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Haseena was sitting on the bench outside tea stall situated two streets away from MPT, still dressed in civilian clothes, hands tied in front of her along with swollen eyes while long forgotten cup of tea was placed beside her. Staring aimlessly in front of her, she was trying hard to think of anything that would help her making up with her team. However more she was thinking on it more she was finding herself in a blind alley. Paying the money to the vendor, she settled in her Jeep and drove away, leaving untouched cup there only.

Cheetah and Santu had some work in headquarter, completing which they were leaving passing by DSP's cabin. Just then a familiar voice reached their ears, compelling them to stop and listen.

Inside DSP's cabin, sitting in front of him in uniform, Haseena was putting an unexpected request and trying hard not to cry in front of him, "Sir, I...I think I...I...no longer deserve to be an S.H.O.....i...i want you to please demote me and make Karishma S.H.O of MPT." Hearing her words, all three are equally shocked.

"Ms. Malik, what are you saying?....and...what made you think that you do not deserve to be an S.H.O....why are you sounding so low?" He asked unable to know how to react on this strange request.
"Sir, I have always seen utmost respect in my team's eyes for myself and now  my deeds not only made me lose that but also told me that I no longer deserve the post. Please sir...." She added with a pleading tone.

"Ms. Malik if you are talking about that IB case and your disguise as Urmilla in front of your team then I am well aware of everything and it might appeared wrong on personal front but professionally you did nothing wrong in fact you had recently saved the country by exposing and arresting that Bakhshi and for that you should be awarded not punished. However if your terms with MPT are not right and their behaviour is hindering your duty then I can transfer you wherever you want." Hearing his words, she took a deep sigh and added, "I wish...I wish I could go from here however I....I am bound by a promise.....I can't leave MPT... Not until he returns." Her voice choked and she paused to control herself. Her condition  made cheetah and Santosh's eyes wet, glancing at each other something transpired between them. While inside, "anyways, thank you for your time sir," Haseena added with shivering voice, saluted and left his cabin.

Coming out of head quarter building, she sat on the bench in it's greens extremely disappointed, "Anubhav why you bound me in this promise....I don't know how to enter there and see their painful faces....neither I can go away from them nor I can stay in front of them to give them and myself the pain.... I am even unable to do my duty." She mumbled dejectedly giving her head in her hands while tears made their way down to her cheeks.
Just then she felt two hands on her both shoulders, "you both?" Haseena asked startled, stood up and instantly wiped her tears turning her face away.

"There is no need to hide your tears from us madam sir!!" Cheetah added causing her to face them. Santosh held her through her hands and made her sit on the same bench. Squatting in front of her, she wiped her tears, held her both hands, kissed them. Her gesture  felt like ray of light in darkness to her at that moment and fresh set of tears welled up in her eyes.

As she read her expressions she got shocked and  looked up towards standing cheetah for conformation, "we are no more angry or upset with you," he added with  peaceful expressions on his face looking straight in her eyes.

"Really?....I...I mean...I ..you ...I mean....how..." She could hardly make a phrase and then burst out crying, descending down on the ground on her knees....."I....I am sorry.....I....am sorry...!!" She was mumbling and crying more harder. Cheetah too sat down near her and both hugged her from both sides trying to calm her down, "it's okay di....please....please " Santu tried letting her own tears to flow too but it seems today nothing could console her.

"We....we are sorry di....we shouldn't have made you feel so bad about yourself..... Your only intention was to protect the country at any cost..... How it turned out was just a mistake..... Please di.... Stop crying..." Santu added crying herself too. "Santu ji is right.....we ... we were two harsh with you.... Sorry di.... " Cheetah too added rubbing her arm protectively with his wet eyes.

Shaking her head frantically, haseena stuttered with her red eyes, " no.... You.... You were not at fault....I.  I...deserve that only..... I... I am sorry.. I am sorry for hurting you so badly." She held her ears however both of them removed her hands and once again hugged her letting her release some of her guilt and pain through her tears.

