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Back On Her Feet	By : Trillhouse Category: +G through L > The Loud House Views: 3784 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Loud House, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-The Fall
- 2-Reconnect
- 1
- 2
"Here we are," Lincoln said as he pushed Lisa's wheelchair into his apartment. "It ain't much, but… well, you know the saying." The woman wore a small frown as she glanced around the abode, but said nothing in response; she knew that Lincoln lived humbly, but in truth she'd expected a bit more than this. "So… I assume you wanna get cleaned up?"
"You assume correctly," Lisa said in a flat tone. "I trust you have a bathtub?" Lincoln averted his eyes and scratched the back of his head.
"Well… I have a shower…" He muttered. "Guess that won't work though…"
"It's… not ideal, but I can make do," Lisa sighed. "You wouldn't happen to have a chair or stool you don't particularly care about, do you?" Lincoln glanced over at the kitchen table with pursed lips; like most of his furniture it was purchased second-hand from a thrift store, and the chairs had seen better days to say the least.
"...Take your pick, I guess," He said with a shrug. It wasn't like he needed four chairs anyway… it was rare for him to even have one guest.
"Thank you. If you would-" Lisa paused, thinking a moment before shaking her head. "Actually… perhaps you should go first. As you can imagine, bathing takes me somewhat longer than average…"
"No way, Lis'. You're the one that had to sit in the mud and wait," Lincoln said. "You go first. I can wait a bit longer." Lisa frowned, but nodded nonetheless.
"...Very well. Thank you, Lincoln." Her brother smiled and gave a small nod before wheeling her through the living room and into the bathroom. It was even smaller than she had expected, with little more than a small shower, toilet and sink crammed into a room that was, at best, twice the size of an average closet.
"Be right back." Lincoln hurried out, leaving Lisa alone momentarily while he grabbed one of the chairs from the main room. "This'll work?" He asked as he returned, and his sister gave a nod of confirmation. Lincoln set it down in the shower. "Gonna be a bit cramped…"
"It's fine," His sister said with a wave of her hand. "Our options are limited, after all."
"Yeah, guess that's true…" Lincoln sighed.
"Now, if you don't mind…" Lisa began, wheeling herself beside the shower door and locking her brakes. "I can handle things from here." Her brother raised an eyebrow, flicking his gaze between the shower and the woman's wheelchair.
"You… sure about that?" He asked. "I mean, I could give you a hand-"
"I assure you I can undress myself, brother." Lisa's blunt comment made Lincoln turn a light shade of pink, and he gave an awkward chuckle as he waved her off.
"N-no, I didn't mean…" He stammered before clearing his throat. "Er… I'll, uh, leave you to it, then." With that he hurried out, shutting the door behind him. Lisa rolled her eyes and sighed. She appreciated his concern, but she wished he would stop treating her as though she were helpless.
Granted… there was no denying that the current arrangement was neither ideal nor practical for her particular needs, especially with her soaked clothing weighed down and clinging to her skin. First she kicked off her shoes, letting out a contented breath as her feet were freed from their damp, uncomfortable prison. Removing her top was simple enough, but her pants and underwear were another matter; she had to plant her feet on the floor and lift from her chair slightly to shimmy them down around her thin waist, her muddy feet nearly slipping on the tile in the process. Thankfully she managed to get them off without further issue… the last thing she needed on top of her other woes was a fractured hip.
Transferring to the chair in the shower was another challenge, especially without any sort of bars or handles to grab on to, but she managed to unsteadily maneuver her frail body to the chair without issue. It was uncomfortable, as expected, but it would do. Lisa shut the shower door and turned the knob, letting out a gasp of shock as ice-cold water met her bare skin. Of course, she had little choice but to grit her teeth and bear it until the water heated up. Soon enough, the cold gave way to pleasant warmth and Lisa sighed in relief. She tilted her head upwards and shut her eyes, feeling herself warmed to her core as she let the water wash over her face and body. For a brief moment it was as though her troubles simply melted away, letting her shut out the world around her.
But, as always, it was a short-lived peace as her thoughts turned back to what had happened on that lonely stretch of road. Lisa frowned and lowered her head, idly watching the mud and grime swirling its way down the drain through her blurred vision. To say that the night had not gone as expected would be an understatement, to say the least… for all his aggression, she'd never have imagined that Daniel would lash out in such a severe and callous manner. While abusive in his demeanor, he had never been the type to get physical; and while she could accept that he had simply acted without thinking in the heat of the moment, the fact that he opted to leave her in such a perilous situation was indefensible. To someone like Lisa, who kept her thoughts and feelings so close to her chest, it had hurt in a way that was completely new to her.
