A/N: I struggled with Eleazar's punishment in this one. But then I read Asia1990's review and I was hit with inspiration! Thank you for being my muse. You're awesome! This chapter is dedicated to you! :)

Also, a special thanks to Gabrielle Vandenbergh for being the 200th reviewer of this story!

Enjoy xoxo

– Bella's POV –

"Unhand me, you brute!" Carlisle demanded as he was carried onto the baseball field and dumped unceremoniously at Aro's feet.

"Carlisle," Aro hissed. "You, my old friend, have a lot to answer for!"

"What are you doing here?" Carlisle demanded. "Where is my Edward? Edward! Edward!"

"What you ever saw in this pathetic lump, Aro, I can't begin to imagine!" Caius hissed.

"I'm starting to wonder, myself," Aro murmured. "Come, old friend, will you allow me to read you? I think that'll be for the best, get it all out, unburden yourself once and for all, yes?"

Carlisle scampered away from Aro. "Where is my Edward? I demand to see him! That girl," he pointed to me, "has stolen him from me! He is mine!"

"I already know what she's done, Carlisle," Aro stated, stepping forward. Once again, he offered his hand. "Now I wish to hear your side of the story."

Carlisle hesitated for a moment, then slowly placed his hand in Aro's.

It seemed to take a lot longer for him to read Carlisle than when he read me. Although, I guess that makes sense. Carlisle is a lot older. There's more to read.

Plus, he's got to sift through all the crazy, homophobia, lies, and manipulations.

"Hmm. Interesting," Aro mused. "Isabella, my dear, may I read Edward?"

"Of course." I grabbed Edward's head and handed it off to one of the guards who placed it in Aro's hands.

"Oh, dear," he sighed, shaking his head.

"What is it, Aro?" Marcus asked.

"Nothing good. For the record, is Carlisle mated to Edward?"

"No," Marcus answered immediately. No hesitation. "Carlisle is mated to Eleazar, but their bond is tremendously weak. The bond is much stronger on Eleazar's side. He's accepted it. On Carlisle's side, it's barely a flicker. It could easily be extinguished to allow Eleazar to move on and find a new partner."

"Hmm." Aro nodded.

"You're wrong!" Carlisle snarled. "I am not mated to Eleazar. He is my friend. Nothing more. There will never be anything more between us!"

Aro ignored him. "While I'm usually reluctant to break a mating bond, it would seem both men are suffering needlessly. Carlisle, as you've just witnessed, is unwilling to finalize their bond and has been for almost two centuries."

Holy crap! Two centuries of this? If I were Eleazar, cut Carlisle loose and move on. Life has more to offer than Carlisle Cullen!

"Please," Eleazar begged, "I beg you, Aro! Please! I'll do anything!"

"Yes," Aro nodded. "I've seen that, too. You were more than willing to hand over Isabella in exchange for your mate's freedom. He has broken our most sacred laws, Eleazar! That cannot go unpunished! Did you know he purposefully kept Esme from Axel?"

"He knew?" Esme snarled. "He knew Axel and I were mated?"

"Yes," Aro nodded. "Around the forties, Carlisle visited Axel, do you remember?"

Esme nodded her head. "Yes. He and Edward went, leaving me, Rosalie, and Emmett home alone."

"We were living in Montana back then," Rosalie supplied.

Aro nodded. "And when Carlisle returned, he was eager to move . . ."

"Yeah, I remember," Emmett nodded. "We hadn't been in Montana long. A couple of months, if that."

"During their visit," Aro continued, "Axel caught Esme's scent on Carlisle. Edward saw in his mind that Axel registered the scent as his mate's. Before Axel could do anything, Edward insisted they needed to leave. On their way home, he told Carlisle what he'd seen in Axel's head. He insisted if Carlisle wanted his family to remain together, Esme could never know about Axel and Axel could never find Esme."

Esme's eyes plunged into the deepest black I've ever seen. "Is that why you had the Montana house burnt to the ground? Were you trying to fake my death, Carlisle?"

"Yes." Carlisle spat. "You are mine, Esme. I turned you. My venom flows through your veins—"

"Not anymore," Axel smirked as Esme curled around her very large mate.

With a smirk of her own, she tilted her head to the side and pulled down the collar of her pink shirt, revealing the mating mark on her throat.

"My venom now flows through my mate's veins, Carlisle. Not yours. She insisted she wanted no part of you anywhere on her body and I was only too happy to oblige my feisty little mate."

So, does that mean Jasper's venom now flows through our veins? Not Laurent's?

"Mm. It does," Jasper whispered in my ear, gently nipping my mating mark. "Mate trumps Sire every time. It's the same for me. Aro said it best; the moment we mated and claimed one another, any connection I had to Maria was severed. I'm all yers, Darlin'. Just as yer mine!"

