INT. HOSPITAL – MAHI'S OPD ROOM – NIGHT
The clock on the wall reads 9:47 PM. The OPD wing is mostly quiet now. The hallway lights outside cast a soft blue hue through the frosted glass.
Inside, Dr. Mahi Shaikh sits at her desk in silence.
No patients.
No charts.
Just… thoughts.
Her white coat is folded beside her. She sits in her grey kurta, hair loosely tied, sipping from a paper cup of bitter hospital coffee. It's gone cold. She doesn't even notice.
Her eyes stare into the dim, soft-lit corner of the room — but in her mind, she's somewhere else entirely.
---
FLASHBACK – EXT. CANTEEN BACKYARD – NIGHT (4 YEARS AGO)
A small bench under fairy lights.
Ahaan, in a worn denim jacket, hands her a tub of chocolate fudge ice cream with a plastic spoon.
AHAAN (teasing):
"This is your third ice cream in two days, Dr. Chocolate."
MAHI (mock-offended):
"Excuse me, I've saved lives today.
That earns me dessert privileges."
AHAAN (smirking):
"Is that how the Hippocratic Oath works now?"
She nudges him playfully with her elbow. He chuckles.
MAHI (quietly, after a pause):
"Thanks for this."
AHAAN:
"For what?"
MAHI (gently):
"For making the world feel less heavy."
He doesn't say anything.
Just looks at her — as if she's the only real thing in his entire world.
---
BACK TO PRESENT – INT. MAHI'S OPD – NIGHT
Mahi's eyes glisten in the soft desk light.
She blinks. The memory fades.
Her jaw clenches.
That softness… replaced by a sting of betrayal.
She whispers bitterly under her breath:
MAHI:
"And yet, it was all… fake."
The door opens gently.
A nurse steps in, her tone low — almost hesitant.
NURSE (softly):
"Dr. Mahi… sorry to disturb…"
MAHI (without looking):
"It's fine. What is it?"
NURSE:
"ICU-3. He's awake."
Mahi looks up sharply. Her heart skips — but her face shows no reaction.
NURSE (carefully):
"He whispered your name."
For a long, long second… Mahi says nothing.
The silence thickens. The walls seem to pulse with memory.
She closes her eyes.
Her hand trembles slightly over the coffee cup.
The past knocks again.
But is she ready to open the door?