Only You - [Lip Gallagher]

don't shoot the messanger

As we spend the morning discussing what happened to Terry last night, I notice Liam looks terrified, "Liam you okay?" I ask "Sadie, can I talk to you upstairs for a minute?" Liam says, rushing upstairs. "Sure." I say, following him "Jesus." I mutter as he pulls me into his room and slams the door, "I shot Terry. Can you be my lawyer?" He whispers, "How? When? With what?" I slightly freak out because no way the smart Gallagher did something so stupid on purpose. "Last night, I shot a gun in the air and the bullet came down and hit Terry. Can you be my lawyer?" He says, "Who gave you a gun?" I ask, "Carl. Lawyer?" "Sure but I doubt you'll need one but I might," I say, opening the door, "Carl Francis Gallagher!" I shout, "Yeah?" He says, hurrying up the stairs. "You gave Liam a gun?" I ask, arms folded in front of my chest, "Yeah, why?" "He shot Terry." I whisper, "No, why'd you tell him? A cop!" Liam whines. "You did that?" Carl chuckles, "Good shit. You did what no one else could but damn we wanted to." Carl applauds him. "No one is gonna come looking for me?" Liam asks, "Oh the Milkovich brats might but if you keep your mouth shut no one will suspect you." Carl shrugs and pats his shoulder before going back downstairs. "I'm dead." Liam throws his head back in defeat. "You're fine, just don't say anything." I tap under his chin before going downstairs again.

"What was that about?" Ian asks me and I wave it off, "Nothing." I huff, grabbing my cup of water. "If anyone shall need me. I'll be upstairs." Frank says, making his way upstairs. "Anyone notice anything different about him?" I ask, "He showers more." Ian scoffs "Who fucking cares?" Carl asks. "I mean, I kinda do." I shrug, "Why the hell do you care?" Mickey asks. "Well, he just seems excited for another baby Gallagher." "Who's having a baby?" Carl asks and all eyes shoot to me, "Holy shit, no way." Carl smiles from ear to ear before giving me a hug. "Do you know what it is?" He asks and I shake my head, "In a couple more weeks I'll find out but I don't want to tell Lip yet." I repeat for the millionth time, "He'll lose his shit." Carl chuckles. "Yeah, after last night I want to fucking murder him let alone tell him he's having another baby." I roll my eyes and Ian glares at Mickey, "Did you go fucking see him last night?" I ask in disbelief, "He needed me for something." "Hope you enjoyed kissing his ass." I roll my eyes once more, "Exactly what I said." Ian mutters. "Well this just makes my idea of moving into the basement better. Sade, you can have your old room back set up a crib and all that baby shit. It's perfect." Carl says. "Franny is so excited to have a baby cousin." Debbie says, "Right Fran?" She asks and Franny nods, "You gonna be the best big cousin ever?" I ask and she nods again with a big smile, "Good!" I squeeze her face gently, giving her a forehead kiss.

++

"You need help moving your stuff?" I ask as Carl takes another trip up and down the stairs. "No, you sit and relax. Don't need you stressing out my new niece or nephew." Carl insists. "Oh come on! I'm fine." I insist, "I'm already done but when you need help setting up your room with the baby stuff let me know. I'll come help you." Carl smiles, "Thanks babe." I smile softly at him. "If you need me I'll be in my new bachelor pad." Carl says, going downstairs.

++

"How's the truck going?" I ask Ian and Mickey, "Fine. Debbie won't shut the fuck up." Mickey scoffs "I don't know how much more of this I can take, Debs." Ian groans as he drills parts into his ambulance vehicle. "You can either listen to my problems or I can charge you my hourly." She says. "Talk away." Mickey scoffs. "I opened up my entire life to Sandy; my daughter, my family, you guys." Debbie rambles. "Well, technically she's my cousin and I fucked her first." "Mickey, gross." I scoff. "Hey, Mick. Talk to you for a minute?" Lip walks up to us, "Please." Mickey scoffs, getting out of the truck. "I can't believe Sandy hid a husband from me and won't even talk to me as a woman! Shes ignoring me!" "She's a Milkovich. You see how Ian and Mickey were years ago?" I chuckle, "Now look at us." Ian jokes making me chuckle and Debbie groan, "I don't want to be Gallavich part two! You guys used to beat each other!" Debbie complains, "They still do." I tease, "Fuck off." Ian smiles. "What're all these packages?" Lip asks as he holds two of mine in his hands, coming back from talking to Mickey, "Just like shopping." I say, slightly panicked, taking them from him and going back inside.

