A/N: My apologies for the delay, my PC died and I had to rebuild it from the ground up with new parts, but thankfully I didn't lose my data. PM me with any questions you guys or gals might have.
Disclaimer: The Loud House belongs to Nickelodeon and I do not make any money writing this fic.
Summary: It all began with an innocent look that soared the sporty girl and the man with the plan down a path not meant for them to take together, searing their hearts under siege. LynnColn
Siege of Hearts
Chapter 15
Around the World.
The sound of a door rammed close woke Lynn again from her slumber, passing a hand through her face with a resigned sigh.
Leaving the snoring young blonde behind, Lynn cracked her back before her nostrils were attacked by something good coming from the kitchen. Curiously, she made her way downstairs were Lucy, Luan, Leni, Lisa, Lola and Lily were in the kitchen seeing to various ingredients being chopped off and cooked on the stove by Leni, currently checking the contents of the stew, smelling it with approval. As soon as Lily saw her at the foot of the stairs, her elbow tapped Luan on her hips. The comedian saw her approaching and she immediately broke into a smile.
"Look who's back from the dead."
Lynn chuckled, sheepishly looking between her assembled sisters.
"My stomach woke me up." She shrugged. "Couldn't stay asleep forever."
"A brilliant ashment." Lisa grinned. "I shall keep recordsh when thish meal is over…"
Lynn was far too disturbed at being acknowledged for the very first time in years by her to react to her comment. Lisa hadn't meddled with the family in years…it was like travelling in time to a different time. She blinked in surprise at realizing that the scientist was eagerly waited for an answer.
"Gross." She muttered with fake revulsion and that was enough to have the scientist in stitches. What the hell was going on? Suddenly everyone was talking to her?
Lucy tilted her head. "Then I suppose is not too late to help us finishing up the stew?"
Lynn blinked in surprise at being addressed so politely for the second time, this time by a person that hadn't as even breathed the same air as hers. For years, Lucy had avoided her, hearing perhaps two words coming towards her in the years of animosity between them but she never had it in her for hating her guts.
Without missing a beat, she nodded.
"Let's get on with it!" Lola exclaimed with enthusiasm.
For the next forty-five minutes the sisters assembled together cutting the necessary ingredients for the stew. Lisa and Lucy were cutting onions and bell peppers, Lynn was in charge of preparing their rice maker, pouring generous amounts of chopped vegetables in it and letting it run with two cups of rice while at the same time boiling some eggs. Lola, Luan and Lily were busy chopping separate vegetables for their Loud house salad while Leni observed everything with an approving eye while eyeing the beef in the stew.
Lynn abstinently threw the shredded carrot bits at Lola's hair and the blonde hissed like a reptile, murdering her with a look before going back to her task. The spots girl grinned…it almost felt like old times, she twirled the carrot remains in her hands before sighing and discarding them to the trash.
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Inside her old room, Luna sighed as the smell reached her nostrils. Her guitar was left forgotten, propped against her old dresser. Her guts rumbled with fury…when had been the last time she had eaten something? She wrecked her brain for an answer and the blurred memories of eating some sandwiches on the road came back as her findings that it had been perhaps two days ago. By now, the white powder called for her but she dismissed those thoughts…it would be a time for that type of party later…that type of party was not reserved for the household…for now she needed substance, even if it meant dealing with the undesirable company downstairs. Stubbornly, she sighed and dealt with the hunger once more, her fleeing eyes looking downstairs before they cemented once more to the wooden ceiling, fingers absently tracing her colored locks.
Her face scrunched in a deep frown, snarling with repressed fury. The feeling of being betrayed had been one that have always been together with Luna ever since that night, the very night where the entire family had been torn apart and the events that just happened in the basement where once more a reflection of the kind of life she lived now. For years she hadn't needed the family, the glue that used to be there had all but gone with only her past memories was the only link she possessed towards the Louds, being part of them by name only.
Luna Loud was a person to be admired and respected…people chanted her name by the thousands. Her gigs had gone to almost astronomical levels in the thousands of fans as her band opened to other famous ones. Her name was quickly expanding through the entire East Coast and with the release of their first album, the world will know of her…wasn't this what she wanted?
Her mind quickly supplied her with something she had heard herself saying, at least the old her…All that matters is having fun…and the only time I have fun is doing it with you guys. It had been a different time, a time where her life hadn't crumbled into the mess of ecstasies and abuses that it was now, a time where she had lost herself into the abysm of her current life, far too gone for someone to reach her.
She wasn't happy.
That was for certain.
For as long as she could remember, the rage had consumed her and guided her every decision, even dating a person out of convenience to expand her career. Bruno was certainly fun…he had been easy to sway in the very beginning, but over the years he was too intertwined in her life to just let him go. He was important to her for only what he represented but this was her choice. Nobody but hers to live as she did and always, she faced the music…alone, behind the curtain nobody could see her raw. Everyone saw the rock diva, giving her best to entertain and light up every nerve on magma through the explosive music.
But nobody could see the song that played in her soul.
It was highly ironic.
She chuckled, licking her chapped lips.
To think that she sacrificed the entirely of Luna's Loud life to become the singer of The Louders, the things she had wanted the most to become who she was…a singer, a front man and a drug dealer to supply her vice and nobody could see it.
