[Please Read This First: This chapter contains sensitive and potentially distressing material, including themes of family trauma, arrest, emotional manipulation, and coercion. Reader discretion is advised.]
Chapter 44 — Fiona, You Don't Want Your Siblings Locked Up… Do You?
Chicago South Side — Police Station.
Fiona's eyes were red and swollen, clearly from crying her heart out.
Beside her, Tony stood stiffly.
He wanted to comfort her, but the words got stuck in his throat.
How could he even begin?
Ian, Lip, and Debbie were all arrested.
All because Frank — Fiona's own father — ratted them out for cash.
What kind of nightmare family was this?
Tony couldn't imagine what twisted storm Fiona was dealing with inside.
Then the station door opened.
William arrived.
The moment Fiona saw him, she rushed over and threw herself into his arms.
William hugged her, gently patting her back, then glanced coldly at Tony.
"Hey. Lip and the others — are they okay?"
He knew damn well they weren't, but he had to play the concerned part.
Tony took a breath.
"Well… not great. The charges aren't heavy, but the evidence is solid.
If the victim's family decides to press charges, the kids might have to spend some time in juvenile detention."
Hearing that, Fiona's tears started pouring again.
It wasn't about the money.
It was the thought of her siblings—her responsibility—being locked away.
Her pride, her identity as the stand-in parent—none of that could endure such failure.
She choked out:
"Tony… is there any way we can at least see them?"
William rubbed Fiona's shoulder lightly.
The gesture pierced through her panic, making her even more emotional.
Of course, William's real intention was different—
He just wanted to see the three Gallaghers in misery.
Besides Ian, he didn't feel an ounce of pity for any of them.
Tony sighed.
"Well… since they're first-time offenders, if you can pay the bail, they can go home. Just don't miss the court date."
Tony looked defeated.
Watching Fiona cling to William…
yeah, his chances were basically zero now.
But Tony the simp wasn't ready to let go.
In the original timeline, he only got to sleep with Fiona once — inside a police car — because Steve disappeared for a while.
Now?
Not a chance.
Fiona was who she was:
kind, loyal, but blind as hell.
People treating her well? She wouldn't remember.
Being nice to her earned nothing.
But someone like William, who gave help with strings attached,
who kept her emotionally dependent—
that actually worked.
As expected, Fiona lifted her tear-streaked face and looked up at William.
She had barely any money left.
She still hadn't retaken her college exams, hadn't found stable work.
Fiona swallowed her pride.
"William… can you lend me some money?"
Despite crying so hard,
William could clearly see the truth:
Fiona didn't think of it as borrowing.
She assumed he would help her.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world.
And paying him back?
Yeah… that was never going to happen.
William pulled Fiona aside, lowering his voice.
"Fiona, I can lend you the money.
But in return… what do I get?
I can't just hand it over for nothing, right?
Not with the… relationship we have."
He didn't finish the sentence.
But Fiona froze.
And after a second, realization washed over her face—
William wasn't her boyfriend.
Just now, she had taken his help for granted.
"You… you want me to do what for you to lend me the money?"
At this moment, Fiona's head was filled with only one thought:
Get her siblings out.
"About that… there's a motel nearby."
At those words, Fiona instantly remembered last time.
"Let's go. You work first, money after."
He pointed toward the door.
Fiona hesitated—
but that hesitation shattered the instant Veronica and Kev hurried in.
"Fiona! Are you okay!?"
Seeing Fiona's eyes swollen and red, V grabbed her hands anxiously.
"I'm fine, V. Actually—you're here just in time.
Can you watch Carl and Liam for me?
I… have to step out for a bit."
V didn't ask why.
She nodded immediately.
Big sister's duty won.
Fiona's fight was over before it even began.
As they left, Kev frowned and whispered to Tony:
"Where are they going?"
Tony shrugged helplessly.
"Probably to get the bail money."
He had actually wanted to offer the money himself…
but Fiona only asked William.
Another chance to simp—gone.
---
Outside, William led Fiona toward the motel.
She walked in silence the entire way, tangled in shame, desperation, and resignation.
William didn't rush her.
He didn't need to.
Fiona was already trapped.
At the motel, they got a room quickly.
Just like last time, Fiona stripped without a word.
William didn't stop her.
"What… what do you want me to do?"
She asked numbly, ready to fulfill whatever he requested.
This was the price.
Her price.
"Start by kneeling."
William sat on the edge of the bed.
Fiona didn't argue—
kneeling was an easy exchange for her siblings' freedom.
But this time, she misjudged what William wanted.
"Crawl to me."
His tone was almost casual.
As if he had asked nothing unusual at all.
Fiona froze.
"…What did you say?"
Her voice trembled.
"I said crawl here. Didn't you hear me?"
He wasn't impatient.
Fiona was prideful to a fault—
if she surrendered instantly, he'd wonder if she'd been swapped with someone else.
"I thought… kneeling was all you wanted."
She whispered.
"Last time was just Lip.
This time? It's three of them.
And this situation is far worse.
Unless you only want me to cover the bail—
and you'll handle the lawyers yourself?"
Fiona halted.
Right.
She didn't know any good lawyers.
A cheap one would guarantee her siblings a trip to juvie.
But William…
if he said he had a way, he probably did.
In America, the right lawyer could turn white into black,
and black into "misunderstood beige."
Seeing her wavering, William smiled faintly.
"Fiona…
you don't want Lip, Ian, and Debbie locked up in juvenile detention, do you?"
The sentence struck straight into the softest part of her heart.
Her last bit of resistance broke.