Time passes slowly in the ICU, the minutes stretching into hours as Sidharth drifts in and out of consciousness. Each time he awakens, his family is there, offering words of comfort and reassurance. Their presence is a beacon of light in the darkness, a constant reminder of the love and support that surrounds him.

Eventually, the doctor enters the room, checking Sidharth's vitals and adjusting the machines. He nods approvingly, noting the slight improvement in Sidharth's condition. The doctor coming out of the ICU after a long 20 minutes it seemed like, walked to Sidharth's family and said- "His condition is not worsening thankfully. But I can't announce that he's improving also. Kuch bhi ho sakta hai... we are doing our best and so is he. Abhi ke liye he needs complete rest and the medic support we are providing. Hopefully I will have better news for you guys soon". The Shuklas let out of brief sigh of relief hearing his words. They knew he will pull through from even worse and that's why the doctor's words didn't tense them at all. The doctor left from there and they return their attention to Sidharth, renewing their vows of support and love. They know the road to recovery will be long and challenging, but they are prepared to face it together.

It has been 3 days since the whole family have been spending most of their time at the hospital corridor. They hardly got to meet Sidharth twice all the while. After the second day, they decided to rotate their duty of waiting outside the ICU so that everyone have their chances to go home and freshen up. Mahi went home first and drop off Tara's necessary stuffs at Kajal's as she was staying with Kajal for now. Kushal and Vikas decided to visit their work place the third day, but Jay hadn't left Rita's side till now. He kept the promise he did to his little brother every minute.

In the quiet moments, Rita thinks of Sana, imagining her reaction when she learns of Sidharth's condition. She knows the young woman will be heartbroken, but she also knows that Sidharth's request to keep her in the dark, for now, is out of love. He wants to spare her the immediate pain and give her hope when he is stronger. It was 8pm, when a tired Vikas came straight to the hospital after work. He found Jay and Rita sitting on the bench outside Sidharth's room.

"Office mein kaisa hai sab?" Jay asked absent mindedly when Vikas took a seat beside him.

"Office ka chodo... we have something else to deal with". Vikas said making Rita and Jay turn to him. "Wo... maine bola than a that I've informed Parth and Nidhi about Sidharth."

"Haa?"

"I tried telling them ke Sidharth doesn't want to inform Sana now. But unlogo ke liye bhi Sana ko sambhalna abhi mushkil ho gya hai. She's worried hell kyunki Sid uska phone nhi utha rha hai. And aunty aapka bhi phone off aa rha hai".

"Haa... what are we supposed to tell her? Maine bohot bahane maar diye. That's why we decided not to answer her calls". Rita said.

"Phir toh wo aur stress legi na... Anyway, that's why wo zid kar rhi hai Mumbai aane ka. Parth had no choice..."

"So are they coming?" Jay asked.

"haa", Vikas answered nodding his head. "I was in a meeting when I got Parth's call. Attend nhi kar paaya. Jab meeting se nikla toh I got his message ke they have boarded the flight." Rita and Jay had a big wide frown on their faces after hearing the news.

"Phir ab tak toh pohonch gye honge na?" Rita asked and Vikas nodded in reply. "Ghar jayende wo seedhe?"

"Nahi wo... Parth aur Nidhi ko hospital pata hai. They might be bringing her here. Last message pe Parth ne bataya tha ke they are not telling Sana anything". Vikas said.

"Mom, its fine... aap tension mat lo... kabhi toh usko pata chal hi jata na." Jay said to Rita after seeing her worried.

They all prepared themselves for Sana's outburst. They knew how difficult it will be to digest the situation for her but how will they defend their decision of hiding it from her. Vikas got in touch with Parth again when they landed and told them to come to the hospital straightaway. While they were waiting on the bench, suddenly the nurse inside the ICU rushed out to find the doctor. All they could comprehend was the increased volume of beeps of the machines. Soon, the doctor came, showing his palm to them when they were about to ask their doubt. They were intelligent enough to understand that it was an emergency and they prayed for Sidharth again.

A few more minutes in silence and they heard more footsteps approaching their way. Rita raised her head to see 2 nurses walking to the ICU, but her breath hitched seeing the person right behind them. It was Sana, in flesh and blood. Her face was pale and weak and the lines of tension on her face seemed permanent. She ran to Rita taking a seat beside her, startling Jay and Vikas. Nidhi and Parth walked two steps behind her.

"Aunty...aap..." Sana said caressing Rita's head while she sat there like a statue, not knowing what to say or do. "Aap theek ho na?" Rita could only nod back as reply as she knew she couldn't form any words right now and she would break down if she tried to speak.

"Thank god! Pata hai mai kitni darr gyi thi... Aap phone nhi utha rhe the aur aate hi ye mujhe hospital leke aa gye". Sana said pointing Nidhi and Parth.

"Chalo check up ho gya aapka? Ghar chal sakte haina hum bhaiya?" Sana asked Jay who was equally perplexed as anyone else. Now who will break the news to her? Just when they wondered, she spoke- "Aur kaha hai aapka wo suputhr? Maine khabar lena hai uska... kabse baat nhi hui hai meri usse... itna kya kaam hai bhy?" She giggled a bit but seeing everyone's face she shut up immediately. She could sense something was not right.

