In one of the rooms, Nandini stood by a wardrobe looking at an old photo album when Manik came in.

"Nandini....there you are! Kabse dhund raha hoon tumhe main!" Manik exclaimed. He then noticed that she was all teary eyed. "Kya hua? Are you okay?"

"Manik...tumhe yeh kamra yaad hai?" Nandini asked. Manik looked around and then realized.

"Yeh toh...tumhari hai na? Matlab Jhanvi ka kamra?" 

Nandini nodded and sat on the bed with the album. "Mujhe wardrobe ke piche yeh mila....Rudra veerji aur Harman veerji ke saath mere saari yaadien isme hai."

Seeing that she was getting emotional, Manik sat down beside Nandini. 

"Manik...main kamzor par rahi hoon. Bhai hai woh mere....mere Veerji. Jab maine itne saalon baad dekha na unko, toh ek second ke liye mein bhool hi gayi ke unhone hum dono ko maara tha." Nandini told him. Her voice held both hatred and hurt. "Paata nahi main kya yaad rakhun. Bachpan ki woh meethi meethi pal ya phir woh.....woh din jab... sab khatam ho gaya."

Manik pulled Nandini to his chest and hugged her tightly, consoling her. "I know yeh bohot mushkil hai tumhare liye Nandini. Haan...Rudra tumhara bhai hai. Yeh mumkin hi nahi hai ke tum uske saath bitaayi hui saare ache pal bhool jao....and Im not telling you to. Woh saare pal, yaadein ban ke humsha tumhare dil mein rahenge. But....we also cant forget what Rudra did to us. Usne hum dono ek dusre se alag kar diya...maar diya hume. Agar baat sirf mera hota na...agar usne sirf mujhe maara hota toh main shayad usse maaf kar bhi deta....lekin usne tumhe, meri Nandini ko maara. I can NEVER forgive for that."

Nandini started crying and Manik gently wiped her tears away with his thumb. "Tum akeli nahi ho Nandini, main hoon, Cabir hai...humara parivaar, dost sab hai. Tumhe koi kamzhor nahi parne dega. No more tears ok?"

Nandini nodded and hugged Manik again. "I love you Manik."

"I love you too." Once Nandini had calmed down, Manik decided to change the subject. "Vaise...you should go to sleep now. Kal humari shaadi hai, agar tum ache se sohge nahi toh sach much ke bhootne jaise dikhoge."

"Manik!" Nandini smacked Manik's arm making him laugh. "How mean!"

Knock! Knock!

Manik & Nandini looked to the door and saw Cabir standing there. "I was looking for you guys. Raj uncle ne kal shaadi pe unke ek dost ko bulaya hai...jo police commissioner hai."

"Matlab hume kal hi Saabji aur Rudra veerji ke muh se sab sach nikalwana parega." Nandini said.

"Haan lekin, tum dono ke shaadi ke baad." Cabir replied.

"Par wahan Saabji aur Rudra dono honge...how will we get married infront of them?" Manik asked.

"Chill dude...tu toh sehra pehenga aur Gudiya ghungat pehen ke rakhegi...so tum dono ki chehre dikhenge hi nahi." Cabir explained.

The Next Morning...

Manik was in his room getting ready. His brothers helped him put the sehra on while Abhi helped him with his sherwani. Cabir on the other hand was taking pics and sending to Navya who was in Nandini's room with Mukti, Shruti & Ananya helping Nandini with her heavy wedding lehenga.

Manik's Look

Nandini's Look (Niti is looking so beautiful here, I will definitely reuse this image in another story)

"Nandu...yeh dekh, Manik tayyar ho gaya." Navya showed Nandini the picture that Cabir had sent.

"Acha ji...tabhi mein sochu Cabir apni behen ko chodke Manik ki kamre mein kyun gaya. Spy banke bheja hai usse?" Ananya laughed.

"Nahi bhabhi...aisa kuch nahi hai." Nandini blushed. "Maine bhai ko nahi bola picture lene ke liye."

"Haaye...kitni sharmati hai humari dulhan!' Shruti joked. 

" Guys main jaake dekhti hoon Saabji aur Rudra kya kar raha hai." Mukti said before leaving. 

"Ananya! Shruti!" The girls heard Nyonika calling.

"Aayi Ma!" Shruti yelled out. 

