Chapter 37.

For the sake of this story, I pushed Mickey's wedding back a bit. Also, this chapter might seem a bit rushed but I just really wanted to get onto Season 4 so apologies if the pacing is a bit strange.

Enjoy!

Also the first ten chapters of this are posted up on Wattpad now. I'll eventually get around to putting up the rest of them. The link is in my bio.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shameless.


In the month that had passed since her mother's funeral, a lot of things had happened. Jimmy had decided to fall off of the face of the earth much to the displeasure of everyone who thought he was finally getting his shit together. Daniela's relationship with her brother had become more fractured due to her recently distant nature. He, of course, wasn't happy about it but was kind enough to not press her on the issue.

Mickey had finally tied the knot with his knocked-up Russian whore which had resulted in Ian getting flat-out wasted at the reception before Mandy dragged him out, and ever since the small moment they had shared on the front porch of her house, Lip had become more insistent that they try to work things out. Daniela, on the other hand, didn't have the mental or emotional capacity to deal with that hurdle and so left it alone.

But the biggest development would have to have been the three bodyguards she had collected. Ever since her small slip-up the morning of her mother's service, Mandy, Simon, and Ian had made it their personal mission to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn't do it again.

It had started off very hesitantly, with Ian taking the first watch. Though he was sure that she wouldn't think much of it, Daniela quickly caught onto what they were doing. During the days when Mandy and Ian had school, Daniela would find herself spending time with Simon who would randomly turn up at her house.

Of course, there were times when none of them could be with her. These particular times became Daniela's 'relax' sessions. The sessions usually consisted of the consumption of copious amounts of booze as well as her trusty Virginia Slims along with some pizza. Her dependency on the two vices had worsened over time to the point where she could hardly go twelve hours without one of them.

Having a constant supervisor had foiled some of her plans, causing Daniela some irritation. However, if she were to be completely honest with herself, deep down she appreciated what they were doing. She knew that they were just trying to look out for her plus she wasn't sure if she wanted to be left alone anyway. So, instead of calling them out and telling them to stop, Daniela let them continue.

To rub salt into her wounds even more, Daniela had spent a whole night scrolling through old pictures of her and Lip on her phone. Each of them felt like a little needle prodding at her yet she couldn't bring herself to delete them. Instead, she locked her screen and turned to one of her vices.

Currently, she was sprawled out on her bed staring up the ceiling. Her brother was going to be gone for the night meaning that one of her 'bodyguards' would be by soon to watch over her. She groaned internally at the thought.

The muffled sound of her phone going off drew Daniela's attention to her pillow. Stuffing a hand under, she searched around before coming into contact with the device. Lazily, her eyes skimmed over the notification; her pulse quickening.

We should talk.

It was from Lip.

Daniela sucked in a breath as she unlocked the screen. The pads of her fingers rested atop the keyboard, unsure of what to say. She knew that he had a point and that if she put it off any longer he would be the one to come to her just like he had after the service.

Her fingers typed out a short response.

Not right now.

Teeth nibbled on the inside of her cheek when she saw that he had seen her message.

Soon then.

Daniela didn't have much time to contemplate the idea when she heard a knock at the door downstairs. The sound of voices followed, with one of them being Jakob. A moment later, it was projected up the stairs.

"Dani!"

Sighing, she locked her phone and tossed it to the side where it fell with a soft thump on the mattress. Daniela rose from the bed before heading towards the front of the house to see who it was.

"Oh," she said simply when her eyes spotted Ian. "It's your turn tonight is it?"

Ian remained quiet, causing her to raise an eyebrow at him. Every other night he had come by, he had been energetic and enthusiastic to keep her mind off of any looming thoughts.

Beside him, Jakob worked on pulling on his jacket before grabbing his keys. He turned to look at his sister on the steps.

"I'm heading out with Katherine tonight."

"You've already told me."

Ignoring her tone, he directed his attention to a quiet Ian. "There's some money on the table for you guys to order food. Have a good night."

"You too," replied Daniela half-heartedly, watching as he closed the door behind him. Once he was gone, she huffed and looked at Ian. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and he looked to be off in his own deep thoughts.

