Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter 21

The tension had dissipated, but the weight of the earlier events still lingered in the air. After the rush of emotions, the room had quieted down. The team had scattered, some lingering outside, while others checked on Meera in intervals. Ayan had barely left her side, watching her sleep peacefully as the oxygen support hummed softly.

Rahul stood by the window, staring out at the fading evening sky. His earlier outburst gnawed at him, the guilt pressing harder with each passing moment. He had let his emotions get the better of him, not realizing Ayan was hurting too. Taking a deep breath, Rahul walked over to where Ayan sat by the bed.

"Ayan," Rahul began softly, his voice filled with regret. "I... I need to apologize. For shouting at you earlier. I didn't mean to-it's just... seeing Meera like that, it's hard. I didn't know how to deal with it."

Ayan looked up, his face drawn with exhaustion, but there was no anger in his eyes. He simply nodded, understanding the rawness of the situation. "You don't have to apologize, Rahul. I get it. She's your sister. I should've been more aware... more careful."

Rahul shook his head, guilt washing over him. "No, you're good for her. It's just hard for me, for all of us, to watch her go through this. I let my frustration out on you, but deep down, I know you care about her. More than anyone."

"I do," Ayan said quietly. "She's been through so much, and I should've known, I should've seen the signs."

"We all missed it," Rahul sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But the important thing now is that we're all here for her. You're here for her, and that's what matters."

Ayan smiled faintly, the tension in his shoulders loosening a bit. "Thanks, Rahul. It means a lot."

Rahul nodded, clapping Ayan on the shoulder. "We're family, man. We all care about Meera, and that includes you. She loves you, Ayan. She wouldn't want you to blame yourself."

Ayan looked back at Meera, her chest rising and falling steadily. "I love her too. More than anything."

The tension between them eased, and they returned inside. As the celebrations continued, Meera, Ayan, Arjun, and Arya found a quiet corner. It had been a while since they sat together like this, and the air was heavy with unspoken things.

Arjun broke the silence with a smile. "Well, here we are. A lot's been left unsaid, hasn't it?"

Meera nodded. "Yeah... it's been a long time coming."

Arya sighed. "A lot happened, and we all dealt with it in our own ways."

Ayan leaned forward, his gaze lingering on Meera. "I know I disappeared, and it hurt all of you. Going undercover was the only way to make sure the mission succeeded, but it wasn't easy. I couldn't risk contacting any of you."

Meera's voice was soft but firm. "But you just vanished, Ayan. No explanation, nothing."

"I know," Ayan said, regret in his voice. "If I had contacted you, it would've put you in danger. The only person who knew was Arya, since she was undercover too."

Arjun crossed his arms. "We get it, Ayan. It's just hard to accept."

Arya added, "I'm sorry, guys. We always face things together, and this time we didn't. That wasn't right."

Meera listened silently, processing it all. Ayan's helpless expression said it all. "I thought I was protecting you, but I didn't realize how much I was hurting you."

Meera's gaze softened. "I understand why you did it. But when you left, it felt like losing a part of our family. I am sorry I reacted the way I did."

Ayan swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, Meera. All of you. I never wanted to hurt you."

Arjun grinned and slapped Ayan's shoulder. "Hey, we're not here to beat you up. You're here now, and that's what matters."

Arya smiled. "Yeah, we just needed to talk about it, that's all."

Meera looked at Ayan, the hurt still there but tempered by understanding. "It hurt, but I get it now. We can move forward."

Ayan nodded. "We'll take it one step at a time."

The conversation lightened after that, shifting from heavy emotions to lighter topics. They laughed, reminisced about old memories, and teased each other as they always had. It was like a piece of their old world had returned, the bond they shared reforging itself in the midst of everything that had happened.

Just then, the Colonel entered the room, his booming laughter filling the space. "Arjun, what have you done to Meera? My cheerful girl has turned into a workaholic!" he teased, walking up to them.

Arjun feigned an innocent pout. "It's not my fault! She was already defective when I met her!"

Meera glared at him, then turned to the Colonel, whining in mock protest. "Defective?! You see how they treat me?"

The Colonel chuckled before ruffling Meera's hair gently. "You're strong, Meera. And you're going to be okay." He turned to Arjun, smiling warmly. "Arjun's coming with me for a while. I've barely spent any time with him lately."

Arjun shrugged nonchalantly, though there was excitement in his eyes. "The Colonel's dragging me off for some 'adventure.' What else is new?"

Ayan quickly interjected, his voice lighter than before. "And Arya, you've been talking about going to Shimla for a while, right? You should go with them."

Arya nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I've got some friends up there I've been meaning to visit. It's the perfect time."

Meera raised a brow, her tone teasing. "Friends, huh? Sure, we'll believe that."

Arya rolled her eyes, throwing a playful glare in Meera's direction.

Arjun turned to Meera and Ayan. "What about you two? What's the plan?"

Before either of them could answer, Rahul appeared at the doorway, arms crossed but smiling. "They're coming home with me, Virat and Rohit. No more discussions."

Meera's heart softened at the mention of home, the word wrapping around her like a warm embrace. She sat quietly, the word "home" lingering in her mind as the night slowly faded.

Ayan moved closer to her, his heart heavy with concern. He hesitated, his hands hovering near her, cautious of the bandage on her arm. Meera looked up, her eyes soft and filled with understanding. She leaned toward him ever so slightly, offering silent permission.

Carefully, Ayan slipped his arm around her, pulling her against his chest with the gentlest touch. His heart raced, and he lowered his head, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead-a quiet promise of comfort, love, and unwavering presence.

A single tear slipped down Meera's cheek. Without a word, Ayan kissed it away, gently pressing his lips to her eyes, as if trying to take away her pain.

"You're going to be okay," he whispered, his voice soft and full of emotion. "I'm here. Always."