X-Sammii-X, thank you for your review. It must be terrible to lose any patient, but I imagine it's always extra sad when it's a child who would have had their whole life ahead of them. I think Robyn does understand best what Cal is going through - everyone else is sympathetic but distracted. Ethan probably is quite happy and relieved!
InfinityAndOne, Alicia might actually be thinking more clearly than Ethan at the moment, which might give them a chance! We already know that Rita can be very determined when it comes to Iain, so I can't see her giving up on him easily this time either. Thank you for your review.
Thank you to Ixaah11 for the follow.
Cal helped Robyn to get the last few walking wounded over to the pub. Some of the more seriously injured had been taken to St James'. Although Robyn was most concerned with her own friends, she spared a thought for their counterparts at Holby's other hospital. Robyn had been involved in a Black Alert and it had been extremely challenging. Ethan had been so upset by the experience, he'd nearly quit his job.
She hoped the doctors, nurses and other professionals at St James' were coping.
Cal peaking supportively to the attractive young girl he was helping. He had his arm around her, but Robyn could tell he hadn't even noticed she was pretty. He probably hadn't even noticed she was female. His professionalism was carrying him though, but Robyn knew his thoughts were still with Ethan.
Robyn could understand that. Her thoughts were partly with Max.
"Here we are!" she said to the girl, who was looking rather dazed, Robyn had been concerned there was a head injury, but the patient had seemed alert at first and very sure she hadn't been injured. Robyn suspected she was suffering from simple and very understandable emotional shock, but she would be glad to get her to the pub, where she knew some medical equipment had been assembled, along with some of Charlie's doctor friends.
Though if Lily was right about the carbon monoxide leak…
"What do you think?" she asked Charlie when she'd reported Lily's suspicions to him.
Charlie blew out a breath. "Hard to say. No-one else has been showing signs of it, so I'd be inclined to say no, but our Dr Chao wouldn't suspect it without a reason. Are they bringing the baby in here?"
Robyn hesitated, knowing Charlie might be annoyed that Lily hadn't followed his instructions. Neither had that agency nurse, Amira, though she'd barely followed an instruction since she'd come to the hospital. "Lily and Louise took the baby into the ED."
"Does no-one understand the meaning of 'the ED is closed'?" said Charlie, but Robyn could tell he didn't really mind. Perhaps he'd even expected it. He continued: "Is the area cleared now? How about giving us a hand in here?"
"Would you mind if I called Glen quickly?" said Robyn. "If he heard something on the news, he might be worried."
"Of course, but as quick as you can," said Charlie. He looked around. "Where did Cal disappear off to?"
"He's looking for Ethan," said Robyn. Her voice shook slightly as she added: "Ethan, Alicia and Max are all missing – and we're worried about Iain too."
"Get this off me?" whispered Alicia.
It hurt so much. She was starting to feel claustrophobic too. There didn't seem to be enough oxygen in the air and she was afraid.
"I think you've been trapped for more than fifteen minutes," said Ethan. "I'm sorry. But I'm sure someone will find us eventually."
Alicia's eyes filled with tears. "When, Ethan?" But she already knew the answer.
"I don't know," said Ethan. He put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure it will be soon. They must have noticed we're missing."
"They might think we'd left the party," said Alicia.
Ethan smiled slightly. "Oh goodness me, no: I'm sure they wouldn't think that in a million years! They know you're not that kind of girl. And even if you were, you could do much better than me!" He laughed and changed position slightly. His laugh became a yelp.
"You're hurt," whispered Alicia.
Ethan was very white. It was a moment or two before he could reply. "I think I've dislocated my knee. That's all."
"Reduce it," said Alicia.
"Is there anything I can do for you first?" said Ethan.
Alicia tried to shake her head. Pain shot through it and she closed her eyes. "Nothing."
"Right then." Ethan looked at his knee with some trepidation. "I suppose I'd better get on with it." She heard a hiss of pain. "I'm sorry. I'm really not very good with pain at all. But here goes."
"Anything?" said Louise desperately, as Lily checked for a pulse.
Lily shook her head. "Let me take over." She moved into position.
"I'm not tired," said Louise - and physically, she wasn't.
Lily pushed her hands away and set to work.
