I know that I'm still writing my Jessica story, it's only one chapter out which isn't bad, for me, but this chapter has a lot of words in, and I fear I may accidentally delete it, which I don't want to do, that's why I have decided to upload it and I know the prompter has been waiting quite a while for it, for a while, which is my fault, I've just had no inspiration, really, but I promise I will try to get on top of my updates, as soon as I possibly can, but life does sometimes get in the way.
For this chapter, Cal is younger than Ethan by six years, in both present scenes and both flashbacks, Ethan doesn't have the gene, and Matilda is their mum, even though she's dead, she's dead in the flashbacks as well.
Prompt: Two new members join the team, and to help them settle in, Connie organises a bonding day at the beach, but it is Cal that is left trumutised by the days events. Prompted by C.
Ages:
Ethan: 30.
Cal: 24.
Flashback ages:
Ethan: 16.
Cal: 11.
Harry. (Cal's friend, who doesn't have a last name) 14.
casualtycatmeow: Thank you for the review, I'm glad you enjoyed your request. I hope your exams went ok, I can do an AU chapter where Lily dies, Cal protects Ethan without getting injuried, but Scott is behind bars, as well as Cal's ex - girlfriend, Taylor, returning. I'll write it as soon as I've finished my prompt list as I do have a few to get through and other stories I want to write as well.
As I can't remember what cancer Matilda was diagnosed with before she died, I don't think the show informed us, I can't remember, for the sake of this chapter, it's breast cancer, for that reason the chapter is rated T.
The Secret Life Of Casualty.
Chapter 301.
"Come on, Cal, you know what Miss Beauchamp is like if we are late, " Ethan was stood outside his younger brothers room, dressed in his scrubs, a piece of toast in his hand. He listened for any sign of movement, but Cal didn't seem to be making any. Ethan sighed, taking a bite of his toast, "If you don't get up soon, I'll leave without you" He threatened, although he didn't really mean it.
Just then Cal's door flung open as he rolled his eyes. "Mate, I'm ready, let's go. "
"About time, " Ethan muttered.
"What was that?" Cal asked.
"Nothing" Said Ethan, heading down the stairs. He grabbed the things he needed for work and the two left the house, which had been left for them in their late mothers will. They decided to walk to work, instead of going in Ethan's car. It didn't take them long to reach the hospital and they had interrupted Connie, who had been talking.
"Doctor Knight, Doctor Hardy, how nice of you to join us, " She said, sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"Sorry, Miss Beauchamp," Ethan mumbled, his head down.
"As I was saying, " Connie continued. "We have two new members of staff today, this is Darren and Dawn Jackson, Darren is a doctor and Dawn is a nurse, I trust you will make them feel welcome. " Connie finished talking and started walking off towards her office before turning back to her staff again. "I trust you will make them feel welcome and for that reason, we are having a team bonding day at the beach.
Everyone, except Cal cheered. The beach involved water, water involved memories he'd rather forget about.
Ethan, knowing about his brothers secret fear, put his hand on his shoulder in support, "Are you ok?" He whispered.
"Ethan, I'm fine" Cal told his bother.
"I know you, Cal" Ethan said as they headed home to collect things they needed for the beach, they had to be back for 9'o'clock as Connie was driving the minivan to the beach. Cal waited until Ethan had unlocked the door and the two brothers walked in, heading to their bedrooms to collect the things they needed. Ethan opened a draw and got out a pair of swim shirts and put them on the bed, before he moved to the wardrobe and got out some dry clothes.
Cal, meanwhile, was sat on the edge of his bed, head in his hands. Truth was, he didn't want to go to the beach but he also didn't want to let any of the team down and ruin what could be a fun filled day.
"Cal, are you ready?" Ethan asked.
Cal wasn't ready. He quickly pulled a bag out of the bottom of his wardrobe and quickly put some things in there, before meeting Ethan on the landing and together they started walking down the stairs, Ethan grabbing his wallet, phone, and house keys as they headed back to the ED. Connie was waiting beside the minibus, waiting for her team to get on.
"Come on, hurry up, " She called to them, she was wearing a lose fitting white dress, with her hair slightly curled.
Jez, Iain, and Jacob sat together at the back, the two boys sat together, Alicia and new girl Dawn, sat together, Connie was the last one to get on as she was driving as she was the only one ensured to do so. Charlie, who was sitting next to her, was in charge of the music. He'd had a music request off Cal for some Nickleback, new boy Darren was a fan of Kings of Leon.
Connie pulled up at the beach and parked in an empty space, as members of the team started getting out of the van, Jacob running down the beach.
