Mickey's Free

Funeral: Milkovich Style

4 days before funeral

Mandy: Mickey?
Mickey: Yeah, Mandy. Dad's dead.
Mandy: What?
Mickey: Dad died. I need you to come back and arrange the fucking funeral. The bitch at the funeral home refuses to help me. Didn't like me telling her that the body didn't need a coffin.
Mandy: Fuck Mickey
Mickey: Yeah well he's dead, what he need a coffin for? Just dump his body in the hole and call it a day, right?
Mandy: No, fuck he's really dead?
Mickey: Yeah, Yeah Mandy. I'm sorry.
Mandy: Sorry? Shit, fuck that. Fucking bastard, wish he'd died sooner. How'd he die?
Mickey: Uh, he choked on something.
Mandy: Huh? Like a chicken wing?
Mickey: Or something...
Mandy: You want me to tell the others?
Mickey: Yeah and bring them back with you. Who's there with you now?
Mandy: Joey and Iggy
Mickey: Put Joey on
Mandy: Yeah ok. You alright Mickey?
Mickey: Yeah, fine. Put Joey on will you?
Mandy: Yeah yeah
Joey: Heya Mickey, how's Southside
Mickey: Fan fucking tastic. Listen, I'm going to read out some names let me know which ones would have our backs.

By the time Mickey hung up the phone with Joey he had 18 passports in one pile, 3 in another and one passport alone. 18 according to Joey where 'A', 3 where in prison, and last one Mickey promised he would deal with when he wasn't so sober.

1 day before funeral
Mandy sat on Ian's bed blowing on her toe nails which she had painted bright red as he got ready for work. "I said it's fine" she repeated for the tenth time. "I don't need you there tomorrow, besides you would have just finished your shift. It's a Milkovich funeral only anyway. Just me and my Bro's"
He sighed and sat down beside her "Your brothers are useless. What's Iggy been up to these days, I don't see any of them trying to steal the neighbourhoods mail anymore".
She laughed and slapped him on the thigh "Ha! They haven't done that gig in a long time. Been all living in the city with me". She crawled off the bed and bent down kissing his cheek. "Tell me about Trevor"
Ian smiled at her "He's nice, sociable"
Mandy cringed. If she had a boyfriend and he described her as 'sociable' she would probably run him over with her jeep.
"So, boring then?" She asked teasingly. Ian frowned at her and she laughed. "Nothing wrong with boring, it's probably a nice change for you being crazy and all. I gotta go, family meeting tonight" she leaned over and kissed him again before heading home.

D-Day
Despite Mandy telling him she didn't need him there at Terry's funeral he wanted to make the effort. She had been his best friend and he felt bad that they had not been able to stay in contact as much. She was also the only person who knew about his condition that didn't treat him like he would fall apart any given moment. He made sure to take his meds and anytime he felt off he went to the clinic to get checked but he knew Lip was still sneaking into the room to count his pills and the rest of the family sat down together to compared his behaviour weekly for any signs of an 'episode' . These days he was so set in a routine it felt off just waking up after only two hours of sleep. At least he had tonight off, he thought as he tied his shoelaces. He had made plans to meet Trevor at a new club that had opened last week and was looking forward to letting loose. As he came down the stairs Lip barrelled into him on the way up.
"Hey" he yelled turning around "did you just get in?"
Lip turned at the top of the stairs grinning down at him "Yeah". He watched Lip take in his clothing. "Where you going, didn't you just get off a shift?"
Ian nodded "Yeah, but Terry died and his funeral's today. I thought I'd go and give Mandy some support".
"Really, that fucker dead?" Lip asked as he turned and followed after Ian.
"Yeah, I'm not sure what time the funeral is but Mandy said it would be early". Ian poured himself a cup of coffee and then took his pill.
"Ian, early is 8am it's already 11!" Lip replied giving him an incredulous look. "Come I'll go with you, haven't seen Mandy in a long time". Ian looked at him sceptically. Mandy and his brother did not have an easy relationship, he wasn't even sure if Mandy considered him as a friend.
"I don't think it's a good idea, she didn't even want me to come". Lip ignored his protest and pried the the mug from his fingers and a minute later they were out the door. Because Ian didn't know which cemetery the funeral was at they went to the only one they knew of and not knowing where to actually look for Mandy in the cemetery they wondered around aimlessly. When Ian spotted a bunch of pretty yellow followers on a grave site, he picked it up and handed it over to Lip "Here, give these to Mandy. I think yellow means 'sorry' or something"
Lip laughed "What do I have to be sorry for?"
Ian held up his hand with all five fingers up "Well let's see. She is the reason you got into college", he ticked off the index finger. "She actually loved you", he ticked off the middle finger. "She ran over that girl Karen for you, now if that's not love what is?" he ticked off the third finger.
Lip cut in before he could get further 'OK, OK" and grabbed the flowers off him. Ian grinned and put his arm around his brothers shoulder dragging him on in search of Mandy and the funeral.
"Holy shit" Lip said. Ian looked up and straight ahead then froze. "Isn't that Mickey? Fuck, is he taking a piss?"
Ian didn't hear Lip, the blood was rushing through his ears and he couldn't even think. Nothing made sense, Mickey was in prison but he saw Mickey across the lawn. He removed his arm from around Lips' neck and moved towards the funeral.
'Ian, maybe this was a bad idea' Lip grabbed his arm stopping him from progressing further. Ian shrugged off Lips hold and broke into a run across the lawn. All he could think of was that Mickey was meant to be in prison, not here joking around with his brothers as the rest of them pissed on what must be Terry's coffin.
He was only a few feet away when Mickey looked his way. He saw Mickeys eyes widen and stopped mid stride when he saw Mickey pull out the gun and aimed it at him.
"Take another step Gallagher and I'll fucking shoot" Mickey yelled.
Ian looked around, they were in broad daylight and there was at least a dozen other people around visiting various graves. He could now hear Lip and Mandy both telling him to stop but he couldn't. It was as if his legs had a mind of their own and he took a few more steps his eyes returning to Mickey. He flinched when the shots rang out. Mickey had fired twice into the ground in front of him. How had he had forgotten what a good shot Mickey was?
"Ian!" Lip yelled tackling him to the ground "Jesus buddy, look at him. He's not kidding". Ian struggled from underneath his brother, his face turning to look at Mickey. He felt if he lost sight of Mickey now, he would vanish.
"Ian" this time it was Mandy. She was kneeling on the ground and took his face into her hands "Lip's right, now's not the time"
Ian thrashed feeling like an animal "how long, how long has be been out?" He growled trying to look past Mandy to Mickey.
"Two months" she replied softly.
Ian whipped his head back to Mandy and looked at her incredulously "Two months, he's been out two months and he didn't tell me, didn't come to see me?" When Mandy didn't reply Ian thrashed around some more but Lip continued to hold him down. He use to be stronger than Lip but since the meds he wasn't as strong or as fast. Resentment towards his disease boiled over.
"Mickey's not the same as he use to be Ian..." He had never heard Mandy defend Mickey before especially not to him but when she did he was glad he was already on the ground because if he hadn't been he knew it would have felled him.
"Besides" Mandy said softly as she stood up "you left him, so you don't get to be angry".