Haseena's PoV

"khuch toh kha lo", I pushed the plate to his side. He had not eaten since yesterday.

"man nahi hai Haseena", Anubhav denied for the nth time.
"I wish I could solve this", he said in mix of anger, frustration and guilt for not being able to protect his family.

"see agar tum khana kha lo, toh bhi he will be better. Acha thodi lagega me ye complain unse karu?"

"you are not that bad in baby sitting", he teased me for throwing such a lame bait. Though I could really complain to his father seeing how weak he looked. To my victory, he took the plate and started to eat the fried rice.

"waise tum ek fierce cop ho, lekin khaana bahout tasty banati ho"

"Fuck you, judging me like that", I slapped his arm for his misogynist comment.
"No I mean", he bit back his sentence trying to rephrase it." I didnt mean to stereo type...You cook good...thats it. Rest is deleted" I chuckled. I am both mused and afraid the way he makes me laugh on silly things.

"Is there anything more you lied to me or still hiding ?", he asked looking at me again after taking a bite.
"regarding your family...not at all", I answered patiently.

"And you?"

" A lot! ", I passed my signature mysterious grin. He scrunched.

"Those marks...?"

"oh man...are you a fan of them?", I said laughing.

"I dont know... I just feel uneasy...something very bad about them", his words scratched my old wounds. Well they have never got that old. They have always pained and restrained me.

"Because they are...", I answered absent minded. He finished the plate silently when I didn't say any further.

"They remind me of my loss. My inability as a soldier. Anubhav...I was in Special Task Force, In Army. One mission, One wrong implementation...or sab khtam ho gaya...7 of us, 3 were dead, 2 handicapped and me and one more only survivors who made it physically well. But emotionally we are wrecked", I said once he looked at me again with eagerness to hear, solve or soothe my worries.

I inhaled. The way he looked at me softly, the mix of likinginess and desire is wrong. It shouldn't be. He will end up hurting. He held my palm and kissed the back of it... I began sharing all of it, for the second time in my life.

"Army Hospital se I was referred to AIIMS then. Waha par mujhe tumhare papa mile. He was the one who operated and saved me. Physically heal hone ke baad bhi I couldnt sleep, had bouts of anger, zoned out. Unhone hi mujhe therapies suggest ki. Jab koi psychiatrist ke saath mai comfortable nahi hui toh unhone hi mere sessions lene shuru kar diye..."

I turned my face sideways. "He knows every damn thing about me, the darkest, dirtiest secrets. I am an emotionally damaged person who gives a hell to deal with... so you should stop looking at me like that. No father would want his child to be interested in such a person"

He choked on his own spit.

"what ?"

"You know what I am talking about so don't pretend...", I said with a grin.

"Well in that case, If I am so obvious that you feel it, my father doesn't interfere with my dating choices", he smirked leaning into me in a teasing way

"That means you are interested in me?", I smiled cockily.

"Dont tell me you blush", His cheeks had turned so pink and bright that it was recognisable even with his grown stubble.

"out of embarrassment", he defended himself.
"better..." I chuckled and kissed him for a brief moment and then got up to take updates from others in the team.

_________
"Okay...tell me when it's confirmed and all of them are in police custody", I replied to the other officer.

I knew this would happen. That he would soon be out of my sight. Even after getting irritated of his behavior and ego I would miss him. He came like a sunshine to my dark night, like a flower blooming after the harsh winter. Even if we hold a communication we will eventually end up apart because I am a very difficult person with sky high walls around my heart.

"What's it?", he asked in the next instant. Eagerness spilling in his eyes to hear some positive update. "two of them are arrested. We have a solid lead. It will be over by tomorrow evening I guess"

He left out a relaxed breath and smiled pulling me for a hug. I closed my eyes absorbing him to every extent. He kissed my cheek. "Thankyou Haseena", his lips brushed on my ear. "Haa...", I sighed. "I will be relieved of looking after you"

"Really?", He appeared sad.

Anubhav's PoV

How do I explain to her? That even in these countable moments she had struck a permanent beautiful mark on my heart? One moment she kisses me the other time she scolds me to stay away. I know she has a scarred past but I want to be the one to listen.

"Haseena...Please", I didn't even now what to ask her?

What do I have with her?

"There will be an officer coming here in 10 minutes", she said moving her eyes away. "Oh..okay", I mumbled.

_______

"Anubhav run inside", Haseena screamed while tackling the door back. Instead of a cop, few goons have invaded inside and I am not able to think sane.

A cloud of thoughts have occupied my mind, of my father's safety, my own life and that she is fighting alone with three men.

"No", I replied and rushed to the place she kept her gun in. Handling it over to her she kicked me to go away. And then her hand came with a stabbing force on the invader's hand hitting him with the base of the gun. He screamed and she was successful in closing the door. She dialled quickly and screamed for emergency help on it.

"Paagal wagal ho gaya hai ka B***C***. Marne ka shok chadha hai? Sun dhyan se me teri khuch nahi lagti or yaha sirf teri bodyguard ki tarha hu", she roared adding to my turmoil. In split seconds the three goons had broken the knob sprinting inside. One tackeled her while two pinned my head and hands to the wall.

Well it should have been opposite. One for me and two for her. While I was thinking he had her slaps and kicks.

"Zero! Zero survival skills hai teri! Khuch...khuch toh try karle Anubhav!", She hissed while stomping her foot to the one beside me. I elbowed the person. He bended and Haseena kicked his back.

"Leave him", she showed her gun to the third and threatened. Minutes of rejoice her action soon turned into misery when the one floor pressed the trigger. A bullet pierced her shoulder.

Blood soked her pink tee in no seconds. But she had armed her wound. And then fought stabbing them at places so they faint and don't die.

She turned towards me with a slight smile of victory. "Call...", she gasped. I quickly grabbed a piece of cloth over her wound.

My eyes started to blur suddenly. I want her to be safe too. I could never live with this guilt that she took a bullet for me.
I helped her inside and closed the room. I wished we were at a habited place instead of this still constructing place.

Her blood soaked hand touched my cheek and I whimpered. "Remember, our feelings stand mutual", her lips curved to a small smile. I hanged up after yelling at her colleague.

"Don't speak this shit. Like movies. Like you are hurt! Your safe okay? You are a cop okay? You can deal with such shoulder injuries easily?"

I noticed how her eyes went heavy with each passing second. Blood mixing with her sweat as she struggled with her breaths.

"The lost war left a lot in me Anubhav"

"Stop speaking! Just...just shut up", I pressed her face to my chest.

"Stop crying", she tried to laugh but in vain as her eyes dropped close.

Upcoming- Epilogue