Luna was finally ready to move to New York, she had everything packed and asked Chunk to go forward with her heavier stuff, she handed him her new apartment keys, and the man just nodded and went there in his van.
When the time came, all the Louds went with her to the train station, soon enough, Sam came with her family and they greeted happily. They just kept together, waiting for the train arrival and decided to go for something to bite in a little restaurant inside the train station's mall.
Lincoln was there, looking at his big sister as excited as a little kid that had just spotted Mickey Mouse in Disneyland. - "She's really excited." -He thought happily. But then he noticed someone else, - "Luan?" -He saw the comedian, who didn't look so cheerful now.
- "What's wrong Luan?" -He asked her gently. She was immersed so deep in her thoughts that Lincoln took her by surprise with his question.
- "Whoa! Sorry Linc." -She apologized and then looked at Luna. - "It's… It's just that I realized that she won't be there anymore." -She explained.
- "Come on Luan, we've been through this already, I know it hurts, we are all sad, but look how happy she is now. We have to try and be happy for her." -
- "Yes, I know that but… sigh… It's different in my case lil' bro." -
- "What do you mean?" -
-Well… Luna and I have been roommates for years Lincoln, we became more than sisters, we became best friends, despite all our fights, all our disagreements, despite everything, Luna and I learned to share everything, our likes and dislikes, she helped me to improve as a comedian, and I helped her to compose and fix her songs, from time to time, we helped each other to become better, but now…" -Luan took a moment and looked at Sam and her look turned into one of anger. - "Now she will have a new roommate, and she looks so excited that it seems that she forgot completely about me!" -Luan said and lowered her head in sadness.
- "What?! That's just ridiculous! Luna is excited about having a new beginning, a new step in becoming a rock star, and the best part, is that she has this chance to do it with the one she likes the most! Isn't that good enough to be extremely excited?" -He said looking at his big sister with dreamy eyes, making her smile.
- "Yeah! I guess you're right." -she looked at her sister again, but then, tears appeared on her eyes. - "But I'm still gonna miss her a lot." -She was sobbing. Then to her surprise, Luna saw them and excused herself to Sam and her parents and went to them.
- "Hey guys." -She greeted them and they greeted her back.
- "Bro, can you give us a moment please?" -She asked Lincoln nicely.
- "Sure, go ahead, I'll go and check those model trains over there, perhaps I'd buy one." -He left them and turned to the viewer. - "The best thing I can do now is leave them alone, so they can talk freely." -He turned to look at them talking, he couldn't hear them, but that didn't matter, they were talking, laughing, hugging each other. At some point, Luna took Luan's both hands in hers and talked to her in a more serious tone, then both of them started to cry and they hugged again. They separated and smiled at each other again. Luna kissed Luan on the forehead and then, the train's arrival was announced to be soon, and all of them went back to the others.
- "Now I need a few minutes with Lincoln, please." -Luna asked and without waiting, took Lincoln's hand a and dragged him with her. - "You're the best little bro anyone can ask for!" -She said hugging him tightly.
- "Ugh! Come on Luna, I'm not that great."- He said feeling Luna's bear hug crushing him.
- "Yes, you are! Since the moment I met you when mom and dad brought you home, I knew you were especial and that great things were destined for you."- She said sobbing a little. – "And I was right!" -
- "Do you really think so?" -He asked a little dumbfounded.
- "Yes, of course! How many girls can say that their little brother is a super hero?"- She asked him innocently, with a wide smile on her lips. However, the question made Lincoln pale, his throat dried, and he was looking at Luna with eyes as wide as plates. - "Don't you worry, your secret is completely safe with me." -She said patting his shoulder. Lincoln released a breath he didn't know he was holding.
- "H… Ho… How… Wh… When…" -He stuttered.
