"Ms. Vadehra, we'll be leaving for the airport in one hour. Pack whatever you think you'll need for Kiana and yourself. I'll meet you both in CO Sir's office." says Major Ved, standing on the door of my quarter.

We're leaving for Delhi today. All the formalities are over now, and the remaining few, the ones for Kiana's adoption will be completed in Delhi only, after interacting with my family and inquiring about my financial status.

"Okay, Major," I reply. He nods and rushes away, as if, if he stays here for even a second more something might happen to him.

Seriously, I don't get what has suddenly gone wrong between us. Till the time I haven't talked to my family, everything was fine. But after talking to them, or more specifically, after Major Ved came to know about my engagement with Samay, he's been giving me a cold shoulder. He interacts with me only if there's any crucial new development in the racket case or if it's about Kiana's adoption procedure.

But even then he acts very formal, not even addressing me with my first name. Rather, he's sticking to 'Ma'am' or my surname. It's slightly disturbing for me, for at least he's someone I've been acquainted to at least at some phase of my life, unlike others whom I have never met before. Though that's different, that the last time I met Major Ved was when I was 13.

"Mum," Kiana calls me. I smile and walk up to her. She immediately stretches her arms for me. Well, she loves being in my arms; I love cradling her. My little angel. Nothing else matters to me, when my Kiana is with me, not even Major Ved's aloofness.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Ms. Anushi." says Col Bakshi, smiling for the first time. "With your fortitude and grit, you have not only saved yours and Kiana's but 100 more lives, which itself is commendable. We're glad people like you still exist in this world."

"Thank you, Colonel Bakshi. But I do think more than me, it's you and your unit, who should be applauded along with the Police force, for saving the girls and bursting the human trafficking racket. And also for keeping me safe here for last so many days. Thank you so much!" I say gratefully, smiling. It's true, if I am being praised for my bravery for running away from those inhumane vultures, then the army and police, too, deserves appreciation for the help they've provided me and all the other girls.

"Well, thank you, Ms. Vadehra. We'll always be glad to be of some help for our fellow citizens. Please feel free to contact us in future if you ever need any help." Colonel Sahil smiles. Then turning to Major Ved, he adds, "Major Ved, make sure Ms. Vadehra reaches her home safely. And while you're in Delhi, do check on Ms. Vadehra and Kiana, if they need any help from us or if any legal problem persists because of the case. Is that clear, Major Ved?"

"Yes, Sir!" Major Ved answers.

"Okay then, you guys should get going. The airport is almost 25 km away, you guy should start your journey now to reach on time." Colonel Sahil suggests, checking his wrist watch.

Major Ved nods and gestures me to move towards the army gypsy. I bid bye to everyone, Capt Sarthak and Capt Ritvik animatedly bid bye to Kiana, who waves her hands and speaks goodbye in her own language. Lt Jay turns slightly teary and whispers his goodbye to Kiana. Others too join in and give Kiana a heartfelt farewell; this little kid has made a place for herself in everyone's heart in this very short span of time.

After the farewell, we set off for the journey to the airport. The ride goes silently, with only Kiana cooing every now and then to attract my or Major Ved's attention or just playing with her own self. This at least lessens the awkwardness between me and Major Ved, or that's how I feel.

We reach the airport soon, where a Police team is already waiting for us. We get our boarding passes, after Major Ved clears the misconceived belief of the airport official about us being a couple and Kiana, our daughter. But nevertheless, the look on Major Ved's face when the airport official addressed Kiana and I as his family, was something worthwhile. It made my heart flutter, slightly.

Three hours later, we step out of the Delhi airport. Being back here makes me very ecstatic, I'm in my home now. Just some minutes away from my family.

A team of Delhi Police welcomes us, already informed of our arrival. I am to get dropped to my home by a team of police and Major Ved, who's here for his annual holidays.

We ride home in the car that came to pick Major Ved, while the police team follows behind us. Never having traveled with such tight security, I feel kinda funny. Not in a bad sense, it's just new for me.

"Go ahead, Ms. Vadehra," Major Ved gestures me to walk towards my house. We have just reached my home, the police force is waiting for me to walk inside before they can leave.

I exhale and take baby steps towards the main door of my house. Kiana's peacefully sleeping in my arms, I'm trying not to wake her up with my shivering. It sounds strange, but I'm nervous to meet my family, after what I've been through. Though, I've told my parents what has happened with me, but I'm still fearing their reaction, the one on seeing me after a little over a fortnight. And that too, I'm showing up with a baby in my arms, who'll be their granddaughter soon.

I press the doorbell, twice out of habit. Holding my breath, I wait for the door to get answered. Major Ved too, is waiting with batted eyes, holding the clay pot with Ritika's ashes which are to be scattered in the holy river Ganga.

The anticipation of finally meeting my family, seems too consuming and potent now.
And it happens, the door gets answered. It's my mother, who answers the door. At first, she doesn't notice it's who, but when she does, her eyes go wide in shock and immediately she takes me in a hug, oblivious to the baby in my arms.

"Anushi," my mother cries, holding onto me as if her life depends on me. Well, I missed her too, more than anything. I'm home now, in my mother's embrace, the safest place for any child.

