―

"You know you can stay another night, Han." Elodie softly told the girl as the redhead stood by the open front door of the Cuthbert's house.

"I know," Hannah nodded with a small smile, "But I need to go back. For Debs, Carl and Liam. They need me."

"Okay." Elodie nodded, hugging her best friend.

"Tell your parents thank you," Hannah said, "They haven't even asked any questions."

Elodie gave her a crooked smile, "That's because they know that you'll tell them when you're ready.

Hannah sighed, looking around the foyer, "If only I could stay here forever."

"You know fully well that you can." Elodie chuckled.

"Thanks, Ellie," Hannah nodded, slipping on a pair of the brunette's shoes and slinging the bag with her school uniform in over her shoulder, "See you at school tomorrow." She said, before leaving.

"See you at school." Elodie repeated quietly, closing the door.

"Was that Hannah?" Adam asked as he came down the stairs.

Elodie nodded, "Lip called. Debbie really needs her right now."

The boy shook his head with a sigh, "Honestly. Fuck Monica."

His twin nodded in agreement, "Fuck Monica."

―

Hannah tiredly opened the door to her, Debbie and Liam's room, the latter in her arms as she was greeted with the sight of Debbie and Carl sat on the floor, playing Battleship.

"Guys," She quietly sighed, walking around them and gently placing a sleeping Liam into his crib, "You should be in bed."

Debbie shrugged, "Mom never tucked us in."

Carl only shook his head, turning back to the game, "It has to be E-6 it's the only spot left big enough for a carrier." He said.

"No, it's not." Debbie said.

"You're lying." Carl rolled his eyes.

Hanna only rubbed her temples as her younger siblings bickered, when Fiona's voice came on the baby monitor.

"Carl, go back to your room. Debbie, go to sleep. School tomorrow."

"We're almost done." Carl told her.

"You both brush your teeth?"

"Yes." The pair both groaned.

"Carl. Go. Now." Fiona ordered.

"Night, Carl." Debbie said.

"Night, Asswipe." Hannah ruffled his short hair.

Carl hugged Hannah, saying, "Night, Fiona. Love you." Before leaving and gently closing the door behind him.

"Love you, Fiona." Debbie muttered, clambering into the bed.

"Love you too."

"And don't worry, Fi," Hannah told the baby monitor as she got into the bed, next to Debbie, "I did Liam's cream."

"Good to have you back, Han."

"Love you."

"Love you too."

Debbie leaned into her sister's side as the older girl pulled the covers over the two of them, Debbie angling a torch on the book in Hannah's hand.

"And no reading under the covers."

The girls sighed, emerging from the sheets, putting the book and torch on the bedside table.

"You're a bore," Hannah chuckled, "And I love you for it." She whispered as her youngest sister cuddled into her side, the redhead wrapping her arms protectively around Debbie as they drifted off to sleep.

―

Hannah adjusted the maroon bow that held up her ponytail as she rushed down the stairs the next morning, seeing the kitchen in more disarray than normal and Monica rushing around.

"Adam or Ellie show up yet?" The redhead asked her oldest brother, glaring at Bob with Liam in her arms.

"No. Lip shook his head, offering her a cheerio from the bag he was eating from.

"She sign Carl's permission slip?" Hannah muttered, reminding Lip.

"Monica, Carl needs something from you." He told her, pointing at the boy who had just closed the fridge.

"Here." Carl said, handing her a piece of paper.

"What? What's this?" The blonde asked.

"Permission slip." Lip said, putting the bag of breakfast away.

"You're going to the aquarium," Monica noted as she signed the slip with a Crayola marker, "When?"

"Today. I need $10." Carl told her.

Bob raised an eyebrow, "What for?"

"Admission fee." Carl said.

"School doesn't pay for that?" Bob asked.

"Obviously not." Hannah muttered, rolling her eyes, collecting all the markers she could find for her younger sister.

"No," Lip shook his head, "And he'll need money for food."

"Grab him an instant oatmeal and a Pop-Tart," Bob instructed Monica, "Makes a great lunch."

"Deb, what are you doing?" Monica asked the girl as Hannah handed her the markers, Debbie looking for more.

"I'm looking for a poster board and markers. I'm running for re-election." Debbie said, continuing her search.

"Ian, could you help her?" Monica asked the redhead, who sighed, standing up, "If you would tell me these things before it'd be better in the morning."

"I need 40 bucks." Lip stated from where he stood, making Hannah chuckle as she packed her school bag.

"No." Bob immediately said.

"Bob, do you have a five?" Monica asked her lover.

"In my wallet. Where it's gonna stay."

"I need a new calculus textbook. I can get it used, only cost 20." Lip tried, only to gain a grunt from Bob.

"Where are our lunches?" Ian asked, as he and his younger siblings put on their coats.

