A/N: While Lincoln and his sisters are busy dealing with his 'problem', let's see what Lynn's been up to this whole; along with a couple special guests.

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING from the Loud House.

As the sun's rays began to cast a light golden yellow shroud across the afternoon sky, the citizens of Royal Woods were making their preparations for whatever activities they planned that evening; or had the displeasure of being stuck in the evening rush hour. For one lone Loud however, it meant it was almost time to wrap up her jog.

Lynn panted as she ran at a steady pace down the street, her lungs burning from the constant jogging as her heart thumped hard against her ribcage. The Loud's track suit was already feeling uncomfortably damp, her headband more so since it kept sweat from reaching her eyes. As stated before, in spite of her refusal to do sports, that didn't mean Lynn would just let herself get out of shape. Twice a week, she spent a couple hours running the same route: start from home, run through main street, go past the school, get to the mall, then double back towards the school, and cut across a few blocks to reach home.

Lynn drew in a huge breath, only to immediately regret doing so as her lungs clawed for more air. "Dang it...really...gotta...run more..." The brunette panted.

Lynn cringed as an aching sensation in her right leg demanded her attention, forcing the Loud to cut her run shorter than normal. Lynn groaned as she started walking off her exercise, feeling pins and needles around her shin. "Stupid...bum leg..."

After walking 20 steps, the Loud knelt down and rubbed the sore spot. Her fingers traced along the smooth skin of her leg, her movement becoming slower when she felt two long lines of skin that felt fresher than the surrounding area. Lynn was used to fractures, sprains, concussions, and the occasional break in her bones; came with the job of playing sports. But rarely (if at all) did they require corrective surgery.

"Look, I didn't believe it when Ronnie Anne's mom told me the first time, but those assholes broke my shin in three different places..." Lynn told the reader, twisting her leg slightly to force her knee to pop. "She said the doctors used some kind of clamps to fix the bone, and I'd be stuck with them for..." Lynn bit her lip. "However long she said..."

A sinister chuckle echoed inside of the former athlete's head. "Like that's ever stopped us before. Quit acting like a pussy and walk it off."

Lynn furrowed her brows as her lips parted slightly to show clenched teeth. "Oh, you're the LAST person I wanna be speaking to right now..."

"Like you can get rid of me." Inner Lynn scoffed. "I live in your freaking head idiot. Now, if I had a body," Lynn could practically feel her less likeable side giving a snide grin. "Then we'd clearly know who's the weakling here."

"Har dee har." The Loud spoke dryly. "Get comfortable, cause that shit only exists on TV." She stretched her leg out before standing up.

Inner Lynn growled. "Yeah? Well your brainiac of a sister is gonna pull some weird shit like that one day."

"She'd be more inclined to wiping you from my head at the possibility of erasing my memories." Lynn retorted, starting to march along her route. "Which is sounding VERY tempting right now!"

"Ah, we both know you won't ever do it."

"Wanna bet?..."

"Nine o'clock." Inner Lynn stated, prompting the real Lynn to glance to her left. She paused upon seeing what her other self was referring to.

Up until this point, she had been oblivious to the fact she was passing by her high school; in particular, she was by the fence that bordered the baseball field. Even though the semester ended, Lynn knew very well that didn't mean much in the world of sports. Since it was June, September was still a long way off til the season ended; as such, Lynn wasn't surprised to see the Royal Woods Chipmunks doing one of their practice sessions. If it were any other circumstance, Lynn would be out there with them. Instead, she could only lightly grab the fencing as she watched the team run bases, making fast passes to throw off the runners, or practicing their long distance catches.

"You miss it, don't you?" Inner Lynn spoke, but the brunette hadn't answered. "The thrill of wind in our hair, the adrenaline in our veins, getting down in the mud, the crowds cheering our name, being in the spotlight, getting praised like the real champions we are and rubbing it rightfully into the faces of any losers? We had a strict regimen to follow too, and it ALWAYS made us number 1 no matter what." Lynn bit her cheek as her grip on the fence slackened. "Well, until we made that mistake of inviting Stinkoln that one time."

The Loud's grip suddenly tightened to the point her knuckles were turning white. "Don't you fucking EVER say that again..." She spoke quietly, but it did little to take away the acidic tone dripping from her words.

Inner Lynn gave what sounded like a snort, if one could do so in their brain. "What's the matter? Can't handle the truth? It WAS working out until you had to bitch and moan about him not being around to watch us take home the gold." The mental demon paused for a moment. "Which, to be fair, sounds like he should've been with us regardless. Not like our other sisters had anything THAT important to do."

"Shut up..." Lynn spat, her eye beginning to twitch as her brows formed into a sharp-V.

"Buuut we fixed that little mistake, didn't we?" Inner Lynn continued, ignoring her physical counterpart. "Or least, THIS TIME, don't invite Stinkoln at all to your games. He doesn't need to be ruining our moment to shine with his lameness."

"S-Shut...up!..." Lynn ordered again, now trembling a little as her face started to become bathed in a hue of red.

Whether or not she was being spiteful, Inner Lynn continued by saying, "I wonder if Stinkoln would look good in a chipmunk costume. His bad luck-" She didn't finish that sentence as Lynn grip the fence with her other hand, her face now as red as a tomato.

"WHY DON'T YOU GO FUCK OFF AND DIE?!" The former athlete shouted before slamming her head into the plastic-covered wiring, the whole section rattling upon impact.

She breathed loudly as she took deep breaths, gazing at the ground as the color on her face slowly went back to normal. She was pretty certain that the players closest to her were no doubt staring from her sudden outburst; not that the former athlete cared in the slightest. Lynn pursed her lips as the throbbing on her forehead made itself painfully clear, soon lifting her headband a bit to rub at the sore spot.