- "It may not seem so, but I pay attention to details bro."-Luna started to explain. - "Spider-man appeared like two months after you got sick; you got sick after you went to the research facility in the city's center. When you got better, you became incredibly skilled and athletic and strong and muscular, too much for being just puberty, no matter how many explanations mom and dad gave us. There was something else going on with you. And… well…"- Luna blushed. - "One morning I really needed to pee and got into the bathroom when someone else was showering, I guessed it was Luan or Lynn, so there wouldn't be any problem if I just got in and used the toilet without making a sound, but it was you who was showering, and I could see the scars on your back, and the blood being cleaned from your body, I got so worried and scared, I thought of going to tell the others that someone was bullying you again, but thought better to do a little research before." -Luna paused and sighed. - "I got into your room, looking for some evidence and that's when I saw it, under your bed, the suit, I saw it, and took it, and held it in my hands…" -Luna was holding her tears at this point. - "There was still blood on it, it stained my hands… Sniff… I was so, so, so proud of you…" -Luna couldn't hold her tears anymore. - "And so, so, so worried… I didn't know what to do then, I thought about confronting you, I thought about telling everyone, I thought about calling the police, I thought about going with you, I thought about you getting hurt again, I thought about you being killed… I thought, and thought, and thought…" -Luna caressed his cheek. - "Until your phone rang, startling me, I put the suit back on its place and left your room and slipped into mine. I watched you going to your room half naked and answering it, I watched you all the time that day, until you said you had something to do with your friend Liam and left." -She took a moment to kiss him on the forehead. - "I called Liam and asked him for you, but he said that he hadn't see you in the whole day and didn't have any plans with you. After a couple of hours, I was watching the news 'Spider-man saved an elder's couple store from being robbed by two guys, a woman from being raped, a kidnaped man, and helped a lost kid to go back to his mom'. Then you got in the house as nothing happened, just the usual things for a teenager. And I watched you again… Reading your comics, having dinner with us, going to sleep. I realized that you were fine, and you'll be fine. I wasn't that worry anymore, just proud, very proud from my very brave and incredibly good-hearted little bro." -She kissed him again. - "Just promise me that you'll be careful, and if you find something you can't handle, save yourself." -She was begging him.
- "Luna, I can't…" -
- "Please Lincoln, promise me that. The city will find a way to handle those problems, one way or another, but I won't be capable to handle if my little brother getting permanently hurt, or… or worse… Please promise me that if there's something you know you can't handle; you'll save yourself. Please!" -She begged him again.
- "Ok, ok Luna. I promise that if I find something too big or too dangerous for me, I'll keep away and let the police handle it." -Lincoln gave up.
- "Thank you, little bro." -She ruffled his hair. - "We better go back; my train is already coming." -She said taking his hand in hers and going back to the others.
When all of them were together, both girls said their good byes to their families and hugged again, at this point, Lynn Senior was crying like a little kid, his wife patting his back and his kids supporting him too.
- "Come on rocker dad! It's not a good bye, it's a farewell."- Luna told him, but he was still crying, he hugged her for like, the fifty time that day, and left her just when they heard the train approaching.
Luna took her luggage and sighed, looking again at her family, Sam was doing the same, then the train announced his leave to New York and opened its gates. Luna and Sam looked at each other and held hands. - "Are you ready?" -Luna asked her.
- "No." -She answered calmly. - "Let's do it." -She said then and they got in the train. Both girls stood in front of a window waving bye at their families while they did the same. Luna locked eyes with Lincoln one last time for a few seconds and they smiled at each other.
After they left, Lynn senior invited them all to eat something at his restaurant.
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Jordan was attending a couple of friends in the restaurant, Chandler and Christine, they were the top couple at school, him being the football's team quarterback, and she being the cheerleaders' captain, it was just "natural" for them being the most popular couple there 'A T.V. cliché if you ask me' Jordan thought after taking their orders, and looked at them while they were giving love to each other, kissing, smooching, holding hands, then she pictured herself with Lincoln there, doing the same and blushed madly. Then she heard the main door open and turned to look at the new costumers. She saw her boss getting in, followed by his whole family, including her white haired crush, and another couple that she didn't recognized, she tried to go to them, but then, the hostess went ahead of her, she wanted to hear them but then, the bell rang and she knew she had an order to deliver.
Then, the Loud family and their guests sat at a big table and talked a little, the hostess went to Jordan and asked her to help her with that table, because they were twelve costumers and she agreed to it.
She went to them and introduced herself giving them the menus, she told them that she'd be back when they were ready to order, before she left she heard Lincoln say - "You look good with that uniform too."- And she blushed again, but didn't turn around to look at him, she didn't know why she didn't, she was very confused, and Lincoln was confused too.
Jordan went to Chandler and Christine to retrieve their dishes and give them the bill.
