It was a dark and stormy night and 4-year-old Lincoln was on his own for the first time. He had his own room and had been told to get used to it, that his sisters wouldn't always be there for him. Thunder boomed outside and it seemed doubtful that the white-haired boy would ever be able to go to sleep. And then, the door to his room creaked open.
"Lincoln?" It was Lynn Jr., his 6-year-old sister. "Are you awake?"
"Lynn?!" Young Lincoln was surprised to see her. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to check on ya!" she said. "I know you're afraid of storms, and it's pretty loud tonight."
"Well, thank you," said Lincoln, feigning pride. "But that was the old Lincoln. Now I'm a big boy with his own room and I don't-" KRAKABOOM! "Eeeeeeeeeeeeek!"
"Uh-huh. Yeah, sure. Totally not scared." Lynn Jr. started to get into Lincoln's bed, not about to leave him alone, even for his first night in his own room. "Come on, it's cold out here. Let me in."
"Dad wouldn't want you to come in here tonight."
"Then he can say it to me in the morning. It's not like I'm afraid of him."
"He says I need to get used to being alone in my own room, that I'm not gonna always have you around to help me."
"Well, he's wrong! Dads can be wrong too. You're always gonna have me around to help you," Lynn Jr. said warmly to her little brother, holding his hands as they lay in bed together. "No one's gonna stop me from doing that, not even Dad or Mom. So it's fine if you're still scared of thunderstorms. I'll be there for you to make sure you're okay. It's like you said - you'll always have me. And I know I'll always have you." The two children smiled at each other.
Lincoln and Lynn Jr. exited the court building together. Police escort was waiting for Lincoln's older sisters to see to it that they would serve juvie time.
"Can't believe it's come to this," said Lynn Jr.
"I know," said Lincoln.
"Who'd have thought this one incident would... destroy us?"
"I certainly didn't expect it either. I just wanted my family to love me again."
"Lincoln!" Lori's voice was heard as she and the other older sisters exited the building. "Where'd you run off to?"
"I... had a talk with the judge for a bit," Lincoln answered.
"What did he say?" asked Luan.
"Nothing that would lighten your sentences," Lincoln grumbled sadly. "He just wished me well."
"That was still nice of him, bruh," said Luna.
"The man did what he had to do," said Lori. She then noticed the police escort for herself. "I guess we'll worry about arrangements being made for us after we serve our time. It's only three days for us, right?" She obviously referred to herself, Luna, and Luan.
"I got a month," groaned Lynn Jr. "And I'm headed to Hazeltucky. Ironic, really."
"Just try not to cause any trouble," said Lincoln.
"Oh, I am so through with that, so I won't."
"I only got community service," said Leni. After a minute, all four sisters and Lincoln shared a group hug.
"See you soon, Linc," said Lori. "Please take care." She walked towards the police with Luna and Luan, but Lynn Jr. remained behind for a bit, looking at Lincoln with sad eyes. He did the same.
"I really thought we'd be together forever," said Lynn Jr.
"I guess the years were not impressed," said Lincoln. They shared another hug, just the two of them. "I'll... see you in a month," he murmured.
"I'll miss you," said Lynn Jr., starting to cry again. After releasing their hug, she planted a kiss on Lincoln's cheek, something that Lincoln thought she'd never do after all these years. Lincoln and Leni watched sadly as the police drove off with their sentenced sisters.
"Ah, finally." Officer Schoffner stepped out of the building carrying Lily. She then handed the infant over to Leni. "Here. You have no idea how much of a struggle it was back there."
"What happened?" asked Leni.
"Where are my parents?" asked Lincoln.
"You don't wanna know," said Schoffner, rubbing her temples.
"I'm sorry, ma'am," said Leni. "I thought Lily would behave better than that."
"She did behave," said Schoffner. The eyes of Lincoln and Leni became the size of dinner plates as Lincoln's youngers sisters stepped out of the building, looking as if they just cried their eyes out. While Lucy still looked plain sad, Lola and Lana were hugging each other and still weeping.
"I hope never to see... what I just saw... ever again..." said Lucy.
"Mommy and Daddy got busted!" bawled Lola.
"We're never gonna see them agaiiin!" wailed Lana.
"Well," said Lisa, trying to hold it together despite her voice cracking. "I-if you want to get technical... it's ten years for... our mother, and... and..." Lisa couldn't finish her sentence, or at least didn't dare repeat the father's sentence. To recap, it was 12 years in prison without parole and an overall fine of $2,100.
"Oh, girls..." said Lincoln, kneeling down and opening his arms to his younger sisters. Lola and Lana charged forward, half blinded by tears, and made it to Lincoln first.
