You may have noticed I changed the story cover. The cover is supposed to show that Lincoln and Winter are in the wrong place, which is why she is orange with white background and he is white with orange background (White=Whites, Orange=Louds). It had nothing to do with Yin Yang, so I changed it to what it is now.
-Mr. Haziq: The first two are mistakes.
Upon coming back home, Lincoln was crushed by his sisters.
"Thank goodness you are okay. You scared us." Lori said worriedly.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Lincoln said with regret.
"It's okay." Lori said.
The sisters let go of him and moved to the side. Once the sea parted, he saw Lynn, angrily standing at the beginning of the stairs. She looked at him with fury before Lori coughed. It was supposed to be a prompt, but it took another one for her to do anything.
"I'm sorry..." she said quietly, her venom matching the deadliest of snakes. "I didn't mean what I said..."
Lincoln's first instinct was to forgive her. He did it so many times before that it became second nature at this point, but now he wasn't so inclined. She didn't mean a word she said, a blind man could see it. It was good that Lori didn't just let her go off scot-free, but this was meaningless. An apology at gun's point might as well not be said, as it was worthless then the person on the other side will be in a minute.
"Lynn..." Lori said sternly. Clearly two of them would need to have another talk.
"Lori, it's okay, she doesn't have to apologize." Lincoln said.
"Then I won't." Lynn said, turning around before she even finished the first word.
"If she doesn't want a brother, I won't make her." Lincoln said calmly.
Lori smiled. When the cops first came, he tried everything to convince them it was his fault. Most of them knew who was to blame, but he defended them so vehemently it almost made the cops go back. Unfortunately for him, they had to take him in, there were just no two ways about it. She fully expected him to forgive her, even with an apology as awful as hers. She was happy he didn't though.
"I'm sorry for what she said." Lori said. "You know we don't think what she said."
"I do, Lori." Lincoln said calmly.
"Hey, when Lynn mentioned something about our 'real' brother..." Lana said. "Since you said you were swapped at birth, who were you swapped with?"
"So, it's this girl w-"
"A girl?" Everyone asked.
"Let me finish... she has white hair." Lincoln said calmly, getting the same reaction as Lisa usually did.
"Can we meet her?" Lola asked.
"Of course." Lincoln said.
"I think I already met her." Lucy said. "That day I saw you at Dr. Lopez, I was there some time before and I saw a girl waiting outside the office."
"White hair, orange blouse, blue skirt..." Lincoln said.
"Yeah, that's her." Lucy said.
"What's she like?" Leni asked.
"I haven't talked with her too much, but she sounds nice." Lincoln said. "But she did want to know more about you, so I'm sure she will be happy to meet you all."
"Feel free to bring her over if she comes." Lori said.
"And if she doesn't float your boat, we can always reinforce our family ties, if you catch my drift." Luan said, making Lincoln blush slightly. The joke broke the ice, returning the room to how it was before Lynn.
The rest of the day was spent with the family reminiscing over their memories, remembering the good and the bad. They laughed, they cried, they smiled, and by the end, Lincoln had almost forgotten about Lynn. Mrs. Johnson was right, she will come around to it soon enough. And if she doesn't, Mrs. Johnson is still right, though it would be a bit less pleasant. After returning to the McBrides, Lincoln got ready for school and went to bed. Tomorrow will be an important day, though not as much as today.
Before going to bed, Winter usually practiced piano. Out of everything her parents made her do, it was the one she enjoyed the most. She has been practicing for almost five years now, and she had gotten good in that time. She guessed music ran in the family, as Lincoln said one of her sisters was an extraordinary musician. They would surely get along. Even though... Luna? Yeah, Luna. Even though Luna was more of a rocker, they could still make it work. After all, she knew plenty of rock songs that used the piano or could be easily played on it.