She almost lost herself to the irony of life, laughing with no humor left her.
Luna groaned, slapping a hand across her face…this is why she preferred to have something in her system, whatever angel dust or some whiskey, her mind always veered into this path when she wasn't shitfaced beyond what was capable for a human being. Sighing, the smell woke her up to what Lisa had said and internally she praised her cunning, it was exactly what she would have done in her place, after all, she wouldn't be in her current position without some plotting, influencing the scene behind the stage curtains.
Swinging her long leg back on the floor she patted her head to prepare herself in what she was about to do.
"Let's get this crap over with already." She hissed to herself before she made her way downstairs.
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Iraq, November 17th 2004.
Operation Phantom Fury
Fallujah Train Station, Alpha Outpost.
Once more, Lincoln dipped his face on the cold water that the reporter had brought in order to refresh him in the blistering hell that was Iraq, at over 130 degrees. Currently the entire Iron Horse tank batallion was assembled, with their tanks huddled together not too far from they were standing, Polly was far too busy to settle the shot with the cameraman to pay attention at anything else that was happening around her.
Dunkar oversaw the event with keen interest, Lincoln next to him in a relaxed posse, as his RTO, he was his person of confidence, running things with precision when he was absent. The other three Tank Platoon Commanders stood at the distance, dealing with their own crews, everyone waiting for the moment so they could get back to the battle but, men like Lincoln enjoyed the small break that seemed like a Godsent.
Occasionally the artillery pieces fired salvos, the ordnance resounding in the distance but not even Polly was paying attention to it, becoming nothing more than the background noise of the battle.
Lincoln kicked off a rock, sending it skidding across the field, Swabble was to quickly to put his fingers in an L shape across his forehead to which the Corporal quickly answered with the double bird. The approach of Polly and her cameraman immediately ceased their interaction.
"We're going live in two minutes." She informed the crew as Dunkar approached the huddled group, just behind Polly. "EVERYONE GATHER AROUND YOUR POSITIONS! We're going live soon!"
"That means don't do anything retarded fuck face, yeah! I mean you! Don't put your goddamn hands in your pockets!" One of the platoon leaders said sending the Marines to guffaw in laughter high in spirits. With a shake of his head, Master Gunnery Sergeant Dunkar was to quickly huddle. When they were told to look pretty the Battalion commander finally gave the good to go to upgrade to the 21st century and that included brand new MARPAT digital camo uniforms and coveralls. They shredded their old interceptor armor and instead switched to the current issue the MTV vest in coyote color. Their helmets were nice and new and their boots had been upgraded to brand new Danner boots.
The cameraman quickly gave the thumb ups to Polly and her in turn nodded, lifting a single digit towards the crews, who straightened in at eased up position, lying still.
"Twenty seconds!" The camera man screamed and suddenly just like that, the Marines were live and Polly started reporting.
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The table was being set up when Luna made her way downstairs, standing still at the display of her sisters and they in turn stood still like statues; Lynn in particular blinked setting the Loud salad in the center of the table staring at the musicians with a look that conveyed a wide range of emotions, fury being the prominent one. Leni immediately sensing the commotion was to quickly interject in the path of their view, blocking the stare war.
"Do you think you can help us to set the table? Mom and dad are going to be here soon."
Luna didn't answer for a few seconds, blinking, her hands squeezing and opening until finally she gave her a single nod, approaching the utensils cabinet helping Lola and Lisa to set the plates and the utensils on the table, Lynn never focusing on Luna for fear of doing something stupid, after all, the Loud residence was neutral ground. That didn't mean that she didn't feel the burning gaze of Luna, burning a hole through her body, her eyes flickering on and off her due their close proximity. This time it was Luan who interjected, jokingly slapping Luna's shoulder making the Rockstar to jump in surprise, whirling to her sister in disbelief.
"Hey, help me out with the stew would ya? I beefya it would do you good."
Luna couldn't help but to roll her eyes at the terrible pun but did as asked and just like that, the food was served evenly between the sisters. When it was Luna's turn to serve Lynn, she hesitated, a spoonful of the strew trembling. The sportsgirl was about to protest before the spoon came down, splattering the food in her plate with a slurpy sound. Her eyes stayed glued to the musician and only after she was done and passed to the next sister did she relax, exhaling noisily. Leni bit her lips throwing a worried look at the assembled sisters who looked between each other.
A door slammed upstairs, the sisters threw a knowing glimpse not surprised at the rapid approaching steps going downstairs, Lana ran so fast that she almost slipped off the floor, being saved only by waddling her arms, sitting down ungracefully and slamming her spoon on the table.
"Hi Lynn, everyone. Let's eat!" She licked her lips as a bowl of stew was served in front of her by Lucy, whiffing the air with ravenous hunger, her mouth opening in a pleasured gasp before she started eating and the rest of the sisters did as well, ignoring the sounds of slurping and other repugnant sounds from Lana. The tension in the air continued through the meals, it didn't help that every time that Lynn and Luna crossed gazes, Lynn started to chew louder and suddenly she desired nothing more than to stand up and excuse herself as she chewed faster and faster, slurping at her iced tea and slamming it back on the table, everyone but Luna jumped at the sound, even poor Charles and his cat companion jumped at the sound, waiting under the table as usual for a piece of two that would fall off, scattering back to the living room.
