A/N: This chapter is a bit long, but I had to make up for lost time.

Disclaimer: I do not own Big Time Rush.

10. The Hayhouse

Anna chuckled to herself as she did laundry that morning. From the look of their clothing they had been on quite the adventure the day before. She pulled out her various cleaning solutions just as four heads popped in the doorway.

"Good morning, Anna!" They grinned cheerfully.

"Good morning, loves!" she said affectionately. "It looks like you boys had some adventure yesterday."

They nodded vigorously. She reached her hand into a pockets to remove any forgotten items. Instead, she pulled out a hand of goo. With a baffled look on her face she asked Carlos, "What is this, love?"

"Pears!" he answered proudly and with a huge grin.

"Oh dear!" she chuckled again.

"Did you know he has a whole orchard out there?" Carlos continued without hesitation.

"I. . .did," she said quietly.

"Who are all those men that work there?" Carlos asked curiously.

"Well dear, I'm sure Mr. Slate knew that you boys might find the orchard, but you may not want to ask too many questions about it," she said gently. They exchanged glances.

"Did you know he has an airplane?" asked James, testing her reaction.

"I. . . did not," she answered honestly. "But, there are probably a lot of things I don't know. Why don't you boys go see what Helga has cooked up for you," she suggested, trying her best to change the subject. "It smells wonderful!"

James inhaled deeply. "Mmmm. . ." he said appreciatively, "maple sausage."

"See you later, Anna!" they called. They scampered off down the hallway and into the dining area.

After breakfast, they had a few minutes alone in the mud room while they donned their boots. Kendall sat on one of the benches and reached for a boot.

"So guys, I know I'm more curious than ever. . . " he said.

They all acknowledged they were as well. "So when do we go exploring again?" Carlos asked.

Logan did not look up. He was pulling his boots on, and carefully tucking his blue jeans into them.

"I want to check out that airplane," Carlos continued.

"Me too," said James.

"You know Farmer Slate said that the next three weeks would be grueling, I believe the term was," Logan reminded them. "I don't think we'll be getting a chance to explore with the barn dance around the corner."

"Yeah, I do not want to get in trouble and miss the barn dance," James admitted. "I'm looking forward to the music. . . the food. . . and. . ."

"The girls!" they finished for him.

James blushed. "I was going to say, seeing are moms. But okay, the girls too," he smiled.

Farmer Slate had officially become the 'chosen one' to hold the town's barn dance every year. It had maintained it's status as the biggest shindig of the year. This year he wanted it to be the biggest yet. He was going to show off his boys.

He had already been parading them around church the past few weeks, and the town was impressed with how well they behaved. Even their parents were pleased. They came to church in their finest knickers and dress shirts, sat up straight, sang the hymns, and even stayed in their seats... most of the time.

Before, they had rarely attended church because their parents were too busy, and when they did bring them they did not like being embarrassed by this misconduct. They'd often been caught putting the church flowers in each others hair, hugging the statues, drinking the wine, and crawling down the aisle while every one was singing, in order to escape and run around the grounds.

Farmer Slate would never tolerate that kind of behavior. He never took his eyes off of the boys for a moment. If they even giggled he would throw them an icy stare. Church was no longer a fun place to play.

Now, the farmer was planning the barn dance. He knew that this would be a true test of their behavior. He had warned the boys that they would never work as hard as they were about to in the next three weeks. He did not exaggerate. They were up a half-hour earlier each morning for breakfast, and they had to give up their morning and afternoon breaks. Meals were the only exception.

The harvest was approaching, and the farmer had to keep up his reputation as a charitable seasonal employer. Men would come from miles away, desperate to work for Farmer Slate.

It was an incredible sight, the day that the workers arrived. The boys were sitting on the fence watching the buses and truckloads of men arrive. They came down the dirt lane in a convoy, kicking up dust in great swirls. The men piled out in their work clothes and caps, emitting an eagerness to earn. The boys watched quietly for a few moments.

Kendall swatted at a bee that found him rather interesting, and wondered aloud. "How many men do you think there are?"

"A whole bunch," said James. "Look! Here come even more!" he pointed to an area of the farm that they had yet to explore.

"I wonder if he pays them much," said Logan. Actually, they were paid well by Farmer Slate, and the town thought he was wonderful to pay such high wages.

"I wonder how he treats them," said Carlos. The men were treated very well by the farmer, and most were even housed on his land in adequate freestanding structures, during the season.

Logan coughed and tried to wipe the grit from his eyes. "Uh. . . guys, Farmer Slate is signaling us over."

They reluctantly headed to the barn, Kendall with the bee still following close behind. Farmer Slate began by ordering the boys to stack hay-bales on the perimeter of the barn walls. It was exhausting work. The men would drive over a tractor-load of hay-bales, and the boys would unload and stack them.

