Chapter 67.
Bienvenue! We've arrived at the end of season six. I hope you enjoy and that you're continuing to stay safe and healthy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Shameless.
Eventually, the pair had drifted off to sleep. Daniela, still nestled against Lip, was the first to wake. Her eyes blinked open and a frown formed at the distant sound of someone yelling. Feeling her move, Lip began to stir beneath her. They shared a groggy look before he also registered the voice.
"Is that?"
Daniela nodded. It definitely sounded like her.
Suddenly intrigued, the pair quickly got to work re-dressing themselves. They made their way through the hall and down the stairs. Their footsteps slowed and their eyes widened at the sight of Fiona and Sean helping Debbie inside. The girl released a pained groan as Lip looked at his older sister.
"Holy shit is she having the baby?"
On cue, Debbie doubled over. "Argh!"
Fiona panicked as she led them over to the sofa. "Fuck, quick! Put her on the couch!"
"All right, all right." Kev, who had followed them in along with V and Svetlana, clapped his hands together. "I'll go get my truck so we can drive to the hospital."
"No!" Yelled Debbie. Sweat clung to her forehead as her face crinkled in pain. "No hospitals!"
"We don't have time to argue," said Fiona, pushing her back down.
Veronica positioned herself at Debbie's feet. Lifting her skirt, her eyes widened. "No shit. This baby is coming now."
The colour drained from Fiona's face. "Now?"
"She's crowning," nodded Veronica adamantly.
Grimacing, Daniela slunk behind Lip. "Oh fuck."
"Quick! Who delivered Liam?"
"Monica," answered Lip. His gaze darted between his two sisters uncomfortably. "She was high. He slid right out."
At that, Fiona told them to go and find a woman living down the street who was a nurse. Daniela had been the first to volunteer, wanting to get as far away as she could before Veronica informed them that the woman was now serving time at Cook County for shooting her husband.
Frazzled, Fiona stared at Lip for a moment. Her attention moved past his shoulder.
"El?"
Daniela blinked. "Huh?" Looking around, she saw that everyone's attention was now on her. Her head retracted as she shook her head furiously.
"Surely you must've covered this in one of your classes."
She had. But that didn't mean she trusted her own capabilities. And it was hardly groundbreaking stuff. There had been one or two practicals throughout the course but nothing that gave her the confidence to believe she could deliver a baby right this second.
Fiona offered her a pleading look. "Please."
Daniela locked eyes with Lip. He gave her a nod that caused her to gulp. Her spine straightened. "Fine. But V has to help."
The other woman's eyes bulged. "What?"
"You worked at a nursing home!" Replied Daniela.
"Changing bed pans! I never delivered a damn baby!"
"Then that makes two of us." She nodded to herself. "Okay, we need to get her on a flat surface."
"Upstairs?"
Debbie shook her head. "No!"
"Yeah," nodded Veronica in agreement. "With the way this baby is coming, we don't wanna risk it squirting out and bumping its head down the stairs."
Daniela would have laughed at that if she didn't feel like her legs were about to give way. Instead, she shook her head.
"Kitchen." Immediately, Fiona and Lip helped Debbie up while Kev and Veronica rushed to clear everything off of the dining table. Daniela trailed behind all of them, veering off to the sink so she could thoroughly wash her hands. "I need towels!"
She heard footsteps disappear up the stairs.
Kev pulled out his phone. "I'll call the ambulance."
"And clothespins!" Called Daniela as he moved to leave. "I need clothespins!"
"I'll get those too," he nodded. Hastily, he crossed behind them all to whip open the kitchen door.
"Here are the towels," said Lip. He handed them off to Veronica who took them with a muttered thanks. "Just quickly put them under there to catch all of the-" his hands flailed in disgust as he retreated to the fridge. "Fuck, just put 'em under!"
Daniela stood next to Veronica who had just finished setting Debbie up as best she could. Her brow raised as she stared at what was definitely a head. The women shared a brief look followed by a nod.
