"What is happening here." Carlisle finally questioned after nearly twenty minutes of the most excruciating silence. He was sitting on the living rooms coffee table, elbows on his knees, and cradling his face in his hands. When nobody answered aside from staring at the ground, he continued. "Because I feel like you are purposefully testing me, and I want to know why."
There was still no answer.
"Everyone has been pushing the boundaries these past few weeks. Each of you has been flippant with me and Esme as well as your mates. You've been forgetting our rules about mutual respect. None of the girls want to be in the house. And now fighting, disrespectful name calling, and felling a tree across my car with a chainsaw that you know good and well not to touch."
Emmett looked up shocked and started to protest, but he was cut off.
"I am not an imbecile son, I can tell that it was cut. Whether or not you kicked it over in the end, it was clearly notched to fall in a specific direction."
Emmett looked away as two more sets of eyes, confused and concerned, stared, maws agape.
"So again, I ask for the truth as I believe I am owed that little."
The dam of welling guilt finally broke and all three boys began tumbling forth apology and explanation, one over the other, to where nobody could be understood.
"Stop." Sighed Carlisle. "Jasper first. You were attempting to tell me something earlier before Emmett interrupted."
Jasper swallowed nervously.
"You're right." He said. "We've been testing you." And with that he launched into the dreadful story of their great deception.
"I don't know why we didn't just speak to you about what Edward heard. I am so very sorry. Words cannot express how badly I feel. I will willingly submit to any punishment you see fit. I deserve..." he would have gone on, but Carlisle put his hand up to stop him. Jasper would spiral if he wasn't silenced.
"Does anyone have anything to add?" Carlisle asked.
"I'm sorry I intruded in your thoughts." Edward apologized. "I guess we were just angry that you seemed to be complacent about whipping us. It seemed like an easy out for you."
"I'm sorry I wrecked the cars." Added Emmett. Everyone stared at him. "Sorry." He corrected. "Not the time."
Carlisle stood and began to pace slowly and silently, back and forth in front of the boys. They all hated when he did that as it meant he was resolving to punish them. He made several passes back and forth before starting to lecture.
"I too am unaware why I'm so terrifying that you couldn't speak to me about how you felt. I can assure you that every instance of discipline is as unpleasant for me as it is for you." He paused and stared down his miscreants. "Though you seem to believe otherwise."
As he began to pace again he asked, "were the girls involved?"
"Rose was. She did the first test by telling Esme to shut up." Emmett answered.
"Alice wasn't involved at all." Chimed Edward before Jasper had the chance.
"Aside from telling us how stupid we were." Added Jasper.
Just then the door flung open and a distraught Alice rushed inside. She flung herself in his arms and sobbed. Rose followed closely behind and stood uncomfortably across the room.
"Oh daddy, I saw the whole thing. I was involved. I didn't say anything when Esme was questioning us, and I looked to see if you'd send Jasper away when he was planning to get into a fight. And I didn't say anything when I knew how badly this would hurt you!"
Carlisle hugged her tightly while throwing Jasper a look that inspired him to stay firmly planted in his seat. "Who would think I would send Jasper away?"
"I did." Jasper confessed. "I was afraid I'd be asked to leave if I broke the no fighting rule."
Carlisle sighed sadly.
"My sweet Alice," he comforted. "I think you have over estimated your involvement. But I thank you for your confession." He motioned to Rose to have a seat on the couch. Emmett moved to sit next to her so Alice had room to sit with Jasper, who scooped her into his lap and buried his face in her neck and hair.
"Does anyone else have anything to add?" Asked Carlisle when everyone had settled.
"Just that we're sorry." Jasper apologized again.
Everyone nodded in agreement and added some kind of "sorry" of their own.
They all sat in silence for several minutes while Carlisle paced. He finally made his way to a window and looked out across the yard. He sighed heavily again.
"You all know I am forced to punish you." He said sadly.
"We know." Edward answered, saying aloud the thoughts that nobody else could voice.
"Then I want everyone to line up outside my office. First Alice, then Rose, then the boys." He said as he made his way towards the office door.