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A year passed and Lincoln finally woke up.
Now let us raise the curtains and proceed with the next chapter.
Chapter 3: An Awkward Return Home
"Luna, like what was Linky talking about? Who is Liberty? And like why did he think I owned a dress shop? Which would be totes awesome." Leni questioned worriedly.
"Linc..." Luna started and let out a sigh. "I'm gonna level with ya dudes. Linc woke up thinking twelve years had passed. And Liberty was our dau...NIECE, she was our niece in his coma dream." Luna replied, cussing herself out mentally. 'Good job dude, you almost blabbed yours and Linc's secret. I'm such a dumbass.'
Luan gave Luna a funny look having caught the slip of the tongue, but not what the word could be. "I wonder what he dreamed everyone else was doing? I mean running a joke shop would be cool, but it sure sounds like we don't see each other a lot in his dream." Luan commented.
'I can only imagine why.' Luna snarled in her mind. 'Maybe because I married my brother, had a daughter together, and most of the family disapproves.' "Guess we will find out depending on how he reacts to the rest of the family." Luna commented out loud. "Speaking of which don't you think we should call mom?" This caused the other girls to jump into action both making calls to different people. Leni called Lori and Luan called their mom. Both gasped, quickly hung up their respective phones, and rushed around the house getting ready to come see Lincoln. Meanwhile Nurse Joy came out of Lincolns room and walked over to the sisters.
"Physically he's fine, and after some physical therapy to rebuild his atrophied muscles, he will be able to go home by the end of next week, as long as he continues his therapy there." Nurse Joy said, getting a quiet cheer from the girls. "Yes it's good news. However we are concerned about his mental state. Did he say anything to you that might explain why he is depressed?"
"He woke up and thought twelve years had passed. He wanted to see ou-HIS daughter." Luna replied blushing. Both Nurse Joy and Luan noticed the slip of the tongue and the blush. Nurse Joy's eyes widened a bit and a small smile crept onto her face. You can't do anything about what someone dreamt up in a coma, and even if it was morally wrong, it was cute seeing Luna frazzled. Luan put 2 and 2 together, and got bananas cream pies.
"If that's the case, it will probably take awhile for him to reacclimatize to reality. Expect him to have moments where he slips into his dream reality for the next few weeks." Nurse Joy explained.
"Thanks dude," Luna replied. "for everything you've done for Linc and my Fam."
"It's no problem Mrs. Loud." Nurse Joy said with a sly smile and a wink at Luna, causing said girl to blush crimson. Upon seeing this Luan burst into hysterical giggles, which only made Luna huff and look away.
"I don't get the joke Luan." Leni said confused.
The next few hours pass quietly as Lincoln mourned the life he dreamed he had, and the sisters tried their best to comfort him. Eventually the rest of the family showed up and Lincoln greeted them with happiness for the most part. Though there was a sense of veiled anger when he greeted Lynn Sr. and Rita, which confused the hell out of everyone. Luna and Luan could probably guess why if they thought about it. His reaction to Lily was exactly the opposite, she reminded him so much of his dream daughter Liberty.
"There's my little Bell.(1)" Lincoln said looking at Lily with pure unconditional love and happiness. "Climb up here and give me a hug." While confused by the nickname, Lily was all to happy to oblige. "I love you Liby." Lincoln whispered in her ear holding her close. Only Lily and Luna who was the closest to Lincoln heard him. Lily looked confused, but dismissed it as a mispronunciation and just hugged Lincoln back. Luna frowned and shot them both a worried look.
Hours passed and the time for the family to leave came. Luna hung back to say her goodbyes last. "You know I don't think I ever got around to asking you how you liked your gift Lu." Lincoln said indicating her pendant.
"It's beautiful Linc. I love it." Luna replied with a smile.
"Well I'm glad, I didn't want to keep hiding it from you." Lincoln said with a yawn. "I'm gonna catch some sleep, are you going to be here tomorrow?"
"Of course dude. I've been here everyday since you saved me, waiting for you. I love you Linc, with all my heart." Luna replied.
"Then I'll see you tomorrow honey. Tell Liby g'night for me." Lincoln muttered groggily as he rolled over and fell asleep. Luna frowned, this was going to be a problem eventually. She left and caught up with the rest of the family waiting by Vanzilla.
The drive home was lively, as if the spark of life was reawakened in everyone. When they got home Lynn Sr. immediately set about making dinner, better then it had been all year. Rita bustled around cleaning everything so it all looked spotless for when Lincoln came home. Leni rushed into her room to draw up clothes designs that 'her Lincy' might like to wear. Lynn Jr. went next door to tell Mr. Grouse the good news and chop his fire wood. Lucy retreated to her and Lynn's room to write poetry. Lana and Lola decided to help their mom clean house starting with their room. Lisa proceeded to fiddle with her newest experiment which now lack only one key component but would have to wait for Lincolns return. Lily sat on the floor in the living room drawing a picture of Lincoln the way he looked at her with his arms outstretched for a hug. Luan grabbed a pensive Luna and pulled her into their room and locked the door.
