Great Lakes Getaway with the Gal Pals (Part One)

(Story Summary: Linc and the Gals are off on a weekend trip to Great Lakes City. Everyone is anxious to see the sights, have some fun and most importantly, touch base with Ronnie Anne and the rest of her family. But during their visit, Lincoln notices something seems amiss with a certain member of the Casagrande Family; Bobby.

Concerned; Lincoln, with the aid of his friends, decides to try and help lift his surrogate big bro's spirits. But will their efforts be successful or will Bobby only sink deeper into his depression?)

Zooming across the expanse of a great bridge, we find a familiar van riding along with the traffic flow. Inside of said van, passersby would be able to hear loud cheers and whoops of delight from its passengers; which consisted of one white-haired preteen and ten young ladies. "WHOO-HOO! I am beyond excited, everybody" Kat shouted with joy, "I've wanted to visit the city for ages...but Mom always said it's 'too crazy' for a sweet girl like me."

Carol chuckled softly, muttering how "typical" it was for some mothers to make such a fuss. "Don't you worry none, Kat" she assured, "with all of us by your side, nothing...too Cray Cray will happen to you." After this, the Gals proceeded to talk about what they had planned for their trip.

Meanwhile, Lincoln took a moment to address the viewer on what's going on. "This is a big weekend for all of us" he said with a delighted shiver, "for the next three to four days, we'll be at Great Lakes City; which means we'll be meeting up with a pair of old friends of ours." After saying this, Lincoln took out his phone and showed an image of everyone together at the park last Spring.

Along with everyone else and their families; the viewer caught a glimpse of Ronnie Anne Santiago and her elder cousin, Carlota Casagrande standing with them. "These two were a big help for me and the Gal Pals, back when all that...bad stuff went down" Lincoln said with a grimace, "so...after not seeing them for some time, we're gonna stay in the city with them over the weekend!" After that, he shut off his phone and began to wonder how Ronnie Anne was doing.

But his train of thought was cut short, seconds later; when he suddenly felt someone tap on his shoulder. After letting out a surprised yelp, he turned around to see Jordan smiling at him. "Heh-heh...Sorry for scaring you, Lincoln" she chuckled sheepishly, "we just wanted to know what you can share with us about Great Lakes City; seeing as how you and Lori traveled there a few times."

After taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Lincoln found the perfect way to describe his previous visits to the city. "Basically; it's loud, rather crowded and you can easily get lost; if you don't know where you're going" he admitted, "but there are loads of awesome places to check out there." From here, he began to list off all the places Ronnie Anne told him about in their video chats.

Kat, Whitney, Carol and Cristina were drawn to Margarita's Hair Salon, Phoebe hoped to get some good photos from the view at the tower, Dana was anxious to see if there were any good clothing stores around and Haiku hoped to find some book stores with some "decent" Goth themed poetry in them. As for Lincoln and the others, they were just itching to do some exploring around the city. "I'm also anxious for some of that delicious Casagrande grub" Lincoln confessed, "seriously, gang...if you loved my dad's cooking; wait until you taste the stuff Ronnie Anne's grandmother makes!"

He then started to list off all the delicious foods Mrs. Casagrande whips up for everybody on a regular basis; which, as expected, caused some of the Gals to slightly drool with hunger. "Dude...stop, please" Cici chuckled, "you're story is makin' us all really hungry!" Lincoln couldn't help but chuckle a little and warned everyone with empty stomachs that Mrs. Casagrande will waste no time giving them multiple helpings of her cooking (whether they wanted it or not.)

"And wait until you meet Ronnie Anne's other cousins" he stated, "you've already met Carlota but her brothers are all just as fun as her." Feeling curious, several of the Gals started to ask Lincoln questions about Ronnie Anne's other cousins. "Well...C.J. loves Lucha Libre, getting to meet new people and playing pirates" Lincoln replied, "so, keep a look out for a boy armed with a balloon sword roaming about."

Becky and Dana giggled a little at this reveal, claiming that it somewhat reminded them of their own siblings; back when they were young. "As for Carl, he likes to act like the big man of the house" Lincoln chuckled, "and...he has a bit of a crush on Lori." This reveal caused everyone to burst out laughing, several of them even went as far as to claim Carl seemed to behave much like Clyde.

"Carl is...a bit more stable than Clyde" Lincoln admitted, "for one thing; he doesn't go into 'Overload Mode,' whenever he sees Lori...don't tell either of them I said that, okay?" The girls sniggered a little, nodded and did a lip-sealing gesture over their mouths. "Lastly, there's Carlitos; the baby of the family" Lincoln stated, "he tends to mimic whatever anyone and everyone is doing around him."

He then told them all the stories Ronnie Anne told him that involved Carlitos copying her, Bobby or anyone else in the room. "I once saw him copying Bobby during one of his chat sessions with Lori" Lincoln said with a chuckle, "he did the kissy faces and everything!" He then began to mimic said chat sessions but with the mannerisms of a toddler.

This display caused most of the crew to burst into a mad fit of laughter, save for two of their members. Haiku, while still keeping up her Gothic reserve, chose to simply smile softly and let out a quiet laugh. Carol meanwhile, was keeping her focus on the road ahead...while also trying her darndest to hold in a laugh.

"This family sounds almost as lively as yours, lil' dude" Phoebe chuckled, "which means we might be in for a fun trip."

(Quick cut to the Casagrande building)

While Lincoln and Co. continue on their drive to the city; at the same point in time, the Casagrande Family was already hard at work in prepping for their arrival. Frida was helping set up decorations, Rosa was prepping a big meal for their guests (as Lincoln predicted) and Maria (Bobby and Ronnie Anne's mother) was talking with the building's other tenants; asking if anyone of them would be willing to allow his other friends to bunk with them.

Much to her surprise, this request was immediately answered by quite a few of them with great fervor. "Sure, Mrs. Santiago" Sid said enthusiastically, "I'd be happy to let Lincoln bunk with me; if you guys don't have enough space." After her, Mr. Nakamura agreed to let one or two stay with him; as long as they didn't mind being in the presence of a dog.

Next; Mrs. Kernicky, one of the building's eldest occupants, also volunteered to share her space with the newcomers. "It'll be like havin' my grandkids over" she chuckled, "I've been lookin' for a new partner for my paddleball practice for a while." The next one to accept was Georgia, who said she and Miranda had been itching for some company for sometime.

Lastly; Mrs. Flores and her son, Alexis also offered to help welcome the visitors. The latter's only concern was that he was worried Lincoln or some of his friends might not like him playing his tuba. "Don't worry about it, dude" Ronnie Anne assured, "my pal is used to hearing loud music, after living with a musician for several years in his own home."

Following this; Mrs. Flores hoped her dog, Buttercup wouldn't be tempted to eat anything that belonged to Lincoln and his friends. This led Ronnie Anne to make a note to remind the likes of Carol, Phoebe and even Haiku to store their valuables somewhere safe before getting themselves situated in the woman's apartment. After that, it seemed like every loose end was neatly tied up and that everyone was ready to prepare for their guests' arrival.

