Chapter 66.

Hello! This chapter re-centres on Lip and Daniela.

Also, I always listen to music while I write and the main song on replay while I wrote this one was 'Give Me Something' by Seafret. I highly recommend it, especially in the second half of the chapter.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Shameless.


Debbie's departure had been another blow for Daniela.

Her leaving combined with the ensuing Winter Break meant that she had little else to distract herself with. Simon and Mandy were set to leave for Colorado by the end of the week and she was dreading it.

The time alone allowed her to reflect on what her dad had said. That, paired with her friends leaving, caused her to re-evaluate the relationships in her life; more importantly, one. Things between her and Lip, while relatively good, hadn't progressed much in terms of intimacy. They would still spend time together, but much of it consisted of them watching movies or hanging out at his house which never really carried the best atmosphere for intimacy.

She had tried, of course. A little touch here, a kiss there, but whenever she did, they'd quickly be interrupted by a Gallagher bursting into the house or Lip pulling away and changing the subject. Needless to say, their relationship had become stale. She felt somewhat ashamed at how much it affected her.

And so, she decided to do something about it.

Lip had given her a spare key to his dorm room which meant she was able to get in easily enough. She knew that since it was a Thursday, he'd have a Physics class last and would probably be held up with Youens for a couple of hours. That gave her more than enough time to get the place set up.

She set her bag on the bed. Her brow raised at the unmade bed and clutter around the room. Huffing, she stripped the bed, placing the old sheets into a plastic bag before replacing them with fresh ones she had bought him. She managed to find them in the small closet and swapped their place with the rubbish bag.

With the bed made, she got to work cleaning up the rest of the place. It wasn't awful. But it certainly wasn't orderly. Once she was finished, Daniela wiped the sweat from her brow. She grabbed the pack of electronic candles she had bought and began placing them around the room. She took a moment to check her phone. Lip would be back soon. She had to get moving.

She was connecting her phone to her portable speaker when she heard the door open. Spinning on foot, she watched as Lip came to a stop. A knot formed in his brow as he took in the candles, music and mood-lighting. Eventually, his eyes came to rest on Daniela. She flashed him a smile.

"Hey you." Crossing the room, she brought his face to hers.

Lip's movements were stilted somewhat at the sudden kiss. He quickly adjusted as a hand moved to rest on the small of her back. Absently, Daniela registered the taste of whiskey on his lips. She paid no mind to it, however, and pulled away.

"Hey," responded Lip, slightly breathless. A soft smile worked its way onto his face as he peered around the room again. "What's all this?"

Slyly, Daniela took his hand to pull him further into the room. He allowed it, dropping his bag to the side.

"I thought I'd do something nice for you," she shrugged. She settled onto the end of the bed, her hand still holding his.

Lip nodded. "Oh, right." He glanced to the left. "Are those real candles?"

"Oh no. I didn't wanna start a fire so I found some battery-operated ones at the store."

Lip nodded again. He wasn't sure what to say as his eyes returned to hers. She observed him with a small, humoured grin.

"Are you just gonna stand there all night?"

"Right." He sat down beside her and rested his hands on his thighs. "How was your day?"

Daniela shrugged. "It was okay. I went shopping with Mandy. She was doing a clean-out of all of her old stuff and wanted to get some new clothes for Colorado. You?"

This time, Lip shrugged. "Uh, the usual, you know. Just grading papers and dealing with Youens."

"He okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, he's fine." His hands rubbed against his thighs as he took in a long breath.

From the look on his face, Daniela knew that there was more to it but she didn't want to waste this opportunity any further. So instead, she allowed the courage given to her by a few shots beforehand to take hold.

Her hand found the underside of his jaw and used it to turn his body towards hers. Her lips met his. It took a moment before Lip responded. She angled her own body so that he would lean back onto the bed. Once he had, she swung a leg over to straddle him. Her neck dipped to deepen the kiss. Lip's hands rested on her hips as he registered her sudden movement to remove her shirt.

Daniela raised her head back up long enough to toss the fabric to the side. Her attention turned to Lip's neck where she began to pepper soft kisses across his skin. She felt his fingers dig into her waist and smirked.

"I missed you," she softly whispered. Her fingers trailed down the length of his abdomen, coming to a stop at the hem of his shirt.

Suddenly, Lip's hands covered hers. Daniela's head recoiled in confusion. She frowned down at him and saw the hesitation in his face. He didn't want this.

