Present time...

City hospital:

Man: Its all my fault Nandini. I..I shouldnt have let u go..I should have stopped u. Heck..I wouldnt have let u go had i been aware of the surroundings. I was so lost in my thoughts that i couldnt see or hear anything going on around me. But trust me..I never doubted U Nandini. I never can. I was just...just lost. Lots of things were kept in front of me all of a sudden..i wasnt able to grasp everything. I ddnt want to act out impulsively. Tum humesha kehti thi na..k poori baat sune bagair me conclusion pe pohoch jaata hu..lekin is baar..is baar me conclusion pe nahi pohcha Nandini. Mene us letter n un pics pe apna conclusion nahi banaaya. I wanted to talk to u. I wanted to listen  to u. I knw..bohot kuch hoga jo tum mujhe bataana chahogi. Lekin..all this..it just got so messed up. No one is ready to trust me Nandini. Tum sab se kaho na..tell them tht u trust me..tell them u know that i never doubted u.
(Going closer to her face while holding her hand in one and other hand caressing her other cheek)
Plz wake up Nandini. Yes i like to see u sleeping peacefully..but only when u r in my arms. Yaha aise..aise tumhe dekh k..its hurting Nandini. Dard horaha hai.. (taking her hand which was in his hold n keeping it on his heart). .Yaha.
Plz uth jaao. I promise..me sab theek kardunga. I wont let u fight alone. Aaj tak u stood there for me..u made everything right for me.. and now..now its my turn. Now i will fight ur battle. I will set everything right, for u, for me..for US.
But i need u Nandini. I need u beside me..i need u for my peace..I need u for my sanity..i need u to make me feel alive..I Just need u Nandini. Me tumhari tarah strong nahi hu jo bina kisi madad k sab theek kerdu.. i will need u Nandini..i will always need u. Wake up plz...

Manik's tears just kept rolling down his eyes. The helplessness in his voice and eyes was very clear. That feeling of seeing ur love fighting her death and u just stand by her side, unable to help her is just unimaginably painful..n that was what Manik was going through.

Manik was brought out of his misery when he heard a knock on the door, where the constable was asking him if he was done.

Kissing for a final time on Nandini's forehead..

Man: wake up soon Nandini..plz..for ur Mikku. I will b waiting for u.

Saying so., unwillingly Manik left her hand and moved out of the ICU.

As soon as Manik came out of the staff room after changing from the doctor's attire, he saw his dad waiting for him there. Seeing his dad there, Manik just rushed n hugged him tight..as if trying to gain some courage from him. His father too hugged him back with equal intensity, as if conveying him the message that everything will b alright...that he is there for him..to support him, to encourage him, to guide him.

"What r u guys still doing here?"

Manik and his dad break the hug to see Abhi standing there with anger in his eyes..his voice dangerously calm.

Vis: Abhi..hows Angel now? Doctors ne kya kaha? U dont worry..kuch nai hoga humari Angel ko. Mene Germany me doctors se baat karli hai. They r ready to talk to the doctors here. Wo log aapas me Angel ka case discuss kerlenge.

Ab: uski zarurat nahi hai uncle. World k top doctors ki team already yaha aa chuke hai Barbie ka treatment kerne. They r already working on Barbie's case.

Man: to wo ab tak hosh me kyu nahi aayi? Y isnt she waking up?

Ab: u r no one to ask about her! Just keep this in mind..Barbie se related koi b baat tumhe bataana zaruri nahi.

Vishal looks at him in confusion and then looks back at his son.

Vis: Abhi..tum aise kyu bol rahe ho?

Ab (looking at Manik n gritting his teeth): aap apne bete se puche to better hoga. Mene apni zindagi ki sabse badi galti ki jo Manik pe apne Barbie ko leke trust kiya.

Vishal turns towards Manik n asks:
Manik..y is Abhi saying so? Kya huwa?

Man: dad..Abhi ko misundersta..

Ab: dont u dare call it a misunderstanding Manik! Aur kaisi misunderstanding? Kuch photos tumne kya dekhe..ek letter kya padha n u trusted all that bullshit! U can trust all that shit but u couldnt trust my Barbie? Aise hee use akele jaane diya? Mr. Manik Malhotra..sach jaan ne k baad trust to har koi kerleta hai..lekin sacha trust use hee bolte hai jo kisi saboot ya kisi gawah ka mohtaaj na ho. Lekin tum aur tumhara trust..sab saboot aur gawaaho ka mohtaaj hai. N u claim to love my Barbie. Thank u very much Mr. Manik..but my Barbie doesnt need such kind of love.

Manik was about to answer him back when Vishal beats him in replying..

