Work Text:
There was something that felt so secure about being married, something that let you know that what you have is true, is real, and is for life.
Marriage was something that allowed you to become one with the person you love and allowed you to have no boundaries when creating a future together. There was something so spectacular about it that it left you floating on air, and all those people who made marriage sound like a chore, or something that tied you to the ground, were so, so wrong.
Or perhaps, they just married the wrong person, because Ian and Mickey didn’t feel like that. From the second they tied the knot, they felt as if time had finally stopped for them and that the world was finally, finally, giving them a chance to be together for as long as they both shall live, and despite it being over a year since their big day, they’re just as in love as they were on the day they said ‘I do’.
Last night they celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary the only way they knew how, by drinking, smoking and making love until the early morning. They had to sleep eventually, of course, because no matter the occasion, the earth continued to turn the way it had for billions of years before their existence, and would continue to for billions of years after—They also had jobs, which meant their employers wouldn’t allow them to take more time off than what was necessary.
That’s why that despite the busyness of life, mornings were Ian’s favorite part of the day, and sometimes, when he woke up just before Mickey’s alarm, he gave himself a few minutes to take in the fact that after everything they’ve been through, Mickey was still here, and they were together, until death do them part.
Within these small moments, Ian focused intently on his husband’s face, his eyes tracing the freckles and small lines that had started to form from exposure to the elements, as well as a rough upbringing that painted memories upon his face, where they would remain forever. But these small features just caused Ian to admire Mickey more, a sense of pride washing over him whenever he begins to think about everything Mickey had overcome to get where they are today.
Watching Mickey at peace made him irresistible to Ian, unable to fight the need to hold him tight and beg him not to leave their bed. He knew that was unrealistic, but that didn’t stop him from gliding his hand up Mickey’s torso and delicately running his fingers over his name that was tattooed upon his chest.
He loved every piece of Mickey, from head to toe, and the hand that was once on his chest had found its way into jet-black hair, his thumb grazing his husband’s hairline as he slowly stirred him from his slumber.
Mickey let out a soft moan in content, turning his head towards Ian so he could allow him to card his fingers through his hair properly. His eyes peered open to take a quick glance at his husband before shutting them again, not ready to see the sunlight. “Mornin’,” he mumbled, bringing a smile to Ian’s face.
“Hey.”
“What time is it?” Mickey wondered, keeping his eyes shut.
“Dunno,” Ian replied with a shrug. “Did you want to keep sleeping?”
Mickey sighed with delight at the idea. “Yes, please.”
“’kay.” Ian pressed a feather-light kiss to Mickey’s head before climbing over him to get out of the bed. “I’m going to shower and get started on breakfast.”
“Alright,” Mickey replied without a care, stretching himself across the bed and tangling himself up in the sheets as he pressed his nose to Ian’s pillow, ready to drift back into his dreams.
From where Ian stood, Mickey looked angelic like this, and he had to take the moment to capture this image mentally, because no amount of photos Ian has taken could show just how beautiful Mickey truly was. A lot of people are always shocked when Ian shares these small, private moments with them, but Ian doesn’t mind it, because he knows that Mickey reserving the soft side of him just for Ian is a sign of trust. Mickey trusts Ian, and that’s something that can’t be faked.
“You meetin’ me when my shifts finished?” Mickey wondered, shaking his husband from his thoughts.
“Yeah.” Ian cleared his throat before smirking, “Got nothin’ better to do.”
Mickey let out a huff, knowing Ian was full of it.
“I was thinking we could go to that deli Lip told us about that’s ‘round the corner from work, what’d you think?”
“Sounds good,” Mickey mumbled into the pillow, half his mind already in a completely different dimension.
By midday, Ian was walking down the street to pick Mickey up from work. The day hadn’t been anything special so far, Ian saw his parole officer, Carl took Franny to go visit her mother in prison, and then Liam helped Ian do the groceries before heading to his friend’s place for the day.
Staring up at the bright blue sky, Ian couldn’t help but think about how strange things had become. His brother Lip had moved out with his son and girlfriend, his sister Debbie was sentenced to prison for statutory rape, and now even his second-youngest brother Carl was out and doing things with his life.
This meant that Ian and Mickey were left alone with Franny and Liam most of the time, and honestly, It wasn’t the worst situation to be in, but a part of Ian wished that being newlyweds meant that they got to move out and make a life for themselves, but Lip seemed to beat him to that part.
When Ian turned down the back alley of a strip of family-owned shops, he could feel his stomach do summersaults at the idea of seeing the smile on his husband’s face, and that glisten he gets in those crystal blue eyes. Ian has wondered a lot over the years about whether these butterflies would ever go away, or if he’d just get used to them, but it’s been 10 years since they had discovered their romance, and nothing has changed yet.
As he approached the open garage door of Born Free Cycles, he could already see Mickey’s behind staring right in his direction while he bent over a bike, completely preoccupied by Ian’s older brother who was training him on what he should be looking for.
Ian caught Lip’s eye and the ash-blonde man lit up at the sight, ready to hold his arms out wide to greet his younger brother, but Ian quickly told him to shush, creeping up behind Mickey slowly.
Lip bit back his snicker, grinning as he watched Ian approach Mickey’s ass and give it a squeeze. “Watch yourself.”
“The fuck—” Mickey quickly whipped around, prepared to knock out whoever touched him, but the moment he recognized that fiery hair and blue-green eyes, his features softened, making Ian beam.
“You ready to go?”
“Fuck—yeah,” Mickey grumbled, bewildered. “Just give me a sec to get changed, and my hands are fuckin’ filthy.”
After a quick hello and goodbye to Lip, the couple made their way to the deli where they picked up a couple sandwiches and once they had finished eating them, they decided to take their time walking to the L, wanting to enjoy the sunny fall weather while they still could.
They shared a Coke and a cigarette while trading stories about their day, and reminisced on the flavors of their lunch, mentally thanking Lip for the suggestion. They were both content with their lives, happy that after years of trauma and being torn apart over and over again, their only concern was whether Liam had taken the clothes out of the dryer.
Ian passed over the last of the cigarette as he downed the last drabs of Coke, and Mickey happily inhaled the nicotine, thinking about small mundane things he and Ian would have to deal with once they got back to the house.
“What did you wanna watch tonight?” Mickey asked and Ian just shrugged, throwing the Coke can into a passing trash can.
“Dunno. Maybe we should try finish our Game of Thrones rewatch?”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Mickey scoffed. “There’s a reason we keep losing interest by the 7th season.”
