Thursday 24 September 2014
6.00pm
Outside Ashok Khannas mansion

Aruna S, ace reporter, was hiding in the shrubbery outside the Khanna villa.

She had received a tip off about Ashok Khanna's possible involvement in the kidnapping of his rival Raman Bhalla's daughter, and she was trying to manoeuvre herself into a position of advantage in the hope that something, some action, would take place here. She had followed Ashok Khanna to his home from the meeting he had been at, and was now waiting for the action she just knew would take place soon.

She did not have to wait long. As she wedged herself against the wall outside Khanna's study, her face pressed against the window, her tape recorder in hand, Aruna heard a car drive up. The next moment, she heard brakes squealing as the car pulled up right outside the front doors of the villa. She watched, wide eyed, as a man got out of the car, slamming the door shut as he stormed up to the front door, banging on the same.

She had seen him before of course. But then he had been cool, calm and collected. Immaculately dressed and presented, a sardonic smile on his lips, never reaching his cold eyes. She would hardly have recognised this man as the same Raman Bhalla. This man with his eyes blazing with some barely suppressed emotion, his face contorted with anger, his entire body coiled and tense.

As she watched, the door was opened and Raman Bhalla disappeared inside, pushing aside the liveried butler at the door.

Aruna was an excellent reporter. She had been tipped off about this kidnapping, true, but she also relied a lot on her intuition to get her stories. And her intuition told her that there was going to be trouble here. Major trouble. She pulled out her phone and dialled.

*********************************************
Ashok Khanna's study

Raman stormed inside the Bhalla mansion, pushing aside the butler who made feeble attempts to stop him.

"Please sir" he was saying. "Aap kahan ja rahe ho? Ashok sir ghar pe nahin hai."
(Please sir. Where are you going? Ashok Sir is not at home)

"Don't lie" Raman snarled, striding towards the nearest closed door, wrenching it open and calling out for Ashok. "Ashok" he shouted. "I know you are hiding in here, saale kaminey. Come outside, you damned coward."

Raman had come to Ashok Khannas house with one motive in mind - to find the bastard and go make him pay.

Every time he closed his eyes he could see the faces of two of the people he loved the most in the world - his Ruhi, crying whimpering, worrying that she would lose the mother who had finally come into her life; and his Ishita, silent, pale, unresponsive.

And they were in that condition, they had been hurt because of the ego of that bastard Ashok Khanna. Well, he wouldn't spare Khanna. He would avenge his daughters tears and his wife's injuries from that bastard and then he would set the Police on him.

He pushed aside the butler and continued his search.

"Sir, please" the butler kept on repeating, but to no avail, as Raman entered yet another room.

It was Ashoks study and Ashok was sitting inside with Gupta. Cowering would be the better word perhaps. Ashok had been berating Gupta on the goof up with the kidnapping when he had heard Raman's voice screaming out his name.

Ashok was a bully and like all bullies, he feared reprisals.  At the sound of Raman's voice, he had started hissing furiously at Gupta to find a way out, but in vain.

The door flew open and Raman stood in the doorway. Ashok was halfway between his desk and the French windows, caught in mid flight as Raman entered.

************************************
Aruna watched in fascinated horror as Raman fell upon Ashok. She had already called the police, and they had said they were coming but it was peak traffic time. They would obviously take their time in coming.

The butler had entered the room behind Raman, and both he and Gupta attempted to pry the two men apart. But Raman Bhalla was not going to let go of his enemy that easily. He held on to Ashok and pummelled the older man with punches.

Ashok absorbed the blows with yells and cries, but was unable to hit back at Raman. It was a good five minutes before the butler and Gupta were able to pull Raman back, as Ashok knelt, reeling, panting, his eyes bruised, blood dripping from his nose.

"You bastard" Raman would still not be quietened. "You dare touch my wife and my daughter. Chodh mujhe saale, mein is kaminey ki jaan le loonga" he struggled against the restraining hold of the butler and Gupta.
(You bastard. You dare touch my wife and daughter. Leave me. I'm going to kill this bastard)

"Raman Bhalla" croaked Ashok, finally finding his voice "Mere hi ghar mein aa kar, mere hi admiyon ke saamne mujhe maar raha hai. Mein ab tumhe nahi chodoonga"
(Raman Bhalla, you come to my house and hit me in front of my men? I won't leave you now)

"What will you do, you coward?" Raman sneered back.

"This" Ashok drew a pistol from his pocket, drawing it and aiming straight at Raman.

"Noo" Aruna shouted, just as the sound of approaching sirens rent through the silence of the South Delhi evening.

The siren and the scream distracted both Ashok and his associates. As they looked wildly at each other, Raman wrenched himself free and threw himself at Ashok. They struggled and then, just as the Police started to hammer on the door, another sound erupted in the still evening.

