The real dad
A\N I blame my friend Charlotte for this and since Cal is not Matilda's dad I thought I'm going to write it down.
"I'm not Matilda's father," Caleb uttered quietly, this was his worst nightmare. He could just imagine who her real father was, some junkie, or a criminal or worse.
Ethan picked up the sheet and examined it more carefully than his brother had. He sighed, he had known all along and he could not feel worse for his brother. The pair sat in uncomfortable silence for around ten minutes. Suddenly, and unexpectedly something clicked within Ethan's mind and he spoke up.
"Cal, we established that Taylor would do anything to stay out of prison right?" Ethan spoke quietly.
"Yes Ethan but right now I really could not care less." Cal sighed at his brother's endlessly curious mind. Ethan knew that his brother was in pain but he had to do this, for Matilda.
"Well what if Matilda isn't even hers? For example what if she stole the Matilda? I mean think about it Cal. It is plausible right?" Ethan babbled.
"You really aren't helping Ethan." Cal sighed again, Ethan really did lack social skills and it was a problem. Ethan just hoped Cal didn't read the sheet in more detail the way he had. It would crush Caleb and Ethan could not let that happen, he just could not.
"I'm going to get coffee." Ethan stated plainly stuffing the piece of paper into his pocket. Caleb did not reply he just continued to gaze at Matilda who was sleeping peacefully. Ethan sighed and left silently through the door. Ethan rubbed his eyes, this was insane. They had spent so much money; Cal had spent so much money and now, now this. Ethan had told his brother to do this straight away but had Cal listened, of course not. Ethan turned to actually go get the coffee which he hadn't planned on doing but thought maybe he should just get it to avoid suspicion, when he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Is, is she okay?" Taylor's voice rang in his ears.
"She's better than Cal let's just go with that." Ethan said as usual trying to get away from any social situation particularly one involving Caleb's ex-girlfriends.
"And is she his?" Taylor asked
"No but then again, you already knew that. So did I. I have to go now, I'm at work." Ethan spoke turning on his heels and walking away. Ethan walked down the corridor which seemed endless. When he reached the ED everyone was asking how Matilda was and it was driving him insane, the fact he knew everything but couldn't say anything was ripping him inside out. He had never been more thankful for Charlie.
Charlie carefully lead Ethan to the staff room and sat him down. He walked over to the kettle and poured Ethan a cup of tea. Putting the tea bag in the bin, Charlie looked over at the younger man.
"Not how you expected to spend your birthday hey?" He said sympathetically.
"Matilda being sick, I can deal with, Caleb being Caleb, I can deal with Taylor lurking around every corner I can deal with. What I can't deal with is that paternity test. I can't change that can I Charlie? What it says is fact." Ethan muttered tears running down his face.
"Well of course you can't Ethan, you can't change what Taylor did..." Charlie saw the look on the younger man's face and knew that this wasn't helping him.
"Listen Ethan, I know that you are probably the strongest person I have ever met Ethan. God I imagine all sorts could have happened to you and I'd never know. I know you always spend all your time looking out for Cal and I know that he never acknowledges that Ethan but he doesn't always need you. Today, Ethan, he has never needed you more." Charlie said rubbing Ethan's shoulder.
"I can't face him Charlie," Ethan muttered bringing his knees up to his chest.
"Why not Ethan?" Charlie asked concern etched onto his face.
"Because I should never have agreed to keep it from him." Ethan spoke quietly with care.
"Keep what from him Ethan? I'm sure if you told him he'd understand." Charlie replied, he was becoming concerned for the young doctor especially as he'd winced at the last part.
"If I told him now, he'd be so mad at me for not telling him sooner I think he might kill me. I wouldn't blame him if he did. I shouldn't have kept it from him. I shouldn't have." Ethan said becoming increasingly tense as he went along.
"Ethan, I might be able to help, what did you keep from him?" Charlie asked kindly. Ethan sighed and handed over the paternity test.
"Ethan do you, do you know who the real father is? Because I'm sure whoever it is would want to know." Charlie spoke carefully not wanting to offend the young doctor.
"Keep reading Charlie." Ethan stated plainly.
Charlie continued to read and soon had read the whole thing. He shook his head in confusion and read it again. He repeated this action several times until he was sure he had read correctly.
"She-"Charlie started but he was cut off.
"Yes, she is." Ethan stated tears of fear rising in his eyes. *stupid idiot boy, stupid idiot boy* Ethan's dads words ran through his head like race horses at Epsom. Charlie's hand sat reassuringly on his shoulder. Ethan gave up; the tears ran endlessly down his face, fast and unstoppable. He thought of his brother and the pain he had caused him and knew that all of his could avoided. He shouldn't have hidden it from his brother, he shouldn't have agreed to be the check against family member, used to check no fraud was happening, because now there were seven words that changed everything.
Ethan Hardy is the child's biological father.
A/N Quick clear up I do not believe this to be true however I do feel it makes a good story so I wrote it down. Also some facts, in this story Matilda's conception would be in January not long before Cal and Taylor got together. No one tell me this was out of character for Ethan, he doesn't have a character. Anyway hope you enjoyed.