The sight of it made her laugh under her breath. "You sure I shouldn't be looking after you tonight?" She joked, walking down the remaining steps so that she was in front of him. "You look worse than I do."

Ian raised his eyes to meet hers and shrugged. "It's Mickey."

Sighing, Daniela cocked her head in the direction of the lounge room. Wordlessly, he followed behind her as they collapsed on the nearest sofa.

"The wedding was three weeks ago," she said first, breaking the silence. "I thought you were getting over it?"

"I was," argued Ian but his voice lacked any conviction. "But then I saw them today, and I don't know. I just-" his hands clenched into fists. "I got so pissed off."

The corner of Daniela's mouth quirked upwards.

"What did I tell you about getting involved with married men?" She joked weakly however it was enough to make Ian chuckle; the first signs of a grin poking out.

"In my defense, he wasn't married when I met him."

The silence took over the room once again. Daniela simply sat staring at Ian, her head resting against the hand propped up against the back of the sofa. Her eyes softened at the sight of her crushed friend and her eyes narrowed in thought.

A moment later, she stood from the sofa before taking off upstairs. Ian frowned after her, his confusion growing even more once she returned dressed in a heavy coat with gloves and a scarf.

She paused in the archway of the lounge for a moment until a light went off in her head. Quickly, she moved to the coat rack by the door and grabbed Ian's coat before throwing it at him. His reflexes responded easily.

"Come on," waved Daniela shortly.

Ian's frown deepened as he clung to his jacket. "Where are we going?"

"For a walk."

"Where?" He asked, rising from the sofa to follow her.

"Oh my God, Ian," groaned Daniela in exasperation. "Enough with the questions." With her hand on the doorknob, she paused before facing him fully and placing a hand on her hip. "We're going for a walk because it's the only time I can get away from this place without Jake stressing that I'm going to take off again."

Leaving no room for argument, Daniela opened the door, letting a cold gust blow into the house. Shivering slightly, the girl cast a quick glance over her shoulder to Ian before heading out. Ian lingered for a second and then followed her lead.

Daniela arched her face so that it was directed towards the sky. She breathed in the crisp air and smiled as she walked down the street with a cautious Ian trailing behind her.

Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved a small item. The silver glint alerted Ian as to what it was, causing him to rush forward.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." He tried to grab the flask but Daniela turned herself away from him at the last moment. Untwisting it, she took a long drink whilst waving a disapproving finger at him.

"There are rules if you are to accompany me on this adventure," she announced with false bravado. Ian stared back at her, unimpressed.

"And what are they?"

She took another sip."One-" she held up a finger. "You have to drop the whole security guard mode. I'm not running away again, we're just going for a walk. Two-" she offered out the flask. "You're drinking as well."

Ian spared it a fleeting glance before returning his stare to her grinning face. Daniela shook it, making the liquid slosh around inside.

"Come on, Ian. You said so yourself- you're pissed and upset, just like me. Tell me you don't want some."

"I don't want some," he responded flatly making her narrow her eyes.

"Fine," she relented darkly before shrugging carelessly. "More for me then."

"Wait."

Daniela smirked, the flask only an inch away from her mouth. She raised an eyebrow at Ian who sighed before signaling with his hand.

"Give it here."

She wasted no time in handing it over and watched with poorly-concealed mirth as Ian took a long sip, wincing at the burn.

"I don't think this is going to be enough," he said, shaking it again to show that it was running low already.

Daniela grinned even harder. "That's okay, I brought back-up." She reached around her to pull forward a satchel that Ian had missed until then. Opening it, she retrieved a fresh bottle of bourbon.

With a gleeful smile, she uncapped it before raising it to her lips for a drink. The burn left behind warmed her throat all the way down to her belly.

/

Almost two hours passed where the friends wandered aimlessly around the neighborhood. The bottle of bourbon had been passed between the two friends, with Ian taking much more conservative sips than Daniela. Despite what she had said, he was still going to keep an eye on her, especially now.

She didn't seem to notice, or simply didn't care.

They were making their way back to Daniela's house when they passed the local park. A child-like spark glinted in her eyes as she hurriedly pulled Ian over to the playground.

