Jordan stood in shock, not knowing how to process the information told to her. She felt as if a knife had twisted in her stomach and her legs felt weak. Then, she felt a defensive feeling take over as she regained her senses.

"Jordan?" questioned Jack, snapping his daughter out of her daze. She still felt weak and dry, not knowing how to respond.

"Yeah... I'll... I-I'll pass the phone to... Lincoln," she said. Her words felt dry and emotionless and with some hesitation, she returned to her room with a blank stare locked on the white-haired boy she liked. And he was indicated by her face that something was off. Lincoln opened his mouth to ask, but stopped when Jordan handed him her phone. He reluctantly took it and held it to his ear to hear her father's voice.

"Lincoln, are you there?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, it's me. What's going on?" Lincoln asked suspiciously and heard a drawn-out sigh on the other end.

"Lincoln, I don't know how else to explain this to you," Jack said. "But promise me you won't panic or hang up." Lincoln's head turned for a spin.

"Uh... of course," he said. "Why would I do that?" He gave a small chuckle to calm the tension, but to no avail. It was slowly seeping through the empty noises of the phone and into Lincoln's mind where it rested.

"Because," Jack explained. "Lincoln, your sisters are here... in New York. They're looking for you." Lincoln felt betrayed. He initially ran away from home to get as far away from them as possible, but it seemed that life had other plans in store for him. "Lincoln? Are you still there? Lincoln?" Jack feared for the boy's reaction before hearing a voice clear up on the other hand. The emotions that his sisters caused began plaguing him again like a nightmare come true, leaving him with only one question.

"H...How?" His shaky voice was more than enough to show his reaction to all this and when his eyes looked towards Jordan, who had given him the phone with a hint of uncertainty, she gave back a look of sorrow and pain, but amongst all of that laid something else inside, which he couldn't tell what it was. It was something that she kept to herself, but he didn't know. Noises from the phone soon brought his focus back to the phone call.

"I don't know. Kate is talking to two of them and they admitted that they are all here," Jack added with reluctance in his voice, knowing that this would be difficult news for the boy. Poor Lincoln's emotions were like a roller coaster that wanted to shut down and wait this out, but sadly, he was unable to do so. Even if he didn't want to see his sisters right away, he thought to least find out which ones Kate was talking to.

"Wh-which two?" Ask a simple question and except to receive a simple answer.

"You spoke of them before when he had our talk the other day," Jack said. "Lori and Leni, do I remember right? They're the ones." Hearing those names, a part of Lincoln calmed and a wave of relief washed over him. Knowing that Lori wasn't home at the time of his beating and Leni was certainly not involved, wanting Lincoln to move in with her, he still had trust for them and cared about them very much, but on the other hand, he figured it would only be a matter of time before his other sisters would not be that far behind.

"Do they know I'm here?" questioned Lincoln. He expected that the answer was yes and tried to prepare himself mentally, but it wasn't enough.

"Yes, they do. I'm so sorry, Lincoln," Jack apologized, blaming a small part on himself. A sigh escaped Lincoln's mouth and once again, stress and worry began to fill every part of his body and mind. Things didn't look too good on his part even though Lori and Leni had no part to play, and from then on, he knew that there was a ticking time bomb waiting to go off and he would meet his sisters again, far too soon for his tastes.

"I-It's not your fault," Lincoln said, attempting to take the blame off Jack's shoulder, believing he had enough on his hands as is. "At least Lori and Leni did nothing wrong."

"What do you want to do now?" asked Jack. Lincoln's mind slowly started sifting between two options, his heart racing rapidly. He looked to Jordan, almost pleading for help, but she just had a blank stare on her face. He didn't know what to say or do and needed someone to guide him. With Jordan zoned out and unresponsive, Lincoln put his faith in his own mind and followed what it wanted.

"Let me talk to them," Lincoln said, choking on his words. He thought it'd be different talking to the ones who didn't wrong him, at least this particular time, but his gut told him no. After he made his request, he thought he saw a look of disbelief coming from his school friend.

"Are you sure?" asked Jack.

"Yes, just do it," Lincoln said with his last bit of courage. He then heard a scuffle of sorts on the other end before the mic was muted for a brief bit. When it unmuted, there was still silence. Lincoln realized that he didn't have the guts to start talking again. He was scared to say anything, so he held his breath, waiting for either Lori or Leni to speak first.

"Lincoln?" It was Lori's voice and it felt like a fresh breeze of air to him. He released his breath and began to talk to Lori since they day they parted.

"H-hey, Lori," Lincoln stuttered, a blush of embarrassment forming on his face from not being able to say much else. "What's up?"

"Lincoln!" cried Lori. "It's you! It's really you!" She was very relieved to hear his voice, finally knowing he was safe and sound. "I missed you!" Her voice sounded rough and from the way she spoke, she was definitely crying. "I'm s-sorry, Lincoln! I'm so, so sorry!" Lori's voice shook as she cried. Lincoln understood her pain and whatever problems she had to go through, not just to sort her family out, but to find her little brother.

