I do not own The Loud House. All rights belong to Nickelodeon.
Chapter 2
Lincoln, Stella, Ronnie Anne, and Clyde were having pizza dinner together at a penthouse balcony overlooking Central Park in New York City. The owners of the Penthouse were on vacation in the islands of Greece. The view was amazing, with all the lights from the city. The wind was fairly calm and pleasant as they sat on the outdoor couches and lounge chairs. They ate pizza and drank soda as Lincoln showed them around and explained everything. Lincoln's friends and girlfriend showed mixed feelings.
"So, it's over?" Ronnie Anne asked.
Lincoln nodded, "Worrying about my safety regarding my family, yes."
"So . . . the bad futures are gone. Like gone-gone?" Stella asked before taking a bite of her pizza.
"Like the lyrics to the country song, 'Gone' by Montgomery Gentry,
'Gone like a freight train, gone like yesterday
Gone like a soldier in the Civil War, bang bang
Gone like a '59 Cadillac
Like all the good things that ain't never coming back
She's gone (gone) gone (gone) gone (gone) gone, she's gone,'
So, yeah, the bad futures are gone for good, and you don't have to worry about that. They'll be better from now on," Lincoln said.
Clyde and Stella smiled and giggled while Ronnie Anne kept her serious look.
Ronnie Anne slowly nodded before looking back at the view, "That's good."
"You don't seem satisfied," Clyde said.
Ronnie Anne sighed, "Well, you know me. I wished that they had lost the trial and that Lincoln had been adopted by either your dads or my family. You know . . . sometimes I had dreams about us living those possible futures . . . me as your new sister and best friend. I would have taught you skateboarding, and you would have gotten me into comics. I really think it would have worked."
Lincoln glanced at Clyde and Stella. They all knew where she was coming from with this. Her wish for the Louds to lose the trial wasn't out of a hatred for them but a love and longing for Lincoln.
"Sometimes, I kind of wished for that too. Even Mrs. Johnson considered adopting me if my family lost," Lincoln said.
"Really? Mrs. Johnson? Adopting you?" Stella asked while chewing a pizza slice.
Lincoln nodded, "Yeah, I was flattered when she told me."
"Hold on, if you told your dad the truth, did he have nightmares of guilt like your mom and sisters when they learned the truth, too?" Clyde asked.
Lincoln finished sipping some soda, "He did. We went fishing together, and we connected. It's a good start . . . and it felt nice. It's a new feeling, though. My dad and I don't bond very often. We've always been distant, so it feels a little weird to be getting close to him."
Ronnie Anne finished sipping her soda, "That means it's been too long . . . and that's not a good thing."
"It's a start, Ronnie Anne. It's better than nothing. I call that making progress," Clyde defended.
Stella spoke, "Ronnie Anne, let me ask you something. Do you wish that Lincoln's family lost the trial so that he could have moved in with you . . . or is it because you wanted justice?"
It was quiet for a while before Ronnie Anne answered, "Both. I do mean it when I saw I wished Lincoln would have moved in with me and we would become siblings. I wouldn't steal him from you."
"Really?" Stella asked.
Ronnie Anne sighed, "Okay, if I'm being brutally honest, a part of me wouldn't mind having Lincoln as a boyfriend, but I like the idea of us being brother and sister. But I also wanted justice. Punishing bad people . . . that makes it right."
Lincoln put down his drink and summoned the Vision Stream. This caught his friends' attention as Lincoln pulled out two light orbs. Both were black and white, indicating that they'll never happen.
"You know, back when I was in my anger stage, I wanted exactly the same thing . . . and that anger showed me some dark and harsh possible futures where I am completely unforgiving. Honestly, I'm glad we could give them a chance without anyone getting hurt or my life being ruined. I'm starting to see why Abraham Lincoln said, 'Mercy bears richer fruit than strict justice,' because this is what could have happened if we went with strict justice after the Bad Luck Incident happened," Lincoln explained.
Stella held one, and they looked into it.
Vision One:
Lincoln's parents waited in the meeting room with their lawyer. Then Lincoln and his lawyers walked in. Everyone was dressed accordingly in suits and ties – even Lincoln.
Lynn and Rita's lawyer, Bill, spoke, "All right, you arrived. So, you said you have an offer?"
Lincoln's lawyers were Robert and Jill.
Jill replied, "We have. Our client, Lincoln, is willing to drop the charges, including child abandonment, child neglect, and child abuse. You will not receive jail time in this case, and your daughters won't go to juvie."
This surprised Rita and Lynn Sr. as their eyes widened. Then they glanced at each other before looking at their son with hopeful smiles. Lincoln's face remained serious and firm – he didn't even blink.
"Wait, really?!" Rita asked.
"Yes, really," Robert answered, "If, and only if, you agree to his terms."
"Well, great, what are they?" Lynn Sr. asked.
Robert opened a folder and read a paper, "He has four conditions. You have to agree to all of them, not just some of them or one of them. It's all or nothing. If you fail to follow these conditions, the deal's off, and you two will receive jail time. Your elder daughters will go to juvie, and all of them will be placed in separate foster care homes. Do you understand?"
Lynn Sr. and Rita nodded, "Yes, we understand."
"First condition: Lincoln is to have his own room and be out of the closet room. All his furniture is to be returned to him. The entire basement will be remodeled into a bedroom with a queen-sized mattress and a bathroom with a shower and toilet."
The parents cringed a little at that.
"That's a bit pricey," Lynn Sr. said.
"We're not disagreeing, but all that costs money. We can't make it happen if we can't pay for it. How are we going to pay for that?" Rita asked.
"By cutting into your daughters' college money," Jill answered.
"What?!" Lynn Sr. and Rita exclaimed.
