Tarika went to home and got fresh. She lied down on bed still crying silently. This was gonna be a sleepless night.

"Abhhijeet ke sar me dard tha bohot jayada.. ab bar gaya hoga sayad," She turned to a side, "he needs sleep. Aise mei keisey soiga wo! Wo bhi upset hi beitha hoga. Mujhe aise chale ana nhi chahiye tha."

Tarika sat up and took her phone.

"Nahi.. mai phone nahi karungi.. usne sab khatam-" she cried again.

"Haan Daya ko phone kartti hu."

She dialed Daya's number.

"Hello Tarika, mai tumhe hi phone karne wala tha."

"Ku kya hua? sab thik hai na? Abhijeet thik hai na!"

"Oh toh matlab maine sahi soocha tha.. koi problem hui na tum dono ke bich?"

"Daya wosab chodo or bataoo Abhijeet thik hai na?"

"Philal so raha hai."

"Oh," Tarika sighed in relief, "Tum uske ghar par ho?"

"Nahi.. wo mere ghae par hai. Achanak se aya or mujhe pakarke bohot rone laga. maine bohot puch kuch nahi bataya usne. maine use pani mmei nnind kii dawai dekar ssula diya. HHe needs sleep. Tarika, sab thik hai na?"

"Kuch hai hi nahi Daya." Tarika wiped away her tears.

"Matlab?"

"He broke up with me."

"Kya?"

"Haan."

"Or tumne man liya."

"Kya karnna tha?"

"Arey do thappar lagana tha use bewakoof ko."

"He's serious"

"Tumhare mamle mei wo kab serious nahi hoota!"

"Daya.."

"Nahi Tarika. Tum toh janti ho uski condition. Tumhe samajhna chahiye tha na."

"Mai nahi samjhaungi use. Use jo chahiye wohi hoga."

"Bachi mat bano ab."

"Banungi mai. Tum uska khayal rakhna. Good night."

She cut the call.

"Chalo.. at least Daya toh uske sath hai."

She lied down again. she didn't know but after talking to Daya she's feeling goo. she felt like Daya will fix everything. But, but she didn't want to be unwanted in his life. Heck, he wanted her in her life, always. He's just pushing her away because of guilt.

*the next day*

Tarika woke up with a terrible headache. Well, that was expected... She had fallen asleep crying. She grabbed her phone and left her boss a text.

"Feeling feverish sir... Hope it is okay if I come a little late."

With this, she sighed deeply and closed her eyes again.

Fresh tears fell from them.

She couldn't live without him... How could he? Memories flashed in front of her eyes...of them laughing, of them flirting, of them fighting... Of them just looking at each other.. letting their speak volumes of love...

And now, all of that was gone... In a moment... Just like that.

Her eyes cracked open again when she heard her phone ring.

Daya.

"Hello..."

"Tarika tum theek ho na? Abhi tak aayi Nahi."

She glanced at the clock.

2pm.

Oh shit... She must have fallen asleep again ! Damn.

"Tarika?"

"H - Haan... Haan mein theek Hu."

"Abhijeet subah se pareshaan hai. Kitne chakkar laga chuka hai forensic ke !"

"Wo kyu pareshaan hone laga ?"

"Tarikaaaa..." He spoke in a sort of warning tone.

"Mein lab ke liye Nikal rahi Hu Daya... I'll talk to you later," she said, getting out of bed and popping a pill for her headache.

"Tarika wo nasamajh hai... Magar tum toh Samajhdaar ho..."

But she didn't listen. She just cut the call.

She couldn't always be the one to make all the compromises.

When Tarika made entry in forensic lab Abhijeet and team were already present there. Abhijeet took a step ahead to reach near Tarika like a reflex but Tarika walked passed him. Still Abhijeet stopped her.

"Tarika.."

Tarika turned her head and looked at him in a warning manner so thay Abhijeet correct himself. But abhijeet ignored her that look.

"Tum- tum thik ho?" He asked, although he could see her read eyes.

Tarika's eyes teared up again.

"Why do you even care?"

"Nahi matlab.. etna late, isliye bus.."

"Bhaisab," Dr Salunke interfered, "Uska boss mai hu.. n maime use half day diya hai.. apko kya dikkat hai. Uski jab marji wo ai.. she has to answer me not you."

"Not you anymore." Tarika whispered only for Abhijeet to hear.

Abhijeet nodded. It's better to bear the pain and let her go. But, he couldn't watch her like that, broken.

Tarika walked towards her desk and started arranging the files.

Dr Salunke described the forensic details of the case to team. But Abhijeet was hardly listening to any of them. He's looking at Tarika, who chose not to look at him at all.

She could feel his eyes on her and it's way too hard not to look back at those deep brown eyes. But she held herself back, she controlled her emotions.

'It's over.' She reminded herself.

"Abhijeet chalo."

He came to reality with Daya calling him. He looked around. The team had left.

"Chalo." Daya said again.

