CHAPTER TWO

A/N Thanks for the lovely reviews. T/W: Mention of steroids and recreational drugs. I hope the ending isn't too unpleasant to this chapter, as I've tried to write it as tactfully as possible.

When Connie had recovered from her shock, she sat down and thought the situation through slowly and as calmly as she could. Then she remembered something that had happened a few months ago.

Things had been a little better in the staff room, at least for Ethan. Lofty had brought in a box of doughnuts to share – Krispy Kreems too! – and Ethan took some comfort in feeling the glorious taste of fat and sugar combined.

"It'd be great if we could all go on a girls' night out sometime" Robyn beamed.

"Yeah, we could go and see some male strippers" smirked Alicia. Ethan wanted to punch her and felt guilty because he'd been brought up never to strike a lady. Or, for that matter, Alicia.

Then he remembered he was a girl. Oh boy.

"Nice idea!" he beamed, punching Alicia hard on the shoulder as if in agreement.

"Ow! Are you on steroids or something?" Alicia snapped, rubbing her shoulder.

Cal's glare reminded Ethan of his gaffe. He'd officially only been working in the ED for less than a day, and had already upset a member of staff.

Personally Cal and Ethan thought that going to see a load of men taking off their clothes would be the most boring night out ever.

Suddenly Ethan's doughnut didn't taste as nice. He took a swig of tea, grimaced – ED tea was hardly Earl Grey, and was almost relieved when Connie stalked in, saying:

"You two agency nurses. My office, now!"

"Bet they're fired already" gloated Alicia.

"I think they're okay" Lofty commented mildly.

"I want complete honesty here."

Cal and Ethan looked sheepishly at Connie and explained, even though they thought there could only be two outcomes. She thought they were taking the pee and was going to disclipline them, or she might suspect they had been taking illegal substances and was going to investigate further.

"What did this woman look like?"

Ethan, whose powers of observation were usually sharper than those of his brother in the case of older women, answered:

"Stringy red-grey hair, as if she'd been trying to dye it and failed. Old fashioned skirt like women used to wear in the seventies, um, Hippy Style. A Starsky cardigan."

"A WHAT?" guffawed Cal.

"Like on Starsky and Hutch. Oh and she wore a big round pendant thing with a moon on it."

"Hmmm."

After a pause Connie spoke.

"About a month ago, Grace was being a real pain one morning. She managed to push into an old lady who looked exactly as you've described, and she didn't so much as apologise. She got her pocket money withheld for a day for that, but that's another story. For a whole week after the incident, Gracie had bad luck. She got poor grades in subjects she normally found easy. She was really excited about a new laptop that she was having for her birthday and not one laptop of that make was to be found in any store in all Holby. She tripped more times than Lofty and her best friend fell out with her and told Grace never to call or text her again. The next week her friend sent her a text saying her brother had played a mean joke on both of them, and would Grace forgive her? The laptop she wanted was back in the local store. Her grades were back to normal. So what do you two conclude from that?"

A long silence, which Connie sat through patiently without interruption. Then:

"Crazy as it sounds" Ethan said haltingly, "We've offended a witch. But there are no such things as witches, are they?"

Connie shrugged, but went on to say:

"So you have a whole week of this? We'd better assume the worst, that it's seven days and not a working week."

Cal's heart sank.

"All I can advise is that you two carry on as best you can. I will give you any advice and support that I can, if I'm free to give it. If you two don't walk into my office as yourselves next Monday morning, we may have a problem. Okay?"

Cal nodded.

"Off you go, then" Connie ordered sharply.

"Just one thing, Mrs Beauchamp."

"Yes, Doctor Knight?"

"Please don't ever grab my breasts again."

Connie nearly choked, and, speechless, motioned with her hand for them to leave her office.

They did just that. Almost bumping into Robyn, who had been listening at the door and who had only caught the last part of the conversation. But that was enough. Several people had suspected Mrs B of being gay. And now she'd made a pass at the new agency doctors! Robyn stored this information in her mind. She wasn't a malicious person but when she'd had a bit to drink her tongue loosened.

Ethan, for once, wasn't hungry. He'd had a very nasty stomach cramp all afternoon and had tried to rise above it, knowing that the patients came first. He'd performed an operation side by side with Lily and normally would have enjoyed this despite the usual tension and his concern for the young woman whose life they saved. Even in the guise of a woman, Ethan would have still loved working next to Lily. This time, however, the nagging discomfort was too strong and he was just glad when the procedure had been performed successfully.

"Shouldn't you have finished your shift now, Cass?" Dylan Keogh asked with unusual concern for his colleague, but with the usual disregard for getting her name correct.

"I'm just going to shower and change, Doctor Keogh."

"See you tomorrow, Cath" Lofty smiled, adding:

"Coming over to the pub? It's Max's birthday. We might go on to a club after that. Iain thinks Max might like the pole dancers. Sorry it'd be a bit boring for you and Ethel, though."

Cal managed to keep his wits about him but replied as off-handedly as he could:

"Well, a chance to refresh my slap and change into a dress is too good to miss. Thanks!"

Girls, thought Cal, almost joyfully. Pole dancing girls, even if I can't chat them up or shout out. Oh yes!

Alas, his night out never happened.

He crept into the ladies, confident that there was nobody else around. But one of the cubicles was locked and he shouted:

"Ethel? Is that you? You okay?"

An anguished wail came from poor Ethan.

"Are we alone in here?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Oh Cal" Ethan almost sobbed, "I don't know how, but I-I think I'm dying!"