Disclaimer: I don't own Shameless.

A/N: I'm in the middle of deciding what to write next for "Changed". While I've been brainstorming this idea came to me. It's not going to be long, probably four or five chapters, but I hope you guys still like it!

Another (Major) Bump in the Road-Chapter 1

Mickey doesn't even knock when he barges into the Gallagher's kitchen with his son in his arms.

"Yo, Gallaghers!" Mickey yells as he struggles with his squirming son.

"Hey, Mickey." Debbie greets them as she walks into the kitchen. She smiles as she holds out her arms to take Yevgeny. "Hey, Yevy! You feeling better?"

"His fever is gone, so I guess he is." Mickey replies.

The baby starts gurgling even louder when Debbie starts making stupid, goofy faces at him.

Mickey rolls his eyes. "Yeah, you okay with pudge?"

Debbie huffs. "Mickey, I've been in charge of daycare for years now. I know what I'm doing. Do I ask you if you need help with running the rub and tug?"

Mickey's eyes widen. What the hell is she talking about? Where the hell did she get that he was questioning her baby-sitting skills? Leaving Yevgeny at the Gallagher's Summer Day Care was probably one of the best ideas he had in a while. First of all, it's free. Thanks in part due to the fact that Ian is helping out there since after finally getting his meds balanced out the idea of grinding against dirty, old man lost its appeal. Mickey couldn't be more thankful for Ian's change in employment. Second, Lana is happy. A happy Lana means a Lana that is not constantly on Mickey's ass about something. She's happy that the rugrat is socializing with other babies or some shit and isn't constantly surrounded by hookers. And Mickey is happy because having a baby in the upstairs of the Alibi is the last thing that the business needs.

"Listen, I wasn't asking because I thought you couldn't handle it. I was asking because if he's all set with you, I was going to go upstairs and check in with Ian," Mickey says.

Debbie's mouth forms the "o" shape. "Sorry… things have been a little nuts around here this morning. Fiona is working a double at the diner. Lip took Amanda on a fireworks run. So, it's basically me and Carl with the kids."

Mickey's eyes grow large in alarm as he looks into the living that's filled with kids. His eyes frantically scan the room. "Where the hell is Ian?"

Debbie gives Mickey a sad look. "He's still in bed."

Mickey shakes his head. No fuckin' way are they going through this shit again. Things are finally for the first time in forever going right. After all the stuff they've been through they deserved this.

"Did you guys get into a fight last night?" Debbie asks, biting her lip.

Mickey shakes his head. "What? No. He had a headache. Couldn't get any sleep at my place between the constant babbling of Russian and that one crying because of the ear infection," motioning to the baby in Debbie's arms.

Debbie nods her head. "He's talking, so I guess that's something."

Mickey isn't so sure if Ian talking is something. Ian talked during those three weeks when he refused to get out of bed too. Not much but he did tell them to leave him alone.

"It's not like that, Mickey. He told me and Carl that he was sorry that he's not feeling up to helping with the kids. Has a fever too."

Mickey sighs in relief. A sick Ian he can deal with. Anything is better than dealing with a near silent, unmoving Ian. "You good down here?"

Debbie nods her head and goes to the fridge. She expertly pours juice into a cup with one hand, while holding Yevgeny safely on her hip. She turns back to Mickey and hands him the cup, "Here, give him this. He's in danger of dehydrating between the heat and the fever."

With cup in hand, Mickey quickly bounces up the stars and towards Ian's room that he still shares with his brothers. He pays the closed door no mind and carefully opens the door to see Ian facing the door curled into the fetal position. He moves closer to Ian's bed. "How you feelin'?"

Ian squints his eyes before he opens them. He gives his boyfriend a small smile when he spots Mickey by his bed.

The ex-con can't help but return a small smile in relief as Ian sits up and scooches over to make room for Ian to sit on his bed. Mickey tentatively puts his hand on Ian's pale forehead. "Debs is right. You do have a fever."

"Mhhhm," Ian sighs in appreciation when Mickey starts running his fingers through the redhead's hair. "Think it's just a summer cold."

Mickey bites his lip when he sees Ian scrunch his face up in pain. "Probably caught something from one of the snotrags downstairs."

"One of those snotrags is your son," Ian says.

"Yeah, but it doesn't change the fact that he is twelve pounds of snot, and other bodily fluids."

