When Mandy was in first grade, some little cunt tried to punch her. Mickey's not ever really sure why, but that day when Mandy came home from school crying, asking for Mickey to hold her-which he really didn't want to fucking do, he had stopped doing that shit when she stared kindergarten Mickey did it though, because he loved Mandy.

He held her as she cried.

"Tell me about prince Mickey and princess Mandy." Mickey shook his head, though Mandy couldn't see him.

"C'mon Mands you don't wanna hear about them." He hadn't told a prince Mickey and princess Mandy story since she was four.

She sniffled and mumbled what Mickey thought sounded like, "Please." He couldn't say no to her.

"One day the evil witch Jessica tried to hurt princess Mandy. But prince Mickey protected the princess like he always did." He had mentioned an evil witch named Jessica before, he wasn't sure where he got the name from, but it just sounded right.

Mandy interrupted him, "Mickey, can you teach me how to protect myself?"

Did she really want to learn how to fight? That was a stupid question, if you were a Milkovich you needed to know how to fight, especially in this house.

"Yea, no problem."

Mickey showed Mandy how to punch some, he showed her the proper way to make a fist.

She learned quickly.

She even got in a good punch on Mickey, his lip was split and bleeding.

It reminded him of the times he had fought with Lip.

Why the fuck was he thinking about Gallagher's again? After the baseball incident he hadn't seen or thought about them at all.

He still remembers so clearly how it felt to hit Lip. How it felt when his fist connected with Lip's flesh.

He remembers how satisfying it was.

Mandy apologized three zillion times.

Some where around four zillion Mickey finally said more than, "It's okay."

"I'm fine Mandy. Fuck. I told you I'd teach you how to fight. You learned. Be proud." She still looked upset but didn't say anything more.

Mickey had stopped going to the Kash and Grab for things he and Mandy needed about a year ago.

Grandma, Kash's mom, had gotten out of the hospital all was well, but she was on some pills, despite that she was still there every thursday.

But then one day, she wasn't there, and Kash said nothing.

The next week she wasn't there again, this time Kash spoke, "My mom's not going to be coming anymore, she's sick. She's not taking her meds right. And I'm not paying for shit for a Milkovich." That was it, that was the end.

Now when Mickey or Mandy needed something, he went further from home, and stole what he needed.

It was a friday, Mickey couldn't wait to get home, he fucking hated school, he wasn't even sure why he actually went, probably because he didn't want to get in trouble with like the bitch who did attendance at school, 'cause that bitch could get cops involved and that could end up with social workers coming, and Mickey didn't want to be separated from Mandy.

School had just ended Mickey was walking around the back of the school, he really wasn't sure why, he just thought it would be quicker to get home instead of walking around the block.

He heard crying. Normally he wouldn't have fucking cared, but something made him look for the person who was crying.

He saw five boys, who all looked a bit older than he was standing over someone, Mickey couldn't see who the person on the ground was, but he knew it was the person that was crying, and he knew it was a boy.

Mickey knew he should have just fucking walked away, but again something made him stay and help. If you asked him, he would say that he stayed, and helped the kid because he was still feeling bad from when Mandy got hurt at school, but that really wasn't why.

Mickey punched one of the five boys in the back of his head, the kid went down instantly. As soon as the other four saw their friend fall, they quickly turned their attention to Mickey.

Mickey punched one in the face, he tried to punch Mickey back, that didn't work, Mickey punched him in the dick.

Mickey kept dodging punches, one landed on his fucking nose, it hurt like a bitch, and his nose was bleeding instantly, but he didn't stop fighting.

The two he had already hit, were long gone, they had gotten up crying and ran off.

The boy was still laying on the ground bleeding and crying.

Mickey punched the biggest boy in the face, he felt the boy's nose crunch under his fist. He heard it too, he was surprised that it was so loud.

The other boy, the only one that Mickey hadn't hit took off running when he heard the crunch.

Mickey was panting slightly out of breath, his face and shirt were covered in blood. His knuckles were already beginning to bruise, and were smeared with blood.

He knelt next to the boy, to ask if he was okay.

That's when Mickey realized who this boy was.

Bright red hair, big blue eyes. Covered in blood and the beginnings of bruises.

He had just fought off five boys, for Ian fucking Gallagher.

"Hey, Gallagher, you okay?" The red-head groaned, looked like he was unconscious.

Mickey knew he couldn't fucking just leave him there.

Mickey wasn't sure if he'd be able to pick him up, but he tried.

Ian was pretty fucking light, Mickey had no problem at all carrying him. He certainly wasn't going to carry Gallagher all the way to his house, and he wasn't taking Ian to his fucking house, fuck that, his brothers would have a field day.

He guessed the most logically option was to place Ian's unconscious body on the cement in front of the school. He knew the teachers wouldn't all be gone yet, they would find Ian, they would help him.

That night laying in bed, Mickey stared at the bruises on his knuckles, and felt the throbbing pain in his nose, it was definitely broken.

Thoughts of that broken, bleeding, unconscious red-head flooded his mind.

He couldn't get that image out of his head.

He hoped that someone had found him, helped him.

He was terrified that no one had.

Note To Readers- Review, tell me your thoughts :) -JJ