Previously:
"Promise me Ranveer ki tum mujhe kabhi chhod ke nahi jaoge."
There was something in the tone of her sentence that made Ranveer's eyes snap open completely and look at her. He looked at her quizzically before saw her head drooping. Panicking, he disentangled his one hand from hers with great difficulty, while he tapped her face hard. It took some time before she opened her eyes again. Ranveer looked afraid now.
"Ishaani please kuch bolo."
"Ranveer promise me."
Ranveer looked agonized. Ishaani stared at him hard, while she could see Ranveer's mind running fast, as though trying to find out for some alternative. At long last, Ranveer stared back at her and spoke with all the love he could muster.
"I promise."
Ishaani looked at him and smiled painfully.
"I hope ki tum jaante ho ki agar hum dono aaj yahan se zinda nikalte hai toh you will have to keep your promise." Damn, the girl was smart. Ranveer looked at her affectionately as he interlocked his finger with hers once again.
"Jaanta hoon." Ranveer looked at Ishaani this time a question burning in his now half-shut eyes, while his face fell dangerously close to hers.
Was it that easy to let go?
Ishaani looked at him and tipped her head sideways before their lips met. At any other time, this would have been an extraordinary moment, but at present, this moment was necessary. Necessary because too much had happened since the past few weeks and not everything could be understood or clarified. But they were now ready. Ready to shed the past behind them and to give birth to a new relationship have had not clue of the past. Even though if that lasted for a matter of minutes. This moment was the only thing that kept them alive.
Their lips connected quickly, as though meeting and parting like friends who see each other every day. Ishaani and Ranveer locked eyes with each other as they let the moment sink in, along with their situation. Ranveer pulled his hand out of her grasp and cupped her cheek, with was as cold as his now-icy palm, while their lips met for the second time. This time, their lips met with a frenzied desperation, desire, need and hopelessness mixed in together, the heat of the emotions returning a bit of their feelings in their limbs.
Caressing her cheek gently as their lips parted reluctantly for air, Ranveer looked at Ishaani, while she put her head on the crux of his neck. She locked her fingers within his once again, before she shut her eyes and moved no more. Ranveer too shut his eyes, the cold finally overpowering him and darkness finally claiming him.
The last thing he however remembered, was a pair of torch lights blaring his vision and two hands seizing him before he knew no more.
Ranveer's eyes snapped open. His surrounding were a blur but that did not concern him. Those pairs of hands seizing him sent him into a frenzy where only one thought reigned his mind. Getting up from the bed blindly, he could only yell one thing.
"Ishaani... Ishaani...
"Sir you need to relax... "
"Kahan hai woh... main puch raha hoon kaha hai woh!"
"Who theek hai! Tum dono theek ho!"
Sharman appeared in front of him with Devrash. The moment he saw Sharman, Ranveer let the doctor settle him back in place on the stretcher. Looking at his surrounding, he realized that he was in an emergency ambulance. The ambulance was stationery and looked like a mini-medical treatment facility, like the ones provided in western countries.
Looking at himself, he noticed that he was covered in several shawls. The temperature was warm enough, though he felt his limbs aching his badly, especially the part where he was shot. But he was confused.
"Sharman tum yahan?"
"Haan, Ishaani ne jaane se pehle mujhe iske bare mein bataya tha. Jab bohot time ho gaya aur Ishaani ne mujhe call nahi kiya, toh mujhe kuch gadbad laga. Maine phir tumhein call karne ki koshish ki par tum dono ka phone not reachable aa raha tha. Mujhe tabhi laga ki kuch toh zaroor hua hai. Maine phir tumhaare driver ko call kiya, toh usko bhi kuch pata nahi tha, par usne tumhein yeh address ke bare mein baat karte hue suna tha.
Toh main, Devarsh, Prateek aur Parul yahan aa gaye. Yahan tumhaari gaadi mili toh humne pura aread chhaan mara aur tabhi hum woh warehouse pohonche. Tum dono ki haalat bohot kharaab thi isiliye yeh emergency unit bulana pada."
Ranveer looked questioningly, but Sharman smiled.
"Parul aur Prateek abhi Ishaani ke saath hai."
Ranveer strained his eyes and could see an ambulance in the distance. Suddenly, the doctor's voice cut through.
"Sir, I'm going to make you sit up now. This could hurt a bit."
Ranveer looked at the doctor and nodded. The doctor gently made him sit up, while his body protested strongly against the movement. Gritting his teeth in pain he looked at the doctor, who smiled at him.
"You are lucky to be alive sir, you were brought out just at the right time. You had a case of moderate hypothermia, but some warm blankets and liquids should do you good."
"How long was I out for?"
"I'd say an hour or two. Take some rest. You'll feel better." The doctor jumped out of the ambulance, Devarsh escorting him away, while Sharman sat close to him. Ranveer now adjusted himself in a more comfortable position, before he asked the most important question of the day.
"Sharman, kya police ne Chirag ko...?"
"Haan. Tumhaara plan successful hua. Chirag ke ghar pohonchte hi police ne giraftaar kar diya. Puneet ne saare papers aur paise office ke vault room mein rakhe hue hai abhi. Tumhaare haath mein jo diamonds the who filhaal mere paas hai, ghar jaane se pehle use bhi vault room mein rakh dunga." Ranveer nodded his head as a smile made way to his lips.
"Thanks Sharman." Sharman shook his head but his eyes had taken on a different look now.
"I hope ki ab tumhaare aur Ishaani ke beech sab kuch sort out ho chuka hai." Ranveer smiled.
"Don't worry. Hum dono ke beech sulah ho chuki hai."
With that, Ranveer got up gently and Sharman helped him out of the ambulance. Ranveer's eyes scanned the area until he saw a familiar blue-black saree. He walked towards her gingerly, his legs still cramped from the cold, but getting more opened up by every step. The moment Parul and Prateek saw Ranveer approaching, they both backed away into the surroundings, pretending like they never existed.
Ishaani looked at Ranveer and smiled at him while the two of them embraced. Breaking their embrace, they eyed each other lovingly before Ranveer placed a kiss on her head. They interlocked their fingers for the umpteenth time that day and both of their eyes fell on the ring on Ishaani's finger.
The doves were reborn once again, just like the phoenixes. Only this time, from the ashes of their past.
Anupamaa
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
