Aadhya was making her way through her rounds at the hospital when a nurse hurriedly approached her. "Ma'am, there's an emergency. You need to come to the OT right away."

Aadhya frowned, pausing mid-step. "I'm not a surgeon. You should call one of the surgeons."

The nurse shook her head, urgency etched across her face. "Ma'am, the patient is Hardik Pandya. His son, Agastya, is waiting outside the OT."

Aadhya's eyes widened in shock, and without a second thought, she rushed towards the OT, her heart pounding as she prepared herself to see what had happened.

As Aadhya reached the OT, she found Agastya pacing anxiously, his face pale with worry. Before she could say anything, he rushed toward her, his voice tight with concern. "Aadhya, is he going to be okay? I—my dad, he just—" Agastya's voice broke off, and Aadhya placed a steadying hand on his arm.

"He's in good hands, Agastya. The best surgeons are with him," she assured, though the weight of her own concern pressed heavily on her.

Just as she was about to check on the OT's progress, the hospital lobby began to fill with familiar faces. Shubman, Sara, Virat, Anushka, Rohit, Ritika, and several other close friends from the team, along with their kids, had gathered, each sharing the same expression of dread. The kids clung to their parents, sensing the gravity of the situation. Aadhya took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself to balance her roles.

Virat approached, looking deeply concerned. "How's Hardik doing, Aadhya? Any updates?"

Aadhya gave a reassuring nod. "The doctors are doing everything they can. Right now, it's a matter of careful observation."

As she spoke, Aahan put a hand on her shoulder, his face filled with concern. "Is Chachu, okay?" he asked in a small voice. Aadhya knelt down, trying to keep her tone steady and comforting. "Chachu, Aahan. He's just getting some extra care from the doctors."

With each update from the OT, another wave of questions came, and Aadhya found herself moving back and forth, keeping both the family and Agastya informed. She checked in with the surgical team, returned to answer the worried inquiries of the friends and family, and offered soothing words to Agastya, who was visibly distraught.

At one point, Sara put a gentle hand on Aadhya's shoulder. "You're handling this so well, Aadhya. But don't forget to take a breather, too," she said kindly.

Aadhya gave her a faint smile, appreciating the warmth of the family that had come together in this difficult moment.

As Agastya struggled to maintain his composure in the crowded hospital lobby, his mother, Natasa, walked over and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He offered her a strained smile, but his eyes betrayed the storm of emotions churning within. Aadhya, noticing how close he was to breaking down, gently slipped her hand into his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Come with me," she whispered, guiding him toward the quieter terrace of the hospital, away from the concerned family and friends. Agastya followed without a word, his steps heavy with worry.

Once they reached the terrace, the night breeze hit them, providing a moment of solace. Agastya walked over to the edge, gripping the railing tightly as he stared out at the city lights. Aadhya stood beside him, her presence steady and grounding.

Finally, the weight of it all seemed to overwhelm him. "I... I can't believe this is happening, Aadhya," he murmured, his voice breaking. "Dad's always been this invincible figure, you know? He's strong... larger than l

ife. And now, seeing him like this... I don't know how to handle it."

Aadhya stayed silent, letting him speak, her heart aching as she watched him wrestle with his emotions. Agastya took a shaky breath, his eyes misting over. "What if something goes wrong? What if... if he doesn't pull through?" His voice broke completely, and he covered his face with his hands, finally allowing himself to shed the tears he'd been holding back.

Without a word, Aadhya reached out and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. "He's going to be okay, Agastya. Your dad's a fighter. And whatever happens, you have so many people here who love you and him. You're not alone in this."

Agastya buried his face in her shoulder, letting the tears flow as he clung to her. She held him tightly, rubbing soothing circles on his back, whispering quiet reassurances that gave him a small sense of peace.

After a few moments, he pulled back, wiping his eyes, looking slightly embarrassed but visibly relieved. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice still hoarse. "I... I don't know how I'd get through this without you."

Aadhya offered him a soft smile. "You don't have to face it alone, Agastya. I'm here, and everyone else is here too. We're all with you."

He managed a faint smile, his gratitude shining through the exhaustion in his eyes. Together, they stayed there a bit longer, finding comfort in each other's presence as they prepared to face whatever the next few hours would bring.

A few hours later, Aadhya and Agastya returned from the terrace, each a little calmer, having found some solace in one another. The waiting room was filled with tense faces—Natasa, Virat, Rohit, Shubman, and others all sat in silence, their worry evident. Just as Agastya took his seat beside his mother, a doctor emerged from the OT, pulling down his mask with a reassuring smile.

"Mrs. Pandya," the doctor said gently, nodding at Natasa, "your husband is stable. The surgery went well, and he's going to be just fine. He'll need a few days to recover, but his condition is no longer critical."

There was a collective sigh of relief in the room, and Natasa covered her mouth with her hand, tears of gratitude shining in her eyes. Agastya immediately wrapped his arms around his mother, who sobbed quietly in his embrace.

"Thank you," Natasa managed to say, her voice trembling.

Agastya, finally releasing the breath he'd been holding, looked up at Aadhya, who gave him a small smile, her eyes reflecting the same relief he felt. She walked over, placing a gentle hand on Natasa's shoulder. "He's in good hands, Chachi. He'll recover soon," she assured.

The room filled with soft laughter and quiet expressions of gratitude, as everyone began to relax after the tense waiting. Rohit clapped Agastya on the back, giving him a reassuring grin, while Virat patted Shubman on the shoulder, muttering something about "the strength of a family."

Natasa took Agastya's hand, her fingers trembling slightly as she held onto him tightly. "Agastya, go and see him for a bit. He'll be happy to know you were here."

Agastya nodded, and with a last grateful glance at Aadhya, he headed toward his father's room.

As Agastya made his way to Hardik's room, the family turned their attention to Aadhya. Virat smiled warmly, stepping forward. "Aadhya, you were incredible today. We're all so grateful for how you handled everything."

Rohit nodded in agreement. "You kept everyone calm and made sure we knew what was happening every step of the way. That takes strength. Thank you."

Aadhya smiled modestly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "It's really nothing, Uncle. I'm just glad everything went well."

Anushka added, "You're always so composed, Aadhya. Watching you work was impressive."

Shubman walked over, giving her a playful nudge. "Looks like you're getting all the credit here, doctor."

Sara chuckled and joined in, "And she deserves every bit of it. Aadhya has always been dependable." She squeezed Aadhya's hand affectionately.

Natasa, still a bit emotional, reached for Aadhya's hand. "You were there for us when we needed you most. Thank you, beta. Hardik will be so grateful."

Aadhya's cheeks reddened as everyone expressed their appreciation. She glanced down, embarrassed but touched by their words. Finally, she looked up, meeting Agastya's gaze as he emerged from the room. He gave her a soft smile, a silent message of gratitude that meant more to her than words.

"Alright," Aadhya said, laughing lightly, "if you all keep praising me, I might actually believe I did something amazing."

"Oh, you absolutely did," Agastya replied, crossing his arms and flashing her an admiring smile.