Hey guys, thanks for the great response! As for Sherry's pairing, that will be revealed with time!
**
"So Sherry is there anyone here at KMA that you like?" Pooja asked her room mate as they got ready in the morning, feeling that it was time for some girl talk. Well, that and Huda had asked her to find out, and it was hard to refuse him when he was at his charming best.
Sherry shot Pooja a very funny look, as if she couldn't believe that she was actually asking. "I'm not here to like people, Pooja, I'm here to 'reform myself' and 'become a better person'."
"But still…" Pooja started to say, and Sherry suddenly understood.
"Who asked you to find out? Huda? I swear if he doesn't give up and leave me alone soon then…"
Seeing that Sherry was getting angry, Pooja tried to pacify her. "I think he really likes you," she told her, "He hasn't been this interested in a girl before ever."
Sherry laughed, "He doesn't like me, he sees me as a challenge, and I may be many things but I am not a challenge to be won."
Pooja looked awkward at this, knowing that Sherry was at least partially right about Huda's attitude to her.
"So Pooja, is there anyone here at KMA that you like?" Sherry asked her slyly, knowing that the Punjaben wouldn't be expecting the question back.
Pooja actually blushed, "No, no, not at all… I mean I came here to find Rohit and…"
Sherry shook her head and sighed, "Poor Ali." She remarked, waiting to see what Pooja's reaction would be.
Pooja turned an even deeper red, "What do you mean, poor Ali?" she asked her,
"Pooja if you honestly don't know what I'm talking about then there's no hope for you at all." Sherry tells her, "Don't every apply to join army intelligence."
"But he doesn't… I mean he hasn't said…"
"Ali can't even call Naina by her first name, how do you expect him to tell you how he feels?" Sherry asks her, "Whatever has to be done will have to be done by you. As for this Rohit… from what I can see he's betrayed you once already, and once somebody has betrayed you, you should never trust them again."
"Have you been betrayed by somebody?" Pooja asks her, "I mean… have you ever loved anybody?"
"Oh I've gone out with boys," Sherry tells her, avoiding Pooja's first question, "Mostly to annoy my father. I've never been serious about anybody though, and usually I couldn't stand them after awhile, especially if they felt they owned me."
"Well I'm sure you'll fall in love eventually." Pooja tells her brightly, "You just need to find the right boy."
"Whether I fall in love or not, one thing is for certain…" Sherry tells her seriously, "I'm never getting married."
"Why? You think your husband might betray you?" Pooja asks her, concerned.
"No, I just don't think I have the right to ruin anybody else's life." Sherry tells her, without a trace of humour in her voice.
Pooja stares at her, but the academy bell rings again and it's time for them to go to their classes.
**
Raj and Abhi sit together in Abhi's room, documents spread out on the table.
"So we believe that the spy infiltrated recently," Raj tells him, "That means that it could be any of the new staff or cadets."
"But it's also possible that they've been here for a long time already, as a sleeper." Abhi tells him, "It was only a couple of their transmissions that were picked up recently, perhaps they just weren't careful enough but have actually been operating here for years."
"Why, who do you suspect?" Raj asks him jokingly, "Nair?"
They both laugh at this, and Abhi shakes his head, "As much as I can't stand the man, I don't think we can accuse him of being anything other than extremely unpleasant and prejudiced." He tells Raj.
"Pity," Raj jokes, "Otherwise I could close the case and go on my honeymoon."
"Well don't let us stop you from going," Abhi tells him, "I'm here to guard the triggers too now, anytime you and Naina would like some time off apply for leave."
"I was just joking, yaar." Raj tells his friend with a smile, "You and I are a team from now on, I won't be leaving you on your own unless I need to."
"I can't believe we lost touch for such a long time…" Abhi tells him, "After Navin's death we should have been there to support each other and instead we drifted apart."
Raj knows the reason why he avoided Abhi, it had been his guilt, his fear that his friend wouldn't understand his decision, would blame him for Navin's death. For a moment he wants to confess everything, but stops himself. He still doesn't know how Abhi might react, and it seems best just to let it remain a secret for the time being.
"I know," Raj agrees, "But from now on we'll be there for each other, we'll keep Navin's memories alive, bring honour to his name. I keep hoping that if we find the spy we might be able to uncover the mystery behind Navin's entrapment."
"Even I hope that," Navin tells him, "You never know, we might be able to uncover some clues at KMA, something that will help."
"Let's keep trying," Raj tells him, "For the moment we'll have to remain on alert, remember that the spy could be anyone at all."
