Sanskaar had been quiet all through the journey to the Maheshwari farm house for the picnic.

Images of his nightmare played in his head all through the night. And the day. Going back in the factory, even though it was just a dream, brought back every single memory. Every sight. Every smell that he had tried hard to walk away from.

But nothing compared to the effect of seeing those lifeless chocolate brown eyes.  He felt bile rise in his throat even as he closed his eyes now. 

He helped his brothers in unloading all the food and games they had gotten along. He had just picked up a couple of badminton rackets and turned when he came face to face with chocolate brown eyes. Bright. Full of life.

He looked away not daring to look at them anymore.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked softly.

He shook his head, making his way towards the greenery and forest at the back.

She held his wrist, "Yes, you are. Did I do anything wrong?"

He shook his head, but did not look at her.

She let go of his hand, "Why are you avoiding me?" her voice cracked as she spoke.

He whipped around.

Her face had lost its glow and her eyes their brightness as she looked at him.

"It is nothing like that."

"Are you mad because of the dance?"

His eyes widened, "What? No. Why would I be mad because of that. If anyone should be mad, it should be you. I made you do something you weren't comfortable with."

"Then what is wrong?" she asked.

He looked at her for a second before settling for, "I have a bad headache. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Do you want me to give you a massage?," she looked at him expectantly as she blurted, "Maa used to give the best head massages. I am not that good, but it might help."

"Umm no. Its okay," he said quietly, "I will take a pill. You should go to Lakshya. Be around him. That was the reason for this picnic."

"Right," she pulled the hand that she had extended towards him and looked away.

"I will find a way for you to be around him."

His focus was back now. He had promised her he would help her. He wasn't going to let her down. Not over a silly nightmare.

"Come on. He will not know what hit him," Sanskaar said with a smile.

***

"Dont tell me we are going to play boring badminton," Uttara frowned looking at the rackets in Sanskaar's hand, "Lucky bhai, cannot you come up with something better?"

"I am not paying that stupid game," Lakshya said firmly, "May be Ragini and Sanskaar can play together."

"Dont worry you and Ragini wont be playing badminton. Those are for us," Sanskaar said tilting his head to the side, "I have something better planned for you."

"What exactly is that?" Adarsh asked narrowing his eyes at Sanskaar. He had been throwing glares at Sanskaar all through the car ride over to the farm house.

"Couple games."

"Which couple exactly," Adarsh asked crossing his arms.

Sanskaar met his eyes head-on, "You and Pari Bhabhi vs. Lakshya and Ragini. How about these couples?"

"I am not playing any of these stupid games," Lakshya declared trying to walk away.

"Scared you will lose?" Sanskaar asked firmly.

Lakshya stopped on the spot.

Adarsh watched Sanskaar closely, "Why would he be scare-"

"Are you saying we are going to lose?" Pari asked from behind him, her hands on her hips.

Adarsh turned around looking at her wide-eyed, "I didn't mean–"

"You can have this win. I am not playing," Lakshya said watching Sanskaar closely.

"You cannot back-out," Uttara said rushing to hold his arm and trying to drag him back.

"Uttara, I am not interested."

"No!" Uttara complained, holding his hand tightly, "I have decided. You are going to play."

Lakshya looked at her silently.

"Yes, you are. And we are going to beat the two of you," Pari declared pulling Adarsh by his arm. She turned to Sanskaar, "What are we playing?"

"How about tug of war," Raghav said walking up behind Sanskaar.

Sanskaar looked at Raghav and the rope Raghav was carrying before shrugging his shoulder.

***

Five minutes later, the players where in positions. The two teams faced each other, with Uttara standing close to the centre as referee. Her decision to be on the post.

Lakshya and Adarsh stood holding the rope, facing each other. Ragini and Pari standing behind them, tugging the rope.

Ragini took a deep breath reading herself for this. What this was, she wasn't sure. How was she supposed really get close to Lakshya with this?

The rest of the family watched from the sidelines. Cheering them on.

"You cannot cheat!" Uttara warned  Lakshya, "You are trying to give the game up."

Lakshya scowled but held the rope tighter. Ragini pulled at the rope with all her might, staying focused on the task.

"You should be the one here," Adarsh chuckled looking at Uttara, "You are fighting more than us. Just like always."

Raghav cleared his throat.

"What?" Adarsh asked

Raghav looked at him pointedly, "That is odd coming from you. No one is as aggressive in fights as you."

"I am not aggressive," Adarsh grunted pulling at the rope.

Ragini pulled leveraging all her weight to tug at the rope.

"Focus," Pari called out from behind him.

"What do you think I am doing?" Adarsh shot back turning towards her, throwing his hands in the air.

Lakshya shook his head, let go of the rope and started walking away.

Before Ragini could grasp what was happening, the strength pulling against the rope dropped. Her eyes widened as she started falling backwards. Panic shot through her and she tried to grasp on to the rope. On to something. Anything to stop her fall. Her feet stumbled as she tried to find her balance.

But before they could stabilise, ground fell from under her feet. She could feel herself falling down the valley.

The scream she wanted to let out got stuck in her throat.

