Without Sin: All Star Edition

by Catspeaker

Lincoln Loud struggles to make ends meet as a comic book artist. His sisters have all gone on to better things, all except Lisa, just released from Prison. An experiment designed to get her back into the limelight sends him to a dimension where he has children with his sisters. These unthinkable circumstances are his new reality. Inspired by Red Herald's story.

10. Chapter 10

Cat's Corner: Okay, so this chapter is WAY longer than I thought it would be. But I had an idea for so much stuff I wanted to pack in. So much content and character thoughts and feelings. I always worry that I do too much, and I really hope none of it feels like "Filler" because to me it doesn't seem that way. But maybe I'm giving unnecessary details, I don't know.

In any case this is the size of more than two chapters put together. But again, I tend to write in terms of story 'Chunks". I wait until I've gotten everything I wanted across into something I feel appropriately flows together right. Hopefully you'll enjoy what you read here.

As per usual thank you so much for the reviews and comments, they really help encourage me to keep writing! Now, on with the chapter!

Royal Wood's Beauregard Hospital had been a staple of the city for over 60 years. While initially an independent medical facility, it was now part of the greater ever shifting chain of Mega corporate owned Hospitals found across the United States. Lincoln remembered it had a different name when he was younger, under a different corporation before the current owners snatched it up in the ever cutthroat world of corporate healthcare. Just like everything else in the world he'd found himself in, it differed very little from the Hospital back in his own reality.

At least on the outside. He couldn't really tell if the inside was any different. The last time he'd been in the hospital had been in his teens.

Lincoln just hadn't been to a doctor period in the last few years, let alone the Hospital. He could probably use a checkup, but he just never had the motivation to call up a Doc and make an appointment. As it was, after turning 27 he wasn't on his Parent's insurance plan anymore anyway. The only reason he could afford his medication was because he happened to be so poor he qualified for the Michigan Affordable Health Care Act. But all that aside, he was pretty sure the inside of the Beauregard Hospital was probably the same in his own universe anyway.

Not that he was visiting the hospital because he or any of the kids were injured, no thank god for that. But they were visiting at the behest of one of his kids (Not his kids, he reminded himself, the other Lincoln's kids). This was more of a social visit than anything else. A social visit for Lupa's sake, and he only knew about that thanks to Lana. A strange turn of events since her arrival on Sunday.

Now as he walked the halls of the Intensive care wing with Lupa accompanying him, he prepared himself to see a couple of old friends.

Earlier

It'd been a couple of days since Lana had traded places with Lola in the weekly sister swap and Lincoln was counting his blessings. Compared to trying to navigate the overly loving but ditzy Leni, and the conniving yet charming Lola, hanging out with Lana had been downright easy. Relaxed even. She hadn't made any inappropriate passes or remarks in his direction, and in some ways it felt like he was spending time with his own Lana. Outside of the weird incest thing.

The weird incest thing that was on full display when she and her twin exchanged places as well as exchanging fluids.

Lola's departure had been still sticking with him, even two days later.

Probably because it had Started with Lana and Lola swapping spit in what was clearly a passionate and sensual kiss that was being put on for his benefit as much as their own. They'd had the decency at least to wait until none of the children were around, but there was no hesitation as they clasped one another's bodies and pressed their lips together.

On top of it all, both had eyed him up hungrily, as their tongues entwined, hands exploring one another's forms, Lola squeezing Lana's breasts, Lana squeezing Lola's ass. Lincoln had been so shocked by the display, he had found himself watching far longer than he wanted.

When he turned bright red and looked away in embarrassment, he heard both twins laughing and giggling at him. It was a teasing and flirtatious laugh, which is what made it all the worse. They weren't being malicious. They were showing their affection with that laugh. It was the laugh and giggle a girl gave in the direction of a boy they liked and thought was attractive.

God that was fucked up. He knew they thought he was attractive, and the worst part was, he felt slightly flattered, because he couldn't remember the last time a girl really found him attractive (okay two years ago, High School reunion and it was Stella.)

But then Lola had approached him seriously with a look of, of what seemed to be compassion and open familial love. She placed her hand on his shoulder, kissed his cheek and then told him how much she had enjoyed the week with him, and that she was proud of him as her big brother. Proud of him!

That had not been what Lincoln had expected at all. But he hated admitting, most of the week with Lola hadn't been that bad. As much as he was loathed to say it, he even enjoyed small parts of it. There were parts of the week with Lola that had been dare he say it…fun.

She had made him take all of the kids with her to one of Lacy's basketball games (and made sure Lynn sat on the other side of the group from him) and he found himself cheering for the girl right along with the rest of the family. He teamed up with her and Lisa in a 'kids vs parent's' trivia game night that saw the kids win with a last minute answer from Loan. Lola had been his teammate in Smash Siblings against Loan and Lemy, and he'd even picked her, Leia, Lyra, Lyle and Liena up from the salon together. All in all, not so bad. Sure she walked around in just her robe sometime and he swore she was showing off more cleavage in it than she had too, but overall it had been far easier with her than he thought it would have been.

But it was those words from her that caused another unfamiliar but long missed feeling inside of him.

The feeling of being wanted by his family.

He hated it, but at the time it felt so nice he couldn't do much of anything beyond shrug his shoulders and mumble a thanks in reply.

It had given him such a nostalgic feeling in the end. One so very different from what he had been used to in his own dimension.

His own Lola seemed to barely tolerate him the few times they were around each other now. So often starting arguments for no reason and seeming annoyed with his very presence. It was like seeing him just made her angry. And because of that, all he could readily remember was Lola's bitchy side, he had almost completely forgotten just how downright sweet and loving she could be too.

This Lola had reminded him of that feeling. A feeling he missed.

He had been the one who taught her how to read and it became a hobby they would engage in together. The mutual love had resulted in her climbing into bed with him on a number of occasions and cuddling up to read right next to him. He had been her primary Pageant coach, even more than their mother was. He helped her with training, applying her make up, running her drills, helping her be her best, and every time she would look up at him with such love, such grateful devotion. How many times had she specifically thanked him in her acceptance speech? 'I wouldn't have this crown if it wasn't for the love and support of my family, and especially my big brother Lincoln.' She would look at him and smile under the spotlight, and he knew it was her real smile, not the fake one. A smile that made him feel so bashful and warm, happy to support her so.

There had been a time, when no matter how bratty or princess like she could be, Lola could downright melt his heart with the pure gratitude and affection she had for him. It seemed like some distant other life to him in the present.

But the last few days with this Lola had seen her act in a manner he hadn't seen from his own in years. Her saying she was proud of him, actually proud of him, despite not being her Lincoln (And she hadn't even mentioned anything about that. She'd called him big brother and said she was proud of him) had really messed with his head and heart.

Then of course after she told him how proud she was of him the other shoe dropped. She leaned up and whispered in his ear…

"If it ever gets to be too much for you Linky, you can fuck my brains out anytime you want, I promise. Legs behind my head, full on mating press, you can empty your balls completely in me. Just give me a call or text, I'll be there, no questions asked."

She winked at him, and sauntered her way off.

That sorta made the sweet Lola magic come to an end.

Or did it?

Because in a way that was still the Lola he knew. Or thought he knew.

But the goodbye with Lola was confusing enough he was just happy for Lana's presence who seemed so…normal and down to earth compared to everyone else so far.

Even better the first thing she asked after Lola was gone is if he wanted to order Pizza and knock back a few beers together.

Lincoln didn't hesitate at all to give an enthusiastic yes.

The two had done just that, and hell, Pizza was always popular with the kids, just as it had been for him and his sisters at their age. They all watched a movie together, Lana, him and the kids. He stayed up with Lana after the kids went to bed. He hadn't gotten sloppy drunk either, it was nice to just get a buzz while hanging out with her. There was something nostalgic about sitting with Lana and just enjoying one another's company while they watched TV. In a sense he really did feel like he was spending time with his own Lana.

Like he had when they were younger. When they would watch TV and play videogames together. When Lana thought he was one of the coolest people in the world (Lana was one of the few sisters that genuinely thought he was cool).

She was different appearance wise from his own Lana a great deal, but it hadn't been as shocking as it was with some of his other sisters. For one, she was in better physical shape than his Lana was. But he understood why simply enough. His Lana was a Nascar driver, which didn't require constant exercise and in fact involved her sitting down a lot. To that end, his Lana was a little softer around the hips and belly. This Lana, however, was a carpenter by trade, and it showed.

It showed in the tone and definition in her arms, in the way they were larger than most of the other sisters, even Lynn's. They had muscle mass from constantly lifting drywall, lumber, and concrete mix. Her hair was much longer than his own Lana's, who kept it short to fit in her helmet better. Carpenter Lana had long, long, bright blonde hair just like Lola, only kept in a very pretty braid that went down her back. It made the tomboy look surprisingly feminine, even with the muscle and rough calluses over her hands and fingers. Just like her twin, and her dimensional counterpart she had a big round, plump looking rear end, but it seemed a little firmer from all the squatting she probably did, just as her tummy was flat too.

The reality was she was just as beautiful, just as glamorous, just as unconsciously sensual as her twin Lola was, only through the lens of a tough, fit, tomboy in overalls and a wife beater that showed off way too much cleavage.

Yet…

While her appearance was different, she still very much felt like 'Lana'.

She didn't make any passes at him. She didn't make any weird demands either. She didn't go out of her way to tease him or draw attention to her body. She didn't demand he sleep in the room with her that first night. She didn't demand he take a shower with her in the morning. She let him sleep in his old room and was already showered by the time he would head downstairs.

She had even helped him cook breakfast for the kids as well. She didn't pester him about his own family either or ask about the Lana from where he was from. She seemed primarily far more interested in hanging out with the children then bothering him.

And Lincoln could tell…

The children loved her.

She was one of the 'fun' moms/aunts he reckoned, still motherly, still an authority figure, but one who was much more down to earth and laid back compared to the other moms. She seemed more concerned with the children eating well and getting along with one another than strict homework, chores, and bedtimes.

It was enough Lincoln got something of a respite for a day. Lana spent her free time after work helping the kids and playing with them. Even Lulu wanted to play with her Aunt Lana, to say nothing of her daughter Lizy who was practically glued to her mother's side from the first night. Lizy and Leia both spent that first night sleeping with Lana (as they had both done with Lola too).

He'd also gotten to witness a new 'game' he'd never seen the kids play before with Lana present.

They called it 'Safari'. It involved some of the kids getting together and chasing Lulu around and trying to catch her. Apparently, Lulu was supposed to be some rare creature they were trying to capture and return to her 'natural habitat'. Lulu already understood she was allowed to really cut loose in this game, and Lincoln had personally watched in awe as the toddler sprouted her extra legs, and ran around on the ceiling and walls, giggling like crazy while Lana coordinated Lupa, Lemy, Lizy, Lyle, and Leia in trying to catch her.

Seemed this Lana still loved animals as much as his own Lana did.

It was all an excuse just to chase the baby girl around, but the set up and loose rules set by Lana seemed to make it more fun for all the kids involved, and they all seemed to love it, Lulu the most.

The baby girl loved playing with her siblings. It reminded him of how much Lily laughed, giggled, and smiled when she was playing with him and his sisters as a toddler. Every time Lulu was caught, she would squeal and laugh like crazy, before rewarding her 'captor' with a kiss on the cheek and a hug, before they set her loose and chased her around again.

Even Lincoln found his cold heart briefly warming as he watched all the action from afar, sitting on the middle of the stairs and smiling despite himself. He saw Lacy at the top, watching the play out of the corner of his eye too.

He could tell the girl badly wanted to join her siblings.

And why wouldn't she? It was an athletic game, of course she wanted to play.

But her mother's influence kept her from asking to join in. It kind of made him sad. Not only for Lacy denying herself, but for her siblings who probably would have loved to have her involved too.

He had to remind himself, he was a guest, not a real parent, it wasn't his place to intervene.

It did, however, make him take time and reflect as he watched the family having fun together. So much of it was indicative of the closeness they had. Each of his sisters (not his sisters, he reminded himself) had different games they had invented to play with the children, and the children themselves had different games they invented and played with one another too.

It was such a continuation of the way things once were when he was younger, when his family was closer. A carrying on of the way he and his sisters had once been. But it was more than that… it was even…

Better than what they had.

It was an evolution to something even greater.

It was better because the kids here had the benefit of their parents and their parent's own experience growing up together and all it entailed. They were able to share that knowledge with them directly. They recognized which of their children got along or would clash with one another. They knew how to solve those fights much more quickly, how to help their children bond faster. They knew how to cheer them up, and how to improve them. They saw their strengths and weaknesses, they knew what they liked and disliked and were able to adapt, plan, and create accordingly.

He'd seen this in the direct parenting now of the sisters he'd spent the most time with.

