Jez and Iain gave each other a look. Both could sense that something had happened. Walking up to reception they saw Noel and knew they needed answers.
"Noel?" Iain asked hesitantly. "Is it Lily?"
Noel shook his head, but the tears remained in his eyes.
"Um, no. Lily's stable. She should make a full recovery." Noel told them.
Iain sighed in relief. But, the sense of worry didn't disappear.
"Then what is it?" Jez asked.
Noel swallowed before answering.
"There's um been an incident involving Cal."
"What sort of incident?" Iain inquired.
"He's been stabbed…"
Time suddenly stood still when both paramedics heard the news.
"What do you mean 'stabbed'? Jez said.
"Dylan found him outside…."
"But, he is okay, right?" Iain interrupted.
Noel slowly shook his head.
"They rushed him into Resus, Elle, Dylan and Jacob. They tried everything they could but, he had lost too much blood. Dylan tried to save him. But, he had to call it."
"And how's Ethan?"
"Not too good. We tried to find Ethan. Unfortunately it was too late. Cal passed away before we could find him."
Both paramedics sighed heavily. After they almost lost Lily, they couldn't believe they had now lost Cal.
"Does Lily know?" Iain asked before he and Jez went back to the ambulance bay.
"No, I don't think so." Noel replied.
"Good. Let me tell her."
Noel gave him a nod. Gratefully, Iain smiled back in response.
The rain lashed down as Dylan stood where he had found Cal. The fear in Cal's eyes remained etched on his mind. As Dylan tried to stem the bleeding, he could see that Cal was scared for his life but, all he cared about at that moment even though he was seriously injured, was Ethan. All he wanted to know was if Ethan was alright. And during that moment when Cal asked him if his brother was okay, the only answer Dylan could say was to reassure him that he was. It was the only way he could get Cal to concentrate on himself. Then when Dylan saw the plea in his eyes when Cal told him, he didn't want to die, Dylan swore on his life that he wasn't going to let that happen. But, now what could be done? Cal was dead. Dylan had failed to save him. He felt the guilt squeezing him as his temper got the better of him and he lashed out. He banged his fists against the wall as he cried out. He should have saved him, could have saved him if he hadn't stopped. Why did he stop? He wondered. He could have carried on. There was a chance for Cal to be saved. If Dylan had done his job properly then Cal would have be alive, Ethan wouldn't be in the department wondering what happened to his brother and the team wouldn't be mourning the loss of a friend. Dylan continued to scream and punch until his lungs grew weak and his fists were raw.
"Dylan!" Charlie shouted. "Dylan, stop. You'll hurt yourself."
"I should have been able to save him!" Dylan screamed. "I promised I would save him!"
"This isn't your fault, Dylan." Charlie told him as he tried to calm his colleague down.
"I let him down. I let Ethan down."
"You're not to blame. It's the sick person who did this, who's to blame."
"I know that. But, we're doctors. I'm a doctor. It's my job to help people. To save people."
"I know it's hard when we lose a patient." Charlie said. "It's even harder when the patient is a friend and colleague, however, no matter how difficult it is, we deal with it. We learn how to deal with it. It's part of the job. And though it seems selfish that we deal with it eventually, it will still hurt. The hurt won't disappear. But, it will become bearable. This affects all of us, most of all this affects Ethan. Now Ethan's going to need our support and we have to remain strong, for all our sakes."
After the speech Charlie gave him, Dylan bowed his head. Everything Charlie had said was true. Taking a few deep breaths, Dylan raised his head back up.
"Um, where's Ethan?" Dylan wondered.
"He's still in the staffroom. He's calmed down a bit, but he keeps insisting he wants to see Cal. He keeps saying that Cal's going to wake up. I don't think it's a good idea to let him go and see Cal."
"He should have the chance to say a proper goodbye, Charlie. I'll go with him into Resus and stay with him."
The two of them headed back into the department. Charlie went back to work while Dylan walked towards the staffroom. Reaching the staffroom, Dylan hovered before knocking on the wood. He didn't hear an answer from within but, knew Ethan was in there. Quietly, he opened the door. He found Ethan where Charlie had left him. Sat on the sofa staring into space.
"Ethan?" Dylan said. "Ethan, Charlie said you wanted to see Cal's body."
Dylan didn't recieve an answer.
"I've come to take you to see him." He carried on.
As if he was a zombie, Ethan stood up automatically and followed Dylan towards Resus in silence. No words were spoken between the two. When the reached the double doors to Resus, Ethan paused. That was his brother in there. His big brother.
"He's supposed to protect me." Ethan whispered.
If only he knew just how true that was, Dylan thought to himself.