I do not own The Loud House. All rights belong to Nickelodeon.
Chapter 3
After putting Lincoln in the hospital when he tried to run away, Lincoln's sisters were grounded for over a month. When the parents put their foot down, they put it down hard. Rita and Lynn Sr. made a very clear point to their daughters that they were in serious trouble. They were grounded. That meant no golfing, shopping for new clothes, driving only to work and school, no music, no sports, no beauty pageants, no playing in the mud, no comedy/funny business, no poetry clubs, and no experiments. The Loud sisters didn't argue. Dispute the real reason why Lincoln ran away from home that was unknown to the parents; they were still the reason why Lincoln ran away and got hit by a car.
As part of their punishment, they would work to pay off Lincoln's medical bills by doing yard work for the neighbors and their own yards, cleaning the whole house and Aunt Ruth's house. Lincoln was fine with the grounding, cleaning, and yard work, but when Aunt Ruth was mentioned, Lincoln felt it was going too far.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Mom! Dad! We're cleaning Aunt Ruth's house?!" Lincoln questioned.
"No honey, they are. You will stay home babysitting Lily and also have some free time to yourself," Rita stated.
"Wait, what?"
"Lincoln, your father and I realize that we're not giving you your own space and time, and that's not fair to you. We've given your sisters time and supported them in their goals and activities without doing the same for you. That changes, and it changes now," Rita explained.
"So, while your sisters work to pay off your medical bills . . . and we deal this court hearing, you'll be given your own time and space but also look after Lily while we're away. Also, we've looked at your comic art and sketchbook, and it's really amazing, champ. We'll talk more about this along with other things later, but for now, enjoy your free time," Lynn Sr. said.
"We're going to try to be there for you more, Lincoln, but first, we must deal with this. Hopefully, the judge will go easy on us, and that video you released will help, too," Rita said.
"But don't you think punishing them and not me puts a target on my back? Don't you think the girls will get angry at me for not doing any of this with them?" Lincoln asked.
His sisters' eyes slightly widened at that with a look of shame.
Rita turned to her daughters with her eyes half closed. She placed her hands on her hips and had an authoritarian look. Lynn Sr. stood next to her with the same look on his face.
"Girls, are we putting a target on Lincoln's back?" Rita asked.
"No," they all said.
"So, that means you're not going to be mean and mistreat your brother, right?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"Yes."
"Good. For a minute there, I thought I'd be more angry and disappointed in all of you than I am now because if I hear something or see something your father and I don't like, we're going to get creative with your punishments," Rita warned very firmly.
"Now, everyone, march!" Lynn Sr. pointed to Vanzilla.
"Wait! At least let them wear masks. It smells so bad at Aunt Ruth's," Lincoln insisted.
"Fine," Rita sighed.
Lincoln whispered as they took their face masks, "Girls, I am so sorry. I didn't know they'd make you clean Aunt Ruth's."
"Don't apologize, Lincoln. We know you mean well, but this is on us. Just let this pan out, and we'll get through this," Lori said as she put her face mask on.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Lincoln. We did. So, let us take our punishment with strife and get this over with so we can move on," Lynn said as she took her mask.
Lincoln was expecting mean looks but received none. He still felt bummed out about it. So, Lincoln decided to do something for them and put his art skills to the test. He pulled up a big paper canvas and laid out all his colored pencils, and he began drawing. Lincoln had to stop now and then to tend to Lily.
Lincoln would hide his art in his room whenever the family came home. When Clyde finally returned, the news of what happened while he was away was devastating – he cried his eyes out while hugging Lincoln.
'Yeah, Clyde's my brother,' Lincoln thought as he held him.
From then on, Clyde stuck to him like glue. He was upset that Lincoln didn't tell him but understood why. The only thing that made him feel better was that Lincoln's sisters turned over a new leaf and would do everything in their power to do right by their brother. A scenario where his family doesn't break, and their lives aren't ruined, is what he wanted from the beginning.
Lincoln had Clyde, Stella, and Ronnie Anne come over to help babysit while he drew his art.
"Lincoln, this is incredible, and it's not even finished!" Clyde said, looking at the canvas wide-eyed.
"Now, this is impressive," Stella smiled.
"She's right. Lincoln, this looks like a professional is making this," Ronnie Anne added.
"My parents are trying to come around. They're punishing my sisters, but I think they need this," Lincoln sighed, "The guilt of what they're capable of is really tearing them apart. They've been getting nightmares."
