X-Sammii-X, I'd like to see sunbathing too! And technically, he's using my balcony, which is an interesting thought! I'm so happy you enjoyed the chapter. I'm glad you like sulky Cal. Thank you for your review.
LittleBritishPerson, thank you for your review. I'm really happy you can picture the flat in your head. I'm not very good at imagining how things look, but I have screenshots of the flat and I was able to look at my balcony, which helped.
Bonnie Sveen Fan, when I first started writing, Ethan was always looking after Cal, but things have changed! So it's nice to go back to Ethan being the caring one. Thank you for your review.
Teeloganroryflan, thank you for your review - I'm really glad you found the first chapter interesting. I hope this will be too!
tracys dream, thank you for your review - I'm glad you're finding the story interesting. I hope you continue to enjoy it.
Tanith Panic, it's not going to be an easy time for Cal, but I won't be surprised if most of your empathy is with Ethan. I enjoyed writing the banter in the first chapter, but I'm afraid there won't be much in this story. Thank you for your review.
Thank you to tracys dream for the follow.
Cal looked genuinely confused. "Go? Go where?"
"Over the railing," said Ethan, purposely not looking at it. "I can stand on the dining chair. Then I can go along the ledge and get onto Megan's balcony."
"You?" said Cal in complete disbelief. He shook his head and hopped over to Ethan. "Ethan, you can't. I can't let you. You'd be terrified."
Ethan knew he should be touched by his concern, but instead he felt annoyed that Cal had so little belief in him. "I won't be terrified."
"You're scared of heights," said Cal. "Don't you remember that time you tried to go on the big slide in the playground and I had to climb up past everyone to help you down?"
"I was five," said Ethan.
"You were nearly eight," said Cal. "Or what about the time when you went on the school trip to the ruined castle and you went to the top of the castle and threw up off the top of the battlements?"
"Maybe I was just ill."
Cal sighed. "And there was that time when we went on that holiday and we looked over the cliff down at the beach and you dropped to your knees, flung your arms around Mum's waist and refused to move? In case you'd forgotten, you were fifteen, Ethan. "
"That was when I was a kid," said Ethan, as calmly as he could when he was flushing with embarrassment. "I'm not scared anymore."
Cal gave him a doubtful glance. "What about the time Zoe told you to go up onto the roof after a patient and your glasses miraculously fell off and broke?"
"That was an accident!" said Ethan. "I would never break my glasses on purpose." He went off to get a mini-first aid kit before Cal could think of any more examples. He hooked it over his wrist and tried to look confident. "Come on, Cal. You can help me over the railing."
"Okay," said Cal, looking quite frightened himself. He watched as Ethan carried the chair to the edge of the balcony. Ethan kept his eyes shut as he climbed onto it. Immediately, he felt his heartrate speed up and he opened his eyes slowly, careful to keep his gaze above the skyline.
"I'm up," said Ethan, his voice higher than usual. "Now I need to… get down."
Cal hopped over without his crutches and put his arms around Ethan's waist. "Okay, Nibbles. You'll have to step right down onto the ledge. Can you put both hands on the railing for me?"
Ethan waved his hands in front of him in the hope the railing would be there, then he bent slowly, his eyes still raised to the sky.
"Ethan, look what you're doing!" said Cal. "And if you can't look, don't do it!"
The edge of impatience in Cal's voice restored some of Ethan's courage. He lowered his head, stared hard at the railing and gripped it firmly with both hands.
"That's good," said Cal. "Now, you just need to get your leg over." He laughed. "This really is outside your experience, isn't it?"
Ethan actually turned his head to glare at him.
"That's it, Nibbles. Stay angry. Focus on how horrible your brother is," said Cal. Then his voice changed slightly. "But be careful, Nibbles. Please be careful."
Ethan felt Cal's arms, secure around his waist. He slowly lowered one shaking leg over the railing, trying not to look down into the car park below.
"Okay, I'll guide your leg into place," said Cal.
Ethan felt a hand grip his thigh. He lowered it slowly, obeying Cal's instructions to move it more to the left. "It hurts, Cal!"
"Where?" said Cal cheekily.
Ethan blushed. "I'm not telling you."
"Your other leg should be easier," said Cal. He gave instructions, and soon Ethan was standing with both feet on the ledge, facing the balcony with his eyes firmly fixed on Cal because he did not want to look anywhere else.
"What now?" he said, his voice catching.
"Keep hold of the railing and edge yourself along," said Cal.
Ethan gulped, uncomfortably aware his heels were hanging of the ledge.
"Put your feet on sideways," said Cal. "But keep looking towards me."
Ethan turned his feet at an angle. One foot wobbled and he grabbed at the railing again, his knuckles turning white, but then he remembered Megan needed him and he was the only person who could do it.
Cal's warm hands descended on Ethan's. "You don't have to do this, you know."
"I'm fine," said Ethan unconvincingly and slid his right foot a little away along the ledge, but the texture was gravelly and it was hard to push his foot. He moved his left foot micrometres above the ledge and moved it along, feeling the sole skimming the concrete.
"That's it!" said Cal encouragingly. He kept his hands on Ethan's. "Now take your time. There's no rush."
Ethan knew there was a reason to rush, but he didn't think he could have moved more quickly even if Cal's life had depended on it. He moved at a snail's pace as far as the partition, his legs still a bit shaky but not letting him down.
They reached the partition and stopped. Ethan knew he'd have to let go of Cal's hands now and he could tell from the pallor of Cal's face that he was in pain. "I'm okay now, Cal. I can manage." He slid his hands along the rail and stopped as his little fingertip hit something hard.
The balcony rail was still there, but it was partly embedded into the back wall of the water meter cupboard. Ethan could still get some purchase on it, but it wasn't nearly as secure a grip as before. If his foot slipped…
For a moment, the world seemed to go black, but then the mist cleared. Ethan trembled, but he didn't give up. He moved one foot, then another.
"That's it, Nibbles!" whispered Cal. "You're nearly halfway. You can do this! I'm so proud of you."
The words shocked Ethan. It was so long since Cal had said anything like that. He turned his head to look at his brother. He saw him, leaning far over the railing in a way that would have terrified Ethan if he wasn't terrified already, but then he saw what was next to Cal.
Nothing.
Just space, empty air; and then a car park far, far below.
Ethan opened his mouth. A shaky cry came out.
"Ethan?" Cal's pride turned to horror.
"I can't!" whispered Ethan. he closed his eyes, flattening himself against the wall and gripping the small amount of rail with all his strength. "I can't, Cal."