Breaking The Rules

by caughtforCarlisle

Bella asks Edward to help her cheat on a Biology test. He agrees. They get caught and now he must face punishment from his father Carlisle. Will Edward learn his lesson? Contains non-sexual spanking/corporal punishment. This a family fic. Non slash.

14. Chapter 14 Painful Consequences

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or characters. All rights belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

WARNING: This story contains reference to and corporal punishment in later chapters. If this offends you, please don't read.

A/N: Well, hello there. Thanks for all of your fantastic reviews. They were all so awesome. Some of them made me cry. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. That means a lot, because it takes a lot of hard work and time to write these. I love you guys. After my warning, in the last chapter, I felt like I needed to transition and prepare more for Edward's spanking. I think you will like this chapter. Keep reading!

Carlisle's POV

As we walked toward my Mercedes, anger was my vice. In almost twenty four hours, my youngest son had nearly caused me to lose my sanity. I was at a total loss for explanation. I was flabbergasted. What in the world was happening to my boy? Of course, he was over one hundred years old, but that didn't matter. He was still mine. I had desired a son that I could never biologically conceive, so I hand selected him especially for me. He was my creation. For centuries I have boasted that I was fortunate to have chosen him. When I found him, it was as if I was taking him home from the hospital for the first time after his birth, even though he was already about grown when I met him. Yes…Edward Anthony Masen became Edward Anthony Cullen by my own manipulation of fate. Yes…he was my child.

Just as Edward Masen Sr.'s blood had once ran through his veins, my venom ran through them now. He was just as much mine as he was Edward's and Elizabeth's son. Now as we entered the car, I sighed heavily. My Edward, my first son, was about to drive me mad, literally. I had been his father long enough to know everything about him. I knew all of his favorites. I knew what angered him and what made him happy. I knew of all his talents… every one of them. I knew of every scar and marking on his body. I knew some of his most personal secrets, his pains, his desires, and his wants. Most of all I knew he loved me and I him. But right at this moment, I was a father who was absolutely clueless to the needs of his child.

Honestly, Edward was scaring the hell out me. There weren't many things that caused me to harbor such fear. But this, in the words of my son Emmett, was off the chain! I was completely blown away by his flailing temperament. How could one person alter so quickly? Years of practicing medicine pretty much dulled the element of surprise for me. Not too many things caught me off guard. But Edward…he astonished me. He jumbled my 300 year-old mind to the point where, over the last several hours, I was wishing for a human experience…drunkenness! To put it plainly, the kid was messing with my head. My sweet, beautiful Edward was showing me a side of him that must have been lying dormant or something.

The silence in the car did not damper my anger. Edward had defied my position of authority in my own coven. I could not allow that incident to go unchecked no matter how much I wanted to. Rebellion of that magnitude was unacceptable, and could destroy everything that I had worked so hard to maintain. The clicking sound of the seat belts was quite irritating as we finally secured our departure from Forks High. Edward was moving at a slothlike pace getting in the car. He was already on my nerves, and so help me, I could have sworn he was trying to screw with me on purpose.

I was father to five very active and rambunctious children. The two that had always offered me the most challenge were Emmett and Rose. Emmett was the one who usually carried on like this. He was the most rebellious, and frankly had received the most spankings. Because of his brute strength and desire to win at everything, he often bowed up at me. A battle of wills was not uncommon for us. I always won.

Rose, well let's say that I have grown accustomed to her petulant ways. I was convinced I had changed her in the middle of some kind of serious mood swing. Her behavior was usually much easier to correct than Emmett's. Oh she was tough alright…very bull-headed and stubborn. Despite this, she would melt every time I had to chastise her. Although she had problems adjusting to this life, and is yet to accept it completely, she knew who her Daddy was. Her biological parents had spoiled her rotten, and admittedly, I shared in her ruining when she became my little girl. Well…she was not so little when I found her dying in the street that lone night. That didn't matter, and still doesn't change my view of her. She will forever be my baby, the daughter I always wanted. Long before Alice came into the picture, she had me wrapped tightly around her fingers. Of course, I had no issues with that whatsoever, and while she was mean as a rattle snake when she wanted to be, it pleased me greatly to have her in my life. Her meanness was no match for my unconditional love for her.

The other children had their share of problems too. Jasper, with his military background, would usually surrender to my authority as his father without too much of a battle. Usually we could converse with each without strain. He was pretty rational for the most part. He was 20 years old when he was changed by a vampire named Maria in 1863. He had barely entered into his manhood when he joined the Confederate States Army in 1861 to serve in the Civil War. Even though Jasper's military ranking was quite impressive, he equated me to a commanding officer who vied for his allegiance. I knew that because of his extensive military training, he had a greater respect my position as the leader of our coven and our family. He had learned to respect his superiors, so usually a mild rebuke or the occasional hard spanking would settle him.

In the beginning he lacked self-control, and had a hard time adjusting to our vegetarian lifestyle. Nevertheless, I showed him the unrestricted, true, and faithful love of a father. He had difficulty accepting me as such, mainly because of his history of complicated relationships. It took years and much effort to teach him our lifestyle, and more importantly, how to integrate himself into the institution of family. To the greatest extent of that time, I have never stopped giving him my love. I wanted him as my son as much I had wanted my other boys.

For a long time, I was just Carlisle. I was surprised and speechless the day he approached me in my study, and broke down in 'tears' in my arms. I cradled him like I had done countless numbers of infants and children at the hospital. I didn't even remember how long I rocked him in comfort, but it was that day that the wall between us crumbled with amazing ferocity. I was finally granted the opportunity to bond with him when he asked my permission, not just to call me his Father, but his Daddy. I had to swallow my tears as I drove us home.

Finally, there was my other baby girl…sweet little Alice. She was truly a God-send. I had often told her that she was sent especially for me. I got to hand pick Edward, Rose, and Emmett, but, fate chose Alice and her husband Jasper for me. She was one of my heart strings. She could ask for anything, and I would grant it. Money...time...hair model...guinea pig...granted! I was putty in her hands. She knew this, but she also knew that if I asked her to do something, it was understood that she would comply. Her premonitions almost always gave her the upper hand, so noncompliance was rarely an issue for her. She could see the outcome of most of her actions before she did them, and was usually she was able to avoid punishment. Besides, she was so sweet and adorable; it was hard to even dish out a verbal reprimand to her.

I am yet to figure out how that graceful, pixie-like 17 year-old girl of mine could manage to spend so much of my money. She was a true shopaholic. She knew I never made a fuss, so she designated me as her personal ATM. Shopping was a daily event for her. When she finally came home from her trips, my boys caught ghost when they saw her coming down the driveway…even Jasper. So that meant she would sucker-punch Daddy into helping her unload the car. I was always awestruck that she shopped enough for ten families, let alone for just ours.

Alice had received few spankings…very few. One time Rose trashed her closet because of some stupid argument they had going. That set her off like a tiny missile. After her arrival, every Cullen had quickly learned that noone disturbed Alice's clothes. Of course my boys, including Jasper, knew this and tortured her daily. That particular time she jumped on Rose, and they were literally throwing blows and destroying furniture. Edward and I broke up the fight. Of course, I had to contain Rose. Edward wasn't about to wrestle with her. That would have been a worse fight. After listening to their explanations, I sent Edward away so I could do the unthinkable. I spanked them both and was crying more than they were afterwards.

I had witnessed Edward's rebellious side in the past. This was not new to me. He and I had butted heads before, but usually it did not take much correction for him to straighten up. But this new raging tornado of teenage hormones and emotions was giving me serious whiplash. When my friends and colleagues would gripe about their children's errant behavior, I would stand back and silently smile because mine were pretty near perfect-or so I thought they were.

I had not issued my submission command to Edward since he was a newborn. That was the one command that I hated to give, and tried to completely refrain from using it. I preferred to have an open, give and give relationship with my family. I didn't like commanding them to do anything. That was not how I wanted them to show me respect or love for the matter. I wanted them to give those things to me by their own free will, not because I demanded it of them. They also knew I freely gave them the same.

That submission order was powerful, and everyone in my house knew what it meant. I knew that Edward had quickly lost control during his conference, and that he was not going to be able to fix it. He did not know how to return to his safe place. Yes, as his father I knew this. I knew my son. I had debated as to whether or not I should even issue it. Fearing that he would cause a bigger disturbance, I chose to utilize it. I was not surprised that it had instantly settled him. I saw the reaction on the men's faces when Edward abruptly stopped, but I didn't give much attention to them. Surely they just thought he had reconsidered his decision to leave. After all, he was just another kid throwing a tantrum...at least that's what they were accustomed to dealing with. I was sure of that.

