Chapter 28
The day the meeting was held seemed in a rather good weather. The sun was shining quite gloriously, basking the city with comfortable warmth it could provide. The warmth, however, certainly did little to the residents of Magnolia Hospital.
The day had come.
Lyon fidgeted slightly before darting his eyes towards Jura who happened to walk towards him along the corridor. "Is everything alright?" he asked.
Jura folded his arms on his chest, smiling reassuringly at his team leader. "Everything is under control. She'll go into critical phase by the meeting started."
"Thanks," Lyon smiled back, finally gaining his composure. "For now we just have to wait."
Jura chuckled, slowly walking along the surgeon as he shook his head. "Doing this is so absurd. It would sound really silly that we want to purposely put her into a critical phase."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Jura grinned. "I told you I'll follow you even to hell. I trust you in this."
The silver haired guy gave out a soft, gentle smile, silently thanking his teammate over that. Perhaps he didn't have all the things he wanted, but right now, he was sure as hell he had what he needed. The agony of guilt and sorrow somehow dissipated within that moment. He had a never-ending list of people he wanted to protect. This team was one of them.
The sound of his cellphone ringing for attention caught him out of his thought. Fishing the phone out of his pocket, he answered the call.
"Hello? Yes, yes. What? Now? Yes, thank you. We'll be there immediately."
Jura knew by then something was up. "What's wrong?" he asked immediately after Lyon cut off the line.
"Remember the heart donor we got for Eve before?"
Jura nodded. Of course he remembered. They got a donor quite fast considering the long queue of people needing heart transplant.
"They said it is time to harvest the organ."
"What? Now?" Jura's eyes widened slightly. Of all time, it had to be during the meeting and the supposedly 'emergency' surgery?
"The donor had been announced as being in brain death. It is time," Lyon's tone was rather conflicted. They didn't seem to have much choice. "We have to do it either way. Call Chelia, Toby, Sherry and Yuka. We're going to harvest the organ."
"Mira, we're starting the filming now. Let's enter the hospital."
Mirajane raised her head as the cameraman called her. She had been shooting for footage way too much the past week that she barely had any sleep. But today, everything will be over. Hopefully in a good way that would open a new path for everyone.
"I'll be right over," she clutched the envelope in her hands tightly. She would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. She might be able to broadcast the whole team to the nation, but what the nation would think of them was beyond her.
Instinctively she pulled out her phone and dialed a familiar number, gasping nervously when the hoarse voice greeted her at the end of the line.
"Oi, Mira, are you okay?"
She snapped out of her reverie. She probably had been silent for a good one minute that he sounded—perhaps—worried. "I'm starting the live now, Laxus."
"Yeah. You have the pass I gave you, right?"
She glanced at the envelope once again before nodding. "Yeah. Is everything okay over there?"
"Lyon's team seemed to be busy but they prepared everything already."
"Busy? What do you mean? Will everything be alright?" she couldn't help the nervousness in her voice.
"Mira, your job is to make a live coverage on this. What happen on the field itself, just leave it to us. Calm down, okay," Laxus reassured her. "The medical councils are arriving. I need to attend the meeting soon. Don't mess up."
Mirajane couldn't help but smile. He wasn't all that gentle. But his voice alone somehow gave her the courage. "I won't. Thank you."
"Right. Just... Trust me."
Mirajane wouldn't want to dwell about the possibilities of his presence being a constant in her life.
She wouldn't want to think about her falling in love with him either.
Erza took a glance at Jellal, nodding in confidence as she felt her resolve strengthening. "Shall we?"
Jellal smiled back softly, eyes fixing on the closed meeting door. This is it. Finally they were heading towards their own battle. "Where's Laxus?"
"He's already inside, I think. He came with Prof Makarov this morning," Erza said, stepping ahead.
"Let's do this," Jellal's hand reached the knob, firmly opening it as they stepped inside.
The meeting room was filled with almost everyone already. At the end of the long oval table, Lahar and Doranbolt were staring intensely at the both of them. Prof Makarov and Prof Yajima were sitting by their right, talking about something seemingly serious that the frowns on their faces were apparent. And then there was Ul, sitting at the middle of the left side, folding her arms on her chest with her eyes closed. She seemed calm despite it being probably her last moment of being a doctor. Erza fought her urge to peek at Ul's leg. She never bothered about checking it before. But now that she knew the truth, she wondered how Ul's prosthesis was.