Louise sat back. For a moment, she felt grateful for the respite. Giving resuscitation to a baby wasn't as physically tiring as a full-grown adult, but it was a mental strain. The baby girl looked so small and fragile. With every compression, Louise had felt afraid she would hurt her.
But she soon found that watching and doing nothing was even worse. She felt so helpless. The baby just lay there, so thin and weak. Completely unresponsive. Louise's own heart was hammering and she wished she could pass some of her own strength to the baby.
At every moment, she expected Lily to call it. To give up. To end this baby's life too soon. She'd lost her parents, which was terrible, but she was only at the beginning of her life. There were so many things she could become – and she would find new parents to love her. Who could fail to fall in love with that beautiful little face?
"Come on, sweetheart." Louise heard her own voice, soft but fierce. "You can hang on for us. You've got a whole life to live; a whole world to discover. You can be anything. Do anything. But you've got to hang on for us, yeah? Keep on fighting, little girl. You can do this. I know you can."
Cal stood by the side of the ED and wondered why it looked different.
There was the helicopter, of course, but it wasn't just that. It looked blurry. Cal blinked hard, wondering if he had tears in his eyes, but it didn't help. He wondered if he needed glasses like Ethan, but why had it come on so suddenly?
He walked around the helicopter, but his legs were shaking and he stopped for a moment, looking across at the ambulance stations.
Cal shook his head in confusion. He was sure there was only one, not two. How could he not have noticed there were two? He went closer and didn't know if he was relieved or frightened when the two merged into one. He was glad he hadn't worked here for two and a half years without realising what his workplace looked like, but why had he thought there were two just now?
I've had a shock, Cal reminded himself. And I can't find my brother. It's not surprising if it's getting to me.
His head was throbbing. He pressed a hand to it and stood, staring at the ambulance station, aware it still looked slightly blurry. It bothered him so he closed his eyes, but that only made him feel more disorientated. He wondered if he was still standing up or if he'd fallen. He didn't know.
He heard a sound and his eyes snapped open.
Was that a scream?
Cal looked around, but he saw no-one. He didn't think there was anyone left in the helicopter. Jacob had said all the occupants other than Grace and Iain had been killed.
Or had he really said that? The memory seemed hazy. Perhaps it was a dream.
But that scream…
Cal looked at the ambulance station again. The entrance looked completely blocked. If someone was trapped inside there…
"Ethan!" shouted Cal, running towards it, but he felt himself falling forward and his forehead smacked into the tarmac.
There was a cracking sound from above them. Zoe looked up and wished she hadn't. A large of segment of ceiling seemed to be coming away from the ceiling. One edge was still attached, but the weight of the rest of it would bring it down sooner rather than later.
Max took her hand and moved her towards the other corner.
Is this what it's going to be like? thought Zoe as she cuddled close to Max once more. Is this the rest of my life? Trapped in this room, waiting to see if we die or not?
Because that's really not how I want to spend the rest of my life.
She felt Max stroking her hair. She shivered at his touch and lifted her face to his.
"If we're going to die here, Max, don't you think we should make the most of it?"
Her question hung in the air. A challenge. Max looked at her in surprise, then concern, but his eyes locked with hers and he seemed to realise she was serious. A slow smile spread across his face.
Zoe grasped his head in her hands and planted her lips firmly on his.
And in that moment, there was nowhere else she wanted to be.
Iain knew what he had to do. He had to get back to his base. That was his duty.
But he was scared.
He'd let his men down. He'd done the one thing he'd sworn he never would. He'd made a mistake. Not assessed the area properly. Now they were all dead and he was the only one left.
And now a little girl had died too.
Iain stopped walking.
What little girl?
There couldn't have been a child. This wasn't the sort of place you'd expect to find a child.
So where had that thought come from? What was wrong with him?
Had this job finally sent him crazy? Was that what had gone wrong? So crazy, he couldn't even see the danger? So crazy, he was imagining little girls?
And the voice… that voice in his head. Sweet and soothing, like an angel.
But it wasn't real. It couldn't be real.
He didn't even know anyone called Rita.
Am I crazy? thought Iain, and that scared him more than anything else.
The girl isn't real. Rita isn't real.
Am I not real too?