Luan could almost groan at the confrontation that was about to begin and everyone felt the pressure that was about to burst. The sound of a key inserted in the lock, keys jiggling and the front door opening caught everyone's attention, directing their gazes towards Mr and Mr.s Loud who were just arriving, blinking in surprise at all of their children minus two assembled. Lynn Sr. hummed, eyeing the stew but disregarded Lynn with a displeased frown that went away as soon as the rest of his children scowled. Rolling his eyes in resignation, he helped Rita with a few bags off groceries, bottles clinking together in another bag.
"Mom, dad…you want to sit down and eat with us?" The soft voice of Lily broke the tension, The Matriarch looked at her husband and he nodded.
"Why not?" Lynn Sr said emotionless, sitting down at the end of the table, Rita sat on his right, closer to Lynn. Luan was quick to serve them a steaming bowl of stew and iced tea and they dug in.
"How was your day, parental uniths?" The voice of Lisa cut the tension that threatened to come back, surprising everyone at her tenacity.
The Matriarch was quick to smile. "Good, good honey. Your father and I went to a delightful date…say, how is your work with the government working out for you?"
"Wonderful!" The voice of Lana came answering for Lisa. "She has all these Agent Smith's who do everything she wants in a whim! Some of them are so grumpy as heck."
"That's becaush you keep annoying dem shister. They have a job…their job ish not to ashemble a tent for you." The Scientist glared at her, fixing her glasses.
The family cackled, even the lips of Lynn Sr. quirked upwards in amusement.
Luan and Leni looked at each other and suddenly, it was like the days before the nightmare started.
"How's school Lynn?" Rita asked her daughter.
Luna had to stifle her lips, almost throwing a nasty remark at the question, Luan's and Lisa's glare stiffened the musician on the spot and she stayed quiet, taking a sip off her drink.
"Good, good…my grades are going up, I'm making a pretty buck working in the university supply store and pretty much everyone is easy going."
"Pretty sure you make money under the table." Luna sneered with a wink.
The sportsgirl was to quickly growl in boiling fury, under the table, Leni herself slammed her foot on the musician's knee making her jump. She didn't miss the crossed finger across the throat from Lisa and the glare of the twins. Sighing, the musician was to quickly restate her comment.
"I mean…its your scholarship that pays your bills, right?"
"Right." Lynn crossed her arms, her eyes glaring at the ceiling instead, barely controlling herself to not leap off the table and tackle her across the floor. The Matriarch saw the confrontation about to happen and slammed an elbow across Lynn Sr. side, who's apathy was not helping manners in the slightest and was in the process of taking a sip from his drink, spitting it all over his meal.
The twins laughed but Lynn Sr. didn't find it as amusing, brushing the droplets away with a napkin.
"What about you Luna? How's Detroit treating you?" He forced himself to speak for the sake of the normalcy of the situation at hand.
"Rocking so far. We've played many gigs around the city and off state lately and we're about to sign our first contract for an album with Mr. Shea firm…my dream will be a reality!"
"Surprised it took you so little time to do it, seems dating his son really opened the door's for you eh? Or maybe you opened something more than doors?" Lynn payed her back, smirking sadistically as the comment registered and the indication of Luna's angered visage was more than enough to make her stand up in fury.
The hands of Lynn Sr. slammed loudly on the table, the plates and utensils clanking loudly cut through the moment like hot knife in butter.
"Luna Loud! Sit your butt down." He directed his enraged gaze to Lynn. "Stop being a smart ass Lynn Loud Jr. This is my house! You are just welcome here thanks for your mother, if it was for me, you'll be outside, under a bridge. I don't want to heard a single word of bickering from neither of you, useless brats. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir." Lynn and Luna were to quickly answer, the musician sitting down staring at the ground.
"Finally, so why don't we watch a movie?"
A few minutes later the family was huddled together watching Jurassic Park 2 with the dissipated tension, the family could at least enjoy two hours of normalcy without trying to kill each other. Lynn and Luna sat at opposite corners of the couch, their attention concentrated in nothing else but the movie. A bowl of popcorn was passed to Lynn who took some before passing it down to Lana who didn't hesitate to get a fistful, shoveling it into her mouth with a hum of appreciation. When the movie was over, their parents were to quickly retire upstairs, throwing a last look at their daughters like a warning…behave or else.
Boringly Lana and Lily were surging through the channels as the rest of the siblings cleaned up the empty bowls, depositing them in the dish washer. Lynn and Lucy were cleaning the table, exchanging fleeing gazes between each other.
The sportsgirl had wanted to connect with Lucy ever since their falling down years ago and by the way that the Goth was looking at her, she knew that in her heart she desired the very same thing.
"Tonight?" Lynn asked her with a lead of weight into her stomach but was elated when she nodded, looking at a swift glimpse of her lips curving upwards. The moment was interrupted when Luna came towards her, her eyes immediately shifted to an acidic tone, almost scowling at her but she made a titanic effort to not ram her fist across her face.
"Yeah?"
Luna cleared her throat, under the vigilant gaze of everyone else.
"Help me dry the dishes?"
For a few agonizing seconds, everyone prepared for the worse, ready to pounce at the pair of things got nasty but were relieved instead when the sportsgirl shrugged her shoulders.
