Anika's hands started to shiver because of his sudden hug and his overwhelming emotions with her. He was silent, Didn't speak anything when he hugged her but it was for a reason but Anika wasn't silent, She keeps asking what happened. He didn't reply anything but continued hugging her in the same position. For some reason, Anika didn't feel differently with their first hug.  He broke the hug when he sensed the people walking past him. But Anika didn't stop asking him questions. He neither able to say it nor stay silent to her questions. 

"It just I am feeling low." - He managed to reply without seeing her eyes, But she wasn't ready to believe him. 

"Okay, It's already 11, Shivaay. I need to call uber to reach home. Will you drop me?" - She asked him looking into his eyes which he feeling difficult to match her eyelids. He nodded to her. They walked towards the parking lot, Shivaay was accompanied by none, He drove his car himself to there. 

"No security?" - Anika asked him. 

"I needed some space, So I drove myself here!" - He replied in a low tone. 

"Can I drive?" - Anika asked him directly, Without even thinking much, One part of her wondered how she can get comfortable with him so soon but another part of her naturally knew the reason behind, It was not about the comfort, It was because she can't see him in stress and she was badly missing the smile when he was with her. Shivaay also needs some time to think about the reason or lie for being so stressed and emotional as he can't say the truth to her. Anika started the car and made the way out of the hospital. She didn't start the conversation for the first 10 minutes waiting for him to adjust, She couldn't able to understand the fact that how she naturally knew what to do when he's too stressed. 

"Shivaay! We are friends, Right?" - Anika finally started the conversation. Shivaay's heart started to beat so fast when he sensed where the conversation heading towards. 

"Ani. It's just. I..." - He couldn't able to lie, The words stammers. Before he speaks tears peeks out. 

"Shivaay! What happened?" - She asked again. He blinked off his tears looking through the window. He couldn't able to face her. 

"Something very big had happened, Please tell me." - Anika asked him. He gathered the courage up and held his fists tightly. 

"Anirudh's grandfather transferred his ancestor's haveli in Anirudh's name. Because of that, His uncle and Aunty claiming his custody from me." - Shivaay said finally, And the thing he said was true but not stressful, He has been fighting for Anirudh's custody for the past three years silently, Even Anirudh hasn't know anything about it. When shivaay couldn't able to think about anything else, He said that. Anika became silent, Even that answer consoled her a bit. 

"What? How can they? Why everyone going behind money?" - Anika asked out of frustration while driving. Shivaay didn't speak anything. 

"Because of it, You went missing for three days." - She added. He didn't reply but nod to her. He closed his mouth on purpose. He didn't want to talk, If he talks, He might get burst off. 

"Shivaay, I know, It's sensitive, But trust me. Anirudh will go nowhere. And after 2 years, He would be major and he will stay with you forever. Trust me." - Anika said while driving. 

"And our children are the most priced possessions. We have to fight for them. Understand?" - Anika asked him smiling. When she took the word our children, Shivaay's heart stings. He couldn't even able to cry out but nodded to her. 

"Okay, now take out all the stress. I am hungry! Do you know any spot nearby to check in?" - Anika asked him with a smiley face. 

"There's a star hotel nearby! Take the upcoming left." - Shivaay said smiling.

"Star hotel. Are you serious? It's better to go home and eat." - Anika said and made her way towards her house. Shivaay was in no mood to convince her so he went on with her decision. She parked the car in front of her house, Got down. Shivaay came out of the car to take the driver's seat and go back to his home. When Anika held his palm, He stopped walking and comes to reality for a second.

"Let's go inside." - Anika said with a smile. 

"What? No, Ani. Maybe some other time." - Shivaay said.

"Arrey, come on. Last time, Mom was too furious with me for not bringing you to our home last time. If she comes to know that you dropped me and You didn't come inside, She will be even ready to kill me." - Anika held his palm and dragged him inside. He unwillingly came along with her. Upto his surprise, Shanaya opened the door for both of them.

"Mr. Oberoi. Sudden surprise." - She greeted him with a smile, For a while, He couldn't take his eyes off from her. But it didn't go awkward. 

"Yeah, It is." - Anika held shivaay's palm and went past her. 

"Okay!" - Shanaya closed the door behind. 

"Let me introduce you to my mom and dad. Shan where is thatha Paati?" - Anika asked shanaya. 

"Anirudh came over, So they are in Shravan's room talking with him." - Shanaya said with a smiley face. Over then Anika realized, She called Anirudh to her house since he was too depressed due to shivaay's ignorance, and also she could able to call him. And also shanaya and Shravan got gelled up with him from the first meet. 

"Anirudh is here?" - Shivaay asked him. 

"Yeah, I have called him for dinner since you're busy with work and in the end, I got busy with the sudden emergency." - Anika said to shivaay, He acknowledged it and made his way towards Shravan's room upstairs. But got startled to see the large photo frame of Anika, Kids, and marran hanged above the bed. For a second, He felt difficult to breathe. 

"Maa.. Shivaay... " - Anika introduced him to her mother-in-law before he could come out of the shock. But he smiled at her and shook his hands with him. 

"Finally, We met. Heard a lot from my daughter. It's been a pleasure to meet you." - Meena said with a smile. 

"Nice to meet you too, Ma'am." - He said and eyed Anirudh who got relaxed to see him there. Shravan was not there in the scene. 

"We are leaving, Anika. Will meet you all some other day." - Shivaay said. Even Anirudh was confused to see his behavior with them. 

