Shehnaaz was kneading the dough in the kitchen while Sidharth sneaked a peek at her from the door. Meera looks at him and raises her eyebrows to question but he signals her to stay quiet by placing his finger on his lips. Meera nods her head when he signals her to go out of the kitchen. She silently leaves the kitchen giving the much needed privacy to Sidharth and Shehnaaz.

Sidharth quietly approaches Shehnaaz from behind who was unaware of his presence. She gasps at his touch when he hugs her from behind.

"Kullu..", she smiles realising his presence. He nuzzles his nose and then kisses her at the back of her ear making her giggle due to tickling.

"Gudgudi hota hai..", said Shehnaaz. He chuckled and looked over her shoulder.

"Khaana bana rahi ho baby?", He asks in his husky voice.

"Haan..", she replies gasping for breath after tickling session.

"Achcha? Kya bana rahi ho ?", He asks sweetly.

"Roti.. Sabzi.. Dal.. Chaawal..", she lists out the menu on her fingers in her sweetest tone making him chuckle.

"Arey waah.. Shehnaaz tumhe pata hai daal meri favourite hai.. main tumhe peeli daal kaise banate hai ye sikhaunga..", he said turning her around.

She looked at him and nodded with a smile.

"Thik se dekhna.. ye aise banta hai..", he smooched her lips surprising her as she hadn't expected it coming. After the passionate kiss he realises that she had smeared all the dough on his face as she cupped his face while participating in the kiss

"Kullu..chehra.. Attaa... laga..", She giggles pointing at his face and then covering her face with hand not realising that she smeared the flour on her face as well.

"Dekho mere pe hass rahi thi.. ab tumhara bhi wahi haal ho gaya..", He laughs along.

She wipes his face with her duppatta while he adores her face.

"Shehnaaz.. peeli daal kaisi thi?", He asks her making her blush.

"Haaye, sharmaate huye bahut pyaari dikhti ho.. ek aur baar peeli daal peene ka mann kar raha hai.. par iss baar tum batao kaise banate hai peeli daal", he said.

She grinned from ear to ear showing her hand filled in dough.

"Oh.. haan.. yeh bhi thik hai.. chalo pehle isse saaf karte hai.", He turned her around and took her towards the kitchen sink. Turning the tap around he rubbed her hand delicately under running water while encircling her from behind. She spalshed some water on him.

"Shehnaaz.. rukho.. Shehnaaz..", he holds her wrists in both his hand.

"Yeh harkat tum pehle bhi kar chuki ho pata hai.. jab tumhaari jalpariyo waali poonch thi tab tum mujhe aise hi paani mein apni poonch maar maar ke bheegoti thi..", he said reminiscing the past.

She batted her eyelashes and looked at him totally puzzled as she had no memories of her past. The sweet smile on his face made her lips form a curve too. She wished that she could remember those memories as well.

"Di.. Jiju.. aaj khaana milega ya bahaar se order kare?", Asked Meera from outside the kitchen.

"Itni bhook lagi hai toh tum Keshov ke saath bana lo khaana.", Replied Sidharth. Meera blushed while Keshov who was reading a book in the drawing room looked perplexed.

"Sir.. mujhe khaana bonana nahi aata..", said Keshov. Meera rolled her eyes and glared at him, scaring him.

"Meera ko aata hai sheekh lo..", answered Sidharth.

"Huh? Por main? Kyu? Meera tum Maushami ke saath bana lo khaana..", muttered Keshov.

"Arghhh.. woh dono kitchen mein khaane banane ke naam pe romance kar rahe hai.. isiliye jiju hamein bhi apni tarah khaana banane ko bol rahe hai..", Meera clearly explains in frustration.

"Huh?", He looks at her in surprise and blushes.

"Por hum khaana bonayenge kaise? Kitchen mein toh Sir or Flora hai already..", asked Keshov with a blush.

"Rrrr.. Buddhu ho aap.. unke jaise khaana banane ke liye kitchen ki zarurat nahi padti..", Meera facepalms.

"Haan.. yeh bhi thik hai.. tum shikhaogi mujhe khaana bonana?", He asks sweetly. She nods her head while blushing.