Ian reasoned with that in his mind, nodding his head side to side as he agreed. “True, but I hate leaving shit unfinished.”
“I know you do,” Mickey smirked.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Mickey met his husbands questioning gaze and bit his lip, ready to tease him but the sound of a bent up old car squealing to a halt on the other side of the road caught his attention, his smile beginning to fade as he heard a woman say, ‘fuck off!’ to whoever was in the vehicle.
“Mick—”
A loud crack that could’ve been mistaken for thunder caused Mickey’s heart to plummet into his stomach. Fuck.
“Shit!” Ian crouched down, putting his hands behind his neck as Mickey rushed to wrap his body around his lover, another gunshot ran shockwaves through the couple as a woman’s ear-piercing, guttural scream followed.
They considered running. Considered taking off and finding refuge in a small store where no one could find them, but Ian and Mickey weren’t those type of people. Someone was hurt, and despite the way their entire bodies shook from adrenaline, just begging them to survive, they knew what they had to do the second the cars tires began to spin and take off.
Mickey wasn’t armed, but he ran anyway. He ran so fast he thought his lungs would burst. He needed to find the son of a bitch that possibly just killed someone, or at the very least figure out the plates and what make that piece-of-shit car was.
Meanwhile, Ian ran across the virtually empty street to assist whoever was injured and felt his heart stop at the sight of a young, heavily pregnant woman huddled on the floor sobbing as she held tight onto her stomach.
“Hey, hey,” Ian spoke softly to grab the woman’s attention as he crouched down beside her. “You’re okay, you’re going to be okay.”
The woman looked up to see who was nice enough to help her, and Ian tried not to show too much alarm once those tear-filled hazel eyes met with his. She wasn’t that old, maybe around Carl or Debbie’s age, and her light olive-toned skin was washed out completely, drenched with tears.
She shook her head and looked back down at her stomach as she slowly removed a trembling hand from where she was shot, letting out a loud sob once she noticed the blood slowly pool onto the concrete beneath her.
“My baby,” she cried softly, beginning to hyperventilate. “No, no, no, no.”
“Fuck,” Ian muttered, swallowing down the tightness in his throat as he went to compress the wound site on the side of her stomach. “Miss, I need you to listen to me, please.”
The young woman looked to Ian and tried to calm herself as she tucked her dark hair behind her ear with her bloody hand, willing to listen.
“I need you to take deep breaths for me, okay?” Ian instructed, grabbing her hand and pressing the heel of her palm to the wound, she let out a hiss from the pain, but Ian needed her to do as he said. “Keep it there.”
She nodded quickly in understanding while Ian grabbed her free arm and pressed his fingers to her wrist to feel her heartrate. “Were you only shot once?”
“Y-Yeah,” she sniffed. “I managed to get down by the time I noticed the gun, missed the first shot, but the second got me.”
“Do you know who did it?” Ian questioned, looking to the woman’s eyes as he felt her stomach to see if the baby was still responsive.
“Hey!” Mickey’s voice called from a few feet away, and the two of them looked in his direction as he made his way over, panting. “I-I couldn’t get the plates but it’s a shitty beamer, probably around 2002.”
“It’s my ex-boyfriend,” the woman coughed. “Hated the fact I didn’t wanna abort since he had a wife that I didn’t know about, but it was too late.”
“Fuck,” Mickey exhaled as he locked eyes with the bleeding woman, finally being able to take in the sight before him.
“Mickey, I need you to call 911.”
And Mickey didn’t hesitate in doing so, bending down beside them while he held the phone to his ear, begging for someone to answer.
“What’s your name?” Ian wondered, trying to distract the woman as he continued to check the responsiveness of her and the baby.
“Laura.”
Mickey froze then, but before he had the time to react a voice rang through his ear.
‘911, what’s your emergency?’
“U-Uh,” Mickey shook his head, standing back up. “Hi, we’ve witnessed a shooting, a pregnant woman has been shot.”
Ian noticed a look of distress come to Laura’s face and he placed a hand on her cheek, pulling her attention back to him while Mickey walked away to speak to the dispatcher.
“Don’t worry, okay? My names Ian, and this is my husband, Mickey. We aren’t going to let anything bad happen to you or the baby.”
She gave a watery smile and let out a wavering sigh as she pressed her palm firmer to the wound. “Is she even alive?”
“She is,” Ian guaranteed with a kind smile, “I can feel her.”
“How do you know?”
“I used to be an EMT.”
“Used to be?” she raised a brow. “What happened?”
Ian went to answer until Mickey interrupted to ask, “How many weeks are you?”
“37.”
Mickey nodded, going back to the phone call while Ian gave Laura a hopeful smile.
“That’s a good sign, she’ll probably be okay!” Ian told her. “They’re usually fully developed by now.”
“Really?”
“Yeah!”
Laura tried to fight back her smile, biting down on her lip as a tremble ran through her body. “That d-doesn’t tell me why you’re no longer an EMT, though.”
Ian shrugged. “Not much to tell, but pretty much, life fucked with me.” He told her before noticing how weak her hold on the wound actually was, noticing blood continuing to gush from the site. “Here, let me.”
She watched as Ian carefully and correctly compressed the wound and then looked to her blood-soaked hand with a sigh before wiping it clean on her shirt.
“Life’s fucked with me, too.”
They exchanged a sad smile as Mickey made his way back over. “They should be here in a few minutes.”
“Okay,” Ian nodded at his husband before looking back to Laura. “Are you in pain anywhere, other than the wound?”
“My back kind of hurts,” she admitted, and Ian instantly instructed Mickey, “Sit behind her with your legs out so she can lay on your chest—”
“What?”
“Do it!”
“I am, Jesus,” Mickey muttered, doing as he was told and allowing Laura to lean back on him and she did so with very little complaints, only small whimpers escaping as she pulled Mickey’s arms around her for stability.
Mickey was terrified by how clammy her skin was and how she seemed to uncontrollably shake in his grip. He didn’t want her to die, and his heart ached to think about how painful and scary this must be for her. He rubbed her arm up and down in hopes to comfort her, while looking to Ian who was covered in this stranger’s blood but had no care for it, seeming to be just as concerned as he was while he kept his focus on the responsiveness. Laura was such a kind girl, this wasn’t fair.
“Laura, I need you to stay with me,” Ian spoke calmly, looking to see that her face had somehow become more washed out, her gaze losing focus.
