The Choice! (Part 2)

************

Aryan found himself in the darkness all of a sudden. Unaware where he was lead to.

His gaze wandered all over, searching for any familiar face or thing.

Where was Tara, and his grandparents?!

His head pained suddenly. All he remembered was him holding Tara's hand, them stepping ahead for the trial.

However, what happened now?!

"Arshi!" A male voice surprised him as he suddenly witnessed an old projector, portraying a scene he had never seen, on a white cloth whose origin was still a mystery.

His father running behind his mother, in the garden of the mansion, their laughters echoing.

The sound of the rolling reel of the projector echoing as well, making him feel nostalgic in a way, as if tapping onto the memories he never knew he had.

"Arshi, stop!" Vikram requested while Arshi just with a smile kept running.

"Got you!!" Vikram who finally caught her in his embrace from behind, exclaimed, "Why the run, dear wife?!"

"To know how long will you try to let me stay!!" She laughed.

Vikram smiled resting his head on her shoulder, taking in the scent of her hair, "Till my last breath!" he said planting a soft kiss on her cheek.

A giggle escaping her.

Aryan could only smile at the scene, his parents were.....such a sweet couple!!

As the reel rolled, the scene changed, his parents stood in front of the green stone, admiring it. His mother's hand adoring her baby bump while his father's hand rested on her shoulder in affection.

"What skill do you think he will attain?!" Arshi wondered with a smile.

Vikram shrugged with a smile, his another hand as well reaching to rest on her other shoulder, "Whatever it may be, I'm sure he will make us proud!", his head leaning onto hers as they gazed down, admiring the presence of their baby in her womb.

Arshi nodded, "I believe he will, for sure!!"

Aryan's eyes teared up, a sweet pain stinging his heart.

His steps reaching the white cloth, his hands halting to touch their parent's replica. His heart heavy.

Even before he could cherish them enough, the scene changed again, showing himself playing with his parents in the garden of their house.

His younger self running away from his parents while they kept chasing, trying to catch him. Their laughters, his giggles, tormenting Aryan in a sweet way.

Tears streamed down his eyes when his father caught the boy, his mother pinching the boy's ear.

"Our Aryan has become way too naughty!!" Arshi complained, her voice another sting at his heart.

Aryan chuckled with teary eyes.

"Stop it now!!" Vikram playfully let her hand go, freeing his son from the ear pain, lifting him up in the air, "Stop bothering your mother, okay?"

The small boy, Aryan's younger self shook his head with a laugh, which again made him chuckle in pain.

Arshi sighed with a shook of head, "With love, you had named him after your mother, but he's nothing like her!!", she shrugged, for which the younger Aryan teased with his tongue.

Vikram laughed while Arshi exclaimed a gasp, "Let me teach you the lesson!" she warned and Vikram just let his son go, the small boy running away again.

Arshi glanced a complaining look towards her husband before running behind her son. And finally when she caught him, Aryan began to apologise, for which she only laughed, placing a soft kiss on his head.

The scene of the three of them playing providing Aryan a sense of miserable warmth of past. His hands touching the cloth, the image of his mother and father, holding their ten years old son.

Another scene showed his mother cutting fruits for him, while his father showed him his antique collections. His mother suddenly getting wounded by the knife, adoring her family, unintentionally cutting her finger. A painful gasp escaping her.

Vikram who heard it, reached her almost immediately.

"Arshi!! How can you be careless even after being a doctor??" He almost complained as he took her wounded finger into his hands, observing it.

Arshi just smiled, "Mister Vikram Waqt, I have all the liberty to be careless for my husband cares for me!!"

Vikram shook his head, taking her hand into his, shutting his eyes. Soon, their hands glowed in green and within seconds, her wound was completely healed.

"Your healing power always muses me!!" Arshi chuckled.

Vikram sighed, "I promise to be there to protect you always, but that doesn't mean you can be careless enough to hurt yourself!!"

"Alright, I apologise!!" Arshi chuckled for which her husband gave out a shook. Soon their son running, reached them.

"Mama....!" The younger Aryan ran to them with a bracelet held in hand.

Arshi was quick enough to take him into her embrace, "Seems like he developed a liking towards it!!" she wondered.

Vikram nodded, "After all, my son shares my likings!!"

Arshi laughed, "No wonder you managed to get that bracelet into your collections!!"

"I want it!!" The younger Aryan blurted out, holding out the bracelet.

They both laughed, "Of course, it's yours my dear!!" Arshi said with a caress over his head.

Aryan took a deep breath, the longing for the parental love, beginning to surge within him. His heart shifting uncomfortably.

"I....miss you both!!" Aryan admitted with a heavy heart, wiping away his tears.

The scene, again, changed.

This time, piercing Aryan's heart.

Showing the heartbreaking moment of his life, his parents accident!!

The car flipped upside down, his parents on the edge of losing their life.

His heartbeat almost stopped.

Their faces covered in the streams of blood, gazes locked at each other.

"Our....son!!" Arshi barely managed to whisper, her heart paining.

Vikram shut his eyes briefly in pain, tears streaming down, "He will be.... alright!!" he assured both her and himself.

Arshi cried in silence and pain, "Do you.... remember?"

"Once you were.... surprised to know that.... even after death, human mind....remains active...!"

"And it shows.....all of your memories like a... dream, for seven minutes?!"

Vikram took a deep breath, his eyes burdening up, tears cascading down his cheeks, "I....do remember!"

