To Dev (01:02): Goodnights....

There was no reply for a long time. Just as I was about to place my phone back, my phone buzzed creating a jittery feeling in my stomach. When I opened my eyes almost popped out from their sockets!

From Dev (01:10): Goodnights darling! Love you...and...Miss me

This feeling is so strange. It stretches throughout my whole body. It's overwhelming, yet makes me feel complete. I felt as though someone was watching me yet it didn't feel creepy. I felt safe..... Either way, it's a magical feeling which causes me to shiver in complete pleasure and ecstasy.

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Sonakshi's eyes was glued to the phone as she tried to find a way out and run away from the dark forest. The surrounding was filled with darkness as she kept running. There was nothing she could see. She tried running away until she saw the road. She clenched her eyes shut due to the bright lights. That's when she heard the phone ringing.

She didn't know who was calling. She held the phone tightly and walked to cross the road but her leg was suddenly trapped near a rock, preventing her from moving any further. In that instance, she lost the opportunity to evade a racing car with its lights off. Even if she'd been paying attention she would have been knocked down.

As it hit her, she barely had time to scream before her air bags were knocked out. The car tumbled over into the centre of the road before coming to an absolute stop. Silence... It scared Sona more than the pain. Shouldn't she be groaning or calling out? She tried to move but she was pinned by an external force. Her neck was too fragile to move...

A crackling sound startled Sona out of her nightmare. Her cheeks were wet and her body was bathed in a cold sweat. The sheets were twisted around her limbs, probably because she was thrashing in her sleep. Her heart pounded against her chest.

Sonakshi trembled. The room was entirely dark. Darkness everywhere. The effects of the nightmare still clung to her mind, haunting her. Sona had no trouble in her room. She looked at the glass that was broken near her nightstand. Probably that's the sound that woke her from that nightmare.

There was a sudden pain in her stomach while her legs felt numb. Sona let out a frightened cry and buried her face into her pillow. Even her breaths trembled. She swallowed and once again turned to see the darkness of her room. Her head was throbbing. She needed help.... But she didn't feel like waking up Pooja. She felt like she had already troubled them much.

"Maa..." she sniffled, wishing her mother was near her.

Dev's POV

It was the most restless night for me. I didn't know why I couldn't fall asleep. Her message brought a strange happiness inside me. Even then, I couldn't smile genuinely from the bottom of my heart. She was trying to initiate a conversation and that really warmed me up. But could I ever move on from the past and behave normally?

I tried pulling the duvets and forced myself to sleep. But sleep was far away. I didn't understand why. The pillows were fluffed, the temperature in the room was perfect and even my favourite night light was on. However, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get my sleep. My eyes were open like the entrance to a tunnel. I kept on staring at the bare ceiling in a daze. Walking to the kitchen, I heated a cup of milk and added a pinch of cinnamon to it. With that, I walked out to my balcony, lit the lights on and sat down on the swing.

Suddenly the vibration in my pocket brought me out of my reverie. Who was calling me at 3am? I quickly took out my phone and starred at the caller ID.

Sonakshi?

I quickly answered the call and placed it on my ears. There was no greeting from the other side. It was just silent. The only sound I heard was the sound of her breaths. She was indeed breathing heavily...

"Hello..." her voice came and I cleared my throat.

"Um..yes?" Seriously Dev! When people say hello,....you are supposed to reply hello!, my mind taunted.

"Um...D-Dev..." she breathed as there was some kind of nervousness in her voice. What was wrong? Wait, why did she call me at 3am? Why isn't she sleeping?

"Sona.... Why aren't you sleeping? I thought you would be asleep. Is everything ok?" I asked as my worries kept increasing.

"Urm...everything is ok... I.....I just called...because I wasn't getting any sleep....I wanted to just check whether you are awake." She stuttered. But who was she lying to? I could detect her lies so easily like a lie-detecting machine.

"You sure you called me at three am because of that?" I asked and she became silent.

"I.....I am really sorry.... I called you so late...."

Fuck, is she crying?

"Sona..... Are you alright baby? Is there anyone near you? Do you want me to come there?" I asked as fear engulfed me.

"I.....am scared. I feel pain........" she stuttered as I already got up from my seat. The moment she spoke, I had already started pacing around my house.

