A/N: I'm not sure why, but I felt like rewriting this story. I left all of the original, but I wanted to add in a flashback because I felt that it made it better.
The day that everyone in the Loud house had been dreading had finally arrived. It was time for the oldest, Lori, to move away to college. She helped manage the house so much, that it would be different without her, but the family would manage.
All her siblings had gathered outside to help her stuff her bags into the back of the car. Her car that she had recently bought herself.
"I think that's the last one, sis," Luna shouted as she and her other sisters struggled to stuff the suitcases into the trunk.
"Alright, thanks girls," Lori told them. It wasn't until then though, that she noticed that someone was missing. "Hey mom, where's Lincoln?"
Her mother looked at her. "I could've sworn he was out here helping your sisters," she said in a confused tone. "He must be up in his room."
"I'll go check on him"
Lori headed back into the house, and made her way up to Lincoln's room. She knocked on the door.
"Linc? Are you in there?", she said. She then heard a rustling sound and the door opened, revealing Lincoln.
He didn't look like himself, however. He had been fine this morning, but it seems now that something was bothering him.
She looked at her little brother with a frown. "Hey are you alright?"
He simply shrugged his shoulders.
"Can I come in?"
He made a gesture, and went to sit on his bed. She sat down next to him. Next thing she knew, he had his arms wrapped around her so tight she could barely breathe.
"Oh, I see what's wrong", she said to him. "You're sad about me leaving, aren't you?"
He nodded as he buried his head in her shoulder. She then scooped him up into her lap, and soon she could feel the wetness on her shirt.
Lori couldn't help, but try to comfort him. They sat there for a few minutes before the boy spoke, "I don't know what I'll do without you, if I'm being honest."
She began to stroke his hair. "Oh Linky, you know that I'll always be here in a way, right?"
"But you won't be here here"
She thought for a moment, and recalled something from long ago.
"Hey, do you wanna hear a story?"
"Sure"
"Alright here goes", she said. "I'm not sure if you've ever heard this one before, or even remember it for that matter. You were about Lily's age."
The girls sat in front of the television in the living room. They had it turned as high as it could go, to drown out their younger brother's incessant crying.
Luna put her hands over her ears. "I don't know how long it's been, but it's way too long!", she yelled. "He's even louder than me."
"I can't hear myself coloring!", Leni yelled.
Lynn was running around the coffee table. "Too much noise!"
Luan had found a spot underneath the arm chair, and was laying there with her hands on her ears.
Lori looked down at her sister. "Girls, come on!", she yelled. "Lincoln is just a baby, he's supposed to cry."
"Lynn didn't cry this much," Luna said.
"Yeah, it's kinda hurting my ears now," Leni said.
Lori shook her head, and looked towards the kitchen, where her parents were trying to soothe the crying infant.
They both were in their pajamas still, and had bags under their eyes.
Rita had Lincoln one of her hips, and was bouncing him, while Lynn Sr. was next to them. He was trying to get Lincoln to eat a bite of food.
"Come on, buddy," he said. "Are you hungry?"
Lincoln turned his head away.
"Honey, we already tried giving him food," Rita said as she patted Lincoln's back.
Lynn Sr. sat the jar down and pinched the top of his nose. "Have we tried everything? What about his diaper?"
"I just changed him," she said. "I don't know what else to do."
Lori frowned as she looked upon the scene. She hated seeing her baby brother so sad, as well as her parents.
She grabbed the remote and turned the television off.
"Hey!", Luna shouted. "Do you want our ears to burst?"
"Lincoln is already upset, he doesn't need anymore noise."
Their parents then walked into the room.
"Girls, we're so sorry for all this commotion," Rita told them.
"What's wrong with Lincoln?", Leni asked.
"We don't know, sweetie," Lynn Sr. said.
Lori looked over at her crying brother, whose face was covered in drool and snot.
"Can I hold him?", she asked.
Their parents looked at each other, then back at Lori.
"It's worth the shot," said Lynn Sr.
Rita walked over to where Lori was sitting at the end of the couch.
Lori held out her arms, and Rita placed Lincoln in them.
Lori was taken aback by the sound of wailing in her ears. She moved him so that he was laying across her lap, and put one hand on his head. Pushing it so that he was laying on her chest.
She rocked him, but he still wouldn't stop. She took her hand and rubbed his face.
"What's the matter, Linky?"
He looked up at her before he started wailing again.
She moved a bit, so that she could get off of the couch. She began to walk around the living room, rocking him as she went.
"Shh it's okay," she whispered.
She made it into the kitchen, and grabbed a paper towel off the counter. She began to wipe off his face.
"You're too cute to have a dirty face," she said.
After a few minutes of walking around the house, his crying became softer. She walked over to her parents, who were now sitting on the couch.
"Do you want him back?", she asked as she gestured to Lincoln.
They shook their head.
"No, you're doing a great job," her mom said.
"He'll probably fall asleep soon," Lynn Sr. said, pointing to Lincoln.
Lori noticed that he was only whimpering now, and he had a tight grip on her shirt. He looked up at her with watery eyes, and flushed cheeks.
She got back up on the couch, sitting on the end. She moved him so that he was laying on her chest, and his head was under her chin.
She rubbed his back, and rocked him slowly.
"Hey, it's okay," she whispered. She kissed his head softly.
It was only a few moments later that she heard the sounds of little snores.
She looked down to see that he had fallen asleep on her chest, and still had a tight grip on her shirt.
"Lincoln is your special buddy"
"Wow I never knew about that one," Lincoln said as he sat up and wiped his eyes. "I guess it true though. I do look up to you a lot, more than I would like to admit. I love you."
Lori smiled at him, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I love you too little bro." They sat there in an embrace for a few more minutes, listening to the muffled sounds of their family yelling outside.
"Now how about you come down and help me with the rest of my stuff, and then we'll all go out for ice cream afterwards. My treat."
"I would love that"