"Call it a peace offer. To show that you're willing to sacrifice to have your son back while punishing your daughters for their wrongdoings," Robert explained.
The parents glanced back at their son and stared at him in disbelief. Finally, they reluctantly agreed with heavy sighs.
"Fine," Rita sighed while rubbing her forehead.
"Okay, fine. Oh, the girls are gonna so upset. What else?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"Second condition: Luan is to give up her pranks permanently. Any pranks in any part of the year, including April Fool's Day. If she breaks that promise, she'll be charged with assault and abuse. You two will go to prison, and the family will be torn apart. Not one prank, even if it's harmless," Jill answered.
"Got it," Lynn Sr. said.
"Absolutely," Rita agreed.
Robert continued, "Third condition: Lincoln is to have his own time and space with the freedom and right to deny going to any and all of his sisters' activities should he wish. During his own activities, he has the freedom to invite or not invite you to attend. Lincoln is to have a police alert bracelet at all times," Robert listed.
"Police alert bracelet?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"It's like a Life Alert bracelet, but for police. One push of a button and the police are on their way to its location. Any abuse or physical harm from you two or your daughters, Lincoln will press the button, and all of you leave in handcuffs," Jill explained.
"Lincoln, honey, is that really necessary?" Rita questioned.
"It is, and you two will get ankle bracelets as part of your probation, which is mandatory."
Lincoln remained silent while keeping a serious, cold, stone face.
The parents both sighed, and Lynn Sr. asked, "Fine. Anything else?"
"Last condition and this is the most important," Robert replied.
There was a long pause as he closed the folder and clasped his hands together on the table.
"You give up Lynn Jr. for adoption," Robert stated.
The parents gasped in shock and horror as their eyes widened.
"What?" Rita uttered, "Give up Lynn for . . . no."
"We can't do that, sport! That's ridiculous!" Lynn Sr. stated.
"What you two did was more than ridiculous. It was inhuman," Lincoln jabbed.
"Lincoln, honey, you can't ask us to do this," Rita said.
Lincoln got up from his chair and said, " Fine. The charges still stand. See you in court."
"You lost your chance. Should have taken the offer," Jill said, getting up.
His lawyers got up with him to walk out.
"Lincoln, wait!" Rita called. He and his lawyers stopped as she continued, "Please, honey, we know you're angry with us, but this isn't the way to fix things."
"Yeah, son. This isn't right," Lynn Sr. added.
Lincoln slammed his fists on the table, making a loud bang that made them gasp and flinch. His eyes were red with anger, and his voice had fire and hatred.
"DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT ISN'T RIGHT! What you two did, what Lynn did, wasn't right! It was wrong, and you knew it!" Lincoln roared.
Rita and Lynn Sr. shivered slightly at their son's anger as he glared at them. The raw rage was undeniable. Their blindness and ignorance of what they put their only son through shattered their insides with a loud realization – the same realization when they were arrested after Lincoln called the cops. Lincoln's lawyers held him back, and he calmed down to straighten his suit.
"It's her or me. Make your choice," Lincoln said before leaving.
After they left, the parents asked their lawyer, Bill, what to do.
"Please tell me there's a third option," Rita pleaded.
"I don't see a third option. The evidence is overwhelming. If we go to court, we will lose. You two will go to prison, and your children will scatter to the four winds of foster care and disappear into the system . . . and any and all hope of ever seeing your son, let alone reconnect with him, will be forever lost," Bill explained.
"So, that's it then?" Lynn Sr. questioned.
"It's his offer or jail. In one scenario, you're still a family and only lose one child. Let go of one child or lose your whole family. Sacrifice one to save the others," Bill answered.
Rita tried to hold back the tears but couldn't as she cried in Lynn Sr.'s arms. He couldn't stop sobbing, either.
End of Vision One:
Lincoln's friends were stunned.
"You would make them a deal to get rid of Lynn? That's so cold," Stella said.
"Cold as ice. I didn't know you had it in you," Ronnie Anne stated.
"You would do that, Lincoln?" Clyde asked.
"Back when I was angry enough and full of hate, yes. Fortunately, it didn't and won't come to that now. These were earlier visions when I was so angry at my family before I fell into depression. I was going through the five stages of grief, except in different order," Lincoln answered.
"Different order?"
"Instead of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, I went through them like this: denial, acceptance, bargaining, anger, and depression. Let me tell you guys, anger was the worst because I would push my family to get rid of Lynn. People say fear can take you to dark places, and they're right, but anger can take you to darker places."
"Wait, hold up. Do they take the deal? In that possible future, do they take the deal?" Ronnie Anne asked.
Lincoln handed her the other light orb and explained, "There are two outcomes. One: they don't take the offer, lose in court, and our family is broken apart – but it's the least likely one. They all live in sullen misery after that. Then there's the other outcome that would have happened where they actually do accept the offer. Take a look for yourself and see what happens."
The three looked into the orb and watched it play out.
Vision Two:
Delivering the news was heartbreaking for the Louds. The parents called their children to the living room and were shocked to see Lincoln there. Some were eager to hug him but saw the serious look on his face.
"Kids, we have an announcement to make. Lincoln is willing to drop the charges if we agree to his terms," Lynn Sr. stated with a lump in his throat.
Rita spoke next, "And one of those terms involves Lynn."
Their eyes widened, and they waited for them to continue.
"Lynn, I'm sorry, but . . . we have to give you up for adoption," Rita said in a broken voice.
The girls softly gasped, and their eyes widened. Lynn got up immediately and said, "Say what now?! That's crazy! You can't do that."
"I'm sorry, LJ, but we already did. We signed the papers today. Social Services will arrive tomorrow to pick you up," Lynn Sr. said.
"Tomorrow, they'll see if they can find a foster home for you. If not, then you'll be at an orphanage," Rita explained.
