'Dr Knight. Can I please see you in my office?'

Silently the two doctors walked through the hospital to Connie's office.

'Please, take a seat.'

What the hell was going on? Was Ethan okay? Why was Connie acting so formal? Why hadn't he been told anything? Where was Ethan? Thoughts ran through Cal's mind, picking up speed and slamming into each other. He couldn't think of anything else.

'As you know Dr Hardy sustained serious injuries and-'

'Ethan.'

'What sorry?'

'His name is Ethan. You know his name is Ethan. You will call him Ethan.'

'As you know Ethan sustained serious injuries and was in a critical condition when he arrived and-'

'Look Connie. Just tell me what on earth is going on. You've told me nothing. I know nothing. He's my brother. I deserve to know where he is and how he is.'

'As you know-'

'Don't give me that rubbish! If you won't tell me what's going on then I'll have to find someone who will.'

Cal stormed out of her office, slamming the door behind him, still non the wiser of the whereabouts of his brother, or the condition he would find him in. He ran up the stairs to find Raf or Jonny. He had seen them both leave Connie's office not long before he went in.

'Jonny!' A voice called but there was no body that accompanied it. Had he finally gone completely mad?

'Jonny!' This time a body matched the voice. It was Cal who was running down the corridor.

'Jonny!' Finally he was next to Jonny and unlike Jonny he wasn't out of breath or on the verge of passing out.

'Dr Knight. Hi.'

'Cal. I saw you leaving Connie's office and she won't tell me what's going on and I don't know anything and I think you probably know and-'

'Cal.'

'I don't know who else would and-'

'Cal!'

'I don't know why she won't tell me and-'

'Cal!' The nurse continued to attempt to stop his ramblings.

'Yes?'

'Know what?'

'About my brother. Ethan.'

'Ethan Hardy?'

'Yeah.'

'He's your brother?!'

'Yeah.'

'But you look so different and your surnames are different and-'

'Yes I know and it's all very complicated but all I want to know is how he is. Seeing as Connie is back I presume they got him out but I haven't been told anything since they told me he was stuck in the first place.'

'Right. Sorry. He's in ITU.' The two men started to walk towards the ward. 'He's a mess to be completely honest. He shattered his leg pretty badly but Raf has done a good job of sorting it out. It's all pinned in place and held together by the cages but it should heal eventually. He had crush injuries to his chest. Severe crush injuries. He broke all his ribs and punctured a lung. When they removed the rock he crashed and then had no output when he arrived. We agreed that he would have two hours in theatre before it was being called. Sorry Caleb but he was technically dead when he got here. I shocked him one last time just as the timer for two hours went. Raf left. Mo called it. But he was alive. He took his sweet time getting there and proving it to us but he was alive. Mo and I just watched in awe as his BP and heart rate rose. Honestly it's a miracle.'

Cal stood in mute shock. He didn't know what to say or think or do. Ethan was alive. He should have been killed after all that he'd been through but he's alive. His little brother was, is, alive.

'So where is he?'

'Right through here.'

Jonny pushed open the door to ITU where two figures lay in the crisp white sheets. One had a young woman dressed in MTP sobbing while grasping his hand. The other was alone. The other was Ethan. Cal pulled up the chair closest to Ethan's bed. He was going to be here a while. To begin with he simply sat and held his brother's hand, watching over him. He must have been there for some time because when he next looked up the young woman was gone, as was Jonny and the nurse who was with the other patient. He stood up and walked round to where the other patient lay. He glanced towards the patient's white board to find out their name. Ian Dean. Jeez. He'd seen better days. If this was Ian then who was the young woman who was reduced to tears upon seeing him? Cal took a long look at Ian. Making sure that he wasn't conscious. He'd made the mistake of talking to Ethan before while there were ears listening and that had come back to bite him in the butt. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. Cal went back to Ethan's bedside and sat down heavily on the chair.

'So last time you wound up in hospital trying to get out of some public speaking and I told you there were easier ways. This time you've wound up here doing what? Trying to prove a point? If I've said it once I've said it a thousand times- there are always easier ways to get out of stuff. Mind you, you're always going to be the hero- aren't you? Get yourself in some terrible mess but do something great because of it. You saved Ian's life. Even though, technically it killed you, for a while anyway.' He laughed awkwardly to himself. Emotions weren't his strong point, to say the least. 'Every time you nearly die a little part of me breaks off. I'm still not sure a part of what yet but whatever it is I'm now running seriously low of. Even though this is the second major thing that's happened to you and that's wound you up in hospital for forever I still wish I could be you. Stupid I know- you're the one a coma and I'm the one on the chair watching you- but you're so perfect. You're smart. You're an amazing doctor. You're good with people. You don't screw up every five seconds. You haven't messed up every relationship you've had.' Cal sighed heavily. 'You didn't screw stuff up with mum. All these years and you still stand by me, look after me, care for me. I ignored you every time you tried to contact me for five years. Five years! And then I come here and crash into you're life, pretending to be the hero of all of this. I'm just a fraud. I don't deserve to have a brother like you. I don't deserve to have a job here, to have colleagues and friends like I do. I don't deserve anything like what I have. And I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.'

'You haven't got anything to be sorry for.' A woman's voice cut through Cal's thoughts. It was Connie.

'How long have you been standing there? How much did you hear?'

'Doesn't matter. Maybe you have screwed up with your brother in the past but who hasn't? Siblings, parents, families- they're all hard work. The two of you are fantastic doctors. I'm sorry that I got your brother into such a mess.'

'Lofty too.'

'Yes and Lofty. I know that me apologising won't change anything. That it won't make him back to normal but I'm hoping that you'll understand. It wasn't my fault. I would have never sent them in if I though they'd be in danger. Honestly I wouldn't. Yes I knew it might be uncomfortable but I had no idea it was dangerous. The soldiers shouldn't have been training there if it was so dangerous. I truly am sorry.' Connie turned to leave but Cal called her back.

'Connie?'

'Yes?'

'Thank you.'

'For what?'

'Not stopping.' The doctors shared a smile before Connie disappeared through the door, the clicking of her shoes echoing into the distance. Cal remained firmly rooted to the chair by Ethan's bedside. Slowly he drifted off into a dreamless sleep. There would be no nightmares of mud and worms this time- Ethan was safe and that was all that mattered.