She also had a sporty sister. Her dreaded gymnastics would finally come in handy, as she would have the condition to do something with her, even if she might not be too good at it. The rest would be a walk in the park. Lily is a baby, and she was good with kids. Lisa was a scientist, so it could be a bumpy road, but they would work something out. Lola was into pageants, something her mother didn't want to hear about for numerous reasons, so they could talk about makeup. She didn't know what to do with Lana, as their interests didn't overlap too much. But she was seven, they will find something. Lucy was into poetry and she enjoyed reading. Luan was a general entertainer, so she would find something for them to do. Leni was a fashionista, so they could talk about clothes. And finally, Lori. She was the oldest, so they might not overlap on account of the age difference, but they would figure something out.
She would have to wait a bit before she could meet them though. The first time she could visit them was on the weekend when they go to pick up Lincoln. She had already asked her parents, and they told her they would pass it on to Lincoln. How she was going to pay attention in school was worrying her, as she couldn't think of anything but her sisters. She'll have to find out, as tomorrow was a Monday. A boring, slow, Monday. Oh, right, she will probably run into that girl.
R... R... What was it? Oh, forget it. She annoyed her. There wasn't even a reason she could point to, she just did. She was always happy, always optimistic, and always surrounded by other people. There was something she could bond with Lincoln over, annoyance over Whateverhernamewas.
What would they even have in common? Having white hair was a good start, actually, it wasn't even that. He was a boy, so they would have a hurdle to overcome right off the bat. It wasn't that big, boys and girls can be friends, it's not unheard of or rare, but any bump in the road made a difference for her. Her first impression, when they properly meet that is, had to be absolutely perfect. She had no room for error, not even in the slightest. He might be willing to give her a chance, but that chance still comes with the memories of his last family, something that would greatly hamper any effort she made. If she wasn't careful, he might get the wrong idea, and then he would never want to talk to her.
Winter didn't focus on what she was playing, going off muscle memory to play a random classical song. Her parents looked out the door with worry. It was wonderful, but it was clearly mechanic. She wasn't looking at what she was pressing, she wasn't humming with the song, she wasn't even moving with the rhythm. They could see she wasn't thinking of the song, and they knew exactly what she was thinking off, or rather who.
They thought of him too, though probably for different reasons. When they get to Royal Woods, they plan on taking Lincoln out so they could properly meet him. Dr. Lopez told them who he was, and they did have a brief talk, but that wasn't much. They wanted to see how he would react to them, how he would act around them, what he would call them... They were nervous, to say the least, and Winter wasn't helping in the slightest. They didn't blame her, they wouldn't think any of this was her fault in their wildest dreams, but they did worry about her greatly. Ever since they found out, they were plagued by one important, and shameful, question. Do they love her?
Of course, they do! Right? It wasn't just if they loved her, but how much? Do they truly love her as much as they could? Will they love her less when Lincoln comes? Will they not love him enough because of her? Winter, or rather Lincoln, was practically a miracle. They had been trying to conceive a child for some time before that, but never with much luck. After Winter, they wanted to get another one but faced the same problem once more. After a few years, they considered adoption. Their biggest concern was exactly the one it was now. They didn't know if they could love someone else's child as much as their own.
Winter stopped playing. Getting up, she stopped dead upon seeing her parents, as she didn't know they were there. Something was odd about her father. Was he... shaved? He only did that when his beard got too big, or he had something very important. Meeting Lincoln was very important, but that was yesterday. His beard became noticeable after a day, meaning he shaved this morning.
"That was a wonderful sweetie." Sophia said with a warm smile.
"I guess..." Winter said. "It's getting late, I'll be going to bed."
"Even when Lincoln comes, we won't love you any less, you know that?" Sophia asked worriedly.
"Yeah..." Winter said.
Lincoln anxiously waited by his locker with Clyde, waiting for his friends to arrive. Any minute now he would tell them the truth and see how they react. It shouldn't make too much of a difference to them. What they have has nothing to do with who his parents are, so nothing will change between them. He knew this well, but still, he felt afraid. Even if small, there was a chance they would ditch him because of who he really is. But, with Clyde by his side, and his sisters behind him, he knew he would manage.
