SS- Tum bin jiya jaaye kaise(current track)-Pt 3&4(last) on Pg12 - Page 8

The car screeched to a halt as they had reached the apartment. Raman looked down unable to meet her in the eye. Ishita released the seatbelt and got ready to open the door when he placed his hand on her arm.

"Ishita..please just one minute. I know I have done and said many things that I shouldn't have. I realize that Ishita and feel terrible..but give me a chance..I will make everything normal."

"It's not that simple Raman. Ruhi was that force that brought us together. She taught us to smile and to love. When we lost her we lost everything between us. Things have changed. It's best we don't look back. It's late. You should take Pihu inside" said Ishita as she opened the door the got out. She stood for a second controlling the tears that were waiting to roll down and then started walking slowly. He carried Pihu in his shoulders and walked right behind her. When the lift started moving, Raman spoke again. "Think about Pihu Ishita. She needs you. She is your daughter, our daughter, not Shagun's. No one can love her her you. Maybe there is a reason why she looks like Ruhi. Maybe our Ruhi chose to come back to us in the form of Pihu."

<Ding> The elevator buzzed just then as their floor had arrived. With tears in her eyes, Ishita stepped out hurriedly and walked away to her apartment. Raman looked up with tears in his eyes, as he walked to his apartment carrying Pihu.

Ishita sat down leaning her head back on the couch, staring at the ceiling. His words were playing in her head in a loop. She missed Ruhi a lot at that moment. She started remembering all the moments that she spent with Ruhi right from the first time she met her on the road till the day she lost her. She started crying out loud calling out Ruhi's name. Ruhi, who was in the next room, came out hearing her cry. She stood for a moment wondering if she should just leave her alone and not bother. However, she felt extremely restless and couldnt hold back anymore. She asked Ishita what happened and why she is sitting here in the middle of the night crying so much. Ishita wiped her tears and told Ruhi that it was nothing. Ruhi went and brought a glass of water and sat down across her and asked her again. This time Ishita opened up and told her that she misses her daughter with the same name as hers, whom she lost 7 years back.

"You know Ruhi, if God granted me a wish, I would ask him to bring my daughter to me so I can just tell her what she means to me and how much I love her. I needed to tell her that before I could get to her, her kidnapper took her along to death arm's. I lost everything I had when I lost that angel. She could never return, but I could join her, I thought..but here I am wishing that she was the one to be saved, and not me. She deserved to live, stay with her family, be loved by everyone, spreading joy like she always did. There is no smile in our lips or hearts and we are still clueless after 7 years as to how to live our lives." Ruhi had real tears in her eyes listening to all this. She cried her heart out in her room thinking how the hurt and accusations had melted away just like that. "Now everything will be ok" she told herself.

The next morning, Pihu told Shagun about her toothache, her meeting with haarwali doctor aunty who is always nice to her and now drove her tooth pain away so easily. She then told her that she was awake in the elevator and had heard Papa tell aunty that Pihu was her daughter and not Shagun's. "Is this true mamma, am I papa and aunty's daughter?"

Shagun was shocked and irritated.

"Pihu..listen to me loud and clear..i'm your mother..not that ishita..understand? She is a barren woman. Since she cannot have her own kids she wants to take you away. I want you to stay far from that Ishita. And remember, don't mention this to anyone in the house. Not even to Papa. If you open your mouth and say anything that Ishita will take you away." Pihu was terrified hearing this and went away.

Shagun was boiling with anger and jealousy. She didn't like what was happening and had to stop this immediately. She called the Pandit home and made him tell everyone that the marriage would have to take place the same day else something bad might happen to someone in the house. Raman spoke to Shagun and told her that he might have been rushing into things. He said he wanted the best for Pihu, which is why it was important to tell her that her mother is alive. Shagun tried telling Raman that Pihu is too small and how she felt it was just not right to tell Pihu this. When Raman insisted, she hesitantly agreed and said she would make sure Pihu is in a good mood and then bring her to him. Shagun went to Pihu's room and grabbed Pihu's arm hard and turned her. "Listen Pihu, Papa wants to tell you something and he wants you to say you like Ishita. You better listen to me and say exactly what I'm going to tell you now. Else, remember what I told you about Ishita. She might lock you in a house like how the witch kept hansel and gretel."