"Okay, baby we're gonna start pushing!" Said Veronica once Debbie made it clear that another contraction was coming on.
Nodding, Debbie propped herself up at the other end of the table. They could see the fear in her eyes but it was quickly dimmed by Fiona gripping her hand. With a nod of encouragement, the girl began to push. Her head tilted back in pain as she released a guttural scream. Daniela glanced at Lip who visibly cringed at the sound of it.
Returning to Debbie, she saw the head emerging and quickly ordered Debbie to take a breath. The girl's face was beet red and the sweat was now dripping down her face.
Noticing her energy diminish, Veronica offered her some advice. "When I was having my girls, the doc told me to do three quick pants and then one long blow, okay?" Her cheeks puffed in demonstration.
"I'm gonna do it with you, okay?" Said Fiona. She gripped Debbie's hand tighter as she went for her second push.
It was several more tense minutes of labour. With each push, the head emerged, followed by the neck until there were only a few inches left to go. More words of hurried encouragement were given as the shoulders finally came through, allowing Veronica to grab hold of them.
"Open your legs a little more, Debs!" Instructed Daniela.
Immediately, her eyes bulged as a mess of fluid and flesh spilled into Veronica's arms. No-one moved for a moment, too shocked by what had just transpired. Snapping back into action, Daniela moved closer to observe the baby. She tapped two fingers across the baby's chest, hoping it would instil some sort of response. Everyone held their breath and waited.
And then it happened.
The first cry broke through.
Daniela's eyes shut in relief. She looked behind her to where Kev stood in awe. She gestured for him to hand over the clothespin. Returning to the baby, she clamped the umbilical cord, making it sure it was tight enough. She also made sure to leave enough room for the paramedics to apply a proper clamp later. Next, she grabbed the pair of scissors that she had sterilised over the stovetop during the rush. She sucked in another terse breath and cut the cord. Once that was done, Veronica cleaned off most of the placenta and swaddled the baby in a clean towel.
"Is she okay?" Asked Debbie. She had been on edge as the two women worked.
"She's great," nodded Veronica. Carefully, she lowered the baby into her mother's arms.
Fiona and Lip crowded around Debbie's head to stare at the new addition to their family.
"You did amazing, Debs."
The girl was entranced as she stroked the baby's cheek. "Oh my God...my daughter."
Daniela remained at the other end of the table. A bittersweet emotion swirled in her chest as she took in the interaction. Her fingers rubbed against themselves and she felt the remnants of the placenta that lingered there.
Lip's head raised. He sought her out amongst the room until their eyes met. His own glistened as she tilted her head and managed a strained smile. He returned it sadly.
The distant sound of a knock at the door was a godsend for Daniela. Turning away, she took the opportunity to wipe her face with her sleeve. Opening the door, she stepped aside to let the paramedics in.
"She's in the kitchen."
Things moved quickly from that point on. Mother and child were assessed and Daniela was credited on her innovation with the cord. She had shrugged it off. She didn't say much else as Debbie and the baby were taken out of the house and loaded into the ambulance.
Everyone watched from the road as Fiona made to join her before being turned down. The woman hesitated. But, seeing the seriousness in her sister's eyes, reluctantly stepped back to the pavement. Daniela heaved a sigh. Behind her, she registered Lip's presence. His arm wound around her waist, leaving her to lean against him.
"I'm proud of you," he muttered as he pressed a kiss to her hair.
She smiled, lifting her head to meet his stare. "Thank you."
They shared a chaste kiss before Lip nudged his chin back to the house. "Come on." His hand fell from her waist to take hold of her hand.
Daniela nodded, turning her head to where Fiona still stood. She was also being comforted by Sean. Her mouth twisted but she said nothing and simply allowed Lip to guide her inside.
/
FOUR WEEKS LATER
Daniela's shoes thudded against the pavement as she hurried to reach the suit shop before it closed. She had gotten a sudden message an hour ago from Lip asking if she could pick up his tux for Fiona's wedding. She hadn't been able to go right away since she had a full day of classes. But now, as it neared five-thirty, she quickened her pace.
