The Pride

9. All awaits

THANK YOU SOO MUCH FOR WAITING!! I am extremely sorry for not updating, and to be honest I kind of got lazy along the way. But all of you are amazing and didn't give up on me. Soooo let's get it on! 

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It was night. Everyone was sound asleep, except for one person. Ranveer was lost in his  thoughts. He was sitting on a chair in the balcony of his and Ragini's room. He was thinking about all the happenings since the Maheshwari family arrived. As he was looking from the balcony he noticed that something was off. He saw cameras on the side of the gate. He nor Ragini had put them there.... someone was watching them. But who? Just then, Ranveer's phone rang. He picked it up. As he picked up, a voice spoke into the phone, "Phase one complete... Now for phase two. When do you want us to start boss?" asked a man on the other end of the phone. "Start phase 2 in 3 days time, we need to collect more information" directed Ranveer before cutting the call. Ranveer then walked back into the bedroom to see Ragini sleeping peacefully. She had gone through so much, if only she knew what was to come next.  He got into bed and hugged Ragini from the back. She slowly opened her eyes and turned around and put her head on his chest, hugging him back. Ranveer smiled and caressed her hair. The days were only to get worse.

The morning was a nice, calm, and relaxing one. Everyone were lounging on the living room couches sipping their extremely good chai that Ranveer had made. "So Ragini, what's your and Ranveer's love story? When did you first meet?" asked Swara. Ragini and Ranveer looked at each other and smiled. "Well.... we first met in Hyderabad" said Ranveer winking at Ragini as she laughed at the memory. The families were surprised. "Hyderabad!?! So is that where you were when you left Kolkata, Ragini?" asked Dp. "No, actually we both were settled in Bombay, but we met in Hyderabad." said Ragini. "So what were you both doing in Hyderabad?" asked Sanskaar. Ragini's face fell remembering who she was there for. "Well I was there for a business meeting and to meet family while Ragini...... Hey Alisha, what's wrong?" asked Ranveer noticing Ragini's fallen face. Ragini looked at him teary eyed, "Ranveer...... Harsh." said Ragini with her eyes full of tears. "Yes? What about Harsh? What's wrong Alisha?" softly asked Ranveer sensing the sensitivity of the subject. Something was terribly wrong.  Ragini closed her eyes and let tears flow down her face.

"What happened my princess? Who made you cry?" suddenly asked a voice from the door way. Everyone looked up and saw a middle aged couple about the age of Sujata and Ram,  and a beautiful girl of about Ragini's age. Ragini stood up wiping her tears, "Mom... Papa... Didi...." gasped Ragini before running towards them as they embraced each other in a bone crushing hug. "Come on tell me who made my princess Alisha cry?" asked Sameer, who Ragini addressed as her father. Ragini just smiled. "Come on in!" said Ragini. They walked in. Ranveer also greeted them with a hug. "Oh and this is my sister's in-laws family." said Ragini introducing the Maheshwari family. "Oh my god! What happened to you!? You ok!?" asked Vishika, Sameer's wife, seeing Ragini in bandages. "I'm fine don't worry. Actually we were ambushed at Himalayas." explained Ragini to which they nodded. (Guys this is Harsh's family. I had mentioned earlier that Harsh and Ragini were close, so you will find out why soon enough). "Well thank goodness you are fine!" said Sameer as Vishika and Dhara, his daughter, agreed giving Ragini one more hug. "I am only alive thanks to Harsh Bhai. But I still have a long way to go with these injuries." said Ragini looking at her bandages. "Anyways, where is Harsh Bhai? Did he not come back with you?" asked Dhara. Ragini's eyes teared up again. Soon tears were streaming down her face. Ranveer put a supporting hand on her arm. "Harsh... Harsh Bhai is.... Harsh is dead." broke out Ragini as more tears flooded down her face. This was a shock to Sameer, Vishika, Dhara, and Ranveer. "What!! Harsh is.... is it true? No this can't be. Tell me this isn't true!" yelled a distraught Vishika. Ragini bent her head not able to confirm the truth. Sameer and Vishika broke down in tears. A few tears also fell from Ranveer's eyes too. Dhara was simply stunned, not able to move. Dhara then ran out of the house as tears streamed down her face. Ragini knew she needed someone to console her, so she went after her. Outside the house Dhara was standing to the far side, facing a surrounding lake. Ragini came and stood a little far thinking whether to approach Dhara or to let her be, she decided to go to her. "Didi...." called Ragini walking and standing next to Dhara facing the lake. "Alisha.... why is this happening?" asked Dhara looking on. "I don't know...." said Ragini quietly. "You know.... I never will understand life, one day everything is great and you get soo much, and the next day, life takes everything away from you. No mercy." said Dhara, her voice monotone in defeat. "I never did either. Life always played with feelings. You have something you love and adore, and then it disappears. Then the cruel world will give it back, only for it to snatch it away in front of your eyes. You know, many people say you should talk it out, talk to someone about how you're feeling. But you should know... it's ok to cry." said Ragini tearing up. "But why Harsh Bhai?!" cried Dhara in question breaking down, letting her emotions loose, angered by the unfair world. Ragini immediately hugged her, "Shhhh....I know... Harsh Bhai may be gone... but he is always here in our hearts.... I am there for you Didi.... Your Alisha is here." said Ragini as tears also flooded her face. The families watched them from a distance, things were just falling apart, and they had to find a way rebuild, somehow.

