So here it is, the last chapter of Forever. I hope it doesn't disappoint you people.

An author's note is to follow by the end of the day. Enjoy Reading and shower lots and lots of love on this chapter, me and ofcourse Manik and Nandini. ✨

Warning - Sad ending, read the alternative ending if you do not want to read the sad ending.

Rain. Niyonika was one of those hopeless pluviophile. She loved rain. It calmed her mind always. Rain was beautiful. The tiny droplets hitting the surface - they were fascinating.

But rain could be traumatizing too. Niyonika would have never believed if told before. Rain always made her happy. She had made numerous happy memories under rain. It was raining even the day she gave birth to Manik, to Mukti. She had kissed her husband under the rain for the first time. The day Cabir called her Mumma for the first time - it was raining that day too.

But today, the same ran was terrifying - it was also agonizing. Rain was not making her happy today.

If Nandini's condition broke heart, knowing about Manik's accident completely tore her apart.

Nandini was still in the emergency ward, her case was more than critical. Since Manik was not there, Raj and Karan had gone with the nurse to fulfil the formalities, signing the consent form and paying the fees.

It was then they heard a nurse talking about Dr.Malhotra not receiving their call. Raj had interrupted hesitatingly and the nurse was surprised seeing them.

The look of pity stayed in her eyes as she told them about Manik's accident. It was horrifying - having to know the aftermath of the accident they saw on road - was none other Manik's.

Niyonika had wailed loudly hearing about it. Ayesha cried too - for both Manik and Nandini. Because she knew if anything happened to any of them - the other one would not survive.

Niyonika's mind had went numb the moment her eyes fell on Manik. There, on the hospital bed - dressed in blue and wrapped in several bandages, plastered with numerous tubes and wires attached to his body, breathing through an oxygen mask - Manik looked almost dead.

"We are sorry, Mrs.Malhotra - Mr.Malhotra's condition is way too critical. I won't give you any false consolation. Anything can happen. Prepare yourself for the worst."

The doctor had explained how Manik had lost excessive blood. His body was all damaged, interal bleeding wouldn't stop. If anything, if Manik even survived the accident, the trauma of the accident would eat him alive. He would never be able to adapt his life like before.

Never had Niyonika expected to see her son this condition. Never, even in her wildest dreams. Her son wouldn't survive, she knew. Doctor's words of consolation had failed to convince her.

"Mrs.Malhotra"

Niyonika sniffed, wiping away her tears with her hand and stepped back from the closed door. She faced the unknown woman standing at the sound, her hand clutching a smaller hand of her son tightly who held a red colored ball in his other hand.

Niyonika didn't know the lady.

Niyonika: Do I know you?

Lady: Yes, Y-Your son- he saved my son from getting hit by his car. M-My son would have got hit if not for him. My son - he ran on the busy road to get his new ball - I didn't even realise when he left my hand in the rush. I am so sorry, Mrs.Malhotra.

Niyonika almost wanted to laugh, and then she wanted to get angry and shout at the woman infront of her. Because she couldn't hold her son, her own son was in operation theatre but Niyonika knew better. Saving this unknown child was Manik's own decision. Niyonika had no say in it.

Niyonika: H- How old is he?

Lady: H-He is just four. I am so grateful to Mr.Malhotra. I am sorry, Mrs.Malhotra - I wish I could help you. I-I feel so guilty that he is here because of my stupid mistake.

Niyonika: It is not your mistake. My son is responsible for his own decisions. He saved yours because he himself is going to be a father in mere moments.

The lady's already heartbroken face crumbled more as she sobbed at the revelation. What had she done. Only if she was a little more careful. Only if she had ran faster behind her son. Only if she had stopped to look at something. Only if she had clutched her son's hand tighter. He wouldn't have ran away leaving her hand.

Lady: I-I am so sorry.

Niyonika: Just be careful from next time. Don't leave your child on road like this. It is dangerous.

The unknown lady sobbed more - at the kindness of the woman infront of her. She was so guilty, and Niyonika could feel it yet she couldn't bring it in herself to console the woman infront of her, or tell her it was okay because it was not. Niyonika's family was falling apart, or it had already because right on the time - her phone rang flashing Abhimanyu's number. A news from other end of the hospital where Nandini was.

She gave a small nod to the woman, who walked away sobbing, clutching her son's hand.

Niyonika kept the phone near her ear, her heart thudding loudly in her chest as she stated at Manik from the glass window.

