Heal Me

I. His Patient

The life of a soldier, to Sgt. Pavel, is rewarding. Protecting his country and pushing his limits to save civilians and his comrades inspired him to apply for the most elite military team---the Recon Force.

Being a military man is enough of a badge to prove ones bravery. However, it isn't enough for him. He just had to be part of the elite team.

The Recon Force of the Marines undergo strict and rigorous training, harder and more torturous than all the military teams in the country. Passing the training took months of physical, psychological and mental struggle. Graduating and becoming a part of the team made his parents proud, more so his country. After all, there's only seventy six members out of tens of thousands of military men and police.

What's so special about the Recon Force? They specialize in covert operations and reconnaissance. They set the course and plot the easiest means to send troops to the frontlines. Simply put, they are the first team to risk their lives in every mission.

The work of a Recon Force is thrilling and equally dangerous. Pavel loves the adreline and the thrill of doing covert missions.

Every member of the elite force are trained heavily in close combat and long distance shooting. Members were trained to do stealth missions under water, on land and every terrain possible.

Never was Pavel trained in social relationships though whick kept from being assigned to undercover mission. He had kept his friends to a minimum. There was simply no need. Risking ones life means the possibility of dying and leaving friends and family. Attachments can make a person hesitate and in the frontlines, slight hesitation is detrimental. He didn't want the distraction nor the need to have that many people to cry over his death.

Only keeping contact with his classmates in the force and in the team, no woman or man had occupied his mind even though there are women in the military too.

It was simply not his priority especially now that he's fuckin wounded and had nearly died because of an exercise mission in the mountains. He ended up being badly injured trying to cover for the trainees when they were ambushed by anti-government militants hiding in the area.

It was ironic for the recon team not to even know if the mountain is inhabited. And at the moment he's receiving a serious talking down from his commanding officer---in his hospital bed, no less.

Uncomfortable could not even describe the situation. It's downright embarrassing to be scolded by his superior in front of the nurses.

"Had you just listened to your captain then this shit shouldn't have happened. It's lucky that you're the only one injured. If any of the trainees had died the General himself would have come for my neck! For fuck's sake it was just a training exercise. Next time you decide to climb a mountain don't leave the city when the kids are unarmed!" his Chief Commander yelled, making the nurses flinch as they check and regulate his IV fluids. They backed away as soon as they saw fumes coming out of his commander's nose.

He closed his eyes trying to drown both the pain and the voice of his commander. He admit that it was his fault but he didn't need this dressing down when both his pain and guilt is already eating him up.

They were in the mountain to do airborne exercises and they had not carried any rifle or gun. Senior Trainers like him had brought their own glocs but that was all. It was a miracle that they were able to protect the cadets despite their lack of artillery.

"I'm sorry but the patient needs to recover. He had just gotten out of a dangerous surgery. If you need to scold him then wait till he can stand in your office and report for duty," a voice interrupted.

"Who are you?" His commanding officer asked the white clad man standing by the doorway. He couldn't make out the face since his eyes are blurry and was woken up minutes ago when the nurses alerted him of a visitor.

"I'm his surgeon. I have the authority here for as long as he stays in this hospital and in my care, you cannot, under any circumstance make my patient's condition worse," the doctor confidently argued.

He was impressed. For some doctor to talk this way to a military officer must have balls of steel. Hundreds of recruits had cowered under the gaze of the commanding officer and yet the doctor dares to speak against him.

The doctor and his commander seemed to be having a staring contest until his commander gave in. That was a first.

"Then I will leave him in your care, doctor," he heard the commander said with a seemingly happy tilt to his voice. A rare occasion or was he just dreaming?

The commander turned to him,
"You'll report for duty as soon as you heal and I expect a detailed 30 page report on this mishap. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," he curtly saluted, still with IV lines hooked to his arm.

He sighed heavily when the commander finally left the room. His parents haven't even visited him yet and his commander had already spent his energy scolding the shit out of him.

"Are you okay?" asked a calm but definitely male voice of his doctor.

He tried to focus his eyesight and when the doctor came closer to sit on the bed he nearly hitched his voice.

Never has he seen a handsome doctor in his life. Old and wrinkly doctors are the ones he normally encounter in the barracks. Someone this gentle looking could probably make his teammates halt their marching.

"You pretty much woke up just minutes after the surgery. You must have extreme immunity from anesthetics. You were even slightly awake during the surgery. We had to push through because we couldn't give you more than the recommended dosage based on your body mass. I'm sorry that you're in pain right now," said the handsome doctor. The handsome doctor softly smiled like he could feel Pavel's pain.

The soft dimples that appeared out of nowhere made him pause for awhile. Staring at the doctor's face, he looked like he descended from heaven. Had he not been lying in bed, he would have been labeled as creep for staring so long.

"I'm used to it. It's more of mental skill rather than medicine. I can drown it out if I need to. Thanks for defending me doctor...?" he trailed off, fishing for the beautiful doctor's name.

"Dome. My name is Dome. I'll attend to you till you recover though normally I'd hand you over to the junior residents. I figured I'd take the torch since nobody dared to come inside your room with the commander shouting too loudly. The nurses were really afraid you know? Is that how he normally is?" the doctor curiosuly asked. The twinkle of interest in his eyes made him look more attractive than he already is.

He chuckled. So the doctor has more than just balls of steel. He's as brave as any other soldier under the commander's control.

"He is. We're used to it. That's just how military commanders are."

"Then I'm gonna be your commander for now. At least while you're here. You'll be as strong as Capt. America when you leave the hospital," the doctor smiled with full confidence like he could heal all the people who are afflicted with disease.

Oh god. The dimples. They really are georgeous to look at. They get deeper when the doctor smiles widely.

What is he thinking? He never appreciated another person like this before. Does being sick made him all soft?

"Then I'll stay for as long as you're here to heal me, Commander," he said without much thought, heart fluttering when it shouldn't.

"Just Dome is enough, we're the same age. I'll leave you to your sleep sergeant. Rest and I'll visit again tomorrow to check your wound dressing," the doctor patted his head like a child and he thought he'd be offended but didn't mind it. In fact, he liked it.

He nodded in reply and smiled as tiredness and sleep consumed him. That night he dreamt of the doctor, his deep dimples and calm voice lulling him to sleep.

~TBC~