Oh God! Thanks for all the support! Looking forward to more reviews :)

priya: Thank you!

and thanks to all guests for their reviews!

Chapter 3: Ek Naya Mehmaan

"Aapke accident ke baad Daya sir to ekdum toot gaye the. Chahe woh ghar mein hon ya bureau mein, har ek pal aap hi ki yaad sataati rehti thi unhe. Apna khayal rakhna to bilkul bhool hi gaye the woh! Aur unki woh million-dollar smile, jo itni mushkil se waapis aayi thi, phir se kahin kho gayi... Haan, apne kaam par koi asar nahi padne diya unhone..shayad unki kaam ke prati lagan hi unhe poori tarha tootne se bacha rahi thi. Par ek din jab wo bureau mein behosh ho gaye-"

Here, Freddy sir had to stop again at the absolutely aghast expression on Abhi sir's face.

"k...kya! Mera Daya behosh..." asked Abhijeet.

Freddy sir let out an exasperated sigh. "Ab apna khayal nahi rakhenge to aur kya hoga! Aur aap hairaan kyun ho rahe hain, haan? Aakhir bhai kiske hain wo!" As Abhijeet sir was about to reply, he stopped him with a look. "Jab Daya sir kidnap hue the, to aapne kis tarha bartaav kiya tah yaad hai na aapko! Na theek se khana, na theek se sona! Shukar hai Daya sir aapki tarha angry young man nahi hain! Aapne to dant- dant kar bureau mein sabko rula hi diya tha. Bechaari Shunya to..." Here Freddy stopped, sensing that he was giving away too much.

Abhijeet sir had to look away at that reminder. What he had said to the girl was harsh, and though Shunya had reacted logically with an even tone, a part of him knew that he had hurt her, and what Freddy said (or did not say, actually) proved that he had been right- tears had been shed at his words. He let out a resigned sigh.

"Freddy, mai jaanta hoon ki mera reaction galat tha. I'm really sorry for that."

Freddy sir nodded and continued. "Khair, jaisa ki mai keh raha tha, bureau mein behosh hone ke baad Daya sir ko ACP sir se zabardast daant padi aur bechaare Sachin ki sentry duty laga di gayi aap donon ke ghar pe. Usi din Shunya bhi Daya sir ka khayaal rakhne ke liye wahaan shift ho gayi."

He gave a pause, as if contemplating what to say next, and then continued.

" Aapke accident se Shunya ko bhi jhatka laga tha. Aap to jaante hi hain ki aapko apna idol maanti hai woh! Par sabse zyaada taqleef shayad use apne dost ke dukh se hi hui. Daya sir ko yun din- din tadapte dekhna aur kuchh na kar paana uske liye aasaan nahi tha. Wo koshish kar rahi thi ki unhe thodi space de, par..."

"Ek minute Freddy" interrupted Abhijeet sir, "Kya...kya Daya aur Shunya ne shaadi..." He paused before he could complete the question. On one hand, he wanted his brother to have moved on in his life, and not disregarded that girl's happiness, but one selfish part of him wanted his brother to have waited for him, so that he could fulfill his vow. He knew it was wrong, but...

Another sigh. "Daya sir to shayad aapke bina engagement bhi nahi karna chahte the. Par ACP sir ne unhe iss baat ke liye convince kiya. Infact, Taarika bhi yahi chahti thi! Aakhir mein Daya sir ko aapko diya waada yaad aaya- Shunya ko khush rakhne ka, ye rishta shiddat se nibhaane ka- aur wo taiyaar ho gaye. Ek simple ring ceremony organise ki gayi, jisme sirf CID ke members shaamil the. Par shaadi ke maamle mein sabhi ki ek rai thi ki aapka intezaar kiya jai...Daya sir bhi aapko diya waada todhna nahi chahte the sir! Par phir, aapke accident ke ek mahine baad aisa kuchh hua ki..."

Daya sir was sitting at his desk in the CID bureau in the afternoon with a lost expression on his face, staring at the empty desk across from him. The desk belonged to his best friend and brother, Senior Inspector Abhijeet- his Abhi. One month had passed since his accident, since he...

A phone call pulled him out of his musings. One look at the caller id and a mix of emotions could be seen on his face- surprise,happiness and a significant amount of worry.

"Haan bolo Rajeev!"

Rajeev was one of his best khabris, and certainly the closest to him. He looked up to him like a big brother since he had rescued him and his five year old son from the world of drugs. His son, who was now eight, called him "Bade papa."

"D...Daya bhai..."

Daya sir's face lost his colour. Rajeev's voice clearly showed that he was in lot of pain. There was fear, and a steely determination of a man who knows that...that..the end is near.

"Rajeev! Kya baat hai! Tum..tum theek to ho! Kahaan ho tum?"

