I read all the comments in the previous chapter and everyone of you have been so generous with your comments that I can't thank you enough. Writing for you is delight. Thank you for accepting my peice of work . Do keep commenting and pouring love because reading your comments is one of the best feelings.
Love you

Zoya left for work but her mind was occupied with everything that Harsh had told her that morning. She couldn't believe that Aditya had gone through so much. Suddenly his behaviour started making sense to her. Her protective nature for Mri, his sullen attitude and his harsh nature. Zoya understood that the photo she had seen when she had consoled Aditya was that of Pooja but she couldn't guess why that blood stained capsule was there. So many thoughts were revolving in her mind. She wondered what to do. She couldn't ask Aditya about Pooja because she knew he would feel hurt. Unless and until he decided to bare his heart out to Zoya there was no way she could know. She decided to give him time but hoped that he too would tell his share of sorrow to her so that she could help him heal. As she reached the clinic, she went near his cabin where she found him engaged with patients. Aditya caught her looking through the door and smiled. He looked happy and cheerful. Zoya smiled back and went to her work station.

That day Aditya complimented her twice while they were taking their usual rounds. This was unexpected for Zoya because even though they had become friends , they used to maintain a low profile in the clinic. Zoya was surprised yet happy.
At lunch Aditya called Zoya to his cabin and they had lunch like they usually did every day. While eating Zoya asked "Yeh achanak se aap humari tareef kyun kar rhe the aaj?"
Aditya licked his fingers clean and said "Main koi bewajah tareef thodi kar rha tha. Tumne aaj bohot acha diagnosis kiya tha. I appreciate talent."
Zoya rolled her eyes and said "Oh really ? Toh itne din se kyun nhi kiya aapne humari tareef . Aaj koi muharat nikala tha kya aapne. "
Aditya said "Tumne pehle acha kaam nhi kiya toh ismein meri kya galti. "
Zoya said "Seedhe seedhe kahiye na aap akdoo the pehle."
Aditya said "Toh tum mein konse ache gun the pehle ki tumhari tareef karta main. Itni irritating thi tum. Vaise ab bhi ho."
Zoya said "Aapna rehne dijiye."

She got up to leave when Aditya called her and said "Zoya.."

She turned and said "Ab kya hai aapko."
He said "Tum sach mein ek bohot intelligent doctor ho. Tumhe  medical entrance clear karne mein bhale hi 3 saal lage ho , lekin tumne jo skills as a doctor acquire kari hai voh bohot kam log kar sakte hai. You are very skillful and not a mediocre doctor. This hospital is lucky to have as an intern and hopefully as a surgeon in the coming years."

Zoya was blushing as she heard him speak and then said "Yeh aapko achanak se ho kya jata hai. Hum toh mazak kar rhe the aapke saath. Sach mein thodi jhagaad rhe the aapse."
Aditya said "Lekin main thodi mazak kar rha tha . Bohot dino se bolna chahta  tha tumhe lekin kabhi mauka nhi mila . Ab jaao tum issse pehle ki tareef tumhare sar pe chade. "

Zoya had tears in her eyes . She understood what Aditya was doing . He was trying to heal her and her scars. He was trying to get her to love herself. It's easy to say that one should love themselves but sometimes you need that one person to help you realise your true worth and for Zoya Aditya was that person. She said "Humne bhi nhi kaha aapse itne mahino mein kabhi. Aap jaisa shauhar har ladki ko milna chaiye. Aap toh badkismati ko bhi sone mein badal de. Aapse milna shayad humari taqdeer mein tha , lekin aapse dosti karna yeh toh humare bas mein tha. Aur hum allah ka shukrguzaar karte hai ki unhone humein sahi faisla karne diya. Aapse bhale hi bohot kam samay ke liye dosti hui hai lekin aap jaisa dost humara aaj tak nhi bana. Humari zindagi mein aane ke liye shukriya. Aur humein peele gulaab bohot ache lagte hai."

Aditya was overwhelmed and didn't say a word but Zoya understood his silence. She left the cabin and Aditya wiped his tears that had made way through his lacrimal glands to his face. He never knew that he had made such an impact in Zoya's life. Even after vowing to stay away from friendships and love, he couldn't help but befriend Zoya. She was something else for him. But he was scared, what if he got hurt the same way Pooja had been by Yash. What if Zoya found a better friend than him and left him ? What would happen then ? He couldn't undergo another heartbreak. But a small voice told him "Zoya kabhi nhi chodke jaayegi tujhe Adi." And he knew this voice was right but deep down he was still insecure. But he let it go and decided to just focus on healing Zoya completely.

That day Zoya went to the mosque and kneeled before the almighty and said "Aap ko toh sab pata hai. Aapne jo yeh Aditya ke roop farishta bheja hai uske liye hum aapko kaise shukriya kare. This is the friend I wanted my entire life and I got him. Inse acha insaan ho hi nhi sakta humare zindagi mein. Bas ab humari yehi chaah hai ki hum unke saare dukh dard ko mita sake. Jaise voh humare liye hai , hum bhi unke liye reh sake."

