FF : I Am...FREE Part 35 UPDATED - Page 29

FF : I Am...FREE Part 30 (Retribution)

The first 24 hours dragged on and on...

24 hours...

Arnav was beginning to drown in despair...

He needed to see her...

Her eyes, her expressions, her smile...

He needed to hear her...

Her voice, her sighs, her moans, her frustration...

He recalled all the times he told her to get out of his sight...

All the times he told her to shut up...

Every muscle in his body tightened..."Idiot." he thought to himself..."How COULD I...?"

He remained still, not trusting himself to move.

Knowing that if he so much as dared draw breath, he would breakdown with devastation...

He blinked once, slowly.

And continued waiting...

It was getting late...

Darkness was shading the room, and the only light was the harsh fluorescent hospital rays...

Almost 24 hours of having her so close, and yet so far away...

"Khushi...Please wake up..." his voice was barely his own..."I...I can't cope without hearing your voice..."

As he spoke, his eyes drifted shut...

...

"Arnavji..."

The wind began to whistle...

"Arnavji..."

Thunder began to strike...

"Arnavji...help me..."

Hearing her cry for help, Arnav 's eyes sprung open ...

From the corner of his vision, he saw a hand moving towards Khushi...

Striking faster than a coiled snake, he grabbed the hand that was about to cover Khushi's face and crushed it in his...

Yanking the arm brutally to the side, he saw clearly who it was...Anjali.

Letting out a painful cry, she lifted her eyes to his..."Chote...I...I just came to see how..."

"You...are...NOT...allowed to touch her...EVER AGAIN!" he said snarling with hatred...

Anjali struggled in his grip..."Chote you're hurting me..."

His eyes narrowed and his grip didn't let up..."Hurting you?..." his eyebrows arched..." Am I really?.. I'll tell you who I hurt..."

Arnav flew at her, his large hand closing over her throat as he slammed her back brutally against the wall.

"I hurt the woman I love...Pushed away the woman I love...and for what?! For someone who is willing to POISON her!!!" his tone was scaring even himself...

"Poison?" Anjali muttered, trying to sound surprised...

Releasing her wrist, he slammed his palm viciously on the wall behind her head..."Don't! Don't you DARE! I know what you have done!!!"

The innocent expression on her face began to drain away, replaced by a smug satisfaction...

Lifting his hand off the wall, he stretched his arm back and slapped her hard across the face...

Anjali was momentarily stunned as her hand flew to her cheek...

"I stood by YOU DI! I stood by YOU when humiliation flamed across Khushi's cheeks...when she crumpled to the ground in despair over how I abused her...when she wanted to disappear into the earth so no one could see her...when she stood immobile in the middle of the room... honorless and alone!!!"

A crack speared the center of his heart like a fracture in the earth...

Anjali, with a new sense of power gripped his shirt...

"Chote! You did all that because you love me! And I'm doing this because I love you! I'm fighting for YOU!"

He was becoming sick at the sound of her lies.

"This is not your fight...Khushi is my wife... She is under my protection. " he proclaimed.

"My fight it not with you Chote!!! It's with HER!!"

Arnav's eyes were screaming his rage, his frustration.

"Then that makes MY fight... with you..."

Anjali's eyes flashed an evil fire at him.

"You're angry...because I tried...to... to protect you?" her voice was rasping ..."Trust me Chote, you were wasting yourself on her...she's no good!" she spat out.

A red storm raged through him.

His hand flew to her throat and squeezed hard...watching as she started turning slightly purple... "How DARE you..." his voice was terrifyingly quiet..."You are not getting your hands on her...You are NOT going to go near her...ever again..."

Releasing his grip on her throat, his hand flew back and the next noise heard echoed louder than thunder...

Arnav slapped her...harder and faster than the first time...

Anjali's scream resounded in his ears...and instead of bringing out the usual protective nature in him, he smiled in satisfaction...

"How could you have become so heartless!"...tears of hate and pain fell from his eyes..."Di, I grieved for you! For your loss! For the hurt in your life! I have been there for you! And look what has happened...because of you!" his arm pointed towards Khushi...

He stepped closer once again, making Anjali flinch back..."And I swear...She better wake up! Because, heaven forbid, if she doesn't...YOU will not be safe ANYWHERE from me!!!!!!!!!"

Tears, Panic and Pain began to wrack Anjali's body..."Chote...I...I'm...I did this to protect you!! I love you! I'm your..."

Arnav turned his back to her, "You're my what? Because, right now, You are nothing to me!"

"...No..." Anjali thought..."I...I can't lose Chote...Not after all I've done to protect him..."

Falling to her knees, she clung to his leg from behind him..."Please...Chote, don't do this! You can't disown me! I'm your only sister! I have loved you ALL this time!"

"No Di. You've been leaning on me all this time. Look to someone else for a change! Look at Khushi! All the SHIT I put her through and STILL she remained strong! Having NO ONE to lean on! No Di. You need to grow up! I have always been there for you...but now...MY focus...Is on the person who DOES love me...loves me unconditionally...loves me even though I don't deserve it..."

