Ayaansh closed his eyes, accepting what seemed inevitable. He opened his eyes when he felt someone hugging him, so tight that he could feel the heartbeats. It was his Bhaiya's. For a moment there, everything felt so calm and safe, like nothing could hurt him ever! He smiled momentarily. His Bhaiya's smiling face was all he wanted to see before he closed his eyes... forever!
But Arnav wasn't smiling! Arnav's face was devoid of colour. And that's when Ayaansh realised! His blood froze in his veins.
Before he could react, Aniket rushed to hold Arnav who stumbled and fell in Aniket's arms. Ayaansh could see Aniket's panicked and fear stricken face. His mind refused to process what just happened.
"Bhaiya.." Aniket pulled Arnav's head to his lap. His eyes overflowed with tears. Arnav was bleeding profusely.
Ayaansh fell down on his knees and tapped on Arnav's face. "Bhaiya..."
His heart skipped several beats at once when Arnav blinked his eyes once and then lost his consciousness. "Aankhein kholo, Bhaiya.. please, Bhaiya, please.."
"We need to take Arnav Sir to hospital." One of the security came forward. The cops had already captured Manish. Arnav was their priority now.
Aniket's tears didn't stop but he nodded his head. He couldn't fall weak when Arnav needed him.
The security team arrived and they rushed Arnav to the hospital. Aniket let the security take over the wheels. None of them were in right state of mind to drive. Everything was blurred in front of their eyes.
Rishaan immediately took over as soon as they reached hospital. He looked at Arnav's condition and tensed. He needed to be rolled in for surgery immediately. "We need to take him for the surgery. Please chodiye inhe.."
Aniket gently pulled Ayaansh back who wasn't ready to let go of Arnav and took him in his arms. He was clutching onto Arnav like his life depended on him. Ayaansh struggled. "Bhaiya.."
"Let them do their job, bachcha. Kuch nhi hoga Bhaiya ko." Aniket swallowed back his own tears.
Ayaansh broke down in Aniket's arms. "Sab meri galti hai, Bhaiyu. Kyun aa gye Bhaiya mere aage? Bhaiya ko bolo na uthne aap..."
Aniket let him cry. He knew what Ayaansh was going through. He was himself going through the same. None of them were strong enough to see Arnav in such a condition. Arnav was their lifeline!
Ayaansh pulled back when he saw a nurse approaching them. "Sir, consent forms kon sign karega?" The nurse asked them.
Aniket took the forms and picked the pen to sign it. He reached to sign them but he couldn't. His hands were shivering badly while the stream of tears drenched the forms in its hold. He looked at his hands. They were soaked in his brother's blood that had dried off. His heart bled as he traced those blood stains. He gave up and buried his face in his palms to muffle his sobs.
He was trying to get a hold on himself when he was pulled in by a pair of arms. He looked up once and hugged the person. Ritvik took the forms from his hands and rubbed his back. Rishaan had called him and informed about the scenario. He knew what Arnav meant to the brothers. He blinked back his own tears as his heart twisted at the thought of how much Arnav meant to him as well.
After a few moments, Aniket wiped his tears and composed himself. Ritvik handed him the forms back and squeezed his hands. "Sign kar de, Ani. Arnav needs you!"
Aniket blinked back his tears, steeled his heart and signed the forms.
Ritvik looked around. He could only see Ayaansh standing outside the operation theatre. He turned to Aniket and asked gently. "Ashi aur Aru?"
Aniket shook his head. He didn't know how to break the news to them. Ritvik understood his state and offered to bring them to hospital. Aniket agreed gratefully.
When Ashi and Aryan rushed inside hospital, Aniket didn't know whom to handle first. Both of them were shattered. Aryan looked completely lost. Aniket took a step towards him but he quietly made his way to the operation theatre and stood in front of the door.
Aniket wanted to go to him but Ashi's tears were heart wrenching for him. She was going through this all over again. The last she had visited hospital, she had suffered the greatest loss of her life. She wasn't strong enough to bear another loss. Aniket gently took her in his arms. Ashi held him and cried out. "Yeh sab kaise hua, Ani?"
Aniket told her everything. Ashi broke down in tears all over again. This time both in grief and fear. Aniket was trying to hold back his own tears and failing miserably.
"I'm sorry, Bhabhi..." He mumbled in a muffled voice.
Ashi composed herself and looked up at Aniket. "Pagal ho gya hai, Ani? Isme teri kya galti?"
"I shouldn't have left him alone. Mujhe..."
