Here's the biggest chapter for you guys! I'm so sorry I was stuck while writing it down and it felt like forever.
But somehow I finished it. I tried my best to portray the thought behind it and I am sorry coz I don't know if I did justice to the characters of our protagonists :'(
Lekin chapter extra longgg h toh reviews bhi aate rehna chahiye! Thank you veryyyy much for still looking up for this plot!
Next after 20 reviews?
Happy reading!
Tarika's place.
It's been three days since she confronted about her and Abhijeet to Daya. She tried a couple of times too talk to him or to simply apologise but he would never answer her calls or even text messages. She was hurt by this behaviour of him but the guilt somewhere always overwhelmed.
She had the slight idea that Daya was having feelings for her. Even the thought would make her shiver. During the mission, whenever he would smile at her, wave her a goodbye or indirectly call her twice a day just to check if she was okay- it was getting more and more noticeable to her and would scare her even more.
She wasn't scared of him. Rather, she was scared of her own feelings.
After the day, they almost died, they weren't even sure they would leave that place alive. And that particular day- she can never forget- she saw him break like a kid. It changed her aspect towards him.
A disobedient tear slipped down her cheek and pulled her back to the present. She took a deep breath and wiped away the past from her eyes as well as face.
She stood up determined and resumed the packing she was doing but got distracted because of her stupid mind. After successfully packing all her clothes, she took her laptop and felt something missing.
She checked the side table thoroughly but couldn't find the required thing. Nothing to panic, she tried to calm herself, and picked up her phone to call the substituted lab assistant.
After confirming the pan drive to be safely present on her desk, she relieved a sigh and called another number.
...
Abhijeet's Side.
It was getting harder for him.
He puffed the cigerette almost wholly and threw it a little far away. The liquor in the hip flask was still present in the dashboard of his car which came as a blessing in disguise. He had thought to wrap up early and go home soon but the new case that reported just an hour ago, took his week's sleep away.
It was December's unusually cold night and being on the outskirts of Mumbai, even the thick coat couldn't avoid him shiver. And the mutilated body that layed in front of him- being one of those days- literally made him through up.
That was why the cigerette and the whiskey both were needed. He could remember not having dinner and did regret a little. But now anyways, he was here at the crime scene little drunk and high and trying his best to not through up again.
"Identity dekho kuch milti h kya." He ordered with his tired sick face and himself started looking around for clues.
"Sir!" A junior called from behind a huge tree, somewhere into the thick bushes, as he found a ragged wallet.
He grabbed the wallet himself and started checking the only readable card present in there. It was a debit card. He told his junior to find the owner of the card immediately.
His junior nodded and left in search of some network lines in his phone. He kept looking at the wallet but didn't find anything else to suspect. No identity, nothing, not even cash.
His phone dinged. After handing the wallet to his junior, he discarded the gloves and checked the message. It was to inform him about the calls that couldn't reach him due to bad network. He checked through and first dialled Tarika.
"Haa Tarika bolo!"
"Tum nikal gye kya bureau se?"
"Nhi. Mai crime scene pr tha. Voh ek case report hua tha abhi abhi-" He looked around and saw his juniors putting the corpse inside the ambulance and taking it away. Unconsciously, he sighed of relief, "Haan? Tum kuch bol rhi thi?"
"Voh mai pandrive bhul aayi thi lab mei. Mujhe laga tum bureau mei hoge toh le aaoge."
"Hn toh mujhe bureau vese bhi jana padega Tarika. But.. late ho jayega thoda." He heard some beeps and checked the screen to see Dr. Salunkhe calling, "Lo yeh Dr. Sahab ko bhi chain nhi h thora. Mai aane hi vala tha Tarika but yeh case achanaq se aagya aur ab.."
He trailed off watching his junior come towards him with a notepad, "Haan? Kiska h?"
"Sir..." Abhijeet narrowed his brows as he was sounding a little hesitant, "Debit toh ek Police inspector ka h. Humne.. aur bhi details pta ki sir.. height weight to match ho rha h.." and he trailed off.
"Kya naam btaya?"
"Sir.. Pragati Vishesh."
"Pragati?" He was shocked hearing the name. He knew her since few years when they solved a case together. She was an outstanding officer and a smart women. He was pleased to work with her but this.. this scene was out of his imaginations.
How could someone kill a police officer like this? They couldn't even recognise her by looking at her face! It was completely destroyed. There were plenty of burn marks all over her body and he feared she was left alive to die here in pain.
"Inke department mei inform kro. Aur inke solve kiye saare cases ki details kl mere desk pr chiye mujhe. Pragati ka beta h yr chhota.. use immediate protection ke sath bureau lao."