"Thank you all so much for agreeing to this, once again; everyone" Maria said gratefully, "I know Lincoln and his friends will all really appreciate your kindness." While he was excited to see the young Loud boy once more, Grandpa Hector couldn't help but think he was pushing it in bringing so many people with him. "Nonsense, mi amor" Rosa said reassuringly, "this doesn't feel any different from attending to our own family."

After taking a moment to consider his wife's words, Hector realized she had a valid point. "Plus, it's not like we won't have enough supplies" Carlos stated, "Mama has made enough food to feed an entire military unit." To prove his point, he revealed two large tables decorated with varieties of succulent Mexican dishes.

The combined aromas of these dishes were so tantalizing; even the house pets, Sergio (the Parrot) and Lalo (the pudgy and affectionate Mastiff) desired to taste some. But like a mother hen protecting her eggs, Rosa refused to let them or anyone else within arm's reach of the food. "No, no one is eating yet" she said firmly, "not until our guests arrive."

As expected, this command caused each one of her grandchildren to groan loudly in protest. Admittedly, this was rather ironic; considering how often they dreaded Rosa making them eat so much food in one sitting. "But Abuela, we've been waiting for, like...ever" Carl groaned, "how do we even know if they're coming?" As if Fate had overheard his cries, everyone jumped slightly at the distant yet shrill sound of a car horn beeping.

This noise caused Lalo to suddenly bark with excitement, while everyone else wondered who could be making the racket. Upon taking a look outside the window, the Casagrandes spotted a van parked in front of the front entrance. At first, they didn't immediately recognize the vehicle...until they spotted one of its occupants; a certain white-haired lad in an orange shirt.

"Lincoln is here, HOORAY" cheered CJ, "time to break out my pirate gear." The rest of his family felt equally excited about the gang's arrival and within seconds, they swiftly rushed about the room; putting all the final touches together. "Sid, you and Sergio go and fetch Ronnie Anne" Maria ordered, "you can all greet them while we finish up here."

After each of them gave a nod, Sergio went off to collect Ronnie Anne while she went down to the lobby. Out of all of them, it seemed as if Sid was even more excited to see Lincoln than the Casagrandes were. Of course, there one interaction was via a webcam broadcast; one that had been shown in a courtroom only months ago.

After hearing all the stories from Ronnie Anne about all the experiences they've had together, good and...less so; Sid was eager to get to know her bestie's supposed "crush." "I wonder if he likes animals" she thought under her breath, "if he does, I can't wait to show him all my pals at the zoo."

(Line Break)

Once they had collected their things from out of the van, Lincoln and the Gal Pals made their way into the main lobby of the apartment building. Upon entering, the girls gasped in awe at their surroundings. "This place looks so nice" Dana gushed, "modern yet very homey." Before continuing on, Phoebe seized the opportunity to take a picture of the room; making it one her first two photo ops of their stay (besides her earlier pic of the building.)

"Hey, guys; there's a store right next to the stoop here" she stated, "I'm gonna snag a pic of it before we head upstairs." Lincoln immediately realized that the store his friend was referring to must've been the Casagrande Family Bodega. "If you see Bobby in there, tell him we've just arrived" he stated, "I've been anxious to touch base with him again."

Some of the younger Gal Pals members were quite perplexed by this reveal, as if unaware of Bobby's new profession but Carol and Co. looked like they were already aware of it. "Yeah, I think Lori told me about it once" Whitney stated, "she said he really likes working at this place and has a...really interesting attachment with the sticker gun he uses." Their collective curiosities piqued, the rest of the crew agreed to quickly pop into the bodega and see what the fuss was about.

But just as they were nearing the entrance, Lincoln suddenly felt a swift yet light jab at his arm. "Welcome back to the city, lame-o" a familiar voice rang out from behind him, "and I see you've brought your new crew with you." With a joyful smile on his face, Lincoln turned around to see Ronnie Anne standing behind him.

"Hey, guys; welcome to the building" the young Latina girl stated, "Sid and I thought we'd come out to greet you." As if on cue, a young Asian-American girl about Ronnie Anne's age suddenly burst out the door and hurried down the steps. She had long brown hair, light skin, freckles upon her cheeks, wore a pink headband, a blue long-sleeved shirt that revealed her shoulders, black shorts, black boots with red socks and small white earrings

Upon seeing the group before her, Sid suddenly performed (what Lincoln considered) a feat of super speed and proceeded to greet everyone at a startling speed. "Hi, everyone; nice to meet you" she said pleasantly, "name's Sid Chang and I'll be part of your welcoming committee today." After taking a moment to allow the strength to return to their arms, the gang smiled at Sid and returned her greeting.

"Pleasure to meet you in person, Sid" Lincoln stated, "I'm Lincoln Loud and these are friends." With that introduction made, each member of the Gal Pals greeted the young lady in their own way. "Nice to have you here, guys" Ronnie Anne said with a smile, "the family's been on pins and needles waiting for you."

With that said, she walked up the steps and prepared to open the doors for everyone. But before she could open it even the slightest inch, something burst through them and landed on top of Lincoln. Almost immediately, Carol and Whitney were prepared to leap into action and rescue their ward.

But then, just as they were about to grab hold of the large dog; the sudden sounds of joyful laughter suddenly froze them in their tracks. Confused, they all looked down to see Lincoln giggling madly while receiving a series of wet dog kisses. "Okay, Lalo...oh-ho-ho-kay" Lincoln gasped between laughs, "I'm happy to see you too!"

Upon hearing him address the dog by name, the gals heaved a sigh of relief and immediately lowered their guards. Meanwhile, Ronnie Anne helped Lincoln back onto his feet; while Sid gently moved Lalo off of him. "Like I said, everyone's been anxious to see you" chuckled Ronnie Anne, "the pets included."

After a while; the Gals became comfortable enough to approach the large dog and greet him with a series of strokes, pets, tickles and coos. Then, a bird suddenly came flying out the door and perched itself atop of Ronnie Anne's extended arm. "Brawk! C'mon, ladies" it squawked impatiently, "show the bird some of that love too."

Upon hearing the bird, Phoebe turned her attention towards it and gasped in awe. "OMG! Is that a real scarlet macaw" she cried with delight, "I've gotta get a picture of it!" With that said, she pulled out her camera and immediately went into full Photographer Mode. "Don't go overboard with the snapshots, Feebs" Cici stated warily, "you might send him flying away."

This statement caused Ronnie Anne to burst out slightly with laughter, much to the gang's surprise. "Don't worry about it, guys" she said reassuringly, "Sergio loves this kind of attention, he's a bit of a prima dona parrot." To prove her point, she directed everyone's attention towards Sergio; who was performing a series of poses and expressions for Phoebe.

"This is so cool" murmured Cristina, "I've never seen a parrot act like this before, his behavior is almost...human." In response to this idea; Ronnie Anne said that this behavior was possibly the result of either all the years he lived in the city, "Tio Carlos" spending some of those years educating him or a combination of the two. "From what Abuela told me, Sergio's been able to say all sorts of words and phrases since he was a little macaw" she stated, "of course, this was also around the time everyone called him by his...real name."

This reveal suddenly caused everyone's eyes to widen and they immediately asked what the parrot's true name was. "I can't really say; otherwise, he'd throw a fit" Ronnie Anne whispered, "but to give you a hint...it's a type of popular dessert." While Lincoln and the Gals racked their brains in trying to decipher the hint, Sergio was giving everyone the "stink eye;" including Ronnie Anne.

