A/N: Hello readers, so we have arrived at the last chapter of this massive journey and I have to say, writing this one chapter has been immensely challenging and took an emotional toll on me. I had to revisit some decisions I made in life, my principles and had to see if they come reflecting on this & I just hope this chapter stirs you emotionally as much as it has stirred me. I won't say much except that this chapter is the FINAL VERDICT in every sense - for the case, for MaNan & for my story!

It is an emotionally overwhelming chapter, so I have warned you! It has very mature emotions, so young readers, take it slow and ask as many questions as you have, I will be happy to answer!

On that note, requesting for in-line comments as you read this exceptionally long chapter (even by my standard!) and happy reading!

***

As Nandini's car halted outside the premises of the court, her heart was hammering in anticipation. Her experiences with the judiciary had always been hauntingly devastating. Her gallows of press harassment, the inferno of accusations that met her during her divorce were nothing less than traumatic, and just when she had moved on from them, her life threw another curve ball at her, which boomeranged her back to where it all began, the court. Last time it was the Bandra Family Court, now it was the Khar Session Court. Although this time, she was the plaintiff and the Senior Malhotra's, the defendant.

Ranbir sprang out of the front passenger seat and curbed the press that crowded her car, flashing cameras at her, and made his way towards Nandini's door. As he slightly nodded at her and she blinked in acknowledgement, he blocked the press from coming forward and opened the door for Nandini to step out. As Nandini stepped out, unlike previous times, she wasn't bothered by the press or their questions any longer; it had taken them two more months to get a hearing date at the Session Court and this time was enough to make her realise after coming out of the hospital that, she was a bonafide star now. Suddenly everyone was interested in her life, her point of view, her whereabouts, and no matter where she went, the papps followed her.

"Maám, are the Malhotra's really guilty?"

"Nandini maám, are you going to punish Manik Malhotra too, for this?"

"Maám, how is it that you have the proof of the famous singer Late. Asha Devi's death, when she was long gone even before you came into the life of the Malhotra's?"

"Maám, is this a publicity stunt?"

As Nandini braved through all these questions trying to reach the main building housing the session, she kept quiet, and Ranbir kept saying, "No comments" on her behalf. After a while, the police came forward to stop the press before coming in further, and then Nandini finally had some space to talk.

"Ranbir, where is Mukti, Zubin, mom or even Cabir?" she enquired, craning her neck around to see no known face.

"Zubin & Mukti are on their way & Cabir and Nyonica maám are following Manik sir, as he's being escorted out to jail; turns out, he has been released today" a bewildered Ranbir answered, after having a quick call with Cabir.

Nandini froze. Manik was being brought here? How did she not know? When they had tried all ways possible to get Manik out of jail? He was rotting in prison, for three months now, without any one successfully contacting him, and now all of a sudden he was allowed to come here? Why? This case was not remotely related to him. She had accused the Senior Malhotra's directly for evidence she had against them, for murdering Asha Devi, how was Manik needed here? No. She was not prepared to meet Manik like this. She couldn't face him for the first time ever since her video accusing him got leaked; she couldn't explain herself here before everyone, she had to stick to the storyline here, and without an explanation, Manik will be assured she wanted to avenge him. How would she ever come through to him after this? God no.

"Ranbir, how..how will I ..how on earth can we.." Nandini scrambled for words, looking at him. Ranbir sighed seeing her untether.

"Nandini, this is a ploy. The Senior Malhotra's want to emotionally rattle you right before the session, so you screw up there & any way you screw up, it will benefit them. Don't you see it? Why would they keep Manik sir behind bars, for no reason & bring him out now, suddenly? It is to distract you. No one knew he was getting released. Cabir got to know about this through his planted sources around the jail an hour before his release!

Nandini nodded and tried to muster all her courage, as she walked inside the building. As she closed towards the waiting room, she saw it was heavily guarded. Of course, the Malhotra's were going to wait for a session today, the building was cordoned off from the public and was given VIP security.

Upon entering, her feet froze as two pairs of loathful eyes burned her with their stare. She looked at them with an unfazed expression, and both the Malhotra's kept their eye contact trying to intimidate her. She was the bane of their existence, that silly Zain couldn't even ensure killing her. It was because of her, they were in non-bailable police custody for a week now!

"Maám, I will need a few signatures of your's in these documents.." her lawyer's voice broke their eye lock, as Nandini turned to look at the papers and the criminals turned away too.

