Kartik and Naksh were both sitting in the car. Kartik in the evening had gotten discharge from the hospital. The doctor had told Kartik to be cautious, his wounds were still fresh and would take time to heal, especially the one on his abdomen which he had got from his last fight, as his opponent had stabbed him.

His forearms, his abdomen, his back, was covered in dressings. The doctor had asked him to come regularly to the hospital, precisely every other day to change his dressings. Physically he was better, but mentally he was not.

Naira's truth had shattered him even much more than before. Naksh looked at Kartik, who was staring out of the window, completely lost.

Naksh thoughts :- koi insaan jo pehle se hi itna jyada toota hua ho, uske aur kitne tukde honge. Kahin iski halat aur jyada na bigad jaaye. Hey bhagwan, koi toh raasta dikhao, jisse ye thik ho sake.

It seemed that God was listening to Naksh and had decided to grant his wish, as the answer came from Kartik's mouth, the next moment itself.

Kartik :- Naksh, mughe mere bete se milna hai.

Naksh :- huh ? Kya ?

Kartik turned towards him.

Kartik :- mera beta naksh, mera baccha, Kairav.

In all the chaos, from yesterday to today, Naksh had almost forgotten about this one crucial information. The child. Kartik and Naira's son, Kairav. The son for which he had mourned for five years.

Naksh :- kartik, abhi bahut der-

Kartik :- paanch saal toh pehle hi guzar gaye hai Naksh, ab aur kitna intezar karonga apne bacche se milne ke liye.

And in that moment, Naksh felt hope. A hope which had vanished five years ago. Kartik had given up the will to live. But now he would want to live. If not for anyone else, he would at least want to live for his son.

Naksh didn't know how the relationship between Kartik and Naira was going to work now. Because technically they were still husband and wife. A legally married couple. But it would not be the same as before and knowing Kartik's current mental state, he may even ask for a divorce.

If he was being honest with himself, Naksh didn't know. Hell, he didn't know how his relation with Naira was going to work. And what about the family!!?? How would they react when they find out the truth !!??

But Naksh decided to worry about that later. For now, Kartik's health was more important. Kartik needed stability in his life, and Kairav would provide that stability. So with hope in his heart, Naksh turned the car around and took the route to Naira's house.

After half an hour they reached Naira's house. Both got out of the car and went to the door and rang the doorbell. To their relief and surprise, it was Lisa who opened the door, who immediately hugged Kartik as soon as she saw him.

Kartik winced slightly. Lisa realised this and immediately steeped back.

Lisa :- i am sorry Kartik, i am really sorry.

Kartik :- it's ok.

Lisa :- how are you kartik ? Feeling better then before ?

Kartik :- i am fine.

But Lisa knew better, she knew that he was everything but fine.

Kartik :- vo Lisa, mughe Kairav se milna hai. Kahan hai vo ?

Lisa was quiet for a moment, she looked at Kartik, then at Naksh, then again at Kartik before speaking.

Lisa :- Kartik, i think you should go to your house, tum rest Karo, aaram Karo, apna dhyaan rakho, kal ye sab-

Kartik exclaimed :- kal Lisa, kal !!!!! Already paanch saal guzar gaye hai !!! Paanch saal !!! Ab tum keh rahi ho ki kal ??!!

Kartik was almost on the edge of shouting. Naksh put his hand on Kartik's shoulder.

Naksh :- shaant ho jaa Kartik, calm down, vaise bhi doctor ne tere ko jyada stress lene se mana kiya hai.

Naksh turned to Lisa.

Naksh :- Lisa, main tumhara point bhi samaghta hoon, but tum bhi iss baat ko samgho, after all that Kartik's been through, he deresves this.

Lisa sighed. As much as she wanted to say no, she knew that Naksh was right.

Lisa :- vo peeche garden mein-

Kartik didn't stay to listen after that and immediately entered the house, to go to the garden.

Lisa turned towards Naksh.

Lisa :- naksh, I hope everything will be ok.

Naksh :- to be honest Lisa, i don't know. I don't know ki aage kya hoga. Acha suno. I wanted to ask you something ?

Lisa :- haa bolo.

Naksh :- tumne Kartik ki bimaari, aur uski street fighting ke baare mein Naira ko toh nahi bataya na ?

Lisa :- naira ??

Naksh :- i mean Tina.

Lisa winced.