“Is she gonna be okay?” Mickey asked when he noticed Ian’s tone change. Ian exchanged a pleading look with his husband before reaching for Laura’s cheek to grasp her attention.
“I-I don’t know, but Laura, you need to stay strong for your baby. Given you’re so far along, I’m pretty sure they’ll do an emergency cesarean.”
“No,” she choked, shaking her head as tears spilled from her eyes again. “This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.”
“I know.”
“What’s the fucking point?” she cried, sounding defeated. “He wins, he always fucking wins.”
Those words caused a pull upon Mickey’s heart, his eyes glazing over as he remembered saying the same words about a man that once ruined his life, too. This caused him to squeeze the young woman subconsciously, feeling an innate need to protect her and make sure she makes it out of this alive.
“The only person who will win is you, okay? Don’t give up.”
Laura let out a gut-churning sob, leaning her head on Mickey’s collarbone as she cried. “This isn’t fucking fair.”
Mickey pressed his cheek to the woman’s dark hair, cradling her while he just let her cry, a few tears of his own falling from his eyes as he prayed to whoever-the-fuck could save her to give him a miracle.
Seeing Mickey care for another human being like this made the situation somehow more painful for Ian to witness, he had to force himself to look away and block out Laura’s cries, swapping his hand that compressed the wound with the other once it got too tired. He needed to put his emotions on hold and focus on making sure she survives.
It felt like hours were passing when in reality it was only seconds, the only sound they could hear was Laura’s whimpers and sobs. Every now and again, Ian would remind her to breathe, and Mickey would lull her with soothing sounds and also remind her to take deep breaths, but then she started to complain that it hurt to breathe, rising more concern within both Ian and Mickey, but they made sure to stay composed for her.
Ambulance and police vehicles arrived a moment later, lights flashing brightly as they rushed to help the situation. It all seemed to be a blur from that moment, Ian and Mickey standing back to answer the officer’s questions while the paramedics did all they could to stabilize Laura’s condition. They watched Laura helplessly, begrudgingly answering the questions they were asked.
Somehow, the nice fall day Ian and Mickey were enjoying now felt bitter and cold, knowing deep down that there was a 50/50 chance of this innocent woman’s survival. There was nothing they could say or do at this point to make it better. All they had was hope.
They watched Laura get put in the truck and gave her a kind smile as they waved goodbye, and the young lady waved back, giving the couple a wobbly smile as she was secured, and just as the doors were about to be shut, she burst into tears again.
“Wait!” she shouted, making the paramedics freeze. “I want them to come with me,” she declared. “Please, can they come with me?”
One of the paramedics looked to Ian and Mickey, and when Ian caught eyes with her, he recognized it was one of the people he once worked with as an EMT. Michelle, he believes her name was. She gave him a firm-lipped smile before sighing and looking back to Laura.
“Ma’am, are you related to either of these men?”
“N-No.”
“Then I’m sorry, I can’t—”
“Please,” she croaked; her throat worn dry. “I don’t have anyone else.”
Michelle looked back to the couple, her eyes moving up and down Ian’s body and noticing the blood that was on his hands and t-shirt. Ian didn’t know what to say, but if Laura wanted him and Mickey to be by her side, then they would absolutely do that for her.
“Alright, they can come.”
Ian and Mickey climbed inside and sat right by Laura as the truck started the sirens and made its way to the nearest hospital. Michelle moving around the truck with ease, grabbing anything and everything she needed to assist Laura on her journey. Laura didn’t show a hint of emotion, but when she reached for Mickey’s hand and held him tight, Mickey knew just how frightened she truly was.
“Do you need a wipe?” Michelle asked Ian as he ran his thumb along the dried-up blood on his palm, memories of Laura’s cries echoing through his ears. He didn’t hear the question, though, far too stuck in what he just experienced.
Mickey instantly picked up on Ian’s absence with reality and grabbed his knee, shaking it slightly.
“Ian, did you hear her?”
“Huh?” Ian blinked, looking to Mickey completely unphased.
“You were asked a question,” he told him softly, nodding towards Michelle who was holding out an antibacterial wipe.
“For your hands,” she insisted, and Ian gently took it from her grip, thanking her kindly as he scrubbed his hands as clean as he could manage.
“Now,” Michelle started, taking a seat on the opposite side of Laura, holding up her clipboard and pen. “I’m going to need your help filling out some paperwork, okay?”
Laura nodded. “Okay.”
“Full name?”
“Laura Smith.”
“Date of Birth?”
“April 4th, 1999.”
“Any past medical issues we should know about?”
“Other than me being pregnant?”
Michelle let out a chuckle, smiling kindly at the mother-to-be. “Yes.”
“Then no,” Laura laughed lightly, which brought a sense of warmth to Ian and Mickey. This woman was going through so much, yet she still had it in her to smile and share some laughter. She was strong, and the couple admired that. They were sure she’d survive at this point.
As the questions continued, Ian’s curious eyes lingered the space surrounding him, recalling what each little label and drawer has inside, and memorable times he used them. He loved working as an EMT. Helping people was something that came naturally to him and gave him joy, and every day was never the same as the one before it. He got along with all his coworkers, and for once in his life believed he was going somewhere. He hated that his mental illness and radical movements lead to him landing in prison and losing everything.
But, if that never happened, Ian never would have found the one important thing he had been missing for years. Mickey.
Ian reached for his husbands left hand and entwined their fingers, his thumb running over the white-gold band that fit perfectly on Mickey’s ring finger. He would rather have Mickey by his side and work a shitty job than go back to being at a job he loved and having a life that he hated.
“You alright?” Mickey mumbled to Ian, who met Mickey’s eyes with a nod.
“I am now.”
Mickey gave a quick smile, squeezing Ian’s hand gently. “Good.”
“Oh my god,” Laura beamed, pulling Mickey’s right hand to her stomach. “Can you feel that?”
At first Mickey was thrown off, eyebrows flying high, but once he felt the little press of a foot against his hand, he removed his left hand from Ian’s so he could feel the movements with both hands. His eyes welled with tears again, thankful that the baby seemed to still be strong despite the trauma, just like her mother.
“That’s fuckin’ amazing,” Mickey said with awe before looking to his husband with a bright smile. “You have to feel this.”
Without hesitation, Ian scooted closer and felt Laura’s stomach, relief washing through him that the baby wasn’t declining as much as she had been when they were on the sidewalk. Laura held both of their hands to her stomach and enjoyed this moment with the two men that just saved her life.
“Thank you, guys,” she whispered, and the couple smiled kindly, Ian taking a hold of her hand in appreciation.
