Tarika reached her lab way earlier than her work time. She couldn't sleep the night before stuck in her dilemma about her past and future. Only work could keep her calm now and get her mind off emotions.

She expected her huge boring files piled up but was greeted with a yellow flower on her table with a note that said "Goodmorning Tarika ji"

Tarika knew it was from Abhijeet and kept it aside for a while.

"Cliche" she thought, getting back to work.

After a while she picked up the flower again, smiled. She ran her fingers on the petals and smelled it.

It was a Gerbera

She recalled while investigating in a flower shop, she had mentioned she loved Gerberas. Abhijeet had remembered that

Tarika (thinking) hmm maybe not so cliche.

Abhijeet was in the office early as well, excited to make her day special. He decided to snoop around the forensic lab and maybe get some more ideas as to what he should do. He was surprised to see Tarika so early. He smiled as he saw her from a distance with the flower in her hand and smile on her face.

The guard saluted Abhijeet.

Guard: goodmorning sahab

Abhi: haan haan goodmorning. Acha ek ye baat batao ye Dr Tarika roz itni subah aajati hain kya lab?

Guard: nahi sir. Par jab aati hai bahut bawaal hota hai.

Abhi: bawaal?

Guard: haan matlab jaldi aayi hai toh pakka kaam zyada hoga, fir stress me thodi si bhi kuch galti hogi toh madam chillayengi.

Abhi: (thinking) achaa inko gussa bhi aata hai. Waah hot headed. Mujhe toh abhi se hi ye meri type ki lag rahi hai.

Guard: upar se kal bhi kaafi late raat tak madam thi idhar, aaj bhi itni subah aayi hain pata nahi kitna kaam karte ho aaplog sir.

Abhi: (thinking) itna toh workload hai nahi abhi, ye kis kaam ka itna stress le rahi hai ajeeb hai.

Daya called abhijeet: kahan ho boss itne subah subah poore ghar me dhundh liya?

Abhi: arey wo mai office aagaya. Sorry tujhe text karna bhool gaya.

Daya: itni subah office? Sab thik hai? Koi naye case me fir akele kaam karne aagaye?

Abhi: arey nahi bhai. Wo Tarika ke liye subah fresh phool lene gaya tha

Daya: (murmuring) ye pyaar me pade hue log uff.

Abhi: hein?

Daya: nahi kuch nahi aata hu mai bhi. Bata ke jaana next time se yaar.

Abhijeet updated him that Tarika was overworking and he seemed concerned about it.

Daya: nahi I know burden nahi hai zyada, par jaise tum jab kisi chiz ke baare me sochna nahi chahte , kaam zyada karte ho uske saath bhi same hoga maybe.

Abhi: hmm. Pta nahi. Mujhe bhi kabhi kabhi feel hota hai jaise wo bhi chahti hai baat karna but fir rok leti hai khud ko.

Daya: poochne mat baithna, pehle dosti karo, kuch hoga toh khud hi bata degi.

Abhi: hmm. Waise love guru ji any more ideas? Subah subah toh phool de diya. She seemed to have liked it.

Daya: mm coffee de do? Itne time se kaam kar rahi hai. She might need it.

Abhi: sahi idea hai. Lunch ka bhi pooch lunga baat ho paayi toh, itne subah aayi hai high chances lunch nahi laayi hogi.

Daya: aur mera lunch? (raising an eyebrow)

Abhi: bhai pack karke la dunga tere liye bhi…

Daya: haan haan pyaar me padke toh sab dosti bhool jate hain. Karo karo yehi sab karo. (shaking his head sarcastically)

Abhijeet came to the Forensic with a big smile

Tarika looked up at him expecting more case and work.

Abhi: nahi case nahi hai aise hi aagaya haal chaal poochne.

Tarika: oh. Hi abhijeet. Thanks for the (lifting up the flower) iski koi zaroorat nahi thi but… it was very sweet of you..

Abhi:haan zaroorat toh iski thi na (offering her favourite hazelbut coffee)

Tarika looked up, surprise replacing the fatigue in her eyes. "Abhijeet, you didn't have to,"

she began, but the aroma of the coffee reached her nose, and a grateful smile spread across her face.

She chugged the coffee in one go: Mmmm. Thank you so muchhh, Abhi!

Abhi smiled hearing her call him by his nickname.

Just then Dr. Salunkhe arrived.

Abhi: (sigh) gayi bhains paani me

Salunkhe: Yaar hume bhi coffee pilao kabhi abhijeet

Abhijeet: ji haan bilkul sir.

Tarika smiled seeing his frustration.

Abhijeet signalled and whispered: lunch pe aaj ?

Tarika hesitated for a moment.

Abhijeet left the lab without an answer.

He texted her later in the day: Doctor sahab, bahut bhook lagi hai, subah phool lane ke chakkar me tiffin nahi la paya mai bhi. And probably you don't have the tiffin too…

Tarika read the text immediately. She felt like a teen going on her first date again. But she controlled the butterflies. This road didn't always end up good.