"Where is Pooja?"

"She.....is in the next room..." her voice came out softly.

"Do you want to wake her up.....so that she can help you?"

"I.............don't want to wake her up...." She said and I sighed. Such a stubborn woman!

"Do you want me to come there?" I asked hopefully.

"No.....I don't think that's a good idea either" She groaned painfully.

"What do you mean by no! DO YOU HAVE A CHOICE..." I raised my voice as I heard her gasp. Shit....control Dev! Don't scare her away!

"I...I....sorry....I will.....put down..." she sniffled and my eyes widened.

"Wait...........I am sorry...Did you take your medicines?" I asked her softly.

"Yes...."

"Do you want to....um....take your sleeping pills for tonight?" I asked her since that was the only way she would be able to get back to sleep. I didn't want her to be there suffering alone. Damn! Only if she allowed me to come there...

"Okay..." she whispered. I could feel how exhausted she was. I wanted nothing more than to hear her voice but I couldn't keep on talking to her. She was still weak and she needed rest...

I bid goodbye to her with a heavy heart as I kept the phone. Sighing, I sat back on my swing and looked outside. Why did she call me at this time? Was she sleeping alone? Shit...I should have been a bit patient and listened to her. She sounded so terrified. Should I call Pooja? My mind became restless every minute thinking about Sonakshi.

The weird part was, there's a familiarity to her which I just couldn't shake off from my thoughts..... There was a belonging feeling inside her, which clearly explains why she called me out of all the people.

She trusted me....

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Sona's POV

I woke up late....thanks to the sleeping pill! I was so frustrated. My morning wasn't a good one. First, I was woken up by nightmares. Next, my body aches and lastly , I was scolded by Mr Dixit early in the morning. This definitely wasn't a good start.

I understand that it was stupid of me to actually call him in the middle of the night. But I didn't know why... I thought I could depend on him. The way he talked to me, gave me a feeling that I could trust him. His voice sounded really concerned. Later, I regretted calling him because now, he would be worrying about me unnecessarily.

I tried getting up from my bed with the help of the crutches. When I walked in to the washroom, I realized that I couldn't do anything by myself. I looked around and tried to think of a way. But it wasn't easy... I needed someone's help for at least removing my clothes. My back ached and I couldn't even move freely. Without any other choice, I called Pooja for help and she came in with a smile.

"Finally, you are awake. Don't worry I will help you." she said with a smile and helped me pull the zip at the back of my blouse. I was thankful that I had a friend like her or else god knows what I would be doing. After a warm shower I came out and dressed up in a simple cotton dress. There were still wounds on my thighs and ankles so the doctor had advised me not to wear anything tight for another one month.

It was so hard to take care of my own self. How I wished I get well soon because it was so awkward to call Pooja for every little thing. She had her husband and a child to take care and I was clearly a burden to her. The more I stayed there, the more I felt guilty.

During breakfast Jatin sat with us and talked about the office, lightening the environment. But my mood was just spoilt.

"Hey Sona.... What's wrong? Are you okay?" Jatin asked as I looked at him questioningly.

"Why? Don't I look fine?"

"Nope you look absolutely stunning......But your husband has called me for the hundredth time, confirming that you are ok with us... I would be thankful if you call and inform him that you are perfectly fine with us." he smiled as I started coughing.

Blushing would have been no problem, but what I did was go as red as a beetroot and radiate heat like a hot pan. Embarrassed would be an understatement. No-one could have missed it. I wanted the earth to open up and swallow me whole. Husband? I didn't know why but that word sounded so weird. The fact that he called to enquire about me, made me feel things that I shouldn't feel. Why was I getting so affected?

Just as Jatin left the house, the doorbell rang again. I sat on the sofa with Ayaan on my side. Pooja went and answered the door while I was playing with the kid. But the moment I saw the person standing at the door, my mind went blank. All the thoughts I had in my mind was gone.

It was the DEV DIXIT.

This was the first time I looked at him at a proper angle. He was dressed in his formals. The more I looked at him, the better he looked. His rich chocolate hair that had tousled griminess, promised finesse. He had strong arched brows and eyelashes so thick that it could be illegal. His eyes were deep and intimidating that I couldn't even stare at them more than a minute. This close, I could see the flecks of silver in his eyes. He had distinct cheekbones and an angular jaw, his pale skin made him look devilishly handsome. His rugged features made him look alluring as I kept gaping at him.

