Madhu stood by the balcony holding the railing as she looked up at the dark shy. She looked better after taking a long hot shower. She had changed into her half white PJ's. Left her hair loose. Parted it to two and put it on her front on either side.

Rishab got ready for work and walked out from the bedroom in search of Madhu. Finding her near the balcony he slowly walked closer to her amd snaked his hands around her waist and pressed his body against her back.

"You okay?" He asked softly kissing her nape.

She nodded with a slight smile and placed her hands over his hands.

"I have work. I am going now. I will be back late night. I don't want you to wait for me. I will let myself in. Okay?"

She wanted to ask him to stay with her for a while but she understood his need to go. He had been with her all day and she can't expect him to stay the night too.

"Okay." She nodded but still didn't let his hands go. She loved the feel of his hands caressing her tummy. She felt so cherished and protected.

"Sleep without thinking hard." He kissed her hair before releasing her and stepping back. She turned around to face him and smiled at him.

"Thank you." She whispered and kissed both his cheeks surprising him. He didn't question why she thanked him. He just smirked and kissed her lips before leaving her in her place and walking out of the house locking the door behind him with his spare key.

Few seconds later, the power went off and the whole house was surrounded with darkness. She held the balcony grill tightly and stood rooted to her place. She wished not to panic and take steady calming breath. She was scared to walk back inside in the darkness and take her mobile phone to on the mobile torch and lit the candles in the stands.

She heard the front door opening again and she hoped it was her Rishab.

"Rishab, is that you?" She called softly, so softly almost inaudible to her own ears.

She braced herself to walk into the living room and see for herself who it was.

After taking few shaky steps she bumped into someone and screamed in fright.

"Hey, its me. Its me, Rishab." Rishab held her tight in his arms and hugged her.

"You scared me. Why can't you tell me you were here when I asked you?"

"I didn't hear your voice. I left my work phone (he has two mobile phones) so I came to take it and found that the current has gone. I know you will be scared..."

"Yes, I am. Just switch on the invertor. If there is no charge in it you better light up the candles." She said in a rushed voice shoving him back to bring in some light.

"Hey, relax. I am here."

"I know..." She stopped talking when he scooped her off her feet in his arms. "What are you doing?" She asked scrunching her eyes tightly shut and gripping his shirt with her fingers.

"Taking you to bed."

"Okay. But its too dark. I can't see you. As soon as you put me down on the bed you are going to light the candles."

"My wife wants romantic set up huh?" He teased and placed her gently on the bed. He jumped on to the bed and he knelt in between her legs as he unbuckled his belt. She sat up on the bed and her hands searched for some contact with him. Then he started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Why you are removing your shirt? You are not going out for work?" She asked feeling her hands on his bare torso. She had her eyes still closed. The darkness from inside her eyes was better than the darkness from outside.

"I changed my mind. I am going to make love to you." He said in a husky tone making her toes curl.

"It's dark, Rishab. I am happy you want me... But please light up the room."

"I am going to light up your life, Madhu" He whispered in her ear and removed her PJ top.

"We are going to do it in the darkness?" She questioned. They have never made love in complete darkness.

"Yes. Why? Scared?"

"Yes." She agreed honestly.

"Don't be. Just think about me. I am with you. Its only you and me. No one else and nothing to be scared of" He said and took her lips in his. She didn't respond for few seconds wondering what he was doing to her. Wondering why he was doing it to her in the dark but she put all her thoughts in the back of her head and kissed him back, forgetting her fear.

He gently laid her back on the bed and started kissing her belly. He licked around her naval and she inflated her tummy. She bunched his hair with her fingers and pulled him up to meet his mouth with her mouth.

"Do you feel me, Madhu?" He asked poking his thing against her belly.

"Yes." She said. He moved up and held her face in between his hands. "Look at me." He ordered.

"No, its dark." She shook her head.

"No, it is not. I can see you so you can see me too."

"No, please."

"Come out of your fear, Madhu."

"I just can't. It scares the shit out of me to look at the darkness."

"Not all darkness are horrible. Some are beautiful and romantic too. So try for me, please. Will you?"

She slowly opened her eyes. It was still dark everywhere but she could see her husband staring back at her, his eyes glowing with passion.

"From now on I want you to remember this passionate night of ours whenever you are pushed in darkness. Okay?"

She kept staring at his eyes. She didnt want to break contact with his eyes.

He leaned down and kissed her lips and she wrapped her hands around his neck and dragged her fingers through his soft hair tangling it.

"Rishab ... Take off your pants." She said hurriedly and removed her PJ bottom

He fondly smiled at her eagerness and removed and discarded his pants on the floor.

