Only You - [Lip Gallagher]

til death do us part

Lip and I jolt awake from Frank screaming in agony, "What the fuck?" Lip mutters as we get up to see what happened. Lip and I are frozen half way down the steps to see Frank over Monica's limp body, "No fucking way." Lip chuckles in disbelief. "Where's Fi?" I ask, running back upstairs, "Fi?" I call, "What's wrong?" Debbie comes out of her room, "Shit, I thought you were at Neil's. Uh, Monica, go look." I say before running back to the room to grab my phone. "Hey, what's wrong?" She answers the phone, "Monica's dead." I blurt out and it's silent, "I'm on my way, don't let Liam see." She directs and then I go back to Lip and Debs, "I'm gonna get Liam ready for school and take him out now so he won't see this. Someone please get a hold of Ian." I say and Lip nods, "Need help with Liam?" He asks and I shake my head, "Stay with Debs, Fi is coming. I'm gonna try to get a hold of Carl." I say before going back upstairs to wake Liam.

"Hi sweet face." I gently wake him, "We're gonna head to school a little early today, I'll get you some breakfast on the way okay?" I speak softly to him as I sit at the edge of his bed, "Okay." He responds tiredly as he rolls out of bed. "Go brush your teeth and get dressed then come right back in here, don't go downstairs yet." I insist, "Why?" He asks, "Because I want to go down together! We have to sneak out so nobody else knows we're getting a special breakfast!" I slightly lie but it makes him grin from ear to ear, "Okay!" He giggles as he runs to the bathroom to get ready. I huff when he's out of sight.

"Hey, we're all heading to the hospital. You coming?" Lip asks as he sits next to me, "Should we tell Liam?" I ask and he nods, "Do your breakfast thing with him and then we'll see you there. You can ask him if he wants to come, you tend to break news nicer than we do." Lip says, "See you later." I speak softly then he gets up and leaves.

"Ready!" Liam shouts as he hops out of the bathroom fully dressed. "Wow, Speedy!" I say, patting his bed, "Shoes." I say, crouching down to help him. "We're going to McDonalds right?" He asks, happily. "Of course we are, sweet face!" I say, tying his last shoe. "Okay, now remember we have to be very sneaky and quick!" I whisper, slipping on my jacket. "Okay." He whispers back, holding in a giggle. I lead the way down the stairs, Lip then signals me to go; he and Debs are blocking the view of Monica. "Hurry, hurry!" I whisper to Liam as we run out the door, I grab my shoes quickly before shutting the door and put them on as we stand on the porch, "We did it!" I chant and he smiles, "We're the best sneakers!" He says as he walks to my car, I hate to have to break the news to him.

++

I look at Liam in the rear view mirror as he's enjoying his pancakes and orange juice, "Baby, can I tell you something?" "What?" "It's some bad news, do you want to know?" I ask, "I guess." He responds innocently. "You remember that lady, Monica?" "My mom?" He asks and I nod, "She passed away this morning." I say and the car goes silent, "Oh, so I won't see her again?" "No baby, probably not." "Okay." He sounds nonchalant, "Are you okay?" I ask, "Yeah. How did she pass away?" Liam asks, "I'm not sure baby. Do you want to go to the hospital and see if we can find out?" I ask, "Okay." He answers, still eating his food. I'm so glad he took this well. Time to call Carl.

"Hi, this is Kathy. How may I help you?" The admin lady at the school speaks, "Hi, I'm Sadie Mitchell. I'm hoping I could speak to Carl Gallagher. It's a family emergency." "Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to speak directly to him at the moment since they're field training but we can leave a message and his Captain can relay that to him, is that okay?" "Um, sure. His mother Monica, has passed away." I say hesitantly, "I'm so sorry to hear that. The message will get to him and he'll be able to give you a call as soon as possible." "Thank you." I say before the line clicks. I hope he'll take the news okay in front of everyone. My anxiety begins to kick in for him and Ian. Ian loved his mom more than any of the kids and Carl is one thousand miles away with no one to comfort him if he needed it, my poor babies.