"I think you never came to any traditional Tamil people's home, We never let the guest leave without having lunch or dinner. Since it's the time for dinner, Let's have some idly, Vada, Sambar." - Meena said with a blink and got appreciation from his husband who was behind shivaay, Shivaay later greeted him. 

"Shivaay, I know you're too stressed right now and a lot of things going inside your mind but staying alone will not be a solution for it. Let the problem be there at the same place for a few minutes and enjoy this moment. The least you can do it for your friend." - Anika said holding his forearm. He nodded to her with a smile but he found it very difficult to take his eyes off from the family photo which was hanging in the room. 

"Oh... That photo is taken on the twin's third birthday. Looking so cute, Right. I wish they were like that forever. I didn't like their adult version, Yaar. Seriously, Especially shanaya's." - Anika said with a smile looking at the picture. 

"Both are looking like angels. You must have gone through a lot, Right." - He said immersing himself in that picture and the kid's eyes.

"Yeah. It was a rough phrase, But I forget every problem, every confusion even the whole world looking at their eyes. You're right, They are angels, My Angels." - Words spoken unknowingly by anika when she lost herself in the picture. But soon, She came out of it, But still, Shivaay could feel her. The thing is he couldn't able to speak out anything. 

"What do you mean by gone through a lot?" - Anika asked him. 

"I mean after Maaran's death." - Shivaay re-framed the question. 

"Yeah, It was hard but his parent didn't leave my hand. They indeed became my parents after that. God always compensates for better things. That became true in my case. Now, I am starving shall we leave?" - Anika asked him, Over then, Shravan sneaked into his room and called him for dinner.

Dinner went too silent, Even everyone smiling and laughing, But shivaay couldn't. He felt peace seeing Shravan and shanaya's smiling face and that keeps him going with the flow, But he still has no idea when he will get burst off. He tried controlling his emotions. Shivaay decided to take Anirudh with him and bid bye to everyone. Anika accompanied them to the gate. Anirudh sat inside. 

"Bye, Anika. Take care." - Shivaay said looking at her. Anika forwarded her hand and held his palm.

"Shivaay! I know It's been so difficult to fight for someone who apparently being everything to us But trust me, God won't be unfair all the time. Initially, I gave up all the faith in god due to the circumstances I faced in life, But soon, I started building faith in him. It was not because everything gets solved but because of the strength and courage, I got through it. In fact, Nothing changed, But I got stronger. I know I am blabbering, In a sentence, There's no energy in the world to snatch our reason to live in this earth. I felt it. And I am sure, You will believe it when it happens to you. Now relax and have a good sleep. You hardly need it right now." - Anika said, Shivaay couldn't control his tears when he understood the real meaning behind her word. 

He busted it off but inside, Anika couldn't hear any of his yelling. She pulled him to a hug when she sensed he was losing himself in the emotional ride. She patted his back when he buried his face in her shoulder and cried as his whole life depends on her. She somehow catches the wave and tears emerged out from her eyes without any reason. 

"Shivaay, I don't know, How we became friends then? But now, I swear, I will be always available to you whenever you need me." - Anika said hugging him tighter. He felt relaxed with her hug. Shanaya and Shravan watched everything from the gate and also Anirudh witnessed everything with a smile from the car. 

**********

Neither shivaay spoke anything nor Anirudh could ask anything to him. It was the most uncomfortable silence for both. Shivaay badly needed this silence after going through the big thing in his life. He stayed calm and composed before him. Anirudh's presence made him stay in reality rather than in his own pool of guilt. 

"Dad, Is everything alright?" - Anirudh finally asked when they reached Oberoi mansion. 

"Yes, Anni. Everything is cool. Go and sleep, It's already late." - Shivaay said without facing him. While then, Both heard Kalyani Singh Oberoi's voice from the living area. Shivaay was surprised to an extent when he saw her in the living area. He badly wanted to rush and hug her but stayed calm. Anirudh left to his room when shivaay made his way towards his room, His grandmother stopped him from doing so. 

"I came here after 8 long months. Won't you say hi to me properly?" - She asked him holding his palm. He couldn't hold him back from hugging her. He didn't speak anything but she understood his irregular heartbeat and something constantly hurting him to the core. 

"puthar! Is everything alright! What happened?" - She asked, He wiped the tears before breaking the hug and smiling nodded no to her. But she adamant about knowing what happened to him. He told her about Anika whom he met after 17 years in the plane and their friendship. Anika spoke to her when she was dating shivaay 17 years back when he told her about her accident, Kalyani felt very difficult to digest because she knew how much her grandson loved her. And she never compelled him to move on. She has always been his support system when his own parents didn't support him when he adopted Anirudh, She was always been in his side. And now, After hearing about Anika, She was shaken, Because she didn't expect her comeback in her life and she was also shocked to hear about her husband's death and her two kids. 

"It's okay, I understand. But I already told you right, Everything is happening for a reason! Let's wait and see, It would be great right If she remember everything about you." - His dadi consoled when he buried his face in her lap sitting in the floor, Where she's sitting in the couch consoling him. 

"They are my children." - Shivaay spelled out finally. Kalyani was shaken to hear about it. She didn't know what to say. 

"What are you saying?" - Kalyani whispered to him when she couldn't able to understand what he has just told her. 

"Shanaya and Shravan are my kids, Anika gave birth to my kids, Dadi." - He busted it to her. 

**********