Chapter 60.

SORRY! Life, as I'm sure for all of you too, has been chaotic. I can't describe how guilty I've felt this past year with neglecting this story but, unfortunately, my muse was well and truly dead.

Miraculously, however! I have managed to pull together an update for you all.

Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Shameless.


It was early in the morning when Daniela awoke from another night of restless sleep. Her bedsheets laid crinkled beneath her; evidence of her tossing and turning. She couldn't recall the last time she had slept in intervals longer than two hours.

She released a frustrated sigh at the realisation that there was little chance of her getting back to sleep. So, instead, she reached for her phone. Opening the lock screen, she saw that it was nearing 6:30. She felt her stomach curl and a cold shiver passed through her.

Pushing herself up, she made her way to the bathroom, making sure to grab a towel on the way. She hurried inside, closing the door behind her and twisting the shower handle on seconds before she felt the bile rise.

Daniela kneeled tiredly in front of the toilet as the scraps of whatever food she had eaten the night before emptied themselves from her body. She tried her hardest to stay quiet and hoped that the running shower would help to conceal it. Given that it was a weekend, she had chosen to stay home with her dad and the last thing she wanted was for him to find out about her situation.

Groaning, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and flushed the toilet. She made her way back to the shower. Slowly, she peeled off her clothes before climbing in. The hot water was a relief against her skin and she allowed her head to tilt back to fully savour it. Looking down, she felt her chest clench. Ever since her positive test, she had taken to subconsciously judging any changes in her stomach. Her eyes narrowed as she placed a hand over it. It didn't look any different but there was a new sensation she couldn't quite describe.

Daniela had never really considered the thought of children. Sure she had past experience with her babysitting and she loved the Gallagher kids but this was something else entirely. Where she grew up, she was lucky to not already have a baby on her arm. She knew plenty of girls who became statistics during high school and had managed to beat it.

It didn't help that her relationship with Lip, while positive, was still relatively fresh. While it had been a few months, she didn't see a baby as being a positive addition for their dynamic and she was still trying to work through her lingering trust issues with him. He, of course, continuously proved himself to be a changed man and she had seen first hand through his relationship with Karen that he could be more than capable of being a good father.

Daniela wasn't an idiot. She knew Lip was upset about her decision before she had even told him. And while there was a part of her that wondered what it would be like, she knew she had to remain rational.

Switching off the shower, she took her time getting dressed. She ran a comb through her wet hair and checked to see that she'd only been awake for just over an hour. She blew out a breath, spying the reminder she had set in her calendar earlier that week.

Doctor's appointment: 10 AM.

Daniela's stomach filled with dread.

After her positive blood test, the doctor had recommended a dating scan and had pencilled her in for an appointment two weeks later. Today was that day. The day she'd see the baby for the first time.

She pondered her mixed feelings of the matter as she headed downstairs.

"Bruno, sitz."

Daniela followed the sound of her father's voice into the kitchen; a small smile creeping onto her face at the sight of her father trying to train the stray that had been hanging around the shop for the past three weeks. It had been a surprise when she visited her dad a few days before only to be greeted by the same dog sniffing at her legs.

"I see you finally named him," she said, announcing her arrival. Lawrence looked up from the dog as Daniela passed him to fill a bowl with cereal.

Her father hummed in agreement, reaching to scratch under the dog's chin. "Figured I may as well. Doesn't look like anyone else is gonna claim him."

Tearing off a piece of bacon, Lawrence pinched it between the pads of his fingers, grinning at the way Bruno's ears perked up at the sight of it.

"Sitz," he repeated.

Daniela chewed on her cereal and watched as the dog quickly did as he was told. The sound of his jaw snapping open and closed to catch the falling bacon elicited a quiet laugh from the both of them and Lawrence scratched the top of his head.

"Good boy." Turning his attention to his daughter, he sipped at his coffee. "What are you doing today?"

Daniela shrugged. "Not much. Probably stop in and see Ian and then head back into the city. You?"

Much like his daughter, the man shrugged. "I'm going into the shop later to finish up a bike for Brad. Then I'll take this one to the vet. Get him checked out."

