Chapter 6 – The Fold

"Please, dad!" Edward fell to his knees before my desk. "Give me one more chance! I'll do anything to stay with you. Don't kick me out!"

Bella's plan was for us to ignore him until he came around, but I took it a few steps further. She didn't like it, but she understood. She trusted me despite the fact that she hated what had to be done. I think she only finally agreed to go along with it because she knew that I didn't want to force my first-born son to leave. She knew that I merely wanted to give Edward a wake-up call.

I determined to follow through with my plan because Edward had not given me any indication that he was actually sorry he had put Bella through all that he had done to her or that he planned on any real change. I had to remain stoic for my little sweet pea.

"I'm sorry, but you have my decision, Edward. You may stay until the morning to explain this to Bella, but then, you will have to leave." I answered him, though it tore me up on the inside to say such a thing to my son, especially when I added, "This means you must vacate the area, as you will no longer be afforded the protection of the treaty since you are no longer part of the family. Say your goodbyes to her in the morning, and be on your way."

"I'll take her with me." He nodded to himself. "She'll come if I ask her."

"I've already talked to her, and she has agreed to stay with us." I told him.

"How am I supposed to protect her if I can't be anywhere near her?" He asked me incredulously.

"Her protection is no longer your responsibility." I informed him, remaining as business-like as possible.

"You are quite literally throwing her to the wolves, Carlisle." His eyes begged me to see his point of view, which he considered the only reasonable conclusion.

"No, Edward, I am protecting my little sweet pea from an abusive relationship." I told him, trying to keep the accusation out of my voice.

"ABUSIVE?!" He yelled at me, once again standing and looking as if he were going to attack me for even thinking such a thing about him.

I said nothing, but I couldn't keep the thoughts of Bella sobbing out of my mind. She had nearly no recourse against Edward when he protected her. He professed to be concerned for her safety, but he seemed to care very little for her emotional well-being. He did anything and everything in his power to watch her at all times. He was stronger, faster, and had supernatural gifts that made it easier for him to force her to do things. He may have left no physical marks on her body, but he was both controlling and manipulative. Though I believed that it was out of jealousy, Edward said he was doing it for her safety, afraid that Jacob might lose his temper. Alas, even if his motives had been pure, I was worried that Edward might cause all of Bella's uniqueness to disappear with his callousness. Who could say which was worse, losing your temper or calculatingly forcing your beloved to bend to your will?

"I'm worse." Edward whimpered as he sank all the way down to the ground, hanging his head in his hands. "I've been abusing her! I am a soulless monster!"

Edward broke down into gut-wrenching sobs. I made my way over to him and put my arms around him, no longer mistrustful of him, relieved that I didn't have to take this tough love any further. I had been prepared to actually throw him out, but I was thrilled, and somewhat surprised that he finally began to see the light. I had no hesitation showing him affection. I didn't believe that he could fake this level of regret.

"I have been so jealous of Jacob and pretended that I was concerned for Bella's safety, but I really have done nothing but hurt her." He cried. "Do you think she'll ever forgive me?"

"Yes, son, I do." I told him, holding him tightly.

"Will you?" He asked nervously, and more quietly.

"Of course." I assured him, kissing the top of his head. "But if you're going to stay, then that means..."

He knew exactly what I was talking about. He was in for a spanking that he wouldn't soon want to repeat.

"I'm ready, dad." He stood up out of my arms and walked to the couch where he waited for me.

"Bella is sleeping right now, Edward." I sort of laughed at him as I joined him, directing him to sit on the couch with me. "We can have this particular discussion tomorrow after she goes home."

"May I go to her?" He asked me hopefully.

"In a little while. We need to discuss a few things first." I assured him. "First, I assume you'll be giving Bella a full apology as soon as she wakes?" I raised my eyebrows sternly at him.

"Yes, dad." He nodded. "And I'm sorry..." He began sobbing again, but I knew that was meant as an apology to me.

Esme, no longer able to contain herself, ran into the room and embraced Edward from the other side. Quite frankly, I was surprised that she lasted as long as she did.

"You're grounded, by the way." Esme told him, reminding me of the promise we made to Bella, shocking Edward and me. It was the first time, after eighty-five years of being his mother, that Esme dared to give Edward any sort of punishment.

