Disclaimer: I don't own The Loud House, the brand, as well as all of its characters and settings belong to Chris Savino and Nickelodeon, all rights reserved.
Chapter 92: Advocacy.
The "ride" to the nearest police station did not take long, not that it would matter, as a creeping death silence surrounded the car that transported a conflicted sister and a calm brother.
Lori simply took a professional approach to the intervention, as she accompanied the officers silently and from behind while they escorted Lincoln through the booking process, looking away as the cops searched through his clothes for weapons or narcotics and removed his cellphone and other personal belongings, then, she simply waited outside for the rest of the procedure, as the policemen took his fingertips and profile pictures and made him change to the substitute jumper.
Once custody was now in the hands of the department, she finally made a move to approach the detained man through the glass window that now separated him from the world, picking the phone through the other side, she resumed calmly.
- Hi - She said with a neutral expression.
- Hi - The brother answered likewise.
- Um - She struggled with her delivery next - Look, I'll be as objective as I can be here, given the severity of the accusation, I cannot guarantee a pre-trial release, so I'll just do my job as a lawyer and remind you of your rights - The eldest sister stated seriously - As an US citizen, you are protected under the sixth amendment of the constitution under presumption of innocence, as a result, you have the right to ask for a fair trial with an impartial jury within the next available 60 business days, were you are guaranteed an unbiased judgement free of discrimination, misuse of state power and recourse to incarceration, the state of Michigan not being an exception; however, keep in mind that an intervention of the state police comes with a specified number of loss of privileges, including a few days of custody as stated by… -
Lincoln kept listening attentively to Lori's legal speech, but not without losing track of her technical garble from time to time as it could turn overwhelming
- …therefore, in order to guide you through the paperwork and due process, as well as to assist you with reviewing the evidence and negotiating with the prosecutor for the possibility of a conditional pre-trial bond, you'll need to contact a criminal defense attorney and inform them of your situation as soon as possible; at my firm, I can recommend a few professionals that can guide you through the initial hearing-
- Don't worry, that won't be necessary - at last, Lincoln interrupted her technicalities, not with an annoyed demeanor though, as a serene smile seemed to be adorning his face, confusing the lawyer further.
- Oh, right, you probably have better "contacts" to bail you out - Lori noted angrily, raising an eyebrow.
- No, that's not what I mean - Lincoln followed sincerely.
- Then what? - Lori asked curiously.
- I don't need a lawyer, or a trial sis - Lincoln said with a weird grin.
- Right, you'll bribe your way out, sorry for caring about your situation, whatever, I'm done here - Lori scoffed, almost dropping the phone.
- …Thanks - Lincoln replied, his warm smile more apparent, making the confused lawyer pick the phone back up.
- What for? - The oldest sister wasn't quite following.
- for calling the cops -
- So, are we just going to let her go!? She has physical, tangible evidence dang it! - Lisa alerted her family, still in a state of trance, as Lola's meltdown had just occurred.
- What's the point dude? You know how she is, we could cage her up, we could destroy ALL that evidence, and she would still always get the last laugh - Luna commented from her spot in the floor, looking down in defeat as she continued caressing the hair of the unanswering sister, who was now in fetal position, shaking violently.
- I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry - Lola whispered continuously, unaware of the world around her.
- Well, I don't know you guys, but I'm catching up to her, I'll come back for news - said an anxious Clyde, as he quickly picked up the bags that he was carrying - Lisa, please stay here and monitor everything - He managed to communicate to the distraught scientist, before quickly running away -
A few moments of silence after his rushing departure, the family sat close to where Lola was located, trying to think of anything to improve her situation.
- Mommy? - Lily then directed herself to her mother, kneeling for a hug - Is Linky going to be ok? - She whispered in a whimper.
- I… don't know sweetie - Rita couldn't hold it either, as doubt reigned her heart, seeing her destroyed daughter in the floor, while her youngest baby clung to her for support.
Knowing that her biggest hope now… was Lori.
- Aggh! - Lana snapped, raising from her spot, clenching her fists while looking down to her living mess of a twin - How could she do this to us!? How can she do this to her own brother! …No matter how much I felt like hating them before, I would have never involved the law in this!? - She complained to herself.