Jez, Iain and Jacob had started to play with a football Jez had brought with him, they'd set up a makeshift goal out of people's coats. (without asking)
Jez, Jacob and Iain all striped down to their water shorts, Iain noticing Cal was staying fully clothed, nudged Jez, who smirked, realising what Iain wanted them to do.
Iain, Jez, and Jacob all picked Cal up, by the legs and ran with him towards the water. They started swinging him back and forward with the intention of throwing him in to the water, Cal shouted "No!" as they threw him in quite far, the waves were strong and Cal found himself struggling to keep himself afloat, he knew what this was: he was drowning.
The pull of the water pulled him further under, as he gasped for air, water filling his lungs, as a doctor he knew this was the worst thing he could do, but he couldn't help it, as memories flooded his mind.
Cal's First flashback
Calvin was taken Cal, Ethan and Ethan's friend Harry, to the beach for the day, as he didn't want another weekend where the boys (mostly Cal) complained. "Dad, I'm bored" He packed the two boys in to the car, and drove to Harry's house, where he was waiting excitedly for them on his doorstep. Cal opened the door for his friend.
"Yo, Cal" Harry grinned as he climbed in. Harry gave Ethan a small wave, Ethan waved back politely.
"Hi Harry" Cal replied as the car started moving, Cal and Harry were having a thumb wrestle, Cal was winning.
"We are here, boys" Calvin told them.
All three boys got out of the car and Cal reached for his bucket and spade, before following his friend and brother out of the car, all 3 of them running down to the beach, while Calvin was left to carry all the beach stuff on his own, the panic he had packed for the boys.
Ethan was sitting on a rock (uncomfortable sitting but his dad had forgot to pack the beach chairs) reading a book, while Cal and Harry, decided to build sandcastles for a while, after they had built sandcastles, Harry sat up.
"Do you want to go for a swim?" Harry asked.
"Yeah" Cal said, standing up and dusting his shorts down.
"I can swim further out than you, Cal" Harry boasted as he smirked at his friend, Cal tried to keep up with him, but because he was younger than Harry, he found his legs weren't able to keep up with his friend.
For a while, Cal could see Harry, but he soon disappeared out of the younger boys eye line. One minute he was above the blue water, the next minute he'd disappeared, Cal began laughing, thinking he was just messing about.
Harry hadn't resurfaced. Cal began panicking, he didn't know what to do.
"Dad, I think Cal is in trouble," Ethan whispered, it was like he had a sense when it come to Cal.
Calvin stood up and ran towards the water, he couldn't see his son or his friend.
"Dad!" Cal shouted.
Calvin pulled Harry from the water, and checked that he was breathing, he wasn't.
"Ethan, call an ambulance " Calvin told his oldest son, who nodded and got his phone out of his pocket, his dad had brought him one on his 15th birthday, as well as a house key, so the older boy could let himself in to the house if his dad wasn't in.
Paramedics arrived and secured Harry on to a spinal board, a collar on his head and a blanket over him.
"Are you coming with him?" The paramedics asked.
The two boys nodded as Calvin was busying himself with ringing Harry's parents, the two boys sat in the ambulance.
The ambulance started moving.
"This is Harry, his last name is unknown, he's 14, he was submerged in water for a few minutes, CPR was performed at the scene to no avail, his BP is low.
Harry was taken in to RESUS and a head CT was taken, and IV lines were put in his arms, an oxgen mask secured to his face, he had a ventilator in,
Cal and Ethan were in the staff room, with a kind nurse called Peter, he was playing cards with them and asking them what they wanted to be when they grew up.
"I want to be a doctor" Said Ethan.
A nurse come in, asking for Peter, he nodded. "I'll be back in a minute, boys"
"Their friend didn't make it " Peter groaned, glancing through the window at the two boys; loosing a friend at any age was hard,
Harry's parents had been informed and Cal seen them walk in, both looking anxious at each other.
"Dad, what's going on?" Cal asked.
Calvin shook his head.
Meanwhile, a doctor took Harry's parent's in to a side room.
"I'm very sorry, but your son, Harry, didn't make it. He'd inhaled too much water, it suffocated him"
Harry's mum sobbed for the loss of her only son. Harry's father hugged her.
"Dad, where's Harry?" Cal asked.
"I'm sorry, son, Harry's dead"
Cal was numb when his father drove them home. Grief was a horrible thing to deal with and people dealt with it in all different ways
"Come on lads, " Calvin said.
