Disclaimer : This chapter is more sad than it is happy☹️

"Kya?" Akshara almost shouted and the change in pitch earned her a glare from Abhimanyu before he actually took in her expressions. Questions frisked across her face and now that the truth was out, Abhimanyu did not intend to keep anything away. So, he started from the very beginning.

*Flashback*
It was a new moon night and the ambience around was pitch black when an 8-year-old Abhimanyu woke up to the whim of his parched throat. He switched on the bedside lamp only to find the glass of water on the table empty. Begrudgingly, he got out of bed and his room when he heard some noises coming from the last door down the hallway. Despite the small voice in his head that told him to not meddle in things that weren't his concern at that point of time, he found his feet carrying him toward his parents' room. And what he saw through the crack in the door was enough to pull the innocence out of his unworldly life. Blood was trickling down Manjiri's palm as she held onto the sharp edge of a cabinet for support and tears streamed down her agonized face. Harsh stalked toward her and shoved a piece of paper in her face, his face red with fury.

"Kya hai yeh haa?" He yelled in frustration and Manjiri shivered at the pitch but kept mum. He crumpled the paper and sent it flying across the other side of the room before he held Manjiri's shoulders in a death grip. "Yeh mera beta nahi ho sakta hai!" He exclaimed indignantly.

"Chodiye meri Maa ko!" Abhimanyu screamed from the threshold before Harsh could put in any more words and both their necks snapped in his direction. Harsh immediately let go of Manjiri's arms and stepped back as Abhimanyu rushed to his mother and horror covered their faces. No one was supposed to witness this, let alone their son.

"Abhi! Tu yaha kya kar raha hai?" Manjiri asked as soon as she found her voice while Abhimanyu threw daggers in his father's direction, his blood boiling in rage. He may have inherited every other trait from Manjiri but his anger was a gift from his father. And just maybe, he had it worse than Harsh did.

"Aap Maa se iss tarah se baat nahi kar sakte hai!" He gritted through clenched teeth and Harsh was taken aback but composed himself as quick as he had lost that poise. His eyes shifted from Abhimanyu to Manjiri and a sinister expression settled on his features.

"Toh yeh seekha thi ho tum isse jab mei ghar par nahi hota hu. Mere khilaaf bhadkaati ho tum isse," he accused hotly as he roughly pulled Manjiri in front of Abhimanyu by her elbow. Manjiri winced at the sudden sting as Abhimanyu stared at them with terror-stricken eyes. He had heard Harsh be ruthless with his words but physical brutality was a fact about his father that Abhimanyu was unknown to. And all his 8-year-old brain could think of was saving his mom from the man who was crossing limits Abhimanyu didn't know existed. So, with all the strength he could muster, he began to pull at Harsh's hand that held Manjiri in a violent grip and tried to free his mom of the pain she was tolerating. But Harsh had made up his mind about how Manjiri instigated Abhimanyu against him in his absence and all he saw was red in his vision. He had lost his cool long back and this realization was the last straw in his anger. And without waiting to understand his surroundings, he mercilessly shoved Abhimanyu away with his free hand.

"ABHI!" Manjiri screeched at the top of her lungs as Abhimanyu's head hit the edge of the coffee table and she dashed toward the floor where Abhimanyu now lay. Harsh didn't realize the force he had used until Abhimanyu turned to look at Manjiri with a hand to his forehead and she pulled it down to examine the wound and the color leached out of his face. Blood was splayed across his palm as more dribbled down the side of his forehead but Abhimanyu didn't let out as much as a squeal. Manjiri looked horrified as she stared at the cut and turned her attention to Harsh.

"Kitna khoon beh raha hai. Kuch kijiye naa!" She pleaded and that seemed to pull Harsh out of whatever thoughts he was immersed in. But before he could take a step, Mahima and Anand came running to the room.

"Humne Manjiri ki chik sunni. Kya hua?" Anand asked in alarm as soon as they had entered the room before his eyes fell on Abhimanyu and Manjiri on the floor and everything clicked into place. Without wasting another second, Anand picked Abhimanyu up in his arms and carried him to the bed while Mahima helped a crying Manjiri to her feet and tried to placate her. Anand found a first aid kit and tended to Abhimanyu's wound while Mahima followed Abhimanyu's gaze that was stuck to Harsh.

