Gillian Kearney Fan, I'm glad I gave the name Aaron to a nice character! I love that name. Thank you for your review - there's more about Max and Zoe in this chapter.
Paradoxilla, thank you for your review. I'm glad you enjoyed it, despite the hyperventilation! Honey really didn't choose her words with care - she couldn't have known Dylan's triggers, but it wasn't a very kind thing to say to anyone.
Guest, thank you for your review. I'm really happy you're enjoying the story. I can't promise to save Max and Zoe, but I haven't finished writing the story yet and I will take your wishes into consideration.
Georgy-Girl, it's a shame you're not up there to help Lofty save Dylan! They do have a scene in this chapter so you won't have to wait to find out what happens. Thank you for your review!
Tanith Panic, thank you - it's nice to know I'm keeping things tense! I loved the exchanges between Connie and Jacob in the last episode so I had to include something similar. Thank you for your review!
ETWentHome, thank you for your review. Although they're very different, I think Dylan is growing to trust Lofty in the series - I love their friendship. No, Max isn't in a good position - but he's probably in a better position than Zoe!
Lily watched the ambulance drive away and stood for some moments, trying to calm herself down. She knew that if she wanted to be a consultant eventually, she would have to deal with this kind of thing all the time, but seeing two colleagues being driven away in an ambulance, knowing she might never see them again, did bring tears to her eyes.
"You all right, lovely- I mean Lily?" said Dixie. "I understand if you're too busy, but if you'd like to come and have a cup of tea, you're always welcome."
Lily shook her head impatiently, then realised the invitation was kindly meant. "Thank you, Dixie, but I really am too busy. With Mrs Beauchamp gone and Dr Keogh unwell, it's just me and Dr Hardy, who is naturally worried about Dr Knight."
"You know where we are if you do get a spare minute – though I'm sure you'll be allowed back in the ED before too long," said Iain.
"I hope so too," said Lily, and started to walk away, but then she turned back. "Thank you for your help with Charlie and Rita. Both of you."
Dixie and Iain both smiled at her. To Lily's surprise, the warmth in their smiles gave her a bit more strength. She smiled back and started to make her way back to the ED.
"Excuse me. Are you one of the doctors?"
It was a young man with brown hair. He looked extremely anxious and somehow familiar. Lily thought for a moment but couldn't place him. She'd treated so many people after all. "I am, but I'm afraid the ED has been evacuated due to an emergency. Do you require medical assistance?"
"I… I need to see my dad," said the man. His gaze was fixed on Lily's shoes. "Charlie Fairhead."
Of course. Lily remembered now. She stiffened, but kept her voice professional. "It's Louis, isn't it? I'm Dr Chao. Your father has been taken to St James'."
"Thanks," said Louis in a soft voice. "Is he… is he okay?"
"Your father suffered another heart attack," said Lily. "Later, his heart stopped beating. He is very ill."
She watched the colour drain from Louis' face but felt little sympathy. "Is he going to die?"
"It's possible," said Lily. "If you give him your support, it could make a difference." She looked meaningfully at him. "But if you want to support him, then do it properly. It's no good promising you'll be there for him and then running away again. Make a decision and stick to it. For Charlie's sake, I hope you make the right one."
"Dylan, please don't." Lofty's voice was shaking.
"Why do you care?" said Dylan harshly.
Lofty took step closer to him. "Because I like you, Dylan. You're a good man. You always work hard and you do your best for people. You're strong and you're intelligent and I admire that."
Dylan shook his head. "Why would you say that about me?"
"Because it's true," said Lofty. "And it scares me to death what you're doing now." His voice trembled. "I already might have lost Max and Cal. For a long time today, I thought I'd lost Ethan. I can't lose you too and I'm so grateful you were with me in Resus today because I don't know how I'd have coped if you weren't."
"If I wasn't there, you wouldn't have been in Resus," said Dylan. "You'd have been outside with all the normal people."
Lofty realised he was right, but that wasn't what bothered him. "Dylan, you are normal."
"I'm afraid of a number."
"Everyone's scared of something," said Lofty. "I'm scared of clowns. It's normal to be afraid of something and the way you reacted to being afraid was normal too. You believe the number's bad so you want to protect your patients from it. You believed that leaving Resus would be a bad thing so you didn't leave, even though you were putting yourself in danger. Perhaps you were wrong about the danger, but you still acted for the good of other people."
