Saathiya- Shivika SS completed 10/5 - Page 2

Part Two

Physical therapy and cognitive therapy was required for Annika to get better. However, Shivaay wanted to take her away for a long trip once she recovered enough to travel.

The diagnosis of partial amnesia was made much to his disappointment. He probably deserved worse, that she would forget him completely.

He used to step back and let the hospital staff work with Annika, but he fed her first meal after awakening. The barium swallow was negative. The doctors cleared her for clear liquid diet and it would upgrade as she was able to tolerate.

Gauri brought her dailhia for her first solid meal.

"Bhabhi yeh lijye. Dadi shared this recipe with me, she stated.

"Main apni devrani ko duk nahin dena chahti, lekin mujhe kuch aur khana hai, Annika admitted.

" Don't worry Annika Bhabhi, eat this for now, then we can try ice cream, Rudra chimed.

"Rudy Bhaiya, I am not sure Bade Bhaiya would allow that, Gauri said worriedly knowing Shivaay's over protectiveness.

" Koi baat nahin, hum bhaiya ko nahin baite, he said high fiving his partner in crime, his beloved Annika Bhabhi. Annika laughed freely with him. She forgot her pain and worries for a bit.

Shivaay gazed lovlingly at the trio. Bhavya had gone to the station to get Sahil. They would all be together again.

Omkara , Bhavya and Sahil arrived shortly after. Rudra and Gauri left the room, so Sahil, Omkara and Shivaay could visit next.

As Sahil hugged his sister and they caught up, Omkara turned to his brother.

" Annika Bhabhi is improving but do you really think it will be all right to take her out of Mumbai next week?

" Doctors and I are communicating. They stated that if I can keep her less stressed, she will hopefully slowly gain back her memories, Shivaay said with a solemn expression.

Omkara knew either way his brother felt like he has lost . If Annika regained her memories, would she leave him? If she didn't would he be satisfied with the new ones he would try to make with her?

"Jo bhi karna hai, pure dil se kar. I am sure Bhabhi will forgive you, he assured him.

Shivaay nodded and muttered a yeah, before excusing himself for a moment. Omkara saw him pulling out his phone and walking down the hall.

Annika had gotten along well with Gauri even though she had forgotten how they met. But when she learned Gauri was her older devrani, she was elated and they had bonded very quickly like it was the first meeting all over again.

Omkara planned to work things out with his wife. He had wronged her too, but she brought so much to the table despite all that.

One week later..

Pinky had gone back to her maternal home. Shivaay decided to bring Annika home. He decided to carry her in his arms.

"Yeh aap kya kare hain?, she exclaimed embarrassed.

"Pelhi baar toh nahin hai, he muttered.

She looked at him wide eyed.

" Hum pati, patni hai Annika. Aur yeh mera haq rahega, he declared.

She relented.

He held onto her until they reached their bedroom. He tucked her in. Their eyes locked and time seemed to stop for a moment.

Annika fell asleep for a few hours, but awakened with abdomen pain. She realized it was her time of the month. She didn't want to disturb Shivaay or anyone else. She headed to the bathroom to do the needful.

Shivaay returned to the room and noticed her missing.

He peaked out to the pool area and then returned. He sighed when he realized she was in the bathroom.

She stepped out, he turned around to see her emerging.

"Tum theek toh ho?, he asked.

She nodded but she looked pale.

"Annika batao kuch taleef ya..

" It is just that time of the month, you know, she stammered quickly.

He stopped talking. The truth was he never took notice of that fact every month. He knew sometimes she would fight with him more, but she was always changing her moods. However the more he thought about it, she did want more food certain days than others.

"Tuhme kuch special khana hai. I will just go make it, Shivaay declared.

" Nahin aise kuch nahin chaiye hai. It is just more painful on first day, especially if it comes late due to some stress. You said I had that accident right? Maybe because of that, she said trying to blush.

" Annika you are blushing. We can talk about these things if you need to. I was too foolish before to realize. I am sorry, he stated.

"Kitni baar sorry kahenge? I mean you said sorry when I woke up and then other day , and now, she stated.

"Theek hai. You relax now, come, he said and led her to lie down.

She felt warm. He caressed her forehead and hair.

"You seem to have fever. You rest, I will get some medicine, he muttered.

" You and your medicine box. Apparently that didn't change when we got married, she joked.

He glared at her.

"Billuji, yeh nahin abhi chalega. Abhi hum pati and patni hai na? Now you are stuck with me, she declared.

He smiled back at her and leaned in and kissed her forehead.

She was stunned as he retreated to go get his medicine box. What happened to her stern, uptight Mr. SSO?

Later at night, Annika felt his gentle grip on her waist as her fever broke and she had a nightmare.

There was someone running ahead of her and she was trying to reach for them, when suddenly there was a huge crash.

She had started to shake during the nightmare and suddenly she felt someone trying to desperately wake her up.

Her eyes flew open and she gasped when she realized she wasn't at her house.

Blue orbs greeted her frenzy and her breaths calmed. The moonlight into the room had highlighted his eyes for her.

She felt like she should push his hands away, but his voice calmed her.

"Annika tum theek ho. Relax tum Oberoi mansion mein ho. You had a nightmare, it's ok, he assured her.

She merely nodded and relaxed realizing why she had awakened in this room. She shared this room with SSO. She belonged here with him now.

