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Chapter Text

It was only a couple more days before Misty managed to get the cast off of Zoe’s leg and put her in a mud bath, healing the rest of her body. She still needed rest for her concussion, but a tea Cordelia was working on helped to perk her up quickly, bringing her back to normal within a week.

Which is just how long it took officers to finish investigating the cause of her accident.

“So as I was saying, ma’am, Ms. Benson was at fault,” Officer Jones explained, gesturing to the girl sitting on the couch. He was in the parlor, Zoe and Madison sitting on one couch, Cordelia seated near them in an armchair with Misty standing behind her, the other girls thankfully out on a shopping trip. “We got a traffic camera that shows her running a red light, causing the truck to collide.”

“I see. What will we need to do now?” Cordelia asked, lips tight. Zoe could already feel the color drain from her face; that look meant nothing good.

“Well, I have a ticket here for her,” the officer said, passing it over to Zoe. “You can either pay that amount or go to court on the date listed to contest it, but like I said, we got you on video. The other driver wasn’t injured, and since insurance is covering his truck he declined to press further charges.”

“Thank goodness for that, at least,” Cordelia said, voice still tight. “Is there anything else we can do for you, sir?”

“No ma’am, that’ll be it. You all have a good day now, I can see myself out,” Officer Jones said, tipping his hat as he left.

Cordelia waited until she heard the front door close behind him before speaking. “Care to explain what happened? You’re usually not careless when driving, so how did you run a light?”

Zoe felt her face flush and bit her lip hard as she remembered that day. The pit at the bottom of her stomach was growing; she knew she was about to be in serious trouble. It was no use though, Cordelia would get to the truth regardless. Squeezing Madison’s hand and staring at the floor, she answered.

“I, uh...well...I got a text message, and I went to respond...I only took my eyes off the road for a second, I swear-”

“Zoe.” Cordelia called her name sharply, and Zoe fell silent. She chanced a look at Madison’s face, feeling the guilt build as she saw shock. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Misty, jaw dropped, speechless. She couldn’t look at Cordelia.

“Zoe. Benson.” Cordelia repeated herself, tone low. “I cannot believe you. Of all the irresponsible things...you could have died, Zoe. You almost did. You could have killed someone!”

“I know,” Zoe said quietly. “I’m sorry, Cordelia, really-”

“And when were you going to tell us you caused the accident?” Cordelia continued. “Were you just going to pretend that didn’t happen? Did you plan to lie?”

“No, I wasn’t going to lie, I just...a good time never came up, and a week went by, and I just...didn’t say anything,” Zoe finished lamely.

“Go upstairs, to your room. Stay there. I need to decide what we’re going to do here,” Cordelia said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“You can’t spank her,” Madison blurted out suddenly. All eyes turned to her, Cordelia’s eyebrows raised. “I, uh,” Madison continued, confidence starting to fail under Cordelia’s gaze, “I just mean, she almost died. You said it yourself. She broke her leg and had the concussion and the ribs and the cuts and all...Zoe learned her lesson, you can’t spank her.”

“Hollywood might have a point, Delia,” Misty said softly. “There’s such a thing as natural consequences, and Zoe got a mighty big dose of that.”

“I never said I was doing anything,” Cordelia said tightly, though softening when she turned to face her wife. She took a deep breath and sighed before turning back to Zoe, noting the few tears already streaming down her face. Cordelia walked over and knelt in front of her, forcing eye contact as she took Zoe’s hands in hers.

Zoe couldn’t help but notice that behind the rage, her Supreme also looked afraid.

“Zoe. I am upset you would do something that endangered yourself, and others, when I know you know better than this. That said, I think you have a clear example of why you should never do this again, and I will keep that in mind, but I need to calm myself down before any decisions are made. Go to your room, wait for me there, and I will come talk to you when I’ve calmed down,” Cordelia said, taking care to keep her tone even.

