Mickey woke up to the sound of his phone going on and on and on. He groaned and rolled over, picking it up. "The fuck you want?" He mumbles, half asleep.

"Where are you!? I said home by dark. Not home by next day!"

Mickey shoots straight up. "Fuck... fuck I'm, uh, don't worry where I'm at. Comin' home now," he says before hanging up quickly. He looked around and quickly pulled his shirt on as his phone started to ring again.

"Turn that shit offfffff," Ian groans, throwing a pillow at Mickey.

"I have to get the fuck home now. Svet's pissed at me." Mickey, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, was terrified. He knew he screwed up. He shouldn't have drank so much or even came over to Ian's in the first place. Especially not with Yev. The kid was the kindest, sweetest boy ever, but he could never keep a secret.

"Shit what are you gonna tell her?" Ian asks, sitting up.

Mickey shrugs. "I've got no fucking clue. No mater what I tell her, she's not gonna believe me," he said. He slipped into his boots as his phone started to ring again. "What!?" He yells into it.

"Where the fuck are you?!" Svetlana yells back. "Terry is here. I tell him everything."

"Don't you fuckin' dare. Svetlana I swear to -"

"You won't do shit. You're just little boy who's scared of father," she says, knowing she had the upper hand. And she was right. Mickey wasn't going to do anything to her because it would just look bad on his part. He was about to get his ass kicked and he knew it. Mickey was no match against Svetlana and Terry.

"Just... I'll be home in a few minutes. Don't fucking say a word," he says before hanging up.

Ian stares at him. "You, uh, are you okay?" He asks awkwardly. The answer was no. Ian knew that without even asking. But he felt like there was something else he didn't know. He knew Svetlana would be mad, that was obvious but Mickey seemed on edge about something and he wanted to know what it was.

"Am I okay?" Mickey snorts. "Yeah, I'm fuckin' fantastic."

"That was a dumbass question I know... Do you want Yev to stay here? While you and your wife talk?" Ian asks, wanting to help.

Mickey nods. "Yeah, actually keep him here and call my sister, Mandy," he says. He grabs a pen from the nightstand and writes down her number on a magazine. "There. Now just give her your address and she'll get Yev from you."

Before Ian could answer, Mickey was leaving the room and then the house. His heart was thumping rapidly and he shivered, finally noticing he had forgotten his jacket. Snow fell and landed in his hair as Mickey wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to warm up. But as of right now, freezing to death on the side walk seemed like a better option then having his ass kicked once again by his father. He was just praying that Svetlana had changed her mind and hadn't told terry yet. Mickey knew it was only a slim chance but he was holding onto any hope that he could get.

He walked up the steps to his house, took in a deep breath and walked in. Terry was on the couch, watching tv and Mickey could already feel Svetlana's eyes on him from the kitchen. She jerked her head towards their bedroom before walking in. Mickey, taking one more glance at Terry, followed her in and shut the door.

"I tell you no boys or I tell Terry and what do you do? You go over to orange boy's house," she says angrily, arms waving around as she talked.

"I didn't go over to Ian's," he whispers harshly. "I went over to Mandy's. Yev is there right now if you want to fuckin' call her."

Svetlana stares at her husband, obviously not believing a single word that was coming out of his mouth. "You lie. I wasn't going to tell terry but now I am. You're pussy afraid of father so maybe this will help you learn," she says before making her way to the door. Mickey grabs her by the arm and holds her tightly.

"Don't you say a single word about this or I swear to god you'll regret it," he mumbles angrily.

Svetlana just laughs and yanks her arm away. "You think you scare me? No. I'm in control here. I know your fears and one of them is having daddy find out he didn't get all the fag fucked from you," she says and leaves the room. Mickey stayed there, sitting down on his bed and holding his head in his hands. He was fucked. If he died right now, Mandy would have to take care of Yev. Mickey didn't trust Svetlana and didn't want Yev to be kept in this household. He wanted his son to have a better childhood than he had ever had. But Yev put aside, Mickey would rather be dead than face the wrath of his dad being the "fag" from him once more.

It only took a few minutes before Terry pushed open the door so harshly it slammed against the back wall. "You hit your wife!?" He yells. Mickey stared at him, surprised by what he was accusing him of. He was confused.