The young woman took a breath and tried to push the thoughts out of her mind. It didn't matter now… what was done was done and no matter how shaken she was, this night's events were but another insignificant blip in the passage of time. Daniel was out of her life now; she'd forget about him and move on, just like everything else.
It was easier that way.
Her mind cleared, Lisa went about washing herself as best she was able. Unsurprisingly, her brother's toiletries were… less than ideal to say the least, far removed from the higher-end products she was accustomed to. Still, cheap shampoo and Old Spice body wash would have to suffice for now. As long as it got all the dirt and grime off she was satisfied, though she at least wished she had a long-handled bath sponge like at home. Given her condition, scrubbing herself was an understandably difficult task, let alone while sitting on a slippery chair.
"Lisa?" Her brother's muffled voice spoke from behind the door, accompanied by a light knock. "I've got some clean clothes for you. Er… they're old, but they'll probably be a bit big on you…"
"Could you bring them in, please?" The door opened and Lincoln took a cautious glance inside, seeing his sister peeking out from around the shower curtain. He slipped inside with a small bundle of clothing in his arms, not that Lisa could make out much without her glasses.
"I'll, uh… I guess I'll leave them here, if that's fine," Lincoln said as he draped the folded clothes over the edge of the sink. Lisa gave a small nod.
"That will do, thank you."
"No problem. Did you need anything else?" Lincoln asked.
"No… nothing that can be procured at the moment, at any rate," The young woman said. "I won't be much longer."
"It's alright, take your time." Lincoln said with a smile before leaving his sister to her business. In truth he was rather eager to wash off all the dirt and mud, but he wasn't about to rush the girl along given her circumstances, let alone the evening she'd had. For now, he'd have to make do with toweling off as best he could.
Lincoln filled a glass with water from the kitchen sink and chugged it down, letting out a sigh of relief as it soothed his dry throat. To say that the evening had taken an unexpected turn would be an understatement, both for himself and his unfortunate sister. At the very least she didn't seem particularly worse for wear, but even that fact was troubling to the man; she'd fallen into a ditch, for God's sake, but with the way she was acting she may as well have tripped face-first into a small puddle.
Well… "fallen" into a ditch. It didn't take a super genius to tell she was dancing around the truth.
Lincoln frowned, furrowing his brow in thought. One way or another he'd get to the bottom of things, but beyond that there was the matter of their parents; should he tell them what happened? Surely they deserved to know that one of their children had gone through such an ordeal, but on the other hand he was sure that Lisa wouldn't be happy about that in the slightest. The last thing he wanted to do was chase his sister away just as she re-entered his life. The young man sighed and shook his head. He'd worry about that later, after he'd had a talk with her.
"I think we have differing interpretations of what constitutes 'a bit big', Lincoln."
"Hmm?" Lincoln looked towards the bedroom door and had to suppress a laugh as a somewhat disgruntled Lisa limped out with her cane. His old white t-shirt and pajama bottoms hung over her slight frame like a tarp, making her look almost like a child wearing her parents' clothing. Lisa pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing in irritation as her brother snickered into his palm.
"...I'm glad this is so amusing to you, brother," The young woman grumbled.
"S-sorry… sorry," Lincoln chuckled before clearing his throat. "But hey, at least they're clean, right?" Lisa held her glare for a moment, then let out a sigh of resignation.
"Yes… I suppose they are." Lisa carefully shuffled into the room, trying her best not to trip on her overly-long pajama bottoms, and Lincoln rushed over to assist her. "It's fine," She said, holding up a hand to stop him. "I can walk by myself, Lincoln."
"I-" Lincoln began, then caught himself. "...Right. Sorry." Lisa limped past and made her way to the sofa, practically flopping into it with a sigh of comfort. "Well, uh… guess I'll go clean up, then." His sister gave a small nod.
"I assure you I'm not going anywhere," She said plainly. With that, Lincoln headed to the bathroom to wash up and Lisa leaned back into the sofa with a groan. As much as she appreciated her brother's concern, she wished he would stop doting on her like a child. She was more than capable of taking care of herself… for the most part, at least. Tonight was something of an exception, and even then having to call her brother for help had been embarrassing for the young woman. She could only hope that he would keep the matter between them.
