S I L E N T   W A T E R S
I F   I T   T A K E S,  I T  R E T U R N S

❝ One life ends,
Another begins. ❞

Aradhya paced around the room debating whether she should give into the thought or not.

She heard a knock at the door and turned to face the person. Priyanka was standing at the door. "Erm." She paused. "We will be leaving a day after tomorrow, I hope you have packed your things." Aradhya looked at her luggage just a trolley full of clothes and a backpack for utilities. She nodded.

"Where's Mr. Oberoi?"

Priyanka tried hard to keep a straight face, before a grin broke out on her features. "Why do you call him Mr. Oberoi? You have known him for four years now."

Aradhya stayed quiet, she didn't know what to say. For some reason calling him with his given name felt strange to her.

"He's my patient, Priyanka. Just maintaining the decorum." Priyanka just nodded. "And to answer your question, he's downstairs discussing a deal with Arjun."

Aradhya nodded. She rummaged through her bag. And took out a pill. She poured the water, and gulped down the medicine.

"Sleeping pills?" Priyanka questioned. Aradhya shook her head. "Headache. As much as I want to, I can't. What if Mr. Oberoi-" she trailed off. He has another nightmare, the sentence remains unspoken. Priyanka understood and left.

Shivaay was leaning on the back of the sofa. His phone in his hands. His typing was not as fast as before. He grabbed the glass which Priyanka handed him without looking up. She handed him his medicines. He subtly looked behind her shoulder as if searching for someone before he looked back at his phone screen.

"Why don't you take some rest? We'll be leaving after tomorrow." Priyanka said. Her brother liked to work himself tired so that his brain would be exhausted to the point that he didn't have to worry about nightmares.

"So, I will take my leave guys. Jagriti must be waiting for me." Shivaay nodded giving him a small smile. Priyanka walked him to the door. When she returned she found the couch empty, Shivaay had already retired to his room. I guess, I will have to talk to him later.

It was around midnight when Aradhya's eyes snapped open. She groaned. The jug at the side table was empty. She walked outside the room only to see the door of Shivaay's room open. And she knew where he had gone.

And turns out she was right.

He was sitting at the same spot by the pool. His legs dipped into the water and his fingers grazing the surface. She understood his body language. If she didn't interrupt the events are going to repeat, and in the way that she didn't want.

<>

Shivaay kept turning in his bed.

He wasn't uneasy, but he knew wouldn't be able to sleep. His mind was restless.

Should I? Priyanka would be furious though. She's your little sister, Shivaay. Stop being afraid of her.

Shivaay shuddered, even though she was his sister he'd rather not be at the receiving end of the glare. But he can't ignore it. He got off from the bed and walked over to the pool area. He had asked it to be filled up despite Priyanka's warnings.

He crouched down on his one knee at the edge of the pool. He could not see anything under those waters. He could not see the bottom of it in the darkness. He let out a shaky breath through his mouth. His hands stroked the water, watching as the waves rippled under his fingers.

"I knew I'd find you here." Shivaay chuckled. The doctor doesn't give up, does she? He didn't turn around. Instead he dipped his legs into the water.

Aradhya sat at a few distance from him at the same edge.

"Are you afraid of the water?" Shivaay rolled his eyes at the question. "Or are you afraid of the darkness?" He stopped. "Or you are not afraid at all." She spoke.

He turned to look at her. She was staring into the pool. "You are afraid of the memories." Shivaay froze at his spot. His movements ceasing. "You are afraid of the truth." His jaw locked as he glared at the woman. She didn't look up."You are afraid to face it."

He wanted her to stop. Her words were provoking. "You are scared to face that again." He got up to leave. "Don't run from the truth, Mr. Oberoi. Fight back. Protect yourself." He was rooted to his spot.

"Don't let the darkness consume you, for it is eternal." Aradhya said as she lowered herself into the water. She swam towards the centre of the pool and turned around to stare right back him. Challenging him.

Shivaay eyed her warily before he lowered himself into the water. His breath hitched as soon as the water surrounded his body. His mind going blank. The flashes replayed in mind. He felt a grip on his hand keeping him above the surface. And his senses came back with a gasp. He panted and his vision cleared. Aradhya was looking at him worriedly. And his eyes widened registering that he was surrounded by the same waters again. He jerked, fear clouding over his mind.

Aradhya stared at her patient, her expression torn. "Forgive me, for what I am going to do next." She spoke and she pulled him inside the water along with her.

<>

Annika pushed the food around in her plate. Bhavya had called her that she will be in the city. There was a knock on the door and she knew who it was.

She opened the door and a beautiful smiled took over her features. Gauri and Bhavya were standing at the door grinning at her. Annika's smile widened as she pulled them inside.

"How are you?" Bhavya asked when she saw Annika. She has lost weight, from what she remembers from the last time. "I'm fine." Came her ever ready answer.

"Are you going to the ceremony? You got the invitation right?" Annika frowned. She hasn't decided.

