Author's POV:-

It was night when Dhruv was reviewing one of his patient's files. He was so engrossed in the paperwork that he didn’t hear his daughter’s voice. Assuming Vimla aunty was playing with her upstairs, he continued reading. But when he saw Vimla in the kitchen, he paused.

“Aunty? Rhea kaha hai? Upar khel rahi hai? Awaaz nahi aa rahi bohot der se?” he asked, closing the file.

“Haan, kuch der pehle tak toh mere saath khel rahi thi… abhi bhi shayad upar hi ho,” she replied with a smile.

“Acha thik hai, aap kaam kijiye. Main dekh ke aata hoon usse ek baar… Ek awaaz bhi nahi aa rahi uski. Yeh toh shaant waale bachon mein se nahi hai,” he chuckled, climbing the stairs.

He noticed his bedroom door slightly open. Chhota Bheem was playing on the TV, but there was no sound—not from the TV and not from his little girl.

“Shona? Aap kya kar rahe ho?” he asked as he walked inside, but he froze upon seeing her.

She was fast asleep, lying on her belly, clutching his pillow tightly.

He smiled, shaking his head.

“Ohh meri jungli billi so gayi hai… Wahi toh sochu ki aapki awaaz kyu nahi aa rahi.”

He quietly switched off the TV and sat beside her, gently caressing her back. But then his hand stiffened.

She was burning.

“Shona…?” he whispered, his heart skipping a beat. He pulled her into his arms and began checking her body temperature. Gently lifting her frock slightly, he confirmed it—she had a high fever.

Panic seeped into his voice.

“Shona, aapko toh bohot bukhaar hai… Aapne mujhe bataya kyu nahi…”

But all she did was rest her tiny head on his shoulder, wrapping her little arms around his neck.

“Papa…” she whimpered in her sleep, her body slightly shivering.

“Kya hua, Shona? Batao mujhe…” he asked softly, caressing her back. But all she could do was sob, her tiny frame trembling in his arms.

Worried, Dhruv quickly stood up with her in his arms and shouted downstairs,

“Vimla aunty! Shona ko bohot tez bukhaar hai… Aap zara ek bowl mein thanda paani aur kapra le aaiye… jal patti deni hai!”

Vimla rushed upstairs with a bowl of tap water and a cotton cloth.

“Aap yahan baithiye uske paas, main hospital mein call karta hoon…” he said, trying to lay Shona down on the bed. But instead, she tightened her tiny arms around his neck and wrapped one leg around his chest, refusing to let go.

She sobbed, shaking her head,

“Nahi, Papa… mujhe nahi jana kahin… mujhe aapke paas rehna hai… hospital nahi…"

He held her close, one arm protectively placed over her small body.

“Main kahin nahi jaa raha hoon, Shona… aapko chhod ke kabhi nahi… Bas call kar raha hoon Abhay uncle ko, hospital Jana hain..”

She cried harder, burying her face in his neck.

“Nahi… hospital nahi, Papa…”

He cupped her burning cheek gently and kissed her forehead,

“Acha theek hai… hospital nahi. Lekin pehle bed par let jao… Papa aapko jal patti dene doh, phir thoda thik lagega, hmm?”

She reluctantly lay down on the bed, her small hands reaching out for him, silently pleading him to stay close.

He sat beside her instantly, gently placing a hand on her head.

"Bas... shhh. Close your eyes. Let me put the wet cloth on your forehead, hmm?" he said softly, patting her head with one hand while dialing Abhay’s number with the other.

"Pata nahi... phone uthayega bhi ya nahi... iss time toh mostly uska OT hota hai," he muttered tensely under his breath.

But to his relief, the call connected within a few rings.

"Haan bol, Dhruv," Abhay answered.

"Abhay, tu busy hai kya?" Dhruv asked, his voice tight with worry.

"Bas aadha ghanta baad OT hai. Kya hua? Itna tensed kyun lag raha... Rhea thik hai na?"

"Nahi yaar… usse bohot tez bukhaar hai. I wanted to take her to the hospital, but she's being stubborn… refusing to go and just crying," he said, his voice cracking slightly.

"Oh God… tu tension mat le. Main dekh ta hoon yahan koi doctor available hai ya nahi. Agar hua, toh main abhi tere ghar bhejta hoon. Tu bas paanch minute ruk,” Abhay assured, hanging up right after.

