RECAP : After the incident with the Internet stalker is done with, and the Brimleys have been fined by the Judge for Christy's false statement, the family prepares for the girl's audition at the important New York Modern Dance Company dance school...

Aunt Faith blew on the steaming cup of milk she held in her hands as she opened the door to Christy’s room with her foot.

“If this doesn’t get you to sleep, niece, I don’t know what will,” she winked as she walked in the girl’s bedroom, careful not to trip over the still unopened suitcase resting at the foot of the bed.

Chris looked at her aunt thankfully. It was the night before her big audition for placement in the New York Modern Dance Company, and she had the largest case of insomnia she had ever known.

“Thanks Aunt Faith,” she whispered nervously. The girl scooted over in bed and her aunt sat down next to her. As Christy took the warm milk in hand and sipped it, she sighed. “I’m so nervous....” she mumbled into the glass.

“I’d be surprised if you weren’t,” said the woman.

Her hands clasped Christy’s shoulders and started kneading. The girl’s tension was palpable. Chris welcomed her aunt’s touch, and literally leaned into it. Slowly but surely, between the warm milk and the calming rub, her eyelids began to feel heavy.

“Tomorrow you’ll be free of all stress,” Faith droned soothingly. Then, without asking, she took the mug from Christy’s hands and the girl posed no resistance. “Now you sleep. I’ll get your bag ready so you don’t have to get up early, okay?” She kissed her niece’s cheek sweetly as she spoke.

Fuzzily Chris nodded and slumped down onto her pillow, and before she knew it she was out like a light.

~*~

Even with Faith’s getting her dance things together for her, Christy still had to get up early, warming up, reviewing her steps. Faith knocked to her door at around 7:30 and waited on the threshold for Chris to finish her workout.

“All fit and stretched?” she asked with a warm smile.

Christy’s smile was much weaker, but it was present. “About as ready as I’ll ever be, Aunt Faith. Is Dad waiting for me before eating? I didn’t mean to hold you guys up...”

“Oh he’s already done. Saucy pancakes are ready, and don’t even try and say you won’t eat,” Aunt Faith added as she directed Chris downstairs with a pat to her bottom.

With an exaggerated sigh and good-natured smile Chris went down to the kitchen where her father was sitting with a mug of coffee and the New York Times.

“Good morning, Daddy,” she said as she sat.

Haley looked up from the newspaper to meet her eyes, and gave a large smile – that too exaggerated. He was, if possible, even more anxious. He knew how important this had suddenly become, ever since that call home the evening of two weeks before, and he couldn’t but empathize with her.

“Take your time,” he said as he folded the paper and stood. “I’ll go get the car started.” He kissed her hair on the way out.

Chris purred and smiled thankfully; it meant that Haley knew she wouldn’t be able to eat much this morning anyway, and wasn’t going to try and force her to. She managed to get about half a pancake and a glass of milk down before giving up and running to brush her teeth real fast. By the time she came back down her dance bag had already been loaded into the car.

Faith was at the door and hugged Chris tight for a second. “Whatever comes, it is good. Okay?”

Christy smiled indulgently. “Thanks, Aunt Faith. I sure hope so.”

“Good.” Faith opened her hand to reveal a crucifix attached to a thin silvery chain. “Were you going to forget this on the bedside table, huh?” she winked.

Christy’s eyes opened wide at what her aunt held. It had been her grandmother’s, a treasured family heirloom, not so much for its monetary value than for its sentimental value. “I... Aunt Faith...” Tears glistened on the young girl’s cheeks.

Faith unclasped the lock on the chain and locked the crucifix around Christy’s slim neck. “No crying now. It’s a time of joy and most of all fun. Fun. Don’t feel compelled, because you’re not.” She kissed her niece sweetly, and again steered her around and gently pushed her toward the car, smiling to herself as she watched her go.

Chris walked in a bit of a daze to the car, knowing her aunt would soon be behind her, and that she was just locking up. Her hand was clasped on the cross, her head spinning. When she finally climbed in she just sat, tense, and nervous, but somehow feeling warmer than before.