"You alright Lynn?" A familiar voice called out behind her. Lynn glanced back to see Margo walking over from what she assumed was the other side of the street.

"For now..." The Loud muttered to herself, still simmering but with a hint of relief at having shut up her demon's voice.

Margo squinted an eye in confusion. "Were you on the phone or were you just talking to yourself?"

Not wanting to discuss it with the long-nosed girl, Lynn opted for a fib. "Phone." She stood up straight before turning around, now using the fence as a support due to still feeling a little winded. "Some stupid telemarketer kept calling me even though I told them not to yesterday."

Margo gave a half-lidded stare. "Yeah, those are the worst." Stuffing her hands in her pockets, "So, doing another run today?"

"Yep..." Lynn looked at the outfit Margo was wearing for a few seconds. It was casual, but with some fresh jeans and a shirt that had a few flowery and glitter décor on it; definitely not something she'd seen her wear every day. "You hanging out with someone later?"

Margo smiled, giving a shrug. "Def. Gonna meet Rusty at the movies in 10. Didn't have anything better to do, so..."

Lynn couldn't help but cringe visibly. "Not to hate on your likes girl, but I still don't know what you see in that guy. I mean, he's Lincoln's friend, so I don't have a beef with him; but his pick-up lines are just..." She closed her eyes as a chill went up her spine. "Ugh..."

Margo frowned a little as she rolled her eyes. "Yeah yeah, I know they stink harder than your sister's puns." She smiled again. "But he's got a bit of charm to him that most don't notice."

Lynn didn't want to press the matter further, so she shrugged. "You do you, I guess."

Margo looked past Lynn for a moment, watching the baseball team doing practice. A question she wanted to ask was on the edge of her tongue, but Margo knew it was something of a touchy subject; and it still baffled her on why it became so. It certainly wasn't a problem two years prior. "So..." She began, feeling it'd be better to ask anyway while she had Lynn's attention. "Are you gonna try doing sports again when the year starts?"

Lynn's breathing hitched a little. "Um..." She started, avoiding her friend's gaze. She tapped the mesh of the fence as her anxiety started to build. "Maaaybeee?...I-I'm not certain yet..."

Margo sighed, her brows furrowing as she pinched the bridge between her eyes. "Come on Lynn, we talked about this..." Putting her hands on her hips, "Back when we were in middle school, you said we were gonna 'take the high school leagues by storm'. You, me, and Paula; sometimes, we even had to get you to talk about something else for a change because you'd go on for hours about how we'll graduate and move on to the next level."

Lynn bit her cheek. "Yeah, but-"

"I don't know what happened to you a couple years ago, but something's up. I mean, you took beatings like a pro and complained when you were forced to sit out for a game because of a pulled muscle. When you sprained your ankle, that was one thing, so I didn't think much about it." Margo folded her arms as she glanced to the side. "Then...you got beaten up by two hulks and had to stay in the hospital for almost a month. But I didn't think it would have that much of an aftershock..." The light-haired brunette directed her gaze back towards her friend. "You looked happy even the day after the fight..."

Lynn rubbed her arm a little. Getting thrashed by Hank and Hawk dealt a serious blow to her pride, that much was true; but like Margo said, it only lasted a day. She still hoped the two fatasses got raped in prison or whatever.

"Then, when you were able to walk (and with doctor approval), you hadn't said a word about doing anything related to sports. All of a sudden, you decided not to show up for practice, which was pretty weird in itself because we had a few games coming up. I didn't mind it though since you had a pretty hectic ride, especially after all that court drama." Lynn nodded in agreement. "But then it got to a point where Coach was gonna cut you from the team if you kept missing practice, so I asked you then what was up; word for word, you said, 'I'm taking a break from sports'." Margo finished, rapping her fingers on her arm.

Lynn shifted her foot a little. "I needed some time off from all that crap." She shrugged. "Wouldn't have been on my A-Game otherwise. Not that I'm anywhere CLOSE to being there..." She said the last part to herself.

"Ok," Margo nodded. "But I asked you again a couple months later when hockey season was starting up. You sounded like you were hesitating to say anything before you said you'd skip it. And I was like, 'But you LOVE hockey!' Then you said you wouldn't want to risk breaking your leg again." The buck-toothed teen tapped her foot in a heated manner. "I mean, I would've bought that if you were someone else, but there was no way I was gonna let that slide. I would've pestered you about it, but you already walked off." She started counting on her fingers. "Then you missed softball season again, soccer, and even basketball!"

Lynn furrowed her brows. "Hey, I showed up to support you and Paula for those games, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but point is: it's been two, years Lynn. How much of a break do you need?" Margo refuted. "Was there something going on this whole time that you weren't telling me? Cause you're definitely not the type to just take a two-year hiatus out of the blue."

Lynn pursed her lips as she bit her tongue, stopping whatever words were about to spew from her mouth. This was just one heated debate out of several that left Lynn lying awake at night when she wasn't being disturbed by her inner demon. As much as the Loud wanted to tell Margo what's really been eating her for the better part of two years, she felt she couldn't do so without losing the trust of her best friend. There was literally no way Lynn would be able to sugarcoat the fact she treated her brother like an object for her own goals and suffered the consequences of it. What would Margo think of her then? The most likely scenario would be Margo being disgusted, telling Lynn she deserved everything she got, and wanted nothing to do with her as long as she lived. She might even spread the news to Paula and anyone else the two girls were in close contact with, forever cementing Lynn as a loner.

But Margo was still her best friend...

