#tidalrace

Ooooohhh!!! I’m thinking maybe after they raise enough money and the abortion was a success, Mandy and Ian are laying in Ian’s small bed just quietly staring at the ceiling of Ian’s room while everyone is asleep.

And That’s supposed to be it. They got the abortion and Terry is out of town doing whatever shady business he’s doing and now it’s supposed to go back to normal.

But it’s not normal. Nothing feels normal now.

And Ian is the one who suggests it. Mandy is laying beside him completely silent playing with his hand when Ian gives her hand a squeeze and sits up, not letting go of their hands.

“Mandy,” When she looks up at Ian he’s got a hard look on his face. Green eyes distant and eyebrows so furrowed lines appear on his forehead, “you know I would do anything for you, right?”

Mandy feels her head spin because that might be the first time anyone has said that to her. Sure Lip once said he’d do anything but they were talking about dares. And Mickey never really said it but implied it everytime he beat up old men who would look up her skirt and stupid boys who would break her heart. But to hear it being said to her in the silence of the night? Mandy begin to cry.

Ian leans over and hugs her tightly. “Terry can’t keep doing this. He’ll get drunk again and do it again. Hell, maybe he’s doing it right now to someone else.” He doesn’t mean to make Mandy cry but her sobs get louder, barely muffled by his chest.

“Have you told anyone else? Mickey?”

“Hell no!”

“Okay,” Ian gently cradles her head and pulls back. Without all the makeup and her hair pulled back she looks younger, paler, smaller. He looks at her and can’t believe how Terry could ever fucking hurt her, “okay, we need to do something about this. You and me. I’m gonna need you to be brave.”

The next morning when Mandy is putting on her makeup in the Gallagher bathroom, making sure the black eyeliner covers her puffy red eyes, Ian walks in to brush his teeth beside her. Downstairs the rest of the Gallaghers are loudly having breakfast. Mandy listens and thinks about how this is what a family and a home should be like, not whatever the fuck Terry twisted them to be.