"Ok sir!"
"Abhijeet? Hello? Kon h kya hua?" He almost forgot that he still had her on the line.
"Arey ek.. police officer ki.." He paused as something came to his mind and so left it there, "Tum yeh sab chhoro mai aata hu pandrive leke. Thore adhe ghante se text kr dena ek baar aur."
"Theek h... Take care!" He instantly cut the call and got all busy in the investigation.
...
Daya's side.
It was about midnight and he was still awake. Inspite of the cool wind he was standing unaffected at the teres. It's the first time since long he climbed up the floor to look at the Mumbai traffic like he used to do in his childhood.
He used to spend his nights here with his brother. His elder brother. His partner in crime. His.. everything.
A small wet smile stretched his lips as he glanced around remembering those days. He could see two boys playing around, laughing and yelling and teasing each other. He couldn't hear the exact words as he was a kid back then and didn't remember much of it.
But he knew one thing. That was the first time he experienced what loosing someone feels like. Looking ahead in the past, he could see himself clutching a toy close to his heart and crying on the arm chair still present in front of him.
He remembered crying several nights missing his brother and his mother. Back then he didn't know why they left to wherever his kaku used to explain him, but he missed them. He begged to whatever God he believed to bring them back to him.
He could feel his vision get a little blurry while a sad smile twitched his lips. He sighed but immediately wiped his face as he heard footsteps approaching. He turned away from the door and clutched the railings hard on the extent that his knuckles almost turned white.
ACP entered casually but was shocked finding him there. He wasn't expecting him there coz in the past few years he never saw his son taking the stairs to the teres. He stopped in his way and thought to simply go back but.. the father inside him didn't let him leave. And also.. he wouldn't accept but was wanting to set things right between them. He had been through enough already.
He glanced at his son once more before starting a- already known- not ending well conversation.
"Voh tumhare mission ke baad se.. tumse baat hi nhi ho paayi." He waited for if, but never got any positive gesture from Daya so resumed, "Kesa rha mission? Aur voh itni chot kese lagi tumh-?"
"Voh sab apko hq se hi pta chal jayega. Kuch dino mei file submit krni h mujhe vese bhi.." He never wanted to reply but somehow tried to speak without any note touching rudeness.
"Mujhe pta hai Daya file mei kya aur kitna likha jata h. Usme joh nhi hoga uske baremei puch rha hu mai."
Daya froze with the changing tone of his father. ACP asked something that he was already worried about. Something he never wished would have happened and something he couldn't avoid. Only he knew about the moment that he was broke enough to take that damn decision and prove himself an idiot.
Anyways, he sighed, he was relieved to come back safe and alive along with Tarika.
"Daya mai..."
"Haan? Voh mujhe... sir mei.. dard ho rha hai. Mai.. some ja rha hu." He tried his best to not let his father notice that he was tensed or nervous but he failed miserably.
"Ek minute Daya!" ACP pradyuman stood in front of him, "Tum jante ho na iss case ke liye maine HQ se request ki thi ki voh tumhe na bheje. Jante ho kyu?"
His tearing chest felt like his heart would pounce out any moment by the way it was racing. He could feel his forehead getting wet by the dripping sweat, even in this cold night. He wanted to say, something or anything, but he just couldn't. He practically froze to the ground.
"Mission successful ho yah fail usse fark nhi padta. Lekin mai nhi chahta tha ki kisi bhi situation mei ek ACP ko uske hi bete ke samne-"
He couldn't hear anymore. His jaws clutched and he left immediately without letting his father finish what he was actually upto. He could still feel his heart racing as he rushed into the bedroom and shut the door loudly. He couldn't face him. Not yet. Anything his father speaks out of profession, is unacceptable to him. He thanked his father for successfully ruining another night and threw himself on the bed.
Here ACP was stunned by the way Daya reacted. He couldn't understand what went wrong suddenly. He was just trying his best to make an actual conversation but it never crossed the walls of professionalism they had in their relationship.
"Mai nhi chahta tha ki mujhe tumhare samne is inquiry mei bethna pade Daya. Mai mere kaam ke samne humare rishtey ko nhi laa paunga aur yeh guilt mere marne tak mera dam ghot'ti rahegi." He wiped away the tear that slipped unknowingly.
...
Tarika's place.
It was past 2 and now he reached at her doorstep. For the first time he went a little hesitant to ring the bell but he did anyhow. Meeting her was far more important than the pan drive thingy.
"Abhijeet? Aao na andr!" She opened the door after a whole minute. He could see her eyes heavy as if she woke up from her sleep or didn't sleep at all.
