Chapter 2

Carlisle didn't know why, but for some reason he couldn't stop thinking about the boy. Of course he had heard the gossip of his colleagues, as it was really difficult for him to ignore it. So he knew about the drinking problem of Richard Hardy and the impact on his sons, especially on Helios. And now he had seen the results, too. Had seen how devastating they actually were. Had seen how much this way too thin boy endured - especial to protect his brother.
In addition to some pale, greenish-yellow bruises the small frame – probably caused by numerous times his bones were broken – of the black-haired boy showed that his health suffered too oft. And it was clear that this was not the consequences of a disease or genetic defect, but the injuries told a much crueler, much sadder story. But why he, despite the clear evidence of the domestic violence he certainly endured every day, didn't say a word was a mystery to all the staff at the hospital. Even if everyone had the suspicion that it was to protect his little brother Jaime, no one could really figure it out. No one thought that the boys were separated when they testified against Richard, but there was a small chance that they would be and that was probably enough to silence them.

However, what the vampire was surprised the most was that, except the fact that, strangely enough, he was more affected than a professional doctor should be, apart from the physical wounds Helios didn't show any sign of domestic violence His behavior didn't suggest he was abused, he was just as bratty and cheeky like most of his age, even in front of man, who towered over him and certainly looked as if he could hurt him, much like his father always did. Carlisle wondered, if Helios was just acting like that when he was in hospital or when he was asked about his tragic fate, but before he had really thought about it, the man had already decided to find out whether Helios was actually like that, just hid his emotional pain like no one else or his mind was even tricking himself.

In no time the day was over and the usual turning down of invitations of all kinds - one would think his wedding ring saved him at least from the suggestive ones - began. Some colleagues tried to persuade him to go out with them for dinner, two or three nurses and a doctor asked him if he would like a drink and a particularly stubborn head nurse followed him as he made his way out of the building and didn't stop asking. Only at his parking slot he had finally convinced them that he had to go home his very loving wife their foster children. When she withdrew disappointed Carlisle asked himself if it was possible for a vampire to actually be as exhausted as he felt, or if it was just his mind that told him, he should urgently go to a secluded forest and stay there for the next few years. Shaking his head, he closed the car, put his bag on the passenger seat and started the engine. It was a bit annoying to have to drive everywhere, but they had to hide themselves, so there was no choice. Because of their changed situation, mostly the fact that Charlie didn't want to give his daughter up and they also had a pack of wolves, which was inevitably bound to their family by Jacob and Renesmee, that didn't want to leave their own families, they would probably stay at Forks for quite a while. So he began like any normal man his work in the morning - or in the evening, he should have the night shift - was doing his job, chatting with colleagues, treated patient and played the human everyone thought he was. And that included driving a car.

At least he could use this time to think alone, without a certain son looking into his head and learned things that Carlisle himself was not even aware of. Nor did he want to talk to anyone about Helios, at least not until he knew why he was so interested in the boy. Otherwise he could be prepared for some teasing because a handsome young man haunted in his mind and it was easy to misunderstand in his case. He wasn't ashamed of his sexuality, at least not for the last three hundred years, but he didn't walk around with a rainbow flag and certainly he didn't have to endure the jokes of his sons, when there was no reason to. In the past, just the thought would have deeply shocked him, but the world has changed, just as he had, and he knew that his preferences were normal and natural. It had been just a little embarrassing to admit this and then also to confess his family, after all, they had a right to know. It hadn't surprised any of them, probably because he indeed played a couple with Esme in public but behind closed doors, they were nothing more than friends. And they were both happy with it.

As he had feared, while the whole drive everything his had cared about was this unusual boy. Not only does Helios behave so different than one would expect from a boy in his situation, it appeared that he was completely unfazed by Carlisle's appearance. Vampires were construed to put people under their spell and seduce them, no matter what sexual orientation they had, so it should have been easy for him to get the whole truth from Helios. But he had literally spit at him like a mad cat, a rather unusual reaction to a vampire. Of course, more sensitive people felt the threat posed by them, but those who were aware acted cautiously, almost scared. Only seasoned, confident adults, so almost the exact opposite of the boy, responded by fighting rather than flight. So like Charlie did when he had made pretty clear to Edward what he thought of his relationship with his daughter and what he would do if his little girl should get hurt. And he had even repeated his threats in his wedding speech, in front of a variety of vampires. But Charlie was a grown man, a cop and a father and yet Helios had behaved in almost the same way. It was really fascinating because there were so many things that weren't normal and that made the boy even more interesting. The boy had no mental issues caused by the abuse of his father, which was very rare in itself, but he met a perfect predator head on, wasn't intimidated nor lured and that caused Carlisle to be even more interested in him.

A part of his brain warned him in time that he slowly got into the radius in which Edward could hear his thoughts and so he forced himself to repress everything in his mind about the boy and buried him under trivial daily events. But sooner or later someone would notice something, he could not stay quiet about it forever. The blond vampire barely got out of the car and entered through the front door when Alice asked him cheerfully, "When will you bring Helios home?" A deep sigh, a purely human habit he never had or wanted to get rid of the man and he smiled a little tired. "You tell me."