Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Into the Darkness
Formerly known as: And I Wept No More
He was all she had left. He was her reason for living - the reason she awoke in the morning. Her hope, her life, her light - the light that fought away the darkness that threatened to overwhelm her soul.
Her husband was dead.
He died of the influenza that had claimed so many others before him. It all felt so wrong. Though she had begged him to remain at home, he was a doctor at the hospital and said he had to help those who needed him the most.
But at what cost?
It began as a cough, small and imperceptible, and grew louder and more violent. He coughed up blood, doubled over and sweating. Though she did what she could, the fever took over that night and all hope was lost. She cursed her ill-fate and her stupidity for going to the hospital that night. In trying to save her husband, she brought the sickness to her son.
Her husband needed clothes and they needed to get the papers and money that would aid in his treatment. She only remembered a frantic whirlwind of panic and fear; and her rushing to her aid. The world spun and faded into darkness as she fell to the floor - seeing only Edward's worried face and mute questions.
She had doomed him.
When they returned to the hospital, the fever had already broken in, ravaging her body and sending her into delirium. Though she begged to see her husband - to be with him - the doctors could only give her remorseful stares. The nightmares began to plague her mind.
When she opened her eyes, the brightness of the room blinded them, and she let her head fall to the side as snippets of memory - though whether they were real or nightmares, she didn't know - flashed through her mind.
Her husband.
Her son.
Her son - lying there on the bed beside hers; his face pinched and glistening with sweat. His life had already begun to fade.
Oh, Edward.
Barely a man, but not quite a boy - Edward was the best of my husband and me. He was musical and talented; brave and strong; caring and kind. At times, it seemed like he knew my mind better than I did. He was my treasure, and I had failed him.
I was always a selfish creature, prone to fits of jealousy and petty behavior. As a child, I hoarded my toys and playthings; even my closest cousins weren't permitted to touch them. As a wife, I wanted my husband's attention and love; I craved it. And as a mother, I monopolized my son. I wanted him safe and I wanted him near. I kept him away from the war, each year, begging that he would remain at my side. Now, I would lose him.
A feeling of despair welled up inside me and a desperate resolve began to form in my mind.
"He will live." My desperation voiced itself.
Just then, a doctor came into the room. He was a handsome man, with an angelic face framed by golden curls, with golden eyes. I saw that he was a good man, but I also felt fear. Though irrational, this doctor brought death with him.
"Hello madam, I am Dr. Cullen. I worked alongside your husband. I'm truly sorry for your loss; he was a good man."
Of course, my husband had spoken of this man and his skills as a doctor. He had healed many people and I became hopeful. I gave a weak smile and nodded towards my son, telling him to tend to Edward now. I could feel him succumbing to the infection.
Dr. Cullen briskly walked over and placed a hand on my son's forehead. The hand was pale - paler than my own had ever been, I thought, vaguely jealous that my own complexion had never accomplished that alabaster tone.
The worried look upon his face twisted my heart as he glanced at me in sorrow.
"I am sorry, Mrs Masen. Your son shows signs of the Spanish influenza; he doesn't have much longer now."
Dr. Cullen became a frequent visitor in our room that week, attempting to relieve our pain. In many ways, I began to look forward to his visits - Edward smiled readily under Dr. Cullen's care and even I fell victim to his charming manners and handsome face. Yet, I never lost the slight discomfort and unease that whispered at the back of my mind; especially when he avoided my stares. For all his charm and beauty, he carried a darkness inside his soul.
Even with my son by my side, I was covered in a shroud of solitude. There was too much suffering here, too much sadness, and too much solitude. I despised it because it provided plenty of time to think upon my life. My failings and my achievements, with more of the former coming to mind than the latter.
I thought of everything I had loved. I thought of my childhood and of my husband. I thought of my son.
"He will live."
No matter the price, my son would survive.
I remember my childhood so vividly - it was full of color. I saw Nonno's golden villa in the countryside; the warm hues of the sun shining upon the vine-covered terrace and the sound of the fountain singing in the courtyard. I could remember my cousins chasing me through the wild gardens and Nonna's kisses upon my scraped knees and bruised elbows.
At night, I remember stories whispered beneath the starlight. They told all kinds, but I can remember the frightening ones the best. Legends of monsters and mythical beasts swirled through my mind. Vampiro.
My eyes snapped open and I fell away from my memories.
"Edward, how are you feeling today?" Dr. Cullen had entered the room and had begun his routine examination of Edward's condition.
