It was four in the morning.

Two hours.

It had been two hours since Yogesh had finally fallen asleep, and almost the same amount of time since Akanksha had been sitting there with his head resting in her lap.

She hadn't planned to stay like that.

At least, not for this long.She had only meant to sit beside him until he calmed down.But somewhere between his exhausted breathing and the warmth of his head against her lap, she had stopped thinking about the time.

Even exhaustion had eventually won.

Her back was resting against the headboard, her head tilted slightly to one side, eyes closed.She had drifted into sleep sitting there.

Yet one of her hands was still moving through Yogesh's hair.

Slowly.

Absent-mindedly.

Even in sleep, her fingers continued the same gentle motion.As if some part of her mind had refused to stop worrying about him.

Then she felt something moved against her lap.

Akanksha's eyes opened immediately.

For a moment, she didn't understand what had woken her.

Then she looked down.

Yogesh.

His eyebrows were tightly furrowed.

His head moved restlessly from one side to the other, his breathing uneven.

One of his hands had twisted into the fabric of her hoodie, holding it tightly.

His face was covered in sweat.

"Yogesh..."

Her sleepy voice immediately turned concerned.

She placed her palm against his cheek.

Her expression changed.

He was burning again.

"Yogi..."

She quickly sat straighter.

"Yogesh, wake up."

She gently shook his shoulder.

He didn't respond.

Instead, his grip on her kurta tightened.

"No..."

Akanksha froze.

"No, no... don't go..."

Her heart sank.

"Yogi, wake up."

He shook his head in his sleep.

"Don't go..."

"Koi kahin nahi ja raha," she whispered, trying to keep her voice calm. "Yogesh, aankhein kholo."

"No..."

His breathing became faster.

"Don't... please..."

A tear slipped from the corner of his closed eye.Akanksha's fingers immediately wiped it away.

"Yogi..."

Another tear followed.

"No... I'm scared..."

Something inside her broke.She had spent months telling herself that she was done with his pain.

That she couldn't keep carrying the consequences of something he had chosen.

He had left her.

Not because he didn't know what she felt.

Not because circumstances had forced him.

He had chosen someone else.And she had been the one left behind, trying to understand why the person she trusted most had decided that she wasn't enough.

She had cried then.

She had been angry.

She had blamed herself.

And now-

Here he was.

Terrified that she might leave him.

Life had a strange way of returning wounds to the people who had caused them.

"Yogi..."

She gently brushed his damp hair away from his forehead.

"Wake up."

He didn't.

So Akanksha shifted carefully, lowering herself beside him.

She slipped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug.

His body was trembling.

She wiped his forehead with the sleeve of her hoodie and rubbed his back slowly.

"Shh... shh..."

Her voice trembled.

"Kuch nahi hua."

He continued shaking.

"No... please..."

"I'm here."

"Don't..."

"Yogi, meri baat suno."

She held him tighter.

"Main yahin hoon."

Tears had begun gathering in her own eyes.

"Wake up, na..."

She stroked his hair.

"Come back to me..."

His breathing became more frantic.

"No!"

His body suddenly jerked.

"Akku... please!"

"I'm not going anywhere!"

"No... don't do this..."

Akanksha's heart pounded.

"Yogesh!"

She shook his shoulder more firmly.

"Wake up!"

His eyes suddenly flew open.

He stared ahead, terrified.His face was soaked with sweat.His eyes were red and wide, as though he couldn't understand where he was.

Akanksha immediately cupped his cheeks.

"Look at me."

He didn't.

"Yogesh."

Nothing.

She gently turned his face toward hers.

"Yogi... meri taraf dekho."

Slowly, his eyes found hers.And the moment he recognized her, his expression shattered.Tears filled his eyes.

He pulled her into a tight hug.

Akanksha didn't hesitate.She wrapped both arms around him.

"Shh..."

She held the back of his head..

"Shant..."

His breathing was broken.

"Kuch nahi hua."

He tried to say something.

"Akk... Akku..."

The words wouldn't come.

Akanksha pulled back just enough to look at him.

"Shh."

She placed her finger gently against his lips.

