Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino.

Dark Beginnings

By Lola Presents

Chapter 5 - Confessions

As Lincoln leaned against the curved wall with Lucy snuggled up, he couldn't help but understand her point of view. She'd killed someone, or so they believed, and going back meant a world of trouble for her. Even if the legal system favored her, it would still require therapy, especially if their love for each other got discovered during cross-examination.

Lincoln was still coming to terms with his feelings for Lucy, but one thing was clear, he was in love with her. Making love to her was tempting, though it wasn't the first thing that came to Lincoln's mind. Love was a double-edged sword. Fulfilling one's partner's desires was high on the list of priorities, but so was doing the right thing.

Lincoln had only begun puberty, and while he could've probably performed the act, Lucy was significantly younger than him and hadn't yet had her first menstruation. In Lincoln's estimation, Lucy had already been through enough pain and didn't need anything further. Even if she were to bear through it, he couldn't do that to her.

"Lucy..." he finally replied, gently kissing her forehead. "I love you so much. You know that. Right?" he reminded her. "But, we have the rest of our lives to worry about that. And regardless of what happens once we get back home, we'll have that to look forward to," he told Lucy. "But right now, it's important that we get you home."

Despite not being the words Lucy wanted to hear, causing her to bury her face into Lincoln's chest, she knew he was right. Tearfully, she gazed up at him and made her final request.

"I understand," she whispered, her warm breath gracing her brother's cheek. "At least kiss me first..." she cooed seductively, inching her lips closer to his. "For luck?"

Smiling, Lincoln closed the distance between them, accepting her invitation to kiss her. It was a simple gesture but bore tremendous meaning. It was the least he could do for her, considering it wasn't invasive and presented no risk of harm.

Cupping Lucy's cheeks, he tilted her head and sealed his lips around hers. Closing their eyes, the young lovers sat, curled up together in the concrete piping, exchanging the most rudimentary expression of love possible. Enjoying each other's taste while longing for further touch, a sudden flash of lightning, followed a few moments later by the low rumble of thunder, startled the two apart.

"It's always something," whispered Lucy, chuckling as she rested her forehead against Lincolns. "I'm holding you to you this, you know," she said a moment later. "And there will come a day when I won't take no for an answer."

"I know," chirped Lincoln with a similar mind. "And when that day comes, I won't refuse. But I should get you home before the bottom falls out."

Nodding, Lucy pulled herself together and stood at the waterway's opening again, waiting for her brother to join her. As Lincoln took her hand in his, intimately interlocking his fingers with her, they began the long, slow walk home through the darkness of the thick forest.

Finding it difficult to navigate, much less move within the dense undergrowth, Lincoln suggested they make their way to the highway instead. Eagerly agreeing, Lucy joined Lincoln in climbing the embankment only to get blinded by the occasional passing vehicle's lights.

Not long after heading down the old road, thick sheets of rain began pouring upon them, dousing them thoroughly, making them second guess themselves. The trees would've made a good cover, even if the thorns slowed them down.

However, before either of them could voice their concern, a state patrolman pulled over, lights already flashing as he headed their way.

"Alright," sighed Lynn, Senior, into his phone. "I see," he acknowledged a moment later. "Thank you so much!" the man finally said before hanging up. Then, turning to his nervous wife and children, he gave them some good news. "Apparently, a highway patrolman has already found them and is bringing them home now," he informed everyone. "A few concerned drivers noticed them and called it in already."

"Oh! Thank God!" cried Rita, collapsing into the recliner and sobbing into her hands, temporarily setting aside Lincoln's silent confession and Lynn's assertions regarding their sister, Lucy.

"Are they alright?" whimpered Leni, eager to know what happened to them.

"Yes, honey," their father replied. "Cold and wet, but in good condition," he continued, peeking through the curtains, awaiting their arrival.

Five minutes later, the cruiser pulled up to the curb outside their home, and Lynn watched as the officer stepped out to open the back door, letting his children out, wrapped in thick woolen blankets. Then, as duty dictated, the officer escorted the children to the front door, passing them into the custody of their parents.

"Thank you so much, officer!" chirped Rita, shaking the man's hand wildly.

"Yes," agreed Lynn, not yet filled in on the details. "I don't know what made Lucy wander off like that, and we'll have a long talk with her later. For now, it's good to know they're safe."

