It had been some time since the Medieval Festival. November was passing by, and Thanksgiving was inching closer.
However, the threat of The Green Goblin was still fresh on the minds of the many citizens of Royal Woods. Many had faith in Spider-Man and Firestar to keep them safe, but a loud few were vocal about their worries, even presenting it to the mayor.
As a result, Mayor Davis had a plan to calm the citizens in the best way possible.
Lincoln was at home, working on his web fluids in his room, trying to keep as much of a backup pile as he could in the events of a future emergency. He wasn't alone however, as his sidekick turned girlfriend Christina was currently in the room with him.
"How much longer is this going to take?" Christina asked. "I know superhero work is important, but I'd like to spend a little time with you alone before we go on patrol."
"Sorry, I'm working as fast as I can," Lincoln said as he applied some finishing touches. "I just want to be as prepared as possible. The Green Goblin is still a threat that can pop up at any time. I need to figure out ways to gain the advantage over him."
"Well last time he didn't even fight us himself, he just started shouting riddles and sending his henchmen after us," Christina said. "Which I don't get. Why wouldn't he have come to get us?"
"I've been racking my brain around that since the festival," Lincoln said as he finished up. "There, done."
"About time," Christina said as she got off the bed and walked over to affectionately hug Lincoln, "Now, let's have a little alone time before our patrol. I do need to get this out of my system, otherwise I won't be able to restrain myself out in the field."
"That feeling is definitely mutual," Lincoln said as Christina pulled him back toward the bed. The two sat on the edge and shared a kiss with one another, earning a very happy reaction out of the girl beside him.
Christina pulled away, then affectionately stroked Lincoln's face. "I do love how seriously you take being a superhero though, it's one of the most attractive things about you."
"Thanks, I'm grateful to have a sidekick..." Lincoln immediately halted his speech. "No, a partner. I'm grateful to have a partner like you."
"Oh cool, looks like I got a promotion, huh?" Christina said.
"You could say that," Lincoln said. "This works out so well too. Unlike with Emma and Jordan, I don't have to hide the superhero side of me when it comes to you. So I don't have to feel like I'm keeping secrets from you. I'm really glad we can be honest with each other."
"It's a relief for me too," Christina said. "Plus, we get to spend a lot of time together, even if we can't make-out for most of it."
"Well we can now," Lincoln said.
"Damn right we can," Christna said before engaging Lincoln in another kiss, the girl wrapping her arms around her boyfriend as they laid back together on the bed.
This was a magical moment for the two, to be able to enjoy each other's company and affection. Lincoln felt strange knowing that the girl who once hated him for his secret crush is now his girlfriend. Christina felt strange knowing that this boy who once creeped her out ended up being a sweetheart that she chose to date.
Both were obviously happy with their choice.
Unfortunately, their mood was interrupted by Lola yelling from downstairs.
"It's back!"
"Huh?" Lincoln pulled away. "Was that Lola?"
"Yeah...wonder what she's excited about?" Christina asked.
"I know we were getting into it, but, do you want to see what it is?" Lincoln asked.
"Sure, that's fine with me," Christina said as she sat up. "We can resume later."
"Alright, let's head downstairs," Lincoln said as he and Christina exited the room.
Lola's shouting not only got the couple's attention, but also the attention of the other sisters, namely her twin Lana as she got her twin's attention. "What's back?"
"The Royal Woods Astonishing Quest!" Lola exclaimed while holding out a paper. "Where we get to do cool things together!"
"Ha, I remember that," Luna said. "Sam and I had a hell of a time with that one."
"You two bonded more because of this, right?" Leni asked.
"Yeah, it definitely taught us a thing or two about relationships," Luna said.
"Well this year you get to do it again," Lola said. "This is going to be a fun weekend."
"So, I trust you're all going to take part in this?" Lisa asked.
"Take part in what?" Lincoln asked as he came downstairs with Christina. "What's gotten Lola all excited?"
"The Royal Woods Astonishing Quest," Lola said as she presented the flyer. "It's coming back!"
"That's awesome!" Lincoln said. "Those were always fun."
"Yeah, I remember the first time Paige and I took part in it," Christina said. "When is it?"
"This weekend," Lola said.
"Oh, that soon?" Christina asked. "I think Paige has a doctor's appointment, hopefully she can be done in time. We can try again this year."
"I should see if Sam's free," Luna said.
"I could go with Benny too," Luan said.
"Pfft, it doesn't matter who any of you nerds go with," Lynn said as she confidently strutted into the room. "Because the only winner will be me."
"How?" Lola asked. "I'm pretty sure you're still banned."
"Being banned has never stopped me," Lynn said. "I just need a good disguise and a partner to help me out."
"Like who?" Lola asked. "The only one crazy enough to go along with your plan was Scoots, and I'm pretty sure she's banned too."
"Even if she wasn't, I believe she is currently incarcerated," Lisa said.
"Oh yeah," Lynn said. "To think she turned to a life of crime."
"I will confess, I am surprised that this is being done this year," Lisa said. "Especially with all the villain attacks recently."
"I did hear that the Mayor's been getting flack for not doing much to regarding the villains," Luna said.
"If people don't want to go to these events, they can stay home," Luan said. "So far, even when bad things happened, Spider-Man was always there to save everyone. No reason to believe that this time will be any different."
"Exactly," Lana said. "If a villain shows up, Spider-Man will show up, beat him up, and the rest of us will go back to having fun."
"Not just Spider-Man, Firestar too," Luan said as she winked a Christina.
"Oh yeah, if Firestar were here, she'd promise that she and Spider-Man would do their best," Christina said.
"But hopefully there won't be any villains," Lincoln said. "Even Spider-Man could use a break."
"Well, if Spider-Man wants free time, he could just do a thorough sweep of the city the day before," Lana said. "That's just my opinion though."
"I couldn't care less what Spider-Man wants, but I can promise that I want victory myself," Lola said. "That means you and I will be working double time this year Lana."
"Hey, we're twins, we already have the advantage," Lana said.
"True, but we do have competition in the twin department," Lola said.
"Right...Cheryl and Meryl," Lana commented. "They're going down."
"So, Lincoln, are you entering the contest too?" Luan asked.
"If I'm able to," Lincoln said.
"If Paige can't make it, at least Christina has you," Lana said. "You two can do the contest as a couple."
"That could be fun," Christina said.
"Yeah, I'd love to enter the contest with my girlfriend," Lincoln said as he placed his arm around Christina. "We'll definitely do our best."
