And all the trials shall pass

by weshallflyaway2

Gehlot finally gets his just desserts and Abhimanyu fulfills his promise to leave Raj and Naina unchaperoned while in Delhi. Consign me not to Darkness universe (3rd story)

And all the trials shall pass

Raj walks back into their shared office to find Abhimanyu in the middle of a phone call. His friend makes a sign to stay quiet and Raj gives him an enquiring look as he makes his way to his desk.

"Yes Naveen, I promise most faithfully that I will not allow them to be alone. I'll ensure that Naina and Sherry are always at the hotel together."

Abhimanyu waves a hand at a Raj's gesture of annoyance, signalling him to be quiet until the conversation is finished.

"And yes, we will keep them safe. I'm certain we've rounded up all of the conspirators but we'll have extra security just in case."

He hangs up and Raj throws a ball of paper at his head. "So you'll be chaperoning me and Naina, will you?"

Abhimanyu lets out a bark of laughter, grinning widely. "Naveen will think I am. This is it, finally my opportunity to gain revenge on him for being a loud mouthed busy body who..."

Raj raises his eyebrows, waiting for Abhimanyu to finish the statement.

"Uh, just for that. It serves him right is all I'm saying, I've got your back. Whatever you and Naina..."

Raj holds up a hand to stop Abhimanyu there. "Chauhan, just as I have no desire to know what happens between you and my sister, I also do not ever wish to discuss anything that Naina and I do or do not do."

"Duly noted, my friend."

"I can't believe that's Naveen's priority when Lala Gehlot is finally going to be put on trial." Raj rolls his eyes. "We've spent months ensuring that nothing can go wrong and all of the security measures are in place and this is his concern?"

"You know Naveen, he can't help himself." Abhimanyu comments with a shrug. "The list of witnesses has luckily been kept secret but I am still worried that something will go wrong. What if he's managed to communicate with someone outside? What if he's determined to take revenge for what we did?"

"Then we'll stop him." Raj responds calmly. "We've got our best people on this. Nobody knows who will be testifying or when to be able to interfere. I'll go down this weekend as per schedule as if I'm on a normal visit and bring them back with me, ready to attend court on Monday. They're the last due to testify so if all goes well they can stay for the decision and sentencing as well."

Abhimanyu nods resolutely. "I'm looking forward to this all being over so that we can finally get on with our lives."

"Just one more week, and we'll finally be free of him."

/

For the past week, Naina's brother has been giving her advice.

Advice on how to give testimony. Advice on how to spot someone suspicious in a crowd. Advice on how to keep herself safe and on what she and Sherry should and should not be doing in Delhi. Some of it is useful, but some of it...

"Naveen, I'm more than well aware that it's not a good idea to go out at night by myself even without the extra threat." Naina tells him patiently. "You don't need to worry, both Raj and Abhimanyu will be there, and Sherry and I are perfectly capable of looking after ourselves too."

"There will be a great deal of security at the hotel, it's honestly the safest place you could be." Naveen continues as if he hasn't heard her. "And if Raj tries to convince you that you should be going home with him instead..."

Naina narrows her eyes at him. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that."

Sherry hits him hard on the arm. "I thought you were practising being cooler."

Glaring at her, Naveen rubs the spot. "I'm still your teacher you know, even if you do only have three months left."

"You can assign me extra homework when I'm back." Sherry tells him cheekily before turning towards their friends. "Any last words of wisdom for us?"

"Be careful of whose signals are around you, you don't want to catch the wrong one." Pooja warns them.

"What is there to worry about when both of our bandit queens are going to be together?" Huda shrugs, apparently unconcerned.

"Seriously, guys, just be careful and stay with Major Rajveer and Captain Abhimanyu at all times. And check in to let us know how you're doing." Yudi tells them.

"You're going to complete an important duty, one that will help to protect our country. Be proud of yourselves." Ali adds.

They both look towards Aalekh then, awaiting his farewell. "Try and get the death penalty for him." Aalekh advises seriously. "So that we know he's really gone for good."

Raj strides into view, having returned from greeting Brigadier Chandook. He's determined to arrive back in Delhi by early afternoon to settle them in.

"Are you both ready to go?" He asks and at their nods, clasps Naveen's hand in farewell, nodding to all of the cadets in turn. "Don't worry, I'll have them back safe and sound by the end of the week at latest."

"Do look after them." Naveen tells him seriously, "And after yourself and Chauhan too. You can't assume that any threat might be for Naina and Sherry alone."

"Trust me, Naveen, potential threats are all that Chauhan and I have been thinking of these past few weeks. I think it's safe to say that by now we've considered every possibility."

Their farewells finally said, they make their way to the car, stowing their bags before they climb in. As Naina takes the seat across from him in the front, Raj briefly reaches out to grasp her hand, smiling at her.

"Suriji packed us some food for the journey, let me know if you're hungry." Naina tells him.

"Sorry we had to rush off, but I do want us there as soon as possible before anyone catches on that you're on the way. We'll stick to the hotel tomorrow and spend the day going over your testimonies and the security arrangements, then Monday you'll attend the trial. Naina you'll be first and then Sherry will be in the afternoon. If it goes on too long then it could take two days."

"Have you made your own testimony yet?" Naina asks him.

"I completed mine this week, on Wednesday. It was..." Raj glances across briefly at Naina then. "It was difficult but I feel better now I've confronted him with what he did to me. I needed to do it before I could truly move on."

It's Naina's turn to reach out, interlacing her fingers with his as Raj squeezes her hand back.

"How did he look?" Sherry asks. "Has prison actually changed him?"

Raj nods. "He's a shell of his former self. I don't think he ever believed he could be held responsible for his actions and now he's powerless, with no way to help himself."

"Good, let him have a taste of how that feels." Sherry comments bitterly. "I hope he spends the rest of his life rotting in exactly the same way."

"They, uh, they might recommend the death penalty. Will you..."

"I'm certainly not going to shed any tears for him. The faster he gets to hell the better in my opinion."

Raj and Naina exchange a glance, Sherry may sound fine but this trial is going to wear on her and it's a good thing Abhimanyu will be there to raise her spirits.

"Come to think of it, for everything his actions put me through, I've never actually met your father." Naina comments with a frown. "I saw him from a distance the night of the Fresher's Ball but we had no idea then just what his involvement was."

"Ah yes, the night that Naveen suspected you were involved with Aalekh and missed the entire plot." Raj comments humorously and they laugh.

"You might possibly be the most chill boyfriend I've ever seen, Bhaiyya." Sherry says, regarding the two of them almost contentedly from the backseat. "I've never seen you get even slightly jealous or insecure in all this time."

Raj shrugs. "What reason would I have to be? The experience that Naina and I went through together, the fact that she was willing to risk her life for me; I'd be an idiot if I was ever to doubt the depth of her feelings for me after that." Reaching over for Naina's hand, he grabs it, bringing it to his lips for a quick kiss before he lets it go.

Watching from the backseat, Sherry can't help but think that it's past time that this trial was over. It's time that her father's shadow passed from Raj and Naina's lives too.

/

They make good time to Delhi, Raj pulling directly into the hotel's parking basement in the early afternoon. He had called Abhimanyu while they were on the way in and sure enough he's waiting there as they park, a smile for Sherry although he looks as serious as they've ever seen him.

"All okay?" Raj asks, even as he stretches towards the glove box, removing a handgun which he checks before tucking into the back of his pants under his shirt. Looking carefully at Abhimanyu as his back turns to them to embrace Sherry, Naina can tell that he's carrying a weapon as well.

"Do you think it'll be necessary?" Naina asks Raj quietly. She's not worried, she knows they'll have taken all of the necessary precautions, but she wants to be prepared in case she needs to play her own role in their defence.

"Most likely not." Raj reassures her. "The hotel has excellent security and we have our own guards posted too but this is just additional insurance. We've been careful to ensure that Gehlot hasn't been able to contact any of his old associates, but nothing is ever for certain."

"Let's get you both upstairs via the staff elevator, then we can order some room service. I've already worked out the best items on the menu." Abhimanyu tells Sherry, one arm slung around her shoulders.

"Is this room service for us or you?"

"Well I have been waiting for you to get here to eat..."

/

Two minutes later they're in their room, settling their things into place. There's a bedroom with twin beds and a small living area outside with a couch that Raj and Abhi claim they'll be taking turns to sleep on during the night shifts.

Naina doesn't miss the rather incredulous look that Sherry gives Abhimanyu or the way she pulls him aside to whisper to him.

"Not really the romantic trip up to Delhi to visit me I'd been hoping for." Raj says as he wanders into the bedroom, leaning against the doorframe as Naina looks up from her bag.

"Three more months and then I'll be here with you permanently," Naina promises, beckoning him towards her after a quick glance at the doorway behind him.

