As far as what Annika wanted to tell Shivaay, we'll know in a couple of chapters when Shivaay gets to know. Thank you and sorry baghadbillaXpannika and annayraa_:) I'll definitely update the next part sooner.

Please VOTE.

It was almost mid night when Annika finished her call with Professor Burke. Their project was almost over and they were now looking at the legal procedures. It took a toll on her completely and she was exhausted. She remembered as she took the stairs to her room that she had promised Rudra she would sit with him when she was free. He had asked her to keep the business model he had to herself as he wanted to perfect it before pitching it to the rest of the family. She was elated when she learnt that he was stepping up, finally. Her eyes were groggy but she straightened herself. She had told him she'd be there and hence everything else came only next. She slapped her cheeks lightly a few times and headed to his room instead.

"This is brilliant, Rudy," She said after he had finished. "Could you mail it over to me? Only some refinements here and there are required. I'll send it over by afternoon tomorrow?" Rudra's face gleamed and he nodded. She patted his head, "I'm really proud of you." They turned when they heard someone clear their throat.

"It's 1 am. You told me you have an early meeting tomorrow, Annika. You could talk to Rudra any other time." Shivaay shot a disapproving look at Rudra and looked back at her, eyebrows furrowed. Annika sighed and said a good night to Rudra, who immediately muttered a sorry for keeping her up. She smiled at him and left to the room, wondering where Shivaay had disappeared.

He came back with a hot water bag while she was already on the bed. He placed it over her legs and slid in the bed next to her. "You look really tired now. Are you sure you want me to wake you up at six?" He asked her concerned at she placed a small kiss on his cheeks.

"Yes. I promised Badi ma I'll help her set up the temple tomorrow. I'll have to go there soon if I need to get to the meeting on time," She said as she snuggled into his arms. He caressed her hair as he watched her fall asleep. It might have been a few months of marriage, but he had just realized one thing about his wife. If anyone needed her for anything, no matter how trivial it was, she was there.

She was always there.

She stirred in her sleep and wrapped her arms around his neck. She was almost on him and he was able to physically feel her relax. Sighing, he fastened his arms around her and drifted into slumber.

"Di didn't pick her phone, again. Are you sure she said she'll join us, Jiju?" Gauri asked Shivaay as she cut her call. Shivaay nodded and took his phone to call Natasha.

"Hello Natasha. How are you? Has Annika left? Hmm... Oh... Okay, thanks." He looked at the others and shook his head, "She said Anni left over an hour ago. She should be here by now. Maybe I'll try her work number?"

"I already tried, Shivaay. I'm sure she's on her way," Mallika said as she sat back down. It had been a while since everybody had hung out, last being the wedding. After Priyanka had started interning at Mallika's firm, they had planned on catching up at the Oberoi Mansion. Half hour had passed and Shivaay was getting worried. Annika always had the tendency to not check up on calls unless she had her phone in her hand and he had known it from the moment he had met her. But she hadn't gotten her 8 hours of sleep for a few days now and he had a hunch she was going to get a migraine, yet again. He just wanted her to drive back safely and he decided he would cancel his video conference that was scheduled in an hour if she wasn't back then. But as if balming his woe, she walked in with her evergreen smile, quite contrary to the face that Shivaay had. One look at him, she immediately fished out her phone from her bag. Looking at the missed calls, she gave an apologetic look to everyone else.

"I started as planned but then Daksh had texted..." She started saying when Shivaay interrupted,

"DAKSH?"

Annika and the rest of them at the den looked at him quite startled. Well, no one expected him to react that strongly. "Daksh called and you just went off to see him?"

"Lower your tone, Shivaay." Annika's eyebrows scrunched lightly. Daksh might be a sensitive topic, but this man had to learn how to let people finish what they were saying.

"I don't care about the tone. I was here sick worried and you come here and tell me that Daksh called. While you are everyone's girl Friday, didn't it cross your mind people might want to know about your whereabouts? What is so IMPORTANT about Daksh that you couldn't call?" Shivaay did not even attempt to lower his voice and Annika was getting angry by the second. She looked around twice and saw the rest of them look at those two awkwardly.

"It WAS important," Annika spoke through her teeth, "That is why I went. I thought I would tell you..."

"Oh, you thought? Thank you for thinking..."

"I will finish when you do. Go on..." Annika glared at Shivaay and he glared back at her.

"Daksh is getting married?" Mallika exclaimed and Shivaay's expression immediately changed. Annika raised eyebrows and gave him a sharp look as she nodded.

"He called me in, spoke about this. He's getting married to Ragini Malhotra. That's right. They apparently met at our engagement. Daksh wanted to tell me in person. Kind of like a closure thing. That is why I wasn't picking any calls." Annika did not wait for what Shivaay had to say. She immediately went and sat with the rest of them, not giving Shivaay to speak a word.

"We could watch a movie?" Rudra broke the silence hoping that the awkwardness would leave the room.

Instead, Shivaay did. He muttered he had to make a call and he left. Annika stated that needed to go her office soon and she'd preferred if they talked. She kept shooting daggers at the direction Shivaay had gone.

