"Humare bacche ko bacha lijiye..."

Shivaay's snapped to attention when the elevator doors closed. He tried to push the nurse holding him back away and hit the elevator button hard.

"Sir please aisa mat kijiye!"

"MOVE! I'm going to my wife! My wife needs me! Anika! I'm coming to you!" Shivaay's yelled and punched the button again but Om pulled him back.

"Shivaay... Shivaay ruk!"

"Leave me! Mujhe Anika ke paas jaana hain! Anika! ANIKA!!"

"Shivaay, Anika bhabhi ke saath doctors hain. Woh dhyaan rakhenge unka. Tu please khud ko sambhal. Bhabhi ke liye." Om pleaded and seemed to get through Shivaay as he stopped struggling.

Om guided Shivaay towards the waiting room and made him sit down. A couple minutes later, a doctor in surgical scrubs and gown came towards them.

"Family of Mrs Anika Singh Oberoi?"

"Me! I'm her husband." Shivaay shot up from his chair and the doctor approached him.

"I'm Dr Mridula Bajpai, I'm one of the doctors working on your wife."

"How is she? Is she alright? Is the baby alright?!"

"Can we sit and talk?"

Shivaay wanted to interject but Om pushed him back into his chair as Dr Bajpai sat opposite to him.

"Mr Oberoi, your wife is suffering from a condition called placental abruption. It's when-"

"The placenta partially or completely detaches from uterine wall, endangering the mother and baby.." Shivaay recalled, face going pale.

If Dr Bajpai was as surprised as Om was as to how Shivaay knew exactly what the condition was, she did a great job masking it and keeping a straight face.

"It is a serious, but I assure you, our team is excellent and are working to ensure your wife and baby are safe. However, the placenta detaching is compromising the baby's oxygen and nutrient supply. Mrs Oberoi is also losing a lot of blood. For both their safety, we need to proceed with an emergency C-Section." Dr Bajpai explained.

"Bu...but it's too soon, isn't it too soon for the ba..baby ?"

"32 weeks is preterm but the survival rate is 95% and we have an excellent neonatal team. We'll do everything we can, but we need your consent to start." Dr Bajpai informed and handed Shivaay a clipboard.

Shivaay glanced at it from top to bottom and signed his name in the space indicated before handing it to her. Dr Bajpai gave Om an acknowledging nod before handing the clipboard at the nurses' station and heading back through the double doors of the surgical wing.

Om sat next to Shivaay and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Shivaay, Bhabhi is very strong and the doctors are excellent-"

"They'll be fine, Om." Shivaay's spoke, tugging at his fingers and eyes fixed on a spot on the floor. "They have to be. Anika and our baby have to fine..."

"They will be fine Shivaay. Dr Bajpai-"

"Said "they'll do everything they can"... you and I have been in the hospital enough to know what that means." Shivaay took a shuddering breath. "Om, Anika HAS to be alright. Our baby HAS to be alright. I can't go through this again, Om. Not today, not again, I can't... I just can't go through it again."

Om couldn't form any words. He had never seen Shivaay so terrified. So terrified that it scared Om. Om wasn't religious but in that moment, he prayed to every deity he knew to save his Anika bhabhi and his unborn niece or nephew. Shivaay and Anika had received more than fair share of pain and loss in life. Not again. Not on the same day they lost a child.

Shivaay was geeky to certain extent. He like reading journals and encyclopaedias over fictional novels since he was in school. He liked to know things. So when Anika got pregnant, he read up on every single piece of information he could find about pregnancy and parenthood. Including what would happen if the expecting mother faces a life threatening complication. Of course Shivaay possessed enough functional brain cells to know the whole "husband has to choose who to save; mother or baby" was a load of crap, distorting the reality of the sake of drama. In reality, no doctor would leave such a sensitive decision for a relative to make unless they wanted to get sued and lose their license. But Shivaay wished he didn't know better because he knew that even though Dr Bajpai said their team is working on both Anika and the baby, doctors were trained to save the mother. The only reason they would choose the baby over the mother is if... if mother was not going to survive. Anika wanted their baby to live. It's the last thing she said to him before they took her away. But the doctors would only save the baby over Anika if Anika was dying.
So what was Shivaay supposed to do? What was he supposed to pray for? For Anika's wish? Or for Anika?

"Bhaiya."

