CBloom2
Sounds like Ethan may end up collapsed in a corner somewhere. I could almost feel how ill Ethan was because your writing is so good. Hope you can update soon x
Haha yeh, though I might try and be even more evil that that! And thanks(: xx

Becs2202
Oh dear i can see ethan doesnt want to let work down. he could end up being a patient himself.
Good chapter x
Thankyou:)

Microwave35
Poor Ethan! :( I absolutely love your writing style and descriptions! Chapter 4 please?! :)
Thank you so much:) Hopefully this Chapter is up sooner rather than later! Xx

ETWentHome
This is such an amazing story so far! You capture the characters so well and I'm really enjoying reading it. I wonder how Ethan will get on in work... doesn't sound like it will go well. I'm looking forward to the next update!
ThankyouThankyouThankyou!:)

sweeet-as-honey
I love this story! Poor Ethan really is feeling awful, but how adorably typical of him to put his job first. I love Cal's protectiveness and thoughtfulness. I love the title too and I'm looking forward to the next chapter.
Thank you so much!:) xx

rachbob
Great chapter, I hope ethans okay. Can't wait for the next chapter :)
Thank youu:)

Sorry it's taken so long to get this up; I've been very busy with school work. Thank you for all your lovely comments, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!:) xx

4.

A few hours later when Ethan had just started work, Cal spotted him almost immediately. Relief washed over him, at least he could check on his brother before he got tied up with even more patients. He hadn't really been able to concentrate on his work, as Cal was worrying about Ethan, so yes, he was very glad he got the chance to speak to him now.

Ethan had just walked out of the staff room after changing into his muted teal-ish scrubs, and the older doctor was pleasantly surprised to see him looking slightly better than their last encounter. Even if it was just by a fraction. The circles under his eyes were no longer bruised, albeit slightly puffy, and his face was less flushed. Also, his hair was now a lot neater instead of its previous askew appearance, and, Ethan generally looked a lot more alert and well.

However, Cal knew his brother better than that, which meant he also knew that on the inside, he was probably still feeling rubbish.

"You feeling okay?" he asked gently as Ethan walked over to the nurses station, "you don't need any help with anything at all?" Cal asked in a hushed voice, careful not to embarrass Ethan in front of any nearby colleagues.

"Yes, I'm fine Cal. I'm just in cubicles this shift so…." Ethan trailed off, turning to Rita, "Have we anyone waiting at the moment?" he asked, glancing up at the screen to see there was plenty of room in cubicles.

"I'll go and check with reception for you Ethan, see if I can find any notes" Rita replied, turning and walking in the opposite direction of the two brothers.

"Yeh, well be careful.. Y'know, don't work yourself too hard." Said Cal, resting what was aimed to be a comforting hand on Ethan's shoulder, but Ethan just brushed him off.

"I have work to do Cal, I'll be okay."


Truth being told, many hours later Ethan wished he'd just listened to Cal in the first place when he'd said to stay at home. After a long shift, several drunken patients and at least five whiny children, Ethan felt utterly shocking. His head was incredibly stuffy and aching, his throat was so sore and he knew his fever had definitely returned. His limbs felt heavy and bloated, and he kept having to steady himself due to dizzy spells. And to top it all off he'd starting sneezing as well as his frequent and painful coughing, and had to stifle everything into his elbow to avoid any complaints from patients who would no doubt have been cringing away from him if he hadn't. To be honest, Ethan was probably worse off than half the patients in these corridors, and he most certainly felt that way.

Nevertheless, he still had just over an hour of his shift left before he could go home and snuggle up in his oh-so-appealing-right-now bed, and no doubt be completely fussed over by Cal. Though Ethan didn't have the energy to care about having to put up with a fussing Cal later, and he was pretty sure he'd noticed the decline in his condition anyway.

The younger doctor sighed as he entered the staff room, gladly noticing he was alone for once. Shutting the door behind him, he slowly dragged himself over to a sofa, sniffling and dumping his patients' notes on the table in front of him. He scrubbed under his nose with two fingers, trying to stop the increasingly growing tickle, but he'd already held off too many sneezes today, so there wasn't really much he could do to stop it.

