The fluorescent lights of the hospital hallway flickered softly against the quiet midnight air. Standing near the glass window outside the Intensive Care Unit, Tanishq stared down at his hands. As a pediatrician, he spent his days comforting terrified parents and healing little hearts, but tonight, faced with his own grandmother's upcoming critical surgery, the medical knowledge in his head was a heavy burden. He knew every risk, every potential complication, and every decimal point in that 50-50 survival statistic.

A soft step echoed behind him, followed by the familiar, soothing scent of lavender.