The next day,as promised,Fonsey and Anne went to Decs school to discuss the situation with his teachers and Headmaster.

As expected,the four bullies were suspended pending an investigation,then eventually expelled.

The school was very apologetic for not realising what had been going on.Fonsey and Anne understood and didn't blame them at all as Dec had done a pretty good job of hiding it from them too.

Martin,Eamonn and Dermott had skipped off work to track the bullies down.It wasn't hard to do,knowing that their parents were currently in the school talking about the bullying and Decs brothers expected the boys would soon be leaving the school as they started their suspension.

"That's them" Martin announced,waiting for Terry,John,Mark and Ian to come around the corner as they left the school gates "I know that Terry is the ringleader,he's got alot of explaining to do,the other three are just his sheep"

As the bullies came closer,they were actually laughing about the situation and the fact they were getting time off school.They were already planning on heading straight to the park to hang out.

"Going somewhere?" Martin growled into Terry's face,his sudden appearance,seemingly out of nowhere,scaring the living daylights out of the cowardly bully.

"To the park" Terry snapped,Martin was pretty sure he had no idea they were Decs brothers.

"Yep" Martin snapped as he grabbed Terry and John by the collar of their shirts and Eammon and Dermott did the same to Mark and Ian "that's exactly where you're going"

"Hey,what the fuck are you doing?" Terry yelled "let us go"

"Oh you'll find out soon enough what we're doing" Eammon menacingly threatened.

The bullies soon realised their struggling to get away was futile and as the determined siblings shoved them towards the park,the fear soon set in.

"Let us go please" Mark begged "what is this about?we haven't done anything wrong"

"Is that a fact?" Dermott stated sarcastically "so you're liars as well as bullies?"

The penny started to drop.Why were they being called bullies?Oh God,is this to do with that little runt they liked to tease?Who were these guys?are they something to do with that Declan Donnelly?They basically knew all the answers to those questions and were now terrified of what was about to follow.

As they reached the park,All seven boys made their way into the forest,four very reluctantly.

"Now how does this tree look?" Martin grinned "pretty good for tying people to,don't you think boys?apparently you're into that?"

If the bullies hadn't been sure before what this was all about,they certainly were now.

Anne and Fonseys lads were actually way too nice to do anything like what these boys had done to Dec,but they wanted to put the fear of God into them and so far that plan was going pretty well.

"We're sorry" Terry quivered as he and the others were tied to the tree just as Dec had been.

"Yeah we're sorry" the other three mumbled.

"Sorry you got caught you mean" Dermott shouted "or sorry for what you did to our kid brother,for kicking him,punching him,stealing his food and money,torturing him with dead birds and saying vile things to him"

"Everything,we're sorry for everything,I promise we are" Terry trembled.

They knew Dec had a large family,but hadn't recognised the brothers,not sure if they'd left the school before they had started there.

Martin lifted his heavily booted foot and kicked it forwards towards Terry's stomach as the terrified teenager attempted to roll himself up into a ball.

But the angry brother stopped just short of the trembling boys torso.

"Scared are ya?" He boomed straight into the ringleaders face "well now you've had a slight taste of how our little brother felt.You're two years older than him and alot bigger.Does it make you feel good picking on a little lad?Well you obviously didn't think this through as that little lad has three older brothers who are very protective of him and will be until our dying days"

Martin felt oddly satisfied at the trembling foursome in front of him.Eammon and Dermott were happy to let him lead the way and take a step back themselves,they were just there for back up.

"So" Martin continued "you scumbags had better keep away from him,you don't talk to him,you don't even look at him and I swear,if you ever harm a hair on his head ever again,then I promise you,your lives won't be worth living.Do you understand?"

They all nodded their heads nervously.

"Good" Martin stated as he,Eammon and Dermott proceeded to untie the boys "then get the fuck out of here"

Terry,John,Mark and Ian ran off as fast as they could and Martin,Eammon and Dermott high fived each other gleefully.

"That was for you Decky" Martin whispered to himself.

