Gillian Kearney Fan, thank you for your review - and the good news is caring Cal isn't going anywhere in this next chapter.

Tato Potato, thank you so much for your kind words. I really appreciate them. Lots more brotherly love to come!

TheAtomicCheesepuff, I love Cal no matter what, but you're right: there is definitely something amazing about caring Cal! Thank you for your review.

Becs2202, thank you for your review - and for mentioning that they were supporting each other. I'm really happy you noticed that Ethan was watching out for Cal a bit too.

Tanith Panic, I love hugs too! And there are more in this chapter. Maybe Cal should tell Ethan he's the best doctor in the hospital! Thank you for your review.

Ethan finished drying his eyes and put his glasses back on. "How do I look?"

"Absolutely terrible," said Cal with a smile to show he didn't mean it. "But not really any worse than usual."

"I don't want the whole hospital to see I've been crying," said Ethan with a slight catch in his voice.

Cal stroked his arm. "Then don't start again! But it's okay. You look fine. I can sneak you in through the fire exit if you like - then you can wash your face before anyone sees you - but there's no need."

"I think I'd like to go in through the fire exit," said Ethan with a sniff. "Unless it's going to set the alarm off."

Cal thought and shook his head. "I don't think so. I went out that way once when I was hiding from Mrs Beauchamp and I'm sure it didn't set any alarms off."

Ethan wiped his nose. "Why were you hiding from Mrs Beauchamp?"

"Um... I'll tell you at lunchtime if you like," said Cal. That story was going to need editing if he wanted to avoid a brotherly lecture. "It can be like a reward for getting through half the day." He patted Ethan's arm. "Are you ready to go in then?"

Ethan nodded and Cal took him to the fire exit. Cal entered the ED by a more conventional route, and only narrowly avoided crashing into Connie.

"Dr Knight. Care to tell me what you were doing out in the car park? It's too early for your lunchbreak, surely?"

"I was comforting a distressed relative," said Cal. There was no need to mention that it was his distressed relative.

Some of the annoyance on Connie's face faded. "Where is the distressed relative now?"

"Still out there," said Cal. "Lofty's with the patient now, taking some bloods."

Connie nodded. "And where is Dr Hardy? I understood you were working together today."

Cal decided to stick with the truth. "He stayed outside."

"With the relative: I see," said Connie, nodding. "Well, if the two of you have it under control, I'll leave it in Dr Hardy's capable hands."

Cal flinched a little bit at that, especially as this was one of the very few times when he probably was more capable than Ethan, but he thought it was better to say nothing.

Ethan put his glasses on and looked in the mirror. It still seemed obvious to him that he'd been crying, but he thought there was a good chance their patients wouldn't notice.

"You look fine," said Cal. "If I was anyone other than me, I might even be jealous."

Ethan managed a small smile, more to make Cal happy than because he felt like smiling. "Thanks, Cal. For being here for me."

"What are big brothers for?" said Cal.

Ethan's smile faltered as he thought about what could be awaiting them outside. "I don't know if I can do this."

"Of course you can do it," said Cal, and hugged him.

"Yes. I can do it," said Ethan mechanically. He still didn't know how, but he knew he had to manage somehow. For Cal as well as for the patients. He knew Cal would blame himself if something went wrong again and he didn't want that. Cal was a great doctor and (as it turned out) a great brother, but as usual he was trying to be a superhero and on this occasion that meant blaming himself for Ethan's mistakes.

They sprang apart as someone entered the loos. Cal immediately started doing his hair in the mirror. Ethan hesitated and did the same thing.

"I took the bloods and sent the patient back to the waiting room," said Lofty.

"That's great. Thanks, Lofty," said Cal.

Lofty came a bit closer and watched the brother doing their hair. "Are you two okay?"

Ethan met his eyes in the mirror. Lofty was one of the most understanding people in the ED, but Ethan had already decided he didn't want anyone but Cal and Zoe to know there was something wrong.

"I'm okay," said Cal. "I don't know what's up with Ethan. I think he's making fun of me for doing my hair all the time. But he's just as bad as me. He takes ages in the bathroom every morning putting every hair in place."

"Yes, but my hair stays there," said Ethan. His voice sounded almost normal. "It doesn't need checking and re-doing fifteen times a day."

Lofty leaned against one of the sinks and smiled. "Hair can be annoying. I went through a stage of straightening my hair once. It took ages. Then sometimes I'd have to do it all over again when I got to school because it rained and that made it curl again. I tried all kinds of different straighteners, but none of them-"

He broke off as Max entered. "Sorry, I thought this was the gents'."

Cal gave him a funny look. "This is the gents'."

"Is it?" said Max. "I must have got confused by your topic of conversation."

Lofty looked embarrassed.

He paused. "Though I actually do have a question about hair I wanted to ask you. Not the hair on my head, though. The hair on my-"

"I'm very sorry, but we really have to go now," said Ethan, and left in a hurry with an amused Cal right behind him.

Cal squeezed Ethan's arm as the patient left the cubicle. "Well done, Nibbles," he said.

"Thanks, but I would rather you didn't call me that in public," said Ethan.

Cal was quite pleased with this response. He'd called Ethan' Nibbles, after every patient so far, but this was the first time Ethan had objected. "Are you ready for the next patient, Dr Hardy?"

A look of fear came into Ethan's eyes, but then he nodded.

"Do you think you could do the talking?" said Cal. "I'll be right here."

Ethan looked even more frightened. "Okay."

Cal pulled him into a hug. "You can do this. I know you can."

"I hope so," said Ethan.

Cal hoped so too, but he kept his voice confident. "You can do it, Ethan."

They went out to the waiting room together and Ethan called for the patient. "Stella Thomas." His voice trembled slightly, but it was clear and the patient heard him. "This way, Miss Thomas."

She looked at them both and stopped uncertainly. "Can't I see a lady doctor?"

Cal started to answer, but he realised Ethan was speaking too and quickly stopped.

"Is your problem of a personal nature?" said Ethan. He went a bit pink presumably contemplating various personal feminine problems, but he kept his voice steady and met the patient's eyes with some pretence of confidence.

Stella Thomas hesitated. "Not exactly. But the last time I came in, it wasn't personal, but the doctor still asked me about… stuff." Stella looked even more embarrassed than Ethan.

Ethan froze. Cal felt a bit panicky too as he wondered how to help Ethan, but then he saw Big Mac coming their way with a wheelchair and put his hand on Ethan's back. "Sorry, Ethan. We're in the way a bit here." They weren't really in the way, but he wanted to give Ethan a bit of support without making it too obvious. He kept his hand on Ethan's back for a couple of seconds more than he needed to.

Some of the rigidity left Ethan's body. "We could always talk about what you want to talk about and then if it does seem to be getting too personal, Dr Knight can go and find a female nurse?" he suggested.

"Hey! Why me?" said Cal.

"Because I'm the lead doctor," said Ethan. "And when it comes to finding females of any description, Dr Knight is the best."