It was the battle of the century; or at least that's how it felt to Rose. The battle between her intelligence and his, which had started two weeks ago when the teacher Rose liked and referred to as the 'real' teacher, Mrs. Allen, had gone on doctor ordered bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy. Mrs. Allen had promptly been replaced by substitute-come-permanent Mr. Reynolds.

Mrs. Allen, having been warned about Rose's intelligence and her issues with boredom and bullies by Rose's teacher from the year before, was well prepared for her very bright and demanding student. In fact, Mrs. Allen had taken quite a shine to her. Rose was a good girl, so long as one knew how to interact with her and encourage, rather than discourage, her natural inquisitiveness. The two had got on very well together and it had been a huge blow for Rose when Mr. Reynolds took over the classroom. Though Mrs. Allen had left him copious notes on anything and everything, particularly in regards to Rose Holmes, Mr. Reynolds had dismissed it all outright.

Mr. Reynolds did not find Rose sweet or endearing, did not understand how to deal with her in general, and most definitely did not like being corrected by her. Had he followed Mrs. Allen's suggestions, they would have got on better, but Mr. Reynolds was very 'old school' and demanded a level of respect from his students that Rose seemed chronically incapable of managing. School days had become a trial for them both, each growing unhappier with the other by the day.

"Rose, it's impolite to speak to your elders in such a fashion."

"Rose, are you paying attention? This is learning time, not daydreaming time/coloring time/sulking time."

"You cannot possibly be correct. You are seven and I am your teacher. Keep your outrageous nonsense to yourself."

"Writing 'I am bored' on the board is not the proper answer to this mathematics question; return to your desk at once."

Slowly but surely privileges began being taken away and punishments given in their place. Her special pass to the library that Mrs. Allen had arranged just for her so she could work on additional projects, was revoked. She was assigned hundreds and hundreds of ridiculous lines to write in what Rose was certain was a bid to murder her by boredom.

Other times she'd be sent to sit in the hallway until Mr. Reynolds felt she'd learnt her lesson. Recess time began disappearing until Rose was no longer allowed more than five minutes a day and those few precious moments were generally spent clinging to Louise like some sort of life line. The fact that they were no longer in the same classroom, since Rose had skipped ahead, made Rose feel only that much more isolated.

Rose had begged, pleaded, stropped, sobbed, done everything she could think of to get Mycroft to intervene on her behalf. "You're so dramatic," he'd scolded. "Mrs. Allen assured me that she left instructions for him on how to better structure your day within the classroom. Give him a little while to adjust to things. In the mean time, be on your best behavior. I'll be very displeased if I receive any letters or calls that you've been naughty merely because you want Mrs. Allen back."

Her discontent was building to the point where Rose no longer cared much if she got into trouble. Maybe, if she did, Mycroft would listen to her and have to do something about the situation. Something would most definitely have to change, even if she had to precipitate that change all on her own.

The opportunity to force such a change arrived very suddenly in front of her. Rose, being a Holmes, had eleven different ideas of how to conduct this campaign to get Mycroft's attention and focus it on the issue with her teacher. One option, however, had simply landed right in her lap, being the twelfth idea.

They'd begun a lesson of some ridiculously stupid name about twenty minutes prior. A boring book with a boringly named author and a dull plot line was being read bit by bit by everyone in the class. Things went in an orderly fashion, up and down each row with each child getting a turn to read aloud. When her turn was nearing, this said twelfth idea, one which was a scathingly brilliant idea, practically exploded in her head and its entirety worked out in just a few minutes.

"Rose, it's your turn now. Please pick up with the last paragraph on page twenty-nine and continue until I tell you to stop," Mr. Reynolds instructed.

Rose picked up her copy of the book, the wheels of her mind turning as she began to read the passage in a language that was most definitely not English. It was, in fact, Israeli, but Mr. Reynolds didn't know that.

"Speaking gibberish isn't an acceptable way to complete your reading, Rose," he said very sternly. "Please begin again."

"It's not gibberish, its Israeli, and the Israeli people would be very offended if they knew you thought their language gibberish," Rose responded in an even tone.

Mr. Reynold's face flushed with embarrassment as the other students tittered at her comments. "That's enough. Begin reading again and not in Israeli."

Taking a deep breath, Rose began to read again, her mind seeing the English word, instantly translating it to read aloud in French at lightning speed.

Mr. Reynolds gaped at her for a moment before responding. "Stop that at once!"

