Blue eyes and Cigerettes // Lip Gallagher [Completed]

16

She stayed in New York for three weeks and five days and insisted that she wasn't leaving until Lennon was back on track. He opened up to her and the pair of them figured out it was one of his jealous teammates sending him messages so now, she was home. Inevitably, her return of Chicago was a relief to Lindsay and Brett, they started talking their issues out on her rather than eachother so she ended up with Billy most of the time.

"Fuck me ? Charming, fuck you too" she shouted while shoving her middle finger into the drivers seat window of the taxi that had just kicked her out. He dragged her out and threw her suitcases on the sidewalk so she was left sitting on it on the side of the road. She had her head in her hands and looked like a completely different person. Her hair was dyed a vibrant red and she had Lennon's name tattooed under Ian's since she viewed them both as her brothers. She could feel people's stares burning a hole in the side of her face, they were giving her sympathetic smiles and throwing change at her feet like she were homeless which confused her since this was the usual at home, until she looked up and realised she'd been stranded in the NorthSide.

She was quick to get up and began pacing up and down the street trying to find the way to the L until a car pulled up next to her. "Get in" the voice ordered as she shook her head and kept her head down. "I'm good" she mumbled, she'd been taught how to deal with situations like this way too young but the car was slowly following her. "Charlie, I'm not letting you walk home, get in" the voice then ordered so she looked up to see Steve sitting in the car annoyed. She nodded, put her bags in the trunk and got into the passengers seat. "You noticed me ?" she asked confused, gaze on the road, he was looking at her though, intently and gave her a nod. "I noticed your busted face first. What ? Taxi driver do that to you ?" he asked, the protectiveness rising in his voice but she kept quiet and stared out the window. "Except it wasn't the taxi driver, was it ?" he then asked so she turned around to see Liam and distract everyone. "Hi buddy, do you remember me ?" she asked through a big smile as the little boy giggled and nodded. She could hear Jimmys finger tapping against the steering wheel as he took a deep breath. "It's either tell me or tell the Gallagher's" he said bluntly as she nodded and turned her body around so she was facing him.

"Brett" she whispered as his eyes widened out of shock. "Your moms boyfriend ?" he asked panicked as she nodded awkwardly and rested her head on the window. "What did your mom say ?" he then asked, trying to look at her and read her body language but also trying to get both of the children home safely. "It's funny that you think she gives me shit, no way, she doesn't care about me, Binx confronted her, she said he'd never put his hands on a woman. I didn't even stay with them" she whispered as he nodded trying to process it. "So, how ?" he began but she was quick to interrupt him. "Part of Lennon's incident was their fighting so they stopped fighting with eachother and started fighting with me, one day me and Brett got into it about Lennon, he lost it" she explained as Steve ran a hand over his face and shook his head. "Fuck" he whispered realising how serious, she tried to laugh but couldn't, she knew herself there was no joke there.

Before they knew it, they were back at the Gallagher's and she felt safe again. "Get Liam for me, I'll get your bags" Steve asked so she nodded and picked him up. "Lip home ?" she asked, there was hope in her voice, Steve knew all she wanted was to see him and he wasn't going to be the one to break her heart. "Probably with Karen, I heard they're a thing again" he said awkwardly so she adjusted Liam on her hip and put her focus back into him. "Where are we ?" she whispered as he said "home" and she forced a fake smile before bringing him in.

"Hello" she called out as Carl ran into the living room and practically jumped into her arms like he did when she came back at the start of the summer. "I missed you" he cheered as she nodded. "I missed you too buddy, I bet your the only one who did" she whispered back as he smiled. "Fiona and Ian missed you a lot. Me and Debs have a very to see who's be here when you came home. I won so it means I'm your favourite"he explained and her hear broke a little more when he didn't mention Lip's name. "Haven't you always been ?" she joked as his eyes lit up and she walked into the kitchen so he followed her.

"Lips been acting...weird" he said while perching on the kitchen counter so she walked to the fridge. "How so ?" she asked while scanning the fridge to find exactly what she needed, a bottle of beer and letting the cold tangy flavour take over her taste buds.

"When he came back if we mentioned you, he'd completely shut off and brush it off. I heard him talking to Ian one night about someone named Brevin really annoying him though" he told her through a shrug as her jaw fell open and she looked at him confused. "Brevin ?" she asked with furrowed eyebrows as he shrugged again. "Maybe I have the wrong name" he began but she shook her head. "No, I-I know a Brevin" she said while taking a slug as Steve walked in. "Fiona and everybody are outside" he said while setting her bag down and pointing at the back door as she nodded and walked out.

"You owe me five dollars" Carl chanted at Debbie who was in the pool. "No fair. You probably knew she was coming back" Debbie said while getting out and chasing him as Fiona walked up to her. Charlie has her back to her so she just saw a bright red bun. "Woah, huge change but I love it" she announced while ruffling the girls buns until she turned around. "What the fuck happened to your face" she shouted shocked as Charlie looked at Steve who walked down the steps and kissed Fiona on the cheek.

"I just found her wandering around the North Side. Some taxi driver threw her out" he said with his hands on Fiona's shoulder. "That doesn't answer my question" she said as Charlie looked around. "Have you seen Ian ?" she asked about to walk away but Fiona grabbed her hand. "Charlie just tell me what happened. Don't say you walked into a door because you don't bust your lip, eye and have scratch marks from a door"she warned as Charlie just smiled. "His room. Thanks" she said, trying to get away as she walked upstairs to Ian's room.

She was right, he was sitting there going through some ROTC manuals so she leant against the doorway. "Knock knock" she said softly as he looked up. "So you came back" he said unamused, he dropped his eyes back to the magazine, she nodded and sat next to him, not taking the hint. "I missed ya too much" she joked as he put the stack on the floor and really looked at her. "Be honest, did you know what Brevin said to Lip ?" he asked as she furrowed her eyebrows. "I didn't know they talked" she said with her hand on her heart as he nodded. "Told Lip not to get too comfortable with you, Lindsay had a rehab clinic to get you help lined up, Lennon was the bait and you took it, he'd be with you once you sobered you and you two would be in New York for good. He showed proof Char" he explained as her eyes widened. "Your reason to stay was very very valid but Lip thought Brevin got to you already" he said as she shook her head. "And I'm hoping that didn't happen and he abused you because Charlie you do not have the best love life" he said as she shook her head. "He didn't. We're just friends" she said as he nodded.

"Are you gonna tell me who did it ?" he said as she shook her head. "Charlie." he said while holding her wrist. "This means something" he whispered while pointing at her tattoo as she nodded. "It means you trust me and I won't tell anyone anything" he began as she interrupted him. "Brett" she immediately said as his jaw dropped. "Did I just hear that right ?" he asked as she nodded. She told him what she told Steve and he just hugged her. "I'm sorry" he whispered as she shook her head. "Don't be, you didn't do it" she said as he stopped her. "I'm sorry I was so busy not talking to you because I thought you purposely told Lip to go because of Brevin but actually" he said as she shook her head. "Ian it's okay" she said as the bedroom door opened.

"Charlie" Lip said softly but there was shock evident in his voice, it broke when he talked and she looked down to see him holding hands with Karen.