"Krishhh.. Kya tujhe pata hai ki according to Lawrence unconscious patients verbal communication ko sunn aur emotionally respond kar sake hain?" Raavi told Krish enthusiastically. His wife was up to something, he could just feel it.

Just last night he had kissed her so she could get good sleep. More like reversed Sleeping Beauty for her. And not to forget, confessed his love during the day time. Actually, yelled out. To an unconscious Chipkali. His Chipkali. The li'l pest he was now in love with.

"Kya bhaabhi.. Aap bhi na! Mujhe sote samay koi awaaz sunai nahi deti aur aap keh rahe ho ki log behoshi ki haalat mein bhi sunn sakte hain?! Yeh kaisa joke hai?" Krish ridiculed.

"Tujhe sunai nahi deta toh kya hua? Researchers ka toh yeh maanna hai ki neend mein cheezein sunai bhi deti hain aur feel bhi hoti hain!" Raavi continued completely ignoring Krish. So this is what it was all about.

"Arey bhaabhi.. New Year hone mein sirf pandrah minute baaki hain, aur aap yeh kya baatein leke baith gaye!" Krish informed her kindly.

"Actually Krish.. Teri bhaabhi na bilkul sahi bol rahi hai.." Shiva advanced teasingly. After all, two could play the game.

"Neend mein log sach mein sunn aur feel kar sakte hai.." He continued watching his wife's eyes twinkle in excitement. Mentally restricting himself from giving up the act, he said, "Ab jab wo neend mein Shechu ki tarah 'Bhootnaath mujhe chhod ke mat jana..' badbadaati rehti hai toh main sunn leta hoon aur jab darr ke mare apne chudail jaise naakhoon gaadti hai toh seh bhi leta hoon!"

Watching her face go from almost triumphant to it turning red with embarrassment, anger and the sole desire to murder him in his sleep was something he had always relished. Hell, even being in love with her hadn't changed that.

"Haan toh? Mujhe bhi sab feel hota hai neend mein.. Main toh sirf apne naakhoon gadaati hoon, tu jo neend mein daadhi gadaata hai uska kya?" Raavi had had enough of her Bhootnaath and his goddamn nonchalance.

"Aur maine aisa kab kiya?" Shiva asked innocently, mentally calling out for his wife's ability to babble when she was angry.

"Kal raat ko jab tu kiss.." Raavi stopped midway, turning around to check if Krish was still there with them.

"Jab maine kya?" Shiva was seconds away from giggling joyously.

Finding Krish gone and seeing him enjoy having the upper hand in the situation, she began, "Kiss kiya! Woh bhi neend mein.. Kya socha tune? Ki mujhe pata nahi chalega?"

"Isme pata chalne ka kya hai?" Because poking and prodding gets you to places.

"Mera pati mujhe pehli baar kiss karega aur main teri tarah ghode bech kar soti rahoongi?" She questioned him.

"Accha?! Toh tu jagi hui thi?" He prodded again.

"Haan! Aur yeh Sleeping Beauty wala kiss kaun karta hai?" She babbled. Bingo! He had her where he wanted her.

"Toh tujhe itna gussa issiliye aa raha hai kyunki tujhe jaagte hue kiss nahi mila?" He asked innocently.

"Haan! Nahi! Matlab haan.. But not in that sense. Oof tu na Bhootnaath ka Bhootnaath hi rahega.. Main jaa rahi hoon!" Raavi said, clearly frustrated with the fact that she got caught in the trap she set.

"Haan toh jaa.." He replied, without showing any signs of stopping her. Bhootnaath kahin ka!

Giving it one more try, she went, "Main sach mein jaa rahi hoon!"

"Haan toh jaana hai toh jaa.. Maine kahan roka hai!" Incorrect Answer!

"Tune nahi roka na.. Ab main sach mein jaa rahi hoon!" Raavi fumed. His wife looked like the comic book characters with steam coming out of their ears.

"Accha Raavi.. Ruk!" He called out. Ab aaya na uth pahad ke neeche!

"Bol.. Zyada time nahi hai mere pass!" She replied haughtily.

"Tu aisa kar ghar ke bahar nahi chhat pe jaa!" He said calmly.

She raised in response to which Shiva explained, "Aaj New Year hai na.. Tu bahar jaayegi, do minute mein garam se thandi hogi aur wapis aa jaayegi.. Par iss chakkar mein sab pareshan ho jayenge!"