Breath hitching, Ethan quickly grabbed a tissue, stifling three successive sneezes into the fabric. He sighed, sniffing and wiping his nose on the tissue. He felt so tired.

Just then, Lofty and Rita entered the room, and neither of them failed to notice his pale face, watery eyes and slightly red tinted nose.

"Gosh, you look awful mate," Lofty announced, and Rita walked across the room to grab a couple of mugs from the cupboard.

"Yeh, are you sure you feeling okay Ethan?" she asked, sympathy written over her face as she glanced at Ethan, "Tea?"

Ethan sighed, slightly out of it, and rubbed his drooping eyes before he could formulate a response, "Yes, Yes that would be lovely thank you," he rasped, voice coming off slightly hoarse.

Lofty sat himself on the sofa next to Ethan, and rested a comforting hand on his shoulder. Ethan turned away however, and began coughing harshly into his tissue. He tried to make it as quiet as possible, but there wasn't much he could do to stop the chesty coughs tear through his lungs. Lofty shot a worried glance over to Rita, before looking back sympathetically towards Ethan, coughs racking through his smaller frame. The nurse laid a hand on Ethan's back, and began to rub small circles, similar to how Cal did, Ethan thought, but just a lot more gently as Lofty was apparently terrified that one harsh touch would hurt the obviously vulnerable doctor.

A few moments later, Ethan was finally able to get the coughing under control, and he slowly flopped back into the sofa cushions, exhausted. Grabbing his inhaler from his pocket, the young doctor took a puff of medicine, just to be on the safe side.

"Go home, darling," Ethan was pretty sure he heard Rita say from across the room. He was only 'pretty' sure because as well as his nose, his ears were now beginning to clog and he wasn't entirely sure he could trust everything he heard from 'them'. Besides, why would Rita be OK with him just leaving in the middle of a shift, surely he didn't look that ill?

"Yeh, Ethan, it's okay if you need to leave, do you want us to go and get Cal?" Lofty asked caringly. Ethan just shook his head.

"No, it's okay.. I'm alright," he breathed. "I'll j-just, rest in here for a few more minutes."

It was silent for a few seconds after that, the only noises being Ethan's heavy breathing and occasional sniffle.

Rita walked over, interrupting the silence with, "Tea?"

"Thank you," Ethan whispered, careful not to cause any more pain to his throat. He held the warm mug close to his chest, hoping the steam would help clear his airways a bit. As soon as the warm liquid slid down his throat, Ethan might as well have been in heaven. Really, the relief was that amazing. He made a quiet noise of pleasure as the tea soothed his throat, before realising his wasn't alone. Eyes wide, Ethan stuttered an apology.

Lofty and Rita just smirked slightly in amusement at the young doctor, sipping at their own mugs of tea.

Ethan gulped down the rest of his tea eagerly, and frowning, wondered how Rita and Lofty could find amusement in his current situation. He really didn't feel well, yet they were smirking at his misfortune for some reason. Ethan sighed, his head foggy with fever. Once the slight pinnacle of the tea had worn off, Ethan felt incredibly exhausted and drained, and his throat was all itchy again.

"Alright?" Rita caringly questioned the young doctor, noticing he had gone back to his previous state of being almost asleep.

"Yes," Ethan muttered in reply, "I'm fine, thank you," he added, though he knew it was probably obvious that he wasn't OK. He stood up from the sofa, but the hot wave that flushed over his head took him off guard. Ethan suddenly felt very lightheaded, and the throbbing of his head began to spike painfully.

He tried to grab on to something for support, but he was stood in the middle of the room, without anything to lean on. His vision was spinning now, fuzzy spots dancing mockingly in front of his eyes. His skin felt strangely tingly, his limbs heavy and aching.

"Ethan?" said Lofty, a tone of urgency evident in his voice. Ethan was far too out of it to pick up on that however, and he continued to pant as his body seemingly turned to jelly.

His knees buckled beneath him, and Ethan fell to the floor, dizzying vision almost entirely overtaken by black splotches now.

The last thing he registered in his spinning head was Rita shouting "Get Cal!" and then his eyes fluttered closed, and everything went black. The whirling in his head stopped. And his ragged breathing slowed.