CHAPTER ELEVEN: A Life away from the sun, With a son.

The city was dirty, in need, and chaotic. For this reason I loved the city, and I stayed. I took up office at the city general hospital and as the Spanish influenza threw the already mangled city into a death trap, I found myself with all my time occupied, and distracted. The sights I saw were not pretty. Men and women throwing up, shaking, convulsing, as I was forced to leave to go and "sleep" as the head doctor ordered me. Sometimes I snuck back into the hospital and treated patients anyway, hiding from any doctors that might recognize me. The idleness of sitting in the apartment with so many sick humans so close, and in need was agonizing. It was during one of these clandestine work hours that I met Elizabeth Masen and her son, Edward Masen.

I found her groaning in pain, and I checked the corridors to see if anyone was watching, and ducked into their room to offer assistance. The boy was staring frustrated and agonized at the woman, who I took to be his mother, due to the resemblance in their hair-a striking bronze, and their eyes a matching emerald. The boy's eyes were so clear, and unclouded, you could see right into them and feel his raw emotions. He did not, like so many, try to mask his feelings. He looked up at me as I walked in and surprise lingered in his eyes, but as he saw my doctor's coat he pleaded with me

"Sir, my mother…can you help her? She needs water" He sounded like he was expecting a negative response, so I assumed many doctors had passed over this room being to busy to help.

"Of course" I filled the empty pitcher lying on the crude bedside table, and filled a cup and gave the woman the water sip by sip. She looked up at me and comprehension registered in her face for the first time.

"Thank you, doctor" she croaked then lay back down. I nodded, and turned to the boy who held up his hands

"Any medication you would give to me give to my mother. I feel fine" I was surprised at his selflessness, which I had seen so rarely in humans. Especially youthful humans. His mother smiled slightly and sat up against the hospital's bony pillows.

" He needs assistance with his mania" she said half seriously, half jokingly.

I looked at her curiously.

"The war? This one wants to go offer himself to the sacrifice" she pointed to her son.

"The war?" I knew about the human's current war, I knew it would pass like so many other wasteful human wars. It seemed like wars were just pastimes for humans, not something for this boy to get wrapped up in. "Why would a young man like you go to something so horrible?"

"Exactly" his mother said with pursed lips

"Because I can't do nothing" He said defiantly.

I became attached to the Masen family, I found out the boy's name was Edward, and the mother was Elizabeth. I went back again and again, and the boy's character continued to astound me. He was always so selfless, and his morals so in line. Elizabeth too captured me by her silent grace, even in illness. She spoke little as the days went on but everything she said held weight and meaning in many lights. I knew I shouldn't grow attached, especially since the illness had taken a turn for a worse in Elizabeth, and was slowly affecting Edward. One day I came and it was especially bad, Edward was actually out of bed leaning over his mother and stumbling about looking for water and pills.

"Edward! Calm down! You'll worsen your health" I said in alarm and maybe a little too forcefully put him back down on the bed. I was starting to get fatherly with the boy, and that scared me. I quickly went to Elizabeth and made an impromptu concoction of herbs and medics, and put it in her water and gave it to her. Edward still had not lain down when I turned around and I sighed, wishing I could comfort him and tell him his mother would live

"Edward. You should rest." I said tiredly as I made the same concoction for him, and handed it to him.

"My mother? Will she be fine?" He asked hesitantly taking the glass from me. I looked at him and felt so pained, this boy, who never lied, never seemed to deceive or do anything malevolent at all, didn't deserve to be lied to. He deserved his mother to live too. He seemed to understand my expression and he dropped the water, spilling it everywhere.

"You will do nothing?" he said in monotone.

"I will do everything in my power" At this Elizabeth looked up and stared at me with an unfathomable expression. The she vomited into the bucket beside her, and I turned back to Edward giving her her privacy.

