Sana lay in bed that night, her face burning from both fever and the hot tears rolling down her cheeks. She felt as if she was drowning with no one around to save her; moreover, she didn't want to be saved.

The ache in her chest was so intense that she felt she couldn't breathe. Her breaths felt like a burden, and walking to the balcony and jumping off seemed like an easier option than living with this heartache. She had lost him, her husband, and she had lost herself with him as well.

She was deep in her pain when she felt her bed move, and then some weight dropped onto her chest, making her realize that Aarav was sleeping beside her and had somehow woken up.

"Aaru, baby," she called softly.

"What happened?" she asked as he hugged her tighter.

"I'm scared," he whispered, his childish pronunciation making the words sound endearing.

"Why, my baby? Mommy's here with you," she cooed.

"Nightmare," he muttered.

"Relax," she softly mumbled as she ruffled his hair to comfort him.

"Hmm, hug me tight," he said, and her heart soared as she held her sweet little boy.

You know there are moments like this in life. Moments when you're actually losing hope and your entire sense of self, but then you need something to hold onto, to keep going. At this moment, Aarav felt like that thread which she didn't know she needed to keep going, keep living, and keep hoping. And in this one moment when she held him tight against her chest, with him still breathing and finding comfort in her, she knew this life of hers was worthy of living. She deserved to live; she might not have her husband by her side, the person whom she had loved the most, but she still had a part of him to cherish.

And she knew by this moment that she would do it in the best way possible. Her little boy would get every single thing needed in the world, and she wasn't going to let anyone snatch him away from her, even if it meant remarrying or anything else. Remarriage – the thought seemed sour, but if it meant keeping this child close, she was ready!

******

"Darn it!" Sidharth muttered as he let his fist collide with the wall, his knuckles bruising as an aftermath of his action.

He sat down on his bed, feeling the familiar numbing pain in his knuckles which seemed to soothe his daunting mind a bit. His head was pounding, his heart was heavy, and all he wanted to do at the moment was go to her and ask for her forgiveness.

He had been wanting to do everything in his power to make things better for her, for them, but what did he end up doing?

Making it all ten times worse for her. She was already dealing with so much, and his slip of tongue just added to it.

Why couldn't he just keep his tongue in control?

How was he going to face her?

How was he going to make her understand that it was never his intention to make things come out this way? How would he justify his slip of tongue? How was he going to make her understand that he wasn't trying to take her husband's place by calling her with the nickname which was so precious to her?

But, alas! There was nothing he could do at the moment, so he just lay there awake thinking, rethinking hopelessly before sleep took mercy on him and his lids finally closed on their own.

*******

One week later.....

It was yet another morning like the past seven days which had passed with nothing happening between them, but this morning Sidharth was determined to confront her. Unlike the past week, when they'd been avoiding each other like the plague, both lost in their own thoughts of guilt and neither knowing how and where to begin.

"Hi, uh, good morning," he awkwardly said as he stood beside her in the kitchen, but she didn't reply and kept moving.

"Won't you talk to me?" he asked cautiously.

"What's left to talk about?" she said subconsciously.

"Am I that bad?" he said, evidently hurt.

"You're not bad, but trust me, I'm not worthy of your efforts," she said, looking down, and he gazed at her, amused.

"What are you saying?" he thought aloud.

"I'm saying the truth," she said.

"Can we sit down and talk?" he asked cautiously, and to his surprise, she nodded, walking to the dining room. They took their seats, both inwardly thankful for the privacy they had as Aarav was out in the building playing with his friends.

"We can't live like this," he stated.

"That's what I'm saying too. We can't live like this. You mind your business, and let me mind mine. It'll be better for both of us. Things are being very unfair to you," she said thoughtfully.

"Why are you hell-bent on making this hard for us?" he asked, raising his voice and shaking his head in disappointment. She flinched.

"I'm sorry," he quickly said as he saw her tensing up.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly, concern etched all over his face.

"Hmm," she nodded, and silence fell between them.

She was fine, just disappointed and uncertain regarding some things.

"Just leave me please. I'm doing wrong by you. My behavior, my anger about other things is coming out on you, which isn't right at all. I'm treating you very badly, and that's not fair at all, and I'm sorry too," she admitted honestly.

"We only show our anger to those close to us, and we can never forget the fact that we're family," he said softly, and she just kept looking down.

"Listen to me," he said, pushing his hand under her chin to make her look at him.

"Sorry," he muttered, pulling his hand away, and started talking again to remove the awkwardness.

"Look, I don't know what fate has in store for us, what karma we're facing, that all this happened to us, but I just want you not to punish yourself, me, or Aaru for this game of destiny," he started with sincerity.

"Punishment is inevitable," she said bitterly, and he inwardly hissed, the self-hate in her tone making him feel helpless.

"But we can make things better from our end," he suggested.

"How?" she asked, her voice quivering as she now looked at him, and he felt his heart soar for her as she finally looked at him with vulnerability displayed on her face – she was finally letting her guard down like previous times.

"There's one way," he said thoughtfully.

"What?" came her eager voice.

"Will you listen to what I have to say?" he asked softly, and she eagerly nodded.

"I've said this before, and I'm saying it again – I'm very sorry for that day. My intention wasn't at all to make it look the way it came out," he said, closing his eyes and clenching his fists at his sides, which Sana very sharply noticed.

"I know. I overreacted about things without considering your perspective. It's my mistake. I'm sorry," she said faintly.

"So mathematically, sorry cancels sorry. Shall we move forward?" he asked after a while, and she nodded.

"Life is our own, and every person who comes into it is a guest. Everything is temporary. Our life doesn't stop until our own breath stops. We might not remain the same throughout, but we have to live, we have to survive because our life is still left, and we have to do justice to it," he spoke.

"I know," she sighed.

"What are you trying to say? Tell me directly," she urged.

"What I'm trying to say is, look at life hopefully. I'm not saying become my wife in a day, nor am I trying to replace my bro-" he started but then stopped as his throat clogged up at the mention of his brother.

At that moment, Sana felt her heart clench as she saw him fighting back his emotions. In all her miseries, she had forgotten that he had lost a piece of his heart too – his soul brother had gone away too. He must have felt the hollowness too; he must be in pain too.

"I know," she said, placing her hand on his comfortingly, and he nodded at her, giving her a reassuring tight-lipped smile before continuing.

"I want you to know that I can't even think of trying to take brother's place, but the understanding we've developed over all these years – I want us to keep moving with that," he said, and she nodded in understanding.

"Things won't get better immediately, but to make them better in the long term, we need to make efforts. Aaru is both our responsibility, and his better future is our priority. And whether you accept it or not, you're my responsibility too. What was said that day in the village was just a trailer; similar things might happen in the future, but I want you to give me the right to stand up for you," he said hopefully, and she nodded, making him sigh in relief.

"So Sana, will you remain my best friend like before and always?" he said, extending his hand forward for her to shake, and she looked at him, amused.

He made the damn thing seem so easy.

"Of course I'll always be there to annoy you, forever," she replied back cheekily as she shook his hand.

They both had a smile on their faces as they gazed at each other. It wasn't a full-blown or heartfelt smile, just a hopeful, subtle one. Assuring ones to each other that they'll get through this and they are in this together.

Stay tuned for more.