SwaSan TS: THE DECISION

iI wrote this two shot occurring after rags ki sachhai came out...and the characters are fleshed out according to my wishes. Feel free to view them as characters in an FF if you want to. just please do not start fan wars.😊

Part :1 Storms make trees take deeper roots

"Ragini come back!"

Sanskaar's cry rent her ears and she turned for a fleeting second to look at him. He was running towards her..Swara and Laksh trailing feet behind him.

And she smiled. He understood as usual. Only he understood.

And leapt from the bridge. Into the raging mass of water below. Karma.

But his hand did not let her fall. It pulled her back on solid ground. Struggling to free herself from the grasp of the demonic life she had made for herself...Ragini screamed " You need to let go of me!"

"No." And with a decisive, final tug, Sanskaar, with Laksh's aid, pulled her back to safety.

Trembling, Ragini stood before the two men, she would now have to face. And she could not look at laksh. Did not want to. She wanted love in those eyes. And the way she had gone about to grab that love, had ensured that it would never appear there.

So she looked at sanskaar and spoke to him. There was no love, no pity there...there was only a blank stare.

"I thought you understood. I have done a lot of wrongs. Scratch that. Not wrongs..evil.I cannot even count them. Laksh has found me out. Nobody is ever going to love me again. So you need to let me go. End this." She said coldly.

A tight slap had fallen across her face and she stumbled.

"Shut up ragini. I told you to stop...told you to go back...told you to not walk the tight rope between right and wrong when the love you have for Laksh would blind you so much that you won't know when you will fall off.told you not to meddle with love and life. Now that you have, you are going to flee? Escape this life, so that you don't have to face this? You don't get to do that ragini. You have made this mess. You are going to have to live and take what everyone is going to throw at you. You deserve punishment. Death will be an escape." Sanskaar's tone chilled her.

It also urged Laksh to speech.

"ragini..we found the schizophrenia prescription in your drawer...and, whatever else has happened...you did love me. Swara and Bhai told me everything.We will not complain to the police or anything...everyone is furious at you...but you'll get better..." Ragini's quizzical look cut off the rest of his well meant outpouring.

"nah..you don't get it. There is no justification. Schizophrenia or no schizophrenia..I am a murderess. Of my own sister. I destroyed her life. My parents relationship, well i will not take full credit for that...but that too.. You, i snatched. Tore you from the girl you loved..and made you mine. Well laksh..I don't regret that. You broke my heart..again and again...when you thought me not your type...yet you stinking little bub...did not have the guts to break it off. Loved swara...and made me a nursemaid for your bro. Married me when you thought swara ditched you. Impulsive fool! You tossed me around like a used toy. And till date you have not moved on. After knowing whatever i did, how i did not care about your feelings like you did not care about mine...you will never be able to bear me. i did all this for you. Gambled and lost. I could have loved you to hell and back laksh...but not anymore. Now, you will grovel before Swara and ask for her hand back. You are the sort of idiot who never sees what is right in front of him...and yet pretends to be wise. You ask to be fooled laksh. You are a nice idiot " She said scornfully.

And she saw swara fixing to launch into one of her greatness lectures.

"you are great swara. Now you will forgive me and all...spare the lecture. I know what you will say. Whatever you do, don't pity me. only sanskaar understands, don't you? Yeah you do. You started me on this after all. So sanskaar, i will follow your advice and face the music. Then i will leave." She smiled derisively.

"Go to maa, ragini...tell her everything. She will help. And yes...get your treatments and i have something for you. There is a receptionist post vacant at my new office in Hyderabad. Take it. And make a new beginning. I'm not pitying you...I just want you to be ok, I owe you this." Sanskaar said.

"Thanks sanskaar. I hope swara loves you. I forced you into this marriage which neither of you will want...but if she has any brains she will get back to you. Thanks. For understanding. And yes, you did owe me something for starting me onto this madness. and Swara..I have destroyed everything. Now you need to grow up and let go of all illusions of happy families. Create your own,sis. Take care laksh " ragini started to walk away.

"and sanskaar...You'll get a rakhi every year."

"Why?"