I was so relieved that my son had chosen to readily submit to that order. Had he disobeyed, I would have been forced to deal with him in ways that I wouldn't ordinarily dream of doing. I knew that he'd found a way to let me know that he was obeying me without bringing unneccesary attention to us. The kid was smart, despite his unruliness. At that moment, I knew that he was done with his fight, and he knew it too.

I did not like being that tough on my children. I wanted to be Super-Dad. I wanted to laugh with them...to play video games with them that made absolutely no sense to me. I wanted to participate in any and every healthy activity with they wanted me to. I didn't like having to discipline them. I certainly didn't appreciate having to treat them as if they were small children. I was angry with myself that I had allowed Edward to reduce me to this. I should have been able to control myself better than that. He was just a kid who needed a strong man in his life to teach and guide him.

Who would have thought that a vampire of more than 300 years would be stunted by a seventeen year old? Sure, his chronological age was in excess of 100, but those teenage hormones that were trapped at his transformation were surfacing now with vengeance. It was as if they were waiting for the right time and the right target. I guess that the time had come, and I was the target. God please help me! This boy is going find a new way to kill a vampire!

Edward was born and reared in a time when such behavior would have earned him several hard lashings with all kinds of objects. In my day, it was not uncommon to be spanked with straps of just about anything. Truthfully, I would rather die before I did that to any one of my children. Edward's father passed away from the Spanish Flu just as Edward was starting to enter manhood. He had taught him some things, like how to respect women, how to work, and how to knot a tie; but, Edward Sr. was gone before young Edward had the chance to fall in love. Therefore, he dodged the hormonal bullets that were currently being fired at me.

For more than a century, Edward was a lone tortoise in a shell, plagued by depression and self-loathing. Finally, he met sweet Bella, who I consider to be a daughter. While I was over-joyed that he had Bella in his life, and truly believed that he was deserving of her love, this new teenage love thing was unknown territory for me. I had never experienced this with my other children. Rosalie had been engaged before her transformation. When she found Emmett, I did not hesitate to change him for her. Emmett had experienced women before he was transformed, so their budding relationship was met with much easier transition. Alice and Jasper were already seasoned by the time they joined our family, so there were no problems there. Even I had evaded this type of drama with Esme.

I understand that Edward had been waiting for a long time for someone to love, but my God! I had not seen this one coming. How could a father prepare for this? I wanted so badly to support and encourage the relationship that was developing between them, but I really felt as if I needed to prescribe myself some strong medication just to get through it. Change of this magnitude was rare for us vampires, but Bella had caused a complete altercation in my son that came with an entirely different set of problems.

The thought of Edward being forever trapped in this rebellious teenage state was quite terrifying. I hoped that it was only a phase that would eventually dissolve because I truly didn't know how much more of it I could stand. Edward's father had unknowingly passed the 'teaching-Edward-Jr.-to-be-a-man' torch to me. I willfully accepted it and could honestly say that I had no regrets. So help me, I was going to find a way to stay away from the edge of insanity; one way or the other.

I willed myself to calm down after the drama filled morning I had. It began in my front yard when my son decided he wanted to regress to his toddler years. I was amazed at how quickly he lost control. After all these years, I was still having to chastise him about his temper. His behavior had been so infantile; I was forced to correct his focus. Now after all of that, he still showed his ass today at school. What the…?

My plate was overflowing with Edward. I was done. I had taken all I could stand. I tried to talk to him -to reason with him, but he continued to act like a rebellious boy. I didn't want to whip him, but his behavior during that conference pushed away all reservations I had. He was overdue for the whipping of his life, and he knew it. Edward knew better than to carry on the way he did this morning. Swearing, yelling, defying authority…for the love everything holy! He knew that raised my cold venom to boiling point. He embarrassed us as well as himself.

As I rehashed the earlier events, the intensity of my wrath started to build again. I was so mad at him. I would like to think that I had done a much better job with Edward. I couldn't help but wonder when I'd failed him. He knows better than to cheat, just as he knew better than putting his hands on his mother, disrespecting me, and doing ignorant stuff like growling at other students! That in itself was enough to earn him several swats independent of any previous mal behavior.

I cannot lie. It ticked me off during his conference when I had asked him to take his seat and he told me 'no.' I wanted to snatch a knot in him right then. If the principal had not been present, I would have spanked his bare behind, even with Esme in the room. I considered myself a good father. I was not unjust with my children. I tried to understand their strengths and weakness, their goals and ambitions, their ups and downs. I have always tried to help them maintain their focus, and keep proper prospective. I seized every opportunity to teach, to correct through love, and to show what it meant to be part of a family. There was no good thing I would withhold from my children.

Edward's behavior did more than anger me. It hurt me. It angered me because he challenged my authority as his father and coven leader, and it hurt because of the fact that I am his father, and he doesn't have to act that way to get what he needs. He regarded me as one of his play mates. He was a grown man, but he was still a child. All at the same time, and no amount of time would ever change that. I understood this. I really did. I had often questioned whether my decision to change him at seventeen was a good one. To give him credit, he had matured a great deal throughout the last century. It just seemed that ever since Bella entered the picture, he had found his way back to those earlier years. I could only hope this would turn out to be a good thing.

Again I was terrified of this stage. The bond we shared was strong and had stood against worse, but we were bucking like two bulls. What was really scary was the thought that those rebellious hormones would eventually give way to the sexual ones that had been fenced in since he reached puberty. I felt shivers run down my spine as I thought about that. The others were all experienced and their intimacy with each other affored me with no problems. That would all be new to Edward.

There wasn't anything I was afraid to challenge head on, but Edward becoming sexually involved with Bella was one of them...especially considering that she was human! If my son was giving me a hard time now, I didn't want to think about what that would feel like. I quickly blocked those thoughts. I didn't have the mental tenacity to process that stage of their relationship at the moment. I was grateful that he wasn't showing interest yet -at least I thought he wasn't. As much time as he spent in Bella's bedroom while she slept, I was sure his mind was where every teenage boy's was when he was lying next to his girlfriend in her bed in a dark room. I shivered again. We certainly did not need to add that to the equation…not now!

Edward was sitting quietly in the back seat with his head bowed. I knew my son better than anyone. He was afraid. Thankfully not of me personally, but, of what was about to take place in our home. Fear gripped him, and held him tight in a trancelike state. He barely even breathed. I was sure he was thinking about his actions, and their consequences. He was also embarassed by his behavior.

Even though his fear paralyzed him, I suspected he was trying to eavesdrop on my thoughts. He would want to assess my state of mind before we arrived. It had taken years of practice, but I had learned to block his intrusion and still think at the same time. If I were a gambler, I would bet my Mercedes that he was trying to find a way in. I barred him mainly because of the intensity of my anger. I didn't want him to be afraid of me again. He was already nervous, and afraid of the spanking, so I decided to protect him for the moment.

We had been riding for almost ten minutes and was nearing our home. I chose not to communicate with Edward, mentally or verbally. I was just too frustrated to go there with him. He and I would have a chance to talk later, but now I didn't care to speak to him. Carlisle you have to calm yourself. Edward is just a child under you. Yes he is acting out for God knows what reason, but you have to stay in control. You cannot lose control with your son! You love him, and your foremost priority is his well being...no matter what. I know you're angry, but you musn't take your aggression out on him. You are the parent, not the child. Edward needs love and guidance, and it is your responsibility to make sure this happens. Release the anger Carlisle; focus on what Edward needs to learn from this. I know you want to spank him good, but stay focused. He needs your love just as much as he needs your discipline. I knew my silence was frustrating Edward, maybe even hurting him, but I knew if there was any verbal exchange, I could possibly explode.

Esme sat quietly with her elbow resting on the door, chin in hand. She was another reason why I was so anxiety ridden. We hadn't spoken to each other much since our argument in the school parking lot before the conference. I hated fighting with her. She could be so stubborn when she wanted to be. I loved her dearly, but sometimes she got on my nerves just as much as the children did. I understood where she was coming from about the spanking issue, but I thought we had resolved that last night. I felt bad for speaking to her the way that I had, and wanted so desperately to make things right with her. She was aggravated with my decision to hurt her baby. She had literally given me the boot about all of this, and the fight was still in her. She had made one last attempt to save his behind, but was met with failure.

