Shameless

31|A Long Way From Home

Carla followed Carl into the living room as he tried to turn the TV on, but it said it was locked. He tried it again, but it said the same thing. "What the hell? TV's broken." Carla said. "Uh-- parental controls. We wouldn't want you two to stumble onto something you shouldn't." Lanier said.

"That's the only reason to watch." Carl said,"Still gets Discovery Kids,Disney and Bravo. Carl put the remote down. It's time for your bathm" Lanier explained."How many damn times do we have to smell like mango and pomegranate?" Carla asked "uh if you think I'm gonna let you two near your tutor without one, you got another thing coming." Lanier said.

"Tutor?" The twins asked as they looked at the man."To brush up on your math. You're two grade levels behind." Lanier told them,"only two?" Carl asked while Carla chuckled.

~~

Carla lay on her bed after they had dinner while Liam played with toys next to her on the bed. "Yo." Carl said, jumping on the bed next to Carla."Hey." She sat up."Lip and mandy are downstairs." Carl said. "Cool." Carla smiled as they got up, and Carl grabbed Liam.

"Lip!" She exclaimed as she hugged them,"hey Carly." Lip said as they pulled away.

Carl and Carla looked through the thing Lip and mandy brought them. "Careful with thought throwing start. They could pierce a jugular." Lip said. Carl pulled Carla over to the window and sat in front of Lip.

"You gotta get us out of here." Carl whispered."Why?" Lip asked."They took my rifle away. My make us brush our teeth after every meal. They're always around,seeing if we're okay." Carl explained.

"It means They're trying to be good parent." Lip said."Don't forget Carl,Carla, church in 10 minutes." Lanier said. The twins looked at lip as his phone rang. "It's Fiona. I gotta go meet her. But hey,um, see if you two can ger the security codes for this place. We'll come back in a couple of months and steal a bunch of shit all right?" Lip said the twins nodded."Hang in there." Lip said, rubbing their heads.

"Come on, Mandy,we gotta go." Lip told her as he stood up, making Carla take his spot in front of Carl on the window seal. "See you, buddy." Lip told Liam as mandy waved at the twins as they walked out.

~~

Carla lay awake on her bed after putting Laim asleep. "Hey." She heard Carl whispered after he knocked in her door. "Hey." She turned her head towards the door. Carl crawled in the bed next to her and laied his head on her shoulder.

The twins fell asleep in each other's embrace, and the next morning, they went to a court house.

"Fiona." The twins said simultaneously as they ran up to her."Hey, I missed you so much." Fiona said as they hugged, and then she hugged her other siblings.

Carla held onto Carl's hand as they walked in the court room as they sat down next to each other next to Fiona and Debbie. "DFS,like to get us started here?" The judge asked."Thank you,your honor. Britney Struges, Department Of Family Services. After receiving a report about the Gallagher home, I found the children under Francis Gallagher in a state of neglect. We subsequently removed the children from the home for their own protection." Britney said.

"Mr. Gallagher,you want the children back?" The judge asked."They're my kids,your honor." Frank said."The mother has relinquished her parental rights." The judge said. "What does that mean?" Carl asked."Monica doesn't wanna be our mom?" Debbie asked."She did it for you guys,so I can bring you home." Fiona explained.

"And ms.Gallagher has filed a petition to terminate the father's parental rights." The judge said. "Yes, your honor." Frank said. "Are you prepared to assume custody?" The judge asked."I am. I can provide a stable environment for the kids. Something sorely lacking with our father. I have a full-time job, and I will soon own a home." Fiona handed the lawyer the paperwork as he stood up.