Mission Manik Malhotra - A MaNan FF [Completed]

Chapter 26 - Love is worth all pain.

~You haven't felt love if you haven't felt pain. The two never dance alone.~

''You can see him now. Only for a few minutes, however.''

How much I was dying to hear these words just some time back, and now I only felt grief envelope me on hearing them. Cabir moved ahead to see him while I stayed rooted to the spot where I was standing, with a numb expression.

Navya nudged my arm ''Don't you want to..''

I shook my head stubbornly. ''You haven't seen him in hours..''. She persisted in a pitiful tone but I didn't move an inch. She didn't say anything I didn't know - it had been 6 hours since I saw him and I had died a little more each hour. I knew she wasn't crying only for my sake though.

''I.. can't..'' I finally admitted, breaking down. Before she could direct another word towards me - I was walking away, my legs moving faster by the second. I couldn't bear to even stay in the same place. My mind was foggy, like I was trapped in some horrible kind of nightmare. I felt like I was being strangulated there and badly needed escape.

As I weaved through the maze of a hospital, to find the exit, I spotted Alya. She was sitting alone, curled up on a bench and crying her heart out. Beside her, at some distance, were seated two police-men, seeming unaffected by her sobs. A twinge of pity pricked my heart, on seeing her condition.

After Manik fell unconscious and was being taken away in the ambulance, Dhruv apparently had an incident of seizure, that I later over-heard Cabir talking about. He had to be admitted and it seemed to be a serious one. The police-men were there to question Dhruv, and if found guilty - they'd take him into custody immediately. They were simply waiting for him to regain consciousness.

I, however didn't go and comfort her. I myself was a broken, shattered mess, mourning for my love. Moreover, I couldn't overlook the fact that it was Dhruv because of whom Manik ended up in this state and I just couldn't bring myself to comfort someone who was crying for his attacker. His blood still stained my white dress, how could I even?

I moved past her and rushed into the nearby lift, feeling like I would anytime just collapse under all the suffocation and pain. People everywhere were gaping at me..at all the dried blood on my fancy clothes but I really didn't give a damn. Finally finding the exit on the ground floor, I ran as fast as my exhausted legs would move and ended up bumping into someone. That someone instantly took me into a quick hug, wrapping bony arms around me and squeezing me tight.

''Nandini!! I received a call from Navya.. She told me you needed me because..'' She stopped, probably noticing my pale expression. I didn't want to hear it again, and she fortunately understood that.

''How's he now?'' She came straight to the point.

I tried swallowing, and answered in a voice that had become hoarse after hours of crying ''ICU. Second floor.''
I couldn't bring to words what had become of my angel.

She simply stared at me for a couple of seconds - registering my swollen, red eyes, slouching frame, and the dirty clothes from the party and then took off her arms, allowing me space to move. ''Wherever you're going, just remember, you might not need to care about yourself, but there's a life within you which does need care to survive.''

I didn't care to comprehend her stern-sounding words and simply walked away. Obviously, Navya had given her the news of my pregnancy. I wanted to be left alone to deal with my million emotions right now and the impatience to get away was making way for a sort of outrage I never felt before.