"Esme, what happens when Rosalie or Edward is giving you constant backtalk, then throws a childish temper tantrum and breaks something out of anger?"

Carlisle's question hung in the air, and the doctor waited for his wife's answer.

"That's different," Esme replied with shifty eyes, then turned her head to the side so her mate wouldn't be able to see the nervousness that she was sure was showing in her eyes.

Carlisle shook his head as he was already used to his mate's irrational arguments when one of her babies was in trouble with him. But they both handled situations like this the same and it didn't matter which one of their children acted out as they wouldn't tolerate it from any of them. "No, it's not."

She wheeled around and looked at him with wide eyes. "Carlisle, you know that Jasper isn't himself lately!"

Seeing that she was still not done fighting like a lioness for her cub, he squinted his eyes shut and rubbed a hand over his forehead. He was feeling a little tired and frustrated, not just because of his son's defiance, but also because his wife refused to accept the facts and suddenly decided that their empathic son deserved special treatment and should not be subject to the same punishments his siblings would receive.

"We just talked about that, Esme. I know that he's troubled, it's obvious even though he tries to hide it from us, but that doesn't allow him to ignore the rules and act as he pleases. We are-"

"You are just making it worse," she accused. "How can he possibly deal with the situation and his emotions when you discipline him?"

"Listen to me Esme: I didn't do it to make matters worse. I only reminded him of the rules, because he still needs consistency and guidance. When-"

She huffed. "But not like that!"

"Esme, you know that it had nothing to do with him not talking about what happened at the lake. You told me what had taken place between the boys this afternoon, and I wanted him to tell me why he had stormed into Edward's room and threatened him. He gave me ridiculous answers. When I ask a question, I expect them to tell me the truth."

"What if he spoke the truth and you punished him just because you didn't believe him?" she asked, sounding horrified, before she threw her hands in the air. "My poor boy!"

"Love, please take a deep breath, calm down and sit with me. I cannot have a proper conversation with you when you are yelling at me and refuse to hear me out."

Esme gasped and took a step back. "I'm not yelling at you, Carlisle," she said, looking stunned.

A low chuckle came from his chest. "I must have heard wrong then. Come, take a seat and let me tell you what happened."

She nodded, then headed for the bed and sat down. Carlisle sunk down next to her, then turned a little to face her. Their knees touched.

"He wasn't being honest with me. I know for a fact that he wasn't."

Scrunching up her face, she queried, "What makes you think that? What if-"

"He told me that he felt like hurting Edward, because he was the weakest member of the coven."

Her eyes grew as big as saucers as she stared at him.

"Would that make any sense concerning the situation? He was so nonchalant when he said that, but at the same time asked for punishment. To me that makes no sense at all."

"Why would he say something like that? He hadn't just suddenly decided to pick a fight with his brother, they have been acting odd for a few days now."

"Exactly. And because I refused to believe this silliness, I sent him to his room to do some more thinking before he could come find me again and tell me the truth. Do you think that was a mistake, that I wasn't being fair with him?"

"No," she replied and let out a sigh. "No, I would have done the same. In fact, I have done the same before you came home."

"He refused to leave my study and was determined to stay until he would receive punishment. But as long as I don't know what had taken place that afternoon between our two boys, I won't take any action concerning their behaviour. And so he told me the same nonsense again."

"Oh."

"I gave him a few warning swats, and then he did as he was told and went to his room."

She just looked at him and he wasn't sure if she was waiting for him to go on or if the realisation that he had not 'made it worse' was making her keep quiet now.

"Anything you would have handled differently?" Carlisle asked her. "Have I been too harsh with the boy?"

"Not at that point, no," she admitted softly.

He snorted. "Esme, I'm sure you already know what happened after that. He was mad that he didn't get what he wanted and destroyed the lamp. When I asked him how and why the item ended up lying in pieces all over the stairs, he gave me insolent answers despite me warning him about the consequences, and then he told me I could clean up the mess that he created," he told her as the scene played out in his mind again and he heard Jasper talk to him like that. He was suddenly reminded of Rosalie when she was in one of her moods...

