*unedited*

M A N I K

She was in my arms, still breathing tightly. There was pain in every cell of her body, but more in my heart. The mental pain I was going through right now wouldn't even be comparable to her physical one.

"Nandini, keep breathing baby. Everything is going to be alright," I whispered rubbing her arms and she painted more.

"Doctor!" I shouted again, my face still not leaving hers when Zubin came in running, his face turned pale as soon as he saw Nandini and I could see the fear on his face as well.

"Zubin, call the fucking doctor!" I shouted at him.

"But the Doctor is in her cabin, she isn't fucking," he whispered innocently and I gritted my teeth. My wife was dying in my arms and all he cared was about his silly jokes.

"I mean yes! I am calling the doctor! Shit, what is wrong with me?" He hit himself and just as he turned, he barged into the closed door instead of opening it.

I knew it wasn't his mistake. He was just as nervous and feared as I was, for losing this girl in my arms whom he called as his sister. No Zubin, we have to be strong.

"Ma-Manik," Nandini gasped for air and I rubbed my hand on her face, nodding, trying to not cry.

"It's paining so much," a tear slipped off her eye and I nodded negatively, wiping it away.

"Don't speak, shh. It will pain more. We'd have more time to speak, hmm?" I kissed her forehead and she weakly nodded.

"Don't lie, we- both know... I don't have much time. I'm dying," she barely whispered.

"No-no!" I shouted. "Why do you think I will let anything happen to you?" I held her hand in mine, kissing them.

"Man-Manik... I know this. I can feel it inside me, I wouldn't be able to stay for long. I can feel myself giving up slowly. I can't tell you how much this pains. I- I-.. love-... please stay happy," she whispered, slowly blanking out at the end.

"Nandini!" I shouted patting her to get up. "You can't leave me damn it!" I patted her more and she slowly opened her eyes again, weakly smiling at me.

"Please smile when I go away, okay? I don't want to see you crying," she barely spoke but every word of hers felt like a thunderstorm.

I could see her give up in front of me and still do nothing to take away her pain. I wish I could take it all away from her, and die instead. I can't see her this way. Why just her? Why just us?

"I don't want to let you go," I think I cried too. "Please don't go, please,".

"I don't want to. But maybe it's time for me to leave-...," her voice became slower again.

"No, please!" I shouted, crying as well.

Stretchers were pulled inside the room in which she lied and she was put onto it. I didn't realise how the doctor came in and panicked as well looking at my girl in pain.

"Nandini?" I patted her again, as she was run outside on the stretcher, her hands entwined with mine as I ran behind her.

"Don't do this to us, please," I whispered again.

"Manik, please-... pr-omise me somethi-..," she was barely being able to speak and I nodded frantically, in the desperate need to keep her awake.

"Anything, baby, anything," I repeated.

"After I go, you will be happy. Don't let yourself surround you with the darkness like before. Don't be a monster, Manik," she cried too.

I couldn't help but break down at this moment, just by the fucking thought of it all. I wouldn't listen to her sweet voice ever again. I wouldn't be able to feel her touch, to hug her, kiss her, sleep next to her, cuddle with her. Whom will I go to when I can't find the perfect lyrics to my new song? Whom will I go to when I feel low? Who will be the connection between me and my parents? Who will love me? Whom will I love?

"You are my light, my soul, my heart, my everything, Nandini Manik Malhotra. I am not letting you go," I said in a determined voice.

"No-.. Manik. Some- things are just not in our hands. I-.. I want to go. I-.. cant take this pain- anymore. I want to-.. you-.. to stay happy. Please Manik, stay— happy. Don't be a monster again. You know what love is, so spread love around you.-.....," her hands tried reaching up, to hold my face and I supported them, kissing it all the way.

"Nandini, What is love without you, hmm? I know love only because of you, right? I wouldn't be able to survive without you, please," I held her tighter.

"I know that, but please be stronger. I know, we both know, I cannot survive," she said. Don't lose hope, Nandini.

