"Ant,slow down will ya?" Dec pleaded as Ant ran into the mitre building looking for Matthew.

It was the first day of filming for series four of Byker Grove and Ant had been getting increasingly angry and irritated with what was planned for his character.The more he thought about it,the less likely he was to listen to reason.No matter how hard Dec had tried to convince him it could be a good thing,Ant was having none of it.

"Where's Matthew?" He snapped at the first person he came across.

"Er dunno,in his office probably" they replied.

Of course,if Ant had been thinking rationally,he would have known that would obviously be the first place to look,but his irrational mind was clouding his judgement more than just a little bit.

He knocked on the door aggressively as Dec caught up with him.

"Come in" Matthew called from inside.

"Hi boys,how was your break?all ready to start filming the new series?" He smiled.

Dec jumped in quickly before Ant could vent his rage on the unsuspecting director.

"Yeah it was great thanks,glad to be back at work though,missed everyone here" Dec giggled to himself "even been asked for my autograph now"

Matthew laughed "better get used to that young Declan,this is just the beginning.I've always said you'll go a long way,you both will"

He turned his gaze towards Ant,sensing something wasn't quite right.

"You alright Anthony?"

"Yeah...er no,not really" Ant stuttered "this script,this plan for PJ,I'm not happy about it.Why would you make him go blind?why didn't you tell me about this before?I really don't like this idea"

Matthew wasn't entirely surprised by Ants reaction and had sort of been expecting this.

"Ok Ant" he smiled "let me explain.Firstly I'm sorry we didn't talk to you about this before now,the new script was obviously written while everyone was on a break,so we weren't seeing any of our actors"

"There's telephones" Ant interrupted.

"Yeah" Matthew continued "but the writers were shut away doing this stuff for weeks,I didn't even know about it either until it was all done and dusted.To be honest,I had my doubts about this storyline too,but once I'd discussed it with everyone,we all decided it would be brilliant and will also be great for ratings"

"Oh so it doesn't matter what I think then?" Ant snapped "as long as it's good for ratings"

"Anthony" Matthew stated seriously "do you have any idea how important ratings are?if we don't pull in the viewers,what do you think will happen then?"

Ant shrugged his shoulders.

"Well I'll tell you" Matthew continued "programmes get cancelled Ant,if people lose interest,do you think they'll carry on making them?"

Matthew answered his own question.

"No of course they won't and just because Byker is popular at the moment,that doesn't mean it always will be.If it gets cancelled that means me,you,your mate here and everyone else will be out of a job.We have to keep coming up with new and exciting storylines to keep people interested,so we will be going ahead with this one and you're under contract so you'll just have to go along with it"

Ant hadn't thought about that side of things,he just didn't like the way things were going for his character.

"I guess" he replied grimly.

"Why are you so against this idea Ant?why do you think it would be such a bad thing?" Matthew asked curiously.

"That's what I keep asking him" Dec cut in.

"I just can't see where PJ can go from here?" Ant sighed "what's left for him if he's blind?what's he gonna do?just tap his way around the Grove with his stick for every episode?how is that a challenge for me?sounds like that's the beginning of the end for PJ"

"I think you'll find playing a blind person is a very big challenge indeed" Matthew smiled "and people don't stop having a life just because they're blind you know,just the opposite in fact,any blind people I've known are all the more determined to make something of their lives and not let their disability hold them back,you'll be able to portray that.We are also planning to involve Dec alot in this storyline too,Duncan will become PJs eyes so to speak.What do you think Dec?"

Dec had kept relatively quiet during the conversation but now he had to give his opinion.

"I think it could be brilliant" he replied enthusiastically.

Ant turned and glared at his best friend.

"Oh come on Ant,you must admit it sounds like a great plot,bet loads of people here would love to do it,I certainly would" Dec assured him.

"You do it then" Ant retorted.

"Come on boys" Matthew joined in "it's going ahead anyway so let's not fall out about it ok?"

Both boys stayed silent,so Matthew walked around from behind his desk and stood between them while pulling them in for a reassuring sideways hug.

"It's all going to be great,I promise you that" he smiled "this is something you can really get your teeth into Ant,what do you say?wanna give it a go?"

Ant was by now a little calmer.Maybe he was getting worked up over nothing,maybe Matthew was right,maybe this would hold him in good stead for future roles if he could convincingly play a blind boy and if his and Decs characters were going to become even closer,then that could only be a good thing.

"Ok Matthew" Ant sighed "I guess it might not be so bad,i should have talked to you first before getting so annoyed,I'm sorry"

"Don't you worry about that" Matthew smiled "I understand it was a shock for you and I'm sorry too that i never talked to you about it beforehand.So if that's all boys?I'm sure you'll be needed on set very soon"

Ant and Dec thanked Matthew and made their way out of his office and over to the area where they would be shooting their next scene.

"This storyline is going to be so amazing" Dec giggled excitedly.

"Yeah,really exciting" Ant moaned.

"Ant for Gods sake,why have you still got the hump about it?we've talked to Matthew and you said it was all fine now"

"When did I ever use the word 'fine'?" Ant asked.