Getting her meaning, Raj softly shuts the door before he walks further into the room. He crosses to her, his hands settling on her hips as he bends to kiss her gently, Naina's own arms winding around his neck. A few moments is all Raj gives them, knowing that he can't push his luck too far with Sherry and Abhimanyu in the other room. Taking Naina's hand then he pulls her down to sit beside him on the bed.

"If it's safe enough I might take you to see my quarters anyway. I want to know if there's anything you want changed before you move in with me."

Naina smiles. "I'd like that. Maybe we could take an extra day after the trial ends. I have a feeling we're all going to need it by the time we're finished."

Raj grins suddenly. "And I have it on good authority that Chauhan doesn't intend to chaperone us at all."

/

"We'll go over potential questions tomorrow but for tonight I want to make sure you're familiar with the trial format and what to do." Raj tells them as they sit in the living area after their dinner. "We've been through it now so we can give you some pointers."

"Did you need to testify as well?" Sherry asks Abhimanyu.

"I did, it was necessary for the parts that Raj wasn't there for. Mine covered Nair and Bhargav's involvement, the arms smuggling and Gehlot's eventual arrest. The sentences for Nair and Bhargav should be pronounced soon after your father's. It was..." Abhimanyu pauses. "Exhausting. You need to be prepared for the defence to come at you, trying to find holes in your story. There aren't any of course but just stay calm and don't let them bait you."

"The government prosecution will stop them if they get out of line, as will the judge. Just stick to the facts and try to leave emotion out of it." Raj guides them. "If you don't know something or didn't see something then admit that. The prosecution will ensure that the right questions are asked, we've worked with them over the last few months to make sure they include everything. We'll practice tomorrow so that it's easier on the day."

"Did they, uh... you and I didn't come up when you gave your testimony did it?" Sherry asks Abhimanyu.

He shakes his head. "You were right, it was for the best that we keep things quiet for the time being. Either they don't know about the relationship or they realised they don't have enough evidence to use it to discredit me as a witness."

"That's a relief." Sherry murmurs. "I don't want anything to get in the way of his conviction. He will be punished for what he's done, he has to be."

"Are you worried?" Naina asks her. "I don't think there's any way he can get out of it now."

"Trust me, if there's something that my father knows well it's how to get out of things." Sherry responds grimly. "I'm not going to relax until the judge has actually passed the sentence."

Raj checks his watch. "We should probably settle in for the night, tomorrow is going to be tiring and the more rest we get the better. You two head off to bed, Chauhan and I will take turns keeping watch out here."

Nodding, Naina leans over to kiss him goodnight on the cheek, allowing her lips to linger before she pulls away. Watching her go, Raj sighs.

"Was staying in this hotel the most stupid idea we've ever had or not?" Abhimanyu asks regretfully as he watches the door close behind them.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

/

Raj is on watch the next morning, reading by the light of a lamp while Abhimanyu snoozes on the couch, his long legs thrown over the edge. Naina opens the door quietly, peeking out until she spots him, a slow smile spreading across her face that Raj returns when he sees her. She pads across the carpet quietly, already showered and dressed and ready for the day ahead.

"Did you sleep well?" Raj asks her, settling an arm around her waist to bring her closer. Abhimanyu's right, he had felt like an idiot the night before, sending her off to bed while he stayed out here. It's not that he's hoped for something, it's hardly the best time and it's only three months to their wedding at this point. Some privacy would have been nice though, some time to hold her and kiss her and provide any reassurance she might need.

"Well enough," Naina tells him before her mouth quirks in humour. "Once Sherry stopped complaining about the sleeping arrangements."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." Raj jokes, glancing over to Abhimanyu to check that he's still soundly asleep. Between the two of them he's gotten rather good at practising selective deafness. Judging it to be safe, he pulls Naina towards him, settling her on his lap as she winds her arms around his neck. "I think we definitely will need to take an extra day at the end though. Since the time I've returned we've barely had any time alone together. I just want..."

Naina raises her eyebrows at him and Raj colours. "I didn't really mean it like that. I just want time for us to be together without needing to rush back or worry what other people might think. I miss those days in the forest sometimes when it was just the two of us."

"I miss them too." Naina admits quietly, and leans her forehead down to his, their noses brushing. "If you want me to stay an extra day I will, we'll say there was some paperwork to be done or something."

Raj is grinning, leaning forward to kiss her when the room's bell rings. Naina hastily stands up, even as Raj grabs his sidearm from the table and Abhimanyu sits up on the couch, casting around for his.

"Who is it?" Raj asks, already aiming his weapon at the door as he gestures to Naina to take cover behind him.

"Room service, it's your breakfast."

Raj and Abhimanyu exchange a look. They'd discussed the protocol with the hotel staff very clearly and meals are to be delivered only if they're requested, a code word given at the time of ordering to ensure that only designated people are able to access the room.

"One moment." Raj calls out before making his way to the peephole. It's one man, a covered tray in his hand and Raj guesses a gun concealed within it.

A quick glance back at Abhimanyu and they nod to each other, ready to take on the intruder. Raj opens the door slightly as if to let the man in and as soon as he's stepped forward, slams it back into the attacker's face. There is a shout of pain and Raj has wrenched the door open once more, tackling the man to the ground as he twists his arms behind his back, pinning him in place.

Abhimanyu has darted forward, securing the weapon and quickly tying the man's wrists and ankles together tightly as Raj holds him in place.

"Are there more of you?" Raj yells at him, "Are there more attackers coming?"

The man remains stubbornly silent and Raj turns to face Abhimanyu, "Call the officer on duty downstairs and we'll have him taken into custody, then we'll figure out what to do next."

It's a matter of only five minutes before the officers come upstairs to escort him away, strict instructions given by both Raj and Abhimanyu that he's to be kept securely and to try and find out who sent him.

Raj passes a nervous hand over his face. "What do we do now? They can't stay here, if an intruder has gotten past security once then it can happen again."

"We'll have to ask them to prepare a new safe house as soon as possible, but until then where do we go?"

"We could take them to headquarters..."

Sherry clears her throat, waiting until they've all turned to her before she continues. "Oh no. We can't stay in the hotel due to the danger of our lives... whatever shall we do. I can't think of a single sensible solution despite the fact that both of our intended husbands live in this city."

She raises her eyebrows at them.

Raj turns bright red. "Well, that is... I mean..."

"Considering we do live in army quarters it may actually be the safest place." Abhimanyu suggests pragmatically. "Anyone wanting to attack them would have to get past the checkpoint first, then any number of armed guards before reaching us."

"I'm curious as to why this wasn't an option from the very beginning. Why were we even in a hotel in first place?" Sherry asks them.

Abhimanyu rolls his eyes. "Headquarters arranged it and Raj was too embarrassed to admit that he would prefer his fiancée to stay with him."

"You didn't say anything either!"

"Do I need to remind you that because of Sherry's father I'm not actually able to be engaged to say anything?"

Naina holds up her hand to stop them. "Let's forget all that. Is the safest place for us right now in the army quarters? Because if it is I suggest we head there as soon as possible and sort everything out later."

Realising that she's right, Abhimanyu and Raj both nod.

"I'll let Colonel Shakti know what has happened once we've reached there safely." Raj says, "And ask for additional security to transport us to the trial on Monday."

"And let's not tell my brother about this for the time being." Naina adds hastily. They all look at each other.

"Yes, I would hate for him to worry." Raj adds quickly, "We handled it after all and nothing else will happen now."

"Exactly, no reason for Naveen to know at all!" Abhimanyu agrees. "We possibly never have to tell him."

"I think whether to tell him or not is a problem for our future selves." Sherry breaks in. "For now let's leave this hotel."

They gather their bags quickly and Raj and Abhimanyu hold a quiet discussion with the officers on protection detail. It's agreed that they'll remain at the hotel, keeping up the pretence that the witnesses are actually there. Their strategy worked out, they're soon down in the parking lot once more and on their way in a manner of minutes.

/

It's still early when they reach the army housing, the avenues quiet. Raj and Abhimanyu flash their identification quickly when they reach the checkpoint, and the guard looks over Naina and Sherry in the backseat.

"And your guests, Sir?"

"My sister and fiancée, they've come to visit me in Delhi for the wedding shopping." Raj replies smoothly and the guard waves them through.

"Which reminds me, that neither of you have actually done any wedding shopping so far." Sherry comments with a frown. "You're not planning to get married in your uniforms are you?"

Raj laughs, "No, or at least I'm not, Naina is welcome to if she wants to." He shrugs. "I did think about it but there just hasn't been time between the trial preparations and..."

"And your constant visits down to KMA." Sherry adds. "Maybe we should stay for an extra day to get it done or you really will be getting married in your uniforms."

"Raj does look quite good in his formal uniform." Naina grins, "But yes, Ma and Baba might be happy if we get it done considering how they've been nagging me to come home for a weekend to complete it."