"Tujhe toh koi farak hi nahi pad raha na mere jaane se.." Raavi mutterred and climbed the steps angrily.

On reaching the balcony, she found it pitch dark and her fear of darkness kicked in. She tried turning on the lights but couldn't figure out how to. She was about to turn around and walk away when she crashed into someone. Her husband, who was thankfully holding a flashlight.

"Tu darr gayi thi?" He asked, to which she nodded vehemently in response. He gently continued, "Kyun? Main hoon na.. Aur waise bhi maine decide kar liya hai ki ab zindagi bhar tere saath hi pati-pati khelna hai."

His mock tired tone sent her out ranting, "Haan, toh aise majboori ki tarah kyun sound kara raha hai.. Main bhi toh biwi-biwi khel rahi hoon na tere saath.. M-", where he cut her off midway by placing one of his fingers on her lips.

"Dekh New Year mein paanch minute aur meri battery mein paanch percent bache hain.. Toh tu bas paanch second ke liye apni aankhein band kar, main abhi aaya!" He asked her gently and she thankfully complied.

After switching on the lights and looking over the arrangements one last time, he stood right before her and asked, "Ab tu apni aankhein khol sakti hai!"

She slowly opened her eyes, squinting to adjust to the brightness and found out the world's most beautiful bouquet of roses right in front of her. The best part? It was heart-shaped. It was standing tall on the table with two candles at either side, which her husband was now lighting. There were two chairs placed across each other. An ideal setting for a date.

"Ab issey pehle tu apni mooh ki gatimaan express chalu kare, main kuch kehna chahta hoon.. Mujhe nahi pata ki uss din tune kya suna ya nahi suna, ya tere uss Lawrence ke research mein kya likha hai ya nahi likha hai.. Main bas itna janta hoon ki main tujhse pyaar karta hoon, tu jitna soch sakti hai aur main jitna jata paaun usse do truck zyada. I love you, Raavi." Shiva said simply. So simply yet so lovingly.

"Sirf do truck? Mujhe toh laga shaadi ke baad wala measurement system thoda toh change hoga." Raavi teased, barely concealing her happiness.

"Woh sab chhod.. Tujhe kuch nahi kehna?" He asked, eagerly waiting for her response.

"I love you too, Shiva aur tujhse chaar truck zyada." Raavi replied earnestly, putting aside the thought of teasing him. After all, she'd get way more opportunities now.

"Waise mujhse toh pyaar hona hi tha tujhe.. Main Somnaath ki sabse cute ladki jo hoon! Ab toh tu iss gatimaan express ko baat karne se kabhi bhi nahi ro-" He cut her off again. Only this time with his lips.

He placed a soft closed lip kiss on her lips. Her initial reaction was to back away, but the intensity of the moment kept her frozen in place. She was shocked and didn't know what to do, as his lips were pressed up against hers. He sure found a better way to shut her up.

Her brain was so overloaded with the feeling of his lips crushed against hers, and the heat of his breath, and his hands twisting against her back, and the tip of his tongue meeting hers, and his neat beard rough against her skin, that she found herself not quite capable of even hearing the fireworks go off as the clock struck twelve.

So instead, she pushed her body closer to his and leaned into it, and finally, finally tangled her fingers in his hair, something she'd always longed to do. She felt smug in the fact that it was as soft as she'd imagined, and that was her last coherent thought for some time. The celebratory noise was drowned in her ears by gasps for breath and the terrific pounding of her heart, loud and rough enough to make her feel as if it would vibrate out of her body all together.

Finally, he pulled back, reluctantly, but he was afraid he was about to pass out otherwise. They stared at each other for an interminable moment, panting like they had raced one another to arrive here.

Then he echoed her earlier sentiment. "Jaagte hue aise kiss karte hain.. Feel hua?"

She let out a shaky sigh, which turned into a coherent sentence. "Oh god, yeh toh bilkul fairytale ki tarah ho gaya!"

"Nahi." He disagreed. Another moment passed.

"Kyun nahi? Maine kuch.." She asked reluctantly.

"Arey nahi.. Perfect tha." Shiva cleared immediately.

"Phir?" She asked quizzically.

"Agar fairytale hota.. Toh tujhe toh Chipkali se raajkumaari bann jaana chahiye tha na.. Nahi?" He asked, barely trying to control her laughter.

It took her a few seconds to comprehend his meaning. "SHIVA!"

It's safe to say that this was their happily ever after.

Bhootnaath & Chipkali's happily ever after.