Hello Friends!

Regular readers of the Anthology can skip this entire fic. It is just a split of the "Khaufnak Laash" chapters published as a separate story, because some readers requested me to do so. There is absolutely nothing new here. The only difference is that the chapters are in chronological order, so they will be easier to read and understand in one go. Also, irrelevant author's notes have been removed.

This chapter is a Dareya fanfic set before the episode "Khaufnak Laash." Recall that Shreya had suggested ways to deal with an angry girlfriend to Dr. Salunkhe, but she kept looking towards Daya, who also seemed interested. I believe that was due a recent fight between Dareya.

WARNING: Devanagari Ahead!

The date is 04 February 2014. The time is 11:50 pm. The place is Shreya's house.

Her pulse is racing. She can feel it. Actually, she can hear it. She is expecting a call from someone, but not right now. She looks at the clock.

Shreya: (thinking) बस दस minute और।

Fifteen minutes later, she is pacing up and down her drawing room.

Shreya: (thinking) वो भूल तो नहीं गए? अब तक phone क्यों नहीं किया?

The time is 12:30 am (05 February).

Shreya: (thinking) शायद भूल गए। नहीं नहीं, भूल नहीं सकते हैं। ज़रूर इतनी रात को एक लड़की को disturb करना सही नहीं लगा होगा उन्हें। काफी शर्मीले हैं वो। ज़रूर कल phone करेंगे।

With these thoughts in mind she goes to sleep. She jolts awake suddenly.

Shreya: (thinking) (with one eye closed) पता नहीं कितनी देर तक सोती रही। (looking at the clock) अरे ये क्या? 09:15 बज गए! श्रेया तुझे 09:00 बजे तक bureau पहुंचना था। ACP sir से आज के दिन भी डांट खानी पड़ेगी।

She lunges from her bed and rushes to the bathroom. After getting ready, she reaches for the gun and the badge in her drawer, when she suddenly remembers she was expecting a call. Leaving the drawer open, she reaches for her phone.

Shreya: (thinking) Thank God, no missed calls. एक minute, उन्होने अब तक call नहीं कीया? (reading the digital clock on her phone) क्या?! सिर्फ 04:00 बजे हैं? एसा कैसे हो सकता है? (reading the clock on the wall) इसमे भी 04:00 ही बजे हैं!

She had mistaken the hour hand for the minute hand. She actually woke up at 03:45 am! The thick curtains on her windows did not help either. She did not realize that it was dark outside. Realizing this, she sank into her couch, with a huge face-palm. She wanted to go back to sleep, but could not. It is not easy to go to sleep after one has taken a bath.

Shreya: (thinking) कम से कम 09:15 से तो अच्छा ही है। अब तो phone के लिये और इंतज़ार भी नहीं हो रहा। कब करेंगे call.

She paced the drawing room for half an hour, hoping against hope that she will get a call at the unearthly hour of 04:00 am.

In the hours that intervened, she finished reading a book, surfed the Internet for the day's news and almost finished counting the number of pixels on her computer screen. No call yet.

Shreya: (thinking) 08:30 बज गए। अब तक call नहीं आया। अगर भूल गए तो मैं उनसे कभी बात नहीं करूँगी।

The phone sprang to life suddenly, and even before it could complete one ring, Shreya had picked it up.

Shreya: Hello!

Purvi: Happy birthday, Shreya!

Shreya: (dissapointed) पूर्वी तुम?

Purvi: हां मैं। क्यों तुम किसी और को expect कर रही थी क्या? कोई special?

Shreya: नहीं तो। मैं बस... कुछ सोच रही थी। वैसे thank you. तुम्हें याद तो रहा। कुछ लोगों को तो मेरी चिंता ही नहीं है।

Purvi: तुम किसकी बात कर रही हो?

Shreya: कोई नहीं। छोड़ो ये सब। Bureau में मिलते हैं। Okay bye.

She finished her breakfast and left for the bureau with a heavy heart.

Flashback

Three days ago, Dareya were moving back to the bureau after concluding a case. No one else was there in the car.

Shreya: दया sir आपका birthday कब है?

Daya: मुझे पता नहीं। मैने अपने माँ-बाप को कभी नहीं देखा। अनाथ-अाशरम मैं पला बढ़ा हूँ।

Shreya: I'm sorry, sir. शायद मुझे पूछना ही नहीं चाहिये था।

Daya: अरे नहीं इसमें तुम्हारी क्या गलती है? वैसे तुम्हारा birthday कब है?

Shreya: आज से तीन दिन बाद। 05 February को। आप wish करना भूलेंगे तो नहीं?

Daya: नहीं भूलूंगा।

Shreya: वादा?

Daya: हां वदा रहा। Okay?

End of Flashback

The phone rang again. Dr. Tarika. Disappointment once again.

Dr. Tarika: Happy birthday, Shreya!

Shreya: (sober voice) Thank you, Dr. Tarika.

Dr. Tarika: क्या हुआ, श्रया? परेशान लग रही हो।

Shreya: नहीं वो... मैं drive कर रही हूँ। बाद में बात करती हूँ। Bye.

Only Purvi, Tarika and Daya know her birthday, so she wasn't expecting anyone else to wish her.

She reached the bureau.

Shreya: (to Abhijeet, Sachin and Freddy, in turn) Good morning, sir.

She did not wish Daya. Abhijeet noticed this, as did Daya. None of them could figure out what went wrong, though both knew that something was amiss. Seriously amiss. Daya felt it best to approach her later.

Later in the day, during investigation.

Daya: श्रया तुम आज कुछ परेशान लग रही हो। क्या बात है?

Shreya: मैं बिलकुल ठीक हूँ sir, मुझे कुछ नहीं हुआ है।

With this, she moved away, trying to show that she was ignoring him. Confused, Daya tried to approach her, but she would not listen. Daya could not take this any longer. He decided to take resolute action and find the cause of Shreya's misery. He confronted her.

Daya: (holding her hand) रुक जाओ। मैं आज सुबह से देख रहा हूँ कि तुम परेशान हो। मुझे wish भी नहीं कीया। क्या बात है? मुझसे नाराज हो तो बताओ।

Shreya: (jerking her hand away) हां हूँ मैं आपसे नाराज। और में आपको क्यों wish करती? आपने कीया था मुझे wish? वादा करके भूल गए न?

Daya: कौन्सा वादा? तुमहें क्या wish करना था?

Then it struck him. The conversation they had three days back now played in his mind.

Daya: Oh no. I am so sorry, Shreya. मैं भूल गया कि आज तुम्हारा birthday है। Happy birthday!

Shreya: अब बहुत देर हो चुकी है। मैं आपसे बात नहीं करूंगी। मैं नाराज हूँ।

With this, she left the place. Daya was left with his thoughts. He was wondering how he would ever get her happy again.

After the evidence was gathered, the team reached the forensic lab. There, Dr. Salunkhe narrated his plight.