Finally back with a new FF! :) It's loosely based on a story from Salaam-e-Ishq. Proofread and added translations to all chapters.
Blank::Kartik/Aman
Sometimes it feels like a dream to Aman that how much has changed in last year or so. He and Kartik are officially married with Tripathi family's full blessings. It took time but eventually no one was able to resist Kartik's charm, not even his Shankar Tripathi and finally Kartik was the ladla damad-cum-beta of the family, also known as the brat of the family.
With time and dedication both of them were finally able to get ahead in their careers and found the jobs both deserved, Kartik was over the moon when he finally got creative job in the advertising company which he wanted to work in for quite sometime. Meanwhile, Aman was working in Pharmaceutical as a researcher working on creating new medication which could help with a cure to cancer. A shrill sound of his phone brings him out of his thoughts, seeing unknown number Aman answers the phone with slight curiosity.
"Aman Triphathi?"
"Ji bol raha hon." (Yes, speaking.)
"Main City Hospital se bol rahi hon, Kartik Singh aapke..." (I'm speaking from City Hospital, Kartik Singh, your...)
"Mera husband hai." (He is my husband.)
"Aap jald se jald City hospital ajayein, unka accident hogaya hai, bohut critical condition mein hain." (You need to come to City Hospital immediately, he has met with an accident and is in critical condition)
Saying this the line goes dead leaving Aman in shock and frozen in his place and the morning flashes right in front of his eyes.
Kartik is rushing to get ready, he is already late for work for a very important meeting with a client, it could help him grab a profitable deal, if he bags this client and Kartik is determined to do just that. Although the way morning has started, that has started to add doubts in his mind. Aman, who is quietly watching Kartik wrestle through the morning finally tries to intertwine and relax his husband.
'Kartik...'
'I love you, my baby.'
'Nashta toh karle.' (Have breakfast atleast.)
'Meeting hai!' (I have a meeting.)
'Lekin...' (But...)
'Aaj raat paka celebration hogi, mood ke saath.' (We will surely celebrate tonight.)
'Kartik yaar...'
'Bye, baby.' A soft kiss pressing against his lips.
'Accident hogaya hai. Critical condition mein hain.' As soon the words enter his thoughts, the brain finally registers sending signals to his body making Aman finally unfreeze and making a run for the hospital.
Aman rushes through the hospital to find his husband, manages to finally get hold of doctor who in charge of Kartik's case. Doctor tells him that there aren't any deep physical or internal injuries and they would like to wait until Kartik is conscious to make further diagnosis. Aman is bit relived to hear that but then Doctor also warns Aman about what could possibly go wrong.
"Dekhiye Aman ji, waise toh sab theek hai lekin kyunki chot sar par zayada lagi hai toh shaayd..." (Look, Mr. Aman, so far it seems fine but because it's head injury then maybe...)
"Shayad kya, Doctor?" (Maybe, what, Doctor?)
"Dekhiye, kabhi kabar aise cases mein bahari tor par sab theek lagta hai lekin hosh mein anay ke baad hi kuch kaha jaa sakta hai." (Look, in such cases, sometimes physical wounds are okay but we can confirm only when patient is awake.)
"Aap kya keh rahe hain, abhi toh aapne kaha ke internal injuries nahi hain toh phir..." (What are you implying? You just said that there aren't any internal injuries then...)
"Main aapki halat samajh sakta hon, main sirf aapko warn karna chahta hon ke rarely aise cases mein kabhi kabhi patient jo hai woh short term memory loss ka shikar bhi hosakte hain." (I can understand your condition but I am merely trying to warn you that in these cases, rarely, patient can also suffer from a short term memory loss.)
Aman blinks few times as words registering his mind.
"Wh... what do you mean?"
Doctor tries to explain to Aman that due to Kartik's head injury there is a chance, rare, but still chance of memory loss but usually it can be recovered with time. Meanwhile, Doctor suggests Aman to see Kartik as he might wake up in few hours and tells Aman to prepare himself in case of worse.
Aman's heart breaks seeing Kartik lying on hospital bed unconsciously and all the machines hooked up to him. Slowly, he pulls up chair closer to bed and sits down, taking Kartik's hand gently in his hand, bringing to his mouth to kiss it gently. Tears start to roll down his eyes, sobbing quietly, holding his husband's hand, Aman prays for nothing but getting his Kartik back.
"Please, baby... come back to me. Tumhe kuch hogaya na toh main marr jaonga, Kartik." Kartik doesn't react and more tear falls from Aman's eyes. (Please, baby... come back to me. If something happens to you, I'll die, Kartik.)
"Tu ayega na, waapis? Mere paas? Dekh Kartik, main tujhe nahi khoh sakta. Itni mushkilon se paya hai tujhe, aab kaise..." A sob wrenches out of him. (You will come back, right? Look, Kartik, I cannot lose you. I finally found you after everything, now how can I...)
"Please, Kartik." Aman closes his eyes, silently keeps pleading and praying for Kartik to wake up and come back to him without any harm or loss, still holding his hand and keep pressing kisses gently to it.
Slight movement within his hand wakes up Aman who doesn't remember closing his eyes, his attention instantly moves to man lying on bed and he can see Kartik is slowly waking up. Feeling ecstatic he calls for nurse to inform the doctor that Kartik is waking up, he keeps his hold on Kartik's hand and with other hand moving to other man's face gently creasing it.
Light, too much light, his eyes react shutting again and opening them again slowly while eyes adjusting to light. Slowly moving his eyes around Kartik sees a man holding his hand and looking at him with pure happiness.
"ThankGod, Kartik... tumne toh mujhe darra diya tha, aisa koi karta hai kya?" (ThankGod, Kartik... you scared me, how can you do this?)
Silence. Kartik tries to place the man into his mind while searching for data, any information he can think of about this man but comes up with nothing. His mind is absolutely blank. The absolute silence makes Aman anxious.
"Kartik..." The said man pulls his hand from the hold of this man leaving other man's hands frozen in air with his hand now missing from the hold. Kartik looks at him, properly looks at him. Swollen eyes, tired and anxiety radiating off him as he is frozen in his place.
"Who are you?" Kartik finally asks the question when his mind doesn't supply any information, he can see exactly the moment other man finally understands the question. Any life, any strength left within that man leaves his body and pure dread takes over him.
"Kartik." He tries again.
"Haan, main Kartik hon, Kartik Singh... par tum koun ho?" (Yes, I'm Kartik, Kartik Singh... but who are you?)
So many emotions flicker through the eyes of other man and for some reason it makes Kartik uneasy so he turns his gaze away from him.
Aman stays still seeing his love, his life, pulling away from him while he is unable to do anything. He just lost his husband, his love of life, his light, right in front of his eyes. Aman's heart broken into million pieces as his husband asked him who is he? When he pulled away his hand, Aman almost stopped breathing, it seemed like someone just pulled his heart out from his chest and then he turned his gaze away and for Aman, life just left within him, he just died and went into hell.
It was Doctor Keshav and his team who rush in to look at Kartik, in midst of this with barely any strength left, Aman forces himself to walk away from the room. As soon he is out of the room, his strength gives out letting him fall on floor, his emotions unable to stay in control let lose. 'No. No. No, no... no... no', is on loop in his mind as Aman finally falls apart in the corridor of City Hospital.
It'll be a few chapters story and hopefully I'll be writing next part soon.