With the room to herself for the time being, Lisa glanced around her brother's apartment with a small frown. It was no surprise that Lincoln's home was far more humble than her own, but she'd underestimated just how much of a dump the place really was. Was he really struggling that much? Or perhaps she'd simply lived in luxury for so long that she was out of touch with the common man. Either way, she doubted Lincoln was particularly satisfied with his current arrangement. Lincoln… it was good to see him again, though the circumstances were certainly less than ideal. Granted, she doubted she would have reached out had the situation not been as urgent as it was, so perhaps there was a bright side to all this. He seemed well, at least, though if the open can of PBR on the coffee table was any indication, his tastes were as pedestrian as ever. But between that and the idle Netflix homepage on the television, it would seem that she had inadvertently spoiled her brother's evening. She couldn't help but feel a measure of guilt for that. The young woman shut her eyes and took a breath. She was understandably tired, not to mention hungry… dinner hadn't gone as planned, after all. Perhaps she could-
"Well, I did the best I… oh." Lisa's eyes snapped open at her brother's voice, and she noticed him exiting his room in a fresh set of clothes. He scratched the back of his head with a sheepish chuckle. "Sorry… didn't mean to wake you-"
"It's fine. I was merely resting my eyes." It was now that she noticed Lincoln was pushing her wheelchair, now free from mud… for the most part, anyway. "You cleaned it? You didn't have to-"
"What, you think I was gonna make you do it?" He asked. "Couldn't get it all, though… mud's pretty caked in there in some spots."
"I appreciate it nonetheless," Lisa said with a small smile. "Thank you, Lincoln." Her brother grinned in response and wheeled the chair beside the sofa before flopping down beside Lisa. He let out a long breath and massaged his temples.
"Some night, huh?"
"I suppose that's one way to put it." An awkward silence fell over the pair as they did their best to ignore the elephant in the room… Lisa could already hear the questions coming from a mile away. She heard her brother let out a soft sigh and braced herself for a very uncomfortable discussion.
"Look, Lisa-" Lincoln was cut short as Lisa's stomach grumbled loudly, much to her chagrin. The young woman turned a light shade of pink and averted her eyes.
"Er… my apologies…" She muttered. "I'm afraid I haven't had a proper dinner tonight…" Lincoln blinked before shaking off his surprise with a snicker, which only served to further embarrass his sister.
"Sorry… sorry," Lincoln said, clearing his throat. "I'd offer you something, but I'm kinda… cleared out at the moment. Could order a pizza, but I'm broke-"
"I'll pay, then," Lisa said. "It's the least I could do." Quite frankly, Lincoln was in no position to protest… he was pretty hungry himself after all, and it wasn't like he could afford it himself.
"I guess I'll take you up on that, thanks." The two exchanged a smirk and Lincoln got out his phone. He supposed their conversation could wait for the time being, and perhaps that was for the best; maybe a good meal would help Lisa open up a bit more.

By the time the pizza arrived, the siblings were famished; so much so that Lisa opted to forego eating at the table and dug in right there on the couch. Unlike her brother, however, she at least had the courtesy to use one of the included paper plates. Lincoln, on the other hand, seemed content to chow down haphazardly and attempt to catch any toppings that happened to fall in the process. Not that it did much to help… Lisa could only watch in disapproval as a piece of beef fell to the ground and, without skipping a beat, Lincoln snatched it right back up and popped it in his mouth. He noticed his sister's judgmental gaze and cocked an eyebrow.
"...What?" The man mumbled through a mouthful of pizza before swallowing. "Ten-second rule."
"That has no basis in science, I'm afraid," Lisa said with a sigh. Lincoln simply shrugged and took another bite.
"Better than getting ants, right?" His sister rolled her eyes in response and went back to eating. She knew better than to try and talk common sense with Lincoln of all people. Besides, he was nothing if not resilient… she doubted a few germs would have much of an effect on the man's health. Lisa turned her focus back to the television, which was currently playing a random episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. In truth, Lisa wasn't much of a film or TV watcher, especially when it came to the science-fiction genre; more often than not the 'science' depicted within was utter nonsense, after all. Nonetheless, from what little she'd seen over the years the show was interesting in its own right… amusing in how much it got wrong, and fascinating just how much it got right. If nothing else, it served well enough as background noise while they ate.
