(It is 11:30 PM now, Manik is busy using his phone, and Riya is analyzing some of her patient's cases. After some time, Manik keeps his phone away and yawns.)

Manik- Diwali par bhi hospital ka kaam. Not fair.

[Manik- Hospital work even on Diwali. Not fair.]

Riya- Doctors kabhi leave par nahi hote, Manik. Tyaari rakhni padti hai. Aur vaise bhi parso bohot important surgery hai.

[Riya- Doctors are never on leave, Manik. We have to be prepared. And anyway, there is a critical surgery the day after.]

Manik- Tumhe kaam karna hai to karo. Main to sone jaa raha hoon.

[Manik- If you want to work, then do it. I'm going to sleep.]

Riya- Haan haan tumhe kisne roka hai. So jao.

[Riya- Yes, yes, who has stopped you? Sleep, then.]

Manik- Yes. Good night.

Riya (chuckling)- Good night.

(He then lays down and takes the quilt while she keeps working. After some time, she hears light snores and looks at Manik to find him sleeping peacefully and cutely, like a baby. His messy hairs are making him look cuter. She smiles, looks at him, and then thinks about how he reacted today.)

Riya (sighing)- He got so worried today. Thank God kuch major nahi hua aur kisi ko chot nahi lagi. But jab main vahan khadi thi tab to vahan kuch nahi tha. To achanak se ye sab kaise ho gaya?

[Riya (sighing)- He got so worried today. Thank God nothing major happened, and no one got hurt. But when I was standing there, there was nothing there. So how did all this happen suddenly?]

(She ruminates on it but then lets it go and again focuses on her work. After an hour, she gets free and then comes to bed to sleep. She switches off the lights and lays down on her side. It has just been a few moments when she hears some whispers. She switches on the lamp and turns to Manik. And what she witnesses leaves her shocked and worried as she sees Manik murmuring something in sleep, his face covered in sweat, and his forehead has frown lines.)

Manik- How can you do this, Dad? No.

Riya (shaking him a little)- Manik.

Manik (in sleep, panicking)- Mom, please. Don't do this. I need you, Mom. No, please.

(She moves closer to him and tries waking him up by shaking him.)

Riya- Manik, wake up. It is just a bad dream. Wake up.

(On seeing him not waking up, she turns around to take the glass of water so she can sprinkle some drops on his face when she hears him take her name in his dream.)

Manik (scared)- Riya.

(She comes back to him and rubs his arm.)

Riya (softly)- Main yahi hoon, Manik. Calm down, baba. Relax.

[Riya (softly)- I am here, Manik. Calm down, baba. Relax.]

Manik- She is lying, Riya. She is not good.

Riya- Manik...

(She sees he has fisted the bedsheet tightly in his hand. She then holds his hand and opens his fist. Further, she intertwines her hand with his hand and grips his hand.)

Riya- Manik, calm down. I am here with you.

Manik (panicking in sleep)- Riya, don't leave me, please. Everyone is lying. Don't go, please.

Riya (softly)- Manik. Main kahin nahi jaa rahi hoon. Main yahin hoon aap ke paas. Aap aankhen to kholo apni. See. I am here.

[Riya (softly)- Manik. I am not going anywhere. I am right here with you. You open your eyes. See. I am here.]

(He moves his head in a no and hugs her hand to his chest tightly. She now caresses his hair gently with her other hand.)

Riya- Manik. Kuch nahi hua hai Bacha. Aap aankhen kholo to sahi. See. Sab theek hai. Open your eyes chalo.

[Riya- Manik. Nothing has happened, baby. Open your eyes, at least. See. Everything is fine. Open your eyes. Come on.]

(She keeps caressing his hair, and he slowly opens his eyes and looks at her like a scared little kid.)

Riya (consoling him)- It's okay, Manik. It's fine. Get up, come on.

(She helps him sit while he breaths heavily and looks around the room in fear. She brings a glass of water, and he stares at her. She looks on sadly as he is so much in pain and scared. She gives him the glass of water, and he holds it with shivering hands. So she grips his hands and makes him take a few sips of water. She then keeps the glass away and returns to him, and he again clasps her hand with both hands.)