Both boys got out of the car, quietly, and solemnly in respect for their dead friend. It was cruel, but life was like that, cruel.
A few days later, Harry's body had been released for his funeral.
It was a small turn out, with Harry's mum and dad, Calvin and the boys, plus some friends from school, dressed smartly in black pants and jackets, the vicar talked about how Harry was a popular kid at school, well liked by his teachers and his friend.
Cal kept feeling in his pocket for a piece of paper, Harry's parents had asked him to say a few things about their son. Cal nodded, but he was now beginning to feel nervous.
"Now Harry's friend Caleb would like to say a few words. " Said the vicar.
Ethan gave Cal a supportive smile and a rub on his back, as he stood up, making his way towards the stand. "Harry was my best mate. We played rugby together and sometimes I let him win"
"Thank you, Caleb" Said the vicar as the young boy stepped down, making his way back to his dad and brother.
After the service and burial, in which all of Harry's classmates, had thrown memories of him in there, whether that was in a form of a picture, written words, Cal had thrown a picture in, he'd asked Ethan, one day, when Harry had come round to the house, as their dad was out, to take a picture of them, messing about. Pulling silly faces with their arms around each other.
A few days later Ethan had taken Cal out for some fresh air saying that he would make himself sick if he stayed indoors anymore. They'd been the park
"Boys, can you come in the living room a minute?"
Cal and Ethan looked at each other.
The two boys sat on the sofa, noticing that their father was looking grey, he hadn't looked like that since their mum died.
"Harry's mum, called today. She said that Harry had, had a heart attack in the water. "
"Don't they only happen in old people?" Cal whispered, tears falling.
Calvin nodded. "Usually, but sometimes, they can occur in younger people. " Being an ex - doctor, who had quit his job when his wife died, so he could concentrate on bringing up their sons, Calvin knew about these things.
Despite not being very close to his father, Cal allowed him to hold him while he cried.
That night, while both boys were in bed, Ethan heard Cal whimpering.
Ethan moved in to his brothers bed and lifted the duvet so he could get underneath as he held him close.
"I wish it had been me"
Ethan swore his heart shattered, when he heard his brother utter them words. He stroked Cal's hair.
End of flashback
"Hi, I'm Alicia, " Alicia introduced herself to Dawn, who was busy pulling her blonde locks in to a pony.
"Hi, I'm Dawn," She replied.
"Nice to meet you, " Alicia smiled, showing off her white teeth.
"And you" Dawn replied, smiling back at Alicia, but her attention was no longer on Dawn, but she was gazing far out.
"Ethan?" Alicia tapped her ex - boyfriend on the shoulder, as she spotted someone in the dark water. She knew who it was. Ethan turned to face her. "I think Cal's in the water"
"Cal!" Ethan shouted as he ran towards the waters edge and dived in, despite Alicia calling after him that he shouldn't go in, as there was a chance that he could drown also. He didn't care, he just needed to rescue his brother.
To Ethan, the water was cold, but he just swam on, until he reached his brother. He put his arms around his waist and pulled him to the shore and with Charlie's help, as well, as new boy Darren's they pulled him out and lay him on the sand, their colleagues all staring down at Cal, Ethan wanted to shout at them to move.
Charlie, sensing Ethan's distress, spoke. "I think Ethan wants some room, guys"
Cal wasn't moving. Ethan panicked. He was about to start CPR on him, when Cal coughed, spluttering.
"That's it, Cal. " Ethan whispered, taking a towel that Charlie handed him as he wrapped it around his brother. He guided his brother off the sand. "I'm taking him home"
Connie and Charlie nodded as Ethan picked up his bag and started to walk off the beach with one arm around Cal supporting him, as they made the jounery home.
Arriving up their house, Ethan opened the door and guided Cal up the stairs to his room and opened the door, guiding Cal to his bed, knowing that he needed to be warm.
"Cal, what's wrong?" Ethan asked, quietly as his brother turned to face him.
"Harry's death was my fault. " Cal whimpered, he had supressed his guilt over his friends death, as he had got older, but being in the water, had brought back his guilt.
"You know, you shouldn't blame yourself for Harry's death, it was an accident" Ethan told his brother, while rubbing his back, soothingly.
"I should have tried harder" Cal looked angry when he spoke them words and Ethan knew it was up to him to calm him down.
"Cal, it's not your fault, you can't swim " Ethan said, quietly, not wanting to upset his brother.
"But you can" Cal replied, sniffing.
Ethan nodded.
If Cal had anymore nightmares Ethan would be the man to comfort him.
