"It really hasn't been that bad has it Decs?" Ant smiled.

"What's that?" Dec asked curiously.

"You know" Ant replied "doing this series of Saturday Night Takeaway under these circumstances?It's been hard work,but I'm actually really enjoying it"

"Yeah,me too" Dec nodded "I miss the live audiences,but the virtual ones have been great"

The new series was halfway through and Ant and Dec were happy with how it was proceeding.Sure,it was very different from other years,but that didn't mean they couldn't make a brilliant show to entertain the folks back at home,like they had been doing for years.

"Fancy doing something tomorrow?" Dec asked.

"Like what?" Ant replied curiously.

"Dunno" Dec smiled "walk the dogs?anything?just fancy hanging out with you outside of work for a bit"

"Yeah,that would be great" Ant smiled "why don't you drive over to mine,then we can go to Wimbledon Common"

"Sounds good" Dec smiled.

"You're ok aren't you Decs?" Ant asked concerned.

"Oh God,yeah,of course I am" Dec assured him "just fancied hanging out with you that's all"

"Ok,brilliant" Ant smiled "see you tomorrow then"

And so,the next day,Ant and Dec made their way to Wimbledon Common,a stones throw from Ants house.

"Nice day isn't it?" Dec smiled as they walked over the lush,green grass "spring is on the way"

"About time too" Ant stated "bloody hate winter"

"Yeah,I'm not keen on it either" Dec laughed.

After they'd walked Hurley,Rocky,Milo and Bumble for a good hour,Dec suggested all six of them have a rest,with Ant and Dec making their way to a nearby bench and the dogs relaxing at their feet.

"You know what Ant?" Dec said.

"What?" Ant replied casually.

"All the events of the last year" Dec continued "with the virus,so many people getting ill and dying,some people being too scared to leave their homes and all that...it's made me take stock of things...of my life and what I've done with it and it's made me realise just how damn lucky I am"

"That's very deep Decs" Ant nodded "but I feel pretty much the same,we've been very lucky me and you"

"That's for sure" Dec agreed "I'm still not sure how all of this happened?one minute I was a short arsed little kid auditioning for Byker Grove..."

"And now you're a short arsed little adult" Ant interrupted cheekily.

"Shut up" Dec laughed "I'm being serious.As I was saying...the next minute,I'm sat here with my best friend over thirty years later,how did that happen?"

"Time flies that's for sure" Ant smiled.

"I'm not just talking about how fast time goes though" Dec mused "I'm talking about all the stuff we did in those thirty years,I'm so thankful for everything that we've been through,good and bad"

"Yeah" Ant nodded "I wish we celebrated Thanksgiving here"

"Well,there's nothing to stop you if that's what you want to do?" Dec laughed.

"I might just do that this year" Ant grinned "when is Thanksgiving?"

"November I think" Dec pondered "although you don't have to wait until then,we can be thankful for what we have every minute of every day,I wouldn't change a thing"

"Me neither" Ant nodded.

"Really?" Dec asked surprised "not even your struggles with addiction?the car crash?"

"Well,yeah,the car crash I would obviously" Ant frowned "there's not a day goes by that I wish that hadn't happened"

"It's over with now" Dec pointed out "you've paid your dues"

"Yeah" Ant nodded "I have,but the rest of it...the drug addiction,the alcoholism,all of it,I wouldn't change it,because it's made me the man I am today and I am a better man for it"

"That's a really brave thing to admit" Dec smiled.

"Perhaps" Ant nodded "I'll always be sorry for the people I've hurt along the way,I guess that is one thing I would change,but anything else?no way,our struggles are a part of us and have contributed to us being the men we are today...men who can be proud of themselves.How about you?would you change anything?"

"Not sure" Dec thought out loud "I guess I would change everything you went through as it was so awful to see you suffering like that,I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy"

"I'm sorry you had to see that Decs" Ant said sadly "I know what I did affected you a lot"

"It's in the past now Ant" Dec smiled "no point in dwelling on it any longer"

"You know what I'm most thankful for?" Ant grinned.

