It's about to strike eight in the morning and still there is no sign of her in the hospital. She surely is punctual. So what is it that is taking her this much time to reach the hospital?

Dr. Rizvi sitting in his cabin, whilst checking the reports of his patient gets impatient to get the glimpse of Dr. Mirza. 'Khadoos', 'Akdu', 'Pohncha hua dakhal andaaz' name him whatever you like but this she cannot deny that he is much more punctual than the careless Dr. Mirza. Careless! Well at least in the books of Dr. Naushad Rizvi, she surely is that. This adjective is a new addition today otherwise uptil yesterday he has already awarded her with many other objectives! One such adjective is - secretive!

Secretive, oh yes that she surely is. But could you blame her for that Dr. Rizvi? Leading a life with zero friends has turned her secretive. Living a life full of obstacles has turned her quiet.

"Abbu!",

the voice of his angel, comes as a surprise for Naushad.

Putting the file down, he looks towards his daughter.

"Aaliya aap yahan kaise ayin?",

asks Naushad, pleasantly surprised.

"Wo maine Raheem uncle ko phone karke kaha ke wo mujhe yahan le ayein. Aur main yahan aa gayi",

says Aalia, beaming with joy on being in her father's cabin.

"Aalia, bhai ye to galat baat hai apki. Aap agar iss waqt yahan rahengi to apni parhayi kab karengi aap? Ab school na jane ka matlab ye to nahi na ke aap parhayi hi na karein?",

asks Naushad, lovingly.

"Main yahan Meher Didi se milne ayi thi Abbu!",

says Aalia, her face expression falls as she mentions that.

Naushad's smile vanishes too, gradually.

"Apne unse abhi tak sorry nahi bola na?",

asks Aalia, sorrowfully.

Naushad looks towards his daughter apologetically, feeling guilty.

(Naushad-Meher's background tune begins as he remembers Meher and feels guilty)

The opening of his cabin's door drags the attention of both Aalia and Naushad. Aalia, swivels her chair she is sitting on to get a proper view of her father's visitor.

The face in front of the father-daughter duo succeeds in making the hearts of both to flutter. The only difference they have is where on one hand Aalia freely expresses her happiness on witnessing her Meher Didi, there Dr. Naushad keeps his emotions under check. Well at least that's what he feels, otherwise if asked to Meher, she perfectly reads his approval and excitement about her presence there in his cabin.

Excited, Aliya runs to Meher and hugs her tight wrapping her arms around Meher's waist. Meher loses her equilibrium for a moment but gains it in moments.

Sitting at his desk, Naushad knits his brows as he feels that she is not well.

Meher knits her brows, closing her eyes as the pain surges through her and she endures it.

Naushad gets tensed!

Staring Meher, his forehead bearing lines of tension, he calls Aliya,

"Aliya, jao jakar Dr. Azam uncle ko ye files de aana",

he extends a file to Aliya.

Aliya looks towards Meher, her eyes reflect her disappointment on having to leave her Meher Didi. Meher understands her situation, so does Naushad.

Meher looks towards Naushad to check his expressions. The seriousness tells Meher that he has something important to discuss with her.

Knowing that he has something serious to discuss, Meher turns to address Aliya, bending down towards Aliya, in the process her back hurts, but she tries to control her feeling of pain and hurt in front of Aliya and Naushad.

"Meher Didi apke Abbu se baat kar lein, fir apse bhi special appointment le kar baat karengi. Okay?",

smiles Meher, despite the pain.

Her words make Aliya to beam with joy. The expectation of seeing her Meher Didi in moments were enough to make mend up Aliya's broken heart.

Aliya hugs Meher in joy and leaves. While she leaves, Meher stands up straight again she feels an acute pain on her back. She controls her urge to hiss in pain, completely aware of Naushad's presence around her. Standing up, Meher stares Aliya leaving. Meher's face bearing the smile in front of Aliya, loses it's smile gradually, seeing her go.

As she gets assured that Aliya is gone, she turns towards Naushad.

Never meeting his eyes, she asks him,

"Ahmmm... yes Dr. Rizvi. Kya apko kuch kaam tha?"

Naushad notices how she is avoiding to look towards him. He doesn't even fail to notice her reactions. She is not well! She is behaving weird! He mentally calculates.

He walks towards her, his eyes constant on her; his brows creased.

Meher feels a bit uncomfortable, especially because of the sudden silence in the cabin. It makes the prevailing situation all the more awkward. Her heartbeat picks up pace. Cautiously, she pulls the sleeves of her kurti down, despite the fact that they were already arm length but still she couldn't help but pulling them more, if that was possible! At that moment Meher wished the sleeves were longer than they already are!

