Tryst with Destiny

A/N: Hey there! :D

This story is based on kkkloveu's story contest. I was not able to submit my entry to her back then, due to my story not being complete (which it still isn't) but this story is completely dedicated to her! Plus since it's my sweetheart's b'day today, what better way to make up her day than to assure her that this story is something I will never abandon! This isn't my best, but this is something really close to my heart. :D

And so, on this occasion, I would love to wish her the Happiest Birthday, and also dedicate the first chapter of this story to her! :D I hope I've given it sufficient justice meri pastry lover, and I hope it meets your expectation! :D

P.S. This story a sort of AU that is immediately post AKAKR, but in this story, the climax scene of AKAKR never happened, and Abhijeet has no idea who the man he 'supposedly' killed was.

Now, Happy Reading! :D

It had been a week since he had managed to get Abhay behind the bars. A week since so much had elapsed. He had been given his batch back and his resignation was rejected, and was forcefully made to join work again, even though or the first time in his life, he didn't want to. Not because he was tired or anything, but because he no longer felt himself worthy of it. He was a murderer, yes, and that was the simple truth of it. And yet no one wanted to grasp the truth of it. ACP Pradyuman had told him that the memory was during a mission 4 months prior the life-changing incident that had struck him 17 years ago, from the details he had let out to his boss.

And that was it. No one could confirm what happened later on, whether the guy in his dreams was alive or dead. All he knew that he was an Inspector, just like him. That's all there was to it. He hated living in this new cage that life had prepared for him, being trapped in his own memories, without having any true memory of the incident. Every time it played out in his head, he felt like throwing up, until he couldn't be able to take it any more. Two sleeping pills would more than suffice for the dream to halt, but it was temporary.

He'd been to a "proper" pyschatrist once the case was over, but all the doctor could suggest him was to ease off the guilt. Because the only reason he kept dreaming about it was because his mind was not at rest. The guilt had reached a peak, and had caused an abnormal rise in his brain waves, that had triggered the black outs he had begun facing since a month. The medication helped, but the doctor only one suggestion - ease the guilt.

As if easing his guilt was going to bring back the poor guy who he had so ruthlessly killed. True, everyone believed that the guy was alive, but he needed proof. And that was something no one seemed able to give him. He still remembered the heated argument he'd had with his boss on his first day back in the Bureau.

Flashback:

Abhijeet entered the Bureau to find it empty, expect for ACP Pradyuman who was on the phone attending a call. Even though he was happy for the absence of his team mates, he wished he could have a glimpse of all of them before he handed in his resignation letter. Yes. After a long internal debate, he had come to terms with the fact that he WAS the murderer of the unknown Inspector Dilip. He learnt about the unknown Inspector's name, when ACP Pradyuman had come to his house and had handed him the file containing details of the Inspector, which he had pulled his file after the previous case came to an end. The file wasn't very informative and had a dead-line after early 1997, the time when the mission took place. The inspector was referred to as DECEASED, but ACP Pradyuman believed that it was Inspector Dilip's last mission on the field, for after that, he was quitting his job, and starting a new family of his own.

Shedding away those painful thoughts and tears that threatened to escape him, he headed towards the cabin, his face blank, yet his eyes speaking volumes. Entering the cabin with the permission of his boss, who had just got off the phone, Abhijeet handed over a white envelope to his boss, who did not have a look of shock or surprise, but an experienced look which guessed what was hidden in the envelope.

"Sir, yeh mera resignation letter hai. Main ab CID mein kaam nahi kar sakta."

"Par Abhijeet..."

"Sir, please..."

"Nahi Abhijeet, main ise accept nahi kar sakta."

"Ek... ek mujrim ke liye CID mein koi jagah nahi hai sir! Koi jagah nahi..."

"Yeh baat tumhein mujhe samjhaane ki zaroorat nahi hai..."

"Sorry sir, par... agar aap mera resignation accept nahi karenge, toh..."

"Toh kya Abhijeet?"

"Main mera resignation DCP sir ko de dunga."

"Maine Chitrole se baat kar li hai... woh tumhaara resignation accept nahi karega."

