Only You - [Lip Gallagher]

Frances?

"Yo Sade, I think you should check up on Lip." Ian calls me while I'm walking back to my dorm. "How is he my problem anymore?" "Sadie, just do it." Ian sighs then hangs up on me. A few seconds later I receive a text of an address. I guess I'm checking up on Lip.

As I arrive at the address Ian texted me I quickly realize it is a sorority. "Fucking great." I mutter to myself as I enter the house. The strong smell of weed, sex, and alcohol punch my sinuses. My eyes quickly scan the crowd as I walk through, looking for Lip. A big wave of relief overcomes me once I finally spot him, "Lip, what's going on?" I ask, "What do you mean?" He says, looking around at girls, taking a shot, "You're turning into something Lip and it's not you." I say, realizing how drunk he really is. "I'm fine." He yells at me, "Lip, I-" "If you're not gonna drink or fuck me, fuck off Sadie." He yells at me and rolls his eyes. I storm off. Just then I hear a body drop, turn around and see Lip, "Fuck, Lip." I run over to him and some other blonde does as well, "I got him, don't worry." I grab his wrist to feel his pulse as I call 9-1-1, "Are you his girlfriend?" She asks, "Ex" I roll my eyes and roll him on his side, leaning his body against my leg as I hold the phone to my ear with my free hand, "Hi, uh, sorority at polytech. My friend passed out, faint pulse; I'm pretty sure it's alcohol poisoning. Male, 21, Phillip Gallagher." I answer their questions, slightly annoyed and worried.

"What the fuck?" Lip calls groggily as he wakes up the next morning, "Hi, you okay?" I ask, grabbing his hand, "Where am I?" He asks, "Hospital, Alcohol poisoning." I sigh, the nurse comes in, "Back from the dead?" She jokes as she checks his IV bag, "You had a .32 BAC so we're hydrating and watching for respiration. Be thankful that this young lady called or else you would've died." The nurse says, leaving the room. "You know how much this shit is gonna cost?" Lip groans once she leaves, "Lip, you're on my insurance, also, I got it." I say, "Since when am I on your insurance?" He asks, "Since we first got to college because I knew you'd do something so fucked up beyond my control one day." I tease him, he smiles softly and nudges my shoulder, "Still looking out for me even though you hate me?" he asks with a chuckle, "You remember anything from last night?" I ask, he shakes his head, "Did I say something stupid?" He looks nervous, I nod, "Shit, sorry. Sorry for being a dick." He says, "Drunk thoughts are sober feelings." I gently grab his hand, "Lip, I'm worried about you. You're acting like Frank and my dad." I inform him and he sighs, resting his head on the pillow, "I know, I'm scaring myself too." He finally admits. "Hey, call me if you need me." I say and stand up, "Where you going?" "I have class." I sigh and put my jacket on, "You sound sick, do you need anything when I'm out of here?" Lip offers, "Yeah, sober Lip." I say, leaving the hospital and going to school.

++

Later that night, I heard an unexpected knock at my dorm door, "Who is it?" I ask, "Lip." I hear his voice and I hurry to open the door, "What's wrong?" I ask, stepping aside to let him in; he's holding all his stuff, "A lot, mind if I stay here tonight?" He asks as I close the door, "Yeah sure." I push my glasses up as they are slipping, "Sorry I interrupted you during homework." He points to my glasses, "It's fine, you okay?" I ask as I sit down on my bed, "I don't know Sade." He sits at my desk chair, "I fucked up, I got kicked out of my sorority for that booze mishap, I have to go to fucking counseling for alcohol abuse." He puts his head in his hands, "And I just keep fucking up with you; that's just an on going stressor in my fantastic life." He leans back on my chair. "You're kind of a hot-head," I told him, "You don't think before you speak when you're angry, but I know half the time you don't mean what you say. You'll just spit stuff like that out because you want to hurt people, not because you actually believe it. I know when you yell at me you don't mean it, it stings but I know your intentions," I get up and sit on his lap, "Doesn't mean you're still not an asshole." I rest my forehead against his.

"I've missed you, a lot." He holds me, "I've missed us." I confess and play with his hair, "I know you said last chance like a year ago but I was wondering if this could be my redemption redemption chance?" Lip smiles, "Lip, you know I love you but I don't trust you." I sigh and get up, turning my lamp off, "You can lay in bed with me if you want, or you can sleep on the floor." I say, getting into bed. Lip crawled in right next to me, I turned so my back was facing him—I could feel the tension in the room and his eyes burning in the back of my skull. I turn around and he's looking at me with soft loving eyes, "We haven't laid together in so long," he says softly, "I really miss this." He wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his embrace, "Don't let go." He says into my neck as I hold him back, playing with his hair and lightly scratching his back. "I won't." I say back softly.

In the middle of the night I wake up to my phone ringing, "Shit." I mutter as I grab it and put it to my ear, "Hello?" I ask groggily, "Sadie! Baby is coming! Come home! Now!" Debbie yells into the phone, jolting me awake, "Okay, okay! I'm coming." I hang up and stand up, "What's going on?" Lip asks, "Debbie's in labor." I say, putting on my jacket and slipping on my shoes, "You coming?" I ask, grabbing my keys, "Shit," Lip gets up, "yeah." He puts on his shirt, shoes, and jacket and hurries to my car with me.

++

As soon as I pull up to the house I see Frank being taken by Carl's old gang and Debbie waddling her way inside alone, "Shit Debs!" I yell as I run up to her, Lip follows and we help her inside. "Move! Move!" I shout at everyone as Lip and I set her down on the couch. "Shit, I'll get my truck so we can go to the hospital." Kev says. "Sade, why didn't you drive her?" Fiona yells, "She wants to have the baby here." I shout back. "This baby is coming now! No time for that!" V shouts as she takes a look at Debs' vagina. "She's crowning?" I ask and V nods, "What the fuck are we doing?" Lip panics, "I'll capture moment!" Svetlana says as she begins to record. "Shit, who delivered Liam?" Fiona asks. "Monica, she was high and he slid right out." Lip informs. "G-Go get Silvia from down the street, she's a nurse." Fiona instructs, 'No good she's at Cook County." Kev informs. "I thought she worked at Rush?" Fiona questions. "No, Cook County Department of Corrections! She shot her husband." V yells. "Let's move her to the table." I suggest, "Good idea." Fiona says as we all help her up. Her piercing screams fill the house, "Ow!" She repeats over and over as we lay her down. "Debs, you're doing great. You have to push so she can come out and it won't hurt anymore." I say to her, grabbing her hand. "Ambulance is on its way." Kev shouts over her screams. "We need towels!" Lip says as he reads from a computer screen, "Got them." Fiona says, piling them all in front of Debbie. "When I was having my girls the doctor told me three quick blows and one long one, okay?" V instructs then shows her the breaths, "I'll do it with you." Fiona says, grabbing her other hand. "You got it Debs." I encourage her. "Start pushing now, babe." I say as V positions herself to grab the baby. Lip is in the corner and he looks mortified, boys are useless.

After only four pushes, Debbie's daughter is finally out. V and I clean her off then V hands the baby to Debs, "You did amazing Debs." I say as I push her hair out of her face, "You really did." Fiona kisses her forehead. "My daughter, she's so big." Debbie smiles, "Hi Frances, you remember my voice?" Debbie coos, "Frances?" Lip asks, "After her grandfather." Debbie says and caresses her baby's head. Just then the EMTs walk into the house to take her and Frances. "We'll be right behind your Debs." Lip says as they close the doors and drive her away.

I can't believe Debbie had her baby, baby Gallagher is finally here.