A/N: Yes, Phantom Hospital sounds like a very weird hospital name, LOL. But it's going to appear only once so I don't wanna waste my time thinking too much about it. Haha. And yeah, I agree that the scene with Bora is a bit too fast but I do wanna make it fast becoz to be honest, I'm trying to finish this story in 10 chapters tops. I do admit though, that I did think of more scenes between Gray and Juvia before he meets Bora but I was a bit scared it would drag too long so I cut them out. Part of it is becoz I'm still a bit nervous LOL. Gruvia is a whole new territory for me, I've never do anything pertaining to them so basically this fic is the first fic/art/anything from me. (I've been in different fandom before this) But if you guys prefer a slower paced one, I'll try my best to cater. That is, if I can calm myself down. ^^;;

Chapter 4

Adjusting his maroon tie, Jellal carefully knocked the meeting room door. He stepped in after hearing someone from the inside calling him in. It seemed like he was probably the last to arrive, thanks to a few issues happened at the emergency room. He bowed at the professors seated at one side before making his way and sat besides Laxus.

"Sorry, I'm late. There is a baby with bronchospasm in ED just now," Jellal apologized.

Makarov nodded, even though Jellal could barely see as his head was just visible enough above the table – he's a dwarf sized old man alright. Jellal caught a glance of Erza sitting opposite of him as he gave her a small smile.

Makarov cleared his throat, gaining back all the attentions to him. "So, now that everyone is here, let's start," he began. "Before that, I'd like to inform that the date for the next professor election had been decided."

There was the sound of whispers among the vice professors in the room, talking about the event they had been waiting for. Jellal sat there without reaction. He already knew anyway. He stole another glance at Erza to see the same lack of reaction as him. Laxus must have told her too.

"This year's election will be a little bit different than before. We, the Magnolia Hospital professors, will not be the one nominating any of you," Makarov continued.

There was another noise made by the vice professors. "What do you mean you won't? Who will be nominating us then?"

"There is a new reformation in this year's election," Makarov tried to explain. "The one who will nominate you guys will be the professors from the other hospitals."

"What?" the voices became a bit louder. "But the other hospitals don't have any idea about our performances, how would they know who to nominate among us?"

"They will know," Makarov reassured them. "We will be holding a Live Performance here."

The meeting room still filled with hush whispers at the sudden change the professors had been announcing. Makarov opened the slides on the screen to explain further.

"This Live Performance will be held in Crocus General Hospital Conference Hall. We will all gather there. It will be the place where the foreign professors will read and observe your performances. This is done to avoid bias nomination from us," Makarov said.

"But what about the Live Performance itself?"

"The Live Performance will be done here though. It will be broadcasted to Crocus of course."

"Who will be performing the surgery?" there were audible whispers saying it should be someone from their department and some even mentioned the rumors of Ul coming back for it.

Makarov chuckled as he shook his head. "No, Ul won't be back. The surgeon will be from our hospital," he flipped the slide show, revealing the patient's detail. "The patient is a 42 years old gentleman, with underlying dyslipidemia, diagnosed with ascending aortic arc aneurysm and annuloaortic ectasia. He came in with symptoms of heart failure, investigation showed he already developed severe aortic regurgitation. We need to replace the aortic valve as well as the aneurysm repair."

"Wait a minute, it is a high level surgery. We cannot think of anyone other than Dr Milkovich who can do that!"

Makarov hummed thoughtfully. "I thought so too, but I already contacted Ul about it. She won't be able to make it. But she did mention a name who can do it."

There was a moment of silence in the room as they waited for Makarov to announce the name.

"It's Gray Fullbuster."

Erza's head snapped up.

"Wait, that's not fair," there were complaints. "That would give advantage to Dr Scarlet in the election. Besides, Fullbuster is Dr Milkovich's student, it's just not right."

"Exactly," Makarov nodded. "It's because he's her student, that's why I believe he could do it. And don't get the concept wrong. There are professors attending the Live Performance, their assessment will be objective. And the ones who are taking part in the surgery are not solely from cardiac department."

"We will be selecting personals from other departments," Yajima continued the explanation. Attentions shifted to the professor. "The anesthetist will be from your department, Jellal. We have selected Metallicana's student Dr Redfox for this. Scrub nurse will be from the neurosurgical department-"

"I'm sorry, Professor Yajima, don't I have anything to say in this?" Jellal interrupted. The room immediately quieted at Jellal's raised hand.

