Teeloganroryflan
Aw I'll be sad to see this story finish soon but we better get more from you soon xD
Thank you, I do have lots of new ideas but whether they will be published any time soon is a different story!:)

ETWentHome
As poorly as Ethan was, I couldn't help laughing at Ethan and the way Cal teased him. At least Cal is still there for him and still caring for him.
I'm glad you found it funny and not too cringey!

Tato Potato
Brilliant chapter! I hope Ethan feels better soon! :)
Thanks!:)

tracys dream
Lovely chapter!
I love it when Cal takes care of Ethan.
Thanks, me too haha!

Rachbob
Sorry I haven't reviewed in a while, I just caught up with this story and I still love it! Brilliant chapter and I can't wait for the next one :)
It's no problem, you shouldn't feel committed to review or anything. Thank you so much!:)

This is such an amazing and cute story!
Thank you!

really like this a lot - this is just what it's like being ill only most people don't have Cal!
Thanks, though I'm sure having a Caleb Knight would be a mixture of good and bad!

So this is the last Chapter. It's late, just as all the other ones have been (haha oops), but at least that means it reflects the rest of the story in that respect!

Thank you everyone for all your kind reviews and favourites, I'm just glad the story got as much response as it did, I honestly wasn't expecting it!

Hopefully I'll have a new story up sometime in the near future but I wouldn't take my word for it haha.

Thanks again,

-Iris:)

13.

"39.5," announced Cal, "at least it's an improvement from yesterday."

Ethan looked up at Cal with watery eyes, but just sniffled pitifully and pulled the blanket up higher to his chin.

"Aww, Nibbles, I'm sure you'll feel better soon," said Cal, teasingly ruffling his brother's hair. "I'm going to go and get you some more Ibuprofen, buddy."

The younger nodded, sneezing twice into his tissues.

"Bless you!" Cal said, shooting Ethan a worried glance from the kitchen when he started coughing. He sighed, tearing his eyes away and grabbing a glass of water along with some throat lozenges, quickly going back over to where Ethan lay on the sofa.

Cal surveyed his brother intently as he swallowed the pills. He had briefly considered taking the day off to look after Ethan, however he'd dismissed the idea fairly quickly when the thought of his displeased boss – his displeased boss who would be two doctors down – popped into his head.

But now, as he observed his little brother, red nose, puffy eyes, dark circles and all, Cal couldn't help but feel guilty and apprehensive when he thought about leaving him alone all day. He could tell that Ethan wasn't breathing right, and that was dangerous enough on its own if he was too dizzy or faint to get to an inhaler if he needed it. Cal also knew that Ethan's head was pounding because even though he would never let on, the subtle massages of his temple and the way he was burying his head into a cushion wouldn't ever escape Cal's notice. Despite all this being no doubt coupled with all the congestion and coughing, Ethan's health – or, lack of it – wasn't the only reason Cal was reluctant to leave him home alone.

Even with the flu, Ethan would probably just about be capable of looking after himself – and he'd probably do it a lot better than Cal would if the older was ever in the same condition. But with the flu and a high fever, Ethan might as well be a 7-year-old having nightmares and crawling into Cal's bed for comfort again.

Ethan lay back down, covering his eyes with his hands, grimace displayed on his pale face.

Cal didn't hesitate to turn the dimmer switch on the light down. "I'm going to ring Mrs Beauchamp, I think you need someone to stay with you today," he announced.

"No…" Ethan whined into his hands. "I don't want Mrs Beauchamp to look after me, why can't mum?"

Cal's heart broke a little. "I mean that I'm going to stay with you, Eth," he said softly, stroking Ethan's hair.

"Why…" the younger paused to sneeze. "…I don't want to cause any fuss." Ethan sniffled.

"I need to make sure you're okay, Nibbles."

"I'll be fine on my own, Cal, really," he objected, sounding congested, and started coughing chestily just to prove it.

"Course you will, last time I left you alone – that was only to sleep I might add – you ended up fainting on me, literally." Cal sat himself down on the sofa, and Ethan felt his head immediately dwindling on to the older's shoulder. "Ethan?"

"Mmmm, what?" he asked, opening one eye to look up at Cal.

"Surely you can't be this sleepy at 10 o'clock in the morning," Caleb chuckled.

Ethan thought about pointing out to Cal that he tended to end up out cold at 1 o'clock in the afternoon himself after he'd been out on a particularly exciting Saturday night, but he decided he was too tired to spend the effort.

