AN

It's a very long chapter as I was not willing to make it go to another chapter as it really becomes difficult for me now to wait for mere 9 reviews having nothing but fine and nice story giving no enthusiasm to the author to continue something started with so much interest.

Enjoy the chapter guys...


continued...

The rest of the day went in a haze for abhijeet, he kept thinking of ways to make sure the magic had worked but there were basically none as if the magic had worked the only outcome would be him seeing the dream again. He sighed softly sitting inside the car outside daya's house as he prepared the list of questions in his mind yet again. And not just the question...as he prepared himself to face the dream again too. Yes, he had wanted it back, tried to get it back hundreds of times but he was not sure that he would welcome the familiarity of that dream.

Finally taking the key out from the ignition he came out of the car and after locking it went ahead to enter the house. It had been the right call to ask Rajat and Freddy to drop daya as it had given him time and solace to think about this new scenario. He entered the house silently wondering if daya had gone to sleep, it was so common now a days he had grown a habit out of this too. Daya due to having less sleep in night tried to sleep as early as possible so that he can sleep more. He had only crossed the chester by the front door after keeping the car keys on it when his eyes fell on the light emerging from Daya's room. So daya was not asleep yet...good...or may be bad.

He made his way towards the lit room after lighting the lounge lights and knocked the door. After receiving a "aajao boss" he entered inside the room to see daya reading some files. He himself asked first... " khana kha liya? (daya nodded, abhijeet felt a bit sad but continued) sar mein dard kaisa hai abh..."

Daya laid the book down on his bed side table softly and after taking off his specks said to Abhijeet in relaxed tone... " yaar theek hai...aaj rajat ne jabse woh chai pilayi hai tabse toh bahot sahi hai...(praising tone) kya chai thi yaar...(he added after seeing abhijeet tired face) boss tum fresh hojao main khana laga deta hun.."

Abhijeet looked at him and dismissed the offer with... " nahi yaar...Sachin vivek aur main aate hua restaurant mein baith gaye the...kha liya wahan kuch...tum aaraam karo..."

Daya nodded as it is something regular in their profession and specially very common from last months as he himself ate so less an due to extra work load on abhijeet as taking care of most cases himself not giving daya any pressure, he was usually coming late, he sighed and picked the file again he had been reading with... " bas yeh karke..."

Abhijeet nodded and after wishing daya good night and hearing same left the room in hurry. He was feeling hopeful now that the magic must have worked and that's why daya was feeling good. A small smile appeared on his face for a few minutes before turning tensed and his stomach dropped a few inches. He headed towards the medicine cabinet and taking the box out glanced inside seeing numerous types of painkillers and of different strengths. He sighed sadly seeing this and realised he may be getting the dream back only for best. He took his usual painkiller and headed inside his own room. He was not in the mood to eat something for now even though he had lied to daya earlier.

When you had for the 18 years of life been sleeping in instalments having no pattern of disturbance, it's normal to become accustomed to the pattern and the whole arrangement. But when suddenly you start sleeping too well not plagued by the disturbances anymore, the waking up considered either of alarm rings or falling off some roof having no idea of the passage of time. Abhijeet was feeling like that. He had slept the whole night without any disturbance. He realised softly as he turned the alarm off. And that would most probably mean daya hadn't. He sighed and first moved out of the room to check up on Daya.

He found daya sitting in lounge with 3 cups of coffee and some files. so...he had failed something...again. He asked moving towards daya seeing his dark circled big eyes but neat appearance as he was sitting there all fresh and ready for bureau (in hygiene terms).

" kabh uthe? aur sar mein dard hai?"

Daya closed his eyes for a moment and then asked in irritated tone... " maine yeh sawal tumse kitni baar poocha hai? (abhijeet shrugged softly with a smile realising the comparison and similarity of the situation.) 5 baje and fine.

Abhijeet nodded and headed towards the kitchen while asking his buddy and warning too... " chai peeyoge? coffee toh tumhe aur milegi nahi..."

Daya answered in tough tone... " khair tumhara haath ka toh main kuch nahi pee raha...(teasing) jadoo tona karna aa gaya hai tumhe najane kya karoge...'