"Tum.. soyi nhi abhi tk?" He asked in a whisper, barely audible to her.
"Hmm?"
"Tum.. soyi kyu nhi abhi tk?" He changed the whole meaning and feeling of the sentance. He wanted to look normal in front of her that's how hard he tried to fight the bad thoughts clumping his brain.
"Arey mai voh apne seminar pr thora kaam - tum le aaye na pan drive?"
"Hn.. haan!" He pulled out the pd from his shirt's pocket but along with it a photograph fell down on the floor.
He immediately shoved the pd in her forwarded palm and crouched to pick the picture. Without even sparing a look at it, he pushed it again in his pocket.
"Kuch hua hai kya Abhijeet?" Tarika watched him closely when he panicked and wiped away the sweat from his forehead before asking for the reason behind it.
"N..nhi toh. Mai voh bs.. thora thak gya hu. Iss case ke chakkar mei doh din se theek se neend nhi ho payi na toh.. bs shyd"
"Abhijeet." She held his forearm and made him sit on the couch, "You are drunk Abhijeet. What is it?" She asked as softly as she could. He raised his eyes to meet her's but then changed his mind and lied again.
"Kuch nhi h Tarika.. voh mai keh toh rha hu-"
"Abhi! Kya cheez pareshan kar rahi hai tumhe? Hmm? ACP sir ne kuch kaha?"
"Nhi sir ne kuch nhi voh.." he sighed deeply. He knew that now he wouldn't be able to hide anything from her. She was the only one who could read him like a book. Requirement of words was never a necessity for her.
"Phir kya baat h?"
"Voh.. Pragati Vishesh ki.." he closed his eyes as the scene flashed in front of his eyes. His gut twisted again. The sick feeling was back.
"Pragati? Vohi na joh-"
"Hn vohi. Tumhari training team se joh thi." He took a deep breath and held her palm and gripped it lightly, "Uski laash mili h Tarika. Bohot bohot.. berehmi se mara h use kisine." He shut his eyes as he emphasised on 'bohot'
He paused and glanced at her. She seemed sad despite of having any recent interaction with the victim. Her eyes teared up lightly. He sighed and pulled her close to him by wrapping his consoling arm around her shoulder.
"Uske Ghar btaya toh pata laga ki voh kuch din ke liye Goa gayi thi kuch kaam se. Lekin uske jaane ke baad se uski laash milne tk, uska kisi se koi contact nhi hua tha. Humei doubt h shyd use kidnap kr ke rkha tha."
"Uska ek beta h na Abhijeet? Tumne use-"
"Hn Tarika maine raato raat use puri protection ke sath Mumbai bulwa liya h. Voh Pune ki ek boarding school me padh rha h. Use.. bht mushkil se sambhala h humne." He paused but then hid his eyes as he opened up, "Yeh sab toh theek h lekin.. aaj pehli baar mujhe.. dar sa laga Tarika." He finally decided to speak his heart.
"Dar?" She sniffed and wiped her tears away. Fear word, from Abhijeet's mouth, it means there was actually something big troubling him.
"Hn.. voh.. mtlb.." He hesitated. He didn't know how to phrase it in a manner that would not sound hurtful. He tried again and asked while looking in her eyes, "Tumhara Goa jana zaruri hai kya Tarika?"
"Abhi? Mtlb?"
"Voh mai.. mujhe pta h mai galat keh rha hu lekin.. mera dil nhi maan rha Tarika. Mai.. sapne mei bhi tumhe us halat mei..." His voice broke and eyes loosened some thick tear drops which he wiped away immediately.
"Abhii!" She slipped her head from his shoulder and put it on his heaving chest as she hugged him tightly. She could hear his heart beats. Even they were abnormal and fast as if his heart was trying to say something more that he ever did.
"Tarika Mai bht der se koshish kar raha hu yr khud ko samjhane ki.. lekin mujhe.. mujhe dar lag rha hai Tarika. Mai.. soch bhi nhi skta tumhare bina.."
"Shh!" She shushed him and buried her head in his chest further more while tightening the grip on his shirt. Something flickered in her mind and she hid her eyes immediately.
She felt guilty of even trying to think about moving on with someone else. How could she leave this innocent heart behind crying on his own? How could she leave these protective arms empty? How could she leave his pure love and be so selfish?
And.. above all.. how could she hide such a big incident from him?
'He deserves to know Tarika. You should tell him.'
But instead she settled on, 'No one needs to know. Not even him. It will break him.'
"Tum chahte ho mai na jau?" She jerked out of the dilema and asked him softly.