Although I regretted Edward's childish display, I was glad Esme saw what I had been preaching for the last several hours. She had become as perturbed and distraught by his behavior as I was. She relinquished some of her over protectiveness, and rose to her own throne of maternal authority a couple of times. I, of course, conceded and allowed her to do her thing. He listened to her…well for the most part. She demonstrated that while she could protect her cub, she could also strap him if she wanted to.

As we turned into the driveway, the silence remained. The other children had been given instructions to come home after they left the school. I was sure they had no questioned as to what this was about with Alice in the car with them. She would tell them what they needed to know.

Edward looked like he should literally be dead. If he had a heart that was capable of beating, I would be able to hear it from miles away. I glanced quickly at him through the mirror. He was nervously trying to hold it together. He looked like he was trying not to cry. He was like a little boy who had been caught stealing a cookie, or in a lie. He was so pitiful. This broke through my anger a little.

The cavity in my chest seemed to tighten as I watched him sit like this. He seemed so different than the boy I had witnessed only minutes ago at his school. He was my Edward again. Sweet…precious…humble…and innocent. He was my baby. I wanted to reach out to him and hug him. I yearned for his love in return. I wanted everything to be right again between us. I wanted the division and discord to be gone. I wanted to laugh and joke with him. To tousle his bronze hair, and see him shy away from me when I showered him with sweet nothings, planting unwanted and avoided kisses on his forehead. I wanted my son back.

Ahh…there you go Carlisle. That's it. Let Edward help you calm yourself. Let your love for him keep you focused. That's what it takes. That love will keep your perspective straight so that you can't hurt him.

I pulled into our huge garage and killed the engine. Edward didn't budge one inch. Esme reached down to gather her belongings and looked at me, obviously wondering why I wasn't making a move to get out. "What?" She asked.

"I am going to hunt. I will be back shortly." Esme knew me almost as well as I knew myself. She nodded in understanding, and softly spoke the word 'okay.' She knew I was going to hunt to release negative energy. She'd witnessed my almost-attack on our son last. She knew exactly why I needed to get away for a while. She then got out, and went into the house at vampire speed. She too needed a break.

Edward and I were alone. I gazed into the mirror, but could only see his bronze locks. He was ashamed, and the bowing of his head did not conceal this. I was calmer now. Years of practice had enabled me to easily rein my anger in when necessary. Though I was still infuriated, I was not as enraged as I had been.

I felt the car shaking in time with Edward's knees. He was about to have a nervous breakdown. He didn't know what I was thinking because I had not allowed him to. The fact that I checked him out of school, and then came home and decided to hunt scared him to death. That could only mean one thing to him. I was angry, and he would soon feel my wrath.

His breathing was labored now. His eyes were full and I saw him swipe at his tears a few times. He looked as if he was seriously contemplating something. Like Esme, he looked liked he didn't understand why were not moving. The mental block was still on, so his comprehension of the situation had to be obscured. It seemed as though he was waiting for me to give him permission to get out.

"Edward, please get out of the car." My voice startled him, and he jumped. This was the first time I had spoken to him since I ordered him from Mr. Greene's office. He looked up at me, confused. Oh, God. Please help me get through this! I can't do this to him! I don't want to do this to him! This will hurt me more than it will hurt him. I love him so much. I know I have to do this for his good, but this is just almost unbearable.

Edward was still as a boulder. Feared glued him to my leather seats. Oh my, the boy is panicking. "Edward, did you hear me, Son?" I asked, not taking my focus off him. Being a physician was a valuable asset when one was the father of teenage vampires. For all of the mending, taping, and bandaging I had to do, that part of my 'humanity' was priceless. I recognized shock when I saw it. He was just about there.

I twisted in my seat to face him. That move scared him. He still doesn't seem afraid of me, but my mental barricade seems to be sending him over the edge. I was just about to surrender it, and let him in when he did something that completely threw me off guard. I reached out for him, to try to soothe his fear, and he nearly took the hinge off of the door trying to get out.

He jumped out so fast, my head spun. He slammed the door just as I joined him on the outside. He blurred back about four paces. I didn't move, but stared at him for a moment. I was afraid if I budged a micro-centimeter, he would shatter under the pressure.

Fear was all I saw. He had never been so afraid of discipline before. I had spanked him before, but I had never seen this reaction. The boy was having a full blown meltdown. His eyes were wild, and he seemed frail -so boy-like. I wanted to hold him, and comfort him. I needed to give that to him right then. I needed to reassure him that, although I was angry, I loved him and wanted to take away his fear.

He looked to his left. Then to his right. Then back to his left and finally behind him. I stared intently at him now. He was contemplating running. Oh, my. This is not good. This boy is seriously going to run. Maybe I shouldn't have threatened him the way I did. If he runs, then that means I have to catch him...that will not be good for either of us.

"Edward?" I needed to assess his frame of mind, so I granted him access to mine so he could verbalize his thoughts to me. I took two steps toward him, and he immediately blurred further back. "Edward, come to me Son." I beckoned gently. He shook his head 'no.' Amazingly, I did not anger at this. That one little innocent, boyish shake of his head nearly killed me. I now knew what Esme felt like when she wanted to baby him, and rock him in her arms when he was hurting. I was never going to be able to make it through this evening if this continued. Keep your focus Carlisle. I encouraged myself. I would stay committed to my course, but right now, my son needed me. Edward, I know you are afraid, but I am not going to hurt you. I promise. You can trust me.

He broke down in tears, venom completely saturating his face. He looked like a two year-old who had fallen out of the swing at the playground and scraped his knee. He wanted his Daddy to comfort him. My eyes were beginning to sting by the hurt that I was feeling for him. I was in a tug of war against the urge to stay angry and that to forgive him and mend his brokenness.

I took a couple of baby steps toward him. I knew his trust in me did not falter, but he was still not sure if I was going to spank him right then or not. I wasn't sure what was happening. He had full access to my mind, so, he knew I wasn't going to do that. He blurred back some more. We both knew that the other children would be arriving soon, and this would not be good for Edward at all. I tried to coax him again.

"Edward, are you afraid of me?" He didn't move for a few seconds. Finally he shook his head 'no' again. I proceeded with my questioning. "Are you going to run away from me?" He didn't respond to that question. This was breaking my dead heart. I felt my throat closing from a lump of venom-saliva that was forming. I choked back tears as I continued. I had to force my voice to stay in one piece. He knew that what I was saying was from the heart.

"Edward, don't run away from me. Please come here." My son was crying like a baby. Esme appeared at the garage door this time. She had heard all of this. She stood with her arms folded across her chest, her own tears glistening as she watched the transaction before her. This momentarily distracted Edward. I inched closer, only to make him go backwards.

"Edward, come to me. Let's go inside so we can talk about this. The others will be here shortly." Why did I say that? His eyes spread wild like a deer in headlights. He backed up more swiftly now, but stopped at the edge of the woods. In synchrony with his quick movements, I move with him but stopped when he did. I was now standing where he had originally been standing. His body was trembling.

"Edward, I know you are listening to my mind, so, you know how much I love you. I am not going to hurt you the way you think I am." My coaxing was of no avail. I felt the calmness slipping again. He sensed that. He was shaking from the sobs and fear. I squatted to the ground, resting on the balls of my feet. Maybe this will help calm him. "Edward," I spoke calmly in a hushed voice. "Son, can you at least talk to me from where you're standing. It is hurting me to see you like this. Why are you so afraid?"

My boy put his hands to his face, then to each side of his head at his temples. He was distressed. He fought to control his sobs so that he could find his voice. He stared at me and saw that I was not going to pounce on him. He was probably remembering the dining room scene last night, and became fearful that I would attack him or something. I don't what is going on. He wiped his face with his hands and shirt, but more venom spewed from his beautiful eyes that were black from fear and stress.

"You said you are g-g…" He made a choking noise as he tried to get the words out. "…going t-to hurt me bad."

I was relieved that he finally spoke. I waited a moment longer before I spoke to continue to allow him a chance to calm himself. "Come to me Son." He was thinking about it. I spoke gently. His mother was still gazing from the garage. She was visibly in tears. Oh, not you too. I won't be able to stand this much longer. "Please." I decided to tag my command to reinforce his trust.

"I'm sorry Dad!" He cried, but still didn't move from his safe spot. "I was…was trying to do what you said…" Again my heart melted. I spread my arms wide for him. The invitation was there for the taking. He knew I had not changed my mind about spanking him, but now I wanted nothing more than to provide comfort. He knew I was calm enough to give that to him at that moment.

