YOU ARE BRAVE

The cab pulled in front of the gate, wiping her tears cleaning her face she stepped out putting up an emotionless face she entered the house.

" Aanya? " Kashish voiced out staring at the doorstep. Every head turned the way where she was standing including Shree and Saurav who were on continuous calls with their men to gather any information or any clue of where Aanya could be.

Shree can't explain the fear that gripped his heart the moment he entered Aanya's room and found it empty, He felt something die inside him when he could not find her in the whole house. The thoughts that were occurring in his mind were giving him a sick feeling he can't explain. Tears were stinging in his eyes, like a mad man possessed he ran into every nook and corner of the house just to have a glimpse of her, no matter if he found her in a devasted state or lost in her own thoughts without minding of the surrounding. The only thing that matters was he wanted to see her on the campus of his house, safe. But the moment he got the clarification not only from himself but her friends too that She is missing, He was dreaded for the worst, the situation has pushed Shree to remember that night when he came back with the water bottle but she was missing, and when he found her it was too late. His insides were churning in fear. Tears continuously rolled down his cheeks, with trembling hands he dials a few numbers and gave instructions to find Aanya as soon as possible. Shree looked very distraught, he was hyperventilating hoping and praying in his every breath that She should be fine.

Every passing minute Shree was losing his sanity, little sobs were escaping from his mouth even though he tried so hard to not let his emotions overtake him. As an hour passed he felt like he failed her again. That night too he failed and today too. When he couldn't get any info about her he finally decided to go and search himself. He didn't inform Sid about her being missing just because he didn't have enough courage to inform him, he can imagine what damage will it cause to Siddhant if he hears that Aanya is missing again.

Saurav too was ready to go out with him and for the last time they were contacting their men if they got anything and before they cut the call She was here.

Shree looked at Aanya who was standing there at the doorstep, safe and sound, he finally left the breathing he was holding till now, relief rushed over his body seeing her standing in front of him in his house, that allowed all the dam to break and he breaks into sobs.

Aanya examined every face standing in front of her, all were pale and white as a sheet, wet with tears filled with fear. Their state reminded her of the blunder she did of not informing anyone. She regretted putting them in this situation, composing herself she slowly whispers " I'm sorry "

That was it, hearing her voice Shree couldn't hold himself and ran to her pulling her into a bone-crushing hug just to make himself believe that she is here with him safe.

" I'm sorry bhai " Aanya cries hiding in his shoulder, she felt safe there after the encounter she had in the police station.

" Don't... Just don't even think of doing something like this again otherwise no one will be worst than me, get it " he scolded her pulling her more into his protective embrace. She nodded accepting his warning and then she cried again recalling what she has just faced her body shuddered in fear. Shree felt her quivering body and holds her tighter.

Dodging every question Aanya went to her room but Shree followed her inside... " none is here except me and I won't leave this place until I know where were you and why? "

Aanya hung her head low sobbing, Shree sat in front of her, holding both hands in his securely he says " What is it? You can tell me anything and I promise I won't judge you "

Aanya gave him a look but again down the lid, Shree slowly cups her face with one hand and asked " you said I'm your Bhai right? Won't you tell your Bhai, hmm "

Aanya looked at Shree, her eyes were pooled with tears, her mind was on its ride making her feel vulnerable with the thought that She actually went to the police station to complain against her Brother, the brother on whom her whole life was dependent the time her parents closed their eyes to never open again. The same brother who would always starve himself to make sure she had something. The one who had always been her mentor, her guardian, and her Ginnie too. She couldn't decipher where things went wrong that Siddhant changed this much, the change which forced her to go against the brother whom she used to worship once. Tears leaked out of her eyes more.

Shree wiped her tears tenderly and encouraged her " say "

Aanya glanced at another brother of her in front who had always been her friend first, to whom she would confine if she didn't want to know about it, and today she is unable to let him know about her turmoil, there is a fear inside her which is restricting her but for now, the warmth she felt in Shree's company was enough to break her resolve and she stuttered " I... I... Went... To... To... Police... Police "

The last word that left her mouth made Shree shiver in shock, he gasps aloud, and his hold on her hand tightened as he can guess why she was there.

Aanya didn't notice the change in him and she continued " to... Complaint... Against... Bh... Bhaiya "

Aanya completed and cried audibly as she never wanted to see herself in the situation she is in now. And the way her attempt went made her feel more horrible.

Shree was afraid from the time he heard about the police, did she complain about Siddhant Sir? That was the thought ringing in his mind, if she did then it won't be good for sure, Sid sir doesn't deserve it, Oh, how should I say that he didn't do anything which can drag him to jail... But whatever it is I've to be silent and at the same time have to do something which would be in the favor of both of them. He slightly asked " did the FIR get filed? "

Aanya nodes no and cried more terrifying Shree. He hugged her, calming her down he asked softly unsure of why it can't be " why, what happened? "

Aanya clutched more on his shirt and then narrated the whole incident pouring her heart out. As the description was being given Shree's palm curled into a tight fist with unbound rage. He swears to kill every person who dared to hurt her more, the stunt they pulled on her was an act of rubbing salt on her wounds and he knew it would have been torturous for her to even breathe in that atmosphere. He pulled her more close to him protectively.