The ride to the school was mostly silent.

Haley switched on the radio so they could listen to the news (he purposefully avoided any music station so that Chris wouldn’t be confused about her exercise). He and Faith talked a little and tried to involve the girl in the conversation, but failed.

Finally they reached their destination. The New York Modern Dance Company building was big, even though it didn’t look like it from the back entrance. Christy’s anticipation was growing, but she made herself calm down. She didn’t have to prove anything; she knew no one would love her less than herself. But still... this was a major opportunity, and she remained quite alert and wary.

Together they found the check-in, after which Christy went to get changed into her dance clothes for the soon-to-come exercise. She came out of the dressing room clad in her pink and blue leotard, white tights and dance shoes.

She didn’t have long to wait before the announcer called the first set of students... and Chris happened to be in that first set. She gave her father and aunt a tight hug, almost too nervous to go.

Her apprehension showed, and the hug both Faith and Haley gave her was not too tight and not too feeble. As much as they wanted to let her know they were there, they also didn’t want to load up the whole thing with unnecessary emphasis.

When she disappeared behind the doors labelled as ‘Auditorium’, Haley slouched down on the uncomfortable armless chair in the waiting room and sighed.

“Wish I could watch,” said Faith after a little while.

“Yeah,” Haley nodded. “How long do you think...?”

“I have no idea. This is new for me too, you know?” she said with a hint of sarcasm.

He nodded and sighed again, then grabbed some silly magazine and resigned himself to just wait.

Meanwhile, inside the auditorium, some thirty girls and boys were lining up along the wall, facing an instructor and a panel of mirrors. Christy had gotten situated about halfway in the line-up, and while others were casually chatting or complaining about this or that, she just stood there, waiting for instructions to begin. All too soon those instructions came.

The first was for everyone to hush, which actually took some time. Chris was disgusted by how callously some of the kids were taking this. Then they were shown a new, rather complicated dance work-up that they then performed in groups of ten. Chris was, once again, in the first group, giving her no extra time to memorize the steps. Still, she was a quick study with dance, and except for a few minor glitches felt she’d done well. While waiting on the other two groups she leaned her perspiring forehead against the cool wall, trembling slightly from the exertion.

Finally, it was time for the individual auditions.

Each student had been asked to prepare a dance that contained a number of aspects. As much as Chris wanted to just get this part over with, she had to wait for approximately half the students to go before her. When she finally did go, however, it was quite obvious that she knew her stuff. At least, it was obvious to the directors: all Chris could see were the mistakes she had made. Slight ones, yes, but with something this big slight mistakes could make or break the career.

As soon as she was done she hurried from the room, where an anxious Faith and Haley greeted her. Haley actually bolted up from the chair upon seeing her, and only Faith’s hand on his arm suggested that he remained if not neutral, at least calm.

Not that she wasn’t nervous as heck too, quite the contrary, and seeing all those kids file out before her niece had been a constant ‘is she going to be next?’ kind of feeling.

“Hey,” said Haley. “Welcome back.”

“Look at you, you’re all sweaty...” said Aunt Faith. “Was it hard?”

Chris ran a hot arm over her damp forehead. “Yeah... hard is one word for it,” she said, her breath coming in little huffs. “I messed up so many times, even on the pre-rehearsed part. We might as well forget this even happened,” she added despondently.

For a moment neither adult knew what to say. They just looked as Christy packed her stuff back into the dance bag, exchanging looks with one another.

“Well,” Faith said after a few minutes, “that’s your opinion. The instructors’ could be different.”

“Yeah,” Haley agreed.

Chris shrugged her shoulders, and fought the tears that threatened to spill at any moment. “Can we just go home?” she asked.

Haley nodded. “Sure.” He gave her one more smile before realising she wasn’t looking, so he sighed and just led the way outside.

~*~

Back at home, while Haley hung his and Christy’s light spring coats, Faith offered the girl the cordless phone. “Wanna call Mom?”