Lynn stood frozen with a blank look quietly for a few seconds before letting out a laugh.
"Good one pops. You guys had me going there," Lynn chuckled.
Then, as the parents didn't smile or laugh, the reality of the situation sank in, and Lynn stopped laughing. Her smile vanished, and her face went pale.
"Wait . . . you're serious? You're getting rid of me?!" Lynn asked.
"Yes, Lynn," Rita said as she sniffed and tried not to cry, "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you're no longer a Loud. You're (sniffs) not part of this family anymore."
Lynn uttered as her lip quivered and the pupils in her eyes shrank to tiny dots. Then she turned to Lincoln, "Lincoln . . . you're not serious, are you?"
Lincoln crossed his arms, "I can't live with you, Lynn, not after what you did to me. The trust that I had in you is gone forever. I can't ever trust you with anything, ever. I thought I could trust you to never do such a horrible thing to me, but you did. You and our family, but I'm willing to give them a second chance . . . but not you. Not you. Ever."
Lori breathed, "Lincoln . . . do you realize what you're doing? You're sending your sister away!"
"She's not my sister. She's just somebody I used to know. Whether you girls will be my sisters again is entirely up to you. If you want to reconnect with me, that's fine. If not, it's no skin off my nose. I'm willing to let all of you go so I can be happy in life because I know who you really are. All of you," Lincoln replied coldly.
Lynn started panting and went pale as she breathed labored breaths. She brought her trembling hand to her chest.
"Dude, how could you do this?!" Luna exclaimed.
Lincoln shot a glare at her, "It's funny. I could ask all of you the same question."
Lynn fell to her knees and cried. The parents circled around to comfort her. Lincoln groaned, disgusted.
"Where was this for me? Where were you guys when I needed you? You had no problem trying to get rid of me, but you do for her?! That sore loser?! AND YOU THINK I'M THE VILLAIN HERE?! LOOK IN A MIRROR!" Lincoln yelled.
The family was speechless as the tears broke from their eyes. Lincoln's words were harsh but unbearably true, and no words could justify their actions. He stepped outside and slammed the door, making everyone flinch.
Of course, everyone argued, but the parents tried to explain that they weren't exactly in a position to object. Lynn was the cause of it all, so it makes sense that Lincoln wants to punish her and not be able to live with her. Lincoln knew it was terrible to do this to them, but at the same time, he could never live with Lynn, and he wanted to prove that his parents were capable of getting rid of any of them and not just him.
When Lincoln returned inside after it had gotten quiet, Lynn approached him. Tears were streaming down her face, her lips quivering, and she was shivering. The other sisters were in the same sad state.
"Lin-Lincoln, please . . . don't do this (sobs). I'm-I'm sorry for what I did, but please don't do this. Don't get rid of me," Lynn pleaded.
She gently reached out to him, but Lincoln gave a disgusted look and slapped her hand away, making her gasp and whimper. She looked like a scared, sad puppy. The Loud family had never seen her like this . . . or Lincoln like this.
"There's never going to come a time where I can forgive you for what you did. However much pain you're all feeling right now, how bad do you think I felt when you treated me like a fucking pariah? When I begged you to let me back inside? Or when you thought I wasn't your brother anymore and nothing more than bad luck?" Lincoln asked.
Lori started, "Lincoln, you don't have to forgive us for what we did to you—"
"Oh, trust me. I won't," Lincoln interrupted.
"—but you have to know that we are all sorry for what we did," Lori said.
Leni sided, "Yeah, if y-you hate us forever, then-then that's fine too. As long as you're feeling better."
Both elder sisters' eyes were watery with a broken voice – Leni was trembling.
"But do you really have to do this? Will sending her away really make it right?" Luna asked.
Lincoln turned to them, "I can't say anything that'll make you feel better about all this. All I can say is the truth, and the truth is I can never trust Lynn ever again . . . no matter how sorry she is or what promises she or you or anyone can make. I can't live with someone who betrayed me in every way. You brought this upon yourself and everyone. You're the reason why you're not my sister anymore. You did this. I didn't do anything wrong. You did. This is your fault, not mine, and now you're paying the consequences for it."
Lynn spent most of the night crying in her sleep. The following day, Social Services arrived to take Lynn away. Her whole family said goodbye tearfully to her. Although, they couldn't tell which hurt more – Lynn leaving or how cold Lincoln had become.
Lincoln stood by the doorway, his arms crossed, and showed a serious expression of indifference. Lynn looked up at him with a sorrowful expression. She spoke in a hoarse, broken voice.
"I want you to know, Lincoln . . . that even though you hate me and don't trust me anymore . . . I still love you. I am so sorry for what I did to you . . . and I'll always love you," Lynn said with sorrow and sincerity.
She tried to reach out to her brother, but he rejected her hand.
Lincoln looked at her and said, "There was a time when those words actually meant something to me. Now?" Lincoln shook his head with a frown, "I don't feel anything. Nothing but relief. Relief that the bully and villain in my life is leaving. It actually feels like I'll be able to breathe again."
He turned to see his family, who were completely distraught by his words.
"Don't look at me like that. You don't get to hate me. You don't get to be angry at me. I get to hate you. I get to be angry at you, all of you. I will never forget or forgive what you did because what you did was wrong and fucked up. There's no making it right. You have to live every single day with what you've done," Lincoln explained.
His family stared at him as his words sank into their cores.
"You're bad people. Actually, you're more than bad people – you're monsters. And you have to live with knowing that you did an evil and monstrous thing. That's your punishment. I could have torn this family apart, but I'm giving you a chance instead. Maybe we can reconnect and be a family again. Maybe, one day, I can tell you I love you again. Maybe," Lincoln stated before turning back to Lynn, "I just can't love you ever again. Loving and trusting you was my greatest mistake. I can't make that mistake ever again."
