Until the end (Ian Gallagher x OC)

Chapter 59

"Ned said this is the place." I double checked the address on the paper in my hands.

"Doesn't look like anyone lives here." Debbie commented looking at the run down building in front of us, crackheads laying on the sidewalk outside.

"Oh, Ian" I sighed.

"Wait, Lip, don't go in there." Debbie stopped him as he started up the steps to the building.

"I kinda have to, right?" He asked back, trying to keep the tone light. "Stay behind me." He held his hand out for her and gave me a look to stay safe as I followed too."Come on" Lip led us up the old stairs.

"Let's go home." Debbie tried as she grew uneasy.

"It's okay, Debs. Someone's got the heat on." Lip pointed to the heater as we walked upstairs to what looked like a homeless person was sleeping on the floor.

"This is Ian's." I noted the green duffle bag, crouching to see it better.

"Yo, Ian!" Lip called out with a smile at the possibility of finding his brother at last. A clatter came from the next room over with humming and singing.

"Someone's coming." Debbie urged in a hushed tone. Lip helped me up from my crouched position and moved me behind him as a naked woman walked in with a beer, singing drunkenly.

"Shit." Lip cursed.

"Aah!" She screamed out loudly as I winced.

"Sorry!" Lip called after her when she dropped the beer and ran back to the other room.

"I have got a gun, you fuckers! I will shoot you full of holes!" She threatened as Lip pulled Debbie and I further behind him.

"No, please don't do that! We're just looking for our brother!" He called as we hid behind a wall.

"Looking for who?" She called back, seemingly calmed down.

"Ian Gallagher? Or-- or Monica? She live here?" Lip asked out.

"Who are you?" She stepped out again wearing a housecoat this time.

"Do you really have a gun?" Debbie worried.

"Yeah! And Monica don't live here no more."

"Okay, look, this is our brother's stuff, okay? So he lives here, right? Look, we're just trying to find him." Lip tried to reason with her carefully and cautiously.

"He's at work." She told us.

"And where's that?" Lip wondered.

"The White Swallow." She sighed.

"Wait, the what?" Lip asked not thinking he heard her correctly.

"The White Swallow, in Boystown." She said as we nodded.

"All right, thank you. Thank you." Lip told her. "Go, Debs, go, Meg. Go, go, go, go, go." Lip urged us out quickly as he followed right behind us.

We walked into the club, crowds of people dancing around to the loud music in the colorful room. Debbie looked around carefully, seeing men making out as we pushed through the crowds. Stepping into an open space we all paused at the sight of a red haired boy servinging drinks at the bar, wearing a sparkly tank top. He glanced over at us before looking back to the drink he was pouring, doing a double take and looking back at us. He locked eyes with me as my face fell in shock.

"Does he know it's us?" Debbie wondered.

"Yeah, I think so." Lip nodded.

"I need to go" I said quickly, fighting back tears as I pulled my eyes away from Ian and looked to Lip.