"I bet. I can't lie, Lincoln. I didn't think your sisters were capable of those things, so I can understand why Stella and Ronnie Anne aren't so quick to give them a second chance. But you're right, they're capable of change," Clyde said.
Lincoln summoned a light orb. The light orb showed Lincoln and his sisters all grown up. They all looked happy as some set up the table while others were helping put ornaments on the Christmas tree. Lincoln's friends gazed at it with curiosity.
"There is a possible future where we're all a family. There is a happy ending for us. It can happen, but there are obstacles in the way. We can be a family if we get through them right and together. I know it's hard to see that after the horrible visions we saw, but my family loves me, especially my sisters—one chance. One chance is all they need. They blow it, then we'll do Ronnie Anne's plan. Bring down the hammer. Either your dads or her family adopts me, and that's the end of it for my family. However, they haven't lost their chance yet, so don't give up hope on them," Lincoln explained.
"Amen to that," Clyde said.
Stella and Ronnie Anne sighed.
"We'll give them a chance like we said," Ronnie Anne said, crossing her arms.
"We just want you to be safe, Lincoln. Let's hope they don't blow it for their sake and yours," Stella said.
As the days passed, Lincoln worked on his art for his family while Clyde and the girls helped take care of Lily. Each day, Lincoln's artwork got better and better. Doing yard work for the neighbors was very demanding, leaving the girls exhausted. However, cleaning Aunt Ruth's house was rough for them because her place was absolutely filthy with cat hair and dust. Not only the inside was dirty, but the outside needed work, too – the gutters, the sides, the yards, etc. The worst was working on Aunt Ruth's feet or her 'bunions.' Sometimes, it was too much for the girls, and they vomited.
Lincoln made dinner for them each day they came home from Aunt Ruth's and doing work, and the family showed incredible gratitude – especially when Lincoln made breakfast dinner. The family smiled warmly at the pancakes, Belgian waffles, and French toast.
"Oh, Lincoln, what would we do without you?" Rita asked as she hugged and kissed Lincoln.
The sisters felt a chill from that . . . because they knew the answer to that. Each second of that cold and ungodly feeling increased the urge to want to hold their brother and never let him go.
"We're so lucky to have a wonderful boy like you," Rita said sincerely.
'I don't like that 'L' word, but I appreciate the gratitude,' Lincoln thought as he gently hugged her back.
The sisters all hugged and kissed Lincoln together – Lynn wasn't quick to let him go. While Lincoln went into the kitchen to get warm syrup and butter, Lori took the opportunity to ask her mother.
Lori started, "Mom, I-we want to get Lincoln a gift. There are some Ace Savvy cards at the mall and—"
"Honey, I know you mean well, but we're still paying off the medical bills and trying to save up for our lawyer," Rita replied.
"Plus, you girls are still grounded," Lynn Sr. added.
"Come on!" Lana whined.
"Lana," Rita said in a warning tone.
"One gift. That's all we're asking," Luna stated.
"Please, Mom, it would mean so much for Lincoln," Lola begged.
"No!" Rita repeated, making all the girls frown, "Don't you think we want to do something nice for Lincoln? Of course, we do! I want to take Lincoln to Dairyland, but the problem is Dairyland costs money. Same with gifts, and our money is currently going to Lincoln's medical bills because he ran away after you girls scared him with your—"
Rita had a mad and frustrated look on her face. The girls' eyes widened as she continued with her frantic speech, and the more she went on, the faster and more aggressive her tone got.
"—Sister Fight Protocol, and he got hit by a car! This wouldn't have happened if he just came to us for help, but he couldn't! And now we're paying for that and our lawyer because everyone now thinks we're horrible parents, and that FBI lady, who is a spawn from Hell, wants to put us in jail!"
"Rita!" Lynn Sr. stopped her.
Rita inhaled deeply and exhaled.
"Sorry, it's just . . . been really rough for your father and me. I'm sorry, but the answer is no. We're really on a tight budget," Rita said.
"Can I at least have my sewing machine back so I can make him something?" Leni requested.
Rita had her hands on her hips as she stared at her, "Fine, but make it something good. Something that Lincoln could use. Not something only seasonal like a Christmas sweater."
"I'll totes make it good!" Leni promised.
Luna whispered to Lori, "Maybe Bobby or our other friends could help with that Ace Savvy card."
"I don't know," Lori said in a bummed-out tone.
