It follows.

Your reality, your truth, your conscience, your destiny.

No matter how far you run.

It follows.

The chase gets bigger, the run becomes harder. You wish for it to be over.

But it follows.

You try to escape. You try to evade. You try to disappear.

Yet it makes a way.

It follows.

And as you finally lose your strength, your voice, your capabilities, and your resilience, and ultimately make it to the end of the precipice, you look back and you see,

It follows.

And so you don't give up.

Neither do you fall nor do you deny.

You open your arms wide, and accept.

Accept who you are.

Your conscience, your destiny, your fate, your truth, and the reality.

The one that has followed you.

For so long.

**

The hot chocolate at the nights.

Those funny antics.

The cheerful voice.

The movie plans.

Everything resurfaced in Khushi's head as she watched the fragile state of her mother through the glass door, who was lying on the hospital bed, with all those medical equipment attached to her body.

If only there was a spell to cheat death.

If only there was an antidote when it came to reverse the time and undo the wrongs.

If only she could defeat nature.

But she couldn't!

No one could.

And no matter how much she tried to deny it, it was the hard truth after all.

Trying to stifle her sobs, Khushi turned away, taking slow steps through the corridor when suddenly she found Ree standing there, her face clueless as she looked everywhere frantically.

Her face plastered with worry and sadness, Khushi stared at her, unable to even call out her name as the energy was wiped away from her when she finally discovered Khushi and came running to where she was standing.

Unable to control anymore, Khushi threw her arms around her best friend as she hugged her tightly, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"..It's okay.. Khushi.. Don't worry.. Mrs. Vermount will be fine.. Trust me."

Rebecca assured her as she cuddled Khushi like a little kid, rocking her back and forth, making an effort in soothing her unbearable pain.

Khushi simply nodded at her, helpless of the fact that she broke down every single time, though she tried so hard to remain headstrong about her goal.

.

.

"I got to know about the burglary attack from your neighbourhood when I went to your place sometime back. Mom and dad would be coming in some time, I informed them. I even called Mason, but don't know why his phone is directed to his voice mail and despite leaving five messages, he isn't responding."

The mention of that name aggravated Khushi's rage instantly, but given the situation, she managed to control it somehow.

She didn't speak anything else as she watched Ree look at her mother through the glass door, when she finally came to her and said,

"Khushi, I want you and Jazz to stay at my place till your mother recovers. And I won't take no as an answer, mind you."

Khushi wished things were that easy and she could actually reply to her best friend with a yes.

But she couldn't.

And it was high time that she executed her thoughts, her real thoughts.

.

.

"No!"

Khushi replied straightforwardly, while Rebecca gave her a confused look, pouting her lips.

"Khushi, I told you, I won't take-"

Her sentence was broken midway as Khushi gazed into her eyes, captivating her mentally within the walls of her powers, making her get under her compulsion while she chanted the verses in her mind.

Perhaps even Khushi didn't realize that at that moment itself, she had actually embraced Witchcraft in its entirety, leaving behind the tender girl who she used to be, who had to be constantly reminded of her powers in her day to day life, and Spellcraft was something that remained only in the back of her mind.

At this very moment, all about her true life was rushing in her veins, intently, and she had no qualms accepting it with what it came, the good side, the bad side, the power, the baggage—all of it.

Khushi truly accepted her reality.

And she had no regrets or clarifications for finally beginning her life with only one identity, she was a Vermount Witch.

.

.

A part of her apologized to Rebecca in her mind for doing this, but there was no other choice. All of it had to be dealt with utmost care, careful thinking and perfect timing.

Else, she was going to lose everyone.

Be it her Mother, her Sister, Ree or her love, Arnav.

.

.

"Okay, no problem."

Rebecca flashed a sudden smile as she said that to Khushi, completely oblivious to the reality that Khushi hadn't given any explanation to her on why she had said no, as she pictured something totally different in her mind as the real scenario, just the way Khushi posed it in her head through her spell.

.

.

Sitting on the small bench in one side of the corridor, Rebecca continued to talk on her cell phone when suddenly Khushi saw Arnav coming out of the ward, his eyes indicating it to her that the work she had asked for was done.

Thanking him despite not using any words, Khushi finally entered Jasmine's ward while Arnav walked towards Rebecca to give her company.

*

"How are you doing?"

She asked softly as she watched her sister sitting on the bed, a small white bandage wrapped around her neck, where the knife had possibly pierced her skin, while her hand displayed some minor bruises.

"Better."

She replied with a faint smile as Khushi approached her and finally sat beside her, on the small stool near the bed.