"Huh?" Monica asked, gaining expectant looks.

"What is everybody looking at?" Bob rolled her eyes, "Start spreading peanut butter on bread."

"Right," Monica nodded, laying out pieces of bread, "So... Okay, where's the jelly?"

Hannah scoffed, grabbing her bag, "I'm out," She stated, passing Bob, "Oh, and while you're trying to steal my baby brother, do Liam's ass cream for us." The girl rolled her eyes, before storming out of the back door.

"Hannah?" Elodie called out as she and Adam were making their way to her backyard, seeing their friend's angry form.

"Bob and Monica?" Adam asked.

"Don't even get me started." Hannah shook her head as they started their walk to school.

―

Hannah left Ackrington Academy with a raised eyebrow as she spotted her brothers in a car in front of the school.

Getting in the back, the girl scooted over to the middle, asking, "Why the fuck was I called to reception for a dentist appointment, Mrs. Crane telling me my parents' car was out the front?"

"Want to find out what Bob and Monica are doing that they won't tell us about?" Lip asked with a raised eyebrow.

Hannah buckled herself in, "Drive."

―

"Where'd you get the car?" Ian asked Lip as the trio were camped outside their house, waiting for Monica and Bob.

"Borrowed it from Steve," Lip said, "I've been working with him a bit."

"Doing what?" Ian asked, raising an eyebrow, a smirk creeping onto Lip's face.

"Ah, illegal crap," Hannah nodded, leaning forward, her elbows resting on the seats in front of her, "Fun times."

Ian shook his head with a scoff, "You better not let Fiona find out about it or she'll kill you," He said, "And him."

"And then you again." Hannah added.

Lip looked over at his brother, seeing the look on his face.

"You doing okay?" Lip wondered.

"Yeah, you've got that look on your face again." Hannah said.

Ian glanced over at them, "Lot going on."

"Yeah. It's weird having Monica back." Lip nodded.

"Understatement of the year." Hannah huffed out.

"Yeah. Yeah, that too." Ian muttered.

"What, something else?" Lip asked.

Ian shook his head, "It's kind of hard to explain."

Lip and Hannah both shared a look and shrugged.

"Try us." The eldest in the car said.

Ian took in a breath, "Mickey's gay and we're doing it. And Kash shot Mickey because of me. But, Mickey would rather go to juvie than admit he's gay. So I'm doing both Kash and Mickey. Well, not so much Kash lately. When Kash and me were hot and heavy, Linda found out about it and is blackmailing Kash into have another kid."

His siblings stared at him.

"Holy shit." Lip muttered.

Ian nodded, "Yeah."

"And here I was worrying about tomorrow's math test." Hannah murmured, leaning back into her seat.

Hannah nodded over at their house, where Bob and Monica were leaving, Liam in the blonde's arms, "Here they come."

"I think I'm gonna go see him today." Ian decided.

"Who, Kash?" Lip asked.

"No, Mickey," Ian shook his head, "He's in jail awaiting sentencing."

"Tell him to bring me back a shank as a souvenir." Hannah said as Lip started the ignition, beginning to tail behind Bob, Monica and Liam.

―

Hannah raised an eyebrow as she and her brothers watched Bob, Monica and Liam exit the diagnostics clinic, Bob screaming unhappily.

"Wow." Lip muttered, turning to his siblings, "They look unhappy."

Ian nodded, "Yeah."

"Well, that's good news for us." Hannah muttered as they got out of the car, making their way over to the clinic, greeting the receptionist at the front desk.

"The two women who just left must not have been happy with the news they got." Lip said to the receptionist as the three of them leaned against the desk.

"Oh, yeah, happens," The woman nodded, "Had a guy last month hang himself from a pipe in the men's room."

The three of them nodded.

"Charming." Hannah muttered.

"So can I help you?" The receptionist asked.

Lip looked over at his siblings with a small smirk, before nodding at the woman, "Yeah, I think, uh, maybe you can."

―

"You sure you're ready for this?" Lip asked Ian and Hannah as the three of them made their way to the boys' room.

"Hell, yeah," Ian nodded, "I mean, just because Liam's Frank's doesn't mean the rest of us are."

"Yep." Hannah nodded as they entered the boys' room, she and Lip sitting on Ian's bed, Ian leaning against the dresser.

"All right. It says here' all we have to do is swab our own cheeks and send it back in." Lip said as he read the instructions.

"Yeah, and pay them 150 bucks each." Ian nodded.

"Whoo!" Hannah unenthusiastically cheered.

"On the off chance we're not related to Frank, it's totally worth it," Lip chuckled, standing up, swab in his hand, "Open up." He told Ian, swabbing the inside of his brother's cheeks.