"Yaha hua kya?" Mahima asked as soon as Manjiri seemed calmer. Anand was just tying the ends of the gauze bandage around Abhimanyu's head to secure it when Manjiri and Harsh looked at Abhimanyu before their eyes locked with each other.

"Abhi phisal gaya aur uska sar table se takra gaya," Manjiri lied effortlessly as she stared right into Mahima's eyes and Abhimanyu and Harsh gaped at her.
*Flashback ends*

"Uncle aunty ko maarte the?" Akshara asked as she swallowed down the sob that attempted to force its way out of her lips and her heart hurt for the kid who had to witness the callous dynamics between his parents.

"Uss din ke baad shayad aisa kuch kabhi nahi hua. Or at least mujhe aisi kisi situation ke baare mei nahi pata hai," he admitted in a too good to be true casual tone as he raked his brain for information. "Aur uss din ke pehle kya hua, mei nahi jaanta," he added.

"Isliye tumhe jhooth se nafrat hai," Akshara stated as the epiphany hit her in the gut and she looked at him through blurry eyes. Abhimanyu bobbed his head in acceptance.

"Agle din mei Maa ke kamre mei gaya tha, unhe dhoondne ke liye. Tab maine dustbin mei ek crumpled paper dekha," he began the other part of his past after gulping down the emotions that had constricted his voice box and stared ahead at the wall to keep his countenance from crumbling to pieces before he had all of his thoughts and his past laid out in front of Akshara. "Mei hamesha se ek curious bacha tha. Toh maine woh paper utha kar usse khola kyunki mei jaanta tha ki Sir ne woh paper pheka tha. Mei jaan na chahta tha ki aisa kya hua tha ki unhone Maa ke saath iss tarah se behave kia. Aur uss din meri puri duniya palat gayi," he confessed as his voice wobbled towards the end but he shook his head to gain self-control. "Woh mere adoption papers the," he revealed in a flimsy voice and Akshara's hands flew to her mouth as she let out a whimper. He brought his eyes back to her and let the first stream of tears gush down his face. She grabbed his hands and squeezed them to provide any kind of comfort that she could as she witnessed the first crack in his wall of strength clearly embedded in his expression. Abhimanyu folded his fingers tightly around her hands as he took a deep breath in. He needed all the succor he could get if he had to tell her every detail of the days he had locked away. Akshara could evidently sense that it was hurting Abhimanyu to relive the memories he had shoved deep inside the folds of his brain.

"You don't have to tell me everything," she whispered as she glanced at him. After all, she was no stranger to the pain that the past could inflict on the present.

"I know. But I need to," Abhimanyu claimed and closed his eyes to take another deep breath before he peered back at her. "Maa ne mujhe dekh lia tha aur jab maine unse pucha ki adoption ka matlab kya hota hai, unhone mujhse yeh keh dia ke bacche inn sab cheezon ke baare mei baat nahi karte hai. Par mei doctors ki family ka part tha. Har cheez mei logic dhundhna meri aadat ban gayi thi." He let out a hollow laugh and the tears collected in his eyes threatened to spill out. But he bit on his lower lip. "Isliye jab Maa ne mere sawaalon ko taal dia tha, mei Parth bhai ke paas chala gaya. Woh bade the toh mujhe laga woh mujhe bata denge aur unhone bataya. Mei aath (8) saal ka tha Akshu, jab mujhe yeh pata chala ki adopted hona kya hota hai," he divulged and the last sentence robbed Akshara of her breath as she tried to imagine the emotional state an 8-year-old Abhimanyu would have been in at that revelation. And right now, standing in front of her was that kid who didn't know what to do with the new found information that he claimed to have changed the course of his entire life. The kid who wanted to ball his eyes out but couldn't because he knew there was no one who could comfort him without questions. And for the first time since Akshara had woken up, she loathed the temporary disability she had to live with for the next few days because all she wanted to do was envelop Abhimanyu in her arms and steal all his sufferings. But she couldn't, so she did the next best thing. She wrapped her arms around his stomach and laid her head on his stomach. Her touch broke something inside Abhimanyu and the tears that he had kept at bay all these years burst at full force as his hands snaked around Akshara's shoulders. His body trembled with sobs as he let out all the affliction that had been a tenant in his heart for almost two decades now and held onto her for dear life. Akshara weeped along with him, the pain emanating from his skin and searing right through her heart. They stayed that way until Abhimanyu felt collected enough to go on.

