A/N: Another update for everyone! This chapter was kind of hard to write but I hope you all like it! Once again I don't own for reading...Enjoy!
Carlisle's POV
Now that I knew what I was going to do with about the whole Edward and Alice thing, I decided it was time for a family meeting. The betrayal of those two affected the coven as a whole and I was the leader so it was my responsibility to take care of it. I headed out of my office.
The house was silent. I heard either Rosalie or Emmett in there room but no other sound in the house. I went and knocked on the door.
"Yes?" I heard Rosalie answer.
"It's Carlisle. We are going to have a family meeting in a couple hours so I need you to be here when it happens." She opened the door.
"Are you going somewhere beforehand?"
"Yes, I need to go see Edward and Alice and let them know. Please let Emmett and Jasper know when you see them." I turned and walked away. I didn't want to give her the chance to protest.
I decided to try to find Esme. I was following her scent when I found her at the cottage she was finishing up for Bella. "Esme, dear?" I said opening the door.
"I'm in here" she said from the kitchen.
"Hey sweetheart I just wanted to let you know there will be a family meeting in a couple of hours. I really need everyone there. I have already spoken with Rosalie about it." I said walking towards the kitchen.
"Did you finally decide on what you are going to do?" She asked. I could tell that she was using this place to clear her own head.
"Yes, that's what this meeting is about." I went and put my arms around her, trying to make amends for earlier. She didn't move, but she also didn't push me away.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know I should have dealt with things in a timelier manner." I kissed her on the top of her head.
"Yes, you should have, but you are forgiven. Let's just try to move on and get back on track. You said in a couple of hours?" She turned and wrapped her arms around me.
"Yes, I am going to go let Edward and Alice know about it now." I started to pull away from her but her grip tightened.
"I love you, no matter what happens tonight." She said as she finally loosened her grip around me.
"I love you too and thank you for showing me that I need to take care of our coven and be its leader more than their father." She smiled at me.
"We all get a little lost at times." She replied. "I think I'm going to stay here and work some more on the cottage. It's almost done but I'm sure we can find someone to live here."
"Sounds good, just be at the main house in a couple of hours." I smiled, kissed her cheek then left.
I ran back to the house quickly. I was going to go see Edward and Alice in person but decided just to call them instead. I saw that I left my balcony doors open so I just jumped up to it and went back to my office. I called them both and told them to be here in a couple of hours. I hung up the phone and let out a heavy sigh. It was now just a little after midnight so this may be a long wait for the meeting but gives me a chance to relax. I decided to head down towards the living room to watch a rerun of the 10 o'clock news. I was coming up on Rosalie's room when I heard her talking to someone.
"So how are you doing Jazz? I know everything has been really hard on you?" Rosalie said. I stopped in my tracks and leaned up against the wall. I knew eavesdropping was wrong but I wanted to see how everyone was doing without trying to sugarcoat it. I knew the kids would rely on each other more than Esme or me.
"I'm still really angry with Alice. She was supposed to be my wife. I just don't understand what her thought process was. If she were having issues with our relationship she should have brought them to me and not gone to Edward about them. I don't care how they ended up they should have thought about how their actions might affect others."
"Yeah, I can't believe that Edward would do such a thing but especially not Alice. Maybe they thought with their extra abilities they wouldn't get caught. It was a slap in the face to all of us. That's what I think."
"Speaking of which, why is it that you are so upset that you are defending Bella? I can sense the protectiveness for her after you found out what Edward and Alice did." I too wanted to know this.
"I have told Bella a version of this story before but I have always envied her. She has a human life, one I don't have. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for what Carlisle did but Bella has choices, possibilities, and a future. We are frozen Jasper. We can't live out our dreams, we will never grow old, have children or grandchildren. We will never know that happiness. Bella is willing to throw it all away for an eternity with Edward. She may truly be in love with him, but look at what he's done to her! He cheated on her. How is she supposed to be the 'reason for existence' as he puts it and then turn around and sleep with her best friend and brother's wife? It's not fair for her to give up her human life and family to spend with Edward who may truly not care for her."
I had heard enough. I went back to my office. After listening to those two talk. I can't believe I didn't act sooner. I slammed my office door. I was surprised it didn't break into pieces. How could I have not seen the true reason why I should be angry? I shoved everything off of my desk. I was so busy trying to be a father to everyone I didn't see the hurt it cause the family. What was worse than that, I didn't act like a leader. There was no way to fix this rift in the family. I was only planning on sending Edward and Alice away, out of Forks for a while but now that won't cut it. I see the permanent damage they caused, how could I have been so blind throughout this thing. I didn't even think about the relationships themselves and how hurt Jasper was. His wife committed adultery. Back in my day, that was not a common occurrence. People would not go outside of their marriage. It was a carnal sin. I could not fully understand how Edward could rebel against the house like that. I practically raised him with my beliefs! This is how he repays me for all my kindness. I've seen him rebel against me once about 10 years after his change but to do it again, and in the worst way possible! Alice on the other hand, she came to us in a different way, with her own beliefs, she was still responsible but the hurt from her wasn't as deep. I let out a malicious growl when I saw the picture of Edward and Alice I had sitting on a shelf. I grabbed it and threw it across the room. It shattered upon impact with the wall. I couldn't help feeling the rage from my realizations. I heard a knock on my door.
"Carlisle? Is everything okay?" the door opened slightly. It was Esme. She must have heard the ruckus I was making.
"I'm fine…" I snapped back. "I'm sorry, come in." I sighed. I shouldn't be so angry with her for checking on me. She's my wife, my precious gem. She came in slowly, looking the damage I caused around the office.
"What's going on? Why are you upset?" she asked, although I think she knew the reasons why.