Chris took the phone from her aunt with a weak smile. “Thanks... I promise not to take too long,” she said, knowing the long distance bill would kill. She dialed the number and by the first ring she immediately got an answer. “Hey Mama...” the teen sullenly said.

“So? How’d you do? Did they say anything yet?” Carly said, all the little cautious-approach speeches she’d been rehearsing suddenly flying right out of the window.

Chris sighed. “I messed up a ton of times and I’ll be lucky if they even take the time to call me to tell me I’m not in,” the glum Chris said.

“Aww I’m sorry,” Carly said after a second’s hesitation. “It’s fine anyway honey. And, well, wait and see if it’s really like that. When are they supposed to call?”

“Tomorrow morning between 10:00 and noon,” Chris responded.

“Oh okay. Why don’t you take the rest of the day to have fun, hmm?” Carly said in a soft voice.

Christy smiled a little. “OK... I’ll try,” she promised. “Love you, Mama. I’ll keep you informed.”

“You do that. Love you too, baby. Please let me speak to Dad.”

Haley took the phone to the living room and the chatter died away in the distance.

“Alright, into the shower with you,” Faith ordered as she nuzzled with her niece, who gladly took in the comfort this time, “and then we’re going to do something fun, alright?”

It was uncanny how much alike Faith and her mother really could be at times. Chris gave a smile, and headed off to the much-needed shower.

They spent their afternoon sight-seeing, eating junk food all along the way until they had royally ruined any sense of a sensible dinner. But at least it kept Christy’s mind occupied.

As soon as they were home, Faith let herself slump down on a chair, rubbing her belly and looking up at Christy. “Next time you say ‘let’s try this donut too Aunt Faith’, I’m going to spank you.”

Haley snickered as he brought the girl’s bag in, leaving it in the foyer... too tired to do much more than that.

With a look of pretend horror that just hid a smirk, Christy joked: “Oh, but you wouldn’t, WOULD you Aunt Faith?”

The woman chuckled. “This is still my house, dear, and I’m sure your dad won’t object!”

Haley raised his hands in sign of surrender. “Nope. I think I’m going to bed. Goodnight, muffin.” He kissed Christy’s head on the way out.

The girl nodded. “Actually, I think I’m just going to turn in, myself. I’m kinda tired, ya know?”

“I’ll bet,” said Haley. “Sleep well.”

“See you tomorrow, niece,” said Aunt Faith, holding the teen’s hand for a minute. They all went to bed trying not to think of Christy’s audition results, but in the end, that’s all they did.

~*~

Everyone was up bright and early the next morning. The minutes ticked by slowly, and yet before Chris realized it, the noon hour had come and gone.

“See, I told you,” she complained. “I wasn’t even worth calling to tell that I didn’t make it.”

Neither Faith nor Haley commented. They knew that such a well renowned institute would at least keep the given word, and still, the time was actually past.

But in the following twenty minutes, everything changed. The phone rang, and Faith picked up under his niece’s puzzled look. “Huh-huh... oh... well... thanks for, um, letting us know...” she mumbled in the receiver.

Chris looked at her favorite aunt rather crestfallen. “It’s the school, isn’t it? They don’t want me. I knew it. I just knew it!”

“Hmm-hmm...” Faith continued to talk on the phone. “I understand. We will. Bye, and thanks.”

She hung, then looked up at Haley, and Christy, and then said: “You know nothing, little girl. You’re in. Ranked ninth out of sixteen admitted.”

“What!?” Chris shrieked. “No joke... I’m in? I’M IN!?!?”

“Of course you are, what did you think?” Faith smirked, clapping her hands.

“Aww come here!” Haley said, and literally smothered the girl in his arms...

... but suddenly Chris stepped back. “I... are we.... are we going to be able to pay for it?”

The family had never really discussed it together, for the most part they hadn’t really thought there was a great chance of it actually happening. But now they were faced with a dilemma; a larger one now than would have before the entire thing with George.