Leni's own at times childlike mind meant she had no problems getting down on her hands and knees and playing with the young ones. She could relate to them so easily in their imaginary play, while her fashion sense, managerial skills and creativity let her group together the kids who were older. Her sweet and empathic nature helped her soothe hurt feelings and solve confrontations between their children.

Lola was surprisingly strict, but also loving and kind to the children. She provided structure and rewards, incentives for the kids to do what they were supposed to do. Just like Leni she helped the older girls learn how to be 'girls', but it seemed as if Lincoln himself (or rather the other Lincoln) had rubbed off on her too since she could play videogames and didn't mind watching dorky stuff with the others. She made the kids believe in themselves and want to succeed in their own dreams.

Lana was so happy to rough house and wrestle with all of the kids and help them take care of their animals and pets. She obviously had no problem getting messy with them and helping clean up afterwards. She by no means let the kids run roughshod over her, she made sure they did what they were supposed to, but was a little more focused on play than her twin Lola.

And Lisa, Lisa showed the love she had for her family in the same way she did when she was younger, through her actions more than her words. Lisa as a child had always had difficulty verbally expressing her affection. She would tell her siblings and family she loved them, but the introverted genius was rare with those words. Her actions, however, spoke volumes to the love she had them all. Time had taught her how to be a little more personable, and how to use her words in the right way which was important when dealing with children. She said 'I love you' more, she gave more hugs. But it was the fact she looked after their health, giving them checkups regularly, making sure they brushed their teeth, and bathed often that showed her maternal concern.

But more than that, Lisa also made them toys.

Lisa was a problem solver, and so often she provided solutions to her family's problems, without even needing to be asked. Whether it was a gadget or invention to make their lives easier, or even just making their toys more fun to have. Sometimes to an extent where she went a little too far and made things dangerous.

But time and maturity seemed to bring a little more restraint in the invention department, and the toys she provided to the children were advanced and fun, but also safe. Case in point, she had provided the net guns and restraint sticks for the 'safari' game the children played with Lulu.

It made Lincoln both Jealous and sad. It made him inwardly angry at his own sisters.

Why couldn't they do something like this? Why hadn't they ever done something like this?

Sure not all of them had children, and they didn't live together so close like this…but, why didn't they take more of an active interest in each other's children and lives? Why didn't Lisa make toys for her nieces and nephews? Why didn't the sisters invite each other's kids over for sleep overs and hang outs? Hell, why didn't the childless sisters offer to take everyone's kids for a weekend together?! Lola or Lana, or Luan could easily babysit for a weekend and bond with them?! Why didn't they?!

Why didn't he?

That hurt the worst of all when he came to that realization.

Why didn't he offer to have his nieces and nephews all come spend a weekend with him?

Yes the money would possibly be an issue, but really, his sisters were all loaded, if he had genuinely presented his case, they would have given him money for food, even if he was too proud to ask.

And there was no question about responsibility. Lincoln knew his sisters all absolutely trusted him with their children. Lincoln was an old hand when it came to taking care of younger people, and he genuinely enjoyed playing with kids and entertaining them. When he was completely honest with himself, he probably would have loved a 'Uncle Lincoln weekend hangout'.

Yet he had never volunteered himself, nor had his sisters ever asked him to do so.

When he really thought about it, when he really let out some of those thoughts he kept locked up deep inside, some of the memories he didn't like facing...He remembered the six months he had lived with Lori and Bobby Jr…

He remembered how fulfilled, how happy, how satisfied he was in that period.

Before…. certain events made him run away… run away from a life that had appealed to him. Run away from shame he still hadn't managed to push down.

Here before him, even if it was the result of a terrible sin, was a happy and loving family. He had to face that and internalize it. As much as his sisters here disgusted him, they loved one another, and they loved their children.

Watching Lana play with the kids, and in particular how normal she had been compared to her siblings made him feel a deep sadness he didn't want to face. A deep sadness that kept him from talking to Lacy and telling her she should play with her siblings.

You see a problem you should be taking care of, but you're too selfish and pathetic to even deal with it, aren't you Lincoln? What, you afraid telling a girl to play with her sister will make you wanna fuck her mom? God that's sad.

Fuck you. He told himself internally.

For some reason, the serotonin withdrawal sickness symptoms had stopped completely after one week of being here. He had no idea why, but his headaches, nausea, and general flu like symptoms he should have been experiencing had completely vanished overnight, and physically he felt fine.

The wave of crushing depression never came either. It was like he was still taking his meds, but not at the same time. His intrusive thoughts still showed up though, and that was an issue. It made him worried, something in the past he would of asked Lisa for help about…But he was still too proud to ask his own Lisa, let alone one from another dimension, no matter how friendly she was to him.

And that was the rub, they were all so friendly to him. All except for Lynn. His interactions with all the sisters of this dimension had been nothing but pleasant, in their own twisted way.

He'd settled into his own routine by week three, making breakfast for the kids, going to work, coming home and making dinner. Hanging out in his room when he could, but spending some time with the children at behest of those very same sisters.

Lulu still spent a lot of time with him. Seeming to split it equally between her mother, her siblings, and her father. Or rather the man she perceived as her father. He would wake up with her snuggled up against him, or go to bed with her waiting to sleep with him about every third day or so. He was beyond the point of questioning it now. All he did was make sure she was comfy and cozy and held her in his arms while they slept. Lulu had a soothing effect on him, and Lincoln found himself genuinely enjoying her company, even when it meant changing her diapers, feeding her, and giving her baths.

He'd had enough self reflection, and enough self pity for now. It was time to do something. He turned and looked at Lacy, as the girl sat above him on the steps, watching her siblings play below. He took a deep breath and spoke up.

"Okay Lacy, I'll play catch with you."

…

Lincoln was in the backyard playing catch with Lacy when Lana had approached him about Lupa's problem.

Lacy had been insistent on playing with him for over a week now. She was so much like her mother, same never take no for an answer, always continuing to push and push and keep trying until she 'won'.

Only unlike Lynn, Lacy was such a sweet girl by nature, saying no to her over and over again made him feel like he was denying a puppy attention. Puppies were full of energy, excitable, super happy, and dumb, very, very dumb. In this respect Lacy was no different. Lacy was kind of dumb, Lincoln had figured that out pretty quickly. That was a cruel way of saying she had a few learning disabilities, and was in some special ed classes, but it was the truth.

The girl was so dumb, she didn't take Lincoln's continuous no's as any kind of personal insult or mark against her. Every time Lincoln told her no and said 'maybe next time' with no intention of following through, Lacy would only happily smile and nod her head with a great big, "Okay Lincoln!" and go on with her day.

That was what really caused him to cave in the end. The girl didn't even know he was being mean and dismissive to her, she couldn't give him the benefit of a sad pout or look of disappointment. Just complete trust in what he said because he had the same face as her father. That broke him, that trust, that sweet belief that he would one day say yes to her. That was why he had asked her to play catch with him. That and to take her mind off what her siblings were doing.

Oh what next? Going to apologize to her mom too? Give her a nice deep kiss, act out on some residual desires you've always had for your Lynn? Let me guess, you'll go back home and tell your Lynn how much you missed her and you two will be closer than ever, right?

Lincoln ignored his intrusive thoughts again and focused on Lacy. She had even gotten her Dad's baseball mitt for him.

The two had been standing outside with the sun on his back, tossing the ball back and forth awhile as Lacy grilled him with her honest and earnest questions.

"Do you like Sports Lincoln?"

"Not really."

"Oh I bet you just haven't found the one you like Yet! You should play with my mom, Dad and her love playing together! They even have their private bedroom games!"

"I'll bet they do."

"I know that means sex! I'm not a baby! But Mom says sex is like a sport and a game, only you play it with the people you're in love with."

"That sounds like her."

"My Mom and Dad played a lot together growing up! Did you play with my Mom a lot growing up too?"

"Yes, I did."

"Do you still play with her?"

"No, I don't Lacy."

"How come?"

"Because she has a husband, he plays the bedroom sports with her."

"Oh….well I bet my Mom would be willing to play with you, since yours won't."

"I wouldn't bet on that Lacy. I don't think your Mom cares for me much."

"Nuh uh! She likes you! Mom told me girls pick on boys they like, and my Mom wants to pick on you a lot! Dad said she's been like that her whole life! Always picking on him and bullying him! Was my mom like that in your world?"

"She's always been like that."

"So she's always loved you a lot?"

"What?!"

"You said my Mom in your world's always been like that! She picks on you, so she probably loves you a whole lot too!"

Lincoln stopped dead, his hand out as the ball slammed home in his catcher's mitt. A flood of memories rampaging through his head. Lynn tackling him and wrestling him when he wasn't looking. Fouling him on purpose in the one on one basketball games they played. Farting on him, giving him noogies, wet willies, Indian rugburns. She let up a little as they got older, but even as he coached her in wrestling she was always eager to take their sparring a little further than necessary. As he had gotten taller than her it had only made her more certain to assert her dominance as the elder sibling. But always in a playful manner. She had always loved wrestling and rough housing with him. She'd always loved expressing her affection physically through hands on competitive play with him. He'd gone out of his way to learn the science of fighting just to keep up with her and be a good coach when her interests had zeroed in there.

But that behavior had fallen off after he'd gone to Art school and couldn't make it out to see her matches anymore or help her train. When they would see one another on holidays he saw a glimmer in her eye, one that almost seemed like it wanted to play and rough house with him again, but was afraid to ask or initiate it. That glimmer got smaller and smaller over the years until it vanished completely. He couldn't remember the last time she put him in a headlock, or tackled him, or burped in his face, or put him in an arm bar…

Or hugged him.

He shoved those thoughts out of his head, then returned the pitch to Lacy.

"She stopped picking on me a while ago Lacy. My Lynn and I just aren't like your Mom and Dad."

Lacy almost seemed disappointed when he said that. The girl looked back at him, with those features that were such a perfect blend of his own and Lynn's. His Big blue eyes, her pouty lips, their freckled cheeks. The light brown-blonde hair color that seemed a blend of his and Lynn's own. He wondered how anyone could NOT mistake Lacy for being his and Lynn's, everything about her said she was their child. She had his former disposition with her mother's love of sports and competition.

"Oh…" Lacy trailed off, cute brow furrowing. She was so innocent, so wholesome, it tugged on the very few heart strings he had left seeing her frown.

But then she looked back at him with a bright optimistic smile once more, "Well, it's okay. I know you probably miss my Mom in your world, but you can be close to her here! Mom always says it's good to practice, so if you practice on my Mom here, you can get close to her again when you get back home!"

Lincoln only looked skeptically at the girl, trying to think of how best he should respond, when the presence of Lana interrupted them. Carrying a smile, her long hair bound up in a red bandanna she called out to both, "Hey Linc! Hey Lacy sweetie! I need to borrow your uncle for a moment. Can you take five?"

Lacy gave a bright happy smile in response to her Aunt, nodding, "Okay Auntie Lana! Thanks for the game Lincoln!"

Lincoln nodded in reply as he watched the girl turn back towards the house. He brought his attention back to one of his tomboy younger sisters.

The pretty toned muscular girl really reminded him of an Amazon when he looked at her. It wasn't that she was a giant, her and Lola were both tall yes, but tall for girls.

Lana's physique though was built as if she could be a female barbarian like Red Sonja, or an Amazon warrior from Themysicara. She still preferred wearing overalls, carpenter jeans, and flannel with tank tops underneath, but the big arms, thick muscular thighs, big boobs and big butt made her look like some kind of warrior princess. The bright blonde hair that went down to the middle of her back only made him want to see her cosplay as one of those characters even more. Damn, she would have won a hundred, no a thousand cosplay contests with her looks. It was funny to Lincoln that he was now realizing this. While back in his own world Lola had conquered pictogram by simply being hot, this Lana could have done the same in the dorksphere with her own frame in the cosplay arena.

He abandoned his musings and picked up his beer from the red wooden picnic table he'd placed it on earlier taking a sip. Lana gave a slight look of concern.

"Little early for that, don't you think bro?"

Lincoln only took another sip as he replied, "It's 5 o'clock somewhere. Besides, you like a cold brew now and then too, don't you?"

Lana responded, the light catching the gap between her front teeth, reflecting off her pretty pink tongue, "Yeah bro but…" She put her hand up and smiled apologetically.

"Never mind about that, you're a big boy, you can make your own decisions. Anyway, not even what I need to talk to you about."

Lincoln felt a strange sort of guilt coil inside of him. For some reason he felt like he should put the beer down. But he told himself he was just being ridiculous, and continued to sip, "Alright, what's up then? What do you need from me?"

Lana seemed happy to carry on with her original topic, "It's about Lupa and a visit to the Hospital."

Lincoln despite himself, took on a look of concern, placing the beer down, "Whoa, did something happen? Did she get hurt? Do we need to call an ambulance?" His pulse started quickening and his heart beat faster as he suddenly thought of the annoying white haired girl in some kind of harm or pain. Yeah she was a monster, but he didn't want her hurt.

