IT WAS afternoon, February 5th, and Aru came back from therapy. Which was stupid, because she was completely fine. However, Mini, Brynne, Hira, Drew, and everyone had ganged up on her so...

She closed the museum apartment door behind her. Krithika was sitting on the couch and looked up at her. "Oh, hi, Aru."

"Today."

"Yes, I know. Today," her mother sighed, placing down her mug of tea. "Sit. Ask me questions."

Aru sat. "Why didn't you tell me the whole story?"

"I didn't get a chance to. I was always going away on trips-"

"Right. Those business trips," Aru felt herself slipping into the interrogative mode so she calmed down a little. "Where were you going?"

"I monitored him all the time."

Aru almost fell off the couch. "You stalked dad?"

"It's...complicated," she said defensively. "It was needed."

Aru narrowed her eyes. "What happened 16 years ago?"

"The agency had just started around then," Krithika said wistfully. "The Council of Guardians was good friends with your dad. He did most of the work for that agency. But..."

Aru waited as Krithika breathed deeply. "He and them got into a fight."

Krithika seemed to replay the conversation in her head. "The agency wanted to merge with the government. But that would mean more work shifts. And with the way things were going, he'd probably have to leave us. He didn't want that. However, me and the council were good friends too."

"Suyodhana told us that we would have to leave somewhere else, otherwise we all couldn't be together. I tried to talk him out of it, saying that a simple conversation would be fine. But much happened, and honestly, I'm not sure what happened. And somehow he came to the conclusion that he would have to overthrow the agency."

"He left and took Kara with him," Aru guessed, because obviously. Krithika nodded. "Speaking about Kara..."

"Kara...Her mother leaned back. Something Kara and her did. "She's three years older than you. She was a result of something I had with someone else before your father, who later died in an accident."

Aru stayed quiet. As her mind processed the information, she thought of all the ways this could have turned out differently.

"Do you hate me, Aru? I haven't been the best to you, so I understand."

Aru hugged her. "I don't hate you mom."

I pity you.

But she didn't say that.

Her mom sighed. "Thank you. I'll talk to you more often, I promise. You can trust me."

"I know."

————

Five days later, she walked into the agency's medical wing, which had kind of become a second home to her. Aiden lay on the bed and he greeted her when she came in. "Hey. I haven't seen you in forever."

Aru frowned. "It's been a week? Or a bit more than a week."

"Felt like forever," Aiden tried to shrug before wincing in pain. "Finally remembered I existed, huh?"

"I've had a lot going on," Aru said defensively. "I would've come sooner."

Aiden sighed. "It's okay. Also, I heard you're going to therapy. That's great. And I'm glad you're doing that. I'm proud of you."

Aru felt a smile creep onto her face. "Really? Thanks."

Aiden smiled back. "It's been a while since I've seen you smile. Therapy doing its trick, yeah?"

Aru nodded. "How's the injury?"

"Terrible, but I can sit up by myself now," Aiden replied, sitting up. "See? Are you proud of me?"

Aru grinned. "Yeah. I'm proud. Of Mini, she's the one fixing it up."

Aiden frowned. "Yeah, but I'm the one with the injury? Tell me you're proud of me."

"I'll be proud when you can walk again. Without help."

Aiden rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Aru smiled again. She missed this. A lot. But there was one thing she had to ask. "You aren't gonna forget me when you're done here right?"

"I could never," Aiden grinned at her. "We make a pretty good team. And this was great. I liked working on this case. It's nice to work with someone. Especially you."

Aru's palms felt clammy. She grinned back. "What was our team name again?"

"You forgot? I'm offended. Lightning Smolder, Shah."

"I thought it was Foudre-Acharya. Wasn't it?"

"No."

"Oh."

After they talked for a bit, Aiden suddenly said, "I missed you, you know."

Aru stilled. "What?"

"Everyday. When you weren't coming," Aiden looked down at his hands. "And I thought a lot, in that time. I wanna tell you something."

"I'm listening."

"You remember Harriet Bar? That word. I do remember everything I said. And I was embarrassed, I guess, when you asked me about it so I pretended to forget. Any guesses on the word?"

"Something you have for me, right?" Aru leaned back in her seat. Over the past few days, Aru realised it was her first guess, but she feigned cluelessness. "No idea. Is it hate?"

Aiden narrowed his eyes at her. "Don't even joke about that."

"Hmmm. Yeah, no clue," an involuntary smirk lit up her face. "Tell me."

Aiden's face reddened. "You know it, don't you."

"Tell me."

"No. Get out of my ward."

"No. Tell me."

"Shut up, Shah."

"You volunteered! Tell me. I won't make fun of you."

Aiden sucked in a breath and closed his eyes. "No words until I say you can speak."

Aru grinned. "Fine."

He took one of her hands. "It's love, Arundhati Shah and I'm in love with you."

Her heart sprouted wings and took flight. Perhaps it was reaching Saturn. "Ooh. Wow. That's great."

Aiden seemed like he wanted to cross his arms but didn't want to let go of her hand. His entire face was red now, and Aru felt his pulse as he adjusted their hands to hold each other, his on top of hers. "I didn't say you could speak! Your turn."

"You wanna hear it that bad? I'm sure you know already."

"No way. I told you, you tell me. That's the deal."

"I recall no deal being made."

"Shah."

Aru rolled her eyes. "Fine. I love you. Happy?"

Aiden seemed like there was a war waging in his head. His entire face looked determined.

Then, after a second, he leaned over and kissed her.

Aru felt tons of things in her past kisses. She'd never fallen in love with any of those people, and perhaps that was what was different this time. She felt tons of tiny somersaults in her stomach, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling and her entire body growing hot. Her hand reached up to his hair and his hand went from her hand to her face.

After what seemed forever, she pulled away. "That was unexpected of you. What happened to the timid guy I met a couple months ago?"

"You, unfortunately," He replied, his hand brushing her face gently. Aru narrowed her eyes at him and he added, "Not that I regret it. One bit. You're the best thing that's happened to me."

Aru sighed. "I miss the old you. The old you was never romantic. Like ever."

"Best get used to it then. Also, can we walk? I feel too many sensations everywhere and it's weird," Aiden shuddered. "Help me up."

"Grandma."

"Troll."

"Snob."

Aru helped him get up and they walked (well Aiden hobbled/waddled) together.

HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEE SINSISNISNAIAJAO

ME AND AIDEN HAVING OUR HOSPITAL ERA TOGETHAAAA

I HOPE THIS MAKES UP FOR THE SEROTONIN YOU LOST LAST CHAPTER 😭😭😭 MY APOLOGIES

ANYWAYS! THE NEXT CHAPTER'S THE LAST CHAPTER! IM SO GONNA MISS THIS BOOK 😭 BUT WE HAVE EPILOGUE ITS OKAYYY

HOW WAS THE CHAPTER?

-Loife xx