"Alright sister, you've been acting weird since Lincoln woke up. Not to mention the two slips of the tongue you made at the hospital." Luan spoke sternly. "Now you're gonna tell me what's going on, or am I gonna have to get the story from Lincoln himself."
"NO!" Luna shouted standing up suddenly. "Please, just drop it." Luna begged.
"No can do sister mine. This has been a long time coming you refused to tell me what Lincoln said to you before he passed out, and now you are doing it again. What is it that you are hiding?" Luan asked.
"I can't tell you." Luna cried falling onto her bunk. "You would hate me, hell I hate me, but I can't help how I feel."
"You are my sister. We've bunked together my whole life. Nothing you can say will change that." Luan replied sitting next to Luna and pulling her into a hug.
"Yes it will. Everything will change. Neither of us are supposed to feel the way we do. It's disgusting, and sick, and morally wrong. But these feelings just keep growing no matter how hard I try to ignore or change them." Luna sobbed.
"It can't be that bad. " Luan said trying to console Luna.
"Promise me," Luna begged. "Promise me you won't tell anyone else, and the nothing will change between us."
"I promise, I'm not a snitch. Now spill." Luan said as she stroked Luna's head and back comfortingly.
"When he saved me before he passed out, he admitted that he loved me and only dated Ronnie Anne because he didn't believe he would ever have the chance with me." Luna admitted.
"Holy Chocolate Cream Pies!" Luan exclaimed. "That's... wow. But how does that make you disgusting or sick?" She asked confused.
"Because after I thought about it I realized I feel the same way. My heart broke when I was told he almost died in surgery. Over the past year I found myself thinking more and more about how much I hold him as my gold standard for my dates. Even caught myself comparing Sam against Lincoln. Not to mention..." Luna explained before she reached under her pillow and pulled out one of Lincolns shirts. "I sleep with this."
"Jesus Fucking Christ!" Luan cussed.
"LUAN!" Luna exclaimed.
"No, you don't get to drop a bomb like that on me then yell at me. Damn it Luna. He's only 14 and you're 18 now. Not to mention that incest is illegal in Michigan, you could go to jail for life." Luan snapped.
"You think I don't know that Luan." Luna snapped back. "I know exactly what could happen. Best case we have to move to Ohio or New Jersey not to go to jail, worst case we are chased out of our own house and sent to jail or separated and Linc gets sent into the Military to try to 'fix' him."
"Damn." Luan said sitting down hard next to Luna. "I won't let that happen. No sister of mine is going to be chased out of this house. I love you sis, not as much as Linc does, but what can you do." Luan finished with a laugh. Luna rolled her eyes and shoved Luan, who shoved her back. Eventually they had a pillow fight full of laughter and giggles until there was a knock at the door. Luna quickly shoved Lincolns shirt back under her pillow as Luan went to unlock the door. Lily was outside clutching Bun-bun. "What's up Lilster?' Luan asked.
"Can I tawk to Wuna?" Lily asked.
"You want me to leave so you can talk alone?" Luan asked letting Lily in the room.
"No, it's okay Wuan." Lily said looking around pulling Bun-bun closer to her heart. "I wanted to tank you Wuna. You woke Wincoln up just like Snow White!" Lily exclaimed with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. "But I don't think he wemembers me. He cawwed me Wiby, and said I was his Wittle Bewl. He never cawwed me that befoe." Lily sadly started to sob. Luna Pulled Lily into her lap.
"Do you want to know why Linc called you that?" Luna asked softly stroking Lily's soft curly blonde hair.
"Yes." Lily hiccupped. Luan looked on skeptical of if she should interfere or not.
"While Lincoln was asleep he had a dream that he became a daddy of a little girl he named Liberty, and from what I gather you remind him of her." Luna explained. Luan held her breath hoping Lily didn't freak out.
"Wincoln thinks he's my daddy?" Lily cocked her head sideways, before bursting into giggles. Luan let out her breath with a smile. "Then that makes you mommy Wuna." Lily smiled and hugged Luna.
"Wha...? How so Lils?" Luna gasp. Luan fell to the floor trying to hold in her laughter.
"You woke him up with 'Twue Woves Kiss' so that means you get mawwied and wiv happiwy ever after." Lily explained like she was saying the sky is blue. Luna choked on her tongue. Luan cracked letting out loud belly laughs, causing Luna to shoot her a withering glare. Lily just snuggled into Luna and yawned.
"If that's the case, then as mommy, I think its time for bed baby girl." Luna sighed picking up Lily and carrying her to her and Lisa's room. Luna tucked Lily into bed and kissed her forehead.
"Night mommy Wuna." Lily sighed rolling over and cuddling Bun-bun. Lisa looked over at them, adding this to a list of things she knew or at least suspected about Luna and Lincoln. Luna went back to her and Luan's room only to find Luan hunched over on her knees trying to catch her breath.
