Hello friends!

I appear to have emerged from hibernation with a little one-shot for you(:

Sorry to be awfully predictable, but I'm sure many of you appreciate a good Hurt!Ethan and Caring!Cal story just as I do!

-Iris x

*If you don't like DESCRIPTIONS OF VOMITING stop at "I think she's already gone to speak to him, Ethan." - about half way through*

Ethan rested his elbows on the staff room counter, lifting his glasses slightly so that he could rub his eyes. He sighed, blinking a few times to try and clear the zig zags clouding his vision. He knew what it meant; the blind spots, dizziness, zig zag patterns. He'd felt cold all day. Aura.

His head wasn't hurting yet, but nevertheless he pulled out his bag from his locker, retrieving the small box of Nurofen from there. Ethan knew because of his present symptoms that the headache would be likely to start soon, and it was better to get the painkillers in his system now before it did.

Ethan took a swig of water and swallowed the two pills, making a mental note of the time. He'd have to wait until at least half ten before he could take anymore. Especially because he was working a night shift and wasn't very likely to eat much.

He sighed once again, slipping the packet of Nurofen into his pocket, clearing his throat and making to get back work, dreadfully awaiting the rest of the night.

By half ten a dull pain had already begun to swirl from his temples and around the rest of his head. After his most recent patient was settled Ethan headed to Admin, placing the notes down on the counter and resting his head in his hands.

He popped three more pills out of the packet, swallowing them at the same time to get it over with. The young doctor leant further into the counter as a sudden bout of nausea and dizziness overtook him. Trying to convince himself it was only because he'd taken pills on an empty stomach, Ethan swallowed hard, bringing his water bottle to his lips and carefully sipping at the drink.

Ethan closed his eyes, massaging his forehead before pinching the bridge of his nose and resting a hand on his stomach.

"Ethan! Are you alright?" he heard Zoe ask. Ethan cautiously lifted his head, hoping Zoe wouldn't be able to tell he was squinting behind his glasses.

"Sorry, yes," he breathed. "I'm just waiting on Mrs Talbot's blood results."

"Okay," Zoe replied, eyeing Ethan warily. "If you're sure you're okay?"

Ethan nodded slowly.

The consultant sighed. "Well, in the meantime, I'd like you with me in RESUS, we've got an RTC coming in, ETA five minutes."

"Yess," he said, smiling weakly before taking a last swig of water and sluggishly making his way to RESUS.

Ethan gulped as the patient went into VT. He felt his own pulse rising due to the assault on his head from the new erratic beeping of the machines, and had to resist the urge to raise a hand to his head as a sharp pain radiated through his skull.

"He's arrested," Ethan heard Robyn announce. He sighed, almost letting out a whimper as his head pounded.

"Okay, can somebody get Dr Hanna, please?" he instructed, as quietly as he could in the situation. "and… I-I'll start CPR," Ethan said, just about managing to think through the dizzying throbbing of his head.

Almost as soon as he'd started the compressions he realised this arrest was going to be even more difficult than normal. A spike of pain vibrated through his head with every compression and that, along with his struggle for breath, was enough to make his head spin with dizziness.

"Dr Hardy?" he heard Robyn's voice. Ethan's eyes shot open, and he simultaneously registered that his compressions had slowed considerably.

"Yes? ... s-sorry," he stuttered, trying to claw back some control and restart compressions properly. His ears were ringing.

"Ethan? Are you sure you're alright?" Since when had Zoe got here?

The doctor bit his lip, berating himself as he felt tears stinging his eyes. He couldn't fight off a small grunt of pain – though it sounded more like a whimper – as a particularly strong wave of agony shot through his head.

"Do you need me to take over?" the consultant offered; firm but kind.

Ethan's immediate response was to shake his head, but his head really was in agony and after considering for a while, he knew his dodgy CPR wasn't doing the patient any favours. It wasn't really doing the world of good for him, either.

"Okay," he whispered, stepping away from the patient and trying to breathe deeply. He winced, soon dizzying under the bright light.

"Go and have a break Ethan," Dr Hanna insisted.

The younger nodded gently, feeling Robyn's hand resting comfortingly on his shoulder before he made his way to the staff room.

Ethan rested his throbbing head in his hands and tried to convince himself that he wasn't going to cry.