Abhi became a bit disheartened to see his message left on read.

He used his detective skills to text her again

:not even in the new cafe across the street? Continental cuisine ?

Tarika's eyes shone in excitement. She wanted to visit that cafe for so long but couldn't. She couldn't help but admire how Abhijeet had remembered all the small details which she had casually mentioned ever during their limited conversations.

She agreed. Abhijeet was the happiest.

While walking towards a nearby café, the lively chatter of the street filled the air. As they reached a busy intersection, Abhijeet instinctively reached for Tarika's hand.

Abhijeet: dhyaan se jaldi chalo, bahut bheed rehti hai is time road pe

Their hands intertwined, and for a moment, a subtle warmth passed between them. Abhijeet, caught off guard by the intimacy of the gesture, felt a flicker of something unspoken. The awkwardness and longing danced in the air as they crossed the street.

As they reached the other side, Abhijeet, perhaps realizing the sudden intimacy, slowly released Tarika's hand. There was a brief moment of silence, a shared glance that lingered longer than usual. The bustling street seemed to have faded away, leaving only the two of them standing at the crossroads of something unexplored.

Clearing his throat, Abhijeet broke the silence : Chalein?

Tarika smiled and went in as Abhijeet held the door open for her.

Tarika: mujhe laga nahi tha tumhe continental khana pasand hai?

Abhijeet: Umm actually maine kabhi try kiya nahi hai but aapko pasand haina… mai bhi seekh lunga. Order bas aap kar dijiye mujhe samajh hi nahi aaraha kuch menu me

Tarika chuckled.

They ordered the food

Tarika: waise, tumne dekha aajkal kuch zyada hi deaths ho rahe hain cardiac arrest wale? Newspapers me roz padh padh ke ajeeb sa lag raha hai.

Abhijeet: hmm dekha toh maine bhi hai. Aise cardiac arrest is common lifestyle aajkal ki jaisi hai… and abhi tak sab natural deaths hi hai toh kuch investigation ho nahi rahi hai.

Tarika: hmm. Pata nahi maybe I am overthinking.

Abhijeet: nahi kuch toh mujhe bhi off lag raha hai. I think its instincts more than overthinking. Mai kuch pata lgata hu.

Tarika: hmm. Chalo choro bahut kaam ki baatein ho gayi

Abhijeet was happy to see her open up to him like this. It was the first time she was initiating conversations beyond cases and work.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, a familiar figure observed from the shadow. His sinister gaze locked onto Abhijeet and seeing him with Tarika a grin spread across his face.

Tarika's eyes locked with him for a brief second and chills ran down her spine.

Abhijeet traced her gaze and couldn't understand why she reacted like that.

The man moved out of the cafe and mixed with the crowd there.

Tarika rushed out of the cafe and Abhijeet followed but no outcome. She grabbed his hand in panic

Abhijeet: Tarika its okay mai hu yahin pe thik hai. Its okay.

He guided her back inside.

Abhijeet: ye lo paani piyo, shaant.

Tarika choked on the water

Abhi: (rubbing her back) areyy araam se araam se shant Tarika.

She calmed down a bit. Maybe it was her imagination. Her past memories haunting her present.

Tarika: I am sorry pata nahi mujhe… umm can we cancel the lunch? I am so sorry mujhe kuch thik nahi lag raha…

Abhi: Haan haan its okay. Ek kaam karte hain pack karke ghar le jao. Kuch toh khana hoga na lunch me? Is haal me kya pakaogi. Its okay.

Mai drop kar dunga tumhe ghar don't worry. You are safe Tarika.

Tarika sat down not able to process anything.

Abhijeet got the lunch packed, her hand was still on his. He took the order, payed and got up, guided her out of the cafe holding her hand protectively. They walked up to his car and he made her sit. She was still in shock.

Abhijeet(removing her hand) mai yahin hu. Hum ghar ja rahe hain thik hai.

She nodded.

They arrived to her home.

Abhi: (trying to lighten the mood) Toh aaj aapke ghar pe lunch kiya jaaye fir?

Tarika hesitated inviting him.

Abhijeet sensed it and moved back: It okay… fir kabhi..

Tarika: I am so so sorry.

Abhi: its all okay. Mai nahi poochunga kya hua. Agar kabhi bhi batane ka man ho, ya bas aise hi baat karne ka man ho, mai hu. Kuch bhi lage bas call karna thik hai? Khana kha lena aur thodi der so jana.

He could see she was still shaken.

Abhi: Tarika tum safe ho. Ek call karna bas mai aajaunga. Time mat dekhna. Tum bahut brave ho aur tum akeli nahi ho thik hai? Tumhara ye dost humesha tumhare saath hai (gently squeezing her arm)

Tarika was grateful but unable to say anything.

As Abhijeet watched her disappear into her home, he couldn't shake the feeling that there were deeper layers to her pain than she was willing to reveal.

While driving back to bureau, he called purvi to accompany Tarika and talk to her.