addison had been in her room, folding laundry while listening to music. stacks of clean clothes littered her bed, waiting to be sorted and neatly put away. she worked timely, folding each item with precision, occasionally pausing to sing along to her favorite songs.

when a call from the gallagher house broke the peaceful atmosphere of her bedroom, addison's hands stilled on a shirt as she answered with a curious lilt in her voice. "hey, what's up?"

"you busy right now?" lip inquired, wasting no time.

"depends on what you want." she replied mischievously, shrugging with a hint of curiosity in her tone.

"our water heater broke so we're tryna snag one from the lady that died down the street. you in?" he explained, requesting her help. it was a three man job. him and ian for lifting, addison to keep watch. that's how it's always been.

addison couldn't help but chuckle at the audacity of their plan. "breaking an entering, theft? hmm. when you put it like that, how could i say no?" she replied with a playful grin. "meet you down there in?"

"ten, fifteen, minutes?" he suggested, nodding with ian in the kitchen.

"you got it." addison confirmed, hanging up the phone with a wry smile on her lips. she quickly continued folding, the excitement of their impromptu adventure coursing through her veins. with a quick glance at the clock, she knew she had just enough time to finish folding before heading out to meet lip.

📸

heading over to the house, the familiar wail of police sirens echoed through the streets, a common occurrence in the bustling city of chicago. though the sight of helicopters flying overhead was anything but ordinary, and addison couldn't help but count multiple passing by.

joined by lip and ian, the girl stood behind a set of stairs, their gaze fixed on the man who was ushering mourners into the funeral of his recently deceased mother.

"so we're just gonna wait out here?" ian questioned, his eyes scanning their surroundings from their vantage point.

lip let out a resigned sigh, his gaze flickering between his companions. "he's a chain-smoking pothead in a stress-inducing situation. he'll be out soon."

"what are we supposed to say?" addison asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

lip shrugged, attempting to appear nonchalant, "i dunno. just play it cool."

"thank you, you've really painted a picture for me. i know exactly what to say now." addison responded, staring back at lip pointedly.

"play what cool?" ian interjected, his confusion evident as he glanced between lip and addison.

"things people play cool, jesus ian." lip quipped in annoyance, just before a cell phone rang from his pocket, interrupting the conversation.

"since when do you have your own cell?" addison inquired with a furrowed brow. the family usually just used fiona's phone.

"since i stole it from some kid who left it in the cafeteria," he replied nonchalantly, his attention focused on the call. "hey, kare."

"yeah, i'm at some dead lady's house trying to see if i can score a water heater." lip continued, his voice fading as he moved to the other side to finish his call.

"meet you after?" she heard lip say, her heart sinking as the reality of his plans set in.

"ugh, what do you think she needs now? money? a ride? his firstborn child?" addison rolled her eyes, stuffing her hands into her pockets as she leaned back on the house's exterior.

ian let out a soft chuckle at her sarcastic remark, though there was a tinge of sympathy in his expression as he glanced at her. "maybe all three," he replied, attempting to lighten the mood.

addison's shoulders sagged as she absorbed ian's words, her gaze drifting towards lip's retreating figure. "sometimes i wish he'd just... i don't know, notice."

"he's an idiot.. but he will. eventually," he assured her, his voice filled with quiet confidence.

"what are you guys talking about?" lip's interruption jolted them back to the present, heading back over to the two.

addison smirked mischievously, exchanging a glance with ian before turning her attention to lip. "just speculating about your side gig as a male stripper," she teased, a playful glint in her eyes. "i mean, new phone? c'mon, could be something much more scandalous."

📸

the three had managed to secure the water heater, their muscles straining as lip and ian struggled to hoist it onto the cart while addison kept a vigilant watch, ensuring their covert operation went undetected.

as the boys pushed the cart forward, addison positioned herself at the front, acting as a makeshift guide to prevent any collisions.

a silver car glided up beside them, and the brunette's initial jolt of fear of being caught dissipated upon recognizing the two familiar faces inside.

