"Sidharthhh...tu-tu sacch mein chahta hai ke mai chali jau yaha se?" Sana said as tears were flowing down from her eyes. She was utterly disappointed.

"Aisa nhi hai baby... Tu aisa kyu samajh rhi hai?" Sidharth said cupping her face. "Mai bass protect kar rha hoon tujhe... I can't afford anything happening to you."

"Toh mujhe saath rakhke bhi toh protect kar sakta haina tu?" She said holding his hands which was on her face. "Humne ek dusre ko promise kia tha na, that we'll be there for each other... aur ab ye ek problem aa gyi aur tu mujhe dur bhej rha hai apne se? This is not done. Aisa kyu kar rha hai tu?"

"Tere bhale ke liye kar rha hoon... Samajh mein nhi aa rha tereko ke ye mere liye bhi mushkil hai... lekin mai teri tarah zid nhi kar rhi hoona. Tu situation ki seriousness ko samajh nhi rhi hai Sana. Aaj mai tere saath tha. Kal agar main nhi hoon and something happens, kya karunga mai? How can I live if something happens to you? I can't trust that Danny ke wo ab tere peeche nhi aayega". Sidharth said losing his calm which only made Sana cry more.

"Roh mat Sweetheart itna..." Sidharth said holding her shoulder, but she jerked his hand off and sat on the couch. She kept staring at her phone screen on the tickets he sent when he was figuring out how to comsole her. Suddenly, her eyes caught on something, and she said-

"Tu sirf Danny ke wajah se mujhe bhej rha haina?"

"Aur kya wajah hogi Shehnaaz?" he asked.

"Kyunki maine abhi dekha booking ka time. Tune ye tickets tab li na jab hum station mein the... tab toh tujhe pata bhi nhi tha ke ye sab Danny ne karwaya hai. Phir..phir tune ye tickets kyu book kiye?" Sana asked suspiciously. Sidharth was tired to lying to her but he decided to do it yet again.

"Kyunki I knew wo agar Danny nhi toh koi aur hoga... Aisi hi life hai meri, Sana. I deal with this kind of shit every day. Aur abhi mai ek bohot high profile case handle kar rha hoon... and who knows agar kal ko koi mujhe dhamkane ke liye tujhe nuksaan pohonchane ki koshish kare? I can't take that risk... isiliye please tu meri baat maan aur sirf kuch dino ke liye ghar chali jaa..." Sidharth said settling beside her.

"Nhi reh paungi mai tujhse dur Sidharthh". She said leaning onto his chest. He sighed in relief thinking that she quitted asking questions.

"Haa toh mai konsa khush dikh rha hoon baby... I will also miss you. Lekin abhi please meri baat maan le... Just until ye sab mai sort out nhi kar leta... Kyunki agar tere pe koi musibat aayegi toh mai kuch aur soch bhi nhi paunga". He said patting her back. This was indeed a tough decision for him as well but he had to do it. He knew she'll be safe away from the city, even if that means they have to stay apart for a while.

They both obviously didn't told the whole story to their family. They just said Sana was missing her family and wanted to go for a holiday. But her gloomy face said otherwise. Sana was the saddest person to go from Mumbai and everyone found it suspicious. She didn't do a lot of packing, only a few needy items like her medicine and laptop as Sidharth said -" humesha ke liye nhi jaa rhi tuu... wapis issi kamre mein aana hai tujhe".

She was not satisfied or happy with Sidharth's decision. Moreover, she was angry on him for taking such a big step without her consent but she decided to obey him anyway. She herself wanted him to focus fully on the case and he also made it clear that she's his distraction. Sidharth wanted to accompany Sana on the flight to Chandigarh but she denied. He knew she was not pleased to go away from him and he hated to make her do it.

"Im so sorry Sweetheart! Tu naraaz haina mujhse?" Sidharth asked in the parking lot at the airport. She nodded as tears clanged at the corner of her eyes threatening to fall down any moment soon.
"I don't know tujhe kaise samjhau but mai ye tere acche ke liye kar rha hoon..."

She looked straight into his eyes, letting the tears to flow down to her cheeks. His heart clenched that he made her cry.

"Tu...tu phone karega na roz mujhe?" She asked.

