Mission Impossible:(AK) Part 13, PG- 49 - Page 20

When he came back he was carting in a cart with food with one hand and, something that looked like a book, in the other. He rested the book, which was actually a photo album, on the bed and uncorked the bottle of wine, poured it into two glasses, handed her one, and kept his on the cart. Then he placed the plate of salted crackers and cheese in front of her on the bed. Satisfied with her reaction, he sat down beside her, pulling the blanket over their legs and resting the album in their lap.

"You wanted to see those pictures."

"Oh. Yes." It surprised her he remembered such a silly little thing she'd wanted. At least, he had, she thought, and leaned against his arm. "Is that all we get for dinner, by the way?" she asked picking up a cracker.

"We can working something else out in a while." He opened the album, resting his glass on

the cart again. "Mom's silly," he said pointing at the first picture, that had been hand drawn.

"She only loves you." She replied, her voice soft as he turned the page and began flipping through the calendar he'd shot for, and surprised herself. She'd have thought it to be silly and stupid, even six weeks ago.

"Hmmm. Look at this one," he said pointing to a picture in which he was floating on the surface of the water, fully clothed. "We retook this one maybe a hundred times because I could float in the water for more than five seconds at a time."

"They should have used glass under you and then blended it in."

"You obviously didn't do to well in physics." He teased her and then kissed her cheek when she gave him a look. "It's okay, I didn't either."

"Yeah, yeah, Mr. Cornell."

"We're not going to fight about my qualifications. Just because I went to an Ivy League school and you didn't doesn't mean you are dumber than I. It's possible but-"

He broke off laughing when she began hitting his arm, groaning and calling him all sorts of names. When he was breathless of laughing, he wrapped both his arms around her, trapping her hands between them. He kissed her head when she pressed her face into his chest and wrapped her own arms around him. But, he pulled her away when he realized she was crying. Her hands with gripping his robe, pulling his closer to her until they were nearly molded as one.

"Kripa." He tossed the album away and pulled her closer and tighter, rocking her in his arms until she calmed down a little. Ones the tears were still there, just rolling silently, he asked her, "what's the matter?"

"I miss my family, Angad. I've put it off for years. I've denied that I miss them, that I need them. Now I realize how wrong I was. Aaisha would have had support if I hadn't just run off."

"Why don't you tell me why you ran off?"

"It was stupid and silly, like I was then. Like I am now."

"Tell me anyways."

"I had dreams Angad, so many of them since I was young. I wanted a big house, lots of money. I wanted that only so I could help my family, my father. And, my own family when I had one. I never wanted to see my family, whenever I was to have one, fight over money, small needs of life." She rubbed her cheeks and took a deep breath. "I'd seen my parents fight for years over money, before we finally settled. I didn't want that. I didn't want my children to ever have to be afraid to ask for anything because we didn't have money. So I just ran off and went to school. I took grants and loans, all that I could. I had little scholarship money, and I paid some of my tuition and personal expenses, which I limited so much at the time, by serving drinks at a bar, from the tips I got. And, I got my degree. And, now nearly ten years later, I gained what? Hardly anything."

She wiped her tears and rubbed her cheek against his robe. "My family doesn't want to talk to me. I don't have the family I dreamed of, because I've never let a man come close enough to be, emotionally, to allow me to feel the need on wanting one. In fact, both my siblings, younger to me, are happy and getting married. And, what do I have?" She asked herself again, hiccupping, swallowing back tears. "I have the money, I have a good job, that gives me all the luxuries I wanted. My hearts made of steel and I'm made of paper money and coins. And, my heart's made of all the diamonds I've bought so far. Fake pride and no love. I was rejected by the man I nearly fell in love with, even though he was a wrong man. I've pushed everything else out of my life. Everyone, who cared for me. Every relationship I've built over the last ten years has been to benefit myself. And, I've lied about everything. Everything I have is materialistic. "

"No, you don't." He said, tipping her face up to look at her. "And, you know I'm glad you ran away and came to New York and lost your job and then almost died because of me, because I wouldn't have found you otherwise. You have me, and what we share, the friendship and everything else. And, none of it is materialistic. Nor are you. Your family still loves you, you just have to make the effort to give them a chance to tell you."

"I'm sure they don't want to see me." She wiped away her tears and fell in his arms again. "I'm sure you hate me too right now too. I all but forced my self on you, forced you to have sex with me."

"Ssshhh." As much as he hated what she'd said, as much as he wanted to yell at her for the words, he patiently rubbed his hand on her back and rocked and cradled her in his arms as she kept on crying. "I'm not a little boy Kripa. You've done nothing of that sort. Come on now, stop crying. I'll draw you a hot bath and so you can relax. Until you're going that, I'll make you a nice light soup and find some croutons in the house to go with them. And, anything else you want."