"Right then. Convict your father. Go wedding shopping. In that order of course." Abhimanyu jokes as Raj slows the car down. "This is our stop. We'll see you both tomorrow if nothing comes up before then."

Raj nods. "Better to keep them both out of sight so as few people as possible know they're here."

They turn the corner, coming to another row of buildings. "I thought you and Abhimanyu were in the same building?" Naina asks.

"We were, I was moved last week. With everything that was going on with the trial I didn't get a chance to tell you."

"Why did they move you?"

"Well, where Abhimanyu stays is the Bachelors quarters, for single officers. They house the families separately so that we have a little more room. I had my name down as needing a transfer of quarters so when one became available they told me I could move early to start getting it prepared."

"So this will be it? Our home?"

"Our home." Raj confirms, reaching out with one hand to cup her cheek. "I was hoping you'd get to see it before our wedding. I do have my parents' house as well, but I haven't stayed there since they passed away. First I was at the Gehlots' home and then wherever my posting was."

"Let's head upstairs then." Naina grabs her bag, swinging it over her shoulder, and follows Raj up the stairs. He's on the second floor and they make it up quickly, turning towards each other to smile on the way, unable to help it.

It's almost like a dream after everything they've been through together. Their house, where they'll start to make their lives together, where they'll fall asleep together and wake up together, where they'll have all the time in the world to themselves if they wish it. This past year, Naina has had to convince herself again and again that it really is real, that they've won this for themselves. She still wakes sometimes in the middle of the night, disorientated and terrified, having dreamt that she's back in the forest or that they haven't managed to prove Raj innocent.

Maybe here, in this house together, she'll finally be able to leave those fears behind.

In front of the door, Raj opens it and then turns to look at Naina speculatively.

"What is it?"

"We're not actually married yet, but it is your first time here..." Shrugging, he scoops her up into his arms, grinning at her surprised yelp. "Don't you know it's traditional to be carried over the threshold to your new house?"

Swinging the door open, he carries her inside, before kicking it shut after him.

"Welcome to your new home, Naina." He tells her softly as he sets her down on the ground once more.

Naina isn't concerned with looking around just yet though, framing his cheeks with her hands she tugs Raj down for a lingering kiss. "Wherever you are, that's home. The two of us together is all that I'll ever need."

Her words are too much for Raj to resist and he captures her lips once more, pulling her closer. It's been so long since they've had the opportunity to be together like this, he feels like almost all of their relationship since he returned he's had to restrain himself, reign in his feelings rather than doing what he would really wish to.

There are things they need to do today, important things, but Raj doesn't think it will hurt to kiss Naina for just awhile longer.

/

"I'm glad I've got enough groceries to be able to feed us." Raj comments as he sets their plates on the table. They never did get to have breakfast after the attack on the hotel and he's made them eggs to share. "There's a grocery store nearby but I don't want to leave you alone today."

"And now I know what a good cook you are, I can truly look forward to marriage." Naina jokes, as she takes a mouthful of her meal.

"You didn't realise with the fresh fish I used to grill for you?" Raj jokes in return.

"It might have been a little light on the seasonings."

He grins, nudging her foot with his under the table. "Between the two of us we'll be able to run a household. I promise I'm neat and I know how to clean up after myself."

"I remember, you even managed to keep a cave tidy." Naina smiles, "I'm not so bad at cooking myself, you can ask Naveen, he loves my pakoras."

They finish their meals and Raj washes up the plates as Naina looks curiously around the space that will soon be theirs. They have a small balcony off the living area and while she doesn't venture onto it at the moment, she thinks it would be a nice place to grow some plants for a bit of greenery.

Having only just moved, Raj hasn't done much to decorate the space yet, although he's placed his books on the shelves, a photo of them displayed alongside. There are other photos there, one of Raj and his parents when he was a little boy, another of him and Sherry when they were young with a lady she guesses was Sherry's mother, and finally one of Raj with Naveen and Abhimanyu.

For all that there's not much, the space does already feel like a home.

Raj comes out from the kitchen, dusting his hands down on his pants. "Well are you ready for the grand tour?"

"I was just looking at your photos, are those your parents?"

Coming over to join her, Raj picks up the photo in question. "It was taken about a year before they passed away, on one of the few weekends my father didn't have to work. I wish you could have met them."

"I can see the type of people they are in how they raised you." Naina tells him softly, "I'm sure I would have liked them."

"And they would have loved you." Raj comments, squeezing Naina's hand. "Is there anything you want changed or added in this room?"

Naina smiles. "A bigger couch to curl up on together in the evenings with some comfortable pillows."

"Done." Raj kisses her forehead and leads her onwards, pointing out where the bathroom is before they reach the bedroom. "And, uh..."

She swings the door open, taking in the double bed, cupboards to the side and light streaming in from the open window. The bed looks comfortable and she can imagine spending lazy Sunday afternoons there, napping in the sunshine when neither of them are on duty.

"It's perfect," Naina tells Raj, "Maybe a couple of bedside tables. We just need to decorate it."

He grins, passing a hand through his hair self consciously. "If you don't mind then we can do it together once you've moved in. I'd like it if we could pick things out together."

"I would like that too."

Raj clears his throat as if to bring himself back to where he should be. "I think we'd better get started with the preparations. We've already lost time due to the attack this morning and I want to make sure that you're completely prepared for what you'll face tomorrow."

Naina nods determinedly. "I want to see him convicted and the harshest possible penalty applied. My testimony has to be perfect, I don't want to take any chance of the defence being able to find a loophole."

"Then let's get started."

/

For the rest of the day they go over possible questions, Raj coaching Naina on how to frame her answers, which parts to focus on and what to avoid. They take only a brief break to prepare lunch, moving from the small couch to the table with their papers and Raj's laptop. It's difficult and Naina falters a few times, not able to clearly express what she wants to say but Raj remains patient, helping her to find the words she needs.

While they have had little to no physical activity that day, by the evening they're both exhausted. Raj had only slept for a few hours the night before, the others spent on guard duty, and it's beginning to catch up to him now. Naina has been suffering from a lack of sleep lately, nervous about the upcoming trial and unable to turn her thoughts off at the end of the day to relax.

They are just about to pack up their things when Raj's phone rings, looking down at the number he grimaces. "It's your brother."

"You'd better pick up or he'll get suspicious." Naina tells him worriedly.

Nodding, Raj presses the answer button, bringing the phone to his ear. "Hi Naveen."

"Hi Raj, I just wanted to check in that everything was alright. I haven't heard from any of you since you arrived safely yesterday."

"Sorry about that, we've been going through the testimony today and haven't really taken a proper break. We were just about to finish for the day."

"As long as you're all okay. Can you pass the phone to Naina?"

"Sure, here she is."

"Hi Bhaiyya, how is everyone there?"

"We're all fine, and nobody appears to have gotten into any trouble on their day off today. Is the hotel secure? Are you all comfortable?"

"Yes the hotel is very secure, Bhaiyya, and we've been very comfortable."

"That's a relief, I know Raj and Chauhan won't take any risks with your safety but I'll feel better once this is all done and you're at the academy again."

"I will too, Bhaiyya, you know how much we've all been waiting for this day to come. Then we'll be back before you know it."

"Alright, make sure you check in with me tomorrow so that I know you're all safe and it's gone well."

"I will, look after yourself, Bhaiyya."

Naina hangs up and Raj grins at her. "You were rather convincing."

"Technically I didn't lie. The hotel is very secure and we are very comfortable, just not in the hotel."

Raj laughs and leans over to kiss her, one hand cupping her cheek as he does so. "That's my girl, you really do have a future in army intelligence if you want one."

Naina grins, and leaving her chair comes to perch on his lap, her arms winding around his neck. "I would like that, especially if it means I can remain close to you."

"I don't think," Another kiss, "that will ever be a problem," and another, "And even if our duties occasionally mean we have to be apart, we'll always find our way back together again."

Naina leans her forehead against his, smiling even as she closes her eyes as if to picture it. "I can see that future already, I spend half my time thinking about it once our training for the day is done."

"And Chauhan jokes that the army should deduct my pay for the amount of time I spend looking at your photo." Raj grins. "I'm not sure if it would be better for us to be posted in the same office or not."

"We have always worked well together though, haven't we?" Naina asks, her finger tracing his jawline, thumb brushing the corner of his lips as she looks down at them. "I would say we're always better as a team."

Raising her gaze once more, Naina sees Raj looking at her with such tenderness that it almost takes her breath away. He swoops down towards her, capturing her lips once more as his arms wrap around her. Raj kisses her passionately, determinedly, and Naina thinks that if she were standing she might feel a bit weak in the knees.

His grip tightens on her waist, fingertips digging into her skin, and abruptly Raj sighs, gently shifting Naina back to her chair. "We should have dinner before it gets too late." He tells her, making his way towards the kitchen.

