X-Sammii-X, yes, Cal is awake! But I'm afraid I can't tell you if he's going to be okay, though he does have an important role to play in the story after this one. I think Rita is a bit of a devil in some ways! As well as an angel. Ethan is very brave - Alicia probably couldn't do better! But she can't help not loving him. Thank you for your review.
michelle fanfic, thank you for your review. I'm so glad you're enjoying this so far - I hope you like this chapter too.
Tanith Panic, you don't want Zoe and Max to die in each other's arms? But their story would make such a brilliant opera! It is horrible to think of a baby going through such a traumatic experience, but that's true that she won't be able to remember it. No Lofty in this chapter, I'm afraid! Thank you for your review.
InifnityAndOne, thank you for your review. Cal is finally getting some help, but he might not be the easiest patient! Though how many doctors are? I'm glad you like the way Rita is helping Iain - there probably isn't any one right way, but this one seemed to make sense. You'll find out if Ethan's plan works soon!
Howling2theMoon, thank you for your review - I'm really happy you're enjoying this story.
20BlueRoses, yes, that's definitely going to be a potential problem where Cal is concerned! It is likely he will find out about Ethan one way or another, so be prepared for Cal acting first and thinking later! Thank you for your review.
westlife4ever80, thank you for your review. There is a bit more Cal and a bit more Iain in this chapter, so you'll find out how they're both doing. I suppose in some ways those two are the biggest worries because they're the least likely to sit still and let themselves be treated!
Thank you to Howling2theMoon for the follow.
Lofty wasn't at St James'. Dylan had somehow known he wouldn't be.
The guilt he felt was almost overpowering. He knew, of course, that he'd been too busy to check his phone and that his priority had been Connie and Grace. But if he had checked his phone, he could have asked for the search earlier and Lofty would have been found long ago.
But Dylan hadn't checked.
He went outside, looking for someone or other who seemed to have some authority, and eventually found a police officer who didn't look like he'd only been out of school for five minutes. "We have a staff member unaccounted for."
"We were under the impression there were three people unaccounted for," said the policeman. "A Dr Hardy, a Dr Munroe and a Mr Walker."
Dylan didn't think he'd heard of Dr Munroe, and he wasn't sure who Mr Walker was, though there was a certain familiarity about the name. Could he be the healthcare assistant who'd stolen painkillers and then driven off on a motorbike? Mac something. Macdonald Walker? Something like that. He might have come back for Charlie's party.
But Dylan did feel a pang of concern about Ethan, who was a good doctor, despite all his idiotic behaviour recently.
"You can add one more to the list: Nurse Ben Chiltern." Dylan explained about the text message. "St James' have no record of him and he isn't in our temporary triage area. I've noticed that a section of the hospital appears badly-damaged. I think it's likely the missing people are in there."
Something important. I was supposed to be doing something important.
The words ran back and forth in Cal's head. He had no idea what he was doing, or about to do. He couldn't remember anything after the helicopter coming towards him.
Lily came back into the cubicle. "Cal, I'm afraid you won't be able to have a scan just yet, but I'll get it organised as soon as I can."
Helicopter… scan… another thought came into his mind and Cal he sat up, suddenly scared. "Are Connie and Grace okay?"
"Caleb, please lie back down at once," said Lily.
"Just tell me!"
"I'll tell you when you're lying down," said Lily.
Cal wanted to argue, but he had a feeling it was too important. He lay down and looked imploringly at Lily.
"Mrs Beauchamp has not allowed herself to be examined fully, so we haven't discovered the full extent of her injuries," said Lily. "However, she is awake and speaking. Grace is in a critical condition and we are very concerned."
"That's terrible," said Cal, and he meant it. "Poor kid. Poor both of them. Poor Jacob." He frowned. He was glad they were both alive at least, but he was sure there was something he was even more worried about. "Lily, where's Ethan?"
"I can't be expected to keep tabs on all the other doctors," said Lily. "Some are working in Resus. Some are in the pub. Perhaps some have travelled to St James' in order to help."
"You haven't kept tabs on them?" said Cal disbelievingly. "They're our colleagues. They could be seriously hurt. And you haven't even bothered to find out if they're okay?"
Lily looked hurt, then angry. "I was busy saving a baby's life, Dr Knight. A baby who…" She stopped. "I'm sorry. It has been an emotional time."
Cal felt his own anger draining away too. Lily was right. The patients were the priority and although Charlie probably knew where everyone was, there was no need for everyone to know. "Is it okay if I call Ethan?"
"Yes, but please don't worry if he doesn't answer," said Lily. "We are all very busy."
Robyn rushed into the cubicle with the results. She didn't even stop to catch her breath. "She's okay, Louise! They rushed it through for me. Her carboxyhaemoglobin levels are normal. Shall I give Charlie a call to let him know?"
"Yeah, good idea," said Louise. "Thanks, Robyn." She looked down at the baby. "Isn't that good news, darling?" A small hand curled around hers and Louise smiled soppily, her face transformed. "We do need to find out what's wrong with her though. She drank the milk I gave her happily enough."
"We will find out what's wrong," said Robyn. "It could be she's fine. Some babies are naturally skinny and there's nothing wrong with them."
"But she stopped breathing, Robyn," said Louise. "Her heart stopped. And she was being brought to the ED, or at least to the hospital."