She managed to make it with twenty minutes to spare. She breathed a sigh of relief and took a moment to compose herself before heading inside.
"Hi," she smiled when she reached the counter. "Sorry I'm so late. I'm here to pick up a suit for Philip Gallagher? It could also be under Fiona Gallagher or Sean..." she trailed off. "I don't actually know his last name."
"It's Pierce."
The sudden voice caused her neck to swivel. Her brow raised at the sight of Sean coming to stand beside her. She nodded apologetically. He didn't seem to mind, however, and simply asked the shop assistant for his own suit. The man rested his hands on the counter while they waited.
"You picking up Lip's suit?" He asked conversationally.
Daniela nodded. "Everything all set for tomorrow?"
Sean nodded back, his eyes turning to rest on her. "Seems to be. Fiona's still a little stressed out with all the planning but it should be okay."
"Right."
Spotting the shop assistant returning, Daniela smiled and accepted the bagged suit. She glanced at Sean who took his own.
"You need a ride back to the house?"
"Uh, sure. Thanks." She followed him out of the store to where he had parked his car.
"You coming tomorrow?" Asked Sean halfway through the drive.
In the passenger seat, Daniela shrugged. "I don't think I'm invited."
The man shot her a quick look and she heard him sigh. She tried not to let the question get to her and instead spent the rest of the trip fiddling with the zipper of the suit bag.
They entered the house through the back door. As they stepped into the kitchen, they quickly noticed Fiona at the table drawing up name cards for the guests. Her eyes raised to meet theirs. She smiled at Sean before her gaze moved past him to Daniela. The other woman's mouth thinned and Fiona's smile grew more strained. She didn't hold her gaze for long.
"Hey," she greeted them. "Are those the suits?"
Sean nodded. "Yeah. I'm gonna take these upstairs and have a shower before I pick Will up from the airport."
Feeling his eyes on her, Daniela made a small noise of realisation and handed over Lip's one. Sean's boots echoed up the stairs, leaving them alone. The lack of something to hold onto left her feeling suddenly vulnerable. Her lips pursed as she glanced around the room awkwardly.
Finally, she gestured to the table.
"Seating charts?"
Fiona nodded with a tired sigh. "Yeah. It's driving me nuts."
Daniela smiled at that. She looked up at the sound of the baby crying upstairs. "How long's that been going on for?"
"Mm, about an hour."
Daniela's brow quirked as she released a short laugh. "Yeah, Lip mentioned she wasn't adjusting as well as she'd hoped."
There had been plenty of nights over the past month where she'd get a text around two in the morning. Whenever she was back home, Lip would take the opportunity to seek solace where there were no crying babies or frustrated teen mothers.
Fiona nodded like that was an understatement. "She's stubborn. But she's coming around." She tilted her head. "Slowly."
The women descended into silence again. Apart from the chaos that was Debbie's delivery, they hadn't spoken at all since their argument. Daniela hadn't meant to drag it out. But she also didn't want to be the first one to reach out either. Plus, she knew Fiona already had her hands full with the wedding planning.
When it was obvious nothing else was going to be said, Daniela nodded.
"Well, I just came to drop off Lip's suit."
Her movements were awkward as she made her way back to the door. The motion caused Fiona's face to fall.
"Hey, El!" She called. She took a breath before twisting around in her chair to stare at the younger woman. "I'm really sorry about all that shit I said. I just got a little jealous, you know? I mean this whole baby thing...It's fucking crazy. And I didn't think it'd mess up my relationship with her that much. I'm sorry for taking it out on you."
Daniela shrugged. "It's okay. I get it. And I'm sorry if I overstepped-"
"You didn't," Fiona shook her head adamantly. "Really. That was just me being a bitch."
"Yeah, well." Daniela tilted her head. "Given what you've had to put up with all these years, I think you're allowed to be a bitch sometimes."
Fiona released a breathy laugh. She cocked her head back to rake a tired hand through her hair. "Well thank you for that much-needed validation."
