X-Sammii-X, thank you for your review. I think Cal probably wants to make a lot of people happy, but either it happens off-camera (we didn't see much of Taylor or even Matilda really) or he messes it up! Ethan really would be an amazing daddy.

Bonnie Sveen Fan, thank you for your review. I don't know what's worse - watching the girl you love having your brother's babies or having your babies in front of the guy who wishes they were his!

westlife4ever80, I think Cal might be finally getting the message that life isn't a fairy tale with him starring as the knight in shining armour! He does need to be honest, though that doesn't always come naturally either! Thank you for your review.

Tanith Panic, you might have a hunch, but I don't! I'd like them both to be happy at the end, but it's going to be difficult. I'll try though. Now I'm imagining two little Rihannas toddling round the ED: Cal and Dylan's little divas! Thank you for your review.

CBloom2, Cal does need to be there! There are four people in that hospital who really need him! And perhaps five, including himself, who might never forgive him if he doesn't get there. Thank you for your review.

ETWentHome, thank you for your review. If Cal was in any more of a panic, he really might end up committing a crime! Thank you - I'm so glad you like the way I write Ethan's feelings. He is usually very considerate, so I'm glad that's coming across.


Cal was pacing up and down the interview room. The policemen still hadn't got back, or at least they weren't ready to interview him. He had no idea how long he'd been there and all he knew was that Ariel would be upset and worried.

"I wish they would hurry up!" he said as he paced. "All I want is to be with my girlfriend. To talk to her about things properly. To make plans. To make sure I'm there when she needs me. But I'm stuck here and I can't do anything."

"It shouldn't be too much longer," said the policewoman comfortingly.

"I'll believe that when I see it!" said Cal.

When the knock came at the door a moment later, he was almost annoyed. He never liked being wrong and it was particularly embarrassing when it happened in front of other people.

Then he decided he would give anything (except Ariel, the twins and Ethan) to be wrong just this once.

The policewoman went to open the door. She exchanged a few words with someone, then she went outside and closed the door behind her. Cal sighed and sat back on his chair. Just for a moment, he'd thought the policemen were back so he could finally get his interview and finally be allowed to go home.

He looked up when the policewoman returned. She was looking worried. "Cal, do you know a guy called Max Walker?"

"Yeah: I work with him," said Cal. "At least, he's a porter in my hospital. He's a mate." He was confused. "Has Max been arrested too?"

"No. It's nothing like that," said the policewoman. "The thing is, I can't let you leave and I'm really sorry. It's not my case and I can't make any big decisions like this. All I can do is make sure the people in charge know it too and hope they'll agree to interview you as quickly as possible."

"What? What's happened?" said Cal.

The policewoman hesitated and went to sit in the chair beside him. "It's Ariel. She's all right and you've still got plenty of time and everything is going as you'd expect so far, but I'm afraid she has gone into labour."

"WHAT?"


Ethan gently wiped Ariel's forehead and smiled at her. "You're doing really well, you know. You're coping with the pain brilliantly – Cal would be so proud. I don't even want to think about the fuss he'd be making! Or the fuss I'd be making, for that matter."

Ariel just smiled, but Ethan thought she might have laughed in other circumstances.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," said Ethan. "With the babies and with Cal." Not for the first time, he wondered guiltily if he was doing the right thing in hiding the truth from Ariel. For one thing, he couldn't be sure how much of it was the truth – as Mitzi had managed to get everyone's name's wrong when she'd taken down the message from Max, it was possible Cal wasn't in a police station at all. As he was having car trouble (assuming that was correct), a train or bus station would be far more likely than a police station.

What else rhymed with station?

Castration? No. Surely not.

Damnation? Now, that was more likely, knowing Cal.

Flirtation? Ethan really hoped not.

Constipation? I'm really not sure I want to think about that.

"Ethan?" said Ariel, looking a bit surprised. "What are you thinking about?"

"Consti- um, I mean, er… consummation… oh my goodness, no! I definitely didn't mean that."

"Conversation?" suggested Ariel.

"Yes! Conversation," said Ethan. "We should have one. So. Um. Are you looking forward to meeting little Liam Niall and Louisa Harriet?"

Ariel flinched.

"Another contraction?" said Ethan sympathetically. "I could give you a massage if you wanted me to. I've heard they can be very helpful." It wouldn't help him, but that was irrelevant and if he was behind her back, she wouldn't notice if he got teary again.