The pregnant girl then moved over to her mother, screeching a little from a wave of pain coming from inside her belly.
- Mom! - she screamed from above - We can't let this happen, we need to save Lincoln, come on! We still have time! -
- Lana, honey - Rita then looked at her, deeply distressed - …You need to hide too, we can't risk you and your baby, please try to breathe, you can't be stressed while pregnant.
- Ugh, but I'm already stressed!, just - The tomboy struggled to remain coherent, amidst the rage, she targeted her mother - ..Why did you allow that bitch to go with him, she hates him! She's just going to make things worse! -
- …Please don't treat your sister like that Lana - Rita replied calmly, but sternly - Right now, she's the only one that has the knowledge to traverse the legal system, and I know that she's professional about it - She then tried to muster a weak smile - …Don't worry honey, she'll find a way to help him -
- But what if she makes it worse, what if she sabotages him!? I can't trust her-
- Mother - Lucy then joined the group, interrupting the lashing tomboy - Can I take Lola to my room? - She asked eerily, watching the critical state of her sister -
- …Go ahead - Rita affirmed while looking away.
- Mom, come with me - Leni, also heavily aware of her mother's angst, decide to take matters for herself, taking her hand and lifting her from the floor, Lily, likewise, remained clung to her mother.
Meanwhile, Lana noticed her sister's struggle at picking her twin to her room, so she let go of her argument with her mother, approaching the somber sister whom she swore never to trust again.
- Uh, can I help? - She said shyly while scratching the back of her red cap.
To which Lucy simply smiled back and made space, carrying the unmoving, whispering Lola together.
But before they had reached the top of the stairs, Lana turned and made brief contact with her defeated mother, who was being assisted to her room by her kind sister.
- I hope you know what you're doing, Rita - She threatened with a glare.
- Lincoln, I… didn't call the cops - Lori lowered her head and confessed with shame.
- Oh, well… I guess I'll have to thank Luan then - Lincoln scratched the back of his head awkwardly, but his smile never left his face.
And Lori just kept staring at him with pure, raw, disbelief.
- Uh… Are you literally aware of what this is? - She exclaimed with more energy than she would normally allow herself to do in that kind of room - I already explained this to you, you're going to spend the night in a cell! And if you lose the trial, you'll spend a lifetime in jail! - She continued unprofessionally - Do you think this is a joke? Do you know what inmates do to child rapists!? -
- Yeah, I know - Lincoln replied with serenity - After so many years, I'll finally get what I deserve - He said bravely.
And for once, during this entire event, Lori didn't even know how to respond.
- You have 5 minutes left - The officer supervising the room notified, giving little time for the sister to sort her thoughts, as her stare continued fixated on her brother.
- You… want to be here? - Lori whispered to herself in disbelief.
- Yup, I'll plead guilty, but please, could you do me a favor!? - Lincoln arranged his available hand in a pleading sign as he looked at his sister merrily.
- Huh? -
- Don't tell Lola I told you that ok? - He said calmly - Oh, and please, remember, her sessions with Dr. Lopez are every Friday at 5:00PM via goggol meet, and she must take one of her pills at 7PM everyday, don't let her convince you that she doesn't need then anymore, I know that she-
- Shut up! - His easy talk was suddenly silenced by the enraged, authoritative voice oh his bossy oldest sister, as she placed her available hand on the glass, emitting a loud noise and slightly alerting the guard - Look, I don't know if this is one of your fucking manipulation tactics, but I've had it! - She stood up, glaring down at him - I'm not going to do anything you ask me to! And fine, if you don't want to be helped then you can rot in jail for all I care - She gasped at her lack of breath - I mean… I, look - Lori tried to breathe, speaking in a serious manner again - …It is also my duty to inform you that without access to your bank account at the moment, you cannot control the payment of your bills from a cell, your commodities and possessions are in danger of being seized by the state and -
- Lori -
- As a result of that, It is heavily recommended that your lawyer asks for a pre-trial release - Lori continued her information, ignoring her brother - you are given the possibility of-
- Lori.. -
- a Personal Recognizance Bond, which can grant you a conditional release under circumstances defined by the judge-
- Lori…-
- Or, you can get a cash bond, under a certain fee defined by the state, which I'm sure that you can afford !-
- LORI! - Lincoln had it, screaming at the phone from his side of the window.