Daniela grinned back, the curves of her mouth softening slightly. "I'm happy for you, you know," she said after a beat. "You and Sean."
The other woman was taken aback by how heartfelt it was. Her own smile grew. "Yeah, well. Here's hoping it works out better than my last marriage." They both laughed at that and the room took on a much lighter atmosphere. "You'll be there tomorrow though, right?"
Daniela shrugged, suddenly self-conscious. "If you want me to be."
Fiona frowned. "Of course. Come here."
She rose from her seat as Daniela accepted the woman's hug. She felt Fiona's hand rubbing her back and sighed.
"And thank you," she began again. "For taking care of Debbie."
Daniela just nodded into her shoulder.
"I'll see you tomorrow then," she said as they pulled away.
Fiona nodded, smiling softly. They both registered Sean reappearing, fresh from his shower.
"Hey, thanks for the ride."
Sean shrugged it off. "No problem. Get home safely."
"Will do." Turning back to Fiona, she squeezed her hand and left, a weight having been lifted off both of their shoulders.
/
The following afternoon, Daniela finished getting dressed for the wedding. The fact that she'd been told that she was wanted there had meant a lot. She had secretly wanted to go but had been too nervous to ask. She applied her mascara and checked her phone at the same time.
Lip had messaged her late the night before telling her he had just gotten home. It had been too late to go around which she figured was the point since she hadn't seen the text until that morning. It was disappointing as she'd hoped to see him when she dropped off the suit. He had been oddly quiet the past few days and she hoped Youens wasn't working him too hard. She knew they were having some problems but Lip was always quick to change the subject whenever she tried to talk about it.
Once she was happy with her appearance, she grabbed her thick coat and left her house. As she locked the door behind her, she felt her phone vibrate against her hand. She checked it to see a message from Ian asking if she could bring his good dress shoes to the venue. He had bought them just for today but had left them behind earlier in the week.
She let out a low groan but sent back a response that she would.
Her teeth chattered as she stepped inside the Gallagher house a minute later. She shook her shoulders in an attempt to warm herself. Once she had, she made her way up the stairs and through the hall to Ian's room.
As she did, she heard voices and glanced into Debbie's room. The door was open halfway, allowing her to see the teenager hovering over her bed. She seemed too busy with the crying baby to register her appearance. Daniela's gaze didn't linger long. She carried on.
Huffing, she sorted through the mess in Ian's room. Eventually, she came across the shoebox. She tucked it under her arm and headed back out. She passed Debbie's room again. But this time, she stopped.
The sounds of Debbie struggling grew more prominent as Daniela nudged the door open. On the bed, the baby kept fussing as her mother tried dressing her.
"Come on, Franny," begged Debbie. She made a noise of exasperation. "Please? Just for mommy."
Daniela titled her head sadly and watched as Debbie grabbed a toy. Quietly, she registered that it was the elephant she had bought. The teen dangled it over Franny's face, feigning excitement.
"Look! Look at the elephant!"
The small bell inside of the toy caused the baby to quieten. Slowly, her grimace morphed into a smile. Daniela felt her own form, unable to help her small laugh.
Hearing it, Debbie whipped her head to the door. She clearly wasn't expecting to see her.
"Hey," she said, her words stilted.
Daniela responded in kind. She adjusted her position in the doorway. "Fiona said you weren't going today."
Debbie shrugged, turning to slip on Franny's socks. "I didn't want Franny to miss out."
Nodding, Daniela fixed her attention on the baby who was now entranced by the chiming elephant.
"It's her favourite," said Debbie. Their eyes met again. "Probably the only thing that's been able to settle her ever since I brought her home."
Daniela's chest swelled at that as she huffed a laugh. She remained in place as Debbie found Franny's shoes and worked them onto the baby's feet. Once she had, she let her hands fall to the bed. Daniela could only see half of her face but there were enough indicators to tell her that she was suddenly nervous.
"I'm really sorry, El." Debbie stared up at her with remorse. "You didn't deserve all those things I said to you. I know you were just trying to help, and I really did appreciate it. Even if I took it for granted."
