It was a great relief to Clyde and his two fathers to learn that Lincoln had recovered from pneumonia, but of course they knew that him recovering from his ordeal would take a lot longer. Nevertheless, Clyde's prayers were answered.
Clyde's cell phone went off and he recognized Lincoln's number.
"LINCOLN!" he shouted and answered the call promptly. "Lincoln, is that you, buddy?!"
"Yes, Clyde," said Lincoln, his voice sounding a bit weary, but otherwise okay. "It's me. I'm okay."
"Thank goodness!" said a relieved Clyde. "I prayed for you!"
"Hey, listen," said Lincoln on the other end. "I'll be discharged tomorrow and I... can't exactly go home with no bed to sleep in. Can you take me in for a while? You and your dads can pick me up."
"YES!" said Clyde, overjoyed that Lincoln was alive and well. "Yes, we'll look after you! You're my best friend and my dads will be happy to have you over!"
"Thanks, buddy."
Lincoln was back in his casual clothes, being wheeled through the hospital by the male doctor who helped look after him.
"Well, Lincoln," he said. "Looks like you'll be staying with the McBrides, but I should mention that Officer Schoffner may call on you again to settle what could be domestic abuse against you." Lincoln sighed.
"I wish none of this ever happened," he said.
"Yeah, me too," said the doctor. "It shouldn't have happened. But it did, so there's gonna be consequences."
"What's gonna happen to me?"
"I myself can't say for sure, but hey, your best friend and his family will look after you."
"Yeah." Lincoln was a little more assured, but he started to grasp at the idea that his family could be in big trouble and that his parents could be arrested. He felt a little guilty, but remembering how he felt during those horrible days reminded him to come to terms with whatever fate was in store for them. Once outside the hospital, the McBrides were waiting at their vehicle.
"BUDDY!" Clyde shouted, hurrying over to his best friend and giving him a gentle hug, as Lincoln still had yet to get all his strength back. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"
"Me too, buddy," said Lincoln, a little wearily. Clyde helped him out of the wheelchair and gently guided him to a car seat. The doctor handed one of his business cards to Clyde's two fathers, Howard and Harold.
"Here," he said. "Stay in touch if Lincoln needs anything. The police will be investigating his family."
"I still can't believe Lincoln's family would betray him," said Howard.
"We could sign him up for therapy," suggested Harold. "Dr. Lopez would be great."
"Do you have anything to pick up at your house?" Clyde asked Lincoln.
"No," said Lincoln glumly. "I have nothing left. My family sold all of my possessions and furniture. My comics, my video games, my bed, Bun-Bun... They're all gone. All I have now is my cell phone."
"That's terrible!"
"I know." Lincoln sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "I'll have to start from scratch."
"I'll help," said Clyde. "I'm here for you, buddy." Man, I'm gonna have to get over Lori, he thought. She and the rest of the family left my best friend with nothing!
Back at the Loud residence, the rest of Lincoln's family was in a pickle. They did not know how they could face Lincoln at this point. The parents alone took extreme measures over Lincoln merely telling a lie or just being unsupportive of the family and as a result, the white-haired boy got sick from skin rash infections and coming into contact with a wild animal and it went untreated until he got pneumonia. Although they began to regret their actions, it may have been too little too late for them. Eventually, there came a knock at their front door, but when Lynn Sr. got the courage to answer, it wasn't Lincoln. It was a representative from Royal Woods Child Protective Services. She introduced herself and requested an inspection of the house. The parents allowed this in the hopes to avoid any further trouble, but it didn't ease their worries and their kids were certainly no less of a wreck.
"I think we're in trouble," murmured Rita.
"I know, honey," said Lynn Sr., his hands gently rubbing his wife's shoulders. "I know." Obviously, it wasn't just Lincoln's empty room that would be a problem. A thorough inspection meant checking every room in the house, so because of this, the representative encountered a few disturbing things - science equipment near a baby crib, a few outdoor animals, including a rattlesnake, and a coffin, which would be the least disturbing if it was a prop, but it looked like a real coffin. She jotted down several notes and then returned to the living room to address the Loud parents.
"You realize that for the most part the conditions in this household are relatively unsafe, particularly for your younger children," said the representative. "Honestly, it's a wonder how this lifestyle has gone on for as long as it has. And what doesn't help is that this is tacked on to a report filed for child abuse, negligence, and endangerment. Don't expect this to end well." She then addressed Leni. "Leni Loud?"
"Y-Y...Yes," Leni stuttered.
"You did the right thing," said the representative, putting her hand on the blonde girl's shoulder briefly to assure her. "Thanks for your time." As she went on her way, the rest of the family was left slack-jawed and wide-eyed. Leni faced them with her best brave face.
"I called the authorities," she told them. "And I called for that ambulance." The family was still quite stunned, so there was not one response. "I had to!" Leni went on. "I... I love my brother." She looked down for a moment. "I love Linky." She then looked back up to face her family once more. "Do you?" Two simple words that would pierce their souls forever.