"Don't be stupid, Aniket." Ashi cut him off. "This is no where your fault. Arnav needs you, Ani. You can't fall weak. Kuch nhi hoga Arnav ko. He'll come back to his family." A fresh set of tears rolled down her face as she said it.
Aniket hugged her and let the tears fall. He shouldn't have left Arnav alone. He shouldn't have let him go inside unarmed in the first place. Ashi held on untill she saw Ayaansh. Shivers ran down her spine looking at his lifeless face.
"Ayu?" She gently called out.
Ayaansh didn't even hear her first time. Second time she called out, her voice was even quieter but Ayaansh looked up. Ashi extended her arms towards him. Ayaansh stared at her for a moment before he ran up to hug her and hid his face in her midriff. Ashi closed her eyes in relief. She was scared the boy would refuse to take comfort.
"I'm sorry, Bhabhi..."
Taking a deep breath, Ashi pulled back and made Ayaansh look at her. She could read the same guilt in his eyes that she saw in Aniket's eyes a few moments back. All the brothers were same. "Teri kya galti hai..."
Ayaansh's eyes filled up. She didn't know it was all because of him. She would hate him for doing that to Arnav.
"Teri galti nhi hai, bachcha.."
Ayaansh shook his head stubbornly. It was all his fault. It was him who was supposed to take the hit.
"Tere Bhaiya ne wahi kiya jo koi bhi bada bhai karta. Jo unko karna chahiye tha!"
Ayaansh looked at her dumbfounded. She knew Arnav had taken the hit for him. Instead of blaming him, she was siding with what Arnav did!
Ashi cupped his face. "Arnav loves you a lot, Ayu. Jaan basti hai unki tum bhaiyo me. Kaise woh apne bachche ko kuch hone de dete?"
She pulled him in her embrace. "Kuch nhi hoga tere Bhaiya ko. Arnav never leaves his family alone. Dekhna woh ekdam thik ho jayenge, bachcha."
Aniket blinked back his tears, looking at them. Ashi looked absolutely broken and still she was offering comfort. They could never repay her love. He stepped back quietly knowing that Ayaansh was taken care of, and walked to Aryan.
Aryan looked back startled when he felt a touch on his shoulders. He looked at Aniket and his eyes filled up. Aniket crouched down and pulled him to his chest.
"Bhaiya thik hai, bachcha."
Aryan didn't say a word but deepened the embrace. Aniket let him be and looked through the glass door with hazy eyes. The only person who could provide them real comfort was lying inside lifelessly. His eyes stung with the helpless tears. He furiously wiped them away. He couldn't fall apart. He had to hold on. He had to hold on till his Bhaiya opened his eyes for them!
The family waited for the surgery to get over with bated breath. None of them moved an inch. Ashi clutched the mangalsutra she was wearing. Arnav had made her wear that with so much of love. Her eyes filled up at the beautiful memory. She held it close to her chest and prayed with joined hands. Arnav was the only family she had. When she had almost lost everything in life, it was Arnav who gave her a beautiful family to hold on to. She couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to her husband.
Ayaansh was holding onto Aryan protectively. He was himself shattered to to give any hopes to Aryan but he could not not offer comfort to his little brother when he was looking so lost. Aryan leaned into his embrace without a word.
"Rishaan.." Aniket saw Rishaan coming out and all of them surrounded him at once.
"Bhaiya thik hai na, Rishi?"
"The surgery was successful." Rishaan said.
The family heaved a sight of relief. Ashi stumbled a little. Aniket held her while Aryan and Ayaansh hugged each other tightly.
"...but"
They perked up.
"The next twelve hours is critical for Bhai. His vitals are fluctuating badly. If he doesn't gain consciousness in next twelve hours then we can't say anything..."
Everyone gasped.
"We need more blood. The hospital is out of the blodd group Bhai has." Rishaan turned to Aniket. "Arrange it, Ani..."
Aniket composed himself and shook his head. "Uski zarurat nhi hai, Rishi. I've the same blood group. Mera blood le lo."
Rishaan nodded and took Aniket with him.
That night seemed longer than eternity. The melancholy had settled down like a sudden change in the weather. The kind of ache that was intangible.
It was midnight already and Arnav hadn't gained consciousness. The brothers were broken. Aryan was sitting with Arnav, holding his hands, refusing to let go. Aniket had tried coaxing both Aryan and Ayaansh to eat something but none of them listened. Aniket had to give up. He knew they had no appetite for anything.
