Dec didn't get much sleep that night,he was so worried about Isla waking up and kicking off again that he just couldn't unwind and relax.

He must have dozed off for short periods here and there,but judging by how exhausted he now felt,it wasn't for long.

He rolled over in bed and gazed at his sleeping daughter,at least one of them had a good night.

She looked so peaceful now.

The redness around her eyes from crying so much had gone and Dec studied her delicate features,he had always been in awe that he had helped create this amazing little person.

"I love you baby girl" he whispered lovingly and kissed her forehead,which caused her to stir.

Dec was nervous about how she would be when she woke up,he really wasn't sure if he could handle a repeat of the previous evening.

He glanced at his bedside clock,which displayed 6.18am,she would definitely be awake soon,he thought to himself.

Then right on cue,the little girl started to flutter her eyelids open.

"Hello sweetheart" Dec said quietly "did you have a nice sleep?"

"Mummy?" Isla yawned.

"You'll see mummy tomorrow darling" Dec promised "but I'm going to look after you until then,you remember Daddy don't you?remember all the fun we used to have together?"

"Daddy?" Isla asked,obviously confused.

"Yes" Dec nodded and scooped her up into his arms "Daddy is here now and has missed you so much,now would you like some breakfast?"

"Weetabix?" Isla asked hopefully.

"You can have whatever you like" Dec beamed,hoping that there would be some weetabix in the cupboards.

He carried her downstairs and into the kitchen,tip toeing gently so he didn't wake Ant up.

"Now then" Dec smiled,as he placed Isla down onto a chair "let's see what we can find shall we?"

Isla watched intently as he searched the cupboards.

"Cornflakes,muesli" he muttered to himself as he rummaged through the contents in front of him "ah,here we are,found some weetabix"

"Weetabix" Isla clapped her hands gleefully "I love weetabix"

"Do you now?" Dec asked "I'd better make sure we always have some in then for when you come over"

Dec soon placed Isla's breakfast in front of her and watched happily as she tucked in.

"So,what would you like to do today?" Dec asked.

"Watch telly" Isla beamed.

Dec wasn't surprised at her answer,he and Ali had had many arguments over how much television Ali let Isla watch and he had no doubt at all that it was constantly being used as an electronic babysitter ever since he left.

"I'm sure we can find something more fun than that to do" Dec smiled "there's a lovely park near here or softplay...or maybe even both,what do you think?"

"Watch telly" Isla repeated.

"Maybe when we get back eh?" Dec suggested "I promise"

"MAN" Isla suddenly shouted out startled and pointed to the door.

Dec glanced over to where she was pointing and saw Ant standing in the doorway.

"Good morning" Ant yawned sleepily and came to join Dec and Isla at the table,glancing at the young child affectionately "hi sweetheart,how are you this morning?"

"Man" Isla stated again in a grumpy voice "go away"

"Darling" Dec frowned "this is Ant,he's Daddy's friend,don't you remember him from yesterday?you came here in his car"

"She probably doesn't remember anything after all that screaming" Ant replied.

"Don't like Ant" Isla stated.

"Sorry" Dec grimaced,feeling extremely bad for his friend.

"Hey" Ant laughed "don't worry,I'm not taking it personally,out of the mouths of babes eh?"

"Yeah" Dec sighed "but I don't want her growing up thinking it's ok to be rude to people"

"Dec,she's three" Ant smiled "she's got plenty of time to learn about manners"

"No time like the present" Dec exclaimed,recalling how he and his siblings had had good manners drummed into them from the minute they could talk.

"Isla" he continued "it's not very nice to say mean things to people,so let's not do that eh?Ant is Daddy's friend and it makes me sad when you're not nice to him"

"Sorry Daddy" Isla said.

"Aww,that's ok baby" Dec smiled,unable to resist scooping her into his arms once again as she finished off her breakfast "Ant is going to come out with us today,is that ok?"

"Ok" Isla replied.

"Don't worry Dec" Ant beamed "I'll win her over with my irresistible charm"

"I'm sure you will" Dec laughed.

So after everyone had eaten breakfast,Dec decided to give Isla a quick bath and change her out of the clothes that she'd been wearing all night and the previous day.

"Do you want to bring your giraffe with you?" Dec asked his daughter once everyone was ready to go.

He held out the stuffed toy that Isla had rejected so fiercely the previous evening,which she gratefully took.

"We should probably give him a name" Dec suggested as he strapped Isla into the car seat with much more ease than last time,ready to drive off to softplay.

"Giraffe's a girl" Isla announced.

"Ok" Dec laughed "then we should give HER a name"

"She's called giraffe" Isla smiled.

"Very imaginative" Dec grinned as he got into the front passenger seat "are we ready?"

"Readyyyy" Isla squealed excitedly "Ant?"

"Yes sweetheart?" Ant glanced back at Isla through the rearview mirror.

"Don't like Ant" Isla stated.

"Isla" Dec sighed "remember what Daddy said about being nice"

"Don't like Ant" Isla repeated.

"Well,I like you" Ant smiled back at her "and I know by the end of today,you'll think I'm the best thing since sliced bread"

"Sandwich?" Isla enquired.