- "Did you enjoy the food?" -She asked them.
- "Absolutely! This place is the best. It's that simple." -Christine said cheerfully.
- "Yes! I agree, but hey Jordan, isn't there some kind of regular client discount or something like that?" -Chandler asked her jokingly and she gave him a stern but smiling face.
- "Don't think so Chandler, sorry." -
- "Ok" -Chandler pouted, faking disappointment. "What about a classmate discount?" -He asked again jokingly.
- "Hehe, I don't mean to be rude, but you should ask Mr. Loud for any discount Chandler, he's the boss here, I'm just a waitress." -She said politely.
- "Yes, I know, I know, I'm just kidding Jordan, anyway, this was just amazing, thank you for everything Jordan." -Chandler got up leaving the money to pay the bill, plus 10 bucks as tip. - "Ready to go, honey." -He asked Christine.
- "Yes, of course babe." -Christine said getting up and taking Chandler's hand. They left holding hands and kissing and smiling at each other and Jordan looked at them leaving, and again, pictured herself with Lincoln doing that.
- "Hey! Lincoln! Are you going to try out for the football team this year?" -Chandler asked him when he saw him.
- "I don't know Chandler, I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's appealing though." -
- "Well, think about it man, but make sure to be YOU, and not your sister the one playing this time hehe." -He joked again.
- "Yeah, yeah, I know, I know." -Lincoln rolled his eyes but still smiled, waving bye at his… friend?
The hostess called Jordan and startled her. - "Jordan! Please stop daydreaming! The boss's table is ready to order!" -She scolded her.
- "Sorry Natalie, I'm on my way." -She apologized and went to them. When she arrived, she saw Lynn bullying Lincoln a little, holding him by the neck with an arm and rubbing her other hand's knuckles on his head.
- "Are you going to play? AH?! AH?! Are you going to play some football now? AH!" -She asked him while he was trying to release himself from her grip.
- "I don't know Lynn. Maybe I'd give it a try. Please let me go." -He begged her.
- "Na…ah! First tell me that you're going to try to get into the football team, come on! COME ON! Tell me." -She asked him while bullying him.
- "Ok, ok, I'll do it, but please, let me go." -He answered.
- "Do you promise me that you're going to try it?" -She asked him again.
- "Yes, yes, I'll try it, ok? Now let me go!" -He demanded and she finally released him.
- "Are you ready to order?" -Jordan asked them.
- "Yes, my dear, thank you I'd like…" -Rita Loud answered and Jordan took their orders.
- "So… Lincoln." -His mom started after Jordan left. - "What was all that when we got here?" -She asked him.
- "What do you mean mom?" -
- "That thing about praising Jordan's outfit?" -She asked him mischievously, making her song blush and all his sisters did the 'Oooohhhh' expression, adding more pressure to him.
- "Ahm… well… Ah… I… I just wanted to… to compliment her. That's all." –
- "Why? She's working. It's her uniform. What reason would you have to praise her outfit?" -She pushed.
- "I… I just wanted to be nice to her. She's my classmate. I've known her since kindergarten. And recently, I've noticed something about her. I… I think I… I think I have a crush on her." -Lincoln finally confessed.
- "REALLY?!" -His mom and all his sisters asked him excitedly.
- "Y… Yes! I have a crush on her." -He confessed, blushing hard.
- "SQUEEEE!" -All his sisters yelled at the same time, calling everyone's attention, but they didn't care. Then, Luan started it.
- "Lincoln, you should go and…" -But Lincoln interrupted her.
- "Ah! Ah! Don't even think it Luan. Every time you get into my romantic life bad things happen to me." -He said defensively.
- "How can you say that? Name one time that has ever happened." -She challenged him.
- "Really?! What about that time when Ronnie Ann was bullying me? You immediately went all over the 'she bullies you because she likes you' and I ended up with a black eye!" -
- "Well, ok, that's the only time, but in the end, you liked each other, don't you?" -Lynn said.
- "And that time when we got that letter that was for dad from mom, and I left one to Paige, and she just laughed at me in my face and published the letter on the internet. That was as bad as the time I published my most embarrassing moments to make it up to you!" -
- "We didn't have to do anything with that!" -Lola countered.
- "You laughed too. Instead of helping me to stop it." -He said sternly, making all of them gulp and their parents looked at the girls sternly too.