"It wouldn't hurt to ask, and if they know it's for Lincoln, maybe they'll do it."
"Yeah, at least ask him," Luan said.
Lori sighed, "Okay, I'll ask him. If he can't help, then Luna, you ask Sam. If she can't help, then Luan, you ask Benny. If none of them can help, we'll pool our cash together and go to the mall to buy it ourselves."
"Got it," Luna and Luan said.
Lynn asked Leni, "What are you going to make for Lincoln?"
"A new shirt and a neat pair of jeans. Maybe a jacket, if I have enough materials," Leni answered.
After the tasty dinner, everyone prepared for bed, which the sisters were not looking forward to. Ever since Lincoln's visions, they dreaded the night, never sure of how bad their nightmares would be. The Dreamcatchers Lincoln made helped give them mental and emotional reassurance, but only by him sleeping close to them would the nightmares not come – especially for Lynn.
"Last night was with Lisa. So, it's Lori and Leni's turn, right?" Lincoln asked after he finished brushing and flossing his teeth.
"Yes! Like totes!" Leni said eagerly.
"So, get your boney butt in our bed, mister," Lori ordered.
"Okay, okay, just let me say goodnight to the others," Lincoln said.
Lincoln hugged and kissed all his other sisters goodnight and ensured they had their Dreamcatcher bracelets. He knew Lynn was going to get the worst of it. So, she was the one who needed comfort the most.
"Lynn, everything will be okay, you hear me?" Lincoln spoke while holding her.
Lynn nodded while looking down.
Lincoln lifted her chin to get her to look at him, "Hey, I love you, and I always will. Just remember that and all the good memories."
"Okay," Lynn said.
"If you want, you can sleep with Bun-Bun."
"I'm not a baby," Lynn pouted with her arms crossed.
"I know you're not, but Bun-Bun's always made me feel better," Lincoln said before kissing her face, "Goodnight."
He headed for Lori and Leni's room. Before he went inside, he saw Lynn enter his bedroom and exit with his long and beloved stuffed animal. That put a small smile on his face as he pressed the button on the wall to put the beds together. Once he got close, Leni pulled him into the bed and smothered his face with kisses. They both giggled as Lori got on top of them. From there, it went back and forth between Lincoln being in Lori's arms to Leni's.
Lincoln felt a deep sense of happiness. All this love is exactly what he wanted. Lincoln actually liked to cuddle with his sisters. It felt good. Lincoln nuzzled his face in Lori's upper chest close to her neck as he squeezed her a hug.
"Oooo, is our little brother feeling cozy cuddling with his big sisters?" Lori cooed with a wry smile.
"Uh-huh. I love cuddling with you girls," Lincoln replied.
"Aww, our baby brother being a sweetheart as always. You know, Lincoln, the ladies love a man with sensitivity," Leni said, twirling her finger around in Lincoln's hair.
"So, I've heard," Lincoln smiled.
"Lincoln, I know we've said it a dozen times before, but we want you to know how much we love you and how sorry we are. Even though those visions didn't come true, we're sorry that such terrible things almost happened," Lori said.
"It's okay, Lori," Lincoln said.
"No, it's not Lincoln. We're your sisters, and we're supposed to protect you! Nothing should ever change that," Leni said. Her eyes watered a little, "Especially not something like a dress or luck."
It was no secret that all the girls were more than upset with themselves over what Lincoln showed and what they would have done to him. Leni was so angry that, in angry tears, she ripped apart the blue dress with her bare hands. It took a lot of effort for Lori to get her to calm down. Lori burned her blue dress with a match – her anger was deep but restrained.
Lincoln released Lori from their hug to wrap his arms around Leni. Then, they drifted peacefully to sleep. As expected, his two blonde elder sisters had no nightmares at all and slept soundly. The others, less so, but not too bad.
This carried on for a while: Lincoln sleeping with a pair of sisters to help them avoid nightmares of their guilt, the girls cleaning Aunt Ruth's house, Lincoln drawing his artwork while babysitting Lily, and then coming home to Lincoln making them dinner. Lincoln actually liked cooking, and his sisters certainly liked him changing the menu from their father's consistent, never-changing, and boring menu.
Then, the end of the week arrived. The family returned to the house late after finishing up with Aunt Ruth's house. Their only son/brother was sitting on the floor against the couch, snoring with a baby Lily sleeping in his arms. On the couch were all of Lincoln's colored pencils and trash bins full of pencil shavings.