Lana laughed and put her hands up to calm him, "No, No Linc, nothing like that. She's fine, physically at least."

Lincoln breathed out a sigh of relief, before he put his protective walls back up inside, narrowing his eyes in consternation, "Yeah, physically. I don't know so much mentally."

Lana only continued to give him that easy going smile of hers. The one he was so used to seeing. Lana's smile made everyone feel relaxed and trusting. Lana had all the same social power Lola did, just directed in a different way. The twins so pretty in the expression of their different personalities.

"Come on Linc. She takes after her mom, and I'm sure you had just as much fun growing up with Lucy as our Lincoln did."

Lucy…

Lincoln winced inwardly, and his heart twisted into knots.

A memory from a year ago flashed through his mind. Lucy looking up at him, tears in her eyes. Eyes she had made visible to show the pain he had put her through. She was on her knees, reaching out to him and begging him to turn around, pleading with him not to cut her out of his life like this.

'I never want to see you again.'

It had felt good when he said it.

Even if he had cried himself to sleep later that night.

He just looked back at Lana and gave a shrug followed by a sigh, "Yeah, every day is Halloween with her, I know. But alright, what does Lupa have to do with the hospital?"

Lana gave a soft laugh, "Well, first you should know your daughter in this world volunteers there."

That took Lincoln by surprise, his eyes shot up as he looked at Lana, "Wait, the little morbid creature volunteers at the Hospital? What does she do, scare the elderly to death to free up bed space?"

Lana laughed again and then softly punched him in the arm, "Come on bro, don't be like that! Lola and Lucy inspired her to do so."

Lincoln stopped as recollection hit him. When Lola was very young, she had started to volunteer at hospitals and the old folks home. At first it was all to forward her pageantry background, but his Princess like sister had begun to really love it, and had kept doing so at least until he had moved out. Lola really did like making others feel better about themselves. It was one of her best traits as a person. He was surprised to hear Lupa was following in her footsteps.

"Lola convinced that little demon to volunteer at the Hospital? She really shows up, helps out, takes care of people, that sort of thing?"

Lincoln still looked skeptical, but Lana nodded as she replied.

"Yeah, her and Lucy both did. I don't know if it's the same for your Lucy, but ours volunteers with a suicide prevention hotline once a week. Linc, I'm telling you, Lupa's a good kid. A great kid. She really takes far more after her Father than you think."

Lincoln just frowned again. Lucy working with a suicide hotline, he didn't believe his own did any such thing. It was really…commendable to hear theirs did. But he still didn't know what to think about Lupa.

He sighed and folded his arms, "Alright sure, but if she just needs a ride to the Hospital can't you do it Lana?"

Lana just shook her head before she leaned up against the picnic table, "It's not about her volunteering Linc. I just wanted you to know that. I know Lupa's bustin your balls right now, but it's only because she's such a Daddy's girl. She really misses him, and you remind her of him far more than you think."

Lincoln put his beer down, frowning to himself again. He really didn't like the comparisons being made between himself and the other Lincoln. He knew Lana was complimenting him, but he didn't want to take it as a compliment.

"Alright Lans, so what is it about then?"

Lana got a mischievous look on her face. A smile that spoke of the girlish delight all women had when it came to certain matters of the heart, and those who were close to them.

"It's about a boy…"

Lincoln…didn't know what to think as he heard that. A strange mix of odd paternal protectiveness, and curiosity surged through him all at once. He became embarrassed at the feelings, before he pushed them down and continued to give his best skeptical expression.

"What about a boy Lans. Come on now."

Lana gave another soft laugh, before she grinned back at him. That infectious smile she gave him was so good at knocking down his barriers. He had to keep putting them up over and over again.

"Come on Linc, you know we were all close as kids, but we all had our own friends too. Even Lols and I had our own separate friend group."

Lincoln nodded as he started to catch on, before a sudden feeling of alien strangeness overcame him as he put his hands up and shook his head.

"Wait, wait, wait…Just…Just, come on now. Stop. You all got to stop assuming our lives and pasts are all the same! We come from different universes completely!"

Lana tilted her head as she looked at Lincoln, a funny little smirk on her lips, "Come on bro. You know I don't understand that kind of stuff as well as you and Lisa do. But so much of what you've talked about has sounded the same to a certain point with us and our Lincoln. You gotta admit that."

Lincoln frowned.

It was more and more something that unnerved him when it came up. But she was right. The similarities between his universe and this one were striking.

Lana went on, raising her hand, "Look Linc, did you and your sisters all have your own little cliques and group of friends when you were growing up?"

Linc nodded, "Well yeah…"

Lana continued, "Then you know what I'm talking about. Save the science stuff for Lisa. As I was saying bro, All the kids have their own little friends, just like we all did. This involves one of Lupa's friends. You got all that? Or do ya need to interject and freak out on me a little more?" She gave him a playful smile.

Lincoln sighed as he put his hands up apologetically, "Alright, alright, I'm sorry. So tell me about this boy and why he's tied to the Hospital."

Lana nodded her head once more, "His name is Charlie. Him and Lupa have been friends since 3rd grade. He's friends with Lemy too. Good kid, he's got similar interests to the both of em."

Lincoln continued to raise his eyebrow as he looked back at Lana, "Something tells me there's more to this with that smile you had earlier."

Lana laughed softly again as she nodded her head. She playfully batted Lincoln in the shoulder with her own. Lincoln nearly fell over.

"Oh come on Bro…Lupa's a girl just entering puberty, she's got a boy who is her friend whose just starting to do the same. They both love horror movies and Halloween, Charlie's even a little bit of a dork just like her Daddy is."

Lincoln looked directly back to Lana and put his hand up, "Whoa, whoa, hold on… Is this, is this a Ronnie Anne situation?!"

Lana looked confused for a moment, "Ronnie Anne?"

Lincoln nodded his head rapidly, "Yes! Ronnie Anne Santiago! Bobby Santiago's little sister! Her and I used to go to school together?"

Lana suddenly took on a look of recognition, "Oh Ronnie Anne! Yeah, now I remember! Ha, that girl had it bad for you! Yeah then her brother and her moved away right?"

Lincoln sighed heavily and put his hand to his head. Okay, there was another one of the big differences between them, Ronnie Anne was never really as important to this Lincoln as she was to him. Hell, Bobby was just a boy Lori dated for a year here.

"Yes, Ronnie Anne, anyway… Is it like that?"

Lana looked thoughtful for a moment, and then smirked, giving a slight nod of her head, "Yeah, I'd say it's something like that. Though there still in the early stages. It's kind of adorable watching the two together. But, before I go any further, you need to know. Charlie has leukemia."

Lincoln's eyes shot open wide, as he focused all of his attention on Lana. He didn't know who this Charlie kid was, but it was bad enough hearing a child had a chronic disease, but more he was trying to think how this affected Lupa.

How he would of reacted if Ronnie Anne had come down with something like that at their age.

Lana recognized the look of worry and concern on Lincoln's features, before she smiled sadly and nodded her head.

"Yeah, Lupa's been real brave about it. She knows she's gotta be for him, but Charlie is also her best friend."

Lincoln frowned and looked down at his shoes, taking a seat against the end of the picnic table right next to Lana.

"H-h-how bad is he? This kid? How long does he got? Is it the really bad kind or the only kind of bad kind?"

Lana gave a soft sigh and shrugged, "Our Lincoln knew. He'd spoken with Charlie's folks after they got the diagnosis 6 months ago. It's been enough the kid's been in and out of the Hospital." Suddenly Lana got a look of concern on her face.

"Oh shit, I should probably tell you who his parents are. I don't know if you'll know who they are or not, but they were close with our Lincoln at one time."

Now Lincoln was very curious. His attention was fully on Lana.

"Charlie's last name is Spokes. His Mom and Dad are Stella and Rusty. They used to be friends with our Lincoln."

…

Alone in the room she shared with her sister Lacy, Lupa quietly sketched away on her tablet.

The two girls' beds occupied the same position their mothers' own had once been in, recreating a generational picture of the past. There were some differences of course, Lupa and Lacy weren't exact carbon copies of their mothers and their own personal little touches demonstrated this. That and the girls had only really moved into the house a handful of years ago. After their Grandparents had died and their Father had returned from overseas. Overall though it conveyed the same themes of the women who had given birth to both, with the greatest difference being on Lupa's side. While Lacy's side had the sports memorabilia reminscient of her mother's own, Lupa had posters of her favorite horror series and video games, being much louder than her mother's preferred understated side.

Lupa was currently laying back on her black clad bed, sitting up against the headboard, eyes narrowed in concentration as she focused as much as possible on her latest creation with the tablet. She'd owned the tablet for less than a year but already she'd put it through its paces and was going to have to order a series of new nubs for the stylus soon. The gift had quickly turned into one of her most prized possessions and the girl took it practically everywhere with her.

The particular piece she was working on at the moment was a gift for someone special to her. A drawing that featured one of her favorite fictional characters hanging out with one of his favorite fictional characters. Lupa was a little worried it might be lame and hokey, but the boy she was going to give it to would probably love it. Charlie seemed to enjoy everything she drew, even when she doubted herself. He also wasn't just trying to blow smoke up her ass, he seemed to really like her art. It had been her drawings that had been the entire reason they'd become friends back in 3rd grade. Back then everyone had been afraid to approach the morbid girl with the white hair and the penchant for trouble. Lupa's frightening reputation was already such, other children avoided her like the plague. But not Charlie. No he'd been far too interested in her drawing of an Aztec sacrifice to be scared off and had approached with so many questions.

She'd been skeptical at first, but after showing off some more work, and quizzing him about some of his favorite horror movies, Lupa had discovered a kindred spirit. Something she had ended up being very secretly happy about. Much as Lupa enjoyed scaring others, and cultivating the same morbid and dangerous aura her mother had, it did leave her a little lonely back then. Making her first real friend outside of her siblings had been important, particularly with all the hardship her family had to endure.

The two became fast friends and picked up others to join their little clique along the way. But Charlie was always her biggest fan art wise. A few of her 'original pieces' were even on his bedroom walls back home. Tokens of their friendship. She was a kid and didn't have a lot of money, but Charlie thought her drawings were cool, so she would go to work on a piece to make his day better. Her drawing with him had become even more important when he got sick.

Some days, he just didn't have the energy to run around like they used to and cause trouble. Some days, he just wanted to sit with her, and watch her draw. She'd even sit with him while he did Chemo sometimes. Watching her work helped to keep him distracted, and he would help by coming up with storylines and make suggestions and ideas for her creations.

Charlies first gift to her had been a sculpted model of one of her drawings.

Charlie was good with his hands. He could sculpt and model things, and he was great at creating costumes, make up, and accessories. He attributed this skill to his Father and Grand Father and the clothing shop they ran, 'Duds for Dudes'. He helped out at the shop when he could. But he was also good with electronics and putting things together. That he attributed to his mother Stella, an engineer for one of the big 3 auto companies... He was on the school robotics team with Lemy and was one of Dragula's primary technicians. Until he had to take a less involved role due to his illness.

It was all unfair. Really unfair.

Lupa, much like her mother, was fascinated by death, the rituals involved, the emotions it brought about, the process, and the idea of the spirit carrying on afterwards. They were her bread and butter. She knew people died, she had been there when it happened after deciding to volunteer at the hospital. But it wasn't supposed to affect someone so young, someone she was close with like this. There was still so much her and Charlie had to do together. So many Halloween corn mazes to build, and pranks, and traps and art pieces over the years. They were supposed to turn 16, borrow Vanzilla in the summer and go on a road trip visiting the most haunted places in America with their friends!

Now, it was likely, none of that would happen.

Her Dad had always been the one to make her feel better. Her Dad was an optimist, he made her believe there was still a chance Charlie would pull through everything. He was also there for her when she shared her private fears and worries she didn't want anyone else knowing. Her Dad was the rock she was clinging to during this very uncertain part of her life, and now he was gone. Gone somewhere because a stupid Aunt Lisa in another world, did a stupid experiment with a stupid version of her Dad.

A version of her Dad who didn't have kids, and didn't want them, and who seemed horrified by everything her loving family had built together.

He was scared of them. She knew that much. She could see it. He was scared of all of them, of her siblings, of her Mom, of her Aunts. That's what hurt the most for Lupa. Seeing her Dad, the greatest man she'd ever known, look at her in abject fear.

And not the fun kind of fear that she loved to inflict on him with her mother. Lupa and her mother Lucy loved to scare her father together. Lupa loved to scare all of her family members, it was her gift to them. The gift of fright, the gift of remembering you were alive. But her father was her favorite victim because she loved him so much. Her father 'got' her. Her mother had explained that was why she had fallen in love with him, despite the taboo nature of the relationship, her father 'got' her mother. Something very few others did (though when Lupa was honest with herself, knowing her mother, the taboo aspect of their relationship was probably a bonus).

