Cal had been feeling rough all day, he hadn't dare ask if he could finish his shift early, especially after seeing Tess's rant about staffing earlier on. Plus he wanted to see the new-year in with his colleagues although he promised himself he'd be going home to bed straight after midnight.
He'd gone to the pub, walking beside Max thankful that once he entered the pub it was warm and the lights were dull. He'd gone to the bar and order himself a drink before taking a seat at one of the tables in the corner. It wasn't long before Lofty and Max joined him, drinks in hand.
"Where's Ethan then? He not coming out?" Lofty asked.
Cal chuckled "Ethan doesn't really like new years parties, it's not his style."
"Robyn is on her way, she just text." Max informed them. "She's finished her homeless thing now."
"Should be here soon then. Best get her a drink in." Lofty spoke going to the bar.
Max smirked looking at Cal as the doctor sipped his drink. "You look like…"
"Death warmed up? I know." Cal finished his sentence. "I've been told numerous times today. I feel it too."
"You, ill on the biggest party night of the year? Unheard of." Max joked.
"Tell me about it. I'm normally ill new years day. With a hangover." Cal smiled.
Lofty soon came back and he'd only just sat down as Robyn walked through the door and came straight over to the group. Sitting herself between her brother and best friend and facing Cal.
"That is the last time I am doing that. Rather be in the ED. Running around the streets at night on new years eve." Robyn told them.
The four chatted for a while and laughed as Lofty played the video he had made to the whole club.
"What was everyone doing this time last year then?" Robyn started.
"High and drunk in my mates house playing crap music." Max laughed slightly.
"High?" Robyn questioned and slapped his arm.
"It was a year ago, you can't tell me off for it now!" Max smirked. "Where were you?"
"I was at home, with our family." Robyn told him. "Probably where you should have been." She told him and he just shrugged playfully and took a drink.
"Lofty? Where were you?" Max quickly passed the topic on.
"I was in a shelter with a few people I had met here and there. Was just us sleeping on the streets. Didn't really do much except hide from the rain." Lofty explained. "It was good though."
"You've came a long way in a year then." Cal finally spoke.
"I have. Thanks to Robyn here." He smiled to Robyn thankfully to which she just smiled back and put her hand on his leg. "What about you then?"
"I was in Spain, booking a flight to come back here." He told them. "It was when my Mum was really ill and Ethan wanted me there for when the inevitable happened."
"She's been gone nearly a year now then hasn't she?" Lofty spoke without thinking. "Sorry… sorry thinking out loud." He added when he realised Robyn giving him 'the eyes'.
Cal laughed. "Yeah, almost a year. But also almost a year since I started at the ED. Never kept a job that long before. I'm normally jumping from place to place."
"So, Max has gained a little bit more self-respect, Lofty has got back on his feet, Cal has grown up and I've qualified as a nurse. A lot happens in a year." Robyn smiled to which the others nodded in agreement.
"Right Lofty's round!" Max piped up, the effects of the alcohol was slowly getting to him now.
Lofty stood up. "Same again?" he asked and everyone but Cal nodded. "Cal?" He asked the doctor who shook his head gesturing to the pint he'd been sat nursing all night still half full. Lofty nodded and went off to get another round.
Robyn smiled at Cal and moved to sit closer to him. "What's wrong? She asked. "Is it what Lofty said about your Mum?" She asked drunkenly. "Because she would have been proud of you!"
"I'm fine Robyn." Cal smiled. "Just not feeling 100% that's all."
Robyn smiled and nodded at him as the pub suddenly began to count down from 10. She grabbed Cal by the wrist and pulled him up to the floor where everyone had gathered for the count down. Swiftly followed by Max and Lofty who had dumped the tray of drinks on their table before rushing over.
The sudden movement had made Cal's head spin and stomach flip.
"5…4…3…2…1… Happy New Year!" Everyone called out and began hugging and kissing one another before everyone joined hands and began to sing Auld lang syne.
It was at this point Cal took a step back. He left his body rush cold then hot again and his mouth being to water as he pace the back of his hand over his mouth swallowing hard.
Charlie was the only one to really notice him as everyone was still laughing and singing. He went straight to the young doctor and stood behind him turning him towards the men's toilets and giving him a gently push to tell him to go in.