Faith looked at Haley, who took a deep breath. “We... well, it’s fair that you know,” he said as he took a seat. “We’ve asked around, about how much it would cost if you were accepted, and yes we can pay for it... if we sell the house, and get an apartment here.”

He couldn’t imagine how this would sound to the ears of a 15-year-old, so he just said it. Chris swallowed nervously. It would mean a completely different lifestyle for her family... all because of her. Her mother loved their house, with the garden and everything. Tears of thanks stung her eyes.

“You’d really do that for me?” she said in a choked whisper.

Haley smiled and shrugged. “We’d do everything for you, honey... but right now, we will only if we can base that upon something solid. Which means, Chris, that if you’re in any way not serious about this, now is a good time to say. Before we make arrangements, anyway.” He’d turned serious while saying this, still smiling slightly, but keeping a straighter face as he looked at her.

Chris swallowed, and looked between her father and her aunt for a moment. A smile played on her lips. “I really want this, Daddy. I... I really want this.”

The man smiled back. “Oh take your time... but... aww okay.” He reached over to grab Chris and hug her tight again. Aunt Faith watched all this beaming, her own eyes starting to water.

“Gosh... Mom will have a fit,” Haley said with a smirk.

Chris beamed. “Aunt Faith...” she started, but her thoughtful aunt was one step ahead of her already, and was handing the cordless phone to her niece. “Thanks!” Chris squealed as she bounded to her bedroom.

~*~

Five months later...

~*~

The rest of the school year was gone in a blur.

Halfway through her freshman year in high school, Chris didn’t find it particularly hard to keep up with papers and other homework, but still, they kept her busy. She dedicated most of her spare time to practice and keep fit, also following directions from the dance school instructors that she and her parents had gotten to speak to over the phone a few times.

In the end, the young teen did manage to keep her mind occupied, though nothing could quite make her forget that at the end of the following summer her whole life would change forever. Her decision was made: she would go. This caused her to be cranky at times, or to slack even with the most basic duties. Her parents were much more tolerating, but did have to step in a couple of times.

Christy went un-spanked long enough to realize something was changing, but not long enough to forget she WAS still subject to it. The back of Carly’s hairbrush firmly applied to her naked bottom one evening, for being rude and talking back several times, ended a period of annoying crankiness on the teen’s side. As she bucked, kicked, and cried over her mother’s lap she realized that no matter how things were going to change or how soon, she was still expected to behave.

The other time, Haley’s thick ruler landed eighteen times on her bare behind as she bent over the desk, panties around her knees, result of a failed paper and the refusal to study for the make-up test. She hung her head and took it, and didn’t sit comfortably for a day or two, but eventually did study.

In the life of a regularly-spanked teen like Christy Brimley, these were minor incidents. Overall, her parents were quite proud of the way she was keeping herself out of major trouble.

And soon the school year ended, and summer began.

Chris found herself upended over her mother’s lap again for a brief but sound hand spanking in mid-June, the outcome of repeated refusal to go to bed within 11:00 pm. She did sleep well that night, albeit on her stomach and bare from the waist down, and again her attitude soon changed.

No traveling for the Brimleys, that summer. Between the $10,000 fine ordered by the Judge and the upcoming expenses for the dance school and the moving to New York, all they could do was a few trips to the nearby lake to fish. Those were relaxing enough for Christy... at least, as relaxed as one could be in her situation.

She’d already been enrolled in a new high school in New York – but the dance classes would begin at the end of August, so it was planned that the girl would move in with Aunt Faith for some time while her parents took care of real estate issues back home.

Finally the third week of August came, and Chris found herself on a flight to New York, fiddling with the Junior Traveler pass around her neck. It made her feel like a toddler to have to be supervised by flight attendants, but she was ‘only’ fifteen and the airline rules were clear. At the airport, Haley had hinted offhandedly that she’d be traveling standing up if she didn’t stop whining about it!

A movie and eight bags of sour-cream pretzels later (that Chris had charmed out of the one good-looking steward with a few dashing smiles), they landed in NYC.