“One last question, sweetie,” Michelle raised. “Next of kin?”
“Don’t have one,” She told her simply.
“Not one relative?”
“No. I’m an orphan. Never got adopted.”
“Holy shit,” Ian muttered, and Mickey clicked his tongue at his husband in shame.
“Dude—”
“It’s fine,” Laura assured them both, “I don’t care, I just—I don’t want my daughter ending up in the same situation.” Her voice sounded so weak as she looked back to Michelle, “So, what does this mean?”
“Nothing, honey, don’t worry about it. Just bullshit protocol stuff,” she tried to come across so sure, but Ian knew better. “What about the father of the baby?”
Laura huffed a laugh, a faint cough following it. “You mean, the guy who shot me?”
Michelle pursed her lips then, giving Laura’s arm a gentle squeeze in support before getting back to the job at hand.
As they rounded a corner, Mickey and Ian sat back and watched Michelle do what she had to do while Laura seemed to daze off on the medication the IV coursed through her bloodstream. Ian took the time to text Carl and let him know that they would be home late tonight, and that he will need to feed the kids, while Mickey just stared at the roof, his mind trying to wrap around all the thoughts swirling in his mind.
“So, Ian,” Michelle began, pulling the redhead away from his phone. “How have things been going for you? Last I heard you were in the joint—”
“Yeah, only a year for a small arson thing. Reunited with my on-off boyfriend of 10 years and got married.”
“Oh!” She said with surprise, pointing to Mickey. “This is that boyfriend.”
Mickey grinned. “Absolutely.”
Ian shrugged. “Had to marry him to break the curse and have him stay with me forever, you know?”
“That’s so cute!” Laura remarked, her eyes dopey as the four of them shared a laugh, completely distracted from the situation at hand.
Once they arrived at the hospital, they were pulled right back into reality. Ian held Mickey’s hand tight as they followed Laura as far as they could down the corridor, trying to keep up with how fast the surgeon and nurses were rolling her to the operating room.
“Are you guys going to stick around?” Laura asked, her voiced panicked as her face started to display the fear that she had been hiding the entire ride to the hospital.
“Of course, we are,” Mickey promised.
“And It’s only 40 minutes, right?” Ian added. “That’s nothing, we’ll be right here waitin’.”
Laura gave them a thankful look, reaching her hand out for them but they couldn’t reach back, being abruptly stopped by an older, grey-haired nurse as Laura was strolled straight into surgery.
“Sorry guys. Can’t go past this point,” she informed, seeming genuinely apologetic.
“We understand,” Mickey gave a nod, taking note of her name badge that said ‘Stacey’. “You’ll come tell us when she’s out, yeah?”
“Of course,” Stacey smiled. “I’ll see you when the surgery is complete.”
They both thanked the lady and headed towards the waiting room, the both of them almost completely silent as they took in the dull surroundings of the corridor and that unique hospital smell that hospitals had, one that made you have a sense of life, death, pain and pleasure all at once.
They were just as silent in the waiting room, sitting next to each other on hard pleather chairs as they watched the tv, not really paying attention as they impatiently waited for the news.
Time wasn’t moving fast enough, and Mickey couldn’t stop shaking his leg which was driving Ian crazy, but he knew it was completely valid. They were both nervous and hopeful about the outcome.
They hadn’t known Laura for very long, but in the hour or so that they had, she had become a friend and someone that they wanted to support as best they could. She was so kind and was left vulnerable. Ian and Mickey were thankful that they were able to help her, as it seemed like no one else would.
Another minute passed and Ian began chewing mindlessly on his fingernails, only to stop and look at his hand in disgust as he noticed dried blood stuck in his cuticles, a slight antibacterial aftertaste in his mouth. Mickey’s head rested upon his shoulder before he had the chance to feel sick about it, letting out a sigh.
“You scared?”
Ian frowned slightly, leaning his head upon Mickeys. “Yeah. A little. You?”
“Yeah,” Mickey’s voice came out soft and shaken, and Ian grabbed a hold of Mickey’s bicep to let him know that he was right here with him.
“She seemed fine going in there—”
“Don’t you watch those hospital shows? Shit turns sour, fast.”
Ian pulled away from Mickey so he could look to his eyes, fingers tracing Mickey’s jawline soothingly.
“Stop stressing yourself out.”
“I can’t fuckin’ help it.”
Ian stole a quick kiss, “I know.”
Mickey moved in for a proper kiss, their lips lightly touching as they moved slow and comforting, pulling away before their kiss turned into extreme PDA.
“I love you,” Mickey practically whispered, sending flutters throughout Ian’s chest, a smile forming upon his once worried face.
“I love you, too.”
Half an hour finally passed, and Ian and Mickey were beyond antsy now. They had drunken enough coffee to be aware of the caffeine buzzing through their veins, and Ian sat and watched as Mickey paced the waiting room, picking up brochures and magazines to mindlessly sift through so his thoughts wouldn’t drive him crazy.
“Mick,” Ian spoke, holding his hand out for his husband. “Can you just sit down, please?”
Mickey met his husbands pleading gaze and sighed, throwing the magazine he was looking at down onto the pile before making his way over, flopping down into the chair.
“How much longer?”
“The hell am I supposed to know?” Ian responded. “I’m assuming it’ll be finished soon, I just wanted you to stop walking around, it was freaking me out.”
Mickey’s brows shot up high with offence. “Freaking you out? How?”
“I don’t know—I j—I want you to stay next to me.”
Mickey grinned at the softness in Ian’s tone, bumping his knee with his own. “Well I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good,” Ian exhaled, slouching in the seat and staring up at the tv while Mickey stared at his husband admiringly before looking to the blood that had stained Ian’s baby-blue shirt. Mickey had to look away and focused on his own hands in his lap, locking his fingers together.
Mickey had run out of distractions, and all his thoughts were starting to sort themselves out and replay what happened so he could come to terms with it. Mickey’s been through a lot of shit in his life, but this was definitely one of those things that would stick with him for a while.
He could still feel the way his heart sank at the sight of Laura bleeding out on the sidewalk, and the way nostalgia rushed through him at the sound of her name, being reminded of someone he was once close to.
Maybe that’s why he felt so attached, and felt the need to protect her, he wasn’t sure, but he needed to confide to someone. Luckily for him, his best friend was right here with him.
“Laura’s my mom’s name,” he said, unsure how else to bring it up.
“Oh yeah,” Ian gasped, sitting up properly so he could pay full attention to his husband. “Shit.”
