"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Thoughts

Chapter 7 - This Wasn't Supposed To Happen!

Rony led them to where Purab was. Laksh and Ragini looked around and found their family members and the police surrounded by the goons, with guns pointed at them.

"P-papa!" Ragini rushed past the goons to her father, but was held back by Purab.

"Not now my Ragini. First lets take the marriage vows."

"I will never marry you!"

"But you must" Purab smirked "Or else, Daddy-dearest dies"

Ragini looked at him shocked.

"You...you wouldn't! The police are here. If you shoot they will get you arrested!"

"Hahaha, who said I'll leave them alive?"

"You-How could you!?"

"Stop trying to question me! You will marry me now and that's final! I will shoot Shekhar if you don't. Do you want me to shoot your friend first as a demonstration?" He signaled Rony, who pointed the gun at Sanskar.

"No! Don't!"

"Then you agree to marry me I suppose?"

Anyone who saw would think Ragini was looking at Rony helplessly, but she was actually looking at Laksh, as if asking him if she should agree for now? Laksh nodded back.

"Ok...ok, you win. I'll do as you say. Just...Just please don't harm any of them."

"Heh. Right choice. Lets go" Purab pulled her towards the mandap.

"No! Ragini! Leave my daughter alone!"

"Too late Father-in-law"

"You'll never get away with this!" screamed Sanskar.

'If I can get close to him, I can use the gun. But how do I get near him? How! How?!' Laksh thought.

#In another Room#

A man woke up groggily. He looked around in confusion "How-Where am I...This ...this looks like our base, but why am I lying here in my vest and shorts? I--" suddenly he remembered being hit by someone. He stood up and rushed out of the room to his friends who were playing cards. They looked up from their game and looked at him shocked.

"Yaku? But...but we saw you leave through there"

"It wasn't me! Someone stole my clothes and pretended to be me"

"The girl! Lets go!" They rushed to the room where Ragini was kept. Finding it empty, they left to find and inform their boss.

#With Purab and rest#

"Look Ragini. I have everything ready, and I even called your father" Purab smiled wickedly "Now that ever- hey...Where are the garlands? Rony!?"

"S-so sorry Boss. I forgot I kept them in the other room. I'll get them right away" Rony rushed out of there.

"Stupid baboons! Can't you do anything right!?"

Rony came back with the garlands and headed for the mandap.

'Now's my chance!' Laksh put forward his leg. Rony stumbled and fell down, and the garlands fell out of his hands.

"What are you doing!?"

"I'm sorry Boss" Rony hurried to get up. He looked for the garlands, but found Yaku(Laksh) holding them.

"I'll go give it to them"

"Hey! I'll go-"

"Shut up! You irresponsible mutt! Yaku bring them" Purab shouted in anger.

He took the garlands near Purab and put them near them.

"Good. Now stand over there. Get away from here." Purab dismissed him and turned back.

Sudddenly they heard footsteps and look towards the door to find some of Purab's men arrive.....and Yaku was with them!?

"If you are there then-" Laksh pulled out the gun he had stolen from Yaku, and put it on Purab's head.

Purab was too shocked to move "Who-who are you!?"

"Let them all go!"

"H-h-hey hey. Look if it's for calling y-you a mutt, I-I'm sorry! Ok? Whoever you are, let me go and I'll pay you as much as you want!"

"I want you to let everyone go!" Laksh said revealing his face.

'Well done bro' smirked Sanskar.

Laksh turned to the rest.

"If you want your boss alive, put your guns down!" The goons looked at each other.

"Put them down! You want him to shoot me!? Put them down!" Purab screamed out in panic.

As soon as the goons left the guns, the officers and Sanskar picked them up and pointed them at the goons.

Shekhar rushed to his daughter. Ragini broke free of Purab and went into her father's arms.

"Purab Bhalla. You are under arrest for kidnapping Ragini, for threatening her family, for assaulting the police."

"Assult? We just stole your guns"

"You caused us a lot of trouble Purab. We can add a bit of masala for all the trouble you caused, right?" Manish joked, as the constables cuffed all of them.

"I won't leave you! Wait till my father hears of this!"

"Your father cannot do anything now. We have enough eye-witnesses, not to mention your goons who will no doubt confess everything if we hit hard enough" said the other officer.

"Take them to the jeep and make sure they don't escape. I'll take Purab with me" said Manish.

