Sometime in the middle of the night, Naina started to feel uncomfortable again... the soreness was back, not extreme but enough to wake her up. She didn't want to disturb Sameer by moving too much. But when the back started hurting badly as the intensity increased, she had to turn to lie on her stomach.

The fidgeting woke him up instantly. Seeing her lying with her head resting on folded arm and rubbing the side of her waist with the fist, he touched the back of her shoulder.

She looked back... eyes hooded with pain.

He placed a hand on her lower back, "Naina, main daba dun?"

A muffled acceptance reached his ears. He started to gently press the center of her lower back, rubbing in between.

"Wahan nahi yahan." She continued to rub the side of her waist.

He saw exactly where and how she was doing... and started to rub in the same manner.

She pressed the other side, resting her head on the other arm.

He held her wrist, lifting her hand away from the waist, and started to do it on both sides.

He could guess the extent of her agony by the way she clenched the bedsheet tightly... the movement of her shoulders depicted the laboured breathing.

"Bas rehne do." She said in almost inaudible voice after about five minutes.

"Theek hua?" He asked in a gentle voice.

She turned and placed her head on his folded leg. He saw the tears streaming down from the sides of her eyes. She brought one fisted hand on front of her and pressed it on her chest, twisting in the center. He was shocked. How was it possible that all parts of her body hurt because of a natural process in the stomach... how could Naina ignore all this... and if she had been experiencing this type of problem every few months, why didn't it occur go her that it cannot be normal... he decided to talk to her about it properly once she was done with it this time. After their talks today, he hoped she wouldn't hesitate to tell him... at least whatever she knew.

Suddenly he realised that she had been going through this all alone for last three years... in hostel, there was no one to take care... only once he had gone... that too just for a few hours. His eyes filled up thinking about how she must have laid awake at nights, writhing in pain, not able to go to the dining hall and missing out on meals, no one to give water to take medicine... no one to comfort her...

"Ab tumhe kabhi akele nahi rehne dunga aise dard mein, Naina." He stroked her hair, swallowing the lump forming in his throat.

"Sameer." Her pain reached him through the voice.

He wanted to scoop her up in his arms... keep her close to his heart... rid her of all the suffering... but was scared of causing more hurt... he didn't know which touch would cause her discomfort.

She continued to clutch and press her waist, moving her hand under the kurta now. Without thinking twice, Sameer followed her hand, applying gentle pressure where her hand fisted. He rubbed her stomach, waist, back...

It was almost half an hour when he felt her breathing getting even.

He checked to see if she had slept. Her eyes were half open.

"Naina, tum theek ho na?" He asked.

She nodded once... and closed her eyes. After a few minutes, when she did not show any movement, he laid her down. Lying next to her, he wrapped his arm around, making her sleep on his shoulder. Soon, he drifted off to sleep as well, relieved at her normal breathing.

Naina stirred when she felt the brightness on her face. Opening her eyes slowly, she found the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. She inhaled deeply... and her breath got stuck, eyes widening at the feeling. She looked down.

Sameer's arm was around her stomach... under the kurta... Her back was pinned against his chest. She tried to loosen his hold on her belly.

"Umm Naina." He grumbled, moving his arm to cover her entire waist, pulling her closer to himself.

She gasped.

Probably, if she turned, she could get out of his hold. Turning was easy but where it landed her made it difficult for her to breathe again. Her face rested in the hollow of his neck, his hand now on her back, flat on the skin, his chin rested on her head... she couldn't lift up her face to see him but the soft movement of his chest indicated that he was asleep.

Naina recalled the way he had comforted her at night, sitting with her till she didn't know when. She vaguely remembered his hands on her waist, rubbing and pressing to soothe her... she had drifted off to sleep when the wave of pain had subsided... the images started coming back to her... she had slept on his knee, yes, she had sought the warmth in her discomfort and he had been right there... his gentle stroking of her hair also reflected in her thoughts.

The surge of love for him made her forget everything... the hands that she was keeping straight on her sides went around him... and she cuddled into him, deeply breathing in the distinct, heavenly fragrance... the one that made her heady... made her go weak, made her want to take a long breath to preserve it within her... forever...

Sameer felt the soft form of his wife close... very close...

He opened his eyes to the view of her head right under his chin... she held him tight, nuzzling in his neck, her breath on his collarbone was not steady...

She was awake.

He then realised the position of his hands... for a few seconds, his breath hitched... how did he reach there... and then he relaxed.

She was awake... aware of his touch... and she chose to be closer... not run away...

Naina moved her face... her nose tickled the sensitive skin between the collar bones... and he shivered.

She knew he was up... the chest moved faster... the sound of breathing could be heard.

"Good morning," She kissed the dark line beginning on his neck, under the chin.

