Lying perfectly still on the rather pointless futon, Edward listened to the sounds of his siblings getting ready for another equally pointless school day. His teeth were on edge, not because of his suspension per se, but the indirect effect it had on his seeing Bella. He could hardly ask Carlisle could he run over to her house before she left, and so he lay miserably and quietly. Rose and Esme still weren't back, and he found, though he'd never admit it, that he could really do with his adopted mother's presence.

His ears caught the sounds of Carlisle exiting his office and beginning the ascent to his room. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed. There was no way he was going to see Bella today, he knew that, but he knew the minute his father came through the door he would be tempted to ask. A second later, and the unnecessary rap on the door came. Murmuring his assent lowly, Edward found Carlisle sitting next to him a split second later.

He doctor eyed his first turned son carefully.

He was miserable.

He barely stifled a sigh.

"How are we doing up here then?"

Not knowing if Carlisle was referring to his still sensitised behind or his still wounded feelings, Edward arched a questioning brow.

"Both."

There was a silence for a moment as the question was pondered. "Fine, I guess," Edward eventually said, wishing he believed it and clearly, he wasn't the only one failing to buy it.

Carlisle pondered briefly. He knew that even five minutes with Bella would cheer his son up greatly. But, he also knew that not being able to see her would perhaps be the most effective discipline tool at his disposal and would really drive the lesson he was trying to teach home. He closed his eyes briefly, wishing Esme was home. His instinct was to let Edward go to her, but the calm and rational part of him was screaming the opposite. A few days away from Bella wouldn't kill the boy, and he had to make sure this never, ever happened again.

"Sorry son," he sighed, "You're not going to Bella's. Not today, and not tomorrow. We'll talk about you going there, or her coming here when I feel like I can completely trust you again." He deliberately looked away from the miserable expression that crossed Edward's face as he continued. "You are to stay in this house today, all day. And I mean it, and you know I'll know if you don't. When I come home tonight, we'll talk some more and then you can expect to take another trip across my knee for your disappearing act yesterday."

When he looked back at his son, he found the expression unbearably morose.

"You only have yourself to blame here, Edward," the father said softly, "I don't enjoy doing this, and I know how much you hate to be apart from her. I know that, but you have got to learn to control those feelings before you risk exposing us all." He rested a hand upon the young man's knee. "You've got the place to yourself, try and use the peace to think about how this happened, and how it is never going to happen again, because…" He sighed loudly, "Because if it does, Edward, neither you nor your backside will ever be the same again."

The sounds of Alice, Jasper and Emmett arguing loudly whilst leaving the house interrupted them.

"How come you never give them such a hard time then? Hardly saints now, are they?"

Carlisle smiled fondly at the attempted redirect. "Nice try kid." Standing up and smoothing down his tie, he looked down at his rather sullen looking eldest and tilted his head. "No use lying there and sulking Edward Cullen," he intoned sternly, "I want some productivity out of this day for you. You're back in school soon, and I want you to read up and summarise whatever chapters you've been working on for each class."

Edward couldn't help it.

His eyes found the ceiling.

"Yes," he drawled, "Because High School syllabi has really transformed over the last three decades. I'd truly hate to miss out." Carlisle was a gentle guy, and rarely sent looks that had his kids scrambling for cover. That was more Esme's department. However, he made an exception in the current situation and shot such a stern glare in his eldest's direction that he instantly dropped his head sheepishly and offered a subdued "sorry."

"I would think, a young man in your current situation would have more self preservation," Carlisle scolded firmly, "You're lucky I don't turn you over my knee before I leave."

Edward flushed.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, "I just…it's just…." He trailed off sadly, and the indignation that had arisen in his father quickly dissipated as he dropped back down to sit beside his son. "I know," he agreed softly, "I know how hard it is to be separated from her." He laughed quietly. "Look at me. Even after all these years upon years, I miss Esme like we're apart for the very first time right now."

Edward tilted his head to the side.

He'd never really thought of that.

