2007, Ind vs ban, post-match

It felt like their worst nightmares had come true, India was out of the World Cup in the group league stage and they had lost to Bangladesh to top that off. The already broken team had now shattered completely. They knew deep down that the tension in the dressing room, had translated onto the felt, the unsettled environment, the palpable discord had effected the youngsters and veterans alike. And Sourav Ganguly, felt like he had lost everything in that match. He had lost so much in last one year, he had lost captaincy, his position as a regular in team and now he lost the world cup dream too. Sourav hated to admit it to himself, but it wouldn't have mattered as much if Jammy was with him, out of all the things he had lost, losing his best friend hurt the most. And now with losing out this badly world cut in the he didn't know if he wanted to fight for anything anymore. The dressing room was suffocating him he wanted to get away from everything. This used to be his comfort zone but not anymore he guessed. And in a bid to not burst onto anyone he escaped to the balcony.

Mahi didn't know how to deal with what he was feeling. He was yet to transform into the level headed, sorted captain, at this moment he was just a young 26 year old who had just been knocked out of his first world cup. After debuting in 2004 Mahi had found a team that was almost like family to each other. And then suddenly everything changed, the team he had known broke. At times now he couldn't even properly recognise his Rahul bhai or even Dada and now this loss. And like any other kid when all this got too overwhelming he wanted a dependable shoulder to lean on. He looked around Sachin paaji was trying to calm Anil bhai, sore was wrapped around Rahul bhai, me couldn't see Dada anywhere. He got up and went to look for him at last finding him in the balcony.

"Dada..." Mahi tentatively started.

"Mahi pls go away" Dada said not wanting to talk to Mahi in this mood.

"Dada suno na" Mahi tried again not wanting to be alone.

"Mahi ja yaaha se bola na" Dada said a little harshly "ek bar bolne se samogh Nahi ata kya tujhe?"

"So...sorry" Mahi said moving away from there.

The whole India couldn't take the loss very well and they reacted in a way that was really unacceptable and uncalled for. The houses of cricketers were being stoned and attacked. Families were going into hiding on the nation forgot that cricket was a game and the team lost after trying all they could.

 Dada received a call from his friend informing him of a mob gathering, outside his Kolkata home with stones and acid bombs. His mind completely fused, only thing he could think of was his little girl, his baby, and Dona. What if.... What if he lost them too? No...no...no he can't think of that, they will be safe, they have to be safe.

He was dealing with what potentially would be a complete meltdown when heard tentative voice again

"Dada..." Mahi almost whispered

In his own emotional turmoil Dada missed the tremble in Mahi’s voice.

"Mahi I told you to go away" Dada said "why can't you leave me alone for just sometime"

"Dada, I know how you feel" Mali said.

"No you don't" Dada said harshly “You didn't play 2003, you aren't the captain who was kicked out of his team...you aren't someone whose... You know nothing" Dada refrained from telling about the job attacks.

"Dada.. Wo.. Mere... Mere... " Mahi tried to find words.

"You what?" Dada snapped at last “Can you see beyond yourself at all? Ground pe toh thik se khel nahi paya, kam se kam abhi do minute ki shanti to dede ya wo bhi I can't have? Learn to see beyond yourself sometime at least. Ek kam hota nahi thik se aur nahi ek baat sunni hai. Just get out from here before I slap you" 

"So....sorry" Mahi muttered before running out of the balcony, as fast as his shaking legs could carry him.

"Mahi... " Sourav called out before collapsing onto the floor covering his face with his hands, he spoke so harshly to his kiddo but he didn't have the capacity to console anyone right now.

Suddenly his phone rang, the caller id showed his elder brother calling. He hastily picked it up.

"Hello, hello dadabhai" Sourav said "Is everything alright there? I heard...the mob...outside house... My Sana, Dona..."

"Maharaj everything is fine" Snehasis, his brother, said "40 people stay in this house bubba, nothing will happen to anyone. Moreover baba called police station, they have arrived"

"OK" Sourav said.