What they found standing in the living room was not what they expected. Standing in the living was a large canvas with a beautiful masterpiece drawing on it. It was a magnificent colored pencil drawing of the Loud family. The sisters, the pets, Pop-Pop, Gramps, Grandma Myrtle, and Lincoln were all in it. The colors were bright, blending and shading were perfect – the drawing was practically alive.
The Loud family were speechless and in utter awe and amazement as they gazed at the drawing. They didn't think that such a fantastic art of high quality and creativity would come from Lincoln. At that moment, they felt a great sense of pride and joy within them for their white-haired boy, especially the sisters. The older sisters choked up with tears building up in their eyes. Lincoln was slightly startled as he was awakened. When he was awake, he saw his family trying hard not to cry, but it was useless. First, his older sisters squeezed him a group hug as they cried joyful tears, and then his younger sisters.
"So, I guess you guys like the drawing I made?" Lincoln asked sarcastically.
"We love it, dude!" Luna cheered.
"It's so beautiful!" Lori exclaimed.
"It's the most beautiful drawing I've ever seen!" Lola cried.
"Lincoln, you made this?" Lynn asked, wiping her tears.
"Yes, I did," Lincoln answered.
"It's incredible!" Luan added.
"Oh, Lincoln, we love it!" Leni praised.
"Yeah, bro, it's amazing! I didn't know you could draw so good," Lana said, looking at that canvas.
"The beauty of this art is a reflection of the soul, and Lincoln, your soul is beautiful," Lucy said.
The parents admired the masterpiece, but their smiles slowly disappeared as their eyes searched the canvas.
"Uh, son . . . where are we?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"Huh?" Lincoln turned to them.
"Where's your father and I? We're not in it," Rita pointed out.
"Oh . . . yeah. Sorry, there wasn't a whole lot of space. I drew my sisters, our pets, and our grandparents. I wanted everyone that mattered to me to be in it . . . but by the time I got them and myself in it, there wasn't any space for you. So . . . oh well, I guess," Lincoln said.
There was a moment of silence in the room as Lincoln looked away while scratching the back of his head. He couldn't bear to look at his parents to see the hurt in their eyes. The parents didn't see, but some of the sisters had hidden satisfied smiles that Lincoln didn't put the parents in the art. It took every ounce of willpower for Rita and Lynn Sr. not to cry in front of their children. Their faces slightly twitched, their lips quivered, and their eyes watered. It was like their son just stabbed them in the hearts.
Rita spoke with a broken, "Oh . . . I see. I'm-I'm sorry there wasn't any room for us."
Lynn Sr. swallowed a lump in his throat, "M-Maybe we can be in your next art piece?"
"Yeah, maybe," Lincoln muttered while still looking away.
"Yeah, maybe you could draw us in front of the restaurant or in front of the house," Lynn Sr. suggested.
As he continued, Rita was frozen with a subtle, devastated look. She looked over at her husband and watched for a while as he continued. Lincoln and the others knew right away that he was in denial. Finally, Rita put her hand on his shoulder. He stopped and turned to her.
Rita was on the verge of tears as she spoke with a hoarse and broken voice, "It's a wonderful art, Lincoln. We're proud of you."
"Thanks," Lincoln said.
The girls gathered around Lincoln and the art canvas. The air was filled with compliments and admiration of Lincoln's talent and skill. Rita backed away while taking in slow and deep, labored breaths. She looked away from everyone as a few tears rolled down her face. Rita brought her trembling hand to cover her mouth to prevent any sound from escaping her lips, and all the chatter from her children helped drown out any muffled noise she made. Lynn Sr. noticed this, but before he could even speak to her, she shook her head, telling him no. After a few minutes, the mother of eleven finally got a hold of herself and stopped herself from crying.
Lynn Sr. stood before the canvas to get everyone's attention, "Before anyone gets angry at me, just please hear me out."
That sentence alone made everyone's smile disappear.
"Go on," Rita said.
"Okay, what if we took a photo of this and offered to sell copies to everyone? Now, this isn't like the mascot idea. Lincoln is a local hero, and everyone loves him," Lynn Sr. said.
"Not as much as we do," Lynn Jr. said, crossing her arms.
"Got that right," Lucy added.
"How many people would want to buy a copy of this art? If people saw this, they'd love to have a copy – especially an autographed version. We need the money for our lawyer. Rita, please help me out here."
Everyone turned to their mother.
