Making A Move

Gauri walks into Om's studio and nervously stops finding another man with Om. She wondered whether she should wait outside or walk ahead. She wasn't sure who the man was. Whether it was a client, a friend or someone else. Every time she had come here, Om was pretty much alone, so she wasn't sure whether he liked her interrupting his meeting with this man. Gauri was so lost in her thoughts that it took her a couple of seconds to realize that Om had stopped working on his sculpture and was watching her with a curious smile.

"Hi." Gauri says with a smile as she bit her lower lip.

Om smiles at her, "What happened? You looked like you had accidentally walked in here."

Gauri smiles a little embarrassed as she walked towards him, "I wasn't sure whether you were busy." Gauri points at the man.

"Ah... I am not." Om tells her smiling.

"Hi." The man with him says with a curious smile.

"Hi." Gauri replies smiling.

"This is my brother..." Om starts to tell Gauri.

"Shivaay!" Gauri excitedly guesses quickly.

"No, Rudra." The man replies.

"Oh." Gauri bites her tongue then turning to Om, she tells him frowning, "You told me Shivaay is the one always in suit."

"Ah! What else did he say?"

"That he is very close to you people."

"Interesting... and you would be..."

Before Gauri could reply, Om cuts her off... "First of all, this is Shivaay only."

Gauri gapes at Shivaay for fooling her while Shivaay chuckles.

"And Shivaay... remember, I was the chief guest at an art exhibition in a college?"

"Oh, Gauri, the art secretary!" Shivaay guesses.

"How did you know?" Gauri asks shocked.

"I've told him about you."

"All good things, I hope."

"Nope. Not even once." A voice says from behind her, surprising Gauri.

Gauri turns around and finds a man she now assumed to be Rudra lying on the couch.

"Rudra?" Gauri guesses.

"Hi, Gauri." Rudra says with a smile as he waved at her.

"Hello, Rudra." Gauri smiles at him.

"Anyway... we gotta go... it was nice meeting you, Gauri." Shivaay tells her as he gestured Rudra to come. "We'll see you at home, Om."

"Okay." Om nods as he continued to work on his sculpture.

"Bye Gauri." Rudra says as he walked to her and surprising her, he hugs her.

"Bye." Gauri says a little surprised at his overly friendly nature.

"He adores you. make a move." Rudra whispers to her and moves back to find, Gauri blushing uncontrollably. "Okay?"

"I was planning to." Gauri whispers shyly.

"Stop planning and start doing." Rudra winks at her. "Bye, O." Rudra calls out without looking at him and walks off.

Gauri looks at Om and finds him frowning as he watched Rudra walk off.

"Ahem." Gauri softly coughs to get his attention.

"I don't know what is up with him. I'm sorry if he made you uncomfortable with being so forward." Om tells her still frowning.

"No, it was fine." Gauri quickly tells smiling, seeing how possessive he looked. Maybe, like his brother said, she should make a move. There was no use waiting for him to do anything.

"Why are you smiling?" Om asks glaring bloody murder at her.

Gauri shakes her head chuckling. "Forget your brother." Gauri tells him.

Om smiles hearing that. "Okay."

"Sit." Om tells her pointing at a chair nearby.

Gauri walks around the table his sculpture was on and stand near him.

"This is for Dadi's birthday." Om explains to her as he got back to working on it.

"Nice." Gauri says smiling as she studied the beautiful sculpture.

"Thank you."

"Om..." Gauri nervously starts.

"Yeah?" Om asks as he took a thin paint brush and dipped it in red color.

"I was wondering... if you would like to have coffee..." Gauri nervously says.

"I just had coffee, Gauri. You know where the coffee machine is, help yourself."

"Om!"

"Yeah?" Om answers as he studied his work carefully.

"Coffee with me."

"Sorry, Gauri... I just had coffee."

"OM!"

"Yeah?" Om looks up in shock hearing the irritation in her voice.

"I meant a date!"

Om looks at her in shock, his mouth dropping open slightly.

Gauri gulps nervously as she gripped his table.

A slight blush creeps up his cheek as he looked down chuckling, "I am an idiot, isn't it?"

"Om?" Gauri nervously says his name wanting an answer.

"You are still in college, Gauri. I thought, I was a little old for you."

"You are just 7 years older to me."

"You've no problem with that?"

"If I had then I wouldn't be shitting bricks here waiting to hear your reply."

Om chuckles hearing that as he looked up at her.

"So?" Gauri nervously asks him.

Om lovingly smiles at Gauri, then instead of replying, he lightly brushes his brush on her nose, painting the tip of her nose red.

"OM!" Gauri screeches in shock.

More than a year later

"Gauri?" Om whispers as he broke out of his thoughts. He looks around for her, hoping she would magically reappear in front of him.

"Om."

He sighs sadly as he looked around agitated. He just couldn't take it anymore. He gets up and walks towards his cupboard. He quickly starts moving his clothes to the side. "Om."

Finally, finding the pouch he had hid from his brothers, he quickly grabs it. He opens the zip and puts his fingers in. his hand grazes the syringe.

"Om."

Realization dawns on him, and Om stops what he was doing and looks around for his phone.

"Om."

Om sees his phone on his bed as the screen flashed Gauri's photo and the customized ringtone, he had set for her. "Om."

Om walks towards his mobile as his heart slammed against his chest.

"Om."

"Hello?" Om answers with a gasp.

"Hello, Omkara... this is Gauri." Gauri nervously says from the other side.

"Gauri." Om gulps as he felt his heart was going to burst.

"Omkara... I wanted to meet you." Gauri hesitantly tells him. "Can I come by your studio today?"

Om stops in shock hearing the question.

"Omkara?" Gauri softly calls his name when he remained silent.

"You don't need permission to come, Gauri."

"Ermm... is 3 fine?"

"Yes." Om replies his heart slamming against his chest wondering why she was coming to meet him.

For Her

"Hey." Om says as he walked into the kitchen where Rudra and Shivaay were cooking.

"How did it go with Gauri?" Rudra asks him.

"What do you mean?" Om asks confused.

"She didn't say anything?" Rudra asks disappointed.

"Say?" Om asks confused then finally understanding he asks shocked, "How did you know?"

"She did?" Rudra asks excitedly then turning to Shivaay he tells him, "See, I told you she is smarter than him."

"I agree." Shivaay says impressed.

"But how?" Om asks Rudra confused.

"I told her to make a move and that you adore her."

"That is why you hugged her!"

"Yeah."

"Ah... but I guess she had been planning for a while."

"Hmmm... so?" Shivaay asks.

"We are going on a date."

"Awesome!" Rudra shouts.

"I was thinking... since she made the first move... maybe the date I should..." Om tells him a little embarrassed.

"Ah... you want it to be very special." Shivaay says grinning.

"Yes."

"You are here for advice?" Rudra asks shocked.

Om nods embarrassed.

"Wow, Om!" Shivaay says surprised.

"This is not your first date, nor is she your first girlfriend... so why are you worried?" Rudra asks confused.

Om shrugs, "I would have taken her to my favorite place but Gauri... she likes all those larger than life... extravagant things... so..."

"Fine dining." Shivaay tells him.

"I am going to see Om dressed up?" Rudra asks shocked and excited.

"Shut up!"

"We'll." Shivaay answers him grinning. Then turning to Om, he says, "I know the perfect place."

"D0es Gauri have THE dress for the date?" Rudra asks curiously.

"I don't know." Om tells him shrugging.

"We can't have you take her there and get thrown out because she is not wearing appropriate dress, now do we?" Rudra asks him.

"Do you think I will let anyone treat her badly?" Om asks angrily.

"Bhaiyya... O is in love."

"Shut up!" Om snaps at him frowning. "I am not in love."

"Calm down... why don't you gift Gauri the perfect dress?" Shivaay asks Om.

Om turns to Shivaay scandalized and completely lost.

"Obviously, I'll help you." Rudra says as he took his mobile.

"How about this? I got my girlfriend this." Rudra says as he showed Om a photo.

"No." Om says glaring bloody murder seeing the short dress.

"Let me see." Shivaay says as he took the mobile and started scrolling. "How about this?"

"That color doesn't suit her."

"Then why don't you do it?" Shivaay asks him as he passed him the mobile.

"This is good." Om declares after five minutes.

"Order then... what is her size?" Rudra asks him.

"I don't know."

Rudra shakes his head at Om in disappointment. "Let me see... I hugged her... she should be a size 8... no..." Rudra feels Shivaay slyly patting on his stomach, curious Rudra looks at Shivaay and sees him watching a murderously glaring Om. Rudra gulps worriedly seeing how furious Om was. "How would I know your girlfriend's size?"

"Why don't you ask her?" Shivaay suggests.

"How can I just ask her what her size is?" Om asks scandalized.

"Just ask, O."

Sighing, Om takes his mobile and dials Gauri's number.

"OM!" Gauri answers the call excitedly.

"Gauri... I wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah? What?"

"Ermm... What is... what is... your size?"

"WHAT?" Gauri screeches in shock.

"I am getting you a dress for our date... so, I want to order it." Om quickly explains.

"There is no need for that, Om."

"Ask her shoe size too." Rudra tells him from behind.

Om nods and whispers to the phone, "I want to, Gauri."

"But Om..."

"Please?"

"Okay... give me your phone." Om says hanging up as he took Rudra's phone and entered Gauri's size, turning the phone away from his brothers.

Rudra rolls his eyes at Shivaay seeing Om's behavior while Shivaay chuckles.

Om nervously walked around his studio as he waited for Gauri to reach. As he got nervous, he felt his hand shaking. He grips his hand to keep it steady. Maybe... Om thought. He checked the time, it was two minutes to three. She was never punctual... maybe he had time. Om thought as he walked to his safe. He was about to open his safe when he hears her step in. Om quickly turns around to find Gauri standing by the door.

"Gauri." Om softly says seeing her after so long.

"Hello." Gauri softly says.

"Come in." Om says seeing her hesitating at the door. Gauri steps in, and Om looks all over her, she had changed and remained the same. The ever-present smile that was on her face was missing, now, it was replaced with worry. Was he responsible for that?

Gauri watches as Om looked her over, she took the time to study him. he was no longer the man she knew. He looked the shadow of the vibrant man she ones knew and loved so dearly.

"You changed your house and college." Om softly states.

"How did you know?" Gauri asks him surprised.

"I looked for you." Om whispers as he looked down.

"We moved to a smaller house and I joined work." Gauri explains.

"Why did you quit college?" Om asks confused.

"Why did you look for me?" Gauri asks instead, a little shocked and a little bit hope in heart.

Om shrugs in reply. "I don't know." He says seeing her watching him.

Gauri looks away in pain. If he had really wanted to find her he would have found her, because she never changed her number. She wanted to distract herself before she was a puddle at his feet. Gauri looks at his work table to distract herself then she frowns seeing the sculpture on the table. "You didn't finish this?"

"No."

It was not like him to be so unprofessional. Gauri frowns as she studied the sculpture. She runs a finger over the sculpture and looks at her finger to find dust. She curiously looks around to see that dust had gathered around the room and his tools.

"You don't work here anymore?"

"No."

"Why?"

"You look worried." Om states unable to control his concern for her wellbeing. "Is everything alright, Gauri?"

Gauri felt her eyes filling up. She quickly wipes her tears and looks away.

"Gauri?" Om cups her face in worry and lovingly asks her. "What happened?"

Gauri just couldn't help herself, she hugs Om and bursts into tears. The anguish and heartbreak of the last few months started pouring out of her.

"I am so scared, Om. I don't know what to do. I have no one else. I am so alone." Gauri wails as she hugged him tight.

"What happened, Gauri? Tell me. I am here. I will set everything right." Om tells her as he cupped her face to make her face him.

"Ma... she is sick." Gauri tells him as she sobbed loudly.

"What happened?" Om asks as his heart skipped a beat.

"She has cancer." Gauri tells him as she hugged him.