"Sure." She let on simply, walking back into the kitchen for their task, the rest of the sisters resumed their duties, stealing glimpses of the sisters, not daring to take them off their sight.
Luna was to quickly pile up the dishes off the dishwasher, passing one to Lynn who took it, dry it up with a quick motion of the drying rag before going to the next one, without muttering a single word to her, losing herself in her task and ignoring as the jagged memories inside her brain fed her that time when she did the same thing with Lincoln before going off to the hike that would change their lives and the lives of everyone else. Shaking her head, she forced herself out of it before she dropped a plate and continued.
From her part, Luna almost threw the stew inside her stomach, feeling vulnerable as they shared the same air, wanting nothing more than to put distance between them. Years of animosity were not going to disappear between them for sharing a meal but Lynn had a cooler head than she did, nothing but the rage against a cruel world was the thing that moved her the most, to have the heinous bodily representation of sin next to her twisted her stomach in the worse of ways and suddenly the need to leave the house was just too great for her, just maintaining this farce due the threat of the scientist.
The sportsgirl caught the look of disgust across the musician face and this time she couldn't help but to throw her a nasty scowl.
"A single day won't kill you." She hissed at her.
"More like, everyday I spend close to you kills me a little bit in the inside." Luna threw back.
Lynn barked with laughter, the rest of the siblings stopping what they were doing to stare at them in shock.
Lisa sighed, slamming her face in head wrenching annoyance, marching in their direction.
"Well, nobody invited you here bitch." Lynn hissed, throwing her drying rag on the floor, ramming her feet forward, lips curling up in anger.
"And nobody invited you to come to this world and fuck us up, but here you are." Luna grinned as her insult made the sportsgirl to stop in her tracks, mouth opening up and down.
"You both! Stop this right now!" Leni barked, ramming a palm across their chest to stop the fight that was about to break out, the rest of the sisters minus two advancing towards them.
From the living room, Lily and Lana heaved a sigh, doing their best to drown the confrontation in the kitchen. She would never know what made her stop at the NBC news showing assembled military men in front of tanks. The fleeing spot of white hair immediately caught her attention, her eyes widened as she recognized one of the Marines huddled together in front of their war machine. The young man was tall and muscled. He was dressed in a camouflaged jump suit with tan colored body armor, helmet poised at his hips and when his sharp blue eyes stared directly at the camera, Lily who was as surprised as she was stood up together in shock…there was no mistaking the white-haired jarhead staring ahead.
In the kitchen, Luna was trying her hardest to advance towards Lynn and give her what she deserved but the hands of four of her sisters restrained her at the other side of the kitchen, Leni and Luan did their best, but she was gaining ground, growling in agonized anger.
"Let me go! I'll kill her!".
Even Leni with her strength couldn't stop her and everyone knew that it would be a fleeing moment before everything would crash around them.
"ITS LINCOLN!" The scream of Lana immediately stopped everyone in their tracks, the sisters immediately letting go off the hostile ones to march to the living room. Lynn was in daze, staring at the tv in stupor and disbelief. The heavy steps of people coming down the stairs broke her reverie, with her and the musician going to the couch, their confrontation forgotten. Soon they were joined by their parents…everyone held their breaths, gasping in surprise at the sight of Lincoln.
Nobody was prepared at the sight of their brother. He was stoic, one heavy muscled arm crossed behind his back with the other holding a helmet, standing tall and strong…the sharp jaw angle of his face took the sportsgirl by surprise. The sight of him immediately elated Lynn's heart to unprecedented pressure, attacked by fear, love, disbelief and sadness at once, the surge of emotions almost falling down in shock but the disbelief went even stronger at the sight of a familiar brunette reporter holding a microphone who started speaking.
"Welcome to another segment from the Iraq war. My name is Polly Pain, reporting for NBC News; I am in the outskirts of Fallujah, Iraq with one of the best armies from the United States, the US Marines of the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division in the smoldering temperatures of Iraq. But this time I am not reporting about the war, but about the brave men that come from many places of our great country to fight against the tyranny of a cruel enemy. These are the faces of the men that are serving our great country."
When she stopped the cheers of the assembled crews hollered at the camera, earning a grin from her former team member, Lynn couldn't help but to fall down to sit on the ground in shock.
She started with 1st platoon 'Sword', pointing her microphone under an older man, judging by the many steel chevrons at the front of his armor, he was a commanding officer.
"Why don't you tell me more about yourself?"
"My name is Master Gunnery Sergeant Phillips Dunkar. I am the commanding officer of four tanks and the misfits that man them." They were snickers coming from the men around him. "I've been in the Corp for over twenty years, sailing from Colorado and my job is to command them into battle and all the jazz that falls with it."
The other two men across them spoke as well. With the shortest identifying as the driver of an M1 Abrams tank, coming from Minnesota, while the other, a tall African American came from Texas, retiring from a career in computer science so he could enlist, Polly asking them several questions and finally, Polly put the microphone under Lincoln's face, his expression never breaking into more than the professionalism that he was portraying.
"My name is Corporal Lincoln Loud. I come from Royal Woods, Michigan. I am the gunner of our tank and in charge of its maintenance, through and through. I enlisted a year after nine-eleven…I graduated with honors from the Michigan Military Academy and graduated as well from the TDDS Technical institute in mechanics and diesel between my training and here I am, serving with my brothers in Iraq."
