Sorry for letting you all waiting for so long. It all had taken more time than I thought. But finally, I can continue my story. I also was able to overwork my first chapters so that they match with the rest. But enough from it. You had to wait long enough, so have fun.

Disclaimer: The Loud House belongs to Nickelodeon.

Chapter 35

School day

"Okay, Lincoln. Are you ready? Do you feel like you can do it?" asks Lori her younger brother.

"Y-yeah. I can do that," he answers her. He wants to sound confident but in the end, it sounded more like he was unsure about it.

Slowly he steps out of Vanzilla, followed by Lynn.

"All right. We'll see you guys back home then. Bye, have a great day," Lori says. Also, Leni, Luna, and Luan say their goodbyes and waves at them as she drives away.

"How do you feel? After all, this is your first day here," asks Lynn.

Lincoln looks at the letters on the building, which reads Middle School. "To be honest. I'm very nervous."

"Don't worry, bro. If you need something or is someone bullying you, just come to me. I'm there for you."

"Thanks, Lynn. But luckily I'm not alone. There is someone who is very eager to see me," chuckles Lincoln, pointing to a group of boys.

One of them, an Afro-American boy, jumps and waves like crazy.

"All right. Then I let you with your friends. Good luck when you tell them about your depression," says Lynn after seeing Clyde.

"Thanks. Well, I see you later in the cafeteria."

Both separate and goes to their own group of friends.

Lincoln waves to his friends, "Hey guys—"

"Oh my god, Lincoln. I'm so happy to see you back. I was so worried," says Clyde, after he had nearly jumped at Lincoln.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm still alive and I don't plan to change that," soothes Lincoln him.

"Good to see you back on your feet, man. Clyde had told us that you nearly got killed. What exactly had happened?" asks Rusty

He was the tallest of the group. But also thin as a branch. He has curly and orange hair. His face was full of freckles and he has buck teeth. His attire is a light green T-shirt, blue baggy pants, and white shoes.

"I'll explain everything in the lunch break, okay? I don't want to come too late on my first day here."

But before the boys can go the voice of two girls interrupts them.

"Lincoln," one of the girls calls for him.

He turns around to see Girl Jordan and Stella. "Hey, girl—ouch. What was that for?"

As Girl Jordan arrived him she punched him at the shoulder. "This is for making us worried sick about you, idiot. We have heard from Clyde that someone had attacked you."

The girl with the light brown hair, which is tied into a braid, wears a yellow elbow-sleeve T-shirt, a blue pleated skirt, and sandals with tall socks. She also has a small, blue bow in her hair.

"You two were worried about me?"

"Of course. You're our friend, Lincoln," says Stella.

Stella is a tall slender girl, with tan skin, freckles, and black hair that curls up at the back end. Since she is of Filipino descent she has noticeably slanted eyes. She wears a white short-sleeved sweater, with a red star in the middle, a red collar, and red sleeve edges, a knee-long black skirt, white knee-high socks with a red and blue stripe at the top, and green sneakers.

"Sorry, with all that what had happened it looks like I have forgotten," he explains with a slightly sad undertone.

"Forgotten? Do we mean so little to you?" Girl Jordan asks offended.

"It's not that." The school bell rings and all the kids that were still outside are going inside. "I'll explain it later to all of you. I promise."

They all look to Clyde. "Trust him, guys. It isn't that easy, so give him the time," he only says.

"All right," Girl Jordan says and goes with Stella into the school.

Then the rest of the boys goes in as well.

The classes were as they always were. Lincoln hadn't that much of a problem to come up with the lessons. He also was very soon familiar with the new environment and teachers.

His class was mostly the same as in elementary school. That means that he still was with his friends. What surprised him was that there also were two new but familiar faces. Haiku and Tabby were now in the same class as him. But that also wasn't that bad in his opinion.

In the lunch break then he sits with his friends at a table.

"So, Lincoln. What exactly hat happened to you? Why were you attacked by someone?" Rusty asks curiously.

"Well, for that I have to start somewhere else. I have to tell you something about me that could shock you," Lincoln begins to explain. He had made himself ready through the entire day for this.