Seeing her Dad so uncertain around her, around her siblings, and so disgusted by all of them hurt.

But the worse thing was, he was kind of a hypocrite too. Because as much as he said he hated their family situation and didn't approve of it, he was doing everything their Dad did now! He went to work for them, he cooked breakfast and sometimes dinner for them! He helped them run their errands, and he even bought them things and gave them money sometimes! He was acting like their Dad, and even playing with some of them now, but he still put on all these airs and acts that he wasn't part of them. He played with Lulu just like her own Dad, smiled at her and laughed with her. He took Lyle to the movies, played video games with Lemy and Loan, it was frustrating! He was doing this half-way bullshit like he could not fully commit. He didn't know how much it hurt the rest of them, those of the kids who could see his inability to commit.

He needed to either fully embrace he was Lincoln Loud and they were his kids, even if from another dimension, or he needed to pull back completely, because this halfway crap was only hurting the ones like Lizy who missed their Daddy so much.

It frustrated Lupa even more because there was a part of him that made her feel more connected to her father than ever.

Lupa was aware her artistic ability came from her father. He never got to really develop his inborn talent as much as he wanted too, but her Dad was good for a hobbyist. He didn't get to draw all that much, but when he borrowed her tablet or did a little sketch on paper, Lupa could see where her talent had come from. She had the opportunity to develop it further than her Dad did, thanks to his sacrifices, and was thankful for that every day. But this new version of her Dad, from the other universe, he really showed her what her Dad would have really been capable of…and what she could be capable of too.

Even if he was from another universe Aunt Lisa had explained he had the same DNA as their Dad. He was physically their Dad in every single way. He was just from a different universe. He was a Dad that got to focus and develop his skill further, and that showed Lupa what she might be able to one day achieve too. This new Dad also liked to draw and sketch in his spare time. He wanted to keep his skills sharp for when he got back to his own world, he had said…and Lupa, had found herself, despite saying she hated him, despite saying she wanted nothing to do with him…sometimes watching him create art when he wasn't aware she was watching.

He was serene in those moments. When she was hiding in the shadows, watching him create when he thought he was completely alone. His quiet concentration, the way he sometimes hummed to himself, tapped his lower lip with his finger, the way he itched his ear. It was all the same things her Dad did when he had his serene moments of contemplation. In those moments she could fool herself into thinking she was spending time with her real Dad. That he was working on something and she was just happy to sit at his side and watch him.

And watching him turned out to be a joy, even if she hated him. It was watching a master work. The confidence of his strokes on the page filled her with awe. He didn't second guess himself, and he rarely hesitated. He drew in pen with little worry about making mistakes. Seeing this man, with her father's face, and her father's voice, and her father's mannerisms, create like this, it stirred Lupa's heart more than she ever wanted to admit. It made her feel a new found sense of pride in being the daughter of Lincoln Loud.

Because if the Lincoln Loud from another universe could do it, then her own Dad could too. She was the legacy of this, and there was a part of her that wished so very much she could create right alongside of him. Alongside of her father.

It made her feel guilty.

Her Dad was wonderful, and here she was wishing he could have the talent of this imposter Dad.

She was a mess. Her best friend was dying, and her Daddy was nowhere to be seen. She was keeping it together for her siblings, but she really wished she could feel her real father's arms around her again, hugging her tightly and telling her everything was going to be okay.

She looked back down at her picture again, checking her progress.

There were two characters primarily featured in the piece. Villain of Ace Savvy and the Full Deck, Chaotic prankster and sex symbol extraordinaire, favorite comic character of both Lupa and her Aunt Lynn, 'Punchy Judy' was the first. Dressed in a red and yellow stylized medieval mummer's outfit with a large pointy hat, and a grinning painted face, she was offering up a plate full of brains on a silver platter to Tombstone comic's own 'Evil Eddie'. Eddie was a leather jacket wearing, long haired, zombie Master of ceremonies for tombstone's horror anthology 'Bloody Tales' comics. Evil Eddie was sitting in a chair, with an IV in his arm leading up to a bag with a skull and crossbones on it. Punchy Judy seemed to be offering him a snack while he was in duress.

Charlie loved Tombstone comics, and Eddie was his favorite character. The symbolism was obvious, but she thought it was…dare she say it…cute, and she hoped Charlie would think it was funny. She was just having a little trouble with the anatomy.

She was just so used to her Father willing to drop everything to pose for her whenever she wanted so she could get the anatomy just right. She could look up a picture online to use as a reference, but when her Dad did it, it was special. It was more than just him helping her, it was extra bonding time between the two of them. It always made her feel more confident with her own work when she could use him.

She was interrupted from her thoughts by the presence of the Imposter in her doorway, gently knocking on the opened door.

She looked back at the man who wore her father's face, and put on one of her twisted and unwelcoming smiles for him, "Oh Hi Mr. Loud, did you get lost? The city dump's a few miles the other way."

Her own mother had told her to be nice to the man. She had this crazy notion they were the same man. One soul inhabiting two bodies she had said. But it was difficult. Difficult to look at your Father, the man who was supposed to love you and take care of you, and see a look of worry, uncertainty and rejection.

But he didn't even flinch at her comment, in fact he looked…Concerned.

It was the same look of concern her father gave her. It was why she hated it even more because she knew it was genuine. Why was the imposter giving her that look?

He spoke up.

"Hey Lupa. Is it alright if I come in and talk to you?"

Lupa put her tablet to the side, folded her arms and looked away with a shrug of her shoulders, "Would you go away if I said no?"

Lincoln looked back at her, that look of concern for her still present, and even worse, a soft little smile came to his lips. Again, one she recognized from her Dad. His patient smile, the one that said he wasn't going to get upset at you no matter what you did.

"Lupa, if you really want me to go away, I will. But I'm hoping you'll let me in, I want to talk to you about something important. Something I know is important to you."

Lupa slowly looked back at him, her eyes still skeptical. The albino girl kept her arms folded over her chest, a guarded gesture as she seemed to be studying him, trying to figure out what his game was. After a moment she sighed, looked away again and nodded, "Okay fine, you can come in. No promises on me being the best company."

Lincoln nodded his head, "Thanks." Before he entered and took a seat on Lacy's bed, facing toward the little gamer goth.

Lupa slowly looked back at him, the sadistic smile gone, replaced by a defense look of apathy. A sign she didn't want to get her hopes up with this man she'd been living with over the last weeks. "So what gives old man, what do you want?"

Lincoln huffed slightly, giving a playful frown, "Old?! I'm not going to hit 30 for a couple more months kid! Sheesh!"

Lupa didn't budge, she just continued to look at him with that apathetic defensive gaze.

Lincoln seeing his playful return banter didn't have the effect he wanted, decided to move on. He gave a soft sigh, shrugged his shoulders, and then cleared his throat.

"Lupa, I know that I haven't been…." He trailed off, frowning, as if he wasn't sure those were the words he wanted to say.

He started again.

"I know things here are weird right now and…" once more he trailed off, not confident in that approach either.

He breathed out, tried again, "You see, I haven't been happy in a very long…" he frowned, stopped, and sighed.

Lupa only continued to stare at him disapprovingly.

Lincoln gave another soft sigh, slumped his shoulders, and tried yet again, "Lupa, despite what it seems like, I don't hate you or any of your siblings. I really, really don't."

Lupa looked away, now she was frowning, the wall seemingly more interesting to her than anything else at the moment, "You could of fooled me. You spend as much time as you can in your room, and you act like it burns any time one of our moms touches you. You're scared of us too. I know it."

Lincoln frowned to himself as he listened, seeming to mull over the kid's words more before he looked back to respond, "Lupa, my…opinion of your mothers and your father's actions are between me and them. I never wanted it to affect you and your siblings. I can't, and don't blame you for any of it."

Lupa looked back at him, still frowning heavily, still looking hurt, "Well it does. That's our parents, you don't like our parents! How are we supposed to think you like us when you think our parents are horrible, evil, perverse degenerates Mr. Loud! Your words by the way!"

Lincoln winced as he realized he hadn't been as careful with not insulting the parents around the children as much as he'd hoped he had been. He just gave an apologetic looking awkward smile in response as he hunched his shoulders, before he suddenly looked as if an idea came to him.

"Lupa, was it right to blame Marcello and treat him poorly despite the fact his father was Azazel, the demon that had once conquered and enslaved the Shadow realms? Didn't Luciel the Angel come to love Marcello as his own son, despite being the sworn enemy of Azazel?"

Lincoln was referring to a high concept, gothic urban fantasy comic series called 'Revelations' put out by Timely's mature reader imprint 'Discordia'.

Lupa's eyes went wide and her mouth practically fell open in shock, before she managed to finally find her voice.

"How did you know I read Revelations?!"

Lincoln only grinned as he fired back in a matter of fact tone without even thinking, "Of course you read Revelations. You also read Morpheus, and Ace Savvy by Gaslight. Because Lucy is your mother and I'm your father."

Both albinos stopped and looked at one another silently in that moment. Lupa's frown had even fallen from her face, now she looked back with a hesitant curiousness. Lincoln felt a strange flood of emotions fill him.

A feeling of guilt and regret over the way he had treated his own Lucy, a feeling of embarrassment and bashfulness at what he'd said…but also a feeling of warm familial…love, as he looked at this girl, with his features, with his skills, and his interests…

It made him uncomfortable and he shoved the feeling out of him as quickly as he could, even as he stared back into the matching eyes that now looked as if they had the slightest, littlest, glimmer of hope a child has for their parent's approval.

But it quickly vanished, and Lincoln had a feeling Lupa was also battling her own unwelcome feelings.

She looked back at him, pointing some, "Now that's just playing dirty. Okay, you know the comic books and tv shows I probably like, and okay yeah…Maybe you have a point with Luciel and Marcello. But still, it's hard to trust you when you even lie to yourself Mr. Loud."

Lincoln was smiling slightly despite himself as he rose his eyebrow, "And what does that mean Lupa?"

Suddenly a large sadistic yet playful grin came over Lupa's face as she looked towards Lincoln again, he didn't know if she was ignoring his question or answering it now, "Hey wait…remember it was revealed Luciel was Azazel's brother? So technically Marcello was Luciel's nephew anyway?"

Lincoln suddenly took on a slightly embarrassed look. He had sort of walked right into that one without even realizing it.

Lupa seemed to press him further, "So…are you saying your family then Mr. Loud? Is that what you're admitting? Maybe you are the angel here with the family of demons…But lots of demons were once angels, right? Maybe you like it here among the demons more than you think."

Lincoln continued to blush, as he put his hand up, "Alright Lupa, we're getting off track, there's a point I came in here to talk to you about that didn't involve us getting lost in a conversation about Revelations and Morpheus."

Lupa scoffed as she folded her arms, "Getting lost talking about Morpheus and Revelations is completely worth our time."

Lincoln smiled despite himself yet again and nodded his head, "I agree. But it's still not why I came in here."

Lupa's guard had dropped a little. Just a little, but it meant at least she wasn't being outright hostile towards him. Lincoln would take it.

The albino girl gave her full attention to Lincoln, she was hesitant, but curious still, "Okay, then what is it you're here to talk about?"

Lincoln nodded his head and put on his concerned expression once more. It was genuine concern for the 12 year old girl in front of him. His daughter from another universe.

"Your aunt Lana told me about the situation with Charlie."

Lincoln noticed a look of her own concern and worry come across Lupa's features, and then quickly get pushed down. He went on without skipping a beat.

"I know how important friends are Lupa. My own still mean the world to me years later. I didn't know your best friend was in the hospital and you wanted to visit him. I also didn't know he asked for your Dad specifically."

Lincoln took a deep breath as he looked back towards the girl who was still regarding him warily. He could tell she was warring with herself. She didn't want to trust him, didn't want to get her hopes up, but at the same time she so desperately wanted some kind of emotional cushion she could fall on. A rock she could grip onto in this uncertain storm of her life. She didn't want it to be him, but a small part of her was thinking it could be.

Lincoln went on as he watched the war of emotions on the pre-teen's face. "I know I'm not your real Dad. Maybe it is like you said, maybe I am…an Uncle. But I look like him, and I sound like him and…" Lincoln grumbled a little as he looked off, "All your aunts keep telling me how much I act like him too…" Lincoln brought his gaze back towards Lupa once more.

"If you're okay with it, I'll go with you to the hospital, and I'll meet with Charlie and, act like your Dad to hear what he wanted to say…as long as you're cool with it Lupa."

Once more the girl was warring with herself again. Lincoln couldn't help but find it cute. He hated that he found her cute like this. This girl had tortured him, laughed at and tormented him, but here in this moment, watching her try to act like the tough and aloof, cool and snarky girl, while inside she so desperately wanted this, was adorable.