Abhimanyu: It's a boy- safe and alive.

Abhimanyu cried from the other end.

Niyonika: And Nandini?

The silence on the other end gave her the answer Abhimanyu couldn't say.

Happiness. Nandini couldn't describe the happiness she felt when she held her child - her little Ahaan on her chest. She was not allowed to sit, so she was laying down with little Ahaan on top of her.

Nandini: H-He's so pretty, Amma. I love him.

Ayesha chuckled, nodding along.

Nandini: My Ahaan. I am going to love him so much, I am going to protect him always.

More tear fell from Ayesha's eyes as she stared at her daughter, who pretended to be alright, who pretended as if everything was okay but then, Ayesha herself was doing the same. Pretend, and lie.

Ayesha: Ofcourse Nandu, you have to protect him always. Look, how small he is.

Nandini: Yes, so small. So tiny. M-Manik's going to love him too.

Ayesha smiled, and at the same time the nurse came there to take Ahaan for some check up. Ahaan was okay, he seemed a little underweight but that was explainable.

Nandini almost pouted but let Ayesha pick Ahaan to hand him over to the nurse. The small baby giggled - a social butterfly, Nandini could tell already.

The baby didn't even cry as he left his mother's embrace. He let everyone hold him and giggled cutely when someone played with him.

The nurse left the room and Ayesha helped Nandini adjust who huffed in exhaustion. Her body was killing her, every inch of it hurt. Her throat was sore from all the screaming she did.

Nandini: A-Amma, Where's Manik?

Nandini's voice is a mere whisper this time, all her strength draining with each passing moment. Ayesha could feel the amount of energy she had to put it to speak this much.

Her daughter was dying. Just few hours.

"I am sorry but she only has few hours left."

Doctors words rang in her head like a broken tape recorder. It was so haunting. Every passing minute felt like a punishment. Ayesha wanted the time to still so she could keep her daughter alive.

Ayesha: He's coming bacha. He is a little busy.

Nandini: Busy?

But he's never this busy to not come to me when I am on hospital bed. Nandini didn't have the energy to let the words out but then, her mother didn't need to hear them to know what she felt.

A sickening feeling made home in the pit of her stomach but Nandini is quickly distracted by her mother's hand that caressed her hair. The other held and squeezed her one hand tightly.

Ayesha: Yes, Nandu. You should sleep, and when you will wake up, Manik will be here.

Nandini: I want to see him, Amma.

Ayesha: You will, bacha. Just sleep for now, you are tired, no. Sleep, I will sing you a song.

Nandini gulped. She was aware of what her mother was doing.. Letting her to a peaceful slumber, because she thought it was better than watching the life fade away from her eyes.

Nandini wanted to meet everyone else again, but it would hurt too much. They would burst out crying and she wouldn't even be able to stop herself. So she thought, it was better this way.

Nandini: Yeah. It hurts, everything does.

She mumbled but Ayesha heard it and tried hard to hold in her tears. Nandini's eyes flutered close as Ayesha sang her a song, the one she would sing for her three of them in childhood whenever they had troubled sleeping.

It was so soothing. Nandini was almost floating in the air within few minutes. Soft puffs of air escaped her mouth and her brows twitched every now and then in pain. Even laying down was so painful.

She needed Manik.

Ayesha heard her call out for him even in deep slumber but all she could do was cry silently. She looked at the door when it creaked open revealing Karan who stood there with tears evident in his eyes and shook his head in a small no.

Ayesha's heart broke a little more - because she knew the look on her husband's face.

Manik's gone.

She felt Nandini press her hand in sleep, a whimper escaped her lips before she called out for Manik once again.

But Manik can't hear her anymore.

In Nandini's dream, she hears her name being called out. She recognised the voice clearly for she doesn't need to hear it twice to know it is her Manik. He is here. Late but at the end of the day, he came for her.

Nandini wanted to whine and complaint but she had happiness to share with him. She opened her eyes, smiling and her eyes fell on Manik who's standing infront of her.

He has a smile on her face, but for the first time - his smile doesn't capture her attention for Nandini noticed her surroundings before anything else. She is not on the hospital bed. She looked behind and gasped when she saw a hazy image of Ayesha putting her to sleep.

Was she dreaming of Manik?

Probably, she was.

Manik: Nandini.

Nandini: W-What's all this, Manik?

