SIDHARTH'S POV

Shehnaaz and Riya took the kids, for a roller coaster ride. The last one. I saw her accompanying a girl, hugging her and kissing her from time to time. She was waving at me joyfully earlier and suddenly I saw a metal in her hand. The handle broke off! I ran to the guy who was controlling it.

"Stop the ride.. Right now..!"

"Sorry sir.. Next round me.. " he says.

"Abey next round gaya bhaad me.. Upar kisi ki seat ka handle toot gaya hai.. Jaldi breaks lagaa...!" I shouted.

He immediately hit the paddle to slow it down and called his helpers to look after the scene.

I came back to my earlier spot, to look at her. But she had closed her eyes. Hugging the girl in her lap.

"Sir..! Vo dekhiye..!" one of my guard pointed at their cart. It was moving! Fuck!

"Aaee.. Go.. Go.. Get a..Crane or fire extinguisher.. Unko neeche utarna padega..!" I said. He ran towards the customer service section. Suddenly the cart flipped right, they fell down.

"Shehnaaaaazz...!" I ran breaking the fences, under the huge structure.

Held her unconscious body on my lap, patted her cheeks. "Shehnaazz.. Ankhe khol... Uth.. Dekh.. I'm here baba.. Shehnaa.." words died inside my mouth. The moment I saw her head was bleeding.

"AMBULANCE!"

Two stretchers immediately took the girls. I kept staring at her small pale face with blood oozing out of it. She had fallen from a point 20 feet above the ground, it must have hit hard. My hands are shivering. Having some of her blood in them.

I'm sitting outside her ward. Doctors are checking her.

"Sid!" my family came. Mom, Preeti and Ajay. I got up and took Mom in a tight hug and told how my biggest nightmare came true. And couldn't do anything.

"Thik ho jayegi Shehnaaz.. She's strong.. Doctors kab se hai andar..?"

"Ten minutes.." I answered.

Soon Riya appeared, "Sana kaisi hai..?" Preeti asks.

"Doctor bahar nahi aaye hai.. Tum batao.. Vo bachi thik toh hai..?" Preeti asked again.

"Yes mam.. Vo kafi pehle behosh hogayi thi.. Thanks to Sana.. Usne ache se pakad rakha tha.. Kuch nahi hua bachi ko.." she said.

"Vaise tum bhi thi na ride me.. Bata sakti ho kya hua tha..?" Ajay asked.

"Sir.. Sab kuch itna achanak hua ke samajh hi nahi ayaa.. Handle toot gaya.. Fir unki seat ke nut-bolts girne lage the.. Tab tak speed toh kam hogayi thi ride ki.. Lekin vapas neeche aate hue dono gir gaye..." she recited.

"Itna bada park aur aisi laparvahi.. I won't spare them..!" Ajay raged.

"Do you still think it's just an accident..? Sirf ek seat ke passengers gire.. Baki totally safe hai.. It was so planned..!" Preeti said.

"I am going to kill Jayker!" I got up.

"No.. Sid not now.. She needs you now.. Usko mai dekh lungi.." she said.

"Kya karegi tu..? He has crossed all his limits now.. !" I argued.

"Listen to me carefully.. Once we collect some evidences against him being behind all these.. Jayker will be a long gone case.. Calm down for now.." she suggested.

Just then Dr Ashwini came out. With a couple of x-ray sheets. "She's got her left ankle, right arm and spine fractured... The lumbar spine is severely injured... For the head.. I can't say for now.. We're taking her for a CT scan to see if there's any internal bleeding..." he informs.

I'm dumbfounded after knowing the list of her injuries. God! Why her? What if there's something more in her head too. She was bleeding alot. What have I done? I should have never agreed for the last ride!

Hell I shouldn't have agreed for this Picnic. She was fine completely some hours ago. And now, an unconscious mess she is. All thanks to me.

"Sid.. Beta you gotta be strong.. For her..!" Mom said.

"I wasn't prepared for this Mom.. I can't get off this image of her falling down.. I promised to protect her.. I failed Mom.. I was.. There.. But yet.. couldn't save her.." tears found it's way out as Mom embraced me.
I let them flow, soaking myself into her warmth. This won't help getting me off with that guilt. But for now, I so badly want to cry.

The doctor saw us again, "There's no internal abrasion.. Her head had a huge scratch..I've stitched it.. But the other fractures are enough to keep her immovable for a long while.. We had given her anesthetic shots..Once she wakes up.. We have our physiotherapist Dr. Dubey aligned for her.. " he said.

"Thankyou doctor.. Can we see her..?" I asked.

"Sure." he permitted.

I stormed into her ward, there she was. Lying.

