A/N SECOND UPDATE OF THIS DAY. DROP SOME INLINE COMMENTS AS WELL. ENJOY!

The team stepped into the room, their hearts pounding with anxiety, a thick tension settling over them. No one dared to go even near him, they just stood few inches away from his bed staring at him while he stares back at them.

Anushka just look at their stare game exasperatedly just then Virat beckoned and she raised an eyebrow but still obliged.

Virat just pulled her by hand on his level and whispers in her ears.

"Tujhe bhi ye log dikh rahe hain kya?" Virat asked childishly.

"Han." Anushka looked at him bewildered.

"Lekin ye log yahan kaise aaye?" Virat thinks aloud.

"Mujhe to lagta hai apne pairon pr chal ke aaye tujhe kya lagta hai?" Anushka replied sassily.

"Han mjhe bhi yahi lagta hai." Virat murmured innocently lost in his thoughts and just then he slapped lightly at Anushka's head.

"Ary nahi pr ye sach me thori hain pagal." Virat exclaimed while Anushka looked at him amused.

"Hein? Nahi ye sach me hain." Anushka tried explaining him while he shook his head.

"Ary me keh raha hon na nahi hain tujhe kuch nahi pata. Abhi dekh tu 5 tak counting kar ye ghayab hojaenge." Virat claimed with full confidence and Anushka looked at him.

"Kya kron?" Anushka asked reluctantly.

"Ary ye dekh aise haath aage la or count kar aise 1, 2, 3,4 & 5" Virat teaches her and she imitates him.

"Dekha ghayab hogaye na" Virat said with confidence but a hint of sadness in his voice and Anushka nodded in no making Virat look back shockingly.

Here team was just standing emotional and confused looking at these two people.

"Ye log actually kar kya rahe hain?" Rohit asked to no one in particular.

"Lagta hai hamari complain kar rahi hain bhaiya se," Kuldeep whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Kya Virat usko counting sikha raha hai ya meri ankhein kharab hogaye hain Mahi bhai" Rahul said in utter confusion and shock.

"Ary pr agar wo doctor hain to unhe counting aati hogi na" Jassi muttered innocently while Rishabh stood their suppressing his laughter at team's confusion.

"Mujhe khud kuch samajh nhi araha kya horaha hai ye wohi Dr. Anushka hai jo bahar hamen daant rhi thi" Mahi bhai stated staring at them.

"Ary to kya karen wo aise patient ko danten? Nahi na wo to achi doctor ban rahi hain unka farz hai ye baqi aap Virat bhaiya se poocho unko kya hoa hai ajeeb harkaten kr rhe hn? Rishabh was quick to defend her.

Meanwhile, Anushka stand straight and retreats silently signaling Rishabh which didn't go unnoticed by Mahi bhai.

"Virat bhaiya kaise ho aap Rishabh" asked and cautiously took a step forward.

Virat smiled and extended his hand making him run and engulf him into a hug.

"Bhaiya kitna dara diya tha aapne apko pata hai ye sab aise thori karna tha. Pagal ho kya aap" Rishabh blurted crying.

Virat just looked back at the team and smiled at them making all of them jump over him sandwiching him and Anushka just smiled softly and left the room.

"Mahi bhai?" Virat called him uncertainly.

"Cheeku I am sorry I failed. I failed as a captain, as an elder brother I just failed. I should have trusted you I should've supported you but I didn't and.." Mahi bhai sobbed.

"Ssshhh bhai it was not your fault, unhon ne mujhe batane se mana kiya tha warna me sab sach sach batadeta to ye hota hi nahi na" Virat's heart ache seeing him crying.

"How could we ever doubt your intentions, your passion, Virat? We should have known hamara Virat aisa kuch nahi karsakta how can we blame you for our failure" Rohit said guiltily.

"It's all our fault" Jaddu joined him.

"No no it's no one's fault, it just happened." Virat hastily tried to ease them.

"Virat bhaiya we are sorry we doubted you, you are our hero sach me hamesha se I don't know how I said those awful words but I don't mean them bhaiya sach me" Kuldeep said in guilt and pain crying inconsolably.