"You should go." Annika looked up confused. Bhavya was staring at her worriedly. "This is a great opportunity. Do not miss it." Gauri nodded in agreement.

"Besides you can give me company. I will be too alone there." Gauri offered. Her smile dimmed, the whole family will be there yet she will feel lonely. Was it even a family? She found herself wondering. They were just broken fragments.

"H-how is Rudra?" Bhavya found herself asking. Her voice was hesitant. Gauri smiled at her, "Rudy bhaiya——he's fine. Yeah, fine." She told. He's not. Bhavya got the answer. How did their relationship came to this end? They both were at fault. Just the difference is that one has accepted it and moved on, other hasn't.

She sometimes wondered things turned out like this. One second they were celebrating the wedding, hers with Rudra. But in the next? They all broke apart. And it all happened when Shivaay left for Goa. She had become suspicious. There was something. But she couldn't investigate, she wasn't granted any permission, as it since she was getting married to Rudra, she couldn't use her post for her personal benifits. And without any of the extra help she could never reach what she was trying to.

<>

Shivaay felt the air being cut off from his lungs and his eyes snapped shut. He thrashed around in the waters but something was holding him in.

His fear deepened.

Someone was pushing him back into those waters. He flailed his limbs trying to break free from the grip.

His memory was coming true.

Someone was holding him back again.

Why did it all seemed so real?

He felt scream bubbling in his throat and he choked on the water.

Aradhya was testing his limits. I am sorry, Mr. Oberoi. But conquer the fear you must face it. She tightened the hold. What scared her was that he was just thrashing around making no move to break out to the surface. And when she saw him choking she knew she had crossed the limit, she pulled them both to the surface.

Shivaay gasped. Coughing out the chlorine water from his mouth. He leaned onto the edge of the pool, his hands were shaking badly and she watched his grip loosening. His body was shivering. What have you done, Aradhya?

"Face it. If these waters have taken so much from you, snatch it back." She spoke. But her voice fell on deaf ears. She watched as Shivaay struggled to regain his breathing. He was panting badly, his face was contracting in pain. She pulled herself out. Before assisting him.

Shivaay collapsed on the ground unable to hold himself on his legs anymore, they had turned jelly, his clothes were drenched. He was shivering badly. He felt the dull ache sharpening and spreading from the back of his head down his neck. His muscles contracted deeply and he gasped out. His vision swam and his stomach lurched.

And suddenly he felt the sharp pain in his lungs. Like they have been set afire. His eyes teared up.

Unable to hold himself anymore. He emptied the stomach contents right next to him. Aradhya's heart dropped when she saw specks of blood in them. She lightly patted his cheeks when he started losing his consciousness. She rushed to call Priyanka.

They both ran back, Shivaay was breathing very slowly. "What have you done!?" Priyanka screeched seeing his condition. But Aradhya had other things to take care of. She tipped the neck of bottle towards his neck, lifting it off the ground to made him drink the water. She pried his lips open to see the damage and winced. He has but into the inner surface of his lower lip. And hence the blood. They both waited slightly so Shivaay gained consciousness.

He stirred. His head was resting on Priyanka's lap. His body was trembling in the cold. And he registered his surroundings. He was not in his room. The events flashed in his mind and his breath came out shaky.

Aradhya's heart dropped when she noticed the look of pure betrayal across his face. She had been expecting anger. But it all turned one eighties. He was supposed to fight back. He completely gave up, surrendering to his fate. Her grip wasn't even that strong on him. Just enough so they stayed afloat. One jerk and he would have been free. But he stayed frozen.

She helped him up. But he shrugged she arm of. He trusts you. Did she break it? She watched as he fully leaned onto his sister causing her to stumble a few steps. He took the guestroom to the ground floor as he was in no condition to walk upstairs to his own room.

Shivaay closed his eyes. Exhaustion taking over him. It took a few minutes for his breath to slow down and his heart to calm. She and Priyanka made him drink the water mixed with the sleeping pill. Because there was no way he isn't going get nightmare after what happened today.

Or what she did to him.

Priyanka grabbed her hand.

"What were you doing? What were you even thinking? Have you lost it!? You were supposed to help him. Not to traumatise him even more!" She spoke furiously.

"That's——that's what I was trying to do. I-i didn't know that he wouldn't fight back. He just gave up." Priyanka chuckled darkly.

"Do you really think that? If was able to fight back we wouldn't have found him drowning himself in the same pool a few days ago!"

Aradhya flinched backing away. "Only a poison can cure the other poison."

Priyanka shook her head. "But a fear can't conquer the other. It might make just stronger breaking the person's resolve completely. Just like what happened now."

"And, you were right. We can find better medical assistance for bhaiya in Mumbai. I will have him terminate the contract with you tomorrow." Priyanka said her eyes hardened. And the only thing she could see in them was the protectiveness for his brother Aradhya's guilty eyes widened. "You didn't have to do all this to free yourself." Was she accusing her? How can she?

"Congratulations you get your life back again."

Aahh! So? They will reach Mumbai in tomorrow's update.
Quite unexpected wasn't it?