Started From The Top

Part One

*note from the author: well. hello people. hope you're all doing well.
NEW STORY TIME!
i started writing this yesterday and thought i would post the first part to see what you think! it'll get quite angsty in later chapters, with plenty of brotherly love from our favourite Geordie lads. this is based in 2020, but Covid-19 does not exist because we wanna escape reality right now, am i right?
anyways, please enjoy and let me know what you think! xo*

//

It started as a normal day. Dec woke up early, got his 2 year old daughter, Isla, up and dressed for the day. Fed his Dachshund, Rocky, and let him outside. Got breakfast started for his family, and grabbed the morning newspaper from the front door mat. As he started boiling the kettle, his wife, Ali, walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Good morning, sweetheart," She tiredly mumbled into his ear. Dec smiled fondly and twisted around, wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Morning, pet," He whispered lovingly, grinning at her, "Sleep well?" He then asked, to which Ali nodded and replied with a positive.

"I was going to take Isla out for the day," She said as she pulled away from him and sat at her regular seat at the table, "My friend, Stacey, wants to have a girly day, and invited me and the little one. Are you okay with that?"

Dec smiled and nodded, "'Course, pet, you girls have a lovely day and I'll probably do some stuff around the house. Anth is busy with Anne-Marie, so I've got a free day," With that, the day was starting.

//

10:30am saw Dec alone in the house. He had the radio on and was dancing around to the music, cleaning various bits and bobs that needed a good clean. He hadn't been able to do an awful lot of cleaning for a while, being so busy with work and looking after his daughter, so spending the day doing it all is great.

As he sang along to the song playing from the radio, he climbed up the little step ladder he brought in so he could reach where the wall and ceiling met. He completely missed how the ladder, being a few years old now, wasn't quite as stable as he expected, and as he reached just a little higher, the ladder wobbled and, with a shocked gasp, he dropped the cloth he was using and tumbled down to the floor, hitting his head on the coffee table and landing on his back with a sharp thump.

The breath left him and he felt he couldn't move. He groaned in agony before he saw stars and his vision darkened. Before he knew it, he passed out and knew no more.

//

Ali frowned at her phone as Dec's went straight to voicemail for the 5th time. She saw it was 12.45pm and she hadn't heard from her husband since she left the house at 10. To say she was worried was an understatement. After the 6th try, she decided to call Ant.

She entered his number and prayed he was free.

//

Ant was just boiling the kettle when he heard his phone ring. As he picked it up, he saw Ali's caller ID and answered with a cheery greeting.

"Hey Ali, pet,"

"Anth, I hope I'm not disturbing your day,"

"Of course not! What can I do for you?"

"I know Declan said you were busy today and I really didn't want to interrupt you, but I'm just so worried and I probably don't need to be, but-"

"Hey, calm down, pet, I'm never too busy for you or Declan, you know that,"

"I know, it's just that Dec hasn't answered any of my calls, which is really unlike him, and I'm on the other side of town, so I can't get to him just yet,"

Ant frowned at this, knowing how unusual it was for the older man to not answer his phone, regardless of the time or how busy he was.

"I'm just really worried about him...could you just go check on him, please? I know he said he was just cleaning, but you know him, he's a magnet for disaster," Ali laughed fondly, but the worry was evident in her voice.

"'Course I will, don't you worry, Al, he'll be okay. I'll call you, yeah?"

"Thank you so much, Anth. I swear he does this on purpose sometimes,"

Ant and Ali shared a laugh before they said their goodbye's and parted. Ant pocketed his phone, grabbed his coat and his shoes, before finding Anne-Marie in the lounge. He walked up to her and sat down beside her, putting his shoes on.

"Going somewhere, love?" She asked.

"Aye, Ali just called, said she hasn't heard from Doolittle in a couple hours and she's worried. Dec always answers calls or texts, so something doesn't sit right. I'm gonna pop on over there and see if he's okay. You don't mind, do you?" He explained.

Anne-Marie frowned, her worries coming to light as well, "No, you go. Who knows what he's gotten himself into. Want a lift over there?" Anne-Marie didn't have her kids today, so Ant took her up on the offer and soon, the pair were driving through the streets, one destination in mind.