Naina thinks she knows the reason for his abrupt departure and it's a conversation they'll need to have sooner or later, most likely sooner with their current situation. She waits while he reheats some of the food they had cooked for lunch, continuing to go over the notes that Raj has prepared. Naina might be nervous about the next day but she feels like she's as ready as she'll ever be, and she wants it to be over once and for all.

Raj brings their plates out and they eat quietly, each lost in their own thoughts. It's when the plates have been cleared and Raj is taking them to the kitchen that he clears his throat. "Do you want to wash up and get changed while I do these?"

Naina nods, and moving to the bedroom begins to dig through her backpack to find her clothes. They haven't discussed their sleeping arrangements yet and knowing Raj as she does, Naina is certain he's probably nervous to do so. There's never any awkwardness when they're in the heat of the moment but Raj hasn't tried to push things between them. Naina supposes it's never come up before due to the lack of opportunity, otherwise the way that they feel about each other, she's sure it would have gotten to this point sooner.

Naina comes out of the bathroom dressed for bed, her hair loose around her shoulders, and Raj freezes where he stands near the counter. "I'll uh, I'll just... I'll get changed and then we should have an early night. You can take the bed and I'll..."

"You're not sleeping on that couch." Naina tells him firmly, "At least half of your legs would be hanging off the end."

"Then I, I mean..."

Seeing him struggling, Naina crosses the floor quickly, grasping Raj's hands with hers. "Is there a problem if we share the bed?"

Raj exhales, some of the tension leaving him. "I didn't know if you were traditional about these things. I didn't want to assume..."

Naina's eyes sparkle, as she realises the humour in their situation. "Well I'm not, I mean, not now. I think it's safe to say that my perspective... changed when I met you. Are you traditional about these things?"

Raj grins back at her, his smile a little lopsided. "Maybe a little, but I think my perspective also... changed, when I met you."

"I'm not saying, I mean I am tired, but if you wanted to..." Naina feels herself blushing with the words she's trying to say.

Raj shakes his head, squeezing Naina's hands. "We'll sleep together in the bed but I think it's better if that's all that happens tonight. When we... when it does happen, it can't just be because I want to, it should be both of us, wholeheartedly."

Naina reaches up for Raj, bringing his face down to hers and as he kisses her, his lips featherlight at her lips, then her jaw, then her neck. Naina thinks she could very easily summon up the energy to be wholehearted the way that he makes her feel when he kisses her. She can tell she's not the only one that's tired though, and as Raj kisses her slowly, tenderly, Naina knows it's the most that will happen between them tonight.

Finally pulling back, he smooths his hands over her shoulders and down her arms before letting go. "You head to bed, I'll get changed and join you."

Naina climbs into bed, already drowsy, listening to the sounds of the shower until it shuts off, the click of the lights in the main room heard soon after as Raj turns them off. He enters the room, turning off the overhead light so that the only light remaining is that sleeping through the curtains.

Naina pulls back the covers and he climbs in beside her, turning to face her as she places the sheet back over both of them. Their faces are close together, and Naina places her hand on Raj's cheek, fingers caressing his skin.

"Nights like these..." Raj whispers, echoing her long ago words.

"And mornings too." Naina promises, kissing him sweetly.

They settle together there in the darkness, Raj's arm around her shoulders as Naina pillows her head on his chest.

"Do you remember how we used to sleep? In tree hollows and against rocky ground, but I always used to fall asleep easily if you had your arm around me."

Even despite the darkness, Naina is sure that Raj's lips are quirking as he replies. "That was probably more the exhaustion of walking through the night."

"Hush," she tells him, "Let's always sleep this way, for the rest of our lives."

By the way that Raj's arm tightens around her shoulders, Naina knows that he has no complaints with that.

/

They're up at four am, with Raj determined that they will leave the house within the hour.

Naina had awoken in a tangle of limbs, her legs entwined with Raj's even as his arms remained tightly wound around her. He had kissed her first before anything else, hand warm against her hip, and Naina had kissed him back eagerly, even knowing that it could only last for a few moments.

Now after a hasty breakfast, they wait outside Abhimanyu's building, Naina dressed in her formal cadets' uniform, smoothing down the skirt over her legs. Sherry and Abhimanyu appear at last, Sherry's hair not yet braided and a piece of toast in both of their hands. Raj shakes his head at them as they climb into the car, even as Abhimanyu stuffs the last piece of breakfast in his mouth and ties his hair back with a tie.

"Neither of you were ever any good at waking up early now that I think about it." Raj comments.

Sherry sticks out her tongue at him even as she begins to braid her hair expertly. "The academy has fixed that for me but we were up later than I'm used to these days with the preparations."

Naina can't help but wonder if it was really the preparations that kept them up.

They're at the court by 5:30am, checked by security and quickly ushered into a secure room where Raj's hands flex, wishing he had a weapon to hold in them. As one of the earlier witnesses it wouldn't be appropriate for him to be part of the official security detail though.

They're just pouring cups of chai out of the thermos Raj thought to bring when the door opens, Colonel Shakti entering. They all stand to attention until he tells them to relax, an approving smile on his face.

"It's good to see you again, Cadet Ahluwalia, Cadet Gehlot."

"It's good to see you again too, Sir." Naina tells him politely. "We're both proud to be able to testify and I hope we'll be able to see an outcome to the trial soon."

"I'm sure we will," Colonel Shakti reassures them. "The case against Lala Gehlot is already strong and your testimonies will seal the final nail in his coffin."

"Hopefully a literal one." Sherry mutters, though it doesn't appear that the Colonel hears her.

"I also wanted to apologise for the lapse in security yesterday at the hotel, we thought we had all of the angles of entry covered but we've now found out there was a leak at headquarters who revealed our plan. It's raised an interesting dilemma of just how many of Lala Gehlot's co-conspirators we have left to find."

"Have you identified them now, Sir?" Raj asks urgently, "Are Naina and Sherry still at risk?"

"We have them under watch for now because we don't believe that they're acting alone and we're hoping they'll lead us to the person who actually hired the assassin. Please rest assured, we've increased security around your living quarters too and I believe you should all be safe there for the time being."

"Thank you, Sir. We're not worried, we've already overcome far greater risks to come this far." Naina tells him confidently and the Colonel smiles.

"I'm aware of that, Cadet Ahluwalia, which is precisely why I was happy to allow two cadets to take the risk of testifying to strengthen the case." He pauses, "While I'm certain that Captain Rajveer has passed my wishes along, I also wanted to tell you how glad I was to hear of your wedding plans. I believe you'll make a very happy couple."

"Thank you Sir, I hope you'll be attending the wedding."

"I wouldn't miss it. The trial won't begin for another two hours so please relax until then. I'll go and check on the arrangements."

/

The prosecution lawyer had arrived soon afterwards and they had found themselves going over the details once more, Advocate Jinal pleased by their preparations.

"We will break for lunch and you are both welcome to request a break at any time you feel you need one. Now, we have fifteen minutes before we're due to start, should we make our way to the courtroom?"

They all nod and as the others file out, Raj tugs on Naina's hand to hold her back. "You know how proud I am of you, right? I'll be right there if you need me."

"I'll live up to that pride." Naina promises him, "We'll finally finish what we started all those months ago."

They file into the courtroom, taking their seats in the first two rows, behind the prosecution's table. Raj is turning his beret over and over in his hands, and Naina places her own hand over his to stop him. She won't let him worry, she's more than capable of getting through this no matter what they might ask her.

Five minutes before the start of proceedings, Lala Gehlot is led in. He might be dressed in an expensive suit but all of the trappings of power that once accompanied him are now gone. He looks defiant but there is an edge of desperation there too.

Naina glances over at Sherry, noting that her friend's face is set like stone as she looks towards her father. His own reaction, when he sees his daughter, is not nearly as subtle.

"What's she doing here? How dare you bring her here?"

"Tell your client to leave the witnesses alone." Jinal says to the defence lawyer calmly. "We're all here in an official capacity today, and he needs to remember that."

"I won't! That little traitor, I should have known that she wouldn't have been satisfied with..."

He's cut off by the announcement that the judges are entering, and they all rise in respect. Gehlot has enough sense to keep quiet then, though the glare he gives Sherry says exactly what he's currently thinking.

The chief of the justices goes through the preamble to the day's proceedings and soon afterwards, Naina is called to the witness stand.

The prosecutor starts with an encouraging smile. "Could you please introduce yourself to the courtroom?"

"Cadet Naina Singh Ahluwalia, of Kanchanjunga Military Academy."

"And your brother is a captain in the army?"

"Yes ma'am, Captain Naveen Singh Ahluwalia."

Jinal nods. "Let it be noted here, that testimony has already been given about Captain Naveen's role in the events and his earlier duty protecting the nuclear triggers at the academy. Cadet Naina, I would like you to start with an explanation of what happened to you two years ago when you went to visit your brother on his base."