"Going with your girl is definitely an advantage," Luna said. "In fact, you two could grow even closer from the experience."
"Or drift apart," Lynn said, earning some annoyed glances from the others. "Hey, it's possible. It nearly happened to Luna and Sam."
"Wow, now I'm kind of worried about doing that with Lincoln," Christina said. "I just got together with him, I don't want to be part of another heartbreak fro him."
"You won't," Lincoln reassured. "Lynn's just teasing."
"I hope so," Christina said, then checked her phone. "It's getting late, I think I should be going."
"Wait, we still have that thing to do," Lincoln said.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that," Christina said.
"You go on ahead, I'll meet up with you shortly," Lincoln said.
"Sounds good. Bye Linky," Christina said before kissing Lincoln on the cheek. She began making her way out, but not before waving off the others. "Bye girls."
"Bye!" Many of the sisters said just as Christina left. With that done, each of them glared at the local jock, "LYNN!"
"What!?" Lynn asked.
"Great work, you got Christina all worried," Lola scolded.
"What'd you have to go and say what you said for!?" Luna asked.
"Oh lay off," Lynn said. "Not like I meant any harm."
"You're so insensitive," Lana said.
"Oh don't be a bunch of girls about it," Lynn said. "Besides, Lincoln knows I didn't mean any trouble, right bro?"
"Of course I know that, but you still got Christina worried," Lincoln said. "Just be mindful of what you say."
"Why is she worried anyway? You're the one who's dealt with two prior break-ups," Lynn said. "All she has to do is not break up with you and it's all good."
"Wow, great advice Lynn," Lincoln sarcastically said as he flashed a pair of thumbs up. "What a fool proof plan."
"Heh, thanks," Lynn said as she was about to leave. "I'm gonna take a quick jog before dinner."
"Mom and dad don't want us being out alone so close to dark," Lana said.
"I'll be fine," Lynn said as she went out the door.
"What a foolish girl," Lisa said as she went upstairs. "Well, I shall resume my studies elsewhere."
"I gotta go finish some dresses," Leni said as she left as well.
"I should go see Christina now," Lincoln said.
"Hold it, something we gotta know first," Luna said.
"Uh, what is it?" Lincoln asked.
"What's it like dating a superhero?" Luan asked.
"...Who? You mean Christina?" Lincoln asked.
"Of course, we all know she's Firestar," Luna said. "All these years of admiring superheroes, and now one is your girlfriend."
"You must be over the moon knowing a real superhero is your girlfriend," Lola said.
"I am, it is definitely cool," Lincoln said. "But, Christina and I don't like talking about that too much."
"Really?" Lucy asked. "That's surprising."
"Being a superhero is stressful, and I don't want her thinking that I only started dating her because she's a superhero, and Spider-Man's sidekick to boot," Lincoln said. "So I'm keeping it only about our personal interests."
"That makes sense, I bet even superheroes just want to forget about their responsibilities once in a while," Lana said.
"Yeah, that makes sense," Luna said. "Good on you then, little bro. We're glad you like Christina for who she is outside of her hero duties."
"I hope things work out," Luan said. "I know you haven't had the best luck with girls, but at least you haven't given up."
"Yeah, you're a great guy, Linc," Luna said. "Christina just might be the one too."
"Personally, I have a good feeling about this," Lana said.
"Thanks girls, I really appreciate it," Lincoln said. "Anyway, I should head upstairs."
"You do what you gotta do," Luna said. "Oh, but one more thing."
"What is it?" Lincoln asked.
"Promise you won't have Christina do anything reckless for you," Luna said. "Like taking you to a villain fight, or-"
"I wouldn't do that!" Lincoln said. "Besides she made it clear that our relationship will never cross into hero stuff. So don't worry about me."
"Alright bro," Luna said. "We'll trust you."
"We just want you to be safe, but you're smart enough to take care of yourself," Luan said.
"If worse comes to worse, Spider-Man's got this," Lana said.
"Exactly," Lincoln said as he started heading outside. "I'll see you girls later."
With Lincoln gone, Luan focused her attention on Luna, "Hey, did you ever apologize to Christina for threatening to blackmail her?"
"Yeah, I sent her a text," Luna said. "It's all good."
"...You apologized to someone...through a text?" Lola asked.
"She seemed fine with it," Luna said. "Why? You think it's not enough?"
"Not really," Lana said.
"Yeah, it makes the apology seem less genuine," Lucy said. "This isn't something minor, you threatened to reveal her secret. She could have lost a lot of trust in you."
"Is it really that bad?" Luna asked. "Like, would it affect her relationship with Lincoln?"
"I think you owe her a face-to-face apology," Luan said.
"...Honestly, it might be awkward," Luna said. "I'm not good with words."
"You're a songwriter," Lucy said.
"So? You're a poet, and you get shy too," Luna said.
"Well, you got me there," Lucy said. "Still, you owe her a proper apology."
"Do it for Lincoln at least," Lola said.
"...Okay, I'll work on it," Luna said.
Lincoln had gone to the park that he and Christina usually go to when they need to switch into their hero gear.
"Christina!?" Lincoln looked around for any sign of the girl. "Wonder where she is?"
Suddenly he felt someone covering his eyes, "Peek-a-boo."
"Heh...you got me," Lincoln said as he turned to face Christina.
"Letting someone sneak up on you?" Christina teased. "That's unbecoming of a hero."
"I let you," Lincoln said.
"Suuuure," Christina then gave Lincoln a quick kiss. "So? Ready to keep the city safe?"
"I sure am," Lincoln said. "Let's just switch into our gear."
"Oh, should we check in with Stella first?" Christina asked.
"Sure," Lincoln said, the boy heading deeper into the park toward their hideout. Once inside, Lincoln made a quick phone call.
Meanwhile Stella was in her room, still recovering from her broken ribs, but absolutely bored as she had nothing to entertain her. She then heard her phone ring and was quick to answer." Hey."
"Hi Stella," Lincoln greeted. "How's life?"
"You know how life is," Stella said. "I'm stuck in my room with no TV, no games, my phone doesn't even have internet access."
"Sorry you got grounded, but you did sneak out of the house," Lincoln said. "At least you have some phone privileges."
"Thanks to Lola, she did everything she could to vouch for me, but my parents were still pretty ticked off that I snuck out," Stella said. "Is Christina there?"
"Sup Stella!?" Christina greeted as Lincoln placed his phone on speaker for her.
"Hey Christina, I bet you're thrilled I'm not there; you and Lincoln have...plenty...of alone time," Stella said, the girl trying to hide her jealousy.
