beckyboogle
Wow, another fantastic chapter. Can't wait for an update!
Thank you!:)xx

smish123
Oh no! Ethan! I hope he's okay! Ahh cliffhanger! Awesome story :) Can't wait for the next chapter! :)
Thank you:))

Microwave35
Once again, another amazing chapter! However, no matter what happens, please don't let Ethan die! You portray the characters' actions so well! ;D
Haha thank you:) And I don't think it will come to that xx

ETWentHome
No! Ethan, I hope you're alright. This was an amazing chapter!
Thankyou!:) xx

lilangel1
love this just read the whole thing but you can't leave it like that
Thanks & don't worry there should be another chapter soon! xx

rachbob
Wow, I really hope ethans okay, can't wait to see what happens next :)
Thank you! Hopefully I haven't left you waiting too long! :)

Becs2202
Oh no..hope he isnt too serious
Haha I'm sure he's okay!:)

roxygoth
Don't u dare kill ethan! Awsome chapter, Roxy
Like I said before, I don't think it will come to that haha, thank you!:)

Hey! Sorry it's been a while since the last update, again. But I hope you enjoy this next chapter. I have to warn you, I've left another little cliff-hanger at the end for you, sorry!:)

Oh, and just warning, but there are some descriptions of vomiting in this chapter, but I don't think it's too graphic at all!

5.

The first thing Ethan registered when his woozy head seemed to allow him to think again was the excruciating pain pounding through his temples. If anyone had asked him, his immediate response probably would have been to say he'd never felt pain quite as bad as what he was experiencing now. But, after a little more thought and a jog of his memory, Ethan realised he'd been in this situation multiple times before, and the headache was almost comfortingly familiar, compared with the darkness that was currently smothering every inch of the picture in front of him, anyway.

Ethan freaked for a moment, all sorts of thoughts running through his head, smothering him in a blanket of panic. What happened, where am I, why can't I see? Oh god, I've gone blind haven't I? Is that why my head hurts so much? Why does my head hurt this badly, and why can't I see? And- Oh, he hadn't opened his eyes yet.

When he eventually opened his eyes for the first time since regaining consciousness, Ethan wasn't sure that the relief of realising that he in fact wasn't blind, overpowered the feeling of complete agony when the blindingly bright lights on the ceiling multiplied the pain in his head by around a thousand, he thought.

Before he could stop himself, a soft whimper escaped his throat, and tears began to sting his eyes.

"Eth?"

And there was Cal, right by his bedside again. This was the 3rd, maybe 4th time he'd woken up in a situation like this in the last few months, Ethan thought. Surely it would be affecting his older brother in a bad way now too?

"My head.." Ethan whimpered, squinting at Cal through the tears in his eyes, the fact that his glasses also seemed to be absent not helping with his blurred vision.

Taking in his surroundings with slight difficulty, Ethan noted that he was in cubicles, which was funny – rather odd, in fact - because he couldn't remember how he'd gotten there. He was sure that he'd been in the staff room last time he- Oh. Ethan was reminded of what had happened when a wave of dizziness washed over him, and he clutched the railings on the bed with tight fists, breathing heavily as his chest ached with familiar pain.

The young doctor didn't know what was wrong with him. Although he had managed to keep it hidden from Cal somehow, he had become quite accustomed to the regular fainting episodes over the last fortnight or so, and he'd been beginning to wonder whether it was more than just the regular illness that was taking its effect on him. It could well be a more complicated issue, Ethan knew that, but he'd been putting off thinking about it, pushing all the possible diagnoses to the back of his mind and getting on with it. Cal had already practically driven himself insane with worry, and Ethan knew the last thing his brother needed was more worry piled on top of his current anxieties for his younger brother's health.

"Ethan?" Cal's concerned voice broke his train of thought only slightly, and Ethan was finding it quite a task to concentrate. He felt weak and tired, and his heart seemed to be pounding far too hard in his chest, so much so that he could feel the organ thumping in his ringing ears. Wincing, Ethan clutched at his chest, panting for breath as a sick sensation swooped through his stomach. He gagged instinctively, immediately raising a shaking hand to cover his mouth. He was vaguely aware of a bowl being trust underneath his chin, and even less aware that he'd started gagging and retching into the said bowl. He wrapped his arms protectively around his protesting stomach, gripping onto the fabric of his scrubs, back arching and shaking with the force of throwing up.

Ethan seemed to gain some awareness back after that, the pounding in his head seeming reluctant to let him sleep peacefully. "Sorry.." he breathed, still panting and dizzy. He felt his cheeks turn hot as he noticed Mrs Beauchamp and Lofty had now also joined Cal in the cubicle, the nurse busy disposing of the bowl of Ethan's-

"Nice of you to join us Dr Hardy," the icy voice of his boss broke the silence, and Ethan wanted nothing more than to curl up with embarrassment at the fact that she'd just witnessed that whole ordeal.

He swallowed nervously, "W-what's happened to me?" He stuttered, not quite being able to get everything straight in his head medically at this point in time.

"You just fainted Eth," Cal was quick to answer, "you're okay," he added reassuringly, resting a hand on Ethan's shoulder. Ethan wasn't quite sure if it was meant to reassure him, or to reassure Cal.

"Actually, I'm afraid there could be a bit more to it than that," Mrs Beauchamp cut in, and Cal snapped his head around so fast, Ethan swore he could've got whiplash from it.

The older sibling looked at the clinical lead, eyes wide and swimming with worry, "but I thought it was just neurally mediated syncope, he just fainted because he's ill, right?"

Connie raised an accusing eyebrow towards Ethan, "care to share anything with us, Ethan?"

How could she know about the fainting? Ethan thought. "I-I I umm.." he stuttered, glancing over at Cal, noticing worried frown displayed over the older's features.

"I have reason to believe, that Ethan is suffering from Postural Tachycardia Syndrome, Dr Knight."