Blinking, she felt the bravery die in her stomach. She moved off of him to grab her discarded top. Her arms looped through the holes as she heard Lip sigh behind her. He was sitting up now.

He raked a hand through his messy hair. "I'm sorry."

Daniela chewed on her lower lip. "Is it me?" She asked quietly, avoiding his gaze which became withered by her question. It had been a nagging thought lately.

"No." Lip shook his head. "No, it's just-" He didn't finish. It didn't instil much confidence in Daniela. She glanced up to see him wracking his brain to find the right words. "It's just...not a good time."

"Well when is?" She responded instantly. "It's been months, Lip."

He nodded. "I know."

Daniela swallowed and sucked in a breath. "Sorry. I don't mean to push you."

"You're not," said Lip, shaking his head. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Another night, okay?"

Daniela nodded despite her deflated expression. Quietly, she wondered just how far into that future that night would be. She released a deep breath and raised her shoulders, managing a weak smile.

"Good thing I brought dinner."

Lip watched as she pushed herself up and crossed the room. A basket was on the floor beside his desk along with a blanket. He had noticed it upon his arrival but didn't think too much about what it was for.

Daniela knelt and began unpacking the foil-wrapped food. The smell of pasta filled the room, leaving his mouth watering. Lip felt his stomach rumble and moved to join her. She pulled out some garlic bread and salad as well as cutlery and plates. He accepted the ones she handed him. He observed her actions sadly and felt the guilt build in his belly.

"You make this?" He asked, hoping it would help to break the awkward silence.

Daniela nodded. "I had some spare time this afternoon." She said it is if it were nothing but they both knew it wasn't. She had done this on purpose. For him.

"It looks great."

Her eyes raised to meet his and he felt satisfied with the small smile that lit up her face.

"I got this too," said Daniela as she pulled out a bottle of wine. It was cheap but the woman at the store had assured her it would pair well with the tomato-based pasta she would be making.

She filled two plastic cups with the liquid. Passing one off to Lip, she raised hers.

"Cheers."

Their cups made a dull clink before they brought it to their lips. Immediately, their noses crinkled in disgust.

"Nope."

Lip nodded in agreement. "Yeah, definitely not."

Daniela grimaced and stared at the contents of her cup. She had never liked wine but for tonight, she figured it might've worked.

"Good thing I brought back-up." Reaching into the basket, she retrieved another bottle. With a flourish, she flashed it at Lip. He grinned.

"Much better," he nodded, grabbing another cup to fill with whiskey.

/

It was the night before Simon and Mandy were set to leave. In anticipation, Daniela and Ian had made a plan to stay over to help them with any last-minute packing. There wasn't a lot left. Most of their furniture had been put into storage leaving only boxes of clothes and personal items. Much of the afternoon was spent with the group reminiscing on old stories from high school, many of which took aim at Mandy and Daniela's frosty history. The women had simply rolled their eyes in tandem.

"What am I writing on this one?" Asked Daniela.

She squatted next to a box and pulled a black marker out of her pocket. With her teeth, she ripped off the cap.

Mandy glanced at her from the other corner of the room. She was knelt on the ground folding sweaters into another box.

"Oh just put it as 'Simon's baseball crap'."

Nodding, Daniela scribbled on the side of the cardboard. Recapping the marker, she grabbed the tape and sealed the box. A comfortable silence had lingered over the room as they worked to pack up the last of her friends' things. Neither had been happy however when the boys had decided to ditch them to go and get dinner, leaving them saddled with all of the work.

As they packed, Daniela couldn't help but notice her friend's quiet excitement. She knew this move meant a lot to her. It was a fresh start. She remembered a time when she had the same dream. Regardless, she knew Colorado would be good for Mandy; a place where she didn't have her father or the rest of her family to deal with.

"Have you told Mickey yet?"

Mandy nodded and labelled her box with 'Winter clothes'. "Yeah. I went to see him a few days ago." Their eyes met and Mandy shrugged. "He's happy for me. It's so surreal, you know? I never thought I'd get out of here."

Daniela's smile was weak. "Yeah."

"Is Lip coming by tonight?"

"Oh no, he's got some stuff to for his professor but he said he'll be here in the morning." Daniela chewed on the inside of her cheek, feeling the sting in her chest. He had agreed to come and help them finish up but had messaged her an hour before saying that something had come up. She didn't have the energy to ask what it was. She figured it was a lie anyway.

