Disclaimer: The characters of the vampire diaries and twilight belong to LJ Smith and Stephanie Meyer

Warning: Will contain spanking

Carlisle rubbed his temples and sighed in exasperation when he heard the sound of Emmett's jeep in the distance. Edward and Stefan were at it again. Edward was still grounded out of his car and Carlisle wanted Stefan to have a feel of the road to school and all its back alleys and short cuts before he drove his Ferrari so they had been taking rides from the elder siblings. But they were never both in the same car until today. It was probably because Emmett was the most likely to break up a fight when their verbal war escalates. It was only the sixth day since Stefan had come to stay with them and he had already broken up too many almost fights it felt like a month already. Seriously he thought they would get along better than the rest of his children, being the same age and all. He had thought and thought and he couldn't come up with a good reason why they disliked each other so much. Sure Edward had been the baby of the family and everyone spoiled him rotten but that hadn't changed since Stefan's arrival so that could not be it. Then what was it? He didn't have time to deliberate on the issue as that exact time Emmett's jeep pulled into the driveway. He sighed again when Stefan blurred out of the car and into his room before Emmett had fully parked. Looks like Edward won this round, he thought. A gleeful snicker from downstairs proved him right and he sent Edward a thought telling him to can it. Edward and Stefan had a war of pranks( for lack of a better word) of sorts going on and from what he had heard Edward started it when he rigged Stefan's alarm on Monday.

The next day, Stefan put dye in Edward's shampoo. It was a rather hilarious sight when Edward screamed and marched half naked into the kitchen practically burning with wrath with bright green hair. Rosalie and Alice slapped a hand over their mouths to stop the laughter threatening to spew forth so as not to anger their already pissed off baby brother. Emmett though could care less as he laughed heartily. Stefan had turned around in his chair and looked at Edward with a surprised and innocent

"What happened to you?"

Edward sputtered angrily as he lunged for Stefan. "You did this. I know it, you fucking..."

"That's enough Edward. Watch your language. One more curse out of your mouth and I'll wash it out" Esme threatened

"He put dye in my shampoo!"

"You don't know that" his mother admonished. "Now go get dressed. You're going to be late" she added, shooing him towards his room

Needless to say it had taken a lot of cajoling and pampering on Esme's part before Edward agreed to go to school that day and even then he had worn a beanie.

As payback, on Wednesday Edward had vervained Stefan's breakfast. He knew it burned but he didn't know that the right dose could knock Stefan out. They didn't know that much about the original vampires anyway so when Stefan took a sip of his coffee and almost immediately went unconscious, it spread panic around the Cullen household. Carlisle remembered the panicked phone call he received at work that morning.

"Mr Cullen, it's your wife. Looks like something happened to one of the kids" Nancy said, handing Carlisle his cell phone. He had barely said hello before Esme's worried voice came over.

"Carlisle it's Stefan. He just passed out and he won't wake up. Is that supposed to happen? I mean they are different from us and..."

"Esme, Esme, calm down. Tell me what happened" Carlisle soothed his distraught wife

"I-I made breakfast -pancakes- and coffee. He t-took a sip of the coffee and made this choking sound like he couldn't breathe. Now that I think about it he was trying to say something. Ver something... Oh god Carlisle you don't think he meant vervain?" her voice dropped to a whisper. "We don't even have any of that around. How would it get into the cof... No. I'm going to strangle him. I'm going to..."

"Esme, what are you thinking"

" I think Edward did it. You know he and Stefan don't see eye to eye and he was helping me with breakfast this morning. Oh Carlisle what if he doesn't wake up? What if he's dead? How do we explain that?"

"He's not dead Esme. Only a stake to the heart can kill him. It's just the concentration of the vervain and Stefan's animal diet. He'll come around in about an hour. It's not a busy day today. I'm on my way"

It had taken Stefan almost two hours to come around and those two waiting hours had been spent alternating between scolding Edward and quizzing him on where and how he got the vervain.

On Thursday Stefan had somehow gotten into Edwards computer (Carlisle refused to use the word hacked) and changed some details in his history report that was due that morning. What he did with Edward's original copy no one knew but it had led to a rather embarrassing day for Edward and a one hour detention after school for using some choice words. He had refused to look anyone in the eye when it was time to go home but had spared Stefan a scathing glance that promised untold pain. That had been yesterday, and it looked like he had gotten his revenge from the way he sounded pleased with himself and the way Stefan had fled to his room. Carlisle sighed again as he went down the stairs to confront his youngest

"Hey dad"

Carlisle was not buying the innocent act. "What did you do to Stefan?"

His eyes widened as he feigned a look of surprise. Carlisle rolled he eyes internally. He was really good. "I didn't do anything to him dad. Why would you think I did anything?" He asked in a hurt filled voice

"Don't lie to me Edward. You know what happens when you do. Now are you going to tell me the truth or do I need to ask Emmett?"

Carlisle could see the wheels turning in Edward's head as he weighed the pros and cons of lying to his father. He also knew the exact time Edward came to a decision. Just as Edward opened his mouth to say whatever it was he had done to Stefan, and Carlisle knew it was going to be the truth, the victim in question came downstairs.

