Mine // Carl Gallagher

Chapter 32

A/N: Hopefully this chapter will be better than the last one? I'm a bit rusty since I really haven't written or gone over this book in so long. Again, heads up that there's a chance that some stuff might change or be different cus I'll probably end up forgetting some stuff about this story like certain character names or somethin. Also imma start writing in italics cus personally I think it looks better & cleaner. Tysm for reading & I love reading your comments!! <3

      Sophia decided to take a nap after the doctor had left to get some rest while she iced her body. Carl stayed downstairs with the rest of the Gallaghers to let her sleep so that he wouldn't have to have the inevitable conversation about covering up Byron's death. It actually, somewhat, made Carl a little sad that Byron, a loyal man who worked hard for him for a long time (even though he was a fuck up), was so alone that no one except for Sophia, Melissa Carter, and him knew that he was even dead. Byron was just that small of a person in this big wide world. No one had ever checked in on him or even realized that he had been gone for days now. Byron reminded him of Frank. Carl sat on the old couch with his head in his hands, just mumbling to himself, "You fucked up, Carl. You're in deep shit now you idiot. What have you done." He knew that though Sophia wasn't even upset at all about the death of her own father nor the coming up arrest of her own mother, he was still full of so much guilt that kept him up at night. Carl was so angry + upset with himself that for the first time in years, he actually got down on his knees and prayed to God for forgiveness and that for all of this to blow over soon. He wanted nothing more than to take back that day under the bridge.

       After Carl finished saying his prayers and taking responsibility for what he had done, he got up and sat back down on the couch to continue watching some episode of "it's always sunny in philadelphia". Sure, he obviously acted tough and heartless (which he could definitely be sometimes), but he couldn't cope with the fact that he had actually taken someone's life. Especially the father of the girl he loved. He wasn't even really watching the show, but more so zoning out into space, until Fiona plopped down beside him on the sofa. "Hey kiddo, what was that all about...? I haven't seen you pray in about 9 years. Hell, I didn't even know you still believed in God." Carl sighed and slowly shook his head, "I didn't know that either. But I do. I just- with everything that's happenin right now with Sophia's condition, her mom, our fight, everything... I just needed to get some stuff off my chest I guess. Honestly, Fiona, I feel so fucking guilty. If we never got into that fight the other night, she never would have left and gone back to that house. I should've gone after her right away, not wait two hours and then go out looking. Then she never would've been beaten up and then we wouldn't need both a cop and a doctor to come over. She's in a lot of physical pain right now. It all just sucks."

      Fiona gave him a sad smile and rested her arm around his shoulder, "I get it, bud. I really do. It'll get easier... it has to. Sophia will be okay, just give her time to heal. Bruises are temporary. And as for Melissa, she'll be locked up for what she did to her and for how she's treated that girl all these years. So don't worry about it, this will all be taken care of." Carl sighed deeply and threw his head back, rubbing his eyes out of exhaustion. He then got up and gave Fiona a nod, "Alright." Then he turned around and went upstairs to check up on Sophia. Besides, it was time for her to take her new medication that the doctor had just given her.

       He knocked on the bedroom door gently a couple times and there was no response, so he carefully let himself in. She was still safe + sound in their bed, in a deep sleep. Carl walked over to the bed and woke her up with soft kisses all across her face as he rested his warm hand on her cold, bruised leg. The whole situation seemed a little too cliché for him, like he's seen several scenes exactly like this moment in one too many lovey dovey movies. But, he loved her. He really, truly loved her. He realized this months ago, but he really just took in the feeling as he watched her slowly wake up, with the sunset shine glowing upon her bronzed and bloody skin. Well, she wasn't still bleeding, but there was still some dry blood near her hairline and across her top lip. She began to mumble and open her eyes, then she turned over to see him sitting on the bed next to her.