"Damon won't be able to hear us," Stefan said, "we can talk." Elena peered up at him. The frown lines on his face were really pronounced. "I don't know where to start."

"I do," Elena said. She forced herself out of his arms and hopped over to the bathroom. She was rubbing her behind unapologetically. While Damon hadn't spanked her as hard as her mom, he still spanked her soundly. She grabbed the lotion she kept on the sink and left the bathroom. She held it up proudly. "Want to help me apply this?"

"Yes," Stefan said. Elena began to shimmy out of her panties. "I don't think Damon would approve."

"All the more reason to do it." Elena handed him the lotion before eagerly crawling over his lap. Yet another way in which Stefan was the superior Salvatore. She knew she was in no danger of getting her ass smacked. Stefan uncapped the lotion. "Besides, he never said we couldn't."

"I don't think he'll be impressed by that excuse," there was a strain in Stefan's voice.

"He was the one who more than doubled my rules after I agreed to join his household," Elena pointed out, "if he's going to be underhanded, I am too."

It was good to hear Stefan laughing. As he began to spread the cool lotion over where Elena was so hot, he said, "If he'd been more honest, would you still be doing this?"

"Yep," Elena said. She closed her eyes and took a moment to just enjoy the sensation of his hand. The lotion was cooling her bottom down, but his hand was warming her up everywhere else. It'd been weeks since they'd had sex and she was very tempted to pull him down into a kiss. "Did it with my mom too."

Although after a session with the spoon, the lotion wasn't a helpful as it was right now. Post A Thrashing From Mom, she'd usually still have about a week of squirming and flushing when Caroline teased her about the round bruises littering her thighs during cheer practice. Elena's sense of timing really sucked. She couldn't get in trouble during the dead of winter, no. She always found herself getting thrashed during the warmest months of the year where she had to wear shorts or a short skirt. The entire town always knew when Elena had gotten her bottom soundly smacked.

Miranda had loved all the Founders events, but she had a low opinion of Founding privileges. Whenever Elena complained about how it wasn't fair that everyone knew she'd gotten a spanking, she'd grab Elena's arm, bend her over, and smack her to tears. She'd only been stupid enough to whine about it three times over her life. But she hadn't been smart enough to complain at home. No, she got an extra smacking in public while her mom lectured her about being a brat.

Needless to say, Miranda Sommers-Gilbert was had been well liked by the general townspeople of Mystic Falls. Which sucked when her backside was warmed over in public, it was preferable in every other aspect. She'd never been fully comfortable with being treated as pseudo royalty and Miranda's laissez faire attitude meant she was treated like almost everyone else in most circumstances. The only other Founding kid who was ever punished in public was Tyler. The Lockwood's had a history of family violence that Mystic Falls had been looking away from since its founding, although Richard was the only one in living memory who didn't keep it behind closed doors. That was complicated. Elena and Jeremy Gilbert getting swatted at the grocery store while whining or sassing off was not.

"Hey," Stefan was pulling Elena to straddle his lap, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Elena said.

"You were zoning out," Stefan said. He brushed her hair behind her ears.

"I was thinking about my mom," Elena admitted. The pained look on his face broke her heart. She pecked him on the lips before smiling. "It was good this time. She did right by me. And Jeremy."

He looked so happy for her as he leaned forward for another kiss. When he tried to deepen it, Elena was very tempted to let him. He was a very good kisser. But she forced herself to pull away. She grabbed the lotion Stefan had set on the night stand. "Let me do you and then we can have a very awkward talk."

"I don't think that will help," Stefan said.

"It won't hurt to try," Elena said, pulling herself off his lap. She urged him to lay on his front and reached down to unbutton his jeans. However, the extra tension in his shoulders gave her pause. "You don't want me to."

Stefan shook his head.

"Damon expects you to be submissive and respectful, doesn't he?" Elena asked as she laid on her side next to him.

"Not as much as the first time," Stefan said.

"First time?"

Stefan turned away from her. She wanted to urge him to look at her, but sensed he needed the space. "We stayed together for about a decade after we first turned in a vampire household he lead. Then I messed things up."