"I just became upset when I realized how deep the hurt really ran in the family. It wasn't just about the coven; it was about the individuals involved." I couldn't look her in the eyes with my shameful confession to her.
"Hey now, maybe you wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt." I could tell she was only trying to comfort me. I knew how she felt about the situation. She let it be known earlier.
"You want to know what the worst part is?" I asked her as I sat down in my chair.
"What?" She replied sitting down in across my lap. She looped her arms around me.
"Bella is the worst part. Edward brought her into this family. We all fell in love with her and she has saved Edward from death. She's part of this family now whether she likes it or not and it doesn't matter that she is not a vampire." I let us lapse into silence. I'm sure Esme was thinking of how Bella affected our lives since she came to Forks. Suddenly, Esme gasped.
"What is it?" I asked.
"The Volturi! They are expecting Bella to be changed. What if she doesn't want it anymore?" She looked at me with worried eyes. I sat there and thought about it.
"Who knows when they will be back to check on her but this does present a bigger problem now." I said a few minutes later.
"Carlisle, if she doesn't change that is a death sentence for her and Edward. We can't let that happen. We have to talk to her."
"Yes, but tomorrow. She is probably sleeping right now and I don't want to disturb her. We should call her in the morning and talk to her. Right now we need to focus on the family meeting. I also have to figure out how to proceed with Bella, especially now that she is not allowed here." We both lapsed into another silence. We held onto each other and just got lost in our thoughts. Before long I heard another knock on the door.
"Come in." I said as Esme stood up. She started picking up the papers on the floor. Jasper came in.
"Carlisle," He started then realized the disarrayed office. "What happened?"
"Nothing, everything is alright now." I replied as Jasper looked at me doubtfully.
"We are all here and downstairs waiting for you in the dining room. If you don't mind hurrying I would not like to be in a room with neither Alice nor Edward for any longer than I have to be at the present time." I wasn't surprised by this last part but it seems as though Esme and I had lost track of time.
"We'll be right down, thank you." I said. He shut the door and I heard him walk away.
"Are you ready?" She asked me. I knew I had to be whether I actually was or not.
"Yes, let's go." She walked out first then took my arm as I shut the door behind me.
When we got into the dining room everyone was seated and very silent. Edward and Alice were on one side of the table, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett were on the other side. Esme went to sit in the available seat next to Alice although she slightly scooted it closer to my chair at the head of the table. I could feel the tension in the room. Obviously Jasper didn't want to control the situation which I didn't blame him.
"Thank you everyone for showing up." I began. "We all know what has transpired here over the last couple of days. I know have been slow to take action but I was deciding on what was the right thing to do here." I paused. I heard slight growls and disapproving rumbles throughout the room. Esme sat there quietly however. "Edward, Alice. You both have torn this family apart. You put yourselves first and the family and coven second. You have disrespected me greatly. I am astonished that you Edward would behave in such a way that is defying my authority and beliefs I have instilled in this house. Alice, I am furious with you but you came to us on your own accord and have slowly adapted to my own beliefs about right and wrong. Because of your betrayal, I am asking you to gather all of your belongings and leave the coven." It pained me to say that to them but I knew it was in the best interest for everyone. I continued as the room remained in silence. "You two have cause much discord within the family that it cannot be fixed. We would no longer be able to trust you and the relationships are forever scarred." I paused for a moment.
"Carlisle," Edward began. "I'm sorry, but where will we go?"
"Edward your living arrangements are none of my concern at this moment. I am removing you from the coven and you two will have to fend for yourselves. On that note, I expect you both not to contact any member of this coven, Bella, or Charlie unless they say it would be okay. You both also must follow the laws regarding the restraining order that Charlie had served you earlier this evening."
"Carlisle, Jasper is my husband" Alice protested. "I should be able to contact him if I want and you can't make me leave him."
"Alice, you should have thought about that before. I know he has filed for divorce and so does everyone else. As leader of this coven you are forbidden to contact him until he says it's okay. I want you and Edward gone by sunrise."
I knew it was harsh to give them only a few hours to vacate the house, but the rest have waited long enough for whatever punishment I deemed necessary. They couldn't look me in the eyes or anyone else. They kept their heads down.
"There is also another matter that needs to be addressed." I looked at Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett. "We need to decide what to do with Bella." I heard Edward growl.
"Edward, you have no say in her choices anymore. If you can't control yourself I will ask you to leave now and get your things packed." I stared at him intently.
"As I was saying, she was supposed to be turned within the next couple of weeks. However, that may not happen. We have a small problem about what to do about the Volturi." They all looked at me. It seemed as though everyone had forgotten about the Volturi.
"If we don't change her then it would mean a death sentence for her and Edward." I continued after giving them a few moments to contemplate everything. "With Edward and Alice leaving the coven, I believe she would be able to stay with us and we could teach her our way of living. It would be the solution to the Volturi problem. However I am not sure if she would want to stay with us. I am asking the rest of you to be okay with whatever she decides, but she is going to be changed or face death by the Volturi." I heard a small growl but it wasn't from Edward. I was astonished that it came from Jasper. Edward's head snapped up at the sound of it. He stared murderously at Jasper.
"Is there anything else we need to talk about before this meeting is over?" I looked around at everyone. No one said a word. "Alright, the meeting is over. Edward and Alice pack your things and be gone by sunrise." I got up and offered my hand to Esme. She took it and stood up. We both walked out of the room together and went upstairs to let things sink in for everyone.
On our way up Esme stopped and turned to me, "You did the right thing and handled it beautifully." I wasn't so sure about it but I smiled.
"Thank you sweetheart. I am going to head to my office. I think I need to be alone for a little while." I kissed her forehead and left her in the hallway. It pained me to disown Edward and Alice but it needed to be done for the sake of the coven.