Aryan started at Arnav's sleeping figure with tearful eyes. "Uth jao, Bhaiya. Bohot ho gya ab..."
"Aap jaante ho na mujhe aapke bina bilkul achcha nhi lagta? Jab bhi mai rota hoon toh aap ke paas aata hoon. Aap humesha kas ke laga leta ho aur sab kuch thik ho jata hai. Aap aaj kyun nhi gale laga rhe mujhe? Utho na, Bhaiya, varna aapka bachcha naraaz ho jayega aapse dekhna phir..."
His voice choked. All the wires and machines attached to Arnav's body was breaking his heart.
"Bhaiyaaaa!!!!"
A little Aryan called out as soon as he entered home. He had just come back from school. It was his first week and just like everyday he wanted his Bhaiya to hug him as soon as he came back.
"Aaya, bachcha, ek second ruk.." Arnav's voice came.
Aryan kept his school bag down and went to kitchen to find Arnav. He saw his brother washing his hands and extended his arms towards him, indicating that he wanted to be picked up. Arnav smiled and picked him up in his arms.
Aryan wrapped his little hands around Arnav's neck and kissed him on his cheeks. He looked at the lunch Arnav had prepared and his eyes sparkled in happiness. "Pasta banaye aapne mere liye?"
Arnav nodded smilingly and pinched his nose. "Khana tha na aapko?"
Aryan nodded in delight. One of his friends had brought pasta in lunch and Aryan was fascinated with the dish. They had simple meals at home but Aryan badly wanted to eat pasta. When Arnav saw him ogling at the dish at a restaurant, he had come back and learnt to prepare it for his brother. He knew the basic meals but was still learning to cook the fancy dishes.
"Change kar le, I'll get your lunch." Arnav said and Aryan ran back to his room.
After a few minutes, Arnav heard Aryan crying and rushed to his room to check on him. His heart sank when he saw Aryan crying sitting on the floor.
"Kya hua, bachcha?" Arnav rushed to him and Aryan shifted to his lap, showing him the bruise on his knee. "Dukh rha hai, Bhaiya!"
Arnav tensed looking at the wound. "Abhi thik ho jayega, Aru, bas..." He looked for the first aid frantically and found it in a drawer. He pulled out the medicine and started applying it.
Aryan cried when the ointment touched the bruise. "Jal rha hai.."
Arnav's eyes filled up seeing him cry. He pulled Aryan to his chest to block his view of the wound. "Sorry, bachcha, bas ek baar jalega..."
Aryan shook his head. It was hurting.
Arnav steeled his heart and applied the ointment while blowing air on his wound. Aryan was clutching the fabric of his shirt tightly. Once Arnav was done, he wrapped his arms around his child and kissed his head muttering sweet nothings.
"Itna kaise lag gya, beta?" Arnav asked when Aryan calmed down.
Aryan looked at him innocently with teary eyes and pointed towards one of the corner of beds that was a little worn off. The edges had come off and Aryan must have brushed his knees against it.
"Sorry, beta, I'll get it repaired." Arnav said guiltily. Their home had more corners like those. He should have taken care of it. "Aur kahin toh nhi lagi na?"
Aryan shook his head.
Pressing another kiss on Aryan's forehead, Arnav picked him up along him and made some calls. The next day when Aryan came back, the whole house's furniture was replaced by new ones. Aryan was bubbling with enthusiasm seeing the new look of their home. Back then, Aryan hadn't understood the meaning behind it but now he did!
Aryan's tears flowed endlessly at the memory. The person who couldn't bear a scratch on him was lying with so many wires and machines attached to his body. Arnav was not just his brother, he was his everything. He called Arnav Bhaiya because he had grown up listening to Aniket calling Arnav that. But for him, Arnav was his father. The only parent he had had! The thought of losing him was worse than death itself for Aryan.
Ayaansh saw Aryan crying holding Arnav's hands through the glass and teared up. He wanted to go inside but he knew Aryan needed that time with Arnav. He had known Arnav for a few months, Aryan had been raised by Arnav. Nothing could comfort Aryan at the moment except for Arnav himself.
Wiping away his tears, Ayaansh made his way out of the hospital He sat down on a bench nearby and cried. The night embodied so much silence and fear that he could feel the abandoned memories crawling out of their graves. Once again, he was left alone to deal with them alone. And his Bhaiya was no where to engulf him in his arms!
But you're my world, Bhaiya!
