A/N : Hi readers, surpriseeee! I have a double update today! So, this together combined was originally one chapter for me, and I would have kept it that way if not for the 'very matured content' on the latter part of the chapter; hence I kept that as a separate chapter - so for those who are uncomfortable, and would want to exercise discretion over reading the matured content, they can just avoid the next chapter totally. i.e. Chapter 4.

Happy Reading! :)

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As Manik drove his car, he was quiet. He had a whole other idea of how this ride back was supposed to be, but now he had this humongous sized knot in his chest that made him so damn angry, he needed a vent. He needed to throw a rock, punch a guy, kick a tire, or do all of those to pull it out, he needed an out, but with this girl Nandini in the car with him he couldn't. He wanted to drive rash but couldn't put someone else's life on the line, he was silently suffocating inside – he needed air – he was feeling uneasy all day, he didn't know why. Was it a coincidence, or was it a connection deep down that lasted the test of time? ..and how bizarre, that it was this girl Nandini of all people who had to give him this news. The universe worked in mysterious ways and somehow turmoil always found a way to creep back in his life.

No, he wasn't going to let this news affect him, he didn't care, who was she anyway? When was the last time she came to visit him, was it his 18th birthday, nope 17th..by Manik's 18th she was gone. It had been fifteen years since; what did he care about? If only he weren't feeling so claustrophobic, it'd be fine.

"Do you mind if I roll down the window Manik? The air condition is giving me the chill"

Manik looked at her surprised, just what he needed.

"Sure"

As the fresh early morning air hit his face, his nerves seemed to soothe a little, he was still bothered and he could feel a quake was on its way, but right now he was in control; he turned sideways to look at Nandini, she was facing the window, with eyes shut; maybe she had dozed off? He drove on quietly for another twenty minutes.

"This left turn?"

"Yes, just about 200mts from here..yes, stop here"

She got out of the car, Manik got out too; wasn't she dizzy when she got into the car? Just in case she needed help, he held her elbow to steady her.

"I'm fine, thanks. '' she said as she pulled away her elbow from his grip, she was smiling at him, not a coy one, a bold and confident one, an alluring one, maybe she remembered her promise from the other night? Any other night, Manik would have taken the opportunity, but today was different, that same anxiety was slowly coming back, now that he knew he didn't need to pretend or be calm anymore because Nandini wasn't going to be around; he was feeling out of breath and suddenly gasping for air again.

"You want to come up?" he heard her say, pointing towards the apartment on the second floor of the building below which they were standing.

"No. No, not today. Listen, I got to go, got to rush, there is something I need to..I will call you later, okay" he barely mumbled more to himself than her and before she could respond, he got into his car and left, leaving a surprised Nandini behind.

"What was that?" she said out aloud, before turning around and going inside her building.

Manik was driving fast now, he had taken a U turn and headed back towards the highway, he didn't want to enter the city, where the news reaches people at day break, he wanted some hours to prep himself before that, his window was open, music was turned on full blast, he was driving like a maniac, he'd do anything to drive past this hollow pit forming in his stomach, his nausea, he wanted to beat it; there were voices inside his head, laughter, "Mani" the voice of someone calling his name from the distant past, all rushing by; as he sped, roads seemed to fly past him, there was no halting now, only the rush, the sound of rushing air from the window, if he drove fast enough it'd be loud enough to drown the voices, the ones inside his head, particularly the one voice that kept calling him from his far left behind childhood days, the voice that called out, "Mani...my little baby".

His eyes were tearing up; it was the sharp wind; it had to be that, what else could it be? it was reducing his visibility, he had to slow down else he'd hit something, also it was almost time for sunrise, the sky wasn't pitch dark anymore, just lighter shades of indigo and purple, what if some sleepy head woke up early and decided to be on his path? He had to control, Manik thought to himself; but what about silencing the voices inside him? He couldn't control he had to speed up, just when he was about to give up on control, his eyes fell on something bright and red on the road, it seemed to shine even in the darkness, he knew what this was – it was a car, it was Nandini's car – the one that broke down last night, this was where he picked her up from, all that seemed like memories from another lifetime suddenly; he didn't know whether it was because of the lack of control he had over the situation or was it because the only emotion he had been in touch with for many years, now that the car had stopped, the voices in his head had subsided, all he could feel was an unfathomable amount of rage, a blinding rage that needed channelling, that needed an out, a rage that led him back to the last person he was with before he found out about his mother; whether it was his best attempt to bring back normalcy by force or his worst attempt at being an escapist he didn't know, but truth was he had found his way back to Nandini's apartment in those early hours before dawn.

Nandini woke up with a jerk at the incessant ringing of her doorbells, she quickly checked her phone, did she oversleep again; was it too late? No, it was only 4:30am in the morning, this couldn't be her domestic aid, who could it be at this hour, was it Abhimanyu, was he in some trouble? She hurriedly got up amidst the continuous doorbell rings and sprang to the door and opened it; was this a dream, could it be? But why would he be here at this hour? Didn't she just see him only an hour or two back?

"Manik, what are you even.." but he didn't let her complete.

"May I come in, I need to" he said clearly looking into her eyes, though she was still groggy in sleep and hardly knew him, from whatever she had noticed about him, she could tell something was amiss, his eyes were usually sharp and calm, from what she noticed so far, he was always in control; but that instance was different, there was a sense of urgency in his eyes, there was a need that came from restlessness.

"Yes, please do. Are you alright, Manik?" she asked as she stepped aside to let him enter her apartment. As soon as he entered, he didn't waste time in polities, he shut the door and turned to her, in the early hours of dawn with the few streaks of red lights flashing across the sky, he couldn't see her face clearly, but he saw her eyes, anxious and encouraging, giving him the courage to ask what he wanted to.

"Will you make good on the promise you made the first night we met?" he asked softly, holding both her hands. He looked reasonably calm, but Nandini's eyes were too sharp to miss the subtleties; his eyes were dry and red, he looked tired and even though he tried to hide it, his voice was just a little strained, he wasn't asking, he was pleading and this wasn't a booty call.

"You had invited me in tonight, right?" he asked again, he was not the person who'd ever do that, but then Nandini hardly knew him, how'd she notice that? He was running out of patience now, it had been a couple of seconds now that he spoke a second time, but each felt like a thousand years, as Nandini calmly looked into his jittery eyes.

"What?" he spoke out loud throwing his hand up in exasperation before he could stop himself, he was losing it now.

"Sssh" came her reply as she held him by the shoulder, pulled his hand down, and gently cupped his face; her warm hands met the taut cold skin of his cheeks, he shut his eyes in benediction, and just like that he felt like he was melting in her palms, the warmth, the softness, even the smell of some moisturiser.

Nandini looked at his face, eyes shut tightly, revelling at her slightest warmth, that was when she had finally recognised him, he wasn't an unfamiliar man anymore, he was damaged just like her, as damaged as her, that was their connect, and she knew what he needed right then, a vent and she was willing to let him, just to ease his pain; she wasn't doing it out of some misplaced sense of love, attraction or even affection, she was doing it out of compassion – she was doing it because, she knew how it felt to be in his place, how it felt to be damaged beyond repair, and how one gesture can save a person, sometimes.

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A/N : There, I know you don't want to wait here now that the next part is up and about! I deliberately didn't leave you on a cliff hanger - although I know that would have helped me garner more readers, votes, comments - but you know I am a reader first and I hate cliffhangers myself! So I hope you will read both chapters, enjoy and then out of the goodness of your heart, come back and share your views on both the chapters - I don't want to trick you guys into showering love, we all know that's not how 'love' works isn't it? :) :*

Much love,

A.