"Dad, don't worry, our Manik is on his way here. He will take care of this mess. After all, now he knows who really cares for him." Shrikant Malhotra loudly whispered to his father and tried to put Nandini at a spot, but thanks to Ranbir, she already knew this, and although it shook her, she could keep it together before these scoundrels.

The Malhotra's exchanged a puzzled look, seeing Nandini unperturbed. This wasn't how she was to react, but before they could think more, they heard a ragged gasp, and turned towards the source to see Manik entering the waiting room, with two security guards, a few constables, Nyonica and Cabir trailing behind them.

Manik was staring at Nandini, eyes glaring, his eyebrows furrowed, jaw locked, shock & disbelief smeared his features. Nandini took a step back in trepidation, almost hiding herself behind Ranbir; her world had just crashed before her eyes. True there was first indifference, then affection and then love, she saw evolving in Manik's eyes, whenever he looked at her over the years, but for the first time she saw, all that was overshadowed by anger, disbelief, and maybe even...hate?

Before anyone could spare a word in this scenario, one of the constables pushed Manik aside gently, and reported to the Senior Malhotras. "Sir, he has been brought here safely, without outside interference to your presence, as you requested; with this our security duty has come to close." With that he saluted to the Malhotra's and walked out with his colleague.

Slowly Shamsher Malhotra walked to Manik and hugged him tightly, any bystander would buy the story that he was hugging his dearer than life, grandson for being set free from prison. Seeing him, no one could tell, he was the one to bar him too.

Manik didn't react, his eyes were fixed on his prey. Nandini. Manik was still staring at Nandini with the same expression, and there was so much guilt in her, that Nandini couldn't look into his eyes anymore. She wanted the earth to split and swallow her in whole.

"Sir, maám, let's go, it's our turn now." all their heads turned to the young advocate who came to beckon them. With a hammering heart and shivering feet, Nandini walked out of the door.

***

Manik was walking towards the witness box, but his mind had frozen the moment he laid his eyes on Nandini. He couldn't process if this was his reality or he was still in the prison and hallucinating, like he sometimes did, seeing Nandini sitting with him, smiling at him, hugging him to calm down.

This couldn't be.

How was it possible?

Hadn't his grandfather come to the prison himself and delivered the devastating news of Nandini's demise, a week after he was imprisoned? He had spent days, nights, weeks and all these months in raw agony, withering away thinking he had done this to her; he was dead from inside knowing she was not there anymore, and when he was informed he was going to be set free from this day, he had dreaded this day from that moment, because inside the dark, cold, dead walls of the prison, he could sometimes pretend his Nandini was alive and breathing outside, but once he was to step out, that shred of peace would be snatched from him too. There was simply no escaping from his dead, dark reality, that Nandini was no more.

"Sir, sir can you hear me?" came the lawyer's voice and broke Manik's reverie.

"Y..yes." Manik mumbled.

"Sir, is it true that you gave your ex-wife Nandini Murthy, the bracelet that your grandmother gave you on your last birthday, with her around?" the lawyer asked. Manik felt not only disoriented, but confused.

"Ye..yes, I did..but it was a long time back.." he replied, remembering giving her the bracelet when he had left her at Navya's after the news of Nandini's miscarriage spread in the media like wildfire.

"Did you know about the chip inside the artefact?" came the next question.

Manik's brow furrowed. "What chip?" he asked, as he kept blinking, the room had too much light. There was too much light & noise everywhere. His senses were used to the bare minimum of everything in his prison cell. Less light, thick air, damp, dark walls, almost no noise for the largest part of his day, seldom interaction with other people. Only the silence; the dead defining silence that broke through everything, and the agonising pain of losing Nandini to death.

"Sir, did you ever express suspicion, about your grandmother's death, before Nandini Murthy?" the lawyer asked, and it rattled him more.

"No.." he replied, frowning; he wondered why they were so worried about the old bracelet he had given Nandini? Why were they discussing his grandmother's demise? Hadn't the police told him he was meeting his father & grandfather here to sign an affidavit of his prison release & penalty?

"Sir, do you believe Ms. Murthy's claim, that your father & grandfather had a hand in your grandmother's death?" this question, snuffed the light out of him. What?!

"Sir?"

"Sir?"

"Wh..when did she say that?" Manik asked, bewildered, surprising not only the lawyer but also everyone else present in the court.

