This is just a bit of fun about Ethan and the various girls he's lusted after during his 3 years at the ED

Ethan finished his examination of the patient and turned to the doctor who'd requested his assistance. "I'm in complete agreement with both your diagnosis and your suggested treatment, Dr Chao. Good call."

"Thank you, Dr Hardy," said Lily formally.

Ethan smiled. He was always happy to help any doctor who needed it and while such doubts were rare for Lily, that didn't make them any less real. Although surprised she'd felt any confusion at all over this particular case, he'd done his best to behave as though her request for assistance was completely reasonable and normal. "If you have any more queries, please don't hesitate to ask."

"I won't," said Lily, and turned back to her patient.

Ethan knew he was dismissed, but he wasn't offended. Lily had her own ways of doing things and they were perfectly all right once you got used to them.

Ethan had barely left Lily's cubicle before he was accosted by another attractive female staff member. Ethan had first met Jenny Cowan when she'd nursed his dying adoptive mother and she'd thought she was made for the role, providing effortless yet effective comfort to the relatives as well as the patients. But he also knew how emotionally demanding it must be and it didn't surprise him to learn she'd left her job in search if something less heartbreaking.

Her arrival at the ED had been rather unexpected, particularly as it was hardly free from heartbreak, but Ethan knew her sensitive treatment of patients and relatives would make her an excellent addition to the team – and as she wouldn't get to know them as well, perhaps it wouldn't be as emotionally demanding.

"Hey," aid Ethan. "How's your first day been?"

"Good so far," said Jenny. "I've had a couple of time-wasters, but it was good to have a sort of trial run."

Ethan smiled. "That's a good way of looking at it. I'm afraid time-wasters are a part of life in the ED that won't go away, but the term covers many different types of people and often they can be helped, even if there's nothing we can do medically."

"One of mine had been given incomplete and misleading information about her condition from her GP," said Jenny. "She was much happier once I'd put her right and it didn't take long. Considering what she'd been told, her concerns were understandable. I'm glad I listened to her rather than just telling her to go away. Even though I couldn't cure her, I feel like I did make a difference."

"That's one of the best things about working in the ED," sad Ethan.

Ethan returned to his own patient, who'd really been waiting far too long. It had been a shock walking into the cubicle an hour ago and discovering his patient was Kate Daniels, formerly a waitress at a café not that far from the beach where Emilie had died, and now a waitress in Ethan's favourite café in Holby. She'd presented with dizziness and nausea and had come to the ED on the advice of her workplace first aider.

"Hey, Nibbles," said Kate cheerfully as he entered the cubicle.

"Hey," said Ethan awkwardly. He'd already told her she could call him Dr Hardy or Ethan, but she seemed to prefer his nickname. "I'm really sorry, but your blood results aren't back yet. I'm going to call them to see if I can hurry things up a bit. How are you feeling?"

"Embarrassed and stupid," said Kate with a smile.

"Oh, please don't be embarrassed. Or stupid. I mean, please don't feel stupid. Obviously, you're not stupid," said Ethan. "This isn't your fault at all. Would you like me to get you some more water?"

"That would be very kind if it's no trouble," said Kate, holding out her cup.

"No trouble at all," Ethan assured her. "I'm delighted to help."

Alicia was in the nurse's station, chatting to Louise. There was a smile on her face and she was unconsciously playing with her pony tail as she talked. "And then I jumped on him and wrapped my legs around his waist and he fell backwards onto the bed. I raked my hands through his hair and started to kiss his neck. When I reached the top of his shirt, I undid the first button and kissed his chest. I was getting more and more excited and it wasn't a surprise when one of the buttons came off and hit the wall, but I didn't care and I don't think he did either. His eyes were all glazed over and he was panting so hard, I could feel it ruffling my hair. His hands were sliding inside my top now, pushing it upwards and-"

Ethan blushed and tried to back away, but he backed into a pile of files that had been left on the floor and nearly fell over.

Alicia turned and smiled at him. "Hey, babe. Oh, sorry, those are my files. I knew I'd put them down somewhere."

Ethan picked them up and handed them to her. "I was wondering if you could do me a favour."

Alicia touched his arm gently. "Of course I can. Anything. Are you getting harassed by a patient again?"

