Chapter 2 Letting Down

An hour after finding their way home, all the boys are sitting on the orange couch in 2J. At least, they are trying to stay seated. But the longer they sit and are yelled at by a very angry Mrs. Knight, the more their hangovers are kicking in. The only one who still seems wide awake and alive is Logan. He is sitting on the edge of his seat, head slightly tilted and watching Mrs. Knight like it's the first time he's ever seen her.

While she is yelling and walking back and forth, Logan suddenly puts up a hand like he wants to go and touch her. Luckily, Carlos notices and quickly pushes his hand back down. When Logan frowns at him, he just shakes his head slowly and focuses his attention on the screaming mother figure in front of them.

Logan now shifts his attention to the Latino next to him. He starts to study the boy with his eyes like he's some amazing creature he has never laid eyes on. James, who is sitting on the other side of Logan watches his friend with his right eyebrow raised. Logan tries to touch Carlos' face, but the raven haired boy sighs and slaps his hands away.

James turns to his left, where Kendall is slumped in his seat with his eyes closed. The boy looks as bad as he feels, looking completely green in the face with his hands rubbing his temples. Right, the headache. He almost forgot about that. He groans when his stomach starts to turn and slumps backwards himself.

Kendall opens his eyes for a small moment when he feels someone laying down next to him. He peers through half lidded eyes and then sends an understanding nod towards his pretty friend, who probably feels just as bad.

Carlos in the meantime is feeling more and more annoyed with Logan, who is still trying to touch him. And he starts to mumble how pretty his skin color is. Carlos sighs and rubs his temples, before once again slapping Logan's hand away.

He is sitting slumped forward and notices how his head hurts more the further he lets it hang. So he tries to move backwards. But instantly regrets it when he feels pain shooting through his body. He hisses loudly and moves to sit forward again. When he notices his friends peering at him with concern, he just points towards his head with a chuckle and they nod in agreement.

Jep, that was the worst idea they had ever had.

Suddenly, they all notice how quiet things are. They look up and see Mrs. Knight standing in front of them, her arms crossing and face scowling.

"So, what do you have to say for yourself?" They share a panicked look. None of them know what she said.

"It's okay, Mrs. Knight. We know what we did was wrong. We should have never gone to that party. We learned it the hard way and we will never do it again." The three guys all raise an eyebrow when Logan says all this without blinking and a perfect smile to match.

She sighs and shakes her head.

"Well thank you. That means a lot. But even though you all being hung-over is a good punishment already. Well, except for you, Logan. I'm glad at least one of you was smart enough to stay sober." The three boys turn to Logan with bafflement, while he sits there with folded hands and a face with innocence. They direct their attention back to the fuming woman. "But as for the rest of you, you are all grounded until further notice. That means no pool for at least two weeks and you're only leaving the apartment for studio time and school."

They all sigh and want to protest, but Mrs. Knight cuts in.

"No buts, I don't want to hear it. God knows what you boys did last night. Let's just hope it wasn't anything too bad and that you didn't just singlehandedly ruin your careers." She tells them with a pointing finger. "You should be happy I'm the one who caught you first. If Gustavo found out about this… And boys, I don't have a choice but tell your own parents about this." Carlos and James' eyes widen in panic.

"No, mama Knight, that really isn't necessary. My mom does not need to know about this." James tells her, but she shakes her head.

"Mama Knight, please don't tell my parents. My dad would kill me if he found out. I mean, he's a cop! And my mom…" Carlos gasps in realization at what she would do to him if she found out. He whips his head back up and decides to use his most powerful weapon. The puppy dog eyes with full on pout and quivering bottom lip.

But instead of giving in like she always used to, Mrs. Knight scowls and crosses her arms again, sending him 'the look'. He immediately backs up, barely able to cover up a hiss of pain again.

"Just go to your room and think about what you did." She says as her final word and heads for the bathroom.

"Can we at least have some Tylenol before we…" Kendall starts, but the slamming of the bathroom door makes them all cringe.

"So, not getting Tylenol then?" James asks in a small and pained voice. Kendall and Carlos just groan and murmur in agreement.

"I don't know why you all want Tylenol so badly. I mean, I feel fine." Logan happily chirps. The other three quickly shoot him death glares and attack him by weakly throwing pillows.

"I'm going to lay down on my bed. This couch just isn't comfortable enough." Carlos groans as he stands up and grabs his head when he gets up too quickly.

He turns around to go for his bedroom when he finds Katie sitting at the kitchen bar, staring at them and happily munching on some cereal. Carlos looks around in confusion.

"How long have you been sitting there?" he asks her. The other guys weakly lift their heads up over the end of the couch, while Logan turns to her with interest.

"Oh, ever since mom started yelling at you. God, your faces every time her voice went up a few notches, just priceless. It was so fascinating to watch you all waste away the longer you were sitting there. You must have really had a lot to drink to get that hung-over. You must feel ready to puke right now. And your heads. They must feel like someone is drilling inside them with a jackhammer, right? If only you could take something to relieve you of that agony." Suddenly, she pulls a bottle of Tylenol out of thin air and sets it on the counter.

Carlos rushes forward, but she quickly snatches it away.

"Ah ah. If I give you this, I want something in return." She smiles evilly, while Kendall and James watch her. Carlos sighs.

"What is it?" He asks, his voice slightly trembling now.

"If I give you this bottle, I want all of you to do everything I say. Meaning, you will all be my personal slaves until you're no longer grounded." James and Kendall get up to protest, while Carlos interjects.