Riya- Manik main yahi hoon. I am not leaving you.

[Riya- Manik, I am here. I am not leaving you.]

Manik (whispers meekly)- Vo ladayi kar rahe hain.

[Manik (whispers meekly)- They are fighting.]

Riya (cupping his face)- Who is fighting, baby? Tell me.

Manik- Mom - Dad.

(She looks on sadly as he looks teary-eyed at her. And his answers are telling her he is not the present Manik. He is that little Manik whose parents destroyed his life.)

Manik (in a choked voice)- Vo... Vo ladayi karke chale jaate hain. Maine Mumma ko bola tha nahi jaane ke liye par vo bhi chali gayi.

[Manik (in a choked voice)- They... They are fighting. I told Mom not to go, but she also left.]

Riya- Nahi Bacha. Aapki Mumma nahi gayi. Vo ghar pe hi hai.

[Riya- No, baby. Your Mom has gone nowhere. She is at home.]

Manik (in tears)- Nahi. Vo chali jaati hain. Unhone mujhe kaha tha that she hates me. Meri vajhe se ladayi hoti hai.

[Manik (in tears)- No. She leaves. She told me she hates me. I am the reason for their fights.]

Riya (wiping his tears)- Nahi Baby. Aisa kuch nahi hai. Aap khud dekh lena subha. Aap ki Mumma ghar pe hi hogi. I promise.

[Riya (wiping his tears)- No, Baby. There's nothing like that. You can see for yourself tomorrow morning. Your Mom will be at home only. I promise.]

Manik (crying like a kid)- Unn ko bolo naa ki mujhe hate naa kare, please. I love her. Please.

[Manik (crying like a kid)- Tell her not to hate me, please. I love her. Please.]

(Saying this, he breaks down in tears, and she moves closer to him and takes him in a hug. He, too, hugs her back tightly in fear and cries like a baby in her embrace.)

Manik (cryingly)- Maine kuch nahi kiya. Sab jhoot bol rahe hain.

[Manik (cryingly)- I did nothing. Everyone is lying.]

Riya- I know, Bache. I know aap ne kuch nahi kiya. Shhhh. It's fine.

[Riya- I know, Baby. I know you have done nothing. Shhhh. It's okay.]

(She rubs his back and gently caresses his hair to calm him down. She then kisses his head as she feels his grip on her tightening in the hug because he is scared.)

Manik- Mere paas hi rehna, please. Mujhe chod ke mat jaana. Mujhe bohot darr lagta hai akele rehne mein. Please.

[Manik- Stay with me, please. Don't leave me. I am terrified of being alone. Please.]

Riya (consoling him)- Main nahi jaungi Manik. I promise. Main humesha aap ke paas rahungi. Humesha and humesha.

[Riya (consoling him)- I will not go, Manik. I promise. I will always be with you. Always and always.]

Manik (cryingly, like a kid)- Main... Main saari baatein maanuga. Aur... Aur tang bhi nahi karunga. I will be a good boy always. But please don't go, Riya. Please. I need you. Please.

[Manik (cryingly, like a kid)- I... I will accept everything. And... And I won't even bother. I will be a good boy always. But please don't go, Riya. Please. I need you. Please.]

Riya (teary-eyed, rubbing his back)- Manik. Bache main nahi jaa rahi hoon aap ko chod ke. I promise. Ek moment ke liye bhi aap ko akela nahi chodungi main okay. Main yahin hoon aap ke paas Bacha. Ab rona band karo chalo. Stop crying. Shhhh.

[Riya (teary-eyed, rubbing his back)- Manik. Baby, I will not leave you. I promise. I won't leave you alone even for a moment. I am here for you, baby. Now stop crying, come on. Stop crying. Shhhh.]

Manik- Kahin jaana mat Riya please.

[Manik- Please, don't go anywhere.]

Riya (caressing his hair)- Bilkul nahi jaungi. I promise. Humesha aap ke paas hi rahungi. Now calm down.

[Riya (caressing his hair)- I will not go. I promise. I will always be with you. Now calm down.]

