26. A smile at the twilight of life (FINAL)(2)

He covered his eyes with his hand. He wanted to ask what was happening, but Luna pressed one of her pedals and she began playing some soft notes with a delay that echoed in the gym. It was a magic sound, ethereal, sounding like it was coming from far away, super quiet and relaxing.

The biggest surprise was, however, when he saw Clyde walking towards him, carrying a mic and a stand, and some papers on his hand. He seemed to be close to crying, but even stranger was the way he was walking with a hand behind his back like he was dragging something. He stopped a few feet away from Lincoln, grabbed his inhaler, took a couple of breaths, and he stared at him with total seriousness.

"I don't think I need to be your best friend to realize that you're confused," he said to the mic, and the whole room laughed a little, which visibly helped his friend feel more relaxed. "Lincoln. Lincoln Loud… my friend. Every one of us in here has come with broken hearts, with a pain that we know will leave a scar that will never heal."

The silence was only broken by Luna's notes, which were soon joined by the bass guitar and Sam's angelic vocals.

"But it's not sadness or pain what has brought us here together today," Clyde continued, changing the card he was reading. "What gathered us here today is a feeling much stronger than that. A feeling so powerful that it can move mountains and walk through seas. We're here together through the power of love. A love that deserves to be shown and celebrated. A love that will forever bond us, through difficult times, through time and distance. We're here for you, Lincoln."

The rums and the second guitar started playing over the long arpeggio intro that Luna was playing, and the low notes vibrated inside Lincoln's heavy heart, who felt like he was about to pass out. Yeah, sure, he had assumed that this probably had something to do with him… but even then, hearing it first hand from his best friend's mouth was very emotional for him.

Clyde, meanwhile, cleared his throat and changed cards once again.

"In life, there are many achievements and rewards. People study to get a diploma. Athletes get trophies and medals. The heroes of our history are remembered with statues and monuments. However, no matter how much gold is spent to make them, the value of these trophies doesn't reside on the objects themselves, but on what they stand for. Having won something, having achieved something, doing something so important and meaningful that deserves to be celebrated and remembered, forever treasured in our memory. And that's why we're all here, at the Royal Woods Athletic Club award gym to give the highest honors and praises to someone who clearly deserves them: you, Lincoln."

The whole crowd erupted in cheers and roars. Lincoln tried to look at them, but the lightning contrast wouldn't let him see past the first few rows of people. He saw some glints here and there, but his mind was too busy trying to process his friend's words to get a sense of what was around him. Honors? Praises? He didn't understand. He had never won anything in his life. His trophy case was empty, with the exception of that fake trophy that his sisters had done for him forever ago. What was Clyde talking about?

Clyde changed cards one more time, and he couldn't keep the mic from catching on a sob.

"Lincoln, in only eleven years you've done more things than what most of us wish we could accomplish in life. You're such an exemplary person. A hero without a cape that's always trying to do the right thing. A kid that has always spread your energy, your joy, your happiness, and your motivation. You've always been there to inspire others and show us the way to be happy and follow our dreams. Not even I can say that you were perfect, or that there weren't some bumps on the road, but being a good person isn't about not making mistakes. It's about looking beyond them and always aim for the best. Knowing to forgive, when to admit you were wrong, when to put our selfishness aside to help others. And you, Lincoln Loud, are the perfect example of this, and that's what we're trying to show you here today. And I'll be the first one because I'm already on the stage," he said, and everyone chuckled again.

Clyde put his cards on his pocket and, flashing a warm smile to his best friend, he grabbed from behind him a big golden trophy, going from the floor up to his chest, and he held it so Lincoln and everyone in the gym could take a good look at it.

Lincoln recognized it immediately. It was the Academic Decathlon trophy that Clyde had won last year. It was his biggest treasure, and he had been showcasing it in his room ever since. The band decided that it was a good moment to move past the intro, and Luna began singing the new song.

If today's the day I dieLay me down under the lights

"Lincoln," his friend said, looking at his eyes as he spoke to the mic for everyone to hear, "never in my life have I met someone as cool as you are. Ever since we became best friends when we were kids, I've never felt alone. You're always been there for me in the good moments, but more importantly, you've been there through the bad stuff too. You helped me be more open and slowly move over my shyness. With you by my side, I've never felt like I'm an only child. You're the brother life gave me, and that's… T-That's why I now give you the trophy to the Best Friend That I've Ever Had."

The whole room erupted in cheers and applauses again as Clyde carried the trophy to give it to Lincoln. The prizewinner was stunned. Was he really going to give his trophy away? That was his biggest pride! Even so, maybe due to how surprised he was or the pressure of the moment, his hands moved to receive it when Clyde offered it to him. He looked at it, not believing what he was seeing. It was then when his eyes saw the silver plaque that used to have his friend's name and the school's name on it. Well, the plaque had been replaced for a new one that read "Lincoln Loud - The Best Friend That Life Has Ever Given To Me". The words seemed to be laser cut, and even though he had no other clues, Lincoln could very clearly sense Lisa's doing in this.

"Clyde…" he said, unable to find the words. "You didn't-"

"Don't say anything," Clyde interrupted him, taking a step back, his eyes filled with tears. "No one deserves this more than you do."

With his emotions threatening to win him over, he put the trophy behind him and went straight to hug his best friend, his brother. Clyde hugged him as tight as he could, and the room kept clapping. Lincoln felt on cloud nine. He had never received a trophy, and even though he hadn't really realized what this truly meant, and even if he wasn't sure this counted as a real trophy, it sure felt like one. He felt like a hero, an Olympic winner, like Luke Skywalker at the end of Star Wars, getting his medal in front of all the Rebels.

The overwhelming feelings didn't leave him not even when Clyde broke away from the hug and, with a smile on this face furrowed by rivers of tears, raised a fist for them to make their special greeting, right there in front of everybody. Once they were done, Clyde walked to the other end of the stage, and Lincoln was about to follow him with his eyes, but it was then when he noticed someone else coming from the right.

Let me fall in loveLet me save a life

It was Ronnie Anne, holding in her hands a silver cup, a one-foot tall trophy that Lincoln had previously seen in her room, but that he never knew what it was for. His girlfriend walked next to him, slowly and looking seemingly anxious, casting side glances at the crowd that she would be speaking in front of. She gulped, and Lincoln noticed her fear. Regardless of her tough act, Ronnie Anne suffered some deep stage fright.

"L-Lincoln… lame-o," she said, causing some giggles. "I didn't have friends at school. I was just the bully that pushed everyone away… a bully that… that was too scared to make new friendships. And yet, you were there to show me that I could open my heart for others. That I didn't have anything to be afraid of. You looked past my toughness, and because of you, I figured out the meaning of friendship… a-and love."

A general "aaaaw" mixed with applauses sounded louder than the music, and Ronnie Anne's cheeks were filled with a violent scarlet color.

"So that's why this trophy is for you," she rushed to say, taking the cup to Lincoln.

A new round of applause and cheers followed as the boy accepted the trophy his girlfriend was giving him. Their fingers touched as he grabbed the metal, and he felt an arc of lightning going up to his arm. Written over whatever the original meaning of the trophy was, now it read "First Place To The Lame-O That Won Me Over". Leaving the cup aside next to Clyde's trophy, Lincoln opened his arms to invite his girlfriend into a hug, and she wasted no time in burying her face in the space between his neck and his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her back, tightly, feeling that he never wanted to let her go. He would've stayed there for the rest of eternity, but she seemed much more aware than him of the people waiting in line for their turn on the stage, so she eventually broke the hug. Ronnie Anne then proceeded to surprise him and the whole audience by grabbing his shoulders and pulling him in for a quick but heartfelt kiss before running away from the stage.