Robyn glanced at the paper she'd brought with her. "I got them to run a few tests, but nothing's showing up."
"Is it possible…" Louise stopped. "I probably don't know what I'm talking about."
Robyn was surprised by Louise's lack of confidence, but she tried not to show it. She knew the incident with the baby had upset her. "Even if you think it's unlikely, anything is worth mentioning."
"I hope I'm wrong – I really hope I'm wrong – but I'm wondering about congenital heart disease," said Louise. "It could explain the cardiac arrest and the cyanosis."
"And maybe her weight too ," said Robyn. "I think babies with congenital heart disease need more calories. So if she's been given the normal amount of calories, she'd probably be thin."
"But shouldn't someone have picked up on it?" asked Louise doubtfully.
"Not all conditions are picked up at birth," said Robyn.
Louise stroked the baby's hand. "Okay, I suppose we'd better run an ECG. We'll see if we can get someone from paediatrics… or would they have been evacuated too?"
"Only one way to find out," said Robyn with a lightness she definitely didn't feel.
Ethan leaned heavily on the long piece of wood as he slowly stood up. He used it as a crutch as he took a few steps away from the ambulance, then he lifted it in the air, his weight slightly on his good knee.
What he really didn't need to do was overbalance. He could probably get up again, but it wouldn't be quick and Alicia needed him now.
She needed a whole lot more than just Ethan.
He brought the object back a little way then drove it forward, smashing it through the window. Another whack made a slightly bigger hole and Ethan stuck the object through it.
Not for the first time in his life, he wished he was slightly taller. He couldn't actually see through the window, so he had no idea if he was in the right place.
But he didn't give up. He kept jabbing at the dashboard, wincing at every little click and crack that could indicate he'd broken something, but finally, it worked.
Ethan jumped back in shock at the noise, dropping the object on his toe and almost screaming loudly enough to drown out the siren.
But he didn't care about his toe. He'd done itt!
Now, if he could get into the back of the ambulance and raid the supplies…
"Rita, are you okay?" said Iain.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," said Rita. They were both lying on the ground after the 'crash'. "A bit bruised, but I'll live." She bit her lip, realising the tactlessness of her words, but it was too late now. She took Iain's hand. "Come on, Iain. The door's this way."
"What about Grace?" said Iain, looking unseeingly at the wall of the hospital.
"Jacob is outside," said Rita. "He and his team are on standby and they'll take over Grace's care. You can come with me and I'll have a look at your head for you." Rita stood up and felt around in the empty air. "Okay, I'm opening the door now. There you are, Iain. We're at the side of the hospital. Can you jump for me?"
Iain jumped. He landed on his shoulder and rolled over. In any other circumstances, Rita would have admired the move.
Rita jumped too. "Well done, Iain." She spoke to the air beside them. "Jacob, can you see to Grace? Thank you."
"Thanks, Jacob," said Iain.
Rita found she felt genuinely grateful to Jacob. He had helped, even though he didn't know it. "Okay, Iain. We'll go round to the front of the ED and in through the doors."
She wasn't sure how she'd explain it if Iain noticed the real helicopter, but she'd have to deal with that when it happened.
She gripped Iain's hand and helped him to his feet. "Come on then. We need to get you treated as soon as possible, then we might be able to get you straight back out on the shop floor. We know what you heroes are like!"
"And I know what you nurses are like." Iain's voice was slow and his eyes were dull, but the words were so like Iain, Rita almost started crying.
"Yes, you do-" she began, only to find her voice drowned out by a noise.
A siren.
Iain clutched at his head and fell to the floor.
As the sound of the siren filled the hospital, Lily dropped her torch. She didn't know why. After all, sirens were a common sound when you worked in an ED, though there shouldn't be any sirens this close now.
Cal was sitting up again, his eyes wide. "Ethan!" he said. "It's Ethan!"
"I very much doubt it," said Lily. "I know he has a history of stealing ambulances, but this is hardly the time or the place."
"No, Ethan was in the ambulance bay!" said Cal. His pulse rate increased. "I heard him scream!"
Lily pushed him back down onto the bed. "I think you should lie still and let me examine you." But she was aware of the noise outside and pushed the cubicle curtain aside in time to see several of the emergency service personnel running towards the sound. "Jez, what's happening?"
"We don't know, but we think someone must be in the ambulance bay," said Jez. "Unless another ambulance has arrived on site."
"I'll come with you," said Lily. "You might need a doctor."
She heard footsteps, then Dylan's voice. "Where are you all going? He might be trapped!"
"Someone is clearly trapped in the ambulance bay," said Lily. "That might be the person you're looking for."
"What would Ben be doing in the ambulance bay?" demanded Dylan.
Lily had no idea why Dylan was asking such irrelevant questions.
But then she realised she did know. It was because he was very worried about Lofty. Not just worried. Frightened.
That was how she felt too when she thought about Ethan. She'd been trying not to think about it because she had to work and that included keeping Ethan's brother calm, but that didn't mean she wasn't scared.
She was terrified.
"He might have gone to look for Iain," she said, realising as she spoke that she hadn't heard anything about Iain or Rita for ages. She hoped Rita had got him safely to St James'. "But if Lofty isn't there, I will make sure they come back and continue the search."