For the first time during a surgery, his hands were shaking, his eyes were wide when he saw her shot.
Her blood, her wound, though it was an expected outcome of her field yet finding that state of hers had almost stunned him.
With a stunned posture, he was immersed in his thoughts until his fellow nurse dragged him out of his thoughts before it’s too late.
“Doctor Alroy? What is wrong with you? Why are your hands trembling?”
“Huh? Nothing,”
They pointed with astonishment. He noticed he was straying like always.
Taking a deep breath, he gained his posture and shook his head.
“Is everything alright? Are you okay?” They asked worriedly, wondering what happened to him out of nowhere.
“Yes, I am,”
‘Focus, dammit, focus!’
Responding coldly, he solely placed all his attention on treating her while being thankful that it was not fatal and managed to save her.
After the successful surgery with a heavy heart, he came out to the two men outside, waiting for their Boss to become better.
Keeping an unbothered face, he came closer and called them, being how he should be and not be emotional.
“Are you with her? What is your relationship with the patient?”
“We are her guards,” They replied.
Humming, acting oblivious, he glanced at the file in his hand, “What is her name?”
“Zariah,”
“Zariah what?”
“She has no last name.”
His jaw clenched. Inhaling upon knowing, he remained unaffected and looked up at them again.
“I see. Where is her mother- I mean, where is her family? Parents? Relative? Friends?”
“She has none,”
Sighing in disappointment, he explained, “She is out of danger for now. We will still keep her under observation.”
“And may I know what happened to her? It certainly looks like a police case.”
He added seriously, giving the file to the nurse and giving them a stern look to inform them about the situation.
“Though this is against our hospital’s policy to take in criminal cases but I return no injured ones so I have treated her but we still need to call the cops,”
One of them became furious and growled, “We won’t be calling cops. There is no need for them.”
He arched an eyebrow as they clearly lied.
“She was practicing and got shot. She has legal documentations for the gun too-”
“I don’t need explanations. You tell them to the cops.”
Rolling his eyes, he waved his hand to shrug this act off, not interested in the fake story.
But, his demeanor enraged them as one of them closed the gap.
“Hey, doctor! Watch what you are saying. You have no idea who we are. Just do as we say if you want your wellbeing,” He threatened.
Resting his hand in his pockets, Nathaniel remained calm and collected as he attempted to make them listen politely.
“Sir, As per the hospital’s policy. We don’t treat criminals unless authorized so as long as we don’t receive a green signal from the cops, we won’t continue the treatment.”
He informed them softly, hoping they would understand the fatality of the situation.
“And if you take her to somewhere else, they would do the same so I would suggest you go and give that statement to the police,”
Ending by resting his hands in his pockets, his lips curled from one side that pissed them off but he merely did his job as the surgeon.
Growling, a guard grabbed him by his collar, lifting him slightly up with a warning glare, creating a scene.
“You damn doctor-”
Before he could do something wrong, the other guard came and stopped him.
Ripping him apart from Nathaniel who smirked as he knew that they were stuck.
“Matt, he is right, relax. Leave that low doctor. We need to keep her safe. Just do as he says for now,” He whispered.
Getting back, realizing that they must keep their Boss safe and not cause unnecessary trouble.
“See. Your partner knows better. I am merely doing my job, Mr. Matt,”
They both glared at Nathaniel who shrugged his shoulders and walked away nonchalantly, ignoring them.
After walking away and completing the formalities with the police which took a day, Nathaniel was lost in his thoughts until Keith came seriously.
“Kim is calling you in his office,”
“Oh, the invitation came late, I was waiting for it since morning,” He chuckled playfully.
Rising from his seat to confront the owner of the hospital about the little stunt he pulled off by treating probably a criminal.
“Nathaniel,” Keith called when he was about to leave.
“Hmm?”
“Do you know her?”
“No. Why?”
“Then why risk your job for it?” He frowned that made him smirk.
“This is not the only hospital left for me, I have endless options available for me, Keith,”
Reassuring his fellow doctor, curling his lips he was about to whistle but stopped and ended up chuckling.
Shaking his head, he knocked and entered where the administrator, also the owner of the hospital, was waiting for him.
“You called me, Director Kim?”
