A/N: An abhirika fic from me after ages. SMT k bhi ideas aane lage mere dimaag mein. So I will be continuing Sab Mera Tu as well. Yay!

This one-shot is for my darling KK n for my sweet sis cutesmile. She might be a guest but she never fails to review my stories. I promised her I'll be writing one abhirika fic, so this one is for her as well. KK jaani, hope u like it as well.

Set after Kahufnaak Haweli.

. . .

So close

. . .

Song: So Close (wake up sid)

. . .

Abhijeet was in hospital. He was flanked by his best buddies for life Daya and Tarika. Tarika is a friend too! She understood him almost as easily as Daya does.

"Main kuch der yaha rahu Daya please?" Tarika asked wiping her tears.

Daya nodded. Walking out he checked the clock. It was 9pm meaning only one person can stay with the patient.

Tarika glanced at Abhijeet who was now smiling at her despite being in pain. He was leaning with his back against the hospital bed which was now adjusted to function like a huge arm chair.

"Tarika, main thik hu.. main-"

He could not complete the sentence as she launched herself into his arms. Resting her head over his left shoulder she cried; letting those tears break the barrier she built up till then. She was sitting on his bed, awkwardly leaning on to his shoulder. It hurt her in the back that way. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was the moment; the moment in which she was here feeling safe and secured while being close to him.

"Main thik hu. Dekho choti si chot hai woh bhi sholder mei.."

She sniffed, calming down a bit as he gently smeared her head.

"Ab main kaise yakin dilaau tumhe jaan? Tum kaho tho bed se utarke dance karu? Woh bhi disco wala.."

Her head shot up. A laugh escaped her lips as she saw his cheerful face again.

"Iski koi zarurat nahi. Tum so jaao. Kitna kuch saha tumne aaj k din.."

"arey Tarika yeh tho kuch bhi nahi hai. tumhe tho yaad hai na kitne baar, na jaane kitni goliyan khayi hai maine. Yeh tho kuch bhi nahi. Yaad hai woh coma mein gaya tha ek- OW! Maara kyu?"

She hit him on his chest close to the wound. It was highly an act of reflex. She grimaced as she realized what she had done.

"tumhari galati thi! Yaad kyu dilaaya Abhijeet?"

"Kamaal hai yeh tho. Yaha hum aapko cheer up kar rahe hai. aur ulta aap hume maar rahi hai! hein?"

She pouted while glaring. It was his favourite expression of hers. Her rare expression, to be precise; all rights were reserved with him as he was the only one who could bring it out.

"zyada zor se maara? Dard ho raha hai?"

"Nahi.. jab se aap aayi hai, dard meri zindgi se hi bhaag gaya."

She smiled at him, tears forming in her eyes. These were happy tears, mind you. He smiled back.

A moment later she yawned. Glancing at the door, she concluded Daya must have left. So she positioned her stool beside his bed, bending a little she rested her head on the slightly raised portion of his bed for support.

"Kya hai.." she asked as she found him staring at her.

"Kya hai?" he asked with a smile.

"ghoor rahe ho mujhe!" she shot back.

"nahi main sirf dekh raha hu. Ki kaise tum rone k baad bhi ithni khubsurat lagti ho"

"achha ji? Rone k baad hi lagti hu?"

"arey nahi baba roz lagti ho! Aur-"

"Abhijeet! Tum so jaao. Waise agar Daya hota tho main yaha se chali jaati."

"really?" he teased with a smile.

"Really. Ab so jaao…"

"jhoot hai. Abhi kuch der pehle Daya ko kisne bahar bheja huh? Main kuch der yaha rahu Daya please? Aisa kaun keh raha tha?"

"kitne argue karte ho tum! So jaao. good night!"

"Par argument tum shuru karti ho. Maan kyu nahi leti tum ki tum yaha rehna chahti ho- mere saat!"

"haa baba maanliya. Ab so jaao please!"

"yeh thik hai. Ab bataao kyu?"

"Kya kyu?"

"Kya kyu matlub? Arey bolo tho kyu ruknaa chahti ho?"

"Babaji! Kaha fas gayi mei yeh CID inspector k saat. Kyu kyu yeh CID ki tarah sawal karte rehte hai mujhse! Kyu!"

Tarika sat up in her stool, glanced upwards n joined her hands in prayer.