Nodding slowly, Zoe stood up, wiping her eyes. “Okay,” Zoe whispered. “Can Madison come?”

“Yes, Madison can join you,” Cordelia agreed, standing herself. She grabbed Zoe as she went to exit the room and pulled her into a hug. “I still love you, even when you make mistakes,” Cordelia reassured her.

Zoe melted into the hug and felt more tears fall. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled into Cordelia’s shoulder.

“I know,” Cordelia replied. “And I know you won’t do it again, and I’ll keep that in mind too, alright? Go upstairs and let me talk it out with Misty.”

Zoe nodded again and pulled away, allowing Madison to lead her out of the room. Cordelia watched them leave. Cordelia waited a moment before turning to her wife, who immediately opened her arms and enveloped her in a hug.

“What’re ya gonna do, Delia?”

“I don’t know.”

Chapter Text

As soon as she got into their bedroom, Zoe moved to change into a t-shirt and soft pair of shorts. She had a feeling she wouldn’t feel up to it later.

“I doubt she’s going to do it,” Madison said, sitting on the bed and watching Zoe change.

“She should,” Zoe sniffed, wiping her eyes again. “I fucked up, Madison. I fucked up bad.”

“Yeah, well, the universe punished you, so she doesn’t have to.”

“I didn’t tell her, though. It is like I lied,” Zoe said, dropping onto the bed next to her girlfriend.

“If I didn’t know any better,” Madison said, laying her hand on Zoe’s knee comfortingly, “I’d think you wanted the spanking.”

Zoe bit her lip and fixed her eyes to the floor again. “Would that be so weird?” she asked, voice cracking. “I fucked up, and I did get hurt, but...I still feel bad, I’ve felt bad the whole time, even with the concussion, cuz I know I fucked up...”

“Whoa, hey,” Madison said. “You did fuck up, for sure, but you got hurt, there’s nothing to feel bad about.”

“The getting hurt doesn’t cover my hiding it, though.”

“What’s that matter?”

“The slate isn’t clean.”

Madison paused at that, taking in the words. The past few months had shown her what it meant to know you have a clean slate with everyone. She imagined what it would be like to not have that, now that she was back from two rounds of Hell and gave a shit, and it formed a knot in her stomach.

“Yeah...yeah, okay,” she said, meeting Zoe’s eyes. “That makes sense, I guess.”

“And even the injuries…like, that’s punishment for me, but I didn’t just hurt me. I scared you, and Cordelia, and Misty, and everyone else,” Zoe said, choking down a sob. “I deserve it...I need it, cuz I can’t forgive myself for doing that, and I just...I don’t know, okay?”

“Okay, okay,” Madison said, pulling Zoe to let her cry in her shoulder. Zoe let the tears free, clinging to Madison as hard as she had the day the blonde returned from Hell. “It’s okay, Zoe, we’ll get through this, I promise.”

“Madison...could...would you…?” Zoe began, flustered. Madison looked at her for a moment, trying to piece it together, before realization hit her.

“I can’t. It’s a one-way agreement, remember?”

“I know,” Zoe said, recalling their conversation on limits. “But, I didn’t know if you’d change your mind, or...”

“Zoe, I just. I let you die, and then watched you die and stop existing. I can’t hurt you,” Madison said. “And I know, I know, I let you spank me, and I know it’s different...maybe I can if it’s the only thing that’ll help you, and Cordelia refuses, but I just, I can’t be the reason you’re crying ever again, okay?”

Zoe nodded; it was a sentiment Madison shared the first time they talked about it, she couldn’t be upset that Madison still felt that way. “Okay,” she said quietly.

“We’ll figure it out, Zo’. I promise,” Madison said, before pressing a kiss to Zoe’s forehead.

Before Zoe could say anything else, there was a knock at their door.

Chapter Text

Misty stood in the doorway. She felt a pang in her chest at the sight of Zoe crying again, but stopped herself from rushing to help comfort the girl just yet. 