Madhu sat up and started kissing his torse so. She no more cared about the darkness. Her hands and lips made its way up feeling his body.

She bit his chest and hearing him wince she licked the spot she bit him. Her nails scraped his back and he groaned in pleasuring loving her wildness. He rolled on the bed and took her on top of him. She straddled on him and he propped his legs up so that she can sit her ass on his legs and lean forward and kiss his meticulously made fine body.

He held her neck with his hands and brought her lips up to kiss her. He licked the outline of her lips with his tongue feeling the softness. Then he poked his tongue on her lips parting it open and he let his tongue in to her mouth. She capture his lower lip and he captured her upper lip and they kissed and sucked each other.

They broke their kiss getting short of breath. Rishab quickly grasped his breathing control and he started kissing her jaw line.

"Are you wet?" He asked.

"Soaking." She whispered.

"Can I take you now?"

"Please." She kissed his lips again. "Oh wait. Is it safe for the baby?" She asked suddenly panicking for her baby's safety.

"It is. I consulted with your doctor." Nothing important goes out of his mind. Madhu thought with a smile.

"Oh good but still lets take it slow okay?"

"Okay. I promise I won't hurt you both." He said, placing his one hand on the back of her head and other hand on her middle and he turned her body making her lie on the bed and he positioned himself between her legs. He took her legs in his hands and made her wrap them around his back. That was when he realized she still had her panties on. He was in no mood to untangle her legs again from his body so he just tore her panties and threw it away.

"Good move." She chuckled and pulled him closer with her legs. He made some smart works with his fingers before thrusting his manhood in her silky cave.

"Say my name, Madhu!"

"Rishab. Faster!"

"Scream for me, Madhu" he gave her a forceful thrust.

"Ahh..." She gripped his shoulders tightly leaving her nail bites on him.

"Only I can touch you like this... this intimate. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Will you remember my touch? And my kiss?"

"Yes."

"Darkness reminds you of what?"

"You! This night. This feel of having you inside me." She whispered and cried in pleasure.

"Are you scared of darkness anymore?"

"I don't know." She said.

"Will you try to forget things and move on?"

She didn't reply. She kept moving her hips forward to fill him in her, deeply.

"Will you, Madhu?"

"I will try, Rishab. For you I will try. I love you." She cried. He sealed her mouth in his and kissed her taking out her fear and making new memories to her.

"Hmm..." She moaned. "Faster!" With the ball of her heels she pushed him forward wanting to grab some friction.

"Slow. Lets take it slow. There is no hurry. This power wont come till we finish off with our love making." He whispered kissing her earlobe as his hands played with her sweet lumps. She frowned wondering what he meant by that. Did he have something to do with this power cut? She thought but she decided to keep her questionnaire session for later. Now only love and lust!

"Don't come now. Wait for me. Then the release will be great." He grunted.

"Oh please. I cant. I am almost there." She moaned kissing his shoulder.

"Rishab" she cried his name as she hit her climax.

"f**k!" He gave her two more hard thrust and came along with her. He slumped on her but quickly rolled to his side not wanting to hurt her. She snuggled closer to him seeking for his warmth.

"I am sweating." She breathed.

"So am I."

"So you better get back the power connection."

"What do you mean? Get back the current? How?" He asked feigning innocence. "You are telling as if its a thing in some grocery shop."

"I know you have hand in this power blackout."

"I have my hands only on you..." He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "...and nothing else" He continued teasing.

"Shut up. Its so hot and suffocating." She fanned her face with her fingers.

"Okay, wait." He took out his phone from the bedside table and texted to the apartment watchman to give the power connection to their apartment.

"You tried this trick to scare me?" She asked frowning.

"No. Not at all. My wife said she gets good night sleep after sex so I..."

"That you can do without cutting the power connection right?"

"Um... I actually wanna try love making in complete darkness..."

"Don't try to fool me, Rishab. I know what you are doing."

"If you know then stop asking me questions, woman!" He said irately.

"So you were in there?" She asked covering her body with the duvet as she sat up on the bed leaning her back on the headrest.

"In where?"

"You attended the therapy session? You were inside the room with us despite of me asking you not to attend?" She asked getting angry on him.

He sat up on the bed too gloriously naked. "Wear your boxer brief or pants." She ordered.

"Why? You dont like what you see?" He teased her. She blushed beat red. She covered his lower body with the duvet as it was distracting her. He smirked and shook his head.

"I wasn't inside the room..." The power came and now she could see his face and she can tell he was telling the truth.