- Ugh, WHAT!? Lincoln DAMMIT, WHAT? - Lori responded aggressively, matching his frown.
- I said, I know, I know all of that, my apartment's taxes and service bills are being sustained with an auto-payment system, my bank account Is not getting frozen any time soon, and that's not the point anyway! - He screeched, after which he made an effort to try and hold a weak smile - I don't care anyway, if I'm spending lifetime in jail, then I just want Lola to eventually take over those goods, I know that she'll make good use of the apartment -
- Lincoln, what the fuck? I'm telling you the procedure so that you can try and save your own ass, you should be grateful about it! - The lawyer averted her impersonal speech, kneeling a little closer to the figure go her brother behind the window - I mean… it's just literal common sense, don't you have things that you need to organize and manage properly before rotting here? -
- Nope, it's all good, it's all finally good - Lincoln replied calmly.
And for some reason, this irked Lori to hell and back.
- I'll repeat myself - She said annoyingly - don't you have things that you need to fix? -
- Nope, It's time to face the music, and I'm ready for it… I'm done being selfish -
- Oh Really? - By now, her face was almost touching the window, as she was making an effort to not grind her teeth at the pedophile in front of her - Well, it is what you want, but you know what? Forget about me telling any of them anything you said, I'll go and tell Lana and Lucy to stop calling you "strong", your entire legacy will be that of a weakling - She said intensely, without even paying attention to being coherent - And also, this is literally the most selfish you've ever been, you don't just get to quit your responsibility to your family and to her without making things right, you will not just run to a stupid cell like a literal coward - She finished angrily, placing her free hand on the wall and startling the albino slightly.
And in that same emotional rush, Lori made an unexpected turn and turned to the guard.
- Hey! I request a hearing with the court as soon as possible - She said, agitatedly, before turning again to face her brother - And you, don't you dare to plead guilty in my absence! -
- I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, i'm sorry, I'm sorry - Lola kept whispering, her head buried in Lucy's chest, as both her and Lana kept caressing her hair softly, seeking desperately to calm her down.
- Lols, you have nothing to apologize to us, we could have never guessed that lunatic was planning that - Lana tried to cheer her up, but her own frustration was apparent.
- Lana, I don't think she can hear us now - Lucy interjected, sensing the pain in her sister's whimpers - She's most likely dissociating, we are not the target of her apologies - she whispered softly while focussing on hugging her sister tighter.
And although Lana felt a twinge of jealousy, watching the level of subconscious trust that Lola had in Lucy over her, she continued supporting her struggling twin, avoiding to pay attention to her desperate apologies.
- Hey Luz - Rather, Lana focused on her goth sister.
- Yes? - Lucy shifted her attention to her pregnant sister as well.
- …Truce? - She said with a raised eyebrow, eliciting a mischievous grin to her goth sister.
- …Truce - Lucy, likewise, returned her suspicious grin, officially leaving her differences with Lana aside, to focus on their main objective.
Lana, however, wasn't done with her internal doubts.
- …Do you think what mom did was the right thing to do? -
And Lucy pondered about it for a moment, conflicted about it herself.
- I think… this could be a lesson for Lori too -
- Lori - Lincoln stated, concerned - Please don't put yourself through this, remember, Bobby cannot know that you're seeing me! -
- Shut up! - the lawyer screeched, before looking down - Just, shut up - She whispered, as a few droplets of contained emotion began falling down - I didn't ask for this either, I never imagined that it would end like this, I… - She then recomposed, looking at her brother with guilt.
- 1 minute ma'am -
- Lori… - Lincoln was now looking worriedly at his sister, placing his available hand on the window.
- I don't trust you anywhere near Lola, I think what you did is literally wrong and nothing will change that, but… - Lori placed her hand to match his - …Nobody should just… be in jail forever without at least having something to fight for Lincoln, I never wanted this! - Her tears became more apparent now, as a few were making splashing sounds on the sterile metal counter.
- But, sis, you're right, everything you said back then was right, I'm an abuser, and as long as I keep pretending to be her boyfriend… I'll just keep misleading her into a life of misery, come on, don't you also think that this is the best solution? - Lincoln asked quizzically, with a disgusting level of confidence -
- …Lincoln - Lori kept staring at the window, lost in thoughts.