" They... All... " Aanya started to say but couldn't bring out the words to explain what she felt, how she gathered herself at that place in between the strangers it has taken her whole courage just to keep a hold on her body before she slumps down being weak as their actions have opened her wounds not only that it felt like rubbing chili over them.

" Shh... Quiet first... Enough Aanya stop crying " Shree tried to stop her but she was getting hysterical and he knew if he didn't stop her now then it would lead to a terrible Panic attack.

" I... was... so... scared"

" And why were you? " Shree cross-question with the hope that she would pick up talk and would calm down.

" They were... I... Was... Alone... They... Strangers "

" But you are not weak to be scared right? " He says wiping her tears, removing the fringes off her face to behind the ear.

Aanya closed her eyes feeling his soft caress on her but behind those closed lids the scene from the station revolved and she couldn't help but tremble in fear and whisper slowly " I'm..."

" I don't think so "

The quick reply from him made her open her eyes in a fraction of a second and she stared at him with questions in her eyes how can she be not.

Shree holds her gaze for a while then answered her with tenderness " How can you be weak when you took the whole responsibility for Roli's justice against your own brother, how can you be weak when even after being afraid of the closeness of your own friends you stepped out all alone just so that you can stand for the truth, and how can you be weak when you faced what you did but still you carried yourself home without letting anyone have even an ounce of doubt of what storm is going inside you, If anyone at your place would have turned blind eyes to what happened with Roli or others, they would have closed themselves into the darkness but you are still fighting, unlike others you are coming out of your shell it may be slowly but definitely you are... Then say how can you be weak... Do you know what you are? "

Aanya was all silent listening to what Shree was saying forgetting about her fear, and when he asked, at last, she nodded no like a lost puppy not knowing what should she say about herself.

Shree smiled a bit then cupping her face firmly holding her gaze with his he said slowly but sincerely and truthfully " YOU ARE BRAVE "

After knowing about what happened with Aanya in the police station Shree was about to take action against Kumar but to his surprise, Kumar has already been suspended.

" Who did that? " Shree questioned himself not being sure of that person.

Kumar stood up and salutes his senior Yug Khurana who approached him from his cabin. Sitting at the edge of Kumar's table he spoke " c'mon Kumar there was a girl in the station and you didn't send her to my cabin, not done man " 

Kumar chuckles at his senior then said " sorry boss, the next girl who comes here will be sent to you " he winks at his boss who gets up from the table.

Kumar laughs and others joined him enjoying the chatter but the next moment the room went silent except for Kumar who was groaning in pain as his senior Yug punched him hard directly on his face.

Kumar's chair fell backward throwing him to the floor, it was so quick he couldn't understand what just happened, his head vibrated on the assault it just felt, he shuts his eyes the moment he felt excruciating pain at the top of his nose, blood trickles down the nostrils blocking his nose to breath, the unbearable pain he was feeling made him sure that his nasal bone is broken.

The spectators stood up silently with wide eyes looking at the horrific scene, they have never seen Yug this angry ever, the rage in his eyes make them shiver in fear. Yug advanced near Kumar grabbed his collar making him stand up then with all his might he punched him again this time directly into his abdomen. Kumar screams in agony and pain which made him feel dead already.

Not giving even a second to relax Yug clasped his hair in a fist and made him look up then shouted at the top of his voice " How dare you behave like that with her "

" Ahh... Sir "

" This is what you are assigned for " Yug asked punching again in his abdomen at the same place with the same intensity but the pain caused was doubled than earlier... " This is the reason women don't want to come here to complain and ask for protection because the person who should be the one to protect, himself is lusting after them, you didn't do right... You didn't" Yug roared and his fist landed for the third time at the same place on Kumar's abdomen and then pushed him to the floor.

Kumar fell like a sack, his body was writhing in pain, eyes were getting the drowsy feeling of the heaviness to even open them, tears of pain left his eyes, the intolerable pain he was feeling didn't allow him to speak even a word. Yug was satisfied by the state he was in, his eyes roamed on everyone and he warned them dangerously " you guys are here assigned to help the public not to dominate and rule them over. And especially about whatever happened just now is not only the disrespect towards the whole women race but also the disrespect toward the uniform which is the source of income for you all... You should be ashamed of yourself for joining in the fun with him instead of stopping, your earlier officer might have joined hands with you but not me... This is the last warning to every one of you, if I found any kind of absurd behavior in this station then it will be his last day Keep it in your mind that Yug Khurana never gives an empty threat "  everyone nodded agreeing to him, he came upon to Kumar crouched near him, clutching his face in a death grip he said " I'll make sure you get suspended and next time think millions of time before defying me "

Unknown of the person being Yug Shree was still pondering over the information " Who it could be what was the intention behind taking such action against Kumar, could it be plotted or just because that's what the punishment was for such a crime... But can't deny if it is plotted, until people like Darsh exists anything can happen have to search who this person worked against Kumar "

AANYA PALACE

After Roli went back inside their room Sid couldn't come to any decision on what should he do because he didn't know what would be Roli's reaction after seeing him in the room, so from then he was just wandering around his house from time to time seeing Roli from afar who was lying on his bed burying her head in the pillows. But now the time has come for dinner and he has to call her down but how is the question. Wishing for good he finally moved toward his room. When he was about to knock on the door he stopped hearing Roli's voice who was murmuring to herself...

