Bonnie Sveen Fan, thank you for your review. There is a very good chance you're right about Ethan ending up getting hurt. We know what Taylor's like!

Tanith Panic, considering Ethan's reaction to Cal's suspicions, I have to agree that Ethan probably wouldn't take kindly to any private research on Cal's part! I'm really happy you're so involved with the story. Thank you for your review.

Tato Potato, thank you for your review - I'm really happy you're enjoying it. It's good that Cal is starting to get suspicious, but I can't promise Ethan will listen!

20BlueRoses, love is completely blind in this case! And slightly deaf as well, as I don't think Ethan is interesting in listening to to Cal's suspicions. Thank you for your review.

ETWentHome, I don't think I can prevent Ethan from getting hurt by Taylor - he loves her too much to listen to Cal! But they'll be together for a few more chapters yet. Thank you for your review.

Ethan shut the door, looked over at the sofa and groaned inwardly. Oh, brilliant…

Cal and Honey. Not that he could see much of Honey with Cal all over her.

It hadn't been the easiest day at work. There hadn't been anything particularly challenging to deal with – at least nothing that counted as being out of the ordinary when you worked in an ED – but it had been difficult to focus. Ethan was so worried about Taylor. He kept thinking about her being all alone in her flat, injured and in pain. Then he invariably started to feel angry, wanting to kill the monster who had attacked his Taylor.

Also, he kept thinking about what Cal had said to him. He didn't think it was at all likely that Cal was right. Even doctors could forget all their training when they were ill or injured and in a panic, and if anyone had a reason to be panicky, it was someone who'd just been attacked.

But Cal had sounded so sure. Ethan could usually tell when Cal was trying to wind him up, and he was convinced that Cal was genuinely worried about Ethan.

After that, Ethan always remembered how scared and upset Taylor had been last night and he hated himself for even considering that Cal might have a point.

So it hadn't been that easy for Ethan and to top it off, when he'd called Taylor to say he'd finished work and ask if she wanted him to come over, she hadn't answered her phone.

Now he'd got home to discover Cal and Honey…

…wait a minute. That wasn't Honey. Not that Ethan was looking too closely, but he could see the top of the girl's head and her feet and they were too far apart for it to be Honey.

"You absolute-" he said without thinking, and Cal and the unknown girl sat up and looked at him.

Ethan felt himself blushing as he realised the top half of her, at least, was naked.

Perhaps he should go to his room now and defend Honey later, when Cal's… guest had gone.

"What's it got to do with you what I do on my own sofa?" said Cal in an injured tone.

"I admit it doesn't have very much to do with me," said Ethan, "though I could point out that the sofa is mine. But it does have something to do with Honey."

Cal waved a dismissive hand. "It's over between me and Honey."

"Does Honey know this?" said Ethan.

"Um… of course," said Cal.

Ethan glanced at the girl, careful to ensure his gaze didn't accidentally drop below the level of her chin. Not that he wanted to look any lower than her chin, but it was always difficult not looking at something you absolutely mustn't look at. "Hello. I'm Cal's brother, Ethan. You must be Isabel. No, I'm not psychic, but my brother seems to be working through the alphabet."

Cal looked slightly embarrassed. "Actually, this is, um, Imogen." Then he lifted his chin defiantly. "But I've got Isabel all booked up for next week!"

Imogen laughed. "You should probably have booked Iona too because I can't promise to be around for that long."

"I certainly wouldn't blame you if you left right now," said Ethan. There was a knock at the door. "I suggest you both put some clothes on because I am going to answer that."

As soon as he'd opened the door, he wished he hadn't.

"Hi, Ethan!" said Honey. "How's Cal? Is he feeling any better?"

"Did he tell you he was ill?" Ethan found it was almost impossible to sound normal when you were contemplating murder.

Honey nodded. "Poor Cal. So I brought him some special Honey's honey tea to make him feel better."

Ethan looked at the plastic box she was holding. "I'm afraid Cal's actually, um, sleeping at the moment. How about I take that for you?"