"You do?" he questioned, wondering would his intense feelings for Bella continue to grow as the years went on, as opposed to quieten down. "I do," Carlisle confirmed, knowing exactly what his eldest was thinking. "So don't upset yourself too much, you'll see her before you know it, and because I'm not a complete ogre, and not because you deserve it, you can keep your cell and text her."

Edward grinned crookedly. He'd been expecting the confiscation argument to arise.

"Thanks dad…"

Nodding, Carlisle stood and ruffled his son's hair. "I'll best be going then; I'll see you later on tonight ok?"

About to nod, Edward was seized by a sudden and horrifying thought. Jasper, Alice and Emmett would be back home before Carlisle, and if they didn't decide like that had last night, to make themselves scarce, they'd hear everything. The anguish and embarrassment must have splashed across his face, because his father stopped short in the middle of the bedroom. "What is it?" he asked patiently, "What's the matter?"

Edward shook his head and forced a slim smile.

"Nothing…you go on."

Carlisle also shook his head, and returned to his seat on the futon. "Not likely," he muttered, "Now, out with it. What are you thinking?"

Once again, Edward shook his head in denial. He knew his father hated tardiness, and if he didn't leave soon, he would be late for work. "Nothing…honestly. You need to go, otherwise you're gonna be late." The sceptical brow caused the younger Cullen to sigh in frustration. "It doesn't even matter…" he muttered, "Just go…"

Carlisle crossed his arms and legs in answer.

Edward knew there was no getting out of it.

"It's just…uhh, well Alice and the rest…will be back before you and uhm…I don't really want them to…you know….hear…"

Carlisle nodded slowly, before adding an understanding "Ah, I see."

"Doesn't matter," Edward mumbled shamefacedly, "It's not like I don't deserve it." The doctor shook his head immediately and vigorously. "Stop that," he rebuked gently. "No one deserves to be embarrassed as a punishment, you know I'd never knowingly do or allow that. I should have thought of them being back before me son, I'm sorry. They'll probably make some excuse to go out anyway…"

One look at his son and he knew the kid didn't want to take that chance.

He took a deep breath.

This was not how he planned his morning going.

"You want to get this taken care of now?" he asked carefully, not wanting to influence Edward's decision. There was a silence as the younger Cullen pondered. "Well want is not exactly the term I'd use," he replied with a wry grin that caused Carlisle to chuckle, "But," he shrugged, "I guess it's the lesser of two evils."

Nodding slowly, Carlisle steeled himself.

He usually had more time to mentally prepare himself for disciplining any of his brood.

"Alright son," he agreed quietly, "You want to go down to the study or are you ok here?"

Edward felt a sudden, writhing bout of guilt. The reason Carlisle was asking that question was because long ago he had intoned that each of their rooms was their own space and he'd never discipline any of the five in them. The thoughtfulness of his father's conduct made him feel his behaviour more acutely than perhaps before and he shook his head slowly. "Here's fine, dad."

Nodding, the doctor settled back further on the futon and pointed to the spot directly in front of him.

"Come here then."

Biting his lip and hesitating just for a moment, Edward gracefully rose himself from the sofa and landed in the allocated spot in point five of a second. Shrugging out of his suit jacket, and tossing it loosely behind him, Carlisle arched a brow as he un-cuffed the cuff of his right sleeve. "Why am I about to tear your butt up, once again Edward?"

Gulping, the first born shuffled uncharacteristically and sighed. Somehow, putting this off for a couple more hours seemed like the better option to have taken. "Because…I ran off yesterday when I knew you wanted to uhm…talk to me," he muttered, "Because I made you come looking for me."

Tucking his sleeve up around his elbow, Carlisle nodded slowly. "And why?" he asked quietly, "Why on earth did you do that, Edward? How could you possibly think that was a clever thing to do, given the amount of trouble you were already in?"

Edward shrugged helplessly.

"I just wanted to be near her, dad. Bella makes…well, she always makes everything feel better."

Carlisle arched a brow.

"She's not going to make this feel better now is she?"

Edward flushed in answer, and the doctor let it go with a small sigh.