Dhruv gently dabbed the cool cloth on Rhea's forehead, but his hands trembled slightly. Her face was flushed, her body burning with fever, and yet, she clung to him with innocent trust—like he could fix everything.

But he couldn’t breathe properly.

Because whenever something happened to his daughter, he fell weak.

The world could throw a hundred problems at him and he’d stand tall. But the moment his little girl so much as whimpered in pain, his strength crumbled. His medical knowledge, his calm—everything failed in front of his daughter’s suffering.

He wiped his eyes discreetly before leaning down and whispering against her ear,

"Papa yahin hain, Shona... sab theek ho jayega..papa sab thik kar denge.."

"Haan Abhay sir, bataiye… kya hua uss bachi ko?" Dr. Adrija asked the moment she entered his cabin, concern evident in her voice.

Abhay looked at her—still in her casual attire, already ready to leave for home. A flicker of guilt crossed his face.

"Tum meri help kar sakti ho, Dr. Adrija. It's urgent... that’s why I called you. Nahi toh—"

She cut him off gently.

"Aap kaise baatein kar rahe hain, sir? Aap bas bataiye kya problem hai."

He nodded, grateful.

"Mera ek dost hai, Dr. Dhruv khanna. Issi department mein kaam karta hai—he's also a cardiologist, I think you must've heard of him. Uski chhoti si beti ko abhi kuch der pehle bohot tez bukhar aaya hai. He tried to bring her to the hospital, but she's refusing—crying, not letting him leave her side. Can you please go to their house and check on her? I trust only you, that’s why I’m asking."

"Hai Bhagwan…" she whispered worriedly, then gave him a reassuring smile.

"Of course jaungi, sir. Aap please unka address aur phone number de dijiye."

Abhay blinked in surprise.

"Tum Dr. Dhruv ko nahi jaanti?!" he asked, almost shocked.

Because there is not a single person in this hospital who doesn't know Dr Abhay who is famous for his arrogance and strict nature...

She gave a sheepish shake of her head.

"Nahi sir… aapko chhodkar iss department mein kisiko nahi jaanti. Mein aati hi kaha hoon iss floor pe..."

Despite the situation, Abhay couldn’t help but chuckle.

"Waise, Dr. Dhruv kaise hain?" she asked hesitantly, unsure if it was okay to ask more.

He smiled at her curiosity.

"Kyun, ache hi hain."

"Nahi mera matlab... aap jaise hain na? Soft and friendly?" she clarified, her voice laced with hesitation.

"Kyunki mostly senior doctors bohot strict aur arrogant hote hain... aur sach batau toh mujhe arrogant logo ke saath deal karna bilkul pasand nahi," she added truthfully, wrinkling her nose in a way that made Abhay’s smile stretch even wider.

He honestly loved her straight forward nature.

Abhay bit his lip, trying hard not to burst into laughter.

Soft? Friendly? Dr. Dhruv? Are you serious? He wanted to blurt it out but control himself.

The man could turn a casual “hello” into a cross-examination.

Conversations with him weren’t just intense—they were emotionally taxing. Friendly and soft weren’t just absent from his dictionary; they were probably banned words in his presence.

But instead of bursting her adorable bubble of misconception, Abhay leaned back, folding his arms with mock sincerity and said, his voice dripping with sarcasm,

“Bilkul bhi nahi. He’s very friendly... ekdum mere jaise — free and frank. Tumhe bohot acha lagega unke saath baat karne mein.”

She let out a relieved sigh, visibly relaxing, the tension in her shoulders melting away.

"Ohh, tab thik hai..." she said with a small smile.

Abhay stared at her for a beat, a mischievous glint flickering in his eyes.

This was going to be fun. No—scratch that—this was going to be downright entertaining.

Watching her sunshine energy collide with Dhruv’s ice-cold logic? He almost felt bad for her. Almost.

But hey, what’s life without a little chaos?

He scribbled something on a notepad, tore the sheet, and handed it to her.

"Here you go — the address and number. I've already booked a cab for you. And... thank you once again, Adrija."

She took the note gently, her expression sincere.

"Sir, aap bhool rahe hain... main bhi ek doctor hoon. The only difference is — you all mend hearts, and I take care of tiny human beings."

Abhay looked at her, a flicker of pride in his eyes.

"And that’s exactly why I called only you."

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