Part Three- Scars and new beginnings

Annika awakened well rested. She did not expect her first night home from the hospital would be so relaxing except for the nightmares of course. She had fallen asleep in Shivaay's arms. She wanted to run away from him, but he had already proved how much he cared..

She never imagined this version of her billuji. Instead of arguing with her, here he was consoling her. Shivaay had awakened before her. She found herself nestled in the comforter and pillows supporting her head.

She went towards the mirror and closely examined the minor scars on her forehead. The scabs on her cheek had fallen off already. Most of the injury had been internal thus her partial memory loss. She frowned at the scarring. It could be worse. But how did the accident happen? Her head tinged as she tried to recall.

Her reverie was interrupted by a knock on her door.

"Bhabhi it's me Bhavya,

Annika opened the knob and greeted her younger devrani.

"Ab aap kaise feel kari hain?, she asked.

" I had nightmares last night but I was curious, shouldn't I have worse scarring from the accident? I mean it was bad enough to affect my memory, Annika muttered.

Bhavya consoled her.

"Bhabhi relax. You know Bhaiya didn't want you to get too upset. He made sure you had the best doctors. Luckily a good surgeon was available the day of your accident, he did some treatment to reduce the scarring.

Annika could not believe how much Shivaay had done for her. How could she forget him as her husband, why couldn't she just surrender to the feelings he invoked in her? It would take some time, but she would begin to meet him half way.

"Bhavya tum yahaan kaise?, Annika asked.

" Bade bhaiya had asked me to check on you. He has gone to make some arrangements. He is taking you on a long trip. Chalo aap fresh hoker aaiye, phir hum aapki packing mein madad kar denge, she promised.

Annika smiled slightly as Bhavya hugged her. She quickly dried her tears and turned to start getting ready for the day.

The three bahus of Oberoi Mansion munched on tea and snacks as they packed Annika's bags. The first stop was a surprise for them all. Shivaay had gone into the office to settle some work deadlines and arrange the trip of course.

Annika was grateful for her family. She got all this due to Shivaay. Sahil too could feel part of a real family after so long.

It was late afternoon by the time Shivaay returned home. Annika felt his eyes on her from a distance. She started to blush, as she realized he was really gazing at her. It seemed like he was trying to commit her to his memory in a way he would always know her presence.

She recalled the one time he had muttered that he had sensed her presence when she had been planning his wedding with someone else. The last thing she had remembered before the accident was her so called engagement with Daksh and then him proposing Tia again. However she does not recall how she got away from Daksh or why Shivaay married her instead of Tia. She decided to brush it aside. After all she got miminches when she thought of Daksh and a more positive vibe from Shivaay.

She felt his hand on her waist and then both were on her cheeks as he awakened her from her thoughts.

"Annika ab tum kaisi ho?, he asked.

She placed his hand on his.

"Haan main theek hoon, she stated.

She immediately decided not to ask. Why would she ask about another man or the previous woman in his life, when his life seemed to revolve around her well-being now?

" I hope you rested today and didn't do too much masti today, he commented, as he gently pulled her to lean against his chest. He caressed her stomach, soothing her now minor cramps.

She blushed and ran out to the pool side from their room.

Shivaay decided to give her a quick blush lesson before they left for their trip.

"You look beautiful with this blush, he teased.

"You mean brush? I brush twice a day usually, she commented.

He chuckled recalling how frustrated she had made him the last time.

" Aise nahin hai.Chalo, dekho neeche, he said.

She peered into the pool, and he showed her what he meant. She blushed even more. She felt his beard tickle her neck and chin. She closed her eyes tightly. He kissed her cheek suddenly, she froze. This had happened before. Of course it must have. Gauri had said they had been married for several months when she had come from Bareiley.

She wondered if they had yet to consummate their marriage.

Shivaay called some servants and Khanna to head security for their trip. The servants began picking up things and taking them into the car. Annika reached down to pick something up, when Shivaay who was on the phone, placed his hand on top of hers and shook his head no. She rolled her eyes at his retreating back.

He encased his hand over hers as they were greeted by their family members and Sahil. Annika released her hand to say good-bye to her family members and bent down to hug Sahil. She felt a bit dizzy trying to get up, her devars assisted her, and handed her over to Shivaay with what she suspected were stern looks.

"Yeh humari pyaari Bhabhi hai. Agar inhe dukhi kiya tu hum se bura koi nahin hoga, Rudra stated.

" Annika ab tumari zimedari hai. Apna ur inka khyal rakna, Omkara stated.

Shivaay smiled at his brothers. Last year they would have totally taken his side over anyone else's. But now they loved Annika maybe more than him.

" Annika meri zimedari se bauth zyaada bar kar hai, Shivaay said before smiling at the trio and Sahil especially.

Taking Annika in one side, he leaned over to hug Sahil, promising him silently this time he would not hurt his sister this time.

Annika feel asleep on his shoulder due to the effect of her medications. Shivaay felt lucky to have his wife at his side. How he had longed to start his relationship over with her, but he never expected the accident or any other drama to be involved. His mother had lied to Annika making him believe he was illegimate and then blackmailed her to leave. Badi Ma had held no kasam and told him the truth. Then before he could confront Annika the accident happened.

Priyanka's heavy sobs and bloodied clothing still rang in his mind. How at first he didn't know how to react and then he sprung into action.

He gazed down at Annika relieved she had survived and now with due time she could decide their fate together.