"Are you two okay?" She uncrossed her arms.

"Yes." Mycroft grumbled. He shut the door and they both put their bags down and toed out of their shoes.

"Thank God. Where were you?"

"Out." Mycroft muttered. "I had to stop somewhere after class."

"And you couldn't call me to let me know? I was worried sick about you two!"

"I'm sorry." Mycroft's tone was snotty. "I forgot."

"And Sherlock?" She looked down at the younger boy, eyes cast down and arms crossed, fidgeting in the wake of Mrs. Hudson's anger.

"He followed me!" Mycroft said.

"I wanted to see where he was going!" Sherlock squawked. "I told him we had to come home!"

"If you hadn't been following me none of this would have happened!" Mycroft yelled. Redbeard yipped at him.

"It most certainly would have!" Mrs. Hudson said firmly. "Both of you should have come straight home after school. I had no idea where you were and I was worried half to death!"

"I didn't want to make you worry‒" Sherlock said. "I just wanted to see where Mikey went."

"Don't call me that!"

Mrs. Hudson sniffed the air then, noticing an unusual but insidious scent.

"Were you two smoking?" She said, incredulous.

"No!" Sherlock blurted. "I wasn't."

"My friends were." Mycroft told her. She gave them the Look and both boys shivered. The only other woman who could do the Look was their mother, and on Mrs. Hudson it was just as terrifying.

"Were you smoking, Mycroft?" She stared down at him and he briefly thought about lying.

"Don't you dare lie to me, young man." She said in a soft, severe tone. He blinked. She really was just like mother.

"Yes." He sighed at the floor.

"I see."

Sherlock was on the verge of tears and Mycroft looked ready to punch something‒probably his brother. Mrs. Hudson knew she needed to punish them‒of that she had no doubt, but what? Somehow sending them to their rooms didn't seem firm enough. They spent a lot of time there anyway. She remembered her interview, and the Holmes parents telling her that they spanked their children. "Don't be shy." That's what Polly had said. Well, she wasn't feeling very shy at the moment.

"Both of you go upstairs and change your clothes, then get right back down here."

They both darted up the steps, then came back down in jeans and shirts, watching her warily.

"Get in the sitting room!" She snapped.

"Why?" Mycroft asked.

"Because we are going to have a little chat and then both of you are getting a spanking! Now move!"

Sherlock burst into tears and Redbeard started barking like crazy. Mycroft gulped. "Mrs. Hudson," he began, "surely there's another‒"

"It's all your fault, Mycroft!" Sherlock shoved him hard and Redbeard howled.

"Enough!" Mrs. Hudson grabbed the dog's collar and pushed him into the garden so he wouldn't get underfoot, then took both boys by the forearm and pulled them into the sitting room. "Sit." She pointed at the sofa and they scurried. Sherlock's tears had dried up and he wiped his face.

"Tell me what happened‒smoking included."

Sherlock started, telling her how he was looking for Mycroft after classes and followed him. Mycroft told his side, telling her about meeting his mates to buy cigarettes and smoking in the park. There was no point in trying to lie. Mrs. Hudson was like mother and would see right through it.

"I see." She said at the end of their tale. "That was extremely stupid, Mycroft. Smoking? You're such a bright boy‒you know better than that."

"Yes Mrs. Hudson." He said.

"And Sherlock, you know you're to come straight home or let me know first if you'll be late. Following your brother isn't an excuse! I worried for you both. I almost called your parents!"

"No!" Mycroft said, looking at her with wide eyes. "Don't tell them!"

"I have to tell them now. I'm giving you both spankings and I'm going to tell them as soon as we're finished."

Sherlock hung his head and Mycroft let out a quiet sigh. He didn't really have an eloquent argument to get out of it this time. He'd managed to convince his mum not to swat them after Ms. Twat left the house, but Mrs. Hudson's mind seemed pretty made up.

"Don't spank Sherlock." He said. "I was the one who went off after class, I was smoking. Just smack me instead."

"That's very noble of you, Mycroft." She said to him gently, "but I'm afraid Sherlock isn't an innocent here. His curiosity got the better of him this time, right Sherlock?"

"I just wanted to see where he was going…" Sherlock mumbled.

"Right?" She pressed.

"Yes."

"Good boy. Sherlock, go wait your turn in the corner."

"Mrs. Hudson!" He leaped up and grabbed her in a hard hug. "No! I don't want a spanking! It hurts!"

"That's rather the point, dear." She took him firmly by the arm, guiding him to the corner by the door. He went, a pout on his face. "Now you stand here and don't move."

She sat on the sofa and Mycroft stood up to face her with a quiet, resigned sigh. "Why are you getting this spanking?" She asked.

"Because I didn't come straight home after classes, and I didn't let you know. You worried about us both and I was smoking."

"That's right. I was worried sick, Mycroft. Anyone could have grabbed you both. And with your parents away? I didn't want to have to make that phone call‒your mum and dad would have been frantic. And promise me you'll never smoke again!"

"I understand." He said, hanging his head. "And I won't. It was wrong to make you worry and I shouldn't have gone off after class."

"Very good. Unfasten and unzip."

