Dil Bole Rikara: Rikara Shots Collection

Tripping Through Dimensions: Not Quite the End

If you don't remember what happened in the last shot, please just read the last part of the previous shot quickly because it picks up right where we left off.

Happy reading!!

Omkaara looked at Gauri's closed lashes with a mix of wonder and guilt. His heart was beating a mile a minute. The last time it had beaten so fast was around her too.

It had been a year or so earlier.

'It's raining!" Gauri exclaimed with a bright smile.

He looked up from his papers to capture the moment her eyes lit up as she snuggled into the couch, a cup in hand, looking almost at home. It was a cozy scene that tugged his heart. Soon, he told himself. Soon, she'll achieve everything she wants and he would be able to confess his thoughts out loud.

"Have you always loved the rain?"

"I used to hate it when we lived in the chawl. Walking through the puddles the next day to get to school took too long. Plus the ceiling could leak any time." Gauri sighed as if she could look at her memories through the downpour.

"Then how did you come to like it?" He asked as he pretended to look at his files, already knowing that at least for the next half an hour, he was going to focus only on her voice.

"After watching a swoon worthy rain romance." She sighed dreamily.

He dropped his pen in shock. Looking up, he tried to gauge if she was joking. "Really?"

Gauri smiled wide, taking the final sip of her chai. "I thought you weren't listening. So, I blabbed."

"Then how did you actually come to like the rain?" He asked knowing that he needed to look at her to get an answer. She hated being ignored when she talked. That is why she only talked when the other person looked receptive.

"Have you ever stood on that balcony while it rained?" Gauri asked pointing to the small glass door behind him that showed the tiniest and most cramped balcony to ever exist.

"I don't think it can even sustain weight. Plus I don't smoke." He told her because he knew that it was meant as a smoking area.

Gauri looked confused for a second before she made sense of his words. She was the only one who could actually understand in so less time. Side effects of years spent together, he concluded. "If it was meant for smoking, it can definitely sustain our weight. Shall we take a break?"

He knew no was not an option when she blinked her eyes at him. That is how pathetic he was, all it took was a simple, innocent blink and his brain left his body, leaving his heart to command his head into nodding.

Gauri didn't wait for him to change his answer as she walked to the door easily sliding in. Omkaara was a little stearically hindered but managed. They now stood side by side, in the narrow and short space. He could clearly smell her shampoo and he cursed under his breath when he realised that the simple smell of blueberry was enough to make his heart go into an overdrive.

"Have you ever just looked at the rain?"

"Do you have to ask?" He asked as he focused on the way the smile on her lips eased just a bit at the sight in front of her.

"You should try it. It's rejuvenating." Gauri spoke in a whisper as if the rhythm of the rain was too great of a melody to overshadow.

"How so?" He asked even though he could admit that he was more at ease here than in the air conditioned office. The sea breeze was a nice change.

"It's nice to look at the rain and just see the drops falling from sky. You aren't worrying about your next deadline, you aren't worried about the client you may have pissed, you aren't worried about if you're going to miss the school bus from walking too slow in the muddy areas. I can just look at the rain and not worry if my roof is going to sustain the storm that might come. I feel accomplished when I realise that even if I stand and watch the rain for a few minutes, I am not going to regret it or end up losing something. Plus it's beautiful, isn't it?"

"It is." He found himself admitting as he looked at her smiling eyes. He didn't know himself what was beautiful, the rain, her dreams, her honest words, her optimism when recalling a rough past or just her. But he knew that it was beautiful. Whatever it was, however it was.

He had once indulged in self pity but seeing her journey from rags to today was inspiring. He loved her spirit, her honesty that made her show vulnerable sides in raw moments like these and her unpredictable takes on life's mundane gifts. He loved it all because he loved her. Or maybe he loved her because he loved it all. He truly couldn't tell. Because unlike Gauri, he often didn't understand his own actions and emotions, especially actions driven by emotions. It was all too complicated and logic didn't solve the storms these complicated emotions brought.

Even now, as they stood close enough to touch if he made a move, he stayed still. Why? Because he was afraid of caving into this insanity? Or because he was afraid of abandoning logic and hurting her? He truly didn't know, again. Maybe he was scared of both, her rejecting him or her accepting him only to set him aflame. So, he took his eyes off her and onto the rain before she noticed and made him ask questions that could fetch complicated answers with dire consequences.

He noticed that she had built her wall again. She always did that after a moment of warmth, vulnerability or courage. He could analyze that. Because Gauri followed logic and gave reactions that could be predicted. Unlike him, she wasn't making reckless decisions or doing things out of her character. She was safe, he was not. She was standing and he was falling.

He had to clench his fists to control the frustration that his thoughts brought. That is how she made him, vulnerable and irrational, two things he never wanted to be again. Maybe it was the overwhelming sadness of unreciprocated love, the frustration of waiting until she was at least ready for receiving love if not giving it back, or maybe it was just his irrational heart running on emotions again but he turned to her, cupping her cheek to make her look at him.

His heart raced as his lips inched closer to hers. Just an inch more and he'd know. He'd know if the taste of her lips would be the end of his craziness or the start of something that could ground him to sanity. Just an inch more.

Gauri's eyes fluttered close. In anticipation or was it fear? He would never know because right at the moment their lips were about to touch, an image floated behind his closed lids.

The image of his mother smiling at him with sadness as she said, "Please forgive me, Omkaara. And if possible, forget me too." He had watched his mother drive to the peak of her insanity, in some ways he had pushed her off it too. Then, opening his eyes, he looked at Gauri, a brave and vulnerable woman much like his mother had been. Was he going to drive her insane too? Would she rather tie a noose around her neck and jump off a stool when he wasn't looking too?

She couldn't. Rather, she shouldn't. And so even as his heart raced with excitement, he let his brain use his fears to brush a strand of her hair away from her face. Stepping back he said, "Sorry for startling you. There was a bug on your hair."

Gauri opened her eyes slowly. Then, refusing to meet his, she muttered. "I think I should go home."

He let her go. Only until she is strong enough to refuse, he told himself. He was only going to wait until she had achieved enough to walk away from him if she wanted to, alive and happy.

That was the last time his heart had beaten this fast. When he was about to kiss her. And now, as he leaned in to kiss her again, it was with her permission. He didn't know if he should thank that alien or kill him.

A few minutes earlier,

"You need to kiss her."

"WhAt?"

"To let her in, you need to kiss her. And tongue needs to be involved." The alien shrugged like he wasn't asking Omkaara to sexually assault the woman he loved.

"NO."

"Then should I go out and do it?"

"NOO." Omkaara didn't even want to imagine what seeing this alien kissing Gauri would feel like. "I will do it."

"I need to kiss you." Omkaara decided to not beat around the bush when he came back to the world.

"Okay." Gauri nodded without questions.

Was it this easy to kiss her?

"It's to let you in."

Gauri nodded again. "I know. Why else would you kiss me?"

"Aren't you a little too comfortable with this?"

"That alien has weird rituals. And I know you wouldn't kiss me without a very good reason. So, go on." She said shrugging as she closed her eyes.

What has gotten into this woman? Was she always this carefree?

While Omkaara's brain wanted to analyze the break in her character, his heart had decided to use the newfound freedom to try to beat loudly and get out of his chest. He was one broken man as his eyes peered at her long lashes falling softly on her slightly reddened cheeks. So, she was embarrassed after all.

"Are you going to do it now?" She asked probably having felt that he hadn't moved at all.

"Yes, I am going to do it now." Omkaara admitted even though he still let only his eyes move. From the peak of her nose to down her heaving breasts, he noticed each movement, looking for a sign of her being afraid or not liking this situation. He found none. If anything all of her suggested anticipation, almost like she wanted this too.

That thought, though dangerous was one that made him finally take a step towards her. This was it.

Gauri had acted brave already. She had closed her eyes and to open them now would be embarrassing. So, even as she waited with baited breath, she tried to not open her eyes and see him. It would be embarrassing to see him clinically touch their lips when she had already imagined much more passionate exchanges.

Her strained ears picked up the rustle of the couch as he shuffled towards her. Her breath hitched when she felt his breath on her nose. She puckered her lips, ready to take this chance to show off her amazing kissing skills and at least make him physically attracted to her when his mouth found her cheek instead of her pouting lips.

Kissing her red cheeks once, Omkaara proceeded to her ears to whisper, "Relax." She felt his arm snake around her waist to pull her on his lap. Her eyes opened as her hands stumbled to find his shoulders. There was no mistaking the passion in his eyes then. This guy wanted her, even if it was only physically.

(Heavy make out alert!!!!!)

She watched him tilt his head up as one of his hands gently cupped her nape to bring her to his level. She didn't need more motivation and promptly placed her lips on his, done with the slow burn.

Omkaara smirked when she closed her eyes the second their lips clashed. If he were rational, he would have told her about the tongue action needed but because he was feeling as devilish as his heart was commanding him to be, he continued kissing her, biting on her lower lip as his one hand helped her straddle him and the other angled her neck for his next move. It would all be over the second his tongue entered her mouth, so he wanted to enjoy this while it lasted.

Gauri had forgotten that this was all a ritual to be let into his mind when her lips collided with his. Now, all that mattered was the fact that she was kissing the guy she had loved for three years. Her hands sneaked to explore his chest without her permission, her legs tightened around his waist, liking the friction that his belt created at her calves as her thigh was entertained by better and bigger parts of him.

And then, he took his lips off hers and put them on her neck, kissing his way down to her exposed collarbone before flipping their position so she was now under him. She gasped when his body came crashing down on her, and stayed for an amazing moment before he balanced his weight on his elbows and continued kissing up her neck to reach her lips again. Her hands functioned on auto pilot, all the wet dreams through these years giving her the courage to tug at his neatly tied half pony. His confused eyes met hers from his position in the crook of her neck. Gauri took that momentary confusion to slide down to his level and sneak out of his hold so that they were now lying side by side on the cramped couch as she took his lips in hers, dictating the pace this time.

He kissed back with equal enthusiasm, following her lead to cross his arms around her waist while hers snaked over his neck. And then, feeling bold with his acceptance, Gauri thrusted her tongue into his mouth when he opened it in shock after her hands roughly undid his pony with a single tug.

The second their tongues met, sparks exploded from her ring and a light enveloped them. They parted in shock, only to close their eyes as the light led them into the dark world.

(Makeout completed)

"Took you long enough," Rudra Pratap Singh commented as he took a long sip of his marteene.

"What is that?" Gauri asked to avoid thinking about why it took them so long. They had been making out like pornstars in a B grade film.

"Marteene." Rudra, the alien said, as he took another slow sip.

"You have beverages in your mind? Waah!" Gauri uttered in amazement before she could realise that after what she had done to him, she shouldn't even be able to stand near him much less talk casually.

"He doesn't. His mind is a path to my world so, I brought a few delicacies to sustain myself." Rudra replied before Omkaara could. Honestly, Omkaara didn't even know if he could talk to her after what happened on the couch today.

"Can I try some?" Gauri's eyes sparkled.

"Sure." Rudra replied without thought and then reeled himself back. Did he just agree to share his royal snacks with a servant? What was wrong with him? It couldn't be that he had started regarding her as a friend, could it?

"If it is alcoholic then, no." Omkaara replied before his guilt could stop him.

"Why?" Gauri whined as she looked up at him with the eyes of a toddler asking for a toy. How could he refuse to answer?

"I know that answer." The alien piped in like the fool that he was.

"How?"

"I live in his brain. I can answer that."

"I am in his brain too. Why can't I find the answer then?"

"Because he closed off certain doors."

"What doors?"

"Enough." Omkaara used his boss voice. "Can we talk about important things right now?"

"We are talking about important things. She deserves to know what happened that day!" The alien resisted his control and Gauri agreed, furiously nodding her head like a devoted follower.

Were these two ganging up on him?

"So, let me pull that memory up for you." The alien continued and before Omkaara could protest brought out that memory.

Two years ago,

He watched her gulp down yet another glass she was offered. Did this woman not know the meaning of the word NO? Or did she not know how to use it?

Shaking hands with the executive he was talking to, Omkaara reached her side in four long strides. "You're drinking an awful lot, Ms Sharma."

"Huh?" Gauri looked out of focus before she turned to him. "Can we go home?" She whined as she pinched his sleeve between two fingers and used it to swing his arm like a child refusing to go to school.

"You know I would love nothing more than to get home but this is the success party of one of our greatest achievements till date. I can't just leave. Just a few more dances and we can go."

Gauri giggled. "Our achievement. I like the sound of it."

"You're speaking more freely with alcohol. Please restrain from now on, Ms Sharma. And keep this on you at all times." He muttered as he handed her a glass of water. That way, no one would offer her more alcohol. He knew some executives enjoyed getting unsuspecting women drunk and asking them to play with them and that was the reason he didn't want to bring her as his date. But Ishaana ended up getting an allergic reaction and losing her shit at Gauri which prompted a fight that made Gauri say that she would just be his date for the evening. And that escalated to them being here and Gauri being borderline drunk.

"Tussi ja rahe ho? Tussi na jao!" Gauri whined when he turned to leave. (You're leaving? Don't leave. {Usually spoken in a babyish tone})

He sighed. "I'll be back in ten minutes. You need to drink some water and not touch alcohol. Can you do that for me?"

Gauri nodded like a teacher's pet and then promptly gulped down her glass of water. "See? Finished! Can we go home now?"

Omkaara almost face palmed. Okay, he needed to get her out of this place. He looked around for Shivaay but found him missing, so decided to just escort Gauri outside when their path was intercepted by the sleazeball of the century, Dick Desai. Of course, his real name was Devik but the other name suited him better. Especially when you considered the amount of sexual harassment at workplace cases going on against him. If he wasn't his father's best friend, he would have thrown him out of the party. But this wasn't just his party, so he politely nodded as he tried to wriggle out.

"You companion looks a little
....... unwell." The pervert leered and he almost sock punched him in the face.

Helping Gauri hide behind him, he smiled politely, "Yeah, she just needs some air."

"Oh how wonderful! I was going to just walk out for some air. I'll escort her out. You can continue hosting the party."

Like I would let you breathe near her much less escort her. Omkaara thought before shielding his emotions as he said, "This isn't my party. It is hosted by Mr. Oberoi."

"Aren't you one too? Your mother wouldn't like you not helping your family host the party." Mr. Desai said with a sneaky smirk.

Omkaara took a deep breath. His father had apologised, so had the family. He reminded himself as he tried not to let this vile man manipulate him. "I don't think you knew my mother then. But since you insist, maybe we should just dance and get this over with."

He gently tugged Gauri towards the dance floor. "Just stand next to me and sway. We'll be out of here soon." He hated that he couldn't even walk out of a party when he wanted to. But that was the price of the Oberoi surname. Eyes on you and mouths ready to criticise every action.

"I like dancing." Gauri smiled up at him and threw her arms around his shoulders. "Do you not like dancing?" She asked when his arms remained by his side.
His arms came up to her sides, hesitantly.

"I can't even hear the song over the sound of people chattering." Gauri complained in his ear.

"Uhm. Yeah." Omkaara tried to regain his senses. "The party is for making connections. No one comes here for dancing."

"Stupid people. Should I sing for us?"

"Uh. Sure." He muttered still trying to think of anything but the fact that he was dancing with his secretary.

"Ba ba black sheep have you any wool?" Gauri sang in his ear and he almost pushed her off in shock.

"You want to dance to this?"

"Yeah. Is that a problem?" She asked looking pissed to have been stopped in the middle of her amazing song.

He couldn't stop an adoring smile from forming on his lips then. "No problem. None at all." He said as he looked down at the woman who sang nursery rhymes in an evening dress, on a dance floor. He realized then that he was falling faster than he had initially assumed.

The alien snapped the screen shut when he saw Omkaara's glare. He realized that the next part of his memory, one that included cleaning up Gauri after she decided to throw up on him on the walk to their car was probably not going to be welcome.

Omkaara sighed internally relived that the alien had censored his thoughts throughout the odreal. "Are we done now?"

"I am sorry sir. I won't get drunk again sir." Gauri apologised with embarrassment clear on her face.

"It's alright, Ms Sharma. Can we get to the point of this meeting?"