“I mean, it’s no big deal, right?” Mickey asked, seeking reassurance. “It’s just a fucking name.”
“But it’s affecting you,” Ian concluded, and Mickey nodded as his eyes looked straight to the yellow linoleum floor.
“I can’t get her out of my mind, I don’t want to think about that shit.” Mickey inhaled deeply, his hands squeezing into fists as he tried to keep his composure, confessing, “I-I saw my mom die and I couldn’t even fuckin’ help her. I don’t want to have the same shit happen to Laura I—”
“Mickey,” Ian reached for his husband’s chin, pulling his face to look at him. “We did save her. We brought her to hospital, we’ve done all that we can.”
Mickey swallowed down the tightness in his throat, his eyes beginning to water as memories continued to flood back from his childhood. Memories of the times his mother fought hard for him and his siblings, when she’d do all she could to bring some happiness to the household by providing gifts and unconditional love, but Terry took that all away.
He still remembers how tense the house was when she walked out. Mickey knew she didn’t leave because she didn’t love her kids, she left because she had a husband that was killing her slowly and she couldn’t cope. Mickey couldn’t fault her for that, even though he used to be mad that she never took him or the other kids with her, but he eventually understood how last minute her decision was, and knew that if it were a second later, she would’ve been killed. But Terry found her, and Mickey lost her anyway.
Because Terry won, just like he always does—with the exception of Ian and Mickey’s wedding. They won that time, thanks to their incredibly supportive family.
Thank god that bastard was now six feet under, unable to hurt Mickey, Ian or anyone else ever again.
Ian pulled him into a hug, dragging Mickey out of his head and back to the real world. He pressed his face into Ian’s shoulder, holding onto him tight as he inhaled deeply, breathing in the love of his life and allowing himself to be comforted by his scent. Mickey felt calm wash over him then, loving the way Ian’s fingers delicately traced the back of his neck.
There was nothing Ian could say that could heal Mickey, and Ian knows that because he knows what it’s like to lose a mother, too. That wound was one that could never heal and stuck to you for a lifetime.
As they slowly broke from the embrace, Ian placed his hands upon Mickey’s cheeks and pressed the pad of his thumbs to Mickey’s under eyes, catching any tears that threatened to fall. Mickey’s mouth lifted into a soft smile, taking Ian’s hands into his own and found himself being beyond grateful for what they had.
Ian’s eyes glanced behind Mickey and he let go of his husband, rising from his chair. Mickey followed suit, standing and turning around to find Stacey, the nurse from earlier, approaching with an emotionless stare on her face.
He could feel his throat grow dry, anxiety taking a toll on his body and mind as she came closer. Ian placed a loving hand on Mickey’s back, managing to keep his composure as he always did, greeting the lady.
“So?” Ian wondered, waiting for the answer. Stacey gave a firm-lipped smile, inhaling deeply.
“We couldn’t save her,” she told them, her tone full of melancholy. “I’m sorry.”
Mickey stayed dead still, a fear that his knees would give in and make him fall to the floor. His soul felt like it had been hit by a truck and was now a bloody, fragile mess on the floor. All hope, lost. Ian gripped onto Mickey’s shoulder for dear life and dared himself to stay strong, taking a deep breath as Mickey anchored him, and the husbands kept each other upright.
“W-What?” Ian croaked, his eyes glazing over. “How?”
“We needed to get the baby out as fast as we could as the placenta had detached from the trauma. We tried to keep her bloods up, and she was fine during the cesarean, but it just wasn’t enough given the bullet had caused a lot of internal and external bleeding.”
“But the baby’s okay?”
“Miraculously, yeah,” she gave an empathetic smile. “The angle the bullet went in—It’s incredible that the baby managed to miss it.”
“Holy fuck,” Ian choked, trying not to let his tears flow. “What happens now?”
“We can try and find the father—”
Mickey scoffed at the idiocy. “What, the asshole responsible for her death?”
Ian didn’t stop Mickey’s anger; it was beyond justified. Stacey sighed helplessly.
“Then we call CPS and hope for the best. That’s all we can do.”
Ian hated this. He hated that a child was born into the world without parents, without siblings, without somewhere to call home. She would likely be lost and alone for the rest of her life, which was not the life Laura had planned for her baby girl.
“Alright, thank you,” Ian ended the conversation, allowing Stacey to walk away. He turned to face his husband who was taking deep breaths, looking more irritated than sad.
Mickey met with his eyes and shook his head. “This isn’t fucking fair.”
“It’s not,” Ian agreed. “I kind of can’t believe it to be honest with you. She was doing so well—”
“I wish I caught that motherfucker—”
“Mickey, stop,” Ian urged, not wanting his husbands’ emotions to escalate to breaking point. “You want to go for a smoke and take a walk with me?
Mickey was furious, he didn’t want to act like this shit was okay because it fucking wasn’t. Someone has died and a child is an orphan all because a prick was too much of a pussy to man the fuck up.
But seeing the sad, pleading look on his husband’s face forced himself to put these thoghts and feelings on the backburner for now. Who knows, maybe the smoke would calm him down.
After the cigarette, Ian made Mickey walk back through the hospital with him and they ended up on the level of the maternity ward. Mickey had reached the point of feeling numb, unsure what to do with himself as they found themselves staring through the glass wall of the nursery to the newborn babies that needed care, or in Laura’s baby’s case, were orphaned.
Mickey didn’t fight Ian’s need to come to the ward, because he knew that Ian wouldn’t want to leave without seeing the miracle baby, and honestly, there was a part of Ian that didn’t want to leave at all.
Ian knew what it was like to be alone in the world and knew how hard it is to live in foster homes. It’s not the life any kid deserves, and it broke his heart.
“Which one do you think it is?” Ian wondered, scanning the babies to see any resemblance.
“No fuckin’ clue,” Mickey mumbled. “Could be any of them.”
Ian hummed in agreement. “It was probably pointless coming up here, huh?”
“Nah, I wouldn’t say that,” Mickey nudged him. “She would’ve wanted us to see her.”
Ian felt his eyes begin to swell again and looked up to the ceiling, releasing a deep breath as he crossed his arms. He hated this. He fucking hated this.
And Mickey could tell, watching tears finally escape his husbands’ beautiful eyes. It ached him and fueled the fire within his chest.
“I’m going to fucking kill that man, I swear,” Mickey said quietly, swiping away Ian’s tear with the back of his hand.
