The sixth season of Shameless , an American comedy-drama television series based on the British series of the same name by Paul Abbott , premiered on January 10, , concluded April 3, Fiona struggles with work at Patsy's Pies after being promoted to assistant manager. Though she is still married to Gus, Fiona has begun a sexual relationship with Sean. When Fiona unexpectedly finds out she is pregnant and does not know who the father is , she ultimately decides to get an abortion.
Carl gets an early release from juvie and begins acting on a tough persona, selling weapons in school and continuing to work in the drug business. In the process, Carl begins dating a classmate, Dominique, whom he loses his virginity to. When Carl witnesses his friend, Nick, killing a neighborhood boy over a stolen bike, Carl decides he no longer wants to pursue a criminal lifestyle and confides in Fiona.
Meanwhile, Debbie has decided to keep her baby, but Derek, not ready to become a father, abandons her. When Fiona refuses to support Debbie through her pregnancy, Debbie gets assistance from Frank, who has been mourning the loss of Bianca. When Sammi's mother, Queenie, comes into town following Chuckie's release from juvie, Debbie and Frank briefly travel with Queenie to her family's rural commune, where they grow opium poppies.
Lip continues his relationship with his professor, Helene, but Amanda exacts revenge by exposing a naked picture of Helene in Lip's dorm that goes viral. Lip simultaneously loses his dorm and job, and Helene promises to break off all contact with Lip at a disciplinary hearing. With Lip's drinking habits worsening, he befriends Professor Youens, who acts as Lip's mentor.
Lip's descent into alcoholism gets him expelled from college for assaulting a campus guard; Youens convinces Lip to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Ian puts his relationship with Mickey behind him and begins dating a firefighter, Caleb. With Caleb's encouragement, Ian begins working towards become a firefighter and he lands an EMT job at the end of the season.