Abhijeet in strong tone... " joh bhi karunga even in terms of rules legal hoga...apna hi kuch wapas le raha hun..."

Daya grumbled as he could not fight the legal argument with his illegal one so got up with " HUNH..." and entered inside his own room.

Abhijeet jerked his head, saw the boiling water and just switched off the stove discarding the idea of tea completely, he had wanted to enjoy the tea with his brother but...it just seemed instead of understanding each other they were growing apart. He kept his palms on the kitchen slab and rested his entire weight on them feeling tired. He still could not get what had gotten wrong? was it something he had done wrong...or...

Or he just wasn't willing enough to get back what was his to really have it back? was it this? was it really that he was selfish enough to leave daya in the misery of his own mistake? In the misery of his punishment, his destiny? In his pain? He pressed his weight more on his shoulders and palm feeling the burning sensation in them. NO..it can't be this? He HAD wanted his dream back? He was willing to sacrifice that little comfort of his to get back the old friendship they used to share! He closed his eyes now feeling a lot of his energy drained in this little...

Daya called Abhijeet in worried tone after seeing him standing near kitchen counter with most of his weight on his arms. His arms had started to shake and daya could see the knuckles of abhijeet's hands turn white as he made a fist and buried them deeper into the counter. He called him once softly but when he didn't answer daya felt his heart beat skip. The time of Abhijeet's breakdown after he had hit his head on railway track came in front of his eyes. Was abhijeet seeing another flashback of his past? was it this bad? or this painful? He headed towards abhijeet and softly but firmly pressed his shoulder with a louder more ordering call this time.. ABHIJEET.

Abhijeet snapped out of his small dilemma with the loud call and looked towards Daya in confusion who asked still gripping Abhijeet's shoulder...

" koi sapna daikh rahe the kya? (taking his attention) boss.."

Abhijeet shook his head in irritation and wanted to scold daya for the unexpected question but after seeing the worried look on his buddy face he backed up completely and instead replied in soft tone... " nahi daya...koi sapna nahi daikh raha tha...bas kuch raha tha..."

Daya maintained his position for a bit longer made Abhijeet confused whose eyes focused daya and daya after that left him with... " acha..." and left the place inside his room again. Abhijeet however sighed...in normal circumstances they would have engaged in a long battle with daya continuously teasing him about getting lost in SOMEONE thoughts having female gender, not known by his little bro. It would have led to days of melodrama and dialogues in front of team, acp sir, salunkhe sir and their other friends. Abhijeet wondered if ever such moments would be there again?

He finally just jerked his head and pressing his still arms a bit headed towards his room.

FOR DAYS, Abhijeet had been trying to snatch every other opportunity to feed anything but the stubbornness of his brother was even unmatched by his. He had tried same trick again but this time daya had caught him leading to a small fight between both. Abhijeet was getting angry with daya attitude day by day as he who had been so confident about managing the pain and headaches in a better way or handling them better was just becoming weaker and weaker. He was having more frequent migraine attacks and with time his health also degraded more. This all led to both indulging in more and more fights turning more bad every other time...the day before they had had a similar fight...

" daya peelo isse...kuch nahi kiya hai maine...itna toh trust...

Daya glared at his buddy with red eyes having painful tears and drenched forehead showing signs of his struggle with the migraine attack a few minutes ago...he replied angrily to his brother.. " nahi hai trust...(grumbling angrily) yeh nahi kuch saath dedein...nahi bas apna stunt karna hai..."

He turned to his side to keep the glass of water on table when Abhijeet gripped his arm tightly with strong tone... " saath hi de raha hun samjhe...(angrily) tumhe hi bachane ki koshish kar raha hun...haal dekho apna...almost har week migraine attack aa rahe hain tumhe...na khane ka koi hisab hai na peene ka na sone ka...kar kya rahe ho tum haan? (teasing) isse kehte hain better handle karna?"

