Georgy-Girl, I'm not sure what a chihuahua would count as if not a dog! Thank you for your review - I'm glad you enjoyed the update.
Tanith Panic, thank you for your review - it's lovely that you're enjoying all the different storylines. It would be awful if Zoe had to spend months in hospital - she's a terrible patient! Every story needs a good Cal/Ethan scene. I hope this chapter has another!
Tato Potato, thank you for your review - I'm really happy you enjoyed it. I know everyone talks about caring Cal and quite rightly, but I love a bit of caring Ethan too!
ETWentHome, I think Lily can do pretty much anything! Possibly even marry Ethan (though not in this story). I'm still trying to decide if I should kill Cal. Thank you for your review!
Lofty watched anxiously as Dylan helped Zoe back onto the bed. Her collapse seemed to have been caused by nothing more than an injured ankle – though of course some ankle injuries could be very problematic – but Lofty couldn't help worrying Dylan might question his decision to let her try to get up and blame himself for the result.
"Why can't you just leave me alone?" grumbled Zoe as Dylan bent to examine her ankle. "I'm sure the others would have let me go. But you've always got to fuss around with your silly little checklists…"
Lofty saw Dylan's hand shake slightly and leapt in to defend him. "I'm not sure Mrs Beauchamp or Dr Chao would even have considered letting you go to Max. Dr Knight and Dr Hardy might have let you try, but when you collapsed, they'd have done exactly the same as Dr Keogh."
"Good thing we've only got six doctors," said Zoe. "Or we'd be here all night. Unless you'd like to go through all the nurses' reactions as well. You're as bad as Dylan's with all your lists! Maybe you need therapy too."
"Please don't speak to our nursing staff like that," said Dylan. "I'm sorry, Ben."
Lofty smiled and said he was fine. He knew Zoe too well to be hurt by her words and he was far more worried about Dylan. He knew how the smallest throwaway comment could get into your head when you were vulnerable and make you think all kinds of things. It frightened him to think what Zoe's comments might do to Dylan.
"There is some swelling and bruising," said Dylan, "and judging from your reaction to putting weight on it, a fracture is very likely. I'll arrange for a scan. Ben, please continue to monitor Zoe's vital signs."
Lofty nodded and experienced both relief and panic as Dylan left. If Dylan was gone, Zoe could no longer hurt him, but he couldn't help thinking it was dangerous to let Dylan go off on his own. Lofty had been shocked when Dylan had pronounced himself fit to treat Zoe and although Dylan now seemed calm, it was possible he was hiding his true feelings.
He checked Zoe's readings again. Her temperature and oxygen levels were normal and although her heart-rate and blood pressure were a little raised, that was easily attributable to her concern for Max.
"So, you and Max are back together then?" asked Lofty, to fill the silence.
Zoe looked exasperated. "Lofty, we were in my office with no clothes on. What do you think?"
Charlie kept on walking towards the light. He knew exactly what it meant and he felt surprisingly calm. Maybe it really was time to go this time. After another heart attack, there was a fair chance he wouldn't be able to continue working, and his life just wouldn't be the same without the hospital.
He did feel a pang at not seeing Louis again, but perhaps he'd done all he could. Some people were beyond help, or at least beyond Charlie's help. Perhaps he could do more for Louis by watching over him from above – if such a thing proved possible – rather than by trying to help and making it worse.
Then he heard a voice.
He recognised the voice, but even if he hadn't, he'd have known from the word.
"Dad?"
"Louis." Charlie turned and hurried towards him. "What are you doing here? Are you…"
"I heard on the TV," said Louis. "I went to the hospital and they told me you were here."
But what happened? thought Charlie. Why are you here with me now? Was there an accident?
"I was so scared," said Louis. "I shouldn't have left you today."
Charlie wanted to hug him but wasn't sure how Louis would react. "It wouldn't have made any difference to what happened. It would have been one more person for me to worry about."
