Mickey was sitting on the couch watching who knows what. He hadn't really been paying attention for the past hour anyways. All he could think about these days was Ian. God, he was so stupid. He never should have told Mandy he was feeling that way. He never should have felt that way in the first place. If there was one thing that you learned as a Milkovich it was not to love anything or anyone. It only gets you hurt and leaves you vulnerable. There was no greater crime in his family than being vulnerable.

He looked away from the television suddenly when a loud bang shook the wall of the house. It was the door closing as Mandy stood in the hallway shaking. Mickey quickly leapt from the couch to hold his sister. "Mandy, what's wrong? What happened? Was it Lip? I'll kill him."

She grabbed his arm as he began to pull away from her to find the person who'd done this. "No!" She took a shaky breath. "No, it wasn't Lip. It's..." She stepped back to look Mickey in the face. "It's Ian."

Mickey felt his heart drop into his stomach. The dread was all-consuming. He couldn't speak to ask what had happened, but thankfully, he didn't need to.

"He's in a really bad place, Mick. He won't get out of bed. He won't respond to anyone. It's been days. He won't even eat. Everybody's tried to talk to him, get him to get up, but he just won't move. He-he looks dead, Mickey." With that, she started crying again, even harder this time. She let her head fall against Mickey's chest, and he absentmindedly wrapped his arms around her. He couldn't think straight.

Days? Mickey's head started to hurt. It was probably because he had barely been breathing since Mandy said Ian's name. "I-what..." He tried to think of anything to say. "What can I do?" He felt himself saying. It was scary, but it felt right. He needed to do something.

"Talk to him," Mandy held Mickey's hand as he began to pull away a second time. "Mick, I know it's scary. I know. But, you have to do it. He won't listen to anyone else. Everyone has tried and I know being in love is scary. Hell, it's terrifying. But he is your soulmate, Mickey. Whether you wanted it to happen or not, that is how it is and right now, you are what can help him. You are the one who he loves and who can save him." She searched his face earnestly. He knew she was right. He knew had the situation been reversed only Ian could help him probably. "You love him, Mickey. When you love someone you help them, no matter what."

Each passing day only served to scare Fiona more. Why had she spent all that time with Jimmy? If only she'd been there, if only she'd known that Ian was upset in the first place, none of this would have happened. Or, maybe it would have. With her mom, it didn't matter what was happening or who tried to help. You just had to hope. Hope and pray that everything ended up okay. When Mickey came to the house, Mandy close at his heels, Fiona began to hope. And when Mickey remained upstairs with Ian for several hours, Fiona began to pray. She wasn't sure that she could go through this again. She wasn't sure that any of them could have this happen again and come out on the other side unchanged.

Mandy had spent a little while upstairs with Lip. They had both just lain in bed, not speaking. The sense of fear was too strong to speak about anything else. Eventually she couldn't take the weight anymore and went downstairs to try to distract herself. It hadn't worked really. She ended up sitting on the couch with Liam watching whatever kids' show Debbie had put on for him. His sweet innocence was enough to soothe her slightly. He was the only one in the house who wasn't scared. He didn't know enough to be and somehow that was comforting. At least someone would be alright if Mickey couldn't help. Someone would be okay.

Mandy's absence from his bed wasn't unnoticed, but it didn't bother Lip that much either. She would come back later. Right now he knew they both needed some time alone. The house was so quiet. It was never this quiet. Except for when he was younger and Monica was having these problems. He didn't want to think about that now. Ian was not Monica. Ian was strong and smart and he would be okay. He wouldn't end up like Monica. Lip shook his head and moved to reach his cigarettes. With the first drag, he began to feel a little better. He shut his eyes and focused on the feel of the nicotine and the smoke in his lungs. Mandy reappeared a little later. Lip couldn't remember when exactly she'd come back but he knew he felt better with her there. They shared the cigarette, watching as the smoke rose to the ceiling taking a bit of their fear with it. Ian is strong. Ian is not Monica. Lip hadn't realized he'd been speaking until Mandy ran a hand along his arm, "Yeah."

Seeing Ian like this was even harder than hearing about it. Mickey wasn't sure he could feel his fingers. There had just been silence between them for a while. Dead air hung heavily around them and Mickey felt it stronger with each breath. He didn't know what to say. There was no way he was the person who could do this. He couldn't be the one. Only one thought ran through his head, it built and built until Mickey felt he might burst if he didn't say it. I love you. He thought. I love you. I love you. I love you.

He moved to stand by Ian's bed, knowing only that Ian needed to know how important he is. "You remember when you found my-I mean, our scars?" His voice was so quiet. Speaking at any level above a murmur felt wrong, like Ian was a deer he didn't want to frighten away. "You came into my room so early." He laughed a little to himself. "So early. It scared me. Not just because there was someone in my room at 6 am but because that was the first time I felt you. That was the first time I was able to know what you were feeling. It was so powerful. I thought I was going to choke from how strongly you were feeling and you-you needed me. You needed me with your whole being. I've never been needed before. You held my hand and everything faded away. I could have lived in that one moment forever. And that's... that's when I first knew I loved you." He paused briefly; he'd laid it all on the line. "I love you, Ian. I love you with everything I have. You're my soulmate and not only do I love you but I need you more than anything. I need you more than air." His breath caught in his throat following his admission.

He watched the rise and fall of Ian's ribs as he faced the wall. After what felt like an eternity, Ian slowly rolled to face Mickey. He sat up and leant against the wall. Mickey took a half-step closer, his knees brushing the bed. There was a pull, as if by a string knotted in his stomach that Ian held, a pull that brought him closer to Ian whenever he was near. The silence between them gathered like a stone in Mickey's gut. "You love me?"

Ian looked at Mickey for a long time, sizing him up. "Of course I do," Mickey's voice cracked as he said it. Tears he didn't know he was holding in gathered in his eyes. Ian smiled. It was so bright Mickey was overcome.

"I love you, too." For the first time, Mickey did not doubt that. He couldn't when he knew it was true. He could feel it in his bones. He loved his soulmate and his soulmate loved him too. Neither of them was sure who leaned forward first but suddenly they were kissing. A kiss so pure and genuine, Mickey was not afraid to let the tears fall. Ian brushed his thumb across Mickey's cheek, wiping away the tears.

Somehow, they ended up lying together on the bed, exchanging kisses between smiles. Nearly an hour had passed when the smile left Mickey's face. Ian looked at him curiously, "What's wrong?"

Mickey kissed the corner of Ian's frowning mouth. "We need to find you help." Ian sighed. "I know that's not what you want to hear, but..."

"No, I know." Ian sat up. "You have to come with me, though." It was Ian's turn now to cry. "I can't do this myself, Mick."

Mickey rose to sit beside him. Wrapping his arm around Ian's broad shoulders, he turned to kiss Ian's shoulder. "I know. I will be there every step of the way." He reached out to turn Ian's head towards him. "Hey, I won't leave again, alright? I promise." Ian nodded and he kissed the red-haired boy with as much passion as he could muster. "I promise."