"Nandini....hum bas abhi aaye. Tab tak navya yahan hai tumhare saath." Ananya told Nandini. 

After the bhabhis left, Navya stayed behind finished up Nandini's makeup.

"Oh no...woh Nyonika aunty wala haar kaha gaya?" Navya asked looking around on the dressing table.

"Shayad wahan hoga." Nandini pointed at the wradrobe behind her. As Navya went to get the necklace, Nandni  was admiring Manik's picture. "Navya tujhe paata hai...mujhe na abhi bhi vishwas nahi ho raha hai ke main mera Paras finally ek ho jayenge. Main kitni zyada excited hoon! Aaj Saabji aur Rudra ke muh se hum sach nikalwayenge...uske baad main aur Manik honeymoon ke liye jayenge. Manik keh raha tha ke woh mujhe switzerland le jayega...vaise tu aur Cabir bhai kahan gaye they?"

Nandini turned to face Navya and thats when she noticed Navya unconscious on the floor.

"Navya!" Nandini got up and ran to Navya but was stopped by someone grabbing her hair. "Aah!"

She saw Saabji standing there with an evil look on his face. "S..Saabji.."

"Haan...main. Kya laaga tha tujhe? Tu mujhe bewakoof banayegi? Bhoot banke mujhe darayegi huh?" Kuldip asked roughly shaking Nandini. "Acha hua maine kal raat ko tumhare aur Manik ke beech ki saari baatien sun liya tha....chal-"

"Aah...Navya! Na-mnnm!" Nandini screamed trying to reach for her. Kuldip took one hand and kept it over Nandini's mouth to stop her from yelling while dragging her out of the room. Everyone was busy preparing for the wedding downstairs so Kuldip dragged the struggling Nandini out from the back of the haveli and to a black van. Some men came out and tied Nandini, mouth, hands and legs and then pushed her into the van before driving off. In the van Nandini shocked to see Manik in the backseat, also tied up and unconscious some blood coming from his forehead. 

"Manik!" Nandini inched towards him and tried to nudge Manik awake with her feet. "Manik...pls utho..pls...Manik.."

"MMN MM!" 

Meanwhile back at the haveli, Cabir came to Nandini's room to check on her and saw Navya unconscious. "Navya!" 

He ran to her and placed her head on his lap. "Navya...utho...wake up...Navya!"

"Mm.." Navya woke up and then sat up with quickly. "Cabir! Nandini!"

"Kahan hai Nandu? Aur tumhe kya hua tha? Aise behosh kyun they?"

"Main..Main haar nikal rahi thi aur tab..." Navya tried remembering. "Saabji! Saabji ne aake mere muh pe kuch kapra rakha aur phir....mujhe kuch yaad nahi. Nandini kahan hai?"

Cabir and Navya looked around the room and found a few things scattered on the ground from when Nandini was struggling. Cabir picked up Nandini's dupatta which had falledn to the floor. "We have to tell Manik."

The two of them ran to Manik's room and over there they saw Abhi was on the ground rubbing his head and Mukti supporting him....Arjun & Dev had already left the room earlier.

"Dont tell me...tu bhi behosh tha?" Cabir asked.

"Kuch log aaye they....dont know kaun they woh." Abhi nodded.

"Cabir...Manik nahi nil raha hai." Mukti told them in a panick.

"Nandini bhi nahi." Navya replied.

"Saabji....no way. Iss baar nahi...iss baar bilkul nahi!" Cabir furiously said before storming off. Navya, Abhi & Mukti chased after him. Cabir went straight to Rudra's room and swung the door open. Rudra stood up and was speechless when he saw Cabir and Navya....for a second he thought he was seeing their ghosts again but Cabir fixed that when he went over and grabbed him the collar. "Kaha hai woh dono?"

"Ha...H..Ha...arman?" Rudra whispered.

"Cabir...kya kar raha hai tu?" Mukti asked. Rudra was confused so cabir just told him everything. "Main Cabir Dhawan hoon...pichle janam mein Harman Shekhawat tha."

"Matlab...koi bhoot-"

"Nahi hai...nahi hai koi bhoot. Haan punar janam zaroor hua hai...mera, Madhu, gudiya aur Paras ka."

Rudra was shocked to know all this and also emotional.

"Ab bol...kaha hai Manik? Kahan hai Gudiya?"

