Ok guys I have no idea what the writers on Casualty think they are doing to us I mean an almost hug it worse than no hug ;-). Loved the episode though so glad Ethan is ok.

Sorry haven had time to review all of your brilliant stories but I have read them and enjoyed them and I will hopefully get chance to leave some reviews later this week.

Hope you enjoy this

The longest Day

"Needle stick…. From Charlie's son"

Those five words were all it took for Cal's world to tilt, while Lily took off to book Ethan in as a patient and Ethan continued rinsing his hand squeezing the blood out of it Cal shook himself out of the shock.

He looked at Ethan who he could see was barely holding it together before muttering "right"

He turned on his heel marching into recus he could hear Ethan calling his name he didn't know what he was going to do when he faced Louis all he knew was he was angry

Tess approached him and Connie told him to get out but it was neither of those things that stopped him from doing whatever it was he was going to do instead he heard their mothers voice telling him that Ethan needed him the anger left as quickly as it had appeared and he turned on his heel searching for his little brother who he found in the staff room

Ethan turned to him "I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing"

Cal nodded and calmed his breathing before speaking in a calming voice "You don't need to be doing anything, what do you want to do?"

Ethan looked at him helplessly before shrugging his shoulders Cal slung an arm around his shoulder "how about we go for a walk maybe grab a coffee"

Ethan shook his head "no I need to work, I need to take my mind off it until we get the results back"

Cal watched has his little brother walk out and go back to work.

The next 2 hours were the longest either brother had ever worked through, Cal kept a close eye on Ethan and, when he saw him leave the ED department he followed him not surprised to see him sitting on Jeff's bench

He took a seat beside him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder he looked up when he heard Ethan speak in a broken voice

"It's not a death sentence anymore, we're doctors we know this"

Cal nodded as Ethan continued "Then why does it feel like my life has ended"

Cal signed turning so he was facing Ethan "It's the shock, we don't know anything yet let's not get OTT, we need to keep our heads until we know ok?"

He slung an arm around his brother and pulled him in for hug, Ethan shrugged him off looking at him before speaking

"If I'm going to keep my head I can't do this, not yet, I can't fall apart now"

Cal sighed but followed Ethan back into the ED department

It was a few hours later and Cal noticed the faraway look on Ethan's face he went over to him

"How you holding up?"

Ethan gave a fake smile that would fool most but not Cal before answering "Never better"

Cal nodded portraying with his eyes what he wanted to say that when Ethan was ready he would be there for him

He jumped slightly as Connie came up behind him and moved around the counter to be next to Ethan offering what little support Ethan would allow

Connie got straight to the point not wanting to drag it out "your fine, you'll still need to take the necessary precautions"

Cal let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holing and Ethan felt every muscle in his body relax as he stuttered

"rrreally?"

Connie nodded and walked off as Cal put an arm around Ethan and said "come here mate" before pulling him in for a hug

Ethan shrugged out of the almost hug "let's not get OTT" Cal laughed settling for leaving his hand on Ethan's shoulder

Ethan gave a shaky smile watching as Cal walked over to the cubicle Louis and Charlie were

Cal took a deep breath before speaking "I was just wandering Louis, whether you have told your father where you got the money from for your fix"

Cal turned around noticing Ethan looking at honey he smiled to himself hoping that maybe this brush with death would make Ethan Live a little and maybe give him the push he needed to ask Honey out

At the end of their shift Cal watched from afar as Ethan told Lily that they were just friends Cal smiled as he watched Lily storm off he went up to Ethan slinging an arm around him

"You and me let's go get hammered no excuses"

Ethan let himself be led away and soon found himself in a pub having drinks brought for him by what seemed like the entire hospital

Cal had decided not to drink when he saw the amount Ethan was knocking back he wasn't surprised when 2 hours later Max pulled him outside and told him he needed to take Ethan home

Cal looked over to where Max was pointing and saw Ethan barely holding it together sat in between Lofty and Honey Cal thanked Max before heading over to the bench

"hey guys, you can go in now I can take it from here" he smiled as Ethan tried to smile at him but instead Cal saw Tears glisten his eyes, he noticed that Honey also saw this and was grateful when she hurried Lofty and Max inside leaving Cal and Ethan alone

Cal knelt down in front of Ethan speaking carefully "you want to re think the no hugging rule about now Eth?"

Ethan nodded pitching forward with a sob into Cal's arms Cal brought his arms tightly around him before speaking softly "sssh is ok, it' been a long and tough day, but it's over now, I got you"

Cal continued to hold Ethan until he felt him pull away he gently released him before looking into his eyes and asking "feeling better?"

Ethan nodded feeling his face flush slightly and Cal reading the shame on his brother's face was quick to put him at ease

"Hey, it's ok, like I said it's been a tough day, I needed that just as much as you, and it's ok to feel this Ethan, it's ok to get angry or upset"

Ethan nodded his head felt dizzy from the amount of alcohol he had consumed he suddenly looked at Cal before speaking "how do you do it, how do you let go of your emotions so quickly, you wanted to kill Louis earlier I saw you and then you just calmed down and spoke to him"

Cal laughed "Ethan I was still ready to kill him, he put your life in danger but I figured you needed me by your side not in prison regardless of the result, and once we had them relief over powered my anger, Ethan I am what you would call a hot head I act before I think you on the other hand tend to over think things which brings us to our current position"

Ethan timidly spoke up "I wish I was more like you"

Ethan tried to continue but Cal interrupted "no you don't Ethan, you are a better person than I will ever be and it's supposed to be that way, I'm the idiot older brother who acts first and thinks later, who will always wade in feet first to protect his little brother, you Ethan are exactly who you need to be don't ever change and don't ever wish to be someone else"

Ethan coughed making Cal look up at him as it sounded like a sob confused Cal raised an eyebrow in a silent question which Ethan answered

"you're not an idiot, you're an over protective big brother and I have never been so glad of that than today, you were there for me and I would never have made it through today it you weren't, I know you think you didn't do much but just being there meant everything to me"

Cal nodded and could see Ethan was getting upset and spoke hoping to fend off another meltdown "well now I need a hug" it had the desired effect and Ethan pulled him in for a hug before pulling away and asking "hey how come you not drunk you said WE would be getting hammered"

Cal smiled "yeah well I have I have precious cargo to get back home in one peace so decided to pass, speaking of shall we make a move maybe get a take away?"

Ethan laughed and nodded before adding "maybe we can watch Die hard when we get in"

Cal stopped dead in his tracks turning so quickly he scared Ethan who asked timidly "what's wrong"

Cal placed a hand on Ethan's head before speaking in a joking tone "maybe we should redo that test because you are definitely ill if you want to watch die hard although what you have against those films is beyond me"

Ethan laughed gently punching Cal in the arm before answering "no point in watching a hero on TV when you have your own right in front you"

Culled huffed something about over emotional little brothers and drink didn't mix before pulling Ethan in for a hug and he definitely without a doubt did not shed a little tear nope definitely not, after all he was a hero

The end

Hope enjoyed guys, I was going to update Le Femme Fatale tonight but I seem to have a little writers block on that one at the moment so I figured I'd write this In the hope that it would get my creative juices flowing again. Hope you enjoyed. As always I would love to hear what you think

C xx