"It's actually pretty cool," Lip said, sitting back down, "There's a lot of shit we could figure out about ourselves in here."

"Yeah, like, uh, if we got the alcoholic gene from Frank," Ian said as Lip took Hannah's swab, the girl raising her hand with a laugh, "Yeah. we don't need a test to know that, Han."

"Yeah, or the dummy gene from Monica." Lip laughed as Hannah took his swab.

"Or, uh, if any of us is gonna turn out to be gay." Ian sarcastically added.

"Nice." Lip smirked, high-fiving Ian.

"Heh."

―

Hannah sighed as she and Lip entered Steve and Fiona's house, Hannah examining the bruise on her brother's knuckles.

"How come you're always the one who gets to hit him?" She asked.

"Don't worry," Lip chuckled as he opened lightly knocked on the front door, "You'll get your punch in one day."

Hannah elbowed him gently in the side, "I better."

"Jesus," Lip said as they came inside, "This place still smells like old man Harris."

"God rest his sole." Hannah nodded as they joined their family and Steve in the living room.

"What did Monica want?" Fiona asked with a sigh.

"To come over for dinner." Lip said.

"Some kind of a family meeting." Hannah rolled her eyes.

"Ha, ha, family?" Fiona scoffed, "Fucking load of shit. You told her we know Liam's Frank's?"

"Yeah." Lip nodded as Steve handed both him and Hannah a can of beer, the pair sitting down on a makeshift chair, the redhead leaning her head on her brother's shoulder, Lip wrapping his arm around her.

"You have any pot?" Fiona asked her boyfriend - who opened up a tin box, "If I have to go see Mom conscious, I might commit a violent felony."

"That's the first time in a long time I've heard you call her Mom." Lip said, an unlit cigarette in his mouth, handing another one to Hannah.

"I did?" Fiona asked, Lip nodding, "I don't know if I ever felt like she was my mom." She shrugged.

"Ian, Han and I got our DNA test done." Lip told her as Steve handed Fiona a lit blunt, having to slap Carl's reaching hand away.

Fiona raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"Got excited at the idea of not being Frank's." Hannah shrugged, lighting her cigarette.

"And if none of us are his, you'd have an easier time becoming our legal guardian." Lip added.

Ian nodded in agreement, taking a drag of the blunt, once again slapping away Carl's hand, "Lip's gonna pick up the results in about an hour."

"Well, here's to you not being Frank's." Fiona sighed, taking back the blunt.

―

"Have you said your prayers?" Lip asked as he and Hannah were about to enter their house.

"Oh, every night." The girl nodded sarcastically, putting her hands together with a laugh as Lip opened the door.

"Oh, Lip, Hannah, wonderful. We just started." Monica grinned, standing up.

"Your mother said 6:30. You lose your watch?" Bob asked.

"Don't have a watch, Bob." Lip rolled his eyes as he and his sister took off their coats and scarves.

"What's the news?" Ian asked him, as Lip sat next to Fiona and Hannah took her seat between Debbie and Carl.

"We haven't opened it yet," Hannah shook her head, "We figured we should do it together." She shrugged.

"Thanks." Ian nodded.

"Me, Hannah and Ian have decided to get our DNA tests done too," Lip said, opening the letters, "On the off chance that maybe we aren't Frank's kids."

"What?" Monica raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. We figured why should you and Bob get to have all the fun?" Lip shrugged, looking down at one of the letters, "Holy shit," He muttered, looking up at his redheaded brother, "Congratulations, Ian. You are not Frank Gallagher's son."

―

The Gallaghers and Steve all stared at Monica in shock as she was fumbling for a reply.

"Honestly, sweetie, I don't know," The blonde woman shrugged, "There was that week in the summer of '95 that I did a lot of PCP."

"You did PCP?" Frank asked, hurt, "Without me? You promised we would do that together!"

"Oh my God." Hannah muttered, her head in her hands.

"Excuse me, can we get back to who Ian's father is?" Fiona called the attention back to the matter at hand.

"Uh, uh, I like the idea of Monica cheating on Frank. It really keeps my image of you right on track, Mom." Lip nodded.

"Will somebody please tell me what we're talking about?" Frank asked as Ian stared down at the letter in his hand.

Ian ran his hand over his face with a sigh, "Alright. The results say that you, Frank' are absolutely not my father. But my father is a close relative. Most likely one of your brothers."

Debbie looked up at Hannah, "Dad has brothers?" She asked her older sister, who shrugged.

Lip nodded, "He has two, right?"

"Three." Fiona corrected, looking over at Frank with an incredulous look.

"I think I met the one that sells smoked sausage and razor blades out of the trunk of his car." Lip nodded.

Hannah raised an eyebrow, "That guy was our uncle?"

"All right." Ian muttered.