"No" Dec laughed "you've only just had your breakfast"

"Let's go" Isla ordered.

"Bossy little thing isn't she?" Ant laughed as he put his key in the ignition.

"Just like her mother" Dec frowned.

The trio were soon pulling up outside the softplay building and Ant was in awe at what was inside.

"Wow,this place is amazing" Ant grinned,as he watched Isla charge towards the apparatus without so much as a glance back "didn't have anything like this when we were kids"

"No" Dec agreed,making himself comfortable on a sofa that was positioned perfectly to keep an eye on his daughter,who had already made friends with another little girl "had to make our own entertainment"

"Although I bet they've always had stuff like this in London" Ant mused.

"Yeah,probably" Dec nodded "growing up in Newcastle was very different,making a camp behind Dad's shed was my idea of fun"

"Oh,there's a cafe over there too" Ant suddenly noticed "fancy a coffee or something?"

"Yeah,that would be nice thanks" Dec smiled "could you get a juice for Isla too please?"

Ant soon returned from the small refreshment area with drinks for all three of them and as he placed them down on the table in front of them,a woman sitting on a nearby sofa,smiled over at Ant and Dec.

"Looks like our little ones are getting on well" the woman stated.

"Ah,so that's your daughter that Isla is playing with?" Dec asked.

"Yes" the woman nodded "that's Amy"

"That's Isla" Dec said,just in case the woman hadn't caught her name when he'd mentioned it before "she's three"

"Yeah,Amy is too" the woman replied "well,almost four...I'm Jenny"

"Nice to meet you Jenny" Dec beamed "I'm Dec and this is Ant"

"Hi" Ant smiled,as he took a slurp from his coffee cup.

"I hope you don't mind me saying?" Jenny asked "but this is so lovely to see"

"What's that?" Dec asked curiously.

"You know?" Jenny replied "a same sex couple out with their daughter,having a lovely time and what a happy little girl you've got there...did you adopt her or is one of you her biological father...oh,or did you use a surrogate?you can tell me to mind my own business if you like,I'm just a very nosey person"

Ant almost spat his coffee out.

"Um...no" Dec smiled "we're not a couple,we're not gay"

"Oh really?" Jenny frowned "I'm so sorry,me and my big mouth,sorry if I offended you"

"Why would we be offended?" Dec laughed "it's not a problem,but we're just friends"

"Very good friends" Ant chimed in "and I'm..."

"He's also my boss" Dec cut in.

"Oh,I see" Jenny nodded "you two just look so good together"

"Do we?" Ant asked surprised.

"Yeah" Jenny grinned "you do"

"Well,we are great friends" Dec beamed "Ant has done a lot for me and we just click...you know?"

"I do know" Jenny smiled "friendships like that only come along once in a lifetime if you're lucky,so don't ever let it go"

"We won't" Ant and Dec both said in unison and grinned at each other.

"Oh and Isla is my biological daughter" Dec informed her "from a previous relationship"

"I see" Jenny nodded "she's very cute"

"Yeah" Dec would never argue with that,as far as he was concerned,Isla was the cutest thing to ever walk the earth.

The three adults chatted casually until the time at softplay was up.

"We're going to the park now,if you fancy joining us?" Ant asked Jenny.

"That's nice of you" Jenny smiled "but we're going to visit my mother now,she dotes on Amy,so can't disappoint her"

"Ah,well" Ant replied "you have a nice time and it was lovely to meet you"

"You too" Jenny smiled.

"Might see you here again sometime?" Dec suggested.

"That's very possible" Jenny nodded "I'm often here"

So the three adults said their goodbyes and Isla and Amy waved at each other furiously.

"She was nice" Dec stated as he got into the car.

"Yeah,she was" Ant agreed "funny she thought we were a couple though"

"Yeah" Dec replied thoughtfully "wonder why we give her that impression?"

"Dunno" Ant shrugged "like we said,we just click and apparently we look good together"

"Apparently so" Dec laughed.

"Does it bother you?" Ant asked seriously.

"No" Dec replied seriously "why should it bother me?"

"Dunno" Ant smiled "some people might not be comfortable with being mistaken for being gay"

"Well,I don't care darling" Dec grinned and playfully kissed Ant on the cheek as he drove off.

"Yuk,get off" Ant grimaced.

"Daddy kiss" Isla piped up from the back seat.

"Yeah,he did" Ant replied,while wiping his cheek in mock offence "tell your daddy that he's yucky"

"Yucky Daddy" Isla laughed "where's giraffe?"

"She's here" Dec replied and handed the toy back to his daughter.

They spent most of the rest of day in the park,with Ant and Dec having just as much fun as Isla,including treating her to some chips and ice cream for lunch,until she was utterly exhausted.

"Shall I carry you back to the car?" Dec asked,noting how slowly Isla was now walking,as if it was a huge exertion to put one foot in front of the other "you're tired aren't you?"

"Ant carry me" Isla demanded.

"Go ahead" Dec nodded at Ant,who reached down to pick the exhausted child up.

"See" Ant beamed,as Isla rested her head sleepily on his shoulder.

"I told you I'd win her over!"