The week running up to Debbie's birthday barbecue passed mostly without incident. There weren't any more "dreams" to speak of and, apart from getting a copy of the paper to read about it – from which he didn't learn anything more than what Fiona had told him, except there was a brief line about a security guard losing his job – Ian didn't hear any more about the fire at the Kash 'n' Grab either.

According to Fiona, everyone was coming to the barbecue and, as it had been a long time since he had seen any of them, Ian was really looking forward to seeing everyone again.

Since moving away, he hadn't visited as much as he should have. The overwhelming urge he always had to stay away from the place was so strong. It wasn't his family that gave him those feelings, it was more a general sense of unease whenever he got too close to the zip code. Bad memories most likely. Well not all of them were bad, but certainly things hadn't always been great.

Regardless though, he knew he should have gone back more. He had missed most of the major events in Carl's and Liam's lives so far. He had managed to make it out for Debbie's graduation, which was an amazing day. Everyone was so proud and she looked a million dollars, standing up there beaming in her cap and gown, but now, when he thought about her still living in the same neighbourhood, albeit in her own flat, about to turn 21, he couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't moved away, done something more with her life and her degree.

Anyway, it wasn't his place to try and change them and he had always said he wouldn't. He loved them, no matter what.

It turned out that Vicki had to work the night shift before the barbecue. She had tried to get it changed, but with no luck so she wouldn't be able to go with Ian, although she did promise to try and make her way over after she had slept. There was a brief moment when Ian had considered backing out of going, because he didn't know if he'd make it through the day by himself, but then he remembered this was family and he was being a stupid fuck.

So after breakfast on the Saturday morning, he kissed Vicki goodbye. She barely moved, just a cursory mumble before she turned over in bed, then he shucked on a t-shirt and jeans and made his way back downstairs. He grabbed his keys from the table by the door and looked at himself in the mirror above it.

"Here we go," he said to his reflection and headed out the door.

The first person to greet him at his old house which, from the outside at least, still looked completely unchanged in the year since he had last visited, was Jimmy.

"Hey man!" Jimmy walked out towards him with his hand outstretched, "how are you?"

Ian smiled and shook Jimmy's hand. "I'm good thanks. Good. How are you? Where is everyone?"

"Fiona's inside making salad or, I don't know, buttering rolls or something. Carl and Liam are around somewhere. Debbie's coming over in about," he glanced at his watch, "a half an hour and V and Kev and the girls are in the yard firing up the grill."

Ian glanced at Jimmy's watch then too. A Rolex. Probably the last remainder of Jimmy's family money.

Ian looked back up at Jimmy who was taking a swig of a beer and heading back towards the house. A brief recollection of the doctor came over Ian and he shuddered. This was another reason why he didn't come around so often. Every time he saw Jimmy he was reminded of the time he found out Jimmy's dad was gay, or "fucked anything that walked" might have been the expression that he used, and that Ian had to tell Fiona and Jimmy. He knew that could have torn them apart, except when Lloyd gave Jimmy his ultimatum: the Gallaghers or his inheritance, Jimmy chose Fiona and walked away without so much as a backwards glance.

Ian still regretted that Jimmy had had to make that decision though. It wasn't Ian's place to "out" Lloyd, and he didn't want anyone to get hurt but he knew someone would. He figured the way he did it was the best way. Still he often wondered if Jimmy resented him for it.

Luckily, a squeal from the direction of the yard distracted him right at that moment. Looking around he saw V trying to catch hold of two identical little girls who were running around her legs in circles, then he saw Kev swoop in and grab one in each arm, hoisting them up in the air, all of them laughing.

It was such a lovely little scene that he couldn't help but laugh out loud. V turned to look and, when she spotted him, ran over and threw her arms around him.

"Ian! It's so great to see you! Your sister see you yet? She's gonna tan your pasty white ass for not coming to see her before now!"

"Ha, I know. Bad brother right?" He smiled at them, and slapped Kev's hand when it was offered. "So, these your girls?"

V beamed up at them, "Yeah. This is Layla and this is Alicia."

As she named them, she gestured to them each in turn, and each one smiled a big, wide grin down at Ian from where they wobbled in Kev's arms. Ian realised that aside from where one of them - Layla he thought - had a missing tooth in the front, he wouldn't be able to tell them apart, unless they were smiling at him.

"Ladies." He saluted at them, and they giggled.

Kev lowered them gently to the ground, "Hey, go help your Aunt FiFi with the salads."

Ian sniggered at the nickname, especially coming from Kev, who despite getting older, really hadn't changed at all. V swiped him across the back of the head, which was no mean feat given their height difference.

"Hey, don't you laugh at that. They picked that name themselves and Fiona loves it. In fact, go and ask her yourself." She started pushing him towards the house, and he stumbled forwards, following the girls who were holding hands and skipping.

"Sorry V. It just sounded so... unexpected coming from Kev that's all!"

Before he even made it through the back door into the house, he could hear the somewhat reassuring sounds of Fiona yelling up the stairs at his brothers. His lips turned up at the memories of how she would always bawl at them but it was never borne out of anything but love and maybe frustration.

As he made it inside, almost tripping over the girls, he wasn't surprised to see Fiona speeding around the kitchen trying to do too much all at once, whilst chivvying the family along.

"CARL! Would you get your butt down here? Your sister will be here any minute. Liam! Wash up and come and help me please!" Fiona bent down to greet the twin girls who had just bounded up to her and gave them each a basket of bread to carry outside. "Here you are sweeties. Can you take these outside to your Daddy for me?"

"Hey Fifi!"

Fiona whirled around at the sound of Ian's voice, "Do not call me that," she warned, pointing a finger at him. Then she laughed and moved over to him. She was still holding a bowl of half-tossed salad in one hand, but she slung her other arm around Ian and pulled him into a hug, or maybe more of a squeeze. "I've missed you."

As she pulled away, she pointed at the fridge. "Beer's in there. Help yourself. Jimmy went overboard as Deb's turning 21."

"Thanks." Ian grabbed a beer and twisted the cap off. "Hey. Where's Lip?"

"Lip's not coming." Fiona said matter-of-factly, as she continued busying herself in the kitchen. "He called this morning with some bullshit excuse. I can't even remember what it was, it was that bad."

Ian suddenly felt a huge wave of disappointment. He had really been hoping to see Lip, and to meet Reese who he had heard so much about from everyone else, but not from his brother. They always used to be so close, and then they started to drift apart during all the Karen Jackson mess and then, when it would have been a great time to put things right, Ian had been called away.

There had been drunk "I love you, man!"s at Ian's wedding and the odd phone call, but nothing really substantial. They didn't spend time together like before and Ian really missed it. He thought today would have been a good time to start rectifying it, so finding out that Lip had decided not to come on the actual day, and now wondering what the reason was too, was preying on Ian's mind.

"You okay?" Fiona interrupted his thoughts.

"Yeah. Just... shame Lip's not coming. Be nice to meet Reese."

"Well you can always go and visit them while you're here. Now go and make yourself useful. Deb'll be here any time." She gave him a gentle shove towards the door, just as Carl and Liam came thundering down the stairs.

"Ian!" Carl's voice was deeper every time he spoke, but he still looked like that little reprobate kid that cooked his fish in the microwave. Just taller.

The brothers gave each other a quick back pat/hug and then Ian gave Liam a high five.

"Come on guys," he said "come and fill me in on what's been going on."

And they all headed outside.