Hello everyone! Looking forward to tonight's episode? I know I am woo! I wonder what things will be like with Connie back as clinical lead? Loved seeing Dylan's attempt at taking the job on, you've got to love Dylan right? I also loved seeing Cal doing his best to piss Dylan off in the last ep, made me giggle. Anyway back on topic...here is today's update. I hope you enjoy, please let me know your thoughts as always, they really help, Kayxxx :)

Chapter Eleven

And so Ethan Hardy continued his battle, now feeling more at ease knowing he had his brother there whenever he needed him. All Cal wanted to do was help and Ethan could now finally see that getting help was okay, his older brother had been there for every radiotherapy session since he had told him about his condition. With five sessions of radiotherapy a week being permanently etched into his routine, he was quickly grasping what it was like to be the patient for once. "I know you may feel fine now, but soon enough you won't" Doctor Humphrey's words echoed around his head each time he finished a session, never did he think a person could be so right, he didn't know what he felt but it defiantly wasn't fine. He was becoming increasingly tired, increasingly sick, increasingly sore, increasingly drained (in many ways)...being the patient was hard.
But right now he wasn't the patient. Right now he was Doctor Hardy.

"Catch!" A young boy called and launched a football in Ethan's direction, which he caught and placed back gently in the boy's arms. "Okay you need to put that away now Ben whilst I examine your mum" Ethan explained calmly and pressed his stethoscope against his patient's back.
"So how long have you been getting these pains?" Rita asked.
"A few weeks now, they come and go" the patient replied.
"Doctor, catch!" The boy called throwing the ball to Ethan again.
"Ben stop it! The doctor's trying to do his job" the patient snapped controlling her child. Ethan smiled at her gratefully and tossed the ball back to the boy.
"Okay, you're going to need a chest X-ray-" Ethan's explaining was cut off.
"Right so, Rachel is it?" Zoe asked as she wondered into the cubicle holding her notes.
"Yes" the patient replied.
"Okay so Rachel, I just want to listen to your breathing" Zoe explained and put on her stethoscope, brushing passed Ethan.
"I've just done that" Ethan stated confused "it's quite crackly so I thought best to do a chest X-ray" he explained.
"Okay, well I want to see for myself" Zoe smiled and placed the stethoscope on Rachel's back.
"What's up? Is he new or something?" Rachel asked motioning toward Ethan who stood at her bedside.
"No" he replied angrily.
"Just not very good at his job then?" Rachel joked.
"No no, Doctor Hardy is one of the best doctors we have in the ED" Zoe smiled as she continued to listen to Rachel's chest.
"Why are you second guessing him then?" Rachel asked, which was exactly what Ethan and Rita were thinking, they both exchanged confused glances as they watched Zoe work.
"Right okay, it is quite crackly and so a chest X-Ray would be for the best" Zoe concluded, ignoring her patient's question.
"Seriously?" Ethan asked stunned.
"What?" Zoe asked.
"I've literally just said that I-" he was cut off.

"Doctor Hardy, catch!" Ben yelled as he catapulted the ball across the hospital right in the direction of Ethan. He didn't have enough time to register what the boy had said before he saw the ball hurling towards him. Everyone in the ED stopped and watched open mouthed. Just as Ethan turned to face Ben, the ball slammed hard into his groin winding him instantly. Ethan arched over in pain grasping onto his crotch, it was a pain that took over his entire body. Just watching this caused the surrounding people of the ED to wince as they could imagine the stomach churning pain the doctor was currently experiencing.
"That kid has got aim!" Max called out impressed.
"Ethan are you okay?" Zoe asked placing her hand on his back which caused him to wince even more. The colour had completely drained from his face, he still hadn't taken a breath since before the accident, the pain was too much. Being hit in the groin is always painful for men, but giving the current condition Ethan was in it seemed to hurt 100 times worse. He stumbled backward slightly and Zoe steered him in the direction of the bed that was in the next cubicle.
"Ethan just try to breathe okay?" Rita spoke softly as he took a seat on the hospital bed. He squeezed his eyes shut and took in a huge breath, as he released this breath he let out a groan of pain. He placed his hand on his lower back and focused on breathing. At this point he now had a crowd of his colleagues surrounding him, Zoe, Rita, Connie, Charlie and Lofty all watched him warily.
"I know the pain mate!" Max called over from the nursing station.
"You really don't" Ethan mumbled under his breath in reply, catching the attention of his surrounding workmates.
"Is everything okay?" Connie asked having heard his comment.
"Yes everything's fine, the show's over now!" Ethan spoke though still in pain.
"I'm sorry doctor" young Ben called over.
"It's fine, it was an accident" Ethan forced out a smile.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Charlie asked concerned.
"Yes I'm fine, just leave me alone" Ethan replied firmly and stood to his feet, his intention being to storm off to the toilet but his legs thought otherwise. He was completely weak, as his feet touched the ground they gave in causing him to stumble forward, being caught by Charlie and Rita who looked at him knowingly.
"Maybe it's best you go home Doctor Hardy" Connie suggested raising her eyebrows.
"That won't be necessary" he replied and started off slowly down the corridor.

"Something isn't right there" Rita announced as they watched him limp away.
"He hasn't been acting right for weeks, plus he looks awful, worn out, he looks as though he's lost weight, not like he had a pick on him to lose in the first place! That's why I just wanted to double check how he was doing here" Zoe explained.
"We've all been hit in the balls before though, right Charlie?" Lofty spoke with a smirk looking for a brighter solution.
"Yes and it hurts but, I think there's something more to this Lofty" Charlie sighed.
"I want someone with him at all times today, are we clear?" Zoe announced.

Charlie entered the toilets and heard a groan coming from one of the cubicles, "Ethan?" Charlie called.
A few moments later Ethan walked out of the cubicle and forced out a smile "Charlie", he began to rinse his hands under the tap.
"Is everything okay?" Charlie asked. Ethan hesitated for a moment, "because if it isn't you can talk to me, you know that right?" He continued.
"...I've been having problems that's all" he spoke hesitantly.
"Okay, and have you been to see someone about it?" Charlie asked softly.
Ethan nodded, "they said it's not worth worrying about" he stated, which was true, his doctor had told him worrying is pointless, what will be, will be. Though, his doctor had also told him not to work and to relax whilst going through radiotherapy, his chose to ignore this advice.
"Did you get treated here?" Charlie asked.
"St. James'" he lied. "Listen Charlie, I have to get back to work, please keep quiet about everything, it's the last thing I'd want people to know" Ethan whispered and headed out the door.