"Manik? Saabji ka batija? Uska aur Gudiya ka kya connection hai?" 

"Manik hi Paras hai." Mukti explained. "Aur uski shaadi mujhse nahi Nandini...AKA Jhanvi Shekwat se ho rahi hai. Humme paata hai ke unn dono ko tumhare uss Saabji ne hi kidnap karwaya hai...so just tell the truth!"

"Raj uncle ke dost police commissioner hai...koi chodega nahi tujhe Rudra!" Cabir shouted. Navya held him back to control his anger.

"Mujhe...iss...iss baare mien kuch nahi paata.." Rudra said.

"As if Ill believe that. Kutta hai tu Saabji ka...usse loyalty ke chakkar mein tu sab bhool sakta hai sab!" Cabir said. Rudra didnt have anything to say to that because it was true but held Cabir arm as he turned to leave.

"Manta hoon maine bhot jurm kiye hai...par tum dono ko doosra janam deke shayad bhawan ne mujhe ek dusra mauka diya hai....Tu uss Commissione ko bula, main Gud-mera matlab Nandini aur Manik ko dhunda hoon. Shayad mujhe paata hai ke Saabji kahan le gaya hoga." Rudra said.

"Lekin hum aape vishwas kaise aur kyun kare?" Navya asked. "Jo apni bhai behen ko maar sakta hai...woh insan vishwas ke layak hi nahi hai!"

"Vishwas karne ke liye nahi bol raha hoon...bas ek mauka chahiye. Commissioner toh hai hi yahan pe....chahun bhi toh kuch nahi kar paunga." Rudra said. Cabir looked in Rudra's eyes and saw that he was genuine and also knew this was his only chance to get to Nandini & Manik , still he didnt want to completely believe him secretly took out a small tracking device that Raj's commissioner friend had given him and held it in his hand.

"Thik hai....Lekin yaad rakh meri baat Rudra Shekawat, iss baar agar Manik aur meri behen ko kuch bhi hua...jaan le lunga tera main!" Cabir warned him, he also slyly attched the tracker on Rudra's collar.

"Cabir...pagal ho gaya kya? Aise kaise ispe bharosa kar sakta hai tu?" Abhi asked.

"I know what Im doing.....chal, hum Commissioner Uncle se baat karte hai."

**********

When Nandini was finally taken out of the van, she recognized the mandir she had tried getting married to Paras in.

"Yaad aaya kuch? yahi woh jagah hai...jahan pe maine ter bhai ko bheja tha tujhe aur tere iss yaar ko maarne ke liye. Tab Rudra ne yeh kaam kiya...ab main karunga. Pehle main iss Paras ko maarunga phir tujhe!" Kulip yelled.

"Nahi maar payega!" Nandini yelled as she managed to wiggling out of the cloth around her mouth. "Bhagwan ke ghar pe hai hum! Bhagwan haar baar burrayi ko jeetne nahi dega...Tu na mera kuch bigar payega na mere Manik ka!"

"Oh ho...yeh wali Jhanvi toh badi bahadur hai." Kuldip smirked. He turned to his men and motioned for them to leave. They all got back in the van and drove off leaving just Kuldip, Nandini and an unconscious Manik.  He walked up to her and bend down until his face was just inches away from hers. Nandini felt terrified and also disgusted as she tried leaning away. "Pichli baar main tujhe haasil nahi kar paaya...lekin ab tu nahi bhaag payega. Tere iss aashiq ko chodke toh bilul nahi...toh kaun rokhega mujhe?"

"Main!" Kuldip spun around and saw Rudra standing there. "Main rokhunga."

"Rudra? Kya bakwas kar rahe ho? Kar kya rahe ho tum yahan? Jao...haveli vapas jao. Main yahan thodi busy hoon." Kuldip turned back to Nandini but was roughly pushed away by Rudra who came and stood between them. "RUDRA!"

"Chillaye mat Saabji...bohot ho gaya aapka. Kya se kya bana dalla hai aane mujhe. Jin bhai behen ke liye main kuch bhi kar sakta tha unko maarne pe majboor aapne kiya! Mere Paarivaar ko aapne maar diya...Aap toh aage baar gaye, shaadi kar liya bache bhi ho gaye....par main? Maine apna sab kuch kho diya sirf aapke chakkar mein!" Rudra shouted. "Woh haveli jahan main bada hua...uss bhejke mujhe sehar jaana paara kyunki mere liye yahan rehna namumkin ho gaya tha. Dam ghut raha tha mera yahan! Mujhe laaga, ke main uss waqt jo bhi kiya woh aapke liye kiya...mere paarivar ki izzat bhajane ke liye kiya par...jab parivaar hi nahi bacha toh kaha ki izzat?"

