Avni woke up again around noon time and turned around to find herself looking into Neil's face. While sleeping on the couch he had shifted a bit towards her. Avni's sleep was complete but clearly Neil's had just started!

His chest was rising in the gentle rhythm of a peacefully sleeping person. And avni decided not to disturb him. She however kept on looking at him and ran her fingers slightly through his hair.

After being through so much together, after having seen death more than once last night and after being rescued and yearning for Neil. She had finally overcame all of the above and they were together! It had brought her mentally closer to neil.

After sometime the nurse entered. She put her hand on her hips and frowned to see Neil sleeping yet again beside the patient. But Avni put finger on her lips and requested the nurse not to wake Neil up. Nurse gave an inward smile and then helped avni freshen up and get comfortable. Avni asked her till when she needs to stay at the hospital to which the nurse gave a terse response in a zestful manner -"don't worry about it. due to your husband's pda (public displays of affection) you might be kicked out sooner than later!"

Avni tried to smile at this. Neil kept on sleeping till evening that day. He really was tired! DD and mitali dropped in between to check upon them and were amused at the solid senior Indian police officer sleeping like a baby on the couch. They all knew how spent he was. Even the commotion caused by DD as he dropped the flower bouquet he was carrying could not wake Neil up!

DD told avni that he had informed Neil's family now, rather his dad that he was away on a mission and would be so for some days and avni would take some time off to go visit her relatives as agreed with Neil. Avni was grateful to DD for that. She didn't want to face any uncomfortable questions from the family or rather from her mother in law Shweta till she recovered.

Neil woke up right after DD and mitali left. He saw a change of clothes thoughtfully kept by his side. And a note from DD explaining the situation. Neil was pleased with the way it had been handled. Avni had gone to the washroom right then aided by the nurse so he left the room and went to freshen up himself.

By the time Neil came back doctor  was there as well on his evening round.

Avni was pleading to him for discharge. -"doc please. It's very suffocating here. I've stayed in hospital for a long time before and none of it was enjoyable. Trust me I'll recover faster in my home. "

Doctor smiled and said -"i can see why you were hospitalized before. And I don't like torturing my patients for no reason. You can get discharged but do take care of the precautions that I told your husband previously. I'm not sure if he's still here and recalls that.."

Neil chipped in -"i recall it doctor. I'll take full care. Thanks for your time "

Neil messaged his boss that he wanted some time off work for personal reasons, he knew they'll understand after the attack. And then he went to do the discharge formalities. They brought avni out on a wheelchair and then Neil lifted her and put her in his spare car that was left there by DD, again thoughtfully!

Very gingerly, Neil leaned on her side and tied her seat belt. He knew that Avni was being discharged but it was still a long time to go before she can exert herself. He drove carefully towards her home. Avni's clothes that she brought from her home were destroyed in the car explosion. So avni knew they had to goto her home!

Neil asked her to stay in the car and that he will get her stuff. Dutifully he was back in ten minutes with a packed suitcase! Avni was highly suspicious whether it will have everything she needed, still she was amused at Neil's care and resourcefulness.

Neil then drove again but not to the khanna house!

He stopped in front of an apartment building. It was his old flat, a small studio apartment where he had lived before. Avni looked at him in a questioning way.

Neil simply said -"doctor said you cannot be subjected to any kind of stress. And I cannot ensure that at my home. We could have stayed at your home. But then more people know about it. It is easier for me to manage the security of this apartment as it is small and relatively Inaccessible!"

Avni just nodded her head. She was just relieved that she wasn't going to live in the hospital for long. Also she trusted Neil completely now..