Chapter 35:

It was the time of night, the roads were floating with the vehicles. A building was lighted by hundreds of lights, a hospital sign was marked on it and the ambulances were parked outside it. In the corridor, Avni was running and was finding the OT. Avni saw the police officers outside the room and she stopped. Avni saw DD with them so she ran there. DD saw Avni.  Avni was panting.

Avni whispered: Neil.

DD's eyes were moist and he pointed at the OT. Avni looked there.

DD: The doctors are trying.

Avni looked at DD.

DD: They asked to pray for him.

Avni was shocked and was just looking at DD. Avni looked at the door and the flashes of Avneil's cute moments and marriage were roaming in front of her eyes. Avni’s eyes were moist.

DD: Three bullets hit him.

Avni looked at DD and was shocked.

DD: One bullet hits his chest.

Avni was shocked.

DD: I asked him to go out when the first bullet hit him but he refused to go.

Avni got emotional. DD looked at Avni.

DD: He said...

Flashback:

Neil was standing by leaning against the wall while holding his right arm. The bullet had hit his arm. Neil was in pain.

Neil: The safety and dignity of those girls are more precious than my life.

Neil squeezed his eyes and was in pain. DD was looking worried.

Neil: If I die then I will be called martyr but if I go out then I will be called coward. I would love to be called a martyr instead of a coward.

Neil was in pain and he smiled.

Neil: and my Avni will also feel proud of me.

Neil smiled.

Neil: Maybe then she forgives me.

DD was looking at Neil sadly and was looking worried.

Neil heard the sound of firing.

Neil: Come. Our team needs us.

DD: But, Sir...

Neil looked at DD.

Neil: We have to rescue the girls. For that, if we have to give our lives we should be ready for that... Come.

Neil loaded his gun and turned. Neil fired.

Flashback ended.

Avni was looking at the door with moist eyes.

A nurse came out and Avni looked at her. Avni went to her but she ignored Avni and went from there. Avni was looking at her and then she again bowed her head. Avni turned and looked at the door of the room. The nurse came back with the bottle of blood and hurriedly went inside.

One hour passed but there was no information about Neil. Avni was standing leaning against the wall. The red button turned off and everyone was alerted. Avni stood properly. The doctor came out after some time. Avni and others ran to him.

Vidyut: Doctor, Neil.

Avni looked at Vidyut and then she looked at the doctor.

Doctor: ACP Neil Khanna is now out of danger.

Avni closed her eyes and took a breath of relief. Avni looked at the doctor.

Doctor: He will be shifted to the ICU soon.

Avni was shocked.

Avni: I. I. Iiii CU. Why ICU?

Doctor: Relax. There is nothing to worry about. We will keep him under observation until he gets his consciousness.

Avni was relieved.

Doctor: You can meet him once we shift him. OK?

Avni nodded.

Doctor: but please be careful, don't disturb him.

KK: Sure, Doctor.

The doctor went from there. Vidyut and KK looked at each other and then they looked at Avni who was looking at the door of OT.

Vidyut: Ab, bhabhi.

Avni looked at him.

Vidyut: Ab.

Avni: I am not going anywhere.

Vidyut and KK were surprised. They looked at each other and then they looked at Avni.

KK: Bhabhi, Neav is alone at home.

Avni: I have asked Juhi to take him with her to her home.

Vidyut: You are already looking tired. How will...

Avni interrupted him.

Avni: I said, I am not going anywhere means I am not going. I will not go leaving my Neil here.

Vidyut and KK were surprised to hear "My Neil". They smiled. They looked at each other. Avni went to the door to see a glimpse of Neil and she got it. Avni got emotional but a man came in between them. Avni got disappointed and she tried to see Neil but no use.

Soon, the door opened and everyone got alert. A wardboy came and he was pulling the stretcher. Neil was laying on it in an unconscious state. Avni saw Neil and she got emotional. Vidyut and KK also got emotional. Neil was taken from there and Avni and others were walking with it. Avni was looking at Neil. Neil was taken to the room and Avni saw from the glass but a nurse pulled the curtain. Avni lowered her head and moved away from there.

The sound of machines was echoing in the room and Neil was unconsciously laying on the bed. An oxygen mask was on his face and the machines were connected to his body. Neil was shirtless and the bandage was on his chest and right arm. His body was covered with the duvet to his chest. The door opened and Avni entered the room. Avni got emotional to see Neil and she came to Neil. Avni was just looking at Neil.

Avni: Liar. You will not leave your habit of lying and breaking promises, right? Again you broke your promise. Now you see what I will do. I am not going to talk to you. I. I. I…

Avni thought for an excuse.

Avni: I will go away from your life. Yes, I will go away leaving you, and this time… this time, I will not come back to you again.

Avni looked at Neil. Avni warned Neil showing her index finger.

