―

Hannah sat at the dinner table with her head in her hands, letting out a small groan.

"And that is why you don't go out with Mandy Milkovich on a school night." Fiona said, placing a mug of coffee in front of the redhead.

"Yet, you let me go." Hannah muttered.

"To learn from your mistakes." Fiona rolled her eyes, lightly hitting the back of the girl's head.

"Where's Grammy?" Debbie asked as she came downstairs.

"Frank took her to Sheila's late last night," Fiona said, "She was having trouble breathing."

"The chemicals from the fire were aggravating her emphysema." Ian told her.

Debbie's eyebrows scrunched up, "Will the chemicals give us emphysema?"

"Probably, but we won't know for fifty years." Ian shrugged as Carl made his way down the stairs in his football helmet, banging his head against the wall as he went.

"Shhh," Hannah groaned, "Too loud."

"Carl, the team gives you one helmet and if you break it, we can't afford to replace it." Fiona sighed.

"Don't matter." Carl said glumly.

"Doesn't." Hannah corrected him quietly.

"Season's over." Carl told them.

Fiona raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"Coach got arrested for exposing himself at the park." Ian told her.

"He was peeing being a shed. A couple of seven-year-old girls saw it." Debbie added.

"I don't get it. Half the world has penises," Carl shrugged, "Why do people get so upset about seeing them?"

"Context." Ian told him.

"What's that?" Carl asked.

"When, how, where and with who." Fiona listed off.

"Ian, you played," Carl turned to his brother, "You could coach."

"Uh, can't. I got to work after school, bud. Sorry." Ian said, slapping Carl's helmet as he gathered his stuff.

Fiona raised an eyebrow, "You going to school early?"

"Chemistry study group." Ian said before taking his lunch from Fiona and leaving through the back door.

"Can you coach?" Carl asked Fiona.

Fiona let out a small scoff, "I know nothing about football."

"It's just boys crashing into one another. With pads. And some--some rules." Debbie shrugged.

"Hannah?"

The girl patted Carl's helmet, "Sorry, Asswipe. My school's main sport is lacrosse. We have a football team, but being on it doesn't exactly make you cool."

"Ask Lip." Fiona suggested.

"He won't do it." Carl shook his head.

"Wake him and ask. Can't hurt." Fiona shrugged.

Carl turned to the stairs, "Lip!" He shrieked.

"Jesus," Hannah rubbed her temples, "Not so loud, Asswipe."

"I could have done that," Fiona rolled her eyes as Debbie slapped the back of his helmet, "Upstairs, please."

Carl huffed, before following his sister's instructions as Fiona glanced over at Hannah with a smirk.

"What?" The girl asked.

"You regretting last night?"

"Obviously."

"That mean you won't do it again on a school night?"

"Oh, no chance," Hannah shook her head, pouring herself another cup of coffee, "You should know me by now. When have I ever learnt from my mistakes?"

―

"Couldn't wake him." Carl sighed as he came back into the kitchen.

"Debbie, go brush your teeth," Fiona instructed her youngest sister, who nodded, "And tell Lip that ice cubes are going down his shirt next. He's missed a week of school already."

The back door then opened and Steve entered the house with his new wife, Estefania, "Morning, Gallaghers! Who likes coffee and doughnuts?" He asked, Carl and Hannah snatching the box off of him, "All right. Double latte, two sugars." He held the coffee out ot Fiona.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Fiona asked, taking the drink handed to her.

"We were out getting coffees, and I thought, 'Hey, school's started. Why not pop by and give the kids a ride like the old days?'" Steve shrugged.

"'Cause that's weird and fucking stalkerish?" Hannah suggested as Steve held out a coffee to her. Hannah stared at the drink, raising an eyebrow, "Double cappuccino?"

"Yep."

"Two sugars?"

"One brown, one white."

Hannah eyed the man as she slowly took the coffee, "This doesn't mean I like you."