“No,” Ian whined. “No killing anyone, please,” he cried with a slight laugh, staring at his husband adoringly. “No more prison for either of us, alright? Let cops do their jobs for once.”
“Since when can cops actually do their fucking jobs right?” Mickey rebutted, crossing his own arms before looking to the nursery again.
Ian knew it was a fair point and didn’t argue, also looking to the nursery again.
The couple stood there together in silence, not really looking at the babies but instead just thinking, and thinking, and thinking. They ran over thoughts and details over and over again, until Mickey had done enough thinking, breaking the silence between them.
“What if we adopt her?”
“What?” Ian awoke from his thoughts, staring at Mickey completely perplexed.
“We take the kid home, raise her,” Mickey elaborated, but Ian still wasn’t sure if he was hearing correctly.
“What do you mean? You told me you hated kids.”
“I never said that. I just wasn’t sure how nice our genes would be to our kids.”
Ian felt a buzz in his stomach when he heard the words, ‘our kids’, leave Mickey’s lips, and a slight smile creeped onto his own as he stared back to the nursery. Could they do this? He didn’t want to get his hopes up. This was all Ian ever wanted but, it just couldn’t happen.
“We’re felons.”
“So? They let us get married, didn’t they?”
“And poor,” Ian added, “and I’m bipolar. Do you really think they’ll let us walk away with a baby?”
“So, you’d prefer her to be in the system and likely wind up with a family that doesn’t love her?”
“No,” Ian shook his head, turning his body to face his husband. “I just—this is very sudden, isn’t it?”
“Is it?” Mickey reversed the question back to Ian. “Or is this exactly how it’s meant to be?”
Ian sat on what Mickey said. It was kind of fucked up to imagine that a woman died just for Ian and Mickey to become parents, but he knows that that’s not what Mickey meant. Laura would’ve likely been shot whether they were there or not. In fact, she and the baby probably would’ve died if it weren’t for Ian and Mickey.
So maybe, her survival wasn’t supposed to be, but Ian and Mickey were supposed to become parents today. And while terrifying, Ian could accept that. This was how it was meant to be, and Ian was going to fight for that baby.
“Alright, let’s do this.”
They made their way back through the hospital in hopes to find Stacey. She was the only one that would understand and would be lenient towards them, at least that’s what they hope, and they also hoped CPS hadn’t yet been contacted. If they were, they’d have to fight even harder.
Their hearts were practically racing with excitement. It was kind of bizarre, to feel mourning and joy all at once, but they weren’t going to give up this opportunity. It felt so right, even if it was kind of scary. All parents are supposed to feel fear when they have their children, right? So, what makes this any different?
Well, there were a few, unique differences that Ian and Mickey had in this situation, but they wouldn’t let that stop them.
They found their way back to the same waiting room where they had discovered the news that had change their lives forever and didn’t hesitate for a second, heading straight to the reception desk where another nurse stood.
“Hello, how can I help you?” She greeted calmly as Ian leaned on the counter, puffing slightly.
“Hey,” Ian looked to her badge, “Marian. Is Stacey available by any chance?”
“Yeah, I believe so. I’ll check for you. Take a seat.”
“Thank you,” Ian smiled brightly, turning away and walking to the seats with Mickey who was smiling nearly just as much.
They sat down together and gave each other a look of love and hope that slowly disappeared when reality hit them once again.
“Those stains are never going to come out,” Mickey stated, looking to Ian’s shirt.
“Shit, yeah,” Ian replied, pulling on his shirt to get a better look at them. “People must think I’m crazy.”
“Man, we’re in a fucking hospital. People come in covered in blood all the time.”
“I guess that’s true.”
“It is true.”
Ian hummed, looking around the room as their decision sunk in more and more. He caught eyes on a mother who had her 6 or 7-year-old son laying down, head in her lap as she ran her fingers through mindlessly, her eyes in a faraway place from here. She seemed sad, waiting to hear news that would devastate her.
Looking around the room, he noticed a lot of people with similar looks on their faces. He and Mickey also share similar emotions to these strangers, their hearts aching but also elated for the future. It had to be some sick joke, he thought. Why would the world take a mother away from her daughter? Especially one that actually cared for the daughter.
“I hope this is what Laura would’ve wanted.”
“I mean,” Mickey bit his lip, unsure how else to say it. “She probably would’ve wanted to be alive.”
“Mickey,” Ian groaned sternly, rolling his eyes. “The woman just died.”
“I mean, it’s true isn’t it? But anyway, she said she didn’t want her kid in the system and that’s what we’re doing for her.”
“You’re right,” Ian exhaled, slouching slightly as nervousness continued to flood through him. He could see the sun beginning to set outside the large glass windows and found it hard to believe how much had changed in just a few hours. Soon, he may or may not become a father. He never imagined this being the way they went about it, but he was looking forward to it, nonetheless.
He still hated that Laura wasn’t here to be with her child, and Ian hated the small part of him that nagged him, calling him a baby thief but inherently, he knew that what happened to Laura wasn’t his fault. He had enough experience as an EMT to know that the unexpected can always happen, he just hoped this time would be an exception.
Mickey wasn’t even sure how they got to this point anymore, too far high on adrenaline and emotional exhaustion. He didn’t know what to think, really. He was mad, he was devastated, but he knew that he and Ian were ready for this. They were ready to become dads.
Stacey rushed through the door of the waiting room and Ian jumped up eagerly, Mickey just a step behind as they approached.
“Marian said you wanted to speak to me?”
Ian paused, licking his lip as he looked back at Mickey who nodded to his husband in support. They could do this.
“Yeah, uh, can we talk in the hallway?” Ian asked, looking back to Stacey.
“Of course, come with me.”
They followed her into the corridor that was empty, and Ian wasn’t sure how to even ask about this, but the lady had kind, brown eyes that told him that he was safe to say whatever he liked.
“Stacey, we,” Ian cleared his throat, pulling Mickey closer to him. “We’d like to adopt the baby, if possible.”
Stacey bit her lip, puzzled as she stared at the couple. “Are you guys, together? Married?”
Mickey raised his left hand to show off the ring as he said, “Over a year.”
“Well, I can’t see why not? You can discuss it with Child Protection when they come around—”
“No, No,” Ian cut her off, panic climbing up his chest. “They won’t let us, we already know. We have minor felonies, and I have bipolar disorder, so we keep getting denied.”
It was a lie for the most part, sure, but Ian had to convince her as best as he possibly could. Stacey’s demeanour didn’t shift by much, she just stood taller, nodding as if she was wrapping her head around it.