"I honestly don't know." Monica shrugged, looking at Frank.

"Are we still related?" Debbie asked.

"Of course you are." Fiona nodded, Hannah nodding in reassurance, wrapping her arm around her youngest sister.

Frank ran a hand through his hair, "Not only did you lie to me about the PCP you fucked my brother!?" He cried, "What's next? You gonna take up with a black lady-man? Oh, I forgot. That's already happened. How can we get back together now?"

Monica scoffed, "I have never, ever had any intention of getting back together with you, Frank. You only tricked me into coming here to get some settlement money!"

"I wanted to see you again!" Frank cried.

"So you pretended that she won a teddy bear?" Bob raised an eyebrow,

"You know how much I love teddy bears." Monica said, glaring at him.

"You and Monica are over, Frank," Bob told him, "Me and Monica are getting married."

Frank shook his head, "She's still married to me."

"Not for long. She's getting a divorce, "Bob shook her head."

Debbie raised an eyebrow, "You two are still married?"

"How can two ladies get married?" Carl asked.

"They're lesbians, "Debbie told him in an obvious tone, "Penetration isn't required for sex to occur."

The Gallagher siblings all looked at their youngest sister with raised eyebrows.

"What? It's legal now in several states." Debbie shrugged.

"I have no idea how I'm meant to respond to this shit." Hannah shook her head with a sigh.

"Divorce, Frank," Bob told him in a stern tone, "You owe her that much."

"What about what she owes me?" Frank cried, "She gonna leave me again with seven kids? Leave me to deal with all the shit?"

Fiona let out a scoff, "You mean leave me to deal with the shit."

"I didn't leave you. You drove me out!" Monica cried, "No self-respecting person could stay with you. You treated me like a dog." The woman said as she leaned across the table to yell at him, the man grabbing the sides of her face and kissing her.

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

"You need to let us raise Liam," Bob told everyone as Debbie and Hannah pulled Frank off of Monica, "I don't care what the tests results say, Liam belongs with us."

"Fuck that." Hannah shook her head.

"Nobody's taking Liam." Lip cried.

Frank stared at Monica, shaking his head, "I can't believe you want a divorce."

"What?" Monica whispered, staring at him in shock, "Me and Bob deserve a family of our own."

Hannah let out a scoff, "Deserve?"

"You had a family. You left it." Fiona exclaimed.

"I didn't leave you. He drove me out." Monica stressed, pointing at Frank.

"You should have protected us." Fiona continued.

"I tried but I couldn't," The blonde woman told her eldest daughter - who shook her head - as she was climbing over the table in her attempt to appeal to Fiona, "Fiona, if I didn't leave, I would have died."

"Oh, cut the shit, Myrna Loy." Frank exclaimed.

"You have no idea what it was like being married to him," Monica told her children, "You have no idea how bad it is."

Lip rolled his eyes, "Yeah? Try me."

"Oh, come on, now!" Frank shook his head.

"Okay," Fiona said, shaking her head and standing up, slowly addressing her mother, "I know that he tortured you. I know that he ruined you. But we didn't marry him, Mom. You did. If you love us, any of us, in any way, you'll leave Liam, take your girlfriend, get in your truck and never come back." The brunette told her, before leaving.

"But-" Monica whispered, as Steve and the rest of the siblings followed her out, "I... I love you. I do."

―

Hannah nervously bit her nails as the Gallagher siblings and Steve were camped out in Fiona and Steve's house, Lip watching their house from the window, Ian standing up and joining him with a sigh.

"What are they doing?" Fiona asked her two brothers.

"Looks like packing." Lip told her.

"What about Liam?" Debbie asked from where she was cuddled into both Hannah and Veronica's sides.

"I can't tell through the window." Lip shook his head.

"We could call the police, tell them Liam's being kidnapped." Debbie proposed.

"Hey, we're gonna figure this shit out, okay?" Fiona said, looking at each of her siblings in turn, "No matter what."

"Hey, guys, they're coming out." Lip told them, making everyone rush to grab their coats and run out of the house.

The family waited outside of the house as Bob packed their bags and got into the truck with a huff and a cryinh Monica stood a few feet away from her children, tears in her eyes.

Hannah allowed the tears to pool in her eyes as Ian clutched onto her hand and they watched Monica slowly approach them, before slowly and painfully handing her youngest over to Fiona, kissing his head before starting to walk away, sobbing.

The siblings all let out sighs of relief, crowding around their brother, giving him kisses, tears falling.

"Mom?" Fiona called out to Monica, making the woman turn around to see her eldest child give her a nod of thanks, but also telling her to do as she said at the dinner table.

Monica sobbed harder, nodding back and stumbling into the truck, her children watching her and Bob drive off, all holding onto each other a little bit tighter than before.