Have I told you lately just how magnificent you Casualty fans are! You are so kind with your reviews and just knowing that you take the time out of your day to read my offerings fills me with joy!

Here's chapter 3 (Obviously), brotherly fluff abound in this one!

Enjoy!

What's Next? Chapter 3

Ethan could hear voices. Why could he hear voices? Was he hearing voices in his head? He must be going crazy. Why was it so hard to open his eyes? What was going on?

He spent the next few seconds trying to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt as heavy as lead. After a few more tries he was successful, but he soon closed them once again as the light made them hurt.

"Come on Nibbles, I saw those eyes of yours, you can't pretend to me," he heard his brothers voice penetrate the pain.

Now that he had made the first move to open his eyes, Ethan felt more confident that he would be able to keep them open, so he tried again. His gaze fell upon his brother, who was sat in a chair next to his bed...why was he in bed? "What happened?" he asked, surprised to hear how croaky his voice sounded.

"Well little brother, it seems that in all the excitement of the ceiling collapsing on us you managed to pick up a badly bruised kidney as well as multiple bruises and contusions on your back and legs..."

"South Africa..." Ethan mumbled, causing Cal to chuckle a little.

"Yes, South Africa! It was very badly bruised but they assured me that it will heal in time."

Ethan closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, "Must've been running on adrenaline..."

Suddenly, his eyes shot open, "Tilly! Where's Tilly? Is she alright? You did get her checked out didn't you? Why isn't she here? Cal!" He sat up straight in the bed, ready to drag himself out to find his neice. Cal jumped out of his seat and pushed him back gently by his shoulders. When he was happy that Ethan wasn't going to be jumping out of his bed, he moved slightly to the side to show him that Tilly was fast asleep in a cot, "Lofty found the cot. You nearly gave our poor friend a heart attack when you face planted after we were rescued. He said that he'd been talking to you one minute, then the next you were on the floor unresponsive..." Cal shivered as he recalled the moment when he had come across their friend after Tilly had been checked out and had gone to sleep. Lofty had been reluctant to say anything about Ethan, but Cal could tell that he was hiding something. Eventually, he had caved and told Cal everything. Cal had dashed to Resus where they had just finished their initial treatment of Ethan. Zoe had told him what they had found and that with time and rest he would be fine. Cal had helped to move him to a cubicle at the end of the line, so it was far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the busy department - especially as they had not been allowed back in after the evacuation.

"She is alright though isn't she?" Ethan still felt a little panicked as he felt like Cal hadn't answered his question.

Cal perched on the edge of his bed and laid a hand on his arm, "She's absolutely fine Ethan - thanks to you."

"I didn't do anything..."

"Oh you didn't do anything...you just threw yourself over her as the ceiling fell onto you, not once, but twice! You saved her twice today Ethan. I don't know how I could ever thank you. If anything had happened to her..." Cal felt tears begin to sting in his eyes.

"But it didn't - she's alright. You said so yourself..."

"I know, but then I found out about you and I..." Cal glanced up at his little brother.

"Hey, I'm here - relatively unharmed. Your main priority is your little girl, she needs her daddy," Ethan insisted.

"You're my family too Ethan. I'm not just going to toss you aside," the older man looked sickened at the thought.

"I know, but you have to prioritise and that gorgeous bundle over there HAS to be you top priority."

"She is," Cal all but whispered, "But that doesn't mean that I won't worry about you and want the best for you."

"I should hope so," Ethan smiled. The smile soon dropped however, when he shuffled around in the hope of finding a comfy spot, but finding that it pulled on his back instead, causing him to wince.

Cal heard and was immediately staring at him once more, "Just a spasm, I'll be fine."

The older brother ran a hand through his hair, a true sign to Ethan that he was stressed. He caught hold of his hand, "It's going to be alright," he told him gently, shocked when a lone tear tracked down the older man's face.

"I...I still can't believe what happened. I could've lost you and Tilly today! I know what you're going to say...that I didn't lose you, that you're alright, but that doesn't make it any better. You're supposed to be safe in a hospital..."

"But accidents can still happen - and we are alright, both of us...come here..." he pulled on his brother's hand slightly, bringing the taller man closer to him. He gently put his arms around his brother, who had now started sobbing quietly. The younger man tightened his hold and his emotionally exhausted sibling until he was ready to let go.

That decision however, was taken from him by a certain young lady that had decided that she'd had enough of sleeping. As soon as she made a noise, Cal had pulled himself out of his brother's arms and was up and over Tilly's cot smiling at her. He picked her up, "Look, you're Uncle Ethan is going to be alright - isn't that good news?"

Tilly stared at her father, with a slight smirk on her face, just as she decided that she needed to let go of some wind. Cal looked shocked for a split second, then his face broke into a grin - Ethan on the other hand, was trying desperately not to laugh as he knew that it wouldn't be very comfortable. He failed. He let out an almighty laugh and a wince all at the same time. He sat up straight, but leaning forward a little, as the laughing took hold, "Oooo, you've already been teaching her the finer points of releasing wind at the appropriate moments - ouch," Ethan had tears running down his face as he struggled to stop. Although Cal could see that Ethan was in pain from the laughing, he couldn't help but join in and soon both men were beside themselves. Tilly, who was now sat upright on her father's knee, kept looking up at her father, then over at her Uncle Ethan when he made a noise, then she started chuckling, which caused the two doctors to laugh even harder. After about five minutes, they managed to get themselves back under control. Ethan was flagging, he was suddenly feeling very tired, but he didn't want his brother or neice to leave. His older brother had noticed how tired the younger man looked, "Look, we'll go and leave you to get some rest," he told him.

Ethan tried to hide his disappointment, "Oh, ok. Will I see you tomorrow?"

Cal smiled, "Of course. Connie has given us both the day off, so we will be here, won't we silly Tilly..."

Ethan rolled his eyes at Cal's teasing of a baby, "Do you ever wonder what's next - for us I mean? You think back to what's happened over the last year and now we've inherited a baby, but yet we've been in the middle of an explosion, buried under a ceiling! What could be next I wonder?"

"Don't think like that. Focus on the positives..." Cal advised.

Ethan seemed to shake himself, then smiled, "Yes you're right...as usual. Can I hold her for a minute before you take her home?"

Cal smiled as he handed his daughter to her uncle. Ethan winced slightly as pulling her close pulled on his aching joints and muscles, but he didn't care. He traced the outline of her face, her nose, her mouth, "You are so perfect my darling neice..." Cal once more felt himself tear up, "I love you little Tilly just like your daddy does and I will always try my best to keep you safe. Look after your daddy tonight - I think he might need it," he smiled at her as gazed up at him, seemingly entranced by what he was saying.

Cal leaned in to take her from his arms, "You need to rest little brother," he told him as he settled Tilly down, who had started complaining about being away from her uncle. Before he straightened up, Cal leaned over and kissed Ethan on his forehead, causing Ethan to jerk back a little, "Wow Cal, I'm not dieing!" He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

Cal couldn't help but smile at this comment, "We'll see you tomorrow little brother.

That's it. So not happy with this chapter.

No Cal and Ethan on cast list for Saturday (sad face) so might have to think of a story from the events on Saturday night and put our favourite brothers right in the thick of it!

Just wondering if there are any authors out there writing anything around the 1st anniversary of the crash? I've started reading one, which has got off to a good start, but was wondering if there were any more out there.

Til next time my wonderful Casualty friends xxx