"Balike! Yeh sab tumhari khud k karmon ka nateeja hai. Iss mei bichare ladke ka koi kasoor nahi hai.."

She opened her eyes to see that Abhijeet sat up in his bed too, posing as if he was some baba. She smiled a bit before lashing out at him.

"mere karmon ka nateeja? Maine kya kiya? Peeche tum pade hue the mere."

"haan par aap mujhe ignore kar sakti thi! Ya thappad maar sakti thi. Ya fir kuch bhi. Aapne hi bhaav diya hai ji. Encourage kiya hai mujhe!"

"Kya?"

she was angry now. The situation, the hospital was long forgotten.

"maine encourage kiya hai? How mean Abhijeet!"

"Aur nahi tho kya? Ab jab bhi main aapse kuch kehta tha tho aap woh jo sweet sharmili smile deti thi. Aur jitna bhi dekhu main aap k smile ko, aap k chehre ko; baar-baar dekhne ka mann karta hai tho. Tho kya karta main?"

Her angry expression was once again replaced with a smile.

"arey yeh wohi wala smile hai, nahi mujhe nahi dekhna hai yeh smile. Yahi smile dekh k fas gaya main. Nahi- myy god sach mein! yeh tho wohi killer smile hai. deva-re-deva! Please smile mat karo. Please!"

He was waving his hands animatedly, pleading her not to smile. But that only widened her smile. Finally she gave up laughing and hit him playfully on his arm, this time carefully on some spot away from his wound.

"bohot hua. Ab tum so jaao. Warna main ghar chali jaaungi! Hum yeh baatein kal jaari rakhenge."

She once again leaned back into her previous position. He smiled admiring her, while still sitting there.

"Oye Mr. Hero! So jaao. Tumhe rest ki zarurat hai. ek minute juice piyoge kuch-"

"oye hoye! Kitna khayal rakti hai aap meri! Bilkul ek acchi wife ki tarah!"

"Abhijeet tum bhi na! chalo juice peeke sojao."

"Waise main bhi acche husband ban sakta hu aap ka"

"Abhijeet STOP!"

"thik hai bhai. Aaj k liye chod deta hu aapko!"

She was on the verge of blushing badly and thankfully he stopped. Finishing his juice he leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Good night.."

"Good night Abhijeet.."

1 hour later:

Abhijeet woke up after something stirred on his chest. He rubbed his eyes and saw that it was her hand. She must have changed to a much comfortable position in her sleep; her head now resting on his shoulder, her one hand lazily wrapped around his neck.

She was his angel. He never knew what it was to love, to be loved. And that was till she came along. He never had it in his guts to admit these feelings which he had realized long ago. So when exactly did he fall in love with her?

May be during the time he flirted, may be during the moment she smiled, or may be in that moment when she teased him back. Or may be in that very moment when she took his blood sample; maybe he was in love all along. He was in love with her caring yet reserved personality, her childishness which she showed at times, her witty retorts, everything. And he needed to tell. He was positive she knew it and she loved him too. But he needed to hear from her.

"I love you Tarika.."

She stirred a bit. But there was no response.

"Yar yeh tho hud hai. Jab bhi indirectly bolta hu tho sunti hai. ab directly keh diya tho sunti hi nahi hai.. beta Abhi! Teri kismat tho dekh!"

He lay back in his bed brooding over his situation when he heard her speak.

"Abhijeet.."

"hmm.."

"I love you too!"

So close.. never thought we'd be

but the feeling's right. stars are around tonight

Her arm around his neck tightened as if she was hugging him and he hugged her back, the smile on his face widening with each passing second.

just the two of us..

We've broken down the walls.

N I'm feeling.. feeling..

so close to you

"I love you more.."

There was no response and he took it that she was fast asleep. And he dozed off soon, feeling content to be with someone he loved so dearly.

xxx

2 AM:

Daya opened his eyes, got up from the chair he was sitting. One look into the ICU made him smile.

'Ab inko humari zarurat nahi hai. bhaisaab ko pyaar jo milgaya. Kal dekhlunga bacchu ko!'

And he walked away.

'Aisa pyar sab ko miley..'

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A/N: KK n cutesmile, hope you liked this. Hope all others liked too! Love ya all. Advance new year wishes. Keep smiling.

And and… please do review! :)