Author's Note : I am truly overwhelmed by the love you guys are giving to my writing! 😍 I couldn't be more grateful to have such an amazing set of readers!😀😁🙏🙏 All of your comments and suggestions never fail to bring a smile on my face 😊😘🤗 By the way, we are at #10 now! Whoah!😍😁
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Anushka was with her team of accountants, sorting out all the financial matters in her office, which was in the outskirts of the city. She had always managed her professional as well as personal matters on her own.

As they were going through the paperwork, Anushka's PA came to her and said,

"Ma'am, it's an urgent phone for you."

"Can't it wait? I'm in the middle of something", said Anushka.

"It's from Prabhas Sir's house."

Anushka quickly rose from her chair to get the phone, wondering who was calling her. Prabhas would have gone to the shoot as usual and Amma was not there as she was with Pragathi at the time.

"Hello?", said Sweety to the phone cautiously.

"Sweety, it's Chinnamma", came the familiar voice of the family caretaker.

"What happened Chinnamma? Is everything alright?"

"Could you please come home soon?", asked Chinnamma, worried.

"What is it?", asked her alarmingly.

"Actually, Prabhas is not well."

"WHAT! Pabsu is at home? He was leaving for shooting when I called him in the morning!What happened to him?", asked Sweety, her voice rising with panic.

"Don't worry dear, it's just his fever. He returned home from half way to the set as he was not at all feeling well. The temperature has risen.", Chinnamma tried to soothe Anushka.

Anushka had already asked her driver to get the car and instructed the accountants to complete their work as she almost ran towards the car hastily.

"What did the doctor say?", asked her.

"That's why I called you Sweety. He doesn't want to see a doctor. When we suggested to call one, he chided us by saying that it was not a big deal and he would be ok if he took rest for a day", said Chinnamma.

"Oh God! What'll I do with him! I'll be there in half an hour Chinnamma", said Sweety and cut the call.

"Why do he always have to be so stubborn!", thought Anushka exasperated and dialled the doctor's number.

As the car sped through the city, Anushka felt a déjà vu.

*Flashback*

It was during the Bahubali first part shooting. Prabhas and Anushka were not yet in a relationship but they had grown much closer.

Anushka had a break from the shoot for around a week and she was planning to attend her childhood friend's wedding in Bangalore. Prabhas, Rana, Satyaraj, and a few others were busy shooting.

Anushka was at the airport, waiting after the check in. It has been only few hours since she was away from Prabhas and she had already started missing him. The day seemed dull to her without having him by her side. He was slowly becoming her habit.

Anushka decided to call him before she boarded the flight and she dialled his number. She tried his phone a couple of times but he didn't take it. Thinking that he might be busy, she let it go.

The plane was ready to board and Anushka started walking towards the gate, when her phone rang. It was Prabhas. She took the call and said,

"It's nothing urgent Pabsu, I just called simply."

"Uh... Ma'am...", came the voice of his PA from the other end.

Anushka stopped short as she felt something amiss in the voice and asked,

"What happened? Is everything alright? Where's Prabhas?"

"Ma'am, Prabhas Sir is being taken to the City Hospital now"

Anushka had stopped midway. She took a few seconds to comprehend the words she heard. Her palms sweat.

"What happened?", she asked, her voice barely audible.

"He has badly injured his shoulder."

Anushka knew this would happen one day. She didn't wait for a second and turned and started walking to the opposite direction. The airport staff came running towards her asking what the matter was.

"I'm not traveling today. My assistant will do the formalities of cancellation", said Anushka as she rushed out of the airport.

Prabhas had had a few minor injuries on his shoulder and it pained him often. She as well as others had insisted him a thousand times to consult it with a doctor. It was after much persuasion that he agreed upon it. The doctor had said that a surgery was absolutely necessary but Prabhas had delayed it in the name of work commitments, even though SSR and others had asked him to undergo the operation.

Prabhas never really liked visiting doctors. The truth was that he never cared much about himself until and unless it was unavoidable.

"But how can I make him understand that I need him to take care of himself!", thought Anushka to herself as she reached the hospital.

Anushka rushed to the VIP section of the hospital. There was SSR, Shobu, Valli, Rana and a couple of Prabhas' personal staffs at the lobby. Everyone were surprised to see Sweety there, who was supposed to be catching a flight to Bangalore at the moment, to attend a wedding she was much excited about.

She frantically looked at their faces and then she saw the red light glowing outside the Operation Theatre. She looked at them again, her eyes brimming, and face panic-stricken.

Valli came towards her and put her hands around her shoulders and made her sit down.

"He'll be okay. It's just a one hour surgery. Then he'll be good as new", comforted SSR.

Sweety nodded her head, biting her lips hard, trying not to cry. She could taste blood in her mouth, but the tears escaped her eyes nevertheless.

"How did it happen?", she whimpered.

"During an action sequence.", said Rana. He was wearing a t-shirt upon the costume as they had to rush Prabhas to the hospital.

Anushka sat disturbingly and depressingly silent in a corner throughout the time of surgery, only her lips quivering in prayer.

