Hope could hear her heart pounding in her ear as she walked down the hallway to her Uncle Elijah's study. Normally she wasn't allowed in there because it's where Elijah did all his grown up stuff she was too little to know about it. But he told her to take a bath and brush her teeth and put on her night shirt and then to meet him there for her punishment.

She'd taken as long as she dared in her bathroom. She washed up, shampooed her hair, and put conditioner in it. She'd even waited a full ten minutes before rising the conditioner out, when she usually just rinsed it out right away. She'd dried off as slowly as she could manage. She'd even blow dried her hair and she never did unless she had to because she didn't like air felt against her head.

But now she had face her uncle.

She had to be brave. She took a large breath in her belly before raising her hand to knock on the door. Elijah opened the door and looked down at her. He was, as always, wearing a suit that made him look like a fairy tale prince. He was frowning down at her. That was something he almost never did.

She'd been really bad. She bit her bottom lip and looked down at the ground.

He took her by the hand and led her into to his desk. In any other situation, she would be looking all around the room to see what her uncle had kept hidden from her. But she'd been naughty enough and she feared she'd get in even more trouble if she tried to take a sneak peek at something she wasn't supposed to. Or worse, he'd be even angrier at her.

"Hope," he didn't sound angry but she still cringed. He set a finger under her chin and forced her head up. He was sitting down in his desk chair and looking right at her. What she saw in his eyes made tears build up in hers. "Why did you sneak out?"

She couldn't stand to look at him anymore. She looked at the bookshelf behind his head. "I heard you talking to Aunt Freya over the phone. She said you were in danger so I thought I could help you with my magic so I tracked you and teleported to you."

"What happened next?" Elijah asked.

Tears burned in her eyes even harder. "You were there too."

"When I asked you a question," Elijah's voice was so stern she squirmed in place and some tears did fall down her face, "I expect you to answer me."

"I know," Hope sucked on her bottom lip for a minute before continuing, "I'm sorry." She swallowed before continuing in one breath with her words slurring together, "I found you in the forest and tried to use a spell but the bad guy was too fast and he came at me and you saved me instead of me saving you."

"I am grateful that you want to protect me," Elijah's big hand was cupping her face and his thumb was picking up some of her stray tears as he brushed it under her eyes. "However," Hope cringed at his tone, "you are still young and inexperienced."

"I'm really sorry," Hope said.

"I know. But that's not enough."

Hope grabbed a handful of her nightshirt and curled some in her fist. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm giving you a spanking."

When she was very little, her mom would swat if her she did something like cross the street by herself before pulling her into a tearful hug. She had a feeling her uncle's method was going to be very different, "Is it going to hurt a lot?"

"Yes." Elijah took off his jacket coat. In his fancy dress shirt without the jacket covering his upper body, he looked even big and stronger than normal. And while Hope knew she was a powerful witch, she felt very small and weak, like a normal eight-year-old. "Listen carefully, because if you disobey me, you'll be forced to endure a longer spanking."

Hope whimpered before saying, "Yes, sir."

Elijah unbuttoned the cuffs of his right arm and pulled up his sleeve. "I'm going to put you over my lap and bare your bottom. I want you to keep your arms down and do your best not to kick too much. You will not rub your bottom until I tell you we're finished."

Hope couldn't make her mouth speak so she just nodded.

Elijah set his hands underneath her arms and picked her up. He placed her tummy on his lap. Her bare feet were dangling in the air and she had a very good view of the perfectly polished floor. She couldn't quite touch the ground with either her feet or her hands. She felt very helpless. And terrified when Elijah slowly folded up her night shirt on her back. He slid her panties down to her knees and set his hand on her bottom.

His hand was so big it covered both cheeks completely. She squirmed and moaned as he lifted his hand and smacked her entire bottom. The force of the spank pushed her deeper into his lap and made her wail. Her entire bottom stung from just the one spank and she had no idea how she'd handle the rest of them. She was about to find out to because he rose his hand again and smacked both of her bare cheeks again. The blows were so hard it was like she could feel them all the way down to her toes and fingers.

She tried to be a good girl and not kick but the smacking hand hurt so much she couldn't help but kick her legs a little. She tried to squirm away, but Elijah's hand fell down on her bottom again. It was like a thousand bees were stinging her rear at once and she couldn't do anything but lie on her tummy and sob because Elijah lifted his hand and brought it down again.

"I'm sorry!" Hope cried and tried to wiggle her hips away but Elijah easily landed another smack on her naughty bottom. She burst into incoherent tears as another burning slap fell on her bare bottom. His palm was like fire, burning her soft skin, and his fingers were like knives cutting into the curves of her cheeks. "I'll be good forever!"

And then he started spanking lower. He punished the top of her thighs as well as the very bottom of her backside. Those spanks hurt even more than the ones before it, a feat she has considered impossible. He struck both of her bottom cheeks, one at a time, and she cried out even more. Her eyes and throat hurt from crying but mostly her bottom hurt from being smacked by a steady hand.

"It's okay," Uncle Elijah said as he helped her sit up, "I'm here."

She was in his lap instead of over it, but she couldn't stop crying. Hope pressed her face into his clean white shirt that had remained perfectly pressed even as he'd punished her. His big hand was now gently rubbing her back in circles instead instead of spanking her bottom.