The next day, Ethan thought that Cal should take the day off to recover from his nightmare, but Cal surprised him by already being up and making him breakfast
"What's this for?" Ethan asked, sitting down at the table.
"For being there for me "Cal replied as his phone dinged with a message. He picked it up from the table and accessed his texts.
"Whose that?" Ethan asked, interestedly.
"It's Darren, he's a little weird, he reminds me of you. "
"Hey!" Ethan laughed. "I'm not weird. "
"You are, Nibbles" Cal grinned, nudging him with his elbow. "But weird is good, sometimes" He added, ruffling his elder brothers hair. Ethan gave him a mock scowl. Cal laughed.
Ethan looked at his watch as he stood up and he pushed the chair under the table as he left the kitchen, his brother seemed slow and tired.
"Cal, it'll be ok"
Cal stood frozen to the spot as he looked at Ethan, a scared look on his face.
Arriving at the ED, Ethan was the first to spot Jez, Jacob and Iain laughing, he quietly fumed as a wave of anger shot through him again, it was their fault that Cal was scared, he was hiding behind him, clinging to his legs.
"Excuse me?" He said to the small group, hands on his hips
Jacob coutinued to laugh at Ethan's pathetic attempts to get their attention. He looked pathetic, standing there with his hands on his hips, but Ethan knew this was not the time to back down, Cal nedded him to be courageous and he was not about to let his brother down.
"I will not have you humiliating my brother" said Ethan as Cal remained standing behind him, standing behind his legs.
The three man all looked at Cal, asshamed of their recent behaviour as they realised they wouldn't like it if Cal had teased them. "Sorry Cal, we just thought it would be a laugh. " Jez said, but the apology was from all of them.
Iain looked up. "Yeah, Cal, we are sorry. "
"Thank you, " Ethan said to them as both brothers turned and bumped in to Darren. Cal looked at Darren, along with Ethan Darren had helped pull Cal out of the water and Cal thought he was going to be mocked again, but Darren surprised him.
"I can't swim very well either" Darren told Cal, who smiled slightly.
Cal smiled, glad that he had found a friend that had similar fears to him.
After the day at work, the two brothers, headed home to spend the rest of the night together.
"What do you want to do, Cal?" Ethan asked.
Cal shrugged his shoulders at his brother as the door was unlocked and they both walked in and shut the door behind them, as they planned an evening in together, eating trashy food, drinking and looking forward to the weekend. Cal looked through their DVD's.
Ethan went in to the kitchen and looked in their cupboards for some sweet treats that Cal usually brought as he never listened to him when he said put some healthy food in the trolley such as: apples, banana's, grapes, Cal loaded the trolley with crisps, cake, Haribo tubs and Ethan didn't have the heart to tell him that he didn't want him to die by eating too much junk food, as too much junk food would clog up his arteries therefore stopping the blood pumping around his veins, therefore bringing on a heart attack, luckily he knew the symptoms of a heart attack if one did occur in Cal. He didn't think he'd cope if he lost his younger brother, they'd already buried their mum, with each of them privately pinning the blame on each other, as their mum was dying of cancer and the drugs the doctors were pumping in to her weren't doing anything to improve her condition and when the doctors informed them she was on her final days, Cal ran away, not returning home, Ethan was angry, at him, but he returned their night their mum died, and the two of them sat in her room, arms around each other as they grieved the loss of their mum, Ethan shook his head, staring out of the window, he didn't want to put Cal in the ground for a long time yet.
"Ethan?" Cal called.
Upon hearing his brother call his name, Ethan put the bowls on the table as he got comfy on the couch beside his brother.
"What movie did you pick?" He asked.
Cal picked up a case and handed it to Ethan. "Are you sure?" Ethan double checked.
Cal smiled. "Yep"
Ethan stood up and walked over to the TV, taking the CD out of the case and putting it in to the DVD player, he picked up the remotes fast forwarded the adverts, Cal always said he found them uninteresting and soon the movie was playing, it was a movie called "Home Alone"
Cal picked up some popcorn and chewed on it loudly.
"Cal" Ethan complained.
"What?" Replied Cal with his mouth full.
"Eat with your mouth closed" Ethan told him.
Cal pulled a mock face at Ethan, who started laughing at him. Cal may have disgusting eating habits but they were brothers and brothers put up with anything that they threw at each other.
After the movie was finished, Ethan noticed that Cal had fallen asleep, instead of waking him, he quietly got up, crept out of the room, up the stairs and grabbed a blanket from his brothers bed, before walking back down the stairs and putting it over him, before kissing him on his forehead, before he settled down on the other couch in case Cal needed him.