Despite his slovenly demeanor, Lincoln's mind was elsewhere as he considered how to approach the issue at hand. He doubted needling her for answers would do much good, considering how cagey she-
"Now then… I assume you have some questions for me?"
...Well, that was easier than expected.
"Er… well, yeah," Lincoln replied once he'd shaken off his surprise. But where to begin? He averted his eyes and drummed his fingers on his knee in thought. After a few moments, he turned to his sister. "What happened tonight, Lisa?" The woman didn't immediately answer, nor did she look at him, simply taking another bite of her pizza before setting the plate down on the coffee table. Once she'd chewed and swallowed, she finally spoke.
"Daniel and I had a… disagreement," Lisa said softly. Lincoln waited for her to continue, but she simply stared idly at the television.
"...Go on…" Lincoln muttered. Lisa frowned and took a breath.
"We had an argument and he pulled over. He told me to get out, and when I refused he forced me out. One thing led to another, and… I fell." Lisa didn't even need to turn towards her brother to feel the horrified stare he was giving her.
"He… threw you into a ditch?!" The anger in her brother's voice was palpable, and Lisa shifted away slightly to avoid his gaze.
"...It was an accident, Lincoln."
"Was it an accident when he fucking drove away and left you there?!" Lincoln shot back. Lisa frowned but, to his growing frustration, did not respond. Lincoln stood up, throwing his hands into the air with a growl, and took a few paces away from his sister in agitation. After a few moments, he took a deep breath to calm himself. "You need to call the cops, Lisa." The young woman sighed and shook her head.
"I'd prefer not."
"Lisa-"
"I said no, Lincoln," Lisa cut in, shooting her brother a glare. "I don't want to make a big deal out of this." Lincoln had to bite his lip to keep from firing back at her. A big deal? How was this not a big deal?! Lisa could have been badly hurt or worse, especially given her frail condition, and yet she was discussing the matter so casually that she may as well have fallen and scraped her knee. "Besides," She pressed on, apparently noticing her brother's irritation, "There's no solid evidence to prove my claims. Ultimately it would be a spectacle I'd rather not get into, especially with little chance of a conviction." Lincoln crossed his arms and looked away, letting out a huff. He had to admit, she did have a point… there was little way to prove exactly what had happened, and the testimony of a family member was far from enough to make a case.
"W-well even so," Lincoln stammered, "How can you just brush this off?! I mean, if he's already done this much-"
"I highly doubt that Daniel will be any further issue," Lisa interjected. "He's no doubt already scurried off to hide in some other town."
"How can you be so sure?!"
"Because I know him," The young woman said in a matter-of-fact tone. "For all his bluster, he's little more than a coward. Tonight was… something of a special case." Lincoln frowned and crossed his arms, taking a moment to mull things over before speaking.
"...I still think we should call the cops," He said. Lisa, however, was unmoved.
"I don't want to, Lincoln. I ask that you respect my wishes on that." Lincoln sighed and scratched the back of his head. Needless to say, he didn't approve of his sister's dismissal of the matter, but he knew better than anyone that trying to argue with her would do little good. Instead, he simply slumped his shoulders in resignation before shuffling over to the couch and flopping back down with a groan.
"Never thought someone could be too passive and too stubborn at the same time…" Lincoln muttered. Lisa simply stared at the tv, hands folded in her lap, and Lincoln shot her an aside glance. He pursed his lips slightly in thought. Daniel aside, there were plenty of other things he wanted to ask her… but he supposed this wasn't the time to bring up the past. After a few moments, he cleared his throat. "So, uh… how's work going?" Lisa cocked an eyebrow, apparently taken off guard by the sudden shift in topic. Nonetheless, it seemed to relax her somewhat.
"Oh… it's going well," She said with a small smirk. "Better than well, in fact. The students take well to my lessons, it seems."
"Right, that's… uh…" Lincoln trailed off, rubbing his chin as he tried to remember. "...Algebra?" Lisa's face fell, and she looked at him as though she were a disappointed parent.
"...Astronomy, Lincoln," She corrected. Lincoln gave a self-depreciating chuckle.
"Er, right… sorry 'bout that," The man apologized. "So that's, like… the zodiac and stuff, right?" Lisa's expression only grew more befuddled, and she buried her face in her palm with a groan.