"He didn't do anything to me Mr. Cullen. I'm fine" Stefan said calmly

Carlisle didn't have to see the mixed expressions of shock and strange gratitude on Edward's face to know Stefan was lying. Why he would protect Edward now though while they had been trying to burn each other all week he couldn't tell

"Are you sure Stefan? You didn't look too pleased when you bolted to your room" Carlisle pressed

"I had a bad day at school. Nothing major" Stefan explained. At Carlisle's incredulous look he quickly added "Really Mr Cullen I'm fine". He turned to go back up the stairs. " If you don't mind I'd like to go back to my room"

Carlisle was about to dismiss him when he noticed how pale he looked. He looked almost gray. "Are you okay Stefan? You don't look too good. Have you eaten anything? Do you need to hunt?"

"I'm fine Mr..."

"Carlisle. I'm not hungry. I'm okay" Stefan gave a strained smile to convince him but Carlisle was not moved

"Esme mentioned you hadn't eaten since Wednesday. I know you are scared but I promise you Stefan that we would never do anything to hurt you..."

"Like vervaining me?" Stefan spat then calmed "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. I get lunch in school Carlisle. So its no big deal. Can I go now?" Stefan asked, turning on his heel before Carlisle could say anything else. He quickly locked the door to his room-not that it would make any difference in a house full of vampires- and moaned into his pillow. Truth be told he was past hunger, right at the end of starving and bordering on famished. He was desiccating slowly and it hurt. Oh god it hurt. How he wished Damon were here. He hadn't fed since the morning he left Mystic Falls and that was a week ago. Esme had fed him breakfast and dinner everyday until Wednesday when he had stopped eating for fear of being poisoned again. That wouldn't have helped much anyway since he needed blood on almost a daily basis. When the Cullens hunted it tended to take them weeks before they hunted again so they didn't know what Stefan was feeling right now. They knew next to nothing about the original vampires- with the exception of Carlisle, who himself knew very little- and just assumed most of the things concerning him. Stefan curled up tighter as pain wracked through his body. Oh fuck this. He was going hunting, even if he did not know the forest well. He was too hungry to care. He contemplated going out the window and grimaced. That would make him look guilty and he had done noting wrong. Good thing Edward can't read my mind, he mused. He would have got a kick out of this. He put on a hoodie and made his way downstairs hoping against hope that nobody would ask where he was going

"Where are you going Stefan?" Esme's voice stopped him in his tracks

There goes the hope of not being noticed , he mused. "I'm hungry" he stated simply hoping she'll understand. He felt guilty immediately when Esme's eyes lit up at the prospect of him eating

"I'll make you something" Esme answered, moving briskly toward the kitchen

"No..."

"Oh" Esme said as she tried hard to hide her disappointment

"No its not like I don't want to eat what you're making it's just that's not what I meant" Stefan explained quickly. "I need blood. I haven't fed in a week and uh... I don't feel too good"

"A week? That doesn't look like a very long time. We last longer than that, and you think you're superior to us. Wimps" Edward muttered under his breath

Stefan growled so savagely at Edward he almost dove behind his father. "I feed on animal blood. That makes me considerably weaker than other vampires of my kind who feed on humans and yet with all your 'special' gift of mind reading you can't get into my head. Do you really think you can call me a wimp because I have to do the normal thing we have in common more frequently than you?" Stefan spat, advancing slowly on Edward

Carlisle stepped between them quickly. "Is that what this is about? Who the superior vampire is? That's why you've been at each other's throat all week?"

"You are a wimp Stefan" Edward continued like his father hadn't even spoken. "Otherwise you wouldn't have been shipped all the way out here to hide like some scared little boy"

" I would really watch my tongue if I were you Edward Cullen" Stefan stated calmly, too calmly Carlisle noticed. "Then again what would you expect from a dumb, spoiled, snot-nosed little brattling"

"Boys..."

Edward laughed humorlessly. "You seriously calling me a spoiled brat? I saw your brother unpack your bags and arrange your closet. Who knows, maybe he was compensating for something-maybe apologizing for dumping your sorry ass on us?

In a blur that even the open mouthed occupants of the house couldn't comprehend, Stefan lifted Edward off the floor and slammed him into the coffee table, snarling at him in full vamp mode. Before he could cause any harm however Emmett and Jasper pulled him off a rather scared looking Edward. "Show some respect to my kind Edward. We can be vicious when dealing with dummies like you"

Edward looked at the now normal face before him. "You attacked me"

"You vervained me. You threw me off a cliff. I was going to do more than just attack you. I was going to rip you apart"

"Please" Edward scoffed. "You were not going to get hurt. The wolves cliff dive there all the time and they are not immortal. You're just being a baby"

"BOYS!" Carlisle practically screamed. This time though he got the attention of the two teens trying to stare each other down. "Edward why did you throw Stefan off a cliff? And what were you doing on the cliff anyway?"

