A/N: Sorry guys, mujhe pata hai ke aap sab ko mujh par bohot gussa aa raha hai ke main update dene mein itni late kar rahi hu. Lekin kya karti? Jo ideas mere dimmag mein aa rahe the who mujhe hi pasand nahin tha, toh main aap ke liye kaise likh du? Please mujh par ande ya tamatar mat phekna… :-)

Chapter 2: The farewell

He sat on the chair in front of the Operation Theatre, unable to make out head or tail of the situation. His limbs felt numb. He wanted to break into the Operation Theatre and shake the doctor until he told him that his Shreya is out of danger and absolutely fine, that their unborn child is absolutely alright. However, he wasn't sure if he could even stand up. Feeling a vibration in his right hand, he looked down and saw that his phone was blinking. But he didn't want to talk to anyone at the moment, however important that call might be. The phone kept on ringing until the call got disconnected. Then he decided to switch it off. He wanted to be left alone for the time being…

Or did he? He wanted someone to embrace him and assure him that everything will be fine. He wanted someone to take his mind off things. He felt guilty for letting this happen to Shreya- his Shreya.

*flashback*

Three years back

It was a rare afternoon when they were absolutely free. Others were busy enjoying their rare moments of freedom. But Daya was not at all enjoying it. In fact, he longed for a case to be reported so that he can immerse himself in work. He never felt like this before. At first, he thought that he felt like this because Abhijeet was not there with him. Abhijeet who had taken Tarika out on lunch, needed some privacy. After all he had a lot to tell her after he had spotted her having lunch with Sanyog. Then Daya realized it- he wasn't unhappy because of Abhijeet's absence but because Shreya wasn't there. As a bonus he remembered that she had taken the day off because she was going to attend a reunion with her school- friends. Then he remembered Sanyog again and thought, "What if Shreya comes across one such long-lost friend today? What if he harbors feelings for her?" He felt a pang of jealousy and insecurity. O)nly now he can understand how his best friend felt when he saw Tarika with Sanyog. He could not believe the fact that he- Senior Inspector Daya- was acting like a lovesick teen.

Fortunately, for him, the phone on his desk rang up reviving him from his trail of thoughts. It turned out to be call from the ATS Office and he was asked to meet their Acp in their office immediately.

Asking Rajat to attend the phone calls he started towards the exit of the CID Bureau.

Half an hour later, he was headedfor ACP Sarangsh Chauhan's chamber in the ATS headquarters. He wondered what the matter was as he knocked on AXCP Chauhan's chamber door.

"Yes. Come in." said a deep authoritative voice from inside and he entered.

"Actually I'm here to meet ACP Chauhan." said Daya.

"That's me." Said the man with a smile.

Daya couldn't believe his eyes. The man sitting in front of him was barely in his forties. His strong frame made him look like a kharoos ACP. But his expressions told a totally different story. It was like he liked to joke around even in the toughest of situations.

"Why don't you take a seat Mr. Daya?" ACP Chauhan asked.

"Thanks." He said as he accepted his offer.

"What would you like to have? Tea or coffee?" he asked.

It was for the first time in his career that his senior had offered him such things.

"No. Thanks." He declined politely.

"Fine. Then, let's get back to work." Smiled ACP Chauhan.

Daya, unable to comprehend what 'work' can a CID Officer have in the ATS office, just waited for him to begin.

"Look, I've been going through your resume and thought that you'd be the pe4rfect one to do this job. We need you for a special operation against a terrorist organization that has started out a base in Himachal Pradesh."

"But sir, I don't belong to the ATS. Moreover, I'm in the middle of a case with CID here." Daya reasoned.

But was cut off in the middle by ACP Chauhan who said, "Oh! I've had a word with ACP Pradyuman. He said someone else from your team would handle the cases. That leaves you free. You are being sent to our department as an officer on special deputation for the next three years. Now, it's upto you whether you want to accept the offer or not." Smiled ACP Chauhan

"Sir, I think I need some time to think." Said Daya.

"Sure! Take your time. Let me know after 24 hours." Finished ACP Chauhan. Daya thanked him and left the chamber.

In the Quallis,

"I think I should accept the offer. It can turn out to be a milestone in my career." Said his mind 1 as he drove back to the CID bureau.

"But you'll have to be away from CID- your family for the next three years." Said his mind 2.

"Three years would pass by in a flash. After the 16 years that I've spent in CID, three wouldn't matter at all." Contradicted his mind 1.

"But what about Shreya?" asked his mind 2. "Will she wait for three years? What if someone else proposes to her? What if that someone is better than you?"

"Oh! Shut Up! She's just my junior. Thre's nothing of that sort. There can never be. She just respects me as her senior."

"Whom are you trying to fool? Yourself?"

Daya just let out a sigh. He knew that he and Shreya can never be together.