"Nahi karenge... par kyun sir?" Abhijeet felt stunned. DCP Chitrole refusing to accept his resignation was as good as someone telling him the sun now rose from the west each day.

And silence... ACP Pradyuman gave Abhijeet a hard look while Abhijeet returned his gaze with the same ferocity. He felt enraged - didn't he even have the right to decide what he wanted to do with his life anymore? The silence continued, until it reached a peak so high, Abhijeet couldn't take it anymore.

"Sir, main aapse aakhri baar puch raha hoon... aap mera resignation accept karenge ki nahi?" It was a blank, expressionless voice which emanated from him. For a moment, he wasn't sure whether he'd been the one who'd spoken it, his voice sounded so foreign to him.

"Theek hai... par ek shart par." Abhijeet was in the act of thanking him when he stopped mid-way. Ofcourse, the 'but' was necessary. He should have known. ACP Pradyuman had a tired smile on his face, which made Abhijeet realize that ACP Pradyuman too, like every mortal man, had aged over the course of years. Whether it had been his ignorance to accept the fact, or his obliviousness, the fact now hit him with a force, which annoyed him more than ever. He cocked his eye-brows up as a way for the old man to continue, while his boss signalled him to take a seat.

"Tum mujhe apna resignation do hafte baad re-submit karoge."

"Do hafte? Par kyun sir?"

"Main chahta hoon ki tum iske baare mein aur socho, aur tab tak, tumhaari do hafte ki duty jo miss hui hai, tum usse as a substitute in do hafton mein kaam kar sakte ho. Bhavnao mein liye gaye faisle har baar sahi nahi hote hai... isiliye main chahta hoon ki tum do aur hafte CID Team mein kaam karo, aur agar phir bhi tumhein lage ki tum apne decision se khush ho, toh mujhe theek pandra din baad apna resignation re-submit kar dena."

Present Day:

He knew that there was something fishy in the deal, but he had nevertheless accepted it. He wanted a break - not a holiday, but mental relaxation, and what better than do something he genuinely loved. He wanted to leave CID with his head held high, his last case being one of the most challenging ones in his career. Not the way he was going, submitting his resignation and leaving CID as a tainted murderer.

To be honest, he had no idea what he would do in his life after leaving CID... maybe go in for teaching, maybe some social service, maybe work as a trainer in sharp-shooting... but would it give him the satisfaction? Would the guilt ever be taken off from him? The blackouts had stopped, which served as a huge blessing. He was getting quite sick of it, and a little time more, and he was sure he would have gone bonkers, but, it stopped, for which he was more than thankful. The dreams were a different story all together, but atleast he could keep his head above himself.

There was the ECT again ofcourse, but having done it once, he had no interest whatsoever to have his brains addled with anymore. He felt used... he was not a toy of entertainment, couldn't anyone understand that? Had he fought in life and put every bit of energy, to be thrown back into the darkness of his past once again? He felt stabbed when he'd been told to take rest at home, that he was not well. The words still rang in his ears, but now somewhere down, he felt he deserved to be treated like that, for no ones crimes go unforgiven. He couldn't remember what he'd doe, that's why he was being punished with the uncertainty he had to live with.

His boss cum father figure had left no stone unturned in convincing him of his innocence. His best friend, no, his brother, had tried to console him with various soothing words and assurances, tactics and antics involved, but it rubbed no effect on him whatsoever. He hated himself more than ever for hurting them like that, but he couldn't help it, he'd never felt more angrier at himself, at LIFE. He couldn't imagine how many more such mental wounds would he have to bear before he could not take it himself.

Sitting in the hall with these thoughts running in his mind, Abhijeet looked around the hall, looking at the frames which adorned the walls so well. The journey of his life could be seen on those walls. All those smiles, those pride filled eyes, those expectations... he'd failed everybody, everybody! His father-figure boss, and best friend were in the lead, but he'd failed HIMSELF the most. Looking at the photo that stood right before his eyes, until he could no longer take it, he gave way to the erupting anger within him, and picked up the nearest thing that he could get hold of, and shattered the image before him with all the force he could muster.