"I didn't lay a fucking finger on her."

Svetlana then walks up behind terry. She had put make up around one of her eyes so it looked black and blue and she had tears streaming down her face. "You fucking bitch," Mickey says. "I didn't fucking hit her! She's a lying whore!"

Terry didn't even say anything back. Instead, he grabbed Mickey by the throat, picked him up and slammed him against the wall. "I thought I raised you right! You don't hit women unless they fucking deserve it. And she didn't do shit," he grumbled before his fist comes down and slams into Mickey's face multiple times. Finally, Mickey's able to grab onto Terry's shirt and attempts to push him off, but he couldn't. So he brings his foot up and kicks Terry hard, right in the crotch. "You fucker," he wheezes out. He grabs at his junk and leans against the wall. "I'll fuckin'.... I'll fuckin' kill you."

Mickey clenched his jaw and serves a hard punch right to his stomach. "Fuck you," he says and then turns to Svetlana. "And fuck you too! You get off on watching me get the shit kicked outta me!? Good role model for your son," he says sarcastically before leaving the house.

Mickey walks down the street, wiping a trail of blood from his lip as he calls Mandy. She answers almost immediately. "Mickey? Are you okay? What's going on?" She asks frantically.

Mickey sighs. "Everything's fine. Svetlana and I just got into a fight and I didn't want Yev to hear us."

"Okay.... but why was Yev over at his teacher's house?" She questions.

Mickey stays quiet on the other line for a few moments. He had never told Mandy about his sexuality before but maybe he could today. She'd be supportive.... maybe. Mickey wasn't sure and that was what terrified him. He didn't want to lose Mandy over something as stupid as liking guys. But he knew if she did support him, she'd help Mickey out with everything that was going on. "I'll explain when I get there." He hangs up before Mandy could say anything else and continued his walk. He pops a cigarette between his lips, cupping his hand around it while he lights it. He takes a drag and lets out an exaggerated sigh. His tatted finger comes up and gently touched his eye, feeling the wound. It was already black and blue, a small cut under his eye. He knew Mandy would immediately say shit about it, but there was nothing he could do.

He flicked his cigarette into the snow as he climbed the steps up to Mandy's house. Without knocking, he steps inside and stomps the snow off of his boots. "Mandy? Yevvy?" He calls. Seconds later, Mickey hears Yev running down the hall.

"Daddyyyy!" He yells, hugging him tightly. "Why did you leave me?"

"I'm sorry, buddy. I had to help mom with something at the house." He says, picking Yev up.

"Your eyeball is hurt," he says. He reaches forward and pokes the bruise, making Mickey wince.

"Hey, why don't you go in the living room while I talk with aunt Mandy. We can head out and get some breakfast after, okay?" Yev nods, smiling. Mickey sets him down and the little boy runs to the couch.

Mickey walks to Mandy's room and knocks on the door. "Come in!" Mandy calls. Mickey walks in and sits down on her bed. Mandy sits down next to him. "Jesus, Mick, the hell happened to your eye?" She asks. He just shakes his head.

"Nothing, don't worry."

"You said you'd explain when you got here and you're here, so talk," she argues. She worried about her brother. Ever since she moved out with her boyfriend Mickey had been alone with Terry and Svet and Mandy knew how Terry got sometimes. She tried to convince Mickey to move in with her but he was stubborn and didn't listen.

"What do you think happened? Terry got pissed like he always does and took it out on me, just like he always does," he mumbles. Mickey looked away from her and laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Then what the hell was Yevgeny doing at his teacher's house and why the fuck did you sound so terrified on the phone? I know for damn sure that there's something you're not telling me and I wanna know what it is. Mick you... you need to talk to me if something is going on."

Mickey stayed silent for a few seconds before he glanced up at her. "You don't... you won't get it, Mandy. It's just a lot of shit that you don't know about." And a lot of shit he didn't want to tell her about. Him and his sister had always been closer than his relationship with his brothers and he didn't want to ruin it. Not know after all these years.

"Try me. Fucking tell me what's going on and I bet I'll understand it. I'm not a damn kid, Mickey. I'm an adult, hell I'm your sister. I deserve to know what the hell is going on in that house.

