Disclaimer: I still don't own Shameless.
Another (Major) Bump in the Road-Chapter 4
A/N: So glad to see you guys are still enjoying this. Thanks again to all of you who are following and have favorited and reviewed this. Also, in this chapter Ian's depression episode as seen in 4.12 will be portrayed in a flashback (in italics), just a warning for those who might find the subject matter triggery.
Mickey is making Lip nauseas with his manic pacing back and forth while sitting in the waiting room with Debbie and Carl. He hopes that they hear something soon because he might just say something obnoxious and now is really not the time for that. It's been forty-six minutes, thirteen seconds since he and his younger siblings arrived in the ER behind the ambulance that carried Ian and Mickey to the hospital. But, it feels like it's been a helluva lot longer than that.
"What the fuck!" Mickey stops his pacing when a rubber band smacks him in the shoulder. He turns to Lip.
"Wasn't me," Lip outs his hands up to defend himself.
"It was me."
The ex-con turns to look at the boy who confessed. "And to think that I kinda liked you."
Carl's only reply is a one fingered salute. They remain silent as Mickey thankfully stops his pacing and takes a seat. The four of them stay that way until they hear a pair of running feet and a familiar voice. "What the fuck happened?!" Fiona exclaims.
Lip goes to open his mouth but Debbie beats him to it. "Ian had a high fever. Had a seizure so we called 911."
Mickey lets out a sarcastic laugh at Debbie's casual tone. "'High fever?' Paramedics said it was 104.2! We'll be lucky if his brain isn't fried after all this."
"Ian always run high temps when he's sick," Lip tries to explain. Hoping to mitigate what has just happened.
"So that makes it okay for him to have two seizures?" Mickey yells, holding up two fingers to emphasize his point. "Cause' it sure as hell isn't okay with me."
"He had two?" Fiona asks for clarification. Lip can hear the fear in her voice. It's true that Ian has had seizures when he runs a high temp, but up until this point he has never had more than one at a time.
"Had another one in the damn ambulance," Mickey replies. He hasn't divulged this information up until this point, and his only concern at the moment is Ian, so he doesn't see the terrified looks on Fiona, Debbie, and Carl's faces. But, Lip does.
"He'll be okay," Lip tries to reassure his siblings. If only he can believe that himself.
Mickey rolls his eyes at Lip's optimism. "What's your fuckin' problem?" Lip asks bitterly.
"You fucking Gallagher's and your life is always roses mentality. Were we in the same room before? He looks like shit. Fuck, he was talking about meeting up with your mother," Mickey says standing up.
Lip has had enough. Mickey's shitty attitude is not helping anyone at the moment. And if he knows his sisters as well as he thinks he does, they are both probably blaming themselves right now for not seeing how sick Ian is. They don't need Mickey beating them up about it, they're doing enough of that on their own.
He already feels like shit for not seeing this. Granted he was gone the whole day, but he was home when Ian's fever spiked. He was the one who put Liam in his room and asked Carl to stay on the couch so that Ian could try and rest. But, still….He dropped the ball….again.
Still he doesn't need Mickey fucking Milkovich in his face about it. Granted the former juvenile delinquent was the one who helped Ian get back on track after his bipolar diagnosis, but he also put Ian through hell and back countless times before.
"Hey, Hold on-"
"He had a fever of over 104! He never should have been home! He should have been here!" Mickey exclaims motioning to the hospital with his hands.
"When I left for work it was down to 103. That's normal for Ian when he's sick," Fiona defends herself.
Mickey nods his head and turns his direction back to Lip. "But, you were the one home with him when this shit got bad."
"We were too!" Debbie stands up.
"You're also what fourteen?" Mickey says. "It's not your job to look after your brother to make sure his brain ain't boiling."
"And where were you, Mickey? His knight in fucking shining armor? Because you sure as hell wasn't the one who brought him a puke bucket, a glass of water or Tylenol!" Lip yells.
Fiona puts her hand on his shoulder in hopes of calming her brother down. But, it doesn't work. Mickey wants to point blame, well he better be ready to hear his part in it too. "No, you were down at the Alibi dealing with your WIFE and your whore posse. You were drinking and doing whatever the fuck you do and didn't roll in until almost three o'clock in the damn morning. So, don't fucking stand there and point the finger at us!"
"Guys!"
"Hey!"
"Knock it off!"
Lip's hands are already in fists. His shoulders are tense. He's ready for a fight. It's been a long time coming. He's been waiting to come to blows with Mickey for a while now. Since Ian was hauled up in the other boy's bed, unable to get up. And Mickey refused every attempt made by Fiona and Lip to get their brother help. Wait. Who the fuck is Lip fooling, he's been waiting to go at it with Mickey way before that. Maybe it was back when Ian ran off to join the military because the thought of being so close to Mickey and his expectant wife was just too much to bare. Hell, it was probably way before that. When Ian started sneaking out all hours of the night. When Ian stopped coming to Lip when shit got bad. When Mickey somehow replaced him as being Ian's best friend and confidante.
