Chapter 55.
Yikes...I'm so sorry.
Disclaimer: I do not own Shameless.
Daniela had found herself in many uncomfortable predicaments but her current situation was definitely up there with the most awkward.
The car was absolutely silent, the engine humming beneath their feet as Jake's grip tightened on the steering wheel.
Daniela glanced at him in the mirror, noting how hard he was trying to maintain his calm composure. Only she could pick out the little cracks. She, on the other hand, was having a much harder time relaxing.
To the left of her was her uncle who was as quiet as ever. It felt strange being in his presence again after how she had ended things the last time she saw him. Still, when they had seen each other that morning, there'd oddly been no anger or even disappointment. If anything, it seemed that her uncle was sadder than when she had left him. Maybe because she reminded him so much of her mother.
Daniela's eyes fell to her lap. She dug into her nail beds in an unconscious attempt to clean them and keep her mind off of the fact that this was a horrible, terrible, idea.
She blew out a low breath and looked at her grandmother. The woman sat poised in the front seat. One hand was folded neatly over the other but it was clear even from the woman's profile that she too was having some second thoughts.
Her brow was creased with tension and the corners of her mouth were pinched as she no doubt came to terms with what she was about to do.
Tearing her eyes away from her, Daniela reached into her pocket for her phone. She looked desperately for any updates from Lip. He and the rest of his family were going to see Ian who was currently being held at a military detention facility.
She felt rage burn her neck at the thought of him even being there in the first place. She just hoped he would be out soon.
"Here we are," said Jakob, pulling up to the barbed-wire gates of the car park.
He pulled up to the booth to show the prison guard his ID before the barrier went up and they were allowed in.
"Ah Dios mio."
Teresa's words fell on deaf ears as Daniela glanced out at the prison. It felt odd that the sight of it brought along a sense of comforting familiarity. Her new family, on the other hand, seemed less pleased as they began exiting the car.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Asked Eric, eyeing his mother carefully.
The siblings share a wary look, thinking the same
Teresa inhaled deeply, the action raising her chin. "Si. I want to see him."
Without insistence, she began walking to the entrance.
"This is a bad idea," muttered Daniela to herself, following behind.
.
14 hours prior
By the time they arrived at the house, Ian and the officers had already left. The pair slowed to a stop at the base of the steps. Daniela eyed the light from the front window and the curve of shadows pacing around inside.
Hurriedly, she climbed to the door two steps at a time. Lip was only a hair's length behind her as she ripped open the door and stepped into the living room. The shadows - now distinguishable as Fiona and Mickey - were huddled around with the rest of the family as they tried to take it all in.
At the sound of them entering, Fiona glanced up from her blanked out state. The skin of her nail-bed fell from her tooth and a small breath of relief lowered her shoulders when she saw them.
"What happened?" Asked Lip, quickly going to stand by his sister.
"We were walkin' home," said Mickey, his voice shaking with anger. "Everything was good until that bitch starting rambling off about how they were gonna take care of him."
"What bitch?"
"Sammi," said Fiona, her voice dripping with agitation.
"All of a sudden these dickbags in uniforms came out and took 'im." Mickey shook his head before taking a seat in an attempt to control his emotions. "He didn't even do anything wrong!"
Daniela sucked in a breath, coming to a certain realization. It seemed that Lip wasn't too far behind as he sent her a knowing look.
"That's not... entirely true."
All eyes turned to her and she suddenly felt the need to pick at her nails. Fiona's eyes widened slightly. She glanced between Daniela and her brother, noting his own silence.
"Do you two know something?" She asked, taking a step towards Daniela.
"A little over a year ago, Ian enlisted in the army," she began, glancing towards Mickey who was no doubt remembering the conversation he had had with Ian about it. "Mickey knows this- he was the last person to see him before he left other than me."
Fiona's brow was creased as she struggled to make sense of it all.
"W-how? Ian wouldn't have even been eighteen."
"He used my security number," said Lip, raising his hand slightly. His sister regarded him with shock as it dropped to his side. "Yeah. Officers came looking for me thinkin' I was him. They said he uh, tried to steal a helicopter before disappearing."
