It's hard to see those you love in pain. It's even harder to know you caused it, but hope can always be found. Hope that, if not forgiveness, understanding can be found.

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How do you tell someone you love them?

In the heat of the moment, or in despite of the heat?

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"So she just left?" Fiona said, worried after I'd come back to the house in tears.

I nodded. It had been a few hours since I had watched Sheila drive off, I had sat on the living room couch for what felt like days. When I had finally calmed down some I had read over the paperwork she had given me and a new bout of tears washed over me.

She had left the house and everything inside to me as she went on an extended trip. No number, no other notes, and no expected return date. It just drove in my realization that I'd never see her again even deeper.

I had walked home in a daze.

"So are you gonna sell it, like your parents house?" She asked.

"I dunno, that house has a little more... happiness to it. I — I mean... it's not happy but it's... hopeful."

"Maybe you could rent it." She said slowly.

"You looking for a new place to stay?" I asked.

"No, I'd probably go crazy if I left this house with all these kids, but I'm sure someone would be more than happy to pay rent for a place like that."

"And it'd be steady money..."

"Maybe you won't have to back to The Kash..."

"I don't think I'll ever work there again," I said laughing a bit.

We were sitting at the kitchen table. Debbie was upstairs with Liam and Carl probably playing battleship, Ian was at The Kash probably twiddling his thumbs and waiting to finally clock out. No telling where Lip was.

The door burst open suddenly.

"Fiona! Have you seen— Lyd. Hey, where did you go? I've been looking all over town." He said exasperated. He walked over as I stood and pulled me into a long hug. The tears that I'd just finished drying bloomed again, leaking onto his jacketed shoulder.

"She's gone."

"Who, babe? Mandy? She's not gone, Lyd, they just took her in—"

"No... not Mandy. Sheila. I went over to tell her everything— the truth. I told her the truth. She left in this huge RV and gave me her house and everything in it. She's just... gone."

"Aww Lyd..." I shuddered as more tears fell. When I finally calmed down he sat in the seat I'd vacated and pulled me into his lap.

"I was just talking to Fiona about what to do with the house."

"Why is it people are always leaving you houses? You've got to be one lucky south side kid."

I chuckled.

"Oh yeah real lucky. Got the first from child abuse and my dads spite for my mom and the second because one of my best friends killed a girl who's mom I tried to steal."

I looked down at him with a sly smirk. It probably came out odd through my puffed eyelids but it got the point across. Fi bust out in giggles and Lip chuckled at me.

"Ok... luck with south side twists... so what are you gonna do with it? Sell it?"

"I was thinking about renting it out. You know anyone looking for a place?"

He paused for a long moment.

"I might know someone. But I don't know if you're going to like it."

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"I can't believe we're doing this." I said as we stared at the broken down doorway in front of us.

"We don't have to, you know? We could just turn around and leave," Lip said a smirk in his voice. I glanced over, it was on his face too.

I reached up and knocked on the softened wood of the door frame.

"Hold on a second!" We waited for another minute. I knocked again.

"I said hold on, god! Doesn't anybody have any damn patience anymore!" Mickey said as he yanked the door open.

"What the fuck do you want?" He asked.

"Look are any of your brothers home? Or cousins, whoever they are?"

"No, why does that matter?"

I looked at Lip, and him at me, before glancing back at Mickey. Slowly my eyes roamed over the house.

"Do you like living here, Mick?"

"The fuck are you talking about?"

"She asked if you like this house."

"Who the fuck would like this house?" He asked.

"So do you want a new one?"

"You have one in your back pocket or something?"

"Nope but I got one for rent about ten minutes that way. Cheap, if you got the money."

"How do you expect me to come up with the money for that? And where the hell did you get a house? The state just givin those things away now?"

"I don't care how you get the money. And Karen's mom left it to me, took a long trip. But if you don't want it I'm sure I can find someone else, come on Lip." I said turning to walk down the path.

"Hey! How much we talking?" Mickey said. I looked to Lip and smiled.

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"Alright look Mick. I don't expect you to like garden or anything. Or mow the lawn or anything, but please for the love of all that is holy don't trash the place?"

"I'm not gonna trash the place Lyd, Jesus. I haven't lived in a fucking house this damn clean all my life. You think I want to go back to that shit?" He said jabbing a finger in the direction of his loosely termed "family home."

"Well it's four hundred a month. That covers you , one other person, and the water and electricity. You have another person come in past two people and it's another fifty. Sound fair?"

He nodded.

"That sounds more than fuckin fair. You need a security deposit?"

I pulled a folder of old receipts out.

"Nope," I said. "You break it you buy it. And I know the price of almost everything in this house. But I don't think you'll mess it up. Just... please. Use the fucking shower, and if your gross relatives stay with you make sure they don't fuck anything up."

He scoffed but it was also a little bit of a laugh.

"Those assholes aren't staying with me forget that. You think I'm gonna tell them where I live? I'd rather suck your boyfriends toe."

"Ew, gross." I said scrunching my face.

"What, that not your kink?" He said raising an eyebrow and rolling his tongue behind his teeth.

"Shut up Mickey. So here I wrote out a contract that basically says what we just agreed. Once I get back to the house I'll type it up and print out a couple copies, one for you and one for me, that we'll both sign. Until then," I said pulling out a couple of keys. "This one is yours, if you need more copies let me know and I'll write up how many you have on the back of the contracts."

"Sounds good Walsh."

Lip was standing off in the kitchen doorway. I looked over at him and smiled. Maybe there wasn't a way to make Sheila okay, or Mandy understand that violence wasn't necessary sometimes, but I could help Mickey open up. Let him be himself in his own space.

"Alright then. We'll get out of your hair. Oh and you can take off those furniture covers in you want."

"You kidding? I don't want my shit to get dirty. No, I'll leave them on. And you said this place has a washer and dryer? I gotta wash these clothes before I do anything, they reek."

Lip looked at me with half a smirk and raised eyebrows. I shook my head and laughed.

"Yeah Mick it's got everything you need. There's probably still some food in the fridge, enough to last a couple of days. You got any questions you know my cell number. Land line's right over there."

"You're alright Lyd, you know that?"

"You'll get over it." I said laughing. I walked up to Lip and grabbed his hand.

"We're gonna head out, Mickey. Enjoy the new digs." Lip said. We walked to the door and grabbed our coats.

"Hey Gallagher!"

"Yeah?"

"Not you, her dipshit."

I laughed, "what's up?" I asked.

"She's not mad you know, Mandy. She's just hurt. I talked to her, about what you said... just talk to her, yeah?"

I swallowed a knot in my throat.

"I'll think about it..."

He nodded.

"Alright... now get the fuck out. I gotta shower and shit. And I got a doorbell now so no more beating down my front door you'll scuff it up." He said before herding us out and slamming the door in our faces.

"Well that was a warmer goodbye than I expected, huh?" I asked shoving the four hundred Mickey had given me into my wallet after pulling it from my back pocket.

"To be honest I expected a 'fuck off' and getting flipped off. So yeah, much warmer," he said laughing as he threw his arm around my shoulders.

"I'm thinking about cutting off my hair. What do you think?"

He pondered for a moment.

"I think it'd be pretty." He said smiling down at me.

"I love you, you know?" I said.

"I love you too, Lyd." He smiled.

I reached up and grabbed his hand on my shoulder and leaned into his just as he leaned down and kissed the top of my head.

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Hey guys!! So sorry that this chapter is late and a bit short. But I just wanted to give you something! I'm running a little short on inspiration.

But in other news this story is at #4 under the Shameless tag!! It's super exciting!

I hope you all enjoy!!

Drop4Lunar