"I know, Son. Come over here so we can talk this out." Just as he was about to take a step forward, Rose's red convertible sped into view. He stepped back and quickly wiped his face with his shirt. He seemed embarrassed by his display of emotions, especially in front of his brothers. He looked at me, and then at them as they passed between us. There was a look of sheer horror that suddenly appeared on his face. ALICE. He had caught her thoughts. She must have shown him his future. He knew that I would not back out on my promise now, so he must have seen the spanking later, or maybe something entirely different.

As the kids hopped out of the car they all stared at us. It was then that Edward caught me off guard for the second time since we'd arrived home. His head snapped into the direction of his big brother Emmett, and the fear that I saw earlier quickly became rage. I stood to my feet. I didn't have to read his mind to predict his next move. His face was smeared with venom, but his eyes were clear. There was no mistake about it. He was angry.

He shifted his gaze from Emmett to the others, then back at me. He's reading their minds. I know that he'd listened to my conversation with Bella, so, he is embarrassed that she knows he is going to be spanked. Oh, my! The poor boy! I have been a teenager in love before, and something like this would have been devastating to me as well. What teenage boy wanted his beautiful girlfriend to know such a thing? He's waited so long for Bella. He is embarrassed enough at having gone for so many years without a girlfriend, and now that he has one, he wants to do everything in his power to make sure she sticks around.

I am not sure who told Bella about Edward's punishment, but I am going to get to the bottom of it. That was Edward's secret to tell, not theirs. They had no right to disclose this information to Bella. This is why he was angry when I came back to Mr. Greene's office. There was no doubt that he felt betrayed by his own family. He was mad that I affirmed Bella's inquisition of his punishment. I'd told her that I was going to spank him. Even though he wasn't meant to hear that, he did. This could not end well!

His eyes were painted with black oil as he glared at all of us. Esme moved outside, and was standing beside me, her face stained with tears. Edward was ice. He balled his fists at his sides causing his knuckles to become deathly white. He was hurting. He had been captured by fear, and now by fury. His eyes overflowed again. It was as if he was trying to decide what to do. He seemed unsure of himself as he calculated his next move.

"Edward," He snapped his head toward me, but did not break his stance. "Can we please go inside so that we can all discuss what has happened?" I pleaded earnestly. He started crying again, anger driving him this time. "Edward, would it be okay if I approached you now?" I stepped toward him again, this time gaining more yardages. Afraid that he would suddenly panic and flee into the woods, I was careful not to advance to fast. He did not scurry away as he had earlier. Great…he's letting me in. If I can just get to him, I might be able to calm him down.

Before I could press my foot to the ground again, he growled viciously. Whoa! I froze instantly. I was not expecting that! By the time I realized that he wasn't growling at me, he snapped his head back in the direction of his four siblings, and snarled at them. It was deep…intense…a WARNING! He clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth. I'd seen this before. He was preparing for attack. He drew his fists tighter; his fixation bore through each of them. Edward Cullen was about to unleash the vampire within him. I immediately intervened.

"Edward," I stepped towards him, but quickly aborted my movement when he growled at me. There was no mistake this time who that was for. O…K…A…Y! He is not hearing me at all. He is going fast. I have to get to him before he does something he regrets. I decided to try mental communication again, so, I granted him more privilege to my thoughts. Edward I know that you are not in control of yourself right now, and I really need for you to calm down. Please don't make your situation any worse. I don't want to have to punish you any harder than I already have to. Are they antagonizing you? Are you defending yourself? Bella? I want you to relax, and allow me to come to you. I know that they told Bella about your situation…I will deal with them for that. Don't take this into your own hands because someone will surely get hurt. It will only cause more trouble for you. You're upset, and I am here for you, but you have got to…

Before I could finish my mental encouragement, Emmett's voice roared through the eerie tension that encircled us. "AW, Eddie, little bro…don't be like that!" He laughed, clearly amused by Edward's performance. My suspicion was confirmed. He had been the antagonist - the offending party. Leave it to Emmett to egg on a fight. If his little brother was challenging him to a brawl, he certainly wouldn't back down. "What's the matter, E.D.D.I.E? Oh, I forgot, Bella's all in now! Man that has to really suck for you!"

It was clear to me that Emmett was only teasing him, trying to get a rise out of him. Edward should be used to his ragging by now. Emmett didn't seem to purposefully want to start a fight, but he misjudged Edward's mental stability. He knew Edward was ticked by what they'd done, but he underestimated just how angry he was. Knowing my son, he probably gave Edward a complete run down of the lunch conversation from start to finish, never missing a beat. I could only imagine what he saw in the minds of the other three.

Edward growled at him again.

Emmett flexed his large muscles and squared his shoulders. He smirked, and then cackled at him. "Hey…little Eddie…that's what you get for playing in my head! Stay the hell out, and you won't have to get your panties in a wad!" My God! Emmett has absolutely no shame about himself. That was enough to make me mad…let alone Edward.

Edward squared his shoulders now, his onyx eyes boring through his brother. Whoosh…Whoosh…huuh…huuh! That was the labored symphony of Edward's breathing. His nostrils flared. He could have spit fire. Emmett must have been painting quite a picture for him in his mind. I knew I had to intervene again before this got out of hand.

"Emmett, cut that out right now! I've had enough of this foolishness. Stop taunting Edward. You are in enough hot water as it is because of that mouth of yours." The two of them started bickering back and forth, yelling at each other across the yard. If I didn't know them, I would think they were enemies at this point. The swearing, name calling, and hurling of insults was paramount to the sibling teasing that they normally did. We didn't have neighbors, but they would surely attract attention somewhere as loud as they were carrying on if this continued.

"EMMETT! EDWARD! That's enough! Let's go inside before someone gets hurt." My voice was calm, but those two boys were breaking me down. After all this is said and done with, I am going to need a hunting trip for two weeks! "Emmett quit torturing Edward. Edward you need to calm down."

Jasper sent calming waves among us. His manipulation seemed to soothe everyone's nerves but theirs. All of this tension was taking over him.

"I bet you cry more than Bella does!" Emmett shouted across the yard.

"Emmett, I said that's enough! I mean it. Do you want to join Edward's plight this evening?" The calmness was losing its footing. My voice was sterner now. "Do you think I am playing with you?"

"No, Sir." He replied, frowning. He was visibly irritated.

"I suggest you do as you're told." I scanned my yard, looking at each member of my family. They all looked distraught.

"Dad, Edward has no right to listen to our thoughts. I mean Alice already told us that he knew about our conversation. She warned us that he went bonkers in his conference 'cause he got mad at Mike Newton and because we told Bella about him getting his sweetness whipped bare tonight!"

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT! NONE OF YOU DID! THAT IS MY DAMN BUSINESS!" Edward yelled. He stomped his foot like a baby bull. Truly this was a sight to see. Edward was much smaller than Emmett. Though he was faster, Emmett was stronger. He had the upper hand on Emmett because he could read his mind, and know what his next move would be; but, if it came down to a match of strength, Emmett would crush him. If I wasn't so fed up with them right now, I might have found some amusement in watching the lanky boy challenge his burly older brother.

"Well if you had stayed out of our business, you wouldn't know that your sweet little piece knows that your hundred year-old ass is going to be smokin' for days! Yeah, I don't blame you. I would cry too if I had a fine girl that all the guys wanted a piece of, and she suddenly found out that I still get spankings." Emmett taunted him relentlessly.

This infuriated me, but before I could interject a reprimand, he continued with his assault. "Man…dang Eddie…I feel bad for ya! I bet you're probably thinking that she thinks you're not a real man. Hell, what chic like that would?" Okay so now Emmett was no longer just trying to get a rise out of Edward. He was just as ticked off as his brother was. He was intentionally pushing Edward's fuses to start a fight.

"I mean all the guys at Forks High think she's hot, especially Mike Newton. You remember him, right? You know, the guy that secretly wants to bone her? I bet tonight, when she's all alone, she will be thinking…I can't believe my man…I mean my boy…still gets his tail busted by his dad. At least Mike doesn't. Maybe I'll moan Mike's name tonight! Hmmm...Mike...Edward ain't sh-"

"EMMETT CULLEN!" Esme and I scolded him harshly at the same time. "That's it Emmett, get inside RIGHT NOW!" I was shouting now. If I had any blood, my entire head and neck would be red as hot lava. That did it. I was through with this. "Get upstairs to your room, NOW!"

Over the years, I had fined tuned my reflexes. They were sharp. My intuition was keen. My eyesight was perfection. My ability to sense danger was superior to that of humans, and to that of nature's beasts. My ears were supersonic. There wasn't much I couldn't discern with my five senses. My reaction time was hardly ever off.

