Guest, thank you for your review. I'm really happy you like the story. There is a little bit of Zoe in this chapter, but I can't promise good news!
Tato Potato, I'd be saying exactly the same thing if this was somebody else's story about Cal! It's a shame about Rita, but if I'm going to kill someone, I like to keep my options open. Thank you for your review!
ETWentHome, thank you for your review. I'm afraid a few people are falling apart in this chapter, but probably only emotionally. I hope you enjoy it!
Tanith Panic, Rita is suffering the delayed effects of a head injury. It could be that nothing much is wrong with her or she could drop dead. It all depends on what kind of mood I'm in. Thank you for your review!
Penelope salt, thank you for your review - I hope you enjoy the new chapter. I'm afraid Cal isn't in this chapter, but there will be a bit of an update at the end.
Robyn sat very still, letting Honey's chatter wash over her as she tried to pretend she was somewhere else. Somewhere a very long way away. In an alternate universe where everything was fine. Where they were all working happily together in the ED and Robyn knew exactly where Max was. A place where Lofty was still smiling. A place where Zoe hadn't cheated on Max.
"Come on. Let's go and talk to Dylan," said Honey. "He looks lonely now Lofty's gone to help Lily and I wouldn't want to be on my own if I was him."
"Dylan likes being alone," said Robyn.
"No-one really likes being alone," said Honey with certainty. "He's just shy and he's got a sad soul. He needs a few cups of my special tea inside him and a bit of healing."
Robyn let her gaze drop to the floor. She felt as though she had no energy to spare: it was all focused on Max. But she knew she had to stop Honey from going over to Dylan. Robyn didn't exactly understand Dylan's problems and she still hadn't quite forgiven him for the way he'd spoken to Lofty, but Honey was so exuberant and she had a feeling it would only stress Dylan out, which would create more work for everyone.
Robyn let her head drop into her hands. Why was everything so difficult?
"Hey, it's okay," said Honey, rubbing Robyn's back. "Max will be okay. I know he will. I've seen his lifeline."
"A long lifeline only means a long life," said Robyn, as more tears filled her eyes. "It doesn't mean an easy life. It doesn't mean a life free of pain and suffering."
Honey looked confused. "But isn't it good if he's alive?"
"It will be good he's not dead," said Robyn tearfully. "But what if he wishes he was? What then?"
Jacob was beginning to lose hope, but the last thing he was going to do was show it. He kept his voice optimistic, if not cheerful, as he gave instructions to Dixie and Iain. He knew their hopes were fading too, but Charlie was a fighter. Jacob knew Charlie wouldn't give up that easily.
He didn't look up when he heard the sound of voices: he was completely focused on his task – but as the voices came nearer, he recognised the female voice as Connie. Jacob thought he would pick out Connie's voice in the middle of a crowd.
"How is he?" asked Connie as she approached, leaning heavily on Ethan. Jacob didn't miss the fact that she was wearing only one shoe: the other foot was wrapped in a white bandage. The other shoe was, as he might have guessed, held firmly in her other hand.
"We're not giving up on him yet," said Jacob.
Connie stopped beside the trolley, looking down at Charlie. "I told myself, if it happened again, that the kindest thing might be to let him go."
Jacob raised his eyebrows. "It's your call, boss."
"And I say: carry on," said Connie, her voice slightly unsteady but determined. "Perhaps it is the kindest thing to do… but nobody's ever accused me of being kind and I don't intend to let them start now. We're not going to lose him, Jacob."
Ethan spoke with a softness and hesitancy that Jacob knew wasn't entirely due to the terror of Connie. "Mrs Beauchamp, is there anything I can do?"
Connie touched his arm. "No. You should go in case Cal needs you. Thank you, Ethan."
"Thank you," Ethan echoed in a trembling voice and started to walk away.
"As soon as I'm done with these compressions, I'll keep my fingers crossed for Cal, Ethan," Jacob called after him.
Ethan turned and gave Jacob a weak smile over his shoulder. "Thanks. Mine are crossed for Charlie too."
The pain was getting worse, but Max wasn't giving up. He continued to call Zoe's name, despite the increasing difficulty of taking in a breath. In every pause between shouts, he dreaded both hearing her voice and not hearing it. He didn't want her to be here. He wanted her as far away from danger as possible.
But considering how close they'd been only minutes before, it didn't seem likely.
Again, he tried to push at the object on his chest. Again, he failed.