"What?" Rose asked, scowling at the man. "You said begin again and not in Israeli. That was French. Parlez-vous Francais? Sprechen sie Deutsch? Parli Italiano? Mluvite cesky? Nem beszel magyarul? I can keep going until you find a language you like, Mr. Reynolds. I can speak relatively fluently in thirteen of them," Rose informed him. "More if you count all the interchangeability of the Slavic languages like Serbian, Croatian, and other Eastern European ones."

If Mr. Reynolds face had been red before, it was really red now. "Get out of my classroom! Out! Go sit in the hallway, I'm done with you for the day! Impertinent brat! OUT!"

"Gladly," Rose told him with a brilliant smile. She got up and practically flounced out of the classroom and into the hallway. Phase 1: complete.

Rather than sit in the hallway for the remainder of the day until lunch, which was still two hours away, Rose decided to visit a shop near the school and while away the time. She'd be back in time for lunch, no doubt, and sit with Louise as always, but for now, she'd have some fun. After all, her teacher had sent her out of the room!

Thinking nothing at all of leaving the school and walking to a shop six blocks away, Rose did just that, completely unaware that she would even be missed by the staff of her school. In truth, she wasn't that much missed and her absence wouldn't be discovered until she returned for the lunch period.

Rose had a lovely walk in the warm September sunshine to the little shop. She always carried some money with her and while it wasn't a lot, it was enough to go wander the store and see if there was something she'd like to buy. It turned out that there was, in fact, something she wanted to buy! After selecting a soda, a display caught Rose's eye as she continued to wander. It was a display of tattoos! Not real ones, of course, but fake ones.

Hurrying over to the display, Rose carefully examined the display. These tattoos were guaranteed to not wash off for at least seven whole days- that was marvelous! But what to select? There were so many different styles to choose from, and after much consideration, she picked out two identical unicorn tattoos. After all, she couldn't leave Louise out of the fun!

Her purchases in hand, Rose made her way to the register and paid for her items, then resumed walking around the neighborhood that surrounded her school, keeping an eye on the time. When it neared the lunch hour, Rose headed back to the school and down to the lunch room.

"Rose! Rose!" Louise called, spotting her friend as she also arrived for lunch. She waved enthusiastically at Rose, smiling as the other girl hurried over.

"I got you something. Let's go to the washroom and put it on," Rose whispered, her eyes sparkling with merriment. Hand in hand, the girls snuck off to the washroom.

"It's a unicorn! It's lovely," Louise decided, examining the tattoo. "Where'd you get it?"

"The store. Got tossed out of class again so I went off for a bit. Hallway's boring," Rose responded, as if that explained everything. "Come on let's put them on!"

Within just a few moments the girls sported identical shiny, glittery, very pink unicorns on their bodies. Rose had put hers on her left forearm while Louise had put hers up on her left shoulder. Once they were certain their tattoos were firmly in place, they returned to the lunch room.

Before the lunch period ended, the news of Rose's daring escape and the fancy tattoos that were the result of it was flying across the room from table to table. Before long, the story had reached the ears of teachers and both Rose and Louise were escorted to the office for a chat with the administrator.

"Tattoos are not allowed," the woman said firmly. "Real or not, they aren't allowed, and they constitute a breach of uniform. Miss Holmes, we've had this issue with you before, being out of uniform. In fact, this is the fifth time this term we've had that issue, though this is incredibly more creative than your prior issues," she had to admit. "And what is this I hear about you leaving school grounds?"

Rose shrugged. "It's true. Louise wasn't with me though. I brought the tattoos back from the shop I went to and gave her one. She didn't have any part in anything else."

"So you deliberately left school grounds? Because you fancied a walk or something?" The child's logic didn't add up in Miss Hartford's mind. "Was your teacher aware of this? Did you just get up and leave your lessons without so much as a by-your-leave?"

"No, Mr. Reynolds told me to leave class," Rose admitted. "I didn't want to sit in the hall again, it's very boring, and so I decided to amuse myself outside until lunch. I might have skipped lunch, but today's my favorite so I didn't want to miss it."

Miss Hartford's mouth dropped open. "Isn't this the tenth time in three weeks Mr. Reynolds has sent you out of class? If he sends you out of class, young lady, it is not an invitation to leave the school because you feel like it or because you're not being entertained. We make a lot of exceptions for you here, because you are a very bright girl, but behavior such as this doesn't make me feel inclined to continue making those exceptions. If you're sent to the hall to think about what you've done wrong, you will sit there and make at least some attempt to learn a lesson from it."