- "And that time I fought with all my friends because we didn't know which one of us liked Stella."-
- "We really didn't have to do anything with that." -Lana said.
- "Well, yeah, but still…" -
- "Bad things happen to you because you're a fool when you try to do anything with girls. That's all because of you. Don't you remember the Girls Guru mess?" -Lola said menacingly.
- "Ahm… well… I… I…" -
- "The fact that you can't even talk to girls properly is not our fault Lincoln." -Lola said mockingly.
- "Well… Having ten sisters that have completely different personalities between them doesn't help at all." -Lincoln defended himself. - "Just when I finally think that I know what you want, you already have changed your mind about it. It happens all the time. For example, when I had the 'perfect birthday gift' for Lynn last year, a new baseball set, she decided that she wanted to practice tennis. When I finally found the perfume Lola wanted so bad, she already had it because Leni got it for her. I could go on and on all day guys. The more I live with girls, the less I understand them." -Lincoln explained. - "But I still have to try it and talk to them… Now I'd like to try it with Jordan, and maybe I have a chance this time." -He smiled sheepishly.
- "What makes you think that?" -Lola asked him and he gulped. - "I mean, Jordan is very pretty, one of the most popular girls at your school, she's very athletic, and one of the kindest girls ever. Why would you, over all other boys, have a chance with her?" -She mocked and Lincoln fell silent.
- "Well, Lincoln is handsome, kind, gentle, he always does his best at whatever he tries, and he's always there whenever anyone of us need him." -Lily came to the rescue, her childish innocence and the tone she used to say that, made evident her admiration for her brother, making him smile.
- "Thanks Lily." -He said ruffling his little sister hair, making her giggle.
Then, Jordan arrived with Natalie, they brought the food with them.
- "Bon appetite." -Natalie said after serving the food and left, dragging Jordan with her.
They ate and kept chatting, peacefully. When they finished their food, Jordan and Natalie came back to retrieve the dishes. Then, Lily, with the same childish innocence, asked.
- "Hey Jordan! Would you like to go out with my brother?" -She asked innocently, making most of them laugh a little and going 'aaawww', but Lincoln and Jordan blushed really hard.
- "Lily!" -Lincoln claimed a little loud, startling the four years old girl, she pouted and Lincoln regretted his actions. But Lily, as the innocent child she is, she asked.
- "What?! Don't you want to ask her out? You just said you liked her!" -
That made both teens blush and Lincoln gulped looking at Jordan, he was expecting to be slapped straight on the face, but…
- "Yeah! Sure! It sounds fun, but it'd be better if he asks me personally Lily." -Jordan answered smiling, looking at Lincoln.
- "See! This is you chance! Ask her out Linky." -Lily encouraged her brother.
- "Ahm… eh… ehm… J… Jor… Jordan… Ahm… Would… would you like to… to go out with me?" -Lincoln stuttered, blushing madly.
- "Yeah! I'd love to! When?" -She answered enthusiastically, making Lincoln smile widely and all the others to smirk.
- "What about next Friday?" -Luan answered for him.
- "Ahm… Luan?" -Lincoln tried to stop her.
- "Dinner at the Mexican-French buffet Jean-Juan!" -Lola continued.
- "Eh… Lola?" -
- "Before that they should go to a movie" -Lucy said.
- "Uh… Lucy?" -
- "He'll pick you up at seven!" -Lynn said.
- "GIRLS!" -Lincoln and Rita yelled at the same time and all the girls stopped, but just Rita continued. - "Why don't you let your brother arrange his date?" -She asked them nicely, but her look said a totally different thing.
All the girls gulped and stopped their onset over Lincoln.
- "Thanks mom. If you excuse me a little." -Lincoln said an got up, taking Jordan's hand unconsciously, and dragged her with him outside.
- "They look so cute together." -Rita said sighing, and all the others sighed too.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Outside the restaurant, Lincoln turned to look at Jordan straight in the eyes.
- "I'm really sorry for that. My sisters are incredibly nosy." -He apologized.
- "It's ok hehe. At least they helped you to ask me out. It didn't seem you were capable of it alone." -She said giggling.