Using a charming tone and flashing a fake sweet smile, he came.
“Nathaniel, why did you bring her in?”
He came to the point seriously, glaring at him, indicating he was utterly furious at his actions.
“She could have died if I hadn’t,” He replied calmly.
“But that was against our policies, you could have put us into trouble,”
“But, I didn’t. Did I? Police gave us a green signal to continue the treatment then what seems to be the problem?”
“You have violated a strict rule, Nathaniel. Though it pains me to say that but I cannot make an exception, no matter how good you are,”
He sighed in disappointment, pinching the bridge of his nose causing Nathaniel to flash a mischievous hint.
“You do realize firing me will result in ‘your’ loss, right? I won’t mind giving up those research papers to someone else,”
“I know and if I won’t, it would ruin my hospital’s reputation, I think all of them are bloody criminals, I am allowing this because of you,”
He hissed, refusing to believe that they are good people.
“Then let this happen. Don’t worry about the cops too, you won’t receive any trouble, Sir,” Nathaniel reassured him.
The power of conviction in his resonance sealed his lips. He wanted to argue but the confidence made him silent.
Narrowing his eyes, he stopped.
“Are you sure?”
“You have my words,”
“I don’t want any drama or rumors, you hear me? The second I heard anything wrong you and that patient will be done here,”
He warned him, causing Nathaniel to laugh as he convinced his Boss to not fire him and trust his flairs.
“Most certainly, Sir,”
Exchanging a nod, he was about to leave until Kim exhaled, leaning back on his seat with pure confusion creeping.
“I don’t get it, Dr. Alroy,”
He stopped, “Hmm?”
“You say you had been researching and learning neurology since childhood,”
“Definitely. Always was fascinated by it,”
“Then why not publish these papers yourself? This can make you the chief of the neurosurgery department, you will become well-known,”
He suggested, knowing he could go far beyond this career.
“I see success chasing you yet you tend to be faster,” He remarked, earning a chuckle from the emerald-eyed man.
“Because I don't wish to. You publish the paper, get fame.”
He frowned, “Why?”
“I am not here for it nor the money. I am here to treat people only, nothing more, nothing less,”
“I'm merely a pla- A doctor, just a doctor in the end after all,” He accidentally whistled, waving his hand to shrug the matter off.
“You are seriously beyond my comprehension, Dr. Alroy,”
“As always, Sir,” Winking, he left.
After meeting the director of the hospital, he returned to the lounge for staff, finding his fellow doctors smirking at him.
“So, how did it go?” Keith asked, intrigued as they were sure he would be fired.
“As if he would fire me.” Nathaniel enunciated proudly.
Ordering a cup of coffee for himself before plopping on the couch, spreading his muscular arms, he leaned back to rest his one leg over the other.
“Oh, so you have been scolded,”
“As if I care, I trust my hands, if I can’t work here, I will go somewhere else, simple,” He scoffed, not caring one bit about it.
“Your life is surely sorted, Nathaniel. Don’t you fear anything?” Keith asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
He chuckled, “Who says I am not afraid of anything?”
“You give off that kind of vibes,”
“I am most certainly afraid of my nieces when they start acting like stubborn brats.”
They laughed, agreeing with kids could be scary when they throw tantrums and become uncontrollable.
After their brief talk, a silence came and they went back to their respective works.
Nathaniel was engrossed in his work until a nurse came, calling him hastily.
“Sir,”
“Hmm?”
“That patient of yours is awake. The cops came too, they have gave us the permission to continue the treatment too,”
His eyebrows twitched, in some sort of disapproval but maintain his posture.
He nodded, resting his hands handsomely in his pockets.
“I see. I will check after this survey and have my surgery too. You do the regular check up until then,”
He flashed her a smile before continuing his survey.
“Okay, sir.”
After taking his time meanwhile the nurses did the routine checkup, he finally came when everyone was busy.
Nurses were explaining medicines and payment procedures to the guards, indicating he must be alone as he decided to pay his patient a visit.
‘Should I go?’ He thought, not liking the idea.
He didn’t want to.
But, having no choice, taking a deep breath, keeping the perspective of an injured one, he pushed the door open, bringing out his pseudo charming smile.
Greeting his ‘patient’.