'It's actually much better in Kolkata" Snehasis said "In Mumbai, they threw acid bombs in the house, thank god Anjali and the kids are with her parents in London. And it the worst in Ranchi... I don't know how people..."

"Ranchi ?" Sourav suddenly was alert "What happened in Ranchi ? "

"Maharaj they... It's just too bad...They burnt Dhoni's effigies in front of his house right infront of his father's eyes" he said hesitantly " then a part of his house caught fire, but... But good thing is his parents are safe, his sister took them with her, and their house has police protection now"

Sourav almost dropped the phone. All he could remember was Mahi’s stricken face as he out of the balcony. The kid had come to him for comfort and he had had broken him in the worst way possible... He had just said to Mahi that he hadn't played well....

"I...I will talk to you later" he cut the call and ran out to the dressing room.

But Mahi was nowhere to be seen there.

"Have you seen Mahi?" he said to no one in particular.

The whole dressing room looked around alerted come to think of it none of them had seen MS for quite sometime now.

“Now where did that boy go?" Sachin said concerned as everyone started to look for him.

But he was no where to be seen.

Suddenly Jammy heard a running shower in the bathroom, 

He knocked on the door, "Mahi, are you in there?" he called out "Mahi...Darwaza khol"

Dada and the others gathered there, Dada pushed Jammy to start knocking the door.

"Mahi...Mahi... Meri baat sun, darwaza khol beta" Dada said knocking the door hard " Mahiya... Mahiya, bachcha I am so sorry, main khud mein nahi tha beta... May Kar de bachcha... Plz open the door"

But there was no response just the sound of running shower. Sourav's instincts told him Mahi was in there.

"Yuvi" he called "help me break the door"

And with help of 3-4 people together they managed to break the door to find Mahi sitting under the running shower, knees drawn to his chest curled up in a ball, completely dripping wet.

VVS was the fastest to react as he promptly closed the shower.

Sourav slowly approached Mahi, "Mahiya... Bachcha meri taraf dekh" he spoke softly.

Mahi raised his head, seeing Dada he probably had flashes of Dada shouting at him back in the balcony, triggering him in his panicked mind as he kept muttering "It’s my fault...It's all my fault", flinching away from Dada

"No Mahi..." Dada said coaxing "It’s not your fault kiddo"

Sachin gently pulled Sourav away seeing that for some reason Sourav was triggering Mahi then more and Jammy & VVS somehow managed get Mahi out of the washroom with Mahi still deliriously muttering “It’s my fault, I don't deserve to be here they are suffering because of me"

They settled him against a wall in dressing room floor.

Dada sank down to his knees in front of him.

"Mahiya it's not your fault" he said in a firm voice, holding him by the shoulder "No kiddo no... Stop blaming yourself like this"

Nothing was registering in mahi's head, all he could think of was his father’s trembling voice on the phone as he asked if Mahi was ok and Dada’s loud voice on the balcony.

“Pls pls forgive me” Mahi folded his hands “I know it’s all my fault we lost...and I am so sorry for that...I will disappear I promise...pls just ask them to leave my papa and Maa...pls...they didn’t do anything...why are you hurting them?”

"Mahi come back to your sense kiddo" Dada said cupping his cheeks " we lost as a team... None of us could play... Listen to me Mahi, it's not your fault"

But Mahi kept muttering traumatized, "Leave ma baba please...don't burn my house...please....burn me...it's my fault not theirs...not theirs...burn me...burn me..."

And Dada just couldn't just take it anymore.

Drawing a sharp breath, steeling himself, he slaps Mahi hard across the face and shaked him by shoulder and shouted "Come back to senses Mahiya...it's not your fault"

Mahi stopped abruptly.

"It's not your fault...it's not your fault..." Dada said in a soft caring voice, cupping both his cheeks, tenderly rubbing his thumb on them.

Mahi stared blankly into his eyes for a minute or two before breaking down completely in to bitter sobs

Dada rested his forehead on Mahi's head... and held his face.

"I am so sorry Mahiya..." Dada said, his own voice laced with tears "I couldn't see beyond my hurt...I just couldn't...I am unworthy of bieng your brother...but this no way is your fault whatevery stupid self told you....you are a champion kiddo...an absolute champion...and this loss doesn't define you..."

