Scared

It was 2018. Jassi had worked tremendously hard since the champions trophy 2017 set back and now his bowling was becoming so good that it was scary. He was laser focused. He picked up from Malinga during IPL, talked with Zak and Bhuvi about his techniques, worked with MS tu understand and read batsmen better and regularly bowled to Virat and Rohit in the nets cuz they were the best to test his skills. He would bowl to MS too occasionally, to test out those Yorkers against the helicopter shot. And things were working out well, results were starting to show and Virat, MS and Rohit had no qualms showing how damn proud they were of him.

It was about 4 days before the match against SA, the team had met early cause Virat had insisted on practice even though everyone was just out of IPL. But everybody knew it just was for team time after them playing against each other.

It was net sessions in the morning, Virat was done with his knocking and was doing close catching with KulCha while Rohit was still warming up (late arrival as usual). So Jassi was bowling to MS.

After two three swingers, Jassi could feel the flow and pace were now almost palpating through him. MS was defending it very well. And they fell into a steady rhythm. But suddenly something unprecedented happened.

Jassi bowled a bouncer, not like aiming it at MS or any thing, because Jassi would never do that. But a normal, body lined, bouncer and that had Jassi pace fired up to it. MS couldn't duck in time and the ball hit the grill of the helmet with so much force that it knocked him off his feet.

Mahi hadn't realised his helmet was loose. But as soon as the ball hit him, his head bumped against the helmet, he felt an excruciatingly sharp pain on his temple and as the back of the head hit the ground, he almost blacked out.

Jassi stood a his place stunned and numb, too shocked to move as Virat and others rushed to MS. Virat immediately removed MS's helmet and supported him against his body as Rohit loosened the pad. The physio placed the ice pack against MS's head.

"Bhai are you ok?" Virat asked in desperate concern.

MS struggled to speak, and clinched his eyes in pain.

"Bhai..." Virat said there was concern, fear and even hint of tears in his voice. MS not speaking was scaring him.

MS drifted out of consciousness after one last ditch attempt to speak

"Vi we need to get him to the hospital" Rohit said equally shaken.

"Is he bleeding?" Hardik asked trying to keep the waiver off his voice but still failing.

"Will he be ok?" Kuldeep asked.

"Of course he will be Kul" Yuzi said trying to calm him "It happens sometimes in game."

"He isn't bleeding Harry." Virat said checking MS "Ro did you call..."

"The ambulance will be here any minute now." Rohit said even before Virat could ask.

In their concern, they had almost forgot about Jassi who was still frozen in his place. He wanted to go to MS, but it was as though his muscles won't move. He felt paralysed by the fear. He was feeling a weight on his chest as though he couldn't breath or shout or move.

As the ambulance was arriving, Virat looked at Jassi and his worry increased manifolds. Jassi was looking pale with fear. Virat couldnt move, as he was supporting MS's head against himself, even though every fiber of his body wanted to go and comfort Jassi. Instead he signalled Bhuvi to go to the kid.

Bhuvi had seen Jassi too and needed no more impetus to rush to him. He immediately understood that Jassi was having a minor panic attack. He swiftly pulled Jassi to himself and calmly and yet firmly said "He is gonna be ok Kiddo. Nothing will happen. Try to match my breathing now, just like that...good" Bhuvi kept murmuring it like a mantra, till he could feel that Jassi was breathing normally.

Jassi parted from Bhuvi and mechanically moved and sank down beside MS. He was not speaking yet but atleast he was moving and breathing normally. Virat patted his back trying tell him its going to be ok, but honestly Virat was himself a little scared.

The ambulance arrived soon and Rohit and Virat left with MS, leaving Bhuvi with the kids. Bhuvi understood theirs no use of staying in the practice grounds anymore, nobody will be able to do any training anymore. And he took the kids back to the hotel.

In the hospital the doctors took MS in to check him as Virat and Ro panicked outside.