The doctors had came out after almost two hours and said that Prabhas was okay and he will be shifted to the room shortly. He needed to give complete rest to his shoulder for 3 months. It was only then Anushka had taken a sip of water to her mouth.

When she entered the room, she saw Prabhas lying on the stark bed, his shoulder was plastered securely and an IV connected to his hand with the drip. His bare chest rose and fell in a rhythm as he slept.

Anushka slowly and quietly went near him. She couldn't bear to see him so weak and vulnerable. She controlled her tears and felt choking in her throat. She gently put a hand on his forehead, slowly running her fingers through his tousled hair.

Prabhas frowned and opened his eyes. It took time for him to focus on her face. His voice was barely audible and drowsy because of the anesthesia.

"You're here...", Prabhas mumbled with a smile.

"Yes. I'm here and I'll always be by your side", cooed Anushka.

His eyes closed and he slept peacefully, with Sweety caressing his forehead.

*Present Day*

Anushka snapped out of the reverie. Since that day, she took extra care of Prabhas' health as she knew he himself would not bother much about it.

It has been over a week now that Prabhas had gotten a sore throat and bad cold. She constantly reminded him to take medicines everyday. Since Prabhas was busy with night shoots, it has been a couple of days that they met. He didn't tell her about having fever, lest she would worry unnecessarily.

Anushka reached his house and rushed towards his room upstairs. She saw Chinnamma waiting for her outside his room.

"Doctor will be here soon. How's Pabsu now?", she asked Chinnamma.

"Temperature has not reduced. He's sleeping now. He's too tired to even lift his head. You go inside, I'll get you something to drink by then", said Chinnamma and left her.

Anushka gently opened the door. The room was filled with his familiar smell as she entered. She saw Prabhas, who was wrapped like a cocoon in the blanket, his face barely visible under the layers.

She slowly sat down on the side of the bed. Prabhas was sleeping, turning towards the other side. She reached out and touched his forehead to check the temperature. He was burning with fever.

Prabhas slowly turned to her side and opened his eyes.

"Sweety...", he said, his voice cracking and with little energy.

"I'm here.", said her.

"Doctor will come to have a check on you"

"There's no need of that. I'll be fine within a day", said him, taking an effort to speak.

"Pabsu, now don't make me angry. Just shut up and lay down. How many times have I told you to take care of yourself!", exclaimed Sweety.

"You are here for that bangaram", said him, and she smiled.

The doctor had come and gave him an injection, doses of antibiotics and advised bed rest for a couple of days.

Chinnamma made them both light food for lunch. Anushka sent her asking her to take rest as well. She called his mother and updated her about his health as well.

Anushka fed Prabhas and gave him medicines. He slept through the day while she sat near him, constantly checking his temperature, keeping him hydrated and making sure he was not disturbed.

By night, Prabhas was much better and had regained a little energy. He could sit up and have food. But still, the temperature rise often and made him weak again. Anushka decided to stay there for the night.

She kept alarm for back couple of hours to give him medicines and she didn't know when she dozed off.

Soft rays of sun hit the eyes of Prabhas the next morning. He squirmed and rubbed his eyes. His throat was still sore and he felt chill inside. His eyelids were heavy and his body ached.

As he tried to move, he felt a warmth on his right side. Anushka had curled up beside him, covering her face on his pillow, her hair in a messy bun. Their legs were linked and she slept, clutching his hands.

Prabhas smiled and turned, kissing her forehead. Anushka jerked up and said,

"What! What happened? Are you cold? Do you want anything?".

She had sat up in a flash and looked at Prabhas, who was laughing at her reaction.

"Relax! Calm down! I'm fine Sweety!", said him laughing.

She blinked hard and came back to her senses. She checked his temperature once again and said sternly,

"Slight fever, but much better than yesterday. Now, you'll do as I say. You'll take complete rest for the next two days. I've already asked your team to cancel your shoot and clear the schedules, including the pre-release function. Okay?"

"Yes doctor", mocked Prabhas.

"I'll take rest only on one condition", said Prabhas and he lifted the blanket, gesturing her to join him. Anushka grinned and curled up near him under the blanket once again. She gave a soft kiss on his dry lips. They wrapped their hands around each other and laid down.

"My temperature would certainly rise now", said Prabhas.

"Why?"

"Because someone hot is lying next to me", laughed him and Sweety joined, rolling her eyes.

They lay there like that for some time and then, Anushka went to the bathroom to freshen up. Prabhas had plopped himself up on the bed with pillows supporting him.

After a while, Anushka came out of the bathroom, with a towel in her hands. She sneezed five times in a row and gasped for breath. Her eyes were watery and her nose tip turned red as she wiped her running nose with the towel.

She looked at Prabhas, who was giving her a cheeky grin from across the bed.

"In sickness and in health...", said he, laughing.

Anushka rolled her eyes and before she could say anything, she was consumed by another round of sneezes.

Author's Note : This one is for you NikhilaT 🤗🤗
Thank you for being a support, a critic and mostly for the love, effort and interest you show to my writing.😊 I hope you like this! 😁💕
Lots of love 💕