Authors' note:

My birthday gift to nandita

Happy birthday choti….

Story:

The mike announces "and the bravery award of this year goes to senior inspector kushal" a pause... "And a special surprise...the award will be given by our retired ACP of CID Mumbai... ACP Abhijeet."

All the young officers of next generation CID Mumbai are super excited... They had heard so much about these guys... Yes the retired ACP then comes the retired senior inspector to give out another award...oh...what luck...

The award ceremony gets over and all the ex officers and present officers are supposed to have a formal lunch...

Formal? Oh when have been the cid Mumbai formal?

They all gathered in the banquet hall...present ACP greeted the ex officers with "sir aaplog baithiye..."

Daya relaxed him "arey itna formal hone ki jarurat nahi hey baitho tum sab.." he look around "Freddy yeah Abhi kaha gayeb ho gaya?"

"unhe koi phone aya tha.."

just then Abhijeet enters and took his seat with "Daya Tarika ka call aya tha..unn logo ki flights delay ho gayi hey to raat ho jayega ate ate..aur Shreya ne phone kiya tha tune phone nahi uthaya to usne tujhe yaad dilane ko kaha ki khane se pehle meds le lena"

then he noticed all the present officers are looking at them with fixed gaze... He asked in a smiley tone "arey sab aise kiu dekh rahe ho?"

all the officers turned their gaze in embarrassment.. They look at each other doing some ishara baji.. Duo also exchanged glances.. Rajat asked "kuch puchna hey tum logo ko"

a lady officer nodded, and looked around and others encouraged her so she finally asked "wo hum logo ne aap sab ke bareme bahut kuch suna hey..khass kerke aap dono (she turns to abhi-daya) ki dosti ke bareme...wo hum… hum sab...ne jo bhi suni wo to suni sunai baatein hey..hum aaplogo ki muh se aaplogo ki dosti ki kisse sunna cahte hey..."

before duo can react Rajat and Sachin answered

"arey bah"

"sir suru ho jayiye.."

Daya smiled Abhijeet said "arey kya tum log bhi tum log to sab jante hi ho.."

Freddy answered "arey sir aap dono ki dosti ki kisse kabhie purani nahi ho sakti sir suru ho jayiye.."

another present officer added in "ha sir pls..it will be the best award sir..pls"

duo nodded...

Daya started "kaise suru karu...30saal ho gaye iss dosti ko...aab to hum ek puri hi family hey..bahar ghumne jate hey na to jab tak logo ko pata nahi chalta tab tak wo log to bhai hi samajhte hey..aur hume bahut acha lagta hey..."

he stopped. A present officer asked "humne suna hey Abhijeet sir haste haste aapko bachane ke liye goli bhi kha lete they.."

Daya smiled looking at Abhi...who also smiled lightly.. Freddy started "sahi suna hey tum logo ney..ek baar nahi kayi baar ho chuka hey aisa.."

"sir matlab kisi aur k liye..aapko kabhie ajeeb nahi laga?"

Abhijeet smiled with "nahi yeah koi aur tha hi kab.."

another junior asked "sir dost to bahut sare milte hey to aap dono aise itne special..wo kya kari hey sir jo aap dono ko aise jore rakha hey?"

Daya seems to be in thought when Abhijeet answered "sayed rishto ki kaami ney hume jor diya.."

"jee?"

Abhijeet smiled "beta hum sab jab CID mey ate hey na humare piche koi rishta hota hey jo hume humare job aur personal life ko thora alag rakhne ko majbur krti hey isliye hum yeaha dost to banate hey per wo serf dost banke reh jate hey..per hum dono ki agey piche koi aur tha hi nahi isiliye sayed dosti rishte mey badal gayi.."

"sir aap dono mey kabhie annban nahi hui?"

Daya looked down with "ha hui.."

Abhijeet glanced him and continued in confident tone "hua..bahut baar..kabhie duty bich mey agayi kabhie personal life..per yeah to har rishte mey hote hey..shaq galatfaimi sikwa sikayet"

Daya just looked up Abhijeet smiled assuringly.

Another junior popped up with question "sir aap dono ki life ki most khushi ki pal?"

Daya nearly cut the question and answered "jab Abhijeet ACP bana tha.."

Freddy Sachin Rajat smiled Abhijeet shook his head as if 'yeah bhi na!'

juniors looked at each other one asked "sir per aap dono to ek hi rank mey they to aap ko matlab?"