While the couples were busy romancing in their respective space, the door bell rings.

"Meera... Keshov... Dekho darwaaze pe kaun hai..", Sidharth calls loudly.

"Jiju.. aap hi dekh lo.. hum busy hai", Meera replies.

"Huh? Meri billi, mujhi ko meow!! Aisa kya kar rahe hai dono?", Sidharth says annoyed.

"Pyaar..", utters Shehnaaz.

"Huh? Hmm.. Shehnaaz tum toh badi smart ho gayi ho.. yeh Meera ne tumhe lagta hai sab sikha ke apne jaise bana diya..", smirks Sidharth.

"Kullu.. darwaaza..", reminds Shehnaaz.

"Hmmm.. chalo dekhte hai..", said Sidharth yanking Shehnaaz with him outside. At the same time Keshov too comes out, Meera follows him with a frown.

They get shocked to find Maushami unpacking a pizza box.

"Akele akele pizza thoos rahi ho?", Asks Keshov.

"Toh main kya karti? Aap sab toh aapka khaana pakaane mein itne busy the. Mere pet ke baare mein mujhe khudh sochna tha..", said Maushami.

Except for Maushami, everyone's face had a tinch of blush.

"Agar aap sab ka pet na bhara ho toh yeh lo maine aapke liye bhi order kiya hai. Aap bhi mere jaise thooso..", said Maushami pointing at the unopened boxes.

"Jald hi tumhaare saath khaana bonane wale ko dhoondhke loyenge hum..", Keshov playfully hits on Maushami's head before kissing her forehead.

"Main kaunsi hoor ki pari hoon joh mere liye koi aayega? Koi nahi aayega.. Koi nahi karega mujhse shaadi. Aise jale huye chehre se kaun pyaar karega?", Maushami said and the atmosphere went silent.

"Maushami.. bachcha.. aisa nahi kehte.. main karta hoon na tumse pyaar..", Keshov hugged her.

"Sachch hi kaha na bhaiyya. 4 saal se ye chehra leke jee rahi hoon. Jab log mujhe dekh ke gandi shakal banate the tab mujhe lagta tha ki shayad mujhe aise jeene ki aadat ho jaayegi par aaj bhi jab koi ganda shakal banata hai na mujhe dekh ke toh wahi dard hota hai. Achche chehre waalon ko dekh ke jalan hone lagti hai. Jhoot nahi bolungi, shayad aapko bura lage par jab Meera ko ya Shehnaaz ko dekhti hoon toh jalan mehsoos hoti hai.", Maushami vent her heart out. Keshov patted his sister's head.

While Keshov looked at Meera, Sidharth looked at Shehnaaz to see their reactions on hearing Maushami say that she feels jealous of their beautiful faces. The two ladies' eyes welled up feeling sad for Maushami.

"I understand your pain Maushami. Main bhi iss feeling se guzar chuka hoon. Trust me, jo koi sirf tumhara achcha chehra dekh ke pyaar karta woh kabhi sachcha pyaar nahi kar pata. Aaj main Shehnaaz ke saath isiliye hoon, kyuki woh mere jale huye chehre ke saath thi. Tumhaare saath toh hum hai, maine 14 saal bina kisi ke saath ke guzara hai.", Said Sidharth.

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Vikram and Maya filled their nostrils with the fresh air which had travelled to them from over the sea. They held each other's hand looking at the sea infront while sitting beside each other on the sand.

Shehnaaz sat with her feet pressed against the sand while Sidharth covered it with wet sand. Shehnaaz giggled feeling the tickle.

"Kullu.. gudgudi..", said Shehnaaz.

"Hilo math.. ghar toot jaayega..", he said patting the sand to give it a shape.

"Ab dheere dheere se pair bahar nikaalo..", he said and she obliged.

"Tan-ta-dan.. apna ghar.. kaise hai?", He asked to her like a little kid.

She leaned her head on sand and looked inside the igloo shaped house carefully like a curious baby.

"Ghar.. achcha hai..", she nodded with a smile making him laugh.

"Iske irdh-girdh compound banate hai..", he said clearing and smoothening the surroundings of the sand house. She joined him doing so.