"Uss din ke baad mera behavior change hogaya," he began once he had pulled a chair in front of Akshara and taken a seat to be at eye level with her. "Mei chup rehne laga, sabse zyaada time apne kamre mei spend karne laga. Sabko laga ki chot ki wajah se mei bas shock mei hu. Lekin mei Sir se bhi dur rehne laga tha. Maa ne notice kia tha lekin unhone kuch nahi kaha kyunki woh sach jaanti thi. Par isse pehle ki koi aur notice karta, unhe mujhe samjhana tha. Isliye teen din baad, woh mere room mei aayi. Aur tum jaanti ho unhone kya kia?" He asked, with torment fleeting through his eyes, as if he had been itching for someone to listen to the answer he had. Very slowly, Akshara shook her head and caught hold of his hands that had formed fists on his knees. "Unhone mujhse kaha ki Sir ki koi galti nahi thi. Aur mujhe unhe maaf kar dena chahiye. Aur sab kuch pehle jaise ho jaana chahiye," he disclosed and Akshara's heart sank. She couldn't even begin to grasp the magnitude of grief Abhimanyu must have gone through in the span of mere days. "Maine apni puri life mei itna hurt kabhi bhi feel nahi kia tha jitna uss moment mei kia tha. Lekin uss hurt ke saath mujhe bahut zyaada gussa bhi aa raha tha," he revealed that for the first time and felt a huge weight lift of his heart as Akshara kept rubbing soothing circles on his knuckles. "Aur uss din, mere aur Sir ke beech kuch aisa tut gaya tha jo fir kabhi nahi jud sakta tha. Maine Maa ke saamne toh apne emotions chupakar keh dia tha ki sab kuch normal ho jaayega lekin uss din ke baad mei kabhi Papa keh hi nahi saka," he divulged and his irises dilated. "Papa," he tested the word on his lips again. "Uss din ke baad aaj pehli baar mei yeh word use kar raha hu," he imparted and gave out a humorless chuckle. "Mei Maa se bahut pyaar karta hu. Isliye maine bachpan se hi apne hurt ko apne gusse ke piche chupana seekh lia tha. Par I wish uss din Maa ne Sir ko nahi, mujhe choose kia hota," he let slip and his jaw dropped open as a gasp left Akshara's lips. "Maine aaj tak yeh baat kabhi apne aap se bhi nahi kahi hai," he discovered out loud but Akshara had stopped listening as their fight on the night of his birthday flashed right in front of her eyes. This was exactly what she had done. She had chosen Aarohi over Abhimanyu and ripped off the bandage of a wound that had never had the chance to heal. She had brought back memories that no kid should have to live through in the first place, let alone a second. Akshara's heart burst wide open at the apprehension as hot tears stung her eyes. But she was too occupied with her own thoughts to see the change in Abhimanyu's expressions when something registered in his mind.

"Mere Birla na hone se tumhe koi farak padta hai?" He asked with dread seeping into his heart and Akshara's eyes bulged out of her sockets as the words jolted her back to reality. Why would he think that? And as the color drained out of his face with every additional millisecond, the tears cascaded down her eyes without her knowledge as she loathed herself for every doubt her actions had ever planted in Abhimanyu's mind. But until then, she hadn't realized that Abhimanyu's chair was moving backward and away from her, even if it was involuntary, and would be out of her reach if she didn't act in that instant. So, she threw her hand out and caught hold of the armrest before using all her vigor to pull him back toward her and tossed her arms around his neck to pull him as close to her as possible. Her chin lay on his shoulder as she fisted his shirt in a death grip, afraid that he would slip away. But Abhimanyu made no attempt to touch her as his heart raced a mile a minute. Because Akshara's answer was either going to liberate him of the weight that was pulling him into the black hole of misery or be the death of him. There was no in between.