"I know Kulya tu..." Virat tried explaining.

"Viraaat" Harry yells sobbing and just threw himself in his arms pushing poor Jaddu on Rohit.

"Harry I am fine" Virat took a deep breath recovering from the shock.

"No you are not" Bhuvi said wiping his tears.

"But I'll be" Virat smiled softly. Or koi bacha h mafi mangne ka ke sabka hogaya?

"Bhaiya me ne nahi mangi ab tak maafi" Yuzi and Jassi said in unison.

"Kiddos!" Virat sighed. "Me kisi se naraaz nahi hon because shayad ham me se koi bhi hota to yahi karta or ham sab aise hi react karte. It was not our fault or jinka fault tha they'll be punished for it" he tried explaining them.

"Nahi agar tum hamari jagah hote to aisa kabhi nahi karte. You aren't selfish like us who'll let others hold the baggage of their faults." Rahul spoke for the very first time from a corner.

Virat asked him to sit in the little space beside him and he reluctantly agreed and Virat just hugged him tightly as Rahul wept silently on his shoulder. 

"Can we all just leave this maafi thing now. I honestly have no energy to deal with all this. Let the bygones be bygones" and everyone nods with teary-eyes and smiling faces.

"Virat bhaiya apko pata hai we won our series against New Zealand" Yuzi suddenly jolted at his place.

"Wow guys congratulations. I knew you all will win it, though I missed the last two matches" he said the last part to himself.

"Apne finals nahi dekha? lekin finals to 2 din pehle tha na or aap ko to aaj goli lagi to.." Rishabh calculated the time.

"Nahi Jass wo..."

"Matlab jab ham apni victory celebrate kar rahe the at that time you were fighting for your life or ham..." The realization just took Rohit on another guilt trip.

"Ro please... Kya ham ye sab baatein chod nahi sakte" Virat requested him rubbingRahul's back who might have started crying again in the hug. And looked at Mahi bhai who was standing there silently. Mahi bhai please yahan aao na and he sat beside him as Rahul moves away.

Virat shifted his head from the pillow in his lap and closed his eyes while Mahi bhai just ran his fingers through his hairs.

"Zyada dard horaha hai tujhe?" Mahi bhai asked concerned.

"Umm nahi theek hai bas thora sar ghum raha hai" Virat smiled with closed eyes.

Meanwhile the rest of the team stands there pushing each other trying to fix in that little space around the bed.

"Tum log kyun sar pr khade ho wahan jake beth jao na" Mahi bhai said seeing the shuffling around him.

"Nahi ham theek hain yahan pr hi" Rohit said politely.

"Han pr me nahi hon na aise sare hamare sar pr khade ho already sar ghum raha hai uska wahan jake beth jao sare" Mahi bhai said.

Everyone just settled at the sofas placed at a corner while Harry being the last one accidently sat on Rahul's lap.

"Harry hatt" Rahul yelled and pushed him at Rishabh.

"Harry bhaiya kya kar rahe ho hato" Rishabh shouted as he pushed harry at Kuldeep causing both of them to fall on the ground.

Kuldeep gets up and hits Rishabh on his head at which Rishabh pointed at Rahul.

"Inki ghalti thi" Rishabh cried.

"Mene nahi kiya Harry ki ghalti thi" and they all start arguing causing Virat to open his eyes and he just stare at them.

"I just so missed it all so much" Virat mumbled and mahi bhai looked at him.

Just then Anushka entered the room and saw all of them bickering with each other. Harry was sprawled on the floor and complaining about something to Bhuvi while Kuldeep throwing his hands ridiculously talking which seems more like yelling to Rishabh and Rahul.

"Baat suno calm down guys it's a hospital" Anushka said but no one pays any heed to her and she just closed her eyes in frustration and yelled, "Everyone just shut up. I want pin drop silence" and everyone stops.

They all looked at Anushka sheepishly while Anushka glared at them in sheer anger and Virat internally chuckled at this scene.

"Kisi ek bande ki awaz na aaye mujhe yahan aao sare seedhi line me khade ho" Anushka ordered them.

