AN: Hello everyone. I am back again! A generic thank you for all the reviews on the previous chapter. Specially evil.Teen and HidenSeek06 , its good to know that you guys are Ironman fans too. Yes, I drool over RDJ too and yes, a little less than abhijeet ;)Anyways, enough bakbak... here goes the next chappy... happy reading...


"Aaj aap akele hi hai lab mein? " asked abhijeet scanning the lab as the team entered the lab.

"Kyu bhai? yeh laash nahi dikh rahi kya tumko? " said Dr. Salunkhe looking up from his microscope.

"Nahi...mera matlab hai zinda insaan aap hi hai yaha pe aaj akele? "

"Mein akela kahan? tumlog aa gaye ho na... tumlog zinda nahi ho kya? " said salunkhe with a mischievous grin.

"Arre mera matlab hai ki..."

"Sir, iska matlab hai Dr. Tarika kaha hai dikh nahi rahi aaj lab mein. " Said daya jumping into the conversation. "Sidhe sidhe puch liya karo bhai. "

"Achha... wo kahi bhi ho tumhe usse kya? Mein hu na yaha pe? Ho raha hai na kaam? bass... ye faltu ki puch taach kyu? "

"Kamaal hai sir... Mein toh aise hi puch raha tha aap akele akele kaam karte hue achhe nahi lagte na... Dr. Tarika hoti hai to aapka kaam aasan ho jata hai isliye puch raha hoon bass. Usme bhi aapko tedhe jawab dene hai toh mein kya karun..." said abhijeet getting a little impatient.

It was not as if he had some specific work to do with her. But, he liked coming to the lab these days. Earlier, walking into the lab for him, just meant meeting a grumpy old doctor, gathering all the information needed, sometimes pulling the doctors leg in the process and just getting the hell out of there. But now, there was someone in the lab he had started to admire. He always knew that she was a very intelligent forensic scientist but now, as he knew her a little more in person, thanks to all the chai and coffee drinking sessions they had, he had started admiring the human behind that doctor. Everytime that he walked into the lab, she used to give him a slight smile and he used to reflect it back. This interaction however small, used to make him feel something. It didn't have a name. But it was definitely something he had never felt before.

Today, as that was missing, he definitely felt a bit different.

"Itni kya fikar hai tumko uski hein? Uss din bhi bata rahi thi tumne use apne haath ki chai pilayi... yeh kabse karne lage tum? " Asked Dr. salunkhe frowning. Obviously not liking the fact that his daughter like assistant is spending so much time with one person he is not that fond of.

Abhijeet's eyes widened on hearing this.

"Kya? chai? tumne Dr. Tarika ke liye chai banayi? Waah waise mein kabhi bolu tumhe mere liye chai banane ke liye to sirf muh banate ho chai to kabhi nahi... Dr. Tarika ko itni special treatment kyu bhai? " Asked daya with a mischievous smile. Of course he had noticed how fond abhijeet is slowly becoming of tarika and of course he was not gonna miss any chance to tease him about it.

All the juniors present in the lab exchanged a puzzled look with each other but still they had naughty look on their faces.

"Woh- woh actually... ab Salunkhe saab itna kaam karwate hai unse toh thak gayi thi bechari... toh maine aise hi insaaniyat ke naate pila di chai toh konsa gunah kar diya? " Said abhijeet stammering. Knowing very well that he is going to get teased a lot for this.

"Achha? kaam toh hum sab karte hai thakte toh sab hai... kyu kabhi ki hai offer chai tum logo ko abhijeet ne? " Daya turned to his juniors.

"Arre nahi sir... ulta jab mein bolta hu ki aaj thak gaya to daant dete hai aur kabhi kabhi toh..." Poor freddy had to stop in middle of his sentence on receiving a deadly glare from abhijeet.

"Haan pila dunga na yaar... piche pad gaye tum sab to mere..."

"Chal be salunkhe bata kya pata chala jaldi..."