ShivOm looked up to see Rudra sitting beside them.

Seeing the confused look on their faces, Rudra told them, "Gauri Bhabhi ne call kiya tha. Bhavya ghar par sabke saath hain."

Rudra looked towards Shivaay disheveled state. His hair was stuck to his forehead, eyes stuck on a spot on the floor, nails of one hand digging in the other, shirt and arms covered in blood. Rudra had a change of clothes with him for Shivaay but decided to wait, choosing to sit beside his Shivaay bhaiya and taking his hand in his.

What felt like hours later, a doctor emerged through the double doors and walked towards them.

"Mr Shivaay Singh Oberoi?"

Shivaay looked up and stood up, OmRu following suit.

"I'm Dr Alina Kareem, the neonatologist who worked on your son."

"Your son"? Son? Shivaay had a son?

"Son?" Shivaay cautiously asked.

"Yes, you have a baby boy." Dr Kareem informed and Shivaay released a breath he didn't even realise he was holding. He felt OmRu's grip tighten on his arm and he was grateful for it, feeling that he might collapse if they hadn't held him up.

"Despite being born premature, the baby is stable. He will need to spend a few days in the NICU as the protocol is with all prematurely delivered babies. His cry is a little weak and extremities slightly blue so we'll be providing him high with high flow oxygen therapy and monitoring his oxygen saturation. You can see him once he's settled in the NICU."

Dr Kareem was about to leave but Shivaay stopped her and asked, "Dr Kareem, how is my wife? Is she alright?"

"Mrs Oberoi is still in surgery, Dr Madan is working on her. I'll check and have someone update you." Dr Kareem informed and left.

OmRu enveloped Shivaay in a hug and while he hugged back, his mind was somewhere else. His chest felt heavy, the way it felt whenever Anika wasn't alright. But there was something to lift the heaviness just a little. A ray of hope. His son. He had a son. And his son was stable and alive.

Another hour later, Dr Madan came out with Dr Bajpai in tow. Since no introductions were needed, she got straight to the point.

"Mrs Anika is out of surgery but she's still critical. She lost 4 litres of blood and needed multiple rounds blood transfusion. During surgery, her heart stopped once but we were able to resuscitate her."

Dr Madan paused, giving Shivaay a minute to process the information given till now.

"We'll be monitoring her in the ICU, you can see her once she's been moved."

"But she's okay, right? I mean, she will be, she will be okay, right?" Shivaay asked feverishly.

Dr Madan's took a sharp breath before saying, "Mr Oberoi, Anika lost a lot of blood even before surgery and due to her heart stopping, we wouldn't know if she's sustained any neurological damage until she wakes up and... it could be a while before she wakes up."

Dr Madan and Dr Bajpai left the waiting area. Shivaay, who managed to hold himself together till now, felt the boulder of emotions fall on top of him, knocking the air out of his lungs. He doubled over, putting his hands on his knees as he to tried breathe but all he could draw was wheezy breathes. OmRu acted quickly and made him sit down.

Om sent Rudra to fetch a glass of water while he rubbed Shivaay's back and coached his breathing. "Shivaay, listen to me, hear my voice. Breathe with me. In..1...2...3...4...5...out...1...2..3..4...5..."

After a couple minutes, Shivaay was able to follow Om's breathing, becoming aware of hot his face felt and the tingling numbness in his fingers and toes. Rudra held a glass of water to him but Shivaay pushed it away.

"Bhaiya..."

"I need to see her... I need to see... see him. I need..."

"Mr Shivaay Singh Oberoi?" A nurse approached him, "Your son has been moved to the NICU, you can visit."

Shivaay shot up from his chair, followed by OmRu and the three began to walk but the nurse stopped them and added, "NICU mein sirf parents allowed hain."

Shivaay looked towards OmRu but the nodded reassuringly, offering to accompany him to the NICU floor but staying outside the unit.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Pal, do pal, ki hi kyun hai zindagi
Iss, pyar, ko hai sadiyaan kaafi nahi
Toh khuda se maang lun
Mohalat main ik nayi
Rehna hai bas yahaan
Ab door tujhse jaana nahi

OmRu got Shivaay to change out of his bloodstained clothes and freshen up in the bathroom and . Shivaay looked towards his brothers one more time before entering the unit. Rows of tiny beds and incubators held tinier babies in them, hooked up to monitors and IV bags. He went up to the incubator that held his baby. His son.