"It was nothing dad, just a bit of fun. No harm done"

"I decide if there is harm done or not, not you" Carlisle almost growled at his son's nonchalant attitude. "Now tell me what you were doing on that cliff and why you thought it was a good idea to throw Stefan over. Then you" he turned to the rest of his children "will tell me why none of you tried to stop them"

Edward winced at his father's tone. "It's not their fault dad. Alice didn't see. I uh skirted around her visions"

"I think I know what happened pops" Emmett started. "Mike Newton cut his knee in gym today. He was bleeding quite badly. Stefan had problems with all that blood around and he started to get uncomfortable. Noticeably. I got him out of there quickly while Jasper tried to explain his reaction so as not to raise too many eyebrows. Since it was the last class of the day, I figured no one will miss him so I asked Edward to take him somewhere to cool off until it was time to go home"

"Is that what happened?" Carlisle asked, looking pointedly at Edward and Stefan

Silence

"I asked a question"

"Yes sir" they answered simultaneously

"Stefan why didn't you tell us you had to feed almost daily?" Esme asked. "You endangered yourself and those students today"

"I'm sorry" Stefan mumbled

"And your idea of cooling him off was throwing him off a cliff?" Esme continued, looking at Edward

"Emmett did say to cool him off. What better way than water? It's not like he was going to die or anything"

"I did die" Stefan snarled. "I broke my neck. And because I hadn't fed in a while, it took some time to recover"

"You die when your neck is broken?" Rosalie asked

"Yes. Temporarily. And pushing me like that, from up there, it... You will regret this Edward Cullen. You went too far and I will pay you back in a most unforgettable way. Mark my words"

"This has gone too far. Neither of you are competition. This little war you have going on ends now or one or both of you will find it very difficult to sit" Carlisle stepped in

"You can't spank me" Stefan stated indignantly

"I'm your guardian. I can do that and more. So watch it. Both of you" he warned. "Now, you are going to apologize to each other, and then we'll go hunting. I've seen those pains you're trying to hide Stefan"

They looked at each other venomously

"I am never apologizing to you" Stefan spat into Edwards face. "And watch your back buddy cos this is just the beginning"

"Bring it pal. I wouldn't have it any other way" Edward rebutted

Carlisle and Esme could only watch on shocked as Stefan and Edward threatened each other. Then, before any of them could say anything, Stefan blurred out of the house into the forest. Carlisle got out of his stupor long enough to ask Emmett to go after him before turning to his wife, whose expression mirrored

"What just happened?"

Esme's ears perked up immediately when she heard whimpering. She quickly spread her senses and honed in on Edward, not because she didn't care about her other children but because they were all watching a movie in the living room. That is with the exception of Edward and Stefan, who had gone to bed about an hour ago. Well it wasn't Edward. He was listening to music and she could hear clicks on a keyboard. That left Stefan. What could be wrong with him, Esme pondered as she made her way to his room. The sight of Stefan writhing in bed however with the sheets bundles around his legs was not what she expected.

"CARLISLE!"

When Carlisle rushed into the room a second later he wasn't alone. His children almost beat him there. Even Edward was there, though he immediately had a bored expression on his face when he realized why

Carlisle sat by Stefan's bed and tried to wake him from whatever nightmare has him so distressed. He knew, because Jasper was distressed. He was barely holding it together.

Esme tried a different tactic. "Stefan come on wake up. It's just a dream. Open your eyes for me sweetie". When all Stefan did was let out a little sob, she turned to Carlisle. "What do you think he's dreaming about?"

"I don't know but it has to be bad if it has Jasper feeling this way. Rosalie get your brother out of here" Carlisle said

Rosalie nodded and guided her twin out. "Come on Jazzy"

"I don't know what all the fuss is about" Edward said, bored

"Quiet Edward" Carlisle admonished, then turned back to Stefan, shaking his shoulders a little harder. "Wake up Stefan"

Stefan suddenly shot up out of bed, then launched himself into Carlisle's arms, wrapping his arms tightly around his neck and practically sobbing into his neck.

Carlisle was caught off guard but he wrapped his arms around the boy and rubbed the quaking back. "Shhh, its okay Stefan. It's ok" he soothed

"Silas. Damon it was Silas. He... He... It was so cold. And... And you didn't come. Damon, why didn't you come?

Carlisle looked at Esme with a worried expression. "He thinks I'm his brother". He patted Stefan's back. "It's ok Stefan. I'm here now. Calm down. It's just a dream"

Stefan shook his head violently. "But... But its not. It wasn't. It was real... And wet... And..."

"It's ok. Calm yourself. It's alright. Everything will be ok" Carlisle continued to soothe

Finally Stefan's cries tapered down and he fell asleep in Carlisle's arms. After he got him settled back into bed, he shooed the rest of his family into the living room, where Jasper and Rosalie already were

"How are you feeling Jasper?"

"I'm ok dad. I'm better now"

"That's good" Carlisle breathed. "You keep it quiet down here tonight okay? Wherever that came from I don't want a repeat. Lets give Stefan a good night's rest, shall we? He needs it"

A chorus of 'yes dads and yes daddy's' rang out as everyone went back to what they were doing.

Edward slinked into his room with a satisfied smirk on his face. He had caught a line of thought in Stefan's distressing moment and a plan was already up his sleeve. Thank you Silas, whoever you are

Game on Salvatore