She was sitting with her joined hands and eyes closed in front of the wishing pillar and he was staring her ardently, standing on some distance, leaning to a short wall.

Her hair and dupatta were dancing in the rhythm of the air just like the day he brought her here for the first time.

But this similarity was only virtual because there was a lot of difference between that day and today.

That day, it was her stubbornness but today it's her love that brought them here. That day, her eyes were showing many new emotions and feelings, now they all have got collectively a name in her heart. That day, she was his wish, but today his wish is with him. That day, his moon was shining brightly in white, but today, in his favourite red, was looking like a newly bride.

He smiled, recalling the moment.

Flashback starts

"So, are you ready, Sir ?," She asked jauntily

He turned on her voice and forgot to take a breath for a second as saw her.

Wearing a beautiful red anakarkali salwar kurta with pretty jhumkas in her ears while hair tugged in french pony and face adorned with mild make-up, she was looking prepossessing.

On his reaction, she smiled sheepishly, adjusting her flying hair strand behind her ear.

"Looking beautiful," Without any delay and fumbling, he complimented her while waving his gaze intensely on her from top to bottom, then repeating the action in reverse mode

Her cheeks felt heat, but getting control over her speedily running heartbeats, she responded him with thanks while looking at him amorously and extolling him for two reasons, 1st for his candid compliment and second for his look; where in blue t-shirt and white denim jacket and white jeans, he was seeming savory.

"Impressed..Thankyou,"

And now he went red.

She grinned inwardly, while he turned around to get inside his jeep, concealing the bashfulness of his face.

"Wait a second, Sir. I'll drive and you will take the passenger seat.," She spoke lovingly, catching his attention back

"Whatt ?," He saw her again and resonated with a little shock

"What kya, Sir..I can drive.," She articulated softly with a sweet smile

"I know that but," He couldn't complete as she clarified

"No if and but. Aapke hath me chot lagi hai so let me do the honour, Plz," She urged with so much love that as usually he couldn't deny her

She moved to his place happily, while he avidly walked to other side to take his seat.

She started the jeep while he chuckled, taking his seat,

"I could handle it easily. Itna weak nahi hoon,"

"I know this perfectly but zaroori tha," She replied with little gravity this time

"Kyun ?," He asked, glancing at her with slightly contracted brows while locking the seatbelt around his body

"Bus yunhi," She answered, looking lost for a second, her voice little gloomy

It compelled him to think for the possible reason and as he connected the dots, he understood her struggle that perhaps she wants to replace the wretched memories of their past with the new pleasant ones. The dreadful memories where he was sitting on the passenger seat of the truck covered in blood from being shot by her bullet and she was driving the truck on his vast request of helping him to save the nuclear triggers, however, filling his heart with her hateful words.

"Okay, tell me, how did you get to know that we can go to Point 1857 through Jeep also ?," He asked to distract her mind from those painful memories

"Of course through Bhaiya's diary.
Was mentioned in one of the page..
Gaye honge dubara se phir kisi batchmate girl ke sath..," She spoke with amusement this time while gripping the steering in one hand and the accelerator bar in another hand

"Really ?," He asked with little shock while looking at her

"Kyun aapko nahi pata ?," She questioned back, glancing at him while starting the jeep

"Aww..Of course I know," He answered resolutely with smile but babbled next second in a low voice,
"Bola tha jane ka..lekin us wakt jeep ka arrangement kaha ho pa raha tha..Kitna pareshan hona pada tha mujhe iski help ke liye aur ye ghoom bhi aaya tha baad mein aur mujhe bataya bhi nahi kabhi..
Ka*ina sala,"

"Kuch kaha aapne ?," She asked, breaking his thought process

"Ahh no..I mean yes..My sweet best friend and your ideal brother was such a great guy na.,"He commented in a suppressed annoyed tone

"Wo to hai," She stated, controlling her laugh on his sarcastic adjectives while scanning his cute angry face through her peripheral vision

"Achcha..ab kis raste se jana hai ?," She asked, stopping the jeep on intersection

"Kyun? Mention nahi tha tumhare bhaiyya ki diary mein ?," He asked with the same facial expressions

She tilted her head in no, saying cutely, "Bus utna hi description tha Point 1857 ke bare me dubara se, jitna aapko abhi bataya..Wo bhi dairy ke last me kahin..When you were not here, I tried to read bhaiya's full diary to know something or more about you..A way to get connected with you anyhow,"

"Okay, Left..Right then again Left," He voiced out in an ordering tone, in effort to put out of sight his suddenly changed soft aura, on her comment

"Yess, Sir," She chortled with serious tone and he laughed this time

Flashback ends

His trance broke as something soft fell on him, covering his head and eyes.

