Summary:
Arjun dies while fighting Sikandar. This is the aftermath. Mostly centered around Sakshi and Sameer.
Please read at your own discretion
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The Minute Sakshi Anand stood in front of the ETF office, she knew she couldn't work here anymore. And no, this time she and Arjun didn't fight, nor did she brew another chaos in the office to anger him.
She laughed mirthlessly at the thought. If only Arjun was actually here for her to annoy him.
But he wasn't anymore. And he will never be here again.
It all started when the ETF team had gotten a lead on Sikandar. Arjun was surprisingly cool about it at first and handled the situation more with his brain than his emotions. But then all his cool came crashing when they finally found the criminal.
Sakshi still remembered that evening clearly…
“Arjun Rawte, it seems we are back to the old days, huh?” Sikandar smirked, holding Sakshi by her hair as he held his gun to her temple.
Arjun tightened his jaw as anger took over him, “Look, we have got you surrounded, so if you even think about hurting her, you won’t make it out of here alive. So just surrender.” and he was right, every ETF member was spread in the building and all of them had their guns pointed at Sikandar and his men. And as if that wasn’t even, there were more siren sounds coming from outside the warehouse, which meant more police backup.
Sikander looked back at his nemesis. It was true, there was no way for him to escape now. The last time when he killed Roshni, at least he was able to enjoy the memory of it back in his villa, but now he will be going directly to jail.
But when he looked at Arjun again, he saw the pain in his eyes that he had seen when he had pushed that knife into Roshni.
And that was enough for Sikandar, he dug his gun into Sakshi’s temple, who cried out in pain.
“Sikandar!” Arjun growled, making his enemy smirk, and the minute he saw Sikandar put his finger on the trigger, Arjun jumped forward.
Two gunshots rang in the air and Sakshi felt herself fall to the side as more gunshots followed.
“Guys hold your fire!” Sameer shouted and everyone promptly stopped shooting, he looked up again and there was Sikandar, fallen to the ground and his white shirt bloodied all over. With this many bullets in him, he was 100% dead.
“Sir! Some of Sikandar’s men ran outside.” Chotu announced.
“Follow them, don’t let them get away. Take the backup with you!"
Chotu nodded and ran after the men who had escaped.
Sameer thought of calling the commissioner up and informing him about this successful mission but then he realized something. Arjun wasn’t by his side. And where was Sakshi?
He turned around and the sight in front of him was beyond horrifying.
Sakshi had fallen to the ground and on top of her was ACP Arjun Rawte, who was holding onto Sakshi for dear life. And Sakshi's light blue kurta was covered in red…
“Sakshi!” Sameer rushed toward her, as Arjun moved away, “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”
Sakshi looked at her friend and nodded frantically, she sat up and saw the blood on her kurta.
But she wasn’t feeling any pain, nor were there any bullet holes on her body…
“Arjun?”
She turned her face to her side when she heard Sameer’s scared voice…and the sight frightened her.
There was Arjun, lying on his back, with two bullets lodged in his chest. He looked around, terrified.
Sakshi has never seen him so scared before.
He felt something liquid on his torso and he saw Sameer and Sakshi in his blurring vision.
“...Arjun?” Sakshi crawled to his side and her heart broke when she saw how scared he was, “It's okay it's okay you are going to be okay.” she ran her hands through his damp hair and held his hand tightly.
Arjun seemed to relax a bit at that. He smiled up at Sakshi as if thanking her for being by his side.
“Shree call the ambulance!” Sameer ordered and then he was crawling to his friend’s side too, putting pressure on his wounds.
There was so much blood and Arjun was becoming delirious as time went on.
Soon enough the other members of the ETF were there too and they watched helplessly as Arjun’s breathing came out shallower.
“Arjun, hold on okay? The ambulance will be here shortly.” Sameer reassured his friend, opening his shirt button so there was no way Arjun’s breaths were restricted.