"And then you spanked him," she concluded as that's what she had witnessed when she entered the room just minutes ago.

"Yes."

"He was protesting loudly before I came upstairs."

"That I am aware of," the doctor told her. He hadn't expected anything else. The way Jasper was behaving, it had already been clear to him that he certainly wasn't going to accept being put across his lap.

Esme let out a long sigh and rubbed a hand over her face. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, Carlisle."

He leaned back and blinked at her. "Oh, you yelled at me? I didn't notice."

"Carlisle," she groaned, then looked sideways at her mate who just smiled at her. "I want to apologise about that... I'm just so worried about our boy that I can't even think straight."

Placing an arm around her shoulders, he gave her a soft kiss on her temple before he pulled her close. She let her head rest on his shoulder and took a deep breath, feeling her mate's scent calm and comfort her.

"We both are, love, but I can assure you that it'll be fine."

"How do you know?"

He reached out and took her hand in his, squeezing it lightly. "Because our two children didn't find us just to leave again when things becomes a little trying. I do think each one of them trusts us as their parents to help them overcome any difficulties, even if it might take a while."

"I hope so."

"Don't worry too much. We'll just take one step at a time. Today we'll see to it that the situation between Jasper and Edward is resolved and-"

Carlisle didn't finish the sentence as raised voices and angry yelling met their ears and made them snap their heads around to look at the window. They got up from the bed immediately and hurried over to see what was going on, even though that wasn't really necessary – it sounded like Jasper and Edward were both outside, shouting and snarling at each other.

Something about the look in Edward's eyes annoyed Jasper. Or maybe it was his sheer presence.

Edward was just standing there and gazed at him, but to Jasper it somehow felt like he was trying to provoke him.

Why was he here? Why was Esme here? Had he led her here?

It was hard to guess his true motivation. Since he had pushed him until he got the desired reaction, it would make sense if he just wanted to listen in on his punishment now.

He still wasn't sure if Edward was seeking revenge for what he had done to Rose... Rose and Edward couldn't endure each other's presence for too long. They yelled at each other, bothered each other, made snide remarks and even ratted each other out at times. But despite their differences, they were siblings. Rose had been the first newborn that Carlisle and Esme had raised together, and Edward was the big brother who had helped taking care of her. So even though it looked like they didn't get along at all, he could feel that deep down they loved and respected each other... every once in a while.

So was he really here to check if he got what he deserved for this?

Or was this just because he had almost attacked him and because Esme had smacked him for turning on his music again? Edward was quite the sulky person, prone to bear grudges and admittedly quite awkward at times... so if he was only here to see if he got punished for that, then it was not fair in the least.

Whenever Edward was in trouble, everyone had to leave the house. He had the feeling that it wasn't just about Carlisle wanting privacy to talk to the culprit – no. Edward couldn't stand having someone overhear how Carlisle dealt with him when he had acted out again.

Probably because he cried like a little girl...

But now he was here, that bastard.

Jasper was convinced that he had wanted to listen, but too bad for him Esme had obviously upset his plans.

He was the one who constantly interfered in their affairs, and now he had even managed to get him in trouble and wanted to watch and listen because he was so childish and spiteful.

Annoyance turned to anger.

But as he stood there, narrowing his eyes dangerously at Edward, the bronze-haired boy seemed to be completely unfazed by that and just nodded his head to the side.

Jasper frowned at him, until he realised what exactly Edward wanted from him.

He had just asked him to come out into the backyard.

To talk, to fight? For what?!

He wasn't sure if he should do it, he really had no idea what to do. Since Carlisle and Esme had told him to wait downstairs, he was actually planning on doing that, but admittedly, he was curious what Edward wanted him to come out for. And as Carlisle and Esme were still busy arguing upstairs - because of him, of course - he felt that a little distraction from the guilt would be a nice break. Maybe that idiot had an idea how to get them to calm down.