The next day, was the day I knew she wouldn't make it. The final stage of the disease had taken over her. She was sweating and vomiting continuously, and would break out in spasms regularly. Edward was frantic, to say the least, and instead of seeing other patients I stayed in their room all night. Surprisingly, Elizabeth noticed this in her chaotic state.

"You are not tired Carlisle?" she asked in between coughs. I was so surprised I just shook my head and smiled, and tried to look a little tired. She narrowed her eyes, but had to vomit into the bucket again and after that let it go.

Edward was worrying himself into the final stages too, as much as I tried to calm him. This only worried Elizabeth more, which sickened her, and in turn, worried Edward. It was a stressful cycle, of which I could do nothing but run grabbing medicine, make up new possible cures, and give water endlessly.

"Edward. Your mother might not make it." I said brokenly at around twilight of that day. "but you, you have to keep strong for her, if you worry yourself sick anymore, it will only worsen your mother" I said as calmly as possible, using my centuries of practice.

"You are so calm, Carlisle" he said through his teeth. "If only I had that control" he glared at the gray wall of the room.

"It takes practice" I smiled a little but then went grim as I heard a stutter in Elizabeth's heartbeat. This week being with her had made her a close friend, it was unbelievable. I had been myself around her, hadn't hidden, and she had either not noticed or accepted it. We had talked about so many things. I had told her a few days ago all about Esme, as much as I could tell. She had understood, she told me of her husband had died in war and how that started Edward on his mission to war. Losing a friend was not something I was sure my heart would tolerate. I went to her side to comfort. To uselessly comfort as all I could do. After centuries of study, of practice in the medicine field, I was reduced to comforting this small strangely significant human.

"I am sorry Carlisle. I tried to be strong. I know..how you feel" she said cutting off to throw up and cough. Agony watching. I could feel Edward's eyes on my back, reflecting in her emerald eyes. I took Elizabeth's hand and smiled slightly.

"Peace, friend" I whispered feeling waterless tears in my eyes.

"Peace?" she said, her eyes flashing alert, as they switched to Edward. I gulped at her fierce expression which pierced right at me. She shook and convulsed and looked dead into my eyes.

"Peace? My son. I'd rather he go to war than see him go with his mother. He has life" she coughed "Potential" she vomited "Soul" she finished her speech with determination cutting into my heart.

"I will do anything possible" I said, shaking with dry sobs, wishing I could cry for her. Wishing my rock hard body would unfreeze in this grieving. So much sorrow should have broken any human surely?

"Save him" she said shortly, now gasping for what I knew to be her last breath. I readied myself, used my calm façade, played my human role.

"I will do anything in my power" I said in monotone.

"Yes Carlisle, You will do anything in your power, that others cannot do"

Her words echoed in my brain and I looked at her in alarm as her breathing stopped, her hand went limp in mine, and blood oozed at her mouth. Her eyes, not closed set in that fierce expression of restlessness. Angry emeralds accusing me. Edward sobbed quietly behind me, hiding in the pillow. I turned to him, watched him, watching as a father watches a son he has just struck. He threw up, and started convulsing. I watched painfully.

Yes Carlisle, you will do anything in your power.

The words created an angry swirl in my mind. I thought back to Amun, and his Benjamin, I thought back to Eleazar and his Carmen. A vision of me launching at the deer, blood spraying, a vision of my golden eyes in that mirror in London so long ago, A hazy vision of the torches, and the men laying strewn on the 1650 London street. A vision of what was in my power.

Did she know this was what she condemned her son too? Did she know what her dying wish had been? Should I respect dear Elizabeth's dying wish? I watched as Edward lay dying tossing and turning, screaming "Mother" over and over again. So much pain.

I knew then, that his mother's wish was my command. I ran to him and picked him up. No one would miss him, in the week and a half I had been here, not one other doctor had been in to see the two patients. In such confusion and agony, what was one boy? That one boy was the purest of them all here. Such a knack for understanding, such a intuition and pure heart. I looked up at the moon as I stole across the city's rooftops. A menacing shadow on the streets of the city I was trying to save. A black knight.