Vis: me nahi jaanta tum aisa kyu keh rahe ho Abhi. Me ye b nahi jaanta k mere bete ne kya galti ki. Me ye b nahi jaanta k aakhir Angel yaha kyu hai. Lekin me itna zaroor jaanta hu k jitna pyaar mera beta Angel se kerta hai..utna koi aur use kabhi nahi ker paayga. Me jaanta hu mera beta kabhi kabhi immature ban jaata hai..me ye b jaanta hu k Angel jitni sulji aur samajdaar hai mera beta kabhi kabhi utna hee bewakoofi aur bachpanapan kerta hai..lekin itna me jaanta hu k iska pyaar aur ye khud..kabhi jhoote nahi the. Manik mera beta hai..ek punjabi ka..humare liye zabaan aur ishq ki keemat apni jaan se zyada hai. Abhi abhi tumne kaha na..k sacha trust wahi hai jise saboot ki zarurat nahi hoti..wahi sacha trust mujhe mere bete aur uske pyaar pe hai. Aur jitna me apni Angel ko jaanta hu, mera dil mujhse yahi kehta hai k koi Manik pe bharosa kare na kare..lekin Angel uspe bharosa zarur karegi.

Saying so, Vishal takes Manik from there and goes towards the lobby, where he finds fab4 waiting for them. Once there, Vishal turns around to face Manik n fab4..

Vis: mujhe sab kuch jaan na hai. Each n everything..now.

Man: i will tell u dad..

Manik then narrates everything to his dad that happened on tht day from the starting..how they received a parcel and what all was written in that letter. How Abhi confronted them and how they reached hospital.

Vis (shocked): Angel Mr. Venkatesh Murthy ki beti hai?! How is it possible k hume kabhi pata nahi chala? N if she is his daughter..to phir wo itni mehnat kerke akele yaha kyu reh rahi thi?

Dhr: wo..us letter k hisaab se..Nandini k parents ne use ghar se nikaal diya tha. But ab sach kya hai..wo to sirf wahi log jaante hai.

Man: strange right!! Abhi tak wahi letter tum logo k liye sach tha..n ab..u guys dont believe it.

Fab4 hang their heads low in guilt.

Vis: Nonsense! That letter is utter rubbish. Lekin ye waqt in sab baato ka nahi hai..is waqt Angel is most important. Manik..puttar chal..hum jaa ke Angel k doctors se milke uski condition k baare me poochte hai.

******

City hospital; 5 days later

5 days since Nandini is lying unconscious in the ICU. 5 days since anyone spoke anything apart from Nandini's condition. It was 3 pm and everyone was waiting in the waiting room next to the ICU. Its been more than 5 days that Nandini hasnt gained her consciousness, neither ACP has allowed them to meet her. About an hour ago, Nandini's doctors team had gone inside to check on her..but they hadnt come out yet. This had increased the nervousness of everyone waiting outside. Abhi was restlessly moving around, Mr. and Mrs. Venkatesh Murthy along with Mr. and Mrs. Vishal Malhotra were sitting and praying to their Lord to send their Angel back, fab4 were silently sitting, unable to face anyone,  whereas Manik was all the time holding his mobile in his hand and gazing at Nandini's pictures..pictures of his birthday party..pictures of their celebration after solving Anjika's case and many other random clicks.

5 days earlier when Nyeonika ddnt find her husband at home, she called him up and Vishal narrated her everything and asked her to come to the hospital with some homemade breakfast for everyone. Though everyone refused to have anything, but Vishal made them understand that they need to b strong in order to fight this battle. Getting convinced by him, everyone ate few morsels. Since then, Nyeonika had taken the charge of getting food for everyone from home. Aliya and Mukti were helping her,thinking this might help them to rectify their mistake of not trusting Nandini.

Now everyone were on their nerves, expecting and praying for some good news from the doctors. ACP too was standing with them. After what seemed like ages, the doctors team finally came out with a smile on their faces. Abhi was the first one to rush to them

Ab: doctor..how is my Barbie? Wo theek to hai na?

Doc: relax young man. I think i can now tell u guys to relax ur nerves. It happens in 1 in million cases that such intense accident survived patients come out without any impairments. I guess ur Barbie is that 1 in million. She has regained her consciousness. We were doing her bedside tests to know the intensity of the damage..but as for now..it all seems to b fine. Yes we will need to do further testings and evaluations..and she will b requiring lots n lots of rest and physiotherapy sessions..but i think she is gonna make it. Congratulations..ur prayers have been answered. Its not less than a miracle.

These words of doctors were the most beautiful and soothing words that anyone standing there must have heard in the past 120-130 hours. Everyone's faces had smiles as well as tears. Abhi got so happy that he couldnt hold himself straight n he fell on his knees in happiness with tears rolling down freely. Yes.. everyone loves Nandini..but they share a single relation with her. For some she is their daughter..for others their friend-cum-sister and for Manik his love , but for Abhi..she is his whole family. Though Abhi ddnt understand that for Manik that person lying inside is not only his love, but his whole world..his heartbeat, his life.