"Ro he would be fine right?" Virat asked.

"Yeah, of course...of course." Rohit said clutching Virat's hands.

"This happens sometimes in cricket" Virat said almost reassuring himself "Nothing happens to anyone. Nothing will happen to him too. You are right."

Rohit just nodded.

Here in the hotel, the kids were huddled in Bhuvi's room. Jassi was sitting in a corner and nobody had been able to get a word out of him. He just stared silently into space. Hardik tried his best to irritate Jassi enough to speak but failed. He pleaded, nagged and tried whatever possible but failed. Atlast Bhuvi asked him to leave Jassi alone for the time bieng. Kuldeep was pressed against Yuzi and Bhuvi was trying to calm everyone down and waiting impatiently for some update.

Almost 3hrs later the doctors called both of them.

"Is he ok Doctor?" Rohit demanded immediately.

"Yes Mr. Sharma." The doctor smiled "Luckily Mr. Dhoni is fine."

"But he wasn't speaking and he lost consciousness." Virat trailed off.

"Well by absolutely fine I mean there is nothing seriously wrong" She said reassuringly. "We had all X-rays and scans done. There is no external or internal bleeding just a minor concussion and a temporary vesovegal impulse due to which he lost consciousness. But that's nothing to worry about. Infact he has regained his consciousness and you can take him back to the hotel in an hour."

"Can we meet him?" Rohit asked.

"By all means." She said "But he will need rest for about 2 days but after that he can as well get back to the field. I will explain the medications to you."

They noted the medications amd thanked the doctors before rushing to meet MS.

MS smiled seeing Rohirat.

"Bhai..." Virat said smiling "you almost scared the life out of us."

"That I can see." MS said patting Virat's cheeks "when can I go back?"

"Well today" Rohit said "in an hour. But even back in the hotel you have take complete rest."

"Ok, Thank God" MS said "I hate hospitals. At least I am not stuck here and that's good."

"Thank God nothing is seriously wrong" Virat said "And I will be staying with you in your room to see that you do take rest."

"Me too" Rohit said.

"Ok" MS said again with an indulgent smile knowing full well that half the team will be in his room anyway, they just needed an excuse to be cramped together.

"I have to call Bhuvi and tell him you are fine" Rohit said, going out make the call

"Mahi bhai is absolutely fine and he is coming back in one hour." Bhuvi burst out as soon as he cut Virat's "well he will need to rest for a day or two but nothing serious happened."

There was relief written all over there faces as the broke into a smile but Bhuvi was concerned because Jassi still looked blank and unmoved.

"Jas" Bhuvi tenderly said sitting near him "He is ok now. Don't beat yourself up over this, it was an accident kiddo."

Jas nodded bit still didn't speak.

Bhuvi sighed, may be when Mahi Bhai came back, he will be able to calm Jassi down.

The kids, everyone except Jassi almost rushed to MS's room as they arrived. Their delighted faces conveyed how relieved they were. And the master at hiding emotions, MS Dhoni, felt that he was the luckiest person on planet Earth. How many people could boast that they had brothers like them. The all rushed to hug him, and MS obliged by letting each one of them smother him with a hug one by one. But he was searching for the one person he couldn't see. Where was the kid? Where was Jassi? He must be scared? Hope he isn't bling himself?

"Where's Jassi?" MS asked atlast pushing Hardik, who was pressed against him, a little away.

Bhuvi who was sitting beside MS said in a very concerned that they hadn't been able to coax Jassi to come. He is just sitting and staring vacantly at space not responding much to anybody.

MS looked worried. That wasn't good. But he knew exactly how to make Jassi come here.

"Cheeku" MS called "go and get Jassi. Tell him I am calling him." Virat nodded and left.

"You guys go to your rooms and freshen up too." MS said said to the others "and that includes you too Ro, so don't even think of napping on the sofa before changing, you are still in your practice kits."

