A/N: Sorry for the delay, did not have time to immediately write the finisher for this fic as early as I wanted. Plus, working and taking some maintenance classes are keeping me pretty busy. Anyway, with all the chaos that occurred in the last chapter, everyone is beginning to heal from their wounds and tie up some loose ends that have yet to receive their comeuppance. From then, who knows what will happen to the Louds, Santiagoes, and Pingreys. Time will certainly tell.

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.

The past three days nearly went by in a blur, but it was filled with constant activity and gossip. Word of the two fights made it to the headlines within a few hours, spreading quite rapidly among social media to the point that roughly half the state at least acknowledged it. Judging from the reports given by all witnesses available (included the battered teens who tried to downplay the incident), it became clear to the police who was guilty and who was innocent. Outraged about what happened to their children, the parents of the Louds, Santiagos, and Pingreys started pressing charges. The police debated on whether the case would be heard in the juvenile or regular circuits, as the guilty party aged from 13-15. Taking into account the injuries given to Lynn and the other elementary-grade kids, it was decided to have the hearing take place in the regular courts. A hearing was to be scheduled within the coming weeks.

Mirroring their sentiments, the general consensus praised those who came to the defense of the smaller children; more specifically, Lynn Loud Jr. While she was slated to be bed ridden for roughly a month, the Loud was immediately visited by several of her peers who applauded her for her bravery, determination, and outright awesomeness. Lynn tried to not let it get to her head, but couldn't help bragging about some of her feats. It was quite comical to see her acting so happy despite her current state, though it may also be due to the fact Lynn had to take strong pain killers every 6 hours.

Lori and Carol also received the same treatment, as various members of their class felt their arrest was rather uncalled for and expressed their hopefulness that their respective siblings were doing ok. Not only that, while the two still weren't back into the usual swing of their relationship, Bobby did talk more with Lori than he previously did over the last two weeks. He also shared that Ronnie Anne was getting better, though she had trouble eating something without it coming back up.

With Conner, he was very thankful for Carol coming to his defense (though now he was very nervous about getting on her bad side). In a rare moment of happiness, Cassandra actually hugged Conner. She still hadn't smiled, but told Conner she was quite unnerved at the thought of him winding up in the hospital. The Pingrey boy didn't feel as convinced since Cassy still lacked some emotion in her tone, but took it anyways.

As for Lincoln, in spite of his announcement to return home, he delayed it by a day in order to spend time with an ailing Ronnie Anne. Maria gave the school a note to have him take the rest of the week off so he could rest; though, there wasn't much resting for this Loud. He still felt guilty about not doing anything to help Ronalda, even stating that he "failed to protect her as a boyfriend". Ronalda promptly gave him a light bop to the head when he said that, telling him that she was supposed to protect him, per Lynn's orders, not the other way around.

The tomboy even bragged about getting some good licks in before they stuffed her in the trash. The little Latina topped it off by telling Lincoln it wasn't his fault; getting blindsided before anything started could attest to that. Even more so, Ronnie Anne expressed her own worries about what would've happened to Lincoln since she was tossed down the street.

While Lynn intervened before those thoughts could come to pass, Ronnie Anne felt a hefty amount of guilt after seeing the state the jock was in before she was taken home. She reminded herself to pay Lynn a visit once she felt like she wasn't about to spray stomach bile everywhere. Regardless of her condition, it didn't stop Lincoln from just being there for the tomboy; Ronnie hated to admit it, but being treated like a princess did feel nice. Ronalda supposed it might have been due to the numerous times Lincoln had been forced to play butler for Lola; unlike the tea parties, he was actually enjoying himself, and Ronnie Anne didn't make him do meaningless tasks.

A day later, it was time for Lincoln to finally leave the house. Even though Ronnie Anne tried to take it in stride, Lincoln and Bobby caught a few tears leaving her eyes. Lincoln promised he'd call her every day, to which the Santiago girl grimaced slightly and told him to do it every 2 days at the least. Last thing anyone wanted was for them to wind up like Lori and Bobby and ride up the phone bills. She also had to fight the urge to leave a nice heart-shaped mark on his lips; having the taste of bile in your mouth was just horrible, so a tight hug sufficed.

All it took was 6 minutes worth of riding shotgun before Lincoln would see that familiar, old house with toys scattered on the lawn and roof. The boy breathed a content sigh. "Thanks for the ride Mr. Santiago."

"Any time Lincoln. 'Sides, not like I have to go in early today." Marcus chuckled. The two sat in silence for a moment. Since it was a short trip, Lincoln didn't have much on his mind besides the thoughts of spending time with his real family and feeling at home again for the first time in weeks.

"Ey..." Lincoln twisted his head back to Marcus. The older man twisted the wheel as they turned down another street. "I know you probably don't need to be told this, but make sure you take care of Ronalda, alright?"

Lincoln grew more confused by this, but Mr. Santiago wasn't finished. "I know she's at that age where she's trying to handle things herself more, but I know under all of that hard skin Ronalda claims to have, she's still the shy little girl I watched come into this world. The first time she got into a fight at school, everything about her changed. My little girl went from being quiet and timid to boastful and loud, a bit too much if you ask me. She used to be one to cause trouble, or go looking for it. In reality, she was just building up a wall to hide her real feelings, saying it 'made her look weak'." Marcus shook his head. "I told her before that doing things that way would lead to problems later on, and now, it's obvious she has a difficult time expressing herself."

Lincoln couldn't deny him there, what with how Ronnie Anne continued to prank him despite the two being close friends after that 'date' in the French-Mexican restaurant. Now that we're on that subject, Lincoln started to think she probably could've just stayed distant from him in school and they'd chat after; it would've been much less stressful than being embarrassed in front of his peers frequently. However, there was one little tidbit Ronnie Anne told him not long ago.

It was the day after Lincoln gained his new reputation. Pretty awkward with how Lincoln was probably near the bottom of the popularity chart (if there was one) just a few days ago, and now he was close to the top. The Loud asked her why their classmates were acting like he was the new school bully when he was still the same old nerd who loved Ace Savvy and played video games. The question popped up after Ronnie Anne clicked on a random video of a school brawl going on, with many students watching and cherring.

"Well Lame-O, the real answer is because everyone wants to act like they got something to hold over anyone else. Or, they just pick at others to make themselves feel better. Some may say 'liking or having this makes you cool', or 'if you like this thing, it makes you a nerd'. If there's one thing I've learned, people in our class can be like sharks and everyone else is a stupid fish. Someone goes after a guy or girl and picks on them for no reason other than a little laugh, and others will do the same because they think it's cool or funny. They also do it so they don't get treated like the fresh meat."

Lincoln recalled how Ronnie Anne developed a small frown almost immediately after. "Sharks usually aren't picky about who they target..." The tomboy then gave a smirk. "But when the fish they targeted suddenly fights back, the shark doesn't look so big, does he? And in your case Lincoln, I think it's due to you being a nerd for so long that (when you kicked Chandler's butt) anyone who had picked at you thought they'd be next." Ronnie Anne felt a twinge of regret run through her for moment. "Or felt like a big jerk..."

She said that last part quietly, but it didn't go unnoticed. Lincoln would've said something about it, but Ronnie Anne pulled up another cop video. They shared another laugh before Lincoln got that text from Luna about going out to lunch.

Lincoln certainly didn't expect an analysis like that to come from Ronnie Anne of all people, but it has fairly accurate. He also didn't realize how deep her words went until their first actual date: she had went through the same thing. Since then, the Loud assumed, Ronalda had kept up the impression of a bully to ensure no one picked on her like in 4th grade; hence the 'wall' Marcus had mentioned.

