Lincoln stood before his family, all ten of his sisters and his mother, still holding Lyra's arm. The father was sadly not present, as he had been detained for breaking his house arrest and perhaps his own mental health beginning to crumble under the interrogation of Officer Gavelyn in addition to his own frantic delusions. For several seconds, nothing seemed to happen. And then, little Lily suddenly made the first move.
"Inkin!" Lily got out of Rita's hands and walked over to where Lincoln was standing, her arms outstretched. Lincoln bent down to her level and with a small smile held out his arms. "Inkin." Lily toddled right into his arms and Lincoln held her in a hug, making for quite an adorable sight. But his smile didn't last long as he began to cry again, holding Lily warmly.
"Lily..." he sobbed. "I missed you..." Lyra rubbed his shoulders as he cradled his baby sister.
"Inkin..." murmured Lily.
"Linky!" said Leni, coming over and hugging her little brother after Lily was handed back to Rita. "Somehow I had a feeling you'd come. Somehow I knew!" Leni wiped away Lincoln's tears and he gave her a sad smile. Leni then looked right at Lyra. "You're her... Lincoln's caretaker... Lyra." Lyra gave Leni a soft smile, knowing this sister was Leni, the one who saved Lincoln, instead of getting pouty with her and the others. "I'm so sorry," Leni said to her, but Lyra shook her head.
"What's done is done," she said. "Yes, I was disappointed and frustrated during that phone conversation. But it's not my place to stay mad."
"We're already going to be punished," said Rita.
"No doubt," Lyra sighed. "The Michigan state law does intend to set an example... even if they might be exploiting this family to that end. Despite the circumstances, it's nice to meet you all." Rita and her daughters nodded. The Loud mother then approached Lincoln after Leni. Bending down to his level, she gently touched the top of his head and then steadily caressed his cheek. After at least a week, Rita's baby boy was really there, in front of her. Lincoln gradually raised his own hand to touch his mother's warm hand, holding it against his cheek. As she felt her son's hand, she noticed how badly Lincoln had been mentally scarred from the bad luck fiasco. She could see it in his eyes.
"My... my baby..." Rita whispered to Lincoln. Fresh, large tears suddenly formed in his eyes and rolled down his cheeks as he let out a muffle. Rita finally broke down herself, hugging her son after what felt like forever, far too long for any parent to be separated from a child. "Lincoln... I'm so sorry..." she cried. Lincoln was crying as well, but in his state of mind, it sounded like he was stifling his sobbing. Seeing Lincoln cry with fresh tears falling from his face was heartbreaking for each of the Loud sisters to look at. "One at a time, girls," Rita reminded them gently. And so, one by one, each sorry sister steadily approached Lincoln and he allowed them all to share a big hug with him. He even let both Lola and Lana hug him at the same time. When it was Lori's turn, they just looked at each other for a moment. Their sad faces were not that much different. Lori knelt down to Lincoln's level and gently took her little brother into her arms, both of them crying and holding each other tenderly.
"You're home," cried Lori. "You're here. I missed you." Lincoln made a few muttering sounds in between his cries. "Oh, Linc..." Lori knew that she too had threatened Lincoln with physical harm just as Lynn Jr. did as well. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry for everything I did..." Speaking of Lynn Jr., when it was her turn, she was practically beyond grief, almost a shaking mess. It was like she was afraid to even touch her little brother, but this time luck had nothing to do with it. So she took several deep breaths and then tried to talk to him.
"I... I remember everything," she said. At first, Lincoln didn't quite understand, so Lynn Jr. began to go into detail. "So many... wonderful memories..." She smiled a bit. "You... and me... The times we always played together... back when we were roommates." She chuckled softly. "The house wasn't so big back then, was it?" Lincoln's eyes lit up as he started to remember.
"My sisters..." he said. "They always wanted you to take things down a notch... W-we made a promise, didn't we?" Lynn Jr.'s lip trembled and she nodded.
"I... I would always have you... even if I pushed everyone else away..." Tears streamed down her face. "But I pushed you away... And this... this..." She held herself and wept quietly, her head looking down to the floor. It was like they didn't have to say anything. There was a time when they were close and Lynn Jr. cut through her little brother like soft cheese. She staggered over to Lincoln, fell into his arms, and continued to cry.
"Lynn..." murmured Lincoln, holding his sister in his embrace. "Don't cry."
"This is what I'm talking about," said Lynn Jr., as she did years before. "You're too nice! I don't deserve it. Why am I like this?" She sniffled. "And all you do is just get taken advantage of... and you never deserved it."
"I always did tell my sisters... I-I could take care of myself..." said Lincoln, starting to cry himself. "But I didn't... did I? I put all of you ahead of me..."
"Because you loved us!" sobbed Lynn Jr., bringing herself to look into her brother's eyes at last. Large tears dripped down her face, which made Lincoln start crying. "We overworked you that week... you had limitations, and we didn't respect that... But dear God, Lincoln, you should have limitations on how selfless you can be!"
"Lynn..."
"Leni told us what you said... after the way we treated you..." Lynn Jr. choked. Lincoln gasped slightly, also knowing what he said.
"I hate it here!" His voice was somewhat muffled, but Leni could hear him perfectly. "I wish I could get out of this place! They don't love me anymore..."
"Lincoln..." said Lynn Jr. "You... you got what you wanted..."
"No!" said Lincoln. "Not like this!"
"You know what's gonna happen! How can we be together forever now?!" Lincoln looked away, his lip trembling, but then he looked back to his jock sister, smiled.
"We can," he said. He then put his hand on his heart. "Right here." And just like that, on came the waterworks. Lynn Jr. began bawling as she hugged her brother again, for dear life this time. The other sisters were just as touched, letting out tears of their own, even Lisa.
"Lincoln, that is literally the sweetest thing you've ever said in your life!" Lori blubbered. "I don't even know if we deserve it!"
"Lincoln," said Rita. "I want you to promise me something."
"But Mom, I..." Lincoln started to say.
"Lincoln, please listen to your mother," insisted Rita. "It may be the... the last time I can even be your mother..." More tears slipped down Lincoln's cheeks. "Promise me," Rita continued. "If you are to testify against us... do it. Be honest and truthful."
"Mom..."
"If the court and state law want us, then it's just how things are... and we can't fight it." Rita made a valid point, but Lincoln then remembered what Lyra assured him of before.
"Where will I go then?" asked a worried Lincoln. "I'd have to be put in some foster home with people don't love me." Lyra put her hand on Lincoln's shoulder and shook her head.
"That won't happen, Lincoln."
"Huh? It won't?"
"It won't." Lyra smiled sweetly at Lincoln. "I promise."
Lincoln also thought back that even if he was taken in by a new family, things might not be so bad in the long run. By visiting his family, he had begun to at least make peace with them, even if after everything was said and done, he would no longer be living with them.
"I'm sorry," Lincoln said.
"We understand," said Rita. "All we ask is that you stay strong... for all of us." Lincoln got into one last group hug with his sisters and mother.
"I will. I promise."