Jellal nudged her lightly, successfully catching her attention from the legendary cardiac surgeon. Her boyfriend gestured towards the familiar blonde at the opposite right side from Ul was sitting. And she saw Laxus waving with his usual smirk. Erza rolled her eyes, but she followed Jellal to sit beside Laxus anyway.
"Less than ten minutes more," Laxus told them, glancing at the clock at one side of the room.
Not too long after, the door was opened again. And right after, Minerva and Prof Jiemma walked in. The man was glaring intimidatingly, making Erza shift uncomfortably. They sat at the other end of the table. Erza wondered perhaps they loved the spot where they can scrutinize everyone during the meeting. They were such with overwhelming authority that Erza thought it would be possible.
Lahar cleared his throat. "We have another five minutes to start but since everyone are here, we might start now. So—"
"Don't tell me you forgot about us," a rather playful voice came into the suffocating room. And in that instant, Erza could feel such pleasant aura that calmed down her nerves.
Lahar smiled. "Not at all, Prof Igneel. With all due respect, please be seated."
Igneel grinned mischievously, glancing once over the attendees before smiling softly towards Ul. "The Dragon Team arrived," he announced proudly. "Well, minus our late scrub nurse. But she had all the honor with her."
"Stop mentioning the dead, idiot," Metallicana grumbled, bumping Igneel's shoulder as he passed through his teammate and sat right beside Ul.
Igneel clicked his tongue. "Always the grumpy guy, huh?"
Weisslogia chuckled lightly, bowing to the council. "Please pardon us," he said before hurrying to join his anesthetist.
In all honesty, Erza silently thanked the Dragon Team. Their presence alone had voided all the intimidation Jiemma and Minerva had emanated by just by being there. They were truly legends.
"You guys just never change, huh?" Ul said once the Dragon Team were seated on her right.
"You have no idea," Grandeeney rolled her eyes, folding her arms on her chest. "They're oldies and here I am, stuck at babysitting them. You should join and help me sometimes."
"I need to babysit a number of kids already myself," Ul grimaced.
"Don't say that," Skiadrum smiled softly. "It's been a long time since we can sit as a team. It's somehow refreshing, don't you think?"
"It is certainly nostalgic to meet again, professors. But the time is up," Lahar interrupted them. "We shall commence the meeting now," he opened the file in front of him. "And since we have quite a number of issues, we might take some time."
The attendees immediately silenced at the words.
"We will now begin the council meeting about the concerns regarding Prof Milkovich, Dr Fullbuster, Dr Fernandez, Dr Scarlet and Dr Lockser," Lahar announced. "I will now read the minute."
Juvia ran her thumb across the butterfly clip she was holding, ignoring the numerous people crossing around the hospital lobby. The media was there, with cameras and crews bustling about—probably getting ready for Mirajane's footage. But her eyes fixed still on the object. She remembered the day she got the clip. Gray was being so gentle yet so him at the same time. She never exactly took it off since then—at least not when she was outside. Partly because she wanted to believe in Gray's words.
Butterfly. Would she be able to fly freely like a butterfly too?
"You seem to be prepared to lose everything now."
Juvia simply smiled at the interruption, slipping her butterfly pin back to her hat before turning to the owner of the voice. "There is nothing to lose anymore, Bora-san."
Bora's brows twitched in annoyance, furrowing at how hardly she got intimidated. "Oh? Acting tough now, huh? You won't be looking so tough after the meeting finish. You should have accepted my offer before, Juvia."
She shook her head. "Bora-san might have everything in the world. Power. Money. Position. But no matter what you do, you cannot take away the most important thing."
"What is?"
"Love," Juvia's smile hadn't falter.
"That's bullshit," Bora scoffed.
"Someday, Juvia hope Bora-san will find his own team. By then, he will know how it feels to have real nakama," she glanced at the clock at the hospital lobby. "But for now, Juvia needs to go. Kagura-san's condition is currently unstable."
"What? What do you mean?" Bora blinked in confusion. "How do you know she's unstable when you're here in the lobby?"
She chuckled. "Yes. Kagura-san is unstable now. Because the meeting had started."
"Because the meeting started?" Bora couldn't exactly comprehend the information.
"Juvia suggests Bora-san to go and help in our ED. Julia can assure you that Bora-san would open his eyes there," she pivoted her heels to leave. "Because Bora-san will know what teamwork means there."
The monitor in Kagura's ward was beeping frantically. The nurses were prancing around the ward, trying to control the situation. A high-flow mask oxygen was attached to Kagura's face to aid her breathing. One nurse quickly scrambled to the door, intending to get a doctor—any doctor could do. But just as she reached the door, two figures stepped into the room.