From among the crowd gathered in the waiting area, Aunt Faith sighted Christy coming out of baggage claim and called her name loudly. As the girl noticed, she smiled and walked to her aunt, dragging along her trolley.

Once dismissed the flight attendant, Faith turned to her niece and hugged her tight. “I thought you were never going to land. The flight was delayed, so... oh well! How you feeling?”

Chris smiled. “Sorry about the wait, Aunt Faith. And I’m feeling fine... well, a bit nervous perhaps, but still... fine. Glad to be on the ground.”

“Aww! Come, I’ve got the car parked.”

Aunt and niece were soon lost in chatter and kept it up all the way home from LaGuardia Airport. Evening had come by the time they arrived at Faith’s house, a flat somewhere in Manhattan, and they’d both been silent for more than a few minutes.

The woman helped Chris with luggage and soon they were inside her cozy apartment, that was now Christy’s too for a few weeks.

“Find everything like you left it?” the woman asked.

Chris smiled and nodded, a bit absently. It didn’t take much to notice that something was up with the pretty teen.

“Good,” Faith said, but after taking off her coat, she reached for Chris and gently patted her head. “Everything alright in there, girl?”

Chris looked away, her gaze clouded over. “Yeah... I’m fine. Just... tired.” She gave a sigh. “Is it alright if I just go to bed now, Aunt Faith?” she asked. As excited as she’d initially been to see and talk with her aunt, she suddenly had this hollow feeling in her stomach and wanted to be left alone.

Her aunt nodded, briefly hugging the petite girl. “Sure you don’t want to talk instead? You look troubled...” she cooed, running her fingers through Christy’s beautiful, bottom-long chestnut hair.

Chris gave Faith a small smile, appreciating the concern, but unwilling to voice what was playing around in the back of her mind. “Thanks Aunt Faith, but I’m fine, really,” she said as convincingly as she could. “I just need to rest, is all.”

She gave her aunt a hug back, picked up her luggage, and headed into the spare bedroom that would be hers until Haley and Carly moved in the apartment they were buying for the family.

~*~

The following day slipped by uneventfully, which was so not like Faith was expecting it to. She’d thought Christy would be happy to be back in the Big Apple and reacquaint herself with city life... but instead, she did little besides moping in her bedroom, reading, playing video games, or whatever it is that a glum 15-year-old does. In her heart Faith knew something was bothering Chris, but didn’t want to bring that up again until the girl would be ready to. However, that very evening she walked into Christy’s room and asked if everything was alright.

Christy was sitting on the edge of the bed, softly sobbing, and just shook her head ‘no.’

Aunt Faith couldn’t see her face but did hear a tweak in the girl’s voice. And then, she wasn’t even turning around to say it to her face.

“Chris, I... honey, forgive me, but I don’t believe you.” She walked to the bed, and sat beside her. Now she could see her tears, but didn’t insist and just circled her shoulders with an arm instead.

Christy leaned into her aunt’s arms, letting herself just cry. Neither Faith nor Chris knew how long they stayed like that because time just seemed to melt away. Finally Chris was able to speak, and did so while closing her eyes tightly. “I can’t do it, Aunt Faith,” she whimpered.

The woman’s heart skipped a beat and she took a deep breath before replying. “I... Chris... are you talking about the dance school? I don’t like the sound of that...”

Christy cringed and shifted away a little bit, but nodded her head.

Faith nodded, her look growing firmer as she looked at her niece. “Honey, I understand that this must be scary, but... now is not the time to back away. Do you understand why?”

“Y-yes, but... I just can’t DO it! I thought this was what I wanted but now...” Christy’s sobs were starting to go up a notch here, especially with her aunt’s firm demeanor.

This time Faith waited. She took another deep breath, then grabbed the girl’s shoulders and gently spun her around to look at her. “Christy? I think you’re scared, and rightfully, for this IS a tough challenge... but you can’t give up now.”

