Being the new people in town was never easy, especially in a small town like Forks, a fact that Eleanor Beckett was well aware of. So when her son came home from school one day boasting about making friends with one of the new kids, Eleanor did her...
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"I'm, uh, sorry about that," the boy apologized as Carlisle finished wrapping the cast on his leg. "My mom can get a bit... overprotective."
"I understand why," the doctor replied, smiling over at him as he spoke. "She's just doing what she thinks is best for you, what's safest. Don't get too upset with her."
Callahan watched him curiously as he slid his chair over to the counter, starting to fill out some paperwork. Carlisle wondered if Eleanor had told her son that he and his family were vampires, he guessed not based on the boy's steady heart rate. If he knew he was alone in a room with a vampire, even if Carlisle meant him no harm, he would definitely be scared or at least worried.
"Can I ask you something?"
Carlisle looked up from his paperwork at the question, setting his pen down and giving the boy his full attention with a nod.
"What happened at the diner?" Callahan asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at the man. "My mom told me you guys tried to trick her, but she won't give me the full story. And I can tell if you're lying, so don't even think about it."
Carlisle hesitated for a moment, thinking about the best way to recount his meeting with Eleanor. It was not his place to tell the boy that he was his mother's mate, and telling him that would probably only get her to believe he was manipulating them more. However, he also didn't want to lie to the boy.
"My family and I went out for dinner-"
"Which is completely unnecessary, you don't even eat," Callahan remarked, rolling his eyes. "Strike one."
"Then Alice called her over," Carlisle continued, choosing to ignore the boy's interruption. "She came over to take our order and as soon as she saw me she left. I was worried so I followed her-"
"Strike two."
"I meant her no harm, I just..." Wanted to be near her, to love her as much as she would let me. "I wanted to make sure she was okay. She'd left the restaurant in such a hurry, I wasn't sure what I did wrong."
"It's not completely your fault, my mom's a naturally... cautious person. She'd do anything to keep me safe. She found out you guys were vampires the other day and almost immediately tried to make us move," Callahan explained, moving to the edge of his seat and reaching out for the nearby crutches. "I convinced her to stay until you did something worth moving over. So don't let this be it, alright? I actually kinda like Forks, and your kids are pretty cool too."
"Thank you, although I can't take credit for that. Their outstanding characters are all thanks to their own choices," Carlisle smiled, helping the boy stand. "I will try to apologize for my actions to your mother, that is if she'll let me."
"You helped me. As far as her weird 'logic' goes, that means she owes you."
