Hi All..Thank you for your responses and love for this story.Keep Voting.

Without much ado,here is the update

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"Sameer!Tumse ek baat karni thi''. Naina said as she set the table for morning breakfast.Nanaji was recovering while Nisha and Rishav were bickering over who would use the wash basin first.He asked to go on as he helped her in setting the table.

"Wo..main college join kar rahi hun.Creative Course ki faculty ke liye appointment letter mila hai.''She informed and he looked at her in surprise first before breaking into happy smiles.

"Is mein puchne wali kya baat hai.All the best.Terms and Conditions padh liye hein na?Pay scale kitna hai?'' He asked out of practice of 3 years. Being in panel or board for recruitment he wanted to ensure her job is hassle free and there are no clauses which can land her in unwanted troubles.He absolutely wanted no further mess.

"18000 pay kar rahein hein.Ek saal ke baad 20,000 denge.Chuti state calendar ke hisab se baaki 15 din EL aur 15 CL hai.Classes mere Nisha ki school hour mein hai to problem nahin hai.Meetings,conferences handle karne honge bas..Itna sa kaam. ''She explained bringing the appointment letter and handing over to him.

"Hmm..acha hai.Bas tum khud ko jyada stress mat karna.Kabse join kar rahi ho?'' He asked carefully placing back the envelope.''Kal se hi''.She replied ,seemingly happy about another new beginning.

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"Sameer!Tum Nisha ki PTM main chale jao.Main College jaa rahi hun.Please.'' Naina voiced,urgency laced in her tone as she set her Cotton saree pleats.The mauve coloured saree had been lying dry cleaned since a year.Nikita had a penchant for Purple and its different shades,Naina had taken the trait of buying purple and buying Sarees.

Her first seminar talk at the college and she felt nostalgic.The first time she had heard to Nikita in a conference ,that's when she had remembered how the mauve coloured cotton saree enhanced her personality to manifolds,how the saree redefined her thoughts and was definitely more than just an apparel.She was truly impressed and today she wanted to live the moment.How she wished Nikita was there to watch her grow,watch her getting recognition,watch her loving Nisha a little more than yesterday,watch her first academic seminar talk and simply watch her.

"Taiyar ho gayi?'' He asked entering the room.She didn't realise that the door was ajar.She draped the saree around her upper body and suddenly caught his reflection in mirror.His eyes had different spark and that surely made her blush and going a bit weak on knees.She was not accustomed to anyone staring at her ,through the mirror,in years.This was new and she felt her inside feel queasy with the new found sensation.

"Tum andar.. kaise aaye?'' She asked fumbling and he could see the embarrassment written over her face.Living life on her own terms since years she was definitey not attuned to such sudden changes in her life..nor was he.He didn't want to scare her or make her feel uncomfortable,though his hands itched to straighten her saree pallu that was draped carelessly.

"Kajal laga lo.Achi dikhti ho.''He asked and searched for some papers Namrata had asked him to look for.He tried to keep himself busy so that she doesn't feel uncomfortable with the involuntary gazes from him.He watched her putting the mangalsutra,that he had gifted her in the wedding.He had seen her till then wearing a simple flower pendant.He was definitely surprised yet felt an undercurrent of happiness and pride surge inside him;it surely boosted his ego of husband. She opened the bottle of liquid sindoor and applied a bit of it at the parting of her hair.Neatly combing and tucking the long tresses in a ponytail she turned to look around and found that he was already staring.Seeming breathless and awed.

"Kya soch rahe ho?'' She asked tucking a loose strand ;that had stubbornly freed itself from the ponytail ;behind her ear.

"Yehi ki tum mere zindagi mein ho ,mere saath ho,mere liye ho..phir se.'' He voiced and she acknowledged with a nod ,the nod of assurance that she was truly there.

Change is the only constant and no body knew better than them how true it was.

"Mumma!Aap mujhe leke nahin chaloge school?'' Nisha barged into the room,setting her troubling neck tie. She found that her mother and her Uncle Papa talking something standing close to each other ;enough lost to realise her presence. She didn't know why her Mumma and Uncle Papa were suddenly behaving odd.They were not looking angry anymore and her mother's cheeks looked pink more than often. Even her Uncle Papa looked a bit differently at her Mumma.She has seen the Publisher Rao Uncle,even her teachers who were Sirs,even Raunak Uncle..but none looked at her with such hooded eyes.So much confusion and she needs to talk to Rishav.

At the School

"Moti!Arey kahan leke jaa rahi hai?Arey ruk..mera belt khul gaya hai''.Rishav asked as Nisha pulled him to their secret spot.Nisha waited till Rishav was done with buckling his ever-loose' belt.

"Uncle se bolke naya belt nahin la sakta?Humesha khul jata hai tera.Chal.''Nisha admonished and finally they were in the secret place.She needed to clear her mind..right now.

"Rishav! Mujhe na bada ajeeb lag raha hai.'' Nisha said worried making herself sit on the dusty cement floor.

"Kyun?Tera tabeeyat kharab hai?Bukhar to nahin hai?'' Rishav asked checking her temperature on forehead.