"But I'm here now," said Louis. "I know I've been a bad son. I don't know if I could ever be a good one. But I am here and I need you. I need you to get better. I need myself to get better and I can't do it without you."
Ethan had watched surgical procedures before, but it was different when it was his brother. He felt physical pain when he saw burr holes being drilled in Cal's skull and he felt slightly queasy when the fragments and bone dust were put in saline. When the surgeon used a dissector to dissect the dura, he thought he might have to leave the room, but then he remembered his promise to Cal. He would stay. The sick bowls were only a few feet away and he would use one if necessary.
Poor Cal. He'd been so confused and frightened in pain and Ethan didn't know if he'd ever be the same again. There were lots of features of Cal's personality which he thought he would have loved to change, but all he wanted now was his brother back exactly as he had been. Ethan longed to see him lying drunkenly on the sofa, completely naked with a girl on top of him with clothes and the remains of a pizza strewn over the floor.
The realisation that he was dreaming about seeing his brother naked almost made him laugh. In the circumstances, it made his eyes flood with tears, but he blinked them away.
He watched as the surgeon inserted the elevator. "I think we can just lift these up, Dr Hardy."
"Okay," said Ethan, his heart lifting slightly. If it worked, Cal wouldn't need a craniotomy. Then he could get on with x-raying and setting Cal's wrist. "And then he'll be all right?"
"No… no, on second thoughts, I'm not sure this is going to work. He needs a craniotomy. After that… well, you know we can't be sure, Dr Hardy. Caleb will go into intensive care and then it's a matter of time."
Robyn jumped as the staff room door opened. When she saw who it was, she was filled with disappointment. She knew it was too early to hear anything about Max, but she wanted so much for someone to come through the door with good news.
"Robyn, how are you doing?" asked Big Mac gently.
"I don't know," said Robyn. One moment, with Honey's encouragement, she'd almost felt hope. The next, she was plunged back into despair.
"We're sending Max positive thoughts," said Honey.
Big Mac smiled sympathetically at Robyn. "That's good. I'm sure you'll hear some news soon. I think Lily's on it and I think they've got a consultant from upstairs to help her."
"Yeah, he's got to know what he's doing," said Honey.
Robyn nodded, trying to convince herself. "And so does Lily. She's really good. She's conscientious. She's not easily distracted. She doesn't let emotion get in the way. If anyone can do it, Lily can."
"And if she can't do it, obviously no-one could have done it, so it's all good," said Honey. "Or... maybe not all good, but…" She hugged Robyn. "You know what I mean!"
Robyn did know. But it didn't help.
"Right: we'll do a forced mannitol-alkaline diuresis," said Lily. "This could help to protect the kidneys through the enhancement of renal perfusion, reduce the risk of hyperkalaemia and may also reduce the reperfusion-related components of this injury."
Louise didn't understand all of this, but she didn't have to understand it. She watched admiringly as Lily gave orders, but she was also on her guard. Lily was a good doctor, but today had shown that her confidence wasn't as high as Louise had always assumed.
A beep alerted Louise to a change in Max's condition. "Lily, his blood pressure's dropping."
"It could be disseminated intravascular coagulation," said Lily. "Have his bloods come back yet? That will give us more of an idea. If his platelet count is low, he could need a plasma transfusion. I would also like heparin on standby to prevent clotting, please."
"Shall I go and see if I can hurry the bloods through?" said Louise.
Lily gave a brisk nod, her attention almost entirely on Max. "Go and find someone else who can do it for you and then come back here, please."
Louise touched Lily's arm. "Will you be all right?"
Lily raised her eyebrows. "I am not the one who is in danger of renal failure and death."
That wasn't quite what Louise had meant, but she was reassured by Lily's reply. Lily was dealing with this, like the excellent doctor Louise knew her to be.
"I'll be back in a minute," said Louise.
"See that you are," answered Lily.