Edward released a growl that was unmistakably inhuman, and charged with the speed of a young newborn vampire toward his brother. Somehow I was much quicker. It wasn't until I collided with Edward in mid-air that I appreciated my vampire agility and strength. I was his creator. He was my creation. Everything…everything about me physically was superior to him, especially my strength.

There was no doubt that he was strong…powerful…graceful…and super fast. He was all of those things. He had never backed down from any mortal enemy that challenged him. He was quite capable of maintaining his own, but not against me. As I caught him in the jump, I stretched the tendons in my muscles to form a tight clamp around his body with my arms. I was careful not to crush him under the pressure of my brute strength and power.

The sound of our bodies colliding was loud as clapping thunder during a rainstorm. Thank God it was overcast and had been raining. The neighbors would have thought the loud noises strange on a sunny day. He cried out as the pain of it jolted his torso.

As we collapsed to the ground, I shifted one of my arms so that my hand cradled his neck to protect it from the fall. I pinned him to the damp earth so that he was unable to move. There was no use in nonverbal communication at this point. He was beyond reason. He hissed and shouted a string of profanities at Emmett. His eyes were black fire now. Fury had turn into rage. His unnecessary need for air increased. He panted, crying and screaming his hatred for Emmett like a lunatic.

His slender body seemed feather light to me as I tacked him to the ground. I heard Esme scolding Emmett who was gladly accepting Edward's challenge. He wanted to fight. This displeased me greatly. This was one thing Esme and I strongly discouraged. Jasper's manipulation of our emotions was futile. The situation was too far gone. Alice and Rose joined in Esme's attempt to calm Emmett, who had become so angry that he too was near tears.

"Oh, please little brother, please. Do me the honor!" He yelled again. "You're such a creampuff! I bet Newton could stomp your ass!"

Edward growled viciously and loudly at him. The sound was deafening to my ears. I whirled my head toward Emmett as I continued to grapple with Edward who was flailing like a mad man. There was no doubt in my mind that if I turned him loose, he would try with everything he had to take his brother down.

Through clenched, grinding teeth, I yelled at my hefty son. "I…TOLD…YOU…TO…GO…INSIDE…EMMETT!" I huffed, fighting against Edward's resistance. A light must have come on in Emmett's head. He knew he had pushed me, and he would soon feel the repercussions. "I WON'T SAY THAT AGAIN, EMMETT CULLEN! YOU GO WAIT FOR ME UPSTAIRS!"

He grudgingly trampled towards the house with the others in tow, mumbling about the unfairness of this chaos. Esme joined them. I positioned Edward's face toward mine. I rested the full length of my body on top of him. He was crying. His body jerked and shook under mine. "Shhh, Edward…shhh. Look at…look at me, Son… Look at me!" I whispered to him. He kicked and squirmed, but slowed for a moment. "That's it, Son. Calm down. It's okay, Edward." I could hold him there all night if I needed to. I had wanted to hold him and give him comfort earlier. Now, while I was able to do that, I was holding him to calm him, to prevent him from attacking his brother.

"Get off of me, Dad. Let go of me!" He tried to squirm, but I wasn't having any of that. "Let me loose!" He yelled in my face.

I was not moved. I had already lost my collectedness enough today, so I willed myself to stay in control. "Edward, listen to me." He continued to struggle. I wrapped my legs under his. "Stop this, Edward!"

"NO! GET OFF!" He shouted, bearing his flawless teeth.

"Son, I am not going to let you up until you can calm yourself and listen to me." God, this kid is strong! He snarled at me and I tightened my grip on him.

"I DON"T WANT TO HEAR IT CARLISLE!" He cried loudly. Oh so I am Carlisle now? Are you that mad, Edward? I am not letting you up until you gain control of yourself.

I kept silent for a minute, and stared at him. I let him gripe some more. He writhed under my weight. "I know you are upset right now, Edward. I understand that." He cried harder. As I tried to calm him, he managed to untangle one of his arms. Holding a teenage vampire was difficult.

He started pounding my shoulder, trying to push me away. "EDWARD..." THUD…THUD…THUD. He kept shoving at my shoulder. I grabbed his arm and pinned it again. "Edward, stop it!"

"NO! Get off! I'm going to kill him!" He shrieked. "I'm gonna kick his butt!"

"Oh, so that's how you handle your problems? Huh, big man? Does that make you the man? Beating up Emmett? So, now you're pissed off, and you want to get yourself in more trouble? Haven't you learned anything?" I confronted him. "That's not how a man handles himself Edward!"

"I DON'T CARE! I CAN HANDLE MYSELF!" He moved his head side to side, yelling in my face again.

"Oh, yeah? Then why are we in this position? Why am I holding you like you're a baby? You wanna be a man, then act like one! You're over a hundred years old Edward. Is all of this really necessary? How are you ever going to keep Bella if you keep carrying on like this? This is how boys act, Edward! So are you a boy or man?"

He detangled his arm again and impaled my neck with his fist. So help me God, that did it! I maneuvered my body so that my full weight could pin his right shoulder and arm to the ground. I reached across his slender chest, and fastened his left shoulder and arm, pinning it to my chest. When I had him locked where he couldn't move, I shifted him slightly on his side so that his bottom faced out behind him. "Edward, do you want me to spank you right now?" I reached around his lower back with my free hand, and began tugging at the waist of his jeans. Luckily, they were loose and the belt didn't completely restrict movement. "Huh? Is that what you want?" As I pulled at his jeans, he really started crying and tried to free himself. He jerked violently, but the grip I had him in was tight. To steady him, I tightened some more, careful not to apply too much pressure. He was helpless.

"I don't want a whipping, Dad." Venom ran out of his eyes, nose, and mouth. He tried to twist to get his butt out of my way since his hands were pinned. "D-Dad…I…" He gurgled. "I don't want…a…please…" He sobbed. "Dad…please…" He sniffled, begging me not to begin whipping his butt right then. I loosened my grip on his jeans.

"You know better than to hit me like that. Boy, don't you ever do that again." I chastened, my patience worn thin. "I ought to tear your ass up right now!"

"I'm sorry." He apologized. It was a good thing I was a doctor, and I was not squeamish. His face was nasty with venom.

"You are going to be spanked, Edward." I stated firmly. "That has not changed."

"I don't want…every…everybody is in the –house!" He coughed as he tried to swallow venom in his throat. He sounded like he was getting strangled. "Please. I-I am sorry!

"If I let go of you, are you going to behave?" I asked, trying to calm myself.

"Yes, Sir." He choked out. "I won't do anything, Dad. I promise."

"Are you going to run?" I asked remembering his earlier contemplation.

"No, Sir." He choked again.

I released his jeans. "Alright, Edward. I am going to let you up. If you run or even attempt to go toward Emmett, I am going to wear your behind out, and I don't care who is in the house. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Sir." I released my death grip on him, and allowed him to lie still for a moment. I rested on my side, and he leaned into my chest and cried out the rest of his fit. I didn't say anymore, but rubbed his back while he let go of his frustration. I stroked his hair, and pulled him tighter to me. I was still angry, but I was determined to give him the comfort he sought.

I knew every vampire on the inside of the house was hearing all of this. Edward was embarrassed to be spanked in front of the rest of the family. I remembered one time I was about to spank him with Esme in the house, he threw a fit. I knew that threatening him with this now would force him to correct his behavior. The last thing he wanted was for the others to witness his punishment. Of course, one sibling had already seen it anyway. He just wanted to keep it from the others.

There was a sudden calm that came over us. JASPER. I had felt him manipulating our emotions since he got out of the car. With the turmoil of crying, fear, anger, rage, and sadness mixing in the air, he had to be dying inside that house. He was trying his best to help calm things down so that he could find relief. A little bit more of this, he would have had to leave for a while.

"Edward, are you able to stand up?" I pulled him back so I could see him. I reached into my pocket, and pulled out a handkerchief. I wiped the grime off of his face. He nodded 'yes' and I sat up, then stood. I reached down and pulled him up to stand in front of me. His crying had stopped, but he was still sniffling. I looked at him in awe and wiped stray tears from his face.

"You do know that once we get inside you are going to get that whipping I promised you, right? Again, this painful display changes nothing. You're not going to talk your way out of it." I was trying not to allow my voice to betray the anger I was feeling. It was pointless anyway. He knew what I was feeling. I crossed my arms over my chest, still holding the soiled handkerchief.

"Are you going to do it with them there?" He asked softly, head bowed.