At Aastha Research Center:

Four people, Raghu, Mannu, Akash and Tarunare currently in their office at Aastha Research Center. They are all worried for the next day, since its a very important day for them.

"Tum yeh kaam kar paoge na?"

"Yes, sir, I'm confident. Kaam ho jaayega kal."

"Good! Par yaad rahe, rakam bohot badi hai, koi bhi bhool nahi honi chahiye... get it?"

"Yes sir! Main aapse waada karta hoon, kal ka din bohot accha jaane waala hai..."

Smiling nervously at Raghu, Akash and Tarun bid MAnnu and Raghu goodbye before heading for their respective homes, leaving the two friends behind. Once the two friends are left on their own.

"Raghu, ab toh batao, kal ka plan kya hai?"

"Tum bas dekhte jao, kal ke din kya ek bohot yaad gaar din hoga hum sab ke liye..."

"Raghu par sambhaal ke... pata nahi kyun, par aisa lag raha hai ki kal kuch bohot bura hone waala hai..."

"Mannu! Tum stressed ho, isiliye tumhein aisa lag raha hai... ab humaare saath kuch bhi bura nahi hoga... kuch bhi nahi..."

Saying so, the two friends depart amicably to their respective homes, with each pre-occupied about their thoughts on the next day.

Next Day:

At 7 AM:

A man with a hint of worry in his eyes and a scar of fear present on his face entered the house and it was the first time that the dead silence in this house did arouse in him a feeling of extreme terror. Looking around, of what he could see was only destruction, the whole house was a complete mess with the frames of their life lying all around, shattered with the extreme hard situation that they must have faced a few hours ago. Moving forward, his eyes fell on a frame which was covered with blood, bending down he picked up that frame and after wiping those blood drops, he could clearly see that picture which gave a way to so many memories. He spread his hand on the picture of a particular person when some salty tears fell down on the face of that figure... He kept the frame aside, and while wiping his tears, he moved forward in order to find him and take him out in sunlight.

The picture had all three of them smiling, the bond was clearly visible, that relation clearly highlighted with those soothing smiles that were there because they were together and alive.

He searched the rest of the house, but there was no trace of him. Daya sighed. He knew where his friend would be. Sitting into the car once again and driving the Qualis towards his destination, several thoughts floated around his mind. Perhaps it were his thoughts that kept him pre-occupied enough that he did not realize he had already reached his destination before he snapped out of his thoughts by a knock at the window. A chai-wala knocked at his window to sell tea, which he absent-minded refused, before he quickly rushed behind him and bought two cups of tea.

Heading towards the sea, his eyes scanned continuously for his friend, until he found him sitting right over the highest rock. Smiling to himself, he rushed towards him, being careful to not spill any tea in the process. The rock was broad enough to accompany two people, and he quietly sat down, handing over the cup to his friend. The person sitting there was startled at first by the other person's presence, but he relaxed quickly and accepted the tea brought by his friend. Sitting there over looking the sea, whose huge waves came crashing over the rocks, there was a peace much heavenly than any in this inhumane world. Sighing contentedly, both friends gazed towards nothing and everything, trying to finally come to terms with what had happened to these these many days.

At the same time:

Akash, Tarun, Raghu and Mannu are standing at the entrance of Aastha Research Center, where the two bosses are continuously throwing in tips and question towards Raghu.

"Raghu, tum tayyar ho na?"

"Haan sir, main kitni baar kahu aapse, I'm confident! Kaam ho jayega!" Raghu replied irritably. It was the 10th time in 15 minutes that he was asked the same question by both the partners simulatneously, and he was getting more irked each time the question was presented to him. Giving a nervous smile, Tarun continued,

"Sorry Raghu, main jaanta hoon ki tum tayyar ho... bas, raqam bohot badi hai isiliyetension ho rahi hai..."

"Its okay sir, main samajh sakta hoon... aap bharosa rakhiye mujhpar..."

"Tum par bharosa hai isiliye toh tumhein yeh kaam saupa hai."