Rohit was seriously planning to take nap on the couch and was about get comfortable looked so utterly stumped that it made others burst out laughing. Ro made a face and then stomped off to his room to change and the others followed.

Virat found Jassi in the corner of the terrace. His face softened seeing him sitting their hugging his knees.

"Kiddo" Virat said sitting down in front of him and lifting his face "What are you doing alone? Bhai is absolutely ok now. Come he is asking for you."

Jassi didn't move.

"Come kiddo" Virat coaxed "he really wants to see you."

Jassi got up mechanically as Virat led him by the arm to MS's room. In the room Jassi stood stiffly at the door of the bed.

"Jas? Bachcha?" MS called tenderly "come here. Come."

Jassi looked up at MS and the warmth and love in Mahi bhai's eyes were for once openly on display.

Jassi couldn't disobey when MS called him like that. And hearing his voice as though Jassi's trance broke. He almost ran up to the bed and literally burried his face in Mahi Bhai's chest and wrapped his arms around his neck and broke down in loud sobs letting out the tears he had been holding.

"I am okay, I am okay Kiddo,don't cry like that" MS said holding Jassi as securely as possible "I have got you now...don't cry like that."

"I am sorry Mahi Bhai." Jassi spoke in between the sobs in hitched sentences. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I really didnt. I can never think of hurting you. I don't know how that happened. I should have never bowled that bouncer, I know. I...I..." The sentence were almost incoherent due to the crying.

"Shhh...Jassi... there's nothing to sorry about." MS said pressing Jassi against him "It was just an accident kid. Nothing more."

"But you got hurt due to me." Jassi said adamantly his sobs as wrecking as before "I hurt you, what if he something bad had happened. No, I won't forgive myself for this ever. And you shouldn't either."

"Don't say that kid" MS said rubbing his back "that was an accident bachcha. It happens all the time with so many batsmen. You have done nothing bad. That was a brilliant bouncer, I couldn't duck it, that has nothing to do with you."

Jassi just tightened his grip and kept crying.

"But see" MS said parting a little to make Jassi look at him and cupping his face "I am fit and fine. I will join back the practice before you even know it."

The violence of his sobs seemed to reduce with that but the tears didn't stop.

"Hush" MS sushed him like a baby "It's over now. It's all right. Stop crying kiddo, you are gonna make yourself sick if you cry like that. I am here now, hush" He kept patting Jassi's back lightly, kissed the top of his head, caressed his face. The kid had worked himself up badly.

Jassi was coughing now due to crying so much but his tears seemed to not stop in anyway. Virat poured a glass of water and handed it to MS. MS parted with Jassi just enough to make him drink a bit of water, before pulling him back against his chest.

After what seemed like eternity, Jassi atlast stopped crying, but he still clung to MS as though it was the only thing that was reassuring him. MS didn't even try to push Jassi away. The kid was so sensitive, he must have almost been scared to death, instead he kept rubbing his on his back. And kept muttering "Everything is alright Kiddo."

"Bhai" At last Jassi so in a steady voice "I was so scared that I had done something really bad. That something will happen to you."

"No Jassi don't be." MS said "Bouncers are not unethical balls. I couldn't duck fast enough. And Jassi I am so proud of the was you are bowling right now and so is everybody else. You are the best bowler and the purest human being I have come across, you cannot hurt anybody ever."

Jassi snuggled into him even more. MS smiled as laid his cheek against Jassi's head and calmly ran his hand through Jassi's hair.

"Bhai you will put me to sleep if you keep doing that." Jassi said chuckling, effectively making MS laugh a relieved laughter.

"Go and freshen up" MS said as he kissed Jassi on the forehead and pushed him away.

Two days passed almost in a jiffy. The team had almost all the time been in Mahi Bhai's room with Jassi pressed against him 24*7. He was behaving normally again, albeit may be a bit too clingy but that was fine. Or so MS thought, but he didn't know that this wasn't over yet.