Feeling comfortably numb, it took him a couple of seconds to see that Rusty was approaching him next to Rocky, who was carrying a gold medal with a blue ribbon. The little boy had a trembling lower lip and some sad, puppy eyes.

"M-Many of you might already know this, b-but I haven't been the best friend to Lincoln," Rusty said, doing his best effort to keep himself from crying. "I u-used to make fun of him, and I've d-disappointed him many times, p-pushing him away or treating him poorly. And yet, h-he always forgave me, over and over and over again. T-That's why we the Spokes want to give Lincoln the "Medal to the Grudgelss Heart", a p-prize that not many can say they truly deserve."

Giving a little pat on the back to his little brother, he invited him to go with Lincoln. Rocky moved at a slow pace, carrying the medal with him. Lincoln had to lower himself down for the small child to put the medal on his neck, and while doing so, his ear was closer to Rocky's mouth.

"I'm so sorry, Lincoln," Rocky whispered. "You're super nice, and Lucy loves you a lot."

His heartstrings were tugged, and after thanking him, Lincoln stood up, with the medal hanging from his neck, and hugged both siblings.

And let me lose my voiceSinging all my favorite songsLet me stare up at the starsCause it's where we all belong

For the next couple of minutes, in what felt like almost half an hour, more and more people got to the stage, standing in front of the mic and giving him a trophy, or a medal, or something to thank him for anything he'd done for them. The first ones were his friends from school, starting with the rest of his gang.

Liam gave him a metal medal that said: "For loving your friends regardless of how much money they have". The young farmer wasn't someone known to let his emotions take the best of him or for crying easily, which made it all the more impactful to see him breaking down into a bawling mess as he embraced him tightly. Zach, on the other hand, managed to stay calm even as he gave a speech on how everyone always treated him as the ugly weirdo of the school, until a certain boy sat next to him at the cafeteria and offered one of his sandwiches in exchange to the tuna kit that he always took to school, and that was the first step into becoming one of his first friends. Apparently, it had been something important enough to make him worthy of the trophy to "A Friend With No Prejudices", similar in name to Liam's, but with the shape of a very antique trophy that had what it looked like a tennis player at the top. Stella walked into the stage after him, surprised everyone when she explained how nervous she was the first few days at Royal Woods Elementary School, and how no one seemed to want to talk to her. She told everyone how self-conscious she was about herself, thinking that everyone might be scared of talking to her because she was too tall, or because everyone might think of her as "the new Filipina girl". And then, one day Lincoln talked to her on the bus, and she explained how much it meant to her being able to make a friend so soon. With teary eyes but with a big smile on her face, she gave him a little aluminum cup with a compass and a set square, and a little golden metal plaque with the legend: "Lincoln Loud - First place in becoming my new friend".

My heart like a firework in my chestMy only regret is having regretsTraveled the world, I loved every stepAnd all I know is:No one, no one lives foreverWe will be rememberedFor what we do right now

After Stella, Girl Jordan, Mollie, and Cristina walked onto the stage, the three of them carrying an impressive bronze trophy inside which Lily would have enough room to take a nap.

"This trophy is a shared one that all three of us agreed that you deserve. You've been our Best Boy Friend for different reasons, but mostly for just being you" Jordan explained, with a smile that seemed to hug him. "For being the best science partner and dodgeball foe."

"For being the undefeated champion of cannonball contests in reglementary pools," Mollie continued.

"And… for being the first boy that has ever made me feel pretty," Cristina admitted with shyness, making everyone cheer as the three girls put the trophy aside and proceeded to embrace their friend.

He was, of course, used to big group hugs with girls, but it was special and a little embarrassing to have one with his classmates. Even so, he gave in, wrapping his arms around them to let them know how much he appreciated them as well. Of course, he wasn't ready at all for Jordan and Mollie to simultaneously kiss both of his cheeks, and he was absolutely unprepared for Cristina to cover his mouth with her hand before kissing the back of it. The crowd went louder than ever, and he only wished that Ronnie Anne wouldn't kill him for that indirect kiss.

And baby I'm living LouderAnd dreaming longer, tonight(We're living Louder, we're living Louder)And baby I'm fighting harderAnd loving stronger tonight(We're loving stronger, we're loving stronger)

Luna and her band repeated the song over and over, but Lincoln could barely pay any sort of attention to what his sister was singing, since, apparently, all his classmates had something to award him. Medals, trophies, plaques, even some of those commemorative plates that Lincoln sometimes saw at tennis tournaments with Lynn. Some of these awards, the least of them, seemed to be brand new. Most of them were pretty worn-out, or they clearly were meant to be trophies for something else, like sports competitions or academic achievements. All of them, however, had metal plaques with laser-printed legends. "Medal to my best chemistry partner", "Trophy to the best fighting games player", "Plaque for introducing me to Ace Savvy", "Recognition for never telling the principal that I broke the window", and many, many others. Some friends paired up together with others to give him a group award, but most of them had taken the time and effort to buy or recycle a trophy just to give him an individual recognition.

He was surprised to see that this wasn't just his close friends, like Artie, Chad or Boy Jordan, but also people that he barely even talked to, like Andrew or Lance. And after all his classmates passed, then other kids from school started taking turns doing the same. Haiku surprised him by reading a poem dedicated to him before handing him a hand-embroidered ribbon that recognized him as Royal Woods' "Most charming non-vampire".

And not everyone walked up onto the stage to give him a trophy, but he could see the rest of them right next to the stage, cheering along with the crowd. He saw, somehow standing out from the rest of the school people, his old dates for the Sadie Hawkins dance, Giggles and Polly, and so many other people that he'd seen before but whose name he didn't know. There were some flashes of light, and Lincoln turned around to see Dana, Chaz, Whitney and other friends of his older sisters filming and taking pictures of the whole event.

He would have liked to feel embarrassed, but the truth is that the emotions running through his veins were drowning any sense of shame or humbleness. He felt like the king of the world, and it was such a euphoric sensation of a caliber that he had never experienced before.

'Cause we're all just kidsWho grew up way too fastYeah the good die youngBut the great will always lastWe're growing olderBut we're all soldiers tonight

But the surprises didn't end there, no, they had barely begun. After every kid he knew had their turn, the next person to get on the stage carrying a gold medal was none other than his teacher Miss Johnson.

"As a teacher, our students are more than just students," she explained to the mic, looking at him with a smile that failed to conceal the sadness she kept within. "They grow right in front of our eyes, and they become sort of family as well. And it's not us who one-sidedly teach them. There's always feedback where the teacher also learns from their students. There are many, many things that you've taught me, Lincoln, and that's why you deserve the Medal of inspiration, because it's thanks to kids like you that I can wake up every day knowing that my job is worth something."

Touched by Miss Johnson's words, he let her add a new medal to the collection that he was hanging from his neck, and that was starting to weigh more than what was comfortable. He didn't care, though. It was a weight that he'd never get tired of carrying. His teacher knelt down to hug him, and it was then when he realized she was using the orange hair clip he'd given to her long ago.

After her, Principal Huggins stepped up, carrying a wood plaque that showcased a little golden, metallic rectangle. "ACADEMY EXCELLENCE - HONORIS CAUSA - LINCOLN L LOUD", it read.

"The job of an educational institution isn't to generate machines that can read books and write essays," he said, trying his best to muffle his incipient crying. "The job of a school is to form good citizens and people with values and moral qualities. It's our pride when we can look back and say that we've formed a truly admirable person! And if there's something that this reunion proves us all, it's that you're a wonderful individual capable of moving crowds for you. I-If Ace Savvy was real, h-he would be proud of you!"