(She gently rubs his back and caresses his hair to calm him down, and he keeps hugging her tightly. They stay in the same position for some time, and when she feels he is not crying anymore, she breaks the hug and makes him look at herself by cupping his face. His eyes have turned red and a little puffy because of crying, and she wipes the tears from his face.)

Riya (lovingly)- Theek ho aap ab?

[Riya (lovingly)- Are you okay now?]

(He keeps looking at her, and she holds his hand gently.)

Riya (softly)- Manik.

Manik (meekly)- Hmm.

Riya- Aap theek ho Bache ab?

[Riya- Are you okay now, baby?]

Manik (meekly like a kid)- I am scared.

Riya- Darne ki kya baat hai Manik? Main hoon naa aap ke saath. To phir kis baat ka darr?

[Riya- What is there to be afraid of, Manik? I am with you. Then what are you afraid of?]

Manik- Papa ache nahi hai.

[Manik- Dad is not good.]

(She looks on, confused at him as he speaks further.)

Manik- Maine Mumma ko rukne ke liye bola tha naa, aur unki ladayi ho gayi. To vo ab mujhe punish karenge.

[Manik- I had told Mom to stop, and they got into a fight. So he will punish me now.]

Riya- Aisa kuch nahi hoga, Manik. Calm down.

[Riya- Nothing like this will happen, Manik. Calm down.]

Manik (teary-eyed)- Nahi. Vo sab ko durr bhej denge yahan se. Vo mujhe ghar pe akela chod ke chale jaate hain. Abhi bhi vo aisa hi karenge.

[Manik (teary-eyed)- No. He will send everyone away from here. They leave me alone at home and go. He will still do the same.]

Riya- Nahi karenge. Main unhe aisa karne hi nahi dungi.

[Riya- He will not do it. I won't let him do that.]

Manik- Really? You will stop him?

Riya- Yes. Main unko aisa kuch nahi karne dungi. Aur Manik ko bilkul bhi akela nahi chodungi.

[Riya- Yes. I will not let them do such a thing. And I will not leave Manik alone at all.]

(On listening to this, she feels the lost shine of his eyes coming back.)

Riya- Acha chalo abhi so jaate hain. Bohot late ho gaya hai naa.

[Riya- Well, let's go to sleep now. It's too late, isn't it?]

Manik- Riya.

Riya- Hanji.

[Riya- Yes.]

Manik- Nahi kuch nahi.

[Manik- Nothing.]

(She notices he wants to say something to her but cannot. So she holds his hand and rubs her thumb gently on his hand.)

Riya- Kya hua?

[Riya- What happened?]

Manik- Mujhe darr lag raha hai. Kya tum mujhe khud ko hug kar ke sone dogi?

[Manik- I am scared. Will you let me hug you and let me sleep like that?]

(She gets quiet for a moment and then, after thinking something, smiles at him and nods her head in a yes.)

Manik- Thank you.

Riya- Chalo aao.

[Riya- Come.]

(She helps him lay down and then switches off the lamp from the side table. He then shifts closer to her and looks at her.)

Manik- Hug kar lu main?

[Manik- Can I hug you?]

Riya- Hanji kar lo.

[Riya- Yes, you can.]

(He then moves closer to her and hugs her. She takes a deep breath, shifts closer to him, and hugs him back. He takes a sigh of relief and closes his eyes to sleep while she keeps looking at him. After some time, he falls asleep, and she sighs in relief.)

Riya(slowly)- Thank God he is asleep.

(She then looks at his face and recalls what he was saying before and how he was so scared.)

Riya- I need to do something as soon as possible. He needs to be free from this pain. And I will try my best to do that.

(Her thoughts break when he moves in sleep and, to her shock, shifts more towards her, hides his face near her neck, and falls asleep.)

Riya (thinks)- Relax, Riya. It's okay. He is your husband, after all. And you know you are coming close to him these days. A hug is fine, I guess. Yes.

(She then looks at him, who is sleeping peacefully and cutely like a baby, and kisses his forehead and, to her surprise, he smiles in his sleep, sensing her touch.)

Riya- These many shocks are enough for today, Riya. Sleep now.

(By saying this, she too falls asleep after some moments, and now they are peacefully sleeping in each other's arms.)