GAME OVER ━━ Lip Gallagher

CHAPTER EIGHT

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Game Over
chapter eight

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                    PHOEBE WAS SHOCKED BY ALL OF THE PEOPLE CROWDED OUTSIDE OF KAREN'S PLACE. Cop cars were parked on the side of the roads and people were gathered around what appeared to be a birthday party. It didn't take long for her to deduce that this was where the kidnapping had taken place. What better timing than a birthday party, when there's too many kids to watch and the parents aren't being as attentive. She sighed upon noticing the hysteria happening. It made her wonder... how would her own parents act if she had gone missing? Would they look for her? Would anyone look for her?

          "Ah, my beautiful moon pie!" Her head snapped up at the familiar voice, immediately spotting Fiona walking in the same direction. "Hey, Fi," she laughed, meeting her at Karen's front gate. "What are you doing here?" Fiona looked around them, her messy curls whipping against her face. "Oh, you know. I'm just here to visit Shiela," the older girl lied with a smile on her face. Phoebe only nodded, deciding to turn her attention onto Liam sitting in the busted up stroller. "Hey, bubbie," she exclaimed excitedly. Liam's smile grew once he spotted Phoebe. The sight made Fiona's heart melt with joy. "What are.. what are you doing here?" Fiona asked.

          "Karen texted me to meet her here—" The wind picked up the perfect moment, moving Phoebe's thick hair out of the way and giving Fiona full access to her neck. The older girl's eyes widened in pure shock. Instantly, she reached out to move the strands of hair and gasped. "What attacked you?" she asked in disbelief. "Jesus fucking Christ. Was it a vampire?" A dark blush painted over Phoebe's cheeks. She brushed Fiona's hand away with an embarrassed whine. "No," she muttered. "Dicky freaking Peterson. Apparently he has a thing for marking. They go all the way down... you know." She motioned downward with a sheepish point of her fingers.

          Fiona cringed at the thought of it. "Mature," she teased. She blew out a soft breath before looking over her shoulder once more. Phoebe almost didn't want to ask about Debbie, but she needed to know. Kev was helpful, but he doesn't quite understand the Gallagher logic. "Looking for Debs?" she asked, bouncing her eyebrows tauntingly. Fiona's head whipped back around to face the shorter girl, surprise etched onto her features. "How did you know?" She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. She knew that if Fiona found out Lip had told someone outside of the family, he'd never hear the end of it, thus her never hearing the end of it. "It'll all be fine, Fi. Debs is a big girl."

"Yeah. A big girl that stole a kid." She shook her head in disappointment. It wasn't a secret that Fiona loved her siblings. She did everything she could in her power to give them a good life. She worked multiple jobs, worked multiple shifts just to put food on the table and clothes on their backs. And she did all of that while still being with them like a family. She still fought for family movie nights or their documentary days. She fought for the perfect Christmas, birthdays, and Halloween. Sure, there were some things she messed up. She's human; she is destined to make mistakes. But she never made anyone feel less than or unloved. She had even taken Phoebe in when she needed it most, showing her the true meaning of family and giving her that sense of love she so desperately craved.

"I want a baby," Phoebe suddenly blurted out as the two entered the Jackson's front yard. She had been thinking about so much. The idea of loving another human being so much and providing for them was like a sterling dream. Fiona glanced toward the younger girl in confusion. "You want a baby?" she asked. "Like, have a baby? Carry a fetus inside of you for nine excruciating months until it rips your two holes into one?" Her nose crinkled at the consequences of having a child. She had been through sex education. She saw those pictures at the back of the book. "Yeah," she sighed. The two climbed the porch steps until Fiona could reach the doorknob.