"The point of the harsh grounding was to show him how he made Bella feel." I, ironically, tried to lessen the punishment Esme was giving him.

"I realized that. He understands that he was wrong to hurt Bella that way, but I'm not sure he fully grasps the way he has hurt everyone else." Esme told me, but looked at Edward.

"That's true." I nodded in agreement. "For one, you once again convinced Alice to manipulate Bella..."

"But you're giving me a... you know... for that tomorrow." Edward interrupted, looking hopeful that I would consider that matter closed.

"Your impending spanking is in regards to the direct order you disobeyed and the promise you broke." I gave him a pointed look, reminding him of what he had agreed to during our last discussion.

"Yes, sir," He ducked his head in shame as he saw my thoughts on the matter.

"You are grounded because you lied to Jasper, bribed your sister, and participated in deceiving your mother." I explained to him.

"Did you tell Alice to lie to me, Edward?" Esme looked hurt at the thought of her baby conspiring to deceive her.

"Yes ma'am." His head ducked even lower, ashamed that he had disappointed his mother.

"Do you know how hurt Bella was by that?" My beautiful, selfless wife asked, not mentioning how devastated she herself had become at the thought of Bella no longer trusting her.

He winced as he saw through our minds the gut-wrenching sadness Bella went through because she thought that Esme had betrayed her.

"I'm sorry, mom." He barely whispered to her.

"Two weeks, Edward." She pulled his chin so that he was looking her in the eye. "No piano, no music, and a hand-written apology to me, Jasper, Bella, and your father."

I knew that Esme was letting him off light, but I was very proud that my wife had finally put her foot down with him. I didn't add to her punishment for two reasons. First, I didn't want her to feel like I was over-running her wishes, and second, I couldn't take his car or phone because he needed those things to keep my little sweet pea safe.

He nodded slightly to let me know he appreciated my thoughtfulness and discretion.

"Yes ma'am." He answered her respectfully.

I knew that even if Esme wasn't currently worrying that Edward would hate her, she would be later. I silently begged him to hug her and tell her that he didn't hold any hard feelings toward her for having to punish him.

"I love you, mama." He quickly embraced his mother.

"Oh, Edward!" She cried, holding him tightly. "I love you too, baby."

"I'm really sorry, mom." He told her. "I shouldn't have taken advantage of you."

"I forgive you, baby." She rubbed his back.

"You may go lie with Bella now, Edward." I told him when they finally broke apart. "But if she doesn't want you there when she awakens, you are to leave and give her space."

"Yes sir." He nodded and quickly left for Bella's room.

Not surprisingly, Bella was overjoyed that Edward had come around so quickly, and she immediately forgave him.

Edward took Bella home the next day but came back with her not very long after supposedly going to her house to drop her off. I silently questioned him as to why he brought her to witness his punishment, but he very quickly explained his reasoning. Apparently, a vampire had visited her house while she was here with us.

Bella was very frightened, and quite frankly, so was I. I so badly wanted to bring her here permanently to protect her.

Edward and I discussed his upcoming discipline privately, and for the sake of Bella's peace of mind, we decided to put off his spanking. Tonight, Bella didn't want to be without Edward. She was terrified to be alone, and Edward agreed to forgo his discipline a little longer for her sake.

Sunday afternoon, Edward called me and told me that he had arranged a baby-sitter. I disliked that term, but he told me that Bella had come up with the term, understanding that it was necessary, but still hating the need for it. I was absolutely shocked that her baby-sitter was going to be Jacob. It confirmed my belief in him. I still planned on blistering his backside, but I was very relieved that he had changed his attitude that landed him in so much trouble in the first place.

While the others stepped out to hunt, Edward met me in my study. I was already seated on my couch waiting for him when he stepped in. He wore pajama pants, I assumed, to give me easier access. I was impressed with his high level of compliance.

"To paraphrase your earlier sentiments, let's get this over with." I told him with a sigh, directing him to lie across my lap.

"I don't suppose I could talk you into allowing me to bend over the desk?" Edward asked but giving me a look that told me he already knew the answer.

"I know that you have been very cooperative, but..." I trailed off, finding it very hard to actually go through with the planned punishment, now that Edward had finally broken.

Edward chuckled at my thoughts, but dropped his pants and bent over my legs. I debated allowing him to keep his boxers up but Edward interrupted my thoughts.