"Squawk! No time for that nonsense" he exclaimed, "the familia is waiting upstairs, andale!" With this command, everyone made their way inside of the building. But as the last of the gals walked in, Lincoln smiled and secretly whispered "Cupcake...his real name is Cupcake."

The Gals collectively gasped at this reveal and let out a series of muffled giggles. But anytime Sergio looked back at them suspiciously, they quickly stopped and did their best to appear "innocent."

(Line Break)

The moment they opened the apartment door, Lincoln and the Gals were suddenly greeted with a loud "SURPRISE!" As one would expect; some like Dana, Cristina, Paige and even Haiku were caught off-guard by this and almost fell over themselves in shock. But after they recovered, seconds later; everyone chuckled with approval and waved hello to everyone.

"Welcome back to the city, Muchacho" said Hector while shaking Lincoln's hand, "and you all must be his lady friends we've heard so much about." Carol smiled timidly at the old man, shook his hand and thanked him for allowing everyone into his home. After that, they were all immediately pulled over to the buffet table by Grandma Rosa.

"You all must be pretty hungry after your long drive" she stated, "so, I whipped up...a little something for you all." When the Gals got a look at the spread before them, they believed that it was more than "a little something." "I suggest you take up her offer, everybody" whispered Ronnie Anne, "she is very insistent, when it comes to everyone who visits/lives here needing a good meal."

At first, Carol and a few others were prepared to say they couldn't possibly eat as much as Mrs. Casagrande wanted them too. But then, as the aroma from all the food filled their nostrils; the Gals' collective stomachs growled loudly with desire. "Come now, NiƱas" Rosa insisted, "there is plenty for everyone." After a moment of mental debating, the Gals sighed deeply and decided to take up on their hostess' offer.

Lincoln was the first to collect what he desired, which Rosa took great joy in seeing. Then, Dana decided to sample some of the arroz con pollo that was steaming inside of a white dish. Upon taking a bite of it, she suddenly let out a muffled squeak of surprise; which caught the attention of her friends.

"Dee, what's the matter" Whitney asked worriedly, "was it too hot or did it taste too strong for you?" After waiting for her to chew her food up and swallow it, everyone anxiously waited for Dana to answer. Finally, a quivering smile appeared on her face (like that of Charlie Brown's) and she murmured "this...is the greatest rice...in the history of rice."

This response caused Rosa to gush with joy, apparently pleased that someone new now loved her cooking. After that, the others decided to take some food as well and they immediately fell in love; after eating a few bites. Carol went gaga over after tasting some of Mrs. Casagrande's homemade guacamole, Jordan savored every bit of the corn on the cob (which Rosa's family called Elote,) Haiku was drawn more towards the gazpacho (claiming the color reminded her of blood and that the cold taste actually "warmed" her up on the inside) and so on.

In time, every one of Lincoln's friends was sampling Mrs. Casagrande's food; each of them holding plates containing a small mound of it all. "This is just delish" gushed Stella, "I simply must get your recipe for your soup, Mrs. C; my Nana would absolutely adore it!" Flattered by such a request, the Casagrande matriarch happily obliged the young lady and added the recipe to her phone.

Then, from up behind the armchair; the girls squealed softly as a young man dressed in pirate garb suddenly struck Lincoln with his sword. "Lincoln, ready to set sail" the young lad asked eagerly, "the seas of adventure call to us." After taking a moment to greet him, Lincoln chuckled warmly at CJ's enthusiasm and gestured at his plate of food.

"Let me finish my meal first and then, we can set sail" he requested, "maybe some of my friends would like to join us." At first, CJ was prepared to deny the idea; remembering the old "pirate superstition" about women being among sailors creating "bad luck." But because they were Lincoln's friends, he was more than willing to make an exception.

Then, without warning; a light suddenly flashed over the group; mildly blinding them. Once their vision cleared up, seconds later; the Gals spotted a young woman holding an old film camera and smiling at them. "Welcome to the city, girls" she said warmly, "I'm Frida, Ronnie Anne's aunt and the family's resident photographer."

Upon hearing this reveal, Phoebe smiled brightly with excitement; revealing she had a passion for photography as well. The moment this was said, Frida immediately burst into a fit of joyful tears. "Oh, no! Your Aunt is crying" Phoebe cried worriedly, "did I say something wrong?"

Before making a reply, Ronnie Anne couldn't help but roll her eyes a little at her aunt's behavior. "It's okay, guys" she said reassuringly, "my aunt can just be a tad...overly-emotional at times." When she finally calmed down, a minute later; Frida apologized to everyone for her tears and said it simply warmed her heart to meet someone who loved photography as much as she did.

At that moment, the door for the apartment next door suddenly burst open; shocking everyone. Then, a familiar young lady came running outside; one that Lincoln and the Gals immediately recognized...Carlota. "Mama, is something wrong" she asked with great concern, "I was in the middle of primping and I heard you crying and..."

Her train of thought came to a screeching halt, the moment she saw who else was in the room. When Lincoln saw the looks upon the ladies' faces, he quickly plugged his fingers into his ears; which seemed to confuse everyone around him. But before anyone could question Lincoln on why he was doing this, there came a sudden shockwave of excited shrieks and squeals from the girls.

Afterwards, Carlota rushed over and hugged Carol with all her might; prompting the other teens to join in. "Whoa! I wasn't expecting all of you to come" she gushed adorably, "welcome to the city, ladies...and Lincoln." As the ladies continued to greet one another, a young boy came walking in while drinking from a small apple juice box. When he got a look at all the older girls in the room, the boy almost choked on it.

This display suddenly caused the girls' laughter to cease and Carol's protective instincts to kick in. Without a moment's pause; she rushed over and began rubbing the boy's back soothingly, in hopes it would help ease his breathing. When his coughing subsided, Carl glanced up at Carol and suddenly grew very nervous.

"There you are, little man" she said soothingly, "you're gonna be okay." The whole time the blonde teen was consoling him, Carl suddenly found himself feeling entranced by her. When his mind finally snapped back to normal, Carl did his best to appear "macho" in front of her and the other gals.

"So sorry for startling you, ladies" he said in a suave tone, "I just didn't realize that we would be in the presence of angels." While they did find the compliment flattering, the Gals couldn't help but giggle/roll their eyes slightly. "Sorry, lil' Bro" Carlota chuckled, "but that 'suave' attitude of yours won't work on them."

Once they stopped laughing, the Gals commented on how adorable the boy's behavior was; much to his chagrin. "Uh...U-Uh, I'm not adorable" Carl stammered bashfully, "I am a man and men can't be adorable!" No sooner had he said this, Ronnie Anne commented on how most men don't usually drink out of tiny juice boxes or wear "Choo-Choo Chonies" either.

Mildly offended, Carl crossed his arms and proclaimed his cousin didn't "understand what manliness was" (or something along those lines.) Then; seconds later, a young man came into the room and greeted the newcomers with a hearty hello. Ronnie Anne introduced him as "Tio Carlos" and added that due to his job as a teacher at the local college, he was a huge book nerd.