"And when the fuck did this all happen?" Asked Fiona before collapsing into a nearby armchair. Her eyes fell shut as she released a long, tired sigh. "It doesn't matter... all that matters is that we get this shit sorted and get Ian home."
Lip nodded in agreement. "The officers say anything about contacting him?"
"They're taking him to their detention center but I can't make a call until tomorrow mornin'."
Daniela's lips pressed together and she let out a small sigh. Slowly, she sank into the cushion beside Mickey. Everyone else in the room seemed to be equally as drained from the ordeal. A sinking feeling formed in the pit of her stomach at the thought of Ian spending the night in military prison.
"I'll stay here tonight," said Lip, gaining his sister's attention. "That way I can be here when you call."
Nodding, Fiona turned to Mickey.
"You can stay too."
He accepted with a short jut of his head but it was clear he wouldn't be getting any sleep until then. None of them would be.
"Did you call Mandy?" Asked Daniela to which he shook his head.
"Not yet."
She didn't waste any time pulling out her phone to send a text explaining everything that had happened. Quickly, she sent a follow-up text reassuring her that there would be more information tomorrow and to not come to the house.
Glancing up from her screen, she eyed Lip for a moment remembering what he had told her before Fiona called. Her gaze fell back to her lap before she pushed herself up.
"I better head off too," she said to the room.
"You sure?" Asked Fiona, frowning slightly. "It's a little late."
"Yeah, I'll just stay at the house."
From his spot beside Fiona, Lip stepped forward.
"I'll walk you," he said.
Daniela stared at him for a moment before nodding. Her legs crossed the room as she hugged Fiona.
"Thanks for coming by," she muttered into her neck.
"Anytime," said Daniela, pausing to kiss Debbie on the head before heading to where Lip was waiting by the door. He held the door open for her as she stepped out into the cold.
It was silent between them as they passed the first house. Daniela's arm crossed over her body to grab the other, unsure of what else to do or say.
Lip, on the other hand, seemed nonchalant as he strolled beside her, his hands tucked into the front pockets of his jeans. Out of the corner of her eye though, she would catch his face turning slightly towards her.
It wasn't long before they were stood outside of her front gate. They each came to a stop with Daniela swiveling on foot to look at him. Despite the drama towards the end of the night, she couldn't help the small rise of a smile on her face.
"Thanks for walking me home," she said half-kidding. They both knew there was a reason for it. A few moments of silence where it was just the two of them.
"No problem," said Lip, also smiling. "Thank you again for what you did today."
Daniela had almost forgotten all about it given the circumstances. Still, she shrugged it off.
"You're welcome... just as long as you promise not to do anything like that again."
Lip's grin widened and he nodded obediently. "I promise."
Daniela fell silent, unsure of how to broach the topic in her mind. Hesitantly, she looked down at her feet.
"Lip, I-" Her hands occupied themselves with each other. "About what you said before Fiona called…"
"Don't worry about it right now," he said softly. Stepping forward, he waited for her eyes to meet his. "Look, I'm not expecting you to say it back, but... just know that I meant it. I've meant it for a while now."
She didn't know what to say to that.
If someone were to tell her a year ago that this would be happening, she would never believe it. She still couldn't.
Clearing her throat, she nodded and inched closer. Slowly, her lips brushed against his cheek. For Lip, it was over sooner than he would've liked.
Daniela took a step back in a moment of silent self-control.
"Goodnight," she said, her hand pushing the front gate open.
Lip grinned and watched her ascend the front steps.
"Goodnight."
He waited until the door had closed behind her before releasing a long breath and making the short trek home.
/
By the time he got back home, the house was much more silent and there was no sign of anyone in the living room. He unfurled his scarf from his neck and moved into the kitchen where Fiona was sat at the table.
Discarding the scarf on the counter, he opened the fridge and pulled out two beers. A dazed-Fiona turned her attention to him.
"Hey," she said, still somewhat lost in her thoughts.
She watched as her brother hooked his foot under a chair, pulling it out and sitting beside her. She smiled appreciatively at the bottle he laid down in front of her.
"Where's Mickey?" Asked Lip, popping the lid off of his own.
