Started From The Top

Part Two

*note from the author: i blame Kathryn for this...
here's part two! since i had it all written and ready to go, and i'm excited for this story, i thought why not!
hope you enjoy this next chapter!
keep the faith. xo*

//

Dec came to with a pained moan. His back was on fire and he felt something wet under his head, but as he tried to move, he gasped loudly. The pain in his back was unlike anything he ever felt. He became panicky and tested his arms, they moved, albeit very weakly, but his legs were a different matter. His eyes widened in full blown panic.

He moved his arms down to his pocket, hoping to feel his phone. No luck. He then remembered, with tears in his eyes, that he had left his phone in the kitchen. He didn't have any idea what time it was or when his wife would be home, so he cried. In pain. In fear. He just cried.

//

Ant and Anne-Marie finally pulled up to the Donnelly home, they could already hear incessant barking. This worried Ant more. Rocky barking like that was never a good sign.

"You stay here, pet, I'll go check on the walking disaster," Ant said, leaning over and giving his girlfriend a peck on the lips before he unclipped his seatbelt and opened the car door, before stepping out into the chilly Autumn air.

The walk to his best friend's front door felt like a lifetime, but was only a few seconds, and as he approached, he lifted his arm and knocked.

"Decs?" He called out, "It's Anth, open up," He knocked a few more times but without answer. His stomach tied in knots, he pulled out his spare key and guided it to the lock. He felt Anne's eyes on him as he pushed open the door. Almost immediately, the little Dachshund came speeding round the corner and began yapping away.

"Hey, Rocks. Where's your daddy, eh?" Ant spoke softly, reaching down and giving the dog a loving stroke, before Rocky yapped again and ran into the lounge. Ant decided to follow, all the while calling out to Dec. As Ant rounded the corner, he froze and his breath hitched.

"Declan," He whispered, horrified, finding his movement again and sprinting to the other side of the room. He dropped down to his knees, hands immediately going to the face of his beloved friend of 30 years.

"Decs? Hey, can you hear me?" His voice trembled as he pulled out his phone and dialled 999, "Decky? I'm here, kidda, it's okay, you're okay...yes, I need an ambulance, please..."

//

Dec heard a familiar voice and he strained to listen, "My friend, he's hurt...I don't know what happened, but he's bleeding pretty bad..." Was that Ant? He felt like he could cry all over again. Was he finally safe? "Anth," He mumbled, fighting the pull of unconsciousness once again. He heard movement from his right and a gentle hand on his cheek.

"I'm here, kidda, just stay still, okay? Stay with me," He was confused. Stay with me? Where did Ant think he was going? Stay still? He was just in bed, right? So many questions hit him, but then it all came flooding back. The cleaning. The ladder. The fall. The pain. Then, he began panicking. Again.

"Anth, help me up," He grounded out, "I need to clean the house, Anth, please!" But a hand halted his attempts.

"Stay still, Declan, you're hurt! We need to wait for the ambulance,"

"N- no! No hospitals! I'm fine, just took a nap...I'm just taking a nap...aren't I?"

//

Ant was immediately on guard. Dec seemed confused, but with the knock on his head and the blood, Ant wasn't surprised. That didn't mean he wasn't worried, though.

"You've hit your head, Decs, I think you fell off the ladder, just let the medics check you over, yeah? I won't leave you," Ant had to keep the tears at bay, the operator was talking soothingly to him from the other end of the phone, but the next words he heard froze his entire body and he broke down.

"Anth, I can't feel my legs..."