"However...he's not just about books" she whispered, "one time, I discovered he was once an extreme skateboarder." While trying their best not to do so too loudly, half of the Gal Pals couldn't help but giggle in disbelief. "I'm sorry for saying this, Ronnie" Phoebe snickered, "but...but your uncle doesn't look like a skateboarding type."

Somehow, Frida overheard their conversation and assured the young teen that her niece spoke the truth. "He was known as 'Carlos X,' back when he and I were in college" she stated, "Carlos used skateboarding as a means to get around campus...until I urged him to stop for his safety." Some of the girls thought this was a bummer, thinking that everyone should express their unique talents whenever possible.

But then, as if sensing their thoughts; Ronnie Anne assured them that things had a way of working out. "Tia Frida came up with an idea that she knew Carlos would approve" Ronnie Anne stated, "once in a while...my aunt lets him do a few runs; as long as he takes the right safety measures." The girls all murmured softly in approval amongst themselves at this news, pleased with the reasonable compromise.

(Line Break)

Sometime later, the Gals left the Casagrandes' apartment to explore the rest of the building; feeling anxious to meet the other tenants and to learn where they would be staying. Then, as they were passing Sid's; some of the gals suddenly shrieked with fear. With a start; Lincoln turned around and saw Dana, Whitney and Cristina huddled together fearfully.

"What the...What's wrong" cried Lincoln, "what's got you three so startled?" With a quivering hand, Cristina pointed towards the floor; where everyone saw a long snake slithering along. Upon seeing this, Sid let out a relieved sigh and urged her friends to not be afraid.

"It's okay, gang" Sid assured, "that's just one of the reptiles from the zoo my mom helps looks after." This statement seemed to slightly ease the girls' concern, for a brief moment. But then, they started to wonder what sort of profession their friend's mother must've had that involved looking after "yicky" snakes.

"From what Ronnie Anne told me, Mrs. Chang is a zoologist" Lincoln murmured, "she cares for all sorts of different animals down at the city zoo or any kind she helps rescue in the wild." Despite their friend's rather informative explanation, the Gals felt it didn't quite explain why there was a snake slithering around in the hall. "It's part of my mom's job" Sid explained, "sometimes, she brings some of the animals home while their habitats are being tended to."

Admittedly, some of the Gals (like Jordan, Stella and Phoebe) thought it was cool that Sid got to bunk with such exotic creatures. The rest of them, on the other hand either thought it would feel either too crowded or uncomfortable with such creatures around. "Don't worry" Sid assured, "my apartment is big enough for at least, two of you to bunk with."

No sooner had she said this, Phoebe and Jordan accepted the offer with gusto; much to Sid's delight. Just then, they suddenly heard a set of tiny yet rapid footfalls approaching them; which led the rest of the Gals and Lincoln to wonder who was coming. The aforementioned trio of girls turned slightly to see an adorable little girl racing towards the snake they spotted earlier.

"Noodle, what'cha doin' crawling around the halls" she asked in a mildly scolding tone, "you might scare some of the other tenants, if they see you loose." After scooping up the snake, the little girl looked up and stared in confusion at the amount of strangers standing beside her sister. "Um...are you guys some of the other tenants" she asked warily, "if so, I'm sorry if Noodle scared you; he slithered away before I could put him back in his carrier."

Upon hearing the little one's politeness; Carol, Whitney and Dana started to gush adorably at her. "Oh, how cute" cooed Stella, "who's this little sweetheart?" Sid giggled softly and introduced everyone to her younger sister, Adelaide.

"Don't be fooled by her cuteness" she whispered jokingly, "at times, she can be quite sassy." Lincoln smiled at Sid and assured her that after living with ten sisters, he's used to sassy females. "Adelaide, this is Lincoln" Sid said while gesturing towards the boy, "he's Ronnie Anne's bestie from her old hometown, you might remember him." Upon hearing these words, Adelaide tilted her head curiously and began to approach the boy in question.

Then, she started eyeing him intently; as if studying him or attempting to read his mind. Understandably, this behavior was making both Lincoln and the Gals feel rather nervous. Then, after a while; Adelaide's expression changed into a look of surprise. "OH! Now, I remember you" Adelaide gasped suddenly, "you're the boy on the TV that Ronnie Anne was talking to a long time ago."

With this declaration, Lincoln allowed himself to relax; apparently pleased that the little lady wasn't feeling suspicious of him or whatever else. "Yup, that's me" he stated, "I'd explain what happened to you...but you're a touch too young to fully understand, no offense." Adelaide giggled softly at Lincoln and not only assured him that he was fine, informing him that her parents (in their own way) explained everything to her already.

"It's just awesome to finally meet you" she exclaimed, "but...who are these ladies, are they your sisters?" Upon hearing this, some of the Gal Pals giggled shyly; feeling flattered that the little one called them ladies. "We're not Lincoln's sisters, sweetie; we're some of his friends from Royal Woods" Carol stated, "it's very nice to meet you...and your little pet."

No sooner had she said this, both Adelaide and Sid burst out laughing; which seemed to confuse the gang. When they managed to calm down enough, Adelaide explained that Noodle wasn't her pet. "Every once in a while, the zoo animals' pens and/or habitats need to be cleaned or fixed up" she explained, "whenever that happens, my mommy sometimes brings them to our apartment."

From here, Sid added that Noodle's place in the Reptile House was being cleaned out of all his shedded skin. Then, once the work was finished; they would help their mother bring him back to the zoo safe and sound. "So...you two actually live with some zoo animals, legally" inquired Kat, "that is both cool...and strange at the same time."

Upon hearing these words; Sid admitted that at times, living with the animals could feel odd. "But some of them are actually really fun to hang with" she said in an excited tone, "for example; Shadow, a silverback gorilla my mom helped rescue from the Congo last month, really loves to play Chess." This reveal caused several of the Gals to gasp in surprise while Lincoln chuckled a little under his breath.

"My sister, Lisa would probably want to play a round with him; if he's as good as you say" he stated, "she loves Chess as well." Upon saying this, Lincoln's mind began to envision his sister and Silver the gorilla playing a game against each other. When his mind snapped back to reality, Lincoln made a mental note to try and introduce Lisa to the gorilla...someday.

"Follow me inside, everyone" Sid instructed while leading them to her apartment door, "two of you will sleep here with us...if that's okay." Almost immediately, the girls agreed that the idea was more than okay. Furthermore, Phoebe and Jordan immediately chose to bunk with the Changs during their stay.

This news made Adelaide very happy, to say the least. "YAY! Now, I have two new friends to play Princesses with" she cheered, "but which one of you could be the dragon?" At first, the two Gals found the idea to be...a little too "girly" for their tastes. But Sid quickly brought up that when her sister played Princesses, she'd have one or both of them play as warriors.

"Oh...okay, cool" Phoebe murmured in understanding, "but princess get-ups aren't really my style and I don't think I could pull off the dragon look." Upon hearing this dilemma, Lincoln quickly offered to volunteer for the role. "I used to play this sort of game with two of my little sisters, back home" he said, "I just hope I can be a decent dragon."