"Shehnaaz.." I whispered. Looking at her body barely visible out of plasters. Head bandaged. You want to do everything, but you feel like you can do nothing. You know they're hurting and it cuts you into a million pieces.

You hate that they feel trapped inside their own heads, and you want to scream

"Just give me this pain.. Because I cannot see you like this.. "

But I couldn't say that. I couldn't say anything.

"Bache.." Mom caressed her face. She slowly opened her eyes.

"A..autny?" she recognised.

"Ha meri bachi.. Ye kya hal bana liya tune ha?" her voice shaked. Blinking her eyes again. She bent down to kiss her forhead.

"Abhi mai thhek hu...sana kaisi hai.. Usko lagi toh nahi..?" she asked.

"Nahi.. Tune bacha liya usko.. Theek hai vo abhi.." Mom answered.

"Shukar hai.." she sighed. It just made me mad. She's glad that nothing happened to that girl, but what about her.

"Sidharth.." she called me. Swallowing a thick lump, I came forward.

"Baat kar mere se.." she urged.

"Ha.. Han.. Bol abhi kaisa lag raha hai baby.. ?" I asked.

"Ajeeb lag raha hai.. Mai hil nahi paa rahi.." she answers.

"Ha.. Vo dawai ka asar hai.." I replied.

"Kya hua..? Theek toh hu mai..!" she said.

"Tu theek nahi hai Shehnaaz.. Bilkul theek nahi hai.. Tujhe bohot chot lagi hai.. Tu chal nahi sakti abhi kuch din.. Jo sara din hasti khelti thi.. Abhi bohot dard me hai.. Aur ye sab theek nahi hai.. Tujhe aise dekh ke mai theek nahi hu.. Mujhe nahi allow hi nahi karna tha tujhe kisi bhi cheez ke liye.. Sab meri wajah se hua hai..." I shouted loud and stormed out making sure she couldn't see my tears.

"Sidharth ruk!" She stopped me at the door.

"Idhar aa.. Mujhe lagi hai.. Aur tu gussa kar raha hai..!" she cried. Raising her weak hands in the air asking for a hug. I immediately bent down to give it. Slowly shuddering out my fears. We both sobbed.

"Dar gaya tha..?" she asked.

"Hmm" I managed to say.

"Mai bhi dar gayi thi.. Laga tujhe dobara nahi dekh paungi.." she said. I tighten my grip.

"Aisa kabhi sochna bhi mat.." my teeth gritted.

"I love you.." she said.

"Love you too baby.. More than anything you think of.." I confessed.

SHEHNAAZ'S POV

My third day in the hospital. And it's me annoying here. Day by day. I didn't even move an inch from this bed. The nurses did the essentials for me. Bathing?
No. I haven't bathed because of plasters on me. Ankle and arm. And my L5 got bruised when I hit the ground. That's the major reason I actually cannot move, even if I try to.

But. But. But. There's always an exception. I am being given so much of attention and love. It's not that bad, Jay and Mahi came to see me. Jay's handling all my work in the office, Vikas couldn't come because he's out of the station for a plenary but manages to sent me a small bouquet of orchids every morning.

Talking of Sidharth, he's been with me all the time. For all the 24 x 3 = 72 hours. Never for once, did he leave my site. Managing office along side. He gets a call from work every five minutes, either he's with me or over the phone. Hardly getting anytime to rest himself. And the tiredness is cleary visible in his face too. Stubbled face with small patches under eyes. How did he think, his Hulk body would fit that confining couch in my ward. My big-handsome-caring-guy! I love you alot! He's being so a weirdly considerate now-a-days.

Tell you what, Meeti and Adi payed me a visit yesterday. She was crying, feeling bad about me. We talked for a while. While Adi was trying to climb on to my lap, that's when Sidharth stopped him. Even when Adi tried sit on the edge of the bed, he didn't let him. Finally when Adi wasn't disturbing us anymore, busy in playing with flowers. He snatched them away too. That was rude, to the poor baby. Strange he becomes.

And yeah, Rita aunty has been a darling too. She fed me all the time. The tasteless porridge from the hospital canteen. Did my hairs in the evening when people used to visit me. Preeti and Ajay keep coming too.

Right now, Dr Dubey is here. "Are you able to sleep properly now..?" he asked. He suggested me a position to sleep in. Keeping a pillow under my lower back for support, when I complained about a severe back ache.

"Yes.. It's a little bit comfortable now.. But when I wake up.. The pains wakes up too..!" I said.

"I see.. That's because you are on heavy medications.. You are given sedatives so that your body relaxes when you sleep.. And when you wake up... the effect is gone.. You feel your tore spines again.." he said. I pout.

"How is this helping me then.. Am I even recovering..?" I asked. Sadly.

"Yes.. You are.." he answered.

