Addiction - Avneil

All is lost.

Neil continued driving his car. The wipers were working furiously against the even more furious incoming rain. Neil could not make out why his vision was not clear, was it his tears or the rain slashing against his car.

He suddenly side-swerved his car in a deserted patch and parked it on the side. Then he stepped out of the car into the rains. Neil looked up to try see the dark sky and its elements. He felt one with the Nature. Neil then started walking on the road in the rain, he could not and did not want to see where he was going. He did not care how dark it was around him, as in that darkness he wanted to forget Avni's pain, the changing expression of her eyes from expectations to emptiness as she realized that Neil was not going to defend her. Neil had walked about a km from his car and rains were still slashing when he suddenly dropped down, clenched his fists and shouted in the darkness.

Neil had thought being alone will give him time with himself to think over what he has done and why he did it. But it was working opposite, as now Neil was alone to think about the many conflicting feelings he was having. He wanted nothing more than to rest in the same room as Avni right now, but first he needed to forgive himself and to ensure he realizes his mistake. His wife, and the lady he loved, was called a slut, a liar and cheater by none other but his own mother. And he, Neil Khanna, her so-called husband had stood by.

There was mud all around him, with rain drops hitting the ground and then rebounding. For a second there was lightening and then he saw a flash of the background and in it he imagined he saw Avni as well crying.

Neil (looking up shouting at the rains) - "What have I done?...."

He was a police officer first. He had given Avni justice from Dayawanti but not justice from himself. It was against his tenets and principles to punish someone without proper logic or proof, yet his heart and poisoned selfish mind had made him doubt Avni.

He remembered how comforted she felt with him. The soft glow she had when he teased her. The many 'accidents' in which they fell down together. She was almost happy with him, possibly happier than he had seen her when he saw her pursuing Dayawanti alone.

How was he better than her own family - Dayawanti, Riya, Ashish Mehta, Ketan, Diksha, who had just used her and her mother. He was supposed to protect his Avni, yet he had doubted her along with everybody else!

Neil closed his eyes and remembered the promise he made to Neela ma as she left, that he keep keep Avni safe and happy. Neither was she safe with this truck accident nor happy with today's drama.

Neil opened his eyes and they shone with a new determination, that he will save Avni from everyone, including from himself. He was better than this. With this he got up and started to walk back towards his car. Neil was a very strong person mentally, he had gotten over a lot in his past and he will again become strong for Avni and their relationship.

Neil sat in his car and saw missed calls from Nanno. He immediately called her back..

Neil - "Nanno! How is Ali?"

Nanno - "Ali to thik hai beta. Par I went home and Avni nahi thi wahan! is she at your place?"( Ali is ok son. But I went home and avni is not there..)

At this Neil thought that Avni has gone to Neela ma's place as she could not have gone back to the Khanna house in this emotional state and with the lack of support she had faced.

Neil replied to Nanno that there is nothing to worry and he knows where avni is, and asked her to take care of Ali and that he will call later.

He called Avni next, he thought a lot and pressed her number button. The ring went full but she did not pick up. Neil had expected this, he called DD next..

Neil - "DD, Avni ka phone try kar. Jab lag jaaye then let me know where she is. I am on my way to see her, I think she is at Neela's house"(try Avni's phone. If it connects tell me where she is...)

DD - "Sir yes sir!"

It was a fifteen minutes drive from there to Neela's bunglaw. Neil was thinking all the while that what he will say to Avni and how he will make her come back with him, if not he will stay back there with her only, but under no condition will he leave her alone..

After parking outside Neela's house, Neil went inside but was extremely surprised and disappointed to see the door locked from outside. He remembered a previous trick by Avni where she had tried to fool Ali by putting a fake lock outside on the door. So he used his tools from his dashboard to pick the lock open and went inside. Neil's hopes were low by this time and he saw that the house was indeed empty and Avni had never come there! Neil was worried by now. He thought that in the most logical way Avni should have come here only, or at Ali's place. There is no third place she knew. Suddenly his phone rang ..

Neil - "YEs DD, whats the update?"

DD - "Sir she is not taking my calls. But I assumed you will want to know where to find her so I traced her cell.. Sir she is at the railway station!"

Neil was shocked and ran his fingers through his tousled hair. Avni had decided to leave the Khanna house is ok, but she was also going to leave him and leave the city. NO, IT COULD NOT BE! Not now when he knows what he needs to do to keep her safe and happy.

Neil - "DD, rush to the station and find her. I am also coming there"

Neil drove like a madman to the station and all the way he was thinking that this went too much out of hand. Avni must have felt very very bad to take such a strong step. If Avni leaves then.. No , he cannot continue thinking like this, Avni must be stopped from leaving the city. After all someone wanted to murder her and Neil had to protect her at any cost!