"Mujhse baat mat kar..." she whispered, as she watched him sit down on the bed and look at her worriedly.
"Pakka?...Jaun main?" He asked her with a soft smile, knowing the answer very well.
She glared at him, but with tears filling up her eyes instantly at the though of him leaving. Again.
"Life long rahega...tere saath hai jo... kutta" she whispered, tiredly, letting the exhaustion win. Her tears descended down her cheeks rapidly. He sighed and looked down for a second, only to look back at her, with an answer.
"Toh maine bola life long. Life long toh kia na...abhi life itna tha toh woh meri mistake nahi hai na darling" he told her with a chuckle, fully aware of how it will break her. The way it was breaking him.
"Mere se nahi hoga Sidharth" she said, sobbing uncontrollably in the next instant. He sighed deeply and lied down next to her on the bed. Her sobs softened, as she moved her hand closer to him, but not touching, as knowing that the touch will turn him into nothingness.
"Sab hoga tere se. Meri baby, tu sab kar sakti hai gadhi. Sab karegi" he comforted her, looking into her eyes with a nod.
"Tere bina? Kaise karungi? Main marr jaungi... Tere saath chalti hun na...sahi rahega" she said with a determination that shook his core.
"Chamaat lagaun tereko . Gadhapanti nahi karegi" he roared, his fear talking this time.
"Apne saath le ja bebu" she begged this time.
"Saath hi toh hun na darling" he said, softening along with her tone.
"Nahi hai... nahi hai tu saath. Tu...tu.." she spoke in despair and desperation not knowing how to explain.
"Maanta hun. Nahi tha. Ab hun...I promise. Kahin nahi jaunga...idhar, roz raat ko, jab apna din khatam karke aayegi. Hounga main. Every fucking day okay? I swear..." he promised her.
"Choo lun?" She asked, yearning to be embraced, to be kissed the way she was used to, to be comforted. He nodded in a no, his eyes filled to the brim.
"Phir?" She asked in agreement with came immediately and urgently. She was okay without the touch, but she needed him with herself.
"Bas rahunga...tere paas...kaise, mat pooch. Subah hogi, din aayega - lag ja wapis, kaam kar, khush reh, sabko khush rakh, lad zindagi se. Iss baar mere hisse ka bhi. Dono hisse ka jeet. Na bhi jeete toh lad. Na bhi lad paaye, toh bas jee, hum dono ke hisse ka....aur raat ko aaunga wapis, roz raat sirf tere liye. Dukh baantenge, Khushiyan manayenge...rahunga saath...jab tak tu chahegi. Samjhi?" He promised her, his eyes twinkling.
"Tere bina din kaise katega mera? ..." she wondered aloud in despair and a confession of loss to the man she had lost her heart and soul to.
"Saala, jitna karo kam padta hai iske liye" he said, feigning anger, which she could completely see through. A chuckle finally crept in. He heard the fraction of a giggle, which soothed his burning soul.
"Roz bas raat ke intezaar me din kaatungi" she whispered.
"Main bhi...lekin, tu jiyegi Shehnaaz. Dono ke hisse ka. Mera sab kuch tujhme hain. Pata hai na baba? ...Tootegi, koi nahi. Raat ko bikhre hue hisson ko saath dekhenge. Jeetegi toh raat ko milke khush ho lenge. Dard hoga toh roh lenge...tu rukegi nahi bas. Aage chalte rehna hai...Hum dono ke sapne, hum dono ke apne - sab sambhalna hai abhi. Theek hai? Sidharth aur Shehnaaz dono tu hai...." He reminded her and she nodded.
"Aansun pocho. Smile karogi mere liye?" He asked her.
"Keval jab tu hoga...aur agar tu raat ko nahi aaya, toh agle din subah nahi aayegi" she warned him.
"Hone dunga main aisa?" He whispered. She did not need to answer.
"Kya karun main...Maa? Di log?..." she whispered.
"Sabse pehle tu himmat dikhayegi....Khayegi kal...Tootegi, maalum hai. But tu kal se try karegi..." he explained.
"Karungi...par tu...tu wapis aayega na Sidharth, mera dil baith raha hai...." She was scared, what if all of this was a mirage.
"Karunga terko dukhi? Nahi na?" He promised.
"Marr jaungi, kal nahi aaya toh..." she said, her eyes heavy with tears and exhaustion.
"So baby so...roz aaunga. We are beyond life and death....meri aatma hai tu pagal. Kabhi nahi akele hogi tu. Main hamesha tere saath hun, hamesha..." he whispered into her ears, she lost herself to sleep.
