Minnie4114, don't worry about not commenting, I'm just happy you're still reading. Oh yes, I always planned to pair Sophie with Ethan! I hope she doesn't come across as treating Cal badly. I'll see what I can do about a brotherly relationship conversation. That could be interesting. Thanks for the idea and the review!

Tanith Panic, I'm glad you think the relationship between Sophie and Cal is going well. I'm sure Cal would agree with you! Thank you for the review and I hope you like the next chapter.

A man was lying on the floor, groaning. Several panicked diners were gathered around him. One was trying to undo his jacket. Another was flapping her hands and shrieking about ambulances.

"Everyone stand back, please. I'm a doctor," said Cal, his voice firm but calm as he knelt down beside the man. His eyes were closed, but Cal didn't think he was unconscious. He put a hand on the man's shoulder. "Hi, my name's Cal. I'm a doctor. This is Sophie: she's a medical student. Can you tell us your name?"

"Ja… Jason."

"Are you in pain, Jason?" asked Cal.

"My… stomach…." groaned Jason. There were beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Sophie, why don't you try to find out what's wrong?" said Cal, making space for her.

Sophie froze. "Are you sure?"

Cal reached for her hand. "Completely sure. I trust you and I'll be right here."

After a moment's hesitation, Sophie knelt beside him, her knee against Cal's. "Hi Jason. I'm Sophie. How long have you been feeling like this?"

"Since I ate that lobster!" moaned Jason.

Sophie's voice was kind. "Yes, lobster can be a bit funny sometimes. How long ago would you say you ate it?"

"Five minutes ago."

"And how did the lobster taste?"

Jason groaned again. "It tasted normal. But a lot of things taste normal when they're not."

Cal squeezed Sophie's hand. "Could you speed it up a bit?"

Sophie looked panicky again. "You do it, Cal."

"No, you can do it. Pretend we're in the ED. There's no need to panic."

Sophie nodded and put her hand on Jason's shoulder. "Can you show me where the pain is, Jason?" As Jason's arms were wrapped around his stomach, it was difficult to be sure if he was indicating any particular part of it.

Jason lifted his right arm, his face creased with pain. "Here," he said, touching the right of his stomach.

"Sophie?" said Cal. "Would you like me to call for an ambulance?"

"Not yet," said Sophie. She placed two fingers on the place Jason had indicated. He screamed.

"Sophie, you know what's wrong," said Cal. "We don't need to mess around with tests."

Sophie ignored him. "I'm sorry, Jason, but this might hurt more." She withdrew her fingers and he screamed again. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. I know you're not really up to having a chat, Jason, but are you sure you haven't experienced any other abdominal pain over the last six to twenty-four hours?"

"No… yes…" Jason sounded uncertain. His voice rose. "I can't think, okay! Just stop the pain! Maybe it was hurting earlier, but I was nervous about tonight. I'm having a meeting with my boss. He's trying to decide whether to renew my contract or not. I thought it was just nerves."

"It's possible," said Sophie. "Can you tell me where the pain was that you experienced earlier?"

"In the… in the… middle…." said Jason, his eyes closing.

"Sophie, I really think-" began Cal.

"But now it's over on the side?" said Sophie.

Jason nodded, his eyes closing.

Sophie touched his forehead. "I think you have a temperature too. Cal, could you call for an ambulance, please?"

Cal already had his phone out. "I can tell you've been working with Ethan."

Sophie looked at him uncertainly.

"It's okay," said Cal quickly. "Just keep going. You're doing fine."

Sophie turned back to Jason. "Okay, Jason. I think you might have appendicitis. I know that sounds horrible, but it's a very common operation and something the hospital can fix for you, as well as easing your pain."

On the phone, Cal was already speaking to the paramedics, explaining the situation. As he spoke, he gave part of his mind to listening to what Sophie was saying, ready to help her if needed.

"Did you say you were here with your boss, Jason?" asked Sophie. "We need to let him know."

Jason grimaced, but made no answer.

Sophie looked up at a waiter who'd arrived and was hovering worriedly. "Do you know which table Jason was sitting at? We need to inform his boss. Jason, is there anyone we can phone for you?"

"My wife." Jason started to say something else, but the words morphed into a cry of pain. "I left my phone… on the table."

Sophie called the waiter back and asked him to bring Jason's phone.

Cal finished the phone call. "Sophie, do you know what Jason can do to ease the pain?"

"I think so," said Sophie. "Jason, it might help if you can pull your knees up to your chest. I'll help you."

"I'll do it." Cal took hold of Jason's legs. "If I just lift them like this…"

"No, stop!" Jason said in sudden panic.

"It's okay, Jason," said Sophie. "It's going to be okay. We're here and the ambulance is coming."

"I feel sick," said Jason. His face had taken on a green tinge.

"That's okay. That's normal," said Cal, though he was worried.

Jason began to heave. Sophie moved quickly into action, lifting her skirt and holding it for Jason to be sick into. "There, it's okay, Jason. It's okay."

"Your dress," said Jason.

"It doesn't matter," said Sophie. "I'm sure it'll wash."

Jason looked miserable. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." Around him, some of the diners were either getting to their feet and moving away or shouting for a waiter, either asking to be reseated or asking for their bills.

"It's okay," said Sophie. She touched his shoulder. "How's the pain?"

"Bad."

"Would you like to try putting your knees up?" said Sophie.

Jason agreed and Cal helped him.

"There. Is that better?" said Sophie.

