Next chapter!

peppa12: You hope Jasper spanks Maddie? Now I'm curious ... why would you like to read that?

SouthernBlossom: Don't be shocked! Carlisle and Esme did tell her that it would be cruel to let her have an animal, because they are scared of them. It even was the only reason Carlisle gave her in the very first chapter of this story. And she had been begging for two days already, so they had given her that reason many times as well. Everything else were just additional reasons that should make her see reason (her lack of consideration for her family, for instance). But I agree, maybe they weren't vigorous enough.

And Jasper is concerned about his sister, but she doesn't like the way he shows it, obviously :-/

"After she has been a brat for the last several days, you now plan on rewarding her for it?" Jasper asked, disbelief prominent in his voice.

He walked closer towards them and sat down. "How is she supposed to learn anything when you give in the moment she puts on a sad look and pouts?"

"Jasper, you know she is not at liberty to leave the house whenever she wants. So while she is at home, this might be an excellent way to keep her occupied," Carlisle tried to explain.

"I think a fish tank would be a good idea," Esme said then, backing her husband up.

"I think a hiding would be a good idea," Jasper practically mimicked his mother.

Esme turned to look at her son. "Jasper, you see this the wrong way."

"No, you obviously see this the wrong way. You cannot let an animal suffer just because she gets bored from time to time. It just isn't right, and she has to understand this."

"That is why we make the offer of allowing her to have a fish tank. I really doubt fish would feel uncomfortable in our presence, we don't touch them or interact in any way."

"Madeline does not listen when you tell her 'No'; now she finally realised she won't get her way this time and you want to throw it into disarray. Unbelievable," Jasper complained.

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked, then felt the whole impact of Maddie's anger - Thanks to Jasper.

"I see," Carlisle commented. His daughter wouldn't be that angry if she had the feeling she would get her way. But still ...

Esme couldn't bear to see her daughter miserable, and if something tiny like a fish would make her happy, then so be it. The fish wouldn't suffer, which made this an acceptable compromise.

"The fish tank would be a compromise I could live with," she remarked. "Do you think she'd agree?"

"How about we ask her?" Carlisle suggested, walked over into the foyer and called for Maddie.

A moment later, Maddie came down the stairs with folded arms and stopped when she reached the bottom of the stairs.

Esme waved to her, motioning to come closer.

"Sweetie, we did not mean to upset you. You know that, don't you?" she asked in her soft voice, while Maddie sat down in one of the armchairs.

"But you did!" Maddie immediately snapped at her mother.

Jasper clenched his teeth to keep himself from roaring at his sister for her lack of respect for Esme.

"Now now. As long as you're not calm, we won't tell you about our idea for you," Carlisle admonished, which made Jasper roll his eyes. He was clearly annoyed that - again - his sister would be rewarded for her bad behaviour.

Maddie's eyes instantly lit up. She liked the sound of that. Idea for her? Does that mean that she'll get to have a pet?

"I'm calm and listening," she smiled sweetly.

"Are you?" her father queried.

She nodded her head like crazy and grinned.

"Good, sweetie. Now listen up," Carlisle said, before taking a breath and addressing her again. "We know how much you wish for a pet, and so we have given thought to it and decided on -"

"You're getting me a mole rat!" she shouted with excitement clear in her voice, not bothering to let her father finish.

Her parents looked at her as if she had just grown a second head. "A what?" Esme managed to ask.

"A mole rat, just like the one Ron has!"

"What? Who?" Carlisle had no clue whatsoever what his little daughter was talking about.

She groaned, then quickly explained, "Ron Stoppable is Kim Possible's best friend. And he has a naked mole rat ... named Rufus."

"Who?" he asked again.

"It is an animated TV series. Maddie watches it all the time," Emmett explained casually, then asked, "Where's Rose?"

"Garage." Maddie pointed over her shoulder towards the kitchen.

"Thanks, Tiny," he said and ruffled her hair when he passed her on his way out of the living room and into the direction Maddie had pointed to.

"So, a mole rat it is, huh?" she asked with hopeful eyes and ran her fingers through her hair; Emmett had fucked up her hairdo.