"He took off just after you - said somethin' about a gun." Fiona frowned to herself and took a sip of her beer.
Lip did the same. "You think he's gonna kill Sammi?"
"I wouldn't put it past him. I don't think I'd complain about it either." Her hands played with the neck of the bottle, using it to roll the base along the top of the table. "God, I can't believe that bitch turned him in."
"I can."
A short snort was Fiona's only reply along with a small raise of her bottle in agreement. However, whatever amusement she felt was short-lived and Lip watched the stress take its toll on her shoulders once again.
"How did I not know that he tried to steal a helicopter?" She asked.
Lip shrugged, noting how hopeless his sister looked. "You were arrested. By the time you got out, we had already figured out what was wrong with him."
The woman released a breath and leaned back in her chair. Her fingers dragged themselves through her hair tiredly as the two sat in mutual silence. Neither was sure how long they were off in their own heads until a thought crossed Fiona's mind.
"What's going on with you and Daniela?" She asked suddenly, popping one curious eye open to observe her brother.
He gave nothing away as he glanced up from his bottle with a frown.
"Huh?"
"Well I called you about Ian and the two of you showed up..."
"Oh, right."
"Are you two back together?" She made sure to tread lightly but he could hear the silent hope in his sister's words. "Because I know you broke up with that rich girl."
Lip grinned slightly, his gaze flicking between her and the table. "No, we uh, we were at the hospital together when you called."
Fiona frowned, her spine straightening. "What the fuck were you doing at the hospital?"
"It's a long story that I don't think either of us can be bothered with right now but uh, safe to say, she saved my ass from getting kicked out of school so."
"Jesus..."
Quirking a brow, Fiona raised her bottle to her lips and took another long drink.
/
Daniela's eyes blinked open and her lips smacked together at the feeling of cotton mouth. She squinted at her surroundings, taking in the hint of sunlight peeking through the blinds. She stayed there for a moment, still half-asleep.
Her mind drifted off as it recollected the events of the previous night. With a start, her eyes shot open.
Lip had told her he loved her. Loved her.
In her tired state, she had convinced herself that it was a dream but as she lay with her cheek pressed against her pillow, she realized it wasn't. It was very much real. His feelings were real.
She closed her eyes and dragged a hand across her face. And she had said nothing back. How could she when her brain had gone into lockdown as a result?
Shaking her head free of the thoughts, she decided to focus on anything else. Tearing herself away from her bed, she headed downstairs and into the kitchen.
She froze at the sight of her grandmother. Teresa was stood over the stove overseeing something that smelt heavenly from where Daniela was standing. As if sensing her presence, the woman glanced over her shoulder to take her in.
"Morning," coughed Daniela awkwardly.
Jakob's head turned and a wide smile broke out across his face. "Hey!" He grabbed the fresh pot of coffee and got to pouring an extra cup for her. "I didn't hear you come in last night."
Daniela moved to stand beside him; accepting his quick kiss to her forehead with a small smile.
"Yeah, sorry it was kind of last minute," she said, leaning against the counter. "I was down the road and didn't really feel like going all the way back to my dorm."
"No need to apologize. I'm just glad to see you're still alive."
Daniela's mouth thinned and her gaze dropped to the floor. She felt that familiar shame brewing in her chest at how distant she had been. Jakob took note of this and nudged her gently.
"You okay?" He asked, offering the cup of coffee. "You're looking a little tired."
"Oh...it's just some stuff with Ian." She took a sip of the fresh brew, reveling in the taste. "He got into some trouble last night."
Jakob frowned. "Is it serious?"
"Um, yeah it's pretty serious."
The look of concern didn't leave her brother's face as he shook his head. "Well, it's a good thing you're here anyway. Saves me having to go pick you up later."
Daniela frowned. "Pick me up?"
"It's Saturday..." he said, watching her eyes fall shut in realization.
"Right." Daniela glanced across the room at Teresa who had remained silent the whole time. She had no doubt that she was listening in though. Tearing her eyes away from her, she eyed her brother curiously. "Are we all going?"
Jakob bit into his toast, chewing it slowly before looking sadly between the two. "It's just us."