- "Har… Har… Har…" -Lincoln faked his laughter. - "It's not that easy to ask out a girl as pretty as you. There's a big chance to be rejected." -
- "You think I'm pretty?!" -She asked him happily.
- "Yes! Of course! You're one of the prettiest girls at school! Along with Stella, Paige, and Christine. You're the four prettiest girls." -He said with some confidence but then, he looked at Jordan, who seemed upset. - "What?" -He asked dumbfounded.
- "You shouldn't praise other girls' beauty when you're asking a girl out." -She explained.
- "Oh! Come on! No one can deny their beauty." -He explained, but looking at Jordan's angry face, he apologized. - "But you're right, I shouldn't have done that, sorry. So, do you still wanna go out with me?" -He asked again.
She took her time to answer this time, making him gulp. - "Yeah, sure. It'd be fun." -She said happily.
- "Really?! Thanks Jordan. Where do you want to go?" -He asked her as happy as her.
- "Actually, your sisters' suggestions seem good." -She giggled.
- "Dang it!" -Lincoln said and Jordan laughed. - "So, is it settled now? Friday at seven, movie and dinner at Jean-Juan?" -he asked her smiling.
- "Yep, it sounds good." -She answered him.
- "Great! We have a date then." -Lincoln said cheerfully, and, without thinking, he hugged her. She was surprised at first, but then, she hugged him back. She felt good and warm, and… familiar? She felt like she had hugged him before, his warm and muscles, it seemed strangely familiar to her, but she couldn't point it out.
- "We better go back in Lincoln. I still have to finish my shift." -Jordan said breaking the hug.
- "Yeah, sorry, let's go." -He apologized and went back inside still holding her hand.
Once inside, Lincoln let her go and she went back to work while he went to sit with his family. All his sisters were looking at him, holding their excitement, but he ignored them and said nonchalantly. - "You already know what happened outside, as if you weren't spying on us." -
His sisters gasped at that, faking being offended, but they were smiling, along with his parents. Then, Lily asked him. - "Are you two boyfriend and girlfriend now? Are you going to get married? Are you going to write to the stork for babies?" -She went on and on, asking him many things, but he picked her up and cradled her asking her for silence.
- "It's too soon for all that Lily, let's see if things can work on this first date, ok? Then we'll decide if we can become boyfriend and girlfriend, and if that works, maybe someday we'll get married and write to the stork for babies. Is that ok?"
- "Yay! If that happens, I want to help you to write the letter?" -She said innocently and excited, making everyone laugh, but those over thirteen gasped too, because, even if they understood what she meant, they also understood what's behind her words, but they didn't mind that much, Lily is four years old after all.
- "Hehe! Well, that would be something that just Jordan and I should do." -Lincoln tried to explain but Lily pouted, making him cringe, she already knows how to control Lincoln. - "But I can ask Jordan if she agrees hehe." -he said in an attempt to stop Lily from making a tantrum, making everyone laugh again.
Lynn senior asked for the bill, and they were about to leave when a new costumer arrived, it was Clyde's family. He spotted the Loud and his expression changed from neutral, to very angry, he turned away to not look at them, especially Lincoln. Said boy felt hurt, but didn't say anything, The Loud family was leaving and they passed by the McBride's family, when Lincoln passed by Clyde, who looked away from him, his spider sense triggered, it was very awkward and unusual, he even looked around to find what was wrong, but he didn't find anything.
- "What's the matter Loud? Are you looking for an escape route from your destiny too?" -Clyde said trying to insult him.
Lincoln turned to him angrily, but he decided to not answer him, that's when his spider sense triggered at full force, looking at Clyde. "It can't be!" Lincoln thought, "But my spider sense has never failed me", he was disturbed.
The Loud family left the restaurant, Lincoln was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice that he sat in the wet spot in Vanzilla. His attitude change bothered his family, but he just said that he was a little upset for Clyde's attitude, that it hurt him, but he would be fine.
- "You better focus on your incoming date little bro." -Lynn said and he smiled at her.
- "Yeah! Your right Lynn, I better focus on cause her a good impression, right?" -He faked being happy again.
- "That's the spirit bro." -Lynn said happily, but Lincoln kept thinking about Clyde. "If he's a threat, then Spider-man should watch him a little." He thought a little angry with himself, he didn't like that idea, but Spider-man had to protect everyone in Royal Woods, even from themselves.
