Whatever It Takes {MxM} *COMPLETE*

{16} - Breathe

Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...

"Stability in pulse and heartbeat is finally established and we can now proceed. On my mark, Chevet, I want you to apply the necessary pressure to the incision as well as keep the area dry with the gauze while Becker provides the suction. Do you understand?"

Trembling hands came forth at the ready as Chevet moved into her position over the blanketed area, her eyes misty. "Y-yes sir, I u-understand."

"We can't lose him again. That's why I brought you in and threw the other two fucks out. I need to know you can do this."

"Would you stop that shaking girl. You're making me nervous!" exclaimed an equally shaken, Becker as he too took his position to the other side of Montrose, fervently wishing he had chosen teacher over doctor in college.

Montrose glared them both down over the rim of his glasses. "Are you serious right now? Don't make me regret or question my judgment on the fact that I chose you two of all the staff on hand tonight. I am placing my full confidence in you, trusting that you will see this through without fail. Get rid of those jitters."

Both assistants nodded, their mutual agreement clear. There was no room for error. Two lives hung in the balance.

One, an innocent youth who had only just now begun to live and a man they had both come to fear and respect. Not only because of his high status but because of his selflessness in submitting his life into their hands to save another who so desperately needed something not everyone would so readily give.

"Tell us when and we've got this, Montrose." Chevet said, for once, her voice and words clear, her hands steady as she held them out to him as proof of her acquired calm. "I won't make you regret it. The fact that you put your faith in me, humbles me and I can't let him down either."

"Very well then." Montrose leaned forward over the partially blanketed, sanitized area and perused it carefully. "As you can see, this main blood vessel right here," he indicated the thick tube which was clamped down to stop the flow of blood. "Is where the snip was accidentally performed. We have to do this right okay?"

"Okay."

Putting his hands to the clamp, he inserted his fingers into the holes and with a deep calming breath, released the pressure on the vessel and threw the clamps aside. "Suction!" he shouted, his hands working quickly around the copious flow of red liquid to repair the small tear.

Becker held his arms steady as he suctioned around the damaged noodle-like piece, his eyes widening at the amount of blood that kept flowing out with no visible end in sight. "Oh god, please stop bleeding. Please stop."

Montrose pinched the tube and reached to the side for the threaded needle he had pepared, his concentration, divided between his own doings and making sure nothing went wrong on their part. "I'm starting closure now." he announced, piercing the sides of the small slit and closing the outer corner.

"Chevet, gauze. Now! And Becker, come closer to this area with that suction. I'm sewing blind here."

The woman hastily pressed the wadded gauze into the opened flesh, her eyes wandering for a few moments, admiring the taut muscled flesh surrounding it. She had to admit, the young man sure was fit. Too bad he was gay. She'd mount him for sure.

"Would you fuckin pay attention woman?" came the angry shout. "You've made me pierce the wrong side of his-Holy shit!"

The rhythm in which the machine was steadily humming, picked up as each beep became louder and faster than the last, forcing the three standing over the body to spring into desperate, panicked, action.

"Suction. Suction. I need some god damned suction! Bloody hell, Chevet, I should have you skinned alive for this. What did you think you were doing?"

"Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. I'm so sorry!" She repeated it like a crazed litany, holding her position, fearing any further lapses.

Sweat matted his brow as Montrose kept up the careful line of his stitches, making sure that each stitch followed close on the heels of the last one. The closure only depended on a quick one two cinch but with the amount of blood the man was losing, he wouldn't take the chance that it would be enough.

"Closed!" he shouted in triumph as the last line was perfectly placed. "Now, let's stabilize him and close him up nice and whole, shall we? Chevet, press onto the stitches and count to thirty. I wanna see if that will work to staunch the flow trying to seep through."

The machine beeped erratically as the pulsing beat grew in both volume and speed, something they did not expect at all. Looks were exchanged even as hands were removed from the area and Montrose himself took up the stapler that would seal the outer flesh together, ensuring full closure.

"Becker, grip and hold it together on one." A staple broke through flesh, joining two gaps and making them align. "Another grip and hold on two."

As, he worked, keeping the staples close, Montrose worried over the fact that the quickening beats did not seem to lessen in the slightest. "Three more clamps to go Becker. And hold!" They only elevated to a more dangerous cadence.

He wanted it over now.

He didn't know what had really gone wrong and he didn't know why. All he wanted was to make it right and ensure both men made it out none the worse for wear. His oath to preserve life left no room for losses. He wouldn't be able to bear it if he broke his own sworn vow.

"Last staple is in. And release!"

No sooner did he drop the stapler onto the basin that the beeping suddenly started coalescing into a single long beep, making his heart fly to his throat. "No. No. No. He's going into shock again. He's going into shock. Hand me the needle. Give me!"

Pressing hard onto the very middle of the man's chest with his thumb, he felt around for the right angle, felt around for the right opening even as he took the large syringe passed to him. For, to miscalculate, would mean a life lost.

"I found it." He said breathlessly, positioning the needle over the center of the man's heart before plunging it deep and letting loose all of its liquid in one fell swoop.

"Breathe god dammit. Breathe!" he shouted down at him. "You can't give up on me. I won't let you!"

But even then...His oath to try everything within his power to save that which can be saved had faltered...Even then, with all of his effort and his vow to always preserve life, he had failed. He was supposed to provide a new life where there was no hope. He was supposed to succeed where others had fallen short.

This time...he could not.

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