"Sir, um, this case, is based on Ms. Murthy's recent accusation on the Malhotra's with evidence, that they are guilty of murdering Lt. Asha Devi Malhotra..so.." the defendant lawyer added, with a smirk. Things were going in the right direction. He had to give old Mr. Shamsher Malhotra the credit of planning it this way, that man was a genius.

"Recent? When did she accuse them?" Manik asked, he was sweating now. All the noise, the questions, his constant hallucination of Nandini looking at him, he was feeling short of breath.

"About a month back, sir." the lawyer replied, with a tight lipped smile.

Manik stared at him, as his breath was getting heavy. "What are you saying.." he mumbled and held his head, damn the sudden migraine.

"Sir..sir do you feel alright?" the lawyer asked. "Do you need a minute?" he enquired. "Do you want me to call Nandini maám?" he added, hoping he had done the trick. And he had.

"For God's sake, stop talking like my Nandini is alive. I..I can't take it..she's gone..long gone..I lost her..I lost everything..in that wretched accident.." his words were turning into mumbles and his feet were staggering and his sight? Suddenly things were turning blurred, before it went dark.

Cabir dashed to the witness box, and called for medics and a frantic Nyonica followed; the Malhotra's rushed towards him too, and so did Ranbir, but Nandini was sitting still, staring at everything around her in slow motion.

Manik thought she was dead?

That's what the old bastards had fed him?

He lived in this constant agony for three months?!

Oh God.

Nandini shuddered. If this was Manik's old karma coming back to him, Nandini prayed to the omnipotent power to spare him; she couldn't see him like this. The man was not only broken but on the brink of untethering. No one deserved such a cursed life.

"Nandini!" Nyonica's voice broke her reverie, as she finally found her will to dash to Manik. He was on a stretcher being escorted out, and he seemed like he was not completely unconscious. As he was being taken away, she bent close to hold his face between her palms. With a shattered heart she mumbled, "Manik, please wake up. I am right here.."

Manik's eyes were closed, but a calm spread on his face, at her touch. She didn't know if he had heard him, but she heard him mumble, incoherently, "Nandini, you are here..I must be in heaven.."

Then she was shoved aside and he was taken away from her. Again.

***

Nandini was pacing inside the hospital room, as Nyonica sat herself in the couch, next to the bed Manik was lying on; he was still out cold, but thankfully the doctor's said, it was a mild stress attack which was a common sign of PTSD amongst people who've gotten a sudden jolt of emotional shock, in life.

"Mom, this was all planned.." Nandini huffed. Nyonica nodded her head in acknowledgement, still staring at her son with worried eyes.

"I am just thankful, the court didn't cancel their bail and they're still under police custody." Nyonica added.

"..but my sources tell me, they are getting five star treatment inside, unlike how Manik was kept. I am shocked to know, they didn't even try to help Manik in there..were they punishing him?" Cabir spoke from the other corner of the room.

After the dramatic turn of events at the courtroom, the Malhotra's lawyer had successfully turned two things in their favour. One was they proved Manik was not medically fit at that moment to be considered as a key witness to this trial and seeing how emotionally attached he was to Nandini, he should not be considered as alibi or should not provide testimonial for or against any of the parties, because of his obvious conflict of interest in this case. Secondly, in light of these events, they asked for more time, and bail. When the court refused their bail application, they appealed to move to the High Court, which of course gave them time; more time to plot & scheme and weasel their way out of judicial justice.

Nandini knew with the power the Malhotra's had, the case would very easily shift to the High Court, but thankfully, the Malhota's not getting the bail was in Nandini's favour. Now as planned, Nyonica would be safe enough to add to Nandini's case with her appeal of Abhimanyu's murder too.

"They used Manik like a toy." Nandini breathed fire, as she harshly wiped off the tear from her eyes. "Mom, he has been grovelling with the thought that I am dead!" she added.

Nyonica sighed. "I can't imagine the amount of damage that must have inflicted on him." However, before they could talk further Manik's whimper stopped them.

"Nandini.." he mumbled.

"Cabir, please call the doctor, he is waking up" Nandini barked, before moving close to him.

"Hey, I am right here.." she softly mumbled.

