"Oh Declan" Pat sobbed,while smothering her little brother's face in desperate kisses,their tears intermingling on their damp cheeks.

Anne stood a couple of steps back,allowing the two siblings to reconnect,but she was also in floods of tears.

"I'm sorry Pat" Dec sobbed as he clung onto Pat tightly "I'm so sorry"

"None of it matters now" Pat muttered into Dec's warm neck "none of it,all that matters is that you're here"

"Yeah" Dec sobbed,finding it impossible to stem the flow of tears,not that he really wanted to.

"Shall we go in the room?" Anne gently asked "rather than stand in a doorway where everyone can see the state we're all in"

"Yeah" Dec laughed tearfully,while glancing up and down the corridor,thankful that no one was around.

Anne sat down on the chair while Pat perched on the bed next to Dec,still clinging onto him desperately as if he would disappear in a puff of smoke if she let go.

He wasn't complaining though.

This was his beloved big sister and she was here with him and in that precise moment,nothing could have made him happier.

"Mam told me everything about what you've been through" Pat whispered while squeezing Dec's hand "I'm so sorry you went through all that,I wish I could have been there for you"

"It's all in the past now" Dec smiled,not really wanting to relive everything yet again "please don't feel bad for me,I'd rather just look to the future now"

"Good idea" Pat nodded "just know how much I've missed you and how much I love you...we all do"

"I know" Dec replied,while leaning in closely to his sister "and I love you all too and I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again"

"Do you feel ready for it now?" Anne asked while recalling the previous days conversations.

"I will be very soon" Dec beamed.

"I'm just so happy to see my eldest and youngest back together again" Anne smiled as she watched Dec and Pat cuddle close together "I didn't think I'd see the day"

"Me neither" Pat whispered and kissed Dec's forehead.

Dec felt so stupid though.

Stupid for wasting so much time,stupid for thinking his family wouldn't want anything to do with him and stupid for choosing Ali over them and he vowed to make up for it for the rest of his life.

"This is a nice room" Anne stated,jerking Dec out of his thoughts.

"Yeah,it is" Dec nodded "it's joined to Ant's room too,come and see"

Dec finally managed to tear himself away from his sister's arms and led Pat and Anne into Ant's room.

"Well" Anne grinned "whoever this Ant is,he's obviously a hell of a lot tidier than you"

"Most people are" Dec laughed "but you already know that"

"Yeah,I do" Anne smiled.

She had noticed how Dec's clothes had just been strewn over the chair and his other belongings had been dumped messily on the dressing table,but had resisted the urge to tidy up after him like she always did when he lived at home or had come to visit.

By contrast,Ant's clothes had been neatly hung up in the wardrobe and anything else put in its rightful place.

"Ok" Pat frowned "I don't think we should be in here,I feel like I'm intruding"

"It's fine" Dec laughed "Ant said we can use it"

"Nevertheless" Pat replied "aren't we going to go and grab some lunch?"

"Yeah" Dec nodded "so you're ok with going to the hotel restaurant?the menu looks pretty good"

"Of course" Pat smiled.

Soon the three of them were sat in the restaurant,browsing over the menu.

"Have what you like" Dec announced "Ant said to charge it to him"

Anne looked at her son disapprovingly.

"I don't feel comfortable taking advantage of his generosity" she stated.

Dec took hold of Anne's hand and squeezed it tightly.

"I know Mam" Dec sighed "that's basically how I've felt ever since I first met Ant,but please believe me when I say,he absolutely wouldn't have it any other way,I promise you,I've discussed this subject with him many times and it always has the same outcome,so order something nice and enjoy it"

Dec knew his mother though and knew she would pick the cheapest thing on the menu to ease her guilt.

"I'll just have a chicken salad then" Anne smiled.

"Is that what you really want?" Dec asked suspiciously.

"I'm not very hungry" Anne shrugged "and just a glass of tap water"

"Mam" Dec sighed.

"What?" Anne asked innocently "it's what I want"

Dec shook his head despairingly,but also knew how stubborn his Mam was,that's where he got it from after all.

Once the waiter came over,Dec ordered his favourite meal of steak and chips,while Pat ordered a chicken curry.

Dec sneakily included some side dishes of extra chips,garlic bread and various vegetables,knowing Anne wouldn't be able to resist once they were on the table in front of her.

He also ordered a bottle of white wine,knowing it was Anne's favourite and she gave him the kind of stern look that only a mother could give to her misbehaving kids.

"I know what you're doing Declan" she announced.

"I'm having lunch" Dec smiled back,while pouring out three glasses of wine and passing one to Anne.

"Cheeky as ever" she shook her head playfully while admitting defeat and gratefully accepting the drink.

The trio thoroughly enjoyed their lunch and chatted and chatted as if they'd never been apart,totally unaware of how much time was passing.