The sound of Mandy snorting caused her eyes to lift again.

"What?" Asked Daniela.

"I was just thinking about the old days. Back when I went out with Lip."

A small smile grew on Daniela's face. She tilted her head. "I don't know if I'd classify your guys' relationship as dating," she joked.

Mandy laughed again and shook her head. "Probably not. It was fun though when he wasn't always hung up over you or Karen." Her smile softened. "God, it all seems so long ago...I couldn't picture myself with anyone else but Simon now."

Daniela nodded in understanding. She remembered the outrage she had felt when she found out about her relationship with her friend. How it had been obvious that it was simply a tactic to get back at her. And then she had seen their relationship grow into something very, very real. Something that couldn't be disputed. She was glad.

"Did I tell you I almost burnt my uniform?"

Daniela's brow raised as she choked in surprise. "Huh?"

Mandy nodded, a wide grin painted on her face. "After I quit. I came home and ripped it off- God it felt so fucking good to be rid of that place. I was gonna burn it. One last fuck you to Waffle Cottage. But..." she shook her head. "I couldn't do it."

"Why not?" Frowned Daniela.

"I don't know. I guess I wanted to keep it. As a reminder, you know?" Mandy rolled her eyes. "All these years hanging around you and Simon has turned me sentimental."

That evoked a loud laugh from the other woman. Her fingers danced around the marker in her hand idly as another silence enveloped the room. She felt her expression turn more serious.

"I never hated you, you know." Her eyes connected with Mandy's. "Not really. I mean, you got under my skin more than I'd have liked. But I needed it."

"You're welcome."

"Wasn't a compliment."

Mandy's head tilted in contradiction. "Mm, sounded like one."

Daniela licked her bottom lip and continued. "Honestly, besides my mom, I've never had another girl around to talk to about stuff. Ian came close for a while but it wasn't the same."

"Me too," nodded Mandy after a beat.

Their heads swivelled at the sound of a knock on the open door. Simon grinned back at them, having heard their earlier laughter.

"Hey, the food's all set up downstairs." He tapped the doorframe before disappearing again.

The women shared a look, another quiet laugh escaping both of them. Daniela wiped her nose with the back of her hand and nodded her head towards the door.

"Let's go then."

Mandy mimicked her movements and followed her down to the kitchen.

/

A deep yawn ripped through Daniela. The sky was a dark blue; the sun having not risen yet. She carried a box in her arms as she helped load up the car. Ian overtook her as he balanced three in his arms. She rolled her eyes behind him.

He looked equally as tired as she felt. None of them had managed to get much sleep. They had spent most of the night talking until Simon realised he was supposed to be hitting the road in a few hours. It would be a long drive to Denver but they had plans to stop in Nebraska for the night. Mandy hadn't seemed as excited about that part, recalling their stay the first time she'd made the trip.

Daniela squeezed the box into the back of the minivan before standing back to dust her hands. Her eyes met Simon's mothers who offered her a gentle smile.

"Thank you, mija."

Accepting her side-hug, Daniela smiled back. Her relationship with the woman reminded her of her own mother sometimes, and she had always found comfort around her. Her eyes travelled to the real-estate sign at the front of the property. A red 'LEASED' sticker had been placed over it a few days ago.

Noticing her look, Simon's mom rubbed her arm reassuringly before stepping away. She headed back into the house, leaving Daniela alone. She looked over her shoulder to where Ian and Mandy were talking. He was resting on the edge of the trunk as the woman loaded in her bags. A small grin worked its way onto Daniela's face at the thought that her uniform was most likely in one of them.

Eventually, Simon and his mother emerged from the house for the last time.

"That's everything," he said.

Daniela felt the dread build in her stomach. It had lingered there through much of the night. Now it was all-consuming as Simon's mother headed towards her. They shared a warm hug and Daniela wished her all the best with her mother.

Pulling away, she saw Ian saying goodbye to Mandy. She moved to Simon who lingered a few feet away. Her mouth twisted. Their eyes connected before he opened his arms for her. She latched onto him tightly and felt the tears prick at her eyes.

"Hey," his voice muttered into her hair. "Remember when you dared me to chug all those milkshakes that one time?"

