HEALING EACH OTHER

Chapter 23 ~ SHATTERED

Manik's POV
Thank god that she slept. Or else it would have been so difficult to make her sleep today. I knew it this guy Arjun, he's a bad news for her and it happened. She's so vulnerable. How will I even handle her. Today I somehow diverted her but when she'll wake up, it won't be easy to handle her. Today was just a glimpse of what's coming up next. I need to tell everyone before she wakes up tomorrow and the person who will be hurt most.. it will be Priya. She will break down. But I know she's strong moreover everyone else can handle but Nandini. She's a tough nut to crack but I'll stay with her. Until I heal her completely. The wound she has got today is too deep to be healed easily. I might have to wound my deepest and darkest scars all over again to heal her deepest wounds. But I will do everything, no matter what now. I will never leave her alone. Nandini, I promise you that I will heal you. I will not let you lose yourself. I will get back the old Nandini. And also I will give your music back to you. You will become that Nandini and I promise that.

Thought Manik while he held her tiny and soft palms in his stronger ones tightly and made this promise to her. Unknown of that fact that whatever he promised Nandini, it wasn't some random stuff but those words had deep meaning. Manik drove back to Nandini's place and since she was in deep slumber he picked her up in his strong arms and took her to her room and made her lie down on her bed and as he got up to get a blanket for her, he realized that Nandini has held his collar tightly in her sleep. He lightly smiled at her innocence, he gently kissed on her forehead and tried to move away but she was holding him so tightly in her sleep that Manik was not able to get out of her hold. He was trying gently because he didn't want her slumber to break. While Manik was still trying to get out of her hold, Nandini started murmuring something in her sleep and this caught Manik's attention. To hear he went closer and what he heard, just got tears in his eyes.

N-No N-No N-No, I have not killed my Appa and Amma! N-No I-I'm not a murderer! 

Amma Appa plz utho na. A-Ap apni Nandu ko aise kaise akela chor sakte ho. Appa I'm your princess. M-Meri baat suno naa. U-Utho nna. Am-Amma plz utho n-na.

Nandini was continuously murmuring this and was sweating heavily. Manik realised that like him even Nandini sees nightmares and he realised the amount of pain Nandini hid in her heart which everyone else was unaware. He realised the pain he always saw in her eyes. He got to know the truth which always haunted her. The thing was she was still blaming herself for the accident. And somewhere Manik knew this no matter what would have happened, Nandini can never be the reason of her parent's death. And he decided that he will find out the truth and make Nandini realise that she's not the one to be blamed. But as of now this was secondary the first he needed to do was to take Nandini out of Arjun and Aneesha's pain, which was much more deep.

While Nandini was murmuring Manik tried to calm her down, he laid down beside her he hugged her tight and was continuously caressing her back and giving soft pecks on her forehead and as a result Nandini was again sleeping soundly and Manik hugged her tight. Few Minutes later when he realised that she's in a deep slumber now, he carefully woke up, first thing he did was removed her accessories and covered her with blanket. And then he changed his clothes and sat on the couch in Nandini's room itself, because he knew Nandini might wake up at night knowing her condition, so he sat in her room concerned about Nandini what if she needed him. While he was sitting on the couch, he was continuously staring at her innocent face and her dried tears on her milky white chubby cheeks and seeing those tears he was hurt would be an understatement. No doubt Manik has always been a monster but for Nandini, since the time he has met her at Priya's place he had felt something different for her. He initially hated her but then when he started to know her he always felt something different. He always wanted to protect her, to keep her happy. He never wanted to hurt her, but unknowingly he did. Although he had his own reasons but the truth was undeniable that he hurted her. And now when he was trying to mend that, things were finally falling into place, Nandini was again hurt not because of Manik but because of those people whom she loved, whom she trusted. And who knows more than Manik that how much pain a person feels when someone close to your heart betrays and demean your love for them, when they abuse the love which you always showered on them, when they break your trust into pieces, Manik has been through this but what Nandini is going through is much more deep. Manik always felt her pain and this time too he knew in how much pain she was and how much she will be suffering in this. Somewhere he knew suffering of a person is something very personal which she will but yes the fact was that with Manik by her side her suffering won't subside but it will be less and this is what Manik wanted to reduce her pain which he will. He was determined that this time he won't leave her in midway, he won't back off. He will stand by her, he will protect her. He will make her shine again.