Hi guys, I am back with an update . Here we go the final update of the SS . We still got Epilogue just saying ,Hope it lives up to your expectations

Dedicated to everyone who stayed around till the end .

Part 3 : " One step towards their Happily Ever After "

                  Swara Maheshwari woke up to the news that her daughter was  still missing , it was the third time her daughter was lost to her , Swara appreciated Ragini efforts to keep her calm and her assurance that the whole family is searching for her daughter should be enough but it wasn't .

         So against the advise of Ragini ,swara went outside the room to search for her daughter .It has been 3 hours since she was gone and no one knew what to do either .

          And her eyes landed on her husband who entered the house , but this time he didn't bring their daughter back , She knew that from his darkened eyes filled with pain . 3 hours alone or with some one intend to harm her and Swara  felt dizzy all over again and she knew he would reach her on time but she also noticed the slightest limp in his leg before he catched her  in his arms .

             " I am not gonna faint again " she whispered even when she leaned on to him for support .

           " You should be in bed ." Her husband answered and lifted her and headed back to the room . As he gently laid her back on bed .

           " I will find her Shona, please stay in bed " he promised and kissed her forehead  but Swara wasn't about to let him go as her grip on his hand didn't relent. .

             " Sit for a moment and tell me everything ,I may not be in a shape to help in search but I can't stay here not knowing what going on " she said and he must have heard the desperateness in her voice, so he sat beside her and swara leaned on to him .

            " The last anyone saw was when we went to hospital, soon every guests began to leave and they only found her missing when all the guests left and our princess was nowhere to be found ,  Bade maa and your parents  called everyone in the guest list, laksh and Arjun has been driving all the roads in search of her , I called Adarsh and he is checking on the traffic CCTV cameras . There has been no sign of her Shona . This place is almost deserted with only few buildings   ,and there is so many places to be lost and it so dark outside . " Sanskar said and can't help but hide the pain in his voice .

               " So you decided to check by yourself  every deserted  place ,  that you failed to notice you legs can't handle three hours of non stop walking  " she said but sanskar shook his head even when his heart realized he did over strain himself .  

              " Sanskar ,Do you remember when Uttara took Lavanya and I spent over an hour running around the streets just like you did , it didn't work Sanskar .And right now though I am terrified about our daughter I can't let you do the same as I did ,  Sit with me for a moment and  think about where she could have gone then search aimlessly ." She answered maybe it was because he was panicking, she realized someone needs to stay calm enough for both of them .

       And he reluctantly sat beside her and swara was relived even when she knew she can't keep him beside her for more than few minutes before he head back again , because she would have done the same . And after another phone call from Laksh enquiring if Lavanya has been found Swara knew she can't hold him back .So when he pressed a sight kiss to forehead and headed back outside . Swara hoped his attempts this time would bring her daughter back .

           When another 30 minutes passed swara was worried for both of them , she refused to eat anything and her mother stepped into give her milk but swara was not interested .

         " Did you talk with everyone ma , did you miss anyone , should I call them all again .. " Swara voice barely broke out before she was crushed in an embrace by her mother .

                   Just then her phone rang and she sprung to reach it hoping it was from her husband who would finally say her daughter has been found instead it was Arjun wife Lekha ..

            " Swara  I think Kavya knows something  , From the moment we came home she looked sad but when I asked why.  She slipped  and told that she will miss Lavanya and I haven't told her anything about Lavanya missing ,  But she keeps saying she promised to Lavanya that she won't tell . I was hoping you would be able to convince her to speak up .  " she said and gave the video call to her daughter who was looking pretty torn up with the tears filled eyes .

          "  Beta , do you know where is Lavanya " Swara gentle tone brought more fresh tears into her eyes .

            " It all your fault , why do you have to get a new baby.  " Kavya words didn't stuck a chord but the little girl was angry enough that she spilled everything momentarily forgetting her promise , When she realized what she slipped up , she immediately became silent but swara was greatful she told them enough .After assuring Kavya ,no one will scold her for keeping an promise to a friend Swara ended the call and dialed her husband .

                 Sanskar drove the car to Gauri mother house and swara insisted on coming with him , since her mother lived alone  Sanskar can't march into the house close to midnight even if he had valid reasons .

            Sanskar still couldn't understand how tangled up life had become , According to Kavya Lavanya overhead the guests speculating if Swara trip to hospital was because she was pregnant and Gauri insisted that they would no longer want Lavanya when the new baby is born and they both decided to run away together back to the orphanage and wait together until someone else adopts them who wants them.