Daniela laughed at the reminder and nodded. It had been their second date. "And you neglected to tell me you were lactose-intolerant?"

Simon huffed a laugh. "Mildly intolerant," he stressed. "The rest of the night spent on the toilet was worth it though." Hearing a sniffle, he squeezed her tighter.

"I'm gonna miss you," she whispered.

Pulling apart, she released a deep breath. She turned her head to see Ian and Mandy standing by watching, having already finished their goodbyes. The redhead came over to clap Simon on the shoulder before the two embraced.

Daniela felt her heart pound as she walked towards Mandy. Neither said anything at first. She wasn't sure either of them had the emotional strength to do so without breaking. Chancing a look at the other woman, Daniela felt a shred of relief that Mandy seemed to be in the same state of mind.

Stepping forward, their arms circled around each other and, suddenly, neither could let go. They clung to one another and Daniela registered the wet sensation of tears against her neck. She had no doubt Mandy was covered in her own.

To the side, Simon and Ian watched. They wiped at their noses. Ian could hear muffled words being passed between the two but not well enough to make any of them out. It was a little longer before they also pulled apart, laughing at their messy state.

The pair then joined them by the car as Simon's mom called out that they'd better hit the road. Mandy turned to look at Daniela. They shared a sad smile. Squeezing her arm, the Milkovich pulled open the back door and got in. Simon did the same on the passenger's side.

The remaining pair lingered to the side of the road. She registered Ian's arm wrapping around her back and leaned into his chest. Reaching into her pocket, she quickly checked her phone. There was nothing new from Lip. Her jaw clenched as she shoved it back into her jacket.

The infamous minivan's engine roared to life. It reversed away from the curb and into the street before stopping. Daniela frowned until she saw Simon rolling down the window. He poked his head out with a grin.

"I love you, guys!"

Ian and Daniela erupted into laughter from their spot on the grass. Through the window, they could see Mandy smiling behind him. She waved at them as Daniela blew all of them kisses. Simon's mom honked the horn a few times in farewell before the car carried on down the street.

They continued to wave until they couldn't make out the shape of it anymore.

/

Saying goodbye to two of her closest friends had left Daniela mentally and emotionally drained. She couldn't help but feel that something had shifted. It was indescribable. For what seemed like forever now, it was like all she ever went through was pain.

She thought back to when she lost her mom. The trauma from that ordeal had lingered for so long that there had been plenty of times when Daniela wondered if she would ever be over it. But, slowly, it had happened. All of those dark emotions had moulded over the years into a quiet acceptance. No longer did she focus on the bad times, but the good.

So when she miscarried, Daniela had found comfort in the fact that one day, the grief she felt would also pass. And she would be stronger because of it. While it was still difficult, she knew herself better this time around. But lately, she wondered if she had moved on too quickly.

The thought scared her.

The rational part of her brain told her that it had been more than four months and that that was a reasonable amount of time to grieve. And yet, she wondered.

Her attempt to rekindle things with Lip had failed. She had told herself that it wasn't her fault. That he hadn't turned her down because he wasn't interested in her anymore. She knew he was still going through the motions and she didn't want to rush him either. But she couldn't deny the fact that she missed him.

She missed them.

Since that night, he'd been more distant than what had become normal. It chewed her up inside. In some ways, she felt angry. Angry that he wouldn't just tell her what was going on in his head. Growing up, he had taken the mantle of head patriarch in his family and that meant there were a boatload of responsibilities to take on. With that, however, also came an inability to open up. It was one of the things that frustrated Daniela the most about him.

That morning, when he hadn't shown up at Simon's, she had felt that anger build even more. These were their friends. The very people who had helped them out over the years. Hell, he had even dated Mandy. She hadn't messaged him to ask where he was, because she didn't think it was her job to do it anymore. But when he hadn't contacted her for the remainder of the day, or the day after that, she had grown worried.

And so she found herself climbing the stairs of his house.

Her head peered around the wall. Lip laid on his back in bed staring up at the ceiling. His hair was wet and he was shirtless, indicating that he'd just showered. He was clearly deep in thought as he continuously threw a baseball up in the air before catching it.

"Hey," she said, gaining his attention.

Lip's eyes snapped to hers. The ball fell back into his hand where it stayed.

"Hey."

