"I'm home sweetheart" Fonsey called out as he came through the front door,surprised that Anne didn't come into the hallway to greet him with a kiss to the cheek like she usually did.

"In here" she replied from the living room,in a voice Fonsey could only just about make out.

"Oh,what's up with the littlun?" He asked as he spied his youngest son curled up in his wifes arms.

"He's had a bad day" Anne sighed.

"How so?" Fonsey enquired,he was more than a little bit surprised at the scene in front of him "I thought he was past all this,I mean how many times has he told us he's too old for such blatant displays of affection?"

"Yeah I know" Anne smiled "he just usually wants to convince us he's a grown up,this is an exception obviously,it's lovely though and I love having a chance to hold him like this again even if it is because of something sad"

"Oh really?" Fonsey felt his heart drop,what could possibly have happened now?

Anne proceeded to tell him about what had occured earlier in the day.Of course Fonsey was devastated too,especially for that poor dog.

Soon the sound of voices had Dec stirring and he lifted his head up from his mothers lap,he opened his eyes and peered up at his Dad who was bending down,gazing at him.

"Hey lad" he smiled affectionately "sorry,didn't mean to wake you"

"It's ok Dad" Dec whispered.

"Rough day eh,by the sound of it?" Fonsey asked gently.

"Yeah" Dec sighed sadly,he sat up suddenly just as Fonsey sat down next to him on the sofa as a thought came into his mind "my car?"

"Don't worry Decky" Anne smiled while rubbing his back "it's where you had the...umm...accident remember?Ant parked it up safely,your Dad will go and pick it up soon won't you darling?"

"Of course I will" Fonsey smiled "I'll go right now"

After giving both Anne and Dec a loving kiss on their foreheads and listening to the instructions as to exactly where it was parked,he left to get the car.

"Ant?" Dec enquired sleepily.

"Ant went home remember?" Anne frowned "sweetheart,are you alright?"

She was worried he may still be in shock but wasn't sure if that could affect his memory.

"No,I'm fine Mam" Dec yawned "just sleepy that's all,just took a minute for it all to come back to me,wish it hadn't though"

"You'll be ok and so will Ant,I promise you" Anne smiled.

"Ant is upset too isn't he?" Dec enquired.

"Yeah,I guess he is" Anne sighed "but he looked after you and now Christine will be looking after him,he's such a good boy and I know you're both going to be fine"

"Hope so" Dec mumbled.

"I know so" Anne insisted.

And she was right.Of course the boys continued to be devastated at what had happened,but in time they learnt to come to terms with it.

They distracted themselves by inventing dance moves for their upcoming video,although they hadn't even heard the song they would be recording yet.They spent alot of time over the coming weeks in both of their gardens,imagining they were the next Michael Jackson or Fred Astaire,much to the amusement of their neighbours,but in reality they probably wouldn't have a say in what dance moves went into the video,that would obviously come down to a choreographer,but at least they were having fun.

A couple of weeks later,they finally received the demo CD for the new song.They both went to Decs bedroom and laid on his bed to listen to the song titled "Why me?"

"What do you think then?" Ant turned towards Dec as the song came to an end.

"Not bad I guess" Dec pondered.

"But?"

"No buts" Dec insisted "I was just thinking that's all"

"I think it's ok" Ant smiled.

"Well,it's definitely better than the last song" Dec sighed.

"Yeah,well that wouldn't be hard,would it?" Ant rolled his eyes playfully.

"We just need to give it everything we've got,throw ourselves into recording the song,the video,everything" Dec smiled.

"We will" Ant replied.

"You swear?" Dec asked while holding out his little finger "you pinky swear?"

"Pinky swear?" Ant laughed "what are you?a five year old girl?"

"Just pinky swear" Dec insisted.

"Alright,I pinky swear" Ant grinned while linking his little finger around Decs "you're such a big kid and anyway it's not like you have to talk me into anything,I've been the one to stay positive throughout all this remember?"

"Well maybe you're rubbing off on me finally" Dec teased.

"Glad to hear it" Ant grinned "about time too"

Just three weeks later,they were on a train heading back down to London,this time with no parents in tow and getting increasingly excited about the trip,the closer they got to their destination.

They stayed at the same hotel as before with the same set up,except this time,Ant and Dec were in charge of the company credit card,although they had been warned by their parents and the record company not to go crazy on it and abuse the trust they were being shown.As tempting as it was to go on a mad spending spree,they promised they wouldn't and kept to their word.

They spent the first day in London getting the track recorded in the studio.Thankfully it had taken alot less takes than "Tonight I'm free" which they were relieved about.

The next couple of days after that were spent learning new dance moves,unfortunately the choreographer wasn't particularly impressed with the routine they'd invented and it was immediately dismissed much to the boys annoyance.Although they eventually admitted that the dance routine they ended up doing was unsurprisingly,much better anyway.

They also spent a few days going around parts of London,being filmed lip synching along to the song while performing the moves they'd learnt,being filmed at piccadilly circus,playing basketball and even in front of a crowd that had been hired especially to pretend to be fans at a fake PJ and Duncan gig.Alot of these public displays earned them some rather confused looks from members of the public who had no clue who they were or what they were doing.

The boys were completely surprised at the length of time it took to shoot a video,they genuinely imagined it would be done and dusted in one day and they could then spend the rest of their time partying in the capital.