Rose sighed heavily and said, "Dull."

"Miss Holmes, go sit with the secretary. Miss Gardner, back to class. I'll be sending a note home about the tattoo, but that's all we'll say on the matter. You are considerably better behaved than your friend. I urge you to reevaluate this friendship in order to avoid getting in trouble."

"What for? Rose is brilliant! Not her fault nobody understands her now that Mrs. Allen had to quit," Louise pointed out. "She doesn't make trouble all the time. And she's the bestest friend someone could ever have in the whole world. We're practically sisters."

Miss Hartford rolled her eyes and dismissed Louise. A note home would suffice this time, but it would most definitely not suffice for Rose Holmes!

At an office across town a phone began ringing and was quickly answered by a PA by the name of Barbara Gaines. "Mycroft Holmes' office," Gaines replied.

"This is Jean Hartford, the administrator of Rose's school, and I need to speak with Mr. Holmes please," the woman on the other end responded.

"Mr. Holmes is in a meeting right now, is there a message I can take?"

"No, there isn't. You can interrupt him and have him come to the phone. It's very important."

Gaines frowned. "Is this an emergency? Is Rose injured?"

"No, she's not injured," Miss Hartford replied. "But she's being dismissed for the day and Mr. Holmes needs to come collect her."

This wasn't going to go well, Gaines thought to herself. "Please hold." After placing the call on hold, she got up from her desk and pressed the intercom.

"Gaines, I'm in the middle of meeting and asked not to be disturbed," Mycroft's replied, his voice tinged with annoyance.

"Yes sir, I know, but Rose's school is on the phone for you. They won't leave a message."

Gaines could hear him sigh. "Keep them on hold for three minutes and then put them through."

"Will do sir," she agreed.

Inside his office, Mycroft rubbed his forehead before resuming his video conference call. "I apologize, but we'll have to resume this meeting at another time," he told the German chancellor. "An emergency on our end."

"Mr. Holmes, this is important," the Chancellor replied.

"I'm well aware of that," he replied in an even tone. "You wouldn't be speaking with me if it wasn't important. However, no one is going to die in the next few hours while I handle something here. Should the situation change, contact my PA. Otherwise, we'll continue our conversation in three hours."

He ended the video conference call after getting the chancellor's reluctant agreement to reconvene and picked up the call from the school. "Miss Hartford, this had better be very, very important or I will be speaking to the board of directors about the future of your employment."

Jean Hartford honestly had no idea what it was Rose Holmes's eldest brother and guardian did for a living, but for some reason she never doubted that he meant it when he issued threats of that nature. "I do apologize for interrupting you, Mr. Holmes. Unfortunately we've had some disciplinary issues with Rose and she's being dismissed for the day. You will need to come collect her from the office."

Mycroft barely bit back a groan. "Why is she being dismissed for the day?"

"Continual disruptions in the classroom, general inability to obey her teacher for starters. Refusal to speak in English for another. Additionally, she left school grounds to go shopping and came back sporting a tattoo. While it is admittedly a fake tattoo, it is a violation of the school's dress code," Miss Hartford explained.

"And how exactly did she manage to leave the premises without anyone noticing her absence and raising a general alarm that a child was missing?" Mycroft asked his voice low and dangerous.

Miss Hartford swallowed loudly before responding. "I'm looking into that issue. It shouldn't have occurred, but the fact that it was able to happen doesn't change the fact that Rose did it."

"Funnily enough I doubt the board of directors will agree with that assessment. That, however, is an issue for another day," Mycroft decided. "I will be there in fifteen minutes to collect Rose." He hung up the phone and departed his office a few moments later.

Rose was waiting in the office with her backpack and jacket when Mycroft arrived. "My, I-"

"I doubt you have a suitable explanation for your behavior and even if you do, I don't care to hear it at this moment," Mycroft said. He hauled her to her feet by her arm and proceeded to march her out of the building. "I was in a meeting with a very important world leader when you decided to create mass chaos at your school and get yourself sent home for the day. Let me tell you this, young lady, I've had it with your nonsense."

"But My, it's not nonsense," Rose whined, half-running to keep up with his longer strides.

Mycroft came to a dead stop and swatted her, hard, right there in the parking lot. He glared at her, ignoring the indignant whine and the pink flush of embarrassment that settled on her face in response to the smack. "This was very clearly a bid for my attention and don't you dare try to tell me it wasn't! Well, now you're going to get all the attention from me you can stand, and I promise you, Rosenwyn, that you won't enjoy a second of it!"

