United!!

Deep was awake the whole night, thinking of Tara! Something he felt being wrong and uneasy, within him!

He didn't even know if his father had gotten anything in hand, why else would he visit her?

He wasn't someone to get driven by emotions.

He regretted that he didn't join him, for, he wanted to see Tara, assure himself that she was in safe hands.

The thought was so tempting but some other thought was even more disturbing, terribly heavy!!

He didn't recieve any message again, and by each second passing away, he was beginning to tense up!

Secret.

What was the secret the person knew about Tara which he chose to blackmail him with now?

Even if it was about her secret of visions, he didn't think anyone would believe it unless the person had witnessed it with naked eyes. So, there wouldn't be much problem by that person letting the world know about the secret unless... he/she uses it for the personal goals!

And what was it if there was any?!

Did he do wrong hiding it from his father?!

Perhaps, his father could find any better solution for this!

Should he....

Even before he could think any more or act on his thought, he recieved a message again!

'The time has arrived!! Exactly at 5p.m, Colaba Causeway!!'

Deep remained silent, so, he would be meeting his enemy!

Was that person really an enemy?

He is unknown of it, but his instinct said it, it's an enemy!!

Deep didn't reply to the message cause he knew, even if he did, there won't be any response.

With a sigh, he raised from his seat, getting out of his cabin, only to bump into Meera!

Meera with a gasp stepped back!

"Do you like injuring me, miss?" Deep shook his head, adjusting his coat!

"I'm sorry!" she apologized.

"What's the matter?"

"I had to rush cause I thought you would leave, after coming early! Just like the previous time!"

"I'm not leaving, come in!!" Deep said with a sigh, getting back into his cabin!

Meera did as he said, watching him getting into his seat!

"What's it?" he asked regarding the files she held!

"Oh, few documentations needs to be checked and signed, sir!" Meera said handing him the papers!

Deep with a nod began to go through one by one when Meera spoke up, hesitantly.

"Actually, you also have three clients to meet...."

"And?" he asked without looking up at her.

"One of them...."

Deep sighed, looking up, "What's the matter?"

Meera paused for a moment, finding his question as an evidence of his fed up mood.

"One of the client wants to rewrite the clause, about the long-term run of the contract!"

"Why? Weren't you clear when you explained him that part?!"

"I was sir, but, the client claims that I didn't mention the three year plan!"

Deep sighed, "Why would he claim that when you were clear actually?"

Meera went speechless, knowing nothing she would say would defend her. She did explain the man about the year plan of collaboration but, the man might have realised any discomfort, that he claims such statements now, but did she have any evidence?

"So, I need to waste my time to rewrite a clause, well!!" Deep sighed with a shook before focusing back to the papers he was checking, "The next time, make sure to have the client well acknowledged about the policies we follow!"

Meera sighed, knowing now that he blamed her for this!

"Are there anymore?" he asked looking up!

She gave a slight shook for which he nodded raising up from his seat.

"If any work gets pending even after the evening, postpone them for tomorrow! I will be getting off my work early!!" Deep informed her while handing back the papers to her.

"Sir!" Meera called when Deep was about to cross her, making him look at her with questioning gaze!

She hesitated before taking out a letter from her handbag before handing him!

"What's this now?"

Meera cleared her voice, "Leave letter!"

Deep frowned, getting through the letter, his frown only deepened by reading it, "Are you sick?" he asked, even more impatient for her reply as he checked her temperature, placing his hand against her forehead, surprising her.

"As far as I could sense, you aren't! What do you mean by personal reason then?"

"I would have....mentioned it if I had that idea stored, sir!" she said almost looking away, avoiding his gaze!

"So... I won't be getting to know the reason!" Deep said to himself nodding, "Hand me the pen!" he signalled her, making her even more hesitated before she followed him!

Deep wrote 'Rejected' on the letter as a reply before handing her back the paper and pen, and soon deciding to leave!

Meera looked at him in disbelief, "Sir!!" she called back, almost as a yell!

"May I know the reason for the rejection, please?"

He could hear the frustration and restraint combined, in her statement.

"And may I DARE know the personal reason?!"

Silence followed as she kept avoiding his gaze, almost with a pout!

"You recently recieved a bonus, and previously were promoted! Whom do you want to make jealous by this leave now?" he asked, suppressing his sigh!

Meera remained looking away, "I didn't recieve anything for free!!" she almost snorted!

"Once rejected, it's rejected!!" Deep said with a shook, "And if you insist, complete the work first!"

And just with that, he left her!

Leaving a confused, frustrated and worried Meera behind.

'What had happened to him suddenly?' Meera thought herself as for, it was the first time she saw him this disturbed!

**********

"I love you Tara!!" Aryan confessed.

"Do you love me?" he asked hopefully, expecting her to accept him, completely, with no restraint, no limitation. All of it and whole!!

But she shattered his heart, once again.

"I don't!!"

Her voice echoing, his eyes weeping his pain out through tears, in silence.

"You.... don't?" he still asked, hoped.

"I don't!"

His hand which held hers', so gently went around, surrounding her waist, yet, not having much grip over the hold.

While his other hand, still, kept stroking her cheek.

"You don't?" he asked again, this time leaning closer.

"I said I don't!!" she tried looking away, but he leaned much closer!

He kept asking her the same, while she kept denying him, with each word spelled, he was distancing the distance between them while she kept avoiding his gaze!

She even attempted to step back, get herself free from his hold, but one pull from him, she lost it, lost it when he asked again, leaning further closer, leaving a mere distance between them, their breaths fighting against!

"You....don't?" he asked again for the nth time, his voice a whisper, but audible enough for her racing heart.