Daniela looked at Bruno. His coat was black with tanned fur around his mouth, on his chest, and the bottom of his legs. His frame was naturally thin but it was obvious he hadn't been eating properly for a long time. Sadly, she eyed his left ear where a small part of its top had been cut. Despite this, he seemed to be in good spirits- a feat she thought would be good for her dad. While they had never owned any pets growing up, she did know of her father's soft spot for dogs, and she quietly felt better knowing her father wasn't at home alone from now on.

Having finished her cereal, she made her way to the sink to give it a quick clean. She checked her phone to see that she still had another two hours before her appointment.

"I better head off," she announced.

Lawrence nodded, accepting the kiss on his cheek from his daughter. Daniela grabbed her coat and bag, making sure to give Bruno a goodbye scratch before heading out.

It didn't take her long to reach the Gallagher house. Walking in, she made her way to the kitchen, spotting Debbie in the midst of her breakfast.

"Morning," greeted Daniela.

Debbie's head raised from her phone, a smile lighting up her face at the sight of her. The two hadn't seen each for over a month.

"El!" Scraping her seat back, she stood to meet the woman in a hug. Daniela laughed into it before pulling away.

"Everyone still asleep?"

Debbie nodded, sitting back down to finish her meal. "I think so."

Daniela slid into the seat across from her, her eyes observing the young girl. Noticing the attention, Debbie followed her gaze to her stomach, now concealed by the table. She shuffled in her chair and felt her happy mood sour slightly.

"So you heard."

Daniela nodded slowly. "I did."

Debbie sighed and placed down her spoon. "So you know I'm keeping it."

The statement caused a look of confliction to mar Daniela's face. Her mouth pinched tightly as she tried to figure out what to say to that. As she stared across at Debbie, all she could see was the little girl she had babysat a few times as a teenager. The same girl who had hit Frank with a pillowcase full of soap and who had dragged her to the other side of town to track down Jimmy's mom.

"Are you sure about this, Debs?" She finally asked; the question coming out as a quiet murmur.

In many ways, she had hoped that this whole pregnancy angle was just a cry for attention. A way for her family to notice her amongst all of their own drama that had built up over the years. And in a way she understood her. Ian was battling his bipolar, Fiona was finally trying to get past her years of mistakes, Lip was at college, and Carl was a gangbanger. But, as she observed the girl in-person, she realised that she was actually very much serious about it.

It made her stomach sink.

"Absolutely."

"Okay." Daniela wet her bottom lip. "You say that now but I really think you need to think about this."

"What's there to think about?" Asked Debbie, her face resolute. "I want this."

Daniela released a terse breath and shook her head. "That may be true but babies aren't exactly easy to take care of. Especially at your age."

"Did Fiona put you up to this?" The girl's eyes narrowed in anger. She scoffed under her breath. "I should've known she would."

"Hold on, Fiona didn't ask me to do anything. I'm just asking solely because I care about you, and I want you to make sure you've properly thought things through. Have you even thought about how you're going to take care of the baby?" Daniela stressed. "Things like diapers, clothes, toys- they're not cheap. And what about school- or getting a job? Who's going to look after the baby when you can't?"

Debbie shook her head but it was clear her words were having an effect on her. Still, her stubbornness endured.

"I'm not getting rid of my baby."

"Debs-"

"Buenos días, my beautiful progeny!"

Both girl's heads turned to see Frank stepping in through the kitchen door. His arms were wide as he addressed the room before quickly realising they were the only ones there. Daniela rolled her eyes at the man's interference and watched as he moved to softly hold Debbie's stomach.

"And good morning to you, little Gallagher," he said, emulating something akin to a baby's voice. Raising his eyes, he smiled at Debbie. "You ready to go, squirt?"

Glancing at Daniela, the girl nodded and stood.

"Where are you going?" Frowned Daniela.

"Doctor's appointment," was Debbie's clipped answer.

As her and Frank made their exits, Daniela sunk into her seat; her eyes falling shut in exhaustion. Vaguely, she registered the sound of feet coming down the stairs.

"Hey," said Ian.

Opening her eyes, Daniela looked him over. She hadn't heard much from him since his fight with Lip. He didn't seem to be holding any grudges though.

"Hey. You good?"

Ian shrugged. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, maybe because the last time I saw you, you were trying to choke Lip?" She turned in her chair to see him going through the cupboards in search of something.

