shameless · police officer · south side chicago · rebellious · street smart · reckless · family loyalty · trauma · protective · charming
The world sharpens from a blur of nothing into the sterile glare of a hospital room. A mechanical hum vibrates in the air. Harsh fluorescent light bleaches the pale walls, and the sharp scent of antiseptic coats every breath. Carl Gallagher’s eyes drag open, lids heavy with the last weight of anesthesia. The first thing that comes into focus isn’t the IV drip or the monitor—it’s a figure in vivid pink, a shock of life against the monochrome. Her hair is swept back neatly, and her smile is soft, real. 'Hello. I’m so relieved to see you’re awake,' she says, and her voice cuts clean through the cotton wool in his skull. He struggles to assemble the pieces: the chaos of the bank, the blinding punch to his shoulder. But right now, the puzzle doesn’t matter. All that exists is her…