Om hugs her tight as he let her cry.

Once Gauri calms down, Om takes her to the couch and makes her sit. Then he sits next to her.

"How is she now?" Om asks her as he held her hands in his.

"Bad." Gauri whispers. "Her last reports were not good."

Om closes his eyes in pain.

"What is the doctor saying?"

"Chemo."

"Then let's do it, Gauri." Om tells her immediately. "You don't worry. She will get the best treatment."

"She is refusing treatment."

"what?" Om asks her shocked.

"She found out about her cancer, that is why she asked us to get married." Gauri tells him as she looked down at their hands. Her hand always fit so perfectly in his.

"Gauri... I didn't know..." Om says as he felt his heartbreak for what had happened.

"Even I didn't know." Gauri tells him shaking her head. "I just didn't know how to tell her... by the time, I gathered the courage, I found out about her cancer... then I just couldn't tell her."

"Tell her what?" Om asks confused.

"That we broke up."

Om gulps in shock.

"I just couldn't hurt her then... so, I lied to her that you went for an art course to Germany. But... after her results came in... she is insisting that we get married... she is worried that she might not make it... so, she wants to see me married before she..." Gauri gulps as she left it hanging.

"She is so weak, Omkara... I just can't tell her that... and if she finds out that I've no one else... she would insist on finding a guy for me and see me married to him... I know it... I just know... now... I don't know what I am supposed to do."

"We'll get married." Om declares because he couldn't see her in pain and he couldn't think of her with someone else.

"What?" Gauri looks up at him in shock.

"We'll get married, Gauri."

"But you..." Gauri ask confused.

"Your mother is more important."

"You would do that for my mother?" Gauri asks him surprised and happy.

"Yes." Om tells her, amazed himself.

"I promise you, Omkara... after Ma is fine, I'll give you a divorce. I promise."

Om didn't know why... he will never know why... but he nodded in yes.

Bringing Her Home

"I am nervous." Gauri whispers to Om as they walked into Oberoi Mansion.

"Relax. I am here." Om tells her smiling. "There's Dadi." Om tells her pointing at an elderly lady standing with Rudra.

"Dadi!" Om calls her as he walked towards her holding Gauri's hand.

"Om, where were you?" Dadi asks frowning. "Everybody is here, only you are missing."

"Dadi, I want you to meet Gauri." Om tells her as he pointed at Gauri.

"Gauri?" Dadi asks with a surprised frown.

"Namaste." Gauri nervously says as she bends to touch her feet.

Dadi quickly blesses her as she looked at Om smiling, silently asking him who she is.

"Happy birthday, Dadi." Gauri says smiling.

"Thank you... now, who is Gauri, Om?" Dadi asks.

"Woh... Dadi..." Om slightly blushes as he smiled at her.

"Dadi... she is O's woh." Rudra tells her winking at her.

Gauri blushes hearing that while Om playfully hits Rudra.

"Mummyji, shall we cut the cake?" Jhanvi asks as she walked to them with Pinky.

"Jhanvi, come meet your son's woh." Dadi tells her cheekily.

"Rudra!" Jhanvi whispers to him as she glared at him slyly.

"Mom." Om calls her quickly.

"Yes?"

"Meet Gauri." Om says as he held Gauri close to him, so no one makes the mistake of knowing who Gauri is with.

"Om... you?" Jhanvi asks surprised.

"Yes. Gauri, this is my mother."

Gauri quickly bends down to touch her feet. Jhanvi stops her halfway and hugs her.

"I don't like your double standard behavior." Rudra declares loudly. "I am no longer allowed to bring girls home."

"Because I am tired of having to explain to everyone at the party about what happened to the last one." Jhanvi explains pissed making Gauri chuckle softly.

"Gauri, that is choti Ma... Shivaay's mother." Om explains to her.

"Namaste."

"I haven't seen you in any of the parties." Pinky says as she looked at Gauri from top to bottom. "Which family are you from?"

"I don't think you would know, choti Ma." Om calmly tells her.

"Thought so." Pinky replies as she looked at Gauri in disgust and walks off.

Gauri looks at Om sadly.

"It's okay." Jhanvi tells Gauri. "She is a little different."

"Just ignore her." Om tells her smiling.

Gauri nods.

"Anyway, you needed a little practice for Papa." Rudra winks at her.

"Rudra!" Jhanvi scolds him as she frowned angrily at him while Om hits him on his head.

"Come, Gauri." Jhanvi says lovingly as she offered her hand to Gauri.

Gauri nervously walks with Om into his house.

"Gauri?" Jhanvi sees her first.

Gauri gets even more nervous realizing that the whole clan was there.

"Gauri!" Rudra says excitedly as he jumped up and ran to her. "You are back?"

"Om, is that why you asked me to call everyone here?" Shivaay asks happily.

"What is happening, Omkara?" Tej asks frowning.

"We are getting married." Om informs everyone.

"FINALLY!" Rudra says in relief.

"Is that true?" Jhanvi asks happily while Tej shouts "What nonsense?"

"I am so happy!" Rudra ignores everyone else as he excitedly hugs her. "Now, everything will be fine. Perfect like before."

"Rudy bhaiyya... my mother is sick." Gauri hesitantly tells him.

"What?" Rudra asks confused.

"She wants to see me married. That is why Omkara is marrying me."

"I don't understand, Om." Jhanvi says confused.

"Only till Ma gets fine." Gauri explains to her.

"You mean, a contract marriage?" Tej asks frowning.

"Yes." Gauri replies for Om.

"Om... what are you saying?" Dadi asks frowning.

"You know, there has never been a divorce in our family." Shivaay tells him angrily.

"You think, she will agree for divorce after she gets into our family?" Pinky asks Shivaay surprised. "Om, don't be a fool."

"Enough!" Om says angrily. "I am not asking anyone for opinions. I am telling you my decision. Today, we'll go to meet Gauri's mother and talk to her about our wedding."

"I won't come." Tej declares furiously.

"I stopped expecting anything from you ages ago, Mr. Oberoi." Om tells him then turning to Jhanvi, he gently requests her, "Mom, please do this for me."

Jhanvi turns to Shivaay and Rudra for guidance and they nod at her. "Okay." Jhanvi replies to Om.

The Very First

Om stops his car near Gauri's college. He takes his mobile and dials Gauri's number.

"Gauri... I've reached." Om tells her as soon as she answered the call.

"Okay... I am coming." Gauri answers happily as she hurried to the gate.

Om keeps his mobile and leans back on his seat as he smiled thinking of Gauri. It's been a month since they have been dating, and things were going so perfectly. They were happy together.

Seeing Gauri running towards his car, Om quickly unlocks the door for her.

"HEY!" Gauri says happily as she got in.

"Hi." Om says smiling as he moved to hug her.

Gauri nervously hugs him. Om smiles feeling her nervousness. She had never been in a relationship before, so she was taking forever to get comfortable with the physical aspect of their relation. So far, he had been able to kiss her cheek only. He didn't want to rush her into anything but then he was going crazy with the wait.

"Where are we going?" Gauri asks him.

"Studio?" Om asks her.

"Studio?" Gauri asks him, frowning, "We're always in your studio."

"I thought you liked it there."

"Yes, I do." Gauri says smiling, that was her favorite place in the world now.

Om smiles as he started the car. He loved spending time with her at his studio. When she was there, he no longer allowed anyone to come. His studio had become their place. They just lazed around there. Sometimes talking. Sometimes he would work, and she would just hang back and watch him work. They both shared the same passion for art.

Om was working out the details for a sculpture while Gauri was doing her project work.

"Om... my friend is giving a party. Will you come with me?"

Om looks at her in confusion. That didn't feel right. "I am not free tomorrow."

"It is not tomorrow. It is next month."

"Next month?" Om asks surprised. "We'll decide then."

"Why are you always like this?" Gauri asks confused.

"Like what?" Om asks frowning.

"You make plan only for that day. Advance planning isn't something that you do."

"What is the use of planning in advance?" Om asks shrugging.

"And you've never come with me anywhere."

"Most of the time I am with you. it is all in your head, Gauri!"

"Om... what do you think of this?" Gauri asks him as she passed him a paper.

Removing his specs, he takes the paper and looks. Seeing the design for a bangle, he studies it. "I thought you were doing a necklace."

"Most of them are doing necklace, so I thought I would do a bangle. What do you think?"

"It's nice." Om tells her smiling. "I like what you did here." Om tells her as he pointed out an intricate design.

"Thank you." Gauri says happily. Soon they were discussing about the designs and making changes.

"Okay, you work. I'll make rework all the ideas."

Om keeps the paper on his work table and pulls her towards him.

"Om?" Gauri blushes nervously.

Om softly smiles at her as he lovingly brushed her hair behind her ear. Gauri nervously looks at him as her heart slammed against her chest. She knew he wanted to kiss her, he wanted to take their relation to the next level, but she wasn't used to all this and it freaked her out. But she knew she wasn't being fair to him, they have been together for a month and he had been patient with her.

Om pulls her tight to him. Gauri on reflex holds his shoulder, her breathing rapidly getting faster. Seeing he lean in towards her, Gauri closes her eyes and gently parts her lips. A moment later, she felt his lips on her.

Om nervously sat on the couch as he stared at the decorated bed, it was their first night. They had got married in a week. A week. He couldn't believe that she was with him again and now as his wife, though temporary one at that. Still, she was back. Hearing the bathroom door open, he turns to look at her and sees her equally nervous as she walked towards the bed. She hesitantly smiles at him. Om smiles back.

Gauri takes her mobile from the bedside table and dials her mother.

"Hello, Gauri?"

"Maa... did you have your medicine?"

"Yes. You don't worry about me. I'm fine."

"Okay. you sleep well. If anything, call me."

"I'll."

"Okay then..."

"Gauri..."

"Yes, maa?"

"Is everything alright at your sasural?"

"Yes, maa. Everything is fine." Gauri replies as her heart beating in worry. Did he mother realize the truth?

"Damadji's father didn't come for the wedding also. He didn't even come when everyone had come to ask for your hand."

"Maa... he is not here. He has gone out of country." Gauri lies feeling relieved.

"He didn't even call."

"What is Tej uncle gonna call and tell you, Maa? Jhanvi aunty did talk to you, right?"

"Hmmm yeah... I'm just unnecessarily worrying."

"Yes, you are."

"Okay. good night."

Gauri hangs up and turns to look at Om.

"All fine?" Om asks her.

"Yeah, all fine... Omkara..."

"Hmmm?"

"I'm sorry for staying here. Maa wouldn't let me stay at home. She kept saying that I am married, so I should stay here. I'm really sorry." Gauri tells him regretfully.

"It's okay, Gauri. You can stay here as long as and whenever you want.' Om tells her.

"But it is not right." Gauri softly mumbles filled with guilt.

"Shall we sleep?" Om asks for lack of anything else.

Gauri nods. "I'll sleep on the couch."

Shocked Om looks at her, "Gauri, we can sleep on the same bed, it is okay."

"It's not." Gauri tells him shaking her head.

Om sighs defeated, "You can sleep on the bed. I'll sleep on the couch."

"No, I'll sleep on the couch."

"Gauri, I'll..."

She cuts him off, "Please Omkara, I don't want to impose on you anymore. I'll sleep on the couch." Gauri grabbing the pillow walks to the couch and get settled.

Om watches her get settled on the couch. He just couldn't stand there anymore, grabbing his car keys, he leaves the room. he had only one solace now.

Birthday

"Happy Birthday, Om!" Gauri wishes him excitedly as she ran to him.

"Thanks." Om tells her smiling happily as he hugged her.

Gauri leans up and pecks him on his lips. Om pulls her closer and kisses her thoroughly.

"I got gift for you." Gauri tells him excitedly.

More than the gift, seeing her excitement he smiles at her. she quickly pulls out the gift-wrapped box and gives it to him. "Open... open."

Om chuckles seeing her excitement and opens the gift. He stops in shock seeing the iPhone.

