Hello dear readers, sorry it's been a bit since my last update on this. A few changes going on in my life, mainly that I'm moving in about a month. So don't expect any new chapters to any of the other stories till I get everything settled. I do plan on posting a new chapter to What Was Missing but after that I'll be in full move mode lol.

I hope you all have been staying safe during this stupid pandemic thing we got going on and I hope you all enjoy the chapter. Oh and if y'all have any tips/ways to write texts/messages in stories better than I've done in this chapter let me know. I figured this was a good way to do it but would like other's opinions.

dreadedcandiru2: You are exactly right about that. Like the rest of the family, Leni can't forgive Lori's actions, but she's willing to move past it all to have some sense of normalcy with Lori back in the family.


Second go of it

Being near the start of the school year, work was slow at Gus' game and grub, which meant Bobby had little to do as he sat in front of his desk. Almost two years after Lori went away for her assault on Lincoln, Bobby was promoted to assistant manager at the establishment.

As Bobby stared blankly at his computer screen, his mind wandered. The past week had been stressful to say the least.

But things were steadily looking up, something he was glad for considering the situation. Even though Lori was nowhere near getting her own place, let alone a job yet, she had at least got on civil terms with two of her sisters. Something he didn't think would've happened so quickly. But then again, Luna and Leni were the ones Bobby was least worried about in the first place.

Bobby wondered when and if the others would even agree to see her.

A knock on the door snapped the man from his thoughts as he turned to see one of his fellow employees standing in the doorway. "Oh, hey Clydesdale what up?" Bobby asked as he greeted his co-worker. The McBride boy had started working at Gus' soon after he turned sixteen, and he'd been a model worker ever since. It helped that Bobby put in a good word for the teen when he applied.

"Nothing much...I was just...I was wondering if you've talked with Lincoln much this week?" Clyde asked as he anxiously rubbed his arm. "Oh...well no actually I haven't. We've texted back and forth a few times but other than that, little bro's been pretty silent". Bobby replied.

"So it's not just me he's barely talking to then...I figured as much though. Given what this week was". Clyde glumly said, referencing Lori's time in jail coming to an end. "Yeah..."

In the years following Lori's assault on Lincoln, the boy grew more distant. Only really talking with a few of his sisters, Bobby and Clyde, everyone else barely got two words from him. There was a time when he even stopped that, barely talking to anyone no matter how many times they tried. "I feel like he's slipping back to his old ways, back when he was withdrawn from all of us. I keep trying to reach out to him but he's barely been responding to me. It's like he's back in his shell". Clyde commented.

"He's just...having a hard go of it right now. We just gotta do what we did last time and keep being there for him. I'm sure he'll be good again soon". Bobby said. "I'm not so sure, and even then he hasn't really been "good" in years. I don't think that will change especially with the threat of her ra-hurting him again. I don't know what I ever saw in her". Clyde said in disgust, the venom very clear in his tone. "She's not-ugh, she's not going to hurt him again Clyde. Lori's...better now. She just...wasn't in her right mind back then and she lost control. I should've done more to help her". Bobby lamented, still regretting that he didn't push harder for his ex to get help, feeling partly responsible for what happened to Lincoln.

"Are you still blaming yourself for that? You couldn't have known, none of us did. She didn't just break her brother's trust, she broke it with all of us. I don't know why you'd be defending her". Clyde said. "If only you knew the whole story Clydesdale...would you still look at me the same?" Bobby thought to himself as he turned back to his computer screen for a second.

He was about to say something else when he heard his phone go off on the desk. Looking down, Bobby saw it was Lori sending him a message.

Lori: Hey, so Lincoln agreed to another meetup, but under one condition. He wanted you there too.

Bobby stared at the message for a minute before realizing Clyde was still standing in his office. "Sorry Clyde something just came up. Is everything all right out there? You need me for anything?" Bobby asked, hoping nothing was wrong out front so he could talk with Lori about this new development.

"No everything's good, I'm gonna be going on break soon though and was wondering if you maybe wanted to get lunch or something?" Clyde inquired. "Ah, some other time dude. Maybe tomorrow". Bobby replied. Clyde nodded. "Sure". And walked out of the room, shutting the door on his way out.

Bobby: Really? Well I don't mind. Are your parents all right with it?

Lori: Yeah. We're just gonna have lunch at the burpin burger on Saturday. I knew you were off so I figured it'd work out.

Bobby: Well alright. So how's your day going? Find a job yet?

Bobby waited a few moments and there was no reply. Considering the speed at which she had been responding to him, that already gave him the impression that she didn't find one. All Lori replied with was a frowning face, confirming his suspicions.

Bobby: Don't give up yet Lori. there's something out there for you.

Lori: Thanks, we'll talk later.

Breathing out a heavy sigh, Bobby set the phone down on his desk. He missed the days when his biggest worry was keeping a job to help his mom pay for everything. Bobby figured he'd text Lincoln later to see how he's doing, hoping he'll get a straight answer.