Arshi smiled faintly, "I'm gonna have those.... seven minutes now!"

"Just shut up!" Vikram said with a groan of pain, "I won't let.... anything happen to you!!"

His hand searched for his mobile, unable to even move, he struggled, his eyes wandering, "I'll....call the ambulance!!"

"I'll protect you.....no matter what....so just please..... don't speak that way....!!" he requested.

"Vikram....."

"I'm afraid.....of your words coming true!!" He cried, "So please, do not speak!!"

"We will...get out of this!!" He assured, his heart paining with every word to spelt out.

She just smiled in pain, her eyes barely managing to be open, "The day you..... proposed me....I still vividly remember it!!"

"You looked like a.... beautiful.....dream come true!!" Her gaze adoring him, as though, for the last time.

"Please Arshi, you are scaring me!!" He cried helpless, his hand luckily finding his mobile, trying to make a call.

Her breath became heavy, "Vikram...." she called out softly, grabbing his gaze. "I love you!!" She confessed for the last time, another tear drop streaming down her eye.

Vikram's heart shattered into pieces as he witnessed his wife taking her last breath.

"Ar...Arshi....?" He called out, the mobile from his hand falling down, his hands reaching her, "Wake up!!" he urged, "Arshi...I said you.... not to scare me! Please.....wake up!!"

Time felt burdening upon recieving no response, he tried to wake her up while the pain in his chest only increased.

With a deep breath, he took a dedicated sigh, "You cannot leave me this way!!"

"I'll not let you!!"

Vikram gathering all his power, began to heal her, vibrant green light emanating him.

He used all of what he had despite knowing it would only lead him to his end in this situation, however, there was no response.

With the immense efforts, his heart burdened, him struggling to breath, realisation hitting him that.....even his power cannot bring her back. More tears streaming down as he looked at her who went silent.

An agonizing helpless scream escaped him at his miserable fate, "Arshi!!" he cried out, "I'm sorry..... I couldn't..... protect you!!"

To be fated to heal uncountable people but not your beloved!! Vikram regretted.

His breath became heavy, but he didn't care, he cared for nothing, his hand caressing her hair, "I....love you too!!" Him cherishing her for the last possible time!!

The scene ended, leaving a miserable Aryan in darkness again!!

Aryan fell on his knees, his head even more paining.

Aryan's hand reaching for the cloth, "Please....return to me!! Please!!" he cried.

"I promise to behave!! Please.....I beg you both to return!!" His hand clutched his heart. "I'll cherish your presence, I will....." His breath unstable, "I will behave very well, will not bother you!"

"Please mother..... please return. Father, please!!" Aryan's voice broke already.

His cries echoed in the darkness horribly, "Aryan!" a gentle whisper halting him.

With a heavy heart, paining head, Aryan tilted around, only to see Tara standing ahead.

"Tara...." His voice merely above a whisper.

However, Tara seemed weak, unable to even stand, and soon, right before his eyes, she fell on her knees.

Aryan concerned, ran to her, taking her into his embrace, "Tara?"

"What's..... happening to you?!"

She smiled faintly, "Aryan....promise me!"

He looked at her in a blend of concern and wonderment, "Tara...?"

"Promise me Aryan.....that unlike the past, you will....choose yourself this time!!" Her breath wavered as she said it.

"What are you saying, what's happening to you??"

Her heart paining, "You need to remember that.... I'll always love you!!"

"Tara!!" He attempted to stop her for her suffering over every spelt word bothered him.

"But .....do not grieve me for long!! Find someone.....caring for yourself!!"

She smiled, "I believe.....you will meet her one day!!"

"Stop it Tara! What happened to you? You are scaring me!" He yelled, his head aching.

Her hand clutched her chest, "However, don't just....forget me!!"

"Just shut up!!" He yelled again, his left hand reaching his head.

His concern leveling up witnessing her nose bleed, "Tara!!" he called out for she kept losing consciousness.

"Don't go!!" He screamed, "Please!!!"

"It's the time of choosing Aryan! You or her?" A mysterious voice made him look above, the green stone flying above them in grace.

Tara looked up, her sight blurring. Another faint smile took over her, "Aryan!" she called softly, making him look down.

"Remember? You should.....choose yourself!!" She smiled.

He smiled faintly with a shook, his hands cupping her face, "Tara, you know I cannot!"

Tara chuckled, "You will..... only make me live in regret!!"

"I wouldn't.....like that!!"

He smiled, "You'll at least....live!!"

"And...worry not, men will die to just get your hand! You will.....meet the one for sure, sooner or later!!"

Tara cried in pain, her hand holding his collar, "Don't you.....dare!!" she warned.

His hand held hers, comforting her, caressing her hair, "Your decision would mean..... I never loved you!!"

She broke down, "I can never live that way!! Please.... Aryan!! Choose yourself!!"

He shook his head, adjusting her hair, placing a soft kiss on her forehead with a lean, "Only after you!!" he whispered.

Tara cried, laying in his lap, watching him seeking for the stone which immediately surrendered itself to him. "Aryan!!" She tried to stop him for one last time, feeling helpless as the pain in her heart increased.

"I love you Tara, today, tomorrow, and forever!!" He confessed with a soft smile, placing the stone on her chest, which began to sink in her body, a vibrant glow emanating the act, blinding them.

Aryan felt his breath suffocating, his head paining, yet his hand never left hers'.

************

Aryan shot his eyes open with a loud gasp, suffering for breath! His gaze unstable, searching, until it fell on her.

His love!!