Arakshi two-shot: Bombwala love (End- Pg 6,7) 7/10

10 minutes? Or maybe 9? She didn't know how long she had..

As the worried cop before her turned to leave, she came to realise that if it really was the end for her, she couldn't die without talking to him for one last time..

 Sitting on the cold, dusty road with a ticking live bomb strapped to her chest, Sakshi held back her tears, or tried to as she called out his name, "Arjun.." 

The last 6 hours had been nerve cracking and insanely maddening. First the sight of a frightened Sakshi strapped onto a live bomb, then not finding any means to diffuse it and lastly, blackmail.. All of it had blown up his fuse.

The otherwise hot-headed yet composed ACP Arjun Rawte was flustered beyond limits. And then to add to it, his senior officials had refused to comply with the terrorist's demands. He too would have probably done the same on any other day..

But not today..

Another glance at Liza helping a sweaty and visibly hassled Sakshi gulp a few sips of water and he shook his head disappointed in himself. He couldn't get to the bomb that would be killing her shortly.

He had done everything well within his reach to try and rescue her out of the trap she was in; even gone to the extent of sweet-talking and kidnapping a minister's school-going daughter just so he could put pressure on the Ministry and get them to release the prisoners.

Despite the ransom having paid off, her life was still at risk. The men on the other side were playing foul and he was fuming from within, struggling to keep his calm.

But despite all the live-wire like tension around him, he was distracted.

He wasn't thinking about the bomb. He wasn't thinking about the fact that Sakshi, him and the rest of his team were standing within miles of death.

A memory from not so long ago flitted through his mind.. I do believe you..', those seemingly unimportant four words had made a huge difference once and before he knew it, he was revisiting every moment spent with her..

Marred by his wife's brutal death and his sour relationship with his best friend, Arjun had been a loner in every sense of the world.

Not having a single soul to share his guilt and grief with and having to live a life worse than death had taken its toll on the strong man. He had shut himself up to everything and everyone around him that made his life worth living.

And then she had entered; rather gate-crashed into his solitude and since then, he'd never been a loner..

Her plastered smiles, cheeky remarks and apparent callousness had annoyed him to the extent of wanting to throw her in front of a speeding truck at times.

And just when he had come to terms with a chirpy and full of life but efficient colleague, she had gone behind his back and lied to him.

Sakshi faking her injuries to seek his attention and garner sympathy for herself had angered him to no bounds.

But more than that, it had hurt him. He being himself had masked it behind his cold and ruthless facade.

And then one day, he happened to overhear Sakshi and Ayesha's private conversation. He hadn't intended to eavesdrop but neither could he stop himself from doing it when to his surprise, his name had cropped up.

Woh bhaag raha hai, Ayesha.. Apne aaj se, apne haalat se, apni situation se, apne akelepan se..'

Har waqt woh ek mask pehne ghumta rehta hai, apni duty ka..honour ka..'

Woh kissike saath kuch share hi nahi karta..'  Woh itna strong nahi hai jitna woh dikhta hai..'

A nerve had throbbed in his forehead and Arjun had almost stepped forward to ask her to mind her own business but her next words held him back.

She'd wanted him to share his grief with her, to open up to her, to relieve himself from the heavy burden on his heart.

How dare she?! He walked a step at a time but froze when a tiny voice at the back of his head reminded him that she wasn't entirely wrong. And he knew it.. He also knew the reason why..

He had been the first one to know her true identity. Sakshi Anand, daughter of the ex-cop and comatose Gautam Anand. Though shocked at first by the revelation, he had kept it to himself not wanting to pry into her personal space.

He looked at tears falling on her cheeks and realised he had missed a part of their conversation. Despite his anger at her, he found himself sympathising with her and hence turned around to leave the two women alone. But something he heard made him freeze in his tracks.

Main bass jaan na chahti thi ki usse bhi takleef hoti hai, uska bhi dil dhadakta hai, uske andar bhi koi emotions hain, koi feelings hain..'

Gussa hi sahi, atleast koi toh feelings dikhayi usne meri taraf..'

It took him a moment to grasp what all of it meant and to add to his shock, Ayesha had literally snatched words out of his mouth..

You're in love with him.. Tum pyaar karti ho usse..'

Arjun hadn't stayed back to hear Sakshi's reply to that but sensing by the look of realisation on her face, he knew her answer already.

It had taken him weeks and even months to come to terms with the truth.

The warmth and twinkle in her eyes each time he looked at her, her feeble attempts to cheer him up with a glass of his favourite cutting chai and even home-made Biryani at times hadn't gone unnoticed.

Neither had the longing and faith in her eyes had been a constant reminder of the fact that he just had to extend an arm and grab his second chance at life..

But if only, it had been that easy..

