This is based on "Animal Kingdom", Season 2, Episode 2 "Karma" and Episode 3 "Bleed for It." This is what should or could have happened. Warning: contains discipline and spanking of an adult. References to past abuse. Some spoilers for Season 2.

Baz was not doing well, to say the least. Catherine had left him, running the family without Smurf was not as easy as he thought, Lucy was giving him a hard time, and Lena was driving him crazy. He had never wanted to be a single parent. Sure, he had just been talking to Catherine about having that son, but now she was God knows where and he was alone. He hated it.

"I've been alone with her for three hours and I'm about to kill myself," Baz said to Pope, as Lena watched tv on the couch.

A few seconds later, Baz threw the remote control across the room scaring Lena and shocking Pope. Pope had chided him about screaming at her and sitting her in front of the tv all day. Baz then got really nasty and defensive about Pope telling him on to "raise his own kid."

Then, he went on to say, "You don't know shit and you never will. Do you get that? No one is ever going to have a kid with you, ever." The look on Pope's face was what Baz couldn't forget. Pope took Lena for a walk and brought her back when Baz was in the shower.

Later, Baz had to call Pope from Mexico to pick up Lena at school. He had no one else. Smurf was off with J. on some mysterious trip. They were brothers and brothers fought. He tried to apologize about the shit he had said, but Pope just said he'd do it and then hung up on him. Baz focused on Lucy, Tijuana, and getting supplies for future jobs. Pope had to have known that he hadn't meant it.

Now he had to get his daughter and try to make it up to his brother.

Baz came in and Pope and Lena were sitting at the table coloring.

"Hi, Daddy!" Lena said excitedly.

"Hi Baby, why don't you go take your school things in your room?" Baz asked.

"Thanks for helping me out, man," Baz started.

"Yeah, Lena's great. I don't mind," Pope said.

Baz paused, and took a breathe. "You know I didn't mean what I said the other day. I was way out of line. I wouldn't have been able to get through this last week without you."

Pope stared a minute at Baz blankly.

"Yeah, I'm fine with that. What I'm not fine with is the way you are treating Lena. She deserves more, Baz. You know Catherine..." Pope drifted off.

"Pope, fucking Catherine is not here. She's gone. I don't know if she's dead or found out about Lucy or what. I am not sure I can do this!" Baz shouted.

"What? Be a father? You are a father, man, you need to act like it," Pope said with a little more fire.

"You didn't have a father. I got beat with a fucking chair leg by my father and I turned out fine. She'll live," Baz cried.

"Um, I really don't think we turned out all that great. I mean, we're thieves and criminals, you know?" Pope stated plainly.

"True," Baz laughed sadly. "You know I would never lay a hand on her for any reason. I would kill anyone who did. I mean I think of my parents or Catherine's and it makes my blood boil. You know?"

"Yeah, I know that. But honestly, the next time you scream at that little girl or lose your temper, you are going to deal with me. You have to be better than your old man. Lena deserves better," Pope said with feeling.

Baz tried to defend himself again, "Pope, I would never hurt her. You know that!"

"Brother, I know you would never intend to hurt her, but when you ignore her or yell at her, you are hurting her. She lost her mom, she can't lose her dad, too. Get it?" Baz gave him a serious look.

"Yeah, I get it. Thanks, man, for being here. I am sorry about all of this. I just am going crazy thinking about Catherine and trying to make it without Smurf. It's been rough," Baz admitted.

"I'm here for you, Baz. But I am also here for Lena," Pope patted him on the arm.

A while later, Pope was coming over to pick up Lena for a church event. Amy was waiting in the car. He heard yelling. Oh Christ, was Baz losing it again?

"Lena, I told you to put your shoes by the door. Where the hell are they?" he thundered at the cowering child.

"I put them there, Daddy," she wept.

"Goddammit, you don't do a damn thing I say...Why the fuck do I bother?" Baz was saying looking under the bed.
Pope walked in the bedroom and scooped up Lena.

"It's okay, Lena. Your shoes are outside on the deck," Pope comforted.

Baz looked up and saw the look on his brother's face.

"Hey Pope, I just didn't want her to be late. I told her to put her shoes by the door ten times," Baz muttered.

"Baz, her shoes were by the door, outside! I thought we talked about you yelling at her? You sounded like your dad, you know that?" Pope said in a low voice.

Baz just slumped down and nodded.

"Hang on, I think we need to have a talk," Pope said with a meaningful look in his eye.

He went outside and asked if Amy could take Lena alone. He had to have a serious damn talk with his little brother. Privacy would be required.

Pope started, "I know you are under a lot of stress, but I warned you about treating Lena like shit. You know Catherine would kick your ass for even thinking about speaking to your daughter like that."

"I know. I just can't help it. Fuck, I can't do this, man. I tried to be a good dad and take her swimming. I'm just exhausted, spent, done..." Baz said, still slumped on the floor.

"Get up, come on!" Pope said as he picked Baz off the floor. He dragged Baz into the spare bedroom. He couldn't take him into the master bedroom. Not after what he had done there. He had to do this for Baz, but also for Lena.

Pope sat on the bed and figured there was no use talking anymore. Words, not deeds. He swung Baz over his lap and immediately pinned him there with his elbow. Baz reached down and steadied himself with his hands. It had been a very long time since Pope had had to have done this to one of his brothers. As the oldest, Smurf had depended on him to be in charge from time to time. Truth be told, he really didn't have the stomach for it. This time, he would steel himself to help his family, no matter the cost to his mental health.