Slightly hesitant, Daniela crossed the room. Lip shifted over as she joined him on the bed. Her head sunk into the pillow with a short exhale. She felt his gaze on her and slowly turned her head to meet it. Neither said anything. It wasn't long before they both wore matching smiles.

Daniela's was the first to crack as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Where were you yesterday?"

The question caused Lip's eyes to fall shut. "Shit," he exhaled. "I'm sorry. I got held up with Youens. I was supposed to call."

Daniela's mouth thinned. Her gut instinct was that it wasn't the whole truth. But it was the closest they'd been to holding a normal conversation in weeks and she wasn't looking to ruin it anytime soon.

Lip studied her carefully. Seeing that she had accepted his answer, he went back to tossing the ball.

"How were they when they left?"

Daniela shrugged, her own eyes fixating on the movement of it. "Okay. A little emotional."

It had all felt so final. No longer would they be there at the drop of a hat whenever she needed them. But she wasn't resentful. They were all grown up now, and this was just part and parcel of being an adult.

Lip's fingers curled around the ball. Shaking his head, he turned onto his side.

"I'm sorry," he repeated genuinely.

Daniela managed a weak smile. "It's okay. Simon thinks there's a good chance they'll be back by next Summer."

Her words didn't convince either of them.

Lip draped a hand over her hip, using his position to pull her into him. She allowed it and curled against him. She felt his steady breaths on her hair.

They laid there in silence for a long time. Despite the quiet however, Lip could all but hear Daniela's mind thinking intensely. He waited.

"Are we okay, Lip?" Her voice was timid.

It shattered him. His jaw clenched as his grip on her tightened. He hoped it would comfort her a bit more.

"Of course we are."

"I just...I just don't want this to be us forever." Lifting her head, Daniela stared at him. He caught the sheen in her eyes as she gulped. "I don't want this to be the thing that breaks us. And I'm not sure how much longer I can take walking on eggshells."

Lip nodded slowly, absorbing each word. "I know."

"I just want us to go back to how we were before," said Daniela. Her bottom lip was swollen from how much she had been chewing on it. "And I know that's impossible but we have to try. We need to try, Lip."

Feeling courage build in her chest, Daniela shifted upwards. Her lips captured his. And in that one kiss, she tried to convey every possible emotion she had for him. Every thought and fear she'd ever had. Every moment she felt her love for him grow stronger. She needed him to know. She needed him to understand.

She needed him.

Lip's fingers dug into her hips as his mouth worked against hers. He felt it, and it was like the lights had been switched on again. One hand trailed up her body to curl around her neck. He used it to draw her further into him.

Daniela's leg moved to wrap around him and suddenly he was above her. She pressed herself against him as a soft moan escaped her. It fuelled Lip's desire even more.

He was consciously aware of her shimmying both of their pants down. He released a low exhale into her mouth at the feel of her hand wrapping around him.

"Please," whispered Daniela.

Lip required no further insistence.

His head dipped into her shoulder at the feel of her around him. Daniela's body was practically vibrating beneath him and he knew she needed this desperately. So did he.

They began to move in tandem, both familiar with the other's body. Lip's short pants of breath mixed with her quiet moans. The leg wrapped firmly around him continued to draw him in even deeper. Her hand found his jaw and pulled his mouth back to hers. The fingers that trailed his arms left his skin ignited and he almost finished right then and there.

His pace quickened and from the sounds she was making, he knew she was nearly there too.

Daniela's nails dug into his back, eliciting another guttural groan from him. Her own back began to arch off of the bed as her breath quickened. Lip maintained the pace until he felt her clench around him.

Daniela pulled him into another searing kiss, using it to muffle her final moan. Immediately, Lip felt himself come undone. His eyes clenched tightly.

Spent, he bowed his head so that it was on her chest. He could hear her heart pounding and he was sure his was going just as fast. Daniela's ensuing laugh reverberated in his ear.

Lip lifted his head. His eyes connected with hers as he took in her soft smile. He wished he had a camera to capture how breathtaking it was.

Daniela's lashes fluttered as she shifted some hair out of his face. She felt Lip lift himself off of her. His hands gripped her waist, turning her onto her side while he settled on his back. She released an elated sigh and returned to her usual spot curled up against him.

And, as she laid there in his arms, for the first time in a long time, she felt content.


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Thank you to those who left reviews on the last chapter and to those who are still finding this story. It felt good writing some happiness for Lip and Daniela again.

Let me know what you thought!