"Hey, guys, can we talk for a moment?" Lincoln asked awkwardly. Come on Lincoln, rip it off quickly, like a band aid. It isn't even a real band aid, it's like you've worn it for a month. Lightly pull and it is off.
"Sure, what's the matter?" Rusty asked.
"Your family didn't do anything to you, did they?" Stella asked worriedly.
"No, but it's about them... I'm getting adopted." Lincoln said nervously.
"That's great." Zach said.
"Way to go partner." Liam said.
"Well... you see... it's by my real family..." Lincoln said.
His friends looked at him for a few seconds, unsure what he meant.
"Ah... buddy, you lost us..." Rusty said.
"I was swapped at birth... Now I'm getting adopted by my original family." Lincoln explained. Now that it was out, it felt much better.
"Ha, I knew you weren't a Loud!" Rusty said. "Biologically of course..." he added sheepishly.
"So, hold your horses, you ain't adopted?" Liam asked.
"Well, no, not really... why?" Lincoln asked.
"I have to admit Lincoln, something about you having ten sisters never really fit well." Stella admitted.
"I thought you were an alien." Zach said.
"Zach, you think everyone is an alien." Rusty told him.
"I don't..." Zach said meekly, "... for a few..."
"You all thought I was adopted?" Lincoln asked.
"More or less." Rusty said. "It's no big deal, we are still friends, but you have to admit you having ten sisters and white hair made some lights turn on."
It did, he just never dwelled on those thoughts for long. What kid does? Several people did tell him that he was adopted in the past, but those were all obvious insults, so it never got to him.
"Did you meet who they mistook you for?" Stella asked.
"Yeah, it's this girl-"
"Girl?" Everyone asked.
"Let me finish..." Why did it surprise everyone? Sure, you would think that when someone is swapped at birth, it's two boys or two girls. But the only way he could be swapped was if the other person had white hair as well. Although, they don't know how long his hair was white, so anything was possible in their minds. "We both had white hair, that's why it happened."
"Okay, that makes more sense." Zach said. "Is she an alien?"
"He just told you she isn't..." Rusty said with a sigh of annoyance.
"Well, Lincoln, we are happy that you found your family." Stella said kindly.
"So am I. But I will have to move to Great Lake City to live with them." Lincoln said.
"Don't worry, we can still stay in touch, and you can always come to visit us on summer breaks and stuff." Rusty said. "We will miss you though."
"Thanks." Lincoln said just before the bell rang.
For the next five days, Lincoln went to school, hung out with his friends, spent time with his sisters, and generally enjoyed his last days in Royal Woods. He had a fun time, even though Lynn didn't want to see him, not even in passing. She luckily didn't try anything at school, probably out of fear that the staff would reprimand her. Regardless, as the last days wound down, he got more and more excited for the upcoming weekend. He knew that his parents would take him... somewhere so they could get to know each other better. Winter would have probably come, but she wanted to meet her sisters, and her parents allowed her.
He spent the entire Friday night picking out the right clothes to wear, the right words to say, and even practicing a proper walk. This was his first chance they would really get to see who he was, so it was the first time they could have second thoughts. What if they think he dresses too simple? No problem, just wear fancier clothes. Now he's too fancy! Too big words, too small words, too many words, not enough words. He couldn't hit the nail on the head no matter how hard he tried, and he knew he would lose his whole hand if he hit a finger. People always told him to be himself, even Clyde when he saw him pacing in fifty different ways down the hallway, but he didn't want to be himself, he wanted them to like him. If he went in too easy, they would think he is a slacker; if he tried too hard, they might think he is some snob.
Once he awoke, the panic truly set in. They would be there before noon, and he still hadn't decided on anything. Should he pick the place? Will they even know how to? They said they lived there, but a lot can change in a decade. What if they are thinking the same as him? Then they would both be stuck in gridlock while waiting for the other side to make up their mind. He felt it would be a good idea to postpone it, but a day, or two, or seven, or forever. He wouldn't be ready, not now, not ever.