"Yeah, what happened with Rudra?" The alien asked with what could almost pass for concern.

"He realized that something is wrong." Gauri narrated the events of today, noticing how Omkaara now looked to be deep in thought. "It is not your fault, sir. Rudra sir is just a little unhinged right now." Gauri quickly assured him when his face turned darker at the mention of the assault Rudra attempted.

"I am glad that nothing happened but please stay away from my brother." Omkaara said as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"That's impossible."

"Why?" Gauri asked the alien.

"Because meeting him is inevitable if you want him to get his soul back."

"How does my brother's soul have any connection with Ms Sharma?"

"She is the owner of it."

"WhAt?" Omkaara and Gauri chorused and the alien had to compress his ears to escape the vibrations in Omkaara's brain.

"My betrothed had limited powers. She couldn't carry his soul in the body she was already using to carry her soul, so she sealed it in that ring. That is why I crashed into your body, because that ring was the strongest tie to my betrothed in the this world and it was in your viscinity. All of this is of course a hypothesis."

"A hypothesis based on what?"

"The fact that this servant's command caused Rudra to revert back to being a harmless puppet and the fact that the magic is fading. If she had his soul in her reach, the magic would never fade. But once you dissociate from the object that holds your magic, the magic has an expiry date."

"Doesn't she know that too?"

"Probably not. She was probably surprised she could manipulate souls in the first place. She doesn't have a degree in sorcery in alternate worlds."

"Where do you get that degree? Hogwarts?" Gauri asked with stars in her eyes as she looked ready to fangirl the second he said yes.

"Ms Sharma, let's keep the pop culture studies for another day." Omkaara interrupted her as he dragged her back to his side from her position at the alien's bicep. "So, how do we confirm your hypothesis and get my brother's soul back in the least possible time?"

"Just a simple plan that will take a day."

********

Arjun opened the door to Omkaara's office after his knocks went unanswered. The answer was easy to find. The intertwined bodies on the couch were sleeping soundly. So much for 'we keep work and life separate.' he thought as he snapped a photo and shut the door behind him.

He was going to upload the cute pictures on the company webchat that was titled Rikara Fans Only. It was created a few years ago when they were spotted hugging in Omkaara's office (for reference-this is when Gauri found out about Omkaara's mom and why he was being nice to her) and recently, it was the most active group, sharing photos of them being the cutest couple in the office.

There were quite a few unread messages. So he decided to open the chat first. An article was linked titled, "The newfound Oberoi heir loses his girl to his brother too??"

There were photos of Rudra Singh Oberoi leaning against the table from where Gauri's left hand wearing the green emerald engagement ring that was a source of envy for goldiggers all over India shone. Arjun skipped through the bullshit to find the source's statement, "She was waiting for him. They talked and barely ate dinner. Then, she started walking away and he caught her. She didn't shout for help when he cornered her and then she ran away blushing. It seemed like a forbidden romance overall."

Arjun cursed under his breath. "What a load of crap. These crap brained gossipers." He quickly attached the photo he took and captioned it, 'Rikara is going strong. F the haters.'

Soon, the employees began awing over the photo and defending their favourite couple. She was probably just talking to Rudra. The camera angle must have been shitty. And so on. Arjun had been so busy fanboying, he missed the sound of Gauri's approaching steps until she dropped his pen on his head. More like lightly hit him with it.

"Ah!" He screamed more annoyed than hurt. "Ma'am?"

"What are you doing instead of working?"

Since sharing pictures of you snuggling with your fiance was no appropriate answer he muttered, "Sorry Ma'am. It won't happen again Ma'am."

"Use those words on those who believe them," Gauri shook her head, as she continued to schold him and simultaneously relay Omkaara's schedule.

"Try not to leave with Sir today Ma'am." Arjun advised as she left.

Gauri only nodded as she figured it must be the paparazzi fighting to get a glimpse of her face again. Currently she was preoccupied with the mission entrusted to her by the alien. Looking up her contacts, she called a number she hadn't called in quite a while.

"Gauri? Are you really calling me?" Bhavya didn't bother hiding her happy surprise at the call.

"Yeah. Heard you were back in town."

"Can I come over? Have you forgotten our last fight?" She asked excitedly and Gauri had a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that this woman wasn't a human either. She was an alien too. At least, if what the parasitic alien in Omkaara's body told her was the truth.

"Let's just meet at the CD cafe today." Gauri avoided the question because frankly she hadn't considered that their relationship could get better after their last fight (over her choice to continue her relationship with Rudra despite the circumstances they met) had blown up and ended with Gauri being called a prude having a stick up her rear door and Bhavya had been called a bitch who had no respect for relationships. It had been bad.

"Okay. I'll be there on time and then you can tell me about your love story."

Gauri only made an excuse of too much work in response and hung up. She had done her part but she still wondered if it were right to abuse Bhavya's trust.

That was soon forgotten when she got busy trying to filter Omkaara's words as the alien continued to ruin all of Omkaara's good image in the company. So much for saving his honour, she thought as she somehow twisted his words to mean something good when he had just directly called a foreign delegate, "A pink fish with blue eyes."

But there is only so much refuge you can seek in work when you have a clock hanging over your head. Soon, it was time for the confrontation. They had cleared out the cafe and explicitly asked the staff to not show up on the floor their confrontation was planned on. Like planned, Rudra was called too.

And now all that remained was the alien's part.

"Let me into his brain. Let's all talk one last time before the showdown." Gauri said to the alien as she held his hand and tried to support herself on the tip of her toes to reach his lips.

"Whaaaaat?" The alien shouted as he leaned back wondering how he was going to get out of this mess. Then, he promptly decided to let Omkaara out.

The only problem was that Omkaara didn't want to come out either, so Gauri was left to handle Omkaara's numb body as the two argued inside.

"What do you mean go out?" Omkaara asked indignantly. "I am staying far away. She would be uncomfortable if I kissed her again. That is why she asked you to do it."

"You want me to kiss her?"

"Of course not. But if she wants it what can I do?" Omkaara asked with dropped shoulders.

"She doesn't want to kiss me. She wants to talk to you so she is even ready to kiss me so that she can see your ugly soul."

"One, my soul isn't ugly. Two, she definitely could have asked for me if she was comfortable with that."

"Listen, either you get out or I am going to kick you out!" The alien threatened as he got ready to push Omkaara out of his own mind.

And two minutes later, Omkaara was out into the world and realising that he was being dragged. "I am awake now." He whispered bashfully to Gauri whose jaw was locked with the effort it took to drag his body around.

"Sorry in advance and for before," Gauri muttered as soon as she heard his voice. She didn't want to think who was the one awake right now. Because in her heart, she knew it was Omkaara. She didn't wait for him to respond as she quietly placed her lips over his, prodding her tongue out to pass over his slightly parted lips.

When they reached back to where the alien was, they quickly stepped away from each other. Rudra Pratap Rathore did notice and facepalmed in frustration but decided against mentioning it.

"So, as planned, Ms Sharma will leave the room and you will confront your betrothed. In the meanwhile, Ms Sharma will bring Rudra over and you'll transfer his soul back." Omkaara summarised.

"Take care with that soulless bastard. Make sure you have a pepper spray." Rudra Pratap Rathore warned Gauri (simultaneously ignoring Omkaara) as he got ready to transport them back to the real world.

"Ok. We can do this!" Gauri cheered and received no reaction. Made for each other, these two rude unenthusiastic punks, she thought as she was transported back into her body.

"Gotta go. Take care." She called out one last time before walking to the back door where she was meeting Rudra.

.................................................................

"As expected from your rude Highness." Bhavya greeted the second she spotted him. She had already felt his presence the second she entered the room. Gauri's betrayal stung but the presence of the other person in the room frustrated her a lot more.

"You're using a corpse. Shame wasn't taught to you was it?" Rudra Pratap pointed out as soon as he noticed the lingering shadows around her.

"She died young. Her parents hated themselves. I just helped a few humans." She shrugged as she placed her bag on the table.

"You!" Rudra found himself shouting in outrage. "Aren't you even a little embarrassed? You broke your promise to your King."

"You aren't my King anymore. And that is not my world. I have made this body my own. I don't need your complications so go pick yourself another bride."

"Do you think it is that easy? Do you not understand that it has to be you or millions will continue to suffer? Do you not realise how many people are being harmed every day that you spend in this realm?" He asked, each question punctuated with a step towards her.

"They didn't care so why would I? They didn't care when I was being sold off to you for their sake, so why should I care if you cut them in half to avenge my freedom?" Bhavya asked, her hands pulling at his collar with every question.

"Sold off? You were going to become my Queen. I already promised that you would be the only one."

"And what about the women in your harem who came with political support? Admit it. The only reason you wanted to marry me was because you end up holding no power against your ministers. You rule the world in name only while your ministers pressure you to continue the racial and societal inequalities because it benefits them."

Rudra had to succumb to the fire in her eyes and the truth in her words. "If you know, then why don't you help me? Why didn't you help me bring your people into the government and helping their upliftment?"

"Why do I have to be the sacrificial lamb who goes through all the hardships of facing your rivals while you get to be celebrated as a just and efficient King? Isn't it only fair if you shoulder your own burden too? If you can't fight for your dreams, don't expect me to." Bhavya stated simply, turning her face away from him.

Rudra was tantalised by the disrespect but kept his anger in check. "Then what do you want? We can trade dreams can't we? I'll help you fulfill yours and you'll help me fulfill mine."

"Dreams?" Bhavya laughed at the word she hadn't uttered in her entire life as a neglected daughter of a celebrated man who stood up for the lowest of the lows. "I don't have any. I have needs that are being fulfilled here. People don't look down on me because of the colour of my hair or the shade of my skin. I have a man who loves the ground I walk on. I have control here."

"That man hates you. He is bewitched and he realises it. He is going to kill you the second the magic wears out."

"But it won't." Bhavya countered. "As soon as you leave and not meddle anymore, my magic is going to be enough to ensure a happy life here."

Rudra had to recoil in digust at the words of this woman. "You're trying to be blind to the fact that you're the only one who has freedom and fulfilled desires. You have seen it too, haven't you? The disparities in income and social holding. You're worshiped here because you have the features that are desired here. There are still people like you here, people who have been scorned all their life but you pretend not to notice because it benefits you to not notice. Selfish is all you are, Bhavya Singh, Selfish is all you have been."

"What's wrong with being selfish?" Bhavya asked with a raised chin that hid her dwindling confidence in her own morals. "I can finally afford to be selfish, so that's what I'll be."

"Very well then. I see I have wasted my time on you." Rudra took all the steps back, now standing at a respectable distance from her. "You're not a Queen but a coward. I should have realised it the day you ran away."

"Then, are you leaving?" Bhavya tried to hide her disappointment. For the most stubborn man in their world, he was rather easily convinced to let her be. Was she that hopeless? Or was she once again not worth the effort?

"After I fulfill a few promises of course." Rudra smirked, using the ring to lead Gauri and the human Rudra to him.

Gauri entered the silent room with a bad feeling in her heart. She was about to meet a lost friend after years and it was going to be tainted by the lies and betrayals they had each served. Rudra Singh Oberoi followed behind her, being his usual irritated self.

When he saw Bhavya, his features hardened instead of softening. Was the alien meddling with the bewitchment?

"What is this witch doing here?" Rudra asked who he thought to be his half brother. (Rudra thinks he is asking Omkaara but it is actually the other Rudra urf Rudra Pratap Rathore in Omkaara's body.)

"She's going to give you your soul back." The King ordered rather than replying.

"I won't." Bhavya stubbornly refused. Rudra Singh Oberoi was her key to happiness and she wouldn't lose control over him.

"Then should I enter him?"

The words froze Bhavya's receding steps. Looking up at the malicious man with shock, she asked, "What?"

"I won't repeat my words. You either return his soul back or I enter him."

"You'll both die!" Bhavya desperately shouted. "He hasn't had a soul in his body for four years. You both have the perfect frequency for a disaster. It was the first lesson on Space Travel, you must not come in contact with your counterpart in the other world, or you'll both be completely destroyed." Bhavya rambled on her own.

Rudra Pratap Rathore smirked again. "So you did study Sorcery and Space Travel. That is how you've been manipulating souls here."

Honestly, Bhavya had never learnt Sorcery. Even with Space Travel she had just chanced upon a few books and taught herself in secret. She had been quite surprised when she accidentally trapped a human's soul in a ring and even more surprised when she figured out how to return it back to the original body. It had taken a lot of tests and trials to be able to master the art and manipulate Rudra's soul. She hadn't voluntarily trapped his soul at first. It had happened by accident but the more she put off returning it, the greedier she got.

"What you're trying to do is absolute madness. You'll be exterminated too." Bhavya argued instead of clearing her name. Because it wouldn't matter to him. It never did.

"I call it calculated risk taking. If I die, the country will be in turmoil but it would also make for the best time for your people to revolt. Since most aristocrats were against our marriage, the cause of my disappearance along with yours will be pinned on them. And that will be the ideal environment for a revolt. Your people can gain back freedom and you can continue living here, trapping other rich people's souls."

Gauri had been mute throughout the exchange, just noticing what went on because (human) Rudra was currently under her ring's control. If she got distracted, he could wake up (he had been put unconscious as per the plan as soon as they started talking about parallel universes) and learn about things that are better left away from his knowledge. So, even as she listened to the heated exchange she decided to trust her friends. They would solve it all without death in the picture.

"You can't do that!"

"Why?"

"You'll both die!!!" Bhavya repeated with desperation.

"Then what can I do to fulfill my own dream?"

Bhavya had to step back and think before she realised that this was all a plan. All his plan to make her return. She glared at him but took the bait because she was desperate at this stage, "I'll return with you. That's what you want any way."

Rudra Pratap Rathore smirked. The girl had in her frenzy, forgotten that the deal was returning Rudra's soul not returning herself. "Transfer his soul before you go."

Bhavya only nodded, too exhausted from the roller coaster of emotions that she had just gone through. Taking Gauri's hand, she began removing the ring, only to stop when it slid no further than two thirds of the length.

"Release your spell, I need the ring."

"So it was in the ring?"

"I asked you to remove the ring."

"Possess Gauri. That is better for your energy too." Rudra dismissed her, again.

"No. I'll lose this body if I get out." Bhavya panicked at the thought.

"Aren't you coming back with me?"

"Not today. You have some time don't you? Let me tie some loose ends."

"But why is that body required to tie those loose ends?"

"Because her parents will be heartbroken if I go without a goodbye." Bhavya gestured to her own body. They had been the first people to care for her in her entire life. Her own biologucal father was using her to realise his political agenda.

"Come to think of it, you do look exactly as you were described. Why weren't you exterminated when you possessed her?"

"Because she was already dead. It was a car accident. She died on spot and I descended to Earth on that second, symmetry dictated that I need to possess her if I plan to live in this world for a long time."

"Symmetry?" Rudra asked his senses tingling with danger signs. "Who helped you come here?"

"Someone did." Bhavya averted her gaze and looked at the other Rudra's soulless eyes. She had once thought that she could live with that face forever. If she couldn't gain her love's love, she had supposed she could live with his face and body at least. But one look at Omkaara's body revealed that it was not the face that she loved, it was the person. To run away from being the wife of the man she loved, it didn't make sense, did it? It didn't until that someone made her see sense.

"Who. Helped. You?" The King enunciated each word leaving no doubt to the fact that he an answer was required if she wished to live.

"A woman who entered your harem with a wish to become your wife." Bhavya blurted out to distract him from inching closer. Even if she could feel it was him, being close to another man was a little weird for her.

"That woman has to have a name. And a good background. If she could orchestrate a death on Earth to make sure you never need to return. Who is she?"

"She didn't kill that human."

"She could have known the future too. Time travel is expensive but possible. Now. Who is she?"

Bhavya had felt betrayed at the moment. The woman with her warm smile had bid her goodbye, asked her to be selfish and run before her love for Rudra killed her. She couldn't have cut off her way to reach back, could she? In that moment of confusion, she blurted, "Gauri Trivedi. The daughter of the Prime Minister."

Rudra Pratap Rathore felt slapped by the words.