"Kya hua? Aise kyu khade ho sab?" She spoke in a low volume analyzing her surroundings. "Aur yaha kyu baithe ho sab? Ye ICU-" She was interrupted by Rita.

"Sana... bacche..." Rita said caressing her hair making her shush. "There something you need to know".

"Kya?"

"Wo... Sidharth ek case ke liye gaya tha and... he had been shot". Rita said in breaking voice. Sana froze at her place hearing the statement. Unknowingly her eyes filled up and all the voices and vision around her became blur. She stuck her eyes on Rita's face only, she noticed the worry on her sleep-deprived face, her tears flowing down to her cheeks from her baggy eyes and how badly she wanted to cry out loud. She could imagine how worse would his condition be to see all of them this hopeless.

"Sana..." Rita shook her by the shoulder making her startled. "He's going to be alright...theek hai? Hosh aaya tha usko kal... doctor ne bola hai he's stable and he needs rest. Theek ho jayega wo bacche..."

"Yahi hai wo?" Sana asked simultaneously standing up. She took heavy steps to the door of the ICU and tried to peek inside, but it all went in vain.

"Sana... tu idhar aa". Vikas held her shoulder and moved her away from the entrance. She wanted to resist but she felt she doesn't have the energy. "Doctor andhar gye hai abhi... Jab usko hosh aayega we'll ask for permission, theek hai?"

"Par Piyush... ye sab kaise ho hya? Aur kab? Aur mujhe kyu nhi bataya kuch?" Sana asked crying.

"because Sid nhi chahtha tha ke tujhe pata chale... he doesn't want you to see him like this." Rita said.

Sana didn't spoke anything. She felt her world had changed in an instant. The news had hit her like a tidal wave, sweeping away her sense of normalcy and leaving behind a vortex of fear, anger, and helplessness. She sat with her hands clenched tightly in her lap. The room felt cold and impersonal, a stark contrast to the storm of emotions raging within her. She replayed the moments over and over in her mind, the words echoing in her ears like a haunting refrain: "he had been shot".

How could this have happened? Sid was the center of her universe, the person she had planned to spend the rest of her life with. He was the one who made her laugh, who held her when she cried, who made even the mundane moments magical with his presence. And now, he was lying in a hospital bed, fighting for his life.

Sana's thoughts spiraled into a whirlpool of worries. What if Sid didn't make it? The mere possibility was too painful to contemplate, yet it gnawed at the edges of her mind, refusing to be ignored. She thought about their plans, their dreams, the life they had envisioned together. How could any of it happen without him? How could she go on without him?

She remembered the last conversation they had had, just a few days ago. They had been talking about their upcoming wedding, excitedly discussing the details and making plans for their future. Sid had been so full of life, his eyes sparkling with joy as he talked about their honeymoon destination. It seemed impossible that someone so vibrant, so alive, could now be lying motionless in a hospital bed.

Sana's heart ached with a profound sense of loss. Not just the potential loss of Sid, but also the loss of the life they had been building together. She thought about all the things they would never get to do if Sid didn't recover – the trips they wouldn't take, the home they wouldn't create, the family they wouldn't start. It felt like her future had been ripped away from her, leaving her adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

The hospital staff moved around her, their faces a blur of concern and efficiency. Sana wished she could do something, anything, to help Sid. But all she could do was sit and wait, hoping and praying for a miracle. She felt so powerless, so small in the face of such overwhelming circumstances. She wanted to scream, to cry, to demand answers, but she knew none of that would change the reality of the situation.

The minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity and she re-winded their moments in her head over a hundred times. Those memories were like fragile lifelines, moments of happiness that she clung to in the midst of her despair. She felt a fresh wave of tears welling up and fought to hold them back. She needed to be strong, for Sid, for his family, for herself. But it was so hard. The fear and uncertainty were suffocating, pressing down on her chest like a weight she couldn't escape.

She sensed nothing happening around her. But she suddenly felt a disturbance and glanced around to see everyone standing up, channeling their attention to the doctor standing at the door talking to a nurse. She also stood up at her place and waited for the doctor to approach them. In a few seconds he came by and spoke without waiting for their questions. "There was a fluctuation suddenly but don't worry, it's under control for now... lekin abhi bhi his stage is critical. Hope for the best".

The doctor walked away making them worried and relived at the same time. As Sana sat down again, she thought about what the doctor had said. But she also knew Sid was a fighter. He always had been. She remembered how he had faced every challenge with determination and resilience, never backing down no matter how tough things got. If anyone could make it through this, it was Sid.

Sana took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. She knew the days ahead would be difficult, filled with uncertainty and fear. But she also knew that she wasn't alone. Sid had a whole team of doctors and nurses working to help him, and he had her, standing by his side, ready to support him in any way she could. She would be there for him, just as he had always been there for her. She would hold his hand, talk to him, remind him of all the reasons he had to fight. They had so much to live for, so many dreams yet to be realized. And she believed, with every fiber of her being, that Sid would come back to her. He had to.