He took a deep breath and popped the button and zipped down. She lifted her arms and he bent over her lap and she pulled his loosened clothes to his knees, baring his bottom. He grabbed the cushion and crossed his ankles to brace himself and she slipped the ring off her right finger and put it on the table, then straightened up and ensured she had a good grip on his waist. She wasted no time and set in spanking hard and fast with her hand.

"You know to come straight home from school." She said to him. Swat, smack, swat! "You do not go anywhere without letting me know!"

"Ow! It was only for a bit!" He countered, squirming over her lap. Smack, smack, smack! Sherlock had turned and was watching over his shoulder with a resigned, teary expression.

"You didn't get home until well after four! For the smoking alone you deserve this, young man!" She smacked him a few more times, hard, then stopped and looked over his bottom. His cheeks were dusted with pink and he was gripping a pillow off the sofa with two tight fists. She adjusted his position and kept swatting. "I was worried sick‒what if you were both hurt or kidnapped? What would your parents say?"

He was staying fairly still, considering how much this must be stinging. She swatted her own boys when they deserved it, and she knew she could give a hell of a spanking. Mycroft's theory seemed to be to brace himself on whatever was around in order to stay still and ride it out stoically. Whether it be by grabbing the cushions or crossing his ankles, it did look like he was trying to wriggle as little as possible and she reasoned that their mum must not tolerate much writhing and squirming.

"We weren't kidnapped!" Mycroft's voice was thick with tears. "Ow! And mum would spank us too! Ow! Stop!"

"With good reason. I nearly called the police on you. Or your mother!"

"I'm sorry!" He yelped. She swatted his thighs and he grunted. "I didn't mean to. Don't tell mum!" He added in a horrified voice, jerking his head up and looking at her. "She‒ow!‒She'll whack us both!"

That would be unfair, Mrs. Hudson thought. She'd speak with Mrs. Holmes and tell her what happened, of course, but suggest that the boys had been punished enough. "I'll speak with her. We'd better not need to have this discussion again, Mycroft." She said. Smack, smack, swat, "because next time it will be done with a wooden spoon!" She stopped spanking him and glanced again over his bum. It was an impressive shade of rose and he was shuddering with tears, trying to be brave. It was here that she stopped.

"Alright." She patted his shoulder. "Alright now, it's done."

"M'sorry." He sniffed and let go of the cushions, going limp now that it was done.

"I know." She rubbed her hand over his back, calming him as he panted over her lap.

"I'll t-tell you next time…"

"Good. And?"

"And I won't smoke again."

"Good boy."

She patted his back for a few more moments until he was ready. He got up, standing on shaky legs and pulling up his clothes. Mrs. Hudson wiped his face clear of tears and enveloped him in a hug.

"I care for you boys." She said to him, squeezing him tight. "If anything happened to either of you I would be devastated. Don't do this again."

"I won't." He said in a small voice.

"Good lad. Trade places with your brother now."

He stepped away from her and headed for the corner.

"Sherlock." She called.

"I don't want it!" He yelled. "I know I did something wrong‒I don't want to get spanked!"

"Neither did your brother." She said firmly. "But he took his punishment. Stop fussing and come over here."

It was so hard to be firm with them. They were usually decently behaved…for the most part…except for the knives and the fake blood and cooking pot experiments and the setting things on fire with glasses. They were lambs and she'd never had to come down so hard on them before.

"Sherlock, go." Mycroft wiped his eyes, gratefully accepting a tissue from Mrs. Hudson, and gave his brother a little push.

"No!" Sherlock said stubbornly. With a weary sigh, Mycroft shepherded his little brother towards her.

Mrs. Hudson took his arm when he was in reach and he started to struggle. "No, no Mrs. Hudson‒don't smack me…" He looked away mournfully and she felt like the world's worst person.

"He does that sad face when he tries to get out of things." Mycroft told her.

Mrs. Hudson tilted his chin up, looking him in the eye. "Sherlock, I'm only doing this to keep you safe."

He sniffed.

"Now, why are getting a spanking?"

"'Cuz I followed Mycroft and didn't come home or tell you anything." He said.

"That's right. I don't want either of you to get hurt and it was really scary when you didn't come home. You're both very bright and you know better than that. You both made a mistake so you're both getting punished for it. Understand?" She said.

He nodded.

"Okay, then. After this, we'll have dinner and a nice bath, and then we can have milk and a biscuit and some telly before bed. How does that sound?"

He nodded, perking significantly at the word 'biscuit.' "Did you buy them or make them?" He asked.

"I made them." Her eyes twinkled and he grinned. "But first," she said. "Spanking time. Take your trousers and pants down like your brother did."

He did, unzipping and unbuttoning and she tipped him over her knee. His feet and hands didn't reach the ground and she adjusted him on her lap so he could rest on the sofa seat. He was sniffling again and she knew just getting it over with was the best way to go. She smacked him hard and fast, just like with Mycroft.

"Ow! Ow!" Unlike his brother, Sherlock couldn't be bothered with staying still. He squirmed and yelped, wailed and scrabbled over her knee.

