Tato Potato, thank you for your review. Ethan is anxious to get to the hospital as soon as possible, but I'm afraid he won't be getting there in this chapter...
Bonnie Sveen Fan, thank you for your review. I love it when Cal worries about Ethan too - let's hope Ethan appreciates it a bit more in this story!
CasualtyFanForever81, I hope your internet is still okay! Only one update today, but there is a bit about Lily's injuries. Thank you for your review.
sarahmichellegellarfan1, thank you for your review - I'm really glad you enjoyed it.
EDSidekick, I'm glad you liked Ethan's attempted citizen's arrest - thank you for saying I've captured his character. I don't think you're cruel - I think it's quite normal on fanfiction to enjoy Ethan being hurt. I'm sure it's all part of our desire to protect him! Thank you for your review.
Tanith Panic, don't worry: I won't get Lofty fired! There's too much going on already. The thing about Lofty is he can't resist a knight in distress. I'm glad you like the citizen's arrest. The thug-brat does need dealing with though. Thank you for your review.
As soon as Lofty had departed, Cal got to his feet. He went to the door of the staff room and peered out, just in case Lofty was still there, but there was no sign of him. He left the staff room, walking slowly, trying to look as though he was in no particular hurry. He would rather have run, but then he'd be almost certain to catch up with Lofty and he couldn't risk that.
As he passed the nurse's station, Robyn caught sight of him and hurried after him, telling him he needed to go back to the staff room, but Cal was determined. "No, Robyn. I need to be here when Lily arrives. Even if she's unconscious, I can tell her I'm here. It might do nothing, but it might help in some way so it's worth a try, isn't it? And then maybe I can treat Sophie and she might be able to tell me what happened."
"I really don't think you should ask Sophie what happened," said Robyn. "She's injured and she's probably really upset. We need to calm her down, not try to make her remember things that are going to make her even more upset."
"Okay: I'll treat her and keep her calm," said Cal.
Robyn shook her head. "I'm not sure that's a good idea, Cal. Obviously, it isn't my decision, but you're upset and shocked. Sophie needs someone who can reassure her and treat her – not someone who's too upset to do his job. You're too distracted, just like I'd be if it was Max or Lofty who was seriously injured." She touched his arm gently. "I'm really sorry, Cal. I understand that talking to Sophie might reassure you, but she's the one who's been in an accident and we need to focus on what she needs."
"Then can I just be there for Sophie as a friend?" said Cal desperately. "Till Lily needs me? Sophie does need friends too. I don't know where Ethan is: he's not answering his phone and Sophie doesn't have any other friends in Holby." His voice rose. "I've got to do something, Robyn! I can't just sit in the staff room and wait. I need to do something or I'll go crazy. Please, Robyn. Don't send me back there."
Robyn looked very doubtful, but at that moment, the doors burst open and a patient was wheeled through.
Cal stood frozen for a few seconds as he realised who it was, but then he lurched forward and grabbed hold of the trolley. "Lily!" he gasped, shaking from head to foot. "Oh God, Lily!" Tears began to stream down his face. "Lily!"
"Dr Knight! Staff room," said Connie briefly, her attention on what Dixie was telling her.
Cal hung onto the trolley, helping to move it towards Resus. "Lily, I'm here! It's Cal!" he said, over the sounds of Dixie's voice. He looked at her and his head swam. She didn't even look like Lily anymore. Her head and neck were immobilised and she was swathed in bandages. She looked tiny. Her skin was grey. She looked like a small, broken doll who'd been painted the wrong colour, but she wasn't a doll. She was a human being. She was Lily Chao. His girlfriend. "Lily… baby…" He remembered that Lily didn't like to be called that. "I mean darling… please be okay. You've got to hang on for me. I think I love you… No, I know I love you."
"Dr Knight, if you care anything for Lily, please step aside now!" said Connie icily.
