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

Dark Beginnings

By Lola Presents

Chapter 8 - Confrontation

The Thursday following Lucy's attack, Chandler finally returned to school. With bandaging no longer required, people could see the extent of his injuries. Stitches riddled his face and upper body, and the humbled young man tried to hide his shame with oversized clothing draped in layers.

As he wandered up to Mr. Bolhofner's class, he reminded himself of his promise to himself and his parents that he'd not cause any more problems. Like any child, Chandler wanted his parents to be proud of him. But it was more than that. He wanted to be proud of himself.

The inexplicable crush on Lucy that he'd harbored for the past two years had already caused enough grief, knowing that his parents wouldn't have approved. Chandler's feelings got twisted after his friends teased him over it, and he struck her instead of telling her how he felt.

Peer pressure and denial are challenging at any age, let alone as a hormonal young teenager. Chandler had allowed his friends' opinions to influence him. And despite the boy's reputation, he was ultimately a coward. But that was no excuse. Hurting Lucy was his doing.

Arriving to class a little early to avoid the rush, Chandler stopped some distance away, noticing Lincoln and his friend talking outside the overly hot shed. When it looked like the two were finishing up, Chandler walked over to them with the aid of one crutch.

"Hey, uh..." he stammered. "Cloud. Right?" he inquired, never having paid attention to the boy's name before. "Do you mind if I speak with Lincoln for a moment? You know, alone?"

Clyde looked nervously at Lincoln, raising one brow until his friend nodded favorably.

"Yeah, sure..." muttered Clyde before walking off. "But my name is Clyde, not Cloud."

"Cloud?" repeated Lincoln, trying to figure out how Chandler had mistaken his friend's name so badly.

"Well, yeah..." grumbled Chandler. "You're always referring to yourselves as Lincoln-n-Cloud. Right?"

"Uh, actually..." sighed Lincoln, rubbing one arm. "It's Clincoln McCloud. It's a friendship mash-up. Anyway, what do you need?"

The injured boy shifted his weight and furrowed his brow. It was only a tentative beginning despite having opened up to Lincoln at the hospital. Throughout the years, he'd not given Lincoln any reason to think well of him, and he knew any dialog would be anything but cordial, especially regarding his sister. Nevertheless, he pressed on.

"How's Lucy?" whispered Chandler lowering his gaze somewhat. "I've been worried about her."

"She's fine," Lincoln informed the chastised boy. "I mean, she has a little scar, but it'll fade."

Chandler pursed his lips as he leaned against his crutch. After closing his eyes to gather his resolve, he opened them again and said what he needed to before losing his nerve.

"Lincoln," he began, low and quiet. "This will sound weird, but could I walk home with you today after school?"

"Um, I guess?" murmured the confused boy. "But why?"

"Because..." sighed Chandler. "I need to apologize to Lucy and explain things personally."

"Yeah..." sneered Lincoln, his eyes narrowing. "I'm not sure she'd listen, much less give you the time of day."

"I know," admitted Chandler, closing his eyes in shame. "I messed up, big time. That's why I came to you beforehand."

"What do you mean?" inquired Lincoln, still peering at the boy.

"I don't know," sighed Chandler. "You're smart, and her brother. I'm sure you'll think of something to make her listen."

"Chandler..." Lincoln breathed heavily, his pulse agitated. "You can't make people listen, and you definitely can't make them fall in love with you, so if that's..."

"No, you misunderstand," Chandler interrupted. "I'm not asking you to force her. But could you at least encourage her? All I want is a chance to say I'm sorry and explain myself," he said.

"Fine..." agreed Lincoln. "I'll do what I can, but I can't promise anything. Only..." he stammered uncertainly. "What if your friends show up? Are you going to hit her again?"

Chandler closed his eyes and shook his head.

"No," he assured Lincoln. "I'm done with them. They're nothing but trouble. And if they show up, I'll tell them to fuck off."

"Well, that's a start," admitted Lincoln as the first bell rang. "See you after school."