"Kids, your father and I want to make things right, and if you give us a chance, we will. However, we won't be able to if the court doesn't go in our favor. If we lose, they'll separate us. Your father and I may go to jail, and all of you will end up in separate foster care homes. If we get a good lawyer, we can change that, but a good lawyer costs money – a lot of money. So, please, girls . . . every bit helps," Rita explained.
The sisters all looked at each other and huddled to whisper. Then they turned around, and Lori said, "Lincoln, can we talk to you in private upstairs?"
Lincoln nodded, and they went upstairs.
"What is it?" Lincoln asked.
"Lincoln, were you able to unlock that vision of all of us protecting you from Mom and Dad?" Lori asked.
"I thought this was about the art canvas."
"Well, little dude, we've been talking, and depending on what the rest of that vision is, we were wondering, is there a scenario where all of us stay together . . . without Mom and Dad?" Luna asked.
Lincoln tilted his head slightly, "What?"
Lana stepped forward, "I asked Lori if it was possible for her to take custody of us or at least of you from Mom and Dad. Lisa says she can, but it's really complicated and hard."
"In the event that Mom and Dad go to jail and for all of us to stay together as a family, either all of us would get adopted by the same legal guardian, which is very unlikely, or Lori turns 18 and takes custody of us, but even that is unlikely. Because she would have to prove to the court that she is financially secure and is suitable to raise children," Lisa explained.
"That's why we were wondering if your visions showed a future where all of us are together," Luan said.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. Back up. When did you guys want Mom and Dad gone?" Lincoln questioned.
"Since that vision, dude! The one you showed us in the hospital," Luna answered.
"The one where all of us are protecting you and are angry at Mom and Dad. We don't know what they do or will try to do to you, but if we have to cut them out of this family to protect you, we're prepared to make that choice," Lynn stated firmly.
Lincoln's eyes widened at that as Lynn continued.
"We're supposed to protect you, and we will. I will. I am never, ever, going to abandon you ever again," Lynn said as she held her brother by his shoulders, "I will protect you from everyone, even our parents."
"That's why we're asking if you unlocked the rest of that vision to see why we're angry at them – to see what they do to you," Lori said.
"So, did you unlock the vision thingy?" Leni asked.
Lincoln glanced at everyone before answering, "Yeah . . . I did. I saw the rest of the vision."
"And?" Lola questioned.
Lincoln sighed, "Mom and Dad don't think I'm bad luck. They get upset because they find out about my powers and think I'm some freak. So, they try to send me away. That's when you guys come in all fire and brimstone to protect me. Mom and Dad don't really think rationally. They panic when they find out about my powers."
Lincoln's sisters' eyes widened at that – some nodded in understanding.
"They try to send him away? In the future?" Leni asked.
"Yeah, to a place for kids who are different. Then, when those people find out about me, the government finds out, and from there, it's being stuck in a cage, tested like a lab rat, dissection, blah blah blah, all that bad stuff," Lincoln said.
"So, that's why we get so angry in that vision," Lana said.
Lynn nodded while punching her hand, "Yeah, that'll do it. That'll make me plenty angry."
"And me," Luna added as she grinded her teeth.
"And ME!" Lola raged.
"Guys. Guys!" Lincoln raised his voice to get their attention, "Do you trust me?"
"You know we do," Lucy replied.
"Then you know I want what's best for everyone. There's an outcome where we're all together as a family, including Mom and Dad. I know you guys are angry at them and have lost a lot of respect for them, but they can change just like you guys can. The only way we're all together is if they win in court. If they lose, then we'll be separated in foster care and won't see each other for many years to come. I have a plan to reach that future where we're together as a family, but I can't tell you all the details, or it'll mess up the path," Lincoln explained. His sisters were about to argue, but he said, "All you have to do is trust me. Please . . . trust me. It'll work."
The girls stared at him before glancing at each other. Leni broke the silence.
"I don't want to lose our Linky. I don't want to lose anybody. I trust him," Leni said.
"Me too," Luan said.
"Us too," Lola and Lana added.
"Same with me. We can't lose him," Lucy said.
The rest sighed.
"All right, Lincoln. We're trusting you," Lori said.
"As long as you don't get hurt or separated from us, I'm fine with it," Lynn stated.
"Same with me. Whatever you gotta do, do it, and whatever you need us to do, tell us, and we'll do it, bro," Luna said.
The girls all hugged Lincoln, and he hugged them back.