After four hours, they were finally retrieved for lunch. They ate quickly and were whisked back to the barn. The farmer announced that he would be out in the fields directing the men, but would check in on them and bring them more fresh water. When the farmer finally returned late that afternoon, the boy's shoulders ached from lifting.

Farmer Slate eyed the boys while they worked and instantly summed up their moods. Kendall was just plain grumpy. James was definitely pouting. Carlos was quiet and not his usual happy-go-lucky self. Logan was staggering around. . .

They came to him for their water, drinking thirstily. Logan swayed as he drank. "What's wrong with you, Boy?" he demanded to know.

It was no secret that the farmer was irritable this time of year due to the extra-long hours he kept. They were warned by Sebastian, Helga, and Anna.

"Well?" he barked again when Logan did not answer, but just stared at him in surprise.

"Gee, I don't know. . . " Logan began indignantly.

The Farmer's eyes narrowed. Kendall caught Logan's eye and shook his head, warning him not to continue. Unfortunately, he did.

"Maybe it's the endless hours of work, without breaks or water?" he finished.

The farmer's eyes flashed. "Are you sassing me, Boy?"

"N-No, Sir," Logan answered nervously, realizing the farmer was seething before his very eyes. "B-But I. . .n-needed water sooner and I-"

The farmer pounced on Logan, and lifted him up by the back of his collar to place him eye-level. The farmer dared him to speak again. Since Logan rambled when he was nervous, he continued to state facts about how dangerous dehydration and heat stroke could be.

"You're a know-it-all, Boy and I'm going to teach you a real lesson!" the farmer threatened.

He dropped the boy roughly to his feet and dragged him into the neighboring hay-house, full of fresh hay-bales. With an evil gleam in his eye, he approached the trembling boy.

"Now bend over that hay-bale , boy!" he roared.

"Wait. . .W-W-What?" Logan stammered.

"You heard me, boy!" the Farmer yelled. Logan was pretty sure that the entire farm had heard. He grabbed a leather strap from the wall and shook it menacingly.

Logan cringed away, only angering him further. The farmer caught him by the arm as he tried to slip by and forced him over the hay-bale, pushing his face into the sharp straw. Logan tried to wriggle free, but a huge hand held him firmly between the shoulder blades.

He felt the first lash burn through his jeans , making him cry out in anguish. He tried to catch his breath before the next one came but couldn't. A trail of fire was left behind, and the pain was only intensifying with each new swish of the strap. He burst into tears when a succession of painful whacks left him howling.

The farmer didn't let up and Logan thought that it would never end. He could hear his own voice pleading for him to stop, but the whipping just continued.

Finally. . .it ended. He was yanked from the hay-bale, chest heaving and straw clinging to his wet face and dark hair.

He paraded him out to show the others an example of what they could expect if they ever sassed him. The boys stared at Logan in shock. He was a pitiful sight. His face was red, and he still had straw sticking out of his hair.

The farmer, still holding Logan by his blue plaid flannel shirt, announced that the days work was over and that they were heading back for dinner. The boys walked somberly back to the farmhouse with the farmer still towing the sobbing Logan.

The boys were ordered to wash up for dinner, but Logan did not feel like eating even though he went into the large main-floor bathroom to wash up too.

Kendall turned on one of the three sinks and began to scrub, glancing over at Logan with concern. Carlos was the first to wrap an arm around him.

"Are you okay, Logie?" he asked with a pout.

Logan did not look up. Instead, he turned on the faucet, suddenly quite interested in squeezing the soap bar between his fingers.

"I'll be all right," he said quietly, biting his lower lip hard to keep from beginning a new round of tears.

Kendall dried his hands on a towel and approached him from the other side. He put a hand on Logan's forearm and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I do NOT like that guy!" he said, wishing he could make him smile.

Logan tried to force a weak smile. Kendall looked up, noticing the straw in Logan's hair, and tried to pull it all out. Logan now occupied himself with watching the soap bubbles swirl down the drain.

James was still washing his hands and paying special attention to his fingernails. He looked up with sympathetic eyes when he heard a small involuntary sob escape from Logan's throat.

"We'll be home soon, Logan," he offered tenderly, hoping it would make him feel better.

They finally entered the dining area where Kendall, James, and Carlos took their seats. Logan stood behind his chair looking peaked.

"Logan!" Kendall whispered worriedly, "hurry up and sit down before he comes!"

"Yeah!" James warned with big eyes, "He'll be here soon!" His eyes darted back and forth, anticipating the Farmer's arrival.

"And he'll get mad! Again!" Carlos stage-whispered.

Logan just stood looking down, eyelashes resting wet against his cheeks. "I know," he said practically inaudible, "the problem is... I-I-can't sit."

I guess he should have stopped talking, poor baby! :(