"All right. Then say it already," Zach says impatiently.

Zach or Zachary was the smallest of the group. He has freckles and buck teeth too and glasses. His hair was red. And he was clothed in a white and blue striped polo shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers.

"It's that I have—"

"Hey, mate. Long time no see. I was surprised as I had heard that we are in the same class," the voice of a girl interrupts him.

It was Tabby who had come to them and takes her seat right next to Lincoln.

She was one of Luna's friends so like her she wears a rocking style. She has black hair, with purple highlights, gelled upwards, a gap between her front teeth, and pink eye shadow. She wears an aubergine jacket, a mini t-shirt with horizontal stripes, a pink checkered skirt, and white platform boots.

"Excuse us? We are in the middle of something," Girl Jordan says to her.

"Oh, sorry. I was just too surprised that Lincoln and I are in the same class."

"It's okay. I also am surprised about it. Haven't seen you since the dance," Lincoln says happily.

"Yeah, it is a while. How have you been? Why weren't you here last week? Were you been sick?"

"He was about to tell us that right now. He was attacked by some guy and was in the hospital," Liam tells her.

The last boy of the group has also freckles on his cheeks and two buck teeth. He has orange hair styled into a bowl cut. His clothes are a light and dark green striped t-shirt, brown shorts, white sneakers with green stripes, and white socks with red and blue stripes.

She looks shocked at him and then to Lincoln. "Is that true?"

"Sadly, yes. As I was saying. There is something about me you all have to know," Lincoln began again. And this time he was able to tell them that he has depression and how he ended up getting stabbed by Damien.

All were shocked about it.

"This is terrible. And you still have depression?" Stella asks worriedly.

"Yeah. But my family does everything to help me. And I also have Clyde on my side and I go to a therapist every week."

"I still can't understand how you can think so bad about yourself?" Rusty says.

"Well, as someone who hasn't depression it is hard to understand," Girl Jordan says to him.

"No, I mean Lincoln always was so confident. You're the man with the plan. I thought there is nothing that could take you down."

"Well, looks like there is something that can do that. But I give everything to not let it happen again."

"And this young man, Damien was his name? Has the police finally captured him?" Haiku asks.

"He still is out there. Or maybe he has already left Royal Woods. I hope so. I'm afraid that he could hurt one of my sisters again. Or worse."

All shivers about the thought that someone like Damien is still out somewhere in Royal Woods.

"This is a creepy thought. That this guy is out there. Waiting for his next victim," Stella says.

"I don't think that he is searching for a new victim. He probably is still after me. I don't know why or what exactly he plans. But there is a big chance that he will finish what he had begun."

"What let you think that?" Tabby asks.

"I'm not his first victim. Well, I haven't any proof yet. But I think he got a guy named Benny to commit suicide. He also was one of this group I had told you."

Again all where shocked. But for Lincoln, it had become nearly a normal topic. Self-loathing, suicide, death. It becomes more and more normal for him. And that made him afraid.

In the end, he had told them everything and they all assure him that they will help him too as his friends. Also Tabby wants to help him.

Lincoln was happy that they all were so understanding. After all, this isn't something you get confronted with every day. But they are there for him.

"Again. I can't thank you all enough for it," Lincoln says to his friends as they made their way out of the school building.

"Nah, it is no big deal, my friend," Rusty tells him.

"Rusty is right. You have helped us so often. It is time that we pay you back," Zach adds.

"Well, all right then. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Hey, nerd club. How's it going?" Lynn says as she comes to the group of boys.

"Hey, Lynn. Wouldn't you have training now?" Lincoln asks his sporty sister.

"I have asked the coach if I can go now since I have something important to do for a family member," she answers him.

He raises an eyebrow, "What do you have to do?"

"To bring you home, of course. I don't let you go alone when some maniac is out there who is hunting you."

"Hey, I'm not a little kid! I can look for myse—" he says angrily at her. Again, his depression gets the better of him. "I'm sorry, Lynn. Thanks that you skip your training for me."

His friends were very surprised about this little outburst.

"Have you seen that? That wasn't the Lincoln we know," Liam whispers.

