Carlisle's POV.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight series.
"What others cannot do…."
Sure I was a vampire, sure I could save him from death – but did I have the will to do so? Was I strong enough to?
Elizabeth Masen. She was so strong and beautiful. And her son, Edward – he looked so much like her. A loving mother and a handsome son.
She was dead now. I had lost her. Her dying wish was to save her son. How could I not grant her that? But how could I find the strength to do so?
The sun would be setting soon and I could go out to continue work.
--
I took my usual route around the hospital area. The count was at one hundred and forty-three today. We lost eight more to the virus. I had been working here for months and there was still no cure. I would live through this. Forever. And all these people would die because I can't find a way to help them.
At the end of my walk, I was standing above Edward. He was one of the worst. He would not make it. His mother had been so strong and helpful. She did her best, and now I could do "what others cannot do" and save him from this fate.
But just him. I can't risk it. I can't save them all. I sighed. This was going to be a long night. At least I was alone, to think to myself. Throughout my long stay here in Chicago, I had managed to prove I could take care of the many patients overnight.
I turned to walk back through the area. They all needed to be checked repeatedly. Such a tedious job. I would be doing the same thing to all of these people several times tonight. Check their pulse, check their blood pressure, make sure they eat and drink. But never medicine, never any medicine, never a way to help them get better.
Well, one way, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, not to all of them.
--
The hours passed slowly but I never grew tired. The sun would rise soon and I would have to go hide again. Feigning sleep was the only way to remain on the job. If anybody found out I weren't human, an even worse disaster would strike. I certainly could not subject them all to Aro and the Volturi. That would be a terrible fate, quick or not.
I made my way back to the end where Edward sat. He certainly wasn't the worst of the cases, but he had the most pain. His mother and father had died. The one thing I could do to honor them now was to save him.
"Edward?"
He looked up at me, curiosity barely showing through his pained eyes. He had been crying again, no doubt at the loss of his mother. He would never see her again; he could not even come back here for a while. I will raise him as my son. I will take care of him.
"Come with me. You can rest at my place tonight." I reached my hand out to him, watching him carefully. I would talk to him later. Nevertheless, I had promised his mother I would change him. This would not go well.
He moved to take my hand and stand up. When I was sure he could walk himself, I turned and led him back through the rows. On our way out of the area, the many doctors for the morning walked in.
They looked tired and wary. I would never get sick, but they could, and I hated myself for having to subject them to this.
"Hey, Carlisle," one of the younger men said. He had brown hair and brown eyes. He was so young and smart. An average man, but still undeserving of death.
"Five more," I whispered sadly, just loud enough for their ears. Five more had died. I couldn't have done anything – proper. No cure, no survival. Now our numbers were one hundred and thirty-eight.
Edward and I walked passed them. He was still standing, but I could tell this simple walk was tiring him. I felt bad, that all these people would have to suffer so severely. We were almost to my little house. Perhaps now would be a fine time to tell him. Or not, too much to think about. What if he ran? I would have to wait until we were inside. At least I had bought the couch to sit on. That would be a pleasant change for him. The ground could not be that comfortable.
"Please, sit," I said as cheerfully as I could. Best not to scare the poor person.
I watched as he lay down. His face was still full of sorrow, but a slight change alerted me to the fact he was content to be somewhere else, somewhere away from all the others. I smiled internally, happy to give him this before the worst torture. Three days. That would be a lot of time away from the others, but I had to do this, tend to him. Then we would have to leave. I regretted having to leave, but knowing his mother, this was the right thing.
I sat down at the end of couch, careful not to touch him with my cold skin. It would probably be soothing against his overheated body, but it might also scare him. I usually wore gloves so they couldn't tell.
"Edward, your mother was a wonderful person." I studied his face very carefully. A little twitch appeared at the mention, but he hadn't cried yet. Maybe he was stronger than I thought. "Her wish was for me to save you in a way 'others cannot.' I promised her that, but there is only one way I know how." He had remained composed – I think. His eyes were closed, his body was relaxed. If I did it fast enough, he wouldn't notice. Now would be the best time.
"What others cannot do . . ." Elizabeth's soft, soothing voice came to the front of my mind.
Lost to her wish, I moved forward and turned his head to the side. As my teeth tore through the thin skin on his neck, I felt Edward flinch under me. Not a scream though. However, there would be plenty of it over the next few days.
I licked the wound, causing it to close, and sat on the floor a few feet away. I would watch him, stay with him. And I would be here when he awoke.