Sidharth held Shehnaaz's hand directing her to make compound walls.

Maushami was busy collecting shells while Keshov and Meera were busy playing chess.

Post building their sand house, Sidharth and Shehnaaz sit watching the waves touching the shore and returning. She places her head in his lap and watches the sea in silence.

"Iss samundar ne mujhe meri zindagi, meri Shehnaaz di hai..", Sidharth softly uttered caressing and patting her head. Shehnaaz's eyes widened, as she stood up quickly and ran towards the sea.

"Shehnaaaaz.. kaha jaa rahi ho? Rukho.. Shehnaaz..", Sidharth screamed in fear and ran behind her.

Bending down, she picked up the fish off the shore which was struggling out of the water. She ran into the sea and left it back into the water. Sidharth sighed observing her act. For a moment he felt he would lose her back to the magical world of waters.

"Shehnaaz", Finding her losing her balance amidst the strong waves, he hugged her.

"Kya hua Sir? Aap dono thik ho?", Keshov asked as they all ran towards them finding him panic.

"Hmm.. Shehnaaz tum thik ho?", Asked Sidharth.

She looked at his face with an unknown emotion.

"Kullu..", she said.

"Haan, Shehnaaz.." he asked tucking the loose strands of her hair behind her ear.

"Ghar..", she said.

"Haan sweetheart, ghar chalte hai hum..", said Sidharth pulling her towards the shore but she didn't dodge from her place. He looked at her face.

"Kullu.. ghar.. maa", she pointed to the sea. His heart thudded against his rib cage.

"Matsya..", called Vikram and Shehnaaz turned to him. Her eyes were filled with tears. Sidharth looked at Vikram and Maya who were stunned themselves.

"Yeh kya ho raha hai, Vikram?", Asked Sidharth in fear.

"Usko sab yaad aa gaya..", said Vikram.

"Matlab?", Asked Sidharth.

"Tumse milne se pehle uska naam Matsya tha. Usko saari puraani baate yaad aa gayi hai, Sidharth.", Said Vikram.

Maya places her hand on Shehnaaz's shoulder. The grief of separation from her community which she could never mourn due to memory wipe out, now surfaced.

"Shreeja..", Shehnaaz hugged her and cried. Vikram and Maya who were earlier watching the sea and reminiscing their sea-life, were no longer able to hold back their tears.

Flashback:

Matsya's father, Matsyaraaj wandered to a new place with his whole clan. Though Matsya's mother relocated with them, she was devastated on separation from her daughter. Her health deteriorated slowly due to seperation anxiety. On her death bed, she finally asked her husband to fulfill her final wish and return Matsya her memory and power so that she can survive outside.

Matsyaraaj promised to return Matsya her memory and power the very moment she does some good dead towards the sea life. With this Matsya's mother's soul departs from her body peacefully.

Flashback ends.

Today as soon as she saved the life of dying fish, her memories returned. She looked at Sidharth's face who had the same amount of pain and fear, as he had it on the day he had let her go back to her home.

"Kullu..", she called him.

He looked up to meet her eyes.

"Shehnaaz.. tum mujhe choddke waapis toh nahi jaaogi na?", He finally vented out his fear.

She nodded her head in denial and hugged him tightly.

"Ghar le chalo.. Kullu.", She said.

"Haan Shehnaaz.. apne ghar chalte hai." He nodded his head in agreement. As they were about to exit the water, Shehnaaz paused.

"Maushami..", Shehnaaz called Maushami and approached near her. She raised her hands and caressed Maushami's face.

Keshov was taken aback to witness his sister's burnt scar vanish. Maushami touched her face and broke down in tears. She hugged Shehnaaz emotionally.

"Shehnaaz maine tumse itna bura bartaav kiya phir bhi tumne mera chehra thik kar diya..", said Maushami.

"Thank you Flora. Meri behan ko naya life dene ke liye. Bhai hoke jo mein nahi kar paya woh tumne uske liye kiya. I will be forever indebted to you.", Cried Keshov folding his hands humbly. She held his hands and nodded her head.

They all return home happily..

____________

Coming up next, the Epilogue..