violet gallagher // shameless

58- liam

the next minutes felt unreal. my entire body was shivering as we watched liam being driven away by the paramedics.

lip put his arm around me as i felt the tears starting to run down my cheeks.

-----

after kev got his truck, he drove us to the hospital, where we sat for the next few minutes.

everyone was silent, looking worried. my heart bumped to my chest and all i saw in my inner eye was liam laying there in the coke, unconscious.

fiona and lip were aggressively disscussing with one of the security guards.

they waved over to us, to signaliye that we all should come over, my legs felt so heavy as i got up and followed carl up to our siblings, as a nurse walked past us.

"excuse me" fiona stopped her, ,,liam. liam gallagher?"

"have a seat. someone will be out there in a minute." the nurse told as and walked away.

"what was that?" i asked, with a shaking voice.

"who's fiona?" someone asked as we all turned around to face two officers walked up to us.

"that's me." fiona answered, without hesitation.

"put your hands behind your back." one of the officers said and my jaw dropped.

"what?" she asked back as he took out a pair of handcuffs, placing fiona's hands behind her back, fucking handcuffing her.

"fiona gallagher, you have the right to remain silent. anything you say will be used against you in a court of law. you have the right to an attorney. if you can't afford one, one will be appointed to you. do you understand your rights as i've read them to you?" he said.

"what!?" i yelled.

"miss, please stay calm." the other officer told me.

"stay calm? you motherfuckers arresting my sister and telling me to stay calm?!" i shouted. the shock and sadness about liam turned into rage.

"please, lower your voice, ma'm or you'll be arrested as well." he told me with a calm voice.

i felt the anger boiling in me as i wanted to take a step forward, but lip pulled me back.

"don't." he told me as he looked me in the eye directly.

i rolled my eyes and tried to relax.

"wait, wait, wait, what's going on?" kev finally said to get some clarity, but the officers just ignored us, walking away with fiona.

we all started following them, exept for one person.

lip.

---

kev, v, debbie, carl and i watched fiona being put in that cage of a police car. i couldn't speak, or move even though i wanted to beat the shit out of these cops.

the officer shout the door, got in as well and drove off.

what the fuck.

i felt the tears streaming down my face again.

---

we got back into the hospital, sitting down in the waiting room again. debbie lay down on v's lap while she comforted her.

carl and i sat next to each other, knowing that this is the worst situation that could ever happen.

lip just dissapeared to who knows where. no one saying a word, as kev sat down again after handing me a v a coffee.

he sighted, then starting to talk about that fiona's going to need a lawyer but i zooned out, feeling numb.

then the doors opened again and a nurse walked out.

"fiona gallagher?"

i jumped up from my seat and ran over to her.

"violet gallagher." i said.

"is fiona here?" she asked me.

"no."

"will she be back?"

"no, not soon." as i said those words i felt my heart dropping to the floor. "i'm liam's sister."

"is there another parent or legal guardian avialable?" she kept asking. jesus.

i shook my head. "is liam going to be okay?"

"i'm sorry. i really need a responsible adult present to-" she started but i cut her off.

"look, my mom is a bipolar drug addict, who split years ago, my dad is a drunk and the cops just hauled fiona off to jail, my brother lip just went god knows where and my other brother ian also split, ok? so i am the only one that passes for a responsible adult that you're gonna find. now, how the hell is liam?" I said resolutely.

the nurse took a deep breath before telling me. "your brother came in with acute cocaine toxicity. disoriented, hallucinating and with a dangerously elevated heart rate. he's on naloxone for his altered mental status and benzodiazepine to control his seizures." she told us.

"seizures?" debbie asked.

"we're monotoring his temperature, his heart rate and his glucose levels, but he has started to settle down."

"can we see him?" i asked.

"i'm sorry. only immediate family members over 18 are allowed in the PICU." she shook her head.

"i don't think you understand." i started again. ,,if you want us to wait until someone over 18 in my family shows up here, we'll probably wait till what? next week?" i started raising my voice ,,so please, ma'm, let me see my brother." i looked her directly in her eyes and she sights.

"fine. but this is an absolute exception."

"go. we'll stay here with debbie and carl." v put her hand on my shoulder to comfort me. i gave her a weak smile as i started to follow the nurse.

we walked down a long white hallway before entering a room. 1000 thoughts running throgh my mind.

when i saw liam, my heart dropped once again.

his little body was tied to the bed and he had one of these face masks in his face to get him air. i felt the tears forming in my eyes again.

"why is he tied down?" i asked shaking.

"he was aditated and hurting himself. it's not unusual in cocaine overdoses."

"is he gonna be okay?" i asked as i wiped away a tear that streamed down my face.

"well, it's early yet, but cocaine overdoses arn't usually fatal. he did have several seizures and that can lead to intellectual decline." she told me and i covered my mouth in shock. what.

"b- brain damage?" i asked to make sure i understood right.

"learning and language problems. emotional and behavioral disorders. the developing brain is delicate. you're gonna need to consult with a pediatric neurologist to monitor any possible long-term deficit."

i nodded. the beeping mashine that controlled his heart rate made me so nervous. i took a deep breath. how is it possible that a life is so fucked up like ours?

"look, your little brother is a tough guy. he's gonna make it. stay strong." she put her hand on my shoulder and left the room. i just stood there for the next few seconds, not being able to move anything, but then i took a step forward over to liam.

"hey." i said, smiling under the tears that started running again. i put my hand onto his little hand and stroked his hand a bit. "it's okay. you'll be fine." i looked at him feeling my heart ripping in two halfs.