***

It had been ten days since the doctor advised Nandini to not meet Manik, immediately as he woke up. Seeing her would overwhelm him and he was not in a state to suddenly accept she is alive, after having believed, even processed & accommodated the lie that she was dead, in his head & heart in the last three months. Nandini had accepted this punishment without a word. She had a sad smile playing up her lips. When almost everything worked, then fate convinced Manik that she was dead & now he wasn't able to believe she was still out there. Wow.

Nandini had heard from Mukti, Zubin, Nyonica, Cabir, Ranbir and even Alia & Aryamann, that Manik was doing better now. He knew she was alive okay, but he was still not normal when her topic came up. The Senior Malhotra's had fucked his head up, big time now; they played with his psyche and he snapped this time. Everytime he was asked if he was ready to meet her again, the thought overwhelmed him, and he was close to a stress attack, and so Nandini had to wait. At least on the brighter side, there was no other complication to his health, and everyone was safe since the Senior Malhotra's were still behind bars.

There was only one wait now, for the High Court to give them a date, and for Nyonica to give the Malhotra's their final blow.

***

Nandini breathed a heavy sigh, gulping down her nervousness, as her shaking hands mustered the courage to ring the doorbell to Manik's penthouse. It had been a month and a half, and the doctor had finally given his green signal; the only brief was to keep the conversation light, and not to delve into any serious topics. Although she had no idea how to do that, considering the circumstances of their life, but, this was her one chance to see Manik and see for herself if he is doing okay. She had silently wept for not being here in his presence all month long; all she wanted was to see him and assure him that she is okay, and apologise for her video.

"You're very punctual, Nandini!" came Cabir's friendly voice, as he nodded at her and let her in. Nandini smiled and entered the penthouse, her once home, but she felt like a guest this time. Maybe the feeling had to do with the unfamiliarity from a very familiar pair of eyes, sitting on the couch in the living area?

As Manik saw Nandini walking in, she was a vision clad in an off white anarkali; she had the smallest silver 'jhumkas' that dangled from her ears and chimed as she walked into his living room. Here kohl smeared eyes looked so ethereal that it was hard for Manik to imagine she was real and not his dream. His Nandini was really here. Alive, breathing and safe. This was a luxury he was scared to touch.

"Manik.." she whispered, and a calm and peaceful smile played on his lips.

"Nandini.." he softly whispered back, as he stood up to acknowledge her coming to see him. He was softly staring at her eyes; Nandini could tell he was happy to see her after all this while, but it felt like warm affection. Why did his love feel so cold? It felt like he was seeing her for the first time in life. He looked familiar to her, but he didn't feel so. However, Nandini expected this first meeting to go, feeling unfamiliar in his presence wasn't something she could ever imagine.

"Alrighty then, looks like my job here is done!" They heard Cabir whisper, and after a slight encouraging pat on Nandini's shoulder, assuring her everything is okay, he left them alone.

It was a moment frozen and encapsulated in time. Manik and Nandini standing facing each other, at the brink of what looked like victory, still unscathed and breathing; although laboured, fatigued and worn out. The path ahead looked straight and simple really, but then again, why were they not being able to take that first step on that path?

Nandini looked deeply into Manik's eyes, standing in her place, making no movement; that's when she felt a realisation hit her like a bolt of lightning and even though it made her spine shiver in anticipation, she was calm in the exterior. She was physiologically used to trauma now. She sighed and a slow breath escaped her, as she held his eyes.

"You look very tired, Manik.." she spoke softly, as a thin film of tears filled her eyes. She wasn't in pain; she had just made an observation, and tears were just her bodily reflex. Of course he was tired, he was tired of her, she thought. He had loved her & had been vulnerable before her, and what did Nandini do? She showed a manipulated video to the world and put him behind bars, ruining him.

Manik stared into her eyes, and marvelled at how easily she always understood him. He had planned this moment from the time he got to know, Nandini was going to visit him and he was ready to run to her and collect her wholly in his embrace and profess his undying love for her and beg her to come back to his life and start afresh; but he only felt that was when he imagined his version of Nandini in his head. This Nandini was real, the one who he thought he had lost, and it was only a blessing that she made it through. He was scared of her, of her presence, of her power over him and of the thought that he would not survive if he lost her again. He was scared of becoming the man he had become after he thought he had lost her. That man was a walking dead and the mere idea of ever being that man again scared him. He took a step back, and found his calves hit the couch; he slowly sank into the couch.

"I feel my mind is oddly detached from my being.." he mumbled, sighing.

