chapter 3 - Between Duty and Home

...✨...

...Not every battle begins on the field........

...some begin in the quiet moments before leaving....

...✨...

(Third Person POV )

The door of Sasha's cabin opened slowly.

"Ma'am... can we come in?"

Sasha looked up.

Aarav stood at the front.

Behind him-Meera, Riya, Naina, Ishita...

and just behind them, Kabir, Dev, and Rohan.

Prisha was already inside, leaning back comfortably.

Sasha closed the file in front of her.

"Come in."

They stepped in....

quietly.

No one spoke at first.

Aarav finally did.

"Ma'am... about the deployment..."

He hesitated.

"We're not sure if we'll be able to handle it."

The words came out all at once.

Naina added softly,

"What if we mess up?"

Meera looked down.

"It's not like hospital duty..."

Even Kabir stayed silent this time.

The room held their nervousness.

Sasha stood up.

And just like that-

attention shifted to her.

"You're not expected to be perfect," she said calmly.

Her eyes moved across each of them.

"You're expected to stay focused. To learn."

A pause.

"You won't be alone."

Something in her voice steady, unshaken began to settle them.

Dev nodded slightly.

"We'll adapt."

Riya exhaled.

"Yeah... we will."

Kabir straightened.

"Well, if we're going to survive extreme conditions, we should at least start acting brave."

Rohan laughed.

"Start? I've been brave my whole life."

Ishita rolled her eyes.

"Delusional."

A small ripple of laughter passed through the room.

The tension eased.

Prisha clapped lightly.

"That's better. I was getting bored of the serious faces."

Aarav scratched his neck.

"So... we'll actually manage this?"

Sasha gave a small nod.

"We will."

And this time

they believed it.

Not fully.

But enough.

Sasha picked up a file.

"Listen carefully."

Now....her tone turned professional.

"We leave in three days for Leh-Ladakh."

Silence.

"You will receive field kits, cold-weather gear, and medical assignments."

Ishita leaned forward slightly.

"What about facilities?"

"Limited," Sasha replied.

"Which means...."

"We improvise," Dev completed.

Sasha nodded.

"Exactly."

She continued...."Emergency handling, trauma response, high-altitude conditions-everything will be real."

Aarav swallowed.

"Understood, ma'am."

"And one more thing," Sasha added.

"No one backs out."

The message was clear.

Later that evening inside her home in Chandigarh "Maa, I'm home," Sasha said as she stepped in.

Her younger brother appeared instantly.

"Didi, Sasha, you're finally back!"

She looked at him.

"Arjun, you sound like I was gone for weeks."

"Feels like it," he shrugged dramatically.

Her mother aka....Gurleen kaur walked in from the kitchen.

"Sasha, you're early today."

Her father aka....Harpreet Singh Shergill looked up from the sofa.

"Sasha, everything alright?"

She nodded.

"I have to leave in three days."

Her mother paused.

"Where, Sasha?"

"Leh-Ladakh."

Arjun's face lit up.

"Snow? Mountains? That's actually amazing!"

Her father's voice came steady.

"Sasha, it's not a vacation."

"I know."

A brief silence.

Then......

"Sasha, be careful," he said.

Her mother stepped closer.

"Sasha, you'll take care of yourself?"

"Yes."

Arjun grinned again.

"Sasha, bring me something cool from there."

She shook her head slightly.

"I'll try."

The room softened.

Warm.

Familiar.

.....

"Didi, are you seriously packing already?" Arjun asked.

"Yes."

"That's boring."

She glanced at him.

"It's necessary."

"Sasha, take more warm clothes," her mother said, walking in.

"I have enough."

"Sasha, weather there isn't normal," her father added.

"I know."

Arjun dropped onto the bed.

"Sis...,at least take something fun."

She looked at him.

"I'm not going on vacation."

"Still," he shrugged, "bring something back."

A faint smile appeared.

"I will."

Miles away.....

inside his home...."Bhai, Agastya, you're here!"

Kavya ran toward him.

He steadied her instinctively.

"I just got time."

Aryan leaned against the wall.

"Agastya bhai, finally decided to visit us?"

Agastya gave him a look.

"Don't start."

Aryan smirked.

"Or what?"

A faint hint of amusement passed through Agastya's eyes.

His mother aka... Meera Thakur stepped forward.

"Agastya, you're leaving again, aren't you?"

"Yes."

His father's....aka....Rajveer Singh Thakur voice followed.

"Agastya, how long this time?"

"Three days. Then deployment."

"Where?" his father asked.

"Leh-Ladakh."

His grandfather (Arvind Singh Thakur) spoke firmly.

"Agastya, good. Tough places build stronger men."

His grandmother( Savitri Thakur) sighed softly.

"Agastya, strength is important... but so is taking care of yourself."

Kavya ran toward him.

"Bhai, don't forget us again."

Aryan smirked.

"Try not to disappear this time."

A faint softness crossed Agastya's expression.

"I'll be back."

For a moment everything felt normal.

Light.

Even Agastya allowed himself to feel it.

Two homes.

Two worlds.

Filled with voices that mattered.

Laughter that stayed behind.

And moments....they didn't realize they would miss.

.....

Agastya stood in his room.

Bag open.

Contents precise.

Uniforms.

Gear.

Weapons essentials.

Nothing unnecessary.

Nothing personal almost.

He paused then added something small.

Barely noticeable.

But deliberate.

"Agastya, done packing?" Aryan's voice came from the door.

"Yes."

"That fast?"

Agastya didn't respond.

Kavya stepped in.

"Bhai, at least pretend you'll miss us."

A faint softness touched his expression.

"I will."

His mother entered quietly.

"Agastya, take care of yourself."

"I will."

His father's voice followed.

"Agastya, responsibility doesn't change with location."

"It never does."

His grandfather spoke from behind "Good."

His grandmother added softly ..."Just come back safe."

The night passed.

Quietly.

Morning came.

Bags ready.

Hearts.....less so.

Two different homes.

Two different lives.

Packing what they needed.

Leaving what they couldn't carry.

...Sometimes, the hardest part isn't leaving for duty........

...it's leaving the people who make you want to stay...

...🎀...

Tbc....🌷

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