"I don't know… it's not worse…"

"That's good. I'm sure the ambulance won't be very long," said Sophie.

Cal looked up as a man in a suit appeared. "Hi, are you Jason's boss?"

"No, I am the manager of the restaurant!" the man hissed. "Can't you move him? I cannot have him disturbing my customers."

"This man is very ill," said Cal. "I know it's not very pleasant for your other customers, but it's not his fault. Sophie very kindly let him be sick onto her dress so I don't think the floor has suffered."

The restaurant owner raised his eyes to the ceiling. "Oh if the floor is okay, oh yes, that makes everything all right! My customers, my reputation, they don't matter!"

"Of course your customers matter," said Cal evenly. "Particularly, at this moment, the gentleman on the floor."

The owner of the restaurant was still spluttering incandescently. "I will ban you from this restaurant!" he told Sophie.

Cal put his hand protectively on her shoulder. "That seems a bit silly considering everything she's done to help. But don't worry. I won't bring her here again. Next time I'll take her somewhere where she'll be treated with respect."

Sophie was wrong. Cal did get to see her bed again that night. They were alone in her hotel room and Sophie had just slipped into something more comfortable that wasn't covered in vomit, but she was trembling like a leaf and even Cal didn't have the heart to seduce her now.

"You did really well," he said as he hugged her. "Some of the most difficult emergency situations are the ones that take place outside the ED. Everyone expects us to know what to do and usually we do, but they don't realise how reliant we are on our equipment. We just have to do our best. And that's what you did, okay?"

"No, I didn't," said Sophie. "I panicked."

Cal lifted her chin. "But you carried on. Even qualified doctors panic sometimes. Ethan says he's unflappable, but I've seen him flap loads of times."

"Maybe that's because you're there," said Sophie.

Cal wasn't sure what to say to that.

"Sorry, Cal. That came out wrong," said Sophie. "I just mean that being watched by his older brother who has the same job as him probably is quite daunting."

"I think it was at first," admitted Cal. "But not so much now. He's so far ahead of me now and I don't think I'll ever…" He stopped. "As I was saying, all doctors panic sometimes."

"Including you?" said Sophie.

Cal hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. Including me. I pretend nothing affects me, but it's not true and I think all the hospital staff know it."

Sophie put her arm around him. "I'm sure they understand it happens to everyone. What happens when you panic? How do you deal with it?"

"I deal with it in the way I was telling you about before," said Cal. "I just take a moment, I breathe, and it comes back to me." He gave an embarrassed smile. "To be honest, I usually need to be told to do it. You do have to look out for each other a bit in this job." He sighed. "I just wish I'd done a better job at looking out for you."

Sophie stared at him. "What are you talking about? You did a brilliant job with me. You calmed me down. You reminded me to work faster. You believed in me. I don't think I did very well, but I managed to do almost everything."

Cal gave a sad smile. "Ethan would have looked after you better than me."

"You don't know that," said Sophie. "Ethan never tells me to work faster."

"It would be a bit hypocritical if he did," admitted Cal.

Sophie gave him a sweet smile. "Then he's not perfect, is he?"

"I never said he was," said Cal with feeling.

Sophie linked her fingers with his. "So you've both got good points and bad points, haven't you? Like most people."

Cal decided that was enough about his insecurities. "I never said I had any bad points."

Sophie smiled. "I suppose a modesty transplant was a bit much to expect."

"Well, you're not qualified to do transplants yet, are you? Give it a few years and I'm sure you'll be able to do anything you want." Cal kissed her forehead. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Much better," said Sophie. She'd stopped trembling and the smile she gave him looked genuine.

"Because if you're not, I could stay," said Cal. He kissed her cheek. "We wouldn't have to do anything. Unless you want to." He kissed the corner of her mouth. "But you might feel more upset if you're on your own."

"Too late," said Sophie as she avoided the kiss he aimed at her lips. "You've made me feel better already." Then she smiled. It was Sophie who initiated the next kiss. "Sorry, Cal. I do like you, but I suppose I'm old-fashioned like that."

Cal sighed. He wasn't surprised. A lot of girls said they didn't want it, only to let him talk him into it, but it sounded like Sophie actually meant it. "There's always tomorrow night."

Sophie smiled mischievously. "You haven't asked about tomorrow night yet. I might already have a date for all you know."

"What?" Cal stared at her. "You haven't, have you?"

Sophie looked amused. "You're getting a bit possessive, aren't you? No, I haven't."

Cal relaxed. "Then keep tomorrow night free and maybe you'll get an invitation."

"Maybe I will," agreed Sophie. "Maybe I'll have more than one. Maybe I'll have a choice to make."

"A choice?" burst out Cal.

Sophie kissed his cheek. "You see? Boasting about actual and even potential conquests really isn't attractive."

Cal caught her face in his hands and gave her a kiss that hinted at the delights she was postponing. "I'm busy tonight anyway. I have a date with a dress and a washing machine. If I get it done tonight, it'll be dry by tomorrow."

Sophie's eyes widened and she gave a little gasp. "Really, Cal? You'd do that?"

"Of course," said Cal, and kissed her again. "And if that's not the way to your heart, I don't know what is."

"I didn't know you were interested in my heart," said Sophie softly.

"I'm a doctor," said Cal. He kissed her neck. "I'm interested in every part of your body."

Sophie pushed him away. "I think it's time for you to go home."

"Not until you've kissed me again," said Cal.