"Guess she had been doing it for so long that she forgot how to talk to someone she wanted to be friends with.." Lincoln thought a little glumly. "But, she changed though. Ronnie Anne doesn't seem to think much about what everyone else thinks now. I mean, I guess she did at first due to what you just said, but what made her change?"

Mr. Santiago pulled down the visor above Lincoln's seat. "Look in the mirror, and you'll see the answer."

The boy looked up at his own reflection, eyes widening slightly as the hint finally sunk in.

"Don't know how you managed to do it son, but keep doing what you're doing. She could really use someone like you to keep her head on striaght."

"Um..." The Loud blushed a little. "T-Thanks..." Lincoln looked down at the dashboard. "How long do we have til we get to my house?"

"We're already here."

The 11 year old raised both eyebrows and looked out the window. Home looked the same as it always did: toys strewn everywhere, a family heirloom of a van sitting in what could count as a driveway, chipped paint and roof tiles hanging here and there...it made Lincoln feel warm all over.

"I know it's only been a few weeks, but man have I missed this place..."

"Good luck Lincoln, and stay safe." Marcus added as the boy got out. As Lincoln started to take his stuff out the back seat, "Oh, and if you need someone to law down the law with your folks, just give me a shout." The man gave a wide grin.

Lincoln chuckled nervously. "Thanks, but I don't think that'll be necessary." He shut the door, standing around for a brief moment until Mr. Santiago turned the corner. Looking back at the house, "Welp, here goes nothing." Lincoln muttered as he walked up the beaten path.

When he got to the front door, Lincoln twisted the knob out of habit, a bit surprised to find it was unlocked. Raising a brow, Lincoln opened the door to find the living room and dining room eerily darkened. "Hello?" The boy called out into the abyss. The light from the outside was making it hard to see anything, so Lincoln dragged his hand along the wall until he found the light switch.

Upon flipping it on, "SURPRISE!", was what greeted the boy.

Lincoln yelped, staggering back in a knee-jerk reaction until he found himself lying on top of his backpack. He tried to lean up to see who was there, beginning to regret packing so much stuff into that sack.

A hand grabbed his and pulled him up. "Sorry about that, sport." Lynn Sr. chuckled fidgetingly.

Once he could see foward, Lincoln saw the rest of his family there, along with Pop-Pop and (to the boy's surprise) Mr. Grouse. The living room was decorated with party favors, including a sign that said 'Welcome Back' strung up on the ceiling. Snacks were on a folding table next to the couch, in particular noting that one of the plates had some of his favorite treats on it. There was also a large chocolate cake sitting nestled inside a glass container that was pad-locked for reasons Lincoln could only guess.

"So, what's the party for?" Lincoln asked as his dad helped him to his feet. Stupid question, he knew, but it didn't hurt to ask.

"Since you were coming back today, we thought it'd be best to give you a warm welcome." Rita spoke in a tone matching her enthusiasm, bringing her son into a bear hug. "We're so sorry for driving you away sweetie!"

Lincoln chuckled a little. "I already forgave you at the park, and everyone else over the past week." His voice was muffled due to it being pushed into his mom's stomach. He pushed away from her a bit so he could breathe clearer. "But, you didn't have to do all of this."

"Yeah, we could have. But we would've been party poopers if we didn't." Luan piped up, laughing at her own joke. Most of the girls groaned, though Lynn Sr. and Lincoln stifled a laugh.

"We got your favorite snacks, a cake, some of your favorite comics," Leni spoke as she pointed out what was on the table. "Oh, and I think Lori got you this totes cute shirt!"

"Did she mention the cake?" Lola asked.

"She did..." Lori looked down at the princess. "Why do you think I bolted it shut?"

"Aw come on. Are you sure we can't have one little, eeney teensy slice?" Lana begged.

"No." The teen held firm, folding her arms. "I didn't get it just so you two could pig out. No one is cutting it first until Lincoln does, and I'm not going to remind you again."

"I had suggested that we wait until the weekend to perform this party, considering that this is still a school day." Lisa quipped.

Lana gave a sideways glance to the little genius. "Oh hush party pooper. You wanted this to happen as much as we did."

As everyone started to chat amongst themselves, Lincoln took another look around. All of his sisters were pretty excited, with a few starting an argument over the cake. Lily was playing around with Cliff over a set of baby keys Lucy was dangling over them, a rare sight in itself since Lucy was also giving a small smile. The boy grew a little confused when he glanced over at Pop-Pop chatting with Mr. Grouse; he was aware that Pop-Pop knew of what happened, but Mr. Grouse? Now that he thought about it, the door was open when he was giving his hate speech...

Shaking his head, Lincoln shoved that memory into the back of his mind, especially since the festivities were starting. He wasn't about to let the past ruin this moment. Still, he felt rather bad for Lynn; she'd have to skip out on doing much anything for several weeks, and given the state of her mouth, Lincoln was unsure if she would even be able to enjoy the treats he was seeing.

"I'll save her a big piece of cake after everyone's gotten their share. She really earned it." Lincoln spoke inwardly, getting out of his mom's grasp to chat with his sisters.

A few hours passed before the party started to wind down. Lincoln was lying on the newly crafted bed in his room, which he admitted was way better than his previous one. It may have been due to sleeping on a couch for so long, but the mattress felt so soft to the point he nearly fell asleep as soon as his head touched fabric. The bed itself was slightly wider than expected, but stronger overall (to which the middle child thanked Leni greatly), and his dresser and desk looked like it came straight from the factory. It was funny to think that this very room used to be stripped bare to the point it looked more like a real closet than the bedroom it was intended to be.

Gazing up at his wardrobe, Lincoln noted the amount of Ace Savvy themed shirts hanging on the rack alongside his usual orange polos. "Lori really went all out, huh?" The boy spoke to himself. Breathing in deep, Lincoln let out a relieved sigh as he continued to lie in the domain that was once again his own.

A knock at the door interrupted it though, not that he minded. Swinging his feet out, Lincoln stood and tried to open the door, only to grow momentarily confused when it wouldn't budge. The boy groaned, slapping his forehead for his stupidity. "Oh, right. The lock."

Another new feature of his room is that the door finally had a new locking mechanism. Lola was the first to claim that she was the one who got it for him (Lana installed it though). The old one had been broken for so long due to the girls constantly barging into the room that it was nearly alien for Lincoln to have to unlock his own door. During that time, he grew to accept that the girls would trample on his privacy without warning, so he just kept it unlocked; lest they think he was ignoring them again. Now though, it seemed Lori spread the word about his privacy concerns and the girls promised to knock whenever they needed him.

Twisting the tumbler in the knob, Lincoln opened the door to see the smartest person in the house staring up at him. "Greetings elder brother, how are you doing so far?"

Lincoln shrugged. "Doing ok. Need help with something?"

Lisa shook her head. "Negative. I came to ask if you needed assistance in the planning of your prank."

"Prank?" Lincoln asked. The art of sudden realization smacked him in the face two seconds later. It nearly slipped his mind with all of the positive vibes going around lately. However, Lynn's absence was a grim reminder of what caused all of this to happen. "Oh, right. Nearly forgot." He chuckled nervously. "But, yeah, I'm gonna need a lot of help for this since..." Lincoln rubbed the back of his head. "Every time I plan something, it goes haywire..."

"Probably because you forgot about minute details that would've been worth paying attention to." Lisa replied, waving her hand in a notion for Lincoln to follow her.

As they walked into the little genius' room, Lincoln noted that the room didn't look any different from when he left; aside from the large monitors on the desk and attached to the wall as if he was stepping into a security room. "Hey Lis', mind if I ask you something?"

"Ask away." The toddler jumped into her chair.

