The moment the cloth was tied securely around his wound, Vikram broke the fragile stillness that had settled between them.

He turned his face away almost immediately, Without a word, he stepped back , and then redirected his attention toward the children .

The girl stood carefully, her small arms wrapped protectively around her younger sister, the baby's head resting against her shoulder, tiny fingers clutching her blouse . Vikram crouched down in front of them, lowering himself to their level .

He reached out and patted the older child's head softly . "Bachche..." he began, then paused, searching for the right words . "umm .. aap log ka ghar kahaan hai?" He swallowed. "Main choor dunga."

The girl didn't answer.

She only stared at him for a second,then turned her face toward the woman .

The woman stepped forward slightly "Hamara ghar yahan nahi hai," she said softly. "Agar aap rehne ki jagah ka kuch bandobast kar den, toh yeh aapki bahut badi kripa hogi, Maharaaj ji."

Vikram looked at her, "Please," he said , shaking his head a little. "Aap mujhe Maharaaj ji kehna band kijiye." He met her eyes. "Vikram. Sirf Vikram. Theek hai?"

She hesitated, then nodded slowly.

"As for rehne ka..." He glanced away for a moment, thinking . He looked back at her. "Hamare ghar ke upar kamre hain, woh kiraye par denae hain. Agar aap chahein... aap wahan reh sakti hain." He added immediately , "Paise dene ki koi zarurat nahi hai."

For a second, she didn't react.

Then her eyes softened, She brought her hands together instinctively, bowing her head slightly.
"Bahut... bahut dhanyavaad," she said, her voice thick with gratitude. "Aapka ehsaan hum kabhi nahi bhoolenge."

Vikram startled instantly.

"Arre—arre nahi," he said quickly, stepping forward and gently lowering her folded hands, clearly uncomfortable with the gesture. "Aise haath jodne ki koi zarurat nahi hai. It's okay." He tried to smile, almost teasing. "Relax. Chill."

"Um..." Vikram began, hesitating for just a moment as his eyes gently took in their condition again the dust clinging to their clothes . He cleared his throat softly, "Aapke kapde kaafi gande ho gaye hain... aur aapke paas zyada samaan bhi nahi dikh raha." He paused, choosing his words . "Isliye...abhi aap mere saath ghar chal lijiye. Wahan Ritu ke kapde hain, aap pehen sakti hain. Bachon ke liye bhi hum ghar jaakar dekh lenge. Maa... maa kuch na kuch zaroor kar degi."

The woman looked at him, searching his face . Then, slowly, she nodded.

He moved toward the children immediately, crouching down and lifting the younger one into his arms – the girl was still holding her younger sisssy ..

"I didn't bring my car," Vikram added casually, as though this were the most ordinary situation in the world. "Main riksha bula leta hoon."

She stiffened at once.

"Ji?" she asked, her brows knitting together in confusion.

Her gaze drifted away from him then, finally taking in the world around her properly—the vehicles rushing past ..

"Asambhaw..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Yeh... yeh vaahan... aise dikhte hain?" Her eyes widened in awe and horror together. "Aaj tak sirf suna tha..."

Vikram watched her reaction quietly for a second . Then he let out a soft chuckle, not mocking—

"Arre," he said lightly, trying to ease her fear, "ab aap yahan aa hi gayi hain na." He shifted the child slightly in his arms, smiling. "Main aapko sheher ki duniya dikhaunga... aur in chhote chhote cuties ko bhi."

She laughed.

The children giggled too .

The riksha pulled up moments later, Vikram helped them settle in carefully, making sure the woman and children were seated safely before stepping in himself, still holding the little one protectively.

AT HOME

The riksha came to a slow stop outside the house. He turned immediately, offering his hand, helping them one by one .

He handed the money to the rikshawala .

The gate creaked softly as he pushed it open.

The moment they stepped inside,Near the tulsi chauraha stood a metal lota filled with water, placed there earlier. As the woman stepped forward, her foot brushed against it accidentally, and the lota tipped, clattering softly before rolling away, water spilling across the stone floor in a shimmering arc.

She froze.

Before she could even react, Vikram was already at her side.

"Aap theek ho?" he asked quickly, concern threading through his voice as his eyes scanned her face, then her feet, then the children. "Yeh mummy bhi na... kahin bhi lota rakh deti hain."

She looked at the fallen lota, then back at him, "Arey, koi baat nahi," she said softly. "Aisa hota rehta hai."

Her calmness surprised him.

As Vikram straightened, his gaze shifted , near the entrance, sat Ganesh ji sculpture , bathed in soft yellow light, Vikram narrowed his eyes slightly , and for a fleeting second, he could have sense that ganesh ji was kindaa smirking at him, as if witnessing the entire night with quiet, knowing amusement.

He sighed under his breath, half a smile tugging at his lips.