"Fine, we'll do it. Just give me the bottle." James and Kendall exchange a look.

"Carlos? Do you have any idea what you just had us agree to?" Kendall asks as he watches his Latino friend limp into the kitchen, downing two pills with a tall glass of water as fast as he can. He limps back into the living room slowly, hissing with every move he makes and throws the bottle of pills in James' direction. It nearly hits him in the head, had he not ducked out of the way.

"Dude!" James weakly croaks from the couch.

"Carlos, did you not hear what I said?"

"I don't care, Kendall. I just want to feel better, all right? If this is what it takes…" Carlos explains softly. Katie just smiles from her spot at the kitchen bar.

"But…"

"No buts, Kendall. I'm going to go lay down…" Carlos explains, clearly no longer in a nice mood and he limps and shuffles towards their shared bedroom.

"But Carlos…" Kendall argues again.

"Dude, just leave it and take the Tylenol. I don't care either anymore. My head is killing me." James nearly whispers as he downs two pills of his own dryly.

Kendall sighs and mimics his actions, before slumping back into a lying position.

"So, what did happen last night? Was it a fun party?" Logan suddenly asks, sounding cheerful as ever. James and Kendall just look at him in disbelief and shake their heads. "And what happened to Carlos? Why was he limping?" That makes James and Kendall share a questioning look. Why was he limping?

"My guess is, since his upper body was covered in hickeys, he must have gotten some crazy se…"

"Katie!" Kendall yells, before she can utter the words he never ever wants to hear from her. She holds up her hands in surrender.

"I'm just saying. For someone with a limp like that and the hissing in pain while walking, plus looking like he's in pain every time he tries to sit on his butt, it's the only explanation." She explains naturally and then holds out her bowl of cereal. "Cereal?" The two with hangovers groan and hold their stomachs, while Katie grins wildly.

"I really don't know why you're feeling so bad. I mean, I was at the same party and I feel fi… wow, is it hot in here?" Logan suddenly asks, making the other two raise their eyebrows. Kendall just shrugs his shoulders at Logan's craziness. He's gotten a hold of his shirt and is trying to fan himself with it to lose some heat. Then he stands up. "Wow, such pretty colors in here. Never noticed that before." Katie watches in amusement. "By the way, when did you install the turning platform?" He asks, before his eyes roll into the back of his head and he falls to the floor out cold.

"Well, thank god he's off his high." Kendall muses and James nods in agreement.

"I wonder what kind of stuff he took." James wonders out loud.

"Yeah. He should take it more often though. Made for a few very interesting moments." Kendall says with a chuckle and James chuckles with him, until they both hiss at the pain it causes their heads.

"Logan took something too?" Mrs. Knight suddenly screeches. Both boys hiss at the pitch of her voice. "I knew something was up. And to think I almost didn't ground him, because I thought at least one of you was smart last night. But you are all the same. Just unbelievable! When he wakes up, let him know that the same punishment goes for him. Grounded until further notice!" She yells in anger. "I am going for a walk." She announces and swiftly opens the front door and slams it shut, making the boys on the couch cringe.

"Come on, James. We should go to bed too." Kendall tells him as neither of the boys move a muscle. "James?" He tries again.

"Huh?" Is the only response James gives.

"We should get up." Kendall murmurs.

"Uhuh. You first." James murmurs back. Kendall groans in response.

After about ten minutes, Kendall is the first to make a move as he sits up. He nearly falls forward, when everything starts to spin. But he manages to steady himself on the coffee table. He shakes James' dead form beside him.

"James." A groan. "James…" A longer groan. "Come on, man. We can't stay here. We should go before my mom gets back." James groans louder when Kendall starts to pull him into a seating position.

"I don't feel good." James croaks.

"Yeah, join the club." Kendall mutters as he rubs a hand over his face.

"Come, let's just go." They both groan as they try to pick themselves up from the couch and stand.

"What about him?" James asks as he points to the still unconscious brown haired boy on the floor.

"Ugh, crap…" Kendall mutters. "I almost forgot about him. I guess one of us will have to carry him." He looks at James.

"Not it!" James shouts, putting a finger to his nose. Kendall rolls his eyes.

"Thanks for the help, James." He complains, sending the pretty boy a glare. But he can no longer see it as he trudges off towards the bedroom.

Kendall takes one look at his pathetic friend on the ground and starts to bend forward to pick him up. He squeezes his eyes shut in the pain it causes his head to bend down.

"Ugh, you've gotten a lot heavier…" He mutters as he hoists Logan up from the floor and tosses him over his shoulder.

He slowly heads for the bedroom. Katie rinses off her bowl and sits back down at the kitchen bar with a smile. She holds up a hand and starts to count down from five fingers.

When she gets to the last finger, Kendall suddenly runs from the bedroom at full speed and into the bathroom. She cringes as he throws up violently, grinning to herself.

She looks up and clasps her hands together.

"Thank you, thank you… Best day ever!"

A/N Another story that has been long overdue for an update :P

Can anyone make any guesses as to what happened to the guys at that party? More information will of course become clear when more chapters appear. Which I am trying to write and post soon, but not making any promises!

Anyway, hope you like the story, I am going to brainstorm on some fun ideas for whatever the guys were up to that Friday Night ;)

Hope you enjoy and thank you for the reviews I received, I will try to send some personally replies to those as quick as possible

Love, Baxxie