"What exactly were you doing for the past few weeks? I've met with just about everyone else in our family besides you and Lily since I was gone, yet I haven't heard from you at all. It wasn't like you could at least sent me a text or email, or..."

"I realized that myself, and I do apologize. I've been rather, busy, with the university as of late; along with doing business with some of my fellow scientists over important matters. I simply did not manage my time properly to make contact with you, but..." Lisa wheeled over to the stack of papers before handing them to Lincoln. "I did have the time to compile a list of favors that I owe you from the various experiments you've assisted me with."

Lincoln raised a brow before reading through the sheets. Some of the experiments and incidents listed were still fresh in his mind, but others were real headscratchers. According to what was stated, Lisa owed him roughly 150 favors. "Uh..." Lincoln smiled nervously. "Thanks Lisa, but you don't have to do all this."

"Perhaps not..." Lisa paused as her voice faltered a little, wheeling around to face him. Her eyes held a downcast look. "I still regret not helping you when you really needed someone to slap some logic into all of us..." The 4 year old looked at the floor as she continued with her thoughts. "Not a day went by that I kept thinking to myself that, if I had helped you before you reached the point where you snapped...none of this would've happened..." Her whole body flinched as light chill went up her spine. "I still can't believe I called this whole farce an interesting case study..."

"You still had science on the brain, so I guess that's how it helps you think (even though it's annoying sometimes)..." Lincoln gave a frown of his own. "But there's no telling what would've happened. You were the first person to realize all the luck was fake, but what if..." He gave a short pause as a horrid thought came up. "What if they tried to kick you out like they did to me? I mean, I was very mad that night, but I might've lost it completely if I heard they would try to kick you out too because of 'bad luck'..." Lincoln quoted with his fingers. He no longer had a difficult time saying those two words, but it still left a bad taste in his mouth.

Lisa hummed questioningly. "Victim of circumstance is a real possibility, and if that were the case, I would truly say that our family wouldn't be worth saving. I'm pretty certain you felt the same way after debating on whether you should contact the local authorities."

The boy gave a low nod. "...I didn't think it was worth seeing everyone getting put in an orphanage or mom and dad going to jail..."

"But, it still stands as a sign of what can happen when one reaches their breaking point." Lisa turned back around in her chair, starting the process of booting up her system. "It's quite sad and a bit appalling that all of us had to experience these tense 17 days to realize how imbecilic we were being; especially myself for falling for that trick in the first place..."

Lincoln walked up behind the chair, resting a hand on Lisa's head. "I was surprised too, but you're still pretty little Lis. Besides, "The boy smiled. " I forgave just about everyone back at the hospital."

Lisa cheeks heated up slightly as she bit her lip. "It's truly a mystery as to how you can be so forgiving dear brother, especially after everything that's happened to you; even more so to someone whose greatly wronged you or hasn't contacted you in the past 408 hours..."

Lincoln gave a shrug. "That's just how I am I guess. I thought I would be mad at you guys forever, but it didn't last. Like you said earlier this month, you tried and couldn't get through to them, so you gave up. Just because we haven't talked doesn't mean I should hold that against you."

Lisa stared down at her keyboard. "...I-EECK!" Lisa yelped as she was suddenly lifted out of the chair, her brother hugging her from behind.

"I still love you Lisa, and you really looked like you needed a hug." Lincoln chuckled. Lisa held her surprised gaze for a few more moments, before resting her hands against her brother's arms. She returned the hug as hest she could, smiling contently.

"I love you too, Lincoln."

"Got room for one more?" A teenaged voice slyly cut in.

Lincoln turned his head around, seeing his comedian of a sister leaning on the door frame. "Oh, hey Luan." He lowered his younger sister back into her chair. "What up?"

"Just thought the expert ought to help with the planning." Luan replied as she walked in. "So," She leaned on the desk. "Think of anything yet?"

Lincoln shook his head. "I'm still trying to figure out how this is gonna work. But in order to do that, I need to figure out where Chandler usually goes during school..." Lincoln hummed as he tapped his chin. "Or, this prank could happen right before school. That way, everyone can see it."

"That does sound reasonable. If he is aware that he's a wanted man, Chandler may attempt to use the crowd of students as cover." Lisa cracked her fingers before tying some sort of algorithm into the command console. "However, I can access the school's security system to pinpoint where and when he enters the campus on a daily basis."

"Ok, but is there a way to get him while he's in the crowd?" Lincoln voiced uneasily. "I don't wanna accidentally hit someone else with this idea..."

"Ah, not to worry Link." Luan piped up, ruffling the preteen's hair. "If I can l set up a trap to get you to set off multiple pranks at the same time, then I can definitely get my accuracy down to make him the star of the show. Besides, earlier this year, I had to deal with a few girls heckling me about my appearance." A smug grin was very evident on the comedian. "Guess who got the last laugh in the end?"

"Wait, didn't you come home nearly in tears a few times?" Lincoln pointed out.

Luan's grim faltered a little. "Yeeeaaaaaah….." She drew out, avoiding the stares of her two siblings. "But one important lesson about heckling someone is that you gotta be prepared to get served back what you can dish out. Guess you can say Chef Luan gave them the main course." She laughed to herself.

"Hmmm..." Lincoln rubbed his chin. He tried to recall some of the pranks Luan had pulled on the family during April Fools, though subconsciously they kept getting pushed into the back of his mind due to how distasteful the pranks had been. "Do you still have any videos of how you set up the pranks on your 'Christmas'?"

"Uhh…" Luan started. The memory of how she dealt with the tapes came fresh to mind: she took of all of Lincoln's embarrassing moments (and may or may not have included some of her prank videos), dumped them in a pile and used one of Lynn's bats to smash them to pieces. Then, she took the used film and burned it all on the grill; Lynn Sr. almost called the fire department when part of the backyard started to light up. The comedian rubbed one of her eyebrows instinctively, feeling the marker imprint as well as the uncomfortable lack of hair. "I got rid of the tapes since I'm trying to scale back...but I do remember how I set up some of my pranks. I can make some changes if needed."

"Well, I have the rest of the week off, so we have plenty of time to figure this all out." Lincoln looked back at the monitors, which now showed various locations of the school through the hacked security cameras. Lincoln smiled a little after noticing one certain look-alike visible in a hallway. "Might even call a few friends to help."

It took a few days worth of careful planning, timing, and moving some equipment around, but it would all be worth it soon. Once identifying Chandler on the security feed, Lisa plotted his course throughout the day and took note of certain time frames where it would be best to spring their trap. The rotten redhead was within of the first group of students to reach the school, standing amongst the front so he'd be able to get inside as fast as possible and disappear within the crowds. If they didn't pull the prank on him there, Lisa figured they could shoot for recess. To her dismay, Chandler hadn't gone outside over the past few days, preferring to stick to the library. Lincoln frowned when he saw this, figuring that Chandler must've realized being out in the open would make him an easy target. Plus, the library was a bit of a sanctuary within the school; causing any trouble there would land anyone in detention. So, the white-haired Loud decided they would just have to get everything ready before school started.

Keeping this idea in mind, Lincoln and Luan spent their next two days planning up their trap. They weren't the only ones aiding in the scheme however. In spite of being hesitant to do so, Lincoln asked Lori for Carol's number and invited Conner to his house. Unlike Lincoln, Conner only sustained a few injuries during the brawl, so he was cleared to go back to school the day after.