Daniela nodded as her teeth found the inside of her cheek. She didn't completely forgive her. What she had said had hurt. But she also understood in a way.
"It's fine," she relented.
Relief filled Debbie's face but she also sensed that things were still fractured between them. A sudden look overtook her as she rose from the floor.
"I need to pee. Do you mind watching her?"
The woman nodded, moving out of the doorway for her to pass. The sound of Debbie's feet carried down the hallway followed by the bathroom door closing behind her. Daniela released a breath and took another step into the room. Awkwardly, her eyes darted back and forth between the hall and the baby.
Sensing the absence of her mother, Franny's face crinkled. It was soon followed by a weak cry that quickly developed into something greater.
Daniela's eyes widened. Her foot tapped anxiously, looking for any sign of Debbie. There were none. Franny's cries grew worse leaving the woman to stand over her to try and calm her down.
"It's okay," she said soothingly. "Mama's just gone to the bathroom."
She grabbed the discarded elephant and shook it. This time, the sound of the bell chiming only caused Franny to cry even louder.
Huffing, Daniela straightened. "Shit."
Leaning over, she carefully slipped her hand under the baby's neck and bottom before slowly picking her up. She drew Franny further into her chest. Quietly, she was aware of how she was now holding her breath.
She tried to soothe her again, bouncing her and patting her back gently. The tension in her shoulders lessened as Franny began to settle. A smile filled Daniela's face as she took the opportunity to look at her up close.
Franny's sight was still developing, leaving her eye line to settle at the top of Daniela's head. The woman's belly filled with warmth as she swaddled her in her arms.
"Hola, bebita."
She stared in awe as Franny cooed. A laugh bubbled out of her throat. She had already grown so much since she last saw her. That night had been a blur that she still couldn't believe had happened. And any memories she had of that night felt like she had been on auto-pilot. She registered that this was the first time she had actually held her.
In the doorway, Debbie watched as Daniela continued whispering to Franny. She wasn't sure what was being said but she figured, based on the look on the woman's face, that they were compliments.
Sensing her return, Daniela glance up to meet her eye.
"You all set to go?" She asked to which Debbie nodded. Daniela also nodded, crossing the small distance to hand Franny back. The back of her finger brushed against the baby's soft cheek.
She followed Debbie downstairs to where Franny's stroller had been set up. Once she was loaded in and covered in a thick blanket to protect her from the cold, they made their way out.
/
When they arrived at the church, Debbie split off in search of Fiona. Daniela, meanwhile, looked around for Ian and Lip. She was soon ushered into the back section of the church where she spotted her friend on the other end of the room.
Catching her eye, Ian grinned when she lifted the shoes up.
"Thank you," he said, hugging her once she reached him.
Daniela rolled her eyes but sent an amused look at the boots he was currently wearing. She placed the box in his hands.
"You're welcome." She fixed her attention on the man beside him, a wide grin appearing on her face. "You must be Caleb! It's so good to finally meet you."
He matched her grin, welcoming her quick hug. "And you! I was hoping you'd get some time today to tell me some stories about this guy." he jerked his thumb in Ian's direction. "Since he never does."
Daniela gasped and her eyes bulged in excitement. "I can definitely do that. No problem."
Between them, Ian sighed in resignation. "Okay, now I'm regretting this."
The soft impact of Daniela's hand whacking his chest caused him to grunt. Caleb chuckled. Wrapping an arm around him, he kissed his temple reassuringly. The sight caused Daniela to coo at them. Ian rolled his eyes but she just laughed it off.
"Is Lip here yet?" She asked.
"I think he's in the bathroom," nodded Ian. He checked his watch. "I should go get him." He paused to give his friend a pointed look. "Try not to scare him away while I'm gone."
Daniela poked her tongue out. Ian mimicked her before he disappeared through the door. Once he was out of earshot, she looked at Caleb excitedly.