Nandini felt her heart clench inside her; she felt deeply sorrowful at a humanitarian level, seeing his endless suffering. She wanted to reach out to him and hug him, but she remembered the doctor wanted her to keep it light and conversational, nothing too emotional or deep.

"That..erm..is your PTSD, it will eventually go aw..." Nandini began, but suddenly Manik cut her through.

"I know what it's medically called, Nandini, I was just trying to tell you how it feels; but looks like..." Manik didn't realise why he suddenly lashed out at her. He didn't mean to, but her not understanding what he was trying to say bothered him. She felt unfamiliar, unlike his Nandini. Was she really gone? "..Sorry I didn't mean to be rude.." he mumbled instead, running his hand through his hair.

Nandini was quiet. His tone was rough, but she was told to expect uneven emotions from him at the start. Although that did not stop her from feeling guilty. He had the right to scream at her, she was the cause of the video that put him in jail for months, thereby breaking him; she gave him the right to be pissed at her. What hurt her was Manik trying to be formal and not showing his disappointment in her. He felt more distanced from her while sitting in front of her than he was, when he was behind the bars.

"That's fine..umm, how are you feeling now? Di..did you see, the weather outside is so lovely today? It's cloudy and windy..looks like great weather to take a walk outside.." Nandini tried to alter his mood and keep it light.

Manik looked up at her. After all this time, Nandini was still pretending to be a mere well wisher? He remembered the last time they were together, she had walked out of his life, right after making love to him. She had walked out, but he had somehow imagined that after everything that spiralled between them, she'd have a change of heart? But her polite, nonchalant behaviour convinced him that she was really gone from his life; one way or the other. He sighed. Nowadays, he isn't able to handle too many emotions, it wears him out.

"You're right, Nandini. The weather is lovely, maybe I should go for that walk.." he muttered, and before Nandini could respond, he sprang up from his seat and walked out of the door, leaving a surprised Nandini behind.

"It feels like I am dead for you indeed, Manik.." Nandini whispered softly, to herself.

***

It had been a month since Nandini and Manik had met, and judging by the way it turned out, they both avoided any further interaction. Nandini was hoping to give him more time, then apologise for her hand in making the video; there was no point trying now, since she had seen how easily he untethered.

Although today was different. Today was the hearing for the Murthy vs. Malhotra's case in the Mumbai High Court. It was massively publicised and opinions were radically split between Nandini & Nyonica vs. the Malhotra men. Weirdly, every bit of media assumed Manik was in his father & grandfather's team, not his mother's and Nandini's. Nandini sighed thinking about the evil face of patriarchy and held Nyonica's hand, outside the court, supporting her. The older woman was going to be meeting her husband and father-in-law for the first time after coming out against them and blaming them for Abhimanyu's murder. According to their lawyer, with all the evidence they have provided, it was a cake walk, the Malhotra's had no escape, but Nandini had burnt her hands so many times that unless the verdict was out & they were punished for good, she wasn't going to be appeased.

Nandini's attention was soon drawn to an uproar from the press, and she turned her head around to see Manik's car entering the premises of the court. Nandini sighed seeing the amount of backlash Manik was facing just because he was a Malhotra and he was not in jail. Ever since Nyonica came out against the Malhotra's the legacy of their name took a massive hit. They were the regal most family in showbiz and in about twenty four hours, they were the laughing stock, they were most hated; ever since then, numerous actors & behind the curtain craftsmen have come out in the open and alleged the Malhotra's of numerous unethical acts, be it casting couch, money laundering, lobbying against actors, destroying careers, rigging awards, abuse of power etc. An entire smear campaign ran against them with the hashtag of 'BringDownMalhotras', it was being operated across social networking sites, and unfortunately, with the Senior Malhotra's rotting in jail, Manik was in the eye of the storm, receiving all the backlash and hate.

Nandini and Nyonica wanted to clarify Manik's place in it, but were strictly advised not to go against the tide. The public outrage against the Malhotra's were working in favour of the case and if either of them were swinging towards protecting any one of the Malhotra's, their case would weaken; the public would be confused towards their stance. Manik could not be legally penalised for anything, so no matter how much the public hated him, he couldn't be harmed. He just had to lie low for a while & after the verdict in sometime the mob outrage would die; then Nandini & Nynonica could clear his stance too, before the public.