When no one answered, she grew a bit frustrated. "They don't have any fur, so they cannot lose their coat! No dirt, Mommy!"

"Maddie, dear. We won't buy you a ... a naked mole rat, no," Esme told her daughter, hoping she would accept it.

"Oh ... the naked is the problem, right?" Maddie asked while making a face. Her parents tended to be weird sometimes. "But they are so awesome! They look like little zombie rats, I swear!" she exclaimed; her eyes gleamed like they always did when she got overly excited.

"No zombie rat for you, missy," Rosalie said. She and Emmett were making their way to the staircase, Emmett had his arm around his wife's shoulders and suddenly looked confused. "Huh? Where is a zombie rat?"

Maddie turned to face her brother. "Wouldn't it be awesome, Em? I mean, if we had a naked mole rat?"

"They don't really look like zombies, Tiny."

"Gosh, you only know Rufus! You have to google for pictures of real ones, they are the shit ... and have huge teeth!"

Emmett smiled one of his goofy smiles, obviously liking the idea, whereas Rosalie rolled her eyes and pulled Emmett along.

"Uh, I know! I'll get to have a hamster, yaaay!" Maddie squealed and bounced in her seat.

With their mouths agape, her parents looked really stupid.

"No." Esme shook her head and carefully looked over at her husband. This discussion was not running as smoothly as they had wanted it to; their daughter got carried away.

"A ... bird?" Maddie didn't know what to do with a bird, but maybe her parents could enlighten her.

Jasper snorted. "As if anyone would trust you with the care of an animal." He had watched with an amused expression the whole time, glad that his sister had once again proved him right. She didn't care about animals, she didn't even care what kind of animal their parents would grant her, as long as they would dance to her pipe and she would get her way once again.

"Jasper -," Esme started to rebuke, but got interrupted by Maddie, who shouted, "Listen Emo, my pet is none of your freakin' business, so sod off!"

Esme gasped. "Madeline!"

"Why can't you realise that no animal whatsoever would willingly be near you? You are so selfish!" Jasper remarked.

"And you are so full of yourself that you don't realise when you are not wanted!"

"Children, enough!" Carlisle's voice stopped his two squabblers from having a full-blown shouting match. "Jasper, please go upstairs, we would like to continue our conversation with Madeline alone. And you," he added while facing Maddie, "watch your mouth."

Jasper trotted out of the room, while Maddie sat up straighter now. She was curious what her parents were planning for her.

"Madeline. We would like to make a compromise."

"A compromise? Like ... we get a dog, but it won't be just mine, but he'll belong to all of us?" she asked, slightly confused.

"No. You won't get a dog, a cat, a hamster, a ... naked mole rat, or a bird. Stop asking for any of these."

Maddie tilted her head to the side. How could there be a compromise if she wouldn't get any of these? What else was there? "I don't understand."

"Madeline, we would like to grant you your wish. Well, a suitable compromise would be to let you have fish."

Huh. Maddie looked utterly perplexed, before asking in an are-you-shitting-me tone of voice, "Fish? !"

"Yes, a fish tank." Carlisle nodded his head and leaned back in his armchair, crossing his legs.

Maddie's eyes narrowed visibly. She shot out of her seat, stomped noisily out of the living room and up the stairs - without uttering a single word.

Her parents looked at each other, quite confused about her sudden leave, then flinched when they heard something shatter.

Maddie had punched her flatscreen TV out of fury and the broken pieces were now littering the floor of her room.

No need to say that Carlisle grounded her for that, and she certainly wouldn't be getting a new TV anytime soon.

I had to shorten this chapter, because the rest hasn't been proofread yet. Sorry. Can't get myself to do it right now.

My dog has been put to sleep today and I am extremely sad ... I guess. Actually I am feeling kinda numb inside right now - maybe it takes a while to realise that he is indeed gone.

Just to let you know: The last couple of days had been really tough, so I wasn't in the mood for writing ... or anything else for that matter. It might take a while until I'll update again.

Funny that I chose this time to write about pets...

Well, would be cool if you review this chapter anyways. And I apologise for any mistakes you might find.