Lupa gave a slight shrug of her shoulder in response before she looked back at Lincoln, "I guess it would be okay. As long as you promise not to embarrass me or make a fool of yourself or anything."

Lincoln gave the girl a genuine smile as he nodded his head, and seeing it almost made Lupa want to cry, because in this moment she swore she was talking to her father again. "I think I can do that Lupe, but you'll be in charge just in case."

Lupa smirked and nodded her head, "You better believe it, I'm always in charge Mr. Loud."

Lincoln put his hands up in an apologetic manner, "I've got no doubts about that Lupa, none at all."

Lupa continued to grin, "Good." Before she turned and looked towards her tablet, "We also have to stop at a print shop first, I want to print this out for Charlie." She displayed her latest creation to her new 'Uncle'.

Lincoln placed his hand to his chin as he looked it over, "Oh, Punchy Judy…Somehow that makes sense for you, and Evil Eddie? Huh, that's a deep cut right there. Nice work, real good."

Lupa turned and looked towards the drawing again, a slight frown on her lips, "Well maybe, but I don't think Evil Eddie looks right in the picture. The anatomy is still off…"

Lincoln suddenly reached over before he caught himself, stopping halfway. Lupa looked up at him, her eyes said it was alright, and he finished reaching over as he spoke up, "Looks like you use Snip Studio, so you have good taste at least. Let me show you a trick with it I know, when you're trying to make sure your perspective is right."

Lupa let her Uncle take the tablet from her, before she slowly got off her bed, and walked the short distance to Lacy's own. She took a seat on it, right next to Lincoln and looked up at him.

"Okay Mr. Loud, show me how it's done…"

…

As Lincoln and Lupa turned the corner in the hospital corridor leading to Charlie's room, he caught sight of a pair of familiar figures.

Rusty Spokes and Stella Zhau.

Only apparently in this universe it was now Rusty and Stella Spokes.

Rusty and Stella were two of Lincoln's oldest friends. He'd met them in 5th grade, and remained in school with both all the way through graduation, until they all went their separate ways in college and their adult lives.

In his own world, Rusty currently lived in California with their other friend Zach. Both worked in Silicon Valley. Stella had gotten a job overseas in Japan working for one of the major auto companies.

Rusty, Zach, Liam, and Clyde got together with Lincoln about once a year for a guy's weekend out. It was one of the few times Lincoln could forget about his troubles and just hang out with his friends. Stella, living in Japan, often couldn't attend, but she kept in contact with the boys regularly all the same.

More than that, almost two years ago now, Stella returned home for the High School reunion and things between her and Lincoln had gotten…heated…very heated.

Stella had revealed in the long run, Lincoln had been the boy she was most attracted to her in their little group, but she had always been afraid pursuing things with him would have broken up their friendship. Plus, he had been so infatuated with Ronnie Anne at the time she never saw herself having a chance. The two had gotten a hotel room together during the reunion and carried out a long series of fantasies.

But in the morning, Lincoln had just felt…weird.

It wasn't that Stella wasn't beautiful. She was.

A tall Filipina girl with long dark hair and big brown eyes, she had filled out more as she'd gotten older, and grew into some nice curved hips and a very feminine bust. She'd adopted wearing a pair of round stylish dark purple glasses as she'd gotten older, bringing out her eyes and the freckles on her cheeks even more.

And Lincoln had spent the whole night making love to Stella in multiple positions and different ways, but when it was all over, he felt like he'd just had sex with one of his sisters. It was weird. He realized he didn't have those romantic feelings for Stella. His romantic feelings had always been tied up with Ronnie Anne. Stella was one of his best friends, and while the sex with her had been good, very good, he didn't feel an emotional connection to her that went to the romantic.

She had wanted to try and carry on a long distance relationship, but Lincoln told her he couldn't do it. Not with her in Japan and him in Michigan.

Rusty on the other hand had been one of Lincoln's longest running friends, only falling behind Clyde in terms of relevance and importance. A Tall ginger kid, as he'd gotten older he grew more into his features and his gangly body. He was always going to be a ginger, the bright red almost orange hair, and his body covered in freckles was evident of that, but he was confident in who he was. His sense of style was better than everyone else in their little friend group, but more than that, Rusty had a great Heart. He went above and beyond when it came to doing nice things for his friends, often being the one who organized the best birthdays and celebrations for their clique. Not because he spent the most money, but because he had great insight into the hearts of those he loved and knew what would be perfect for them.

Clyde might have been Lincoln's brother from another mother, but Rusty was clearly the number 2 in terms of leadership of their little clique in school. Lincoln hated acknowledging he'd been the leader of his friends, he was far to humble for that, but Rusty had been the 2nd in command, and the most reliable in terms of planning and procedure.

Knowing the two of them were together in this universe, and had a child no less made Lincoln feel strangely both happy and regretful at the same time.

He was happy that two of his best friends, the people he loved most, had found one another and created a family together here. He was regretful because he wondered if he'd somehow stood in the way of the two of them getting together back in his own world. Did the other Lincoln somehow do something right by fucking off and letting his friends find their own way?

No, no, it wasn't as simple as that. Liam was a fucking burger flipper here, as opposed to being a rich baseball star back home…and while Rusty and Stella weren't together back in his own world, they were both in successful careers. He couldn't just label their circumstances here as being better. Particularly when he realized the child they had made together here was dying no less on top of it all.

In front of Charlie's room, Rusty and Stella were currently engaged in conversation with a doctor. Rusty was dressed in a button up green shirt and pair of Khaki pants, while Stella wore a long black skirt and white button up shirt. Both were holding onto one another as they conversed, hands gripped together. Lincoln couldn't tell if it was in relief, worry, or both.

As the three approached, Rusty broke ranks with Stella, made a bee-line for Lincoln and threw his arms around the man in a sudden tight hug.

Lincoln was taken aback by the gesture, an 'oof' coming from him, before instinctively he raised his hands up and gently patted the other man's back, speaking in a soothing tone.

"It's okay Rust… It's gonna be okay."

Rusty suddenly buried his head in Lincoln's shoulder as a great sob shook his body, "Oh Dawg, you don't know how good it is to see you and hear that!"

Stella quickly followed pace, showing up and throwing her arms around both Lincoln and Rusty in turn, speaking in a soft voice full of pain.

"Thank you for coming Lincoln! Thank you so much!"

Lincoln only returned the hug to his two friends. It didn't matter they weren't the ones from his world, they were people he genuinely loved, and he could only imagine the pain they were going through.

"Hey, Hey, no need to thank me, I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do."

Rusty and Stella both pulled back, Rusty giving a soft laugh as he wiped his eyes, putting a hand on Lincoln's shoulder, "That's just like you Linc. Always so selfless." Rusty pulled his hand away and looked awkwardly back at the albino man before he went on.

"I know, it's kind of weird…we haven't really hung out in years, but I kind of feel like fate has pulled us back together. I hope that doesn't make you feel too weird Lincoln."

Lincoln looked back at the ginger and stared into his green eyes, feeling a deeper sense of sympathy and compassion then he had before. This man was one of his best friends, one of the people that was always happy to hear from him. Here in this world, he had a child that was dying, and suddenly all Lincoln could think about was how much that would hurt the two people he had grown up with and spent so much time with.

He didn't care if they were his Rusty and Stella or not. He would try and be the best friend he could to both of them. He put his hand on Rusty's shoulder and nodded.

"It doesn't Rust, it really doesn't. Maybe it is fate that I'm here right now. I just wish we were reconnecting on better circumstances."

Rusty gave an awkward smile and nodded, rubbing at his eyes, "I know dawg, I know." He gave another sad laugh and smile.

Stella kissed her husband on the cheek and squeezed his hand, "I told you, Lincoln hasn't changed at all from the old days." She looked back to him and smiled, before she brought her attention to Lupa, "Hi sweetie, it's good to see you!"

Lupa smiled back at Stella. It was interesting for Lincoln to watch, none of the typical malice, sarcasm, or snarkiness was present in her. She looked right back at Stella with a measure of both respect and affection, "Hi Mrs. Spokes, is it okay if I see Charlie?" The two walked off together, Stella with her hand on Lupa's shoulder as she nodded, "Of course, sweetie."

Leaving Lincoln alone with Rusty.

Rusty put both of his hands to his face as obvious pain flowed through the man, "I keep thinking, this has to be my fault somehow. It has to be Linc. It all goes back to my mom."

Lincoln winced as he recalled what he knew about one of his best friend's. Rusty's mother had died of cancer when he was young. His father had remarried, to Katherine Mulligan no less, one of the top reporters of Royal Woods, but as much as Rusty had come to love his step mother, he'd always missed his bio mother.

Lincoln could see the man was tearing himself up, blaming his own genetics for what was befalling his son. It was horrible.

Lincoln shook his head, "Rust, you can't go down that road of thinking, you're only going to drive yourself crazy if you do that."

Rusty looked defeated, his shoulders slumped at he looked back to Lincoln, "I know I'm not supposed to Linc, but come on! What else am I going to do? My Mom died of it, and now my son has it too? I'm the one who cursed him, I'm the one who gave him this death sentence."

Stella suddenly intervened, grabbing hold of her husband and shaking him, "Rusty, don't you dare, you stop this right now!"

Rusty seemed to wince, before he buried his face into his wife's shoulder, hugging Stella tightly, "I'm sorry babe, I am. I just, I can't keep doing this! I want our son to have a normal life! Everything was perfect until all of this!"

Stella hugged her husband tightly, gently rubbing his back as she looked towards Lincoln from behind her glasses.

Lincoln decided it was time to get the obvious out of the way.

"How is he? Your son?"

Stella continued to hold Rusty close as she responded for both of them, "Charlie is doing better. He had an infection, and the chemo was weakening his immune system, that's why he was here, but it looks like he's beaten it…" Stella took a deep breath, and sighed with a soft smile…

"They say we can take him home today."

Lincoln nodded, giving a smile in return. That would make Lupa happy, at least Charlie wouldn't be stuck at the hospital for the time being.

Rusty pulled back from his wife's embrace, pulling himself together again, "You don't know how much Lupa's friendship means to ole' Chuck Linc. Like, it reminds me of the way we all used to be. I think she's one of the reasons he's so brave about all of this."

Lincoln felt a strange and awkward reflected pride in this moment. Lupa wasn't his, but for some reason her being one of the reasons Rusty's son was putting up with everything made him feel proud.

He rubbed the back of his neck and gave a slight shrug, "Eh, what can I say. Lupa's a good kid."

Stella nodded her head, "That's because she had a good father growing up."

Lincoln felt a cold shiver of fear run through his body, as his eyes went wide and he stared back at Stella.

Stella only went on, "I know she's not really yours, but you're the one who raised her. You might only be her Uncle biologically speaking, but you really are more like her Dad aren't you? You are for all of them. Taking care of all your sister's children like this. I can see why you dropped out of the Journalism Club."

Lincoln did his best to play along, even as the words of the two adults in front of him bore no relationship to the way things went in his own life.

"Well you two know me. My family has always come first. If anything, I'm happy we could reconnect because of them, so to speak."

Rusty seeming to have recovered completely, stood side by side with Stella as he nodded his head.

"I'm glad too Linc, Stella and I both are. But my son has been itching to ask you for something for a while now. He won't tell his Mom or I what it is, but now that you're here, I'll be happy to give you a moment with him."

Lincoln only nodded his head again as he looked towards the room where Lupa had disappeared to.

"I'm kind of curious what he has to say too."

…

Charles Angelo Spokes had always been a tall and lanky boy. In this respect, he was much like his parents. Both of them had been tall as children with lankier frames as well and had continued to grow into tall adults. Stella reached a full 6ft, while Rusty himself was 6'2. Meaning Charlie typically towered over most of his classmates by a couple inches. However, his once lanky frame now looked dangerously thin. His mother and father fed him calorie rich food and snacks, trying to keep weight on him, but it just was so difficult to do so when he often had no appetite, or worse, couldn't keep anything down.

Charlie once had long thick red hair that went to his neck, covered his ears, and ended in messy bangs that reached the top of his almond shaped green eyes. He kept the messy mop typically contained under a black and green knit beanie his grandmother made for him. That cap was more important now, after all of his hair had fallen out, helping to keep his bald head warm. He had his mother's sweet smile, but his father's buck teeth. His skin tone was just a shade lighter than his mother's, but darker than his father's. The 'curse' of the Ginger however, was still inherited from his father and grandfather, as freckles covered his body.

When Lupa entered the room, she found Charlie sitting up on his bed, wearing a hospital gown which went to his ankles. His big feet were hanging off the side of the bed while he looked busy playing on his portable gamestation.

Charlie looked up as Lupa entered the room, pausing his game and tossing it aside as a smile split his face, "Lupa! You came!"

Lupa's cheeks flushed, but only for a moment as she held the poster case containing the picture she'd been working earlier. She looked back to Charlie and grinned her typical predatory grin.

