I do not own The Loud House. All rights belong to Nickelodeon.
Chapter 6
To say that the public was brutal about Rita and Lynn Sr.'s neglectful parenting was an understatement, especially towards the father since he almost got Lana killed with his cowardly behavior. Social media clashed with each other, with people crucifying the Louds and those defending them. The Louds watched the news back home. Rita sat on the couch, holding Lincoln close as she stroked his snow-white hair. Most of the sisters weren't entirely okay with it, but they allowed it. Although, they were jealous and wanted Lincoln in their arms, especially Lynn. The young athlete was sitting with her arms crossed and one leg over the other, giving her mother a dirty look. Rita didn't see her as she had her eyes closed while she rested her cheek on her son's hair. Lincoln enjoyed the sensation of his mother's fingers gliding through the hair on his head as he sat on her lap. Such motherly affection didn't happen often with him.
Newscaster, "A support group calling itself 'Justice 4 Lincoln,' or J4L, is calling for the conviction of Rita and Lynn Sr. Loud for their poor parenting that caused their son, Lincoln, to run away from home. Lincoln Loud offers no comment and has requested the public to respect his privacy and his family. J4L's social media has been temporarily suspended due to making death threats towards the parents and those who defend them."
Listening to it all made everyone feel nauseous, disgusted, and uneasy about their situation. They didn't care that much about their reputation or all that. They were primarily worried about whether or not they would lose Lincoln. It was bad enough that they almost lost him and discovered what horrible things they would have done to him. They couldn't lose him . . . they just couldn't. They love him too much, and he's supported and held the family together through better or worse. They'd fall apart without him.
Lincoln grabbed the remote and turned it off. Then he said, "Leni, Lori, I think Mom could use a cup of coffee. Do you mind making her one?"
Lori nodded, "Yeah, I'll get it. I could use one myself."
"I know it's not Christmas, but I think some hot chocolate might make us feel better. Hot cocoa is kind of unhealthy. I was thinking hot chocolate would be better, but we can put mini marshmallows and some whipped cream," Leni said with a gentle smile.
"You know what, Leni? That sounds like a great idea. I would like a hot chocolate," Luan said while getting up.
Lincoln looked up at his mother to see that she was absolutely emotionally exhausted. Some of the sisters couldn't help but feel a little bad for her, but they all held a pill of resentment as they remembered Lincoln's vision. Everyone enjoyed the delicious hot chocolate and coffee. They turned the TV back on to watch something a little more positive – cartoons.
Some good pets have the unique ability to know when people are sad, lonely, or distressed, and the Louds' pets were one of said unique pets. Charles jumped up on the couch to sit by Lincoln and Rita. Cliff sat on Lynn's lap, Geo with Lori, Lucy's bats sat on her head and shoulder, and Walt sat on Leni's head. Charlies, Cliff, and Geo got scratches and belly rubs. Lincoln remembered from his vision that he showed Ronnie Anne and Stella where they burned all his family's belongings, and the pets ran away scared due to Lincoln's angry rampage. Thinking back on that made him feel a little guilty. He focused his thoughts on the memories of how the pets became part of the family. It was enough to make him a little happy. It was a quiet and peaceful evening for them without all the noise and drama. Then Lincoln got an incoming call from Clyde. He almost didn't answer it but chose to anyway.
"Hey, what's up, Clyde?" Lincoln asked.
At first, his face was tired and showed indifference, but as he listened to his best friend, his face soon turned extremely pensive.
"What?!" Lincoln asked, alarmed. His reaction got his family's attention, "When?!"
"Lincoln? What's wrong, honey?" Rita asked.
Lincoln grabbed the remote, "What channel?"
He turned it on to the channel Clyde told him, and they saw a female newscaster inside a dirt bike stadium. There were crowds of people and jumbotrons showing sponsorships like Monster Energy, GoPro, and Toyota. Some of the jumbotrons burst flames, and some showed scoreboards. Inside the arena was a series of obstacles like flaming rings, ramps, swinging blocks, and a giant skull with its mouth as the pathway.
However, that's not what made their eyes widen and their jaws drop. Behind the newscaster was a row of guys getting their motorcycles and leather armor suits ready. Among the bikers was Rita's husband and the kids' father, Lynn Sr.
The newscaster explained, "We're here live at the Royal Woods Mega Stadium. One of the biggest dirt bike races is hosted here. If you look behind me, the bikers are getting ready to race. Among the bikers is Lynn Loud Sr., the father who failed to save his daughter from the alligator attack. He will participate in the race in an attempt to prove his bravery to everyone."
The newscaster walked over to Lynn Sr. The Loud family couldn't believe what they were seeing.
"Mr. Loud, are you really going to be in this dangerous race?" the newscaster asked.