Daya in irritated tone... " tumhe kya hai haan? life di haina better maine tumhe? (abhijeet 's grip loosened on his arm in shock) neend aa rahi haina sahi...tumhari life per kya asar padh raha hai...(jerking back his arm) jao jaake so jao..? "

Abhijeet's fingers gripped daya's arm more tightly almost hurting him and asked in anger laced tone making daya's nerves run cold...

" CHARITY kar rahe ho mujh par haan? SYMPATHY dikha rahe ho? (more angrily) kya maine kaha tha jadoo tone mein padhne ke liye...yeh sabh karne ke liye...(leaving his arm with jerk) hazar baar koshish kar chuka hun wapas lene ki...lekin nahi...(angrily teasing) aur aaj sahab apni mahanta dikha rahe hain...WAAH..."

Daya looked at Abhijeet's angry face and tried to resolve as he knew his words hurting Abhijeet or giving a wrong meaning...

" Abhijeet mera woh matlab...

Abhijeet stopped him with his hand and said in low tone... " 18 saalon mein kya kabhi maine kaha ki galti tumhari thi...ya punishment tumhe milni thi ya dard tumhe hona tha? kya kabhi Dosti ko tum per as DUTY force kiya? (his voice turns more teary and heavy) Mujhe nahi maloom tha daya ki tumhari dosti sirf ek sympathy thi..."

Abhijeet left the room after that leaving Daya staring behind him.

He opened his eyes and sat straight with jerk feeling a slight pain in his neck due to his uncomfortable position of bed resulting in stiffening of his neck muscles. He took a deep breath and while massaging his neck muscles whispered to himself...

" keh toh jyada diya usse kal...magar yeh aakhri rasta tha mere paas...agar kal kuch nahi kaha hota toh phir yeh bahot aage badh jata...(sadly) aur hai toh emotional fool hi na...bahot badha chance le liya hai maine iss bar...magar teer nishane per lag gaya toh sabh theek hojayega...(taking a deep breath) Sahab sapna dene ko maan jayenge..ek do emotional cheeze sunayenge...main sorry bolunga aur sabh normal..."

The definition of normal had such enormously changed in the past few months or years or may be even from the beginning that now it was difficult to determine normality at all.

He sighed and headed towards daya's room to check up on him and see if his plan had worked. He knocked the door but after getting no reply slowly opened it as now it was usual for daya to not to wake due to sleeping pills effect. Abhijeet sighed seeing daya's wet tear stained face giving him a rough idea of things that would have happened after he had left. But he was also feeling a chill inside him. He moved forward and touched daya's forehead But...

He had to pull back his hand immediately because of the coldness of skin beneath his fingers. He stared at daya's face and called his name out dropping by his side and rubbing his palms over daya's to provide some heat, he was still calling Daya, again and again...waiting for any response any gasp of air anything...just..any...

As soon as Abhijeet had moved out of the room Daya gazed at his empty palms feeling he lost something so big yet again. His body was starting to shiver feeling a deep pain and hurt. How can abhijeet think like that about him? How abhijeet can believe that it was sympathy their friendship had been based on..How...how abhijeet could say all that?

He clutched the glass of water in his hands seeing the clear liquid inside...he was feeling suffocated...he had wanted to clear his place, his intention...he had just wanted to give some sooth some peace to his buddy and not show sympathy or charity...it had been an act of friendship not an act on pity.

He felt his forehead starting to throb again and he began massaging it to pass the building migraine.

He didn't know how much time had passed when his body hunched forward due to the pain in his head looking for some relief from the throbbing sensation. The lights of the room were already off and the blinds closed, abhijeet had slightly closed the door while moving out...(his brain corrected menacingly) moving away...going..leaving...forever.

He closed his eyes tightly and opened them again to be able to see a little bit around the painful fog, he reached his hand in his bedside drawer and took out the only pill bottle he kept there now a days...Sleeping pills. That should at least sooth the pain a bit and if not help him sleep it off. Daya took out some in his hands...he was unable to count how many though so felt around for three and gulped them down with the water abhijeet had given him. He waited but the pain was still there...increasing by every second. He would have called abhijeet but...