As Nandini saw Cabir keeping the press from coming too close, once Manik stepped out of his car, he was whirled into a barrage of inappropriate questions about his character, pedigree, intent & emotions, she felt helpless. She knew all their little acts were pulling them apart but at that moment she couldn't do anything about it. As she stood there and silently prayed for Manik's forgiveness at some point in the future, she saw Manik reach them and nod at them reassuringly. His eyes stayed on her face for a few extra seconds, but there was no palpable emotion on his face.

Maybe the final resting place of their relationship was going back to being strangers?

***

As Manik stood at the rear end courtyard of the High court building, there was a little patch of green here, nestled away from the business of the judicial system of the city. Public workers probably came here to have a minute of peace or maybe have lunch? Right then, the spot was empty and that was what Manik needed after the overwhelming experience he had in the courtroom just then.

His hands were on his waist and he was looking up and letting the sunlight bathe his face. The darkness behind his closed eyes had a reddish tinge from the direct exposure to the sun, and for a moment he could block out all the thoughts & actions around him. He had won. He had lost too. He was on the edge of a precipice and he didn't know it made sense to go back to safety or fall off instead.

"You fucking bitch, wait till I get my hands on your filthy neck!" That was the first thing old Shamsher Malhotra had said, looking towards Nyonica from the witness box, after all the proofs were submitted & the court found the Senior Malhotra's guilty & gave them a lifetime of imprisonment.

Manik shut his eyes in dismay and fisted his palm in agitation. He knew they couldn't harm her, he knew he couldn't attack them, yet sitting silently listening to someone threatening his mother was rattling him from inside, making him feel helpless.

"Mr. Malhotra, please maintain the decorum of the court." their lawyer advised, but the guilty paid no heed.

"Dad, I had told you to kill her, with or without proof, right then, you didn't listen. Look what happened! Had we raised Manik instead of letting her, at least he'd be on our side!" snapped Shrikant at Shamsher Malhotra.

Nyonice sneered at them and held Manik's hand, eyeing him to calm down, as he was breathing hard. Shamsher Malhotra saw Manik and an intense hate spread on his face; he was the bane of their existence. Shrikant was right, they should have killed Nyonica, they had years to do that, but he was scared she had clues against them! Turns out she was as clueless as them! Not only her, they should have killed Manik too! If only that mother and son had died too, they'd have everything today! He would have gotten Shrikant married to another woman and had a child who was theirs unlike Manik who was more his mother & grandmothers child! If there was no Manik, there would be no Nandini! Nandini, that slimy bastard!

"Nandini Murthy! Remember, lifetime imprisonment is just fourteen years! I will come out of it in no time! When I come out, I will hunt you and show you what a man can do to a woman and then you will know I have shown kindness towards you all this while! You filthy cunt!" Shamsher roared, losing control, as his gaze fell on Nandini, whose eyes were shut, as happy tears were rolling out of her eyes; the peaceful smile on her face, made him lose control! She got that peace after destroying them! He would kill her!

As he tried advancing towards her, a hand of steel stopped him, forming a shield between him and his view of Nandini. That hand was Manik's.

"Your time is up. Go rot in jail now, old man! You have done enough." Manik whispered, with a detached level of calm, as the police hurled his grandfather away. He slowly turned to look at Nandini.

Nandini was sitting close by too, but it looked like she had zoned out. The weight of Abhimanyu's injustice had lifted off her shoulder after a year and half now, and it looked like, lost in time between a future moment of jubilation and a past moment of annihilation, she was residing; rejoicing a long awaited victory, silently within herself. She looked calm, she looked fulfilled, she looked whole again.

Her Abhimanyu, had found justice today. Her baby girl had found her honour back again, and the turmoil her entire life had turned into, since the Senior Malhotra's had chosen her for Manik, had come to a befitting close today.

Manik sighed. Today Nandini was truly free. Free from all her ordeals, hurdles, pain and even him.

This was Nandini's moment of well deserved closure.

Manik had been thinking of this moment for a few days now. He thought of this moment, when all their intertwined paths would free up and Nandini and he would not have anymore cause binding them together, would she completely abandon him?

Today was that day, when nothing connected Nandini and Manik anymore, and the path back home was clearly laid before them; the question was, were they willing to walk on that path anymore?

"Manik.." her unmistakable voice broke his reverie.

Manik turned around to see Nandini standing there. She had a peaceful smile on her face. A smile that made him smile with warmth too, but it did nothing to his heart. His heart was still cold, untouched.

"Manik, we won.." she mumbled, still in disbelief.