When he saw the vision around him through the colour of love, he realised it was her dupatta, just like that night.

As he raised his hand up to remove the chunni from his face, found her coming towards him with an alluring smile on her face.

Soon, reaching to him, she slowly pulled the fabric down while tracing his features tenderly through her knuckles from above her thin cloth. He closed his eyes on her doting touch.

"Aapne kuch nahi manga ?," Naina asked while scrutinizing his face card properly, and concluded in her mind that he is undoubtedly one of the best art of God, and this precious art is luckily of hers; he is her moon, her heart, her breathing, her lifeline, her everything

On her deep voice, he untangled his big eye lashes again to see her and professed benevolently with his enchanting smile,

"Meri sabse badi chaahat mujhe mil gayi..ab aur kya mangu. Bus shukriya ada karna tha wo pahle hi kar diya," While saying so, Rajveer affectionately put her red chunni on her head, covering her like a bride, His Bride

Naina felt so overwhelmed that her eyes got little moisty. He slid his both hands on the back of her waist, and with a mild force, brought her closer to him.

She smiled with her teary eyes and kept her head on his chest while he asseverated,

"Bus apne jinda rehte jald se jald Naveen ko begunah sabit kar dun to is dil ka sabse bada bojh utar jayega..,"

"Aapko kuch nahi hoga aur Naveen Bhaiya ko bhi hum bahut jald insaf dilane me zaroor kamyab honge, yakin hai mujhe..," She avouched, holding his back mightily as if wanted to absorb him in her completely

Though, her voice was determined but still he could sense agitation in her tone and action.

So, understanding her fear, concern and love, he also tightened his grip around her.

When her nerves got relaxed, she spoke in a light jolly way,

"Do baar Wishing Pillar ne meri wish poori kar di to I'm sure 3rd time bhi poori ho jayegi,"

"3rd time ? Is not it 2nd time ?," He asked while breaking the hug and looking at her with his slightly contracted brows

"Nope, 3rd time..," She said firmly with smile

"And when was the 2nd time ?," He asked solicitously

"When I came here before this 3rd time..," She turned and divulged with a grin while moving to the bench

"You came here..Why and with whom ?," He asked impatiently with his widened eyes while following her

"Akele..," She answered after taking enough time of teasing him

And he became stunned.

"Akele..Akele kyun ?,"He questioned with shock while putting his palm on her shoulder to stop her to move

She turned to him & spoke truthfully holding all the love in her eyes,

"Aapki salamati ki dua mangne..,"

"Whatt," He echoed and was left without words for next few seconds while she elaborated,

"Pahli baar aapke sath Bhaiya ke asli gunehgar tak pahuchne ki wish aur dusri baar akele, aapki life ki safety aur honour ke protection ke liye pray..,"

"Naina tum pagal ho..Tum yahan akele aayi mere liye pray karne," He uttered little angrily in concern, while holding her both arms

"Isme pagal hone wali kya baat hai. Aap par goli chalane ki himaaqat kar sakti hoon to aapki zindagi ki dua ke liye akele yaha aane ki himmat bhi kar sakti hoon," She enunciated with devotion in her eyes and a peaceful smile on her lips

"Nainaa," Rajveer intoned, unable to express his swamped heart

"It's okay na, Sir. Anyway, it's
not any field of war but such a beautiful serene place of love..Isi bahane ek baar extra ise ghumne ka mauka mil gaya mujhe," Naina vocalized sweetly, waving her gaze around her surroundings while sitting on the bench

He shook his head over her effort to make him calm down, and himself sat beside her feeling tired.

Even the strongest person, sometimes, needs an emotional support or help, so was the case with him.

He slowly placed his head on her lap and lay down on the bench.

She stroked his hair and forehead with all the love and care, while he poured his heart out to her,

"Apna mentor..Apna father figure mana tha unhe. Kabhi nahi socha tha ki wo mere sath aisa kuch kar sakte hain," Few tears rolled down from the corner of his eyes and fell on her palm that she was using as a soft pillow for his head

Her heart felt a pang, feeling his pain.

