Sitting alone at the midnight hour gave Naksh time to think on what to do next. He was going to udaipur the next day as food inspectors were coming to Krishna, but he knew that the entire time he would only be worried about Kartik and Naira. He had decided to stay with Naira and Kartik in Naira's house for his last night in Goa instead of staying at Kartik's family house.

Kartik had gotten discharge from the hospital earlier this evening, but he had been asked to come every alternate day to the hospital to get his dressings changed. Luckily, he didn't have any post surgical complications. Kartik had been advised simple food and proper bed rest for sometime.

Naksh knew that he couldn't hide the truth of Naira and Kairav being alive forever from his families. It was bound to come out someday and would impact both the families drastically. The Singhania's would be angry at first, would shout at Naira, but then would also accept her readily after that.

No, it was the Goenka's, of whose reaction Naksh was worried about, especially dadi. As much as they would be glad to see Kairav, they would also be the same amount of angry on seeing Naira and won't welcome her back with open arms. It won't matter to them that Kartik and Naira were still lawful wedded husband and wife.

That's why he wanted Kartik and Naira to sort out there differences. He didn't know if they would become like before (the kartik and naira who couldn't stay away from each other), or if their relationship would take an entirely new turn or if they decide to divorce each other.

But Naksh knew one thing, that if both Kartik and Naira forgive each other and moved on, which both hadn't in the past five years, and even if they just decide to remain friends from now on, both would help each other out immensely. Naira would help Kartik in getting out of the mental problems which he had and Kartik would help Naira in getting back together with both the families.

In a way Naksh was thankful that Kartik's project would take at least 3-4 months to be completed which would give Naksh enough time to try to heal the rift between Kartik and Naira, and to properly think on how to introduce Naira and Kairav to the families.

Naksh was at least happy that Kartik wasn't going to go again seeking a fight, as Naksh had made Kartik promise on Kairav's name to leave his street fighting as a thing of the past.

As he got up from the sofa in the hall to go to his room to sleep, he suddenly heard footsteps. Naksh turned sideways to see Kartik coming out of the bedroom. Kartik came in the hall, so lost in his thoughts, that he didn't even realise that Naksh was standing there. Naksh immediately understood from his expression that he hadn't slept at all since going to bed.

Naksh spoke gently :- kartik.

Kartik was startled and immediately turned to face him. His eyes went wide for a moment before his face became full of confusion.

Kartik :- Naksh, tum itni raat ko yahan ? Soye kyun nahi ab tak ?

Naksh :- ye baat toh main tughse bhi puch sakta hoon. Soya kyun nahi ab tak ?

Kartik :- nahi, main toh bas–

Naksh :- jhooth mat bolna, tughe ache se pata hai, ki main tera jhoot pakad loonga.

Kartik sighed.

Kartik :- pata nahi bas neend nahi aa rahi.

Naksh :- kartik, tughe pata hai na doctor ne rest karne ko kaha hai tughe ?

Kartik :- i know, par pata nahi kyun ajeeb sa lag raha hai.

Naksh :- kyun ? Kya hua ?

Kartik :- pata nahi, ya toh shayad bed pe nahi so raha main.

Naksh sighed. He knew Kartik's habit of sleeping on the floor on a mattres.

Kartik :- haa, shayad isliye nahi so paa raha.

Naksh :- ya phir kuch aisi soch mein doobe mein ho, ki so nahi paa rahe.

Kartik looked at Naksh, both he and Naksh sat down on the sofa.

Naksh :- kya baat hai mere bhai, bol na ? Kya hua ?

Kartik :- pata nahi Naksh, confuse hoon.

Naksh :- confuse ?

Kartik :- pichle ek se dedh mahine mein life ne aisi palti maari hai ki kuch samagh nahi aa raha.

Naksh understood, Kartik was still processing everything which had happened in the last month, he was in a very fragile state, both emotionally, physically and mentally.

Naksh :- i know kartik, i understand. Mere liye bhi ye sab kuch aasaan nahi hai, but ye life hai kartik, kisi ke liye nahi rukti, move on karna hoga, aage badhna padega.