Ayaansh wished he had voiced out those words and let his Bhaiya know what he meant to him. Arnav had risked his own life to save his without any remorse. His Bhaiya loved him so much! He always knew he loved Arnav but he was realising... probably even love has to go through the hour of grief and pain to know it's true depth. Arnav was not just his lifeline, but his whole life!
Aniket entered Arnav's ward with a plate of food. Aryan was still crying when he felt the pair of arms around him. He turned around and buried his face in Aniket's chest.
"Bhaiya ko aankhein kholne bolo na, Bhaiyu. Woh aapki saari baatein maante hai na..."
"Shh, bas kar, bachcha." Aniket swallowed back his own tears and rubbed his back. "Rishi ne kaha hai Bhaiya ke vitals stable ho gye hai. Unko jald hosh aa jayega. Tujhe aise rota dekhenge toh woh pareshan ho jayenge na, bachcha? Tu nhi chahta na aisa?"
Aryan shook his head.
"Toh apne aansu poch aur yeh khana kha..."
"Bhookh nhi hai, Bhaiyu!"
"Thoda kha le, bachcha..." Aniket brought a morsel to his mouth.
"Please, Bhaiyu, bilkul mann nhi hai mera." Aryan stopped his hands.
Aniket wanted to force him to eat but he understood Aryan's condition more than anyone else. He kept the plate aside and pulled Aryan back in his embrace. "Bhaiya bilkul theek hai, bachcha. He loves us too much to leave us hurting like this."
"Bhaiya uth kyun nhi rhe, Bhaiyu? Aap kaho na unse..."
Aniket's tears rolled down his cheeks. It was awfully hurting. Never in his life had he experienced this kind of helplessness. All Aniket could see was Arnav's tear filled eyes. The memories were coming back with a vengeance.
Jis din tu yahan khada hoke mujhe apni jagah dekhega, uss din samajh aayega tujhe!
Cursing his own fate, Aniket shed silent tears and wished he could somehow undo his mistakes.
"Ask him to wake up, Bhaiyu. Mujhse nhi dekha ja rha unko aise." Aryan sobbed. "Ask him to come back to me! To us!"
I'll come back to you, bachcha!
Aniket closed his eyes against the fresh set of tears that rushed to his eyes. "You promised me, Bhaiya! You promised you will come back to me! Please..."
His voice closed up.
When Ayaansh came back, he saw Aniket and Aryan like that and his heart broke a little more. Everyone was hurting and the only person they needed was not answering them. He entered the room and gently pulled Aryan away from Aniket's embrace.
"Kyun ro raha hai tu?" Ayaansh wiped away his tears. "Kuch nhi hoga Bhaiya ko. Tu jaanta hai na Bhaiya humse kitna pyaar karte hai? Aur tujhme toh jaan basti hai unki!"
Aryan hugged him tightly. His Bhai hadn't been talking at all. He was relieved he had come to him.
Aniket made the two of them sit and picked up the plate of food. He needed to make sure they ate. They were not ready to deal with another sick person.
"Tum dono Jaan ho unki. So please Bhaiya ke liye strong raho aur thoda kha lo?" He brought a morsel near Aryan's lips.
Aryan didn't open his mouth. He was not feeling like eating at all.
"Kha le, bachcha. Humare liye nhi toh Bhaiya ke liye kha le?"
After that, both of them started eating. Ayaansh ate because he knew Aryan wouldn't eat if he refused.
"Aapne khaya, Bhaiyu?" Ayaansh asked.
"Kha liya. Tum dono ruko Bhaiya ke paas, mai Bhabhi ko dekh ke aata hoon." Aniket said after they were done.
Ayaansh held his hands. "Kuch kha lo Bhaiyu, please. Aapki tabiyat bigad gyi toh hume kon sambhalega?"
Aniket caressed his face. The boy was dealing with it a lot more maturely than he had expected. "Kha loonga, bachcha. Tu Aru ke saath reh, hm?"
Aniket looked back at Arnav once before leaving the room. Their family was nothing without Arnav. He was their foundation. If anything happened to him, none of them could survive. Arnav had always saved them from every darkness. Aniket was sure he wouldn't leave them this time either. Arnav had promised him he would come back to him. His Bhaiya never broke his promise! He will come back to them! He will have to!
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A/n
How was the chapter?
Favourite part?
Okay, I had received way too many threats for this chapter. I hope you guys liked it! (Not me asking the stupid question!)
Next chapter is the last chapter of this book. And I wanted your suggestions for the name of second book. Help me with it please and drop down your suggestions!
Love,
Muskan