MAYLA SIGHED as she read the letter from Esme again before setting it on her desk.

I want to be your Lailah.

Lailah.

Lailah.

Lailah.

Mayla wracked her brain to try to remember who Lailah was.

The small group of spirits began whispering in her head louder and louder. Her ears started ringing and her vision went fuzzy.

She slammed her hands down on the table and yelled, "Stop!"

Her ears stopped ringing, her vision came back, and the spirits's voices disappeared.

Mayla sighed as she set back into her chair.

She looked at the letter and glared at it, before angrily shoving it in a drawer.

Renesmee knocked on the door.

"Come in," Mayla said softly.

The brunette opened the door and walked into the room. "You okay?"

"I will be."

Renesmee sat on Mayla's bed, swinging her legs. "Spirits?"

Mayla nodded softly. "I never should've copied that gift." She smiled sadly. "How'd training go today?"

Renesmee smiled brightly. "I beat Jane, and Alec, and almost beat Felix."

Mayla nodded. "Good. You've improved."

Renesmee's smile widened at the praise. "When do I get to go against you?"

Mayla smiled. "Soon."

Renesmee nodded. "Hey, can we go into the city?"

Mayla nodded and adjusted her dress. It was dark red, had a small train behind it, with a v-neck neckline. The sleeve was off the shoulder but then came down to her wrist.

She stood, put on her cloak, and walked out of the building into the city, with Renesmee following closely behind.

"When can I go back to the Cullens?" Renesmee asked randomly.

Mayla smiled softly before looking into the future.

"Very soon." She opened her eyes.

Renesmee nodded, satisfied with Mayla's answer.

The two walked down the streets of Volterra, stopping now and again to purchase something.

As they were stopping to get something to eat, they heard a loud gasp. They turned to see Bella running toward Renesmee. Renesmee wiped all emotion from her face as her mother hugged her.

Bella pulled back and looked Renesmee over. "I've missed you so much."

The rest of the Cullens walked into view. Edward ran forward and hugged his daughter as well.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen," Renesmee said politely.

Bella looked confused. "Mr. and Mrs. Cullen? Since when do you call us that?"

Renesmee smiled and started to speak, but Mayla got distracted as she looked at Carlisle. She walked forward and smiled at Esme. "Hello, Esme."

She hugged the woman, accidentally using Renesmee's ability to transfer her memory of the letter and the spirits from earlier.

When she pulled away, Esme looked shocked.

Mayla looked at Carlisle and gestured for him to follow her. She walked to a small side street — far enough away so that none of the Cullens could hear — with Carlisle following behind her.

She stopped abruptly before turning around and hugging him tightly.

He tensed up before he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

"I've missed you," Mayla admitted softly.

Carlisle nodded. "I've missed you as well."

Mayla looked up at him. "If I were to move in with you again, would Rosalie still hate me?"

Carlisle sighed. "Maybe."

Mayla nodded and rested her head on his chest.

"Why does life — if it can be called that for what we are — have to be so hard and complicated?"

Carlisle shook his head. "I don't know."

Mayla sighed. "I just... I want something to be simple." She backed up. "This" — she gestured to the both of them — "whatever we have. It's not simple. Working for the Volturi isn't simple. I have so many different views than them. Obviously, my relationship with your family is complicated. My relationship with Roslyn isn't simple. (A/N: Roslyn is pronounced Rose-uh-lyn) Nothing in my life is simple." She choked on a sob.

"I'm sorry," she choked out.

Carlisle took a step forward and hugged the dirty-blonde tightly.

"I'm so, so sorry," Mayla whispered. Carlisle shook his head. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"Yes, I do. I have so much to apologize for," she took a deep breath. "I'm —"

Carlisle cut her off by placing his hand over her mouth gently. Mayla bit his hand, — though not hard enough to hurt — causing him to take his hand back.

Mayla laughed and looked Carlisle in the eyes.