Then a groan reached his ears.
"Zoe?"
Another groan, but Max recognised it as his name.
"Zoe, are you okay?"
"How can I be okay when I've got God knows what on top of me?" said Zoe.
Max realised he was fighting back tears. He'd been doing that a lot lately and Zoe was always the cause, but the relief that filled him at hearing her sound so normal; so much like herself was immeasurable. "You're under the filing cupboard, Zoe," he said between gasps for breath. "I can see your shoes…"
"I'm not wearing my shoes, you idiot!" said Zoe. "I don't leave my shoes on for sex. Not unless I have a special request."
Max tried not to remember that he'd not been the only person recently to be in a position to make such a request. "I'm glad you're okay."
Zoe sounded cross. "Max, I've been buried alive here. In what way am I okay?"
"Fair enough," said Max, and he couldn't help smiling a little bit. He'd known a lot of bad patients in his job, but Zoe had always been one of the worst.
"And I really do feel quite-" Zoe broke off and groaned.
"Zoe?" Max's smile was gone now. "Zoe, are you okay?"
Zoe didn't reply.
Dylan looked up as the hospital barista sat on the bench beside him. She gave him a smile and he felt himself tense.
"Sorry, Dylan," said Robyn. Her eyes were red and she looked like she might burst into tears at any moment.
Dylan knew the feeling.
Robyn gave him a small, trembly smile. "If you want to be alone…"
"Of course he doesn't want to be alone," said the barista. Dylan had heard her name was Honey, but he didn't think that could be her real name.
"Actually, I would like to be alone," said Dylan. "So, if you don't mind…"
"No, I don't mind," said Honey. "I think it's good to be honest about what you feel. It shows you're in touch with your emotions."
Robyn put her hand on Honey's arm. "Come on, Honey. Let's go and check on some of the patients."
Honey ignored her and took Dylan's hand. She traced a finger along his palm. "You've had a difficult life, haven't you, Dylan?"
Dylan yanked his hand away. "How can you possibly know that?"
"It's in your palm," said Honey. "I can see things you've done. Things you're going to do."
"Things I've done?" said Dylan.
Honey nodded. "It's not going to get any easier if you keep going the way you are, you know."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You need to be around people," said Honey. "You need to make friends; start talking to people. You need to start doing normal things. Living on your own with a dog at your age... that's not normal, is it?"
"Honey!" said Robyn, dismayed. "She didn't mean it, Dylan. She's just messing around."
"Of course I mean it!" said Honey. "It's all in his palm. I'm not just making this up, you know!"
Dylan sat, frozen. He knew he wasn't normal. He knew this was obvious even to someone of Honey's limited intelligence. But that didn't make hearing it any easier. He stood up. He was breathing hard and trembling.
"Where are you going?" said Honey, startled.
"Away from you!" shouted Dylan, and walked off.
"Is there anything I can do?" Ethan asked Louise in a quiet voice.
Louise shook her head. "I think we've got all the injuries under control. Lily did a lot. She's been brilliant."
Ethan nodded sadly. He'd passed Lily on the way back to the car park. Rita was unconscious on a trolley and he'd offered his assistance, but Lily had told him she had everything under control and he believed her.
Ethan felt anything but brilliant and he was barely even controlling himself.
"Are you okay?" said Louise, her voice surprisingly gentle.
"Not really," admitted Ethan.
"You should have told someone you were leaving the ED," said Louise.
"I know," whispered Ethan. "What do you think I've been telling myself ever since I found out about Cal?"
Louise put her arm around him. Ethan tensed: he didn't really feel he knew Louise well enough to let her hug him. He didn't really liked to be hugged by anyone except Honey and – in certain circumstances and only in private – Cal.
He wondered if Cal would ever hug him again.
"Why don't you go and speak to the police?" said Louise. "They might have some news."
"But do I want to hear the news?" said Ethan in a choked voice.
"You'll have to hear the news eventually," said Louise. "It might as well be now."
Ethan nodded and they made their way to the edge of the cordon, where they were met by a policeman.
"Is either of you a doctor?"
"Yes, I'm Dr Hardy," said Ethan. His heartbeat quickened.
"We've got men in the building now. We've found some casualties and we need the assistance of-" The policeman stopped, peering more closely at Ethan. "Aren't you Caleb Knight's brother?"
"Yes, I am," said Ethan.
The policeman was quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry, sir. I think it's best if we find someone else."