Well, that was very sexy.

"I want him dead, Aro!" Axel snarled. "He has broken our most sacred law!"

Aro nodded his head, his eyes on Eleazar. "Did you know?" He asked, offering Eleazar his hand.

"N-No," Eleazar shook his head, vehemently. "I didn't know."

His word, sadly, wasn't going to cut it this time. There were so many lies and manipulations, Aro needed to read him to be sure.

Thankfully, this time, he was telling the truth, though it didn't look like Aro was pleased with what he'd seen in Eleazar's mind.

"You may not have known, Eleazar, but you did suspect him capable of such a thing!" Aro sighed, shaking his head. "And you believed we'd accept your heinous deal! Carlisle's life in exchange for Isabella's. We are not in the habit of imprisoning young vampires simply because their gift could be of use to us! Had Isabella come to us and offered her services or asked to join our Coven, that is a different matter. But we do not barter with the life of a young vampire! And certainly not when laws have been broken!"

"What other laws were broken, Aro?" Caius demanded.

Aro sighed and looked at me. "Would you care to share your story with those that are gathered here today, Isabella?"

I stepped out from behind Jasper and moved to his side. He took my hand in his and gave it an encouraging squeeze as I began. I told them everything, from the moment I arrived in Forks to the day the Cullens left and then Laurent's attack and my life as a vampire. Nothing was left out.

I did, however, make sure they all knew there were those within the Cullen Coven I didn't blame or hold responsible. This mess and the Cullen's disappearance from my life was down to Edward and Carlisle alone.

Emmett fought to stay with me but was ordered by his Sire and Alpha to leave.

Rosalie was never quiet about her dislike towards me. That hadn't changed. It was pretty clear we were never going to be BFFs or sisters. We could be respectful of each other and polite when it was necessary. But, honestly, neither of us had anything in common. And her obsession with me having children was going to get on my nerves pretty damn quick.

I was on the fence about Esme. When I was a human teenager, I was thrilled to have a mother figure like her. She was warm, kind, and loving. She took care of me in a way Renee never had. But then she left. Without a word. In a way, Renee never would have.

A mother who loves her child as much as Esme made you believe she loved you, would never abandon her child.

I had to agree with that. What kind of mother abandons her child? Esme said, again and again, how much she loved me, how much she wished I'd been her child, and then she was gone.

I don't think I could ever fully trust her again. At least not in the same capacity. I'm all grown up now. I do not need to be mothered. But she's still trying to mother me. No matter how much I tell her to stop, she doesn't listen. She's intent on being my mother and the future grandmother to my fictitious children.

Carmen's the same way.

As far as I can see, both women need to get a life and leave mine alone.

Hopefully, with Axel's help, Esme will learn to grow and change. Maybe she'll find herself and stop being the eternal mother.

Although, so far, he hasn't been much help in that department. Maybe when he takes her back to his Coven and we can leave Forks.

Once we leave Forks, I can't see the Whitlock Coven going out of their way to keep in touch with the former Cullen and Denali covens. Especially not when all the women insist Jasper and I have children.

A pregnancy that could potentially kill us!

Does that matter to them as long as they get a baby out of the deal?

Who knows? Who cares? It's not going to happen, no matter how much they try to convince themselves it will.

"You abandoned a human teenager with knowledge of our world!" Caius roared.

Yeah. He was pissed.

I'm pretty sure they all are. Not just the three brothers, either. The whole Coven looked furious and disgusted.

Carlisle whimpered and bowed his head. "It was Edward's decision," he insisted. "I couldn't interfere with their mating bond!"

Marcus looked between me and Edward, frowning. "Hmm."

Oh hell!

"Hmm?" I frowned. "What 'hmm'? I'm mated with Jasper!" His arm tightened around me as I shifted behind him a little more, holding onto him as if my life depended on it.

"Do not fear, child," Marcus smiled kindly, "you and Jasper are mated. Your bond is exceptionally strong. But there was a potential bond between you and Edward. It's severed now, but it could have grown to be more had he remained with you. I can't say if it would've been a mating bond. It's more likely you would have outgrown one another, especially as Edward was unwilling to turn you."

"Given time, I believe you and Jasper would've been drawn to one another, even if the Coven had stayed. Eventually, he would've figured it out and then acted accordingly. That, sadly, could've caused a whole slew of problems within the Coven had Edward refused to abandon his obsession with your blood."

"Ah, yes, her blood," Aro sighed. "I do not believe Edward ever would've turned you, my dear. It's more likely he would've killed you before he turned you. A cantante's blood cannot be denied for long. Edward, it would seem, is the exception to that rule, but, in time, he would've become desperate to taste you again."