"That's astrology. The divination of earthly events through the observation of…" Lisa began, only to stop as she noticed the look of confusion on her brother's face. The young woman took a deep breath and massaged her temples. "...it's pseudoscience, Lincoln. No more than attempted fortune telling by way of the cosmos. Astronomy is the scientific study of objects and systems outside of the Earth's atmosphere." Before Lincoln could reply, she added: "...In layman's terms, the study of outer space."
"Oh…" Lincoln muttered. He furrowed his brow and tapped his fingers on the armrest before looking at her again. "But… I thought you gave up on science." Almost immediately he regretted his words as Lisa's expression noticeably darkened.
"...I gave up on the pursuit of scientific endeavors, Lincoln. I no longer conduct my own experiments or research," She explained, her expression softening. "But it's a varied field. I teach observational astronomy."
"I see," Lincoln said with a nod of understanding, however vague it may have been. "But why give up at all? I mean-"
"Lincoln." Lisa cut him off with a low, stern voice. "I'd appreciate you not prying into my personal matters." Lincoln couldn't help but be taken aback by his sister's shift in tone; it was clear that, whatever her reasoning, the topic was a bitter one for her.
"...Sorry…" Lincoln said quietly. For a few moments, an uncomfortable silence fell over the two. Finally, Lisa let out a soft sigh and shook her head.
"It's… fine," She muttered, raising her glasses to rub the bridge of her nose. "My apologies. I suppose I'm somewhat testy tonight… I'm sure you can understand."
"Yeah… of course." Lincoln groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "My bad. Guess this isn't the right time to talk about it."
"There is no right time to talk about it, Lincoln. Please respect that."
"Lisa-"
"On that note," Lisa cut in, stifling a yawn that even Lincoln could tell was forced. "...I'm sorry to cut things short, but this has been a long night and I'd like to retire for the night."
"Oh, uh… sure," Her brother replied, getting to his feet. Lisa patted the couch's cushions and gave a small nod.
"Yes, I suppose this will do…" She said. "I trust you have spare blankets?"
"Well, yeah, but I'm not gonna have you sleep on the couch," The man chuckled. "You can use my bed. I'll sleep out here tonight." Lisa raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Lincoln, I can't possibly ask for that," The girl protested. "I've imposed on you more than enough already-"
"It's fine, really. I mean… sleeping on the couch can't be good for you, right?" He asked; Lisa glanced down at the sofa with a small frown. In truth, given her condition the worn piece of furniture would likely leave her sore and achy in the morning, not to mention keep her from a good night's sleep. Despite her reservations, she couldn't deny that a proper bed sounded like a dream come true right now, and after chewing her lip in thought she finally gave a nod of approval.
"Well… I suppose I'll have to take you up on your offer, then." She said with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Lincoln. I promise I'll make it up to you."
"Don't worry about it," Lincoln assured her with a dismissive wave of his hand. "You're my sister. As far as I'm concerned, my home is your home. Besides, I end up falling asleep on the couch half the time anyway."
"Even so, I…" Lisa began, only to catch herself and let out a soft chuckle. "...Very well. I suppose that is like you, after all." She reached over and grabbed the armrest of her wheelchair, pulling it closer before shakily getting to her feet and sitting down in it with a soft grunt. Lincoln led her into his bedroom; she'd passed through earlier on the way to the bathroom, but now that she had a better look she could see it was no less cramped than the rest of the apartment, with barely enough space for a dresser and nightstand in addition to the twin-sized bed. Lincoln seemed to notice her disapproval.
"Yeah… pretty ugly, I know," He said with a sigh. "Freelancing ain't easy, that's for sure…"
"It's more than enough for tonight," His sister assured him, though she had to stop herself from scolding him over the slovenly state of his bed… the blanket was haphazardly tossed aside and the sheets were disheveled, and it was clear that tidying up was far from a priority for the young man. They looked relatively clean, at least. As Lincoln got a spare pillow and blanket from the closet, Lisa pulled up beside the bed and carefully got out of her chair, taking a seat on the mattress. She pushed down on the mattress to test its softness and found it satisfactory.
"Alright… this should do," Lincoln said as he shut the closet door carrying a pillow and blanket in his arms. He glanced over at Lisa, who seemed to be getting comfortable already. "I guess I'll leave you to it… anything you need?"
"No, I… oh. A glass of water, if you would." Her brother gave a nod and left the room, returning a few moments later with the requested beverage. He set it down on the nightstand and Lisa gave him a smile. "Thank you. That should be all."
