RaYa: You mean the world to me

It had been a few hours before Ram and Priya got home. The case was finally tackled. They had spent grueling hours in the court. Vikram and Neha were driving them back home. They were tired and hungry. But most of all, relieved!

"Tum dono jakar thoda aaram karlo. Bahut thak gaye ho. Ab sochna bandh kar do! Y'all have won the battle. Kal milte hain. Lunch ke liye?" said Vikram.

"Haan. Celebration toh banta hi hain! Mere ghar, okay? Khana main banaungi." said Neha.

"Acha? Mujhe itne jaldi marna nahi hai Neha. Tu banayegi aur hum bach jayenge? Guarantee kya hai? Hahah!" mocked Ram.

"Mr. Kapoor! Aap bhi na. Neha khana bahut acha banati hai." said Priya.

"Haan! Dekha? Priya humesha sahi keh-" and before Neha could finish her sentence,

"Use guarantee apne khane ki nahi...apne juice ki deni chahiye :P" said Priya.

"Arre...itni bhi buri nahi hoon main. Ab jab tum dono aage badh gaye ho toh tumhara juice spike karne ki wajah?" said Neha.

Priya mockingly glared at Neha as she poked fun of them and reminded them about how awkward they were before they could "Aage badho". It was strange how she couldn't meet Ram's eyes even today when they were teased. Even today she found herself looking at the floor and shying away. She could sense him gazing at her. Even as the four of them chatted he kept looking at her. Even if it was for a flittering second, she could sense the longing in his eyes.

The four eventually finished poking fun at each other and parted ways. Ram said he had to make a few calls in the study and direct people for a conference. He had missed out on a lot of work during the past few days. So Ram went to the study as ViHa left. Priya decided she'll indulge in a long hot relaxing bath.

A while later Ram entered the room. He felt relieved after finishing at least some work.

He was worked up but then he looked. And my! She stood there. She had worn that light blue saree. Her hair was wet pulled on one side. She stood there drying her hair. He gazed at her. He just couldn't have enough of her. He could stand there all day, just looking. Taking in the beauty she exuded. Her aura. Her magnificence. Her aroma. He couldn't believe this little fragile, sylph-like soul had taken all the blame on herself just so wouldn't have to see him behind the bars. He couldn't believe he had mistrusted her, even for a second. That woman standing there, had given him everything! She had given him his soul! She'd do anything for him. She'd go up one against the whole wide world if she had to, for him. She breathed for him. How? How did he find someone who loved him seamlessly, up to no extent! How could she love him SO much?! It was beyond his comprehension.

Priya hadn't seen him since her back was to him. As she was drying her hair she couldn't stop wondering what was taking him so long to come. She wanted to sit down and just look at him for some time. His worry-free face now that everything had been dealt with. How she had missed the child like face of his. The past few days he had been very serious all the time. Very tensed. He was unbelievably restless till she was freed. But he had been so strong through it all. There were times they lost hope. But he never did. He was the kind of strong man every woman wished to have by her side. He was HER man. And now that Niharika was exposed, he was all hers. She didn't need to pretend anything. She didn't need to convince him that she didn't love him. Hiding her love for him was probably one of the most difficult things she'd ever done in her life. Lying to him all the time was so tough. And he had especially made it even more difficult because he'd never, not once doubted her love for him. How? How could she be so lucky to have this man in her life? Someone who would have faith in her even if the world came crashing down. Even if she hurt him. And hurt him so bad! He never, EVER gave up on her. He loved her with all he had! Loved her more than anything. How did she find someone who could love her SO much! Beyond misunderstandings, beyond hurt. Seamlessly, limitlessly, up to no extent. It was beyond her comprehension.

She turned to go to the washroom and saw him at

the door. His arms were folded and he rested his side on the door, gazing at her.

"Aap..aap aa gaye?" she fumbled to say. Why? Why was she nervous? It felt new. May be they had spent too many days apart.

"Kyu? Wapas chala jaoon?" he said teasingly. He realized she was half nervous, half shy. He could understand. He felt a wee bit nervous himself too. It had been almost two months since they spoke so normally and without tension of any kind.

"Nahi! Aisa toh nahi kaha maine. Woh ...waqt zyada laga diya na aapne..isliye poocha."

"Toh tum mera intezaar kar rahi thi? Achi baat hai. Vaise kyu kar rahi thi intezaar? Main toh tumhe pasand nahi hoon. Tumhe toh parvah bhi nahi hai meri. Tumhi ne toh kaha than a jor jor se kit um mujhse pyar nahi karti vagarah vagarah..?" chuckled Ram.