As the night wore on, her walk became more of a loose stagger and by the time they had reached the park, she was singing a lilting tune under her breath. Ian, a lot less inebriated than her, kept close guard as she bumbled over to where the monkey-bars were.

For the first time that night, she put her bottle down on the ground before rubbing her hands together. Her lips pouted in concentration as she stared up at the bars that were just skimming the top of her head.

Seeing his opportunity, Ian swooped forward to grab the discarded bourbon. He stepped back and tucked it under his arm before glancing upwards, his eyes widening when he saw Daniela crouched on top of the bars. How she had managed to get up there in her state so fast was beyond him.

"Hey, come on." Ian waved with his free hand. "Hop down."

"Oh, hush. You're ruining my concentration," snapped Daniela, her brows drawn together. Very slowly, she raised herself up fully, breathing a short laugh once she had.

Her arms went straight out on each side to help aid her balance; something she desperately needed, given her inebriated state. Below her, Ian placed the bottle on the ground and began spotting her, his eyes watching every move critically.

Daniela, paying him no attention, placed one foot in front of the other, giggling when she managed to do so without falling. Now full of confidence, she became more brave, her feet carrying her along the monkey-bars swiftly.

As she went to take another step, her foot slipped causing her to almost lose her footing and topple over to the bark.

Ian's eyes widened as his hands reached out to catch her but Daniela caught managed to right herself at the last moment. Her head hung forward, her long hair falling like a curtain around her face. Her shoulders began to shake and Ian almost thought she was crying until he heard her laughter.

It started off as a small chittering giggle before eventually turning into full on belly laughter. Daniela clutched her stomach, having trouble breathing and wiped a tear from her eye.

"Holy shit!" She exclaimed, her wide eyes staring down into Ian's worried ones.

"Yeah, maybe you should come down."

"Why?" She asked, suddenly offended. Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved the small flask that she refilled along the way and took a sip before throwing her arms out. "I like it up here."

Daniela released a satisfied sigh and wiped the back of her mouth. Raising her arms above her head, she cheered. Ian sighed to himself, his mouth pinched as he watched his friend walking along the top of the monkey bars again.

"Ian! Ian! Look at how good I'm doing!" As she moved along them, Ian followed her from the ground, keeping guard. "I swear I have such good control. You should try thi-"

Daniela didn't get time to finish what she was saying because a miscalculation caused her foot to fall through one of the gaps; her body following it down.

A scream tore from her throat and her eyes clenched shut, awaiting the harsh impact of the ground.

It never came.

Ian's arms wrapped around her, catching her just before she collided with the ground. Her breathing became faster as her heart pounded in her chest. Still, she kept her eyes closed.

"Okay, now I definitely think we should be getting you home," said Ian with his friend's face still pressed to his chest. A minute passed with only the sound of her hurried breathing until he felt something wet and realized that she was crying.

"El?" He gently pulled away from her and placed a hand under her chin to drag her eyes up to his. They were red and puffy when they stared back at him. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, her face creasing. "Everything," she sobbed. "Everything's wrong."

Running a hand over her cheek, Ian helped her onto her feet; steadying her when she stumbled. With an arm around her torso, he helped her over to a nearby bench and sat her down.

He waited for her tears to subside before speaking.

"Tell me."

Daniela wiped her nose and took a minute to compose herself, her voice getting caught on the remaining hiccups. "I thought that after we buried her that I'd somehow go back to normal. I thought that weight that had been pushing down on me would be gone. But it just got worse." She paused to take a breath. "I can't handle it. I don't know how to."

"Are you sure it's just your mom making you act like this?" Ian asked carefully, watching her expression shift. Daniela's eyes burned with fresh tears as she met his gaze.

"I miss him."

Ian nodded knowingly. "I know you do."

"But I shouldn't miss him," continued Daniela, a new edge to her voice. "Not after what he did. I should hate him, I shouldn't want anything to do with him…" Her voice trailed off so that she could inhale again and wipe at her eyes.

Leaning forward, she rested her elbows on her knees. Ian surveyed it all with, recognizing something in her that he was also feeling.

"You're in love with him," he shrugged as if it was the most obvious answer.

Daniela groaned into her hands, the word leaving a bad taste in her mouth. "Love. Why does it have to complicate things? It pisses me off."