"Are you objecting this?" Yajima questioned.

"With all due respect," Jellal bowed a bit. "I do admit that Gajeel is a very outstanding anesthetist. But it doesn't have to be him in this surgery. Would you mind if I talk to them and pick a name myself?" Jellal wasn't being picky. But he knew Gajeel dislikes flashy things such as the Live Performance. Sure, he had the authority to push Gajeel to it. But medicine is a field requiring teamwork. And he didn't plan to betray the trust of his comrades.

"Jellal, this Live Performance is really important-"

"I am very aware of that, Professor Yajima. But trust me, my other anesthetists aren't any worse than Dr Redfox," Jellal insisted.

"Forceps," Gray requested, holding out his left hand. The nurse searched for the requested item and quickly handed it to Gray.

"Thank you," he took it as he continued suturing the patient's wound. "Please prepare suture scissor too."

"Yes, doctor," the nurse quickly scrambled to the sterile instrument in the emergency room.

"Sorry, I'll be doing a continuous suturing for you," Gray said to the patient.

The patient chuckled. "I don't even know what's the difference, doctor."

Gray smiled, leaning back a bit to study his patient's face. "It won't look like the usual suturing people always watch in movies. The thread will be embedded in your skin with only the two ends of the thread seen at the end of the wound."

The patient nodded understandingly. "You could do that?"

"It's my everyday practice," Gray flashes his best smile. "Well, not in emergency here of course. Don't worry, your wound permits this style of suturing," Gray resumed his work. "Tell me if the pain killer wears off, alright."

It didn't took too long for Gray to finish – his hands are fast okay. It was just right before he finish that the nurse came back with the scissor. Gray took it as he cut off the thread, and the thread was pulled back and disappeared into the skin, leaving the wound closing tightly like it was never there. The nurse watched in awe. Of course, she had heard of Gray, but as the ED nurse, it was her first time watching Gray's hands work. It was entrancing. And it wasn't even a surgery, it was just suturing a wound that a patient accidentally cut his arm with a knife.

After thanking Gray, the patient went to the counter to pay the bills. Gray discarded the used items into the sterilization box.

"You are so good, Dr Fullbuster," the nurse found herself saying before she could stop herself.

Gray turned to the nurse, smiling a bit. "Oh, it's nothing. It's just a small wound. Next time when a doctor is working, make sure to prepare all the necessary things alright?"

"Yes!" the nurse chirped. "I'll do anything for you!"

Gray chuckled, shaking his head. Washing his hands, his eyes locked on a certain blue haired girl that was talking pointlessly with a little girl. Gray noticed how Juvia's hands working to manually reduce the girl's foot while her lips busy creating conversations. He smiled.

"You like kids?" Gray greeted her after she finished attending the girl. Juvia jumped a bit at his sudden approach.

"Gray-sama, you startled Juvia," she heaved a sigh, resting a hand on her chest to calm her heart down.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it," Gray smiled sheepishly.

Juvia shook her head as she went to sit on a small stool. Her blue dress falling to the side of her legs as she reached for a file at a corner. Gray carefully pulled a stool and sat beside her, peeking into the file from her shoulder.

"Is there something wrong?" Juvia asked, a cute frown appeared on her face and she turned to face Gray.

"Nothing," Gray quickly shook his head. "I just wanted to talk to you after you're done with your work."

"What about?"

"About the pregnancy-induced cardiac myopathy-"

"Juvia already gave Gray-sama her answer," Juvia cut him off.

"Yes, but I still want you to reconsider. There is no one but you-"

"There is nothing to be reconsidered!" Juvia's frown deepened.

"No, wait, Juvia. I've been thinking why you really opposed this idea and I came to your career record and then I was thinking; were you bullied?" Gray said quickly so as not to be interrupted again.

Juvia's jaw dropped. "Gray-sama read Juvia's record?"

Gray blinked. Shit! That came out worse than he expected. He really isn't good at words. One of the thing that made him and Lyon different, he must say.

He saw Juvia's eyes watering. "Fine, do whatever Gray-sama wants but Juvia isn't going to be tricked again!" she pushed him away from her, rushing out of the emergency room.