Pihu was petrified. "Stop being a pest Pihu and do as I say..else.." Shagun's phone rang just then and Pihu took this opportunity to sprint from there. She ran out of the house and bumped in to Ruhi who was returning from her morning jog. Pihu hugged her tight and started sobbing saying that she is very scared. Ruhi took her to the terrace and assured her that she won't let her secret out. Pihu told her everything she heard the previous night and this morning from Shagun.

"Kya woh aunty witch hain and will she take me away because she has no children?" Ruhi was shocked to know that Shagun had returned to her evil ways. She hugged Pihu and told her that she has been living with Ishita and knows for a fact that she is a wonderful human being and might be her mom afterall, considering how Shagun's behavior has changed all of a sudden. She asked Pihu how Ishita has behaved with her in the few times that she has interacted with her. Pihu replied that she has been really sweet and she also saved my life. Pihu smiled and asked Pihu to tell her dad what happened and trust his word on Ishita aunty. She called Raman on his phone and asked him to come to the terrace without informing anyone. When Raman got to know from Pihu, was shocked to say the least. He hugged Pihu and reassured her that she was going nowhere and told her the truth about her real mother. When Pihu asked him why she left her and will she leave again, he replied that she had to go because of a compulsion, but he knew she would have never left him and her if not for that. She knew that Papa would take care of her Pihu. And now that she is back, Papa will make sure that Mamma is with them forever.

He thanked Ruhi and went with both of them down to meet Ishita but Ruhi found a note on the door from Ishita saying that she had some work so had to leave early but had kept some breakfast for Ruhi on the table.

"See Pihu, didn't I tell you...Ishima is very caring" said Ruhi but after seeing Raman getting doubtful she quickly managed to lie that she had heard Adi call her Ishima so she picked up that word.

Raman nodded and left after thanking Ruhi for her help again. He was hoping to meet Ishita but decided to call her or come back later to check. He took Pihu home and confronted Shagun in front of everyone. He told her that she cared for Pihu for 7 years and even though he wanted to express his heartfelt gratitude for all that she's done, what she did today was unbearable and unacceptable. "How dare you say something so horrible to her about my Ishita? Pehle Adi aur ab Pihu..when will you stop using my kids to play your games? I want you to leave this house and our lives and please stay far far away from Pihu. You managed to scare her more than you cared for her. I don't want even your shadow also nearing her." He ignored her protests and threats and asked her to take them someplace else. Adi asked him to calm down and took Shagun out of the house and made sure that she left the building without doing any drama.

After Raman and Pihu left her apartment, Ruhi was about to close the door when a figure in a black burqa charged towards the door, pushed her inside and closed the door behind them. Ruhi who had just told Pihu to be strong few minutes back, found herself trembling in fear as Nidhi had come and was looking more furious than ever. Before she opened her mouth to say Ma'am, Nidhi moved forward and slapped her hard on the face. Ruhi took her hand to her cheek crying while Nidhi started shouting at the top of her voice that she knew about Raman and Ishita's night at the hotel and how things had changed rapidly in the past 2 days and now she overheard Simmi telling her dad how excited she is that Raman bhai cancelled the wedding. And lastly she spotted Raman and Ruhi with her outside the door looking for Ishita.

"You let all this happen under your nose and didn't bother to inform me even once. You double crossed me so you can get back to your family? Let me show you what I can do" she said raising her hand again, when her phone rang. It was Ashok who called. She asked him to get her two tickets back to Australia in the next flight and said she was leaving right away to finish some work and asked his travel agent to call her with the tickets. She made Ruhi pack and in a few minutes they left the apartment. Ruhi was heartbroken as she lost her chance at getting back with her family. She cried thinking that she didn't even get to see them once before leaving. She hadn't seen her Ishima also since morning. How she wished she could hug Pihu atleast and tell her that she is her sister. She could do nothing now as Nidhi was with her. She left quietly but before leaving she noticed Adi escorting Shagun out while she looked very mad. She smiled that she could leave knowing that things would be ok between her Ishima and Papa.

Raman tried reaching Ishita several times on her phone, but her phone was switched off. He tried Mani's phone and asked Adi to try Alia's number but none of them were reachable. He was getting very restless and couldn't just sit around waiting for her. He managed to find out the venue for the launch party was scheduled to happen and decided to check there. Adi went along with him. At the venue, he got to know that the event was cancelled as Ruhaan was not available and the event would be rescheduled. After they probed some more, Raman and Adi found out that Mani Ishita and Aliya advanced their travel back to Australia as the event was going to be rescheduled. Their flight would leave in a few hours so if he had to stop her, he had to hurry.