Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino

DOLL: Reissue

Note: There seems to be some confusion over what happened in chapters nine and ten. Doll was not upset over Lincoln wanting the bickering to stop. She was upset because he told them he would be with both of them and insinuated that they get to know each other intimately, without any concern for what they wanted. I blame myself for not wording the passage better, so, for the first time, I've edited an existing chapter so that the message is more apparent. The edit might take a while to show up, though.

By Lola Presents

Chapter 11

As much as the team wished they could take an indefinite break, they had a mission to complete and needed to get back to it. And while everyone finished their meals and conversations, Gerald went from person to person, ensuring they had recovered and were ready to move forward.

"Alright, everyone," he said, clapping his hands lightly. "It's 'go' time. We haven't got all night."

Groaning but complying, everyone dusted themselves off and prepared to head out. They still had to clear out two bunkers before attempting an assault on the dome, and the doll's aggressiveness seemed to be rising with every encounter, creating a pall over the small group.

"What's the plan, Doc?" asked Clyde, adjusting his glasses by their frame. "I mean, haven't you noticed we've encountered increasingly heavier resistance? What if they start using weapons?"

"I've noticed," the man replied, huffing simultaneously. "But, we're sticking with Doll's request. Regardless of everything, they're getting manipulated. Nevertheless, we hit the first barracks next. This time, we go in from oldest to youngest. If we Rita and I go down, you're to stand down and surrender. Understood?"

"What?" gasped Lola, thinking about Sylvia for once. "How can you say that? Your little girl is in there!"

"I didn't say stop fighting," answered Gerald, understanding the confusion. "I said stand down. That way, you may live to fight another day when the tables have turned. It won't do anyone any good if you die here today."

"Yeah," sighed Lola, looking away from the man. "I guess that makes sense."

Then Doll approached Gerald and laid her hand on his. "Thank you for this," she whispered. "It means a lot."

"No," he said, kneeling to face her at eye level and placing one hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for reminding me what it means to be human. Now, let's go clear those bunkers."

Doll nodded, and Mr. Stoltz rose, heading for the door. "Alright, everyone," he whispered, surveying the grounds through a small window. "The coast still looks clear, but remember, the shift could change at any time, so let's be fast about this. Stay low and in the shadows as much as possible. "Ready?"

"Ready!" everyone chirped.

Then, without acknowledging, Gerald opened the door and slipped out. And staying low to the ground and amongst the shadows between the mess hall and rocky sand, he scuttled his way toward the first bunker. Following him, Rita and the children replicated the man's advance.

Soon, they were lined up by the small metal stairs, preparing themselves for the upcoming fight. Gerald motioned for them to remain still before slowly creeping up the stairs, cautiously peering into the bunker through the little window, and assessing the situation.

"Okay," he said, whispering to the others. "It looks like we're up against four dolls this time. Rita and I will each take one, I want Lincoln and Lola on one, Clyde and Doll on another, and Lisa, I want you to cover us and keep an eye on the grounds. You never know when more might surprise us. We rush them on the count of three, taking them by surprise. Got it?"

Everyone nodded in understanding, focused on his words and committing them to memory.

"Three," whispered Gerald, holing up three fingers. Then silently, he paused, held up two fingers, and finally, after displaying one, he burst into the small building.

As Gerald and the other rushed into the room, the dolls, in various states of dress, momentarily looked confused, delaying their reactions. And in that time, the piecemeal group advanced upon them, standing beside their partners in battle, if any, and everyone squared up.

"Stand down!" yelled one of the dolls, taking a fighting stance.

"You are trespassing on government grounds," yelled another, finishing the first's proclamation.

"You don't have to do this!" pleaded Doll with empathy and hope, despite knowing how they worked. "You can fight against it! I know. It'll hurt, but you can do it!"

"No, I..." said the doll facing off with Doll and Clyde. "I must obey!" it said after a slight pause, swinging at Clyde.