Ian pressed his lips together in a sad smile and put a hand on her shoulder. She raised her head from her hands to stare at him, her expression broken.

"I almost forgave him," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "He was there and I was upset and, for a moment, I didn't care that he had slept with Karen. I just wanted things to go back to normal." At the word, Daniela shook her head. "I realize now that it's impossible."

"You still have me," said Ian causing her to look at him. "You'll always have me."

Her eyes glossed over as she nodded before pulling him in for a hug. They stayed like that for a few moments before she eventually pulled away.

Wiping at her cheeks, Daniela turned the attention to him, her voice still thick. "How are you feeling?"

Ian shuffled in his seat. It was enough for her to understand and nodded knowingly. "Yeah, I get it."

With a sigh, she tilted her head up towards the sky. "God, what the fuck did we do to end up where we are now?"

"I figured out a long time ago that the universe hates me," answered Ian causing the both of them to laugh. Her face sobered after and she met Ian's eyes.

"I want to get out," confessed Daniela. "I want to get away from this place, and make new memories."

"Me too." Ian's answer caused her eyes to widen. He nodded and continued. "I even had a plan."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Do tell."

He leaned forward and rubbed his hands together. "I was going to run away and join the army."

"Don't you have to be 18?" Frowned Daniela.

He tilted his head in contradiction. "I was thinking of using Lip's identity."

She raised her eyebrows, her face conveying her surprise. "Holy shit. You'd really risk that much?"

Ian shrugged in return. "It's what I want to do with my life."

Daniela stared at him for a few drawn moments before doing the same. "Do it then."

"What?" He hadn't been expecting her to agree.

"Fuck it, just do it. Get you a fresh start."

Ian chuckled under his breath before nodding his chin towards her. "What about you?"

"I'll find mine." It was silent for a minute before she spoke again. "Ian?"

He turned to face her. "Yeah?"

"Thank you," she said genuinely before waving a hand around. "For everything you've been doing. I know I haven't been the easiest person to deal with lately and I- I wanna fix things and get back to the person I used to be. Or, at least a better version than this one." Daniela finished by gesturing to herself.

Ian smiled back at her, happy to see a bit of his best friend peeking through the surface. He nudged her shoulder with his causing her to grin back at him and they both turned their attention to the stars overhead.

"I think I'm ready to go home now," announced Daniela quietly, gaining his attention.

"Let's go then."

She followed him up when the effects of the alcohol she had consumed came rushing back. Her knees gave out but thankfully, Ian caught her at the last moment.

"You okay?"

She nodded but rubbed a hand across her forehead. "I think I'm going to have a pretty fucked up hangover tomorrow though."

He laughed before turning so that his back was facing her. "Hop on."

She eyed him oddly causing Ian to roll his eyes from over his shoulder.

"Come on."

Shrugging, Daniela walked forward and jumped onto his back. Ian grabbed onto her calves as they wrapped around his waist. She put her arms around his neck, trying her best not to choke him.

"This is good," he said humorously as he began the trek back to her house. "It's like ROTC training, but you're a bit heavier than the sacks we have to carry."

Daniela's resulting punch to his shoulder elicited a yelp of pain from the boy yet she knew it hadn't hurt him at all.

"Watch yourself, Gallagher, before I make you do burpees."

/

The next night, Daniela found herself outside the door of her brother's bedroom. She tapped her knuckles against the wood lightly and inched her head in.

Jakob's eyes flicked up from the book he had been reading to rest on her, taking in the wet hair from her shower and pajamas.

"Can I come in?" She asked hesitantly, causing him to frown.

"Of course."

Daniela chewed on her lip as she took a seat at the edge of his bed. Running her tongue along her lip, she tried to figure out what she was going to say to him. Seeing her thoughtful look, Jakob's frown deepened.

"Everything okay?"

She nodded quickly. "Yeah, I uh. I just wanted to apologize for how I've acted lately." She toyed with a piece of wet hair, using the beds of water dripping off as an excuse to keep her eyes off of her brother. "You know, for taking off and the things with the funeral and just treating you like shit."

"Dani," he tsked in response before fixing her with a serious look. "You don't need to apologize. It's okay, we're both still trying to adjust and I don't blame you for anything."