"hey!" fiona's voice cut through the air, drawing their attention. "hey. almost new," lip greeted with a nod, proudly gesturing towards the water heater.

"debbie and sydney stole a baby," she dropped the bomb, leaving the three teens dumbfounded, "now we have to figure out how to return it."

"they stole a baby?" lip echoed, his expression a mix of disbelief and concern. "yeah," steve chimed in from the driver's seat.

"why?!" addison blurted out, her frustration simmering beneath the surface as she pressed a palm to her forehead.

"it's syd and debbie." she replied with a nonchalant shrug.

"well, i definitely did not see this coming," lip furrowed a brow. "um, can't we just.. give it back?"

"it's too late for that now." fiona stated firmly with a frustrated sigh. "why?" ian questioned, his expression mirroring confusion.

as addison's mind recalled the constant blare of sirens and the ominous presence of hovering helicopters, realization dawned on her.

"that's why." she murmured, her gaze slowly drifting up to the sky, where helicopters still hovered ominously. "wow," he mused in disbelief.

"find carl, and get home now," fiona demanded, her voice leaving no room for argument. the three of them nodded in silent agreement, understanding the gravity of the situation.

📸

the atmosphere in the house was extremely tense upon their return, settling heavily as they all gathered around the kitchen table, grappling with the weight of their situation.

"we need to get your story straight for the police," fiona stated firmly, her eyes fixed on the girls. "why did you take the boy?"

"he was crying for his mom, but his mom wasn't around. nobody was around," debbie explained, exchanging a glance with sydney.

"did you try to find his mom?" fiona pressed, her voice edged with concern.

"no," sydney replied bluntly, as if she didn't care. "he was crying, and nobody noticed.. so we took him."

"you can't say that!" addison snapped, her frustration bubbling over as she shot daggers at her younger sister. "what is wrong with you?!"

"alright!" lip interjected patiently, his tone collected. "was he inside or outside of the yard when you grabbed him?"

"inside," the two answered in unison, and another heavy silence settled throughout the group.

"okay.. so how did you two get him out?" lip pressed on, his tone steady despite the tension in the room.

"debbie waved a snickers bar at him," sydney boasted proudly, earning a disdainful look from addison.

a chorus of sighs went around the table, and fiona couldn't stop her annoyance from showing on her face.

"did anyone see you?" ian questioned, going next on the interrogation. "i don't think so," debbie responded tentatively.

"did jordan or brooke see you?" addison interjected, her tone sharp with suspicion. she knew jordan's tendency to exploit situations for personal gain and brooke's inadvertent blabbermouth nature.

"we just ran!" sydney shrugged, her response lacking confidence.

"awesome! that's just—" addison exclaimed bitterly as she leaned back in her chair. lip placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, gently rubbing her back to calm her down.

"so you were running down the street—" fiona began, only to be cut off by sydney. "we had a stroller."

"what stroller?" addison questioned, her tone tinged with disbelief. "liam's old one." debbie admitted sheepishly, exchanging a guilty glance with sydney.

"the one i told you to throw out?" fiona snapped, her frustration evident as she addressed the girls, who both visibly recoiled in their seats.

"i fixed it. for emergencies." debbie explained weakly, attempting to justify her actions.

suddenly, a loud pounding on the door startled them all, sending a wave of fear rippling through the room. the seven pairs of eyes darted nervously towards each other, uncertainty etched on their faces.

nobody moved, until a familiar voice called out. "open up!" veronica demanded, her tone urgent as she barged into the room, her expression a mix of concern and irritation. "what the hell is going on?"

lip sprang into action, pushing himself up to unlock the door for them. kev followed close behind, entering with a basket in his hands and a blanket draped over the top. "is this that kid?!"

"debbie and sydney stole him," fiona informed, rising from her seat with a sense of urgency. "and now we have to get him back without getting them in juvie."

