At the hospital, Rishabh wanted to follow Prerna, just enough attention on the baby to keep holding him. The nurses blocked his way and took him to neonatal section where they finally cleaned up the baby and gave him a proper check up and clothes. The baby was obviously on the younger side and had to be kept in the incubator, but was otherwise fine.

Meanwhile, Prerna was still in surgery. She was having issues with the placenta and hemorrhaging, and the doctors were still working on saving her. Rishabh was pacing the floor, nervous for the first time in forever. Somehow, while walking astray, he found himself in front of the prayer room. Rishabh wasn't religious, but at this point he was about ready to do anything.

He took off his shoes and stepped inside, but didn't go in further. The room had places of worship for almost all religions, and Rishabh decided to try his luck with anyone who would listen. He fell on his knees in the doorway and put his hands together in prayer.

"I don't know if you still listen to me or not. But please, meri punishment ke liye unko kuch mat hone dena. Prerna mere paas khud waapis aayi, apni marzi se. Please usse mere paas rehne do. Please. Mujhe eik aur chance mila hai, abh main isko waste nahi karunga. Please meri wife aur baby ko safe rakhna."

"Bhagwan aapki saari tamanna puri kare."

Rishabh turned around to see Veena and Sharda standing behind him. Kukki came around to hug him and he broke down. She peeled away and wiped his tears, kissing him on the cheek.

"This time hum saare thik hain!" Kukki promised him.

Rishabh held her face and kissed her head. "Iss time papa kuch nahi hone deinge. I'll be a better papa, I promise."

Kukki laughed. "You're already the best papa!"

Rishabh stood up with Kukki in his arms and greeted his mothers.

"Prerna kaisi hai?" Veena asked him nervously.

Rishabh sighed. "Abhi tak surgery mein hai," he jumped Kukki and smiled. "Lekin baby thik hai. Beta hua hai."

Veena and Sharda gasped happily and prayed to the heavens. "Bohot badhae ho!"

"Aapko bhi," Rishabh smiled. "Let's go see your baby brother," he told Kukki and lead them all to the NICU to see the baby.

They all stood at the window and Rishabh pointed out their baby, wrapped up in traditional hospital clothes and sleeping in an incubator with nose cannulas. Rishabh was telling Kukki why he was in the box when a nurse came to him.

"Mr. Bajaj, your wife is done with surgery. Woh abhi room mein shift ho rahi hai, phir aap unse mil sakte hain."

"Thank you, nurse," Rishabh told her, and they all followed her to Prerna's room.

Prerna was laying in the bed when they all entered.

"Mumma!" Kukki yelled and shimmied out of Rishabh's hands to go to her. Rishabh quickly ran after her.

"Careful, Kukk!" He warned her.

"Aa jao mere paas," Prerna quietly called her and Rishabh put Kukki on the bed.

Prerna gently hugged her and Kukki kissed her. She finally noticed other people in the room too

"Maa," Prerna smiled at her mother, and confused by the new lady.

"Prerna, yeh meri maasi hai, Sharda," Rishabh introduced her.

"Bohot bhadae ho, beta!" Sharda smiled.

While the women were talking, Rishabh asked the nurse to bring the baby in.

"My chota bhai is so cute, mumma!" Kukki told her.

At the mention of the baby, Prerna got worried and looked to Rishabh.

"He's fine. NICU mein hain. Maine bulwaya hai," he assured her.

Just in time, the man of the hour came into the room.

"Yeh raha ji, Bajaj Family ka new prince!" Sharda announced as the nurse wheeled in the baby.

"Pehle main!" Kukki claimed, but Rishabh held her back.

"Kukki, pehle nani aur dadi ki turn hai. Phir aap ki, okay?"

Kukki frowned by understood.

"Veena ji, aap pehle," Sharda offered, as she herself had just only recently joined the family.

Veena smiled and thanked her before picking up her new grandson.

"Kitne pyaare ho aap! Main aapki nani hoon," Veena introduced herself to the baby and cooed at him before passing him over to his Dadi.

"Aa jao, dadi ke paas, meri jaan. Mera nanna shehzada, hain?"

Kukki was watching her grandmothers play with her new brother and wanted a turn too.

"Meri bhi turn!" Kukki demanded.

The grandmothers laughed.

"Yeh lo, bhai, Rishabh. Kukki ko uska new brother dikha do."

Sharda passed the baby to Rishabh and he told Kukki to sit up straight so she could carefully hold the baby. Kukki obediently listened and Veena put a pillow on Kukki's lap while Rishabh held the baby on Kukki's lap.

"Cute hai na?" Rishabh asked as Kukki squealed.

"Main kiss kar sakti hoon?" She asked.

"Of course!" Prerna told her. "Aap isko sari life kiss kar sakti ho. Yeh kahin nahi jae ga."

Kukki giggled and kissed the baby on the head.

While looking at the scene, Sharda had the idea to leave the new family alone. "Chalein, Veena Ji. Mujhse to raha nahi jaa raha. Dil chahta hai sabhko phone kar ke bata doon!"

Veena laughed. "Bilkul. Main pehle mandir ho aun, phir phone karti hoon."

"Main bhi aap ke saath aati hoon."

The grandmothers left and Rishabh appreciated their sentiment. Prerna asked Rishabh to help her sit up and he fixed the bed into a sitting position.