"Yeah, but where the hell have you been?" Mickey asks with a snarl.
"I was on a fireworks run."
Mickey snickers. "Today yes. But where have you BEEN?"
Lip knows exactly what the other boy is referring to but he doesn't need Mickey being an ass about it. This is about Mickey and what he has done. Not Lip. "What the fu-"
"Cause' you sure as hell wasn't over my place when Ian wouldn't get out of bed." He points to the other Gallagher siblings. "They were, but you weren't."
"Look I had some shit-"Lip tries to explain, but he's cut off again.
"And I was dealing with fucking Kenyatta, a screaming newborn, and Mother Russia. And it sure as hell wasn't you who stopped those old fucks from bringing Ian's coked up ass back home with them from the club," Mickey bites out as he steps closer to Lip.
Lip is done. He has no words, but he has his fists. He ignores Fiona and Carl's pleas and Fiona's restraining hand. Just as he's about to wind up and make himself feel a whole lot better he sees Debbie's eyes focusing on something. Not something, but someone who just walked into the waiting room.
He along with Mickey, Fiona, and Carl look over to see a young doctor that looks no older than Fiona. "Ian Gallagher? Family of Ian Gallagher?" The man asks. Based on his impatient tone he gathers that he must have called the name but with him and Mickey almost coming to blows no one but Debbie must have heard him.
"Yes?" Fiona asks, turning to the doctor. "How is he?"
Dr. Baldarelli as his nametag tells them gives a tired sigh. "He's very sick."
"Yeah, no shit. The out of control fever and seizures could have told us that," A previously quiet and Carl says.
"Carl!" Fiona exclaims while giving the doctor an apologetic look.
Debbie slaps him hard in the chest, "Stop it!"
"Sorry," Fiona apologizes. "We're just worried."
Dr. Baldarelli nods his head. "As I said Ian is very sick. He suffered another seizure upon his arrival into the ER." A collection of gasps and curses are released, but the doctor doesn't seemed fazed as he continues, "we need to get his fever down but in order to do that we need to know what's wrong."
"So figure it out," Mickey demands.
The doctor rubs the bridge of his nose tiredly. "Based on his symptoms; fever, vomiting, headache, and sensitivity to light we suspect meningitis."
"Is that bad?" Debbie asks.
Lip turns to his sister, "Yeah, but it's treatable."
"Give him the damn meds then," Mickey replies.
"It's not that easy. If it is meningitis, we need to know whether it's viral or bacterial before we can start treatment," the doctor explains.
"So what's the next step?" Fiona asks.
"Next thing we do is perform a lumbar puncture. Problem is that Ian is not exactly cooperating at the moment. The last thing I want to do is give him a sedative. So, I was going to ask if maybe one of you can come with me to try and calm him down."
Lip automatically steps forward. This is his job. It's his job to look after Ian. But, then for some reason he looks over at Mickey. At a Mickey who is so unrecognizable from the Mickey of old. He's no longer the dirty kid of the neighborhood's most feared man who ran around causing as much destruction and chaos as he can for the pure hell of it. No, the Mickey in front of him now looks lost, like his whole world is crashing down on him.
Lip recalls talking to Fiona shortly after Ian crashed. How Mickey refused to let Ian see a doctor in fear that he may be committed. That he insisted that Ian was to stay there with him. When he heard that Lip chocked it up to Mickey being possessive. That the ex-con was afraid to lose Ian after just getting him back. But, then he thinks about earlier when the ambulance arrived to their house. How Mickey hopped into the ambulance with Ian before anyone could object. And when Lip did open his mouth he was met with a "Fuck off, I'm goin' with him. Find your own way."
The Mickey standing in front of him now desperately needs Ian to be okay. And Lip knows that Ian needs Mickey. So, he has to be the bigger man and put his pride aside. "Mickey, you go."
The look of shock on Fiona's face at the moment would be funny if it wasn't under these circumstances. But, she quickly recovers. She leans in towards Mickey and says softly, "Tell him we love him."
The ex-con nods his head and follows the waiting doctor down the hall. They walk silently but just as they reach the door to a trauma room, the doctor says, "His fever is still pretty high and he's restless. We just need you to calm him down enough so we can do the spinal tap."
Mickey swallows nervously. He knows what a spinal tap is. Sure, it's no big deal. It's only sticking a big ass needle in someone's back when they are out of their mind with fever. It's nothing at all.
He follows the doctor into the room. As he comes closer to the gurney he sees that Ian is moving restlessly across the pale sheets. No doubt trying to find a cooler place to rest his fevered body. A nurse looks up from the chart and spots Mickey, giving him a small smile. She looks down at Ian. "Looks like you have a visitor."
Mickey reaches Ian's side. He can only see part of the redhead's face because the younger boy has his head turned towards the bed, away from the harsh hospital lights. He's no doubt still feeling the damn headache that he has been battling for over a day now.