Abhijeet nodded and followed Daya out of the lab reluctantly.

A drop of fresh tears rolled down Tarika's cheek silently.

DUO came outside of the lab. Abhijeet was walking in the wrong direction.

"Abhijeet..bureau ka rasta idher hai.."

Abhijeet stopped in his way and looked around.

"Uh..ha..haan..chalo.."

"Ruko Abhijeet..."

Abhijeet stopped and turned to Daya with "kuch kehna hai tumhe?"

"Kyon kar rahe ho tum aisa..?"

"Maine kya kiya..?" Abhijeet said hidding his eyes from Daya.

"Yehi jo tum kar rahe ho Tarika aur apne sath..

Dard toh tum dono ko hi ho raha hai na.."

"Daya main iss bareme koi baat nahi karna chahta.." Abhijeet said looking at him.

"Tum chaho toh main kuch..."

"Nahi Daya.." Abhijeet cut him in his way and continued, "tum kuch nahi karoge.. jo jaisa hai waisa chalne do please. I'll handle this.."

Daya didn't want to bug in their personal matter. So he chose to let it go for now as he strongly believed that they would surely end up together.

He patted Abhijeet's back twice and walked towards the bureau. A slight teasing yet worried smile fixed on his face.

As Abhijeet walked behind him, he slowed down in front of the forensic lab, trying to catch a glimpse of her.

Dr. Salunkhe had just thrusted a thermometer into her mouth.

Fever!

Abhijeet became alert and positioned himself behind the door. He tried to listen to what they were saying.

"Aise achanak kaise tabyat bigad gayi beta?"

Tarika just shook her head.

Abhijeet smiled ruefully. She wasn't the one to share her feelings with others. There were so many that loved her... So many that cared about her... Yet she had let down her walls only for him... And now...

His trail of thoughts was stopped by Dr. Salunkhe.

"Chalo Bukhar toh Nahi hai."

Abhijeet heaved a sigh of relief.

As his head was popping out to see her properly, he saw her eyes settle on him.

Their eyes met for a brief moment before she looked away. She whispered something to the old doctor and went further inside the lab.

Abhijeet shrugged and walked towards the bureau.

Now she didn't even want him looking at her. He felt a sort of heaviness in his chest that he had never felt before.

His vision blurred by tears, he continued walking with his gaze fixed on the ground.

Tarika was passing bureau when she thought to have a glance of him. Oh, she hated it how she had to stole glances now. She didn't have the right to go and meet him now. But she can't spend the night without watching him once.

Through the glass he watched Abhijeet sitting on a computer desk looking at the screen. His eyes were tired. she could tell even from this much distance. Oh, he's having headache which he's trying to ignore. His knitted eyebrows were the evidence of his pain.

She lifted her foot to take a step ahead but but retained.. she's had lost the right. Again tears rolled down her cheek.

'I should have fought you Abhijeet. I shouldn't have let you go like this.. i know you are also suffering as much as I do. But, but I always want to go with your flow. I don't want force you for anything. I don't' Tarika spoke in mind.

"Ahem, Ahem."

Tarika came out from her thought to saw Daya standing in front her. she wiped away her tears.

"Tum yaha? Abhijeet se milne ai ho?" Daya asked with a hope.

"Nahi.. mai tohh bas yaha se guzar rahi thi... toh socha. "

"Toh socha, Abhijeet ko dekh lu thoda."

"Mai chlati hu.."

"Tarika.. ku kar rahi ho tu aisa.. please, tum toh saamjho."

"Mai hi ku hamesha Daya? Of he doesn't want me in his life then I won't force him. Meri fitrat mei nahi hai ye "

"Mai bus tum dono ko aise dukhi nahi dekh sakta.."

"Anyways, Abhijeet ke sar mei dard ho raha hai.. ise medicines de dena. Or use kuch din rest ki jarurat ha.. so, use kaho ki leave le le."

"Maine kaha tha.. oar wo mana nahi.. Mai ACP sir se bat karta hu."

Tarika nodded.

"Good night."

"Night."

Tarika left

Tarika tossed in her bed. No position was comfortable. Finally she gave up on sleep and switched the TV on.

3 am.

What would TV have at this hour ! She should probably try watching some international channel.

As she was flipping the channels, a familiar face made her stop on the news. It was ACP sir.

"Haan mere officers Gayein Hain rescue mission mein... Kisiko ghabraane ki zaroorat Nahi. Mere officers apni Jaan ki baazi laga denge lekin Kisi ko kuch Nahi hone denge."

What! What was happening?

She read the text appearing on the bottom of the screen.

"Bomb blast in a pub : Mumbai on red alert."

Immediately, her shaking fingers unlocked her phone and pressed on the call button next to his name... Almost.

Almost.

Hot tears rolling down her cheeks, she called up Daya.

"H-hello..." Her voice was unsure.

"Haan Tarika," Daya said, panting.

..AN: hey.. fast na ;)Do review. Next will be posted soon.