Only You - [Lip Gallagher]

the Gallagher way

"Wake up! I'm five!" I hear Franny's soft voice, "I know beautiful girl." I smile, standing up from my bed and showing her five wrapped gifts under my desk, "Can I open them right now?" She squeals, "Nope, tonight at your party!" "I can't wait! I might explode!" She says, making me giggle. "Come on let's go make you a birthday princess breakfast." I say, grabbing her hand and walking downstairs, "Uncle Lip!" She exclaims and runs away from me to give him a hug, "It's my birthday!" She shouts, "How old are you now, kiddo?" "Five!" She giggles, "What? No way!" Lip matches her excitement, "And Auntie Sadie got me five presents!" She holds up all five fingers in his face, "Oh I bet they're really cool gifts." He smiles then looks at me, "Morning." He says, "Hi." I respond, "Breakfast!" Franny shouts and runs to the kitchen. "You needed to talk last night?" He asks and I shake my head, "It's nothing." I smile weakly and head into the kitchen, "You sure? It seemed important." He follows me, "Yeah but not right now." "It's the perfect time." "No, I have to make Franny a birthday breakfast." I'm avoiding the conversation, I can't do it. He has a perfect little family, I can't fuck this up for him. "Sade-" "Good morning my sweet birthday girl." Debbie and Sandy come down at the perfect time. "Who's five today?" Sandy asks me, "I;m not sure, is it you?" I ask Debs, "No, is it you?" She asks Sandy, "No it's me!" Franny exclaims. "It's you!" Debbie pokes her belly softly making her giggle. "Five years ago on this very table." I smile, "You gave birth in your kitchen?" Sandy asks, "Like a boss ass bitch." I add. "Never again." Debbie groans, "I have my perfect little princess and that's all I need." Debbie kisses Franny all over her face. "I'll make her breakfast, Sade but can I talk to you upstairs really quick?" Debbie asks and I nod, following her upstairs into the bathroom. Shit

"Yeah?" I ask, closing the door. She doesn't say a word and just slams down my very positive pregnancy test. "Please don't tell Lip." I plead, "Is it his?" Her eyes widen, "We fucked the night before the wedding." I say quietly. "Holy shit, another baby Lip." She smiles, "Have you been to the doctor yet? This also explains the throwing up, I'm so dumb! Why didn't I notice?" Debbie rambles, "Shh, thin walls in this house. We'll talk later and no, no doctor yet." I say, leaving the bathroom. "What was that about?" Lip asks and I wave him off, "Girl stuff." I say quickly, sitting at the table with Franny. Secret's out.

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"Starting to look like a magic castle in here." Debbie says as Sandy and I are putting up decor, "Sadie, sit and do balloons. I don't want you doing much lifting." Debbie says, "I can't believe you're p-" "Shh" I hush Sandy, "I don't want to tell anyone right now." "You have to tell Lip." Debbie says, "I can't. He's just finally settling down. I'm not ruining that for him." "So in a few months when you pop out a baby and he finds out, then what?" Sandy asks, "I don't know. I'll figure that out then." I sigh before filling up balloons with the helium tank. "Figure what out?" Tami walks in and asks, "What I'm gonna wear tonight because I am not wearing this." I chuckle, holding up a pink poof. "It's cute!" Debbie defends her decisions. "You're into this more than Franny is, babe." Sandy says, "What do you mean? What five year old girl wouldn't want a princess party?" "Me." "Me." "Me three." all three of us girls say. "My bounce house is here!" Franny comes inside and announces. "Let's go see!" Debbie exclaims and we all rush outside. Sandy and I chuckle at the sight of Dracula's Lair instead of a princess castle, "You guys made a mistake. I ordered a princess castle." Debbie says, "Sheet says Dracula's Lair." The man says through his mask, "Why would I order this for a little girl's birthday party?" Debbie gets frantic, "I love it!" Franny shouts. "Sorry ma'am there's nothing else on the truck." The man says before leaving. Debbie groans and storms back into the house. "Can I jump?" Franny asks and I nod, "You guys can go inside, I'll stay out here with her." I tell Sandy and Tami and they both go back in. Thank god, I need to be away from Tami. I can't handle this shit.