"Nahin.Mumma aur Uncle Papa ko leke. Dono saath mein humesha rehte hein.Pata hai kal to Uncle ne bartan bhi dho liye Mumma ke saath milke.Phir to ab kitne baatein karte hein.Aur phir Uncle kuch aise dikhte hein ki Mumma to sharma hi jaati hai.Mujhe kuch samajh nahin aa raha hai..kya chal raha hai?Matlab mere bina ek room mein so bhi gaye..Mumma ne aaj tak mujhe akele sone nahin diya.'' Nisha vented out her worries and looked up at her friend and guide Rishav;who she believed had solutions for every problem,every question.

"Hmm..Tu Moti to thi hi ab gadhi bhi ban gayi hai;mujhe pakka pata chal gaya.'' Rishav said looking at the distant wall that had some rough chalk drawings.

"Gadha tu hai.Bata na please.'' Nisha requested and Rishav knew how to reap the benefit of the situation.

"Agar bataunga to chocolate khilaegi?'' He asked and Nisha nodded swearing and promising.

"Moti!Wo best friends hein na ab.To saath mein sab karenge na..ek dusre ke help.Jaise tu mera karti hai waise hi.Shayad Aunty ko kuch important baatein karni hogi Uncle se isliye room mein honge.Ab agar baatein karte huye neend lagegi to kya teri wait karenge? Jo bhi hai wo bade hein shayad hum bade ho jayenge to ache se kuch kuch samajh aa jayega.Tujhse to dono bahut pyaar karte hein tujhe aur kya pareshani hai?'' Rishav completed and Nisha felt she was being just too crazily curious for her age.May be somethings are better understood with appropriate time and age.

"Acha sun. Tujhe ek sad news dena tha.'' Rishav looked serious and Nisha hated this.

"Iss baar class mein tu top nahin ki hai.Ria ki hai.Matlab mein gadha tha thik hai par tu bhi gadhi ban jayegi to problem ho jayega.Isliye Aunty,Uncle ki baat chod aur padhai kar.Marks kum aayenge to sabko dukh hoga. Mujhe to bada dukh hoga ki main topper ki best friend nahin raha.Ek gadhi ka best friend ban gaya hun.'' Rishav finished and the nest moment Nisha ran behind to beat him like no tomorrow.

"Gadha!Mujhse isliye best friend banaya hai.Ruk teri complain karti hun.Mumma se,Uncle Papa se,Nanaji se,Piku Bhaiya se,Aunty se,Nani se ..sabse''.Nisha finished heaving and Rishav was rolling in laughter.It was such a fun teasing Nisha.

"Acha chal ab.Uncle aur Mumma dhundenge nahin to phir humein aur bekar mein tension le lenge.'' Rishav uttered as he pulled Nisha back to the classroom.

"Nisha!Tum class mein rukna.Mujhe thoda kaam hai mein do ghante mein aa jaunga.Nandita Miss se tumhari baat kar liya hun.Yeh apna Report card aur papers pakdo.Kahin mat jaana.'' Sameer explained and Nisha looked a bit worried.She was hating being left alone.

"Aap pakka aa jaoge na jaldi?'' She asked as she hugged him by his waist.He knelt down and kissed her cheek.''Pakka.''

3 hours and Counting.

"Nisha!Tumhare Papa abhi tak nahin aaye?Itni der ?'' Nandita asked as she saw Nisha leafing unenthusiastically her exam papers.She had been doing that since an hour.

"Miss!Aap ek baar Uncle Papa ko phone laga do na.Mujhe ghar jana hai.'' Nisha requested and Nandita nodded searching for the register.

"Ismein to tumhari Mumma ka hi number hai.Tumhein Papa ki number yaad hai?'' She asked to which Nisha nodded in negation.She remembered the number but not enough to make a correct call.

"Miss! Aap unhein mere Papa kyun bol rahein hein? ''Nisha asked as Nandita tried Naina's number in loop.

"Kyunki tumhare Papa hein wo.Tum Papa nahin bulati kya?'' Nandita asked as the phone went unanswered.

"Main sochi ki Uncle Papa bulaungi.Papa bulane se gussa hogaye to''.Nisha voiced and Nandita laughed.Nisha was more confused now.

"Gussa kyun honge.Balki khush ho jayenge.Chocolates layenge aur bahut jyada pyar bhi karenge.'' Nandita explained and finally Nisha felt relieved.Nandita Miss can never be wrong.

No more confusions.No more dilemmas.

After an hour

"Nisha!'' Nisha jerked from her sleep and opened her eyes to see her Papa standing at the classroom door.But he no more looked the same.Stitches and band aids and blood.He looked like the wounded heroes of the movies she watches on TV.

She no more thought anything and jumped from the seat.

"PAPA!'' She rushed to him and hugged him, jerking him off.More than the hug,he was jolted by the utterance of the word .Did he hear it right?

"Papa!Aap kahan chale gaye the?Itni der?Yeh kya hai?Kahan gir gaye?'' She asked inspecting the wound and stitches.She didn't like the smell of Dettol and not the sight of her beloved person wounded so badly.