"Dada they burnt my house...they burnt my house..." Mahi sobbed out "The people of my own town...the people of the place where I grew up...they burnt my house...they burnt my effigies....my baba was crying Dada...he was crying..."

"Shhh kiddo...hush..." Dada said hugging him close to his chest "it will get better...it will get better with time...the same people will worship you one day kiddo...mark my words...you will become their God, their hero, their champion...kiddo, just remember my words....

And don't please don't consider those stupid words I spoke to you in anger....they were throwing stones at my house too....I was so angry because of that...I stupidly took it out on you...it's no justfication
I am on position to justify what I did to you"

He parted a little from MS and then said looking into his eyes "But if you can please forgive your unworthy big brother"

MS wrapped his arms around Dada hiding his face in his chest, said "Dada...dada...please don't say that...I understand why you were angry....it's just I was so worked up...I couldn't take it...my mind just short circuited...I couldn't control my emotions"

"I understand Kiddo...I understand...it's ok...just let it all out..." Dada consoled rubbing his back

Mahi pressed more into Dada like his life depends on him, "Please don't push me away Dada please" he said

"No bachcha" Dada said "never ever, I can never do that"

Suddenly MS sneeezes violently.

"Get up kiddo...we gotta get you in dry clothes" Dada said in a firm voice.

"I think you should both change into dry clothes" Anil said as Dada had also gotten wet from hugging MS which he himself hadn't even noticed.

Dada helped Mahi plop down one of the benches and took the towel from Jammy who was standing ready with it.

Dada took it from his hand and dried Mahi's hair caringly and wrapped it on his shoulder saying "Go and change kiddo and then we can head back to hotel"

And soon they were changed and all were settled in the bus.

Everyone was quiet trying to find comfort in each other.

Mahi was beside Dada sitting snuggled into him.

"Remember my words kiddo...the people who have hurt you like this today...they will celebrate you tomorrow...you will be their idol, their role model" Dada said cuddling him close "Just keep lovong the game you play, and the game will give you so much that you wont be able contain"

"Do you really believe that?" MS asked looking up

"I believe every word of it" Dada said "Now...we have long ride ahead...try get some sleep kiddo pls...you need it"

"You won't go right?"Mahi asked in the most childish voice possible...

"Where will go kiddo...." Dada said lovingly "I will stay with you...always...now sleep..."

Mahi closed his eyes...Dada's warmth coccooning him like a blanket and lulling his tired mind to sleep, with Dada's confident voice ringing in his ears.

2nd April, 2011, Ind vs Sri Lanka, WC final

India needed 4 runs in 11 balls, MS Dhoni was on the crease.

As the ball released from bowler's hands, MS swung his bat almost instinctively.

The stadium erupted in cheers, as Ravi Sashtri's voice boomed from the commentary box "A magnificent strike into the crowd, India lifts the world cup after 28 years, the party has started in the dressing room and its an Indian captain who has been absolutely magnificent in the night of the finals"

The incessant cheers Dhoni Dhoni from the crowd could turn you deaf as the team started to go around the ground, but admist all these, MS's eyes were looking for only one person in the VIP box.

At last MS found him, beaming down at him from the steps of the pavilion, looking so happy as though he himseld had won the cup.

Looking proudly right at him, with knowing smile as though telling him "Didn't I tell you kiddo, You are an absolute champion"

And at that moment the 26 year old scared boy curled up under the shower from 2007 won at last...that pride in his eyes, in his Dada's beaming smile, was all he needed...all he needed to know that he has succeeded...

It had taken him four years to win, but honestly it was worth it.

And suddenly captain cool MS Dhoni couldn't wait to throw his arms around his Dada.

A/N: So atlast I wrote the OS whose idea had come to me literally one year back.

It's a birthday gift fic for PARIMALA020, whose bday was on the 20th of Nov, I am sorry I am late...but I hope you like this little Mahi Dada...hope you had great bday and you have an awesome year.