At Last [Lip Gallagher]

Chapter 21:

I sat beside Lip at Monica's funeral. Monica's dad, Bill, was there and decided to pay for a proper burial instead of what Fiona planned. He spoke first. During him talking, Lip grabbed my hand and I looked at him. He was looking at me with a sort of sadness that I couldn't pin point. When Bill was done, Lip got up and spoke. After Lip was Ian and then Debbie then Carl. 

When we sat in silence, Fiona stood up and started reading from a book. 

"I don't really know if I know what that means exactly. Uh, it's in this crazy-ass book that I found in Monica's stuff, and she underlined that part." Fiona said before stopping. "I'm not sure what else to say, really. You couldn't count on her, but she never had a bad thing to say about anyone, and she always had a good time. And that's something."

Fiona quickly sat down and Lip put his arm around her comfortingly. After another moment of silence, we all started getting up before Frank stopped us by getting up and stuttering. We all sat back down at Frank stood up at the casket.

"Come on. Monica was the love of my life, and I knew that the first time I ever saw her. I was in college, going nowhere, bored. Summer internships with State Farm Insurance. Uh, junior year I was in the dorm, studying. Some buddies had an extra concert ticket. I never really liked Sumpertramp, but I went anyway, and... she jumped into the window of my car. She was running from this big dude. He had a gun, and she was screaming, "Don't rape me again!" And I had to loan her my shirt, 'cause... she was naked. And that was it. My pilot light was out and Monica was the gas company. She taught me how to live. She changed everything. First time I ever did a line of coke... was with Monica. We loved a lot. We fought a lot." Frank said before turning to his children. "Every time I look into one of you kids' faces, I see her face looking back at me... smiling, laughing. She was strong.  And you're strong. And she was brave, and you're brave. I know you didn't think much of her, but... she loved you. And you wouldn't be who you are, and I wouldn't be who I am, if she hadn't come into our lives. So, hate her if you want... but she's in you, and that's a good thing."

It got quiet and Lip's grip on my hand slightly tightened. 

Frank turned to Monica. "And I miss you, Moni. And it's hard as hell. I love you." 

He leaned into the casket and gave her a quick kiss before walking down the aisle and out of the room. Slowly everyone walked out, leaving Lip and I alone. Lip's grip on my hand slowly loosened.

"Lip?" I asked, turning to him.

He looked at me. Without a word, he stood up and dragged me out with him. We all headed back to the Gallagher's. I joined the others and we danced around.

"Sierra." I called.

She turned to look at me.

"Beer?" I asked.

She nodded and I walked into the kitchen. Opening the fridge door, I pulled two beers and turned to see the back door open. Walking back into the living room, I handed Sierra a bottle and she danced away. I took the opportunity to slip back into the kitchen and look outside. Poking my head around the corner, my eyes landed on Lip sitting on the stairs.

"Lip?" I asked.

He turned to look at me and held up a mug. "Coffee." 

"I'm proud of you." I stepped out of the house and joined him on the stairs. 

He turned to look at me and smiled.

"Kind of fucked, really." He said.

"What?" I asked.

"I miss everything about drinking." He admitted.

"Anything you can do about that?" I asked.

He looked back at me and then set his coffee cup down, sliding his jacket off and putting it around my shoulders. "I can sit out here, drink a gallon of coffee. Maybe, uh, knit a sweater." 

A smile escaped and I moved down a step to be on the same step as him. I looked up at the moon and sighed.

"I really think I fucked it all up." Lip said. "All my life, uh... my future, what's left of it."

I looked down and noticed our hands were almost touching.

"I want to try and go back to college." Lip said.

"Do it, then." I said.

Lip shook his head. "It's not that easy. I feel like I'd have to start all over." 

"So? I mean, you're young, aren't you?" I asked.

"Not that young." Lip said.

"You're not that old, either." I pointed out.

It got quiet.

"I've got this professor, uh, think you met him once. He seems, inexplicably, to still give a shit about me." Lip said.

"Lots of people still inexplicably give a shit about you." I said.

He looked at me and slowly laced our fingers together. It was different from the other times we held hands. 

"Lip." I said.

He turned to me and I reached into my pocket. I pulled out the piece of paper and held it up. He looked at me confused.

"You still wanna know what was on that paper?" I asked.

He nodded and I slipped it into his hand. Suddenly the music changed. 

"Shit." Lip breathed out.

"Frank?" I asked.

He nodded. Standing up, he held his hand out to me while tucking the paper in his pocket.

"Come on." He nodded.

I took his hand and he led me inside to the others. As we walked through the kitchen, my eyes met Ian who had just turned from the fridge. His eyes widened as Lip pulled me to the others in the living room. We started dancing with everybody. Soon all of us were belting the lyrics. Things felt all right, just for a moment.

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There was a knock on the front door. Opening, I came face to face with Lip. 

"Lip?" I asked.

He stayed quiet.

"Come in?" I asked worried, stepping to the side.

He stepped in and once he was out of the doorway I closed the door. Turning, I saw Lip holding the piece of paper up.

"You kept this?" He asked.

I nodded. "It was really the only thing I had left when I left."

Within a second our lips were connected. After a couple seconds we both pulled away breathless. We stared at each other silently for a moment.

"It's been too long." He whispered before connected our lips again.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and he broke the kiss once more, looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

"You're not going to leave again, are you?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes and lightly pushed him away. "That wasn't my fault."

Just as I went to move past him he grabbed my hand, pulling me back into him and making us kiss again.

"I'm glad you're home." Lip whispered.

"Me too." I smiled back.

"Now I can do this." He said before lifting me up and connected our lips.

"Down the hall, last door." I whispered against his lips.