Elena was usually good about reading between the lines. It was a skill she had begun to ruthlessly exploit since encountering the supernatural. But times like these, she would trade it for Caroline's illiteracy in reading people. "He abandoned you."

"Lexi found me," Stefan said, "I was fine."

He didn't say anything else. Elena massaged the back of his neck. She could usually get out the knots and help him relax. Not this time. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Stefan said. He rolled over to his side so they were face to face. "It's in the past." Elena gave him a look. "I'm not over it, but there's nothing we can do to fix it." Elena would bet her entire trust fund that Damon was the one at fault and she was sure come out twice as rich. "We should stick to what's going on right now."

Elena decided the best course of action was to try and lighten the mood. "You're a goody two shoes, are you?"

"No," Stefan said.

"Liar," Elena sat up and pointed at him, "Damon never had to catch you in the act. You confessed."

"When we were human," Stefan said, "but I tried to get away with things after we became vampires." Elena folded her arms. He sighed and admitted, "Once or twice."

"What about now?" Elena asked.

"Most of his rules are fair," Stefan said, "and things I should already be doing." He pointed to his desk. "He keeps a ruler with my pens. He used it on me the day you found out about our arrangement because I'd been a terror at school." Elena could not help but grin at the memory of him embarrassing Tanner. He gave her a Look, but she only grinned harder. "I have to stop skipping classes, get good grades, and be respectful to my teachers."

"That's almost fair," Elena said, "but I know he's spanked you more than once."

"I almost killed Amber," Stefan said. He met her gaze and it was filled with shame. "That's why he started doing this again. He went really easy on me."

Elena doubted that. Stefan would probably only consider being tortured as sufficient punishment for that. And it's not like she didn't get it. If she'd been in his place, she knew she'd feel the same. "So, he's only spanked you twice?"

Stefan silence spoke volumes.

Elena pulled him into a hug. "Please talk to me, Stefan."

"Sometimes he only tells me the rules after I've broken them," Stefan said. Elena found she wasn't surprised. She decided to be even more underhanded than before with Damon. "I've resisted him a few times." Stefan pressed his face into her neck. "And you already know how he reacts to disrespect."

Elena scowled at the memory of Damon's giving her extra smacks for being rude. She could admit she needed to be tanned for reckless driving. But she didn't deserve a longer spanking for refusing to call him sir. Entitled asshole. She had some vengeance planned, but she was going to keep Stefan out of it.

"I'm okay, Elena," Stefan said, "Damon practically raised me. I don't really mind showing him respect." The brothers had given her scant details about Giuseppe, but from what she did know about the man, she found it easy to believe he'd delegate parenting Stefan to Damon. "He's really trying." If it didn't include putting Elena and Stefan over his knee, she would be much happier about his efforts. "The least I can do is meet him half-way."

"Just promise me you'll tell me if he takes things too far," Elena said.

"Promise," Stefan said.

The thing was, Elena was almost sure Damon had already taken things too far. It was just that Stefan couldn't see it. Damon was right about one thing. He was a big bad vampire while she was just a normal girl without recourse. For now.

"I want to tell you something but it would involve a lot of lying to Damon," Elena said. Stefan pulled himself out of her arms and sat across from her. He squirmed. Elena bit her tongue instead of pleading with him to let her put some lotion on. She was still pretty sore herself, but she was able to sit comfortably enough on his soft bed. "If you don't want to get involved, I understand."

Stefan gave her a crooked smile. "I'm only meeting him half-way."

"I've been helping Bonnie with her magic," Elena said, "mostly it was just moral support and translation."

"Mostly?"

"You know how Mystic Falls has weird weather patterns?" Elena asked. Every month or so Logan Fell used to have experts of varying degrees of quack try and explain what was going on in this tiny patch of Virginia known as Mystic Falls. "It's a Bennett witch thing. Her Grams wrote about in one of her grimoires and we've been trying to decode it since Monday night."

"I can help," Stefan said, "Damon knows more about witchcraft, but I'm better at logic. I did some work in World War II on decoding."

