A/N: Online translators are to blame for the errors in the non-English conversation.

***

Once Lily had woken the next day and had breakfast, she took Carlisle upstairs to show him her bedroom. Her mates were at the long table in animated conversation that stopped when she appeared.

"Good morning," she said with a little wave. Her cheeks flushed as she remembered the night before. She hadn't been embarrassed at the time, but now that she wasn't half-asleep and scared out of her skull she was. They'd seen her vulnerable on her first night here. She didn't like it.

Various good mornings came from them as they glanced between her and Carlisle. She took her pop's hand in hers. "I just wanted to show him my room. As you were." She gave them a cheeky smile and pulled Carlisle over to her room.

He was properly impressed and she left him to roam while she showered and changed in the bathroom. When she came out, she found him frowning at a small stack of boxes. He glanced over at her and smiled. "How about we get you unpacked and settled while I'm here? Then I can tell Esme that I saw to it. It will make her feel better."

"That sounds great." She pursed her lips. "I apparently have more rooms though. We should check them out before we unpack so stuff can go where I want it. Jane actually took care of most of my clothes for me."

His brows lifted in surprise. "Did you ask her to?"

Lily shook her head. "No. She did it while I was getting ready for my date yesterday."

"She must like you. That's good. Her and Alec...well, they could use you in their lives. Let's leave it at that."

"She also did my hair," she admitted and Carlisle's eyes widened.

Lily laughed and headed for the door. "Come on. I want to make sure they don't mind me checking out the rest of my space."

She found the brothers still at the table. They again quit speaking when they saw her but she didn't get the impression she was interrupting. It was more like they found her more important than their discussion. And didn't that make her feel valued. She grinned at them. "Can I see the rest of my rooms?"

Aro was on his feet and at her side immediately. "Absolutely. I am surprised that you have not already, though we are pleased to get to observe your reaction to them. We hope that you will find them to your liking. We did some remodeling to make them suitable."

She didn't know what to say to that as the others joined them. "Allow me," Marcus said, taking her hand and leading her to the other set of doors. Again, there was no initial but a field of lilies had been carved into the wood of the door. She ran her fingers over it and smiled. It was such a lovely detail. The doors opened to show floor to ceiling bookshelves along with a desk and a sitting area including a window seat. A brand new laptop sat on the desk.

"This is your private office. If you're meeting with people, you'll want to use one of our offices off the throne room or we can give you your own there as well," Caius explained. "It would just mean a little more remodeling."

"Meeting people?" she asked in surprise.

Aro stepped forward and took the hand Marcus had released when they entered the room. "We intend for you to rule with us, Liliana. To be a true queen of the Volturi."

She hadn't anticipated that. It never occurred to her that they'd give her any real power. She assumed she'd be a figurehead like the former queens. She pressed her hand against her stomach as nerves began to gnaw at it. How could they trust her with that much responsibility? What if she fucked everything up?

Two hands framed her face and she found herself looking into Marcus' eyes. He gave her a soft smile. "You worry unnecessarily, dolcezza. You were made for us. Our true mate. We will ease you into the position, but you were quite literally born to rule."

Wow. No pressure or anything.

"Perhaps we should move into the next room," Carlisle suggested. Thank you, pop.

"Of course," Aro said with a clap of his hands. He led the way through the door into an area with comfy chairs, couches and an enormous TV. A quick inspection showed several gaming systems and a selection of movies. Lily couldn't help the little squeal of happiness that escaped her.

"This is amazing," she told them as she pulled out her phone. Snapping a picture that showed off everything, she sent it to Emmett.

The response was almost immediate. You lucky bitch. Lily laughed and put the phone away. She turned to find the four men smiling at her and she blushed again. Damn it, she wished she'd quit doing that.

"One more room." Aro gestured toward the doorway.

She opened the door and gasped. It was a studio, empty save for the wood floors, mirrored wall and barre. Stepping into the middle of the room, she turned in a circle and grinned. Three large windows let in natural light and the vampires in the room sparkled a bit. Her gaze fell on the pictures that lined one wall. (Paintings by Darren Baker)

Lily tilted her head as she stepped closer and she covered her mouth with her hand as she realized that she wasn't looking at photos, they were paintings. Of her dancing. She reached out to touch one but pulled her hand back before making contact. They were amazing. Beautiful. They made her look beautiful. Surprise shot through her as she spotted Caius's signature in the corner of the three paintings.

"These are stunning. How?" She wanted to look at him, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the pictures.

"Carlisle sent me some photos. Us some photos. These were amongst them." His voice was soft, uncertain.

She turned to face him then only to find that they were alone. She moved over to him and pulled him into a hug. "I can't even begin to tell you what this means to me. They're perfect."

He held her for a moment and sighed, tension flowing from him as he did so. Another minute later and he straightened back up as he released her. "It's just some paintings, little human. No need to get sentimental."