"You mean my counterpart?" Gauri blurted out loud in shock, not registering she had disturbed the two's conversation.

"Looks like even across the universe, you two were good friends with bad intentions." The King commented as he scoffed.

"Bad Intentions?"

"She probably wanted to be the Queen instead. But sending you on Earth with no way back was a good decision for you, because if your body was found back in that world, you could have been forcibly summoned back. She took the road that led to your permanent departure while ensuring your safety and simultaneously pitched a fork that could make your clan more oppressed. Good friend to you, bad intentions towards the clan you hate so much."

"But wouldn't her body still be present in the world? Sort of like how Omkaara is still here when you two are meeting in the pathway (aka Omkaara's brain.)" Gauri asked, too invested in trying to not paint her counterpart as a serpent, to realise she was butting into their conversation.

"That is because Omkaara is alive in my world too. Bhavya has taken the place and body of her counterpart who was supposed to be dead. Symmetry and Balance requires that when you take one, you give one. You can't have Bhavya alive in both the universes, when one of them has already been announced dead."

Gauri had to let that sink in for a second. "So I have to be the villain in that world?"

"Looks like you're just as insufferable across the universe too." The King commented wondering if he could dole out justice when she had the same face that he had grown to think of as a cherished friend.

Gauri pouted. "Well, your personality sucks in both worlds too."

Ms Sharma saying it like that means you are admitting to being insufferable. Omkaara muttered lowly in his mind.

Well, if you take off your
rose tinted glasses, you'd realise, that she is insufferably fussy.
The alien replied back.

But you like her too. You think of her as a very precious friend. I can see it in your thoughts.

Stop looking you snooper.

That's rich coming from the guy who is using my body to romance and frighten his betrothed at the same time.

"I was not romancing her." Rudra shouted out loud indignantly.

"Now you two talk about romance too?" Gauri asked with a smirk. "My, my you're getting close. I mean from how large talks to this, is there anything you don't talk about?"

"Omkaara says holding his brother gives you no immunity to termination." The alien deadpanned the same way that Omkaara had in his mind.

"Tell him to talk to me if he has a problem. He's been avoiding me so much since that-" Gauri almost blurted the k word but controlled herself. Talking to that alien always made her comfortable enough to hurl insults at the guy she usually didn't say impolite words to. These past few weeks had made her more comfortable around Omkaara she had to admit. Guess physical contact does change perceptions and relationships. "Uhm what about this guy?" She changed the subject as she pointed at the guy she was half carrying.

"You can put back his soul yourself if Bhavya let's you." Rudra shrugged.

"You couldn't have told us that sooner?" Bhavya and Gauri chorused like the best friends that they were.

She doesn't need to kiss her too, does she? Omkaara asked worriedly.

There is no ritual in our world that requires kissing specifically. A physical touch works most times. Rudra replied.

Then why did you make me kiss Gauri?

To give you some joy?

Do you have any idea how awkward you made things for us?

Anyone with eyes can see that the only reason things are awkward between you two is because you're both idiots.

We both have IQ greater than-

"STOP FLIRTING WITH OMKAARA AND ANSWER US!!" Gauri shouted when he didn't answer her and Bhavya's common question and just stood staring at the distance.

"What flirting? Can't two straight guys talk without being accused of flirting with each other? Gah, the toxic masculinity you spread."

"If you want to talk then let us listen too. What were you taking about?" Bhavya piped in to defend her friend. They had both betrayed and lied to each other, so the score was even. And Bhavya was completely required to take her best friend's side.

Nothing just the fact that your friend and her fiance love each other but are too blind to notice. Rudra Pratap Rathore thought.

"You know what? Let's just get into his mind. Bhavya kiss that guy, we'll all talk together." Gauri cheered her best friend adding a shove to encourage her.

Hah! That's my girl. How do you like it now that the tables are turned, Mr. Rathore? Omkaara teased in his mind.

"Pardon? What kiss?" Bhavya asked confused. She may not have studied Sorcery but even she knew that kisses were meant for lovers only, not to be used as rituals.

"She can't leave that body!" Rudra exclaimed as soon as a light bulb went off in his head. "Now, let's get back to bussiness. Gauri follow my instructions to give Rudra his soul back."

You better not make her kiss my half brother too.

The King ignored the voice in his head as he instructed Gauri and Bhavya to give human Rudra his soul back.

"If we're done here, I'll get going." Bhavya announced as she looked at the sleeping body of Rudra Singh Oberoi. He was going to take some time to get up. And there could be repercussions. So, Gauri was going to keep watch today while Bhavya would go around telling people that she'd broken up with Rudra.

"I'll drop you off." The King announced not even letting Bhavya decide before leading her out.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be the nanhi si jaan (small ass minion) dragging you back to the car," Gauri told the unconscious man on her lap as she looked down at the sleeping form her boss's half brother. He actually looked a little tolerable like that. But then he turned a lot less tolerable when she remembered that she had to drag this man out. Why was he so ladden with muscle fat anyway? He was a company executive not a body builder, for Christ's sake.

Come to think of it, Omkaara's chest (the one she had touched earlier today) was also more muscular than what she considered average. Did Oberois make their children attend compulsory gym hours? Or maybe it is in the genes? A memory of Tej Singh Oberoi's slightly pudgy frame made her retract. Yeah, it had to be the gym.

Her phone rang in the midst of her wonderings. SOUMYA CALLING.

Gauri picked up the phone wondering if Soumya had called her by mistake. "This is Gauri Sharma . Did you dial the wrong number?"

"I told you to be careful of that bitch. But anyways, come down to The CD cafe,it's near your office."

"Why?" Gauri had tried to ask but found herself being hung up on. What a rude stuck up- she cursed under her breath as she made her way down, leaving the sleeping Rudra on the couch.

The scene that greeted her down was weird to say the least. She had assumed that Soumya would have wanted to talk about how Bhavya had broken up with Rudra or something along these lines. But instead, she found The King and Bhavya standing around quietly arguing as Soumya glared down at them.

"She stole your man too."

"What?" Gauri asked Soumya, only to get a phone shoved in her face. "Look at these two shamelessly making out on the street!"

"You made out!?" Gauri exclaimed in shock.

"Yeah, I told you to be careful of this bitch." Soumya continued in her own world even going as far as patting Gauri's back with sympathy. "She's horrible but he is just as bad. Don't pine on him like me and move on like I have decided to."

"We- we are in a polyarmorous relationship." Gauri blurted the first thought on her head.

"What?"

"We're in a what now?"

"Sort of like an open relationship. He can make out with whoever he wants. I can do the same." Gauri explained hastily, as she gently shrugged Soumya's hand off her shoulder.

"You share men? With your friends?" Soumya asked with you creeps written all over her face.

"Let's not shame each other's lifestyles." Gauri shrugged while still trying to figure out why the hell Ruvya kissed.

"What a bunch of creeps and fools! Does Rudra know about this?"

"He does. Actually we were all on a double date today. So now that you're done poking your nose in other people's business, get going." Bhavya cut Soumya's increasing protests off with a cold shoulder.

"So Rudra's inside? I'll confirm it with him then!" Soumya decided because she had been fooled by Bhavya enough to know better than trusting her words.

"Wait!" The three chorused as Soumya rushed upstairs to the floor where Rudra's unconscious body lay. They tried to chase after her but lost by a second when she closed the elevator door on their huffing faces.

"What are we going to do now?" Gauri asked to no one in particular as they started climbing up the stairs to the 14th floor.

"Should we hypnotise her?" Bhavya asked barely breaking a sweat at the tiresome walk (run for our nanhi si jaan/short ass minion) upstairs.

"Maybe we should just knock her out!" The king suggested and Bhavya nodded.

"Wait! Pause." Gauri stopped to catch her breath. "So, you're telling me you could do all that and yet you're making me run!"

"We never asked you to run." Bhavya pointed out.

Was is just her or was Gauri truly surrounded by the most sarcastic and rude people you could find in the Universe?

"Why were you two kissing anyway? Some sort of ritual?"

"Yeah, that's what it was." The King declared as he sauntered off hiding his flaming red cheeks.

"Wait! Walk slowly!" Gauri called out as she decided she was going to join whichever gym Omkaara went to. Lord knows she needs some stamina. (And the Baywatch.)

A blood curdling scream from upstairs made them stop in their steps. Running through the ten fleets of stairs, they arrived at the floor where Soumya's scream had come from.

"What happened? Did you get hurt?" Bhavya asked because Gauri was too busy wheezing to be able to make words.

"Rudra. He is is lying on the floor. Very low pulse. Ambulance!" Soumya stuttered through her sentences frantically looking for a phone.

"I'll call them!" Gauri said before she remembered that Rudra should stay that way.

"Give me the phone!" Soumya shouted when Gauri paused at the realisation. Not waiting for her to hand it over, Soumya practically snatched the phone, jamming her fingers to dial the emergency number.

As Soumya talked to the operator, Gauri slid closer to the alien duo to ask, "What happens next? Are you going to hypnotise the paramedics too?"

"No." Bhavya said as she released her grip on the King's hand. She had held him when he was trying to interfere in the call. "It's for the better. The hospital will think he fell down and internal injuries got him into a coma. And I will have the perfect reason to disappear. I mean why would a good golddigger wait around for her boytoy to get better? Soumya and Rudra can get back together and if he remembers something, we can pass it off as a dream."

"You're not a gold digger." Rudra Pratap whispered to Bhavya and Gauri was again lost. What the heck happened to these two?

"Okay, then. Let's do that." Gauri declared deciding to talk to Bhavya about this change of tunes later.

They parted just in time for Soumya to hang up the phone and say that the ambulance was on its way.

******

"Crazy day, huh?" Arjun asked Gauri as he sat down beside her on the hospital bench.

"Thanks for bringing the documents here." Gauri smiled gratefully at her junior as she shifted through the files that needed urgent approval. She needed to get these signed by Omkaara today. If only that man would stop avoiding her.

Gauri knew that while what they had done this morning meant more to her than to him but she was sure that there was at least some attraction involved if he kissed her like that. But maybe he wasn't ready to accept his feelings yet, which was totally plausible and acceptable given his screwed up past. But all she wanted was for them to talk. She wanted to confess before he decides to close off his heart again.

"How's Rudra sir doing?" Arjun asked her when she looked deep in thought.

"I don't really know. The doctors are currently running all kinds of tests on him."

"Omkaara sir looks worried."

Gauri had to admit that Arjun was right. Omkaara (rather the alien), did look worried. Ever since they entered the hospital he had looked troubled by something. "I'll talk to him." Gauri said out of habit. She was always the first one to comfort Omkaara when he was in a bad mood. The others didn't even want to cross him on his bad days. In their defense, Omkaara was scary when he was angry.

"You know I think it makes sense that he calms down after talking to you." When Gauri only tilted her head in confusion, Arjun added. "He's loved you for longer than you think."

"What?"

"His safe password. It's Gauri Omkaara Singh Oberoi. It's been the same since the day you joined."

{AN- you all were right but I did play around with the idea of making it CEO Gauri Singh Oberoi because that would be .............cuter? But then I got lazy and ended up not changing Arjun's dialogue in the previous shot to be, "His dream is half fullfiled already." But anyways, you all win.}

Approximately two years ago,

"Mr Mehra have you got tired of your job already? What is this report? No structure, no organisation and absolutely no thought. Please redo it by the evening."

"But sir this project isn't due until Monday." Arjun being a lazy newcomer in Omkaara's office defended himself while trying to fend off working overtime.

"Yes it is due then. But I suspect you'd need at least three more tries before you give me a passable report."

Arjun was embarrassed but decided to bite his tongue when Gauri shook her head from behind Omkaara. "Yes sir. I'll try my best to give you an appropriate report this time."

Gauri smiled as she nodded her head as if telling him that he did right and that he could do it right.

"Ms Sharma I don't pay you to perform a mime behind my back." Omkaara told her as he walked towards his cabin.

"I am sorry sir. I shall perform a dance the next time, sir." Gauri followed behind Omkaara with her notepad.

Omkaara stopped to turn back and glare at her. "You've been getting franker, Ms Sharma."

"Nothing my contract doesn't permit sir!"

"Are you trying to get me to shout at you?"

"You seem like you're itching to scold someone. I would much rather it be me for a valid reason than some poor soul for breathing wrong, sir."

"It's a rough day for me." Omkaara sighed as he decided to just return to his cabin for the day.

"Day or date?"

"Date."

"Should I clear up your schedule this evening? You can visit home or your mother."

Omkaara sighed. "Thank you for the offer. But I would much rather work myself to the bone today."

"Too bad I already cancelled your evening appointment and shifted them to the afternoon then?" Gauri asked as she worked on incorporating his new schedule.

"What about my brunch with Mr Oberoi then?"

"He had to rush to Mauritius due to an emergency."

"What did Rudra do now?"

"It's unclear as of now. But I'll look into it."

"Can I take you out for a long drive?" He asked after a moment of silence.

"Sir?" Gauri blushed at the meaning she had interpreted.

"You're the one who cleared my schedule so now you have to bear with me." Omkaara said as he entered his cabin and closed the door behind him.

When she came down after finishing her work, she had decided to play it cool. God knows Omkaara implies many things without meaning to. So, she would wait for him to say something and not get her hopes up. When she reached his car, he was already inside. Seeing her coming, he got out and hastily said, "You know you're not actually obliged to come right? You can say no."

Gauri only nodded as she opened the passenger door. "It looks like you need a friend." And in a smaller voice she completed, "And I want to be that."

All Gauri had offered was companionship (and not the forever kind) but Omkaara felt his heart skip a beat at the barely audible words. What was wrong with him? This was his secretary and nothing more. He shouldn't be getting his heart skipping because she offered some platonic support. Was this how lonely he had come to be?

Shaking his thoughts with his head, he climbed in his seat and pulled the car out of the parking.

"Aren't you going to ask me where we are going?"

"I trust you enough." Was all Gauri replied.

And there it was again, that strange tightening of his chest wherever she said two nice words. He needed to something about these unusual reactions. But then again maybe they were usual. Friends do say things that make you happy and your heart does skip a beat when you're happy. This was his shield of reason (pathetic as it was) against whatever they had going on.

"We're going to a church. You can ask me to drop you home if you feel uncomfortable."

"You can drop me home after we visit this church." Gauri told him with a smile, now assured that they were just on a friendly trip, like a work outing for fun. It hurt but not enough to make her not look forward to the one day out with her crush.

When they had finished roaming the grounds of the church Omkaara had spent a vast majority of his teen years in, he asked, "My mother's grave is nearby. Do you want to come?"

"Can I?"

"I think she would be glad to meet the first friend I made on my own and not because of church camps." Omkaara smiled but it was tainted with a kind of melancholy that always surrounded him when he talked about his mother.

"Your mother, she was a very beautiful writer." Gauri complimented after reading a poem penned by her, engraved on her grave.

"She was. Her words were so bold and beautiful when she wrote them, but when she spoke she was the softest and kindest lady in the vicinity."

"You know I have this image of her in my mind. A lady who is elegant, graceful and fragile but is still ready to sacrifice anything for her son."

"Even her own life." Omkaara whispered with tears behind his closed lashes as he looked up to try not to cry.

"She is in a happier place now." Gauri said softly, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

He leaned a little into her touch as he whispered harshly, "Of course she is. I am not there."

"Why do you think everything is your fault?"

"Because it is. I was the one who distanced myself from my family. I was the one who always yelled at her to not meet the Oberois because I was scared to get hurt again. I was just scared they would hurt her again, so to shield her I continued fighting against them. What's worse is that I was born. If it weren't for me, my mother could have moved on. She could've continued to live happily in the nunnery. She could have lived loving God. But because I was always there, the son of my father, a reminder of her past, a reason for her to try to give me a better life than she had had. She continued to suffer. I was the reason all along." Omkaara wasn't shouting or sobbing loudly but his words, ridden with guilt and spoken like a prayer he chanted daily, made Gauri realise that he thought of it all as truth. A truth that wouldn't change even if she tried hard to argue.

"You know you're right." She spoke to the grave. "Ma'am, your son is the biggest idiot in this world."

"What are you trying to do?"