"Laugh it up chuckles." Luna snarked darkly.
"Sorry, sorry but you have to admit that was just to cute." Luan replied. "Well g'night mommy Luna." Luan laughed crawling into her top bunk, causing Luna to growl playfully.
The next week was long and excruciating for Lincoln, as he did physical therapy and tried to adjust to reality again. He caught himself asking his sisters about things that happened in his dream but not in real life. He got slapped by a blushing Lori when he asked her where Roberto Alejandro Martinez-Millan Luis Santiago, III was. Eventually the doctor assigned him a therapy routine he could do at home, climbing stairs repeatedly 15 minutes a day, playing video games or an instrument to get his hand muscles strengthened, and lifting weights to strengthen his upper body. So he was finally going home.
"Welcome Home Lincoln!" everyone shouted as he walked through the door.
"We missed you, twerp." Lori said mussing his hair.
"Like totes don't do that again Lincy." Leni said hugging Lincoln. "Getting hurt I mean. You can totes save Luna anytime." causing Lincoln to laugh and Luna to blush.
"Missed ya Luv." Luna said more for the family then for Lincoln.
"How bout a Hero for the Hero. Get it?" Luan guffawed holding up a hero sandwich, causing everyone except Lincoln to groan. He just chuckled.
"So since you're home are you going to take up woodcutting again?" Lynn asked.
"No, I have other exercises I have to do. Then there are a few things I'll need to get for what I want to do once the doctors say I'm fit again." Lincoln replied.
"Alright!" Lynn cheered. "Not that I didn't want you to, I mean if you had I would have been cool with it." She said blushing in embarrassment.
"I'm glad you are back in the land of the living Lincoln. I didn't want to have to read you my poems via the Ouija board." Lucy stated in her usual monotone, causing Lincoln to smile, and kiss her cheek.
"Never change Luce." Lincoln smiled.
"We missed you a lot big brother." The twins said in unison.
"Woah! What the... this is a first. Let's see..." Lincoln said looking closer at the two. They were wearing matching sundresses made out of a light breathable denim fabric that brought out the color of their eyes, and both had their hair up in loose braids that fell to the middle of their backs. "You're Lana..." He said pointing to the twin on the left. "And you're Lola." he finished pointing at the twin on the right.
"How did you know?" They asked.
"Lana has a star shaped pattern of freckles under her right eye, and Lola has a cross shaped pattern of freckles under her left eye." Lincoln replied with a smirk getting dropped jaws from all the elder siblings.
"Your deductive reasoning and cognitive processes are admirable male sibling unit." Lisa said with the hint of a smile. "If you have some time later I require your assistance with an experiment."
"Of course. Did you ever figure out the problem with your sonic dispersal paint?" Lincoln asked. "Or was that part of my coma dream?" He finished with a frown.
"I shelved that experiment when you got hurt, however now that you mention it..." Lisa stated tapping her chin with her finger. "I will work on that after you help me with my current experiment."
"Good to know." Lincoln said turning to look at the last sister. Little 3 almost 4 year old Lily, a ghostly image of Liberty overlapping her in his vision. "Little Bell." He said dropping to his knees and holding his arms open. Lily ran into his arms and hugged him. Then in a soft voice barely above a whisper she said:
"I missed you Daddy." Causing Lincoln to smile as tears of joy fell from his eyes.
"Time for cake and presents." Rita said gesturing to the table where his birthday presents had been moved to.(2) Lynn Sr. came in carrying a cake. Immediately Lincoln's happy face switched to a forced smile hiding his anger and mistrust of the older male. Only 4 sisters seemed to notice the change. Luna due to watching Lincoln like a hawk, Luan due to being able to put on her own masks for her comedy acts, Lucy who is more in tune with emotions, and Lily who felt his whole body tense up at their fathers approach.
After the cake was eaten and the present were opened. In which he got a new comic, a new handmade shirt, a SMOOCH CD, a 'Get out of April Fools day prank free' card that everyone seemed jealous of, a book of mixed martial arts, a DVD of the last season of 'ARGGH!', a vial of strange looking liquid with a note saying it should toughen his skin to be harder the steel, a hand drawn birthday card, and a Xbox-one Master chief collection bundle. Lincoln thanked everyone for the gifts, and headed up to bed.
"Linc." Luna said knocking on his bedroom door. "Can I come in?"
"Of course Lu." Lincoln said. Luna opened the door walked in and closed it behind her before turning to look at Lincoln who was stripping off his clothes for bed. Luna blushed and turned around. "There is nothing to be embarrassed about Lu." He said before climbing into bed and patting the spot next to him. Luna walked over and sat down.
"Linc, I love you, and I want 'us' to be a thing in the future. So I need to know, what happened in your dream? Why are you so hostile with dad? What is so special about Liberty?" Luna asked her eyes welling with tears.
"Well it all started with me confessing my love to you after the stabbing." Lincoln began.
(1) Liberty Bell. Get it?
(2) The ones that had been stacked on his bed.