"Mo--" I cry but stop as Kiana starts making some noise, stirring from her peaceful sleep. While enjoying my mother's warmth, I completely forgot that Kiana's getting crushed between the two of us.

"She's Kiana, right, Anu?" my mother asks, seeing me rub Kiana's back to make her fall back to sleep.

"My daughter, I'm adopting her." I answer firmly, turning once to see Major Ved's face, who's still standing behind me. I don't know why, but his mere presence is making me feel even stronger and firmer in my stance.

Not unexpected, my mother gasps loudly, freezing for a moment. I stand quietly, giving her time to recover. She does eventually recover, but then does the unexpected.

"She's the cutest baby I've ever seen in my life; my granddaughter." my mother coos, caressing Kiana's cheeks, who stirs slightly once, but again goes back to sleep.

I stare at my mother, gobsmacked. This is surely surprising, I never expected this positive response from my mother. And maybe that's why I become speechless for a moment.

"I know what you are thinking, Baby, but you're forgetting that I'm your mother and I understand you more than you understand your own self. Though, you didn't tell me about your decision to adopt Kiana, from the way you spoke about her, addressing her as 'my baby', it's easy to guess what your intention is regarding Kiana." my mum explains, shocking me again.

In this moment, all I can feel for my mother is immense love and respect for understanding and accepting my decision. I feel guilty for thinking so wrongly about my parents. But then, it's shortlived as my mother welcomes me inside with Kiana and Major Ved, who seems uneasy.

My father and brother are already seated in the living area, and give me a warm welcome. They greet Major Ved as well, who's becoming even more awkward and uncomfortable but tries not to show his discomfort with the continual thanking and blessing from my parents.

Not just him, but my parents continually praise me for being a courageous woman and for my noble decision of adopting Kiana. They now feel it's the best decision I can take for a baby, whose mother is the reason why I'm here, reunited with my family. They feel by giving Kiana a family, I'll be in a sense paying tribute to Ritika, for her sacrifice, though in a very small manner as my debts can never be compensated. But I know there's another reason for this sudden acceptance of my decision by my parents: the fear of losing me they have experienced, has only made them accept my wishes as they don't wish to lose me again, by doing anything that'll upset me. Well maybe that's how parents are, the happiness of their child always predominates their decision. Maybe I'll be like this too in future.

"Thank God, you're finally back, Anu!" dramatically exclaims Samay, barging in the living area of my home. From what I've come to know, he's not yet aware of my ordeals. All he knows is only that I was staying in an army unit for past some days.

From the corner of my eyes, I watch Major Ved shift uncomfortably in his place after seeing Samay. Does he has any personal issue with Samay? Or he has issues with him because he's my fiancé? I can't decide that.

"Oh, hi, Samay," I wish him by standing up, but he pulls me in an unexpected hug. I don't like it at all, and nor do Major Ved, who seems grumpy again.

"I should take your leave now, Sir," says Major Ved to my father, while Samay's still hugging me.

My father nods and Major Ved gets up to leave. He glances once at me and Kiana, who's sitting in the pram my mother have already bought for her, playing with a stuffed bear. Without saying anything more, he hurriedly walks out, with my father and brother accompanying him to see him off.

"Samay, let me go please, I have to bid Major Ved bye," I tell Samay irritably, pushing him aside lightly. He starts to grumble something, but I don't listen to it. Rather, I pick Kiana in my arms, and rush out to see Major Ved settling inside his car. He hasn't noticed me yet.

"Major Ved," I call out to him. Major Ved, along my father and brother notices me. Kiana coos for him, too.

I walk upto his car, but then stand uneasily in silence. I don't wish to talk to him in my family's presence, but I don't know how to convey it to them.

Luckily, my brother understands my hesitation, and he and my father go back inside, leaving me and Major Ved alone.

"Veve vee," Kiana coos, wriggling in my arms for Major Ved's attention.

I look down at her and then at Major Ved, he hesitates, but embraces and cradles her. Kiana giggles and continues to coo, cheerful after her nap.

"Can't you stay for some more time? At least have lunch with my family. Why are you in so much hurry? Let me thank you properly for whatever you've done for me and Kiana." I say quietly, looking at him. He stares at me for a moment, but doesn't reply. He's giving me a cold shoulder again! But I have enough now!

"What's wrong with you, Major Ved? Why are you behaving so coldly with me? I've been noticing for past few days and you've been clearly avoiding me for God knows what reason! What has suddenly gone bitter between the two of us that you're avoiding me?" I ask, no, actually cry. I can feel my cheeks getting wetter with the furious tears that are rushing down my eyes. His silence is seriously affecting me!

"What do you mean by that? There was nothing between us in the first place that could've gone wrong. So I don't know what you're saying," he shrugs his shoulders, paying his undivided attention to Kiana, as if I'm not there.

"Fine!" I say, forcefully taking my Kiana back from him. If he doesn't think anything's wrong, then I won't probe him more and surely won't waste my time on this ignorant man!

"What are you doing, Ms. Vadehra? Can't you see she's crying!" he grumbles, glaring at me as Kiana cries loudly.