"Shhh, can't you see your mother is angry right now? She really regrets having you, you know!" Gauri continued her charade because it was the only way she knew.

Omkaara, a little tempted by her act decided that it wouldn't hurt more to join in just for a bit. "Because I was the reason she lost hope?"

"Because you're an idiot that she loved a lot."

"That's why she regrets me? Not because I made her lose everything?" Omkaara asked in a voice that resembled one of a lost child. Gauri didn't turn to look at him, knowing he was looking at his mother's grave, and also that the second she looked at him, he would shut her out. She had sat through enough almost breakdowns to know that.

"Yes ma'am. All his brain is for business use only. Common sense? He doesn't have an inch of it! I mean, how could he even think that the reason for your happiness, the one person you had cherished since he was a teeny foetus would make you miserable. It's all patriarchy you know! Him thinking that he is just his father's son and not yours too." When Omkaara didn't stop her, Gauri turned bolder as she nodded as if deep in conversation, "Yeah, yeah, all those nine months of feeding him through your blood and all those sleepless nights later, you get a thick headed son who fancies himself as the big bad villain when all he is, is a little lovely bean. He can't even realize that you loved him too much for him to be of any harm. And who does he think he is fooling? You're his mother. No matter how old he gets, he'll never be able to actually outsmart you. What?You want me to pull his ears? Of course I will.-"

And as Omkaara sat their looking at his Mother's last remains, getting his ear pulled by a crazy girl who liked to talk to a person's grave to make their grieving son feel better, he realized that he was falling. He knew then that the password to his safe was now truly his dream. Even if it was unattainable.

××××××××××××××××××

Omkaara could feel that the alien was jittery. "You're over thinking!" He said to the pacing man.

'Says the over thinker whose got his entire life planned out.' Rudra bit back staring at the distance to talk to Omkaara in his mind.

"You already decided that Bhavya would go back with you. Why are you hesitating now?"

'Because I am not the reason she ran away.'

"Well, duh! She loves you. That was her reason." Omkaara reminded him of today's conversation.

A few hours ago,

Rudra Pratap Rathore led Bhavya to her car. Then, deciding that he was too curious to not ask, he turned to her with the question that had been bugging him.

"Did you actually love him? You signed away your freedom in exchange of his life."

She only sighed. "It wasn't his life you were holding over me."

"Then? I never threatened Gauri."

"Do you know what is my chosen name in this realm?" Bhavya changed the subject.

"Bhavya?"

"Bhavya Pratap Rathore. I changed my surname."

Rudra frowned. "But that is my birth name."

"Do you know why I ran?"

"Because you wanted freedom."

"No." Bhavya smiled without joy. "It was to let you live."

"To let me live?"

"Gauri Trivedi had warned me. If I become your wife, one of us will die and if you succeed in your mission of my clan's upliftment, it would be you. Of course, if they succeeded in overpowering you, it would be me."

"Then, you-" Rudra realised.

"I traded my life for yours." Bhavya completed the thought as she took a step towards him to press herself over to him. "Do you want to take a guess why?"

"You don't actually-"

"But I do. I do love you, Rudra Pratap Rathore." Bhavya whispered now an inch away from his lips.

Before Rudra could respond, Soumya's scream made them break away.

××××××××××××××

'That is why I don't want to force her.' Rudra said.

"Don't you think you're growing a conscious too late?" Omkaara teased.

'Stop acting cheeky. Help me.'

"How can I make a choice for you? You need to decide for yourself if her love is worth more than your dreams."

'A sane King would much rather sacrifice a subject than continue a cycle of depravity.'

"Are you saying you aren't sane then?"

'If it was my life, I could give it away. But it's hers. She should have a say in it.'

"Don't all monarchs believe they own their subjects? Has Gauri's democracy talk finally gotten into your head?"

'Why do you switch between Ms Sharma and Gauri so much?'

"That is not the point of this discussion. Don't you dodge questions." Omkaara hypocritically changed the subject.

'Fine maybe I was a little inspired by it. My ministers already have power over me, if I could somehow corporate all groups into the cabinet, it would be a good distribution of power.'

"But if you do succeed in doing that, you might lose Bhavya or even your own life."

'The funny part is that if that witch (Gauri Trivedi) looks exactly like the servant (Gauri Sharma), I might have trouble punishing her properly.'

"Looks like you finally admitted to caring."

'Stop teasing me.'

"I've noticed that your personalities in the two worlds don't differ much." Omkaara started, now serious. "Rudra is like a a little more immature version of you. Bhavya has blended well as the real Bhavya. So, my theory is Gauri there would have the same core personality as Ms Sharma."

'Are you telling me that our servant is capable of threatening people with murder?'

"Can you stop calling her your servant? It's annoying!"

'Can you stop calling her Ms Sharma? It's annoying!' Rudra mimicked with a twisted face.

"I can call her whatever I want. This is my fuvkinh brain!"

'Why are you censoring curses in your own brain?'

"Shut up and focus. So, as I was saying, if that girl is anything like Gauri, she probably warned you instead of threatening. Since they haven't cemented their plans yet, chances of things going wrong is high, telling you on top of that would be pointless. Because it would give you a chance to prepare and tighten your security before they even finish plotting. She was probably aiming for something else. Something that could benefit you all."

'She apparently entered my harem. Which means she has pledged herself to the King. If her father was planning to covet the throne, that would be meaningless. So, that means she must want the throne for herself.'

"Can you pick a Queen from your ahem, harem? Can I add that that practice is really misogynistic?"

'It's not unheard of. Especially if the woman is pregnant and has political supporters.' Rudra explained before defending himself. 'And I didn't create the fucking harem. They just walk in on their own, declaring themselves as mine. They can only ask me for permission if they want to leave. So, technically speaking, I am a victim here. They just unilaterally decided to be my mistresses. It was hard enough chasing one woman across the Universe I don't have the energy to handle any more women. '

"That's rough." Omkaara agreed. "But if I know anything about Gauri, it's that she doesn't want to reach higher places for the fame or money. She usually only wants the greatest amount of freedom and love she can get. If she's entered your harem, sent Bhavya here, then she probably does want to be the Queen. But she could also turn out to be an ally for your goals of equality. "

'So, she could be a bitch but she could also be a puppy?'

"No." Omkaara corrected him. "Even as an ally, Gauri would be dangerous. Especially if her personal goals don't align with yours. If I would suggest something, it would be to give her a distraction. Something that could keep her from her personal goal whatever it is. That would keep her busy enough dealing with that trouble and then, in a desperate moment if you offer her a helping hand, you'll have secured her loyalty. Ms Sharma always focusses on one thing at a time. And when she gets help, she can cut her organs out to give it back."

'So I just need to plot properly and I can save us both.'

"I think if you look into history and use tactics that worked in this world, you could easily change the political system without making too many mistakes."

'I'll have to borrow your body full time for the next few days I can't stay long knowing there are people in the palace who know where I am.'

"Fair enough if you agree to leave us alone after this."

********

Gauri slowly approached Omkaara, Arjun's words still ringing in her ears. "Hey, can I talk to Omkaara for a a bit?" She asked the alien as she placed a hand on s his shoulder.

"Funnily, he just said the same thing."

Gauri awkwardly held his hand as she avoided his gaze. "Uh, yeah." Could it really be true? He had kept her name with his last name as a password. Of course it had to mean something. Wasn't that what most teenagers did with crush names?

"Ms Sharma, I have something really important to talk about. Can I go first, if it's just business you want to talk about?" Omkaara asked her, as he shuffled on his feet.

Was he going to confess? Gauri thought escatically as she nodded.

"Well, the alien is leaving us in under a week. So can you please cancel all the important appointments and help him out with some social lessons?"

"Uh, okay." Gauri was caught off guard. This wasn't what she wanted. It wasn't even good news. The alien was going away forever and she won't have anyone to discipline after he was gone. The power trips from lightly hitting him would be gone. And so would he. Even if he was overbearing, the alien had become a friend of sorts "Does he have to go soon?"

"Yeah. Things aren't looking well in his Kingdom." Omkaara said with a sigh. He would miss their talks. He was probably his first male friend and also a reminder of what his and Rudra's relationship could be like if they tried.

"Then, I won't be seeing you for a while I guess."

"About that," Omkaara played with a flick of hair that The alien must have missed when doing his pony today. "Can you free up a day for me? I want to talk to you about something."

"Why would we need a day for that? Just say it now."

"I need to take you somewhere first."

"Then, I will be finishing up the task with Rudra soon." Gauri told him, her heart already beating out loud. "Once you're done, I have something to say too."

*********
"Don't you think this schedule is way too hectic?" King Rudra Pratap Rathore asked Gauri as he looked at his schedule. There were at least 6 books he had to complete by the day. 6 political books each worth about 300 pages.

"Didn't you say you were efficient enough?" Gauri asked him, hiding behind the reason to make him complete his crash course fast and let that day come. That day when she was going to confess to Omkaara.

"Why do I feel like you have other intentions?" The alien asked with a suspicious scowl.

"Well, if you don't like it, just stay on Earth and posses a corpse or something." Gauri muttered because that was another reason she was pushing him so hard. It felt necessary to punish him for trying to run away.

"I am needed there."

"Then, go na. When did I stop you?I don't even like you!"

"I'll miss you too."

Gauri had to stop her tears from flowing then. When had the alien sneaked his way into her mind and established a place as a dear friend, she didn't know. But she also couldn't deny that he was important. So very important.
"Can't you come visit again?"

"Will you let me borrow Omkaara's body again?" He asked.

Gauri pouted. "Maybe you should just stay there."

"If you miss me too much, just smack Rudra sometime, we're actually quite alike."

"Hmm," Gauri hummed. "Whatever. I gotta go meet Bhavya so make sure you complete your tasks for today." She warned as she walked out of the door.

"Being a king is fucking hard." Rudra cursed under his breath as he looked at the giant pile of books to read.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Omkaara stretched and yawned treating himself to the otherworldly treats the alien had brought, "Never been happier to be born on Earth." He thought with a pleased lazy grin.

"Stop using your brainpower and go sleep!" The alien shouted with annoyance.

********

Bhavya had been waiting for Gauri by the time she got there. "Sorry I got caught up with Rudra."

"Mine or yours?"

"Aren't they both technically yours?" Gauri asked as she sat down.

"Human?" Bhavya asked instead of arguing (and losing because Gauri was correct).

"No, the less annoying one."

"I think the human is much more tamable."

"I think the alien can get obedient fast once you start whacking him on the head."

Bhavya sighed. "I am pathetic aren't I? All I can think of now is how you'd be better as his wife in the our world, too."

"Me in your world is a bitch that ruined my favourite ship."

Bhavya laughed. "You're actually quite loyal, huh? Even after what I called you last time?"

Gauri shrugged. "You weren't wrong. I can act like a stuck up old lady sometimes. And you get to call me out. Even if I was right at that time, I shouldn't have pushed it when you were obviously struggling in a new world."

"You didn't know that and let's be honest I was the actual witch there. I manipulated Rudra's soul for God's sake. You absolutely should have called me out and I should have listened instead of hiding behind my love for that idiot."

"So, the conclusion is we were both right and wrong and all bad blood is forgiven because we are humans and have the right to be a little bad sometimes."

"You're human, I am not."

"Whatever you guys are, I am sure you're allowed some sins as long as you repent."

Bhavya smiled. "I knew there was a reason I liked you at the first sight."

"I am awesome and it shows. By the way, why did you call me here?"

"I am going back to my world. And it's going to be a bloody battlefield there."

"So, you've decided to go? Can't you stay?" Was today lose your friends day? Because this is what it seemed like.

"No. It's about time I stop hiding like a coward. And I need your help to beat that Trivedi!"

"My counterpart in that world?"

"Yeah. The core personalities seem to match, so I need to ask-"

"Core personality?" Gauri asked, offended. "You think I am a vamp?"

Bhavya shook her head, "Not like that. Our backstories and stuff are similar in both worlds. Bhavya's father was an army officer who was never home, mine was fighting for his people's rights always too. And if you think about it, me and Rudra are also kind of villians in this world. I stole a corpse, he's not letting Omkaara control his own body."

"But you have your reasons!"

"Maybe Gauri Trivedi does too. I hope she does, because she was my first friend."

"You know even if she isn't, you can just come back to me, right?" Gauri asked with full sincerity, not even cringing at her words. "I'll be your friend forever."

Bhavya smiled at the cringey words. "Yeah, yeah. Now, tell me, what could make you go absolutely insane and villainish?"

Gauri thought about it for a second. Wouldn't it be something she wanted the most? What did she want the most? The answer today was simple, 'to get a chance to tell Omkaara about her feelings'. But it couldn't be possible for her to have met Omkaara there, if she did, she was sure she would never try to marry someone else for materialistic desires. And there was only one other answer to that question.

"Attention."

"What?"

"Love and attention. I never got enough of it from my parents because they were always too busy trying to feed us. As I grew older, I realized that what I really wanted was the ability to catch their attention when I had the chance. Trophies, certificates, all my goals were to get their approval. So, if I hadn't met Omkaara and realised that I was more important to myself than their conditional love, I would have been chasing after a loveless marriage too. Just to make them proud."

"Your parents are assholes, just like mine." Bhavya cursed as she sipped her latte.

"They just bit off more than they could chew and ended up giving us less nutrients than ideal."

"First, I just imagined you all as food in your parents mouth and that image was gross. Second, let me correct myself, your parents are like greedy assholes much worse than mine because at least my parents didn't create problems on their own accord."

"We can debate for hours and yet, we wouldn't convince one another." Gauri dropped the debate and chose to focus on more important things. "So, let's drop it and talk more about how similar the personalities in both worlds are."

"We all have the same back story." Bhavya explained. "Come to think of it, His Majesty was a son of a courtesan too."

"What? Even in that world? How did he even become the King then?" Then, Gauri realised something was weird. "Wait, why are you calling him His Majesty?"

"I am relearning my manners. I can't believe I called by his first name back then. It's considered treason in our world. And as for his enthronement, there are some rumours."

Gauri's back straightened at Bhavya's words. Gossip from the other world was always welcome. Leaning in she urged Bhavya to spill the beans. "The most probable one is that the now jogi, our ex-King favoured Rudra more because his elder brother was well, crazy."

"Crazy?"

In another world, millions of light years away, a man swung his blade onto a corpse. Blood splurted out and stained his mud ridden locks, but he continued mauling the corpse with a straight face and a steeper sword.

"They say he is crazy for blood. He has always craved it. He used to be better than Rudra at everything. Politics, War Strategy, Combat and even Croquettes. But he was one hell of a bloodthristy beast."

The man continued swinging, his cuts precise and timed as the crowd watched on, equal parts enthralled and disgusted. Finally the man stopped, lifting a lock of his waist long hair with his blade, seemingly uncaring about the fact that his blade grazed dangerously close to his left eye. "How many was it?" He asked the silent crowd.

"They say that he loved violence so much that he gladly accepted his denouncement and walked off to fight wars at fifteen. He hasn't returned in more than a decade."

When the crowd stayed silent, he turned back to the frail woman standing near him, her face was ridden with scars but her eyes glittered. Now, smirking, he asked the woman, "How many was it?"

"Ninety nine."

"Do you want to make it a hundred?" He asked with a grin, his white teeth contrasting his bloodied face.

"No. I won't endure it until the hundredth." The woman trembled as she still looked at the corpse of the man who had tormented her.

"So, he's a psychopath. Hmm, if we superpose the characteristics onto a person in this world, would it be Shivaay before he met Anika? I mean he is still mean, but at least now we know he can be soft. His counterpart seems more villainous though." Gauri mused as she sipped her juice.

"It isn't Shivaay." Bhavya started feeling a little nervous.

The bloodied man wiped his blade clean with a single sweep of dirt as he walked back to his personal camp, uttering his last words nonchalantly, "Let this performance be a proof of just how much Omkaara Singh Oberoi hates men who dare to lay their hands on places not meant for them."

"It is Omkaara." Bhavya completed her words carefully, as she noticed Gauri's eyes widen in disbelief.

"O-Omkaara? My Omkaara?"