"We do, and I love it," Christina said, earning an eye roll from Stella, and a blush from Lincoln. "But, I still miss you. Doing this doesn't feel right without you around. You're a big part of our team after all."
Stella placed the phone out of earshot as she mumbled to herself, "I can't stay mad..." She placed the phone close to her ear again. "Well you'll be fine without me. You have keen eyes. If anything I'm worried you might find me useless after a while."
"As if," Lincoln said. "I wouldn't be the hero I am without you."
"Same, you did so much for us after all," Christina said.
"..." Stella placed her phone away again, "Why do they need to be so nice?" She placed her phone to her ear, "Well, I like helping out too. I just wish I could do more."
"You protected two of my sisters, you've done plenty," Lincoln said. "Lola still talks about how amazing you are."
"I'm not surprised," Stella looked to the side of her bed where a large bouquet of flowers were along with some chocolate. "She was very grateful that I kept her safe."
"I'm kind of jealous," Christina said. "That's two of Lincoln's sisters that like you, Stella. I don't have that bond with any of them."
"It takes time," Stella said. "Besides, half of them is keeping your secret, so at least you can trust them."
"Hey, has Luna given you a proper apology after her blackmailing?" Lincoln asked.
"She sent a text," Christina said.
"...That's it?" Lincoln asked in disbelief as he grumbled in annoyance, "That girl I swear..."
"Don't worry about it," Christina said. "I just want her to keep her word that she won't tell anyone. So long as she doesn't, that's all that matters."
"She won't tell anyone, I'll make sure of it," Lincoln said. "Anyway Stella, Christina and I are about to go on patrol. We'll keep you updated about anything."
"Sounds good," Stella said.
"Get better soon," Christina said.
"See you later , Stella," Lincoln said.
"Yeah, see you," Stella hung up, then placed her phone aside as she stared up at the ceiling. "What a week."
Back at the hideout, Lincoln placed his phone away, "Alright, let's change." He turned to face the girl behind him, "Want me to leave for...WHOA!"
To Lincoln's surprise, Christina had already taken off her dress and was fully in her underwear. Lincoln couldn't believe was he was seeing. Christina seemed quite comfortable in her current appearance too.
"I...uh..." Lincoln awkwardly cleared his throat. "I could have left..."
"It's fine, it wouldn't be the first time you saw me like this," Christina said. "I'm perfectly comfortable."
Lincoln turned away regardless, the boy having a massive blush on his face. "I...well, I guess..."
"I trust you with so much Lincoln, and I know you trust me," Christina said. "Consider it a bonding moment. We are dating after all."
Lincoln continued to feel awkward. While Christina wasn't quite as curvy as his past girlfriends, she still had a body worth looking at, or rather one he felt ashamed to.
"Even so, this feels strange," Lincoln said.
"You do what you want then, but I'm going to finish changing," Christina said as she picked up her suit. "Better hurry."
"R-right..." Lincoln then started taking his shirt off. He felt awkward at first, but within moments, had completely tossed it off.
Just as he was about to go for his pants, he felt Christina hugging him from behind. That really started sending Lincoln over the edge as his heart began racing even faster.
"Lincoln, remember this..." Christina said as she pressed her torso against Lincoln's back. "We've known each other for a while now. You don't need to feel strange around me."
"Yeah, we've known each other for a couple of years," Lincoln said. "But, I don't want us rushing anything. At least let me treat you to dinner before we get this frisky."
"Heh, you're such a gentleman," Christina said as she let go of her boyfriend. "I'd like that though. Maybe after our patrol, you can treat me to a burger."
"I can come up with something better," Lincoln said.
"A burger's fine," Christina said. "Maybe a soda too."
"...Alright, I'll do that," Lincoln said. "Now hurry and change."
"I'm on it," Christina said, glancing once more with a flirty wink before changing into her gear.
Lincoln wasn't sure what this was going to mean for their future, but he wasn't going to question it too much right now. He had work to do.
Elsewhere in a secret lab, Miles Warren was hard at work near some chemicals, the man jotting down notes as he experimented each reaction.
"Going well...good..." Warren said as he continued to work.
Not too far off, Otto is seen testing out his limbs even more, trying to get as much of an understanding as possible.
"I must say, Lisa has outdone herself with this one," Otto said. "To think she wanted to use it for something so menial. There's much power that can be obtained through this."
"There's always power in science," Warren said. "Some are too blond to see it, but to men like us, is always crystal clear."
"I shall prove it soon, once I return to Royal Woods and destroy that no good Spider-Man, and get my revenge on Lisa Loud," Otto said.
"Patience, Spider-Man is no simple foe after all," Warren said. "He has endured many trials after all."
"He was no match for me," Otto said. "I had him on the run."
"You had an advantage you may not get again," Warren said. "Do not worry, I do have a plan of attack."
"I have my plan," Otto said. "The Royal Woods Astonishing Quest is soon. With luck, it may bring out Lisa Loud, and Spider-Man as well."
"I know you have a grudge against The Loud Girl, but remember your priorities," Warren said. "Spider-Man is the biggest threat, as is his sidekick."
"I am hardly worried about Firestar," Otto said. "We simply must remove Spider-Man from the picture, and this silly quest may prove to work in our favor. After all, we will have plenty of bait to lure him out."
"And I will obtain my ultimate catch, and remind everyone who I am," Warren said. "Now, I have a favor to ask of you."
"What is it?" Otto asked.
"I need you to inject me with this serum," Warren said as he held out a syringe.
"Inject you?" Otto asked. "What is it exactly?"
"Something that will help give us the edge we need," Warren said.
"What is it exactly?" Otto asked.
"Some animal DNA from The Great Lakes zoo," Warren explained. "It's how I was able to help with La Tigressa's transformation, by using tiger DNA from the zoo. This will give me my own transformation."
"You are certain it will work?" Otto asked.
"I've had success before," Warren said. "Now, inject me!"
"...Very well," Otto said.
Using the syringe, Otto injected Warren with the serum, then waited a bit to see what would happen. Within moments, Warren had fallen over, the man struggling to breathe. Otto was briefly concerned that the syringe may have killed Warren, but the man was confident, so any death would be his own fault in Otto's mind.
It wasn't long before Warren began to physically change before Otto's eyes. His human like appearance slowly becoming more canine like.
"Warren, you mad scientist..." Otto said with a smirk. "Just what have you become?"
"Call me...The Jackal," Warren said.
The next day in school, Lincoln and Christina were seen in line getting lunch together.
