Hello all !

I had kept you all hanging for quiet a while and I am back again for good you can say. Thanks for waiting patiently and to those who commented thanks and also thanks to who liked the story so far. All of your support is definitely important to me. Kindly do comment after reading and that's the least I am asking for. Thanks again.

Three months after :

The last three months had been pretty tough on both the Nandas and Chopras.

The Chopras were initially busy tending to Aadhya who had drawn herself in to a shell and was hell bent on fighting her battles own. Panic attacks and nightmares were her companion. She had only taken on emergency patients and it was one such patient who had pushed her in the right direction.

She avoided everyone in particular Avinash who had stood by her, in fact his whole family did but he had offered her everything she wanted in these 3 months including her personal space. Her mother was miffed with him but he had his ways around everybody. It was only after meeting such a young patient she had decided to take help of a professional. She definitely had improved since then with the help of her therapist as well as medicines.

Nandas had reasons to celebrate as well as stay patient. Shraddha had indeed announced her pregnancy much to the delight of her in-laws and to the surprise of Akhil Nanda. Nothing could stop Akhil from celebrating but he had toned it down after watching his brother dealing with his personal life. Avinash had not wanted him to stay low but Akhil and Shraddha had decided against it. Also Purnima did not want any kind of party or announcement till Shraddha was well in to her second trimester. Her family had fun of her traditional approach but nothing could stop Purnima and with Saroj Nanda by her side, all had to simply obey.

Saroj Nanda wasn't entirely happy with the way things had progressed. Her son had messed up so much and she felt she had no say. The events on her grandson's engagement day had surely managed to do more bad than good. Her heart went out to Aadhya. She was a wonderful lady and perfect for Avinash. To go through all of that on your engagement day was something uncalled for but she was coming around and she was thankful to god for that.

At Nandas Corporation :

"Sir, you have a visitor" he heard his Personal assistant say.

He looked at the time on his watch and asked him to send the visitor through. He wondered who could it be. It was his personal intercom line and those who come through that route never needed his appointments. Also it was 5pm in the evening and he was heading home anyway.

He lifted his head from his mac screen and looked at the door upon hearing the knock.

He dropped his glasses on the table and rose from his chair with a shock. He definitely did not expect a visit from her

"Aadhya" he called out to her and asked her to come in.

He picked up his phone and passed instruction for tea to be served.

"Is everything fine my dear" he asked carefully.

She seemed fine but she definitely looked nervous. She had lost a few kilos from the time he saw her last and that happened to be the engagement day. He had visited everybody since then but never had the courage to see her. He felt responsible. No matter what everybody said, he couldn't bring himself to to see her. She was no less than Shraddha and that made it worse. He felt he wronged his daughter. Anand Nanda quickly took a large sip of the water and cleared his throat

"Papa, you seem to be upset with me" Aadhya said in a low tone and that managed to stun Anand Nanda momentarily.

He had no answer to her question. He moved from his seat and took the empty chair next to her

"It should be the other way around. I feel responsible here Aadhya if not anything. I was stuck to my promise somewhere and I failed to look at the animal I was indirectly nurturing. I even broke my father's promise. He wanted me to be there for him which meant to be there as a person who would say what's right and what's wrong. I distanced myself from them because I did not want to do anything with them but still not let my father down.

I am really sorry Aadhya. You are stronger than all this. I know Avinash has been there for you all these days but I can see him breaking down as well. He has gone through a lot and now he needs you. You both know what it is to be in the dark, fight those nightmares and face the world. Seek for him like he wants you. And remember our family will be complete only after you come in" he said and looked at her eyes that were welled up.

He wiped her eyes, kissed her forehead and tapped her cheeks affectionately.

"I don't know how to meet him anymore. I have literally chased him away" Aadhya replied and slumped on the chair.

He stood up and asked her to walk with him. She followed him doubtfully. Her fears were coming true. Today she only wanted to see his father. She had not planned to meet him. Not this soon at least. She had missed him all these days but she felt unworthy of him. She felt damaged and couldn't bring herself to involve him in her miseries. He deserved more.

"I am not ready" she cried.

"Oh you are. Gautam must have done this. Never mind his old soul" he teased his dear friend and got hold of her hand.

Anand Nanda felt light. He felt his shoulders lighter and his heart happier. He always wanted to have this talk with her but he did not want to approach her till she did. And now he wanted to make sure that they come together.

He knocked on the door. It was entirely a different entrance. She had been to his office once but that was from the front. This one was new.