"What?" Dec asked curiously.

"You" Ant beamed.

"Really?" Dec asked flattered.

"You know I am" Ant smiled "over thirty years of friendship and not just any old friendship...a fantastic, special,unique,amazing,loving friendship.You've been with me through all the ups and downs kidda and for that I can't thank you enough"

"You're very welcome" Dec beamed "you know what I'm thankful for?"

"What?" Ant replied,expecting Dec to make a similar gushing speech.

"Chocolate buttons" Dec grinned.

"You're such an idiot" Ant laughed.

"Well,chocolate buttons are delicious" Dec giggled.

"Yeah,they are" Ant grinned "and you're right,we should be very grateful for them,thank you Cadburys"

"Could do with some right now" Dec announced.

"Sorry,can't help with that" Ant grinned.

"Not to worry" Dec smiled "I'll pinch some of Islas when I get home"

"Poor child" Ant laughed.

"Actually there is more that I'm thankful for than just chocolate buttons" Dec smiled.

"Don't tell me" Ant laughed "let me guess,you're also thankful for salt and vinegar crisps and steak?"

"Well,those are good" Dec laughed "but no,that wasn't what I was thinking of,I'm also grateful for my amazing best friend"

"Go on" Ant encouraged.

"Well,Stephen Mulhern is pretty cool isn't he?" Dec joked.

"Yeah,he is" Ant laughed.

"Of course I'm talking about you really" Dec grinned "as if anyone could ever take your place"

"Glad to hear it" Ant smiled.

"You really are amazing,you know that don't you?" Dec announced.

"Am I?" Ant frowned.

"Yeah,you are" Dec nodded "you're my rock,you have been since we were kids,you've always been there for me,through all the ups and downs,you've hugged me,comforted me,wiped away my tears,let me rant and rage and get angry at you and you never once gave up on me"

"Why would I?" Ant asked "your my best mate,I love ya with every ounce of my being,nothing is ever gonna change that"

"Not even when I thrash you at golf?" Dec smirked.

"No,not even that" Ant laughed "it will take a hell of a lot more than that to get rid of me"

"I wouldn't want to" Dec smiled.

"Hi,Ant and Dec" came a cheery greeting from across the grass "love you guys"

"Love yous too" Dec shouted out cheerfully at the fans.

"Who'd have thought we wouldn't ever be able to walk the streets of Great Britain without being recognised thirty years ago?" Dec smiled.

"I know" Ant laughed "crazy isn't it?remember when we were written out of Byker Grove?"

"God,yeah" Dec nodded "sitting down at the quayside in Newcastle,we thought our world had ended didn't we?"

"Yeah,we did" Ant laughed "thank God for PJ and Duncan eh pet?"

"I wonder" he continued "what those two ambitious teenage boys who were ready to take on the world would have thought of their middle aged selves,reminiscing on Wimbledon Common?"

"They would have thought that they were two boring old farts no doubt" Dec laughed.

"Thought we were invincible back then didn't we?" Ant smiled.

"God,yeah we did" Dec replied "life has proved us wrong though hasn't it?"

"Yeah,we were terrible pop stars weren't we?" Ant cringed at the memory of their brief pop career.

"You speak for yourself" Dec teased "I made a great pop star"

"Don't give me that" Ant grinned "you hated it as much as I did"

"Ok,I did" Dec admitted "filled a gap in our lives though didn't it?"

"It did" Ant agreed "but thank God we found our calling in presenting"

"Yeah,thank God" Dec agreed "I really do love what we do"

"Me too" Ant smiled "what a life eh?"

"Absolutely" Dec replied "met royalty,got OBEs,travelled the world and got paid handsomely for doing so"

"Wrote a book as well" Ant grinned.

"Wrote two books" Dec corrected him.

"I need to pinch myself sometimes to see if it's actually real" Ant joked.