"Oh, no. Nothing like that," said Ethan. "I have a patient who's waiting for some bloods. It's taking forever and I was wondering if you might be able to hurry them up a bit? They never listen to me."

"Sure I can," said Alicia.

"Thank you. I'm just going to the shop: my patient needs some water."

Ethan's cheeks still hot from what he'd overheard. He liked Alicia a lot, but she didn't seem to agree with him that some things really shouldn't be mentioned in public.

There was another shock awaiting him. Ethan had first met Jorgie Ray several months ago when she'd come to the hospital and taken a fancy to his blond hair and brown eyes. Her husband, who apparently looked rather like Ethan, was reluctant to have a baby, but Jorgie had thought that if she could have Ethan's baby instead, her husband would have no choice but to accept being a father.

It hadn't worked out like that. Jorgie was still childless and now separated from her husband, though Ethan hoped she'd managed to find some sort of happiness.

"What are you doing here?" he asked anxiously. "Are you a patient?"

"I'm looking for the admin cupboard," said Jorgie.

Ethan gulped slightly as he remembered the last time he and Jorgie had been in the admin cupboard. "Um… any particular reason?"

"I've got a new job!" announced Jorgie proudly. "I was reading online about the best place to find happy employment – actually the same site as the one that recommended taking folic acid to increase my chance of getting pregnant – and it said I should think of a place where I'd been at my happiest and try to get a job there."

"And you thought of the hospital?" said Ethan.

"No, the admin cupboard! I looked online and found an admin job being advertised and I applied for it and got it. Today is my first day. I thought I'd surprise you!"

"I am surprised," said Ethan. "But it's lovely to see you. How's it going so far?"

"Brilliant!" said Jorgie. "Everywhere I look reminds me of you and that really helps."

Ethan felt himself blushing. "I'm really happy for you. I'll probably need to visit admin later so I'll look out for you."

Jorgie smiled. "I'll look out for you too."

Penny Levitt was just leaving the shop when Ethan arrived. Somehow, on their brief and not entirely successful date, they'd both neglected to mention that they worked in Holby City Hospital. It wasn't until Ethan had had to take Cal for an emergency dental appointment that he'd realised.

Discovering the dentist was the girl he'd once gone on a date with could have been awkward, but Penny was very friendly without once alluding to the date. Cal, fortunately, was in too much pain to recognise her, though in Ethan's opinion, the pictures hadn't done her justice.

"Hi, Ethan," said Penny, smiling. Then she stopped smiling and looked at him closely. "Ethan, have you got toothache?"

Ethan stared at her in shock. "How do you know that?"

"Oh, I suppose I just see a lot of people with toothache," said Penny awkwardly.

Ethan smiled. "Even so, I'm impressed. I'm sure it's nothing serious, but I should get it checked out."

"Exactly what I always say," said Penny; "though very few actually listen."

"Cal certainly didn't – or not for a long time," said Ethan.

Penny smiled. "It's very common. But you can understand it really: I'm drilling in their mouths. And Cal loves using his mouth."

Ethan told himself she definitely just meant for talking. "That's very true. Um, I'm sorry, but I really need to go into the shop and get some water for a patient."

"And I need to get back to my patients!" said Penny. "But please come to the surgery when you have a spare minute and book an appointment. We've had a few cancellations today. Anyway, I must go. Nice seeing you, Ethan."

Ethan finally reached the shop and took a bottle of water from the fridge. Honey saw him almost immediately and got rid of her customer as quickly as she could. "Ethan! Are you hungry?"

"Just this, please," said Ethan, placing the bottle of water on the counter.

Honey leaned over the desk – which perhaps wasn't advisable when her top was so low-cut. "Isn't the cold tap in the kitchen working?"

"Yes, but I know yours will be at exactly the right temperature," said Ethan.

"Well, I'm much better at heating things up than turning things down, but they are just right from that fridge," said Honey. "No, put your wallet away. It's on the house."

"Are you sure?" said Ethan. "It's very kind of you, but I don't want to get you into any trouble."

Honey waved his concerns aside. "I'll be fine. And if I'm not, I'll just go and tell my dad and he'll sort them out. Can I get anything for you while you're here? A flat white? A Honey's honey tea special?"

"Not at the moment, thank you," said Ethan. "I'm still working. But I'll come and buy something from you at lunchtime."

"I'll look forward to it," said Honey.