Summary: Chloe is in trouble with her big sister, Sarah Mackenzie.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "JAG", I'm just borrowing them for this story.
Chloe was sitting at Mac's desk in her office at JAG. She had always wondered why Mac didn't choose to decorate her office a little more. A little paint here and there and a few nice pictures on the walls would make it feel a lot more like home. But that wasn't what she should be worried about right now. She was waiting for Mac to come back from a meeting and get her so they could go home to her apartment. It felt like she had been sitting there for twenty hours instead of twenty minutes. She had counted every agonizing second.
This was so not happening. It had to be a nightmare. Sure Chloe had seen Mac mad at her before but this time she must have really done it. And all she had done was leave the building for a little while when Mac was busy talking to a client. She couldn't see why that was such a big deal. She had only gone out for an ice-cream and been gone an hour for crying out loud.
When she had returned she had noticed everyone of Mac's friends running back and forth. They seemed to be looking for something very important. It took a while before she realised it was her they were all searching so energetically for. Harm had been the first one to spot her. He had sighed and started moving towards her. He had called out for Mac to come join him and Chloe saw her big sister exit the Admiral's office with a worried expression on her face. When she had seen Chloe she ran towards her and when she got to her she bent down and hugged her. She whispered "Thank God" a few times before she let go. Harm put a hand on her shoulder and she looked at him with relief in her eyes. But suddenly Chloe had seen her switch from relief to anger. She had no longer looked like a worried big sister, but like a pissed off Marine Officer about to attack. Harm hadn't looked too pleased either.
When Mac was done yelling loudly at the girl she had grabbed her by the arm and brought her into her office. She had told her to stay put until she came back and if she was any other place than in the office when she returned she would be in biiig trouble. Chloe believed her. But she didn't see the difference between being in biiig trouble and the amount of trouble she was already in though.
Suddenly the door opened and Mac entered. She was still looking pretty harsh and Chloe didn't want to meet her stare for more than a second.
Mac picked up Chloe's backpack and handed it to her. "Let's go. I'm off duty and we're going home. " she said.
Chloe got up from her seat. Her legs were all shaky."Mac…" she started.
"We'll talk about this when we get home." Was the answer she got. The girl nodded and followed her big sister out the door.
On their way to the elevator Chloe waved to Harm who waved back to her and offered a sympathetic smile as she was half-running to keep up with the agitated marine.
When they were in Mac's car driving home Chloe stared blankly out the window. Now and then she would glance at Mac, trying to see if she had cooled down enough for her to start apologizing yet.
Her father had made it very clear that when Chloe was with Mac she was in charge. And if Chloe misbehaved in some way she was to take the punishment Mac decided to give her. And since she was the little girl she was she had a habit of getting in trouble. It wasn't usually that big of a deal and most times Mac just scolded her a little bit and left it at that. She had however been grounded for a weekend by Mac once when her father was at sea. It was for snitching one of Harm's cigars and lighting it. And one other time she had been given a note from her teacher and been told to show it at home. It was about her not doing her homework. Her father had told her to do better and he had also informed Mac about it before Chloe came to stay with her for the weekend. Since she had so much unfinished homework that she had not completed during the week she was supposed to do it over the weekend, and she had promised to do so. But when Mac had told her it was time to start she didn't want to and kept refusing saying it was stupid to do schoolwork on a Saturday evening when there were so many fun things they could do instead. Mac had insisted she'd do her homework like she had promised but that's when Chloe had gotten angry and locked herself in the bathroom.
Mac had warned her from the hallway outside that if she didn't open the door right away she would be given a spanking when she got out. Chloe had considered the threat but not taken it seriously and stayed locked in the bathroom, seated on the floor, hugging her knees. Suddenly she had heard the door being opened from the outside. Mac obviously had another key. She stood at the door looking down on the girl with her arms crossed over her chest. She had taken Chloe by the hand with a steady grip and marched her right into the bedroom. She had sat down on the bed and put the protesting girl over her knees. Chloe had begged Mac not to spank her but it didn't do any good. "I warned you." She said and started smacking the girl's jeans clad bottom. Chloe had cried a lot even though Mac didn't hit so hard and even stopped after a shorter amount of time than Chloe had thought she would.
"I guess there is about to be a trip down memory lane here." Mac thought to herself.
They entered Mac's apartment. It had gotten dark outside so Mac walked around the apartment and turned on a few lamps here and there. The rooms became quite homey right away and filled with a nice atmosphere where one could definitely sit down and have a nice evening at home with candy and some rented videos. But Chloe knew that wasn't what was about to happen.