And with those words, after which Becky, Renne, and Clyde roared above the rest, Principal Huggins handed him the award and a heartfelt hug.

If today's the day I goGonna drink with all my friendsGonna laugh until we cryAs we talk and reminisce

More adults decided to step up and present their respects, their trophies, their congratulations. Coach Pacowski gave him a trophy in the shape of a golden whistle for being part of "The best yearbook staff ever". The whole Yates family went up carrying a trophy that was literally taller than Lincoln, and Mr. Yates gave a very eloquent yet genuine speech about how Lincoln (and his family) had taught them all the value of fun. "For teaching us life lessons", the plaque said, and even though Lincoln couldn't really say that he deserved all the credit for that, he decided to not argue against it and just accept the gigantic trophy and every member of the Yates family's hug. Mr. Grouse also had something to give him, a trophy that seemed to be older than Rita, at least. An award to his "charming neighbor", who had managed to "Reunite an old man with his family". A trophy that moved him, almost as much as the one that the old seniors from Sunset Canyon, Scoots, Bernie and Seymour, gave with for "Reminding old people that youth is just an attitude".

And let me kiss a strangerAnd rob the local bankLet me become real richSo I can give it all away

Lincoln, who if it wasn't for the weight of the medals that he carried would probably be floating on the roof due to his happiness and emotion-filled heart, thought nothing could surprise him anymore. But he was certainly not ready to see Carol Pringrey and Bobby coming onto the stage together, carrying a big trophy in the shape of a golf ball. The old plaque that said "First Place - Amateur Regional Golf Tournament" had been replaced for a new one that said, "The little brother we never had". As the two took turns to share anecdotes of why Lincoln was so important to them, he remembered what Carol had told him the previous afternoon, when he was in her car during the storm. Did she already know about this? How long had this secret been kept from him?

'Cause no one, no one lives foreverBut we will be rememberedFor what we do right now

Even though the joy, surprise, and just raw emotions that he felt had been keeping him serene enough as to avoid crying, he had to admit that Carol and Bobby's hug was dangerously close of breaking him down. Especially because they both embraced him in a way that they had never done so before, and the feeling of familiarity and fraternity that he could feel pouring out of them reminded him of his own family, and he finally realized that, indeed, at some point in his early life Carol had been some kind of older sister figure to him, and Bobby had been, along with Clyde, the closest he ever was to have a brother.

And baby I'm living louderAnd dreaming longer, tonight(We're living louder, we're living louder)And baby I'm fighting harderAnd loving stronger tonight(We're loving stronger, we're loving stronger)

This improvised ceremony had become, without a single ounce of a doubt, the singular most spectacular moment in Lincoln's short life. Never before had he felt so appreciated, so validated and important. The spotlights felt as if the Sun was smiling down at him, embracing him and lifting him up in the air. He felt like baby Simba being presented to the whole African continent. He felt loved. He felt like he'd finally accomplished something.

He was also just feeling proud for being able to keep himself from breaking down into a sobbing mess with each friend or acquaintance that went to congratulate him and make him feel like he'd done something useful with his life. He seemed to be dealing with the situation extremely well, and with the exception of a tiny little tear here and there, he had managed to stay serene and smiling. The situation was about to change, and it all started when he saw Albert walking the steps to the stage.

'Cause we're all just kidsWho grew up way too fast

Pop-Pop walked ever so slowly to the center of the stage, and his thick mustache was shaking like there was a phone hidden underneath it and someone would just not stop calling him. He walked carrying two things: on one hand, a small book, so old and worn out that the pages looked almost yellow, and the cover was unrecognizable. On his other hand, he carried what Lincoln immediately recognized as the Medal of Honor that his grandfather was awarded after coming back from Vietnam for risking his life to save his troop from an ambush. It was one of the many medals Albert had showcased in his room at the retirement house, and it was beyond a doubt the biggest award he had ever received.

He got next to the mic and cleared his throat, taking a big breath and letting it out in a long, stretched out, painful sigh.

"What I have in my hands is the United States' Medal of Honor," he declared, earning respectful applause of admiration from the audience. "I've carried this medal proudly for several decades. It's awarded to recognize people that do brave acts beyond the call of duty. Those who do something good not out of obligation, but because they feel the moral need to do what's right. And whenever I think of that, I always remember a quote from a little book that I used to read back when I was a young kid: The Little White Bird."

Carefully, he put on his glasses, and clearing his throat once again, he opened the book at a marked page and started to read out loud.

"«Shall we make a new rule of life from tonight: always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary?»" He read, before putting the small book away in one of his pockets, and staring at his grandson with admiration and a hint of pain. "Kinder than necessary. We all have the option of being nice, but most of the time we just limit ourselves to be nice or kind whenever we have to. Whenever we feel that it's our duty to do so. I'm an old man that has been through a lot, and I've seen how people tend to think of kindness and manners as an obligation. But then, every once in a blue moon, I find people like my grandson, people that just don't settle with being nice. They go far above and beyond, trying to make sure that everyone around them is happy. So much so, that they're able to walk into a retirement home and convince a group of old people that it's not too late to have fun. My grandson… my little white bird. For your infinite kindness beyond what's necessary, I give you the Medal of Honor."

The raging crowd muffled the sound of the band. Lincoln, feeling his eyes itching, leaned forward so his grandfather could put his medal over the rest of them, but this one was by far the heaviest of the bunch. His neck was starting to hurt a little due to all the metal hanging from it, but little did he care. Just like he didn't care when Pop-Pop lifted him in the air, squishing him against his chest, almost leaving him out of breath.

"I love you, son," he told to his ear, and Lincoln felt his heart drop at the sound of those words.

"I love you too, Pop-Pop," he told him, pressing his face against the old man's shirt, leaving some small, invisible teardrops on it.

Yeah the good die youngBut the great will always last

Once Pop-Pop put him back on his feet and moved away, to a side of the stage, the real test to Lincoln's spirit began. The first ones to move up were Lisa and Lily. The little genius was dragging a little trolley behind her, where a very impressive, 3D printed trophy, seemingly out of aluminum, showed what seemed to be the figure of Lincoln carrying the weight of the world, as a parody of a classical Atlas statue. The biggest change was, however, that the weight of the world wasn't represented by the literal Earth, but was instead a little model of their home. Her other hand was making sure that the baby followed suit. Lily, with a pacifier in her mouth, had decided to let her parents dress her up, and she firmly walked next to Lisa, wearing her little shoes, her purple pants, and her lilac t-shirt with a yellow flower in the middle.

The sight was adorable, but looking at the customized trophy and Lisa pulling the mic down to her height, Lincoln couldn't avoid feeling that a cold liquid had replaced his blood.

Lisa hadn't even said anything yet, but he could already feel himself close to crying.

"We've all gathered here to celebrate the achievements of my family unit, my older brother Lincoln," she announced, repeating what everyone already knew. "Lincoln, in an effort to acquire validation and the recognition of his peers, has tried countless times to obtain what he considered a reward for his efforts. His above-average academic performance, however, did not seem to pay off. A curious instance of the Pygmalion Effect was then reached, where his lack of faith in himself caused him to fail on many of the self-imposed objectives in pursuit of his subjective vision of success and conformity."

Lincoln was now struggling to keep up with what she was saying, and with the exception of Principal Huggins and many of her scientists' colleagues, the rest of the crowd seemed to be confused as well.

"But I consider that there are many small victories that we conquer day by day, and unfortunately they lack certified and approved validity. As he has taught me, not everything in life is about our academic successes or our research," she continued, staring into his eyes. "He taught me the importance of loving our siblings. Our friends. Ourselves. You taught me things that not even the best universities in the world are prepared to teach... and that is why I give you this award."