Kartik nodded :- i know bas kabhi kabhi dar lagta hai.

Naksh was confused.

Naksh :- kaisa dar ?

Kartik :- ki kahin ye sab ek sapna toh nahi, ki kahin maine move on kar liya aur phir baad mein mughe pata chale ki ye sab ek sapna tha, i don't think I'll be able to bear it. Itne dard jhele hai maine, par ye wala dard nahi bardash kar paaonga, 2 baar apne bacchon ko Chuka hoon main, teesri baar nahi seh paaonga.

Naksh thoughts :- 2 baar Naira ko bhi toh kho chuke ho, teesri baar sehen kar paoge kya kartik ? Tumhe kya lagta hai ki tum kuch bolte nahi toh kya main samaghta nahi.

Kartik :- thak gaya hoon Naksh ab main, apni kismat se ladte ladte, ab aur ladne ki himmat nahi hai mughe mein. I am tired Naksh, i am tired.

Naksh looked at Kartik who had a painfull expression on his face with tears threatening to fall down from his eyes.

Naksh :- kartik, sach kahoon toh mughe sach mein nahi pata ki tughe aisa kya kahoon, jisse tere Mann ka bhojh halka ho jaye. I know ki tune bahut kuch sehen kiya hai, jo shayad koi aur kar bhi na paaye, par tughe koshish toh karni hogi Kartik, haar maan ne se kuch nahi hoga, isliye dar mat, tu aaj tak kisi se problem se Dara hai, jo aaj dar raha hai, thodi si hi sahi par koshish kar, problems apne aap solve ho jayengi, solutions apne aap niklenge aur jaise jaise problems solve hongi, aage bhadne ki himmat bhi aaegi. I know it won't be easy but I also know that you can do it, kyun ki life mein aise koi kaam nahi hai, jisko tu thaan le aur na kar paaye. Tu bahut lucky hai kartik, trust me, bahut kam log hote hain, jinhe baar baar mauka milta hai, apni life change karne ka, and you are one of those, jisse ye mauka mil raha hai, ye sapna nahi hai Kartik, it's a chance, issey waste mat kar mere bhai, warna baad mein tere paas sirf regret reh jaega aur kuch nahi. And I'll be there to support you on every step you take, chahe vo chota ya bada, main tere saath hoon.

Kartik looked at Naksh.

Kartik :- thanks naksh. Sach kahoon tughe kitna bhi thank you bolu vo kam hai, par phir bhi, thank you.

Naksh smiled.

Naksh :- chal ab so jaa. Raat bahut ho gayi hai, aur main bhi thoda rest kar leta hoon.

Both got up from the sofa.

Naksh :- kartik.

Kartik :- hmm.

Naksh :- i know ki tughe sone mein dikkat ho rahi hai, aur tu niche nahi so sakta because of your injuries.

Kartik nodded.

Naksh :- meri ek baat maan,  bed par jaa aur Kairav ka haath pakad ke sone ki koshish kar. Trust me, it'll help you.

Kartik nodded and went to the his room.

Naksh had wanted to talk with Kartik about Naira also, but he knew that Kartik was emotionally unstable right now, and might not take it well. Well, he would think about that later, now he needed rest.

Kartik entered the bedroom, walked near the bed and slowly laid down on it, making sure not to disturb Kairav and Naira's sleep.

As he laid down on the bed, his body stiffened, still uncomfortable to the softness and warmth of the bed, or maybe uncomfortable to the warmth of another person on the same bed. For five years, he had slept alone on a mattress on the ground, it was hard to suddenly start sharing his sleeping space, that too on a bed , like nothing had happened.

Kartik gently searched and took Kairav's hand in his hand. As soon as he touched Kairav's hand, some of the tension left his body as it relaxed slightly. Kartik couldn't help but smile a bit, his son was sleeping but still helping him in an unknown way.

Kartik turned sideways and leaned up slightly to face Kairav, who was sleeping peacefully, he couldn't help but smile at his son. And then as if by an invisible force his face shifted slightly from Kairav to look at Naira.

