Aaina actually didn't know what she was expecting the child to be like? As a lawyer, she had seen many such cases in her short career and generally in such cases at the end they were dealing with just bodies. Not breathing, surviving humans. The pictures, the clues, the evidences and everything related to such cases can be successfully defined in a single term being "Gruesome"and she really-really didn't want to imagine the pictures stuck in the case files on a 3-year-old child.

But she knew better than being optimistic about the situation. Breathing doesn't generally imply living and God, what will she give to be back in Rishikesh away from the darkness, away from reality, away from pain and evilness. Just she and her family, the people who love her and know her. What will she give to be an innocent child again? Who thought of the world in shades of black and white? People are evil and good. Evil are always wrong and good are always right. But life made sure to reeducate her thoroughly. Incidences change people. It changed her too. A business studies student opting law and getting drowned in a world of crime, criminals, manipulation, treachery, betrayal, greed and lust shattering her illusion of a just world forever.

Reminding her again and again life is a cheese trap and people exclaims "Et tu, Brute" more often than she likes to count. So, she has already mentally prepared herself for meeting the child. The case file of the child and the list of injuries and problems the doctor in-charge of the case listed to her. Didn't do anything to uplift her mood or make a slightly better situation in her mind. It only intensified the dread. God, will that child ever trust any human again?

She thought dejectedly as the nurse led her to the top-notch private ward. She stalled in front of her ward for few minutes, just staring at the small bundle sitting on the too large cot for her, with various wires attached to her, drawing most likely. This wasn't what she had pictured in her mind. The child was all but skin and bones even with the stay of three months in hospital. She didn't want to imagine what the situation was before this? Were all children in that orphanage checked? If one child was in such a bad condition other's could be too and some old children mentioned in their statements the handler seemed specially interested in this child. Why?

What was the reason? Did someone really wanted this child tormented? What kind of human holds grudges against an innocent vulnerable child? "You will know of those kind, won't you" her consciousness seemed to mock her again. Hated by her own mother after all. She dismissed the voice as soon as it took a rise in her mind. Aaina Randhawa knew just two mother figures in her entire life and both of them are dead now but Shivanya's mother is alive, that annoying voice in her head spoke gleefully again. She pushed it in the back of her mind and caged it there. 

She knew the nurse with her was getting impatient but was too afraid of her power and status to say something. Taking a deep breath and making sure her face was emoting warmth and emotions in general. It won't do good if the child got scared away because of her glacier eyes or cold vampire like looks. She pushed open the door and entered the cabin muttering "Let's get over with this,"

The child looked up instantly hearing the sound of door opening and her startling emerald orbs widened spectacularly in fear. She looked rightly terrified of her as she clutched her sheet tightly in her hands looking quite like a deer caught in headlights.

It's going to be a long day, Aaina decided watching the child's reaction. She could understand the child's fear of men after what happened to her. But such a violent reaction watching a women. What sort of people were there in that orphanage? What kind of monsters she had faced so young? Monsters that made her feel terrified of humans in general. 

"Hii, don't worry, I won't harm you ever" Aaina said as warmly and sincerely, showing her both hands to the child in a "I'm harmless" manner. The child seemed still terrified of her but at least she had stopped shaking like a leaf watching her.

"Do you know nurse Poonam?" She asked the child, trying to lessen her fear of her.

The child just nodded at her direction.

"Can I come and sit by you? If you don't mind of course," She asked the child giving her the choice and a semblance of power and security. Gaining her trust was Aaina's main motto now.

The child...Sisira, she corrected in her mind nodded at her direction. Albeit hesitantly. It was a progress in Aaina's mind nonetheless at least she didn't seem totally terrified of her now. Still, she took slow steps towards Sisira taking in her reaction. She sat beside her on the bedside, smiling at the child. Smiles helps children feel at ease, right? She didn't know but at least Sisira was eyeing her curiously now.

"So, I'm Aaina and you're?" She asked the child who continued looking at her with large curious emerald eyes. Getting, Sisira wasn't going to answer her in words. She talked about random things whether she liked it here? Whether she liked nurse Poonam? Will she like to go out? Will she be her friend? Did she like drawing?

Sisira replied nodding in yes or no in her direction. Well, mostly in yes and when it was time for her to go. Sisira even gifted her the odd circles that ought to be flowers that she made and even looked a little sad that Aaina had to go. Aaina took it as a win and promised her that she'll come to visit her again in evening.

"So, she can't speak?" Aaina couldn't help but ask Nurse Poonam outside the child's ward.

"No, she can. she just doesn't want too." The nurse informed her sadly obviously she was attached to the child.

"Oh!!" another thing to work on Aaina decided as she asked another question troubling her to the nurse "Is she not Indian?" The emerald eyes, pale olive skin and fiery red curly hair had thrown her quite off-guard. How come she was in an orphanage here? 

