Dec answered the phone and immediately knew something was wrong!It was Christine,Ants mum,she was crying,struggling to get her words out.

Dec could feel the panic rising from deep in the pit of his stomach,terrified of what Christine was about to say.There was obviously something terribly wrong with Ant for her to be calling him in such a state

"There's been an accident" she said finally,voice trembling

Tears had already started to fall from Decs eyes,thinking he was about to be told the worst news of his life,his best friend dead?is that what he was about to hear?he crumpled heavily onto the nearest chair,dreading but desperately needing to hear Christines next words,no matter what they were.

"Ant?" Dec managed to mumble through his tears

"He's been in a car crash" Christine eventually said "he's ok,but he's been arrested for drink driving,he's at the police station"

Dec was shocked at this news but relieved his best friend was ok,he'd feared the worst and now breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Christine promised to keep him updated with any news and they said their goodbyes.

Dec couldn't help himself,he cried even harder,sad desperate sobs,distraught at Ants plight,knowing how scared,devastated and lonely he'd be at being locked up in a police cell,the thought of it broke Decs heart and he wished he could be there to hold and comfort him!

Dec shook his head sadly at himself,obviously that's not what police cells are for.

He couldn't understand why Ant would drink and drive,he'd never done anything like that before,not to his knowledge anyway,why would he do something so stupid?they had too much to lose,not just Ant alone,but their partnership,their friendship,why would he risk all that for a drink?it just didn't make sense!

Ant had had more than his fair share of problems,including his addiction to prescription drugs the previous year but he'd conquered that and worked so hard to get back on track and Dec was so proud of him,knowing how incredibly hard it was for Ant to fight his demons.Dec missed him so much every day when he was in rehab,but he understood it was for the best.

Ali came into the kitchen and was shocked at her husbands emotional state,tears streaking down his face.She rushed to put her arms around him

"Baby,what on earth is wrong?" She asked worriedly,Dec relayed everything Christine had told her,Ali held Dec tight as shocked disbelief also swirled through her mind.

Eventually after a testing few hours,they went to bed!They'd tried to make sense of what had happened and were desperate for news,but still there was none,all they knew was Ant had been locked in a police cell for hours and that thought broke their hearts!

Ali soon dropped off,her pregnancy at least making her sleep well but Dec just couldn't sleep knowing Ant was languishing in that place.

He laid on his back,staring at the ceiling,tears starting to run down his cheeks again.

At 3am,he got a text from Christine,he'd told her to call or text anytime day or night,the text simply said

'Hi Dec,Ant's just got home,he's very tired and emotional so has gone straight to bed,will know more in the morning'

Dec thanked her and rolled over in bed,attempting to put all the worry of the last few hours out of his head so he could fall asleep.

Of course it didn't work,he couldn't stop thinking about Ant,he thought back to how much he had already been through,the drug addiction,the horrendous pain in his knee,the botched operation,the insomnia,the separation from his wife who had moved out of their marital home and now this!

Dec knew the press would have a field day with this one,he also thought he must be the worst friend in the world ever to not have realised Ant was struggling again,they were supposed to know each other inside out.

"I'm so sorry Ant" he whispered to himself before eventually drifting off into a restless sleep!

He woke up a few hours later and peered at the bedside clock,6.30am,Dec sighed,thoughts of Ant immediately popping into his head,he wanted to speak to him so badly but didn't want to wake him if he was still asleep,he knew how difficult it was for Ant to unwind and fall asleep at the best of times.

Dec just wanted to hear his voice,hear for himself that he was ok and to tell him he was loved and supported.

He wearily climbed out of bed,leaving Ali sleeping peacefully,made his way downstairs and made a strong cup of coffee,just as he sat down,his phone rang and Ants name appeared on the screen.

"Ant are you ok?" Dec asked before Ant even had a chance to utter a word

"Not really" Ant mumbled and Dec could tell he was crying,Ant could barely get his words out between increasing sobs

"I'm coming over,I'll be there in a few minutes" Dec assured him,he quickly threw his Jeans,jumper and shoes on and dashed down the road to Ants place!

When Ant answered the door,Decs heart sank,he looked awful,large bags and dark shadows under his eyes,his hair was messy and unkempt,he seemed to have more frown lines than ever before and his bloodshot,watery eyes made it quite clear just how much he must have been crying.

Dec stepped inside and shut the door,took Ant by the hand and led him into the living room.

As soon as they sat down on the sofa,Ant burst into tears,desperate hysterical sobbing consuming his entire being,he buried his face into Decs comforting shoulder.Dec placed his arms tightly around his friend,holding him and rubbing his back while planting little kisses on his head.

He didn't want to rush him,he waited patiently knowing Ant would open up when he was good and ready,tears welled up in his own eyes as he stroked and soothed the distraught man in his arms.

"I'm so sorry" Ant sobbed eventually "I've ruined everything,please don't hate me"

"Hey" Dec replied "it's ok,everything is going to be ok,of course I don't hate you,nothing you could do could ever make me hate you,I love you mate and always will"

Ant smiled gratefully

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Dec gently asked.

Ant sat up straight but still looked sadly at the floor,Dec kept his arm reassuringly around his shoulder

"I've been so stupid" Ant announced remorsefully "I crashed into two families,I could have killed them all as well as Mam and the dogs,I hate myself" Ants tears rolled freely down his cheeks,eyes red and swollen!

Dec pulled him in for another hug.

As Ant sobbed in his arms Dec informed him,

"Well you didn't kill anyone thank God,how much did you have to drink?"

"I didn't really stop since the previous night" Ant announced full of guilt "just drank slowly and steadily throughout most of the night then never really slept so didn't get it out of my system,I don't know what I was thinking,why was i so stupid?"