He shifted his head to see her. His angel met his eye.

Her hair were tousled, like a halo around her shining, moon like face... her clear brown eyes devoid of any discomfort... or displeasure... his heart jumped at her acceptance. Slowly, he brought his hands on the sides of her waist.

"Ab dard theek hai?" He asked in a deep, sleep ridden voice.

She blinked, affirmatively.

His fingers brushed the velvety skin, moving around to get the feel.

"Sameer, uth... uthna hai mujhe." He felt her stiffen, with a tremble.

Her eyes were instantly dark, breathing had started to come in gasps.

He stopped, taking his hands off her... he himself could not take it...

Planting a soft kiss on her head, he whispered, "Jao."

She got up immediately. Picking up the clothes she had put aside in the cupboard last night, she almost ran to the washroom.

Sameer sat up in the bed, running a hand through his hair. This week would not just be a gratifying experience but a torture as well...

He went out in the balcony, taking deep breaths to clear his mind. Few minutes later he walked in, stopping in front of the mirror. Rubbing his chin, he felt the thicker growth... probably he needed to shave today... Naina might not like it so thick... then decided against it... he wanted to know her reaction... would she appreciate it more or move away from the bristling touch. A smile formed at the corner of his mouth as he thought of another few days here, with her melting to his proximity... a little hesitant, a little shy... but surprising him with a sudden boldness out of the blue...

He shook his head to clear the images, walking to the center of the room.

Naina came out to find him working out on the rug placed near the chairs. He was balancing himself on his arms, doing pushups.

She watched fascinated as he continued, the veins taut on his arms with the pressure of his body, the swift movement of his shoulders, the ease with which he rose after going flat on the floor.

He had been a regular... she could see it in the fluidity of his movements... and had felt it in the way his body had hardened in the last one and half years... she had seen how his shirts streched on the chest, buttons did not strain but the fabric was not loose like it did in school.

"Arre Naina, tum aa gayi... maine socha itne din se kuch kiya nahi hai toh thodi exercise kar lun." He straightened, seeing her standing outside the washroom.

The sheen of sweat on his face made it shine in the light that fell directly on him, through the flimsy curtains. She wanted to run her hand on his forehead, on his jaw with even more delectable growth, feel the rapid heartbeat under her palm, touch the hardened biceps...

"Ab main jaun bathroom mein?" She didn't see him coming closer, lost in thoughts.

A blush crept up her cheeks... chiding herself for the thoughts, she went out to put her towel in the balcony. Sameer was still in the room when she came in, checking something in his bag. She picked up the brush, loosening the bun on top of her head.

"Sameer, main kitchen mein jaa rahi hu... dekhti hun Sonali ko koi help chahiye toh... do din se kuch madad nahi ki maine kisi cheez mein... aise achha nahi lagta." She thought it was a good excuse to maintain some distance.

"Sonali ko kyon bura lagega... yahan sab kuch woh hai na... John... woh karta hai... balki Sonali toh keh rahi thi agar hum chahe toh woh khana bhi yahin bhijwa degi... usse pata hai tumhe padhte waqt khane ke liye uthna bhi time waste karna lagta hai." He narrated the conversation of first day with Rahul and Sonali.

"Fir bhi, ek baar dekh leti hun." She put aside the brush, satisfied with the smooth fall of her hair.

As she turned to move towards the door, a pull on her wrist brought her crashing against him.

She was astonished at this sudden gesture.

"Kya dekh rahi thi?" He looked into her eyes.

"Kahan kya dekh rahi thi?" Hers were puzzled.

"Mujhe pata hai tumhare dimaag mein kya chal raha tha... bathroom se bahar aake tum mujhe dekh rahi thi na?" He traced one finger from her temple to the chin, going lower to the neck.

Her shoulder hitched up at the touch, shiver running down her body at being caught.

He saw the deepening colour on her cheeks... he had seen her checking him out from the corner of his eye... loving the attention he was getting from his wife.

"Kabhi kisi ko exercise karte hue nahi dekha kya?" He teased more.

Naina looked up, recovered from the feeling of being caught, "Dekha hai... par itne handsome ko nahi."

Her eyes shone with confidence though her cheeks were still flushed.

He had expected to tease her more but her answer brought a blush on his face which was thankfully not visible due to the thick stubble. But she saw it in his eyes.

"Achha, toh Sameer Maheshwari ko sharmana bhi aata hai." She grabbed the chance to tease him.

"Jiski biwi itni badmaash ho woh bechara shareef ladka aur kya karega." He loved this side of hers.

"Ab training itni achhi doge toh seekh hi jaungi na... tumhe toh pata hai main jaldi seekh leti hun." Her voice was full of mischief.

He stared dumbstruck, wondering whether she was saying it in innocence or it was meant to be something else.