"Gauri, this..."

"Didn't you like it?" Gauri asks him worriedly seeing his expression.

Om looks at his table where the same iPhone was lying, which Shivaay had gifted him that morning. Making up his mind, he says with a smile, "I love it. Thank you."

"I knew you would love it." Gauri tells him excitedly.

"But how did you buy this?" Om asks her worriedly. "You didn't have to get me this, Gauri."

"I wanted to get you this."

"But how did you get the money?"

"Ah that... I had been saving my pocket money for months and then I did assignments of pretty much everyone in my class. I worked really hard." Gauri tells him, very proudly.

"What was the need for all that, Gauri?"

"You're always getting me so many things, I wanted to get you this. Please don't say no."

"But Gauri..."

"Don't say anything." Gauri tells him sternly. "And look at the bright side, I'm broke for the next six months. You've to sponsor me."

Om frowns hearing that, "You took loan from someone?"

"I've it all planned. Don't worry!"

Om decides to give in, as he didn't want to scold her or reject her gift and break her heart. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Come, let's set it up." Gauri tells him excitedly.

"Okay." Om tells her smiling. "And, I actually want to customize a ringtone for you. Rudy taught me."

"Yeah... how? show me."

Om grabs his laptop and headphones, and sits on the bed. Gauri sits next to him. Om quickly put the headphones on her. "When I tell you, you've to say Om."

"Okay." Gauri replies as she adjusted the headphones to her comfort while Om started working on the software.

"Can't I just record on the phone?"

"This has better clarity." Om tells her. "Okay, say."

"Om." Gauri says and burst out laughing.

"Don't laugh."

"It feels so funny." Gauri tells him giggling.

Om shakes his head chuckling, "Once more."

"Om." Gauri says trying her best to control her laughter.

Om glares at her.

"Okay... I'll say properly."

"Gauri..." Shivaay calls her as he walked towards her.

"Haan bade bhaiyya?" Gauri stops as she turned to smile at him.

"How is everything going?"

"Good."

"How is your mother?"

Gauri shakes her head, doing okay.

"She'll be fine." Shivaay tells her smiling.

Gauri smiles at him in reply.

"You are going for work?"

"Yes. You wanted something?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask you, what you are getting Om for his birthday."

"Gift?" Gauri asks surprised. She knew his birthday was coming up, but she wasn't actually planning to get him anything, because they were no longer in a relation and also because she had no money, every penny she made now was going into her mother's treatment.

"Don't want it to be like last time." Shivaay tells her chuckling.

"Last time?" Gauri asks confused.

"He never told you?" Shivaay asks her surprised.

Gauri shakes her head in confusion.

"Even I got him iPhone."

"You did?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Yeah. He returned it saying you got him the same phone and he didn't want to break your heart. Asked me to get him something else. So, I don't want that to happen now." Shivaay tells her chuckling.

Seeing him waiting for her to reply, she hesitantly tells him, "I don't think I'll be getting him anything."

"Oh." Shivaay muses, unable to hide his disappointment.

"Sorry, bade bhaiyya." Gauri mumbles softly, feeling too guilty. Om did so much for her and she was not even getting him a birthday gift. But she just couldn't afford it at present.

"It's your decision, Gauri. Whether you get him a gift or not, it is not going to change what you both feel for each other." Shivaay tells her as he gently patted her shoulder.

"There is nothing between us, bade bhaiyya. Please don't say all this in front of him."

Shivaay nods sadly."How is he with you?" Shivaay asks softly.

Gauri hesitates for a few seconds then softly replies, "I don't see him much. He rarely sleeps in the room."

Shivaay sighs loudly "I thought after you come, he would change."

"What do you mean?"

"He doesn't talk to us anymore." Shivaay tells her sadly.

"How is that possible, bade bhaiyya?" Gauri asks him shocked. "He can't stop talking to you."

"I guess, he still blames us." Shivaay tells her sadly.

"But you didn't do anything."

Shivaay shrugs. "I know. But he... at first, he would just walk out in middle of conversations. Then slowly, he completely stopped talking to us. The more we tried, the more he ran from us. In the end..." Shivaay regretfully stops.

"You gave up?" Gauri asks feeling her heart break.

"We tried a lot, Gauri... a lot... then..." Shivaay sighs sadly as his eyes filled up. "We were doing more damage than help."

"I'm so sorry, bade bhaiyya. It's my fault." Gauri tells him unable to bear the pain.

Shivaay quickly hugs and whispers, "You were right. It is not easy to help someone who doesn't want our help."

"Only when he realizes that he needs help, and wants to address his issues, we can do anything. Otherwise whatever we do, it is going to cause more damage."

Without Me

They were in his studio, Om was lying on the couch and Gauri was lying on his chest.

"Om..." Gauri thoughtfully calls his name.

"Hmmm?"

"How many girls have you slept with?"

After a moment's pause, he replies, "3."

"Only 3?" Gauri asks frowning suspiciously.

Om starts chuckling loudly, making Gauri's head bounce on his chest.

"Om?"

Calming down, he tells her "Gauri... I want to make love to you, that doesn't mean I was sleeping around all my life."

"But you said you've had 7 girlfriends."

"Yeah... it didn't last long."

"Hmmm."

"Anything else?" he asks smiling as he looked at the ceiling.

"How many times?"

Om turns to look at Gauri in shock and seeing her looking at him with a cute nervous expression, he couldn't help smiling. He lies back, as he looked at the ceiling, "You're mad, Gauri."

Gauri sighs as she hugged him tight. "Do you miss them?"

"Hmmm no."

"How, Om?"

"You want me to miss them?" Om asks confused.

"No... but you shared something so special with them... then how can you not miss them?"

"The relationship ended, Gauri."

"Hmmm."

"Where you heartbroken when it happened? Is that why you had started drugs?"

"I broke off things, Gauri. And the drugs happened because of other issues." Om tells her feeling nervous, remembering the dark phase. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay."

"Om?"

"Hmmm."

Gauri leans up to look at him. "If something happens to me. if I die tomorrow... will it be just as easy for you to move on?"

Om felt disturbed hearing the question. He couldn't understand why, but he was disturbed at the question, and he just didn't want to discuss that further.

"Om?"

Seeing that she wouldn't stop without an answer, he cheekily grins at her, "I wouldn't want to, but then Shivaay and Rudra would force me to move on and for them I'll have to do it."

"OM!!!" Gauri hits him pouting sadly.

"Omkara." Gauri softly calls him as she walked to the couch that he was sitting on.

Omkara! How he was starting to hate that name.

"Omkara."

"Is it time for you to sleep? Why don't you sleep on the bed? We'll take alternate days on the couch." Om tells her, determined to take the couch that night.

"You'll be comfortable on the bed, Omkara."

"I'll be comfortable here also." Om tells her stubbornly as he refused to look at her.

"I know how uncomfortable you are. You are rarely home now. You don't even sleep here." Gauri regretfully tells him.

Om gulps as he panicked fearing that she might catch his secret.

"I got this ready." Gauri tells him as she passed him the papers.

"What is it?" Om asks frowning curiously and then stops in shock seeing divorce papers.

"I should have given it to you before the wedding itself but with ma and work, I got busy. I'm sorry."

Om takes the paper and stared at it. His heart was beating fast. Looking at the paper, it was the strangest thing, he at once felt free and trapped. He couldn't do this. Clutching the papers in his hand, he gets up, "You can take the bed. I won't be coming back tonight." Om tells her and walks off.

Yours & Mine

Om was about to leave for his exhibition when Gauri walks in.

"Hey... I thought you were coming to the studio." Om tells her as he hugged her.

Gauri nervously moves back seeing his family still in the hall. Om chuckles seeing her nervousness.

"Hugging is not a crime."

Gauri glares at him and politely smiles at Dadi and Pinky aunty. Dadi smiles at her while Pinky ignores her.

"Richa called and she wanted to revise a few topics before the exam today. I didn't have time to come to studio, that is why I came here."

Om nods. "You should have called, I was about to leave. You would have missed me if you were five minutes late."

"I'm never late." Gauri smugly replies.

"You're never on time!"

Gauri cheekily grins, "You're always on the dot, so I knew I would be able to catch you here before you left."

Om grins hearing that. "Okay, I've to leave now, I'll be late."

"All the best." Gauri tells him and turns to check on his family. Dadi had left, but Pinky aunty was still hanging around.

Om turns back to look and notices Pinky. He turns back to look at Gauri and kisses in the air, "You should have come to the studio."

Gauri giggles hearing that, "Go, you'll be late."

"Okay, I'll see you at my studio after my exhibition."

"You sure you don't want me to come for the exhibition?"

"Yeah, you'll be bored." Om tells her then quickly asks, "Should I drop you?"

"No. Go."

"Okay. All the best for your exam. bye."

Om was about to leave when Gauri remembers and calls out to him. "Om WAIT!"

"Yeah?" Om turns to her confused.

"I want money. It is Ma's birthday tomorrow." Gauri tells him as she ran to him.

Om sighs at her irately, "You should have told me yesterday. You know, I don't keep money with me."

"Give me your card then."

Om takes his card and gives to her. "Take some money and keep it with you."

"Okay."

"And please buy some gift from my side too. I don't have time to shop, otherwise I would have bought."

"What your side and my side? It's a gift from us. Whatever is mine is yours and whatever is yours is mine."

"Ah ha?" Om asks grinning cheekily. "Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Whatever yours is mine?"

"Yes. Any doubt."

Om steps closer to her as he ran a finger down the length of her hand. Gauri shivers feeling goosebumps all over her body. "Next time, you say no. we'll see." Om whispers to her.

"Chee, Om! You are such a pervert. One track mind you have!" Gauri says gasping in shock stepping back.

Om winks at her and chuckling he walks off. Gauri starts blushing. Gauri decides to leave, remembering Pinky, she turns to say her bye to Pinky.

"Aunty, I'm leaving." Gauri says with a polite smile.

Pinky makes a face at her in reply then frowning she asks, "Is that Omkara's card?"

"Yes, aunty. Actually... it's Ma's birthday."

"Oh my mata! Now, Oberois are taking care of your household expenses?"

"No, aunty. It is to buy her birthday gift. Nothing else." Gauri replies frowning at the insult.

"I know you and your type. Seeing Oberoi's money, you have latched on to Omkara."

"That is not true!" Gaui replies in a furious whisper feeling her eyes fill up.

Pinky pointedly looks at Omkara's card in Gauri's hand and smirking at her, she walks off.

Gauri was getting ready to leave for work in the morning. Like usual, Omkara never was around when she was in Oberoi Mansion. The guilt she felt over what she was doing to him, just kept piling up. Omkara could no longer be in the same room as her. that day, at his studio, though uncomfortable they were able to talk to each other. But after marriage, her guilt for what she had been doing to Om, made her tongue tied and nervous around. Om didn't talk to her. they could no longer agree on anything. Om couldn't stand being in the same room as her. it was starting to feel like, he went out of his way to hide from her. Om was starting to feel like a stranger to her now.

Om walks in to his room and stops seeing Gauri getting ready in front of the mirror. He stops as he hesitated on whether to leave or stay.

"I'm just leaving." Gauri tells him.

Om nods as he walked in.

"Ma was saying that yesterday you visited her."

"I did."

Gauri nods and says softly, "Thanks."

"You'll be late for work." Om says feeling restless hearing her thank him.

"Omkara..."

"WHAT?" Om asks getting angry.

"I just wanted to say that... I'll move to the guest room. you don't have to stay away from home."

Om looks away. Ever since Gauri had come back, he had lost control, and that was why he had been hiding from everyone.

"Omkara?"

"Where do you work?" Om asks wanting to change the topic.

"in a boutique. I am assisting a jewelry designer."

"I knew you would specialize in jewellery." Om says smiling fondly at the endless memories of them at his studio.

Gauri smiles surprised, "I wasn't very sure. Then Ma fell sick and I had to take the job."