While Lincoln was still a little sore at the revelation of Conner playing a part in causing a bit of turbulence in the Loud's relationship, the Pingrey boy was unaware that Chandler had been taking photos of him at the time. Plus, Lincoln knew he'd feel a little guilty later on if he didn't let Conner aid in this revenge scheme. The blonde also gave some helpful tips about Chandler's demeanor; the redhead looked to be on the verge of crapping himself knowing that his plan had failed. The teens he hired hadn't dropped his name, which suited the kids just fine as they felt this was a personal matter they wanted to deal with. Ronnie Anne video chatted to give her own advice, seeing as she was still stuck at home due to her sickness. Maria said she should be fine by the middle of next week, but the tomboy was dreading the amount of work she'd have to do to catch up. They ran into a little snag when the kids realized they were missing one important piece to their puzzle, and Conner enlisted the help of his second oldest sister since she knew a friend.

And with all of that planning, it brings us to Friday morning, just an hour before school starts. Lori drove the group to school before she took the higher grade Louds to their campus. The plan was almost put on hold as some teachers were already present, especially Principal Huggins. To combat this problem, Lola and Lana opted to keep Huggins distracted by playing 20 Questions; Lucy was to scare off any teachers from approaching Luan, Lincoln, and Conner. The trio set up their part of the prank just on the other side of the front doors whilst Lisa did her part at home; she gave the security cams a false view and hacked the automated sprinklers to be manually operated by the genius herself. Outside, Cassandra and Maggie were on the roof and on the main grounds respectively, setting up their parts for the trap. The group finished their work just as the first few buses were arriving.

Lincoln and Conner hid by the corner of an adjacent hallway, idly watching the front doors. Luan set up on the opposite side, her face somewhat illuminated by her phone.

"You sure this is gonna work Lincoln?" Conner whispered.

The Loud gave a low shrug. "I spent three days making sure it should. Plus, you're the one who suggested using a boot instead of a boxing glove."

"I hope it leaves a huge mark on his face..." The other boy muttered. "That'll teach that snot nosed jerk a thing or two..."

"Oh," Lincoln chuckled, almost darkly. "We're just getting started. After all that's happened, as Lisa put it, we're gonna teach him a harsh lesson about what happens when you mess with the wrong 'intellectuals'." He said the last word in an imitation of Lisa's lisp, to which Conner stifled a laugh.

The two boys ducked out of sight when they saw one of the school's security guards approaching. The guard didn't notice them, nor did he see Luan who managed to barely avoid being spotted. The trio watched carefully, hoping the guard didn't notice the little contraption that was hoisted to the ceiling. The guard brought out his keys, only to notice the way the lock was turned.

"Huh..." The man scratched his head. "Thought I locked this earlier." With a shrug, he sauntered back down the halls, the kids breathing a sigh of relief.

Lincoln unclipped a walkie-talkie from his pants. "Lisa, do you see Target Jerk?"

They two heard nothing but static before the 4 year's voice cut through it all. "Confirmed. He's in the middle of a large group of approximately 40 students. He'll be within range of the door momentarily."

"Perfect." Lincoln grinned, giving a thumbs up to Luan.

The comedian nodded, biting her lip in excitement as she watched her screen carefully. On the screen showed the view of two cameras: one was angled to watch the door, while the other was looking straight at the floor.

Soon enough, the doors opened as the first students walked in. An air of calmness surrounded them as they all knew the pains of school would be over in six hours. Lincoln and Conner acted like they were just chilling against the wall while Luan relaxed her posture. Tense seconds past as the comedian watched the students walking in, before the first camera centered on one particular student as he came through the doorway.

Chandler looked like he was calm, but he was anything but. He considered it a blessing that Lincoln was taking a few days off from school, knowing that the next time he met the Loud, it would be best if he had his will written out. The redhead was well aware that one of Lincoln's sisters was severely hurt in the incident, and in reference to what Lincoln told him right after he gave his face a makeover, the boy knew that certain death was coming for him.

The last few days were spent with Chandler just waiting for that one call from the police about his own involvement in the fights, how he bribed teens to beat up a couple of kids just for some petty revenge. To his surprise, even when the local news covered the incident, none of his parents had been asked anything by police. Not only that, it seemed Conner hadn't spoke a word of it despite his visible injuries. Still, he kept an eye over his shoulder at all times; not that he didn't have a choice. His other friends effectively left him to take his punishment after they put two-and-two together, not wanting to get caught up in the surge that would be Lincoln's rage.

It was at times like this he felt relieved to be packed in a group of students; blending in with the crowd usually ensured survival for single persons wishing to hide. And these were certainly the circumstances that called for it. Unfortunately for Chandler, all of the times he hid and ran from his troubles wouldn't save him in the end; nor did he consider how resourceful Lincoln could be.

Right when she felt he was within range, Luan tapped a red button on her screen. A small box attached to a pole was released from its host, swinging down towards the unsuspecting redhead. When Chandler noticed the incoming object, he was stuck still like a deer in headlights. His brain kicked back into gear at the last second, giving the boy only enough time to brace himself. He flinched when he heard a popping sound, but surprisingly, he didn't feel any pain. Opening his eyes, he saw the box had stopped just a few feet from his face.

Chandler took a moment to look up to see what it was attached to, before looking back at it. Raising a brow, he started to wonder why he shielded himself in the first place; the box was made of cardboard. At this point, other students were staring at what they believed was a failed prank. Chandler was about to leave, but then he noticed there was a small note taped to the opening.

"We know what you did?..." Change read to himself. Just above the lines, the redhead could see what appeared to be a camera lens.

Around the corner, Luan was staring back at the bewildered 5th grader's face through her phone. "Here comes the punch line. Or should I say, KICK!" She chuckled to herself as she pressed the button a second time.

Before he could've ever figured it out, Chandler found himself flying back through the front doors after a spring-loaded boot shot out of the box and bashed him in the face. The redhead grunted in pain as he tumbled on the ground for a few seconds, drawing the attention of the next batch of arriving students. Landing on his back, Chandler pushed himself up midway, revealing a black boot print covering the center of his face. Several students started to chuckle at the sight; this included Lucy and twins, who stood near the doors to watch the show.

Attempting to ignore them, Chandler grumbled as he started to stand up, only to find himself doused in water from the school's sprinklers. The boy sputtered and flailed as the water soaked him to the bone, gaining a few more laughs from the scattered students. A few feet away from the sidewalk, Cassy peaked out from behind a bush, giving a low smile as she flipped the switch of a fan sitting behind of a pile of hay. The powerful winds blew the wheat directly towards Chandler, sticking to him like glue. Once he was completed covered, the water and fans stopped, with a shocked redhead wondering where the heck the horse food came from. On top of that, why did it smell?...

If only a few were laughing before, the entire front lot of the school was howling with laughter right now. Nearly half the witnesses pulled out their phones to snap pictures whilst others pointed and made jokes at the redhead's expense. Chandler formed a scowl on his wheat-covered face, debating on what was worse: being covered in sticky hay, or the humiliation. Sadly, it wasn't over yet. Cassandra looked to the roof, giving a curt nod to Maggie. The teen nodded back before pulling the rope she held. Behind her, a large murder of crows cawwed loudly as they flew from their coop. They gathered about 20 feet into the air, scattering about before picking up the familiar scent of bird seed. Maggie gave a light chortle as she watched the birds of prey dive down, showing no fear towards the object meant to ward them off.

Hearing the loud cawing, the students looked up and saw the massive group of birds diving towards them. Those that were closest to Chandler scattered, using whatever they held as shields for their heads. As for the faux scarecrow, he gave a swift yelp and started taking off down the sidewalk; the flock followed with haste, drawing nearer by the second.

Near the entrance, Lola was on the ground holding her midsection. "Ohohoh man, my ribs!" She spoke in-between fits of laughter.

"Think we should've covered him in dog meat?" Lana asked, gesturing to Lucy.

"That would be nice, but crows are enough. I've seen the things they can do when in a group." The post stated monotonously. Pulling out a walkie talkie, Lucy pressed the receiver, frowning a bit as she shook the device to get rid of the static. "Lincoln, he turned right down the street."