Though a part of him had seen through and even acknowledged the unspoken exchange of emotions between them, the other one who still loved his dead wife deeply refused to let his heart free from the shackles that gripped it.

And today, as he watched Sakshi's life hanging by a loose thread on the brink of an explosion that would take her away from him forever, something sharp tugged at his heart.

For the second time in life, it felt as if the world had come to a standstill and soon there would be nothing but gripping loneliness.. He had lived through all of it once and had even slowly ventured out of it but was instantly reminded of the fact that he wouldn't have made it had it not been for her.

No, she hadn't coerced him into doing anything; not willingly atleast. And yet, he'd done all of it for her sake.

A faint lingering hope of a brighter tomorrow had made his dead, betraying heart spring back to life.

And now that that the hazy picture was slowly being shred to pieces right in front of his eyes, he could only watch on helplessly.

He wasn't known as the bravest cop for no reason. He had tried to make an attempt at diffusing the bomb, having steered everyone clear from the site only to have himself bound by a promise.

Damn you, Miss Anand. Every nerve in his body that threatened to burst that very moment when he had backed off unwillingly.

Sakshi had pleaded with him to stay away reminding him time and again that the world needed him to be around for as long as he could.. That he couldn't throw his life away for her sake.

The witty journalist had even cracked up while trying to convince him that she'd rather live a few minutes more than to die before hand if he attempted to risk diffusing the bomb himself. And yet, Arjun had seen through her, as always.

Sakshi saw him turn around, albeit hesitantly with the apparent tension etched on his handsome face.

This wasn't exactly how she had planned on telling him.

In a perfect world, she would have planned something romantic, written a few poetic lines for the Khadus who possessed her heart and then prepared to nurse a broken heart in return.

But fate had other plans..

She was sitting with a ticking bomb tied to her and if not diffused in time, she would end up breathing her last right there.

She'd never wanted to be in his arms more than she did at the moment. Of course, he would strangle her to death if she'd attempted it, but well, that would've been anytime better than waiting to be blown to smithereens..

Their colleagues helpless and morbid faces made her feel even more miserable and she decided to be brave for the last time.

"What?" He gave her that heartbreaking look, like he would break down any moment sending tears streaming down her cheeks.

She curled her fingers and slowly tugged at the ropes binding her wrists together. She couldn't watch the man she loved, shatter.

Isn't that why she'd taken great pains in the past and even risked a lifetime of hatred in return..

Something about the way he looked at her was different. It felt as if he was trying his best to hold on to sanity and that he would snap any moment.

Her already wildly beating heart pounded in her chest and it slowly began to dawn upon her..

Arjun heard her chuckle painfully amidst tears and he figured she had sensed it already.

He dropped to his knees ignoring her widened eyes and silent protests.

"Sakshi.."  A faint husky whisper made her stop whatever it was that her brain was trying to process that moment.. She looked up through teary eyes and wasn't surprised when all she could see was a hazy picture of him..

Warm fingers landed on her cheeks wiping away remnants of moisture and she clenched her eyes tight making a few more droplets join the others.

That was the last straw.. She was scared of death and that too a brutal one as the one laid out for her. And yet, she felt at peace.. Knowing that he knew..

No words were needed.. They never were..

They were both egoists and loved shutting the other up with sarcastic taunts and witty comebacks foiling all attempts of having a normal conversation in the past year or so that they'd known each other.

After a few seconds of peace, the shock began to register. Time was ticking away and he was right next to her..

"Arjun, tum yeh kya kar rahe ho? You promised.." The panic in her voice was evident since she couldn't finish what she started.

The determined and authorative look he shot back at her silenced her and she felt him inch closer to her.

"I never promised you anything, Miss Sakshi Anand.", he spat out angrily.

She didn't retaliate back but pleaded with him to leave.

"No Arjun.. Please aisa mat karo.. Chale jaao yahan se.. There's no need for both of us to die.."

He looked at her and wanted to smack her for being selfless but he managed to restrain his emotions quickly and let the sharp cop within, take over.

"I'm not here to die, Sakshi..", he paused for a brief moment and met her worried gaze. "And I'm not letting you die on me, either."

She turned to the bomb and watched the timer tick closer with every breath she took. She knew the bad guys were keeping a watch on them and him being with her wasn't helping at all..

Sakshi wasn't afraid of dying anymore. But she feared losing the person she loved the most; Arjun, her Khadus with a perpetual frown on his face.

She hadn't told him about her feelings for him, neither had he spoken a word apart from asking her to be patient, all day.

And yet, another look at him and she sighed in defeat.

ACP Arjun Rawte was officially the most stubborn man she had come across in her life.

Just then, out of nowhere, Shree came sprinting towards them and they both froze after yelling out his name.