Hello everybody it's MutedBadger back with another chapter of 'One Good Deed'!

Well I have been gone a long time, haven't I? Yeah, I think these last few months have thought me that life comes at you hard when you least expected. I won't go into details but I will say that I have had very little free time to write anything, so that's why there was a lack of updates, this was only finished due to me getting some extended time off work.

But I don't want to bore you with real life stuff, so with that said, on with the story!

I always loved the night sky, the way the inky canvas stretched out to envelop everything it touched only to be broken up by specks of lights that were distant stars somehow always provided me with an odd sense of calmness.

I have spent many countless nights on the streets just gazing up into the night sky, watching as the silvery moon slowly strode its way across the starry heavens as I count and re-count each bright star that hung in the dark abyss with the hopes of finding myself in a peaceful slumber.

It was always a challenge to push aside the dark thoughts that almost constantly corrupted my mind, but the pitch-black sky consistently provided me with a momentary distraction from the outside world, it helped me feel alone.

It allowed me to shed the tears that would gather at the corner of my eyes late at night when no one was around without feeling like I was a weak person, tears that were nothing more than temporary cleaners that washed the pain that was my existence for a brief blissful moment.

But as I said before it was just a momentary distraction from everything, like it was now, distracting me from the problems I face with a certain Loud sister who shares a lot of similarities with the sky I gaze upon.

Lucy knows that I plan on leaving when the wound in my shoulder heals and the slight cold I have cleared up, how she was able to find out about my plan beats me but that doesn't matter now.

What does matter is what the young girl decides to do with the information she was somehow able to learn and in all honesty, there isn't much she could do with it.

Lucy only really has one option, which was to tell her other sisters about my plan to leave, the mere thought of which shoots tendrils of fear throughout my body. If she did tell Luan, Luna, and Lynn my secret It could lead to anyone of them deciding to contact child protective services against my will.

I only had one hope in this situation and that was the tiny possibility of Lucy feeling like telling her sisters the truth could lead to me leaving sooner than I plan to. The slight chance that I would take flight could be just enough of a reason to dissuade Lucy from outright telling them straight away, she may even try to convince me to stay by herself.

"You know Lincoln, the whole point of ice skating is to actually skate."

The sudden voice snaps me out of my train of thought causing me to drag my eyes away from the beautiful sky above to see Lynn standing over me with her hands on her hips and a small smile on her face.

As soon as both of our skates hit the ice, Lynn shot off in a straight line while throwing in some flawless mid-air twists and spins as she did. I, however, did nothing even close to that as I made it around two feet out into the ice rink before falling flat on my ass.

That is where I found myself for the next few minutes, simply lying down on the ice as I contemplate the best course of action to take with Lucy and what she knows.

"Yeah I know, but I think I have the ice part of it down," I respond to Lynn whilst giving the ground beside me a little tap.

"Come on, let's get you up before you catch something worse than the cold you already have," Lynn says, offering out her hand and waiting for me to take it.

Putting my palm into hers, trying not to think about how easy it is for me to do that, Lynn immediately pulls me to my feet before swiftly grabbing onto my shoulders to stop me from falling straight back down onto the ice.

"Whoa there Bambi try not to lean too far back," the sporty girl helpfully supplies as she drags my arms forward, pulling my weight along with them, "now bend your knees and keep your arms out in front of you."

Taking the position Lynn was describing, I immediately feel more steady on my feet, "Huh, this is easier than I thought."

"Well since it's so easy, lets getting moving," Lynn says with a sly grin, never giving me the chance to protest as she slowly begins to pull me along, doing her best to keep me upright.

We continue on like this, hand in hand as we slowly make our way around the rink, avoiding all the more experienced skaters as we went along, with Lynn laughing at each time I nearly slip and fall.

Getting about half-way around the oval of ice, Lynn's sly grin transforms into a full-blown smile as she lets go of my hand and skates a few feet away, spinning in a circle to face me and saying, "I think you are about ready Lincoln, skate over here!"

"Uh, I really don't think I can," I say nervously while trying not to move a single muscle, not wanting to fall back down on to the Ice.

"Come on Lincoln, it's easy!" Lynn exclaims, throwing in a quick spin to back up what she said, "Just take some small steps and before you know it you will be gliding over here."

Taking a few seconds to build up some courage, I put my right foot in front of me, doing my best to keep my balance. It didn't take long for me to pick up some speed as I find myself barrelling towards Lynn.

"Uh Lincoln, you might want to slow down a litt-" Lynn didn't get a chance to finish what she was saying as I unceremoniously crash into her.