Expecting nothing less, Daniela nodded and sipped her coffee.
A few minutes passed where no-one said anything. Teresa continued gently moving the frying pan back and forth, tossing up whatever meat and vegetables seemed to be cooking in it. It was awkward, to say the least.
Jakob seemed completely torn as he stood there silently munching on his breakfast. His eyes darted back and forth between the two women waiting to see who would break first. Daniela took another long sip of her drink, her eyes bouncing back and forth from her grandmother to the floor.
Jakob wasn't sure how long it was until Teresa spoke up.
Wiping her hands with a towel, she turned her body in their direction.
"Daniela..." she said tentatively. She glanced towards Jakob who kept his eyes on his mug. "Do you think we could talk?"
A little caught off guard, Daniela chanced a look at her brother who simply shrugged.
"Uh, sure." She pushed off the counter and followed the woman outside. Her fingers fidgeted nervously as they came to a stop on the porch. "Is everything okay?"
She watched as Teresa took a moment to get her thoughts in order.
"I just felt that I should apologize," she began, clearing her throat. "Eric and I are going back to Miami tomorrow but I didn't want to leave knowing you were upset with me."
Daniela's brow furrowed, silently surprised at how the news affected her. "You're leaving?"
Teresa raised her shoulders. "It's about time we went back and it's clear you don't want me here."
"That's not entirely true..." said Daniela before releasing a sigh. "Look, I know I haven't been the most welcoming and I'm sorry about that." Her mouth thinned. "It's just that when Jake told me he was in contact with mom's family, I wasn't expecting things to be this bad or for things to happen so quickly."
"I understand," nodded Teresa, looking no less upset. "I suppose we should have called first... it's just that when we heard from Jakob, and when we heard about what had happened, we didn't want to wait any longer." The woman seemed to struggle with how to phrase things in a way that would cause the least amount of conflict.
"I don't mean to be difficult," she promised and Daniela watched as her grandmother's eyes saddened. "It's just… when I see you, I see her. When you talk, when you try to prove a point, I see her."
She wasn't sure what to say to that.
Daniela considered her comments, finally seeing things a bit clearer. She thought back to one of the first things Teresa had said to her when they met; that she looked just like her mother.
She had heard it a lot growing up but after hearing stories from her uncle and grandma, she began to realize that that wasn't where the similarities between them stopped. Her mother had rebelled against her tight-knit family for a brand-new life miles away from the only home she had known with a guy she didn't fully know. Because of that, Daniela had never grown up with her grandparents, had never met her cousins, and never got to grow up with the stereotypically big family.
But it hadn't been all bad. She had had her parents and her brother and for a while, that was all she needed. However, standing across from her grandmother, one question lingered on her mind.
"Why haven't you seen him yet?"
Teresa's head tilted. "Who?"
"My dad." At the mention of the man, the woman's eyes darkened and she looked across the street. Daniela took a step forward. "Abuela, you've been here just over a week and you haven't gone to see him. And I get it, you hate him but have you ever considered what he's had to go through?"
Teresa scoffed but Daniela refused to step down.
"He loved her too," she said. "We all did. And just like you, he never got the chance to say goodbye."
Teresa's chin was raised defiantly as she avoided eye contact. Her voice shook when she spoke. "I have said all I needed to that man."
"It's been more than twenty years since you last saw him." Daniela tried to reason with her but she knew it wouldn't be easy. "And I don't know what he was like back then but I do know that in the last three, he's become a man I am proud to call my father, regardless of any past mistakes."
Breathing a sigh, her voice quietened. "I know what it's like to be angry with him. I spent half of my life hating him for getting himself thrown in jail." At that, Teresa's eyes moved to rest on her. "But then I took a chance to get to know him and I found out that he's really not the monster I made him out to be.
Jake and I both want you here- and believe me we want nothing more than to be a part of your family. But that can't happen if you can't accept our dad," she stressed. Her grandmother let out a long breath as Daniela took hold of her hands.
"Come with us this afternoon." Her eyes were full of pleading. "See for yourself. You don't even have to talk you can just stand there. Just... please. For us."
The woman regarded her with a long look but she could see her resolve beginning to wither.
