―

"Wow," Elodie muttered, looking around the living room that she, Adam and Hannah were sat in, "Mr. Carter has a nice place."

Hannah smirked slightly, "You know, you can call him Theo."

Elodie's nose scrunched up as she shook her head, "No. That's weird."

"She's right," Adam nodded from where he was sat on the couch, Tilly on his lap, "He's taught us for years. We didn't even know he had a first name."

Hannah only shook her head with a chuckle as the six month old in her arms began to cry, "Oh, someone's hungry."

"I'll feed her." Elodie smiled, holding out her arms.

"You sure?" Hannah asked as she handed her best friend the baby.

"Yeah," Elodie nodded, "Come on Lottie, let's get you some boob milk." She said to the baby as she made her way to the kitchen.

Hannah and Adam chuckled, glancing over at each other with a smile.

The girl nodded to the sleeping toddler in his arms, "You're good with her."

Adam glanced between Tilly and the redhead sat on the floor, "You're way better with both of them than me."

"That's because I have younger siblings," Hannah shrugged, "Who do you think named Liam?"

Adam raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

Hannah nodded, "Just another reason why he's gonna be a badass growing up. Other than being related to me, of course."

"Oh, of course."

The pair sat in silence for a few moments, Adam glancing around at the living room.

"So, you said that Mr. Carter lived down the street from you?"

"Mhm."

"He's come a long way from the Southside then," Adam hummed, before his eyes widened, "That came out wrong. I just meant that-"

"I get it," Hannah cut him off with a chuckle, looking around the room herself, "He got himself out. Went to a great college, moved to the Northside. Got himself a nice house, a husband. A family."

Adam studied the look on the girl's face as she trailed off, "You're gonna get that too, you know."

Hannah smiled slightly, scoffing, "Sure."

"I mean it, Han," Adam said, lightly kicking her knee with his foot, "We're gonna make it happen. Together."

―

Hannah let out a sigh as she and Lip made their way upstairs to the boys' room.

"How was babysitting?" Lip wondered.

"A lot of puke."

"From Lottie?"

"No, Adam." Hannah smirked, Lip chuckling as they stood in the hallway, seeing Carl punching Ian's stomach as the redhead was doing pullups.

"Hey, fuckwad." Lip called to him.

"Dickhead." Carl grinned back.

"Asswipe." Hannah nodded.

"Butthead."

"What are you doing?" Lip asked the boy as he and Hannah brushed past the pair to enter the bedroom.

"Helping Ian train." Carl told him.

"Yo, I was at the lab talking to this Army guy from the Pentagon," Lip said to Ian, "He's a colonel."

"Oh, yeah?" Ian asked, doing push ups and punching Carl's hands.

"Yeah. I thought he could tell us a bit more about West Point," Lip nodded, lighting his weed, "He was a student there."

"They're called cadets." Ian told him, as Debbie stomped her way up the stairs, wearing all black.

"I will burn for you. Feel pain for you," She sang along to her music - out of tune - as she pushed Carl aside, "I will twist the knife and bleed my aching heart--" She continued, backing into the bathroom.

"What's with Debs?" Lip asked.

"Obsessed with death." Carl shrugged.

"Oh, yeah, remember when I went through that phase?" Hannah asked.

"Yeah, but at least you sang in tune." Ian chuckled, resuming his exercising.

"I thought this guy might be a good lead." Lip continued.

"I don't know. Took that practice trig test today. Only got a 73." Ian sighed.

"Five points higher than last time." Lip pointed out, Hannah nodding.

Ian stood up, turning to face them, "I cheated." He said, before going back to doing pullups.

"Why do you wanna go in the Army?" Carl asked Ian, "You're gonna get shot through the butt hole."

"Hey, the only reason you're not in summer school is because they wouldn't have you." Lip told Carl, making the boy smirk, crossing his arms.

Hannah lightly elbowed Lip in the side as she took her own drag of the weed, "Hey, don't fuse his ego. His head's big enough already."

―

Fiona had found a Louis Vuitton bag on the L, the bag containing over five hundred dollars. So, naturally the Gallaghers, Veronica, Ethel, Adam, Elodie and Mandy went out to a buffet to eat.

Hannah chuckled, glancing over at the table that Mandy and Elodie were sat at, "They're getting along."

"Yet another unexpected friend made by Ellie." Adam chuckled.

Hannah let out a small laugh, "That girl could make friends with anyone, I swear."

"Wanna share a plate of fries?" Adam asked the girl across from him.

Hannah scoffed, "Fuck that. I'm getting my own plate. I ain't sharing shit." She chuckled as they both made their way back to the buffet.

"You know, for someone who has an English scholarship, your grammar isn't all that great."

"Fuck off."

―

"My steak is too rare." Veronica frowned.

"Have this one, King Henry." Fiona smirked, the pair swapping plates.

"What was the final tally in the purse?" Lip wondered

"Five hundred and twenty-six bucks." Fiona exclaimed.

"Jesus," Ian muttered, "Who carries around that kind of cash?"

"Stupid people." Hannah said as Fiona reached into the bag, pulling out a wallet.

"Kim Furtado."

Veronica rolled her eyes, "Some rich bitch."

Ian raised an eyebrow, "In our neighbourhood?"

"I dunno, I was in Glencoe having coffee with a friend." Fiona shrugged.

