Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I am merely borrowing the characters and concepts.

Author's Note: This is my first attempt at a Twilight fic, mainly because I have about fifteen or more outlines for Twilight fic ideas, but haven't written any of them yet. When this idea came to mind it was complete from start to finish, so I just started writing. I did not have a beta and posted as soon as I finished writing, so please enjoy and be constructive in criticism. Thank you.

Forgiveness is Divine

"If we were a normal coven, what position would you hold within the ranks of our hierarchy?"

The words were growled out; the sound somewhere between a furious snarl and a sensual purr as Edward stroked the tips of his fingers delicately down the length of Jasper's tense jaw.

Jasper, standing stiffly at attention, choked out the words as if he hated admitting his position. "Scrapper…"

Edward's perfect features twisted into a sneer as he turned slightly, making a slow circuit around Jasper's stiff position. "And exactly why are you a scrapper, Jasper?"

Nostrils flaring slightly with anger, Jasper answered. "Because I was not sired by the coven leader."

"Very good, Jasper…"

Another delicate stroke of long fingers swept across Jasper's skin, this time brushing against the side of his neck. His whole body tensing from the touch on his scarred flesh, Jasper's eyes flicked around to catch the sight of his beautiful mate standing ten feet before him and watching his chastisement. To his right, also standing ten feet away and merely watching, was Emmett. His normally happy expression was stoic and unmoving. On his left, Rosalie watched with an equally blank face, also ten feet away. His tension was not eased by the knowledge of an unidentified presence behind where he stood. And Edward's circling did nothing to help ease the tension.

"And within the traditional hierarchy of a coven… Where would I be placed?"

"You are the second in command, Edward."

The purring sound was more defined as Edward tilted his fingers just right to scrape his nails lightly on the back of Jasper's neck.

"Why?"

"You are the eldest vampire within the coven sired by the leader."

In less than a split second, Edward's long fingers slid up so that his fingers twisted harshly into the golden locks at the back of Jasper's head. He pulled hard, jerking Jasper's head back and moving so that he could snarl his next words in Jasper's face.

"And what within the structure of a coven allows you to think that you have any right to try to taste the blood of the chosen future mate of the second in command?!" Edward's fury was tangible. "Of the entire coven only myself and Carlisle could ever possess that right."

Edward stepped back, pulling hard on Jasper's hair and forcing him down onto his hands and knees before releasing his hold and moving back to stand next to Alice. He moved his hand, gently stroking the unmoving Alice's cheek with the back of his fingers before turning to address Jasper once more.

"Jasper…" Edward's eyes turned black as he spoke. "For your crime against the coven, for attempting to feed from the chosen of the second in command, on her birthday no less, you are to be flogged with the chosen's weapon of choice until such time as you are truly forgiven for your crime."

Upon hearing the words, Jasper's head dropped and he caught a view of the figure standing behind him. Completely shrouded in black, there was nothing of the identity visible. All Jasper could see was the length of sturdy chain twisted and woven with barbed wire held within the cloaked figure's hand. It wouldn't cause any real damage, but the idea of being whipped in front of his mate and siblings was humiliating. Just when he was about to protest, he heard steps on either side of him.

Twisting his head, Jasper only had time to register that Emmett and Rosalie had moved closer before they took handfuls of his shirt and ripped it from his body. Without a second thought they gave his pants similar treatment until he was left only in his boxers. Baffled, he didn't even register they had moved away before the first harsh whistle split the air followed with the crack of metal striking stone.

"AHHHH! Fuck that hurt!"

Jasper couldn't help the scream; he hadn't expected such a thing to actually feel more than a thud from the impact. He twisted and saw a line of scratches on his side and lower back even as they healed and faded away, leaving no trace that they had existed. He wasn't given a chance to ponder this before the next blow hit and he once more screamed in both pain and surprise.

For a startled moment, Jasper actually attempted to flee from the startling turn of events only to find his paths of escape all blocked by the higher-ranking members of the coven. His beautiful wife continued to stand stoically, her own ranking as a scrapper preventing her from interfering else she be the next one subjected to this outrageous punishment. And, all the while, the punisher continued to strike, moving position as Jasper moved so that he could not escape the vile stinging lashes of the evil whip… Surely they must have borrowed this weapon from the Volturi!

Falling once to his knees, Jasper lurched forward onto his hands after a particularly painful blow that struck just below his buttocks and did a wonderful job of shredding his boxers. From his new position, he could only yelp from the harsh stings, his mind fogged with confusion over what could cause a vampire such pain. The weapon was not coated in venom, if it had been, it would have left scars… So how had they pulled it off?!

Another painful blow managed to pull a healthy scream from his lips, twisting his features into a portrait of pain that would stain the memories of all vampires present. The lash had hit his side, curled around his left buttock and the end smacked sharply into the balls that were left vulnerable in the unfortunate position he had been in.

Starting to feel more than just a bit panicked and desperate, Jasper reached out with his empathic ability, intent on making everyone in his range feel what he had just been subjected to when he was stunned into shocked silence. It was the first time since his hearing had started that he had felt the emotions of those present and he found he could not inflict this upon them, despite the crushing pain of yet another blow tearing his skin and healing once more without a mark. He just couldn't do it, their emotions were so seemingly out of place that he couldn't comprehend why they would feel such things as he, their brother, her mate, was treated in such a fashion…

Emmett was aroused! His own brother! Aroused! Watching as he was whipped, his brother was getting turned on! And so was his brother's mate! The arousal was warped, twisted with acceptance and love in such a way that they were wound too tightly together… And it was directed at him!

