Hello dear readers and welcome to a new chapter in Repairing a Bond. I hope you all have been staying safe out there and I hope you all enjoy the chapter. Now let's check in with Lincoln to see how his new determination will work out for him.

And as always, thanks to all who have fav/followed the story and left a review or comment.


Making the first step

It was another two days before Lincoln was able to be released from the hospital, just before the weekend hit. Lincoln was glad he could rest at home, getting tired of the hospital food and being bored out of his mind half the time.

Rita had taken the time off of work to come and bring him home, Lincoln would have to be using crutches until his leg fully healed. And on his insistence, Rita allowed him to start school that following Monday.

But before that started, Lincoln had some work to do over the weekend.

He made his family a promise that he wasn't going to be as distant as he had been, and everyone offered their ear to listen if Lincoln ever wanted to talk. The first of those lending ears was Lisa, who Lincoln needed to discuss certain...new aspects of his life with.

"So Lincoln...about what you said to Lori at the burpin' burger last week. Why do you think that you are...like her and Bobby?" Lisa asked him as he sat across from her by her desk. "W-Well...when I was picking up Lucy and the twins from the middle school...I-I was kind of...staring at some of the girls there". Lincoln admitted. "The students, not the teachers?" She asked. Lincoln just nodded his head.

"I see… and how old would you say the ones attracting your attention were?" Lisa questioned. "I-I don't know...like around the twins age maybe? I-I just...I don't know if I'm going crazy or trying to make a problem that's not really there or..." Lincoln started before trailing off.

"There are some tests I could run, not really ones that are too accurate but ones I can easily do today. And after some more questions, I'll study the results and get back to you". Lisa told him. "But I want to stress something Lincoln...after what our eldest sibling did to you...I poured hours upon hours of research on the subject". Lisa explained.

"And?" Lincoln asked. "Even if you...happen to have a similar issue like Bobby or our sister, it doesn't make you a bad person. Nor does it mean you'll ever do anything. T-That's entirely a choice that you can make".

"I-I know...but I still don't want to have to deal with it. I know Bobby still has days where his...attractions bother him". Lincoln told her. "You are going to start seeing Dr. Lopez again correct?" She asked. "Y-Yeah..." Lincoln said. "Then I would recommend talking with her. She should be able to help you more than I currently can with all of that". Lisa told him.

"For now...I am going to give you some medication to help you with your depression and anxiety that you've been so intent on handling yourself". Lisa explained.

"T-Thanks...So what was the test you wanted to run?" Lincoln asked her. "It's a visual test, I will show you some...pictures. And you will tell me how they make you feel okay?" Lisa explained. Lincoln nodded his head, "O-Okay uh, let's start I guess". Lincoln said as he sat back in his chair, looking at Lisa's computer.

"Here is the first of the images". Lisa said and Lincoln went wide-eyed when she clicked on a file. "L-Lisa! What the hell?" Lincoln asked as he covered his eyes from the picture on the screen. It was a naked picture of some young girl around Lola's age. "Lincoln I need you to look at the picture and tell me if it stimulates you in any way, this is part of the test". Lisa said.

"O-Okay fine". Lincoln groaned as he took his hand from his eyes and looked at the picture.

"Are you feeling anything that you think you shouldn't be?" Lisa asked. "N-No not really...it could just be the girl though". Lincoln suggested. "That is why I have more pictures". Lisa commented before clicking on another one.

This time it was a picture of a girl around Lucy's age. "Anything?" She asked him. "K-Kinda...I think she looks pretty cute". Lincoln said. Writing something down on her clipboard, Lisa turned to her brother. "Would you...and I know this might be difficult to answer...but would you have intercourse with her?" Lisa asked. "W-What? I...how old is she?" Lincoln asked, a small blush on his face.

"About thirteen I believe. So?" Lisa asked. "I-I don't know Lisa...maybe?" Lincoln answered. "W-Where did you get these pictures anyway? aren't they kinda...illegal to have?" Lincoln asked her. "For my research purposes I got a few and will delete them once we are done here. They didn't come from anywhere illegal if that's what you're implying". Lisa told him.

"And how about these pictures? Anything?" Lisa asked as she went through a few nude photos of older women. Lincoln squirmed in his seat a bit, definitely feeling something then. "I...I think they're hot". Lincoln embarrassingly admitted.

Writing down more information on her notepad, Lisa sighed before setting it down. "Alright well we're done with this for now...but the next part of my test is something that I know will be a little uncomfortable to talk about with me". Lisa told him. "A-And why is that?" Lincoln asked with a raised brow, not liking where this was going.