"What's gonna happen to us?!" cried Lana.
"I don't wanna die alone!" wailed Lola dramatically. "I WANT MY MOMMY!"
"Girls, you are not going to die," said Schoffner. "Listen, we're making arrangements for you as we speak. We're convincing a few good people to take you in until we can find suitable families for you."
"I DON'T WANT ANY OTHER STUPID FAMILY!" shrieked Lola, doing her best not to throw a tantrum as she was still in Lincoln's embrace. "I WANT MY FAMILY! GIMME MOMMY AND DADDY BACK!" Poor Leni looked like she was about to have a mental breakdown herself, the sight of the little ones sobbing their eyes out being enough to make anyone cry, no matter how stone-faced. Yet Officer Schoffner still held it together almost perfectly.
"And this is probably why they need other people to raise them properly," she sighed.
"You lose!" shouted Wonklin to the Loud parents, wrapping up the case inside the courtroom. "Case dismissed!" He pounded his gavel and some of the audience began to leave, some in dismay.
"How could you do a thing like this?!" cried Rita. "You've destroyed our family! You're an inhuman beast!"
"I said case dismissed!" came Wonklin's final word. While the entire Loud family cried their guilty tears and the judge finally left the scene, Officer Schoffner simply looked on, like the sentences were practically well deserved.
"Do you think the twins can at least stay together?" asked Lincoln?
"Certainly," said Schoffner.
"And... I'm sorry to ask this, but... is there any chance of... of..." Lincoln couldn't finish as if the answer to his question was an obvious no. Schoffner knew it too.
"Doubtful," she sighed. "There's only your mom having a chance of getting out early if she has good behavior. But even then, it could be extremely difficult for her to get her parental rights back."
"I still say we're sunk," said Lucy.
"Actually," said Officer Schoffner, showing a smile. "You still have some family left." She nodded towards the building as Albert and Myrtle stepped out. Albert was a bit distressed, but looked like he was ready to move on.
"My daughter's a fine mess right now," he grumbled. "But I still can't believe she would-"
"POP-POP!" The four younger Loud sisters rushed out of Lincoln's hold and swiftly hugged Albert.
"We're so sorry for what we did to Lincoln!" cried Lola. "Just don't abandon us!"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" All four girls cried their eyes out.
"These... must be your grandchildren," said Myrtle.
"They are," said Albert. "But only the young'uns are here." Lincoln slowly walked to his granddad who gently rustled his white hair. "Girls, I'm afraid I cannot look after you personally because I live at the Sunset Canyons Retirement Home, and they only do visiting hours, but Myrtle here will look after you."
"Gee," said Myrtle, a tad worried. "Looking after five of you might be a bit too much, but Al has told me so much about you!"
"The twins want to stay together," Lincoln advised. "So there's them."
"I suppose I could take little Lily as well," Myrtle added. "But there's one condition. You girls will need to behave to ensure that I can help look after you in any way I can. Do what you're told when you're told. This will mean helping with Lily as well. Can you do that?"
"We'll do anything!" said Lana.
"The truth is... I actually don't have a family of my own."
"You don't?" said Lincoln.
"That's right," said Myrtle. "So I'm only too happy to take you in and get to know you better, and all of you in time."
"What about us?" asked Lucy, referring to herself and Lisa.
"You can always visit," said Myrtle. "But I think you'd better listen to Officer Schoffner for now."
"That's right," said Schoffner. "Lucy, Lisa, Leni, we got a couple of families lined up for you. So let's get a move on!" Lincoln, Lucy, and Lisa quickly hugged Myrtle before the latter two went with Schoffner in her police vehicle so she could give them a lift.
"Alright, you kids go with Myrtle now," said Albert to Lola and Lana. Leni handed Lily over to Myrtle.
"Please take care of them," said Leni. And then she went with Schoffner.
"Lincoln, it's time for us to be going as well," Albert then told his only grandson.
"Why do I feel so alone?" said Lincoln, beginning to tear up.
"You won't be," said Albert, putting his warm hand on the boy's shoulder. "You already know who's looking after you, right?" And with that, he and Myrtle left with the twins and baby Lily. Lincoln let out a deep sigh, hands in his pockets. He then addressed the viewers for the first time since everything began.
"I did want to be somebody," he said. "And I did want to get out of what I was going through. But I never imagined that all this would happen. I guess I have no choice... but to move on with my life. I am... who I choose to be."
"Lincoln!" A familiar voice called out to him. Lyra had just exited the building, waving to the white-haired boy. "Hey, you. Let's go home." Smiling a bit, Lincoln began walking to her and then broke into a run, heading for her open arms.
"Rewrite the Stars" original fanfic created by user UnderratedHero