Always

It had been an emotional few days.

Getting back to work had been a nerve-wrecking day, but the thunderous applause when he had walked out onstage, after Dec had introduced him back into the fold, had made the nerves instantly disappear. 

He had been terrified. The night before his return to work, he had barely slept. He was terrified and he was scared. He wouldn't cope if they booed him or Dec, he would be gutted if that happened, but he knew it would be his fault and he wouldn't blame them, to be fair. Even he had doubted it at the very beginning, if he had a job to come back to, despite Dec's insistence that he would be allowed back. 

Now, as the car pulled up at his best friends house, a little earlier than planned three days later, he climbed from the car and headed up the garden path, knocking on the door before letting himself in. ''Declan? Ali?'' he called, resting his arm on the banister.

A shriek had his head snapping to the living room, his face lighting up, as he gasped. ''And there's the person I really wanted to see.'' he cooed at his niece / goddaughter. He smiled as Isla held her arms up as her Uncle appeared in her eyesight. ''You promise you won't do a pee or anything, right?'' he asked, knowing he wouldn't get anything but a toothless smile. His fingers danced along her onesie covered tummy, making her giggle loudly.

Ali smiled, watching their interaction from the doorway as she nursed a cup of coffee in her hands. ''You can have a cuddle. You're safe from having to do a nappy change.'' she teased, smiling innocently when Ant raised an eyebrow. 

He looked down at Isla again. ''Cuddle time? Gonna give your Uncle Ant a little cuddle before he has to go to work with Daddy Dec?'' he asked, as he gently and slowly picked her up, cradling her protectively in his arms, pressing a gentle but loving kiss to her head, before dropping a kiss to Ali's cheek. ''You okay, darling?'' he asked, as he gently swayed Isla from side to side.

Ali nodded, stifling a yawn. ''Aye. I'm good. Got my mum coming round to look after Isla, so I'm going to get some jobs done. We might come down and visit you guys later on, just a heads up. That'll be alright, won't it? You're not going anywhere after filming, are you?''

''No, I don't think so. Just let us know if you're coming and we'll come down and get you.''

Ali smiled, before her eyes dropped to her daughter. Ant followed her gaze, finding a sleeping Isla fast asleep. His heart swelled and he pressed a firm, loving kiss to her head. The sound of a camera clicking had Ant's attention diverted. His eyes widened. 

''Shit, you looked like you haven't-''

'ANT!''

Ant jumped, his grip protective on Isla as he looked around for the threat. Finding none, he turned to Ali. ''What?''

''Language. I'm not having her first word be a swear word!''

Ant's heart rate calmed down, when he realised why she had shouted. ''Oops. Sorry.'' he apologised, stifling a laugh, before turning serious, as he faced his best friend. ''Seriously though, you look like you haven't slept, are you alright?'' he hasn't asked.

Dec nodded, though he knew Ant could tell he was lying. ''I'm fine. I'm just going to grab a coffee flask and then we'll go.'' he said, before disappearing into the kitchen. 

Ant narrowed his eyes, before following him, leaning against the kitchen island. ''Dec? Talk to me, please.'' he said, his thumb stroking Isla's back.

'Don't you know what today is?''

Ant sighed. Of course he knew what today was. ''The NTA's.'' he said. ''I thought we weren't-''

''Of course I'm going to be shitting it!''