Nothing goes unnoticed by Naushad. She is certainly acting weird today. Is she nervous of him? Naushad suddenly feels guilty for scolding her the previous day, for he takes this hesitation a result of yesterday's heated argument.

But then didn't they have a light hearted conversation too? She surely was better than what she is today. Has it gone that bad last night with Bano?

Naushad doesn't understand why, unlike other times, today he wants to politely ask her to take her seat. And so he does,

"Dr. Mirza please have a seat",

he says, gesturing towards the chair which was earlier occupied by Aliya.

"Ahmm... no doctor that's fine. Aap please jaldi batayein apko kya kaam tha, so that I can resume with my work. Actually I just came and got to know ke apne mujhe bulaya tha",

says Meher, trying to avoid looking towards Naushad as much as possible.

That reminds Naushad and he asks,

"Apko aaj aney mein itna waqt kyun lag gaya? Aap to usually waqt par aati hain?"

Whilst asking this, Naushad notices how she is pressing her wrist lightly. Giving it a slow massage.

"Ahmm... haan I am sorry, wo... Bano se baat karte karte kal sone mein late ho gayi. Isliye aaj jaldi uth nahi payi!",

says Meher, still ignoring to look towards Naushad.

"Oh! I hope you slept well and ab apki neend puri ho gayi hai?",

asks Naushad, concerned.

His question skips Meher's heartbeat. She somehow found his asking this.... intimate!

She looks towards him and the way she stares him, makes Naushad to realize that with this question of his, he could touch her heart! Although it didn't have a great affect on her but something did change! May be her look towards him?

Shyly, blushing, Meher replies back,

"Yes... Yes Dr. Rizvi... I... I did sleep well last night, thank you".

The formal tone does irk Naushad, as a result he knits his brows lightly but with in moments the crease was gone, like magic! But Dr. Rizvi may be you are too late to do that, she noticed anyhow.

Clearing his throat, Naushad asks his next query,

"How is she? Apki behn... and aap please baith jayein. I am sure you can spare few moments from your busy schedule for me? Or is it that I don't deserve even this much?"

His last two questions skip her heartbeat. She realizes he is getting angry again! She gets nervous. She doesn't want to deny him. She of course isn't doing this on purpose, to show her anger towards him. But how can she sit?

Her expression changes, hurt visible in her eyes. Meher replies,

"Dr. Rizvi please. I sincerely apologize for last night and....",

closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, she opens them, looking towards him, she says,

"I... I don't hold any grudges against you. So you don't have to do this!"

Till this moment, Naushad was believing that may be he can look above her determined self. But at this moment he surely is regretting of having thought that. Giving her a chance, starting with her something other than the regular cold war, he was prepared for that but may be she is not meant to be friends with him. With this attitude of hers towards him, she doesn't deserve his friendship at all!

Blinking his eyes, pressing them with a little more pressure while closing them, out of irritation and anger towards Meher's secretive attitude in front of him, Naushad looks back towards her, in anger and irritation. But this time his anger is slightly different than other times! This time he doesn't want to punish her. He rather wants her to open up in front of him. So that he gets to know her cause of worry and eradicate it altogether!

But wait! Why would you do anything for her Dr. Rizvi? Why do you care about what's causing her trouble? Of course she is mature enough to handle any situation. Why suddenly today are you getting desperate for her to share with you her cause of worry?

"Boyfriend se patch up nahi hua kya abhi tak?",

his sudden bold question takes Meher by surprise.

She stares him in utter disbelief, widening her eyes. How could he do that to her? How could he make her feel vulnerable in front of him so easily?

"It doesn't matter to you. So why this fake concern?",

she asks, hurt and anger visible in her voice.

This reminds Naushad unfailingly, how she was trying to justify that she wasn't talking to her boyfriend, but he didn't allow her to complete!

~*~*~

Pissed off Naushad asks her again to sit, raising his voice, almost like scolding her out of irritation. Knowing that she won't listen. He holds her by her wrist to pull her and make her sit. Of course his pull wasn't a harsh one; just a dominating one though. But he realizes that she hissed in pain, although he didn't put much pressure on her wrist. Her hiss affects Naushad. He gets tensed and looks towards her. Meher quickly lowers her eyes and gains her equilibrium.