"I'm so full" Dec stroked his hand over his slightly protruding belly "maybe shouldn't have had that chocolate cake for dessert"

"You've always had a sweet tooth" Anne recalled fondly.

"Oh yeah?" Dec grinned "didn't see you leaving much of that cheesecake"

"Fair enough" Anne laughed.

"So,do you want to come back up to my room and chill for a while?" Dec asked hopefully.

"For a little while maybe" Pat nodded "then I'd better be getting back"

"Ok" Dec smiled and the three of them made their way back up to Dec's room,where 'a little while' actually turned into something much longer as everyone completely lost track of time.

Eventually they were all startled by the sound of the adjoining door to Ant's room opening and Ant stood there looking rather sheepish.

"Oh sorry" he mumbled "I should have knocked,didn't realise your family are still here"

"It's ok" Dec beamed "come in Ant,come and say hi"

Dec got up from the bed and stood by Ant's side,with an arm firmly around his shoulder.

"Mam,Pat" Dec announced proudly "this is my very good friend Ant...and Ant this is my Mam Anne and sister Pat"

"So nice to meet you both" Ant smiled,leaning forward to shake Anne's hand "I've heard so much about you"

Ant was slightly taken aback when Anne ignored his outstretched hand,instead moving straight up to him and eagerly throwing her arms around him,her small frame barely coming up to Ant's neck.

"Thank you,thank you" she sobbed into Ant's chest.

"Er...you're welcome" Ant replied and closed his arms comfortingly around her.

"You brought my boy back to me" Anne whispered into Ant's chest "you gave him his life back,how can I ever repay you?"

"Nothing to repay" Ant insisted,getting embarrassed yet again at being made out to be some kind of hero.

Dec knew by now that these kind of scenes made Ant very uncomfortable,he never wanted to be some kind of martyr,just wanted to quietly help someone out who was in need,so Dec quickly changed the subject.

"Come and sit back down Mam" he urged "Ant has been to Whitley Bay today"

"Oh,I love Whitley Bay" Anne replied as she dried her tears "how was it?"

"Great" Ant smiled "I love it too,went there a lot as kids"

"Yeah,we did too" Pat announced "we're lucky to have it nearby"

"Did you have fish and chips?" Dec grinned.

"Of course" Ant laughed "bloody lovely they were too"

"And your Mam and sister?" Dec enquired "they're good?"

"Yeah,they're great" Ant smiled "was so nice to spend some time with them,I'm gonna come up again real soon,now I'll have more time"

This made Anne's ears prick up.

"Oh,so does that mean you'll be able to come up again soon too Declan?" She asked hopefully.

"I guess so" Dec grinned "if Ant doesn't mind me tagging along?"

"Of course I don't mind" Ant laughed "I have to head back to London tomorrow though,tie up some loose ends at work,but you can stay longer if you like?"

Anne and Pat both looked at Dec with hope in their eyes.

"Oh,can you stay longer Decky?" Pat pleaded "it would be so amazing"

Dec thought about it for a moment.

"Maybe not just yet eh" he smiled "need to get back to work"

"Oh,you don't need to worry about that" Ant cut in "we can sort something out"

The glare that Dec gave Ant stopped him in his tracks and he quickly realised he had probably better keep out of this one.

"Look" Dec stated "I promise you I'll be back very soon,more than likely in the next couple of weeks"

He looked at Ant,who nodded in agreement.

"And by then" Dec continued "I think I'll be ready to see everyone"

"Oh Dec" Anne felt tears welling up in her eyes yet again "that would be so wonderful"

"Good,that's agreed then" Dec smiled.

Ant then left Dec's room to allow Dec to spend a bit more time with his family before they left.

After saying an extremely emotional goodbye to Anne and Pat,Dec made his way through to Ant's room and made himself comfortable next to him on the bed.

"Been quite the couple of days hasn't it?" Dec smiled.

"Yeah" Ant laughed "it's been lovely though"

"Yeah" Dec nodded "I'm so happy"

Ant looked at Dec fondly.

"Good" he beamed "that's all I wanted for you,I'm so glad it worked out"

"Thanks to you" Dec yawned.

"Tiring though eh?" Ant smiled.

"Hmm" Dec muttered,already feeling himself beginning to drift off.

"You make yourself comfortable there" Ant laughed as Dec snuggled into his side.

Dec didn't reply,he was already snoring lightly and Ant couldn't help but watch him as he slept,totally in awe of what this one person had gone through and how he was coming out the other side.

To Ant that was totally admirable,more inspiring than earning lots of money or working every hour God sends,this one person he had got to know so well was richer than he knew,just not financially.

Ant tried to gently pull the duvet from under Dec without disturbing him,so he could place it over him to keep him warm.

Dec stirred slightly,but Ant breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't wake up.

Ant would just have to wait a little while before he told Dec his latest exciting idea!