Lynn's head dropped down as her tears fell. She sniffed before adjusting her backpack on her shoulders. As she walked out, she took one last look back at her former home, her family, and her brother, who now hates her for everything she is. She realized she lost everything as the car drove away with her in the backseat. Her home, her town, her friends, her family, sports all together, and worst of all, she's lost her brother. An ironic ending for a sore loser.
End of Vision Two:
"Wow," Ronnie Anne, and Stella said.
"Yeah," Lincoln said before sipping his drink.
Lincoln looked away and silently sobbed while covering his eyes. Stella and Clyde sat next to him and hugged him in comfort.
"I'm so grateful it didn't come to that . . . but I'm so sad that my anger would bring out such cruelty in me," Lincoln said with tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Lincoln, it's okay to be angry. Being angry just means you're human. Seeing those terrible futures and what your family would have done to you is going to bring out some feelings inside you, including the bad ones," Stella said.
"The important thing is those events never happened. Yeah, they were dark and at your lowest point, but they still never happened. The old Lynn is gone. The new Lynn, the one that needs you and your family, is someone that loves you . . . and she is suffering depression from the guilt of what could have happened," Clyde said.
Lincoln wiped his tears and nodded, "You're right. I wouldn't trade her for the world."
Ronnie Anne spoke, "The new Lynn . . . she's worth saving. So, save her. We know you will."
"I will."
"Speaking of Lynn, how is she?"
Lincoln finished eating a pizza slice before speaking, "She's doing better. She still gets nightmares, but they're less frequent."
"And her nightmares are of her being a hobo?" Stella asked.
Lincoln nodded as he sipped his soda.
Clyde explained, "The guilt of the future visions and what horrible things could have happened had done a real number on her, and it's manifested into her thinking that she's good at anything besides being a competitive sore loser. Because of that, she thinks she'll end up as a jobless hobo. Having her back in sports is a way to mentally prove that she's not a sore loser."
"But those nightmares aren't just dreams. They're visions of the future, aren't they?" Stella asked.
"That's right, but I won't let that happen," Lincoln said.
"What happens to her if you succeed?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"She'll become a great soccer player and win championships. She and I compete and win the Olympics in rowing. Then, she'll become a scout and a coach," Lincoln answered.
"Meanwhile, you start your comic book business with Clyde. You make comics, and they become shows, video games, and movies, right?"
"That's right. If things go well, as my visions foretold, we'll be bigger than Pokémon."
Clyde's eyes widened, "Really?! No way! That's awesome, Lincoln!"
Lincoln agreed, "It is, and with all that money, you'll be able to be a licensed therapist and help many people. I'll help my sisters with their goals, make the movies I want to make, support Stella on her path to becoming a doctor—"
"We'll buy a big house by the water, start a family, and grow old together," Stella said as she hugged her boyfriend.
Lincoln hugged her back, "All that good jazz."
They kissed passionately.
"Lincoln," Ronnie Anne said, getting his attention, "You said I may become a state trooper or a homicide detective. Which do you recommend?"
"It depends on what you want, Ronnie Anne. A state trooper is more on the field, while a detective is the one putting the pieces together, and not all puzzles are solved. Either way, you'll do great. It's just to be a detective; you have to go the extra mile. However, bear in mind that being a cop is not easy. You're going to see things . . . things that aren't nice. Now, you don't have to be a cop. You can be whatever you want," Lincoln explained.
Ronnie Anne stared at New York City's skyline, thinking before speaking, "No . . . I want to be a cop. I want to do my part and be of service."
They hung out and chatted for a while before Lincoln teleported everyone back home. Lincoln kissed his girlfriend goodnight and hugged Clyde and Ronnie Anne when he dropped them off at their homes. At Lincoln's home, he found Lynn and Lucy lying on the couch. They drifted to sleep watching TV together. Lincoln still felt sorrowful in his heart from seeing the bad possible future of him sending her away. All he wanted to do was hold Lynn close and never let go, but it was Lori and Leni's turn with the bedroom clock. He picked up Lucy, and she wrapped her arms around Lincoln, half asleep. Lincoln went upstairs to her and Lynn's bedroom and tucked her in bed.
"Why are you so good to us, Lincoln?" Lucy asked.
"You know why. It's because I love you," Lincoln answered as he put the blanket over her.
"And we love you too . . . if everyone was like you, the world would be a better place."
Lincoln kissed her head goodnight, and she kissed him back. As he walked to the doorway, he thought, 'I don't know about that. Maybe.'
Lori opened her door and called, "Lincoln."
"Yeah?" Lincoln turned to her.
"Don't forget, it's our turn tonight."
"I know. I'm coming. I just got to get Lynn in bed."
Lincoln went back downstairs to find the other sister sleeping on the couch. He planted several kisses on her face, making her smile and giggle as she woke up, still half asleep.
"Oooh, somebody loves me," Lynn said with a smile as she stretched her arms and legs while keeping her eyes closed.
"Yep, your favorite brother loves ya. It's time for bed, LJ. Come on. Let's get you to bed," Lincoln said.
Lynn, half asleep, rolled over and wrapped her arms around her brother as he adjusted his hands to pick her up.
"Mm, we've been waiting for you," Lynn mumbled as Lincoln picked her up, "Mmmm, you're strong, Linky."
"Uh-huh, yep. You made me strong, tough lady," Lincoln replied as he walked to the stairs.
"Tough lady?" Lynn asked.
"Yep, that's you. My tough little lady. My LJ. My Lynnester . . . and one of my ten prides and joys in life."