"Yes, I am. This is for my family, especially my son, Lincoln, and my daughter, Lana," Lynn Sr. answered. Then he looked into the camera, "Kids . . . I've let you down and I'm so sorry. I have to get over my fears. I have to be brave for you. This is for you. I love you."
"Oh my god," Luna uttered.
Lori stood up, "We gotta stop him. He's literally going to get himself killed."
"Where is that? The Mega Stadium," Leni asked.
"I know where that is!" Lynn said while getting up.
"Let's go!" Rita said while grabbing the car keys.
Later
The Royal Woods Mega Stadium wasn't that far. Although finding a parking spot was difficult, so they had to park at the end of the parking lot. Once parked, Rita ran ahead with everyone while Lori and Lynn were behind with Lincoln.
"Lincoln, did you see this in your visions?" Lori questioned.
Lincoln let out a sigh, "Yes."
Lynn and Lori's eyes widened. Before they say anything, Lincoln spoke, "No matter what happens, Dad won't die."
"Lincoln, can you please tell us what's going to happen?" Lynn asked.
"I can't. It'll mess up the timeline. Trust me, this will make more sense when I explain afterward. I promise I will explain everything," Lincoln said.
Lori and Lynn groaned while sighing.
"Fine, but you better keep your promise. I know; we said we'll trust you and do what you need us to do, but you can't keep us in the dark," Lori stated firmly.
Everyone sprinted to the stadium. Along the way, people recognized them and smiled as they saw Lincoln. The guards stopped them at the entrance.
"Stop!" the guard ordered.
"Please! Let us through!" Rita pleaded.
"No one gets through without a ticket or VIP pass," the guard stated.
Then an official approached them from behind, "Hold up, mister. They're the Loud family. Let them through."
The guards glanced at the official and then at the Loud family before letting them through. Rita and the sisters rushed past them.
"Pretty wild, huh Lincoln?" the official asked.
Lincoln stopped and looked over his shoulder at him. Lynn stopped as well.
"Who knows? Maybe you'll get lucky."
Lincoln squinted his eyes as he glared at him. Lynn shot an even more aggressive glare, but she knew they didn't have time to waste on that tool. She marched over and grabbed Lincoln's hand.
"Nobody asked you, pencil neck!" Lynn shouted.
Lynn ran ahead while still holding onto Lincoln's hand. They made their way through crowds and doorways until, finally, they made it to the arena. The crowd was cheering, and the flashes of their cameras sparkled the stands all around in the fully lit stadium. They looked around and found their family by the edge of the railing. Lincoln and Lynn joined them to get a better look.
The arena was larger and more impressive in person. Their eyes scanned everywhere until they found the bikers and their patriarch. He was in the center, sitting on his dirt bike, ready to put his helmet on. The jumbotron zoomed in on Lynn Sr. A man with a fancy suit and a microphone approached the bikers.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The moment you've all been waiting for! The big race will commence! And tonight, we have a special guest – Lynn Loud Sr.!" the announcer called.
The crowd didn't exactly cheer that much. The announcer walked closer to him.
"So, my good sir, are you ready to rock?" the announcer asked.
"I was born ready!" Lynn Sr. answered.
"You're not scared of danger, are you?"
"HA! I laugh in the face of danger!"
Lynn Sr. smiled with his teeth, but his pupils shank nervously as he put on his helmet.
"Let's get ready to race!" the announcer hollered.
He got out of the way, all the racers got ready, and the lights went from red to yellow to green. They went off, and the acceleration from their bikes kicked up a lot of dirt. The first third of the race was mostly turns and dirt hills – nothing too dangerous. Halfway through the race, it got hazardous with the giant skull and the rings of fire. Lincoln snuck away to make his down to the lower part of the stadium right next to the race track.
He saw this coming in his visions. There was one of two outcomes. One: his father falls off his bike at one of the turns and breaks his leg. Or two: he falls off high at the skull, and his motorcycle crashes into a support beam, and the whole thing comes down and ends in fire. The first one, his father lives. In the second one, both he and a few other racers die.
'Let's hope the second one doesn't come true,' Lincoln thought as he ran down the stairs.
Someone called from behind, "Hey, you! Halt!"
Lincoln turned around to see two guards. One was female, and the other male – both were strong. He froze, and a chill ran up his spine as they approached him, with his heart pounding. He thought he was so dead. Done for. Kaput. His mind was racing through options. Does he run? Scream for help? What? WHAT?!
"That's him," the female guard said.
"The one on TV? Who saved his sister?" the male guard asked.
"Yeah, that's him," she said, turning to Lincoln and handing him a poster with a silver marker, "Can we get an autograph?"
Lincoln glanced between her and the poster before letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Oh, sure. Yeah, no problem," Lincoln breathed.
"Can you make that out to Stephanie, my daughter? As your local hero?" she asked.
"Uh, sure. Of course, I'm no hero," Lincoln said as she handed him the poster and marker.