Cal was thankful to the guidance as he seemed to lose all capacity to figure out where he actually was. He got to the toilets and instantly crouched in a cubicle before throwing up the contents of his stomach groaning slightly as it only worsened his headache. He paused for a few minutes catching his breath before he get to his feet and flushed to toilet the headed to the sinks just as Charlie came in.
"Are you ok? You looked like you were about to throw up out there." He asked.
"I'm fine yeah, it's that virus. I just need to go home." Cal spoke and splashed his face with water.
"I'll book you a cab." Charlie smiled.
"No, no I'll walk it's not far." Cal shook his head instantly regretting the action and wincing.
"If you're sure…" Charlie spoke. "I'll tell Connie not to expect you in tomorrow."
"Thank you Charlie." Cal nodded before he slowly left the toilets and eventually the pub thankful or the cool air outside against his feverish body.
He made his way slowly back to the flat. He sped up slightly as he reached the drive as his stomach made itself known again. He fumbled with his keys as he let himself in and rushed straight through to the downstairs toilet when he began the retch into the bowl, with nothing left to bring up it was causing him a lot of pain.
"Cal!" Ethan spoke from the door. "I told you not to come back drunk. In fact I repeatedly reminded you of the fact that if you did it would be your last night here!"
Cal closed his eyes and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before looking at Ethan and flushing the toilet. "I'm not drunk." He mumbled and washed his face yet again.
"So what's this then?" Ethan asked not believing him.
"I believe it's called a stomach virus." Cal told him annoyed at his brother for having a go at him when he wasn't in the mood. "I had half a pint at the pub and that came right back up too. Now I'm going to bed."
With that Cal headed up stairs, Ethan watched him noticing that he was walking steady and his speech was fine if a little husky. He was quite pale and sweaty and looked exhausted. To be fair Ethan knew that if Cal was out getting drunk for new-year he wouldn't have been back by half past midnight. That much was obvious.
Not long after Cal had got into bed Ethan knocked on his door with a glass of water. "How are you feeling?" He asked going in and placing the glass on the side table.
"Like crap." Cal muttered. "Thanks." He spoke and picked the glass up sipping it gently.
"Sorry I had a go, I thought you'd came back drunk. Didn't know you were ill. How long you been like this?" Ethan asked.
"It's fine. All shift, I've been told multiple times I look like death." Cal smiled a little. "It's just a virus, it will pass."
"Yeah. Do you need anything." Ethan asked.
"I'm alright for now I'm just happy I'm finally in bed." He smiled. "You're being nice all of a sudden. I don't normally get any of your charming bedside manner." He joked.
Ethan laughed a little a shrugged. "Yeah well. It's the first new-year in a long time that I've been home alone. The past couple were in hospital."
Cal nodded knowingly. "I have thought of her tonight…"
"I don't doubt it." Ethan smiled.
"Robyn was asking everyone what they were doing this time last year." He told him. "I told her I was in Spain planning to come back and see Mum."
"Yeah, a lot has changed in a year." Ethan smiled sadly.
"Yes, but most of it has been good." Cal told him.
"But it's the sad things that stick. Mum and Jeff." Ethan sighed. "I wish she was still here."
"Me too. But she'd be proud of us, even Robyn said so." Cal smiled. "Cheer up, it's new-year."
"Says the one laying there pale as a ghost sober on new-year." Ethan smirked.
"Oh you just wait. When I'm better I'll soon make up for it. We'll both go for a drink, drink away the last year and to a new one." Cal smiled.
"Let's hope it's a better one." Ethan looked at him.
"It will be." He promised.
Ok that's just a random drabbled. I got bored and have a thing for a sick fic. If anyone else is looking for ideas, alternatives to this weeks episode would be a good one since there were snippets of Cal and no Ethan! Much love! J x
PS: If you look in the forum section at the top of the Casualty fanfic page I have started a treat where we can talk about Cal and Ethan. Anything related to them at all from whats going on in the show, to what Richard and George are up to and storyline ideas! Anything!
Another thing I wanted to ask is that if anyone reading this does Facebook Casualty roleplay? (People who haven't came across that won't really know what it is.) I'm looking for someone to be Ethan on there because there isn't any there that I can find. If you're interested or just want to add me on there drop me a pm or a review J J x