"When you...pleasure yourself". Lincoln recoiled a bit when she brought it up. "...Do you think about women your age, younger or older?" Lisa asked him. "I...I-I. Do I have to answer this?" Lincoln awkwardly asked as he looked away from his younger sister.

"To get a better understanding of this yes...so just tell me". Lisa commanded. "T-They're usually a bit older than me...a few times have been around my age as well". Lincoln said after a prolonged groan. "Okay". Lisa simply said.

"Well in my personal opinion...Right now I do not think you are like Lori or Bobby. I still recommend you talk more about this issue with Dr. Lopez but I think you should have nothing to worry about". Lisa told him as she started deleting files on her computer. "R-Really? Well that's a relief". Lincoln said, actually smiling genuinely.

"It is natural to feel something for someone a bit younger than you, it does not make you a pedophile however. But if say you have something for someone around Lily's age or something like that then it could be...". Lisa explained.

"Now unless there's something else you wish to discuss, I do have some more work to do". Lisa said as she opened a few other tabs on her pc. "N-No that was it...thank you Lisa". Lincoln said as he grabbed his crutches and started walking out of the room.

"Oh and Lincoln?" Lisa called out as he opened the door.

"Yeah?" He asked her. "Thank you for coming to talk to me...and should you require any further help...please don't hesitate to come to me". Lisa said with a smile, one of her rare loving smiles that Lincoln wished he saw more. "S-Sure thing...thanks Lis". Lincoln said as he grabbed his crutches and walked out, shutting the door.


"Hmm, still nothing..." Lincoln said as he stared at his phone. The teen had been expecting at least one message or call from his oldest sister yet nothing had been sent since his stay in the hospital.

"Maybe she felt it best to just leave me alone until I made contact...which is smart". Lincoln thought to himself. He sighed heavily as he went to his room, trying to figure out what to do next. "I guess since I keep rushing to anger or fear whenever I speak to her...I should figure out how to control that". Lincoln said to himself as he figured that was one of the first things he'll talk with Dr. Lopez about.

Deep down, Lincoln understood why Lori did what she did. Her low impulse control and delusions led her down the path she took, but it still didn't make it any easier to look her in the eyes and go back to being loving siblings both wanted to be. And Lincoln was really starting to wonder if it was even possible at this point.

When all was said and done, what was left for Lori to say or do at this point? Nothing came to mind as Lincoln tried to rack his mind around the idea of forgiveness for his sister.

Maybe in the end, he couldn't forgive her. The main question Lincoln thought about now was whether he could stand to be in the same room with her, speak casually with her. Lincoln still needed someone to talk to, someone to bounce all this off of. "Oh! I know". Lincoln said as he grabbed his phone and scrolled through his contacts.

The phone rang as he hit the call button, Lincoln patiently waited for them to answer. A minute later and a voice picked up on the other end. "Hello?" They asked. "H-Hey Clyde. I was uh, I was wondering if you wanted to meet up?" Lincoln asked his best friend. "Y-Yeah, sure buddy. Where did you want to meet at?" Clyde asked him.

"Well I was kinda thinking about you coming here...since I'm still a bit hindered when it comes to getting around right now". Lincoln said. "O-Oh duh, of course. I'll be right over". Clyde told him and he hung up the phone, leaving Lincoln glad he could still count on his friend after their last encounter.


It was about fifteen minutes later when Clyde showed up, being let in by Lynn and being led upstairs to Lincoln's room. "You know I keep forgetting you took this room, you should have me over more". Clyde said as he walked to the open doorway into Lincoln's room.

"Yeah...I wanted to apologize about that". Lincoln said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "About what?" Clyde questioned as he entered his friend's room and shut the door. "About being...so distant the past couple months. I...I kinda felt like I could handle it all on my own and I just didn't want you all getting caught up in my shit". Lincoln admitted.

"That's why we're here Linc, for you. So you can have someone to help you deal with all that...shit". Clyde said as he grabbed Lincoln's desk chair and moved it closer to the bed, sitting across from his friend.

"So I take it you're ready to let us in?" Clyde asked. Lincoln nodded. "Yeah, I know I need people to talk with about all this. Keeping it all to myself isn't going to help me any". Lincoln told him. "You scared us all when you got in that accident, I was so relieved when you woke up". Clyde said. "So what did you want to talk about?" Clyde asked, wondering how open his friend was going to be.

"I wanna ask you something...and I want your honest opinion. Should I forgive Lori? S-Should I let her back into my life after all that's happened?" Lincoln asked.

