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The moderate and rhythmic beep of the heart monitor reverberated in Emanuel's ear, as he watched Vince Kelsey. Unconscious and resting after his somewhat successful surgery.

There was scarcely any time for Emanuel to assemble his thoughts, solely on the purpose of distracting himself from the bustling night he had confronted. Traffic moved all through the A&E Ward, but just a single Patient had Emanuel's mind boggled. For it was too familiar, even though he was successful in ensuring that Vince lived.

Emanuel traced the lines of Vince's face with his eyes, mentally pondering the contention he had faced, with keeping the man alive, from such a small injury. Emanuel then recollected the moment his hand had made contact with Vince's, as the man gripped on to him. It was a quiet gesture that had harrowed the Doctor, but it was the spark that had spasmed, causing caustic and frenetic angst.

A feeling Emanuel had never felt, despite being vexed by the sinewy bonds of pleasantness that he felt. Conflicting and irksome, yet decorous and utterly genial. A physical percussion that was urgent and pleading, in all ways that seemed to be relished and appreciated.

"This one kind of hit home didn't it?" Came a voice behind Emanuel and he spun around on his heels, facing Dr. Natalie Claymore.

A beautiful woman, with a cleft chin and a full head of Blonde hair that fell on her shoulders in lustrous, blonde locks. Her blue orbs sparkled as she gazed at Emanuel, a worried look in her eyes that betrayed her concern for his own mentality.

"Huh?"

Emanuel appeared to have not heard her for a second, but he quickly gathered his wits, forcing a tight smile. Dr. Claymore's lips twisted up, worried for Emanuel. For she had witnessed the debacle that had left Emanuel anxious and fidgety, when faced with anything that reminded him of that night, two years ago.

"This one is a fighter,"

"He's a fighter alright, he even ignored me when I asked what happened." Emanuel grimaced, but his expression quickly convoluted to one of uninvolved desperation.

"I've seen it all, and despite the muscles and the savage appeal to his scars, he pulled through because of you," Dr. Claymore grinned, but Emanuel remained stoic and expressionless.

"I was lucky," Emanuel frowned, his forehead wrinkling in effect.

"What's going on?" She asked, "You don't look so good, and that's saying something."

"Do you want the truth, or the alternative?" He queried as he scowled at his transparent reflection, casted by the glass separating him from Vince.

"I hope this isn't about what happened last year,"

"Maybe," he frowned, shooting her a dismissive glance but she perpetuated relentlessly.

"Why do I believe this affected you more than it's supposed to?" She queried and Emanuel turned to her, crossing his arms over his chest, crushing his Scrubs under the weight of his biceps. "Look, it's been two years, Dr. Rosario, and no one is blaming you for what happened, and I'm pretty damn sure that you've had cases worst than that and managed to save countless lives."

"You're right, but I can't help but feel that this was kind of some personal reminder of my failure, I was unfocused and it almost cost him his life." Emanuel remarked in a heavy, hoarse tone and Dr. Claymore sighed heavily as she peered at him solemnly.

"For such a brilliant Doctor, I'm surprised at your insufferable paranoia and your tendency to devalorize your abilities."

"That paranoia has saved lives!" Emanuel retorted, but sighed heavily as he tried calming himself.

"Sorry, I'm not feeling so hot today."

"It's fine, I've had many days like this when I wanted to chew everyone's heads off." Dr. Claymore waved him off dismissively and he thanked the Gods for her will, to let live.

There was no need to be agitated by Dr. Claymore, despite her brutal honesty that kept him in line. Their conversation was somewhat more subtle than usual days, and he grew more upset with himself for snapping at her.

"It's just another day at work, you saved his life, give yourself some more credit, Manny," she said with unadorned sincerity.

"I saved his life and there's no need to feel inclined to my own denigration,"

"Exactly, so stop being such a daisy-downer, it's almost time for you to go Home and spend time with your Son. Make that your happy place for now, because you know that this job requires you staying alert and focused." Dr. Claymore suggested firmly and Emanuel forced a smile in her direction, turning back around to gaze at Vince Kelsey.

Perhaps it was Emanuel's own insecurity that had led to his tumultuous, emotional apprehension, for he felt bothered. Just years before, a patient with almost the same issue as Vince Kelsey had come into the Emergency Room, but Emanuel wasn't able to save him. It had brought down a new feeling of dread that he intended to wash away, but it was buried too deeply into his noetic conceptions to just ignore.

"Update?" He queried and Dr. Claymore paused for a moment before answering.

"It was a challenge suturing the artery itself, but the diagnosis of the Ulnar Artery being ruptured was on point so that saved us a lot of time."

"Any chance of him severing it again?"

"Well, you know those clinical artery extensions?"

