Thick and Thin

Chapter 5

Fiona walked into the living room where Mickey was seated on the couch. A cigarette between his fingers and a beer in his hand. She leaned against the couch and Mickey looked over at her.

"It's been a week, Mickey." Fiona pointed out.

"What was it last time 4?" Mickey asked as he took a drag.

"5, has he made any attempt to even move?"

"Yeah, I've been getting him to eat and talk to me a little bit."

Fiona nodded a little in response. "He needs to go back on his meds Mickey."

"I know he does, I'll see what I can do when he's feeling better."

---

Mickey stood in the door way for a second watching the pace of Ian's breathing to decide if he was asleep or not. He wasn't.

"Ian?" His voice almost echoed through the silent room.

He gave a grunt of acknowledgment and Mickey made his way over to the bed. He leaned over his boyfriend and looked at him for a second before speaking again.

"I have to go take care of something, I should be back by tomorrow morning, if not sooner. Please try to get up for at least a little while baby." He hoped the added pet name would soften the mood a bit, "I love you."

Ian turned his head slightly to give Mickey a soft kiss before whispering his "I love you too." In response.

---

The drive was a little long but Mickey kept going only stopping to piss and eat. He was stopped at a gas station to get gas and check the address again. He was only a 10 minutes away.

He turned onto the street watching for the building number 1517. He pulled into the parking lot when he got there he sat to look at it for a second. Shitty little apartment complex similar to the ones he's seen around Chicago. He took another second before he got out of the car and made his way to main the door. He went straight for the elevator and pressed number 5. There was one other person in the elevator with him and he could feel their eyes on him. He tried his hardest to hold back a "What the fuck you looking at?!" Which he succeeded in when they got off on the third floor. The elevator doors opened again on level five and he waisted no time in getting down the hallway to apartment 512.

When he knocked he didn't expect the door to open so quick.

"What?!" Her voice was annoyed but her face softened when she say Mickey. "Mick? What are you doing here?"

"Yeah, good to see you too Mandy." He smirked and pulled his sister into a hug.

He pulled back and looked at her for a second, his mouth tugging into a frown. He examined her bruised features and sighed angrily.

"Fuck, that piece of shit's hitting you again?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"I'm fine Mick it's not that bad, everything's fine." She replied trying to brush it off.

"No it's fucking not. He at work?" Mandy nodded in response as Mickey pushed past her into the small apartment. "Good pack your shit."

"What? No, why?" She protested.

"Because you're coming home, now."

---

The ride back to Chicago was quiet and felt longer than it actually was. At some point Mandy had fallen asleep, because she was tired from getting all worked up. Mickey just kept his eyes on the road and chain smoked cigarette after cigarette.

They finally parked on the curb in front of their childhood home and Mickey woke her up.

"Hey,"he shook her lightly, "Go throw your shit inside real quick, I'll wait out here for you." He said when her eyes fluttered open.

She grumbled in response and got her few bags from the backseat before making her way inside. Mickey got out after her and waited on the sidewalk.
When she came back out she followed Mickey down the street towards the Gallagher house.

"You know you missed a lot of shit while you were gone." Mickey spoke up.

"Like what, shit with Ian?" She asked.

"Yeah, I guess it started to get really bad when I told him he needed to go to a hospital. He took the car and the baby and just drove off, didn't get that far. I told him I loved him over voicemail." Mickey trailed off.

"Did he ever hear it?" Mandy chimed in.

"I don't think so but I've told him again since then. Anyway we found him about a day later and got him committed to a psych ward. Fiona and I visited him there and he was so fucking sedated I had to leave. He was diagnosed with bipolar 1, acute mania with psychotic features. He's been off and on meds cause' he hates the way they make him feel. He tried to break up with me cause' he thinks he don't deserve me or some shit. He clearly didn't succeed in that and Sammi tried to kill me after I tried to torture her/almost kill her and she's in prison." Mickey explained all this in what seemed like one breath.

"Holy shit." Mandy sighed out.

"Yeah. C'mon lets get inside." Mickey replied as they stopped in front of the Gallagher house.

They walked up the steps and into the house. Mickey was surprised to see Ian laying there instead of his bed. He smiled and walked over to him and kissed his forehead. Ian looked up at him with a small smile.

"Hey Ian.. How you feelin?" Mandy asked from behind Mickey.

Ian's eyes grew wide and he sat up to see behind Mickey. His small smile grew and he got up and engulfed Mandy in a hug. She laughed and hugged him back as he squeezed the life out of her. Mickey smiled to himself, hoping this would get Ian out of his slump.

(A/N: It's been a while. That season premiere fucked me up so this season should be I assume interesting and also kind of a train wreck. xoacidicblood)