"Mr Oberoi?" Dr Kareem asked, gowned and gloved like every staff and visitor in the NICU.

Considering the mask covering his face. Shivaay re-introduced himself, "Ye...yeah, it's me. Shiv...Shivaay Singh Oberoi."

"Your son." Dr Kareem moved beside the incubator she was standing in front of.

Jo tu mera humdard hai
Jo tu mera humdard hai
Suhaana har dard hai
Jo tu mera humdard hai

Shivaay's breath hitched. A tiny, fragile baby lay in there, connected to a web of wires, an oxygen mask on his face (he didn't even know oxygen masks could be this small), a tube in arm and another in his nose.

"He is breathing on his own and with the oxygen therapy, his stats are looking good. His muscles are not strong enough to bottle feed, hence a nasogastric feeding tube had to be placed. It is common with premature babies and they gain strength over time." Dr Kareem explained and Shivaay heard her, but he was focused one thing and one thing only; the rise and fall of the baby's chest. His baby was breathing.

"You can touch him, Mr Oberoi." Dr Kareen told him, pointing at the small opening in the incubator. Shivaay's hand trembled as he slipped them through the opening and gingerly touched the baby's arm. The baby stirred slightly, his tiny fingers curling faintly around Shivaay's finger. His baby was alive. A sudden rush of emotion overwhelmed him—relief, hope, love, and an aching sense of responsibility all at once.

"He's a strong boy." Dr Kareem commented.

"He takes after his mother." Shivaay replied.

Teri muskurahatein hain taaqat meri
Mujhko inhi se ummeed mili
Chaahe kare koi sitam ye jahaan
Inme hi hai sadaa hifaazat meri
Zindagani badi khoobsurat hui
Jannat ab aur kya hogi kahin

"Mish'u Papa." Shivani spoke into Shivaay's neck, his father's hold tightening around her.

After seeing his son in the NICU, Shivaay spent the night next to Anika's bedside in the ICU. By morning, she hadn't regained consciousness but was stable enough to have other visitors. Shivaay asked Gauri to drop Shivani at the hospital after pre-school and as soon as he saw his daughter in the corridor, he ran to her and scooped her in his arms.

"I missed you too Sweetheart." Shivaay murmured, lightly caressing his daughter's hair.

"Mumma ka' 'ain?" Shivani asked and Shivaay inhaled sharply before pulling away slightly.

"Mumma, room mein hain. Mumma is... is not too well so she's sleeping. We can see her, but have to be quiet, okay baby?" Shivaay explained softly and carried Shivani to Anika's unit. Kids were not allowed in the ICU but Shivani visiting did not pose any health risks to Anika and Anika not in such bad shape that might scare the child. Apart from the nasal cannula for oxygen and the IV catheter in her hand, Anika did look like she was just asleep.

Shivaay placed Shivani on the ground but the toddler immediately climbed on to Anika's hospital bed. Shivaay was about her bring her down but Shivani just held Anika's cheek with her small hand, kissed her other and got down from the bed. Shivaay once again took her in arms and sat on the couch, asking what did she do in class and any new songs that she learnt.

Jo tu mera humdard hai
Jo tu mera humdard hai
Suhaana har dard hai
Jo tu mera humdard hai

"That's your baby brother." Shivaay pointed to the incubator in the corner. Shivani, being held up by Shivaay, looked through the glass wall of the NICU in the direction Shivaay was pointing in.

"Bo..ther..." Shivani tried to say but couldn't roll her Rs yet.

"Brother... bhai. Tumhara chhota bhai."

"Bhai..."

"Yes, your chhotu bhai."

Shivani grinned and asked, "Mujhe milna 'ain!"

"Why don't you and Raahil make something for him for when you meet him? That would be fun!" Shivaay suggested, taking Shivani back downstairs to go home.

Teri dhadkano se hai zindagi meri
Khwahishein teri ab duaaein meri

"They removed his feeding tube today, he is able to bottle feed which is... which is huge." Shivaay informed Anika, holding her hand as she lay on the bed with her eyes closed. Shivaay rubbed her knuckles and continued, "Shivani made a "garden" in class, she really wants to show it you and our son, which reminds me, what should we name him? Till now it's just Baby Oberoi and if we don't come up with a name soon, he will hate us forever is he's stuck with baby Oberoi."

