"hum thana pahuch gaye....!!!!!" KS said.

The cab halted in front of the thana. Haseena glanced outside the window and a sweet smile crept on her face remembering the usual banter she used to witness. She moved her head to the Badnaam's tea stall and the illusion of her team sipping the tea and gossiping insanely came in front of her. They got down from the cab and Karishma held her hand and nodded with a smile. Instead of going directly from the main door, Haseena decided to go to her cabin. Nothing had changed in those eight months. Everything was in the same place she'd left. She remembered her last day in the thana when she was pleading with Karishma to talk to her one last time but Karishma was angry with her, the whole day. She smiled looking at her. Karishma dragged her outside. Everyone was working silently on their respective desks. None was interested in talking with each other. Her eyes traveled to the whole thana and a flow of memories rushed in front of her and her eyes got moist.

Haseena was now standing exactly behind Santosh Sharma, who was working on her laptop. They both were smiling inwardly and she closed Santosh's eyes with her palms.

"Cheetey ye kya kar raha hai tu... kaam kar na apna..." She chided and Haseena chuckled under her breath. Listening to her voice, Cheetah Chaturvedi and Pushpa Singh looked towards her and their eyes saw the sight, they were yearning for. "maddam sir" they mumbled under their breath. Not believing their eyes, they rubbed them three to four times to clear their vision, and as soon as they realized that the real Haseena, their beloved maddam sir was in front of them, their mouth left open and they kept their palms on their open mouths. Karishma gestured them to be quiet. Their eyes shined and endless tears started flowing from their eyes and a big smiled appeared on their lips.

"Cheetey dekh raha hai na mai kaam kar rahi hoon!!" Santosh said raising her voice a little. Cheetah and Pushpa Singh at once ran towards her and hugged her from both sides and started sobbing loudly. Here Santosh was getting restless, listening to the sobs around her, and tried to remove the hands from her eyes.

Haseena bent towards her ears and whispered slowly, .

As soon as she heard her name from her favorite voice, her heart started beating rapidly. "Has...Haseena madam..." escaped from her lips and Haseena slowly removed her hands from her eyes and without wasting even a fraction of a second she turned around and as soon as she found Haseena in front of her, her mind went blank. Karishma, Pushpa Ji, and Cheetah were invisible to her and their sobs were inaudible to her. She was only gazing at Haseena without even blinking as if she would disappear if she'll shut her eyes. She forwarded her trembling hand towards her but withdrew her hand scared of touching her.

"mm...maddam sir..." She muttered and burst out into tears and started crying vigorously. Haseena took her into a warm embrace and rubbed her back to relax her. "Santu... shhh... rona band karo..." She said in a calm voice with tearful eyes but instead, she was crying more loudly and the other two were also sobbing. They had engulfed Haseena into a bone-crushing hug taking out all their fears and their longing for her.

"maddam sir... maddam sir... aap mujhe chhod kar kyu gayi thi... aap mujhse pyaar nahi karti na..." Santosh complained like a little kid with hiccups.

"hume maaf kar dijiye please... I am sorry..." Haseena said trying to break free of their hold. After ten good minutes, they left her but were still sobbing. "Santosh Sharma, idhar dekhiye..." She said cupping her face.

"nai... mujhe aapse baat... nahi... karni hai... aap... boht buri hain..." She said looking away and Haseena kissed her on her forehead. "I am sorry na... accha aap naraaz hai na... aap jo saza dengi vo maanenge hum..." She said sweetly.

"Thik hai phir aap 10 sit-ups kijiye...nahi 20.... nahi 30... nahi poore 50 kijiye... aur uske baad promise bhi ki aap kabhi hum sab ko chhod kar nahi jaayengi..." She said cutely. They all smiled looking at her cute antics and Haseena started doing the sit-ups but Santosh wasn't calming down. After a few minutes, she walked towards Haseena and held her hands.

"aapko... aapko pata hai sabne kitna miss kiya aapko... sab kuch ruk gaya tha aapke bina...aapko pata hai hum sab ke kya haal the... aap soul hain is thane ki... aapke bina ye thana aur hum sab kuch bhi nahi hain..,lekin aap toh bass chhod kar chali gayi..kyu maddam sir kyu!!!!." She said and Haseena was again steeped in the guilt. She shouldn't have left them like that. These innocent people were nowhere at fault. She looked at Karishma who herself was in tears.

"Santu, ek baar maaf kar do na... promise... ab kabhi nahi jayenge! aap sab ko chhod kar..." She pleaded cutely.

"pakka wala promise na??" Santosh asked

"Haan..." Haseena said and Santosh hugged her happily and even kissed her on her cheeks and Haseena smiled. Next, her eyes went on Cheetah and Pushpa Ji, who were standing crossing their arms close to their chests and looking away with angry expressions. She walked towards Cheetah and held his hands in hers.

"Cheetah Chaturvedi!" She said slowly but he didn't reply. "Cheetah... aap toh hmare bhai hain na... apni behen se naraaz kaise reh sakte hain...hmm? chaliye jaldi se ek smile de dijiye...please" She said

"no maddam sir no... aap boht galat ki hain is baar... humko aapse baat hi nahi karna hai..." he said not looking at her.