"Teri inti himmat...tu mujhe manna karega?" Saabji and Rudra then got into a fight, punching and swinging at each other. Nandini scooched over to Manik and tried to wake him up. Finally Saabji pushed Rudra towards the pillar of the mandir making him fall unconscious as his head hit the concrete. He then turned to Nandini and dragged her away from Manik.

"MANIK!" Nandini screamed. Kuldip pushed Nandini toward the murtis and took out his gun as he went back to Manik. Seeing Kuldip about to shoot. Mani, something snapped in Nandini. She pulled at her hands and managed to get free and quickly untied her feet as well. 

As Kuldip pointed the gun at Manik, he finally started waking up and groaned holding his head. Then he noticed Kuldip and just froze. Kuldip gave an evil laugh and was about to pull the trigger when suddenly he stopped and gasped out  loudly. Manik was confused at first then looked at Kuldip and saw three metal pieces sticking out of his stomach. He then looked behind Kuldip and saw that Nandini had take the trishul from the murti and drove it through Saabji. She pulled it out and Saabji managed to turn around before falling to the ground. Nandini's open hair was blowing in the wind, the sky grew dark and lighning flashed through the sky. Even manik didnt dare stop Nandini as she once again drove the trishul into Saabji's stomach....blood splattered across her face. By this time, Rudra had also come back to consciousness and just watched as Nandini again took the trishul out then stabbed him again. She was taking all her anger, all her hatred out on Saabji...taking her revenge for her death, Paras's death...her parents death, her brothers death.

"AAH!" Nandini screamed, shoving the trishul once again into Kuldip. He was already dead by this point but Nandini was out of control. Manik got up and stopped Nandini, hugging her from the back.

"Nandini he's dead, he's dead...maar gaya woh!" Manik told her. This seemed to bring Nandini's senses back and she slowly realized what she did. Nandini dropped the trishul and looked at her hands horrified. 

"Manik...mai..main..maine...maar...d..d..diya...main..khoon...main..woh..saabji..kh..kh..khoon..."Nandini muttered. Manik held her close trying to calm her. Rudra walked upto them and slowly took the trishul from her. Manik & Nandini were both confused as he wiped the handle of the trishul where Nandini was holding and then handed gently started wiping the flood off Nandini's face.

"Kya kar rahe ho tum?" Manik asked, his arms still protectively around Nandini. He didnt trust Rudra one bit.

"Wahi jo mujhe saalon pehle karna chahiye tha....bhai hone ka faraz nibha raha hoon." Rudra said. At that moment, The Mahotra family, Abhi, Mukti, Navya & Cabir arrived with the commissioner and some other police officers. 

"Kisne maara hai Kuldip Malhotra ko?" The commissioner asked.

"Maine.." Rudra spoke up, stunning Manik & Nandini as he took all the blame. 

"Kyun? Tum toh kaam karte they na iske liye?"

"Haan...kaam karta tha. Bohot kuch kiya iske kehne pe....apne bahi behen ko maar daala...meri behen ki pyar ko maar dala, uss aurat ko maar dala jisne meri behen ko paala...Saabji ne mere purre parivaar ko khatam kar dala lekin maine kuch nahi bola...saath diya." Rudra confessed. Everyone was speechless, Cabir couldnt believe that Rudra actually confessed to everything and Manik couldnt believe he took Nandini's blame on him...Nandini meanwhile was still in shock.

"Toh maara kyun?" Commissioner asked again.

"Kyunki yeh phirse do pyar karne waalon ko maarne jaa raha tha...Manik aur Nandini. Maine iska saath diya, apne behen ko maarne mein...mujhe laaga shayad agar isse maarke mera paap thoda kam ho?" 

Rudra was arrested and taken away and so was Kuldip's body. Meanwhile Cabir ran to Nandini and hugged her as if he was never gonna let go. The Malhotra family were relieved that their kids were ok.

-------------------------------------

Note: So this story is almost coming to an end....

Thoughts on this chapter?