On reaching the hospital Mishti was immediately taken inside and abir couldn't stop pacing the corridors. What on earth could've put Mishti in this position? Seeing Mishti on a hospital bed for the second time in one week was emotionally draining for abir. They had so much emotional security that they found in each other but it's like fate refused to give them the external security that they craved for. Why do either one of them always have to live in the fear of constantly losing the other one? Either mortally or to someone's black mail or to age old secrets or simply to misunderstandings? He was tired of fighting. But he even felt ashamed of admitting this to himself. He hadn't fought for her once? He had reduced himself to only being Kunal's big brother and conveniently discarded all his responsibilities and promises when it came to mishti? If anyone had the right to be tired then it was that girl, inside the room. And he had a feeling that this time around she really was tired. Badi Ma and Bade papa were the first to reach the hospital. And even though bade papa hadn't said a single word, Abir knew he was furious and he had every right to be. Abir tried to go to him and explain what happened but he was in no mood as he simply walked away and informed badi ma that he was going to look for the doctor. Right now, all Abir wanted to do was just cry and hide in the embrace of his mom. Lay his head in her lap, and cry and apologise. He felt like he owed her an explanation, and he did. So he started.. "woh aunty..woh.." badi ma who was just looking at him could see the amount of pain her baby boy had been through. She catches hold of his ear and says.. "aunty? Mujhe bhi paraya kar diya, beta?" She whispered with tears in her eyes. That was all it took for abirs facade to break. It had cracked the minute he saw mishti on the bed. But this was all it took to release the dam. With tears falling down his cheeks, he hugs badi ma and simply starts crying, "I'm sorry badi ma I failed you.," he starts and falls down on his knees. Badi ma gets into action and sits on the chair and Abir puts his head in her lap and starts talking. Badi ma runs her fingers through his hair, trying to pacify him. "Nahi mere bacche. Rote nahi chalo. Aur humari mishti na badi strong hai. Kuch nai hone wala usse. Hum kuch nai hone denge. Bohot saara khayal rakhenge, usse mil ke daatenge kyunki woh apna dhyaan nai rakhti. Usee chidhayenge. Nai bacche rote nai. Tum toh mere heere ho na. Chalo, wipe your tears." Badi ma cajoled. "Badi ma, m..mishti toh bohot strong hai..l..lekin main strong nai hoon. I failed you and bade papa and mishti the most. Maine itne bade waade kiye the lekin I couldn't even stand by one promise. I don't deserve her badi ma.." said Abir. "Abir beta, utho. Aao mere pass baitho." Said badi ma. Abir shook his head no and just put his head in her lap again and sat there. "Accha thik hai. Mat utho. Lekin meri baat suno. Mishti, main aur tumhare bade papa, humme abhi bhi tum par aur tumhare pyaar aur tumhaari promises par utna hi bharosa hai. Haan hum thode naaraz aur nakhush zaroor hai. But that doesn't mean we don't love you beta. We still trust you. And we still believe that jaisa tum humari gudiya rani ka khayal rakhoge aisa koi nai rakh payega. Aur tumne tumhari promise poori ki hai abir. You told us ki tum usse ziddi banaoge aur dekho. Kitni ziddi hai tumhari mishti. Kisi ki nai sunti. Sirf tumse pyaar karna jaanti hai. Aur rahi baat strong hone ki. To Abir, mishti na bilkul apne bade papa pe gayi hai. Ekdam strong. Bohot determined. But I'm not like that. I have my weak moments too, but you know your bade papa doesn't leave me in those moments. Instead he loves me thoda extra tabhi. He becomes my rock. And that's exactly like mishti. Main bilkul tumhari tarah hoon. Dil se sochne waali. Isliye hume weak feel hota hai. But we are so blessed to have partners who don't let us falter. And we should appreciate that about them. Aur agar tum aur mishti ek jaise hote toh, would yall need each other like yall do now? Nai na. So appreciate the fact that you're not like her. Opposites attract right!? And because we have weak moments we are human. Aur hum sab ko pura bharosa hai that agar kabhi mishti weak pad jayegi toh tum uska sahara banoge. Haina?" Explained badi ma. Abir was awestruck. This woman, understood her and loved her more than his own mother did. He was completely speechless. He simply looked up and said, "I love you badi ma. Thank you." Badi ma smiled at her and said, "I love you too mere bacche. Ab chalo. Wipe your tears, get up. Because your mishti needs you today. And I promise I won't let anyone disturb you." She promised with a wink. Abir got up and wiped his tears while badi ma went and tried to get bade papa to let Abir go to mishti. Abir went to the doctor and asked, "doc, is she okay? This fever? Why? How? Has it gone down? Is she awake?" Questioned Abir. "Mr.Rajvansh, as of now the fever has gone down, but her platelets have fallen down immensely and that is worrisome. We're conducting some tests to find the cause but until then, she's okay