“Delia wants you back in the office,” she said. “No decision yet, she’s just goin’ to make some tea and then wants to talk it out. She said Hollywood can come with ya.”

Zoe nodded and stood, taking a deep breath and wiping her face, and grabbed Madison’s hand. 

“It’s Cordelia,” Madison said. “You can tell her how you feel about this and she’ll listen.”

Misty raised one eyebrow but didn’t say anything as she led the girls down to Cordelia’s office. Cordelia herself had just walked inside, sipping on a cup of tea as she sat in an armchair in the corner. She gestured for Zoe and Madison to sit on the small couch opposite her. Misty sat in a chair off to the side near Cordelia's desk.

“So,” Cordelia said, setting the cup down, “I’ve done some thinking.”

“Before you say anything else, Cordelia,” Zoe began, then faltered. 

“Go on, while you still have the nerve,” Madison encouraged quietly, squeezing her girlfriend’s hand. 

Cordelia pursed her lips at the comment, slightly confused. “What is it, Zoe? I’m not as angry now, you can talk to me.”

“I, I just...I did text while driving, which was wrong, and caused an accident. And I did get hurt, sure, but, I hurt Madison. And you, and Misty, because I scared you and made you worry, all because I couldn’t wait just a few minutes to check my phone.” Zoe paused to bit her lip hard, forcing herself to breathe. She couldn’t look at Cordelia anymore, instead focusing on the Supreme’s fingernails folded neatly on her lap.

“You did,” Cordelia agreed lightly. 

“So, I think...I feel bad, Cordelia, I really do. I felt bad the whole time I was recovering and I feel even worse for not telling you until the officer brought the ticket, and I did get hurt but the slate isn’t clean, and-”

“And so you’re asking for me to spank you?” Cordelia asked, eyebrows raised in surprise. 

Zoe’s face turned a deep shade of red, and she could only nod. 

Cordelia looked over at Misty, having a silent conversation with her wife. Misty finally shrugged and nodded. The entire exchange, Madison looked back and forth in confusion. 

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Cordelia said finally. “First of all, you are going to pay the ticket. No use fighting it in court when you know you’re guilty. It will be on you to pay it.”

Zoe nodded; she already planned on having to pay the fine. 

“You will also be preparing a presentation on the dangers of using a phone while driving, to give the students when they return in a few weeks. You don’t have to mention how you were punished,” Cordelia added, seeing Zoe and Madison both look up in panic, “just the details of your accident and how bad it was, and could have been. I think that would go far in preventing this from happening again to anyone else in this house.”

“Okay,” Zoe agreed. 

“As far as a spanking goes,” Cordelia continued, ignoring the wince Zoe gave her, “I’m torn. I’d like to think all of your injuries were punishment enough, but what you did is so foolish I also want to make sure you don’t sit for a week.”

Zoe winced again. “Please,” she said, voice barely above a whisper, “I feel like...I need to know it’s all forgiven and handled. And I can’t do that with just a broken leg.”

“Well,” Cordelia replied, hesitating slightly, “With that in mind, I do think a spanking is in order.” Zoe bit her lip but nodded, and Cordelia continued. “I do think some of your injuries and all are punishment enough for the actual accident, but from the sounds of it you don’t feel adequately punished for how your actions affected us. Am I right?”

Zoe nodded. It had been a long trying day already, and speech was failing her. Madison gave her hand another squeeze in solidarity. 

“Alright,” Cordelia said, “so. I had an idea about this. Since you mainly feel guilt for hurting the three of us, I propose you get spanked by all three of us, one at a time.”

“No,” Madison said immediately. “I can’t be the reason she cries anymore.”

“It would be okay, Madison-” Zoe started.

“No.”

“You don’t have to, Maddie,” Misty said, speaking up. “It was just a suggestion, no one’s makin’ you do anythin’.”