But Naushad understands that she is hurt. And this fact pierces his heart. In a shock, he leaves her hand immediately. Meher avoids looking towards Naushad, feeling guilty of having hissed. She didn't want him to know that there is something amiss with her. But why, she knows not! May be she just doesn't want to bother anyone with her problems. Or may be she doesn't want to bother him with her problems! Or may be she is too scared to tell him because deep down she knows he would surely retort back, which she doesn't want. Which she is afraid of!

Naushad stares her, shocked. Staring her, he tries to decipher what has happened with her. But he fails to conclude anything. And by her gestures he understands that she herself would say nothing.

After gaining back his equilibrium, he walks towards his desk's drawer. Pulling it open with a jerk, never looking away from Meher, he brings out a tube of ointment. Shutting the drawer with a loud noise such that it skips Meher's heartbeat and she shivers, he walks back to her. Dragging a free chair, placing it opposite to hers, he sits facing her.

Witnessing his on going attitude, Meher gets scared that he might pull her hand with a jerk again. She silently gets ready for enduring yet another pain. But to her surprise, Naushad holds her wrist just above the hurt area. As he pulled her, he had witnessed the mark on her wrist so he could calculate that where should he touch her to hold her such that she doesn't get hurt or go through a burning sensation. And slowly he pulls her hand. It doesn't hurt her at all. She goes numb though by his polite gesture. Her eyes brim with tears not out of hurt; but by the fact that he didn't hurt her!

Removing the cap of the ointment, pressing the tube, he puts the ointment on her wound. The sudden contact of the cold ointment with her burning skin makes Meher to shiver and she lightly holds Naushad's hand to gain strength and support her body weight. For that brief moment, Naushad looks towards her; their eyes meet. Naushad succeeds in reading the hurt in her eyes.

Staring her for sometime, all serious, Naushad shakes his head, closing his eyes as anger surges through him afresh - she still won't tell him! And takes a deep breath to calm down his anger that is towards her stubbornness.

On the other hand Meher gets relaxed understanding - he won't ask!

Slowly he rubs his index finger on her wrist to spread the ointment. The impact of the ointment and his touch together create a havoc in her mind.

Having completed with applying the ointment, Naushad sighs and looks towards her and finds her staring him with a little smile on her face. This skips his heartbeat! She doesn't really smile at him. This is new!

He stares her, waiting for her to explain but deep down he knew, she won't! Lowering her eyes, while Naushad continues staring her, she asks,

"Ahmm... apko kuch kaam tha?"

Tired sitting in the same position especially because with him she doesn't understand why she remains more alert. No, not that she doubts his gentleness. Secretly she accepts that despite the on going rumours about him murdering his wife, she trusts him! His eyes... those eyes seem to be that of an innocent. His immense love for his daughter.... such a heart can never hurt anyone; kill anyone! But wait, hurt anyone? Doesn't he hurt you everyday by his taunts and comments?

Meher rolls her eyes in her mind, and shoo her subconscious off! This is different and his taunts and comments on her is.... different! She blushes thinking that.

So now you are enjoying his taunts and comments that he throws towards you?

She rolls her eyes again!

Meher changes her position a bit that she gets reminded of her back pain! She hisses in pain.

Naushad gets concerned again,

"Are you fine Dr. Mirza?",

he asks in urgency.

Meher smiles apologetically and nods her head in affirmative, lowering her eyes. Naushad knows she is lying!

Taking a deep breath to control his frustration, he asks,

"What made you to roll your eyes?"

His sudden question skips her heartbeat and she widens her eyes.

"Aisa... aisa kuch nahi hai Dr. Rizvi!",

she says nervously.

Naushad narrows his eyes on her. Meher lowers her eyes out of hesitation.

Relaxing, Naushad rests back on the chair leaving her. Giving her space to leave but he keeps staring her pushing the back of his chair with his back, such that he is swinging to and fro in the chair in a slow pace.

"Nahi kaam nahi tha, bus apki behn ke barey mein puchna tha. Aap late bhi ayin aaj to... bus isliye.",

he says, hesitantly.

Meher smiles hesitantly, and replies politely,

"Thanks!"

Naushad tilts his head slightly towards left, as a gesture of asking - why?

"For your concern!",

smiles Meher.

Naushad notices that she has turned polite. She isn't angry on his asking about her family. This brings a smile on Naushad's face. Meher smiles too, looking towards him.

Getting a little serious, Naushad apologizes,

"I am sorry Dr. Meher!"

His sudden apology takes Meher by surprise.

"Aap sorry kyun keh rahe hai Dr. Rizvi?",

asks Meher, confused.

So much she has gone through since morning that for a moment she couldn't grab the reason for his apology.