"Aww, thank you . . . and I like that nickname. Tough little lady," Lynn smiled before planting a bunch of little kisses on his face, "I love you too."
"And I love you too . . . I love you so much . . . you're going to be okay, Lynn. We're all going to be okay."
"Mmm."
Lincoln got her in bed and tucked her in. However, he planted several long kisses on her head and face again. He wanted to shower his family with so much love that he'd forget about the bad and cruel futures that would never happen and wished he could unsee them. He pushed away the negative thoughts and feelings as he went to Lori and Leni's bedroom. They already pressed the button to get the beds together.
Leni smiled with her arms out, "Linky."
Lincoln smiled as he crawled into their beds with them, hugging him close as he hugged them back. They drifted to sleep.
Lynn's dream
The Loud parents arrived by airplane with Lily shortly after. They met at the hospital in Chicago where Lynn Jr.'s surgery was underway. Rita and Lynn Sr. had grown old. Their hair turned grey, and they developed a few wrinkles. Rita had to wear glasses for her impaired vision, and Lynn Sr. had gone bald at the top of his head with only hair on the sides and back of his head. Lily had grown into a beautiful young lady like her sisters. As soon as they saw Lincoln and the others, they hugged them. They waited patiently for the doctors to finish the surgery. Finally, after several long hours, the head doctor came out.
"Okay, so the surgery for her lungs and liver was a success. We had to do a lot of work, but we were lucky that she was early in the stages. So, I wouldn't worry too much about long-term problems in the future," the doctor stated.
Everyone sighed in relief.
"But she's not out of the woods yet. She will have to follow a treatment plan, and it goes without saying that alcohol, any and all smoking products, is a big red flag. Plus, she'll have to learn to walk with only one leg. Also, I know she just lost a leg and had surgery for her lungs and liver, so I had to say that she needs one more surgery, but we did spot a rotting tooth," the doctor explained.
Everyone groaned and rolled their eyes.
"It's not an emergency, but we will need to get that sucker out. I know a few good dentists that'd come and work on that."
"Whatever works best. Can we see her?" Lori asked.
"Yeah, in a few minutes. We're finishing the remaining touches. You need to let her rest. She'll be out cold for at least a day. So, it's likely she won't wake up until tomorrow."
Everyone looked at each other for a long time before entering Lynn's room. After a minute, Rita and Lynn Sr. broke down in tears, clinging to each other. Lily tried so hard to prevent any tears from shedding, but her eyes watered. Lucy and the others explained everything to the parents and younger sibling. They agreed that the rehab place Lincoln mentioned was the place for her to go to overcome her addiction.
"Wait, LJ felt insecure about all your successes? She felt overshadowed?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"Oh no. Shit . . . all those times we bragged about our kids' potential. Was this our doing?" Rita questioned.
"No, no, no! Mom, Dad, don't do this to yourselves. This wasn't anyone's fault. We can't pin this on anyone. This was just a bad thing that happened," Lori stated.
"Still, it's so stupid that she didn't come to us for help and all over pride," Lola said before rubbing the bridge of her nose, "She should have come to us for help."
"Well, she didn't. But she's here now, and we gotta help her. So, dudes, when she wakes up, we should be very careful with our words. The last thing she wants is all of us showering her with questions and making her feel like we're judging her," Luna stated.
Luan sided with her, "Yeah, we're her family. We don't care what went wrong. She's back. She's safe. We're going to help her, and we love her. That's the message we need to get across."
Everyone nodded in agreement. The next day, Lynn woke up from her surgery. Lucy was the first to enter, followed by her sisters. LJ's eyes widened as she saw everyone walk in, including the parents and Lily. Lynn Jr. turned to Lucy with a look of desperation in her eyes.
"Please . . . tell me you didn't tell Lincoln," Lynn Jr. spoke.
Lucy didn't say anything, and neither did anyone else. Then, the sounds of someone walking from the halls were heard. Everyone glanced at the doorway as Lincoln entered. Lynn's eyes widened as she looked at her brother. For the first time in over 20 years, LJ was face-to-face with not only all the siblings that overshadowed her but also the number one sibling she looked up to but could never live up to. Both siblings had mixed feelings of both happiness and sorrow.
Lynn couldn't help but cry. Lincoln walked over to hug her, and Lynn just broke down in tears and sobbed as she hugged her brother. Lincoln's face was filled with tears as he silently cried. Everyone teared up, watching them with a hole aching in their hearts. Finally, after a long while, they eased up.
Lynn started, "Lincoln, I . . . I—"
Lincoln held his hand up, stopping her.
"You don't have to explain anything. We're not going to ask you any questions. We're here, Lynn. We're your family. We love you, and we're going to help you, okay?" Lincoln said very clearly while looking her in the eye.
Lynn glanced around at everyone looking at her before nodding. From then on, they discussed how they were going to help Lynn. Lincoln explained the rehab place and how it works. It was pretty legit. Lucy agreed that Lynn could move in with her after she got out. Lynn thought she had won the lottery but still felt aching guilt.
After that, everyone talked about their lives after Lynn disappeared on them . . . all the things she missed out on. All the college graduations, achievements, weddings, and all the new kids being born. Lynn's heart ached so much hearing about all the wonderful things that had happened. She couldn't help but tear up, especially when she saw all the wedding and family photos.
"You guys look amazing . . . and your children are beautiful . . . I'm so sorry," Lynn said in a hoarse and broken voice.
Lucy started, "No, Lynn. Don't be—"
"I wasn't there in the most important and beautiful parts of your lives. I'm sorry I missed out. I'm so sorry," Lynn said.
Lincoln hesitantly said, "We missed you, Lynn. We really did."
Rita and Lynn Sr. got up to hug their long, lost daughter. The parents and Lynn silently wept – Rita kissed her head several times.