"I hope there's some decent food left," Lincoln said. "We're getting mashed potatoes today, and I don't want another lump of potato skin."
"Don't worry, we got here early enough," Christina said. "Besides, potato skins can be tasty if heated properly."
"How? We don't have access to a microwave," Lincoln said.
"The school doesn't, but you do," Christina said while winking at Lincoln.
Lincoln leaned in to whisper, "Let's not do anything that could cause trouble later."
"Oh it's fine, I've learned to be sneaky, it came in handy the time I got served cold meatballs," Christina said.
"Someone's daring..." Lincoln thought to himself before feeling something hitting his plate. "Oh...well, at least it's not all skin."
"See? Things worked out," Christina said, then noticed she got something similar to Lincoln. "Hey look, we match."
"Sure seems like it," Lincoln noted.
"Come on," Christina said as she led Lincoln toward a table.
Everyone was seen gathered around, from an excited looking Rusty, to a grossed-out Zach who didn't seem too fond of his lunch, to a hurt looking Stella who came to school with a cast over her ribs, to a cynical looking Clyde.
Lincoln felt immense guilt knowing that the last time he tried hanging out with Clyde, he ended up focusing more on Christina. He was not done trying to make amends.
"So...Astonishing Quest," Rusty said. "Who's going?"
"I can't, I have a doctor's appointment," Paige said. "Plus the last one I was in got ruined by a pair of old ladies."
"Wasn't one of them actually Lynn?" Liam asked.
"Yeah, it was, and it was super embarrassing," Lincoln lamented.
"Wow, that Lynn sure is a wild one, ain't she?" Liam asked.
"Wild barely scratches the surface," Lincoln said. "Anyway, no one has to worry about Lynn, she might have snuck in once, but I doubt she could do it again."
"I don't know, she's got that single minded determination," Rusty said.
"...Yeah, that's terrifying," Lincoln said.
"Well I'm entering," Rusty said. "And Zach will be my partner."
"Wait, hold on, how do you know I don't already have a partner?" Zach asked.
"Do you?" Rusty asked.
"...Well, no...but still!" Zach said.
"What about you, Lincoln?" Liam asked. "Are you and Christina gonna go together?"
Before Lincoln could say anything, Christina took a moment to speak up. "Actually, don't think I can. I may have something to do that day."
"Huh?" Lincoln asked.
"It's fine, Lincoln had someone else he wanted to bring instead," Christina said, the girl tilting her head in Clyde's direction.
It didn't take Lincoln long to figure it out as he focused his attention on his best friend, "Yeah, I was hoping to ask Clyde if he wanted to come."
"Huh?" Clyde turned his attention to Lincoln. "Me?"
"Of course, we did it last year, and we worked great together," Lincoln said. "What do you say? Ready to reunite Clincoln McCloud?"
"...You're serious? This isn't a joke?" Clyde asked.
"Look, I get that you felt shafted at the Medieval Festival," Lincoln said. "This time, it will work out better. Two-person team, no one to distract us, it's perfect. We can finally have a chance to shine as a duo, just like the old days."
"Well...alright," Clyde said as he slowly began feeling a sense of hope. "Just promise you mean it this time."
"I pinky swear," Lincoln said as he held his pinky out.
"Oh dang, Lincoln means business," Rusty said.
"...Alright, pinky swear," Clyde said as he and Lincoln locked pinkies.
"I hope you guys have fun," Stella said. "I can't go."
"Injury is still that bad?" Liam asked.
"No, I'm still grounded for sneaking off to the Medieval Festival," Stella said.
"Well that was risky," Clyde said. "The Green Goblin showed up too."
"I'm aware, but I was just so bored," Stella said. "It's fine I guess, who would even be my partner?"
"Ah could have," Liam said. "Well, probably at least."
"Honestly, I would have liked to do this with Kara," Stella said. "I think she wanted to take part in this, but then her family got called away for a bit."
"Who's Kara again?" Christina asked.
"A friend of ours who works at The Comic Book Nook," Lincoln said. "She's away for the semester, but she should be back after Christmas break."
"Maybe even sooner," Liam said.
"Well, I'd like to see her," Christina said.
"You will," Stella said.
Lincoln turned his attention to Mollie, the girl looked slightly depressed, to which Lincoln could guess why. "So, Mollie...who do you think could win The Astonishing Quest?"
"I'm not sure, it's anyone's game," Mollie said. "But if you and Clyde work together well enough, I think you got this."
"So long as Lynn doesn't sneak in again," Lincoln said.
"Say, um, do all your sisters compete?" Mollie asked.
"Usually," Lincoln said. "Last year Lori and Leni teamed up. As did Lana and Lola."
"Makes sense," Mollie said. "Lana seems like a smart girl, and Lola is very ambitious. Those two could pull of a surprise win."
"She's got a point," Clyde said. "Those girls are super determined to win at anything they might try. They might even be a match for Lynn."
"Somehow, even Lana and Lola fear Lynn's competitive nature," Lincoln said. "She's just naturally good at competitions, it's like her own personal superpower."
"Maybe she should be Spider-Man's sidekick then," Mollie teased.
"Yeah...I don't see that happening," Lincoln said. "Ever..."
"You know...I actually got a letter from Jordan recently," Mollie said.
"Wait, you did!?" Lincoln asked in disbelief.
"Yeah," Mollie pulled it out. "She found out about The Green Goblin, and I guess she was worried about me. She says, 'Dear Mollie, I hope you're doing okay. I saw what happened with the Green Goblin, scary stuff. Thankfully Spider-Man was there, but I'd like to hear from you just to ease my worries. Love, Jordan'."
"Wow, that was nice of her," Stella said. "It's great hearing from Jordan. It sounds like she's settling well."
"Yeah, I was worried I wouldn't hear from her after she moved," Mollie said. "But it didn't take her long to send me a letter. It feels so old fashioned, but it has much more love than a text message somehow."
"Because she put effort into it," Paige said.
"She sure did," Mollie said. "Oh, and Lincoln, she said something about you too."
"Me?" Lincoln asked.
"Yeah, let me read it," Mollie cleared her throat before speaking. "When you see Lincoln, tell him that I miss him. And that I hope he's happy."
"Wow...that's nice of her," Lincoln said.
"You think Jordan would be okay with Christina dating Lincoln?" Rusty asked, much to Christina's worry.
"Of course, Jordan didn't know how long she'd be away, and she didn't want to anchor Lincoln down," Mollie said. "She'd be cool with seeing them date."
"You're positive, right?" Christina asked. "I want to believe you, but I would feel awkward if Jordan suddenly came back and expected Lincoln to still be single."
