"Shhhh.. Hey.. it's okay. I am okay.." Charan shushed her as softly as he could. He could see she was losing it. SO he gathered her gently closer to himself. He hoisted her on hip and walked around in the office with her cradled around him like a baby. It still amazed him how much power she actually wielded and how strong she was in that impossibly small frame of hers. Especially in her short denim and 'tom and jerry' sweatshirts, she could probably pass as a school kid.

Shreya did not have tears running down her eyes. But her agitation was very apparent on her face. She was slightly out of breath and looked pale. She kept mumbling 'sorry..'. It was apparent that wherever her head was at the moment was not really a pleasant place.

Charan rocked her in his arms as gently as he could while whispering comforting words into her ears. After a while, whatever he was doing actually worked. Shreya calmed down considerably.

Charan carefully sat her on the table and fed her few sips of water. He then stroke her hair and cheeks and asked softly, "Are you okay now?? Better??"

Shreya nodded her without looking up at him.

"Come on now. Get some shut eyes first. We can talk later. You look beat.." Charan said extending his arms to lift her back up.

But Shreya stopped him midway and shook her head vigorously.

"Shreya.." Charan started trying to convince her but she opened her mouth and said firmly, "I don't want to sleep Charan.."

"Hey.. sweetheart.. you can't go on like this forever you know?? You need to get some sleep.." Charan said softly running his hands over her cheeks. That endearment somehow stuck to him in his head and thankfully Shreya did not complain after the first time.

"You don't understand, Charan. It is literally torture to keep seeing them over and over again.. sometimes they are just there talking with each other but then other times they were not really in a good situation. I see blood everywhere.. I don't even know if it was their blood because no matter what I do.. no matter how much I will.. I just couldn't reach them at all.. even when it's just a dream not being able to reach them is hell.. And no matter how much I shout and wail.. they never once look back at me. I am not able to even see their faces even though they are just there a few feet away from me. I am not able to get to them even though I could see them bleeding right there in front of me.."

Helplessness is probably the cruelest form of torture for a person like Shreya who is used to doing everything by herself. SO he could see why this was affecting her so much.

"How much sleep did you get the whole week..??" Charan asked looking at her.

"an hour maybe.. maximum of two.. every day.." Shreya mumbled her answer.

"You do realize you cannot go on like this right??" Charan asked patiently.

"Yes.. it's just.. it's not just the dream.. it's the feeling that comes along with it. It's like a warning or siren. My gut is telling me I am missing something very obvious that is staring right at me and I am not noticing it.. but for the love of God, I cannot figure out what it is.. it's just.. I just.. I am terrified I am going to lose someone else because of this.." Shreya rambled on.

"Hey.. you can't really think straight when you are not sleeping.. How are you going to catch a mistake like this??" Charan asked trying to drill some sense into the thick skull of hers.

Shreya did not have an answer for that. She was afraid to sleep.

In spite of everything, she was most terrified of is the dream in itself. She hated the feeling that it leaves behind. She couldn't help herself but think, even if it is only for a split second, that she had gotten them back only for it to shatter to pieces the next second. It's like she was losing them all over again each and every day and that's just cruel for her.

"Did you even get out of your office and went to you're apartment after that day at the hotel???" Charan asked. He knew she had spent days here, he just did not know how many.

Shreya just shook her head.

This time he did not give her an option to protest. He straight away pulled her down and walked away from the office dragging her with him.

"I'm taking you to my home. You need a change in the environment and loads of sleep. And don't worry about Akira. She is at my mum's. So you won't be waking anyone up even if you end up waking up in the middle. And as for me.. I am not leaving you alone today. So don't even think about protesting.." Charan said sternly getting them both into the elevator.

Seeing as she did not really have a choice, Shreya just said a silent okay and followed along. But her reluctance was very apparent on her face as she rode the elevator with her heads hung down.

Charan moved closer and took her face in his hands and made her look up at him and said sincerely, "Look, I know that I cannot magically get rid of your dreams for you and make it all go away. But one thing I can promise is that you won't be waking up to a desolate room jarring with some music all alone. Okay??"

"Okay.." Shreya said at last, with some spirit and followed him to his car more willingly.

Despite all the big talks, Shreya actually fell asleep in the car itself. Charan carried her into his room and laid her down carefully. He tucked her in. She slightly stirred but thankfully did not wake up.

Charan did not have the heart to leave her alone. So just sat there beside her after freshening up.

But as expected she did not really have a peaceful sleep. She was agitated and at the edge. But even then, her exhaustion did not let her wake up. On top of it, Charan stood guard the whole night even though he did not know if he was really being much of help. He kept caressing her every time she would struggle in her sleep.

It was almost dawn when Shreya, at last, calmed down and started sleeping peacefully. Charan too laid beside her and decided to get some shut eyes seeing as she was not going to wake up anytime soon.

CHaran could easily decipher how she had been sleeping the whole last week. It had not been pleasant the whole night. She had been agitated and restless even when her eyes were shut close. Even when he slept, one hand still rested on top of her head protectively and the other held on to her hand firmly.