"LJ, can you hear us?" Lynn Sr. asked.
She nodded.
"Good. We lost you once, LJ. We're not losing you again. Never again. Please let us help you," Lynn Sr. said.
His daughter whimpered, "Okay."
The visit was almost all day. Finally, everyone left, but Lincoln was the last to leave. When it was just the two of them, Lynn felt she needed to be honest with him.
"I'm sorry, Lincoln," Lynn said.
He stopped at the doorway. Lynn had tears building up again.
"I'm sorry . . . I truly am. I should of . . . I should have called you guys. I should have asked for help when I needed it . . . but I was . . . I was too ashamed of myself. I just wanted to be something great . . . like you. I wanted so hard to be great like you guys. I wanted you to be proud of me. I wanted to feel like I truly belonged . . . but I kept failing over and over again. I fell into a pit that I couldn't climb out of . . . and I was too ashamed to show my face. I thought it would damage your reputation and you guys would be mad at me . . . and that scared me. I see now that I was stupid. I'm . . . I'm so sorry, Lincoln," Lynn Jr. explained sorrowfully.
Lincoln was silent and still for a long time. Then he turned around and sat in a chair close to Lynn's bed. He had this look on his face, almost like he was squinting his eyes, making Lynn nervous.
"I wish I had my old phone," Lincoln said.
Lynn raised her eyebrow, "Wha?"
"I wish I could play you the last voicemail you sent me all those years ago. The last time I saw you was over 20 years ago. You were taking a break from college. You said you were fine, but I could tell you were not. I didn't want to make you upset by asking you over and over what's wrong. So, I just took your word for it. I made you promise me you'd be okay, and you said it. You said you promised. Then you left. You said, 'I love you,' and 'goodbye.' I still remember it, and it was fine. My life was good. My comic book business was booming, Clyde and I were making a lot of money, and big companies wanted to make cartoon shows and video games out of my comics. I got married, and I was so optimistic about my future, about all of our futures . . . but then a few months later, you called me," Lincoln explained.
Lynn was starting to remember what he was talking about. It wasn't too long before she lost the use of her phone, and her life fell apart.
Lincoln continued, "It was late at night. I was asleep, and the ringer was off, so I didn't answer. I woke up, and I saw you left a voicemail—"
"Lincoln, I—"
"—You said you were sober, but you were clearly drunk. You sounded happy, for some reason, but the words . . . what you said really threw me off—"
Lynn cringed as she remembered that night.
"—You were going on and on about what a black sheep you were to the family, about how you were such a disgrace and a failure compared to us. You ranted on about how it seems like you don't belong anywhere, about how you were no good at anything – no good at sports, no good at your job, no good at school . . . no good at being my sister. You listed all the times you hurt me, belittled me, bullied me, and even talked about when you first started calling me 'Stinkin.' Lori started that because she was teasing me whenever I had a dirty diaper. You called me that as a nickname and confessed that you thought I stank at everything: my magic tricks, my comics, and everything else I did. You said you felt it was cruel irony mocking because the reality is you stank at everything. You said nothing matters, but what really jolted me down to my core was what you said next. I swear to God, I thought I would faint," Lincoln explained.
Lynn closed her eyes with a sad, cringe look on her face. The aching feeling left a hole in her chest, filling her with guilt and regret.
Lincoln turned to her with watery eyes, "Do you remember what you said?"
Lynn nodded with a lump in her throat and said the dreadful words:
"I should do you and everyone a favor and just . . . fade away forever."
"I tried calling you, but your phone was dead. So, I called your friend, Margo, but she didn't know where you were. Then I called the police. They went there and couldn't find you but saw video footage of you leaving the campus. I called everyone after the police filed a missing person report. We searched and searched but couldn't find you. I looked everywhere you would be, offered a reward, and even checked unidentified bodies. After everyone else gave up, they had to go the extra mile to convince me to let you go and accept the fact that you were gone."
Lynn's lips quivered as she closed her eyes, letting a few tears roll down.
Lincoln explained, "I thought you dead. I truly believed you were dead . . . and I thought it was my fault for leaving you like that. I needed therapy to convince myself that it wasn't my fault, but it was so hard because you called me of all people. So, I moved on . . . continued my work . . . Stella and I had kids along with our sisters. My movies were great, and life went back to being okay again. Then I got a phone call from my sisters, and they told me that you were alive. My heart stopped, and that same horrible feeling that I got the morning when I listened to your voicemail came back. Was I selfish to believe you when you said you were going to be okay?"
Lynn shook her head, "No, no, you weren't. It was my fault. I was drunk and stupid. I felt like my world was ending and . . . I just wanted to talk to you."
There was a short moment of silence before Lincoln spoke again.
"After our sisters told me you were alive, I was confused. I tried to make sense of it all, but I couldn't. Then, when the surgeries were all done, I thought it didn't matter. As much as we all wanted answers, asking you questions wouldn't help you any. So, we all agreed not to ask you anything about why and how you became homeless and why you didn't ask for help. I should be angry at you. Hell, I should be fucking furious at you. I have every right and reason to yell and scream at the top of my lungs right in front of your goddamn face . . . but what good will that do?" Lincoln explained.
"I'm sorry," Lynn said.
"I just wanted to be the person I wanted to be and not like someone who felt he had something to prove to you," Lincoln stated.
"You had nothing to prove to me. I was and always will be proud of you. Hell, Lincoln, I idolized you. I wanted to be as great as you," Lynn objected.
"Then why did you always make me feel like I needed to do more?"
Lynn froze at those words.
"Growing up, I had to fix everything. EVERYTHING. I had to fix your problems and stop you girls from tearing the house down or making things worse. I got blamed for shit I didn't do. You girls got us banned from places because of your shenanigans. I had to put up with you and our sisters' bullshit for years. My magic tricks never impressed you. I had to push my art skills. I had to do something amazing to get your favor."
