Chapter 72

Carlisle and Masen walked through town after seeing a movie together. Although he had taken bigger steps, like killing a deer with his bare hands, Carlisle hesitantly let his son drive into town, after obtaining a learner's permit. Of course he had to obtain an identification for his son in the same way all of them had in the past. Masen officially existed in the eyes of the government.

"Thanks for the movie, Dad," Masen said, he laughed, "But they don't make the undead seem as friendly in movies."

Carlisle smiled, "They never do. I suppose some of our kind are more unfriendly than we are."

They rounded a corner under a street light and a young woman slammed into them, while not looking because she was talking on her cell phone.

"I'm so sorry," her eyes focused on the two of them, and Carlisle quickly recognized her as Bella's old friend Jessica. "Dr. Cullen?"

He nodded.

"I-I wasn't looking where I was going. I'm sorry."

He smiled, "It's fine. Jessica, right?"

Jessica smiled appreciatively, flattered that he had remembered her name, "Yes" she looked over at Masen with approving eyes.

Masen held a hand out, "Masen," he said.

"Hi," Jessica giggled, "Jessica. I'm Bella's friend."

"Nice to meet you."

Jessica stared at his outstretched hand, "Duh," she said aloud, still giggling, and shook his hand, "I should have shook it right away. Don't know what I was thinking."

Masen let out a brief laugh, "No problem."

She looked between the two of them, wanting to ask if Masen was Carlisle's son, but thought they were too close in age to be father and son.

"Well, we'll tell Bella you said hello if you'd like," Carlisle told her.

"Huh?" she asked, deep in thought, "Oh. Yeah. Totally, yes. Tell her to call me. I'll be in town for a week."

"Nice to meet you," Masen said with a smile.

Jessica felt herself blush, "Nice meeting you too." She found herself staring as the two of them walked off.

Masen looked at Carlisle with a smile, and laughed as his father smiled back, "I doubt any other one year olds could make a girl blush like that," Masen said.

Carlisle shook his head, hearing Emmett in every word that his son said. He couldn't help but laugh.

"So," Masen said, "Am I driving back home?"

Carlisle removed the keys from his pocket, "Don't speed."

Masen grabbed the keys and hopped in the driver's seat, making their way out of the center of town. "Hey, Dad," he said.

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever crave blood of people? I know Jasper had a hard time adjusting, from what he told me. And even Rose said she felt bad about almost attacking Bella when she gave birth to Renesme. Do you ever, you know, feel that way?"

Carlisle adjusted in the passenger seat, "No. I can honestly say I don't."

"How about Mom?"

He shook his head, "She was able to control it a long time ago."

"Do you think that's why I don't even really notice it? I mean we just sat with a whole theater full of people, and none of them were appealing to me at all."

"Well, I'm glad that's the case," Carlisle told him, "That was what I worried about the most before you were born. It could be some kind of evolution process. Since the two of us haven't had a drop of human blood in a number of years, you may have been born with the same appetite as us."

"But was there a time when you did crave it?"

Carlisle looked at his son, "When I was first changed, it did appeal to me," he admitted, "But I quickly learned to block it out. I hated what I was in the beginning, because I never wanted to hurt anyone. I thought I was destined to be a monster, but I suppose we make our own destiny."

Masen turned to look at him.

"Keep your eyes on the road," Carlisle told him.

"I was just going to say that I'm glad you chose to take the road you did, because I could never take a life either. I even feel bad sometimes with the deer," he laughed at himself, "Emmett kind of told me how you and Mom met a couple weeks ago."

Carlisle smiled, "He did, did he?"

Masen laughed, "It was part of a serious talk we had, so I think he was pretty accurate. Plus I double checked with Edward later on."

Carlisle was waiting for him to continue, but instead he started singing along with a song that Carlisle originally thought was nothing but unrecognizable, hard rock screaming. The chorus suddenly turned softer, and Masen sang it aloud, "I'm not searching the sky for a reason to live, cuz I found beauty right here and a passion to give. Let me give you my heart, let me give you my tears. Let me give you my life. Let me give you my fears."

The screaming picked up again and Masen turned it down a little, tapping the steering wheel with his thumbs.

"What song is this?" Carlisle asked.

"It's called Open Letter," Masen thought for a second, "By Amity Affliction."

"One of Emmett's?"

He nodded, "Yeah. It sounds like it's all screams, but the lyrics are good."

"I don't mind the chorus, because I can actually understand the words," Carlisle laughed.

"Really?" Masen asked surprised, "You like this?"

The lyrics were now past the point of recognition for Carlisle, and he smiled, "Just the chorus."

"Wait 'til I tell Em," he laughed.

"I shouldn't even be letting you listen to this while you're driving."

"Come on, Dad. I run way faster than this."

Carlisle tried not to let him see the smile on his face, as he looked out the window, thinking he had a point. He still wanted him to know the ropes in the human world, and obey the laws that were set. Overall, he had no worries about his son's ability to blend in. He wanted to send him to high school, but he felt his aging process was far too rapid.

"Chorus again, Dad," Masen said. He turned it up with a smile and looked at Carlisle while singing along.

He smiled at his son and patted his shoulder, enjoying the short clip of the song as they made their way back to the house.