"Kuch bolne ki zarurat nahi."

She wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Bas meri taraf dekho."

He looked at her.She cupped his cheeks again and rested her forehead against his.

"Main yahin hoon."

His tears slipped down.

"Kuch nahi hua."

But he kept crying.

Akanksha closed her eyes briefly.

She could feel her own tears falling now.

"Please..."

Her voice cracked..

"Aise mat ro."

She pulled him back into her arms.

"Mujhe bhi rona aa raha hai."

Yogesh buried his face against her shoulder.For a while, neither of them spoke.Only his quiet, broken sobs filled the room.

Then finally-

"I thought..."

His voice trembled.

"I thought you left me."

Akanksha's hand stopped for a second.Yogesh continued before he could lose the courage.

"Sab kuch... same tha..."

He swallowed.

"Tum door ja rahi thi..."

His fingers tightened around her sleeve.

"Main tumhare paas aane ki koshish kar raha tha... but tum bas... aur door ja rahi thi."

Akanksha closed her eyes.

"Yogi..."

"I was calling you..."

His voice broke.

"But you didn't turn around."

A tear rolled down his cheek.

"I thought..."

He couldn't finish.Akanksha gently wiped his tears.

"Kahin nahi gayi main."

He looked at her.

"I'm here."

She touched his cheek.

"Ye bas ek bura sapna tha."

Yogesh shook his head.

"It felt real."

"I know."

"Bahut darr lag raha tha."

Akanksha's expression softened.

"Ab nahi."

She gently brushed his hair back.

"Ab main yahin hoon."

His eyes searched hers.

"But tomorrow..."

He stopped.

Akanksha knew.

"Kal tum chali jaogi."

He looked down.

"I know."

His voice was barely audible.

"Main jaanta hoon ki tum mujhe..."

He struggled.

"...mujhe ab bhi maaf nahi kar paayi ho."

Akanksha didn't deny it.She simply looked at him.

"And you shouldn't... mene bahot hurt Kiya he tumhe...muje saza milni chahiye.."

Yogesh's eyes filled again.

"Akku..."

"I hurt you."

His voice was filled with guilt..

"I know."

"I left you."

"I know."

"For someone else."

"I know."

"You don't deserve me.."

She didn't speak anything The words hung between them.There was no accusation in Akanksha's voice.

That somehow made them hurt more.

Yogesh lowered his head.

"I regret it."

She didn't answer immediately.

"I regret it every day."

His voice cracked.

"I know I don't have the right to ask you to stay."

Akanksha's eyes softened.

"Then don't."

He looked at her.

"I won't."

A long silence followed.Then he whispered,

"But I'm scared."

That was the truth.

Not manipulation.

Not an attempt to hold her back.

Just fear.

"I know," Akanksha whispered.

"I'm scared that one day you'll stop caring."

She wiped his cheek.

"I'm scared you'll realize that leaving me was the best thing you ever did."

Akanksha's eyes filled.

"And I'm scared..."

He took a shaky breath.

"...that I'll have to live with losing you because of my own mistake."

She looked at him for a long moment.

Then she gently took his hand.

"Yogi..."

He looked at her.

"I can't promise you what tomorrow will look like."

His eyes dropped.

"But tonight..."

She squeezed his hand.

"...I'm here."

He nodded.

"And I'm not staying because you asked me to."

She continued softly.

"I'm staying because right now, you're scared and you're not okay."

Yogesh's lips trembled.

"I don't want to force you."

"I know."

"I don't want you to feel trapped because of me."

"I know."

"I just..."

His voice broke again.

"I don't want to lose you."

Akanksha swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Then don't try to hold on to me because you're afraid."

He looked at her.

"Try to become someone I can choose again."

" I know things turned out differently than we ever thought they would. You've hurt me... a lot. And I know you regret it. I know tumhe apni galti ka ehsaas hai, aur tum usse sudharna bhi chahte ho."

She get silent for some time..then again continued..

"Maybe I can't forget everything that happened so easily, and maybe some wounds will take time to heal. But I also know that you're genuinely sorry, and I can see that you wish you could go back and change things. And i also knows that me itni jaldi bhul nahi paungi ye sab"

Yogesh went completely still.Tears gathered in his eyes.Akanksha gently wiped one away.