"No, Nandini, you won. This is solely your victory not ours.." Manik whispered, looking at her eyes, as he gently held her hand. Both felt calm, but there was no fire in their touch.

"Our baby girl, no one would ever question who her father was, again..isn't that a victory for you?" Nandini asked, softly.

At the mention of his daughter, for the first time in months, Manik felt something stir inside him. His eyes smeared with tears as pain swirled its head up, making its presence felt. He felt thankful for the pain in that moment, it told him he's still alive. He didn't feel that way in a long time.

He smiled through his tears and shrugged. "Maybe it's time we give our baby girl a name? Since we both know we aren't ever letting her go.."

Nandini laughed softly at the thought. "Something tells me you have a name in mind too.." she teased him. Manik smiled a genuine smile after ages, as he scratched his head, looking a bit shy.

"I was thinking..maybe..umm..Manan?" he asked, his ears a little pink.

"That's our couple's name in showbiz.." she mumbled, looking at him.

"Yes, so I thought it will immortalise her for us; we will keep hearing the name around us in reference and it will keep her close to us, always.." Manik suggested.

Nandini smiled first, then the smile sombered. "That also means Manan will be resting in peace now, right?" She wasn't referring to her daughter this time, and Manik understood that.

He sighed. "Nandini..after all that happened in our lives. I..I'm too overwhelmed. I..Nandini I can barely feel anything. I thought I lost you, and even though I was blessed to find you back, but I didn't realise I had lost myself too when I lost you; so, even though I found you, I am still lost..I have not found myself yet. In fact, I didn't think I would ever find myself back, until this moment when you reminded me of our little Manan. This was the first time I felt an emotion in a long time, Nandini..so I am inclined to believe maybe there is still some hope for me out there..but, I can only wish, I don't know for sure." Manik felt overwhelmed, and he wanted to run away again, and hide, like he had been doing since Nandini met him last time, but he knew he owed her some answers and he was going to give her that right then.

"Nandini..I know the hurdles life threw our way is gone now. The path towards home is marked clearly before us, but I am not sure if we both even belong to this journey of togetherness anymore. In years, we have reached a place where your and my lifes are clean and separate & destiny has given us a choice to make; a choice of whether we want to be together or not and I don't want to take that decision in a hurry; I don't want that choice to be an comfortable extension of the past we shared..Its not that I don't want you Nandini, please don't get me wrong.." Manik whispered, desperately, clutching her hands tightly, breathing hard.

Nandini stared at the wretched state of the man before him. He was a lost man. He wasn't her Manik. She didn't want him.

"I don't want to walk on this path with you, either, Manik." she said softly, as Manik's head snapped towards her. Nandini didn't look angry or upset, in fact she looked calm and determined.

"You know Manik, in my lifetime with you, I have seen numerous shades of you. I have seen you being selfish, unkind, hurtful, indifferent, caring, teasing, affectionate, adoring, loving, protective, intensely passionate, unforgiving, broken, hurt, destroyed, resurrected, and many more and I loved you through most of these shades; but I only ever deeply fell in love with that awkward, caring, thoughtful man who didn't know how to be a loving partner, yet wanted to take care of the mother to his unborn child; the child who didn't honestly exist. I know you have gone to unparallel extents to save and protect me but that's not when I fell so deeply for you. I fell for you irrevocably, you when you changed your choice of car from a sedan to an SUV when you realised, I was having trouble bending low to sit, with a belt fitted in my stomach, while going for our press conference; I fell for you when you made me feel pregnant and we both knew, all I was wearing was a hollow belt. I fell for you harder when you brought me home with you knowing all along I wasn't coming to be with you, but to hold onto the belt that was once my baby girl." Nandini wiped a tear from her eyes and looked at Manik. He looked torn, between doing the right thing by her & doing the right thing for him.

"Manik, when I came here right now, I was going to tell you, let's start life afresh & away from each other and see what destiny has in store for us, without us interfering with fate; let's not impose ourselves on each other, latching onto our traumatic past. Let's give our lives a fair chance once..I wanted to say this because, I thought something ended between us; it ended very subtly, but very strongly. When I went to visit you after you came out of jail & the doctor's allowed me, I could feel my death in your eyes; it felt like we were alive, yet I was dead for you and that somehow didn't bother me as much as it should have. Were you dead for me too? Maybe for me, it was the guilt of stupidly falling prey to the enemy and helping them create a video that destroyed you; but whatever may the trigger be, I felt it was over for me too. I was going to request you to let us go, until we spoke about our little Manan and I saw a glimpse of that old Manik in you. In that moment, I felt alive in your eyes and you in my heart, Manik. Maybe all is not lost Manik..so I understand what you're saying.." Nandini ended with ragged breaths.