With that said, he slipped on the dragon head and followed Adelaide into the room. Some of the Gals (namely Carol and Dana) couldn't help but giggle at how adorable the scene was, when they saw the two of them playing. Meanwhile, the others took the opportunity to learn a little bit more about their roommate/potential new friend.

"So, Sid; I understand that your mom works with animals down at the zoo" murmured Stella, "but what does your dad do for a living?" Rather than give a verbal reply; Sid took out her phone and brought up a photo of her down at the subway station, instead. There, she was standing next to a train conductor and both were smiling quite joyfully at each other.

"That's my dad" Sid stated, "he's a subway conductor and sometimes, I help him out at the controls." This reveal quickly piqued everyone's interest and some of the Gals expressed the desire to explore the subway with Sid. But then, the others proclaimed that they wanted to see the zoo animals Mrs. Chang worked with, explore the city and a whole bunch of other things.

"Relax, Gals; we'll be here all weekend" Carol assured, "we've got all kinds of chances to try everything we like here."

(Line Break)

After their meeting with the Chang Sisters, the Gals and Lincoln decided to divide everyone into groups; each one would be going off to indulge in whatever they'd want to do in the city first. Jordan would be exploring the city with Stella, Paige, Kat and Haiku; while Whitney, Dana, Cristina and Becky would be with Carol. "Mind if I tag along with you, ladies" Carlota chimed in suddenly, "I need to head down to Margarita's for my weekly primping."

With this simple statement, Carol's interest was suddenly piqued and she looked at her friend with an intrigued smile. "This...Margarita you speak of; after hearing Lincoln's story on the way here, I'm guessing she's a stylist" she asked, "if so, I wonder if she could give my hair a little bounce?" Almost immediately, Carlota lightly scoffed at her friends words; insisting that she looked pretty enough already.

While she warmly appreciated the compliment, Carol shook her head and proclaimed she was in "dire need" of a touch up. "My hair doesn't look as good as you think, Carlota" she stated while cupping her hair in her hands, "this takes like...six cans of dry shampoo after every shower and it's still as flat as pizza dough."

While their friend's complaints seemed valid; to do what she desired, the Gals feared it would collectively cost them a pretty penny. "Don't worry, everybody" Carlota said reassuringly, "Margarita is not only the best stylist in town, she's also the cheapest." This bit of news seemed to please some of the Gals and they immediately took up on her offer.

"Why don't you come with us, Linky" inquired Dana, "I know we're a ways from our monthly Spa Day but this should be fun." Lincoln smiled at his lady friend/guardian and said he would be happy to join. "There's just something I've gotta take care of first and it's extremely important" he stated, "where's Bobby, I didn't see him when we all arrived."

The moment he made this inquiry, looks of sorrow suddenly formed on both Ronnie Anne and Carlota's faces. Feeling both confused and concerned by this sudden mode shift, Lincoln asked them if he said something wrong. "Naw, dude; it's not you" Ronnie Anne murmured, "it's just...Bobby's been a little...out of sorts, lately."

This answer only seemed to make Lincoln even more worried about things and he asked, once again where Bobby was. Soon after, the Gals started expressing their own concerns about him; wondering if Bobby was alright. For a moment, both Latinas seemed to hesitate in wanting to tell everyone what's happening.

But then, they realized that they needed to know; especially Lincoln. "The truth is...Bobby hasn't really been the same, since the end of Spring Break" Ronnie Anne sighed, "despite you and Lori patching things up, Lincoln; he can't bring himself to reconcile with Lori...not yet anyway." Upon hearing this news, Lincoln suddenly felt as if a heavy weight had been placed upon his shoulders.

Now, admittedly; there were times where Bobby and Lori's relationship would be more annoying than romantic to him. Whenever he heard their baby talk, whenever his R&R was disturbed by the couple's loud phone conversations or when they'd inadvertently "helped" run up the family's power bill with their video chat marathons; it all felt more like a bother than anything (for lack of a better word.) But at the same time, he admired Bobby's devotion and found it touching that their relationship still continued; despite them being apart.

Furthermore, after he had the chance to spend time with him; Lincoln found himself liking Bobby's company. In time, he began to look at him as the big brother he always wanted but never had. With all this in mind, hearing the news that Bobby and Lori had yet to patch things up started to make him feel slightly guilty.

"He really hasn't talked to Lori since the trial ended" Lincoln asked confusedly, "but...that was months ago; I've seen them make up pretty quick after something went wrong, in the past." While she wholeheartedly agreed with him, Ronnie Anne reminded her white-haired bestie that what happened during Spring Break was much bigger than when he accidentally called her gross.

"In all the time he's known Lori, Bobby never once saw her do the stuff that the court revealed" she stated, "as such, its all left him feeling rather conflicted about things." When someone asked what she meant by conflicted; Ronnie Anne answered in saying that while one part of Bobby still worshiped Lori like a "goddess," another part felt uncomfortable towards her apparent aggressive side.

"He knows what Lori did to Lincoln was inexcusable" she groaned in exasperation, "but...after being with her for so long, Bobby just can't bring himself to completely break things off with her." Upon hearing this, the Gals didn't know whether to consider this admirable loyalty or his usual absent-mindedness. Then, at that moment; Lincoln volunteered to go speak with Bobby himself and see what's going on.

"No way, dude" Ronnie Anne interjected, "this weekend is about you guys; I don't want my family's drama getting in the way of it." Carol couldn't help but agree with her words, reminding Lincoln of how hard he and everyone around him worked to get past all of said drama. "I'm well aware of all that, guys; really" he stated, "but...I can't just enjoy myself while one of my best bros is suffering."

To put things into perspective, Lincoln asked the Gals if they would do the same for one of their besties; if they were in his place. "You know we would, dude" Carlota stated, "but the fam and I have tried everything to snap Bobby out of his funk." Ronnie Anne nodded in agreement with her cousin and brought up all the things her family tried to do to bring Bobby back to his old self.

Hector tried asking his advice on providing new feng shui to the bodega, something Bobby often loved doing...but that didn't work. Rosa tried making his favorite meals...but Bobby didn't touch any of it, much to her shock. C.J. tried getting him to play a game together (Lucha Libre, Pirates, Superheroes etc.) but Bobby just didn't have the heart to do it.

Even Carl tried snapping Bobby out of his funk by attempting to intimidate or belittle him on occasion. But each time he tried, Bobby barely responded to anything the little dude said; as if all his words simply sounded like white noise in his ears. "My folks have even tried talking to him on multiple occasions" Ronnie Anne sighed, "but he's missed so many of my dad's video calls and Mom's barely got anything out of him other than a soft 'yup,' 'no thanks' or a simple 'okay.'"

With everything being laid out on the table, both Latinas looked at Lincoln intently; which made him feel quite nervous. "With all this in mind, dude; we'll ask you again" Ronnie Anne murmured, "while we mean no disrespect...how can you hope to succeed where we all failed?" After a great deal of thought, Lincoln decided that it was time for more of a friend to try and talk with him.

"I won't make any promises that what I say will snap Bobby out of his funk" he admitted, "but I will do my best to help him, no matter what." With that said, Lincoln went off on his way towards Bobby's room; only to suddenly be stopped by Adelaide. "You can't leave yet, Lincoln" she stated firmly, "remember...I still need a dragon."