“Ma’am, please,” Mickey raised. “We’ve been doing good, really good, and all we want is to have a family of our own. Most of the mistakes we made were when we were kids, or when Ian was having an episode.”
“And I haven’t had an episode in years now,” Ian added, his eyes almost puppy-like as he pleaded. “We did all we could to save Laura, a-and maybe that didn’t work out but without us, I’m sure that baby would’ve died, right? On the way here we found out Laura is an orphan, and she told us that she didn’t want the same for her daughter so,” Ian took a deep breath, his emotions clawing up his throat as he softly whispered, “please.”
Stacey’s eyes grew empathetic, wrapping her arms around herself. “Guys, I-I’m not sure—”
Mickey stepped in front of Ian, not wanting to see his husband crack. “All you need to do is put our names on the birth certificate.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“But it is,” Mickey argued with a gentle tone. “You know it too.”
“How can I trust that you’ll do the right thing?”
Mickey shook his head, looking away as he felt disgrace come over him. She didn’t know them, and sure, the word ‘fuck’ is tattooed on Mickey’s knuckles, but that didn’t mean he would be a bad dad.
“How can you trust the system?” Ian asked now. “I’ve been in the system, so has Mickey. We know how much it fucking sucks to not have a family that loves you, but we promise you, that if we can bring that miracle baby home, we will never let her go without food, shelter, or love. She deserves better than what the government can give her.”
Stacey inhaled deeply, the worry lines on her face becoming more pronounced as she came to her conclusion. “Meet me in room 224.”
“What?” Mickey furrowed his brows with confusion. “Why?”
“So you can meet the baby and know if you’re making the right decision. I don’t really like the idea of giving a baby to a stranger and then feeling guilty because I did the wrong thing.”
“Fair enough,” Ian replied before Mickey had the chance to get offended.
Stacey gave a nod. “I’ll see you in a few.”
Mickey and Ian found room 224 with ease and opened the door to the empty single-bed room, switching the light on to see the blue and white room that felt so sterile and cold. First, they decided to wash their hands, and then they made their way over to the bed and sat down, unsure what to say to one another. They were practically holding their breath, afraid of what came next.
What if the baby didn’t like them? What if they didn’t like the baby? What if Stacey just didn’t like Ian and Mickey enough or trust them to be good fathers? These thoughts were so loud in their minds, and Ian just wanted to them to shut the fuck up.
“Mattress feels like shit,” Ian stirred conversation, Mickey laughed under his breath.
“You kidding? This shit feels amazing compared to the worn-out piece of shit we have at home.”
Ian gaped at Mickey in offence. “You’re joking.”
“No, I’m not. We need a new one.”
“When we move out,” Ian concluded, just making his husband laugh even more.
“Yeah, as if that’s ever gonna happen. We’re gonna die in that house.”
They grinned at each other playfully and Ian grabbed Mickey’s hand, holding it close and bumping their shoulders.
That’s when Stacey made her way inside, a small baby wrapped in a pink and blue blanket nestled in her arm. Ian let go of Mickey and the both of them were ready to give their full attention to the innocent child.
“Here she is,” Stacey sung softly. “Who wants to hold her first?”
Mickey and Ian looked to each other and Mickey nodded for Ian to take her, far too nervous that he’d break her, she seemed so tiny.
The nurse carefully placed the baby in Ian’s arms, reminding him to be careful with the position and to hold her head correctly, not that Ian really listened. He had a lot of experience with babies, so it came to him naturally, rocking her slowly as he admired her soft little face.
She was so small he almost couldn’t believe it, she felt nearly weightless in his arms. Her skin was still a touch red from being so fresh out of the womb, but she had the cutest button nose, and even though her eyes were closed, they seemed to be the same rounded shape as her mothers. She didn’t have much hair and it was fairly light, but Ian couldn’t resist running his thumb over her thin yet arched newborn eyebrows. She was gorgeous, and Ian was instantly in love.
Mickey’s eyes became watery at the sight of Ian adoring this child, and when he peered over his husbands’ shoulder, he could see why he was looking at her that way. She was so sweet and small; he couldn’t fight the need to run his finger across her soft little hand before pulling the blanket over to make sure she stayed warm.
“Aren’t you a pretty lady,” Ian cooed, sniffing as he poked her chin. Mickey never thought he could be so amazed by something so small and delicate.
A part of him had a twinge of guilt, hating that he never fell in love like this with Yevgeny, but he had his reasons for that. He never used to understand what was so great about having a kid. They piss, shit and cry and seemed like a waste of time, but the idea of raising this baby girl felt different, like the diapers and sleepless nights would all be worth it, especially when he got to do it with the man he loved.
“Do you wanna hold her?”
Mickey nodded without hesitation and Ian carefully placed her in his arms. Mickey didn’t have as much experience as Ian, so he was so nervous and protected her head the best he could, so worried that she’d shatter in his hold.
But she didn’t, in fact she fit perfectly in his arms, all bundled up and content. She had no idea what world she had come into, or what happened to land her in the arms of men that definitely weren’t her mother, but they’d try their damn best to fill in that spot and give her a life that she may not have received if they didn’t take this opportunity.
“What do you think?” Ian asked, noting Mickey’s silence.
“She’s gorgeous,” Mickey croaked, a tear escaping as he looked over to Stacey who was watching them patiently.
Ian cradled his arm under Mickey’s so he could hold his family close. “So, what do you think?” he asked Stacey who had a smile upon her face, making her way over to them.
“I think you’ll be amazing parents,” she said so honestly her smile just grew wider. “I’d be happy to let her go home with you. “
Ian and Mickey could’ve burst into tears hearing those words, but they choked them down, smiling gratefully at the woman who was giving them a chance for once in their life.
“Thank you,” they cried, and repeated softly as they looked down at the beautiful baby girl that would be their daughter.
“I’ll go get the paperwork,” she announced as she headed to the door. “Start thinking about names!”
“Oh shit,” Mickey muttered, looking down at his daughter. “Forgot about the names part.”
“Well,” Ian rested his head on Mickey’s shoulder. “We could go for a name that starts with an F, like Fred and Franny.”
“What, like Fiona?” Mickey huffed and Ian shrugged.
“Maybe, I don’t know. Or,” he paused, thinking about it.
“Or what?” Mickey looked to his husband.
“We could name her after not just her mother, but your mother.”
Mickey stared back down at the baby, and for some reason, nothing in Mickey wanted to fight the idea. In fact, he loved it.