At that moment, a police car stops in front of them, and an Inspector in his mid-40's gets down. While Raghu looked quizzical about his presence, Akash and Tarun both went forward to greet the Inspector with the air of one confiding their deepest secrets. The conversation went up to more than 20 minutes, before Raghu let off an artificial cough, that broke up the party.

"Raghu, yeh hai Inspector Jayant, yeh tumhaare saath aaj bank tak aur waapas accompany karega. Theek hai?"

"Par kyun sir? Aap toh abhi aadhe ghante keh rahe the ki aapko mujhpar pura bharosa hai? Phir kya hua sir?"

"Bharosa hai, par hum ab koi risk nahi lena chahte, isiliye yeh tumhaare saath chal rahe hai, and that's final!"

"Theek hai sir..."

"Yeh lo suitcase... isse sambhaal kar leke jaana aur aate time bhi saamaan ismein hi bharke laana, samajh gaye?" Giving a half nod, he and the Inspector get into the driver's seat and passenger's seat respectively and head towards their destination.

At XYZ Bank:

Raghu and the Inspector reach the Bank. While the Inspector sits in the car, Raghu strolled the suitcase with him to the Bank. Reaching the help desk, Raghu cleared his throat politely and asked "Manager sahab abhi free hai?"

"Haan sir, iss wakt woh free hai... aapko unse koi kaam hai?"

"Unhein yeh kehna ki Mr. Raghav aaye hai..."

"Okay sir... do minute" Calling the Manager via the office line, the receptionist informed him about Raghu's presence. After getting off the line.

"Theek hai sir, aap jaa sakte hai..."

Giving the girl a smile, he headed to the Manager's cabin. Knocking twice, he was ushered into the room by the Manager's P.A., who was leaving the cabin at the same time. Entering inside, he greeted the Manager cordially and a took a seat.

"Kahiye sir, main aapke liye kya kar sakta hoon?"

"Aapko mere company se shayad iss silsile mein do hafte pehle call aaya tha..."

"Haan, Mr. Akash ne mujhe roughly toh iske baare mein bata diya hai... par main aapki kya madad kar sakta hoon?"

"Aapne mere 100 gold bars tayyar rakhe hai? 22 carat ke?"

"Jee haan sir..."

"Yeh lo, ismein unn 100 gold bars ke barabar ke paise hai..."

Handing the suitcase over to the Manager, who called his P.A. in once again to affirm the originality of the money, Raghu removed another piece of paper from a small breifcase he had alongside.

"Manager sahab, aapko ispar sign karna padega."

"Yeh...?"

"Yeh ek declaration hai ki humne aapse 100 bars liye hai uske barabar ke paise dekar." The Manager nodded, while looking the P.A., who had inserted the 9th bundle into the machine.

20 minutes later, the Manager bid Raghu goodbye by dropping him till his car to ensure his safety. Getting in the car, the Inspector too checked the suitcase once again, which now contained 100 gold bars instead of the money, and kept it in the dickie of the car. Driving away with happiness emanating from Raghu, the Inspector called up Akash, to inform him about the possession of the gold bars.

Reaching the Research Center, Raghu had barely gotten down, before Akash, Tarun and Mannu came hovering above him to open the dickie. Raghu opened the dickie, and it must have barely opened, before Tarun's hands had aready reached for the suitcase, and had ripped it open.

"Yeh kya!" Was all Tarun could exclaim in shock. Akash pushed Tarun aside to glimpse into the mysterious bag and had a similar roar of outrage. Running over to Raghu, who had just left the car, Akash held him by his collar and managed to get him a few feet above the air in rage.

"Kahan hai mera sona! Batao kaha hai!"

"Sona toh bag mein hi hai!"

"Accha... accha..." Half pulling half dragging Raghu, Akash threw him in front of the dickie, where the most horrifying sight greeted Raghu.

The suitcase was empty.