"Didn't think it would."

"No heads up so I could put pants on?" Fiona asked Steve with a glare as she shrugged on a pair of jeans.

"I like you with no pants on." Steve shrugged.

"Dude, your wife is standing right there." Fiona said.

"No English." Steve smiled as the woman was talking into her phone in Portuguese.

"Does she ever leave your side?" Fiona asked with a small scoff.

"I bought coffee for Lip." Steve added as he held out a doughnut to Liam.

"Please, stop trying to make this seem normal." Fiona rolled her eyes, snatching the treat from him and placing it on the counter.

"Ooh, yes please." Hannah said, picking it up and taking a bite.

"Lip won't get up," Debbie sighed, re-joining them, seeing the box on the table, "Ooh, thanks for the doughnuts, Jimmy."

"Yes. You know what, I get it," Steve nodded, "You think it's funny to call me Jimmy, but I think it's probably time to give it a rest."

"Fat chance, Jim-Jam." Debbie said, leaving the kitchen.

"Yeah, yummy doughnuts, Jimbo." Carl waved his in the air as he followed his sister.

Hannah and Fiona smiled at their younger siblings with a small chuckle, the redhead checking her watch and seeing she had to go. Hannah glanced over at Fiona with a raised eyebrow, the brunette nodding.

"Alright, see ya, JimmySteve." Hannah called out, leaving through the back door.

Steve nodded, turning to Fiona with a sigh, "So, she hasn't changed."

"And she never will." Fiona said with a proud smile.

Meanwhile outside, Hannah shrugged her bag over her shoulder, doughnut hanging from her mouth.

"JimmySteve come by for breakfast?" Adam asked as he and Elodie stood at the bottom of the steps, waiting for her.

"The man doesn't know how to take a hint." Hannah rolled her eyes, taking the food out of her mouth.

"At least we get free food." Elodie shrugged, reaching for the treat in her best friend's hand.

Hannah slapped her hand away, "Mine, bitch."

―

"'Which of the following political actions violated the principle of unalienable rights of liberty that evolved from the above excerpt of the Declaration of Independence?'" Ian read out from Fiona's GED practice test, "One. In 1857, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling promoted the expansion of slavery in U.S. territories. Two-"

"That one." Fiona decided as she was cooking dinner.

"It's a, uh... multiple choice test. You want to hear the other options?" Ian asked.

"It's that one," Fiona shook her head, "Hey, Mickey Milkovich came by earlier looking for Frank, all sweaty. Isn't he working at the store while you're at school?"

"When he shows up." Ian muttered.

"Why is he looking for Frank?" Fiona asked.

Hannah - who was sat next to Ian - saw the look on Ian's face and decided to jump in, "Probably getting just high together," She shrugged, "You know what they're both like."

The front door opened and closed, the three of them turning to see Carl and Debbie hanging up their coats.

"Dinner in 15 minutes." Fiona pointed at the two older redheads.

"I'm going to head out for a while." Ian told her, before leaving.

"Where were you guys?" Fiona asked Debbie and Carl.

"Football practice." Carl grinned, in his football uniform as he held up his helmet.

Hannah raised an eyebrow, "Football practice?"

"Thought your coach got arrested." Fiona said.

"A new guy stepped in to save the day." A voice called out, Hannah and Fiona turning to Steve and Estefania stood in the living room.

"Oh my God." Hannah groaned, going to lay the table.

"What do you know about football?" Fiona rolled her eyes.

"Well, you... make a pass, sometimes you score." Steve smiled at her.

"Ugh," Fiona scoffed, "I meant what I said this morning."

"We got a big scrimmage tomorrow. And I say that we celebrate the guaranteed victory." Steve pointed over Carl, who grinned.

"Yeah!"

"By cooking a big Brazilian dinner. What do you say? Right, Esty?" He asked his wife.

Hannah and Fiona both raised their eyebrows, looking at each other, amused, "Esty?"

