Bridge: Chapter 7

Cal didn't know what was happening to him. He felt cold, but warm. It was like he couldn't breathe, but he could. It was too confusing for words. He was vaguely aware of people talking to him, asking him questions. He was too weak to speak or respond. It felt like limbo.

Dylan and Lily, along with Lofty, wheeled the stirring Cal through to HDC1 to avoid the resuscitation of Matt currently taking place in there. He looked like he was awake, but wasn't responding to their talking. Charlie tried to take Ethan through to a cubicle, but he insisted on staying with Cal. At least he was warmer, even though he still didn't look like he was very 'with it' at present.

So, Charlie allowed Ethan to sit down on a chair in HDC1 and see to him there- all the while, Ethan was watching, eyes like tunnels, what was happening with Cal.

"Okay, let's get his wet clothes off of him and warm him up." Dylan instructed, and the team set about doing just that, managing in 15 minutes, to get Cal a little warmer and more responsive.

"How are you feeling?" Lily asked comfortingly.

"Rough…" Cal breathed, struggling to talk. He already used up a lot of his energy in trying to stay awake. Lily smiled warmly at the doctor, and Cal found a sense of comfort it this action.

"You will be for a while, but I think you're getting better." Dylan told him in his usual monotone voice.

Ethan watched the slight conversation Cal had with Lily and Dylan. Feeling more like himself, Ethan could appreciate the warmth of the ED more than he had ever done, and the fact Cal was okay put the icing on the cake.

Cal was sleeping in a side room when Ethan decided to see him. He agreed to being seen to himself after he was getting over the initial coldness of himself. He'd heard about Matt and Ellie. Matt died. Ethan could have saved him, but he didn't. Ellie was okay, though. Something he was thankful for. Ethan knew Cal would want to know, and Ethan wanted to be the one to tell him.

Cal heard movement in the room and cracked his eyes open to see who it was. Ethan. "Hi…" Cal croaked.

"Hey." Ethan whispered. He hated seeing Cal like this. His normally strong brother looked so weak and vulnerable. It broke his heart. "How're you feeling?" Cal looked at his sarcastically. "Sorry, stupid question." He laughed slightly, making Cal smile. He was already loosing energy, but he fought with sleep to talk with his brother.

Ethan could see Cal wouldn't last much longer, and needed to tell him what happened. "The car fell in. I'm sure you know that." Cal nodded ever so slightly. "All three of you managed to get out." Cal sighed with relief.

"How?" He muttered

"I dived down." Cal would have laughed in spite of himself if he hadn't been feeling so week.

"Good on you." He praised his younger brother. "What about…Matt and Ellie…?" This was the part that Ethan dreaded.

"Ellie's fine, she's sleeping. I'm sorry Cal. Matt…Matt didn't make it." Ethan hung his head, but raised it again when he felt a hand grab hold of his weakly.

"Did he wake…up at all?" Cal asked. Ethan shook his head. "No…pain." He concluded.

"No pain." Ethan echoed. "I'm sorry, Cal." Cal looked mildly surprised.

"Wasn't your…fault…" Cal was getting increasingly overcome with weariness by now, but he needed to tell Ethan that. "No…one's….fault." Ethan kind of believed it. He was still at the point where Cal seemed right about nearly everything. If it truly was his fault, then Cal would blame him. Ethan smiled.

"Get some rest, I'll be back later." Ethan concluded. He turned to leave, but Cal's grip tightened- albeit, not much.

"Stay…please…" Cal all but pleaded. Ethan nodded and sat down on a seat next to Cal's bed, still holding his hand.

"On one condition." He bargained. Cal looked at him confusingly. "You don't move out." Ethan couldn't bear to lose his brother.

"You…can't…get…rid…of…me…that…easily…nibbles…" Cal breathed; finally succumbing to the exhaustion he felt as he drifted off to sleep.

Ethan smiled at the gentle rise and fall in his older brother's chest. It shook him to the core to think that he nearly lost Cal this night, but one thing was for certain, they would stick by each other until the end.


This has ended. I kind of lost faith in this story after I couldn't think of what to write. It doesn't read to well, and it's not that great, but it is the end!

Thank you to everyone who favourited, followed, and to MINNIE4114, CBloom2, Glittergirl12, GypsyAbby, niamhmcshane22, Tanith Panic, teeloganroryflan, Jinxy13112, CasualtyFanForever81, Guest, Is-there-shoewhere-x, Imagine-Hope123, lydiashybrid, TheAtomicCheesepuff, Becs2202, susnetstargazer, and Gillian Kearney Fan who reviewed. And, of course, to Glittergirl12 who PM'd me the idea in the first place.

Please review for one final time? I'll see you soon!

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