Cheetah and Santosh's forgiveness did contribute towards Haseena's strength a little however still it wasn't enough to enable her to enter MPT again so, she busied herself in field duties. Three more days have been passed and in these days both Haseena and Karishma had stopped eating and drinking themselves. They need to be forced to have at least one meal in a day by someone or the other. Though Pushpa ji did not talked to Haseena even once however she used to make sure that not only Karishma but Haseena too have her meal by sending Santosh or Cheetah to her. Cheetah and Santosh was doing there best to not only take care of all but also to convince Pushpa ji and Karishma to forgive Haseena.
On one such day, Haseena was doing field duty at night near Pushpa ji's locality. Her eyes fell on Pushpa ji dressed in civil clothes walking slowly towards medical store. She was at a distance so could not understand anything except that she was walking unusualy slow, "Pushpa ji! What she is doing here??" She mumbled to herself and instinctively took a step ahead. However before she could call out to her she saw Pushpa ji rubbing her forehead with her closed eyes while crossing the road and from other side an over speeding truck was moving towards her. Earth slipped beneath her feet and she screamed "Ammaa!!!" but loud music from a nearby shop suppressed her voice.

She at once ran towards her racing against the fast speeding truck, stepping on a cart she jumped forward attempting to save her mother and just before truck could hit her she landed and pulled her towards herself, rescuing her in nick of time. Pushpa ji was breathing heavily being utterly shocked at  such a close escape, " are you alright?? Amma...wait sit here," she made her sit on a nearby platform and ran to a near by store.

"Have some water!!" She forwarded her the bottle and herself started wiping sweat bands from Pushpa ji's forehead with her shivering hands, "what were you doing at the middle of the busy road, Amma......how can you be so careless.....have you got hurt somewhere.....what were you doing here at this hour....if you needed something you could have called me .....what if I couldn't save you in time...Amma, .have you any idea what would have happened to me....." She paused and locked her eyes with Pushpa ji's staring gaze, tears which she was holding back descended down from her eyes and she changed her statement, "I...I...I mean to Karishma..." Turning to other side, she tried wiping her tears and said realizing that she had lost that right on her "I....I sorry....I should not have ......Le....let me call Karishma.....she....she will come..."
As she was about to dial her number, Pushpa ji held her hand, her gaze moved from her hand on her wrist to her eyes when she said, "why Karishma? Why can't you.... don't try to back of from facing your deeds....." Haseena was looking at her dumb while Pushpa ji handover a prescription in to her and said walking away, "Get this medicine from that store and drop me back, I am waiting!!" with that she walked passed her and settled in her Jeep. Her Amma had finally excersised her motherly right on her after a long long time, though she talked rudely but she talked, indeed the feeling was overwhelming. An emotional smile lingered on her lips as she was seeing her opening the jeep door.

She finally applied brakes outside Pushpa ji's house after a completely silent journey, her heart was yearning to go inside and make sure that she take her medicine but she couldn't bring herself to seek her permission. Losing her courage, she was about to drive away when she saw medicines on the dashboard only, a smile crept up her lips, "I know you left it here intentionally...."

Few minutes later, Pushpa ji was lying on her bed facing her back towards Haseena who was sitting beside her on stool, massaging her legs and shedding tears along with frequent sobs, "Please....Amma...." "I do not want to hear Amma from you.....so stop it and....stop crying you are irritating me..." Pushpa ji added very rudely but without turning towards her and wiped the tear with the pillow beneath her face without letting her know that she is crying herself. Haseena at once wiped her tears and closed her mouth by putting her arm on her lips to stop her sobs. Pushpa ji's words were hitting  harshly than arrows not only to Haseena but to Pushpa ji as well.

"A daughter's heart had never doubted her mother Pushpa ji..... it's.... it's just that S.H.O's brain had mislead her.....please....please I beg you to forgive me.....give me any other punishment but please don't stop talking to me, please don't be angry on me, please don't turn your back on me.....it is killing me.....please!!!" She begged her, put her head on her feet and burst into hysteric cries.

Pushpa ji's heart clenched in her chest seeing her condition, sitting up she lovingly careassed her head with her soft motherly touch while her own eyes were telling the tale of her continuous cries. Bending forward she kissed her head and pulled it from her feet to her lap causing a hike in her wailing. She kept on patting her lovingly letting her vent out some of her pent up emotions.

Haseena was snuggling more and more into Pushpa ji, crying more and more hardly. "I know you need me....the strong S.H.O Haseena Malik does not have that much strength that she could bear to see her Karishma 's pain because of herself.......only you both can heal each other, I wish you allow the other person.....Karishma should allow Haseena to releive her pain while Haseena should allow Karishma to free her from this guilt......Please God help my daughters...." Pushpa ji silently prayed with wet eyes while careassing Haseena's hairs.

To be continued .......