A U T H O R

The dimly lit hospital corridor was drowning in a suffocating silence, punctuated only by the occasional sound of sobs. The air was thick with despair as the weight of the ticking clock grew heavier with each passing second.

Karanveer sat slumped on the bench, his head buried in his hands, his shoulders shaking with silent cries. His once vibrant face was now pale and worn from the endless stream of tears. Aarav stood nearby, pacing restlessly, his own face streaked with tears, while Yash sat beside Karanveer, trying and failing to console him.

Nikshant was in a corner, his knees drawn to his chest, hands clasped tightly as he whispered desperate prayers. His lips quivered as he repeated the same plea over and over again.

"Please, Cherry, open your eyes. Please don't leave us."

Yash, unable to watch the two men fall apart any longer, spoke up, his voice tinged with frustration and concern. "If you two want to ruin your health by crying, go ahead. But think about this: what will we tell Aaravi Bhabhi when she wakes up? What if she asks about you? Do you want to be admitted to the hospital yourselves?"

Aarav nodded in agreement, though his voice was heavy with his own grief. "Yash is right. We need to stay strong-for her."

Karanveer, however, seemed beyond reasoning. He raised his tear-filled eyes, his voice trembling as he asked, "Will... she... open her eyes before 24 hours?"

"Yes, she will," Nikshant replied, his tone hard and determined. His teeth clenched as if he were willing his words to manifest. "She has to open her eyes."

Karanveer's desperation only deepened. "Then why isn't she opening her eyes? The 24 hours are almost up, Nikshant. Why hasn't anything happened yet?"

The words echoed like a cruel reminder of their helplessness. The room fell into a tense, dreadful silence, the weight of the approaching deadline pressing down on them all.

An hour later, the ICU door opened, and the doctor stepped out, his face grave. Everyone rushed to him, their expressions a mixture of hope and fear.

"How is she, doctor? Did she respond?" Karanveer asked, his voice breaking.

The doctor hesitated before shaking his head slightly. "I've done my examination. Her vitals are stable, but..." He sighed deeply, the pause stretching unbearably. "She hasn't regained consciousness. I need to speak with you in my office, Mr.Sachdeva."

Karanveer felt his legs grow weak as he followed the doctor down the corridor. Each step felt like a walk toward doom.

In the chamber, the doctor's words hit Karanveer like a bolt of lightning. "The head injury was severe, and despite our best efforts, Aaravi has slipped into a coma. There's no way to predict when she might regain consciousness-it could be days, weeks, or even longer."

Karanveer stared at the doctor, his vision blurring with tears. His chest felt hollow, like his very essence had been drained.

"She's in a coma..." he whispered, the words tasting bitter on his tongue.

The doctor placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know this is difficult, but don't lose hope. Sometimes, patients recover faster than we expect. Keep talking to her. Let her hear your voices-it can make a difference."

Karanveer left the doctor's office in a daze. When he returned to the waiting area, all eyes turned to him, silently pleading for good news. He stood there, frozen for a moment, before finally speaking.

"She's... in a coma," he said, his voice devoid of emotion, as if saying the words aloud made them too real to bear.

The revelation hit everyone like a tidal wave. Nikshant staggered backward, his vision going dark. He almost collapsed, but Aarav caught him in time, holding him steady.

"Careful, bhai," Aarav murmured, though his own heart was breaking.

"This is all my fault," Yash whispered from the corner, his voice thick with guilt. He clenched his fists, his mind replaying the accident over and over again.

But before Yash could spiral further, Nikshant's soft, broken voice filled the room. "No... no, this happened because of me. I shouldn't have locked her in the storeroom."

The confession hung in the air like a thunderclap.

Karanveer's head snapped toward Nikshant, his grief morphing into unbridled rage. In an instant, he closed the distance between them and landed several powerful punch on Nikshant's cheek.

"You locked her in the storeroom?!" Karanveer roared, his voice echoing through the corridor.

Nikshant stumbled from the force of the punch, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He didn't retaliate. He didn't even defend himself. He simply stood there, staring at the floor, as if the pain was a welcome punishment.

"You monster!" Karanveer yelled, his fury uncontrollable. "Do you have any idea what you've done? My princess is lying in a coma because of you!"

"Karan bhai, stop!" Aarav intervened, stepping between the two men. "This isn't helping Aaravi bhabhi."

But Karanveer was beyond reason. He tried to push Aarav, his fists still clenched, but Yash joined in, holding him back.

"Enough!" Yash shouted. "Karanveer, hitting Nikshant won't change anything. Aaravi bhabhi needs us to stay united, not tear each other apart."

Karanveer's breathing was ragged as he finally stepped back, his shoulders heaving. Tears streamed down his face as he pointed a finger at Nikshant.

"If she doesn't wake up, I'll never forgive you, Nikshant," he spat. "You don't deserve her. You never did."