Lisa :- ohhh!! Sorry sorry. Haa, i mean maine tina ko kuch nahi bataya hai. Lekin vo baar baar puch rahi thi ki how do i know him, toh bas maine itna bol diya ki, he saved my life.

Naksh sighed in relief.

Naksh :- thank you Lisa, and please abhi kuch mat kehnaa.

Lisa nodded.

Naksh :- thanks Lisa, please take care of Kartik and wait for a moment.

Naksh went towards the car and brought out a packet with him. It contained Kartik's medicines. From the strips, Naksh cut one one tablet of whatever medicine Kartik had to take at night and gave it to Lisa.

Naksh :- Lisa, please do me one more favor. I don't think ki Kartik aaj yahan se kahin jaega, toh please raat ko khaane ke baad, ussey ye medicines zaroor khila dena.

Lisa nodded and took the medicines from him.

Naksh :- thank you Lisa. Thank you.

Naksh turned around.

Lisa :- naksh, tum kahan jaa rahe ho??

Naksh :- I'll stay at Kartik's house. Vaise bhi, I think I should stay alone today, to clear my head. Pichle 1-2 dino mein jo kuch bhi hua hai, uski wajah se.

Lisa didn't say anything, just nodded. Naksh left from there and Lisa closed the door.

Kartik walked as fast as he could and reached the garden. And there Kartik saw him.

His son.

Kairav.

Playing football with Na-, his mother. Both of there backs were towards him but Kartik could see him, recognise him from the back itself. And as if fate wanted them to meet, Kairav suddenly turned around and saw Kartik, and there eyes met.

And in that moment, Kartik felt something in his heart, something which had vanished years ago, something which awoke again in his heart. Love.

Pure, unadulterated love.

For his child, for his son, whose death he had mourned for five years. For whose death, he had blamed himself, whose death had pushed him to attempt suicide, whose death had caused him to cry every single day for the past five years.

But no more, his days of crying were finally coming to an end. For the first time in years, Kartik wanted to live, wanted to laugh, wanted to cry in happiness instead of pain.

Kairav :- PAPA!!!!

Kairav left the game of football and ran towards his father who also ran towards Kairav. They met halfway, Kartik went on his knees and hugged Kairav tightly, who hugged him back with the same intensity.

Pain shot up in his abdomen and arms where Kairav was hugging him tightly, but Kartik didn't care. He didn't care, Kartik inhaled the scent of his son. A scent which he would forever remember for the rest of his life.

Kartik couldn't describe the raw emotion he was feeling right now, having his son in his arms. This was different compared to when he had met Kairav few days ago, for the first time.

At that time, to Kartik, Kairav was a stranger's child who had mistakenly assumed Kartik as his father, and Kartik had played along, not wanting to break Kairav's heart. But now he knew, Kairav wasn't a stranger, Kairav was his own son, his own flesh and blood.

Kairav pulled back.

Kairav :- papa, aap aa gaye ?

Kartik didn't let go of Kairav, still holding him with his hands.

Kartik :- haa baccha, main aa gaya.

Kairav:- mumma ne kaha tha ki aap phir se kisi mission par gaye ho ? Aapka mission khatam ho gaya ?

Kartik looked at Naira who was staring at him in shock. He looked at her coldly before looking back at Kairav.

Kartik :- beta, aaj ke baad aap ke papa kahin nahi jaenge, hamesha aapke pass rahenge.

Kairav :- sachii !!??

Kartik :- muchi.

Kairav :- yay !!!

Kairav hugged Kartik again, and Kartik held on to it. He could just stay like that forever and ever. Holding his sweet innocent son in his arms.

They finally separated and Kairav ran towards Naira and grabbed her hand and pulled her towards Kartik.

Kairav :- mumma, dekho, papa aa gaye.

As Kairav pulled Naira towards Kartik, she slowly came near him. Both of them stared at each other. Naira was glaring at him, and Kartik was looking at her, completely poker faced.

It was an odd scene, a couple staring at each other, like it was some sort of competition, and there son looking up at them with nothing but pure happiness on his face. To an outsider it would have looked like a happy family moment but the reality was far from that.

Both broke from there staring contest, as Kairav called out to them.

Kairav :- Mumma. Papa.

KaiRa :- haa baccha..

Both Kartik and looked at each other and then at Kairav.

Kairav :- mughe bhook lagi hai.