"Daya b..bhai! M..meri...meri baat d..dhyan se suniye. Abhijeet sir...unka accident..unka accdent ek accident nahi tha!"

"Kya! Ye tum kya-"

"Ek nayi gang aayi hai Mumbai mein. Har cheez mein haath jama rahe hain wo, par drugs unka sabse bada dhanda hai. Unka leader...unka leader, Shobit, Ro..ro..Rocky ka bhai hai sir."

A chill ran through his entire frame at that name. Rocky...he could never forget that name. The man who kidnapped and then impersonated his brother, fooling all except him...the man to whom he lost his life..even if for seconds...

"Abhijeet sir ka a..accident uske badle ki shuruvaat hai sir! Wo Mumbai ko aur CiD ko t...tabah karna chahta hai sir! Wo...wo..." his voice died down suddenly as an explosion was heard!

"Rajeev!" Daya shrieked. "Rajeev! Hello! Hello! Rajeev..." he disconnected his phone and quickly ran out of the bureau, ignoring the inquisitive glances and questions thrown his way. As he started his qualis, he called the mobile company to know the last location of Rajeev's phone, which turned out to be his house. When he reached there, however, the scene shook him to the core.

The entire house was destroyed by the force of the explosion. Neighbouring houses were also damaged, and uncountable number of people were injured. That was enough to shake away his shock and grief (for he knew that Rajeev could not have survived such a blast) and he called the ambulance and the fire brigade. He had to wait for the fire to die down to enter, anyway. Meanwhile, he also called ACP sir and explained the situation to him with a heavy heart. Twenty minutes passed in all these activities. As he contemplated what to do next, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Bade papa!"

He turned and his heart went to the eight year old child standing behind him, looking with dawning horror at the destruction of his entire life. After having lost his mother and grandparents to a road accident at the tender age of three, his father was all the child had. And now...

Daya sir continued to watch helplessly as tears filled the child's eyes.

"Sahil beta..."

At that call full of affection, the child ran to him and literally threw himself at him, his tears flowing freely as his entire frame shook with his sobs.

Freddy sir had to pause here as tears welled up in his eyes as well, while Abhijeet sir was frozen with horror. Now he realised why that child looked familiar to him. He knew how close Rajeev was to Daya. He had even visited them a few times with Daya, and he remembers that the child used to call him 'Abhi chachu.' Oh God! How had he forgotten?

Finally, Freddy sir continued. "Rajeev ke jaane ke baad Sahil ka iss duniya mein koi nahi raha. Daya sir use adopt karna chahte the, par DCP Sir.." he sighed, "Unhone use orphanage bhejne ka faisla suna diya!" Abhijeet sir was furious as he remebered his own experience with Shreya. "Par Daya sir ne haar nahi maani. Unhone lawyer se consult kiya aur phir..."

It was 8 p.m. a week after that incident when Daya sir returned to his house. He had finally found a ray of hope that he may be able to bring Sahil home, but...

"Aa gaye Dayu?" Shunya emerged from the kitchen with a glass of water. "Baitho! Mai chai bana rahi thi, piyoge?"

He shook his head. "Nahi Shuna!" He added after a pause. "Tumse kuchh zaroori baat karni hai."

"Bol Dayu!" she said as they sat down on the sofa.

Again a pause. "Maine lawyer se baat ki. Usne kaha hai ki mai Sahil ko adopt kar sakta hoon, but mere chances tabhi zyada honge if..." his gaze dropped to the floor..."if I am married."

Shunya didn't even bat an eyelid. "Kab aur kya karna hai mujhe?"

Daya looked surprised for a moment, but then heaved a sigh of relief. Ofcourse, his friend would not put the future of a child in danger. "Hum kal hi court marriage kar sakte hain. Phir adoption papers file karne honge. Aage ki proceedings kal lawyer hi samjhayega."

"Theek hai Dayu!"

"To iss tarha Daya aur Shunya ne shaadi ki aur Sahil aapke ghar ka naya mehmaan bana."

"Aur ye decision shyad huaari life ka best decision raha!" Abhijeet sir's face lit up with a smile on hearing the voice of his brother from the doorway.

"Arre Daya! Andar aao!"

Senior Inspector Daya had his million- dollar smile back on his face as he sat down beside his brother and took his hand. "Sach keh raha hoon Abhi! Sahil ke aane se ghar mein jaise khushiyan laut aayin. Sabke chehron pe phir smile aa gayi sur.." here he blushed, ACTUALLY BLUSHED, and said, "aur mera aur Shuna ka ajboori aur dosti ke dam pe bana rishta pyar ke dhaage mein bandh gaya."

OMG! Aakhir kaise badi Danya ki rishte ki gaadi pyar ki taraf! Stay tuned for further chapters full of Danya moents and Shreya's (child) entry! :)

Please read and review!