It opens on a field outside of Imp City. This field was decorated with broken tombstones, graffiti-painted caskets, and other insults to the dead. This was essentially a gravesite for victims of the Exterminations, and since this is Hell, most people don't give a shit about it, often calling this "where the unlucky bastards end up".
Lincoln's car pulls up to the entrance of the gravesite, as the young Hellhound steps out, followed by Octavia, Moxxie and Millie. Since his shirt and vest were still destroyed, he was wearing a black coat.
Moxxie: What are we doing here, Lincoln?
Lincoln: Something I could never bring myself to do until now… saying goodbye.
He walks through the graveyard as the three of then follow behind. A small Imp was seen reeling a hammer back to destroy a tombstone, when a bullet hit him in the head. He stumbles back and falls into an open grave. After putting his pistol away, Lincoln soon stops in front of a seemingly bare part of the site, with only a single untouched tombstone.
Millie: *confused* There's… just a single tombstone here.
Lincoln: *smiles softly* Then they're still safe.
He walks up to the tombstone and taps the upside down cross on the center. The tombstone then splits in half as the ground behind it gives way to a staircase that leads underground. He pulls out a lighter and begins descending down the stairs, his parents and girlfriend following behind. The room they enter looks a bit dusty and abandoned.
Octavia: Lincoln, is this place what I think it is…?
Lincoln doesn't say a word as he keeps walking, but he glances back at Octavia and gives a slight nod. As he looks ahead, he soon stops. His three companions stop next to him and see what he sees.
Before them was a sealed shut, dusty coffin surrounded by small piles of rubble, cobwebs, and a dusty photograph. Lincoln kneels down and wipes his hand across the coffin, wiping the dust from it and seeing a dried blood child's handprint on it.
Millie: Lincoln, sweetie… This is where your birth parents are, aren't they…?
Lincoln nods as it briefly fades to him at 3-years old in the same position as his present self. He rests his hand, which is covered in his parents' blood because he carried their bodies all the way here, on the coffin and cries as he kneels down. Fade back to the present day as Lincoln sighs out.
Lincoln: Their names were Lance and Pamela Marshall… For the past 13 years, I could never bring myself to visit them after bringing their bodies here… It just brought back too many haunting memories for me to handle at the time…
Moxxie picks up the dusty photograph and blows the dust off of it. It reveals Lincoln at 2-years old, being held by a Hellhound couple. The male had gray fur and was rather muscular, and the female had white fur and was very beautiful. Moxxie glanced at Lincoln and could see the resemblance he shared to his biological parents. The orange eyes were the only thing different from his biological parents, but he assumed that was part of being a Zodiac Hellhound.
Lincoln sighs out as he pulls his hand back from the coffin, then clearing his throat. Moxxie sets the photograph against the coffin.
Lincoln: Hey… Mom and Dad… I know it's been a while since I came here… I could just never bring myself to do so after that day, because of the bad memories… But something happened that helped me finally come see you two, so there's a lot to catch up on…
He chokes up a bit, causing Octavia to kneel next to him and rest a hand on his shoulder. He wipes his eyes, stopping the tears.
Lincoln: *glances at Octavia* Thanks. *looks back to the coffin* I did have to live on the streets for a few years, but I made a friend that always stuck by my side… Her name is Octavia, and she's the best. *Octavia smiles and blushes* She helped me hide out during the Extermination the next few years, and her father is really nice… but her mother is basically a cruel, sadistic bitch. Aside from that, she's the best friend and girlfriend I could ask for. *takes Octavia's hand* I know I skipped ahead a bit, but she's my girlfriend.
Octavia smiles and rests her head on Lincoln's shoulder. He smiles as his tail wags.
Lincoln: When I was 10, I had to find somewhere else to hide thanks to Via's mom. But thankfully, I was found by a woman who's changed my life for the better. *Millie steps up* Her name is Millie, and she selflessly took me in before the Extermination. After a year of living with her, she adopted me as her own.
Millie: Howdy, Lance and Pamela… I'm Millie, and I took your lil' pup in as my own… I know I could never replace you two as Linc's parents, but I've done a damn good job of taking care of him… he's the best son anyone can ask for, and I know you two must be proud of him… because my husband and I sure am…
Millie glances at her husband and nudges him. He clears his throat as he steps up.
Moxxie: Um, hi… I'm Moxxie, Millie's husband and Lincoln's father… Lincoln has been an amazing son, and um… I-I know that if you two were here now, you'd see that as well… I'm sorry about what happened to you two, but I assure you, Lincoln has a happy life and is surrounded by people that love and care about him… and he always will be.
Octavia: *clears her throat* Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall… I'm Octavia Goetia, Lincoln's best friend turned girlfriend. He's been the absolute best boyfriend, and he's always been there for me when I was going through a rough time, and I've done the same for him. It hurt me when I thought he was dead, but I was so glad to find out he was alive. *tightly holds Lincoln's hand* No one can replace him… ever.
Lincoln smiles and kisses Octavia's cheek, when his ear twitches a bit.
Lincoln: … Hey... can I please have a moment with them alone?
The three of them nod and stand up, then walk out of the room. When they're out of the room, Lincoln sighs, then lets out a slight chuckle. His lighter goes out as he then puts it away.
Lincoln: When you said we'd meet again, I didn't think it'd be this soon.
Stepping out of the shadows was Death. Instead of having his sickles drawn, however, he simply had his hands in his pockets.
Death: Chill out, perro. You've got a long life ahead of you before I'm taking it.
Lincoln: And you're not gonna tell me when it ends, huh?