"But I heard you both talk." He agreed honestly. "I stood in the next room and watch you through the glass wall. And... I was connected with Sameer through bluetooth. I also made him record your conversation."

"I thought I could trust you but no." She pushed him away from her angirly. She was so disappointed that he went against her word.

"I am sorry... But I wanted to know so that I can help you out of this shitty mess."

Madhu propped her legs up and hid her face on her knees.

"Why are you crying now?" He asked placing his hand on her shoulder squeezing it.

"Don't you feel disgusted of me?" She softly asked muffling her sob.

"What? Come again?" He can't believe he heard her rightly. Disgusted? Did she just say that word?

"Madhu... Look at me first." He lift her head up and she leaned on his shoulder. "Why should I feel disgusted of you?"

"Now you know what he did to me." She sniffed.

"Oh God! I am not at all disgusted of you. If I feel anything for you its sorrow and sympathy. I can feel your pain and understand the reason for your fears." He said, his eyes edged with pain.

"I could picture you only as a tortured child. Not as my wife." He cupped her face and kissed her forehead. "Well, I do feel disgusted of that pig who behaved cruelly with a child. I just can't tolerate child harassment and I swear I will give him the worst punishment." He said gritting his teeth. Madhu could feel his anger radiating from his body. She gently placed her hand on his chest and rubbed it. "You are at no fault, Madhu! I don't blame you."

"I am sorry. I should have told you all this before marriage."

"Before marriage you didn't know me but after marriage you could have told me."

"I told you, right?"

"Only a polished story of you being kidnapped for ransom when you were 7 years old. Not all the gory details."

"I am sorry. I should have been more frank with you and shared about my past... even about my phobias with you."

"It doesn't matter now."

"So my past and my phobias are not an issue to you?"

"No. Only you matter to me." He said. She kissed his chest in reply then they both remainded in a comfortable silence.

"I hope we are not having a baby girl" she whispered breaking the silence.

"Why ever not?"

She shrugged her shoulders but he can understand her reticence. She was scared something horrible might happen to their daughter like it happened to her.

What if they failed to protect their daughter? She thought as fear clenched her chest.

"I am not like your father, Madhu." Rishab said. She looked up at him surprise. "And we won't fail our child." Is he a mind reader? How he answer to her unasked question? She stared at him open mouthed. "Gender doesn't matter. Babies are babies. They are defenseless and parents should protect them. We will protect our baby. We will teach her to be strong after all she has an inspiring mother." Rishab's pride was palpable in his voice. Madhu hugged him feeling blissful. She always thought she was weak putting a tough front but now after hearing him she could boldly say she was strong. She had over come some terrible incidents. She decided to over come her phobias as well with her husband's support which he was willing to give her. "Our kid will have a save and secured life. I promise you that, Madhu." He said placing his hand on her tummy as if he was promising his unborn child.

"Only one?" She finally dared to ask him why he was always specific about having only one child.

"Yes."

"Why not two or four?"

"Hard to handle. We both are working parents. We cant pay attention properly if we have more than one kid." He said practically. "You know my job nature. Yours is also not an easy one. We almost spend our days out working and we hardly get time for ourselves. To be honest this is too soon to have a baby but we cant change the fact we are already having one..."

"Yesterday you were so happy but now you are saying its too soon?" She asked him getting confused with his statement.

"Of course I am happy even now. I am just saying its too soon and that doesn't mean I don't want her. I guess I am already in love with her." He talked looking at belly.

"Seems like ACP Sir fell in love with his daughter quicker than he fell in love with his wife?" She asked smirking.

"Obviously."

"Why is that so?"

"She sure as hell wont be annoying like her mother."

"Now, I seriously want a momma's boy whom I will teach to smile."

"Smile?"

"Yeah, I sure as hell dont want him to be grumpy like his father."

"Okay, back to the topic."

"I can manage two kids, Rishab." She tried.

"No, Madhu. That will be too much of burden on you."

"Even your mother said she would love to babysit our children."

"Our kids will be our responsibility. So we can manage only one."

"I will quit my job?" She asked.

"And sit home till boredom kills you?"

"For our kids I can..."

"You don't have to compromise your life or career for our kids. Today's compromise, Tomorrow's regret!"

"I guess I can't win you in this matter." She said defeated. she will try again on this matter few years later but for now she will agree with him.

"Good" he kissed her lips. She smiled.

"I wanna ask you something?"

"Yes" she looked up to face him.

"I wanna talk to your parents. Is that okay with you?"

"Um... Talk about what? My past?"