"Hon, he was really worried. Go easy on him, okay?" Mallika said softly. Annika simply nodded. She knew it was her fault and he did have the right to get worried and angry, but he shouldn't have gone screaming at her like that without letting her explain, that too in front of everyone. And his tone... it really infuriated her. She somehow got the others into talking and Shivaay joined them after a few minutes. Gauri started telling them about a funny guy at work while Omkara kept adding after every sentence of hers that it wasn't that funny. While Annika straightened up to add some fuel to Om's jealousy, her phone pinged.

Shivaay: Can we talk?

Annika: Not now. Later. I have a meeting with Oxford.

Shivaay: When will it get over?

Annika: Don't know. Will be late. Going to the office.

Shivaay: You can use my study here?

Annika: It's okay. I left my laptop there.

Shivaay mentally smacked himself. He somehow managed to upset her by not thinking twice, again. He remembered how she'd gotten when he had misunderstood her conversation with Sushant previously. He also remembered her conversation with Daksh on the day of their engagement which had made him feel like he was getting between something, albeit Annika had made it very clear she had no such intention or feeling towards Daksh.

He sighed.

He needed to do some damage control and he didn't know what. Sometimes, it felt like he couldn't figure out what was on her mind. He had come to notice how Annika would suddenly close up and immerse herself with work; almost like she was escaping through it. That is something Shivaay resonated with her. He decided he'd wait up and talk to her once she was back. He was definitely mad at her. But they were reasonable people. They'd sit down, talk and sort it out like they always did. When it was time, Annika bid everyone goodbye. When she came to Shivaay, she pecked his cheek quickly and left from there wordless. Shivaay almost smiled. He ignored the confused looks he got from the others and retired to study.

Annika did not intend to burn the midnight's oil another day. She almost went to Swasti as she knew she needed to rest but decided against it because she knew Shivaay was waiting up. Recalling the incidents from earlier in the day, she was parts guilty and parts angry. She did her best not to stomp through to the house and was quite surprised to see Shivaay sitting in the living room with his tab. When he saw her, he immediately got up and the two of them silently went up the stairs.

Annika stared at Shivaay, waiting for him to say something. Shivaay, however, gave her the same look. They stood opposite to each other and the room was completely silent, making the breaths they took reverberate like drums playing on a parade.

"You should..." They said at the same time. Shivaay gestured her to go on and she pressed her lips before speaking.

"You were upset, fine. But what exactly made you think you could scream at me that way in front of everyone?" She crossed her arms as she glared at him and she could see his nose flare.

"You have two damn phones, for heaven sakes. You could have called or even texted. But, no. You'd only do as you please and I can't even get worried?" Shivaay asked her, slowly raising his voice.

"You could have asked this then instead. What was that accusation?" Annika shot back.

"I NEVER ACCUSED ANYTHING!"

"OH, SO I WAS IMAGINING IT?"

"Of course, half the things are in your HEAD!"

"You know what? I don't want to talk to you."

"Fine."

"FINE."

"FINE."

They turned their back at each other and the two closed their eyes, exasperated. A few seconds later, Annika tugged his hand. Shivaay immediately grabbed her in an urgent kiss, pouring out all his frustration. He held her face as kissed her in a frenetic pace. Annika had undone his buttons when he had gone biting the nape of her neck as his hands made their way under her shirt where he fondled her till she moaned loudly. In a swift motion, he discarded his shirt while she got rid of hers. Standing in the middle of their room, they did not care where their clothes went. He pulled her to him and took her mouth in his again, while she dug her nails into his chest. The tension between them translated itself into a hurried passion. Their lovemaking got fervent by the minute that the thoughts that went around in their head seemed to leave them.

"Billu Ji, you are better when you're angry," Annika said as she placed her head on his chest.

"I am offended. I break my limbs trying out things and this you like?" Shivaay pretended to be hurt and she chuckled. After a few moments of silence, he sat up. "Let's talk."

"I'm sorry. I will have my phone on me all the time. I should have called you. You have absolutely all the right to be upset," Annika said as Shivaay cupped her cheeks. Her eyes were welling up a little.

"I should learn to be more patient. Honey, I'm sorry as well. I need to handle this better. I... It's just that..." Shivaay's voice trailed off and Annika took him into a hug.

"It's okay. I understand," She said and he placed a feathery kiss on her forehead. Not wanting to fall back into silence, Annika continued. "Rudra and Bhavya broke up by the way..."

"When were they dating?" He asked her, confused. He was sure he would remember something like that.

"They weren't. But they were supposed to. They didn't. Ugh..." Annika shook her head and Shivaay had to roll his eyes on that. "They weren't talking today. He's dull. Gauri said she is dull. I think they like each other."

"I think we need to sleep," Saying this Shivaay pulled her into their bed and played with her hair for a while until a realization hit him. "Shit, I forgot protection!" He sat up and looked at her with panic stricken face. "Is it fine? We hadn't discussed..."

"I have an emergency pill I can take and my period just got over. The chances are very slim. I'll take it?" Annika asked Shivaay while she looked at him intently. She was in no hurry to have kids and Shivaay nodded in affirmative. Annika took out the pill and hesitated for a minute before taking it. Somethings had to be done and dealt with.