Without thinking, Hope reach behind so she could rub away the sting. Or, she tried to. He grabbed her wrist with his spare hand and kept her hand oceans away from her throbbing skin.

"What did I tell you about rubbing?"

"I'm not supposed to until you give me permission," Hope said. She was sniffling, all out of tears. "I forgot."

"That's okay," Elijah said and Hope was so grateful until he continued with, "I'll give you a reminder for next time."

She was sitting on his thigh with her bottom hanging in the air. The sound of his hand cracking against her bare skin once more made her jump and burst back into tears, wrapping her hands into his shirt. She dug her fingers into one of the buttons and squeezed until the pain became slightly more bearable. All the while, Elijah's hand was moving in slow circles around her back and he was kissing the top of her head.

"Are you still mad at me?" Hope asked.

Elijah forced her to face him. "I was never angry with you, Hope." What he said next made Hope start crying a fresh round of tears. "I thought I was going to lose you."

She threw her arms around his neck. "I did, too. That's why I followed you. And you can't say you'll never die because Mom and Dad said the same. I thought I was going to save you!" Like she couldn't, with her parents.

He brushed some hair behind her ear. "Your mom once told me not to make promises I couldn't keep. I can't promise you that I'll never die. But." There was a lift in his voice that made Hope curious. She pulled back just enough so she could look into his face. "I am very hard to kill. Your mother also promised to do some things very inappropriate things to me from beyond the grave if I wasn't very careful."

Hope found herself relaxing. "I think you'd spank me again if I repeated what Dad told me he'd do to you if you died before me."

"Knowing my brother," he said, "I have no doubt it was extremely inappropriate for a child to hear. But if you want to tell me, you can. Without any fear any punishment."

Hope was going to tell him. "It hurts too much to say."

"It's a standing offer," Elijah said.

They were both quiet for a long time. Hope's hand itched to sooth the burning sting on her sore bottom, but she was not eager earn another smack. When she started to yawn, her uncle helped her on her feet and slid her underwear back on. She smoothed down her nightgown. It was one of her Dad's shirts and it came down way past her knees and hardly stayed on her shoulder. She always wore her parents clothes to bed. And Elijah let her, despite the poor fit. And Uncle Elijah was very particular about all her clothes fitting perfectly. He was always replacing stuff, even if they still mostly fit.

"We're done here," Elijah said.

Hope imminently reached behind and rubbed her sore bottom. The look that Elijah gave her made her pout. "It's not funny!"

Elijah made his face very serious. "You're right about that. Kol, you can come in now."

Hope smiled happily as Kol picked her up by her underarms. She let her legs dangle freely instead of wrapping her legs around his hips, as he usually did. "My brother is an ass."

"Language," Elijah said. He said that a lot with Kol, "you're not to old to spank, Kol."

He'd also said that a few times. Hope had thought it was a joke. But now. She twisted around to look at Elijah. "Would you, really?"

Sadly for Hope's curiosity, Elijah had his 'not telling Hope' look on his face. She was very familiar with it and had yet to figure out how to get pass it.

"Please do not tempt him," Kol said as he carried her down the hall.

When they were in her room and Kol was tucking her in, Hope had to know. "Did Uncle Elijah spank you when you were a kid?"

Kol looked pained. But, as always, he was willing to answer whatever questions she had. "Frequently. In his defense, I deserved most of them." He leaned close and kissed her nose. "Don't tell him I said that."

"Pinky swear," Hope said, holding her hand up. Kol hooked her pinky with his own. "When did he stop?" Kol looked even more pained. She pressed, because it occurred to her that if Kol wasn't too big to spank a thousand years old, Elijah would probably spank her when she was in high school. You know, when she was basically an adult. "I just need to know. He'll stop once I can drive, right?"

"How about you just don't do anything to need one by then," Kol said.

"You should like Uncle Elijah," Hope accused.

Kol looked offended. Hope knew she'd get her answer and she did. "I was over five hundred last time I took that long walk to his study. I don't think being old enough to drive will convince him you're too big to spank if he thinks you need one."

Hope's jaw dropped. Five hundred was practically infinity.

"I'm probably not the best case study," Kol said, "before I met your Aunt Davina, getting into trouble was how I spent most of my time. You should probably ask Rebekah."

"I will," Hope said as she rolled over on her front. "Good night, Uncle Kol."

After Aunt Rebekah set a plate of waffles in front of her, Hope asked, "When did Uncle Elijah stop spanking you?"

Freya, who was drinking orange juice, nearly choked on it. She scolded, "That's a rude thing to ask, Hope."

"I'm sorry," Hope said and she really was, "but Uncle Kol said you'd have a better idea of how long he'd do it than him." Her bottom lip began to tremble. "I don't want him to spank me when I'm five hundred too! Please tell me he stopped with you when you were old enough to ride a horse." Hope assumed that riding a horse was the same as driving back then.

Rebekah skin was red. But not because she was still blushing. She was angry. "Did Kol tell you that's when Elijah last punished him?"

"He said he was over five hundred last time it happened," Hope said.

"He was way over five last time that happened," Rebekah said, putting her hands on her hips, "I know for a fact the last time was just a few weeks ago!"

Hope was mad now, too. "He gave me an Uncle Elijah answer!"

"You should go give him a piece of your mind," Rebekah said. "After you eat." She added, when Hope jumped off her chair.