"Mr. Kapoor! Ye main aapko dusvi baar keh rahi hoon. Us waqt meri majboori thi-" she said as Ram started walking to the washroom to freshen up.

"-aur us waqt mere paas koi choice bhi nahi thi.Kitni baar aap mujhse ye sab kahenge? Kaha na maine sorry.."

"Jo bhi ho! You said you didn't love me. Meri kya halat hui thi pata hai tumhe iska ehsaaas bhi hai?" shouted Ram from inside the bathroom. He tried concealing the glee in his voice. He didn't want her to know he was pulling her leg. Arre Ram toh Ram hai. Humesha Priya ko chdhata rehta hai!

Priya followed him into the washroom and from outside the bathroom door scramed at him,

"Aap..aap! Aap...kitni saza denge mujhe iske liye? Main hazaar baar sorry keh chuki hoon. I know you were hurt. And trust me, mujhe iska ehsaas hain! Isiliye toh sorry keh rahi hoon Mr. Kapoor!" Her eyes had begun to brim with tears as guilt started taking a toll on her.

Ram came out giggling like a child in his white kurta.

"Haan phir bhi- ARREE! Tum ye- aasu kahan se aa gaye? Yeh kya hai Priya..main toh sirf mazak kar raha tha" he said as he pulled her hands away from her face.

"Mazak karne ki bhi haddh hoti hain Ram!"

"Okay. Okay! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Bus?! Tum janti ho main is duniya mein kuch bhi handle kar sakta hoon sivay tumhare aasuo ke!" said he still holding her hands in his tightly.

"Ram, ek baat aap kaan khol kar sun lijiye, uss waqt haalaat kuch aur the. Jo bhi ho...there'se one irreversible fact that shall remain a universal fact till the end of time, I LOVE YOU!" she almost shouted. Still looking at the floor. And then she slowly lifted her head and gently said, "...truly, madly, deeply, insanely and irrevocably. And this, I can shout out loud to the whole wide world."

It pulled a string in Ram's heart. Whenever she did this he always felt like he was spinning. Or was on a roller coaster ride. He could feel the twist in his stomach. The lurch in his heart. He almost forgot to breathe for a few seconds. She always managed to take his breath away!

"Achaaa?" he smiled naughtily. Then in filmy style said, "Main bhi iss poori duniya ko cheekh kar bata sakta hoon ki I love you."

By now Priya had managed to figure that he was still puling her leg. So she would too!

So to pull his leg she said, "Achaa? Poori duniya ko cheekh kar? Haan. Toh kahiye. Arre kahiye na, chup kyu ho gaye? Ab toh aapko POORI duniya ko cheekh kar kehna hi hoga Mr. Kapoor" she said mockingly as she stood there still in his tight grip.

Then Ram slowly pulled her toward himself, looking deeply into her eyes. His smiley face was replaced by seriousness. He looked at her tear stained cheek and gently kissed the tear away. As he did this she shut her eyes and almost trembled at his touch. He then very slowly brought his lips to her ears and gently whispered, "I love you."

She opened her eyes and said, "Yeh kya? Maine kaha saari duniya ko cheekh kar kahiye Mr. Kapoor."

He brought his lips back to her face. Tickled her nose with his and said, "Haan, toh, meri saari duniya toh tum hi ho."

The moment he said that Priya's heart skipped a beat or three! She looked at him seriously for a few moments wondering how this man of hers could do magic to her like this and then burst into an uncontrollably shy smile and bit her lower lip.

"Pata hai, ye jo tum baat baat par apne honth ko kaat leti ho...tab badi ...what should I say, sexy lagti ho!" he said with that customary glint of naughtiness in his eyes.

She looked at him with a "haw!" expression. It was the first time her husband had called her sexy. Yes, he had always called her beautiful. And she always took offence at the word sexy but when it came from her own husband, ah well! It felt goood! So they had started to open up just a little bit more huh.

"Acha?" she said and flung her arms around his neck. She gently placed a kiss on his forehead, then traced it down to his nose. She kissed both his eyes. He then started kissing her neck. It was all going slowly and gently till Priya tightened her grip and squeezed his shoulder. All of a sudden there was just too much heat. The tension was immense. The physical proximity way too much. There was a certain kind of urgency. Like all of a sudden they realized how MUCH they've missed each other. He grabbed her by her waist and picked her up, nailed her to the wall and she held his face in her hands and kissed him. Longingly..

*KNOCK KNOCK*

...to be continued ;)