Rose stared at him, her eyes going wide. This… was not what she had anticipated. Scathingly brilliant ideas were not supposed to end with smackings from furious big brothers. How did this always happen?! "That wasn't my plan," she finally said in a tiny voice.

"How unfortunate," he replied sarcastically. "Next time think twice before being a petulant brat. Now get in the car and be quiet!"

Biting her lip, Rose got into the car and remained silent the entire way home. When the car was parked in the drive, Mycroft took Rose's arm once again and escorted her into the house, waiting as she took off her jacket and placed her backpack by the door.

"Let me see this tattoo of yours," Mycroft said. When she held up her arm and he was greeted with a sparkly pink unicorn, he rolled his eyes.

"It's not real," Rose told him in a quiet tone.

"Well unless it fades within the next thirty seconds, I can assure you that your spanking will be very much real," Mycroft threatened. "My study, Rosenwyn."

With a sigh the little girl trudged off to his study with Mycroft right behind her. He sat behind his desk and looked at her sternly, watching her squirm a bit as she stood there.

"Wait!" Rose exclaimed, suddenly sounding hopeful. "If I can get this to wash off, I'm not in trouble?"

Mycroft rolled his eyes. "Oh no, you'll still be in trouble, even if you can get that stupid thing to wash off your arm. I highly doubt it will, however, so don't think you're getting out of having a spanking."

She stomped her foot. "But whhhhhhhy?" Rose whined, giving him a spectacular pout.

Her eldest brother rubbed his hand across his forehead. "Because you're completely ridiculous, that's why!"

"No I'm not. That's not even nice Mycroft. I can explain everything, I swear," Rose promised.

"Oh, please do, sister mine. Please, give me a logical explanation for every single one of your choices today that does not involve the words "I'm bored"," Mycroft demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

His refusal to hear the words 'I'm bored' caused Rose to pause just a moment before responding. "It was dull. My brain cells were committing mass suicide because my teacher is a meanie head who doesn't understand anything about me at all."

"So you thought refusing to speak English just to infuriate your teacher that you dislike was a wise choice? And leaving the school and this tattoo nonsense? The only explanation you have to offer me is that you don't like him and it was dull?" Mycroft asked incredulously. "As I said: ridiculous."

"I'm going to call Mummy and tell her you're being horrible. She said I could call any time and she won't think I'm ridiculous at all," Rose threatened. "She'll listen and make it all better."

Mycroft stood up, towering her over despite the fact that there was a large desk between them. "You are not calling Mother to whine and complain to her that you aren't getting your way. She is resting in the Mediterranean and your whining will take away from that rest, you will leave her be. I'm not in the mood to play your games, Rosenwyn Aramantha, so I suggest you be the brilliant girl I know you are and be quiet."

Rose scowled and stomped again. "Everyone says be quiet! 'Rose, please don't interrupt when I am talking' about the wrong things, or the teacher just talks at me about stuff I learned years ago! I don't want to sit there and have my brain cells die anymore! It's dull and pointless and a complete waste of time and I won't have it anymore!" By the time she finished her outburst, tears were running down her face.

Mycroft's eyebrow quirked. "Oh, you won't have it anymore, will you? Do you want to know what I won't have anymore? A stroppy, rude, disobedient little girl! Stop the attitude immediately before you talk yourself into even more trouble. As it is, you're already due a good, sound spanking and you're staying home from dance Monday night for wasting my time and the school's time in having to deal with your poor behavior!" He bellowed the words at her, loudly and harshly, causing her to take a little step backwards.

"That's not fair," she replied in a tiny voice. "I love dance. I need dance. Give it back, please? Please?" Rose was well aware that pleading to avoid punishment entirely wasn't going to be successful, so she didn't even bother to try and negotiate the rest of her sentence.

"It's entirely fair, I promise you, and I don't care to hear your complaints about it. Do you have anything further to say for yourself? An apology might be appropriate right about now," Mycroft pointed out.

Just as Rose opened her mouth to respond, his mobile rang and one look at the caller ID told him that he had to take this call. "Go to your room and put your nose in the corner. I'll be up for your spanking momentarily."

Rose turned and fled the study, running up the stairs and into her room. Rather than putting her nose in the corner as directed, however, she went straight to her window, intending to runaway. Mycroft was so mad at her and he was shouting at her! This had not worked out like she planned it at all!