Mickey bites his lip, his eyes glancing back up to the ceiling. "It's obvious... that I don't love my wife. I know you know it and so does everyone else. But no one gets it. No one gets the fact that I can't just take my kid and leave her. Get the fuck outta here," he whispers. He could stop there. Make up some bullshit story about owing drug money or something else and that was why he couldn't leave her. That he needed her for the money aspect but he knew Mandy wouldn't believe him. The only way she would was if he was telling the truth. "Terry, this whole fucking thing is his fault. It's his fault that I gotta stay in that God damn house. His fault I married svet. Hell, I love Yev more than anything in this world but fucking Terry is the reason why he was ever born."

Mandy frowns. She lays down on her side and faces Mickey. "What are you talking about? His fault you married svet? And how the hell is he responsible for Yev's birth?" She asks, completely lost. Mandy had no clue what Mickey was talking about. She honestly thought he was high or something from the shit he was saying.

"I don't like Svet. I don't even.... I don't even like girls," he whispers, almost too quiet to hear.

Mandy's eyes widen a bit. "Mick are you... are you gay?" She asks quietly. Mickey turns his head, looking away from her and nods.

"Yeah... I've known I was gay since fucking middle school but growing up south side and with Terry, no way in hell was I telling anyone."

"Jesus, Mick," she says, carding a hand through his hair. "I don't give a fuck if you like taking it up the ass. I couldn't care less. I just don't get how all of this with Svetlana happened then," she says.

Mickey sighs. He really didn't want to tell this story to his sister because he was embarrassed about it. The whole situation was embarrassing but he knew she wouldn't judge him. "I hooked up with a guy just one time cause I thought it would get it outta my system or whatever. But holy fuck do I regret doing that now," he says, letting out a weak laugh. "I was in my room with the boy and dad walked in. I've never seen him so pissed off before in my life. The boys name was Marcus, asshole snuck out while Terry was beating me. Didn't even get a single punch thrown at him, but he left me all for Terry and he went crazy. Kept hitting me and hitting me and I tried to fight back but... he pulled a gun on me. Fucker pistol whipped me and I just... I thought I was on the verge of dying or some shit. I thought he was gonna shoot me. Everything was dizzy and I was about to pass out. And that was when I heard him call up someone. Something about getting the faggot fucked outta me. And Svet came and we... we fucked while he watching, gun pointed at me the whole damn time."

He told the story in a soft, almost broken voice. He wanted to just cry, mostly tears of anger because if he had never of hooked up that day his life could have been different. Maybe he wouldn't have been scared 24/7 like he was now. But he was going to make damn sure Mandy didn't see him cry.

"Mickey that's... that's rape," she whispers. "Fucking hell if I would have known that, I would have killed him and had Iggy and Colin help me." She pulls Mickey into a hug but Mickey shrugs her off. Mandy knew Mickey didn't want to be pitied or babied or anything so Mandy didn't try to touch him again. "Listen that's fucked up, we both know that and now we have to do something about it. You can get outta that house. It shouldn't be hard for us to figure out a way to get him in prison again. I can call up Iggy and Colin to help," she says.

Mickey smiles a bit and glances at her. "Thanks, Mandy but I'm fine. I can handle this shit on my own."

"Obviously not if you're still married and in that house. You deserve to be happy. When I was with Kenyatta I thought that was it for me. That that was the best I'd ever get so I stayed with him. But the second I got out, it immediately got better. I'm telling you, Mick. You're not going to be able to live in that house for much longer."

Mickey stays quiet. He knew she was right. He wanted out and as soon as possible but he didn't know how to explain this to Yev. Truth was, he was just scared to take that first step, but Mandy was right. He needed out. "Yev was at his teacher's cause we're screwing around," he says, trying to lighten the mood.

Mandy snorts. "You're fucking red head? Lucky shit," she says, playfully punching his arm.

Mickey laughs. "It's the other way around, but yeah. We are."

Mandy laughs. "I don't even wanna know how that started. I mean he's your son's kindergarten teacher! What did you do? Walk up to him and say your finger paintings are nice, wanna fuck?"

Mickey laughed. It was nice finally having at least someone who he could talk to about this shit. He hated keeping it bottled up all the time but this right here, this was what he needed.