"Don't cry, Lori," Lincoln said. "It... it's not your fault. You did nothing wrong. It was them." Lori's nerves were calm, but she was surprised and shocked by his words. He had not directly said 'my sisters', but addressed them as 'them'. At least Lori understood why, but she thought to switch the conversation to easy their way into a smoother talk.

"H...how is everything?" Lori asked. "You know, a-at Jordan's place?"

"Yeah... everything is fine," Lincoln answered awkwardly. "So... it's true. All of it. My family's here... right?" He knew the answer, but he had to be sure.

"Yes, Lincoln," Lori confirmed. "We're all here. Mom, Dad, Leni, and... all our other sisters." She had to walk on eggshells by not mentioning the names of the seven sisters so as not to set him off by mistake. Lincoln didn't know what to feel, knowing for certain that the people he tried to stay away from made their way here, looking for him. It made him nauseous before he gathered his senses together.

"What gave it away?" he asked. It felt like his world was crumbling down around him again, just as it had the day when seven of his so-called sisters beat him into a bleeding and bruisy mess.

"We found your hoodie that you threw away and put two and two together," Lori explained. "But the others don't know your exact location as of now. Only Leni and I found out." Lincoln let out a sigh of relief but cursed himself mentally for making that small mistake, thinking he could be paying the price for it. If only he had taken his hoodie with him, maybe he could have lived here peacefully and far from his sisters... yet far from home.

"At least they don't know I'm here," Lincoln responded simply. It dug a hole inside him, knowing there was a thin line separating him from his old home and... his sisters. And Lori could easily break that line apart. "Oh. How's Leni?" Lincoln asked, suddenly remembering that Leni was with her. There was a pregnant pause between them before Lori responded in her same rough voice.

"Leni was really broken up about all this," Lori said, which made Lincoln feel terrible. A cloud of rain fogged his mind with regret and guilt of what he put Leni through. She was another sister Lincoln felt closer to than others, so there was no doubt in his mind, Leni had worried herself sick and wanted to hear her little brother's voice. "There were times when she just wasn't being the sweetheart sister we know and love, but don't worry, she's doing better than before." A bittersweet smile formed on Lincoln's lips.

"That's good to hear," he said in a calmer and happier tone.

"We all miss you Lincoln," said Lori, unsure how Lincoln would take that, but hoped for the best. Lori knew that this alone couldn't forgive the actions of who wronged him, but it had to count for something that they definitely showed remorse and regret. But Lincoln suddenly remembered his last talk with Jordan, how he should start thinking more about himself and not others.

"Lori, they can miss me all they want, but I'm not coming back," Lincoln said determinedly, setting his foot down and announcing where he stood in this whole situation. Jordan let out a small sigh of relief for some reason. Lincoln expected Lori to begin either arguing with him or persuading him to come back, but her response would shock him. Lori started with a sigh.

"I know you don't want to come home... and I'm not going to force you," she said understandably. "I'm just glad you're somewhere safe." She already knew Lincoln wouldn't want to come home because of some talk. The important thing to her was that he was safe.

"You're a good sister," said Lincoln. "I love you, Lori. Never forget that." Lori smiled on her end, wiping her tears away. In that moment, she felt like she was doing the right thing for her little brother. As her thoughts were compiling, Leni whispered something in her ear.

"Oh, right," said Lori. Lincoln heard the small whisper as well, but couldn't make out who it was until Lori answered.

"Hey Lincoln, Leni wants to talk to you. Is that okay?" Lori asked. There was another pause that worried Lori, that he was still reluctant to talk to the others. But Lincoln had a different thought altogether, one that wouldn't leave his mind. He was unsure at first if he should go for it, but thinking back to happier times he had with his oldest sisters and chose to put his faith in his trust with them.

"H-how about you come and visit me instead?" Lincoln suggested with a hopeful tone. The others certainly were not expecting him to suggest this option and Jack found it interesting, but he knew there'd be a few hitches attached. Lori couldn't believe what she was hearing and it felt like a dream to her.

"Are you serious?" Lori asked, surprised. She now hoped with every fiber of her being that her little brother would allow her to come close after a long time apart and help him through his hard times. But she also understood that it must have been a difficult decision for him, one that put his trust in them on the line.

"I mean... if you want to?" said an unsure Lincoln. He anxiously waited for an answer from his eldest sister with more nerves building up and boiling inside of him.

"No! I mean, yes! YES! Yes, we literally want see you so bad, Lincoln!" Lori said in a haze, catching her breath. "If that's okay with you, that is."

"Sure," he answered. "I'm okay with that." While Lincoln didn't know what could come from this by inviting them over, he knew that he couldn't hide from them forever. If it's one thing Jordan had forgotten, standing up for himself also meant facing his fears head on. At least this way, meeting up with Lori and Leni would help at the very least. With one last confirmation, a plan was made to meet up. Jack and Kate agreed to give the two sisters a lift back to their place. The call ended and Lincoln's mind began processing all the events that happened over the phone. He wanted to relax and mentally prepare himself, but Jordan gave him a different kind of look.