When the final bell at the elementary school finally rang, Lucy left her class, and after talking briefly with Haiku by their lockers, she sighed and headed home. There were times when she'd ride the bus when the weather was extreme, but today was not one such day. Instead, she planned on walking home with her brother.

Hiking her bag comfortably over her shoulder, Lucy left the school grounds and plodded along the sidewalk. Eventually, stopping a block past the middle school, released fifteen minutes after the elementary, she sat on a nearby bench. She then pulled out her journal to write poetry while waiting on Lincoln.

During the past week, Lucy's hair had almost completely lost its unnaturally dyed color, and the crisp wind blew her blonde locks around her face. Wearing a black, knee-length denim skirt and a short-sleeve white blouse with puffy shoulders, she looked almost normal.

However, the red silk scarf she'd used to tie most of her hair into a ponytail bore a small skull emblem. And when a slight gust blew some loose strands into her mouth, Lucy sputtered and tried to fish them out with her hands before returning to her poem.

"Oh, cruel hands of fate," she wrote, followed by, "You gave me love in Lincoln," and to finish, she added, "and siblings irate."

While their parents had nominally conceded after issuing a few restrictions, their siblings were another matter. Lola and Lynn were the only ones to show any support, which was limited at best. The teasing and insults became less frequent as the days passed. However, that wasn't an indication of acceptance, merely tolerance.

When Lucy heard the scuffing of rubber-soled shoes upon cement, she quickly closed her journal and returned it to her bag. Expecting her brother, the solemn girl adjusted her hair and straightened her skirt before facing the footfalls, and her eyes widened in horror. Chandler's two goons walked up to her, stopping a few yards away, and glared at her.

"What do you want?" Lucy snipped, furrowing her brows at them, mentally preparing to run if necessary.

"What the fuck did you do to Chandler?" spat on the boys, pounding his balled fist into his open palm. "He hasn't talked to us since the accident."

"Accident?" gasped Lucy. "You have it wrong," she explained, hoping to intimidate them into leaving. "There was no accident. I clobbered him with a piece of wood for hurting my brother."

"That ain't possible," exclaimed the other boy. "He'd have kicked your ass. Now, tell me what you said to him!" he demanded, stepping ominously close to Lucy, reaching out for her neck.

"That's enough!" called a harsh voice behind them. "Stop it right now!"

"What?" gasped the two boys, turning to face the intruder. "Who do you think..." one began taunting before realizing who he was there. "Chandler?" he gasped. "Why are you defending this freak?"

"B-because..." stammered Chandler, unsure if he could voice his intentions in mixed company. But with a nudge and a nod from Lincoln, his resolve returned. "Because I'm in love with her, you stupid assholes, and I never should've let you intimidate me into denying it!"

"You..." gasped Lucy in disbelief, "...what?"

"Excuse me?" balked the shorter bully, nodding toward Lucy. "For a minute, I thought you said you were in love with this piece of shit..."

"Hey!" barked Lincoln, throwing one shoulder out. "That's my sister you're talking about!"

"I..." stammered Chandler, uneasy on his crutch. "I am. What of it?"

"Maybe..." said the taller one, squaring up to his former friend. "Maybe you're the freak," he said. "How about we show you what we do to freaks?"

Chandler tried his best to adjust his stance to something more intimidating but failed miserably. There was so much one could do while depending on a crutch to stand. And to Chandler's surprise, Lincoln stepped in between them.

"I have a better idea," exclaimed Lincoln. "How about you forget this nonsense and leave before Chandler calls his parents?" he suggested. "I'll vouch for him if you try anything. I'll bet they're itching to sue someone after everything that's happened. Besides, it's three against two, and I'm sure Chandler's crutch packs quite a wallop."

The taller boy sized up Lincoln but took a quick step back after Lucy's brother feinted a lunge at him. Then, turning to his partner and nodding, they hurriedly began walking away. As they left, Chandler took a seat on the aluminum bench and opened his bag, pulling out a clear plastic tube.