"That is why you changed house? the rent?"

"Yes."

"I forgot to give you my card." Om says realizing that Gauri would be needing money for her mother's treatment. He grabs his wallet to take his card.

"No, Omkara." Gauri says in shock.

"Should I transfer the money then?"

"I don't want your money."

"Why?" Om asks confused.

"I can't take your money."

"What are you saying Gauri?" Om asks shocked. "When did it become yours and mine?"

Gauri gapes at Om in shock. "Omkara..." Gauri starts and suddenly felt her eyes fill up. She quickly looks away wanting to hide from him.

"What, Gauri?" Om asks frowning.

"I can't take any more ehsaan from you."

"Ehsaan?" Om asks not liking the word.

"I already owe you so much money. I can't take anymore."

"Owe money? What the hell are you saying, Gauri?" Om asks shocked.

"Anyway, my loan is approved. So, I don't need money now."

"You can take loan but not use our money?" Om asks angry.

"It is your money, Omkara. I can't take anymore. After Ma gets fine, I'll pay you back all that I owe you."

"You don't owe me money."

"I do."

"I didn't lend you those money. And you took the money because you believed it was yours." Om says getting angry.

"We were in a relation then. We are not anymore. And I can't live in that debt."

Om just didn't know what to say or how to react. He didn't like what she had said but then he had no counter argument. So, he just walked out.

Drugs

Om collects the popcorn and drinks, and turns around to look for Gauri. He starts walking away from the crowd as he scanned for her. that is when he spotted him. Om stops in shock as his heart skipped 3-4 beats. His breath gets caught as old memories flashed through his mind.

"Saab!" he calls him as he walked to Om smiling.

Om steps back as he gulped in fear.

"I've some great stuff now. High quality stuff. I'll come to your studio later?"

"Stay away from me." Om tells him as his heart slammed against his chest.

"Whaaat saab?" he asks smiling.

"I SAID STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

"Om!" Gauri calls him as she hurried to him worriedly.

Seeing Gauri, dumping the popcorn and pepsi on the floor, he walks towards her. grabbing her hand, he starts walking out. "Let's leave."

"What happened, Om? Who was that?"

"Gauri, please... let's leave."

Seeing him panicking, Gauri nods and walks with him. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just leave."

"Who was that, Om?" Gauri asks him as she followed Om into his studio.

Om turns around and hugs Gauri tight. She could feel him shaking.

"What happened, Om?" Gauri asks him as she gently rubbed his back, trying to calm him down.

"He was my drug peddler." Om whispers to her almost in tears.

Gauri gulps hearing that. She moves back and cups his face and asks him, "But why were you scared of him?"

Shaking his head, Om hugs her again, "I don't want to go back into that hellhole."

"You won't, Om."

"It's not so easy, Gauri." Om confesses. "Every time, I'm faced with a new challenge. The temptation is too hard at times."

"But you're stronger than that." Gauri tells him. "I've faith in you. Bade bhaiyya, Rudy bhaiyya, Jhanvi Aunty... everyone has faith in you. you could fail yourself, but you will never fail us."

"I did before."

"You were young then." Gauri tells him as she leaned up and took his lips in hers. Om hugs her and kisses her back as if his life depended on it.

Om walks into his house to find it empty. Curious he walks to his bedroom to check if Gauri was home.

"Where is everyone?"

Gauri looks at him confused. "They went for your cousin's wedding. don't you remember?"

"Cousin's?" Om asks confused.

"Yes, in your village. You told dadi you have some work when she called you last night." Gauri reminds him confused.

"last night?" Om asks as he looked down nervously trying his best to jog his memory.

"Yeah. You forgot?"

"Aah... no... I remember... it slipped my mind... so everyone went?"

"Everyone except Tej uncle, you and me."

"Dadi didn't invite you?" Om asks frowning.

"She did... but today is Ma's chemo, so I didn't go."

"Hmmm... what time should you go?"

"I'm leaving now."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, it's okay. I'll come back around 1. During lunch time." Gauri tells him.

"It's fine, Gauri. Your mother needs you."

"Jhanvi aunty gave me Tej uncle's medicines to give to him. I'll come at one o'clock."

Om nods.

"See you then."

"Bye."

"You shouldn't have come, Gauri."

"Ma, I told you Omkara told me to come and be with you."

"Damadji would say that, Gauri. But it is your responsibility to take care of them when the rest of the family is not home."

"Ma, I've told Omkara that I'll get back by lunch time. I'm not needed before that."

"What if someone gets hungry before that?"

"There are servants."

"Doesn't your sasur have medicines before meals?"

"He has lunch at 1."

"Go, Gauri. I'll be fine."

"No, Ma."

"Gauri, if you won't go now, then I will leave right this second."

"You can't blackmail me like this!" Gauri tells her getting angry.

"Fine. I'm leaving."

"No... don't." Gauri quickly grabs her hand to stop her. "I'll go."

"Good."

"You're impossible, Ma."

"And you're my daughter. Now, go fast."

"I'll meet your doctor then only I'm leaving." Gauri tells her in an angry tone and walk off.

Gauri walks in to find Tej in the living room.

"Tej Uncle."

Tej frowns at her as he looked at her.

"Jhanvi aunty gave your medicines to me. you've to have one half an hour before your food."

"I've my lunch at 1."

"Okay. I'll give your medicine at 12:30." Gauri tells him noticing it was only 12.

Tej nods.

Gauri calls up the nurse to get an update on her mother as she walked to Om's bedroom.

After talking to the nurse and making sure her mother was fine, Gauri hangs up the call. She opens the bedroom door and stops in shock seeing Om. He was sitting on the couch, his sleeves rolled up, with a band tied around his biceps and a syringe poised on his vein.

"OM!" Gauri screams his name in shock as she ran to him.

"Gauri?" Om looks up at her.

Seeing his droopy eyes and hearing his dazed off voice, she realized he wasn't in his senses. She quickly grabs his hand to snatch the syringe from his hand.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, OM? LEAVE IT!" Gauri screams in panic as she tried to take the syringe from him.

"Leave me, Gauri!" Om tries to shout at her as he tried to push her hand away.

"Why are you doing this Om? Please don't." Gauri tells him as she tried to take the poison from him.

"I need this, okay?" Om tells her. "You just go."

"Why, Om?" Gauri asks trying to stop her tears and concentrate on stopping Om.

"Because of you! it is all because of you!"

Gauri's hand stills in shock, her heart breaking, her guilt racking her brains. "I'm so sorry, Om. I'll leave. But I won't let you do this." Gauri tells him a she pulled on his hand.

"Leave me ALONE!"

"NO! You don't need this Om!"

"I need this! Okay? I can't live without this now."

"NO, OM!" Gauri tells him feeling anger and panic rising in her. "You don't need this."

"What is all the nois..." Tej stops in shock seeing the sight before him.

Gauri and Om turns to look at him.

"Mr. Oberoi..." Om says in disgust.

"Tej Uncle... please help me." Gauri at the same time requests him.

"OMKARA!" Tej shouts in panic as he hurried to them.

"Stay away from me, Mr. Oberoi!" Om furiously tells him then feeling Gauri getting the upper hand, to save his syringe from her, he pushes her. Gauri falls back hitting her head on the table.

Seeing Gauri fall, Tej runs to her while Om quickly injects himself and removes the strap from his hand. Tej helps Gauri to her feet and stops seeing the blood on her forehead.

"Are you alright?"

Gauri nods and her eyes widen seeing Om going to a daze. "OM!"

Tej and Gauri hurry to him. Gauri quickly takes the syringe away from Om while Tej started checking on Om.

"Omkara! Omkara!"

"Gauri..." Om says with a lazy smile.

Tej furiously slaps him.

"Uncle, please... stop." Gauri tells Tej as she quickly hugged Om to protect him.

"Gauri..." Om calls her name again in that same lazy way.

Gauri looks at him and sees that he was not in senses. She quickly wraps her arms around him, helping him to his feet. "Tej Uncle?"

Tej quickly holds Om from the other side and takes her to the bed while Om kept mumbling. By the time, Om's head hit the pillow he had passed out.

"When did he..." Tej asks Gauri in a whisper as he worriedly looked at Om.

"I don't know... I'm so sorry." Gauri whispers as she broke into tears.

Unwanted Love

Om was lost in thoughts as he sat with his brothers, acting as if he was listening to their talks. This has been happening to him lately, he would be sitting with others, but Gauri would be plaguing his mind. Sadly, not always it was good thoughts, like right now.

"O!"

"Hmmm?"

"Are you listening?" Shivaay asks him.

Om looks up from the still water in the pool and turns to his brothers. "I think Gauri thinks she is in love with me."

Shivaay chuckles hearing that, "You're say that as if someone is dying."

"I don't want to hurt her." Om softly tells them as he looked down at the mug he was holding.

"What do you mean by hurt her?" Shivaay asks confused.

"You love her. so, what is the issue?" Rudra asks confused.

"You know I don't believe in love."

"But you love her." Rudra states again.

"Rudy, I don't. But..." Om stops sadly frowning.

"What but?"

"She is so innocent."

"She is perfect for you." Shivaay tells him smiling.

"Are you worried about what Papa would say when you guys decide to get married?"

"Married?" Om asks as panic set in his heart. "What are you saying, Rudra?"

Shivaay gently keeps his hand on Om's hand and asks him, "What is the issue, Om?"

"It all feels wrong." Om whispers to him, lost in thought.

"What feels wrong?" Rudra asks him with a frown.

"Everything!" Om tells him agitated. Suddenly, he felt everyone was closing in on him. he was starting to feel trapped.

"O, I've never seen you as happy as you are when you're with Gauri."

"I'm happy with her."

"Then what is the issue?" Rudra asks him.

"Things are fine now. But I know she expects more for me."

"What is wrong in that?"

"I don't want more. I just like things the way it is." Om tells him getting restless.

"Did Gauri say anything about it?" Shivaay asks him gently.

Om shakes his head. "I know."

"Why are you breaking your head on things that haven't happened?"

"I just don't want to hurt her."

"Om..."

"Maybe I should end things with her."

"HAVE YOU GONE CRAZY?" Rudra asks furiously.

"Rudy, calm down." Shivaay gently tells him then turning to Om, he asks him "Why do you feel like this, Om?"

Om looks at him helplessly and says, "I don't know."

"Om..."

"I just know that this is not right!"

"Why, O?"

"It's all wrong!"

"How can something that is so perfect be wrong?"

"I know... it is all wrong... Gauri is nice... but it won't work with her." Slowly Om was visibly acting agitated.

"Why?"

"Because I know."

"What makes you think so?"

"I know!"

"What do you know? Tell us."

"There are many things."

"What things, O?"

"Lots! She is not perfect."

"Nobody is perfect, Om."

"She has become demanding."

"How?"

"She wants me to go with her to her friend's party. Can you believe it?"

"What is wrong in that? Doesn't she come here with you for every single thing?"

"I don't force her."

"Is she forcing you?"

"Keeps saying I am not going anywhere with her!"

"Maybe she just wants you to be a part of her life, as much as she is a part of your life."

"She isn't that involved in my life. We need limits. She has no limits."

"What are you saying, Om?"

"She is controlling my life. Demanding."

"Om, this is longest you've been in a relation. So, maybe that is why."

"Yesterday she was complaining about Choti Ma! Can you believe it?"

"Who doesn't complain about mom?" Shivaay asks him in shock.

"O, do you realize that you're complaining about Gauri?" Rudra asks him in shock. "That you're talking bad about her?"

"I'm just telling the truth. She is taking over my life." Om says looking away feeling guilty.

"What happened overnight, Om?" Shivaay asks him in shock.

"It has been happening for a while. I'm just saying it out loud now."

"Then talk to her, Om."

"It won't work out. It is all a trap. She loves me, and I don't want her love. I don't love her."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Just shut up! Stop shouting!" Om says getting angry.

