Chapter 12: Punishment

Joe looked at the clock for what felt like the millionth time. He hated being in his room by himself. Sure he knew why his father was limiting his contact with his twin, but it didn't mean he had to like it. It was times like these that he missed Jax and his talking hole, even though he they hadn't had it since they were eleven. He looked again at the clock and swore it was moving backwards. There was no way he was going to handle three more weeks of this.

"Pa."

Ben sighed and got up to walk into his son's room.

"Yes."

"Can Jax come down yet?"

"Joseph, I understand you're bored, but you're on restriction so that means no visitors."

"But I'm sick," Joe tried.

"Do you need some more pain medicine?"

"No, I don't like the way it tastes and I don't hurt that much. What I need is Jax."

"What you need is a nap and if you want to see your sister this afternoon you'll take one. So lie down and rest."

"Yes sir," Joe said. The second his father got up he said, "Pa."

"Yes Joseph."

"Are you going to tan Jax tonight?"

"Yes, what your sister did was very dangerous."

"But what happened to me was my fault. I'm the one that jumped on the log and I'm the one who didn't listen."

"So are you trying to tell me that you deserve a tanning too?"

"I think I deserve the tanning more than Jax," Joe said honestly.

Ben smiled at his son, loving how protective he was of his twin and knowing he was going to do anything to save her from the well-deserved tanning she was going to get tonight.

"I agree you deserve a tanning, but I think the pain you've been in should keep you from doing something this dangerous again."

"Yes sir, but Adam's tanning did the same thing…"

"Little Joe, your sister is getting a tanning tonight and nothing you say is going to change my mind."

"Are you going to change your mind about letting her work on the ranch?"

"Maybe when she's older. Right now, Jax thinks she doesn't have to listen and can do anything she wants. She has to prove to me that she will do as she's told. Once she does that I will give her more responsibility."

"Are you going to tell her?"

"Jax and I are having a long talk before I punish her and after we're finished the three of us are going to talk."

"Please don't make me see her tonight. I can't stand seeing her eyes all puffy, especially when the tanning's my fault."

"Jax's tanning is her fault. Even if you wouldn't have gotten hurt, your sister would've gotten this tanning."

"But she wouldn't have gotten Adam's."

"Actually she would've. I probably wouldn't have let your brother use the strop, but he was in charge of training her, so he needed to be part of her punishment."

"I still feel guilty…"

"Maybe you should feel a little guilty. We need to discuss what happened as a family."

"So Adam and Hoss are going to be a part of it too?"

"Yes, I want the five of us to be on the same page when it comes to Jax and you."

"Am I fired?"

"We'll talk about it tonight."

"So I am fired," Joe said trying hard not to pout.

"We'll talk about it tonight, Joseph. Why don't you take your nap?"

"That means 'take your nap now Joseph' doesn't it?"

"Yes it does. Are you sure you don't want pain medicine?"

"Yes sir."

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Jax sighed as she walked back up the stairs. Supper was fun. Pa insisted that they ate with Joe every night. She knew her brother was trying to make her feel better, but honestly nothing was going to make her feel better tonight. Sure she knew she deserved her father's wrath, but she sure as heck wasn't ready for another spanking. Adam's was more than enough.

Ben walked into his daughter's room. He would rather cut off his right arm than to go through with this. He loved his little girl more than anything and he hated every time he had to spank the dickens out of her.

"Come here," Ben said opening his arms.

Jax didn't wait, she wanted his strong arms around her. She always wanted his arms around her. Once there, she leaned against his chest and asked,

"Do you blame me for Joe?"

"I blame Joe for going in the water and you for taking him there in the first place. I know you would never hurt your brother intentionally, but your foolish pride lead to his accident."

"I know. Pa, are you ever going to trust me again."

"Yes, but you have a long row to hoe before you have my trust again."

Jax nodded her head as tears leaked out of her eyes.

"Why do you think I'm angry?"

"Because I got Joe hurt."

"Your brother is part of it, but not even close to the main reason I'm angry."

"I disobeyed you?"

"Yes. How did you disobey me?"

"You fired me, so I shouldn't have been anywhere near the mill."

"What else?"

"I snuck out of the house, when it was dark, and I led my brother and best friend into danger."

"What do you think we should do about it?"

"I know I deserve a tanning and I'm surprised you didn't take me over your knee the second you walked out of Dr. Martin's that night. In fact I wish you would've."

"Why?"