"Yeah, you are! You got guts, kid! The way you saved your little sister was incredible," the male guard said.
"I guess. Let's see. From your local hero, Lincoln Loud," Lincoln said as he signed it.
Lynn Sr. was holding up well in the race. At least, enough not to fall and crash, but he won't make it into the professional league. A big dirt hill was coming up, and he was scared, but then he thought of his family – especially Lincoln and Lana.
"Do it for them! Do it for your kids, ya big coward!" Lynn Sr. said to himself as he accelerated.
He drove up, went high in the air, and landed successfully on the ground. He almost lost his balance but remained on the bike. Even the crowd cheered, and the patriarch felt more confident as he drove on.
You know how you're in a hurry, and somehow, so many things get in the way to slow you down? That's what happened to Lincoln. After the autograph, they wanted selfies and asked questions. Then, finally, Lincoln lied that he had to use the restroom, and they let him go. However, the restroom was the opposite way of where he needed to go, and he was afraid he'd run into those two guards again if he went back. So, he had to work through another way to the race track. Lincoln got there just in time as the racers were heading up to the obstacle courses, and the first one was the giant skull.
As Lincoln feared, it was the second and worst outcome that would happen. The bikers drove through, but Lynn Sr. went too high. His head hit one of the fangs of the skull, and his bike flew off and hit the inside of the skull hard and exploded. The explosion hit the gas line of one of the flamethrowers of the skull's head. This caused the racers behind him to fall and crash. The crowd screamed and gasped. It got worse from there. The racers, including Lynn Sr., fell hard into the soft ground below, but the support beams broke apart as the fire spread. Fear and anxiety gripped the Loud family – Rita was pale and inches away from fainting.
Lynn spoke, "Lincoln, I know you said to trust you, but—"
She turned to see that he wasn't standing next to him. She gasped, her pupils shrank, and her eyes scanned all around before she let out a scream. Everyone turned to her.
"WHERE'S LINCOLN?!" Lynn screamed.
The others looked around for their missing white-haired boy, trying not to panic.
"Where is he?! Where's my Lincoln?!" Lynn demanded.
"Look! There he is!" Luna pointed.
They looked at where she was pointing. Lo and behold, they saw their Lincoln running across the field in the arena toward the track where his father fell. The jumbotron zoomed in on him as he was running. The Loud family felt their hearts stop for a moment as all the noise fell away. Lynn was the first to react as she sprinted toward the stairs to get down there, followed by her older sisters.
Lincoln ran to the first unconscious racer, whose leg was on fire, and threw dirt on his leg to put it out. Then he grabbed him by his arms, pulled him over his back, and carried him away from the track to safety with the racer's feet dragging in the dirt. Lincoln growled and grunted as he mustered all his strength to carry him. The officials were trying to get fire extinguishers and keep the audience back. Lincoln ran back and pulled another racer, who had a broken leg, from danger – he thanked him more than once. Lincoln repeated this and got five racers out of harm's way, but none were his father. With each racer, he had to go deeper under the railings and support beams holding up the obstacle courses. The bikers who made it through and weren't hurt helped carry the wounded to the medics who made their way through the crowd.
Just as three racers were about to go in and help Lincoln, and the skull came crashing down in front of them. They called out to Lincoln, and he responded, telling him he wasn't hurt on the other side. The fire was spreading, and what remained of the track would soon come down on Lincoln if he didn't get out of there. The smoke was making it hard to breathe. That and the heat from the fire stung his eyes. Lincoln's entire shirt was drenched in his sweat from the fire and pulling five grown men out. Lincoln searched through the wreckage and the debris. He almost gave up hope . . . until he found him. He was lying in the dirt with a broken leg with blood coming out of it.
Lincoln shivered at the sight of this, but he steeled himself. He picked Lynn Sr. up by his arms and hoisted him over his back. However, more of the stage track was coming down. Lincoln had to maneuver his way around burning debris to get out. Lincoln pulled his shirt over his mouth and nose while focusing on his breathing.
Outside the fire, the Loud family was trying to make their way through the crowd, but too many of them were there. Rita pleaded for them to make way.
"Please! That's my son and husband in there!" Rita cried.
"Ma'am, please stay back and let us handle this!" an official replied.
Lynn jumped up and hopped from one head to another until she got to the other side and sprinted toward the fire. Lynn ignored everything around her, including her mother and sisters screaming her name. The only thing on her mind was Lincoln.
"Please be okay! Please be okay! Please be okay! Lincoln!" Lynn cried.
However, as she got close, one of the racers tackled her and held her down.
"Let me go!" Lynn screamed.
"Stop! You can't go in there! You'll die!" the racer said.
"My brother is in there!"
Lincoln was surrounded by flaming debris. He moved carefully to find a way out. It wasn't easy to breathe. Lincoln was so tired that his breathing and heart were the only things he could hear. He could feel his whole body beating like his heart – like a rapid and steady drum. However, in the midst of the chaos happening around him, his mind began to ask questions.