"Well, if you'd like, you could send a letter to her," Mollie said. "But I really don't think she would care."
"Yeah, she won't be mad that Lincoln didn't want to wait for her to come back," Rusty said, then earned a few glares. "What? What did I say?"
"You're such a dork," Paige said. "I don't mean that in a good way either."
"Tch, I don't need your opinion," Rusty said.
Despite everything, Lincoln was slightly concerned if he moved on too fast. But he did genuinely care about Christina, and didn't want to let that affect him. But he knew it would probably affect her, and he had to do something about it.
After school, Lincoln had gone to find Christina, seeing the girl walking with Paige and chatting about something.
Just as he was about to go and greet her, he heard his own name being called. "Lincoln!"
"Clyde?" Lincoln turned around to spot his best friend.
"Hey Lincoln, so it looks like we're doing this Astonishing Quest thing, huh?" Clyde asked.
"Yeah, if you still want to," Lincoln said.
"I do, and at least we pinky swore that it would happen," Clyde said. "I was just wondering if you'd like to make plans."
"Plans?" Lincoln glanced at Christina, he did want to talk to her, and he did have a patrol to get to, but he didn't see the harm of indulging Clyde. "Sure, we can do it right now."
"Wow really? Uh sure, let's head to my place," Clyde said.
"But, can I just tell Christina something first? It'll take two minutes," Lincoln said.
"Uh, I guess there's no harm in that," Clyde said.
"Be right back, don't move," Lincoln said as he ran to the girl.
"...Weird how Lincoln ended up with Christina, after weirding her out so much," Clyde commented to himself. "What have they been doing anyway?"
As Christina walked off, after having finished talking with Paige, Lincoln had gotten her attention, "Christina, wait!"
Christina turned to face her boyfriend, "Hey Linky, ready to meet at our base? You know, it really needs a name."
"We can talk names later," Lincoln said. "I gotta do something with Clyde, meet me at the base in an hour."
"That sounds good," Christina said. "Try not to keep me waiting too long, okay handsome?"
Lincoln nervously rubbed his head as he held back some nervous laughter, "Yeah, sure."
Nearby, Clyde was still waiting for Lincoln to return as he checked his phone. "Still nothing from Chloe. I really hoped this break up thing would be temporary. Should I try contacting her again? Does she even still have my number?"
"Clyde!" Lincoln called, prompting the boy to put his phone away.
"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said quick," Clyde said.
"I'm not breaking my word this time," Lincoln said. "Come on, let's start our planning."
"Sweet! Finally back in action!" Clyde said. "But um, what did you have to tell Christina? If it's personal that's fine but I'm hoping I didn't cut into your plans or anything."
"Just that I want to talk to her later," Lincoln said. "I really want to check up on her after Rusty's comment."
"The one about Girl Jordan?" Clyde asked. "It's just Rusty being weird, don't think about it too much."
"Maybe, but Christina can be pretty sensitive, and it sounds like she's been having trouble at home lately," Lincoln said. "That's how I ended up spending more time with her at the Festival."
"Well, Paige did say the same thing," Clyde said. "I guess I shouldn't have been jealous, I used to be like that with Chloe too."
"Right, Chloe..." Lincoln awkwardly stated.
"Yeah..." Clyde partially regretted bringing up the girl's name. "Hey, I'm not too mad that you tutored Chloe anymore. I'm just bummed she didn't tell me. I get that you felt you needed to keep a secret but, she shouldn't have been ashamed to let me know she was failing in school. Not like I care about that kind of thing. Rusty isn't exactly a Straight A Student, if you know what I mean."
"I don't know why she wanted it a secret ether, and honestly I didn't even want to tutor her at first, because of how weird it would be," Lincoln said.
"After breaking things off with Emma, I guess it would be weird," Clyde said.
"Don't worry about Chloe though, I'll try to talk some sense into her the next time I have to see her," Lincoln said.
"I'd appreciate that," Clyde said. "Now, let's make some plans."
Meanwhile with Christina, the girl had gone home for a bit. Though the moment she walked through the door, she could hear her father James already yelling about something.
"This is just perfect, an entire building had to be shut down just because they found another mutant among the workers!" James shouted. "I tell ya, Martha, this is just getting ridiculous!"
"Some things just can't be helped I guess," Martha said.
"Every time one of those mutants show up, it's months worth of trouble for me and the company's stockholders!" James shouted. "Is it that hard for any of them to register or something? Selfish bunch those mutants are!"
Christina shook her head in annoyance as she went into the kitchen for a snack. "Hi mom, hi dad."
"Hey Chris," James said.
"Hello dear, you're home early," Martha said. "Usually you're with your friends."
"Later, they had to do things," Christina said, not wanting to elaborate on Lincon or Stella while grabbing a pudding from the fridge. "I'm just here for a bit."
"Just don't stay out too late," James said. "Things aren't as safe as they used to be. Especially with those crooks running around, and even worse, those freaks with powers."
"Well...Spider-Man and Firestar are there," Christina said. "So I'm not worried."
"Pfft, Spider-Man and Firestar..." James commented in disgust. "They're just as bad as those other freaks! All Spider-Man does is attract danger. Everywhere he does, some random villain follows. If you ask me that punk should move somewhere far away from here."
"Geez dad, you sound like J Jonah Jameson," Christina said.
"Hey ain't wrong though," James said. "And don't get me started on Firestar, just another mutant freak I bet."
Christina felt her chest tighten as she quickly made her way out of the kitchen, "I gotta do homework."
"That's fine honey, just remember what your father said," Martha reminded.
"Yeah, I'll be careful," Christina said as she went upstairs.
"Great, these so-called heroes are corrupting our daughter's mind," James said. "If you ask me, these mutants should be rounded up and locked away forever. Better yet, just do away with them. All they'll do is turn on us the moment they can."
"Isn't that too harsh dear?" Martha asked.
"I've seen the news reports, some of these mutants are bad news," James said. "Better to pull the weed out before it gets any bigger."
Christina was only halfway up the stairs when she heard her father's comments. Feeling enraged she stomped up to her room and slammed the door behind her.
"What does he know?" Christina commented as she laid on her bed, looking up at her Boyz will be Boyz poster.
Part of Christina did miss the old days where she was a normal girl, with normal problems. Two years ago, her only source of embarrassment was Lincoln's video. Two years later, it feels so far away, ironic considering she is dating Lincoln.