"Hold still." She said firmly. "I don't want you to fall." Smack, smack, thwack. She held him in place with her free hand, bracing him so he couldn't wriggle off her lap.

"Ow! Mrs. Hudson‒ow!"

She trapped his flailing legs under hers and peppered his bottom with sharp swats. "This was naughty, Sherlock. You know to call me if you'll be late." She felt a bit like she was belaboring the point, but she wanted to get through to him just how frightened she'd been. The boys' mother had told her that it was old fashioned methods that worked best, and it seemed he was having no trouble focusing on this. "If you suspected Mycroft was doing something wrong, you should have told me, not followed him yourself." Smack, slap, slap!

Mycroft was leaning in the corner, watching sadly as his brother got spanked.

"I was curious!" He shouted into the sofa. "Don't smack me for being curious!"

"I'm not smacking you because you're curious, dear." She said, pausing for a moment, "I love that you're curious. Stay curious, just don't break any rules because of it." Smack, smack!

"I won't!" He yelped. "Ow! I won't break any rule ever again and I'll always think before being curious!"

She smiled. "Then you won't get spanked nearly as often, I think." She stopped spanking him and glanced over his bottom. It was about the same color as Mycroft's, so she patted his back and shushed him. He'd broken a sweat from writhing around so much and was panting into the sofa.

"Hush, hush now…" She stroked his back some more and he sniffled. "Come up here, sweetheart." Her voice was gentled and she wasted no time hugging him. "There's my good boy…" She patted his back again and he clung tight while she fixed his clothes. "There, there…" she rubbed his back and he shuddered, quieting in her embrace.

"Alright?" She leaned back and looked into his wet eyes.

He nodded.

"Good lad." She called for Mycroft and he came out of the corner.

"Both of you were so brave for taking that and I'm proud of you both."

"Thank you." Mycroft said. She gave them a final hug and looked at her watch. It was past supper time and she really didn't feel much like cooking. Both boys looked exhausted.

"What would you like for supper?" She asked. "Would some sandwiches be alright?"

Two enthusiastic nods.

"Good." She got up and they both followed her into the kitchen. "Do you want to help?" She asked kindly. "You can toast some bread."

Mycroft got the bread loaf and Sherlock let Redbeard inside. The dog licked his face clean and then disappeared under the table. Sherlock stayed close to Mrs. Hudson as she went to the fridge and gathered the ingredients. He clutched her skirt with one hand and rubbed his eyes with the other, following her placidly as she made them all sandwiches, ham and cheese and turkey and tomato. She cut the crusts off as requested and they all ate hungrily, splitting a bag of crisps.

"You two look done in." She mentioned when they were finished. She took their dishes and piled them up. "Why don't you both get ready for bed? Mycroft, do you want to use the shower first?"

He nodded and went up the steps and she looked down at Sherlock, her heart melting as she saw he was still was still holding onto her. "Sleepy?" She asked.

"No." He yawned.

"I think you are. Do you want a biscuit while we wait for Mycroft?"

"Yes!" His eyes gleamed and she went to her purse, hanging by the front door, and pulled a plastic container of biscuits out. Sherlock bounced around as she brought them to the kitchen and opened it up. "Here. Take one." She held it out to him and he delicately picked a chocolate and raspberry cream biscuit, bringing it to his lips and crunching.

"Mmm." He giggled and Redbeard licked the crumbs from his face.

"Go on up and get your clothes together for bed."

Sherlock did, going up the steps.

Mrs. Hudson watched him go, then picked up the phone and dialed the number Mr. Holmes had left for her. It rang twice.

"Elizabeth?" Polly answered. "Is everything okay? What's wrong?"

"Everything is fine, Polly. Both boys are fine. We had a little, ah, incident today‒nothing major, but…"

She explained how neither boy came home after school and the smoking and how worried she'd been.

"I feared the worst, I really did. I'm afraid I spanked both of them."

"As you should have! The little hellions deserved it! Smoking! I can't believe that little rascal."

"I'm glad you agree." Mrs. Hudson nodded and felt relieved. It would be awful if the Holmes' thought she'd been too harsh. "They're worried though, that when you return you're also going to spank them."

"Oh no, it sounds like you took care of it just fine."

They spoke briefly about the holiday and other goings-on and Mrs. Hudson hung up as both boys appeared, washed up and in pajamas. They each came down the steps in soft dressing gowns and damp hair.

"There we are." She said. "All clean. Sherlock, did you comb your hair?" She noted his mass of piled curls.

"No." Mycroft said, taking a poppy seed biscuit from the container. Sherlock scowled at him.

"How about I comb your hair while we watch telly?"

"Okay, I guess." Sherlock took a hazelnut biscuit and they went to the television with cups of milk and the biscuit container. Mycroft turned the telly on and Mrs. Hudson took a comb, settling Sherlock on her lap. He winced and she cooed over him. "Stings, does it?"

"A bit."

She put a pillow on her knee for him and he sat much more comfortably. She brushed out his curls and hid a grin as Mycroft cuddled against her side, sighing in contentment. They really were such dears, and she hoped she would get to be their nanny for a long time.

The End


Thanks so much everyone for your amazing reviews! I love that you love this series as much as I do :)