"She's crying, you can see that, but you can't my tears and the humiliation I'm feeling because of your aloofness." I snap back at him, while rubbing Kiana's back to calm her down.

Major Ved stares at me, an unknown emotion in his eyes. He stays quiet, not speaking a word. I resonate the same silence, though I know I'm sobbing now. As much hurt I feel at this moment because of him, I've never felt even a bit of it all those previous times when someone ignored or insulted me. But he is affecting me in a way no one has ever done, not even my own fiancé.

"I'm no one to you, Ms. Vadehra, just like you're no one to me. You're just a random woman I helped that day in the forest, and whatever I did after that was out of sympathy for you and Kiana, that's it. There's nothing more between us, we aren't even friends that my aloofness or ignorance should affect you." he retorts, his eyes watery too, which appears contradictory to what his words are meaning.

"If there's nothing between us, we're not even friends and whatever you've done is out of sympathy, then I don't think you should stay here for even a minute more. J-Just g-go a-away!" I cry, turning my back to him. For all the help he has provided me with in last 9 days, his behaviour today has ruined it all for the both of us!

He doesn't say anything. But I know he hasn't left yet. I stay with my back to him, Kiana continues to cry. It hurts me to see my baby wail so bitterly; she's clearly very much attached to Major Ved. But I don't want her to feel the same withdrawnness that I'm feeling right now because of Major Ved Sahni.

"Goodbye, Kiana ... and Ms. Vadehra," I hear him say, before closing the door of his car, misery ruling his voice. Few seconds later, the car zooms away from the main entrance of my house, while I still stand where I was standing before he left.

As the sound of the car fades, I feel my heart break vaguely because of ... rejection. I don't know since when, but I do feel something for Major Ved. Nor I know what it really is, but it's a strong emotion, which is why I'm getting so badly affected by his coldness. I'm not even sure why I feel this way for him. Is it because of the fact he showed faith in me that night when none of his teammates were sure of my innocence, or because the way he took care of me and my Kiana while I was in Ooty, I don't know.

But whatever it is, it's unbearable to see him go away like this. I never thought I'd let him go without thanking him and a proper goodbye.

"What were you doing here with him?" questions Samay, standing right in front of me, fuming.

I haven't noticed when he has come out, perhaps I was too engrossed on crying over my feelings for Major Ved. It was too prevailing for me to notice anything else than the grieve of seeing him walk away.

"That's none of your business," I say and start to move inside. But Samay blocks my way.

"Anushi, I'm asking you what were you doing here with that man?" he demands, sounding extremely agitated. Yet it doesn't have any effect on me.

"That's between me and Major Ved, that's his name." I snap, and again I begin to walk towards my house.

But this time, Samay roughly pulls me back, ignoring the fact that I have a baby with me. He twists my free arm and pulls me closer to himself, before demanding me again to tell him about my conversation with Major Ved.

"I don't wish to tell you anything, Samay. Let me go!" I say with gritted teeth. He's crossing his limits now. I can take his self centredness but not his manhandling.

"Unless you don't tell me what you were doing here with that shit of a man, I won't let you go!" he snarls, tightening his grip on my arms. Kiana again starts crying, which irks him. "Just shut this stupid baby up!"

"But I think it's you who should shut the hell up!" I retort vehemently. I already am agonised after my fight with Major Ved, and now this Samay is only worsening the situation for me.

"Anushi, is this how you talk to your to-be husband? Is that what you've learnt from those filthy people you have stayed with over last some days?" Samay grouses, still holding me and glaring.

But I can't take this anymore. And so, with all my might I jerk his hands off my arms. He stumbles a little but balances himself, staring at me with anger.

"How dar--" he starts to shout at me, but I show him my middle finger and walk off from there. I'm not gonna waste even a second more on this shitty man!

He doesn't try to stop me again, enough scene has been created after our blown out of proportion showdown. Once I stride back inside my house, I hear a car roar to life and soon its sound fades away, Samay must have left now. Well that's something to celebrate!

"What happened, baby? What took you so long and where's Samay?" my mother showers me with all these questions as soon as she sees me.

"Nothing, Mom. We were just talking then Samay received a call from work. There's an emergency so he had to leave." I lie through my teeth, sounding very convincing. "Anyway, I'm extremely tired, Mom, and even sleepy too. So let me take rest now."

"Sure," my mother answers, and I head for my room with Kiana.

The comfort of my fluffy bed soon makes me forget about Samay and my fight with him. But what my mind refuses to let go is Major Ved and the ugly spat I had with him. Major Ved continues to dominate my thoughts, despite me not wanting to think about him.

So, I pull Kiana in a hug and lie down on the bed with her, hoping Kiana's presence would make me forget about Major Ved. But it doesn't, as my mind replays all the moments that Kiana and I had with him. Not only it makes a warm feeling engulf me, but also makes me feel forlorn. What has Major Ved done to me?

A/N: Heya, guys! Okay, first of all I'm very sorry for not updating in last 4-5 days. Was stuck with some stuff and also because I wasn't sure how to show the conflicts in this chapter. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed it.

Do vote and comment! :)