"I'm so sorry, Lincoln. I don't know why I did all that. I was a dumb kid who always wanted to win. I thought if I pushed you, you would try harder at things. That you would bring out the fire in you, but you had it all along. I just didn't see it. I was jealous of you. I wanted to be like you . . . especially when everyone was praising you more than me. The more I tried, the more I failed, and that fed my depression and anxiety," Lynn explained.
Lincoln got up from his chair, looked Lynn in the eye, and said clearly, "It's going to be okay, Lynn. I love you . . . and I'm glad you're not dead."
"I love you too, Lincoln. And I'm glad I'm not dead, too," Lynn said.
Lincoln left the room, and Lynn stayed awake in her bed for a long time, contemplating everything that had happened. She felt a deep sense of mixed feelings: happy that her family was going to help her and she wasn't going back to being homeless, sad and ashamed that she hurt them for her absence, and deeply full of regret that she missed out on so many great things that happened in her siblings' lives. She tried her best to fill her head with positive thoughts and vibes before drifting off to sleep.
End of Lynn's dream
Lynn woke up early and went straight to Lincoln in Lori and Leni's room. She crawled into his bed and held him close as she lay on top of him. Lincoln was half asleep as he lay on his back, rubbing Lynn's back and head and holding her. Lynn relished this, feeling his warmth and breathing in his scent. Then, they had to get up. Lynn took an antidepressant and got ready for summer school. She kissed Lincoln goodbye before heading out.
Lincoln did his morning jog with Lori, and they both did yoga when they returned home. Lincoln sparred with the punching bag and lifted weights before taking a shower. When he was done, he worked on more character art designs for Ernest's movie. While he worked on the art, Lucy sat on his couch and talked about her story as she typed on her laptop. Lincoln liked her ideas, and she loved his advice on events and what to do with characters. Later, Lucy left to write some poetry in a dark place. After Lincoln finished the art designs, he emailed them, and Ernest called.
"Yes, sir?" Lincoln answered.
"I got your email. I'm looking at the art designs. It's outstanding," Ernest said.
"Really?"
"Oh god, yeah. It actually turned out better than I thought it would. Listen, people in the animation department have been talking about you, and I told them I highly recommended you. I don't know how many of them will reach out to you for their projects, but I told them to contact me first, and then I'd ask you. Does that work for you?" Ernest explained.
Lincoln's eyes widened, and he felt lighter than air.
"Oh yes. Yes! Absolutely, sir," Lincoln said excitedly.
"Great. I don't know what will happen but keep your phone close. Actually, it might be if I just email you. Yeah, let's go with email, and if we need to call, we'll set up a date and time, okay?" Ernest said.
"That works for me, sir," Lincoln responded.
"Good. Whatever you're doing to make your art awesome, keep at it. I look forward to seeing the next comic you and Clyde are working on."
"I'll let you know as soon as it's finished. Hey, before you go, I wanted to make a few suggestions regarding the background music. Have you ever heard of a video game called Shadow of the Colossus?"
"Yeah, it's that old game where you hunt down and kill giant monsters or something?" Ernest asked.
"That's right. The game itself may not be for everyone, but the music is breathtaking. So, for scenes where you want to go big or have a big fighting climax, I'd check the music out from that game to give you some ideas. And for normal or whimsical scenes, I'd recommend music from the first Spyro game. I can send you links to YouTube videos," Lincoln explained.
"Great, send them."
Lincoln sent him links by email.
"Okay, thank you. I'll check those out later. Thanks for the suggestions and the art."
"No problem, sir. I hope it helps. Goodbye."
They hung up, and Lincoln silently cheered while jumping up and down. Then, Lincoln ran downstairs and kissed each sister on the face. The girls were taken by surprise but smiled slightly.
"Bro, I know you love us a lot, but this is silly," Luna said, half-chuckling.
"I know I'm irresistible, but you have to control yourself, Lincoln," Lola stated.
"Yeah, you big kissy monster," Lana said.
"I got fantastic news!" Lincoln announced.
He told his younger sisters the news, and they cheered joyfully. Later, at the end of the day, when everyone was home, Lincoln told his parents and older sisters, too. They were overjoyed to hear that. Leni delivered more good news. She held a magazine in her hands.
"O-M-Gosh! Guys, you'll never believe what's happened! Remember that lady who was picking which outfit she wanted for the cover of her magazine?" Leni asked.
Everyone nodded.
Leni showed them the magazine cover with a model wearing the clothes that Leni designed.
"She picked mine!" Leni said before squealing with excited joy.
Everyone cheered, and the group hugged. They placed the magazine in Leni's spot in the trophy cabinet. Everyone was so proud, but Lincoln and Lucy noticed that Lynn was feeling bummed out despite having a smile on her face. Her sad eyes weren't fooling them.
Lincoln whispered to Lucy, "I got an idea that'll cheer her up."
"It has to be something big. A walk on the beach ain't gonna cut it," Lucy whispered.
"Oh, it's big, alright, and the best part is everyone can come."
After dinner, Lincoln gathered everyone in the living.
"Everyone, we're going on a little field trip. It's to somewhere special and . . . inspiring," Lincoln said.
"Inspiring?" Lori asked.
"How long is this field trip?" Rita asked.
"Not long. We'll be back in time for dinner. We're going to see the Northern Lights," Lincoln said.
Everyone's eyes widened, and some gasped.
"The Northern Lights?!" Luna gasped.
"O-M-G! Yes! Take us there, Lincoln!" Lori said in joyful excitement.
"Yes, please! I've never seen them. I heard they're beautiful!" Leni agreed.
