Unconditional

Maybe it was Just the Wine

Dec walked slowly to the back of the venue, declining Stephen's efforts to calm him down. He leans back on a wall and looks at his still closed fist in anger What have he done?!!

Another hand wraps around his own and he sees Ali looking at him with tears in her eyes.

Ali: "Winners will be announced soon"

Dec nods and then asks "Anth?"

Ali takes in a deep breath "Don't know..."

Dec nods again "What have I done?"

Ali: "You were defending Anne. Everybody knows that"

Dec nods again "I want to be alone"

Ali shakes her head "No. I am not leaving you. Everyone is worried about you. David and Stephen were about to follow you when I said you might need time. But I know you need more than that"

Dec replies in the lowest voice "I need him"

Ali slowly pulls him to her chest and he hugs her close but only for a second. As he breaks the hug he sees another person beside him: Anne-Marie.

Dec: "How are you?"

Anne : I am so so sorry" she sobs out and hugs him tight. He holds her close.

Dec: "You don't have to be sorry. It wasn't your fault. And we all know that"

Anne: "Ant is right. It could have killed you...oh god!"

Dec: "Hey...it didn't, did it? And it was an accident!"

Anne pulls out from the hug. Her face was red with puffy eyes "No. I double checked it and it was safe. It couldn't have fallen on its own"

Dec frowns at that and Ali flinches beside him

Dec: "Are you sure?"

Anne nods "I have been doing this for past two years, Dec. I check every single prop before actors get on stage and I am sure I checked this too"

Fury swept through Dec

Dec: "Fuck! Andrew!!"

Anne: "No he was in the audience. I saw them leaving"

Dec: "Then someone must have helped him! Damn it!"

Ali: "But who? There wasn't anyone from our team there. Just organizers and team that is now performing. That's why Dannie wanted us to move out soon. So that they can enter"

Dec: "Which is the team now on-stage?"

Anne: "I didn't check their call number. But I can recognise the faces. Come on, let's check"

They walk to their group and Dec sees Andrew there, his eyes stuck on the stage. Dec looks on-stage at the cast members to work out from which college they are. And then another person enters the stage and Dec's heart skips a beat.

He swiftly turns around to stare at Andrew who was indeed staring right at him! Fury grows inside Dec as he hears the all too familiar voice from the stage and his glare deepens. Andrew just smirks. Dec felt a huge urge to punch him...but if he do that, he will have to explain to others why he did that...he will have explain what Andrew did ... he will have to explain how Andrew did that... he will have to explain the man on-stage...he will have to explain Nick to all. And that's not a risk he is ready to take .

Suddenly he is snapped out of his reverie as Stephen and David stood beside him protectively. He looks up to see Johnny walking to them. He reaches infront of them and glares at David and Stephen.