"There's no point in my lecturing you on this son. I get that you wanted to see her, but you're not exactly a seventeen year old who doesn't know any better. You don't get to act like that and skate on the consequences. Not under my roof. It's not happening. It was however understandable, disrespectful to me and downright unfair to Alice. I take it you apologised to your sister?"

The younger Cullen nodded guiltily.

"Good," Carlisle continued, "Now, I don't ever want to have a conversation about behaviour this juvenile with you again Edward. Like I said, it's not as if you're a newborn. For goodness sake, you're the level headed one, finding your mate is wonderful, but it doesn't mean you accept a personality transplant. Do you understand me, Edward Cullen?"

"Yes dad," the not quite teenager muttered shamefacedly, shuffling on the spot.

Nodding slowly, Carlisle knew there was no more need for words. Sighing, he crooked a finger in his son's direction. "Come here." Stalling for just a moment, Edward squared his shoulders and moved through the small distance between them. Taking a gentle but controlled hold of the boy's wrist, Carlisle shot him an exasperatedly stern look. "Never again force me to do this for something so foolish again son."

Before Edward could even formulate an answer, he was suddenly face down over his father's lap.

Breathing in the leathery scent of the futon, he stifled a groan as he felt Carlisle's hand snake around his waist. His behind was still quite sore from the lengthy application of his father's hand a mere day ago, and try as he might, he couldn't suppress the dread that arose in him. Carlisle didn't often spank any of them, but when he did, he meant business.

The crack that resonated around the room bemused him for a moment. Even with his senses, it took a moment for the crack to coincide with his brain and the sudden sting that erupted in his backside. He barely stifled a groan once more. This…was going to hurt.

Tugging his son closer to him, Carlisle swallowed a sigh. He knew the kid still had to be hurting, and he was not at all inclined to deliver a fresh spanking over a barely healed behind, but he had no choice and he would not hold back. He couldn't have such disobedience, not if he was to keep them all, and their secret safe. He delivered the second swat, and by the fifth he was truly engaged with his task. The swats were firm, targeted and brisk. He allowed no let up between them as he peppered his son's upturned backside with the punishment he'd earned himself.

He knew instantly that it was having the desired effect, because the usually stoic Edward was already squirming in his grasp. "You wouldn't be in this position if you had faced the consequences of your actions straight away young man," he scolded lightly as he continued to spank the lad earnestly.

"Thanks for the reminder, dad," Edward groaned into the cushions as he struggled to remain in place. Rolling his eyes, Carlisle merely held him tighter and continued to dish out the well deserved spanking. There was a silence that was interrupted only by the seemingly never ending falling of his hand and the odd gasp and hiss they elicited from their recipient. Hating to do it, Carlisle rose his knee up and tipped his son forward slightly, before reddening his already sore sit spots.

The squirming instantly intensified as Edward naturally tried to twist away from the stinging and searing pain that arose at the tender join of his thighs and behind. Having none of it and being prepared, Carlisle simply rose his knee further and continued distributing the punishing swats. A moment or so passed, before mercifully, the hand ceased. Seizing the moment to gasp a wholly unnecessary breath, Edward blinked into the cushion and prayed silently. Perhaps…perhaps his father would let it go at that, given that he was still sore from yesterday…perhaps…perhaps they were done….

"Up you get and get those jeans down, Edward."

The prayers were instantly ceased.

On autopilot, he rose himself and stood in front his father uncertainly. He couldn't help the puppy eyes that developed as he looked at the doctor. His ass was burning, he had hastily brushed away the beginnings of tears from his eyes and he knew if he had to take any more he wouldn't be able to wipe them away. "Do we really need to do that?" he murmured, with a slight crack in his voice. "I get it, and I won't do it again, I swear." His eyes were beseeching pools. "Please, dad? I'm sorry…"

Carlisle barely swallowed a groan.

If ever he were going to give in, it was now. The kid looked so damned miserably imploring, it was nearly painful. But he needed to drive the message home and make sure such a stunt occurred again. "Come here, Edward," he said gently. The younger Cullen groaned, but did as he was told, the slight movement causing the pain in his rear to shoot up.