"Yeah, I have lots of question to ask and also have few choosey words to say to your father." He said the last part grimacing his face.

"Rishab, I can answer your questions. There is no need to ask them and my father is not bad like you think." She said looking away.

"Whatever you said in the therapy session was just what registered in your mind at that age. I don't think you can give answers to all my questions now. And I didn't say I think bad about your father but now with your instant defense I guess he really did something bad."

"No. No."

"Tell me honestly, Madhu. I am not going to judge."

"Okay." She took a deep breath preparing herself to tell the whole truth.

"I am gonna tell you what all I understood at that time and what all my mama told me later when I grew up big."

"Okay... But wait... I have to ask something before that. Do you hate your parents?"

"I thought I hate them... But when I grew up I realized I didn't. It's just i couldn't hate them. I was just angry on them and that made me to slowly get detached with them and I never bothered to rebuilt the bond again."

"Okay. Now go ahead."

"You must be knowing about Balraj by now."

"Yes. I have asked my team to find details about him so that I can track him down. They are almost there." He said and checked the time on his wrist watch. He should be moving soon to his office so that he can find out what his team had found regarding Balraj and Bujang.

"Oh! Well, Balraj and my mama loved each other." That wasn't a shock to Rishab. He guessed that already. "Balraj's background wasn't good. He belonged to a criminal family. Even he was indulged in some illegal activities. Mama came to know about this. She gave him a chance to change but he didn't so mama broke up with him and after sometimes she married my papa. He was well settled and wealthy at that time itself. Mama didn't tell him about her first love. Papa loved mama like crazy. Mama too fell in love again but this time with the right man. They were so happy and if anything was missing in their lives then it was a baby. Mama miscarried twice and you know that."

"Yeah, Balraj killed those two innocent babies."

"My parents didn't know that until I was kidnapped and Balraj told the secret behind her miscarriage to my parents on that day."

"Oh."

"I was born after four years to my parents and I was so precious to them."

"You are still. I saw that in their eyes when we went to their 30th wedding anniversary."

"Hmm... I was lucky to my papa. His business grew tenfold bigger and he became super rich. Out of nowhere Balraj came into picture. He kidnapped me and threatened my parents to kill me if they didn't pay him his demand. He even told my papa that he snatched his love when my papa didn't. Its not like my papa came in between their love story and stole my mama from that lunatic? They broke up and my mom had an arranged marriage... But Balraj got envious of mama and her happy life though he himself was married and had two kids, I guess. I don't remember that clearly. Mama said something like that only..." She stopped and looked up at her husband to see whether he was listening to her.

"Am I boring you?" She asked. He had his eyes closed and his hand over his head as if he was sleeping.

"No. I am just picturizing the story you are telling me." He gave her a sheepish grin.

"Okay. Um... What I was telling?" She asked him forgetting where she actually left the story.

"Balraj was married and had two kids. You left there."

"Oh right. Well, his family was known to kidnapping minor children and demanding money and if the parties couldn't pay they sell the kids in the market." She shivered at the thought.

"Balraj needed money. So he kidnapped me and demanded money. Papa was ready to pay... But..." She paused.

"Don't pause at this stage. Keep going." He said impatiently.

"Balraj messed everything with his own hands. He blurted out to my father how much he loved my mother... How he snatched their two babies... And how he felt pity on my mama and let her have me... And how I am gonna make him rich"

"Hmm... I still didn't get why your father sought police help when he was ready to pay?"

"Papa... Papa got so mad at Mama... For hiding her past relationship with a criminal. He even doubted mama... He asked whether I was really born to him or to Balraj because he killed two of his babies but Balraj let mama have me."

"That's so sick! How could your father think so low about your mother? Agreed she didn't tell her past but what's the need to tell when she had moved on from it and she was so in love and loyal to your father? Can't he see you? You look so like your father but still he doubted your birth? Disgusting!" Rishab growled in anger.

"I know. Papa wasn't ready to give a penny to Balraj because he was clouded with anger after the revelation. That angered him and he tortured me. You know already what they did to me."

He nodded in yes.

"Mama begged my papa to save me by paying the money. Papa asked mama was she eloping with her secret lover with the money? He turned cold-hearted. He didn't bother whether I was really his child or not. His ego didn't let him save a small child. He didn't pay the ransom but filed a kidnapping case and police found me on the third day."

"I like your mother for fighting for you. She too suffered in pain without any fault."