Letting out a deep sigh and raking his fingers through his blonde hair in agitation, he then marched off to the adjoining room. Before he put his hand on the door handle to open the door however, he stopped for a moment and held his breath as he recollected what had happened and what was going on at that exact moment.

Carlisle and Esme were still not done upstairs, and while he couldn't hear raised voices anymore, he was sure that they were still having a serious conversation. Because of him.

He lifted his head and as he looked through the large glass window of the door, he could again see Edward. The boy tried to keep his face void of any emotions while he was looking back at him and Jasper noticed that he had still not moved from his spot by the trees.

Trying to decipher whether this was just a trap to get him in even deeper trouble, Jasper made use of his gift. He could feel that his brother wasn't as nonchalant or spiteful as he thought he would be now, but what he was truly feeling he did not know. Carlisle and Esme were sending him a lot of chaos that kept his ability busy.

It wasn't surprising that he absolutely hated it when he was already feeling on edge and then having so many different emotions thrown at him. While he had still fed on humans, he had his talent under control and had been able to influence others to his liking, feel what they were feeling or just switch it off completely... but now he was powerless and weak.

Again he started to doubt himself. Not just because of his lack of control over his bloodlust... he just doubted himself, everything about himself, and even his ability. Everything was going downhill, he couldn't do anything right and it was just getting worse.

Edward shook his head.

With a frown, Jasper's eyes focussed on him again and he tried to understand why in the world the boy would still read his mind. That was probably the most disrespectful thing he could do, especially after what had happened today, but he was still determined to finish what he had started, it seemed.

Glancing at the ceiling as though he could see right through it and check if their parents would notice his departure, he realised - more with the help of his gift than by just listening - that they would not hear a thing.

So while his eyes darkened, he opened the door, feeling the slight breeze from outside brush his face and tickle his nose with the smells of blooming flowers, fresh cut grass… and Edward.

The mindreader walked towards him now, his eyes locked onto his, and they met on the porch.

"We need to-"

"What are you doing here? What do you want?!" Jasper hissed, keeping his voice low enough so that they would hopefully not be overheard.

"I never meant for this to happen. Carlisle and Esme are arguing because of-"

"Because of me. I know that's what you wanted to say, isn't it? Why are you back so early? You have no right to be here."

Edward sighed and suddenly the look on his face turned pained. "I couldn't let this injustice go on."

For a split second, Jasper was dumbfounded before he found his voice again. "Is that so? Then what do you call this?" he queried and motioned to his bedroom upstairs. The window was tilted, and they could hear Esme snap at Carlisle right at that moment. Esme, who was only here because Edward had somehow convinced her to head home again and make everything worse.

"You are not to blame for anything," the younger vampire said, and it sounded like he was really believing that.

Jasper laughed without humour. "You kept that fact well hidden from them."

"I am trying to help you, can't you see it?"

Once again the blonde soldier looked perplexed. "Help? No, I fail to see it. If that is your idea of help, then you better refer from helping me in the future. Feeling the urge to rip you apart is not helping me."

"You misunderstood."

"I misunderstood your constant interferences? Your listening in on my thoughts? I don't think so."

"I wasn't trying to anger you, Jasper, I wanted to help you see."

Now that was unbelievable. He stood here, having the nerve to tell him that he was so much wiser and had decided to make it his duty to help him - the weak, pathetic, stupid Jasper - to see what was really going on here.

"I could break your arm off right now, maybe that would help you see that I am not interested in what you call help. Leave me alone," he growled, then turned on the spot and was determined to head back into the house and wait until Carlisle and Esme would come downstairs to tell him what was in store for him now.

"It's Alice."

With the speed of a lightning bolt, Jasper spun back around and his eyes blazed. "What about Alice? What does she have to do with anything, huh?"

"Ask her," Edward told him with a tilted eyebrow.

Jasper's eyes turned as black as coal and his hands balled into tight fists.

There was fear in Edward's eyes now at seeing how angry his brother truly was, and his breath caught in his throat.

