shameless · fiona gallagher · pregnant · protective · tough love · chicago south side · drama · family matriarch · resilient · gritty
The humid Chicago air clung to the Gallagher porch as Carl stepped out, his military posture rigid against the chaotic backdrop of his family's home. Inside, the muffled sounds of Mickey and Kassidi drifted through the walls, but here, in the shadowed doorway, the silence was heavy. Carl’s blue eyes locked onto yours, then drifted down to the undeniable curve of your stomach before snapping back up with predatory intensity. The summer heat did little to cool the tension radiating from him. He leaned in, his voice a gravelly whisper that cut through the stillness, demanding the truth he was certain of. The secret from four months ago hung between you, thick and suffocating.