The window went up easily and within just a moment Rose had popped the screen out of it. Without thinking to stop for a jacket, Rose climbed out the window and onto a large branch of the tree next to the house. With great care she managed to climb down the tree and then took off at break-neck speed.

Inside the house, Mycroft hung up his mobile after promising to head back to the office right away. "Sherlock!" he called out as he exited the study.

The younger Holmes brother sighed heavily and descended the stairs. "What?" Sherlock asked. "Why are you bellowing?"

"Never mind that, I cannot explain right now. I have to go back to the office and I'll be gone at least a few hours. I just sent Rose to her room to stand in the corner, will you go tell her she can leave the corner but is restricted to her room until I come back?" Mycroft asked.

"I suppose. But don't expect me to do anything more than that, particularly if you're not going to tell me what she did," Sherlock cautioned.

"Fine, fine, just give her the message," Mycroft ground out before disappearing out the front door.

Sherlock headed back upstairs, intending to both pass on the message and find out from Rose what was going on. He knocked on her closed bedroom door and waited briefly for her to respond. "Rose? Can I come in?" he asked when there was no response.

When he still didn't receive a response, Sherlock opened the door and knew immediately upon seeing the window that Rose was gone. It was a surprising development as Rose had never pulled a disappearing act when she was in trouble before. Sherlock was confidant though that she wouldn't go far and would return by the time it started to get dark.

Darkness was soon approaching and Rose had not returned home. Sherlock was growing worried and decided that it was time to start looking for her. Grabbing his coat and scarf against the evening chill, he headed out the door and in search of his sister.

Surprisingly enough, Rose turned out to be rather easy to find. She'd sought refuge at a park several blocks from their home and was still there, sitting at the base of a tree near the swing set when Sherlock came looking for her. "Hello," he greeted, sitting down beside her. "Bad day?"

"Hi," Rose replied quietly. "Did Mycroft send you to come get me?"

"No. He isn't home from the office just yet, he was called back in," Sherlock told her. "But it's getting dark and I didn't like the thought of you alone in the dark."

The little girl looked up at him with the hint of a smile on her lips. "Sentiment?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I'm rather fond of you," he murmured. "I keep trying to get over that, but you make it very difficult to do so."

Though he was trying to tease her, Rose responded by looking down at her hands. "I'm very good at making things difficult, and being difficult," she said softly. "Mycroft's very, very mad at me."

"So I'd gathered," Sherlock responded. The forlorn look on her face when straight to his heart and he immediately wrapped his arms around her. "You are very, very cold," he observed. "Didn't you think to get a jacket?"

Rose shook her head. "This, much like the rest of my day, has been a very ill-conceived plan."

Sherlock stood and took off his coat, immediately wrapping Rose up in it like a blanket before he sat down beside her once more. "Not feeling very brave?"

"No. Mycroft was bellowing at me and I hate that. It means he's very angry and I'm in very big trouble and I don't want to be in very big trouble," Rose explained.

"And you thought if you gave him some time to collect himself, he wouldn't be as angry?" She nodded, confirming his thoughts. "You can't stay away forever, Rose. You have to come home sometime. We'll miss you terribly if you don't," he whispered.

"I don't want to stay away forever," she assured her big brother. "But I don't want Mycroft to yell at me anymore, or spank me."

"Because you believe it to be an undeserved spanking, or you just don't want one because you don't like them?" Sherlock inquired.

Rose gave him a pout. "That's not a nice question. Maybe I deserve it; maybe. Alright, alright, I do," she admittedly reluctantly when he gave her a look.

"Then it's best to get it done with, isn't it? It won't be less unpleasant the longer you wait for it," Sherlock pointed out. "How about I bring you home and get you into the bath so you can warm up? You can tell me what happened on the walk back and I'll try to help with Mycroft. At the very least I'll tell him no more shouting," he promised. "Can you be brave if I help? If I listen?"

She nodded. "I love you Sherlock. You always listen," she whispered.

Sherlock smiled and kissed her cheek. "Come along then," he said. He easily scooped her up and held her close, still wrapped in his coat.

"I can walk!" Rose giggled.

"I'm well aware of that fact. However, you'll be warmer if you stay under my coat and let me carry you back."

"You just like carrying me, because I'm small," Rose deduced with a smirk.