Kicking her free from his body, he walked away from his sister, and towards his wife...

Anjali let out a loud scream, and Khushi's heart monitor began to speed up...

"Khushi...!" he hurried to her side

Cupping her face gently, he spoke calmly..."It's alright...Don't be afraid...Nothing is wrong..."

Her heart rate began to settle and it was then that utter fury began to pulse inside him once again...

He strode purposefully towards Anjali.

Grabbing her forcefully by the arm, tearing her saree slightly in the process, he dragged her out of the room...

Doctors and nurses instantly congregated around him...

"Mr. Raizada? What is going on? This is your sister isn't it?"

"Chote! Anjali Bitiya!?" Nani called out in alarm

Akash, Payal, Buaji and Garima were also running to the scene...

Anjali had tears streaming down her face and was almost out of breath from crying...

Arnav threw her in the direction of Akash..."Get her out of my sight..."

"Bhai? What?! What are you saying?! What the hell are you doing!?

Arnav raised a finger and pointed harshly at Akash..."DO AS I SAY!"

"Chote? How can you do this to her! She's been through a lot too!"

Arnav took a long deep breath and stood straight and tall.

"Di was the one that poisoned Khushi. She used poisoned honey in her tea..."

Everyone was silent.

Nani simply looked at Anjali..."What? Is this true?"

Silence.

"ANSWER HER!"

Arnav's voice shook the hallway...

"She's no good for him! She is deceiving him! She's ruined MY life and now she's trying to ruin Chote's! I know! She deserved this!!!"

The family began to gasp and cry in shock...

Nurses quickly came to help Anjali...

Clenching his jaw, Arnav spoke..."Please...take her somewhere to help her...She needs serious help..."

"We will take her to the Psyche ward...She'll be under constant supervision...We will help her..."

Arnav stared hopelessly as his sister was settled into a wheelchair and taken away, Nani following close behind...

"I'm sorry Di...but I couldn't let you get away with what you've done..."

Spinning on his heel, Arnav disappeared back into Khushi's room.

Feeling shaky, he sat down beside Khushi...

Taking her hand in his once again, he rested his forehead against her skin..."Please wake up Khushi...I need you..."

His voice started to crack...

Remembering her willingness to sacrifice her own happiness for him and his family...

For months she bore his abuse, his rejection, and his torment...without telling anyone how badly she was suffering.

He had known all along that he was in love with her...and yet, he still continued to hurt her...

His grip tightened on the arm of the chair... almost hard enough to break it, as everything inside him was breaking.

Arnav's eyes roamed over her slender body...

Rising to his feet he leaned over her...

He gently touched his lips to her motionless mouth.

Never had he seen lips more perfectly made for long, slow kisses.

Full and lush they were, the lower one softly rounded...

A familiar hunger sank its claws into him, so swift and strong it made him inhale as if he had been wounded.

Angry at his past actions, he moved away.

Brutally reminded that she was in this predicament because of his carelessness...

Her hand was damp and moist from his...

He had been holding it so long that he felt lost with out her fingers tangled with his...

More than anything, he wanted to lift her into his arms...

His soul ached to hold her...

To see hear words pour smoothly from her lips...

To see her smokey eyes lift up to his, filled with love, fuelled by passion...

Passion...

Their bodies suctioned together by their sweat...

"Is that the only 'pleasure' I've ever given her?" he thought..."I haven't even begun to treat her like the treasure she is, and now..."

Dropping is head to her hand, he wept...

Wept until there was nothing left to do, but sleep...

"Arnavji...I want to wake up..."

Arnav moaned in his sleep...

"I want to wake up...but I can't..."

He started to mumble under his breath..."no...you...you have to wake up..."

"I can hear you Arnavji...but...I haven't got the strength to open my eyes...I'm scared...it feels like it's pulling me away..."

Unconsciously, his hands gripped hers tighter..."Khushi...Khu...khushi...don't leave me..."

"I don't want to leave you...I want to wake up...Help me...Help me wake up..."

Waking with a start, Arnav's hope began mingling with fear...

Caressing her face, he spoke firmly..."Khushi...you can hear me...Don't rush Jaan...gather your strength...I'm not going anywhere...But please...don't leave me...don't stay asleep...Don't..."

His fingers brushed over her delicate features.

Shattered, he tried to swallow past the lump in his throat.

He didn't deserve this kind of blind devotion, this love.

"This is what real love is," he whispered softly...

Chest aching, he listened to the faint sounds of her breathing, praying earnestly that she wake up soon...

...

PRECAP-

Khushi lifted her lashes, groaning softly at the soreness that wracked her muscles...

As she opened her eyes, she saw that the room was dark...

She blinked in confusion and her vision slowly adjusted, allowing her to see clearly...

Why was she in hospital?

Her entire body was cold...except for one part...her hand...

Curling her fingers, warmth spread through her heart..."Arnavji..."