Shivli was discharged from the hospital. Sharad completed the formalities and came to Shivli. She extended her hand.

Shi~Sh..Sh..Sharad? (he walked to her with slow steps) Sharad ye aap he hain na?

She asked with slight fear.

Sh~jee, main he hoon, (she touched his hand and smiled feeling his touch) aap dar kiun gayi thi?

Shi~bas kya karoon Sharad? Meri aankho'n ke dono chiraag bujh gaye hain, chaaro'n orr andhera he andhera hai, kaala rang chha gaya hai har jagah, main har aahat se dar jaati hoon, bas ek he aahat mere dil ko sukoon deti hai, wo aap ki aahat hai

He felt good by her words unknowingly and smiled slightly.

Sh~Shivli, abhi hum yahan se chal rahay hain ghar pe

Shi~ghar pe? (she asked excitedly) waise ghar pe kaun kaun hai? Maaf karna wo mujhe kuchh yaad nahi

Sh~its okay. Ghar pe mere parents hain, aur meri ek behen hai

Shi~achha, phir hum ghar chalein? Waise toh mere liye har jagah ek jaisi he hai, aankho'n ki roshni jo nahi rahi

Sh~aise nahi kehte, aap ke liye aap ki safe place...

Shi~aap ho, hai na? Mere liye meri safe place aap ho

Sharad became speechless.

Shi~kya hua?

Sh~kuchh nahi

Shi~aap ko meri safe place hone mein problem hai? Aap toh mere pati ho, aur aap ko jab maine pehle mangalsutra pehnane ko kaha jab bhi aap chup thay, ab is baat par bhi chup, aap kya mujhe pasand nahi kartay?

Sh~aisi baat nahi hai Shivli

Shi~toh phir kaisi baat hai?

Sh~kuchh nahi Shivli, ghar chalein?

Shi~haan

He helped her stand and took her from there to their car and made her sit inside closing the door, he sat on the driving seat and began to drive off after fastening their seat belt.. Shivli sat lost in thoughts. The sound of the car made her hear sounds from the past.

"Ye kya ho raha hai Rishi? Gaari itni tez kiun chal rahi hai?"

"Shivli gaari ke break fail ho gaye shayad."

"Oh God, ab kya ho ga Rishi? Kya hum mar jayengay?"

"Nahi, bharosa rakhiye, kuchh nahi ho ga."

"Mujhe bohat chinta ho rahi hai."

Shivli held her head, Sharad looked at her.

Sh~kya hua Shivli? Aap theek hain?

Shi~koi awazein sunai de rahi hain, wo awazein meri he lag rahi hain, lekin kisi aur ki bhi awaz hai, koi Rishi hai shayad

Sh~aap ziada mat sochiye please

Shi~ye Rishi hai kaun?

Sh~samay rehte aap ko sab pata lag jaaye ga, abhi aap ziada sochiye mat

 They reached after sometime. He halted the car and got out. He came to her side and opened the door.

Sh~aaiye, ghar pohnch gaye

 Shivli stepped down with Sharad's help. Sharad helped her out of the car and supported her as they walked towards the house.

Sh~yeh humara ghar hai, Shivli.

Shi~achha

As they entered the house, Shivli sensed people around, who all welcomed her. They helped her settle in, and Sharad stayed by her side, holding her hand.

Sh~aap yahan safe hain, Shivli.

Shi~haan, main aap pe bharosa karti hoon.

Sharad smiled and squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her. But Shivli's mind was still racing with thoughts of Rishi and the past. She couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. As they sat down for dinner, Shivli tried to make conversation.

Shi~umm Sharad, maaf kijiye ga lekin ab main dekh nahi sakti toh aas paas kaun hai kaun nahi samajh nahi aata, aap bataiye na kaun kaun hai

Sh~okay, yahan meri behen hai aur meri maa hai, aur hum dono, bas aur koi nahi

Shi~umm, hello, mera matlab namaste

"Namaste beta, main tumhari saas, mera naam Sujata, tum mujhe maa jee bula sakti ho."

Shi~namaste maa jee

"Aur main Kainat, aap ki nanad."

Shi~hi Kainat, sorry namaste

K~aray it's okay, nanad se ziada main aap ki dost hoon, so formal hone ki zaroorat nahi

Shivli smiled. Then her mind kept wandering back to the car ride and the voices she had heard. She couldn't help but wonder who Rishi was and why she kept thinking about him.Sharad noticed her distraction and took her hand again.

Sh~kya baat hai Shivli?

Shi~Sharad, ye Rishi kaun hain?

Sh~uhh wo Rishi mere baray bhai, wo tumhare jhet se ziada dost thay

Shi~achha

Blurry flashbacks ran in her mind. She held her head.

Sh~kya hua Shivli?

Shi~ajeeb sa sar dard ho raha hai

Su~Sharad beta, Shivli ko kamre mein le jao, waise he us ki tabeyat theek nahi

Sh~jee maa

Sharad picked her in his arms.

Shi~Sharad, aap mujhe kahan kahan protect karengay? Main khud se chal sakti hoon

Sh~its okay Shivli, abhi aap ko sar mein dard hai, isliye uthaya hai, next time se aap humesha khud he chalein gi, okay

Shi~okay

He left with her. But as they finished dinner and retired to their room, Shivli couldn't shake off the feeling that something was waiting for her, just beyond the edge of her memory.