"Guess Lisa was right about that too." Lincoln's voice answered back.

"Have I ever been wrong before?" Lucy opened her mouth, but Lisa quickly added, "On second thought, don't answer that."

"Right? But I always turn left." Luan chuckled over the line. "Guess this means the final part of the prank is at play now."

As Chandler continued running frantically down the street, there was someone lying in wait behind a tree just up ahead. Ronnie Anne gave a heavy sigh to herself, her stuffed nose making it rather uncomfortable to breathe normally. A cough escaped her, the 11 year old cringing a bit at the familiar feeling of something building up in her throat. The tomboy took a deep breath before hacking out some mucus, letting out a few more coughs to clear her throat. The sounds of panicked screams reached her ears, making the 11 year old grin with anticipation.

"Ugh. Mom is gonna kill me later, but this is gonna be worth it." Ronnie Anne uttered, her voice sounding nasally due to her cold. She pressed herself flush against the tree, daring a peek around the base.

Chandler was approaching fast, and she only had one chance to nail this right. Reeling her foot back, Ronalda waited until she was certain he was just a few feet from her hiding spot. Just as redhead was about to pass, the tomboy brought her foot forward as she swung out in a wide kick. The feeling of shoe meeting soft flesh, along with the high pitched male shrieks, was music to her ears.

Chandler crumpled to the ground as he held his package, hissing in pain all while Ronnie Anne grinned down at him. "That, was for Lynn. And this," She pressed her foot on the boy's poorly protected groin, "Is for the fake, pictures..." Ronnie Anne growled as she grinded her foot into him. The tomboy them promptly stomped on his midsection twice, forcing the air out of his lungs. Seeing the birds approaching, Ronnie Anne gave him another stomp on the groin for good measure. "I'd do worse, but your friends are here."

The tomboy backed up as the birds swarmed Chandler like sharks to discarded meat. The redhead could only scream as the birds pecked at him from every angle, thrashing around on the ground in a faint attempt to shoo them away. Ronnie Anne brought out her phone and snapped a few pictures, giving a few chortles at the scene before her. Feeling that her nose was starting to run again, the tomboy wiped it with her sleeve and sniffed hard before walking back to her house.

Chandler continued to scream as loud as possible until Ronnie Anne was out of hearing range.

Conner put a hand on the wall as he nearly doubled over in laughter. "Did you see how hard that boot decked him?!"

"I think the birds did a better job than the boot did." Lincoln laughed, stopping himself short when he started to cough a little.

Clyde and Liam came through the door, appearing to have just come out of a laughing fit. "Hey Lincoln, did you see that prank on-" Clyde stopped upon seeing Conner. The nerdy child let out a gasp. "Is that your long, lost brother?!"

Conner stopped laughing long enough to give Clyde an annoyed glare. "No!"

Liam squinted his eyes, rubbing his chin as he looked between Lincoln and Conner. "I dunno, y'all do look quite alike."

"Hey Lincoln." All four boys nearly jumped out of their skins before looking towards Lucy, who was quickly scrolling through her phone. "Looks like your plan was a success." She turned the screen to show a picture she received from Ronnie Anne: a murder of crows pecking incessantly at a flailing redheaded jerk.

Clyde's eyes became as big as his lens. "You planned all of that?"

Lincoln quickly clamped a hand on Clyde's mouth, looking around at any students close to them. Fortunately, the overall chatter had drowned out the yelp. Lincoln pulled his best friend over to the side, the rest following curiously. "Yeah, but I can't take all the credit." He started counting off his fingers. "I had help from Luan, Lisa, Lucy, the twins, even Conner and his sister, his sister's friend, and Ronnie Anne."

The African American's eyes shrank back to normal (well, smaller than normal) at the mention of Luan. "I-I thought that prank looked familiar..." He shivered unconsciously.

Luan's laughter didn't help ease Clyde's fear. He thought it was in his head, but as soon as the comedian herself walked up to the group, his eyes rolled back as he immediately fell to the floor.

"So," Liam started, trying to ignore Clyde's sudden faint. "Why'd ya prank that goat anyways? And weren't supposed to be gone til Monday?"

"He's the reason Lynn got injured so much on Tuesday..." Lincoln stated, his voice almost bitter. "I guess the cops don't know about it yet, but they didn't need to." The boy smiled. "We got this taken care of ourselves."

"Ya sure? Cause I heard y'all got that little court hearin' or whatever comin' up."

"Oh don't worry. We're not done with him, until we really get our point across." Conner rubbed his hands together in an evil-like fashion. "He's gonna wet his pants so hard for what I want to do to him, hehehehehehe…"

The bell ringing cut off Conner's snickering, and everyone besides Lincoln started to panic. "Dang it! I can't get another tardy!" Liam shouted, making a run for his locker.

Clyde came back to reality after the ringing in his ears stopped. He jumped to his feet and chased after Liam, shouting, "My perfect attendance record!"

"See ya at home Link!" Luan shouted, as she disappeared up some stairs.

"Bye Lincoln!" Lucy stated before she ran off.

Lincoln turned to Conner, who just started walking off with his hands in his pockets. "Why aren't you running?"

"I'm in a good mood right now, so I don't care if I'm late." Conner answered without looking back. "See ya around Lincoln."

Lincoln shrugged before heading towards the school entrance. The boot hung lazily out of the box, and gazing outside, Lincoln could see bits of hay and bird feathers covering a wet spot on the sidewalk. Smiling contently, Lincoln hummed to himself as he strolled out of the school and started his journey back to his house. With nothing else on his mind right now, perhaps he could sit down and read comics in his undies like usual. Maybe even pay Lynn and Ronnie Anne a visit when he got time to. Wherever life takes him at this point, he didn't care, so long as he had family and friends he could count on. And he would be there for them in return; whether it be a supportive brother, a decent boyfriend, or a nice guy to hang with, he'd do it all.

The sun shines brightly on a nice day every once in a while. But as we all know, life can still be pretty ugly, even on decent days.

Seven Months Later

With big gaps in time comes change, whether it be small or huge, and to say nothing happened between the 3 families would be one of the biggest lies of the year. While many events occurred within this time frame, it's hard to understand it unless we start from the beginning.

Lincoln resumed his classes on Monday, having been able to catch up easily thanks to Clyde giving him notes from class on the subjects covered almost daily. Within those few days, Lori was able to get him a new phone using her free upgrade option; just in time too as he got in trouble once with that noisy radio. He was also able to help Ronnie Anne catch up in the two classes they shared, though the little Latina still had a decent amount to cover. Lincoln even took the initiative to get Lynn's classes so she wouldn't be too far behind, much to the disdain of the 13 year old.

Lynn didn't want to be more bored than she already was with sitting in the hospital, but Lincoln insisted that she'd be better off doing her work now than later.

"You sound just like Lisa..." She once told him.

"Please. I do not have the brain power of Albert Einstein." Lincoln replied back with a lisp, earning a laugh from the sporty Loud.

The middle child wasn't doing it just to help her with academics though. As the month dragged on, Lincoln spent as much time as he could with Lynn, visiting her nearly every day after school. The rest of the family came and went as well, just not as frequent as Lincoln would. The girls weren't too surprised, given that the two had been at each other's throats a while back. It was the perfect moment for them to re-establish a bond that had once been lost, and Lynn Sr. nearly bawled his eyes out every time found his son and 5th oldest daughter sleeping peacefully with one another.