Freddy answered "inn dono mey jealousy..impossible"

every one once again smiles..now juniors turned to Abhijeet sir with "aur sir aap ke liye?"

Abhijeet took a deep breath "jab dead declare ke bad firse Daya ki sanse chal pari.."

Freddy also closed his eyes remembering the time.

"sir rishte aksar dukh bhi pahuchati hey aur humare ander khone ka darr bhi payda ker deta hey aap dono mey kabhie aisa nahi hua?"

duo looked at each other Abhijeet sighed

"laash nahi hey yeah.."

"uss glass chamber mey..."

he took a deep breath

"hua tha ek bar" he smiled.. His smile signaled the juniors not to ask further but he continued "ek baar mere ek jhoot ki bajase aap logo ki Daya sir ne mujhe collegue ki audhe pey bapas vej diya uss bar...himmet hi nahi bacha tha"

Daya kept a hand over his shook his head in no.

The juniors turned to Daya..he seemed to be lost

"kaun Daya?"

"ager yeah cid mey rehega to mein iske saath kaam nahi karunga"

someone called "sir..Daya sir.."

he came back to present "ek case tha Abhi raste pey akela goli se ghayel..ager thori aur der ho jati to.."

looking at all the faces becoming emotional one of the juniors tried to divert their mind with "sir humare duty mey aksar shaq kerna prta hey..har kisi per..aap dono ne to kabhie yeah nahi kiya hoga na.."

little did he knew that it will turn the enviornment more soggy

Sachin Rajat Freddy exchanged glances...

Daya broke the awkward silence "nahi beta humne bhi kiya..aur shaq kerte waqt yeah bhi na socha ki samne wale ki kya haal hogi.."

"kahi yeah yaadaash jana koi natak to nahi.."

Abhijeet nodded

"kya puchna tha tumhe guddu se kiu mara tumne guddu ko?"

another girl asked "sir humne suna hey aaplog mast plan banate they..aur jhat se sab ko bewakoof bana lete they?"

Daya instantly replied "ha kuch jyada hi dangerous plan banate they koi.."

this time Freddy smiled... Sachin and Rajat had already heard all this during their duty so they made a serious face forcefully. Abhijeet made an embarssed face and thought it's better to be quite but no Daya was not in a mood to be silent.

He continued "kabhie log coma mey jane ki acting ker lete they to kabhie darra hi dete they ki pata nahi kya hua..khud pey experiment ker ke electric shock bhi liya kerta they..aur hume majboor bhi kiya jata tha ki hum goli chalaye unpe"

his expressions and style of explaining made all the juniors smile Abhijeet murmured "saalon beet gaye per mauka milte hi yeah sare baat sunana nahi bhulta"

juniors managed to control their smile and asked "sir aap logo ko kisise kabhie darr nahi laga?"

unintentionally a word came out from duo as "raavan" a sad smile passed over the lips of all the ex officers while the present officers looked at them in confusion. Abhijeet answered their confusion in a sad dreamy tone "humare ACP sir...lion of cid Mumbai.. ACP Pradyuman.. Stone hearted kehte they log unhe"

"ACP Pradyuman..jinhone ane bete ko goli maar diya tha.."

Abhijeet nodded. "ha duty ki waqt unhe kuch nahi dikhta tha per unke ander bhi dil tha..aur sayed hum usi dil se nikle daant se darte they…baap ka pyar kya hota hey humne unhi se to jana hey"

a silence prevailed. After some time a young junior asked "aap dono to kabhie koi bhi kaam kerne se ghabraye nahi na?" before duo can answer Rajat said in a over serious tone "ha ghabraye na..aapne apne dil ki baat batane se.." Abhijeet glared at Rajat..and Daya divert the topic as "duty kerte waqt kabhie aisa kuch dimaag mey aya hi nahi"

the juniors exchanged glances then said "sir aap log masti majaq kerte they kabhi bureau mey?"

a sweet smile crept over all the faces… Daya asked to Freddy "Freddy diabetes yaad hey?"

Freddy looked down and smiled sadly.. Abhijeet looked at all the confused faces started "hum log na specially hum dono mil ke Freddy o bahut tang kerte they bechare ko chain se kuch kerne hi nahi de they…"

all smiled at this.. Sachin asked in somewhat naughty tone "sir Salunkhe sir ke baal?"

this time Freddy started as "are Abhijeet sir to Salunkhe sir ko satane ka k bhi mauka nahi chorte they aur wo bhi pata hey unnlogo ne hair implantation kerwaye to us khusi mey ek party hi throw ker diya…"

juniors giggled…

Rajat sad "aur unke girlfriend?"