"No problem. Well, uh… good night, I guess," Lincoln said, scratching the back of his head. "You sure there's nothing e-"
"I'm sure, brother," Lisa groaned with a roll of her eyes. "If I need you I'll call for you. Now, if you would…"
"Right, right, sorry." Lincoln shuffled to the door. "Do you want it open, or…?"
"Closed, please. And Lincoln?"
"What's up?"
"...Thank you again. For everything," The young woman said in a surprisingly warm and sincere tone. "And good night." Her brother blinked, and then a warm grin spread across his face. With that, he exited and gently shut the door behind him. Once he was gone, however, Lisa's own smile faded. She removed her glasses and rubbed her weary eyes, taking a deep breath and holding it before letting out a long sigh. Needless to say she was exhausted, both in body and mind. She put her glasses back on and retrieved her purse from her wheelchair. She rifled through it and withdrew two pill bottles before setting it back on her chair. She took one of each and swallowed them down with a gulp of water. One was to manage her dystrophy, the other was for the muscle pain it sometimes caused her… not that she was in much pain at the moment, but she figured it would at least help her get to sleep. With that out of the way, Lisa removed her glasses and set them on the nightstand, then flicked off the light and settled under the covers. Normally she may read before bed to relax her mind, but right now all she wanted to do was pass out until morning. She just hoped that Lincoln would actually leave her alone for the night; knowing him, it wouldn't be surprising if he peeked in to check on her given his overbearing behavior thus far.
...It was definitely nice to see him again, though. As much as she'd tried to push the past out of her mind, their reunion made her realise just how much she'd missed him.
In barely fifteen minutes' time the young woman had fallen fast asleep. Her brother, however, wasn't faring nearly as well. He lay on his couch wide awake, a perturbed expression plastered across his face. Try as he may, he simply couldn't help but dwell on things; not just on the night's events, but on Lisa herself. She'd always been an aloof sort, not to mention evasive when it came to her true feelings, but she'd only grown worse with time. Whether due to her condition or whatever had happened all those years back, he couldn't say; likely both. For now, at least, she was back in his life… but what came next? Would she simply cut off contact again, or was she here to stay? He supposed only time would tell.
Nearly two hours later and without so much as a minute of sleep, Lincoln finally gave up. He sat up and ran a hand down his face, grumbling under his breath. He'd had enough restless nights to know that trying to force it would do no good. With a sigh of resignation, he turned on the TV and launched Netflix. He considered watching Upgrade as he had originally planned, but he figured he should save it for a day he was more alert… besides, he'd like to fall asleep at some point if possible, so he instead settled on more Star Trek: TNG. Season 1, specifically… because if one wanted to be bored to sleep, that was certainly one way to do it. And so, for the next several hours Lincoln tried to push his concerns aside and focus on… whatever the hell the Enterprise crew was up to. He'd always stayed away from the first two seasons per Clyde's suggestion, and he could certainly see why. He certainly hadn't expected Tasha Yar to fuck a robot by the second episode at the very least-or at all for that matter-but at least it was entertaining. Probably not in the way they intended, but entertaining nonetheless. Within a few hours his exhaustion got the better of him and he, finally, drifted into an uneasy slumber.

The next morning, Lisa awoke feeling surprisingly well-rested; Lincoln, on the other hand, looked like death warmed over. She offered to let him sleep in, but he'd dismissed her concerns and insisted on taking her home as soon as she was ready. So, after a quick breakfast at the nearby Pancake House, the pair made their way to the high-end apartment complex Lisa called home. Lincoln was surprised just how close his sister's home was… little more than half an hour in fact, which made it even more troubling that she hadn't even attempted to get in touch with him for so long.
The building was large and appropriately upscale in appearance, with a large lobby that reminded him more of a fancy hotel than an apartment building. Despite her reservations, Lisa allowed him to push her wheelchair for convenience's sake. With his, and especially his sister's, current slovenly state of dress they stood out like a sore thumb, and though the concierge smiled politely as they passed he could notice the judgmental look in her eyes.. In his oversized clothes, Lisa almost looked more like a bundle of cloth than a person in her wheelchair, and he couldn't help but snicker at her indignant expression.
"Something amusing you, brother?"
"N-no… no, sorry. Was just… thinking of a funny joke, that's all." Lisa glanced over her shoulder, shooting him an unimpressed look before turning away with a sigh.