"As it is, he went through serious withdrawals when he left you," he continued. "His change in disposition could be attributed to denying himself the chance to taste the blood that was meant for only him. In essence, his ego and desire to prove himself stronger than the rest of his Coven was his downfall!"

"What are we to do with him, Aro?" Caius asked narrowed eyes on Edward's head. "I say we burn him! He spent seven months glamouring the poor girl! It's a miracle her brain didn't liquify during the transition!"

Holy shit! Was that a possibility? Nobody told me that!

Aro sighed and nodded. "We've seen it happen before. When a mortal has been glamoured as much, or more, than Isabella, then they're put through the transition their minds can't withstand the pain. It's an awful thing to witness."

Fuck me! It's a miracle we're competent!

"Did Edward know Carlisle is Eleazar's mate?" Esme asked.

"He did," Aro nodded. "He's known since he awoke to this life and heard it in Carlisle's mind. He saw then that he'd be able to use Carlisle's desires to his advantage. It took him no time at all to begin dominating Carlisle. Though, badly. At that point, Carlisle was so desperate for an Alpha in his life, he happily bowed to Edward's every command."

"Was it sexual?" Eleazar hissed through clenched teeth. "Carlisle always refused to tell me . . ."

Aro's eyes darkened a shade. "Yes, old friend. It was."

Eleazar nodded. "Did Edward force him?"

Aro shook his head. "Carlisle was a willing participant in everything they've done together."

Huh. So, Eddie boy wasn't a virgin after all. And he and Carlisle have been having sex! All that talk about it being a sin and now we find out he's happily shagging Eddie boy!

Marcus cleared his throat. "Uh, brother, if I may?" He held out his hand and Aro drifted over to him, taking the offered hand curiously.

"Mm." He nodded. "She should be aware."

Marcus then turned to Tanya, who was still looking a little gazed. "My dear, I'm afraid to tell you, you and Edward share a mating bond. It's weaker than Eleazar and Carlisle's bond and could easily be broken . . ."

She shook her head. "It's all right, Master Marcus. I've known for years. Or, at least suspected. There's always been an attraction there, at least on my side. I felt the pull to him when Carlisle brought him into this world. I thought he was . . ." she shook her head, sighing.

"I've tried to entice him. I tried to lure him in with my succubi charms. I even tried to force him . . . but, the day he called me a filthy whore I washed my hands of him," she hissed. "I would rather be alone than mated to Edward Cullen. He deserves to rot in hell for the rest of eternity for the things he's done; not just to me and Eleazar, but Bella, Carlisle, Esme, and the whole Cullen family."

Well. I wasn't expecting that! Did you know Tanya was Edward's mate?

No. He told me she was infatuated with him, but I never suspected they could be mated!

"Very well." Aro turned toward a beautiful female with light brown hair. "Chelsea, my darling, would you please break the bond between Tanya and Edward."

"Certainly, Master." She looked between Tanya and then at Edward. "It's done. Their bond is no more."

It didn't look like it had much effect on Tanya. Maybe because the bond was so weak.

"Thank you, my dear." Aro bowed his head respectfully to the young woman then turned back to the crowd. "Edward Anthony Mason Cullen, for the crimes you have committed against your sire, your sire's mate, the Olympic Coven, your mate, another mated pair, and Isabella Swan, I, Aro Volturi, sentence you to death by fire!"

Carlisle suddenly roared at the top of his lungs. "NOOOO!"

He shot to his feet and went to lunge for Aro when, just as quickly, he dropped back into the snow-covered grass and screamed in agony as a small blonde stepped forward, her eyes locked on Carlisle's withering form.

Well damn!

"Thank you, Jane." Aro smiled at the young girl.

"You're welcome, Master." She returned his smile and stepped back.

"Chelsea, if you wouldn't mind, please sever Carlisle's bonds with Edward."

Carlisle tried to protest but all that came out were whimpers and whines from the pain Jane had just inflicted.

"It's done," Chelsea stated. "Their bond has been dissolved."

"Thank you, dear." Aro then turned to me. "Isabella, I believe you have Edward's body, might you be so kind as to burn his parts when we're done here?"

"Um, actually," I said, shocking everyone, "would you mind if I kept hold of his head and we burnt his parts now?"

"You wish to keep his head, child?" Caius looked at me, concerned.

I smiled brightly at him. "Well, see, my thought is, death is too good for him. At least a quick death. Once he's dead, that's it. It's over. It seems kinda anti-climactic to me. Maria's going to be tortured for centuries for all she's done. And I know Edward isn't as bad as she is but after all he's done death just seems . . . too quick."

Beside me, Jasper chuckled and then cleared his throat and growled out, "Isabella, tell them the truth."

I sighed. "Fine. I also want to make him into a plant pot."

With that, Caius burst out laughing. "A plant pot!"