Chris looked at her aunt in shock; she certainly hadn’t expected such a stern reaction. “Aunt Faith... please....... you have to understand... I’m leaving everything... everyone... I don’t want to do it anymore. I just can’t.” She looked away, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Faith didn’t know whether to feel sorry for the stress the girl was under, or upset at her irrationality. Probably a bit of both.

“Chris, I do understand, believe me. What I’m saying is that there are choices that people made because *you*, throughout the last five months, assured them that *this* was your choice. And now, out of the blue, it is no more? If you’ve got real reasons to worry, we can talk about it, but I don’t think anyone here is ready to accept ‘I just can’t’ as an explanation... and please look at me,” she added, not sternly, but hardening her tone a little.

Chris was quite surprised by how her aunt was reacting. She slowly turned so she was facing Faith, but kept her face lowered. “I can’t help I feel this way, Aunt Faith!” she cried. “I just don’t think I can do this...”

Faith shook her head. “Christy, sweetheart... I think you just need to wait and see how it goes. If, when you get started, you’ll still feel like this... well, it will be worth talking to with your parents. This is not a no-way-out situation. But at least try.”

“That’s not FAIR!” the teen yelled in desperation, her eyes looking into her aunt’s beseechingly.

“Chris!” Faith snapped back. “Making vain sacrifices to make you attend the school you loved until last week, now, *that* is not fair.”

She waited a minute for the girl’s reply, but since none came, she grabbed her wrist and pulled Christy’s slender frame bodily across her lap.

At first Chris was just wide-eyed in shock, both by what her aunt was saying, then ended up doing. It had hurt that they didn’t feel making sacrifices for her was fair, and now she was going to get spanked on top of everything!

“Aunt Faith! Stop!” Chris demanded as she struggled against her aunt’s grasp.

“You stop first, Chris...” Faith said. She raised her hand and brought it down with a loud smack on the girl’s squirming, nightgown-covered round bottom. She pinned her down, not easily as Haley or Carly would have, but still efficiently. “To be afraid is one thing, but wanting to throw everything to the wind for a tantrum, well, I won’t let you do that!”

“Owwww!...” Chris whined, making a much larger deal out of that one swat than it ever deserved. “I’m NOT having a tantrum!” she insisted, still struggling futilely, barely believing this was happening to her.

“Well then why does it sound like it?”

Faith’s hand aimed for her cheeks again, but missed and swatted her side instead. Chris yelped in pain and shock. Now upset, the woman circled the teen’s waist with her free arm and locked her flailing legs with one of hers.

“Now,” she said. She raised the girl’s nightgown and SMACK! went her hand to Christy’s bare behind. “Are you listening to me, my girl?”

“Ow! Yes...” Christy muttered bitterly. Even she wasn’t sure where the attitude was coming from, but coming it was.

“Good.” Faith delivered fast, stinging swats. “Please try to be rational. Such a sudden change is not reasonable, Christy. Why won’t you even try?” Her open hand kept falling as she spoke.

Chris yelped and whimpered with each swat, even though she’d certainly had worse warm-ups. She moaned at her aunt’s question. “I don’t know! I’m not good enuffff! I just dun wan’ tooooo!”

Faith’s eyes grew large and she shook her head in disbelief. On the other hand, though, this sort of reassured her that it was ‘just’ fear and insecurity on Christy’s side. “What are you saying? It’s an exclusive company and they chose you!” Her rigid palm pinked the girl’s sit-spots firmly.

“So? They got it wrong. Just let it go, Aunt Faith... Let ME go!” The sting by this point was becoming rather noticeable even to Chris’ tough backside, and she continued to try and squirm away.

“I think you’re scared, Christy, and do NOT tell me what to do,” she added with a hint of authority that never before she’d used on the girl – nor she wanted to, but she had to get to her somehow. If anything, she redoubled her spanking efforts now.

“Oooowwww....” Chris whined as tears trickled down her cheeks. “Aunt Faith... please.... s-so what if I a-am scared? Just let it goooo...”