"Hey," Mickey says softly as he places his hand on Ian's shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
After several long moments, Ian half opens a fever bright eye. "Mick?"
Mickey bites his lip when he hears the other boy's cracking voice. "It's me, Ian. How you doin'?"
Obviously Mickey knows the answer to his own question. Ian is not doing good at all. His red hair looks even redder because of his almost ashen complexion. His face is covered in a fine sheet of sweat. He keeps sticking out his tongue, in an attempt to moisten his cracked, dry lips. And let's not forget the fact that there are a couple of the hospital's medical staff buzzing around them busily.
But, Mickey really doesn't know what else to say at this moment, so he sticks to the basics. Maybe acting nonchalant will calm Ian down enough to let the damn doctor to do his job. To make Ian better.
"Hey, you iistenin' to me?" Mickey asks when Ian remains quiet after closing his eye. This is Ian being restless? What the hell is the doctor talking about? Ian looks like he can barely move. Maybe the younger boy's body is finally succumbing to the illness that he's so desperately trying to fight. He moves his hand from Ian's shoulder down to the hand that does not have an IV, squeezing it tightly. "Hey, hey. Look at me."
Ian doesn't open his eyes, but moves his head restlessly. "H-h-hurts," he moans.
Mickey bites his lip. He hates hearing the other boy's pain laced voice. He always had. "I know it does and that's why you have to listen to the doctor. Let him to what he has to. That way you can get better."
Ian maneuvers his head so that Mickey can see both of his fevered bright eyes. "Like before?"
It takes Mickey a minute to realize what Ian was talking about. Then it clicks. Back when Ian crashed and initially Mickey was against him getting any medical help, saying that he could get Ian out of bed on his own. Then that one day turned into one week which turned into two weeks. And finally on day number nineteen of Ian not getting out of bed, Mickey called Fiona. With Fiona in his living room, Mickey sat down on his bed.
"Ian?" Mickey says. "Ian, please?" Still nothing. Mickey sighs, looking towards his door. Out where Fiona is waiting to bring Ian to the clinic. "I really don't want to do this, but I think your sister is right."
Ian remains silent with his eyes closed. The redhead's silence cuts him deeper than those few times when Ian told him to go away or leave him alone. Man, Mickey would give anything to hear Ian say something. Ian hasn't said anything for five days now. "Ian, say something…please. Tell me I should let your sister take you. Or tell me to tell her to fuck off. Just tell me something," he pleads, his voice breaking with unshed tears at the end.
When Ian doesn't respond, Mickey stands up. He has to tell Fiona it's time to do this. This can't go on. His hand is on the doorknob when he hears a whisper, "I think I need to go."
Mickey turns around and faces Ian. The other boy's eyes are open, but lack their usual life. "You sure?"
Ian lets a tear fall down his pale cheek, "I need to get better. You'll be here when I get….come back?" he asks tearfully.
Mickey sighs and sits back down on his bed. "Christ, Ian. Of course, I'll be here. I'm not going anywhere."
Ian nods his head, "Okay."
Mickey leans forward and runs his thumb over Ian's cheek. "You listen to the doctor and do what he tells you to do, so you can get better. Can you do that?"
Ian nods his head and leans into Mickey's touch. "I'm not going anywhere," Mickey whispers.
Once again Mickey is rubbing Ian's cheek affectionately. "That's right. Just as you did then, you listen to the doctor so he can make you better. And I'm not going anywhere."
Ian licks his lips again. "Promise?"
Mickey rolls his eyes, "Of course, I fucking promise. Where the fuck else will I be? This place has the best air conditioning around and I'm sick and tired of sweating my balls off."
Mickey can tell that Ian is too tired to respond verbally, but he is relieved when a small smirk spreads across Ian's face for a few seconds. But, much too soon, an annoyed sigh coming from Dr. Baldarelli brings Mickey's attention back to the matter at hand. To why Mickey is here in the first place. "Listen, man. You gotta let them do some tests. That way they know what drugs they can pump in you to make you better, got it?"
Once again Ian doesn't say anything, but he does nod his head and gives Mickey's hand one more tight squeeze.
"You good?" Mickey asks.
"Good," Ian tiredly slurs.
Mickey nods his head as he sadly lets go of Ian's hand. "I'll let them get to it then. I'll be right here. I'm not leaving the room, I just got to give them room to do what they have to do."
One of the nurses looks like she's about to object but the look that Mickey gives her silences her. Ian appears to be oblivious to it all now and from his lack of response, Mickey guesses that Ian has finally exhausted his body into unconsciousness. Even though he's pretty sure that Ian isn't aware of what's going on. Mickey backs away from the gurney he watches as the nurses maneuver a now silent and pliable Ian into the fetal position as the doctor picks up the ridiculously long needle. As he watches the long needle go into a silent, still Ian Mickey repeats a mantra of "It's going to be okay, Ian. I'm here" quietly to himself.
This was a longer update than I intended, but I figured it's the least I owe you guys for making you wait so long for this update.