ACP pradyuman entered the lab in work mode and Abhijeet thanked his stars for that. All the teasings were forgotten and work was resumed.

The long day finally came to an end. Abhijeet came in the parking lot and finally saw the face he kinda missed seeing throughout the day. Moreover, her annoying boss wasn't there with her. He thanked his stars yet again.

Her face on the other hand lit up too. Well, she also kinda missed seeing him throughout the day. She walked up to him while he sat on the bike.

"Kahan thi aap din bhar aaj? lab mein dikhi nahi? "

"Wo HQ mein thoda paper work ka kaam tha. Usme pura din kaise nikal gaya pata hi nahi chala. Bass ab sir ko sab details dene aayi thi... waise aap daya sir ki bike pe? " She asked eyeing the bike. Oh, how much she missed riding her bike!

"Haan wo daya ko urgently nikalna pada bangalore case ke silsile mein toh ab jabtak wo wahan hai... this baby is mine. "

"Wow! Mujhe bohot achhi lagti hai ye bike. So cool! "

"Arre kisko achhi nahi lagti? Isliye daya bada possessive hai bike ko lekar... mujhe hi bade mushkil se chalane deta hai wo... waise you like riding bikes too na? Chalani hai aapko? "

Tarika was surprised on this. She had barely once mentioned her love for bikes in front of him and he remembered it so well.

"Kya? Mein? Really? "

"Haan. Aap ghar hi jaa rahi hai na... Aap chalaiye mein piche baithta hoon. Isse achha mauka nahi milega aapko daya ki bike chalane ka... mein toh fir bhi chalata rehta hoon. " He said getting down from the bike.

"Are you sure? Mein pakka chalau? "

"Haan haan. As long as aapke paas license hai, aur aisi bikes chalane aati hai, mujhe koi problem nahi hai... bass daya ko mazak mein bhi mat batana and we should be fine."

"Wow. okay then. " She said getting on the bike. "This feels great."

"I know. " Said abhijeet smiling at her excitement. "comfortable? "

"Oh yes. This is the best. Baithiye na. And get prepared for the smoothest ride you have ever had. " She said putting on her helmet.

"Oho itna confidence... Chalo let's see..." and he got on the bike.

The ride was really smooth as promised. Abhijeet could see her happy face in the rear view mirror. He smiled seeing that. Sitting behind someone on a bike had never felt better to him.

"Wow. You are a very good rider Dr.Tarika. " Said abhijeet taking the control of the bike as she got down at her destination.

"Told you so. " She said flashing a proud smile while removing her helmet. But she somehow found it tough to open the lock.

"Ek minute. " Said abhijeet as he proceeded to help her.

She felt a sudden chill in her body as his hand accidentally touched her face while he removed the helmet. She just kept looking at him. He smiled noticing that.

"Thank you so much sir! This bike ride really made my day. "

"Arre usme thank you ki kya baat hai... waise kuch karna hi hai toh you can just call me abhijeet. We are off work now... ab itni formality kyu? "

"Really? "

"Haan. Mere haath ki chai pi li hai aapne Matlab atleast I consider you my friend. Ab aapka pata nahi..."

"ohh I do too. Aapne meri bike chalane ki craving aaj mita di... You are such a good friend..." She said smiling. "Fir aap bhi mujhe sirf tarika boliye na.. Dr.Tarika is too formal"

"Achha? Lekin aap doctor logo ko "Dr. " prefix badi mehnat karne ke baad milta hai... you know... Thik hai mein sirf tarika nahi...Tarika ji bulaunga aapko... chalega? "

She couldn't help smiling at this. She felt her cheeks getting warm too.

"Thik hai abhijeet ji. Ab mujhe chalna chahiye... Good night. Abhijeet. "

"That's better. " He said smiling. "Good night, Tarika ji "

"Tarika ji" She smiled to herself repeating that as he left.


AN: Abhijeet calling tarika "Tarika ji" and then eventually everyone using that to tease her used to make me smile wide. I hope this made you smile wide too. Leave a review if it did :)

See you soon :)