Yup that's as likely as me being the heir of Slytherin✋
I'm a Gryffindor btw.
Muggles ignore.

That's Praaanju giving vague ideas.

Humne Dev ka naam suna hai.
Pranju22 ne ishq kiya hai

(On the theme of: Gur se mitha ishq ishq's line: Tumne ishq kaa naam suna hai. Humne ishq kiya hai.)

Happy Reading❤
Pasand aaye toh vote karein!

SHIMLA

Dear Sonali,

Hi! It's the last day of Shimla.

A tear smudged the ink. Sonakshi's pen hovered around the page but words didn't escape her.

If there was one city I would ever call my own it is Shimla.

If there was one person whom I would risk my everything for is Nisha.

And,

For Dev? Well we've discussed that at length and I ... I am ready to face what comes. Let's blame no one neither Maa nor Baba, neither Dev nor I.

Let's get ready for Mumbai Sonali and come let's find Nisha. She has been behaving odd and silent and is avoiding me.

Sonakshi closed the diary and kept it inside her bag. She had come to Shimla with her wallet and phone and was going back with loads of clothes, memories and a new self esteem.

She looked out of the window, she would miss this landscape. Sonakshi searched the entire house for Nisha and finally found her in the garden, folding and unfolding dry clothes.

"Nisshaaa" Sonakshi called her but she looked away. She seemed to be ... Crying?

Sonakshi brought a stool and sat next to her.

"Why are you crying?" She tried to wipe Nisha's tears but she brushed her hand off.

"Eff off!" Nisha opened her bun and messed her brown hair to cover her face, her eyes in particular.

"Ab kyu bhao kha rahi ho? You were the one to tell me to go away." Sonakshi stopped Nisha from leaving the room.

"Haa toh get lost." Nisha told her.

"Oleee Nisha baby ro rahi hai." Sonakshi said.

"Sonakshi mai gali deti nahi iska matlab ye nahi hai I can't abuse." Nisha threatened her.

Sonakshi was almost 6-8 inches taller than Nisha and once she stood in her way, there was no escape for Nisha.

Sonakshi hugged her little friend and Nisha sobbed in her palms covering her face.

"Awwww." Sonakshi said.

"Why did you have to come here agar jana hi tha toh!" Nisha tried to break the hug.

"Toh rehne deti na. Why did you give me the courage to go back to Mumbai? Bloody idiot." Sonakshi said but Nisha couldn't stop crying.

"Tu aise royegi toh mai kaise jaungi?" Sonakshi tried another shot to stop her.

"Wo tumhari problem hai. Ullu." Nisha finally broke the hug.

"You're going to call me. Everyday. If that idiot Devrat tries to corner you, irritate you ya tere boss kuch kahe, what will you do?" Nisha looked like a little ferret with her red nose and puffy eyes standing against her milky white skin tone.

"I will call YOU. Trust me Nisha no one will bully me. I'm enough for everyone." Sonakshi said. It was hard to not laugh at Nisha who was looking funny.

"If it happens Ms. Bose?"

"I'll call you."

She was going back home but the fact that Nisha stood by her side in the worst of times, gave her time to heal and then gently sent her to the right track had etched it's mark on Sonakshi's heart and soul.

"Ab wo tere purane, cheesy gaane bajau? Effect aayega behen." Nisha said sniffing hard.

Sonakshi hit Nisha's arm. Even she held tears in her eyes.

Tere jaisa yaar kahan
Kaha aisa yaarana
Yaad karegi duniya
Tera mera afsana

____________________________________

It was time to say good bye to the city, that was Sonakshi's own - Shimla. They had boarded the plane and it would take off any minute.

"Excited?" Dev asked Sonakshi

"Nostalgic."

"Why?"

"It'll take time to settle back in Mumbai. I was so used to Nisha's presence and these mountains, those kids... I'll miss this place. Shimla's home." Sonakshi took a long breath.

"What about Mumbai? Wo tumhara ghar nahi hai?" Dev said.