That was hot. Elena crawled into his lap and kissed him. However, before she could deepen it, he ended the kiss.

"I don't think Damon would have much of an issue trying to get rid of the blizzard and neither do you," Stefan said, "what else are you doing?"

"I'll see what I can do to convince her to let you help," Elena said. Bonnie was not a fan of vampires. Or calculus. They hadn't been working as hard as they could have to decode. Movies, hot cocoa, and frozen pizza was just a more appealing way to spend their time.

Stefan folded his arms. When she batted her eyelashes, he frowned deeply.

"I already told him I was helping her work on a vampire killing spell," Elena said, "it's not my fault if he didn't take me seriously." There was some other, increasingly more dangerous, things they were doing. But she wasn't going to tell him anymore unless Bonnie gave her the okay.

She thought he might scold her. Instead, he made quick work of taking off her shirt before pushing her flat on her back. He began to attack her neck with his tongue and teeth. It took some creative stretching, but she managed to push into his mouth as she reached down to unbutton his jeans. It was a shame she couldn't wind her legs around his hips until she'd gotten him naked from the waist down.

For a good while, neither were concerned about their sore backsides.

Elena was not the only one who had some fun with her partner. Anna and Jeremy were so loud she was not surprised to see that they'd left the door wide open. She was only two years older than him, but sometimes she felt two decades older. She marched over to his doorway and coughed. Loudly.

"Elena!" Jeremy was scrambling to cover himself.

"You can't possibly have a problem with this," Anna said. She was only wearing her underwear and didn't seem concerned. "I can smell Stefan on you."

Jenna was right. Her fire was a lot of fun. Elena was a little sore about her kidnapping plot, but it wasn't like she didn't understand what it was like to miss a mom. Plus, she made Jeremy happy. And not in that robotic way that Damon's compulsion made him happy. Real happiness.

"It's the timing," Elena said. She made herself sound stern even though what she wanted to do was sulk in her bedroom and rub her sore and well-punished cheeks. "Jenna grounded you until Monday for your progress report. She's pretty lax, but I think that includes no sleepovers with your girlfriend."

Jeremy groaned. "Yours grades weren't much better."

"But I managed to get a C average," Elena was now getting Bs. She'd taken to doing her homework in an attempt to put Damon and unwanted memories about her mom out of her head. And she might actually try to keep up now that she was caught up. Homework was boring, but reducing stress levels was something she'd come to really appreciate lately. It was also nice to have at least one thing she wasn't lying about these days. Look, Mrs. Gardner, my fake dog didn't eat my homework today! "And I didn't spend the summer spending half my trust fund buying illegal drugs and getting high."

"Awkward." Anna moved. She was dressed. "I think I'm going to leave." Then she was out the window.

"Thanks a lot," Jeremy said, "have any more plans to make me miserable?"

"You know what?" Elena said, storming into his room and over to his closet, "I was just going to let this go. But you need an attitude adjustment." She grabbed one of his belts, folded it, and turned around.

"What are you doing?" Jeremy was backing up against his bed. There was real apprehension in his eyes.

"Up," she snapped. Jeremy might be growing up, but he was still her baby brother. When she used that tone, he obeyed her. She grabbed his pillows and made a small pile on the center of his bed. She pointed at it. "Over."

"You can't do this Elena," Jeremy said. Whined. He was looking at the thick leather belt more than her.

"I was only going to give you fifteen," Elena said, "but I'm adding five more. And I'll add another five if you don't obey."

"All least me put on my jeans," Jeremy said. He was only in his underwear and that suited Elena just fine. She shook her head. He huffed, but rested his hips flat over the pillow. "I'm telling Jenna when she gets back from campus."

"Good," Elena said, "because I'm telling her too." He twisted around a bit, looking confused. "I spent all summer watching you fall apart." Jenna spent too much time getting spanked by her big sister to have the heart to smack Jeremy for the same things she did as a teenager. It really was a wonder she'd managed to get into college with her grades. But, like Jeremy, she was bright and easily aced her SATs. "I'm not going to let that happen again."