"Outstanding. Do you have any family back in Michigan?" Polly pressed on and the young man stiffened before nodding.
"Yeah." He answered simply. "I have a big family."
The warm gaze of her brother was long gone, shaped by war into someone she didn't recognize. His hair in a white buzzcut, eyes sharply looking at the camera without an ounce of warm in them. A part of her broke at the display of a person she suspected was an imposter…it just couldn't be him. Without warning, her eyes glazed over. At her right, Leni squeezed her shoulders, cringing as she felt her shaking, silently crying. The eyes of most of the sisters softened at the agony displayed on her face.
"Certainly, they'll be waiting for you eagerly when you come back home?"
"I can only wish." Lincoln answered, the seriousness of his melancholy almost made Polly to drop the microphone from the surge of pity...Did he already forgot? She stared at him sadly as she faced away from the camera and Lincoln couldn't help but to look away, about to fix his response into something less honest; the entire family gaze looked at the ground in sadness, even Luna was devasted at the sorry sight. The sudden blare of an alarm cut through the moment, the screams of the crew commanders rushing the Marines inside their war machines came, their radios came alive with orders being relayed, the NCO's barking at them to go to their vehicles, marching off to war once more.
The last sight of Lincoln came as he athletically jumped to the tank's main gun, swirling his legs to mount the hull and climbing up the turret and down the hatch, disappearing from view. Soon the jet engines of the tanks whirled with power, twirling on the sand and forming up, speeding away from the compound, the cameraman filming them until they disappeared from the compound, hatches closing.
"This is the state of the war, these are the men fighting for you. A shame that we couldn't introduce them all, but the war will not be on hold for nothing. When they come home, they deserve the best welcoming from their loved ones. This is Polly Pain with NBC News from Fallujah-Iraq signing off."
The image cut down to two news anchors, smiling back at the TV.
"That was an interesting report, in the other news…" Lana turned off the TV.
The water dam in Lynn eyes finally broke, blinking away tears. With a whine, she stood up, knocking Leni backwards against Luan's chest, marching off upstairs, a few seconds later the sound of a door ramming close was heard making everyone to jump.
Nobody knew what to say or do, everyone held together as they could.
"He has grown." The Matriarch was the first to speak, looking at the wall close to the stairs, her blue eyes gazing at the family pictures, stared at the spot where Lincoln's smiling face used to be.
"He's so big and strong looking." Leni commented, still in awe about what just transpired.
It took Luna a few seconds to handle her bearings, before the fury came back. She hated the service and its members, she hated what they represented, just hollow shapes following the orders of their masters, uncaring that they destroyed everything on their path and was completely disgusted at society at calling those murderers 'heroes'…she had seen the footage of the innocents that were sprawled in the sands, shot down like dogs in their own country and for what? Oil. Many of the songs she had written had been against war and corrupt governments stepping on innocents for resources. She almost scoffed at the idea of celebrating their return, wishing nothing more for every fighter to be extinguished. Wordlessly, she retired to her room, her nose twitching wanting nothing more than to lose herself in the angel dust but unable to do so, not knowing how to handle what she just saw.
The others talked about the sight Lincoln and that was the topic of preference until the night when dinner came.
Lynn had lost the initiative to do anything else but to sulk, buried under a wide array of comforters, rocking back and forth, unable to hold back the river of tears, angrily brushing them away with a furious hiss coming from her lips. Even to this day, she blamed herself for their situation…she dragged him down to something that two siblings shouldn't do but her heart had chosen him, society be damned. The sight of the man she saw on TV left her speechless but she broke down again…the infamous Lynn Loud, broken by the painful memories that just refused to heal. His features were hardened by years of conflict, body shaped by harsh conditioning of a military life. What horrors he had participated for him to say such things? She didn't miss the way his lips twitched with apathy…he was still full of fury that had been born years ago and fed by the disgrace that had followed him ever since she was almost raped. She could tell right away that meeting her brother right now would horrify her rather than die from joy at being reunited and suddenly, she felt…scared…scared of the fact that the man dressed in fatigues and body armor was not the same person that she fell in love with…her brother, her own flesh and blood had been stripped away from his humanity the very same day they reunited in the military academy graduation.
Lynn couldn't even begin to understand the swift and violent shift of his life and she knew deep in her heart that the carnage that he had seen and done himself, judging by his employment as a tank crew…how many dark days he had participated in? How many people had he killed and seen dead? Those were questions that plagued her but instead, her heart was beating heavily in her chest at the fact that if they reunited…a world of hurt would follow, perhaps it would always follow him whenever he went but she was sure that he would return to them in one way or another.
She sighed groggily falling back on the bed, not finding the energies to fall asleep again. The sudden knock of a door interrupted her musings, barely being able to unglue her face from her pillow.
"It's open." She called out groggily.
The door knob spun slowly, the door slowly opening revealing no other than Lucy holding a tray with a meat sub and peach tea…her favorite. Immediately, she sat up wide eyes, displaying her red and puffy eyes to her sister who entered silently without saying a word, closing the door behind her by her stretched shoe. She put the tray on the nightstand before facing her fully.
