Pieces [Lip Gallagher]

Chapter 15:

I sat with Lip and Carl while we ate. Debbie ran in and sat down when the front door closed. Frank walked into the kitchen. He was bloodied.

"What happened to you?" Lip asked before going back to his food.

"A huge guys jumped me. Two eighty, two hundred ninety, steroids. Who knows?" Frank said.

Lip nodded. "Good for him."

"I need your help." Frank said looking around at us.

"I got maybe two bucks." Debbie said.

"No no no. Show of hands. How many of you, at one point or another, wanted to see me dead?" Frank asked.

The three siblings raised their hands. At the last moment I raised my hand and looked up to see Lip smiling at me slightly.

"Yeah. Here's your chance." Frank said.

Frank explained that we needed to fake his death so he could escape men that were after him. Eventually he got everyone on board, even Veronica and Kevin. Lip dragged me out with him and Kevin to look for a casket and hearse for the fake funeral. We were peering into the hearses.

"Got nothing. You?" Lip asked Kevin.

"Empty." Kevin said.

"Elena?" Lip asked looking back at me.

I looked up at him and shook my head, moving away from the hearse I was at.We started walking to more hearses and I looked around.

"Hey. You know I gotta leave in five minutes." Kevin informed us.

"I can't believe you guys are getting a foster kid." Lip admitted.

Lip looked into another hearse that we came upon. "Bingo."

Kevin and Lip looked into the vehicle even more while they continued to talk.

"Looks like a good one too." Kevin said.

I pulled a crowbar from the inside of my jacket and passed it to Kevin. He took it and took something from his back as well.

"You know a lot of those foster kids are messed up." Lip said.

"Exactly. That's why they need a positive influence." Kevin said while trying to pop open the hearse door.

Lip bounced on his feet and looked at me. I tilted my head in question and Lip looked like he was about to pull me closer to him but once Kevin got the door open Lip jumped into the front seat as fast as he could.

"Some foster kids can't be that bad, can they?" I asked looking at Kevin.

He shrugged. "I hope not."

We got the hearse to the Gallgher's and hurried to get ready since everyone else was. Debbie somehow got my dress from my house so I ran to change. I walked back downstairs to see everyone rushing about trying to get things in order.

"Yo Carl. Grab those." Lip told Carl.

"Let's go. Let's go." Veronica said.

I walked over and grabbed a plate and helped carry it to the living room.

"Put that right over there Carl. Turn it around." Veronica ordered.

"What the hell?" Fiona asked making me look up.

Her and Steve had just walked in. Lip put the plate he had down and took the plate I had before putting it down as well. Debbie ran down the stairs.

"Act like you know what you're doing." Veronica said.

"Some killers are after dad so we have to fake his death." Debbie informed Fiona and Steve. "Lip and Elena borrowed a casket, Carl found some flowers. Dad's getting changed. I steamed your black dress but you'll have to hurry because they'll be here any minute."

"Has anyone seen Ian?" I asked.

Everyone shook their heads and we all went back to running around putting stuff out. After a while Frank came down. Debbie started doing Frank's makeup to make him seem more dead.

"Stuff the ice in his shirt." Fiona ordered.

"Stop. Enough." Frank said.

"Your body needs to be cold." Fiona said.

"More morphine." Frank said.

"It's horse tranquilizer." Veronica corrected.

"Get in the coffin before you pass out Frank." Lip ordered.

"Just a little taste?" Frank asked.

"I don't know why we do this for you." Lip said.

"You think it's easy being a parent? Letting Fiona be the good cop? The important thing is you kids. Carl. I remember when the nurse in the hospital handed you to me." Frank said.

"Carl was born in the back of the van. You weren't there." Lip said.

"I slapped his little ass myself." Frank said.

Lip grabbed Frank's shoulder and punched him. We all screamed and stopped when we saw Frank out cold. Steve rushed forward and grabbed Frank's legs.

"Okay." Fiona said.

"Get him in the coffin." Lip said as Steve and him lifted Frank into the coffin.

Once they got him into the coffin they started doing last minute stuff to make Frank seem more dead.

"Looks dead." Veronica said. "Shallow breathing, clammy."

Lip stepped back and when our bodies collided he turned to look at me with a look of concern.

"What's up?" I asked.

"You good?" Lip asked quietly.

"Just can't wait to get out of this dress." I said looking down at the dress I was somehow forced into.

"Wearing a dress can't be that bad." Lip said.

"I look like I belong in a mental asylum." I looked at him in disbelief.

"Come on. You don't look that bad." Lip admitted.

"Says you who can look good in a suit." I rolled my eyes.

"You think I look good?" He asked smiling.

"I believe you complimented me as well, Lip Gallagher." I pointed out.

"Hey. When you two are done flirted we'd like your help." Veronica said as she walked past us.

Lip and I turned away from each other and I tried to hide the blush on my face. Last minute things were being done and I was getting impatient. We were all now just standing around waiting for the men to show up.

"You really hate dresses don't you?" Lip asked amused.

I looked up to see him not looking at me.

"How could you tell?" I asked slightly annoyed.

He finally turned to look at me. "I have that ability."

"That or I told you." I pointed out.

"That too." He nodded.

We both started laughing slightly and I shifted to see everyone else in their own conversations.

"Can't believe they all think we like each other." Lip sighed.

"Lip. We were literally just flirting with each other and complimented each other." I gave him a pointed look.

He looked at me and before he could speak we were told to be ready and to get into place.