12 months later…

Ethan sat in his wheelchair, hands uncontrollably shaking. Cal was sitting in front of him.

"I-I-I told y-o-o-u I w-w-would end u-up in a-a-a care h-h-home." Ethan managed to say.

"I'm sorry, Ethan. I was only doing what I thought was best." Cal explained.

"Y-y-you s-s-s-should have l-l-let me die w-w-when I-I-I t-t-told you to."

Cal shook his head. He still didn't want to end his brother's life, but he could see that Ethan was suffering. Cal grabbed Ethan's hand, but he pulled his hand away.

"Ethan, please." Cal said sensing his brother was angry at him. "I'm sorry."

"Y-y-you're s-s-sorry?" Ethan asked. "Y-y-you're not the one w-w-who's in t-this p-p-position."

"How could I let you die?"

"I-I-I t-told y-you I-I d-didn't want to b-b-be in this p-p-position."

Cal went to open his mouth, but Ethan turned from him sf rolled away. Cal sighed. He hated himself, hated the fact Ethan was in the position he was in. He stood up from where he sat and walked over to where Ethan sat by the window. Hesitantly, he placed a hand on his shoulder. Ethan shrugged it off.

"I t-t-think you s-s-should leave." Ethan told Cal without turning around.

"Ethan..."

Ethan ignored his response. Sighing Cal patted him the shoulder and left. Sat in his car, Cal thumped his fists down upon the steering wheel and screamed. Why did it have to be like this? Why did Ethan have to get the faulty gene? Why couldn't he have gotten it? All these questions rushed through his head. He had no answers for them. Well, not all of them. He then realised if he was the one who had inherited the gene Ethan would be in the exact same position as he was in. Cal took a deep breath and was about to open the car door when he decided it probably be best if he gave Ethan some space. At that moment Ethan didn't look like he was ready to talk and Cal didn't blame him. He was not sure what else he could say either. He knew he would only make the situation worse. Instead Cal drove off back to the hospital. Back in the care home, Ethan watched as Cal drove off. He shook his head. Typical Cal, he thought. Always running when things got tough. He sighed, why couldn't Cal accept what was happening to him? Why did he have to always be the hero? The knight in shining armour? He turned around and rolled towards his bedroom.

As Cal stepped through the double doors of the ED he was immediately confronted by Charlie.

"How is he doing?" Charlie asked walking beside Cal as they headed towards the staffroom.

"Not good." He sighs.

"I can imagine so."

"Look, Charlie I've already had an argument with Ethan about what we... I did, I don't want to have another one with you." Cal replied a bit more forceful that he would have liked.

"Sorry." He responded as he put his hands up. "Didn't mean to."

Cal tilted his head and sighed again.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't meant to snap. It's just I'm scared for Ethan."

"That's understandable. We all are." Charlie smiled at him offering his support.

"I know. I just need some time."

"Does that mean you're thinking about helping him to die?" Charlie inquired as he and Cal sat up behind the counter.

"I don't know. I guess I have to consider it, now I can see he's struggling."

Cal paused for a minute.

"Maybe, I should have done it when he asked me to, when Zoe and you asked me to. But, how could I?" He wondered.

"We've all had things we wished we did. What's done is done." Charlie reminded him.

"I just don't know what to do."

Charlie patted him on the shoulder.

"You'll figure it out."

With that Charlie left Cal alone. He rested his chin upon his hand to think. He heard the staffroom door open. Cal turned around and saw it was Lofty with Robyn. They both smiled at him. Cal smiled back.

"So, Cal, me and Lofty were wondering which is better; The Nutcracker or Swan Lake?" Robyn asked him.

Cal was grateful they didn't enquire about Ethan because he didn't think he could answer them at that moment in time. He shifted on his stool to face them.

"In what way?"

"Well it's a tradition every Christmas that my family goes to see a ballet and our choice is always Swan Lake." Robyn replied.

"And for mine it's The Nutcracker." Lofty continued.

"So we were arguing…"

"Uh, you were arguing…" Lofty interrupted.

Robyn glared at him.

"We were arguing which one's the best." Robyn finished.

"Which is of course The Nutcracker." Lofty chimed.

"Sorry, mate but, I have to agree with Robyn. Swan Lake is definitely the better one." Cal answered laughing as Robyn whispered 'yes'.

"But, Swan Lake isn't Christmassy." Lofty groaned. "The Nutcracker is."

"Not Christmassy?" Robyn said pretending be shocked. "How is it not Christmassy?"

"Well, it isn't. There's no snow or Christmas trees. No presents."

"Yeah, but mate, it doesn't have to have those things to allow it to be Christmassy." Ca explained. "I agree with you that The Nutcracker does have a Christmas theme and all but, Swan Lake does to in it's own way."

Robyn gave Lofty a smirk and playfully punched him on the shoulder.

"I guess that means we'll be watching Swan Lake." She said as she turned back around and headed back to cubicles.

"Thanks, mate." Lofty muttered.

Cal chuckled as Lofty followed Robyn. He decided he should take their lead and go treat some patients. Better to keep his mind of his worries about Ethan for now. Reaching for his stethoscope from his locker Cal placed it around his neck and walked towards reception. Arriving at reception he leaned against the counter while he waited for Noel to finish his conversation on the phone. Soon Noel ended the call and placed the receiver back down.

"Noel, are there any patients that need to be treated?" Cal asked.

"There's a Mr. Thompson in cubicle 4, a Miss Jones in 5 and a young boy aged 5 in cubicle 10." Noel answered handing Cal the three files.

Cal nodded. With the files in hand Cal reached the first cubicle. Mr. Thompson's injury was only a cut on his hand. The injury was too deep, all it needed was disinfecting and a plaster. Same went for Miss Jones in cubicle 5. Her injury consisted of only a sprained wrist and a few scrapes on the palm of her hand. Cubicle 10, on the other hand was a bit more serious than the other two. Cal drew the curtains open. For a few moments he stood in shock.