Death: I just got you to stop living in fear. Would be pretty stupid if I got you to do it again.
Lincoln: *glances back, joking* The Grim Reaper taking pity on me? Wanting me to not to live in fear? Who would have thought?
Death: *scoffs* Don't push your luck, kid. You'll know when your time comes.
Lincoln chuckles, before looking back to his birth parents' coffin. A silence followed for a few moments.
Death: Your parents were damn good people, kid. *Lincoln glances at him* Honest to Satan, they were. I kept an eye on them throughout their lives.
Lincoln: … What were they like before I was born?
Death: I normally don't do this, but… I guess I can tell you. *leans against the wall to Lincoln's right* Your mother was a lot like Lucifer's daughter. She always saw the good in people, and wanted to help them. At only 16 years old, she became a therapist that helped anyone she could. If she was alive today, she'd definitely work at the Happy Hotel.
Lincoln: *chuckles a bit* Guess she passed that down to me, huh?
Death: But she wasn't a pushover. Piss her off, and she could rip you apart. Something else she passed down to you. *Lincoln laughs a bit* And your father was a bartender at Ozzie's.
Lincoln: *surprised* He worked for Asmodeus?
Death: Sí, started when he was 18. One of the best bartenders and even singers he had. Hell, he was also attracting a lot of ladies. People would think he was directly related to Asmodeus.
Lincoln: I'm guessing my parents met through one of their jobs?
Death: Clavo en la cabeza. (Translation: Nail on the head.) Your mother went to Ozzie's on a day off, and to your father, she was the most beautiful woman he ever laid eyes on. He even thought she was hotter than Verosika Mayday. So he bought her a drink, they got to talking, and sure enough… They were married with you on the way in a few months.
Lincoln: Wow… they were that in love?
Death: Like you and Octavia.
Lincoln looks back at the coffin with his birth parents, a smile on his face.
Death: *turns* See you around, perrito.
He begins to leave, when…
Lincoln: You were the one that kept this place safe for them, weren't you? *Death stops as Lincoln glances at him* Because all you wanted was for me to come back and say goodbye to them?
Death stayed silent, but a slight smirk formed on his face, then walks out, disappearing from Lincoln's sight. Lincoln smiles and looks back to his birth parents as a gentle tune begins to play.
Lincoln: Mom, Dad… I know you two are gonna be watching over me no matter what… and I'm thankful for that… I love you both…
He rests his hand where the dried blood handprint is and closes his eyes with a smile.
Male Singer: How do I say goodbye to what we had?
The good times that made us laugh
Outweigh the bad
Lincoln stands up and turns to the exit. He stops at the first step as his mind flashes back to the last moments of him with his birth parents.
Male Singer: I thought we'd get to see forever
But forever's gone away
It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday
Pamela: All we can say now is... *hugs Lincoln tightly as tears form in her eyes* We love you so much, Lincoln...
Lance: *joins in on the hug and whispers this to Lincoln* You go and live a long life for us both...
The hug goes on for what seems like the longest time. It fades back to the present day, before Lincoln looks back at the coffin.
Lincoln: *smiles* Goodbye, Mom and Dad…
He walks up the stairs and leaves the room.
Male Singer: I don't know where this road
Is going to lead
All I know is where we've been
And what we've been through
It fades to the secret door to the staircase now closed and the fake tombstone back up. Lincoln softly smiles, then turns and walks back to his parents and girlfriend, who are waiting by his car. They see him walking up, and he gives them a smile ensuring that everything's okay. They smile back.
Male Singer: And if we get to see tomorrow
I hope it's worth all the wait
It fades to Moxxie and Millie's apartment as Lincoln's car pulls up in front of it. The four exit as Lincoln turns off the car.
Male SInger: It's hard to say goodbye to yesterday
They enter the apartment, locking the door behind them.
Moxxie: I'll get started on dinner.
Lincoln: Just give me a second, Dad. I gotta do something.
He heads to his room as Octavia follows him.
Male Singer: And I'll take with me the memories
To be my sunshine after the rain
Lincoln reaches into his pocket and pulls out the photograph from the gravesite of him with his birth parents, pulling out a thumbtack and sticking it to his wall next to the photo of him with his new adoptive parents.
Male Singer: It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday
Lincoln smiles at seeing both sets of his parents on the wall. Octavia's arms then wrap around him as she rests her head on his shoulder. Lincoln smiles and rests his hand on Octavia's cheek as she nuzzles her face against him, letting out a gentle hoot.
Male Singer: And I'll take with me the memories
Octavia: Finally ready to move on?
Lincoln: *smiles* Yeah… it's what they wanted…
Lincoln's tail wraps around Octavia as she kisses his cheek. Lincoln and Octavia both stare at the wall of photos showing Lincoln's life, now with photos of every member of his family.
Male Singer: To be my sunshine after the rain
Octavia: *smiling* Your parents would be proud of you, Linky.
Lincoln: *smiling* I know… Thanks, Via…
It zooms out of the window to show Blitzo on the ledge next to the window, listening in on Lincoln and Octavia. His expression softens as he drops down from the ledge and lands on the sidewalk, then walking away. He takes one last glance back at the apartment.
Male Singer: It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday
Blitzo smiles softly, then walks off to let the four of them have some privacy. He knew spying on them at this moment was wrong, even by Hell's and his standards.
But he also had a hint of jealousy brewing inside, as Lincoln was finally able to slay his inner demons… and with how many inner demons Blitzo has, he wished to do the same.
But he knew better than to lash out at Lincoln for doing something he couldn't. If anything… he was proud of Lincoln.
A/N: The song is "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" by Boyz II Men.