Daniela twitched her nose and wiped underneath it. She breathed in a ragged sigh. "It's just that you've done so much for me. Like mom, the funeral plans, the bills, taking care of me all these years." Her voice trailed off as her guilty eyes finally met his. "I just hate how shitty I've acted in return."

"Like I said, it's fine," reassured Jakob before scoffing to himself. "Shit, I hardly wanted to do the funeral plans myself but I knew that we had to give her a proper send off."

"And you did," nodded Daniela genuinely. Her eyes returned to her fingers. "Mom would've been proud."

Jakob tutted before patting the area beside him. Slowly, Daniela pulled herself over only to have her brother's arm wrap around her instantly. He pulled her closer to his side.

"I think mom would be proud of both of us," he said, rubbing her arm soothingly. Daniela's head leaned against his, her bottom lip beginning to tremble. "We're gonna get through this, okay?"

She nodded, feeling her eyes well up. Jakob pressed a kiss to her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo before continuing to rub her arm comfortingly.

"We will."

/

The next morning, Daniela rose from bed early and well-rested for the first time in a long time. Finally, it seemed that things were slowly starting to look up for her. Pouring herself a cup of coffee, she resisted the urge to add something stronger to it before heading outside to check the mail.

As she took a step outside, her eyes fell on the courier lady. She looked to have just been about to put the mail away when she saw Daniela.

She squinted up at her from the pavement. "You Daniela Kaufman?"

"Yeah?"

"For you." The courier stepped forward to pass over the large yellow envelope.

Daniela frowned as she took hold of it. Her eyes skimmed over the parcel. They widened when they caught onto the logo at the top corner of the envelope.

"Thanks." She offered the courier a quick smile before heading back inside, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

Daniela took a seat at the table and sipped on her coffee, her eyes staying glued to the envelope in front of her. Nerves filled her body as she debated whether or not to open it. Her teeth chewed on the inside of her cheek while her fingers tapped irritably against the table top.

Come on. Just rip the band-aid off.

Nodding to herself, Daniela placed her cup to the side before very carefully opening the letter. She held her breath as her fingers pinched around the paper before slowly pulling it out. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as her eyes scanned each word.

Daniela froze, unable to formulate a single thought until, finally, she laughed. It was warm and light and so unlike how she had been feeling recently. With a grin planted firmly on her face, she re-read the letter to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her.

When she saw that they weren't, her excited squeals heightened in volume. She needed to tell someone.

"Jake!" She called, unable to hide the pure joy even if she tried. Something in her voice must've alerted her brother because he soon came rushing down the stairs, his toothbrush gripped in his fist like a weapon.

"What?" He asked, his eyes darting over her and then around the kitchen. "What's going on?"

Daniela held out the letter. "Look!"

Jakob's posture relaxed slightly as he placed his toothbrush on the table and accepted the piece of paper. He frowned down at it before realizing what it was. Much like his sister, he held it close to his face, drinking in each word carefully.

"…the University of Illinois in Chicago would like to inform you of your acceptance into our Nursing program as well as offering you our Kerr Scholarship which will cover all in-state tuition fees relating to your four-year course…"

Jakob's voice trailed off and his shock-filled eyes flicked up to Daniela. She watched him with a huge grin, her hands clasped together in front of her chest.

"Dani…" he said, the news still settling in. As if the paper could make him more articulate, he shook it in his hand. "This is-"

Daniela nodded in agreement, her legs growing wobbly. "I know."

With a loud laugh, Jakob scooped his sister up into his arms. Daniela's feet lifted from the ground as he spun her around. Her laughter filled the house along with his cheers of joy and excitement.

/

The next day, Daniela found herself walking home with Ian after their meet up with Mandy after school. They had both congratulated her on her acceptance into university and both were happy to see a genuine smile grace their friend's face again.

"How're things going?" Asked Ian as they turned the corner to their street. He didn't need to elaborate.

"I'm cutting back," answered Daniela, nodding to herself. "It's not easy and there are times when I feel that I can't function without a drink but I'm getting better."

"Good," smiled Ian. "I'm glad to hear it."