'What am I doing here . . . in this miserable place? I'm risking my life? For what exactly? For my father? A man that I feel like I barely know and someone that would tell his son to back away from the house because he thinks he's bad luck? Am I doing this for my family? People that would abandon me? Not welcome me back after throwing me out like a dog?' Lincoln thought, 'That future didn't happen, and they love me, but still. They were capable of doing those things.'
He began remembering the visions of the lovely couple that would adopt him after his family was locked up. He remembered seeing all the kindness they give him and how much they love, adore, and appreciate having him in their lives. Lincoln was actually looking forward to moving in with them in Palo Alto and making memories with them there and in San Francisco. He would have gone to Stanford University and graduated with honors. He would have met someone and gotten married . . . start a new life and leave his old one behind.
'None of this is what I planned. I wanted life to be so much more, but like that song from The Rolling Stones, you can't always get what you want, right? So what is it that I want? Love from my family? Why? Why do I want them? Do I need them? Or is it that they need me? Do we really need our father?' Lincoln thought.
Then, an idea struck in his head. It was so sudden that he stopped walking.
'What if I leave him? I could say I was too late to save him. Wait . . . is that who I am now? I'd leave my father? But he would abandon you, Lincoln! And over luck! Him and your family. But he's in this mess because he wanted to prove to himself that he's not a coward. He wanted to make his family proud . . . he wanted me proud of him. Does that mean he loves me? Is he worth saving? Does my family need him? Do I?' Lincoln thought to himself.
A structure crashed down, making a loud noise and snapping Lincoln out of his thoughts.
'This isn't the time for thinking. Even if my father is a lousy father and a coward, saving him is the right thing to do. Plus, after this, I can change him when his eyes are open,' Lincoln thought. Lincoln pressed on to escape this hazardous place, 'Right now, focus on getting out of here.'
Lincoln was tired while carrying his father, and the lack of air worsened it. He saw an opening and pushed him to keep going.
"Come on, Lincoln! Push! Push!" Lincoln said to himself.
The fire department arrived, and the crowd moved aside to let them through. The Loud family desperately wanted Lincoln and Lynn Sr. to be okay. Then, they saw something from the smoke – a silhouette shaped like a boy carrying a man. Everyone saw Lincoln carrying his father as they got out of the smoke. Rita and her daughters cried out in relief.
"Hold on, Dad! I got you!" Lincoln called before coughing.
Lincoln collapsed and fell into the dirt, completely exhausted. Firefighters picked them up and carried them to safety. Lincoln saw his father being put into an ambulance. They placed him down as paramedics put an oxygen mask on him – Lincoln breathed deep and steady breaths.
"Lincoln!" Rita cried as she rushed over to him.
She and his sisters all had tear streaks on their faces.
"Oh, thank God, you're gonna be okay," Rita said as she hugged her son.
Lynn ran over and squeezed Lincoln a hug before crying into his chest, followed by Leni, Lucy, and the twins. Lori inhaled deeply before exhaling. Then she took hold of Lincoln's face and made him look at her in the eye.
"Lincoln Loud . . . listen to me very carefully. Do. Not. Ever, ever, ever, EVER. Do. That. Again," Lori stated loud and clear.
"Dude! You gave us a heart attack!" Luna exclaimed.
"Lincoln!" Rita cried before taking a deep breath, "I'm grateful that you saved your father, and you were very brave, but you scared me half to death!"
"I'm sorry, guys. I tried to get down to stop Dad, but I was too late because some people wanted my autograph and some selfies. Then the crash happened and the fire. I had to do something," Lincoln said.
Rita let out a deep sigh before holding her son close.
Future Lincoln watched from the roof's edge, "For once, something happened, and it wasn't my fault."
He summoned a light orb showing the events before the motorcycle race. Lynn Sr. was begging the FBI lady to stop attacking him and his family. She refused and goaded him to prove himself to his family and the world. Lynn Sr. sees an ad for motorcycle racers wanted.
"Well, well, well, looks like you're guilty of incitement, Miss FBI," Future Lincoln said.
Later
At the hospital, Lynn Sr. had surgery for his broken leg that was busted in two different places. He had two ribs broken, three cracked, a linear fracture of his left arm, severe bruising all over, and a head concussion. The other racers that Lincoln rescued were in a similar state. Aside from fatigue, a little smoke in his lungs, and being covered with dirt and soot from head to toe, Lincoln was okay.
Lincoln went to the restroom to wash the soot and dirt off as best as he could. However, he was approached by the FBI agent who visited him in the hospital with the two CPS people – Agent Tucker.
"You keep surprising me," Agent Tucker said.
Lincoln turned to her, surprised to see her, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm asking what the Hell are you doing? Why are you protecting these people?"