Nandini felt more and more stupid when Manik only let out a hearty chuckle. He shook his head and Nandini didn't fail to notice. Something is different. Something is not right.

Nandini: Aap- You are not here.

It was a broken whisper but Nandini is so sure. If Manik was there, he wouldn't have been standing at such a distance from her. He wouldn't have been smiling when she was on the hospital bed. She wouldn't have been seeing him in her dream, had be been there.

But Manik was not there. She was being told Manik did came to her when she was unconscious but no, she didn't feel Manik. She didn't see him and it was simply because, he was not there.

Manik was here, but at the same time he was not. The smile faltering on Manik's face only confirmed her doubt.

Terror ran through her veins at a gushing speed. God, this was not it. This couldn't be true. No, Nandini was not ready for this blow of destiny.

Nandini: What happened to you, Manik?

She cried, panick filling her and she heard Ayesha take her name, crying loud from somewhere. Nandini didn't see. She didn't turn around. She continued to stare at Manik who looked like someone had tore open his heart.

There's this huge frown on his face. He looked so defeated. It broke her heart more, intensifying the hurt and she whimpered.

Manik didn't even walk forward to wipe her tears. What more proof did she need?

Manik: The kid was only four year old. I had to save him.

Nandini: W-What?

Manik: I know what it feels like losing your own kid. How could I let someone feel the same pain when I knew I could save them? You would have done the same, no? Save a child over your own life?

Manik's words felt like a slap on her face. Nandini was a big hypocrite but no, she couldn't bring it in herself to understand him. He didn't even think about her and Ahaan, but then she had done the same months back.

Why was everything coming back to bite her this bad?

Manik: I didn't see the truck. It was so horrifying - the pain - everything hurt so bad.

Nandini cried more, palming her face when she wass forced to accept the truth. She couldn't escape from the reality.

Nandini: No - No! This- Y- You need to come with me, Manik. I am not letting you go!

Nandini tried to take a step forward but Manik one shake of head was to stop her at her place.

Manik: You can't.

Nandini: Manik!

Manik: I am sorry for putting you through this, Nandini.

Nandini: I-I don't understand, Manik.

Manik smiled because he knows she does.

Manik: I am so selfish when it is you, Nandini. But I want something.

"I want something."

Nandini remembered this. She looked at him in horror.

"What?"

Nandini: Y-You can't do this, Manik.

"Yes. A promise."

Manik: I am sorry.

Nandini shook her head, but Manik is helpless too. He knew it was cruel. She looked more heartbroken than before, barely breathing and having no energy to support her own weight but Manik has only a little time.

"A promise?"

Manik: Nandini, if you choose the baby -

Manik started but Nandini was distracted when she heard loud panicked filled voices of her parents from behind. Her brothers are in the room too. Loud cries, machines beeping. She tried to look back, but Manik's voice brought back her attention to him.

Manik: If you choose the baby - there's a life ahead of you, there's everyone, there's our little Ahaan but-

"Nandini- the day when our baby comes in this world, when you will be t-there- fighting for life- fight for me. Not for our family, not for our baby, not for anyone else, but for me."

Nandini: b-but?

Manik: If you choose me - there's -

Manik tried hard, to think of anything he could provide her with. He had nothing, not even a promise of a forever anymore. Why would she choose him?

Why would she choose death over a happy life?

He stared at her, licking his dry lips and trying so hard to think of something she might get out of it.

Nandini: You.

"Choose me then, for once."

Nandini did. Manik looked at her, shocked and wide eyed but Nandini only smiled in tears.

Manik: Why?

Nandini: because you choose me too when you had the choice.

A sharp beep of a machine behind her, and numerous loud wails had her stumbling on her feet. Manik was quick enough to run to her and wrap her in his embrace.

It took her few moments to collect herself, and slowly as she did - the pain she had been feeling washed away. A sense of happiness took over as she held Manik's hand and pulled him down only to put her lips on his.

He melted in seconds, hands traveling to her waist and holding her closer. A moment passed and they parted away.

Nandini: I will always choose you, Manik. At the end of the day, you are my need. There's no Nandini without you.

These were not only the words, Manik knew she meant each of them. He was so so grateful that even when they died, the almighty didn't seperate them.

Sure, they didn't get to live a forever together but then, forever never meant staying alive together for years.

For them forever was being together, through ups and downs, through life and death and here they were, together by the end, hands in hands as they walked to their end.