And it was clear she worried for her; otherwise she wouldn't be interrogating her like this. It must've took a lot of patience for Margo to put up with Lynn's antics, even when she was enforcing those dumb rituals she used to do. One such case was the fact Lynn used to withhold going to the bathroom until she won a game; even if she really needed to go badly. After Lisa chided her about nearly screwing up her digestive system, Lynn could only imagine what Margo went through since she had enforced her beliefs on the team. There were even a couple times where Margo nearly crapped her pants in the middle of a game the Loud, which would've definitely embarrassed her to no end had she not made it to the bowl. Lynn was in the same boat; but where Margo experienced relief as soon as she could empty her bowels, Lynn had doubled over in pain numerous times as her system cleared itself.

The Loud clenched her fingers a bit; it was becoming next to impossible to just rebuff Margo again and assure her everything was fine. She owed some sort of explanation (and an overdo apology for forcing her through those ridiculous rituals), but Lynn still didn't feel comfortable telling her the full story...

Not yet at least.

"Look, if it's something going on at home or your parents said you can't do sports anymore, I'll understand." Margo stated, shifting her stance a little. "But it'd be dumb because you could've at least told me that a while ago…"

Lynn sighed, pushing herself off the fence. "Margo, you're my best friend; the first friend I've made since getting into sixth grade even. And," She averted her gaze for a moment. "I'm sorry I hadn't told you what's really been my problem..." Looking back towards her friend. "You were half-right about me having issues at home, but it's not because of my parents making me skip sports." The former athlete paused for a few moments, her abs tightening to keep her anxiety levels down. "I-I stopped sports because..." She momentarily dispelled a huff through her nose. "I fucked up something two years ago, a-and I didn't want to end up making that same mistake again..."

Margo raised a brow. "Was it your grades?" The teen immediately retracted her statement. "No, wait. That doesn't make any sense cause we're in the same grade still. Plus, you were getting tutored..." She tapped a finger against her thumb. "Wait, you said it was at home, right?"

Lynn nodded.

"Ooookaaaay...that just makes a whole lot of other questions."

The Loud put a hand up in case the Roberts girl had more questions. "I can't say much, mostly because I don't feel comfortable talking about it yet..." She put her hand down. "But I've been having some mental issues lately about what happened back then, and what I did not only to myself, but you and several others." Lynn furrowed her brows a little. "And I'm not gonna get back into sports until I figured myself out..."

Margo bit her cheek, still processing the new info Lynn gave her. She thought whatever Lynn's problem was could be a simple fix, knowing how stubborn the girl can be when faced with a challenge on her own. Now, what was supposed to be a one-way street, turned into a puzzle box; and Margo wasn't even sure where to start.

"Well..." Margo shoved her hands in her pockets. "I hope you can figure it out at some point...it's not the same playing on the field without you..."

"Mmm..." Lynn put a hand on her shoulder, managing to bring up a little smile. "Don't worry about me so much, alright? I got my bro and a few others helping me out."

"But if you told me earlier," Margo stared Lynn in the eye. "I could've at least known there was more going on and did something."

Lynn frowned. "I don't think you'd be able to help me with what I'm going through..." She removed her hand. "You'd probably be put off..."

Margo gave an unamused stare whilst raising a brow. "What makes you think that?"

Lynn shrugged. "Call it a hunch." She looked up at the sky for moment. "Look, I gotta get home." The brunette turned away and started walking. "You have fun on your date."

Margo stood on the spot as she watched Lynn take roughly 20 steps before breaking into another jog, her figure getting smaller as the distance between them grew. She tapped her foot in thought, wondering what exactly caused her best friend to quit a passion she wouldn't ever give up.

"Did she get into a fight with one of her siblings or something? I mean, Lynn is stubborn as hell sometimes, so it wouldn't be out of the ordinary." She stared up at the clouds. "Or she got in trouble for throwing balls in the house and hit something important? Wouldn't be the first time she got grounded for it. At least that's what she told me..."

Margo shifted her gaze to the ground, ultimately giving a sigh before walking in the opposite direction. She still promised Rusty a date, which she initiated out of boredom. Made no sense to cancel it for little reason, especially since the redhead would end up antsy for a while if he spent hours trying to find the right shirt to wear. She just hoped her mood wouldn't ruin their little hangout.

As Margo walked, her eyes squinted a bit as a new thought developed. "Rusty hangs out with Lincoln a lot, right? Maybe he knows something..."

Lynn panted heavily as she reached the concrete walkway in front of the house, bringing her hands to her hips for support as she tried to stay up right. "Maybe...shouldn't...run up...that hill..." She breathed out before putting a hand on the railing for support as she walked up the front steps, her thighs screaming in protest as gravity fought to pull her down.

After getting onto the porch, Lynn put a hand on the wall and lifted a leg, grabbing the tip of her foot to pull it higher. Her muscles stretched out in sweet relief before she did the same with the other leg.

"Ahhhhh...better..." Lynn huffed before knocking on the door with a flat palm.

"Just a sec!" Came Lincoln's voice, though it sounded...very nasally. Sort of like how those supercomputer nerds talk.

Lynn shrugged it off, thinking her tired mind was simply misreading things. The moment the door opened though, the brunette went wide-eyed at the confirmation it wasn't just the door distorting her brother's voice. Lincoln stared back at her with a slightly annoyed expression, his appearance more or less the same; except for the two wads of facial tissue stuffed in his nose, with the ends bordering his nasal passages coated in blood.

Already knowing what she was staring at, "Go ahead...ask..." Lincoln stated in a heated tone.

"What the HECK happened to you?!" Lynn grabbed a hold of his face before leaning to get a better look at his nose. "Did you run into a door or something?!"