And even though she knew he was just being Caius, it hurt just a bit for him to act like it was nothing. Shaking her head, she made her way back to her office where the others were waiting. "Is there anything we missed, cara mia?" Aro asked.

"It's perfect. The only thing I need is somewhere to paint, but I can set up in here or in the bedroom," she told them. She'd had an easel in the corner of her room with the Cullens so that was fine with her.

"Don't be absurd," Caius stated as he stepped into the room. "You will use my studio. I will show it to you later."

She nodded, not knowing how else to respond. She thanked them while giving Aro and Marcus hugs. Lily was afraid if she gave Caius another he might spontaneously combust or something.

***

Lily spent the next week unpacking and getting settled in. Part of that was meeting more of the guard and finding out where rooms were in the castle. She'd used the pool twice already. Though she did spend time with her mates, she spent a lot with Carlisle as well as she knew he would be leaving soon. He was her last connection with home.

She'd just returned from seeing him off and dropped onto the couch beside the table where the kings were working. She sighed and tried not to cry. "Are you alright, dolcezza?" Marcus asked.

She nodded but didn't speak, afraid they'd hear the lie in her voice. Aro sighed before coming over to pull her to her feet. "There is no reason to lie, Liliana. We know that you will miss Carlisle. We are making arrangements for the holidays so you will see them shortly."

That made her feel better and she gave him a small smile.

"There," he said happily at her smile. "Now, why don't I have dinner brought up and we can talk."

"I have to say, you are handling all of this remarkably well," Aro said once her meal had been delivered and she started eating.

She lifted her brows in question.

He waved a hand through the air. "Moving, mates, castle full of vampires."

That made her chuckle as he'd intended. She shrugged. "I've known since I was nine years old that I would end up tied to the Volturi in one way or another. John taught me everything he could about you. Carlisle gave me a different perspective. Maybe if someone else had raised me I would feel differently, but both of them considered you friends."

She paused as she thought about how to word what she said next. "John loved his immortality. He loved everything that life gave him. Except the fact he hadn't found his mate. He was a romantic at heart. He taught me they were a blessing, a gift and should be treated as such. There was never any question that I would happily accept the bond."

"But you blocked it." There was a bitter tinge to Caius' voice.

"Not on purpose. I'd been in Carlisle's office that day where he has the painting of the four of you. He'd told me about you and when I looked at the painting I got this horrible pain in my chest. I blocked the pain, not the bond. I didn't realize that's what it was until the phone call," she explained.

"How could you not realize?" the angry vampire snapped. It must be exhausting to have that much rage all the time. That's okay, she had a little of her own.

Her eyes darted over to him, unflinchingly meeting his crimson gaze. "I was thirteen fucking years old, that's how. Not all of us have been on the planet for 3000 years, old man."

"Language," Caius snarled.

"English. Perhaps you speak it."

"I believe Caius was simply intending to bring your attention to the fact that we try to avoid vulgar language in the court," Marcus said, trying as ever to be the peace keeper.

"Good thing we're not in court then, isn't it?" She smiled through her annoyance and continued eating.

After a moment Aro cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should change topics. Have you given any consideration to when you would like to complete your transition?"

And if that wasn't like a punch to the chest. Yes, she'd always known the transition was inevitable but it still wasn't something she was looking forward to. She liked being human. She liked sleeping and sunbathing. She liked pasta for fuck's sake. Realizing she had three sets of eyes on her, she sighed. "The contract stated I'd be changed when I was twenty-one."

"The contract became void when John Montgomery died," Caius stated with as little tact as always.

Once again her eyes locked on him, but she didn't miss the glare his brothers shot in his direction.

"I don't see any reason to change the plan," she said.

"And when is your birthday?" Marcus asked.

"April 3rd."

"That is four months away," Caius complained.

"Someone give the angry vampire a gold star. He can count," Lily snarked. She was so tired of his hot-cold attitude. God, he was annoying. She pushed back her chair and got to her feet. "I'm going to bed. Thanks for dinner."

She left the bickering brothers behind her and headed to her room. She gathered what she needed to get ready for bed without much thought. Entering the bathroom to take a shower, she locked the door behind her and placed her clothes on the counter. Once the water was at the correct temperature, she stripped and climbed into the shower.

As the water ran over her head, she sucked in a ragged breath. She made sure the block was in place that would keep her mates from feeling her emotions. Carlisle was gone. The rest of her family was halfway around the world. She'd been here a week and they wanted to change her already. She was fairly certain Caius hated her, or at the very least resented her existence. If it wasn't for his brothers, she'd probably be a vampire locked in the tower already.

Tears mixed with the water washing away her day. Soon the tears turned to sobs and Lily pressed her fingers against her mouth to muffle the cries. How had her life become so fucked up in such a short period of time? She just wanted to go home. She braced one hand on the wall of the shower and kept the other over her mouth as she sobbed. Her fingers clawed against the tile as her shoulders shook from the intensity of her tears.