Soon enough, Lynn had recovered to the point she was no longer required to be bound to a bed; she just had to make use of a wheelchair for the next several weeks as her leg healed. It may not have been the best idea, as at one point Lynn and Lincoln (riding on the back of Lynn's chair) decided to take a joyride speeding around the halls of the hospital. You know that feeling you get when you're trying to have fun and your mom scolds you for being reckless? Try getting lip service from both Rita and Maria; the latter was especially angry as she didn't want all her hard work aiding Lynn to be wiped by her own stupidity. Either way, the 13 year old was happy to be back at home instead of rotting away in some bed.

The week after her release, things became rather chilling. The trial was taking place that Wednesday, and with the session so close, it brought up all the fighting, bloodshed, shocks, and arrests. It is easy to bury memories, but they can resurface twice as hard just as much as snapping your fingers. Each of the kids directly involved had varying degrees of nervous as the court date approached; Lincoln wasn't comfortable recalling the beatings, as clear as they were, but he managed to keep a smile on his face for half the time. Conner was a similar case, with Ronnie Anne scowling at being reminded of the trash can incident; as if being sick from it wasn't enough. The little Latina had recovered after about a week and a half, but her ego still required some healing. Lynn was dead silent for much of the time before they were to appear in court. Even Lincoln talking to her didn't warrant anything other than a soft mumble. Lori and Carol tried not to show it, but even they were a little timid at having to remember coming across their little siblings injured. However, one thing that separated them from the guilty party was that they had their families as backup and assurance that everything would be ok.

As for the 8 other boys involved...

The trial went about as well as you'd expect. Each child gave their testimony about the incident, while half the teens admitted guilt and the other half tried to downplay it or even make up a story that would make the siblings look guilty. There was even a testament from a witness whose car was damaged after Lynn got slammed onto it.

You know, when they tell you that you're under oath to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, it's best to stick to that rule. The fabricated stories caused quite an uproar that had to be shut down at least 4 times, with Lynn and even Lori passing death threats to the other teens. There was also a tense standoff between Carol and Hank. Imagine someone boring a bowling ball-sized hole into your head just from glaring. It's not your average glare where you're just annoyed some moron cut you off on the highway; this is the kind of glare you give someone when you'll make paste out of them if they make a single mistake. For better reference, think of Mikasa glaring at Levi when Eren was on trial. The poor fat bastard hid in his seat like a turtle with the blonde's angry face engrained in his head.

At the end of it all, the Louds, Santiagoes, and Pingreys walked out victorious. Hank and Hawk were charged with aggravated assault and sentenced to one year in prison. Their parents were tasked with paying for Lynn's Jr's hospital bill as well as the owner of the damaged sedan; many persons on social media considered them to be failures as parents due to letting their kids run rampant without batting an eye. The six other teens from Hazeltuckey got off a bit lighter, mostly being slapped with property damage and a (relatively) minor assault charge. They were to spend six months in Juvenile Corrections as well as seven months of community service to pay for the damages caused by their little rampage.

Additionally, there was an investigation launched on how Hazeltuckey recruits members for sports teams after a rumor of the town falsifying the ages of teens to allow them to participate in Pee-Wee sports came up numerous times.

Aside from that, everything appeared to be normal for a while. The rest of the school year went on as usual, with Conner being accepted into Lincoln's social circle (and attracting some jealousy from Clyde on the Best Friend Department), as well as the Pingrey boy finally growing the balls to ask Cristina to hang out with him. Lori and Carol were on track to graduate in May, though they haven't figured out their college choices yet.

However, as the summer started, Lynn began acting...rather odd. Occasionally she woke up like a walking corpse, sometimes the siblings would see her mumbling to herself as if someone else was there, and at one point, Lucy found Lynn yelling at her own reflection.

Concerned this may be due to the whole 'bad luck' incident, the siblings had a sit-in with the sporty Loud to get her to talk. The brunette revealed she's been talking to her 'other self', which bewildered everyone but Lori and Lisa; they clarified that there's a voice in the back of Lynn's head that doubts nearly everything she does, saying she'll revert back to her usual self at some point. No one thought that was a bad thing, as they wanted Lynn to be her usual, prideful, occasionally annoying jock self. Problem was...Lynn didn't want it that way, noting the problems it's caused for not only her family, but the teams she played with. In particular, Lynn embarrassingly mentioned that doing a #2 in the bathroom has been painful for a while.

Lisa facepalmed the moment it was mentioned. "I told you that silly habit of your was going to cause you some harm in the future. You should be glad you haven't participated in contact sports for over a month, or you would've done some moderate damage to your rectum should it continued..." The 4 year old scolded.

"What's a rectum?" Leni asked innocently.

"You should see how angry Margo was with me about that...I nearly made her poop herself in public for a stupid win..." Lynn spoke softly, her gaze fixated on the floor instead of Lisa's heated stare.

"If you're having trouble with this kind of stuff, don't you think you should see a doctor?" Lincoln asked.

"Lynn's not hurt that bad is she?" Lana asked.

"Not that kind of doctor sis. He means a shrink." Luna clarified.

"Look guys, it's not that big of a deal. I'll get through it myself." The jock said, trying to appease them.

"Yeah, we'll see how that goes ya sore loser." A nagging voice much like her own taunted in the back of her head.

"Oh would you just shut up?!" Lynn shouted, staring up at the ceiling. Realizing her siblings were staring at her, "Um, not you guys..."

Lincoln hummed a bit. "Actually, maybe you don't need to see a doctor." The girls all directed their attention to him. "You can talk with Clyde."

Lola rolled her eyes. "Really? That nerd? Doesn't he have his own problems to the point he needs therapy?"

"Yeah...he does..." Lincoln smiled nervously. "But Clyde can be pretty insightful despite what he goes through. He helped me when I had my own issues that were hard to talk about."

"Like what?" The princess asked, raising a brow.

The middle child bit his lip, sweat forming on his forehead. Seeing he was being hesitant, and call it sister's tuition, the eldest answered for him. "When he has a problem dealing with all of us. Given what happened in the spring, it's not surprising."

The girls became a little crestfallen at that bad memory.

"Yeah..." Lynn uttered softly. She took a deep breath and let out an uneven sigh. "Look, if it'll get you guys off my case, I'll talk with Lincoln's nerdy friend. Knowing you, you'll keep hovering over me like Lucy's bats."

"Actually, they hang from the ceiling." The goth clarified.

"Whatever..."

"Oh yeah. Like talking to some brat will get rid of me. I'm here to stay Lynda, and besides..." The voice taunted, its chuckles giving Lynn a slight migraine. "You'll go back to being the same, arrogant sister who blames everyone else for your troubles someday."

Lynn gritted her teeth as she resisted the urge to scream in frustration. She could deal with her later; putting a show in front of her siblings would invoke their second option.

Things took an even worse turn just a few days later, but not for the Louds. While driving home after doing a late shift for work, Marcus Santiago was T-boned by another car. The initial impact broke his left arm and shattered his collar bone, with the following tumbles causing damage to his ribs, breaking at least two vertebra on his spine, and leaving his nervous system in a state of constant shock. The driver of the other car, who was later to be reported as heavily fatigued, died in the initial collision.

The first time she heard of it, Maria immediately sank to the floor in despair as she gripped the phone in her hand. Ronnie Anne was initially confused at first, only to receive the massive gut punch of potentially losing her father soon after. Bobby was very much like his sister, having called out of work for some time to visit him.

Maria worked tirelessly to make sure Marcus would pull through, even after the doctors did several operations on him to correct his bones and find donated organs to replace those irreparably damaged. Some extremely vital organs like the heart and liver were well on their way towards Royal Woods General, but time was the one thing that was never on their side...

Marcus suffered from total heart failure just hours before the replacement was to arrive, and even as Maria kept up the chest compressions to resuscitate him, she knew he was too far gone for any revival attempts to work...