Naina begins to tell her story, making sure that she sticks only to the facts rather than the emotions and impressions she had had at the time. She keeps her testimony professional, no trace of their personal relationship involved, telling the story until the time of Raj's surrender.

The judge indicates that it is the defence lawyer's turn and he stands, his expression already condescending. "Cadet Ahluwalia, is it true that you are now engaged to Captain Shekhawat?"

"It is." Naina responds calmly, refusing to allow her annoyance to show.

"I hardly think that makes you an impartial witness. Your honour, I move to strike Naina Singh Ahluwalia's testimony from the trial on the basis of personal involvement."

Naina swears that the judge almost rolls her eyes. "Nice try, counsellor, please proceed with the questions, or if you have none, release the witness."

"Noted, your honour." The lawyer turns back to Naina, looking at her as if he's sizing her up. "How could you know that Mr Gehlot was behind your kidnapping?"

"I didn't at the time, I wasn't aware of who my kidnappers were working for until much later when Dr Mishra admitted it was her group."

Not wanting the lawyer to score any points in this area, Naina gives a thorough recounting of just what Ritu Mishra had said before her death and the evidence they had found in her camp.

Realising that tact won't win him the points he wants, the lawyer changes track. "Given that you are now engaged to the Captain, would it realistic to say that you fell in love with him before you joined the academy?"

"I did." Naina confirms, not willing to elaborate.

"We could guess then, by your willingness to put yourself in danger for him, and your desire to be together that you would have been willing to do anything for Captain Shekhawat?"

Naina raises her eyebrows. "Could you please ask a direct question or come to the point instead?"

She swears she sees one of the judges hide a smile as the lawyer coughs.

"My point, Cadet Ahluwalia, is that having fallen in love with Captain Shekhawat, you decided to do whatever it would take to save him. You joined a military academy under false pretences and then by your own admission, broke numerous academy rules to achieve your aims. My point, is that when you have done that much, how can we be certain you would not manufacture evidence against an innocent man to save your lover?"

"Objection, your honour!" Advocate Jinal protests, even as Naina puts up her own hand.

"I'll answer." She tells the judge, looking across the courtroom to find Raj watching her intently. He gives her an encouraging nod and she feels her courage rise.

"It is true that I took a great many risks, and that I did so for love. I had decided that I would help Captain Rajveer even before I fell in love with him though, because it was the right thing to do. Because I believed that he deserved justice. I may have hidden my reasons for joining the academy but I always intended to become an army officer and my teachers will tell you that I'm among the best in my class. I may have hidden my purpose and broken rules to save Captain Rajveer but it is precisely..." Naina pauses, overcome with emotion for a moment, locking eyes with him once more. "It is precisely because I do love him that I could never have thought of winning him his freedom with anything other than truth and justice, he would not have accepted it any other way."

Naina looks around the courtroom then, her gaze finding Gehlot's as she stares him down. "It was because of Captain Rajveer's principles that he was trapped in this conspiracy, because they knew he wouldn't bend to corruption. No matter what was done to him or how he was hurt, he never lost those ideals and he taught them to me in turn, so while I was willing to risk my life, I would never have compromised on my beliefs to achieve our goal. It is because I love him that I could never consider any other path."

Naina turns back to Raj to see his eyes shining with love. Even today, after all the time they have spent together, that look still renders her powerless, everything else secondary to the desire to hold him.

The Chief Justice clears her throat, having realised that the trial is at a standstill while Naina and Raj gaze at each other. "Do you have any other questions counsellor?"

Perhaps realising that he's been outmatched, the lawyer shakes his head. "No more questions for the witness, Your Honour."

"Then we'll adjourn for a break before the next witness is called." The judge declares and they stand as she leaves. Gehlot is taken out soon afterwards but Naina doesn't bother to look in his direction, rejoining her friends she breathes a sigh of relief.

"You did well, Naina, I'm incredibly proud of you." Raj tells her, grasping her hand briefly. Sherry hugs her while Abhimanyu gives her a grin and Colonel Shakti soon comes over to add his praise to theirs.

"Does this mean the trial will be finished today if I complete my testimony, Sir?" Sherry asks him.

He nods. "There's only the concluding arguments then, and given how badly it's going for them I expect Gehlot's counsel to try and plea bargain before the end. We'll hear the verdict tomorrow, while sentencing might take place that day or soon afterwards."

They look at each other then, all bound by common purpose to see this through. "Let's get this done with."

/

After a short break it's Sherry's turn, she sits ramrod straight in the chair, ignoring her father where he glares at her. She has told her story from the beginning, from her decision to join KMA, to Major Bhargav's attempt to murder her and her recording of her father's confession which is played to the court.

The defence lawyer, having already lost his attempt to have her testimony declared inadmissible, regards her carefully as Sherry stares back, poker faced.

"Do you not think it makes the case against your father somewhat weak that for so many years his own daughter had no hint of him being a traitor? How do you think he could have masterminded this conspiracy without you finding out before now?"

"Do I need to remind you that my mother did find out and that's why she's dead?" Sherry bites back. "As for me, I barely saw my father the last few years even when he was in the same city, we weren't exactly sitting down for heart to heart chats. Can we just wrap this up please, because I'm finding this all a bit pointless when there's actually a recorded confession from him. What more do you need?"

"I don't think Abhimanyu gave her the same pep talk you gave me." Naina whispers to Raj.

He shakes his head minutely, "Sherry is Sherry. No matter how many pep talks you give her, she'll still say what she wants to."

The judge seems to agree with Sherry though, because she clears her throat. "Do you have any more questions, Counsel, or shall we move on to the closing statements?"

There are no more questions and as Sherry rejoins them, the lawyers begin their closing statement, each summarising the statements they've prepared.

At the end, the Chief Justice calls them to attention. "We will now break for deliberation. The verdict and the sentencing will be announced tomorrow at 10:00am."

As the session is released and Gehlot led out, Abhimanyu breathes a sigh of relief. "Finally, our part is over. You both did incredibly well."

"Well Naina might have done a bit better than I did with the whole keeping her cool thing." Sherry comments. "Is it too early to go out and celebrate? I don't want to jinx it."

Raj and Abhimanyu exchange a look as if thinking it over before Raj shakes his head. "I don't want to risk it until the trial is over. We still don't know who ordered the attack on you and if they'll stop or not now that you've given your testimony."

Sherry nods. "Fair enough, but just so you know I'm expecting a big treat tomorrow. Massive amounts of ice cream, maybe some new presents bought for me, that type of a thing."

Abhimanyu grins and wraps an arm around her shoulders, "I think I can safely promise you that. I'll take you for those kebabs I told you about in Old Delhi, you'll love them."

"And do you have any requests for after the trial?" Raj asks Naina.

She shakes her head. "If we can spend a couple of days together before I have to return then that's enough for me. I am rather hungry though, I didn't eat properly at lunch."

"And that I can manage very easily, I know a great place for take away on the way home."

/

They are leaving the court when Raj spots a man trailing behind them, attempting to stay out of their line of sight. He's not very good at it and Raj is quite certain that whoever he is, he hasn't had their level of training.

Abhimanyu and Sherry are slightly ahead of them bickering about what they're going to order for dinner and if they need dessert or not. Raj reaches out to pull Naina closer to him as if in a romantic gesture, but the words he speaks into her ear are completely serious.

"There's a man following us, be on alert. He might just be keeping an eye on us but after yesterday's attack I don't want to take any chances."

Naina risks a glance backwards on the pretext of stopping to point at a shop across the road. "He's getting closer and he's shifted his hand to his coat."

"I'll take care of him." Raj murmurs.

"We both will." Naina flicks her eyes back once again.

They have stopped now, as if debating the merits of heading to the shop across the road. Naina acts naturally but Raj can tell that every muscle of her body is ready to fight when the moment arrives.

Up ahead, Abhimanyu finally glances around, having realised that they're not following him anymore. "Raj?"

The man, seeing Abhimanyu turn, decides that now is the time to act. His hand is pulling the gun from his coat even as Raj and Naina both begin to run towards him. Neither Raj nor Abhimanyu have their weapons, having needed to leave them behind to attend court.

"Gun!" Naina screams and Abhimanyu knocks Sherry to the pavement, covering her with his body. Seeing his target gone, the gunman turns to fire at Raj instead, grazing his arm as he narrowly dodges the bullet by throwing himself sideways.

The man raises his gun again only to find himself thrown to the ground, a well placed kick from Naina knocking his legs out from under him. She pins his arms behind his back, twisting his hand until he has to let go, her knee on the centre of his back so that he can't get up.

Picking himself up, Raj immediately hurries over to help her, replacing Naina's weight with his own although she doesn't miss his wince or the blood running down his arm.