"No, I've got it," said Honey. She took a step towards him and Ethan, quite naturally, found himself stepping back.

He watched as the smile faded from Honey's face. The box she was holding fell to the floor with a crash, narrowly missing Ethan's toe.

"Oh my God," she said, and her eyes filled with tears. "How could you, Cal? How could you?"

Cal came towards her, holding his t-shirt like a loin cloth. "Honey, I'm sorry. I never meant for you to know about this."

"I thought you really cared about me!" cried Honey. "And all the time…" She threw her arms around Ethan and sobbed into his shoulder.

Ethan awkwardly put his arms around her and patted her back. "You're better off without him. You deserve much better."

"I feel so stupid!" wailed Honey. "Everyone warned me about him. But I didn't listen."

Ethan glared at Cal over Honey's head. "You really are a complete swine, aren't you?"

"I never wanted to hurt you, Honey," said Cal. He actually looked unhappy. "You're a really sweet girl and all this means nothing. It was just a bit of fun."

"Doesn't sound like it's much fun for Honey," said Imogen, who'd been quietly putting her clothes on.

Ethan stroked Honey's arm. "It won't feel like this forever, Honey. You will find someone else. Someone who really loves you."

Then he heard a gasp from behind him.

He turned back towards the open door. "Taylor?"

"Ethan." Taylor's voice was trembling.

"It's not what it looks like," said Ethan.

Taylor put her hand over her mouth and began to cry.

"Taylor, don't cry!" Ethan reached out a hand towards her.

"I think I'd better go," said Taylor between sobs.

"Taylor, please…"

Cal rushed over and grasped Taylor's arm. "Taylor, wait. It really isn't what it looked like. Honey is my girlfriend. She came to see me and caught me on the sofa with Imogen. Ethan's just comforting her."

"That really is honestly all it is," said Ethan.

"They're right," said Imogen. She now had her clothes on, though she was still showing a lot of flesh. "Bye, Cal. It was fun while it lasted. Shame your girlfriend can't say the same."

"I'm not his girlfriend!" said Honey as she pulled away from Ethan. She took a teabag out of the box, ripped it open and threw the contents into Cal's face.

"Honey!" said Cal, once he'd finished sneezing. He looked at Ethan and Taylor. "Did you see what she did to me?"

"It looks like it was nothing in comparison with what you deserve," said Taylor.

Honey sniffled. "I wish I'd chosen Ethan. He was my first choice, but I knew he had a girlfriend. I knew I wouldn't be Dylan's type, so that left you, Cal."

Cal looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean I only went out with you because you're a doctor!" said Honey. "I wanted to impress my dad, didn't I? So I couldn't exactly go out with one of the porters."

Ethan stared at her in amazement. "Seriously?" No, she had to be joking. She was just trying to save face after Cal had broken her heart.

"Seriously!" said Honey. She picked up the box of tea and departed.

Cal ran after her. "Honey, wait! You don't really mean that, do you?"

Ethan turned to Taylor. "Taylor, I promise you there is nothing between Honey and me. I was just comforting her. I don't like her in that way at all – and I love you."

"I know," said Taylor. "I'm sorry I jumped to the wrong conclusion." She put her arms around him, and Ethan found that this time, it was perfectly natural to hug the girl in his arms.

Ethan glanced over towards the sofa. It looked perfectly all right, but Ethan thought he'd better clean it before anyone tried sitting on it.

"Shall we go to my bedroom?" said Ethan.

"Won't Cal be back soon?" said Taylor.

Ethan felt himself blushing. "Oh, I didn't mean that! I really think we should wait till you're a bit more recovered. It's just Cal will be back in a minute and I thought we'd better have some privacy so we can talk." He looked up as Cal re-entered the flat.

He was dragging his feet and he looked sad. "I really liked her, Ethan."

"Which one?" Ethan couldn't resist asking.

"Honey, of course!" said Cal. "But she didn't like me. She never liked me. She played me and now Noel is going to kill me."

"You'll forgive me if I have absolutely no sympathy with you," said Ethan. He took Taylor's hand and they walked to the bedroom.