"By these people, you mean my family?"
Agent Tucker pulled Lincoln to the side.
"You realize that we're trying to help you. Do I really need to remind you that you were here in this hospital trying to run away from them due to your family's neglectful, abusive, and misguided ways? Lincoln, no child goes as far as you did without being truly afraid of them. That tells me your family was going to hurt you," Agent Tucker stated firmly.
"That was then! This is now, and now they realize the error of their ways, and they're trying to make things right. You may not see it, but they love me, and I'm willing to give them a second chance. If I'm willing to, why can't you?" Lincoln objected.
"Because they're not doing it for you; they're only doing it for themselves, and if you can't see that, then you are a fool!"
Lincoln scoffed, "I never claimed to be wise."
"Lincoln! You live in a closet! You have to put on a convincing suit so your parents can give you a chance for something you want. These are not normal things in a family household. You deserve a better life than what your family is not giving you!" Agent Tucker stated.
Lincoln couldn't argue with that because it was true. After everything he's been through, especially in recent events, he does deserve better.
"There's still a chance for you to come out of this. There's still a way out for you. There are good people out there willing to adopt you and give you a better life, Lincoln. You can still make that choice. There's a program that gives kids like you an insight into what a better home can offer," Agent Tucker said as she pulled out a paper.
Lincoln looked at it as she continued.
"You can live in an actual bedroom. You can go to better schools, have a better future," Agent Tucker said. Then Lincoln looked up at her, and she said words that were so true that it ached his heart, "You're allowed to want good things for yourself. You've sacrificed enough for others."
At that moment, Lincoln was caught in a position of uncertainty. He didn't have time to use his future vision powers to look ahead to see if this was a better path. He only looked into the path of saving his father and how it would lead to creating the right settings to put his father on a better path. Would this be better? What about his sisters?
Before he could even ask anything, Lori called, "Lincoln!"
He and Agent Tucker turned to see her with Lynn and Luna.
"What's going on here? What are you doing to him?!" Lori demanded.
"Nothing. We were just talking," Agent Tucker said before taking the paper out of Lincoln's hand.
"What was that? That paper you just took, what was that?" Luna questioned.
"None of your business."
Lori and the others took offense to that.
"Our brother IS our business," Lori stated firmly.
Lynn grabbed Lincoln's arm, "Lincoln, what was that paper? Did she try to get you to sign something?"
"I-I didn't get a chance to read the whole thing," Lincoln answered.
Then Future Lincoln stepped forward disguised as the Loud parent's lawyer, Ernest.
"Agent Tucker, I don't need to remind you that no minor can enter into any legal contract without parental consent," Future Lincoln said as he walked to them.
"Who said I was trying to get him to sign something? I was only showing what options were available to him. Something that his family either can't or won't give him," Agent Tucker said.
Lynn growled and wanted to beat her to a pulp.
"We can go back and forth about this, but I'm more interested in Lynn Sr. speaking to you before he tried to earn his family's love and pride by riding a motorcycle and nearly getting himself killed," Future Lincoln stated.
The Loud kids' eyes widened at that with a gasp.
"Wait a minute. Our father went to see you?" Luna questioned.
"What did you tell him? Did you tell him to do that motorcycle stunt?!" Lori demanded.
"Your father wanted us to drop the charges. I simply told him he should man up and prove to his family that he wasn't a coward. I never said motorcycle stunt," Agent Tucker defended.
"But you're still the reason why he's here! Was this your plan?! To get our father killed and trick Lincoln into saying papers that . . . that he would agree that you take him away from us?!" Lynn yelled angrily.
"I'm not going to confirm or deny that, but even if it was true, would that be so wrong? Would it be so wrong to bend the rules to give that boy a chance at a better life? So that he wouldn't go back to his neglectful and abusive family?" Agent Tucker objected and turned to Future Lincoln, "Wouldn't you break a few rules so this kid could have a future? How many kids have you and I seen go down the bad path because of terrible families that mess them up psychologically and emotionally?"
Future Lincoln replied, "You'll receive no argument from me there. But if your actions and obstruction to justice cause that man to die, I will crucify you, Agent Tucker. I will charge you with incitement and negligent homicide. After I convict you, I will resign my job and represent the family of the victim of this tragedy in a wrongful death suit against you in federal court. By the time I'm done, you'll be finished!"
"You can't do that," Agent Tucker said.
"Try me, Agent Tucker. If I have to, I will bring the whole temple down on your head. So, I advise you to stay away from my clients and stay out of my way!"
Agent Tucker glared at him briefly and then said, "This isn't over."
She walked away, and Future Lincoln, still keeping his disguise on, turned to the Loud kids.
"That was amazing," Lori said, impressed.
"I'm not fully sure what all that lawyer stuff meant, but it sounded like you meant business. Way to go, boss!" Lynn said, giving him a thumbs up.
