*A few days later*

The thunder refused to stop that night, and Zoya was sat on the couch of the living room, neck-deep in a book. She had been unable to sleep peacefully for a couple of nights since Aditya's sudden breakdown. There was a worry that refused to let her sleep, and so, in a bid to distract herself, she'd read by herself, while Aditya was fast asleep in her room. 

It was only a matter of a few minutes when she heard a loud scream, similar to what she heard a few nights ago. She rose on her feet and ran to Aditya's room, and found him on the floor, in a state that she had seen before. 

*In Aditya's room*

Aditya looks up towards Zoya, with bloodshot eyes and he begins crying, before laying on the floor in a fetal position. Zoya runs and catches him in her arms, gently trying to pacify him. She had never seen Aditya like this before, and her gut knew that something was wrong. She was almost certain that something may have occurred in the border, during those few weeks.

Zoya: Shh...Shh, Aditya...

Aditya cried on the sleeve of Zoya's nightdress, almost drenching it, and Zoya ever so slightly consoled him. 

Zoya: Kya hua hai, Aditya?

Aditya: Woh...woh...ro raha hai, dekho na! Tumhe uski awaaz nahi aa rahi?

Zoya: Par kon ro raha hai? 

Aditya: Woh...woh...

Zoya stayed up with Aditya, cradling his head in her arms. Soon enough, the sun rose, and it was morning. Aditya gently opened his eyes, and Zoya, who was already awake, tended to him.

Zoya: Aditya...

Aditya looked down at the floor.

Aditya: Kal Raat ko-

Zoya gently cupped his face in her hands.

Zoya: Hum doctor ke paas chalein, Aditya? 

Aditya looks up, to match her eye level, before his eyes well up in tears and he begins crying, softly. 

Aditya: Mujhe bachaao, Zoya, Mujhe bachaao

Zoya: Kuch nahi hoga aapko, hum aaj doctor ke paas chalenge, theek hai?

Aditya simply continues to cry in her arms. 

Zoya: Hum Jameel ko phone karke-

Aditya: Nahi, Nahi, mere doston ko mat bataana...woh...pata nahi kya sochenge, ki main aisa ro raha hun aur...

Zoya: Woh aisa kuch bhi nahi sochenge, Aditya...

Aditya: Nahi, Nahi, Nahi

Zoya: Accha, theek hai, nahi bulaayenge. Aap taiyaar ho jaayein, main Tara ko uske dost ke paas chhod kar aa jaaongi, theek hai? Phir hum chalenge

Aditya quietly nods, and Zoya wipes the tears off his face.

* At the doctor*

Aditya and Zoya are sat in front of a doctor, and she tightly clings on to his hand, as the doctor speaks to Aditya.

Doctor: Mr. Hooda, yeh awaazein,  kab se sunayi de rahi hai aapko?

Aditya: K-Kaafi dino se...

Doctor: Mr. Hooda, aap jab border pe thay, tab kya kuch hua tha?

Zoya gently rubs Aditya's hand. 

Aditya: Woh...

Doctor: Aapko sharmaane ki zarurat nahi hai, yeh bilqul normal hai,  Mr. Hooda.

Aditya: Mere saamne ek aadmi marr raha tha...woh...woh nahi bach saka...par woh...woh bohot ro raha tha...pata nahi, k-kyun...chilla raha tha...

After an hour-long conversation, Aditya looked a little relieved.

Doctor: Mr. Hooda, mujhe lag raha hai ki aapko Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, ya PTSD hua hai, aur yeh normal hai. Jung ke waqt, bohot logon ko hota hai yeh

Aditya gently nods. 

Doctor: Mrs. Hooda, yeh mai aapko kuch dawaai de raha hoon, aur yeh ek therapist ka number hai. Mr. Hooda, mera khyaal hai ki you should go for therapy.

Aditya: Nahi...main pagal nahi hoon doctor saahab, main kuch dino mein theek ho jaaonga

Zoya makes a gesture to the doctor, conveying to him that she will convince Aditya, and he agrees.

Doctor: Uh...Accha...theek hai

Zoya: Thank you, Doctor.

*Back at home*

Aditya lays on his bed, mindlessly staring at the ceiling when Zoya walks to him with a tray of food in his hands.

Aditya: Mujhe bhook nahi hai, Zoya

Zoya: Dopahar ke 3 bajj gaye hai, Aditya, khaaaye bina aap dawai kaise lenge?

Aditya: Mujhe dawai ki zaroorat nahi hai.

Zoya: Aap theek kaise honge phir?

Aditya lowers his head, in a manner that is shameful. Zoya rests the tray on the table and sits next to him, before placing her hands on his.

Zoya: Aditya, aapko sharam karne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai

Aditya: M-Main...Air Force ka officer hoon, main aise kamzor nahi padh sakta...main mard hoon, Zoya, main nahi rota.

Zoya: Yeh kisne kaha hai aapse? Aditya, Mard bhi toh insaan hi hote hai, nahi?

There was something so sweet and calm about the way Zoya spoke to Aditya, an immense amount of care was wrapped around every word of hers. She softly held him close.

Zoya: Rone mein koi galti nahi hai, Aditya. Aap ro lein, aapka mann halka ho jaayega, qasam se.

It was only a matter of seconds before Aditya began crying, yet again, and Zoya tended to him. Almost immediately, Zoya began crying as well.

Zoya: (crying) Aditya, aapko yaad hai, hum jab pehli baar mile thay, tab aapne hume bachaaya tha, nahi? Toh ab, humaari baari hai. Iss ka saamna hum ek saath karenge, theek hai?

Aditya simply continues to cry.

Zoya: Rone se koi na-mard nahi hota, Aditya, ismein sharam ki baat hi nahi hai.

Zoya feeds him, and almost immediately, Aditya falls asleep next to her. 

As Zoya looks at Aditya, and his distressed face, she wonders how weird fate is. How she is, in a way, rescuing the man that rescued her a few months ago. Zoya felt a number of emotions that day, as she looked at his face. The way he cried in her arms and drenched her clothes with his tears, these were things that Yash never did with her, and that night, she was beginning to look at Aditya as Aditya. She noticed his untamed brows, his unkempt beard, and his curled lashes, and she was beginning to like them. The way he would make her laugh, the way he would put his arm around her shoulders,  the way he would hold her hand. 

Zoya didn't know what this was, and where this was heading towards, but all she wanted, was to be able to get rid of Aditya's demons, and she would. She is, of course, one determined woman.

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Let me know what you think about this chapter! Lots of love x