"You missed dinner." The Goth said after a few seconds of awkward silence.
The brunette was to quickly dismiss the weirdness of their encounter, considering that they hadn't talked in years.
"I wasn't very hungry." Her voice cracked, eyeing the food brought to her. "But…this will do, meat subs are my favorite…I…thanks Luz."
"You're most welcome" The Goth sat down on the opposite bed, taking off her shoes, staring at her as if encouraging for Lynn to eat which she did, biting softly. For a few minutes, the Goth says nothing as she watches her sister eat, the sportsgirl stealing glimpses at her, knowing full too well that she was rationalizing how to start a conversation and thinking of her questions, thinking of a way to reconcile after years of the neglect of their relationship and the coldness it left in its wake.
As soon as Lynn's empty plate was placed on the nightstand, Lucy sighs heavily.
"I am sorry Lynn."
The apology is so soft that the sportsgirl can barely register that she spoke but she did, a cold batch of ice ramming into her stomach with a mix of explosive anger. She took a breather to not burn this bridge before it was even build.
"I am sorry too." She says truthfully, twirling her fingers together, falling back on the mattress. "I feel like I fucked it up for everyone else…I didn't follow your advice and well…all of this it's my fault."
The face of Goth scrounged in protest, shaking her head no.
"You shouldn't." Lucy sighed. "It just…happened. It was beyond our control but it happened Lynn…and our family is paying for it."
Lynn hissed like if she had been punched and Lucy almost slapped herself for putting her in that spot, once more.
"But I know deeply in my heart that he will return to us."
"And then what?" Lynn growled. "He's fucked up…do you ever saw how he looked like…how was talking?" She squeezed her eyes shut. "His gentle blue eyes…gone, I don't even know how talking to him would be like…he still looks so full of rage. I cant even imagine the things he has seen…the things he had to do to survive out there. And it's all my fault…fuck…FUCK!" She buried her face on the pillow and screamed, a mix of spit and tears getting stuck to the fabric. The Goth can't do anything but to stare, not knowing how to make her feel better at this very moment, but she knows it as a fact that Lincoln would fix everything…yet the disturbing attitude that had shaken her image of her brother sent her mind into turmoil.
"You and I know that he will be back Lynn, you can be sure." She had hoped that her words would have an effect, yet the brunette did not even stir from bed. Defeated by her own apathy, she was about to retire to her new room when her voice called out for her.
"Please…stay for tonight, please."
The Goth found herself smiling.
"Of course."
Minutes later, the sisters laid on bed together, it wasn't big but it was enough to hold close and just like that, the darkness that had plagued Lucy disappeared, dissipating thanks to her sister, not able to shake the thought that she had acted like a monster before sleep claimed her.
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Morning came in the Loud house, accompanied by the clank of utensils as the family ate with light conversation. Lynn sat at the opposite of the table, chewing her bacon and eggs, not paying attention to anything else but her meal. A hand snaked around her lower back, making her pause in the middle of chewing. Lucy's squeezed and Lynn couldn't avoid but to smile slightly at the opposite side of the table Leni and Luan's lips turned upwards at the display, happy that the sister reunion hadn't gone to waste.
The information that Polly had provided her placed Lynn where her brother was…Fallujah-Iraq. It was a total blood bath, she had heard nothing but bad things about it but it gave her hope that she could perhaps communicate with him. It had been a silly idea that had begun early in the morning as she laid with Lucy, snowballing into an actual idea and before she realized it, she was mulling how to break it to Lisa, occasionally glimpsing back at the genius who was tinkering with an electronic device, sipping from her straight black coffee.
Lynn Sr. sighed directing his attention towards his wife, who laid at his left side.
"Sergei asked me to do an inventory run with him, apparently his brother is sick and I must supply him. It is going to be a problem dear?"
"Not at all" Rita answered, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "At what time do you guys need to go?" She acknowledged Luna and Lynn, gazing between the two of them.
Unconsciously the sisters exchanged looks before partying.
"My boyfriend is going to pick me up at 6." Luna answered, her eyebrow twitching at the disapproval that crossed her family face. She had never brought him with her but that very reason but they had no right to meddle in her life. She was already an adult and she was a big girl that could take her own decisions, and this wasn't out of the fence.
"Three." Answered Lynn with zero enthusiasm. "I have some homework I gotta take care of in the campus."
The Matriarch sighed sadly, nodding.
"Children help me clean up the table…" Was the only thing she said without acknowledging anyone, standing up by the sink.
Lynn sighed gathering the dirty dishes from her sisters, not even protesting this time as Luna handed her plate to her, she turned around momentarily catching two green dressed shapes across the street. Her brown squinted immediately recognizing the military men holding a wooden box, coming to their front door. Her eyes widened, heart stopping in her rib cage, taking a wheezed breath like someone in their death bed, hands trembling with the strain of shock, dropping the pile of plates all over the floor, sending sharp pieces around.
"Lynn, what the hell?!" Her father screamed but she wasn't paying attention, tears exploding from her eyes, shaking her head violently, her breath coming off sharply, her legs trembling, barely being able to be on her feet. Concerned the siblings marched off to her and that's when they saw them, coming closer and closer to their door.
Their parents stared at the door, their mouths hanging off.