"What's done is done,there's no point in dwelling on that now" Dec tried to sound positive "we can't change what's happened so now we'll just deal with the consequences the best we can"

"I've messed everything up for everyone,especially you,please don't give up on me,you're all I've got left" Ant sobbed.

Decs heart felt like it would break into a million pieces and never mend,he'd never seen Ant so utterly distraught.They'd often cried on each others shoulders at various times of need but this was on another level to anything they'd experienced before!

He was glad when Ant finally started to calm down a bit and started to talk a bit more

"I was in a cell for ten hours" Ant announced sadly "it was awful,they took everything off me,my phone,keys,even my shoe laces,I felt so scared and alone.Ive got to go to court on the 4th April,I don't know what to do,we've got work" he started sobbing uncontrollably once again.

"Hey don't you worry about work,I'll deal with that,you're the most important thing in all this,I just want you to be ok and I'll do whatever it takes to help you" Dec reassured him.

Ant turned to face Dec and looked directly into his eyes

"I've been a mess for a while Dec,I've been drinking heavily when I've been on my own,everything has been getting on top of me,I don't know what to do,I can't cope anymore"

"Ant I'm so sorry I never realised how much you were struggling,I wish you had confided in me,you know I'll always be here for you no matter what don't you?" Dec sadly asked

Ant didn't reply,just looked down at the floor once again

"You do know that don't you?" Dec repeated

"I know" Ant whispered "I just felt so ashamed,I couldn't bring myself to tell anyone,not even you,that I was such a failure"

"Hey,you are not a failure,you are ill" Dec said sternly "I should have realised,you're my best friend,I think the world of you,you know that!I can't bear to think of you suffering alone like you have been,please promise me you won't try to deal with things on your own again?"

Dec placed the palms of his hand on Ants cheeks and looked deep into his eyes

"Promise me!" Dec demanded

"I promise" Ant whispered

"Good" Dec smiled and pulled Ant into his arms to comfort him once again, tears rolling down both of their cheeks

"And I'm not all you've got left" Dec stated "you've got so many people who love you,you'll see"

Ant nodded gently through his tears

"What do you want to do now?" Dec asked "do you think you need to go back to rehab?"

Ant nodded again

"Maybe you were rushed into going back to work before you were ready last time" Dec said "this time we'll get it right,we'll get you well no matter how long it takes,your health comes first and foremost,work will always come second to that from now on.Let's concentrate on getting you better,I'll make the arrangements for everything,I'll sort out things with work,contact lawyers and rehab,all you need to focus on is your recovery and the court case will be out of the way before you know it"

Ant peered up at Dec "what if they send me to jail?" Ants obvious terror at that thought was heartbreaking

"They won't" Dec insisted "it's a first offence,it'll probably be a fine and a driving ban"

"I deserve to go to jail" Ant whispered

"No you don't" Dec snapped,slightly angrily "it's not like you're a serial killer,you never set out to hurt anyone,you just made a very bad error of judgement which you have to face up to and I know you will but I will deal with everything else,so please don't worry about that,I don't want there to be anymore pressure on you!"

"Thank you" Ant sighed gratefully "and I'm so sorry"

"I know you are" Dec smiled "but you can get through this with my help, who knows you better than me?I know you'd never intentionally hurt anyone,I'll be here for you,I swear I will never ever give up on you"

"I just want to die" Ant murmured

Decs eyes began to fill with tears

"Please don't ever say or think anything like that,what would I do without you?me and you go together so perfectly,we're two halves of the same heart you and me,I can't live without you,I'd want to die too"

They hugged each other for the longest time,both feeling the love and reassurance from the others arms,tears flowing freely once again.

"Do you feel a bit more reassured now?" Dec asked "we can get through this together,you take one day at a time and I swear I'll be behind you all the way,I love you and will always be here to catch you if you fall,I promise you that"

Dec studied Ants face,waiting for a response

"I'll try" Ant replied

Dec smiled at him warmly "that's all I ask,I know you will do your very best,I know you and I know you are much stronger than you think you are and soon all this will be a distant nightmare,love ya"

"Love ya too,thank you for being such an amazing friend,I genuinely don't know what I would do without you,I want to get well and be back by your side" Ant said,sounding a bit more positive for the first time since the crash

"Back by my side where you belong,I'll keep your place warm" Dec smiled as he stood up,he needed to get the ball rolling with dealing with work,lawyers and rehab.

"I'll call you later" Dec announced

"Thank you so much" Ant replied,walking Dec to the front door.

They stopped in the hallway,turning towards each other and naturally falling into a tight embrace as they always did when they said their goodbyes,only this time it went on for much longer than usual,one clinging onto the other,Ant felt safe in Decs arms and wished he could stay there forever and all his problems would be washed away by his love.

"Don't come too close to the door" Dec advised,peering through the gap as he opened the door slightly "the papps have arrived,it's starting to look like a circus out there"

Ant sighed and smiled at Dec "Bye mate"

Dec couldn't help but notice the heaviness in those two simple words

"I'll talk to you later" Dec cheerily replied,trying to stay upbeat for Ants sake,as he closed the front door!

He soon had camera flashes going off under his nose,he kept his sunglasses on even though it wasn't sunny,he was perfectly aware his swollen,tear stained eyes and face would be plastered all over the front pages of just about all of the national newspapers tomorrow.

He fought his way through the swarms of press,refusing to stop or make any comments,just concentrating on walking straight ahead and getting home as soon as he could!

This was it,this was his time to be strong and supportive,he was needed by Ant more than ever before and he swore to himself that was exactly what he would be,strong and supportive until the bitter end,It was time for him to step up!