Then, as though remembering something important, he turned back to the woman.
"Ek baat puchhna toh bhool hi gaya," he said casually, though his tone softened. "Aapka naam kya hai?"

She hesitated just a moment ..

"Mera naam Sitara hai," she said. Then she gestured gently toward the child resting on Vikram's arm .. "Aur yeh... aapke haathon mein jo hai... yeh Ishani hai."
Her fingers then moved toward the older girl, who stood holding her hand, "Aur yeh Vaishnavi."

Vikram looked at each of them once more—Sitara, Ishani, Vaishnavi and something warm stirred in his chest.

"Aap bahut pyaari.. I mean aap sabke naam..." he said slowly, sincerity evident in his voice, "bahut pyaare hain."

He felt as if Ganesh ji himself leaned closer and murmured into the stillness

"Bahu? Vikram?."

Vikram groaned softly, rubbing his face with one hand .. "umm chaiyae aap sabhi andar " he shouted "mmmmaaaa"

From the inner hallway, his mother stepped out l her eyes lifted and found him standing there.

For a brief moment, relief flickered across her face.

But then, as her gaze moved past him and settled on the unfamiliar figures standing just beside him — that softness transformed into something more observant, more searching .

Her eyes returned to Vikram.

Not accusing.

Just asking.

Vikram felt it instantly . He shifted slightly, exhaling under his breath before finally speaking, his voice deliberately calm .

"Ma..." he began, pausing just enough to gather his thoughts, "they're going to stay upstairs for a while. You remember the rooms we were planning to rent out... I thought it would be better if they stayed there instead."

He didn't rush the words.

Because he knew — she would understand what he wasn't saying.

And she did.

Her gaze lingered on his face for a second longer, studying him in that deeply intuitive way only she possessed,

Then, slowly, her expression softened..

Turning toward the girls, she allowed a gentle smile to settle on her lips, her entire demeanor shifting into warmth that felt immediate and real.

Sitara stepped forward first, her hands folding together instinctively as she greeted, her voice respectful yet carrying a faint nervousness.

"Namaste, Aunty... I hope we are not troubling you."

Vaishnavi followed quietly, mirroring her gesture,.

Vikram's mother's smile deepened.

"Oh, no, child," she replied softly, her tone filled with reassurance. "You are not troubling anyone. Please, come inside. This is your home as long as you are here."

And it didn't feel like a formality.

It felt like truth.

She led them into the living room .

"Sit down," she said gently, gesturing toward the couch. "You must all be tired. Let me bring some water first."

They settled awkwardly at first .

But even in that calm, she turned back toward Vikram, her eyes now holding a quiet firmness that left no room for delay.

"Come with me," she said.

Inside the room, away from the others, she closed the door softly behind them and faced him fully.

"What is going on?" she asked —

And this time, Vikram didn't hold back.

He explained everything ~

He didn't look away while speaking.

Because he knew he didn't need to.

She listened without interrupting him even once.

Her silence wasn't ignorance.

It was understanding.

And when he finished, there was a pause

Then she stepped closer.

Placed her hand gently on his head.

"You did the right thing," she said.

That was it..

When she walked back into the living room, something had shifted —

"Ritu!" she called.

His sister appeared almost instantly, wiping her hands as she stepped forward.
"Yes, Ma?"

"Take them upstairs," she instructed softly, "show them the rooms so they can freshen up, and bring some clothes for them."

Vikram spoke from behind her, his tone slightly hesitant.

"Ma... do we have clothes for Vaishnavi and Ishani?"

She turned, thinking for only a second before answering.

"Yes," she said. "Your niece's clothes will fit Vaishnavi. And for Ishani... for tonight, we'll manage with one of my sarees. Tomorrow, we'll go out and buy proper clothes for everyone."

There was no inconvenience in her voice.

Without overthinking it, he stepped closer and pressed a quick, affectionate kiss to her cheek.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

She smiled faintly, almost amused.

"You don't thank your mother for this," she replied, brushing his arm gently.

Sitara, who had been watching all of this unfold silently, stepped forward slowly, her eyes slightly moist, her voice carrying sincerity that could not be mistaken.

"Thank you... truly," she said. "We didn't expect... this kind of kindness. We don't even know how to repay it."

Vikram shook his head immediately, his expression firm yet gentle.

"No," he said softly. "Don't think of it like that. This isn't kindness... and it's definitely not something you owe me for. It's just... the right thing to do."

There was no pride in his voice.

Just quiet certainty.

I KNOW this chapter was a little short but that's because the year POV ends here. From the next chapter onwards, you'll finally get Aarohi and Siddhartha back again

Till then, you can follow me on Instagram @lighty_writes (same as Wattpad) for spoilers, updates, and to actually talk to me—because I'd really love that

Alsooo, don't forget to check out my other book — "Farra Meet Dalmakhni" — if you're in the mood for a chatpata teenage story ....