She stopped for a second, blinking fast and biting her lower lip. Lily moved closer to her, hugging her waist.

"Because even having to bear many times with the responsibility of taking care of all of us, you never gave in, and you have always been an example of inspiration to all of us. To your older sisters... and also to us, your younger sisters. Who will always see in our brother a role model... and a hero."

Pushing the mic aside before she could surrender to her crying, she carried the trolley in his direction, taking the trophy and Lily to her brother's arms, and he knelt down to hug them both. Lily asked him to pick her up, and he did so with his right arm, making sure that the medals wouldn't hit her face, as Lisa just clung onto his chest, not caring that the metal was hitting her glasses. Now that the trophy was closer to him, he was able to read the little plaque.

"Trophy to the one carrying our family. My hero. Lincoln L Loud".

As the cheers rained upon them and the song kept playing on a loop, he kissed both of his youngest sisters on their foreheads. Lisa was now openly crying, but she managed to spare a smile for her dear brother. He tried to wipe his own tears with the back of his hand, but Lily grabbed him thumb, catching his attention. To the surprise and delight of everyone at the gym, the baby took her pacifier off her mouth and offered it to her brother.

"Incon!" She happily said, and as a generalized "aaaw" flooded the room, Lincoln felt his heart falling apart for his baby sister. He kissed the top of her head one more time, accepting the pacifier, and letting Lisa take the baby to where their grandfather was waiting.

We're growing olderBut we're all soldiers tonight

The next one to step up was Lola, holding in her hands a big, silver cup with pink ribbons tied at the handles. It was from the regional pageant that she'd won last year, the biggest one she had attended yet, and one where she had absolutely destroyed the competition. Lincoln couldn't believe that she would actually be considering giving away this trophy to him. Not knowing how to react, he took a hand to his mouth, anxiously rubbing his lips, trying to remain calm.

"My brother Lincoln is the bestest brother in the whole wide world!" Was firmly announced by the princess, who oddly enough wasn't wearing her tiara. "He's the nicest, kindest, smartest, prettiest boy ever, and you can't tell me otherwise!"

Everyone laughed, but they knew very well that to even insinuate the opposite would mean a trip to the hospital. After taking a few deep breaths, however, Lola's face relaxed, and his furrowed brow gave away to some arched brows that were struggling to stay under control.

"And not only is he the best person ever. He's also my coach. He's super patient a-and super attentive, and he tells me h-how to improve my routines… and he listens to me when I'm complaining… and he's nice even when I'm mad… a-and he taught me how to read faster," she admitted, fidgeting with her fingers. "And that's… that's why he deserves the trophy to my Role Model, because I wish I could be more like him so people would love me as I love him."

By now, Lincoln couldn't understand how his heart had managed to avoid blowing up in a thousand pieces like a hydrogen bomb as he dropped dead on the stage, with a smile on his face for the rest of eternity. He couldn't even wait for his little sister to come closer to give him the trophy. It was him who went up to her and hugged her in front of everyone, feeling her little arms wrapping strongly around his neck. When they broke the hug away, they both saw lights reflected in each other's eyes, and Lola took a second to comb Lincoln's hair with her hand, making sure that it was as perfect as it could be. As he deserved.

When you've got your breath inside your headEvery day's a second chance

Once the youngest twin finished her turn, it was now time for Lana to appear on the scene, carrying a much more modest and smaller trophy than his sisters', which seemed to make her feel slightly intimidated. She walked ever so slightly, and when she grabbed the phone and moved it around, there was a slight interference, making that hellish, awful sharp sound that made everyone cover their ears for a second. Lana blushed, and her feet moved uncomfortably on the stage.

"Uuuuh… I… I j-just… Lincoln's my brother, and… and I love him a lot. And he's super nice… and he takes care of all of us…"

She looked pale, and Lincoln noticed that the poor little girl was getting self-conscious about all the people staring at her. He then moved a little for her to notice him, and with a hand gesture, he asked her to only focus on him.

It seemed to help her relax a little, and she kept going with her speech in a more casual way, her eyes fixed on her older brother.

"And he's not only just a great brother, but he's also really nice and caring with animals. When I explained to him why frogs are so important to me, he did all that he could to help me save a whole bunch of them from being dissected. And… and that's why, in the name of my friends, I give him the trophy to the Honorary Member of the Amphibian Family, for being super smart and super brave and super considerate with the frogs of the world!"

When people gave her a round of applause, Lana seemed to gain confidence, and she ran all the way towards Lincoln, jumping in the air for her brother to catch her up and hold her tight. The little grease monkey rubbed her cheeks against Lincoln's head like a puppy, enjoying as he softly stroked her back.

After he let her go and she gave him the trophy, Lincoln was surprised by Hops appearing from right under her red cap, croaking and extending his tongue to give him a friendly kiss on the cheek. It was slightly gross, but Hops was like another member of the family, and Lincoln laughed along with the audience as he put the new trophy next to the others and Lana joined her twin and the rest of the family.

If I wake up with a beating heartWill I stand or will I fall?

Lucy got near at a slow pace, maybe fearing that she would scare him if she appeared suddenly like she used to do. On her hands, she carried both a plaque, that Lincoln thought he recognized and a sheet of paper. She stood next to the mic, looking at her brother almost sideways, and to the surprise of Lincoln and everyone else that knew her, she managed to give him a tiny smile for a few seconds, before a cold, emotionless mask took over her facial expressions. She gently cleared her throat, and in slow, solemn flow, she recited a new poem.

Today we have all gatheredto celebrate my brother's lifewhile a pain as sharp as a knifesinks in and my heart shatters.

'Tis not my thing to show emotionsbut my feelings I can not hide.This mask I must leave aside;give in to my heart's flowing motions

So allow me to make the endeavorof sharing with you this poem,to let you know that this homewill love you now and forever.

Lincoln, my brother, my muse.You guided me whenever I've been lost.You helped me when I needed you the most.To ever forget you, I refuse.

So accept my trophy, misterto award you "For lending an earto always a new poem hear"from your goth little sister.

Lucy had written hundreds of poems throughout the years, and Lincoln had heard many that had left him surprised or full of wonder. And even then, this poem she had just read to him was easily in his top five. His sister had become quite the poet, and the pride that made him feel added to the emotional impact her words had in him were enough for his eyes to water as she embraced him.

The little goth clung onto him and judging by the way her back was shaking, she seemed to be crying as much as he was.

"Gosh, Lucy… That was beautiful," he whispered in her ear, hoping that his whisper would be heard amongst all the noise.

"You deserve it more than anyone. I love you, brother."

"Love you too."

And after giving him the plaque she had received for becoming the youngest performer at Royal Woods' Theater, she bid farewell of him with a kiss on the cheek.

I'm living louderDreaming longer tonight

After her roommate joined the rest of the family, Lynn jumped into the stage carrying the biggest, most impressive trophy she had been able to find in her ample collection. It was the trophy for getting the first place at the interstate tennis tournament, one that had literally cost her physical effort, blood, sweat, and tears to get. It wasn't as big as the one that the Yates had given him, but it was still absolutely impressive.

The whole stage seemed to shake when she put it between them, and after a small pause in which she fidgeted with her hair, she sighed and grabbed hold of the mic.

"This trophy means a lot to me," she began, her hand touching the golden surface with all the care in the world, and her eyes scanned it with nostalgia. "Ever since I've got it, I always look at it thinking of when I'm going to win something more important. Something bigger. My next great thing! The next big competition!"

Her lips formed a smile, but her eyes darted from the cold metal right into her brother's warm irises, and her hazel orbs shone brighter.