Avni: Neil, I am warning you. I am warning you, open your eyes else I will go away from your life…  I am serious, Neil. Fine, don’t wake up. I am going.

Avni turned and looked at Neil.

Avni: I am going… I am serious. I am going.

Avni turned to the bed and she was looking at Neil. Avni sat on the stool and cried.

Avni: Please wake up na. Please open your eyes.

Avni cried.

Avni: Please wake up.

Avni was crying. Avni got angry and she got up from the stool.

Avni: You are enjoying it, right? I know, you are listening to me and you are intentionally troubling me. You love to trouble me and tease me. You must be enjoying my condition. After all, your wish has come true. I am begging you to wake you. You wanted it, right?

Avni paused for a moment.

Avni: I know, you are angry with me. You are hurt. I hurt you. I am sorry for that.

Avni held her ear.

Avni: I am sorry. Please wake up. Please. Please wake up. Please.

Avni cried. Avni wiped her tears but fresh tears replaced them. Avni gulped. Avni leaned to the bed and caressed Neil’s hair. Avni kissed Neil’s forehead and stared at him for some time and then she sniffed and wiped her tears. Avni stood properly and she was looking at Neil.

Avni came out of the room and Vidyut and KK were present in the corridor. Vidyut and KK looked up. Avni was moving to the bench and she looked up. The Khanna family was coming while running. Shweta came to Avni and was crying. Avni's eyes got moist and she gulped to see her.

Shweta: Tillu.

Avni looked at the door. Shweta and others looked there. Shweta cupped her mouth and cried. Avni looked at Shweta and held her arms. Avni gulped and smiled but her eyes were teary.

Avni: Don't cry, Mummy Ji. Neil is out of danger now. He is fine.

Shweta said while crying.

Shweta: You. You are telling the truth.

Avni nodded.

Avni: Yes, the doctor said that he is out of danger and will get his consciousness soon.

Shweta smiled while crying. Avni cupped Shweta's face and wiped her tears.

Avni: Your Tillu is fine.

Avni made a sad and angry face.

Avni: But that idiot is troubling us. You know him. He loves to trouble us. He is doing all this for attention.

Shweta smiled. Prakash and Bebe also smiled while their eyes were moist. Avni smiled.

Avni: Don't worry, he is fine.

Shweta smiled.

Avni: Go and meet him. And yes scold him also. He never listens to us.

Shweta nodded while crying. Shweta cupped Avni's face. Shweta hugged Avni and caressed her hair. Till now Avni was trying to control her emotions but now she felt that she would break down. Avni broke down and cried. Avni gulped and wiped her tears. Avni sighed and broke the hug while holding Shweta's arms.

Avni: Go.

Shweta nodded. 

Avni: The doctor has asked that only one person can go at a time.

Shweta nodded and looked at the family.

Bebe: You go first.

Shweta nodded and she went to meet Neil.

Later, Neil was laying on the bed unconsciously and Avni was sitting on the stool near the bed. Avni held Neil's hand in his hand. Neil held Avni's hand. Avni was surprised and she looked at their hands. Avni was surprised to see the movement of Neil's hand and she looked at Neil who stirred. Avni smiled to see Neil and got up. 

Avni: Neil.

Neil opened his narrowed eyes and saw the blurred image. Neil closed his eyes and tried to open his eyes. Avni smiled and her eyes got moist. Avni went to call the doctor. Neil tried to open his eyes. Neil opened his eyes and frowned. Neil tried to register the place and Avni came and turned. The doctor entered behind her. The doctor came to Neil and Avni was happy to see Neil. She prayed for him. 

The doctor talked to Neil who was in pain. Neil talked in a low voice and nodded at some questions. 

Doctor: OK. You have rest.

The doctor looked at Avni who also looked at him.

Doctor: Now, you satisfied? He got his consciousness. Are you happy now? ACP is completely out of danger now.

Avni smiled and she thanked God.

Doctor: But I would suggest you do not disturb him right now.

Avni’s smile faded.

Doctor: He just has got his consciousness so he needs rest and time to register everything. There should not be any kind of stress on his mind. If you meet him, he will strain his brain so… it will be better if you meet him later when he gets his complete consciousness.

Avni nodded and looked at Neil.

Later, Neil was laying on the bed of the hospital and he stirred. Neil opened his eyes and closed them. Neil opened his eyes after some attempts. Neil frowned to see the roof and looked around. Neil understood it was a hospital. Neil thought and he saw blurred images of the mission. Neil got shot. Neil was lost in his thoughts and he heard the sound of opening the door. The Khanna family came with Neil’s friends. Neil looked at them and his eyes were finding Avni. Avni entered at the last and closed the door. Avni turned and Neil saw her but Bebe stood there and Neil looked at her. Avni came and stood at the left side of the foot side. Neil was looking at Avni who was looking down. Avni looked at Neil and then she looked away.