He had at least two hours to wait until he could take anymore Nurofen and he didn't have any paracetamol with him. Even through his agonising headache, Ethan knew that he was in a hospital and it was almost certain that someone would be able to get him some paracetamol, but he didn't think he'd be able to get up off the sofa in his current state. Besides, he was pretty much set on hiding away in the staff room for the rest of his shift after what had happened in RESUS.

"Are you alright, Ethan?" he heard Zoe's concerned voice. Ethan thought he would have appreciated her concern a little more had her voice not caused the sharp pain in his temples to spike further. He rubbed his forehead and swallowed away his nausea, neither of which prepared him all that well for the blinding pain that assaulted him as soon as he lifted his head.

"Sorry…" he whispered, cringing back into the sofa and covering his eyes again.

"Headache?" Zoe asked, she'd been watching the Registrar closely all day. "Ethan, you know you don't have to work with a migraine, it's impossible," she said quietly. "Does Cal know about this?"

"No," Ethan whispered, deciding against shaking his head. "Sorry, Zoe… You couldn't get me any paracetamol could you? Only I can't take any more Ibuprofen until two-thirty… and I already took one too many Nurofen before the patient-… it doesn't seem to have helped at all though," He rambled.

Zoe sent him a look of disapproval at the overdose. "Yes, I can, but then I'm going to get Cal so he can take you home. And you should know better than to ignore the dosage information."

Ethan looked down shamefully, and then piped up at processing what else Zoe had said. "Oh, there's really no need," he protested, squinting up at her from over his knees which he had pulled to his chest.

Zoe raised her eyebrows, noticing the tears in his eyes. "I'll be back in a minute." She rested a hand comfortingly on his shoulder.

Ethan flinched, "Sorry." He wiped his eyes. "…I feel like I'm about to pass out."

Zoe sighed. "I can't leave you alone like this," she frowned, looking worriedly at Ethan and then glancing outside. She spotted Rita and relief immediately coursed through her.

"Sorry, Ethan," the consultant whispered in advance. "Rita?" she called, rubbing Ethan's shoulder when she heard him wince.

"Yes, Zoe?" Rita walked into the staff room, throwing a concerned glance at Ethan.

"Can you sit with Ethan for me; I need to get some paracetamol from my office and speak to Cal." Zoe asked.

"Yeh, I can do," Rita frowned.

"Thanks," Zoe eyes met Rita's confused ones as she made to exit the room. "Oh, migraine," she whispered.

"Bad?" asked Rita, concerned.

Zoe pursed her lips, nodding. "Thank you."

The nurse sat herself on the carpet in front of Ethan, crossing her legs. "Alright, Ethan?" she said in a hushed voice. His head remained buried in his knees.

He gingerly shook his head, embarrassed and in discomfort. Ethan sniffled, wiping his eyes again.

"Ethan?" Rita whispered, holding out the box of tissues to him.

Ethan raised his head slowly, smiling in thanks as he shakily took a tissue, eyes becoming watery under the light again.

"You're shaking, lovely," she whispered.

He bit his lip, glancing at Rita's soft brown eyes looking up at him in concern. "Sorry…" Ethan whimpered, rubbing his forehead before removing his glasses so that he could dry his eyes properly. "I don't want Zoe to get Cal, can you tell her not to get him…" he whispered, cringing back into the cushions.

"Why not, darling?" queried Rita, resting a hand on his shoulder.

Ethan shook his head, "please Rita."

"I think she's already gone to speak to him, Ethan."

He took a deep breath, burying his face back in his knees. Rita rubbing his shoulder was enough to make him feel dizzy. Ethan squeezed his eyes shut, resting his hand over his stomach.

"Ethan?" Rita whispered.

Ethan pressed a hand to his mouth, swallowing hard as the nausea threatened to take hold. He couldn't hear Rita's concerned whispers of his name; his ears were ringing and he felt incredibly lightheaded and so, so sick.

Ethan promptly gagged, swallowing repeatedly as his chest heaved with frantic breaths. No, you cannot do that here, Ethan.

He felt Rita's hand on his knee and, daring to open his eyes, noticed she'd placed a bin in front of him. For a second he shook his head, thinking he had control, but then his eyes caught the light of the lamp in the corner and whatever restraint he thought he had slipped out of his grasp. Or rather, out of his stomach.

"Alright, darling," Rita soothed; rubbing Ethan's arching back as he retched. He looked as white as a sheet and wouldn't stop shuddering.

