This story was requested by bronny9 and her sister, who wanted to read a story where Ethan is the one giving Cal support. They wanted it to be set before the Huntington's storyline and I decided to put it before the Matilda storyline too as she'd be an adorable distraction. So it's set towards the end of Series 29, which is probably my favourite series. I hope this is what you both wanted - and I hope everyone enjoys it too.

Ethan was smiling as he and Cal left the hospital. "I had such a good day today, Cal. You'll never guess what happened."

Cal thought. "Did you and Honey find a nice cupboard?"

"No!" said Ethan, blushing at the mere thought of it. "Of course not. I would never take Honey in a cupboard."

Cal smirked. Ethan might have missed what he'd accidentally said, but he hadn't. "Where would you take her then?"

Ethan had a dreamy look on his face. "A nice restaurant."

Cal laughed to himself. "A nice restaurant? What will everyone eating at the restaurant think?"

Ethan looked slightly surprised. "I imagine they'd be a little bit jealous I'm having dinner someone so beautiful, but I don't think I'd really care what they think. I'd just be happy about being with Honey."

"You know what, Nibbles?" said Cal, slinging an arm around Ethan's shoulder. "I think I'd feel exactly the same way. Though not with Honey, obviously."

Ethan glanced at him, concern on his face. "You mean with Taylor?"

"No," said Cal. "She's in the past, Ethan. The past doesn't matter. Not as long as it stays there."

Ethan's eyes remained on his face for a moment or two, then he smiled. "It's really good to hear you say that, Cal. Though actually, the reason I had such a good day is because I met someone from my past."

Cal felt his muscles tense. They seemed to scrunch up, one by one, slowly but with excruciating pain.

Ethan doesn't mean him, he told himself. He can't mean him. He wouldn't have said it like that if he did.

"It's someone you know too, actually," said Ethan, apparently oblivious to Cal's feelings.

But that was how Cal wanted it; how he'd always wanted it.

"Who is it?" he asked, his voice dry and raspy.

Ethan turned to him, a smile on his face. "You sound like you need a drink! You always did talk too much. It was a guy I know from school. Andy Bradford. Remember him?"

Cal frowned for a moment, the relief at hearing a name that wasn't his dissipating some of the tension. But only for a moment. An image came to his mind: a nasty, sneering boy. Not that he'd ever given Cal any trouble – it had turned out to be the other way round – but he'd made Ethan's life hell until he'd finally confessed to Cal what was going on. His fists clenched at the memory of twelve-year-old Ethan clinging to him, sobbing and trembling. "He'd better not have given you any more trouble."

"None whatsoever," said Ethan. "He's a really nice guy. It was a bit awkward between us at first – I don't think he quite knew what to say to me and I was nervous about having to treat him - but things got easier when we got through the 'how are you?' phase and into talking about his medical issues."

"So what happened to him to land him in the ED?" asked Cal. "I hope it hurt!"

Ethan shook his head slightly. "You know I can't really discuss that. But after I'd treated him, he apologised for bullying me. He said it was unacceptable and he wishes he could do something to change it."

Cal had to look away from his brother. Why? Why couldn't that have happened to me?

The answer came back like punch. Because you don't deserve it.

"I told him I already had forgiven him and it doesn't matter anymore," said Ethan. "Besides, it helped make me into the person I am today and I don't think there's too much wrong with me really."

Cal forced a smile onto his face; a teasing note into his voice. "You think?"

"Oh, I know I'm incredibly boring and a complete geek with no taste in anything whatsoever," said Ethan calmly. "But all I wanted was to become a doctor and I became one, so there's nothing I'd want to change about my past, just in case that's the one thing that gave me the extra push to get where I most wanted to be."

Cal smiled, but he didn't really feel like smiling.

Was that true? Had the way he was treated made him into the person he was today?

He knew he wasn't all bad. Ethan was still speaking to him and a lot of brothers wouldn't be after discovering he'd stolen his inheritance, so there must be something about him that wasn't completely despicable. And he had – against the odds at times – become a doctor. In a couple of months, he hoped he'd be a consultant.

But there are other things about him that weren't so well-appreciated. The way he treated his brother at times; the way he treated women. Was that because of him too?

Or was that because he was right about Cal all along?

"Cal?" There was a slight frown on Ethan's face now. "Are you okay?"

"Course." Cal managed to smile at his brother. "I was just thinking how that Andy made your life a misery and wondering if I'd be so forgiving in your place. But it's good you've forgiven him. It shows you've moved on."