"But not even the first place at the world's biggest championship would make me as proud as I am of being your sister," she admitted, roughly shaking her head to get rid of the tears. "I know that usually I'm the athlete and you're the one cheering me from the bleachers, but… When it's not about sports… when it comes to, just, life, and being a good person… Well, uh, then I'm your fan, Lincoln."

She then shrugged and raised her index finger with an ironic smile on her face.

"Your number one fan, of course."

Everyone chuckled, but seeing how the young girl's laugh quickly turned into crying, silence took over the atmosphere once again.

"Y-You're the best person I've ever met, and… and… and you're my Lil' bro… I-I should be y-your role model, but the truth is… the truth is that you're mine. A-And that's why this is to show you that you're Your Big Sis' Hero. Y-You're the real walking trophy."

Correctly guessing that he wouldn't be able to carry such an impressive trophy on his own, she was the one to place it along with the others before pulling him into a surprisingly soft and tender hug. Lincoln gave in to the love she was giving him, stroking with one of his hands Lynn's hair, trying to let her know just how much she meant to him. Their cheeks were squished together, their freckles pressing against each other.

It was right then when he finally realized how many different teams Lynn had invited to the ceremony. Dozens of people began raising their fist in the air to the sound of "Loud! Loud! Loud! Loud!", spreading through the crowd until the word was chanted like a warcry.

"Is this how it always feels?" He asked her, moving to look at her in the eye. "To have people cheering for you?"

She smiled as she rubbed her forearm against her eyes.

"It never gets old."

An idea seemed to cross her mind, and with a sudden, fast movement that gave Lincoln no time to react, she grabbed one of his wrists and raised his arm high in the air, like he had just won a boxing match. People cheered for him, and Lincoln rejoiced on the moment, enjoying the attention, feeling, for the first time in forever, that he was worth something.

Baby, I'm fighting harderAnd loving stronger tonight

When it was Luan's turn, she came in carrying a framed, hand-made diploma. Her huge success in the entertainment industry was seldom reflected with material trophies. Her YouTube channel had over fifty thousand subscribers, but that wasn't enough to get her the Silver Play Button. And her Funny Business Inc didn't give her any medal, but who could be foolish enough to deny its success?

"Lincoln was the first person to teach me how to make others laugh," she began, giving him a smile as warm as the morning sun. "It's thanks to him that I'm the person that I am today. He is, and will always be my best audience, the reason why I smile when I need it the most. His laugh changed my life for the best, and that's why he deserves the diploma to The World's Most Contagious Smile."

Knowing all that he knew, and with what he'd learned from her that night just a week ago, Lincoln felt touched by what his sister had just said. As annoying as her pranks could get every once in a while, and as crazy as April Fools days were with her, Luan was truly the greatest representation of joy and fun in the family. Always having a pun ready to make others smile whenever they were feeling down.

With how much he knew her, he probably should have seen it coming. Such a serious speech, such a calm smile… It should have been obvious, knowing Luan, that the moment he would lean in to receive her award, the fake flower on her shirt would squirt water directly at his face. He should have seen it coming, but he didn't, and the water hit him right on his eyes. Everyone laughed, and not even he could keep the chuckle from getting to him as they hugged. He couldn't find it in himself to be mad at her.

Plus, the water helped dissimulate his tears.

And baby I'm living louderAnd dreaming longer tonight(We're living louder, we're living louder)

Being the smart boy that he was, he had already picked up on the order his sisters were coming onto the stage, so instead of waiting for someone else to appear on his right, he turned around to look at the band playing behind him. Luna smiled at him and nodded, letting him know that it was indeed her turn. She made a motion with her head and the pop song they were playing suddenly stopped. Luna put the guitar to a side and after a few seconds of silence during which she went to pick up her trophy from behind the drums set, an eighties melody started to sound, much more relaxed and chill.

Now holding up the silver, musical-note-shaped trophy that she had received after winning the last edition of America's Next Hitmaker, Luna took the mic and walked towards Lincoln, smiling and singing at him the lyrics of this new melody.

I could runawayBut I'd rather stayIn the warmth of your smile lighting up my dayThe one that makes me say'Cause you're the best thing that ever happenedTo me or my worldYou're the best thing that ever happened...

She sang with her heart, and for a moment it didn't sound like a cover, but more like she had written those words herself, thinking specifically about him. Luna had always had that special quality, being able to make any song sound like it belonged to her, giving it her own unique twists to make them part of herself, transforming them into something new, something better. He loved to see her recover the spark that she had seemingly lost for the past few days.

"You're the voice I hear inside my head, dude, the reason that I'm singing," she told him. "You're a harmony to the melody that's echoing inside my head. A single voice above the noise; you are the music in me. You are my everything, Lincoln, and that's why this is for you."

She handed him the trophy, and upon receiving it, Lincoln finally realized that she was giving him one of her most precious possessions. That trophy was her biggest pride, her first and last participation on national television, showing her music to millions of people. And even then, she had covered her name on it with a plaque that said: "To my Wonderwall".

The eighties ballad stopped as brother and sister held each other, but it soon went back to the previous song, and Sam did a perfect job of covering for Luna until she was in conditions to returning to the mic.

And baby I'm fighting harderAnd loving stronger tonight(We're loving stronger, we're loving stronger)

As she placed Luna's trophy next to the several others that he had received, Lincoln saw his sister Leni approaching, her hands flexed like an adorable t-rex, and her smile as warm and shining as usual. She had a little bronze trophy that seemed to have the inscription right in the middle of the cup.

She stood in front of the mic and waved at the people below.

"Hi! Thanks for coming!" She lovely said before turning towards her brother. "Linky, you're my favorite brother, but even if you weren't my brother, I would still love you just as much! That's why I'm giving you a trophy to My favorite brother!"

And without further ado, she went straight to the point and handed him the cup. He did it, laughing to his insides. He wouldn't trade Leni for the world, and he hoped that she would never change. That she would stay the same forever, as innocent as kind as she was now. She stroke one of his arms and ruffled his hair before giving him a tender smile and leaving him to go to her family.

'Cause we're all just kidsWho grew up way too fast

Finally, and slowly stepping onto the stage, the oldest of the Loud siblings joined her brother under the spotlight. She looked much more nervous than Luna or Leni, but not as distraught as Lola or Lynn. Just like Carol, she was also giving away her biggest golf trophy for Lincoln. And even though he should've been used to it by now, he couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. A pang of guilt that, however, did not manage to eclipse the absolute joy inside his heart.

If everyone was willing to give away their most cherished trophies, that could only mean that they loved him even more than that, right? He wasn't sure, but it was a nice thought, and he clung onto it as much as he could.

When Lori was getting ready to start, dozens of flashes and lights sparkled from right under the stage, where all of her friends were now recording and taking pictures with their phones.

"Honestly, there's not much that I can add," she apologized, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Everyone has said what I think already. You're literally the best person I've ever met. And… well, judging by how many people came here today just to show you how much we care, I can't be the only one. Everything that you've always done for us will stay with us forever, and your memory will live in our hearts. Lincoln, this is why this trophy is for you. I'm the one giving it to you, but it really comes from all of us."

And just like that, he became the owner of the beautiful trophy that now read "First Place To The Boy That I Will Literally Never Forget - ".

Well, this clearly confirmed it, this whole ceremony had had very short notice. He had shared his fear of being forgotten just the night before. Had she really set this whole thing up in a day? How was it even possible?

Whatever it was, with or without prep time, they had succeeded in making him feel special. And when she knelt to kiss his forehead in a motherly way, he hugged her, trying to let her know how much he appreciated it all. The fact that she was always there for him. That she had organized this surprise party. That she had found him the day before. That she had taken him back home, sound and safe.