In another part of Mumbai,

She sat at a table and watched her friends as they danced along with the music. Generally, she would've joined them. But today she didn't feel like dancing. In fact, she constantly missed one particular person. She just wanted to see him once. Her sixth sense told her that something was about to happen that would increase the distance between them. She didn't know what it was. But somehow felt that she shouldn't have taken a leave.

"Arre, since you are already here, why don't you enjoy yourself a bit?" her best friend had asked.

"I just don't feel like that right now, yaar." She had said.

"I think I should leave now." She told her friend and headed for the exit.

The next day,

"Congrats!" said Abhijeet as Daya walked in the Bureau. This made ACP Pradyuman look up from the files covering his desk.

"Congratulations, Daya! I'm proud of you!" he said coming out of his cabin. One by one, almost all of his colleagues congratulated him. But his eyes were constantly searching for one particular person, and she wasn't there. He wanted to hear what she had to say about this.

"…. Party at my house." These final words of Abhijeet followed by a chain of wolf whistles from his colleagues brought him back to present.

"What do you say Daya?" his best friend asked.

"Great idea!" he said with a wry smile.

That evening, at Abhijeet's house,

Daya reached his house at around 7. He was surprised to see the arrangements that Abhirika had made for him. As he entered the house he saw Abhijeet coming towards him with a ear to ear smile. Daya smiled at him too. Abhijeet gave him a warm hug followed by a pat on his back. As they separated, they saw Tarika standing there with a smile on her lips.

"Congrats, Daya!" she said as they hugged each other. "I'm so proud of you." She added.

Daya could just smile. It was as if he was being sent on an exile and all the members of CID were happy about it. It's not for the first time that he has to go. But this time It's different.

His eyes searched for a particular smiling face he looked around the room and he found it, leaving the room.

He excused himself Nikhil who was approaching him with a smile and headed for the door through which the face has disappeared. He came out onto a corridor and saw her standing in a corner- his angel.

"Shreya!" he called out in a voice barely above a whisper. She took some time to turn around. His sharp eyes didn't miss the fact that she had tried to wipe away her tears before turning around. Nevertheless, she was unsuccessful, because the corners of her eyes were still moist.

"Oh! Congratulations sir! I'm so happy for you…" But her voice sounded far from being happy.

"Aren't you enjoying the party?" He decided to change the topic.

"Of course, sir!" (after all who had the courage to say that she wasn't enjoying a party hosted b by his best friend? :-p)

"Then why aren't you inside?" he asked, thinking, "Just say it once Shreya that you don't want me to l;eave and I'll do all it takes to cancel this mission."

"Actually I just needed some fresh air." She said, thinki9ng, "Please don't leave sir! The Bureau is never the same when you are not there."

"I'll just go and check if Dr. Tarika needs any help." Saying this she left the place.

Sighing, Daya too turned to leave but was surprised to see Tarika standing there with a smile on her lips.

"Why don't you just tell her about your feelings?" she asked.

"Oh! Come on Tarika, not again. We've gone through this before. You know that I'm not the right one for her." Daya groaned.

"Whom are you trying to fool Daya?" she asked.

"It's the truth. Chahe tum maano ya na." he said.

"Fine! Then, be prepared to babysit her kids for her as she and her husband go out for dinner or a late night movie show." And Tarika left.

Daya just stared after her. The mere thought of Shreya going out with anyone else infuriated him. Inside, Abhijeet let out a small laughter at Daya's expression. He knew that if there was anyone who could make Daya confess his feelings for Shreya then it was Tarika.

The next morning,

Daya walked in the Bureau to hand over his gun and badge to ACP Pradyuman. This is not the first that he's doing it but this time, for reasons unknown, he felt a pang in his heart.

He had always felt a certain level of excitement while going on a mission, but this time he felt none of it. In fact, he was quite sad about it. What he didn't know is that Shreya too shared his feelings.

All his team members came forward to wish him luck, except for one that his eyes searched the most. He muttered a melancholy 'thank you' and left the Bureau

"Good bye, sir! Wish you all the success that you deserve." She said as she saw his car leaving the Bureau from the window of the records room.

Her brain knew that she meant nothing to him. But deep down in her heart she knew- or rather hoped- that her presence while he was leaving would make him weak.

"Don't worry. Three years will pass by even before you know it." Said a voice behind her making her jump in fear.

PRESENT DAY

The red light above the Operation Theatre was switched off. Daya got up from the chair, went, and stood in front of the door to the Operation Theatre. He watched as the doctor came out. The look on his face warned him that there is some bad news on it's way. But he wasn't sure if he had the strength to hear it.

A/N: OK. I know that this chapter is not up to the mark. But I promise I'll upload a better chapter next time. The more reviews I get for this chapter, the sooner I'll upload the next one.

Sangiti- Thank you so much ke aapko yeh story itna pasand aaya.

Thanks to Roxtar, Poonum, Subhasree Saha, Blinre4deyes, Qmione, Mirock, CID Lovers, Aiza Tariq, Sangiti, Moumita, Dayashree, Yashita, Manisha MIshra and guests for you reviews.

Thanks.

Take Care,

ABBY