Mac turned around and faced the girl. "I'm very disappointed in you, Chloe, and I think you know that." She said. "I told you not to leave my office. You were supposed to stay in there and do your homework. Or am I wrong?"
"No" Chloe whispered.
"I can't hear you. Would you speak up please?" Mac asked even though she had heard the response. She wanted Chloe to suffer a bit for what she had put her through earlier today. She had been so worried and pictured herself getting a call from the police telling her that Chloe was dead. And this wasn't the first time Chloe had run off either. Mac felt it was her responsibility to make sure the girl understood that that was just simply not acceptable anymore.
"No" Chloe said a little louder and glanced up at Mac. "Are you mad at me?" she asked with a little hope in her heart that maybe Mac had softened a bit by now. It had been a very long ride home. At least it had felt like it to her.
"It's not about me being mad at you or not, Chloe. You have to understand that you acted irresponsibly. What if something had happened to you out there by yourself? How do you think I would feel? And what about your father?"
Chloe looked down at her feet again. "I'm sorry, Sarah." She whispered again.
Right then and there Mac made a decision. It was time again for a lesson to be taught. She didn't really want to be the one to hand it out but she knew it had to be done right now.
The Marine Major sighed. "Chloe, I really don't want to do this but you leave me no choice." She took the girl by the hand and started towards the sofa. She glanced at the girl who didn't seem to quite understand what was going on at first. But suddenly she must have realized because she started digging her heels into the carpet and trying her best to resist.
"Nooo! Not that! Pleease Mac!" she cried out.
Mac took a stronger hold on the girl's hand and kept going towards her destination. "You're only making things worse for yourself, young lady." She said in a stern voice which made Chloe's bottom lip start trembling. She remembered the spanking Mac had given her last time and it had not been pleasant. "Please don't!" she yelled, hoping Mac would change her mind and let her off the hook.
They had reached the sofa. Mac closed her eyes and took a deep breath to prepare herself for what she was about to do. She sat down and grabbed a hold of Chloe's upper arm and put the other one around her waist. She then lifted the girl and put her face down over her knees. Chloe let out a small whimper, knowing what was about to happen and not liking the situation at all. Mac contemplated pulling the girl's pants down right away but she decided to wait a while, not shocking her too much at this early stage.
Chloe was waiting for Mac to start but instead she started talking. "You knew the rules and you still decided to disregard them. Taking an extra ice-cream out of the refrigerator is one thing but putting yourself in danger is another that I just can't ignore. And it has happened before and I have told you over and over again to stop going off on your own but you seem to somehow forget what I tell you." Mac took off the ring and the watch that she wore and put them next to her on the sofa, not being able to reach the coffee table since Chloe was in the way. "Now I'm unfortunately going to have to teach you to listen to me. I hope that after this you won't want to forget again." With those final words she raised her right hand and brought it down on the girl's bottom. Chloe who had been looking down at the floor from her position the entire time shot her head up and cried out.
"Ow!!"
Mac kept bringing her hand down and had soon established a steady rhythm. She didn't pick up the pace though because she didn't think it was necessary. Chloe seemed to be learning her lesson quite well.
"Please, Mac! Don't!" she cried as she squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to let the tears that threatened to escape fall. "I will never run off again, I SWEAR! Just pleeease stop!"
Mac ignored the girl's pleas for now. She couldn't afford to let them affect her because if she did she would let Chloe get off easy and the girl would have learned nothing in the end. The Marine continued the punishment at the same steady pace. It didn't take long before Chloe added kicking her legs up and down to the begging.
Chloe couldn't help kicking and begging. It was the only thing she could do to ease the pain in her backside. She wished she could have the stamina to lay still and not make a sound but she just didn't. She had tried it before and it had never worked. It just hurt too much, but not only in her backside but also in her heart. She was sorry for what she had done and she kept repeating it so that Mac would really understand how sorry she was and stop the horrible punishment she was submitting her to. But no matter how many "I'm sorries" she yelled out Mac didn't stop. Chloe kept thinking that she would probably stop any time now but when Mac just continued Chloe finally felt she couldn't take it anymore and made an attempt to rise from the position. It didn't succeed though because Mac was ready and put a little pressure on her back and pushed her back down and kept her even more in place.
"Stooop! Pleease, Mac! I'll be good for ever I promise!!!" Chloe cried. She could no longer hold back her tears and allowed them to fall down her cheeks. "I'll be good, I promise." She repeated but this time in a smaller voice than before.
Mac sighed. She hated having to do this to Chloe. "It makes me happy to hear that, honey. But we're not done here yet and I decide when it's over."