"Well except Suriji," Abhi answered with a smile, "I think we can rule Suriji off the list."
"And BC too…" Raj added, "So we suspect everyone except Suriji and BC."
"Great, I'm ready to be as suspicious as possible," Abhi grinned, "But today I think you should take the night off from suspicion and take your wife out somewhere."
"Why?" Raj asked him, "Do I need to be suspicious about why you want me to go?"
"No, you need to go out and have a nice time… honestly, how often have you two been out anywhere on your own since she arrived?" Abhi asked him.
Raj had to admit, that the answer was 'not many'.
"Fine," he told Abhi, "Then you're on duty for tonight and Naina and I will go see a movie."
Abhi clapped him on the shoulder and Raj grinned, thinking that really, he was most glad that finally he had gotten his best friend back.
**
Aalekh, Pooja, Ali and Sherry had already sat down to begin lunch when Huda and Yudi came over with their plates. Huda immediately headed for the seat next to Sherry only to be stopped when Aalekh abruptly got up from his own seat and took it.
Huda just stared at him.
Aalekh stared back.
Sherry looked at both of them for a minute and then shrugging, turned back to her plate of food.
"What's your problem, Qaidi?" Huda asked him angrily, "Are you Sherry's bodyguard now?"
"Just give it a rest for today, Huda." Aalekh told him, having noticed how subdued Sherry had been recently, "Sit down quietly and eat your food."
"And who are you to tell me what to do, Qaidi? How do you know she doesn't want to sit with me?"
Yudi snorted at this comment, obviously finding very funny. Ali was looking down at his own plate, trying to keep out of the discussion, while Pooja was finding it all very interesting.
"Ask her then." Aalekh replied, "If she does, I'll get up."
"Sherry?" Huda asked her, "Whose company would you prefer? This charming Jat's or that sharabi Qaidi."
"I think I'd just prefer to eat my food." Sherry told him, "Since that's what lunch is generally for. Why don't you do the same?"
"Is there something going on between you and Qaidi?" Huda asked her, looking at them both suspiciously, "Why is he trying to keep me away from you?"
"Honestly I am worried for the future of the army, when its soldiers in training can't work out the incredibly obvious." Sherry told him, not bothering to give a proper reply.
"Bole to… Naina is like my sister, Sherry is Naina's sister-in-law. Anyone who messes with either of them, messes with me." Aalekh told Huda in a very straight forward tone.
Huda snorted, "So now our Qaidi is making as many sisters as Osool is, and it's me stuck between the brothers."
Sherry is about to retort again when she spots something that makes her frown, and as Huda and Aalekh continue their argument, she focuses on the scene in front of her.
Because she doesn't know why it is… but she doesn't trust that woman.
**
"It's good to run into you again, Abhimanyu." Ritu tells him, "Why don't we sit down together and have some coffee."
"Of course Ritu," he replies, remembering her asking him to call her by her first name, "I've been busy settling into the academy, but now that there's finally a quiet moment, why not?"
"So how are you finding the academy so far?" Ritu asked him, "Are the cadets behaving themselves in your class?"
"Oh the cadets are great," Abhi told her enthusiastically, "There are several who seem to be naturals at music, and it's wonderful to see them enjoying themselves so much."
"And you must be very busy with your classes," Ritu told him, "Some time when you're less busy we'll have to go out somewhere, I would love to show you around Ambala…"
They were interrupted by a mug being put down on the table with a great deal of force, and both of them looked up to see Sherry there, a not so amused look on her face.
"Hello Sir, Hello… ma'am." She told them both, practically spitting out the last word.
"Hi Sherry," Abhi told her perfectly calmly, "Why don't you join us?"
"Sure," Sherry said, taking the seat next to Ritu, with a glare in her direction, "Why not?"
"Wouldn't you be happier having lunch with your fellow cadets rather than with your teachers?" Ritu asks her in a fake sweet voice, really wanting to slap the girl in the face.
"Actually I have problems relating to my own peer group," Sherry told her, completely deadpan "I'm told that therapy could help, maybe you could give me an opinion on that."
"I would be happy to have a session with you anytime you like," Ritu said, trying to sound sincere, "It will be completely confidential and…"
"I said I wanted an opinion, not a session." Sherry tells her, "If I actually want the therapy then I'll go to somebody I would trust."
Abhimanyu coughs, not quite sure what he should be doing to make the situation better.
"Well if you have such trust issues with me… then it's interesting that you chose to come and sit here." Ritu replies slyly, "Perhaps you really do want some help and aren't ready to admit it."