I arrived at my home and lay Edward on the black leather couch I had purchased from a modern store downtown for the human façade. I fetched the strongest painkillers I had, and gave them to Edward, who was now beyond comprehension. I made sure he swallowed the pills, and then I looked at the human boy. What was I about to do?

Save him

That had been her order.

In your power

The images of my power came to my mind, the devastating red of the vampire's eyes I had met with. The carnage I had witnessed that first night.

I leaned down and carefully, gently as was possible, slashed Edward's neck, cringing and shaking. I wasn't sure how to do this. I wasn't sure. How could I bring myself to do this. Was it obedience to Elizabeth? Or selfishness? I was sure, in the shadows of my heart, it was the latter. He would despise me.

His eyes flashed open, and mimicked his mothers final expression. The resemblance frightened me.

"sum rumex meus puer" I said in Latin. I am sorry, my boy.

Edward yelled in the sudden pain, and I sat and made myself sit with him, and speak to him. I gave him painkillers frequently but it didn't seem to help much.

I sat and watched him suffer, I suffered my change with him. I hated myself for three days. I went though it again, with the boy I hoped would look at me as a father, but I knew would look at me as a monster.

On the third day, his yelling quieted, his pulse became less erratic, and by noon in the dark apartment, his heart stopped. I could hear the ice freezing it over. I held my head in my hands and waited for him to wake.

He woke up around one hour later.

"Doctor?" he choked. "What did you do?"

"Yes, what have I done" I whispered as I turned to look at him.

He was staring around, looking, and was in a protective crouch glaring at me. As was the natural instinct of the newborn. I didn't even take a protective stance. Let him attack me I thought.

"You are…like me Edward, immortal. Undead" he did not relax his pose

"One of the damned?" he growled. I nodded. It was then I noticed his eyes. The blood red burning into mine. My eyes reflected in his. Gold contrasting red. I knew the red was only because he was newborn and still had human blood in him, but it was a devastating symbol of what I had done.

"I refuse to live off humans. I had no idea you were so vile a creature" he snarled. I looked up helplessly.

"We feed off animals" I whispered

"Animals?" he asked, his tone replaced by surprise

"Yes, it is the lifestyle I chose, I refuse to prey on humans, so I live off the blood of animals" I said as a meek explanation. He looked at me with a new expression. I looked at him

"I will not ask you to do this. It is hard…at first to resist" How could you ever forgive me dear boy, I thought

"Carlisle. I have the utmost respect for you. Respect for your courage, and sheer compassion and control from the start, there is nothing to forgive"

I looked up at him startled. Had I spoken aloud?

"Yes sir" he laughed a little "you did speak aloud"

No I hadn't.

"What?"

I went to him and I thought something I knew I would not say aloud

I thought of Esme.

"Oh" he said bluntly.

He is a mind reader.

"A mind reader?" he said surprised. "hmm." he clasped his throat and breathed in "Carlisle, my throat burns"

I was still in shock at the discovery at his talent, but he reminded me of the uncontrollable burning that happens at the beginning so I hastened to get him away from civilization. I wondered what would be the safest, less populated route to the wilderness.

"Maybe we could use the underground sewage?" he suggested wrinkling his nose

"Actually, that sounds like the best option at the moment. Sorry"

He just nodded touching his throat again. I nodded

"Lets hunt" I suggested

"Vegetarian style" he said grinning through clenched teeth.

I laughed. He caught on so quickly, of course he could probably read the examples of newborn life in my mind, but still. He didn't seem nearly on edge as most newborns were.

Vegetarian I thought. It has possibilities as nickname.

He grinned and I ran with him through the dark sewers into the wilderness of Illinois, and I showed Edward how to hunt.

As the sun set throwing crystals through the trees I showed my son how to live when you are dead.

Thus ends the account of Carlisle up to September 1918.