Until the end (Ian Gallagher x OC)

Chapter 60

"Fiona Gallagher. Case S6-974356." We all looked across the room to see Fiona behind a glass wall wearing a blue jumpsuit.

"Is counsel present?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Read the charges."

"Possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony under 720 Illinois Criminal Statute 570.1, and child endangerment, a violation of the Reckless Conduct Code 720 ILCS 5 Section 12C-5, a Class 3 felony." The woman read off as we all sat down listening.

"How does the defendant plead?" The judge asked "Miss Gallagher?" He asked again when she failed to reply from the barred door of the side room.

"Not guilty, Your Honor." She spoke up.

"Defense requests the accused be released on her own recognizance." Her lawyer stated.

"Cocaine overdose in a toddler? The child is still in intensive care." The other lawyer spoke up, stressing the situation.

"Bail is set at $100,000. Check with the clerk to get a preliminary hearing date." The judge claimed simply and quickly.

"What?" Veronica questioned in shock.

"Next." The judge called out.

"Jackson, S4-264296."

"Excuse me!" Veronica and the rest of us chased after her lawyer out of the courtroom.

"Yes!" She called back to us, still walking quickly.

"We're Fiona Gallagher's family." Veronica stated.

"Okay."

"$100,000? She didn't carve some dude up and stuff his parts in the freezer!" Veronica raged at the price set.

"You don't have to put up $100,000. County only requires 10% for the bond." She explained to us, pausing at the staircase.

"10 grand?" Veronica questioned again, still in shock at the number.

"They accept collateral of equal value-- a house, a car. I can try to get it reduced at her preliminary hearing. If the victim recovers..." She explained further.

"Liam." I jumped in to correct.

"Liam recovers, that could influence the judge to lower her bail. Got to go." She walked off with her final statement.

"$10,000?" Veronica turned to Lip who was sitting on a bench in the lobby.

"Forget it. We don't have it." Lip shook his head with a shrug, taking everything in.

"We can't just leave her in jail." Debbie protested.

"We don't have the money, Debs." Lip reminded harshly.

"We can raise it. We can sell stuff-- " She began to list ideas.

"No! Christ! Just drop it! fuck, Debs!" He snapped at her. She flipped him off before storming off out of the building, my eyes going wide in shock at her attitude. "Debbie!" He called after her, standing up.

"Debbie!" Veronica chased her outside.

"Smooth, asshole. Smooth." Kevin told him as I crossed my arms, shaking my head.

"Look, we got to find Frank, or they're gonna put Liam into foster care." Lip lowered his voice as he warned us.

"Shit." Kevin sighed at our new problem.

"Yeah. Carl, Megan, I want you to go back to the hospital, all right? Stay with Liam, keep us updated on how he's doing." Lip tells Carl and I. "Look, I already tried the house. He wasn't there. All right, you up for another round of 'Where the fuck's Frank?'" Lip looked at Kevin.