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"Does everyone have the lyrics for the princess song?" Debbie asks, "Yeah." We all answer in a monotone. This party was so for Debbie, Franny looks miserable. Our singing sounds just as miserable as she looks. "Ho Ho Ho! Happy Birthday Franny!" Mickey says barging in the house with toy AKs, "Jesus Mick." I chuckle as Franny's face lights up, "These are from me, only me, your favorite uncle!" He says, putting on the tiara he took from my head, "Yay guns!" Franny squeals, "Guns!" Mickey says back excitedly. "That is not a princess gift!" Debbie shouts, "Tough titties." "Let's play!" Franny says, "You got it kid!" Mickey says before they run towards the kitchen to go into the backyard

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"Who's the man in our relationship?" Ian asks as he and Mickey come downstairs, "Ian." Everyone but me says in unison. "No comment, I chose peace." I joke and Mickey thumps my forehead. "Can someone bring Franny to school?" Debs asks through all the chaos of everyone in the kitchen and Gallavich arguing, "Can't, doctor's appointment." I say, grabbing toast, "You ok?" Lip asks, walking in at the wrong time "I'm fine." I say, glancing at Debbie. "Well, I gotta go. Can someone do it?" Debbie asks and leaves before getting an answer. "I gotta go too." I say, grabbing my bag, "Bye guys, love you guys. Bye Frank." I say, "I don't get an 'I love you'?" He asks, "You're high, Frank." I say, leaving the kitchen and hurrying to my car. "Wait, Sade!" Lip calls after me, "Yeah?" I turn around, leaning against my car slightly. "Can you stop by my house on the way back?" "Why?" "I want to show you something I did in Fred's room." He smiles, "Sure." I nod, "What's this appointment for?" Lip asks, "Just a check up, nothing important." "Let me know how it goes." He says before leaving.. I wish I could.

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"Miss. Mitchell, you are in fact pregnant. 11 weeks 6 days." The doctor comes in and I throw my head back, squeezing my eyes shut and letting out a long breath. "This would be your final day to terminate if that was what you were planning." She says and I pick my head back up, "No, I'm keeping it." I answer and she smiles, "Well then, congratulations!" She says and I give her a weak smile. "Thanks." "You'll need to schedule some follow ups with an OBGYN, do you need help with that?" no, I need help telling my baby daddy "No, I can manage. Thank you so much." I smile at her before she leaves the room.

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"You don't have to knock." Lip says, answering the door. "Sorry." I say, "Come in." He invites me in and closes the door behind me. "What's with the dick on the outside of your house?" "Keep property taxes down." He answers and I nod, "Got it. So, what'd you wanna show me?" I ask and his face lights up, "Come here." He says, walking me to Fred's room. "I installed this last night." He says, flicking on his light switch revealing a constellation on the ceiling. "I love this." I say, admiring it. "Gemini." He points up to the one right over Fred's crib, "His room is amazing." I look at Lip, tears burning my eyes trying not to come out. "Sadie, what's wrong?" "Nothing, I just love his room." "How was your doctor's appointment?" He asks, "Oh, fine. I'm all good." I chuckle. "Good." He smiles weakly, I feel the tension build up as we hold eye contact, "I uh gotta go." I say, quickly leaving his house. I can't tell him, I can't ruin his family. I can't fuck his life up with Fred.

"Kev! V!" I rush into the Alibi in a panic, "What's wrong?" Kev, V, and Mickey all ask in unison. Kev's wardrobe quickly snaps me out of my panic, "What the hell are you wearing?" "Versocky." He smiles and pops his collar, "What's wrong?" Mickey steps in front of him, "I-I," I grow flustered, "I'm pregnant and it's Lip's." I finally blurt out and Mickey's expression drops, "I'm gonna be a grandpa!" Kev shouts, "Shut the fuck up!" I air strangle him, "I don't want anyone to know." "You gonna tell Lip?" V asks and I shake my head, "I can't. He has his family a-" "Baby, you're his family." V says, cutting me off. "But Fred, Tami." "Fuck them, he's still in love with you." Mickey scoffs. "But I don't want him to lose what he has going on for himself." I basically whine, plopping down on a bar stool. "You gotta tell him." V taps under my chin. "I'm gonna be a grandpa!" Kev says again but in a whisper and I groan, laying my head down on my arms. "I'm so fucked." I say, sad and stressed. "Aren't we all? Isn't that the Gallagher way? I fucking hate being a Gallagher." Mickey scoffs, sitting next to me. "Fucking Gallaghers." I mutter