But Arjun was quiet, too quiet even for him. He whimpered when Sameer put too much pressure on his wound and then he squeezed Sakshi’s hand.
When he closed his eyes momentarily, Sameer woke him up by patting his face, “Don’t die on me, you idiot!”
Arjun smiled yet again, but his eyes were going bleary by the second as he lulled his head on his shoulder.
Sakshi shook him and he looked around, not being able to focus on one thing.
“Sir! The ambulance is here!” Shree announced from the door and Sameer stood up. He raised his hands so that the paramedics could see him and they rushed with the gurney.
Sakshi looked at the injured man and squeezed his hand again, “Arjun, they are here, please stay with me.” she cupped his face, and this time he didn’t smile back, he just looked at her somberly, “...Arjun.”
Blood was pooling around him as he tried harder to breathe.
“Arjun?” She leaned close to his face and saw the dying flicker in his eyes. He gasped harder this time, staring up as if asking whoever was up there to give him one more chance.
Sakshi held her breath, she had to tell him now, “I love you.”
There it was her confession. But Arjun had already closed his eyes and the paramedics were pushing their way through the boxes and the other members of the ETF team to collect Arjun on the gurney.
They checked his pulse only to see it wasn’t there and they rushed him in the ambulance.
Time slowed down as Arjun’s body rose from the gurney due to the deliberator. The paramedic by his side readied the equipment for the second time.
Another shock and no sign of his heartbeat. Arjun’s mouth fell open and his chest was coated in his blood.
The paramedics gave a pitiful look to the ETF team before giving one last shot at saving the ACP’s life. But he didn’t respond. He just laid there on the gurney, his face going paler by the second.
Sakshi covered her mouth as she felt a wave of nausea hit her.
She couldn’t believe that the man in front of her was…dead.
The man whom she had called Akdhu Sadu before. The man who had proved he was delicate from the inside. A man who had a big heart and deeply cared for his team.
By her side stood Sameer, who blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice. He felt his hands tremble as he realized he would never get to call Arjun his friend again. That he was taken away the moment he was opening his heart to this ruthless world again. He saw the other ETF members and his heart broke into tiny little pieces at seeing how sad they all were. Ayesha was by his side in seconds, trying to be his pillar but breaking down herself.
First Roshni and now Arjun…
In retrospect, Sameer knew Arjun would end up hurting himself in search of Sikandar, but he never thought that his best friend could die like this. A merciless death, never getting a chance to experience love again in his life.
Arjun was gone, and he was never coming back.
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Sakshi slowly made her way back into the ETF building. The funeral was to be held on Thursday. She had heard that Arjun’s father, Mr. Dinesh Suryakant Rawte, had fainted when he heard about his son’s death. That poor old man never got a chance to mend his relationship with his son. A broken heart can be a fatal thing.
She quietly sat at her table her eyes wandering to the empty office she has been in so many times. Arjun’s name tag was still on his table and Sakshi almost wanted to steal it and keep it with her for the rest of her life.
God, this was only the second day of his death and it was already difficult. She remembered how the night of the death she had been standing in the morgue, looking at the dead form of Arjun for too long. If Ayesha and Shree hadn’t taken her away from that room she would’ve gotten hypothermia.
She wished she could go back in time and knock some sense in Arjun before he risked his life. But it was not possible.
Absentmindedly, she took her phone out as if she was about to call someone. But whom will she call now? She already cried to her best friend about this tragedy.
Maybe she can call Arjun?
Yes, he won’t pick up the phone, but still.
When she retrieved his number on her phone, her eyes widened with what she saw.
Arjun (Akdu Sadu from ETF) has left you a voice message.
And the message was two days old. This means this was just before…
Sakshi looked around and saw all the other ETF members. She then fetched her earphones out of her bag and connected them with her phone.
She felt her heart beat loudly and her hands trembled as they worked to play that message.
She hit the play button, and…
Sakshi…
There it was, Arjun. Her Arjun.
We just got a lead on Sikandar, you know that. I can see you collecting your stuff from your table.