"Wo ek choti si accident ho gayi thi.Meri beti itni ghabra gayi?'' He asked as he felt with the word 'Papa'' his life was complete and his loneliness has finally left.He was at peace now.Absolute peace.

He found love so much, that he can't see himself without picturing her .It's like her single word,single touch and it feels like he came home.

"Aapka phone bhi nahin lag raha tha.Aap aise chodke mujhe mat jaana.Pata hai kitni dar gayi thi mein.Mumma bhi aise bolke gayi thi aur dekha kitni din ke baad ghar aayi.'' Nisha voiced worried and Sameer could not help hugging his child as tears pooled in his eyes.

A few hours back,he felt he will not be able to see his Nisha again ,his Nanu again,his Naina again.But God was merciful enough to grant him with a second lease of life.He would not waste it a nano second even.

"Nahin Nisha.Papa kabhi tumhein akela nahin chodenge.Promise.'' Sameer promised holding her little finger and Nisha flung her arms around his neck ,planting a sloppy kiss.

"Ab chalein?'' He asked as he lifted her in his arms and left the classroom.

Meanwhile

"Yeh Sameer bhi na..Ek to Nandita ka call ,upar se iska phone switched off.Kahan reh hogaye ho Sameer?'' Naina threw the mobile on the table with utter frustration.

Being the deputy Director of the Seminar,she could not leave even in middle.She has to wait for more two hours to reach home and find out the problem,if any.

"Apni taraf se kabhi phone nahin karega.Kis pagal se shaadi kar li.Itna bhi kya irresponsbilty.Ugh!'' Naina muttered and tried dialling his number again.

After two hours

"Piku!Sameer ghar mein hein?'' Naina asked Piku as she saw him leaving for market.

"Haan.Bhabhi dining hall mein baithe hein.Bade shahab bhi hein.''Piku informed and Naina decided few things in mind.

"Aaj ache se khabar lungi.Pehle to wo mobile ko dustbin mein phekungi.Pata nahin kyun rakha hai use.'' She mumbled,miffed and angry before barging into the room.

"SAMEER! Irresponsibility ki bhi had hoti hai... ''Her own words remained stuck as Sameer turned his face towards her.

She watched life and death unfold like a dance infront of her eyes.Sharad,Nikita,She,Nisha...and Sameer?

The whole world went blur and only she knew that her folders,notebooks hitting the floor.Her feet rushing and hugging Sameer,peppering urgent kisses.Pulling him into her embrace;tightly hugging him.

She would not let anyone anymore to go..to leave her alone..once more,once again.

Totally forgetting the fact that Nanaji and Nisha were still present in the room.

"Nisha!Chalo hum Church chalte hein.Thoda ghumke aayenge''.Nanaji called Nisha and Nisha was still in shock with sudden reaction from her mother.But the realization dawned that they were best friends now and her Mumma was scared just like her.

"Ji Nanu.Mumma aap Papa ka khayal rakho.'' Nisha voiced knowing well that her mother was lost enough to care for her,Nanaji,Piku Bhaiya or even her words.

"Naina!Main thik hun.Ro mat please.'' Sameer patted her back as they broke apart.

"Kaise ho gaya yeh sab? Kahan gaye the?'' She enquired urgently faintly remembering that Nisha was fine,only he is hurt.

"Wo..main Police station gaya tha.Vikram ke against FIR likhwane.Phir school ko laut hi raha tha ki ek truck overtake kiya aur mein raashte se niche chala gaya.Shukr hai jyada kuch nahin hua.Phone tut gaya hai.Isliye switched off tha.'' Naina looked at him,surprised less and shocked more.What the hell.

"Tum pagal hogaye ho?Akele bina bataye police station kyun gaye the?'' She nearly shouted and he could see her going hysterical over the fact.

"Humein uske khilaf complaint to karna hai na.Kitne din us kamine se darke bhagogi?'' He voiced and she just sunk her head on his chest,holding him close.She has lost enough being at rest,she was ready to run around the world ,if that ensured protecting the ones who were now her universe.

He understood her and knew she was going to stop him,going to lead him to not go behind Vikram but he had planned his next agenda. Until the psycho-lunatic sociopath is behind the bars,he would not be at peace.He held her tight,hoping she would regain her strength to fight back and fight along with him.

Her phone vibrated.She wiped her tears and muttered broken 'Hello' into the receiver.

"Lakme Smudge Proof,bright red coloured liquid Sindoor use karti ho na Ms.Naina Agarwal oops Sorry,Mrs.Naina Maheshwari nee Agarwal.Apne Mr.Maheshwari ko inform kar lena ki he just stepped into a messy business against Vikram Chahuan,M.Sc.LLB.Dur rahe hamare business se.Warna Smudge proof ,bright color smudged aur colorless hone mein jyada der nahin lagegi.Good Night.Love You.''

The phone went dead.

All Sameer saw was Naina removing the SIM Card and the next moment he felt her lips on him.Kissing him hard,rough,urgent. He kissed back, his lips soft and careful.It was more than passion.It was solid rebuilding of shattered trust.

"I am with you''. She voiced ragged and both hugged each other tight ,deriving strength and giving strength.

If you think,the war is over..if not then its still on.

(To be Continued)

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