"Brat," Sherlock responded with a wink. "So, tell me all about what happened today and why Mycroft is mad at you."

By the time they returned home, Mycroft had returned as well and was waiting for them. He looked at his siblings, an eyebrow raised questioningly, as Sherlock carried Rose into the house. "I'll explain, give me a few moments," Sherlock said, sailing past him and up the stairs.

"I'm going to run you a bath and I'll talk to Mycroft while you get warmed up," Sherlock told Rose as he set her on her feet in the hallway. "Go get your pajamas and dressing gown and meet me in the bathroom."

When Rose was settled into a warm, steamy bath and had a cup of tea to help her warm up faster, Sherlock descended the stairs to speak with Mycroft. He found his older brother in his study and entered without bothering to knock, earning a predictable glare for doing so.

"You shouldn't yell at her," Sherlock stated, sitting on the small sofa in the room. "You know how it upsets her."

"Well then she shouldn't be so naughty, should she?" Mycroft replied. "Her behavior today was outrageous."

"Her behavior was precipitated by an ignorant instructor who doesn't give a damn about the fact that Rose is a brilliant little girl," Sherlock countered. "I'm not excusing her cheek or her adventure off the school grounds, but she's utterly miserable, Mycroft. He's punishing her for being smart."

Mycroft frowned darkly. "Explain."

"Her special pass has been revoked, she spends considerable time in the hallway on a daily basis, she's made to write lines, all because he doesn't think she's anymore special than anyone else. He has completely disregarded the system Mrs. Allen had set up to keep Rose engaged and accommodate her learning abilities," Sherlock told him.

"That's why she acted out today, because she's just that miserable. Not the right way to deal with things, I'm fully aware, so spare me the lecture and accusations that I'm too lenient with her. I'm not at all in agreement with her leaving the school grounds all by herself. She's only seven, after all," Sherlock conceded.

The other Holmes sighed heavily. "I suppose I should have listened to her more, rather than assume the school had the right of it. In my defense, you know Rose has a flair for the dramatic."

"She does, but she's not a liar Mycroft," Sherlock responded. "This is, in effect, partly your fault. Listen to her next time. Rose generally doesn't misbehave to this extent without a good reason and her motivation doesn't involve driving you insane for the most part. You are the mean brother after all."

Mycroft rolled his eyes. "You're not going to talk to me out of spanking her, Sherlock, so let's not bother with that part."

"Just don't bellow at her again, and upset her unnecessarily, or I will bellow at you."

"May I remind you," Mycroft began, already sounding close to exasperation. "That I'm not some sort of dragon for you to slay and Rose is not a princess in need of protection from me. Keep the dramatics out of it, brother mine. I'm not going to shout at her if she's already upset and is ready to discuss things properly."

Sherlock gave a curt nod and exited his brother's study.

Half an hour after talking with Sherlock, Mycroft headed upstairs to find his little sister. He knocked lightly on her door and said, "Rose, its Mycroft. May I come in?" He could hear a squeak and the sound of footsteps as she crossed the room.

"Yes!" Rose finally called back.

Mycroft entered her bedroom, shutting the door behind him, and was greeted by the sight of his sister standing in the corner. "You haven't been standing there for hours and hours Rose. Are you trying to convince me you have been?" He had no intention of scolding her for the few hours she spent at the park, but he wouldn't be pleased if she tried to tell him she'd been waiting in the corner this whole time.

Rose shook her head, her curls dancing from the movement, but offered no further comment.

"Then why are you standing there?" Mycroft asked.

"I'm trying to be good," Rose told him softly. "So you know I can be good."

Damn it, Sherlock was right, Mycroft thought to himself. He shouldn't have bellowed at her earlier. He'd forgotten how sensitive his little sister was. He crossed the room and turned Rose around to face him, then knelt in front of her.

"I know you can be good. You are good," Mycroft told her. "Sometimes, however, you don't make good choices. That is what upsets me, that is what isn't good, the choices, not you. There's a difference, and it's an important one."

"Sometimes I don't know how it happens," Rose admitted, looking down. "Honestly, I don't start out to get in trouble, you know. It just sort of happens."

Mycroft chuckled and shook his head. "Trouble just finds you, hm? You don't always have to let it, you know. Every so often you should just say "no" rather than make mischief."

"I'm sorry I made you mad and that you had to leave work. I hadn't anticipated that part. I might have rethought my scathingly brilliant idea had I realized that might be an outcome," she said thoughtfully.

