1922, Pittsburgh.

[ofthefamily]

The trail of bodies is indistinct and only a trail at all if you knew what you were looking for. No human did.

When dead-on-arrivals start coming in from the Southside Slopes on a daily basis instead of sporadically, with wounds no one can explain --

Edward, Carlisle thinks carefully to the bronze-haired boy sitting in a second-year anatomy class two floors up from Carlisle's rounds as the newest doctor on call, I have to go pay a housecall.

With clouds descending over Pittsburgh, Carlisle takes a walk.

Comments

[themidnightson]

"I know." It's not sharp this time. There's heaviness, impatience and remorse in his tone but none of them are exactly where the words come from.

[ofthefamily]

Is that not good enough?
Maybe you want them to see you
"That is unfair of me."
but with your regrets and secrets you don't really want them to be you

Did you have any other questions about the messenger? Carlisle hazards, before he continues to swallow his entire leg. There are certainly other things he could ask about. So Carlisle waits.

[themidnightson]

"Tell me about the worst inevitability with them. They make you-" he stopped eyes narrowing, because the words for thoughts and reactions are so strong and certain in Carlisle. "I don't have points of reference, except for what I have picked up."

Beat.

"And him."

[ofthefamily]

"The worst? They decide I -- we -- are exposing too much of ourselves to humanity at large and they send their emissaries to stop us."

Orange flames dance around behind Carlisle's gold eyes. He's seen what the emissaries are capable of when ordered to a task.

A flicker of subconscious amusement. I think they would find me a stronger man than the one who left.

[themidnightson]

That is troublesome.

The images, not the statement.



"And for me?"

[ofthefamily]

The amusement rises to the forefront.

They wouldn't know what hit them. To use a phrase.

[themidnightson]

"That's not what I meant."

There's a serious, if uncertain, glance.

"Tell me my worst inevitability where it comes to them. When you get close to the idea it all--" he made a face. It jumbled. Carlisle didn't even get close to the thought without rage or fear or violent threats. All of which were not normal.

[ofthefamily]

Carlisle swallows hard.

"Maintaining the diet that you and I have adopted would be the least of your concerns," he starts out slowly.

I don't know what they would do, exactly. That is what scares me more. If they liked you, they would probably place you in their vanguard. Keeping their form of peace in our world. As soon as they tired of you...

I was their amusement, Edward. The deviant who wasn't like them. I have no clue what they would think of you and I never want to know.

[themidnightson]

It harder to be properly respectful of the unknown eventuality, except he can feel the weight of Carlisle's thoughts. How it's worse for that with what is known. The feel of dark and cloying potential. He's not sure that asking helped anymore than having the man's head available only for minutes.

"No Italian vacations," he mumbled through an exhale.

[ofthefamily]

"Too sunny anyway," Carlisle offers in no other way that can be translated except I'm sorry.

[themidnightson]

Edward snorted.

Then shook his head with a forced shrug.

"I don't understand, but that's becoming common."

There isn't an insult in the way it's phrased, just plain.

[ofthefamily]

Carlisle shrugs.

"I may be one of the simpler vampires you'll meet."

[themidnightson]

Edward shook his head again.

"You're hardly simple."

[ofthefamily]

"Best news I've had all day."