Gray had to balance himself, getting off the stool before he fell. This woman is very hormonal. Gray groaned. He quickly chased after her.

"Juvia, wait. I didn't mean that in an insulting way!" Gray tried to explain.

"Gray-sama is so mean!"

Oh crap. She's already crying. Gray glanced around, noticing how the people staring at them. Okay, she did not put him into this mess. Grabbing firmly onto Juvia's arm, Gray dragged her away to a more secluded area in panic – he recognized it being the sterilization area.

"Damn it, stop crying!" Gray urged.

Juvia sobbed, lips quivering with a frown, staring into Gray's dark blue orbs. Gray shifted uncomfortably. He really didn't know how to handle girls.

"I'm sorry, okay," he said softly, in attempt to stop her tears. He felt Juvia relaxed in his grasp. Fishing his handkerchief inside his pocket, he handed it to her. "Here, stop crying."

Juvia stared at the dark blue handkerchief before hesitantly took it and wiped her tears. Gray let go of her arm, standing awkwardly waiting for her to calm down.

"Are you okay now?" he asked after she calmed a bit.

Juvia nodded, eyes red and puffy. "But that doesn't mean Gray-sama could use Juvia to get away with a cardiac myopathy patient. Juvia is not the same anymore!" her voice was somewhat restrained and unsure.

"Juvia, I didn't invite you to push the blame of a patient's death on you," Gray groaned. "I invite you to save her. That patient is going to live, Juvia. We both will make it happen."

Juvia narrowed her eyes, glaring at Gray as if trying to show that she was mad. "Yeah, like Gray-sama plan to open the chest, cut anything Gray-sama can reach then close it and blame Juvia after if anything happens. Gray-sama can never cut the right part."

"I can't but we can," Gray reasoned. That threw Juvia in silence, looking back into Gray's eyes.

"I know we can, Juvia," Gray continued when Juvia didn't answer. "That day when I call for the red code, I know we can."

"It was a red code, and Juvia was free so she came to help," Juvia didn't get it.

"I know," Gray agreed. "But even if it was a red code, not all anesthetist would jump in and take over."

Juvia's lips slightly parted. She wanted to reason some more, but she still didn't get Gray's point herself.

"That patient was a baby, with a heart disease on top of that. It requires great calculation on the drug doses and the concentration in the blood as to not burden the heart. He wasn't an easy patient who you can just shove away the appointed anesthetist and take over," Gray explained. "But you did."

Juvia still stood there, not moving as Gray's words registered in her mind.

"You did because you were confident with your calculations," Gray summarized. "At that moment, I know we can do it. You're not an ordinary anesthetist, Juvia."

There was a long pregnant silence between them. Both staring into each others eyes. Gray trying to convince her, and Juvia trying to seek the truth in him. Juvia swallowed the lump in her throat before asking; "Gray-sama wants Juvia to manipulate the heart to search the diseased tissue of the patient's heart?"

"Exactly," Gray grinned, relieved that Juvia finally understood him.

Juvia bit her lower lips. It's true that if the heart can be perfectly manipulated, tracing the tissue of a myopathy heart isn't impossible. But even with her calculations, it would still be a bit difficult. There was still a little doubt in her heart that maybe Gray was tricking her into another fraud.

"Juvia demands to see the patient's record first," she finally said.

"Of course," Gray nodded, grinning wider than he did. He did not get a 'yes', but at least it was better than a solid 'no'.

A/N: Anyway, for those who asked, Jellal would probably feel reluctant to let Juvia go, becoz ED is a department in need of anesthetists the most, that's why Gajeel and Juvia are there. They needed people who are good with drugs and great in skills in emergency situations, and those who possessed those two criteria are anesthetists. Of course, surgical departments need anesthetists just as much but since they usually do surgeries electively, they rarely need very good anesthetists becoz the anesthetists can take their time to get ready with their surgeries, if that make sense to you. Huhu.

And as usual, thank you for those who reviewed, they really mean a lot for me. Please continue to help a newbie like me improve. I still have a lot to learn; SeptemberGurl, , Yukari Hiwada, The Golden Witch, LilTimy, Mango, elle003, Medaka-chan, superduperizee, TheLittleKittyMeows and mgaa.