Ian shakes his head, "anyways, better me catching a cold from helping out here than getting something from dancing all over some Grandpa at the club."

Mickey lets out a small snicker. "Seriously though? You okay?"

With his eyes closed, Ian nods his head. "I'll be fine. Just gotta get some sleep."

Mickey rolls his eyes. "How the fuck are you gonna do that here with a house full of screaming kids?"

Ian motions to the dresser by his bed where a half filled glass of water, Tylenol, and ear plugs are. "I'll put the ear plugs in in a bit."

"Why don't you just go over to my place? The kid is here. Lana is already down at the Alibi. It'll be quieter over there than here."

Ian shakes his head swallowing thickly "Can't."

"Why the hell not?" Mickey's voice and concerned both rising.

"Cause' I need to be around here if something happens with one of the charges." Ian explains. "And I don't think I have the energy to walk over there."

Mickey looks at him in concern.

"I'll be fine, Mickey. I promise. After some sleep I'll be fine in no time," Ian tries to reassure his boyfriend with a shit eating grin, but any headway he may have made in reassuring Mickey quickly goes down the drain when he winces in pain.

"Yeah, sure you are." Mickey quips.

"Go down to the Alibi. Kev needs you more than I do. What are you gonna do sit around here and watch me sleep?"

Mickey rubs his chin. Ian's right. There's not much he can do besides watch Ian sleep. And doing that while dealing with a house of loud ass kids is the last thing he wants to do. "Fine, then. But, make sure you drink this." Mickey says handing Ian the cup of juice. "Debs will have my ass if you dehydrate."

Ian shakes his head but drinks the juice nonetheless. "Happy now?"

"Getting there," Mickey says as he takes the empty cup. He hands Ian the earplugs. "Put these in and get some sleep. You really do look like shit." He stands up. "I'll come by later after making sure Kev hasn't fucked anything up down at the bar."

A playful slap of his ass causes Mickey to turn around, "What the fuck, Gallagher!"

"Go be a good pimp and bring home some dough," Ian says louder than necessary because of those damn earplugs.

"Idiot," Mickey calls out as Ian lays back down with a smile on his face. Mickey turns back one last time to make sure than Ian is settled as he closes the bedroom door behind him.

XXXXX

"Yo, big foot!" Mickey calls out as he enters the Alibi.

"Hey, Mick." Kev answers, drying glasses. "We have a slight problem."

"What is that?" Mickey asks as he takes a seat at the bar. "Did your giant, useless ass get us robbed again?"

"No," Kev replies. "The girls are complaining that it's too hot up there."

Mickey lights a cigarette. "So? They're from Siberia. Anything over forty degrees is too hot for those frigid bitches. Ice water runs through their veins."

"That may be, but they're refusing to take anyone upstairs until we do something," Kev explains.

"Jesus Christ!" Mickey utters and turns around in his stool. He spots Lana standing around talking to another one of the girls. "Lana!"

Lana shakes her head, but comes over to Mickey anyway. "Yes,"

"Why are you talking when there are dicks to be sucked?" Mickey asks motioning to the numerous patrons.

"We told him," Lana says pointing to Kev. "Too hot to work."

"Gonna be a helluva lot hotter outside on the streets if you don't get working." Mickey says.

"Hope boyfriend back soon. Bigger ass when he not around," Lana replies.

"Wait! Where's Ian?" Kev interrupts.

Mickey ignores Kev's question. "This isn't about Ian. This is about you doing what you get paid to do."

"You don't get paid, if we don't work. We don't work if too hot. You fix" Lana says pointing her long, bony finger into Mickey's chest.

"All right! All right!" Kev jumps is. "We'll see what we can do. We should be able to find some fans or some shit."

"Hear that? Get to work and in a couple of hours we'll get some fans up there." Mickey says.

Satisfied, Lana turns around and motions for one of the men to follow her upstairs.

With Lana out of sight, Mickey turns back to the bar. "Jesus! Unfucking believable!"

"What the hell is going on with Ian?" Kev asks pouring the younger man a beer. "He left?"

Mickey waves off Kev's concern. "Nah, man. He's just not feeling too good. Wanted to go back home to get some sleep."

Kev nods his head. "You guys good?"

Mickey nods his head as he takes a sip of his beer. "Yeah, all good."

Little did Mickey know how wrong he was…

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