The sound of a gun being fired.

****************************************
Friday 25 September 2014
7.00 am
Ishita's Room

Ishita opened her eyes slowly, blinking several times as she tried to orientate herself.

There was a pounding dull ache in her head, all over her head, and her mouth felt dry. She looked around herself, puzzled at the whiteness of the room, the narrowness of the bed she was in.

" Where am I" she wondered. "This isn't my room. What...oh no, no, Ruhi" She did not realise that she had called Ruhi's name out loud as recollection came flooding back.

"Ms Iyer, you're awake" A woman who had been sitting in the room walked briskly up to Ishita. She was wearing a white uniform and Ishita realised she must be a nurse, that she was in a hospital.

"Nurse" she whispered. "Ruhi? How is Ruhi? How long have I been here? Where ...where is everyone?"

"You came in yesterday afternoon Ms Iyer" the nurse replied pleasantly, checking Ishita's pulse and blood pressure as she spoke. "You've been sedated. Your family are here. Your parents went home quite late but your sister and brother-in- law are around. They just went to check on another patient."

"Another patient?" Ishita asked, her heart in her mouth. "Ruhi?"

"No no Ms Iyer" the nurse responded. "Ruhi is the little girl you saved, isn't she. It was in the news. She is fine. I'll just go and get your sister now."

She gave Ishita a pat on her shoulder and walked out.

Ishita sighed silently, relief bringing tears to her aching eyes. Her Ruhi was fine. She had been saved.

Thinking of Ruhi brought another face to her mind. Raman. Raman must have come back to Delhi by now. They would have told him. So why wasn't he here? The nurse hadn't mentioned him. She would have expected him to be here, by her bedside.

She wanted him, needed him here. Above all else, she needed him.

Kisi raha mein Kisi mod par
Kahin chal na dena tu chodhhkar
Mere humsafar, mere humsafar

"Raman" she whispered.

******************************************
Mihika stood in the corridor, her arms around Mihir, gently patting him as he tightened his arms around her.

"He will be fine Mihir. It's just a flesh wound na, the doctor said so. Don't worry so much"

Mihir turned his red rimmed eyes towards her, anguish in his face. "But he lost so much blood Miku. And he needed surgery. And why is he not awake yet? Huh?"

Mihika cupped her fiancées face in her hands, trying to reassure him. She knew how much he loved Raman, and she could see how scared he was.

"Mihir, he was brought in straight away after he was injured. Thank God for that reporter who informed the police, they got an ambulance to Raman jeeju and he was brought here straight away. The surgery was necessary, but you know that the bullet just grazed his arm. He is under sedation because of the pain, but the doctor said he should wake up soon, and that he will be just fine. You've been sitting up here all night Mihir, you came here straight from the airport, you haven't been home, do you think it will help jeeju if you make yourself sick? He will be up soon and then he will start ordering you around again, so you need to go wash your face and make yourself look presentable okay"

Mihir nodded slowly, and then smiled at Mihika, his first genuine smile since he had reached the hospital.

"Okay madam. But tell me, since when did Raman Bhai become jeeju, huh?"

"I saw him when he didn't know what had happened to akka, Mihir. He really loves her. I've never seen anyone so much in love Mihir. Never."

"Not even me?"

"No, especially not you" Mihika hit Mihirs arm playfully just as Ishita's nurse came up to them.

"Nurse Anusha" she said breathlessly " is akka ...?"

"Your sister is awake Ms Iyer" the nurse replied. "She is asking for Ruhi and all of you."

"Oh thank God, I'm coming. Mihir, can you call Periamma and periappa please" And Mihika ran towards Ishita's room.

**************************************
"Akka" Mihika rushed to the bed, relieved to see her sister with her eyes open, in a half seated position on the reclining bed, supported by pillows.

There was still a bandage on her head, her face was still pale, but at least she was awake. She would be fine now.

"Miku" Ishita whispered hoarsely. "Ruhi?"

"Ruhi is absolutely fine Akka" Mihika assured her sister, throwing her arms around her in a gentle hug. "She is fine because you were there, you stopped them from taking her away. She is at home with Vandu Akka and Shravu. Akka will bring them here later this morning, after they wake up. You've been unconscious since yesterday Akka"

"With Vandu Akka?" Ishita looked quizzically at Mihika. "Why with Vandu Akka Miku? Where are mummyji, papaji, Simmi, Rinki? Why isn't Ruhi with them?"

Mihika slapped herself mentally. Damn, that had slipped out, she shouldn't have said it, shouldn't have told Akka that Ruhi was with Vandu Akka. What was she to say now?"

"Miku?" Ishita probed. "Why is Ruhi with Vandu akka?" She stared intently at Mihika's face, trying to pacify the fear that was knocking at her heart.

"Akka, woh..." Mihika hesitated, not knowing how to break the news to Ishita.

