A/N: Sorry for the long wait for this chapter, and for Fucked Up's update as well. Got busy with school, but now that it's spring break, I might finish this story. Anyway,s thank you for the reviews and favoriting/following. It means a lot to me. Please enjoy.
The apartment wasn't anything that special, small with only a little furniture and piles of dirty clothes, beer bottles, and dead cigarettes all around. Mickey called it home, though, and he hoped that Gallagher would think of it that way when he's finally back in Chicago. Maybe Mickey could be persuaded to clean up a little. Maybe.
The ex-con had bought a small set of plates and utinsels he only used when the Gallagher siblings came over to visit, and a TV that he actually paid for hooked up in the living room residing in front of the beat up couch. The bedroom had a small closet, but Mickey only used half of it, as if he was practicing for when Firecrotch made an existence in the apartment. There was even a dresser, and then in the center of the room was the bed. It was comfortable to Mickey, considering he's lived in small spaces his entire life.
Now, he was standing in front of the closet's mirror door, fixing up the tie and suit that only Mandy could force him into wearing.
There was a knock at the door, giving a hint that it was time. He wasn't looking forward to giving his sister away. It meant no more Mickey and Mandy against the world. No more of it being them looking after each other and no one else. If Lip does anything to hurt her, Mickey will ensure he never saw the light of day again. Ever.
The knocking continued as Mickey headed for the door.
"I'm comin! Jesus!" he yelled, opening the door to reveal Fiona standing with Debbie and Liam, shifting impatiently.
"Mickey, we gotta go!" Debbie hugged him quickly, and by newfound habit he returned the hug briefly.
"You look nice, Mickey. We need to be at The Alibi Room in ten minutes." Fiona smiled.
They all couldn't afford some fancy church, even with Mickey working a bunch of jobs, so Kev offered to let them use The Alibi Room like when he and Veronica faked their wedding. Of course, Mickey only knew that unnecessary piece of information all because Firecrotch let it slip one night when they were high as fuck.
Lately, Mickey's felt a new ache in his chest thinking about his red head out on duty. He swears Gallagher planned all this. Planned for him to wind up getting to know his fucking family and actually give two shits about them and like them, and start doing non-Milkovich things. But he couldn't get himself to be angry. At least, not today.
Mandy's wedding was more important. So he sat in the back of the Gallagher's car-much likely stolen from the lovely Jimmy-between Liam and Debbie. Carl was in front of them talking to Mickey about the new bat he stole and how he's been practicing with the animals that run into the yard. Shit, this kid still freaked Mickey out, yet at the same time he definitely liked the potential. Fiona sat in the front with Jimmy, fidgeting with nervousness. Fuck, they all were.
Of the Milkovich family, Mickey would be the only one there. No fucking way was Iggy and Joey comin to it, especially after the several threats they continued to make. But Mickey and Mandy were okay with that. No one wanted those fucks there.
As they pulled up, Lip was outside, dragging from a cigarette and pacing. When he looked over and saw them getting out of the car, he tossed the cigarette and walked over.
"Is everything ready?" Fiona asked, searhing Lip's face for a sign of danger.
"Oh yeah, evrything's ready to go. You guys are the last to show up." Lip was speaking quickly, fidgeting way more than his family had just been, which was a sign enough for Mickey. The ex-con grabbed Lip by the lapels of his tux and brought their faces close together.
"Listen up, Phillip. You better not be getting fucking cold feet, you stupid little shithead. You have my little sister inside, excited and truly happy for the first time in our fucked up lives. So if you're having second thoughts, speak now or forever hold your fucking piece." Mickey growled in a low voice. The others stared, unsure what to do. Even Fiona had grown to like Mandy. No one wanted to see what would happen between the Gallaghers and Milkovich siblings if things went wrong.
Lip's fear was obvious, the way his eyes were abnormally wide, his hands gripping Mickey's wrists tightly like his life-quite literally-was on the line. He quickly shook his head.
"No, Mickey, just jitters is all." Lip replied, offering a very nervous smile.
"Good." Mickey let go, straightening out Lip's clothes.
"You guys should get inside. We're supposed to start in a few minutes." Lip looked at all of them, slowly beginning to act like his normal self, with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. Fiona and Jimmy led the kids inside, giving Mickey a look as he passed.
"That wasn't necessary, you know." She whispered. Mickey just shrugged.
"It worked, didn't it? Besides, I wouldn't be a good big brother if I didn't scared the panicking thoughts out of my soon-to-be brother-in-law."
Fiona sighed.
"You've been a good brother alone by paying for everything. Mandy's dress was fucking expensive."
"Fuck off, my sister's worth it." He glared at Fiona weakly. Mickey had taken up a third job, aside from Kash and Grab and the construction sites around town, just to pay for the food and Kev, and to make sure Mandy could relax about the dress.
He even put some money towards Lip and Mandy having a real honeymoon. Not too special and sure as fuck not anyplace like Paris or Hawaii, but he figured they'd be in the room for most of it anyway, so he got them a week at some bed and breakfast out in Connecticut. Even helping Mandy wih the wedding, it all felt gay. But Mickey swallowed it back, his sister was so much more fucking important than the gayness of everything.
"How do I look, Fuck Face?" Mandy asked with a smile as Mickey walked into the back room, which Kev normally used as storage.
For a moment, Mickey was afraid to say anything because he would do something very unMickey-like: Cry.