He was a man of any girl's dream. How did he marry me then?

While I was busy gawking at him, the sound of him clearing his throat brought me out of my wonderland. Wait....Where is Pooja? And where is Ayaan.....God how long had I been staring at him? With a smile, he came and sat next to me in the sofa, making my eyes go wide. Why was he sitting so close? He have never done that before. So why now?

I bit my lips nervously as his hands slowly came and covered mine which were on my lap. My fingers trembled at the gesture while I looked at him curiously. I tried to avoid looking at him directly while he drilled holes into the side of my face with his intense eyes.

"A rose for my lovely one!" he said as he passed me a beautiful flower.

"Thank you..." I whispered as I took the flower with my free hand.

"How are you feelingnow?" he spoke as his fingers interlinked with mine.

"Good..." I tried to say in a firm voice but it came out as a squeak when I made a mistake of looking into his eyes.

"So, are we going to talk about what happened last night?" he asked as I gulped. Shit... I knew it. Now you are stuck, Sona!

"S...sorry I called you so late....I didn't really see the t...time....I was umm....checking whether the phone was working!" I blurted as the sides of his lips quirked up a bit and his eyes shone in amusement. It was as if I was hell-bent on making a fool out of myself in front of him and it was proven exactly that way.

"Oh really?" he asked as I nodded awkwardly, wanting to get away before I make a complete fool out of myself.

"Hmm..... So you didn't miss me?" he asked confidently as I turned back and with that, he inched closer to me so that his face was only inches away.

"M-miss you?" I repeated idiotically as he nodded slowly controlling the smile in his face. His eyes never left mine as I prayed for him to move further away...

"I....wasn't getting sleep...." I said not knowing what to say.

"That's not what I asked...." He breathed while his strong presence was getting too much for me. He leaned in further until I felt his cool breath on my face.

"N..no I wasn't missing anyone...." I answered mentally face-palming at my shaky speech. I had never met faced anyone as intimidating as him, let alone speak. But it was thrilling. It left me blushing and stammering like a moron.

Not being able to handle the proximity, I tried to sprint away but suddenly a sharp pain shoot through my thighs. God... How much I hated myself for forgetting that I still needed the help of crutches to walk. But before I could fall back on the seat, a large pair of hands stabilized me and straightened my posture.

"Easy love..." he said as a frown covered his handsome features. His hands immediately secured me by holding my shoulders. Wait, did he just call me love?

"Didn't you sleep well last night? You look tired.....and weak...." He said examining my face as I leaned more onto him. Something about his hold was so comforting that I just felt like being there forever. I knew it sounded dramatic but he gave me the kind of comfort which I couldn't find it anywhere.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked still leaning on to him as he hummed in response. "What were you doing last night....I mean...you picked up the call in just the second ring..?" I asked curiously.

"Ouh...nothing. Actually, I lost my cuddling bear so I couldn't go to sleep as well..." he pouted. Seriously? Cuddling bear?

"Do you really sleep with a cuddle bear?" I asked giving him an unbelievable look. But before I could process his answer, he carried me in bridal style and walked me to the dining area. I looked around to see whether Pooja was anywhere around but she was nowhere to be found.

My heart almost went through a quick cardiac arrest. If anyone had seen us, I was sure I would have fainted.

"What are you doing? Leave me...someone may come........." I panicked as he quickly placed me down near the table. "I am sorry......I am just not used to anyone carrying me before..." I apologized, not being able to take the look on his face.

"I know....but trust me. I have carried you at least 20 times a day!" he winked and an instant blush crept on my face.

"Why haven't you gone for work yet?" I asked trying to grab the chair near me.

"Are you trying to chase me out, Ms Bose?" he fake-gasped while his face had the playful smirk. While I tried to cover my stupidity, he spoke again.

"Anyways....I will be going in a while. Just wanted to check on you.." he smiled.

"No....I was just asking. Since I saw Jatin leaving a while ago.......Umm...wait where is Pooja?" I asked trying to distract his attention on me.