Nikshant nodded numbly, his face pale and defeated. "You're right," he murmured, his voice hollow. "I don't deserve her. But I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to her-if she gives me the chance."

The room fell silent once more, the tension crackling like static in the air. Nikshant turned away, his heart heavy with guilt and despair.

In his mind, one thought repeated endlessly, like a mantra, "Please, Cherry, wake up. Give me one chance to make things right."

♡♡♡

Two days had passed since that agonizing moment when the doctors had delivered their crushing news. Every second without Aaravi's laughter, her warmth, her voice, felt like an eternity. The ICU room had become a haunting silence, broken only by the constant beeping of machines.

Karanveer, though usually full of life and energy, now seemed to have aged a decade. His face was drawn, his eyes red from sleepless nights. He had been sitting by her side ever since they brought her to the hospital, never leaving her alone, never once giving up hope.

At this moment, he was sitting beside her, gently stroking her hair, as though hoping his touch would somehow bring her back to him. His fingers trembled slightly as they ran through her dark locks, the touch tender, filled with affection and an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

"Princess, open your eyes," he murmured softly, his voice a tender whisper that seemed to fill the empty space around them. "Why are you torturing your brother, hmm? It's been two days, and you haven't spoken to me. You know it's killing me not to hear your voice."

He paused for a moment, watching her face intently, as if willing her to wake up. But no matter how long he stared, how desperately he hoped, she remained still, unresponsive.

"Just don't do this to your brother," he continued, his words breaking, a deep sense of grief underlying every syllable. "You know how much your brother loves you."

Karanveer couldn't bear the silence any longer. He stood up from his chair, stretching his stiff muscles, and then gently moved to sit near her feet. He began massaging them with a tenderness that only a brother could possess. Each motion was slow, deliberate-an offering of care, of love, of desperate hope.

As his fingers worked to soothe the tension in her feet, Karanveer closed his eyes for just a moment. The exhaustion from days of sleepless nights and constant worry weighed heavily on him. With a soft sigh, he rested his head on her feet, his body succumbing to the exhaustion he had tried to fight. Slowly, despite his best efforts to remain strong, sleep overtook him. His breath evened out as he drifted into an uneasy slumber, still clutching onto the hope that his little sister, his princess, would wake up.

The hours passed quietly, and the hospital's corridors grew emptier as the clock struck midnight. The building, usually alive with activity, seemed eerily still at this hour. The silence in the ICU room was unbroken, save for the occasional sound of equipment.

But just then, the door creaked open, and Nikshant stepped inside. His movements were measured, careful not to disturb the fragile peace in the room. His eyes swept over Karanveer, still asleep, slumped in his chair, and his heart clenched at the sight. Karanveer's pain was palpable, and it tore at Nikshant's soul to see him like this, so helpless.

Nikshant knew that if Karanveer were awake, he would have barred him from coming near Aaravi. The two of them had not spoken much in the past two days, their interactions strained, as the guilt between them remained a heavy, unspoken barrier. But tonight, Nikshant couldn't stand being away from her any longer.

He moved toward Aaravi's side, his footsteps silent against the polished floor. He stopped by her bedside, his eyes falling upon her pale face, her closed eyes, and the faint rise and fall of her chest. It was a small comfort, but not enough to soothe the gnawing ache in his heart.

His hand trembled as he reached out to gently caress her hair, his fingers brushing against her soft strands with the utmost care, as if he feared disturbing her fragile state.

"Wake up, jaan," he whispered hoarsely, his voice breaking. "Don't do this, please talk to me." His words were desperate, filled with a raw vulnerability he rarely showed. The woman he had wronged, the woman he had pushed away, the woman who only care for him-was lying here, fighting for her life, and all he could do was beg for her to open her eyes.

Nikshant kissed her forehead softly, his lips lingering for a moment, as though trying to transfer all the love he had kept hidden from her into that single, tender touch. He needed her to wake up. He needed her to know that he was sorry, that he loved her, that he would do anything to make things right.

"Please, Cherry," he whispered again, his voice barely audible as he pressed his forehead against hers. "I can't live without you. I was so stupid. Please don't leave me, don't leave Karanveer... don't leave anyone. We need you."

But the only response was the faint beeping of the machines, the soft rhythm of her breathing that felt like the only thing keeping him tethered to this reality.

Nikshant stayed there for a long time, his body tense with the weight of his guilt, his hands never leaving her side. He spoke to her in hushed tones, his words spilling out in a mix of love, regret, and sorrow.

Karanveer stirred in his sleep, the sound of Nikshant's voice just loud enough to reach his ears. His eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, he was disoriented. Then, as his vision cleared, he saw Nikshant sitting by Aaravi's side, his hand on her head, his posture filled with an undeniable sense of longing.