Naira :- haa mera baccha, dinner ready hai. Chalo khaate hai.

Kairav :- papa, aap bhi dinner karoge na hamare saath ??!! Mumma ne kachori banai hai.

Both Kartik and Naira looked at each other and for a moment, flashbacks of different memories ran through both there minds simultaneously.

Suddenly a voice spoke from behind them. It was Lisa, who came near them.

Lisa :- nahi Kairav, papa kachori nahi khaa sakte.

Kairav :- par kyun Lisa the pizza ?

Lisa :- vo isliye Kairav, kyunki papa bimaar hai, unhe abhi ye sab khaana mana hai.

Kairav looked at Kartik.

Kairav :- kyun papa, aapko kya hua ?

Kartik didn't know what to say. He didn't want to lie to his son, but he couldn't even tell the truth also. Thankfully, Lisa saved him.

Lisa :- vo Kairav, aapko pata hai na, ki aapke papa ek secret mission par the.

Kairav nodded.

Lisa :- toh ussi mein aapke papa ko thodi si chot lag gayi. Toh doctor uncle ne unhe thode dino tak ye sab khaane se mana kiya hai.

Kairav :- kya hua aapko papa !!?? Aapko jyada chot lagi hai kya ? Aap thik ho na !!??

Kartik felt tears in his eyes as he saw Kairav's love and concern for him. He hugged Kairav.

Kartik :- haa mera baacha, jyada chot thodi na lagi hai mughe. Bas thode dino ki baat hai, phir aapke papa, aapke saath, khelenge, ghumenge.

Kairav :- i love you papa.

Kartik :- i love you too mera baccha.

Kairav separated from him and all of them walked inside the house.

Kairav ate kachori from Kartik hands only, Kairav had insisted and Kartik had happily agreed to it. While feeding the kachori to Kairav, Kartik couldn't help but think of the lost five years of his life.

Kartik hadn't eaten kachori for the last five years. Naira was Kartik's favorite cook, he loved the food made by her, especially kachori's. And Kartik loved to eat from her hands. After Naira's accident, everything had changed. Kartik didn't find interest in anything, not even in kachori's, and slowly and slowly his health conditions became such that it didn't allow him to eat such food.

After feeding Kairav with his hands, Lisa cooked for Kartik, which was actually nothing but some boiled vegetables with very little salt and pepper sprinkled on it.

Naira had been shocked when she had seen that. She knew how much Kartik hated boiled food and would have never given up the chance to eat kachori's, no matter how sick he might be. Unknown to her, this was the food which he had been eating for the past five years.

After dinner Lisa gave Kartik his medicines, Naira had gotten another shock when she saw the amount of medicines Kartik was taking.

Kairav kept talking to Kartik while sitting on his lap, telling him about his school life, his friends and just whatever he could think of. Kartik kept on listening to it, smiling gently all the time.

Lisa left after sometime and Naira insisted for Kairav to sleep as he had school the next day. .

Kairav :- chalo na papa, aaj aap main aur mumma, hum sab saath mein soyenge.

Kartik almost flinched at that. Kartik hadn't slept on a bed in the past five years, always sleeping on a mattress on the ground. Without Naira, the bed always felt too big for him. But he knew that he couldn't say no. It would break Kairav's heart. He looked at Naira who was looking at him impassively.

All of them slowly came to the bedroom and laid down on the bed. Kartik and Naira on the side with Kairav in the center. For a moment Kartik felt that the bed might swallow him. For the first time in five years he was going to sleep on a bed.

Both turned off the lights. Kartik lied down completely on his side but didn't relax completely, his body still stiff. He kept looking at Kairav who had fallen asleep, he could feel naira staring at him, but he didn't care.

All he cared about in that moment was Kairav. He didn't know what was going to happen tomorrow, but he didn't care. Kartik only knew one thing, that after five years of pain, suffering, torture, wishing for death, he had finally found something to live for and he was not going to give it up.

A/N :- So guys, how was it ? Please vote and tell me in the comments.

Any idea which you guys have regarding the story is most welcome. Guys, how do you think KaiRa's first meeting without Lisa and Kairav should be ??

And guys, i recently watched a Telugu movie *Sita Ramam*. And i think all of you should watch this movie, one of the best movies I have ever seen in my entire life. No vulgar language, no double meaning dialogues, no intimate scenes, what the movie has is pure, raw love story. Do check out this movie, and i am sure you will love it.