"Yeah. And he had even worse once than this. We should be very careful with him," Rusty adds and the others nod.

"All right, guys. I see you tomorrow," Lincoln says his goodbye.

"Get home safely," they say and waves him their goodbyes.

"And? How was your first day in the new school?" Lynn asks curiously as they walk home.

"It was pretty okay. Thanks to the guys, I know where everything is and know already most of the teachers we have," he answers her.

"That's good. Hey, how about you sign up for the training too? It would be good for your body and stamina."

"No thanks. I think I'm good with the stuff you put me through," he laughs.

"Hm, okay. If you say so." Lincoln can hear a slight disappointment in her voice.

"Lynn, I can understand that you wish that I would train with you in school. And you're right, it would be good for me. But at the moment I don't feel like it. Maybe when the depression isn't that bad anymore and I know that Damien is gone. But not right now."

"I understand. It was just an idea. But you're right. You need a clear head for sport. And there is still a lot on your mind. But I will remind you, when this all is better, that you said you will come."

"I said maybe. By the way, how was your day?"

"As always. Boring till we had sports."

"You know, when your grades get lousy, Lisa will make you learn like crazy with one of her machines again," Lincoln reminds his sister, what makes her shiver.

The two Loud kids arrive at home and Lincoln already reaches for the doorknob to enter the house.

"Hey, Lincoln?"

He stops and turns his head to his sister. Her tone was a bit off at that moment what made him wonder.

"Yeah, Lynn?"

"Tell me. Would you have a problem when I... when... when I look a bit more out for you?"

Lincoln look at her with a puzzled face, "Huh?"

"Please don't make me speak it out loud. I hate to show this side of me."

Now he turns his whole body to her and walks to her. As he stands in front of her, he looks to the sides if someone is watching them. As he doesn't see someone he lays his hands on her shoulders.

She looks at him. He has a soft and warm expression on his face. "Lynn. I know you like to play the tough and rough sister. But there is nothing wrong with being also soft and caring from time to time. That will never change the way how I see you. I know your soft side but you're also still Lynn-sanity. No matter what."

"Man, Lori is right. You know how to talk with girls."

"It is helpful to live with ten sisters," he smirks.

"Okay. But this stays just between the two of us. After you got attacked, I was scared like never before. The thought of losing you is way too much, even for me. So I would feel better when I can look out for you, to know that you're okay."

"I understand that. I'm sorry for making you all so worried about me. When it makes you feel better than you can do that. As long as you don't overdo it."

Lynn nods. "I promise you, you wouldn't notice that I'm there. Just call me Ninja Lynn."

"Better not. I don't need paranoia too. It's already enough with Lucy popping up out of nowhere. And I know how far sometimes you can go and how blunt you sometimes can be. I wouldn't feel comfortable when I go into the bathroom."

"Nothing I hadn't seen by now," she says nonchalantly.

"Lynn!" Lincoln's face was all red.

But she gave him just a big grin and walks in the house.

Again, I'm finally back. I have missed the writing. But as I said. This all had taken more time than expected. Life can be a pain in the ass. But I was able to use the time to overwork my chapters too. There aren't that many changes. The biggest so far is just that Ellie now wasn't just a week before Lincoln in Isaac's group but half of a year. Also, she got a description too. I'll give you the description of all three of my Ocs here so you don't have to go back and search the right chapter for it. That's all so far. I'll see you next week.

Isaac: Hair, red as fire, combed back, but still with some loose strands and a length that grows beyond his shoulder plates. His face is pretty normal. He wears a black zip-hoodie, black fingerless gloves with something that looked like a band-logo, black jeans, and also black steel cap boots.

Damien: Very tall guy. Nearly 6 feet and 5 inches. Also very skinny. He also has a long and a bit of a sunken face. In the center was a long, thin nose with a big hump. His hair was short and brown. He wears a long-sleeve shirt. These and his pants have straps on it. All in black.

Ellie: Bob cut, the right side in black the other in blue. Her eyes are green. An upturned nose and soft-looking lips. Her choice of clothes was a red leather jacket with a white tank top under it, black leather pants, and biker boots.

Stay tuned and have a great day.