Chapter: Just Once, My Son

The ICU lights glowed cold and unforgiving.

Rudraksh stood there—doctor first, brother always—hands moving with precision, voice steady as he gave instructions, but inside him… everything was breaking.

“BP is dropping,” someone said.

Rudra clenched his jaw.
“No. Not now. Increase support.”

On the bed lay William—the brother who had once carried him on his shoulders, who had argued about life and laughed about silly things, who had promised, “I’ll change the system, bhai.”

The monitor beeped—slow, uneven.

Rudra whispered under his breath,
“Don’t you dare leave me.”

Outside the ICU, the family was falling apart.

Samarth stood frozen, fists clenched, eyes red.
“My bhaiya… he promised he’d come to my posting,” he muttered, voice breaking.

Siya held Mannat tightly, both of them crying silently.
“Bhaiya always said he’d attend my first lecture,” Siya sobbed.

Mannat’s tears wouldn’t stop.
“He said he’d read my next story first…”

Inayat and Advait didn’t understand machines or medicine—only absence.

“Where is bhaiya?” Inayat cried.
“Why won’t he come out?”

Adwait held her hand, his small voice shaking.
“Bhaiya is strong. He will come.”

Poornima stood near the temple corner of the hospital corridor, barefoot, tears soaking her dupatta.

Her hands trembled as she prayed.

“Please,” she whispered.
“Take my pain, my strength, my breath if you want—but give me my son.”

Veeresh…
Veeresh was not standing anymore.

He had sunk into a chair near the ICU door, elbows on his knees, hands gripping his hair.

This man—who had faced enemies, society, loss, judgment—
was losing.

He stood up suddenly and walked to the glass.

His palm pressed against it.

“Come back, son,” he begged, voice raw, broken beyond pride.
“Please don’t leave Appa and Mumma.”

His voice cracked completely.

“You fought your whole life with courage. Just once more. Fight just once.”

Tears rolled freely down his face.

“I still have so much to tell you…
I still need you.”

Inside, the monitor screamed.

Rudra’s voice rose.
“Start CPR—now!”

Time stretched.
Seconds felt like lifetimes.

A family waited—
praying, crying, breaking—
while one heart decided whether to return.

Because sometimes, even the strongest families reach a moment where all they can say is—

Please. Just once. Fight.