But will I ever move on?

Ethan shrugged. "I wouldn't have thought I'd be so forgiving either. But meeting him showed me that not only is he a completely different person, so am I. And that made me happy, knowing I was stronger than I used to be."

Cal didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry!" said Ethan suddenly.

Cal looked at him in surprise.

"I really have gone on about this a bit, haven't I?" said Ethan self-deprecatingly. "It was silly of me really. You don't know what it's like to be bullied, so how could you understand what this means to me?"

Cal knew he should be happy to hear this. It meant Ethan had no idea.

But knowing Ethan had no idea only made Cal feel more alone.

He looked at Ethan again. His brother was trying to smile, but there was hurt in his eyes and Cal realised suddenly that difficult as this has been for Cal to hear this, it had also been difficult for Ethan to say it. To admit such problems had once been part of his life; to admit that the acceptance from the bully had meant so much to him, even now, so many years later.

Cal squeezed Ethan's shoulder and smiled. "Sorry, Nibbles. I was just thinking about what you said. I hate the idea of him being in a cubicle with you; I hate the idea he could have said anything to you. But I want you to know, I'm really happy you were able to have this moment with Andy and that it helped you so much. And I'm really proud of you for dealing with it so well. I think often, no matter what kind of person you are now, seeing someone from your past can take you back to the person you were before. The fact you were able to resist that shows how strong you are." He stopped, embarrassed. He hadn't meant to say quite that much.

Ethan looked emotional. He reached for Cal's hand, which was hanging over his shoulder, and gripped it tightly. He swallowed audibly, then managed to whisper: "Thank you."

Cal squeezed his hand. "You're welcome, Nibbles."

Although he hadn't meant to say all that, he'd meant every word. He was proud of Ethan.

But he wasn't proud of himself.

Cal sat bolt upright in bed. His face felt hot and his hands were damp. He felt a trickle of perspiration on his back.

The room was almost in complete darkness, but he could see dark blurry shapes lurking like monsters ready to pounce. He knew it was only items of furniture: a desk, a chair, a TV, but what if it wasn't? What if he was there hiding; waiting for Cal?

He needed to switch the light on. That would make the monsters go away.

But Cal couldn't move. He sat there in the dark, some of his breaths escaping as whimpers as he tried not to let his fear take control. A part of him wanted to jump out of bed and run to Ethan, but even if he was capable of moving that quickly, he didn't want to worry his brother.

Hours seemed to have passed before Cal managed to extend a shaking hand towards his bedside lamp. When his hand closed around it and his thumb felt the switch, he felt relief, but it was almost immediately replaced by terror.

What if he switched on the light to find him waiting in the dark?

He knew it was unlikely. He didn't even know where they lived as far as Cal knew. He certainly didn't have a key to the flat.

But he was still afraid as he remembered the time he'd awoken in the night and switched on the light to find him standing there in the corner.

Cal started to move his hand away from the light, but then he stopped. If he was there, then he could creep up on Cal. Cal might not even hear him. Cal might not know anything till the blow came out of the darkness, making his head spin.

His hand was so sweaty, it took him a couple of attempts to switch the light on, but at last the room was bathed with light. And there was no-one in the room but Cal.

He's not here. I'm safe. He hasn't found me.

He lay down again, leaving the light on, but he didn't want to sleep. He didn't want to go back to his nightmare and see him again.

But although he remained awake, the nightmare drifted back into his consciousness and he couldn't stop it.

Cal was running. Fast and desperately. His legs ached and he was barely able to gasp in air, but he kept going. He couldn't let him catch him.

He heard the voice behind him, shouting his name. Shouting other things too that only made Cal run faster.

"Just wait till I catch you, Caleb Hardy! I'm going to make you regret that you were ever born."

Cal knew now it had been an empty threat. Although he might have laid a hand or worse on Cal, he wouldn't have killed him. Yet Cal was afraid for his life as he ran; he believed he might be killed and he believed he must deserve it or why would he shout those things?

"You're a horrible, nasty little boy. Do you know that, Caleb? A nasty, worthless little maggot and when I catch you, I'm going to show you just how worthless you are."

Cal felt something wet on his face. He thought at first it was more sweat, but then he heard his tiny, gasping sobs and knew he was crying.

He crawled under the bedclothes as he had when he was little and buried his face into the sheets, trying to muffle his sobs.

He'd spent all his life trying to protect Ethan from him. He couldn't let Ethan hear him cry now.