Without thinking, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his softly — the male kissing her back without thinking as well. After a few moments, the two pulled apart, Mayla blushing furiously. "I'm sorry."

She quickly walked out of the ally and back to the restaurant, where Bella, Renesmee, and Edward were talking.

Alice turned forward to Mayla and the dirty-blonde a knowing look.

Jasper looked between the two women, trying to understand why their emotions were what they were — though his gift wouldn't allow that.

Esme smiled sadly at Mayla before walking up to her, glancing at Carlisle behind her. "Mayla, would you mind walking with me for a moment?"

Mayla nodded, ignoring the glare Rosalie sent her way. "Hello, Emmett, Rosalie."

She walked beside Esme.

"If I may," Esme started once they were out of hearing distance, "that memory you shared with me earlier, what was that about?"

Mayla sighed. "I didn't mean to share that memory. But, it was just a... complication in an ability."

Esme nodded. "Well, from the memory, I see you got my letter. Have you considered it?"

Mayla sighed. "I've considered it, though I haven't come to a decision. I've spent most of my time trying to remember who Lailah is."

"What do you mean?"

"I recognize the name from somewhere. Almost as if I knew her at some point." Mayla took a deep breath. "What was she like?"

Esme smiled. "She looked exactly like you, except her eyes were violet. She was caring, kind, patient. She could be cruel at times, but it was when she was protecting someone. She was a lot like you actually." Esme looked back at Mayla.

Mayla's face was scrunched up in pain, the spirits whispering again — though it sounded more like screaming than whispering to Mayla.

"Mayla, what's wrong?" Esme asked.

Mayla's eyes started watering.

"Make it stop," she whimpered. "Make it stop." Mayla placed her head on Esme's shoulder. "It hurts."

The voices somehow got louder, causing Mayla's nose to start bleeding — though her blood was golden.

"Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop," Mayla said quickly, attracting the attention of a few other surrounding people.

Back with the rest of the Cullens, Jasper frowned as he sensed Mayla's pain and Esme's panic.

He grabbed Alice's attention and started walking, the seer and the doctor — who has seen Jasper's worried face — followed behind the empath.

Soon, they arrived where Esme stood, Mayla's head on her shoulder, the latter muttering, "Make it stop," over and over again.

Carlisle rushed forward. "Esme, what's wrong?"

"I don't know," Esme said softly, "I think it has something to do with one of her abilities."

Mayla lifted her head from Esme's shoulder, her eyes glowing gold before she yelled, "Kāohi! (Stop!)" startling everyone around her.

Mayla smiled sheepishly, her eyes their normal blood red. She then pulled her hood over her head. "Follow me."

Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Jasper followed the girl as she walked back to the restaurant.

"Renesmee," Mayla said sharply, "let's go. Everyone's coming with us." She looked around at the other vampires as Renesmee nodded.

The hybrid walked up next to Mayla, pulling her hood up.

"What if we don't want to go?" Rosalie asked. "Or refuse."

Mayla shrugged. "The clouds are going to clear soon. If someone sees you, you will get killed. We always have someone watching the city."

Rosalie's eyes widened before she joined the group.

"That's what I thought."

The group walked into the Volturi's place.

Mayla lead them to the throne room.

The room was empty. Mayla looked back at the group.

"Esme, please follow me. Everyone else, please stay here with Renesmee."

Esme followed Mayla as the latter walked out of the room.

Esme closed the door behind them as they entered Mayla's room.

Mayla sat at her desk and pulled the letter out of her drawer.

"I have received your letter. I don't know how welcome it would be in your family — Esme, sit. Please."

Esme sat down in front of Mayla.

Mayla continued, "I'm not sure how welcome a letter from me would be in your family, because — as you know — Rosalie has an odd infatuation with hating me."

Esme smiled softly. "She'll have to learn to accept it."

Mayla smiled. "I guess we can arrange something then."

Esme's smiled widened.