Daya added "wo bhi gupt.."

Sachin said "sachmey Abhijeet sir aap kitna tang khichte they unki.."

Abhijeet complained "arey wo bhi kam kaha they?'

Rajat nodded "ha aap ki aur aapki Tarika jee ke bich ajate they.."

Abhijeet in chewing tone "Rajat.."

The juniors asked bewildered "Tarika jeee?"

"ha dr. Tarika humare forensics doctor..dr. Salunkhe ka assistant" answered Rajat

"per wo to Abhijeet sir ki wife hey na?"

Daya answered "arey tab thori hi thi..5 saal to laga diya.."

But he stopped in between with the look in Abhijeet's eyes as he knew if Abhijeet starts it will be trouble for him…

But he was saved with another question as "aap sab ek pura family they na?"

Abhijeet nodded Freddy added "ha per iss family se bahut log kho bhi gaye.."

Abhijeet continued "Asha ki transfer…fir sudhaker.."

Daya n somewhat dreamy tone "fir Tasha ki maut.."

Abhijeet sighed "aj bhi yaad hey wo samne hi uss larki ne.."

Freddy kept a hand over his shoulder "aur Vivek ne bi transfer le liya…"

Sachin added "fir kajal..Vineet…Nikhil…usse pehle dr. niyati.. aur bhi kitne..aye aur ake chale gaye..per aap teeno ney.." he stopped with a lump

Every one stopped… Rajat continued after some moments "fir ACP sir ke retirement aur Abhijeet sir ka ACP banna..Salunkhe sir ka retire aur Tarika ka forensic head banna"

He took a deep breath "fir ACP sir aur Salunkhe sir ka demise…fir Freddy ka retirement uske bad Abhijeet sir aur Daya sir ke retirement aur fir hum sab bhi retire ho gaye..naye generation n samhall liya humare iss home away home ko.."

Sacin said "bahut se log kho gaye iss raste mey..aj bhi kisi se sampark hey to bahuto se nahi..kisine serf duty nibhai to kisiko jindegi ki sare rishte hi yeahi se mil gayi.."

Abhijeet nodded "kitne dost ki pyar ki rishte ki kahani bani hey yeaha..sunane baithu to sayed jindegi gujar jayegi.."

Freddy smiled "hum kya kya nahi kerte they yeah se.. ek dusre ki khichayi..jhagra..nok jhok…shart lagana…ACP sir ki naqal uterna..naye juniors ko darana..koi bacha ajata tha bureau mey to tab to dhum lag jati thi..aapko yaad hey sir"

Daya nodded "arey mujhe to pehli baar pata chala bache itni mushkil se samhalte hey..aur ACP sir ki rumaal tak ko uss bache ki diaper.."

Freddy immediately nodded "arey to kya kerta sir…kuch aur bacha hi nahi tha sukha.."

Daya carried on "fir dcp sir ke god mey..usne.."

Everyone laughed out loud. They had already forgotten the juniors present there and were in the past aura…

. juniors were just looking at them..mesmerized by the love unity strength between them

Rajat nodded with "arey DCP sir..bapre…"

Sachin said "pr dil ke bure nahi they wo bhi.."

Abhijeet smiled "ha per yaad hey kaise kehte they bare dukh ki saath rejoining letter dena par raha hey.."

Rajat laughed "sir yaad hey jis bar kd pathak ne unhe bachaya tha…hum log kya kya kahe rahe they unke bareme.."

Daya added in a serious tone "museum mey baal.."

They all broke in hysteric laughter blast..

Then Abhijeet noticed the juniors looking at them with amazed eyes he got serious with "hum ne bahut kuch paya iss CID se..meine aur Daya ne to mano sab luch hi isise paya., hum t oise se hey ….aj tum log is ski naam aur shaan ki rakhwale ho..aur hume khushi hy ki tm log yeah jimmdari achse nibha rahe ho."

All the seniors praise them and now gathered fr the treat...as they have to leave soon...or else may be now also freddy's wife will be angry on him!

Yes it's a journey…the person changes..the people goes far and apart but the journey remains same.

The garden is the same new flower buds have bloom here

It's just old gardeners are not here anymore

A/n: guys please review…