"Mei tumse pyaar karti hu Abhi, tumhare naam se nahi," she admitted honestly once she had forced the remaining of her tears away. Because nothing was more important to her than mollifying Abhimanyu's concerns. He felt his lungs deflate as the air they had been holding whooshed out of his mouth at her words. "Mujhe kisi bhi baat se koi farak nahi padta hai jab tak tum mere saath ho Abhi," she continued sincerely when Abhimanyu still made no attempt to return her embrace. "I'm sorry agar meri kisi baat se tumhe aisa feel hua ho par aisa nahi hai Abhi," she clarified resolutely and Abhimanyu vigorously shook his head before his arms automatically found their way around her torso and in her hair. Akshara tightened her hold around him and Abhimanyu pressed a kiss to her temple. "Mujhe sirf mera Methidana chahiye, aur kuch nahi," she professed with an easy smile and a laugh rumbled off Abhimanyu as he was taken back to the time when she called him that name for the first time. He pulled her arms loose from around his neck and cupped her face before he placed a lingering kiss on her forehead. Instinctively, Akshara's eyes fluttered close. She'd read somewhere that 'A forehead kiss could make your entire world light up. That it is a sign of irrevocable love and undeniable respect.' But she hadn't understood what it meant until the first time Abhimanyu had made the gesture. And every subsequent time, she felt exactly the way those words described a forehead kiss to be.

"Aur mujhe sirf meri gharelu doctor chahiye," he whispered as he joined their foreheads and a brilliant smile spread over her lips as she held his wrists and stared into those brown orbs, love swimming in them. But the moment didn't last long as they heard Abhimanyu's cabin door swing open without a prior warning. Startled, Abhimanyu jumped away from Akshara and out of his chair while she averted her eyes, her face heating up as they both saw Neil who had shock written all over his face.

"I'm sorry!" He immediately apologized and turned away before Abhimanyu scowled at him. But a warm smile settled across his face as understanding made way to his mind. His brother had finally given up the martyr complex and talked to Akshara. Or so he assumed by the look of their faces.

"Ab dekh sakta hu?" He questioned before he cheekily turned a little in their direction to check their status. Abhimanyu rolled his eyes at his brother's antics while pink fanned across Akshara's cheeks.

"Chupkar nautanki," Abhimanyu reprimanded and a laugh bubbled out of Neil before he spinned around and his eyes landed on Akshara.

"Kaisi ho Akshara?" He asked as he stepped in.

"I'm fine," she replied with a smile and Neil nodded his head before his eyes fell on the untouched food spread out on the table behind Abhimanyu.

"Teen baj rahe hai bro! Aapne abhi tak khana nahi khaya?" Neil asked as he dropped the file he had come to deliver on the table and Abhimanyu's eyes traveled to the watch on the wall. It was indeed a little above 3 and he cursed under his breath. He hadn't realized the time and now, because of him, Akshara hadn't eaten her lunch as well. And if there was no food in her system, that meant she hadn't taken her medicines as well.

"Toh tumhe yaha Bhai lekar aaye?" Neil inquired as he shifted his attention back toward Akshara, completely missing Abhimanyu's reactions.

"Nahi. Manjiri aunty," she acknowledged with a smile and the look on Neil's face morphed into surprise as his eyes flew to Abhimanyu.

"Maa yaha aayi thi? Aapne bulaya?" He blurted out without thought as his brain swam with questions and hope danced on his face.

"Nahi," Abhimanyu responded absentmindedly and Neil's face dropped quicker than it had lit up. Akshara looked between the two brothers with cluelessness stuck to her features and Abhimanyu's neck snapped in her direction as soon as he realized what he just said. Neil quickly composed himself and so did Abhimanyu, but it was too late. Akshara had already sensed the tension that had suddenly filled the cabin.

