Of course a casual day and evening with Ant was exactly what Dec needed,not thinking or worrying about work,just having a great time hanging out with his buddy.

Ant had managed to convince Dec that the fall out from his April fools joke was all a storm in a teacup and it would soon be forgotten.

Dec knew Ant was right and he was happy to move on from it,although he had no idea how often that tiny part of the show would come back to haunt him in later life,along with many others clips of various points of his career,thanks to the invention of out take shows.

As time went on Ant and Lisa bought the house they were living in from the landlord and Dec was completely happy and settled in his batchelor pad,although Clare did her best to add a 'womans touch'.

The boys often discussed their lives in detail with each other and how things were going,both personally and professionally.

There was one thing that had been on Ant and Decs minds a lot lately and that was their transition from childrens to adult telly.

As much as they loved presenting SM:TV live,now they'd experienced dipping their toes into dealing with an older audience with their dalliance into 'friends like these' they couldn't get it out of their minds that that was where they wanted to be.

Thay wanted the family audience,not just the kids,but the mums,dads,grannies and grandads as well.They wanted to do what they had watched the master entertainers do as they were growing up,Morcambe and Wise,Cannon and Ball,Reeves and Mortimer.All those silly duos that they loved to watch on screen,they wondered if they were capable of doing that too,although they were all comedians,Ant and Dec weren't, although they found each other pretty damn funny most of the time.

Dec had long had the opinion that there was only ever rubbish on the telly on a Saturday night now and he thought the British public deserved better.

"We're gonna fill that gap one day" Dec insisted to Ant as they discussed the situation for what seemed like the billionth time.

"Are we now?" Ant smiled unconvincingly.

"Yeah we are" Dec stated confidently "I don't know when,but we will,you'll see"

"I agree actually" Ant smiled "and I think it Should be sooner rather than later"

"Really?" Dec asked surprised "what do you mean by that?"

"Well" Ant continued "'friends like these' has been great hasn't it?"

"Yeah" Dec agreed.

"And we both know that adult television is where we want to be?"

"Yeah" Dec repeated.

"Well then..." Ant paused "maybe it's time to move on from kids programmes,you know,concentrate on adult television,what do you think?"

Dec couldn't help giggling whenever Ant used the phrase "adult television" imagining all sorts of naughty pornographic films.

"You're such an idiot Declan" Ant laughed "can you please be serious for five minutes"

"Sorry" Dec grinned "it's just ya know...adult television"

"Well unless you're planning to drop your pants and get it on with someone you don't know and be filmed doing the deed,then I suggest you get used to those words"

"Ok,I digress,what were you gonna say?" Dec smiled.

"I just think it's time to move on from kids television and concentrate on adult...um...family viewing" Ant replied "I think we could be good at it,we've already done a pretty good job with 'friends like these' haven't we?we could be the kings of Saturday night telly,I'd love that"

"You mean leave SM:TV?" Dec asked sadly.

"We'll have to won't we?" Ant continued "Paul has already got his eye on something with ITV that they want us to present,we can't do Saturday morning and Saturday evening telly,just wouldn't work"

"Oh yeah" Dec smiled,thinking back to something that their manager had casually mentioned as an option recently "this music programme sounds interesting,what was it called again?"

"Pop Idol" Ant smiled "and if they want us for it,I don't want to turn it down"

"No,me neither" Dec sighed "but what about Cat?"

"Yeah,I've been thinking about her" Ant replied sadly "I don't know how she'll take it,but we have to tell her,maybe they'll find new presenters to work with her"

"Won't have the same rapport as us three do" Dec answered.

"No of course they won't" Ant smiled "but that's it isn't it?we have to do this don't we?to further our own careers?"

"Yeah we do" Dec sighed.

So the following Saturday afternoon after the show had finished,the boys took Cat out for lunch to give her the news.

Of course she was devastated,Ant and Dec had become her best friends during the three years that they had worked together,nevertheless,she understood why they wanted to move on further in their careers.

The three of them swore that once Ant and Dec had left the programme,they would always stay In touch and always be friends no matter what.