He again looked for the bottle and this time took out few more gulping them down too. He knew he was not doing something right but the pain was just unbearable and he wanted it go away at any cost! and few sleeping pills extra would not harm him that much. he was starting to feel dizzy and sick now but the PAIN...

Taking another deep breath he dropped out few more pills in his hands and gulped them down with the little water that was left in the glass...he chocked on them but managed to forcefully swallow them making more than 13 sleeping pills go and mix with his blood.

The pain was eased...at least...he closed his eyes and laid down peacefully.

The hours when he had heard a gasp, called for ambulance and shifted daya in it had passed by in such a haste that abhijeet, sitting outside operation room on bench found himself wondering what time it was?

But it was exactly not something he had to wonder about...but he knew he was just avoiding the true question for now..just for sometime...he needed just some peace for now. He took a deep breath and wondered when things had done to this extent and why he hadn't noticed that daya was losing the battle altogether? Yes, he knew daya had been getting tired and worked up and that's why he had played the emotional card finally but...he had not expected this. He had not expected Daya to commit SUICIDE?. May be daya was just...was just too tired and had taken just a little too many pills? Yes that could have been the case...or may be the pain from migraine had gone too bad? Well then daya would have called him...right? He...he should have.

He closed his eyes not daring to sleep but not opening them either. He was tired too. He was exhausted as well. But he was not in pain...not in a pain he didn't deserve. He had still not called the team and he would have to think of an excuse for both their absence today...and he was damn sure that now no excuse would work. But he would not let them know at any cost what had happened. Not until he convinced daya for the right. Can't daya see it? It was not something yielding either of them any good.

He looked up as hearing the OT door slide open and stood up silently. The paramedics by the time they had reached the hospital had managed to restore daya's breathing and heart rate to almost a normal level. The doctor moved towards him and after taking off his gloves said in low serious tone...

" sir aap khud CID se hain issliye hum logon ne koi action nahi liye but..you know the protocols right? (abhijeet nodded) he is safe now, i don't think ki inhone sleeping pills as a measure of suicide li thein...(abhijeet's eyes sparked a feel of relief) more like as a relief...inki brain activity ke according we can say ki inhe most probably migraine attack aaya hoga...(abhijeet sighed and swallowed feeling a lump rising in his throat) and it's really common to use sedatives or sleeping pills to get relief...but he took a lot...(doctor eyed abhijeet but after just getting a fixed stare got the territory was not open to him just nodded and said further) we have cleared his system from a lot of it but he'll have to sleep off the effect of rest...(abhijeet nodded) let me know when he wakes up officer...bas kuch regular check up karne hoge..."

Abhijeet nodded again and the doctor left the place. He moved towards the OT door and glanced inside to see daya sleeping peacefully, his face covered with oxygen mask and the heart monitor showing his rhythmic heart beat. He turned around and moving ahead fell on the bench feeling bone tired and placed his head in his palms wondering about the words the magic girl had said when he had visited her again after the failure of his first attempt...

" sir aapke friend shayad aapse kaheen jyada determined the yeh pain carry karne ke liye...(softly after seeing Abhijeet's eyes flash anger) magar it's not your mistake sir...aur nahi issme koi burai hai...jabh unhone yeh pain aapse liya hoga unhe andaza bhi nahi hoga ki joh woh dekhte hain usske ilawa aur kya juda hai...aap jante hain sabh...you know every pain every hurt every thing about it...it's not that aap selfish hain sir...it's just that ki aap bhi ek insaan hi hain..."


Daya took the lid off the container having kaju kari while abhijeet was inside the kitchen getting utensils for both. He nervously eyed the kitchen first and then taking a deep breath followed the instructions carefully...

He thought about the day and the memory and about abhijeet having those nightmares and then the headache and associated pain. He slowly and carefully mouthed the words taking care of the pronunciation as he willed himself to take that pain...that nightmare from his buddy to give him his peaceful sleep. He was placing the lid on the container when abhijeet came out with teasing him...

" daya la rahan hun main plate aur spoon yaar...wait karo thodha..."

Daya smiled tensely and quipped to his brother feeling a different sooth in his tensed shoulders about doing something about his buddy's tight smile...