As soon as doctor said these words, Mrs. Murthy came forward and requested the doctor to allow her to meet her daughter. But before the doctor could reply..

ACP: m extremely sorry mam..but as u know this is a police case, I m scared I cant let anyone of u meet her before I meet her and record her statement. So if u excuse me...
(Turning towards the doctor)
Doctor, I hope Nandini is in a right state of mind now and i can ask her few questions which r extremely important for this case.

Doc: well..u can meet her but please keep in mind, do not stress her at all.

ACP: I will take care of that.

Here, after hearing that his love, his life is now conscious, Manik couldnt control himself n left from there n went out. Taking his car, he drove off to the orphanage. Since last 5 days, whenever Manik felt extremely low, he would come to the orphanage to spend some time with Arohi..as she was the only one who truly had some glimpses of Nandini..his Nandini. The same innocence, the same mischief, the same positive aura. By true means she looked a junior copy of Nandini, and seeing her made Manik feel a bit alive. Today, after hearing that Nandini regained her consciousness and apparently hasnt got any serious damages, he wanted to hug Nandini tight. But he knew that wud take a lot of time right now..so he went to see Arohi. Here, Arohi too was getting attached to Manik. She would try and feed him whenever he would refuse to eat, she would wipe his tears whenever he unknowingly shed them. But unknowingly, she would even remind him of Nandini, by asking him where is her Mumma, her best friend. For the past 5 days Manik managed her by lying to her that she has gone out for some work and wud come back soon. But today,on seeing Arohi, he just hugged her tight and shed tears of happiness.

Breaking the hug, Arohi wiped his tears with her teeny weeny fingers and asked.

Ar: taa huwa flnd?

Man: kuch nahi jaan..bas aise hee..aaj me happy hu.

Ar: happy ho to no cly. Mumma bolti hai tab aap happy ho..to Aiyappa to than tu bolo.

Man: bolunga jaan..bohot baar thank you bolunga. Kyunki aaj aapke Aiyappa ne meri sunli. Mujhe meri jaan..meri rooh lautadi.

Ar: atta fld..mumma tab aayedi? Mudhe bohot yaad aari hai.

Man: bohot jald jaan..bohot jald hee aapki mumma aayegi. Phir hum sab ghoomne chalenge.

Ar (happily): satti?

Man: muttii..

City hospital, 4.30 pm:

Manik entered the hospital with a smile comstantly playing on his face..he hurriedly went towards the ICU and saw that ACP had still not come out after questioning Nandini.

Man (self talk): why is this Acp taking so long? Suna nai kya usne..Nandini ko itna stress nahi dena. But nahi..police waala hai..so apna kaam kerke hee niklenge.

Soon..Acp came out with a shocked and lost look on his face.

Ab: mil liya? Hogai tasalli? Ab kya me apni Barbie se mil sakta hu?

Abhi was about to go inside when Acp held his hand.

Acp: u.. u... cant meet her.

Ab (angry): enough Acp. Pichle 5 dino se tumne mujhe Barbie se milne nahi diya. Mene ye soch k tumse cooperate kiya k shayad tum sach me meri Barbie ka bhala chahte ho. Tumne kaha k ek baar tum statement record kerlo uske baad me milsakta hu. Lekin tum abhi b mujhe tok rahe ho. Whats ur problem Acp? Tum mujhe rok kyu rahe ho?

Acp: me tumhe nahi rok raha.

Abhi n others look at him in confusion.

Acp: Nandini rok rahi hai.

Ab (confused): matlab?

Acp: Nandini ne tum me se kisi se b milne se manaa kiya hai. She doesnt want to meet anyone.

Everyone got shocked on hearing this.

Ab(angry): what rubbish. Meri barbie kabhi b mujhse milne se manaa nahi karegi. Me abhi usse baat kerke aata hu.

Acp: koi faaida nahi Abhimanyu. Usne apna statement de diya aur kaha wo kisi se nahi milna chahti hai. Aur agar kisi ne usse zabardasti milne ki koshish ki..to wo..apna treatment rukwaa degi.

This was getting more and more shocking for everyone. Why would Nandini refuse to meet anyone? They thought this was shocking, but what Acp next said snatched their earth from beneath them.

Acp: Nandini ne apna jurm kabool kerliya. Usi ne Harshad ko maara hai..apne poore hosh-o-awaaz me...

Precap: leap of 2 months..

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Hello angels

Hru?
Sorry for delayed update..n sorry again for a boring update.

But m trying to wrap this drama as soon as possible.

Hope u enjoy
Tc
Stay blessed 😊