westlife4ever80, I think catching Max and Zoe would be pretty embarrassing, but I expect a lot of people have caught them, considering they've never been that fussy about time and place! You'll find out how Cal is in this chapter. Thank you for your review.
totti10, thank you for your review - and for mentioning the other storylines! I'm really happy you liked the Max and Robyn interaction - I find Max in particular very difficult to write. I've always thought Lily had a heart in there somewhere. And as for Rita and Iain, I'm afraid you won't find out anything... until the end of the chapter!
X-Sammii-X, I'm glad you enjoyed the awkward moment when Max and Zoe were discovered - there hasn't been much to smile about in this story! Iain needs to realise two things that are obvious to us: firstly that Rita loves him and secondly that he loves Rita! There's a bit more Cal in this chapter. Thank you for your review.
20BlueRoses, thank you for your review. With all the problems Cal was having, it was obvious he was going to collapse sooner or later, but I'm glad it wasn't obvious that the 'groans' Lily and Robyn heard weren't coming from Lofty. I'm not sure Lily and Robyn saw the humour, but I'm really glad you did!
Bonnie Sveen Fan, I'm not completely sure I'd like to see anyone's stepbrother being straddled by his wife, estranged or otherwise! Just slightly awkward! Yes, I think that's going to be one of those images that stays with Robyn forever. Thank you for your review.
Guest, thank you for your review. Zoe and Max are a great couple and I love it when Zoe takes charge - I don't think we saw it enough in Series 30, though I loved it when she put Mercedes in her place: "I know he's not a paedophile because he's my husband!" I do miss Zoe.
Howling2theMoon, thank you for your review - I'm glad you're still enjoying this.
Guest, thank you for your review - I'm glad you found the chapter interesting.
Tanith Panic, I think the 'safety net' feeling is mutual, but I somehow doubt they've discussed it! I'm so glad you liked the twist with Zoe and Max. I was expecting everyone to guess it was them - I'm so happy I managed to surprise at least some of you! It's not looking good for Lofty, I'm afraid. Thank you for your review.
InfinityAndOne, there's Casualty for you - as soon as one person is saved, another collapses! Ethan seems fine physically (unless there's another collapse in store), but he won't react well if he loses Cal or Alicia. The search for Lofty continues in this chapter, so maybe he'll be found at last. Thank you for your review.
Louise stroked the baby's hair and smiled as the small fist curled around hers. "Not long now, sweetheart. We've got a nice lady coming down from paediatrics to have a look at you and it might be a bit uncomfortable for a bit, but then it should be okay after that."
She knew it wasn't going to be okay. Whether Louise was correct about the congenital heart disease or not, there were likely to be further tests. Further proddings about which a small baby couldn't understand.
Not forgetting that she had probably been orphaned. Louise's heart ached. Now she'd thought of heart disease, her fears of abuse had considerably lessened and she could only feel sad for the baby. She would forget her parents soon, but it was always tragic to think of a little baby alone in the world.
No, you're not alone! Louise thought fiercely. There are people who love you. You will be cared for.
The little baby looked up at Louise trustingly as though she'd heard and understood.
Oh, please… thought Louise as she gazed at her. Please let me be part of this beautiful little girl's life…
"He… he needs a CT scan," said Ethan, trying desperately to keep his tears back as he examined Cal. "Why did no-one send him for one before?"
David spoke softly, his hand on Ethan's shoulder. "Grace needed a scan. She was the priority. She hasn't gone up yet, so perhaps she doesn't need one. I'll look in and ask – if it seems like a good time."
Ethan smiled weakly. "Thank you. Wait: did Lily take any bloods?"
"I'm not sure," said David. "I'll check with the lab and if not, I'll take some now."
"FBCs, um, U&Es… I… um…" I can't lose Cal and Alicia... I can't lose them both… poor Jacob: he must be feeling exactly the same as me only worse! I can't believe how incredibly brave he's being. Unlike me.
David grasped his hand. "Ethan. You can do this."
Ethan took a few breaths. "Yes. Sorry. I'm okay now." He ran through the tests without hesitation.
When David had gone, Ethan checked on his brother again, then glanced over at Alicia. Dylan and Elle were working on her, whilst monitoring Connie. Jac was with Grace and had been joined by a consultant friend of Charlie's who'd come across from the pub. Ethan hadn't been introduced to him, but he looked assured and competent. Unlike Ethan.
"Ethan?"
The word was some way between a whisper and a croak, but Ethan heard it. His head whipped round and he saw Cal, his eyelids flickering as he looked uncertainly from side to side.
"Cal, it's okay," said Ethan. "I'm here. You're in Resus. Do you remember what happened?"
Cal's eyes closed and he was silent.
"Cal?" said Ethan anxiously.
"Alicia," said Cal. "We're going on a date."
"Yes, that's right!" said Ethan, trying not to think how long it could be before Alicia was well enough to go on a date. "Do you know how it happened?"
"Helicopter," said Cal.
"That's good. Well done," said Ethan as encouragingly as he could. "Can you tell me what happened?"
Cal started to shake his head and winced as a moan of pain escaped his lips. "Hurts, Ethan."
"I know," said Ethan softly. "I'll give you some pain relief." He looked up as David returned. "What did they say?"
"Grace hasn't had her scan: they decided she was too unstable to be moved."
Ethan closed his eyes for a moment. Poor Grace. Poor Connie.
He felt David's hand on his arm. "Cal can come up for a scan now, but if there's any change in Grace's condition and she needs a scan urgently, she will be the priority."
