Thank you to everyone who has read or is reading this story, I'm sure you know how much I appreciate it.

This last chapter has taken a lot of writing. You know how it is sometimes...you have an idea and start writing with massive enthusiasm, then you get to the final chapter and you get massively stuck!

Hope it doesn't suck to much.

Chapter 3

Cal spotted the solitary, hunched over figure before he had even switched off the car engine. He sighed sadly at the sight, knowing full well that he was partly to blame.

He got out of the car and pulled his coat around him - why was it always so cold whenever they were here?

As he got closer to his brother, Cal could see Ethan's face looking out to sea - his face damp from the fine rain that was blowing in the wind - at least that's what he hoped it was.

He saw the younger man tense slightly, indicating that he was aware of his presence, "Can I sit?" he asked gently.

Ethan shrugged his shoulders, so Cal took it as permission. He sat as close to Ethan as he dared, his hands shoved into his pocket trying to ward off the freezing temperature. Ethan picked up a takeaway cardboard cup and offered it to Cal, who took it gratefully, "How did you know?" he asked.

"I knew as soon as I text you that you'd find out where I was. It was only a matter of time," the young doctor told him, his voice void of emotion.

Cal took a drink of his coffee and followed Ethan's gaze out to sea, "We really need to come here in the summer when it's warmer," he mused.

"It's better like this," Ethan said sharply, "It only holds bad memories, so the cold is good - it suits our thoughts about this place."

"Don't say that Ethan, we had a few good times here," Cal tried to remind him.

"Funny, I can't remember any of them," Ethan replied bitterly.

Cal took another drink, then sucked in a deep breath, "You didn't come home last night," he stated.

"Well thank you Captain Obvious..." Ethan chuckled mirthlessly.

"You going to tell me why? I was worried..."

"Worried? Huh, that's a joke..."

"Ethan, I..."

"Do you know what? I'm not going to do it this time. I usually skirt round the real issue, but this time I won't - I've got nothing to lose," Ethan turned slightly so that he was facing his brother - hurt and anger clearly visible on his young face.

"You kissed her! Alicia. You knew how I felt about her, but you couldn't have that. You had to get your claws into her - was it to spite me eh? Or were you jealous that I had found somebody young and beautiful - that I was happy and you weren't, so you thought you'd steal her from me!" Cal could see that Ethan was steaming, "I didn't kiss her," he mumbled, knowing full well that that would just rile his brother up once more.

"Oh right, so when I walked into the pub and you had your lips pressed onto hers, that wasn't really you. Is that what you're trying to tell me?"

Cal was at a loss. He wanted to explain what really happened that night, but he knew that it would just make Ethan even more angry - he would accuse him of trying to get Alicia into trouble, always blaming someone else, even though this time it was true.

"I know you probably won't believe me when I say this, and I don't say it lightly, but it was Alicia who kissed me. She'd had a hard day and she had had a few glasses of wine, so she was a little out of it. We were talking - we were having a laugh. I bent down to pick up a tenner that I had dropped when I was getting my money out and as I got up she kissed me - but I swear to you Ethan, I pushed her off as soon as she did it. Then I helped her get a taxi - that's when we bumped into David."

Ethan watched him intently as he explained his part in the story - he seemed genuine enough, but then again, Cal could always make up a good story.

Cal noticed the intensity of Ethan's gaze making him feel uncomfortable. He could understand his brother's reluctance to believe him, after all, he didn't really have a fabulous track record when it came to Ethan, which is why it was so hard now.

"Ethan, please believe me. I've learned my lessons from the past. Now I would never do anything to purposely to hurt you. I knew how you felt about Alicia, which is why I pushed her away. I'm so very sorry that you saw what you did, but it wasn't what you thought it was," Cal told him sincerely.

"I really liked her Cal. It felt like I might have been given a second chance at living a semi normal life...I can't help but feel betrayed Cal," Ethan's face softened a little.

"I get that Ethan, I do. If it was the other way round, I'd feel exactly the same way, but it wasn't like that at all. I just need you to believe it Ethan, please," Cal was almost begging by this point.

"Alicia messaged me to tell me the same, but to be honest, I thought that you had made her do that, to get you off the hook."

"Ethan I wouldn't..."

"I know because Lily also messaged me. She was in the pub at the time and she saw what happened, so she wanted to fill me in before I jumped to conclusions..."

"How did that work out for you?" Cal asked cheekily.

"Hmm not the best," Ethan replied with a slight smile, "Do you think she likes me? Alicia I mean," the younger man asked innocently.

"Honestly Ethan, I don't know. I don't think she knows either..."

The two brothers fell into a more relaxed silence as they carried on drinking their warm drinks, their hands wrapped around the cups in the hope of keeping their hands warm.

"I'm sorry Cal," Ethan almost whispered.

To say that Cal was shocked to hear this was an understatement, "What are you sorry for?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"I always think the worst of you. I never give you a chance to explain. I suppose with Alicia, I couldn't believe that a gorgeous, intelligent young woman would look twice at me so when I saw you two I just put two and two together and got five," Ethan looked down to the floor, the fight that had been in him when Cal had first found him had left him completely, leaving him feeling drained.

Cal chuckled lightly, "I don't blame you you know. I usually do muck things up for you and me. But I think I've changed over the last year and especially since Christmas with mum and everything..."

"You mean the Huntingtons..."

"I will admit that it's put everything into perspective. I've had days where I've done nothing but think about what our lives were like when we were younger, how awful I was to you sometimes. I was still being an idiot when I first arrived in Holby. However you have put up with me I'll never know - but you have, and I wish, now more than ever that I hadn't been such an idiot to you for all those years," Cal felt his throat closing, "You're my little brother and I love you so damn much and the thought of my actions causing you so much pain pretty much kills me," the older man admitted, suddenly unable to look the younger man in the eye.

Ethan felt tears falling down his face. He swiped them away, embarrassed by his emotions, "Perhaps if we'd both been a little more tolerant of each other we wouldn't be in this mess at the moment."

"Perhaps...but we've still got time to make things right. I've told you that I want to be there for you and I do, I really mean that," Cal told him forcefully.

"I know you do Cal and I appreciate that," Ethan replied, sincerely.

The two brothers fell into a comfortable silence then just watching the waves lash the beach. They were both in a world of their own, Cal snatching glimpses of his brother who seemed to be deep in thought. Suddenly, Ethan looked at his watch, "Goodness, no wonder I felt peckish - it's way past lunch..."

Ethan turned to his brother, a big smile on his face, "Fish and chips?"

Cal returned the smile as he threw an arm around his shoulder, "My treat!"

So that's the end. I didn't want it dragging on to long. Hope it was ok.

Til next time.