Author's Note: There is a tiny bit of strong swearing in this chapter.
Los Angeles, California. Ravenscar Medical Center emergency department.
"And here's the last one. Just hold still one more second, Miss Swan. And…there. Finished."
A soft mechanical whirr echoed from the portable x-ray as the lever automatically withdrew and folded itself against the base. The tech fiddled with the readout screen, smiling slightly.
"I will have these printed in a few minutes, Dr. Arnissan," he said.
"Excellent." Arnissan nodded, dismissing the tech.
Carlisle nodded in approval as he looked around to Bella, who was very happily pulling her sock and shoe back on. Edward was gently tucking locks of hair back behind her ears, his expression serene. Carlisle felt a flood of warmth in his heart. Despite everything Bella had been through in the last few months, she was still completely dedicated to Edward. And he had never seen his son more content.
"That portable is a very handy machine," Arnissan commented suddenly. "Pity the software that lets us send the images it takes to our computers was shipped late. Miss Swan's scans will have to be printed the old fashioned way." He shrugged and smiled. "But sometimes I prefer a nice piece of film over a computer screen. Makes it easier to see the small details." He turned back fully and offered his hand to Bella. "Thank you, Miss Swan, for tolerating me. I get the impression you are not altogether comfortable in hospitals."
Bella smiled sheepishly. Edward chuckled and rubbed her shoulders. And there was a knock on the door.
"Finished, Doctor?"
"Ah. My apologies, Dr. Galiano. We are finished here."
The dim sounds of activity rose in volume as the door was opened fully. The ER of Ravenscar Medical Center was busy. But although it was almost three times the size of the ER in Forks, the staff worked with the upmost efficiency. Even when he followed Edward, Bella, and Arnissan out of the room they had borrowed for Bella's scan, the nurses paused solid only for a few seconds to stare at him and his son. Then, they went back to work, only stealing glances when they thought nobody would notice. Behind him, Carlisle heard Edward chuckle.
"What?" Bella whispered back, her tone confused.
"Nothing," Edward replied.
Arnissan was speaking quietly with Dr. Galiano, who had already done her fair share of staring when they had first arrived. Now, they turned toward him, and Carlisle looked at them expectantly.
"Dr. Galiano needs the room now, so why don't I give you a tour of Ravenscar's minor care area while we wait for Miss Swan's images to print?"
Bella visibly winced. Arnissan noticed, and laughed warmly.
"Of course, I forgot. You are not altogether comfortable with hospitals."
"She can wait in the lounge," Dr. Galiano offered. "And you might want to hurry…I have a bar brawl coming in."
"Anything on my end?" Arnissan asked.
Dr. Galiano laughed.
"The guy got a barstool broken over his right hip. I think you need to go warm up the OR."
"Why so confident?" Carlisle asked, his professional curiosity piqued again. It had been years since he last worked in a trauma center.
"It's LA, Dr. Cullen. The barstool was steel."
Out of the corner of his eye, Carlisle saw Bella blanch. He nodded and reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. Edward whispered comfortingly in her ear, and gently led her away.
The lounge was very similar to the one in the Forks ER. A scattering of chairs surrounded an oval table in the middle of the room. CNN played on the TV in the far corner. A nurse was sorting through an overstuffed refrigerator.
"People need to learn to label their crap," she grumbled to herself as she straightened and slammed the door shut. "Otherwise, how on earth can you…woah."
She had turned and stared straight at Edward, her eyes going wide. Edward tightened his grip around Bella's waist. Bella seemed to be trying to resist rolling her eyes.
"Thank you, Dana," Arnissan said pointedly.
"Oh." The nurse started. "Sorry."
She left quickly. Arnissan shook his head, looking embarrassed.
"I apologize," he said. "Our staff normally shows much more professional dignity."
Carlisle only nodded at this, and exchanged a glance with Edward. Experience had long shown their family that it was best to simply brush off these occurrences. Bella was glancing around curiously, seemingly more at ease now that they were off the main floor of the ER.
"The radiology department is two floors up," Arnissan said. "But Ravenscar's ER has its own x-ray and CT scanners, to keep patient flow moving smoothly. We have, on average, the shortest waiting times and the highest satisfaction rates of all the facilities in Los Angeles."
"Congratulations," Carlisle said. "Very impressive."
"Dr. Arnissan, please call extension 2552."
"Excellent," Arnissan said, glancing up at the oval intercom in the ceiling. "That would be Miss Swan's scans."
"I think I'll take Bella down to the cafeteria," Edward said. "The tour has been fascinating, though. Thank you, sir."
"You are very welcome," Arnissan replied. "I will not keep your father for much longer. This will only take a minute."
Carlisle smiled at Bella and Edward.
"An afternoon with Alice looking a little better?" he asked.
"Sort of," Bella whispered back, blushing. "Though I suppose it will be interesting to see what this hospital has in the way of cafeteria food."
