"Even the best fall down sometimes

Even the wrong word seems to rhyme...

Even the stars refuse to shine

Out of the doubts that fill my mind

I somehow find that

You and I collide"

Collide, Howie Day

Arundhati's POV

Everything hurt.

Everything.

Hell, even my eyelids hurt. They were bloody hurt and felt glued shut. They won't open no matter how much I willed them.

I occasionally heard voices, like passing whispers. Once, I thought I could hear Michael, and I felt my heart rate shoot up through the roof. Almost at once, I felt a needle in my arm and slipped into darkness.

I remember what had happened, of course. Penny and I were attacked. The muggers went after my ring, and I kicked one of them in the groin. One of them pulled me by my hair and I remembered shrieking in pain. I landed a blind punch and then something hit my skull hard. I remember seeing stars.

Of course I was expecting pain, but not this kind of a blind helplessness. I kept drifting in and out for a long time.

Finally, the light didn't feel so harsh. My eyes weren't glued so hard. I could somewhat pry them open. I thought I heard a male voice, and hoping against hope I wished it was Neil. I almost made up my mind that it had to be him.

Who else would it be?

I slowly opened my eyes to stare at the stark hospital ceiling. Sensing movement, I turned, looking for those dark hazel eyes.

Instead, gray stormy ones met mine.

Despite the pain, I gasped.

**

I closed my eyes and reopened them. The eyes staring back at me remained gray.

I opened my mouth, and not a single sound came out. Terror took hold of me. I tried to move my hands, and nothing moved. I tried to jerk my head. No movement.

"Thank God you're awake" I heard his whisper and flinched at the emotion in it, "I've been waiting for so long to see your eyes...Oh God!"

He had grown older, I noticed bitterly, but he still looked as dashing as he had always been. Gray hair peppered his usually deep-brown hair. His face looked tired and drawn out.

This was worse than any nightmare I might have terrified myself with over the years. He was here, looking at me, talking to me like he cared, and I couldn't escape. I tried talking again, and this time an incoherent sound escaped my mouth.

"What is it?" he stood up hurriedly, "Do you want water? Should I get a nurse? Baby...talk to me...please....I've been dying to listen to your voice...baby..."

Why wasn't he stopping? What was he doing here? Why was he back to torment me again? And for the first time, another question took hold of my brain.

Did Neil know?

Had anyone told him that I was in a hospital, unable to move? Oh God, he had been talking to me on the phone, messaging me...did he realise that I wasn't messaging back?

"Baby...what do you want? Are you feeling okay?....I promise, I'll take you back to Boston...back to home...so you can get better. George has missed you so much...I have missed you so much..."

This bastard of a man simply won't stop. So I did something I would never have been proud of. I goaded him on till he stopped.

"Neil?" my voice was broken.

His expression blanked out, and he stepped back instinctively. Of course what I did was mean. I was hurting him on purpose, but for the first time I wanted him to hurt. I wanted to acutely feel what I had felt all those years ago.

"Neil?" I repeated, my voice stronger now, "Is...Neil here?"

"Baby, you're tired and hurting" his voice was distant and cold, "Maybe you should sleep it off."

"Where is he?" my weak voice gained a touch of hysteria, "Where's Neil?"

"I don't know who you're talking about" he snapped, stepping back.

A sense of desperation set in. I could see him lying blandly to my face. There was a crashing noise outside, and my head snapped towards the door in spite of the pain. I saw Michael move to the door, peek out and instantly step back.

"Mickey..." I tried to raise myself. He turned sharply to me and back to the door.

"Is this my place now?" I heard him sigh bitterly, "That Indian nut comes before me? Was I so easy to replace?"

I fell back, stunned at the accusation.

"Was I so easy to replace all those years back?" my voice cracked as I spoke.

"Baby..." he made his way over to me, and I managed to raise my hand in time.

"Stay away" I whispered, "Leave me alone, Mickey."

Before he could respond, sounds of a scuffle came from outside.

"—NO YOU CAN'T STOP ME YOU HEAR ME"

As I struggled to raise myself, the door burst open and Neil practically fell into the room. I caught a glimpse of a man in a security uniform outside, but before I could get a better look, the door swung shut. As Neil righted himself and straightened, Michael stood stonily in one corner.

"Dhati..." Neil stared at me for a second as I finally managed to get on one elbow.

"Neil..."my voice was a whisper.

He strode over in three steps and stood by me, as if he didn't know how to go ahead. Gingerly, he extended a hand towards me. I mustered as much energy as I could, raised my own hand and touched his. I heard a muffled groan, but I did not break our eye contact. Neil looked my hand for a second, and I realized that he was looking at the ring that was still on my finger.

My engagement ring.

He leaned in and hugged me as softly as he could, trying his best not to hurt me. I held on with one hand and tried to hug him back as best as I could.

"I was so scared" Neil whispered, "Penny called me.... I was terrified."

I was half-listening to him now, because my eyes were trained on the form of Michael. He was still standing in the same corner of the tiny hospital room, hunched. His eyes were filled with hurt and betrayal, and I felt a sharp twinge of guilt.

Once upon a time, I had loved this man. One part of me would always love him. One part of me would always remember us. One part of me would always mourn his loss.

"I was scared you won't come" I whispered to Neil.

"I couldn't not come" he chuckled softly. He pressed a kiss on the side of my head and I saw Michael flinch.

Neil stepped back and helped me sit up. Michael still hadn't moved.

"I'm Neil Sachdev" he turned to Michael, "And you are?"

"Nobody who matters anymore" Michael was staring darkly at me, but his expression was frighteningly blank.

"Michael..." his name slipped out before I could stop myself. I shot a glance at Neil to look at his reaction, but he too was frighteningly blank.

What is it with men and blank expressions?

"I've heard about you" Neil said finally.

"And you've been after my girl" Michael countered neatly.

"You divorced her years back" Neil spoke before I could edge in a word, "Let her go."

Michael's expression held mirth now.

"Look at you two parrots" he smirked viciously, "She says let me go. You say let her go. Who the hell are you?"

"I'm her fiancé" Neil said softly. "You're not even supposed to be in this hospital room, you're not related to her."

"Don't you dare –"

"It's best if you leave now" Neil continued in the same soft, authoritative tone, "And take those guards with you too."

"Guards?" they both turned to me as I managed to get a word out.

"I'll leave" Michael said coldly, "But always remember that one part of her would always belong to me!"

Neil smiled crookedly.

"You've got one part, then. Leave the rest of her in peace."

I knew the look Michael shot me as he backed off and left. I knew it very well. He might've lost the battle, but the war was just beginning.

***

Hey reader,

thanks for keeping up with the story:)

Until the next one,

Your workaholic architect, Ellanie :)