Madison bit her lip, before turning slightly so she was facing Zoe directly. “I know you feel guilty, but I already forgive you. I know you didn’t mean it, and you paid for it, and I trust Cordelia to handle the rest, okay? I just can’t do it, Zo’.”

Zoe nodded again, leaning forward to give Madison a chaste kiss. “Alright,” she said, before turning back to Cordelia. “I accept the offer of you and Misty. I hate it, but I don’t think I can move on without something.”

“It’s settled then,” Cordelia said decisively. “Go wait back in your room for now, while Misty and I decide on logistics, alright?”

“Shouldn’ take long,” Misty added. “Just gotta make sure we don’t overdo it on ya.”

“Okay,” Zoe said, standing up and pulling Madison along with her.

“We’ll get it handled,” Cordelia said, following her to the door. “It won’t be pleasant, but we’ll get the slate clean, alright?”

“Okay,” Zoe nodded. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Chapter Text

Zoe sat in Cordelia’s bedroom about an hour later, the decided location of her punishment. She sat on the edge of the bed with Cordelia, waiting for Misty to return, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. It didn’t matter that she had even asked for this; the thought of a spanking still filled her with dread. When Misty finally entered, the tears did fall.

In her hand was a small switch.

“Cut and cleaned it myself,” Misty said, laying it on the bed next to Zoe. “Nice and smooth, it won’t cut ya, but it’ll sting real bad.”

“A s-switch? But I...I...” Zoe blubbered.

“Are you changing your mind, Zoe?” Cordelia asked pointedly.

Zoe shook her head furiously, trying to calm the sobs threatening to leave her. “No, I just...I’ve never...”

“I know ya haven’t,” Misty said calmly. “And you’re gettin’ two rounds right now, and I’ll keep that in mind. But Zoe, you did a real stupid thing, ya scared all of us half to death, and I know I couldn’ forgive myself unless my punishment was severe, so I got a feelin’ you can’t either.”

Zoe bit her lip hard. She knew tomorrow she would agree with Misty, but right now she couldn’t. Right now she was sitting on a bed next to a switch, with full knowledge that there wasn’t a hairbrush far away or anything else Cordelia might see fit to use.

“Let’s get this over with now,” Cordelia said, looking up at Misty. “How do you want to do this?”

“I reckon the easiest will be over the arm of the sofa,” Misty replied. “Come on Zo’, up you get.”

The swamp witch led Zoe over to the sofa against the wall of their bedroom, having her lay across the arm so that her torso was pushed into the seat. Misty reached and lowered her shorts and underwear, and Zoe instinctively grabbed a couch cushion and hugged it close, burying her face in it in anticipation.

Misty took a deep breath, shaking out the nerves for a moment when Zoe couldn’t see, before standing next to the young girl. Placing one hand on her lower back, she pulled the other one back and landed it hard squarely in the center of Zoe’s bottom.

Zoe gasped but held the couch cushion tighter, knowing she was in for a long experience. Misty may have hesitated for the first few, but she quickly found a rhythm and was making quick work of turning Zoe’s bottom red. She whimpered and kicked, holding on to the pillow for all she was worth as Misty’s hand rained down, stinging far more than Cordelia’s had; clearly years of working outdoors had hardened her palm.

Finally Misty paused for a moment, moving to retrieve the switch. Zoe looked up at the pause and regretted it when she remembered why it happened. Misty gave the switch a test swing, causing a whistling sound through the air. Zoe jumped up at the sound, backing off the couch.

“Misty please don’t, please, please don’t,” she begged, but the swamp witch shook her head.

“I promised you a lickin’ and that’s what’s gonna happen,” Misty said firmly. “Delia, do ya maybe wanna hold her hands? I don’t reckon she’s gonna hold still and I don’t wanna hit ‘em.”

Cordelia nodded, moving to sit at the other end of the couch. Misty put a hand around Zoe’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze before helping her position back over the couch arm, letting Cordelia grab her hands.

“Just a dozen, Zo’,” Misty promised, before tapping her bottom and pulling back.