Lincoln's frown deepened before pushing Lynn away. "No..." Glancing to the side, "It was...something else..." If the lighting was a little better, Lynn would've caught on to the fact his cheeks were a little red.

"Lincoln," Lynn spoke as she folded her arms, "No one gets a nosebleed out of nowhere." Squinting an eye, "You...didn't have a seizure, did you?"

"It wasn't, but I missed a golden opportunity!" Came Luan's yell from what Lynn believed to be the kitchen.

The brunette only raised a brow, to which Lincoln didn't answer; not that he wanted to. Instead, he just gave an exasperated sigh before moving back from the doorway and headed towards the couch.

"What was she talking about?" Lynn asked, kicking the door shut.

"Nothing!" Lincoln spat, folding his arms.

"There sure wasn't a whole lot of nothing going on down south!" Luan replied before giggling to herself.

Lynn couldn't tell whether it was a statement or an innuendo. The fact the comedian could be heard laughing meant it must've been the latter however, especially after seeing Lincoln sink in his seat as steam started to emit from his head. The brunette walked over to the couch, leaning on the back to Lincoln's left. Some movie was on the screen, but it was clear the boy wasn't paying any mind to it.

"Aight, what the heck happened?"

"I said it was nothing..." Lincoln stated as evenly as he could, not bothering to look up at her.

Lynn put a hand on his head. "Linc, if you don't tell me what the flip happened, I'm gonna ask Luan." She glanced at him. "And we both know she's not gonna stop cracking jokes about whatever it is she's getting at." She leaned down closer towards his ear. "And we both know we ain't gonna want to sit through it." She whispered.

Lincoln gave a groan before rolling his eyes. He still wasn't in the mood to discuss it, but if it meant Lynn would stop pestering him, then he'd oblige. Taking out his phone, he scrolled to the text message app and selected Ronalda's block. He turned the phone away from his face before it finished uploading, then shoved it towards Lynn. The former athlete raised a brow before grabbing it with one hand, developing a poker face when she saw a particular image that the fiery tomboy sent him. She looked at Lincoln's nose, then back to the picture.

"Ooooooh, I get it now." Lynn replied as a giggle fit overtook her.

"Mmmmm…." Lincoln shuffled in his seat as his cheeks grew redder.

"You saw it too I take it?" Luan called, this time standing in the archway to the dining room with a slice of pizza in her mouth.

"She doesn't look half-bad though." Lynn stated with a grin, looking the pictured 13-year-old over. "Definitely a catch for you bro."

"In more ways than one." Luan smugly added.

"Mmmm…." Lincoln growled in response.

"Ah, come on." The former athlete jumped over the back of the furniture, landing in the seat next to her brother before wrapping an arm around his shoulders, making the boy pass a sideways glare towards her. "Stop being a grumpy face. Do you know how many guys get girls that send them pictures like this?"

"No..." Came the white-haired teen's swift reply.

Lynn dropped her grin as a frown took shape. "Not many. Plus, remember what we talked about yesterday?" She showed the picture to her brother. Lincoln glanced at it, but not fully in case he ended up getting a second nosebleed. "You're pretty lucky to be in a good relationship with a girl looking this good Linc. And if she's this good right now," Lynn pointed to the picture before a wide grin crossed her lips. "Just imagine what Ronnie Anne will look like in a few years."

"Yep. You'll have to be defending her from all the pervs who want to see her curves." The comedian giggled.

"Besides." Lynn sat the phone down. "If anything, this is proof that it's worth waiting for things to work out on her end."

Lincoln squinted his eyes. "Ok," He turned towards Lynn, which made her withdraw her arm. "When did you suddenly become a relationship advisor? You don't even have a boyfriend!"

Lynn smirked as she lied back on the couch. "I grew up faster than most would think." Raising a brow, "Remember that?"

Lincoln gave a half-lidded stare. "But that doesn't make you an expert on relationships."

The sweaty girl chuckled. "After that Girl Guru mess, I don't think you have room to talk."

"Linc," Luan cut in as she walked over. "Yours and Ronnie Anne's is somewhat of an open book." She leaned on the arm of the furniture. "I mean, it's to be expected cause you guys aren't that old yet, but it does mean we can give advice to help."

"I think you're forgetting your 'advice'," Lincoln gave air quotes on that word, "Got her to punch me in the face the first time." He folded his arms again. "At least you guys were lucky it was only because Ronnie Anne freaked out from me doing that."

Luan bit her cheek. "Ok, you got us there." A grin started to form seconds later. "But while we're on the topic, think about how much fun you and her will have...in the bedroom."

Lynn slapped a hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter, whilst Lincoln's face developed a red hue. "Ugh!" He grabbed one of the couch pillows. "You guys are so embarrassing!" He screamed out before chucking it at the comedian.

The tall girl easily ducked out of the way. "Comes with the job. Plus, I could've used those jokes if I was at home when you had that nosebleed." She shifted her position a little. "Instead I was out hanging with Benny..."

"And that's supposed to be a bad thing?" Lynn quipped.

"No, but a missed opportunity is still a missed opportunity." Luan responded, taking a few steps back. As she turned towards the stairs, the jokester let loose one last pun. "At least Lincoln now has a picture he can jerk to." She laughed again as two more pillows were flung in her direction. Both smacked into the wall, one of which nearly breaking a picture of Lily when she was still in diapers.

"Pfff. What's your deal Lincoln?" Lynn asked as she sat up. "I thought you were used to getting teased about your relationship."

"I am. It's just..." Lincoln grabbed his phone before pocketing it. "It's the fact I had a nosebleed in front of everyone. I think something like this should've been private."