"That will take time."

"I know."

"It won't be fixed in one night."

"I know."

"And I can't forget everything just because you're hurting."

He nodded.

"I'm not saying everything is okay now. It isn't. But I also don't want your mistakes to become the only thing I remember about you. Galti hui hai... aur uska dard bhi hai. Bas ab dekhna ye hai ki hum us galti ke baad kya karte hain."

"I know."

"But..."

She hesitated.

Then placed her hand gently against his cheek.

"I haven't stopped caring either."

His eyes closed.

"Main chahti hoon ki tum mujhe prove karo ki tum badal gaye ho... sirf words se nahi, apne actions se."

Yogesh lowered his eyes.

"Karunga..."

"Promise nahi. Mujhe prove karke dikhana."

He nodded slowly. "Haan."

"Mujhe waqt do. Shayad ek din mujhe lage ki main tumhe maaf kar sakti hoon. Shayad sab pehle jaisa hone mein time lage..."

"I know..." he whispered. "Jitna time chahiye, le lena."

"Lekin main kahin nahi ja rahi."

Yogesh looked at her, almost unable to believe what he had just heard. "Sach?"

"Haan. Main hurt hoon. Bahut hurt hoon. Jo kuch hua, usse main ekdum se bhool nahi sakti. But me nahi chahti ki tum puri life wo mistake ki saza bhugto...tumhe age badhna he ... you can't keep going like this.."

"I know..." His voice became quieter. "I'm sorry."

"Lekin meri hurt hone ki wajah se ye sach nahi badal jaata ki I still care about you."

Yogesh's eyes filled again. "Tumhe nahi karna chahiye..."

"Par main karti hoon."

He looked away, swallowing hard. "I don't deserve it."

"Ye decide karna tumhara kaam nahi hai."

Yogesh stayed silent.

"Aur tumhe is tarah guilt mein dekhna... khud ko punish karte dekhna, sab kuch rok dena... mujhe bhi hurt karta hai."

"Main kya karun phir?" he asked helplessly.

"Khud ko punish nahi. Change karo."

He nodded. "I'll try."

"Try nahi, Yogesh. Mujhe apne actions se dikhao."

"Dikhaunga."

"Apni galti ko sirf regret mat karo... usse seekho. Mujhe words se nahi, apne actions se batao."

Yogesh took a shaky breath. "Theek hai."

"Main tumhe ek chance de rahi hoon... sab kuch instantly theek karne ka nahi. Trust dobara build karne ka."

He looked at her for a long moment.

"Thank you..."

"Thank me mat karo. Bas is baar mera trust todna mat."

Yogesh's voice was barely audible.

"Nahi todunga."

A tear slipped down.He leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers.For a few moments, neither spoke.Then, almost like a child afraid to hear the answer, he whispered,

"I promise..."

His voice was barely above a whisper.

Akanksha looked at him.Yogesh swallowed hard before continuing.

"Main promise karta hoon, Akanksha... in sab mein tumne jo khoya hai na... jo kuch tumne meri wajah se lose kiya... main sab theek karunga."

Akanksha's expression softened.

"Yogesh-"

.

"Please... mujhe bolne do."

There was something fragile in his voice that made her stop.He took a slow breath.

"I want to move forward, Akanksha. I really do."

He looked down at his hands.

"Main chahta hoon ki ek din main uthun aur mujhe lage ki everything is okay. Main normal behave kar paun. Tumhare saath bina har second ye soche baat kar paun ki maine tumhare saath kya kiya."

His voice trembled.

"But I can't."

Akanksha quietly watched him.

"Jab bhi lagta hai ki shayad ab sab theek ho raha hai... mera guilt mujhe peeche kheench leta hai."

He gave a small, humourless smile.

"It's like... mera dimaag mujhe aage jaane hi nahi deta."

Akanksha slowly moved closer.

"Raat ko neend nahi aati," he continued. "Aankhein band karta hoon toh everything comes back. Jo hua... tumne kya feel kiya hoga... maine tumhe kitna hurt kiya..."