"...Let's just get to my apartment, alright…?" Lisa muttered. Lincoln nodded and pushed her towards the elevator and pushed the call button. A few moments later the elevator doors opened, and then it was just a quick lift to the fifth floor and a short walk to apartment 536. As they came to a stop before her door, Lisa started fishing through her purse for her key. "Thank you, Lincoln. I don't think I've ever been so relieved to get home…"
"H-hey, wait!" Lincoln stopped her just as she was about to open the door, to her confusion. "Let me go first," He insisted. "I mean, just in case that asshole's here."
"Oh for…" Lisa groaned, burying her face in her palm. "I told you, he's-" Before she could finish, Lincoln had already slid past her into the dark apartment. The woman sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Hey! Anyone in here?!" Lincoln called out, receiving no response. He narrowed his eyes and scanned the room, but saw nor heard anything out of the ordinary. Unconvinced, the overly-cautious young man grabbed an umbrella from the nearby stand and brandished it as though it were a baseball bat before stepping further into the apartment. "C'mon out, Daniel!" He said with a forced edge to his voice. "I'll beat your ass for-AAAH!" Lincoln yelped as he heard a click from behind him, accompanied by the darkened room lighting up. He spun around only to see his sister beside a light switch, staring at him with an unamused expression.
"Stop embarrassing yourself, brother," She said as she wheeled herself past him. "His car wasn't even in the parking lot. I told you, he's not stupid enough to stick around after the stunt he pulled." Lincoln frowned, looking down at the umbrella in his hands before putting it back with a sigh.
"Can never be too careful…" He muttered. "I mean, he… whoa." Lincoln's eyes widened as he looked around his sister's apartment; needless to say, it dwarfed his own. Hell, it was nicer than most houses he'd been in. The front door led directly into the living room, which was closer in size to the one in his parent's house than the cramped space in his own apartment, and the TV was nearly double the size as well. "Damn, Lis'. You're really doing well for yourself, huh?"
"Yes, I suppose I am." To Lincoln's surprise, Lisa pulled up her chair alongside the wall and shakily got to her feet. He was about to help her, but then he noticed she was using a railing on the wall to help herself up. He should have figured that his sister's home would be well-suited for her disability. "If you don't mind," Lisa said, "I believe a change of clothes is in order."
"Oh… sure, of course."
"I'll be back momentarily," She said as she carefully shuffled down the hallway, supporting herself on the railing as she walked. "Feel free to make yourself comfortable." Soon, she disappeared out of sight, and Lincoln took the opportunity to explore a bit. The apartment was decked out with modern decor in subdued grays and white… lots of white, in fact, from the walls and tile floor to a good chunk of the decorative elements scattered about. Past the living room was the kitchen, with polished onyx countertops and chrome appliances. Ironically, it reminded him of some sort of science lab. Beyond that however, he couldn't help but notice the peculiarities of its construction; a section of the countertop was placed lower than the rest, the kitchen sink had a wide open space beneath it that he could only assume was intended to fit a wheelchair, and even the stove's knobs were conveniently placed in the front for easy access. It seemed even the kitchen was specifically designed with his sister's needs in mind. Granted, he'd never known her to be one for cooking, and he could only wonder how much use she actually made of her kitchen. Lincoln shrugged it off and returned to the living room, flopping down on the sofa. To his surprise, despite the box-like modern design it was surprisingly soft and comfortable. He let out a contented sigh and shut his eyes as he waited for Lisa to return.

Lisa groaned and massaged her temples as she laid eyes upon her bedroom. While far from trashed, it was definitely more… disheveled than she had left it. The bedspread was ruffled as though a weight had been placed on it, the drawers on one of the dressers hung open with their contents haphazardly tossed about, the closet was in disarray and several of her outfits had been knocked from their hangers… it was clear that, indeed, Daniel had been here after their 'disagreement'. Thankfully, it seemed that he'd simply packed up in a hurry before making a run for it. And, given the chaos strewn about the room, it was obvious that he'd been in quite a frantic state. As usual, for all his bravado, he was little more than a coward.