"Hmm... Balraj and Bujang got arrested and they were awarded with ten years of imprisonment for their misconduct. They were out of picture. But still nothing reconciled between my parents. Mama took a DNA test & proved I was his child and then only he believed me. Papa begged forgiveness but mama didn't forgive. She was ready to forgive him for doubting her virtue but she wasn't ready to forgive my father for not saving me. She wanted divorce but papa didn't give her. That was another drama. I was pulled into their battle. I was in total mess. I couldn't recover from the trauma." She said like she was a talking machine. She didn't show any emotion. It was so surprising to Rishab because she was such an emotional person always tend to cry easily but now she had an impassive expression on her face

"Madhu, you okay?"

"Yeah..." She smiled at him. He smiled back.

"Then they decided to stay together for me because papa made sure he will win my custody with his influence... And mama didn't want to live without me so they agreed to stay together under one roof for me but like strangers. I don't know when exactly they got back together in good terms because at the age of 17 I shifted to Pune to do my college studies. Till I was with them they behaved like strangers. Just a year before our marriage I moved back to my parents place because my mama pleaded me to come back and get married. I reluctantly gave in to her wish and came back. At that time my parents behaved civil and so normal like a happy couple. I still don't know whether they truly left their bitter past behind and decided to lead the rest of their lives happily and together or they were just pretending to the outside world so that they can find a nice family for me."

"Hmm... Why don't you talk to them?"

"They never listen to me like I don't to them."

"Oh!" Rishab didn't know what else to say.

"My father asked me to join his company but I didn't. My father chose me an Assistant Commissioner of Police guy as my husband and I rejected him."

Rishab shot his eye brow up asking then how the hell you ended up marrying me?

"You are my choice." She jabbed her finger on his chest. "I rejected you just by seeing your photo only because my papa chose you for me. I didn't want to grant any of his wish. But then after seeing you in the train... the moment I hugged you.. Asking you to help me... The way you looked at me... The way you held me safe in your arms... Gosh! I was a goner for you at our very first meeting. At that moment I decided that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So technically I chose you because I fell in love with you at first sight."

"Come here" he gestured her to come closer. She crawled on the bed and went to him. He took her in his tight embrace and hugged her for what felt like eternity. He didn't say a word, he just kept hugging her much to Madhu's delight.

"I feel so proud to be your husband, Madhu" he finally spoke making her burst out in tears. Happy tears! She never thought her ACP husband will say he was proud to be her husband.

He kissed her forehead and wiped her tears with his thumbs.

"Do you still wanna talk to my parents?"

"I guess no." He wasn't sure. He still wanted to give a piece of mind to Mr. Malik but not sure whether to do that or not as he was elder to him and mainly he didn't want to hurt Madhu's feelings. "Sorry but seriously I am not a fan of your father. I like your mother though."

"But I like them both... Because they are my parents."

"I understand."

She smiled.

"Madhu... Do you remember those assholes' faces?"

"Balraj and Bujang?"

"Yes. If I show you some pictures will you be able to identify them?"

"I guess I can."

"Good. You will need to show me tomorrow."

"Okay" she said and adjusted her pillow to lie down and get some sleep.

"Oh wait. I have one last question."

"Ask me?" She giggled.

"How you survived after being thrown from the fourth floor? Who saved you?"

"God!" She laughed. He frowned.

"You know right "Purple Orchid" hotel is a lake view hotel? There is a lake at the back of the hotel building nah? I was thrown from the fourth floor and I fell right in to the water. I gulped in plenty of water and I was in ICU for three days before I came around."

"But there is no water in the lake. It's fully dry." He asked hiding his pain hearing her say she was in ICU for 3 days fighting for her life. "Why my wife is accident prone always landing in hospital bed?" He wondered.

"Its dry now. Not 19 years back." She rolled her eyes at his dumbness.

"So you are not scared of water as you drowned into it?"

"That's more than one question."

"Hey, c'mom how many times I have patiently answered your questions so this time you show the same courtesy." He demanded.

"Okay. I wasn't scared of water why because I got to see lots of fishes when I drowned deep into the water."

"I should have known right? Why my Fish Lady didn't get scared of water?" He laughed.

"Fish lady?" She laughed at the nick name he had given to her. "I like it."

"Suits you." He kissed her lips. She yawned breaking their kiss.

"You look tired."

"Yes, I am." She yawned again, this time louder.

"Sleep" he kissed her forehead.

"You going?" She asked getting disappointed.

"Yeah... I am already late."

"Lie with me for ten minutes please. Once I go to sleep you go to work."

"Okay" he agreed with a smile and laid down beside her on the bed. She scooted closer and hugging him she went to deep peaceful sleep. He kissed her forehead before sneaking out of the bed, getting ready and going out of the house to do his business.

.. to be continued!

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