He came rushing the door
To see her sitting with a glass of water in her hand .....
She stood up seeing him to go to him
He came running to her to fill her in his arms

"Naina....
Are you good
Kuch hua to nahi na
U r not hurt , right"
He quickly checked for any injury

"I am all right"
She said still in a delirium

The store manager once again thanked naina for her quick witt and bravery which saved a great damage
And she just nodded in response.. lost in her own thoughts...
When rajveer escorted her to exit .

____________

"How did I do all that....
I took three armed men down... with bare hands ...

She muttered with coffee mug still in her hands.... Cold and ignored

"Naina.... Don't....."

"Don't you dare say that it was nothing
I am overthinking"

She practically yelled at him cutting his words in between

"Mujhe us gun ka nam pata tha
I knew exactly how to pull the trigger
And as I shot I was so confident about my aim....
How are you going to explain this"

She dashed the cup on table and stood up from her seat to walk a few steps towards the window...

"I know you are hiding something
Abhi bhi bohot kuch hai ,jo apne mujhe nahi bataya hai...."

"Naina
You were in NCC in college...."
He said making her turn to him

"It's convenient
But I am not buying it"

She said adamant to what she believes.
Folding her hands to underline her anger

_____________

He is sitting with Shalini in her and ud's new appartment.....

"You can't unlearn skills .....
She was a sharp shooter.... "
Shalini made a comment....

Raj looking at the cup of coffee kept on table.

"Mujhe laga tha ke we are leaving everything behind....
But your past shadows will always haunt you
No matter what"
He rest his head back on the sofa

"Atleast you two got eachother....
It's like winning half the battle"

"And what about the other half ...
It's like walking in dark with no sense of direction or ray of light....
You don't know where to turn
Whether to take that next step or not.
Something lurking in the dark for you to end you up...."

"Just hold on to your faith and keep moving "
She pressed his hand...

"I shouldn't have left her ....
Sometimes I feel that it's all my fault
I thought that I am leaving her for good....
I left her alone Shalini.... When she needed me the most....
I pushed her to the edge of this mental trauma....
I should have been there to cushion her shocks....
Her parents death...
Naveen 's failed trial....
I abandoned her...."

"You can't undo it rajveer
Your intentions were good....
And there is no point in regretting....
You are here know with her.... Make best out of it "

___________

They are eating their dinner in silence...
He is trying to read her face.

"Can you pass that bowl "
He asked

And she gave it without looking at him.

He is doing the dinner dishes at sink
While she is putting away the left over in fridge....

He was done wiping the last plate and removed the gloves from hand
As he hold her arm to stop her and make her listen....

"Kab tak bat nahi karogi....
Just say what's going inside your head
Please don't give me this cold treatment"

"This is how I feel every fucking day
Lost and confused...."
She replied making him feel worse...

"Naina please don't start it again.... You need to relax"
He tried to hold her by shoulders and she jerked it off leaving the kitchen.

And he came behind her

"Naina listen .... Please trust me .... There is nothing to tell"

She stopped and turned to him.... With a stern body language and looked him in his eyes....

"Can I really trust you....
Do you really mean it when you say that"
She asked genuinely and softly...

Making him shiver ....
He kept looking at her and was unable to answer...
He lowered his eyes trying to figure out what to say...

"I knew it....."

She took a step and hold his hand ....

"I know you wana protect me...
I was in psychiatric ward ... For roughly two years....
I know something happened to me ... With me ...
And you don't want me to know about it....
But you know , Don't you "
She asked pressing his hand and he freed his hand and walked away....
Unable to handle the situation...

"Please don't walk away....
Talk to me.....
Come sit here "

And she dragged him to sit with him on sofa

"Naina please don't"

"Just listen to me once....
You do know a lot about me....
More than you claim that you know...."
She asked making him look at her and he was not in a position to lie to her anymore

He just gave an uncertain nod
Looking down

"Give me something.... Anything
Jus a bit... Something safe
Tell me something about me
I promise you
I am a lot better these days....
I have recovered so much
I can handle some harmless information"

He was still unconvinced but he can't beat around the bush anymore....
She is adamant and he can't shrug it off anymore..

He thought a bit as she waited
Still holding hands

"You are not orphan.....
You had parents "
He said and waited for her expression

She was neutral listening carefully....

"Here in Delhi"?
She asked

And he nodded again

"In nanitaal"
He replied again....

As she processed the new information.

"And they are not there anymore"?
She asked getting more curious

He nodded with a no....

"Did you ever met them"
She asked and he again said yes...

They sat few minutes in silence....
And she hugged him tight....as he clutch her hard....out of fear.

_____________

She was making pancakes for breakfast
He came in the kitchen to see the breakfast table almost ready.

"It was my turn today"
He said with sleepy eyes as he sat on the chair with head down on the table.

She sat with two plate in front of them respectively
Filling the tea cups from the pot

"I was up early....
And had nothing to do......"

He took few bites and drank some tea .....

"Are you ok"?
He asked concerned trying to read distress if there is any...

"More than ok....
It's comforting to know that you had parents
That you were loved and cared"
She said with a smile...

"I am sorry for yesterday...."
She added

"Don't be sorry....
Your reaction was natural....
Sometimes I feel that I am unable to help you
I don't know how to comfort you .....
How to help you remember so that it doesn't cause any damage...."

"I am sorry if I make you feel that way....
I am sorry I bother you so much"

"Don't say that....
You don't bother me at all
I love you Naina....
I just can't see you in pain...."

"Pain is inevitable Raj...
You can't protect me from misery for ever
But what you can do is
That when I go through that pain
Be there with me.... Hold me tight....."

"I will always be there Naina....
You will never be alone....."

"That's all I want....
And beleive me i am a lot better than I was last year......
And... I never told you but...
I keep having some repeated dreams some images.....
I am not able to put them together but...
It's coming to me in bits and pieces

Promise me that...
Whenever i share a feeling or a memory...
You will not dismiss it...
You will listen and let me know what it is...
Help me remember Raj....."

"Then let's visit Dr. Rao today itself
Let's see what she says about it...
If she allows it then i promise I will not keep things from you anymore "

She smiled and he kissed her hand to let her know that he is there for her....

So i have decided to work on this again..
Re read it if you have forgotten
Comment , so that I know if there are enough readers for this story... For me to continue it.