"Mere kal ke bartaw ke liye!",

he says, feeling guilty, bending forward, resting his hands on his desk, such that his fingers are intertwined.

His words touch her heart!

She realizes that he is deeply sorry.

Knitting her brows, smiling sadly, she bends forward too and places her hand on his hand, looking at him. Her sudden resting her hand on his, skips the heartbeat of both Naushad's and Meher's alike.

(Naushad-Meher's background tune begins)

In the process, as she bends forth again with a jerk, she yet again gets reminded of her back pain. She purses her lips to control her hiss and shuts her eyes tightly. This happens so quickly that she doesn't get time to hide it from him.

"Dr. Mirza kya hua?",

he asks immediately, after feeling her hand on his. He gets tensed with in fraction of seconds of feeling elated, placing his other hand on her hand.

"Nahi... nahi nothing Dr. Rizvi. I... I am fine",

she tries to assure him, gaining back her equilibrium and plastering a smile on her face.

Naushad clutches her hand, staring her throughout. Anger surges through him afresh.

Meher feels the pressure on her hand, looking towards their hands, she looks towards him, surprised.

Plastering a smile on her face, she says,

"Ahmm... I guess mujhe ab chalna chahiye. Waise bhi apke class ka bhi time ho raha hai!"

Naushad doesn't reply and keeps staring her, his brows knit.

Meher with her eyes gestures him to set her hand free.

Realizing that he has been holding her hand, Naushad sets it free immediately.

Meher smiles awkwardly. Naushad lowers his eyes too, feeling guilty.

Nervously, Meher stands up. Thankfully it doesn't hurt her. Giving him a nervous smile that he doesn't reciprocate, as his mind gets clouded with the thought that she is keeping something from him, he just stares her, his brows knitted lightly. Giving him a last look, she leaves.

Sitting on his chair Naushad witnesses the change in her walking pattern.

~*~*~

As she walks a little away from his cabin, her phone rings. The number flashing on her mobile screen drains the blood out of her face yet again.

Nervously, she receives the call.

"Hello",

she says, with no tone of excitement on getting called up by the caller.

She gets a reply from the caller.

"Sochna bhi mat! Kal jo tumne mere saath kiya...",

and she ends up crying. The situation she just handled in Naushad's cabin was more than enough to break her down and now this call! Unable to control her emotions even till she reaches the washroom, she bursts out into tears.

She gets a reply. Anger surges through her afresh.

"What do you mean leave le leti?",

she scolds the caller. Her heartbeat picks up pace out of anger.

"Tumhara aur mera rishta ab khatam ho gaya hai. Khuda ke liye mujhe phone karna band karo! Tum mujhse akhri baar milna chahte the na mil liye hum akhri baar. Ab tum mere barey mein sochna bhi mat. Tumhari gandi nazar kal....",

she trails off, feeling disgusted and cries more. She covers her mouth with her duppatta to keep her sobs soundless.

"Please mera peecha chor do... tumhara mujhe waise dekhna....",

she shuts her eyes tight and cries more, enduring the flashes of his that's coming in front of her eyes.

She gets a reply!

"Nahi... nahi... meri baat....",

she says, frustrated.

But before she could continue further she hears the sound of beep. The call has been ended without even caring to listen to her reply properly! That leaves Meher frustrated.

Having ended the call, she looks heavenwards, crying silently.

Looking straight, she calms herself down. She knows she will have to face her boss - Dr. Naushad Rizvi again anytime soon. And she knows he is too quick and accurate to read her! She needs to plaster a smile on her face again.

Gaining back her equilibrium, she last time turns to look towards Dr. Naushad's cabin. And what she discovers, drains the blood out of her face!

Standing at the entrance of his room, he stares her, his brows knitted together. His that angry glare makes her to go weak on her knees. How she is managing to stand, only she knows. Finding him standing there, takes away all her strength. She shivers as cold air hit her.

He doesn't ask her anything. Glaring her throughout, he walks to her. Meher stares him dumbstruck!

"Mohobbat jab humari takat ki jagah humari kamzori bann jaye, usse tod dene mein hi samajhdari hai!",

he says, staring her throughout.

"Aisi... aisi koi baat nahi hai!",

says Meher, lowering her eyes.

"Aur jo baat hai, aap mujhe batana munasib nahi samjhtin!",

he taunts her.

Meher looks towards him. He stares back, challenging her to tell him!

After fighting her dilemma for some moments, she finally comes to a decision and says,

"Main batati hun!"

Naushad's heart skips a bit - finally she is ready!