"Ok." Lynn nodded. "But Clyde used to get nosebleeds all the time; as nasty as they were." The former athlete shrugged. "Still don't see why you gotta make a huge fuss about it."

"Well, when you get a boyfriend, you'll understand."

"Hey." Lynn sat up with an indignant look on her face. "I almost had one that ONE time." She then directed her gaze towards the floor as her lips curled into a bitter frown. "We could've worked something out..."

Lincoln bit his cheek, a twinge of regret settling in his stomach as he knew exactly what Lynn was mulling over. Even after two years, that love letter moment remained a bit of a sore spot for the ex-sporty Loud. However, being who he was, Lincoln had a plan to rectify the situation.

"Personally Lynn, I don't think he was your type." The brunette looked at him with a look that was somewhat hurt while at the same time wondering if he lost his mind. The middle child knew he would have to clarify quick or Lynn might be inclined to slap him. "I mean, he doesn't know what he's missing by not dating you. Yeah, you're a bit rough around the edges, but that doesn't make you less interesting. When did you meet him in the first place?"

Lynn pursed her lips for a moment before answering. "On the field after a baseball game between our teams." She glanced at the TV. "And that was before all of that other stuff happened..."

Lincoln nodded. "Ok. Now, I think you just fell into a case of 'love at first site'. He was a nice-looking guy, you liked sports, he clearly liked sports because he was on the other team, and you decided to go after him."

Lynn furrowed her brows a bit before looking at her brother. "Are you saying I'm shallow?..."

"No, I'm just saying you didn't know much about him other than he liked some sports." Lincoln pointed out. "It's sort of like how Lucy had a crush on that one boy she ran into when she was looking at caskets. We both know that was more or less just a passing crush until she met Rusty's brother. So, you pretty much landed in the same boat as her." The boy chuckled a little. "It's like you guys are copying each other."

Lynn sat her elbow on the arm of the couch, propping her head up on her open palm. "We're roomies, so it wouldn't be weird." She folded one leg over the other. "I ain't laughin' though..."

"Thing is Lynn, you'll find someone else like Lucy did." A smug grin appeared on the white-haired teen's face. "And I think I know who."

Lynn put her hand up to cut him short. "Linc, this isn't some Dream Boat episode." She glared at him. "And I know who you're talking about. But do you really think doing this romance gig is a good idea while I have my own excess baggage to handle?"

Lincoln looked a little deflated at his inclination getting shot down. "Probably...but it might help."

"Yeah..." Lynn shrugged, turning back to the TV. "Probably..."

A few moments passed as the two sat in silence, the noise of the TV filling the void.

"Oh, and speaking of which," Lynn started, looking back towards him. "Did you respond at all to Ronnie's text? I doubt someone like her wouldn't get pissed if you didn't answer."

"Well, sort of." Lincoln replied, pulling out his phone again. "While I was out of it, Luna took my picture and sent it to her, which she took as an answer."

Lynn smirked. "Good, cause we'd have to tie you to a chair and feed you Dad's brussels sprouts."

Lincoln huffed in response. "Don't you have a shower to take, stinky?"

Lynn's lips pouted a little. "Fine." She kicked her legs over the edge before standing up. However, she didn't immediately turn towards the stairs, for instead she looked at her brother with a smirk.

Lincoln immediately caught on, as he was shaking his head in disapproval. "Lynn, no."

"Yes." The brunette nodded, daring to come closer.

"No." Lincoln scooted further away as his sister approached. "No, NO. I just finished cleaning my face!"

"Too bad!" Lynn cheered before making her move.

Before Lincoln could bolt from his seat, Lynn jumped him, bringing the poor boy into a crushing hug as her weight pinned him into the cushions.

"Oh God, you smell like molded cheese!" Came Lincoln's muffled cry as he pushed against Lynn's chest. He turned his head to the side so he could breath, only for Lynn block his view by shoving her headband into his face. "Ewww! Why do you sweat so much?!"

"I can't run as much as I used to yet." Lynn giggled before finally releasing him. Lincoln bolted upright, gulping down that sweet, clean air for his lungs. "Love ya bro." The former jock smiled as she ruffled Lincoln's now messy and sweat-damped hair.

Lincoln hastily pointed up the stairs. "Just take a shower!"

Lynn raised her hands in defense, a coy smile on her face before she raced up the stairs, skipping a few steps at a time before reaching the top. Lincoln wiped traces of sweat off his face, grimacing at the fact his hand reeked of body odor. It didn't take a Lisa to figure that the rest of his head and chest smelt like rotten fish, and looking to where Lynn had been lying for 15 minutes, there was a large, damp spot on that end of the couch.

Lincoln squeezed his eyes shut as fumes started rising from the top of his head. "Great..." He got up. "Now I gotta get the Febreze and mint scent..." The teen groaned as he stalked towards the kitchen.

Some few hours away from Royal Woods, Great Lakes City was finally starting to become less congested as the evening rush began to die down; though there was an accident on the central highway due to a BMW driver cutting off a tractor trailer with only feet to spare. Long story short, the BMW was written off and the driver of said vehicle was at fault for being reckless. But none of this mattered to one certain mother of two kids as she arrived at her family's bodega.

Maria stepped out of her car with a yawn, arching her back slightly to get rid of the stiffness that came with being caught in traffic for a whole hour. She reached in to grab her purse and Starbucks coffee cup before kicking the door shut, making sure to lock it before moving towards the apartment entrance.

"These long hours are making me feel like I'm sixty..." She muttered, taking a sip of her mildly warm coffee as she slipped through the door. The nurse readjusted her purse strap when she felt it slip, shaking her head a little as the caffeine began to reawaken her tired body. "Only 3 more years to put up with this..."