"From the records her mother was from Brooklyn, Indian father. She takes after her mother" the nurse informed her solemnly

"What happened to them?" Aaina was still curious

"Car crash,"

Aaina just nodded at this new information. And left the hospital premises having a little chat with the doctor about Sisira's condition and her phobia of human's again. She ignored the media surrounding the hospital again and asked the driver to take her back home. She needs to check on somethings before contacting Ansh. She can't take any chances with this situation.

Her mind kept on replaying the actions and terror in little Sisira's eyes and god, she really wanted to sue the whole orphanage. Hunt down the last of those people who hurt the child and throw them in a prison to rot for the rest of their lives. How can someone hurt a child? How can someone be so cruel to hurt a child? Monsters. Shakespeare was right "Hell is empty and all the devils are here, parading besides us"

"Won't you know that quite dearly, huh?" Her consciousness mocked her again. Playing an image of her being pushed and locked in her own dark room as masked men dragged Ansh away from her. 

She remembered her head hitting the sharp corner of the table. Bleeding and screaming until she lost her consciousness and waking up to her Papa, Ma, Bapi and Gauri Ma all fussing and worrying over her.

And then suddenly everything changed Ma hated her. But Papa, Papa was with her. Papa knew she was afraid of staying alone. Papa stayed with her. He even took her to the office. Even Bapi stayed with her all the never wandering far from her, taking her to his gallery when Papa couldn't take her to his office.

And...and Omisha, Misha would sleep with her on her bed hugging her tightly knowing the nightmares troubled her. And she didn't want to tell them to the adults. She didn't want to give her Ma another reason to be angry on her. Misha stayed by her side. Even going as far as punching the annoying guy in their UKG class who made fun of her and made her cry. 

How could she forget those days? How could she forget they were the four musketeers than three? Always confiding each other's earth shattering baby worries in each other. They were five and each other's world. Nothing mattered. No other friends were needed. They were each other's shield and then they were separated. And everything changed.

How did they get that distant? How did they change so much? Even during the first holiday of the first class things were okay then what happened?

"Take her away. Don't tell me where she is. I don't want to see her ever," The blazing eyes of her father glared at her. The hospital scene coming live in her mind and suddenly all she could feel was utter despair and heart brokenness. 

What happened then Papa? What changed? You always loved me. You were always there then what happened? Why did you exile me without any reason? Why did you throw me? Why you too papa? Why you too? I could've borne mom hating me for the rest of my life but not you too. Why papa? Why? You loved me, shielded me, helped me promised to catch me every time I fall and then you pushed me yourself? Why? Why did you change? Why? Just why?

She didn't know when had her eyes started raining or why was she reminiscing those incidents now? Why did Sisira made her think as Shivanya or was this because of the file or the childhood trauma? She didn't know. She just knew suddenly there was too much in her plate and no, no matter what she can't think like Shivanya now. The world isn't sunshine and unicorns.

The sudden pinging of her phone made her sigh in relief. she can focus on something now. Pushing the memories, emotions and questions to back of her mind. She checked the message. It was from Savvy. Well, okay no work then but Savvy can be distracting enough.

S: Hello, Who's there, I'm talking.

A: Ghostbusters, Whatya want?

S: I want to get rid of a Siren bloodied witch.

Aaina's eyebrows moved skywards reading this text. Okay, so what's new drama cooking in her besties life?

A: Details then we will decide our course of action.

S: Well, there's an totally ridiculously infuriating witch around me. God that girl is a total bossy, snobbish princess. God forbid, her one hair gets out of place. She won't know fun if it hits her on the face. She is a total stuck up prat. God, I just hate her. I totally do. Rules, rules, rules. God, Vi is our  cap and he doesn't mentions rules as many times as she does.

As Aaina listened to Savvy's long ranting voice note. She couldn't help but feel her lips twitch. Savvy hating a girl. Well, it's like moon revolving around sun. It's the same guy who had a fling with all kind of girls in the whole world. The guy who was okay with any girl who was ready to be him for a short time. The guy who didn't mind girl's cashing on him and using him as long as it suited his player ways. He is saying he hates a girl. Wow.

A: What's the name of this witch? Do we need to play exorcism on you?

S: Not funny at all, Sunshine. Not at all. It's Omisha Oberoi and I'm taking back every compliment, I may have given her knowingly or unknowingly. She is insufferable.

A: holy sugar!!

Savvy hates Omisha. God, She had totally forgotten Agastya had asked Ritisha to accompany them on this tour and Omisha had came along Ritisha. Okay, so what's going on there? She had totally forgotten all about this. The case, Ranvi and Ansh had occupied all her time and thoughts. What to do now? Should she ask Savvy? Naah, she is so going to get biased analysis from him. Still, she should just ask him why he hates Omisha? Wasn't he the one stating she  is hot? What happened now?

For the rest of journey Aaina listened to Savvy's rant in which he mentioned Omisha just about a thousand times in a minute.