Faith’s hand didn’t stop the assault on both cheeks, and now also on the teenager’s fit thighs. “Christy, I’m NOT saying you can’t be scared. I’m saying you need to learn to control it. You’re going to do what, run like a kid?”

Chris did her best to shrug in between sobs and sharp stinging smacks. “I don’t knooooww, okay?” she cried. “I just don’t...”

“Then trust us, honey,” Faith said, a little more soothingly now, but still spanking. “We’re here to help. *I’m* here to help, Chris. Do you think I’d ever tell you a lie?” She paused and rubbed the girl’s warm bottom gently.

Chris sobbed, but shook her head ‘no.’

“Good. I wouldn’t. For God’s sake, listen to me Chris. Why can’t you just grit your teeth?”

“I don’t know! I just changed my mind...  I just changed my mind, okay?

Once again, Faith took in a deep breath, then exhaled loudly. She was starting to think there was no getting through to her... and she didn’t like using these methods, but... this was too important to screw up.  “I’m sorry, Chris, but I won’t accept that. Get your hairbrush from your bag.”

Chris’ expression became one of extreme shock. “No! Aunt Faith, please.... “ The girl began crying in earnest.

Faith thought of smacking her, but instead she freed her and stood her up. “Christy, get me your hairbrush right now if you know what’s good for you. You’re in enough trouble without having to defy me now.” Her look was steely as she said that.

Chris took a step back from her aunt, cowering slightly under her gaze. She had never, ever seen Faith like this before, and it scared her. It was several moments before she could even move. Blinking away tears, and with a hand clasped to her bare bum under the nightgown, she finally made her way to her suitcase which was mostly still-packed, and brought out the dreaded, heavy instrument. She held it for a minute, part of her wanting to refuse giving it up, but being too-well-trained, and deep-down respectful of her favorite aunt to do that. Finally, after what seemed like eons, she handed the wooden piece out to her aunt with a trembling hand.

The willingness with which Christy seemed to submit herself to punishment never failed to impress Faith. She knew how high the girl valued discipline, and self-discipline at that, but part of her failed to understand that part. She, as a teen, would struggle and flee and openly challenge her own mother. This must have been the result of years of well-imparted discipline by her sister Carly and her husband, and though she would not always agree, she was for once glad.

Faith accepted the brush and looked up at Christy. “Chris, I hate to do this to you, but I will not have you think and say those things.” She patted her lap with the hairbrush as she spoke.

Christy was trembling quite noticeably, and there was a moment’s hesitation before she could actually make herself go over her aunt’s lap. But over she did go, and eventually she was in just the right position in terms of her comfort and her aunt’s reach.

The teen whimpered a bit. “Please.... Aunt Faith... I’m sorry... don’t... please not the brush...”

“I’m sorry too, Chris, but you know why I’m doing this.”

Aunt Faith raised the girl’s nightgown again, placed the hairbrush on the center of her nether cheeks, and patted the pink flesh with it a little. It felt differently than the slipper she’d given Christy months earlier, and this was her second real spanking ever.

“Plus, you’re in my house now, and I’m in charge until your parents return... you understand?”

She didn’t wait for an answer, just started a barrage of slow, hard hairbrush smacks to the girl’s round bottom. Chris squealed at first, then yelped slightly with each slap, and couldn’t help but wriggle. This time it wasn’t in defiance, though, but rather discomfort. Faith held her close again, she too this time for comfort rather than restraint, and kept applying the heavy wood incessantly.

“You need to learn that not one problem is ever solved by fleeing... You’re almost a grownup now, Chris, and have res-pon-si-bi-li-ties,” she punctuated every syllable with a smack. “When will you get that?”

Christy sobbed with the smacks and with the words that she definitely heard. The last thing she wanted was to come across childish; things just tended to get to her sometimes. It didn’t take long before the wood was branding its message on Chris’ very sore bum, and it found Chris crying out.

“I’m s-sorry... Aunt F-faith, please!... I... I am... please...”