Maybe Jasmine waited for Khushi to speak something, but when she didn't she turned to her, taking her hand in hers, making her slightly taken aback by this gesture.

"..That thief was pathetic, sis. The way he stabbed Mom, you know he would have killed me too. Khushi, Mom will be fine right? She won't leave us like dad, right?"

She panicked like a little kid as she held Khushi's hand tightly, showering her with questions, the answers to which Khushi wished she had.

She cursed herself for playing with her sister's mind, wiping away the truth from her head, but she didn't have any other option.

There was no way she was letting her be a part of this.

"Ssshh.. Calm down. She will be all right. She will survive."

Khushi assured her as she cupped her cheek with one hand, her sister's tears stabbing her heart like a dagger, constantly reminding her of the fact that she was such a vital part in all this. The reason behind this situation.

She could never forgive herself for that.

.

.

"Why do you want to send me to New York?"

She asked Khushi softly, making her bewildered as she looked into her eyes, helpless to provide her with any sensible answers.

Exhaling deeply, she spoke in a low voice,

"I want you to live there for a couple of days, with Aunt Jennifer, until Mom recovers.."

Khushi didn't have the courage to face her questions after this.

If that required her to play with her mind again and compel her to follow her words, she would readily do that.

At least that would assure her that her sister would be safe.

And she could do anything for it.

Khushi was ready to repeat the task of what she did with Ree a couple of minutes back with her sister when suddenly Jazz's next words caught her off guard.

"Okay. I will go."

.

.

Khushi was spellbound as she looked at her innocent eyes, surprised by her words, not able to believe what she just heard.

She expected her to shout at her, throw things at her, show her, her bratty, rude side once again like she always did, but she acted something totally different.

Tears welled up her eyes, and she was about to say something when Jazz hugged her tightly against her chest and said,

"Arnav told me everything Khushi. I know it wasn't any thief, it was Mom! I remember everything. And I also know that you didn't do anything wrong. You saved me. She wasn't Mom. The one lying in that hospital bed right now is our Mom."

Khushi's eyes grew wide as her words came her way, giving her jitters at the same time a strange and indefinable happiness that her sister knew the truth and she didn't misunderstand her.

Pulling away from the hug, Khushi looked at her sister, moving away the strands of her curly hair from her face while she stuttered,

"You.. You kno-"

"I don't know anything apart from this Khushi. I know you have something beyond humanly in you. I saw you when you saved me, you didn't look like someone ordinary. Arnav said he can't say anything to me other than what he already did and it will be you who will tell me. So, I will wait for that day. For you to tell me everything, Khushi."

She said in a soft voice, looking at her older sister.

Baffled by her words, Khushi asked her in a low voice,

"Do you.. Do you believe in something that's meta? Something supernatural?"

.

Jazz smiled faintly at that statement as she replied,

"I do and I did it ever since Lisa passed away after that planchette we did a year back. I ended up doing so much research on these stuff, confused whether it could ever be real or not. Maybe the belief began to falter with time, but it only became alive once again when I saw Mom that way today, as if she wasn't herself anymore. It.. It just made all my speculations about these things true.."

Khushi could feel her shudder as she recalled the deadly hour when she faced the possessed body of their Mom at their house.

''And can I tell you something?''

Jazz asked.

''Go ahead.''

Khushi replied with a small smile.

''I think I had a feeling from childhood itself that our family had secrets. I mean, especially with all the weird old jewellery and talismans Grandma Amelia possessed that's still in our house, it always gave me some spooky vibes.''

Khushi couldn't help but chuckle inwardly as she heard her little sister's theories, levity reflecting in the air after what seemed like ages, and she couldn't deny the fact that her sister was smarter than she had ever thought.

Yes, she was still going to abide by the vow she made to herself and wait for the outcome of the battle to tell her sister everything.

She was not going to hide a single thing about her true identity as a Vermount first-born, therefore a witch, and she now knew completely that her sister was definitely going to understand her.

And that thought gave her in inexplicable sense of relief.

Khushi hugged her tightly, caressing her curls, when Jazz whispered in a voice barely audible,

"..Khushi?"

.

"Hmm?"

She murmured.

.

"I love you."

She confessed.

It was for the first time in her 16 years of life that Jasmine had finally admitted verbally to her sister that she loved her and cared about her, and the smile that took over Khushi's face on hearing that, was priceless.

Her sister's words gave her a new sense of hope and new joy as Khushi broke the hug and looked at her sister lovingly as she softly kissed her forehead.

