Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to read and review the first chapter. I hope you know how much it means to me.
Here is chapter 2 - I'm no doctor, so anything medical I write is basically from the internet, so please don't kill me! I'm also sorry that this has taken a while to post, but I've been away for the weekend plus I had to mourn the loss of the brothers bond (hopefully only temporarily).
My Brother's Keeper - Chapter 2
"Ok, what have we got?" Zoe, who seemed to have appeared from nowhere demanded as the group of anxious medical personel wheeled Ethan into Resus.
"I was talking to him...well, we were having words, and he suddenly started mumbling, not making sense, then I noticed him listing to one side. He was trying to lift his arm, probably to hit me, but he couldn't lift it - then I noticed his mouth..." Cal reeled off while keeping his eyes fixed on his brother, who seemed to be drifting in and out.
"Ok, let's get some bloods sent off asap - we'll need a CT..." Zoe ordered as everyone rallied around and did their jobs. Cal stayed by Ethan's side, but he was soon getting in Zoe's way, "Max..." she whispered.
The young porter nodded his understanding and put an arm around his distraught friend, "Cal, come on mate, let's wait outside - let Zoe work her magic," he advised as he tried to move him.
Cal yanked himself out of his arm, "No! I'm not leaving him. Look at him, he's scared, he needs me," he insisted rather loudly.
"Cal, he can sense that you're scared," Zoe told him kindly, "He's becoming more unsettled. Please wait outside, for Ethan's sake."
She knew that it was a bit unkind to use the stricken man, but it had the desired effect. Cal sagged into Max's arm and allowed the younger man to guide him out of the doors.
Lily, who had stayed quietly on the sidelines, now stepped forward, "Dr Hanna, I know I'm off duty, but could I assist?"
Zoe paused, looking dubious, "I don't know Lily - we know how you feel about Ethan..."
"I can assure you Zoe that my feelings for Ethan will not impact on my ability to treat him," she insisted quite forcefully.
Zoe sighed, "Ok then, but any unprofessionalism..."
"I understand, thank you," Lily replied as she grabbed her stethoscope and threw it around her neck.
While Resus carried on being a hive of activity, Cal could only watch with fear running through every fibre of his being, as his friends and colleagues battled to save his precious brother. He was grateful for Max's silent support as every different medical scenario came to mind. He was brought out of his musings by the doors flying open to reveal Ethan's bed being moved. He immediately rushed to his brothers side and took hold of his hand, "Ethan, can you hear me?"
Ethan cracked open an eye, "Mmmm, yes. You...ok...?" he stuttered out causing Cal to once again try to stem a flood of tears that threatened to overwhelm him. How could his brother be concerned about him?
"Hey, I'm not the one on the bed," he tried to lighten to mood slightly. His heart skipped a beat however, when he saw Ethan try to smile, but only half of his mouth would conform.
"We're taking him for a CT to see if we can see where the bleed might have come from..." Zoe told him, just as Charlie came into view.
"Charlie, Ethan's had a stroke by the looks of it," Cal told him, sounding like a young child talking to his father.
Charlie's expression turned to one of great concern as he came up beside the young doctor, "They're taking him for a scan," Cal filled him in. Charlie laid a hand on his shoulder and leaned a little closer to him "Cal, you're mum is getting agitated - it's as if she knows that something has happened. You need to go to her - she needs you."
"No I need to be with my brother," Cal insisted.
"Look I'll go with Ethan and I promise I will let you know as soon as he his back from the scan - your mum needs you," he said, ignoring the puzzled looks of the assembled people.
Cal looked down at his brother, who now had his eyes closed, seemingly resting, then back up at Charlie, "Ok, but you will let me know as soon as you know anything."
"I promise I will come and find you myself," the older man assured the anxious doctor.
Cal glanced at his brother once more, then leaned down and gently kissed his forhead, not caring who saw him, for once, "I'll be back Ethan," he whispered to him.
