I was talking to a friend on this site about Taylor and I started wondering what would have happened if she'd met Ethan instead of Cal. The idea became a story - and here is the first chapter. I really hope you enjoy it. I'm sorry for writing another story where Cal is ill, but he was hungover in the episode and I needed to get him out of the way somehow.

Ethan couldn't stop himself from grimacing when he saw the state of his brother. Cal looked pale with dark shadows under his eyes and he winced with every step, one hand moving involuntarily to his head as if that might do something to ease the pain.

"So, you did eventually get here then," said Ethan. "Only thirty minutes late. Well, you're twenty minutes earlier than you were last time this happened. I suppose I should really be congratulating you."

Cal made a pained face and leaned against the wall. "Don't be like that, Nibbles. I'm getting more than enough grief from my head and my stomach."

"It's hardly my fault you spent the whole night drinking and then woke up God knows where," said Ethan unsympathetically.

"I woke up in a hotel, if you're interested," said Cal. "On the other side of the city. With no clothes on. The girl was still passed out on the floor when I woke up so I had no idea where I was. I had to ask the hotel receptionist."

"I hope you'd found some clothes by then."

"I found most of my clothes – everything except my boxers and one of my socks - but it was embarrassing," said Cal with feeling. "And now I feel like I'm going to die."

"Well, that's not my fault!" said Ethan.

"Maybe it is, you know," said Cal as he massaged his forehead. "There obviously wasn't anything to keep me at home."

Ethan sighed. "Don't try to pin this on me, Caleb. I've already had Mrs Beauchamp suggesting I should keep you under better control. I don't need you going on at me too."

Cal closed his eyes. "Why does this place always have to be so white and bright? We get so many drunks in here and a lot of patients are photophobic. So it would make sense to have the lights a bit dimmer."

"Perhaps it's so we can see what we're doing and not kill the patients," said Ethan. Pointedly, he added: "Or our colleagues."

Cal spoke without opening his eyes. "Can I go now or are you going to give me another lecture on Responsible Drinking?"

"I might if I thought it would do any good," said Ethan.

"Well, I wouldn't want you to waste your breath," said Cal, and just about managed an infuriating smile.

But then something happened to wipe the smile off Cal's face. He went even paler, clutched at his stomach and ran for the loo.

Ethan was quite tempted to go off and leave him to it, but the annoying feelings of responsibility were rising to the surface and he knew he couldn't leave without checking that Cal was all right.

He sighed and walked to the loos. There were no vomiting sounds when he arrived, but the groans coming from one of the cubicles told him that Cal wasn't feeling any better.

"Caleb?" said Ethan.

"Ethan?" Cal's voice was almost a whine. "I threw up."

"I'm not surprised," said Ethan, but his heart melted slightly when Cal moaned again. He pushed at the cubicle door and discovered Cal hadn't locked it.

"Ouch," said Cal as the door hit him.

"Move out of the way then, so I can come in," said Ethan.

There was another groan as Cal managed to move enough for Ethan to get through the door. He crouched down beside his brother and sighed. Cal did look terrible.

He rested his head against Ethan's shoulder and whimpered. "I want to go home, Ethan."

"I think you'd better," said Ethan. "You're not in any state to work today." He tried his best to keep the annoyance from his voice. He didn't want to lie for Cal, but neither did he want everyone to know that his brother was a stupid drunken idiot – though most of them knew that already. "I'll just let Zoe know you're not well, then I'll drive you home."

Cal lifted bloodshot eyes to Ethan's. "You're not going to tell her the truth, are you?"

"I'll tell her you've got a stomach upset," said Ethan.

"Thanks, little brother," said Cal.

"Oh, I'm not just doing it for your sake," said Ethan, and went off in search of Zoe. "I'm very sorry, Dr Hanna, but Cal isn't very well. He's just thrown up and he doesn't look too good. Would you mind if I took him home? I'll come straight back."

Zoe looked far from happy. "Throwing up, is he? I wonder what caused that."

"He went out to dinner last night so it could be that," said Ethan.

Zoe gave Ethan a knowing look. "Was he out for breakfast too?"

Ethan rather doubted Cal had been in any condition to want breakfast, but he felt his cheeks flushing as he realised Zoe had guessed the truth. "I'm sorry, Dr Hanna."

"I told you, Ethan. It's 'Zoe'," said Zoe with a hint of impatience. "And it's not your fault so there's no need for you to apologise."

Ethan opened his mouth to apologise again but caught Zoe's eye and thought better of it.

Zoe sighed. "Oh, all right. If he can't work, then he can't work. Take him home if you must, but please come back as quickly as you can."

"Yes, Dr Ha… I mean Zoe," said Ethan. "I'm sor… um, I mean, I'm sure he'll be better by tomorrow."

"I hope he is or he'll have more to worry about tomorrow than a stomach upset," said Zoe, and Ethan quaked in his shoes on Cal's behalf.

Ethan got Cal settled in bed with a bucket, some water, lots of painkillers and a couple of slices of toast. "I know you probably don't feel like eating, but you might feel better if you do. Is there anything else you need?"

"Can you shoot me?" said Cal hopefully.

"No. I'm not in the mood to be generous."

Cal sighed. "Don't be like that, Ethan. I'm ill."

"And whose fault is that?" said Ethan.

Cal put his hands over his face and didn't answer.

Ethan felt a stab of guilt and touched his arm. "Don't worry, Cal. I'm sure you'll feel better soon. But maybe you should stay in tonight?"

"I don't think I'm ever going out again!" groaned Cal.

Ethan parked his car and hurried back into the ED, hoping no-one other than Zoe had noticed his absence. He passed reception and noticed a girl with long, blonde hair bending over and gasping for breath. Ethan quickly went to her side. "Are you all right?"

The girl turned to face him. She was holding her chest and wheezing.

"It's okay," said Ethan. "Try to keep calm. Can you breathe through your nose for me? That's right. Keep doing that. Does your chest hurt?"

"I've been having… chest pains… since yesterday," the girl said breathlessly. She leaned over again, her breaths quickening, and Ethan held her arm.

"It's okay. Just keep breathing with me. I'm Dr Hardy, by the way."

"I'm Taylor… Ashbie."

She was still struggling to breathe and seemed distressed. Ethan didn't feel comfortable with telling her to sit down and wait her turn. He wasn't sure if she'd been triaged, but he felt she needed to be seen quickly. "Come with me, Miss Ashbie," he said.

"What makes you so sure… I'm a Miss Ashbie?" she asked between breaths as he guided her towards a cubicle.

"Well, I don't actually… I'm very sorry if I've offended you, Mrs Ashbie," said Ethan.

The woman smiled. Her breathing seemed to be slowing. She removed her hand from her chest. "No, you were right… the first time…I'm a Miss… Please… call me Taylor."

"I'm Ethan," said Ethan. They reached a cubicle. "Dr Hanna, I mean Zoe, I mean Dr Hanna, this is Taylor Ashbie. She's suffering from breathlessness and chest pains."

Zoe smiled. "Hello, I'm Dr Hanna: I'm one of the consultants. Come and lie down and I'll see what I can do for you. Thank you, Ethan."

Ethan smiled, walked away, and went to find his next patient.

He thought briefly and vaguely that Taylor seemed like a nice girl. Then he dismissed her from his mind. She wasn't his concern or his patient and he didn't expect to see her again.