Clyde raised his left arm to block the blow and felt something incredible. In response to the incoming threat, the musculature in the suit tightened into a thick, dense pad, but only in the spot of the impending attack. And the blow got mostly absorbed, hurting far less than he expected.

"My turn!" he yelled, balling his right fist, releasing the taser prongs, and taking a swing at the doll's gut.

However, the doll was more prepared than the young boy, dodging the attack quickly. Then, with Clyde slightly off balance, the doll began a series of punches, slowly knocking him backward. Doll, who stood behind Clyde, backed up, crouched down, then leaped into the air, sailing over the two of them and landing behind him. Then, with a quick spin, she jabbed the doll in the back with her tasers, and it went down, surging with crackling energy.

Lola stood behind and slightly to her brother's right as he faced off against the doll. "Come on, you big dummy!" she taunted it, shaking her fist at it menacingly.

The doll laughed. "That's funny," it said, staring right at her. "If I get my hand on you, I'm breaking you in half, little girl."

Lincoln's lids fell slightly, and an intense look crept onto his face. "Not in this lifetime, asshole," he barked, lunging forward, tackling the doll to the floor. And as they came to a rest, Lincoln found himself straddling the man's waist and struggling to hold him down. "Lola!" he shouted. "Quickly, while I have him down!"

Lol leaped into action, hovering above the man and pulling back her arm, aiming for his chest. However, the doll broke free of their arm wrestling match and flipped Lincoln off him, grabbing hold of Lola and quickly lifting her above his head.

"Nooo!" screamed Lincoln, his face contorted in fear. The adrenaline rush within his body triggered something in his suit, and as he leaped toward the man, he extended his arms, fists balled and tasers ready. It happened with such speed that he pierced the doll's chest with both tasers and carried him another ten feet, knocking him over several beds, leaving Lola in the air for a moment before falling to the floor.

The doll squaring off with Mrs. Loud didn't hesitate to begin swinging at her, though, with years of dodging kids, her reflexes were more than enough to avoid his attack. However, she eventually found herself cornered, having to move backward with every attack.

"What are you going to do now?" asked the doll, assuming victory. "Hit me with a frying pan?"

"Actually..." said Rita calmly. "I had something more basic in mind," she informed the doll just before kicking him in the nuts. And as he doubled over in pain, Rita checked him with a well-placed uppercut, sending him reeling backward, laying over a bed, silent and unconscious. "I'm only glad Lisa designed these things to be fully functional," she muttered.

Gerald and the doll he faced wasted no time trading blows, beating each other senseless, the former's rage overriding his rationale. "That's for taking my daughter!" he said, landing a blow to the doll's face. "And that's for getting beat up before!" he yelled, assaulting the doll's abdomen.

Then, in a turnabout, the doll recomposed itself, upsetting Gerald with an uppercut to the chin, sending him wobbling back. "Like that?" the doll inquired, laughing. "I got more. Of course, you can always surrender."

"No way in hell," Mr. Stoltz replied calmly, wiping the blood from his face. "We're ending this today," he said, lunging at the doll, faking a left, then landing a solid right to the doll's side, taser at the ready. The doll's eyes rolled back into its head, falling silently to the floor, jerking several times before becoming motionless.

And as all four battles ended, everyone caught their breath from the exertion and checked on each other. Of course, Rita's first response was to ensure her children's safety. And seeing Lola on the floor, she rushed to her side. With Lincoln quickly meeting her on Lola's other side, they looked down in fear at the face-down girl.

"Lola! Sweetie!" Rita cried, gingerly reaching for her daughter as premature tears began to fall. "Speak to me!"

"Lola!" wept Lincoln, tears forming in his eyes. "Please tell me you're okay! Call me a doofus or something! I don't care! Just say something," he mumbled through his tears, placing his hand on her back. "I can't live without you!"

Doll and the others looked on with concern, afraid to intervene lest they make matters worse. However, Doll had more than worries on her mind. When she was synthetic and had malfunctioned, Lincoln had not wept like this as she was dying, which made her realize something.