"You're welcome, sir, ma'am," the officer responded politely, tipping his before turning to leave.

Only Lucy had refused to enter the house and started tugging on the officer's shoulder. Stopping and facing her, he got the feeling there was something she wanted to tell him.

"Yes?" the officer inquired. "Did you forget something in my car?"

"No, I..." stammered Lucy, glancing at Lincoln for support.

Lincoln smiled and nodded at his sister, leaning against the open door behind his parents.

"Sir..." Lucy muttered. "You know that boy the police found behind Gus' Games and Grub earlier? Well, I'm the one who killed him," she said, silent tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

The officer stared at her for a moment, then got out his flashlight and looked over. Her story held up from the wound on her lip and the stains on her hands and jeans. However, he knew something she didn't.

"I see," the officer told her, going to one knee and resting his hand on her shoulder. "Here's the thing, the boy didn't die," he informed Lucy. "You gave him quite a beating, but he only got knocked unconscious. He awoke on the way to the hospital and confessed everything," he began wrapping up. "You're in the clear, little lady."

"What?" gasped Lucy, unable to believe what she heard. "I am? He did?" she struggled. "I mean..." she mumbled before losing consciousness from all the emotional and physical stress.

"Whoa, there," chirped the officer, catching her before she hit her head. Then picking her up, he handed Lucy to her father, bid them farewell, and left as Rita closed and locked the door.

While Lynn laid Lucy on the couch, Rita faced Lincoln sternly, folding her arms. While she was mostly relieved that her children had returned safely, she was still highly furious over the whole affair.

"Lincoln!" she scolded him. "What were you thinking? You were supposed to be resting and healing, not out looking for your sister!"

"Mom..." sighed Lincoln, averting his gaze and pulling the woolen blanket tightly around him. "I wasn't out looking for her. She returned for me, insisting we had to leave without telling me why. So, I went with her. Otherwise, she'd have gone alone and..." Lincoln explained, letting his latter thoughts trail off.

"Alright..." muttered his mother, still angry but appeased for now. "Go on upstairs, honey," she ordered. "Dry off and get ready for bed. We'll talk more about this tomorrow."

Obediently nodding, Lincoln headed upstairs to take a shower and prepare for bed. And as he stood in the warm water, washing away the mud, he began to wonder about the officer's announcement that Chandler had admitted everything, leading to Lucy being in the clear.

Something didn't add up. Why would Chandler, of all people, admit to anything, much less something terrible enough to get himself beaten up? The boy's family was pretty well off, and Chandler had always felt overly entitled to just about everything. His sudden change didn't sit right.

At least one good thing came out of things. Lucy was safe. Even if Chandler tried something once healed, he wouldn't get away with it. The boy had already admitted to harassing her, and his parents, whatever their view of him was before, would unquestionably believe any further reports.

However, the question of his and Lucy's feelings towards each other was still prevalent. His parents knew how he felt about her, so it wasn't difficult to think they might catch on to her feelings. Whatever restrictions they handed down to him didn't concern him, though. He loved her regardless.

After shampooing and conditioning his hair, he soaped up his body, ensuring he avoided his cuts and abrasions. Though the cleanser would act as a disinfectant, it stung. Then, rinsing himself off, he shut off the spigot, stepped out to dry off, then headed to his room.

Lincoln was sore and tired, in desperate need of sleep, and didn't remain conscious long. Before surrendering to the night, his last thought was to visit Chandler at the hospital the next day, if for no other reason than to try and see what was going on with him.

Downstairs, Lucy finally began to stir, waking to her mother diligently wiping her face clean with a warm, wet washcloth. Her touch was light, and the warmth of the cloth soothing. After fully opening her eyes, she noticed her father sitting on the coffee table nearby.

"What happened?" Lucy sighed, struggling to sit up.

"You passed out once you heard that Chandler had survived, absolving you of any wrongdoing," her mother cooed.

"I see..." muttered Lucy, avoiding their eyes. "May I go to bed now?" she pleaded, not wanting to discuss things further.

"Not just yet, honey," Lucy's father informed her. "There's something else we need to discuss with you first."

"What?" inquired Lucy, hoping it wasn't what she thought it might be.