Shweta caressed Neil’s hair who looked at her and smiled.

Shweta: How are you?

Neil nodded and blinked his eyes.

Neil: I am fine.

Shweta kissed Neil’s forehead who smiled and looked at Avni.

Vidyut was standing on the left side of Neil and KK was with him.

Vidyut: So, you became a hero. People are praising you.

Neil smiled.

KK: Praising? He is trending on social media.

Neil was surprised and looked at Vidyut who nodded. Neil was still surprised. The door opened and the nurse came inside.

Nurse: The patient needs rest. Only one person can stay here.

Everyone nodded and Avni and Neil looked at each other. Everyone noticed that.

Prakash: Avni, putter, you stay here. We are going out.

Avni nodded while looking down. Vidyut kept his hand on Neil’s arm who looked at him.

Vidyut: Take care and get well soon.

Neil forwarded his hand and Vidyut held his hand. Everyone met Neil and the family kissed his forehead. Everyone went out and Avneil was alone in the room. Avni came forward to the left side of Neil who was looking at her.

Neil was looking at Avni who was looking down. Neil kept his hand on the bed and signed Avni to sit. Avni looked at Neil's hand and then she looked at Neil. Neil signed Avni to sit. Avni looked down and sat. Neil looked at Avni for a while.

Neil: How are...

Avni: Fraud.

Neil was surprised. Neil frowned.

Avni: Liar.

Neil was looking at her.

Avni: Cheater.

Neil: Fraud? Liar? Cheater? What have I done?

Avni got angry and got up.

Avni: What have you done? You don't know what you have done?

Neil: No.

Avni: Wow. Just wow. Amazing.

Neil made a face.

Neil: Avni, I am already in pain. Will you say clearly what has happened?

Avni: You cheated me.

Neil: How?

Avni looked at Neil and her eyes got moist. Neil was shocked.

Avni: You again broke your promise. You promised me that you would come back home safely but you...

Avni looked away and gulped. Neil was looking at Avni and smiled.

Neil: You know why I went there.

Avni was looking away.

Neil: Would you have liked it if I came back from the mission like a coward?

Avni looked at Neil.

Neil: No, right.

Avni looked away.

Neil: I know, you would not have liked that.

Avni looked at Neil.

Neil: I know my Avni, for her, the safety and dignity of the girls are more important. If she was at my place then she would also do the same.

Avni: Yes, I would have done that. But here the thing is not about me. It is about you. About your safety. You promised me that you would come back home safely. And don’t twist the matter. The matter is not the girl’s safety. The matter is your safety. Why you had not wear a bulletproof jacket?

Neil was surprised.

Avni: Where was it?

Neil: How do you know that?

Avni: That’s not the answer to my question.

Neil was speechless.

Neil: Ab… Ab… aaa.

Avni mimicked Neil: Ab… Ab… aaa.

Neil was surprised to see Avni’s changed behavior.

Avni: Why you are fumbling now? Answer me, why you had not wear a bulletproof jacket?

Neil: Ab, Avni, actually…

Avni: Actually, I gave my jacket to my colleague right?

Neil: His jacket was not safe.

Avni looked on.

Neil: He got married two years ago and his daughter is only three months old.

Avni: So, you don’t have a family. You don’t have a wife and son, right?

Neil shook his health.

Neil: He is my staff. His safety is my responsibility.

Avni made an angry face because she agreed with Neil.

Avni: Means I and Neav don’t have any value in your eyes.

Neil shook his head.

Avni: You can think about everyone except us. Right. You can break the promise given to me but you can’t do anything wrong with anyone else…

Neil shook his head.

Avni: You always do this. You always break your promises.

Neil was sadly looking at Avni.

Avni: I hate you.

Neil was shocked. Avni sat on the bed and punched Neil’s left arm slowly while saying.

Avni said while punching Neil’s arm: I hate you (Neil was surprised). I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.

Avni stopped hitting and cried.

Avni cried: I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.

Neil was looking at Avni sadly.

Avni kept her head on Neil’s arm and said, I hate. I hate you. I love you.

Neil was shocked.

Avni: I love you. I love you. I love you.

Avni cried. Neil tried to pull Avni back but his right arm was injured.

Neil: Avni. Avni, what did you say?

Avni stopped crying and was shocked. Avni didn’t move back.

Neil: Avni, look at me… Avni, please.

Neil held Avni’s arm with his left arm and tried to pull her back.

Neil: Avni.

Avni moved back and looked at Neil who was looking at her impatiently.

Neil: What did you say?

Neil signed say. Avni was looking at Neil.

Neil: Say that again.

Neil was waiting to hear those three magical words impatiently and Avni was looking at Neil innocently.