"I don't want you to go anywhere. Please."

"I'm right here, Kripa. I'll stay here for as long as you need me to."
"Thank you. Angad." She pressed her lips to his shoulder tightly.

"Yes?"

"Can I go home?"

"Kripa." He pulled away, framed her face with his strong hands and pushed her hair back. Then, pulling her head up he made her look at him. "Look at me, Kripa." He gave her a brisk shake. The tears were still welling in her eyes, pooling out nonstop. "You can go anywhere you want, but you'll have to take me with you."

"No." She shook her head, which was still in his hands. "You have the meetings and Aaisha needs someone." She wiped her cheeks, calming.

"Aaisha has Adi, she's fine. I can miss these meeting with these fashion houses because they'll come back to me. I care for you," he said and pressed his lips to her forehead, her cheeks, her eyes. "And, I'm not going to be selfish and stupid and leave you, let you go across the world, alone. Specially when you need someone with you right now." He lowered his head and placed his nose on top of hers. "You're more important that you think yourself to be."

He lowered her on the bed, laid her down flat on the bed and lowered his mouth to her again, soft and slow like a few hours ago. But her body was tensed under his hands.

"Relax." He murmured. "And give yourself to me."

********

The following morning when her closed eyes met with the sun rays and rolled to her stomach, sinking her face in the pillow, and letting Angad's scent settle into her. She reached for him then and found the bed empty.

He'd made love with her twice the night before and it had been love. But why didn't he tell her so when she could see the love, that he'd named care, in his eyes so clearly.

She let the entire matter drain out of her head when she heard a door open, the bathroom's perhaps, and heard him whistling. She turned her head and watched him walk around the room wrapped in a towel. She grabbed the shirt that she'd lost the night before, the one Angad had given her, and tugged it down her head.

He was happy, she could see, as he whistled something she didn't know, and combed his nearly dripping hair with a brush. She pressed her face to his back and curled her arms to his shoulder.

"Good morning." He said and turned around, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "You're feeling better?"

"It's a good morning, indeed. And, I'm feeling great." She wanted to thank him for being there last night, but she didn't want to think about it. So she just let the thank you drain out of her mind and looked up at him, resting her chin on his chest. "I'm going to go take a shower and then I'll fix breakfast."

"I'll do that." He knew that meant he should have let her go and take a shower, but instead he laid his lips on her head. "Two minutes." He said and rubbed his cheek over her hair. "Just two minutes," he repeated and pressed her closer to him.

Nearly, thirty minutes later Kripa skipped downstairs, humming. She walked towards the kitchen. She threw the doors open and smelled hazelnut coffee brewing in a coffee pot and Angad flipping eggs, like a professional, in the pan.

She laughed and then cleared her throat, when he looked towards her. "Went to culinary school as well?"

"I'm sure you didn't." He said tossing the omelets on a plate. "You're omelets are burned at the ends, you're coffee is brewed to death."

"I like strong coffee." She said, raised a shoulder and let it fall. "And, burned omelets, well. They don't taste half-bad."

"Uh-huh, right. Now come back to reality and have breakfast." He placed the plates on the bar in the middle of the kitchen and sat down in a high chair. "And, you can pour the coffee." She wrinkled her nose behind him. For just a moment, she wanted to hit his head with the frying pan, and yell at him for not saying any words. But she smiled as she watched him eat, and walking behind him, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and placed a kiss on the back of his head.

"I was thinking about hitting you with a frying-pan a moment ago, but you're a good guy."

"You bet I am, darling." He placed his hand over hers. "But, that doesn't mean you don't have to make the coffee. I want it black, one cube of sugar."

"Coming right up, sir." Laughing, she kissed the top of his head again and turned to pour the coffee in two mugs. Such small intimacy, she thought pouring and smiling. It was perfect. She dropped a sugar cube in his and two in her cup with cream. "Here you go."

"Thank you." He watched her sit down across her, eat a bite, sip, the repeat the process a few times.

When she realized he'd been looking at her for sometime now, she placed her mug down and folded her hands in front of her plate, looking at him. She lifted an eyebrow at him. "Do you need to say something, Angad?"

"No- Yes." He sighed. "Yes, I do. Are you okay?" He asked reaching for her hands. "I mean if you still want to go home I can book us a ticket."

She linked her fingers with his and then brought his hand to her lips. "I'm fine. And, I'm not going to leave and allow you to suffer such a big lose because of me."