To my surprise, the two of us don't fall to our icy doom as Lynn's strong arms wrap around me preventing the two of us from going down. Looking up I see that our faces were mere inches away from each other, causing my cheeks to become oddly warm.

"Next time, I think we should start by learning how to stop," Was all Lynn said, not bothering to move out of the awkward position we found ourselves in.

"Yeah, I think that is probably for the best," I mumble back, trying my best not to lose myself in her dark brown eyes that seem to be piercing their way into my soul.

We just remain like that, staring at each other for what felt like an eternity but couldn't be more than a few seconds in reality.

The dark brown in Lynn's eyes that were marred with flecks of lighter hues reminded me of old barn doors, which when I thought about it was kind of fitting. Barn doors were strong but stilled opened to allow the world to see inside, much like Lynn herself.

"I hate to break up whatever is happening here but dad said to get everyone gathered for the light's ceremony."

The new voice ends the moment in an instant causing Lynn to let go of my frame, allowing me to drop to the ice once again.

Looking up from where I landed I see that it was Lola who had broken mine and Lynn's little staring contest, the young girl was giving Lynn a little grin while her eyes move between me and her jersey-wearing sister.

"Nothing is going on here Lola," Lynn loudly says, throwing up her hands as she did, "I was just teaching Lincoln how to properly skate."

"Sure Lynn, just teaching him how to skate," Lola replies trying her best to repress a laugh that threatens to burst forth.

Lynn just lets out a little huff before crossing her arms and looking down at me, "Come on Linc, let's go to the ceremony."

Climbing to my feet by myself this time, I watch as Lola's eyes stray back and forth between Lynn and me, the grin on her face somehow getting even larger than before.

"Are you just going to stand there all day and stare at us or are we actually going to the ceremony?" Lynn says with some annoyance in her voice as she pushes her way past Lola and makes her way swiftly to the ice rink exit.

Lola just lets a little giggle slip out at the display before beginning to follow in Lynn's footsteps and making her own way out.

Deciding that it is probably best for me to follow them, I put one foot out in front of the other before instantly realizing something,

"Um guys, I still don't know how to skate properly!"

"-rough my successes of the year and as Christmas draws closer you can feel the spirit of the city become mo-"

You know, It was at times like this that I wished I was able to afford a watch.

It feels like an eternity had passed ever since the mayor of Royal Woods had taken her position on the stage and with each second that went by, I could feel the boredom sink its way deeper into my bones.

When we had first arrived at the area the light ceremony was taking place in, I was shocked by just how many people were gathered in the space in front of the stage. The crowd was packed together like sardines from end to end as each and every one of them attempted to get a better spot to view the main stage from.

Just as I was thinking about how it would almost impossible to find the rest of the Loud family in a crowd like that, Lynn began to plough her way through the mass of people, knocking over anyone unlucky enough to be in her way with stunning strength.

And to my surprise, it actually didn't take us that long to find the family in the horde of bodies that had formed, coming across them gathered near the front.

Dragging my eyes away from the mayor, I take a quick glance at the Loud family that stood around me, noticing that a lot of them seem to be in the same situation as I was with boredom written all over the faces.

As I look around, I eventually lock my gaze on to Lucy who was standing slightly off to the side staring at me, and even though I couldn't see them, I could still feel her eyes piercing their way through the thin veil of hair that was constantly preventing me from reading any expression she may have.

I could feel myself wilting under her gaze, the girl having some kind of special ability to make me feel like my skin was crawling as if there were hundreds of tiny spiders running rampant across my whole body.

"Hey Lincoln, could I talk to you really quick?" just as I was about to take a step out of the dark-haired girl's eye line, I hear Lynn's voice speak up from behind me.

Quickly turning around to face her, I immediately become concerned as I spot a nervous expression stretched out across her face, "Uh, yeah sure."

"Alone?" Lynn asks while taking a quick glance at her sisters that were standing slightly behind me and giving her head a quick shake.

Shooting a look back at Luna and Luan who were a couple of feet away from me, I see the two of them have taken their eyes off the stage and were giving a thumbs up in the direction of Lynn before quickly trying to hide the action.

Looking to Lynn once more, I give her a reassuring nod before letting her lead me out of the tightly packed crowd to find a more secluded spot to have whatever conversation she wanted.

As we push our way to the edge of the gathering, I notice that Lynn once again had a bag in her hands, the very same one she had when she accidentally interrupted mine and Lucy's awkward conversation back at the skating rink.

Once we get past the crowd we somehow luckily managed to find a tree with no one underneath it not too far from the stage.