"Hmm..... So, you didn't notice Pooja leaving us and walking upstairs...right?" he asked as he leaned closer. "Were you checking me out when I walked in?" he whispered, brushing his stumbles on my cheeks.

"N-n-noooo" I breathed as his stumbles created weird sensations all over my body. My heartbeat quickened as I looked up into his stormy brown eyes, my chest rising and falling rapidly with my deep breaths.

"W-what are you doing?" I asked as his hands held my waist in a firm grip.

"I need a hug." he said as I gasped.

"W.what?.............N-no..." I stuttered and he stopped what he was doing.

Pulling away, he walked to the other side and grabbed another chair. Sitting next to me, he moved closer till our knees were touching.

"Was ours an arranged marriage?" I blurted out after lots of hesitation and he eyes widened once the question was out. He composed himself and took his time to study my face before answering.

"Nope..." he paused and looked at me.

"We dated for 3 years.....Then we graduated. I went overseas for three years while you were working here. So, once I came back.... Um...we got married." He said as his eye contact was missing this time. But he possessed a grace which I hadn't expected a man of his size to hold.

"Oh....okay..."

"Would you like to come back with me? Stay with me, please?" he asked but it sounded like a plea. There was so much of desperation in his voice that almost had me guilty. Was I a good wife? Here my husband was pleading me and I was behaving like a difficult person.

He took a step forward closing all the distance between us, his eyes barring my own while I looked up at him, still contemplating my response. His melting eyes held hope and an odd fear which had me stumbling for words.

"I...I can't" I finally blurted out and the hopes in his eyes immediately diminished.

"Why not? Are you scared of me?" he demanded as his jaws clenched tightly. My eyes widened, thinking about how I could respond to that. I gulped nervously and tried to step back but he held my wrists and pulled me closer to him. I felt like I was trapped in his eyes. But I just couldn't lie, despite of how much I wanted to.

"Yes...." I said quietly but my voice seemed to be crystal clear through the house in the deadly silence. His eyes shut tightly in what I assume is pain as he moved closer till his forehead touched mine.

"I love you..." he said and immediately walked away to the kitchen.

God...what have I done?

Dev's POV

I walked to the kitchen and saw Pooja busy with her work there. I sighed and sat on the kitchen counter when I saw her walking towards me.

"Hey Dev, have you talked to Sona? What is she saying?" Pooja asked casually as I rolled my eyes and sat on the kitchen counter with a frown.

"Nothing interesting......... It's the same thing. She doesn't want to come back. I guess she is going to settle here forever." I poured out my frustrations as Pooja while she looked at me amusingly.

"I don't mind her staying here forever. I guess Jatin won't mind either!" she chuckled and I frowned at her.

"This is not funny. She doesn't trust me, Pooja! You get that?" I grunted as she looked at me and sighed.

"Now you know how it feels.....not to be trusted!"

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After a long conversation with Pooja, I left the kitchen. I vented out all my anger and frustrations on her while Pooja made me understand how confused Sonakshi was. She clearly was new to everything. She assured me that she will talk to her and make her understand everything slowly. So, with that confidence, I started heading towards the door.

"Er..hmm..." someone coughed as I turned back.

It was none other than the only person whom I had lost my heart to. She stood in the corner and walked slowly towards me with the help of the crutches. I badly wanted to help her. But at the same time, stopped myself in order to not scare her away. But the next thing she did, took me in a surprise.

Her hands wrapped around my torso. At first, I thought she was trying to balance herself.... but no! She slowly covered the distance and dug her head in my neck causing me to stiffen. God... please don't tell me it's a dream. If it was, I didn't want to wake up. Before I could complete the hug.... She pulled off. Her face was flushed red while I stared at her in complete shock.

Guess this was already a big step for her.

"I thought maybe.....urm.....I could give a goodbye hug!" she said as my eyes widened. My hands went around her petite frame as my other hand cupped her cheeks.

"Thank you.....It made my day. I will leave now." I smiled. While I was halfway walking out, I heard her voice.

"Don't worry Mr Dixit... your cuddling bear will return to you soon" she said putting a smile on my face.

Damn...She understood!

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Precap : Sonakshi's continuous nightmares...

Some of the best moments in life are the ones you can't share with anyone.