"Put your hands behind your back."

About to protest, but feeling the sting rise once more, Edward miserably did as he was told. He didn't have the energy left to fight, emotionally speaking. Carlisle deftly made short work of the belt and jeans zipper, and within an instant his son was back over his knee with his jeans pooling at his knees. Hesitating for just a moment, the doctor reached up and tugged the boy's boxer shorts down to join them.

He wanted this to be over nearly as much as Edward did.

Feeling a horrible sense of déjà vu as he glanced down at his sons crimson backside, Carlisle reluctantly strengthened his hold around the boy's waist once more. His hand fell once more, and the crack was resounding and so was the yelp it brought about. Closing his eyes briefly, the elder Cullen forced himself to settle back into the spanking, paying careful attention to the clearly well punished sit spots.

It only took a moment for the tears to flow.

Not caring about remaining stoic any longer, Edward ceased squirming and laid limply across his father's knee as his backside reaped what he had sowed. Hearing the sounds of his son's distress and feeling him go flaccid in his grasp pierced the heart of the kindly doctor. The combination of one spanking right after another had clearly had the desired effect.

But he still hated it.

Knowing the point had been made, and always cautious against over doing it, Carlisle slowed the speed and intensity of the swats, and began winding the spanking down. Within a moment, the last swat fell and he breathed a sigh of relief. Moving the hand that had punished into a position where it could comfort, he rubbed gently across the small of Edward's back. The kid wasn't sobbing as he had done yesterday, but he was clearly in much more pain. His tears were quiet and heartbreaking, and it was all the father could do not to pluck him off his knee and into his arms.

Edward would positively hate that.

So he waited, and murmured gently. It was to his relief that the whole ordeal was over, and they had the privacy of the house to deal with the aftermath. Several minutes passed and he alternated rubbing a hand across the lad's back and a hand through his mussed up hair. With every moment slipping by, he sensed a quietening of his son's sorrow, and his heart grew lighter in tandem. Just when he thought his son was beyond movement, Edward suddenly made to push himself upwards.

Rising with him, but instantly turning his back and making a meal out of unfurling and re-cuffing his sleeve, before shrugging back into his suit jacket, Carlisle gave Edward the space to redress. Taking a moment to smooth his tie and compose himself, he turned to face his eldest. The watery, bleary eyed half grin that greeted him sent of an explosion of relief within him.

"What is it?"

The half grin grew slightly as Edward shrugged with a wince.

"I was just hoping you had some of that burn cream in the house?"

Carlisle stared before bursting into relieved chuckle. "I do," he admitted, "But it's nowhere you're going to find it, I put a lot of work into that burn and you're not medicating your way out of it son. Doctor's orders." Edwards grin instantly turned into a watery pout, causing his father to laugh all the more. Sobering in the wake of his son's disgruntled snort, Carlisle raised a brow and opened his arms.

"You got a hug in you for your old man then?"

Edward stared for just a moment, and Carlisle's anxieties rose instantly. Before he could open his mouth and insist it wasn't necessary, he suddenly had his arms full of his eldest. Wrapping his arms around the lad, he sighed in relief as Edward sniffed into his chest. Rubbing a hand through his hair once more, he murmured "You ok?" Breaking away, Edward nodded before adding a very dramatic "I'll live, I suppose." Laughing softly, Carlisle rested a hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't be too sure if I were you son."

Edward looked at him in askance.

"But you said you forgave me," he spluttered indignantly, referring to the murmurings that Carlisle had offered as he had calmed down. "And I probably won't sit for a week," the mind reader added miserably, rubbing gingerly at his inflamed backside, "What else are you going to do me?"

Rolling his eyes fondly at the theatrics, Carlisle squeezed the shoulder gently.

"Me?" he laughed quietly, "Nothing."

His eyes sparkled with mischief as he took in the narrowed and suspicious gaze of his eldest.

"Your mother on the other hand…."

….

FIN

-Inks.

…