"Well..." sighed Rita, unsure how to begin the discussion. "Your father and I are concerned that you might have done what you did because you believe yourself to be in love with your brother," she explained.

It had been what Lucy feared, and she swallowed with difficulty.

"W-what would make you think that?" sputtered the nervous girl.

"You only got a busted lip," her father reminded her. "You've had worse just horsing around here. That's not enough to drive you to revenge," he explained. "And, I've never known you to be that forward about retribution," he finished.

"One of your sisters said she was afraid you had done it because you were in love with him," her mother added. "She thought you might have confronted Chandler in retaliation for hurting the one you love."

"Lynn..." moaned Lucy, staring at her blood-stained hands as they lay idle in her lap.

"So?" surmised her mother. "It's true then?"

Despite her parents not being able to see them, Lucy closed her eyes for a moment, sighed, then faced her mother and father, resigning herself to whatever fate held for her.

"It's true," she groaned. "I'm in love with Lincoln."

Rita withdrew her hand and pursed her lips. Then, turning to her husband, she suggested having another talk with their son while she handled their daughter. And after taking a long, drawn-out breath, Lynn stood and silently headed upstairs.

"Sweetheart..." Rita cooed, bending a little to try and see her daughter's eyes. "You know that siblings aren't supposed to feel that way about each other. Right?" she said in her best motherly voice.

"I know," acknowledged Lucy. "But..."

"But what, baby?" Rita prodded after her daughter failed to finish her thought.

"But..." Lucy said again, "I don't care. I'm in love with him, and there's nothing anyone can say that will ever change that."

"Darling, I get it," her mother cooed. "Lincoln came to your rescue, and now you feel indebted to him. That, mixed with your familial love for him, has confused you."

"No, Mom," Lucy barked. "I'm not confused at all!"

"Then, please," begged her mother. "Tell me why. Why do you love him?"

"I could ask you the same thing! Why do you love Dad?" Lucy retorted, irate at the inquisition. "Sure, we could list a hundred different legitimate reasons, but in the end, they're all subjective," she harshly continued. "Nobody knows for sure why people fall in love. They just do, and I'm not going to sit here and try to justify it."

Rita knew that her daughter was well-read and knowledgeable in matters of the heart. But Lucy was still a juvenile and wasn't prepared for such an answer. Her daughter was correct, and her reply left little to debate.

"Alright," conceded Rita in a caring tone, though slightly irritated. "Maybe I can't change your mind, but it's still illegal. Do you want your brother to go to jail?"

"No..." whimpered Lucy. "But it shouldn't be illegal. That's stupid! We can keep things under wraps until we're old enough to move somewhere it isn't!" she cried. "There's got to be somewhere..."

"Maybe," sighed Rita. "But, honey," she cooed, running her fingers through her daughter's damp hair. "You're only nine. Don't you think this will pass? Besides, can you handle being so close to him without wanting things to go further if it doesn't? Lincoln is older than you. What if he can't wait and you eventually get pregnant? You're not physically mature enough to handle that. You could die, you know."

"I don't know..." sighed Lucy, her tears finally becoming visible on her cheeks. "We can use birth control..." she muttered, desperately wanting her mother to be on her side, feeling attacked from every angle.

"Oh, honey..." sighed her mother. "No doctor on the face of the earth will prescribe birth control to a nine-year-old, especially when their partner is their brother."

"So..." whispered Lucy, unable to speak any louder due to her emotional state. "He can use condoms," Lucy suggested.

"True," admitted Rita, smiling. "But they aren't guaranteed and sometimes break. Are you willing to risk your life over that?" she continued, brushing Lucy's hair from her eyes. "You know, I bet Lincoln isn't."

"Oh, God!" Lucy cried, holding her head in her hands, remembering Lincoln had refused to make love to her in the tunnel for similar reasons. "Why am I such a freak!" she wept.

"Baby..." cooed her mother as she wrapped her arms around her daughter, pulling her into a reassuring embrace. "You're not a freak. You're a perfectly normal little girl, who's struggling to find herself," she informed her daughter. "And, you will. You have the rest of your life to worry over nonsense like this. And, in time, you'll find the right person for you. Just," she added, "not your brother. Okay?"