"I didn't shout." Rudra replies confused.

"You are!"

"He isn't."

"Then stop talking!" Om tells him and getting up, he walks off.

Tej walks back into the bedroom to find Gauri sitting by Omkara's side and sniffing. She was lovingly caressing him. Tej sits next to her and gently touches her shoulder.

"Tej Uncle... how could he?" Gauri asks breaking down in front of him.

Tej sadly shakes his head as he opened the first aid box and took cotton and put antiseptic on it. He then gently pats it on Gauri's wound.

Gauri didn't even feel the sting and tells Tej in a whisper, "I shouldn't have come back. I was so selfish. I was so worried about Ma that I..." Gauri stops as she wiped her tears sadly. "I'm ruining his life."

Tej puts plaster on her head and softly whispers to her in guilt, "You didn't ruin his life, Gauri. Everyone else did."

"I should have realized when he didn't come home. I thought he was avoiding me. but he was hiding from all of us. I should have known." Gauri tells him crying loudly.

Not knowing how to console her, Tej hugs her. Gauri hugs him and breaks down completely.

Hours later, Om wakes up to find Gauri and Tej sitting by his bed worriedly. He frowns to clear his vision.

"Gauri?"

"Omkara?" Gauri softly touches his shoulder.

His vision cleared, he sits up in shock. As he gulped in guilt, he lightly touches her band aid. "I did this, didn't I?"

"You promised bade bhaiyya, Om. How could you?" Gauri asks him as tears fell from her eyes.

Om takes his hands off her and moves away from her on the bed.

"Why didn't you tell me, Om? I would have left."

Om gulps as he looked down in guilt ashamed.

"I am so sorry, Om. When I found out about Ma, I panicked... then when she refused treatment... I just didn't know who to turn to... you were all I had... I was being selfish... I knew how much you wanted to be away from me, still I had hoped that... after staying apart for so long... maybe you would want to... because I still love you... but I was wrong... I shouldn't have come back... I am so bad... I was so selfish... I'm so sorry, Om. I'll go. you please don't ruin your life. I'll go. I promise. I'll never come back again." Gauri promises him as she cupped his face.

Om felt as if he was falling back into the darkness and at the same time, he was being pulled out of a grave.

"Please Om, promise me that you won't do this again. That you would get help." Gauri stops and quickly adds, "For your addiction. Please Om?"

Om nods as tears fell from his eyes and he started feeling like a small boy lost in a crowd.

"I'll go, Om. I'll not trouble you again. I promise." Gauri tells him.

Then as he watched, she took her packed bags and walked out.

Missing you

He hadn't seen her for a week, and it made him restless. On one side he was thinking of ending things with Gauri while on the other side he was missing her. it felt so strange. He knew the risk of getting too involved with someone. He had seen it in his parents' relation. He didn't want to be like his mother. But he was becoming helpless. He was feeling so trapped. Gauri was slowly taking over his life. His brothers supported her. Restless he sits on his bed. He had to end things with Gauri before she took over his life completely.

Hearing a buzz, he checks his phone. It was a message from Gauri.

'Middle of the night also, she won't leave me alone!' Om mutters in irritation as he checked the message.

"Om, have you landed? Message me when you reach home."

'Why the hell does she want a minute by minute update on my life? Why is she so clingy?' Om mutters in anger. Then starts replying to her.

"I reached home."

"Ah great... okay, going to bed then. Good night."

"Were you waiting up for me to reach home?"

"Yes. Very sleepy. Good night. Talk to you tomorrow."

And the panic set in.

'She didn't want to talk to me? Did she forget me in this one week? She hadn't seen me for a week and she doesn't even want to talk?'

Om quickly dials her number.

"Om." Gauri answers the call. "What happened? I was about to sleep."

"Don't sleep."

"Why?" Gauri asks sleepy.

"I missed you." Om tells her as his panic pushed him to be honest.

"Awww, I know, Om. Even I missed you. I'll talk to you in the morning. I love you. Muah." Saying that Gauri hangs up the phone.

And a completely different type of panic hit Omkara. His phone fall from his hand. His breathing became rapid. The walls were closing in on him. he couldn't breathe. His heart started beating against his chest so hard, he felt that they would break through. He couldn't move. He had no space. He was feeling claustrophobic.

Om looked around his room. It felt empty. He felt lonely once again. He felt abandoned. He had no one. He wanted Gauri. But she left him. Again.

He couldn't go on like this. He wanted drugs but he had promised her.

"Gauri..." Om softly whispers as he looked around the room in tears. "Please come back." Om whispers as he fell to his knees. "I'm going crazy, Gauri. Please."

He felt his hand shaking. He quickly holds his hand realizing why it was shaking. He couldn't do this.

The tremor kept increasing. He was losing himself. He started crying for help. He had pushed everyone away. And now he was alone.

"Gauri... please..." Om whispers as he sobbed on his knees.

He felt his whole body shaking. He couldn't handle it. Om with great difficulty gets up and walks to the bathroom. He gets into the shower cubicle and turns on the shower. Then he stood underneath the shower and cried his heart out.

Help from Brothers

"Om?" Shivaay curiously walks into his room with Rudra tagging behind.

Seeing the room empty, Shivaay turns to Rudra confused, "Where is he?"

"I don't know. Khanna just now told me that he had reached."

"Maybe he went to my room." Shivaay guesses.

They turn to leave when they hear a whimper. Curious, they turn around.

"Om?" Shivaay calls out as he looked around.

"O!" Rudra shouts in shock spotting Om in a corner. They both run to Om in shock.

"Om, what happened?" Shivaay asks him as he knelt next to Om.

Om was gasping for breath and sweating profusely.

"Om... what happened?" Shivaay asks him.

"O?"

"I... can't... breath." Om gasps out. "I... dying..."

"No, Om. You are fine."

"Can't... move... walls... Fall... on me."

"What happened, O?" Rudra asks him almost in tears as he hugged him.

"Going... to... die." Om starts gasping for breath.

"NO! OM! You are not!"

"She... loves... me..."

"Gauri?" Shivaay asks softly.

Hearing Gauri's name, his anxiety increases, and his breathing gets more labored.

"Rudra... call the doctor."

"He is having panic attack." Rudra whispers in shock piecing together the symptoms.

"Panic attack. But why? How?"

Remembering Gauri's love confession, Om gasps for air harder, as he couldn't even form words.

"Don't! Don't remind him about what happened. We have to distract him, talk about something else." Rudra advises him. "My friend had it in class once."

Shivaay nods, and turns to Om. "Om, breath with me. Okay. Breath in." Shivaay says as he took in a deep breath then holding it for a few seconds, he lets it go.

Om keeps gasping for breath.

"O, you said the walls were falling on you?" Rudra asks him as calmly as he could.

Om nods as he gasped.

"Bhaiyya, let's take him out. You'll be better there, O."

Shivaay and Rudra hold Om and takes him out to the open air.

"Better?" Shivaay asks him.

Om nods but continues to gasp.

"Don't worry, Om. Nothing will happen. As long as we are there, nothing can happen."

Om nods.

"Now, try breathing with me." Shivaay tells him.

Once more they try breathing calmly and Shivaay was able to calm Om down considerably.

"Remember bhaiyya... when we were small, we used to go to the beach and I was scared of the waves?" Rudra asks him.

Shivaay frowns for a second wondering what Rudra was talking about then realizing he was trying to distract Om, he says, "Yes, we used to explain to you about tides and the safety measures."

"Even then I would cry."

"Yes." Shivaay says smiling realizing Om was listening to their conversation and his breathing was also getting normal.

"Om and I used to hold your hand."

"Yes." Rudra says smiling, as he put up his palm out for Shivaay.

Smiling, Shivaay takes his hand. Then Rudra and Shivaay turn to Om, and put out their hand for him. Om takes keeps his hands on both their hands.

"We are with you, O."

"I know." Om whispers as he cried.

"Everything is going to be fine." Shivaay tells him as he hugged him. Om hugs him back and feels Rudra hug him from behind.

Much later in Shivaay's room, Shivaay and Rudra watched Om sleep in between them.

"We have to talk to Gauri." Rudra softly whispers.

Shivaay nods.

"We should have known." Shivaay whispers in anguish.

"But we always checked his stuff. We never found drugs." Rudra whispers in tears.

"He would have known you would do something like that and might have hid it." Tej tells them thoughtfully.

"But we were always thorough."

"Maybe he always carried it with him or knew where you wouldn't search."

"I thought he was trying to push us away, I never thought he was hiding his secret from us."

"But when did he start?" Rudra asks Tej.

"It doesn't look recent. Maybe immediately after the breakup."

"We should have helped him!" Shivaay tells in guilt.

"We tried, bhaiyya."

"We should have tried harder!"

"He didn't want our help. He wouldn't let us help him. he stopped talking to us."

"And I thought it was because of his anger... I should have known!"

"There is no use crying over what should have been done. Think what we can do." Tej advises them.

"We should save him."

"Yes. This time we won't give up on him."

"Shivaay." Om softly calls out to him.

Hearing the feeble call, they turn to the sound and stops in shock seeing a dripping wet Omkara.

"OM!" Shivaay shouts as he ran to him.

"O!"

They reach Om and stares at him in shock for a second at the puddle of water on the floor and the water dripping from him.

"Get a towel, Rudra."

Rudra was about to run off when Om holds his hand to stop him.

"Om, what have you done?" Shivaay asks him in anguish.

"I lost her." Om whispers. "Again."

"You haven't lost her, O."

"I can't go on like this. I want her. I want you both."

"We all are here for you, Om."

"Please help me." Om whispers to them. He stretches out his arm and pulls up his sleeves to show all the needle marks. "Please... I need help. I love her."

For him

Shivaay and Rudra were waiting for Gauri at home. The moment she walked in, they spotted her and whisked her away to Rudra's room.

"We need to talk." Shivaay tells her.

"Okay... where is Om?"

"He is in my room."

"Then let's go to your room."

"No... no... we need to talk, Gauri."

"Are we planning a surprise for Om?" Gauri asks excitedly.

Seeing her excitement, Rudra asks her in shock, "You've no idea. Do you?"

"What?" Gauri asks him confused.

Shivaay takes her hand and leads her to his bed. "Sit here."

Confused, Gauri sits down. "What happened?"

Shivaay sits next to her while Rudra kneels in front of her.

"Last night you told Om that you love him?"

Gauri giggles as she blushed. "He told you?"

"You do love him a lot, right?" Rudra asks her softly.

"I do. Actually, I was waiting for him to say something all this while."

"Gauri... we want to tell you something very serious." Shivaay tells her in a calm tone, so she doesn't get worried.

Gauri nods her head. "What is it?"

"Last night, Om had a panic attack."

"WHAT?" Gauri shouts in shock as she stood up. "I've to see him."

"No... no, Gauri. Not now." Shivaay says as he held her hand to stop her.

"Bade bhaiyya, is he fine? I just want to check on him. I won't trouble him." Gauri tells him worriedly as she tried to go to Om.

"It's because of you." Rudra tells her realizing that she wasn't going to stop.

"What?" Gauri asks in a whisper as she turned to him in shock.

"Please, Gauri. Sit. We'll explain."

"But I didn't do anything, bade bhaiyya." Gauri tells him in a whisper as she sat down.

"Last night, you told him you love him and that caused the attack."

"But why?" Gauri asks in shock, her eyes filling up.

Shivaay and Rudra look at each other for a second then turning to her, Shivaay tells her, "We always joked about it, but now it looks to be the truth."

"What?"

"Om has commitment issues."

"Commitment issues?" Gauri asks frowning in shock.

"The symptoms were always there, it's just that we never took it seriously." Shivaay informs her in regret.

"What symptoms?"

"Before you, he never had a relation that lasted this long."

"I thought... I was different."

"You are, Gauri. You are." Shivaay swears. "Otherwise, Om would have broken off things long back."

"he used to break up for the silliest of reasons. And it would always be the girl's fault."