Yeah the good die youngBut the great will always last

Had it been for him, he would have never ended that hug. He would have asked the rest of his sisters to join. Maybe Clyde and Ronnie Anne as well. And he could have stayed there with them, not worrying about the watching crowd. How much time he had left, anyway? A week? An hour? He would've stayed with them right there, for the rest of his time, without any sort of doubt or regret. That's why, when Lori stood up, he almost wanted to ask her not to. At least until he realized that she wasn't the last person to have anything to say, and his heart suddenly felt as heavy as a bowling ball.

Rita and Lynn Sr were now getting closer, leaving a trail of tears behind them on the surface of the stage. They were the first ones to get up there without carrying any award, but Lincoln certainly didn't mind. He saw their eyes, struggling to shine, and their smiles, which were trying their best to be authentic and transmit the happiness that they undoubtedly felt somewhere inside their hearts, but that seemed to be drowned by the antinatural anguish and pain of a parent having to say goodbye to their kin.

They both picked him up in their arms, holding him, touching his hair, messing up all the medals he was carrying and making him turn into a sobbing mess in front of how many people? Eighty? A hundred? More? They didn't seem to care, and with all honesty, neither did Lincoln. That was but a tiny thought at the back of his mind, an annoying voice trying to tell him that he should be ashamed, but that right then had no power over him.

After spending some long, stretched out seconds with his wife and son, Lynn Sr was the one to stand up, grab the mic, and clear his throat to address the audience.

"Wow… I've been thinking on what to say for a long while, but I'm here and I still have no idea what to say," he admitted, making some people laugh, and earning some support from others. "I just… In the name of the Loud family… I just want to thank you all for coming. This is something that I'll never be able to repay to you, so just… thank you."

Rita and all of Lincoln's sisters nodded from the side of the stage, thanking with their eyes to all their friends and acquaintances.

"Lincoln… He's my little boy… And… And he's my pride. He and my girls are. And I haven't been the best father, I've made more mistakes than I can even count, and I still make them even after having eleven children. But even if I wasn't the best example for him, my kid Lincoln has turned out to be such an exemplary person. Even though he's only eleven he's someone that we all, me and my wife included, look for advice. He's the son that I've always thought I'd have… And… A-And it means a lot to us that you've all come here to support us, and especially to help us show him how special he really is. How much we love him. E-Everything that he's done for us… Thank you. Thank you all. And I'm gonna bother you one last time just to ask for a big round of applause to the one that brought us all here together: my boy Lincoln."

Anyone walking outside of the gymnasium would have thought that a bomb had detonated inside. A roaring, deafening, standing ovation occurred, with everyone under that roof clamoring as if their lives depending on it, cheering, calling his name. A tsunami of euphoria and validation that hit him straight on his feelings.

His mom ended up releasing him to join in the applauses, taking a few steps behind to join her husband and daughters, who had all formed a semicircle with him at the center of the stage, receiving the acclaim of all the people he had ever helped, or that he had ever shared experiences with during his eleven years of life. The light from the reflectors bounced off the collection of medals of all sizes and colors that were hanging from his neck, and on the pyramid of trophies that had accumulated to his left, and the glowing golden light threatened to blind him.

The oniric situation had him confused. He didn't know how to react, nor how he was supposed to be feeling. It was like watching a movie where someone else was playing the part of Lincoln Loud. So many people congregated to congratulate him, to celebrate his life, to thank him for everything he'd done for them, for all the memories shared. It was hard to believe that this was really happening to him.

For the first time in his life, he felt like a true winner. A conqueror. Important. He didn't care if the only reason why he was getting all of this was because of his condition. He didn't care if they were watching him cry. He didn't care if he was looking weak in front of so many people.

As Luna and her band decided to finally end the song, Lincoln forgot about everything else, even his heart and the tumors on his head, for some glorious minutes, he allowed himself to feel like the king of the world.

We're growing olderBut we're all soldiers tonight

The award ceremony had been outright wonderful, but the hours that followed were just as, if not more satisfying.

Apparently, it was hard to gather literal dozens of people under the same roof and just expect them to leave from one moment to the other once it was over. Flip brought his food card, promising to lower the prices (although no one noted any discount), and between him and what the club's buffet had to offer, there was enough food for everyone. Being a sports club, there were many balls of different disciplines available, and several kids and teenagers decided to open the gates and go to the field right next to it and have fun together. It really looked like a birthday party, and that's how Lincoln felt it.

He didn't even have time to properly thank his parents and family for everything that they had done. As soon as the award ceremony was over, Katherine Mulligan, from the local news report, came to interview him, leading him to a window to have more natural light and with all his new trophies and medals showcased behind him. She interviewed him for just a few minutes, asking about his overall feelings after experiencing such a spectacular and wide show of solidarity from the community. He was still feeling numb from the feelings, and words wouldn't come out easily from his sore throat, but his tears and his humbleness to explain that he didn't really deserve this was enough to make Katherine tear up as well, giving him a quick hug before she went on to interview his family and friends.

As soon as she left him alone, more people surrounded him to have a little talk. Pretty much everyone that had assisted and couldn't get a trophy for him made sure to let him know how sorry they were about the whole thing, and how much they appreciated him. They would remember anecdotes or stories from when Lincoln had helped them with anything, and if they didn't personally know him, they would let him know all the wonderful things that his family would say about him all the time. That's how he found out how much his sisters talked about him with their friends, and how much his dad bragged about him at work. His classmates, kids from school, neighbors, and adults came to talk to him, making him feel like a celebrity, asking for a picture to upload on social media or to keep as a memory. Some reunions were sad, and several tears were shed during these quick, heartfelt conversations and congratulations, but for the most part, they only fueled Lincoln's great mood and made him feel special.

After a little over an hour, however, Lincoln began to miss his sisters and friends. He wanted to be with his loved ones and thank them for everything that they'd done. There was also one sister in particular that he wanted to thank first because of a hunch, and he didn't want to forget about it. As he walked through the hall and people stopped to thank him, remind him how cool he was, and tell him how much they liked his new look, he began scanning his surroundings, and he soon found his loved ones.

Clyde was the first one that he found. He and the rest of their classmates were all hanging out together at a corner, where he seemed to be telling a story since everyone was paying a lot of attention to what he was saying. Or maybe he was telling them a joke, because after he put on a thoughtful look and took a hand to rub his chin, everyone started to laugh, getting him to do it as well. Liam, Rusty, and Zach were by his side, and Lincoln knew he had nothing to worry about. His best friend would be with good company.

A company almost as good as the one the twins had, at least from what Lincoln could tell when he stared through the window into the playground to the other side of the gym. Almost all kids were busy playing at the swings, which only left one for the twins and Lucy to use. He saw Lola being swung by the goth, as Lana cheered for her from the other side, waiting for her with her arms wide open. After counting down from three, Lola jumped from the swing at its highest point. Just like a few days ago, her fall wasn't perfect. Unlike that time, however, she didn't fall on the mud, but on her twin's soft arms, who didn't manage to fully catch her, but she did soften her fall so when they both rolled on the ground, they were laughing. The three of them, actually, since Lucy laughed with them as well, and when the twins insisted on her trying the swing too, she made no effort to hide her happiness and all the fun she was having as her two little sisters made a team effort to push her.