" Oh its for a brother...and you watched over me inspite of everything i did to you. You saved me...pulled me back. So yes..a rakhi every year..from your dupattewali dost" she smiled.

" promise me something ragini...never lie to me."

"i can't hon. You would know wouldn't you?" she smiled at him." Bye. And take care of yourself sanskaar, even if swara does not take care of you" she waved and faded out.

Sanskaar sighed and turned back to the other two.

Laksh spoke" bhai..I have no idea what to say anymore. Everything confused me so much. I am so sorry. Ragini is right..its all my fault. Swara...I know you are too good for me..but please, I would like another chance. You know I have not moved on. I know you guys had a forced marriage...we can get rid of everything Swara...and start afresh..just as it was meant to be in the beginning."

"Laksh I..."

Sanskaar's voice broke in." Lucky, swara and I need to have a talk. Alone. If you please swara." His eyes led her to a spot away from laksh.

"Swara...I need to talk to you as a friend first. Forget our marriage. The way i see it,you have three options. Namely...be with laksh...be with me or be with neither and start afresh"

"Sanskaar..we"

"Not we swara. Only you. You have to make this decision. Be selfish. For yourself. I told you forced relationships don't last. Laksh and ragini's did not. You were forcing your ma and baba's relationship...thats broken too. Ours..well...what has not begun cannot break right?"

Swara could not understand. She did not want to break her marriage to him. She had started understanding him...and her heartbeats seemed to tell her something. Something about having a friend for life..smart, sweet, supportive, caring and protective. An equal. A mature partner.

" Swara, you clearly have not completely moved on over lucky. He has not either. I love you...but you and I will never agree about the way we live life. You are an angelic child with illusions about fairytale like perfect utopias. That ragini's truth came out was because of luck and chance. Not because of any success you had with your half baked plans. Me, I am a man of the world. I know what works...and I will never stop hitting back against what hurts me..and fight like hell to defeat it. You will sacrifice..and i will claim my place in the sun. My way of survival obviously disgusts you...but i'm afraid the world is not as pure as you are. But since you have no idea what the world is all about...do not dare to judge me. You, silly girl have no idea what you are talking about. Life or love "

"sanskaar, I know I said once that we'll part ways once we are done with this mess but,...we are married" Swara was suddenly afraid..that a guide was leaving her in the forest.

"Rubbish. We will get a divorce if you want...and we will cut free. There is no point in living in a loveless marriage. Quite frankly, I went along with your plan because I had to atone for the guilt i had for wronging you. Fell in love with your purity along the way. But i cannot live with a kid who understands nothing about what marriage is. It will hurt both of us. Its not just a bond which once tied cannot be broken. If you decide to continue with me...it will be a bond where you and me will promise to take each others' full responsibility. All or nothing swara. No illusions. As husband wife, not as friends.

We agree to disagree and we do so willingly. Not for your parents or anyone else. For us. You and me. for life. I keep you happy...and you keep me happy. We take care of each other dill death do us part, in sickness and in health. I loved and lost. Cannot do it again. Love of the sort you had for Lucky was too childish to be of any use to me. If you love me back...it can hardly be that simple. So, think about it" sanskaar nodded to her and started turning away.

"wait, where are you going?"

"i have to go to delhi for a while swara...have some projects that need attention. Anyway..my lawyer will get in touch with you if you decide you want a divorce. The minimum time seems to be a year spent separately. So you have that much time to decide what you want. You will be welcome if you want me like i want you...if not...then get the hell outta my life.I did not want this marriage to happen this way. Don't hurt me. I don't deserve that. Its an insult to my love if you do that."

Swara watched as her husband of one month left her there and walked away. He glanced back once and saw her with a look that she could not fathom. Maybe it was just tiredness.

Laksh snapped her out of her reverie. "Where did he go?"

"Delhi. And he...he said i have a choice to make..."

"between him and me?" laksh asked.

"Not really .between him and me...but on my own terms"

"Come on, let me drive you back home. You need to figure it out. And if you want my opinion swara..."

"I don't. Please laksh, be a friend to me again...and let me do what is best for me"

Laksh smiled sadly. "ok"

he knew Swara belonged to his brother now. They drove back home.

part two below.