She did not have any idea of what made her do so, or if his voice indeed was hypnotic, but she felt her eyes shutting themselves as if she was fed up and gave in, while tears streamed from her closed eyes!

Aryan's hand on her face, so gently and smoothly, travelled up, as if treasuring the every inch of her skin, his fingers slowly but deeply, drowning in the strands of her brown hair, him completely sinking into the jasmine scent of her.

And she let him! Her eyes still shut for everything, but her heart strangely had its' doors open!!

"You ask why?" his voice remained a whisper. A deep, affective, and slightly frightening whisper! Almost forcing her to surrender for whole!

"Cause it was you who made me fear again!"

"Fear of losing our beloved!"

His breath almost suffocating her, as she felt hers' being hitched.

"You know it right, how it hurts?! Then, why let me, and us, suffer the same twice?"

Aryan leaned in, his forehead touching hers', "Even if you didn't mean it back then....you were right!"

"I indeed was an.... orphan!"

Tara felt as if the air in her lungs was completely sucked by an invisible force!

"But... I was!"

"I can't be an orphan while you stay!"

"Don't abandon me!" Aryan pleaded!

Tara took a sharp breath as if she felt the lack of oxygen, his scent immediately taking her in!

"You ask why, cause I meant each and every word I spelled!"

"I meant it, the promise to stay forever, my wish to never want to lose you, to treasure every memory of yours', and that you were that special person in my life! I meant everything I said!"

"I meant it, when I said you make me feel less alone!! Now....do you want to hurt me? By making me alone, all over again?!"

More tears streamed down her closed eyes, his hand coming down, his thumb gently wiping those tears away!

"And you say you don't!"

"Why did you take the stab then? Why did you want to push me away then?"

"Why did you....let me in then?"

His voice though was soft, his questions weren't, as for, each one felt like an another sting on already existing one!

"Don't you love me? Atleast the half of a penny?"

Tara's lips parted, breath through her nose wasn't being enough anymore!

As her eyes attempted to open, her tear stained eyelashes welcomed her vision, only to let it be occupied by him later!

She stared into his once again hazel eyes, his question kept repeating in her head!

Did she?

Didn't she?!

"I do!" she finally confessed!

"I do....love you!"

Her words which still echoed for him, made him smile for the whole, from the heart, yet tears kept flowing down, and in contrast, his eyes lit up!

"You do!" he repeated with a huge, relieved smile, which she decided to fade!

"But love.... won't save you!" she expressed!

"Would it?"

Aryan smiled, adjusting her hair, "And you think pushing me away is the solution?"

She stared him, her eyes searching his!

"I also meant it when I said I am included!"

"In every possible way!"

"Think, would the person who's trying to disturb your life be unaware of me? Our relation?"

"You took a stab for me, fought with someone who wanted to kill me, and roam around with me beside!"

"Considering the delivery thing, the person knows that you are here and I am with you! Don't you think that person would think I am your weakness?"

Her gaze wavered, his words sinking in her, which actually made sense!

"By distancing me, you are only strengthening that persons' beliefs! Don't you think so?"

She looked away, not knowing how to respond!

If he was right, then putting him in distance would only mean putting him in danger! Doesn't it?

"I'm....sorry!" she kept looking away!

Aryan shook his head, "Didn't it hurt you?"

She shook her head slightly, before looking up at him, his gaze making her nod in slow!

Aryan sighed out of mixed emotions, briefly looking away! "It hurt you, cause you loved me!!" he said planting a kiss on her forehead, pulling her closer as if she wasn't enough close! "I can only realise how much you love me, to let me go!!" he said kissing her cheek!

As he pulled himself away, he tucked her hair behind the ear, "Now, will you accept me?"

Tara slightly nodded, realising she really meant it when she said she couldn't be numb to him! More tears streaming down her eyes!

"Will you be mine, Tara?"

She smiled through tears, giving him a nod, "Yes!"

Aryan returned the smile, pulling her into an embrace, "Thank you!!"

"Do not ever....do this to me Tara!!"

She nodded again in his embrace.

"And you should know, love will always protect!!"

"I'll make sure you believe it one day!!" he said tightening the hug!

Tara chuckled, "Can I slap you back?"

Aryan pulled himself, looking at her wondered, "You should learn forgiving!" he said almost amused.

"Why should I?" she teased with those still tear stained cheeks!

Aryan with a chuckle wiped away those droplets over her face, "Then let me find a way to ask for forgiveness!"

She looked at him confused and wondered, while he just leaned closer, kissing her softly, surprising her!

Pulling himself away after the brief kiss, he tucked her hair again, "Was this enough?"

Tara swallowed with a blink!

"I doubt it to be!" he said himself, giving a quick caress to her already flushed cheeks, before leaning closer again, and this time the kiss stayed long enough for them to lose their breaths.

As they parted to catch their breaths, while still having their eyes shut, something happened to happen to them, as they saw something, which stopped their heartbeats briefly.

Aryan and Tara both had their eyes open at once, staring into eachother. Their breaths still heavy, but not more than their thoughts which were out of the visions they just had!

Their gazes swirling into each others' but they both were lost in their own thoughts, as if realising or discovering something, while still sharing an embrace.

After a minute which felt longer than it was, few words escaped them in unison!

"They're alive!"

"Grandpa!"

Tara heard what he spelled and Aryan didn't miss hers' as well, and they kept staring into eachother, wondering with a glimpse of disbelief.

And that's when the eerie silence was broken by the sound of an arrival!

Gates were opened and there followed in a car, the one which Tara recognised.

Mr.Nethin!

'Uncle?!' she wondered herself.