Lincoln didn't love her the way he loved Lola. Perhaps he felt obligated due to their shared DNA. Maybe he was attracted to her but hadn't spent the time with her to genuinely fall in love. Either way, she knew she'd lost even if Lola hadn't survived.

"Nnng," moaned Lola, weakly struggling to recover. "Fine, I can't roll over if you're holding me down," she whispered. "Doofus," she said, smiling as she faced him, laying down on the floor.

"Oh, thank God," cried Lincoln and Rita as everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "We thought..."

"Are you kidding?" laughed Lola, despite how much it hurt. "Who'd bug the hell out of you then?"

Lincoln found a sheet and tore a small piece off so that Lola could clean her bloody nose while Rita helped her and cradled her in her arms. "I'm so glad you're okay," she laughed through the residual tears. "But it might be a while before you attend another pageant."

"What?" gasped Lola, looking around for a non-existent mirror. "What's wrong with me?"

"Sh," cooed Rita. "It's not that bad. Your nose is a bit swollen, but it'll heal."

Lincoln shook his head, chuckling. "Don't worry, Lola," he told her. "You still look beautiful to me. I could kiss you right now."

"No," sighed Lola, holding one hand up in defense. "Please, don't..."

"What?" gasped Lincoln at the furrowed look on her face. "I don't understand."

"Listen, Doll and I talked about it," Lola began, despite her mother's presence, "and we don't like the way you wanted us to share you without regard to what we want," she explained. "When I give someone my heart, I give them my whole heart. And, I want the same from them. So does Doll. So, until you decide which of us you want, there won't be more kisses."

"Wait..." Doll whispered, kneeling with them. "I-it's okay," she stammered through tears of her own. "I'll step aside."

"But, Doll..." choked Lincoln. "I love you, too."

"No, you don't," said Doll, forcing a smile on her face and placing her hand on his shoulder. "You've known Lola a lot longer than me, and you've had time to fall in love with her properly. You belong with her, not me. I see that now. And while I will probably always love you, I must let you go."

Lincoln was stunned but understood her message. "Oh, Doll..." he muttered. "I'm so sorry. If I hadn't been such a blind idiot, you might never have malfunctioned in the first place, and none of this would've happened."

"No," smiled Doll. "I'm glad you did. I wouldn't be who I am today if things had gone otherwise. Just promise me something, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," mumbled Lincoln, nodding at Doll. "What is it?"

"Love Lola with all your heart," she whispered, "and never forsake her for someone else."

"I..." stammered Lincoln, overcome with emotion. "I will. I promise. That is..." he continued, moving his gaze to his sister. "If she'll still have me."

"Yes!" cried Lola, leaving her mother's arms and into Lincoln's. "Of course, I will, you big doofus!" she declared, wrapping her arms around him and nestling her head into his neck. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" she suddenly whimpered, backing away. "I forgot about my nose!"

And while everyone had a good laugh, Rita sat silently, taking in everything the three of her children had said. Of course, she already knew how they felt about each other, but their actions and words just now softened her heart. And, sighing heavily, she conceded.

"Fine," she said, lightly slapping her now empty lap. "Go ahead," she relented. "The two of you can, you know, date and stuff..." she reluctantly said. "Just, don't flaunt it, okay? It's still illegal, you know."

"You mean that?" chirped Lola and Lincoln simultaneously. "You're not going to change your mind later?"

Rita shook her head. "No," she sighed. "I've seen how much you love each other, and I think you can handle it now. Go ahead," she sighed again, her heart skipping a beat at the thought, "kiss her. Besides, if we don't make it through this, you might never get the chance, and who am I to deny you this opportunity."

Lincoln and Lola stared at each other for a moment, then warmly embraced each other, gently placing their foreheads together. "I love you, Lincoln Albert Loud," Lola whispered. "I love you, too, Lola Marie Loud," he responded before kissing her. And though it was light and tender at first, it soon gave way to a deeply seeded passion. And after they pulled away, each had a renewed look on their faces, full of life and purpose.