Edward's emotions were both predictable and surprising. There was the smug sense of glee that Jasper was finally getting what he deserved for such a crime, that Jasper was getting what he deserved for attempting to attack Bella… But mingling with that satisfaction, there was also love, sympathy and… Jealousy?

Jasper couldn't comprehend why Edward would be jealous in this situation… Just like he couldn't comprehend why Alice was jealous as well!

She was irritated of course. Hell, she was downright furious but that was obvious from the obvious having to stand aside while her mate was in pain thing. And there was definitely love there, emotional turmoil and sympathetic pain for her mate and… his Alice was also being aroused by his punishment!

Jasper didn't have time to do more than give Alice a dumbfounded look before another startled scream was ripped from his throat by the placement of a lash. This brought his focus on the wielder of the awful weapon and he was shocked to the core! The person whipping him, causing him pain, held nothing but pure love and it was directed at everyone, but mostly at him!

He couldn't comprehend… He was being punished until he was forgiven. Punished by a weapon that should not have been able to truly hurt him. And yet everyone present felt love… He deserved his punishment, but he didn't deserve the love. But they still gave it. And, as Jasper struggled to understand, he felt more than just their love and, hell, even their arousal at watching the scene. He felt that they understood what was happening and it made him mad.

Why should they get to understand this situation and he could not? Why?

Jasper was sobbing now. It wasn't the sting of the metal whip lashing his body. That pain, though unexpected, could not break him like this. He was a soldier. What was breaking him was the frustration of not understanding how they could love him after what he did, how they could send him understanding when all he deserved was loathing and hate… How he could feel that everyone present forgave him, yet nothing changed except the angle of the blows that struck his bare form.

In the distance, the sky was beginning to brighten as the sun started to rise.

Jasper had no idea how long they had been here, his whipping continuing unabated as he struggled to understand. He knew his tormentor would not tire, just as he knew exactly who wielded the whip that cut his flesh. Only one person was capable of loving them all so strongly while dealing out such a harsh penalty. A penalty that would not end until he had the forgiveness he needed for attacking Edward's chosen.

Hours moved by, no one moved from their positions except for the whip-wielder and Jasper as he shook and twitched from both his sobs and particularly painful blows. The heavy whistling of the continually flying chain and barbed wire whip and the crack of it against stone flesh were the only sounds to accompany Jasper's sobs as he continued, struggling to understand the non-stop feelings of love he was receiving.

It was during a brief moment of the sun fighting aside the clouds and sparkling up the meadow with luminescent vampires that Jasper felt it. Hidden beneath the waves of love, sympathy, understanding and arousal he was getting from all around him, he finally cracked. He understood why this was played out.

Throwing his head back, Jasper yelled out loud for all to hear. "I forgive myself!"

As soon as the words tore themselves from his throat, the heavy crash of metal told him that the whip had been detoured at the last moment and flung away from the course that would have had it intercept with his body. He heard it hit a tree and fall, forgotten to the forest floor.

Once the obviously painful weapon was clear, everyone was a blur of motion. All of his siblings and his mate rushed to his sides. Hands caressed his torturously abused skin, stroking with love and affection, embracing the one that had held onto his self-loathing for far too long.

Somehow, during the process of comforting and assuring their empathic brother and mate, the sextet of vampires became a blur of tangled limbs and lost clothing. Using one of the oldest forms of contact to reaffirm emotions and ties.

When you had an eternity, the bonds you developed with those closest to you can never be solidly defined…

. . . . . .

Hours later, as the newly light-hearted Jasper threw away the remaining scraps of the clothes he had been wearing before his judgment, he turned to Bella as she carefully folded up her black shroud. "So… How the hell did you manage to get a whip that would hurt a vampire anyway?"

Bella turned a loving smile to her brother. "It was an early birthday present from Jake and Rose. Jake donated claw-tips and Rose soldered them to the barbed wire tips after I told them what I wanted to do with you for my birthday."

Grinning, Jasper gave Bella a hug, holding her tightly to himself. "I can't thank you enough for using your birthday wish for me. It makes me wonder what you have planned for your 119th birthday next year."

Snorting slightly on a musical laugh, Bella shook her head. "Don't worry about next year. Think about this weekend when we use that thing to get Edward to forgive himself for leaving me a hundred years ago…"

Jasper couldn't help but laugh with her. "Only you would reinstate birthdays into the family and subject yourself to something you hate so that you can give gifts to others that can never be repaid." He kissed her cheek and let go, swiping up her shroud and moving out of the room. "Has Emmett started taking bets on how long it'll take Edward to crack?"

"Oh please!" Emmett's voice drifted from the other room. "We were taking bets while you were still getting your ass whipped by a girl!"

At first Jasper scowled at Emmett's phrasing, but then he smirked, heading into the hallway and leaving Bella to finish folding laundry. "I'd take you seriously if I couldn't feel how jealous you are Emmett…"

Alice's giggle came from somewhere else in the house. "He's trying to think of things he may have done over the last hundred years to get his own turn under Bella's toy…"

Laughter came from all points, completely drowning out Emmett's mutterings from the living room.

"Just you wait, I'll come up with something and get my own turn soon… Just you wait."

The End