"Or perhaps I wanted to talk to Abhimanyu Sir about something and you just happened to be sitting here," Sherry tells her, "So if you're finished…"
"Fine," Ritu said, getting up, her lips set in a thin line, "Then we'll continue our conversation later, Abhimanyu." She smiled sweetly at him and left the room, fuming.
Sherry smirked.
"That was a bit rude," Abhimanyu told her with a slight frown.
"Well what could I do about it, she wasn't going to leave otherwise." Sherry replied, sounding like she wasn't the least bit sorry.
"But why did you want her to leave? What's your problem with Dr Mishra?"
"I told you, she's a shrink, I hate shrinks. Never trust them, you shouldn't trust her either." Sherry told him seriously.
"And why do you hate 'shrinks' so much?" Abhi asked her, more concerned about the reason than he was about her treatment of Dr Mishra.
"Well I've been sent to three… and every single one of them thought that the answer to my 'attitude problems' was to dope me with so much medication that I could barely open my mouth to speak." Sherry told him, "None of them actually wanted to know what was wrong, they just wanted to help make a problem disappear for my father's sake."
Abhi wonders whether Raj knows any of this, but he also knows that Sherry won't agree to telling him, wanting to keep all of this from her brother. He wonders how many people realise that behind her tough exterior, she's actually quite fragile, dangerously close to finally cracking under the pressure of the pain she hides.
"And anyway, you should definitely watch out." Sherry tells him, "She's got her eye on you, I can tell."
"What do you mean she has her eye on me?" Abhi asks her, thoroughly confused, "In what way?"
"And this is the third time in one day that I've been made to worry about the future of the Indian Army," Sherry mutters, "Are you really that thick?" she asks him, not seeming to care that she's talking to her teacher.
Abhimanyu finally understands what it is that she's talking about and stares at her in surprise.
"Don't be ridiculous," he tells her, "Why on earth would Dr Mishra have her eye on me?"
"Don't underestimate yourself," Sherry tells Abhi, looking at him appraisingly, "You're not that bad."
He's suddenly not sure whether he should feel embarrassed by that comment or flattered.
"But take my advice," Sherry tells him, "Don't trust her." And before he can reply, the academy bell has rung and she gets up and walks away.
**
Naina exited her college with a group of her friends, suddenly colouring when she saw Raj waiting there for her. She coloured slightly, a happy smile on her lips, and her friends nudged her teasingly.
"So when do we get to meet your husband, Naina?" one of them asked her, "I never knew army guys could be that cute."
Naina just smiles, "Find your own," she teases her friend, "This one is all mine." And practically bounding down the stairs, she puts her arms around him and he leans down to kiss her cheek, sending butterflies through her stomach.
"How was your day?" Raj asked her as they got into the jeep.
"Busy," Naina told him, "There's so much to learn and so little time… I have no idea how I'll ever get it all done in time."
"Well you'll have to take the night off from studying tonight," Raj tells her cheerfully, "I'm taking you out."
"Really? Where?" Naina asked him, trying not to sound as excited as she felt, both of them were usually so busy that they received so little time to go out together by themselves.
"I thought we could get some dinner and then catch a movie." Raj told her, "You don't have any classes tomorrow and neither do I, so it doesn't matter if we get back to the academy late."
"That sounds perfect," Naina replies, "It's been so long since I've been to a movie, I have no idea what's even playing at the moment."
"Well we'll find something once we get to the theatre," Raj told her, "You can pick what we see."
"Be careful," Naina warned him light heartedly, "I might choose something you won't be able to stand to watch."
"Who said that I was planning to watch the movie?" Raj asked flirtatiously, grinning at her.
Naina blushed slightly, shaking her head at him, "You seemed like such a simple guy when I met you, it's only now I'm beginning to see this side of you."
"Well you can plan to see a lot more of it." Raj tells her, "You're my wife, I think I'm allowed to flirt with you."
"As long as you don't ever think about flirting with anyone else," Naina warns him, "Otherwise you'll see a side of me coming out that you haven't seen yet."
"Don't worry, I have absolutely no desire to flirt with anyone else," Raj reassured her, "But at least sometime you should try flirting with me too."
"Well… I might try." Naina answered a bit shyly, with a smile on his face, "But I'm not exactly sure what I should be doing."
"Hai… just keep smiling at me like that, and you won't need to do anything else." Raj told her, taking one hand off the steering wheel to press it to his heart and Naina laughed.
"Just drive properly or we'll never get back to the academy let alone go for the movie." She told him, and Raj nodded, deciding to obey her and put his hand back on the wheel.