but weak. She is conscious right now so you can go and see her, but don't stress and exert her at all. Please. The lack of platelets will cause her to collapse anytime so make sure that someone is around her at all times. Rest, I'll update you as soon as I can. Take care." The doctor informed Abir and left. It felt like cold water was thrown on Abir. Why did he have to wait till her life was in danger before taking a step towards her? Was her love not enough? All those words and taunts that he yelled at mishti were hurting him like knives now. His shehzadi had a heart of gold and an armour of steel, and so she heard everything he had to say and yet stood there. Fighting. Bas. Enough is enough now. He cannot keeping doing this to her. She became the girl he doesn't deserve. But now it's time he became the man worthy of her. He tightened his fists and went inside the room. Thankful to badi ma for handling bade papa because right now all he wanted to do was feel her presence and take care of her. He went inside the room and found mishti on the bed. Her eyes were closed but she was conscious as the doctor had told him. Mishti was tiny alright but somehow seeing her on the hospital bed made her look more fragile than she really was. Abir kept chanting in his head to be strong. For her and walked to her. He pulled a stool near her head and the voice led her to open her eyes. Her face seemed devoid of any colour and her eyes felt too big for her face. "A..a..a..bir..r..r" she whispered. "Shhh, I'm right here, love. Do you want water?" He gently asked. She barely nodded her head. He got a glass and filled it with water and gently helped her sit up. He patiently held the glass of water near her lips and waited with one hand behind her head and the other one holding the glass so she wouldn't have to exert herself so much. The tenderness with which Abir was handling mishti broke her heart. She finished drinking water and pulled away so Abir put down the glass and gently wiped her lips with his hands. "Tum thik ho mishti? Kya hua? Kisi ne tumse kuch kaha?" He asked. "Abir. I'm tired. Main thak gayi hoon. Ladte ladte. Sabko disappoint karke. I can't even recognise myself anymore Abir. How did I become this person? The one who is the root cause of problems in not only my house but your house as well. I'm sorry Abir. Please mujhe maaf kar do.." apologised mishti. "Pehle mein sirf ek acchi girlfriend nai ban payi lekin ab toh main na ek acchi girlfriend hoon, na ek acchi behen, na ek acchi dost aur na ek acchi beti. Bade papa was so proud of me. You were so proud of me and I let down all of you. Nishant ne bhi meri itni madad ki but I failed him too. I'm sorry Abir. Everything I do ends up being a mistake. Mera Kunal ko sach batana bhi ek galti thi and I hope ki someday you'll forgive me for it.." said mishti. The silence from abirs side was killing her and tears filled her eyes. Why wasn't he saying anything!?
"Tum ek radio ho? Primary grade school ki teacher ho? Politician ho!?" Questioned Abir, with a small smile. Mishti gave him a smaller smile in return and shook her head no. "Agar yeh sab nai ho, to phir kyun ek hi baat repeat kar rahi ho?" Abir said. He tenderly cupped her face, looked into her eyes and said, "Angry chorni, ki aankhon mein sach aur gussa aur chehre pe chashma accha lagta hai. Yeh sadness aur aasoon nahi. Chalo ab bohot hua, mujhe meri angry chorni waapis chahiye. Wohi orange belt waali, mujhe cycling mein harane waali, meri Cinderella chor, meri liberated chashmish angry, violent chorni. Tumhari aise baatein, sirf tumhare bade papa aur mujhe hurt nai karti, balki woh do mahine pehle waali mishti ko bhi hurt karti hai. Aur main kisi ko bhi mishti ko hurt nai karne dene wala.." he finished. Both of them had tears in their eyes as Abir stood up wiped her tears, cradled her head and placed a warm, lingering kiss on her forehead. "Aur waise bhi, mishti 1.0 ho ya mishti 2.0 mujhe toh dono se pyaar hai." He whispered with his lips still on her head. She couldn't stop herself and hugged him with all her might. Because she was sitting and he was standing and because of their height difference she barely even touched his chest, but that one hug was all they needed. Abir kept rubbing a soothing hand on the back of her head and she had fisted his shirt in her hands and both of them were finally home. Two months, 80 days and so many hurdles later, they made it into each other's arms. Abir had a lot he wanted to say, tell her how wrong she was when she said sorry because the only one at fault her was him. The only one who had to beg and cry for forgiveness was him. But he realised that right now all she needed was love and comfort and if he was being honest, he needed it too.
Bade papa and badi ma were looking at them, through glass on the door and both of them had tears in their eyes on looking at their kids. Finally together.
A/N- okay honestly there's so much I want to write and so this story is gonna continue for a while. So keep commenting! And more Mishbir moments in the next chapter along with a face off of Abir and his mom. Stay tuned!