At the sea side:

It may have been minutes, or maybe hours, before Daya made conversation first. "Tumhein kab pata chala ki Maya tumhein CID ke khilaaf istemaal karna chahti thi?" It was less of a question to Abhijeet and more of question to himself. He thought Abhijeet may have not heard him, and was about to repeat his question again, when Abhijeet stated simply "Jis din woh mujhe Amit se milaane lekar gayi, main ussi din samajh gaya tha ki yeh koi sochi samjhi saazish hai, aur kahin na kahin Maya ne mere sir dard ka fayda utha liya tha apne gunaah mujhse karwaane ke liye..."

Daya's eyes widened. This could only mean that when he went to the Mental Asylum to meet Abhijeet, he knew what was happening to him by that time. And thinking about the prospect that his freind had told him all those things in his full sense, it hurt. He was however, brought out from his thoughts when he heard Abhijeet speaking.

"Kya keh rahe the tum?" Abhijeet looked at Daya in confusion first, but a smile crept up his face as soon as his eyes met Daya's. It was perhaps, the first genuine smile he had in weeks. He knew his friend too well to know what was running through his mind.

"Main yahi keh raha tha ki main tumhein iske baare mein hospital mein kehna chahta tha lar Maya ne mujhpar puri tarah nazar rakhi hui thi... Isiliye mujhe tumhein woh sab kehna pada, taake use yakeen ho ki ab main un logon ka ghulaam ho chuka hoon."

Nodding his head, Daya asked him the next question that had been pressing his mind since long.

"Tumne mujhe kabhi apne sir dard aur unn sapno ke baare mein bataya kyun nahi?" Abhijeet sighed. To be honest, he himself never knew why he never seeked help from Daya. True there was the time when Daya had visited him and he was about to finally confess the truth but ACP Pradyuman's presence had dissipated that thought away. It was not like Daya was unaware about his PTSD, and yet he didn't want to let Daya know about his condition.

Why? Because he was afraid of being pitied at? If there was one thing he had always hated, it was sympathy. The only reason he had initiallt taken up his job back again as a CID officer was because he was tired f being pitied at. Tired of being a burden on people. He wanted to show people he could fight life well on his own without anyone's help - and too right, he did!

Or maybe because he felt he would lose his friend should he know that he had committed murder? And yet his friend sat there accompanying him, knowing the fact that he had committed murder. Daya had found out about his resignation and had confronted him. It turned out to be much uglier than either of them had thought, and it was almost after four days that he had seen him. Looking at Daya with blank eyes, he just shrugged his shoulers.

"Tumhein yahin laga na, ki agar tum mujhe bata dete toh shayad main tumhein ek khooni samajh ta ya toh tumhein sympathy dikhaata?"

Abhijeet looked at Daya, but this time, his eyes no longer held the lifeless in them. It was someone had set them on fire. This was it. Daya knew what was going to happen next, and surely, the dam broke.

12:15 PM:

The CID Team reach Aastha Research Center, where a paranoid Tarun and enraged Akash stood in wait with a white-faced Mannu and a strangely blanked expression. ACP Pradyuman headed to the lead and begun with the investigation by questioning Akash about the entire incident. While Akash got into the narrative of the whole incident, ACP Pradyuman registered the main points quickly into his head. Nodding his head once the narrative had come to an end Akash seemed to have to longer any control over his temper and yelled in an insanely loud wail

"Sir aap iss Raghu ko hi giraftaar kijiye! Isi ne yeh sab kiya hai!" And the nxt moment, things went faster than anyone expected - Alash had seemingly taken hold of Raghu's neck in a death grip while certain disconnected phrases could be heard like "Sab se zyaada bharosa kiya tha" "Kitne paise mile tumhein yeh sab karne ke liye" "Main tumhein zinda gaadh dunga", while ACP Pradyuman and Freddy tried to get Akash of the poor suffocating man.

Managing to get Akash off Raghu with great difficulty, ACP Pradyuman lost his cool and the next few minutes, the only sound that might have been heard was was of his, the only exception being of Raghu coughing, the mark of ten finger prints still adorning his neck in raw red. Giving everyone a piece of his mind, he beckoned Tarun to enlighten him more about the need of the gold bars.