"So, since we're all in agreement about that, what about Dad's idea for Lincoln's art?" Luan asked.
Lincoln nodded, "We can set up a blog page and a website for people to buy copies of my art. I don't mind the extra popularity."
"Okay then," Lori said.
"Hold up. Lincoln, you didn't put our parents in the drawing on purpose, right?" Lynn asked.
Lincoln scoffed, "Of course I did. Mom and Dad have a long way to earn their place back in my heart."
Lynn playfully tapped Lincoln's nose, "Good boy."
They went downstairs and told their parents their answer. Of course, they were happy to hear that. Lori, Leni, Luna, and Luan helped set up the website and blog for Lincoln's art. They took several pictures of the masterpiece and other drawings Lincoln did. After dinner, they all readied for bed.
"Whose turn is it that I sleep in?" Lincoln asked after exiting the bathroom.
"Ours!" Luna and Luan called out before they grabbed him and pulled him into their room.
"Okay, relax. I'm not going anywhere," Lincoln said, straightening his pajamas.
"We're ready for a nightmare-free night!" Luna sang.
"All aboard the dream tree! Woo-woo!" Luan added.
"Let me say goodnight to the others first," Lincoln said.
He went around and kissed his other sisters' goodnight. Ever since the nightmares, they were never all that comfortable sleeping without Lincoln close by.
Lincoln kissed Lynn's head, "Just one more night. One more night, and then it's your turn. Just hang tough for one more night."
"Okay," Lynn muttered.
"Hey, Lynn," Lincoln said, making her look up, "No matter how bad the nightmares are, I'll always be here. Plus, I'm just one room away."
Lynn nodded before Lincoln kissed her and Lucy goodnight, and then his other sisters.
He returned to Luna and Luan's room. Then he pressed the button on the wall that made the beds come together. The girls hopped in and patted the middle of the bed for Lincoln to join them. They got comfortable and turned out the light.
"Ah, no nightmares, here we come," Luna sang as she snuggled while hugging Lincoln.
"I'll say," Luan said, and then did Mr. Coconuts voice, "You're telling me. One time, I had a dream about insomnia. I haven't slept ever since!"
Luan chuckled, "Ha-ha-ha, get it?"
Lincoln and Luna groaned in annoyance.
"Okay, you know what? I'm giving you two boy cooties," Lincoln said before he smothered Luna's face with kisses.
"Ah! Dude!" Luna giggled.
Then Lincoln switched to Luan.
"You know what? The joke's on you. I like kisses from my little brother," Luan said with a smile as Lincoln kissed her face.
Then she did Mr. Coconuts voice, "Who needs The Love Boat when you got this kid here who has love by the boatload? Ha-ha-ha! Get it?"
Luna and Lincoln chuckled at that.
"Okay, that was actually a good one," Luna said.
"I'll admit it. I like that one," Lincoln agreed.
They slept soundly that night. The other sisters only had minor nightmares thanks to the Dreamcatcher bracelets and thinking of good memories.
In the parents' room, it was different. Rita's sorrow was deep with her broken heart. She stared at her trembling hand as she sat on her side of the bed. She clenched her hands together to get them to stop shaking.
As Lynn Sr. sat on his side of the bed, Rita spoke, "He hates us."
"What?" Lynn Sr. asked as he turned to her.
"Our son . . . Lincoln, he hates us."
"No . . . no, honey, no. Hate's a strong word, and Lincoln doesn't hate us. He's upset with us. Maybe he's even cross and angry at us, but he doesn't hate us," Lynn Sr. said as he gently touched her shoulder.
Rita looked over her shoulder at him, "Do you truly believe that, Lynn?"
"Do you?"
"Yes! We're not in his canvas."
"Wha? That's why you—? Over that? Honey, just because he didn't put us in the drawing doesn't mean he hates us," Lynn Sr. said.
"Oh my god, Lynn! Open your eyes! Lincoln had a whole canvas to draw his family. He drew everyone that mattered to him. We're not in the art because we don't matter to him! He drew our fathers and the damn pets for crying out loud! He put his grandparents in there, but not his parents," Rita stated with anger and sorrow in her voice.
Lynn Sr.'s eyes blinked several times as his wife's words sank in.
"Didn't you notice he couldn't even bear to look at us when he talked to us?" Rita asked.