He paused.

"Phir main khud se poochta hoon... how can I just move on?"

His eyes became wet.

"Kaise, Akanksha?"

There was no anger in his voice.Only exhaustion.

"Kaise main khud ko allow karun normal life jeene ke liye jab mujhe pata hai ki meri wajah se tum itna seh chuki ho?"

Akanksha's heart tightened.

She sat beside him.

"Yogesh..."

"I know I need to change."

He quickly wiped his eyes.

"I know I need to do better. And I will. Main karunga. But..."

He stopped.

"But what?"

He looked at her.

"What if I never stop feeling guilty?"

Akanksha didn't answer immediately.

She let the silence settle between them.Then she said quietly,

"Maybe you won't forget."

Yogesh looked away.

"But forgetting isn't the same as healing."

His eyes returned to her.

"Tumhe jo hua usse bhoolna nahi hai, Yogesh. Tumhe usse samajhna hai. Accept karna hai. Learn karna hai."

She paused.

"And then you have to let yourself become better than the person who made those mistakes."

Yogesh's eyes filled again.

"But I don't deserve to feel okay."

Akanksha's expression changed.

"Who told you that?"

He didn't answer.

"Tum khud?"

He lowered his eyes.

Akanksha sighed softly.

"Yogesh, feeling guilty shows that you understand that you hurt someone. But punishing yourself forever doesn't undo the hurt."

He stayed silent.

"Tum past change nahi kar sakte," she continued. "Main bhi nahi kar sakti."

Her voice softened.

"But you can change what happens from here."

Yogesh stared at her.

"Things will take time," she said. "Mujhe bhi time chahiye. Tumhe bhi. Trust ko wapas aane mein time lagega. Sab kuch ek din mein normal nahi hoga."

A tear slipped down his cheek.

"But that doesn't mean you stop living until everything becomes perfect."

Yogesh looked down again.

"I just... don't know how to move forward."

Akanksha's voice became gentler.

"Then don't think about the whole future."

He looked at her.

"Just get through today."

She gave him a small, reassuring smile.

"Kal ki tension kal karenge. Aaj bas itna karo ki khud ko thoda sa breathe karne do."

Yogesh's lips trembled.

"And when the guilt comes back?"

"Talk about it."

"To you?"

"To someone you trust."

She paused.

"Don't keep everything locked inside your head."

Yogesh looked at her for a long moment.

"Will you still be there?"

Akanksha's eyes softened, but she didn't make a promise about something she couldn't control.

"I'll be there."

She gently added,

"And I'll listen whenever you need someone to talk to. But Yogesh... you also need people besides me. You shouldn't have to carry all of this alone."

For the first time that night, his shoulders seemed to loosen slightly.

"I don't want to be like this anymore," he whispered.

"I know."

"I want to be better."

"I know."

"I just don't know if I can."

Akanksha looked at him steadily.

"Then start with trying."

He remained quiet.

"One day at a time," she said. "One small step at a time."

Akanksha watched him for a few seconds.There was something about the way he had said I don't know if I can that stayed with her.

She knew he wanted to get better.

She also knew that wanting to get better and knowing how to get better were two very different things.

"Yogesh..."

He looked at her.

"Kuch kahu?"

He frowned slightly, wiping the corner of his eye.

"Kya?"

Akanksha hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"I think... humein ek baar psychiatrist se milna chahiye."

Yogesh's expression changed immediately.

He looked away.

"Akanksha..."

"I know," she quickly said. "Mujhe pata hai tum khud try karna chahte ho. Aur main ye bhi nahi keh rahi ki tum weak ho."

Yogesh remained silent.Akanksha continued softly.

"Bas... sometimes taking help doesn't mean you're weak."

She paused.

"It means you want to be strong enough to get better."

Yogesh slowly looked at her.

"I don't think mujhe doctor ki zarurat hai."

"Maybe," Akanksha said gently. "Maybe tumhe lage ki zarurat nahi hai. But we don't have to decide that ourselves."

She gave him a small, reassuring look.