"What's done is done, we cannot change it," Mycroft told her. "Sherlock told me how miserable you've been. Is this new teacher really that bad? It's not that you just want Mrs. Allen back?" Rose could be very resistant to change when she wanted to be, seemingly craving routines which gave her a sense of security.

"He doesn't like me and he won't let me do special projects anymore. He really, really doesn't like me at all," she said sadly. "I tried very hard to be nice and not be… overwhelming? Or something? But it didn't work."

"Why didn't you come talk to me?" Mycroft asked as he stood and picked her up, making his way to her bed.

"I tried, but you said I was being dramatic. I suppose I should have tried harder to speak with you before I started getting in trouble all the time. That didn't help, did it?"

Mycroft shook his head and sat down, holding her in his lap. "No, it did not. I promise to listen better next time, no matter how many notes about misbehavior are sent home."

"Good! Then I won't have to get in trouble anymore," Rose decided with a smile.

"Don't be too optimistic, sister mine, as trouble does tend to follow you wherever you go," Mycroft pointed out.

"Meanie," Rose grumbled, even as she snuggled close.

He held her closely for a few moments, letting a comfortable silence fill the room for just a bit. Sadly, however, he had a spanking to give her and there wasn't much point in putting it off any further. "We have a bit of business to take care of, don't we Rosenwyn?" he finally asked.

Rose made a little whiny noise and cuddled even closer. "Even though my teacher is horrid?"

"Even though your teacher is horrid," Mycroft confirmed. "You made your choices today all by yourself and that's what you must answer for, because they were very poor choices." Before she could whine any further, Mycroft gently guided her off his lap to stand in front of him. "Just so we're clear, do you understand why you're getting a spanking, Rosenwyn?"

Her gaze shifted to the floor and she shuffled her feet in that endearing way of hers that she always did when being scolded before a spanking. "I suppose," Rose finally answered.

"Then let's make certain you know," Mycroft decided. "Why do you think you're being spanked? And the answer is not 'because you're mean'" he cautioned.

She pouted when he took away her reflex response and was then forced to actually think about it. "I was rude to my teacher, even if he deserved it, I shouldn't be rude," Rose admitted, lifting her head to look at him. "Or disrupt everyone else's learning. Especially that because do they ever need it."

Mycroft struggled to hold back a chuckle at the commentary she provided along with her answers. "What else?" he encouraged.

"I shouldn't have left the school," Rose continued. "Or put a tattoo where people could see it."

"You really do need to get over your habit of breaking the dress code rules," Mycroft interrupted.

"I think that's everything though, isn't it? Oh, wait! I was sassy, to you, wasn't I?"

"You were. I understand you were frustrated, but you need to communicate with me properly. Not by whining or arguing or any of that other mess," he responded. "Use your words. You're brilliant; you can figure it out without resorting to childish nonsense."

"Okay," Rose agreed, looking down once more. "I'm not really sorry about annoying Mr. Reynolds, because he's horrid, but I am sorry about the rest of it. I'll be good," she whispered.

"You are good," Mycroft reiterated. "Your choices were not. Remember that. Now, dressing gown off and over my knee, Rosenwyn."

"Do we have to?" She gave him her best sad-puppy face, hoping to get a last minute reprieve.

"After all the rules you broke? Absolutely we do," Mycroft told her firmly. "No more arguing about it."

With a sigh Rose took off her pink dressing gown and laid it on the bed. Taking a deep breath, she let Mycroft help her across his lap, biting her lip and he adjusted her position. She remained still, until he started to pull down her pajama bottoms. "My! Please don't!" Rose begged, wriggling a bit.

"Rosenwyn, I promised you a sound spanking and so you shall have one. Don't argue with me and stop your silly wiggling around," he scolded. With one arm wrapped around her waist, he easily pulled her pajama bottoms and panties to her knees, baring her bum.

"But I'm sorry already My! I don't want a spanking!" Rose pleaded.

Mycroft could already hear that she was close to tears, but he couldn't allow himself to relent. "I'm very glad that you're sorry. However, your actions today have consequences and that consequence is a sore bottom."

He raised his hand and brought it down sharply across the center of her bottom, inwardly flinching as Rose yelped. There was going to be a lot more yelping before it was over, he knew, and Mycroft forced himself to ignore it and began to spank in earnest. His hand went back and forth, smacking first her left cheek then her right, the swats landing in no particular pattern.