Kartik just stayed in that position, kept looking at Naira, his eyes lingered on her, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't look away.

It was dark, the only light present in the room was the moonlight which was coming from the windows with slightly pulled apart curtains, but for that time, that was enough.

To any outsider, it would have looked like a perfect family moment, a father looking at his family with love, but for Kartik, it was slightly different. For a moment, his mind was just focused on the present.

The events in the last month hadn't given him any moment of concentration, but now, lying on the bed, with his eyes focused on Naira, Kartik couldn't help but accept that motherhood had done wonders on Naira. She had grown even more beautiful.

Even after five years of being without Naira, Kartik still remembered everything about her. Her expressions, her smell, her sweetness, her smile, her taste, everything about her. Her dreams, her memories had haunted him everyday.

Kartik eyes kept drinking Naira's beauty, and for a moment her laugh rang in his mind, the sound she made whenever she was happy. Her face seemed calm, like she had no worry in the world, her face seemed etheral to him and–

Kairav shifted slightly in his sleep causing Kartik to come out of his thoughts, kartik shook his head and looked down at his son. Kartik leaned down and kissed Kairav's forehead before lying down still facing Kairav, with Kairav's hand in his, Kartik closed his eyes. He was finally staring to feel sleepy and decided not to waste any more time by thinking random thoughts.

Naksh and Kartik were sitting in the car as they were going to the airport. Kartik would drop Naksh and then would go to the office. Kartik hadn't gone to his office since his surgery. Thankfully the work was very less in the last few days, which didn't necessarily require him to go to the office, and whatever minor work was required, he would do it on the phone.

Kartik knew that if the work got delayed, then Manish would ask questions or may come here himself, which he didn't want, at least not for some time. Kartik knew he was supposed to be resting that's why would go the office just for 2-3 hours and then go back to his house, before going back to Naira's.

As they reached the airport, both got our the car. Naksh pulled out his luggage as Kartik helped him. Kartik and Naksh stood before each other.

Naksh :- apna khayal rakhna, and take your medicines on-time.

Kartik nodded.

Naksh :- aur maine david se kaha hua hai ki tum apne kisi dost ke saath reh rahe ho, aur abhi wahin rahoge, at least for the foreseeable future, toh by chance agar vo kuch puche toh ussey yahi kehna.

Kartik nodded.

Naksh :- aur haa, main batana bhul gaya, koi tumse bahut naraz hai ?

Kartik was confused.

Kartik :- kon ?

Naksh :- tumhara ladla, vansh.

Kartik eyes widened.

Naksh :- gayu se meri baat Hui toh usne bataya, ki bahut naraz hai vo tumse. Itne dino se tumne ussey baat nahi ki na, isliye.

Kartik smiled awkwardly, as he rubbed the back of his head.

Kartik :- arey haa, main toh bhul hi gaya, bahut gussa hoga vo mujhse abhi.

Naksh :- aur nahi toh kya.

Kartik :- kuch acha sa gift bhejna hoga uske liye, i know, muh fulake baitha hoga.

Naksh chuckled. He brought his hand up to keep on Kartik's shoulder.

Naksh :- kartik, i know you are going through a rough patch right now, par main jaanta hoon ki you'll pull through this. If there's anyone can do this, it's you.

Kartik smiled slightly.

Kartik :- thanks Naksh, for always being there. Main tumhe bata nahi sakta ki main kitna lucky hoon for having a brother like you.

Naksh smiled and hugged Kartik who hugged him back. They seperated.

Naksh looked out the window as his flight took off from the airport.

Naksh's thoughts :- hey bhagwan, main nahi jaanta aage kya hoga, bas kuch aisa ho, jis se hum sab ki aur khas kar ki Kartik Naira ki life pehli jaisi ho jaye, vaapas wahi khushiyan aa jaye, jo hamare parivar mein pehli thi.

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

I updated a chapter of 'I'll always love you' sometime ago, so if you haven't read it, please read it.

From the next chapter slowly and slowly KaiRa bonding will start, i have a few ideas given by you guys, which I plan to put in the story and if you have more ideas, you are more than welcome to tell me.