However, he did allow himself to do one faggy thing, which was memorize how his little sister looked in her dress. Mandy had pinned up her hair, which no longer held any bright colored streaks. Her make up for once looked natural and made her look more beautiful than she'd looked with all the eyeliner. Her dress had been strapless and ironically white-not cream or ivory, just pure white-and clung tightly to her upper body before flowing out at the waist to her ankles.
Mandy would forever in this moment be beautiful.
Mickey cleared his throat, giving her one of his rare smiles, which then became a smirk.
"I think this is the most fabric I've seen you wear."
Mandy punched him in the arm.
"No shit, asshole, now be serious." Mandy demanded.
"Bitch, no hitting! Shit, I already fucked up this arm last week!" mickey growled, rubbing his arm. "You look great, Mands. Fucking beautiful, okay?"
"Thank you." She replied, satisfied. Then she started to look nervous. "Did you see Lip? How's he doin?"
"He's fine, just as scared as you are." Mickey found himself having moments of niceness every little while, much to his own chagrin. But Mandy always made him a softie when it came to a Gallagher. "Just take a fucking breath. It's all going to be fine."
When they heard Fiona start the music and saw her wave to them, the siblings linked their arms together and walked out. The usual gathering of drinkers were in attendance, Kev and Veronica there as well. Some college friends of Lip's wrre there along with a few Mandy made. Frank sat at the bar while the Gallagher siblings stood by the new flatscreen with Lip and the pastor. The was the perfect grouping for a Gallagher-Milkovich wedding.
Mandy smiled as they stopped next to Lip, then Mickey kissed her cheek and shook Lip's hand with a warning squeeze before moving aside. He didn't cry through the ceremony, or even when Lip and Mandy had their kiss. When everyone grabbed drinks and danced as a signal for the reception to start, Mickey stayed at the bar with a beer in his hands and talked to Kev. Of course, when Frank tried to make a speech, the ex-con was there to shut him up with the offer of a free drink.
Mickey was perfectly fine sitting on the sidelines. He hated dancing. It wasn't his thing. But what had begun to be his thing was taking pictures. It was like he needed to keep track of the events in his life without Gallagher. It was his way of collecting everything Ian would ever need to know when he comes home. So there were pictures of Ian's family and Mickey with Mandy, and even some of just himself. At this moment, he wanted to take as many pictures as possible to show Firecrotch what he missed at Lip and Mandy's wedding.
The real reason for him taking these pictures was really to show the red head how much he missed him. That Mickey has been feeling things and has no idea what the fuck he's supposed to do about it. The ex-con had already pussied out and sent Gallagher that letter. Pussied out and fucking admitted to Firecrotch that he's in love with him. If Gallagher makes a big fucking deal about it, Mickey will kill the red head himself.
Before Mickey knew what was happening, Mandy pulled him off the stool and dragged him to the center of the room, then began swaying, leaving a smirking Kev and laughter mixed with shock by the others. Mickey tried to pull away, but Mandy's grip just tightened, the smile never leaving her face.
"Fuck you." He whispered with a grimace.
"My wedding, therefore you get to dance and pretend you like it, Fuck Face." She whispered back with a grin.
"I'm going to kill you when you get your ass back from Connecticut."
"Now Mickey, we both know that's not gonna happen."
"Fuck off." He muttered.
Mickey let her keep him dancing until the song ended, then got out of her grasp and went back to the bar to down his beer and order a new one.
When it was time for Lip and Mandy to leave for the airport, the entire group of guests hugged them goodbye, and Mickey relented and gave them one as well.
"Take care of my sister or else I'll cut your fucking dick off." He growled into Lip's ear.
"I have no doubt about that." Lip replied as they broke apart. Mandy gave her brother the finger as the couple drove offm leaving him with a small smile he couldn't bring himself to hide. When he found Debbie crying, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"No crying Debs. They're gonna be back in a week. They aren't dead or somethin." He told her, to which now Debbie listened, sniffling and nodding like they were the best words of wisdom.
Jimmy stayed at The Alibi Room to help Kev and Veronica clean up as everyone began to head home. The car was silent as they drove Mickey back to his apartment, Fiona and Debbie giving his arm a squeeze before he got out and went inside.
Mickey took a look around at his apartment, empty and dark, and thought about how different it'll look with Gallagher's shit and light or whatever. Yet another faggy thing, but the ex-con was too tired to care. He wandered to the bedroom, stripping off his clothes along the way and tossing them into a pile by the dresser, then climbed into bed and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
The clock said it was two in the morning when the phone woke him up. Mickey tried to ignore it, groaning and covering his head with the pillow. The phone cut off. Within seconds it rang again.
"Fucking…" the ex-con got out of bed and sleepily walked to the living room. Almost dropping the phone, he quickly caught it and answered.
"The fuck do you want? Do you fucking realize what time it is?" his voice was flat.
"M-M-Mickey." The voice rang out on the other end and seemed loud, but he could tell they'd been crying. Mickey immediately felt wide awake.
"Debbie, what's wrong?" he listened as she tried and failed to speak clearly, then heard Fiona tell her to sit with Liam and took the phone. Fiona's voice sounded strained and tired. She's been crying too.
"Mickey, we just got a call."
Mickey's heart dropped. Did something happen to his sister?
"Are Lip and Mandy all right?" For once since the ex-con was eight, he could feel the tears threatening to fully run over.
"They're fine." She replied quickly, like they were merely the subject of groceries or laundry.
"Then what the fuck is it, Fiona?" Mickey heard her take a breath, like she was trying to stop her own new wave of tears.
"It was the Army, Mickey. It's Ian."