Every uncertainty, every fear that she'd tried to push aside for the last three weeks was back and screaming for attention. Since the moment John Montgomery pulled her from the streets and offered her a home, a family, she had hated to be alone. And now here she was. Despite everything that had happened and the fact she was surrounded by vampires including her mates, she felt alone for the first time in a very long time.

Finally, the tears eased and Lily finished washing up. She dried herself off when she stepped out and frowned at her reflection. She looked tired, but other than the slightly red tinge to her eyes, there was no indication that she'd been crying. She dressed in pj pants and one of Edward's old t-shirts. After towel drying her hair one more time, she hung her towel up and stepped out of the bathroom.

She stopped just outside the door when she saw Marcus waiting for her. His hands were behind his back as he looked her over and gave her a small smile. "What are you doing here, Marcus?"

"We can't help you if you aren't honest with us, Liliana," was the unexpected response.

She frowned in confusion. He stepped forward and laid a hand against her cheek. His thumb traced the skin beneath her eye as if wiping away her previous tears. She cleared her throat. "How did you know?"

He let his hand drop. "You forget that I can see the bond, dolcezza. I can also see the changes from you blocking part of it. The reason we can feel each other's stronger emotions is so that we can help one another. Don't block us out, Liliana. Please."

"When is the last time you said please and meant it, I wonder," she teased the ancient vampire before her. She looked at the floor and sighed. "I just don't want to be a bother."

"You could never be," he assured her.

The sincerity in his tone had her glancing up to meet his eyes. He opened his arms and she stepped into his embrace as she dropped the block on their bond. She would have to teach herself not to use it, not to rely on it when it came to them. It was just her default response to deal with a problem.

Marcus tutted and swept her up into his arms before moving over to her couch. He settled her in his lap and she laid her head against his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair as he made soft sounds of comfort. "You don't have to hide your sadness from us, dolcezza. We know that this is a change. You've done so much better than we feared you would."

"What has happened?" Aro demanded as he and Caius entered the room.

"Είχε ένα τετράγωνο πάνω στο δεσμό. Την έκανα να το χαμηλώσει," Marcus explained, keeping his voice soft as he continued to play with her hair. (She had a block up on the bond. I got her to lower it. - Greek)

Caius crossed his arms over his chest and snarled. "Δηλαδή πονούσε όλο αυτό τον καιρό και δεν το ξέραμε? Γιατί λες ψέματα?" (So she's been in pain this whole time and we didn't know it? Why lie?)

"Είσαι ένας," Marcus snapped and Lily couldn't keep her lips from twitching. Her face was still pressed against Marcus's chest so the others missed the smirk. (You're an idiot.)

"Μακάρι να μου επέτρεπε να δω τις αναμνήσεις της θα μπορούσαμε να προβλέψουμε τέτοια πράγματα." Aro's voice dripped with worry, making her frown. (If only she would allow me to see her memories, we could anticipate things like this)

Lily sighed. "Θα σου επιτρέψω να ξέρεις πότε θέλω να ξέρεις." (I will allow you to know when I wish for you to know)

Marcus's hand in her hair stilled and the three of them were absolutely silent. Cool fingers came to rest under her chin and tilted her head backward so she was looking up at Marcus. He smiled down at her, amusement twitching on his lips. "Really, dolcezza? When were you planning on informing us that you could speak Greek?"

She grinned at him. "Now apparently."

He chuckled and she shifted so she was sitting beside him rather than on him. She could now see all three of her mates. Aro and Marcus were clearly amused while Caius was not. Surprise, surprise.

"Why do you continue to lie to us?" he snapped while clenching his fists at his sides.

Lily rolled her eyes.

In a flash, he stood before her, her chin clasped in his hand. "Do roll your eyes at me."

She just stared at him blankly as she waited for him to release her. She'd respect him when he'd earned it. Until then, he got the eye rolls. Asshole.

"I don't lie. I have never lied to you short of saying I was okay when I wasn't. But even that wasn't a lie, because I was okay as I was going to get." Caius released her and took a step back. "And you never asked if I spoke Greek. I simply didn't volunteer the information."

He narrowed his gaze. "You knew that we assumed you didn't speak it. You understood things that you weren't supposed to."

"E questo non ti rende uno stronzo arrogante presumere che tu sia la persona più intelligente della stanza," she said, aware she was insulting her other two mates in a way as well, but she figured they'd forgive her. (And doesn't that make you an arrogant asshole to assume you're the smartest person in the room. – Italian) "Si vous ne voulez pas que quelqu'un sache ce que vous dites à leur sujet, ne dis-le devant eux." (If you don't want someone to know what you're saying about them, don't say it in front of them. - French)

Aro's giggle broke the silence that stretched after her mini lecture. She shifted her attention to him and was rewarded with his beaming smile. "What languages do you know, cara mia?

"English, Greek, Italian, French, Spanish. I know a little Portugeuse along with some Creole and I can cuss in several more."

"You are quite prolific for someone of your age," Marcus said, sounding almost proud.