The visit from Jack comes at a bad time.
He's already drank far more than he should, and his head is still crowded with memories he doesn't want, wounds picked apart by counselling and failed attempts to express his feelings.
Jack takes in the sitting room. There's a blanket on the couch, four empty cans beside it, six more still full on the coffee table and a plate rimmed red with some sort of sauce. A couple of pizza boxes tower near it.
"How are you doing?"
Mickey looks at him and shrugs.
"Work keeping you busy?"
A sigh.
"Why are you here Jack?"
"The forensics report came back. "
Mickey swallows thickly.
"And?"
"They found evidence of intimate samples on some of your clothes. "
Mickey closes his eyes.
"Your boxers, the traces, they weren't just Delaney's"
He flushes a dark red. His face hot with embarrassment.
"I don't want to talk about this"
"You didn't mention it in your statement."
"What are you, deaf? I said I don't want to talk about this. I already told you everything wot 'appened to me in that warehouse."
Mickey's voice cracks.
Jack's not sure if it's shame or anger that fractures his words.
Worry swirls in the pit of his stomach.
"Do you know 'ow I felt telling you?"
"It wasn't a picnic listening"
"Oh I'm sorry Jack! Next time I'm raped, I'll spare your feelings ey?"
"I didn't mean it like that."
The silence is stony.
"Think about the trial. They'll rake over everything Mick."
"I've been to court before Jack I know how it works!"
"As a copper not as a -"
"Victim?"
The word is twisted in disgust.
Mickey cracks open another can and takes a long drink in deflection.
"That helping is it?"
The words are edged with frustration.
" Wot do you care?"
"Of course I bloody care. You don't need to be drinking on top of everything else."
"You know all about what I need do you?"
" I know you need to be doing more than just sitting around acting like the world just ended."
He regrets it the moment he says it.
"Yeah. When was I ever in your world Jack?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I was just a means to an end, weren't I? Chandler, Phil, Rachel"
He spits her name with venom.
"Hold on"
"No you hold on. You used me. Break a rule here, something else there. Didn't want to get your hands dirty, did you? Sent me packing off to Barton Street when it got a bit too messy. Can't let anything touch the precious DCI's career now can we?"
"You're drunk."
Mickey waves the can at him in a mocking salute. Lager sloshes over the side.
"Maybe I'll get drunker."
"What good will that do?"
" Maybe I'll forget. Forget the warehouse. Forget Sun hill. Forget you."
"I'm not talking to you when you're like this."
"So don't! I didn't ask you to come here, did I?"
He takes another swig.
"I'll call you, tomorrow"
"Don't bother."
He lies staring at the ceiling long after Jack's departure.
He doesn't need him.
He doesn't need anyone.
Why can' t they just leave him alone?
Nobody was with him when it might have mattered after all.