"Neil, please mera ek kaam karega?" Abhimanyu asked before Akshara could express her concerns as he eyed her through the corners. Neil nodded, relieved about the interruption. "Akshu ka khana please uske room mei le aayega? Uski medicines ka time hogaya hai aur usne ab tak kuch nahi khaya hai," he explained and Neil hummed in response before he left the room. Abhimanyu let out a breath before he moved to the table and packed up his lunch. All this while, Akshara was watching each of his movements and was well aware that Abhimanyu had attempted to change the topic to be saved from all the questions that were on the tip of her tongue. Something had gone down between Abhimanyu and his mom in the time Akshara was in a coma, she was sure of it. But what? She had to figure it out, sooner rather than later. And she had a hunch of what it was all about. Akshara was brought out of her thoughts when Abhimanyu dropped the bag in her lap. She gave him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and he pushed her wheelchair out of his cabin and toward her room.

In Akshara's Hospital Room

Abhimanyu caught hold of the lunch bag and kept it on a side before he hauled Akshara up in his arms and carefully placed her on the bed. He covered her legs with the blanket and adjusted the pillow for her comfort. He bobbed his head left and right to ask if everything was fine and Akshara nodded her head in response. Abhimanyu gave her a tender smile and looked around the room for the foldable lunch table. Once he found it, he picked it up, unfolded it and placed it in front of Akshara. As if on cue, Neil entered the room with a plate full of hospital food for Akshara. He placed it on the table and Akshara made a face which wasn't missed by either of them. Neil let out a low chuckle and Abhimanyu glared at him before his face broke out into a huge grin too and Akshara pouted like a kid who was just denied her favorite candy.

"Agar tumhe hospital ka khana nahi pasand hai toh dekh kar chalna chahiye tha na," Abhimanyu commented jokingly with the grin still plastered on his face.

"Next time tumhe text karte hue nahi chalungi," Akshara quipped absentmindedly and just like that, the playfulness was sucked out of the surrounding air. Akshara's eyes widened as realization slammed into her and Abhimanyu instantly averted his eyes. But she was too quick to not miss the flicker of agony there while Neil looked as stunned as she felt. She cursed herself for blurting out words without thought but the damage had already been done and she had to do or say something before Abhimanyu got trapped in his own head and took another one of his rash and irrational decisions. Neil could see the conflict on Akshara's face and he knew it was time to make himself scarce so he cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Take care!" He spoke to Akshara when he thought both of them were listening.

"Thank you!" She replied with a smile. "Aur khane ke liye bhi," she added and Neil's lips quirked up. He was about to leave when he remembered something. He whispered something in Abhimanyu's ear and Abhimanyu just nodded his head in acknowledgement, unable to get any words out through the lump that had formed in his throat. Akshara waited until Neil left the room but Abhimanyu did not turn his attention to her even after the room housed only the two of them.

"Abhi," she called out but he didn't move. "Abhi, meri taraf dekho please," she requested but Abhimanyu shook his head, his guilt starting to eat him up once again. Akshara let the air out of her mouth and closed her eyes. What had she done? How much was she going to hurt him?

"I'm sorry," he apologized and Akshara could hear the anguish drip in every syllable.

"Ab tum apni Akshu ki taraf dekhoge bhi nahi?" Akshara questioned desperately, ignoring his apology. She knew it was a low blow but she didn't know any other way. And as expected, it worked. He turned his gaze toward her, tears lining his lower lashes. Her heart tore apart at the despair and remorse etched on his features and she hated herself for his state. How could she have been so careless? Hadn't he had enough of reliving the past that brought nothing but tribulation? A sudden hot pressure built up behind her eyes as she pushed the food table away from her to make place and held her arms out for Abhimanyu. He didn't waste a second before he took a seat beside her and embraced her with all his might. A few tears were let loose from their eyes as Abhimanyu hid his face in her neck and Akshara stroked his hair soothingly. Abhimanyu shut his eyes as he tried to find absolution in her arms. Akshara had a lot to say but she waited until she heard Abhimanyu's breaths even out.