"Ham apki baat kyun sunen?" Harry challenged her.

"Because meri permission ke bina no one will let you meet Virat" Anushka said smiling victoriously.

Everyone just looked at each other and stand up in a straight line.

"Mahi bhai aap kyun bethe ho aao na"  Jassi asked Mahi bhai causing team to look at jassi in disbelief.

"Me bhi..." Mahi bhai asked Anushka confused.

"Nahi nahi you sit please" Anushka replied hastily.

"And you all is this the way to behave in the hospital. Pehle bhi 10 dafa keh chuki hon yahan ka ek discipline hai ek environment hai please maintain that. Ye dressing room nahi h apka ke aap yahan wickets ki juggling ya stupid pranks karke laden. Maintain the hospital's decorum." Anushka lectured them for the nth time.

"Lekin apko kisne bataya ke ham apne dressing room me ye sab karte hain" Yuzi spoke in between detectively and Anushka just stared at him.

"Ary Yuzi bhaiya ye to sabko pata hai, haina" Rishabh jumped in between.

"That's not important. Point is that ke agar ab aap logon ne koi bhi chaos create kiye you'll not be allowed to enter inside the hospital. Got that or han ek or cheez. Visiting hours khatam hone wale hain and after that you all can't stay here. Raat me koi ek hi banda ruk skta h Mr. Kohli ke saath" Anushka said and leaves not before giving them a glare.

"Huh or apko lagta hai hum aapse darte hain or hum apki baat sunenge to apki bhool hai hum na national team..". Harry said in atitude once he was sure Anushka was far away from hearing range.

"Gaye wo gaye ab kya bol raha hai himmat hai to unke muh pr bolta na", Jassi brutally exposed her making the boys chuckle.

"Huh gaye kya mene nhi dekha or me koi darta nahi hon unse" Harry gloats.

"Acha aisa kya ruk me bulata hon unko, Dr. Anush...." Harry covered Jassi's mouth with his palm.

"Guys behave, phir daant nahi khani hai hamen, Bhuvi scolds them and Jaddu sniggered.

Rohit grumpily went and sat on the chair near Virat's bed.

"Tujhe goli khake bed pr padne ke liye koi or hospital nahi mila tha kya?" Rohit complained at which Virat looked at him in disbelief.

"Kyun yahan kya burai hai?" Virat raised his eyebrow.

"Doctor yahan ki. Tang agaya hon me iss roz roz ki bezatti se" Rohit exclaimed dramatically and throws the cushion at the sofa meanwhile Virat just smiled adoringly.

"Ye Virat bhaiya iss doctor ko kuch bolte kyun nhi hain?" Kuldeep innocently asked.

"Wo apko bad me pata chalega" Rishabh said which seemed more like flexed and sat on the sofa in swag only to get ignored by everyone.

After sometimes team came out of the room as Virat dozed off under the effect of medicines. They were discussing rather bickering to decide who'll stay with Virat in the night. But Mahi bhai took advantage of his situation and declared that he'll stay.

After much cribbing, whining and blackmailing team decided to move to Rohit's place for the night as it was nearest to the hospital assuring Mahi bhai to take care of Sakshi bhabhi, Ritika and all the cricketers calling them to ask about Virat's health which were obviously not attended by them at that point.

"Mahi bhai hum subah hi ajaenge aap fikar mat karo or koi zarorat ho na to hamen call karlena" Rohit told him for the hundredth time and he sighs.

"Ro, me koi bacha nahi hon beta me sambhal lunga" Mahi bhai patiently assured him to which he nodded unsurely.

"Tum log ko bhi subah subah aane ki zarorat nahi hai yahan sab hain thora aram karo or itne calls arahe hain baqi cricketers unko sambhalo try karo ke koi bhi hospital na aaye waise hi hamari wajah se itna media agaya hai or koi masla nahi hona chahiye" Mahi bhai instructed them and they nodded.

"Ek bar Virat bhaiya se mil len Mahi bhai" Jassi asked innocently.

"So raha hai na wo kiddo. Tu subah aake mil lena usse" Mahi bhai explained.