Lincoln chuckled heartily at the little girl and slipped on the dragon head mask. "You're right, lil' lady" he chuckled, "I'll speak with Bobby later...but right now, I've got a promise to keep." With that, he and Adelaide hurried into her apartment; ready to start their game.

(Scene Change: One of the building's upper floors)

After a half hour of playing with Adelaide, Lincoln and the Gals explored the rest of the building; all while getting to know everyone else who lived there. Cristina and Jordan met up with Mr. Nakamura and they quickly fell in love with his pet dog, Nelson. "Word of warning, girls" the man said under his breath, "Nelson doesn't like me talking about it in public...but he has a bit of a gas problem, every now and again."

As if on cue, the dog let out a soft bark; which was then followed by a small toot noise. While this sound was slightly unpleasant, it did little to drive the girls away. "Don't worry about that, Sir" Jordan assured, "I have a dog of my own at home and I'm used to that sort of thing."

Not long after, Cristina also gave her a-okay towards Nelson's "problem." "It's no big deal for me either" she stated, "as long as I get to be around this cutie-wutie, I can handle a little gas." After that, she quickly began stroking her hand through his fur; which Nelson happily welcomed.

Meanwhile, in another part of the apartment; Paige was getting herself situated in Cory's room. Upon placing her bags on the floor, she noticed several game consoles in the boy had. "From all that, I'm guessing you're quite the gamer" Paige deduced, "what sort of genres do you like to play, exactly?" Without missing a beat, Cory began to list all his favorite types of games; from first-person shooters to RPGs.

"I'm a bit of a gamer myself" she stated, "my personal faves, though are dancing/rhythm games." Upon hearing this, Cory's eyes seemed to gleam like stars and he quickly started looking through several game titles in his library. "So...you like dancing games, huh" he inquired, "how about we play a round of 'Shake It Up?'"

Paige blinked confusedly and confessed that she hadn't heard of that game title before. No sooner had she said this, Cory tossed an odd-looking wand-like joystick into her hands; which only made Paige feel even more confused. Then, he directed her attention towards his TV screen; where Paige saw two game characters standing in place in front of a flashy background.

"The game's easy" Cory stated, "all you do is try and keep in sync with the characters' dance moves; the more you keep up, the more points you get." He ended his explanation in saying that the winner is determined by whoever has the highest score. "It's only fair to warn you, I am a master at this game" Cory said proudly, "are you still up for the challenge?"

After taking a few seconds to think things over, Paige gave Cory a smile and decided to play along. "Give me that wand, dude" she chuckled confidently, "I'm gonna show you what my friends all saw at the arcade back in Royal Woods." With that decree, the both of them gathered their game wands and readied themselves for the game.

(Scene Change: Mrs. Kernicky's apartment)

As we leave Paige behind for a moment, our story brings us to the residence of Mrs. Kernicky; who is helping Becky and Dana settle in with her. "Make yourselves at home, girls" she said kindly, "hope you'll enjoy your stay here with me." Both teens sounded off their thanks for the woman's generosity and Becky wasted no time in rolling out her sleeping bag, while Dana got permission to sleep on the sofa.

As the latter teen sat down comfortably, she looked over on a nightstand and saw a plate of cookies. Soon; her mind started to think like her brother, Chaz and how he would usually try to sneak such treats while no one was looking. Of course, Dana always scolded him for it; even going as far as to claim she herself would never sneak treats behind people's backs.

But the instant she saw the cookie platter, that part of her mind was quickly pushed aside by her hunger; who scolded Dana for skimping out on the food Mrs. Casagrande had out earlier. "I don't think Mrs. K. will mind if I just take one" she thought, "that's all, just one little cookie." Just as Dana's hand was mere inches away from the pile, Mrs. Kernicky turned in her direction with a seemingly firm look in her eyes.

In that moment, Dana froze stiff like a deer caught in the headlights; shaking with fear at the woman's gaze. Then, Mrs. K suddenly suddenly let out a series of hearty chuckles; which caused the young teen to lower her guard ever so slightly. "Help yourself to a cookie; if you're hungry, dear" she insisted warmly, "I baked them fresh this morning."

After letting out a soft sigh of relief, Dana picked up a cookie and took a bite of it. Seconds later, she let out soft murmurs of approval and gave Mrs. Kernicky a thumbs up. "I'm happy you like them, dear" she said in an appreciative tone, "I always love makin' cookies for some of my friends here in the building, when they come over."

The two ladies couldn't help but smile at their hostess, each of them thinking the same thought; that she truly was like the kindly granny of the complex. "So, Mrs. K; what do you like to do for fun in the city" inquired Becky, "if I may ask?" Without hesitation, the woman revealed two of her favorite hobbies; paddleball and exercising.

"I always love jogging to and around the park or working out here in my apartment or other spots in the building" Mrs. Kernicky explained, "but other times, I love getting my paddleball on." After that, she hurried over to the opposite side of the room to retrieve a pair of items; a tennis racket and a small rubber ball. Then, she asked the girls to take a seat and "watch the master at work."

While mildly confused about what Mrs. Kernicky was plotting; the girls still complied, regardless and took a seat on the sofa. What happened next took them completely off-guard. In a flash, Mrs. Kernicky started smacking the rubber ball at the walls at all manner of angles.

What really surprised the girls was her amazing reflexes and agility. Admittedly, there were moments where Becky presumed Mrs. K would accidentally hit one of her knickknacks with the ball. She and Dana even went as far as to make a bet on whether or not she'd miss.

But much to their surprise; no matter how strong she hit the ball or what direction it went in, it didn't hit any of Mrs. Kernicky's valuables. Both the ball and Mrs. Kernicky moved so fast that the girls almost felt dizzy from it all. After a while, she caught the ball in her hand and smiled at the girls while panting softly.

"So...what do ya think, ladies" she asked boldly, "do I have the skills to pay the bills or what?" For what felt like ages, neither Becky nor Dana said anything; due to their minds trying to process what they've witnessed. Finally, they gazed up at the old woman and said one simple phrase in unison; "how did you do all that and teach it to me now."

Mrs. K smiled wide at them, thinking that she would be in for quite a fun time with them around.

(Line Break)

An hour passed by since their arrival and everyone was happily situated in their respective lodging spaces. At the same time, the Gal Pals were all becoming well acquainted with each of the tenants they would be bunking with. Once this was taken care of, everyone reconvened downstairs in the lobby; eager to share their feelings on how things have been going so far.

"Dudes, this place rocks" cheered Phoebe, "tomorrow, Mrs. Chang is bringing me and Haiku to the zoo with her and Sid!" Upon saying this, the young shutterbug added how excited she was at the idea of all the snapshots of the animals she might get. "I love it here too" Stella said with delight, "Miranda and Georgia are so nice to hang with."

Soon, the rest of the Gals were gushing about how wonderful the other residents of the building were; not to mention Ronnie Anne's family. But while all this was going on, Lincoln seemed to be a little down in the mouth (as they saying goes.) Upon taking notice of this, Carol broke away from the crowd and hugged her young ward lightly.

"What's the face, Linky" she muttered softly, "aren't you having fun here like the rest of us?" In an instant, Lincoln snapped out of his stupor and smiled up at Carol. "Oh...yeah, I'm having loads of fun" he murmured, "I've just got a nagging thought in my head that just can't seem to go away."

