Sameer straightened, looking into her eyes. He got up and sat on the bed, facing her, one leg tucked under him.

"Naina, kaun tha woh ladka?" He wanted to know.

She scrunched her nose, "Pata nahi... maine nahi dekha."

He was shocked, "Baat nahi hui tumhari?"

"Usne baat ki, maine nahi, maine toh uski shakal bhi nahi dekhi... aur tum kyon puch rahe ho?  Hamein jab usse koi matlab hi nahi hai toh uski baat kyon karein?" She said in an annoyed tone.

"Puch raha hun jisse mujhe pata chale jaake kiska sar phodna hai... kisne himmat ki meri jaan ke aas paas bhi fatakne ki", his low voice had traces of anger.

"Woh sab chodo... ab toh woh log chale gaye na... aur dubara main aisa hone nahi dungi... agar kisi ne kaha bhi toh bhaag jaungi ghar se", she had made up her mind.

Sameer could not help but smile, "Abhi bhag chalo... mere saath..."

"Chalo... main taiyar hun",  she smiled back, eyes still puffed, cheeks and nose still red...

He could not control and pulled her to himself, burying his face in her neck, " Oh Naina! Pichle teen chaar ghante meri zindagi ke sabse mushkil ghante the... tumhe kho dene ka khyaal mujhe pagal kar gaya tha... laga ki sab khatam ho gaya... pata nahi tumhe ab dekh bhi paunga ki nahi... meri saansein judi hai tumse... agar sach mein kuch ho jaata toh main mar jaata... "

"Shhh... aage se aisa kabhi mat kehna... aaj jo hua hai na Sameer, uske baad yeh toh pakka soch liya hai ki mujhe tumse koi alag nahi kar payega... aur iske liye mujhe kuch bhi karna pade main karungi... main ab woh pehle wali Naina nahi hun... tumhare pyaar ne mujhe mazboot bana diya hai,"  she kissed his shoulder, her voice overwhelming with emotions.

He wrapped his hands tighter around her... careful not to touch the bruise on her waist.

She rested her face in the crook of his neck, the familiar musky smell making her feel at home... safe.

They sat nestling into each other... relieved to be together.

Later, Naina sat on the bed, resting against the headboard... Sameer lay with his head in her lap while her fingers played with his hair.

"Aaj din mein jab tumse baat nahi hui toh man bada ghabra raha tha... maine kai baar phone bhi kiya par tumne ya Preeti ne nahi uthaya... shaam ko meri halat dekh ke Munna ne Swati bhabhi ko kaha phone karke puchne ko... aur jo unhone bataya... main toh pathar ban gaya... tab Munna Pandit ne hi yeh plan banaya... unhe pata tha main kal tak tumse mile bina ruk nahi paunga... Preeti ne bhi saath diya... usse pata tha main aaunga... ussi ne kaha tha darwaza andar se band karne ko... jisse agar chachiji uth bhi jaayein toh hum pakde na jaayein..." He narrated the entire sequence of events.

Naina also told him everything that happened since the time she was woken up with this shocking news... when she mentioned about how she ran to the bathroom at his touch, Sameer sat up... his face going red with anger.

"Uss ne tumhe choone ki himmat kaise ki... main uske haath tod dunga... tumne pehle kyon nahi bataya... mujhe naam batao uska..." He fumed.

Naina placed her hand on his lips, "Usko baad mein peetoge, pehle tum pakde jaoge... dheere bolo..."

He held her hand, looking at it, "Yeh haath tha?"

She nodded.

"Kahan?" His voice was just a whisper.

Naina pointed at the tip of middle and index finger.

Sameer brought them close and looked carefully. Then he kissed both the fingers... and then, before she could say anything, he took them in his mouth, rolling his tongue over them.

Each nerve in Naina's body screamed... her eyes went wide and mouth opened in a gasp. She thought she would faint.

He released them just as suddenly, "Saare nishaan mita diya... ab tumpe sirf mere nishaan hain."

The light from the lamp was partially falling on her face... still Sameer could see how red she had become.

He brought his face closer, "Kitna sharmaogi, Naina, aur kab tak... ek baar apne ghar toh aao... itni si baat se laal ho jaogi toh hamesha laal hi hoke ghumogi... kyonki main toh tumhe ek minute ke liye bhi apne se door nahi hone dunga."

Her face burned... her whole body burned... her heart was ready to jump out of the chest... sweat trickled down her neck... she wanted to run but her legs were jammed...

She closed her eyes.

Sameer smiled and went back to his position of lying in her lap. He picked up her hand and placed it in his hair, "Karo na, Naina, bohot achha lagta hai".

She swallowed, trying to bring her racing heartbeat in control...

"Sameer, ab tumhe jaana chahiye", she managed to speak after a while.

"Kyon, tumhe mera yahan rehna achha nahi lag raha?" He asked innocently.

"Tumhe pata hai aisa nahi hai... par yun itni raat ko mere kamre mein itni der rehna bhi theek nahi hai... kisi ne dekh liya toh bohot badi aafat aa jayegi." She tried to make him understand.

"Abhi nahi jaana... kabhi nahi jaana", a sudden fear gripped him at the name of leaving.

Naina stroked his hair, "Jaana toh padega... main nahi chahti ki tum kisi musibat mein pado... Sameer, tum tauji, taiji ko nahi jaante... agar unhe bhanak bhi pad gayi na tumhare baare mein toh bas... "

She shivered at the thought.

Sameer brought his hand behind her head and pulled her face down, closer to his face, "Bas kuch din, Naina, fir tumhare inn ghar walo ka rang dhang sab badal dunga... koi tumpe ungli bhi nahi rakh payega...  yeh mera wada hai tumse."