"Ek baar mil lenge. Baat kar lenge. Then you can decide what you feel."

Yogesh looked down at his hands.

"I'm scared."

The admission came so quietly that Akanksha almost missed it.

"Doctor se?"

He shook his head.

"Khud se."

Akanksha's expression softened.

"Mujhe darr lagta hai ki agar maine sab kuch bol diya... toh pata nahi woh mere baare mein kya sochenge."

"Yogesh," she said quietly, "doctor ka kaam judge karna nahi hota. Unka kaam samajhna hota hai."

He didn't respond.

Akanksha waited.

Then she asked,

"Hum kal chale kya?"

Yogesh looked at her.

"Kal?"

"Haan."

She smiled faintly.

"Bas ek appointment. Nothing more."

He stayed quiet for a while.Akanksha didn't pressure him.Finally, Yogesh let out a slow breath.

"Tum saath chalogi?"

Akanksha nodded.

"Haan."

A small silence followed.

"Okay," he whispered.

Akanksha looked at him.

"Okay?"

He nodded.

"Kal chalte hain."

For the first time in a long while, there was something other than guilt in his eyes.

It wasn't happiness.

It wasn't relief.

It was simply the smallest hint of willingness to try.

And sometimes, that was where healing began.

Akanksha sat beside him for a few more minutes.Yogesh had gone quiet again. His eyes were closed, but she wasn't sure if he was actually sleeping.

She slowly shifted, trying to get up.

The moment she moved, his hand came forward and caught hers.

"Stay..."

Akanksha stopped.

She looked down at his hand around hers, then at him.

"Kahin nahi ja rahi hoon," she said softly. "But... tumhe abhi bhi fever hai."

"I know."

"Then we have to do something."

"No..."

His voice was tired.

"Wo theek ho jayega."

Akanksha gave him a look.

"Yogesh, please. Main bas paani aur ek kapda leke aa rahi hoon. Aise hi thodi na baith sakte hain."

He didn't say anything.

"Bas five minutes," she added.

For a few seconds, he didn't let go.

Then, reluctantly, his fingers loosened.Akanksha gave his hand a small squeeze.

"Main aa rahi hoon."

She got up and walked out.

The others were still awake.Subhangi immediately looked at her.

"Thik hai kya wo?"

Akanksha nodded, but her face still carried worry.

"Haan... abhi thoda calm hai."

She paused.

"Pehle so gaya tha, but..."

Her voice trailed off.

"Nightmare"

No one asked anything after that.They already understood.Subhangi's expression fell.

"Fever bhi hai abhi."

"Fever?" Sorab immediately asked.

"Haan. Mujhe laga paani mein kapda bhigo ke forehead pe rakh dete hain. Maybe thoda comfortable lage."

"Haan, ruk. Main deti hoon."

Subhangi quickly got up and brought her a bowl of water, a clean cloth, and whatever else they might need.

"Ye le."

"Thanks."

Subhangi looked toward the room.

"Tu reh uske paas. Hum log yahin hain."

Akanksha nodded.

"Haan"

Akanksha took a step toward the room.Then she suddenly turned around.

"Oh, haan..."

Everyone looked at her.

"Wo doctor ke paas jaane ke liye maan gaya."

Subhangi's eyebrows lifted.

"Really?"

"Haan."

Akanksha smiled faintly.

"Kal jayenge uske uthne k bad"

There was a brief silence.

"Good," Subhangi said quietly.

Akanksha nodded.

"Bas... tum log ab so jao. It's already really late."

She looked at all of them.

"Good night."

"Good night," Subhangi replied.

Akanksha turned and walked back toward the room.

Her hand was still holding the small bowl of water and the cloth.

As she pushed the door open, her eyes immediately went toward Yogesh.

He was exactly where she'd left him.

And somehow, seeing him there made her realize how exhausted he actually was.

She quietly closed the door behind her and went back to his side and set on the bed

"Come here," she whispered.

She gently patted her lap.

For a moment, he just looked at her.

Then, without saying anything, he slowly shifted closer and rested his head in her lap.

Akanksha adjusted herself so he could lie comfortably.

"Comfortable?"