A/N: Nobody panic. Melissa is behind bars and is going to stay there, but I never promised that there wouldn't be anymore drama in this story.
"I'm well aware that it's Christmas Day. Trust me, I wouldn't be calling you if it wasn't important, I would much rather be relaxing with my family right now. All I need is confirmation that you still have custody of Melissa Steele." Olivia could be heard growling into her cell phone in the kitchen while Grace, Don, and Eileen sat in the living room, their drinks forgotten for the time being. Grace choked on a sob with a trembling lower lip and snuggled deeper into Eileen's arms with tears streaming down her sweet face while Eileen rocked her and stroked her hair. As much as she wanted to, Grace couldn't cuddle on Olivia's lap while Olivia was on the phone, so Eileen's lap was the next best choice until Olivia was available, and Olivia had promised to hold her for as long as she wanted as soon as she got off the phone.
"I'm sorry I broke one of your glasses, ma'am. I'm sorry!" Grace wept.
"You aren't in trouble, dear, you were afraid and it was only an accident. Accidents happen sometimes, we cleaned it up and everything is okay." Eileen assured her.
"Well, as of right now, Melissa is safely locked away in her cell. Apparently she lost her privilege of being let out for one hour a day after she tried to grab an officer's gun." Olivia reported as she walked back into the living room to join the rest of her family. She walked over to where Grace was sitting on Eileen's lap and bent down to lovingly stroke Grace's sweet face, "Come here, my baby, let's go have some privacy for a while and see if we can get you calmed down. While we're in the other room, Don or Eileen can make the drinks and when you feel better you can have yours."
"Yes, Ma'am." Grace choked out as she stood up from Eileen's lap and let Olivia guide her down the hall into the spare bedroom and closed the door behind them. Olivia sat on the bed with her back against the headboard and let Grace climb practically on top of her to be cuddled and comforted.
"That's my good girl. I'm right here, lovey, I promise you are very safe. I won't let anything happen to my sweet angel. You just relax now and cry it out." Olivia soothed as she cuddled Grace close to her heart and gently rubbed her bottom while Grace sobbed on her shoulder, clinging to her for dear life. Eventually, Grace was finally no longer crying but she stayed in Olivia's arms still clinging to her while Olivia continued to rub her bottom to keep her calm and relaxed.
"Ma'am, please rub my bare bottom." Grace requested quietly, and she felt Olivia gently pulling her pants and panties down in one motion and then Olivia continued her gentle rubbing. Grace breathed a content sigh and melted into Olivia's body upon feeling the much needed skin to skin contact, "I didn't mean to break the glass, Ma'am. I didn't throw it, I swear."
"I know you didn't throw it, little one; you're not in trouble, you were just afraid. If you were being careless and not paying attention to what you were doing, I might give you a reminder swat, but I would never punish you for an accident." Olivia assured her, gently kissing her temple.
"She did." Grace's lower lip trembled.
Grace was aware of Melissa's cold eyes glaring at her while she moved about the kitchen preparing things for the dinner party Melissa was hosting. She tried to sneak a few small bites of food, already knowing that she was going to be spending the night locked in the downstairs bathroom with nothing to eat until tomorrow. Her Mistress staring at her unblinking was making Grace nervous and her hands began to tremble as she picked up a pitcher of ice tea and managed to carry it to the table without spilling any of it. But when she turned to go back to the kitchen, her elbow knocked the pitcher over, sending ice tea spilling all over the table and staining the table cloth. Grace wailed in fear and immediately raised her arms to shield her face and head, already anticipating the blows she knew were coming.
"You stupid slut!" Melissa screamed, grabbing Grace violently by her hair and slapping her across her face hard, immediately leaving a visible cherry red handprint.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Ow!" Grace pleaded as Melissa dragged her by her hair toward the stairs.
"Get in there!" Melissa demanded as she shoved Grace into the dungeon and picked up the single tail whip.
"Poor thing, she still gets so nervous." Don observed sadly from where he was sitting on the couch with Eileen while Grace was in the bedroom being cuddled and comforted by her Mistress.
"Well, years of abuse don't just evaporate over night. She's been with Olivia for less than six months; logically, she knows she's safe and loved, but it's going to take time for her to truly believe it. Having Olivia's collar helps, but a collar doesn't necessarily equal safety to her; she had a collar before and she wasn't safe." Eileen sighed.
"We should go back out there. I'm being rude." Grace said quietly, but she didn't make any attempt to move from her place cuddled in Olivia's arms where Olivia was still gently rubbing her bare bottom and showering her with soothing words.
"You aren't being rude, my baby. We can and will go back out there, and you can have your drink like I promised, but only when you are ready. We have plenty of time, Don and Eileen will be fine without us for a while. Right now you are my concern, and I am here to hold you for as long as you want to be held." Olivia replied gently.
"Can you hold me just a little longer?" Grace asked.
"Of course, my baby." Olivia agreed indulgently.
When Grace was ready, she stood up from Olivia's lap and Olivia helped her pull up her pants and panties. They emerged from the bedroom and Olivia guided Grace into the bathroom to gently wash her sweet face. With that accomplished, they went back to the living room where Don and Eileen were sitting enjoying their drinks and talking.