"Well," sighed Clyde. "That was certainly interesting, buddy," he told his best friend. "I mean, I knew you all liked each other, but..." said the conflicted boy, "...that's going to take some getting used to."

Once more, everyone chuckled. But, it was time to move on, and after Gerald rallied them all back to reality, he surveyed the room. "Eight beds," he muttered. "If the other barrack is that same, that means sixteen total. We've already taken out eight of them. That leaves eight between the other barrack and the dome. Our odds of success just got a whole let better."

"That is, assuming there isn't a third shift," Lisa interjected, "taking turns in the bunks. They can't all sleep at the same time, after all."

"That's true," acknowledged Gerald. "But, we only have one chance at this, so let's get going. Exact ordering as before," he said, rechecking the grounds. Confirming the all-clear, they slipped out single file and headed toward the second bunker.

As before, Gerald cautiously attempted to survey the room before entering. However, the lights were off, and he couldn't see a bloody thing. "Alright, guy," he whispered. "We're going in blind on this one, be ready for anything."

"Got it," everyone said, nodding.

Then, with swiftness, Gerald threw open the door and rushed inside, the others hurrying in behind him and fanning out in pairs, save for Lisa, who stood back by the door. Interestingly, they encountered no resistance and heard no movement.

After a moment of silence, Lisa nervously flipped the light switch and sighed heavily at seeing a vacant room. "Looks like nobody is home," she said. "That must mean the rest of them, however many, are in the dome with Sylvia."

"Doll," sighed Gerald, approaching the young girl and kneeling before her. "I know you want to save as many of your kind as possible. But I think this was a setup. It can't be a coincidence that the rest of them are in the dome, babysitting my daughter, instead of hanging out in the mess hall or resting. They're testing us and planning an ambush. Let's reconsider using our weapons, please? This mission can't fail. Not just for Sylvia but for all the other dolls in the world. Don't you think the sacrifice is justified?"

Doll stared at the man as logic raged against emotion, and her eye fluttered as she considered Gerald's reasoning. However, in her heart, she knew he was right. The mission had to succeed, and if the odds were against them, losing a few dolls to save the rest was the right choice.

Slowly, Doll nodded, though it brought tears to her eyes. "You're right," she eventually conceded. "Let's do this."

"Alright, listen up," announced Gerald, standing back up. "I think it's safe to assume we're getting monitored, so being stealthy is out. Let's return to the mess hall as quickly as possible, get our guns, and storm that dome!"

"Yeah!" exclaimed Clyde. "Time to kick ass!"

"Clyde!" chirped Rita. "Language!"

"Oh, right," muttered the boy. "Sorry, Mrs. L."

Then together, they ran back to retrieve their weapons. And embracing them with open arms, they stood defiantly as a group. Bloodied and battered, they looked worse for their wear but maintained a look of single-minded purpose as they checked their weapon's readiness.

"All set," announced Lincoln.

"Charged and read," called Clyde.

"Okay, once more into the fray," cited Gerald. "This is our last stop, ladies and gentlemen. If there're any last words, say them now."

When nobody spoke, the man continued. "Alright, then," he said. "This time, we stay together and move as a group. Assuming they don't assault us immediately, we'll go through the building as one, clearing each room. Nobody breaks off, and nobody tries to be a hero. Stick closest to your partner, but keep an out for anyone in need. Understood?"

Once everyone had acknowledged the plan, Gerald headed outside and made a beeline for the door to the dome, not bothering with trying to stay lay or behind cover. Using darkness only, he plodded his way to the little alcove containing the door and stood within it, waiting for the others to assemble.

There didn't appear to be any locking mechanism or handle to the large metal door. However, a small terminal on the wall beside the door provided access.

"Lisa?" huffed Rita as she pulled into the small alcove. "Can you hack this?"

"I can try," the little girl replied. "Just give me some space and cover me while I work."

While Gerald positioned himself near the door, ready to attack should it fly open, Rita situated herself to guard approach against the open grounds. At the same time, Lisa took out a small toolkit from her backpack and began work.