It's one thing to lose a spouse you've had a loving and happy marriage with; that feeling is magnified as you watch them dying in your arms, that sickness you feel in your heart knowing you can't do a damn thing to save them. The funeral was no better as the now widowed mother could barely finish her eulogy without pausing to cry every few minutes. Maria was never the same after that, now forced to spend sleepless nights alone, instinctively laying a hand in the spot her husband used to occupy. Along with that came the task of raising her kids by herself, who were in no better shape than she was.

Ronnie Anne hardly spoke a word since her father's passing, only having this corpse-like look on her face most of the time. She was also a bit more irritable and would often snap at the first thing that bothered her (usually Lincoln). Without the obligations of school, she hardly went outside, preferring the dark comfort that her room gave her. Often, she would sob in peace as she flicked through a photo album of what her family used to be.

Try as he might, Bobby could never focus on his work like he used to; on top of worrying for his mother and sister. His father always told him one day he would be the man of the house; he just didn't expect that responsibility to come so soon. Sure, he tried to reach out to Ronnie Anne when his mother couldn't, even asking Lincoln if he could help. While the Loud doesn't get yelled at as much, it didn't seem like he was making much progress.

This is why it's always important to have someone you can talk to as a means of comfort during bad times.

Maria found herself hanging out with Rita more often than usual, who offered to do some friendly activities and even invited her to her book club nights (although this felt awkward as Maria wasn't too interested in such activities). The Loud matriarch as also a voice of reason when she caught Maria drinking directly from a bottle of wine twice. The one time she wrestled it out of her hand, Rita got an earful of racist comments from the Hispanic widow, only to watch Maria break down in sorrow after her reaction registered in her hazy mind. Rita then left some words that were still stuck in Maria's head to this day:

"I know it's hard. I can't bear the thought of possibly losing Lynn, but what you need to remind yourself is that you need to pull yourself together. I mean, for God's sake you're a mother of two kids! They need you more than anything right now since they'll have to spend the rest of their lives without a father, and they need their mother to help guide them through it." Rita had poured the rest of the wine down the sink and trashed the bottle. "And if you start drinking again, so help me I will take the bottle and knock you on the head with it!"

She didn't entirely mean that last part, but it helped set her point. Not only that, but Maria's brother came down whenever he could just to see if they were alright. He doubted he could do much to help he situation without Rita's influence. The last time he visited, Carlos told Maria that they were free to visit the bodega whenever they wanted even stay a while if they needed to. Maria was rather unsure about this due to the fact her extended family lived 3 hours away, but kept it in mind.

As for Bobby, despite he and Lori having a rocky relationship, he found himself confiding in her the most after his father's passing. It effectively mirrored the way he was there for Lori back in middle school, when she was going through her 'awkward' phase. Along with that, Bobby found himself falling for her all over again, and Lori didn't even realize it. You can imagine the shock on her face when Bobby called her 'babe' for the first time in months, and from then on, Lori promised she wouldn't do anything to potentially compromise their relationship.

With Ronnie Anne, it took a whole month and half of talking, getting her out the house, and being affectionate towards her, but Lincoln finally managed to break down the walls she built around herself. When he thought about it, Marcus asking him to take care of Ronnie Anne sounded very cryptic in the way he said it; course, not everyone expected him to kick it so soon either. Regardless, Lincoln didn't want to fail the promise he made to a man he came to see as a surrogate father.

Ronnie Anne cried about as hard as she did the day her father had died after she couldn't keep her inner turmoil at bay, and Lincoln was there for her every second. The tomboy also felt like a total bitch for how she kept pushing away her boyfriend and family when all they wanted was to help her. While Ronnie Anne wasn't quite the same since, but she eventually got her 'tough girl' demeanor back to a degree.

However, the troubles of the Santiagos weren't over yet.

Marcus made a little more than half the total income the family used to pay the bills, and with this loss in monotony, Maria found herself forced to work double shifts to just to make sure her kids had a roof over their heads and a comfortable life. $68k a year may seem like a lot, but when you have two kids, it isn't. Bobby opted to help pay the bills with whatever jobs he could land (which was surprisingly up to 7), but Maria didn't wish that burden on her son. She wanted him to go to college so he could at least get a high paying job on his own, which was still rather far off since he was taking a semester off and she needed to get the money in order to cover his tuition.

Her double shifts did help keep things normal at home, but the matriarch knew she couldn't keep this up forever. Many times she would come home dead tired from work, not even able to bid her children goodnight, and it becoming an issue where she could hardly be there for them. With the bags developing around her eyes, Maria almost felt like her mother Rosa.

What Maria needed was a way to solve their financial crisis, and luckily, she knew just where to look...

On one calm Saturday, Maria had just got off the phone with her brother, a slight smile on her face. That smile faltered as she turned her attention to her kids, who were sitting in the living room. She was going to drop a bombshell on them that she really wished she had time to give hints about, but given her already hectic schedule, it pained Maria to no end with how little she could interact with her children.

Giving a low sigh, the mother stalked into the living room to give them the news. "Hey kids, can I speak with you for a minute?"

Ronnie Anne raised an eyebrow. "Sure mom, about what?" She asked as she muted the channel.

Maria sat in the unoccupied space between them. "H-How have you two been doing?" The mother smiled a tad nervously.

"Better I guess." Bobby shrugged. "I'm in line for a promotion at the pizza place."

"It's just 'meh' for me. I'd probably be hanging out with Lincoln, but he's out for the day." Ronnie Anne muttered. "Are you ok? You're acting a little weird."

"Well...you both know how money's been rather tight since your father's passing. I try to work double shifts nearly every day, but at this rate, and with the bill's getting higher..." Maria paused, her hands gripping the seems of her jeans in anticipation. "I just don't think I can do this anymore..."

Ronnie Anne felt a twinge of fear building in her gut on top of the confusion her mother was putting out. "What are you getting at mom?"

"Well I...I arranged for us to move in with your uncle Carlos and the rest of our family."

It was so quiet in those few seconds that you could hear a pin drop.

"We're moving?!" Her daughter yelled out.

"I know, I know." Maria quickly said. "I'm sorry for bringing it up all of a sudden, but it's not going to be too bad. You'll have plenty of opportunities to hang with your cousins and grandparents. Probably not your aunt and uncle so much since they work, and-"

"But, what are you gonna be doing mom?" Bobby asked in an uncertain tone.

"Given that I'm a nurse...I decided to go back to college to get my master's degree so I can become a doctor. The college your uncle teaches at provides that education, and I hope that when I do get my degree, we can move back to Royal Woods without any of the problems we're currently facing." Their mother explained. Her kids didn't look as hopeful as she'd expect unfortunately. It could be a number of reasons, from having to adjust to a newer location, separation from their current friends, to spending little to no time with their significant other.

Maria understood each of their worries, having gone through it herself. "I'm guessing you both are worried about Lori and Lincoln. Back when I was studying to be a nurse, I held a long distance affair with your father. It was hard not seeing him every day, but we kept in touch through the phones. Even then, we had different schedules and didn't have a whole lot of time to talk." Maria smiled faintly. "But, we eventually made it work and some 4 years later, it became so very much worth it in the end. We agreed to meet up in Royal Oak a little after college was dealt with. I also kept in touch with my old friends from time to time, even making new ones. Though, as of late I haven't a clue as to what they're doing so far." The kid's morphed from shock to consideration. "Yes, it will be difficult to adjust, but don't think this is gonna be the last time you'll see them." She got out her seat and knelt down in front of them, gently grasping their hands. "I promise you both we'll come back to Royal Woods. After all, it only takes about two years or less for to get a master's."