"Here," he said, offering it to Lucy, who stood still in shock. "This is for you. I'm sorry for everything," he apologized. "I know it isn't much and doesn't do anything to make up for what I did," he admitted. "But I had to do something. Lucy..." he mumbled. "I know you probably won't believe me, but..." he sighed, nearly losing his voice. "I love you."

Gingerly, Lucy reached out and accepted the gift, and closer inspection revealed a single black rose gently protected inside. For a moment, her heart fluttered. Chandler's actions a moment ago, standing up to his friends, hadn't wholly undone her resentment, especially for what he did to Lincoln, but it affected her all the same, leaving her utterly confused.

"I..." began Lucy timidly. "I don't understand..." she muttered. "Y-you hit me and got Lincoln beat up..."

"I know..." sighed Chandler as Lincoln watched cautiously. "I fucked up," he said, coming to a stand and throwing his bag over his shoulder. But before leaving, the McCann boy addressed her one final time. "I don't expect anything from you," he told her. "I only want to apologize and let you know how I felt about you."

As Lucy's hair idly floated in the wind, she held the plastic tube with both hands as Chandler disappeared down the sidewalk. Her heart pounded against her chest, waiting for something more to happen. But when Chandler vanished without looking back, not even once, something inside her broke, and she fell to her knees, crying.

"Lucy!" gasped Lincoln, kneeling beside her and draping one arm over her. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know, Lincoln..." Lucy whimpered, staring at the black rose within the container. "What am I supposed to do with this?" she cried. "Do you believe him?"

"I do," Lincoln sighed, averting his gaze and narrowing his eyes.

"But, what about us?" choked Lucy. "I can't..."

"Sh..." whispered her brother, hugging her tightly. "It's okay. I'm not jealous. Really," he informed her. "He loves you. So what? I love you more. You're my sister, and you're my girlfriend, too."

"But..." was the only word ringing through Lucy's mind as she stared down the empty sidewalk.

"Come on," chuckled Lincoln, helping his sister up. "Looks like I still have to pick you up, crying from the sidewalk, even when nobody hurt you," he teased. "Now, let's get you home."

Once home, Lucy bolted upstairs and into her room, where she dropped her things and buried herself under her covers. Why didn't Chandler tell her how he felt from the beginning? Why did the boy hit her? Even when they were alone in the alley, he could've said something.

While Lucy had long known that sometimes bullies behave the way they do because of domestic situations or because they liked someone and were afraid to admit it, nothing made sense to her. Then there was his romantic gift after standing up to his former friends.

As much as she loved her brother, Lincoln had never made such a gesture, let alone walk away afterward with no expectations. Burying her face into her pillow to silence her tears, Lucy stifled her confusion as much as possible. Though uninjured, her heart had betrayed her.

"Lucy?" prodded Lynn from her bed upon noticing the unusually still lump in her sister's bed. "Are you okay?"

"Not really," whimpered the confused young girl. "But I don't want to talk about it."

Lynn sighed in exasperation and sat on the edge of her bed, resting her elbows on her knees and tapping her interlocked hands against her chin.

"Did you get harassed again today?" she prodded. "Wasn't Lincoln with you?"

"Chandler, that boy that hit me and got Lincoln beat up," Lucy whined from under her covers. "He's in love with me," she exclaimed, though it was difficult to make out. "His friends tried to make trouble, but Chandler stood up to them, along with Lincoln," she continued. "Then, he apologized, told me he was in love with me and gave me this!" murmured Lucy, shoving the protected flower from under the covers.

Lynn took the thin tube and looked it over, frowning and wrinkling her forehead. Then, setting the gift on their shared dresser beside the abandoned statue of Edwin, Lynn took a seat on her sister's bed.

"So, he likes you," muttered the sporty girl. "Who cares? It's not like you're interested in him," she chirped, trying to lighten the mood. "Right?"

Opting not to respond, Lucy merely wrapped her covers around her more tightly and rolled over.

"Right?" repeated Lynn, growing concerned, and poked the covers, trying to rouse her sister.

