The nurses walked around, the doctors rushed past but he couldn't focus on anything else but the only thing that he could register was that his wife was there behind the doors alone.

Shakti rubbed his hands together in anticipation, he felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up. Tej was staring ahead at the hospital area. But the warmth from his hand was there.

They both were still dressed in their meeting clothes, they had rushed straight to the hospital when Jhanvi informed that Pinky had gone into labour and she is driving them to the hospital.

The guilt of not being there for Pinky at that time was eating him away. He could hear Pinky's painful screams from behind the doors. They had pushed him out when the complications started to arise.

She had gone to labour eight hours ago. They have spent the hours in anticipation and fear as the doctor waited for the dilation. And as the time passed, the pain grew. He wanted to comfort her but he didn't know how to. So he just stood by her side, offering the words of comfort and assurances. To let her know that she wasn't alone in this. They both were in this together.

He was going to be a father in a few moments, he can't fall now.

Jhanvi was pacing outside the door. Her lips quivering with nervousness, casting worried looks over the door. She and Pinky may not have been at the best of terms but she was still her sister-in-law. She understood her side of the story as well. She turned around to look at her husband who was standing silently being the anchor for his brother and at times like this she could see the family coming together once again.

They offered Maa, to stay at the mansion. And Jhanvi knew she would have decorated the whole mansion by now to welcome the newborn in the house.

They all have been waiting restlessly outside the labour room, empty stomach. She knew she wouldn't be able to stomach a grain until she comes to know both her sister-in-law and her niece or nephew are okay. She was going to be an aunt.

A bundle of joy in their lives.

A ray of sunshine in the dark clouds that have clutched the mansion in its grasp.

Tej was looking at his brother and then at his wife. They all were tensed. And so was he. Who would have believed? Tej Singh Oberoi being worried for the sister-in-law, whom he never failed to make her stand as an outcast, an outsider to the family just for not being the same background as them.

But here he was. It wasn't her fault that it took time for her to get used to the customs she had to follow as an Oberoi bahu. He shouldn't have held it against her. Because it wasn't intentional. He knew better but he never assured her instead he didn't relent a single chance where he could taunt her for her mistakes.

He wanted to chuckle at the irony, at how being surrounded by the hospital walls made one realise all the mistakes one had done in their lives, just from the fear of something inevitable.

"It all will turn out fine." He found himself speaking. Shakti looked up but didn't say anything. His eyes were strayed on the grey doors that parted him away from his wife.

Tej didn't know what else he could say or should. His relationship with his brother wasn't as ideal either but they knew when to stick around. And this was one of the times they put all their past behind and let them act on their instincts and the support systems when they needed one.

And the screams from the room stopped, instead there was a shrill cry. And they felt their eyes tearing up from the emotions they have never witnessed before.

The door opened and their breath hitched.

There was a warm smile on the nurse's face as she turned to Shakti, "Mr. Oberoi you can go in." She helped him sanitize his hands before he entered the door.

Jhanvi walked over to her husband and placed a hand on his. He turned to look at her. There was nothing but tears of joy in her eyes. They hung around the door waiting for the news until the nurse came up once again and told them that they are allowed to go in now.

Jhanvi turned to Pinky who was lying on the bed exhausted, she was barely awake but there was a glow of serenity around her. She brushed away her hair as in to comfort the new mother. She looked around the room and found Shakti holding the newborn bundled up in a blue blanket, in his hands.

Tej's eyes strayed on the blanket and he felt his eyes getting misty. Shakti was openly crying the tears of joy as he cradled his son close.

He turned to his brother and sister-in-law. He saw the emotions in their eyes which replicated his and Pinky's, he shared a look with his wife before walking over to Jhanvi and handing the baby in her hands. She was surprised but she composed herself quickly and cradled the baby close. She cooed.

Tej had never been so jealous of his wife. He silently walked over to her to peer over her shoulder to look at the child. And his eyes widened in surprise.

It was an enchanting sight.

"Here." And without any warning Jhanvi handed the baby to him and adjusted his hold so that he was holding it properly. He couldn't bring himself to move an inch,  afraid to cause any discomfort to the newborn in his hands. He stared at the child in awe.

He watched as the baby's face scrunched and it opened his eyes to look around and he gasped audibly when the blue eyes stared at him.

"Meet your bade papa, Shivaay." Shakti crooned softly.

Bade papa.

He was a father.

He looked down at the baby, his nephew——his son.

He turned to his wife who was staring at him tearfully. And that was the first time anyone would have seen the Great Tej Singh Oberoi shedding the tears, in the joy of holding his son for the first time.

"We're parents." He choked out, his voice heavy with emotions.

He looked down at his arms. The child was looking at him curiously.

"Our son." He declared and the four shared the identical smiles on their faces.

The child will grow up with not two but four parents by his side, ready to hold him when he stumbles, ready to cheer him when he cries, ready to do anything for him.

But they weren't aware of fate's play.

Tej smiled as he put down the dusty photograph. He didn't know what he was doing in the storeroom.

Shivaay had unknowingly filled their lives with joy they had lost over time. He had promised himself that he would look after him no matter what, but look at him now he had done so much to hurt him, yet Shivaay's respect for him didn't deter.

He and Jhanvi may have three children, but it was Shivaay who had made them parents for the very first time.

"Bhaisaab?" Tej turned around to see Shakti standing at the doorway with a frown on his face. Tej leaned on the walking stick and sighed.

Shakti's eyes fell on the photograph and his expression turned forlorn. "We both failed as fathers didn't we?" He asked as he picked up the wooden frame that Tej had just placed down. Tej didn't say anything but Shakti knew that he agreed with him. His expression said it all.

"Our child is grown up now." He spoke and Tej bowed his head and chuckled bitterly at that. Our child. He had said the words then how come he was the first one to forget them? How come he became the first one to disrespect the promise that he had made to his nephew.

His child, Shivaay. Became the father that his own children needed.

He should have been grateful that despite everything, Shivaay never let any of his children feel the need of the father. But he grew jealous. And that was where it all started. He was jealous of his own son?

He and Jhanvi considered him their first son. He had made them parents. And Tej never felt like he was his nephew, he had never treated him as one. But he never understood how unconditional love turned into jealousy and then into resentment. And finally now guilt.

He was unfortunate.

"We lost our chances, Shakti. Despite having four parents, our children grew up with one, Shivaay." He spoke bitterly, guilt was eating him alive but he had no rights to apologise anymore.

"What I am guilty about is that, my son had to grow up without any." Saying that he walked away from the room. Shakti glanced at the photograph one last time, before he too followed his way out, his heart heavy.

And in the room, the photograph lay once again being layered in dust, holding the most treasured memories of a parent.