She was floating in the air for a long second. She was going to die. She was sure.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

***

Sanskaar saw Ragini lose her footing at the end of the valley and slip. He felt adrenaline shoot through him. Lifeless chocolate brown eyes flashed before him for a second. No! I am not going to let that happen.

He ran after her, his heart pumping in his chest.

He leapt off the edge. He could not entertain the possibility of letting her fall all the way down. He just couldnt.

He saw her fall against the leaves lining the slope and staring the slide down even as he fell into the leaves himself, with a loud thump. The impact knocked the air out of his lungs.

The leap had given him that additional momentum to get closer to her.

He grabbed her hand, even as he slid down some more.

Feeling her hand in his, he tried to use the other to hold on to the trunk of the trees. His hand caught one only to slip against it, brushing harshly against the trunk. Harsh enough to tear his shirt, bruise his skin and make him bleed.

He managed to find support against the next trunk, balancing his entire weight against it. The steep slope added it's own pull as he lay on it, flat on his stomach, facing Ragini who was now hanging from his other hand.

He felt another trunk against his leg and wrapped his ankles around it.

His ears were ringing loudly making his go almost deaf. His pulse throbbing through his veins.

"Ragini," he gasped, even though his voice seemed distance to his own ears.

He squeezed his eyes before looking at her again. "Ragini," he called out again.

She let out a painful sob.

"Ragini," he whispered, "Are you hurt?"

She didn't move much except for another sob.

"Ragini, please talk to me," Sanskaar asked, his voice cracking as he felt his throat dry at her reaction.

"I...I dont ...think so," she choked looking at him for a second before looking down.

"Dont look down," Sanskaar said quickly, tugging at her hand. He could feel strain building on his arm that supporting his weight against the trunk.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

"I am going to try to pull you up, okay?" Sanskaar said quietly. He knew he needed to be quick. The longer she hung along his arm, the more it was going to hurt her to hold on.

She shook her head.

"I wont let you fall," he said, before putting more weight on his arm holding the truck to gather some energy to pull her up.

He grunted hard as he pulled her up slowly. He could feel the effort on his arms, back and legs. He needed to find enough strength to get her to safety. He had too.

"Ragini, wrap your arms around my neck," Sanskaar said when she was close enough.

She still had her eyes shut. She shook her head.

"Ragini, please. You have to. I promise I wont let anything happen," Sanskaar urged.

She looked at him with wide tear filled eyes before shaking her head again.

"Please Ragini," Sanskaar pleaded, "You do trust me, don't you?" he looked into her eyes.

"I ...will fall. You will get hurt ..." she whispered

"Both of us will get more hurt if you don't," he said, "I am not letting you go."

She looked at him for a second before wrapping an arm around his neck, he helped her wrap the other one, before holding on to her waist tightly, trying to support her weight better.

"I have you. I wont let anything happen," Sanskaar whispered as she buried her face against the back of his neck.

***

Sanskaar could feel sweat trickle down his face pooling at the tip of his nose before falling down into the valley below. The muscles of the arm supporting his weight were starting to burn under the strain. He wasnt sure how long he could stay like this,.

Except he needed to.

He wasnt letting anything happen to Ragini. Not now. Not ever.

As the noise in his ears started to die down, he could hear screams from above. Screams of his name and Ragini's.

Time ticked by. He tried to shift the weight of his body to his legs, buying him some time.

Then he felt hands around his legs. Both of them. The hands tugged at his legs and he gently unwound them, shifting the weight back to his arm, allowing them to pull him up.

Slowly, he felt his body being pulled upwards.

Ragini looked up, behind him before looking into his eyes.

"You are going to be okay," he whispered to her.

She watched him closely before nodding and resting her head against him.

When Sanskaar was pulled up enough to find himself lying flat on the edge of the hill, he felt someone tug at Ragini. He lifted his head to see her being pulled up.

After she had been brought to safety, he rolled around on the ground and saw her being carried away by Lakshya and the rest of the family.

He took deep breaths through blurry eyes as he saw them crowd around her and block his view.

"Are you okay?" Raghav said from next to him.

Sanskaar turned to look at him. Raghav was sitting right by, huffing from the effort of pulling Sanskaar up.

Sanskaar looked back at where Ragini was supposed to be before trying to get up, only to fall down.

"Dont," Raghav warned, "Take a few breaths. Sit for a while."

Sanskaar tried again, stumbling along a couple of times before dragging himself away from everyone into the cover of the trees. He stumbled a few more times along the way before sinking into the ground.

He bent over, his head almost touching his knees and the ground.

His heart was still beating a mile a minute. His head dizzy. His muscles aching. But there was something more there now.

That sinking feeling in his stomach. That weight on his chest making every breath a struggle. That lump in his throat. That ache in his heart.

His nightmare had turned real.

He could have lost her today. Lost her forever.

And lost himself too.

That emptiness and fear that he had felt since seeing the nightmare now made sense. So much sense.

Her bright chocolate brown eyes were carved on his mind. Her teasing and laughter now the reason for his smile.

Ragini had imprinted herself on his heart. Without even trying.

Thanks for your lovely comments and feedback. I do appreciate it and love to hear it. So please do share it when you think there is something I can do better. If you like this chapter, please do vote and comment.