The Gallaghers find themselves with money to burn as Carl sells their inheritance from Monica. Fiona swears off random hookups to focus on her new apartment building. Lip deals with the sacrifice that comes with sobriety. Frank emerges out of a meth-induced haze to make amends for decades of depravity.

A violent meth dealer threatens the Gallaghers, forcing Ian, Carl, Lip and Debbie to find a way to pay him off without involving Fiona. Fiona battles it out with a vindictive tenant. Lip cares for a down-and-out Professor Youens. Frank - miraculously - attains something resembling sainthood.

A blast from the past shakes up Fiona's view of her life. Frank gets involved with Liam's school and becomes the most popular dad in the PTA. Lip learns getting laid is harder than anticipated when sober. Ian crosses a boundary with a kid from the youth center. Kev and V take a trip to meet his birth family.

As Fiona tries to raise the profile of the neighborhood, Ian helps Trevor to raise money for a new youth shelter. Meanwhile, Carl loses his scholarship and gets creative with securing the tuition, Lip stands up to a friend and gets hurt and Frank teaches the parents at Liam's school all about the working class.

Fiona is forced to reflect on her own life after a lonely tenant dies and the duty of cleaning out the apartment falls upon her. Meanwhile, Debbie has a pregnancy scare and winds up in a compromising position, Lip enlists Carl's help to search for his sponsor and Frank enjoys having his first-ever credit card.

Ian tests Fiona's patience and resolve by bringing a messy “Occupy Fiona” movement right to her front door. Lip struggles to get Professor Youens to court for his DUI trial. Meanwhile, a now unemployed Frank goes on a job hunt and Carl gets a feisty new rehab client with a plan to help him get the rest of his tuition.

Frank starts a booming import-export business. Fiona considers moving into her own place after Ford shows her a side of Chicago she's never seen. Meanwhile, Lip interviews new sponsors, Ian confronts a pastor trying to "pray the gay away" and Debbie deals with being unemployed while looking for a way to afford school and raise Franny.

Frank's business takes a turn for the worse, sending him on the run through the Great White North. Ian's run-in with a minister brings about some unexpected allies. Meanwhile, Fiona tries (and fails) to fit in with Ford's group of friends, Carl's new girlfriend suffers separation anxiety and Lip must decide whether to tell Sierra about Charlie's past.

Ian's fame in the LGBTQIA community explodes but the sudden surge of 'followers' may be more than he can handle; Frank, however, finds a way to cash in. Meanwhile, Fiona struggles with her conscience when she learns about a worker who fell off her roof and Lip realizes his relationship with Professor Youens may not have been as special as he thought.

Fiona's homeless tenants barricade themselves inside her apartment. Lip takes in a terrified Sierra and Lucas when her father is released from prison. Meanwhile Ian, despite warnings, provides sanctuary to a runaway teen, Frank considers his retirement and Debbie must choose between paying for school and paying for surgery to keep her toes.

Fiona taps deep into her Gallagher roots to get the homeless family out of her apartment and dismiss their lawsuit. An explosive incident sends Ian and some of his followers into hiding from the authorities. Meanwhile, Lip makes a difficult decision in order to have the life he really wants, Carl looks for a way to go back to school without upsetting Kassidi, Debbie considers letting Derek back into Franny's life and Frank makes plans to take advantage of Liam's rich friend. Season finale.