Feeling doctor Salunkhe's constant gaze on him, he felt his cheeks flush.

"Abhijeet jaisa tum soch rahe ho waise nahi hai."

"M-matlab?"

"Tarika 3 months pregnant hai"

Abhijeet felt his whole world come crashing down. What about all the things he had thought – just a few seconds ago?

But how? How could it happen? They were so happy together. Why then….oh why was not even the question.

How could she - ?

He was gone only for a few months and this happened. He was so excited to meet her…he couldn't even imagine anything else when he heard about her pregnancy leave. He felt like he had been stabbed in the chest.

Never had even a bullet wound been so unbearable. He had thought that they had everything….except a name for their relationship. There was not a day during the entire 6 months that he didn't think about her. But maybe, she didn't feel the same.

But then again – he had seen love in her eyes, selflessness…and everything that he needed to see. She did everything for him – she was perfect. She was a perfect partner – how then did all this happen? No, there was something more than what was just apparent. He knew her. She couldn't do this to him…her eyes had promised to love him till her last breath, even if her mouth didn't.

Words could betray, but the eyes could never – and he had clearly seen love in her eyes. He was sure he had.

Dr. Salunkhe watched his red eyes water. He rubbed his shoulder and took him to the window, from where they could see the café. He saw her – sitting there, all by herself.

She wasn't his Tarika – she looked so melancholy, so hopeless….as if life had been taken away from her.

"Sir isko kya hua?"

"Pata nahi…roz aati hai yaha…teen mahino se….ghanto akele baithti hai…wahi pe."

"kya…!"

That was their favourite spot…and he could understand her sitting there once in a while. But everyday…and that too for hours, when she was p-p-pregnant? She could abort the baby if she were unhappy!

"kabhi kabhi der raat tak baithti hai."

"Aapne kabhi pucha nahi?"

"Puchta hu toh bas ek hi cheez baar baar bolti hai."

"kya?"

The doctor was silent.

"Kya bolti hai doctor sahab?"

"…"

"Batayiye na doctor sahab…please…"

"Yahi ki sir aap Abhijeet ko sambhal lena."

"Sir mujhe uss se baat karni hogi…mein abhi jaata hu."

"Par Abhijeet – "

He stormed out of the lab. The forensic expert hoped that he would control his anger. However unfortunate the situation was, it was not safe for Tarika to be exposed to violent situations. He hoped Abhijeet would understand that.

Tarika's point of view:

As I felt my stuffy nose wanting to breathe, I realized that tears had rolled down my cheeks.

I took out my small mirror from my bag. My face was swollen, eyes red, lipstick faded – I couldn't see him like this. I couldn't let him see me like this.

He would hate to see his Tarika like this – not his anymore…but still, he wouldn't want to see me so miserable.

Quickly, I carried my bag and proceeded to leave when I collided against the very person I didn't want to see at the moment. As I lost balance, I felt a strong grip on my waist. My eyes refused to look anywhere but into his eyes.

Red and moist, yet so full of love…I couldn't stop looking at him. For the first time in 3 months, I felt happy. His touch felt so good that I felt I could melt in his arms. I don't know what I was thinking when I kept my palms on his chest…as though he was still mine.

But I wasn't thinking I guess… I lost myself in him until…until he let go off my waist abruptly. I left his chest too.

So Salunkhe sahab had told him… well, that made things a little easier for me. I stepped back a little. He must despise me now.

Well, I couldn't blame him. I despised myself too.

"Tar-"

"Jo bhi Salunkhe sir ne kaha – wo sab sach hai," I said without giving him a chance to speak.

I couldn't let him say my name. I couldn't hear more of his love – I didn't deserve any of it. I would become weak if I heard him call me so lovingly. And I couldn't afford to be so weak.

I looked up to see him. A tear drop had rolled down his cheeks. I almost raised my hand to wipe it but my hand stopped in mid-air.

No Tarika, I told myself, you don't have those rights anymore.

I kept looking at him. It was as though my limbs, my throat and even my mind had frozen. Seeing him so vulnerable was hard but not being able to do anything about it was heart breaking.

No, I couldn't be silent anymore. I had to speak. No matter how much he would hate me – no matter how much it would break his heart initially, I had to say it. I could live seeing him hate me but I couldn't see him shattered.

It's fine if he hates me, if that would help him gather himself. His hatred would kill me on the inside but I would die for him every minute if I could watch him live.

I've never told you how much I love you Abhijeet, I said in my head, but I hope you know. It's my love that gives me the strength to endure all the pain.

And now my feelings probably didn't matter. It was best if I weren't vocal about those. I had made my decision without his consent and we both needed to follow it through.

"Abhijeet," I could feel my voice shake, "You have to move on too."

For a moment he just stared at me, as though he hadn't heard me. Then it sunk into his head – the words I had just said.

It sunk in my head too – the fact that I had actually done it. I had been preparing myself to say this for months now.

A/N : So here goes another sad chapter.

How did all this happen? Well, stay tuned : )

Please do review.