With a soft smile on her face and without missing a beat, Haiku asked Lincoln if he was still thinking about Bobby. "Before you say anything...there's no need to ask me how I know that" she murmured, "the truth is written all over your face." At first, Lincoln tried to think of some kind of little white lie to both cover up his true feelings and to ease the girls' concern.

But then, he quickly realized that doing so would be the coward's way out and he hated being seen as such. Finally, after a brief period of silence; Lincoln let out a sigh and decided to come clean. "Truth is...I have been worrying about Bobby" he murmured, "I mean...I appreciate what you guys and Ronnie Anne told me earlier but it doesn't make me feel any less anxious or guilty."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions changed from joyous to sullen in the blink of an eye. Naturally, the group as a whole felt equally worried for Bobby but Carol and her crew of teens felt more so than the others. Over the years, they've seen/heard about him and Lori having their fair share of ups and downs in their relationship.

But said downs were often over really small things, like accidentally missing a text or missing out on a supposed "anniversary celebration" Lori talked about. This time, however; it looked as though the couple's ship was almost ready to sink faster than the Titanic. Naturally, such circumstances would be a bit of an issue for Lincoln; considering how close he and Bobby became before the Santiagos moved away.

"We understand how you feel...we really do" Dana muttered, "but how can you hope to succeed where practically all Bobby's family failed, Linky?" After giving his friend a warm hug; Lincoln said that rather than have family try and talk to him, Bobby needed a close friend to confide in instead. "There were many things that I chose to talk with Clyde about rather than go to my family directly, at times" he stated, "and he's done the same with me as well."

The Gals (specifically, Jordan and Stella) Ronnie Anne, her mother and the Casagrande Family couldn't argue with Lincoln's logic; after thinking over everything he said. Yet at the same time, there was still a lingering feeling of doubt that everyone just couldn't shake away yet. "I can't promise I'll be successful, just like I told Ronnie Anne and Carlota" the boy admitted, "but if I can lift Bobby's spirits up even a little bit...it'll be enough for me." Upon hearing his pledge, Maria smiled warmly at Lincoln and gave him a big hug in gratitude.

"Thank you so much for doing this, Lincoln" she sighed, "we wish you the best of luck in your efforts." After this, Rosa told Lincoln to look for Bobby up on the roof; saying he often went there whenever he needed space to think. "He's been going up there since the end of March" Ronnie Anne murmured, "he hoped the air would help clear his head...but it hasn't."

Lincoln thanked the ladies for their information and proceeded up the stairs towards the roof, hoping to find Bobby at the top.

(Line Break)

Moments later, Lincoln came bursting out the rooftop door; panting loudly with exhaustion. "Maybe...Mr. Scully...should consider...installing...an elevator for this place" he heaved, "now...where to find Bobby." After taking a moment to catch his breath (as well as wring out any excess sweat from his shirt,) Lincoln began scanning the area around him.

Alas; all Lincoln could see were some empty wooden boxes, a stool, a cornhole goal and a collection of pigeons (one of which was missing one of its leg and looking rather sickly.) "Ah, dang it" he thought bitterly, "I was really hoping to find Bobby up here...guess I'll have to check the bodega." With a deep sigh, Lincoln turned on his heels and prepared himself to walk all the way back down the stairs.

Then, all of a sudden; Lincoln swore he could hear the faint sounds of someone singing softly. It was faint, that much was understood...but it sounded relatively close and rather familiar. "It sounds like that 'Ooh, Girl' song that Lori likes from Boyz Will Be Boyz" Lincoln thought, "but it feels...rather gloomy."

Without a second thought, he began his search to find the source of the singing. Surprisingly, he didn't have to look very far or very long. Within seconds, Lincoln caught sight of Bobby; who was sitting by the eastern side of the roof, sadly looking over the cityscape.

"Bobby, there you are" Lincoln cried out with delight, "I was worried I wouldn't get to see you during our visit." Now, Lincoln wasn't really expecting the teen to greet him with an overzealous hello or anything like that. But after barely getting anything other than a soft "what's up" from Bobby, he knew something was definitely wrong.

Without hesitation, he made his way over towards Bobby and took a seat at the right of him. For a moment or two, Lincoln chose to sit silently and gaze out at the city below them. "This is such a cool view" Lincoln said with a sigh, "not as breathtaking as the one at the tower...but still, very nice."

As Bobby took a quick look at the horizon, he let out a soft sigh and murmured "yeah...it's cool I guess." That was it, that was the final push Lincoln needed to get to the bottom of things. "Bobby, please...talk to me" he pleaded, "I came all this way to show my friends the cool sights and to hang out with you."

Soon after saying all this, the young Latino teen began chuckling sarcastically to himself. "Funny...I thought I'd be the last person you'd want to hang with" he murmured coldly, "after everything I've put you through." Lincoln could only stare blankly in shock at him, for almost a minute; all while wondering just what he was talking about.

"What are you saying, dude" he inquired gently, "what have you ever done to me that would make you act like this?" In response to Lincoln's concern; Bobby mentioned all the times he tried to set Lincoln up with his sister, all the times he disturbed the Loud Family's peace with his countless texting/video chats with Lori and how he had a hand in jacking up the family's power bill with said chat sessions/marathons. With each example that was presented, Lincoln instantly sensed that they all seemed to have a common theme.

That being said, however; he wanted to make absolutely certain that his hunch was correct. "Bobby, is it really yourself you're upset about or...is it something else" Lincoln asked, "or rather, someone else?" Taken aback by this assumption, Bobby nervously asked what his young friend was going for.

But rather than answer him outright, Lincoln gave him a look with a raised eyebrow; one that seemed to say "dude...be straight with me." Finally, with a heavy sigh, Bobby decided to come clean. "It's me and Lori, dude" he murmured, "since the trial ended, I've been at a crossroads...if that's the right thing to say."

Lincoln gave his friend a nod, telling him that he did say the right thing and asked him to explain further. "Well...I know things are square between you and your fam again, Lincoln" Bobby sighed, "but I've just been having second thoughts about me and Lori lately." He went on to say that after hearing all the things about her that was revealed at the trial, he began to question if the "loving angel" he dated for years ever really existed.

"Now, I wouldn't go quite that far" Lincoln said while holding up his hands defensively, "Lori may have her...issues but you still remember all of her good qualities, right?" Bobby gave a soft nod and began to list all the positives he still remembered about Lori; from her looks, her ability to take charge of a situation, her adorable use of the word "literally," her cute personality right down to her golfing abilities. "I just...I don't know if things can work well between us anymore" he sighed, "how can I be with a girl who'd let petty problems blind her from keeping her only bro safe and happy?"

While there was a sliver of truth in the teen's words, Lincoln was still determined to help snap Bobby out of his funk. "Rest assured, Bobby; Lori truly regrets everything that's happened...she told me so herself" he insisted, "that's gotta count for something, right?!" Rather than answer Lincoln's question, Bobby reached into his pocket and brought out his phone.