Like a death bell, the door chimed and this time, Lynn couldn't avoid falling off on her butt all over the cracked fragments of the plates, slicing her lower back but she never felt the pain of a sharp piece going into her calf. Leni was to quickly stand her up, holding her tightly as her lips trembled, trying to form a coherent word, tears streaming down her face.
The death bell rang once more and that was enough to wake up Lynn Sr. taking a look at his family paralyzed with many crying knowing too well what their presence meant, like angels of death, they stood stoic and firm, waiting outside, together like two gargoyles dressed in sharp dressed green uniforms and hats, unwavering and waiting.
With a shaky step, Lynn Sr. takes a step forward and then another, just like that his hands are shaking, gyrating the door knob until the door is fully open and the family can finally stare at the green dressed military men.
"Nooooooooo!" NO GOD, PLEASE NO!" Lynn can't hold it in her anymore, trembling and shaking under Leni's grip, her eyes exploding with tears, shaking under the hold of the blonde, who's crying herself. The men don't even react as Lynn Sr. closes the door behind him, the cement on his feet only allows him to stand, shaking from head to toe, waking up to the fact that his son…his only son is dead.
"Y-y…yes?" He acknowledges the Marine standing firmly with his white gloved hands firmly pressed against the seam of his pants.
"Is this, 1216 Frankfurt Avenue?" Asks the young Marine with a firm voice.
Slowly, the face of the older man contorts from shock to anger just at the same time that the Matriarch slams the door open, crying herself, leaving the door open, the sisters crying openly, holding each other, Luna was in a stupor to do anything but to stare at the military men, feeling the disdain burning through her nerves.
"Are…are you kidding me!?" Lynn Sr. barks angrily at the two men. "Do you know what you let my family go through?! For having the wrong fucking address!" His fists shake from rage. "You assholes! How can you do this to us?!" The eyes of Lynn Sr. finally break the tears that he had being holding for years, all the while the Marines stand still without an ounce of movement but slowly, the Marine not holding the flag takes off his green cap. Green eyes meet his enraged ones and he cannot help but to take a step back in shock.
He looked so young but when he took off his cap, he grew up goddamn fast. His face had dozens of worry lines all over his face, a sad expression contorted around his visage.
"My apologies sir…" He says in a low voice. "Our instructions were unclear." He says, shifting his eyes to the family inside the house, eyes trembling before he set the cap firmly back on his head, hiding most of his features.
"Wh…" Lynn Sr. starts taking a breather. "It's the street behind us, you'll see a tree house when you get there…can't miss it."
The military men nod.
"Thank you, sir, our apologies for any grief that we have brought to your family."
"So my son…is he…is he alive?" Lynn Sr. asks trembling from head to toe, Rita holding him for dear life.
The young Marine nods.
"I am certain he is okay. Farewell." They offer a polite nod to the assembled family at the house door step, eager for information, but getting confused why they were leaving already.
"How can you do this?" The voice of Lynn Sr. breaks their retreat, stopping and turning firmly towards him.
"Because it's our duty to our country, sir." The young Marine answers before they turn around and walked down the street. Years later, he would be a victim of another veteran who would kill himself due PTSD.
Lynn Sr. drags his dazed wife back to their family, tears streaming down their faces.
"They…they had the wrong address."
"Are you sure?! Tell me! Tell me you aren't lying!" Lynn stands up so quickly, marching off to him and taking him by the neck of his shirt with a surge of strength, slamming him against the door frame, the family gasping at the sight.
"Lynn! Calm down! I am not lying to any of you!" Their father says with a pained hiss, not even registering that this was the very first words that he had said to his daughter in years. Slowly, her hands tremble and she snarl releasing his violently, taking a breath that cut like glass.
"Shit." Is the only thing that come from her lips before anyone can stop her, she marches off upstairs, by now realizing the blood that was coming from her leg.
For a few minutes, the atmosphere dissipates in disbelief at just had occurred, the siblings sitting down in the living room, sulking in silence wanting nothing more for things to go back before the nightmare started.
Luna sighs, staring upstairs where the sport girl room is, reflecting about all these years. She cant be here anymore and slowly she walks outside and dials her boyfriend.
Lynn Sr and Rita look at each other, sadness written on their faces, not having the energy to do nothing else but to sulk, the man whipping off his wife tears.
"Let's go to bed honey." Rita implores and he is quickly to accept the request, texting Sergei about the news of almost having to heard the death of his son. The Russian immediately understands, knowing far too well that talking about his son was a sore subject but understanding his reasons immediately, he is forced to accept. Hours later, Lynn Sr. wakes from his nap, going to the attic to look for a box that had seen better years from the time of neglect but immediately finding the item that he was looking for, a VHS tape labelled 'Memories #31'.
Silently he slips back into his room, putting the back into the VHS that his wife had complained that he had to throw away but it hardly matters anymore. The tape starts to play showing a 4 years old Lincoln Loud opening his mouth, the camera slowly zooms into his mouth, clearly showing a crocked teeth at an odd angle.
"Who's coming to get your teeth Lincoln?" Lynn Sr. asks behind the camera, slowly the child gasps.
"The dooth fairiee!" He says with a big smile.
"Nuh-uh." A voice says at their right, the camera shifting towards a six years old Lynn Loud, with crossed arms. "Me!" She declares, pointing a thumb at her chest.
