CBloom2, thank you for your review. Yes, Cal is definitely running on adrenaline and he can't keep going indefinitely, so he's definitely going to start having problems pretty soon! I don't think sitting still when Ethan is in danger is one of Cal's biggest talents.
X-Sammii-X, if you're having Cal, then I want Ethan so Alicia will have to go without! A lot of people like Dylan's friendship with Lofty, so I had to include that as Lofty was coming back. I can imagine Rita being really good in this situation as she's so gentle yet forceful. I miss her! Thank you for your review.
Guest, thank you for your review. I'm afraid Zoe and Max aren't in this chapter because the other stories are overlapping and everything has to happen in a certain order (and we know exactly what they're doing!), but they'll be taking a more active role in Chapter 19. I'm really glad you're still reading and enjoying this.
westlife4ever80, Cal is pretty amazing! It's a silly thing to do, but I think he's motivated by his need to check on Ethan rather than a desire to show off. I think caring is more important than listening, but there might be times when Ethan would rather Cal just listened! Thank you for your review.
20BlueRoses, I can only agree with you - it's not Cal's wisest idea at all! It might not be his stupidest idea as there are a lot of contenders for that title, but it's not good. Ethan really doesn't need Cal collapsing on him now... I love it when the team pulls together too. Thank you for your review.
InfinityAndOne, thank you for your review. Seeing another helicopter must be confusing for Iain, but he does know he's confused, so maybe he'll be happy to accept Rita's word for what's happened. Cal does need treatment, but I really couldn't see it happening with Ethan in danger. Lily should have tied him to the bed!
totti10, thank you for your review. It is very easy to miss things on here! I just had to bring Rita back - she never should have gone and I felt Zoe and Lofty also had unfinished business. I'm glad you like Iain's PTSD coming back - it seemed a likely trigger. I thought Connie's storyline in the episode was brilliant, which is why I've left it alone or I would be just typing up the script, but it would have been great to see more drama for all the characters. I'm so glad you like this story.
Thank you to totti10 for the follow.
Robyn had never seen Dylan show so much emotion. He wasn't saying much or doing anything, but she could feel it coming off him in waves.
"Do you think he'll still be alive?" asked Dylan, his words barely audible.
"Dylan, you know I can't answer that," said Robyn gently. "He doesn't seem to have heard us calling, but that might mean he can't hear for some reason or he might be unconscious."
"He wouldn't be unconscious unless there was something wrong!" said Dylan.
Robyn looked at him in concern. She still wasn't sure if they'd done the right thing. Lily was still out there, but she might need the help of a more senior doctor.
On the other hand, Robyn couldn't see Dylan being much help to anyone, and if Ethan was able to shout for help and (presumably) set the siren off, he would probably be able to help Lily treat Alicia.
"He might just have fainted," said Robyn. "If he was tired or scared or hungry or something."
It sounded stupid to her ears and probably not that reassuring, but Dylan just nodded and said: "Perhaps."
The damaged part of the ED looked dark and dirty. One of the walls had collapsed inwards and there was rubble all over the corridor.
"It's quite spooky, isn't it?" said Robyn, forgetting for a moment that she was with Dylan.
As soon as she did remember, she felt embarrassed, but Dylan didn't seem to have heard.
They stopped beside what had once been a doorway and looked inside. Tears stung Robyn's eyes: it was all so different from the clean, bright, tidy ED she usually worked in.
Dylan strode into the room with little thought for his own safety. Robyn hurried to help him lift a bookcase that had fallen, but Lofty wasn't underneath it and Dylan let it drop to the floor again.
"I don't want to lose him," said Dylan in a low voice.
Robyn turned to him in surprise and sympathy. She touched his arm. "Of course you don't. I don't want to lose him either."
"It's bad enough just losing Connie!" said Dylan. "And now I might lose Ben too… I had no idea he was here, Robyn."
"It's okay," said Robyn. "You were working. You were much too busy to check your phone. Loft… Ben would understand that."
"I never even hugged him," whispered Dylan. "Not even when he said goodbye."
Robyn thought about hugging Dylan herself, but she knew she wasn't the person he wanted to hug. "How about you hug him when he says hello?"
Iain couldn't understand it. He was sure the helicopter was behind him, so why was it now in front of him? And if it was round at the side of the hospital, how could it be at the front?
Rita was speaking to him, her voice soothing as she guided him past the helicopter and into the hospital. "It's okay, Iain. You were in the helicopter, but you got out, didn't you? And now Grace is out too. She went into the hospital with Jacob, remember?"
Iain shook his head. Something definitely wasn't right. Jacob and Grace had been behind them and it would have taken a while to get Grace out. There was no way they could have got into the hospital before him and Rita.
Iain screwed his eyes shut as he tried to remember. He definitely remembered seeing Grace. He remembered jumping out of the helicopter. But he couldn't actually remember seeing Jacob.
And what was Rita doing in the helicopter anyway? Only Iain, Grace and the air ambulance crew had been in the helicopter.
Rita hadn't been there. And why would she be? They wouldn't have requested the presence of a nurse.
There was only one explanation.
Rita was lying to him.
She wasn't an angel.
She was trying to hurt him. Manipulate him. Twist everything.
The more Iain thought it, the more it seemed right.
That was the kind of person Rita was.