"She's right about this not being over. I will talk to your mother and, hopefully, your father when he wakes up. I suggest you kids not wander far," Future Lincoln said.
"Okay. I was just looking for the restroom to wash some of this soot and dirt off," Lincoln said.
"Bathroom's over there. Where's your father's room?"
"I'll take you to him, hoss," Luna said.
Luna took him to where their parents were while Lincoln went to the restroom. Lori and Lynn went with him to help wash his hair, and they didn't care that they were in the men's room. They took this opportunity to talk to him.
"I don't like you not telling us stuff, Lincoln," Lori said as they used hand soap to wash his hair.
"Yeah, if that was your plan all along, we could have helped!" Lynn added while rinsing his arms.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't risk you guys getting hurt or killed," Lincoln said.
Lori's eyes widened at that.
"Oh, so it's okay to risk your life as long as we're safe? That is Bullcrap, Lincoln!" Lori stated.
"Lori—"
"No! You listen to me, little brother. We're in this together. It's not just you protecting us. We're supposed to protect you too! That's what family does!"
"If I told you what would have happened, then you would have stopped me," Lincoln said.
"You're damn right we would have!" Lynn agreed.
Lincoln sighed as he washed his clothes, "Lynn, Lori, please listen to me."
Then he summoned a light orb and explained with the images.
"Dad has reached rock bottom. This needed to happen to get him to listen. If we know our father, he's stupid and stubborn," Lincoln started.
"Stupid and stubborn. Two dangerous elements that do not go well together. Believe me, I know," Lynn stated.
Lori rolled her eyes, "Yeah, no, duh. Hence why our dad did this ridiculously stupid stunt."
Lincoln fast-forwarded the vision, and his two sisters' eyes widened at what they saw.
"This is his real path of redemption. I know you girls don't like the events that happened, but . . . this is the way. Any other way doesn't work, or he doesn't listen," Lincoln explained.
Lori and Lynn glanced at each other.
"Well, okay then. Let's find that flyer and brochure," Lynn said as she grabbed some paper towels.
"Could have shown us this too, or let me guess, we still wouldn't let you save Dad?" Lori asked.
Lincoln nodded. Lori groaned a sigh.
"I'm sorry, Lori. I'm sorry for worrying you and that everything is so messed up. I know you girls want to help and protect me but trust me. There is a happy ending to all this. It is possible," Lincoln said.
He summoned a light orb of a possible future. It showed all of them together happy. Then the orb showed other events like college graduations, weddings, get-together events, and they and their siblings becoming parents.
"It can happen, but we have to stick together. I know how we can get to that future. Please, trust me," Lincoln said.
"We trust you, Lincoln. But you need to trust us. We can help. From now on, you have to tell us what will happen next, especially if it's a life-threatening event. Do you hear me, Lincoln?" Lori asked.
Lincoln was about to object, but he knew there was no stopping her. He nodded, and they finished up in the restroom before heading to the rest of their family. It was on the tip of Lynn's tongue to ask Lincoln about her future, but she was afraid of the answer, and she felt it wasn't the right time to talk to him about her nightmares.
Lynn Sr. finally woke up, and his family went to see him. At first, the matriarch expressed how glad he was alive, but then she gave him an angry earful. Future Lincoln walked into the hospital room as well.
"What in the world were you thinking, Lynn?! Of all the crazy and stupid stunts you pulled, this takes the whole cake!" Rita yelled.
"Rita, please don't shout at me. I'm in enough pain," Lynn Sr. replied.
"I'm with your wife on this, Mr. Loud. You almost got yourself killed, and your son almost died saving you," Future Lincoln said.
"You too, Ernest?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"It's not a contest, sir. Plus, what you did doesn't help our case. While it adds likability to your son, it doesn't improve your reputation or show your capability as a responsible adult and parent," Future Lincoln said.
"You seriously think I care about that?"
"You should because this adds reason as to why you shouldn't have custody of your children. Now, I'm not so sure we can win. Although you are fortunate to be alive. So, I tell you without any false pride or ambition that you owe your son the deepest gratitude," Future Lincoln said.
Lynn Sr. looked at Lincoln, and after a long pause, he said, "Son . . . thank you for saving my life. I'm-I'm sorry I did that."
Lincoln looked away momentarily and then looked back at him, "Don't do it again."
His athlete sister, Lynn, held his hand tightly, and his goth sister, Lucy, hugged his arm. His other sisters gave their father a hard stare. They were glad he was alive but angry that their brother almost died saving him.
"How could you do something so reckless and foolish?!" Rita demanded.
Lynn Sr. gritted his teeth and closed his eyes tight, "I did it for you and our kids!"
Rita and the sisters' eyes widened at that. Tears escaped the patriarch's eyes as he continued.