Lincoln felt very proud of him, but he felt even more proud when he realized he wasn't the only one watching over the young girls. Near the door that went to the playground, Lynn was leaning against a wall, keeping an eye on her sisters, silently watching over them with no rush to go there and join in on their fun. Of course, she might have not had any hurries because she wasn't alone. She was surrounded by her volleyball teammates, and she kept an arm around Ronnie Anne's shoulders, who seemed to be answering a lot of questions from the other girls. Judging by their gestures, Lynn's attitude and the confident yet slightly embarrassed grin on his girlfriend, Lincoln assumed he was witnessing the presentation of a new member of the team. A presentation that was interrupted when a boy dressed in light blue and white clothes walked in front of the team captain, stopping just a few feet away from her. The rest of the girls excused themselves, leaving Lynn alone with whom Lincoln decided to assume was Francisco. It's not like he was a great detective, but the moment his sister blushed and a finger played with a lock of her hair, he decided that he was probably right.

Turning his eyes back inside the gym, he found Lisa sitting alone at a table, with several notes, a pen and a weird electronic device next to her. Her brow was sweating, she was blinking fast, and her lips were almost painfully pursed. She looked completely oblivious to all the talks and fun going around her. He was about to put his little search aside to go talk to her, but a young girl wearing a cyan blouse with a pink flower in the middle of it came running, standing right next to Lisa, holding her hand, and apparently inviting her to play. Lisa looked at her, confused for a few seconds, before she sighed, put on a smile, squeezed the girl's hand, and decided to follow her wherever fun would take them.

They walked to another one of the doors, this one closer to the main gate, and the two young girls ran right in front of Luna and her group of punks. Chunk, Tabby, Sam, and other boys and girls wearing heavy metal clothes, but there was also Carol in there, impressing everyone by grabbing an acoustic guitar and playing a simple rhythm. She didn't look like a rock star at all. She was holding the guitar and strumming with the finesse of a violinist, but everyone was pleasantly surprised, and Sam and Luna were looking at each other, raising their eyebrows and with a special beam in their eyes that Lincoln didn't know how to interpret.

He went to the main gate, trying to stay invisible, with no one else to interrupt him. He passed next to Luan, and he almost stopped for a second to talk with her, but a boy with curly hair and a polo shirt with white and blue stripes had him covered, sounding serious and nervously rubbing his arm. Luan wasn't laughing, she looked slightly depressed, but under the sadness of her face he could see the unmistakable pinkish blush of her cheeks, and her eyes were glowing with the intensity of two lamps in the dark, focused solely on the boy right in front of her.

He walked outside, paying no mind to all the kids playing on the field beneath the red and orange sky, and he soon found the big group of teenagers that he was looking for. Sitting at the base of a tree, Dana, Becky, Whitney, Chaz, and Joey were all chatting amongst themselves and with the inseparable couple of Bobby and Lori, holding hands, with the girl resting against her boyfriend, her head comfortably placed on his shoulder. Lincoln didn't want to interrupt the moment, but he also didn't want to wait until they were done.

Besides, he kinda was the protagonist of the afternoon. He couldn't imagine them complaining that he wanted to talk to his sister for a second.

So he walked towards them, trying to look confident, but failing miserably at it as he couldn't figure out what to do with his hands. Leave them hanging to the side? Close his fists? Put them inside the pockets of his new jacket? And that's how the teenagers saw him, walking closer to them with his hands on a completely unnatural position in the air as he tried to figure out what to do with them.

"Lincoln!" Becky called him, with some slight sadness ringing in her voice, but trying to smile and politely wave at him.

Naturally, everyone turned around to look at him, but no one faster than Lori, who almost lost her neck with how fast she moved.

"Is everything okay, Lincoln?" She asked him, quickly standing on her feet and smiling at him, nervously fixing his sleeves and the neck of his jacket.

"Eh, yeah, yeah I'm alright," he said, very conscious of the fact that all those cool, mature teenagers had their eyes fixed on him.

"Do you need anything? How are you feeling? Do you want a glass of water? Or something to eat, or…?"

"No, I'm okay, I just…"

He shot a quick glance at the other kids.

"I just wanted to, uh… Well, thank you for organizing this. When I said… what I said last night, I never thought you'd take it to heart like this to organize this whole thing just to make me feel better. Thank you," he said before giving her a hug.

He clearly heard Dana and Becky letting out some "aaaw's", and he was willing to bet that Chaz, Bobby, and Whitney were tearing up at the sight. Lori hugged him back, squeezing him tight, but she quickly broke away from it, looking gently at him.

"Lincoln… It's not me who you should thank," she tenderly explained.

"Eh? But… how…? Then who…?"

His shocked face must have been really funny since she giggled.

"This wasn't organized today. We've been getting this ready for a couple of days. Why do you think the trophy case at home was covered with a blanket? We did it so we could take our trophies out without you noticing."

The revelation hit Lincoln like a fake boxing glove under his pillow on April Fools.

"Oh," he said, feeling like a fool for not realizing this sooner. "But… then whose idea was it?"

Lori's smile grew even bigger, and she pointed to his left with her eyes and eyebrows. He looked in that direction, and what he saw left him astonished. He looked back at Lori, and she simply nodded.

"I think you should thank her. She's gonna be really happy if you do. Come on, go."

And after saying goodbye with a kind look, Lincoln finally walked to thank the mastermind behind the most awesome, emotional afternoon of his entire life.

Said mastermind was standing next to the bleachers, right in front of the soccer field where all the kids were playing. She had her head resting on her forearms, admiring a beautiful, dreamlike butterfly with iridescent blue wings that was standing quiet on the wood seats that the Louds had sat upon so many times before when they were cheering for Lynn.

Lincoln walked near her, trying to think of the best way to approach this. In the end, he decided that there was no point in delaying it, so after taking a deep breath, he spoke.

"Leni?" He softly called her, not wanting to scare the butterfly away.

His sister turned around to look at him, with a beautiful and sincere smile glistening on her immaculate face.

"Hey, Linky! Wanna take a look at this pretty butterfly with me?"

He stood next to her.

"Hey, uh… Lori told me that you…"

"Yeah?"

"That you organized his whole thing."

"Oh, right! That was me!"

"So it's true? This was your idea?"

"Yup!"

"Wow… and how did you come up with it?"

Leni darted her eyes away from the innocent butterfly, flashing him a warm smile.

"It was the other day, when we were about to play Monopoly in my room with Ronnie Anne," she explained. "I went down to look for you because you were taking too long, and I saw you looking really sad a the trophy case. And I was thinking, why would you be sad for our trophies? At first, I thought that maybe you didn't like it when we win stuff, but I realized that couldn't be true because you're a really nice person and you always congratulate us and give us a hug when we win stuff."

She closed her eyes and let out a dreamy sigh, perhaps reminiscing about a certain hug he had given to her once.

"And then I was like: maybe it's like when I go to the mall to buy a dress and someone else took the last one of it. And it's not like I'm sad because the other person has it, but it makes me feel kinda bad because I can't buy it for myself. And I remembered that time when you posted our embarrassing videos because you didn't have any trophy of your own, and then I thought Oh, so maybe the one we did for him is too small and it doesn't shine as much! And that made me feel super bad because you deserve to have many many big and shiny trophies, because you really are a very kind and very pretty and very nice person. So while mom took you to see Pop-Pop, I told the girls that we should organize a surprise party for you where everyone would give you trophies for all the nice things you do every day. I mean, I know that there aren't, like, Good People tournaments, or trophies for being nice, but I totes think there should be because sometimes being nice to others is just as hard as making the perfect dress, you know? And when the girls said it was an excellent idea, I started to call everyone I know and everyone the girls know, asking if they could bring a trophy for the good things you do, and everyone said they wanted to! I mean, some said they didn't have trophies, or that they didn't have money to buy one, but I told them that was okay, because the important thing was to let you know that we love you and that we do care about everything you do for us. You know what I'm saying? Honestly, I only wanted you to know that even if you didn't have trophies in your case, you were still just as nice as the rest of us. But now you have more trophies than all of us put together! And yours are much bigger and shiny! Yay!"