But luckily for him, Jasper somehow managed to keep his emotions in check. Instead of punching him, he took a step toward him and raised a warning finger as he bared his teeth. "Stay away from my wife. Leave us alone or I will snap your neck quicker than you can scream for help," he snarled at him.

Edward took a step back and held his hands up in a placating manner. "I wasn't trying to-"

"Shut up, you liar!"

Now it seemed that even Edward had trouble keeping his temper even. He huffed angrily at being called a liar, obviously losing his patience with his empathic brother. "No, I won't and I am not lying! You are so determined to suffer for things that you are not to blame for and you refuse to see what's really going on. Open your eyes, you idiot!"

"What do you know? Just because you are able to hear thoughts doesn't mean that you understand them! Stop trying to get involved all the time, this doesn't concern you! ... you idiot!"

Unable to deal with this heavy sense of rage and frustration, Edward pulled his hair as he growled, "Whatever happens in my family concerns me!"

"Are you-"

Right in the heat of the discussion, neither of the boys noticed what was happening around them.

Only the loud clearing of a throat made them stop yelling at each other and turn around to see who or what had interrupted them. Esme stood with her mouth agape, while Carlisle had his arms crossed over his chest and had a very, very displeased look on his face.

"What has gotten into you boys?!" Esme queried, seemingly drawn between shock and anger. She couldn't stand arguments, even though she herself had just spent what felt like hours arguing with her husband about poor Jasper. Her mate had managed to calm her down and explain to her what had driven him to take more drastic measures than just sending the boy to his room to do some thinking - and now she regretted having interrupted the punishment. Jasper, as well as Edward, had disobeyed them and it even looked like they were about to fight.

And just like that, neither Edward nor Jasper said a word. Instead, they glared at the ground like it was to blame for everything.

Carlisle and Esme obviously felt their anger towards each other as Jasper wasn't exactly trying his hardest not to project. And the boys' clenched jaws and tense shoulders told them more than they needed to know.

"What is going on here?" Carlisle asked as his sons kept their mouths firmly shut and refused to enlighten them about their second disagreement today.

"Look at me when I am talking to you."

They lifted their heads but still didn't reply, like they were waiting for the other one to explain the situation.

That could take forever...

"Maybe we shouldn't have moved here," the coven leader suddenly said and shook his head. "This secluded place is so quiet, it appears to make both of you deaf."

They didn't say anything, but continued to look at him like they had been caught smoking behind the bleachers and now needed to come up with a damn good excuse.

"You," Carlisle went on and pointed at his blonde son, "were supposed to wait downstairs for us, while you," he said and moved his finger so it was directed at Edward, "have been told to wait over there, by the trees."

Still, they seemed to be hibernating, because they didn't move and they sure as hell didn't utter a single word of apology or backtalk or just an embarrassed laugh. Nothing.

"So?"

Jasper straightened his back – not meant as provocation or defiance, but as respect – while Edward bit his lip and dropped his eyes back to the ground.

Seeing that they were not making any progress, Carlisle grew slightly exasperated and impatient with his two sons. "Inside," he said and pointed to the open door.

He sighed and thanked the heavens that their ears were fine as they quickly started moving at hearing this order.

Carlisle and Esme stepped to the side to let their sons pass, then nodded to each other before they followed after them and entered the house.

While Carlisle closed the door, Esme led the boys over into the living room where she motioned for them to take a seat on the couch.

Just a moment later and Carlisle entered, stopping next to his wife and immediately folding his arms again. "Explain yourselves. Let's start with... hm... Jasper."

But even though the soldier was looking at him, he did not tell him what he wanted to hear.

As seconds went by, Carlisle realised that his son was still not cured of his defiance.

"Ignoring a direct question is considered disrespect, son." Maybe that would help him see how his current behaviour was perceived.

Jasper cleared his throat. "I disobeyed you, Sir."

True... but not what Carlisle wanted to hear.

"What would be more interesting is why you disobeyed us."

Glancing at his brother sitting next to him, he swallowed and lifted his eyes to meet his father's who was waiting for an explanation. "I got mad when I saw Edward standing there and wanted to finish what I had started," he replied, his voice even and cold.