"No, it's just…" Ariel hesitated. "I don't know what to do, Ethan. I've kind of got myself into a situation with Cal and I don't know how to get out of it."

Ethan absolutely hated himself for the hope that rose up inside him, but it only lasted a couple of seconds. If Ariel was going to leave Cal, that would be absolutely terrible. Cal would be heartbroken. Ethan knew exactly how that felt and he wasn't going to wish it on anybody. Especially not his brother. "Ariel, I know Cal's been a bit of an idiot, but he really loves you. It is natural to be upset with him. He's stood you up and he's not here at the moment when you need him most A lot of mothers rage at the fathers of their babies, even when they are present in the delivery room. But those feelings aren't real. As soon as the babies are born, the feelings usually go away. Mothers often find they love the fathers more than ever after they see what they've created together."

Ariel stared at him. "Oh! No, I don't mean I don't love Cal. I do. That's part of the problem. If I didn't love him so much, it wouldn't bother me."

"What is it?" asked Ethan as supportively as he could. "You can tell me."

Ariel looked away, focusing her gaze instead on her stomach. Her look of agitation was momentarily replaced by a smile. "It's the names," she said at last.

"The babies' names?" said Ethan.

Ariel nodded. "I love the names we've chosen. I really do. At least, I love the idea of it. But they're not two dolls or pets we're naming. They're two human beings and whatever names we give them, they're going to have to grow up with them."

Her eyes met his. She looked guilty and as though she was pleading with him to understand. Ethan leaned closer, which unsettled him a little, but he wanted to do everything he could to let her know he was here and he was listening.

"Ethan, I think my name is beautiful, but it's not an easy name to have. There have always been comments about washing powder and mermaids and Shakespeare and typefaces. There probably always will be. Sometimes they upset or annoy me and sometimes I don't care. But it's not easy."

"I can imagine," murmured Ethan, wanting to encourage her but not break the flow.

"I don't want my children to grow up knowing their named after a band Mummy used to be crazy about. Can you imagine how embarrassed they're going to feel? How cruel the other children might be? If we call them Liam and Louisa with different middle names, perhaps we'll get away with it. But anyone who sees the names Liam and Niall together is going to know – and once they've made that connection, they'll see where Louisa Harriet came from too. It was fun joking about it – we thought up all sorts of crazy names and we laughed so much. But this isn't a game, Ethan. It's two human beings."

Ethan nodded slowly. He could see where Ariel was coming from and it had crossed his own mind, if only very faintly because it was none of his business. He thought all parents had the right to choose any names they wanted, within reason, and he would never try to interfere, but Ariel's point of view was valid.

"Maybe I'm being silly," said Ariel. "A lot of babies are named after celebrities – and some have much more embarrassing names. A lot of these kids will be fine. Happy. Popular. Successful. But what if it makes my children unhappy, Ethan?"

"You can't know what will happen in the future, Ariel, but you've got lots of time," said Ethan. "You have forty-two days in which to register the births. Forty-two days to get to know your children and choose the perfect names."

"Do you think I'm right then?" said Ariel.

Ethan managed to take her hand in his. "Ariel, the right answer to this question will be different for every couple and it's something you need to discuss with Cal, but for you, the right answer is to give your children different names. And that's fine. I found it difficult growing up being called Ethan – it's a very popular name now, but everyone at school thought it was a weird name and I never met another Ethan until I got my first job in a hospital and ended up treating a young boy with that name. Though I should say that it wasn't just my name – Caleb was an unusual name then too, but Cal was always much more confident than me, at least outwardly. He was cool so his unusual name was cool. I wasn't so mine wasn't."

"My children will always be cool to me," said Ariel firmly. "But we can't control what other people say."

Ethan hesitated. "Of course, giving them common names won't guarantee they will be popular. If someone's personality doesn't fit, then it doesn't matter what their names are."

"But it's still a risk," said Ariel.

"A risk you're perfectly entitled not to take," said Ethan.

Ariel shook her head. "But what about Cal? He loves the names. He thought of them. He thought he was so clever and so did I. I still do. I can't tell him I've changed my mind."

"Of course you can," said Ethan. "Though you don't have to word it quite like that. You could express your concerns and see what he says. Caleb never reacts well if you tell him he's being stupid – though I admit that doesn't usually stop me from saying it – but he loves you. If you tell him you're worried, then he'll listen. He might not agree with your viewpoint, but I'm sure he'll respect it. And then, together, you can find the names that really are perfect."