"Me too" Dec laughed "it has been great and now I have an amazing career,a wife and daughter and an ok best friend"

"Oi" Ant laughed "and I'm about to get married"

"Again" Dec quipped.

"Yeah,again" Ant nodded "I like family life though,I like being with someone,living with them,cooking together and all that stuff"

"Just not with Lisa" Dec replied sadly.

"No,not anymore" Ant smiled gently "we were great for a long time,but things change and Anne-Marie is my future now.I've got everything I need with her,the girls,my family and friends and of course my gorgeous godaughter"

"Yeah,me too" Dec replied "I'm very content"

"That's a good word Dec" Ant smiled "content...I'm content too"

"There's been some tears too though" Dec commented "I lost my dad"

"Yeah" Ant nodded sadly "and I found mine"

"I'm really glad you've reconnected with him" Dec smiled.

"Me too" Ant replied.

"Don't forget these guys" Dec grinned as he peered down at the four dogs who were enjoying lazing against each other in the long grass,only getting up occasionally to go and say hello to passing dogs.

"Of course I won't" Ant smiled as he reached down to stroke Hurleys head "I'd never forget my adorable fur babies,would I Hurley?give us a kiss"

With that,Hurley looked up from his slumber and planted a big,slobbery lick onto Ants face.

"Good boy" Ant smiled as all four dogs rose to their feet "think they're getting a bit restless,shall we head back now?"

"Yeah,it's getting a bit chilly now anyway" Dec observed.

"Aww,you need a cuddle to warm you up?" Ant grinned.

"Might do" Dec laughed.

Ant proceeded to place his arm around Dec and pulled him in for a sideways hug as they walked back towards Ants home,all the time stroking his arm firmly in an attempt to warm him up.

"That better?" Ant asked as the dogs trotted happily behind him them.

"Yeah,a bit" Dec nodded.

"You want to come back for a while?or do you have to get back" Ant asked.

"No,I don't have to be back yet" Dec smiled "I'll come back and hang out for a while,got any green tea in?"

"Of course" Ant laughed.

As the two men walked slowly along the common with their beloved dogs in tow,Ant felt he needed to say one more thing to Dec.

"It is going to get better,you know that right?" Ant said.

"What's that?" Dec asked.

"The virus and everything that's happened over the last year" Ant replied "it's going to get better and normal life will resume"

"It had better" Dec retorted "or I'll smash it's face in"

"It will" Ant stated confidently "it's not going to go on forever and things will get back to normal,I promise you that"

Dec suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to Ant.

"How can you be so sure?" Dec asked curiously.

"Because it has to" Ant shrugged "millions of people have had their first vaccinations now,this is the beginning of the end,do you believe me?"

"Yeah,I guess I do" Dec nodded "scientists can do amazing things these days can't they?"

"They can and they do" Ant smiled "can't bloody wait to get my jab"

"Me too" Dec replied "thanks Ant"

"For what?" Ant asked curiously.

"For being the voice of reason as usual" Dec grinned.

"Aww come here" Ant held his arms out and welcomed Dec in for a loving,reassuring hug.

Ant noticed that Dec seemed to be clinging onto him even tighter than usual.Dec just needed someone to reassure him that normal life would return eventually and Ant was more than happy to take on that role as he always did.

"I love ya Ant" Dec smiled,as he rested his head onto Ants chest,appreciating the steady,gentle beating of Ants heart in his ear,while tightening his grip around his torso.

Neither of them gave a damn that some members of the public were taking pictures of their moment of tenderness,they barely noticed or cared.

"I love you too Decs" Ant smiled "forever and always"

Ant was giving a subtle nod to the future with his comforting words.

"Decs" he whispered,as he held Dec in his arms "Everything really is going to be ok,I know it"

"How?" Dec whispered,with his cheek still pressed firmly against Ants chest.

Ant pulled out of the embrace and gripped his best friends upper arms firmly,looking him squarely in the eyes and smiling adoringly at him,finishing with one last sentence that really did sum everything up for the boys.

"Because with you by my side Decs...it always is!"

End!