"Linc! What was that?!" she asked in complete shock over the whole conversation she heard. She couldn't imagine why Lincoln would allow any of his devilish sisters to set foot in her house.

"Jordan, I know you don't see this as a great idea, but-" Lincoln tried to explain, but Jordan cut him off.

"Of course it's a bad idea!" she snarled. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with them and now you're giving them a warm welcome?!" She obviously failed to see any sense in Lincoln's reasoning at first.

"Jordan, it was Lori and Leni who were on the phone," Lincoln said. "They're the last ones I can trust. They're not the ones who hurt me. The others did, but not them. Lori wasn't even home at the time." Jordan's eyes widened, realizing her error. "Besides, I think I really hurt Leni after I left." The girl finally understood the guilt Lincoln was feeling and she blushed red in embarrassment for lashing out, leaving him confused.

"Are you okay?" he asked worryingly.

"I'm an idiot," Jordan admitted, which surprised Lincoln.

"Huh?"

"I forgot... I thought these were any of the other sisters. You know, the bad ones." She covered her face with her palms, but Lincoln chuckled, took her hands down and hugged her. "It's okay, Jordan. Don't worry about it." He then released their hug. "But hey, at least I know you're looking out for me," he said sweetly, making her embarrassment wash away.

"Of course I'm looking after you," Jordan said, taking Lincoln's hands in her. "You're my friend..." Her eyes were gazing at the boy as they had their sweet little moment and she really wanted to show how thankful she was for his company. Normally, her winter vacation home away from home lacked activity, with Jordan's parents becoming increasingly busy, her father alone having to take care of things in the city known as the Big Apple. With Lincoln, they watched movies, went to the mall, played video games, and now were able to share special moments between each other. She acknowledged her feelings for the boy and knew what they meant. Is this a really great time now? she asked herself, but figured that sadly, the answer was no. Lincoln was still recovering from his unprecedented abuse that he received and his two oldest sisters were coming over momentarily. Jordan thought to wait until things blew over a little bit more. Maybe then, she could hopefully start to get real with the boy she loved.

"And you're my friend too, Jordan," Lincoln said with a blush only he knew about. That's when an odor hit his nose like a falling anvil. He leaned in and smelled yourself before wincing in shock. "UGH! Geez, I smell like a dead fish!" Lincoln groaned in disgust and Jordan also got a whiff.

"Phew! Well, you haven't exactly showered ever since you came here," Jordan said.

"Where is the shower?" wondered Lincoln. After being told, he threw his clothes into a washing machine and got to relax in a warm shower. To say he was nervous about meeting his sisters again was an understatement. It was kind of scary to him that no matter how much he tried to run, his part would chase him down. Questions of what he should say, do, or even talk about flooded his mind as he cleaned himself and he soon stepped out with fresh new clothes, the washing machine having finished within the length of time he was in the shower. "Hey Jordan... huh?" He didn't find Jordan in her room, but a delicious smell wafted from the kitchen and there he saw Jordan wearing an apron.

"Oh, there you are, Jordan!" said Lincoln, smiling at the light-haired brunette. Jordan turned and smiled back at him before checking the oven.

"Yeah, sorry, I was hoping these would be done by the time you got out," Jordan admitted. There were 18 muffins baking inside and Lincoln noticed a pan above the oven that she used.

"Smells good," Lincoln complimented. Soon, they were both eating the muffins with Jordan throwing an eye at Lincoln occasionally.

"Is it good?" she asked. "I kind of just followed what I saw my mom do the last time she made these."

"It's amazing!" Lincoln said, finding each bite wonderful and savory. "Really good." He took another bite.

"Mom called while you were in the shower," Jordan said "They'll be here in about five minutes." She went quiet again. She remembered countless dinners when she was on her own, though they mostly began when she was in middle school and was old enough to be on her own for a few hours. Whatever moments she did have with her parents were made more special to her because of numerous times she had the house to herself. It was quite ironic because she was one of the most popular girls back in elementary school, but at home, she was a loner. It often came down to her seeing her parents right before bedtime when one or both of them would kiss her goodnight. This made her winter vacations all the more special, as her parents were able to make more time for her when their work wasn't always piling up. Sure, they went on dates with each other, but she understood that and was used to it. And as of recently, her loneliness was being filled in by Lincoln, the boy she encountered through happenstance, or perhaps sheer dumb luck, and it turned out they had more in common than they realized after all the times they met up at school.

"Hey, Jordan," Lincoln said, snapping his fingers next to her ear to get her attention. She shook her head and looked around, gaining her senses before looking at him again.

"Huh?" Jordan noticed her plate was missing as well as Lincoln's, but she saw them in the dishwasher.

"You kind of zoned out for a bit, so I figured I should just put your plate in for you," Lincoln said, downing a glass of water. Then suddenly, and unexpectedly, they heard a knock on the door.

"Jordan, we're home!" came her father's voice. Both of them froze and turned to face the door, not knowing what to do next. They're here, Lincoln thought. This is... really happening. He took a deep breath, gathering his courage, and waited for the door to open.