++

"Aren't family meetings supposed to be for people who live here?" Debbie complains as we all gather in the living room, "Yeah well this decision affects the whole house." Lip says, "Spill." Liam says, "I want to sell the house, we all get our fair share and move on. Make gentrification our friend." Lip blurts out. "Fuck no." Debbie says, "Why not?" Carl asks, "Where will I go?" Liam complains. "You can stay with me." I offer to Liam. "You on board?" Lip asks, "I don't give a shit." I say, walking upstairs, leaving everyone else to argue downstairs.

I do give a shit. I could've left years ago if this was going to be the end result. I don't want to be away from the Gallaghers, but I know this is for the best. We all grew up, it's been nine years. We have to all move on eventually.

++

"I'd like to reopen this discussion. Things got a little too heated last night." Lip comes into the kitchen the next morning with Tami and Fred. Everyone is dead silent, the sound of Debbie scrambling eggs fills the silence as I check everyone's pockets before throwing the clothes in the washer. "We can knock down a few walls, make an open floor plan and add thirty grand to the sales price." Lip says and no one says a word, "Debs, what do you think?" Lip asks, "Well, Phillip, I think you can take your open floor plan and lick my vagina." She comes aggressively. "Gross." Mickey scoffs, "Jesus fucking Christ, what's the big deal?" Lip complains. "I grew up here!" Debbie shouts, "So didn't we! Maybe our kids can grow up someplace nicer." Lip says, "Yeah maybe somewhere Frank doesn't live!" Tami butts in, "You have no say in this house." I break my silence, "Yeah! This isn't even your idea, Lip. It's your fucking Little Miss Middle Class wants her townhouse in Pilsen." Debbie scoffs. "I didn't-" "How hard did you have to twist his little nut sack to get him to do what you wanted?" Debbie asks. "Nobody fucking twisted shit! It doesn't matter who's idea it was because it's a good idea." Lip defends himself, "You're the only one who doesn't think so." Lip adds. "Ian only thinks it's a good idea because you do and Carl's too stupid to think anything at all." Debbie insults, "Hey." I scold, "That's not true at all!" Carl defends himself. "Mickey and I have been planning to move for a long time anyway." Ian defends. "When did that plan start? When Lip moved out?" "No, I do not do things because Lip does." Ian says, "You kinda do though." Mickey chuckles. "Name one thing!" Ian grows defensive, "Switched from tighty whities to boxers because Lip did." Mickey says, "I had a fungus issue and boxers air out the boys better." Ian is still defensive, "Who told you that?" Mickey snickers, "Lip." He mutters then rolls his eyes, "Fuck you guys, I'm my own man!" Ian says. "Then why don't you tell Lip you don't want to sell the house then?" Mickey chuckles, "Mickey, shut up, family only." Lip crosses his arms across his chest, "Mickey is family!" Ian and I say in unison. "What he's saying i-" "Fuck off Tami." Debbie scoffs, "None of this concerns you." Ian says. "Woah! So Mickey is family and Tami's not?" Lip gets pissed. "Fuck no. Mickey has been around for years. He's lived here, he's married to a Gallagher." I defend Mickey, "And you're not so how does this concern you?" Tami argues, "Sadie," Debbie looks at me, "No you're right I'm not married to a Gallagher but you know what I have contributed unlike you? I saved this house once or twice, I've bailed every single one of these fuckers out once or fucking twice maybe even I don't know, how many times Lip? I've been here when Ian would sob over Mickey because he was being a cunt. I was here for Debbie's first period, first boyfriend, her birth. This is more of my family than it'll ever be yours, why don't you think your baby daddy is defending you? Because even he fucking knows, bitch." I finally defended myself to Tami. "Sadie is a Gallagher." Carl says. Tami looks at Lip with tears in her eyes, "Just back off Tami, I got this." Lip says and she scoffs.

The family then continues arguing over stupid shit until I uncrinkle a paper I found in Frank's coat, my heart drops when I read it, "Everyone shut the fuck up!" I shout and it get quiet. "Frank has early onset Alcoholic Dementia." I say, "What?" Ian asks and I put the paper on the counter that reads 'My name is Frank Gallagher. I live at 2119 N Wallace and I have early onset Alcoholic Dementia'. "Holy shit." Debs chuckles in shock. "What now?" Carl asks.