"Look, I'll go and get you some toast or something, and ring Mrs Beauchamp, alright buddy?" Cal announced, beginning to slide himself off the sofa. Ethan stopped him however, his head of blonde locks landing in Cal's lap. "Ethan, what are you doing?"

Ethan groaned softly, "M'comfy."

"And oddly affectionate…" Cal laughed, running his fingers through Ethan's hair, feeling the younger relax and lean into his cold touch. "I'll stay here for a few more minutes, but then we need to get some food in you – Oh, and I bought you some throat soothers," said Cal, popping the lemon sweet out of the packet and handing it to Ethan.

"Thanks, Cal," Ethan rasped, sitting up slightly, head now in Cal's chest, so that he didn't choke on the lozenge.

"Alright?" the older asked, lightly resting the back of his hand on Ethan's forehead, "Mmmm, you're still very warm," he sighed. "I'm going to go grab those things for you now, Eth."

Cal grabbed his phone from the back pocket of his jeans, swiping through his contacts until his thumb hovered over his boss's number. He sighed again, standing up and ruffling Ethan's hair as he coughed into his elbow. "I'll just be over in the kitchen, alright?"

Ethan nodded through his coughs, looking up at Cal gratefully when the older placed his inhaler into his free palm.

Even when he'd stopped coughing, taken a puff from his inhaler and sipped at his water, Ethan's throat still felt sore and dry and he was wincing virtually every time he swallowed or even simply tried breathing. His ears pricked up as he heard Cal's voice, words like 'pale' and 'sick' and 'exhausted' making it through the mist of his feverish confusion. He knew he was on the phone to Mrs Beauchamp, and Ethan was almost glad that his ears were clogged and he couldn't concentrate on anything except for how ill he was feeling, otherwise he probably would've flushed with embarrassment as well as the fever.

The younger doctor groaned, clearing his throat and wishing he had a warm mug of tea as he sniffled and buried himself further underneath his blankets.

His prayers were surprisingly answered a few minutes later; when Cal shuffled over to the sofa balancing a tray complete with jam on toast, a glass of orange juice and steaming cup of tea which Ethan already suspected was peppermint. He was also carrying a cold compress, Ethan's pillow and a fresh box of tissues.

"Sit up a sec, Eth," Cal instructed, sliding the tray on to the table and standing ready with the pillow.

Once Ethan was propped up, Cal carefully passed him his food, letting the younger blow his nose on the new tissues before he started.

"Thanks, Cal," Ethan sniffled, appreciatively drinking the orange juice despite how the pulp stung his sore throat. He nibbled at the corner of his toast; living up to his nickname, but really all he wanted was his nice mug of hot tea.

"Nibbles, just drink the tea if you're only going to reluctantly nibble at that," Cal chuckled.

"I wanted to finish it, because I really appreciate you doing all this for me, but I suppose I'm still feeling a bit queasy," sighed Ethan, propping his chin up with his elbow.

"It's okay, Ethan, you don't have to finish it if you can't manage it," Cal reassured him. "You just drink your tea and I'll get this cold compress on your forehead – I'll even make you some spaghetti hoops for lunch if that's what you want in a few hours."

Ethan smiled, "as long as the kitchen gets through unscathed."

"Course," Cal smiled back, letting Ethan rest his heavy head on his chest once he was settled with his mug of peppermint tea.

The older grabbed the cold compress from the coffee table and held it to Ethan's clammy forehead. The change in temperature made him shiver at first, whining and pulling back into the blanket, but after a few moments the younger relaxed into it. "That's better," he sighed in relief.

"Mmmm, I'm not surprised, you're all feverish and clammy," Cal agreed, brushing the hair from Ethan's forehead and stroking through the rest of it. "Try and get a nap in once you've finished that, should make you feel a bit better."

"I feel so lazy," Ethan chuckled softly. "I feel like-" he sneezed a quiet triple into his wrist. "I feel like you!" Ethan snuffled, wiping bleary eyes on his pyjama sleeve.

"Rude! No blesses for Nibbles tonight!" Cal acted offended, playfully flicking the top of Ethan's head.

"Ow, don't injure the vulnerable even further!" Ethan exclaimed, reaching to place an empty mug down on the table.

"You're not vulnerable, not with Dr Knight looking after you," said Cal, wrapping an arm around Ethan's shoulder.

"I suppose not," he laughed softly, "Thank you Cal, really."

"The pleasure is all mine, Nibbles."