'Doctor Hardy, Hi, it's time to take you to get ready for your operation' A voice whispered from the doorway.
Ethan swallowed before nodding his head. He gripped his brother's arm tightly as they wheeled him towards the prep room. Cal sat beside him on the bed as the anaesthetist prepared the medication. Due to the fact that they hadn't inserted a cannula yet the doctors were going to have to insert one now. Cal took the anaesthetist to the side.
'I just thought I should warn you because he is afraid of needles, so you need to go easy with him' Cal whispered. The anaesthesiologist nodded.
'Right then Nibbles, budge up, let me sit down too' Cal ordered before laying beside him. Ethan wrapped his arms tightly around his brother. 'Calm down mate, listen they're going to insert a cannula then we'll give it a minute, we won't do everything all at once. Now I need you to trust me, this isn't going to hurt and I'm going to look out for you' Cal whispered threading his arms around his brother and drawing him close. He signalled to the anaesthesiologist that he was ready before burying his brother's head into his shoulder. Ethan yelped as the needle pierced his arm, suddenly beginning to feel panicked. 'Shhh. Its alright, calm down mate, I'm here, you're doing really well' he soothed rubbing his brother's back in an attempt to calm him.
'I never realised it was this bad for you Nibbles' Cal commented as he tried to calm him down.
'It wasn't it's just after the crash, I'm still jumpy and I'm still not right' Ethan hiccuped.
'Ethan, you should have said mate, If I had known I would have done more to support you' Cal exclaimed.
'You couldn't have done more than you did. Just being around has helped me a lot, Its just going to take time' Ethan explained. Cal drew him into another embrace, clinging onto his brother grateful to have such a kind hearted, sensible person looking out for him.
'Right we need to finish up here' The anaesthetist interrupted.
'Okay' Ethan breathed, somehow it felt easy now he was rid of the weight that pinned him down. He made himself comfortable, laying on the bed carefully before reaching a hand out to Cal. The anaesthetist began injecting the drug.
'Are you okay?' Cal asked.
'Never better' Ethan replied. 'You?'
'Just worrying about you, I'll be waiting for you when you wake up, and I promise you won't be alone for a second, not if you don't want to be that is' Cal stammered.
'Wouldn't have it any other way' Ethan replied, his voice becoming quieter as the drug made its way into his system.
Within a few seconds Ethan was under and Cal scrubbed up for the operation. He stood dutifully by his brother's head, meticulously monitoring his vital signs and holding his hand tightly. It was only once they were out of the operating theatre that Cal had a chance to come to terms with what was going on. These thoughts were rapidly interrupted by a rather loud moan from the bed.