And so once Ant and Decs stint on SM:TV and CD:UK had come to an end,they were excited about the new projects that were coming their way.As well as talk of Pop Idol,which was still only in the early stages of planning,there was already discussions of the boys doing adverts and voiceovers.

To celebrate,Ant decided to take Lisa away for a weekend in Paris now that time permitted it.Dec stayed in London as he had a friends birthday to celebrate the same day that Ant was leaving.They promised to catch up on the monday just to hang out as they always loved to do in their spare time.

"Is Lisa home?" Dec asked as Ant answered the door that Monday afternoon "please tell me she's not here"

"Er no,she's not here...she's at work,why?" This was a strange opening sentence from Dec,he usually loved it when Lisa was home too,basically because she always fed him an amazing meal.

"Need to talk" Dec stated bluntly as he pushed his way past Ant and into the living room where he flopped down heavily onto the sofa.

"Good weekend?" Ant asked nervously,already worried about what his friend was about to tell him.

"Kind of" Dec shrugged "oh sorry,I didn't ask,how was Paris?"

"Yeah it was great thanks" Ant smiled "we both loved it,but that's obviously not what you're here to talk about is it?"

Dec shook his head sadly.

"Come on then" Ant encouraged "out with it"

"Well" Dec began to tell his story "you know I went out for Bens birthday on Saturday?"

"Oh yeah" that had slipped Ants mind "how was it?did you have a good time?"

"Yeah we did" Dec sighed.

"Wanna tell your face that then?" Ant smiled,just wishing Dec would actually get to the point.

"We ended up in Secrets" Dec winced at the memory.

"Secrets?" Ant asked curiously.

"Yeah" Dec continued "you know,that strip club in Hammersmith?"

"Oh my God Declan,you didn't?you dirty dog" Ant laughed.

"Well,it was just supposed to be a bit of fun" Dec smiled.

"And was it?" Ant asked curiously.

"Yeah it was" Dec replied.

"But?" Ant knew Dec was hesitant about telling him something vital that involved his night out.

"But...I did something really stupid" Dec took a deep breath "it didn't stop at just a having a bit of fun at the club"

"Declan" Ant snapped,mortified at the thought of what else may have taken place "what the hell did you do?"

"Well,there was this one girl,Tina,who gave me a private lapdance for eight hundred pounds" Dec announced.

"Eight hundred pounds?Dec are you mad?" Ant stated amazed.

"Can afford it" Dec shrugged.

"Yeah,I guess you can" Ant replied,he was still a little careful with money after his difficult upbringing and found it hard to understand such lavishness,a holiday maybe,but eight hundred pounds for a lapdance?he was dumbfounded.

"Anyway" Dec sighed "I'd had a lot to drink by then,she was hot and..."

"And?" Ant cut in.

"And I brought her home with me" Dec looked down at the floor shame faced.

"What the fuck Dec?" Ant shouted shocked "you cheated on Clare?with a stripper of all things?how could you do that to her?you're going to break her heart"

Ant was beyond furious with Dec,he loved Clare and she didn't deserve this.

"I...I'm sorry" Dec stuttered "I didn't mean it to happen,I'd just been drinking and..."

"That's a poor excuse Declan" Ant replied "so you'd had a drink,but I bet you still knew what you were doing?"

"She was flirting with me" Dec announced sheepishly.

"So what?" Ant enquired "that's her job,that's what you paid her eight hundred pounds for"

"I know" Dec replied with a tear in his eye "I'm sorry"

"I don't think I'm the one you should be apologising to,am I eh?" Ant said.

"No,I know" Dec nodded.

"Well" Ant replied "if you'd drunk so much,please tell me that you fell straight asleep when you got home"

Dec shook his head embarrassed.

"Oh God Dec" Ant buried his head in his hands "what were you thinking?poor Clare"

"I don't have to tell her do I?" Dec pleaded.

"What?of course you have to tell her" Ant insisted "what if this stripper...er..."

"Tina" Dec informed him.