"Of course, there are some exceptions to the personality match up." Bhavya quickly reassured. "His mother must have dropped him on his head a lot or something. Your Omkaara is a sweetheart who can't hurt a fly."

General Omkaara Singh Oberoi collapsed on his knees as soon as he was out of sight of the public. His shaking hands furiously scratched his face to get rid of the blood there.

"You did well, sir. I have a bath prepared." Arjun, his personal servant said softly, as he led Omkaara's shaking form to the tub containing water.

He slumped in the hot water tub, letting the water wash away his dirty deeds. Saying a quick prayer for forgiveness he knew he didn't deserve, he sat up. "They are convinced aren't they?"

"Yes, General. You did an amazing job. Now, the rumours will spread and you'll never be summoned to the capital after you get your title."

"This is all a good thing." Omkaara repeated as he let his head dunk under the water, feeling delighted at the prospect that he could drown and never wake up..

"But that is a bad sign." Gauri shook her head furiously. "If Omkaara is bad, so can I be. You need to be very careful and not trust them just because they look like us."

"Okay, meri maa." Bhavya cajoled. "Now that the heavy things are dealt with, tell me all about your love life."

And so they chatted on for another hour or so.

********

"The girls have been together for way too long. Doesn't Gauri have some work to do?"

"Focus." Omkaara replied on autopilot after hours of this guy trying to escape his responsibilities.

"You meanie! I let you kiss your crush!"

"I haven't talked to her since. If you don't have a point, focus on your studies."

"I hate you!"

"The feeling's mutual. So FOCUS!"

Rudra sighed before continuing his studies. 'What an absolute nightmare for anyone who had to study it!' He thought pitying the high schoolers who had to study this among many other just as crucifying subjects. He was totally going to reduce curriculum in his world.

The door opened in the middle of his musings. "You done yet?"

"Almost?" Rudra asked sheepishly.

"You haven't even completed one book?" Gauri asked in disbelief.

"Hey! You try reading a book in someone else's body. It's distracting."

"I bet you would just straight up refuse in your own body."

"That is-"

"Absolutely true." Gauri cut his excuses short. "Now, get up, we need to change strategies." She dragged him out before he could refuse more.

"What is this?" Rudra asked apprehensively as Gauri turned on the television screen.

"You don't have a TV at home?"

"We do. We just don't use it to study history."

"What a shame. We aren't studying history either."

"Then?"

"We're going to study Politics." Gauri winked at him as the starting credits to Mr.Queen rolled out.

"How is this drama supposed to help me?"

"Two ways. One, it will give you a break from all the reading. Two, it will give you some amazing strategies you can apply."

"I doubt the second point will turn out to be valid." Rudra said, not realizing he would bite his words 30 minutes into the episode.

"Can't we watch just one more episode?" He pleaded with Gauri.

Gauri, taunted with his own words "Why? Wasn't this supposed to not help?"

"But it ended on a cliffhanger. How am I supposed to live not knowing what happens next?" Rudra dramatically exclaimed.

And that is how The King of another universe, Rudra Pratap Rathore fell in love with Korean Dramas.

********

"So, this is goodbye then?" Gauri asked Rudra and Bhavya a few days later.

Bhavya hugged Gauri instead of replying. "I promise I'll come back."

"You can't even travel across the universe without the stone Rudra brought with him. You've already disrupted the balance of the Universe. Don't test your luck more and just stay there and miss me, okay?"

"Okay." Bhavya's voice shook a little and that was all the inspiration Gauri needed to burst out crying.

"Don't forget me okay?"

"I'll always look at Earth when I feel down."

"And I am your first friend, okay? Not that back stabbing bitch."

"Okay."

When they finally separated after a few more goodbyes, she approached Rudra who automatically raised his hands. "No, don't even think of hugging me. I'll send Omkaara out and go back."

"I'd like that you meanie!" Gauri stuck her tongue out but still kept shedding an occasional tear.

"Take care and enjoy with Omkaara. If you miss me which you obviously will, just forge a better friendship with that brat who has my face. He'll be just like me when he wakes up."

"Rudra is going to wake up, right?" Gauri asked despite having being reassured multiple times. She just felt responsible for that guy for some reason. A twisted sense of affection for the duplicate of the friend who she was sending far away was what it probably was.

"Like I told you before, he is just exhausted because we have used his soul to manipulate others. The source of our magic is the fact that we manipulate your souls to feel what we want you to feel. Since, I used the ring to store my power and manipulate souls, Rudra felt the brunt of it all. If he remembers something, you need to deal with it delicately. Make sure to not hide facts from him because we don't know how much he will remember."

Gauri nodded her worries easing up just a little. Then, she got ready to say goodbye only to be surprised when Rudra took her in for a hug. "Take care and make sure to hold Omkaara's hand for the next few days for as long as you can. The ring will help his soul stabilize."

Gauri heard the unsaid, "I'll miss you too," in between those words too. So, she decided to hug her two best friends one last time.

"Take care and be the best fucking rulers in the whole universe!" Were her last words before Bhavya's body disappeared and Omkaara's turned stiff in her arms. Realising that her boss was back, she reached out to hold his hand while unwrapping her arms from around him.

"Hi." She whispered as she took a step back to be able to think, something that couldn't happen in hos proximity.

"Hi." He smiled back.

"I'll be holding your hand to help you stabilize."

Omkaara mouthed a word that looked suspiciously similar to "Bastard" but she could have misinterpreted.

"You okay?" He asked instead of replying as he interlinked their hands.

"I'll be crying to sleep tonight but there isn't much we can do, right?"

"Right." Omkaara replied looking a little sad himself.

"Can we not work today?" Gauri asked with courage she had to work hard to build up.

"We weren't going to." Omkaara reassured her as he looked down at her over his shoulder. "I told you I had somewhere I needed to take you."

Gauri's heart stopped for a whole second. "Where are we going?"

"The church."

And just like that Gauri realised that today's date was going to be very meaningful in her future.

"Can I go home and change?" She asked as they exited the hospital where Rudra Pratap had to open a portal to reach the other world.

"Okay." He said, not knowing that Gauri had already taken half an hour to get ready in the morning, trying to choose a dress worthy of her planned confession. But then again, Gauri had a sneaking suspicion that the first one was better than the one she ended up choosing when Rudra almost beat down her front door trying to get her to hurry up.

*********

Omkaara could feel his hands sweating as he walked with Gauri hand in hand to the church altar. He sure hoped he could some day be on the other end as Gauri walked to him, but now was the worst time to feel nervous over his confession plan (the first step to his aforementioned dream) because Gauri was holding his very sweaty hands.

Before he could open his mouth to apologize for the fact, Gauri nervously giggled, "I am sorry about the sweaty hands. I didn't realize holding hands for so long would be so difficult."

"It's much more my fault than yours."

"So, are we visiting your mother after this?" Gauri asked, as she closed her eyes to pray, letting him use her hand as a sandwich to fold his own in prayer.

"If you'd like to." He said after he opened his eyes. The sight that greeted him almost send his heart into overdrive. Gauri was standing close to him her hand in his, waiting for him to open his eyes. There was something so comforting and calming in that moment that it almost looked like they had been doing this for ages. Like an old married couple.

"It's been a long while since we visited Maa, so let's do it." Gauri replied dragging him behind her. And that word, Maa only fed his delusions more. Sure, he had asked her to call his Mother Maa because all his other friends did too but that fact didn't mean that he couldn't imagine them married and visiting his mother as a sort of Sunday ritual, right?

"I love these Lillies." Gauri pointed out to the flowers growing near his mother's grave.

"Never mind the fact that you loved those roses until half a year ago?"

"You know my tastes change fast." Gauri pouted like a child getting scolded for the same thing again.

'Which is why I hope I can be your taste someday too.' He almost blurted but kept his mouth shut. Timing was important when making a confession."Is that why you've liked red since the last decade?"

"Somethings just never change." She countered before walking up to the grave and sitting down on grass. "Like the fact that your mom still thinks you're an idiot."

"I haven't visited for six months. I am sure she is angry." He took a seat next to her, indulging in her little act like he always did.

"Nah. She's just dying to know more about your adventures." Gauri countered, relieved that despite the confusion that surrounded their relationship since the kiss, they could still joke around just fine.

"I think they were more of your adventures." He countered before talking out loud to his mother's grave. "We met two aliens and rescued Rudra's soul while convincing them to change their entire political system."

"I'll always be envious of your son's summarizing skills." Gauri commented.

He smiled at the compliment. "I think your son's secretary's attention to detail and ability to spin a narrative is much more admirable."

"I wonder why he thinks that too." Gauri nodded along to a conversation only the two of them could follow. One that included someone that wasn't there. But then again, these two were legally lunatics at this point.

"She is a wondeful person. You know na, she's been guarding my position, fighting off Board Members, handling my hot headed arrogant cousin and still managing to make time to make me see some hope in this dark. Even before she did all this, she was wonderfully efficient and amazingly optimistic. She is the reason I can talk to you without breaking down with guilt. I may still be a shell who only sometimes feels things, but she is the one reason that I have been trying to be more than that. She makes me want to be more than a name in the crowd or a photograph hung in a family picture. She isn't just the reason I try but my companion in it. She helps me try new things and she inspires me to be better at things I know. Because one day, I hope I can be someone who does the same for her."

He hadn't meant to blurt out all his reasons but something about sitting between the two women who helped him grow in their own ways all the while wanting for nothing made him emotional enough to be vulnerable. So, even as he felt Gauri's grip on his hand loosen a little, he remained still. Because that was a vulnerable moment that he wouldn't take back no matter how irrational it was. Even his usually rational brain refused to consider taking back those words.

"Omkaara-" Gauri started but he cut her off by tightening his grip on her hand.

"Don't ask me Gauri. I am sure you've heard the unsaid words in my speech and I-" he stumbled, searching for the right words. "I want to give you the answers you deserve but right now is not the time or the place."

"Then, can I ask you just one question?" Gauri asked her heart beating out loud.

He nodded. And so she asked, "Did you mean all of what you just said?"

He turned to face her. "All of it." He cut his words short because he knew she'd understand.

And she did. Just like she always did.

******

"Should I sleep over at your place?" Gauri asked nonchalantly as she sipped on her mocktail in a high end restaurant of Mumbai. Omkaara had led them here to talk. If you it were upto Gauri talking would be the last thing on their to do list in this secluded dining room he had booked in advance.

Omkaara choked on his wine. "I beg your pardon?"

"Do you want to rent a room here instead? Or my place?" Gauri asked hiding her smirk. Teasing Omkaara was fun. Especially when he was still a little embarrassed about his sudden confession.

"Ms Sharma what are you talking about?"

"I am not Gauri anymore?" She pouted playfully.

"Ms- Gauri. Please, I do like you but I can't sleep-" he threw his hands up in his hair with frustration. "I wasn't supposed to say it like that."

"Then what did you plan?" Gauri asked as she put her chin on her fisted palm, leaning her elbow on the table.

"I needed to tell you something else first." He muttered looking adorably embarrassed.

"You can try again. I'll act like it is the first time I've heard it." Gauri encouraged him while silently laughing at how hard he was trying. To be honest, if Arjun hadn't given her that heads up, she wouldn't be feeling half as confident as she was now.

"Okay. So let me first tell you some important things before I go any further." Omkaara squared his shoulders, ready to do it right this time.

"Uh-huh, go ahead."

"You're having fun with this aren't you?" He glared at her for a second before melting at the sight of her sheepish grin.
"Okay, have fun. That is better than getting rejected outright."

He actually thought rejection was a possibility when he looked that adorable? Gauri wondered before encouraging him to continue again.

"So, I just want you to know that my feelings and your reaction to them is absolutely not going to affect anything in our professional life. Unless you want to switch to a person you're more comfortable with, then I can switch you to Mr Oberoi again or maybe we can get you the interim Team Leader position that is going to open up and push up our plans for your promotion." Omkaara stopped after his rant, registering and regretting his words. "I am not bribing you to reject me, okay? You can go file a case with the HR for workplace sexual harassment if you feel like this is infringing your boundaries."

Gauri knew Omkaara had more words he'd like to vomit but she wanted to ease a little bit of his insecurities, so feeling a little reckless in love, she leaned in and placed a kiss square on the lips. "How's that for boundaries?"

"Gauri,"he reprimanded as he blushed again. "We are having a serious conversation."

"Then, let me ask you. How can I file a sexual harassment case against my fiancee?"

"If that's the case then, we can come clean about this fake engagement and then you can file a case."

"You're willing to sacrifice your position as the CEO to let me file a harassment case against you?"

"Well, statistically speaking. You kissed me first, both the times. So, I'd say that you're probably not going to file a case but I just want you to know that even in the one in a million chance that you want to, you can."

"Can I kiss you again?" Gauri asked as she found herself willing to throw herself onto him at any given second. Respect and intelligence was sexy and well Omkaara was sexy in general.

"I have a few more things to say." Omkaara tried to continue but was again interrupted.

"Then, can I kiss you after that?"

"Ms Sharma-" he tried to warn but to no avail as Gauri blinked with faux innocence again. "Fine, let's do whatever you want to do after you hear me out."

"Make it quick. I promise I won't interrupt."

"So, as I was saying, you rejecting me wouldn't change anything, you can keep your job, your company sanctioned loan will be still going on discussed terms and I can pretend like all of this never happened. I do understand that my position as your boss could give me some power in this relationship but please know that I will not be taking any kind of offence to what happens after work hours. If you want to accept me and still work under a different boss, we can do that too. Whatever makes you comfortable I am okay with it all."

"You're so cute, I really want to kiss you right now. Can I?" Was all Gauri replied to his almost minute long rant.

"Didn't you say you wouldn't interrupt?"

"I thought you were done!" Gauri exclaimed. Then, realising that there was more Omkaara wanted to say, she suggested, "How about we get something to eat and enjoy our first date, and then you can read your terms and conditions to me when I sleep?"

"I am not sleeping with you!" Omkaara exclaimed a little too loudly because he was caught very off guard. What had happened to his usually sane secretary? Was she possessed too?

"You-" Gauri had to stop to release a loud breath. She knew she was taking her anger out on something else but she couldn't stop. "You don't think I am actually trying to get in your pants, do you? I was just asking for us to platonically sleep together because your soul is still unstable and the ring can help you stabilize! I am not going to ask you to sleep with me before you even gather the guts to confess!"

"Oh." Omkaara realised that he had made a blunder.

"Oh? That's all you have to say? If it weren't for your safety," Gauri raised their intertwined hands "I would have left by now. You bring me to a restaurant and start reading terms and conditions apply as if we are signing a contract and not celebrating our common love for each other! Really, Omkaara, you have a long way to go."

Omkaara realised he needed to do damage control before he ended up driving Gauri away with his need to constantly make her comfortable. "I am sorry Gauri. I shouldn't have assumed. But how about we eat before we go? I ordered Paneer Chatpata."

Gauri tilted her head in confusion, "How did you know I wanted to eat some spicy Paneer today? And come to think of it, have been craving Indian for a long time but I never told you."

Omkaara sighed (relieved,) internally. "Your tastes are more predictable than you think." He said, evading the fact that Gauri functioned on an almost consistent algorithm. She craved things she didn't have or missed. Because Rudra Pratap Rathore had been dragging her to bakeries and cafes left and right, she had been craving some spice and Indian. And as for Paneer, that was the common link in her orders in Indian Restaurants.

Gauri scrunched her brows. "But how could you know?"

"I have my ways."

After dinner with Gauri grilling him for answers about his psychic abilities and making far ranged guesses like Rudra Pratap's residual powers, they finally exited the restaurant, hand in hand a lot more happy since Gauri was fed.

"We'll have to walk back to the parking lot together I guess" Gauri whined as she trudged along. Her stomach may be fuller than when she walked to the restaurant but exercise was never welcome.

"I can get someone to fetch our car or I can carry you there." Omkaara suggested with a straight face that hid his anxiety. 'Are we still good? Are you still mad? Can I confess now or should I choose another date?' He wanted to ask but knew better than. Don't awaken a well fed and sleeping tigress, he had learnt from experience. He knew exactly where he went wrong. Plans stressed Gauri and rejecting her multiple times when all she wanted was a kiss and then topping it off with an overdramatic response to her platonic request had been the perfect recipe for her anger. She had short outbursts frequently, even if she apologised soon after that. It came from her trying to extend her patience and hiding her anger behind recurring jokes. He knew it all but he had still pushed her wrong buttons in a hurry.