She cordially wiped the tears of his eyes with her free hand, and uttered,

"I so wanted to come to you. Aapka hath pakadna chahti thi..Gale lagana chahti thi, dilasa dena chahti thi aapko, himmat dena chahti thi ki sab kuch thik ho jayega, main hoon aapke sath lekin Chaubey ji ne kaha ki mera waha jana aapki mushkilein aur badha sakta hai as it will prove the allegations against you made by Capt. Salve and I was left with no other option except dying every moment..," Her eyes also emerged tears which he also wiped out gently

"Amidst this suffocation, this only ray of hope ( rotating her gaze in her surroundings ) appeared to me for breathing. Huge thanks to this Wishing Pillar who made Brig. Hridaya Pandey and Colonel Vyom Rawat the means of safety of My Life. Those great men stood like a wall between Lala and you and didn't allow his evil plan to get succeeded against you. Because of them, aap par aayi ek bahut badi museebat thoda halke me nikal gayi," She further said in a relaxing tone

"Indeed," He said and took a deep sigh before going ahead,

"Par samajh nahi aata Naina it was my incapability or my blind trust or the punishment to break your trust that he kept doing so much wrong till now and I never realised until I got trapped. Kabhi shaq tak nahi hua mujhe," His voice crestfallen

"No Sir, neither it was your incapability, nor your blind trust or any kind of punishment but the efficiency of a bloody traitor who used his skills and power perfectly till now," She voiced out gritting her teeth

"Whatever it is, we lost Naveen because of him only aur abhi bhi he easily got succeeded in escaping and I couldn't do anything," disappointment could be felt clearly in his tone

"It is not mandatory that the arrow strikes the target every time. It is natural to miss the target once or twice in life even from a skilled Archer. It doesn't mean that he has lost his skill or he is no more a capable Archer," She articulated, lifting up his spirit

He smiled a little. She held his palm and asserted further, giving him some more strength to fight back,

"Aap akele nahi hain. Main bhi hoon aapke sath. Jitna galat karna tha wo kar liya Lala ne. Ab aur nahi. Ab to bus uski ulti ginti shuru. Hum bachane nahi denge use is baar,"

"I won't leave him..I won't leave him now at any cost. Use uske sahi anjaam tak pahucha kar hi rahunga..Wo anjaam jaha se wo phir mere desh ko ya kisi aur ko dhokha dene ke layak nahi bachega," He exclaimed with new determination, carrying rage in his voice

She smiled softly.

"Thanks," He sounded with gratitude

"Itani si baat ke liye thanks bolenge to phir mujhe to ye birth bhi kam pad jayegi aapko thanks karne ke liye," She giggled

And he smiled relieved this time and slowly snaked his hand on the back of her head, inclining her to him.

"I Love you," He whispered in her ear with intensity in his voice

She simpered with her hue cheeks and whispered back, looking deep in his eyes,

"Love you too, Rajveer," Naina deliberately took his name to remove his hesitation as she had understood this that suffix is becoming barrier for him to take a move in their new relationship because of his moral values

His lips stretched some more. He applied little more pressure on the back of her neck and head, and pecked her lips softly.

She felt like world stopped for her for those few seconds when his lips loved hers. She felt delighted, contented, so,
rewarded him back with the same gratification.

Both looked at each other with their flushed faces, conveying their uneven heartbeats which were ringing the bell to feel this beautiful pleasure again.

Koi mehsus karke to dekhe ise
khubsurat se bhi khubsurat hai ye
khushbu banke ye saanso me ghul jaata hai
dil ki bechainiyo ki jarurat hai ye

Hence, this time, they pressed their lips properly against each other, kissing sweetly, and fulfilled their hearts' wish.

Isaki dhadkan anjaani si, isaka dard ajab hota hai
pyar kaa kya matlab hota hai
pyar kaa matlab rab rab rab rab rab hota hai

pyar kaa matlab rab rab rab rab rab hota hai.

That night on Point 1857 transformed them as Rajveer and Naina from Capt. Rajveer and Cadet Naina, and today's night on this place transmuted them as "Raina". Perhaps, that's why it is called a Lover's Point.

--------------------💝The End💝-----------------