"Tomorrow, come here. Cook food." The man tried to translate to his wife.

"Si, si." She nodded.

"Eat. Eat."

"Uh... Uh, poor people," Estefania gestured to the family, "Crack. I help." She nodded at Fiona.

"Dude," Fiona gave Steve a look, "'Poor people'?"

"Awesome. See you tomorrow." Steve nodded, leading Estefania out of the house.

"Can we go bring Grammy back?" Carl asked, he and Debbie looking hopefully at their eldest sister as they stood on the other side of the counter.

"She promised to teach us how to palm cards." Debbie added.

Fiona sighed, "Grammy blew up the basement. We could've lost Carl. So she's having a time-out at Sheila's. And you know, when you're having a time-out, you don't get to visit with your family."

Hannah saw the dejected looks on her younger siblings' faces, "Hey, I miss her too," She told them, gently placing her hands on their cheeks, "But your safety comes first, okay?"

Lip then entered the house through the backdoor, "Yo, you pick out all your classes?" He asked Fiona.

"Taking my GED." The girl smiled.

"Uh... no," Lip shook his head, coming to stand by her and chucking his coat somewhere, "That wasn't the deal."

"Well, I still got to earn money- food, utilities," Fiona shrugged, "You finish your senior year, I take the GED."

"I didn't agree to an equivalent." Lip said.

"If it's good enough for the state, it's good enough for me." Fiona told him.

"Fine. Then I'll take my GED." Lip shrugged.

"The GED is for quitters, not geniuses," Fiona glared at the boy, shoving a packet of uncooked spaghetti into his hands, "Put the pasta in when the water boils. I have to go study." She said as she took her practice quiz and went upstairs.

Lip rolled his eyes with a sigh, looking over at Hannah.

"Hey, don't look at me," Hannah raised a hand as she opened the cutlery draw, "I'm not getting involved, okay?"

―

"Hey, how much of a fascist do I look?" Hannah asked Debbie as they were having breakfast the next morning.

"I don't know what that means." Debbie shrugged.

"Okay, do I look like I believe in white supremacism?" Hannah smiled.

"Kinda."

"Perfect." Hannah nodded, adjusting her uniform as Fiona came down the stairs, yawning.

"Morning."

"Meg texted you from the club. Says your last pay check's in," Debbie told Fiona, handing the brunette her phone, "I told her you'd go get it today."

"Please don't take my phone," Fiona sighed, "And please don't impersonate me."

"Technically, it's not impersonating if it's over text." Hannah shrugged, making Fiona lightly nudge her with her elbow.

"You left it in the bathroom. Liam almost dropped it in the toilet." Debbie shrugged.

"Where's Ian?" Fiona asked.

"Left early again." Hannah told her.

"Coming to my scrimmage today?" Carl asked as he made his way to the living room.

"Wouldn't miss it!" Fiona grinned.

"Adam and Ellie are coming too, if that's okay." Hannah told him.

Carl shrugged, "More people to me beat the shit out of the other team? Awesome."

"Should I bring some breakfast over to Grammy?" Debbie asked her sisters, " She gets hungry after her morning cigarettes."

Hannah shook her head softly, "No, Debs."

"Sheila has food at her house, she'll feed her," Fiona assured the girl, before calling up the stairs and banging on the wall, "Lip! Up!"

"I don't have class till ten," Lip said, entering the kitchen via the living room, dressed, "I'm gonna go help Kev."

"You like your classes this year?" Fiona asked him with a smile.

"I love them. Thanks." He nodded sarcastically.

"Quite welcome."

"Go learn your state capitals."

"Go fuck yourself."

"Will do." Lip nodded, leaving, making Fiona rolled her eyes as she went to clear the dinner table.

"Hey," Carl said, handing the killing bat to Debbie, "Swing this at my head. I'm trying to strengthen my neck."