Ethan watched as Alicia was carried out of the ambulance bay. He and Cal had managed to get a line in and then they'd given what treatment they could as Alicia had been freed. Ethan had done most of the work in the end: Cal's hands were shaking and his eyes had seemed unfocused, but Cal hadn't left him and Ethan was grateful. He knew he could never have managed alone.
Alicia was responding to the treatment as well as could be expected. She had open double fractures to the right leg and arm - the leg in particular was bleeding heavily. There were also a few fractured ribs - judging from her breathing, they hadn't caused serious internal injury, but she'd lost a lot of blood. Ethan knew she would have a better chance than most in her position because she was already at the ED, but he was still worried.
He was so worried...
"Ethan?" Jez's voice was gentle. "Can you relax your hands for me, please?"
Ethan looked down and realised his fists were clenched. "Sorry."
"It's okay. Don't worry." Jez finished cleaning up Ethan's wrist and hands for him. Ethan hadn't wanted to leave Alicia, but he knew he wouldn't have been able to help carry her, and Cal had been worried about the possibility of glass in Ethan's wounds.
Cal broke away from the stretcher-bearers and went over to Ethan. "She's still fighting, Ethan. We'll know more once she's in the- Ethan?"
Ethan saw the concern in his brother's face. At first, he didn't know why Cal was looking so worried about him, but then he realised he was crying uncontrollably.
"Ethan, come here." Cal wrapped his arms tightly around him. "It's okay, Nibbles. You're safe now and Alicia's on her way to Resus."
"Ethan should probably get an x-ray," said Jez. "I've taken out all the glass I can see, but there could be more."
Ethan clung tightly to Cal. "Please, Cal… go with Alicia. Please."
Cal stroked his hair. "They're going to bleep Dylan – he should be somewhere around. They really need a consultant, not a registrar."
"No, you don't understand." Ethan pulled free of Cal, sniffling. "You've got to go with Alicia and make sure you're there when she wakes up."
Cal looked at him in confusion. "You don't think she'd rather have you there?"
"No, she likes you," said Ethan. "She told me. When she was losing consciousness. She told me she likes you and I told her to hang on for you and you'd take her on a date."
"No way!" said Cal. "I'm not taking the girl my little brother likes on a date."
Ethan sniffed. "It's not like it would be the first time. Please, Cal. All I want is for her to be happy. And after everything she's been through… if you really don't like her, I don't want to force you, but how could you not want to take her on a date?"
"I'm not sure I think much of a girl who tells the guy who's into her she prefers his brother," said Cal.
"No, don't worry about that!" said Ethan. "She thought she was dying. Every word was an effort. She wouldn't have wanted to waste the little strength she had on lies. Please don't be angry about anything she said. Just go and be there for her. Please?"
Dylan was so angry when his pager went off, he wanted to throw it across the room. Either that or stamp on it. All he wanted was to find Lofty. If there was something wrong with Ethan, Alicia or Max, then Cal or Lily would have to deal with it.
Finding Lofty was important. Any delay could be fatal and it would be Dylan's fault.
"Maybe you should go," said Robyn tentatively when Dylan was bleeped for a second time. "I can keep searching."
"Not on your own," said Dylan shortly. Much as he wanted Lofty to be found, the area was dangerous.
Soon afterwards, they heard running footsteps. "Dr Keogh, are you here?" It sounded like Lily. "We need you."
Dylan didn't answer. He and Robyn had found another room. The door was blocked, but he thought it would be possible to clear the rubble away from the door.
"Dylan, hadn't you better-" Robyn began, but she stopped as Dylan held up a hand for silence. She lowered her eyes, clearly unhappy with his decision to ignore Lily, but she said nothing.
Dylan listened again. No, he hadn't been mistaken. "He's in there!" he told Robyn.
Robyn gasped. "How do you know?"
"I heard him groaning," said Dylan. He started to work faster, helped by Robyn. The door was almost clear when Lily spoke from behind them.
"Dr Keogh. I told you I required your assistance outside," she said severely.
"Lily, he's in there," said Dylan.
"And Dr Munroe is in Resus," said Lily. "She is suffering from severe hypovolemia; an open double fracture to the right leg; open double fracture to the right arm; head injury and possible internal injuries. Dr Knight and I are the only available doctors. I lack the experience and Dr Knight has a head injury. We need you, Dr Keogh."
Dylan looked at her blankly, then half-gestured towards the door. "Didn't you hear me? I said Ben was in there."
Lily's determination didn't waver. "Dr Keogh. If Dr Munroe's life is to be saved, you must go to Resus immediately. Dr Gardner and Miss Naylor are monitoring Mrs Beauchamp and Grace. Alicia needs a senior doctor."
"But what about Ben?" said Dylan. "You don't understand, Lily. He told me he was here. If I don't find him and he dies, it will be my fault."
"And I have told you Alicia needs your help," said Lily, emotion creeping into her voice now. "If you don't go to Alicia and she dies..."
Dylan bowed his head. He knew she was right. His priority had to be the patient they knew to be fighting for her life.
"Please, Dylan," said Lily. "If you do not require my assistance in Resus, I can help Robyn to look for Lofty, but you must go to Alicia now."
Dylan cast another agonised glance towards the door. Then he nodded. "I'll go to Resus. Cal can assist me. Lily – please stay here and help Ben."
"Of course I will," said Lily.