" arrey toh bhook hi itni lagi hai aur kya mast khoshboo aa rahi hai...yummm...(taking his bowl and filling it with curry) tum karo intezaar..."

He took his plate, chapatees container and headed towards lounge area. Abhijeet looked towards him and shook his head in disappointment as he too filled his bowl and joined his brother in lounge who was switching channels on TV.

He took the first bite after dipping roti in curry and feeling some sooth which increased as he gulped his second bite down. He commented praisingly to daya...

" arrey daya kahan se mangvaya hai iss baar, haan? kya lajawab curry hai yaar..."

Daya nodded tightly trying to hide or avoid the sudden throb behind his eyes or the tightness of his facial muscles. He glanced towards abhijeet seeing him take another bite in complete relaxed mode. By the time both had finished their dinner Abhijeet had been feeling quite good and really sleepy and tired, he said to daya while stiffling his yawn as he headed to kitchen with his plate...

" Yaar daya agli baar se issi jagah se khana mangwayenge...hmmm...(whispering in relaxed tone) kuch toh khaas hai yaar.."

He glanced towards daya in between and saw him rubbing his forehead while his shoulders were tensed too, he asked in worried tone...

" Daya kya baat hai?"

Daya just waved his hand wanting to disperse the questioning at any cost and said... " kuch nahi bas halka sar dard hai theek hojayega..."

Abhijeet nodded and picked daya's plate too with ordering... " acha chalo utho phir aur tum yahi ruk rahe ho aaj...main medicine room me hi leaunga tumhare..."

Daya nodded just to disperse his buddy's keen eyes and headed to his room while smacking himself for being such a wuss. But he was not normally suffering frequent headaches and not of such frequency too so it had been instant and had caught him off guard. he wondered whether abhijeet had been hiding such a headache all day? But then there may be a difference in both their pain threshhold too. The though made daya cringe as realised him that how many times abhijeet would have had to suffer the same threshhold to by pass it in next times.

He decided at that moment, as Abhijeet entered inside his room with tensed expressions but relaxed features that he had done something right.

Daya opened his eyes and when looked around trying to determine where he was, felt his stiffened neck so started massaging it while also remembered that he had stayed at Abhijeet's house as both had had maggie for dinner being extremely late in night from bureau. He looked around in worry as during mid night all the stress of the last few days had caused Abhijeet to have a bad headache and so both had then spent the night on terrace in fresh air with two coffee mugs much to abhijeet's irritation at first.

Daya sighed reminding how things had been and then changed and then back again. He realised some things are just better as they are and any change may just lead to the universe falling apart (well exaggerating of course). He remembered what had happened as he had come out of his pills induced deep sleep...

Abhjeet was sitting on the chair tiredly as he opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. He heard abhijeet's clipped voice through the FOG of sleep...

" kyun Daya?"

Daya shook his head to place this tightly placed KYUN? He had been expecting concern, worry but this...he took a deep breath and focused his mind to gathering some information about why he was here in this white room (of course THE HOSPITAL...ultimate place to find yourself in) and remembered the previous night events of having a fight with abhijeet...his words...then the blinding headache...and the pill popping...he mused slightly...pill popping?

He looked towards abhijeet again and found the dried tears on his buddy's face so said in convincing tone... " yaar ABHI maine suicide nahi attempt kiya yaar...woh toh bahot dard toh main...

Abhijeet came forward and nodded slightly this time with a softer tone... " main janta hun...( daya felt relaxed but confused too about that kyun then) magar main yeh nahi janta ki tum kyun meri dream le rahe ho? "

He looked at abhijeet and said in strong harsh tone... " kam se kam issiliye toh nahi kyunki mujhe tumse sympathy ya tumpar pity hai ya mai koi charity kar raha hun...(abhijeet smiled and side by side cringed at the harsh tone, daya again...turning his head down) bataya tha maine tumhe...tum thak gaye the..."

Abhijeet sat on tool softly and gripped daya's palm with strong grip of his as he made his buddy understand...