"I let you down. I let everyone down. I needed to get over my fears! I have to! I have to be the man that you and the kids deserve! I need to make them proud . . . I need to make my son proud," Lynn Sr. said as the tears rolled down his face.
Seeing him like this was enough to make Rita cry. The Loud sisters had tears building up, but not a single one escaped their eyes.
"Oh, Lynn," Rita uttered.
She wrapped her arms around him as best as she could without hurting him – Lynn Sr. hugged her back with his good arm. Lori and Lynn looked at their brother, and he gave them the slightest of nods. They returned the same as they handed him the brochure and flyer.
Lincoln stepped forward, "Dad."
Lynn Sr. opened his eyes to look at him, "Lincoln, I'm sorry I let you down, but I'm not giving up. I swear on the Loud family name I'll—"
Lincoln held his hand up to stop him, "Nope, I'm talking. Which means you're listening to me. You understand?"
Lynn Sr. blinked in confusion before nodding – Rita was confused, too. Future Lincoln raised an eyebrow with the slightest of smiles.
"Dad, you're our father, and we love you . . . but you're right. You did let us down, but the problem is not that you're a coward. It's that you failed to save someone's life because you were a coward," Lincoln explained.
Lynn Sr. whimpered at that sorrowfully. Lana looked away with angry eyes that had tears building up. Lola saw this and hugged her twin from behind. Lana closed her eyes, letting the tears escape as she held her twin's arms.
"If you want to atone for what you've done, it's not through this, not by driving a dike bike through rings of fire," Lincoln said, showing him the brochure and flyer, "It's through this."
Lynn Sr. took the flyer and brochure to examine them. They were papers about school and training on how to be a paramedic. The papers showed and explained the career opportunities of becoming a paramedic and the schools available that can teach and train.
"Paramedic school?" Lynn Sr. questioned.
"You didn't save the last person that needed saving. So, save the next life that needs saving. This is your atonement," Lincoln said.
Lynn Sr. and Rita examined the brochure and flyer and read them.
Rita started, "Lincoln, honey, I don't know—"
"If you know a better way for Dad to redeem himself, we're all ears," Lincoln said while shrugging.
"Mom, I think we should listen to Lincoln," Lori stated.
"Yeah, dudes, I think this is the best way for Dad to redeem himself," Luna agreed.
"Paramedics help people, right? So if Dad becomes one, he'll help people, and that's good," Leni agreed.
"Yes, our fashionable sibling unit. It is. Aiding those in medical need is quite a noble cause," Lisa said, nodding.
"Kids, this is serious. Lincoln's probably right, but I don't think your father has what it takes to become a paramedic," Rita said.
"Not with that attitude," Lynn said while crossing her arms.
"Come on, Dad! You can totes do it. We believe in you," Leni said.
"Yeah, Daddy!" Lola added.
"If you focus on what you want to achieve, you will get there, dudes," Luna encouraged.
Lisa adjusted her glasses, "I believe Lincoln's proposal is sound. Becoming a paramedic would give our fatherly unit a chance to save someone's life, thus redeeming himself for his past sin."
"A chance to move out of the darkness and into the light," Lucy said.
Before Rita could say anything, Luan put her hand on her shoulder, "Mom, I know you have your doubts about this, but we think you should trust Lincoln on this one. Plus, this may win over people's favor."
"She's right, Mom. Right now, everyone hates Dad. If he does this, people may like him again," Lucy added.
Lynn Sr. glanced back at the papers and asked, "What about the restaurant? We worked so hard for it. Do I just give it up?"
"I have a plan for that. There's nothing wrong with the restaurant itself. The food is great, and the place is nice. The only reason people won't eat there is because of Dad. They don't like him . . . but they do like me," Lincoln explained.
That last sentence got everyone's attention.
"Wait, what are you saying, Lincoln?" Rita asked.
"We don't have to give up the restaurant or sell it. We take out what people don't like about it and replace it with something they do like," Lincoln said.
"Which, in this case, means you, right?" Lori asked.
"Yes, think about it. I don't like being in the spotlight, but I am. If we turn Lynn's Table into The Loud Table, customers will come pouring in. We can turn things around," Lincoln explained.
Lynn Sr. turned to their lawyer, "He's underaged. Can he own a restaurant?"
Future Lincoln explained, "Not officially. A minor cannot legally form a business entity, but the parent can form an LLC for your child's business. This means you will be the organizer and potentially the sole member of the business, and your name will appear in the company's LLC operating agreement. So, technically, you can change it to The Loud Table, and I agree with your son's plan."
"You agreeing to this?" Rita asked, surprised.
"Your restaurant is a breath away from too far gone. You're both broke. You need the money, and here's a chance to get some. I say go for it because you may never get a chance like this again. I can arrange all the legal paperwork," Future Lincoln said.
