bronny: Thank you for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter.

Adison. (Guest) Thank you for the review. I think we all miss Cal. I will write you a story where it's set before his death and no gene.

Ethan doesn't have the gene.

This chapter was prompted by bronny9 with the prompt: Cal is recovering from the surgery that saved his life, but finds it hard to face his colleagues.


The Secret Life Of Casualty.

Chapter 296.

Cal Knight, was resting in a side room, on a ventilator, after being stabbed. He'd been stabbed in the back, by Scott Ellison. Dylan had found Cal lying in a pool of blood and he'd been rushed in to RESUS.

After a few weeks of lying in a hospital bed, machines doing his breathing for him, Cal was discharged by Charlie, but him and Ethan knew now that the hard work started.

Ethan helped his brother in to a sitting position but Cal winced as he accidentally touched the area where his wound was, he noticed the look of pain on his brothers face.

"Sorry Cal. " Ethan apologised.

Cal managed a small smile for his brother as he was eased gently in to the chair and Ethan started pushing him out of the room, along the corridor and to the lifts as they waited for it to arrive, when it did Ethan pushed Cal inside as the doors closed, but the lift soon jolted as the lights above started to flicker on and off before going out completely, for Cal, that brought back unwanted memories of the night he was stabbed.

Flashback

It was dark and raining but Cal knew he couldn't give up fighting, if he gave up it meant Scott had won sand he would never let Scott win, but as he pushed Scott, he felt something push through his abdomen. He gasped, sliding down the wall in pain as Scott ran off.

He mumbled and mumbled for help but nobody heard him. This was it, he was going to die out here.

But suddenly, he spotted Dylan, it looked like he was on the phone to his half - sister.

"Cal, is that you?" Dylan asked.

"Y..e..p" Cal stuttered.

Dylan realised he had been stabbed and rushed him in, as the decision was made to have Cal was rushed up to surgery, in a bid to stop the bleed, which was by now, soaking his scrub top, while Charlie went to find Ethan. Ethan was horrified his brother had been stabbed and had abandoned Alicia in the pub.

End of flashback

Cal screamed.

Ethan rubbed Cal's back gently. "Shh, Cal, it's ok. "

"I thought I was going to die, " Cal said, as tears fell down his cheeks. That night had been traumatising for him.

Ethan swore his heart broke. He wrapped his brother in a hug and kissed his forehead as they continued to walk to the car, Ethan unlocked it as he helped his brother in.

Ethan headed in to the pub, while keeping a supportive arm around Cal. As the doors opened, their colleagues fell silent as Ethan wheeled his brother in, choosing a table near the door.

Dylan pointed to Cal, who was sat at a corner table with Ethan, a blanket over him to keep him warm.

"You did that, " Dylan said, angrily as he picked up Sam's precious phone and dropped it in his pint. "You should pay more attention to your staff "

The team started to laugh at Sam as he put his hand in the glass in a bid to retrieve the phone, but it was too late, the screen was black and the battery was flat. He had a furious expression on his face as he grabbed his jacket and burst through the doors. The team started laughing again, none of them particularly liked Sam and he liked to think he was a cut above the rest of the team.

Shortly, after that, the brothers left to go back to their flat.


The next morning Ethan made Cal breakfast, and poured him a glass of orange juice. After Cal had finished his breakfast, Ethan wiped his chin for him and then went to get their jackets. They then left their flat.

When the boys arrived at the hospital, Charlie was giving the team a talk about not pressuring Cal as it was his first day back.

Connie got a call, saying that Sam had resigned from his job to look after Grace. Connie sighed, but plastered a smile on her face as someone knocked on the door. "Come in," she called as the door opened and Ethan appeared, Connie glanced at him.

"Yes. "

"Mrs Beauchamp Cal has an appointment to check his wounds and I don't want him to be on his own "

"Go, " Connie said, almost softly.

Ethan nodded his thanks and left the office, shutting the door behind him. He headed for the lifts.

Cal was lay on the bed when Ethan arrived. "What are you doing here?" Cal asked, as the nurse rolled up his top and checked the wound, she changed the dressing and informed them both it was healing well.

"I want to be there for you, "

"Thanks bro," Cal said.

And Ethan did nothing but just stare at his brother for a few minutes.

"What?" Cal asked.

"I'm sorry, Ethan," Charlie said slowly, looking like he was about to cry himself, "Cal didn't make it. " He laid a hand on the young doctors soulder in support as Ethan cried out, heartbreaking sobs that echoed through the ED.

Ethan shook his head, he wouldn't let himself be consumed by bad, dark thoughts when he had his norther, who was breathing and most importantly, was, still the annoying Cal who called him "Nibbles"

"Nibbles?" Cal asked.

Ethan didn't say anything, but tears rolled down his cheeks.

This time, Cal found it was his turn to comfiort his brother, he hugged him as they both left the ED, but as they reached the entrance Charlie stopped them briefly. Both boys glanced at the older nurse, he looked happy for some reason and as far, as the boys could see, they had nothing to smile about, Scott was still on the lose and Cal was still in a chair.

Charlie whispered something in to Cal's ear, he nodded and slowly raised himself.

Cal took a few unsteady steps towards Ethan, whose eyes were gleaming with joy, joy he realised for Cal.

"Come on, Cal. " Ethan smiled, encouraging him. "Just a few more steps. "

Cal reached his brother, and Ethan praised him. "Well done, Cal!"

Ethan allowed his brother to have a small beer, despite the fact he was on medication, but it was only small and it was to celebrate Cal's achievement at walking especially as the doctors had told Ethan there was a chance he never would again. That upset Ethan, Cal was always the strong one, he was the one that he went to whenever he needed advice, or whenever he was upset.

Cal leant his head against his brothers shoulder as Ethan stroked his hair, before going to get him a blanket from his room.

Cal laughed. "That's my sex blanket"

Ethan pulled a mock face of disgust as he pretended to drop it. That was an image he really didn't need, but he let it go as he wrapped it around him. He joined his brother on the couch as they watched a DVD of Cal's and kissed his forehead. He stroked his hair as they watched and just enjoyed his brothers company.


Next chapter: Zoe and Linda decide to go to Spain. Prompted by LindaAndrewsfan.