Daniela flicked a piece of hair out of her face. "Jakob wants to go out for dinner tomorrow night to celebrate me getting into college. So far it's just family and Katherine but you can come along if you want."

Ian grimaced and offered her an apologetic look. "Sorry, I can't. We're throwing Lip a surprise graduation party."

"Oh," replied Daniela, the mention of her ex managing to trigger a warmth in her stomach. "He's finally finished then?"

"Yeah. He hasn't really made a big deal out of it though. Unlike Fiona. 'The first Gallagher kid to get their diploma'," he said, using his hands to mime a banner with the words across it.

Daniela laughed quietly and shoved her hands deeper into her pockets. "Well, it is a big achievement."

"Yeah, I guess."

When they reached his house, Ian bid her farewell, leaving Daniela to walk the short distance to her own.

Later that night, she found herself in her room going over forms that she had to sign and hand in in regards to her scholarship. She blew out a breath in an attempt to move a piece of hair out of her eyes but ultimately failed. Rolling her eyes, Daniela wiped it behind her ear before her gaze drifted to her phone.

She stared at it, mentally debating the thought that popped into her mind. Pressing her lips together, she picked it up and opened her contacts list. Daniela took a deep breath before creating a new message. Not giving herself time to change her mind, she pressed the send button.

Hey, I heard from Ian that you're getting your diploma tomorrow- or, I guess today considering it's after midnight- and I just wanted to say congratulations. I always knew you could do it.

As soon as the message went through, her pulse skyrocketed. She tried to calm herself down by rationalizing that he wouldn't be awake given how late it was. She placed the phone down beside the papers and tried to focus again on filling them out.

A few minutes later, a loud bell shook her out of her reading. Daniela's eyes moved to rest on her phone. Biting down on her lip, she checked the new message.

Thanks.

Daniela found it crazy how one little word could affect her so much. She was about to lock the phone when another message from Lip came in.

I couldn't have done it without you.

Despite herself, the corners of her mouth quirked upwards. Feeling a flutter in her stomach, Daniela typed her response.

Yes you could. You underestimate yourself sometimes, Phillip.

Once the message was sent, she re-read each word suddenly feeling less happy about it all. She couldn't allow herself to do this. This little luxury she had just allowed herself needed to end quickly before she ended up hurting herself even more.

So, when her phone went off again, Daniela ignored it. It wasn't until the next morning that she finally saw what he had sent her.

No- I really couldn't have.

/

Daniela spent the beginning of her day cleaning up the house; exactly what she had been needing after her turnaround. She had started with the closest- more importantly, what was stashed inside of the closet. The remaining bottles she had saved tucked away had been taken out and poured down the drain. Watching the sink swallow it up had left Daniela feeling oddly satisfied with herself.

She continued like this for a few more hours, eventually taking her cleaning efforts downstairs where she began ridding the fridge of any spoiled take-aways. She had been in the process of putting away the dishes when she heard a knock at the door.

Checking the clock on the wall, Daniela frowned at seeing how early it was during a school day for anyone to be dropping by. Nevertheless, she opened the door, a happy smile falling on her face when she saw Debbie.

"Debs? Shouldn't you be at school?" She asked lightly, surveying the little girl.

Debbie shook her head, her fingers hooking onto the straps of her bag. "It was a half day."

"Right," nodded Daniela. "Winter break. Well, come on in. I'm just cleaning up."

She headed up the stairs with Debbie following behind her until they were in her bedroom. Daniela had stopped halfway through her cleaning in there as she knew it would take her the longest given the fact that she would need to sort things out before going to college.

Moving to the closet, Daniela began sorting through clothes as Debbie looked around the place, her eye eventually settling on the papers resting on the bed.

"What are they?" She asked, her squeaky voice causing Daniela to look over her shoulder.

"Oh, it's an acceptance letter."

"For college?"

"Yeah," she smiled, pulling out a dress that was two small for her. She draped it over the bed as Debbie continued.

"Are you going?"

Daniela nodded in response. "Sure am. I start after the break." She resumed her activities, not noticing Debbie's silent wondering.

"What happened between you and Lip?"

