The Chief

Prompt: Fic Lab (#good)

Date: July 2021


1993

The Chief stared at the report on his desk, his dark eyes impossible to read to anyone who didn't know him exceptionally well. One of his fingers tapped the paper as he continued to read, and across from him, the Doctor waited.

The Chief was a taciturn and enigmatic man. Some people in town believed him to be a difficult and cold-hearted man—they said that's why his wife took off, taking his little one with her all those years ago.

The Doctor had only been in town about a year, but already he knew these presumptions to be wholly untrue.

Charlie Swan was a stubborn man—granted—but he was more loyal, more brave, and more steadfast than any person the Doctor had met in his very long life.

Charlie's lip twitched as he reached a particular section of the report, his newly forming mustache exaggerating the motion. Carlisle leaned his elbows on the armrest of the chair and hid his smile behind his folded hands.

Finally, Charlie looked up at him. Carlisle met the dark eyes of his friend and waited.

"You really think people will take the bear attack excuse?" Charlie asked, his heavy eyebrows settling in a frown.

Carlisle leaned back in his seat, further, dropping his fingers a little and tapping his chin.

"I think people want an easy answer."

Charlie considered this.

"We could always," Carlisle said slowly. Charlie looked up at him quickly.

"Tell them the truth?" Only Carlisle's vampiric hearing caught the croak of surprise in Charlie's voice as he spoke.

Carlisle laughed, shaking his head.

"Heavens, no. You know why we must keep things completely under wraps." He offered Charlie a look, and the Chief nodded.

"Right," he grunted, sitting back in his chair. At even the mention of the Volturi, the Chief grew pale. Carlisle didn't blame him. As it was, they were pushing their luck with how much Charlie knew. If anymore got out…

"So, what are our other options?" Charlie asked.

Carlisle took an unnecessary breath. "I'm very skilled at," he paused, considering his words. "Arranging incidents."

Charlie raised one heavy eyebrow. "Stage something?"

Carlisle nodded. He watched his friend consider it as he looked over the report again. "The family has already been notified," he said finally. "But let's keep that in mind in the future." The Chief shot him a quick look and Carlisle smiled, nodding slightly.

Charlie looked back at the report and then let out a long sigh. "You know, when I first took up this job, I didn't believe old Henry when he told me the job came with extra responsibilities," he paused, shaking his head. "Thought the old bastard had lost his mind."

Carlisle smiled sadly. "Sadly, he had not."

Charlie looked up at the Doctor. They'd been about the same age last year-but the stress on an all too human Charlie compared to the unchanging form of the good vampire doctor meant that in the last 12 months, Charlie had aged quite a bit while Carlisle remained the fresh-faced man in his late twenties. It was only his unique confidence and frankly unlimited charisma that allowed the Doctor to operate at some of the best hospitals in the world without much difficulty. He looked too young, too green. That is until you got him in his element. Charlie had seen the man work enough times to never question him again.

"Any idea if we'll get another visitor soon?" Charlie asked, looking up at him.

Carlisle sighed. "No, but rarely are we able to predict their patterns."

Charlie grunted. He could still feel the heavy weight of his machete as it cut through the last vampire's neck. He didn't have to kill them all. Some were able to be reasoned with, and some moved on without even causing a single disturbance. But some... some were tricky. It had taken all of Henry's knowledge, and a great deal of help from Carlisle as well to finally figure out they were more vulnerable during the daylight hours. Still tough to kill, but significantly slower, much closer to humans in their strength and speed. It wasn't until the sun fell away and they fed on fresh blood that they became lethal. Even the Doctor, who only fed on animals, was a far cry stronger and faster than a human after a feeding.

Charlie looked up at him.

"What's the word?" He asked, leaning back in his chair again.

"My family is still in Seattle," Carlisle said, understanding his friend. "Though Esme has been looking at houses around the area."

Charlie bristled. He was friends with Carlisle, and he'd met Esme a couple of times in passing when she'd been stopping by the county hospital where Carlisle worked out of, but Charlie had never met the rest of the Cullen family.

He'd heard they were all teenagers, and the thought of a group of vampire teens coming into his town and causing chaos just didn't sit right with him.

"Moving everyone here?" Charlie asked, his tone failing to conceal his concern. Carlisle smiled.

"My family are all vegetarians," he provided. "And I figured you could use our help, keeping the town clear."

Charlie grunted. Things were still in a sticky place right now. His best friend Billy had just had a stroke, and that meant the wolves were a mess. Without the strong leadership of Billy, Charlie doubted they would be able to be kept in check if a whole family of vampires moved to town.

"I don't know that it's time," Charlie said slowly, not wanting to offend his friend, but unsure how else to tell him. "With what's going on down at the reservation…"

Carlisle nodded, immediately understanding. "I see," he paused, bringing his fingers to his lips again. "Yes, I believe you are probably right."

"Maybe give it some time," Charlie said, tapping his desk. "Maybe ten years or so?"

Carlisle gazed across the desk and smiled at his friend. "I can certainly give you ten years."

Charlie nodded, relieved. He thought about the help Carlisle had been able to bring him this past year, but the trouble as well. It was always both with vampires.

Carlisle seemed to sense Charlie's shift in mood, because he nodded, standing up. "I should get back to the hospital."

Charlie nodded, standing as well. "Right. Thanks for this," he motioned to the report on his desk and Carlisle nodded.

"Anything else I can do?"

Charlie thought about it. The last vampire that had blown through town had killed a young kid, barely 19 years old. It had taken Charlie three days of hunting to finally corner the bastard, and when he had, it had been to discover the vampire knew Carlisle. Charlie hadn't known what to make of it, even after he'd killed the vampire.

Carlisle had been upset, but understanding, and it had just made things more confusing to Charlie.

"No," He said slowly. "Thank you for your help." He held a hand out and the Doctor took it, his grasp cold. Charlie looked up into Carlisle's eyes and was surprised to see something quite final in them. "You're leaving soon?" he asked.

Carlisle nodded. "My family needs relocating, and if we can't settle here yet, I'll take them north."

Charlie nodded, slightly relieved. He let go of the doctor's hand. "You're a good man, Carlisle," he said slowly. "But I can't lie to you, you've not been much good to my health."

Carlisle let out a loud laugh, and Charlie flashed him a rare grin.

"I've failed you as your doctor, then," Carlisle said, chuckling. Charlie grunted.

"Maybe, but not as a friend."

The Chief looked at the Doctor, and the Doctor gazed back at the Chief. At this moment, both men knew that no matter the time that separated them, they had found in each other that deep acceptance and understanding that only comes from true friends.