**
Raj waits outside the room while Naina changes, trying to be patient. It doesn't take her long to get ready, within twenty minutes she has emerged, dressed and with minimal makeup applied. Naina smiles at him, but Raj just gapes in astonishment.
"I didn't even know that you owned jeans." He tells her, looking her up and down as she stands there in jeans and a fancy short kurta.
"You never took me anywhere before where I could wear jeans," Naina tells him, "This is the first time we're actually going to the movies."
"Well remind me to take you out to more places where you can wear jeans." Raj tells her, still staring, and Naina blushes.
"I don't know what's gotten into you today," she tells him, "You haven't stopped flirting with me since you picked me up from college."
"And I'm not going to either," Raj replies, "So you should get used to it."
He takes her hand, and they walk towards the jeep.
They go to the cinema first to buy tickets and then go to a caf nearby to have a casual dinner before the film starts.
"I hope you like it," Naina tells him, "I've heard that it's quite good."
"I'll like anything that I go to see with you." Raj tells her, "Even if it's the biggest flop of the year."
"Now that was a bit too much," Naina tells him with a grin.
"Yeah I suppose it was, I just haven't had much practice flirting with pretty girls." Raj replies, reaching out to take her hand across the table.
"Well I'm glad of that, otherwise I would have to get jealous," Naina tells him, "But are you really going to keep flirting so much all evening?"
"If you keep smiling at me then I definitely will," Raj promises, "We'd better get to the film now, or we're going to be late."
They reach the cinema, and Raj buys them popcorn to share and a drink. He barely pays attention to the movie at all, far happier to slip his arm around Naina's shoulders and watch her reactions instead.
She's happier than he's ever seen her before, and he prays to god that nothing ever disturbs that happiness.
Near the end of the film, she drops her head to lean it on his shoulder, and Raj plants small kisses on her hair, tracing small circles on her arm with the hand that is around her shoulders.
It would be impossible for him to be any happier than he is right at this moment, or any more in love.
It's quite late by the time they exit the movie theatre, and the streets of Ambala are nearly deserted by this time. Laughing together about the thoroughly unrealistic ending, they climb into the jeep and drive back towards the academy, it's only when they've gone halfway that Raj gets an idea, turning down another road.
"Where are we going?" Naina asks him curiously.
"You'll see when we get there," Raj tells her, they drive for about ten more minutes before they reach their destination, an outlook by the side of the road which looks down on the city of Ambala. Raj exits the jeep and then goes to the other side, taking Naina's hand and leading her to the front of the car, before placing his hands on either side of her waist and lifting her onto the hood.
Naina laughs, "What exactly are we doing?" she asks him.
"Just wait and see," Raj tells her, before climbing up onto the hood of the jeep himself, lying back so that he's facing the sky, he gestures to Naina to do the same.
Once she has lain down she gasps, because above her the stars are mapped out across the sky, shining brightly for as far as she can see.
"It's beautiful," Naina tells him, "Now I know why you wanted to bring me here."
They lie quietly side by side for awhile, simply watching the stars, before Raj turns on his side, propping himself up with one arm to observe her instead. Almost by instinct, Naina raises her hand to cup his cheek, and Raj leans down to kiss her softly, she responds quickly and he deepens the kiss, applying pressure to her bottom lip in particular until he hears her gasp, taking it as a good sign, he runs his hand down her arm until it reaches her waist, caressing it lightly, his fingers only briefly brushing the exposed skin. Unable to help himself, he moves his hand down to her leg, running it up and down her thigh, marveling at the feel of her through the thin denim.
Naina suddenly breaks away and Raj looks at her in surprise, trying to decide whether he's done something wrong.
"Do you really think we should be doing this?" Naina asks him, "I mean…"
"Naina, we're not committing any crime," Raj tells her, "We are married, you know."
"No… no… I didn't mean it like that." Naina said quickly, "It's just… here?"
Looking around, Raj realises that she's perfectly right, they are parked by the side of the road, and while there's not anybody around right now, a car could pass by at any moment.
He imagines having to explain to a passer by exactly what it is he's doing, making out with his wife by the sound of the road like a teenager.
"I think we'd better go back then," Raj tells her, slightly embarrassed at having forgotten where they were.
"Yes," Naina agrees, also looking slightly embarrassed, and they climb back inside the jeep.
Raj struggles to control his breathing, because as determined as he is to remain patient and take their time, Naina really is incredibly desirable.
He's just going to have to try to control himself until the right moment.
And hope that she doesn't wear jeans again anytime soon.
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