"I swear Caleb, if I get ill because of you it will be the last thing you do." Ethan told his brother who was sat on the sofa with a duvet around his shoulders. "I already feel like I've been swallowing razors all night."

"You should take a day off too then." Cal suggested. "Wouldn't want to spread germs around the department would you?"

"I'll be fine." Ethan muttered as he looked for his coat.

Cal nodded. "Fair enough." If truth be told Cal just wanted some company. He'd spent the last 4 days on his own in the flat feeling too ill to even go outside.

Ethan just looked at him as he pulled his coat on. "Ok, I'm going to work, I'll be back by 6 and I'll tell them you're still ill. Please try not to wreck the place and there is some soup on the hob, just heat it up when you're hungry."

Cal nodded and gave his brother a small smile. As much as Ethan lectured him he knew that he was just looking out for him, leaving the soup out was just one of the things Ethan did that reminded him of his mum. When either one of them was ill she would leave something out to eat, normally chicken soup. Best cure for cold and flu in her books.

Once Ethan had gone Cal put the TV on and curled up on the sofa wrapping himself tightly in the duvet to keep himself from shivering. He only watched 10 minutes of TV before he dropped off to sleep.

….

At work Ethan had gone to Connie's office to inform her of Cal's absence. He hated going to see her, he aways felt so awkward stood in front of her desk although 9 times out of 10 it was always something to do with Cal.

Going into the staffroom Ethan got himself changed and put his stethoscope around his neck before coughing into his hand.

"Cough it up, might be something valuable." Rita spoke happily as she entered the staffroom. "You look rough."

"I'm fine. Probably Cal just spreading his germs." Ethan smiled. "It'll pass."

"Well you keep them to yourself will you?" Rita joked before leaving again with a coffee in her hand.

Ethan sighed, he was feeling slightly worse since he left the house. Never the less he got straight to work as normal.

As the shift progressed Ethan could feel his headache becoming worse and his voice beginning to fade. Finishing off with his latest patient Ethan made his way to the nurse's station and place the file on the counter before breaking into a coughing fit.

"Alright?" Robyn asked as she offered him a bottle of water that she had been drinking.

Ethan took it gratefully and took a few mouthfuls before getting his breath back. "Thanks. Blame Cal, passing his diseases onto me. Wouldn't have happened if he had just got his own flat instead of lodging with me."

Robyn laughed slightly. "He must just like living with you. Why don't you go home? You're not well…"

"I'm ok and besides there's no one to cover my shift." He sighed.

"Well just take it easy." She smiled and left him with her water.

…

At the flat Cal had woken up feeling quite a bit better and had heated the soup and ate it and it had stayed down which was a bonus.

He showered and got himself changed basically just so he could feel a little more human. Once he was sorted he headed out to the shop to buy some supplies that they seemed to be running short on knowing Ethan would appreciate it since it was after all his flat.

….

Looking up at the clock Ethan acknowledged that he only had two hours left. It had been years since he had counted down the hours of a shift but it had also been just as long since he had felt this ill.

"I want morphine!" Shouted his patient which only made his head pound more.

"Please Mr Barnes, I cannot give you morphine if there is no apparent reason other than addiction that you might need it." Ethan explained.

The patient looked at him before leaning over closer to him. "I need morphine." He told him menacingly.

"Like I said, you cannot have it. I'm sorry." He sighed turning his head away slightly as the smell of the man was making his stomach churn.

The patient pretty much growled at Ethan before leaning over the barrier and promptly vomiting down the young doctor's scrubs.

Ethan already feeling delicate could do nothing but quickly walk away in the direction of the toilets putting the patient notes in Robyn's un-expecting hands as he went past. Reaching the toilets Ethan locked himself in a cubicle and proceeded to empty what little was in his stomach. After flushing the toilet he left the cubicle and looked at himself in the mirror, he could see his face was pale and there was now sweat dripping from his forehead. He quickly splashed his face with water before drying it on a paper towel and leaving to toilets where he was greeted by Connie.

"What on earth happened there!? A patient clearly needed assistance and you walked away from him!" She snapped.

"Sorry, I um… I." He started his throat hurting more than ever as he spoke.

"You what?" She pushed clearly not noticing the young doctor not looking well at all. She could spot a sick patient from a mile but she didn't even consider that her team could ever be ill.

To Ethan's relief Robyn cut in putting a hand on Ethan's shoulder. "Ethan? Are you feeling worse?" She asked and Ethan just nodded.

"Worse?" Connie asked. "I didn't realise you weren't feeling great. You should not be in work when you have something that you could spread to the patients. You know that doctor Hardy." She stated simply without a hint of sympathy.

"Sorry…" Ethan spoke not looking her in the eye.

"I will see you in at least a week. Now go home I will call in a locum." She spoke and walked away.

Robyn looked at him. "I did tell you to go home. Go and get a hot drink and watch a DVD in bed and get Cal to do the house work. He is surely better by now."

Ethan smiled and nodded. "Yeah, thanks Robyn."

Leaving the ED Ethan got a taxi home. Once inside the flat he looked around for Cal who was unpacking some shopping in the kitchen.

"You're back early." Cal spoke as his brother appeared in the door way.

"Yeah, caught your man flu didn't I? Threw up at work. Connie had a right go and sent me home. She expects you in tomorrow…" He told him leaning tiredly on the door frame.

Cal nodded feeling suddenly quite protective and sorry for his brother. "Go to bed. I'll bring you a drink and some tablets up." He smiled.

Ethan nodded knowing not to make any jokes about Cal's caring side. It didn't come out too often but when it did, it did and he knew he was going to be well looked after for the next few days although he did block out the fact that partly why Cal was being so nice was so he could stay in the flat.

Ok so this was really random and written because I am bored and procrastinating from my uni work really. It's not well written and originally I wrote it because I wanted to not to put on here but I thought why not. Someone might enjoy it J.

PS: Story ideas (indepth if possible) PM me and I can write something up.

J x