"Okay, so-" She took whatever fleeting amount of minutes they had to regale the man with the story of how they'd found out Ian had been sleeping with Jimmy's father. She remembered the fear in his eyes when Ned had sat down across from them at the restaurant and his sudden urge to go to the bathroom with her in tow.
"I swear, the look on his face was hilarious!"
The pair were quickly in fits in laughter. Caleb placed a hand on her shoulder to steady himself. Over her shoulder, he saw the boys approaching and exhaled.
Having seen the interaction, Ian cracked a worried smile and looked between them. "You guys good?"
"Great," nodded Daniela as she wiped a tear from her eye. Her attention shifted to Lip and she felt her grin slip. He looked terrible.
"Daniela was just telling me about Ned."
Ian laughed awkwardly, sending her another pointed look. It only served to amuse her even more.
"I think we're all set," said Sean from the middle of the room. "Not sure about the bride."
Kev nodded and headed in the direction of the bride's room. "I'll go check."
"Anyway," began Ian, pulling their attention back to him. "Caleb- this is my brother, Lip."
Lip nodded and extended his hand. "Hey man, nice to meet you."
Caleb said the same. Once the introductions were complete, he was whisked away by Ian to the other side of the room much to Daniela's dismay. She turned to meet Lip's stare.
"I didn't know you were coming."
Daniela nodded. "Yeah, Fiona invited me last night." At that, he gave her a questioning look. She just shrugged and moved to fix his tie. "You okay?" She tried to sound conversational but it was obvious that she was worried. "You don't look too good."
He really didn't. There were dark circles under his eyes and he seemed paler than usual. There was also the way he seemed to avoid meeting her eye for longer than three seconds.
Lip shrugged off her concern. "Just caught a stomach bug I think."
She frowned but chose not to refute it.
A hush fell over the room and they all turned to see Fiona walk in. Daniela, like everyone else, wore a wide smile at how beautiful she looked. The woman seemed to be equally excited as she was nervous as the priest called for the groomsmen and bridesmaids to separate into two lines.
"All those not in the wedding party, please find seats."
Taking that as her cue, Daniela let go of Lip's hand. She gushed at the sight of Caleb pressing another kiss to Ian's temple. Catching her glee, her friend smiled and flipped her off. She muffled her laughter in response before doing the same to Lip.
She then stepped over to Caleb who welcomed her with an open arm. They had already warmed to each other and she was looking forward to embarrassing Ian even more at the reception. The pair stared in confusion, however, when they saw Kev kiss both Svetlana and Veronica. Sharing her confusion, Ian gave her a questioning look to which she just shrugged.
"So who's giving the bride away?" Asked the priest.
Ian and Lip raised their hands but Fiona's smile dimmed as Frank burst into the room. From her spot, Daniela blew out a long breath. She felt an inevitable eye roll coming on.
"No." Fiona shook her head. "Absolutely not."
"Hey-" Frank was quickly cut off by his eldest sons trying to take him out of the room. "I am your father! I have a right- a duty!" Managing to wrestle free, he took a moment to fix his suit. "A duty to walk my daughter down the aisle and give her away."
"Jesus, are you high?" Asked Fiona.
The answer was obvious. Frank didn't care. After some pushing from the rest of the wedding party, he rounded on the groom.
"Why, Sean? Why am I not wanted here? Am I a disappointment, have I disappointed you, Sean?"
"No...it's because you're a massive fuck-up who makes everyone around you miserable every chance you get."
"Well no-one's perfect, Sean." Frank stepped closer. "Isn't that right?"
"I don't want you here," spoke Fiona through gritted teeth.
"Oh, my loving family! So judgemental- all without faults." His words reeked of sarcasm and judgement.
Stepping forward, Fiona tried to plead with her father. This was her wedding day and she didn't want him to ruin it. But anything she said quickly went in one ear and out the other.
"I love you Fiona, my little girl. I always accepted you for who you are, with all of your faults." He glanced around the room, taking in everyone's unimpressed faces. "Accepted all of you for who you were, even when you couldn't find a place in your heart to accept me."
Daniela heaved another sigh.