Shekhar moved forward towards Purab "How dare you try to marry Ragini." He was about to hit Purab when Manish held him back.

"No Shekhar. If you hit him, he might use it against us. His father just needs a little thing to play his mind games. We would just give a way to his father to manipulate the law"

"But-"

"He is right Shekhar ji. Trust me, I want to beat him up as much as you do. But Ragini is safe. That matters more, no?" spoke Laksh, as he hugged Ragini.

Shekhar took a deep breath and nodded.

#Once Outside#

The police had Purab's men in their jeeps, while Purab was in Manish's SUV.

Swara rushed to Sanskar when she saw him come out "Thank goodness you are alright. And I couldn't find Lucky. He-"

"Relax Swara, look there"

Swara looked towards the warehouse and saw Shekhar come out, with Ragini and Laksh following him....Ragini and Laksh, holding each other's hands....which meant....

"CONGRATS!!!" Swara rushed to them and hugged them both

"Hahaha..thanks bhabi" said Laksh. Ragini looked down, blushing.

"Don't let her leave again Lucky. This time, keep her with you till your last breath"

"I can't bhabi. I can't live with her till the end" Swara and Ragini looked at him in shock "Because I plan to live with her even after death, for all eternity."

Ragini smiled while Swara smacked his head.

"Dramebaaz. You almost scared us!"

"Ow! Hey... that hurt"

"It was meant to"

Suddenly, the three felt someone come from behind and hold them in a group hug. It was Sanskar. They laughed but hugged him back.

"Don't forget me" Shekhar said playfully and joined the hug.

"Oh! I forgot my bag"

"Ragini, forget that old bag-"

"Its not about the bag! I left that handkerchief there. I need to get it back!" Ragini went inside the warehouse.

#With Manish#

"I need to talk to Shekhar about something. Watch him." Manish told his constables to keep an eye on Purab and left to talk with Shekhar.

Purab was watching from the car. He noticed a guy hug Ragini when he was being cuffed, hold her hand. They were acting like....like they loved each other.

'No! If I can't have her, he can't either! I won't let this happen! I have to do something. But I can't get out of here with these constables guarding the SUV. I-' He watched as Ragini emerged from the warehouse and suddenly he got an idea. He looked towards the driver who was looking forward. He raised his cuffed hands and hit him hard on the head. the constables heard some ruckus in the vehicle and peeked inside, but it was too late. Purab had already taken hold of the steering wheel. 'If you won't be mine, then you die Ragini!'

"Hey-" Before they could do anything, Purab drove the vehicle forward and was heading towards Ragini.

"Hey! Watch out!" They tried to warn them. All of them looked at the vehicle head for Ragini, but they were too shocked to move. Laksh snapped out of his shock and moved forward. He didn't think about the consequences, but rushed ahead to save her.

"RAGINI!"

Ragini saw the SUV about to hit her. She knew it was too late to move and thought it was her end. She closed her eyes. 'Atleast I got to tell you I love you Laksh'

However, she felt someone push her aside.

"LUCKY!"

Ragini opened her eyes when she heard Sanskar shouting Laksh's name in panic. What she saw shocked her to the core.

She saw Laksh, lying on the ground, bleeding profusely.

"LAKSH!" She rushed to him and put his head in her lap. "Laksh no! Laksh why!? Why did you save me! Now look what happened!"

"I-I had to Ra-a-gini. I...I co-o-uld-n-n't let an-nythin-g happen t-to you" Laksh spoke in pain.

"But you're hurt now!" Ragini sobbed. She could hear Purab being arrested again in the background, and Sanskar and the rest approaching her.

"I couldn't let you die Ra-agini"

"But if something happens to you, what will I do being alive!"

"Lucky! Hold on. The ambulance will be here soon" Sanskar said, barely holding his tears.

"Yes Lucky don't give up! Ragini needs you. We all need you to be alive Laksh. Don't lose hope!" Swara spoke in between tears.

"I....I'm tired Ragini...I....I l-I love you"

"Laksh! Laksh! I love you too! Don't leave me please! Wake up! Laksh! Laksh!"

 Hearing her say that she loves him made him smile. That was the last thing he heard before darkness overtook him.

"LAKSH! NO, no no! LAKSH! Sanskar, why isn't he saying anything!?"

Sanskar checked his pulse. "He's alive. Don't worry Ragini, he'll be alright." He heard sirens "The ambulance is here. Everything will be okay. Don't worry."

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To be continued...