She didn't know that they would bond this well, during the darkest hour of their life, but she guessed that is what we all know as destiny.

.

"I love you too, sister."

Khushi replied as she smiled at her, wiping her tears once again.

.

.

"And that is why I want you to stay in NYC until this is all over. Until we get back Mom, until I put an end to all of this mess that I cannot disclose right now, but I promise I will make everything all right for us, again."

Khusi said in a stern voice.

Jazz nodded at her as she grasped each and every word of hers before she asked,

"But Khushi, what is this all about? Can I ask you, what are you?"

.

.

It wasn't time.

Khushi wished to tell her everything, explain it all to her now, but she had to value time and keep up certain things for later and hence she decided to dodge this issue until she had dealt with it all by herself.

After a period of brief silence, she finally answered,

"I can't tell you now Jasmine. Later. When the time is right, I promise, I will tell you each and everything. Believe me."

Khushi anticipated Jasmine's obvious agitation this time, her bellows, but another surprise paved its way as she heard her say,

"..I trust you Sis. You will win. I will wait for the right time."

Khushi smiled at her reply, as she brought her closer to her chest and Jazz snuggled into Khushi's arms, happy tears flowing out of both the sisters' eyes.

Khushi didn't know how far she was going to succeed in keeping up with her promise to her, but she knew that she wouldn't let her little sister down. She wouldn't let the bloodshed of those thousands of innocent people go in vain.

.

.

Wiping away her own tears, she helped Jazz lay down on the bed as she whispered,

"Go to sleep now. You have a flight tomorrow noon. I will make everything all right. Perfect, like it was. I promise."

Jazz smiled at her as she obeyed her words and finally laid down on the bed, while Khushi covered her with the white quilt and caressed her forehead.

"Good night Khushi."

She said softly, as Khushi dimmed the lights and replied,

"Good night Jazz."

.

Turning her back, she walked towards the door of the ward only to find Arnav standing there, silently listening to their conversation as she took quick steps towards him and pulled him for a bone crushing hug.

.

This time, Arnav couldn't hold the lone tear escape his eye as he felt her soft body against him, and he held her all the more tightly.

He had been in two minds wondering how Khushi would react on knowing that he had gone against her wish, about telling Jasmine what had happened.

But he had done what his heart had asked him to do.

The moment he had seen Khushi so stern, all essence of her humanity gone, he knew she was going into that dark dungeon where many witches had acquired enormous powers, but in the process had lost everything they had held dear, the most pivotal of which was their humanity.

And knowing her for so long, Arnav knew how much Khushi valued her normal life, and this other meta world wasn't even something she held valuable, for to her, her family and friends were her biggest assets.

And after whatever happened to Adrienne, he knew Khushi was beginning to distance herself from every little link to her human life and if he let that go on, he knew he would lose her soon.

He knew it very well, because when power began to overpower one's thoughts, it destroyed one's purity. Just like it once happened to Meredith. And Arnav couldn't let that happen to his love too.

He could not let Khushi's power destroy her purity.

And so, he wanted her to stay connected to her gravity as much as possible. Her humanity, as much as possible.

And other than her mom, it was only her sister who could make that happen.

Yes, he was an imperative part of her life, but he wasn't in any way linked to her human life.

He belonged to the other world, which even she belonged to, but he had come much later.

Jasmine was the closest link to Khushi's life as a normal 18 year old and so, he had decided he would let Jasmine know what she needed to, so that in this uncanny battle of the supernatural world, Khushi didn't feel left out and disconnected from her normal life.

And for that, he was ready to pay any price and bear the brunt.

Be it Khushi's wrath or her aloofness.

But he was taken aback when he saw what he thought actually worked and the two sisters, who barely spoke politely to each other before, bonded so much on emotional level, and after what seemed like ages, Khushi had even managed to smile.

And to him, that was his biggest reward.

His salvation.
.

.

Her chest against his, Khushi felt the peace slowly reviving in her as she softly uttered,

"Thank you.. for, everything."

.

.

Arnav cuddled her closer to him as she awaited his reply and that's when he only said,

"I trust you. You will fulfil your promise to Jazz, Sunshine. Everything will be perfect, like it used to be. We will win."

She pulled away from him to look into his molten eyes, her heart melting with his words as she crushed her lips against his, kissing him passionately, her mind and heart conveying the zillion emotions of love, anger, rage, misery, helplessness, worry, care, and duty to him.

He responded with equal passion as he expressed the truth to her, the truth that they were in this, together and the time had finally come to destroy the evil, to destroy Aloysius, to destroy Alexandra, to put an end to The Avizhas.

**