"I'm over that," said Ian as he pulled out a large mixing bowl. Placing it on the counter, he raised his eyes to meet Daniela's. "You know how to make snickerdoodles?"

She blinked, having not expected that question. "Are you baking?"

"Yeah. Thought I'd do something for the fire station."

Now she was intrigued.

"Why?"

Ian shrugged again, grabbing a few eggs from the fridge. "I don't know. Just figured it would be a nice thing to do, you know. Give back to the community and all that."

Daniela nodded, observing him carefully. She stood from her seat, crossing the short distance to the counter where she fixed him with a serious look.

"Ian." She waited for his eyes to meet hers. "Are you okay? I know you told me not to worry, and I'm trying my hardest not to, but you're making it a little difficult right now."

She watched as he took in a deep breath.

"I'm fine, El." Ian conjured up a small smile that offered her some reassurance. "Really. Truth is, I'm making these so I can thank the guys at the station."

Leaning forward to rest on her forearms, Daniela frowned. "Why?"

"Because they saved my life a few nights ago." Ian watched his friend's face fill with surprise before it was instantly replaced with concern.

"What?"

"I went for a walk- needed to clear my head. Saw these cars collide on the bridge. Fucking asshole got out of the car and ran off. I went to go check on the lady in the other car...I could see the fire starting in her engine."

"Holy shit, Ian..."

"I got her out. Granted I ended up inhaling a fuck ton of smoke in the process, but." He shrugged. "I kinda blacked out after that. Came to and saw this firefighter kneeling over me."

"Oh my God," said Daniela in amazement. "You're like a hero."

Her comment caused him to snort, in turn making her laugh.

"No, no-"

"Yes, Ian!" Daniela made her way around the counter to stand in front of him. "You saved that woman's life. That's amazing."

Ian's smile lingered at her words as his eyes caught sight of Fiona coming down the stairs. Judging by the look on his face, it was evident he still hadn't patched things up with her.

"Hey El," greeted Fiona warmly. "You just get here?"

Daniela nodded. "Yeah, I was just about to go check on Lip. Is he up?"

"Yeah, he just got in the shower."

Turning back to her friend, she squeezed his arm before heading upstairs. She passed by the bathroom door and heard the water running just as Fiona had said. Checking her phone, she saw that they still had a decent amount of time before they had to leave for the clinic.

Daniela's feet carried her to the bed where she chose to lay down. She felt exhausted. The changes in her body paired with the lack of sleep left her feeling like she was running on auto-pilot. Her fingers fiddled idly with each other across her belly as she waited for Lip to finish up in the shower.

Sure enough, five minutes later, she heard the water turn off followed by him walking in with a towel around his waist.

"Oh hey," he greeted when he saw her.

Registering his presence, Daniela sat up and placed her legs over the side of the bed.

"You take the train in?" Asked Lip as he rifled through his clothes.

"No, I stayed at my dad's."

He frowned, casting a quick look at her over his shoulder. "Really? You should've texted me. I could've come over."

"I didn't get there till late," answered Daniela with a short shrug. "I didn't wanna wake you." Taking a breath, she busied herself with a rubber stress ball sitting on his side-table while Lip finished getting changed.

He pulled on his jeans as he addressed her again. "You feeling okay? You know..."

Daniela chewed on her lip but nodded nevertheless. "Yeah, I'm fine. Kinda wish I got more sleep though. I feel like a zombie."

A smile worked its way onto Lip's face as he sat beside her. "What, you nervous?"

He watched her shrug.

"A little," she said. "I guess I don't really know what to expect."

"That makes two of us," quipped Lip with a raised brow; his comment causing Daniela to frown.

"Really? I guess I just figured with Karen..."

"No." Lip shook his head. "She was too much of a cunt to let me go with her to any appointments. Guess it was for the better in hindsight though, right?"

Daniela nodded in agreement, the memories of that time not something she wanted to relive. Her hand reached into the pocket of her jeans to retrieve her phone. She saw that they had an hour until their appointment.

"We better get going," she told Lip. He nodded in agreement and rose from the bed with her.

As she made her way to the door, she felt his hand circle around her wrist. She looked over her shoulder in curiosity as he gently coaxed her back towards him. Lip regarded her with a small smile as her body pressed against his. Meanwhile, Daniela felt her stomach do flips as he brought her lips forward to graze his.