"Please, apne aap ko itni punishment dena bandh karo Abhi," Akshara started and Abhimanyu's forehead creased but he waited for her to continue. "Mera seedio se girna ek accident tha. Usmei tumhari koi galti nahi thi," she went on and Abhimanyu pulled apart, his face scrunched up in confusion. "Mera tumhe text karte hue slip hona sirf ek coincidence tha, aur kuch nahi," she asserted fiercely as she cupped his cheeks and wiped off the remnants of tears from his face. "Samjhe?" She asked hopefully but Abhimanyu didn't give her a reaction. She was doing this so that he wouldn't feel guilty anymore but he knew better. Just because no one blamed him, it did not mean that it wasn't his fault. But his lack of reaction was enough for Akshara to know that she was late and his thoughts had done an extensive job at making his life miserable. For more than 2 weeks, his thoughts were his only companions and as far as she knew Abhimanyu, he wouldn't have talked to a single soul about the demons that haunted him. It would take more than just statements to crack that thick head of his. She took a deep breath before she jumped into the battle that she had to win at any cost. Because winning meant saving the man she loved to the very ends of the universe and she would stop at nothing until she achieved it.

"Agar tumhari jagah mei kisi aur ko text kar rahi hoti, say Neil ko ya Manjiri Aunty ko, or gir jaati, toh kya tum meri iss haalat ke liye unhe blame karte? Agar woh message send hi nahi hua hota, toh tumhe pata hi nahi hota ki mei tumhe text kar rahi thi. Toh kya tum phir bhi apne aap ko blame karte?" She questioned and Abhimanyu stared at her as the wheels in his brain began to churn. Akshara stared at him expectantly as she prayed to her Kanhaji to force Abhimanyu to see sense because if this didn't work, she would be out of options to pull him out of his guilt. And that was the last thing she desired. While Akshara was almost about to lose hope in her tactic, Abhimanyu shook his head. His action was so imperceptible that for a moment, Akshara thought that she had imagined it. But his next words were proof that she hadn't.

"Nahi," he had murmured.

"Toh phir tum apne aap ko blame kyu kar rahe ho?" She questioned yearningly. "I'm sorry maine woh kaha." Akshara apologized for the words that had scraped off his wound. "I didn't mean it," she added and Abhimanyu was about to deny it when she held up her hand. "Par Abhi, jinn situations par hamara control nahi hota hai, unn situations ke liye hum apne aap ko blame nahi kar sakte hai. Aise toh hum apni life kabhi jee hi nahi paayenge," she rationalized and waited until the words permeated into Abhimanyu's brain. "Hum sirf apni choices ke liye responsible hote hai Abhi. Tumhe text karte hue chalna meri choice thi. Isliye meri iss haalat ki zimmedar mei hu, aur koi nahi," she contended honestly.

"I'm sorry." Abhimanyu hung his head and Akshara held onto his shoulders before brushing her lips on the top of his head and resting her cheek there.

"Mujhe tumhari apologies nahi chahiye Abhi. Kyunki tumhari koi galti nahi hai. Bas apne aap ko blame karna bandh kar do. I don't want anything else," she mumbled pleadingly as a trail of tears found their way down her face.

"I won't," Abhimanyu assured promisingly and Akshara pulled back with a smile. She swiped at the tear stains on her face as Abhimanyu found her eyes. "Aaj ke liye kuch jyada hi rona nahi hogaya hai?" He asked in a playful tone and a chortle left Akshara's lips. A smile flickered across his face as he glimpsed the happiness shine on her face. "Ab khana kha le?" He asked with a tilt of his head and Akshara just gave him an even bigger smile in response. And in that moment, Abhimanyu knew that there was nothing that could fill his heart as much as the smile on Akshara's face.

Their lunch was a happy affair filled with more laughter and less words as they basked in the joy of their happy bubble, unaware of the fact that the storm had only subsided for a bit before it knocked them sideways with an even larger force.

Author's Note
I know long time, no see! But this chapter was being longer than usual so I finally decided to split it in two! And I have been cruel, again🙁 I'm so sorry for that! But please let me know how did you guys find this chapter?

Better days are coming, I promise! Just bear with me for the next chapter and then I'll give you a crazy dose of happy AbhiRa that you guys won't have complaints! Or so I hope🥺

Until then, please don't forget to vote and leave your comments❤️ I'll be waiting for them🥰