"Although Dr Ashford's behaviour was inappropriate, you over stepped your place Dr Chao and not for the first time. After due consideration we have decided to issue you both with formal written warnings. Do you either have anything to say?"

"No"

Somehow Lily gulped a quiet "No", before tears overtook her. Quickly she stood, leaving the anonymous room as silently as she had entered. Stumbling, unable to see through the tears already forming in her eyes, she attempted to walk somewhere private to clear her mind.

"Sorry, sorry. Lily! Lily?", asked the concerned voice of the blue clothed figure in front of her.

"Ethan?", she gulped.

"Lily, are you okay? Stupid question, of course you're not. What happened?" Ethan mumbled his words awkwardly.

"It's okay, it's okay..." This in answer to the gulping hiccups which started from her throat. Gently Ethan guided Lily to a chair, where he allowed her to cry away her tears on his shoulder. The gulping hiccups slowly faded, leaving instead the most heart-wrenching weeping Ethan had ever heard.

"Lily, Lily, it's okay. Shush. Lily..." He murmured into her hair as she continued to cry on his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the now familiar grey scrubs of his brother, Caleb.

"What?" He mouthed over Lily's head.

"Hug her." Caleb mouthed back.

"What?"

"Hug her." Carefully, Ethan slid his arms around Lily's shaking shoulders, holding her gently. Slowly he tightened his grip until he was holding her close to him. Over Lily's head Caleb gave him a thumbs up but Ethan didn't notice, too absorbed in wiping away Lily's tears.

"It's fine Lily. Shush, shush. It's okay, it's alright. Shush. Don't cry, everything's alright."

"N-n-n-no it's not. It's not alright. It's all my fault", she whispered. "What's all your fault Lily?"

"The hearing, the warnings, everything."

"None of that's your fault. But what warnings?", Ethan asked quietly. Lily replied slowly, tears still running down her face,

"The trust has issued formal warnings to myself and Dr Ashford and it's all my fault."

"Dr Lily Chao", Ethan whispered, "None of that is your responsibility." Sitting up, Lily replied quickly,

"But it is; the trust blames me for over stepping the mark and aggravating Dr Ashford. So it is all my fault."

"Lily, look at me", Ethan said, gently turning her face with his hand. "You lodged a fair complaint about verbal abuse. Maybe you've overstepped the mark before but everybody makes mistakes. You can't keep blaming yourself; you need to move on."

"But what if it wasn't a fair complaint?" Lily asked, turning her head away from Ethan.

"Lily?"

"I lodged the complaint because I was angry"

"Of course you were! He was rude and unnecessarily harsh.", interjected Ethan.

"Maybe but it wasn't just that. I was confused. Very confused. I couldn't understand my emotions. I-I was... Sorta..."

"You were sorta what?", Ethan asked carefully.

"I was sorta in love with him", Lily barely whispered, "I didn't know what to do."

"So you filed a complaint? Lily, isn't that a bit...?"

"Much. Yes. But once I'd filed it, I felt I had to go through with it and now...", she trailed off, tears threatening to once more spill down her cheeks.

"Lily, don't cry. Lily, please. It's not your fault."

"But it is. And now everyone'll hate me even more."

"Lily, no one hates you, I swear. No one even knows."

"Don't lie: nobody likes me. And anyway Dr Ashford'll tell them what I did."

"Tell them what? He told you she had died? Lily, no one will find out. I promise, no one will hate you." Ethan's words were to no avail as tears began again to fall down her checks. As a last resort, he thought of what Caleb would do. Haltingly, he lifted her bowed head upward and gently touched his lips to hers. Lily's eyes snapped open and stared as Ethan broke the connection.

"Ethan?"

"I-i-i-i-i'm sorry. I've, I've got to go. Sorry Lily." Hastily Ethan leapt to his feet and dashed back to Resus. Just as he turned the corner, he glimpsed back at Lily. Someone, Dr Ashford, was talking to her and she was smiling?

"Idiot, stupid, f-ing idiot. Oh yeah just kiss her, after she basically tells you she's in love with Dr Ashford.", he muttered to himself.

"Oh sorry, wasn't watching. Caleb? Where's Zoë?"

"Look mate, Dr Hanna asked me to help her out in Resus. Boss' orders. So you and Lily? Nibbles and the ice princess?"

"Just shut up Caleb!", Ethan spat.

So yeah...

This is my first fanfic so help/criticism is much appreciated.

The title: good, bad, awful? Any better ideas PM me!

If you think this is out of character for Lily, re-watch the end of episode 29 and the Xmas party

P.S. I DONT OWN CASUALTY! If i did there would no blood/guts/gore!