"That guy from your diary?" Carl smirked.

Fiona sent him a small glare, "Shut up and eat your spaghetti taco."

"You think it's real?" Veronica asked, nodding ot the bag, "And if so, can I have it?"

"It is," Lip nodded, "The LV's are two inches apart, seams are even, stitching's yellow. And the leather has turned dark brown from oxidation," He said, gaining raised eyebrows, "I read a lot."

"Sure you do, Phillipa." Hannah smirked, her older brother kicking her leg under the table.

Fiona turned to the table that Ethel and Debbie were sitting at. "Debs, have more salad. It's all you can eat."

"Hey, Fi, you know what you should do?" Lip said, reaching into the bag and pulling out a phone.

"Ride the L more often?"

Hannah chuckled, "It did lead to my baby's first steal," She said, putting her hand over her heart, "My baby's first theft."

"Here. Found her home number. Tell her you found her purse. I bet she'll give you a reward," Lip said, ringing it, "It went to voicemail. Leave a message." He handed it over to her.

"Hi, Kim, my name's Fiona. I found your purse on the L," Fiona said, "Give me a call on your cell so that I can get it back to you. Okay, bye."

"Perfect," Lip nodded, taking back the phone and putting it in the bag, "Now, don't give it back unless she gives you at least 200 bucks. That's how much we could get for it on eBay. All right. Let's stock up on chicken nuggets for home." He said, standing up.

"I heart Sizzler." Carl grinned as they all took a baggy from lip.

"Nuggets! Nuggets!" Hannah cheered quietly as she and Adam made their way back to the buffet.

―

Hannah raised an eyebrow as she made her way into the kitchen, "That's a lot of groceries." She commented.

"This from the purse windfall?" Lip asked Fiona.

"The gift that keeps on giving." Fiona smiled.

Carl grinned, looking into one of the bags, "Waffles."

"Blueberry pancakes in there," Fiona added, "French toast and scrambled egg whites with sausage for Lieutenant Gallagher." She handed Ian the bag.

The redhead sent her a small salute, "Thanks, Fi."

"Newspaper." Fiona gave it to Debbie.

"Thank you."

"New socks, Carl," Fiona threw them over to the boy, "Throw out the ones with holes in them."

"Awesome."

Lip raised an eyebrow, "A manicure?" He noticed.

Fiona shrugged, "Treated myself."

"Nineteen people died in Chicago yesterday." Debbie said, reading the newspaper.

"Carton of smokes for you, Lip," Fiona passed the pack to Lip, "And Han, got you those flashcards and highlighters that you needed." She said, giving the stationary to the redhead.

"Oh, awesome," Hannah smiled, "Thanks, Fi."

"Wow," Debbie marvelled, "This guy died of heat exhaustion. He was only 54. People die from heat exhaustion?"

"Among other things." Hannah muttered, putting the milk away.

"Hey, put the rest of this away. I gotta go meet rich-purse woman."  Fina instructed.

"Oh, she called?" Lip asked.

Fiona nodded as she left the kitchen, "This morning."

"Hey, remember, no reward, no purse." Lip called after her, receiving a thumbs up in return.

"What amazing morals this family has." Hannah smiled.

―

"Hey." Hannah smiled, popping her head through the doorway of Adam's bedroom, the boy jumping.

"Jesus, Han." He grabbed his chest, putting a bookmark in his book.

"I'm not even sorry," She chuckled, sitting at the foot of his bed, "You free tonight?"

"Of course I am."

Hannah smiled, patting his foot, "Great, cause we're going to the Alibi for Kev's beach party tonight."

Adam nodded, getting up and sifting through his wardrobe, "Good to know."

Hannah sighed, lying back on the boy's bed, "I know it may be hard, but try to wear something other than knitted sweater. There's a theme, after all."

Adam only rolled his eyes, giving the girl the finger, before pulling out a Hawaiian style shirt, "This okay?"

"Better than a sweater," Hannah nodded, standing up, "Ellie already had plans with Mandy tonight, so it's just you and me. I'll se you downstairs." She said, leaving the room.

Adam nodding, swallowing thickly as he changed, "Just you and me. Cool. Awesome. Oh shit."

―

"What the fuck is this, Kev?" Hannah asked the man with a small smile.

"Don't," Kevin shook his head, leaning against the bar, "I don't know how to make this better. I mean, the highlight of this night is Jody and Karen getting engaged."

Hannah turned to look at the couple, "Lip's gonna be crushed," She sighed before turning back to Kevin, "And it may help if there was a little music." She smirked, leaning over the bar and turning up the speakers, tropical music blasting through the bar.

"Oh yeah!" Veronica cried out, beginning to move her hips to the music.

"Go dance with your wife, Kev." Hannah smiled at the man, who grinned, joining the woman.

Adam smiled, sitting next to Hannah at the bar, "Hey."

"Hey."

"They're cute." Adam muttered, watching the couple dance.

"Yeah. They are," Hannah smiled, before downing her shot and grabbing the boy's hand, "Remember the first rule of dancing on the Southside?" She smirked, dragging him over to the dance floor.

Adam grinned as he spun her, "There's no need to make room for Jesus."

"Ah, the rich boy learns." Hannah chuckled as they swayed to the beat of the music, that only being the beginning of the night.