Please.

What will I do without you?

Please don't do this to us.

"Manik-, please promise me.-... you will fall in love once again. You will not push away people okay. Be happy again. Please- please...," her voice faded again and I nodded negatively.

"Please get married again-... plea-...," her voice stopped and reality couldn't hit me more then now.

She was going away.

My Nandini was going away.

I have to get up every morning and see someone else instead of Nandini? Will I be able to love someone else? Get married to someone else? My future with someone else?

"Nandini!" I pushed apart people and ran to her stretcher, that was behind dragged in. She gave me a weak smile, her eye lids hardly open.

"Can I say our goodbye line, please?" She showed her teeth as if she was winning an award.

"No goodbyes," I whispered but she never listened.

"God gifted me more love then I wished for, and you gifted me our own forever and Humesha in the limited number of days. I got an infinity in a finite days, what more can I ask for?" She smiled. I was just so tired of giving up on everything.

"Manik Malhotra, no matter how many girls you date after today, just remember- I have loved you till my last breath." She whispered and I ran inside her room as well.

"Manik, you need to be out," the doctor explained but I just couldn't listen. All her words kept echoing in my mind and ear.

"Manik, kya kar raha hai, move out!" Cabir shouted and I nodded negatively, pushing him away and running to her.

"Manik, please go," she murmured.

"How can I leave you and go away?" I cried and her thumb wiped away the tears.

"Sometimes, you can't just keep holding on. You have to go," she felt drowsy.

"Just remember this, love stories exist. Happily ever afters do exist, it was-....," her voice faded away and her eyes closed, making me feel numb as an unknown feat wiped down my spine.

"-..it was just not us baby," I completed her lines to myself as I was pushed outside the room by the staff and the door shut on my face.

I felt someone immediately hugging me, and I knew it was Cabir. I just closed my eyes, still wanting to hold myself together.

It's okay.

I can live without Nandini.

It's fine.

Maybe I am destined to be with someone else.

Maybe this was not our story.

Maybe she is not my happily ever after.

I haven't lost anything.

Maybe I can live without her.

Maybe my home will be complete without her too.

Maybe I can love someone else as well.

"Manik Malhotra, no matter how many girls you date after today, just remember- I have loved you till my last breath."

I couldn't.

I was just not as strong to even think myself with anyone else.

This was supposed to be our story.

It was supposed to be us.

How do I let you go?

How?

How can she even think I will love someone else?

How can she?

There was no me without her.

I survived because of her.

"Manik," I heard the doctor call and I immediately turned behind, wiping away the non existent tears.

"Look, I want to be honest here. We'd have to perform a major surgery, and there are negligent chances of her being alive. This surgery would just be a try, almost vain. Still if you want, we can give it a try," she said and I nodded desperately

"Do anything you want Doctor, anything. Take as much money as you want, call the best doctors. Just save my wife, all I want is her. Please," I begged joining my hands and her face turned sympathetic.

"Tum jao form Bhar do, I will try my best," she kept her hand on my joined hands, bringing it down.

"But I don't want you to keep any fake hope, not will I give you fake promises. The chances of Nandini surviving are 0.1%," she left, breaking my heart into a million pieces, shattering my world as I folded myself in a corner on the ground.

"I will fill the form," Cabir said as he went from there, patting my shoulders and I couldn't see anything. I just felt blank.

I promise to love you too, till my last breath.

"I am giving up, Manik Malhotra,"

You can give up on us Nandini.

But I promise I will never give up on us, humesha.

"Manik Malhotra, no matter how many girls you date after today, just remember- I have loved you till my last breath."

I will never be able to move on, Nandini. This is the black magic your love has done to my heart.

~Death and love are actually very similar, Death leaves a scar that no one can heal,
love leaves the memories that no one can steal;
But losing your love to death is something that only true lovers could feel~

~•~

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I'd be waiting for your reviews.

Lots of love.

~StarsAndFireflies_