Part :2 Let your love go. If it comes back to you..it was meant to be.

Swara had rejoined college. She was just a month away from completing her M.A. in Vocal and Instrumental music from rabindra bharati university.

Sujata had invited her over for a puja at the Maheshwari mansion. Durga Prasad had wanted to know if she was ok...and had personally called and asked her and her mother to attend. They all knew that sanskaar had not been keeping up with her...and may be getting a divorce and they knew she and laksh were not getting back together...they just wanted to know she was ok.

So here she was sitting jammed in a couch with Parineeta and uttara...and the Panditji was bumbling about dates of all sorts.

Suddenly, laksh's mom said "panditji..why don't you have a look at swara's palm? We would like to know what will happen in her life...so much happened anyway." She sighed.

Swara tried to object, because she did not believe in that stuff, but the punditji had already pushed his spects up his nose obediently and peered at her hand.

"yeah...tell us...am i gonna get Lucky with her?" laksh teased her. He knew she was lost to him.

"No. The girl's married i think. i mean, i saw your palm when you were engaged to laksh...and i think your lines have changed slightly. Its common enough when you get married, or some really big thing happens in your life" the punditji had no idea who had married who as he had been away for a while.

"I understand" swara suddenly stood up. Everyone looked at her, surprised. Only her mother smiled slightly in a satisfied manner. So did Sujata.

"Understand what?" laksh asked

"what i could not, when he told me. I was a silly kid with illusions. And i lectured him about stuff i had no idea about. But anyway..i need to go."

"can i drive you to the train station...?" laksh asked with a slight smile.

"yup. I need a lift"

"bangalan bahu" Sujata sighed." Chalo thik hai" she hugged Swara. Swara's mom smiled and signalled her to leave.

At the train station

Laksh bade her goodbye.He told her he had been talking to ragini again. Apparently he felt he could not ignore the love she had for him, despite the fact that she called him an idiot thrice a day. Her treatments had been taking effect too. He told her that he was happy to be loved like that...and reciprocate it.and he would ensure that she never went out of control again.

Delhi

Swara rang the bell. It was Sunday. He would be home. She knew sanskaar hated going out with people he barely connected to..and preferred to relax at home on Sundays.

The door opened. And he stood there. Months later...and her heart sang again.

"swara?" his eyes brightened and then grew wary again. He was happy to see her...and he knew she had decided.

"Hmmm. Can I come in?"

"oh yes" sanskaar started to move away from the doorway. Swara stopped him.

"not just in your home. In your heart."

His eyes looked at her searchingly. And he found no trace of the righteous girl he had fallen in love with. He could only see a woman. A new one. Who had learnt and lost. And had come to find him.

"I'm not an easy guy to live with swara. And i won't let you run everytime we argue. And..."

"and I will love you with everything I have...and you have made a full confession already anyway. Yada yada yada. I know. Had three whole uninterrupted months to think about it. and have the rest of my life to learn its lessons. Now please can we learn it together? I'm ready .and i'm yours if you want me"

Sanskaar moved away from the doorway to let her in.

"yes, Swara. I need you.and want you. I love you. And now, you have to deal with me for as long as you live"

"cool. I know you won't ever let me alone. I won't either sanskaar. I was fighting it because I had no idea what i was going to do with you. You were too intense for me to understand back then. But, really, I accepted your responsibility the moment you fell bam! On my shoulder that day, inebriated. It hurt by the way, you bighead"

"dard toh hoga hi nah...main jo hu tumhare life mein" he teased.

" chalega. balm bhi tum hi laga dena. Mujhe chodke mat jaana bas."

"oh i can't Swara.I promise.we cannot hurt each other anymore,without hurting ourselves"

And Swara moved confidently closer to him...and felt thrilled and peaceful when his lips feathered over her forehead like he could never bear to let her go. Forever.

And like most fairytales...everything was alright at the end.

God's in His heaven everything's all right with His world.

---Robert Browning.

Originally posted by: NabilaIslam

Beautiful beautiful beautiful 😳😳😳