'I'M SORRY, SHE IS NO......NOT responding to the treatment. Her condition is extremely critical. Her head is severely injured with glass pieces. I'm afraid that if she doesn't wake up soon then she may slip into coma.' The doctor threw a bomb on them. Harsh, Avantika and Pinky cried but Shivaay, he was lost. He felt as if someone pulled out the soul from his body. He felt his limbs going numb. His eyes continued to shed tears. His breathing shallow.

The doctor again went inside the ICU. They prayed for Annika's wellness. Shivaay just kept staring at the ICU door like a lost soul. His heart was busy sending uncountable prayers to God to keep her safe. He cursed himself for doing that to her, to his Annika, his love, his jaana. He wished to kill himself but not before seeking her forgiveness.

The doctor came out with a dejected face. Everyone rushed to him with a hope in their hearts. Their ears yearned to hear some good news but the next words they heard shattered their hearts.

'We tried a lot but, she slipped into coma.'

      Shivaay leaned to the nearby wall for support. He felt his life going away from him. Everything was slipping away from his hands and he couldn't do anything. He felt everything around him revolving. He tried hard to keep his eyes open but soon, darkness engulfed him and he fell unconscious.......

_________________________________________

      He woke up to see himself on the hospital bed. Pinky was sitting beside him. He observed his surroundings and got up with a jerk.

     'Annika....' He whispered looking at Pinki who silently cried looking down. He started to get up but Pinki stopped him.

     'Shivaay, you should take rest. You are weak, beta.' She cried holding his shoulders.

     'No maa, my Annika needs me....she needs me...maa...my Annika....my jaana.......' He was getting restless trying to come out of Pinki's hold. She cried looking at her son.

       She was scared for him. Doctors told that his heart condition triggered today. He had a heart attack seven years ago, the day Annika left him. In all these years, his heart condition turned more severe. He had faced cardiac arrest three times but now, after meeting Annika, he was all fine. Today, extreme stress led to a mini heart attack. Pinki didn't want to lose him. He was her only family except Annika. She prayed for both her children.

      Shivaay somehow got himself out of her hold and ran towards ICU. He won't get peace until he sees Annika. He entered the room to see her lying on the bed with so many wires attached to her. Her head was completely dressed. Few blood clots were still visible. His heart ached seeing her like this. He held himself responsible for her this condition. If he wouldn't have continued his so called revenge then she would have been all fit and fine.

      He sat beside her and held her hand as softly as possible in order to not hurt her. Slowly, he brought the back of her palm towards his lips and gave her a small peck over it. His tears again started falling. He kept her hand on his heart.

       'Annika! Baby, suno na. Why are you doing it?......I'm....I'm so.....sorry na....pl...please don't punish me.....i can't.....i can't see....you like this. Please na jaana.....you can beat me, slap me, even kill me for my deeds....but please don't be like this.....get up na....your shivaay....your shivaay will die.....baby please......don't do this...i...i promise..i won't hurt you ever again...jaana please.' He cried hard leaning onto her. There wasn't any movement in her. He kept pleading but nothing happened.

       His thoughts drifted to the time when Annika, just to tease him, raised the topic of her death. He still remember the painful shiver he felt after listening to her......

Flashback

    Two days before Annika's birthday, they were sitting in an isolated corner in the college canteen where no one could see them. Her head was on his shoulder. Their hands intertwined. He was randomly playing with her slender fingers. A serene smile on their faces.

    'Shiv.'

    'Hmmm.'

   'I have a question....'

    'Go on.' He said looking at her.

     'First promise me, you won't get angry.' She said cutely. He looked confused but signed her to ask, nevertheless.

     'Suppose haan....just suppose...one day....it's not real haan..we just have to suppose.....' she was just blubbering while he was frowning seeing her behaviour.

      'Lekin suppose kya krna hai, woh toh btao.'('But what we have to suppose, tell me na.') He said with a grumpy face. She pouted looking at him. He sighed.

      'Suppose.......'

    'Annnikaaaaa....' He frowned more.

      'Arey let me talk na...'

     'Fine.'

    'One day, what if something happens...like something bad.....i mean if i die......' she was in her own world of imagination while he got angry listening to her.

     'Annika.' He raised his eyebrows. His flaring nose was the clear evidence of his anger.

      'Offfooo Shivaay, i said na it's not real....it's just my imagination....what will you do if i die?' She asked again whilst he just glared her.

      'Don't you dare, Annika.' He whispered gritting his teeth but she was adamant.

      'Arey...chlo let's not talk about death....but suppose by any chance, i slip into coma...what will you do?' She again put forward her question. He got up from his seat to go being fed up with her idiotic talks. She held his wrist.

    'Okay....if not coma then let's suppose.......'

      'Do hell with your suppose thing.' He shouted angrily making her flinch. He held her shoulders tightly pinning her to a nearby wall. She winced in pain feeling his tight hold on her.

       'Shiv....'

    'Not a word more, Annika.' He whispered dangerously looking into her eyes.

     'But i was just kidding.' She said with teary eyes. His hold on her loosened seeing her tears, his biggest weakness. He closed his eyes to control his anger.

      'It wasn't a joke, jaana.' He spoke opening his eyes. She pouted hitting on his chest.

     'I will die....if something happened to you na...i will die....or i may be a living corpse Annika. I'm nothing without you. I'm living just because of you, just for you. Tum ho toh main hoon, tum nahi toh main nhi.' He opened up his heart in front of her joining his forehead with hers. She cried with a wide smile on her face caressing his bearded cheeks.

      He wiped her tears pecking her lips. She hugged him tightly. He hugged her back tightly kissing her hair......

Flashback ends

       Shivaay cried more recalling the moment. He couldn't fathom anything. His Annika was lying being a lifeless body. This mere sight was enough for him to die a thousand deaths.

       Pinky entered to see her son crying vigorously. She rushed towards him. He hugged her. She caressed his hair.

      'Maa! Ask....ask...her to....ge...get up na.' He sobbed. Pinky couldn't do anything except crying.

      A week passed by but there wasn't any improvement in Annika's health. He spent the whole week in the hospital only. Even after a lot of persuasion from everyone, he didn't go home. They had to bring his clothes to the hospital for him to freshen up. They had to feed him forcefully. True to his words, he was actually a living corpse without her.

       He was sitting beside her talking to her as it was his routine since a week. From pleading her to get up to asking her to punish him for his sin, he talked everything. He cried every single moment. His heart broke everytime he realised her condition.

      He was crying keeping his head on her hand when he felt a little bit of movement in her hand. He looked at her being amused. Her eyes were flickering. He smiled with tears seeing her coming back. He kissed her hand several times. 

      'Annika.' He whispered cupping her right cheek.

     She opened her eyes slowly only to close them again as the bright light entered her eyes. She again opened looking at her surroundings with a weird expression. She examined everything for good five minutes.

      He was smiling looking at her but her words made him shocked to death.....

     'WHO ARE YOU?..........'

             **************

Thanks to everyone who voted and commented on the last part❤❤❤

How's it? 😁

   Finally this writer's block left me for sometime and i managed to write this much......💞💕

    Happy holi guys💞💞