One of the longest chapters... please bear with me!! Wanted to get this done and over with. Want to get to the love journey soon so many thoughts need to pen down fast before I forget 🙈

She had got up with a light heart but a heavy head. He head was pounding it was like having a very bad hangover. She wanted to open her eyes but couldn't rather she didn't want to. She felt solace in her heart more protected than ever before and didn't want to let go off the feelings.. still she raised her head and his face appeared. She peeked through her eyelids to look at his face so tired. His tear stricken face and the bruised lip with dried blood and the imprint of fingers on his cheek. The night had been dreadful but she was glad it was over. She needed the outlet and he had provided her with it. She couldn't thank him enough but she knew he meant all that he said and did. She loved him and this was her chance and she sighed placing her head on his shoulder and then again woke up. He hadn't said he loves her, he had only said she means something to him and that could mean anything.. friend, acquaintance, sister 😡 and she was irritated at her thought of being the sister. But she was certainly not the lover, Right now though that didn't matter. If she was only the friend that was fine. The events rewind in her mind of how the night had taken a drastic change.

She was researching something online regarding the activities she wanted to have for the event. She came across a very interesting article and started to read about it. It spoke of dreams and the ability to run to catch your dreams. She sighed and was lost in her thoughts.. London sort of city of dreams where there is something for everyone. The rich and the poor alike reside here side by side. Everyone wants to do something and not be caught in the rat race. Work isn't important but passion is but alongside like every other thing there is a dark side to it. The horrific events that have happened earlier on. She still remembers she was surfing through channels and there was program going on about the scariest places in UK and where they were residing was one of them. Not exactly here but a couple of miles away. Her thoughts were broken by the flickering of the lights. She stared at the light. It was blowing outside and the windows banged. She was scared out of her wits. Shivaay also wasn't at home and she didn't want to go out cause he had told her not to venture out post 7pm. She stood like that in the middle of the room sweating profusely and just like the lights went out. She started moving in a direction when she heard someone say, " Annika" in a muffled voice. Petrified would be an understatement she wanted to voice out but nothing came. Someone touched her arm and she jolted. She couldn't adjust her eyes to the rays that came in from the curtains but managed to see the silhouette of a figure looming in the hall. He had grabbed her arms and she fought but the way he was holding her it was difficult for her to move. She pushed him and started to run but the figure had caught up with her and pulled her by her waist she wanted to scream but he had closed her mouth. All the flashes of the past came in front of her eyes and she struggled to free herself and she wanted to scream but nothing came out. He tried to touch her she wanted to run but couldn't she felt violated by the touch but it didn't creep her out but still couldn't stand someone touching her. His hands were moving closer to her body and again he whispered, " Annika" , she tried moving pushed his fingers but he again caught up with her. She tried running towards the steps but he pushed her again and she squealed loudly and finally some words came out, " please leave me" she joined her hands.

" Ok I will, but you need to start talking to me or else you know what I can do and also accept your no longer the dabang Annika". He said very casually and she tried to understand what he said. He again repeated, " do you understand ?". She nodded and the lights came on and she saw Shivaay standing in front of her in the same black outfit and laughing. He kept on mumbling and laughing as to how she had got scared and how she screamed. He kept calling her names of being a weak person and saying she could handle everything was just for fun. He laughed and laughed and She was finally done with this. She walked upto him and slapped him. Due to the force of her slap he had stumbled before he could regain his composure she had slapped him again due to which his lip was cut and started to bleed. She again pushed him with all her force and his back at hit the wall. He was about to move but she was quicker and had cornered him.

****
Shivaay had woken up from his sleep to see Annika lost in thought. He moved a bit and her attention was on him now. They looked at each other with so much of emotion angst taking precedence over everything else even over love because they expected so much from each other but couldn't do it. He towards her cause she never told him about her problems and she towards him cause he never understood her. The pent up emotions had burst yesterday and it had caused them a lot of hurt but he knew he was more to be blamed than her and now he has to change everything. Her eyes drifted from his eyes to his lip and with her thumb she caressed his bruised lip and then his cheek he flinched but didn't make a sound. He just looked at her. She came closer his hands still on either side of her waist and she placed a chaste kiss on the bruise near his lips. It was so close that he swore it was almost on his lip. She could taste a bit of the dried blood. She then placed another kiss on his cheeks where her fingers had been imprinted. His heart was beating faster than the speed of the Concorde Aircraft. She smiled and wished him " Good Morning Shivaay " And finally got off him and walked to the bathroom.