"Thinking about it, that video wasn't so bad," Christina felt. "It's a funny little memory. Plus knowing the context, it's great that Lincoln wanted to make up for embarrassing his sisters. He messes up sometimes, but he still wants to do the right thing. Fitting that he became a superhero. It may be too soon to say, but I think I've really fallen for him. I'll hold onto that as tightly as I can."
Time passed by, Lincoln had arrived at his base, the boy taking a look inside. "Christina!?" He looked around and found no one. "Guess she's not here yet. Feels weird being here alone." He checked out some of the monitors, seeing all the different spots throughout Royal Woods. "To think that Stella can keep track of all of this."
He looked through the monitors and saw various flyers everywhere, including those of The Royal Woods Astonishing Quest.
"That should be fun..." Lincoln thought it over more. "At least, I hope so."
As he looked through, he heard someone coming in, that being Christina, "Sorry I'm late."
"It's fine, I just got here myself," Lincoln said. "Hey, Christina, I've been thinking."
"About what?" Christina asked.
"I'm having second thoughts about The Royal Woods Astonishing Quest," Lincoln said. "Given that Doc Ock and The Green Goblin haven't been caught yet, I really don't know if it's a good idea to do this thing. What if one of them shows up?"
"Come on, do we really know that for sure?" Christina asked.
"Every time there's a large gathering, a villain shows up," Lincoln said. "Royal Woods Block Party, Shocker appears. The tribute to the veterans happens, The Vulture appears. That Father-Son Picnic, Rhino appears. Then there's La Tigressa mutating at the wrestling show. Goblin showed up twice during an event!"
"Okay, maybe it is possible," Christina said. "But that doesn't mean you can't try to enjoy yourself. I've got no plans, so I'll keep a look out for villains."
"We did this before," Lincoln said. "That was the day The Rhino attacked."
"Then I'll patrol near The Astonishing Quest," Christina said. "If there's trouble, I'll handle it. If it's too much, you slip into your costume and handle it."
"What about Clyde?" Lincoln asked. "If I ditch him again, he might never forgive me."
"Worse comes to worse, we'll get help," Christina said. "If anything, we ask Lana for a favor. She's going to be there too, so she can distract Clyde while you help deal with the threat. Until then, continue as planned. Don't let the threat of villainy ruin your fun, you deserve to be happy too."
"Yeah, alright, I'll give it my best shot," Lincoln said.
Christina then brought the boy in for a quick kiss, smiling right afterwards, "You're so sweet though. I love how selfless you are, but there is such a thing as too selfless. You can think of yourself more often."
"Any time I do, bad things tend to happen," Lincoln said.
"Don't be silly," Christina said as she grabbed at her skirt. "Now, let's change."
"Right," Lincoln said as he grabbed at his shirt.
The two switched into their hero gear and made their way into town.
Things were notably quieter. No sign of danger or trouble from villains, and not a lot of crooks. No burglaries, no robbers, no muggers, things were relatively peaceful.
There were still some things they needed to do as heroes, especially after a really bad car accident.
"Looks like a T-Bone," Lincoln said as he landed nearby. Using his powers, he pulled the car away while Christina checked the driver's side. "Excuse me, are you okay?"
The driver's side was mostly airbag, but the driver pulled herself out to greet Firestar, "My chest hurts."
"Don't worry, an ambulance is coming," Christina said as she pulled the lady out of the car.
"I swear, I didn't see the light change," the woman said. "It happened so fast."
"Hey, accidents happen, it just means we're human," Christina reassured as she gently sat the woman against a wall. "All that matters is that you're alive. Anything broken can be replaced."
"Yes, of course..." the woman said.
Meanwhile Lincoln pulled at the driver's side of the other car. Due to the accident, it was jammed shut, but using his powers, he pried the door off its hinges and checked on the driver. "Sir? Are you okay?"
The driver was clearly injured, the glass cut his head, and he held his arm in pain, "I think something's broken."
"I got you," Lincoln helped the man out. "Don't worry, the ambulance is coming."
"Ugh...what happened?" the guy asked.
"Traffic lights aren't always reliable," Lincoln said. "But you'll be fine."
Within moments, the ambulance had come. The paramedics checked on the female driver while the male driver was loaded into a vehicle to be taken to the hospital. Fortunately, he seemed to be in stable condition according to an available doctor.
The firetrucks, police and tow trucks were present as well, ensuring that things would be taken care of.
"Great work you two," The usual policeman said. "We'll take it from here."
"Sure thing," Lincoln said. "Let's go Firestar."
The two departed and made their way across town.
"At least it's calmer lately," Christina said. "Rescuing people from car accidents is a lot easier than fighting villains."
"And just as important," Lincoln said. "That accident looked pretty bad though, and I've been in my fair share."
"Really?" Christina asked.
"It's not easy riding in Vanzilla," Christina said. "One time I was joining Lori in helping Leni practice for her Learner's Permit. Somehow, she ended up driving the car into a pool."
"Uh...wow," Christina said. "That sounds unlucky. How'd you get the car out?"
"I don't remember the details, honestly we've had to push Vanzilla after accidents and stalling so many times," Lincoln said. "I'm amazed that car still works. It's super old too."
"How old?" Christina asked.
"It belonged to my great grandfather," Lincoln said.
"Seriously?" Christina asked. "That was your great grandfather's car?"
"And soon it will be mine," Lincoln said. "Dad wants to pass it down to me, meanwhile my sisters can get whatever car they want. Lori already got her car when she went to college. Meanwhile I'm about to be stuck with a car that's always breaking down."
"Hey, you know people at S.H.I.E.L.D.," Christina said. "I bet they can come up with something that will get that car feeling like new."
"If S.H.I.E.L.D. can come up with tech that breathes life into Vanzilla, then that would really be a miracle," Lincoln said.
Christina landed on a nearby roof, keeping an eye out for any sign of trouble. "Everything seems good here."
Lincoln landed nearby as well, "Mostly, somehow I get the feeling that our help is needed somewhere."
"We'll find...hey, is that?" Christina bent over to look at something. "Oh, never mind."
"Never mind what?" Lincoln turned and saw Christina bent over, giving him a nice view of her backside, causing the boy to feel embarrassed by how the skintight part of the suit emphasized her posture.
"For some reason, I thought I saw one of Lucy's friends, but she looks too old," Christina said, the girl looking back and noticing how embarrassed Lincoln was. Christina had a feeling why, and giggled briefly.
"What friend?" Lincoln looked over and spotted the girl. "Oh, that's Maggie."
"You know her?" Christina asked.