"So, where do we go from here, Nandini?" Manik asked in a broken voice. Nandini exhaled a long breath that she had drawn.

"Manik, let's put a pin on this path before us and walk away in peace. Let's put our guards and weapons down and breathe a little; let's live a little by ourselves and touch base with our core. Let's find ourselves for a bit and see which parts we want to hone and which we want to let go, then let's come back here and see if we want to walk this path of togetherness again . Let's give ourselves time to heal and see what kind of flowers naturally grow in our hearts?" Nandini requested, with a peaceful smile and a calm heart.

Manik's face mirrored her peace & resolve. This felt right. He felt comfortable. He was not losing her, and he was not having her either. Putting their togetherness for a pause and later deciding whether the pause is temporary or permanent, sat well with him too.

"Nandini, let's do this." he said, with a smile and they pulled each other into a warm friendly embrace. Manik came out of the embrace and placed a small peck on Nandini's forehead and she smiled and followed suit.

When they broke the embrace, they smiled at each other, happily and bade each other goodbye, and walked away, knowing this wasn't a final goodbye.

In many ways this felt like the end, in many more ways a new beginning! Only destiny knew, if the new beginning would herald them coming together, or have them finding happiness elsewhere, but one thing was for sure, they were going to live happily ever after..with each other or without.

The storm was finally over. The sunlight was yet to peek.

They were rejoicing in the interim.

.

.

.

~The End~

***

Word Count: 6,801

A/N: Did you feel weird reading the 'The End' ? I felt so weird typing it! I never realized how this story has become such a huge chunk of my life & I am NOT ready to say Goodbye!

So, before we delve into further questions on this chapter, I have an IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT to make:

Although, the story is over, I won't let you all go so easy! MaNan in this story deserves some happiness, don't you think? So I am very happy to announce that, I will be uploading an Epilogue & Bonus chapter(s) to satisfy all your MaNan cravings and I will not bow out before that! Now, that you are happy and satisfied, please show me some love by answering my qns next, and don't forget to vote! :)

1. Manik thought Nandini was dead for this long? How do you think he might have dealt with it in the jail, all alone and devastated? Do you want me to add a flashback of this in the upcoming chapters?

2. When Manik saw Nandini the first time, the description of his expressions - did you think he was mad at her for releasing such a video? 

3. What are your thoughts on MaNan's second meet in the pent house? Did the jittery awkwardness & the disarray on emotions come through in the writing?

4. I did not put too much emphasis in the courtroom drama, because that's not the essence of the story, but what are your thoughts on the Senior Malhotra's finally biting the dust? Did you feel gratified? 

5. The last MaNan encounter was the toughest for me to write as a writer. Any emotion, happy, strong, sad etc. is easy to write - there is so many words in literature to explore, but I found it extremely hard to write about the love drying up in their hearts, it is so difficult to express an extreme intensity of emotion that has left a person charred and dry inside. I didn't want it to feel like they don't love each other anymore, but I also wanted to show that when you're exhausted, even love falls short and you have to nurture yourself, before you can love again. Do you think this came through in their cold, yet warm interaction?

6. I don't know if this came through, but at the end, Manik and Nandini were depleted emotionally and would probably not find their way back, had their not been a tiny mention of their baby girl. She was the girl who got them together and she was the one who stopped them from parting. Do you think this came across in the writing? What are your thoughts for this end piece?

7. Do you readers agree with their stance to take a break and rethink if they want to be together, yet in this interim there is happily ever after for their individual selves? Up till this point, would you call it a happy ending or a sad ending? :P

8. I would request you all to take this moment and write your final thoughts on this chapter & the whole story, now that I have delivered. I am really keen to read your thoughts here!

So, readers, with this I have come to a close, and I hope you all are reading this with a satisfied smile?

Unlike other times, there will be no more updates next week, but I will soon post an announcement on my publishing schedule of the Epilogue & Bonus Chapters!

Until then, please do show me some love by engaging in conversation with me on this story here..

See you soon!

Keep reading,

Love, 

A.