Kavya persuasion that her parents loved her older brother as well didn't work to change their mind and thus all Kavya knew was Lavanya went with Gauri when her father came to pick her up after the wedding .

               Sanskar should have called Gauri father.  He still don't know why Gauri mom forgot to mention that his daughter was with them when he called her to check , he personally called her after he found out Lavanya was missing , midnight or not he will have his answer in person .

             When the car reached the destination ,Sanskar was about to get down from the car when his wife hand held him up .

           "I was planning to tell you this when we were lying together cuddled up in the tent together tonight just five minutes before  the clock stuck twelve. I wanted to make our wedding day more special  , I wanted to see your face and see it light up with happiness as I told you .  But here we are seated outside in front if a stranger house ,How can I expect to see your face light with happiness now when she ran away because of it . But you need to know before we approach her, as I can't let you lie saying her fears are unfound when she will learn the truth soon enough " Swara spoke up as her hands went protectively over her stomach where a new life resides , She still hadn't spoken the words " You are gonna be a father again "  not this way but she knew he would conclude what she was  saying .

          Sanskar realized what the words mean even before swara finished speaking up , he was gonna be a father again .But he also have to admit Swara was right , if she told him like she planned he wouldn't have starred at her numbly like now even when his heart felt like it would burst with happiness  . He looked at his watch still 90 minutes left before the clock stuck twelve . And wanted to hear the words from her but first he need to bring their daughter back ..

             He quickly leaned into to press for brief kiss as his wife held on to him , He gently wiped the tears from her face .

           " Tell me those words I wanna hear after our daughter is back with us , And I will tell you how happy I am about  that Shona ." he spoke up and Swara nodded as she realized their joy at the realization needs to wait for now .

             When Sanskar and Swara knocked at the house , they both hoped and dreaded the encounter with their daughter , what words would be enough to alienate their daughter fear they didn't know .The door was opened and swara was greeted by Gauri mother .

          " We are here to see Gauri .." Swara spoke up as they don't have any other information about Lavanya except what Kavya said , they need to hear those words from Gauri as well

            " Look I am sorry you daughter is lost but you can't barge into my house in the middle of the night and Gauri is already asleep .." Gauri mom answer pricked swara temper .

          " Can you just let us have an word with Gauri , you might not care about your daughter but I love mine very much .Either you go and bring her down or I can find my way in " Swara answer was more firm than she intended but it was Sanskar presence that made Gauri mom reluctantly agree to check on her daughter .

               Then they heard her scream and as they both ran towards her room , they found the room in an state of mess . All clothes were lying around and no sight of Gauri or Lavanya .

             " Gauri is missing. She isn't here and her suitcase is gone too ." Gauri mom frantic cries were lost to Swara has her hope crashed down again .

             " When did you last saw her " Sanskar question calmed her down enough to answer that she didn't see her after dinner . Swara wanted to shout at her for not even checking upon her but right now her concern was to find both of those kids.

              Swara eyes were the first to spot Gauri when she entered the house holding a short stick in hand . She looked terrified but she entered the house and then it dawned on her the little girl came out of her hiding place after she heard her mother scream .She came out to protect her mother .

                  Before Swara could approach her. Gauri mother ran straight to her and held her for a long time .. " Did anyone hurt you " her daughter words were hushed up in an embrace so tight her words came out as a whisper .

             But then her eyes took in Swara and Sanskar and she was shocked into silence .

             " Where is Lavanya beta ?" Sanskar asked hoping her daughter wasn't far from her reach .

          " She is sleeping upstairs. I heard mother scream " the little girl words were left unspoken as Sanskar already moved outside the house to climb the stairs .

               And Swara was left with a weeping Gauri who retold the story , she lied to her father that Lavanya was invited by her mother  . Then when her father dropped both of them at the gate , she hide Lavanya  upstairs and went inside  . They both wanted to waited till it no longer dark before heading back to the Orphanage .

             Since Gauri didn't want Lavanya to sleep alone , she went to  the rooftop  to sleep with her , The two girls were so lucky to be safe .And Swara  saw Gauri mother realization about how neglected Gauri felt that she wanted to go to an Orphanage instead .

            " Why would you go to an orphanage when you have a  mother " Gauri mom gently chastised her daughter but swara knew she finally realized the damage they have done to her with her lack of attention .