"Luan and I performed at her birthday party once," Lincoln said, noting Maggie walking down the street with some cats following her. "She must be a cat person."
"She seems pretty interested in that jewelry store," Christina noted. "Girls and their jewels."
"Even emo ones," Lincoln said.
"Spider-Man! Firestar! Help!" Called a woman as she got their attention. "A pipe burst in that apartment building, it's getting flooded!"
"You know anything about plumbing?" Christina asked.
"I have seen Lana at work, so I can give it a shot," Lincoln said. "Let's go."
In her room, Lynn was seen on the phone speaking with her friend Margo, "Come on, can't you sneak me into this Astonishing Quest somehow!?"
"I can't, if I try I'm just going to end up grounded or something," Margo said.
"Come on, think of it as taking one for the team," Lynn said.
"Forget it," Margo said. "I love you and all, Lynn, but I'm not taking any pointless chances here."
"Ugh, fine, catch you later then," Lynn said as she hung up. She kept trying her other friends, one by one until she got to Paula.
"Lynn, you know I can't help you," Paula said.
"Come on! You're my last hope!" Lynn said. "If you sneak me in, I'll owe you big time!"
"Look, I'm finally going to be able to compete this year, and I'm not risking it being my only time," Paula said. "I want to help you Lynn, but I can't do this. I'm sorry."
"But Paula...!" Lynn pleaded, but heard a dial tone, much to her annoyance. "Damn, no one wants to join me. Some friends. I gotta find someone who's willing to sneak me in. Someone I know I can trust. Someone...wait..." Lynn began to sinisterly smile. "I think I know just who to get."
The night had come, Lincoln and Christina had ended their patrol route and switched out of their costumes. As a treat, Lincoln stopped by Flip's and bought a Flippie for himself and for Christina, the two then waked toward his house.
"Thanks for this, Lincoln," Christina said. "Next time, I want to treat you."
"That' s fine, you don't have to," Lincoln said.
"Hey, I'm not letting you hog all of the generosity," Christina said as she took a sip.
"Well, it's been quite a day, huh?" Lincoln asked.
"Yeah, no crooks but still plenty to do," Christina said. "Royal Woods is accident prone enough as it is. It doesn't need intended damage."
"A lot of the damage we take does affect taxes, and it makes it harder to live here sometimes," Lincoln said. "That could explain the crooks. People robbing others just to make a living. I don't condone it, but I do feel bad for them in that case."
"I get what you mean," Christina said. "Jobs have been lost too lately, due to reasons."
"Reasons? Like what?" Lincoln asked.
"...It's...really not important," Christina said.
Lincoln detected some sadness in her voice. He wanted to pry but didn't want to make it too obvious.
"Well, if people knew, others could help," Lincoln said. "Like maybe my parents. My mom works for the Gazette."
"Your mom's boss is more focused on making our heroic deeds as Spider-Man and Firestar look bad," Christina said. "If she helps, Jameson will blame us somehow. It's easy to blame the mutants after all."
"...Has something happened to you lately?" Lincoln asked.
"It's nothing..." Christina insisted. "You don't need to worry about it, the problem should fix itself."
"Christina, if there's ever something you want to tell me, I'll be here to listen," Lincoln said.
"I know," Christina said.
"Well, anyway, you should probably get home," Lincoln said.
"Actually, can I stay with you a bit longer?" Christina asked.
"I have to get home too," Lincoln said.
"I'll go with you, we can go into your room," Christina said.
"Huh!?" Lincoln asked. "My family will see you and start asking a million questions."
"I'll sneak in through the window," Christina said. "Please Lincoln, I just don't want to be home right now."
"Okay, you're kind of starting to worry me," Lincoln said.
"Fine, I'll tell you what's wrong, but only if I can sneak into your room," Christina said.
"...Fine, alright," Lincoln said.
"Thanks Linky," Christina kissed him on the cheek. "I'll wait by your window."
Not too long later, Lincoln had finally arrived home. "Hey, I'm here. I'm going upstairs to work on my homework, so I'll catch you later!"
"Hold up," Lynn said. "Tell me this, what's Liam doing this weekend?"
"Uh...I'm not sure, probably the Astonishing Quest," Lincoln said.
"He has a partner?" Lynn asked.
"He didn't say," Lincoln said. "Why?"
"Hey, no pestering!" Lynn said as she grabbed her phone. "I got a phone call to make. Smell ya later, Stinkin."
Lincoln grumbled in annoyance as he made his way toward the stairs, though not without overhearing something on TV.
"The Royal Woods Astonishing Quest is soon, I do hope my fellow Royal Woods Residents can finally enjoy themselves," Came the voice of Jameson. "But with Spider-Man around, that is unlikely. The selfish prima donna decided to usurp The Medieval Festival with his lacky Firestar and their mutual buddy, The Green Goblin! Their desire for LARPing left many scared and petrified."
"Stupid Jameson..." Lincoln grumbled as he went upstairs. Once at the top, he was immediately greeted by Lola.
"Hey Linky, was Stella at school today?" Lola asked.
"Yes Lola, I already told you that Stella's been cleared to go to school," Lincoln said.
"Oh good," Lola said. "I don't suppose she has a partner for the Astonishing Quest, does she?"
"Stella's grounded, she can't join," Lincoln said. "Also, aren't you doing that thing with Lana?"
"I was, but now I don't think I want to," Lola said.
"Huh? Why don't you?" Lincoln asked.
"She won't listen to my plans, she thinks she knows everything," Lola said. "When I got mad, she said 'Well gee, maybe I should just ask Adelaide to come down to Royal Woods then, she'd be better than you', and I was like 'Fine, I'll go with Stella. She's way cooler than you anyway'. Then she got mad and threw her stupid frog at my face, then I got mad and-"
"Lola, enough," Lincoln said. "Stella can't compete. Now make up with Lana and go with her. You two are a great team, don't throw it away over some stupid argument."
"Ugh, I'll try Linky," Lola said. "Still, would I be able to visit Stella? Not to convince her to come, I just want to see her."
"Soon Lola," Lincoln said. "Now I gotta go."
"Okay," Lola said as she walked off.
"I hope she doesn't develop some unhealthy attachment to Stella," Lincoln said. "Bad enough she has that creepy crush on Benny."
Once in his room, he walked toward his window and opened it, "Okay, I'm here!"
Christina quickly flew up and through his window. "Thanks, I really like your room, it's nice and cozy."
"Thanks," Lincoln said as he sat on the bed. "So...what's going on with you?"
"So, you know how I have to keep me being a mutant a secret, right?" Christina asked.