Raman had gone crazy when he had found out that Ishita was hurt, was unconscious. How would her akka take the news that Raman had been shot by Ashok, after he had gone to avenge the attack on her and Ruhi? The doctors had said that Raman jeeju would be okay, but he was still sedated, had not yet awoken after the surgery to remove the bullet from his arm. She had been hoping that jeeju would awaken first, that he would reassure akka himself, but now she had let the cat out of the bag. What was she to say??

"Mihika" Ishita's voice had risen, a tinge of hysteria evident in the pitch. Something was wrong, she knew that. She could tell by the look on Mihika's face. And for some reason, her heart told her that the problem was with Raman. Her heart sunk as she clutched fiercely at Mihika.

"Mihika, what's wrong. Kya hua? Raman? Raman kahan hai? Why isn't he here? You said I've been unconscious since yesterday, so why isn't he here yet? Miku, tell me. There's something wrong with Raman, na? Kya hua mere Raman Ko?"

Mihika took a deep breath and held her sisters hands in hers.

"Akka" she said quietly. "There is no need to worry. No need at all, okay. So aap please shaant rahena. Raman jeeju is going to be absolutely fine."

Ishita stared up at Mihika, her heart in her mouth. What was Mihika saying? She couldn't understand.

"What do you mean he is going to be absolutely fine Mihika? Kya hua Raman ko? What is wrong? Where is Raman?"

"Akka..."

"No Mihika, don't akka me. Where is Raman?"

Ishita's voice had risen, and she pushed  Mihika's hands aside, struggling to get out of the hospital bed. Her head still ached and with the sudden movement, a searing pain went through her, but she was beyond caring. Something was wrong with Raman. With her Raman. She had to see him. She had to find out.

"Akka, Akka please, just calm down. " Mihika held on to Ishita firmly as she stood up, clutching on to the headboard for support. "Raman jeeju went to confront Ashok Khanna. He was shot, he got injured, but he will be fine. He is in the ward just down the hall. Ashok is in police custody. He can't do anything any more. Everything will be fine akka but just calm down"

Ishita slumped against Mihika, her legs suddenly giving way underneath her.

Shot? Raman? No. No. Nothing could happen to Raman. She couldn't lose him. She couldn't lose her Raman. He was her life. She couldn't imagine life without him. This couldn't happen. It just couldn't.

She had known him for less than six months, but she knew without a doubt that he was the most important person in the world for her. Her life was now bound up with his. Her destiny was now irretrievably linked to his. She could not even comprehend that something could happen to him, that he could ever leave her.

Mera dil kahe kahin ye ha ho
Nahin ye na ho, nahin ye na ho

"Mihika" her voice was a whisper, fighting against the tears that choked her throat and cascaded down her cheeks. "Raman...mujhe Raman ke pass le kar chalo please...abhi..."
(Take me to Raman now please)

"Akka, Bala jeeju is there. He will come and tell us as soon as Raman jeeju wakes up. Aap tab tak aaram kijiye please"
(Akka, Bala jeeju is there. He will come and tell us as soon as Raman jeeju wakes up. You please rest until then.)

"No Mihika" Ishita tried to push Mihika's restraining arms off herself. "I'm not staying here when my Raman...my Raman..." She broke down, tears wracking through her, her voice lost in her sobs.

Mihika's heart cried out for her sister. She knew that she would feel the same if Mihir had been injured. She needed to help her sister.

"Ok Akka, please, please aap aisa mat kijiye. Stop crying Akka. Come, we will go now"

Mihika supported the weeping Ishita as they slowly walked out of the room.

Kisi roz tujhse bichad ke mein
Tujhe dhundhti phiroon dar ba-dar
Mere humsafar, mere humsafar

*********************************************
Kisi raha mein Kisi mod par
Kahin chal na dena tu chodhhkar
Mere humsafar, mere humsafar
Mere humsafar, mere humsafar

Kisi haal mein kisi baat par
Kahin chal na dena tu chodhhkar
Mere humsafar, mere humsafar
Mere humsafar, mere humsafar
                     
Mera dil kahe kahin ye ha ho
Nahin ye na ho, nahin ye na ho
Kisi roz tujhse bichad ke mein
Tujhe dhundhti phiroon dar ba-dar
Mere humsafar, mere humsafar
Mere humsafar, mere humsafar
                      
Tera sang saaya bahar ka
Tera roop aayina pyar ka
Tujhe aa nazar mein chupa loon mein
Tujhe lag na jaaye kahin nazar
Mere humsafar, mere humsafar

Tera saath hai toh hai zindagi
Tera pyar hai toh hai roshini
Kahin din ye dhal jaaye kya pata
Kahan raat ho jaaye kya kabar
Mere humsafar, mere humsafar
Mere humsafar, mere humsafar