Swish CRACK

Zoe screamed, shoving her face into the couch seat and squeezing Cordelia’s hands as hard as she could. It was like a line of fire had erupted across her bottom, right where cheek met thigh. She kicked and bucked, but between Misty’s hand on her lower back and Cordelia holding her arms out, she couldn’t escape.

Misty winced at the sound of Zoe howling, but she looked determined as she continued, taking only second between each lick to get it over with quicker.

By the time there were a dozen even stripes on Zoe’s bottom and tops of her thighs, she had broken to pure sobbing, managing a few gibberish phrases that Cordelia took to mean apologies. When Misty finished Cordelia released her hands, moving to stroke her hair soothingly. Misty threw the switch down and moved to rub Zoe’s bottom gently, doing what she could to soothe the welts.

Once Zoe had caught her breath, Misty helped her to stand, pulling her in her arms for a hug.

“I’m sorry,” Zoe sniffled, clinging to Misty and burying her face.

“I know ya are,” Misty soothed. “I forgive ya. Slate’s all clean with me.”

“Unfortunately, you’re only half done,” Cordelia said, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. “Come on over, Zoe, let’s finish this.”

Zoe broke into fresh sobs again as Misty released their hug, gently pushing her to take a step towards Cordelia. “Please...I can’t, please, no more, I’m really sorry, I won’t ever do it again, I promise I won’t, please...”

“I know,” Cordelia said, reaching to grab Zoe by the wrist and pull her to her side. Zoe didn’t fight it, though she sobbed hard as Cordelia pulled her over her left knee, wrapping her right over both of Zoe’s legs. Zoe’s upper body was supported by the bed, but Cordelia pinned one arm past her side and the other to Zoe’s lower back.

It was a position Zoe knew quite well. It was how she spanked Madison to keep her from kicking when she earned a particularly bad spanking. The thought of it made her wail quietly into the sheets.

Raising a hand, Cordelia summoned a hairbrush to her hand. She tapped it against the welts on Zoe’s bottom, getting a feel for a target.

“NO NO NOT THE BRUSH,” Zoe wailed, kicking uselessly. “Please Cordelia please not the brush please just use your hand your hand is enough please no…”

“I’m sorry Zoe,” Cordelia said, bringing the brush down quickly. She quickly built up a rhythm, using the same speed she had for the party spanking, though holding back on force...not that Zoe would know.

Zoe sobbed and wailed and kicked, but it was no use. She still felt the twelve lines of fire across her bottom, and now each was being ignited once more, followed by a deep burning. At this point she was out of tears, but still sobbed with each spank.

While Zoe felt the spanking lasted forever, Cordelia had stopped after two dozen spanks, tossing the hairbrush aside. She rubbed the poor girl’s bottom, now a deep red and welted, as she sobbed. After a few moments she adjusted so that Zoe was face-up in her lap, taking care how she was sitting.

“I’m s-s-sorry,” Zoe wailed, face buried on Cordelia’s shoulder. Cordelia held her close, rubbing her back and whispering soothing words in her ear until Zoe had calmed down. Misty joined them, gently stroking Zoe’s hair.

“Lay down, Zoe,” Misty told her once her breathing was even. “On your stomach. I’ll put some healin’ salve on those welts, alright?”

Cordelia helped Zoe adjust, laying in their bed on her stomach. She found Zoe’s shorts and underwear, long since kicked away, and returned them while Misty retrieved the salve and gently rubbed it in. Zoe yelped again at the initial contact, but soon enough the salve’s cooling effects took hold and she was soothed.

“Do ya want me to get Madison?” Misty asked.

“Mhm,” Zoe replied, reaching to pull on her shorts before she did so and hissing at the contact. Cordelia rubbed her back reassuringly, moving to lay next to her and hold her close while Misty went to fetch Madison. Zoe snuggled in, hiding her face once more.

“Slate’s all clean, Zoe. All is forgiven.”