Ethan woke with a start, for a second he didn't know where he was, he tried to take a deep breath but was stopped by a crushing pain in his chest. He groaned slightly as everything came back to him, the crash, being in resus with Cal treating him of all people, lying in the high dependency cubicle pretending to sleep as he listened to his brother open up to him.

"Doctor Hardy? Can you hear me Ethan?" A soft voice asked.

Ethan opened his eyes a little more, unable to see clearly due to his lack of glasses right now, he managed a small nod and a whisper of a yes.

"We're going to sit you up and try and make you a little more comfortable now Ethan. If the pain is too much you let us know." She informed him.

Ethan braced himself as the bed was tilted slightly. The movement hurt and almost made him cry out in pain but the finished result was much better, he could feel himself breathing so much easier.

"I'll go and fetch your brother for you, he's been up here on the hour every hour to check we're looking after you. Very protective isn't he?" She smiled slightly as she hooked him up of nasal oxygen and moved the mask away before placing his glasses onto his face.

"Thank you." He spoke quietly and placed his arm protectively around his ribs. Cal, he could remember what he had said. Had all this really brought out a softer side to his brother? He found that hard to believe.

Ethan had been awake for all of 10 minutes before Cal showed up, a big smiled plastered on his face.

"Well you're alive then." He spoke happily as he sat down by my bed.

"I've always been amazed by your amazing observation skills Caleb." Ethan retorted sharply. "But it is thanks to you from what I've heard." He added, credit where credit's due and all.

"All in a day's work." Cal smiled smugly. "Although two ex-girlfriends came into the ED. Awkward isn't even the word."

"Oh god Caleb. Did things kick off between them?" Ethan queried.

"No, no. They were Mother and Daughter. Tricked me into thinking the boy they brought in was my son." Cal told him.

"Mother and Daughter? Really Cal, you need to get some self-respect if anything. I bet you nearly ran a mile when you thought you were a dad?" Ethan spoke amused.

"No, actually. I didn't mind. Would have done my best by the kid. It's what dad's do isn't it?" He told him.

Ethan shrugged his shoulders slightly before moving slightly on the bed to get comfortable causing himself more pain and to take a sharp breath.

"Ok? Are you in pain?" Cal panicked slightly.

"I'm fine, just a little sore." He admitted. "I've had enough pain relief, I don't want to be off my head on drugs all the time."

"Off your head? Ethan it's just to make you comfortable…" Cal told him.

"Well I'm fine." He looked at him. "Since when did you care anyway?"

"What do you mean by that?" Cal frowned at his brother.

"Well you were winding me up not 24 hours ago, taking the mick as usual trying to make my life a living hell. It's what you do. Now I've been a deaths door everyone is saying how good you are how nice you are how protective you are. What's changed Cal?" He spoke with a hint of frustration.

Cal just shrugged his shoulders and looked down.

"You will speak to me when you think I'm asleep but when you have to face me it's a different story." He told him.

Cal looked up at him confused. "What do you mean when I think you're asleep?"

"Last night Cal. I was awake. I heard every word." Ethan informed him.

"Oh.." Cal sighed a little suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.