"Did he get you?" Naina asks shakily, even as she secures the attacker's gun.

"Just a scratch I think." Raj reassures her. "Probably doesn't ever need stitches."

Only a few moments more and they're surrounded by military personnel and the court's guards, Raj hands over custody of the prisoner as Naina passes over the weapon.

"Are you both alright?" Sherry asks as she and Abhimanyu shoulder their way through the crowd.

Raj nods. "And the two of you?"

Abhimanyu winces. "I think I might have knocked us both into the footpath a bit too hard but we're otherwise fine."

Colonel Shakti hurries over as the prisoner is lead away, having heard about the commotion before he reached his vehicle. "What on earth happened?"

"Sir." They all stand to attention and Raj gives a brief report, including his suspicions that Sherry was the original target.

Colonel Shakti shakes his head regretfully. "I'm sorry that you had to suffer through an attempted attack twice, cadets. With any luck we can finally get what we need to track down the missing link that has been helping Lala Gehlot."

"If we can do that it will be worth it, Sir." Sherry comments.

"Now go and get your arm seen to, Major Rajveer, and I think you should all remain inside your quarters until we have some answers. This time I'll see to the questioning myself."

As Colonel Shakti dismisses them and strides away, Raj finally allows himself to wince, glancing down at his arm.

Naina gestures for Raj to hold out his arm towards her and he does so. Pulling away the cloth of his uniform from the wound, Naina inspects it carefully. "Do you have a first aid kit at home?"

Raj nods. "It doesn't seem deep enough to need stitches, I think we'll be able to handle it."

"There should be a pressure bandage in the glove box we can put on it until we get you back." Abhimanyu comments, peering over to look at the damage.

"Let's get you back home then, Bhaiyya." Sherry comments. "The sooner you're patched up the better."

Raj grins, "You didn't think I'd make us go back without the take out did you? I'm definitely not cooking after this."

They laugh, reassured now that he's joking, and make their way to the car.

/

At the dining table, Raj takes a seat and slowly removes his shirt.

Naina is in the bathroom, getting the first aid kit, and Raj folds the shirt before placing it on the table. It's most likely now ruined but perhaps he can find some way to salvage it.

Naina returns holding the kit and to her credit, pauses only for a moment when she sees him sitting there shirtless before she continues towards the table.

"I couldn't fold up the sleeves." Raj feels a need to explain himself. "I can put on a singlet while we do this if you're uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable? No. Perhaps a little distracted." Naina teases him and Raj is sure he's blushing as he glances away. More than a year together now and she still knows how to make him feel like a schoolboy.

Naina disinfects the wound first with the alcohol swabs, wiping away the dried blood around it. She is quick as she bandages it, sure in her movements, and Raj knows she must have been paying attention in Dr Shalini's classes over the last two years.

"This reminds me of that night." Naina remarks softly as she finishes the bandage, allowing her hand to rest on the warm skin of his forearm rather than pulling away.

"Ah," Raj's lips quirk. "That night."

Naina looks at him, her gaze searching. "I think sometimes about what would have happened if I couldn't have convinced you to let me help you. How could I have gone back to a normal life?"

A little boldly, she reaches out to place her other hand on the warmth of his waist, just above the hip. Naina edges forward in her chair, bringing them closer.

Raj looks down to her hands and she can feel the shaky breath he takes in from her grasp on his skin. He leans forward, brushing back Naina's hair from her face with his free hand before he allows it to drop to her shoulder.

"If I had thought you loved me any less than you did, I never would have agreed. The only reason I could let you help me is because I knew you felt it as deeply as I did." He tells her sincerely. Raj leans his forehead against hers, and Naina closes her eyes, almost overwhelmed by his nearness. "I've never told you this, but I loved you from the day you held me and told me it wasn't my fault. I would have done anything for you from that day onwards, whether you loved me or not."

"I still would do anything for you." Naina whispers back to him. "Wherever life takes us, it's always going to be you and me, fighting together."

Raj drops both of his hands to her waist, pulling her forward towards him as his lips find hers. He is tender as he kisses her, almost reverent, and Naina can't help the urge to touch him, to take his warmth as her own. She pulls him closer, bringing one hand up to his neck, fingertips digging into the hard muscle of his shoulders even as her grip on his waist tightens.

Raj groans in response, and for a moment it seems like he might pull away until he chooses to press forward instead, lifting Naina from her own chair and onto his lap, his hands slipping beneath the fabric of her shirt to lie warm upon her skin.

Naina can't help the gasp that comes from her then and Raj drops his head to rest on her shoulder, his cheek soft upon her as he breathes heavily. "Is this alright?" He asks Naina as his fingers flex against her skin.

Naina nods, struggling to speak before she finally finds her voice. "It's more than alright. I told you that night by the river, it's you that I want. It's you that I love."

Raj's reply is a searing kiss that takes Naina's breath away and as he picks her up, cradling her in his arms, she knows that whatever might happen between them, it is definitely going to be wholehearted.

/

They are the ones who are late the next morning.

Naina supposes it might be her fault, after all when they had slept through the first alarm perhaps she shouldn't have suggested that they could both use the shower together to save time.

It had definitely not saved time.

Now as they pull up ten minutes late in front of Abhimanyu's building, Sherry raises her eyebrows. "So who had trouble getting up this morning?"

Raj coughs. "We've still got plenty of time before the session starts. Let's just hope that everything goes to plan today."

"We shouldn't have any more issues, Colonel Shakti called to say that the assassin broke. He admitted that Gehlot's lawyer had hired him to target Sherry. When they arrested him it didn't take him long to also cave in and accuse two other associates."

"Thank goodness we got to the bottom of that." Raj comments, relieved. "Now let's hope that's finally the last of them."

"Colonel Shakti also said that he tried calling you last night but wasn't able to get through." Abhimanyu raises his eyebrows.

"I took a painkiller and went off to sleep." Raj claims, very determinedly not looking at Naina. In the backseat, Sherry snorts and Raj meets her eyes in the rear view mirror. "Not a word out of you, remember that I'm still your big brother."

"Would I ever dare?" Sherry asks innocently.

/

They are among the first to reach the courtroom, the general public and journalists not to be let in until just before the beginning of the pronouncement.

Gehlot is led in by the guards, a new lawyer following behind him. Looking at the advocate's face, Naina can tell that he's already given up.

Across the courtroom, Sherry waves cheerfully. "You must be disappointed to see me still alive, Father. Nice try by the way but we all know who actually deserves a death sentence here."

Gehlot snarls, his lips twisting into a sneer. "All this is because of you. If you hadn't trapped me then it could have continued as it had been, I would have gotten what I wanted."

Sherry pretends to think about it. "I think you're overestimating me, Father. It wasn't really a solo mission to see you convicted and I think we would all like to take our share of the credit."

Gehlot looks like he would like to retort, but the panel of judges return at that moment, stopping whatever he would like to have said.

The Chief Justice is extremely displeased as she looks towards him and the new lawyer. "Before we begin the sentencing, I have heard the circumstances of your previous lawyer's dismissal and his arrest and I think we can safely say that it has not had a positive impact upon your appeal for clemency."

Watching closely, Naina sees that Gehlot is stoic, refusing to react. She wonders if he's already accepted his fate and that is why he had been determined to take his daughter down with him.

"Lala Gehlot, this court has heard evidence of your crimes, crimes against your country and against your own family. These crimes appear to have been committed in the pursuit of power and greed, and that too, without remorse. While your previous lawyer had asked for mercy it does not appear that there would be a possibility of you reforming if granted life imprisonment and from recent events it appears that you may remain dangerous even if behind bars. This court finds you guilty of the following crimes..."

As they read the crimes that Gehlot has been convicted of one by one, Naina risks a glance over at Sherry. There is no vindictiveness in her friend's expression, only a relief that justice has been upheld after all and that this will all soon be at any end.

"...For these crimes you are sentenced to death, the sentence to be carried out on..."

Sherry lets out a long breath as the judge pronounces the sentence, reaching over to briefly grasp Abhimanyu's hand before she lets it go.

Raj nods once, the same relief mirrored in his own expression. Naina sees the tremors in the hand that rests on his leg and covers it with her own. He has suffered so much because of this man and she knows that he needs this closure to be able to truly move on with his life.

When she looks back at Gehlot once more, his own expression is blank, defeated. He has no more schemes to spin, no more people at his beck and call to carry out his commands. He has lost all of the power that he once held so dear.

It is the best punishment possible for him, to know that he will go to his death powerless, as he rendered so many others over the years.

The journalists and public in the courtroom are in uproar, but their small section remains quiet as he is led out, back towards the prison where he will spend his final days.

Sherry straightens her back, breathes in sharply through her nose and turns to face them all. "How about those kebabs? After we get out of these uniforms of course."

They could ask her how she's really feeling, but they all know her well. Sherry is doing what she needs to in order to put it behind her and if she ever wants to talk about it she'll do it in her own time.