Lincoln's face immediately scrunches in anger.
"Nah!"
Lynn Sr. laughs at the exchange.
"Uh-yeah! That lady cant take off yer teeth, you gotta knock it loose!" She says with a smirk and slowly the white haired boy looks at his father holding his camera.
"Is da truth da-da?"
"A-yup!"
Lincoln looks concerned for a second, looking at the ground before she looks at Lynn.
"Help me" He asks of her and suddenly Lynn is rushing towards him, kicking him on the face, knocking his ass flat on the ground. Lynn Sr. screams, violently shoving his daughter aside and looking at Lincoln. At the same time Rita Loud comes into the picture, screaming at the sight of her young son sprawled over the floor, a thin line of blood running from his nose.
"Lynn! Why did you do that for?!" Rita screams, the brunette face breaks into a sniffle, looking aside.
"I wanted to help." She says, tears streaming down her face.
An innocent giggle came from the floor and when the camera zoomed back on Lincoln, he was smiling widely, his pink tongue caressing the spot where his teeth used to be, holding it proudly towards the camera.
"Thanks Lynn-Lynn! Imma be rich now!"
The brunette laughs, standing him up to his feet, hugging her brother.
The image flickers and the TV falls silent.
His shoulders shake, shedding tears silently as the memories slam into him, wrecked with grief. Two soft hands wrap around his shoulders, his blurry eyes focusing on his wife, finally not being able to handle it any longer, he breaks down, burying his face on her shoulder.
"What have I done…I am a monster. God…why?!" Lynn Sr. snarls, the Matriarch breaks down with him, crying without abandon for what life had left them with.
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Outskirts of Fallujah-Iraq.
The tanks of Iron Horse stopped in the train compound, their night lights flickered off, engines whirling down as they came to a stop before the whine of their engines stopped. Slowly the hatches opened up and the crews started climbing off their vehicles.
Lincoln whipped the war sow off his face, sighing at the night sky, briefly illuminated with stars, white flashes of artillery rounds lining the sky. They had been called suddenly as a few dozen Insurgents creeped around the Army Rangers and had tried to leave Fallujah. It took the entire battalion and a few Army platoons to contain and eliminate them from the face off the Earth, thankfully with zero casualties but a few wounded. The battle had been hard and he was so tired, eager for a few hours of sleep.
A few men came towards the assemble crew, interrupting Lincoln's trade of thought, immediately recognizing 1st Lieutenant Ditomasso from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, the little douche who thought he was General Patton, fresh off the academy. As soon as Dunkar saw him, he straightened, his eyes stabbing at the young Lieutenant who stopped a short distance from him.
"Good hunting Gunny?" He asked with a sardonic smile and in turn, the Master Gunnery Sergeant nodded.
"Plenty, our men are safe."
The LT. nodded slowly. "Good, good." He clicked his tongue, a habit that Lincoln thought was distasteful. "I am assembling a platoon at the moment, a few of my men had to be left behind in Fallujah for provisional duties to reinforce the wire and I find myself short…"
Lincoln, Ramirez and Swabble lifted their eyebrows in confusion and so did their CO.
"I understand your situation, Sir. But we are tank crews, we are not 0311 Marines(infantry.)"
"Nonsense. I looked into your crew records."
Ice lodged into Lincoln's stomach, immediately understanding where this was going.
"Corporal Loud, you were recommended for Recon due perfect score and undertook several courses of AITB (Advanced Infantry Training Battalion), before you decided to change tracks into your secondary MOS, Armor. I am borrowing you for our three-day patrol in Fallujah, we start tomorrow at 0900. Visit the armory for a revision of your gear as my squad machine gunner. That is an order."
Everyone blinked in surprise at the information.
"Sir, with all due respect, Corporal Loud it's my gunner and he is needed for our current mission."
"Nonsense Gunny. I already spoke with Colonel Beaudoin, he gave me his full endorsement, he gave me orders to find suitable Marines for my mission and I found my last one. You can get a replacement from the reserve force as your driver and move your crew up the ranks. You are dismissed…see you in the morning Corporal." Satisfied that his orders were understood, he locked the eyes with the assemble crew before he walked away, his Marines standing staring at the crew, shaking their head, as if understanding the frustration with the imbecile in charge.
"Fuck." Lincoln broke the silence.
"Proverbs 27-12 says: The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it." Swabble said glaring at the back of the Lieutenant. "In other words…fuck that guy."
"Careful." Dunkar said with apprehension, sighing. "You never know who's hearing. Lincoln I am sorry, but you got your orders…we'll not be far behind, there's still a lot of pockets of resistance in the city. Just keep your head down and your eyes peeled…stay safe son." He squeezed his shoulder before walking away.
Ramirez and Swabble stayed with him, cringing at Lincoln who was squeezing his hands tightly, lips barred in an angry visage.
The young haired man releases his breath, suddenly feeling vulnerable and worried about what was coming, thinking of nothing else but Lynn and his family.
"If that asshat thinks I'm going to get killed for a medal, he has another thing coming."
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A/N: This is the start of another lapse in the fic and perhaps the final step to prepare Lincoln's reunion with his family, which will happen perhaps with a few remaining chapters in between. Please review!
D4rK.