"I own a property there. I've got a few friends." Sonakshi was looking out of the window.

"You should go meet your father. I don't know what happened between all three of you but he really misses you." Dev said.

"You know when you don't give those cheeky remarks, sly comments and when you don't flirt, you are quite sensible." Sonakshi looked back at him.

Dev found himself smiling. A true smile - he felt after ages.

The flight took off and moved towards Mumbai.

Sonakshi was looking out of the window. The big, fluffy clouds were dispersed in the sky. She wanted to take in the view but the sun was piercing her vision. She closed the window shield and began thinking about where she would go once she reached Mumbai. How weird it would be to go back to Asha or how awkward would it be if she took her bag directly to Bijoy?

"Can we go to the Malanis directly?" Sonakshi asked Dev.

"Yeah sure." Dev replied.

Good! So she delayed her meeting with her parents.

Dev, on the other side, was swimming in mixed emotions. He wanted Sonakshi to return home but he didn't want her back in Mumbai too. He was torn in between pulling and pushing Sonakshi.

Sonakshi thought about her first meeting with the Malanis and then how would the coming one go? She wondered what would Nisha say in such a situation. She would definitely find a sunny side to it but then Nisha had always been like that! She was always looking for the warmth in the chill, putting a filter with the sun for a sun kissed dp even when the winds raged outside the car and rain drops slapped the wind shield.

Thoughts came and went and sleep began overpowering her. She tried hard not to sleep and enjoy her flight but there was nothing to enjoy about it.

"Oooo that's an air hostess." Sonakshi pointed at one and nudged Dev.

"Your elbow is too pointy!" Dev rubbed his elbow and turned to face Sonakshi. "What do you want from the air hostess?"

"I... I ... Nothing. I was just showing you."

"Why?" Dev looked like he had just been out of a session with Jatin and his PJs.

"Because ... She's a hot chic and you like hot chics." Sonakshi tried to act all calm,funny and buddy-ish in front of Dev.

"People like you get male passengers stereotyped. You can keep on ogling her if you want to but atleast don't point." Dev said. "The last time I checked you were perfectly normal Sonakshi. I didn't knew you were interested in girls!"

"I ... What... NO! I was just ... Uhhh... Let it be." Sonakshi crossed her arms and looked at the closed window sheild. She opened it and began staring out of it but the blazing sunlight forced her eyes to shut down and she feel asleep.

MUMBAI

Sona woke up when she felt a little jolt. She opened her eyes and realised that the flight was landing. She stretched her neck. There was a minor sprain because of sleeping in one position.

"We need to go back to Dr. Nisha." Dev said.

"Why?" Sonakshi said while trying to get the air out of her ears.

"Because Ms. Sonakshi Bose you almost broke my shoulder." Dev said.

Sonakshi looked puzzled and confused for a while. Then it dawned upon her that she had been sleeping not on a wooden cushion but it was Dev's well built shoulder. She looked at his shoulder, it looked a bit wet.

"You drool." Dev said.

"Aaah I ... I'm sorry. You should have slapped my face away!" Sonakshi tried to apologize.

Dev scrutinized her as if trying to understand where was this stupid factory in her head that gave her such ideas.

"I don't flirt with random woman. I don't stare at them as if they are a piece of flesh. I'm not a perv that I would drool over a woman just doing her work. I told you that gym story because I meant to joke around with you. I have never wanted to hurt you on purpose. I'm sorry about whatever I said behind your back. I would like to make it up to you. I'm not a perfect person but I am not a perv either." Dev finished his little speech and started moving towards the exit.
___________________________________

"Sonakshi!" Jyotsna literally squealed. "I knew Devrat Dixit's charm works on just anyone."

"I'm flattered" Dev replied.

Dev and Sonakshi were sitting inside the Malani's cabin.

"Welcome back, Sonakshi. I hope you are ready to work with us." Aneesh smiled.

"I was wondering if we could discuss, once, what were those 'better oppurtunities' for which you left us, we would be able to provide you a better package for this job." Jyotsna said.

