Harm's Way 3
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Thank you to Gibbs Fan for allowing me to pick her brain :)
Chapter 3
Mattie wiped the counter clean...very slowly while the others started to get their stuff ready to leave.
"You could stay for dinner?" she asked eyeing Harm carefully. A little extra time wouldn't hurt. He wasn't happy and she really wasn't sure what was gonna happen here but she knew the longer her friends stayed the more time Harm had to calm down.
"Their Mom's are calling them Mattie." he said. He was already holding the door open and the kids were filing through it. "School tomorrow...all of you or your folks are gonna hear all about this." he said. Mattie rolled her eyes.
"He wouldn't do that guys." she said with an embarrassed laugh. The kids all called their quick goodbyes and left...rapidly.
"Yes I would." he said swinging the door shut behind Amy who was the last to leave.
"Way to chase off my friends Harm!"
"Excuse me?" he said rounding on her.
"I just made friends with them and I like them..."
"Let's get back to the matter at hand here."
"No!" Mattie said. "I don't wanna talk to you at all while you're being such a …...DICTATOR!"
"Didn't really ask you what you wanted to do Mattie." Mattie stalked towards the sanctuary of her room but was stopped by a firm hand on the back of her shirt.
"Oh no. Not this time you don't."
"This time I don't what?"
"Go in there and slam your door and then refuse to come out...That doesn't happen again." Mattie rolled her eyes.
"Did you just roll your eyes at me?"
"Why are you acting so parental all of a sudden?"
"That would be because I'm the parent Mattie."
"Guardian."
"Same thing."
"So you say."
"Yes I do say."
"Ok...Sir!. NOW can I go to my room?"
"No way." Harm said. "You think this is the end of this?"
"Pretty much...oh don't tell me...I'm grounded...again."
"That didn't work remember?"
"You want me to stand in the corner or sit on the naughty step Harm?" she asked with a grin.
"I'd like you to be a little less of a smart mouth."
"I'll work on that."
"You'll do more than work on it...you'll make it happen."
"Um...ok."
"What were you thinkin?"
"That I didn't want to go to gym. It's useless and not necessary. I go to school to learn stuff I need for life and I don't consider Gym..." Harm held up his hand.
"Save it Mattie. You go to school because it's the law and because you have to. You know that. You chose to flaunt the rules...now you pay the price." He had yanked her back by her shirt and she now stood in front of him. Her eyes wide with concern.
"What are you gonna do Harm? Spank me ?" she asked again with the nervous laugh.
JAGJAGJAGJAGJAG
"Was Harm mad?" Jen asked Mac. She'd taken her for coffee so they could give Harm some time.
"Uhhuh."
"He's gonna ground her again isn't he Ma'am?"
"Nope...he says he's going to spank her." Jen's eyes widened.
"Really?"
"That's what he says." Jen grinned.
"Think he'll do it?" Mac chuckled.
"THAT is the question."
JAGJAGJAGJAGJAG
"Come here." Harm took Mattie's hand and lead her to the couch. "Sit... we need to talk."
"I'm listening..."
"Good. Mattie, I'm responsible for you. I care about you...and I love you."
"I love you too Harm."
"I know...and I know I said it was your job to be a kid...and it is, but my job is to be the parent."
"But we're friends.."Mattie whined. Harm nodded.
"And more...Mattie you messed up...big. After messing up last night."
"I'm just trying to fit in... to make friends."
"If they're real friends, you won't lose them by doing what's right." Mattie nodded. "Ok stand up."
"Huh?" Harm took her arm and helped her stand. "You're joking. You're not really gonne spank me."
"Yep...you have it coming Mattie." He leaned over and plucked a cigarette butt out of the the planter."You had any of these?"
"Um...no?"
"Ok...so that would be ignoring the fact your grounded, ditching,smoking and lying about smoking as your offences."
"Up...actually I did come home...I just brought a few extra people with me."
"Add being a smart mouth to that list." He tipped her over his knee and she yelped with the first spank.
"Ow Harm...that hurts!"
"It's supposed to hurt." he said as he brought his hand down with another hard smack on her jeans.
"Not that hard Harm! I get the point...you're in charge ...ow ow ow ow" Harm ignored the yelps that followed and spanked her jean clad backside over and over until he'd covered every inch several times over.
"You going to school tomorrow?"
"Yes..." Mattie's hand shot back to protect her now burning rear. He caught it in his own and spanked her hard on each thigh with the other hand."I promise...please Harm."
After another sharp volley of spanks she burst into tears. "I'm sorry!" she wailed. Harm stopped and stood her up before pulling her into a tight hug.
"I'm sorry too. I hated doing that Mattie but if you don't straighten up and fly straight...I'll do it again."
"I will...I'll be better." she said sniffling and clinging to then front of his shirt as her rubbed her back gently.
Finally her sobs quietened and then stopped.
"Harm...if I can't... you know always be good...you won't leave me will you?"
"Never."
JAGJAGJAGJAGJAG
Jen turned the key and entered. She was sure they'd had enough time. Harm was watching television and Mattie was asleep in her room.
"Where's Mattie Sir?" she asked.
"In her room." Jen sighed.
"She did it again? Locked herself in her room?" Harm smiled.
"She had permission." Jen's eyes widened.
"Ok...so..."
"I'm sure she'll tell you...but I need to get some sleep."
"Ok Sir."
"I'll be back to take her to school myself in the morning."
"To make sure she gets there Sir?"
"No...I trust her. Principal meeting." he said as he left.
Jen opened Mattie's door and she was sound asleep... on her tummy.
Ok then, she thought.
JAGJAGJAGJAGJAG
Harm was about to turn in when there was a knock on the door.
"Hey." Mac said. "Thought you could use some company...some support...a friendly ear..."
"Well I was about to go to bed but company is always welcome." Your company especially, he thought. They both took a seat.
"So...how'd it go?" she asked keeping her smile as far from surfacing as she could.
"It went...as it was supposed to go."
"Really..." she said with a smile. "And..."
"No details, except to say I got home to a bunch of teenagers...a big mess and a lot of noise. One of them had their arm around Mattie and they were squished into one chair, but he WAS wearing makeup so..."
"Doesn't make a difference..."
"Oh?"
"Yeah."
"Really?"
"Yeah Harm..." she said incredulously.
"Wow. Things have changed since I was a teenager."
"Sure have."
Harm sighed and ran a hand over his face. What the hell had he got himself into.
TBC