Debbie glanced up at Hannah, the two girls seeing that Fiona's back was turned. Hannah shrugged with a smirk, making Debbie grin and swing the bat at Carl's helmet, Fiona jumping around at the sound of the boy hitting the floor.

"Awesome." He grinned.

―

"Fuck yeah, Carl!" Hannah cheered at her little brother's scrimmage, "Kill 'em!"

"Someone's in their element." Adam chuckled.

Hannah rolled her eyes, "Shut up. He's found something that he's good at and enjoys. Plus, he gets to hurt people. This is Carl's Disneyland."

"He is one weird kid." Mark said, he and Sally sat behind their children and their friend.

"Thank you," Hannah smiled, "We take pride in that."

Everyone in the stands let out a cheer as Carl absolutely flattened a kid.

"Hell yeah, Carl!" Elodie cried.

―

"Proud of you, Asswipe." Hannah smiled, slapping the back of Carl's head.

"Thanks." Carl smiled.

"What's a parabola?" Elodie asked, she, Hannah and Adam doing their homework on the opposite end of the table to Carl and Debbie.

"Like I fucking know." Hannah shrugged.

"I know it's to do with math." Adam said as the door opened and Steve and Estefania entered the kitchen.

"Do you have a paring knife?" He asked.

"You're not cooking dinner." Fiona rolled her eyes.

"Oh, come on." Debbie said.

"Let him." Carl told her.

Hannah shrugged, "Free food, Fi."

"Hey, JimmySteve." Adam smiled at the man.

"I'm guessing you learned that from Hannah?" Steve asked.

"Actually, it was Liam," Elodie told him, "Kid's a bit of a smartass." She smiled as the front door opened and closed, Lip having come home.

"Hey!" Fiona called out to him, making the boy pause on his way up the stairs.

"Hey."

"Expelled?" Fiona raised an eyebrow at him.

Lip shrugged, "You win."

"I win?" Fiona scoffed, "That's all you have to say?"

"I lose."

"Well, you're lucky for a loser," Fiona told him, everyone from the kitchen coming to stand behind her, "Mr. Healey got you into another school."

"Yeah, I'm not going." Lip shook his head.

Fiona let out a scoff, "You are."

"No, I'm not."

"Guys, guys, calm down." Steve said.

"Hey, Jimmy, butt the fuck out," Fiona glared at the man before turning back to her brother, "You are finishing high school."

"I've done a year more than you." Lip glared, coming to stand in front of her.

"This isn't about me." Fiona told him.

"So, what, you want me to bust my ass, get a diploma and a high-paying job, so I can buy you all houses and shit while you lay around doing fuck-all?" Lip scoffed through a clenched jaw as Ian joined them in the living room.

"I'm down for that." Carl shrugged, making Hannah hit him over the head to keep him quiet.

"Why is that on me, huh?" Lip cried, "Because I've done all right on some tests? No, I'll pull my weight, but I'm not going to be the fucking golden goose!" He spat.

"School or out." Fiona told him.

"What?"

"My job is to keep this house going," Fiona said, "Busting my ass for you, working eight jobs, making meals, keeping everything straight. Your job is school! School or leave."

Lip stared at his sister, before nodding and rushing past Ian up the stairs. Fiona let out a sigh, going ot the kitchen and setting up the table when Lip came back downstairs, shoving some items in a bag.

Fiona walked back into the living room, "What are you doing?"

"Well, I'm not going back to school, so I guess it means I'm leaving," Lip sniffed, his eyes flitting over to the middle Gallagher, "Be careful, Han. Odds are, you're next." He said, before storming out of the house.

The room fell silent as they processed what had just happened, Carl running out through the front door, making Hannah follow after her younger brother.

"Lip, come back!" Carl cried from the gate of their house, only for Lip to keep walking, "Lip!"

"Carl." Hannah whispered, putting her hand on his shoulder.

The young boy let out a whimper, turning to Hannah, who pulled him into a hug as Carl buried his face into her neck.