"This door is for myself and Akhil" Anand said and opened the door.

She stood at the entrance and inhaled the perfume she had missed so dearly. She was surprised to see him working with such rapt attention and completely oblivious to his surroundings. His father looked at her with a smile on his face

"That's how lost he is these days" he whispered and cleared his throat to gain his son's attention which he did definitely.

Avinash spun his chair around and what he saw or rather whom he saw had him stoked. Anand Nanda pushed her in to the cabin and let the two to be by themselves.

Pregnant silence engulfed the room. As much as he wanted to gather her in his arms he wasn't. He did not want to push her. It had been three whole months since he had seen her alone.

Her head was lowered and for reasons unknown to her she couldn't meet him in the eyes. She felt guilty all of a sudden. She had denied meeting him for a long time. She never failed to receive flowers from him almost every single day and the messages that came along. Those flowers and messages were one of the reasons which helped her heal. She wiped her eyes but nothing could stop the tears from cascading down her cheeks.

He took quick steps towards her leaving his inhibitions behind and gathered her in his arms. He took her to the couch and sat along with her. She almost pushed herself to his lap and rested her head on his chest. It suddenly felt safe.

"Kartik, no calls from anybody and cancel my appointments. Make sure no one comes to my cabin till further instructions" Avinash quickly instructed his PA and threw his phone aside.

"I am sorry Avinash" she said between her emotional turmoil.

"For what ? I couldn't do what I had to do" he replied wiping her tears and she too looked somewhat better.

"I couldn't let you fix my broken self. You needed someone better" she mumbled.

He scoffed in return and pulled her face away from him in an attempt to look at her

"And now" he asked a bit firmly.

She couldn't let go off him anymore. He was the knight in shining armour she wanted. The way he handled her throughout left a fuzzy feeling in her chest. She couldn't decipher what it was just yet but for her own sanity she needed him.

"I need you Avinash. It is increasingly becoming difficult for me to ignore what you are in my life. If not for anything I need you to calm my agitated heart" she said and placed his palm on her left bosom.

He couldn't help but notice the way her heart was thudding against his palms. His insides turned warm. Suddenly everything felt worth it. She did not make him want to destroy the world if anything happened to her instead she pushed him to be there for her irrespective of the circumstances. She instilled a calmness in him. She was his zen. He exactly knew what it felt like. Maybe this was it.

"I love you Aadhya" he said and looked at her.

She heard it right she knew. Everything around her came to a abrupt stop all of a sudden. Only both of them existed. She did not know if replying to his love now felt right but surely she knew what she felt for him ran deeper. Obsession was toxic but he made her breathe. He was the elixir she needed to fight her battles. She moved away from him momentarily and stood up from the couch. He followed suit but she insisted that he sat down.

She went on both her knees and kneeled before him and grabbed both his hands in hers and locked her eyes with his

"Marry me Avinash" she said and blinked her tears that hindered her clear vision.

He let go off her hands lifted her again off the ground

"That should be my question" he said and fused her lips with his. He pressed his lips strongly against her. He had missed the taste of her lips very badly. Her plump lips felt good against his manly ones. She tilted her head at an angle in response to the tug she felt on her lower lip. He sucked her lower lip gently and then her upper lip. After making sure he kissed her lips, he pushed his tongue gently in and explored her mouth as sensually as he could. He pressed her waist and pulled her closer to him still exploring her mouth. He felt his blood rushing south leaving him with a dent on his pants but who cares, only she does that to him. She pushed him away fighting for breath but he grabbed her face immediately to him and kissed her lips once again and caught his own breath.

Both took a minute or two to calm down and looked at one another. He forwarded his hand to her and she took them in hers. He pulled her and she collided against his chest. He rested his chin on her head and stood in the position till what felt like eternity. She moved herself and looked at him. He tucked her hair beneath her ears and once again hugged her. He wanted nothing but stay in the position forever.

"Shall I leave now ?" She asked.

"Jaldi kya hai ? (what's the hurry?)" he asked.

"Nobody knows I am here" she said.

"Mere saath ho. Kaafi hai. (You are with me. That's enough)" he replied.

"Cheesy enough" she chuckled.

"We have an announcement to make. Don't you think ?" He asked her.

"We do" she replied.

He fished for his phone and called his mother, Purnima.

"Lets meet with Aadhya's family at our place" he told her.

"Once I come home" he said and his mother couldn't help but notice the happiness that reverberated in his voice from the other end. She was happy at last.

~ To be continued ~