"accha to aap bataiye aapke liye hum kya karein? phir se sit-ups karein ya phir kuch aur...??" She asked him

"itne waqt tak aap hum sab se door rahi... aapko pata bhi hai hum sab kitna tarse hain aapke liye?? kaise guzaara hai aapke bina itna waqt... bass man karta tha ek baar aapki awaaz sun lein ya phir aisa lagta tha ki aap ayengi aur sabko daatengi aur bolengi...'tajjurba kehta hai hamara'... lekin aap nhi aati thi maddam sir..." he complained through his tears.

Haseena once again held her ears and bowed her head down. "I am sorry... hum nahi karenge aise dobara... ab toh maaf kar dijiye..." she said cutely. Cheetah looked at her and held her hands and hugged her immediately.

Now she walked towards Pushpa Ji. "Pushpa Ji..." She said with cute puppy eyes and hugged her. "aap hamse baat mat kijiye maddam sir... hum to aapki pyaari pushpa ji the na... phir... phir bhi aap chali gayi humko chhod kar..." She complained.

"Pushpa ji hme maaf bhi kar dijiye na... hamare haath mein nahi tha kuch bhi... aap to samjhiye..." she said

"dil pe patthar rakh ke aapko mission mein bheja tha lekin aap toh....." Her words froze in her mouth and Haseena hugged her.

"pushpa ji aap hame beti bolti hain na... ab aapki beti aapko itne dino ke baad mili hai... aap pyaar nai karengi kya... aur hame boht zor ki bhook bhi lagi hai..." She pouted and Pushpa Ji smiled through her teary eyes. She looked at all of them lovingly but someone was looking different. Karishma was standing crossing her arms with an angry expression on her face.

"aapko kya hua??" She asked.

"humko bhi manaiye aa kar... hum bhi naraaz hain..." She said with a cute pout.

"lekin aapka toh pehle ho chuka hai na??"

"haan lekin sabko dekh kar ab hamara bhi man ho raha hai gussa hone ka..." she added and everyone smiled. Haseena stood in front of her and kissed her on her cheeks. "itna kaafi hai?" she asked.

"kaam chala lenge abhi ke liye.." Karishma replied and they all chuckled.

"Haseenaaa!!!" they heard a voice.

Haseena looked towards the voice and smiled while tears emerged from her eyes. "Ammi..." She muttered and ran towards her and hugged her tightly. "ammi kaisi hain aap?? sab khairiyat se hai na?" she asked and Ammi pulled her ear.

"kaha thi aap itne waqt tak? itna lamba bhi koi mission hota hai kya? na koi call na message. ammi ki koi fikr hi nahi hai... is umr mein bass yahi dekhna bacha hai... vo to Karishma hai jo roz humse milne aati thi... lekin aapko koi parwah nahi hai... abhi bhi kyun vapas aayi hain aap... jaiye hume koi farak nahi padta hai..." She yelled.

"ammi hume maaf kar dijiye na... please... aap toh jaanti hain hamari job hi kuch aisi hai... lekin ab hum vapas aa gaye hain na... ab aap sab ko chhodkar nahi jayenge... hamari pyaari ammi...maan bhi jaiye..."

"Dobara aisa hua toh ghar se bedakhal kar denge aapko... phir rahiye sadak par... apne job ke saath..." ammi said angrily

"ammi Karishma Singh hain na... hum unke ghr reh lenge.." She said humorously.

"aap kaun?" Karishma asked and Haseena glared at her but then smiled. She extended her hands and they all ran into her arms for a group hug. Finally, the Mahila Police thana family was completed. They'd found their missing and most important piece of the puzzle. They all were seated around the table, while Ammi and Pushpa Ji were feeding Haseena with their own hands. Santosh looked at Cheetah and their eyes locked for a moment.

"Santu Ji khaiye na.." said Cheetah coming out of his senses.

But one of them hadn't met her yet. After lunch, they all had surrounded Haseena and were talking about all the things they wanted to share with her and she was listening to all of them with moist eyes. Anubhav reached the Thana and found the environment completely different from what he was used to for eight months. He hadn't seen Haseena yet.

"Jai hind!" he announced to mark her presence. They all looked at him and get separated and Anubhav got a clear view of Haseena. She looked at him and he looked at her. He was not believing his eyes and rushed towards her. "Has... Haseena ji aap sach mein..." he stammered in excitement and she nodded. He so wanted to hug her tightly at that moment but he controlled himself and limited her excitement to a big smile on his face but tears were at the corner of his eyes. Haseena too smiled.

"aapko dekh kar atyant khushi hui Haseena ji... kaisi hain aap??" he asked

"hum thik hain... aap kaise hain Sir?" she asked him

"ab boht badhiya ho gae hain..."

"kya matlb??" she asked but he nodded negatively and smiled.

"Haseena ab ghar chaliye... boht thak gayi hongi aap..." Ammi said out of concern.

"ammi aap jaaiye... hum shaam tak aate hain... abhi hume hamari team ke saath rehna hai..." She replied.

They all looked at each other and suddenly saluted her, "JAI HIND MADDAM SIR! WELCOME BACK!!!" with a proud smile on their faces.

Haseena smiled wholeheartedly and nodded her head...