Dylan turned slowly. "But no-one was in danger. Not because of that."
"How can we ever really be sure?" said Lofty. "Bad things do happen and we don't know what causes it. You had an idea of what might be happening and you didn't want to take any chances. Not everyone would risk their life like you did, but wanting to protect others from danger is normal."
"Living with a dog isn't normal," said Dylan.
"Lots of people live with a dog," said Lofty. "There's more than one right way to live your life, Dylan. It's what you want to do, so you should do it. Nothing else matters."
Ethan looked at the still figure on the hospital floor. His face was bloodied and swollen and his left wrist had an open fracture. Ethan dropped to his knees, almost falling, and checked Cal's breathing. It was shallow, but still there. Ethan tried to speak to the policemen, but his voice trembled and he had to clear his throat and start again. "I can treat him, but I need help, medical equipment and a safe place to treat him."
One of the policeman spoke into his radio, asking for news on the safety of the building and enquiring about the availability of doctors. Ethan removed his jumper and shirt and asked the policemen to help him tear his shirt into strips. He put pressure on Cal's wrist, careful not to press on the protruding bone, and took the pieces of shirt handed to him by the policeman. He rolled up two strips and placed them around the bone so he was able to bandage the arm without pressing on it.
Cal's other arm appeared undamaged, but Ethan knew that didn't necessarily mean anything so he touched it only lightly as he spoke to his brother. "It's going to be okay, Cal. I'm here. I'm going to look after you. I'm your safety net and I won't let you down."
He started to examine Cal's scalp for signs of bleeding, swelling, tenderness or depression in the bone. His eyes were full of tears, but he blinked them away as his hands worked methodically.
Cal had saved him once and he was determined to do the same for Cal.
"Is there any news?" Lily asked tensely when she saw a policeman coming towards her. "I'm Dr Chao: I work in the ED."
The policeman's expression showed relief. "I was looking for you, Dr Chao. Please come with me."
All Lily wanted to do was refuse. She knew where he was taking her. She didn't want to see her colleagues all bloodied and bruised. Seriously injured… or worse. But she knew she had no choice.
"The damage from the bomb doesn't seem that serious, but there are a few casualties. Most of them are in the main part of the hospital, but there are two people trapped in one of the offices. One we've spoken to: he seems to be drifting in and out of consciousness. He says there's a woman there too, but the area needs to be cleared. We're working on that now."
"I'm happy to help, but I can't do it alone," said Lily. "I'll need stretchers to carry the patients downstairs and into Resus – or someone to bring the necessary equipment to me. I can't treat two patients at once very easily so we really need at least one other doctor. There are doctors elsewhere in the hospital if Dr Hardy and Dr Keogh not available."
The policeman nodded. "I'll see what we can do, Dr Chao."
Lily was about to call to Robyn and Louise, but then she remembered that Max was Robyn's brother. "Louise. Come here, please. I am going into the ED. Please gather up all available nurses and find me as many doctors to assist me as possible."
"I'm not sure there are any other doctors," said Louise, a worried look on her face. "Ethan's-"
Lily cut her off. "Just do your best."
She went into the ED and was taken upstairs. A knot of dread formed in her stomach. She could guess where they were going and she knew who she was likely to find.
Zoe's office was carnage. There usually was some sort of carnage in Zoe's office but nothing like this. Furniture overturned; lumps of plaster, wood and other materials on the floor; on the fallen furniture; everywhere. Lily scanned the wreckage, trying to put her emotions to one side as she located Max. A large piece of ceiling lay across his chest, pinning him to the floor. Zoe's desk lay across his legs. There were a couple of fireman in the room, working their way towards the far corner of the room.
"Hi, Max. It's Lily." Lily checked his breathing. It was rapid and shallow. "Max, can you hear me? Open your eyes."
Max made no sign he'd heard. Lily lifted the corner of the fireman's jacket that had been placed across his chest to check his clothes weren't causing constriction. Her mouth formed an O as she realised he was topless, but Lily was a doctor and had seen many topless men. She shook his bare shoulder lightly, but there was no response.
Lily guessed he was suffering from shock, but as his legs were trapped, Lily was unable to lift them. She was also unable to take his radial pulse so she pressed two fingers to his neck. His pulse was weak and rapid. "Max, don't worry. We're going to help you and Zoe. Just hold on for me. Please."