Until the end (Ian Gallagher x OC)

Chapter 49

"It's pus from your mother's monkey. Thought you liked the taste of that." The kid who threatened them earlier commented.

"What's your problem, dude?" Ian tilted his head.

"Nick, Salvador, find another table. Come on, chop-chop." The man in charge ordered as he walked over. "Proof of your employment came through, so you go to work today. I need your employer to sign this, times in and out. Understand?" He sat across from them and handed Ian papers.

"You know, I'm actually pretty excited to get out there. Start looking for work." Lip claimed.

"Nice try. You have court-mandated community service hours you owe." He reminded Lip.

"Yeah, but only a few. Then I can get out there and start looking for work, so I can become a contributing member of our great, capitalistic society." Lip smiled teasingly.

"You think you're better than everyone here, don't you?"

"Oh, that's-- that's rhetorical, right? I mean, you don't actually want me to answer that, do you?" Lip asked back.

"Cute. See, I could smack you across the face. But I think it's better I get out of your way. Let life bend you over instead." He stood up and left the two boys.

"Dude thinks he's in an episode of Scared Straight." Lip whispered to Ian who chuckled slightly with the shake of his head.

"I spent some time here. That summer mom was sent away for knifing a poodle." Frank explained to Fiona when they pulled up outside of the group home.

"Hey!" Fiona welcomed her brothers with open arms as they came outside. "I missed you guys." She hugged them both.

"Oh, yeah!" Lip said.

"How you holding up?"

"Aw, we're fine. The place is a joke." Lip said, pointing to the building behind him.

"They still serving that rotten porridge?" Frank questioned.

"He already on the wagon?" Lip asked Fiona, making an effort to avoid Frank.

"Oh, why do you have to say that?" Frank complained.

"As of right now." Fiona patted Frank's arm proudly. "You out on furlough?"

"No, I've gotta work. He's gotta finish parole hours." Ian explained.

"Oh check in on Megan at work, she's been worried sick" Fiona reminds Ian who nodded sadly, knowing how much I hated it when they got taken away like this.

"You guys want a lift?" Jimmy-Steve offered them.

"No, we gotta get our bus passes signed by the driver." Lip told him, having a smoke. "You find Debs and the boys?"

"Not yet, but I will." Fiona promised with certainty. "Do you need anything? You need cash? Clothes?"

"No, no. Look, don't worry about us, we're fine." Lip pulled her in for a final hug. "Worry about him." Lip looked over at Frank. Ian hugged Fiona next before they started down the street towards the bus stop.

"Where's my hug?" Frank asked them, only to receive the middle finger from both boys, Fiona laughing at her family's antics.

~~~

Mickey and I were moving boxes into the back silently when I heard the door open with the ring of a bell.

"Ian" I gasped seeing the red head walk in with a smile at my reaction. I rushed over to hug him and he seemed slightly startled by the impact of my hug.