Dusk till Dawn.[ON HOLD]

Chapter 18. Revival.

Regimental Medical officer Naina Agarwal stood ramrod straight in the HOD's cabin. Uniform creaseless, not a single hair out of place from the tied knot, arms pasted to her sides and hands fisted beside her upper thighs. Thankfully zilch of her nerves gave away that she was figuratively shaking in her boots.

The Cardiothoracic department mimicked the graveyard's silence. Head of the Department, Veenaz Haider was beyond enraged. She was already pissed when Tahir had misused his rank and authority day before yesterday and today Naina's rash action plan had added fuel to her hitherto raging anger.

Veenaz wasn't on Tahir's level and it was understandable if he ordered her around but that didn't mean he was allowed to treat her and her staff like his minions so as to save one of his beloved soldier. She'd seen Colonel distraught like never before yet she couldn't condone with the lack of decorum inside a military hospital.

Tahir had out rightly bullied her to save Viyaan, totally forgetting that she was a mere doctor and not god. It wasn't like only one Major was battling with death. There were soldiers in bad condition (definitely not severe) and all of them required her attention as much as Viyaan did however Tahir had been so persistent that she left whatever she was doing and rushed to operation theater. For, she wasn't left with any choice as an official handwritten order was slammed right to her face.

Viyaan's surgery was not easy. In no way could she say it was effortless. He had chest trauma, all thanks to the bullet and it was just the tip of the ice berg. Evidently his major aorta had ruptured since the bullet had mercilessly found home in his main artery supplying oxygenated blood to his whole system. And Veenaz in her 25 years of career didn't remember hearing of one successful aortic transection case.

The morbidity and mortality rates for surgical repair of the aorta especially in Viyaan's condition was among the highest of any cardiovascular surgery. More than half patients with aortic transection succumbed to death even before reaching the hospitals. In spite of all odds and with every available resource, she'd strived hard to the utmost of her abilities to save him.

With practiced proficiency she'd cut open his chest, separated the bullet from the damaged flesh, grafted the mutilated portion and stabilized his vitals throughout the surgery period. Despite her nerves being on fire, she had efficiently maintained her calm till patching him up.

From thoracotomy to sutures each and every procedure was flawless.

Post surgery every single thing was perfect except his rate of recovery. Veenaz had expected some minor hindrances but she had completely ruled out the possibility of cardiac arrest and it was a huge blunder.

Letting the juniors take over, she went to sweat off after a hectic schedule. However by the time she returned, it was to see Naina perform CPR on an aortic transection patient and at that explicit moment her shit flipped. Even though she was awfully incensed, she'd quickly neutralized the crisis and cancelled out all the further possible threats to his health.

Viyaan was out of danger but now Naina was struck badly. Veenaz's body language oozed more menace as the clock ticked by. The atmosphere of the cabin promised abdication followed with execution by the guillotine.

"You performed CPR on a patient suffering aortic transection?"

"Yes Ma'am!"

"Did you lose it completely or did your useless crush on him get the better of you?"

Veenaz exploded vehemently. In the professional setting it was extremely wrong on her part to speak rashly with her junior or to even mention about her personal life in such disrespectful manner but she no longer cared for anything. If she had delayed even by 10 seconds they would've lost Viyaan already.