"there must be a couple hundred cops out there,"  kevin announced, his voice tinged with disbelief as he peered out the window.

addison's anxiety bubbled up like a shaken soda can. she glanced back at her sister, whose small smirk sent a shiver down her spine.

"seriously, look at her," addison blurted out to lip, her voice trembling with anxiety. "she's actually smiling about it! like, what's even going through her head right now? she just kidnapped someone and she thinks it's funny!"

sensing addison's escalating stress, lip placed his calming hands on her shoulders, his touch firm yet reassuring. "hey, hey, addy," he interrupted gently, his voice soothing as he grabbed her attention.

"everything's gonna be fine, okay? we're gonna figure this out." feeling his reassuring touch of his hands on her shoulders, addison's tense muscles began to relax slightly, and the frantic pace of her thoughts slowed down.

"girls, will you watch him for a second?" fiona's request was soft, almost pleading, as she gently placed the kid into debbie's lap.

the teens trailed after her into the living room, arranging themselves around the couch. "i'm not sure what's going on with them," fiona confessed, her voice heavy with concern. "debbie's been acting out all day,"

"sydney's been weird too." addison hesitantly admitted, biting her finger nails. she didn't want to admit it, but ever since the fake aunt ginger went back to the nursing home, her sister had been missing her.

"maybe it's because monica bailed, frank's a big drunk, and your mom's boyfriend is an freeloadin' asshole who thinks he owns the place." the group shot her group a sour look, prompting her to raise her hands in surrender. "oh what, i'm the bad guy? i'm not the one who stole a baby!"

lip sighed, "alright, look, they obviously planned it. i mean, they took the stroller out of the garbage and fixed it. her and syd probably just missed aunt ginger or something."

"all right," steve interjected. "hey, but they're still little kids. the worst thing is that they get some help."

"help? what kind of help?" fiona questioned.

"they stole a baby," he deadpanned. "they're not crazy," fiona countered, her words firm. "they just sort of.. accidentally stole a kid."

"yeah, and i just sort of.. accidentally robbed a bank. we can't say that as an excuse, fiona!" addison remarked, her tone laced with sarcasm.

"not to mention, they lured him out with a candy bar." steve reminded them. "what are you suggesting?" fiona asked, her voice tinged with apprehension.

"some professional -" steve attempted to propose before being cut off by fiona's firm interjection. "south side does not do therapy!"

the sudden silence that followed was pierced by officer tony's urgent voice over the pa system. "a missing two-year-old boy, casey casden," he announced. "he was last seen wearing a superman costume. if you have any information, call 911."

fiona's insistence broke the stillness. "look, we need a plan to get that boy back, or family services is gonna have a field day." addison bent down, her hands covering her face in sheer panic.

"family services?" steve questioned. "if they find out frank's moved," she explained solemnly. "they'll take the kids and split them up. remember what happened last time?"

a few years back, the gallagher kids were split up in different foster homes. the mere thought of those agonizing weeks without them living across the street was enough to induce a sense of dread.

addison was forced to sneak out with sydney to locate them and ensure they were provided for. fiona went to great lengths to get them back, and addison thanked god she never had to deal with anything like it.

"yeah. yeah, we need a plan." lip agreed in realization.

📸

with a sense of urgency pulsing through the room, the group leapt into action. lip, seated in the armchair, took command, pen poised over paper as he issued instructions.

"alright," he began, his gaze fixed on his younger brother. "carl, you know that old payphone by kash and grab?"

"yeah," carl nodded attentively.

"i want you to get on your bike, go to the payphone, and call the police. tell them that you saw a little boy walking down southport avenue at 2:45." lip instructed, his voice steady and authoritative.

"why should i?" carl questioned, a hint of reluctance in his voice. as much as carl pretended not to care, addison knew the boy had a soft spot for sydney.

"want to be in a children's home until you're eighteen?" ian interjected sharply. "group home on union has a climbing wall." he countered with a shrug.

"carl.." addison warned with weary determination, giving him a stern glare. carl sighed, giving in to the seriousness of the situation.. "i don't have a bike."