And he kissed the tip of her nose.

Naina bit her lip again, wincing at the pain it caused as her teeth hurt the already existing wounds.

Sameer released her and got up from the bed, pulling her along with him.

"Agar iss bar apne hothon ko dard diya toh fir mujhe mat rokna",  his voice had become heavier.

He was all out to kill her today...

Naina turned him and pushed him towards the balcony door, "Ab jao... nahi toh yahin subah ho jayegi."

He resisted, "Hone do na... saath mein ugte hue suraj ko dekhenge."

"Sameer... " She put her hands on the waist, pursing her lips at him.

"Achha, achha, ja raha hun... aise ghuro mat",  he turned and reluctantly walked out.

Before reaching the door, he abruptly stopped, and turned again, "Woh Naina, ek baat toh bhul gaya."

"Kya?"

He crushed her in his arms, "Good night kehna bhul gaya."

Bringing his lips closer to her cheeks, he whispered, "Good night kiss dena bhi bhul gaya."

Naina kept her fingers on his lips, "Sab ho gaya... ab jao."

He wrinkled his nose, "Sach mein jaun?"

She nodded and placed her hands on his chest, pushing him.

Sighing, he walked out and climbed down the pipe, after checking the road for any movement.

He discreetly looked at her window and walked back to the next lane where his bike was parked.

Naina checked from the window of her room, watching him moving out of her vision. Then, she went to open the door of her room... and woke up Preeti, who was sleeping on the sofa... bringing her back to the bed. Preeti just dragged herself and collapsed on the bed, eyes groggy with sleep.

Taking a long breath, Naina laid down... thinking about what all had happened in one single day... the longest day of her life... that started with a nightmare and ended with a dream... yes, Sameer in her room, at this time of the night, the relief at knowing that they were there for each other,with each other... the closeness, the coziness... it was all a dream... a dream come true.

She looked at her two fingers... and shivered... then slowly brought them to rest on her lips.

Sleeping was much easier.

Naina got up late next morning. Surprisingly, Preeti was not in bed... she had been up before her... a rare phenomenon. The voices from outside made her run out to check if she had heard right.

"Chachaji",  seeing him there, her eyes filled up.

He instantly got up and came to her. Naina hugged the father figure of her life, while he stroked her head.

"Mujhe maaf kar dena, Naina, jab tumhe meri sabse zyaada zaroorat thi toh main yahan nahi tha",  his voice conveyed his feelings.

She looked at his wet eyes, "Aap aisa kyon keh rahe hain, chachaji... isme apki kya galti hai?"

He kept a hand on her shoulder, "Apne bacchon ki raksha ek pita ki zimmedari hoti hai... aur jaise bhabhiji ne kal tumhare saath bartaav kiya... uske liye main bohot sharminda hun."

Naina smiled at him, "Aap dukhi mat hoiye, chachaji, main bilkul theek hun... aur aap achanak kyon aa gaye... abhi toh teen din aur rehne wale the na Dilli mein?"

"Mere bacchon se badhke koi kaam nahi hai... jab Bela ne kal shaam ko bataya yahan kya kya hua hai toh main ruk nahi paaya aur raat ki train pakad li." He still had a feeling of guilt.

"Aap meri chinta mat kijiye, chachaji... ab main apni mushkilon se ladna seekh gayi hun." Her eyes reflected her determination.

Chachaji proudly stared at his once timid daughter... and patted her head fondly.

They had just finished their breakfast, Naina and Preeti were helping chachiji to clean the kitchen while chachaji sat on the sofa reading the newspaper, when taiji barged in.

Seeing him sitting there, she abruptly stopped, then cleared her throat, "O bai toh aap bhi aa gaye... achha hai... aap bhi sun lijiye Anand babu... Naina ki badtameezi ki wajah se jo ladke wale kal bhaag gaye the, maine unhe mana liya hai... woh ek baar aur Naina se milna chahte hain... kal toh iss ladki ne gungi, behri ban ke naak kata di thi... aaj aap hi samjha dena usse... bina kuch khaas dahej ke ghar baithe itna achha rishta layi hun... ahsaan mane mera aur bina nakhre kiye shaadi ke liye taiyar ho jaaye."

Chachaji looked at her in surprise, "Bhabhiji, aap kya keh rahi hain? Aapne fir se kyon bulaya unhe?  Aisi soch rakhne waalon se hamara koi sambandh nahi ho sakta... aur Naina ki shaadi college khatam hone se pehle toh bilkul nahi hogi."

Taiji was livid, "Aapki inn faltu baaton ne hi ladkiyon ka dimag kharab kar rakha hai... sun lijiye... aur apni ladli ko bhi bata dijiye... woh log barah baje aayenge... Naina ko kahiye taiyar rahe."

She turned to go, when chachaji's firm voice stopped her, "Rukiye bhabhiji, aap badi hain aur main aapki bohot izzat karta hun... lekin apni betiyon ke liye main kisi ki baat nahi sununga... woh log mere ghar mein kadam nahi rakhenge..."

Taiji turned, looking at him with round eyes, "Anand babu, aap meri baat ka maan nahi rakhenge? Aapke bhai sahab ki bhi yehi marzi hai... unhe bhi aap aisa jawab denge? Itni hi izzat hai aapki nazaron mein ghar ke badon ki?"

The resolve in chachaji's voice was stronger, "Izzat poori tarah se karta hun aapki aur bhai sahab ki... aise hi pyaar bhi poori tarah se karta hun apni betiyon se... aur unke saath kuch galat nahi hone dunga."

Taiji fumed at his words and stomped out of the house.

Naina heard the entire conversation from her room.

The danger was still looming... the sword was still hanging.

She had to do something.