"Look Lincoln, I have been thinking about what you told me in the basement all day" Lynn starts the conversation off slow, not making eye contact with me, "and I am not going to lie to you, it has taken nearly all of my will power not to tell my parents about it."

She pauses for a brief second, clenching her eyes shut as she gathers herself for what she is about to say.

"I am trying to be strong for you but I'm really scared," the words looked like they physically hurt her to say, her eyes scrunching close only to be followed by a long breath, "I'm so scared about him finding you, I'm scared about you getting hurt, and I'm scared that you will leave without telling us."

Any words I have leave me, I am left dumbstruck as I stared into her brown eyes that were alight with emotion and my mind falls silent. I try to move my lips to help rid her of some of the worries she has, but they remain frozen.

"I'm scared Linc and the only way I know that can really help you is telling my parents."

"The-n why haven't you?" I cautiously ask, wrapping my arms around myself.

Lynn casts her gaze to the ground at my question, almost as if she was searching for an answer that was somehow written into the dirt we were standing on, "I don't know, I think it may be because I... I..."

The words die in the back of her throat before she suddenly lifts her face up to look at me. The resolve I see in her eyes surprises me and I can't help but take a step back.

"Because I li-"

"10!"

A few feet away from us, the crowd begins what I can only assume was the count down to the turning on of the Christmas lights, interrupting Lynn as they do.

"9!"

"Lincoln back in the basement you said you lost the necklace your parents had got you," Lynn says with a disappointed look on her face while shaking her head, ignoring the crowd altogether.

"8!"

"Yeah, I lost it a while back," I respond being careful not to actually tell her how I lost it, not wanting to have that conversation with her.

"7!"

"Well, that is why I got you this," At her words, Lynn produces a small box from the bag that she was carrying around with her all this time.

"6!"

I look at the box with a questioning look before asking, "Lynn what is this?"

"5!"

Not responding to my question, the sporty Loud slowly opens the box revealing a silver necklace in the shape of an L inside.

"4!"

I could only stare at the piece of jewelry that the Loud girl had bought for me, so many emotions rising up from inside me that I was prevented from forming a proper sentence. "L-ynn I-I.."

"3!"

"I know it's dumb to think that this necklace could ever hold the same meaning that the other one held but I wanted to get you one," Lynn says while lowering her eyes to the ground.

"2!"

Lynn was right the necklace could never hold the same meaning that the old one had, but that didn't mean that this one couldn't hold a new one.

With that thought, I immediately pull Lynn into a sudden hug that totally catches her off guard just as the crowd finishes counting.

"1!"

Above us, the lights in the tree burst to life bathing us in a flickering red and green glow that spreads an almost magical feel into the air.

"Thank you, Lynn," I simply say not bothering to release the girl from the hug I had her in, "thank you for everything."

We remain in like that for a while, as one by one the lights above us turn on, each one adding to the warm atmosphere that filled the surrounding air. I don't think I have ever felt so alive and loved in all my life, I don't want this to end, I wished I could live in this moment forever.

This was without a doubt the best day of my life.

This might be one of the worst days of my life, I thought to myself from where I was sitting on the bottom bunk of Luna's and Luan's bed.

As soon as the light-up ceremony was done, the Loud family had decided to call it quits for the night and head home with all the stuff that they bought during their family outing. The whole ride home I could feel the nervous energy swelling up from the depths as with each mile closer to the Loud residence was a mile closer to having to tell two more sisters about him.

The only thing stopping me from totally freaking out was Lynn's presence in the seat beside me, which once again acted like a rock that grounded me to the real world.

As soon as we arrived back at the house, we wait a few minutes to let the other family memebers to settle in before I was swiftly pulled up the stairs to the older girl's room as the sisters didn't want to waste any time in hearing the important information I had for them.

Information, in all honesty, I did not want to share with them.

Telling Lynn had been a really painful experience for me as I had to relive through some of the most gruesome memories that 'He' did to me, memories that I tried so hard to bury in the darkest, deepest pit in my mind.

But here I was, once again about to dig up the old scars and horrors to put on a show for not just another person but for two.

"So, what's this thing Lynn said you had to tell us about?" I hear Luna asks, bringing me back to the real world.

Dragging my eyes away from the wall that I was staring at, I look at the rocker who was spread out on a purple bean bag strumming away on a guitar that was slightly out of tune.

"Well, it is something about m-my situation," I say slowly not having the courage to dive right in and tell them about 'him' straight away.

"Well it must be something big," Luan chimes in making me glance over to where she was sitting, which was in a weird jester chair that she for some reason owned "I don't think I have ever seen Lynn so tense before."