Back in Royal Woods, Maria worked a typical shift of 40 hours a week on a five-day schedule; while occasionally pulling a double if required. She still does, Monday through Friday. But when you add college or any scholarly classes to that schedule, it feels like you're working two jobs every week. And for five days out of that week, Maria often found herself being awake for nearly 19 hours straight. There wasn't a scheduling conflict between her classes and her job as a nurse at the local hospital; it was pretty seamless actually. Her classes started at 8:30 and didn't end until 3 or 4. But then she'd be working from 5 to 11 before heading home and repeating the process the next day.

And the next day. And the next day. And the next day.

Until Saturday arrived and gave her a chance to relax; which she did by spending half of it sleeping. Maria didn't like having to drink coffee often, as there were some long-term side effects she wished to avoid; she crashed pretty hard after midterms during her first semester. But it became such a necessity that she drank it (at best) twice a day. And the matriarch was certain it wasn't helping her mood much either.

Climbing up the steps, Maria let out a groan as her legs started to feel a little like jelly. "Wish Mama had put an elevator in this place..."

The would-be doctor paused for a moment when she heard loud footfalls coming from somewhere up top, already feeling the vibrations as the person in question came down. Mrs. Chang hummed to herself a tune that Maria didn't quite get, though it sounded similar to those K-Pop songs her daughter frequently blasts in her room. In her hands was a small cage, but from the angle, Maria couldn't tell what it was.

The zoologist rounded the corner at the second floor almost at the same time Maria reached the top step. Becca yelped as she scrambled back a few feet, almost tripping over herself before she finally caught her balance. The creature in the cage cawed, immediately telling the widow it was some kind of bird.

"S-Sorry Maria! Didn't see you there." Becca quickly apologized. The bird started squawking several times, to which the zookeeper reached through the bars with her finger to pet it. "Don't worry Amy. Everything's fine." The woman spoke in a soothing tone.

Maria couldn't help the smile forming at such a cute scene. "So who's this little guy?"

"Well," Becca smiled and held the cage a little higher, revealing the bird in question to be a small owl. "This is Amy, and she's a Forest Owlet. Her species lives in a few remote regions throughout India," The zookeeper frowned. "But the poor dear's species is nearly extinct..."

Maria squinted an eye as she placed a hand on her hips. "She looks pretty small for an owl. I thought she'd be a little..." She waved her hand in a so-so manner.

"Bigger?" Becca finished. "Yeah. Normally, owls are about the size of eagles, but Amy's species is short and pretty stocky." Becca rubbed the top of the owl's head, causing Amy to settle further on her perch. "Though you don't wanna get between these guys and their meal. Those talons aren't just for show." The blonde pointed towards the bird's feet, which had talons that looked grossly big for its size.

Amy looked around for a moment before ducking her head under her wing to adjust her feathers. "If getting outcompeted by other predators doesn't kill these little guys, the constant overlogging will..."

"So you've been looking after her for a while?" The nurse asked in a tone that sounded more like an assumption.

Becca nodded. "Until tonight that is. Her enclosure is finally ready, annnnnd it's my turn to watch the nocturnals." She rubbed the back of her head as a sheepish smile came forth. "So what about you?" She raised a brow. "Working hard or hardly working?"

Maria grinned slightly. "Definitely the former. Might need to take a couple vacation days to get rid of these Crows Feet." She gestured towards the lines next to her eyes.

Becca couldn't help but notice the small eyebags that were also present. "Probably tack a month onto that. When was the last time you actually took a break?"

Maria bit her cheek as she stared upward, her frazzled brain trying to recall any point she had let herself relax. It definitely hadn't been within this past year, as her classes kept her busy during the spring and fall. Summer wasn't a time to chill either as the hospital got swamped at times due to weather-related incidents; and Maria unfortunately didn't have enough leave time to call out for more than a day.

The nurse shrugged. "I guess it had to have been some time before me and the kids moved from Royal Woods." A downcast look appeared soon after. "Before Marcus died..."

Becca frowned almost instantly, a twinge of guilt filling her chest. "S-Sorry. I didn't mean to remind you about-"

"No no, it's fine." Maria waved offhandedly. "I'm used to it at this point."

"Well..." Becca paused, wondering if she should just cut the small talk and leave; not that she was in a rush anyway. Not wanting to leave things in a negative mood though, she opted for a different topic. "Are you ready for our girls to visit Royal Woods?"

Probably not a good idea to mention the city, but Becca knew Maria wasn't that sensitive.

The fact a smile replaced her frown put the zookeeper's heart at ease. "I know a certain someone can't wait to see her novio. Ronalda would be biting at my ankles if I didn't let her visit whenever possible."

Becca chuckled. "I can only imagine."

"I'm pretty sure she's eager to get out the apartment for a while." Another frown was shaping up as Maria recalled the news she had told her kids regarding her classes. "She...didn't like the fact I still have a few more years..."

The zoologist raised a brow. "She misses her old friends that much?"

Maria narrowed her eyes a little. "She...didn't have a lot of friends back in Royal Woods. Or they never dropped by the house much." She tapped her chin. "I do know that her and Lincoln had stopped getting flustered at being called a couple not long before I had us move."

Becca gave a longing sigh. "Young love...they finally figured out their feelings, but were forced apart..." She sniffled a little whilst wiping a tear from her eye. "It's like a romantic tragedy!"

Amy held an indifferent look as she hooted disparagingly.

The zoologist looked down at her feathered companion with a small glare. "Oh hush."

Maria huffed a little. "Even if they are separated," She sipped her coffee again. "It's better than having my kids sleeping on the street. It was getting harder to stay on top of the bills every month that passed..." There was a hint of irritation in her tone, though Becca didn't know whether it was intentional or not. "I don't know how the cost of living there became so expensive..."