"Just do it, dad." Edward surprised me by trying to talk me into spanking him on the bare. He had to take a few breaths to attempt to speak clearly, but he still his voice was thick with emotion. "I can't abuse her.

"Please keep me from even thinking about hurting her again." He sobbed.

I could feel the pain he was putting himself through. I couldn't allow him to feel this way any more. I quickly pulled his boxers down and landed the first hard swat.

Unlike most of my spankings with Edward, he cried out on the first smack. Although I was swinging very forcefully, I doubted it was merely from the pain in his backside. He had been living in turmoil since he finally realized how wrong he had been. I disliked putting off his spanking so long, but we both understood why it was necessary.

Since his will had already broken in my office two days ago, I had to focus purely on the pain he had caused my sweet pea. Most of the time when I disciplined my children, I could focus on reaction and gauge their attitude and determine when the punishment should end, but I couldn't do that this time. As I continued peppering his bottom, I let my thoughts stray to Bella giving up and deciding to become a shadow of her true self. I saw what could have been. If she had continued down that path, she would have become Edward's puppet. Her heart was so tied to his that she couldn't give him up. Edward choked out a particularly loud sob at that thought.

I found it ironic that he was worried about changing her, fearing she would forfeit her soul, but not two days ago, he did everything in his power to suppress her very nature, her compassion and kindness, everything that made up her soul. He was willing to corrupt it to keep her away from her best friend. Did he have so little faith in her?

"I trust her!" He shouted in response to my thoughts. "I don't trust him!"

Apparently this spanking had caused Edward to become spontaneously honest, or maybe he just needed to get this off his chest. Whatever the reason, I decided to run with it.

"No, Edward." I added an extra-hard smack to his upper thighs. "Bella trusts Jacob, but you refuse to trust her judgement. What has she done to deserve your mistrustfulness?"

"She's too trusting!" He screamed out. For the sake of his backside, it was a very good thing he didn't say because she snuck away from him to see Jacob. She had only done that in response to his controlling behavior.

"That's right, she's too trusting." I repeated his words back to him sarcastically. "You are the accomplished liar." I admonished him striking his thighs once again. "It seems ironic to me that after all that you have put her through, she still trusts you, but you can't afford her the same courtesy she has without a single thought always given you.

"In fact, I would wager that until this disagreement, your entire relationship with Bella has been on your terms." I continued to punish him. "Her self-esteem is so low that she has given you everything you asked for, and then some because she's never felt worthy of you. What have you done to show her that she is wrong? Nothing... in fact, your refusal to trust her has nearly destroyed her."

At those thoughts, I began increasing the force behind my strokes.

"I swear, dad!" He screamed out at my thoughts. "I'll show her."

"You'll learn to trust her?" I asked, punctuating my question with an especially hard swat.

"Yes!"

"And you'll allow her to have some say in your relationship, do things you don't approve of?"

"Yes!" He sobbed, completely devastated.

I turned my thoughts back to Bella and decided that she wouldn't want me to drag this out. I tipped Edward forward on my lap and battered his poor upper thighs with such force that he would definitely have a hard time sitting for the next few days.

"It's over, Edward. Your forgiven." I assured him.

After he had finished crying, he sat next to me on the couch, wincing as his rear-end made contact with the cushions.

"Tell me where I should start." he begged me, not wanting to accidentally fall back into his former habits.

"You've made a nice start by working things out with Jacob." I praised him. "I am very impressed with your attitude about the bonfire she went to tonight. It couldn't have been easy to let her go without an argument."

"She's agreed to be as safe as she can with him." He sighed, resigned to sit on the sidelines while Bella maintained her friendship with Jacob.

"Speaking of safety, I had been meaning to ask you about the helmet and jacket you bought to get Bella grounded." I asked, not accusing him, just wondering.

"Oh, hmmm, yeah..." He stammered, clearly thinking that he was still in trouble.

"No, no, Edward, you're all done, son. You're forgiven." I assured him. "I was merely hoping you could put them to good use and give them to Bella instead of ratting her out to Charlie."

This could prove to show Bella that he trusted her, yet at the same time wanted to keep her safe. It was a good compromise.

"Meaning you want her to wear them if she is going to ride with Jacob or anyone?" He smiled, thinking that was a great idea. "Absolutely."