"Hamare babies ikatthe kitne pyaare lag rahe hai na, papa? Eik picture to le lain."

Prerna supported the baby while Rishabh took a picture of the three then a selfie of all of them.

"What's his name?" Kukki finally asked the important question.

"Good question!" Prerna giggled. "Aap batao, any suggestions?"

They all took a turn suggesting names, but none of them stuck.

"Mm, mere paas eik idea hai! Iss ka naam hum, Krish rakhte hain! Kukki ka K, aur papa ka Rish! Kaisa?"

"I like it!" Kukki giggled.

"Lekin iss mein mumma ka naam kidhar hai?" Rishabh frowned.

"It's okay, mumma ka zaroori nahi hai. Aap dono meri jaan ho, aur aap dono ka naam iska hai. Aur kya chahiye?"

"But he has to have your name, na?"

"Hmm, next time jabh koi baby ho, to uske naam mein mumma ka naam daal deinge, thik?"

Rishabh gave her a side eye and smirked. Oh hell there would definitely be more kids in this family. For now they settled for Krish.

"I think Krishna works for everyone, no?" Rishabh suggested, and that became the boy's official name.

They stayed in the hospital two more days, registering the baby's name and inviting family to meet the new one. And then the Bajaj family of four went home. In the two days Prerna and Krish were in the hospital, Rishabh had arranged for a nursery to be made next to his and Prerna's room. He had also gotten a crib and things to keep in their own room, too.

Prerna was surprised when she came home with the baby. "Yeh sabh, aap ne kiya?"

"Abh, Krish ne kahi bhi toh rehna tha na? Aise hi kisi bhi cheez pe thodi mera beta soye ga?"

"Maine bhi help kiya!" Kukki added, not to be kept from credit. She brought over some stuffed toys she had bought and wanted to show the baby.

"Eik second, eik second. Main isko pehle leta doon, phir aap khel lena, okay?" Prerna put Krish down in his new crib and stepped aside. Rishabh lowered the railing so Kukki could play with him.

It was late night when they had come home, and Kukki was starting to yawn, but she was too excited to admit sleep.

"Come on, Kukki. Let's get to bed," Rishabh said, holding out his hand.

"No. Main mama ke saath sleep karun gi!" Kukki exclaimed determinedly.

"Kukki..." Rishabh tried to reason with her.

"No, no, no. First yeh meri mama hai. Phir baby ki!"

Rishabh looked at Prerna as she laughed.

"It's okay, Mr. Bajaj. Main Kukki ko sula leti hoon. Aa jao," she said, picking up Kukki in her arms. "Papa ko goodnight!"

Kukki said goodnight to her dad and kissed his cheek before saying goodnight to Krish. Rishabh watched them leave, then turned to sit next to the baby.

Some time later, Prerna came back after putting Kukki to sleep, and was surprised to see him still there.

"Mr. Bajaj, aap abhi tak yahaan hain?"

Rishabh jumped to his feet, startled by Prerna's arrival. "H-haan, woh. Uh, Krishy akela tha toh main..."

"Abhi se akela soe ga to habit ban jaye gi," Prerna told him as she busied herself with folding some clothes. "Warna saath sone ki aadat ho jaye gi, aur phir na khud soe ga aur na humein sone de ga. Jaise aap ki beti," she said, with smile.

Rishabh smiled back. "Meri beti toh mere se ziyada aap ki go gayi hai. Toh I think we should level the field, no?" He said, down at the crib. "Aap ne meri beti le li, abh aap ka beta mera hai."

"Aap ka hi to hai. Aur kis ka ho ga?" Prerna joined him, standing beside him to look down at their son. Rishabh now instead turned to face her.

"Aap mujhe kaise apni prized possession de sakti hain?"

Prerna turned to find Rishabh Bajaj staring at her with teary eyes.

"Jabh main ne aap ka sabh kuch aap se..."

Prerna stopped him, cupping one hand on his face while her other pressed on his heart.

"Aap mujhse kya le te, jabh aap se pehle mere paas kuch nahi tha. Aap se mujhe strength mili. Aap se hi toh main ne pyaar karna sikha hai."

Rishabh held her face as tears rolled down her eyes onto his thumbs.

"Aap se pehle meri koi life nahi thi. Aur abh, meri zindagi aap ke naam hai. Beta kya, aap meri jaa..."

Rishabh stopped her words as his mouth crashed on hers. Prerna held his hands, wishing they could stay there forever. But Rishabh pulled back. His hands were behind her ears, forehead against hers.

"Mujhe aap ki zindagi nahi, aap ka dil chahiye."

"Mera dil toh pehle se hi aap ka tha. Hai, aur hamesha aap ka rahe ga, Mr. Bajaj."

Mr. Bajaj kissed her again, repeatedly this time. "I love you, Prerna."

Prerna held his face and only kept staring at him.

"Wh..."

"Aap ne hamari life mein sirf do dafa mera naam liya hai. Aur woh bhi jabh aap mujh se I love you keh rahe thhey."

Rishabh chuckled. "Kyun ke mujhe Mrs. Bajaj nahi, Prerna se pyaar hai."

"Aur Prerna ko bhi aap se pyaar hai, Rishabh. Aur hamesha rahe ga.

I love you."