/
Fast-forward to a few hours later and Daniela was starting to second-guess her decision. Their group made their way through to the visitation room and with each passing step the nerves worsened. Beside her, Jakob seemed to be thinking the same thing as the two shared a worried look.
They paused at the door, their eyes scouring the other side of the room for one man in particular. Daniela spotted him first, seeing him waiting patiently at a phone towards the end of the room. Nodding her head in his direction, the group trailed behind her.
Lawrence looked up from the steel bench and locked eyes with his daughter. A smile began to break out on his face that was quickly returned. However, as the others came into view, she watched it halt suddenly. She glanced over her shoulder and saw her grandmother slow to a stop. Her mouth was pinched as she eyed him carefully.
Looking towards her granddaughter, Teresa calmly set her purse down on the bench and took a seat.
"I was wondering when you would stop by," said Lawrence once her phone was pressed to her ear. He had managed to relax his posture enough; the shock wearing off.
Teresa stared back in a way that only a mother could.
"Being here," she began slowly. "Facing you… is difficult for me."
The man quirked a brow. "That makes two of us." He nodded to himself. "You look well."
"Well enough given the circumstances. Though I can't say the same for you." Lawrence had expected her to sound more scathing but instead, her voice held a shred of pity. The woman eyed him closely, taking in his dry laugh.
"Yeah, well this place isn't exactly the Ritz. When Jakob told me you and Eric were in town I wasn't sure you would make it down here."
"Well... your daughter thought I should see you before we left," said Teresa, her voice lilting. Casting a look behind her, she locked eyes with Daniela whose shoulders were tense as she watched their interactions. "She's very persistent."
A small smile graced Lawrence's face. Pride. It didn't last for long as he grew more serious.
"I'm not gonna ask for your forgiveness."
Teresa's mouth pursed tightly as she fixed her posture.
"Good. Because you wouldn't get it." Her stare was heavy as she continued. "You took my daughter away from me."
At that, the man released a long sigh and shook his head.
"I know you blame me for what happened," he began, his voice suddenly deeper. "And deep-down a part of me does too, but any decision Cami made was hers and hers only." His head tilted and he narrowed his eyes at his mother-in-law. "You know how she was. Once she had an idea in her head she was never gonna let it go. Now I tried to talk some sense into her. Despite how I felt for her, I knew that choosing some nobody from the South Side of Chicago over her family wasn't worth it. I told her that when we were in Miami and I told her that when we came here."
Teresa's stone-faced facade didn't crack but her grip on the phone didn't seem to be so tight.
"Now I loved that woman but by god was she stubborn." He shook his head, a nostalgia-filled grin on his face. "I hated myself in those months after we came here. She was miserable. I knew it, she knew it but she stayed, not because of her pride but because she wanted to. And she wasn't miserable because she was with me, she was miserable because she missed her family."
From their position on the back bench, Daniela watched the two converse as if she were at a tennis match. She couldn't hear what exactly her father was saying and the fact that her grandmother hadn't said anything in a while meant that she was having difficulty following along. She took in her father's hunched position. It now seemed difficult for him to maintain eye contact.
"When Jakob was born, I bought her a ticket back home for the two of them- told her that you would take better care of them than I ever could," said Lawrence. The irony wasn't lost on either of them. "I guess I was right about that one." He cleared his throat and met Teresa's stare.
Judging by the woman's look, this seemed to be new information to her and he resisted the urge to smile. She eyed him carefully, trying to decipher if it was true or not. A part of her knew it was.
"She almost went through with it until she realized that if she got on that plane, none of you would let her come back. But maybe that would've been for the best. Maybe if she had, she would still be here." His voice trailed off and his eyes glazed over. "I'm sorry, Teresa. I'm sorry that you think I stole your daughter away, I'm sorry that she's dead because of me but most of all I'm sorry that you didn't get a chance to say goodbye to her."
From the back bench, Daniela watched her grandmother silently wipe at her cheeks and saw the familiar glint in her father's eyes. The two stared at one another for what seemed like forever until she heard Teresa speak again.
"Goodbye, Lawrence."