Elizabeth sharped her gaze. "You look unwell this afternoon, Dr. Cullen. Are you quite sure you're feeling well?" Though his features were still handsome, his black eyes looked shadowed and tired, with dark circles beneath them. As she continued to look, her discomfort grew. Something was not right.
Vampiro.
Once again, her grandmother's stories rang out in her mind.
"They can never die, my darlings. Do you want to know why? Because they're already dead. They're monsters who need human blood to survive in this world, but one bite from them will turn you into one of them! One of the damned!"
Then Nonna would laugh as she and her cousins jumped out of fright, eyes wide and scared.
"I am quite well, Mrs Masen. But I guess you could say that I've skipped a few meals with the high influx of patients coming in. I can't seem to find the time to grab a bite to eat."
His smile made her nervous and suspicious, but his words sounded sincere and his dark eyes seemed kind.
Sounds of rough coughing broke her out of her reverie. "Edward!"
His wracking coughs shook his entire body as he tried to wave away her concerns with one hand, the covering his mouth.
"Mother, I'm -" He coughed again, "I'm fine. Please don't worry."
He turned away from her, but it was too late. Her heart sank as she saw the bright blood on his hand.
Dr. Cullen quickly rushed to Edward's side, bringing a glass of water and a wet washcloth. As she watched him care for her son, she knew what she had to do.
"They can never die, my darlings."
It was happening too soon. She could feel it in her bones, but she could also feel it in her soul.
There was so much she hadn't seen or done - so many things left unfinished. She would never grow old with her husband, never see Edward marry, never meet her grandchildren; there was so much to regret.
She'd kept him by her side for so long, it was time to let him go.
"Agh!"
Glancing over at the hospital bed beside her, she saw Edward wince from a painful dream fueled by the fever.
"He will live."
Though her legs were weak from weeks of disuse, she slowly sat up and placed her feet onto the cold tile. The room spun and her legs shook from the effort it took to try and stand. Unsteadily, she made her way to Edward's bed until the world fell from under feet and her palms hit the floor. A sharp pain shot up her arms, but she looked at her son. "He will live."
She crawled to him and pulled herself onto the bed, gently cradling his hand and silently weeping at their helplessness.
A knock resounded through the door and it opened, revealing Dr. Cullen.
"Mrs Masen! What are you doing on the ground? Please, let me help you up; you shouldn't be out of bed in your condition, it c-"
As he reached to help her up, she desperately grasped onto his arm. Wildly looking into his eyes, she begged, "Please, save him!"
His amber eyes widened in surprise as he steadied her with his hand. His cold skin burned against her feverish body, and she trembled in pain and determination.
"You must-" she lost breath, but tried again, "You must do everything in your power to save him! What others cannot do, you must do for my Edward! Promise me this, please."
Her voice broke as her body weakened. "Please," she whispered, "Save him."
Carlisle looked down at the dying woman in his arms. She was close, he could tell, and seeing her pain, he gave a short nod. He would break his vows to save Edward's life.
Her body became limp and her grip loosened, "Thank you." Elizabeth looked up at him in gratitude, her green eyes shining before they closed.
He knew what he had to do.
She had never felt to light - it was a strange feeling. It felt like she was flying.
Looking down, Elizabeth gasped. Edward!
Dr. Cullen cradled Edward in his arms and gently placed him on the gurney. Quickly taking the sheet from the bed, he covered Edward's body and face. Seeing her son this way nearly set her into tears until she saw the gentle rise and fall of his chest. "He will live."
She watched as Dr. Cullen wheeled the gurney to the morgue and looked down in surprise at the sight of her own physical body lying there. A door creaked open and she turned her attention away from herself. Nestled in Dr. Cullen's arms, Edward looked more flushed and feverish than ever - but as she saw Dr. Cullen leap to the rooftop, her heart grew light.
She had saved her son. He would live.
With one last kiss blown into the wind, Elizabeth faded away. 'I love you...'
Fire burned through his veins, piercing him to his very core. This had to be in hell. The fire ate at him, wrenching his insides, and burning his soul. He writhed and screamed in pain as he felt his body change. Bones broke and reformed, muscles realigned - he was changing.
But then, a sudden coolness filled his aching mind. A light whisper echoed in his thoughts, 'I love you...'
For a brief moment, the breeze kissed his forehead and he felt relief.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this. I realize Edward Sr. is a lawyer in the books but, as I wrote this before that piece of information came out, he's going to be a doctor for the sake of this story.