Cal stopped in his tracks. He turned to face Ethan.

"Please, don't do this, Ethan. We need to talk this through."

"There's nothing to talk about. You lied to me, Cal. I can't forgive you for that."

"Ethan…."

"No. I've said before. I don't want to hear any more of your excuse. What you did was wrong."

"I know." Cal replied his voice choking. "I know what I did was wrong. But, how could I tell you when I was scared?"

"You were scared? How about me? I'm scared too."

"Then that's why we need to talk so we can be there for each other."

Ethan chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Cal asked.

"You don't get it, do you?" Ethan commented. "You lied to me and you don't seemed to bothered by that fact. How can you think I would want to talk to you after what you've just done?"

"Please, Ethan. I know I hurt you and I know you're angry, but we need to sort this out." Cal pleaded.

"And I need to be on my own for awhile."

Cal could sense that their conversation was turning into an argument. So not wanting it to become an argument he left ITU and headed back down to reception. On his way down he spotted Charlie heading in the direction of ITU. Cal guessed where Charlie was heading.

"Uh, Charlie. I wouldn't go and see Ethan at the moment. He's not really in the mood to talk to anyone right now." Cal told him as Charlie passed by.

Charlie stopped and turned around.

"Is everything okay?"

"I don't know. I, um told him about our adoption and about the Huntington's."

"How did he take it?"

"How do you think?" Cal snapped.

Cal closed his eyes and sighed.

"Sorry, Charlie. I didn't mean to. It's just that Ethan's upset at the moment."

"Can you blame him?"

"Of course, I don't blame him. I can understand he's hurt and what I did was wrong, but I was only doing what I thought was best. I was only doing it because I was scared I'd lose him. I did it because I love him."

"Have you tried telling him that?"

"Yes, but he thinks I'm lying. He thinks I'm making up excuses."

"Tell him again."

"I've tried but, he won't listen to me. What should I do? Tell me what to do."

Charlie could see Cal was stressed out. He could see he was really worried that he was losing Ethan.

"Let him have time to heal. Let him have time to get his head around the news like you did. In time he'll come round. In the meantime just be there for him." Charlie advised.

Cal gave him a weak smile. Charlie then went back to the nurses' station while Cal walked away and back to cubicles. In ITU Ethan sat up in his bed thinking about what he'd just discovered. He couldn't believe Cal, well he could but thought his brother had changed since the arrival and subsequent departing of Matilda. He groaned in anger. He realised handing his resignation had been a good decision. Now, he could get away from his brother. Once he was better and well enough to be discharged he was leaving Holby for good. He would not look back. Once he was gone he was never going to return. He'd had enough of his brother's lies. He'd had enough of having to fix all his brother's problems. It was time Cal learnt to look after himself and with Ethan gone he could do just that.

An hour later Cal sat in the staffroom, his head in his hands. He thumped his wrist on top of the counter in anger and groaned. He was angry with himself for lying to his brother. He was angry with Ethan for thinking he didn't care about him. It was far from the truth. Ever since Cal had found out he had done nothing but, think about Ethan. Even when Charlie said to him it was Ethan's life too that would be affected by the news, Cal was taken aback. He couldn't believe Charlie actually thought he hadn't considered how Ethan would have felt. Of course, Cal cared about Ethan. Ethan was his little brother, his safety net. He meant everything to him. And Cal meant what he said when he was afraid to lose him. Cal could not imagine what his life would be like without his brother, nor could he imagine losing his brother to such a dreadful illness. The moment the thought of Ethan having Huntington's popped into Cal's mind, he felt his stomach turn and chest clench. If Ethan had inherited the illness from their birth mum, Cal swore he would be there for him. He swore he would never let Ethan face it on his own. They face and fight it together. They would do that because they were brothers. And brothers catch each other when the other falls. They would both be each other's safety nets.

Then he remembered Ethan had quit. He would make sure Ethan stayed and they would work their problems out. Cal wasn't about to let his brother quit the job he loved doing nor would he let him deal with his issues on his own. Cal would step up and be the big brother he should have been. He would be the big brother Ethan deserved. He would be the big brother he was when they were kids. Cal promised on his life he would never leave Ethan alone.