Later that night

It was a quiet night in the Loud House, the family had just finished having dinner and as usual the kids went off to do their own things. But after a bit, Lynn gathered the remaining sister still living in the home to Lori and Leni's former room. The room was now occupied by Lynn, who had taken it over after Leni left with Luan.

This sister meeting was but a fraction of what they used to be, with only so many children still living in the household. Lynn sat on the front of her bed while Lucy, Lana, Lola, Lisa and Lily sat on the floor in front of said bed.

"So what's up Lynn? Why'd you call a sister meeting? We haven't had one of these in a while". Lana asked as she looked at her sporty sister.

"Well girls its because of what we heard at dinner. Linc is gonna be seeing Lori this Saturday at the burnpin' burger. And I don't think I'm alone here in believing that's a bad idea". Lynn informed. "Why is that Lynn? Do you not think our eldest sister's rehabilitation is true? I know the statistics on repeat offenders and all that but I also know our sister and I believe that Lori legitimately has our brother's best interest at heart now". Lisa commented.

"How can you say that after what she did?" Lynn asked Lisa. "After numerous conversations with Lori while she was incarcerated I believe that she wants to get better. Now who's to tell if her attempts have made any significant changes, only Lori can say for sure how she feels. But I also may have "Legally" found her therapists notes from when she was in prison and I think her progress has been steadily showing". Lisa informed.

"Don't let mom or dad find out you did that. I'm sure they'd flip". Lana said.

"Okay so I get why you called this meeting but what does it have to do with us?" Lola asked. "I don't trust Lori one bit, no matter what some shrink may say". Lynn said as she glared at Lisa. "So I was thinking we should send one of us to make sure nothing bad happens". Lynn stated.

"But Lincoln wanted it to just be him, Lori and Bobby. He wouldn't want us to intrude". Lily spoke up. "Lily I know you were just a baby when it happened and were too young to understand what Lincoln was going through in the years afterwards but Lori doesn't deserve to be back in this family or on Lincoln's good side after what she did". Lynn said. "She crossed a line and hurt our only brother, probably messed him up for life and I can't forgive her for that. So the second she steps out of line again I plan to make sure she stays in jail this time". Lynn said.

"So you want one of us to spy on their meeting is what I'm hearing?" Lucy asked. "Yes exactly. But I think it should be one of you guys since she hasn't really seen you in years. She already knows what I look like now and Lucy, no offense you don't really look all that different either. So I think-"

"I'll do it". Lily said as she raised her hand. "What? Why do you want to?" Lynn asked.

"Well I can't even remember the last time I saw Lori...and I-I want to make sure big bro is okay too. I think I'll be the obvious choice to go in unnoticed". Lily explained. Lynn held her hand up to her chin, mulling over her other options. What Lily said made sense, but they couldn't just let her go there alone. As if she was already two steps ahead of her other sisters, Lisa spoke up again. "I can take our baby sister there and help make sure nothing bad happens". She said.

"I still don't like this. I don't think we should be intruding on this when Lincoln expressed that he didn't want us there". Lucy chimed in. "He wants to do this on his own, like he does everything now a days. But I believe this is something that he actually should do by himself. it'll help strengthen his confidence". Lucy explained.

"Look if Lori doesn't try something then there will be no need for anything to be done anyway. So I think we should just let Lily and Lisa do their thing and trust that it will turn out alright". Lynn said. "All in favor?" All but Lucy and Lisa raised their hands. "While I may go along with the plan it doesn't mean I can't be against it". She said.

After looking at her sisters for a moment, Lynn nodded her head. "Alright then, on Saturday Lily and Lisa will discreetly follow Linc and make sure that bit-that Lori doesn't try anything". Lynn declared.

The sisters all nodded and headed off to their own rooms for the night.


Bobby opened the door to his apartment, ready to just collapse on the couch and numb his mind with television before getting some rest for the night. He didn't have to worry about dinner as Lori had picked up a pizza on her way home and there were still slices left over by the time Bobby returned.

The Loud girl was sitting on the couch, her face buried in her phone. "Hey Lori, how's it going?" Bobby asked. "It literally sucks, all the places I interviewed at denied me...pretty sure its all for the same reason too". Bobby frowned. He hated that Lori couldn't find a place to work at all because of her record. "Did you try to explain to any of them that it was all in the past and you're better now?" He asked.

"You think they care? They see that I was a sex offender and that's all they need. Doesn't matter what I have or haven't done since then". Lori replied.

Bobby headed over to the fridge and grabbed the pizza box, putting a couple slices onto a plate and throwing it in the microwave. "Are you applying to more places now?" He asked her. "Yeah, mainly looking for ones that don't involve kids in any capacity so there should be no reason to throw me out. But who knows?" Lori angrily answered back, annoyed at being shut down by three places today.

