His Fragile Rose. [Completed]

Impending Shadow Of Pain

Who's excited to read? Here you go! Hope you enjoy.

Sorry for the delay. Do comment.

Caution - Tissues recommended.

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"His heart held her even when his arms couldn't."

_Aastha.

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The heart wrenched like a string twisting painfully with several thorns as Jeevika watched a teary Ruhh leave in front of her eyes, while she staggered on the wall to hoist herself. She watched Aksh sagging against the couch and Aarush whispering all the nothings to hold him. Her mouth fell open and then fell shut, eyes blinked, mindlessly. She felt the raging urge to run inside and embrace her son and make the pain go away.

But as she forwarded her steps, she was pulled back by Raghuvendra. They shared an eyelock, the tears evaded into a silent conversation, but he shook his head at her in a soft denial, back to pulling her steps back. Realisation dawned upon her, and she protested, desperate to reach Aksh who sat sobbing on Aarush's shoulders while Vendra locked her protests with his embrace and drew her away. She watched with tears of longing, her heart ached to comfort Aksh, her arms shot out and her throat opened for a plea, but she got dragged away, slowly.

"Jeevika." Raghuvendra placed her on the diwan, "Stop struggling." His voice a caress of affection. He tamed her hairs watching with the same brewing tears at her failed attempts to speak. He kneeled down in front of her, and continued caressing her hairs as she heaved soundlessly. She shook her head at him crazily, pointing towards the door, begging helplessly with her eyes.

"A-ks-h. O-ou-r s-so-n--" She held his hands, her eyes wide and vulnerable, terrified.

He swallowed a lump, "Shh. I know, I know." He pressed her into his chest, holding her tightly when her thrashing went wild. "Le-t me g-go." She whispered hoarsely, pounding on his chest with her fists. "Let me go Vendra." He held her tighter, making her go frantic, "LET ME GO RAGHUVENDRA."

He silently opened the lock of his embrace, making Jeevika hurry back on her footing, "Let you go wher-e?" The crack in his speech made her legs go numb. She turned around, afraid, broken, "To Aksh. He needs me....I have to go." She was unsure of her own words. She looked up at him, asking for his assurance, and like always he could read the unsaid message in those blurred eyes.

He looked away, the man who gave chills to the world couldn't match the eyes of his wife, "It's too late, Jeev."

"W-wha-t?" She was paralyzed.

"It's too late." He repeated, his voice unbelievably soft, a shaken whisper.

She looked at him for few seconds without reacting, before her eyes circled frantically, she started walking to and fro holding her head tightly before she faced him with rage, "Shut up! Shut up. Just shut up. Don't speak. Do not speak."

He almost lost his demeanor at the crazed reaction, "Jeevika. You've to understand. You need to understand-"

"No." She was back to marching to and fro and mumbling in-audibly, "No! You need to understand. I'll lose him, Raghuvendra. I've to talk to him, I've to apologize, I've to make-

"You've already lost him, Jeevika."

She stared at him with tears, "Then I'll ask him back. I will do whatever it takes. I will keep trying until this gets over, until the shadows of pain unfurl." She breathed in determination cause the mother inside her didn't have any other choice. How could she resign to the fact of losing Aksh? But the tears sang the tale of her defeat even before she tried any of that.