"Might be something you could talk to the mayor about." The blonde advised. Amy squawked as she flapped her wings. "Alright alright, let's get you to your new home." Becca sidestepped past Maria as she headed down the stairs. "See you later Maria."

"Adios." The nurse replied back before continuing up the stairwell, beginning to get lost in her thoughts as her body went on autopilot.

Rosa was in the midst of preparing the family's most important meal of the day: dinner. Along with some dessert to go along with it. Glancing at the clock on the microwave, Rosa smiled as she realized she was right on schedule.

Being in an apartment with 13 people (15 if you included Lori and Carol) allowed Rosa to mentally log the times her family would typically be at home. Roberto and Hector were down at the Bodega, which wouldn't close for another 90 minutes, so she could expect them around 7. Carlos didn't necessarily have to work today since the semester was over, but he was covering for another faculty member who ran a summer course version of his subject; he would arrive home in 20 minutes if he doesn't get caught in traffic like last time. Frida was at the convention center giving a presentation, which should have wrapped up by now so she would be home in twenty-something minutes.

The kids were a bit of an oddball: their school schedules make it easy to predict their movements, but during the breaks it became much more difficult to predict when they'd be home for dinner. The only silver lining is that Rosa laid out what time she wanted them home so they could eat.

Not like they'd starve otherwise with how much she cooks...

Anyway, Carlino was busy looking after his little brother, so it was certain they were just waiting for dinner to get done; Rosa had no clue where Carlos Jr. was, but he might've been down in the bodega with Bobby. She was aware that Carlota was shopping with Ronalda at the mall; the grandmother grinned a little at how challenging of a task that must be. The young teen was never one for girly things, or at least what she perceived as "too embarrassing to wear." Rosa didn't expect that to take very long.

As for Lori and Carol, the flower shop closes at 6:30 daily; unless it's Saturday, in which it would close at 8. So they too would be arriving home soon.

Rosa hummed in thought as she placed a chicken in the oven. "Maria's semester is over, so she would have readjusted her work schedule to an earlier time." Glancing at the clock, "And she should've gotten off and took a few shortcuts to dodge traffic, which means she's going to walk through the door right...about..." The elderly woman paused upon hearing the front door open.

"Mama?" Maria called out.

Grinning to herself, "Now."

Sergio whistled in approval. "You psychic mom?"

"A parent knows their niñas well." Rosa replied before walking into the hallway. "Hola hija!"

"Hey mom." The nurse hugged the shorter woman, who returned it in kind.

"How was work?"

"About as busy as it'll get." The nurse yawned again. "Tiring me out a lot more than usual."

"Hmmm." Rosa checked her daughter's eyes. "You almost look as bad as the time Carlota tried staying up well past her bedtime to catch one of those," She groaned. "Ugh, boy band shows..." Pulling down one of Maria's lower eyelids, she frowned at the number of blood lines leading towards her pupil. "Have you been getting enough sleep?"

Maria sighed. "Mom..." She set her purse on the table. "Can I ask you something?..."

Judging by the sorrowful look on Maria's face and the depressed tone in her voice when she asked, Rosa could tell this was a private matter. Without saying a word, the grandmom took her daughter's hand and lead her towards her room.

"Uh oh." Sergio looked towards the reader. "Drama bomb!"

Once the two were in the elder couple's bedroom, Rosa shut the door before hurriedly taking a seat on the bed. She patted a spot next to her for Maria to sit, with the nurse complying after a few reluctant seconds.

"What troubles you hija?"

"Mom..." Maria twiddled her thumbs. "Do you think it was right for me to move up here with the kids?..."

Rosa raised a brow. "I..." She tried to figure out what exactly it was Maria was getting at, but kept drawing blanks. "I do not understand what you mean..."

"...Things were difficult to manage after Marcus died. The bills were starting to pile up and I could barely keep on top of them, Bobby had gotten a few jobs to help our financial situation even; but sometimes I wouldn't have enough money to buy what we needed from the grocery store..." Maria breathed in silence for a moment. "And that was nothing to say about the overall demeanor of my children: Ronalda practically shut herself in her room for a while, and Roberto..." She huffed a little. "He might not have shown it much, but he was torn up on the inside." The nurse furrowed her brows. "I wanted to be there for both of them, but because of our financial situation, I found myself constantly pulling double shifts just so we could live comfortably. And that meant I'd barely see my kids at all throughout the week..."

Maria sat her hands in her lap. "I can't thank Lori and Lincoln enough for keeping them happy and distracted from how dim everything seemed; and I owe Rita my eternal thanks for getting off that wine streak I had. But even now, I still don't have any time to spend with my kids because I'm practically working two jobs five days a week..." She blinked back a couple tears as her eyes started to feel watery. "I feel like my kids are gonna get too used to not having their parents around at such a young age..."

Rosa hummed in understanding, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Maria, you know you don't have to be overworking yourself. I understand that you wanted to continue with your nursing job so you have some income, but if you're working to become a doctor, then don't you think you could afford to take a bit of time off work?"

"Mama..." Maria gave the elderly woman a side glance. "I still have to pay for tuition, along with my car note. And I'm not keen on accumulating debt I'll have to pay off when I finish..."

"I wasn't suggesting that you put in a loan hija, but you could let us help in that regard so you can just focus on school."

Maria whipped her head towards her mother, rather aghast at what she was suggesting. "B-But mom...those are my-" The nurse was silenced when Rosa put a finger to her lips.