A knot twisted in Karanveer's chest. The sight of Nikshant, so vulnerable, so desperate, unsettled him. He had been so angry, so consumed by the betrayal of his sister's love, that he had closed himself off from everyone, including Nikshant. But seeing the man he once considered a friend, the man who had hurt Aaravi so much, now sitting there in silent torment-it broke something in Karanveer.

For a moment, he watched them, took steps towards him, watching the man who had taken his sister's heart, and then shattered it.

Nikshant didn't notice him at first, too absorbed in his own thoughts, his own desperate pleas. But when he heard the sound of Karanveer's footsteps, he looked up. The moment their eyes met, a silent understanding passed between them. The resentment, the anger, the bitter words-they were all still there, but something more powerful lingered in the air.

his face was unreadable, yet the pain behind his eyes was unmistakable. He had been sitting beside his sister for hours, praying silently, begging her to wake up, to return to him. The sight of Nikshant standing there, beside her, filled him with a fury that he could barely contain.

"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you not to meet her? Then why are you here?" Karanveer's voice was sharp, his words cutting through the silence like a blade.

Nikshant froze. His hands clenched into fists, but he forced himself to stay calm. Karanveer had every right to be angry, but Nikshant couldn't back down now. Not when his wife was lying here, unconscious, fighting for her life.

"I just want to meet my wife, and I don't think I need your permission to do that," Nikshant replied, his voice low but firm. His words carried the weight of his guilt, his desperation, but they also held a sense of finality, as if he were reclaiming something he had lost.

Karanveer's nostrils flared. His emotions were a whirlwind, a mixture of fear, anger, and sorrow. "Just leave from here," he demanded, his voice barely controlled. He wasn't sure if he was speaking to Nikshant or to the pain that consumed him every moment he looked at Aaravi's still form.

Nikshant stood his ground. He had caused enough harm, had been wrong for so long, but he couldn't walk away now. Not when his wife needed him. "I will not," Nikshant retorted, his tone unwavering. His eyes met Karanveer's, and for the first time in days, he wasn't hiding behind his guilt or his fear.

The room was thick with the tension between them. Both men loved Aaravi, both were drowning in their own ocean of regret and sorrow, but in this moment, they were enemies. Karanveer, the protective brother, who had never once let his sister down, and Nikshant, the man who had hurt her more than he could ever admit.

" I want to be here, Karanveer," Nikshant said quietly, his voice breaking as he continued to speak. "I have to be. She's my wife. She's everything to me, and I can't just... let go of that."

Karanveer's eyes narrowed, his fists clenched at his sides. "You've already let her down more than once," he spat, his voice rising. "You don't deserve to be here, not after everything you've done. Not after what you said to her. She's lying there because of you, Nikshant! Because of your arrogance, your ego! You destroyed everything."

Nikshant flinched at the words, and though the sting was sharp, he didn't argue. Karanveer was right. He had caused this, in so many ways. His pride had been a barrier between him and Aaravi for so long. His unwillingness to bend, to admit when he was wrong, had pushed her to the edge. He was responsible for her pain, and now, as she lay unconscious, fighting for her life, he had to come to terms with that truth.

"I know," Nikshant whispered, his voice breaking under the weight of his guilt. "I know I've failed her. But I swear to you, Karanveer, I'm not leaving her. I won't. I can't." His voice was full of desperation, the raw emotion spilling out as he finally allowed himself to feel the depth of his love for her.

Karanveer's expression softened for a fraction of a second, but the anger remained. His sister's life was on the line, and he didn't trust Nikshant. He couldn't. Not after everything that had happened.

There was a long, charged silence between them. The minutes stretched out, the sound of the machines monitoring Aaravi's condition the only thing filling the air. Nikshant stood still, his gaze fixed on her face, his heart breaking with every second she remained unconscious.

"You have no idea how hard this is for me, Nikshant," Karanveer finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. He lowered his head, the weight of his own grief heavy on his shoulders. "She's my baby sister. I've known her all my life. I watched her grow. And now... now I don't know if I'll ever get her back."

Nikshant could hear the pain in Karanveer's voice, and it twisted something deep inside of him. "I know, Karanveer. I know," he murmured, his eyes never leaving Aaravi. "I'm not asking for forgiveness. I don't deserve it. But I need her. And I will do anything... anything to make it right."

There was a long pause as Karanveer stared at him, the fire in his eyes slowly dimming. "You don't get to just show up and pretend that everything's okay," Karanveer said coldly. "You don't get to walk back into her life just because she's in a coma, Nikshant. This isn't about you. This is about her."

Nikshant nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving Karanveer's. "I'm not here for me," he said, his voice raw with emotion. "I'm here for her. I'll do whatever it takes."

Karanveer finally stood up, taking a deep breath. "You can stay," he said quietly. "But don't think this changes anything. She's still my princess, and I will protect her with everything I have. You're here as her husband, but if you hurt her again, I swear to God, I won't let you near her."

Nikshant nodded, his throat tight with emotion. He would never hurt her again. He couldn't. Not after everything.

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