"Better than average, I must say," Arnissan said suddenly, approaching the lounge door to hold it open for them. "Though I do recommend you avoid the baked manicotti they have on special today. They never fail to overcook it. You'll be trying to chew on rubber."
A few minutes later, Bella and Edward were off towards the cafeteria, and Carlisle was exiting the elevator into the radiology wing after Arnissan. The tech from before was standing outside a file room, a large red plastic envelope in hand.
"They came out great, sir," he reported.
"Excellent." Arnissan took the envelope, and continued on down the corridor.
Carlisle looked around curiously as they walked. The radiology department here was very much up to date with technology. He actually paused for a moment to admire the open MRI when they passed it.
"And we can look at the images right in here," Arnissan said suddenly, turning into a relatively nondescript doorway that led into a darkened viewing room. "We have…oh, good afternoon, Dr. Archer."
When Carlisle entered the room behind Arnissan, he was quick to see that they had interrupted another consultation. A female doctor stood next to a man in a black coat with a book in his hands. Both had turned to look at them as they entered. And typically, as Carlisle watched, the man did a double-take and stared at him for a long moment. Carlisle glanced back politely, waiting for his attention to turn away. It did when Arnissan spoke again.
"I am sorry for interrupting, Dr. Archer. I did not realize you were with a patient," he was saying apologetically. "This is Dr. Cullen. He's in town for the conference."
"Nice to meet you," Dr. Archer replied. Carlisle nodded in response. "And it isn't a problem, Dr. Arnissan. We were almost finished here."
Carlisle saw Arnissan's eyes automatically turn to the two x-rays already hanging on the viewing boards. He turned too, and he felt a sudden bolt of shock flood through him. His eyes widened as he stared at the two chest scans. One was normal, clean. But the other…
"Thanks for everything, Les," the man said suddenly. Carlisle turned back around as the man stuffed the book into the bag at his side.
In that moment, Carlisle caught a whiff of a very strange scent, one that completely did not belong in this modern room of computers and X-rays. It was the smell of ancient leather, dusty and dry. It brought back memories of monasteries, old university libraries, and centuries long gone. The book the man held was very, very old.
Very old…and very familiar.
Carlisle's attention was completely diverted. He barely heard Arnissan clear his throat. The other doctor's focus was still on the man's condemning x-rays.
"Sir, I know a very well-respected team over at Mount Sinai," he said. "I…"
"It's alright," the man interrupted sharply. "I know what I'm doing."
The man left quickly, seemingly eager to leave before more questions could be asked. Carlisle watched him disappear, then turned back around. Dr. Archer had just removed the man's x-rays and placed them back into another red envelope. Arnissan was gently arguing with her.
"Les, I do agree that your patient's case is terminal, but…"
"George, John Constantine is a very intelligent man. He made his choice a long time ago. He understands the consequences of that. I've been working with him for a very long time, and I am not going to contest his decision."
Arnissan sighed.
"Alright, Les. I apologize."
Dr. Archer nodded, then turned and left the room. Arnissan shook his head.
"Every patient reserves the right to choose their own means of treatment, or to refuse treatment altogether," he said, mostly to himself. "I wish Mr. Constantine the best." He shifted the envelope in his hands. "Well, back to the matter at hand. Time to see if our new scanner can reveal any hidden surprises in Miss Swan's…is something wrong, Dr. Cullen?"
During the conversation between Arnissan and Dr. Archer, Carlisle had been deep in thought. The book John Constantine had looked familiar…but for the longest moment, he hadn't been able to figure out why. Until the slightest haze of memory, dim and blurred, crossed his mind. A late night, and an old man hunched over a book, writing for hours on end. A fascination that had almost consumed the later years of the man's life.
Carlisle had never found out what his father had been writing. He had been changed while Thomas Cullen was still working on it, and the book had disappeared before he had returned to London to reclaim some of his old possessions. But he would always remember what the cover of that book looked like, despite the centuries.
It couldn't possibly be the same book.
But…
"Dr. Arnissan, I will be back in just a minute," he said abruptly.
"Of course." Arnissan looked very confused. "I will read these scans while you are gone."
Carlisle nodded, then turned and left the room. It was not hard to follow the trace but distinctive scents of leather left behind by John Constantine's passing.
The trail faded when he stepped through Ravenscar's front doors. The rain had stopped, but the smell in the air was still thick with moisture. The clouds above hung heavy and dark, threatening another downpour. On the street below, people were still shuffling around under umbrellas or bunched up under jackets. And at the distant intersection, Carlisle's sharp eyes spotted John Constantine's retreating form.
Carlisle had absolutely no idea what unearthly desire was making him follow this stranger. And yet, he couldn't prevent himself from striding purposefully forward. The people he passed glanced at him in confusion, noting his white coat and visitor's badge. But he did not acknowledge them. He continued down the rain-slick sidewalk, watching as the man started crossing the street.