The more he listened to Leni's explanation, the more her words reached his heart, and in an afternoon where he'd heard a thousand nice things being said about him as a person, the absolute honesty and contagious joy of the fashionista managed to give him one more reason to be happy. Small, shining tears formed in his eyes, falling down his cheeks with the softness of the dew of a spring morning on a rose petal.

"Leni, I… Wow… Thanks. I d-don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. I just wanted to see you smile."

"And Leni… Sorry for asking this but… You do know what's going to happen to me… right?"

Leni's smile quickly faded away, and her eyes moved down to the ground. The butterfly decided it was a good moment to leave, taking flight, the blue wings losing themselves on the infinite firmament.

"Yes," she simply said, her voice sounding muffled and distant. "I know."

"Then why haven't you said anything?" He asked, feeling guilty for ruining his sister's good mood. "All these days, I've been so confused… Sometimes you look sad, but most of the time it's like… like… like there's nothing wrong."

She looked up back again, her green eyes fixing themselves on her brother's brown irises.

"Lincoln… I'm… I'm really, really sad, okay? Sometimes… Almost every night I cry with Lori," she admitted, a tear joining her brother's on the ground. "And sometimes I cry in the bathroom. And sometimes I cry when I'm alone in my room. And I cried a couple of times in the garage. I always ask how could this happen to us… But every time I cry, I think of you. And I know you don't like seeing us crying. And I know… I mean, I know this is really bad for you too, ok? And well… I don't know…"

Tears were now flowing unrestricted, but she still found the strength to give him a new smile.

"I, like, don't know if this makes any sense, but… I know I'll have my whole life to miss you and cry. But the ugly doctor with the cane told us that we didn't have much time left with you. And when I remember that, it's like I think… Why crying when I'm with you if we can instead do stuff to make us smile? If we don't have much time left, why don't we make the best out of it and turn this into the best moments ever?"

With how long the award ceremony had taken, and all the time that had elapsed since then, the Sun was already getting low, running and running to hide behind the horizon. Lincoln had heard at some point about the concept of the "golden hour" in photography, that magical moment right before sunset where the warm tones of light would reflect stronger, and that all photographs would always try to capture in their work, when possible.

Well, the Sun was hiding behind his back, and the golden light was bathing his sister, making her look more beautiful than ever, and even though their tears were also shining brighter with the sunlight, he could only think of how happy both of them were at that moment where there was only him and her, where nothing else mattered.

Without any need for words, they shared a hug, sharing the moment, enjoying the apparent isolation, understanding each other on a level that Lincoln could have never guessed from her. He felt like a fool for underestimating her, but his heart was beating faster and stronger than ever.

They only broke away when they heard a sob behind them. Lincoln turned around and found his best friend crying happy tears while his girlfriend tried to comfort him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin the moment," Clyde apologized.

"No, it's ok," Lincoln said, rubbing his eyes with his sleeve. "Clyde… Ronnie Anne, I, uh…"

"Don't say a word, Lame-O," his girlfriend interrupted him, walking in closer to hold his hand. "There's no need for words."

"Yeah, ok, but I wanted to apologize for-"

"She's right," this time, Clyde interrupted him. "Lincoln, I don't wanna hear it. Just… Just shut up and take the damn compliments for once."

The other three kids blinked, surprised for the words of the usually calm and educated Clyde. After a few seconds, however, the four of them began laughing, and it helped Lincoln greatly to be able to laugh his stress, anxiousness, and sadness away, along with the awful feeling of his chest sinking in frozen waters. They laughed more than they had to, more than it was objectively right to laugh about such a pointless thing.

They cherished every second of it.

"By the way, I've got this for you," Clyde said, handing Lincoln his cell phone.

The brown-haired boy grabbed it, lost in his thoughts.

"I'm gonna have to apologize to the guys," he said.

"Yeah. Yeah, you'll have to. But not now," Ronnie Anne offered, pressing herself against him and wrapping an arm around his waist. "Now's just to relax. What do you want to do?"

He considered it for a few seconds. It would have taken him less, but the sunset light made her eyes look so beautiful, and her lips so inviting…

"I always wanted to just… just sit down and watch a sunset," he said, thinking back to one of the many objectives on his list that he had yet to complete.

"Well… there are some bleachers with our name on them," Clyde pointed out, and soon the four kids went there, going to the highest seats.

Lincoln sat with his best friend and his girlfriend at each side, with Leni right behind him. He was trying to get comfortable, when a few voices called his name from down below. He turned around and was happy to see the rest of his sisters and his parents climbing up the bleachers, lead by the twins.

"Coming through!" Yelled Lana, getting herself comfortable between Clyde and Lincoln.

"Don't even think about it, Ronnie Anne, he might be your boyfriend but he's still my prince!" Lola threatened, standing between her brother and his girlfriend.

Everyone laughed at the young girl's jealousy, and after asking what they were doing and having Lincoln explaining it, they all took their seats. Lynn sat next to Ronnie Anne, with Lucy following her close. Lisa went to Clyde's right, leaving Lily on Lincoln's lap on her way there. Luan, Lori, and their parents join Leni, sitting all behind Lincoln, and Luna sat at the edge, so she could keep Sam's guitar comfortably beside her without bothering anyone.

As they were all getting into position and talked amongst themselves, with Ronnie Anne offering Lola to sit on her lap so both girls could be at the same distance of Lincoln, Lisa explaining to Clyde the phenomenon that caused the bright colors at sunset, and the rest of the family was simply admiring the view, Lincoln turned to look at Luna.

"Hey, sis?" He called her with a smile.

"Sup, dude?"

"Play a song, will ya?"

He smiled at him, grabbing her pick and getting in position. "Sure! What do you want, bro?"

"Anything you want. Just whatever you're feeling right now."

She slowly nodded, her head bobbing up and down and her eyes looking away while she thought. Finally, she smiled, and her fingers began playing a fast, upbeat melody as an intro before she strummed down heavy, more paused chords, with her vocals perfectly going with the in crescendo melody.

You're my backbone, you're my cornerstoneYou're my crutch when my legs stop movingYou're my headstart, you're my rugged heartYou're the pokes that I've always neededLike a drum baby don't stop beatingLike a drum baby don't stop beatingLike a drum baby don't stop beating

With the music in the background, Lincoln took one last look around. Smiling faces, happy, relaxed, all of them enjoying the moment and the beauty of twilight. Thankful for having each other. Wringing the moment, enjoying an instant that they wished they could stretch out to last forever. At least that's how he felt, as he held his breathing to enjoy the cold afternoon breeze inside his lungs, trying to capture this moment for eternity. His family, his friends, his monuments.

Like a drum, my heart never stops beatingFor you, for youBaby, I'm not moving onI love you long after you're goneFor you, for youYou would never sleep aloneI'll love you long after you're goneAnd long after you're gone, gone, gone.

With a big, honest smile, he stared at the horizon, watching the sun slowly sinking in, disappearing only to return the next day in the endless circle of life and nature. He focused on every single one of the colors that he saw in the clouds and the buildings from the city far away. He focused on Lily's little movements. On Ronnie Anne's strong yet gentle grip on his hand. On Lola and Lana both pressing their heads at each side of his chest. On Luna's soft notes, on Leni's shy laugh and Luan's familiar Get it?.

Lincoln Loud stopped for a second to just appreciate his situation, his family, his place in the world. A powerful smile spread on his face, as he closed his eyes and let out a sigh, enjoying the warm light bathing his face, his body, and everyone around him.

Perhaps Lisa would ignore his advice, and she would find a miraculous cure for his disease, but being completely honest, right then he felt that immortality was overrated.

Why worry so much about the destination, when the journey offered such beautiful looks?