Lana stepped forward and looked her father in the eye, "Come on, Dad. Believe in yourself. Be the brave father I always hoped you'd be. You—" Lana swallowed a lump in her throat while trying not to cry, "—you failed to save me. So, save the next kid that needs saving. Maybe then we can be proud of you again."
Lynn Sr.'s eyes watered at that, and he looked back at the paramedic flyer and brochure. Lola hugged her twin from behind, and Lincoln put his hand on her shoulder.
Rita was about to object, but Lynn Sr. spoke, "Do it."
Everyone, including Rita, turned to him.
"Give my son the restaurant. Make him the face of The Loud Table."
"Lynn, are you sure about this?" Rita asked.
"Right now, I can't go back to the restaurant. I have to work to atone for my failure. I have to be the man my family deserves. I have to do this," Lynn Sr. explained.
"It's gonna be a while before you get any hands-on training, but you can study and knock out some online courses," Lisa pointed out.
Then a knock on the door, and everyone turned to see a cop.
"I hate to bother you, but the press is outside, and they're wondering if you're going to make a statement. Do you want me to tell them you have no comment?" the cop asked.
"I got something to tell them," Lincoln said.
"Lincoln, wait!" Rita said.
"Mom, I got this," Lincoln said before walking out.
"I'll accompany him and make sure he says the right things," Future Lincoln said.
As they walked, Future Lincoln thought, 'This is going very well. Hopefully, Dad's comeback will be as good as the visions foretold. And you, little me, you're going to love your future achievements . . . after the drama, of course.'
There were dozens of reporters, and as soon as they saw Lincoln, they asked dozens of questions at once about his father, the event, the trials, etc. Lincoln could barely keep his eyes open from all the flashes of the cameras taking pictures. The police held them back so they would keep their distance. Future Lincoln stood close by his side. Lincoln held his hands up for them to quiet, then spoke.
"My father is alive and recovering. He suffered a broken leg that was busted in two different places. He has two ribs broken, three cracked, a linear fracture of his left arm, severe bruising all over, and a head concussion. It's bad, but he'll live. My father has realized the error of his ways and will continue to right his wrongs in a better path," Lincoln started.
Then, Future Lincoln said, "My client will pursue becoming a paramedic so that he can save the lives of those in need. Due to his condition, he cannot physically appear in court, but he will appear through live video. The trial will push forward."
The reporters gasped at the paramedic part.
Lincoln spoke next, "This Sunday at noon, I will make a public announcement to discuss the future of our family's restaurant, Lynn's Table. I kindly ask that you respect our family's privacy during this difficult time. Those are all the questions that I can answer at this time. Thank you."
Lincoln walked back inside the hospital. He got a phone call from Stella and went down a hall to somewhere private to answer.
"Hey Stella," Lincoln spoke.
"You just keep surprising me. You're good at that, you know?" Stella said.
"You don't sound too surprised."
"Oh, I am. I should be having a heart attack after you just went through literal fire to save those guys, including your dad, but then I remembered that you have future vision powers, so you know how to avoid danger. In other words, I just go with the flow and trust, but believe me, I do not like you in danger one little bit!" Stella said.
"I'm sorry, Stella. This one caught me by surprise. My dad, he . . . he tried to prove his bravery and nearly got himself killed, but I straightened him out," Lincoln replied.
"Yeah, I know. I saw. You were live. Your dad's going to be a paramedic, huh? Is that a good idea?"
Lincoln looked over his shoulder to make sure he was alone and that there were no cameras. He switched his phone to video call and showed Stella a light orb.
"Yeah. Believe it or not, he actually does save some people, including this kid who falls off a bridge and into a river. Paramedic isn't a stress-free work environment, but it does build his character. Plus, while my dad is here in the hospital, this will set the right conditions to show my mother my powers and get her to understand," Lincoln explained.
"So, it's all coming into place?" Stella asked.
"Yeah."
"Please, tell me this is the last time you have to risk your life."
"Right now, I don't see anything in the future, but that could change. If it does, I'll do my best to find a safer way, like with me and Lucy warning about the concert shootout," Lincoln promised.
"Good. So, you're doing okay? You're not hurt?" Stella asked.
"I'm fine. Got some smoke in my lungs, but other than that, I'm okay," Lincoln said.
"Is our date still happening?"
"I'll be there. I promise."
"Good, because I think we need this. Some time away from it all. Just you and me," Stella said.
Lincoln nodded, "I think so too. I could use a break."
They talked some more. The school was definitely going to be all over Lincoln about his actions. Lincoln noticed that Chandler hadn't been seen there for a while, and Stella told him that he and his family moved.
"Oklahoma?! Pig farmers? You're joking," Lincoln said.
"Nope, it's true. I don't know if it's because you scared him or what. Either way, we're never seeing him ever again," Stella replied.
"Wow. How about that? Anyway, I have to get back to my family. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure thing. Stay safe."
"You too, Stella."