"Nhi Mera mtlb.. agar zaruri na ho toh.." He replied very slowly but she heard his heart begging to not go.
"Zaruri toh h na Abhijeet. Mumbai forensics ko represent kr rhi hu mai.. lekin.. vese bhi mera man nhi tha jane ka. Koi bhi bahana bna dungi mai. Theek?" She lied looking at him in so much tension. She wanted to go and it sure was important but she didn't want to break his heart or hurt him anymore.
"Lekin phir yaha se kon jayega tumhari jagah?"
"Koi nhi jayega." She looked at him and tried to sound casual.
He hid his eyes immediately. He knew she was trying to sound normal and leave whatever conference it was just because he was afraid. But... how will he make himself understand that? It was shameful for him to defame the whole Mumbai department just because he was scared that something bad might happen. That too for a slightest possibility.
He closed his eyes and threw his head on the headrest. There was tension, fear and helplessness in the lines that appeared on his forehead. He couldn't choose what to do. He couldn't interfere in the reputation of his whole family, nor could he let anything happen to his love of life.
"Tarika!" He took a deep breath and blinked a couple of times to clear his blurred vision a little, "Kal hi jana zaruri h? Ek din ruk ke nhi ja skte?"
She sighed but spoke very understandably, "I'm already late. Conference toh aaj se hi start ho gyi hogi."
"Can you tell me please.. mai.. mai kese yeh feeling.." He couldn't take it anymore. It was hurting him bad. He begged for some peace of mind. His voice cracked in helplessness.
"Abhi.. It'll be fine. I'll be fine! I promise!" She tried her best to calm him a bit.
"Yeh case agar ek baar khatm ho jata toh mai nahi rokta tumhe. Trust me! I don't know if I'm being paranoid, but ho skta hai yeh tumse related ho? Mai kese itni badi link ignore kru Tarika?"
"It's normal Abhijeet. Yeh kaam h tumhara!"
"Haan isiliye mai-" He stopped abruptly and killed the next thousand attempts he could have to stop her from going.
"There's a way!" She almost jumped out of excitement and relief.
"Hun?"
"Tum chaho toh.. tum bhi chal skte ho mere sath Goa! Outing bhi ho jayegi and tum rhoge toh mujhe koi kuch nhi kr payega!" She smiled at the end trying to light up the mood but it didn't work well.
"Maine yeh socha tha Tarika... Lekin mai itne din ka off kese le skta hu? Yeh case bohot important hai aur senior hone ke khatir yeh meri responsibility bnti h. Mai yun muh pher ke nhi ja skta." He frowned as he rejected the idea.
"Le..lekin tumhe Goa toh vese bhi jana padega na.. investigation ke liye?" There was a tiny hope in her eyes again.
"Pragati ne kabhi Goa mei enter kiya hi nhi. She was in Mumbai the whole time." He shook his head as this investigation came to a dead end again.
"Hmm.. toh phir.."
"It's okay Tarika. I was being stupid. Tum jao please.." He dropped his arm from around her in shame and disappointment. He again felt losing his heart in front of the cop. He's done it many times. It'll be fine even this time. Even Tarika said so.
"Toh tum mujhe drop krdo Goa. Phir vapis aa jana! Vaha ki arrangements vese bhi police quarters mei h toh protection toh hoga hi. Aur agar chaho toh pick krne bhi aajana?"
He was dumbstruck. How could his hours of overthinking miss this idea? He felt so stupid but relieved at the same time that he hug her immediately.
"Yeh.. yeh toh.. mumkin h!"
"Apko kya laga Mr. Sr. Inspector? Gambhir cases sirf apko hi solve krna aata h?" Tarika smirked while he shyly scratched the back of his head.
"Maine yeh pta nhi.. mujhse kese miss ho gya. Samne hi solution tha aur mai pta nhi kaha kaha-"
"Tum sachmei bht thak gye ho and you really need rest! Toh tum ab jao, rest karo and hum kal morning mei thora late niklenge. Theek hai?"
"Haan.. yeh sahi rhega. Mai chalta hu phir. Kal jldi bhi uthna h aur ACP sir se baat bhi krna padega.. pta nhi voh kese react krege."
"Sab theek hi hoga. Tum chinta mat karo. Keh dena ki Tarika zid kr rhi thi." She smiled and hugged him tightly.
"Nhi iski zarurat nhi padegi." He hugged her back and placed a soft kiss on her temple, "Bye!"
"Bye!"
A/N:- So how was it? Tell me in the reviews.
And I know there's lot of confusion but trust me samay ke sath sab clear ho jayega.
Thank you!
+S+