Whatever he wanted to do, he had to decide on it now, as the doorbell was ringing.
Going downstairs, Lincoln saw Howard had beaten him to the punch.
"Howard?" Sophia asked.
"Sophia?" he said happily. "It's been years. How are you?"
"Wait, you know them?" Lincoln asked. It wasn't that big of a surprise. If you live somewhere, you are likely to meet a few people.
"Sophy and I were in the same class in high school." Howard said. "Come in, come in."
"Hello, Lincoln." Walter said, clearly nervous.
All of the Whites were. They were dressed just like the last time he saw them, casually formal. Okay, new plan, follow their lead.
"Hi..." Lincoln said, even more nervous than them.
"Lincoln, why don't you go and get ready while we do a little catching up." Howard said to the relief of everyone.
"O-Okay..." Lincoln said and disappeared to his room. He picked out an orange long-sleeved shirt, a pair of khaki pants, and brown shoes. As he left the guest room, he rolled up his sleeves and went back to the living room.
Howard, now joined by Harold, did a wonderful job of calming their nerves. His parents and Winter were much more relaxed and seemed more eager than afraid.
"Lincoln, are you ready to go?" Walter asked with cautious excitement.
"Y-Yes..." Lincoln said.
The four of them left the house. Immediately, Lincoln was impressed. The Whites had a car. It wasn't fancy by any means, but it was certainly a change compared to Vanzilla. They drove for a few minutes before arriving at the Loud house. Lincoln offered to lead Winter inside, as he knew the house, but his parents insisted on going in. They were clearly going to talk to his sisters. About what he didn't know. He hoped they wouldn't give them too much trouble and that they only wanted to be assured that Winter wouldn't be harmed, but he truly couldn't know.
Whatever their plans were, they were scraped the second the door opened. They didn't take two steps in before Pop-pop and the older sisters dragged them off to the side while the rest took Lincoln and Winter. Everyone was the same as they were for the last few days. The only exceptions were Lucy, who washed the black die out of her brown hair, and Luna. For the past week, Luna had changed her music style almost every day, and the clothes reflected it. Today she looked to be French, with a white, purple-striped shirt, purple barrette, and an accordion in her hands.
Even though they led them away, the younger sisters didn't want to speak. All three looked like they wanted to, but none seemed to have the courage to start.
"Winter, these are Lucy and the twins, Lana and Lola.". Lincoln said, hoping to break the ice.
"I know you..." Winter told Lucy. "I saw you at the office last week. Wasn't your hair black?"
"I washed out the die.". Lucy said, her voice practically dead.
"Winny, sweetie, will you be fine on your own?" Walter finished with Lori. Whatever they talked about clearly left a sour taste in his mouth.
"Y-Yes..." Winter wasn't so sure. Currently, she was speaking with three sisters, and it was already starting to be too much. It wasn't too late to back out now, was it?
"If you need anything, you can always call us.". Sophia said.
"Don't worry, Mr. and Mrs. White, your daughter is in fine care." Albert reassured them.
Neither seemed too sure but knew that it had to be done. Winter wanted to, and on a certain level had to, meet her biological family. The Whites didn't place a lot of trust in anyone in that house, apart from Myrtle, she seemed fine enough, especially not Lincoln's sisters. But there wasn't a better option. Leaving her at home wasn't possible, as both of her grandparents decided to take a vacation at the most inconvenient time. Letting her tag along was the best option, as she and Lincoln would get to know each other better that way. But that would miss the entire point of them coming here, to spend time with Lincoln. They needed him to feel comfortable around them. When they take him to the city, he will have to come to them for everything. If he needed help, if he had something to share, if he just needed someone to reassure him, they wanted him to come to them. If he doesn't feel like he can do that, he will either keep quiet or confine himself to the wrong people.
"See you later, Lincoln, have fun. And behave." Lori happily led them outside before going back to make sure they returned Winter in one piece.