Jax just started crying hard.

"Why baby?" Ben said holding her through her sobs

"Because, I almost killed Joe and I was so selfish about everything."

"Would it have mattered that night?"

Jax shrugged.

"I don't think it would've. You were worried about your brother and on a huge guilt trip. You needed to feel your guilt and I know when I punish you it helps get rid of the guilt."

Jax just nodded.

Ben took her chin and made her look into his eyes.

"Joe's going to be fine."

"So he's going to walk again."

"Yes and when Dr. Martin checked on him yesterday he feels that he's going to be running around the ranch before we know it."

"Really," Jax said giving him a huge smile.

"Yes really, but I think you and I have some business to attend to."

"Do I need to cut a switch?"

Ben sighed. This had been the question that had plagued him for the past two days. The answer was simple, she deserved a switching, but as always he didn't want to deliver it.

"I think my belt will be enough, but you are getting it bare."

"Can we go outside? I don't want Joe to hear."

"I think it will do your brother some good to hear your punishment."

"Why?"

"Because this is part of your brother's punishment too."

"Please don't do that to Joe."

"Jacqueline, this isn't up for debate."

"Yes sir."

"Let's get this over with, petticoats and pantaloons."

Jax did as she was told and forced herself over her father's knee. Ben's belt was already off and he dropped it hard making his daughter yelp.

Joe stared at the ceiling wanting his father to stop. He knew his father never actually hurt them when he tanned them, but he hated hearing the leather hitting flesh and his sister's crying. Usually he didn't feel this guilty when Jax got a tanning, because he was waiting in the wings for his own. The worry about the spanking always trumped the feelings of guilt. Knowing he wasn't getting a spanking this time made things twice as bad. He was the one who jumped in the river and he was the one that didn't talk her out of it. He knew Jax's plan and he knew how dangerous it was, but he didn't care. He wanted an adventure and wanted to help his sister. Now listening to what had to be one of the worst whippings his sister had ever gotten, he didn't agree with his original assessment.

Joe breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't hear the belt fall again. At that second he realized that he was crying. He wiped his tears quickly as he heard his door open.

"You ok?" Adam asked.

"Yeah."

"Liar."

"I just feel really guilty about it," Joe said.

Adam smiled at his little brother and said,

"I think that was the point. Pa would've taken her to the barn if not."

"I'd rather get a thousand tannings than to hear her get one."

"Me too little brother me too."

Joe smiled and said,

"Then you better stop tanning her and while you're at it I wouldn't mind if you stopped tanning me too."

"In your dreams little brother, in your dreams. No matter how much I hate it or how much I wish I never had to do it, your safety and making you become the man I know you can be, will always make me take you over my knee."

A small tap interrupted their conversation.

"Pa wanted me to show you that I was still alive," Jax said smiling.

Adam held his arms open and she ran into them.

"How's your butt?" Joe teased.

"On fire, but I'll live," Jax said with a shrug, getting off her eldest brother's lap and hugging her twin.

"I'm sorry," Joe said.

"Why? My idea, my hide, right?"

Joe smiled again.

Ben walked in and asked,

"Where's Hoss?"

"Doing the twin's chores. I'll go get him."

Hoss and Adam walked in a few minutes later.

"Alright, there are some new rules around here. Jax and Little Joe you are both confined to your rooms until Little Joe's legs are better. Once that is finished, Little Joe you're with Hoss every waking minute. You are not allowed to work only watch. Jax, you're with Adam. You're not allowed to get off your horse or help either. If your brothers are too busy, you are either with me or back in your rooms."

"Yes sir."

"Now if either of you give your brothers problems you're in your room for two weeks after a sound tanning."

"How long Pa?" Adam asked.

"I haven't decided yet. I'll let you know."

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Adam walked into his sister's room a few minutes before bedtime.

"Come here Jax," He said opening his arms.

"Are you mad, that you have to take me to work with you again?"

"Nope. I'm happy because I'm going to do what I should've in the first place."

"You're going to show how to do your job?"

"Yes, you don't get to do my job, but I promise to show you what it is I do every day and I promise once I'm sure you're ready I'll talk to Pa so you can gradually take on some responsibility."

"Thanks Adam."

"Oh and Jax, if you even think about doing more than I say, I'm going to make my whipping seem like a walk in the park and I promise that you will never ever leave this house again."

Jax just smiled and hugged him hard.

"Thanks Adam."

"You're welcome."

The End