Maybe Tomorrow

A/D AU Fanfic

Set in the future. Ant & Dec, who now lives in a nursing home, gets a visit.

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His shift at the nursing home was over, but Daniel wasn't leaving work just yet. The raven-haired doctor made his way through the hallways of the nursing home, heading to his favorite patients' room.

Ever since the sexagenerians couple were admitted into the nursing home six months ago - the same time he came to work there - Daniel made it his duty to visit the old men after work. Tonight was no different.

He knocked on the wide-open door, alerting the 67 year old sitting on his rocking chair by the window. "Hey, I heard you celebrated a birthday today, so happy birthday!"

The old man tore his gaze away from the setting sun. "Thank you, umm...Derek?" Dec winced when he saw Daniel look a bit disappointed. He knows that he didn't get the name right.

Daniel smiled reassuringly at the old man. "It's Daniel."

"Sorry, I'm not good with names like I used to be," he nervously laughed. "Kinda comes with the territory of getting old."

"It's fine, Mr. Donnelly." Daniel sat on the windowsill. "So, where's Mr. McPartlin?" Mr. McPartlin, or Ant -as Dec calls him- is Dec's husband, who shares the room with him.

The old man frowned as he tried his best to remember where his husband went. At the end, he couldn't remember, so he answered with a vague response. "Umm, I don't know. I think he said he was gonna go do something."

"Alright." Daniel gave Dec a small smile. "Well, I came by tonight to hand you this letter from your son, Ollie."

The old man's face lit up at the mention of his only son's name. "Oh, another letter!" Dec grinned. He hurriedly opened the letter and squinted as he tried to read. "I can't read it..." Dec says, voice breaking a little bit.

"Would you like me to read it for you, Mr. Donnelly?" Daniel offered.

Dec perked up again. "If you don't mind." He handed the letter to the doctor. "I'd read it myself, but his handwriting is atrocious. He's got the typical doctor's penmanship," he joked. "He's a doctor just like you, you know."

"Oh, is he?" Daniel already knew that; Dec has boasted that fact numerous times to him. The old man is suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's, so Daniel understands if he doesn't remember what he's told him or who he is. The only sure thing Dec remembers is his husband and his son, Ollie.

"Yep, he's working with Doctors Without Borders. He's been with them since he was out of uni. Me and Ant couldn't have raised a better son," Dec says with great pride. "I just wish he's home more though. He's so focused on helping people, never had much time for me and Ant. Haven't seen him in years...oh well, at least he still sends us letters once in a while."

Daniel bit his lip as to not let a little sob out; Dec's little speech really got to him. He cleared his throat and composed himself before speaking. "I'm sure that you're always on his mind, even if he doesn't visit often."

"Aye, I know. He tells us that every time in his letters." He smiles a little. "Now, come on, lad. Read us the letter."

Daniel nodded and started to read:

"Hey Dads,

I hope you two are fine at the nursing home. Things here in South Sudan is as fine as it can be. It could be better, but we're doing our best here. Enough talk about that though, let's talk about happier stuff.

I met someone here. Someone special. I bet you two are happy to hear that. Her name is Casey and she's a doctor as well. I met her six months ago, but we only started dating a month ago. I would have told you about her in the last few letters, but I didn't want to tell you about her only to tell you later on that we've broken up. Seeing that we lasted a month already, I thought you should know about her. I know it's too early, but I hope Case and I are for keeps.

That's the only new thing that's happened with me. Sorry it's not much.

Anyway, I have to go. I hope you two are good. You two are always on mind, please never forget that. I love you, guys!

Love,

Ollie"

Daniel looked up from the letter and saw that Dec had fallen asleep on his rocking chair. He set the letter on top of a bedside table before carrying the old man to his bed. He tucked him under his duvet and planted a soft kiss on his forehead.

As silently as he could, Daniel closed the door behind him, leaving the old man to sleep. He turned around and saw Ant standing in front of him.

"Any luck today, Ollie?"

The young man sighed and shook his head. "Not tonight, Dad, so I gave him a letter for his birthday today."

"I'm sorry, son." Ant pulled his son close and engulfed him with a hug. "Maybe tomorrow he'll remember you. You know, he has his good days and his bad days. Today was just a bad one."

"I just wish he remembered me today since it was his birthday. I really wanted to celebrate his birthday properly....This is all my fault; I've brought this on to myself. If I'd been around more often, he'd still remember me like he remembers you. I should have left DWB and moved back to the country earlier," Ollie sobbed into his father's shoulder. "You know, he talked to me about me," he hollowly laughed. "He didn't know that he was already talking to his Ollie."

"Oh, bud." Ant hugged his son tighter and kissed him on the temple.

"Dad, why didn't you try to get me to return home sooner?"

"I wanted to, we wanted to, but your father said we should let you live your life because you were so happy helping people. He didn't want to get in the way of that. He loves you very much, Ollie, even if he doesn't recognize you all the time."

"I know, but it'd still be nice if I didn't have to gauge whether he knows me every time I come to visit. I would tell him who I was, but I'm scared that it would just confuse him...and it would just hurt me too much to see him try to make sense of it...It's just tiresome, you know," he cries softly.

"I know, Ollie, this whole thing can be a bit trying, but we gotta be strong and patient for your dad." Ant places his hands on Ollie's shoulders and looks him in the eyes. "We gotta take it one day at a time...Maybe tomorrow he'll remember you."

Ollie sniffled before tearfully saying, "Yeah, maybe tomorrow."

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Note: Ollie's whole name in this fic is Daniel Oliver, so that's why he was going by Daniel in the beginning.

Also, I wrote this fic because of a comment my mother made in regards to the subject of Alzheimer's. She told me to enjoy my time with her and my dad while they're younger because we'll never know if they'll have the same presence of mind when they're older.

Hopefully, I didn't offend anyone with this work of fiction. If I did, I sincerely apologize.