"I..." whimpered the little goth, muffled by the layers upon her. "I don't know..."

"Lucy!" barked Lynn, standing up and facing the lump. "I can't believe you!" she exclaimed. "People don't hurt the ones they love and..." she began explaining before realizing something herself. "And I can't believe I'm saying this, but you and Lincoln belong together! Okay?" she pleaded. "You compliment each other so well. Please don't blow this over that asshole. I don't care how many of our sisters complain!"

Slowly, Lucy peered out from under the covers and looked at her sister.

"What if he gets even madder if I reject him?" Lucy sobbed. "And what about our siblings? They hate us being together! Even you hated it at first."

"Oh, my, God..." Lynn muttered, flapping her arms in frustration as she sat back down. "Lucy..." she began. "Lincoln is in love with you. He stood up to Chandler and got beat up for you. He came after you in the rain and protected you until you got home! He's never done anything but love you," she reminded her sister. "And you want to risk throwing that all away over someone who has only done the opposite? Lucy..."

"I'm sorry! Okay!" Lucy cried. "He's troubled, I know. But maybe if I..."

"No!" barked Lynn, standing up again and heading for the door in disgust. "You can't fix him," she warned her sister. "You can't fix people like that. Don't even go there. It's just stupid, and he'll only hurt you again later, should you make him mad." Then, after a moment's pause, "Lucy, the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and I can't believe you'd throw Lincoln's love away that easily. Now, I'm leaving before I say something I'll regret."

And with the slam of their door, Lucy was alone in her confusion.

The rest of the evening played out with tension and anxiety as a pall settled over the house. Despite her agitated mood, Lynn began squabbling with anyone who spoke out against Lincoln and Lucy being together. And though it took a while, Lola joined in, supporting the pair.

When dinner rolled around, everybody went silent, staring daggers at each other, and nothing their parents did or said alleviated the animosity in the room. Things deteriorated so severely that Lynn and Lola waited in another room while the rest took turns in line for the bathroom.

Turning their backs on their siblings, Lincoln led Lucy to the twin's room, where the other outcasts sat quietly in frustration.

"Hey guys," announced Lincoln as they entered. "Got room for two more?"

"Sure," sighed Lola, gesturing to the relative emptiness of the room. "Always room for you two."

"Thanks," mumbled Lucy, a little hesitant to speak after all the trouble she'd caused.

Lynn leaned backward, supporting herself with her arms, and stared at her sister intently. Lucy had always been hard to read, except when she was painfully obvious, and the sporty girl had no idea what ran through her sister's mind. Though she wanted to keep her confidentiality, some things were more important.

"Lucy," Lynn said, breaking the awkward silence. "You seem to be in a better mood. Have you worked things out? I'd hate to think I'm putting myself out there for you just to have it fall apart."

"Um..." muttered Lincoln, facing his love. "What's she talking about?"

"N-nothing..." stammered Lucy, turning slightly red. "It's only that Chandler's confession hit me pretty hard, and..."

"Wait!" gasped Lola, standing in surprise. "Lincoln has competition?"

"It looks that way," Lynn sighed, sitting up and crossing her legs.

"Is..." murmured Lucy's brother. "Is this true?"

"Lincoln!" barked Lucy, stepping back slightly. "I'm in love with you! Not him! But..." she pleaded. "He was sweet to do what he did today. What am I supposed to do? Ignore it?"

"Yes!" exclaimed Lynn and Lola simultaneously.

"I..." stammered Lincoln, unable to form words around his thoughts.

For almost a week, Lincoln had shared everything with Lucy. They'd had fun together, laughed, and played games. He even laid across her lap, helping her with her poetry. How could she even entertain somebody else, especially one who had never given her a reason to care before?

While Lincoln had been alright concerning Chandler's feelings for Lucy, things were different now that he knew that, in some small way, she wanted to say yes to him. Angry at himself for allowing the situation to occur, there was only one thing he could do, tell Chandler the truth.