"Papa, don't go, please!" A young boy sobbed.

The man in front of him continued walking away, smiling, in the dark lying beyond.

"Papa— PAPA!!" The boy shouted before seeing his father vanishing into thin air and now all left was darkness.

And now the darkness engulfing from every side, the boy stood there with tears streaming down, seeing his father walk away from him, forever!

"PAPA!!"

Virat woke up startled, sweating profusely, shaking and his heart pounding with all that adrenaline rush. He looked around the room in horror and took a moment before the realisation that it was a nightmare, came crashing to his mind.

He wanted to reach out to the jug of water but due to the inexplicable and overwhelming grief he was feeling, it felt he couldn't move at all. With all the courage inside him, he got his hands grab the glass of water kept beside him.

"Papa!" Virat's voice choked as he muttered.

Why did you leave me, Papa?, Virat thought miserably. Who can ever fill your absence?!

He closed his eyes feeling numb and restless at same time. I'll always be there for you, bacha, just close your eyes whenever you want to talk to me!
Virat could hear his father speaking to him these exact words, which were probably his last ones to him.

I miss you, Papa! Virat opened his eyes feeling extremely downhearted. His father, who meant the world to him... How could one ever cope up with such a loss in life?!

Virat suddenly started to feel suffocated in the room. He didn't want to stay there. He got up, trying hard to control his tears and walked out of the room and didn't need to think much about where he wanted to go.

"Bhai?" Virat spoke slowly as he entered the room.

There was only one person he could think of going to whenever he felt restless. Being around Mahi Bhai was always kind of being assured and relaxed.

"Cheeku?" Mahi asked, surprised to see such tearful look on Virat's face.

He knew something was wrong. He walked up to Virat but before he could speak anything, Virat had already thrown himself at him.

"Bhai," Virat hugged Mahi as he sobbed out.

"Cheeku, kya hua, bacha?" Mahi hugged him back and asked while caressing his back. "Bol, Cheeku, kya hua?"

"What's wrong, kiddo?" Mahi asked again worriedly as Virat gave no reply but kept sobbing harder.

"Bacha, stop crying, tell me what happened?" Mahi kept asking while rubbing his back in concern untill he heard a whisper "Papa" from Virat.

Mahi quite understood what happened and why was Virat in such state at middle of the night. He rubbed his back continuously to calm him down before speaking. 

"Cheeku, calm down." Mahi said cupping his cheeks, tears streaming down his face. "Come here."

Mahi made Virat lie down on bed keeping his head in his own lap. He kept stroking Virat's hair untill Virat calmed down and his sobs subsided.

"Cheeku," Mahi Bhai said gently. "You had nightmare, kiddo?"

"I—I saw Papa.. going away. He.. left!" Virat spoke in a shaky voice, inching closer to Mahi Bhai. "He left me!"

"Hey, he never left you, kiddo." Mahi Bhai said lovingly making Virat look towards him and caressing his face.

"He can never leave you, bacha. He's always right here, in your heart." Mahi Bhai said pointing at his heart.

"Who do you think is the proudest when you hit a century or achieve any milestone? Whose blessings do you think is it that today, you're the best batsman in the world? Who do you think is always protecting you from all the darkness of world? Who do you think provides you strength to keep going and win? Who do you think always stays with you, all the time, in your prayers, memories and heart?"

"Of course, him, kiddo! It's him who always guide you towards your success and dreams. He's always there with you, bacha!" Mahi Bhai said cupping his cheeks from one hand and holding his hands from another.

"Really, Bhai, he's always there with me?" Virat asked with childish innocence and desperate eyes.

"Haan, bacha, always! He's always there looking out for you!" Mahi Bhai said so warmly and gently and lovingly that Virat snuggled more into him, feeling a bit better.

Mahi let him take his time to sink in and kept stroking his hair.

"I miss him." Virat whispered after a few minutes, as his eyes again became misty.

"We all miss the people whom we loved, kiddo. Uncle's there with you in your every step, Cheeku, you should make sure you smile and make him smile whenever you recall him." Mahi Bhai said wiping the tears at the corner of his eyes. "He won't be happy if you cry at his memory, right kiddo?"

Virat nodded.

Virat lied down with his head on Mahi Bhai's lap again keeping his hands on his head indicating him to massage. Mahi smiled and started pressing his head lightly with utmost care.

Virat felt relieved. He trusted what Mahi Bhai said. Papa is always there with me, Virat repeated to himself.

After all, Mahi Bhai is always right, isn't he?

And Virat trusted his Mahi Bhai, always! And so did he this time too!

After sometime, Virat's eyes fell on the clock on wall and he was shocked to see the time.

"It's three in the morning?!"Virat said turning towards Mahi Bhai. "I'm sorry, Bhai, I disturbed you so late." He said guiltily.

"Cheeku, tu itna bada nahi hua ki mujhe disturb karega, okay?" Mahi Bhai said and Virat smiled at that. "Now sleep, it's already too late and we have practice early morning."

"I'm not getting sleep, Bhai." Virat complained as he closed his eyes.

"Don't worry, I know how to get you sleep." Mahi Bhai chuckled.

"Bhai?" Virat said with his eyes closed.

"Hmm?"

"You will always be there for me, won't you?" Virat asked holding Mahi Bhai's hands.

"Of course, Cheeku. Why are you asking this, kiddo?" Mahi Bhai said looking at him.

"Nothing, Bhai, aise hi." Virat smiled. "To whom will I go at three in the morning if you aren't there?" Virat said closing his eyes again.

"I'll always be there for you, Cheeku." Mahi Bhai said ruffling his hair.

As Mahi Bhai said this, Virat could visualise his father that moment, smiling and nodding at him.

He opened his eyes and saw Mahi Bhai smiling at him the same way his father was.

"I love you, Bhai!" Virat said as he suddenly hugged Mahi Bhai as if his life depended on him.

"I love you too, kiddo!" Mahi Bhai said amused at the sudden act.

"I know you're always there for me!" Virat whispered audibly as he broke the hug.

Mahi Bhai smiled at him knowingly.

And Virat slept peacefully knowing that there are more than one person who are always there for him.

Virat - Mahi Bhai's shoulder is the most comfortable place to sleep, isn't it?!

Virat - No one will come near Mahi Bhai when he's with me!

Virat - I'll always come to you whenever I need a home!

Mahi - And I promise I'll always be there for you, Cheeku!
______________________________________

A/n

Dunno what I've written but I wanted to write something on Virat and his father and ended up writing this.

This one's for you, Mish! MishikaAgarwal7

Do tell me you guys liked it or not!

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