++

"Did anyone get ahold of Carl?" Fiona asks, coming in with four coffees and two hot chocolates, "I called the school and they told me they'd let him know." I say, gently taking one of the hot chocolates from her. "Isn't it so fucked how she comes back around the holidays and just ruins shit." Lip scoffs before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Gallagher?" A doctor calls from outside the small waiting room, "Come on." Lip whispers to me as he stands up, grabbing my hand. "Dr. Caughey. Monica your mother?" She looks at the four of us, Debbie, Lip, Fi, and I. "Yes. Fiona, Phillip, Sadie–close family friend, and Debbie." Fiona introduces, "Your mother came in unresponsive and we did everything in our power to try and help her but we were unsuccessful." The doctor speaks with much empathy. "So she's dead?" Fiona asks, "Yes." The doctor sighs, "Drug overdose?" Lip adds, "No, uh, she died from a massive cerebral hemorrhage." The doctor sounds confused that we weren't aware, all four of us shared a confused look, "A blood vessel-" "Yeah, burst in her brain I know but, we weren't aware that was even going on." I explained, "I'm sorry." The doctor says, "Would any of you like to see her?" She asks, "I would." Debbie says, "I'll come back in a few minutes to get you." The doctor says before walking away. "Where's Frank?" Fiona asks, "Outside still, I think." Debbie sighs, "I'll go get him." Lip offers, "No, I got it." Fiona says, grabbing her jacket and leaving the waiting room. "How long can you live with one of those things?" Lip asks, "What happened?" V asks, "Cerebral hemorrhage." I say, "Five years max right?" V asks and I nod, "Sounds about right." I sigh and grab Lip's hand, "You okay?" I ask and he nods, "I guess." He squeezes my hand gently and runs his thumb over the top of my hand; he's not.

++

"I'm gonna stop by KFC on the way home, everyone down?" Fiona says as we all walk out of the hospital. "Yeah." We all say in a monotone unison. "I'll take Liam and Debs." Fiona says to me, quickly looking at Lip. I nod, "See you at home." I say softly to them, "You guys going too?" I ask Kev and V, "Of course, see you there baby." V says, rubbing my back and kissing my temple, "Bye baby girl." Kev says, leaning down to kiss my forehead. "Just us left." Lip snickers, "Always." I smile as we walk to my car, snowflakes gently falling on our faces. "Against south side?" Lip adds, referring to our old saying, "Yeah, I hoped." I say softly, "It is." Lip says, showing me the promise ring he gave me. "I always have it, because that was our promise and I know it'll always be us against south side, forever." Lip says and I sigh, letting out a cloud of breath, "Oh you look like me now." He jokes and I hit his shoulder, "Reminds me, you're not surrounded by your usual cloud of smoke." "Trying to quit, heard it's not good for you." Lip chuckles, "Oh, you don't say?" I tease, handing him my keys, "You drive." I smile and hurry to my passenger seat. God, I love him.

++

"Anyone feel bad for Frank?" I chime in as we're all going through Monica's belongings she left behind, "Fuck no." Fiona says, sipping her beer. "Why do you?" V asks, "He lost the love of his life. I know he was shitty and an asshole and wasn't a good man to her all the time but he loved her. I couldn't imagine losing any of you guys." I explain and Lip squeezes my knee gently. "Frank didn't love any of us for me to care enough." Fiona scoffs. The energy in the room became very thick and tense.

"I'm going up to bed, it's been a long day." I dismiss myself, "Me too." Debbie says. "Me three." Lip says, putting his cup in the sink and heading upstairs behind me.

I walk into Lip and I's old room to see a green blanket spread across the bed, "Lip," I say, looking over at him to see a huge grin on his face. "When did you have time to finish this?" I ask, picking it up, "On my breaks, when you're at school, anytime you weren't around just so I stayed grounded." "Why when I wasn't around?" "Because when you are around I can ground myself because I know I need to do this not only for myself but for you. The blanket reminded me of that when I couldn't see you." He says, sounding the most genuine he's ever sounded. "I'm proud of you." I say, crawling into bed and covering up with our blanket. "Come." I say, holding the blanket open. "Oh, I'm getting invited here again?" Lip teases, "Shush before I kick you to the curb." I joke back, nuzzling into his chest. "Goodnight." I say and he gently scratches my back knowing that puts me to sleep, "Goodnight." He says, kissing my forehead.

I love him so much.