Sakshi’s eyes went to Arjun’s former office and she realized that Arjun had in fact recorded this message just before the team went after Sikandar. And if she looked hard enough, she could imagine him recording the message right now.
Have I ever told you that you look pretty while panicking about work?
He chuckled lightly.
There is something about seeing you actually serious and then almost having a heart attack if you aren’t doing something right.
You are beautiful Sakshi Anand, and this may sound creepy coming from me but in my defense, you too have given awkward compliments to me in the past.
Anyways, we have to go catch Sikandar right now, and I am happy we finally got him. But before we go, I want to tell you something. Because if something happens on this mission then I’ll regret not telling you this even after I die.
Sakshi held her breath.
I love you, Sakshi Anand. I have fallen in love with you.
I don’t remember when it happened though. Maybe it was the time you got me chai even when all the tapris were closed, or when you gave me that apology note, or maybe when you were angry with me for risking my life.
But whenever it was, I know that I am in love with you, and if something happens to me in this mission then please forgive me for being careless.
There was a sudden sadness in his voice and a tear fell down Sakshi’s face.
Chalo, we are leaving for the mission, and god you are actually so panicked right now.
See you later.
And with his laugh, the voice message ended.
Sakshi Anand had a bubbly nature and she rarely ever broke down no matter how much Arjun tried to annoy her, but right now, that guy made her cry.
“Sakshi?” Shree saw her and he was by her side within seconds.
Sameer watched the ordeal from his office. He had started seeing Sakshi as a sister and he wanted nothing but happiness for her. But he wasn’t even sure if that was possible right now.
And the worst part was, he knew why Sakshi was crying right now because Arjun Rawte won’t leave them like this even after death.
He looked down at his phone screen and saw Arjun’s voice message for him.
He played it.
Rathod, I know you are the most scared man. I can see you from my office and you pacing around in yours.
Sameer fisted his hands. Arjun always knew him better than any of these people in ETF office.
I know you are worried about me, but I am sorry, I can’t promise that I’ll play it safe out there. I am finally getting the chance I wanted for this long.
I don’t know why am I even leaving this message for you. We have already talked the other night.
But now that I am recording this, I want to say thank you again. Thank you for believing in me again Sameer. I know I am also to blame for Roshni’s death, so I promise tonight I won’t repeat that mistake. I won’t let that man harm anyone from this team.
I just have one request though, if anything happens to me, take care of Sakshi and also of yourself. Because whatever will happen will be on me and not on you or anyone from this team.
You are a great friend man and you deserve so much more than running after a criminal because of me.
Chalo, I need to talk to Sakshi too. Bye.
Sameer gulped as he heard Arjun’s smile from the phone. Arjun knew very well that Sameer doesn’t check his phone before a mission and goddamit that man is so clever.
Was.
Sameer still remembered that night when they had to go to the hospital with Arjun’s corpse and it felt as if his life had turned upside down.
He wished he could just travel back in time and give Arjun a big tight hug. He wished he could tell his past self to not destroy his friendship with Arjun.
He wished he could save Arjun from himself.
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Thursday rolled around quicker than anyone liked.
The funeral was a big event as one of the most prominent police officers of Mumbai had sacrificed his life while saving the city.
Rathod saw how so many media people were there to cover the funeral and he wished he could just throw them all out and let Arjun have one last peaceful day on this earth.
Dinesh Rawte was present there to everyone’s surprise and he fell to his knees when he had to set fire to his son’s pyre. The whole ETF team stood by. Shree and Chotu consoled each other, while Ayesha stood with Lisa and Sakshi.
And it would be an understatement to say that Sakshi was a mess. And Rathod sir?
Well, it was one thing to see your team member’s funeral, but to see the funeral of a person whom you loved dearly, was worse.
Both the journalist and the first in command of the ETF looked like they had lost all hope. They had just stared ahead the whole time. It wasn’t until all of them were coming back from the funeral that Sameer finally, finally cried. Covering his mouth and looking out of the window as Ayesha drove.