"We're human! We make mistakes- have faults." As if to prove his point, Frank turned his attention to his other children. "Lip's drinking his breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Ian's a bipolar queer. Deb's fifteen with a baby on her hip!"
Lip's head bowed. He could feel Daniela's eyes burning a hole in the back of his neck but he didn't dare meet them. A tight knot formed in her brow as she realised, in that moment, that it was true. There was no stomach bug. He hadn't suddenly been avoiding her for no reason. This was real.
Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears as Frank continued on his tirade. The revelation that Sean was still a dope fiend caused them all to stare in barely-veiled shock. The sight of Fiona crumbling into a sobbing mess was like a knife in their chests.
"You are a fucking asshole, Frank," said Kev, voicing all of their opinions.
"That I am. Never denied it." He turned to face Fiona. "But at least I'm an honest asshole."
Daniela barely had any time to register how quickly Lip moved before she heard his fist meet Frank's jaw. Instantly, the rest of the men went to pull him away. She didn't move, still stricken by what she had learned.
/
Everything came to a sharp halt after that.
The guests who had been waiting in the front section of the church were informed that the ceremony would not be taking place and were subsequently sent home. Daniela watched from the front door as they cleared the pews. She had slipped off in the aftermath, needing some time to herself.
Ian was the first to find her.
"You okay?" He asked, sliding up beside her.
She exhaled and glanced sideways at him. "Yeah. Are you?"
He shrugged. "You can always rely on Frank to fuck everything up."
Daniela nodded at that. "Where's Caleb?"
"He's in the back helping them clear up some of the tables."
Sensing her friend's worry, she turned to face him fully. "He seems great."
Ian nodded grimly. "I know. I'm just waiting for him to run for the hills after all of that shit." Shaking his head, he observed his friend. "Where's Lip?"
This time, Daniela shrugged. "I'm not sure." He had also disappeared after the chaos. She paused for a moment before asking, "Did you know?"
Ian shook his head.
Her mouth twisted as she released another breath. "I should probably go find him."
"Yeah." Ian tilted his head back. "I should talk to Caleb."
Daniela nodded and hugged her friend. "It'll be okay. If he can find humour in you sleeping with Jimmy's dad, he'll definitely get through this too."
Pulling away, she left him with one last reassuring smile. Ian appreciated it and watched her head back into the church.
It didn't take her very long to find Lip. She walked into the room they had all been standing in half-an-hour ago and spotted him with Debbie. Their heads were resting on top of each other.
Debbie was the first to notice her. A silent question passed between the two and she quickly excused herself to go and check on Franny. Daniela waited until the door closed behind her.
She climbed the steps of the stage, her heels clicking against the wooden panels. She sat down beside him, taking Debbie's place. Lip didn't look up the entire time, paying attention to his hands instead.
"What happened?" She asked. There was no judgement, only curiosity.
Lip's shoulders lifted. "It wasn't on purpose."
Daniela eyed him sadly. "Was it because of the baby?"
"No." He shook his head adamantly. His eyes connected with hers for a split second before turning away again, his head tilting after a beat. "And yes...I just needed something, you know? Something to take the edge off. Those first few weeks...I didn't know what the fuck I was doing. I felt so helpless. I'd just see you there going through the motions and I don't know. I just needed something." His eyes shut as he took a breath. "But I mean, I-I was managing it. Not too much. Just a few beers when things got really tough."
Daniela's brow raised, prompting him to continue. "And then?"
"And then I don't know. Things with Youens started breaking down. It wasn't really my place to get mad but I did. And suddenly it was more than just a few beers. And then I felt so fucking guilty that night when you showed up with the candles and the wine. I felt like I'd been caught red fucking handed. I was so nervous, I didn't want you to smell the scotch on my breath."
Daniela nodded. She had but she'd shrugged it off. Lip drank. They all did. It was nothing unusual.
