Ethan does not have the gene.

Chapter is rated T due to the nature of the storyline/ flashback, so if you want to skip it, you are welcome to.

bronny9: Thank you for the review, glad you enjoyed reading it, glad I managed to capture everything you needed in it.

sweet - as - honey: Thank you for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed the way Cal looked out for Ethan, I love writing scenes where Ethan is there for him too.

Sweet - as - honey: Thank you for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm glad that Cal was able to get him there to, he would have been distraught if he hadn't made it on time. Think they need to keep away from Conleth Bay as well, it's not good for them.


The Secret Life Of Casualty.

Chapter 266.

"Start compressions. "

"Doctor Knight, "

"Cal. "

It took Cal more than a few minutes to realise that Connie had been shouting his name, and orders at him, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the patient, it was a baby, a defenceless baby, who had been left in the care of his teenaged mother, while the dad went to work and when the baby wouldn't be quiet, she had shaken it and left it in it's cot, and when it's father returned from work, he had found him, unmoving. He had rushed him in to the hospital but the prognosis of the young boy wasn't looking good.

"I'm sorry, " Cal stuttered, as he once again, looked down at the baby. "I can't do this," He turned and ran out of RESUS and out of the hospital, he didn't stop.

"Doctor Knight!" Connie shouted at him, she too, knew, that it was fruitless, but she also knew that she had to try, seeing Grace take her first steps, after her accident, had proved that to her, that every child deserved a chance at life.

But Cal kept on running until he reached his and Ethan's building. He pushed through the double doors and ran up the stairs, sounding a little breathless by the time, he reached their front door.

"Cal?" Ethan, said, looking at his watch, he wasn't due to finish until 4: 30 and it was 2: 00.

"We lost a patient" Cal muttered, he didn't talk to Ethan about losing his patients, but it had been Ethan's day off.

Ethan stood up and hugged his brother as Cal muttered, trying to get out of the hug: "A little boy"

"I'm sorry, Cal " Ethan apologised, even though it wasn't his fault.

Cal let a tear fall down his cheek then, it was always horrible when they lost patients, but a baby? Life seemed so unfair.

Cal had always thought that if you couldn't look after your children, you shouldn't have them. It reminded him of his own, father.

Flashback

Cal had been 3 when Matilda and Calvin, had announced that she was pregnant again, she looked happy at the news while her husband, looked less than happy they were bringing new life in to the world, he always said Cal was a handful, that he didn't want another Cal running around.

It was Matilda's first day back at work, as her maternity leave had ended, and while she was anxious to leave her young children at home, she trusted her husband to look after them. After pressing a kiss to Cal's forehead, the child was off, as his nursery, had, had a flood overnight, she told him to behave, before leaving the house.

As soon as Matilda left the house, baby Ethan, started crying.

"Shut up. " Calvin snarled, at the crying baby, as he reached in to the cot and shook him violently. Unaware his eldest son was watching. Cal carefully shut the door and went down the stairs.

"Mummy. " He said to Matilda, when she returned much later. Matilda smiled at her son.

"Daddy's hurt Ethen" Cal said.

Matilda ran up the stairs and burst in to her son's nursery.

"What are you doing?" She shouted, horrified to see her husband shaking their baby. She pulled him carefully out of her husbands arms and rocked him, baby Ethan cried, but Matilda told Cal to go and get his coat on as they were going to the hospital.

When Matilda explained what had happened, a doctor took the baby in to small RESUS and ran some tests, while Matilda was frantic, but she couldn't, wouldn't, let Cal see her cry. Baby Ethan kept vomiting and he, had a seizure.

"Mrs Knight, " Matilda stood up, as the doctor called her name.

"Call me Matilda, please" Said Matilda, as she stood up, her legs felt shaky.

"Matilda," The doctor corrected. "The scan shows that your son has suffered from ATH"

Matilda frowned. "What's that?"

"It's Abusive Head Trauma. " Replied the doctor.

"Will he be OK?" She asked.

"We'll keep him monitored for a while, "

Matilda nodded. "Thanks doctor"

"Your son had a seizure. It only lasted for a few minutes. " The doctor added, as he departed.

Matilda felt bad that she wasn't there to comfort her baby boy. The doctor come back in later, telling Matilda and Cal that Ethan had been moved to a room on the paediatric ward and that they could go and see him if they wished. Matilda nodded, once again thanked the doctor and took Cal's hand as they headed out to the corridor, to the lifts. Cal pressed the button for the lift as he followed his mum inside. When they got to the floor, where Ethan was, they walked in.

As the baby wriggled about in the plastic cot, Matilda lifted Cal up, so he could see his brother better.

Cal put his hands against the side of the cot "I luv you, Ethen"

Baby Ethan smiled at his older brother as Calvin appeared, it had been the first time Matilda had seen him, since he had shook him.

"I'm sorry Matilda, love. " He said, his head hung low.

"Sorry isn't good enough!" She said, angrily, but keeping her voice down, because of her boys and the other babies on the ward. "Look at him. " He said, gesturing to the cot. "You did that. "

"I know. "

"Just get out, Calvin" Matilda shouted and that night she started divorce proceedings against him, she didn't want him near her boys again .

End of flashback.

Ethan was gently shaking Cal, asking: "Are you ok?"

Cal stared at his brother. "I need to tell you something."

"Cal telling him something never went well," Ethan thought.

"Is this a good idea?" Cal thought, it could kill him, if he knew that his father had shook him, it was a miracle that Ethan hadn't suffered any lasting damage.

"Cal?" Ethan asked.

Cal shook his head at Ethan, he'd gone 30 years without knowing the truth, and he would only blame him for keeping it a secret from him.

"It's nothing mate" Cal said as he felt Ethan's arms wrap around him.

"You sure?" Ethan asked as they broke apart from the hug.

"I'm sure" Cal attempted a weak smile for his brothers sake and to his relief, he got a smile back. Cal wiped away his tears as Ethan gave him another hug and a tissue to wipe his eyes. Cal fell asleep against his brother, due to how much the crying had taken out on him, Ethan kissed his brothers forehead.


If anyone was confused, the spelling mistakes in the flashbacks were because Cal was 3. Everything medical in the chapter is from the net.

Next chapter: Ethan protects Cal after a night at the pub, gets rowdy. Prompted by bronny9.

The ATH abbreviation I used stands for "Abusive Head Trauma"