________________________________________________________________________________

"So, you're telling me that I'm your twin brother and an Oberoi,"

 Aaina sighed for the hundredth time hearing Ansh repeat the same statement for the hundredth time. The moment she had reached back home, she had gone through her old stuff packed away. Fetched out the pendant an exact copy of the pendant found with Shivansh with Shivanya craved in it instead. Matched the pic of Ansh with her to the pic of Ansh on file. To her utter shock both of them had matched. And then she called Ansh and told him just about everything. Now, he is repeating a single sentence again and again like a broken tape recorder.

"Yes, I'm 90% sure that you're my twin and an Oberoi," She repeated her statement again exhaling deeply. God, this is tiring.

"Because the pics matched and that pendant,"

"Yes, exactly same. Twin pendant"

"and we're twins"

"and we're twins"

"God, Tej Oberoi tried to murder you. I'm might be an Oberoi and You might be my twin sister,"

"Precisely," Aaina said, rolling her eyes at his disgusted shudder while uttering the Oberoi name.

"And you want me to do the DNA test to prove whether we are really twins or this is a hell lot of coincidence and similarities."

"I don't believe in coincidences anymore and yes, I want to be sure," Aaina said rubbing her forehead, feeling an incoming migraine.

"This is the worst thing I ever heard. I might be an Oberoi. you're not joking. There's ninety percent chance. I might be."

Aaina just groaned. She won't repeat her words again.

"You're my twin" Okay, Ansh was having a hard time digesting this news and he was making all this even more head ache inducing for her. God, can't he stop repeating the same line again and again.

"You...I...Oberoi...I might be sick,"

"Shivaansh Reyaan Kundra, Twin or no Twin. I won't back out from murdering you if you just don't stop asking me this again and again," Aaina bellowed finally losing her patience with Ansh. She can't wait for him to regain his composure himself if it's going to take him the whole day.

"Geez woman, no need to be violent" He snarked, God. Why didn't she have sane persons in her life?

"Umm...Inu, You said the assassins shot you just above your head and then after hearing Tej Oberoi's voice on the call. They shot you in the forehead to finish the job but Ranvi and a miracle saved you. Why are you interested in this test then? Don't...Don't you hate the Oberoi's?" Ansh asked her sounding an awkward mixture of worry, concern, anguish and anger.

"I do... I can't explain in words my anger and the betrayal I felt hearing him order the men to send him my dead picture and they will get double the promised amount. I hate, Mr Oberoi. But I don't hate the people that loved me and you know I've listened to my... I mean Mrs. Oberoi telling me my whole life I murdered you. It was my fault. I need an closure too, Ansh. I need it for my own sanity. I need to know it wasn't my fault," Aaina told him softly, trying to hide her own anguish. Under all the simmering anger and hate is an ocean of hurt and gloom.

Her own grandfather. A monster. Life has a sick sense of humor, doesn't it?

"Okay,"

"Okay??" She repeated, not getting what he meant by this okay.

"I'll be in Delhi as soon as possible getting that bloody test done. Closure for both of us, I guess,"

"Yeah," And no, she wasn't smiling. Ansh can be a total sweetheart if he wants too.

"Umm... you said Tej wanted you dead that's why you were hiding weren't you? avoiding parties and social gatherings and all. But now, I posted your pics on my public account, media have your pics, won't you be in danger? Should I ask gramps to provide you Z+ security? I mean they'll try to hurt you, don't they?" Ansh spoke in such a dorky manner that she couldn't help but smile.

And god, this is the reason she loved these boys. After everything she told him. After every kind of change all this can bring in his life. He is worried about her and her security and what his actions guided by her could do to her?

"No, I won't. Who'll dare to hurt Shivansh Kundra's evil twin?" She chuckled.

"Aaina, yrr" he groaned warningly

"yes, don't worry Anshu. Ranvi had it handled and I've spent enough time in shadows. It was time for reappearance anyway," Aaina reassured him, not telling him that if it was upto her. she would have stayed in shadows forever. But, life never gave her that choice.

"Okay fine but you'll tell me if you need help," He asked her unsure

"I'll pester you thoroughly," She promised. She could physically feel him roll his eyes at her.

"Umm...Inu, no one will know right. It's just for closure right," He asked her uncertain and afraid.

"Absolutely...just for us," She reassured

"Just for us," He repeated.

And at the same time like a long-forgotten hymn mischievous childish giggles rang in their minds and soul. For just a second, it disappeared before any of them could really pin-point there finger on the memory or the feelings it ignited in them. But the words seemed clear. The words. The promise.

"Just ours secret"

"Just ours"

~to be continued~

(Hey everyone, imagine her as Sisira please. I couldn't quite find the picture of baby Lily Evans, I was searching. So, here we are.)

Please do vote and comment.

And we will meet again.

with another update quite soon.

The next chapter is titles: Mother's clash.

Take care and byee.