Mine // Carl Gallagher

Chapter 29

Carl carried Sophia inside the house and rested her on their bed. She winced at every little movement, making Carl grow more angry at whoever had done this to her. He cleaned up all of the dry blood that was all over her black and blue body with a wet washcloth. Nobody said anything. Sophia was still trying to comprehend what had happened and he was trying to give her time to feel secure again. But, as he held a bag of some ice on her bruised wrist, he asked gently, "Who did this to you?" She just shook her head gently and looked straight up at the ceiling, not wanting to make eye contact. Carl was now growing carefully persistent and continued, "Please, Sophia. I just want to know what happened."

"Only if you tell me what happened."

"Oh.."

"I already know what you did, Carl. But, just know that I'm not angry at you. I know you-you killed him. Just, what happened? How?"

This was the last thing he wanted to talk about, but he knew it was time. He needed to make it up to her, and by that he was going to be completely honest about every little thing.

He gulped and looked down at the carpet, rubbing the back of his neck out of pure discomfort and shame.

"Well, I was having a face to face 'meeting' with you dad... I had gotten news that he had lost another shipment. He's cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars over all the time he's ever worked for me... and that's money that would've gone to help provide for this family. Money that could've gone towards getting my family Christmas presents.. or money that could've gone towards the rent or water bills. I admit, I was really pissed at him. I was confronting him under that one bridge, where we always meet, and it got bad. He was clearly either extremely drunk or extremely high, but he was getting violent as fuck with me. He started to come towards me and my other men like he was going to do something, and so I shot him just once in the leg. I swear, I didn't mean to kill him. I jus- I don't know what even happened, but we left and he bled out to die while we were gone. I'm so sorry, Sophia. I've never killed anyone before, and you could never know how guilty I've been feeling. It's been nonstop. I know that I can never fully make it up to you. This is something I will never overcome."

Sophia wasn't sad, angry, or anything. She just had this blank stare. A single tear streamed down her face. She wiped it away as she very quietly said, "Well.. someone had to do it. I'll never forgive that son of a bitch for everything he's put me through."

That was the exact opposite reaction that Carl expected, but he still felt guilty. He didn't know what to even say to that. Sophia continued,

"It was my mom, by the way. After I left, I went back to my old house because I felt that I had no where else to go. She just came in and started beating me to the pulp at fucking 1 in the morning. Don't know why, but I'm never going back there ever again."

Carl was playing with her hair in attempt to try and comfort her, "I'll never give you a reason to want to leave and go back there. Ever. Even if we ever get in another fight or argument or anything, promise me that you'll never go back there. You can always come back here, no matter what." She nodded as she wiped away one last tear, giving him a small smile. He laid down beside her, pulling the covers on top of them, turned off the light, and held her in his arms as always.

He whispered, "Good night, I love you."

She mumbled as she drifted to sleep, "I love you."

"Sophia?"

"Hm"

"You're mine. I'll always find a way to take care of you."

A/N: Sorry this is short, but I wanted to write something sweet to make up for the sad last chapter :(