I sighed. "Should I Edward?" I asked nonchalantly. He kept his head bowed, refusing to look at me. "Edward, look at me when I'm talking to you." He raised his head, his expression pitiful. "I mean, with the way you and Emmett have showed out this evening, I don't know what I am going to do."

His lips quivered and he started crying again. "Don't you start that, Edward. I mean it. I have had it with you. Now Emmett has to get a spanking because of this foolishness."

"Please don't spank me with them in the house."

I kept my arms crossed defensively over my chest. "Pleading won't work, Edward."

"Dad, you're going to do it with everybody watching? But...I-"

"Don't worry, Edward. I had no plans in doing that anyway." I looked at my watch. Two hours had passed since I checked the kids out of school. I was almost five o'clock now. "Edward I think you need to go hunting with Jazz and the girls. I will send Esme too. I'll deal with you when you get back."

"Yes, Sir." He said humbly. "You're still angry?"

"Hmmm..." I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Edward had read my mind and was really asking me if I was calm enough to spank Emmett without hurting him. Amazing! You were just ready to kill your brother a few minutes ago, and now you're concerned about him! You teenagers are going to bring on my demise for sure! I can't hardly keep up with you all!

"Edward Cullen, you alone have caused me to go from zero to one hundred in less than twenty-four hours. This disaster with Emmett has infuriated me further. I will not lie to you. I am angry, but I am in control of myself. I am calm enough to do it without hurting him. There's no cause for alarm, Son."

He looked at me strangely. "He can hear you. He is scared too."

"Well you know what Edward? That's fine. I want him to hear me, and he should be scared! You too! This serves you both right for acting like children."

He shifted his weight, looking like I had just slapped him. "If I go hunting, then they will all be here when I get my spanking."

"You don't need to worry about that. Esme and I will take care of that part. You haven't hunted in days. I think that might be contributing to some of this aggression."

"Dad…" He interrupted himself, grabbing his chest, wincing as if he was in pain. He tried to cover it up, but the doctor was in the house. I had a well-trained eye. I knew if someone was hurting or not, especially one of my kids.

"What's the matter, Son?" I asked stepping closer to him. I placed my hand over his. "Are you hurting?"

He looked down at our hands. "I'm okay, Dad." Liar!

"Mmm...hmm. Let me see that." He jerked back, protecting the tender spot. I drew back my hand a little. He kept his secured on his chest

"Edward, if you're in pain, you don't have to be afraid to tell me." I said gently. I moved toward him again. His face registered one word…PAIN. "Come here and let me take a look at it." He finally caved, and allowed me to pull his form fitting shirt up to his neck. I handed it to him. "Hold that for a minute, okay?"

He took the shirt from my hand, and braced himself for my touch. To most of my patients at the hospital, my hands were cold. I knew they were the perfect temperature for my Son's body. He winced again as I tenderly probed his chest with my fingers. "AAH…that hurts!" He flinched. "Dad!"

"I'm sorry, Son. Just hold still and let me see if there are any broken bones." As I pressed around, he whimpered and moaned. "I think you just got banged up pretty good." I hit another tender spot, and he yelped again. "I'm sorry, Son."

I examined his chest closer. If he were human, I would have to explain how my child had such a large bruise on his chest. "Well, you're pretty banged up, but it will heal. If you hadn't been acting like you've lost your damn mind, you wouldn't be in this predicament." I gripped his shirt and pulled it back down. I lovingly rubbed the sore spot. "Thank goodness you're a vampire and don't bruise easily." I frowned. "I wish the same was true for the aftermath of your spanking."

He gulped. I folded my arms across my chest, and backed away from him. It was time.

"Esme?" I called to my wife in my normal tone. It was as if she was standing right beside me.

"Yes, Carlisle?" She answered back. "What is it, Dear?"

"Can, you bring everyone but Emmett outside?" I requested calmly. I heard Emmett groan.

"Sure, we'll be right there."

In seconds the yard was full of Cullens, minus Emmett. "Esme, if you don't mind, can you take the kids hunting for a while. Edward desperately needs it, as well as some down time. I want to give Emmett some privacy." Their faces were ghosted as they agreed to my requested. Rose especially looked as if she wanted to bite me. She was not pleased that Emmett was now in the same trouble that Edward was in because of his mouth. She knew better than to open hers.

"Alright, Carlisle." My sweet wife did not voice one objection to what I was about to do to one of her other babies. She looked 'tired' from all of the crying. I pulled her into my chest for a hug. She hugged me back. "I will need you to take them out later as well."

She nodded, looking defeated. "Okay."

I kissed her briefly on the lips. Without taking my eyes off her, I turned toward Edward. "Edward, not a bit of trouble. You hear me?" I wasn't worried about the rest of them.

"Yes, Dad." He replied softly.

"Alright, I'll see you all later then." They waved and were gone in less than three seconds.

I took my time going back to the house. I was busted. I did not lie to Edward when I told him I was calm enough to carry out the task before me. Thanks to their imprudence, I now had to spank two of my sons. My heart felt heavy as bricks as I walked into the kitchen. I was so glad I was inhuman. I knew if it were the other way around, I could literally die of a heart attack because of the strain I was under. I had encouraged many patients to rid themselves of unnecessary stress. That was good advice, even for a vampire.

"Emmett, come downstairs please." I called for him, and waited patiently for him to join me in the dining room. He walked slower than a human pace. All of that mouth, and he was scared of a spanking. "Emmett Cullen."

"I'm coming, Dad." He sulked. His footsteps were heavy as he approached the dining room. He stopped in the doorway. He'd been crying alright. Emmett…the mouthy one…was just a big bear. He loved his little brother, and I knew that he regretted the things he said to him. He also regretted egging on a fight. "Come here, Emmett." I chewed on my bottom lip, standing with my arms still crossed. I looked down at my clothes. I was filthy from all of the wrestling I'd done with Edward. Emmett hesitated. I gave him 'the look,' and he quickly came to me. He stopped two feet in front of me.

I lowered my hands to my hips, and stared at him. Ashamed, he bowed his curly head. He dropped his arms at his side. Strong…courageous…fearless…but now he stood before me, his Father, as a humble child. "Look at me, Son." I sighed, commanding gently.

He was nowhere near as terrified as his brother had been, but he was shaking. From past experience, he knew if he'd landed himself in this predicament, he was not going to enjoy the outcome. We stared at each other for a while, although it was extremely difficult for him to maintain eye contact with me. His eyes darted back and forth, but quickly returned to mine. I sighed deeply and dropped my own eyes to the floor. I left my hands on my hips as I spoke gently to my son.

"Emmett, I think it goes without saying that you have disappointed me today. I have told you time after time about that foul mouth of yours." I kept my same position, but lifted my head to face him. I shifted my weight. "First of all, you had no right to tell Bella Edward's business."

"Dad, she asked us. We were just fooling around with her."

"So you're saying you were all in on it?" I asked.

Emmett looked taken aback. "Well, no. I'm just sayin'… Bella wanted to know."

I chewed my lip again thoughtfully, hands still on hips. "So…you all told Bella about Edward's personal affairs because…oh right, she wanted to know." My tone was heavy with sarcasm.

"Dad, it wasn't like that. I was just giving Bella a hard time." He explained

"So, even though you knew this would upset your brother, you leaked his secret just to jester his girlfriend?" I shook my head in disbelief.

"Dad, in my defense, I didn't know he was going to freak out like he did when I told her. Besides, he shouldn't have been listening to our conversation, anyway."

I was thinking that Emmett thought Edward had eavesdropped on their conversation, and that was the reason why he was angry. "Emmett, allow me to correct that, please. It was not your conversation he eavesdropped on."

He didn't look surprised. "I know. Alice told me he heard you and Bella talking. But still…it was our conversation, and Eddie shouldn't have been snooping."

"I had a very interesting conversation with Miss Bella in the school parking lot after your lunch period."

Now he looked confused.

"I momentarily stepped out of the conference to accept a phone call. Bella saw me, and came over to where I was. To make a long story short, she told me that she knew of Edward's punishment. She asked me if it was true, and I chose not to lie to her." I paused. "Edward was eavesdropping on our conversation."

He shook his head. "But still…Dad. Edward's gotta learn to stop doin' that kinda stuff. It's gettin' on everybody's nerves."

I nodded in agreement as I listened to my son. "I agree with you Emmett. I have spoken to him about that." I scratched my head, purely habit. "That still doesn't change the fact that you disrespected Edward's privacy by talking to Bella about his spanking."