"There." He said resolutely. "Now we can go."

Huffing a quiet laugh, Daniela shook her head and allowed his fingers to lace with hers as they made their way back down into the kitchen.

"Surprise! It's me again. Cousin Fiona, hoping you can explain the eviction notice from the sheriff's department?"

The couple shared a confused look, having overhead the woman. Fiona rolled her eyes as she was put through to voicemail. Heading towards them, she handed Lip the notice for him to look over.

"The fuck?" He muttered under his breath. Beside him, Daniela shared the same thought. Her eyes skimmed over the paper to see what the reason for the eviction was.

"...so if you could call us back when you have a minute, that would be swell. Thanks, Patrick."

Fiona ended the voicemail with a tired sigh before pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"72-hours to vacate the premises?" Said Lip. "What's that about?"

"Beats me," shrugged Fiona.

"We got any flour?" Asked Ian, clearly disregarding the current topic of conversation.

"Debbie used it as a fake baby."

Beside her, Daniela registered Lip's annoyance with his brother.

"Yo, Chef Boyardee, any chance you can help Fiona deal with Patrick?"

"No, working later." Ian's attention didn't stray from his phone where he seemed to be reading the ingredients needed for his cookies. Quietly, Daniela realised that Ian was not at all 'over it'.

As Ian stepped out to ask the Honduran squatters in the backyard if they had the needed ingredients, Lip turned to his girlfriend.

"I think he's still pissed at me."

Daniela shrugged. "He's probably just distracted. I'll explain later but we probably should go."

Nodding, Lip got up from the table.

"Where are you two going?" Asked Fiona causing the pair to look at each other.

"Uh, I need him for this practical I'm doing in class," answered Daniela, the lie managing to roll off of her tongue with ease. "Health stuff, you know."

"Yeah," nodded Lip. "I probably won't be back until tonight but give me a call if you need anything."

"Will do," said Fiona as she lifted her coffee to her lips.

/

Daniela sucked in a terse breath.

She and Lip were sat at the clinic waiting for her name to be called. Glancing beside her, she took in Lip's hunched over position. His elbows rested on his knees, and she spied the bouncing of his leg.

He was nervous too.

The thought helped to calm her slightly. Quietly, she registered the sensation of her bladder. Per her doctor's instructions, she had chugged a bottle of water on the way to the clinic. Apparently, it helped with the ultrasound.

"Daniela Kaufman?"

Her eyes lifted at the call of her name. She shared a quick look with Lip who placed a hand around her arm as they stood. She registered that the doctor was the very same one who had given her the test results two weeks prior.

Upon recognising Daniela, the woman smiled before gesturing for the couple to follow her.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

Lip's hand came to rest on the small of her back as they entered the room. His eyes lingered on the bed before turning to Daniela.

"Good," was her response. "A little tired."

The doctor nodded before fixing her attention on Lip.

"I'm Dr Stuart," said the woman. "Are you the father?"

"Uh, yeah. Lip." He accepted her courteous handshake.

"Nice to meet you. Now, Daniela, if you'd like to hop up on the bed."

Following her orders, Daniela sat on the surface before lifting her legs up so that she could lie back. She watched with thinly-veiled curiosity as the doctor collected a bottle of gel and rolled a small stool over to her. She placed it down.

"So, before we get started- just a few routine questions. When was your last period?"

"Um, I'm not sure. Maybe a little less than two months ago?"

"And have you ever been pregnant before?"

Daniela shook her head. "No."

"Are you taking any medications?"

She tilted her head. "I was on the pill but, obviously didn't turn out well."

The doctor nodded. "Okay, and did you stop after you suspected you might be pregnant?" At Daniela's short nod, the woman continued. "Good." Turning her head, she pressed a few buttons on the machine beside the bed. "Did you have any questions for me?"

Daniela shook her head as Lip leaned forward in his seat.

"So what exactly are we gonna see today?" He asked, frowning slightly.

"Well, first we'll do an abdominal scan to see whether the embryonic sac is in the uterus. And, of course, hopefully a heartbeat."

"And if you don't?" Questioned Daniela, feeling a slight trepidation build in her chest.

The doctor simply offered her a reassuring smile.

