is the one that should be making amends. He is the guilty one. Had he neglected his mate so that he had not touched her in weeks? He had become so distracted with the Cullen’s and these half breeds, he hadn't made time for her.
”Oh love, you have nothing to be sorry for. It is I that have neglected you.” Aro pulls her into his arms placing a kiss on her temple. ”What do you think? Should we meet her? If you wish it, I will bring this Holly Fraiser here.” Aro himself was a bit intrigued by this human that resembled his long lost sister. He would not be opposed to meeting her. Would she have the same gift as Didi had?
“I thought of asking but I was scared what if it upsets Marcus. To see someone that so resembles his Didi but yet it isn't her.” What would Marcus think? Would he approve? Perhaps Aro should meet her first before presenting her to Marcus.
*****
”Max please it's not like that!” Holly was on the phone with her brother. God, she loved her brother but he was so……..’ no deep breath’ Holly thought as she paced the floor of her bedroom. She owed everything to Max. After they lost their parents when she was 14 Max took care of her. That's no easy task for a 20-year-old. Well, all his friends were out partying, having their college experience. Max was home taking care of her. A girl couldn’t ask for a more devoted brother. ”It was a bunch of girls for school and we went to the mall. Nothing bad happened.” Yes, he was a bit possessive, but he just wanted the best for her. “No you are right, I promise I won’t do it again. Yes, I know you worry.” Damage control time! “Hey, how about I make your favorite supper tonight. Will that make you happy?” You peek in your wallet, you had just enough money to make a quick trip to the market. “Yes, it’s you and me, Max.” That was Max’s motto, it was him and her no one else mattered. “Yes, we take care of each other. Ok, I have to run to the market if you want me to make your fajitas. Ok, so I’ll see you at 6.”
She pulls her coat tighter around her as she walks back from the market, her bag weighing down her right arm as small flakes of snow started falling and dusting the sidewalk in front of her. It gets dark way too early now thanks to the stupid time change. November was just the worst! At least in December, you have Christmas to look forward too and who doesn’t want a white Christmas, right? So December snow isn’t annoying, it’s magical, but November snow wasn’t magical at all! It is just slushy cold misery. Holly couldn’t wait to be back in her apartment, Max would be home soon. She will get his favorite supper made and maybe they can finish watching the new season of “The Good Place” on Netflix.
She waits for the crosswalk light to change, only a block to go. Her mind was focused on the fleece PJ bottoms and fuzzy slippers. As if fate wanted to punish her for forgetting her reusable shopping bag, the plastic one provided by the store decided it no longer wanted to carry her groceries and gave way at its bottom seam, causing her food to scatter across the ground.
“Perfect!” Holly murmured as she bends over to pick up her now scattered supper ingredients. Chicken, green pepper, onion, wraps……...wait where is the sour cream?! The little container was now rolling down the slope of the sidewalk like it was trying to run back to the store. “Not so fast you!” Trying desperately to stop the container and not drop any of her things, Holly takes off down the sidewalk as quick as she can. “A little help!’ She called out, but a couple of young kids laugh instead of grabbing the container. Kids today! So here she is trying to keep a hold on all her food while chasing down her now run away sour cream. A man that seems to materialize out of the shadows thankfully stopped it! “Thank you!” She called out, making her way to her sour cream savior. “Shows how out of shape I am. I couldn’t even catch it?” She jokes but her humor dies away as she gets closer. She couldn’t quite place it but there was something different about him, he seemed a little off. He stood tall, well over 6 feet. He was also covered head to toe by a long grey cape. Are capes making a comeback? His hood was pulled low so that she couldn’t see his entire face, yet the skin she could see was unnaturally pale.
“Miss, I believe this is yours.” He said softly, she had never heard anything so pleasant; he was one of those lucky people that had a voice that drew people in. He holds out the mischievous sour cream but, with her arms full, she can’t take it.
“You’ll have to add it to the pile.” She offers a smile, with his hood, pulled low, she couldn’t see his eyes was he even looking at her? “I’m Holly.” She mentally kicked herself why did she tell him that? Like he cares, stupid Holly.