"No!" barked Lucy defiantly, breaking her mother's embrace and coming to a stand. "It's not okay! Lincoln IS the right person for me. I'm sorry that you can't see that, but it's true," she belted. "I'm done here!" she declared, briskly running to the stairs, heading off to shower and go to bed.

Rita sighed heavily and fell back against the couch. While she might not have gotten her daughter to see reason, she gave Lucy some excellent advice, which she knew would sink in eventually. Or so the distressed mother hoped. In the meantime, all she could do was wait for Lynn to finish with Lincoln.

Padding up the stairs and stopping before his son's door, Lynn knocked firmly enough to ensure that Lincoln awoke.

"Lincoln," he called. "May I come in?" he asked, hoping the show of respect for his son's privacy might alleviate any tension he felt.

"Yeah," replied Lincoln, a little muffled sounding. "It's unlocked."

After quietly entering, Lynn closed the door behind him and sat on the edge of Lincoln's bed without turning on the light. Sometimes, children felt better telling their parents things when they didn't have to see their disappointed or angry faces.

"Hey, son," Lynn said calmly. "First, I want to let you know how proud I am that you stayed by your sister's side and kept her from doing anything that might have endangered her and for bringing her home," he informed his son, beginning with praise. "But..." he added a moment later. "We need to talk about this thing you and she share."

"Thing?" Lincoln muttered indignantly. "You mean love?"

"Mmhm," hummed his father. "We've already gone over this, and I thought I made myself clear. You aren't to pursue Lucy."

"No," stated his son. "All you made clear was your opinion. While I might have had doubts before, after everything that's happened, I'm certain I'm in love with her. I'm sorry, Dad, but that's how it is."

"Son..." Lynn said firmly. "It's not only illegal, but it isn't socially acceptable to date your sister. Now, please, stop this nonsense!"

"It's not nonsense!" barked Lincoln in defiance of his father. "I know all that, but none of it matters!" he yelled, sitting up and tapping his chest. "I know how I feel, and nothing will change that! I'm not stupid, you know. It's not like I'm going to get her pregnant or anything. I know how young she is. Do what you want, but it's not going to change anything!" he finished before flopping into the bed again and covering his head. "Now, please, I need some sleep," he said. "I'm tired, sore, and done discussing this. Goodnight!"

"Alright," sighed Lynn, knowing when to step back and let a child vent. "We'll discuss this more later. Goodnight," he concluded before leaving his son's room.

Heading downstairs to the master bedroom, Lynn tried to process his conversation with his son. Having been unable to reach Lincoln regarding his feelings towards his sister, the distraught father had difficulty seeing a resolution save separating them.

However, he didn't want to send either child to live with a relative. Choosing who would go would prove heartbreaking. Entering their room, Lynn sat quietly on the bed, clasping his hands and staring at the carpet while Rita paced.

Still considering his options, Rita interrupted his thoughts as she began summarizing her conversation with Lucy. Following that, Lynn recounted his with their son. And now that they were both in sync, all that was left was deciding how to handle the situation.

"So," muttered Lynn, lightly tapping his thighs. "What should we do?"

"I don't know," sighed Rita, sitting beside her husband. "They seem to love each other an awful lot. We can't send either to live with Ruth, and we can't watch them one hundred percent of the time, even with all their siblings."

"Yeah..." sighed Lynn, feeling his wife's head rest on his shoulder. "When we started having kids, I envisioned going through all kinds of scenarios, but this wasn't one of them," he informed his wife, thinking across time. Lynn then chuckled and shook his head while Rita gazed at him. "It's funny..." he muttered. "I'm reminded of how stubborn we were when our parents didn't want us dating. I mean, we couldn't explain it either, defiant to the last."

"Yes," sighed Rita, recalling for herself. "But we weren't related. My parents thought you weren't good enough, and yours thought I was taking you away from them."

"I don't know, honey..." whispered Lynn. "Maybe..."

"Maybe, what?" Rita asked, unsure where her husband's thoughts lay.

"This is just a thought," Lynn answered after pausing. "But what if we didn't stand in their way?" he suggested. "If we do, they'll most likely rebel and pursue each other anyway. This way, they won't need to hide things, and we keep our noses to the ground."

"Why Lynn!" gasped Rita in astonishment. "I know you were progressive, but..."