A few days later, they did Harsh's final rights. Vishika, Sameer and Dhara went back to meet with their family. Meanwhile at home, things were slowly going back to normal. "Ragini.... I didn't really understand who they were, like who Harsh is and all." said Swara. They all took a seat. "When I left Kolkata 7 years ago after Laksh's.....betrayal. I got into a situation, so I wasn't able to go to Mumbai immediately. That's when I met Harsh. Apparently he was in some trouble too, there was a family issue and he had to get his family together again. We worked together to bring his own family together, in that time we became very close we shared a huge connection that of brother and sister. By the time we had solved the family issue, I was already part of their family. When the matter was solved they took me in while I couldn't go back to Mumbai as there were a few problems going on. I stayed with them ever so long. I got a new family, Vishika Maa, and Sameer Papa while I got 2 other siblings Harsh Bhai the eldest and Dhara Didi. Harsh and I were always partners in crime, while Dhara didi shared a more emotional understanding. While I was with them, I helped in Sameer papa's company with Harsh and Dhara. That's when I met first met Ranveer in a business meeting." said Ragini looking at Ranveer as they smiled at each other. "Harsh and his family were always there for us and we were for them. We would visit Hyderabad ever so often, and they would to here. They were here for us for almost any occasion. During my pregnancy with Mohini, they stayed as well. When I decided to go back to the army, Harsh also came along. We have been there for each other since we met. I would take bullets for him..... and he would..... did too." said Ragini lost in his memory. "Ragini... you were willing to take bullets not only for him but for India, for the world. Everyone  to salutes you. It wasn't your fault." said Sanskaar trying to give her a sense of comfort. "Now let's lighten the mood. Before you continue on your story of how you met, we didn't understand one thing. Why do they and Ranveer call you Alisha time to time?" asked Uttara. Ragini gave a smile at the memory, while Ranveer chuckled. "Actually, I introduced myself as Alisha Khurana, I wasn't going to take any chances. Well any way they've always called me Alisha" said Ragini. Then, Ragini's phone rang. "Excuse me." she said as she got up to answer the call. The families just sat there relaxing drinking coffee waiting for Ragini to return. After a few minutes Ragini came back to the living area. "Ranveer...." said Ragini a little hesitantly. "Ohh no... I know that look." said Ranveer standing up. "I have to go." said Ragini with a pout. "But where? I  mean you just got here, they can't send you anywhere, you're still hurt" said Ranveer a little confused as to why Ragini had to leave all of a sudden. "It's urgent, Karan called" explained Ragini as Ranveer's face saddened. "But where to?" he asked after gaining some composure.  "To Russia!" exclaimed Ragini...

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"See you in Russia.... Ragini Khanna!" 

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OOOOOOOOoooooo the action is about to begin!!!!!! Hahaha the game has only just begun! Once again thank you so much for just being amazing!! Stay tuned! Until then...