Hanging up the phone, the woman slowly rose from her seat. Not looking back, she headed right out the door. Eric followed closely behind leaving Daniela and Jakob to share another worried look.
Maybe it was a mistake bringing her here.
She turned her attention to her father who didn't seem at all fazed, in fact, he looked almost the opposite as if a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.
/
After their tense visit, Daniela had decided to return home with her family. That way she could say goodbye to them in the morning as well as be close if any major developments with Ian occurred. The ride home had been relatively silent with Teresa in particular not saying a word.
They had been back for a little over two hours and since then, Teresa had been in her room. Not wanting to disturb her, they all gave her some space. They had no doubt she had a lot on her mind.
After catching up on some school-work, Daniela took a quick shower. She had needed it after the day she had had.
Walking back into her room, she took a seat in front of her mirror waiting for her hair to dry a bit more so she could brush it. She scrolled through her phone while she waited, hoping for an update on Ian. She knew that they were visiting him that afternoon and hoped that things would get sorted out as soon as possible. She didn't want him sitting in there alone.
After a few minutes had passed, Daniela unwrapped her hair from her towel and threw it over the back of a nearby chair. She picked her brush and was about to run it through when her phone buzzed.
She wasted no time picking it up. She paused, however, when she saw Lip's name light up her screen. It was a text but it still managed to make her chest pound.
L: Hey, just got back from seeing Ian. It was a bit rough but we're hoping to get him out by the middle of next week.
A smile crept onto Daniela's face at the news. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard to type a response. Hitting send, she leaned back on her bed and closed her eyes. She startled at the knock on her open door.
Turning to look at it, her face softened at the sight of Teresa.
"Hey," she said with a small smile. The woman returned it and gestured to her bed.
"Mind if I join you?"
Daniela nodded and moved over. "Sure."
The woman smiled to herself and made her way over, stopping to pick up Daniela's discarded brush. The bed dipped as she took a seat beside her. Without words, Daniela angled her back towards her grandmother, a small smile lighting up her face when she felt the brush gently run through her damp hair.
Teresa's ministrations were gentle and caring. The familiarity of it caused a thin sheen of tears to coat Daniela's eyes.
"Mom always used to do this," she said, her voice thick.
Behind her, Teresa made a small noise of humor.
"Your mother used to love when I brushed her hair. I did too. Even after she grew up, whenever she was feeling sad, she would say 'Mami, can you do my hair?' And I would. It would be just the two of us and I would do this and she would hum to me. Sometimes it was silent, sometimes she told me why she was upset.
The last time she asked me, it had been after a big fight." Teresa's movements slowed and her mouth thinned in reminder. "She wasn't sad, she was...anxious. It took her almost an hour until she finally told me about the boy she had been seeing." Hearing a sliver of amusement, Daniela slightly turned her head to the right. "A few months later, she was gone."
There was a brief moment of silence.
"When I heard that my Camille was gone-" Teresa cut herself off, her arm dropping to her lap. Daniela faced her fully, seeing the deep crease in her brow. "It was like a part of myself had died with her."
"Yeah, I know the feeling."
At that, Teresa's eyes shot up from her lap. She took in her granddaughter, a new sadness overtaking her.
"Losing her- my little girl- was punishment for all of these years," said Teresa, placing her clenched hands against her chest. Her head dropped forward and Daniela could see the tears leaking down her cheek, matching her own.
"I'm sorry," she said gaining the woman's attention. She sniffled. "I'm sorry for how I've been acting."
Teresa shook her head and grabbed her hands, stopping her.
"No. It's my fault." Gripping Daniela's hand tighter, her brow creased. "You were right. I wanted to believe that your father was a monster. I didn't want to believe that he had changed..." She raised a single finger. "But that man I saw today- he was unlike anything I knew before."
So it hadn't been a mistake.
Daniela eyed her with relief but still felt guilty.
"Regardless of how I felt, you didn't deserve to be spoken to that way."
"This is true," nodded Teresa, a twinkle in her eye so similar to her mother. "But maybe I needed to hear it. My biggest mistake was never fixing things with Camille, but I should never have let that affect my relationship with you." Pouting, she laid a hand on Daniela's cheek. "I'm sorry, mi cariño."