Crack! Baz heard the first smack before he felt it. He had been wearing swim trunks. They were still slightly damn from him taking Lena in the water a bit earlier. Smack! Smack! Smack!

Damn, that really smarted. Baz was squirming. He knew no one could hear, but he was a grown man and was going to take this as a man.

"You have been way out of line, man! You need to put the kid first. No more excuses," Pope lectured as he spanked his brother firmly across the seat of his pants. His hand was starting to hurt a little. He hoped Baz was feeling this. Smack. Smack. Smack.

Baz was shifting more trying to avoid the onslaught. After another flurry of spanks, Pope felt like his hand wasn't going to hold on. After all, he had burned himself the night he made Lena warm milk. It still wasn't fully healed.

Pope ventured, "Baz, do you have a paddle or something here?"

"No, I told you, we don't spank Lena! Why would we have a paddle?" Baz said with a sarcastic tone.

"First of all, watch your attitude," smack! smack!"Secondly, do you have a paddle?" Pope asked again.

"Goddammit, yes, we have a couple of those beach set things. Damn," Baz confessed.

Pope stood him up suddenly, causing Baz's head to swim.

"Go get me a paddle. Now! I'm counting to ten," he said, turning Baz to the side and smacking him twice to get him moving.

Baz rushed to the closet where Catherine kept the beach toys. He found the net bag with the toys in it and grabbed one of the paddle ball game paddles.

He heard Pope count, "Seven...Eight..."

Baz made it in time and Pope held his hand out for the round wooden implement. Smurf had used a heavier paddle on him many times. This paddle felt light and was a bit larger around. He'd have to put some force behind it for it to make any kind of impression on his stubborn brother. A bare behind may also help.

He then looked right in Baz's eyes and said, "Pull 'em down."

Baz laughed nervously, "Please, Andrew, no!"

"Yes, Barry, unless you want me to come back tomorrow night and give you another good licking, you will do it. NOW." Pope said with conviction.

Baz dropped his shorts and was pulled back over Pope's lap. He was so humiliated, but when Pope put his arm on his back to steady him and locked his legs with his right leg...he started to feel safe. Someone was taking care of him again. He could let go.

Then, he felt the smooth wood of the paddle on his still damp behind. Pope rubbed it for a second as he said, "You know, I'm doing this for you."

He felt a whoosh of air and heard a loud pop. The sting was not as intense as it sounded. Pop! Pop! Pop! The paddle swats were coming down firmly and steadily. Pop, pop, pop...The pain was starting to build into an even warmth. Baz couldn't move much but the stinging intensified and he tried.

"Still!" his brother admonished. "You're going to get every whack until you get that you can do better. You are not your dad. You can be a better dad and man than he ever was," Pope told him. He was spanking him as firmly as he could. It was a light wood and Baz's behind was still not very red. Since Baz's real parents had beat him with belts and burned him with cigerettes, Pope was always careful not to trigger those memories. If he had to use a lighter object, but swat him longer, it was worth it.

Swat! Swat! Swat! Swat! " . ?"Pope punctuated each word with the hardest cracks he could muster. He thought he heard Baz's breath catch. It had to be stinging, especially on that damp backside.

"When you feel like you need help, call one of us. Call me, call Craig, call Deran, hell, call J. We will be there for you. Do. you. get. it?"

Pope applied a rally of swats lower to Baz's sit spots. He wanted him to feel this tomorrow.

Pope's hand was still hurting from the burn, but he really felt like Baz was still holding it all in. He applied the paddle a little lower. Swat! Swat!...Pop! POP! POP!A bit lower, but still above the thighs. Yep, that was the spot. Baz shifted and he heard a sob.

"It's hurts. Owwww. I'm sorry. I love them both so much. I just don't know what to do..ow, ow, ow," as if a dam broke, so did Baz.

Pope paddled him hard for another minute until Baz's behind was red and he stopped struggled. Pope tossed the paddle on the bed and started rubbing his back.

"What are you going to do when you need help?" Pope questioned.

"I don't know what I'm going to do...Aw, aw, I just want Cath back," Baz was weeping.

Spank! Spank! "Wrong answer! What did I tell you to do?" Pope directed.

"Call! I'll call. Just don't spank me anymore. I won't yell. I'll be there for Lena. Please, Pope."

"What's going to happen if I see you acting the way you did today?" Pope questioned.

"I'll get in trouble again," Baz sniffled.

Spank. Spank! "Owww. I'll get another spanking!" Baz said in a small voice.

Pope continued, "With?" Smack!

"With the paddle!" Baz sobbed. Smack Smack. SMACK.

With the final whack, the spanking finally came to an end. Baz was pulled up and Pope put his arms around him. Baz didn't realized but Pope was crying too. He hated to hurt his brothers, but he hoped that in the long run, he had saved some hurt for all involved.

"Thank you, Pope. You won't have to do this again." Baz promised.

"Yeah, cause if I do, that paddling will feel like a love tap. Do you understand me, bro?" Pope joked.

"Yes, man. Now can I put my pants on before my daughter comes home and sees me like this? I have some things to make up to her," Baz smiled.

"That's a good idea. You better put that paddle back, too," Pope suggested. Maybe he should take the paddle with him? Now that Smurf was out, Craig and Deran might need an attitude adjustment soon. Only tell would tell.