"Hopefully, that won't be the case. But if the abdominal scan isn't very clear, we'll proceed with a transvaginal ultrasound." Her hand moved to grab the gel and she kindly ordered Daniela to lift up her shirt before squirting it onto her belly.

Daniela felt her skin flinch slightly at the cold sensation. Her eyes focused on the screen which was being carefully observed by the older woman as she slowly moved the wand across her stomach. Beside her, she registered Lip shifting closer.

The room was silent as the doctor searched for the right angle. She clicked a button, her brow furrowed in concentration. On the bed, Daniela was afraid to breathe.

Eventually, a small smile worked its way onto the woman's face.

"There you are," she said. The couple craned their necks to try and catch a glimpse of the screen. To help them, the doctor rotated it.

Daniela felt her breath hitch.

There, in all its glory, was the little sac she knew would form into a baby. Her baby.

"It looks like a peanut," muttered Daniela, not even registering herself saying the words. Lip caught them anyway; the comment causing him to laugh quietly. She felt his hand tighten around hers.

"It does."

His voice caused her brows to knot lightly and she turned her neck to look at him. His eyes were planted firmly on the screen. He wore a small grin that caused a sharp stabbing pain in her chest. Suddenly, she felt guilty. Guilty that she had asked him to come along knowing that he would have this reaction.

"-and here...is the heartbeat." Again, the doctor pushed a button and, within seconds, a deep bass sounded out in the room.

For the thousandth time that day, Daniela's chest clenched. Only, this time, it wasn't in fear. Her eyes were rooted firmly on the screen taking in the sight of the peanut. She felt her breaths draw themselves out and the rhythm of their hearts beat in sync for a few seconds. Beside her, she heard a shock-filled laugh fall from Lip. He was still gripping her fingers and his hold seemed to constantly tighten with excitement.

Her mouth thinned as the doctor rotated the wand around to gain a clearer image.

"Judging by the size of the embryo, I'd say you're very close to eight weeks pregnant."

Daniela's eyes widened. "Really?"

Her doctor nodded; her eyes never leaving the screen. "Which lines up with your last cycle."

Daniela observed the woman's face, noticing her slight frown. "Is everything okay?"

Lip, who had been enamoured by the image, turned his attention to her. Her mouth was thin as she pulled out a calendar.

"The baby's heartbeat is stable but slightly slower than is normal for this stage of the pregnancy."

Daniela's body went cold.

"And?" She heard herself ask, a very clean sound of fear evident in her voice.

Her doctor inhaled deeply and met her gaze. "While it's not uncommon, it can be something that needs to be monitored in the coming weeks."

"Is there anything we can do to help it?" Asked Lip, equally worried.

"I would recommend another scan at the end of the month. By then, you should be nearing the second trimester and I'll be able to get a better look at the baby's development. " Switching off the machine, she placed the wand to the side and grabbed some paper towels to clean Daniela's belly. "Until then, I'd suggest maintaining a healthy diet, as well as some non-strenuous exercise. And, of course, trying to reduce stress levels as much as possible."

Daniela nodded, sucking in a deep breath. Her eyes rested on Lip who regarded her carefully. His hand came to graze against her hairline; the motion causing her to smile softly.

"Hey, doc. Is there any chance we could get a copy of the scan?"

At his question, the woman nodded with a smile. "Of course. I snapped a few images during the scan." She turned her attention to the computer beside her. "I can have them emailed to you or print them if you'd prefer a physical copy."

"Could we get both?" Asked Daniela.

Again, her doctor nodded. "Sure thing."

As she procured the images from the scan, Daniela turned her head to regard Lip silently. Her breathing felt slightly laboured- no doubt the result of the mix of emotions she had just endured. His smile seemed almost permanent as the doctor crossed to the other side of the room where the small printer was.

She glanced down at the fingers laced with hers; the familiar burning sensation in her nose alerting her of the formation of unshed tears. And as she watched him tenderly look over the photo of the baby - their baby - she felt her heart clench, and the first drop leave her eyes.


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Again, I'm so sorry for leaving you hanging for so long. I'm already at work on the next two chapters. I do have other pressing matters like assignments which will (obviously) take precedent but I'll try my best to get another chapter out by next week.

Thank you to everyone still interested in this story, and I hope you're all keeping safe and healthy.

xx

p.s: Bruno is a Beauceron if anyone is interested...

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