"Let's just get someone to call the car." Gauri muttered now regretting her outburst. She had been feeling irritated at the fact that he was so insecure even after her repeated reassurances but after mulling over it for a bit, she realised that he had just been careful, like he always was. Of course a part of him still blamed himself for whatever happened to Jhanvi Maa and now with Rudra in a hospital bed because of the assistant he introduced, he was bound to think that he was the reason people around him suffered. He probably wanted to make sure she knew there was an exit open whenever she needed it. And she had like an idiot closed that exit and entry simultaneously effectively locking herself out.

"How about we walk until there?" Omkaara gestured towards the few stalls set up around the hotel premises.

Gauri nodded, still trying to figure out how to apologise for her outburst.

"What is the perfect gift for a confession?" Omkaara asked softly as he shifted through the trinklets displayed.

"Honesty." Gauri answered as she looked at him. Apologies can wait. She would be damned if she interrupted him again.

"Then, I'll be honest. I am scared out of my brain right now, Gauri. I think you know that when I say I never thought I could fall in love, I am not lying. I have tried too many times to deny what I feel, try to get over what I feel and try yet again to at least not burden you with my feelings. I am scared of a lot of things. I could end up ruining myself or you or both of us with my debilitating confidence and ever increasing anxiety. I am not good for you, I know that. And I want you to at least be able to realize the problems that we might face before I ask you to even try to date me. I am a planner. I plan things and I like for it to go my way. So, when I was wondering how to confess my feelings to a woman who is so special to me, I naturally planned a lot. And it all fell to nothing, when I said things in the rush of emotions, I ended up trying to overdo my next try in an attempt to salvage what I could. And that is me, Gauri. That is who I'll always be. I will plan things years in advance, I will have plans about you, about us and I will try my best to fight the rains and go by my plan. I might even end up overdoing things in an attempt to stick to my plan. And I am asking you to stick by me. Even if my plans fall apart, please just stay with me and wait. I'll figure something out, I promise."

Gauri was simultaneously at a loss for words and overflowing with emotions to express. So squeezing his hand in hers, she simply choked out, "How can I not stay?"

And so as they chatted about their future, never having said the three words they had intended to but feeling assured in the fact that the other knew, they realised that this was what forever should feel like. They didn't need to tell each other that the reason they wanted to stay was because no one else could be better for them than the other because they knew they had all the time in the world to whisper those sweet nothing's.

*********

"He seems to have recovered completely." Arjun muttered over the pile of files he was currently carrying to Omkaara's cabin.

"WAIT!" Gauri called out from beneath the filth that surrounded her cubicle after pulling through 30 hours with no sleep. "He's busy. I'll give him a call first."

"Yes Ms Sharma?" Omkaara asked over the phone as he signed off another document. "Is this urgent?"

"Just notifying you that Arjun's coming in with the," Gauri paused to check the names of the files. "Mauritius and Chicago project files."

"Check them before you send them in, I am currently talking to the executives in Mauritius."

"Yes sir. I'll get on it sir." Gauri muttered through her gritting teeth. What an absolute nightmare it was to work for this jerk! Couldn't he just trust Arjun's discretion this once? He had to have her cross check it when she was already tired of the one nighter she had pulled for her exam yesterday?

"And Gauri? Please drink the coffee on your left before you threaten to break up with me again." Omkaara softly reminded her, all hints of his previous work demeanor gone.

Gauri promptly let go of her anger and clutched onto the cup like it was her last lifeline. "I completely forgot about the delivery. Thanks for the coffee."

"It's for my own peace." He said before cutting the call. He was busy too. Having to juggle Rudra's mistakes on top his own backlog had taken a load on the entire office. But what can you do when Rudra hadn't woken up two months later and had made enough blunders in the projects he was managing to make Omkara's team work overtime to correct his mistakes before he dunked the whole company?

Gauri signed as she looked up at Arjun still struggling with his load of files. "Keep them here, I will review it once."

"You know sometimes I wonder what exactly is the problem with your fiancé? He doesn't trust us or any other employees. I have been training with you for what? Four years now. And he still just trusts you and mistrusts us."

"It's because I have exclusively trained under him. So, he has figured out the kind of mistakes I make and the kinds of things I overlook. So, when I check something, he just looks for places where I make mistakes and lectures me while signing off the document. Once, you work for him long enough, he will start torturing you too, so count yourself lucky. And you made a mistake in the spelling of three again. In what world do you think threw is used to denote three?" Gauri veered the conversation when she found a mistake.

"I get why you guys are still going strong! Both of you are terrible bosses who like pointing out same mistakes." Arjun muttered under his breath before starting his bargain of how no significant problem could arise from a simple typo.

******

"Tired?"

"Try almost dead!" Gauri exclaimed as she climbed in Omkaara's car and promptly closed her eyes after strapping herself in.

"Sleep. I'll take you to bed." Omkaara gently caressed her hair before driving away from the front entrance of their office.

"So, you're coming over today? Decided to get tempted by sins, Om?" Gauri cracked a single eye open to find his stunned reaction.

Shaking his head, he sighed. "I don't know why you still catch me off guard with these insinuations. It's been two months and I still can't believe you were hiding a play girl inside you all along."

Gauri grinned. "She only comes out around you."

"The fact that you haven't yet been convicted with sexual harassment of an unsuspecting male was evident."

Gauri had to open both her eyes to glare at him. "Hey smartpants! I know you just indirectly called my awesome flirting skills harassment!"

"I know you have a brain, Gauri."

Gauri pouted. "I hate that I love your sarcasm."

"Now sleep. You're sleep deprived and running on coffee fumes."

"Wake me up when we get home. You're tired too."

Omkaara only smiled.

********

"He isn't improving." The doctor shook his head with disappointment. "We haven't even narrowed down the cause of his coma, how can we possibly help him?"

"Do you want me to shut down this hospital?" Soumya asked her voice bordering on threatening. "Heal him, do something. He has a heart beat doesn't he? If you can make people with holes in their heart live, why can't you wake up a perfectly healthy human?"

"S-Sumo," a voice interrupted her before she could sprout some more threats. She immediately recognised the voice. Rudra had woken up.

"Stop harassing. Water." He spoke in broken sentences but it didn't matter. He had opened his eyes. That is all that mattered.

"SOMEONE GET ME A GLASS OF WATER BEFORE I DIG UP A WELL!" She shouted as she kneeled on his bedside. "Rudra, are you okay? Do you remember me?"

"How can I ever forget you?" He asked between coughs with eyes gentler than she had seen in the last four years. This wasn't Rudra. This was Rudy. Her Rudy was back.

*******

"Just sleep over." Gauri yawned as she watched Omkaara clear up the plates they had eaten in.

"Your landlady-"

"Can go find someone to cuddle with! Just sleep over. I promise I'll just sleep."

"And somehow end up atop me in the morning?" Omkaara completed as he began discarding his shirt in favour of the T shirt Gauri had "borrowed" from him and never returned. He enjoyed cuddling with her too but sometimes he had to ensure that Gauri was happy with just cuddling. He was religious and believed in saving himself for mariage. Gauri was an almost atheist and happy to throw herself at him any day she had the time to. And there were limits to his restraint. Limits that could be easily surpassed if she continued to prance around in her short night shorts.

"If you were dating yourself, you'd know how hard it is to eat a chocolate cake bit by bit." Gauri countered getting in her blanket, happy once again to note that her studio apartment allowed a clear view of a shirtless Omkaara in the small connecting room between kitchen and bed.

Omkaara now in comfortable clothes, turned the lights off before slowly sitting on the bed. "Would you like to marry me?" He asked in a softer voice as he sneaked into her blankets.

"Is that a proposal?" Gauri froze in her half lying half sitting position.

"If you want it to be." Omkaara's back straightened in anticipation of the answer.

"I would rather it not be." Gauri spoke out loud before she could find the right words.

"What are you against? Marriage? Or marriage with me?"

"Neither." Gauri hugged Omkaara from the back, realising her words were being misinterpreted. "I love you. And I love the idea of marrying you."

"Then?"

"It's the timing of it all. I want to be someone before I become Mrs. Omkaara Singh Oberoi. Something that would let me be more than your wife. So, when I become someone worthy enough, I'll be the one asking you to be my husband. You already stole my confession, you can't steal my proposal too!"

Omkaara relaxed at those words. "I got insecure again." He admitted with guilt. He knew Gauri didn't like him being insecure.

"It's okay. Just be ready to say yes, some day. Now, can we sleep?"

"Do you want to meet my father?" Gauri's eyes opened wide at the 'casual' request.

"You don't mean tomorrow at your customary brunch right?"

"He'll be off to Mauritius again after that brunch. So, that is the only time we'll meet in private in the entire month. You don't have to if you don't want to."

"It's just that I could have used some warning."

"I'll keep that in mind when we meet my entire family."

"You want to meet my parents too, then?" Gauri asked now wide awake and wondering what to wear and what to order tomorrow.

"I'd love to. But I can wait until you're ready."

Gauri sighed. "I am more worried that you'll run for the hills when you realise how much work my family is."

"I think I take the cake when it comes to dysfunctional family."

Gauri nodded because at least, she didn't have half siblings and cousins who she hadn't lived with for half her life. "Let's just make sure our kids never figure out how messed up our families are."

"You want kids?"

"Om, baby, let's not plan babies right now and let's sleep okay?" Gauri pleaded knowing Omkaara was about to go into his hyperplanneer mode. "Kids will come after marriage so, let's sleep for now."

And as if the sleep Gods had heard her prayers and magically made up a scenario to guarantee zero sleep, Omkaara's phone tinged with a notification.

"Gauri, can you pass me the phone, it's on your side table."

Gauri groaned. "Can't a woman get some sleep? What is your password? I am going to send a mean text to whoever is fighting off my sleep!"

"IshaanaOThakur."

Turns out a woman can't get some sleep. Especially when her boyfriend has a password involving another woman's name and his previous surname.

"What!?"

"I-S-H-A-A-N-A-O-T-H-A-K-U-R. All alternate A's are @ and the s is $." Omkaara helpfully pointed out.

"Why is that your password? Are you emotionally cheating on me?" Gauri was tired as hell. And this was not her most rational conclusion but she got up nonetheless looking ready to fight as she threw down the blanket.

"What?" Omkaara asked getting up too. "Why would I ever cheat on you?"

"Then why is her name your phone password. And Ishaana isn't even a Thakur. Isn't Thakur your old surname that you haven't used since Oberois announced your existence?"

"Gauri, it's just an old password. I'll change it." Omkaara found a simple solution to the problem.

"Did you like Ishaana?"

"Now where did that come from? I told you, you're literally my first everything."

"Then why is her name your password?"

"Because it's difficult to guess."

"What?"

Omkaara shook his head. "What do you take me for? A teenager? Why would I put something as obvious as my crush's name," he saw her eyes widen and quickly corrected himself, "not that Ishaana was ever a crush. But, the point is that I just use names and mix them up to make better passwords. They don't mean anything."

"Then your safe password?"

"Did you look it up?"

"Arjun told me it was Gauri Omkaara Singh Oberoi!"

"It is that."

"Are you saying it meant nothing?"

"Gauri let's sleep today. I have a feeling that no matter what I say, I am going to end up making you angry."

Gauri sighed because she knew that was true. "I'll be using you for anger relieving therapy." She warned before slipping her arms around him to drag his back to bed. And just as he had thought that was enough torture, she threw a leg over his thigh and promptly fell asleep. So, now he was being spooned to sleep with no way to change his position.

He had never imagined a day like this would ever come. So, even as he knew he had a hard day coming tomorrow, he slept with a blissful smile on his face.

*****

"Is this a joke?" Tej Singh Oberoi asked the second Omkaara finished introducing Gauri to him, as his girlfriend.

"I was less sincere when I told you I forgive you." Omkaara answered and Gauri was once again taken aback by how much more honest he'd become since they started dating. She had known coming here, that Tej wouldn't approve. So, she came prepared for rejection. In a way, she knew it didn't matter. Not to Omkaara and not to her. But she hadn't expected Omkaara to straight up insult his father to stand up for her.

"You aren't even trying to get me on your side? At this rate, I'll end up giving all my shares to Rudra. You know Soumya's got a better background and people backing her up."

"Dad," Omkaara said the word with a chill Gauri hadn't encountered in the last year or so. "I know you like to think that the empire you build by telling lies and abandoning loved ones is something everyone wants, but even delusion has limits. You really think me or Rudra want your name? The name that has terrorised our entire existence and shrunk us down to the children of the man that hurted their mothers and destroyed any semblance of a normal family? I apologise but you can keep you empire and wear it like a badge all you want but to me it is nothing more than a burning trash can."

Gauri sneaked her hand under the table to hold Omkaara's. He would soon regret saying mean things, she knew. So, she wanted to tell him that she was right here and she agreed. She conveyed the same with a smile when he turned to look at her after feeling her hand.

"You can't expect me to watch you make bad choices, Omkaara. And even if you force me to I wouldn't encourage you. Know this, the second you choose the wrong bride, I will oust you from your position."

Gauri knew Tej had the power to do that. But she still smiled as she politely turned the attention to her, "Good thing he hasn't choosen the 'wrong bride' then, Father in law?" Then, faking a gasp, she said with obviously fake innocence, "I can call you that, can't I? Or should I call you Future Father in Law?"

"Are you telling me you are a good choice?" Tej raised a brow mocking her by emphasising good.

"Dad! If you can't talk politely, I'll be leaving. Both this room and your company!" Omkaara warned before Gauri could fire back.

Gauri took the chance to tug Omkaara towards her with their joined hands. "Om! You shouldn't talk to your father like that! I am sure Future Father in Law didn't mean to come off as rude." Gauri beamed as she continued using the awkward address. She would rather drink acid than call that man Dad, Papa or any good endearment. "As for why I am good, I am sure you know that better than me. I am after all neither a naive girl who will sign off her shares to her husband nor a cheat who will start another family in secret."

Gauri knew mentioning Tej Singh Oberoi's sins was a bit of an overkill but then again, she owed no courtesy to a man who couldn't even ask one nice question to the girl his son loved.

"Did you come here to insult me? Because if-"

Gauri gasped dramatically. "How could you say that? Why would I ever disrespect you? You're the senior who helped me climb the corporate ladder and get a better job than I could have ever imagined." She took a tissue to dab at the invisible tears around her eyes. In truth, all respect she had for the man was gone the day she saw how much hurt he had inflicted on Omkaara.

"Cut the drama, Gauri. And Omkaara, get ready to face the consequences of this!" Tej warned as he got up, having his share of insults for the day.

"We really pushed him off, huh?" Gauri asked Omkaara as they watched Tej leave. "Are you sure you can handle the consequences?"

"What consequences?" Omkaara asked as he turned to her with just a glint of humour in his eyes.

"You could loose your job you know! And your family!"

"You said you would become my wife if you had an identity that was at least just as prestigious. If I get disowned, you'll probably propose soon out of pity."

"You've been watching way too many romances."

"And whose fault is that?"

Gauri had to admit defeat at that. "But are you really sure you won't regret this?"

"Mr. Oberoi will be the one to regret if he goes through with his plan. So, don't worry and tell me when can I meet your parents?"

"We've got our hands full with your family for this week. So, I'll ask my parents if they're free next weekend."

"I am not going to sass them like you did to your future father in law but can you tell me more about them?"

And so Gauri chatted on as they ate what they had ordered.

"I guess I am late to the party?" Rudra asked as he walked through the door looking nothing like a comatose patient he had been until yesterday.

"Rudra?!!!" Omkaara and Gauri exclaimed in shock. They had no idea Rudra had woken up from his induced sleep.

"Yes, the one and only. Looks like you're done with your main course, so I'll join you for dessert only."

"How? When did you get up?" Gauri asked confused as Omkaara focussed on checking over Rudra to ensure he was healthy enough to eat desserts.

