A/N. Written for Yahtzie, who gave me this idea Just an insight of what may have happened that fateful night Dean was killed in the crash.
Michelle sighed and looked at her watch. It was ten past midnight. Liam, Dean and Paul had only gone to watch a boxing match. It wasn't too far away; she thought they'd be back by now. Ryan, her nine year old son, was in bed, fast asleep. He'd had a mini tantrum, begging that he could stay up until daddy got home, but he'd eventually tired himself out.
They should be on their way back now, at least, she hoped. They'd taken the car, so they wouldn't have gone out drinking. Again, she hoped. No. Dean wouldn't do that to her. Or Ryan. He loved them both. That, she was sure of.
" 'Chelle! We're off now, kid" Paul called, heading for the door. Liam was close at his heels.
"Where's Dean?" He asked, looking around as if expecting him to suddenly appear.
"Right here, lads" He grinned, coming from the kitchen.
"You having a bet on the fight with me, D?" Liam asked, grinning cunningly. Dean shook his head. He knew better than to get involved in bets with Liam. Liam turned to Michelle.
"You've got him under the thumb" He joked. Michelle rolled her eyes
"Go on, get going" She laughed. "But be careful!"
Paul and Liam rolled their eyes this time, but Dean walked up and slipped his arms around her.
"I always am" He whispered, giving her a gentle kiss. Paul and Liam sighed, and pretended to get impatient. "I won't be that late, don't wait up though" He added as an afterthought.
"See you later then" Michelle smiled.
"Love you" Dean told her.
"Love you t-"
"Yeah, yeah" Liam cut across her "We all love each other, but I won't love it if we're late, so can we
They all laughed and Michelle watched them through the door. She watched them argue about who was driving, who was sitting in the front and then they were off. She watched them all the way down the road, and then turned away, sighing.
That had been hours ago. She thought that they would be back now. Dean said they wouldn't be too late. She checked her phone for the umpteenth time, just incase she'd missed a text or a call. Nothing. Of course, she'd ring them, if it weren't for the fact that all three of their phones were off.
She went to the window and opened the curtains, as if she expected to see them coming down the road. The streets we're empty, ghostly. She didn't like the look, so she shut the curtains. She gently padded upstairs into Ryan's room. He was sleeping soundly, a little hunch in the Manchester city duvet covers. He was city mad, even though he was only nine. She gently ruffled his hair and he mumbled in his sleep and turned over.
She tried Dean, Liam and Pauls' phone one more time, each of the phones rang. And rang. And rang. But they didn't pick up. Michelle sighed and turned over. They were probably just being really giddy and rowdy, so they couldn't hear their phones, she thought to herself...
