N: (Guest) Thank you for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, felt sorry for Cal as well.
broony9: Thank you for the review.
For this prompt, Cal has the gene, Matilda is the boys mum.
This chapter was prompted by broony9 with the prompt: It's Cal's birthday and Ethan wants to spend time with his brother.
The Secret Life Of Casualty.
Chapter 179.
It was an ordinary day in Holby, except for two brothers, who lived in a top floor flat. It was the eldest brothers birthday and he would be 33.
Ethan had spent the night before, putting banners up and checking that there was room in the fridge for the birthday cake that he had brought from the supermarket and the candles were in an easy place to find.
"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Cal, happy birthday to you." Ethan sang softly as he entered his brothers room.
Cal stared at his brother, before managing a small smile. "T-thanks N-Nibbles"
"What have I have said about calling me Nibbles?" Ethan laughed, quietly. Usually, he would be annoyed by Cal calling him Nibbles, but today, seeing as it was birthday, he let it go. "We are going out, " He added, as he helped Cal out of bed.
"W-h-e-re?" Cal struggled and it hurt Ethan to see that Cal was struggling. Before his diagnose, he was confident with the nurses at work, he had bedded most of them, now when they seen him at work, they sniggered and walked away.
Ethan smiled at his brother. "It's a surprise. "
Ethan had booked a taxi for 8: 30 as the zoo opened at 9: 00 until 5:00.
He walked to his brothers wardrobe and found something comfortable for Cal to wear. He got out a tee - shirt, jeans and a jacket.
Ethan got a message from the taxi company, informing him that their car was outside, waiting for them. Ethan took Cal in to the living room and got a blanket for Cal to stay warm with. They got outside where the taxi was waiting and Ethan opened the door for his brother.
Ethan put the wheelchair in the boot of the car, and got in next to his brother, before helping his brother with his belt.
"Wh- ere a-are w-we g-going?" Cal stuttered, again.
"Wait and see " Ethan laughed at his brothers enthusiasm.
The taxi pulled in to the entrance as Cal saw the sign:
"Bristol Zoo"
"We are at the zoo" He said, laughing, with excitement, but dribble began falling down his chin, it was a common sign of the dreaded disease, Ethan got some tissues and wiped it away for him.
"Yes" Ethan replied, smiling as he got out of the car and walked around to Cal's side, helping him out of the car. Ethan gave the driver his money and a tip as they got outside, the wheelchair set up beside the car.
"I w-want t-to w- walk, " Cal said, frustrated.
"Cal, you need to use the chair " Ethan said lightly.
Cal pouted slightly, but let Ethan lead him to the chair and secured the straps over him. He pushed them over to the entrance and showed the woman on the desk, their "fast track" passes, which meant that they didn't have to queue for the toilets and stuff.
Ethan smiled, he hadn't seen his brother this happy since before his diagnose, Ethan got out the disposable camera he had brought with him and started taking pictures of him with the animals such as the giraffes, elephants, lions, and the kola's.
At 12: 00, they stopped for lunch. They found a bench and Ethan helped Cal to sit down on the bench, before getting their lunch out and unwrapping Cal's sandwich for him. He opened his crisps for him and put a straw in his drink.
"I - I W- want t- to w- alk " Cal said, after they had finished their lunch and Ethan had binned their rubbish.
"OK, Cal, just be careful. " Ethan said as he made sure that Cal had hold of the handles.
"Mum, look that man, can't walk. " A little boy pointed at Cal struggling and started laughing.
"Jacob, stop laughing. Or no sweets. " The mum said.
"But Mum. "
"I said no sweets, Jacob. " Carol his mother tugged him away.
Cal tripped over and cut his knee, tears welling up in his eyes. Ethan searched his bag and looked for a plaster, when he found one, he placed it over Cal's knee and wiped away, his tears.
They went in to the gift shop, they were shelves full of stuffed teddies: Panda's, tigers, Elephants. There were also key rings and notepads. Cal walked over to the shelves, filled with teddies and picked up a Panda, his eyes lighting up.
"Cal, why don't you wait outside?" Ethan asked.
Cal nodded and went outside and once Ethan had made sure that Cal was away, he walked over to the shelves and picked up the panda, taking it over to the
The cashier handed Ethan his carrier bag and he met Cal outside, calling a taxi to take them home.
Ethan pressed the button for the lift and waited for it to arrive, before pushing Cal in and waiting for it to arrive at their floor.
Ethan opened the front door and wheeled Cal inside, he took him in to his bedroom, while he got things ready. Then he wheeled him om to the living room.
Ethan nipped in to his bedroom to find Cal's presents. He put them all in a carrier bag so they were easier to take in to the living room and then placed them on the table, ready for Cal to open them.
"What's wrong?" Ethan asked, concerned.
"I w- won't b-be a-around f-for - y-your b-birthday, " Cal stuttered, tears rolling down his face, he had realised he would be in the ground.
Ethan hugged his tightly.
Ethan walked over to the TV where they kept the DVD's and picked them up, putting them on the coffee table.
With a jerky hand movement, Cal pointed to the DVD he wanted to watch. Ethan smiled and picked up the box, putting it in the DVD player and picking up the remote, sitting down next to Cal, and pressing play on the remote.
When the film, which was Peter Pan, had finished. Ethan went to get them both a drink.
Cal put on his brothers jacket, the arms were too small for him and it didn't fully cover him, but he didn't care, all he wanted was a piece of his brothers clothing.
Cal started to unwrap his presents. They were all from Ethan. He got some DVD'S, books and clothes and the panda.
"What are you going to call it?" Ethan asked.
Cal thought for a moment. "P- Patches "
Ethan kissed his brothers head as they snuggled up for warmth.
"TH-hank you, " Cal whispered, as his eyes started to slowly drift shut.
"What for?" Ethan whispered back, stroking his hair.
"F-for t-the p- presents, " Cal replied.
Ethan hugged his brother again. Then, he had an idea, reaching for the disposable camera, which was on the table, Ethan took a picture of the two of them, as one day, he knew that memories would be all he had.
Ethan brought in Cal's cake, it was a chocolate cake, he sang happy birthday to him again and although, Cal tried to blow out his candles, he found it was too tiring for him, so Ethan blew them out for him and went to cut them each a slice, bringing them back in to the living room, but he realised that Cal's eyes were slowly drifting shut. So, placing the plates on the table, he got beside Cal, resting his chin on his head, as they slowly drifted off to sleep, safe in each others arms.
For the zoo information, I googled zoos in Bristol, as that's where Casualty was set, before it moved to Cardiff.
Thank you for reading and thank you to bronny9 for the prompt, I really, really, enjoyed writing it and I hope you guys enjoyed it as well.
Next chapter: Ethan suffers from a TBI and Cal has to adapt their flat, in order to look after him. I will try to get it up before the episode, or if not today, it'll be tomorrow at some point, I think. Prompted by Lauren.
