Naina slowly slipped a pillow under Sameer's head. His features were set in a contented softness, giving him a baby face as he slept. Only the dark shadow on his jaw made him look different than a baby. On an impulse, she leaned and kissed him on the chin.

"Bas issi se pyar kar lo tum." He pouted in sleep.

She couldn't help laughing, ruffling his hair before turning to step out of the bed.

His pull was sudden, not giving her a chance to balance... and she landed straight on his chest.

"Sameer... tumhe lagi toh nahi?" She was worried that he might have got hurt by her fall on him.

"Tum mujhe chot thodi pohocha sakti ho." He cupped her face.

"Par lag toh sakti thi na... aise koi kheenchta hai... agar tumhe lagti toh mujhe kaisa lagta socha hai?" She chided him, annoyed now that the worry was gone.

"Subah subah pyar se good morning bolte hain aur tum ho ki mujhe daante ja rahi ho... ek toh pata nahi kab agli subah tumhare saath hogi... upar se..."

His words muffled in her mouth as she captured his lips... stunning him with her fierceness... he could feel her heart thudding against his chest as she shook him with the intensity of her kiss. His hand moved to her hair, tilting the head to change her angle, turning her to the side to kiss her back with the same force... his lips touched the cheek when he moved and the saltiness made him jerk up.

"Naina, tum ro kyon rahi ho?" His heart sank, seeing her tear stained face.

She brought his neck down against her shoulder as fresh tears spilled out, "Sameer, main kal subah tumhare saath nahi hongi."

He felt the lump in his throat too. The day was finally here... the day he had been dreading for so long...

He stroked her hair, "Yeh mushkil din honge, Naina, par inhe jhelna hi padega... socho, agar hum wapas nahi jaayenge toh hamesha ke liye saath kaise honge? Aur tum toh itni himmat wali ho... fir kyon darr rahi ho? Agar tum hi aise karogi toh mera kya hoga?"

She had promised herself the whole night that she wouldn't cry... but a mere mention by him that he wouldn't see her in the mornings anymore made the dam burst.

"Sam... Sameer... tumhe... bohot akela lagega na?" She could not bear the thought of him getting up alone from tomorrow morning.

He squeezed her in his arms, swallowing hard before speaking, "Lagega toh... par mein yeh kehke apne dil ko samjhaunga ki yeh din woh pul(bridge) hain jo tum tak aane ka raasta hain... Naina, manzil tak pohochane ke liye raasta tay karne hi padta hai... kitna bhi pathreela kyon na ho... aur jab main apni manzil ko apni baahon mein lunga toh woh saari mushkilen, woh saari takleefe, woh saare dard... sab bhool jaunga... bas ek baat yaad rahegi... tum, Mrs Maheshwari, ab se apne pati ke paas rahogi... apne ghar mein... hamesha ke liye."

He had managed to show her silver lining to the dark cloud of their coming up days. The thought gave relief to her. The goal would make their struggle worthwhile.

She lifted her head... with her fingers, she started to touch each of his feature... slowly feeling the hair, grazing her thumb over his forehead, lightly touching his eyes as they closed for a moment at her feather touch, rubbing the back of her hand on his rough cheeks to get a raspy sound... her heart skipped several beats... when her eyes reached his lips, she gulped... she would miss the kisses that made her feel beautiful, made her feel alive...

Sameer had been watching her in fascination as she touched his face, trying to preserve each of his feature in her memory... when her gaze got stuck on his lips, his breath quickened.

His hand went into her hair, pulling her face closer.

When their lips met, there was no rush, no urgency... it was a soft, comforting kiss, to soothe each other, to assure each other, to convince themselves, to gain... and to give... strength.

"Jao, tum naha lo... main baad mein taiyar ho jaungi." She said a few minutes later, sitting up.

"Nahi, aaj bhi tumhare baad hi jaunga... tumhari khusbu mein bheegna hai mujhe fir se." He sat up next to her, resting his forehead on her shoulder.

She leaned her head on his, "Theek hai, jaisa tum kaho."

Planting a kiss on his hair, she got up, picked up the clothes she had set aside previous night and went for her bath.

Sameer's eyes followed her till the door closed... then he squeezed his eyes shut, taking deep, shaky breaths to deal with the pain which he didn't want to show her.

It wouldn't be easy... whatever he had told her was to make her feel strong enough to face the ordeal she would be subjected to... he had no one to answer, no one to convince... but she had to deal with an entire family of rigid, conservative, non accepting adults... who considered themselves to be rulers of their childrens' destiny...

He wished they could do it together... but neither she nor chachaji were ready to accept this. He had bowed at their decision... they knew their family better.

He slid off the bed, going to stand at the door of the balcony...

He would miss her... too much... so much that his heart constricted even at the thought of it. Fisting his hand, he thumped over the heart, as if to tell it that it has to go on beating for her till she comes back... comes back to make his beats go haywire again. His eyes turned misty...

Not wanting her to see his wet eyes, he turned, wiping them with the back of his hand as he started to go to the cupboard.

His leg hit the couch... and her suitcase fell... upside down...

He glared at her clothes scattered on the floor.

Last night, he had called out to her while she was setting it and probably that was when she forgot to shut it properly.