On the passenger seat at the back, Sakshi stared out of the window too, but lifelessly.
The very next day, Sameer Rathod applied a transfer request. He has seen the deaths of his co-workers before, but none of them were his childhood best friends.
On Saturday, Ayesha and Shree collected the whole team at Sakshi’s flat.
Let’s just say too many glasses of wine were had that night. And nobody knew Sameer sir was capable of cursing this much…, especially when he was cursing his best friend. Somehow Sakshi had joined him too.
If Arjun was here he would have actually really laughed at those two drunk clowns.
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A week after the funeral, work went on at the ETF office. Sameer’s transfer request was denied because there was no other senior officer to replace him. Sakshi too couldn’t leave ETF, even though she was desperate to do so.
Arjun’s office was left as it is. No one dared to go in, especially Sakshi and Sameer.
Two weeks after the funeral. The team went to a club together as there was no major case to solve. Sameer was at the bar counter when Sakshi joined him.
“Are you over it yet?” she asked as if it was the most casual thing to talk about.
“No, not at all.” Sameer took the glass of whiskey in his hand.
“Thank god, I thought I was going crazy.”
Sameer chuckled at that. And that was the first time he had smiled since that fateful night.
“So…what was in the voice message you got?” Sakshi asked, finally ready to talk about that damn message.
“Oh, he just thanked me for believing in him and asked me to not blame myself for whatever was going to happen to him,” Sameer explained, as the whiskey glass danced in his hand.
“He is cruel.”
“What did he say in yours?”
“That he loves me. I mean ‘loved’ me.” Sakshi slumped forward in her chair, as the alcohol took effect on her.
Sameer’s eyes widened, “What?”
“You heard me.”
“Wow.”
“I know.”
The two friends had another drunk session and a little bit of a dance too. Sameer still remembered that he was the chief so he stopped after his third drink but Sakshi…
Thank heavens Ayesha didn’t mind taking drunk friends to her flat.
The next morning was off for all of them so Sakshi slept till noon, only to wake up when she had this sudden urge to throw up.
“Haye deva, please forgive me. I promise I will not drink again,” she said as she threw up in the toilet for the third time.
Ayesha laughed while she held her friend’s hair back, “Sakshi, you are a drama queen.”
And it is good to see your dramatic side back.
A month after the funeral, the higher authorities decided to cut down on the funds for ETF, as the big criminals like Sikandar were already taken care of.
This led to the downsizing of the ETF office and the huge building was going under renovations.
Arjun’s office was destroyed within a matter of two days. Sakshi had already taken his name tag from his table and Sameer took all the case files which his friend had hidden under his table.
Both of them made a point to not stay at the building while that office was being broken down.
Two months after the funeral, after a long day of work, Sameer asked Ayesha out for a date. They couldn’t take their relationship to the next step because a lot was happening before, but now Sameer thought that there is no point in wasting any more time.
Ayesha smiled and agreed to go with him.
Meanwhile, Sakshi decided to go out with the guy Lisa had told him about. She anyways needed to go out more and meet someone.
Time went on until one day Sakshi and Sameer decided to meet for Arjun’s six-month death anniversary.
This one was particularly difficult because maybe this was the peak of their grief.
They decided to go to a small restaurant and just get drinks.
Sakshi took another sip of the cocktail she had ordered and then looked back at her friend, “You know Sameer, I can’t date anyone right now.”
Sameer nodded, “I understand.”
“But that’s not it, what I mean is, I have so much love for Arjun now that I don’t know where to put it.” and there it was, out in the world.
Sameer looked at her with concern in his eyes and then he smiled a crooked smile, “We can take it.”
“We?"
“We as in me, Ayesha, Shree, Chotu, and Lisa.”
And Sakshi felt her eyes prickle.
It all feels so hopeless sometimes, but maybe with this incredible team by her side, she’ll get better.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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