Alex sat cross-legged on the bed in her pajama pants and tank, fiddling with the edge of the comforter as tears swam in her pretty baby blue eyes. It was Sunday evening, and it was time for Alex's weekly maintenance spanking. Regardless of her behavior, Alex knew that she could expect a spanking every Sunday. The goal of maintenance was to center Alex for the week ahead, address any stress or attitude issues from the previous week, encourage her to be a good girl, and, above all else, remind Alex just how very loved and treasured she was. Alex silently reviewed the week in her mind. She had tried to be a good girl, but she could definitely come up with a few things that needed to be addressed. It had been a long, stressful week, and Alex couldn't help but look forward to tonight's spanking, knowing that afterwards she would feel calm and refreshed and ready to take life by the horns. Having a good, long, cleansing cry over her wife's lap held a certain kind of magic for her.

Olivia emerged from the master bathroom dressed for bed in her own tank top and boxer shorts. The brunette detective smiled sympathetically when she noticed the tears in her beloved wife's eyes. Olivia sat on the bed with her back against the headboard and opened her arms to invite Alex in for a cuddle. Alex practically dove into the safety of Olivia's loving arms.

"Let's get you warmed up, precious, then I'll hold you more while we talk." Olivia promised kindly after several long minutes of silent cuddling.

With a slight sniffle, Alex obediently draped herself across Olivia's strong thighs. Olivia gently pulled Alex's pajama pants down to her knees and began to pepper Alex's bare bottom with sharp spanks. When Alex's bottom was a uniform shade of pink, Olivia turned her face up to cuddle her close to her heart while they had their discussion.

"Has it been a long week, angel?" Olivia sympathized, stroking Alex's long blonde hair and rocking slowly.

"A really long week." Alex whimpered in agreement.

"I can tell. I have been concerned this week that your attitude toward life in general has become increasingly pessimistic and it's causing you to be unhappy and stressed." Olivia kindly expressed her concern over her sweet little Alex.

"I just feel so awful all the time," Alex sobbed, "I've felt like a failure ever since I lost that case on Tuesday. Hanging out with friends or doing hobbies just sounds like a chore. And you have been working a lot, so I haven't gotten as much 'us time' as I want."

"Oh, my sweet love, I'm sorry my schedule has been crazy. I can't read your mind, baby girl, you need to communicate with me and tell me when you need my attention, and I will drop what I can and move things around so you get all the attention you need physically, mentally, and emotionally. You are my number one priority. My job, my paycheck, my life, none of it means anything if you aren't at peace, sweetheart."

"Can we have a date night next weekend?" Alex asked hopefully.

"Tell you what. How about I take Friday off and we'll make it a three day weekend? I'll tell the guys at work to lose my phone number and we can do anything you want. How does that sound?"

"It sounds really good. Thank you." the relief in Alex's baby blue eyes was overwhelming.

"Good girl," Olivia kissed Alex's forehead, "last Sunday, I just gave you a handspanking because you had a particularly good week. This week, I think we need to be a tad firmer with you because you have been so stressed out and upset. What do you think?"

"Yes, Ma'am, I agree." Alex responded softly.

"Over my lap with you, then." Olivia reached into the bedside table drawer and pulled out the hairbrush.

Alex winced as the hairbrush made contact with her tender bottom. She placed her right hand in the small of her back and Olivia immediately took it in her own hand, recognizing the silent plea for emotional support. As she spanked, Olivia offered words of praise and encouragement. This was the main difference between a maintenance spanking and a punishment spanking; there was never any scolding during a maintenance spanking, only praise and encouragement.

"You're a good girl, princess. A very good girl. You are sweet, intelligent, courageous, passionate, and talented. You are beautiful inside and out. You always try to see the best in everything. I know that this week has been a very stressful one for my sweet little Alex. That's why we do this every week, to help you let go of the negativity and the stress and help you see life in a positive light again."

Alex listened to Olivia's words and cried, lying her head down on the bed.

"And as for that case on Tuesday," Olivia continued to spank, "there was nothing else you could have done, baby. It wasn't your fault that the jury found him 'not guilty'. You did exactly the right thing; you helped a survivor stand up in court and name her rapist for exactly what he is. You are not a failure. My squad couldn't do their job properly without you. We can arrest them, but the real justice happens in that courtroom. That's your job, to shed light in the darkness, and you do it beautifully."

Alex cried as she listened to Olivia's words. She loved her job; for as long as she could remember, all she ever wanted to be was a lawyer. Law school just about drove her crazy, but it had been so worth it just for the satisfaction of seeing a criminal get the punishment he deserved. Alex wasn't stupid; she knew that she would win some cases and lose some cases, and fortunately she celebrated more wins than she mourned losses, but she couldn't help but kick herself whenever she lost a case. Alex had high expectations for herself, and hated to disappoint those expectations. Olivia was helping her learn to be kinder to herself. Olivia set the hairbrush aside and rubbed Alex's heaving back, listening to Alex cry.

"It's time for the belt, lovey." Olivia said when Alex was a little calmer.

Alex slowly got up and went to the closet, retrieving the belt that just hours earlier had been around Olivia's slender waist. Alex cried as she bent across the bed with a pillow under her hips propping her bottom up to receive the belt. She felt comforted when she felt Olivia's left hand on the small of her back to help keep her in place.

"That's my good girl. Just cry it out and try to relax, baby. I love you." Olivia raised the belt and brought it down.

When Olivia dropped the belt to the floor, Alex was sobbing.

"Stay there, sweetheart." Olivia went into the master bathroom and retrieved the bath brush.

Alex sobbed as her spanking continued, her bottom now bright cherry red. She finally went limp across the bed. Seeing this, Olivia immediately dropped the bath brush and rushed to comfort her beloved wife.

"Good girl. Good girl. All done. Come here, my love." Olivia cooed tenderly as she gently stroked Alex's heaving back and long blonde hair. Olivia gently helped Alex up and into her arms.

Alex cried and sobbed on Olivia's shoulder, being cuddled and rocked for a long time. Despite the pain in her bottom, she somehow felt lighter and more at peace, all of her stress gone. Even after she stopped crying, Olivia continued to cuddle and rock her. Holding Alex was one of her favorite things to do, whether or not Alex had just been spanked.

"How do you feel, angel?" Olivia cooed, stroking Alex's long blonde hair.

"Better." Alex smiled.