Not so innocent vixen - ArShi FF (completed)

S2 - chapter 3

'Saam daam dand bhed (loose translation 'by hook or by crook')'

It was midnight when khushi woke up feeling thirsty. She glanced beside her, where Arnav sleeping peacefully although a wall of pillows was promptly set by Arnav sensing khushi's hesitation for sharing the bed with him. She almost forgot her parched throat for a moment, until she felt difficulty breathing in and looked for water on the side table. Only when she reached for the jug, she saw it was empty. Ignoring the bad feeling she was suddenly getting, she stepped out to kitchen.

Once she reached the kitchen, she switched on just one light near the fridge and as soon as she held a water bottle, she felt a pair of arms surround her! She could identify 'this' touch anywhere, anytime! Her abuser! Shyam!!

"Even I am thirsty Khushi ji. Why don't we help each other? Let's go to a place where no one will disturb us for a long time!" Shyam continued, slowly pulling them both towards kitchen counter. He held tightly and for a moment, Khushi felt scared. A chill ran down her spine and she almost gave up.

And then she remembered her resolve. She wasn't weak anymore. She HAD to fight and save herself! She quickly did a mental survey of her surrounding and remembered he had almost pushed her towards where they kept cutlery. KNIFE! Yes, that's what she needed!! She slowly took her free hand towards the place where she hoped the knife still lied and to her luck it did!

"HOW ABOUT YOU go alone to a place where there is only disturbance for you, you swine!" Khushi yelled, turned around using all her strength ready to stab Shyam.

But he slumped to ground before the knife could cut through him, as someone had hit him from the back

"How dare you touch her, you scoundrel? She is MY WIFE!(meri biwi hain, kamine)!" Arnav continued to hit him, and Khushi feared he would go mad in the rage.

"Arnavji, bass! stop" she yelled

And she sat on the bed. Khushi had woken up, profusely sweating. Arnav was beside her in a heartbeat and held her in his arms, rubbing her back

"What happened khushi? are you ok?" he asked. He had felt terrible when she woke up in that state telling him to stop, was he hurting her in her nightmare?

"Wo...in kitchen...Shyam...he held me...I took knife to stab and you..."As she kept uttering incomplete sentences, Arnav's heartbeats kept rising. Did she go to the kitchen? Did that bastard shyam did something to her? If he did, Lord save him, as Arnav won't!! until he heard her say she stabbed Shyam and understood it was her nightmare!

"Shhh. It was a nightmare Khushi. We are here. Look, there is no one besides you and me. Please sweetheart, calm down." It broke his heart to imagine his own wife, his khushi feeling unsafe, in fact, was unsafe in his house. And who was the reason for ensuring that again? The GREAT ASR!

Khushi wiped her tears and sweat and looked at her husband. He looked like he was hit by a truck or stuck by lightning. This wasn't fair. They both were suffering while the reason for this trauma was sleeping peacefully under the same roof.

She needed to convert what she saw in her dream into reality, Shyam needed to go!!!

--*--

Police inspector looked at the lady in front of him. She looked tired and aged, although her aura spoke of authority

"Humein ek complaint darj karani hain (I want to file a complaint)." She said

"Ji Maa ji, please have a seat." The inspector was a polite man and while she took a seat, he addressed someone "Hawaldar(sergeant), bring a glass of water for her." Once she was seated, he turned to ask her again," yes, maa ji, tell me how we can help you? "

"I need to file a complaint against someone who broke our house." she said in a calm tone.

"Ok. What's the name of the person?" He asked as he opened his register, feeling pity on the lady whose house was broken and she was probably made homeless.

"Khushi Singh Raizada." the lady, none other than Subhadra Malik, spoke.

--*--

Arnav was working on his laptop, looking at something with complete concentration when he noticed khushi had come out of the bathroom, freshly showered. She looked like an angel, to your beast! his mind commented, and he looked away feeling utterly ashamed at himself for the umpteenth time. He hadn't slept much last night, kept watching her like a hawk, what if he dozed off and that bastard tried to harm her? the fear kept him awake.

He again looked at her, Khushi was staring in the mirror deeply thinking about something and finally Arnav couldn't resist trying to be a part of her world. He walked to her keeping his hand on her shoulder very carefully lest he scared her. He still needed to assure her of his love, have her get used to his touch. At least she isn't repulsed by me! he thought

"what are you thinking Khushi?" 

"about teaching self defense to our baby." words slipped out of her mouth even before she realized what she said. He was clearly stumped. Here he was being conscious not to scare of his simple touch while she was thinking of their future?

She probably got what he might have thought of her words and rushed to clearly explain "hamara matlab tha, I was thinking if I had known how to guard myself, if I knew some sort of self defense, I would have been able to better protect myself. And then I thought, if not me, at least I don't want my child to ever have this fear of not being able to protect themselves. So I wanted to say, if we ever have a baby, we'll teach them self defense." She said in a single breath.

He kept looking at her as her words made so much sense. He wished he could have been there to guard her all the time, even when it was him she had needed protection from at times! And he was glad that he was already planning something about it.

"khushi. God willing, we WILL have kids! And yes, our kids will always be safe not just because will make that sure but also because we will teach them self defense. But for now, I need to train you. In fact that's what I was checking online, for any such trainers around. and Good news, we have someone. I was also thinking to get a revolver license and-"

"Arnavji, revolver, matlab bandook(gun)?" her eyes had widened. She could do with kicks and punches but shooting?

"Yes Khushi, it's easier to operate than a knife" he dared to smile at that and turned to go

But then Khushi thought of something that was essential for her next step, "And Arnavji, let's try to talk to Di too, it's better we prepare her."

"But she is pregnant. How will she take it?" came Arnav's immediate reply and wasn't this the reason he had married her for six months? Now he thought of it, how lame that sounded. He was trying to ensure his Di stayed committed to a bigamist, a maniac and a potential rapist while he himself was set out to put Khushi is same risk!

"Di is not the first woman to bear a child Arnavji." Khushi said and saw him flinch at her choice of words, but it was necessary," I know I am late in realizing this and seeing things this way, but probably seeing death in front of my eyes and seeing you so close to it, gave me clarity! Di and her baby would be better off that man. The sooner the better. Besides there are so many women who are widowed while they are pregnant. don't they give birth? Don't their children survive? Di will be fine." Khushi's words were not only assuring but also brutally true!

Just then they heard some ruckus from downstairs

"we need to see a Ms. Khushi Singh Raizada"

--*--

A/N - Tadaaaa. We stop here. Anyway. My one wish, khushi used taekwondo in real on shyam (even Arnav when he threw her out on wedding night, grrrr). Anyhow, do you think anjali will trust arshi? and Arnav's guilt is taking over him, how will that affect their relation? Amidst this Shyam is still on lose and Dadi is here too. exciting times ahead *evil laugh(as much as I can manage)*