“I hope so, honey,” Faith said, and she added six REAL hard stingers that seared unto the teen’s raw-red backside. Chris cried out loudly at those, her bottom pulsating in pain.

“You’re one talented girl...” Faith put the brush aside. “That doesn’t mean you *must* do well, but it means that you must try at least. Do you agree with me there?” She sincerely hoped she was coming across as understanding and not just plain mean or imposing. She knew her sister could, but she wasn’t too sure about herself.

Christy was unable to find her voice to answer her aunt, so she just vigorously nodded her head.

Faith nodded too, and she let the girl lie across her lap sobbing her heart out – a part, this one, that she did remember from her youth. Only a few minutes later did Faith try and pick Chris up. She supported her small body under the armpits and gathered her on her lap, face-up this time.

“Shh... it’s okay...”

Chris latched onto her aunt tightly. “I’m sorry... so sorry...” she kept sobbing over and over, afraid of having made her aunt think ill of her as a person.

As though she could mind read, Faith asked: “Do you hate me now? I hope not, ‘cause I love you to pieces... you’re my favorite niece.” She knew how cheesy that sounded, but just couldn’t help it.

Chris shook her head ‘no’ vehemently; cheesy was just fine to her right now. “I d-don’t hate you for spanking m-me,” the teen promised in-between sobs. “But... y-you must think I’m some b-brat now...” The teen buried her face in Faith’s neck, unable to meet her gaze.

Faith smiled at that, and she brushed Christy’s long hair as she kept her on her lap. “No, but you remind me a lot of myself at your age... headstrong and willful... but you’re not as hot-headed, and that’s why I like you.”

Chris had never realized that her aunt viewed her as a more youthful version of herself, and smiled as she listened. “R-really?”

“Of course. I mean it.”

Faith kissed her forehead and eventually broke the hug. She lifted Chris’ chin forcing her to look up. “But you must *act* your age, girl, and face the responsibilities life is putting on your path.”

Chris hung her head but nodded. “It’s just so hard,” she said softly. “I... I didn’t mean to hurt you or Mom or Dad, I just...” Here she stopped, and shook her head, unsure of what to say.

“Yeah, it’s hard,” Faith conceded. That too felt a lot like something SHE would say, but she didn’t voice it. “Chris, you can do all you set your mind to, if you really like it... your only obstacle is yourself, really.” She tapped the girl’s chest with a finger. “You’re your own biggest challenge, kid. Don’t worry about me, and Mom and Dad... we’re just here to help.”

Christy smiled through the barely streaming tears. “Thanks, Aunt Faith,” she said simply.

“Nah. This one tip was free,” she winked.

Then she eased the night-gown back over Christy’s well-spanked bottom, on its way to some minor marking in the coming days, and released the girl. She didn’t think to ask if she wanted to go to bed or not, but rather just prepared the pillows.

True, it was early, but Faith remembered all-too-well what it was like to be spanked, and the trials it put one through. As soon as the bed was ready Chris climbed in, carefully, so as to just lie on her stomach and not put any unnecessary weight on her sore derriere.

“Sleep this away, niece,” Faith said in a soft voice as she kissed Christy’s head sweetly and tucked her in just as she would a daughter. “How about we go see a practice session at the Company, tomorrow? Those are open to the public, you know.”

Chris smiled fondly.... leave it to her aunt to know just what to say and do. “Sounds good, Aunt Faith. Thanks.”

And with that she started to drift off into dreamland, even before her aunt had left the room.

– The End –

This story does not necessarily represent the authors’ point of view about anything. It is simply a work of fiction . The characters herein portrayed are invented and do not resemble reality to the best of the authors’ knowledge. This account is entirely fictitious . Any similarities to other persons, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

This story is written for the sane amusement of adult readers. It does not intend harm and does not promote violence of any kind, including spanking. No offence is meant to any group, ethnicity or individuals.

The authors do not necessarily endorse the non-consensual disciplinary spanking of actual children and / or teenagers.

Copyright © 2005 Haley Brimley , Christy. Contact for information and / or feedback.