Cal felt Robyn take his arms and pull him away from the trolley. He watched through his tears as the trolley went past him. Robyn put her arms around him, turning him away from the trolley, but that meant Cal could see over her shoulder towards the girl who was walking through the ED entrance, supported by Iain. Her arm was in a sling and there was another dressing on her cheek. "Sophie!"
He wanted to say more, but he felt Robyn's restraining arms and heard her whispered: "No, Cal."
She looked up and met his eyes and he saw calm expression, but he knew that wasn't really what she was feeling. She wouldn't be calm when her best friend could be about to die. Cal didn't doubt her control was feigned. By now, it was probably hanging by a thread.
"Sophie…" said Cal, too soft for her to hear.
Robyn kept hold of him. "You can talk to her after she's had treatment."
Zoe appeared and motioned to Robyn, who moved Cal gently out of her way as she listened to Iain's report. "Cubicles, please, Iain. Sophie, I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Zoe: I'm one of the consultants. So, you're saving lives again? I bet you're looking forward to working in a hospital. Perhaps then you'll get some peace and quiet!"
But Sophie didn't seem to hear. Her face didn't change as she hurried after the trolley and placed a hand on it, ignoring Connie's instructions to get out of the way. "I'm sorry, Lily. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. Try not to worry, okay? You're in good hands with Mrs Beauchamp. Please get better, Lily. I love you and Cal loves you and we just want you to be okay."
Ethan stood staring at the door that had just been slammed in his face. He sighed, rubbed his aching head, and staggered back down the path.
He'd knocked on four different doors asking for help now. Two hadn't answered, one had said they didn't want to buy anything, thank you, before shutting the door, and although this woman had initially been keen to help, she'd changed his mind on hearing his 'ridiculous' story.
Ethan crossed the road and went back the other way, but those houses all seemed to be empty too. His head was spinning and he felt ready to collapse. He knew he really ought to sit down and rest, but the longer he took to find help, the more chance there would be of the vandal getting away with it – and the longer it would be before he was with Sophie. She was his girlfriend and she needed his support. It wasn't as though anyone around here needing a doctor - excepting possibly for Ethan himself.
Actually, he decided, he would go to the hospital now. He'd done his best to find help, but without access to a phone, there was nothing he could do, and his girlfriend being in a car accident was most definitely an emergency.
Maybe he could write a note and explain what had happened and why he had to leave. The people who owned the greenhouse might be annoyed with him for leaving rather than reporting the crime, but if he included a description of the vandal, that might help the police to track him down and arrest him.
Ethan collected a notebook and pen from his car and went into the garden with the smashed greenhouse. There was a brick inside the greenhouse, just under the broken window pane that had obviously caused the damage and Ethan looked at it, feeling a lump in his throat as he wondered why some people had to be so horrible. The boy had gained absolutely nothing from this, apart from a few seconds of enjoyment; of power. The poor people who owned the greenhouse would now have to spend money fixing it, all because of one person's cruelty.
Into Ethan's fevered brain came the thought that they might have trouble affording a new pane of glass. The house wasn't that large and he knew that some of the houses along this road were council houses. Ethan hated to think of the shock and misery they would feel on discovering the damage. A closer glance revealed that one of the plants had been hit by the brick too and the stem had snapped, leaving several flowers lying on the greenhouse floor.
Ethan's eyes filled with tears. He did tend towards emotional fragility when he was ill, but he really felt as though this was a genuine tragedy. His desire to go to Sophie didn't waver, but he felt he couldn't leave without doing something to help. He reached into his pocket for his wallet and counted out a hundred pounds. He had no idea if it would be enough or not, but he opened the greenhouse door, went inside and put the money under the brick so it wouldn't blow away. Then he sat down and wrote a note about seeing the vandal run away, but being unable to stop him in his weakened condition. He wrote his name, address and phone number and put the note with the money.
He had some trouble standing up again as he was feeling very dizzy, but he managed to get back to his feet and stumbled out of the greenhouse into someone's arms.
As he felt on the point of collapsing, he was grateful to be caught, but then he realised the hand holding his arm was hurting him and he slowly lifted his head to meet the stern gazes of two policemen.