Pallavi had always possessed an almost supernatural sense of intuition. So she knew something terrible was waiting to happen from the time she woke up from her sleep, disoriented and heart racing. So, she wasn't very shocked when her scooty stopped in front of what looked like a massive accident. 

The road in front was blocked and barricaded by the police and people seemed have gathered in an almighty circle around the apoplectic mess which were the two cars in what looked like a head to side collision. 

She didn't want to see the horrific scene any more than necessary but her intuition as always drew her closer. She pushed past people while the trepidation building in her chest had bordered to an inexplicable but full blown terror. 

But nothing could have prepared her for the metaphorical blow to her chest which instantly made her feel lightheaded and nauseous at the same time when the rear plate of the second car came in view. She would have recognized the number itself in any situation even if the signature logo of his name hadn't been modelled over the bonnet. 

The white bonnet which seemed to have caved in and smoking in the impact. The Mercedes had completely overturned at the near end of the divider and the red Ferrari's bonnet was almost melded into the side door. She saw the blood splattered generously all over the scorching peat road while the humdrum of noises around her seemed to suddenly dim. 

"Careful ammai... don't look. It will be okay."

A middle aged man was kind enough to support her while she almost lost her footing and might have dropped like a ragamuffin on the ground without it. 

"An..na.. anna.. where.. where did they take them... the people... here.. hospital..which.. please tell me... please"

"I believe one of them was not that hurt. He took the other man to the nearby City Hospital."

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Pallavi thought for a second she had seen a ghost when she saw him leaning against the starched hospital wall at the emergency ward, his slate grey vest opened and inner white shirt soaked in red from where hastily tied bandages could be seen peaking from his chest. He seemed to be arguing heatedly with what looked like a nurse, hair dishevelled and a small plaster on his forehead. 

She didn't know her scream had been so loud that it had made all the heads in the corridor turn towards her including his. 

"Raghav!"

His charcoal eyes seemed to widen on spotting her and then crinkled lightly at the edges as if in happiness. She felt like she might vomit or faint or do both. 

"Pallavi..."

She was in his arms the next moment shocking the nurse who had stumbled apart at the sheer force of her sprint past her. 

He felt just like he always used to. 

Like a blanket left out in the sun on freezing winter mornings and the cool gust of wind in sweltering summer evenings. Like cinnamon shards in chocolate ganache and the hint of spice in the tadka of her favourite dal. Like cold coffee and ginger tea. Like home... 

Pallavi didn't know she was sobbing so hysterically in his chest, that she was hyperventilating. Raghav momentarily stunned into inaction came back to his senses quite fast. He tried consoling her, threading his fingers in her hair, patting her back gently, talking nonsense in her hair soothingly. 

"Calm down.. sweetheart. Pallavi... shaant shaant.. baapre.. kitna royega mera jaan... chup chup... saans toh lelo Saree Ka Dukaan... warna abhi nila padh jaega alien ki tarah... uff.. dekho toh.."

"I was so scared Raghav... I saw your car and all that blood... I didn't know what to do.. I was so so terrified how I'll find you.. in what condition.. mujhse saans tak nhi liya jaa raha tha.. shukra manao yahan pahauch ne se pehle nila padke alien nhi ban gayi.."

Raghav chuckled in a suspiciously watery voice and she finally managed to compose herself with his help. She looked up from where she had buried her face in his chest and saw the bruises on the side of his face starkly visible in the harsh hospital lights. There seemed to be minor cuts which were the evident hints of the rear window glass shattering. The cuts were spread liberally on the skin of his torso.. not very deep but too numerous to be completely harmless. 

She felt the long suppressed bile rise back in her throat and tears spilled down her cheeks quietly this time. Raghav felt his heart ache seeing his agony mirrored in her beautiful face. 

What is this woman made of? How can one person feel so much for someone who has only given them pain?

"Aur kahan chot lagi hain Raghav.. zyadaa toh nhi lagi naa.. aur tum khade kyun ho? Shouldn't you be in bed? Isliye nurse ke saath lad rahe the naa? Uff, tumhe leke main kya karun Ghamandi Rao! For God's sake! Please sit somewhere.."

Raghav smiled faintly at her while she dragged him to an empty seat and started inspecting his bandages thoroughly. 

"Don't worry Saree Ka Dukaan.. itna bhi nhi laga hain.. it looks worse than it is. Just a few bruises, woh impact mein steering wheel ghus gaya tha thoda chest mein but it only needed stitches.. not very deep thank god. And woh overturn hone ke time, sar lag gaya window se, toh ye forehead pe cut aa gyi.. baaki minor injuries hain. I am fine. Do din rest lunga, I'll be right as rain."

Pallavi's fingers trembled slightly over the bandage on his chest as the gruesome image of the steering wheel cutting into her husband's chest assaulted her brain and heart mercilessly with a maniacal glee. 

But he isn't your husband any more, is he?

Suddenly an undirected rage assailed her. 

"What the hell were you thinking Raghav? How can you drive so recklessly! Why are you so impatient, so angry all the damn time! You know how badly this all could have gone! Thank heavens and thank every deity who had deigned to bless us today that you are relatively unharmed. But just a little here and there could have taken your..."

She couldn't complete the thought and crushed her eyes close berating herself mentally furiously for even thinking about such a fate. 

His fingers on her cheek made her eyes fly open in surprise. He was looking at her so softly that she wanted to start crying again.

"I wasn't hurrying Pallavi, God's honest truth. I mean.. not more than the usual. I had given the indicator too.. it was a blind corner and the other driver was not only inexperienced but also under heavy substance influence. The Ferrari came out of literally nowhere and rammed into my car even before I could swerve a little. It wasn't my fault."

"Drugged! And driving! Wow! Wonderful! Sue him! He should never be able to drive a bloody car again!"

"Calm, my Jhansi Ka Rani... he shouldn't have been able to drive a car even now. He is fifteen year old Pallavi.."

"What!!!?"

"Yes... he is just a boy. I know his father. Vansh Mehrotra...a sleezy bastard. Filthy rich business magnate and has been married and divorced more times than I can count. Has a dozen illegitimate children lying around. I had seen Veer when he was a child still and I myself had just entered the corporate world. He was such a sweet kid. But... I guess, abuse and neglect and no supervision and money compensating for love can twist the purest of children.."

Pallavi looked sadly at the door of the operation theatre as Raghav looked increasingly concerned. She squeezed his hand understanding his torment. 

"I don't want anything to happen to him. He doesn't deserve this... paying for his father's sins. I wish it were me instead of him at the OT. Why couldn't the idiot have..."

He trailed off sensing the sudden shift in the atmosphere. 

"What did you just say! You want to take his place? Lie in the OT!!! Get operated on! Fight for your life? Yes, of course... you cannot do anything without theatrics right Mr. Don Rao! Go then, jump of a cliff! See if I care!"

Pallavi shouted at the bewildered diamond king and stormed off unseeingly before Raghav could catch her hand. 

"What a strange woman.... arghhh... God save me! Aa raha hain mazaa? Pyaar karna tha na tereko Raghav Rao! Kar pyaar aur... pata nhi kab akal thikane aayega mera.."

Raghav self reproached and groaned as the fresh injury in his forehead hit his hands were he had bent his face over and almost swore when the stitches in his chest pulled at the sudden movement. 

"Amma..."

He whined to no one in particular.