*~| The TwiNj Connection : Smoking Aces |~*

It is a late night when Twinkle starts to experience some discomfort. The constant tossing and turning had made it not only impossible for her to sleep but also for her husband.

As she reached for another pillow, Kunj sat up and asked her if he could do something to ease her pain. Although a sharp pain had coursed through her body, she had shaken her head in the negative.

"I'm fine. Just, feeling a bit uneasy."

Kunj's eyes had sharpened in concern, his drowsiness disappearing like a hand rushing through a cloud of smoke.

"But you're not due for another month." He remarked.

"Yeah," She drawled out, as her hand rubbed her back unconsciously, "but, I've been feeling uneasy for some time." Seeing the panic rise even further in his eyes, she tried to amend the situation. "But I don't think it's anything to worry about."

"Why don't you sit on the recliner if it makes you feel better?" Kunj suggested, as he helped her sit up.

Taking his hand Twinkle slowly got of bed and waddled, each step being soaked with pain. Concerned, she looked at him with apprehension in her eyes which he caught onto just as he used to in the initial days of their marriage.

"What?" He asked.

"Ma!" She shrieked, as tears rose in her eyes.

Kunj immediately sprang into action, grabbing the duffel bag, and carrying Twinkle to their car. No sooner did he seat her, that he heard her curse.

"I think my water just broke."

Panic set in as the realization that they were about to have a baby sank in. Gunning the car he got them to the hospital in record time, thankful for the late time of night. Since Kunj had made the call to the hospital as they were approaching, the check in process was able to go by fast. The attendants took Twinkle to a private ward where they rolled in a cart with various medical equipment, some of which they connected her to for better monitoring.

Twinkle was unsure of what was happening around her but she held onto the rock solid presence of Kunj by her side. His mere presence allowed her to remain calm amongst the chaos that was ensuing around her.

The doctor came to observe Twinkle and confirmed she was indeed in labour and it was only a matter of time before the baby would arrive. As he checked her abdomen with the ultra sound equipment, he hastily gave instructions to the nurse.

As the clock ticked many hours later, she was too weak to even think about pushing out a baby. The doctor himself, expressed his concern and ordered to get the operation theater ready. When Kunj heard the terms "operation theater" and "Twinkle" in unison, his heart stopped. As they rolled Twinkle in for surgery, a strong grip clutched around his chest making it difficult for him to breathe and function.

Kunj reluctantly took a seat outside the surgery room. He rubbed his hands over his face and released a deep breath. When it comes to Twinkle, he simply cannot accept any form of pain or despair. Anguish, grief, sorrow and misery are all terms that he wished to alienate from her. He wishes to wrap her inside a bubble of joy, happiness and bliss so that she does not have to witness nor experience the dirty aspects of life.

Kunj thought back to the horrifying moment when he had seen Twinkle pinned underneath the arms of another man. A deep hatred had sprouted from the core of his very being. It was in that moment that he knew, if there was ever an opportunity for him to take a life and not feel remorse, that will be it.

His relationship with Twinkle had drastically altered from that moment. Twinkle had taken part in the Mrs. Amritsar competition and he had helped her triumph at every step of the way. There still had been some hesitation and reluctance from their sides as neither of them were willing to make the first step. It was stagnant, with all their emotions and the words that they wished to speak, being repressed and buried deep within their chests. But it was useless as their desires were infinite and their mortal cages too small to contain them all.

They had been the last ones to leave their homes for a birthday party they had been invited to. But they hadn't been able to make it in time due to the heavy downpour that had sprung upon them unexpectedly. The short walk from the driveway to their doorstep had left them completely drenched, making their clothes stick to their bodies like a second skin.

Eyes had lingered, heart beats had quickened, and gradual steps were taken towards each other. Hands had rested gently on shoulders, while careful kisses were laid onto the wet flesh. The rain drops were sucked from the body, while lingering remains of saliva coated the skin. Bodies had shivered from the cool breezes as clothes had been peeled off. Lips had crashed, tongues had tangled, hands had explored. Moans and sighs were delivered along with expletives and encouragements. Walls had been penetrated by a flood of undisclosed desires and unspoken words. Eyes had been lit a fire with a deep want and a burning passion. Their pits had been set aflame as their senses were awoken. Remembering every touch, every kiss, every suck and moan and licks and bites. They had been growing higher and higher in two different paths but were slowly becoming entangled and twisted in such a way that the knot had become impossible to untie. The unison had been complete with loud proclamations of each other's names and an explosion of fluids.