"Tina" Ant replied "if that's even her real name?what if this Tina goes to the papers?your ugly mug will be plastered all over the front page of The Sun"

"Ugh" Dec grimaced at the thought of that particular newspaper invading his private life "she wouldn't do that"

"Oh yeah?" Ant fumed "know her that well do you?had some in depth discussions did you?"

"No of course not" Dec replied sadly "we were,you know,in the throws of passion"

"I Just hope your one night with her was worth it because I think the shit is really about to hit the fan" Ant replied.

"Please don't say that Ant" Dec sighed "I came here for support,not for a telling off,I know I was an idiot,I wasn't thinking"

"You were thinking with what's in your trousers,that's what you were doing" Ant replied harshly,he then began to soften a little "ok kidda,what's done is done,now we just have to deal with the fall out,you have to tell Clare,it's not fair to keep her in the dark,you don't want her finding out from someone else do you?"

"She'll leave me" Dec announced sadly.

"That's a very strong possibility" Ant mused "and she has every right to do that,but on the other hand,you could talk about it and she might forgive you and you can move on and learn a very painful lesson from all this"

"Please tell me you used protection at least?" Ant blurted out.

"Yeah" Dec nodded "Tina insisted on it"

"That's something at least" Ant replied relieved.

"It wasn't just the drink ya know" Dec stated thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Ant asked curiously "things are going ok with Clare aren't they"

"They are" Dec replied hesitantly "but she wants more than I'm willing to give her at the moment,she's talked about it a lot lately"

"Talked about what?" Ant asked.

"Marriage,kids,being parents and all that" Dec sighed.

"Oh I see" Ant got it now,Dec didn't like being pressured into something he didn't want.

"Well,you've been together a good few years now haven't you?" Ant pointed out "I guess she feels it's the right time?"

"Don't I get a say in it though? Dec enquired "it's my life too and yes we've been together a long time,but that still doesn't mean I'm ready for that level of commitment,I'm not,I want to concentrate on my career,not weddings and nappies,I'm only in my twenties,what's the hurry?"

"Have you told her how you feel?" Ant asked.

"Yeah" Dec sighed "loads of times,she still doesn't understand why I'm not ready or why I need to wait"

"You do want all of that don't you though?" Ant enquired "I mean eventually"

"Yeah of course I do" Dec smiled "I love kids,you know I do and being a dad will be amazing,just not yet,I think having kids before you're ready will kill a relationship"

"Or sleeping with a stripper will" Ant retorted.

"Yeah alright Ant" Dec replied,slightly hurt "that's not helping,I guess she was a distraction from the pressure Clare is putting me under"

"Yeah sorry" Ant cringed at the words that had just fallen from his mouth "anyway,when are you going to tell Clare?"

"Dunno" Dec mumbled.

"Declan" Ant smiled affectionately "I assume she's coming to yours when she finishes work today?"

"Yeah she is" Dec replied.

"Then you have to tell her tonight" Ant advised "there's no point in putting off the inevitable"

"Will you be there with me?" Dec pleaded.

"Don't be ridiculous" Ant laughed "I'm not gonna be there in the middle of yous twos argument,but I will be here at the end of the phone line or ready with open arms and a comforting hug if you need me"

"You don't hate me then?" Dec smiled.

"Of course I don't hate you" Ant assured him "I think you've been a complete idiot,but you're still me best mate,what kind of a friend would I be if I wasn't there for you when you needed me?"

"Thanks" Dec replied appreciatively.

"And I'm sure Lisa will be a shoulder for Clare to cry on should she need it" Ant smiled.

"God,I hate myself" Dec sighed "wish I'd never gone out on Saturday"

"Well,it's done now" Ant patted his friends back soothingly "you just have to deal with the outcome"

"Do you think she'll forgive us?" Dec asked hopefully.

"Only she knows that" Ant replied "but whatever she decides,you have to respect her wishes,a lot of people think cheating is unforgivable,so you need to be prepared for the worse"

"It was a one night stand" Dec announced "not an affair"

"You can't justify it Dec" Ant replied "either way,it was still cheating"

"Yeah,I know" Dec admitted shame faced.

"Come on Decs" Ant smiled sympathetically while ushering him towards the front door.

"It's time to go and face the music!"