Daniela paused for a moment, not expecting the question. Debbie eyed her carefully, scrutinizing each giveaway. The older girl pulled out a jacket and shrugged as she threw it on the bed.

"I haven't been in a good place recently."

"Did you guys break up?" Pushed Debbie, clearly wanting to get to the root of the problem. The girl's insistence almost caused Daniela to laugh.

Daniela frowned back at her. "What makes you think that?"

"I'm not an idiot," replied the little girl with a small eye roll. She had endured being treated like a naïve child by Fiona enough times that the thought annoyed her.

Daniela's eyes softened on the girl. "I know you're not, Debs." Swallowing, she took a seat beside Debbie on the edge of the bed, watching as the girl played with her fingers.

"You're never around anymore," Debbie's hurt tone caught her off guard and she pressed her lips together.

"I know, and I'm really sorry about that." She released a long breath before quietly asking, "How is he?"

Debbie twisted her mouth, thinking about it. "Different," she settled with before elaborating. "Quiet when he thinks we're not paying attention." Her eyes raised to meet Daniela's saddened ones. "I think he misses you. We all do."

The older girl chewed on her lip before gently taking hold of Debbie's chin. "Just because your brother and I aren't together anymore doesn't mean that we have to stop talking." She carefully tucked a strand of hair behind Debbie's ear, noting the sheen to the girl's eyes. "I'm always going to be here for you, okay? Whatever you need or whenever you want to talk."

"What about when you go away to college?" Wondered Debbie, her voice cracking from the lump in her throat.

"Even then," assured Daniela softly, using her thumb to wipe away a stray tear. "I promise." When Debbie's tears grew, Daniela tutted and pulled her small frame against her own. Stroking her hair, Daniela kissed the top of Debbie's head.

/

"What did he say when you told him?" Asked Daniela the next morning, squinting up at Ian who was dressed in his uniform. She had come to drop him off seeing as she hadn't gotten any time to hang out with him the night before. Plus, she wanted to see her best friend off.

He frowned back at her. "What makes you think I told him?

Daniela's responding look was enough to make him sigh, his shoulders becoming heavier. "He told me not to go."

The girl pressed her lips together, feeling something close to pity for Mickey. She knew what kind of environment he had grown up in and also knew that saying that to Ian was not something he could do lightly.

"It's not too late to change your mind."

Ian quirked a brow at her, a small grin playing on his lips. "Are you trying to make me stay now too?"

"No," she refused, shaking her head. "I just want to make sure that you're doing what you want to do for yourself, not just because you want to get away from someone."

He nodded in understanding before saying a moment later, "I want this."

"Okay then," sighed Daniela. Glancing over his shoulder, she saw the line of men slowly making their way onto the bus. Ian also noticed this and neither wasted any time pulling the other in for a hug.

"Take care of yourself, okay?" She muttered into his neck, her voice growing thick with emotion. "Be careful. And don't miss me too much."

Ian's laugh echoed in her ear as his arms held wrapped around her tightly. "I'll try. Good luck at college."

The first tear finally fell, followed by much more as Daniela cried into Ian's neck. Feeling her shoulders shake, Ian squished his best friend closer to his chest. His eyes fell shut with a ragged sigh. If things went according to his plan, they wouldn't be seeing each other for a long time.

"It's not forever," he reminded her gently, hearing her muffled sobs. His heart clenched at the thought of her losing another person. "I love you."

Daniela sniffled and tried to regain control of herself. "I love you too."

After a few long moments, they pulled away from each other. Daniela offered Ian a bittersweet smile as he wiped away any of her stray tears. "You better go before you miss your bus."

He glanced over his shoulder to see that the line had shortened significantly. With a nod, he placed a kiss to Daniela's cheek before heading over to the officer with the clipboard.

Daniela released a low, shaky breath as she watched him get his name ticked off. Relief flooded her when she saw that his plan had worked. A smile lit up her face when Ian turned back at the last moment to wave at her before going inside the bus.

She waited for the vehicle to pull away before heading home, a strange feeling falling upon her.

/

Daniela had just finished getting dressed for bed when she heard a knock at the door. Frowning, she tried to remember if Mandy or Simon had texted her saying that they'd come over.

Opening the door, she hadn't been expecting Lip to be standing there on the top step. He seemed wary as her eyes looked him over with curiosity.