“Laura,” he murmured, running his finger softly down the bridge of her nose. “Is your name Laura?”
The baby girl stirred in her father’s arms then, and Mickey seemed to take that as a sign.
“Yeah, I think that’s her name,” Mickey beamed at Ian who bit his lip to fight his goofy grin.
“Laura Gallagher,” he sighed happily, singing a soft ‘Laura’ to the baby girl as he poked her nose.
Laura started to peel her eyes open, making her father’s hold their breath and gasp at the sight of bright blue eyes staring back at them curiously.
“Holy shit,” Ian’s voice wavered. “Mickey, she has your eyes.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Mickey scoffed, even though he was thinking the same thing. “She’s perfect.”
“Your mommy would’ve loved you,” Ian whispered to her, and Mickey tightened his grip on her.
“But it’s okay, you have us now, and we won’t ever let you forget where you came from.”
“Yeah,” Ian agreed, smiling at his husband with so much love in his eyes, Mickey thought he’d combust. He needed to get back on track here.
“Middle names?”
“Oh yeah, damn,” Ian exhaled, sitting up properly as he thought. Mickey admired little Laura in his arms, trying to think up an idea.
“What about something to do with you mom? Keep it consistent?”
“What, Laura Monica Gallagher? Doesn’t have much of a ring to it.”
Mickey clicked his tongue, thinking harder about it.
“What’s your mom’s middle name?”
“Jean, why?”
“Laura Jean Gallagher. There, that works!”
Ian’s goofy smile returned, so happy that they came to a conclusion that not only worked, but meant something to them. It was perfect. She was perfect.
Signing the paperwork felt surreal and writing down the name ‘Laura Jean Gallagher’ sent Ian’s heart into a whirlwind. He was a dad, and so was Mickey. They were going to be raising a child together.
Of course, they were both terrified of how hard it was going to be and how this would likely cause a slight strain on their relationship, but they could get through it. After everything they had been through together, raising a baby would be a breeze in comparison.
Once the paperwork was complete, Stacey congratulated them on becoming parents and wished them all the luck in the world, and the couple appreciated it before thanking her for everything.
But now, they needed to gather things in order to take care of this baby, and luckily for Ian, he had siblings with children. So, he passed Laura back to Mickey and pulled out his phone, knowing just who to dial.
“Hello?” Lip answered in mere seconds.
“Hey! What are you doing?”
“Just finished eating dinner, why?”
“Uh,” Ian didn’t know where to begin. “Long story short, Mickey and I have a daughter.”
“What the fuck?” Lip nearly shouted in surprise. “W—How?”
“We witnessed a shooting and we rushed to help, and she was pregnant. Unfortunately, she u-uh, she passed, but her baby turned out to be okay, so we decided to adopt her instead of letting her be put in the system.”
“Holy shit. Are you okay? How do you feel?”
“I don’t even know,” Ian confessed with a chuckle. “I’m fucking devastated but I’m also so happy because I’m a fucking dad, dude,” Ian sniffled, trying not to cry again. “Anyway, I’m wondering if you still have Freddie’s newborn car seat and would be able to come pick us up?”
“Sure, no problem! Do you need anything else?”
“Baby formula and diapers, and I guess some newborn onesies? I mean I can get some more tomorrow but—”
“Yeah I can do that, and I’ll give you Fred’s bassinet too.”
“That’d be awesome, thanks man.”
“Yeah and hey, what’d you guys name her?”
Ian paused, gazing his eyes upon his husband and their precious miracle of a baby girl.
“Laura Jean Gallagher.”
Lip arrived in no time, assisting the new parents best he could as he loaded his baby niece into the car seat, buckling her in securely. Ian and Mickey sat on either side of their daughter, and as lip started to drive, the couple held a hand of their newborn, adoring her entire being before meeting each other’s eyes and sharing a look that said more than words ever could. They just knew that they were in this together, for life, and no matter what was thrown their way, they could take it.
Once arriving to the baby blue house, they became overwhelmed from the fact that when they left the house this morning, they had no idea that this is how they would end up. They felt exhausted, like they had raged through a war and despite some downfalls, they had won.
The couple just wanted to get their baby fed, changed and put to bed so they could recover from their day, but of course their family wouldn’t let them right away, all feeling the need to meet the newest member. Carl, Liam, Tami and Franny all loved baby Laura, cooing and helping in any way they could.
The family couldn’t believe what Mickey and Ian had gone through today, and that this is was what had come of it, and frankly Ian and Mickey still couldn’t wrap their heads around it either. They never expected this to happen, and they never expected to become parents so soon either, but they were beyond happy about it.
Finally making it up to their bedroom, Lip set up the bassinet and carefully lowered his niece in while telling his brother and brother in law methods that helped Freddie when he was a newborn.
“She really is gorgeous,” Lip remarked, standing by the doorframe and taking in the fact his little brother had a family of his own.
“I know,” Ian whispered, leaning over the bassinet to put a hand on her tummy, rubbing soothing circles while Mickey ran his fingers through her small tufts of hair.
“You guys think you can handle this?”
The couple scoffed, Ian shaking his head while Mickey responded, “I’m sure we’ll cope just fine, asshole.”
Lip smirked. “Well, if you need me for anything you know where I live.”
“Got it,” Mickey said, looking back to his daughter as the eldest Gallagher son tapped the door frame on his way out.
After finally getting the chance to clean themselves up, the couple retreated to their room and sat onto their bed with a groan, everything from their day catching up to them. They witnessed something horrific, they lost someone they were so desperate to save, and they gained a daughter. There was nothing they could say to sum up how they felt right now, but exhaustion was a large part of it.
Ian wrapped his arms around his husband, holding him close as the two of them admired their sleeping angel, a few tears threatening to shed when they thought what they had experienced today, and how they’ll miss someone who was in their life for such a brief moment in time.
But they had cried far too much today, so much that they feared their eyes would be sore and red forever, so Ian broke the sadness between them by pressing a kiss to Mickey’s cheek before bouncing on the bed a little bit.
“You’re right, this bed is shit.”
Mickey chuckled, a big wide smile that was reserved for Ian and Ian only covering his face as he dove in for a kiss that Ian immediately gave in to.
They were so in love, and what they went through today was a testament to their strength. They’ve fought it all, it seemed, and while they had their ups and downs, getting married was the greatest decision they ever made, followed by fighting for the beautiful daughter of their dreams.
They had forever, and while recovering from devastation, they were excited that their world just got a tiny bit brighter.