After that,things got alot better for Dec.He was able to put the bullying behind him,very rarely even catching sight of his tormentors now they had been kicked out of school and on the odd occasion he did,they made an effort to keep away from him.It made Dec giggle that they were now so scared to be anywhere near him.When Martin had informed him what they had done that day,he couldn't believe it,but he loved how his big brothers had stood up for him.

He was soon back to the confident,happy go lucky boy he had previously been.He started doing well at school once again and his grades improved immeasurably.

His friends also started hanging around with him again,so he no longer felt alone at school.He didn't hold a grudge about the fact they had abandoned him in his hour of need.He knew they were scared too and he couldn't honestly say that he wouldn't have done the same in their position.

Decs moods also improved as he took puberty in his stride,which thankfully didn't last too much longer.

He started to love school once again, especially the drama classes and threw himself into them wholeheartedly,always desperate to rush home and tell Anne every single detail of the class every Monday after school.

A couple of months later Dec was sat in the living room,browsing through the local newspaper,reading about his beloved Newcastle United,when an advert caught his eye.

"Look at this Mam" he excitedly said.

"What is it sweetheart?"

"They're making a new programme not far from here,they're looking for kids my age,what do you think Mam?should I go for it?would I stand a chance?" Dec was getting excited at the prospect.

"Absolutely you would stand a chance Decky" Cam chimed in "what have you got to lose by enquiring about it?"

"Just be aware it may not be easy Decky" Anne warned "I'd imagine there'll be hundreds of kids auditioning"

"Mam,don't be so defeatist" Cam sighed "Dec has every much as chance as landing a part as any other kid,he's brilliant,we all know that,they'd be mad to turn him down.You go for it Decky,show them what you've got"

"Thanks Cam" Dec smiled.

"I just don't want him to be heartbroken like last time if nothing comes of it" Anne frowned.

"I won't be Mam" Dec smiled "I promise"

"Ok then Declan,you go ahead,what do you need to do?"

"I'm going to phone them" he announced enthusiastically.

It was a very brief phone call.

"The woman said I have to write to them" Dec frowned.

"You'd better get on with your letter then hadn't you?" Cam smiled.

So Dec did exactly that,informing whoever would be reading the letter as much information as he could about himself including his Irish dancing,his love of drama and of course making it very clear that they would never find a better child actor than him.He couldn't wait to get it posted and begged Anne for a stamp.

"Please Mam,then I can go and post it now and it'll be picked up first thing in the morning" he whined.

Anne could only laugh as she handed a stamp over.

A couple of weeks later,he received a reply basically saying not to call,they'd call him if they were interested.

"You see,I'm just no good" Dec cried once again into Anne's arms "I didn't even get an audition,that's how bad I am"

"That's rubbish Declan and you know it" Anne comforted "come on sweetheart,you promised you wouldn't do this if you didn't get anywhere.They obviously have loads of kids to see,your time will come one day,I know it"

"When Mam?when will it come?how many times do i have to be disappointed?"

Anne sighed,this was exactly what she had been afraid of,her sensitive boy may be disappointed many times over before making it into the acting business,if he ever made it at all.

Dec attempted to move on and forget about his heart being broken once again when a few weeks later he received a phone call from the same woman who he had spoken to previously.She informed him he was being invited for an audition.He was beside himself with excitement.

"I'll come with you Decky" Anne announced.

"Mam" Dec moaned "I'm twelve,i can get a bus across town on me own,i don't need to be babysat"

Fonsey looked up from his newspaper and grinned at his wife as she rolled her eyes.

"Ok,but straight there and straight back,you understand?" She ordered.

"Ok Mam,but you do know auditions take hours don't you?"

That made Anne even more determined to escort Dec there.

"I don't like it though" she sadly said "it could be dark by the time you're finished"

"Stop it Anne" Fonsey advised "you have to cut the apron strings at some point,you'll look back and laugh at this when our Declan is a famous actor"

Anne smiled,admitting defeat "just be careful ok Decky?and you're to come straight home the minute the auditions have finished ok?"

"Ok Mam,thanks" Dec smiled sweetly as he threw himself into her arms.