Rose tried hard to be brave, she always did, but that first swat never failed to take her by surprise. Following her yelp, she bit her lip through the next several smacks, but as the sting and heat grew, Rose wasn't able to keep quiet about how much it hurt anymore. "Owww! No! I'm sorry Mycroft! Owww!"

Mycroft didn't respond and focused on the task at hand, now smacking up and down one cheek and then moving to the other, watching the color of her bottom change from a dusty pink to a more reddish hue. It was then he gave some attention to her sit spots, intending to give her something to remember tomorrow when she sat down.

The swats were heavy and stingy and the overlapping intensified the burn Mycroft's hand left behind. Rose continued to squirm and wriggle and cry out as he continued to spank. "Noooooo!" she finally wailed, throwing a hand back. "No more!"

"Rose, you know better," Mycroft scolded, pushing her hand out the way. Her efforts were rewarded with some solid swats to her upper thighs that pushed her from wailing and protesting to outright crying. Moving his hand back to her cheeks, warming them up once again, he heard her gasp a few times before beginning to sob. Nearly done then.

"Are you going to disrupt your classroom and take away the learning opportunities of your classmates anymore?" Mycroft questioned with a very hard smack.

"Noooooooooo!" Rose promised.

"Are you going to leave school grounds on your own without permission again?" Another solid swat accompanied the question.

Rose shook her head vigorously no, letting out wail.

"Are we going to continue to have issues with your school uniform?" Mycroft knew she hated this part more than any other, but it was important that she very clearly understand the behavior that would no longer be tolerated.

She shook her head once more, her hands moving to hold onto his pants in order to keep from putting her hand back again.

"If we have to address these issues again, Rosenwyn, it won't be my hand spanking your bottom. I'll find Mother's spoon and give you a good paddling," Mycroft warned. He flinched when her sobs went up in volume. "Not now, not now," he hurried to assure her. "If we have these issues again, not right now. Understand?" He waited until she nodded, then gave her one final smack across the center of her bottom.

Rose cried with abandon, regardless of the fact that the spanking was now over. Her bum was on fire and she'd never be able to sit again! She just knew it! She had the meanest brother in the whole wide world to spank her so hard.

"Alright poppet, we're done," Mycroft assured her. He rubbed her back gently for a moment, letting her have a good cry, before carefully pulling her clothing back up into place. "There, there, I know it's very miserable," he murmured, picking her up and hugging her tightly. "You'll be alright poppet."

Rose shook her head indicating that no; she would not be alright, prompting Mycroft to kiss the top of her head. "You will be, I promise," he soothed. "I know it hurts now, and I know you think I'm very awful, but I do it because I care about you. I want you to be safe and happy and that means you have to follow the rules. I'd much rather give you a good smacking now than have you hurt later," Mycroft pointed out.

She pressed her face against his neck and clung to his shirt with both hands, clenching the material in her little fists. Oh yes, she was a most miserable little thing at this moment, he thought to himself. Words weren't what she needed just then, so Mycroft fell silent and rocked her gently in his arms, letting her cry for as long as she needed to.

It took several minutes, but Rose finally calmed down and let go of his shirt, relaxing against him completely. "Tears all done?" Mycroft asked gently.

Rose nodded and whispered, "My eyes hurt. Too much tears."

"Here, lie down on your tummy, I'll be right back," Mycroft told her. He gently laid her out on the bed and exited the room to find a flannel. After running it under the cold water for a moment, he returned to the bedroom and gently wiped her face before letting her hold the cloth to her eyes.

"'m sorry," Rose whispered.

"I know poppet, I know. You're forgiven," he said reassuringly. "I'll work things out with your teacher so that you aren't miserable at school anymore, alright?"

"'k," Rose agreed. "Love you, even when you're mean."

Mycroft smiled and rubbed her back gently. "And I love you, even when you're naughty," he said softly.

"Wanna cuddle," she decided, giving him a pout.

"Cuddle in my lap again?" When she nodded, Mycroft carefully picked her up and settled her in his lap, doing his best to adjust her position so that there wasn't much pressure on what he was sure was a very sore bottom.

Rose snuggled close and closed her eyes as Mycroft resumed rocking her oh-so-gently. Within moments her breathing evened out, telling him she was fast asleep. He waited ten more minutes before he moved to tuck her into bed on her tummy.

"Goodnight poppet," he whispered, kissing her cheek. After looking at her fondly for a moment, Mycroft turned out the lights and exited her bedroom, shutting the door behind him.