"Aw, bhabhi. You meet me for the first time and you give me that stale welcome? My father probably got a better greeting."

"Bh- bhabhi? Are you sure you're Rudra Singh Oberoi? Did you loose all your memories and attitude?" Gauri asked stumped while Omkaara knowing that Rudra was only acting nice to get something he wanted, flagged down a waiter to order what he had asked for, desserts.

"What is this feeka feeka naam? (Not sweet/cute name) Call me Rudy, Bhabhi!" He grinned and if Gauri didn't know better she would've actually fallen for the act.

"Rudra sir, if you want something, just say it. There's no need to act out."

"Waah, bhai, can you believe bhabhi?" Rudra turned to Omkaara.

"I agree. You don't need to act Rudra, just tell us what you want."

Rudra's smile dimmed. "So, that's the kind of person I am. The kind that can't say two nice words to his own family if he doesn't want something."

"Rudra-" Omkaara warned because he didn't know what else to say. What made Rudra suddenly come to him? Was he planning revenge if he remembered or was he asking for forgiveness because he regretted? Either way Omkaara had been burnt enough times to know he needed to be careful.

"I guess Dad did make you guys a little hostile. Nevermind, there's always another day to repair the broken relationships. You guys enjoy I need to go see Soumya off."

"Soumya is going somewhere?" Omkaara couldn't help but ask. Because he still was a brother to the man who looked so lonely today.

"She had planned to move to Europe a few months back but couldn't go because I got admitted to the hospital. She was just waiting to say goodbye." Rudra smiled with little happiness and turned to go.

As Gauri watched Rudra walk away, she was reminded of her alien friend's words "forge a better friendship with that brat."

"Rudy, stay for the ice cream." She called out before she could stop herself.

Rudra turned to look at her with genuine surprise that broke her heart. Did he really think he was going to be alone forever?

"Can I?" He asked softly like he was scared that she would change her mind.

A child is what he was. A child who had broken a few glasses and stepped on a few thorns.

"I'll take chocolate ice cream." He grinned as he plopped doen.

"Let me first ask your doctor if you're allowed to." Omkaara sternly reminded and Gauri knew then, that Omkaara had felt it too. The fact that forgiveness didn't always need to be asked for. Sometimes, it could be demanded too.

*******

Gauri had been pleasantly surprised when she got a call from Riddhima later that day. Even more surprised when she was invited to dine with her alone (she confirmed with Riddhima that Omkaara wasn't invited, not that he had the time to eat out.) When she had asked Omkaara if she can leave early, he had nodded and said her work was done for the day and she could leave, of course as long as she came in early the next day to compensate. That stringent and khadus boss of hers was just so different from her boyfriend!

Just as she was getting in the cab to get to the restaurant, her phone buzzed.

Om: Don't get drunk and I am sorry for being rude.

Gauri: it's okay. My boss is an ass.

Om: Have fun and please don't let Riddhima drug you.

Gauri:okay😊
Btw I am so asking her the reason for this warning.

Om: text me when you reach.

And he must have started working again. Smiling, Gauri shot him a message to take some breaks and turned her phone off too.

When she stepped out of the cab at the restaurant, she first texted Omkaara and then Riddhima. She was already inside and waiting. So, Gauri decided to hurry up too.

"Did I make you wait too long?" She asked apologetically when she sat across Riddhima.

"I literally live here. It took me two minutes to get down from my hotel room." Riddhima dismissed her as she took a sip of what looked like Brandy.

'That explains the pajamas and slippers in a five star restaurant.' Gauri thought but didn't voice.

"How was your trip to Bahamas?"

"I didn't ask you to come here for small talk." Before Gauri could respond, Riddhima continued. "Tej Singh Oberoi is pissed and pressuring the Board to hand him the Thakur Corporate."

"But isn't it already his?"

Riddhima shook her head. "It is no one's at the moment. You of course, can change the truth. Omkaara forfeited his rights and so, currently the company is working on the directions of The Late, Mr. Shasan Thaur. Jhanvi Maa's grandfather for reference."

"And what were these directions?"

"Singhaniyas were supposed to protect the next Chairperson's place until the eldest male in the family came of age."

"That doesn't seem legal. Are they running a conglomerate or a kingdom? Why do they get to have protectors on a perfectly empty position?"

"The Thakurs were basically running a cult. Which is why Jhanvi Maa's mother, daughter of Shasan Thakur ran away. So, there is no one there who is going to betray Shasan Thakur's last words. The board is all made of his followers who expected someone from his lineage to sit on their proclaimed throne. But Omkaara being Omkaara rejected the offer."

"What does the net worth of Thakur Corporate claculate up to?" Gauri asked more curious than greedy. She wanted to put a price tag on the loyalty Sighaniyas were showing.

"About three fourths of the total Oberoi empire's net worth?" Riddhima estimated and Gauri dropped her fork.

"What?"

"So to put a price tag, around -"

"Don't tell me. I'll feel more worthless if you say it."

"Why would you? It's not like Omkaara actually owns it." Riddhima looked at her with disbelief.

"It would have been easier if he owned it. How am I even supposed to compare to a guy who rejected such a huge inheritance at sixteen out of love for his mother? He is practically Buddha at this point."

"Buddha didn't love his mother or wife enough to stay. He loved all humans equally. So, that is a bad example. Plus, it's not like Omkaara actually looked at the net worth. He just asked my father to make up a contract that would cut off his ties to the Thakurs. Come to think of it, that was the moment I actually started liking him. He was so cool, bossing around an adult with zero ducks given."

"You actually likes him? And wait! Your father? You're a Singhaniya?" Gauri's head was reeling.

"Don't worry about it. It was just a crush. And all my feelings for him evaporated when he rejected my proposal and told me he liked you. Now I just love tormenting him." Rihddhima winked. "And yeah, I am Singhaniya but women aren't given peanuts in that family, so I am not that big of a deal."

"So, to summarize, Omkaara's great grandfather was basically a Godfather minus the criminal activities. And his group of minions' descendants run the company that is currently being pursued by Mr. Oberoi who could use that big of a support base to buy some major shares and ruin all of Oberoi company's power dynamic. And that could result in Omkaara and Shivaay turning into puppets of his will."

"Yeah." Riddhima replied shrugging.

"How are you not freaking out?" Gauri asked her brain alreasy coming up with bad scenarios.

"Because I have a card up my sleeve." Riddhima said as she tilted her glass towards Gauri.

"You aren't talking about me, are you?"

"Well, I kind of am."

"What could I possibly do?"

"Get pregnant."

"Whaaaat?"

"Calm down. The only way I see out is that you and Omkaara can have a child who can give these Board Members some hope of a future successor. If they have a successor, they aren't going to ever let Tej Oberoi take the rightful position of their future leader."

"But I can't just get pregnant for that! Plus Omkaara would never agree to let his child take over that company."

"You guys are going to get married and have loads of babies anyways. Why not look at it as kind of speeding up the process? You don't even have to get married to have a child. At this point, the board will agree with anyone who has even a speck of Thakur blood on them."

"If this guy was such a chauvinistic big shot, why didn't he have more children?"

"Rumour had that he had a couple of fertility issues."

"What a hot mess!"

*******

Omkaara had barely closed his last file on the computer when his phone tinged multiple times catching his attention in an ominous way. Of course, it couldn't be something major. Probably some guy on his team drunk messaging him about what an awful boss he was. He got those messages frequently enough from the new interns. That had to be it. He prayed it wasn't because of Gauri and Riddhima's little date away from his eyes.

A couple of voice messages from Riddhima made him take his jacket and run as his ears heard Gauri's voice singing her remix of Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty and Daru Desi.

She was drunk drunk. And hopefully not drugged if his Lord was listening to his prayers.

The next message started with a laugh, "Om told me you could drug me! Why would he think that?" Gauri giggled in drunk again.

"Because I used to smuggle drinks to high schoolers?"

"Like alcoholic ones?"

"Yep. I used to be more successful than Omkaara those days. Ah good old high school days."

"What did he do back then?"

"Teach after school. Totally borrrriiiiing."

Omkaara thanked his stars they were at least both only drunk and not drugged. That was improvement when it came to Riddhima's shenanigans.

The next message was just white noise as they ate. And the last one was a heart attack waiting to happen.

"I am going to pick that guy." Riddhima drawled.

"Okay!" Gauri drawled too.

"Choose one too. It's no fun if you don't choose one."

She has a boyfriend and these are guys not dresses you can pick up. Omkaara thought as he stepped on the accelerator. His girlfriend was currently in the devil's clutches.

"What are we going to with whoever I pick?"

"I'll take mine up to my room."

"But I don't have a room here!" Gauri cried making Omkaara wonder, 'So you'd take him to your room if you had one?'

"Worry not I'll get one for you." Riddhima assured. And the message ended.

'over my dead body.' Omkaara thought as he threw his keys to the valet, too hasty to mind his manners. He could tip the guy and apologise later when Gauri was not getting coerced into taking a stranger into a hotel room.

When he entered the restaurant on the top floor the scene that greeted him was much better and much worse than anything he could ever think of. It was better because Gauri was not in some stranger's arms and it was worse because she was crying in Ridddhima's arms instead.

"-I know I don't deserve him. He is perfect. He is so thoughtful and all big beautiful words that I can't remember-" Gauri sobbed as she said, leaning on Riddhima's shoulder.

Omkaara suppressed a smile. That's why she was crying?

"Ga-" he started to call her name but paused on hearing her next words.

"I know it all. But ^sob^ I still get dissap^hiccup^ointed. He he should either love me or hate me. Why does he os-hi-cillate so much? ^sob^ I mean am I so repulsive that he doesn't even like to make out?"

'That's because I don't want to tempt my already withering self control.' Omkaara justified in his mind but was at a loss for words in real life. He believed that love making was a special step he wanted to take after marriage. That much he knew. But as he had learnt time and time again, there was a limit to rationality that guided him when it came to Gauri. He usually abandoned his plans and brain when it came to her reckless decisions. Just like he did today. So, he was trying to be careful so that neither of them regreted something that was to be otherwise cherished.

"That saint. Did he inherit his great grandfather's impotency?" Riddhima cursed him.

Great Grandfather's what now? Omkaara questioned before shaking away his thoughts. He needed to get Gauri home.

"Gauri? Let's go home." He called as he patted her shoulder.

"The world's best boyfriend is here!" Gauri exclaimed as she pounced on him, literally. Like she jumped from her seat and into his arms, kind of. Stumbling to adjust Gauri in his arms, he asked Riddhima, "Can I call your mother?"

"Naah. I am staying in the penthouse suit above this floor. I'll get there fine."

"Let me drop you." Omkaara ordered rather than asking. Because he was concerned she would try to do something stupid again. She was known for being reckless which is why he never left her inebriated and alone with anyone he wanted to keep alive.

"Party pooper."

Once he dropped Riddhima at her door, he continued to walk up to the elevator with Gauri now asleep in his arms. She must have been really tired from crying.

Just as the elevator returned to their floor, Riddhima rushed back out of her room.

"I told you to sleep." Omkaara reminded like a stern older brother.

"Ok, ok. I'll sleep. But here's something for you." She handed him a packet.

"What is this?" He inspected the white powder inside.

"Aphrodisiac. Might help with your sex drive."

Omkaara choked on air and promptly dropped the packet. "I don't need that!"

"Your girlfriend cried otherwise."

"We'll sort it out. Mind your own business."

"Well, this is my bussiness. Side business you know." Riddhima reminded him.

"Yeah, just get in before I call your mother."

"Party pooper." Riddhima complained again but moved back into her room.

*****

Gauri stirred when he deposited her in his car.

"Sleep." He whispered to her as he strapped her in.

Gauri of course, disobeyed and opened her eyes reaching a hand to brush his hair away. "You'll be such a good dad. I can't wait."

"You'll regret saying this in the morning. So, sleep." Omkaara reminded her but remained in his place.

"I am sorry. I am such a burden." Gauri's eyes teared.

"Don't cry." Omkaara hushed her with a soft rub on her head. "And you're not a burden."

"But I am." Gauri screamed a little. "I am so childish with you. I get angry over small things and throw a tantrum. I am always forcing myself onto you."

"No you're not forcing yourself onto me, Gauri." Omkaara softly reminded her leaning down to rub her tears away.

"I will not do it anymore, I promise. I will be the best girlfriend ever. I won't whine and I will absolutely not harass you. Please, don't break up with me." She continued in her own world.

"You're already the best girlfriend ever, Gauri." Omkaara whispered as he squatted on the ground to meet Gauri's eyes from where she sat in the car.

"But- you don't want me."

"I love you Gauri. I thought you knew."

"I love you too."

"Then why would we ever break up?"

"Because I am so much different than when I was just your secretary. I am so much more clingy, emotional and demanding. You must hate me."

"I am a different person as your boss too. But you don't hold that against me, do you? It's okay Gauri. I loved you then, I love you now and I will love you for a long long time. So, please don't cry."

"Promise? Even when I get angry and have a ton of mood swings and when I am fatter than a blue whale?"

"Practically, that's imposible-"

"Don't blab about science. Promise me!" Gauri changed gears and Omkaara laughed.

"Yes, I promise, Gauri. I'll love you even if you're somehow miraculously transformed into a whale."

"I love you."

"I know. I love you too."

*******

Omkaara woke up in the best way possible. Gauri was currently sleeping soundly beside him, her hand holding his and her legs thrown over his knee. And tp break the moment, Anika called on his phone.

"I heard from Rudra." He greeted because he figured that's what the call was about.

"Oh? That's good. But I have one more thing to share."

"When is the wedding?"

"How do you know that too?" Anika asked sounding slightly annoyed at her know it all brother in law.

"You guys have been putting it off for so many months. And you're legally married anyway. Now that Rudra is okay, I guess we can finally celebrate."

"Okay okay. You're smart. But I bet you won't be able to guess what I am about to say next!"

"I am out of ideas." Omkaara pretended defeat, knowing that Shivaay probably warmed up to the idea of him and Gauri dating and eventually getting married. But he didn't want to step on Anika's competitive toes.

"Hah! I knew it. Should I tell you or not?"

"You know I would prefer to know less."

"You're such a bore. Anyway, I talked to Shivaay and he invited you and Gauri to the family outing we are planning to announce our wedding date."

"Thank you, Anika. Text me both the dates and the venues. And tell me whenever you're free, so that I can take you both out for getting your wedding gifts."

"Ok, take care. And I'll be calling Gauri later." Anika ended the conversation knowing that stretching it on was not allowed. That was what she always felt with Omkaara, a boundary that shouldn't be crossed. If he says goodbye, you take his word for it and step back. She hoped he wasn't the same with Gauri but at the end, decided that she didn't deserve to be curious.

Omkaara cut the call, turning to find Gauri now sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"I am sorry I woke you up."

"I should be the one who is sorry. I feel like I keep messing up around you these days."

"Do you remember what we talked about last night?" Omkaara asked as he scooted back to rest his back on the pillows as he forwarded the glass of water on the side to Gauri.

"A little bit." Gauri sighed as she gulped the water down slowly.

"Then you know that I like you the way you are. You don't need to change and be someone else around me."

"But I have been acting so childishly. I practically threw a tantrum the day before yesterday because you had a different password than what I imagined it to be." Gauri apologetically muttered.

Omkaara threw an arm around her shoulder as he said, "I think it's because you feel comfortable around me. And I kind of like that you can act that way around me because you know I am not with you just for the good times. So, let me be the insecure one in the relationship and start badgering me for more kisses."

"I really really don't deserve you. But since I have you, I am going to take full advantage." Gauri smiled as she tipped her head back to pick his lips.

"So, breakfast in bed?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something actually." Gauri sat up to go. "Let me take a shower real quick."

"I'll make us some breakfast. Do you have any more of my clothes lying around?"

"Yeah, I washed them yesterday. Look on the couch." Gauri called out as she shut the bathroom door behind her.

An hour later, they were both eating breakfast of scrambled eggs and aloo paratha when Gauri finally decided to talk to Omkaara about all that she heard yesterday. "What do you think about children?"

"They come after marriage and you told me not to plan too far ahead." Omkaara pointed out.

Gauri mentally highfied her head. What a way to screw up. "But if I asked you if you wanted to father my children right now, what would you say?"

