London (5 years ago)

Manik had carried the unconscious Avni to her room and both Nandini and him were sitting besides her all time. The others had left them. They know what was coming ahead and they wanted to give MaNan that time, maybe the last few hours with her

Nandini was crying continuously, and Manik he was just looking at Avni and Nandini

"Nandu tumhari taybat kharab ho jayegi, you are pregnant baby" he said hiding her in her arms

"Manik... Avni... Please" she cried

"We have to let her go Nandini" he said with a stone face

Nandini remembered what Raj and Neyonika said and nooded her head positively

"You will be strong right?" he asked and she again nooded yes withdrawing from his arms

"Maa..." They heard Avni and turned to her

She got up holding her head, and looked at MaNan who looked concern

"What happened?" she asked confused

"You were found unconscious in the locker room, did you not had anything for lunch Kiddo?" Manik asked

"I did" she said straining her memory

"Jeffrey gave me this chocolate and I felt giddy" she said pressing her plams at both side of her head

"I... I don't remember after that" she said

"You guys found me in the locker room?" she asked still confused

"Yes" Manik said and stood up with Nandini

"And now toh sleep" he said as Nandini made her lay and Manik covered her with a blanket

"I feel my head heavy and it pains" Avni complained

"It will go away" Nandini said and planted a kiss on her forehead

"Good night Kiddo" they said sitting besides her

"Good night Maa, good night Dad" she mummled and slept

MaNan sat there watching her sleep the whole night

It was morning when everyone was on the breakfast table except Manik

Manik stood in his room and looked at the Adoption Papers which stated was their intern Avni was now legally his daughter Avni Manik Malhotra

He kept the paper in the drawer and took an envelope, and turned to find Nandini standing there

"You ready?" she asked and he just nooded yes in determination

They walked out to see their family enjoying the breakfast

"Hey fellas, I have an announcement to make" Manik said cheerfully

"Avni can you come here?" he gestured as Avni came and stood in front of him

He handed the envelope to her

"What is it Manik?" Mukti asked as Avni tare the envelope

"My termination letter" Avni said shocked

"Yes" Manik said arrogantly

"Is something wrong Da..."

"That was the deal with your school, term over internship over" he stated

"Give all your passes and ID to Jen before you leave" Manik started and Walked to his lab

Agni looked at Nandini who stood there with blank face and and then the retreating figure of Manik both trying not to burst out

Their friends got to know that what they were doing

"But Da..."

"Oh zip it" he turned with 'I don't want any nonsense' look on his face

"Leave my premises in five minutes or I have to call the security to throw you out... I don't have time to entertain just an intern here, you get that" he was harsh and blunt and all except Avni could see the pain in his eyes when he said those words

She stared at Manik her eyes boring in him and then at Nandini who didn't say a word

Something broke inside, that day her trust on Goodness broke, her belive on Happiness broke, her dreams broke

She silently walked over took her bag, giving last glance to Nandini standing near the breakfast table and Manik who walked in the lab as if nothing happened and others, she gave a smile, a very different smile, that stirred something in everyone's heart and left the house

That day she just didn't step out of the house but their life

India (Present)

Avni looked at MaNan, then the others, she had tried not to remember that day, it just brings back bad memories

She glanced at the watch and casually got up

"I need to go home" she said collecting her bag she just walked off

The others looked at her in shock, she didn't have anything to say?
_______________________________________

Manik was  pacing right and left and Advay was looking at his mad father

"Dad has gone mad!" Advay said and Nandini was folding their clothes from laundry

"Aise kaise chali gai, bina kuch bole, mein kya...." Manik turned to Nandini who was busy with clothes and Advay who was looking at her

"Mumma Dad has gone mad?" Advay asked

"Haan baby" Nandini replied casually

"Main pagal lagta hu tum dono ko" Manik asked

"Haan" both said and Manik made a face

"Main pagal nahi hu, iski behn pagal hai" Manik remarked

"Oye!" Arav said

"Manik!" Nandini swat him

"Kya?" He said equally pissed

"Manik you remember, you took a decision for us with the Druv thing?" Nandini said and he nooded