"There's nothing to forgive."
Teresa made a small noise before pulling Daniela into her chest. The girl's face crumpled as she let herself fall into the embrace. A part of her brain reminded her that this was as close to her mother as she would ever get again and, slowly, she felt something repairing itself inside of her.
But as she stayed there in her grandmother's arms, she realized that there was still one more thing to do.
/
Daniela stood at the base of the Gallagher's porch steps. Her hands were buried in the warmth of her coat pockets as she waited nervously.
At the sound of the door opening, she looked up. Lip emerged from the house in his usual coat. She had been in luck when she texted him as he was still at home with his family. Locking eyes with her, they shared a small smile.
"Hey," she said when he reached the bottom.
"Hey," nodded Lip, unable to knock the small grin off of his face.
Gesturing for her to go first, they started walking down the street.
"Thanks for meeting me."
"No problem," shrugged Lip glancing beside him. "How're things with your family?"
"We managed to sort things out," she nodded, a new smile on her lips. "It's weird. I never thought I would get to meet that side of my family and now it's like a huge door's been kicked down. It's like I'm getting to meet my mom all over again through them."
"I'm happy for you."
Daniela's smile widened before she nodded her chin. "How are you? How's your friend?"
Lip grinned at the question, glancing at his feet. "Last I checked he was trying to hook up with one of his nurses so I'd say he's doing okay."
"I'm glad," laughed Daniela as the pair fell into a comfortable silence. She looked out at the streetlights and cars lining the streets while Lip did the same beside her. It was clear that there was something unspoken between them but she had yet to build up the courage to say it.
When they reached the end of the second block, she slowed to a stop. Lip eyed her carefully under the light of the street lamp. She seemed to be having trouble figuring out where exactly to look and one glance at her pockets told him she was fiddling with something.
"You remember that time when you surprised me with all of those fireworks?" She began nervously.
Lip took a moment to think about it before nodding. "To make up for treating you like shit."
She bit her lip and nodded back. "Yeah, that. I think that night was the night I realized how I felt about you." She eyed him sheepishly, watching and waiting for his reaction.
Lip suddenly grew more serious and Daniela took that as a positive sign.
"This past year has probably been the shittiest year of my life. You broke my heart," she began, her voice cracking. Lip's eyes dropped for a moment but she cleared her throat and kept going. "And ever since then, I've been trying to figure out what the hell it is that I wanted and so I went out looking for it, but I found nothing." She frowned to herself, remembering her fling with Chris. It seemed like such a long time ago. "I tried to forget anything that I associated with you because every time I thought about Ian or Debbie or that night with the fireworks, all I could think about was how much I missed you."
Daniela took a deep breath and moved closer. Her eyes never wavered from Lip's who was quietly hanging on her every word.
"These last few months have meant a lot to me. That night meant a lot to me because it showed me that the Lip that I knew was still there. When you told me you loved me, something changed. And I don't know how this is going to work out, or even if it's going to work out but... I just know I that I don't want to look back twenty years from now regretting that I never took the chance just because I was scared," she finished with a shrug.
Lip's stare was heavy as he eyed her carefully.
"What're you saying?"
Daniela ducked her head and licked her lips.
"I don't fully trust you," she said. Lip watched her trying to decipher where her head was at. "Not yet. And I can't promise you that there won't be moments where I'm overprotective or insecure but…" She heaved a deep breath before the corners of her mouth lifted. "I love you too."
Instantly, Lip's shoulders sagged with relief as he pulled her towards him. One hand came to rest on her hip as his other thumb traced from her temple to her jaw. His gaze dropped to her mouth before he leaned in. Daniela grinned against his mouth, sinking into the kiss. She felt his arm tighten around her waist and angled her neck upwards to draw him in deeper.
Pulling away, the slightly breathless pair pressed their foreheads together. A small laugh escaped Lip's throat as he took her in. He couldn't believe it.
"I love you," he whispered, placing his hand on the back of her neck and drawing her in once more.
.
Hi!
I thought long and hard about how I was gonna tackle this chapter and settled on one long/er chapter this time and one much shorter chapter. So next one is super short but it's also the finale so that's cute!