Lisa put it out of her mind for the time being. For now she just wanted to get out of her brother's oversized clothing and into something more comfortable. She took her spare cane from the wall and hobbled over to her own dresser, fishing out a pair of sweatpants, green lounge shirt and a pair of white socks, with rubberized soles for extra grip on the tile floors. Dressing herself, while not the easiest task, was something she had gotten used to with time; taking a seat at the edge of her bed, she slipped out of her brother's pajama bottoms and pulled on her sweatpants. Next was the shirt, which she pulled off easily thanks to its size before pulling on her own with some difficulty. Last, and most complicated, were her socks. Despite her best efforts, she simply lacked the flexibility to reach her feet; she even rolled over onto her stomach and tried to awkwardly reach her foot behind her back to no avail. Usually, Daniel would assist her with things like this… of course, that was no longer an option. Perhaps she could devise a contraption of sorts to simplify the task?
...The task of simply putting on some socks.
Lisa clicked her tongue in frustration, giving up on her efforts for the time being. It simply wasn't worth the frustration. She frowned and took another glance around the bedroom, floor strewn with clothes and undergarments. Needless to say, her condition served as a significant obstacle to tidying up as well, especially when it came to things lying on the ground. Bending over, even in her wheelchair, was a recipe for disaster. Crouching or squatting was nigh impossible. Using a grabber, well… while she had one, even in the privacy of her own home the mere prospect of needing it was humiliating to the girl. She had a housekeeper, yes, but she only came by on wednesdays, and Lisa wasn't about to leave her room in such a state until then. She supposed, once again, that she'd have to ask her brother for help. The young woman sighed and hung her head. She'd never admit it, but the fact of the matter was that, despite everything, she'd needed Daniel. At the end of the day, no matter how hard she tried she still had her limitations. Limitations that, deep down, she knew would only get worse in time.
She grumbled under her breath and slid off the bed, using her cane to help herself up. Socks in hand, she made her way out of the room and back down the hall to the living room. She couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Lincoln, who wore a content smile as he sunk into the couch cushions. Clearly, he'd taken her offer to make himself comfortable to heart. Lisa cleared her throat, making the man snap out of his stupor.
"Huh… oh, uh… hey, Lis'." Lincoln stammered with a sheepish laugh, quickly snapping to an upright posture. "Sorry 'bout that… this is a nice couch, y'know…?"
"It's fine, Lincoln. I myself find it a welcome reprieve after a long day," She assured him. Lisa shuffled over to the nearby armchair and sat down with a soft grunt. "I'm sorry for the wait."
"Nah, you're fine," Lincoln assured her, before noticing the anxious look on her face. "Something wrong…?" Lisa pursed her lips in thought, then opened her mouth to speak before closing it again. Finally, she let out a sigh of resignation.
"I… I'd appreciate some… assistance, if you would," The young woman mumbled, looking away from him with slightly reddened cheeks. "...With these," She added, holding up the pair of socks. Lincoln blinked, then smiled softly and gave a small nod.
"Sure, no problem." With that the man got up and walked to his sister's side, taking the socks and kneeling down to help her put them on. Her feet were… tiny, as expected, almost childishly so. She still had that extra toe on her right foot, though he wasn't sure why he'd have expected any different. Lincoln carefully took hold of her foot, only for her to jump and let out a small yelp. At first he thought he'd been too rough, but then he noticed the look of childish embarrassment on her face. "...Still ticklish, huh?"
"J-just hurry up," The girl grumbled, earning a snicker from her brother.
"Sorry, sorry." Part of him wanted to keep teasing her, but he figured he shouldn't press his luck. He carefully slid her socks onto her feet before standing up. "There you go." Lisa looked at her foot, wiggled her toes and gave a small nod.
"...Thank you," She said softly. Lincoln smirked, but Lisa couldn't help but avoid his gaze; quite frankly, she was embarrassed. She felt like a child, needing her big brother's help with her socks just as she had in her infancy. It was humiliating.
...Yet somehow, comfortingly nostalgic.
Lisa glanced at her brother with a contemplative expression. Lincoln… he'd always been a good brother, none could deny that. Even with his occasional moments of selfishness, he'd always been eager to help his sisters whenever he could, sometimes to a fault. Perhaps, over the years, she'd forgotten that fact. And yet, even after shutting him out for so long, he'd still dropped everything and rushed to her aid when she'd needed him. And even now, after having asked so much of him already…
"Uh… Lis'?" Lincoln tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow at his sister's sudden attentive stare. "Everything alright?" The young woman furrowed her brow and chewed her lip in thought. Finally, she shut her eyes and took a deep breath.
"...Listen, Lincoln…" She said. "I have something of a… proposition for you."
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Back On Her Feet