The morning after had brought in a serene bliss to their relationship. They had laid there, tracing the aftermath of their wild passion. The imprints of love that had become a beautiful art piece onto their fleshly canvasses.

They hadn't ever officially confessed their love for each other with words. They had found their actions, and the new colours they would paint themselves with under the inky night, delivered their feelings quite beautifully.

Sitting in the plastic pale blue chair, Kunj couldn't help but wonder if he should have said the words after all.

Kunj's head snapped up when the doctor came out of the operation theatre. Bolting to his feet, Kunj looked apprehensively at him, desperate to hear some good news. The doctor reported that they had to do an emergency C-section because of which Twinkle had to lose a lot of blood. A heavy weakness had resulted from it but they amended it by replacing all the lost blood. She would wake up in a few hours and they would conduct some more tests to check on her situation. However, there is nothing to worry about as her life is out of danger. As for the baby, due to its premature deliverance, it has been placed under observation as well in a different ward.

Kunj was permitted to go and see the child if he would like, but he had refused stating Twinkle and he had made a pact to see their child together for the first time. Nodding his head, and giving Kunj permission to see Twinkle, the doctor had taken his leave.

Gingerly walking inside the room, Kunj sat on the stool beside her bed and took her hand in his. He didn't like what he saw. The bubbly and vivacious Twinkle that he knew and loved, couldn't be seen anywhere. Instead, a pale, weak and exhausted form lay before him. Kunj knew it was wrong for him to think in this manner. Whichever form she may be in, it was still Twinkle - his wife. It was this form that had delivered their first baby. He should be proud for her making it out alive after the unexpected crisis that had arisen. He should be jubilant for he was now a father.

But he was holding himself back again. He couldn't allow himself to indulge in that blissful experience when his wife didn't experience being a mother yet.

Hours had passed by but Kunj hadn't let go of her hand once. Her steady pulse had overpowered his erratic one and had forced it to join her rhythm.

When Twinkle's eyes opened, she saw Kunj's head resting beside her stomach, his chest rising and falling in a steady pace. With a small smile, she had ran her hands through his soft locks. Kunj woke up immediately from the sensation, eager to see her beautiful chestnut orbs.

His hand gripped hers tightly, and his mouth ran off speaking a thousand and one words at a rapid rate.

"If days scroll like the pages of a calendar, then my life too will never have a focus because, I want something meaningful in my life. I want to hear true words from your side." uttered Kunj.

Twinkle winked her eyes and pleaded him to tell her what he wants from her.

"I need some prospects of reciprocation, will you be able to offer me?" asked Kunj.

"Are you mad! Why are you blabbering something..." asked Twinkle.

"Yes, I am mad, Twinkle. Something pushes my heart to hell fire... When I see you in pain or anguish, I burn alive. My soul, my very existence becomes a punishment when I am unable to help you." He tightens his grip over Twinke's hand and leans his body closer towards her. "Others may wish to harm the person who hurt their loved ones, but I want to burn the entire universe. Set it all ablaze for daring to put you in harm's way. Make them all fear my love for you for it has no bounds. There are no limits that I wouldn't cross to see you smile. To hear your laughter chime and give life to the winds. To see the radiant, glow from your face spread warmth in the summer months. To see your beautiful eyes give vibrancy and colour to the wildlife around us. To see your compassionate soul be generous to the unprivileged. To see you live life to its fullest and experience the very essence of what it means to be a human being."

Twinkle's eyes glistened with water as his outpour overwhelmed her. Her jaw opened and closed a few times but no words came to her mind that will were deemed adequate enough to express her feelings. Instead, she placed her hands on either side of his face and brought him in for a kiss. It was a kiss that was indescribable. It was wet not just with saliva, but with the salty tears that were glistening their cheeks. It was a kiss that delivered their undying loyalty to each other. It was a kiss that vowed to eliminate all sorrows and miseries that will come their way. It was a kiss that promised to lay the world's happiness at each other's feet. It was a kiss that had been originated in the stars and traveled across vast spans of space and time just to be delivered.

When their lips unclasped, on the whispers of their breath, in unison they declared, "I love you."

Looking into each other's eyes, they saw themselves. That was when they knew that they were one and the same. They had become such an intrinsic part of each other that they couldn't remove themselves even if they wanted. They had become a part of each other's DNA, the very fibre of their being. Their worlds orbited around each other leaving room for no other. It was this intense and pure love they share for each other that has now manifested into a blissful event.

"Shall we go see our new baby?" Kunj asked, his eyes being rejuvenated with an infinite possibilities of a wondrous bliss.

With the same rejuvenation being reflected in her eyes, Twinkle nodded her head.