"I'm not doing anything harder than weed," Jeremy said. She pressed the folded leather against the crest of bottom. "And I've been working on my grades."

"You're still only turning in your homework half the time," Elena said, "and I better not catch you smoking anything again." She lifted the belt and slammed it home. She couldn't bring herself to smack nearly as hard as their mother, but he gasped all the same. "I'm nipping all of this in the bud." She laid down another lick, just below where she'd given him the first.

"I can't believe you read my report card," Jeremy complained. She responded by giving three more licks, one right under the other. The last one cut into his bare thighs, leaving behind a bright pink stripe. "Not so hard!"

"Jenna asked me for advice," Elena said, "I told her it wasn't a big deal. But your attitude makes me think I was wrong."

Jeremy's reply was cut off by a yelp. It was time for circuit number two, where she was licking freshly punished skin. And she forced herself to put a little more power behind her blows. She never wanted Jeremy to get to a place where she'd have to have him compelled again. The second time she whipped his bare thighs, Jeremy actually shouted. Elena wondered if her own mom had felt this bad when she'd taken Elena to task with her spoon. Watching him suffer hurt. However, she would rather him deal with a sore bottom now over something much worse down the line.

"No more," Jeremy said, reaching behind to cover his bottom and thighs. "I learned my lesson, I swear!"

Jeremy had never gotten a sound thrashing before. He'd gotten the spoon a few times. But he'd only gotten a few taps over the seat of his jeans. Jeremy was not like Elena, he didn't test his boundaries all that much. And he was way more content staying home over going out and doing something fun and a bit dangerous. Then, their parents died and Elena was the one who isolated herself while Jeremy went out on self-destructive benders.

Elena steeled her heart. "Move your hand or you're getting five more, Jer." Jeremy curled his fingers and gave a little whimper. "We're half-way done. I don't want to add anymore. Let's just finish this quick, okay?"

Slowly, Jeremy moved his hands to his sides. Elena rewarded him by giving him five more licks. She couldn't bring herself to hit as hard as she had during the second round, but she made up for it by hitting him very fast. Jeremy cried out in pain each time the leather connected with his seat.

"Almost done," Elena said. She took a deep breath. She pressed the folded leather against his sit spot. She tapped it gently as she spoke, "Last five are all going to be right here. Mom never let us fight her on a spanking and neither am I."

"Hurts," Jeremy said.

"I know," Elena said as she rose the belt, "please learn from it."

She smacked the belt down with as much force as she could muster. Jeremy burst into howling tears. Elena gave it a moment for the pain to sink in nice and deep. This should be where she lectured him, but she couldn't bring herself to do that. She rose the belt and hit the same spot again, with just as much force. Jeremy was a howling mess, but he kept his hands at his sides. She gave him a minute or two to let the pain settle and teach. Then she finished his punishment by giving him the last three licks. She hit as him hard and fast as she could. Jeremy rocked around in a failed attempt to avoid what he had coming, but his under curve got three sharp cuts from the thick leather belt all the same.

Elena tossed the belt aside and sat down on the bed next to her sobbing brother. She began to rub his back in small circles. "It's all over."

Jeremy turned his head to her. He was covered in tears and snot. She cleaned his face with her sleeve and made a note to get some tissues if she ever had to spank her little brother again.

By the time she was finished cleaning his face, he'd calmed down enough to whine. He reached behind with both hands and tried to rub the sting out of his sit spots. "You spank harder than Mom," he said, "I'm never going to be able to sit again."

Elena could not stop herself from laughing. "You know that's not true." She patted a red stripe on his thigh and he groaned. "That won't even bruise." She didn't mention the crease of skin he was trying without much luck to sooth. She would be very surprised if those licks hadn't left behind something that would take longer than a night to fade away.

"How did you manage?" Jeremy said, "you'd have a billion bruises that took months to heal."

He was exaggerating. Slightly. Miranda was a fiend with her spoon, Elena's bare skin could readily attest. "Practice." He glared at her. She relented. "Lotion and ibuprofen."

