Dushyant stopped his car in front of the hospital, as nihaal who had fell asleep on the back seat, only tilted his head a little towards the car window, as ishita couldn't help but smile affectionately at him.

"Toh gaadi apni kahan park ki thi tumne, yaad hai tumhe?" asked dushyant, as ishita's glance averted to him, and she let out a slight nod in response.

"Main bani ko pick up kar leti hoon, purvi theher jayegi raatbhar... Hopefully they'll both be discharged by morning.. " stated ishita, as dushyant nodded.

They tried to speak as less as possible, and as low as a whisper, trying not to awake the sleeping prince.

Ishita stepped out of the car, closing the car door before walking inside, as dushyant watched her leave.

She stopped in the middle of her way, turning back, finding him right there, still in his car, watching her walk away, as a smile crept up on her face.

It's been seventeen years, but it seems like he gets only more and more concerned as every year passes, he would never just drop her off before making sure she has gotten inside safely.

He had a knowing smile on his face, reciprocating hers, as he had to admit it at the point, he can get a little overprotective.

She shook her head, the smile growing only more, not at all appearing to fade away, she just got inside.

He too drove away when he was sure he could no longer see her as she had gotten inside, only for his glance to fall on his son. He sighed, knowing pretty well if he slept any longer against the window during the drive, it would deprive him off the sleep that did not come so easily.

He quietly got inside, making him lie down on the back seat, as nihaal seem to let out the groans he did as a baby. Dushyant made sure to rest nihaal's overlapping legs on the seat as well, ensuring maximum comfort possible. Only then, could he be okay, with driving away.
                                  ***

Ishita arrived at kavin's ward, only to find equm asleep on the couch just 10 steps away from the asleep kavin, as purvi, alone had dozed off on the floor, just next to kavin's bed, with nothing but a borrowed pillow and blanket. It was startling though to observe, that bani was nowhere to be found.

Ishita slowly closed the door behind her, getting outside the ward, clueless about where to look for bani. She quickly opened her purse and grabbed her phone, to give her a call.

Unfortunately, it remained unanswered.

Ishita looked around, grabbing hold of one of the nursing staff walking nearby.

"Excuse me.. " Pleaded ishita for her to stop, as she took out a photo of bani on her phone and showed it to the nurse.

"Aapne iss ladki ko kahi dekha hai? " Inquired ishita, as the nurse seemed to have the right answer.

"Yeh toh ladie's washroom mein faint ho gayi thi... Apparently panic attack tha, aap woh saamne waale ward mein chale jaiye, wahi se aa rahi hoon, ab woh thik hai.. " informed the nurse, leaving ishita astonished, as she wasted no time in getting to the ward pointed at.
                                  ***
Ishita entered the ward, looking around for bani among the many beds occupied by various patients. She managed to grab hold of her, concerned, immediately she asked of her health.

"Beta, tum thik ho? Hua kya tha tumhe?" Interrogated ishita, as bani seemed to be lying down in weakness, she was visibly dehydrated.

"Bache...itna stress le liya tumne iss sabka... " stated ishita if what appeared to her as bani's condition, but she was on a completely different page.

"Taiyiji... " Blurted out bani, as ishita got attentive to her expected words to come, only for there to be a long pause followed afterwards.

"Haan beta bolo... " Assured ishita some support from her side, stroking bani's arm gently.

"I did something very wrong.... " Admitted bani, as ishita raised her brow immediately in response.

"I---i---might have... " Attempted a choked up bani to confess but in vain, as she was stopped by the ringing of her phone.

Ishita found it near all her medicines on a nearby nightstand.

The contact name flashed across the screen, 'Arjun Singhania', along with the message by him that read from a notification:
"I'll kill you... "

That was enough for her to know, the kids were in some serious trouble...