Her husband looked down and glanced back and forth. There was no denying it. Their one and only son has no love for them . . . only resentment. As the situation's reality sank in, Lynn Sr. slowly started sobbing. Rita could no longer hold back her tears as she hugged her husband. After five minutes of crying, they sniffed and took several deep breaths to calm down.
"How could we have failed him?" Lynn Sr. asked.
Rita slowly shook her head, "I don't know."
"I feel so stupid. I remember saying I wanted a son because I was feeling so outnumbered by all the ladies in the house. I finally got one, so why didn't I bond with him? I thought I'd have more free time for him after I got the restaurant. I waited too long. No wonder he feels like he barely knows me. I'm a failure, Rita. I failed as a father for my son," Lynn Sr. stated.
"You and me both. I was supposed to be there for him when he needed me. I'm supposed to make him feel like it's safe to come to us for anything, but instead, he felt his only option was to get a bus ticket and run away. I failed him as a mother," Rita stated.
Lynn silently wept as the tears rolled down his cheeks and his quivering lips.
Rita wiped her tears, "But we haven't lost him yet. Let's deal with his court thing and then try to reconnect with our only son before he's gone."
He nodded, and they both went to sleep, but didn't get a good night's sleep due to being so emotionally exhausted. The following day, more than a dozen people wanted to buy copies of Lincoln's art. Lincoln got several messages and emails of art requests and commissions – and they were willing to pay. Lincoln and his family were impressed.
"You know, Lincoln, you could make money doing this or something like it," Lori said.
"Actually, I was thinking of making comic books with Clyde. We'd switch back and forth between who would be the writer and who'd be the artist," Lincoln said.
"I don't know how good Clyde's artistic talent is, but I'd recommend you handle the art part because you got both talent and skill in that department," Lynn said.
"What I mean is there are websites where you can set up shop for doing art commissions. Like Fiverr, DeviantArt, and several others," Lori said.
"Really?" Lincoln asked.
"Yep."
Meanwhile
Future Lincoln marched through the red desert to the metal fortress. All its defenses were activated. The missiles fired and targeted Lincoln, but his energy shield protected him from the explosions. The laser blasts bounced off of him like rubber balls on a wall. The super soldiers and robots didn't stand a chance. Future Lincoln shot giant energy beams that obliterated many of them. The ones that got close to him were ripped apart or grabbed and thrown with great force, smashing either into the ground, wall, or each other. Everyone and everything was either destroyed or dead.
Lincoln tore off the big blast-proof doors and marched inside the command center. The slippery bastard in charge tried to slip on a space cruiser, but Lincoln blew it up. He used his powers to grab him and hold him up in the air. He panted in utter fear.
"Ricker, long time no fucking see," Future Lincoln spoke.
"Hey Lincoln, wh-what's up, man?" Ricker asked in a scared tone as sweat was beaming down his head.
"I should be asking you that. What the fuck are you doing dicking around with time travel? Because I've been busting my ass, killing bounty hunters left and right. Finally, I got one to talk to tell where they got their time machines, and he pointed a finger right at you," Future Lincoln said.
"Me?! Wh-why would I have time machines?" Ricker asked.
Lincoln pulled out a cube that looked a lot like the reflection cubes from Portal, only it had a glowing blue light inside.
"What's this?" Future Lincoln questioned.
"It's a time machine cube," Ricker answered.
"You know where I got this? I pulled it out of the dead hands of a bounty hunter who was trying to kill me."
Lincoln used his powers to tear down the walls, and a few crates smashed open to reveal cubes that looked exactly like the one in Lincoln's hand.
"And it looks like he got it from you," Future Lincoln stated.
"Okay, okay! You got me. I sold them bounty hunters the time machine cubes, but I'm not the one who put the price on your head! I swear!" Ricker said.
"No shit, you didn't put the price on my head! You don't have that kind of money. Who did?!"
He used his powers to slowly crush him, making him squeal.
"The Red Barron! The Red Barron! He's on this planet! In the Kosher Islands! K8 Island!" Ricker exclaimed.
Future Lincoln released him. He gasped for air.
"Thanks. Now, the nearest town is thirty miles towards the setting sun. You got a lot of walking to do," Future Lincoln said.
Ricker looks up at him, "What? What do you—?"
Before he could finish that question, the White Death threw him out of the building, making him land in the soft sand. Then, he used his powers to blow up the base. It was nothing but fire and rubble in less than a minute.
"Red Barron, huh? Let's see who this new player is," Future Lincoln said before he teleported.