It was a very disoriented Declan who dragged his mind back into wakefulness in that private room. He wasn't really sure what was going on, nor exactly what had happened, although he was confident that someone would explain all of this very soon.

Sure enough, it was barely a few seconds after he returned to consciousness that his questions would be answered.

"Well, hello there sleepy-head!" Ant greeted enthusiastically, blurry face grinning excitedly off to his right.

Dec blinked a few times to try and clear his vision, stopping just short of shaking his head to clear the cobwebs that seemed to have taken up residence.

"Wha' happn'd?" he croaked scratchily, blinking a few more times.

Ant bit his lip, grin faltering just the tiniest bit.

"What do you remember?" he returned, voice softening a little.

Considering it for a moment, Dec was not really surprised to find that he didn't really remember a whole lot.

"You guys were in here, talking to us, and then I just started feeling really hot" he finally answered, voice a little stronger now he was a bit more awake.

"That's all?" Ant wondered, frowning down at him.

Dec nodded, suddenly worried that he had given the wrong answer.

"Was there something else?"

Ant bit his lip and turned away wordlessly. Something niggled in the back of Dec's mind - something that told him that something really bad must have happened for his best friend to be acting like this.

Oh no.

"Ant, is Ali alright?" he asked cautiously, worry climbing up his throat and putting a horrid taste in his mouth.

A strangled huff of laughter was the answer he got, and Ant turned back to face him with a wobbly grin on his lips and a shine in his eyes.

"You idiot" he growled affectionately, another laugh rumbling through him.

Dec was confused - he was definitely missing something.

Ant clearly saw the confusion on his face, because he sighed wearily and his smile dropped slowly off his face.

"Ali's fine, kid. But you- your fever spiked really high earlier. The doctor's said you'd gone septic because of some bacteria that hadn't been killed off by the meds you were on" Ant explained, and as he spoke a lead-weight thumped into Dec's stomach as more hazy memories started to resurface.

A moment of silence fell between the two, before he spoke up once more.

"Was it bad?"

Ant glanced up at his friend almost incredulously, eyes shining with pent up emotion.

"You almost died. Again!"

Dec winced - the horror churning in his gut making him feel slightly sick.

"The doctors were talking about multiple organ failure, mate. Your temperature was so high, and nothing they were doing was bringing it back down. I honestly thought you weren't going to- that you were-"

Ant let out a quiet growl of frustration and bit down his lip.

Flashes of the last time they'd had a similar conversation went through both of their minds at that moment - the emotions very much the same as they had been a year ago.

And just like he had a year ago, Dec lifted a lead-weighted arm from the covers and invited his exhausted and emotional friend into a desperately-needed hug.

Ant gladly went into his friend's arms, although he managed not to lose his hold on his emotions (thankfully, he grumbled to himself). Feeling Dec's arm around his shoulders and hearing his heart beating steadily and comfortingly under his cheek was more than enough to calm his inner turmoil for the moment, and Ant couldn't be happier.

"Now, stop being such a worrywart" Dec scolded fondly, to a relieved laugh from Ant as he shifted a little to allow himself to be hugged properly.

Dec happily obliged - lifting his other arm and resting his hand on Ant's forearm, unconsciously rubbing up and down, and ignoring the pull of the IV as his muscles moved.

They stayed silent for a good few minutes; each just listening to the other's breaths and gathering their own thoughts.

"For what it's worth though" Dec spoke up, giving Ant's shoulder a gentle squeeze "I'm sorry for making you all worry."

Ant raised his head and stared at his friend, blinking slowly as if in disbelief, before he burst into laughter.

"Only you, Decs" he chuckled softly, shaking his head fondly.

Dec shrugged tiredly, grinning a little himself.

"Well, it's true. I honestly didn't mean to make you all worry so much - I never thought it would ever have got this bad" he added, biting his lip as his grin slowly slipped away.

Ant sighed and put his head back down on Dec's chest, blinking sleepily.

"Don't worry pal, you wouldn't be you if you didn't" he teased, earning a light thwack on the upside of the head.

"Idiot" Dec grumbled, hiding a smile.

A happy laugh rumbled through Ant's chest as he buried his head into the crook of Dec's neck - grinning to himself when he felt his friend's hand rubbing circles on his back.

"Just don't do it again" Ant murmured, sounding like he was moments away from falling asleep.

Dec's smile curled wider at that, his hand shifting up to card his fingers through Ant's hair. He got a happy hum in response, and within moments soft snores could be heard in the room.

His own eyelids were starting to droop, and he rested his head on top of Ant's with a sigh.

"'Ll try" he whispered contentedly, before his exhaustion took over and he drifted off to sleep once more.

*****

END

*****