Unfortunately for them,that wasn't to be the case,with all the different locations for the video,the extras needed for the background scenes,the clothes changes and the various dance sequences amongst other things,there would be very little time for that and they soon realised they'd be back on the train home practically the minute they'd finished filming.Well that may have been a slight exaggeration,but they were definitely disappointed at not being able to socialise the way they'd hoped because of running out of time.On the other hand,they were excited about completing the song and video and it would soon be ready to be released.After the disaster that was "Tonight I'm free" they didn't want to get too carried away,but they were quietly optimistic.If all else failed,at least they'd had another trip to London.

Telstar informed Ant and Dec that the song would be released in April and leading up to that,they would send the video to television channels and radio stations to promote it.

"So?" Ant asked Dec as the release date got nearer.

"So what?" Dec frowned as he lounged back onto Ants sofa.

"So" Ant repeated "how do you want to do it this time?"

"Do what?" Dec enquired confused.

"Find out where "Why me?" has reached in the charts of course" Ant replied "do you want to find out from the record company beforehand this time or listen to it on the radio with everyone else again"

"Yeah right" Dec snapped,thinking back to that disastrous day "as if I'm gonna put myself through that again"

"Ok good" Ant smiled "I don't want to do that again either.I'll get them to call us as soon as they know then.Exciting though ain't it eh?"

"What?" Dec smiled,feigning ignorance.

"You know what Declan" Ant laughed "all of this"

"Yes Ant" Dec smiled "it is very exciting"

As the release date crept nearer,they had started to get their video played on some of the children's programmes and crucially,on Saturday morning television which brought in a huge,young audience.They and their families thought it was great and everyone was keeping their fingers crossed for a more successful result than last time.Unfortunately the radio stations didn't pick up on it so much but Ant and Dec refused to let that get them down.

A few days before the new charts were announced on a pleasant Sunday evening in April,Ant got the call from Telstar.Dec was hanging out at his house as usual and waited impatiently to hear what they had said.

"Well?" He asked cautiously.

"Number 27" Ant replied without feeling.

Neither of them knew how to react to being informed which position "Why me?" Had entered the UK charts.

"It's made the top thirty at least" Ant pointed out.

"Yeah" Dec nodded "that's pretty good isn't it?"

"Of course it is" Ant agreed "that's a hell of alot better than "Tonight I'm free" and it could still make the top twenty next week"

"That's very possible" Dec smiled.

"And" Ant stated,referring to the UK's most popular music programme "it will get a brief showing on Top of the pops on Thursday during the countdown,even if the whole video isn't shown"

"Yeah,that's true" Dec smiled "imagine that"

Unfortunately the song didn't climb any higher and their second single soon disappeared from the charts.They tried their best to stay positive and were determined not to repeat the negativity they'd felt with their first song,especially with how much it had affected Dec.It could have been alot worse though and they decided reaching number twenty seven was definitely a success.

Telstar had informed them that the album would definitely be going ahead as "Why me?" had made the top thirty and once they'd recorded and released their third single,the record company would get them into the studio to get started on the rest of the tracks.

The boys had an idea though which they were beside themselves with excitement about,as long as the record company agreed to it.Instead of travelling backwards and forwards between Newcastle and London,they thought it would make much more sense for them to move down south,even just temporarily while they were in the studio.They couldn't afford to rent a place themselves,so they had to talk Telstar into paying for somewhere for them,they'd got their hearts set on a flat share together, although they would still be happy with being put up at the lovely Strand Palace Hotel indefinitely.

Even though they hadn't mentioned their idea to the record company yet,they knew if they did agree,there would be the small matter of persuading their parents first.Even though they were actually old enough to leave home legally,they both wanted to do it with Anne,Fonsey and Christines blessings.

Steve from Telstar was travelling up to Newcastle the following week on another business matter and he had decided to kill two birds with one stone and have a meeting with Ant and Dec as well to play them the new song they would be recording.

So when that day came around,Steve invited the boys to the hotel where he was staying in Newcastle city centre so he could play them the demo CD.

"Very nice" Dec smiled as he looked around the fancy penthouse suite Steve had been put up in "how come we don't get anything like this when we come to London?"

"You will" Steve laughed "but you have to work your way up like I did and anyway,you hardly stay in a shit hole when you come down"

"Yeah that's true" Ant agreed "Declan is just an ungrateful little toe rag,don't worry Steve,I'll have a word with his Mam so she gives him a good telling off and maybe puts him on the naughty step"

"Shut up Ant" Dec laughed good heartedly.

"Anyway" Dec continued "let's hear this song then"

Ant and Dec had decided they wouldn't mention their flat share idea until after they'd heard the song and the other,more official stuff had been discussed.

Steve handed Dec a plastic CD case with the name of the song scrawled across the front on a stick-on paper label.

"Let's get ready to rhumble?" Dec read out curiously.

"Yep" Steve grinned.

Ant peered over Decs shoulder and Dec passed the CD to him.

"Er...you don't spell rumble like that" Ant noted.

"Of course you don't" Steve laughed "not usually anyway,but we are this time,it's just a play on words,you know,a bit of fun"

The boys liked the title and agreed with Steve that it sounded like a fun song and title,even if they didn't really have a clue what it meant.

Dec smiled enthusiastically and handed the CD back to Steve.

"Come on then,let's hear it!"