He then stood and watched with trepidation as they wheeled his brother into the lift.
As the doors closed, Cal turned on his heel and went in search of his mother's cubicle. He pulled open the curtain, suprised to see her trying to get her coat on, "What are you doing?" he asked abruptly, causing her to jump slightly, as she hadn't heard him come in.
"I'm leaving," she stammered, "You don't want me here. Ethan doesn't want me here..."
"No, no, you can't leave just yet..." Cal told her, "We're still waiting on some test results."
Emilie stopped her actions as she noticed a slight catch in Cal's voice.
"Wh...what's ha...happening?" she asked as she watched her newly found son's face crease with worry.
"Nothing. We just need to make sure we've given you the best treatment that we could," he tried to reassure her.
"Where's your brother?" she queried.
"He's busy," was all Cal said.
"What's happened to him?" Emilie stuttered. She couldn't explain it, but she just knew that something had happened to the younger man.
Cal seemed to deflate in front of her. He slumped down on the chair by the side of the bed, with his head in his hands, "I think he's had a stroke," he blurted out without any thought.
Emilie gasped loudly, "Th...this is all m...my f...fault," she mumbled.
Cal shook his head, "No it's not your fault," he insisted, "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I just don't look after him as well as I should do! He's been under so much stress recently and I haven't been there for him. I've been wallowing in my own problems, like I always do, instead of supporting him through his troubles."
He hadn't realised that he was crying until a tear drop fell onto the bed. Emilie looked sad as she picked up his hand, trying to still her trembling to offer her son some support, "I'm sure you tried your best," she told him, "Did he tell you about his troubles?"
Cal shook his head, "No, he'd never do that. But I should've sensed it. Ethan rarely shares anything especially when it's to do with work..." he ran a hand through his hair, "He has always been there for me - no matter what I threw at him, he always managed to pick me up, dust me down, and help me get ready to face the world - and how do I repay him? By lying to him. For once my brother needed me to step up for him, and I failed..."
Emilie squeezed his hand in support and she hoped, comfort, "Perhaps now is the time for you to 'step up' as you call it. You're a good brother Cal, I can see that just from those few times I've seen you. Ethan will need your strength now," she told him in no uncertain terms.
Cal nodded his understanding, "I know he will, I just hope I can be that person. Ethan is twice the man I'll ever be."
Suddenly, the curtain was pulled open to reveal Charlie. Cal felt his stomach sink wondering what news he had for him.
"H...how's Eth...Ethan?" Emilie asked, before Cal could get a word in.
Charlie smiled slightly at her concern, "We located a slight rupture in a blood vessel in his brain, causing a small bleed..."
"So he's had a Haemorrhagic stroke then?" Cal queried.
Charlie nodded, "Brought on by actue stress, causing his blood pressure to increase...oh god, this really is my fault," Cal finished, breathing deeply trying to control his emotions.
"He was lucky he was with you Cal when it happened. Even though you were arguing, your prompt action most definitely saved his life!" The older man told him.
"If I had been a better brother in the first place, he wouldn't have got so stressed," Cal exclaimed bitterly.
Emilie laid a trembling hand on his arm, "You saved his life - that's all that matters now, that and helping him with his recovery," she told him, speaking carefully so that she didn't stutter to much.
But Cal was feeling far to guilty to be hearing straight, "But what if he doesn't want me there? He was pretty hacked off with me," Cal cried.
Charlie looked from the woman in the bed to the young doctor who would barely lift his head to look at them, weighed down so heavily by the guilt he was feeling, "Cal, you two have been through a lot of tough times and I think that you're the only person that Ethan would want by his side at this moment," the older nurse told him honestly.
So that was chapter 2. Cal is wallowing in his guilt a bit isn't he?
Chapter 3 will be Ethan starting his recovery and I am going to have the boys talking things through. I am NOT going to end it as the last episode ended things.
I realise this is not the best chapter I have ever written but I hope it reads ok.