"Arre... of course karunga! Ye bhi koi poochne ki baat hai... aur ye long distance humare liye konsi nayi baat hai haina?" He said pulling her into a hug. She hummed on his chest in reply.
"Lekin tu udhar jaake apni tabiyat mat kharab karna.... Kyunki jab Tujhe kuch hota hai toh mera mann nhi lagta kisi mein bhi..."

"Tu apni case jaldi khatam kar lena... mai zyada din dur nhi reh sakti tere se..."

"Yes... aur uske baad seedha shaadi karte hai". He said she pulled back to look at him at horror.
"Kya hua? Aise kya dekh rhi hai? Shaadi nhi karni tujhe?"

"Karni... hai..." she said nervously.

"Jis din mai ye case ka final report submit karunga, agle din shaadi... theek hai?"

She nodded, grinning widely, flashing all her teeth.

Sidharth reached his office from the airport. The picture of Sana bidding bye with teary eyes was still roaming in his head. And most importantly, the promise he made to her. He wanted to close the case as soon as possible as it was the only way to be with her now. He walked into Kushal's cabin where Kushal, Azim and Vikram were already engrossed in some discussion. Azim and Vikram saluted Sidharth when they noticed him entering the cabin.

"Bhej diya Sana ko?" Kushal asked and Sid nodded.

"Iss case ko jaldi solve karna hoga... uske bina I can't bring her back here". Sidharth said. "Kya progress hai?"

"Sir we are waiting for an update any minute. Humare plan ke hisab se we have planted a tracker in the next victims body according to the list. Abhi tak toh hume kuch suspicious nhi lag rha hai... agar wo kisi khatre mein padegi toh she's press on the SOS option aur hume uski location mil jayegi". Azim said.

"Yea let's wait for it..."

Few days passed just like that. There was no noticeable progress in the case and no girls had gone missing since the past few days. Sidharth was spending 17 hours in the station and would only come back home to sleep. His food and sleep cycle, everything was messed up making his family worried for him. Speaking of Sana, she was missing him like anything. She got so used to him being around her all the time, pampering and taking care of her even though they only spent 3 months together. She became silent than before after coming back that even her family began to ask -"aise tu aayi hi kyu? Wahi ruk jaati" as they witnessed every second how much she missed Sidharth. The only time she seemed herself was when she talked to him over the phone which would be a long 3 hours every day. She tried her best to engage with house chores, helping her mother, hung out with her friends and worked on some projects for Jay and Vikas from her house. But nothing seemed to fill the void she was feeling away from him. Sidharth's family on the other side was worried about his health and safety but didn't raised their concern to Sana. He was working like a machine, going through the files for the 60th time, interrogating half of Mumbai about the shop owner to figure out his route map.

It was a Thursday night, when Azim waited outside of the IGs cabin for Sidharth and Kushal who were getting bashed for still investigating the case when the department already asked them to handover it to crime branch. They both were so adamant that they can solve it and knocking on every door to grant them some more time. Azim saw both of them coming out of the cabin, looking frustrated.

"Hadd hai yaar... wo kya sochte hai? That we were on holiday? Yaha admi gadha masdoori kar rhe hai aur saala koi izzat hi nhi hai apni". Sidharth said running his fingers in his hair.

"Yes Azim". Kushal asked noticing Azim at the hallway.

"Sir... agli kidnapping ho gyi hai". He said making both of them frown. "And we have the location."

Three of them rushed to Kushal's cabin where Vikram was already waiting for them.
"Vikram... GPS se kya pata chala? Address mili?" Kushal asked hurriedly.

"Yes sir...! Uss ladki ko Mumbai ke outskirts mein ek warehouse leke gaye hai..." Vikram said.

"Kiska hai warehouse?"

"Local MLA Mukhate ka". Vikram showed the status of the tracker.
"Sidharth sir ne sahi kaha tha... hume raid kar leni chahiye thi pehle hi waha pe".

"Hume permission kabhi nhi dete raid ki... He's from the home ministry party." Kushal said.

"Lekin ab humare paas evidence hai. Ab kaise nhi denge permission". Sidharth said angrily. 

"Sid chill! Tu team ko ready kar. I'll go talk to IG". Kushal said and Sid nodded silently. Suddenly Sid felt his phone vibrating in his side pocket. He pulled it out to see Sana's name flashing on the screen. He, without thinking twice, turned it off and put it back into his pocket letting out a sigh.