"Yeah, you're worried about what everyone will think," Lincoln said.
"Yeah, including my parents," Christina said.
"You're worried they might stop caring about you, right?" Lincoln asked.
"Oh I know they will stop caring," Christina said. "My parents hate mutants."
"Hate?" Lincoln asked. "Like, really hate?"
"They've always been pretty weary of mutants, but lately it's like they've grown to hate them even more," Christina said. "See my dad works with a dying company. The reason being that factories have been shut down any time they found unregistered mutants. This isn't just a problem with his company, it's a problem in general."
"I think I heard about that, not a lot though," Lincoln said.
"Because of that, my dad's really grown to hate mutants, I already know he hates Firestar," Christina said. "Also, sorry to say, but he's one of those people who agrees with the things that Jameson says."
"Well that's awkward," Lincoln said.
"Yeah, it is," Christina sat next to Lincoln. "For a while, I kind of understood that anger toward mutants. I never understood why some never registered. People should have a right to know if there's someone with super powers nearby. It's a safety thing. But, after my powers developed, I started to understand why. I understood their fear."
"It's easy to think a certain way when you don't have experience with something," Lincoln said.
"Exactly," Christina said. "This is a tough situation. I don't want to say that mutants shouldn't register, but I don't think they're keeping it a secret for malicious reasons. They're just scared of a world that won't accept them. That's probably why some of them even turn bad, because of the discrimination they feel."
"So, if your parents were accepting, you would have registered?" Lincoln asked.
"I don't know, parents aside, I'm still afraid of how people will react," Christina said. "I feel bad for lying, but at least I'm using my powers for good. I think that will make up for my little secret."
"You do what makes you comfortable," Lincoln said, then placed his arm around Christina. "And no matter what happens, I'll be there to protect you."
"Thanks, I know you will," Christina said, then shared a kiss with Lincoln.
After pulling away, Lincoln had one other thing on his mind, "Hey, what Rusty said about Jordan, it hasn't bothered you, has it?"
"No, it's fine," Christina said. "Rusty's just a goofball, he doesn't mean the things he says."
"I really do care about you," Lincoln said. "If I'm being honest though, I probably would feel bad for Jordan. I gotta confront this soon. Hopefully she and I can still be friends."
"Jordan's a great girl, I think she'll be understanding," Christina said. "Just talk things out with her, and be open. Do it in a way that confirms it's over, but doesn't make her feel like she's worthless. You don't want her to feel like she's easily replaceable. That would definitely crush her."
"Well, I don't know how long she's going to be gone," Lincoln said. "I'd go and tell her myself, but I don't know where she lives. I want to tell her this stuff, just not through a text or even a letter."
"Maybe we can talk to Mollie," Christina said. "But, going to visit Jordan just to tell her about us might be kind of mean."
"Dang, I really don't know what to do," Lincoln said.
"Well, with any luck, maybe she found a new boyfriend," Christina said. "If not, hook her up with someone."
"I don't know any guys," Lincoln said.
"There's bound to be someone, we'll brainstorm," Christina said.
"Sure thing," Lincoln said. "So...not that I want you to leave, but how long are you going to stay? Will your parents get worried?"
"They might, but Paige can help keep me covered," Christina said. "I'll just tell them that I stayed at her house. They like Paige, so they won't be too mad."
"Well that's good," Lincoln said.
Christina then gently pushed Lincoln against his bed and crawled over him, a seductive look in her eyes as Lincoln's heart began racing.
"I gotta say, our recent make-out sessions have been quite fun, you're such a pro at it," Christina said.
"Well, I did have two prior girlfriends," Lincoln said.
"What was it like with them?" Christina asked as she lowered down to rest her arms on Lincoln's chest while supporting her head with her chin. "What is your experience? Don't hold back, I won't get jealous. After all, you're with me now."
"Well...with Emma, it was mostly just kissing," Lincoln said. "And sometimes she would lay on top of me, similar to how you're doing now."
"I bet that was fun," Christina said as she moved her arm to gently touch Lincoln's chin. "I bet you were a gentleman with her. Or were you? For all I know, you could have been naughty."
"Well, I did get grabby, by accident of course," Lincoln insisted. "Then things really got awkward."
"Sounds fun," Christina said. "What about Jordan? Were you 'accidentally' grabby with her too?"
"Jordan was way different," Lincoln said. "Where Emma was shy, Jordan was forward. She loved making out, like that time in the jacuzzi...uh..."
"Jacuzzi?" Christina pulled upward so her face was closer to Lincoln. "What did you do?"
"...I'd rather not get too into it," Lincoln said. "It's embarrassing to say."
"Fine...then show me," Christina said. "Do to me what you did to Jordan."
"H-huh!?" Lincoln asked. "Wait, why!?"
"Because, I want to be at the level you're used to," Christina said. "I want to be the girlfriend you deserve."
"But you don't need to do that with me, just be yourself," Lincoln said, his hands now moving involuntarily. "I don't want to get too weird with you."
"Lincoln, you're rubbing my butt right now," Christina pointed out, much to the boy's embarrassment. "I don't mind, I know you like my butt. Having a skin tight costume gives you quite the preview, doesn't it?"
"I'm...not really proud of that," Lincoln admitted
"It's fine, I admit I feel the same whenever I see just how much your suit emphasizes your muscles," Christina said.
"Guess I'm not alone," Lincoln said.
"Of course not," Christina pressed her body against Lincoln's as she placed her face inches away from Lincoln's. "Listen, this isn't me being all perverted, or just wanting your body. This is me trusting you, because you make me feel safe, and very loved, even before we started dating. I just want to do something nice for you."
"I...I feel the same way," Lincoln said. "I want to make you happy too."
"What would make me happy, is if you demonstrate your jacuzzi skills with me," Christina said.
"...Alright, let's do it then," Lincoln said, then brought Christina in for a kiss, the two making out on the boy's bed, and eager to just let passion take over. During this, Lincoln couldn't help but notice the irony. "Flirty, assertive in her love, loves making out. On top of that, she seems to be at odds with her parents. For someone trying not to replace Jordan, Christina sure is similar to her. I hope it's not intentional. Then again, Christina is at least slightly more modest, maybe I'm over thinking it."
Regardless of his worries, Lincoln did not care. He merely held Christina close, determined to show her the love she desires. It may be fast to some, but for Lincoln and Christina, this was weeks of anticipation finally paying off, and years of catching up in the process.
They would enjoy each other's company for now, as soon they will have to work again, and it won't be easy for them.