"What on Earth's happened?" Cal suddenly demanded, thundering into the room.

The loud noise caused Ethan's head to pulsate again. He felt tears slide down his cheeks as a cold wave of light-headedness swept through him. He had momentarily recovered from his bout of indignity, but before he knew it, he was abruptly gagging into the bin again, his throat burning and head protesting with every move.

"Could you not have warned him?" Rita hissed, trying to keep her voice quiet for Ethan's sake.

"Cal, shut up a second," said Zoe firmly. "Is he alright?" she whispered to Rita.

"He's clearly not, is he?" Cal shouted. Ethan gagged.

"Shut up!" both girls hissed in unison.

"He started to get a bit spaced out, then next thing I know he's gagging and I had to leap to get the bin," Rita informed Zoe. She looked at Cal, "if you want to be of some use, go and fetch a glass of water."

He seemed to get the message.

"Ethan, darling, are you alright?" Rita whispered. Ethan seemed to have finished emptying the contents of his stomach into the bin.

"Uh-hmm," Ethan hummed, doubting his voice for the time being.

"Really? 'Cause you look green about the gills," Rita smiled softly.

The younger doctor whimpered when he felt his head throb once again, and he breathed heavily for a few seconds, before finally giving in and shaking his head. At long last he let his withheld tears leak from his eyes. "My head…" he whimpered.

Cal had a better idea of what was going on now. "Eth…" he whispered softly, "do you think you can manage a drink?"

"If you can, I've got you that paracetamol," Zoe added quietly.

Ethan whispered a 'yes' before warily sipping at the glass of water, trying to work through the tremors in his hands.

Zoe popped out two paracetamol from the packet she'd retrieved and handed them to Ethan.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"Did you not have any with you, Eth?" Cal questioned, knowing Ethan's organised self, "You're usually really prepared."

Zoe frowned. "Does he get headaches often?"

"Yeh," Cal answered. "Don't worry, though, he always has done, since he was seven or something."

"Do you know what could've triggered it?" came Rita's hushed inquiry.

"He was anxious about this report he was writing up for Mrs Beauchamp last night, and I don't think he ate, either," said Cal.

"Didn't sleep very well, I haven't eaten since yesterday," Ethan whispered, tears still trickling down his cheeks from the pain.

Three pairs of eyes widened in alarm and concern.

"It's nearly midnight, Ethan; you haven't eaten for a whole day sweetheart?" Rita said in alarm.

"I know…" Ethan whispered shamefully, "I was worrying myself sick over this report so I didn't feel like eating, and we've been slammed in hear today so I haven't had the chance anyway!"

"That definitely would've caused a migraine. No wonder you felt like you were going to pass out!" Zoe placed a hand on his shoulder. "I think we'd better let Cal take you home and try to keep you conscious, hey?"

"He gets travel sick," Cal said worriedly. "With that headache he'll be throwing up for the whole journey, he'll probably pass out in the car."

"Maybe that's for the best," Zoe said. "I know that sounded awful, but he's clearly in a lot of pain. If he comes back in here with an extradural haematoma though, Dr Knight, then you're fired."

Cal laughed softy. "Nibbles! Let's see if you can walk then shall we?"

Ethan rubbed his temples. "Better start with standing up," he whispered.

"In some cases, Nibbles, slow and steady does not win the race," Cal said, "especially when I'm the one you're leaning practically all your weight on."

As it turned out, Ethan managed not to pass out in the car.

Cal just hoped he'd been able to move a little quicker than a snail.

After seemingly years of trekking across the hindrance that was their hallway, Cal finally managed to deposit Ethan on to his bed.

Ethan sighed, "I think all those painkillers are finally kicking in." He buried his head into his pillows.

"Good to hear. Fancy a head massage after I've waited on you?" Cal offered, always knowing what to do in the case of one of Ethan's migraines.

Ethan seemed to perk up instantly. "Yes please!"

Cal returned a few minutes later with a tray full of a large glass of ice water, a cold damp cloth, packets of Nurofen and paracetamol, a mug of tea and a plate of sandwiches, pineapple and a couple of biscuits. He also had an extra pillow tucked under his free arm and a blanket slung over his shoulder.

Cal handed him the water first. "Get that down you, I'm not having you getting dehydrated and feverish on top of everything else."