"Yes, I know you're capable of handling it Maria; but as your mother I don't want my baby to work herself to death." She removed her finger from Maria's mouth, now grasping both of her daughter's hands with a smile. "You've been through a lot over the past two years, and I believe it's time you dial things back. Roberto and Ronalda are as happy as they can be, they're doing well in school, and they have several friends they can hang out with." She frowned. "But as you said, they need their mother in their life. Roberto has grown into a fine young man, but he still has much to learn. The same can be said for Ronalda, and she will continue to need her mother's guidance as she grows into a mature woman. After all, her Quinceañera is only two years away."

Maria nodded, starting to stare off into space. "It almost feels like yesterday when I held her for the first time, and she used to look up to her brother." A smile formed as the Santiago matriarch suppressed a short giggle. "Well, she still does, but not to the point she follows him around 24/7."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree hija." Rosa booped her daughter on the nose. "You did the same thing with Carlos when you were a bebé."

Maria giggled, pushing her mother's finger away. "I didn't follow him around that much. But I guess you're right."

"Mother knows best, as they say." Rosa laughed a little. "Now, come next semester, your father and myself will cover your tuition."

Maria couldn't help the frown formed out of worry. "Are you sure you want to do that Mom?"

"Oh por favor, your billing statement isn't that much." Rosa replied as she waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "You're only taking 3 classes per semester as it is. Now you should've seen Carlos' bill when he was in school." The grandmom chuckled. "Hector nearly had a heart attack three times before he found out Carlos' scholarship covered most of the price."

Maria put a hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter. "I remember that. Dad's hair actually started getting thinner by then."

The two women spent a few seconds laughing at the fond memory before settling down. "Feel better dear?"

"Yeah..." Maria turned to her mother and delivered a warm hug. "Thanks Mom."

"Anything for you mi bebé." Rosa replied whilst returning the hug. "If you have any other problems, you just come to me, ok?"

Maria nodded. "I will."

"We still need to find you a new husband though." Rosa added with a coy smile.

Maria went wide-eyed as a huge blush overtook her face. "Mama!"

"Relax, I'm only joking." Rosa laughed. "I doubt anyone could replace that man in your heart." Out of curiosity, the elderly woman looked at the clock on the nightstand, only to let out a gasp at time it read. "Dios Mío! Everyone's gonna be home soon, and I still have to finish preparing!" She hurriedly got up from the bed.

Maria pursed her lips. "Don't worry Mom," She stood up as well. "I'll help."

"Gracias hija!" Rosa replied as she practically threw the door open and ran down the hall, the lower end of her blouse pulled up so she wouldn't inadvertently catch it with her feet.

Maria chortled for a second, putting her hands on her hips. "That's mom for ya. Always trying to fatten us up."

As she exited the room, her mind wandered to that one statement about "finding a new man". The nurse lost her enthusiasm for a moment as she recalled the nights where she lied awake staring up at the ceiling, the sounds of cars rushing by the apartment filling the dark silence surrounding her. Occasionally, Maria would find herself taking up only half the mattress despite being the sole occupant of the room; an arm would be stretched out in the spot her husband would've occupied. Upon realizing this, the upcoming doctor would stare at the cold spot for hours, longing for the warmth of a spouse that wasn't coming back. The first few weeks of sleep back in Royal Woods often started with Maria crying until her brain finally wore itself out, but getting sleep since then wasn't any better.

Just ask anyone in the apartment how the first Day of the Dead celebration went.

Rosa's inside joke also came with literal intent at one point; namely, Carlota tried setting up Maria with numerous guys she found on a website for singles. All of them were turned down, and humorously, Ronnie Anne even shut one session down because it was cutting into the time she was using to hang out with her mother.

"Carlota means well, but I don't think I'm ready to put myself on the market again..." Maria folded her arms as she slowly paced down the hall. "Plus, I think it'd be best if she gets a boyfriend of her own first so she can learn a thing or two about romance before trying to hook up a widow..."

The nurse was so wrapped in her thoughts that she didn't notice someone was directly in front of her.

"Ah!" A young, feminine voice yelped, pulling the older woman from her thoughts.

Maria refocused her vision as she halted in place, realizing she almost bumped into her kin. "Oh, sorry Ronalda!" Rubbing her arm nervously, "I didn't realize you were back."

"I'm fine Mom." Ronalda replied as she adjusted her hold on the large paper bag full of clothes. "Are you ok?" She raised a brow. "You looked a little spaced out for a minute."

"Y-Yeah, I'm ok." Maria smiled nervously. "Just...gonna help Abuela in the kitchen!" Without another word, the nurse quickly shuffled past her daughter, who watched her walk past the doorway that led into the kitchen.

Ronalda squinted an eye at her mother's behavior, though she assumed it might've had to do with her mother constantly chugging down all that coffee. "Maybe I ought to get Mom on some other energy drink." The tomboy thought to herself.

Pushing that thought to the back of her mind, Ronalda figured she could work on that later. Right now, she needed to compile a list with Sid so they could decide on what to do when they got to Royal Woods.

A/N: One of the hardest things for Lynn has been her inability to tell her closest friends about the truth to what happened during the events of Worth. She has the right to worry because even though something happened in the past, it doesn't mean people will simply let things go. But the fact Margo was still worried regardless is changing her mind on the matter. Naturally, Evil Lynn is still around to mock and goad Lynn into being her old, brutish self, so she's certain to have a few episodes on occasion.

And let's not forget Maria, who's still reeling from becoming a widow. I know on Relative Chaos she was worried about her kids being lonely, but they never did explore the fact she ought to be worried about them getting used to the fact they're rarely see her. Given how we don't see Maria much even with the new show, it feels like wasted potential in the almost the same way Arturo exists.

Anyway, next chapter will feature a little time skip to bring the gang together.