" How much I turn a blind eye toward it I can't deny the fact that it all happened because of me, it was me who asked help from Aanya di and that lead her to the hell and today what I did, after causing this much pain to her I stayed here to save myself... Did I become selfish for thinking about my safety forgetting the reason from where it all started "

" No, you are not " Siddhant answered her question, Roli flinched at his unexpected voice, slight fear sprouted inside her but more than that she was curious to know why did Siddhant say no when he himself was thinking she was the culprit.

Siddhant approached her and sat on the bed even she was now sitting looking straight toward him waiting for his answer and not disappointing her he replied...

" That night your asking for help wasn't wrong on your part, you were helpless and needed help but then lying was the thing which you did wrong, if you didn't then Anu might have been firm to help you and get you out of the clutches of your brother but when you lied of playing she went in shock and felt betrayed making her a bit inferior in front of Darsh and he took the opportunity to dominate all of you including Shree... That was the only mistake you did, but now knowing your fear of Darsh can't really blame you... I've wished zillionth times that if Anu or you could have stopped Darsh for a little more while I could have reached but when I reached it was too late... " drops of tear started to roll down his cheeks remembering that night even Roli was in the same state.

" I was dreaded hearing Aanya went missing and when I saw Shree I felt dead, he was there lying half-conscious in the pool of his own blood " both of them shivered in remembrance of that scene, taking a pause Siddhant continued " He was able to mumble initials of Darsh's car number, I chased that every car which has same initials and has crossed that path but I failed, I failed to reach my gudiya, Time was passing by without her beside me and it took me a while to accept the truth that my little gudiya went missing " more tears fall from his eyes, Roli looked at his face and she can see the pain that's still so raw inside him, Siddhant composed himself to continue further " one day, two days passed by and slowly I was losing hope to see my gudiya again, When I didn't get any ransom calls or any threat from any one then it all was pointing only towards one thing that She, my Anu was abducted to fulfill someone's dirty desires and see my worst fear came true, it came true... And I couldn't save her" Siddhant broke down, he cried uncontrollably.

Roli too was crying looking at Sid, this was the first time she is watching him as a brother, a brother who was dying every minute from the time his sister went missing. Siddhant calmed down after some time, he wiped his tears, he reached for her hand, and holding them he mumbled " Thank you Roli "

Roli was first shocked when Siddhant holds her hands but when he thanked her from the bottom of his heart then she felt numb and only one thought was running in her head, Why?

Siddhant very well know about her unasked question so he answered her " Thank you Roli for saving my Anu, if it were not you then maybe I wouldn't have got to see her alive, That was you who helped my Anu to escape from that prison otherwise I would have only got her dead body after Darsh would have got bore of playing with her. You took the fall on yourself and let my sister flee. You knew Darsh won't leave you but you were ready to take every pain on your plate and served freedom to my gudiya. Your whole life was nothing but pain, Anu offered you to escape together but you chose to stay just so that it can increase the possibility of running free to succeed. Being known of every pain you would be caused you chose to take a stand for my sister but not yourself and that is the reason which clears the tag of you being selfish. So yeah you are not selfish for thinking about your safety for once in your whole life up till now in fact I would say you as brave "

Roli's head shot up, her eyes were locked up with his. Siddhant moved forward and cupped her face then spoke very softly but sincerely and truthfully " yes Roli YOU ARE BRAVE, anyone at your place might have broken down and would have gone into darkness or might have chosen the easiest way to escape that's suicide but you, you bore every pain be it small or intolerable but still you lived through it with a little hope of getting your freedom and that's bravery Roli. Everyone can't do what you did "

Roli couldn't forgive Siddhant for what he did but this made her feel some peace, She didn't know why but she felt solace in his words, and somewhere in her heart, she was daring to hope for her happiness. Siddhant holds her face firmly in his hands then moves to place a light kiss on her forehead, he kept his lips there for a while, and Roli has her eyes closed savoring the moment. A few seconds later he parted but not before whispering " Be brave as you are... "  Roli couldn't let him complete more and hugged him Sid too reciprocated and both of them cried venting out their pain in each other's arms.

Siddhant wanted to ask for another chance from her to rectify his mistakes while on the other hand Roli was scared to trust him again to forgive him but this conversation between them has given a green signal to the new relationship which would be soon formed between them and it has already been started in the little corner of their hearts.

___________________

PRECAP :

After getting her permission Sid asked " Roli did Darsh do anything to you when he got to know about you were the one to help Anu escape " as he completes he saw her going stiff, all the colors from her face drained out, She started trembling and all these signals only one thing that something terrific has happened...

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