"Subah tak bhi sab aise hi rahega na Mahi bhai jaisa abhi hai. Sab phir se kharab to nahi hojaega na?" Rishabh spoke in choking voice which brought tears in everyone's eyes.

"Nahi it'll stay fine, it'll be like before" Mahi bhai assured him.

"We'll make sure it gets like before" this time Rohit spoke in full confidence keeping a hand on Rishabh's shoulder and he nodded.

After sometimes, the team left the hospital and Mahi bhai moved towards Virat's room but halts at the door listening to Virat conversing with the nurse.

"Oh Shruti, to or batao kya chal raha hai?" Virat casually asked the nurse and she stared at him bemused.

"Jee sir wo kuch nahi chal raha apki team or media dono chale gaye hain or bas" Nurse spoke cautiously.

"Hmm sahi sahi. Acha tum kafi relaxed lag rahi ho kya baat hai?" Virat made another attempt.

"Nah.. Nahi to sir kuch hoa kya. Me relaxed nahi hon me to..." this time nurse was a bit scared.

"Ary tum ho tumhe nahi pata par tum ho" Virat said desperately.

"Kahin tumhari wo khadoos doctor kya naam tha uska Anusha... nahi han Anushka. Kya hoa wo ghar chali gaye kya? Virat asked in the most diplomatic way he can feeling proud of his wit.

"Kahan sir wo to abhi lunch kar rahi hain" Nurse replied still confused but composed.

"Dinner. You mean dinner. Right?" Virat corrected her.

"Nahi sir lunch wo actually subah unhon ne ek cup coffee pi thi uske bad se unko time hi nhi hoa she's just on duty to uske bad abhi lunch karne bethi hain" Nurse finally spilled and Virat audibly gasped.

"What??!! Seriously" was all Virat could say.

"Han na sir hum to unse wohi keh rahe the ke ghar chali jaen 2 3 din se jag rahi hain wo yahan pr na khane ka time hai na sone ka but wo sunti kahan hain kisiki" Nurse was finally comfortable with Virat who just sighed.

"Hmm" Virat said in some deep thoughts and just then Mahi bhai entered the room.

"Mahi bhaii. Kahan the aap?" Virat said sappily.

"Wo team ko chodne balke dhakke mar ke nikalne gaya tha yahan se" Mahi bhai answered.

"Wo chale gaye kya?" Virat asked gloomily.

"Han subah hote hi ajaenge phr se sare dekhna tu" Mahi bhai assured him and Virat smiled.

"Hmm. Ary Mahi bhai isse milo ye Shruti hai" Virat introduced her enthusiastically and she smiled shyly.

"Hello sir" and mahi bhai respond with a polite smile.

"Sir me jaon ya apko or kuch poochna hai Dr. Anushka ke bare me" nurse casually asked catching Virat off guard.

"Nahi me kisi ke bare me nahi pooch raha tha me to aise hi bas umm gossip le raha tha. Tum jao if you want" Virat said quickly and nurse left.

Mahi bhai stared at Virat deeply for a second but didn't say anything and sat there ruffling his hairs and Virat shut his eyes in contentment.

"Apko pata hai me ne apko itna miss kiya in 4 mahino me. Kabhi kabhi mera dil chahta tha apke pass ajaon lekin phr me khud ko rok leta tha" Virat choked as he completes the sentence.

"Mene bhi tujhe bohat miss kiya cheeku. Hum sabne kiya lekin hum apne sapne tootne ke dukh me itne andhe kab hogaye hamen pata hi nahi chala" Mahi bhai said grimly.

"Sab wapis pehle jaisa hojaega na" Virat looked in his eyes seeking assurance.

"Hum sab saath hain na ab to sab theek kardenge" Mahi bhai squeezed his hand and he smiled.

A/N WELL GUYS SECOND UPDATE OF A DAY AND PROBABLY A LONGEST ONE. SO DROP SOME LOTS OF INLINE COMMENTS AND DO VOTE AND COMMENT. I'LL BE BACK SOON TILL THEN KEEP READING!