"So, I am about to get my ass spanked because I ratted out Edward's biz? Unbelievable." His face tightened, but, he didn't dare lose his composure. "How is that right, Carlisle?"

I pursed my lips. "Emmett, you are not being punished for that. If that were all there was to this, you would have been served a reprimand with a warning."

"But Edward snoops on us all the time. How is that fair?"

"Emmett, do you think I am being unfair to you?

"It seems that way." He said. "I mean, Edward doesn't get punished for all of his nosiness."

"Emmett, Edward's gift is unique. It is hard for him to control it. Yes, I agree he purposefully abuses it quite frequently, but, he also struggles to use it appropriately. I have chastened him about this numerous times. I can't spank him every time he messes up with that. I can only try to correct him, and encourage him to use his gift wisely."

"Hmmph!" He retorted. "Figures. Edward gets away with murder most of the time, and the minute I screw up, I get a whipping." His voice was slightly elevated.

"Emmett…" I rubbed my forehead. "That's not true, and you know it. You are being punished because you don't know how to shut your mouth, and do what you're told." I spoke sharply. "I am not unfair to you. You know yourself that you probably should get more spankings that you actually get. I let a lot of stuff slide, Emmett."

He folded his arms across his chest. He was quite muscular. Even though it was pointless, he worked out daily. Those toned muscles he'd had as a human were frozen. They weren't going to get any bigger. That didn't seem to matter to him. He was a man! A ladies man! He had to stay buffed. Hey, who was I to get in the way of a man and his muscles. Thank God I am stronger than these kids. They probably could whip me other otherwise! That's the advantage of being the creator!

"Emmett, I am not going to prolong this longer than necessary." I stepped directly in front of him now.

"I don't want to be spanked, Carlisle!" His tone of voice was starting to irritate me.

"Well don't you think you should have considered that first?" I was still patient with him.

"It's embarrassing." He griped through clenched teeth. "I am a grown ass man, Carlisle!"

"Yeah, that's what you and your brother keep saying to me, but you act like you need a pacifier. If you're going to be a man, then you need to act like one." I shook my head. "Are you going to give me grief about this too?"

"I'm just saying, if Edward had stayed out of my head in the yard, none of this would have happened."

"Emmett you knew Edward would hear you. You chose to torment him."

"Whatever, Carlisle! It's his fault. Not mine." He stepped back a couple of steps. "He shouldn't dish it if he can't take it. Sissy!"

"Emmett, do you want to make this one bare?" I asked impatiently.

He swallowed. Humans wouldn't have heard that, but I did. "No way!"

"Well, I suggest you change your tone with me young man." I replied firmly.

"But I didn't do anything that would make me deserve a spanking. We always kid around with each other like that!" He whined. I kept reminding myself of how much I loved this boy.

"Emmett, we both know that you were intentionally inciting a fight. The things you said to Edward were inappropriate, and unbecoming of the love you should have for your brother. Those are things you would say to a person you consider an enemy, and maybe not even then. Your words hurt me, so I know he was hurt. That's why he was crying. He's been under a lot of pressure, then he finds out about Bella, and you stand out there and rag him about it."

"So, he didn't do anything wrong? You are just going to stand there and defend him?" He asked boldly, accusingly. "You are full of it, Carlisle!"

Carlisle, calm down. You are Emmett's father. He is your son. You know how he is, and the boy really can't help himself. God please give me strength, after the day I've had, please, because I am about to knock the hell of this kid! I pinched the bridge of my nose. Carlisle pull yourself together. You are angry and you cannot touch him now. You will hit him too hard and could seriously injure him.

"Talk to me like that one more time…" I clenched one fist, slowly drawing it upwards. He knew I was irritated. "Just one more time... I don't know why you kids keep disrespecting me today. First Edward, then Bella, then Edward, now you? You all don't realize how lucky you are. My father would have knocked me out by now, or sent me to the morgue." I shook my head in disbelief. I was trying to be patient with the boy because I understood how he was. He was always looking for a challenge, and right now I was it. I didn't have the strength to go there with him.

"I'm sorry, Dad." He apologized, his tone humbled. He knew I meant business.

"That right there is why you are getting spanked. You are disrespectful, Emmett, and I am tired of it. How many times do we have to have this discussion? If you were part of another coven, you would have been destroyed years ago!" I reached for the mail that was on the table, scanned it, and returned it to the place I found it.

Emmett was silent, standing with his head bowed in shame.

"Your behavior today was crude and unacceptable." I began again. "What bothers me the most is that you started that fight. You wanted it. How could you do that to your brother? Like it or not, Edward is your family. You kids have got to learn that. You can't go around abusing each other like this."

More silence.

I continued my lecture. "The things you said regarding his relationship to Bella were painful, Emmett. You know better than that. You embarrassed him. Brothers don't treat each other like that. I'm not justifying what Edward did. Yes, he was wrong for listening and then getting upset. Believe me, I will have words with him about his behavior tonight."

I paused briefly then started again. "And another thing, when I ask you to do something, I mean do it. That doesn't mean when Emmett gets ready to. It is understood that you will adhere to my rules, Emmett Cullen, and that's final. I don't expect all the mouth when I tell you something. Is that clear, son?"

He nodded. "Yes, Dad."

"One more thing, Emmett." He groaned. "I don't mind that you call me Carlisle. I know I am not your real father, but sometimes the way you use it is hurtful. It's like you do it sometimes to be spiteful or defiant. I have never commanded you to refer to me as "Dad" or "Daddy," but I only asked that whatever you choose to call me, do so with respect. Please."

That seemed to break him. He was stunned, obviously not expecting that from me. His voice was mousy and humble as he spoke. "Dad! I'm sorry." His voice was choky. "I love you. You are my Dad."

My heart melted as I reached out to him, and kissed his forehead. I stroked the back of his curly black head. I really did love this boy, and would fight to the finish for him if I ever had to. "I love you too, Emmett. I am glad you feel that way, and you are forgiven." I waited a minute then decided it was time to get on with his spanking. "Are you ready, Son?"

"No." I fought back a laugh. "But, since I have to, I guess I might as well bend over." He hesitated as if he wanted to ask me something.

"What is it, Emmett?"

"Dad, do I have to go over your lap?" I had to chuckle at that. "That's embarrassing sissy stuff. Can we leave that for Edward?"

"EM…" I warned.

"Okay, Okay." He said. "But do I have to? Can I please bend over the table?"

He was resigned to this much better than I'd anticipated. "That will be fine, Son. And Emmett, you and Edward will kiss and make up!" I smiled at him.

"That's cool. I love my little brother, but I don't know about that kissing part." I laughed softly.

"Well, let's do this then." I moved one of the chairs from the table, and, Emmett moved to stand in its place. I gently guided him onto it, and adjusted myself for the spanking. I rubbed his back. "Emmett you already know why you are getting this spanking, so I won't lecture you again."

He nodded and braced himself on his forearms.

"Okay, Emmett, I am going to start now." He nodded again. I was so grieved by this entire experience. This was certainly a surprise. I had not anticipated that this son would be in this position tonight.

I steadied him in place by gripping his waist. I gave him a few warm up swats before I brought my hand down with the ferocity of thunder.

My heart ripped as I rained fire to his backside with my hand.

"OW! Dad!" He jumped up, wriggling and rubbing his backside. I remained calm, and patiently listened to his pleading.

"Emmett..." I simply stated, pointing towards the table. "We can do this all night if that's what you like."

He reluctantly leaned over the table again. No father should have to be subjected to this. I knew my boys well enough to know that a simple grounding just didn't always work. Sometimes they needed more. I steadied him again, and urgently battled tears that were trying to escape my eyes. My hand hit him so hard and he cried out again.

He trembled with pain. I felt his torso tighten as he tried to tough it out. I increased the intensity of the swats causing him to arch his back. "Dad…" Then the tears flowed. "Dad...I'm sorry!" The fire continued to blaze his backside. He fell hard against the table. I was afraid he would break it and then Esme would have my hide.

"Emmett?"

"I'm sorry Dad. It hurts." He stood again. I crossed my arms over my chest, and bowed my head so he wouldn't see my tears.

"I know it does, Son, but we're not finished yet." That was the hardest thing I said to him all evening. I strengthened my resolve. "When you are ready, we will continue."

"Dad, I won't do it again!" He choked.

I waited. He finally leaned back down. I immediately started the spanking again, this time with my final lecture, and the most painful blows yet.

"Emmett Cullen," He jerked violently when my hand landed hard on his backside, and almost fell. "You are Edward's brother." He reached his hand back to protect his behind, but I pinned it to the small of his back. "You will not fight with him."

