MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

The doctor took a deep breath, his clipboard resting against his chest. It was harder to read his face, which made the room even more tense.

As Joey held on to the edge of the chair, his hands moved around and his fingers turned white.

"I'm going to be honest with you," the doctor began, his voice steady but solemn.

"The surgery didn't yield the results we hoped for. We weren't able to repair the damage to his knees enough to guarantee he'd walk again."

It felt like the air in the room changed, and a huge weight fell on everyone. When Joey's face fell, Ashley reached out and grabbed his hand.

She bit her lip and wrinkled her face. Damon didn't say anything because his stomach was in knots.

"But…" the doctor continued, his expression softening as a faint smile formed, "that's not the whole story."

Everyone's eyes snapped back to him, the faintest glimmer of hope creeping into Joey's expression.

"In a turn of events that I can only describe as a medical anomaly, almost a miracle, really, his legs are healing on their own. When we began the procedure, we noticed significant signs of recovery. Truthfully, we didn't even need to intervene as much as expected. We focused instead on stabilizing the healing process to make sure it continued successfully."

Joey blinked, stunned. "Wait… what? Healing on their own?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes. And while this is extraordinary, I need to temper expectations. As miraculous as it seems, knees as damaged as his don't typically heal completely. I understand Mr. Morales is an athlete?"

Joey nodded, his voice shaky. "Yeah… he used to fight."

The doctor's smile faded slightly. "Unfortunately, if he wants to ensure a future where he can walk and live without pain, he'll have to stop. Any attempts to return to high-impact physical activity, fighting, running, or even intense workouts, could undo the progress we've seen. But if he follows a strict recovery plan and stays off his feet during this time, he'll be able to walk again. It'll just take some time."

Joey let out a deep breath, a mix of relief and heartbreak crossing his face. "So… he's going to walk?"

The doctor smiled again. "Yes. But for now, I suggest he stays in the hospital. We'll monitor him closely to ensure the healing continues as expected."

The room stayed quiet for a beat as everyone processed the news. Damon leaned back slightly, exhaling deeply.

Joey's lips twitched into a small smile, his eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, doctor. Thank you so much."

The doctor gave a nod. "He's got a long road ahead, but with the right care and determination, he'll get there. I'll leave you all to visit him. Just take it easy, he'll need support, now more than ever."

The doctor turned to the nurse behind him and gestured for her to take the group to the patient's room.

She gave a polite nod and began leading them down the quiet hospital corridor.

Joey, Ashley, Svetlana, and Damon followed, though Damon lingered a bit at the back of the group.

His footsteps were heavy, and he felt the weight of the last few hours lifting, even if just slightly.

He exhaled slowly, his breath shaky as it left him, a sigh of relief he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

His mind raced as he thought about what could've happened if things had gone wrong.

If the surgery had failed entirely, or worse, if his interference with the elixir had made things worse, Damon knew he would've been crushed under the guilt. Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire

There would've been no telling them what he'd done.

It wasn't just about keeping his secret; it was about knowing deep down that he'd be the one to blame.

Even if the surgery had failed without the elixir, Damon knew he'd have tortured himself with "what if" questions for the rest of his life.

But now, a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

It worked.

The elixir worked.

Against all odds, Jake's legs were healing, and the doctors and nurses hadn't noticed anything strange.

Whatever magic the elixir contained had blended seamlessly into the natural process.

Damon shook his head slightly, pushing away the thoughts of what could've been and let himself feel some relief.

As they entered,

The nurse turned to them with a professional yet warm expression. "He's still resting. If he wakes up, he might be a bit groggy, and he could say some strange things as the anesthesia is still in effect."

Joey nodded, his concern etched on his face. "Got it. Thanks."

The nurse gave a reassuring smile before stepping out, leaving them to settle into the room.

The atmosphere was quiet as they entered Jake's room.

The steady beeping of the monitor filled the room, and Jake lay motionless, his face pale but peaceful. His legs were wrapped in protective casts, elevated slightly.

Joey stepped closer, his hand brushing against the railing of the bed.

He stared at his brother, his lips pressed into a thin line. Ashley stayed near the back, holding Theo, while Svetlana sat quietly in one of the chairs.

Damon lingered by the doorway, his arms crossed.

Jake remained still, his chest rising and falling with each slow breath.

He hadn't woken yet, but his peaceful expression seemed to ease some of the tension in the room.

As the minutes stretched on, the group began talking quietly among themselves.

Joey was seated beside Jake's bed, tapping his fingers on the railing, while Ashley sat near the window, bouncing Theo gently.

Damon leaned against the wall, arms crossed, occasionally glancing at Svetlana, who was flipping through her phone to pass the time.

"You think he'll be pissed he can't fight anymore?" Joey muttered, breaking the silence.

Damon shrugged. "Hard to say. Losing something you love isn't easy, but... walking again is a pretty good trade-off."

Joey sighed, nodding. "Yeah, I just hope he doesn't shut me out, you know? He can be... stubborn."

Damon gave him a small smirk. "Runs in the family, huh?"

Joey chuckled, the tension easing slightly. "Guess so."

The conversation shifted to lighter topics, with Ashley sharing updates about Theo's antics at home and Svetlana mentioning a recent text from her mom asking when they'd visit.

The low hum of their chatter filled the room, providing a sense of normalcy in an otherwise tense situation.