Frozen Courage: Chapter 1

"Don't butt in on my patients, Caleb." Ethan shouted at his brother. It was the second time in the shift that Cal had taken it upon himself to 'help' Ethan with his patients. Cal being Cal was bored with being stuck in cubicles, so, of course, he would muscle in on Ethan's patients in RECUS.

"It's thanks to me that he was successfully diagnosed, nibbles." Cal teased. No. No, it wasn't. Ethan knew it wasn't. He would have diagnosed his patient…eventually.

"Don't call me that." He was angry, very angry. Cal could manage to find any way to tease him, and the nickname was the last straw. But, Charlie approached them and interrupted their heated argument.

"May I remind you that this is the ED, and that you should leave your problems for outside?" He spoke pointedly. Ethan and Cal nodded, defeated, before walking off in their different directions, both sending death glares at each other when they momentarily glanced back. Charlie sighed audibly, catching the attention of Rita and Robyn.

"You know," Rita started, "I don't think they're ever going to get on." She mused. She'd never seen Cal and Ethan get on properly. Yes, they had their moments, but they always ended with something or other.

"I know what you mean." Robyn added, groaning at the stressful brother's antics.

The shift had finished, and as usual Cal went straight to the pub, Ethan tagging along, being persuaded by Rita and Robyn. Ethan really didn't feel like drinking. He just wanted to stick a DVD on and sleep. He especially didn't want to be with Cal. He'd had enough of his older brother for one day.

"Who's buying the first round?" Cal called to his colleagues, hearing various cheers of names. Of course, no one volunteered themselves.

"You or Ethan- go on, fight for it in you're on style." Robyn persisted, smiling cheekily. Everyone else looked towards the brothers eagerly, awaiting the possible argument that was just waiting to break out. Cal held his hand out in a fist and Ethan immediately knew what Cal was proposing.

"Not fair. He always beats me…" Ethan complained. It was true. Ever since they were children, Cal had always beaten Ethan and Rock, Paper, Scissors.

"Come on, little brother…" Cal sneered. The pure fact that Cal referred to Ethan as 'little brother' and a way of insulting him made Ethan even more furious then he already was. The tension suddenly rose- it was obvious Cal and Ethan were at loggerheads. Ethan wasn't one to back down, so he too held out his hand. Simultaneously, they spoke.

"One, two, three, GO!" Cal had paper, Ethan had scissors. Ethan felt quite happy that he had beaten his brother. Something that added the icing to the cake was that half the ED saw his victory.

"Hahaha!" Ethan rubbed it in Cal's face, laughing cheerily.

"Best of three." Cal said determined, he wasn't going to lose to Ethan. He'd won too many times to lose.

"One, two, three, GO!" Cal had rock, Ethan had paper. Ethan laughed to himself, a laugh which quickly spread around their colleagues. Cal glared at Ethan, and Ethan glared back, his mood changing dramatically when Cal looked more than unhappy. They didn't look too pleased to be with each other. Ethan had one drink before he darted out the door- he didn't think he could stand to be with Cal much longer- the tension was high. Cal was relieved to see Ethan go, and relaxed immediately.

"Seriously, what is going on with you two?" Zoe asked, intrigued by the lack of brotherliness.

"Just Ethan being uptight, as usual." He sneered, before taking a big gulp from his glass.

Ethan and Cal were ignoring each other when they were in the kitchen. Cal had to stay overnight with Ethan, due to being positively drunk, much to Ethan's dismay. In truth, Ethan probably would have kicked Cal out, but the pure fact that Ethan didn't want Cal in a gutter or a police cell was enough to let him kip on the sofa for the night.

"Look, Eth, I need a favour." Cal asked warily to his younger brother. The tension was too high for either brother's liking, but they had no way out of it.

"What, Caleb?" He asked, sounding annoyed. Whatever it was, Cal could do it himself. Too many favours had been done for his brother.

"Can you give me a lift into work? It's just my car is near the pub…" Ethan scowled at Cal. "Do you want me to be late?" Cal fought to Ethan's obvious angry posture towards him.

"Should I answer that?" Ethan bit back a grin at his spontaneity in the situation. It was obviously a 'no', but, somehow, Ethan didn't think his brother would accept that.

"Please, Ethan. There's a drink in it for you." Ethan looked confusingly at Cal. Since when did Ethan do deals on drinks? "Fine, I won't stay here ever again." Both of them knew that would never happen, there was always a reason, but Ethan accepted it. Maybe now was the time that Cal would stick to a deal.

"Fine, Cal. Be ready soon, I said I'd be in a little earlier to help with backlog." Cal accepted this, and Ethan continued getting ready, both he and Cal still angry at each other, both very angry at each other.

The car ride was silent. Ethan was driving and ignoring Cal, and Cal was staring out of the window, ignoring Ethan. Neither wanted to speak, they were at loggerheads once more. The occasional glance was shared between the two. No smiles, not even upwards twitching of the mouth. No. Instead, death glares. If looks could kill, they'd both me dead twice over.

Police sirens blared. A van was speeding. There was a red light. Why didn't the van stop? Heading straight for a car. Knocked it off the road. Tumbled down a ditch. Cal and Ethan were knocked unconscious and left helpless.