"If she truly has changed like you said...then, why hasn't she called me yet" he demanded softly, "my cellphone's been quiet for weeks...no messages, no e-mail and the only webcam calls I get are from my dad and he's up in Peru!" After allowing the teen's words to sink in, Lincoln quickly explained that his sister had simply been busy. "Along with Community Service, she and a handful of my other sisters have been going to Anger Management and Sensitivity Training classes as well" he stated, "she might not have had the chance to call anybody yet because of it all."

This reveal caused Bobby to softly gasp in surprise, as if this was his first time learning about it. "Wait...how could you not know about all this, dude" Lincoln inquired, "I thought you and your family were all watching the trial on TV." With a nod, Bobby assured him that his family did just that...except for him.

"Sadly, I couldn't watch a lot of it" he confessed, "I was busy working at the Mercado and at one time, I got stuck in the dairy case...again." In spite of the embarrassing nature of this statement, it caused both boys to suddenly laugh heartily. For Lincoln, seeing his friend and surrogate older brother momentarily happy was a good sign.

"I guess you must've missed the verdict, then" he stated, "long story short...along with Community Service; for the entire summer, my parents have been sentenced to attend parenting classes while Lori, Luan, Lynn, Lola and Lisa were sentenced to the classes I mentioned earlier." Upon hearing this, Bobby (much to his surprise) found himself pitying the other Louds; thinking that working over the summer holiday and the classes seemed worse than going to Summer School. "Since they can't pay off the damages to the town themselves, they have to work it all off" he stated, "before I left home, my parents said they'd be cleaning litter at the Aloha Beach all weekend with Leni, Luna, Lucy and Lana."

Bobby let out another hearty chuckle at this news; saying that while no one enjoyed picking up trash, at least they were down at the shore. This caused both boys to laugh loudly with joy and soon, Bobby felt as though he was getting back to his old self...at least, a little. "Thanks for the talk, dude" he said gratefully while giving him a quick "bro hug," "I feel a little better now."

Once that was finished, Lincoln made his way towards the door and was about to walk downstairs. But right before he left, he turned towards Bobby and shared one last thing with him. "If you need to talk again, I'll be here for the next couple of days" he murmured, "think about what I said...okay?" After taking a moment to clear some tears from his eyes, Bobby smiled at the young Loud boy and gave him an enthusiastic thumbs up.

With his work done for now, Lincoln hurried down the steps at a reasonable pace; eager to reconvene with his friends again. Meanwhile, Bobby remained at his spot on the roof; as if thinking about everything he had been told. Then; he once again, reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone.

After a while, he accessed the phonebook and brought up Lori's number. Above it was a picture of her doing a sort of sexy pout, a look Bobby always thought made her appear even lovelier than she already was. After that...all was quiet, save for the sounds of the passing train or the traffic below.

For what felt like ages, Bobby stood up on that roof; looking at the phone in his hand with a sullen gaze.

(Scene Change: Downtown)

As we come back to Lincoln; we find him walking down the downtown area of the city with a fraction of the Gal Pals crew, Ronnie Anne and Sid. During their walk, he informed everyone of everything he told Bobby up on the roof. "So...do you think he'll make the call" inquired Phoebe, "and even if he does, will your sister answer it?"

Lincoln gave a light shrug of his shoulders while munching on a hotdog from Bruno's stand, proclaiming the situation was in Fate's hands now. "Well...whatever happens, I'm just happy Bobby's out of his funk...at least a little bit" Ronnie Anne sighed with relief, "thanks for the assist, Lincoln." After this, Ronnie Anne raised her fist up; as if ready to give Lincoln's arm a little punch, like she usually would.

But then, much to everyone's surprise; she suddenly enveloped him from behind in a loving hug. After taking a moment to recover from this sudden display of affection, Lincoln returned the gesture by nuzzling her arms slightly. Then, all of a sudden; there came a soft cacophony of coos and sighs from somewhere nearby.

With a start; the group turned around to see the rest of their crew consisting of Carol, Carlota, Dana, Cristina, Jordan and Kat. Upon seeing this group, Ronnie Anne and Lincoln quickly broke away from each other; proclaiming that nothing was going on. This was met with a sarcastic yet sultry laugh from the stylist inside of the establishment.

Lincoln turned towards the salon and spotted what looked like the owner, who was tending to Whitney's poofy hair. She was a tall and beautiful Latin-American woman with curly black hair that was styled into a bun. She had pronounced eyelashes, red lipstick and (much like some of his friends did) had three freckles on each of her cheeks.

She wore a purple headband with an orange flower in her hair, which Lincoln thought looked lovely. She also sported a bright yellow dress, a pink bandana scarf, a white bracelet on her right hand, white earrings and purple high heels. "Are you telling me the truth, chulo" the woman giggled, "because I've heard different stories from Ronnie Anne's familia.

Ronnie Anne groaned softly while facepalming herself, speculating that either her grandfather or her aunt might've given the stylist the wrong idea about her and Lincoln's relationship. "Margarita, please" she groaned, "there is nothing going on between us...he's just a friend of mine from my old hometown." With that statement, Lincoln shyly approached the salon and introduced himself to the stylist.

"Oh, I know all about you already" Margarita giggled, "these young ladies have told me so much about you, chulo." Lincoln couldn't help but blush slightly, upon hearing her words; hoping that the stuff she heard was good. "Well...come on in" beckoned Margarita, "let me give you a nice touch up." With a broad smile crossing his lips, Lincoln happily agreed with the idea and proceeded towards the salon.

"This could take a while, everybody" he stated towards the viewer, "why not come back in half an hour and meet with us again?" The screen moves up and down slightly, symbolizing the viewer nodding in agreement. "Great, see ya later" he murmured, "here's hoping our stay in the city goes well."

With that, Lincoln rushed into the salon; eager for some conversation and some pampering.

(End of Part One)

(First AN: Aaand I think this is a good to stop things; Linc and the Gang have so much planned during their trip, I can't contain it in just one oneshot story. So, I'm deciding to divide this into two parts. Hope you'll all enjoy this one and make sure to keep watch for Part Two, in the future.)

(Second AN: Since I'm midway through the Summer Arc of oneshots for this anthology series. I think it's safe to say that we can consider this particular story as something similar to...one of those half-hour specials from the original show. What makes this worthy to be a special, you may be asking?

Well, I think Bobby's emotional crisis involving Lori seems like a worthy reason for it. What do you think, will Bobby find it in him to try and make up with Lori? Tune in next time, to find out.)

(Final AN: In the next part, I hope to focus on Lincoln and the Gals bonding with people in the city. The question is...what other ways can I do that? I've already got Phoebe and Frida Casagrande connecting well with each other.

Carol, Whitney and Dana will certainly have much to do with Carlota and the Gals in Lincoln's age group *specifically Jordan, Cristina, Haiku and Stella* will have loads of fun at the zoo with Sid and her mom. But what else could I have planned for them? Perhaps...I could bring in Ronnie Anne's city crew of friends *Casey, Sameer and Nikki* join in the fun or have the Gals take a trip in the subway with Sid's dad.

What do you think I should do, everybody; if you have ideas, kindly share them in your reviews for this oneshot. All that I ask is that they are age appropriate, don't contain anything controversial and that they don't involve "Lincoln Torture Porn" *as most fans call it.* Thank you for your time and happy reading)