Lip released a dry scoff as if he were laughing at himself. "You wanna know why I wasn't there to say goodbye to Mandy? Joaquin had invited me to some frat party. And I got so fucking trashed that I blacked out and woke up in a bush the next morning. I puked my guts out. It was so bad I thought I was gonna fucking die." His brow raised. "Turns out I was in a bush because I had been running from campus police. According to them, I had wandered off from the party at some point during the night and ended up vandalising this shitty art piece in the main square."
"Jesus Lip..." Daniela leaned forward. "Why didn't you call?"
He just shrugged. "I was embarrassed. I didn't wanna tell you that the reason I hadn't texted was because I was forced to go to an AA meeting on campus." His eyes rose to meet hers. "I tried to stop after that. Or cut back at least. We were starting to get back on track and I felt like that would be it. And then this shit with Youens picked up again. And I got so fucking angry that I chugged half a bottle of whiskey. Kinda caused a scene when he showed up. He fired me...so I took a golf club and smashed the back window of his car. Woke up in a cell yesterday morning and I had no idea why."
Daniela frowned, suddenly remembering a call from an unknown number she'd gotten that same morning. "Was that you that called?"
Lip nodded. "Youens bailed me out. Asshole." He shook his head, fixing Daniela with a regretful look. "I really didn't think it would get this far...I'm so fucking sorry."
Daniela shook her head, ignoring his apology. She leaned forward, her lips moving to press against his softly. Her thumb caressed his cheek as their foreheads rested against each other.
"It's okay," she told him, followed by another reassuring peck. "I love you."
Lip's chest inflated as a tear escaped his eye. "I love you too."
Daniela wiped it away. "We're gonna get through this," she said, urging him to look at her. "Together. I promise."
Lip nodded. His eyes fell shut as her arms wrapped around him. He gripped onto her tightly, feeling her reassurance take hold in his chest.
"Thank you."
/
An hour later, the pair of them found themselves outside of the rehab house Youens had suggested. He had picked them up from the church, happy to see that Lip had changed his mind about going.
"This is it, huh?"
Beside him, Youens nodded. "First week will be tough. But it'll get easier after that."
Lip hummed.
"Work the steps," continued his professor. "Put up with the slightly inane 'Big Book' crap. I'll be right here to pick you up in 30 days."
Lip's eyes were glassy as he stared at him. "I can't pay for this."
Youens nodded knowingly. A wordless conversation passed between them before he looked straight ahead. "Get your ass out of my car."
Lip did, stepping out onto the pavement where Daniela already was. She had figured the two men needed to talk and had given them some space to do so. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her torso in an attempt to conjure as much warmth as she could.
Lip ambled towards her, a curious look on his face. "You think they allow conjugal visits?"
The sound of her laughter caused his nerves to ebb away somewhat. He barely moved when she gave him a light shove. As she went to pull her hand back, he caught her wrist and used it to bring her body towards his. His grin disappeared as they embraced. He felt his eyes shut and he took a moment to breathe in her scent.
Daniela's fingers curled in his hair. Her jaw clenched with emotion. She angled her chin to rest atop his shoulder where she then began muttering words of encouragement into his ear. Lip nodded as she did.
Their heads retracted and Daniela laid a hand against his jaw. Her eyes roamed his face before their mouths met for one more soft, lingering kiss. The motion caused Lip to smile as he pulled away.
Stepping back, he nodded at her and Youens who was watching from inside the car. "Guess I'll see you guys in 30 days."
His hand slapped against his curled fist nervously. Daniela watched as he nodded to himself again and sucked in a deep breath. She felt tears prick at her eyes as he ascended the steps and headed inside.
And as she opened the passenger door, she sent up a silent prayer that it would all be worth it in the end.
.
.
.
There we are! A lot to unpack this chapter.
I view this not so much as the end of the season, but the conclusion to the first part of the final act of this story. Season seven will be the last. I'm a little shocked at how fast it's approached (I say that as this story sits at 4.5 years since it was published). Nevertheless, I'm very, very excited.
Let me know what you thought! Were you expecting Lip's alcohol problems? At this point, they're much more medicinal/accidental than self-destructive as opposed to the show.
REVIEW!