Even Marcus, who looked like he hadn't cracked a smile in centuries, had a little titter.

"Oh, child," Caius tried to get himself under control. "I've never, in all my years, heard something so—a plant pot!" He threw his head back and laughed again.

Seems the guard has never seen the brothers laugh before, especially not Caius. They were all looking at him like he'd lost his mind.

"I think that can be arranged, my dear," Aro said, smiling. "But, as we don't want him putting himself back together and causing problems, let's burn his body now and you may keep his head."

That was fine by me. I only wanted his head.

"I have his body here!" Ali said happily, revealing the duffle bag where I'd been storing Edward's parts.

As Carlisle mumbled to himself where he lay in the snow, Edward's pieces were unceremoniously tossed into the fire by Felix. Including his tongue. There was no need to keep that! I don't need to hear him whining for however long I decide to keep his head.

Yes, I did make Edward watch as his body burned. From the look on his face, it was pure agony. But that's nothing he doesn't deserve. I'm pretty sure I saw a smile on Eleazar's face! Nobody looked all that sad to see Edward go.

"Eleazar," Aro began, "For—"

Carlisle sat up suddenly, shook his head, and whispered. "Edward. My boy. My beautiful boy."

Alice suddenly gasped. "STOP HIM!" She screamed as Carlisle jumped to his feet and raced towards the fire. Eleazar tried to tackle him, but he was thrown off. Demetri and Felix tried, too. But they weren't quick enough. Carlisle was just inches from the fire when Esme grabbed hold of his arm and spun him around into her mate.

"Aro!" Axel roared, teeth bared.

Damn. That is one scary male!

With a nod from Aro, Axel took one arm, while Esme took the other and they pulled.

"Chelsea, break Eleazar and Carlisle's bond," Aro ordered.

"No!" Eleazar screamed. "Please! No! Please, Aro!"

"You want to die with your boy, Carlisle! So be it!" Axel snarled, tossing his arm into the fire as Esme leaped into the air and savagely decapitated Carlisle with her teeth, tossing his head behind her and straight into the flames. As his body fell to the floor, Axel caught Esme in his arms, holding her tight against his chest.

"We're free," Esme whispered, reaching up to kiss her mate passionately.

As Eleazar watched Carlisle's head burn, their bond broken, he dropped into the snow and began to sob.

"For your part in this mess, Eleazar," Aro sighed, "we sentence you to a thousand years in Volterra. Chelsea will ensure your loyalty to us until your sentence is complete. For the next eighty-five years, you are not to leave the citadel. You wanted to imprison Isabella, sell her into servitude, we will do the same to you!"

Eleazar bowed his head. "Yes, Sir. I'll rejoin the guard," he said, his tone muted.

"Oh, no. I will not have you anywhere near my guard!" Caius seethed. "You'll start out working in housekeeping. I believe Edith and her crew will be thrilled to have a man join their extraordinary efforts to keep our home maintained."

"Perhaps, in time," Marcus added, "you'll work your way up to something more suitable to your skill set."

"Yes, I suppose, in a century or five . . ." Caius sneered, "it could be considered."

"Your punishment is to live, Eleazar," Aro said gently, looking down at the man on his knees. "Your mate is dead. Your bond to him has been broken. But there will be residual effects. For the next few decades, you'll suffer through the pain of losing him without all that pesky insanity and need for vengeance. In time, a lot of time, you will be able to move on with your life. Perhaps even find a mate who'll be more compatible with you."

"We do not punish you out of anger, Eleazar. But to teach." Marcus said. "To help guide. I told you, long ago, you weren't ready to leave us, that you would be back. I am sorry it is under these circumstances."

"Anyone who wishes to visit you will be able after your first eighty-five-year sentence is complete," Aro stated. "Until that time, you will have no visitors. You will not leave the castle. You will work. That is it!"

Damn good punishment, if you ask me!

With Eleazar's punishment handed out and the rest of Carlisle's body burning along with his precious Edward, it was over.

In the words of Esme, we're free!

A/N: There we have it. Just the epilogue left to go!

So, to recap! Edward's body has gone, and his head will soon become a plant pot in Bella's garden. Esme and Axel got their revenge on Carlisle! And Eleazar is spending the next thousand years working for the Volturi, starting not as a guard, but on the maintenance staff.

I think Eleazar's punishment fits better than what I previously wrote. All credit goes to Asia1990 for that one. To me, death is not a punishment. It's final. And then it's over and that's it. Some, like Vicky and Carlisle, need to die. But for others, like Eleazar, I would rather punish than kill. This way, not only does he have to live without his mate, but he's also bound to the Volturi for the next thousand years. Hopefully, in that time, he'll grow and mature. Maybe he'll learn his lesson, he might even mate again one day. Who knows?