Jeremy suddenly laughed. "She caught you once in middle school and gave you another round." Elena cringed at the memory of dancing under Mommy's Spanking Spoon twice in one afternoon. "I swear the entire block heard you scream."

"I made sure to be very sneaky after that," Elena said. Lotion in the shower instead of on her bed. Ibuprofen only when she was safe at school. "I don't care what you do to manage it, Jer." She grabbed his chin and tried to make herself sound firm. Her voice became very shaky. "Don't make me do that to you again."

"You look so pathetic I'd hug you if I didn't hurt too much to move," Jeremy said. He'd moved his hands down to his thighs, but it was clear that the rubbing didn't do a whole lot to improve the state of his backside.

"I'll get you a wet hand towel," Elena said, pressing a kiss on his forehead.

"Hey," Jenna said, "perfect timing. I could use a break from my thesis."

Elena bit the bullet. "I spanked Jeremy."

Jenna was silent for a few minutes. "What?"

"Anna must have lived in the north pole or something," Elena said, "so had no problem driving through this storm and sneaking in for a study date."

"Are you kids still using that euphemism?" Jenna asked.

Elena found herself relaxing a hair. If she wasn't too upset to joke, she would probably take it okay. "Not a book in sight. I know I should have asked. I was going to let it go, but he started to give me lip."

"You sound so much like your mother," Jenna said. Elena hadn't really wanted to inherit Miranda's sense of parental justice, but Elena couldn't help swelling with pride. Ever since she found out she was adopted, she found herself clinging to any little reminder that Grayson and Miranda were her parents, even if they didn't share the same blood. "I know he needs a firmer hand. Just, discuss it with me next time?"

"No problem," Elena said.

Jenna's guilt kicked into overdrive. "I know I shouldn't be putting this on you. You're still a kid."

"It's okay," Elena said. She could hear her own mother in her voice. "I can handle it. I know you never wanted to be a parent and you took us in anyway." Miranda always wanted to be a mom but Jenna's family ambitions were mostly limited to being a cool wine aunt. "We've all had to make adjustments."

"I was supposed to introduce Jeremy freshmen year in college," Jenna said. Now it was Elena's guilt that was kicking in. No matter what Damon and Stefan said, she knew it was her fault her parents were dead. "You mom took your Grampa's slipper to me when she found out I gave you beer at fifteen. She wouldn't let me up until I promised to wait until your brother was a legal adult before introducing him anything too fun."

Elena remembered. "I got the spoon. It was worth it though."

"You told her that when she was done with you," Jenna said. She was snickering now. "Did I ever tell you Miranda nearly died from laughing after she sent you to bed early? She loved your spunk so much."

Elena didn't know that. She grabbed the bit of new information about her mom and held it as close as she could. She wanted more. "How'd my dad react?"

"Grayson said it would be a waste of time to police all the underage drinking in Mystic Falls. This town is dead and there are worse ways for kids to have fun."

"He gave me that talk," Elena remembered, "don't drink and drive. And," she made her voice low to mimic her father, "for the love of god, Elena Amanda Gilbert, don't get drunk in public with your boyfriend. You are grounded for Saturday and Sunday." She made her voice normal and grinned as Jenna started to really laugh. "Mom let me play with her expensive makeup that weekend."

"She rarely got to be the good guy," Jenna said, "I know she was hard on you, Elena. But she never enjoyed spanking you."

"I know," Elena said. She looked across the hallway. Jeremy still his door open. The wet towel was on his bare behind and he was sleeping as soundly as he'd been punished. "I never want to do that to Jeremy again."

"Cross your fingers," Jenna said, "I'll talk to you later, honey."

Elena crossed her fingers. Then she rolled on her front in order to rub away the sting from Damon's heavy hand. The lotion had helped and Damon hadn't left any bruises behind, but Jeremy wasn't the only soundly spanked Gilbert in the house. And if Damon found out what she and Bonnie were up to, the next time she had a conversation with a folded leather belt, she'd be the one doing the crying.