Passing Judgment

(Carlisle's POV)

I led Rosalie, Emmett, Edward, and Martha into my study with Esme picking up the rear. As I heard Esme close the door and tell our four children to grab a seat, I went to the window in my office and watched as I saw the two newest members of our household, Alice and Jasper, run into the woods for a hunt. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of them, they were so different from each other: Alice was small and fun-loving, always dancing around everywhere. She had quickly won all of us over when she and Jasper first arrive. And then there was Jasper, who was tall and serious. He had pretty much cut himself off from the family from the very beginning. So different, yet they seemed to be designed with each other in mind. Dare I say it, their love was almost a rival to the love I felt for my Esme, or Emmett and Rosalie's love for each other.

Once Jasper and Alice were out of sight, I turned back to the rest of my family. They were all sitting in chairs in front of my desk, with Esme standing in front of them, leaning against my desk. I joined her.

"We ask all of you to come in here, because we are very disappointed in all four of you." I started.

Edward groaned, "Carlisle, it's not our fault Jasper is distant!"

"Jasper?" Martha asked, is that what this is about? Honestly, Carlisle-"

"Quiet, Martha, you will get your chance to speak, but right this moment it is mine." I said. I turned to look at Edward, "And I will thank you to stay out of my head, Edward Cullen. I have told you before that everyone deserves their privacy."

Edward and Martha both fell silent.

"Is that really what this is about, Carlisle?" Rosalie asked, "About how Jasper is acting?"

I looked at Rosalie, "If this was about Jasper's behavior, why would we have the four of you in here? No, Rosalie, this is about your behavior"

"I agree with Edward, Carlisle" Martha said. "Jasper is not trying to fit in with us. That's not our fault."

"No, but it is your fault that you are all not making an attempt to help him feel welcomed. You have all been distant from him as well." I said. "That distance is very disrespectful, and I am warning all of you now that if that disrespect doesn't change very soon, those showing the disrespect will feel the consequences, and I expect you to all apologize to Jasper for your behavior when he and Alice return."

"He could approach us if he wanted to" Martha said.

"Really, Martha?" Esme asked, "Well, you are all distancing yourselves from him, just as you are saying he is distancing himself from all of you. If he could approach you, why can't you approach him?"

"Well I…" Martha started, but then stopped and fell silent.

"That's what I thought" Esme said.

"Now, I promised you would all get a chance to say something, so if any of you have something you would like to say, you may say it now." I said, and patiently waited.

"I've said all I have to say" Edward said, "It's not our fault Jasper is distant."

Rosalie nodded, "Jasper just doesn't fit in here. He's not one of us, Carlisle"

Emmett nodded, "Yeah, I mean…Alice is great, but Jasper just doesn't try."

I looked to Martha. She looked like she was dying to say something, but at the same time, she didn't want to say it.

"Don't be shy, Martha." I prompted

Martha sighed, "I was just wondering how much longer you plan on actually carrying on with the charade of letting him stay."

I looked at Martha is surprise. "Excuse me? What makes you think this is a charade? I welcomed both Alice and Jasper into this house and family, and they may both stay in this house and family for as long as they wish."

Martha shrugged, "I just thought you were being polite. Last time I checked, your first priority was the safety of this family, but if Jasper gets to remain here, I guess not."

The entire room froze with Martha's words. Five pairs of shocked eyes locked on Martha, including my own.

Martha seemed to realize what she said and her hand flew to her mouth.

I looked at Martha, but addressed the rest of the family. "Could you all please excuse Martha and I?" Despite the wording, it was not a request, and my whole family knew it.

Rosalie gave Martha a look of sympathy, and Edward gave her a quick hug, while Emmett patted her on the back. Esme placed her hand on Martha's shoulder for a moment, but then left. She was the last one out, and closed the door behind her.

The door closing seemed to thaw Martha

"Carlisle, that came out wrong." she blurted out

"How was it suppose to come out?" I asked her mildly

"Just that….well that, Jasper has killed hundreds, maybe thousands of vampires, and has been attacked by just as many…look at the scars that cover his body. He's dangerous."

"Has he ever attacked you?" I asked

"Well no, but-"

"Has he attacked anyone in this family?"

"No"

"Have you ever seen him attack anyone?"

Martha looked down, "No"

"Do you know the circumstances that led to even one of those scars you talked about?"

Martha truly looked ashamed now. "No"

"So you just decided that since he has more scars than you, he must be dangerous"

"Well, only vampires can leave scars on us, so if he has so many-"

"You are passing judgment on him without getting to know him" I cut her off.

Martha looked down at her feet.

"Now on to the other matter, where you accused me of not putting the safety of this family first…"

"I told you, that came out wrong."

"Tell me what you meant to say, then" I said.

Martha kept silent.

"Did you mean to say I don't love my family? All of whom, until Jasper and Alice came, where my own creation?"

Martha shook her head.

"Did you mean to say I am being reckless when it comes to the lives of my family members?"

Martha shook her head again.

"Than what is it you meant to say?"

Martha's gaze was locked on the floor.

"Having difficulty figuring out what to say?" I asked her dryly. "I think that is because you really did mean what you say, you just don't want to get in trouble for saying something so disrespectful and personally insulting to me."

"I'm sorry, Carlisle."

I helped Martha to stand up, and then took her seat. She tried to back away, but I pulled her back to me. "Martha, what you said to me about not putting the safety of this family was disrespectful and insulting. Were you part of any other coven, you would probably have been torn apart and burned by now. I think a spanking is a fair trade."

"Carlisle, please…" Martha said

"No arguments, Martha. Now, if you lay over my lap on your own, you will be showing me you really are sorry for what you said, and this will be over a lot quicker.