"They are, but we need to dress warm. Even this time of year, it's cold where we're going," Lincoln said.
Everyone dressed warmly, as Lincoln said, and he teleported them to the Artic Circle. It was cold, and there was snow. It was nighttime, but what they saw left them in awe. In the sky were bright green and turquoise ribbons of long lights hovering high above. They stretched across the land and even reflected against the water. The Loud family stood there in the snow, staring at the lights in amazement. Their eyes glistened, and they were so lost in the beauty of what they were seeing that they didn't even care about the cold.
"Whoa," Lynn Jr. breathed.
"They're so beautiful," Leni said.
"Google images and videos don't do them justice. They're way prettier in person," Lori stated.
"They're so amazing that I can't think of a joke for them," Luan said, and then Mr. Coconuts said, "No, but a joke about the cold can be told. You might as well call me Mr. Roast Nut!"
"They're so pretty," Lola stated.
"I can see why they say they dance. See how they move?" Lana asked while pointing.
"I can't tell if this is prettier than seeing the sky full of stars without any light pollution because both are amazing. Nature is wonderful," Lucy stated.
"Thank you for bringing us here, Lincoln," Rita said gratefully.
"Yeah, thanks, sport. I can see what you mean by inspiring," Lynn Sr. said while smiling.
"Oh, this is just a taste of the inspiring part," Lincoln said.
Everyone turned to him with a raised eyebrow as he gave everyone their earbuds.
"Just trust me. That's all you gotta do, just trust me," Lincoln said, handing them their earbuds.
Everyone glanced at each other before putting the earbuds in their ears. Lincoln pulled out his phone and played 'Fix You' by Coldplay. As the song played, Lincoln summoned light orbs, and everyone watched them float in the air. It was beautiful. It was like watching big floating lanterns of golden light float around them – like little floating stars. Everyone felt light as they were lost in the incredible sight around them.
Then, halfway through the song, just as the lyrics 'I will try to fix you,' Lincoln took Lynn Jr.'s hand, and they slowly floated up in the air. Everyone gasped as they watched them fly. Then Lincoln used his telekinesis powers to make them float in the air with them. Lynn Jr. was a little scared as she clung onto Lincoln tightly, but his smile and how he looked at her made her feel safe. As the song and music progressed, they flew a little faster. Soon, they were high above, and the Loud family was surrounded by light orbs with the northern lights just above them. Lincoln's family laughed and cheered as they flew around, having the time of their lives. It was more fun than any rollercoaster, and they had so much fun that they couldn't even feel the cold. Lincoln used his powers to make the light orbs dance around them or take form in patterns like tunnels and loops for them to fly through. He even grouped them together to make them into shapes like stars, crescent moons, snowflakes, snowmen, and even a big Santa Claus smiling and waving at them. Then he made them into the shape of animals running alongside them as they flew.
At the end of the song, Lincoln landed on the ground first, and he gently brought his family down. Lynn Jr. was the last to come down, but Lincoln made her come to him as he held his arms out. Looking at Lincoln smiling at her, Lynn felt her heart skip a beat. She couldn't help but tear up as she smiled. When the song ended with the lyrics 'I will try to fix you,' Lynn and Lincoln embraced each other in a close and warm hug. All stress and negative feelings were gone at that moment. The voices couldn't reach her. Lynn felt so much relief and happiness as she held her brother and relished being in his arms. The rest of the Louds couldn't help but tear up as well as they watched them with joyful smiles. The father, of course, burst into tears as he ran over and hugged his two children, crying like a baby. The rest of the family joined in.
After a long while of hugging, Lola broke the silence, "Okay, I love you guys, and I really don't want to ruin the moment, but it is cold here. Can we go home and hug each other where it's warm?"
"You don't want to watch the lights a while longer?" Lincoln asked.
"Lincoln, I can't feel my cheeks," Lola said.
"Me too," Lana said.
"Okay, okay. Let's go home," Lincoln said.
He teleported them home, and it didn't take long for them to warm up.
"Okay, that was totally awesome dudes. Do you know what will make them even better? Some good jambalaya!" Luna stated.
"Oh heck, yes!" Lynn Sr. agreed excitedly.
Later
That trip to the northern lights sparked positive energy in the whole family, including Lynn. She continued to improve with school and soccer. After Leni won the magazine thing, she became more popular at work, and Gavin took her on a special dinner date.
Then, it was Lola's beauty pageant, and she had it covered. She had a new skill and showed it off to the judges when they asked her. She let out a thunderous lion-like roar that scared everyone stiff.
"V-v-v-very im-m-m-m-pressive," the judge said while shaking.
"Thank you. My big brother, Lincoln, taught me that," Lola said before waving to her brother.
Lincoln smiled with a clicking sound while giving her finger guns. However, what really won the judges and crowd over was her ribbon dance. It was a magnificent display of grace and skill. She gained some flexibility from Lori teaching her. Lola won her beauty pageant, but she didn't really care that much about it. She was more focused on the webcomic she was making. When they got home, they all sat in the living room, and Lola talked about her story while sitting on Lincoln's lap. He hugged her from behind with some of her hair in his face – Lola, of course, relished being in his arms. The first couple of chapters were getting her quite the fanbase. Her story of toys struggling with modern-day technology addressed many issues, and the fans loved the main characters. Lola got the idea based on her brother, Lincoln.
However, the positive energy was interrupted by a surprise visit from unexpected visitors as the doorbell rang. Lynn Sr. answered it, and he wasn't expecting the people at his door to be there at all.
"Lance? Sharan? Dad?" Lynn Sr. spoke.
Everyone turned to the front door, "Gramps?!"
Uncle Lance didn't look very happy. Sharan looked worried, and Gramps had a somewhat disappointed look on his face.