"You'll find someplace Lori. Like everything else it'll just take time". Bobby calmly told her, hoping to get her in at least a slightly better mood than her current one.

"You talk to Lincoln much after setting up our thing on Saturday?" Bobby asked.

Lori shook her head in response. "After getting the time and place settled he wasn't really wanting to chat". Bobby nodded his head in response. A moment later and the microwave beeped, Bobby opened it up and took his food. Finding a spot next to Lori on the couch, he turned the television on.

"You see Ronnie at all? I know she said she was gonna stay over at a friend's place but I haven't heard anything since her last text before I left work". Bobby asked her. "She left here a couple hours ago. Didn't even have any of the pizza I got for us". Lori replied. "How was work?" She asked back. "Oh it was fine, wasn't really too much to do. Clyde seems to have gotten over that stupid crush on you". Lori rolled her eyes in response.

"He asked about Lincoln, guess bro hasn't really been talking to anyone much this week". Bobby informed her. "Guessing Clyde blamed that on me? Like everyone else probably is?" Lori huffed in annoyance. "He's just in a tough spot right now Lori, everyone is. Once you've been out for a while and everyone sees that there's really nothing to worry about then it'll all be fine".

"Wish I had your sense of optimism". Lori replied. "I wonder how he's doing right now..." Lori said.


Across town at the Loud House, Lincoln laid on his bed in a state of dread. He wanted to give Lori the chance to make everything right with him but he was also still so enraged over what she did, and how much it screwed up his life. The white-haired child picked up his phone, realizing there was one person he could talk to right now to put his mind at ease.

Opening up the discord app on his phone, Lincoln looked at the few contacts he had on there, hoping the man he was looking for was online.

Sure enough he was, and Lincoln opened up the direct messages to get a conversation started.

Sending a simple hello, Lincoln waited for the man's response.

Richard: Oh hey Lincoln. It's been a while since we talked, a long while. How ya been?

Lincoln: It could be going better. My sister got out this past sunday…

There was a long silence and Lincoln wondered what the man was going to say in response. After not getting anything for a moment, the teen set his phone back down on his bed. Hearing his phone buzz after a couple minutes Lincoln opened it back up and looked at the reply.

Richard: Well I know exactly what you're most likely feeling right now. How are ya holding up? You talk to her yet?

Lincoln began typing out his reply, telling Richard about his experience on the day Lori got out and how he freaked out on her. He also described his sullen mood the entire week and how he can't seem to break out of the funk he's in now because of it all. Lincoln was beginning to feel like he did while he was still in therapy, that it was never going to get better and he was always going to be the shell of his former self. All because of what she did to him.

Richard: Well I know how hard it can be knowing that your attacker is out there again, and that you're probably scared at what might happen because she's out. But if she says she has changed and has learned to deal with her feelings and legitimately wants to make amends, then I say you should give her the chance. Not just for her but for yourself. I'm not saying to forgive what she did, it's an inexcusable act. But I also know many people like her who messed up one time and pay for it for the rest of their lives.

Lincoln read over the man's reply multiple times, and saw that he was typing out another message.

Richard: You know my story, how I am still on speaking terms with my abuser. But I let go of the hate I had for them and what they did. Holding onto it will only drag you down. I know you most likely have more to work through than just that hate but once you get over that, the path through the rest should be clearer.

The Loud teen let Richard's words sink in, he knew full well that he was right about letting go of his hate, but Lincoln didn't know if he could, not yet. He still remembered the first conversations he had with the man, after Bobby got the two in touch.

From what Bobby told him, Richard went through a similar situation in his youth and it led to him having feelings for minors like Bobby and Lori. Albeit with Lori it was mainly feelings for Lincoln, in spite of his age. Whereas Bobby was a bit of both. Lincoln still feared that he might end up developing similar feelings, something he didn't want to deal with on top of the issues he was already facing.

Why'd this have to happen to him? He asked the universe once again, for what felt like the millionth time since that night before everything changed. Out of all the people in the world, why did all this crap have to happen to him? Lincoln could feel the tears welling up in his eyes, clenching them shut he put on some music to lose himself to.

As Lincoln laid there, quietly weeping to himself, he hoped that Saturday's meeting would allow him to make some progress with his issues and that he could hopefully move forward with his life. Looking over to the clock and seeing it was already past nine, he groaned in in annoyance as he knew he needed to get to sleep for school the next day. He was thankful that it was the last day of the school week though and made sure to set his alarm before getting comfortable in bed and trying to get a few hours of sleep. Lincoln rested his head on his pillow and closed his eyes, hoping that he slept through the night.


Sorry if that chapter was a little small or didn't have much in terms of plot, I assure you the next one is gonna be bigger and better. If you haven't already feel free to take a look at any of my other stories while you wait for the next update. Stay safe, and see you guys and gals later.