Martha looked like if she could cry, she would be in tears by now, but she slowly lowered herself over my lap. I had her lift her hips so I could lift up her dress and bare her bottom, then adjusted her so her bare backside was in front of me.

"Martha, why are you about to get this spanking?" I asked, resting my hand on her backside

"Because I disrespected and insulted you…Carlisle, and I didn't welcome Jasper, and I am very sorry, really! I promise, it won't happen again!"

"I'm sure it won't happen again" I said, "But you have one thing wrong…I am not going to spank you for not getting on with Jasper. You are allowed to not like someone. However, you are not allowed to disrespect someone just because you don't like them. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Carlisle"

"Alright. Secondly, I am not going to spank you for being disrespectful towards Jasper, because you haven't been since I warned you, and it would be unfair to spank you for it just because I am already punishing you. However, you will apologize, just like your brothers and sister will, and if you do disrespect him, you'll be over my knee again. Understood?"

"Understood" Martha said.

"Good. Now that we have cleared all that up, tell me again…why are you being spanked?"

"Because I was disrespectful to you and insulted you by saying you didn't care about the safety of this family." Martha said.

I nodded, "That's right." I lifted my hand off her backside, and then bought it down hard on her backside.

SWAT!

"Ow!" Martha said

SWAT!

"I'm sorry!"

SWAT! SWAT!

"Eeep!"

SWAT! SWAT!

"I'm sorry!" Martha cried out, wiggling around, trying to get off my lap. I just tightened my grip on her.

SWAT! SWAT!

Martha kicked her legs out behind her.

SWAT! SWAT!

Martha started sobbing. I stopped for a moment to rub her back soothingly. "Halfway there, Martha, and then it's over, sweetheart."

Martha continued to sob, but nodded to show she understood. For the final ten swats, I decided to focus on her sit-spots, so the point would be driven home and reinforced each time she sat down for a while.

SWAT! SWAT!

Martha shrieked at the first two smacks

SWAT! SWAT!

"Please Carlisle, stop!"

SWAT! SWAT!

Martha gave up fighting, and just sobbed over my lap. I decided she had gotten the message, so I quickly drove the last four swats home quickly

SWAT! SWAT! SWAT! SWAT!

"Oh! Carlisle!!!!"

I immediately started rubbing her soothingly. "You're forgiven, Martha. You may stay over my lap as long as you need, but you may also get up when you are ready."

Martha stayed there for a moment, but then got up, and wrapped her arms around me in a hug

"I'm sorry" she said as she continued to cry

"Shh, I know little one." I said, soothing her, I then forced her to look at me. "Martha, you are fifteen years old, and I realize that means that you are still a child. I also realize that children don't always think before they speak. However, if you don't learn to control your tongue, it is going to get you in more trouble than just a sore behind from me one day."

Martha nodded, "I'll try, Carlisle. I swear I will."

I kissed her on the forehead, "Why don't you go rest for a while until Jasper and Alice get home. Then I think you have something you have to say to Jasper"

Martha nodded, "As soon as he gets home, I'll apologize."

(Martha's POV)

I had been laying on my stomach for over an hour, and my bottom was still throbbing. I reached back to rub it for what seemed like the millionth time when I heard a knock on the door to my room and heard it open. I turned by body just enough to see who was coming in. It was Alice, and she had Jasper right behind her. Alice had a look of sympathy on her face, and I knew she had had a vision of me getting spanked.

"You saw it, didn't you?" I asked her.

Alice nodded, "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, I-" I sat up and my still tender backside was on fire again. I hissed, "I brought it on myself."

Alice looked back at Jasper for a moment, and nodded. He cleared his throat.

"Alice said you wanted to speak with me." he said.

I nodded, and looked back at Alice, "She should have also seen I wanted to speak with you alone."

Alice nodded, and turned to kiss Jasper on the cheek. "I'll be in our room." With that, the little pixie was gone.

I turned to look at Jasper, "I wanted to apologize"

He looked shocked. Obviously, Alice hadn't told him what her vision had been.

"Apologize for what?"

"For how I have treated you since your arrival. I have been distant and cold to you from the first day you arrived here."

"I haven't exactly been open to you, Martha."

"I don't blame you, especially with how I behaved. If roles were reversed, I probably would have left by now."

"Well, I forgive you for how you treated me."

"Don't forgive me quite yet, because I'm not finished." I said

"What else do you have to apologize for?" he asked

"For why I was so cold….I judged you without even trying to get to know you, and I have known for a long time that that is wrong. You didn't do anything to me, so I should not have been so cold to you."

There was silence for a moment.

"Are you done now?" he asked, a small grin on his face. I think that was the first time I had seen him grin.

I nodded, a small grin on my own face.

"Then I forgive you." Jasper said.

"Thanks"

Jasper shrugged, "I could feel your sincerity and your remorse. I knew you meant it when you said you were sorry…why shouldn't I forgive you. He chuckled, "Besides, it looks as if you were punished for it…or at least, your backside was"

I looked at him in shock, "Did Alice-"

He shook his head. "Alice didn't tell me anything. She didn't have to…I grew up in the south in the 1800s, and I was not a perfect gentleman every single day of my life….I know the tell-tale signs of a punished backside."

If I was human, I would have been blushing.

"Mind if I ask if it was because of the way you treated me?"

"No, it wasn't" I said, "And I'd rather keep the reason behind it to myself."

Jasper nodded, "Alright." He turned towards his and Alice's room. He had almost made it out of his room when I called him.

"Jasper?"

He turned to look back at me, curious.

"I really look forward to getting to know you as a third brother." I said with a smile.

Jasper smiled at me, "And I look forward to getting to know you as a sister." With that, he walked away down the hall.