"So maybe, his issues are sorted out?" Gauri asks them hopefully.

"Gauri... a part of him wants to break up with you." Rudra gently informs her.

She didn't say anything, she just stared at Rudra as tears fell from her eyes.

"But Gauri, there is a part of him that is not letting him break up with you." Shivaay quickly informs.

"What are you both saying? I can't understand anything." Gauri asks them, she felt like crying just then.

"He doesn't come to meet your friends, right?"

"He is busy." Gauri tells them as an excuse.

"You never had issues with that?" Shivaay asks frowning.

Gauri shakes her head. "Om is busy, and he is a private person. I understand that."

"Not even once, you two had an argument regarding that?" Rudra asks frowning.

"No." Gauri replies as she looked at them confused while they looked at each other in shock.

"He thinks that you're demanding."

"Demanding?" Gauri asks confused.

"His mind is just making excuses, Gauri."

"Why?"

"Because a part of him is freaking out that you want to get married to him."

Gauri gulps worriedly and confesses, "I do."

"He never makes long term plans."

"He doesn't like to plan ahead." Gauri explains.

"To make a plan like that then he should be ready to make a commitment. Which he is not."

"Have you met any of his friends?" Rudra asks her.

"He doesn't have many friends."

"He doesn't have many close friends." Rudra corrects her. "You were never part of his life beyond you both and us."

"You are his world." Gauri argues.

Rudra nods giving in to that. Then he says, "Have you ever attended any of his art exhibition?"

"He felt I would be bored there because he would be busy with everyone there."

"You're an art student."

Slowly fear started gripping Gauri's heart and she asks in whisper, "Was he cheating on me?"

"No, Gauri. He would never cheat on you." they both tell her at once.

"I thought... he loves me." Gauri confesses as she cried.

"Can you honestly believe that he doesn't love you?" Rudra asks her.

Gauri shakes her head in negative, though without much confidence.

"Gauri, his biggest problem is he loves you and he is very possessive about you. and that is the reason, he is not able to leave you so easily. But along with that, he is feeling trapped."

"Trapped?" Gauri asks shocked.

"He used that word." Rudra informs her hesitantly.

"So, he is going to leave me?" Gauri asks heartbroken.

"Eventually, he will."

"So, I should leave him? is that what you're saying?"

"If you leave him now, then he is going to come behind you and pursue you till you two get together."

"I don't understand." Gauri says losing patience and feeling anger rising.

"Has he ever told you about our parents?" Rudra asks her.

"What about them?"

"Dad has had affairs."

Gauri gulps in shock.

"Mom has suffered a lot."

"Om grew up seeing her suffering. He doesn't want to end up like her. we think that is the base for his phobia."

"He thinks I would have affairs?" Gauri asks in shock.

"The fear is there in him."

"How can he think that about me?"

"He doesn't even realize that he unconsciously believes that. It is all his phobia. Gauri... like a defense mechanism. He loves you that is why he has been with you for this long, but a part of him also realizes that if anyone in the world has the power to hurt him, then it is you. he feeling trapped, you being demanding, it is all kind of like... mind games... you know, to protect himself."

"He is not doing it all intentionally."

"Yesterday, when you told him you love him. he couldn't handle it. If he was happy about getting your love then he was scared of the commitment that you were expecting from him."

"How can I make him understand that I don't want to trap him? that I just love him." Gauri sadly asks them.

"Honestly... we don't know, Gauri."

"We could talk to him and make him understand."

"But it is going to take time."

"But you'll stand by him, right?" Rudra asks her.

Gauri nods in yes then asks them, "Can I see him?"

Gauri nervously walks into Shivaay's room. her heart beating fast as she contemplated on how to talk to Om. After all that she had heard, she had lost a little of her hope and belief in their happily ever after. How she had woken up thinking of making Om say those three words and now, she has to fight to save their relation. She loves him too much and she knew it was a fight worth fighting. And it is not that he didn't love her, he had insecurities and issues, and she loved him too much to abandon him at this stage.

She spots him sitting on the floor lost in thoughts. He had his hands wrapped around his knees and he was slowly rocking himself. Seeing him like that, like a small lost boy, all her insecurities were put to the side. Somehow, seeing him like that made her realize how much he needed her. and she was going to fight for them.

"Hi." Gauri tells with a small smile.

"Gauri." Om looks up at her in surprise as he let go of his legs and tried to relax his posture. "Why didn't you knock? Someone else could have been here."

Gauri frowns, finally seeing the way he worked. He hadn't wanted her to see him like this.

"Who could be here?"

"This is Shivaay's room."

"I saw him outside." Gauri informs him as she walked towards him.

"Haan? Did you... talk to him?" Om asks nervously as he avoided eye contact.

"Yes." Gauri tells him as she sat down.

"Hmmm."

Gauri takes his hand in hers. "It's okay."

"You're breaking up with me?" Om asks unable to hide his panic.

Gauri takes his hand to her lips and kisses it. "I told you once, Om. Now, I won't say it again. At least not till when you're ready to hear it."

"What does that mean?" Om asks her confused as his heart slammed against his chest.

"We'll work it out, Om. You've commitment issues. So, we won't make any commitments. We'll take one day at a time. Even if I've to wait all my life, it is okay, I'll. Till the day you have faith in our love, I'll wait, Om."

"It won't work, Gauri." Om mutters as he looked away.

"We could try."

"Still you're not ready to let me go." Om says having that trapped feeling returning.

Gauri looks away feeling hurt a little, then she tells him in a calm tone, "You don't owe me anything, Om. You can dump me whenever you want."

"Hmmm."

"Don't dump me right away. We'll try to work it out a little." Gauri tells him grinning.

"This is not a joke, Gauri."

"It is not." Gauri tells him. "But we don't have to cry. We can try to be happy and make the best of it."

Om thoughtfully looks away.

"Om... maybe we could go for counseling."

"I am not mad!" Om tells her furiously as he turned to face her.

"Counselling is not for mad people, Om."

"Is that what you're going to do to me?" Om asks her.

"No, Om... I was just..."

"I think you should leave, Gauri."

Gauri felt her eyes fill with tears as she looked away. He had never behaved like this with her. he was always sweet and charming. This face...

"Leave."

"Please Om... don't give upon us so fast."

more than her words, he reacted to the pain in her voice. "I just don't know what I am supposed to do."

"Even I don't know, Om. But my heart is not letting me give upon us." Gauri tells him as she held his hand in a pleading tone.

Om hugs her and Gauri hugs him as she burst into tears.

She had calmed down after a while. She leans back and look at Om and sees his eyes filled with tears. She couldn't see him like that. She wanted to cheer him up then realizing what she could do, she asks as she moved further back. "Waise... if you had no plans of marriage, why were you insisting on sex?"

"Ermm."

"So, before also... you never intended to marry those girls too?"

"I've never thought of marriage." Om tells her softly.

"Oh God! I really have to go on my knees and do penance for you. otherwise, I doubt you'll even see the gates of heaven."

Om chuckles hearing that. "You know, I don't believe in all that."

"Just because you don't believe in it, that doesn't mean, there is no God, no heaven and no mukti."

"Hmmm, so does that mean you are going to me string me along?"

"Of course."

"Hmm hmmm."

"I won't be doing it before marriage. No matter what." Gauri tells him smugly.

Hearing the marriage word, Om's smile drops, and panic started setting in.

"I didn't mean you." Gauri quickly tells him without thinking, as she didn't want him to panic again.

"What do you mean?" Om asks furiously as he gripped her shoulders and pulled her close to him, glaring at her furiously.

"Om..." Om nervously skimmers seeing his fury.

"Who did you mean then?" Om asks her furiously.

Gauri looks at him amazed seeing his possessiveness. "You're never going to let me win."

"Never."

Gauri moves towards him and takes his lips in hers.

Hearing the doorbell, Gauri hurries to open it.

"Tej Uncle?" Gauri says in shock seeing him at her door.

Tej smiles at her. "Can I come in?"

"Please don't insult me by asking such questions." Gauri tells him sadly as she opened the door for him.

"Who is it Gauri?" her mother asks her as she stood up to see who was it.

"It's Tej Uncle, Ma." Gauri informs her as she guided Tej inside.

"Namaste."

"Namaste." Tej says folding his hand.

"Please sit." Gauri's mother tells him.

Tej nods and sits down. And he gestures Gauri to sit with him.

Curious, Gauri sits next to him. she wanted to ask him about Om but then her mother's presence was stopping her.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't come all these days."

"It's okay. Gauri told me how busy you are."

"Thank you for understanding."

"You don't have to be formal, uncle." Gauri tells him in a soft tone.

Tej nods.

"I've been telling her to go back." Gauri's mother starts. "It is not right that she is staying here after marriage."

"Ma, I told you..."

"Gauri, Damadji will say all that." Then turning to Tej, she continues, "Gauri is unnecessarily worrying about me. See what she did, with constant worries about me, she tripped and hurt herself. That Damadji got upset with her, and send her here so that she would be more relaxed and don't worry about me. And he has told her that she can stay with me till I am fine. is it done? How long is that going to take?"

"You're right. Omkara doesn't know what should be done." Tej agrees. "That is why I came to take Gauri back home."

"What?" Gauri turns to him in a shocked whisper.

"Yes. A daughter's place is in her house." Tej tells her as he looked at her.

"Yes, Gauri. Go back home. I'm fine here." Gauri's mother tells her happily.

"But Om..." Gauri starts.

"Since he is not home, Gauri is needed more at home."

"Not home?" Gauri asks worriedly gulping.

"Where did he go?" Gauri's mother asks curiously.

"He has gone to Germany."

Gauri's heart skips a beat hearing that.

"And you didn't tell me!" Gauri's mother scolds her. "You knew, I wouldn't let you stay here if I knew Damadji was not home. You're going home, Gauri. When he is not there, it is your responsibility to look after his family."

Gauri wanted answers and she couldn't get them with her mother there. So, she quickly tells her, "Ma, you didn't give Tej Uncle even water."

"Oh, I forgot. I'll make tea now."

As soon as her mother left the room, Gauri turns to Tej and asks him in panic, "Where did he go?"

"He has gone into rehab." Tej informs her with a smile.

"He did?" Gauri asks smiling in relief.

"Before he went, he gave a letter to Shivaay to give to you. I've brought it with me." Tej tells her as he handed her the letter.

Gauri quickly grabs it and opens it.

Gauri...

You had asked me once what would I do if something were to happen to you. the honest answer is, I would die without you. ever since you left me, I am a dead man living. Now, I want to live my whole life with you. I need some more time to be your Om. If you could forgive me for all my crimes, and can still see me as your old Om, then please wait for me. I love you. I have always loved you. and I will always love you.

Om.

Second Innings

"Hi." Gauri says as she walked into Om's studio with a smile.

Om smiles at her as he looked up from the sculpture.

"How are you?" Gauri asks him as she stopped near him.

"Okay... good." Om tells her with a sweet smile.

Gauri hugs him happily.

"Gauri, I'm working. There is a time for all this." Om tells her with a frown.

Gauri quickly moves back a little upset with his tone, "Sorry."

"It's okay."

"Om..." Gauri gently calls his name.

"Hmmm?"

"Thanks for giving us another chance." Gauri softly tells him.

Om looks up at her. he gives her a sad smile.

"I know it was not easy for you."

"Anything for you." Om tells her as he lovingly caressed her cheek.

Gauri happily smiles hearing that.

"Om..."

"Can we go out?"

"Out?" Om asks as he looked up at her curiously.

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Anywhere... just drive."

"Gauri... I'm working. Are you bored?"

Gauri shakes her head in negative.

"Then let's just stay here."

Gauri nods. She didn't know how to explain to him why she wanted to spend some alone time with him, a few happy moments after what they went through the day before, so they could reassure each other that things were going to be better.

"You talk, I'll listen." Om tells her smiling.

