Forgot to Remember

Sunday

Sunday

When they parted after the kiss Dec whispered into Ant's ear, "I think we've been caught."
"What? Who knows?"
"Ali."
"How?"
"She followed me."
"A right little detective, I see." Ant said and smirked. "Wanna scare the shit out of her?" he continued and waggled his eyebrows
"I'm in." Dec confirmed and they softly giggled like little boys as they planned their prank.

***
Ali opened her purse and was looking down into it to fish out money to pay the driver when she was startled by a brisk tap on the taxi window. She looked up and found herself staring into two angrily blazing blue infernos, and a hissed voice snidely greeted her, "Hallo Ali! Fancy meeting you here of all places. Come on out and quench your curiosity." Dec commanded spurring their manager into action. She shoved some money into the driver's hand and mumbled "keep the change" as she jumped out of the taxi.
"Madam should I wait?" the taxi driver asked looking at the pair standing there facing each other.
"No, you can go. I'll take 'Madam' home after our visit together." Dec replied for her.
The driver hesitated a moment; but before he could make a decision two overdressed girls came tottering across the street on their high heels and commanded him, "The Cameo" and climbed into the back of the taxi.
Dec and Ali watched the taxi drive off then resumed staring at each other.
"Ali If you wanted to meet my new boyfriend all you had to do was ask and I'd have brought you here on my own." Dec said breaking the silence and completely startling her.
"So you really have found someone new," she choked out.
"Oh! I found him ages ago I was just waiting for Ant to kick the bucket after naming me the sole owner of Ant and Dec productions."
"You did this to get ADP?"
"Of course! Why else do you think I would have tolerated that grumpy git with his big forehead?"
Ali heard a soft snicker from somewhere in the proximity.
Her face flushed red in anger and she launched herself at her friend. Grabbing him by the throat she toppled him over and sat down on his chest .

"You Dirty Sick Bastard! You murderer." she clasped her supple hands around his neck and started to strangle him,
"Decky! Oh My God!" a man cried and bodily picked Ali up off him. Ali freed herself from her captor and turned around to him, her hands fisted ready to attack. But her whole body froze when she saw the scowling face of the man who had freed Dec from her clutches.
Declan stood up and was dusting himself off when Ali again launched herself at him, this time clinging to him as she shrieked in mortal fear, "GHOST!! D...D...Dec... Ant knows...his ghost is here to take revenge on you."
Declan gave a soft laugh as he slowly peeled Ali off of him.
"Ali meet my new boyfriend Ant 2.0"
Ali stared at the dark haired man and shrieked, "Anthony you're really alive,"
"Afraid so."
She now flung herself at Ant, eliciting a loud pained yelp.
"Ali my arm," he growled.
The manager instantly jumped back.

"What happened to it?" she asked eyeing it guiltily.
"I injured it while taking the dive into the river," Ant said and hissed as the throbbing caused by the sudden impact slowly subsided.
Dec quickly placed his hand over her mouth and said, "Before you ask: No he didn't jump he was pushed in. And we'll fill you in on everything once we get to the apartment."
"Decky you'll love the Smiths, they are wonderful." Ant said with a wide smile as they headed into the building
"They have to be. They saved your life."
"The Smiths?" Ali interrupted.
"The couple who rescued me from dying of hypothermia and they allowed me to stay over while my memories unfroze." Ant explained.
"While your memories unfroze?" Ali repeated in bafflement.
"How about we go in and discuss everything over mugs of Tanja's tea?" Ant said halting their manager's enquiries.
"Okay!"

"How do I look?" Dec asked as they climbed the stairs to the Smith's flat
"Just fine." Ant replied with a smile.
"I hope I make a good impression on them."
"Yes, you will."
"They drink champagne don't they?" Dec asked.
"This is the third time you've asked me that and the answer is still the same. Yes, they do." Ant said in exasperation.
As they reached the landing of the second floor the mahogany door opened and out walked Tanja.
"You're here!" She exclaimed with a bright smile. Ant, Dec and Ali smiled at the lady. As they neared the door she quickly came and enveloped Declan in a tight embrace. Leaning back from the hug she looked at Dec.
"You're a handsome devil. No one could resist that face." she said and tapped his nose.
Turning to Ant she chided, "Your description did him no justice Anthony, he's ten fold more handsome than anything you described."
"Thank You," Dec mumbled in embarrassment.
"Oh Honey! You don't have to thank me. I'm just stating the obvious," she said and kissed Dec's cheek.

"And who do we have here," Tanja asked as she smiled at Ali, "No, don't tell me. Let me guess...Umm Ali right?"
Ali gaped at the lady, "How did you know?"
"The last day since he came back to stay with us, Ant has done nothing but talk about every single one of his friends and family. And guessing who you were was easy. Small blonde who can take down someone twice her size. I was looking out the window waiting for Declan's arrival and I saw you down him in strike. So it was easy to guess who this little tigress was."
Ali gave an embarrassed smile, "I thought he was cheating on Ant," she mumbled the explanation.
"Come on lets go in before Adrian burns the roast. He was very enthusiastic and wanted to make a good impression on your hot shot TV presenter boyfriend here," she informed Ant. Making the dark haired man beam and the other one blush

Dec was overwhelmed by the open hearted welcome that he received from the couple.
He also realised why Ant had healed so quickly under their care. This couple was the epitome of love and acceptance. They had a warm heart that reached out to everyone and claimed them as their own without any selfish or hidden motives. During dinner Ant informed Ali of his adventures.
Over a mug of tea after dinner, he elaborated his plan of unmasking his murderer, to the couple and the manager with Dec filling in the wherever necessary.
"You must and you will come to the funeral." Ant declared.
"Anthony the whole idea is ridiculous and extremely creepy." Tanja softly said hoping to dissuade Ant.
"Hey living funerals are all the rage now," he answered brainlessly, but realising that she wasn't biting, he took a deep breath and continued, "In all honesty I wanna see and hear who among all my so called 'well wishers' genuinely care about me." Ant confessed.
"Well when you put it that way, I guess we are in." Adrian spoke for both himself and his wife.

***

"I don't wanna leave," Dec whispered as Ant buttoned up the older man's jacket.
"I would like nothing better than to spend the night with you, but you know this is necessary. We can't get caught by anyone else, the way we were caught by Ali tonight. That means until the funeral no more physical contact. We just can't risk it."
Dec nodded in agreement, putting his gloves on.
"I miss you already." Declan choked as they hugged before he turned around, stoically walked out the door and walked down the stairs.
"I'm sorry for assaulting you," Ali said, breaking the silence in the cab as they headed back to Dec's house.
He gently grasped her hand and squeezed it giving her a watery smile.
"You're a good friend Ali." the presenter said in way of gratitude.

"Diabolical!" Ali whispered to herself as she climbed into her bed later that night.
She couldn't believe all that she had heard that night. Ant's attacker had to be psychotic. There was no other explanation for trying to murder someone like Ant who was a straight arrow and gay (no pun intended). But then for someone who lusted for blood, a kill was a kill whether male or female; whether straight or gay.
But until her eyes closed and she was swept away to dreamland her brain kept trying to make sense of the senseless attack on Ant.