"Good." Their hands still linked, he scooped eggs from her plate, since his were done. "Aaisha called when you were in the shower."

He felt her hand stiffen in her slightly and looked up at her. "She wants us over for dinner, as does Adi."

"What did you say?"

"Of course, I said yes."

"Hmmm." Why couldn't he just say the words, she thought and went back to her breakfast.

***********

Kripa took a deep breath while Angad reached over and rung the bell of his parents house in Boston.

"You look like you're going to give an exam."

She let out another breath, it was an exam. Kind of. "You're not going to pester me right now," she replied and ran her fingers through her thick hair. "I'm bound to be nervous when I have been around so many people, a family, for anything for so long."

"You'll be great!" He told her with pleasure. as they both heard noises and someone yelling, running even.

When the door opened, instantly a young girl with light, light brown hair, very much unlike Angad's, threw her arms around Angad nearly screaming.

"Angad!" She screamed in his ear while he spun her around. "I'm finally getting married!"

He stopped spinning her around and leaned back to look at her, grinned. "Well, finally, I agree." When she frowned, he laughed and kissed her forehead. "I'm happy for you, darling."

She noticed Kripa standing there, her face as pale as a ghost's. "Hi!" She said cheerfully, putting her hand out. "Since Angad doesn't have the manners to do so, I'll just introduce myself." Kripa tried a smile but felt sick in her stomach. Nervousness, she thought grimly. This was the family of the man she was in love with, after all.

"Hi." She finally managed and took her hand.

"I'm Nisha, Angad younger sister. You must be Kripa."

"Yes, I am. Congratulation on your wedding."

"Thank you! Come on inside." Nisha took both her hands and dragged her inside, yelling at Angad, "You can bring in the bags!"

Kripa looked back at Angad while Nisha dragged her into the house.

"Mom!"

"In the kitchen, darling. Bring in that devil so I can pull his ears to the floor." The lady walked out of the kitchen while they walked there, wiping her hands on the apron that hung around her neck.

She was a might small lady, barely over five feet. She had long dark hair, like Angad's, which were pulled back in a tight braid. Her eyes were Angad's as well, and she had the prettiest little face a mother could have.

"Well, hello." She told Kripa, holding her hands out to her, as Kripa walked to her. "You must be, Kripa."

"Yes, Mrs. Khanna. It's nice to meet you."

"Hmm." She laughed at her nervous face and embraced her tightly. "You look like you've just got caught in trouble." When she pulled away, she looked behind Kripa. "Where's the devil?"

"I'm here!"

Kripa turned around and watched Angad all but run to his mother and wrap both his arms around her, nearly lifting her off her feet, as he spun her into a give hug-dance. Kripa simply smiled.

"Let me look at you," she said leaning back still in his arms. "Handsome like always."

"Well, of course." Angad said and kissed her cheek. "I'm your son."

She laughed wholeheartedly. "I'm glad you came this early."

"I had to." He said softly, thinking of Kripa. She needed a family and no work for a few weeks.

"We'll talk later." She said, "now if you would've told me you were bringing a friend, I would have gotten a room ready."

"No." Kripa spoke quickly. "I don't want to be any troubles for you, I'll check into a hotel."

"Don't be silly!" Her mother spoke strictly, with all authority she'd have used of her own children. I made Kripa's heart swell with happiness. "You can have Adi's room, he's not going to be back for another few days."

"Yes." Angad sighed. "He's having… complications in Milan."

"We need to talk about them. Later." His mother said and sealed the topic for the moment. Then, she took Kripa's hand and Angad's in the other and took them with her, giving Nisha orders of making tea for everyone.

Upstairs, Angad's mother opened Angad's room and led them both in. "This is Angad's room, untouched since you left last. Just the way you like it. And that," she said pointing at a wall door, "will be yours until you're hear." She opened the window stained glass doors that seprated Angad's and Adi's. "Now," she turned back to them, hands on her hips, "freshen-up and come down stairs." She walked out, and closed the door behind her.

"Your mother is a sweetheart." Kripa said looking at Angad.

"That she is." He said and fell on his bed, closing his eyes. She sat down beside him and ran her hand thought his hair.

"I've something to tell you." She said. Just I love you? She thought, and get over it?

"Later." He said and got up. "We better get down stairs of Mom's going to yell."

"Okay. Give me two minutes."

Hey guys,

I'll post the next part on Monday! And then I don't know if i'll cont till next week Sunday. The next two weeks will be busy because of finals. But i'll post atleast one part. This FF has maybe 4-5 parts left

Love ya loads,

Neha😆