"Mr. Constantine," he called when he was close enough to be heard. "May I speak with you?"
Constantine slowed slightly and glanced back at him. The look on his face was one of irritation and suspicion. Carlisle saw his lips clearly form the words "what the hell?"
And then, Carlisle saw the SUV. It was surging down the far turn lane, showing no signs of slowing. Nobody had seen it yet except him. He broke into a run. A feeling of dread was creeping through him.
"Mr. Constantine!" he shouted.
"What the hell do you want?" the man demanded back. He had completely stopped now.
"Watch out!!"
The SUV turned, the force of it making the tires scream as they slid and swerved over the pavement. Carlisle had pushed himself forward, racing into the intersection, racing against the SUV that was coming closer with each passing second. He could clearly see the man behind the wheel. He was stone pale, and the look in his eyes was one of primal fear.
Carlisle reached Constantine in seconds, but it was too late to avoid impact. He clamped his arms around the man and pushed him forward, turning so that his body was between Constantine and the grill of the SUV. People were beginning to scream now, car horns were starting to honk. And out of the barest corner of his vision, something large flickered. Something big, and moving faster than even he could track it, was barreling towards the SUV.
The object impacted the driver's side of the SUV, just inches in front of them, at the same time the vehicle struck Carlisle. The crash echoed like an explosion in his ears. His body was knocked sideways, his grip on Constantine dragging them both down onto the asphalt. He knew at the sound of the man's impact with the ground that he was knocked cold. At the same time, he saw the SUV pass them. The entire left side of the vehicle was in the air, the impact of whatever had hit its side pushing it past its center of balance. Protesting metal and shattering glass echoed in a singular sickening groan. It should have run them over. But instead the SUV fishtailed and rolled, missing them by inches, sending debris flying in all directions. And just to his left, a set of hooves struck the ground.
The figure was visible for only a fraction of a second. It had jumped clean over them, the scrawny horse and its petite rider. It was gone before Carlisle could get a good look at it, charging forward at a lightning fast gallop. It shimmered into view for another second more as it passed the rolling SUV. The SUV burst into flame. And then, the figure was gone, and the burning vehicle came to a final stop on its roof, a mass of twisted metal, fire, and black smoke.
The crash happened in a matter of seconds. Had he not been a vampire, Carlisle would never have been able to see the details so clearly. For a moment, he lay still on the pavement, stunned at what he had just witnessed. The commotion and chaos was pandemonium around him. People were screaming and running, cars were blaring their horns. Sirens sounded in the distance.
Carlisle sat up and turned to Constantine. The man lay sprawled beside him. A small trickle of blood flowed from a shallow gash at his hairline. He quickly leaned over him, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket even as he began examining him for other injuries.
"Mr. Constantine, are you alright?" he demanded over the growing noise. "Can you hear me?"
In response, the man groaned softly. Carlisle saw him blink, and sighed in relief. At first glance, it did not appear as though he had suffered any major injuries. And then his eyes flickered to the bag that lay a few feet ahead. The book had slid halfway out of it, and lay on the damp pavement, every detail of its ancient front visible to Carlisle's eyes. As Constantine slowly opened his eyes fully and glanced over at the inferno, Carlisle reached out and grabbed the book. For a long moment, he and Constantine stared into each other's eyes.
"What did you see?" Constantine demanded groggily. "Something passed over us. What did you see?"
Carlisle was confused. He was almost ready to convince himself the rider was just a trick upon his eyes. But had he seen it too?
Constantine glared at him, then tried to sit up. Carlisle held him down, shaking his head automatically.
"Stay down, Mr. Constantine. You are injured," he instructed.
"What the hell did you see?" Constantine growled again.
Carlisle hesitated. He didn't know what to think.
"I saw…" he paused. "I saw a horse and rider. It was there, and then it vanished."
Constantine groaned and rolled his eyes.
"That's just fucking perfect."
Carlisle was even more confused. But he had no more time to question. Because the crowds had finally converged upon them. The first to reach them was an old man in a plain gray suit. A hat was drawn down low over his wrinkled face. He had come up from behind Carlisle, and he spared him a glance as the old man crouched down beside them.
"Are you two alright?" he said in an ancient, gritty voice.
Constantine had turned to stare at the old man, his slightly unfocused eyes widening in shock.
"What the hell are you doing out here?"
Those words finally made Carlisle turn fully. And as he looked the man full in the face, he openly gasped in shock. The man's eyes flashed in equal amazement.
"Carlisle?" he said breathily, as if unable to believe what he was seeing.
Carlisle was speechless for a long moment. He could not hear the voices of the people swarming around them, or the sirens as the first ambulance and fire engine pulled onto the scene. He only stared at the wrinkled old man, at the face he could still recognize even after centuries.
And then, he felt himself speaking the astonished words before he could stop himself.
"Father Henry?!"
And the plot now thickens. Thanks for tagging with me for the ride! This story is about to get much more interesting. ;)