“Demetri.” Was all he said and he places the container on top of the precariously balanced chicken in her arms. Holly found herself fighting the urge to step in closer. All she wanted was to see his full face.
“Well thank you, Demetri, you saved my supper!” He seemed to find this comment amusing, he smiled, showing off a set of pearly white teeth. For some reason, it unsettled her again. Wrong. Something is wrong with this guy. “Well, you have a good night.” Holly was about to turn away when her cell phone starts going off. She knows exactly who it is and if she didn’t answer she would be in trouble. She quickly tries to maneuver the products in her arms to get it to her phone which was trapped in her coat pocket.
“Shoot, Demetri can you do me one more favor? I need to answer the phone.” Holly knew this was a weird request but if she didn’t get that call Max would freak out. “Would you go into this pocket and get it for me.” She turns to the side pointing with her finger almost losing her onion in the process. Demetri hesitated for a moment. “Please, Demetri my brother will lose it if I don’t answer!” Holly swears it was like Demetri only took a second to get her phone. She blinked and the phone was now out of her pocket and in his hand. How the heck did he do that? Demetri pushes the phone button and holds the phone to the side of her face.
“Max! I’m fine, I’m just down the street.” Max hates it when he gets home and she’s not there. “I’m coming, I was just thanking Demetri and was on my way when you called.” In hindsight, she realizes she probably should have not mentioned Demetri’s name. “He’s just a guy. He helped me pick up my stuff and I couldn’t get my phone because my arms are full so he helped me answer my phone.” Come on Max. She is starting to feel bad for Demetri, he’s now stuck holding the phone to her ear. “Look Max can we talk about this when I get home? I swear I’m just down the street, five minutes and you can yell at me in person!”
“Or I can yell at you right now!” Holly turns, abandoning her phone and Demetri’s hand to find Max’s standing behind her; his phone against his ear. He must have started looking for her the moment he arrived home and found the apartment empty.
“Great you can help me carry this stuff! Here I’m losing the onion take it.” She half-ass tosses the vegetable at her brother and this causes the container of sour cream to once again try to make an escape but before it could hit the ground, Demetri somehow managed to catch it. “Wow, good catch!” She cheered but this annoyed Max even more.
“Hey back away, she’s 17!” Oh, Max! He moves forward, snatching the container and her phone from Demetri’s hand.
“Max, come on he was helping me. I’m sorry Demetri he’s a bit overprotective.” Max was now nudging her creating distance between Demetri and her.
“I am not over anything. I am the perfect amount of protective. Now march young lady, I can’t believe you talking to complete strangers on the street! He could be a drug dealer or a rapist! Did you think of that?!” Max hissed. Demetri didn’t seem to like being called a rapist, he raised his head enough that his face became fully visible. He is beautiful! Almost painfully beautiful to look at. Though it wasn’t his gorgeous face that caught Holly’s attention it was his eyes, his clearly angry red eyes. That’s right red! Max now took Holly by the arm turning her and marching her up the street.
She looks over her shoulder but as fast of the mysterious Demetri appeared he was now gone. “Well, that wasn’t very nice.” She turned her attention back to Max. “I don’t think you deserve fajitas now. I think you hurt his feeling calling him a rapist.”
“I didn’t call him anything. I said he might be one. Hol, how many times do I have to tell you, the world is full of sick people. I have to keep you safe. Do you want to end up like mom?” Mom and Dad were in the wrong place at the wrong time. This man high jacketed their car. He killed dad right away, but mom, well, this man did happen to be a rapist. So you can pretty much guess what he did to mom. Max had to identify her body that had been found a week after she disappeared, so as rude as Holly found Max’s actions she couldn’t really blame him for being the way he is.
“It’s you and me, Hol. Don’t trust anyone else.” Holly did end up making the fajitas for Max and they did end up watching the last available season of ‘The Good Place.’ now she was getting ready for bed. As she is closing her blinds for a second she thought she saw a cloaked man standing on the snow cover street below but with a second glance, there was no one. She laughs are her own silliness, why would Demetri be standing on the street outside her building? She would likely never see that guy again.
“Night Hol.” Max called outside her door.
“Night Max, sweet dreams.” With that, she shuts off her light, one more day of school and then it would be weekend.