But before she could say anything else…
- Time's up, come along ma'am - The guard at Lori's side informed, before escorting her out of the place, leaving a dazzled brother on the other side, as the other guard, likewise, transferred him to his cell.
The chief at the office greeted her, explaining the rules.
- Ma'am, I can only make an appointment to the judge with the official criminal defense attorney in charge of the case -
And Lori looked to the side for a moment, biting her lip, until she finally made her mind and stared directly at the chief in command, placing her hands on the table with conviction.
- You're looking at her -
- Then, are you willing to take the case of the defendant? -
- Yes… temporarily - Lori looked sideways, showcasing insecurity - and I want to discuss the necessary arrangements for a conditional bond while he hires another lawyer, without any… conflicts of interest -
The cop kept staring at her, unsure on how to proceed, Lori noticed that, so she stablished her case.
- I'll just state, that he will not plead guilty -
The light was fading away from the sky, as the many alleys that Clyde traversed through became dimmer and dimmer with each step, his only clue to continue through that path being the squishy clown shoes of a person that used to make people laugh and smile, but that now, was responsible for the biggest tragedy that could have occurred to the Loud family.
It wouldn't take long for more cops to surround that house for a "civil asset forfeiture" as part of due process, and it would probably be followed by the usual media outlets, so he knew that just being there would cause more issues, he had to leave quick regardless.
So might as well do another favor to the family before going back to his dads.
Luan had a possession that was more useful to them than to her anyway.
He quickened his pace to catch up with the calm sister, who didn't even bother to run after leaving that house, placing a hand in her shoulder.
- Yeah yeah, what do you want Clyde? - Luan, finally tired of seeing the stalker following her from behind, answered with annoyance.
- Luan, any and all words that I want to say to you right know will have to wait for the trial, so let's make this quick - Clyde answered with painful indifference, standing behind her - Just, give it back, it's not actually any evidence, it's just a kid's personal fairytale -
- On the contrary, Clyde, this little story is a perfect allegory to everything that has happened, don't you think? - Luan actually smirked to herself at that last statement, hoping to get a reaction.
- … Here - Clyde pulled his phone and texted something on it.
Luan didn't even get to react, as a small *beep* in her phone brought her attention to it.
She smirked further.
- Wow, digitalized and all, how kind of you - She said, her back still facing his, as the man no longer kept a hold on her with his arm.
After that, she simply turned around and dropped the little notebook to the floor.
- I don't know why you'd want this stupid thing anyway, it's the reason why everything went kaboom after all, hahaha - She said mockingly, taunting his serious expression.
- You may not know or care, but the rightful owners of this book placed their lives in it, and it's still a very important part of them, specially now, as your actions may have just put your family's stability in jeopardy - He hissed, with more apparent anger.
- Serves them well, every circus most close at midnight, comedy hour's over! -
- Well… Maybe that's true, but I dare make a bet, that the fairytale isn't -
- Pffft, almost funny Clyde, I'll give you that, anyway, if you'll excuse me, I got a performance at Lynn's table, sorry, but only VIP guests are invited - She said while bowing, as if she had just presented a show - Thanks anyway for the evidence man, you've been a show stealer I'll tell you that! - The ex-clown said mockingly, before turning around and making an exit.
And after that, the chef simply knelt to the floor and picked the notebook, wondering many things at once, with one of the biggest ones being…
…Just why would Lincoln tell him to scan every page of the little story book?
…Did he know this was going to happen?
Author's Notes:
SuperLuigiFan18: Thanks! I attempted to create a comprehensive discussion of Incest (and abuse) from the view point of each (available) family member, both for and against it, glad to know you enjoyed it! and yeah, Luan probably went a little too far, but I do have a few things in store for her.
PhantomLordHelix: Yeah, the situation is quite critical right now and it's very likely that some relationships won't be able to be fixed, the aftermath to this mess will require a lot of different perspectives, so stay tuned!
hughmccabe96: "and in trying to fix things up, they've ended up in a deeper level of hell", excellently put, that pretty much sums it up, a few drastic solutions will be needed so that our protagonists can escape this new layer of darkness, and at this point, what even is the correct solution? Leave? Be separated for good? I'll explore that in the following chapters, thanks for the review!