"You remember I was so mad at you" she said and he nooded again

"Why?" she asked

"Because I took decision for us...." he looked at her

"Oh" realization drawn in him

"She needs time and we should give it" she said

"Tumhari beti jo hai" he muttered

"Kya bola?" she asked him

"Kuch nahi!" he gave her a fake smile
_______________________________________

Avni was sitting on bed when she felt her bed when a chocolate milk was held before her

"Tumhe mere ghar ki chabi kaha se mili?" she asked as Arav sat

"Niharika called me said you were sad, what happened?" he asked

"Nothing, and you were suppose to answer my question and not question" she said taking the milk and kept it away

"You like chocolate milk doesn't mean I like it too" she said as he shifted besides her

"How do you know I like chocolate milkshake?" he asked

"The way you know my house and where are it's keys" she said keeping head on his shoulder

"You ok?" he asked "What happened?" he asked again

"Arav what's between us?" she asked question against her question now

"I don't know" he answered honestly

"Then what are you doing here at this time? When you got to know that I am sad then why did you came?" she asked and looked at him

There was slience for few moments, she signed and tried to get up when he pulled her back and back hugged her

"I don't know what is between us, but I like it" he said

"I don't want to name it, but I want to explore it" he said and a year dropped from her eyes

"Why are you crying?" he asked when a tear dropped on his hand

"Happiness does not last long for me" she said turning to him

"What do you mean you don't know?" she asked him

"Then tell me what is this between us?" he asked

"You can't take it Arav" she said looking at him

"Why?" he asked

"Tum emotionally challenged ho" she rolled here eyes

"What do you mean?" he asked making a confused look

"Mujhe na yeh discussion nahi karna hai aab" she said finally getting up from the bed

"I am not in that state right now" she said walking to the kitchen

"And you can please leave" she snapped at him as he entered kitchen behind her

"Infact get out!" she yelled a bit fustrated

Arav looked at her shocked and then saw she was serious so he just walked out

"Kabhi kabhi lagta hai Manik sir ate hai iske andar" he said

"Yeh emotionally challenged kya hota hai?" he said to himself

"Iss ladki ne pagal kar diya hai mujhe, mein kud se hi baat kar raha hu!" he said and made a face sitting on his car
_______________________________________

"Bro tera fuse kyu uda hua hai?" Sahil asked Arav as they walked in Oberio office the next day

"Yeh emotionally challenged Kya hota hai?" Arav asked him "Avni said I am emotionally challenged"

"Haan....kya?" Shail looked at him shocked

"Kya?" Arav asked him looking at him shocked

"Uss din na Niharika ek serial dekh rahi thi, usme jo heroin thi woh hero ko yeh keh rahi thi" Sahil told him and he looked shocked

"So what does it mean?" Arav asked him curious

"Mujhe kya pata dude ek second haan" he took his phone out and dailed her number

"Ni baby" he said as Niharika picked the call

"That day you were seeing the serial jisme heroin hero ko emotionally challenged bolti hai" he said

"Qubool hai?" she asked

"Woh hi kuch toh" he said

"Uska kya?" she asked

"Toh baby what does emotionally challenged means?" he asked and Arav who stood besides him with curious expression had all his attention

"It means that the person is incapable to express what he feels emotionally" she said as Shail made a shocked face

"Kya bol rahi hai?" Arav asked

"That you are incapable of expressing what you feel emotionally" Sahil said in dazed

"What?!" Arav and Niharika said together

"Sahil how dare you say that?" they both bellowed together only difference was Arav was holding Sahil's shirt in a fist

"Arey main nahi bola, yeh Avni ne Arav ko bola hai" Sahil said as both bellowed on her

"What?!" they again yelled together

"Why are you both yelling?" Sahil yelled now

"Shut up" Arav said and stromed to his cabin

"Sahil give me details" Nikharika said

And Shail started to describe things
_______________________________________

Manik entered the Oberio office

"Is Avni here?" Manik asked the lady on reception

"Shivay Sir's PA?" she asked him back

"Is that what her identity is here?" Manik asked pissed and the lady flinched

"Sorry sir, she is here in the lab" she informed him

"Fine" Manik said and made way to the lab