"I ... I left because of something that happened on the personal front" Sonakshi began but Jyotsna opened her mouth in curiosity, so Sonakshi had to cut her. "- I don't wish to talk about it."

"Thank you." Sonakshi began again, once she was convinced that no one would interrupt her.

"I was completely unprofessional. I am sorry but if you would give me another chance I would like to save your sinking show." Sona smiled.

"I see a new confidence, Ms. Bose. Good for you, for us." Jyotsna said. "I was really very angry with you but I am trusting you again with my pet project. Don't blow it!"

"Sure." Sonakshi said.

"Have you been following the show?" Aneesh asked them.

Sonakshi had been watching it to get a glimpse of Dev but she said -

"On and off. Yes. Not regularly."

"Well it would be good if you watch the show now." Aneesh said.

"And get the script from RR. I'll inform the team you are back." Jyotsna said.

"Good. I'll start working tomorrow." Sonakshi said.

It would have been better for the Malanis to hear that Sonakshi would start the work on the same day, itself but considering her long journey they didn't interject.

"So, home now?" Dev asked Sonakshi when they were out of the office. He had caught a glimpse of Pehla Pehla Pyar's poster and Sonakshi's crying image came swimming back to his mind.

"I'll take a taxi. Thanks."

"Ghar hi jaogi na? I'll drop you." Dev insisted.

"I was planning to meet Baba first." Sonakshi said.

Dev looked at Sonakshi and kept wondering how uncomfortable his presence would make the Boses. Still he said -

"I think I can drop you."

After a while, Sonakshi finally caved.

Bijoy's house wasn't too far from the Malani's office but it seemed to be the longest journey Sona had ever taken. She had to meet her father, whom she had blamed her whole life and now she knew he wasn't the actual culprit.

What was worse than the whole drive was the wait outside Bijoy's door. Sonakshi had told Dev to leave and he did. He didn't think it would be intelligent to intrude the father daughter moment. He had insisted on taking Sonakshi's bag back to her home and she too agreed to it, mostly because she didn't want to argue outside her father's house.

She had pressed the door bell of Bijoy's apartment and was waiting with baited breath for Bijoy to open the door. When Bijoy didn't show up for a minute, Sonakshi felt like retreating but when the door flung open and she saw Bijoy, she knew that there no backing out.

Bijoy Cranky Bose opened the door. Who on Earth wanted to interrupt his afternoon siesta? Well, he had opened the door with a well prepared angry speech but it had dried in his throat.

"Sonakshi?" Bijoy couldn't believe his eyes. "Andar aao."

Bijoy made way for her. He told her to sit in the living area. She looked around. The walls had white paint and the floor had shining black tiles. A home theater was kept in front of the sofa. There were no paintings, hardly any show piece, sculptures. The house held an air of renunciation and in hearts of hearts Sonakshi knew why.

Bijoy came out with two cups of tea and a bowl of Bikaner's Aloo Bhujia.

"Biscuit khatam hai." He said as he kept the tray on the table but Sona didn't quite register it.

Bijoy sat on another sofa adjacent to Sonakshi. There was silence in the room. None knew what to say.

Sonakshi and Bijoy noticed how alike their sitting postures were - straight backs, palms joined on their laps, legs criss crossed. They realised how much they had missed out on each other.

"Baba." Sonakshi, after thinking for a what seemed like a decade, said.

Bijoy looked at her with rapt attention.

"We worked together for six months and still didn't have a proper conversation." She said.

"I had been expecting a cold shoulder but ... I thought Asha would have.. ahem" He cleared his throat. "Asha would have told you.

"No. She ... She didn't"

Bijoy nodded his head. He wasn't exactly looking at Sonakshi. His gaze was fixed at blank wall behind her.

"I.. always blamed you for ... for all the misery we had. I thought you left us. You earned the bread and then I thought maybe your salary would be enough for only your survival. I ... I thought you were selfish and I felt how cruel it is for the universe to give you ... all that you had. You deserve much more. I am sorry for cursing you and blaming you." She knew how difficult it was to speak at the moment but she had to.