"Hey," he greeted her.

"Hi." Checking over her shoulder, Daniela reached inside to grab a coat before taking a step onto the porch. She closed the door behind her and quickly pulled the coat on to battle the frosty air.

Lip glanced down to his hands where she saw that he was holding a letter. He smiled down at it before meeting her eyes.

"I uh, I just wanted to let you know that I got into MIT. Full ride," he announced, seemingly proud of himself. Daniela also couldn't contain the small upturn of her mouth.

"That's great." She meant it completely yet her voice remained slightly hollow.

"Yeah, thanks." He paused for a moment to shake the letter lightly for emphasis. "It's just that you were the first person I wanted to tell- after everything that you did. It wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for you, and I just wanted to thank you so- thank you."

Daniela's mouth twisted as her gaze fell on her socked feet, unable to keep them on Lip's face for much longer.

"That's okay," she mumbled, her shoulders shrugging it off.

"What about you?" Lip's question grabbed her attention once more and pulled her eyes back to his expectant ones. "Any news?"

She nodded, the hint of a smile on her lips. "Mhm, I got accepted at UIC in the city. They have a really great nursing program and offered me a scholarship to help pay for tuition."

Lip's eyebrows raised and a large grin lit up his face. "Wow, Daniela that's- that's amazing."

Her smile matched his as she crossed her arms over her chest, feeling shy all of a sudden. "Yeah. It's pretty exciting. I think Jake's the most ecstatic about it all though."

Lip nodded, his smile softening as his eyes roamed over her. She seemed lighter than the last he had seen of her. She looked better- healthier. It made him happy.

"Congratulations," he said earnestly causing Daniela's cheeks to darken.

"Thank you."

They lapsed into another silence which Daniela used to pull the coat tighter around her. Her attention shifted past him to watch the snow fall around them. Amongst it all, Lip's eyes never wavered from hers.

Clearing her throat, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "So are you going to go?"

She watched as Lip took a moment to think about it.

"I haven't decided yet," he answered, his eyes glued to her.

"You should take it," said Daniela casually, ignoring the way her chest clenched at the thought of him being so far away. "It's a once in a lifetime experience."

"Yeah," Lip agreed quietly, his eye flicked to the ground before lifting back up to her. When his gaze returned, Daniela could see that something was weighing heavily on his mind. "Maybe."

Feeling his heavy stare on her, Daniela shuffled on her feet, trying to find a way to wrap up their conversation before the topic drifted to something she didn't want to deal with at the moment. "Well, whatever you decide to do, I know you'll do great."

Lip, realizing what she was doing, nodded to himself, seeming a little deflated. Clearly, he had been hoping for something more.

Daniela turned and opened the door. However, before entering, she paused to offer him a small smile.

"Goodnight, Lip."

He nodded back at her. "Night."

Even once the door was closed behind her, Lip lingered on the front porch for a few more seconds before sighing dejectedly and making his way home, his hands stuffed into his pockets.

Meanwhile, up in her bedroom, Daniela toyed with her phone. Her teeth chewed on the inside of her cheek as she debated whether or not to do it. Quickly, so that she couldn't stop herself, she typed out a message and hit send.

I meant what I said. You should take it.

The breath she had been holding onto released itself. Daniela closed her eyes, feeling her chest constrict and a warmth pool in her belly at the thought of Lip. Not wanting to see his response, she hastily switched off her phone and discarded it to the side. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to handle it.

Instead, as she lay in bed that night, Daniela chose to think about what her own plans for college would be as well as the excitement the concept of a fresh start brought her.


Daniela's back on the road to happiness, hooray! This has been my favorite season to write so far but I have a lot of great stuff planned for the future ones. Season 4 will be a bit different, obviously with Daniela being away at college and no longer being with Lip, so she won't be in every episode.

Hopefully, I'll be seeing all of you in Season 4! Let me know what you thought and what you're hoping will happen next season!

Special thanks to mchurch1992, RHatch89, xenocanaan, Naruhina1519, 13teen, SweetRiceball20, and Raging Raven for reviewing; the 4 people who followed, and the 4 who favorited!

REVIEW!