He crouched against it and picked up the suitcase, straightening it to put the clothes back.

On top of the pile was a packet  from which two pieces had slipped out... one in light blue, the other in red.

He gaped with open mouth... the strings, the lace, the soft, silky material left no doubt what it was.

Naina had bought nighties...

He moved a shaky hand to touch them... the same satiny feel as the pink one he had bought, sent waves of excitement through him.

He pulled out the red one, marvelling at her choice of colour.

As the stringy piece unfurled in his hands, the door to washroom opened... and she stepped out.

The moment whatever was happening registered in her mind, she froze.

He looked up, holding the piece in his hand, eyes glittering and darkening at the same time.

She bit her lip... and for once, he did not see it, lost in the lace of the fabric in his hand.

"Yeh kab li tumne?" His voice was hoarse.

Naina had gone pale... the one thing she wanted to hide from him was in his hands...

"Tum... tum... mera... samaan... yeh kya kar rahe ho?" She stuttered, in a weak voice.

He was up and next to her in an instant, "Tumne nighty khareedi aur mujhe dikhayi nahi... bataya tak nahi?"

She lowered her eyes, "Woh... woh... main... tumhe..."

His arms went around her so tight, she stopped breathing.

"Oh jaan, ab toh tumne mere liye mushkilen badha di... kaise reh paunga main yeh sochte hue ki tumne pata nahi kya kya surprise chupa rakha hai mere liye." He murmured against her hair.

Her hands slowly went around him... her lost pulse started to race again... the heart found its beat back...

"Main kuch karna chahti thi tumhari khushi ke liye." She whispered against his chest.

"Aur iss khushi ne mujhe pagal kar diya hai... tum kab lekar aayi yeh?" He pulled back, cupping her face.

She lowered her eyes again, "Sonali ke saath shopping pe gayi thi tab."

"Naina... umm... pehen ke nahi dikahogi?" His deep, throaty voice sent chill down her spine.

She looked up in shock, "Nahi Sameer, abhi nahi."

"Tumne pink wali bhi nahi dikhai... yeh toh khud hi laayi ho... jaise trial room ke bahar dikhati ho bas waise?" He peered into her eyes hopefully.

She knew what could happen if she gave in to his demand... she had herself not tried it, nor wanted to... she was cherishing it to wear for him the first time.

"Hamare paas bas do ghante hain nikalne mein... abhi yeh pehni toh tumhe bhi pata hai... matlab, hum kisi aur ke ghar mein hain... Sonali bulane aati hogi." She reasoned.

He cognized with her, nodding in resignation. Turning back, he placed the piece on the couch, picked it up again and kissed it, his eyes on her.

"Jiss din yeh pehnogi, uss din sazaa milegi tumhe mujhse yeh chupane ki." His plain threat sent her each cell in overdrive, making a drop of sweat drip down the side of her face...

He winked, and left her rooted to the spot as the door to washroom closed behind her.

She had put back everything in the suitcase when he came out. Thankfully, he had not seen the package Sonali had gifted her... her face turned beetroot thinking about her gift... she could never imagine herself wearing something like that. She was glad she had packed it back, secured with a cello tape.

She locked the suitcase and turned.

There he stood, staring at her with a tilt of his head, towel around his waist, his bare body glistening with the droplets of water catching the sunlight filling up that part of the room...

Her breath hitched... without a second's hesitation, she crashed against him, her cheek pressed against his heart, hands flat on his back.

"Mere malai ke katore ka dhyaan rakhna... mujhe aisa hi chahiye jab main apne ghar aaungi."

Her words were like music to his ears... showing her earnestness to be with him... to be home...

"Naina, tum bhi apna dhyan rakhna... mere liye... tumhe ek bhi takleef hui toh mujhse bardaasht nahi hoga." He savoured the feel of her closeness.

She looked up at him, "Roz subah tumhari yaad aayegi, aise dekh nahi paungi na tumhe."

He sucked in his lower lip, "Tum kaho toh roz chachaji ke ghar aa jaun nahane."

She gave a shy smile, "Kyon nahi... sab kahenge aao daamaad ji, tumhara hi intezar hai... jaake naha lo."

His eyes shone, "Keh dunga akele kaise jaun... meri Naina ko toh bhejo mere saath."

"Hato." She pushed at his chest, moving out of his hold, colouring at the thought of what he meant.

He held on to her wrist, pulling her back to land on his chest again. Her hand rested on his heart. He covered it with his own.

"Yeh dil har pal tumhare liye hi dhadkega... yeh aankhen har pal tumhe dhondengi... yeh saansein tumhari khusbu ke liye tarsengi... yeh hoth tumhe mehsoos karne ke liye bechain rahenge... yeh haath tumhe choona chahenge... yeh poora ka poora Sameer Maheshwari tumhare intezar mein apni zindagi ko thaam ke darwaze par khada rahega, Naina." His eyes were as intense as were his feelings that he conveyed in words.

"Tumhe darwaze pe intezar nahi karna, jaan, tumhe toh sehra baandh ke aana hai... main intezar karungi tumhara... haath mein varmala leke."

The confidence in her voice, along with the endearment, made the silver lining overshadow the darkness of the clouds it surrounded.