Shivaay placed his hand on his heart to calm himself and smiled. When she had placed her hand on his cheek he was scared, who wouldn't be after the fury which she had unleashed last night. His body still ached. He rubbed his chest as the events played in front of his eyes.

After the lights had come on and he had laughed at her. She had walked towards him like a wounded lioness all ready to kill the prey. She had slapped him so hard he stumbled unable to gather his thoughts and before he could react another one had landed. She had fisted her hand so tight and then pushed him against the wall hitting hard blows on his chest. Her punches were so hard that it pained him. She finally started yelling, " Why Shivaay, Why? I want to know, what you did with me in Mumbai isn't that enough that you want to break me more. I know you think am a characterless girl and will do anything to get your sympathy but in the last couple of weeks have I done anything for you to feel this way. I maintained my distance didn't utter a word to you then why? Why are you all after me why can't you people let me live in peace. I don't want to be close to anyone I don't want anyone in my life, Am ok to stay alone". She kept hitting his chest the intensity gradually reducing.

" I have always been alone fighting my battles alone only once I came to you and you threw me away and I realised that never can I have anyone and I was ok with that but then why, why do you always want to break me? What Pleasure do you get? In Mumbai its this figure that harasses me day and night and not once I have complained. I used to get so scared but never uttered a word because I know no one will believe me when Shivaay Singh Oberoi can't then how will anyone else?"

Her resolute breaking she was turning weak and only thing Shivaay could do was watch her, the girl he loves breaking piece by piece in front of him, the facade she wore fading away. "Would it be easier if I would go away would you then allow my family to stay at peace?"

Shivaay immediately looked at her what did she mean by that, her family live in peace. "I have kept quiet cause of Gauri and Saahil otherwise I know what I can do, but you people don't allow me to live in peace so finally I will do it today, I will kill myself so with my death all can live peacefully". She started to move and that was the last thread that broke. Shivaay held her hands putting it behind her back and brought her body close to him. " Don't you dare Annika do anything, you have no right to kill yourself, cause you are mine and you mean everything to me, I am sorry for all the pain I have caused you. I have been blind in my ego that I didn't see your suffering but not anymore. I will give you all the happiness and I will protect you forever, your the moon in my life which makes me calm and makes me feel serene and I want to be the sun in your life which will burn away everything negative". He spoke with so much of honesty that she could only stare at him.

"You need not worry about anything, am with you baby all the way, you mean so much more to me than you even know. I will make everything fine, no one will ever touch you again and hurt you , I promise baby girl". Annika stared at him and lay her head on his shoulders he scooted down and she was in his arms cocooned away from the bad of the world. Her safe haven was back and she wanted to relish it while it lasts. She didn't know about the future but atleast for today he was with her. Her heart wanted to trust but her mind wasn't sure, she was scared to break, break into pieces again. He has done this once and can repeat so she kept quiet to all his assurances.

He left her hands and raised her face to look into her teary orbs, " Am sorry for today, I had to do it to break your shield, forgive me but it was necessary that's the reason I brought you to UK, I don't regret it but am sorry to hurt you in the past". She only shook her head and placed her head again on his chest. She continued to sob and he caressed her back placing soft kisses on her hair whispering sweet nothings in her ear which lulled her to sleep.

The morning will bring a new ray of hope for both and they were ready to grab with open arms. He was scared the previous night about all of Annika's action and hence there was an ambulance, security, doctors standing right outside the villa in case she has Ana attack but nothing happened so once she fell asleep Shivaay asked them to leave. He stared at her face, he so wanted to confess his love to her but before that he wanted to ensure that Annika was back to her ownself, back to trusting him enough and for that , now he would be her friend and bring her back. Slowly with these thoughts he fell asleep his hold not loosening even a bit.

****

He got up and went down to the kitchen to make breakfast, today was a brand new day and he was gonna make it upto her truly. He called Khanna asked him to arrange everything the vacation had just started and he was gonna make the most of it. He walked towards the bathroom knocking , " Annika am going to make breakfast get ready and come down we are then going out, I will freshen up after you". He walked out and Annika only hummed to herself and smiled thinking this trip has just begun.