"Sir hum ek naya researcch kar rahe hai, jismein hum teen chemicals ke concentrated solution ko milake ek naye medicine ka aavishkaar kar rahe hai jo humaare shareer ki imunity ko 10 guna bada sakti hai... yeh experiment hum pichle 2 saalon se AIDS ke kuch patients par kar hai, aur ab tak tests positive rahe hai, aur koi negative side effects bhi nahi dikhe hai. Yeh medicine ab ek private pharmaceutical company ko bechna tha, par isse pehle hume iss formula ke patents khareedne the, aur patents hum log 100 gold bars ke exchange mein khareed rahe the... yeh Raghu aaj yahi gold bars laane gaya tha, aur ab woh bars chori ho gaye hai...

"Ek aur baat batao, Bank sirf Raghu aur Inspector Jayant gaye the, ya aur bhi koi tha unke saath?" ACP Pradyuman now looked suspiciously at Raghu.

"Nahi sir, sirf hum dono hi the..." Raghu replied coolly, but ACP Pradyuman had his eyes on Inspector Jayant, who seemed to be avoiding his gaze steadily, and seemed to be twitchy. Repeating his question louder, this time solely addressed to Jayant, ACP Pradyuman walked right up to him until the two of them were inches apart. Staring him in the eye once, and Jayant rushed into speech so quickly, he was incoherent.

"Dheere!"

"Woh sir, Raghu ka dost bhi tha hamare saath..."

"Raghu ka dost? Ab yeh kahan se aaya Raghu ji? Tum toh abhi keh rahe the ki koi bhi nahi tha tum dono ke alava?" Smirking at the now sweating Raghu, he gave him an questining look, before Raghu sighed in frustration and continued...

Flashback:

As Raghu and Jayant were about to leave, someone knocks on their window. While seeing it was Arjun, Ragu's friend, Raghu stopped the car and got into a conversation with him.

"Arre Arjun! Tum yahan kya kar rahe ho? Aur eh suitcase? Airport se aa rahe ho kya?"

"Kya batao yaar... kaam ke silsile se kuch dino ke liye Australia gaya tha, abhi abhi lauta hoon. Airport se aa raha tha ki raaste mein taxi waale se jhagda ho gaya, aur ussne yahin utaar diya. Abhi taxi dhoondh hi raha tha ki tumhaari gaadi dikhi mujhe."

"Ek kaam karo, tum gaadi mein baito, main tumhein lift de deta hoon... abhi ghar hi jaa rahe ho na? Waise bhi tumhaara ghar raaste mein hi aata hai ... itna soch mat, baith jaa..."

"Thanks yaar... tune toh aaj bacha liya... waise dickie khol na, mera suitcase andar rakh deta hoon..."

"Haan kyun nahi..."

Present day:

"Aur bas sir, phir Arjun ko lift deke hum Research Center chale aaye."

"Yeh Arjun mujhe gadbad lag raha hai... accha ek baat batao, raaste mein tum logon ne kahin aur gaadi roki thi kya?"

"Haan sir, mujhe pyaas lagi thi toh maine do minute grocery ke saamne roki thi paani ki bottle khareedne ke liye, par jab main waapas aaya, tab Arjun gaadi mein nahi tha..."

"Kya matlab?"

"Matlab yeh sir, ki jab hum log Raghu ka wait kar rahe the, tab Arjun ko ek call aaya, aur uske baad, woh jaldi mein gaadi se nikal gaya yeh kehkar ki usse koi zaroori kaam hai, usne mujhe dickie kholne ke liye kahin, aur woh apna bag leke nikal gaya..."

"Usne keh diya aur tumne dickie khol ke de di!"

"Sir, ab mujhe kya malum tha ki un dono ke suitcase ek jaisa hone waala hai, aur upar se jis tarah woh aur Raghu ek dusr se baat kar rahe the, mujhe toh woh bada shareef laga sir...

"Shareef log kya gunaah nahi karte hai?"

Jayant was however saved from answering that, as at that moment, one of the employees came running towards the group and spoke in a hysterical voice.

"Sir, woh formula waale papers chori ho gaye hai sir!"

Constructive criticism will be more than welcome! :D And once again, I hope I've done your b'day justice! :D