"Yeah, Hospital staff said something about a dork taking root here and overstaying his welcome. They finally called in the big guns to root him out."

Charlie smirked back at her, "You think you're enough to take out the Spokes Fungus? How do you know I haven't spread my influence and infected all of the hospital staff here already huh? Already you've walked into my miasma and might be infected as well!"

Lupa looked bluntly at Charlie, putting a hand on her hip, "Charlie, you are not putting your seed in me."

Charlie suddenly looked horribly embarrassed, putting his hands up, "Spores! Spores Lupa! It's a fungus! Mushrooms!"

Lupa only sighed and shook her head as she made her way to a chair next to Charlie's bed, "Cool it. I'm just messing with you. Anyway they've done that movie before Chuck. If I take you out, it'll end the infection."

Charlie recovered from his momentary embarrassment then pursed his lips in thought, "Yeah but what if you taking me down, takes out all the people I've infected? Then you've killed a bunch of innocent people."

Lupa gave a shrug of her shoulder, "That's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for the greater good of the world."

Charlie gave a false shiver as he laughed, "Brutal Loud, absolutely brutal."

Lupa grinned again, showing teeth, "Well when it's between myself and a bunch of innocent civilians, I'll always choose myself."

Charlie laughed again, "Yeah, you know you'd make the worst Superhero ever."

Lupa laughed loudly in response, a long and cruel laugh, "Duh, that's because I'm already a Supervillain."

Charlie playfully rolled his eyes and smiled, "Right, how do I keep forgetting you're the anti-christ?"

Lupa smirked, "Must be my charming personality. Anyway, you're getting out today?" Lupa looked a little hopeful as she asked that question.

Charlie nodded as he looked to the IV in his arm, "Yeah, soon as my last test comes back clear in like an hour or so I'll get to go home. I've been stuck here for a month, all over a little infection. It sucks!"

Lupa looked sympathetic for a moment, before her brow furrowed in soft annoyance, "I know, I know, but remind me, who was it that told you to get the gnarly cut looked at? Hmm, oh right I remember, it was me! But no, you had to brush me off, I'm Charlie Spokes, I know everything! It's not like my best friend knows my immune system is compromised and I need to be careful with what I do. Nope, I'll show her by slapping some butterfly bandages on it and waiting until it's wicked infected before I tell my parents!"

Charlie winced and looked down, more embarrassment coming over him, shoulders hunched, "Okay, okay, I'm sorry you were right, it's just… It sucks! Everyone treats me like I'm made of freakin glass now! Cuts heal all the time, I thought it'd get better!"

Lupa frowned again, and then punched his arm, hard, "You could of died dummy."

Charlie winced once more, only looking further embarrassed, "I know now. I know…It's just all frustrating. I hate this. I hate it so much, and I'm sorry I didn't listen to you." He sighed and frowned, looking down at his lap, "I hate that I can't do the stuff I used to do anymore. I hate how everyone at school is treating me different too."

Lupa frowned, before her sympathetic expression returned. She reached over and placed her hand over Charlie's own, "I know it sucks. I do, but you have to take this seriously. Your Chemo treatments are almost done right? They told you your immune system was going to be weak during this. Lemy and the rest of the Robotics team need you, and I need you for Halloween. What am I going to do without my special effects and make up chief?"

Charlie gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, looking slightly bashful, "Your Aunt Leni is really good with makeup. The color mixing she showed me for the vampire blood last year was awesome! I'm sure you could-"

Lupa punched Charlie in the arm again, before he could finish. The boy winced in pain. Lupa only glowered back at him, "Yeah sure dummy, that's what I want! My Aunt doing all the work instead of my best friend! Ugh, come on Charles, we've got too much work to do for you to be careless on me like this!"

Charlie gave a meek apologetic smile as he rubbed his arm, "Alright, alright, you got a point, you win! I'll be more careful and take my vitamins and drink my milk and all that stuff. But ugh I just…I really hate this. I can't believe I miss school! I miss school and even the food at the cafeteria!"

Lupa gave a slight chuckle as she looked towards her best friend, "Now I know you've gone crazy."

Charlie smiled back weakly.

Moments later Lupa gave a soft shrug, closed her eyes and sighed, "But I suppose I can admit it's been a little boring without my favorite servant with me."

Charlie practically whirled on her as he scoffed in reply, "Servant?! Hey, we're supposed to be partners remember!"

Lupa only looked back at him with a sadistic grin, "You say Partner, I say Servant. Tomato, potato."

Charlie frowned and rubbed a hand up under his beanie, "That's not even how the saying goes…"

Lupa smirked again, "See, this is why you're my number one underling. You make sure the evil Queen is on top of her game."

Charlie raised his eyebrow skeptically in response, "Aren't you still a little young to be a Queen? Wouldn't evil Princess fit you better? We both know you ain't got the height for the Queen role shortie."

Lupa suddenly glowered at Charlie again, eyes like daggers as she snarled, "Ugh! Don't you even! No, no, heck no, I'm not a Princess! Not a Princess! Keep the Princess stuff for my Aunt Lola and sister Leia."

Charlie laughed as he put on an exaggerated pout, "Aww, what's wrong Princess Honeybee? You afraid of such a cute image ruining your dark reputation?"

Lupa had enough at that point, the fact Charlie knew her childhood nickname only incensed her further. She grabbed hold of a pillow on the bed, and swung it hard, smacking Charlie in the face with it, "Don't think just because you're sick I'm gonna go easy on you! It just means you're weaker prey!"

Charlie laughed as he put his hands up, trying to stop the pillow assault as it struck him, over and over, "Gah! Stop, this is unfair! Way unfair!"

Lupa only grinned evilly as she continued her assault, "Life's not fair Chuck! And no matter how short I am, I'll always be able to kick your butt!" She swung a few more times on him as if to emphasize her point.

Charlie did his best to cower and cover his head, laughing as he did, "I surrender! I surrender!"

Suddenly the assault halted, and Lupa spoke up, "I'll stop if you reaffirm your loyalty as my number one servant!"

Charlie looked up only to see Lupa holding the pillow threateningly over him.

He put his hands up defensively, "But I thought your Uncle Lincoln was your number one servant?!"

Lupa looked thoughtful for a moment, the white haired girl's blue eyes turning upwards in thought, before she brought her dark gaze back to her friend, "He is, you got me there. So tell you what, I'll let you be my sidekick with the promise for an annual review and a chance at promotion to full partner."

Charlie gave a soft sigh, rolled his eyes playfully and looked back to her, "Alright, you got me in a bit of a bind here, not like I can say no."

Lupa grinned with teeth again, "You've always been such a smart boy Charlie."

Charlie just playfully glowered back, "Alright, Deal."

He raised his hand forward, and Lupa took it. The two of them meeting eye to eye and shaking on the agreement. There was an unspoken plea in that agreement. Charlie knew it instinctually, and Lupa had planned it entirely…

It was one friend begging another…please don't leave me. Please give me at least one more year with you. Charlie's eyes only promised he would do everything he could to make good on getting to that 'annual review'.

Lupa smiled, a genuine one this time, and put the pillow down. She picked up her poster tube and opened the top, fishing out the picture she'd finished earlier, "Alright, as part of your sidekick employee package I present you with this. Keep in mind when you make your criticisms, I also control your salary!"

She laid the picture out in Charlie's waiting hands, who took one look at it, and his face began to light up.

It was everything Lupa had hoped for.

"Lupa! This is so cool! Oh my gosh! It's awesome!" Charlie laughed as he drunk in the details of the picture, looking back at Lupa, and then the picture once more, "You really put a lot of work into this, didn't you?"

Lupa had sat back down in the chair by Charlie's side, a slightly bashful look coming over the typically confident pre-teen's cheeks, "Yea, I might of worked a little harder on it than some other drawings. Thanks, I guess. I hope it's not too lame or anything."

Charlie shook his head, "No way! I love it!" He looked back at Lupa again as his eyes narrowed in explanation, "You know technically, Chemo is sort of poison they put in me to kill the leukemia so the skull and crossbones works on like, more than one level."

Lupa rolled her eyes again and then punched Charlie's arm once more. Charlie playfully winced.

"Okay dork. I just thought it would be cool."

Charlie laughed and shrugged, "Well yeah it's really cool! Oh, I love the detailing on the brains on the platter! Man, I need to get my hands on some gelatin and make some brains like the ones you got drawn here!"

Lupa gave another slight blush as she tucked some of her white hair back behind her ear unconsciously, "Thanks…I spent hours looking at autopsy photos to make sure I got it right."

Charlie looked back to Lupa and blinked a few times, but then shrugged, "Maybe you should show them to me too. I'll start practicing making molds for the corn maze… and who doesn't want a few realistic fake brains to toss around and play with?"

Lupa gave a soft chuckle, "Lemy will probably want to mount some on Dragula."

Charlie brightened up, "See, and I promised him I'd help him decorate! Being stuck here has slowed down all my plans and projects!"

Lupa nodded her head sympathetically, "Well, today you're getting out. How long until you can come back to school? Should I expect you to attend my royal evilness tomorrow?"

Charlie sighed as he laid back upon the bed and folded his arms, "No. Mom wants me to stay home a day or two first."

Lupa nodded her head, "Cool. You want me to bring you my notes?" It was an unnecessary gesture. Charlie could access all of his lessons and assignments from the school website and pages dedicated to his classes, but it was a nice excuse for him and Lupa to hang out.

He nodded and smiled, "Yeah, I'd like that. Oh, uh Lupa your Uncle Lincoln is here too, right?"

Lupa looked over towards the door and then back at Charlie nodding her head, "Yeah, he's out in the hall with your parents right now, why?"

Charlie began to look very sheepish and coy, "Uh, well, I kind of need to talk to him about something. One on One."

Lupa raised her eyebrow as she regarded the boy in front of her, "Oh really? You have to talk to my Uncle in private?"

Charlie looked more and more nervous as he nodded his head, "Come on Lupe, you know I asked you this a few weeks ago, if I could do so."

Lupa continued to give an imperious and judging look to the boy on the bed in front of her, "Oh I remember, and I remember you won't tell me what it's about, which is why I'm skeptical. Gods forbid you're not trying to plan something for my birthday are you? A little early for that don't you think?"

Charlie put his hands up and waved them back and forth, "No, no! Not… You know the whole reason it's a secret is because it's supposed to be a secret!"

Lupa got up off her chair as she rolled her eyes, "Fine, fine, keep your secrets for now Charlies." She slowly walked towards the door, turning her head to look back at him. She brought two fingers up to her eyes, then pointed them back at him, "But I'm watching you."

…

As Lincoln sat across from the boy in front of him, he really was struck by how much he embodied the physical characteristics of two of his best friends. It was a surreal moment, because now he was looking at the flesh and blood answer to a 'what if' question that had been in his head.

When Stella first joined their little circle of friends, all of them had been attracted to her to one degree or another. Though with Lincoln, it was mostly because he had felt a void in his heart with Ronnie Anne having moved away. When Lincoln had realized that, Stella was just another one of the 'guys' to him. He wondered which of his buddies she would prefer, and at least here he had an answer.

Overall, Charlie seemed like a descent kid, but Lincoln was betting that had more to do with Stella's influence than Rusty's. He had to grin to himself, Rusty was a great buddy, but he was also a bit of a troublemaker. Stella was a little more responsible and seemed to affect their son's behavior more, but no doubt Rusty had his influence. Maybe that's why Charlie had become fast friends with Lupa so easily.

That boy was looking nervous as he stared down Lincoln, and the artist had a bit of an inkling why after his talk with Lana. It had been the same type of nervousness he felt when talking to Ronnie Anne's own parents. A nervousness he'd never felt with any of his other friend's parents.

But then, it only took until he was 13 to realize what everyone else had seen beforehand, Lincoln and Ronnie Anne obviously liked each other. Charlie and Lupa seemed as if they were starting to take those initial steps from just being best buds into possibly something more. It was cute and it made Lincoln nostalgic, nostalgic for the only girl he had ever loved as strongly as his sisters…

That last part unnerved him as he realized it. He didn't know where it crept up from, somehow putting Ronnie Anne on a pedestal next to his sisters…wait, no, no no… it was the OTHER way around… Putting his sisters on a Pedestal next to Ronnie Anne! Gah, they shouldn't even be in the same categories! Lincoln forced all of that out of his mind and focused on the boy in front of him.

"Alright Charlie, I heard you've got something you want to talk to me about, alone. You got me here, so what's up?"

Lincoln did his best to put on his charming and welcoming smile, even as Charlie looked like he was ready to throw up at any moment, and it having nothing to do with his sickness.

"Well, you see Mr. Loud, what I want to talk to you about is…"

Lincoln watched as the boy fidgeted and twiddled his thumbs together in front of himself, his feet awkwardly bumping against one another in nervous energy.

Lincoln smiled, "Come on, call me Lincoln or Linc, none of that Mr. Loud stuff."

