PART 51

The day went well for ASR and so did for the other S.T.F. officers who had to endure their highly peevish and crabby chief ever since khushi was admitted in the hospital.Throughout the day khushi had to keep up with hawk-eyed surveillance of ASR who seemed to quite literally appear out of the blue whenever she was doing what he reminded her as ''over exerting''.

He babied her to kittens and finally,irked by his unnecessary pamperings she put her foot down.

''I can look after myself.You're overreacting!''She had told him when he had stopped her from going to Devnagar bus depot for investigation of a case that S.T.F. was currently handling.

No amount of persuasion from ASR had deterred khushi from going there and at last he had to give in.

ACP Arnav Singh Raizada leaned back on his backed chair,his mind whizzing with anxiety about khushi so much so that he was unable to concentrate on any of the files that he was reading.It had been almost an hour since she had gone and her cell was not reachable.Though,he knew that it was perfectly common in that part of Delhi,yet he couldn't get rid of a nagging premonition.

Annoyed,he snapped the files shut,and switched on the T.V. to distract himself and the news made him jump out of his seat as if he were electrocuted.

A terrible blast had shook the entire Devnagar.The blast which had taken place due to short circuit in a L.P.G. cylinder agency that was quite close to the bus depot had caused wide spread casualties leaving several people injured or maimed.The fire had spread,building,licking and destroying everything that came its way and the Fire Department was having a hell of a time controlling it.

ASR felt his head whirl and he had to clutch the edge of desk to steady himself. Khushi had gone to the same locality and probably was there at the time of the blast.

He took out his cell phone and punched her number,still it was unreachable.Fear gripped  him and he shook like a dried leaf from head to foot!What if something had happened to  her?What if he had lost her?The prospect was just too horrendous to imagine!

ASR dashed out of his cabin,ignoring his team's bewildered gaze.He collided head first with Chandru as he rushed towards the elevator but didn't stop to hear the latter's apologies.Everything could wait.First he had to ensure that his khushi was safe!

He drove like a lunatic,uncaring for traffic rules and invoking several angry honking at his preposterous driving.He reached Devnagar in record time and what he saw scared him to core.It was the night of living dead.The sirens of ambulance and police cars filled the air and so did the anguished cries of bereaved families.Injured were groaning in pain,bleeding profusely.Charred corpses littered the ground and air was redolent with reek of burnt flesh,plastics and rubber.Numerous shops,buses and automobiles were covered in black soot, their doors and windows blasted off!

People roamed about calling and searching for their loved ones.ASR rushed about the place,calling for khushi.He couldn't bear to look at the dead bodies for the fear that he might see his khushi there!Hot,burning pain scalded and mangled his heart and his tears flowed freely.

''KHUSHI!''He yelled,but he couldn't find her.His desperation mounted with every second.

Tired he kneeled down,burying his face in his hand,his mind numb with fear and angst.He didn't know whether to blame his hate or himself for the whole debacle.

ASR knew that if anything happened to khushi,he would never be able to live with himself.She was his heart,his breath,his everything and life without her was a grotesque,barren prospect.

''Arnavji!''He heard a sweet voice,her voice and he looked up.

There she was,standing near a burnt tree entirely covered in soot,but visibly uninjured and ASR thought he was hallucinating.

''Khushi!Khushi!''He cried,reaching her with wobbly legs.

He touched her face like a blind man,tears cascading down his cheeks.

''Khushi,are you ok?Are you...are you injured somewhere?''ASR asked desperately chocking.

But before khushi could say something he caught her in a bear hug.

''Khushi,I was so worried!I thought I had lost you!Please promise me that you will never leave me..I..I can't live without you!''He whispered,repeatedly kissing her forehead,still not over the trauma that he had nearly lost her.

ASR caught her face tightly in his hands and kissed her hard on her lips,rendering her shocked.Khushi was too stunned to react and her muscles locked down as if for the impact,but his warmth gradually  thawed her out and so she kissed him back.

Khushi entangled her hands in his hair,caressing him and ASR's one hand wound around her waist tightly,while other memorized the contours of her waist.They stood there locked in their fierce embrace,blissfully oblivious to their pathetic scenario!

They had found their love.....