Ethan groaned, sluggishly pushing himself into a sitting position. He was very grateful that Cal had thought to dim the lights right down. He took the glass from Cal. "Thanks," he whispered. His throat still felt slightly sore from throwing up so much earlier.

Ethan raised his eyebrows as the plate of food was placed in his lap. "Pineapple?"

"Yeh, it's fruit so it's got lots of natural sugars in, which is good because your blood sugar has probably plummeted at the moment. Fruit won't be too heavy on your stomach and pineapple is good for your immune system and has lots of Vitamin C in. Besides, it's like the only thing we have in the house right now; you really need to go shopping Nibbles."

"Oh, so we're blaming the vulnerable for our lack of resources now?" said Ethan.

"More acceptable than blaming the inexperienced, I've never been food shopping in my life."

The younger sighed. "I don't even like pineapple," he muttered.

"Oops, why is it in the house then?" Cal chuckled lightly.

"Oh, I don't know. I must have bought it for the exact event where you forget that I don't like it and proceed to force feed it to me!"

"Well, I wasn't going to Nibbles, but I think you've just given me a great idea!" Cal cheered.

"Ow, Caleb," Ethan sighed, eyes prickling with tears and he rubbed his forehead.

"Sorry, I forgot again," Cal whispered. "I'm still force feeding you pineapple though."

"Great, thanks Caleb." Ethan picked at his sandwich, ever the slow eater of the two.

"Nibbles eat your pineapple," Caleb insisted, shuffling closer over to Ethan.

"No," Ethan laughed softly.

"Come on, if I remember correctly, you're stuck with the nickname Nibbles because you used to chew on literally everything" Cal laughed.

"Yes, but I was three or something. And it doesn't mean I like pineapple." Ethan squealed as Cal tried to feed him a square of pineapple, then whimpered to himself for a few moments because of the assault he'd just caused on his head.

He dizzily looked up at Cal with pleading eyes.

"Sorry," Cal sighed, "I'll eat the pineapple."

"Thank you," Ethan nestled himself back into his pillows, cup of tea in hand.

"You alright?" Cal asked, watching Ethan gulp back his tea like there was no tomorrow.

"I'm alright," Ethan sighed, placing the mug back on to tray. "Throat's just a little sore still."

Cal nodded. "Don't lie down yet, you're probably alright to take some more Nurofen."

"Mmmm, okay," he complied as Cal handed him the pills and his glass of water.

"Now come here," Cal said, patting the pillow in his lap and guiding Ethan down with hands rested on his shoulders.

Ethan cleared his throat, fidgeting in order to get comfortable as Cal placed the blanket over him. He let out a light moan once he was content, and sighed in pleasure as Cal started stroking through his hair.

"That must feel so much better, Eth, having some food and a proper lie-down," said Cal.

"Mmmm," the younger hummed, leaning into Cal's cool hands.

"Yes, you are a little warm," the older observed.

"I've had Nurofen," he whispered, "so I'll be fine."

Cal nodded. "Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere, really," Ethan mumbled. "But especially right at the front and towards the side of my head," he added.

Ethan closed his eyes as Cal began to gently massage his temples, partly which relief, but also partly because he was beginning to feel quite exhausted.

"Sleepy, Nibbles?" Cal smiled, massaging in small circles and carefully scratching Ethan's scalp.

Ethan hummed in confirmation, rubbing his eyes. "That's nice," he whispered, "you always did this just right."

"Glad to have not failed you on one occasion, Eth."

The younger smiled softly, feeling his migraine beginning for dissipate for now under Cal's touch.

"Ethan, you're falling asleep on me mate," Cal chuckled.

Ethan just moaned lightly in response.

"Come on, this won't be cold for much longer," said Cal, grabbing the cold cloth as Ethan shuffled up to his pillows. Cal placed the material on Ethan's forehead, immediately seeing the tension disappearing from his face. "You shouldn't have gone in today, Eth, I'm going to need to keep an eye on you more often."

Ethan just gave a sleepy murmur, pulling the blanket right up to his chin.

Cal looked on fondly, reaching out to stroke Ethan's hair.

"I'm not ruining your plans, am I?" the younger whispered.

"Course you are, don't be silly, but I like taking care of you," Cal smiled.

Ethan smiled, glancing up at the wet cloth through his eyelashes. "I probably look like I'm bandaged up from some dodgy brain surgery with this big old wet rag on my forehead."

Cal chuckled lightly. "Nah, you look cute."