"I thought that you were too young when I left but I hoped that one day you would ask your mother why did we used to fight so much? And she would tell you. I didn't want to take your custody because I had seen how docile and quiet Asha was before you were born. Her parents didn't understand her love for the fear of society, her lover chickened out twice, her husband couldn't see beyond the fake smile she would seldom put on. I shouldn't have ..." Bijoy stopped in mid sentence.

The way things were revealed the previous time was naked and cold. He, later realised that he should have concealed a few facts. He had told her that Asha was neither protested nor participated during her gestation period or ever before that. He decided against touching that topic again. The poor girl had enough on her plate and he didn't want to remind her that her birth wasn't welcomed by her mother. Though, Asha did grew fond of her in the coming months.

"You were not wrong. She hid so much from you. She made me hate you ..."

"No, Sonakshi, she didn't make you hate -"

"-Well she didn't stop me either." Sonakshi was too overwhelmed to even look at her father's general direction so she fixed her gaze in her palm.

"I was ready to send her with Aadyot." Sonakshi heard a minor hatred in Bijoy's voice. "He insisted on eloping. He wasn't ready to face his parents. Asha and I tried to give him assurance that we will fight with him but that coward didn't care. I was adamant. I would not be called a run away wife's useless husband. My family would be brought to utter disgrace."

"So you kept her? Even after knowing her past you accepted her? You're so ..." Sonakshi didn't find the right word.

"... It wasn't easy. You know you just can't break up with each other in a marriage. A lot of people are involved and then how could we let you be raised in a broken home. We decided to stay for your sake but we didn't do that job well." Bijoy smiled as if making fun of himself.

"And then you saw us fighting always." Bijoy sniffed. Sonakshi looked up with the sound. "I'm sorry, Sona beta. We couldn't even be good parents."

"It's okay." She didn't knew what should be said. It wasn't okay but she was feeling too sorry for the man in front of her.

"Asha never got over Aadyot. I asked for a second child. She refused. We fought and I left." Bijoy said after a brief pause. "I was broken, devastated. I didn't knew what to make of life and then I diverted myself to arts, plays, music. I was able to rebuild myself bit by bit and I am here."

"Just for a second child you left me? What happened to all the parenting you were trying to do?"

"It's ... See there is only a point beyond which you can bend your self respect in love. Beyond that point, you'll end up breaking your own self and no love or relationship is worth it. You will probably not understand it." Bijoy tried to explain.

I do. Sonakshi wanted to say but the time wasn't ripe for it. She understood where her ability to love like an idiot came from.

"The second child theory is a little complicated. So, I had been pondering about ending that marriage and I could not snatch you away from Asha because she practically had no one else. I thought that a second child would solve my problems. I mean, I could keep a part of Asha with me. I would miss you but a little less. Then, maybe, someday you two siblings would have brought us together. I over think too much." Bijoy smiled.

"Me too. I get that from you." Sona said and this little spark of connection made of their eyes twinkle with happiness.

"Love makes you stupid,Sonakshi. You'll end up doing things you never thought you would. I used to do halwa flirt with Ishwari because I thought you may go home, tell Asha and she would be jealous." Bijoy said.

"I never told her anything about it. Those chats with Ishwari ma'am was obnoxious. I would even say cheesy but halwa is made of ghee."

There was nothing funny in that joke. Even Jatin wouldn't have laughed at it but it was the first time Sonakshi had eased around Bijoy and vice versa. They laughed at the joke. They were setting a new and probably stronger foundation for their daddy-daughter story to stand on.

Precap - Tere mere beech me kaisa hai ye bandhan anjana, maine nahi jana tune nahi jaana.

Completely unedited chapter.
No proof reading done.
Ignore the glitches.

Liking the plot? Vote and I would like to hear from y'all in the comment section too.

Thanks for all your love till now!!

This chapter could have been updated earlier but I was basking in all the recent AshDeep feels and you can't blame me on that one.