Vicki left for work the next morning, Ian got up, pulled on a pair of jeans and poured himself coffee from the machine. He wasn't particularly keen on it, but had started drinking it for the caffeine hit. A cup of coffee and a cigarette was normally all he needed to get him started in the morning, but today his feet were dragging.

He wasn't scheduled to work today. Usually he would call in anyway to see if there was anything he could help out with, but the rest of his night's sleep had been fitful and he was feeling lethargic to say the least. He wouldn't be any good to anybody today.

He wanted to call Fiona. Not just wanted to - needed to. This whole thing was consuming his thoughts and he thought the familiarity of her voice might help to settle him.

He waited until what he thought it was an appropriate time to call, smoking too many cigarettes while he paced around, then he picked up the phone and dialled.

He soon realised he hadn't left it long enough. It rang for a long time. That amount of time when you're not sure whether you should hang up or whether it's got to the point where if you did hang up, the person on the other end wants to kill you anyway. Fiona finally answered with a groggy and pissed off "What?"

"Fiona?" His voice sounded rough from the chain smoking. That and the fact that he hadn't actually spoken yet today. He cleared his throat. "Hi Fiona it's me."

There was some shuffling around at the end of the line. Ian waited, and he could almost picture her pushing her eye-mask up on top of her head. He wondered if she still still had the old "Fuck Off" one. Then Fiona came back on. "Ian? You okay? What's happening? Is Vicki alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Everyone's fine. Just thought I'd give you a call. It's been a long time since I talked to you." He peered at his watch. 7.35am. "Oh, shit, Fi. Did I wake you? You still working nights?"

"You did but it's okay. Let me just... let me get my head on straight." Fiona yawned. He heard bed springs creaking as she moved. "You're right though, you shit! It hasbeen a while. Why haven't you called me?"

"I'm know, I know. I'm sorry." he replied, contrite. "How are you? How's Jimmy? And Liam and Carl?"

"We're good. Jimmy's really good thanks. Carl's Carl, you know. He's still a terrorist but just bigger now! And Liam's great too. He's actually not a little fuck up! Can you believe it?" she started laughing.

Ian put on a mock-shocked tone, "Hey! Are you implying that the rest of us are?"

"Ha! Nah. But come on. I can't have been the only one that was always wondering how he would turn out, given all the shit that kept going on around him?"

"Don't be ridiculous. You did an amazing job with him Fi. With all of us. How could he not turn out great?"

Ian heard Fiona's smile, "Yeah, he really is doing great. His grades are fantastic. He's like a mini Lip. Only without the attitude. And less smoking."

"I don't believe he doesn't have the attitude. Hey. how is Lip?" Ian asked. "I haven't heard from him for ages either."

"Jesus, okay, you two seriously need to get your butts over here and see us all. So Lip and Reese are having a baby. Lip's over the fucking moon! I can't believe he hasn't called you? He's just non-stop talking about it at the moment. Like it's the only thing that's happening in his world. And at least this time it's going to have a happy ending. Not like.. well not like..."

Fiona trailed off and Ian knew they were both thinking about the other time there was a baby in Lip's life. That really hadn't turned out well. Ian idly wondered what had happened to Karen.

"So," he changed the subject, "what else is new?"

"Well I'm still working lates at the club. I'm practically running the place now. I don't think they'd know what to do without me if I'm honest."

"That I can believe." Ian smiled fondly. He knew that feeling very well. There had been many a time in the Gallaghers' lives when they wouldn't have been able to manage without Fiona. Why should a nightclub be any different? She was essential personel.

"And let's see. What else? Kev and V's girls are beautiful. You knew they adopted right?" When Ian murmured his assent, Fiona continued, "they're growing up really fast. Kev's so protective of them though. He went for little Andy from two doors down the other day just because he came to return a soccer ball that had ended up in his yard. Who knows what Kev thought he was going to do. God help those girls when they're older!"

Ian laughed. Kev had always been protective of his family. Particularly V. He missed them too.

"Oh and the latest thing is the Kash 'n' Grab burned down last week," Fiona went on.

It was just a little bit of local news to Fiona, but that got Ian's attention. "Wait. What?"

Fiona sounded as if she was walking around now, and the phone was on loudspeaker. "Yeah. Burned to the ground. Cops locked Terry Milkovich up for it. He's going away for a long time I reckon too. Mandy said he violated his parole again."

Ian was suddenly silent, his brain working overtime. so was this it? Was this what had literally stirred up the ghosts of his past? Almost all of his encounters with Mickey had occurred in that stupid mini-mart and now Mickey's father had set fire to it. He must have been quiet for a long time, because Fiona's voice shook him out of his reverie.

"Ian? You still there?"

"Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking. I'm surprised that place was even still open after all this time."

Fiona snorted. "You're kidding, right? Nothing changes around here. I think Mickey was even still working security, last I heard."

Hearing his sister say Mickey's name made Ian's heart beat faster. As if before she'd mentioned him, he didn't really exist anymore, but now, he was really real and still out there. Still in South Side and plaguing Ian through his dreams.

He let out a half-hearted chuckle, "Hehe. Yeah, same old same old."

Fiona coughed. "Anyway, so we're having a barbecue next weekend for Deb's birthday. Are you two gonna come? You know she'd love to see you both. We all would. Everyone's gonna be there."

"Yeah, we're definitely overdue a visit. I'll talk to Vicki, get her to check her shifts. We'll be there."

"Good. And don't forget you owe me forty bucks for her gift. Call me in the week. I'm going back to bed. Love you." Fiona blew a kiss down the phone at her brother.

"I love you too, Fi," Ian said and then he hung up.