Shivaay chuckled slightly and looked up to see if Anika smiled. But she hadn't. She was still unconscious.

Kitna anokha bandhan hai ye
Teri meri jaan jo ek hui

"It's been 4 days Anika. Doctors say the worst is behind us...but they don't know why you aren't waking up... well, except that I didn't tell them tum Female Kumbhkaran ho... but this is a new record, even for you. They're telling me it takes time, that I just need to be patient... But tum toh mujhe jaanti ho na Anika, tumhara Tadibaaz Baagad Billa hoon main. But Anika..." A lump formed in Shivaay's throat and tears pooled in his eyes. "I can't do without you. I need you Anika." Tears fell from his eyes. "Our son is so strong, he's being so brave. Our daughter is being so brave and she always comes to see you with smile. And I am being brave for them... but you are my strength Anika. I'm holding on but I...I'm falling apart without you." Shivaay kept his head in her hands, crying softly. "So please, please wake. For our son. For Shivani. For me. Wake up. Please..."

Lotunga yahaan tere paas main haan
Waada hai mera mar bhi jaaun kahin

Shivaay felt Anika squeeze his hand and his jolted up to look at her. Anika's lips parted and groan escaped her lips as her eyes fluttered open.

"Anika..." Shivaay whispered , observing her closely as her eyes closed and reopened, adjusting to the light, then looking around until they landed on him.

"Shivaay..." Anika's voice was hoarse from days of being unconscious but his name in her voice sounded like most melodious music to Shivaay's ears.

"You're awake! You're awake! Oh my God! You really are awake!" Shivaay cupped her face and kissed her forehead before springing to his feet. "I'm gonna call Dr Madan."

Anika blinked, confusion clouding her face as she took in her surroundings. Was she in a hospital room? Why was she here? What happen...

The day...the arguement...the pain... the blood... Shivaay running with her in his arms... "humare bachhe ko bacha lijiye..."

Anika's hand moved instinctively toward her abdomen and horror flooded her when she didn't feel her baby bump.

"Mera baccha..." Anika tried to push herself into a sitting position to get out of bed but the movement sent a shockwave of pain through her body. "Ah!"

"Anika!" Shivaay ran to her and pushed her back down on the bed. "Kya kar rahi ho?! Abhi hosh aaya hain!"

"Shivaay...Shivaay humara bachha..." Anika clasped the material of his shirt, bringing his face closer to her. "Humara bachha kahaan hain... woh theek hain na? Batayia na? Kahaan hain woh? Kaheen-"

"Hey hey hey!" Shivaay cupped Anika's face, this time a little more firmly and made her look in his eyes. "He's okay. NICU mein hain likin he's getting stronger every day. He's okay."

Anika took a shuddering breath, taking in his words then her eyes widened as she cautiously asked, "..."he"?"

Shivaay broke into a smile and nodded. "Yes, "he'. We have a son Anika. A beautiful baby boy."

Anika gasped and when she exhaled, tears fell from her eyes. She looked towards Shivaay, trying to wrap her arms around him. Shivaay climbed on to her bed and hugged her tightly, both crying tears of joy and relief in each other's arms.

Jo tu mera humdard hai
Jo tu mera humdard hai
Suhaana har dard hai
Jo tu mera humdard hai

A few hours later, with the doctor's permission, Shivaay wheeled Anika into the NICU to see their son for the first time. Dr Kareem was performing a routine check on their baby.

"Is this Anika?" A voice spoke in a whisper. ShivIka turned towards a lady sitting on the chair beside the neighbouring incubator.

"Yes, this is Anika." Shivaay replied then turned to Anika. "Anika, this is Paakhi. Her daughter Inaya and our son are neighbours."

Even through the mask, Anika could tell Paakhi was smiling. "Shivaay talks about you a lot Anika. Actually, you're all he talks about."

Anika smiled while Shivaay scratched his bashfully.

"It's so good too see you Mrs Oberoi. I'm Dr Alina Kareem, your son's doctor." Dr Kareem introduced herself. "Everything looks good with the baby. You can touch him through this opening."

Anika put a trembling hand through the opening in the incubator and gingerly placed it over the baby's chest. Feeling his chest rise and fall, a wave of emotion surged through her.