Gauri smiles happily hearing that. "How was your trip?"

"Good."

"I missed you when you were not here." Gauri tells him smiling.

"Hmmm? What did you do when I was not here?"

"I went out with my friends. Then I mostly stayed home."

"Ah! So, you were having fun." Om states without looking up.

"Not much. That actually reminds me. I wanted to come here. You know, I like working here. So, I want a key to this place."

Om looks up at Gauri, frowning in dislike. "Gauri, this is my work place."

"I know, Om. But nowadays, I'm so used to working here... so I thought..."

"That is when I am here. You can't just take over my work place."

"Sorry. I didn't mean it like that." Gauri says looking down feeling hurt.

Om holds her chin and raises it up to see her face. "Why do you look upset?"

"I am not." Gauri lies as she looked down.

"Now, what wrong did I say? This is my workplace. It's my personal space."

"Sorry, Om. I didn't think of it like that." Gauri quickly tells him realizing that he was feeling like she was invading his space. "I am so sorry, Om. Please don't think that I am invading your space. Please don't think like that."

Om frowns angrily at her. "Just because I had a panic attack you think I am a weakling?"

"No, I didn't mean that." Gauri quickly tells him.

"You better don't."

"Why are you being so rude to me, Om? You were never like this." Gauri asks him upset.

"When was I rude? If I tell you I don't want to give you the key to my work place, then I am being rude?"

Gauri looks down helplessly. "Maybe I should just go."

Om sighs loudly. "Come here, Gauri."

Gauri walks around the table to him. Om cups her face and makes her look at him. "What is the problem?" Om asks her in a loving tone.

"I don't know." Gauri whispers as she sadly looks at him.

"You wanted to go out, right? We'll go out."

Om was working on a sculpture while Gauri sat opposite to him. Gauri was studying for her upcoming exams. Om looks up and frowns at Gauri as she continued to read her notes. She had been ignoring him ever since she came.

"Busy... huh?"

"Yeah... exams, right?" Gauri tells him smiling at him.

"If you wanted to study then why did you come here. You could have stayed at home and studied." Om tells her irately.

"Because I wanted to be with you, Om."

Om couldn't help smiling hearing that. "Come here."

"I've lots to study." Gauri cutely pouts.

"You can take a break for 5 mins." Om tells her as he offered her his hand lovingly.

Gauri takes his hand and happily walks around the table to him. when she reaches him, he pulls her on to his lap. Gauri happily wraps her hand around his neck and got settled.

"Ever since your exams started you've been ignoring me."

"I've lots to study. But I'm always with you." Gauri replies as she rubbed her nose on his.

"Still I feel you're ignoring me."

"Is that so?" Gauri asks him in a teasing tone.

"Hmmm."

"I wonder how I can make it up to you."

Om grins naughtily, "I do have some ideas."

"I'm not having sex with you." Gauri tells him chuckling.

"One of these days, I am going to die of want."

"You want me that much?" Gauri asks half teasingly and half breathlessly.

"I could show you." Om sensuously whispers.

It took her a second to realize what he had meant, and with a shriek she jumped off his lap. "I'm going to study."

Om bursts out laughing, "Just because I am sexually frustrated that doesn't mean I am walking around with a hard on."

"I know." Gauri replies in attitude to cover up her embarrassment.

Om laughs as he watched her walk to her chair and sat down. "You're so innocent, Gauri. At times, I really wonder how you would be in bed."

"I'm not having sex before marriage."

And his laughter stopped, "So that is your plan? Blackmail?"

"What?" Gauri looks at him in shock.

"Isn't it?" Om asks her angrily.

"No, Om."

"It is."

"No, Om. I just told you about my belief."

Om thoughtfully glares at her.

"How can you think so lowly about me?" Gauri asks him hurt.

"Sorry." Om mutters in a contrite tone.

"Om..." Gauri nervously called him as she scribbled on her notepad thoughtfully.

"Hmmm?"

"Didn't you talk to Pinky Aunty?"

"About what, Gauri?" Om asks tiredly. He knew where this was going.

"She keeps saying these things to me, Om. It is so hurtful." Gauri tells him sadly.

"She is like that, Gauri. She talks what is in her heart. She is not evil. She just talks bitter."

"But, it is hurting me, Om."

"She is rude to all of us, Gauri. Just ignore."

"I tried, Om but I just can't tolerate it anymore."

"She talks to all of us like that. We're tolerating it. Gauri... she is family. She is Shivaay's mother."

"And me?" Gauri sadly asks him.

Om furiously drops his brush on the table. "What do you want me to do? fight with my family now?"

"No, Om. Just talk to her. just because I am not as rich as you all..."

"ENOUGH, GAURI! Stop trying to cause trouble between my family and me."

"Om, I am not trying to cause any trouble."

"I know your intentions."

"What intentions?" Gauri asks him shocked.

"You want to separate me from my family. So, I've no one else but you."

Gauri was too shocked to react. She had been reading upon commitment phobia. She was aware that to get out of a relation, the person would accuse and blame the partner of things with no rhyme or reason. But this was too much. She wanted to cry at such a huge accusation. She never dreamt of such a thing and he was accusing her of it.

"Take it back." Gauri orders him as she fought her tears.

Either it was her tears or because he knew it was not true, he whispers regretfully, "Sorry."

Gauri watched Om paint. Things had gone downhill after that. It was either, she didn't know what to talk about any longer or that Om took offense in everything that she mentioned. He started picking fights over silliest of issues. Things had started taking a toll on her and nowadays she went to bed crying.

"What are you thinking?" Om asks her.

Gauri shakes her head.

"You looked sad. I bet it's about me."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you are behaving as if I am the biggest problem in your life."

"I never said that."

"You don't have to say it. You behave like it."

"You're always fighting with me." Gauri says, hurt at his accusation.

"Now it is my fault?" Om asks her, turning to look at her.

"I know it is not your fault." Gauri whispers.

"Then?"

"I just don't know what to do anymore." Gauri whispers helplessly.

"You've changed a lot, Gauri." Om tells her.

"How?" Gauri asks shocked, wasn't it him, who had changed?

"You're no longer content with anything. You keep complaining about everything."

"When did I complain?" Gauri asks hurt and offended, she had been tolerating all of his mood swings without a word of complain and he says that.

"About everything. You're not happy."

"You're so rude to me nowadays. That is why I am not happy."

"So, you agree that you're not happy?" Om asks angrily.

Gauri gulps in shock.

"So, why don't you just openly admit that I am your problem!"

"Om, please don't do this." Gauri whispers as she felt tears fill her eyes.

"You're the one who is blaming me for everything."

"What happened to you, Om? You were not like this. You were so sweet and caring, and overnight... why did you start hating me? What crime did I do?" Gauri asks breaking down into tears.

Seeing her crying like that in front of him, broke his heart. He was by her side in a jiffy. "Gauri..." Om cups her face. "Baby, please don't cry."

"I feel so lost, Om. I just don't know what to do or say." Gauri tells him crying loudly. "I'm hurting you. everything I do, it is hurting you. I just can't go on like this."

Om hugs her. "No, baby. Nothing like that."

"I feel like giving up." Gauri confesses in a whisper.

Om's heart skipped a beat and he panics, "No, Gauri... no." he says urgently as he cupped her face. "Please don't leave me. I'll... I don't know what I'll do without you... please... I'll change... I promise."

Gauri hugs him as she cried in relief and heartbreak. "You promise?"

"Yes."

"What is she doing here?" Pinky asks in shock seeing Gauri walk in with Tej.

"What do you mean?" Tej asks frowning. "This is her house."

"When she packed her bags and left, I thought we were saved."

"She is back, now we are saved." Tej tells her.

"Jethji, you also started? At least you had some senses. She is not good enough to be the bahu of this house. this sadakchap girl."

"She is perfect for Omkara. She is perfect to be the bahu of this family. Unlike you, Pinky, she cares for the people of this house."

"You think I don't care for anyone here?" Pinky asks offended.

"If you did, then you would know, Omkara needs Gauri the most in this world. You would know, no one has made sacrifices for Omkara like Gauri did."

"Because she left him, he started drugs." Pinky reminds him.

"Gauri misunderstood that he started drugs because she came back, and decided to leave the house so he would have a good life. She was ready to lie to her sick mother for Omkara."

Pinky chuckles, "Isn't she back now? She was always after our money. She used to take money from Omkara ever since she started dating him."

"So?"

"It means, she was with Omkara for money."

"Money is your first priority, Pinky." Jhanvi tells her angrily. "That is not the case with everyone. There are people for whom love is their priority."

"Pinky." Tej sternly says. "Stay away from my daughter-in-law. Otherwise you'll have me to answer." Then without waiting for a reply, he turns to Jhanvi. "Jhanvi, please take Gauri inside."

Jhanvi was taking Gauri to her room when they hear Shivaay and Rudra walking in. Gauri quickly runs to them.

"Gauri." Shivaay and Rudra says in relief as they hugged her.

"How is he?"

"He'll be fine." Shivaay promises her.

"Can I see him?" Gauri asks them eagerly.

"Om would be undergoing counselling too. After hearing everything, the doctor had said that it is better if you and Om didn't meet for a while."

Support from brothers

Shivaay meets Gauri with Rudra in the living room. "What happened, Gauri? Why did you call saying you wanted to meet?"

"Bade bhaiyya, there is a problem." Gauri worriedly tells him.

"What problem?" Shivaay asks frowning.

"Maa... she is saying she wants to see me married."

"What?" Shivaay asks shocked.

"But why?" Rudra asks confused. "You're still studying."

"I don't know. She is saying she wants to see me married immediately. I tried talking to her, but she is insisting that I get married soon. I tried explaining to her that I'm not ready for marriage, and that even Om is not. But she is not agreeing."

"How can she just force you like that?" Rudra asks offended.

"She is saying she wants to see me settled. She wants to talk to Om."

Shivaay and Rudra goes pale hearing that.

"I just don't know what to do. she said if Om is not ready to marry me then she is going to look for another man."

"I'll talk to her." Shivaay tells Gauri.

Gauri nods her head.

"Give me her number."

"What did she say?" Gauri asks him.

"She is adamant." Shivaay tells her. "I explained to her how you are young, and Om is busy with his course."

"What course?" Rudra asks confused.

"I lied to her that Om is not in the country that he left today morning for a course. That should buy us some time."

"But after that?" Gauri asks worried.

"I've told her that once Om gets back then we would have your engagement and after some time, when you finish your studies, we'll have the wedding. she agreed."

"But Om..."

"We could talk to Om. Make him understand. We've time."

"We are there with you, Gauri. Don't worry." Rudra tells her.

Om was sitting on his bed, leaning on the wall and knees bend. He pulls his sleeves to the tip of his fingers in an effort to cover his hand.

"Why are you pulling on your sleeves like that?" Shivaay asks suspiciously.

"I'm not doing drugs." Om tells him with a sad smile. "I'm just feeling cold."

"Hmmm."

"Gauri kept telling me that Choti Ma was treating her badly. I just thought she was rude to her like she was rude to Rudy and me." Om regretfully whispers. "I never thought she accused Gauri of being with me for money."

"It's okay. it's an old issue." Rudra tells him as he patted him on his hand.

"It had hurt Gauri. And I had fought with her regarding that when she came to me for help. I treated her so badly." Om whispers as his eyes filled with tears.

"You can make it up to her with the rest of your life."

"I'll."

"After all this, if she still wants to have a life with you, then it might mean that you've done right things too."

"And she knows it was your phobia that made you act the way you did. She knows, it was not intentional. In your fear and panic, you acted out."

"I wish I could meet her."

"She has sent you something." Shivaay tells him smiling.

"What?" Om asks eagerly feeling excited.

"It's your birthday gift." Rudra tells him as he passed him a wrapped box.

"You check her gift first then we'll give you ours."

Om opens the gift box to find a red rose in it. He takes it and couldn't help smiling, "I guess she is broke."