Dec sighed and put his arm around his buddy.

"Come on Ant,sulking about it won't change anything,let's just act our socks off this series and remember,it might lead to other jobs"

"Yeah,I guess you're right"

As the series progressed Ant and Dec regularly rehearsed all their scenes together,usually at Ants house.

Dec had been thinking alot about the upcoming shoots for the last episode and broached the subject with Ant.

"I guess it's about time we started rehearsing our big end of series scene,don't you think?" He asked while hanging around the set one day.Filming for the current series would soon be drawing to a close.

"How exactly are we going to do that eh Dec?got a spare paintballing centre in your garden have ya?" Ant asked sarcastically,but with a grin.He had by now totally come around to the idea of what was about to happen to his character and was looking forward to the challenge of acting out PJs accident as well as portraying him adapting to his blindness.

"We don't have to act out the whole paintballing game you idiot" Dec rolled his eyes "just the actual accident"

"Ok,how are we gonna do that?" Ant enquired.

"I'll come over to yours at the weekend" Dec grinned "it's hardly going to be difficult"

"Alright,if you want to?" Ant reluctantly agreed.

"I do want to" Dec smiled while elbowing Ant firmly in the ribs "come on,we're due on set"

That following Saturday as Ants Mam worked her weekend shift,Dec made his way over to his house.

The two teenagers sat chatting and drinking soft drinks in the living room,the usual topics of discussion arising,Newcastle united,work and which female popstars they fancied,to name just a few.

"Come on then,rehearsal time" Dec announced "hope you've remembered your lines?"

"What lines?" Ant rolled his eyes "I'm basically gonna be lying on the ground screaming me head off,doesn't need much remembering"

"Come on" Dec repeated.

"How exactly are we going to do this?" Ant asked curiously as he dragged himself up from the comfortable sofa.

"You'll see" Dec grinned as he pulled a huge water pistol out of his backpack.

"What the hell....?" Ant laughed.

"Where did you get that?"

"Toy shop on the high street" Dec replied proudly as he made his way to the kitchen sink to fill it up before moving into the garden.

"There's one other thing Dec,there's going to be more than just you and me in this scene,there's gonna be loads of us in fact,how do you plan to get around that?" Ant was now trying to outsmart his best friend.

"That doesn't matter,we can still rehearse without all of them,I've got a plan......SARHA"

"What?" Ant quipped "what do we need her for?"

"You'll see" Dec laughed "SARHA"

"Ok,I'm coming" Ants sister replied grumpily as she emerged from the back door "what do you want?I'm busy"

"Yeah busy laying on your bed reading girlie magazines" Ant teased.

"So what?" She snapped "can do what I like"

"Alright you two" Dec smiled "stop your childish bickering.Now Sarha,I've got a very important job for you,we're rehearsing a scene and I need you to fire this into Ants face as hard as you can,it's just water,ok?"

"What?" Sarha exclaimed "that's stupid"

"Come on Sarha,please,for me?" Dec had long realised that Sarha had a bit of a soft spot for him,so this was the perfect opportunity to use it to his advantage.

"Ok" she smiled sweetly before turning to Ant and scowling "just for you Dec"

"Great thanks" Dec smiled gratefully "so we're going to run around a bit and when Ant stops and shouts out 'Noddy' that's when you shoot him ok?"

"If you say so" she stated.

"Perfect,thanks"

Sarha was soon watching the two boys run around the garden pretending to shoot invisible people.

"Just hurry up will you?" She mumbled to her herself.

Suddenly Ant stopped and shouted out "NODDY"

Sarha very lacklustredly fired the water pistol in Ants direction,barely even dampening him.

"SARHA" Ant shouted "put some effort into it will you?"

Sarha sighed "it doesn't matter you know,it doesn't matter if you get wet or not,you're just playing at pretend,doesn't actually matter if I'm here or not,it's just one of your stupid scenes"

"Yeah,well those stupid scenes pay to put food on the table" Ant retorted,sounding much older than his sensitive years.

"No Mam does" she shouted back.

"We both do" Ant was starting to feel the anger rise up inside him at his little sisters petulance "what do you contribute?"

"Ok,ok" Dec chose that moment to step in before the argument got even more heated "honestly,pack it in,both of you,it's fine,let's not fall out about it eh?just one more time Sarha please?"

"Ok" she sighed reluctantly.

This time she watched avidly and as soon as Ant shouted "Noddy" again,she got him squarely between the eyes and watched bemused as he dropped to floor and rolled around squealing in mock pain.

Dec was soon at his side,delivering his lines with his usual passion before collapsing next to Ant on the grass,where they both dissolved into fits of laughter.

Sarha couldn't see what was so hilarious.

"Boys are so dumb" she mumbled to herself before throwing the water pistol towards them and making her way back to her bedroom.

As Ant and Dec laid on the ground,looking up at the unusually blue sky,Dec happily announced,

"We've got this Ant,we've really got this"

Ant smiled in Decs direction.

"Yeah,you know what Dec?" he replied "I actually agree with you now,believe it or not?"

"This really is going to be great!"