"Yes, of course," said Ethan. "David, Cal needs pain relief. I think it'll have to be paracetamol. I don't want to give morphine. I know the head injury doesn't seem severe, but I can't take any chances. Not with my brother. We won't know if his mental state is being altered by the morphine or the injury and if it increases the intracranial pressure…"
"What if it's titrated very carefully?" said David.
"No! No, we can't! I'm a doctor, David. I know what I'm doing."
"I know you do, Ethan," said David. "But you need to think as a doctor. Not as Cal's brother."
Lily hoped that Max would be dressed and ready to join her and Robyn soon. It wasn't that they were in any way physically inferior, but it was a job for three people rather than two, and Lily wasn't used to lifting and carrying.
"Lofty? Can you hear me?" Robyn called out at regular intervals, a hopeful look on her face that Lily tried not to let affect her because she was working.
She told herself she also wasn't affected when the hope faded, to be replaced by acute disappointment.
"We will find him soon," Lily found herself saying, even though she knew they couldn't be sure of that at all.
"We'll have to," said Robyn, his voice beginning to shake. "If he's been trapped for that long and he can't answer us…" She picked up a big lump of plaster and threw it rather carelessly in Lily's direction.
"Robyn, be careful!" said Lily sharply.
"Why didn't Dylan just look at his phone?" Robyn was crying now. "I mean, how much trouble is it to look at your phone?"
"Robyn, Dylan was very-"
"Isn't it bad enough that I'm going to lose my boyfriend without losing my best friend too?" Robyn's voice rose hysterically. "How is that fair, Lily? How is that… ow, my eye! My eye!"
Lily moved quickly to her side. "Show me, Robyn. Look at me."
Robyn ignored her, holding her hand over her eye and screaming.
Lily gently but firmly prised her hand away. Robyn's eyes were screwed shut with pain. "Open your eyes, Robyn. Open your eyes, please."
With an effort, Robyn obeyed, more tears streaming down her face.
Lily shivered slightly. "I think… this light isn't good enough for me to work in. Come on, Robyn. "We'll go to cubicles and I'll have a proper look."
She was expecting an argument, but Robyn offered none. Lily put her arm around her and guided her to the cubicle where Louise and the baby were. The curtain was open and Louise was smiling down at the baby, without a care in the world.
"Louise, I… I may require your assistance," said Lily in a trembling voice. "I believe Robyn has a hyphema."
Zoe looked over at the door, frowning. She didn't like to think that she'd been irresponsible, but it was a description that had been applied to her far too often. She knew her failings. She was lucky that so many people loved her anyway.
"Zoe, you okay?" said Max, pausing in the act of pulling his shirt over his head.
Zoe sighed. It was time to be responsible. She turned to face her husband. "Max, I'm sorry."
Max closed his eyes. "Please don't tell me you regret this, Zoe."
"No… I wasn't going to say that." Zoe waited till he'd opened his eyes again. "I just mean I think we could have got through that door. We should have tried at least."
"I don't know." Max was smiling now, if cautiously. "I did quite enjoy what we did instead."
"Quite?" said Zoe, but she wasn't really angry. She knew it was a lot more than quite. At times, she knew Max's feelings better than she understood her own.
"Okay. I really enjoyed it," said Max. "And maybe we could have got out that door, but maybe we couldn't. Anyway, the way we dealt with it worked out fine. We passed the time in a satisfactory manner and now we can go out and help."
"Satisfactory?" said Zoe, but her smile spoiled her pretended anger this time.
Max gave her a naughty look. "Well, I was satisfied. Weren't you?"
"For now, perhaps," said Zoe.
Rita was trembling as she rounded another corner. She didn't know what she was going to find.
The only thing she knew with any certainty was that Iain was suffering and she loved him
It almost didn't matter if he welcomed her as his angel or pushed her away again. He would be hurting, both physically and mentally as he relived the tortures of his present and past.
She froze as she heard shouting.
It was Jacob, she realised after a moment or two, feeling both relief and deep sympathy – and then guilt for thinking of her own situation. It was so much worse for other people. At least Iain was alive. Jacob could lose Connie and Grace. If anyone was entitled to shout and scream now, it was Jacob.
She hesitated for a moment, wondering if Jacob was alone right now, in which case he might need her more than Iain. But then Rita heard another voice which she recognised instantly as Charlie's. She knew Charlie would deal with this. Charlie could deal with anything.
Thirty years… it seemed impossible that Charlie could keep going for another thirty years, yet Rita knew she wouldn't be surprised if it happened.
"What are you… quick, get out of the way!"
A body slammed into Rita, hard. She cried out in alarm as the weight pushed her into the wall.
"It's okay," said Iain's voice in her ear. "I'm not going to hurt you, but you shouldn't be out in the open like that. What are you doing here anyway? It's not safe."
Rita felt her heart pounding in her ribs. Where are you now, Iain? "Where are we?"
"In the middle of a battlefield!" said Iain. "I'm Corporal Iain Dean. And I don't know what you're doing here, Blondie, but…" He stopped.
The tension in Iain's body prevented Rita from objecting to the use of the nickname. "What is it?" she whispered, frightened despite herself. It felt so real.
Iain groaned, sagging against her. "Oh God, no. Please God, no."
Rita didn't know what he'd seen or heard, but she knew it was hurting him. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "It's okay, Iain. It's okay."
Some of the strength seemed to return to Iain's body. He pulled away from her embrace, his face pale but set. "Wait here. Don't move. I'll be back." He ran off down the corridor.
Rita followed him.