"Hi..." Tears streamed down her face as she spoke, gently stroking his chest with her finger. She traced his delicate features with her gaze—his tiny nose, his fluttering eyelids, the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. He was so small yet so perfect. A perfect mix of both them. And Anika just knew. "Hi...Ansh."

Anika looked towards Shivaay, conveying what she felt and seeking his approval. The name came as a surprise to Shivaay but as soon as he looked towards Anika, he understood her thought behind the name. He looked at her then at their son, stirring slightly at her touch. In that moment, he knew.

With his own eyes glistening, he placed his hand on the clear glass of the incubator. "Hi Ansh."

Present
Shivaay's Bedroom

The timer in Shivaay's phone went off, indicating the pizzas were done. Shivaay to leave to leave the room unless he planned on serving coal for dinner. He headed back to kitchen to finish what he had started. He put another pizza in the oven and when he stood up, his eyes met Om's.

Since Shivaay had bent down to use the oven, Om didn't see him when he went to fetch his phone that he had forgotten on the counter. As he reached for his phone, Shivaay stood up and Om jumped back slightly.

"Sorry! Mujhe laga tu yahaan nahi... main apna phone... main..." Om fumbled with words till he sighed and gathered himself. "I'm just heading out."

"Om..." Shivaay called out. "I'm sorry."

Om spun on his heels and headed back inside the kitchen. "Tu kyoon sorry bol raha hain?"

"Because maine galat kiya hain, galat bola hain, kya... kya bol diya maine tumhe. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. You should..should never, never have go through it, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."

"You wouldn't wish it on your worst enemy... but you went through it." Om expressed, looking up to meet Shivaay's eyes. "Shivaay, I can't even imagine tum par kya beeti hogi, let alone understand. I just wanted you to know that I'm here for you and you're not alone, I'm here to support you even if I can't understand."

Shivaay sighed deeply and gripped the counter. "You know what I felt the strongest, Om? Powerlessness. Helplessness. Anika was suffering. My kids were suffering and I couldn't do anything to help them. That ate me alive... it still eats me alive. I have to focus on something that I can do, something that is in my control. Making Ansh's favourite pizza is something I can do for him, to make him happy. I need to focus on that to keep me tethered to reality. So, can you... help me... make pizzas?"

Om hopped to the other side of the counter and grabbed his apron. "Of course."

The brothers worked swiftly at preparing, baking and cutting up the pizzas, finishing just in time for dinner. ShivOm loaded the pizzas on serving platters and got the staff to take them out. Once the last of the platters were sent out, ShivOm leaned against counter to take a moment to relax. The two brothers looked at each other for moment before Shivaay pulled Om into a hug, the latter hugging back tightly.

"HAW! O-BRO MOMENT MERE BINA?!"

ShivOm didn't need to look up to see who it was.

"Impeccable timing." Shivaay commented but extended his arm towards Rudra, who joined in the hug in a second.

As they hugged each other, Rudra peeked over Shivaay's shoulder to glance at Om.

'All good between you and Bhaiya now?' Rudra meant to ask.

'Yes. Thank you.' Om replied through a nod.

Rudra threw him an 'I told you so' smirk and Om instantly regretted thanking him.

The brothers headed out and joined other for cake cutting and dinner. Ansh hopped on one side of the dining table with Shivaay while the rest on the opposite.

"Shivani beta, tum bhi us taraf jao." Shakti told her.

"Haan Dadaji, main bas Mumma ko video call kar ke phone set karke jaa hi rahi hoon." Shivani said. Once the call connected, she waved Anika high and handed the phone to Raahil, heading to Ansh's side.

Shivaay lit the candles on the cake and Ansh joined his hand and closed his eyes, making a wish.

"Itni kya wish maang raha hain?" Rubi whispered as Ansh took his sweet time, only to receive a light smack on the head by Raahil.

Ansh blew the candles and cut into the cake as everyone started singing, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Ansh, happy birthday to you!"

Ansh fed the cake to Shivaay and Shivani then running to Raahil to virtually feed cake to Anika.

Shivaay watched with a smile as Ansh fed the cake to the family members and they fed it to him, followed by the boy dancing with joy while eating what he described as the "best pizza in the world, minus Italy".

'Happy birthday my little man. Papa loves you so much.'