"Are you hiding away a bunch of children? Why are you asking about this?" Omkaara raised a brow.

"I want to have a child."

"You were crying about acting like a child until this morning." Omkaara helpfully pointed out.

Gauri hated how level headed he was. "Well, there is a reason I want one."

"Then, no." Omkaara immediately refused.

"What?"

"Children shouldn't be wanted for selfish reasons. Now, what did you want to talk about?"

That sentence had to make Gauri stop in her tracks. She knew it was wrong to want children for selfish reasons, then why was she trying to convince Omkaara otherwise? The reason shouldn't matter right?

Wanting to take a break from her inner monologue, she answered his question. "Your father has been making some moves. Have you heard anything?"

"I know he's trying to get his hands on the Thakur Corporate."

"Then why haven't you done anything?" Gauri asked, wondering why Omkaara was so calm when he was on the verge of losing everything he had worked so hard for. "You definitely know what's coming for us if he gets control, right?"

"I don't think it would be that bad of a thing. I can just resign and start up my own company. Or we could become business partners. You'd be getting campus placements in a year if you leave the company and focus on your studies. I can just be your house husband too. Actually, now that I think of it, it would be for the better. If I wasn't the CEO, you would've said yes to my proposal. We can get married earlier, if I am jobless."

"Are you kidding me, Omkaara?"

"Okay. I am sorry. The last part was a joke." Omkaara admitted with a smile that made it difficult for Gauri to stay angry.

"Then, be serious. You see how much is at stake here, right?"

"To be honest, I don't, Gauri." Omkaara stopped eating to look at her. "That company was never mine and if I can be taken off my position that simply, I never really deserved the CEO tag. I know I can start a successful venture of my own, and I plan on doing that if my father continues his plans. "

"But staring a venture would mean you're going to butt heads with your brothers now or later. I know you're smart enough to be a threat to the Oberois."

"Then what do you suggest? Me being a house husband? Because I am all for it." Omkaara joked and immediately stopped laughing at the sight of Gauri's glare.

"Don't you dare deflect me with jokes! I know it's going to hurt you Om, to stand against your brothers when you've just now come to repair some relationships."

"What do you want me to do then?Sell our child for my position? I am not going to have children with the intention of thrusting them into the hands of the cult my great grandfather started."

Gauri was taken aback for a second. "Wait, how did you even know that was going to be my suggestion?"

"I had doubts ever since Riddhima called you out alone. Then, you talked about turning into a whale when you were drunk. And then you started talking about kids when you clearly told me you don't want that right now." Omkaara pointed out.

"Just so you know, I was against it too." Gauri admitted with shame creeping into her. She really wanted to avoid being the person who separated Omkaara from his family, and so she was trying all that she could, forgetting that she was going to thrust their child into the life Omkaara had run away from. "But then the idea of having a child with you, and letting you keep your family had me tempted. But now, let's just figure something else out. I don't want our child to turn out to be a cult leader either."

"We're going to have a family anyway Gauri. If you're blaming yourself for separating me from my family, don't. My father should know better than trying to play God in my life. And my brothers will understand. If Shivaay had to part away from the family business for Anika, he would. So, I am sure he'll understand." Omkaara had crossed the table and was now side hugging a crying Gauri.

"I was being selfish wasn't I?" The more she thought about it the more she hated herself. Just what had she been trying to do?

"It's okay. You were just following your heart." Omkaara consoled sitting next to her.

"But why are you so fucking smart? I bet you'd find out when I get pregnant before I do!" Gauri exclaimed after calming down.

"You know you've been talking about babies and marriage right? Don't blame me if I start planning ahead now." Omkaara joked as he slid his plate from the other side towards him, keeping his hand on Gauri's lower back as a sign of strength.

"Well, you're going to be my house husband soon anyway!" Gauri joked as she lifted a morsel of he paratha to his mouth.

*************

Over the days, Rikara had devised a few schemes that ranged from Omkaara tricking the Board into giving him the Company and donating the shares to Charity, (which would lead to an economic disaster and a lot of losses to the market in general) to faking a pregnancy and eventually miscarriage to ward off the wolves (which was instantly shot down because lies only delay a disaster). So right now, they were just brainstorming until Tej Singh Oberoi made a move. They did have some stuff they could blackmail him with, but that was being saved for last resort.

"Fold your finger if you believe in Love at First Sight." Anika cheered as she pinned her gaze on Gauri.

They were currently on a family trip to a resort (owned by the Oberois, of course) to announce the Shivika wedding date which they all already knew because they had to clear their schedules. This was more of a formality for fun. They were currently playing a game Anika learnt from her foreign friends (she had tons of those) where the first one to fold all fingers had to drink a bitter concoction.

Gauri folded her finger because she did fall in love with Omkaara in the first week of knowing him. If he had bandaged her hand before, she would've fallen then.

"Ooh, when did you fall in love on the first sight, Bhabhi?" Rudra pushed to know. He had turned out to be just as insufferable as the alien. But then again, she wasn't complaining.

"Around four years ago?"

"Oooh, that means you've loved Omkaara since the first time you saw him? How cute."

Gauri only smiled because that was half true. But Omkaara had to pipe in with his way too sharp memory. "She wasn't in love with me until two years ago, so that wasn't me." He probably remembered the initial days of their relationship when Gauri in assurance of his safe password confidently declared that he was the one who fell first.

The small party of youngsters turned quite. And then, Omkaara's grandmother (who was a sweetheart who welcomed her whole heartedly) said, "It's okay, first love never works out anyway. The second one's usually the forever."

And so, they eventually shook off the awkwardness. A few minutes later, Gauri excused herself to attend a call. When she was done talking with Arjun, she was approached by Shivaay. The others were still sitting around and talking.

"I am going to be short on this. Don't break my brother's heart." Shivaay stated before brushing past her, bot waiting for her answer.

"I won't." Gauri said to the wind as she smiled at Omkaara watching him walk to her.

"It was you, four years ago it was you." She clarified.

"You don't have to lie, Gauri. I am not that insecure. I can handle you loving someone else before me." Omkaara, ever confident of his estimations assured her.

And that is when Gauri found the one flaw Omkaara's genius gave him. He never questioned what he knew. So, knowing that he wouldn't back down, she told him "I swear I won't break your heart."

"I wouldn't mind if you did."

"Learn how to love yourself a little, will you?"

********

It was the day of Shivaay's wedding before they knew it. Omkaara tried not to gawk as he watched Gauri descend the steps of her apartment in a Lehenga that looked ethereal on her.

"You look good enough to eat." Were her first words as she placed a quick kiss on his lips.

"We're in public." He reminded her.

"Doesn't matter."

"You look beautiful."

"Then, let's go before we end up missing the ceremony because I will drag you up if you don't refuse."

Omkaara laughed as he opened the door for her. "How do you never get tired of trying?"

"A girl's gotta try." She winked at him as she took her seat.

"My father is probably going to get the control of the Thakur Corporate today. There's a Board Meeting to decide my fate the next week." Omkaara mentioned as he started driving.

"Shouldn't we blackmail him with Mauritius disaster now?"

"I am trying to save that as a last resort."

"Then, what is your current plan?"

"Talking it out with him I guess." Omkaara shrugged.

"Whatever it is, don't stress about it alone."

"Okay."

"Are you sure you want to show your face today?" Omkaara asked as he parked his car.

Gauri nodded. "If I can show your father I am going nowhere, he'll probably come to his senses sooner."

"You know you don't have to. The paparazzi can be a pain in the ass."

"Good thing I have some magic here, right?" Gauri asked as she lifted her emerald ring. It probably had no magic but it had memories that gave her strength.

Omkaara just smiled as he walked out to give her a hand. "You can still run away."

"I think I'll stay."

********

"I am the one getting married, Omkaara." Shivaay gently reminded his brother as the latter continued to nervously look at the bride's makeup room.

"Gauri has been inside for twenty minutes now. You don't think she has been mobbed by the paparazzi, do you ?"

"O! How will the paparazzi even enter the venue? Have you not seen the seven foot boulders that call themselves bodyguards standing outside?" Rudra scrunched his brows in disgust of the lovesick puppies around him.

"Just go get a drink before you walk a hole through the carpet." Shivaay pleaded as he clutched his head that was spinning from the motions of his cousin.

"I'll come with you." Rudra dragged Omkaara before he could protest.

"I don't drink anymore."

"Why?"

"I almost died the last time I did."

"It wasn't because you were drunk."

But it was. Omkaara thought as he remembered that day. He had hallucinated a translucent Gauri floating in air because he was drunk and literally slipped into a coma. Although thinking back she could have been Gauri Trivedi, Gauri's counterpart in the other world. Maybe that was why he stood up for her innocence.

But the point was that he would've died if it weren't for the alien that decided to make him fight for his life. And that was why he no longer hesitated in confessing his feelings. Because if he had died that day, he would have never been able to see what he has today. He had seen Gauri smiling, whining and loving him so much that his heart hurt. He wouldn't have experienced anything without the chance that alien gave him. Maybe that was why he continued to try to repair his relationship with Rudra. Because he knew he wouldn't have had the chance without the other Rudra.

"By the way did you find who Bhabhi loved before you?" Rudra asked, breaking him away from his thoughts.

"Why would I need to?"

"Well, I know Bhabhi's not like me but I kind of wish I could get Soumya back. So, I was just wondering if she feels the same way. But of course, she's not like me. She has you." Rudra teased with the truth. Honestly, he was just looking for something to distract Omkaara from looking like he was at a funeral and not a wedding.

As if one cue, Omkaara turned to him, his melancholic expression gone and replaced by jealousy Rudra could see all too well. "Well, I do have a few doubts. But the most probable candidate is Arjun."

"Arjun?"

"Yeah he joined around that time as an intern and Gauri was in constant contact with him while she was under Mr. Oberoi."

"Then, you should be careful. It doesn't take long to rekindle old flames."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Rudra nodded. "Why don't you go find her before he does?"

And that was all the inspiration Omkaara needed to run towards the bridal make up room where Anika and friends were chilling. What a way to spark fire! Rudra applauded himself as he enjoyed his wine.

*****

Gauri was talking to Anika one second and getting pulled away by Arjun the next. "What happened?"she whispered harshly as she smiled apologetically at Anika as she was getting dragged across the hall.

"Tej sir is looking for you and he seems mad."

Gauri sighed. He was probably mad that Omkaara hadn't come back begging to him or left her. Instead they had given the media outside a nice little photoshoot with her face on full display.

"You can leave me here." Gauri told Arjun when she spotted Mr Oberoi. That conversation shouldn't have witnesses.

"Did you call me, sir?" She said to his back.

He didn't bother turning. "Leave Omkaara and I wouldn't transfer him to some remote location he wouldn't even be able to get internet connection in."

"You aren't mincing words today." Gauri observed as she carefully pieced her threat together. She couldn't directly threaten him with Mauritius so she needed to bring it up indirectly.

"You know I liked you because you knew your place. But now, it seems like you've turned greedy. If you leave Omkaara, I'll get you transfered to another branch and add a nice promotion on top."

"And if I don't?"

"Then I'll have to let Omkaara get transfered."

"I get it now, you know." Gauri sighed resigned. "The reason you don't want Omkaara to marry me. I get it now. Because if Rudra had a better maternal background, you wouldn't even fight to keep Omkaara around."

"You!" Tej Singh Oberoi turned to face her with anger.

"Your anger proves my point. But don't worry, both Omkaara and I don't want our children to grow up judging people based on their parents' achievements."

"I will absolutely destroy you."

"You shouldn't." Gauri warned using the poker she learnt after years of being around Omkaara, "because if you let Omkaara go, he is going to shift to Mauritius and talk to the people there."

Gauri saw the moment Tej Singh Oberoi realised what was being held against him. The panic showed on his face and he retreated with a feeble warning. "You'll pay for this."

Gauri just smiled as she looked around the crowd wondering where Omkaara was. And as if on cue, she saw Tej colliding with Omkaara and taking him along.

Guess Omkaara would be busy. Shooting Omkaara a quick text about what happened a few minutes ago, Gauri called her parents to confirm if they were coming. Omkaara had met them on the pretext of giving the invitation and it had been better than the meeting with Tej. Her parents had not so subtly hinted that they expected her brothers to get jobs in Oberoi Corps but Gauri had shut it down with a joke about how since Tej Singh Oberoi was against her, they'd probably be jobless soon. That shut them up quick.

"O was searching for you Bhabhi." Rudra told her as he passed her a wine glass. He'd probably come to stand next to her while she was calling her parents who had said they were on their way.

"I am searching for him too, but your dad took him away."

"Sucks to be you."

"Oh, Bhavya!" Gauri called out as she looked at a pillar.

Rudra's face immediately darkened. "How the hell-" he turned to find no one. Looking back at Gauri, he asked, "Where is she?"

"I thought you didn't remember the last four years, Rudra Singh Oberoi." Gauri crossed her arms.

"Waah, you're training to be a true psychopath under my brother's guidance." Rudra sipped his wine to avoid answering.

"How much do you remember, Rudy?"

"Enough to know that without you guys, I would have remained a puppet." Rudra muttered.

"So, why didn't you ask us? I am sure you're curious."

"Being bewitched wasn't fun Bhabhi. And I don't want to know more. I just want to cherish what I was given back." Rudra's eyes had a faraway look that made Gauri realise that he remembered much more than she knew.

"We're always here for you if you have any questions." Gauri reassured him.

"Speaking of questions," Rudra smirked. "Aren't you popping the question today? Where's the ring? I wanna see!"

"How did you know?" Gauri was shocked. She hadn't even told Arjun about her plans. Not that she could because in his eyes she was already engaged.

"I have my ways." Rudra smugly declared and to distract her, pointed out, "There! Your parents are here." Retrieving her untouched wine he said, "And don't worry, Omkaara will love the platinum ring."

Gauri reluctantly walked to her parents realising that she would never really understand Rudra. Because there was no logical answer to how he knew what she had planned, and the worries she had regarding it. So, she decided to remain ignorant because that is what Rudra would prefer.

By the time she crossed the gigantic wedding hall to reach her parents' side, Omkaara had come back from wherever he was with his father. He was currently standing between her parents telling them something that made them laugh. And that was enough for her. His happiness was enough.

Rudra looked on at the happy family with a melancholic smile. He would never have that because he didn't belong in this world. Just like she didn't belong in her world either, he thought as he remembered his friend of two months. Gauri Trivedi didn't belong either. Maybe that is why they were friends. Because they were both living in between two worlds.

As if on cue, a scene flashed ahead of him, the same wedding hall with a different name on the greeting board.

Gauri Weds Omkaara

The date read half a year later.

"So, you're actually going to get married in less than a year. I guess I'll be the only single one in a few months." Rudra mumbled to himself as he looked at the happy family. He had just taken one sip of Gauri's wine when a voice popped in his head.

"Hey! You saw future just now didn't you?"

"Yeah, Gauri. I am doing well and adjusting well into my body despite the flashes I usually get." Rudra dryly thought as he finished the entire wine in the next sip.

"So, any news about this world?"

"Nope. It was all a happy dream you can never achieve there " Rudra took his eyes off Gauri and Omkaara's smiles to look around the room.

"Happiness isn't for us, Rudra."

"You're not helping my depression."

"If you see something tell me. You know how to contact me, right?" Gauri asked and fled back to her world before he could respond positively.

'I hope you find him there too, Bhabhi. You both deserve each other.' Rudra thought as he looked at the happy couple for what he promised to himself was the last time. 'Even across dimensions, you deserve each other.'

【【【【●】】】】

The end.

How do we like this story?😂

The ending is well pretty unsatisfactory right? Well, I do have plans for an epilogue to sort out Rikara's issues. As for Rudra and Gauri from the other world, I will just be keeping you curious, at least until I come up with concrete plans.

In the meanwhile, tell me what you think of the shot?

The last half might seem a little less exciting but I needed to give Rikara some normalcy after all that they've gone through. Plus, Omkaara totally deserves the best boyfriend ever tag.

And last but not the least, tell me your theory on why Rudra Singh Oberoi and Gauri Trivedi don't belong.