"ANT" Dec shouted out shocked as he barged into the dressing room "what's wrong?"

Dec felt like his heart would break in two as he observed his cherished best friend lying on the floor,while holding his leg,screaming in agony.

He quickly closed the door and rushed over to Ant,kneeling behind him and pulling him up slightly so that he could rest his head on Decs lap as he knelt on the floor.

"Ant?" Dec cried,with tears now streaming down his face "what is it?"

"My leg..my leg" Ant managed to mumble,as he buried his face into Decs lap,screwing up his features in unimaginable pain.

"I'm calling an ambulance" Dec announced.

"NO" Ant shouted abruptly,as he managed to sit up,leaning all of his weight against Decs body.

"But you're in agony" Dec sobbed "I can't bear to see you like this"

Dec buried his face into Ants hair and wrapped his arms tightly around his torso from behind,distraught tears soaking into Ants hair.

"It's ok Declan" Ant whispered.Even when he was in agony,he still worried about Dec,he really didn't want him to be upset about this "I'll be fine,I just need some painkillers"

"Where are they?" Dec asked while wiping his tear stained face with his hand "I'll get them for you"

"At home" Ant frowned "I forgot them"

That was exactly the problem.Unknown to Dec,Ant was loading up with painkillers before any live show to help him get through it,but this time he didn't have that option,he hadn't had time to go home and get them.

"It feels a bit better now" Ant announced as Dec helped him up and onto a nearby sofa.

"I didn't realise you were still taking painkillers?" Dec enquired.

"Oh I just mean ones anyone can buy in the chemist" Ant lied "you know,like Nurofen or something like that"

"Oh ok" Dec replied,totally accepting Ants explanation,he had no reason to think otherwise after all "I might have some in my dressing room,I'll be back in a minute"

Ant sat motionless on the sofa as he waited for Dec to return with the useless Nurofen.He needed something a hell of a lot stronger than that,but he couldn't let Dec know what he'd been up to.

He hated lying to Dec,but it was a necessary evil.Dec didn't need to know about any of this.Anyway,it wasn't like it was a problem or anything,Ant had the situation totally under control,or so he tried to convince himself.

"You need to go back to your doctor" Dec ordered as he watched Ant knock back the tablets he'd returned with "it's been ages since your operation,you shouldn't still be in pain like this"

Going back to the doctor was exactly what Ant was scared of though.Of course he'd been in pain when he first injured his knee,but the excruciating pain he'd suffered since the operation was a million times worse.

So he was reluctant to let any of these so called doctors touch him again,they were the ones who were supposed to fix it in the first place after all,instead they had left him in unbearable agony.Ant had no idea what they had done to him,but whatever it was,it was a total fuck up.

What if they screwed it up even more if he went back to them?if that was even possible.

'No way' Ant thought to himself 'those butchers aren't coming anywhere near me again' As long as he had his trusted medication,then he would be alright,he'd just better make sure he didn't ever forget it again.

"You sure you're ok now?" Dec asked concerned as Joe dropped them off outside Ants home.

"Yeah,I'm fine Decs" Ant smiled as he bid Dec goodbye with an affectionate hug "I'll see you tomorrow"

Dec was happy with Ants reply.He believed his friend when he said the Nurofen that Dec had supplied earlier had done the trick,although Dec still had worries about just how much pain Ant had been in when he had found him doubled up on his dressing room floor,that wasn't right,but Ant was stubborn and didn't like a fuss,so Dec knew he just had to believe Ant when he said everything was fine,although Dec had no idea about what Ant did the minute he got in his front door.

Luckily for Ant,Lisa was working late and before he'd barely said hello to his beloved pet,Ant was rummaging for his secret stash of dangerously strong painkillers,before passing out on the sofa in relief.

"You ok now?" Dec asked Ant the next day.

"Yeah,I'm absolutely fine Dec" Ant smiled "it's all good"

"And you'll see your doctor?" Dec urged.

"Yes I'll see my doctor if it happens again" Ant compromised.

No way would it happen again as far as Ant was concerned.From now on he would check and double check so there was no chance of anything like that ever recurring.He'd always make sure he had his trusted supply with him no matter what.

Other than Ants knee problems,things were going well.