"wire cutters in the junk drawer," ian informed, prompting the younger boy to push himself up from his seat and head over to grab them.

"steve. fiona." lip continued, his tone serious. "you guys have to get debs and sydney to take that kid back."

fiona waved her cigarette around as she spoke, her expression conflicted. "i don't know if i can make that happen."

"fiona, you have to or else we're all fucked." lip pressed urgently. she sighed heavily, reluctantly agreeing. "okay. all right." fiona and steve rose from their seats to coach the girls on what to say to the police in the kitchen.

"alright, veronica, i want you to go to the cleaners and ask mrs. bergdoll if you can use the phone in the back." lip instructed next.

"that woman's a cold bitch," veronica huffed. "what about me?" addison asked, seeing they were nearing the end of the list of plans.

"stay here, get the baby ready. i've gotta go break the payphone outside connie's pizza." lip responded, rising from his seat and putting on his jacket.

📸

addison hurried into the kitchen room, the soft hum of the dryer filling the space. with careful hands, she retrieved casey's new superman costume, warm and freshly dried. gently, she shook out the costume, admiring the vibrant colors and the tiny "s" emblem stitched onto the chest.

glancing over her shoulder, addison tiptoed back into the living room where casey lay on a makeshift bed of blankets. his chubby cheeks flushed pink, he stirred slightly as addison carefully slipped the costume over his body, securing each button with precision.

"there we go, little superhero," addison whispered with a smile, tucking a stray curl of hair behind the baby's ear. "i pray to god this memory doesn't come flashing back to you one day."

as she straightened up, a sudden movement outside caught her eye. frowning, addison stepped closer to the window, peering out into the backyard. her heart sank as she realized what was missing – the water heater they snagged this morning.

frustration began to bubble up inside her, but she quickly pushed it down, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand. she couldn't let this setback derail their plans to return casey safely and keep their families together.

just then, footsteps echoed through the hallway, growing closer to the living room. she turned to see lip and ian entering the room, their expressions tense with determination.

"did you knock the payphone?" addison asked, her voice laced with urgency. "yeah, it's done," lip replied, his eyes scanning the room. "where's fiona and steve?"

"still with debs and syd, coaching them on what to say to the police," addison explained quickly. "but, guys, there's something else. the water heater... it's gone."

lip and ian exchanged a puzzled glance before ian spoke up. "gone? what do you mean, gone?"

"i mean, it's not in the backyard anymore," addison clarified, her voice trembling slightly. "i just noticed it now."

lip's brows furrowed in concern as he stepped closer to the window, peering out into the empty backyard. "damn it," he muttered under his breath.

"who would steal a water heater?" ian questioned, his voice tinged with disbelief. "uh, us!" addison blurted out.

"bunch of fucking animals!" lip snapped, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. "alright, c'mon we've gotta go."

📸

an hour later, a large crowd had gathered outside sheila jackson's house. in the midst of it all, debbie and sydney stood, their expressions a mix of relief and exhaustion as they reunited casey, safely returning him home.

the father of casey stepped forward, his face etched with gratitude and guilt, as he attempted to offer them cash as a token of his appreciation. but neither debbie nor sydney made any move to accept it. instead, frank, ever the greedy asshole, swooped in to grab the money.

"that's debbie and sydney's." lip interjected firmly, standing over his father.

"oh, i know. i'm just helping them." frank lied, his words dripping with false sincerity.

without hesitation, lip and ian both moved forward, their actions synchronized as they placed their feet on top of frank's hands, effectively preventing him from grabbing any more money.

addison wasted no time in bending down to grab it all before the man could, her expression resolute as she handed it over to the young girls.

📸

returning to the gallagher house, addison felt the weight of the day's events pressing down on her. she knew she needed to talk to sydney about what happened.

"well, i guess sometimes there are happy endings. casey casden, the little boy who disappeared from his own front yard earlier today has been delivered home safe and sound." the news reporter announced on the tv.

"hey, syd," addison began softly,