With that she bowed down and went back home.

As she reached her room she was greeted with another surprise. This time it was small locket in the shape of an anchor. With it was a note which read "You are as strong as an anchor. You are the one who takes care of everything but get worn out as you do so but you still dont give up. You are such a strong woman."

She hugged the note and took the locket and admired it. She went near the mirror and wore it. Aditya came to the room at that very moment and looked at her reflection in the mirror and gazed at her with adoration. She caught him looking and went to him and without a warning engulfed him in a hug. Aditya was taken aback but he hugged her back and she said "Bohot sundar hai yeh. Aapki choice kaafi achi hai."

Aditya smiled and then let go of her. It was their first official hug where neither of them was sad or crying. And the hug was so warm and comfortable for both of them. They bid goodnight to each other and slept.

For the next two weeks Aditya kept making Zoya feel special and loved. He left no stone unturned to heal her. And he could see that she had started loving herself a bit and was getting confident day by day. Zoya had around 50 handwritten notes with her. She had decided to get them all stuck together and framed. Soon she had put it up in their room and that was the first thing that she used to look at in the morning.

One night they were taking like they usually did and Zoya decided to ask Aditya about Pooja.
She said "Aditya , aapse ek baat pooche?"
He said "Haan bolo na."
She said "Pooja kaun thi ?"
There was a minute's silence in the room and Aditya said in a very cold and low voice "Tumhe kisne bataya uske baare mein ?"
Zoya said "Baba ne."
Aditya said "Pooja meri behen thi. Isse zyada tumhe jaan ne ki zaroorat nhi hai."
Zoya said calmly "Zaroorat hai Aditya. Aap humein nhi batayenge toh kisi batayenge. Baantne se dard kam hota hai."

Aditya had tears in his eyes but he didn't let them flow out. Zoya got up from her couch and went to the bed and held his hand and said "Behne dijiye in aansoonyon ko. Jitna andar dafna ke rakhnege utni aapko pareshaani hogi."

She squeezed his hand and kept one hand on his back. And something in her voice and gesture made him just let go and he started crying. Zoya rubbed his shoulders and kept saying "Hum hai aapke pass Aditya.."

Finally after some time he said "Pooja meri sab kuch thi. Meri badi behen . Uskw jaise koi tha hi nhi mere liye. My mom and dad both were workaholics. They neither had time for themselves or us. They weren't bad parents but they were just very busy. I just had Pooja and Pooja had me. She stepped into every role and helped me grow. Aaj main jo kuch bhi hoon uski wajah se hoon. Pooja was the one who used to believe in true love and friendships. She taught me the meaning of love and made me believe in love too.

Soon she found the love of her life. I had never seen her so happy. She was a whole new person with that guy. I was happy for them. Soon they got married and after a year or so had a beautiful child. Everything was going fine and Pooja was happy too. She didn't leave her responsibilities toward me either. If I had an exam the next day , she would come and stay with me and stay awake the whole night.

Then after a few years , her world crashed. She saw the man she loved and trusted , wrapped in another women's arms on their bed. And when she questioned him about it, he merely said that he was bored of her and it wasn't working anymore between them . She came to me and told me everything and I wanted to rip that guy apart. She begged me not to do anything to him. She still loved him and wanted him to come back.

But he stared ignoring her calls and messages. Imagine your best friend, your love and the one with whom you had wanted to spend your entire life with and to whom you had given all your years too suddenly treats you as if you never existed. How would you feel ?

She couldn't take it anymore and did the unthinkable. She took her own life by jumping off the building. Her sad excuse of a husband fled as soon as he heard the news because he knew once we found him , we would make sure he faced hell.
And you know the worst part , Pooja could have been saved and she was under the best doctor of this country but he didn't save her. He let her die. I was under shock that I froze while operating on her. Everything was blurry to me that night and I couldn't operate. I let her die. My emotions let her die. Ever since then I haven't been able to do anything for the people I care about. So I distanced myself from everyone. I stopped trusting people, stopped believing in love and friendship because I had seen how that had ended.

Do you know , before we got married, there was an incident with Mri. She fell down on the road and a car would have hit her had a stranger not picked her up on time. But I like an idiot couldn't do anything because I got scared. Then when the stone hit her , you saw how I couldn't treat her.What kind of a doctor am I? What kind of a weak person am I? I am so ashamed of myself. The man who saves a thousand lives couldn't save her own sister and can't think about the one who he cares about while they are in danger."

He stopped speaking but didn't cry. The night was silent. Zoya was taking in everything that he said. She didn't know what to say or do. Aditya slowly kept his head on her lap and clutched at the bed sheets while rocking to and fro. Zoya stroked his hair lightly , as tears fell from her eyes . She and Aditya had faced the same thing but in entirely diffrent ways. She didn't know what was worse. They were similar yet were poles apart. Could she heal him too the way he had?

Next update on Sunday, hopefully.
Do leave your reviews.
Lots of love
Cold Dragon