Ronnie Anne and Bobby nodded, still taking in the fact their lives were about to change even further. Bobby was wondering what he was going to tell Lori. Sure, they still text each other every 10 minutes, but he also had some good friends and co-workers who'd miss him when he moved. And that's on top of not being able to hold her in his arms every day; they might even have to say goodbye to planning any dates.

The younger girl wasn't sure how to break the news to her own friends, or Lincoln. She was certain they'd take it just about as well as she would, though Ronnie Anne was growing to accept the fact they needed this move. As much as Ronnie could say she didn't want to leave Royal Woods, the signs were always there. After dad died, things were never the same, what with Mom and her brother working more frequently than normal. The mailbox was always stuffed with some kind of bill that needed to be paid as Ronnie Anne came to notice, and every time Maria went out for groceries, she didn't buy a whole lot; likely because she simply couldn't afford to. Still, they managed to get by, and like her mom said, she could only keep up that lifestyle for so long before something bad happened. Losing their house was one thought that sent shivers up Ronnie Anne's spine.

Getting up from the couch, the tomboy shuffled herself to her room, lightly closing the door on her way in. She could hear Bobby flopping down on his bed, probably with his phone in hand. Ronnie Anne took a glance around the living space she slept in for...as far back as she could remember? She knew they lived in Royal Woods for a good while, though they lived in some other house when she was in diapers. Her eyes lied on the phone sitting on her nightstand, and with nervousness swelling in her gut, she dialed a certain Loud's number.

The first time Lori heard that Bobby was going to move, she screeched so loud that Luna thought she'd make a great lead singer for her ideal type of band. Thankfully, she managed to simmer down after fully understanding the situation, not that it helped her mood. Lincoln too was depressed about the news he received from Ronnie Anne, but unlike Lori, he had a weird feeling it might come to that given the state their house was in after each visit. The one particular visit was when he and Ronnie Anne were partners in an egg baby project.

Two things he learned from that project? Ronalda can be very nurturing towards babies, even if they're fakes. Also, he really hoped they could raise a baby in a better setting than the deplorable house she currently lived in. Not that he was saying he was thinking of the future mind you...he blames that project for putting it in his head. And if his sisters found out, he'd never hear the end of it.

"Soooo...I guess this is it huh?" Lincoln spoke uneasily as he and Ronnie Anne watched a couple movers struggling to get the couch through the door.

"Yeah...for now at least. I mean, it's only a few hours of driving right?" The tomboy said in a hopeful tone.

"True, but I'd have to bum Lori for a ride every time. However. it shouldn't be too much of a problem since I know she'll miss her boo boo bear." Lincoln chuckled as he glanced at Lori crying into Bobby's arms.

A cracking sound could be heard as the movers finally managed to get the couch through the door, while stripping off some wood from the door frame itself.

"So what do you think the city will be like?" The white-haired boy asked.

Ronalda rolled her shoulders. "Hopefully it doesn't suck. I remember how dad used to complain about driving into downtown..." The girl paused at that mention. "And just an FYI, we'll be living in the same building as my other family, which including us is like..." She counted on her fingers. "Thirteen."

Lincoln snorted a little. "Oh trust me, I know what that's like. If you need advice, you can always call 'The Man With a Plan'." He pointed at his chest in a jovial attitude.

"Really? Cause I just call you my boyfriend." Ronalda poked him lightly in the chest, making Lincoln give a short laugh. "Anyway, so how's Lynn doing? Last I heard she was still talking to herself?"

Lincoln nodded, his smile fading a bit. "Her leg is better now so she doesn't need the chair anymore, but still goes to physical therapy. As far as her...issues...she's been talking to Clyde more often about it, though I don't know if they're making any progress. She seems to be handling it better these days."

Ronnie Anne nodded. "With how often she talks with Clyde..." A smirk began to form. "I'd say they might as well be dating."

Lincoln threw out a fit of giggles at that notion. "Clyde and Lynn? I know him falling for someone other than Lori would be better, but I'm not even sure if he's Lynn's type. I thought he might hang out with Penelope after that egg project, but I haven't seen them talking much. Then again, Lynn isn't exactly the same as she used to be." The boy rolled his shoulders before placing his hands in his pockets. "Who knows."

"Yeah, maybe." Ronnie Anne glanced over at the moving truck, seeing that her mother had just finished working things out with the so-called 'professionals'. Upon seeing that she was gesturing her to the car, her heart sank a little. "Guess I'll smell ya later then?"

Lincoln nodded, keeping up a smile no matter how painful his chest was feeling. "N-Not if I smell ya first." He half-grinned.

Ronalda gave a light chuckle before pulling him into a tight embrace, the Loud returning it with as much energy. "See ya later Linky-Poo." She teased.

"Catch ya later Nie Nie." Lincoln teased back.

A minute later, the two Loud siblings watched the Santiagos disappear around the corner with the moving truck in tow. Once they were out of sight, Lincoln let his smile fade completely, feeling as if a large piece of his heart left with them.

"You gonna be ok Linky-Poo?" Lori asked, a faint smile drawn up on her face.

"Yeah...maybe playing Muscle Fish will-" Lincoln widened his eyes upon doing a back check on that sentence. "You heard her say that?!"

"Oh don't get all flustered. It's just so cute that you both finally came up with nicknames!" The blonde clasped her hands together as she squealed in delight. "Pretty soon, you guys will be like me and Bobby!"

Lincoln felt more blood rush to his cheeks as his sister started to ramble on about what kind of double-dates they could do. "I really hope we don't..." He muttered to himself as he frowned at the ground. There was no way he and Ronnie Anne would be 'gaga' for each other like those two. "Just don't tell our sisters about it please?..." He begged, but upon gazing back up, Lori was back inside Vanzilla. "Lori?..." Seeing her on the phone set panic into his system. "Lori!"

"Oh relax, I won't tell them if you don't want me to." The teen spoke as she watched her brother climb into the front seat. "But, it was worth seeing you acting so embarrassed like that." She ruffled his hair.

Lincoln gave a pouty face at the baby treatment, folding his arms. "You sure seem to be taking this well..."

"Oh trust me Lincoln." Lori shifted the car into gear before beginning the short trip back to their house. "I'll miss Roberto as much as you'll miss Ronalda, but we figured out something before they left. Since his uncle teaches at a university in the city, and Bobby will likely go there since we graduated, I'm going to do some searching as soon as we get home."

"Wait, does that mean you'll be gone after Christmas?" Lincoln asked, a bit of worry seeping into his tone.

"Don't worry about it. I still have to figure out what kind of major I want to do, along with a bunch of other stuff I literally need time to sort out." Lori gave her brother an assured smile "So, I'm not going anywhere for a while."

Lincoln nodded in understanding, feeling content to spend the rest of the ride in silence. At least until, "So what are you gonna send Ronnie Anne when they get to their new home? I got tons of great ideas!"

The middle child slapped a hand to his forehead, a loud groan escaping him. "Lori!..."

A/N: And with that, this NSL story comes to a close. Chandler finally got his due, with the hint of more pain and misery coming for him some time later, and the teens have all been punished with varying amounts of jail time. I also found a way to incorporate Relative Chaos into the ending, at least to give it a more reasonable explanation. I still didn't buy the whole 'I thought you guys were lonely' thing Maria spoke about in the actual episode, especially since her kids have friends; so there had to be more to this move that was missing or she didn't say. And since Mr. Santiago is not in the picture...I don't entirely think they divorced, but circumstances outside of their control caused their current state of marriage.

The seven month time lapse was added as a way to introduce a sequel I may or may not do. It won't focus on the bad luck aspect (that's been done to death by now), but more so about Lynn dealing with her own insecurities and Lincoln and Ronnie Anne facing the pains of having a long distance relationship. Time will tell if I get time to work on that, but may this story be forever engrained in memory, and I bid all of you a good day.