"What about them?" Emanuel queried with furrowed brows, but immediately understood why it was even brought up.

"Their silicon based structure is consistent with Arterial matter, so we had to use one in order for us to retain the nerve endings in his arm."

"Suturing it without the extension would have long term effects, and would limit the extent of which he can use his arms," Emanuel surmised and Dr. Claymore nodded,

"But with it, he'll have a complete recovery."

Emanuel had no qualms as to how Vince Kelsey would react to that news, but he was certain the man would appreciate that initiative. Seeing that he was already mortified of not being able to use his arms properly, for whatever reason that Emanuel failed to decipher.

"I'm just glad the surgery was a success,"

"Thanks to your quick thinking, we were able to get right to work. It was a little challenging but he came through like a champ," Natalie beamed and Emanuel smiled at her as they both gazed at Vince, hooked up to an IV.

"He seems like a stand up guy, but he didn't provide any family contact numbers or names. It's kinda sad really,"

"True, but you know how families are these days. Maybe he just wanted to keep this to himself for a while," Dr. Claymore acknowledged and Emanuel gave her a passing glance, agreeing but disagreeing.

Many a Patient had passed through Sanbridge General, and at least a third of the amount made decisions, to not include Family Members. At some point, it was necessary to do so but even then, the Patient's wishes were to be respected.

"Or maybe he doesn't have much family," Emanuel asserted with a grimace and Dr. Claymore shifted her gaze to him, pursing her lips in silent agreement.

"Well, we saved his life."

"How long until he can use his arm again?" Emanuel asked out of concern and Dr. Claymore's eyebrows narrowed marginally.

"Give It a couple months, and he'll be able to use a bow and arrow and not miss. There wasn't any damage to his cerebral cortex or his arm functions, I'd say he'll be ready to shoot straight after a couple months." She answered and Emanuel nodded, his gaze still focused on Vince's still body, hooked up to the IV and heart monitor.

Seconds passed as Emanuel stood there, silent as he watched Vince with curious, watchful eyes. There was something about the man that had him cornered by his own illusions. Thinking of a way to uncover the mystery that was Vince Kelsey, who appeared to be strong and quite futile in his attempts to walk amongst the living, still.

"Well, I promised he'll be in good hands and what better hands are there than yours?" Emanuel smiled at Dr. Claymore, who blushed wildly from his nonchalant compliment.

"True, and I must say you were just as much responsible for this man living, but I kinda gotta run. This surgery took a lot out of me, and my Husband is already antsy about my shift as it is." Dr. Claymore frowned and Emanuel smiled at her.

The truth in her words bothered Emanuel, and though his mind was far from thinking about pursuing a love life. He felt it best to keep it in his Job, so both could relate to their devotion, seeing as they were in the same line of work.

"Go, you've done a great job and you need rest."

"How's Elias?" Dr. Claymore asked and Emanuel shrugged.

"He's as good as a boy can be, knowing his Father is not home at night to tuck him in." Emanuel scowled at his reflection in the glass barrier.

"Well, I'm sure he knows that his Father is a modern day Superhero." Dr. Claymore chuckled and Emanuel couldn't help the smile that curled his lips upward.

"Well this Superhero needs to rest, I'm so damn tired." Emanuel remarked as he checked his watch, reminding him that he had only 34 minutes left on his shift.

Though he knew Sleep would overcome him the moment he stepped inside his house. He was a bit bothered by having to be awake three hours later, to send Elias off to School. A regular routine that he had grown so accustomed to, that he didn't need an alarm clock to wake him up at 8pm in the mornings.

"See you later, Dr. Rosario," Dr. Claymore announced as she patted his shoulder and spun on her heels to leave.

Emanuel just stood there gazing at Vince, a bit worried about his recovery. Although he was already on the road to it, Emanuel felt that there would be complications in the near future but it wasn't his responsibility to worry about that. He had done his job, but he couldn't help the emotions that amounted inside him. For there was much at stake for the Patient, and as a Doctor he knew all too well what it meant to fail. For he had bore witness to such outcomes and, it had left him slightly bothered by his own rumination.

Without any notice at all, Emanuel slid the glass doors apart and ambled into the room. Watching Vince's unresponsive body on the Bed. A large, cushioned Armchair sat in the corner and Emanuel walked towards it, never taking his eyes off Vince, not even for a second.

He sat in the chair, mentally pondering when he had chosen to stay instead of preparing to leave. Yet he was too fatigued to think of doing anything else, and Elias would be in good hands if he were to ever be late.

Jasmine sure would have given him hell, but after years of learning to deal with her childish tantrums and preposterous accusations. He learned to live with it as well as knowing well how to withstand it, even if it annoyed him to the very last thread of his existence.

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