As it turned out, Cal did have another nightmare about being in the water.
Cal's Nightmare
The team were back on the beach, Ethan was talking to Alicia while Cal was trying to chat up Dawn. "Doctor Knight, I'm not interested. "She told him.
"Full of yourself aren't you, Cal. " Alicia said, rolling her eyes. She couldn't believe she had once dated the doctor.
"Ignore her, Cal" Ethan encouraged his brother as they walked away.
Cal sniffed, wondering what he had saw in her.
Ethan put his arm around Cal, but he shrugged him off and walked off,
"Cal!" Ethan shouted.
Cal walked in to the water.
The pull of the water suffocated him.
Realising his brother was missing and nobody had seen him, Ethan ran to the waters edge, but couldn't see anything.
"Ethan, it's getting late" Charlie told him, coming up to him.
A day later, a patient was brought in, patient was Cal, paramedics told Charlie, something.
"I'm so sorry Ethan, " Charlie told him, looking like he could cry himself. "Cal didn't make it"
Ethan sobbed, the mans older arms, wrapping around him. He knew Cal had a reckless nature, and that reckless nature had eventually got him killed.
Ethan walked to the morgue where Cal's body was.
Ethan pulled back the cover and saw Cal's body, completely unbruised.
Ethan took his brothers hand, and squeezed it expecting to feel Cal squeeze back, but his hand just remained limp, against his brothers.
"Caleb" Ethan whispered, a tear trickling down his cheek.
End of Cal's nightmare.
Ethan moved over to Cal and stroked his hair, "Shh, Cal, it's alright, "
Cal looked at his brother with watery eyes."I d-died in t-the w- water," he stammered.
"Cal, I'm here, I'm not going anywhere. " Ethan whispered.
"Promise?" Cal whispered, he couldn't bare it, if Ethan left him and he was on his own.
"I promise"
Cal smiled, leaning his head on his brothers shoulder and as they both knew they wouldn't get back to sleep, they decided to put on another movie, Cal decided to watch "Jaws " this time, it reminded them both of today and as the movie started, hunting music started playing and Cal buried his face in his brothers shoulder as Ethan stroked his hair, before getting up and heading in to kitchen to get them both two glasses of orange juice. He took them in to the living room and found Cal had fallen back asleep on the sofa, the duvet was hanging half of him. Ethan gave a shake of his head before picking the duvet up and placing it over him, before kissing his forehead. It reminded him of when Cal was a baby, because shortly after Cal's birth, Matilda had tried breast feeding her new baby and she had found it sore and she was getting short of breath, she had also noticed redness around her breasts were Cal was feeding, but she remembered never having any redness with Ethan, she raised her concerns with her doctor, who had ordered some scans, such as a biopsy. The doctor looked at Matilda's results in his office and sighed, the results weren't looking good, he sighed, hating to having to be the one to tell the new mum the bad news.
"I'm very sorry, Mrs Hardy, but your scans show you have breast cancer"
The doctor started Matilda on straight away, confident that they could catch her illness.
The surgery had been successful, then she started on radiotherapy, that showed that her cancer was growing, something which devastated Calvin as an ex doctor.
That night, Calvin walked through his front door as a single parent, how on earth was he going to cope with a 6 - year - old and a new born baby?
Pulling himself out of his thoughts about his late mother and father, Ethan glanced over at Cal and found himself wondering if Cal remembered their mother. He doubted that he did and that hurt Ethan as Matilda had been a wonderful mother.
A tear slid down Cal's cheek and Ethan wiped it away, wondering if he was secretly thinking about their mother.
"It's ok, Cal" Ethan whispered, not wanting to disturb his brother. In his sleepy state, Cal's arms found his brothers as he put his head against Ethan's top, Ethan was wearing his clothes he'd got changed in to after his other clothes had got wet, they were on the radiator drying,
Glancing at the clock, which was ticking on the wall, Ethan saw it was midnight. His eyes feeling heavy with sleep, he grabbed a spare blanket and settled on the other couch, watching over Cal. His baby brother, who was annoying sometimes, but Ethan loved him with all his heart. The picture, of his parents, above the fireplace, sparkled, and Ethan took that as a sign that their parents were looking over their two boys, keeping them safe.
Thanks for reading and I hope this is what C wanted, I'm also sorry it took me so long to get up, I guess that's why the chapter was long.
Next chapter: My Jessica story continues, but there will probably be gaps in the updates, I do have a few chapters pre - written of it, but they aren't in order, I need to put them in order.