Ant was amusing and delighting people in equal measures at his valiant attempt to grow a beard.It was no more than a bit of stubble by the time the Britain's Got Talent auditions came around,but it gave Simon Cowell and David Walliams plenty of opportunities to take the piss at Ants expense.

Dec also found the fans reaction to Ants facial fuzz highly amusing and relished the opportunity to read out messages on the subject from their joint Twitter and Instagram accounts.

'Ant is looking so hot with that beard' Dec read a tweet amused 'I wouldn't say no'

'Wow,look at Ant McPartlin' another exclaimed 'he's so sexy'

'Why does Ant with a beard make me go weak at the knees?' A further fan wrote.

"Alright Dec" Ant laughed,feeling slightly embarrassed "I get it,you can stop now"

"Aren't you Mister popular with your new look?" Dec grinned.

"Shut up" Ant laughed "it's only a bit of facial hair"

"Facial hair that has got the ladies swooning for you" Dec giggled.

"You're just jealous" Ant winked "I've seen your poor attempts at growing a beard,looks more like a bit of downy baby hair"

"Oh well" Dec shrugged "I'm not bothered,that's life"

As expected,they had also swept the board at that years National Television Awards as usual.Winning best presenters for the umpteenth time in a row,as well as Saturday Night Takeaway and I'm A Celebrity winning other categories.

The boys were then asked to present The Queens ninetieth birthday celebrations,which of course they were only too delighted to do.There would be no staying over with any of the royal family this time,so Ant didn't have to worry about making another fashion faux pas by coming face to face with any of them in his dressing gown,the thought of that still made him cringe.

Meanwhile,Even better than being a part of Her Majestys previous birthday celebrations was the fact that it had been announced that Ant and Dec would be awarded with OBEs the following January for their services to broadcasting and entertainment.

They couldn't believe it!As the day drew nearer,they got more and more nervous about exactly what the ceremony would entail.

Ant tried to keep Dec calm whenever it was mentioned,as he always did,but secretly Ant was just as nervous himself.It was a good few months yet until they would receive their OBEs,but that didn't stop Dec getting a bit flustered whenever he thought about it.

The time flew by and the special day finally arrived.

"How do I look?" Dec mumbled,as he stared at his reflection in the full length mirror of his bedroom on the morning of the ceremony.

"You look gorgeous baby" Ali smiled "now please relax will you?"

"I can't" Dec frowned "I'm so nervous"

"You don't need to be" Ali assured him "you're being given your OBE by Prince Charles,you already know him,you've even had a sleepover with him"

"Yeah,but this is different" Dec stated "it's very formal,pomp and ceremony and all that and there'll be a lot of people there watching me"

"You'll be fine" Ali smiled "it's going to be an amazing day,come on,let's see what your mum is up to"

People who were receiving honours at the investiture were allowed to take up to three people as guests to the ceremony,so of course Dec invited Anne.

She was absolutely over the moon.She could barely get her head around the fact that her son was going to Buckingham Palace to receive an OBE and she would get to be a part of it,to say she was proud would have been an understatement.

Dec didn't feel the need to invite a third person,Ali and Anne's presence was more than enough to keep him happy.

After all,who would he have invited?he had tons of friends and family members,but how could he choose just one friend?or one sibling?that would surely upset the others,although knowing Decs family,everyone would more than likely be delighted for whoever got to go rather than hold a grudge about missing out,but Dec wasn't willing to risk it,Ali and Anne would be his only guests.

Ant on the other hand made the most of the opportunity and invited Lisa,Christine and Sarha along.

The ceremony went off without a hitch,although Dec had got a little bit flustered in his excitement and forgot to bow to the Prince as he approached him,instead walking straight forward and holding out his hand for Prince Charles to shake.That definitely hadn't been in the protocol that they had been advised on several times before the event.

"Not yet" Prince charles whispered to Dec,although he saw the funny side and Dec quickly whipped his hand back and stood still to have his medal pinned on his lapel.After having a quick chat with the prince,he took a few steps back and bowed politely.

He then stood to one side as he watched Ant go through the same sequence.

"That was good wasn't it Decs?" Ant grinned as they posed outside for waiting photographers.

"Yeah,it was" Dec smiled "I messed up though,went to shake his hand instead of bowing"

"Yeah,I saw" Ant laughed "trust you to get it wrong"

"I was nervous" Dec smiled "Charlie boy didn't care though,we're mates,me and him"

"Oh yeah?" Ant grinned,as they were joined by Lisa,Anne and Ali for more photographs "got his number in your phone have ya?"