Edward whipped his head to the side to stare at him in disbelief. "No, you didn't!" he protested with a frown.

Immediately a growl rumbled in Jasper's chest, loud enough for Edward to hear, but almost too low for their parents to perceive.

Almost.

"What was that, Jasper?" Carlisle asked and squinted his eyes at him, waiting for an answer. "Care to add something?"

"I think I know best why I went outside," he snapped, his anger about Edward's intrusion into his mind clearly showing. It wasn't the smartest thing to allow his brother's behaviour to get to him right now, but he felt stressed and it had just slipped out.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Then maybe you should tell them why."

Jasper tightened his jaw and shook his head at Edward as his eyes narrowed into slits.

When Carlisle put his hands on his hips, his sons knew that he was expecting them to stop talking to each other and give him some answers instead.

"I asked him to come outside," Edward admitted and glanced at his father.

"And why did you do that, Edward?"

"To apologise," he murmured.

Taking in a sharp breath, Jasper shot out of his seat and glared at his brother. "You did not apologise to me and that's not why I came outside!"

"Yes, I did. You're just not listening!" Edward replied before a growl of frustration left his lips.

It was immediately answered by a growl from Jasper.

"Boys," Carlisle warned. "Enough."

Luckily they stopped growling as quickly as they had begun, and while Jasper took a deep breath to calm his ragged nerves, Edward scooted forward on the couch and focussed on his father.

"But-" "Edward, do you think it's wise to talk back to me now?"

That shut him up.

Running his hand through his hair, Carlisle gave a deep sigh. "Perhaps it's a good thing we have both of you in the room now. What happened earlier today involved both of you after all, and so I'd like to get to the bottom of this."

Esme nodded in agreement. Seeing that they both had been close to fighting again, she wanted to know what's going on and help the boys smooth down their differences.

"It's obvious that you have your difficulties with each other at the moment, so we would like to know what exactly is bothering you and why you think fighting would solve the problem instead of trying to talk about it like the young adults we know you can be."

Carlisle looked in between his sons and noticed how the tension in the room was not as heavy anymore when Esme placed a hand on Jasper's back and gave it a gentle rub. But the boys just looked around the room like he hadn't spoken, and he had enough. He realised that he needed to address them directly, but since Jasper preferred to let his imagination run free and tell him God knows what, he chose to ask his first born about his part in this mess.

"Did you provoke your brother, Edward?"

The mindreader swallowed, perplexed by the straightforward question, then glanced at Jasper standing next to him and dropped his gaze to the floor. "I did," he whispered.

Jasper's eyes widened at that revelation. He obviously would have never expected the boy to admit to something that would earn him unpleasant consequences.

"And when he stormed into your room you realised that you had gone too far."

"Yes, Sir."

Carlisle looked at him with narrowed eyes. He always did that when he wasn't sure if he could believe someone. His children knew that he detested lying, but that didn't keep them from trying anyways. This time he doubted that his son was telling him a lie, but still, he chose to wait a moment and see if Edward would squirm or look away.

But the bronze haired adolescent held his gaze.

"Esme," Carlisle said while he kept his eyes locked on Edward's, "would you mind taking Jasper on a hunt? Just for an hour or two."

The petite woman felt her heart constrict as she knew full well what was awaiting her son now. However, she was not going to interfere, not this time.

"Yes, Carlisle," she agreed, then gave Jasper a soft pat on the back to make him come with her. He turned around and allowed his mother to guide him from the room, and as soon as they reached the foyer, he could hear Carlisle speak again.

"Edward? Follow me."

I swear this was the shittiest rough draft I ever had to work with. I must have been asleep when I wrote that, because I really have no other explanation for it... scratch that, I just blame Edward. When in doubt, blame Edward. Rule No. 1, yup.

*teehee*

But it did turn into a chapter, and I'm relieved :-)

Hope it wasn't too bad and see you next time! Thanks for reading and reviewing!