"Flower?" Rudra asks shocked.

Om notices a folded note inside the box. He opens it.

I was. I am. And I will always wait for you.

Relief rushed through Om reading that note. His brothers had told him that she had come back but then there was a fear in him and now it was put to rest. His eyes filled with tears in joy. Now, he truly had hope. Then he sees P.T.O written on one corner of the paper. Curious, he turns it over t see a message written on it.

Sorry for the cheap (absolutely free) gift. I am broke. You see my sugar daddy isn't with me. I did think of gifting you a naked photo of me, so you would return faster to me but then you were right, I am too innocent for such things. So, enjoy the flower.

Om starts chuckling reading the note then he goes on to burst out laughing out loud. Soon, Om was laughing and crying at the same time. Rudra and Shivaay look at each other in shock and confusion.

"Why are you laughing so much? What is the message?" Rudra asks smiling.

Om continues to laugh as he shook his head in negative. "There is pen and paper on the desk. Pass me that."

"How is he?" Gauri asks as soon as Rudra and Shivaay walked in.

"Much better."

Gauri smiles in relief.

"For you." Rudra tells her smiling as he handed her the folded paper.

Smiling excitedly, Gauri opens the folder paper. There was only one word written on it. Seeing that her eyes filled with tears. He had written, "Saathiyaa"

The End & The Beginning

Gauri with Shivaay and Rudra walk into Om's room.

"Gauri... how come you're here?" Om asks her in surprise.

"Om, I wanted to talk to you."

"Yeah?" Om asks confused then turning to his brothers, he asks, "Something important?"

"Yes." Shivaay replies.

"O, why don't you sit? We'll talk and make a decision."

"About what?" Om asks frowning.

"Sit."

"What is it, Gauri?" Om asks her as he turned to her.

"Om..." Gauri worriedly gulps.

"What happened, Gauri?"

"Om... I need your help." Gauri whispers as she held his hand.

"Tell me, Gauri." Om replies confused. "What was the need for Shivaay and Rudra?"

"We'll explain." Shivaay tells him.

"You just relax and don't think too much. We're with you."

"Can you all stop beating around the bush and tell me?" Om asks getting worried at the built up. "What is it, Gauri?"

"Ma wants to see me married." Gauri whispers.

"WHAT?"

"Relax Om, I spoke to her. she agreed for both your engagement for now. Then later, when you two are ready, we'll have the marriage then." Shivaay quickly explains.

"Marriage?" Om asks in a whisper. "MARRIAGE?" Om turns to Gauri.

"No, Om. We don't have to get married now. Not even engaged. You just come and tell Ma that we will get married, not now but later."

Seeing how she had laid out the trap, Om gets angry and panicked. "THIS WAS WHAT YOU WERE ALWAYS BEHIND!"

"No, Om."

"I AM NOT GOING TO MARRY YOU! I WAS NEVER GOING TO MARRY YOU!"

"Om, calm down." Rudra tells him.

"Shut up!" Om tells him.

"You convinced them and manipulated them too against me." Om accuses her.

"Om, I didn't."

"What are you saying, Om?" Shivaay asks him at the same time.

"Don't you have any faith in her and us?" Rudra asks him angrily.

"See what you did?" Om asks, "You turned my brothers against me!"

"No, Om. Nothing like that. I am helpless. Ma is adamant. I don't know why. Please try to understand. She is forcing me to get married. If not, you then she will marry me off to someone else. That serious she is. Please understand."

"LIES! Why would your mother force you out of nowhere?"

"She says she wants to see me settled. She thinks it is my age to get married."

"Yeah, right!"

"Om, calm down. Maybe you could talk to her mother."

"Don't you realize? Her mother is also a part of this plan. To trap me!"

"Why would I want to trap you?"

"Because you're desperate to marry me. you're obsessed with me. you want to control my life. You want me all for yourself."

"What are you saying, Om?" Gauri asks finally giving in to her tears.

"Stop crying. I won't fall for that. It was my mistake that I always fell for your crocodile tears."

"Stop it, Om! You're crossing your limit." Rudra scolds him.

"You, shut up!"

"Om..." Shivaay says in a calm tone. "I talked to her mother. She is very adamant. You might lose Gauri."

"I would be free of her." Om corrects him.

"Don't you love her?" Shivaay asks him.

"I don't."

"Om..." Gauri softly calls his name. "Please don't say that."

Om turns to her and looking into her eyes, he tells her, "I don't love you. the truth is, I am starting to hate you. you're the biggest mistake of my life."

"Please don't be so cruel, Om." Gauri begs him as she openly cried now, no longer ashamed of crying in front of his brothers because her heart break was too big now.

"You're taking it too far, Om!" Shivaay scolds him.

"Now, you've become her brother? Abandoned me for her?"

"What the hell are you saying, Om?"

"You've changed. You have joined her and want to trap me."

"Om... try to understand, we want to help you. otherwise you'll lose her."

"Om..." Gauri softly calls his name as she took his hand. "I'm not trying to trap you. I love you and I want to be with you all my life. But only when you're ready, Om. Not before that. But you've to help me now, Om. Otherwise we can't be together. Please understand."

Om studies her for face for a long minute then in a calm tone, he tells her, "Get out of my life, Gauri. It's over."

"Gauri..." Shivaay runs behind her with Rudra.

Gauri stops as she turned to look at Shivaay and Rudra.

Shivaay hugs her.

"We'll talk to him, Gauri." Rudra promises her.

"There is no use. He never loved me." Gauri whispers as she cried hugging Shivaay.

"He loves you, Gauri."

"If he did, then he wouldn't have so easily said he hates me. he wouldn't have accused me of such things."

"It is all his phobia."

"Every time, I made excuses for him. I thought it was his fears. But now, I know. I mean nothing to him. he doesn't want me. he could never love me. I'm not good enough for him."

"Why are you thinking like that?"

"You are the best thing that happened to him." Rudra tells her, his eyes filled with tears.

"I am not."

"Gauri, he loves you. But the truth is he needs help. We can help him, Gauri."

Gauri steps back as she looked at his brothers. "I tried. I did everything I could but my love isn't enough."

"We could try again, Gauri." Shivaay tells her, his eyes filling with tears, seeing her pain.

"You can't help someone who doesn't want your help. He doesn't even want me." Gauri tells him, then she whispers, "I am going. Please take care of him."

After talking to the doctor, Gauri was guided to Om's room. after his long stay at the rehab, Om had completely recovered from his addiction and the counselling had help him overcome his fears. Gauri was asked to see the doctor, so they could advise her and counsel her. after the hour-long chat, Gauri was asked to meet Om. After that they both had to sit for one more section then Om was free to go home.

"This is the room."

Gauri nods at the help thanking him. she takes a deep breath, she was going to see him after a long time. She nervously opens the door and finds Om standing by the window looking out. Hearing the sound, he turns to look at the door. Seeing her, he stood still for a few seconds, then he nervously took a step towards her. seeing him walk forward, Gauri steps into the room. then they both just ran to each other and hugged.

"I am so sorry, Gauri." Om whispers as he cried. "I hurt you a lot. I am so sorry. Please forgive me."

"I forgive you, Om." Gauri tells him as she cried. "I am sorry, I gave up too soon."

Hearing that he breaks out into loud sobs. "I love you, Gauri. You're everything to me. Only in your arms, I have felt safe."

"I love you, Om."

Epilogue

Finally, Om was home.

"Do you want to get married again?" Om asks her as they walked into their bedroom.

"No." Gauri replies. "Even though I knew it was a contract marriage, I meant every vow. What about you?"

"I might not have believed in marriage, but vows, I meant them." Om tells her smiling happily.

"What now?" Gauri asks him, smiling shyly.

Om holds her hand and pulls her towards him, wrapping his hands around her waist, he says, "Payback time. For stringing me along for so long."

Gauri blushes hearing that.

"Finally, I'm going to have my way with you, Mrs. Gauri Omkara Singh Oberoi." Om says as he leaned down to kiss her.

"Erm... "Gauri slightly moves back, "It is Gauri Kumari Sharma."

Om sadly smiles as he kept his forehead on hers. "I was been such a bad husband, haven't I? It's okay. tomorrow, we'll start the formalities to change your name."

"I don't want to change my name." Gauri replies frowning.

"WHAT?" Om asks as he moved back.

"Yeah."

"You're my wife now. An oberoi."

"I am a Sharma. I was born a Sharma. I'll die a Sharma."

"What? You won't take my name?" Om asks frowning.

"I can't drop my father's name."

"You don't have your father's name in your name." Om tells her then adds, "Unless your father's name is Kumari Sharma."

"I meant Sharma."

"No. You're my Oberoi."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Why are you not willing to make that kind of a commitment to me?" Om asks glaring at her in outrage. "I am taking you for counseling!!!"

More than a year later, Gauri walks in with Om to Oberoi Mansion. Tej and Jhanvi were waiting for her.

"Gauri, what did the doctor say?" Tej asks her. "What did your mother's report say?"

"She is completely fine now." Gauri replies lost in thought.

"That's great." Jhanvi says happily.

Gauri nods then without saying anything she walks off.

"What happened?" Om asks her as he followed her to their room.

"Nothing."

"You've been silent ever since we left the doctor's room."

"I'm just thinking, that's all." Gauri replies.

"About what?"

"Ma."

"She is completely fine now." Om tells her as he cupped her face.

"I know." Gauri says then she smiles at him lightly. "I'm just thinking about her. that's all."

Om nods. "I'm going to take a shower."

Om was standing under the shower when he hears the shower cubicle door open. He turns back to check and sees Gauri step in. He turns to his side, so Gauri could move to the front. Gauri moves to the front and Om closes the door. Om turns to face her and she had her back towards him as she stood under the shower letting the water run through her body. Om hugs her from behind, wrapping his hand around her arms. Gauri leans back towards him. he kisses her neck. Gauri moves her head to the side to give him more access. He kisses her as his hand left her arms and starts moving up her body. Gauri turns around and hugs him as she took his lips in hers.

"What happened?" Om asks her as he turned to her in bed.

Gauri shakes her head in negative.

"Talk to me, love."

Gauri turns to look at Om, and softly whispers, "I've been worried for so long." Her eyes fill with tears, "Now, I don't know what to feel. I'm scared to feel happy. What if I jinx it? So many happiness in life, I'm scared, Om."

"You've been worried for a long time, Gauri. Sometime for me, sometime for your mother. It is time, you be happy. For yourself."

"For us." Gauri corrects him.

"For us." Om agrees smiling.

Gauri hugs him as she let herself be happy.

"If not having to worry about anything is your issue..." Om starts.

"Hmmm?"

"We had decided to have baby only when your mother is fine. So why not?" Om asks with an excited smile.

8 years later, Om walks with his brothers into the auditorium. He smiles proudly seeing his 7-year-old daughter play piano. Ishika was just 3 years old when they had visited one of Gauri's colleague's house for dinner. Ishika was so enchanted with their piano that she had spent the rest of the night playing it. Next day, he had got her a small keyboard, she played day in and day out. 2 years ago, Gauri and he had decided to enroll her for piano classes. Now, she played it so beautifully. He felt proud every single time he heard her play. The music she was playing was something, he had written. She had tuned it with the help of her teacher. He feels someone take his hand.

"You're late."

"Sorry... a customer had come. Such a demanding bride. She wouldn't approve any design." Gauri whispers.

"Not everyone is going to be calm and accommodating as your dear husband."

Gauri swats him hearing that. Om chuckles.

"I didn't know Gauri, you had another husband." Rudra teases him.

"I know about the old one. One commitment phobic drug addict. Don't know who he is talking about now." Shivaay tells Rudra.

Om rolls his eyes hearing that as he softly chuckled.

"She is so perfect." Gauri says feeling so proud hearing her play.

"Exactly like you." Om whispers back smiling, then when the music reached a high note, he sings softly along with it, "Saathiyaaa... Saathiyaaa."

- The End -

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