Luan was right about Lynn being tense, I had noticed it too, she had barely moved from the spot she made for herself on one of the many dressers in the room. The muscles in her body were as hard as stone causing her to take a rigid sitting position with her jaw clenched shut, probably preparing herself for hearing about 'him' for a second time.

A silence fills the room, and all eyes suddenly turn to me, probably waiting for me to begin the recounting of what was the sad story of my past.

"I lied to you two," I force the words out of my mouth after a few seconds of internal struggle, knowing that if I don't start simple I won't be able to get through this at all, "back on the park bench."

"What? You lied to us again dude?" Luna asks with some hurt in her voice sitting up straighter as she does.

"Yeah I did," I quietly respond, lowering my eyes down to the carpeted floor beneath me as if it suddenly became the most interesting thing in the world.

"I can't believe it, dude! I thought you trusted us," Luna continues on, "we trusted you enough to let you stay here."

The sheer amount of betrayal in her voice cuts into me like the sharp side of a knife and I am left to cringe in pain.

"So what did you lie about this time then?" The question comes from Luan who was leaning forward on her chair, making it hard for me not to notice the extra emphasis she put on the words 'this time'.

"Something bad, something really bad," I respond, doing my best to keep my voice devoid of all the emotions that were on the cusp of bursting forth.

The silence in the room caressed itself against my skin like a cool summer breeze leaving me with nothing but the drumming sound of my own heart doing its best to break free from the cage that was my chest.

"Well then," Luna says with some impatience, "what is it?"

Licking my dry lips, I take another quick glance around the room to see both Luna and Luan leaning eagerly on their seats waiting for the next drop of information to leave my mouth. Lynn on the other hand had taken to jiggling her right leg up and down in what I could only assume was a way to rid herself of the nervousness she must be feeling.

While looking at them I see that their eyes were hungry for what I was trying to keep away from them and I try to do just that. I begin to prepare myself to tell them, digging deep into my mind to drag up the memories of 'him'.

To them, it was just words and terrible stories of my past, but to me, it was experiences, experiences that I never want to relive. Every facet of my being had been shaped about what I went through, everything I am right now is about not wanting to go back to that especially in my mind.

I could feel myself beginning to spiral into my fear as if the floor had opened beneath me and was pulling me in.

I quickly stand up from where I was sitting, avoding a diamond tiara that was for some reason on the floor.

My movement causes a burst of motion from the three girls with them following my lead and shooting up from where they were sitting.

"I need a minute!" I exclaim to no one in particular before rapidly making my way towards the door which leads to the sanctum that was the hall. I make it about halfway to the door when I feel someone grab on to my left hand.

Looking back I see that it was Lynn who was holding on to me, a concerned look painted all over her face.

"Linc, it is ok I'm here," She says softly. only loud enough for me to hear.

"I know, I just need some time to gather myself for talking about him," I tell her while giving her hand a firm squeeze, "please..."

Hearing the desperation in my voice Lynn pauses to think for a few seconds before sighing and letting me go. Nodding my head in thanks, I turn to the door again and swiftly open it.

Looking briefly back, I see that both Luna and Lua have locked their gazes on to Lynn and immediately know that as soon as I step out of the room questions were about to been thrown at Lynn.

Shaking my head I take a step out into the hallway and close the door behind me. Feeling my legs go slightly weak, I lean against the closed door and take a deep breath of the stale air of the hall.

Taking a few more breaths, I get up and decide that the best place for me to gather myself would be the bathroom, it's not like anyone can bother me in there.

Making my ways towards the room, I only make it about halfway when I am stopped by the sound of an opening door. Facing the offender, I feel my heart drop as Lori Loud steps out of her room to block my path with a look on her face that sends shivers down my spine.

"Hey Lori," I greet her as nicely as I can, not needing or wanting to be on the end of her wrath right now, "Is everything ok?"

"Why I'm glad you asked Lincoln, I would say things are good..." Lori answers with a sharp tone to her voice, only to pause before bring out what looks to be a microphone receiver from behind her back,

"But I would also say 'something is bad something is really bad'."

Well that's another chapter down! It seems that Lincoln had a nice time at the market and it looks like Lori has gotten herself involved now.

While I was gone, this story somehow managed to surpass 300 Follows and 228 Favourites which is just insane for me to think about. This is the first thing I have ever properly wrote in my life and to see it be received by people so well is awesome!

So a big thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed and favourited 'One Good Deed', writing this story has been one of the most exciting and fun experiences I have had!

And as always,

Catch you on the flip side - MutedBadger