Charlie smiled weakly and swallowed as he looked to Lincoln and laughed softly, "You always say that. Sorry, sorry, it's just especially now I feel like I have to be formal…"

Lincoln was slightly taken aback. Seemed as if his doppelganger preferred just being called Lincoln as well. Another one of those annoying traits he's sure Lola here would point out to him. More evidence of how similar he was to that Loud.

"Okay, so you have to be formal right now? Why is that, I don't see either of us dressed for the occasion. Especially with you in your hospital gown right now…"

Charlie gave another nervous laugh and smile as he nodded his head before he continued, "I know, I know…but my Dad and my Grandpa Rodney really talked to me about what's appropriate and not appropriate when it comes to girls and…and… courting them."

Lincoln raised his eyebrow with a smirk, "Courting them? OH god that does sound like your Dad. What kind of advice has The Rust-man imparted to you Charlie?"

Charlie's face has become as red as a tomato, and it was almost like the boy's embarrassment and self-awareness in this moment was so great it had breathed a new life into him. He was trying his best not to trip over his own words as he responded.

"Well, Dad and Grandpa say, when it comes to to to you liking a girl, and and wanting to take things further, it's important to secure the permission of of of her Father. I I I know you're Lupa's Uncle, but since you're in charge of her, that that that makes you like her Dad, and so it mean have to ask you first."

Lincoln found this whole display positively hilarious for some reason, as well as deeply reminiscent of the discussion he'd once had with Arturo Santiago about dating that man's daughter so many years ago. Of course the truth was, as far as Lincoln was concerned, he really didn't have much of a right to tell any of the Loud children who they were or were not allowed to date. He wasn't their real father, and for that matter, who they liked was their business. But the whole display from Charlie was impressive and brave for the 12 year old.

Lincoln decided to throw the kid a bone.

"Charlie, you don't need my permission to date Lupa. You two have been friends for a while now. If she wants to go out with you, that's fine with me. Though of course I'm a little curious what you had in mind."

Charlie looked back up to Lincoln, the kid sweating now, still looking incredibly bashful as he gave a nervous smile, "Th-t-t-t-thank You Mr. Loud I mean Lincoln!" He gave another weak smile as he continued, "I want to ask her to the Spring Fling Dance. We usually go to all the dances together anyway with our friends, but, but I wanted to ask her out…. formally."

Lincoln chuckled as he smirked at the boy and decided to tease him a little, "You're a brave kid you know that? You are aware of who Lupa is right, and who her mother is? You sure about this?"

Charlie again seemed to swallow and shake his head rapidly, "Y-y-yes, your beautiful sister Miss Lucy Loud. I, I know there's a chance Lupa could say no, but…" Charlie looked at the IV running to his wrist and back to Lincoln, "It's something I've got to do soon… You know what I mean?"

Lincoln gave a sad, but understanding and sympathetic smile in Charlie's direction, nodding his head slowly, "I understand Charles. You have my permission. You gonna ask her today?"

Charlie slowly shook his head, "Not today. I don't want to put her on the spot like that. When I get back to school and we're in classes again. That way it'll feel more normal and she doesn't feel like she needs to say yes just because I'm in a hospital gown."

Lincoln looked towards the boy in the bed once more. He saw the features of two of his best friends molded together in this moment. He saw Stella's kindness, and Rusty's boldness rolled into one. He decided he liked the boy in this moment. He reached his hand forward to shake.

"You take after your father. His good points at least, Charlie."

Charlie smiled and looked down at his feet as he reached out, took hold of Lincoln's hand, and then looked back at the older man, "Thank you Lincoln. That means a lot to me. My Dad's my hero."

A strange bittersweet feeling hit Lincoln as he heard those words. For a brief moment, he thought of his Dad, Lynn Sr, and the good memories they had together. Memories of cooking together, watching Legends of the Hidden Temple, learning how to drive from him, and other such things.

He also remembered the yelling match they got into, and him telling the man he hated him and never wanted to speak with him again.

A guilt filled Lincoln's heart as he shook hands with Charlie and nodded, "You've got a good Dad kiddo. I'll call Lupa back in here and you two can hang out before they let you go here."

…

Rusty, Stella, Lupa, and Charlie were all saying their goodbyes to one another while Lincoln availed himself to a pop from a vending machine in the hall. He was jonesing for a cigarette and a beer, but he could get to those when he was back home, no rush there. A sugary carbonated beverage would hold him over in the meantime.

As he was bent over grabbing his drink from the dispenser, he heard a voice calling out to someone else in the hall.

"Doctor Santiago! I got that chart you were asking for."

Lincoln popped up immediately and looked down the hall, his heart skipping a beat at the sight before him.

There she was, a woman he never expected to see again in his life.

Ronnalda Anne Santiago.

She was in a pair of violet scrubs, her long dark hair tied back in a pony tail. A Stethoscope was hanging around her neck. She looked tired, but also content, her beautiful brown eyes slightly half lidded. She looked good, he knew she was the same age as him, and she still had the beautiful form he recalled from her when she was 19.

He barely noticed the blonde haired nurse she was talking to. So focused on the caramel skinned beauty before him. Those hips, and those soft lips and the gentle smattering of freckles on her cheeks had ruled his life for so many years.

He had so many questions.

What was she doing here? How long had she been back in Royal Woods here? Did she know the other Lincoln already?

Was she seeing anybody?

He had to frown at himself with the last thought. This wasn't HIS Ronnie Anne. It was this universe's version of her. The Lincoln here had clearly lost contact with her, but that didn't mean he could just step in and try to strike things up with her like she was his own Ronnie Anne.

Besides, his own Ronnie Anne wanted nothing to do with him. Why would the Ronnie Anne here who was a Doctor, a Doctor(!) want anything to do with a Burpin Burger manager.

Yet he couldn't take his eyes off her. He watched her transfixed and a part of him so wanted to come over and introduce himself again.

Then he watched as her eyes began to move over in his direction, and the next thing he knew, he was ducking behind the vending machine and hiding himself.

He cursed in his head over and over, squeezing his eyes tightly, digging his fingers in his palms and holding his breath.

A moment later he carefully peeked out from behind the Vending Machine.

He watched the beautiful Latino turn around and shrug, before she made her way down another hall.

Lincoln sighed and cursed his luck and past decisions again. His heart was so confused.

Pop in hand he made his own way back to the room containing the Spokes family and his daughter.

…

Lincoln and Lupa were both quiet as they drove away from the Hospital and back towards the Loud family home. Both Louds caught up in internal thoughts and matters of the heart. Both with feelings of confusion, worry, and at least in Lincoln's case…regret.

It was Lupa who broke the silence between the two as they pulled out onto the freeway.

"What's eating you Uncle Lincoln?"

Lincoln felt a little surprised as he turned briefly to blink back at his white haired little passenger, "Huh? Oh, sorry, I saw someone I knew. You know, from my world." His brow furrowed before he added, "Technically I saw three people I know."

Lupa looked up at him, curiosity on her features, "Charlie is in your world too?"

Lincoln shook his head, "No, no, uh… I'm afraid he doesn't exist. Stella and Rusty are just friends, but not together where I come from."

Lupa folded her arms and gave a triumphant smirk, "Further evidence my universe is the Superior one. Your universe doesn't contain my greatness, or Charlie's."

Lincoln gave a little smirk in the kid's direction, "Well, I don't know so much about the first part there… but I'll agree with you on the second."

Lupa stuck her tongue out at Lincoln. Somehow their banter had changed, Lupa instinctually knew her Uncle was teasing her and not being serious.

Lincoln looked forward towards the road, "Maybe when I get back to my world, I'll see about trying to hook Stella and Rusty up. They look pretty happy together, outside of the… well you know."

Lupa nodded her head, turned and looked down at her lap. The pre-teen's brow furrowing as she frowned to herself.

Lincoln gave her a quick concerned look, "Hey, what's wrong? Looked like you had a good time, all things considered."

Lupa gave a sigh, breathing air out between her lips as she looked out the window of Vanzilla.

"I did, it's just…"

She frowned again and went silent.

Lincoln looked at her, waiting to hear more. A moment later Lupa groaned softly and responded.

"Charlie wants to ask me out."

Lincoln looked back surprised, "You heard that?"

Lupa slowly nodded her head, "I was hiding nearby and I listened to your conversation."

Lincoln frowned to himself as he began to worry about two people he now knew who could vanish and reappear like magic, "You really are Lucy's daughter." He grumbled before shaking his head. "Okay…well, you know it at least gives you some time to think about it. You don't have to say yes just because he's sick."

Lupa nodded her head again, her lips turned down as she seemed to be weighing several things in her mind, "I know, I know it's just…"

Lincoln raised his eyebrow, "Just what?"

Lupa looked up, a helpless expression on her face. It was strange to see the always so confident girl in this state, "I don't know anything about dating, and I don't even know who I can ask!"

Lincoln blinked again in surprise, a quick glance at her from the steering wheel, "What do you mean?"

Lupa looked right back, a slightly frustrated expression, "Come on Uncle Linc! You don't have to pretend and play dumb for my benefit right now! It's my family! It's not like, like any of them actually know anything about this kinda stuff!"

Lincoln winced as Lupa acknowledged the elephant in the room, "Okay yeah, I doubt they're going to have the most experience when it comes to dating people. Lori, Luna and Luan sound like they dated some of the same people they did in my world…but considering what ended up happening with them all the same, probably not the best choices."

Lupa groaned, "Exactly, and my Dad's only ever loved his sisters! I'm…I'm…" Lupa hesitated, before she looked back out the window again, propping her elbow on it and resting her chin in her hand, "I'm scared."

Silence filled the cab again for several moments. Eventually Lincoln broke it as he spoke up. His voice took on a gentle and patient tone, "What are you scared of Lupa?"

Lupa recognized that tone. It was the same one her Father used when he was telling her it was safe to talk to him. That was the tone that meant you could confide in him, and he would keep it secret. It broke her heart. She missed her Dad so very much, and in this moment, this man, 'her uncle' was telling her the same thing with that tone and he didn't even know it.

Lupa decided to take the chance. What was it her mom kept saying? 'They have the same soul'.

She opened up, "I'm scared. I'm scared because I want to say yes, and I want to say no. I'm scared because what if it's terrible and we stop being friends and then he dies? What if it's great and I love it and he still dies? What if he gets upset if I tell him no? What if I say yes and it's terrible and ruins our friendship? Even if I do say yes, what do I do? My Dad had Loan when he was only 12! The same age as me and Charlie!"

Lincoln practically coughed in surprise as he took one hand off the steering wheel, holding it up in a 'stop' gesture at Lupa.

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Lupa, slow down! Slow down, first, let's not worry about pregnancy! Just because your Dad did it, doesn't mean you have to follow his footsteps! Let's take this one step at a time."

Lupa looked back to the man with her father's face. She was lost, uncertain, her feelings were scaring her.

The metaphor that kept coming back to Lincoln when he was helping these kids came back again. He threw her a lifeline.

He cleared his throat and began.

"When I was a kid, I met a girl in 5th grade that would change my life."

Lupa noticed the seriousness on Lincoln's face. She went quiet out of respect and listened.

"Her name was Ronnie Anne, and we, well, we were like you two. We were friends, really good friends. We hung out every chance we got. We did everything together. She was fun, kept me on my toes. I liked being around her. It was kind of like being around my other best friend Clyde. But it was around your age I started noticing that…I liked her more than just a friend."

Lincoln looked back at the girl. Lupa's eyes met his, and she asked a tentative, hesitant question, "H-h-how did you know?"

Lincoln smiled as he seemed to get caught up in a memory, looking back at the interstate but seeing the past, "I just knew one day. I felt it when I was around her. When my heart felt warm in her presence. When I looked at her smile, when I heard how she laughed. When my fingers would brush against her own. When we were alone and all the world vanished except for her. When my eyes were on her lips and all I wanted to do was kiss her."

Lupa's pale freckled cheeks took on a deep red flush. She quickly looked away as if to hide her feelings, looking out the window again as she shrugged her shoulder, "Sounds corny and lame."

Lincoln laughed, "Yeah, I know right?"

Lupa was quiet again. But a moment later she looked back towards her father, "So, what did you do, what ended up happening?"

Lincoln smiled and continued, "Took me a whole year to really work up the courage. She'd moved away by then, and I was visiting her on weekends and holidays. But shortly after I turned 13, I asked if she'd come back to Royal Woods to go to a dance with me…as my date."

Lupa looked up with bated breath, "What did she say?"

Lincoln smiled, "She kissed me, then punched my arm and said, 'What took you so long to ask me out Lame-o?'"

Lupa rose her eyebrow with a smirk, "Lame-o?"

Lincoln rolled his eyes as he sighed and nodded, "Yes, Lame-o…Ronnie Anne's nickname for me."