"Might have" Dec giggled as the press moved on to the next recipient who were proudly displaying their medals.

"I'm so proud of you" Anne told Dec later as they celebrated in a fancy restaurant "I can't believe it,my baby an Order Of The British Empire"

"I know Mam" Dec grinned "I can hardly believe it myself"

"It's amazing" Anne smiled "who'd have thought that day you auditioned for Byker Grove would have lead to this?oh sweetheart,I'm absolutely over the moon"

"Thanks Mam" Dec laughed as the adoring mother pulled him closer to kiss his cheek as he attempted to chew a mouthful of succulent steak "but you can stop gushing now,I'd quite like to be able to eat my food"

"You do that Decky" Anne smiled "but thank you for inviting me"

"It was my pleasure" Dec replied happily,before Anne turned her attention to Ant.

"I'm proud of you too Ant" Anne said "and I know your Mam and sarha are too,you've both done so well"

"And us wives are proud of them too" Lisa joined in.

"Ok ok" Ant laughed "we get it,you're all proud of us,now can we move on please?"

As usual that years Britain's Got Talent that was now underway,was a huge success.There was a lot of laughter and a few tears at the auditions,but probably the most amusing event of that years series was when a lady attempted to do doggy yoga,which she had nicknamed Doga,with hers,the judges and Ant and Decs dogs.

As unpredictable as animals often were,this occasion was no different.

"Have you seen the size of him?" Ant laughed when the woman instructed them to pick up their dogs and lay them on their stomachs while sitting on the floor.

Hurley definitely wasn't a tiny puppy that Ant could scoop into his arms and cuddle anymore.He was a big cuddly bear of a dog.

"I think we'll just sit this one out" Ant grinned.

"Oh no" Ant muttered to Dec as Hurley wandered around the stage "did he just wee?"

"I think he did" Dec laughed.

Soon the whole auditions had descended into chaos,where the dogs did exactly what they wanted,sniffing curiously around the stage,without the slightest bit of interest in the Doga.

Of course what was being played out in front of them was an absolute delight to the audience,culminating on one little dog relieving himself in David's shoe.

"He's wee'd in your shoe" Dec laughed raucously as he held Rocky in his arms "he's wee'd in your shoe"

"I think we need a mop" judge Alesha Dixon announced.

"What a brilliant day that was" Dec giggled as he,Dec,Rocky and Hurley were driven home that evening "don't think I've never laughed so much as when all those dogs were on stage"

"At least Rocky didn't embarrass you" Ant pointed out,as he scratched Hurleys head "eh boy?"

"Was bloody funny though" Dec giggled "don't you think?"

"Yeah,it was" Ant agreed "and at least no one took a piss in my shoes"

"Well" Dec joked "I hate to break it to you,but I got caught short earlier"

"You fool" Ant laughed.

It really had been a great day,but Dec was more than ready to call it a night,Ant on the other hand knew he had a night ahead of tossing and turning,pacing the floor and not being able to sleep due to his newly present insomnia.

He had been sleeping on the sofa downstairs for a while now due to his knee pain making it incredibly difficult for him to climb the stairs.

Dec knew nothing of this.Life was great but hectic as far as Dec was concerned and an amazing opportunity had arisen where ITV were to make a programme where the boys traced their family tree called 'Ant and Decs DNA journey'

They were keen to get stuck in and before they knew it,they were discovering they had relatives in Ireland and America that they never knew existed.

It was proving to be an incredible and emotional experience and Ant and Dec managed to get a fair bit of filming in before it had to be put on hold,initially because of other commitments,although no one could have imagined just how long it would take them to get back to the project and complete the DNA journey due to circumstances nobody could ever have foreseen.

Ant was still managing to struggle through his every day life though,but he could hardly hide things from his wife and and his increasingly bad moods when he was at home caused many serious arguments between them.

Ant was fed up.

Lisa was fed up.

But neither of them saw a solution as Ant was refusing to see a doctor and his growing dependence on whatever tablets he was downing more and more often,hadn't gone unnoticed by his wife.

Ant was still telling himself he was fine and managing things very well,he didn't need anyone fussing over him.

That was until one day when everything came to a head!