For this chapter: Cal is younger than Ethan, he's 5.5-6years younger and he's also shorter than him. Ethan doesn't have the gene.

Guest: Thank you for the review. I like writing chapters where Alicia is nasty, I do think she has a nasty side to her. I guess in a way, she is bullying Ethan, just as Lily bullied her and I don't like her for that, although I do like the actress.

bronny9: Thank you for the review. I'm glad you thought it was adorable, I love writing for the brothers.

This chapter was prompted by bronny9 with the prompt: "Cal has ambitions to be a surgeon, but finds his dreams crushed by Sam.


The Secret Life Of Casualty.

Chapter 286.

Cal had never been committed to his GSCE mock papers while in school, but since leaving university and getting a place at Holby ED, he'd wanted something more than than being a registrar, he'd wanted to become a surgeon. He'd shadowed Sam Strachen and he had appeared to take Cal under his wing, teaching him everything he knew.

But when Cal heard there was a meeting being held in the staff room something told him he should be worried.

"Cal, can I hard a word?" Asked Sam as the meeting came to end.

"Er sure, " Cal replied as he followed Sam outside.

"I can't afford to have you a surgeon." Sam said as he went in to Connie's office for some privacy. Cal sat in the chair.

"Why?" Cal asked, he was confused.

"Because of funding. You were never a condendor anyway." Sam said, he looked like he was enjoying breaking Cal.

"I was only humouring you because I felt sorry for you, but your not surgeon material and not a great doctor. " Sam smirked as he come to the end of his sentence.

Cal couldn't believe it, he'd grown to respect Sam and now he was being humiliated, tears stung his eyes as he stood up from the chair.

But Sam delivered the final blow to him "I just wanted someone to suck up to me and do anything I wanted. "

Cal swore that he felt his heart break in to a million pieces as Sam carelessly stamped on it. He left the office, tears now streaming down his cheeks as he hurried down the ED stairs and past the doctors and nurses.

"Cal?" "Cal?" Cal?" Ethan called, but he couldn't hear him.

Sam smirked at Ethan, Ethan realising that he was the reason why Cal was so upset. Pulling himself up straight Ethan headed up the stairs, rehearsing in his mind, what he was going to say.

Ethan knocked on the office door.

"Come in, " Sam called, leaning lazily back in the chair as Ethan pushed the door open.

"Ah Doctor Hardy what can I do for you?" Sam asked.

"My brother would make an excellent surgeon, unlike you. " Ethan said, it felt good to stand up for his brother.

"He's a dumb doctor. " Sam retorted.

Ethan glared at him. "He's twice the doctor you'll ever be Mr Strachen."

Sam couldn't believe he'd been shut down by a doctor who was defending his brother, but that's what brothers did, they defended each other. Ethan left the officer and went to the staff room, grabbing his stuff out of his locker and putting on his coat as he left. He realised as he walked home why he was so protective of Cal, Cal had been born to Matilda and Calvin a few weeks early.

Flashback

Matilda was in a side room, in a gown, lying on a bed, the gas and air tube in her mouth to help her with the contractions, that had started off like a mild stomach ache, but they had soon got intense and she had screamed in agony, holding her husbands hand as she struggled to cope with the pain.

"Calvin!" She shouted.

"That's it love. " He encouraged her as a contraction passed.

"I can see the head. " The nurse announced.

"As he's a few weeks early, he needs help with his breathing." The nurse told him as the cot was wheeled out to the corridor, and to the lifts. When the lifts opened the small cot was wheeled in to the lift and he was placed in to an incubator.

Pushing Matilda in the wheelchair with Ethan on holding on to the handle bars, the family went to see their new boy.

"Look Ethan that's your little brother," Matilda said as she guided Ethan's hand on to the incubator.

"Hello Cal. " Ethan whispered.

The baby gurgled back at him, as a nurse told Matilda she should go back to her room to get some rest. Calvin took Cal home after he had hugged his mother.

End of flashback.

Ethan ran up the stairs and went to his door, he got his keys out of his jacket pocket and pushed them in to the lock, he heard the click as he walked in.

There was silence in the flat as Ethan took off his coat, he walked in to the living room, it was empty, kitchen was the same as the living room, his room was empty, he wasn't standing on the small balcony. He went back inside and headed for his room.

Ethan stood in the doorway of his brothers bedroom.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

Cal was still throwing his books on the floor, until he grew tired of it.

Cal collapsed to the floor, tears flowing down his cheeks as he pulled his knees up to his chest, his books scattered around him on the floor. He began crying.

"I just wanted to make mum as proud as me as she was of you. " Cal whispered, wiping his nose on the back of his sleeve. Ethan handed him some tissues as that was the one habbit that annoyed him slightly. Cal blew his nose and then wiped his eyes with another, before throwing them in the bin, in the corner of the room.

"I've always tried to look up to you, Ethan, " He said. "I just wanted to be like my big brother. "

"I know you did, " Ethan reassured him, holding him tightly in a loving embrace, planting a kiss on his forehead.

Cal started to cry again. "I just wanted to make mum proud, "

Ethan stroked his hair. "Mum would of been very proud of you, no matter what and you do not need to be a surgeon for her to be proud of you. "

Cal gave his brother a small smile as he took a sip of his drink and looked up at him.

Ethan read him a story, from the books he had when they were children and he got himself comfy on the end of Cal's bed as he opened the book and began to read. He soon come to the end of the book and Cal had fallen asleep.

Ethan couldn't move because of the way Cal was lying on him, but he knew it would be comforting for him. He lay Cal's childhood blanket over him and stroked his hair. Cal whimpered in his brothers arms.

Cal found himself being soothed by Ethan's quiet words.

Next morning Ethan made Cal his favourite breakfast and they spent the day together, doing the things Cal loved such as an action film at the cinema. Action films weren't Ethan's favourite, but he was willing to do anything for him.

When the film finished, the lads went to the chippy where Cal got some chips and a sausage while Ethan just had some chips, as they walked back to the flat, they passed the park that Matilda took them to when they were kids and Cal had a sudden flashback when he seen a little boy, with brown hair, around 6 or 7 on a swing.

"What's wrong Cal?" Asked Ethan.

"I'm fine Ethan. "

Ethan shook his head, he didn't believe him.

"Cal?"

"Cal?"

It was then both brothers realised that a father was calling his son. The brothers decided to leave the park.

Slotting his key back in to the lock, Ethan stepped back as Cal walked in.

They watched a movie as they sat together, Cal curling up on his lap, Ethan once again, stroking his hair and wiping his tears from his cheeks.


Thank you for reading and thank you to bronny9 for the prompt, I enjoyed writing this one.

Next chapter: Alicia is nasty to Cal. Prompted by Guest ( Ffion) I should have it up tomorrow.