Lupa began to laugh, throwing her head back as she was lost in the moment, "Oh my gods! That's so perfect for you and Dad!" She laughed more, looking back at him and grinning, "You really are both Lame-os!" She continued to giggle and titter.

Lincoln only looked vaguely annoyed as he responded, "Yeah, yeah laugh it up."

Lupa continued to giggle some more, before she looked back at Lincoln, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Well, no I'm really not. But it's a cute nickname all the same." Her expression turned a little more serious, "But weren't you afraid of her saying no? Weren't you afraid of messing things up?"

Lincoln nodded his head as he looked back to Lupa again, "I was. I was terrified of her laughing at me, being grossed out, or me ruining everything."

Lupa looked a little confused, her lips pursing, "Then how come you still asked her?"

Lincoln gave a sigh, before he smiled and responded, "Because one way or another I knew I had to take that chance. I had to let her know how I was feeling, how my feelings for her were changing. I also knew, even if she said no, Ronnie Anne wouldn't stop being my friend. She's a good person."

Lupa looked down at her lap again, folding her hands together, frowning to herself once more.

Lincoln noticed and went on, "Lupa, I don't think Charlie will be angry at you if you say no. Even with his condition. He likes you as his friend too. I don't think you'd be cruel in telling him no either."

Lupa sighed, her shoulders came up and then slumped down, "I don't want to say no. That's what makes me more afraid."

Lincoln glanced back at Lupa and frowned to himself. He knew exactly what Lupa was talking about.

Lupa looked up at him, "What if Ronnie Anne was dying, would you have still asked her out?"

Lincoln looked thoughtful for a moment as he drove…he was quiet and the time between the two seemed to stretch onward…

Just before Lupa was about to ask again, Lincoln turned and answered her.

"Let me tell you this Lupa. Ronnie Anne and I ended up dating for six years. She dumped me when I was 19, and I deserved it. I messed things up. But, since then, no other woman has compared to her for me. I've dated other girls, and none can measure up to Ronnie Anne. They all fall flat…And yet, I don't regret it for one moment. Dating Ronnie Anne was one of the best choices I ever made."

Lincoln looked back to the road, gave a little smile and shrugged, "Besides, you're 12. It's not like you need to worry about marriage, or kids or whatever… No matter what your parents did. If you decide you want to say yes to him, just be a kid and have fun. Dating just means you can hold hands, hug more and maybe kiss each other. You can still keep doing everything else you were doing before all that anyway."

Lupa looked back at Lincoln and gave a playful sadistic grin, "Holding Hands?! Mr. Loud how could you suggest something so unspeakable and lewd to a young girl like me!"

Lincoln laughed and rolled his eyes, a smirk on his lips. "Just think about what I said, and if you have any more questions…You can always come talk to me. I'll do my best to steer you right. Promise."

Lupa flushed a little as she looked back up to Lincoln and smiled in turn, "I'll hold you to that…Lame-o."

Late Saturday Night

The kids were all in bed, or at the very least, spending the rest of the evening in their rooms. The week with his sister Lana was coming to an end and over all Lincoln had decided…

It wasn't all that bad.

His relationship with Lupa had improved tremendously after he helped her out with Charlie. He still needed to keep on his toes around her, she had reminded him she was still a dangerous girl over all when she had spiked his coffee with chili pepper the next day. Something about not wanting him to think she was going soft.

But she didn't feel like she was his enemy anymore. In some ways, he felt a little jealous of the other Lincoln. Mildly so. If he had a daughter of his own, he could do a whole lot worse than Lupa Loud.

Of course, he would prefer her mother not be his sister Lucy, but all the same, she was a good kid. If a very scary one he was certain could give Luan a run for her money when it came to evil plots and schemes.

More than that though, hanging out with Lana had been great too. It had made him realize just how much he missed his own Lana. He couldn't even remember the last time he had talked to her. What had it been, like 6 months ago?

He didn't regularly watch her races, Nascar just wasn't something he was super interested in, but he along with the rest of the family remembered getting the news when she crashed.

The footage shown, of her car plowing into another, the explosion that took place, it had filled his family with absolute horror. But Lana had survived, and she'd assured the rest of her family it 'looked a lot worse than it actually was.'

He took what she said at face value, and now he was starting to regret that.

But right now, he was sitting in the living room, sharing the couch with the Lana of this world. The two had been playing videogames together. It reminded him of old times. Of all his sisters, Lana was the one who ended up liking videogames just as much as he had. The little tomboy had grown into his partner and companion for all multiplayer games, up until he ended up moving out for college.

Playing with Lana here made him wonder if he should have hit his own Lana up for some weekly game sessions together. Yes, she was a racecar driver, but he was sure she had down time. It would have been fun to game with her. The Lana here had showed him as much.

As they finished the campaign mode of Ouroboros, a first-person shooter, together, they both sat back with a happy smile and sighed as the credits rolled.

Lincoln took a sip of his beer. Lana took a sip of hers.

The pretty, buff and built blonde looked at him and smiled, "You know, you're better at this than our own Lincoln."

Lincoln raised his eyebrow and gave a slight smile, "Guess not having a bunch of kids to take care of gave me more time for videogames…" He gave a sad smile after he said that, looking down at the floor, "I don't mean that in a bad way. I don't like how you all created those kids, but I guess at least he did the right thing and stepped up to take care of them all."

Lana smirked as she leaned over and gently shoulder checked him, "Kinda like you're doing too huh?"

Lincoln looked away, flushing some. He'd been drinking most of the night and was still feeling a strong buzz, "I don't know about all that. I'm just trying to do the right thing while I'm your guest."

Lana gave a soft chuckle, "Some of the kids are really starting to like you. Not all of them have made their minds up just yet. But some of them think you're a pretty cool Uncle. Like you're our Lincoln's long lost twin and you've finally come home. Like Lola and I. They don't want you to replace their Dad, but they really like having you around."

Lincoln looked down again, in his slightly inebriated state he found himself blushing once more. He shook his head.

"They're good kids. They really are. Despite anything else, I like them. They love each other and care about one another. They help one another out. It reminds me of how…how…"

And before he knew it, Lincoln was tearing up. A series of powerful, deep, painful memories stirring within him. Memories of how his life used to be. Memories of how his sisters were once the most important people in the world to him. Memories of how his happiest times were when he was surrounded by them.

And the realization, the belief, that none of them really cared about him anymore, and he had only made things worse.

Tears ran down his cheeks and he sniffed once, he brought his hand up and wiped his eyes, looking away from the other Lana.

"S-s-sorry, I… I got something in my eye… Sorry, I don't know what's come over me…" he gave a weak false laugh, before he sniffed again. He forced himself to cough, trying to hold back the tears. Trying to hold back the feelings that were coming over him.

Before he knew it, he felt a pair of strong, powerful, yet very feminine arms around him. They were hugging him tightly. Lana's voice was soft in his ear, "Shhh, Linc… It's okay. It's alright. You're here and we love what we see. We really do. You're a good man, you're just hurt. But it's okay."

Lincoln didn't yank himself away, but he didn't hug Lana back either. He sat there while she hugged him, feeling a little uncomfortable, while also loving every moment of it at the same time. It was a strange paradox.

He looked at Lana and gave her a small smile, before he gently pulled away, "Thanks…"

Lana smiled, nodded and then stood up off the couch, "Hey… I think I have something that might cheer you up. I want to show you something. If you'll let me."

Lincoln looked back towards her, looked around the room a little confused, and without thinking gave a shrug of his shoulders, "Sure."

Lana smiled and put one finger up, "Wait right here." Before she headed into the bedroom and vanished again.

Lincoln wasn't sure what to think, so he emptied the rest of his beer can while he waited.

He didn't have to wait too long thankfully.

A few minutes later, Lana emerged from the room, only she looked very, very different.

She had shed all of her earlier clothes, a pair of jeans, tank top and flannel shirt, trading them in for a cosplay costume of a barbarian goddess.

Most of her beautiful, toned, firm, and yet soft skin was on display. Far, far more of it than Lincoln had ever seen. Her sizable, pleasant bust was held back by a chainmail bikini. Metal reflective scales strung together, hugging her breasts, barely covering her pink nipples which were visible beneath the seams.

Her shapely hips were bare, as a metal scale loincloth was the only thing that covered her crotch, and barely covered that sizable, thick, plump, perfect rear end. She had a leather headband on, keeping her long blonde hair back, and she was holding a foam sword in her hands.

She was the picture of the literary and comic book character 'Blonde Sarvina' brought to life.

She was everything Lincoln had previously wondered she could look like. She was practically naked, yet the scale mail costume covered her naughty bits, but revealed just enough to drive a man's imagination wild.

She saw his expression, watched as his jaw dropped, and posed for him. She threw her long lustrous blonde hair back with one hand, thrusting her hip out with the other, sword in hand, "Well Linc, what do you think?"

She was grinning, her gapped tooth smile visible, and in this moment, inebriated with alcohol, she was positively stunning.

Lincoln was practically speechless as he tried to pick his jaw up off the floor, "I…uh…I… you, I mean… wow, I mean… Holy, you really, you…. You do Cosplay?!"

Lana laughed softly, and nodded her head with a smirk, "It's something Lori, Loan, and myself all do together. Lori got into it because of Loan and Lincoln. But I was the first. The first sister to really do it. Lincoln and I have been to a couple of cons together dressed up. I've got more than just this, but this one is one of his favorites…for obvious reasons…"

Lana did a sudden tight turn in front of him, and the backside of her loin cloth flared up, giving Lincoln the view of his sister's toned firm ass.

Despite himself, he felt his cock beginning to slowly rise up. Little by little.

Lana sat down on the love seat next to the couch. She turned it slightly, so it faced Lincoln more. She slowly spread her legs, and his eyes were drawn to her creamy, toned, muscular thighs. Lana's voice dropped an octave as she began to speak to him.

"Do you want to know why I love my brother so much?" She asked softly.

Lincoln found himself nodding, his rational brain telling him he was drunk and needed to run away, and yet all he could do was sit there and watch.

Lana's hands began to slowly trace over her own form. She had discarded the fake sword already, as one hand slid up to her sizeable breast, slipping under the scale male bikini, rolling over her tit flesh, squeezing it enticingly. Her other hand slid down to her thigh, rubbing back and forth over it as she continued.

"He made me feel beautiful. He makes me feel beautiful still. Even compared to Lola. He loves me for who I am."

Lincoln found himself watching, still transfixed, eyes going over his sister's form in ways he should have never looked at her. He kept trying to look away, but his eyes were always drawn back to the beautiful vision of her flesh, "Well, uh, of course. You and Lola aren't the same. Even though you're twins, you are both…your own people, and and pretty in your own ways…"

Lana slowly slid her pretty pink tongue between her lips, she ran it enticingly over them as her hand dipped below her scale-mail loin cloth. Lincoln for a brief moment saw between her legs. She had a wild thatch of blonde pubic hair. Thick and untamed like she was.

Lana went on, "You're just like him. You see me too." Lana gave a soft, long low sigh as her blue eyes went half-lidded and she stared at Lincoln and continued, "The first time we made love was when we were playing video games together. I was 13, and I felt so insecure next to Lola…but he sat me in his lap and started kissing me while we played…"

Lana suddenly shuddered, her hips went up, and Lincoln realized she was full on masturbating now. The chainmail loincloth began to bump up and down with the movement of her fingers, and she'd pulled her breast free from her top and actively squeezed her thick pink nipple in front of him.

Her deep blue eyes met his with a hunger, "You can have me if you want Linc…You really can. I'll never tell. None of the other sisters have to know, we can keep it secret. It'll be the only secret I ever keep from Lola. You can pretend to hate me if you want still. But you can have me, any hole, I'll give them to you freely."

Lincoln's cock was rock hard in his pants. He was making an obvious tent in his jeans. Lana's eyes went to his crotch and she smiled, once more pressing her hips up, raising her crotch from the seat and letting him get an eyeful of what she was doing.

"Mmm, that looks yummy bro. Is that for me?"

Lincoln could feel sweat running down his forehead.

He did the only thing he could think of, what his body and mind demanded.

He got up and ran.

Ran away from the erotic show in front of him. Ran away from the temptation calling for him. Ran away from the sickness he knew would make him hate and loathe himself if he ever gave in. He ran, right up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He ran down the hall to the old linen closet, and threw himself inside, locking the door behind him.

He sat down on his bed, his heart racing in the dark, his mind and emotions running rampant through him.

He thought about his own sisters, and how they no longer loved him. He thought about these new sisters and how they desired him. He thought about Ronnie Anne, the girl he loved more than any other and how he had fucked that up and ruined everything.

He thought about how dirty and horrible he felt because she had managed to turn him on.

He grabbed his pillow and practically screamed into it as tears came over him again. He hated these sisters. He hated his other sisters.

He could never hate Ronnie Anne.

But he could hate himself, and right now he hated himself more than anything else in the world.