"What happened?" Natsu faked innocence.
"Dr Dragneel! Dr Fullbuster! Mikazuchi-san's situation has changed!"
Gray rubbed a finger across his chin, approaching the girl who tried her best to breathe. "Hmm, her condition is worsening. She needs an emergency operation," he pulled the emergency trolley closer, searching for a certain drug which Jura had told him to give Kagura immediately. It would cancel the whole effect in time, and they can proceed with the surgery at ease. "Prepare the operation theatre!"
"Yes, sir!"
Natsu glanced at the raven-haired guy, a smirk curving on his lips. "Ready?"
"More than ever," Gray grinned, injecting the said drug to Kagura's line.
"So, as everyone had already know since the past one week, our beloved Mirajane Strauss is resigning from being a celebrity to join Magnolia Hospital, particularly the ED team," a program host cited in front of the rolling camera. "We are currently bringing exclusive coverage about her future work place. Standing behind me is the Magnolia Hospital, famous of being the secondary health center just second after Crocus Hospital. What would you comment about this, Mirajane-san?"
"I wouldn't compare us with Crocus," Mirajane chuckled, waving her hand dimissively. "Crocus is totally on a different level. But Magnolia had housed a lot of hope for patients. As you all already know, my sister-in-law was saved from a hopeless end. It was really a huge achievement for this hospital."
"Yes, yes, I agree," the host nodded. "We interviewed your sister-in-law and she said even if she can turn back time, she would still go to Magnolia Hospital for treatment. But what about the recent controversy in the medical world? We happen to come across various articles about medical errors from their doctors."
"The controversy is very outdated, trust me," Mirajane rounded her eyes as if to fake a surprise.
The host chuckled. "But the issue about a vice professor letting an incapable intern to do a surgery is quite recent. And there is a faulty vice professor being nominated as a professor. Is the hospital taking these issues lightly?"
"That's actually not even an issue," Mirajane smiled apologetically. "As the matter of fact, they're not incapable. In fact, they're rather talented."
"Very well, we have enough interviews with Mirajane Strauss the past week," the host turned back to the camera. "Today, we were given special permission to make a coverage about the hospital. Who's excited to see how this controversial hospital working? I'm going to take you in and find out, brought to you live from the site."
"I hope you are aware of what you have done, Prof Milkovich," Doranbolt looked up to meet Ul's eyes, trying to conduct the meeting without looking rude. "Just because you are influential doesn't mean you can abuse your power. You are nominating someone who, not only did not attend the nomination, but also does not deserve such a title of a professor."
"Dr Fernandez had not only committed a lot of medical errors, but taking in doctors with bad track records like Dr Lockser is enough to offend the council. You are not suitable to be nominated," Lahar added. "Any suggestion?"
"I suggest his position to be handed over," Minerva smirked. "He doesn't deserve the title professor, not even deserving to be a vice professor."
"I object," Ul frowned at the vulgarity at the suggestion.
"You are not in the place to object," Minerva narrowed her eyes at the cardiac surgeon.
"Then I will," Makarov interrupted. "It is absurd to judge somehow with some mistakes they had done. Dr Fernandez had shown impressive performance as a vice professor up until now. Does that not speak volumes as to how much he had changed? Besides, he was only trying to save someone as much as he could. He just happened to not be on duty and perhaps his judgment was clouded by the alcohol."
"That's where he was wrong," Jiemma gruffly accused. "He was trying to save a single person when he wasn't supposed to. Perhaps if he acted as if he saw nothing, the patient can be saved."
Metallicana raised his brows. "Are you implying that we should abandon a patient when we are out of duty?"
"We are doctors," Minerva folded her arms on her chest. "We focus on saving the nation instead of just a single person. We have thousand of people who need us. Doctors who are too oblivious to the responsibility just because of a single person would definitely make such mistake over and over again."
Metallicana scoffed.
Suddenly the meeting door opened and the secretary ran in towards Lahar.
"What happened? You shouldn't interrupt the meeting—" Lahar paused when the secretary whispered the information to him. "What? They're doing an emergency surgery?!"
A/N: Yes, I'm excited to write this arc coz this is the arc I always wanted to write since I started this series. I'm so happy I can write it now. I hope it would sound as good as it is in my head. Thank you so much for those who had reviewed, favorited and followed the story, especially; IzzyQuagmire0907, lintak26, Giotto27, anchooovyy, Nap Team Captain and the unnamed Guest.