              Meanwhile Sanskar climbed the stairs to reach his daughter who was cuddled up in the cold floor with only a small blanket for cover . She was still fast asleep and when his hands gently tried to lift her ,she opened her eyes .And the eyes were soon filled with tears that fell freely .

               " I don't want to go to the Orphanage , I thought if I had Gauri with me I won't be lonely but I don't want another dad or mom , I want you and mummy to stay as my parents . I will be a very good girl and I am okay if you no longer loved me and loved only the new baby .But don't send me away .." Lavanya spoke up and Sanskar was stuck by the raw fear in the little girl heart that broke out  in  her words the moment she saw him .

        Sanskar didn't mind the cold floor ,he needed to talk to his daughter first , so he sat down and gently lifted her on to his lap and waited till his princess stopped crying . Only then he spoke up

          " Princess , do you love me?" He asked and she nodded her head in answer .

       " And I Love you too , It won't change no matter what happens.  Even if we have 100 new babies. You will always be my daughter . I will love the new baby too princess and Your mother will love the new baby as well but that doesn't mean we will stop loving you ."  he said and didn't know if he was saying the right words there was no dictionary on what is the appropriate thing to say .

          " Just like how I love the mermaid barbie doll even after you brought me the fairy barbie doll  ." Lavanya spoke up jumping to her own conclusion's , But Sanskar knew what the doll symbolize .And why didn't he think like that he wondered and smiled at her . 

               " Yep just like that and now why don't you come home with us .."he said and lifted her up as he climbed down the stairs .The moment she spotted swara Lavanya ran into his arms and wrapped her tiny hands around Swara legs and held on

           " I missed you ." her daughter words barely reached her before Swara lifted her up and held on to her .

          " I Missed you too beta and I love you so so much " Swara said as she kissed her daughter cheeks

          " I Know , Daddy told me . When will the baby come I want to play with it " her words took swara by surprise but when she answered that it will take a long time swara realized her daughter was disappointed about it .

                " Can we take Gauri home with us , since no one loves her " Lavanya words were barley spoken before Gauri mom spoke up .

           " I Love You Gauri , Please give me one more chance " her mom words barely left before Gauri embraced her mom and nodded her answer .

                 Sanskar drove them back home and he felt content to see his princess sleeping on Swara lap .And Swara face was filled with a smile as well ..

               He had already texted everyone that they found Lavanya .And was thankful for the family he had who stepped up when he needed them. 

               When Sanskar carried his princess to her bed ,she briefly woke up to smile at him and give a brief kiss to his cheek and Swara stood beside him and was besotted with one of her kiss as well  .

         When she pointed at her toy shelf .Swara went and picked her fairy barbie doll as Lavanya was sleeping with it for the past few weeks but the little girl shook her head and Sanskar knew what she needed so he went and picked the mermaid doll and his princess tucked the doll beside her and went back to sleep .

                    Sanskar and Swara entered their room, Sanskar briefly thought about the rose filled bed and the heart shaped locked tucked inside the tent to be given to his wife .  The food he packed to eat if they got hungry and all the little surprise he planned for her .

                Swara must have noticed the sadness in his face as she went on her toes to give him a kiss.  And he soon forgot everything else except his wife and her kiss .  He lifted her up and placed on the bed and continued to kiss her as if there is no tomorrow .

                 
                    Swara was cuddled next to him when she woke up , she wanted to tell him the words last night but the moment he started kissing her , she forgot about everything and lost herself to his touch and kisses . The need to be with him in every sense  overwhelmed her other thoughts .

        As they made love that night , Swara realized that day may have had its share of heart break , it wasn't the perfect wedding her husband planned off her. But it ended in an perfect note where she felt so secure in his love for her .  And with an smile on her face she went to sleep cuddled next to her husband who she married again forever this time .

          And  as her eyes found his wide open and looking at her with such love  her heart was filled with happiness all over again . As she leaned in for her mornih  kiss , he held her face gently and kissed her .

            " We are gonna have a baby Sanskar  " Swara voice whispered against his ear and he pulled back a little so she can see his face clearly just like she wanted and Swara saw the happiness that lighted up his face . Without the shadow of concern that lingered in his face last night

            " Thank You So Much Shona ,I am the luckiest person in the whole wide world " he said as he lifted her up and twirled her till she almost  felt dizzy and swara knew he meant it with all his heart  .And that how was the perfect day to the rest of their lives started

The End

P.S : " That it  , Let me know your feedback and thoughts. Hit the votes if you liked it "

Love

Nita