Naina shrugs. "I could eat, let's head home and get ready."

"And call your brother on the way to let him know that it's all finally done since he's already sent me three messages." Raj comments, looking down at his phone.

"Ah yes, my brother, who we haven't told about the attack at the hotel, or about you getting shot, or that I'm staying at your house."

"Don't forget the part where you need to lie to him to spend an extra day here." Sherry breaks in helpfully.

"Don't worry, Naina. Just see this as training for your future career in army intelligence." Abhimanyu tells her. "Now let's call Naveen so that he can give everyone the good news."

Raj hands over his phone and Naina quickly dials the number, waiting until Naveen picks up.

"Naina! Are you all alright? Has the verdict been reached?" Naveen's voice is clearly worried on the other end of the line and for a moment Naina feels a pang for how much she's concealed from him.

"We're all fine, Bhaiyya. Lala Gehlot has been found guilty and been sentenced to death."

"Fantastic!" Naveen exclaims happily, his relief obvious. "Uh, I mean, how is Sherry coping?"

"Well we're going to go get kebabs now." Naina tells him matter of factly, "And she's rather excited about that."

Having guessed what Naveen's question must have been, Abhimanyu snorts at Naina's answer, leading her to give him a warning look.

"I should have known..." Naveen mutters, "Would you pass the phone to Raj?"

Naina does so, giving him a significant look as she gives it back.

"Hello?"

"I'm glad it all worked out." Naveen tells Raj sincerely. "Now tell me when you're bringing them back."

"Well not today." Raj says hastily, "There's uh, there's kebabs to be eaten."

Naina gives him a strange look. Sherry bursts into laughter as Abhimanyu claps his hand over mouth to try and stop the sound.

"Are you coming back tomorrow then?" Naveen asks and Raj is certain he hears suspicion in Naveen's tone.

"Well tomorrow..."

"There'll be another set of kebabs, without any haddis in them." Sherry mock whispers. This time Naina has to cover her own mouth not to laugh out loud as Raj narrowly holds it together.

"Colonel Shakti mentioned they might need to go over some paperwork for Major Bhargav and Major Nair's trial in case they need some additional testimonies for that."

"Alright..." Naveen draws out. "The next day then?"

"I think I can safely promise you that we'll be back the next day." Raj says seriously. "Perhaps not in time for first drill, but maybe by the second."

"I'll hold you to that." Naveen tells him. "Look after Naina, and if you get some time then for gods sakes try and do some wedding shopping. My parents have been nagging about it so if you can pick something up for me too it would be great."

He disconnects the call and Raj stares down at the phone. "He told me that if we get some free time we should go wedding shopping."

They all burst out laughing, and unable to help herself, Naina wraps her arms around Raj, hugging him tightly. She would kiss him right then if she could, kiss him and never let him go, but there's some things Naina still isn't comfortable doing in public.

"I guess we really don't have an excuse not to then."

/

He is kissing her the moment they're through the front door, cravat thrown hastily aside as Naina makes quick work of the buttons on his shirt.

He lifts her, her legs going around his waist as her arms wind around his shoulders, his lips at her mouth then her throat then...

Raj pulls back with a groan. "We said we'd be ready to go in half an hour."

"They can leave without us if they're in a hurry," Naina tells him, her hands framing his face so that he can't pull away. "And do you really think they're going to be ready by then anyway?"

Raj is trying not to laugh as he carries her to the bedroom. "I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

/

They are late. So much so that Sherry is tempted to make a comment until she sees the look of giddy happiness on Raj's face. She has never seen her brother this happy before, not even in the days before his arrest, and if he and Naina finally getting some time alone is what has caused it she's certainly not going to discourage them.

Seeing Abhimanyu open his mouth, Sherry knows that her almost fiancé is not going to be anywhere near as discrete so she elbows him hard.

"What was that for?" He whispers to her as Raj and Naina have their own conversation about things to see in Old Delhi in the front seat.

"You know Bhaiyya is sensitive about this stuff. So no comments, just let them be."

Abhimanyu gives Sherry a decidedly adoring smile. "Now that's a sensitivity I might not have expected of you, Ms Always Ready with a Smart Comment."

Sherry pretends to think about it. "That might actually suit me better than Gehlot."

They're giggling about it together when Naina turns around, giving them a strange look. "Are we doing some sightseeing before dinner?"

"We might as well, and if either of you would like your beloveds to buy you something then there's plenty of great stores in the area too."

Raj's eyes light up and he looks over at Naina hopefully.

She laughs, "What is it with you and wanting to buy me gifts?"

Abhimanyu claps his hands together, "That's decided then, we'll split up for the sightseeing and shopping and meet up for dinner. That way I can fulfil the promise I made to myself of leaving you unchaperoned."

Sherry frowns. "I'm pretty sure you've already fulfilled that multiple times over by leaving them alone together in the same house."

Raj makes a sound like he's choking and Naina looks hurriedly away from them.

"There goes that sensitivity." Abhimanyu sighs.

/

By the time they meet up for dinner two hours later, Raj and Naina actually are laden down with bags.

"We found some good outfits for the pre-ceremonies." Naina explains, "We even managed to pick some up for Naveen and my parents."

"What about us?" Abhimanyu asks as he gestures to them to take the seats opposite.

"Please Chauhan, I know your style. I'm not going to be responsible for picking something out for you."

That comment sees a napkin thrown at Raj as they all look at the menus, deciding what to order.

"We did pick up some things too, I found an amazing music shop just two alleys away."

"And he would still be there if I hadn't dragged him away." Sherry intervenes. "There's going to be no room to move in your quarters if you bring any more instruments home."

"Don't worry, they'll move us into a larger space when we get married. You can see Raj's place if want an idea."

"Have you thought about that now?" Raj asks them. "You were waiting for Lala Gehlot to be convicted, now that he has been, will you be making things more official?"

"I'd like him to be dead first." Sherry comments matter of factly. "But in the interests of Abhi not finally losing his patience with me, I think we could get engaged after graduation."

"We could have a small one just before your wedding if you'd be alright with it." Abhimanyu suggests. "Whether the execution has been carried out by then or not, it would still be good to keep it small scale."

"And are your parents going to agree to that?" Raj asks. "The heir to the kingdom wanting something small scale?"

Abhimanyu shrugs. "If they want it done I guess they'll need to be."

The plates are delivered and they all dig in, agreeing that the food really was worth the trip there.

"Will you two be coming shopping with us tomorrow?" Raj asks once all the plates have been polished off as they wait for their dessert to be delivered. He has casually thrown his arm over the top of Naina's chair and Sherry hasn't missed the way he's snuck looks at Naina every two minutes even as they've had their meals. It's lucky that the two of them will be married in less than three months because she's not sure how much longer they'd be able to do without each other.

"Yeah... I can't think of many things that would be less fun than going wedding shopping with you, Bhaiyya." Sherry comments. "We'll leave you to it and we can meet for dinner in the evening again."

"What about you though, Sherry? If you really are going to get engaged then you'll need something for it."

Sherry shrugs. "We'll go to one store with you. One. I will pick my outfits in a maximum of fifteen minutes and then Abhi and I will leave."

Raj laughs. "I'd forgotten how much you hate clothes shopping. We won't insist that you stay after that but as your brother, I'd like it if I could buy your outfits for both the wedding and your engagement."

"As long as I'm choosing them, you're more than welcome to buy them." Sherry tells him cheekily before she turns to face Abhi. "I'll have to wear that set your mother gave me at the engagement, right?"

"Not if you don't want to, but you know she's probably going to try and give you another one for the wedding anyway."

Sherry sighs. "We'd better hope that we have a daughter one day that actually likes jewellery." Seeing the wide grin on Abhimanyu's face, she shakes her head at him. "What?"

"Just..." he grabs her in a hug, planting a kiss on her cheek. "I like it when you talk like that."

"I never would have known you were such a softie, Chauhan." Raj tells him, his tone gently teasing.

"It's not like you're doing much better, Raj. Two days alone and you haven't been able to stop grinning. If I had known..."

Sherry hits him on the arm to get him to stop talking. "What did I tell you!"

They're all laughing as they pay the bill.

/

It take Sherry twenty minutes to buy a total of three outfits the next day, Naina amazed at the speed with which she considers and then discards options. In the end they convince her to go to two stores rather than one, at which point she declares that her limit has been reached and bows out with Abhi.

Raj and Naina take rather longer to select theirs.

She has to admit that she enjoys the process, seeing him try on different options, and the look on his face whenever she comes out in something new. No matter how much time passes, Naina suspects that he will always look at her in that way, a rather heady mixture of adoration and love.

Naina knows the outfit she's choosing the moment she sees the look on his face when she walks out in it. It's exactly what she had hoped for. They look at each other, Naina's lips tugging up into a smile and suddenly that future becomes all the more real, that in less than three months he will take her hand and they will be bound for life.