" aur abh tum thak gaye ho...(daya wanted to protest but abhijeet's eyes turned fiery instead of soft and daya turned his head down again) aur main koi madad nahi kar sakta...(daya again wanted to...OK not a good idea) yeh sach hai daya...main tumhe uss tarah se support nahi kar sakta jaise tumne mujhe itne saal kiya hai...kuch mahino mein hi daikh rahe hona? (sadly) na hum log dhang se baat karte hain na ladai...(softly) dooriyan sirf badh rahi hain daya...theek hai main thak raha tha...magar bahot saalon se na daya...lekin TUM the mera saath dene keliye...(daya closed his eyes as few precious drops feel down) magar abh kya? (hurt tone) maine toh apna dost kho diya na yaar...abh kon hai? "

Daya wanted to tell his buddy that he was still there for him but he knew expect the part where he had taken a burden as a blessing for his buddy,he had not been a friend, not been there to help, to support or just to divert his buddy mind from any difficult case. He realised in providing a sooth his buddy had never asked for he had been depriving his buddy of the FRIEND he did had asked for and had required all along. He looked towards abhijeet face who silently moved out of the room and came back with a glass of water after few minutes, this time...he knew he was WILLING enough. More than enough may be.

Daya looked hesitant as he gripped the glass of *magic water* from his buddy hands. Was he just being selfish? He felt a slight pressure on his shoulder and looked up in his buddy's eyes seeing teust, friendly love, concern, care...he could not tell how his buddy could be so willing about this?

His buddy answered softly... " kuch ghanton ki sukoon ki neend ke aage dost ko kyun chun rahan Hun? Jawab bahot asaan hai daya...Mujhe apni dosti mein usse kaheen jyada sukoon milta hai daya...(softly) dekhna tum bhi..."

And he agreed. He had realised both of them shifting into the normal equilibrium. The taunts, teases, little fights, concern, small eye exchanges, little tricks, pranks, plans everything. He laughed remembering the happy tone of Freddy while complaining to him about getting scolded from his dear Abhijeet sir. A small smile retained on his face when abhijeet returned..

Abhijeet asked his buddy in confused tone seeing the smile... " arrey kya hua? Aaj subah subah hi ( he acted like tempering with his brain screws) screw dheela? Haan?"

Daya started laughing again and after seeing his buddy confused eyes with little smile on his face said in between laughs... " hahaha...yaar apna Freddy Na tumhari shikayat laga raha tha...( abhijeet shocked so daya added in naughty tone) ki abhijeet sir ne usski daant lagayi...hahaha...( winking towards his buddy with) khush hokar...hahaha.."

Abhijeet shook his head having soft smile on his face. A few months before they had been struggling between comfort of sleep and memories of friendship and now they were collecting memories while forgetting comfort giving enough comfort and sooth to abhijeet to never get tired of this and if he did... ( he glanced towards his buddy) he would HAVE a FRIEND to support him, to bear his burden with being there and by not stealing it...


AN

A very big thank you to all the readers and my very special reviewers...SHILPAM, rocking duo, masoomaansari, shikha sharma, SGJ , rose and all the guests reviewing the story till end and supporting me. Thank you so much guys.

Also thanks to previous reviewers, DADA, Mistic morning, June, shubhangi's abhi, coolak, sunny, R, Shaina, piya, minimicky951, BT, Krittika Di, xxx, zzz and any guests reviewed earlier. Thank you guys for trying my little effort although I am really sorry I couldn't interest you enough in this little venture of mine to keep your reviewership. :D.

A BIG THANK you to SHILPAM , SD Di for their both continuous support and suggestions too.

Shikha sharma : dear aise plot per 23DIYA ki ek story hai called you could have trusted me...aap woh padhne ka try karo...it's really a fantastic attempt. Thank you so much for your support through out the story.

THE B.A - arrey Di aapne bhi toh name change kar liya... ;). Arrey wah...kya baat Di... itni jaldi read karli... ;) dekho kardi complete abh Maine bhi...jaldi jaldi... ;). Waise gayab kahan the abh? Itne dino baad koi khabar...thank you for your review.