Hey guys, loving your votes and comments! Keep them coming. :)

-------------------------------

Neil was diligently following Avni from room to room as she collected her stuff and it was irking her.

Avni - "Neil, you are making me feel giddy with all this following around.. can you stay put in one place please!"

Neil - "Sure wifey! Aaj Sunday hai.. Hum baki uncles ki tarah akhbaar padhege" , (I'll read newspapers like other uncles)..saying this he took the newspaper and sat on the sofa. Avni giggled at this, Neil was really funny sometimes.

Then she got serious. She had already lost quite sometime in the wedding drama. She could not afford to let Dayawanti get ahead of her. Her identity was already compromised as Dayawanti now knew of her existence, even though she did not know who Avni was. It would have been better had she been able to keep her identity as Ananya. But in a weak emotional moment she had given it up, given up years of her hard work. She clenched her fists and looked grimly ahead. No more, she would not allow herself to go lax again.

"What are you thinking?", Avni's chain of thoughts broke at this interjection from Neil, who was looking at her amused.

Avni - "Nothing Neil. Nothing to do with you. I am doing damage assessment"

Neil scratched his head - "Damage due to what? Marrying me?"

Avni - "ohho Neil. Bas ek hi point pe atke rehte ho. I have a life outside of you as well! Damage assessment due to my identity being out.. to Mehta family.." (You're stuck on one point only.)

Neil looked relatively serious now."Hmm. Ok fair point. What are you thinking next?"

Avni - "And why do you care about it Mr Khanna? To have some more fun at my expense?"

Neil looked at her simply and said - "No. Not to have fun. I want to know what you are planning to protect and help you"

Avni stopped in what she was doing and looked at him surprised. Since when had Neil taken up sides!

Avni - "Matlab .. you know about my past?.."(Means)

Neil - "Well no, not completely. But it does not matter as of now. I know that I trust you now. At least more than you trust me Ms Avni Ayesha", he then let out a soft smile. Avni was just a bit overwhelmed, it was nice to have someone to support her, to not accuse her and to just want to protect her. Heck, her own family had not done this much for her. She warmed up more to Neil.

"Thode bandar jaise ho, but overall bure nahi ho. If you keep your monkey business in control, you can stay with me today"(You're a bit like monkey..)

Neil sarcastically - "Wah. My good luck wifey ki you have such kind words in store for me. Anyways, mera kaam hai apna karma karna. Tum chahe jaise bhi behave karo mere saath. Mujhe monkey bulao ya not. I am thick skinned" (My work is to do my karma. You can behave with me anyway. Call me monkey or not)

Avni - "Thick skinned to true hai. Tabhi you were pursuing me so earnestly when we were meeting up for those dates"

Neil, perking up - "So you accept those were dates!" and then flashed his trademark silly full tooth victory smile.

Avni just rolled her eyes, but she could not stop herself from letting out a small smile over Neil's antics. She then continued with her packing work. After she was done, they set out to where Avni wanted to go. She wanted to visit a bank to meet her banker. Neil whistled when he heard that and commented melodramatically - "Wow, you are rich Avni! Chalo now I know ki tumne meri daulat ke liye mujhse shaadi nahi ki!"(Atleast I know you didn't marry me for my money)

Avni elbowed him at this. But Neil was right, she was well off, thanks to Neela ma who had left her entire property and assets for Avni in her will. Avni had so much that she could lead her life happily elsewhere without worrying about her livelihood. But only one thing was keeping her here, revenge from Dayawanti for taking away her childhood, and her mom, and her dad.

Neil was liking following Avni around. For one thing, he was able to spend his Sunday with her. Which was a relief to him after what had seemed an eternity of their keeping away. And secondly, he was getting to know more about her. And he did want to know everything there was to know about her.

Neil was impressed with Avni's meeting with her banker. She had introduced Neil as her husband to her banker and then had proceeded to discuss about her investments. The way she discussed the performance of her mutual funds and shares gave Neil some serious grief about ignoring his own investments. Infact he had none! He had left all his finances to his dad, and was just absorbed in his work!

Avni's next stop after meeting her banker was to go via a road that Neil had not traveled on before, he anyways kept driving by her instructions. Neil was surprised to see it was an obscure cemetery (kabristaan)! Avni got down and walked fearlessly amongst the graves, she had requested for some lone time, so Neil had not accompanied her. But he sort of guessed whose grave it was that she had come to visit. He realised he needed to talk to DD now, his dad had given him some hints about Avni's past that he had learnt from DD but Neil needed a proper conversation with his deputy to see where his investigation had reached. He messaged DD to join him and Avni at a certain location.

Neil then looked up to see another lady entering the cemetery. She was an old lady wearing green salwar kurta. Her age was difficult to guess but she seemed to be well into her sixties. She was also carrying some flowers. Neil was not looking at Avni since this new lady entered the deserted cemetery. Then he realised that the old lady was walking towards the same grave that Avni had visited! His eyes flew to Avni who was last seen by him sitting by the graveside. But he was surprised to see that Avni had disappeared! Neil was confused. By this time the old lady had reached the graveside, kept the offering and was sitting by the grave now. She then started weeping.

Neil being a kind man, wanted to move ahead and console the lady due to her age. He stepped forward but then a hand touched his shoulder. He saw Avni behind him!

NEil - "Arre kahan gayi thi tum? Aur ye kaun hain by the same grave side that you had visited?"(Where had you gone? And who is this by the same..?)

Avni looked at Neil sadly. There was gloom and hopelessness in her eyes.

"Neil.. she is someone who thinks all her children are dead now. But what she does not know is that her grandchild is alive, but still cannot show her face to her..."

Neil looked slightly puzzled at Avni. Did Avni mean to say she was her grandchild? But then her grandmother had tried to kill her so why the sadness at not meeting her? And was not Dayawanti in some way her grandmother?

Avni looked at Neil and said - "Neil.. what i am about to tell you is something I wanted to tell you from the very beginning. But.."

And then Avni's stopped as the old lady had started wailing in deep sadness. She was crying her heart out. Avni did not dare go to comfort her. But Neil could not stay where he was.. he went ahead to comfort the old lady.

He kept her hand on her shoulder, and Fatima bano looked back at him sadly..