"Well let me ask you this back, What is it you want?" Clyde asked him. "I...I really just want everything to go back to normal. But I know it can't happen. S-So I guess...I guess what I really want is for us all to move past this". Lincoln explained.

"And if you never let Lori back into your life, whether you want her there or not, you don't feel like you can move on. So that's why you wanna keep trying?" Clyde suggested. "Y-Yeah...yes that's it. I-If I just cut her out of my life...It'll always be in the back of my mind, what if? You know". Lincoln replied.

"Well how has she seemed since she got out?" Clyde asked. "S-She...she wants to make it all right again, to try and fix it all but she can't. So I'm not sure where that leaves me and her. I'm not exactly sure what we could do at this point". Lincoln answered.

"You're going back to therapy right?" Lincoln nodded in response. "Then maybe you can do some sessions with Lori involved, Dr. Lopez might help you two find a way forward". Clyde explained. "H-Huh, that might actually work". Lincoln said.

"I don't think anyone in your family, or friends really, could forgive her for what she's done. But I know that you can't just act like she doesn't exist either, Dr. Lopez should be able to find a happy medium that works for everyone". Clyde added. "Yeah, you're right. And after that...all I gotta work on is some...anger issues and the anxiety that's been a problem for the past few months". Lincoln said.

"You talked to her since the accident?" Clyde asked him. "N-No...and she hasn't contacted me either so she knows to give me my space. I'll probably message her later, tell her about the therapy". Lincoln answered back. "Well no matter what happens, I'm here for ya buddy". Clyde told him. "T-Thanks Clyde, I really appreciate it. H-How's the job been going?" Lincoln asked him, never really bothering to ask Clyde about his life much for the past couple years.

"Oh it's been good, the extra money has been a big help. Probably gonna get a car soon with what I have saved up. Bobby's been a big help in getting me started there". Clyde answered.

The two sat there talking about their personal lives, school and other topics as the time flew by, it being almost six in the afternoon when Clyde had to head home. "I'll see you later buddy, Thanks again for coming". Lincoln said as Clyde started leaving his room. "Of course, anytime you wanna talk you just gotta ask, or if you just wanna hang out I'm down". Clyde told him in response.


After his friend left, Lincoln laid in bed, waiting for Lynn Sr. to get home and start making dinner. While he waited, Lincoln picked up his phone and started typing out a message.

"Hey Lori, um I just got done talking with Clyde and he had a good idea on a way we could move forward. How would you feel about going to a therapy session with me sometime soon?" Lincoln text his sister.

It was over five minutes before Lincoln got a response. The teen figured she was too stunned that he even text her at first to offer up a reply.

"Hey Linc. Yeah that sounds great. Just tell me the time and place. I'm glad you're okay and I can't wait to see you again. I'm sorry for being the reason you got hurt again..." Lincoln stared at the reply and felt a twinge of guilt about Lori thinking she was the cause of his hospital stay.

"You weren't the reason. I was being reckless and just drove into traffic. I...look I'm going to be honest, I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive you for what you did. But I do want you in my life and hope that we can find some way to move forward. The fact that you've done nothing but try and help me so far has made that a bit easier". Lincoln hit send and waited for the reply. Hearing the front door open and figured his dad was home. A few moments later and his phone dinged.

"I know, I figured you'd never be able to forgive me for it, nor did I expect you to. All I want is to be a part of the family again. To prove to you all that I got help and will never lose control like that again. I love you Lincoln, the way a sister should only, and I'm going to do what I can to prove that". Lincoln couldn't help but smile as he read those words, taking these baby steps towards their healing felt good, and Lincoln just hoped they could keep it going face-to-face.

"Dad's home, gonna have some dinner in a bit. I'll text you whenever I figure out the day and time for our next meeting. Ttyl". Lincoln sent the message and put his phone on his nightstand.

The teen grabbed his crutches and left his room, heading downstairs to maybe help his dad with dinner and get his mind off of things for a bit. It was just the first day in this new outlook he had, but it was already making him feel a little bit better. Lincoln couldn't believe that he thought the answer to all his problems was to just shut himself off from everyone and try to go it on his own, today proved that wasn't the case.

He still had plenty of work to do, but at least now he had an idea on what steps to take next.


And there we go, Lincoln's first day on a new path. Will this be the way that leads him towards healing? Signs seem to point that way. Only time will tell what life holds in store for Lincoln Loud next. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you all next time on Repairing A Bond.

Stay safe out there everyone.