The following Tuesday,Dec was on his way to the audition,he was beyond excited as he sat on the top deck of the bus,wondering what the day would hold.He had gone over and over the few lines of a script that he had been sent,reciting them to any member of his family that was in earshot.

He felt rather overwhelmed as he stood in front of the BBC building,staring up at it.This was where all the good stuff was made he thought to himself.

"You lost son?" Tbe security guard snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Nah,just here for an audition" Dec smiled.

"You and a thousand others" the guard laughed "just go through that door and report to reception" he pointed to the main entrance.

Decs heart sank at the mention of a 'thousand' kids auditioning and felt his excitement drain out of him,he only hoped the security guard was exaggerating.

As he sat in the crowded room,he scanned it,taking in all the different kids,some with their parents,some alone,he started feeling slightly guilty for not allowing Anne to come.He observed that there were hundreds of kids there,but definitely not thousands.

Eventually his audition took place,he threw himself into acting his little heart out and received some very positive feedback.He was extremely relieved that he'd remembered all his lines.

At the end of the day the producers came into the busy holding room and read out the names of the kids they wanted to see again that Saturday.Dec held his breath as he prayed for his name to come up and there it was.

"Declan Donnelly"

Dec gasped to himself,he'd got a second audition,he'd done it,he had to be lucky this time surely didn't he?

"We'll see you guys we've named on Saturday,the rest of you,thank you for coming and don't give up" the producer announced.

Dec rushed home to tell his family the exciting news and before he knew it,Saturday had arrived and he was about to throw himself into his second audition.He had been informed he would be auditioning for the part of Winston.

He allowed Anne to escort him this time as so many other kids had their parents there the last time and to be honest,his Mams presence was always a calming influence.He felt alot more nervous this time as his dream was so close.

As they both sat in the holding room,Dec scanned the room,taking in the sea of faces,a girl with a shock of frizzy,red hair particularly stood out,she was very loud and obviously very confident.

"Bet she's a handful" Anne whispered,making Dec giggle.

The parents were then told they could leave and come back to pick their kids up at 5 o'clock.

"How was it Decky?" Anne asked when she entered the building at the requested time.

"Alright" he replied.

"Just alright?" Anne sensed something was wrong,she had expected Dec to come out smiling,telling her enthusiastically about his day,but that didn't look likely going by the grumpy look on his face.

"What's wrong Decky?" Anne asked as they sat on the bus home "don't you think you did well?"

"It was stupid Mam" he sighed "had to pretend to be a tree and a country,was rubbish and embarrassing"

Anne had to stifle a giggle "Dec,that's just so they can see how versatile you are.If you can pretend to be a tree or a country,then you must be a pretty good actor.What country were you?"

"Australia" Dec grumbled.

This time Anne couldn't hide her amusement.

"How did you pretend to be Australia?"

"Just rolled myself up into a ball like" he shrugged.

"You're funny Decky" Anne laughed and ruffled his hair as he frowned at her.

Dec couldn't help but go into a sulk when he got home,so annoyed that he'd gone through all that embarrassment for a part he probably wouldn't get anyway.

Later that evening,the phone rang and Dec offered to get it as Anne,Fonsey,Cam,Martin and a visiting Patricia chatted,they'd done their best to lift his spirits,assuring him what a great actor he was,although they only had school plays to make that judgement on,but eventually they all knew it was best to keep off the subject of acting altogether.

Dec was desperate for any distraction from the woes of his young life as he made his way to the impatient phone,it's shrill ringing demanding immediate attention.

"Guess it's not for any of us then" Fonsey observed as Dec chatted quietly in the hallway.

None of them could really make out what Dec was saying apart from a couple of names.

"Who are Winston and Duncan?" Fonsey enquired as he strained to hear a bit more.

"Isn't Winston the name of the character he auditioned for?" Anne pondered "no idea who Duncan is though"

"For goodness sake you two" Pat snapped "give the boy some privacy,I'm sure he'll tell us all in good time if it's good news"

Less than two minutes later,an incredibly excited Declan burst back into the living room.

"I did it everyone" he squealed in such a high pitched voice that it was barely audible "I did it,I can't believe it!"

"I got a part in Byker Grove!"