Chloe cried even harder but managed to hiccup a "Yes, Ma'am." which almost made Mac smile. It sounded strange being called Ma'am in a situation not connected to the military. Chloe usually never called her that unless she had done something wrong and felt a lot of remorse. Mac realized that they were reaching the end of the punishment. She paused for a few seconds to give herself some room to think. Chloe hoped that maybe Mac would stop and let her go now. But then she felt Mac reposition her a bit so she got a better hold on her and then continue with a little more force behind. Chloe had never thought that Mac's otherwise so gentle hand could feel so hard and not to mention harsh. She cried louder and harder than ever before. She then felt Mac stop. She dared not move and she dared not get her hopes up again.
Mac rubbed the palm of her right hand for a few seconds. Her hand actually hurt. Although probably not as much as Chloe's bottom at the moment. The Marine looked down at the small form that lay over her knees crying. She wanted nothing but to comfort her now and she felt bad about having given her a spanking. However she also remembered why the punishment had been handed out in the first place. She however believed that Chloe had learned her lesson now. She would think twice before running away again.
"Chloe, you can get up now." She said in a gentle voice. Chloe lifted her head and turned and looked at Mac. Her eyes were puffy and full of tears that fell down her cheeks when she blinked. She slowly pushed herself up and into a standing position next to where Mac was sitting on the couch. She did not yet meet her stare but kept looking at the floor.
"Find anything in the carpet? I have been a little sloppy with the cleaning lately." Mac joked, hoping for a little smile from the girl. However, no smile appeared and Chloe kept her distance. Mac reached for her hand and was relieved when Chloe allowed her to take it and pull her closer. "Hey, honey I'm sorry I had to do that. But you know you deserved it after what you put me through this afternoon. Not to mention everyone in the office who were almost as worried as I was. Harm was scared half to death as well you now." She said and looked at Chloe who finally lifted her chin with a shameful look on her face.
"He was?" she asked.
Mac nodded. "Of course he was. He went out looking for you too, you know. He missed a lot of work that he was supposed to have done during the time he was out searching."
Chloe let a few more tears fall before asking "He's not going to do…you know…the same as…you just did just now, to me? Is he?" she asked in a slightly trembling voice.
Mac waited with her answer just a little while. She could see how Chloe was becoming more and more nervous the longer she waited. Finally she felt she was being unfair to her so she just answered. "No, he's not going to spank you. Neither is Bud, Harriet or the Admiral. That is my job." She could see Chloe relax a little and then added "However, I'm not sure they won't want to have a serious conversation with you about the trouble you caused."
Chloe sighed and wiped away a few tears. She decided she was done crying for now.
"I'm sorry." She said and sincerely meant it. "I should have done what you told me and stayed put. I won't do it again, you know." She assured with really big innocent eyes.
Mac squinted her eyes and looked suspiciously at Chloe. "Oh no? And here comes the one million dollar question. WHY won't you do it again?" she asked and leaned back on the couch, arms crossed over her chest.
Chloe thought about it and then answered a little too quickly. "Because I don't want another spanking." She answered and nodded as if she approved of her own answer.
Mac took a deep breath and exhaled. "Wrong answer." She said and grabbed Chloe. Once again she lifted her into the air and put her across her knees.
"Noooooo!" the girl yelled in panic. "Doooon't! I mean…the answer is because it was dangerous and I hurt a lot of people who love me!" she yelled out. The answer had come to her like a vision straight away when she had felt herself heading toward the same place as earlier.
Mac let go of the girl and lifted her back on her feet again. She motioned for her to sit next to her on the couch. Chloe did what Mac wanted and sat down as carefully as she could manage. It did no good though and she still winced in pain when seated. Mac sighed and grinned.
"Well that was a much better answer."
Chloe just glared at her but didn't say what was on her mind at that time. She did not want another trip over Mac's knees.
"I hope you understand, Chloe, that what you did can not happen again. Like I said, this was not something I wanted to do but you forced me to take action." Mac explained.
The words "take action" almost made Chloe grin because Mac sounded like I real Marine, which of course she was, but it was always a bit strange for her to hear her talk like that. Mac seldom spoke like a marine to her. She thought it sounded kind of funny.
"What are you grinning at?" Mac suddenly asked, bringing Chloe out of her dream world and into reality.
"Nothing. Sorry." She answered.
"Okay, so will it happen again?"
"No, it won't." Chloe said and looked sincere while saying the words. "I promise." She paused. "Are you mad at me?"
This time Mac smiled for real and brought Chloe into a hug. "Not anymore. Are you mad at me?"
Chloe stayed in Mac's arms while thinking it over. Then she looked up. "No, not anymore." They both smiled at each other and Chloe leaned her head back against Mac's chest and rested.
The end