"HOW?"

"The swelling in your L5 has reduced to a certain level.." he said. Showing me my x-rays. A pattern that they noticed.

"Sidharth tu dekh.. Mere toh kuch samajh nahi aa raha isme.." I called him. The two talked some more about the treatment.

Dr Dubey turned to me again, "How's your right hand..?" he enquired.

"Immovable" I said. Earning a smacking glare from Sidharth. What else should I say!

"Any kind of pain you experience on your shoulders..?" he further asked.

"No"

"In the foot?"

"Sometimes.." I answered a few more questions. He listened carefully.

"Complete bed rest is healing you.. We were rather planning to go for a small surgery otherwise... I will ask you to make some movements tomorrow.. Take care.. " he turned to leave.

"Atleast let me know.. About these plasters..?" I asked.

"It's just been three days dear.. You have to keep them for 7 more days..." and he left.

"Yaar mujhe ghar jaana hai..!" I whined.

"Chalenge baby.. I was thinking if I could get you discharged.. And get all these equipments at home.." he said. Yes! Please do that!

"Ha.. Jaldi kar fir..!" I encouraged him. He left to have this conversation with Dr Ashwini. I rested my back against the pillow, sighing closing my eyes.

"Sana.." I heard someone calling. Pranav!

"Haye.. Pranav tuu..!" it's been days I saw him.

"I'm so sorry.. But you look so terrible yaar.." he sadly addressed my condition.

"I know.."

"Mai kal bhi ayaa tha.. Lekin tu so rahi thi.." he said.

"So rahi thi.. Kitne baje..?" I asked.

"Isi time.. Bahar Sidharth ne bataya.. Toh mai vapas chala gaya.." he said. I wasn't sleeping at all, he lied!

"Here.. Flowers toh sab dete.. I thought you would like some.." he forwarded his hand.

"Chocolates! Thankyouu buddy.." I opened one immediately.

"Aur bata.. Construction kaisa chal raha hai..?" I asked.

"Good.. Pretty good.. Actually there's something I wanted to tell you about.." he said. With some amount of blush on his face.

"Then speak!" I nudged him. He looked here and there before finally speaking.

"I'm dating Aliya.."

"Aliya..? Office vali Aliya ?" I asked to confirm.

"Nahi.. Alia Bhatt.." he snaps.

"Okay.. Mai bas surprise ho gayi thi.. When did you ask her out..?" I asked excitedly.

"Um.. I didn't..she asked me if we could go for clubbing for the weekend.. And I agreed.. We had so much fun.. I tell you.. She's not only hot.. But cool.. And amazing..!" he praised her. Well, I'm not that excited now. Because that's what drunk Aliya is. In real she sees a new guy every other day.

"Dekh.. Pranav.. I'm happy for you.. But jitna mai usko janti hu.. She is not serious about relationships.. Just think before investing things for her.." I advised.

"Really..? But she was enjoying with me.. " he asked.
Just then Sidharth came back,

"Hey..From where did you get that chocolate..?" he snatched.

"Um.. Me.." Pranav meekly smiled.

"Oh.. Toh tum aaj aa hi gaye.. And who gives a chocolate to a patient in a crtitical unit...?" he scolds.

"Sidharth.. Aram se baat kare..?" I said. He nods.

"Visiting hours are over.." he told Pranav.

"Y..yeah.. I was just leaving... Byee Sana.. Take care..!" he left.

"Tune usko kal jhut bola.. ?" I asked as soon as it was just the two of us.

"Tune usko andar aane kyuu diyaa..?" he questions back.

"Is that your question actually..? Vo mera hal-chal puchne ayaa tha..!" I said.

"Toh? Mere aane ka wait karna chahiye tha..." he said.

"Kya bolna chahta hai tu..?" I ask. He always behaves rude after seeing him.

"Tumhe bas itni si baat nahi samajh aati.. Usse dur raho.. Abhi apne dosto se nahi bhi milogi to kuch nahi jayega.." he growls. Averted my eyes. He shouted on me! Slowly I felt his hand on mine, I jerked it.

"Sweetheart.. Ajaa.." again clasps my left hand. Hugged me sideways.

"Not again Sidharth.. Har bar ka hai tera.. Meri kya galti koi mujhe milne aaye to.. " I said.

"Sorry na.. Mere absence me vo agaya.. I just didn't feel that right.. " he said, placing kisses on my head.

"You know itni security rakhne ke baad bhi ye accident hogaya.. I don't want to take any chances now.." he added. I understand.

"Ghar kab jayenge..?" I asked again.

"Doctors abhi busy hai.. Round pe ayenge to baat karunga.. Soon I'll get you home.." he assured. I pulled his face to rest our foreheads together.