The first Millais knew that it was morning was when his head hit the floor. As his eyelids fluttered open, he could vaguely make out his gloomy office room where chinks of light were breaking through the gap between the curtains. His back, aching from having been asleep upright, now shuddered at the sudden movement. He pulled himself up from the fallen chair, groaning from his throbbing muscles and battered head, and squinted at the sudden burst of sunlight which hit his eyes.

The spare set of clothes he kept in his drawer made him give a sigh of relief, and as he began to unbutton his shirt, he didn't notice that the door had partially creaked open. Ethel, unable to speak and frozen to the spot, watched as the doctor peeled off his stained shirt and bent down to take the fresh clothing from the drawer. Her eyes focused on the pale skin of his back, the indents of his spine, and the small, dark freckles peppering his shoulders and arms. Her eyes widened as he began to unbuckle his trousers, and she quickly turned, having had her curiosity rapidly quelled by the overwhelming shame and embarrassment which came from peering into his office unasked.

The sudden movement caught the doctor's eye, and as he turned he could only make out the swish of starched fabric before he heard the echoing click-clack of heels retreating down the corridor. He hurried to button his shirt before running to the door, anxious to know who had seen him, but the nurse had gone, and he couldn't be sure it was Ethel.

As he returned to dressing himself, his mind raced at the thought of her innocent eyes staring at him, and gulped. Though he prayed to God it hadn't been her, in a dark corner at the back of his mind, he couldn't help smiling at the thought. His heart skipped a beat, and his fingers shook as he did the last button before flattening his collar and leaving the office. How he was going to look her in the eye today seemed impossible now...

xxx

By the time Ethel had composed herself enough to start work, everyone else was busy dressing wounds or helping the other doctors. Sister Russell was hurrying past her when she stopped abruptly after seeing that one of her nurses was standing idle.

'Is anything the matter, Nurse Bennett?' she asked curtly, turning her head slightly to raise her eyebrows at the nurse.

Ethel shook her head silently, unsure whether to walk away and start her work, or to continue standing, doing nothing.

'Well then, I'm sure there are many patients who are needing your attention. Do not let me catch you doing nothing again.' The warning was very clear, and the punishment even clearer from her clipped tone.

As Ethel hurried off to begin cleaning a gash on a patient's forehead, Dr. Ingrams shyly walked up behind her, waiting for her to slow down so he could speak. It was only when he cleared his throat quietly that she realised he was there at all, and she jumped from the fright.

'Sorry... sorry. Dr. Culpin requires some assistance with a patient... a female patient.' The young man blushed and looked at his feet, and therefore he didn't see the look of complete terror in her eyes as she digested this piece of information. She wasn't entirely sure whether Millais had asked for her assistance especially, or if Dr. Ingrams had simply picked her at random, but she didn't wish to find out either way. She quickly scanned the ward for another nurse to take her place and when her eyes finally halted on her friend, Laura, she smiled and hurried past the doctor to her.

'Nurse Goodley, Dr. Culpin needs a nurse to help him with a female patient,' she said, unable to hide the urgency in her voice.

Laura, already puzzled by her friend's request as she had noticed the warm glances the doctor and Ethel shared between them, turned to see Ethel looking flustered and pleading at her, though to say what she had no idea.

'I need to finish this patient's dressing, Nurse Bennett. I'm sure you can-'

'No! No, I'm very busy, and he needs someone now. Please,' she whispered, ignoring an impatient Dr. Ingrams who was now fidgeting behind her.

Laura, after a moment's pause, sighed and nodded, telling Ethel to make sure her patient's wound was cleaned thoroughly before being dressed. Ethel agreed, swearing to thank her friend as soon as they were alone, even though it would mean explaining why she couldn't have gone herself.

Xxx

Dr. Culpin, who was still wrestling with the older woman now screaming if he even moved near her, was surprised when Nurse Goodley entered after Dr. Ingrams, having expected to see Ethel's beautiful yet embarrassed face. He found he was far too disappointed than he ought to have been, but he pushed the feeling down and greeted the nurse with a grateful smile.

'I think I will wait outside,' he said, excusing himself graciously before leaving the poor nurse to it. Leaning back against the wall, he closed his eyes and imagined what would happen the next time he saw her, and his chest contracted slightly at the very idea. Ethel was a woman who thought constantly but said very little, and he knew that she would not mention what she had encountered, however he was certain her mind would be running over his naked skin once more as soon as they greeted each other.

A shiver ran down his spine, and he opened his eyes to find that Dr. Ingrams was standing beside him, looking just as shaken as he felt.

Millais smiled, knowing how it felt to be a junior doctor completely out of his depth.

'It will get easier,' he promised, and Harry nodded in response though he didn't look at all convinced.

'I don't think they take me seriously, you know,' he replied eventually, looking quite deflated under the bright light above them.

Millais chuckled, knowing just how hard patients could be when it came to doctors.

'Don't worry. One thing they never teach you in the books is courtesy or patience... that comes with experience.'

'I know, I know. I just thought they would have more respect for me. Nurse Bennett completely ignored me!' he exclaimed, seeming almost like a petulant child.

At the mention of her name, Millais turned suddenly to stare at the young doctor, waiting for a proper explanation.

'Nurse Bennett?'

'Yes. I told her you needed a nurse to help with a patient, and she asked Nurse Goodley to go instead because she was busy. She didn't say a word to me. It was like I was completely invisible to her.'

As Millais attempted to process this information, he found his blood progress from simmering to boiling in a matter of seconds. How dare she shun his obvious attempt at a reconciliation! They may have argued, but at least he was making an effort to patch up their differences!

With his heart full of fire, he turned on his heel and marched down the corridor, ready to do battle with the wilful nurse.

'Dr. Culpin... The patient..!' Dr. Ingrams exclaimed uncertainly, doubting his own level of knowledge on how to handle the patient while hoping the senior doctor continued walking without answering him.

'You need the experience more than I do,' Millais called back before rounding the corner without another word.