"Shall we have our drinks, angel? I think we deserve them." Olivia stated, picking up the remaining two glasses and handing one of them to Grace, letting her have control of the glass instead of guiding her to drink while kneeling at her feet as she normally would, wanting to give Grace at least some small sense of control given what had just happened.
"We were just debating which movie we should watch next. What movie would you like to watch, little one?" Don inquired.
"Can we watch The Santa Clause?" Grace replied.
"Coming right up." Eileen picked up the remote.
"Baby, I really wish you would consider staying here, even just for tonight." Don stated later when Olivia and Grace were getting ready to leave.
"We'll be okay at home, Daddy, I have a gun and a taser," Olivia grinned, "but I would appreciate it if you would drive behind us while we drive home, and we'll do a drive by first just to double check that everything's okay. I'm more worried about you two, whoever followed us today followed us here. I don't know if they knew what we were doing here or who we were here to see, so you two just be careful."
"I am also going to walk the two of you to your apartment and make sure you get inside safely." Don insisted, and upon hearing his tone Olivia knew better than to argue with him. She already knew that he was planning to search the apartment before he let them go inside.
They arrived at the apartment building without incident and the three of them rode the elevator up to the correct floor. At the door, Don laid his hand on the gun strapped to his hip.
"You two stay out here until I give the all clear." Don instructed. Grace let out a whine and opened her mouth to complain, but closed it when she felt Olivia gently patting her bottom. She tried not to pout; the bags were getting heavy. Olivia seemed to sense her discomfort and took one of the bags from her.
Olivia unlocked the door and Don disappeared inside the apartment with his gun drawn. It was taking so long that Olivia almost wondered if he was searching through the apartment twice when he appeared again, his gun back in its holster.
"You're all clear, but you lock this door behind me."
"Yes, Daddy." Olivia replied obediently.
Inside the apartment, Grace set down the bags with a sigh of relief and shed her clothes down to her bra and panties while Olivia closed and locked the door, and then Olivia went to turn up the heat a few degrees to keep Grace warm.
"So, aside from our unknown intruder, how was your Christmas, baby girl?" Olivia inquired as she prepared two cups of hot chocolate with marshmallows.
"I loved it, Ma'am. Thank you for all my gifts, and for my collar." Grace beamed.
"You are very welcome, my baby. This is hot, be careful." Olivia handed Grace her mug of hot chocolate.
Olivia and Grace sat on the couch in the peaceful silence enjoying the view of the Christmas tree, and when their mugs were empty Grace crawled over to snuggle on Olivia's lap. Olivia welcomed Grace with open arms and maneuvered her into a comfortable position. The two women continued to sit in peaceful silence while Olivia rubbed Grace's belly.
"Ma'am?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I have a spanking?"
"Are you stressed, my baby?" Olivia asked with loving concern, and felt Grace nod against her shoulder.
"I am stressed, and I'm scared." Grace admitted.
"Come here." Olivia easily flipped Grace across her lap there on the couch. Grace settled in comfortably and then felt Olivia gently pulling down her panties to reveal her bare bottom. The brunette detective lovingly rubbed Grace's bottom, "I know you're scared, honey, and it's okay to be scared, but I promise you are very safe right here with me. I am going to spank you now and when you feel like crying, you cry as much as you want to."
"Yes, Ma'am." Grace agreed.
Olivia raised up her strong right hand and brought it down sharply, and Grace winced. Grace's bottom flattened under Olivia's palm and then bounced back as if asking for more. Olivia quickly delivered the second spank, and the third, and the fourth, falling into a steady rhythm. Grace squirmed a little over Olivia's lap, so Olivia held Grace's waist tighter and pulled Grace into her own body to calm her movements. Grace soon began to gasp, whimper, and squeak as her bottom began to burn. Finally, Olivia heard the first indication of tears.
"You're a good girl, little one. You're a very good girl, and I am so proud of you for asking for my help properly. You are more loved than you will ever understand, and you have a lot of people on your side to keep you safe. When I go to work tomorrow, figuring this out will be my top priority, I promise." Olivia began to spank a little harder than before.
"Ow!" Grace yelped as tears began to leak from her big blue eyes.
"That's my good girl, just cry it out, my baby. I'm right here with you." Olivia watched and listened carefully as Grace's bottom was spanked to a healthy shade of pink, and then to deep cherry red. Finally the sound of Grace's crying changed and she went limp across Olivia's lap, "Last ten, sweetheart."
Grace was so far gone that she didn't even realize it was over until she felt Olivia's gentle hand rubbing her bottom to soothe the pain. She wasn't sure how long she laid over Olivia's lap, but Olivia continued to rub her bottom as Grace's sobbing slowly calmed down. The brunette submissive was suddenly overwhelmed by a calm, peaceful feeling as she continued to rest over Olivia's lap. Finally, Grace's big blue eyes were completely dry, but she wasn't ready to get up from her Mistress's lap yet and Olivia assured her that she could lay there for as long as she wanted to.
The next day, Olivia took Grace to the precinct with her and handed off her cell phone to Morales to figure out where the text she received had come from. Grace was once again sent to the back room with a task to complete that would keep her occupied all day. The young submissive smiled softly when she sat down and felt the light sting that was still left from her stress relief session the day before.