It is only a formality really, she has been bound to him from the moment she held him in the forest and knew that she could not let him go.

Raj's own outfit is bought soon afterwards and they sort out an outfit for Naveen alongside. Her brother has been kind enough to suggest they should go shopping after all, they should at least pick something up for him.

"What shall we do now?" Raj asks as they exit the store, hand in hand. "We've still got at least five hours before we need to meet Chauhan and Sherry for dinner and we're done with our shopping."

"What do engaged people usually do?" Naina muses and Raj raises his eyebrows.

She laughs, half blushing. "I didn't mean it like that, it's just that we haven't had the most typical courtship. You've taken me out a few times on the weekends at KMA but there's not too much to do there. Where do people go here when they're dating?"

Raj thinks about it for a moment. "It's a beautiful day today, let me take you to Lodi Gardens. We'll walk around, sit in the sunlight and talk. Delhi has some great spots and that is one of my favourites."

And so they do as Raj has suggested, leaving their bags in the car as they go to explore the gardens. They have had far too few days like this in the time they have known each other, relaxed and with nobody waiting for them and nowhere else to be. As much as they both love Naveen, he can be a rather overprotective older brother and Raj hasn't wanted to push his luck by having Naina away from the academy for too long even when he has been able to take her out.

Today they can stay out for as long as they want, and Raj knows that even if he was to tell Abhimanyu that they didn't want to meet for dinner, their friends would accept it. They won't do that of course, but the choice would be there if they wanted to.

He can take Naina home at the end of the night, to curl up around each other as they sleep and wake up together in the morning, and even if he does have to return her to the academy the next day, Raj now has an understanding of what married life will be for them.

Hand in hand, they make their way into the park.

/

The sun is barely risen when Raj wakes up the next morning, a softness about the dawn that lights up Naina's face where she lies next to him.

Watching her, Raj resists the urge to pinch himself. This really is his life now, here in a comfortable bed with the love of his life by his side. Not in a prison cell where he need fear the next round of pain, or in a cave in the wilderness where his only companion is loneliness. This life that he has now, he knows that he never would have had it without Naina. He might still have been in that forest, or dead from any number of reasons. She brought him back here and saved his life through sheer force of will and love.

Now after these few days together he truly knows what it will be like to spend a lifetime by her side.

Raj traces the line of Naina's jaw, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she opens her eyes and smiles at him sleepily.

"How can I possibly let you go back after this?" He whispers to her, "How am I meant to get through the next three months without you here?"

Naina raises her hand, pressing it to his cheek, and it's all the urging that Raj needs to bend down and kiss her. His hands tangle in her hair as hers go to his hips and when he pulls back once more, Naina's expression is as intent as he's ever seen it. "We've still got now." She tells him, "And right now neither of us have anywhere to be."

/

They are late to pick Abhimanyu and Sherry up of course, but neither of them comment on it even if Sherry does look rather amused.

There's technically no real reason for Abhimanyu to come along when only one of them could easily drop Naina and Sherry back to the academy but Raj understands the desire not to be parted until the very last moment. They'll share the driving as well, arriving back better rested than one of them would have been making the journey alone.

"Well let's get this show on the road," Abhimanyu comments, "Before Naveen sends out a search party."

The journey passes quickly, filled with jokes and stories of what they'd each done the day before. It's far too soon and with a great deal of reluctance that Raj sees the gates of the academy arrive in front of them. He can't think that way though, it's important that Naina finishes her training and now finally two years after they first met, they're almost at the end of the time they must spend apart.

They arrive just as the first period is ending, cadets moving between classrooms or down to their drills. Naina and Sherry are already dressed in their uniforms, ready to attend their next class. Raj might be reluctant to let her go but he knows that here at the academy he can't draw things out too long. He settles for hugging her, his arms winding around her tightly as he kisses the top of her head.

"I'll be back down next weekend." Raj tells her, "Colonel Shakti expects us to work through this one to make up for the days we took off."

"I'll miss you," Naina replies, her hand squeezing his where she's grasped it. "I'll make you proud."

"You always do." Raj tells her seriously, and unable to resist, leans down to kiss her softly on the cheek. "You always will."

Naina looks like she might want to say something else then, or throw her arms around him, but the moment is interrupted by Naveen's arrival as he cheerfully calls out to them.

"There's our two star cadets, back from convicting a terrorist." He declares, "And now you'd both better get to class unless you want Lolitaji to give you a detention."

Sherry rolls her eyes. "Give us a minute at least to say goodbye, Captain Naveen." She turns to Abhimanyu then and standing on her toes, raises herself to kiss him square upon the lips.

"You can talk to your mother about the date now." She tells him and with a last grin and a wave turns towards the hostel, intending to put her bag away before heading to class.

Raj wishes he and Naina could have the same freedom, but he's not going to test Naveen's patience. Instead he hugs her to him one more time, kissing her forehead as he lets go. "Three more months."

"Three more months." Naina agrees, "Then all the nights and mornings we could wish for."

She leaves him with only one last backwards glance as Naveen looks at Raj strangely. "What did she mean by that?"

Raj sighs, "Not what you're thinking. It's something we remind each other of from time to time."

Naveen turns to Abhimanyu suspiciously. "Are you sure you didn't leave them alone at any time?"

Abhimanyu struggles to keep a straight face. "No they were never alone except for uh, very briefly, when they went wedding shopping. Very bad of of me really, a serious oversight."

Raj looks hurriedly away, not wanting his own expression to reveal his friend's lie. "We did pick up some things for you after all, Naveen."

He hands over the bag as Naveen looks at them both thoughtfully, clearly not completely convinced. "Well at least you two finally managed to get that done."

Abhimanyu almost laughs and hastily covers it up with a cough as Raj glares at him.

"Well, I believe it's time for Raj and I to head back to Delhi." Abhimanyu says, attempting to keep his voice even. "Colonel Shakti is determined to make us work overtime for taking the last couple of days off."

Naveen nods and then immediately narrows his eyes. "What do you mean the last couple of days? I thought you had paperwork to do about the trials and that's why you couldn't come back earlier."

"Oh would you look at the time!" Raj grabs Abhimanyu's arm, dragging him towards the car. "We're late already. I'd love to stay and chat Naveen, but you know..."

"Rajveer Singh Shekhawat! Did you keep my sister in Delhi longer than needed under a false pretext?"

Raj pauses. "In our defence, we did get the wedding shopping done."

This time Abhimanyu does laugh out loud, pulling himself together to wave at Naveen as he climbs into the car. "See you soon, Naveen!"

Raj tries to look repentant but he can't manage it, not when he's filled with so much happiness. These past couple of days have been worth any amount of disapproval that Naveen might show.

After all, how long can he be upset for? They'll be brothers-in-law in only three months.

"We'll bring you down some kebabs next time to make up for it." He tells Naveen sincerely as he climbs into the passenger seat.

Abhimanyu is still laughing as they pull away from the academy. "Well that's done now. Sorry for the slip of the tongue."

Raj smiles ruefully. "I can't blame you, we never did work on getting our stories straight. It's been such a relief to have Gehlot out of the way at last that for the first time in months I've stopped constantly examining what I should be doing next."

Abhimanyu gives him a sly grin. "You have had other things on your mind too."

Raj reaches over to punch him in the arm, "What did I tell you at the beginning of the week? No comments or discussions allowed."

"Duly noted once more." Abhimanyu smiles suddenly, softer than usual. "I'll call my mother as soon as we're back to Delhi. I can't believe we can finally make things official, after all this time waiting."

"Maybe you'd better start lobbying for a post for Sherry in Delhi." Raj teases him. "Knowing your parents, if you make them agree to a small engagement they'll make you wait until they can organise a big wedding."

Abhimanyu sighs. "What are your thoughts on elopements?"

"Ask the bride, if she says yes then who am I to stand in your way."

Abhimanyu reaches out and clasps Raj's shoulder, still keeping his eyes on the road. "We'll be brothers-in-law before you know it."

"We will indeed." Raj agrees seriously, before his eyes light up and he laughs suddenly. "And I've just realised what that means."

"What are you talking about?"

"Naveen will soon be your relative as well, which means he's equally your responsibility."

Abhimanyu grins. "Then I think, as his relatives, one of our first tasks should be to find him a girlfriend so he can stop worrying so much about everybody else's lives."

They're still laughing by the time they reach Delhi.

A/N: I hope you're all well and safe! So this took me awhile longer than I expected it to, but on the plus side it is super long! I might write more oneshots in this universe eventually (hopefully shorter ones) because I do love it, but for now this is the last one planned for the Consign characters.

I do have other ideas I'm working on and I hope to have a new story out for you soon but it might take a couple of months as I do like to have a good amount finished before I start posting.