"Oh, God…" He cried, taking my heart deeper into Hell.

"Or cause him to fight with you."

He cried. I was quivering.

"Your behavior was rude and disrespectful,"

"I don't care who did what,"

"You will never speak to him that way again!"

"Am…I…Clear…Son?"

He nodded and I ended his punishment. He put his hands over his face and tried to shake off his tears. The burn got the best of him. I pulled him to me as I listened to him crying. He cried against my chest and neither of us said a word.

"I'm sorry, Dad." His voice was muffled by my shirt.

"I know Emmett. It's alright now, son." He gripped me tightly, all of those muscles flexing as his pain intensified. Vampire spankings hurt. This was why I hated doing this to them. I thought about the way we played baseball. We had to wait for a thunderstorm before we could play because of the fierceness of our swinging and hitting. Spanking a vampire was pretty much the same. Because they were so tough, and healed quickly, I had learned to administer them in such a way that they would be effective, and get my point across...and I'd spanked Emmett with his clothes on.

I held my son...my big overgrown, tough guy.

"Dad…I'm so sorry." He snorted again. The venom sounded like thick mucus in his nose and throat. "I'm sorry for what I said to Edward."

"I know you are Em. I forgive you. You will have to ask Edward for his forgiveness." I pulled him as tight as he could go in my arms, eliminating all space between us. "I love you, Emmett. I don't ever want you to think differently. I love you as much as I love Edward. Don't doubt that. I will tell you like I told him. It is my venom that runs in your veins. That makes you mine. You are my son...nothing less. You don't know how much it hurt me to have to do this to you."

His crying started to subside, but not well enough for him to feel the need to release me. "You pushed him too far, Emmett. I know you like to kid around with him. That's just who you are. I think most of the time he doesn't mind it. But that thing you said about the Newton boy was below the belt, especially after what he's been through today. That was said for the express purpose of hurting him." I continued to stroke his hair as his sobbing slowed. He rested his head on my chest. He was secure. I'd ensured that. He knew he was safe in my arms. He needed me, and, I wasn't going to neglect him. He silently listened to me.

"What if I had not been there? Someone would have been seriously injured or worse. You two not only upset me, but your other siblings, and your mother as well. I don't like this kind of dysfunction in our family."

"I'm sorry, Dad." He sniffed. "I was mad at Edward, and I acted stupid. I didn't mean any of that stuff."

"I know, Son. I know you love him. We will be talking things over when the others get back home." I pulled him back, and wiped his face with my hands. "Are you okay, now?"

He shook his head, "Yes, Sir."

"Good." I released him. He wiped his face.

"Dad, you must have been practicing the spanking gig. That hurt like a son of gun!" He rubbed his backside.

"Well…unfortunately, Edward's will be worse. That breaks my heart, Son. I don't want to do it, but, he has done so much vile that I can hardly let it go." I opted to refrain from telling him about Edward's behavior right here in this same room last night. "I am not looking forward to that at all."

"I know it's hard for you, Dad." He hugged me, and I hugged him back. "I didn't get to hunt with them. I'll have to go alone."

"Maybe you can get Rose to go back out with you. I am sure she will be plenty of company for you." I smiled and winked at him knowingly. "You might want to change into some sweats first. You know…for comfort sake."

"With a sore behind, Dad?" He looked at me like I was crazy. "I don't think so."

I laughed softly. "Well, I am sure you can find something to do. By all means, keep it out there though."

"DAD!"

"What?" I smiled. My boys hated discussing sex with me. "Trust me. I understand." I winked devilishly at him again. "Handle your business, Son."

"DAD!"

I laughed again. It amazed me at how easily embarrassed they were. Besides, I was a doctor. What was there to be ashamed of?

I heard the others approaching. Alice must have informed them this was over. Within minutes, they were coming through the front door. I called for them to join us in the dining room. Emmett faded behind me a little to hide his face. My boy…

"I am going to say this quickly before you all have to leave again." I looked toward Edward who looked paler than usual. You are staying. He cringed when he caught that thought. "I think you all owe your brother an apology for telling Bella about his punishment. That was not yours to tell. What you all did was hurtful, and disrespectful to his privacy."

I turned to Edward. "Edward, when you listen to our private conversations that is also disrespectful and rude. I know that you have a hard time with your gift Son, but what you did today was done on purpose. You cannot not get mad when you hear something that was not intended for your ears in the first place. I think you owe us all an apology for that."

Everyone began to apologize simultaneously to each other. "Edward, the way you reacted to me when you overheard my conversation with Bella was unjustified. The reason I tell you to control this Edward, is to keep you and others from getting hurt." He nodded.

"Alice, Rose, and Jasper…I am only going to warn you this time. Hopefully a reprimand will be enough. This whole sibling rivalry thing has got to end. I want to see more respect for each other, and fewer attitudes. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Sir." All five of them responded in unison.

"I know you were all party to the 'lunch' confession, so consider yourselves warned. I think that is fair." I looked toward my wife. "Esme?"

"I am in total agreement." She smiled at me.

"Do any of you have anything else you want to say about that?" They murmured a quick 'no,' but issued their apologies again.

"Edward and Emmett…front and center." Without hesitation, the boys obeyed. "I don't think I need to say much more. I've lectured you enough. Edward you and I will talk later, but for now I want you and Emmett to get something very clear? Under no circumstances, will the incident that happened today occur again? Understood?"

"Yes, Sir." They answered quietly.

"Why is that so, Edward?"

"Because, it's one of the rules."

"Why is it one of the rules?

"Because we're brothers and we should fight for each other and not against each other."

"Emmett, have you learned your lesson?"

"YES, SIR!" He saluted me as a solider would. Everyone laughed, including me.

"Very well then. Emmett, do you have something you need to say to Edward."

He cleared his throat, and bowed his head again. "I'm sorry, Eddie. I didn't mean that stuff I said. I was just gettin' a rise out of ya! I didn't know you were going to be so hurt." He paused. I looked to him to continue. "And I'm sorry I started the fight on purpose."

I turned to Edward. "Edward?"

"I'm sorry I listened to your conversation, Emmett I am sorry for saying all of those nasty things to you, and for trying to attack you."

Emmett lightly punched the tender spot in his chest. Edward hissed at the pain, and rubbed it. "Oops…sorry little bro. I forgot!" He reached out to give Edward a fist bump. "Everything, cool?"

"Yeah," Edward bumped him back. "It's all good."

I reached for Esme who had pretty much remained silent. She hugged me tightly. "Will you guys leave me and Edward for a while?" She looked sad. She had fought Edward's case, but had lost. She was so defeated, she didn't even attempt to plead Emmett's. She was hurting because I spanked him. It hurt me to know that this pained her so. She nodded in understanding, and gingerly kissed my lips before she turned to leave with my other children. She kissed Edward on her way out sympathetically. She would probably go baby Emmett too.

As they left, I squared my shoulders, and approached my son. He didn't speak as I stood before him. So much had happened in almost 24 hours. We had much ground to cover. The question was where would we begin? I noticed he was covered in dirt and grass, but not one speck of blood was on him. He was never a messy drinker. His eyes, that had been bright topaz when he came in, darkened when I said, "Let's take this 'discussion' to your room."

A/N: Well…bet you didn't see that coming. All I can say is wow! I AM READING ALL OF YOUR REVIEWS AND TAKING HEED TO EACH OF THEM! I tried to give you all what you ask. I tried to show the fight between the sibs, more Jasper, Esme conceding to Carlisle, Edward's fear, Carlisle's frustration, Carlisle going doctor (you know who you are…**wink…wink**), even it was only for a little bit. I didn't even expect the other Cullen boy getting a spanking like that! That was a surprise for me. It came while I was writing. Carlisle had to get that tail! I love the part where he said he wanted to snatch a knot in Edward during the conference…love it! You guys have got to know this was a fun chapter to write. We as you all can see, the next chapter is truly for Edward's behind only. I didn't do it this chapter as promised because I think I scared you all too much. I need to prepare more. I broke this chapter away, because the next chapter is going to be a long one, and will take time and effort to write it so that everything can become real for us. I wanted to go ahead and give you guys an update. Go Team Carlisle!

PS. Love, love, love the way Carlisle views his children. The way he comforts them, and becomes not just their Dad…but their Daddy. The love and affection is priceless…totally awesome! I LOVE CARLISLE! I cried during the spanking, so I might not be able to get through Edwards. It is hard to write hurt/angst.