Annika is dreaming in her sleep-
She and Shivaay are standing in waist-deep water,in a lily pond.It's night and the majestic moon is hanging up above the sky and sending its sweet,soft beams over the surrounding.Fire flies are glowing around those countless flowers on the water.A soothing breeze is playing across the pond,stirring those petals and awaking the fragrance.
Annika is splashing water on Shivaay so is he.At one point she says-
A: I have never seen anything this beautiful.
S: More beautiful than you?Not possible.
A: Statement of an overestimating husband!
S: Statement of a supremely in love,a totally smitten husband- If you want to know the truth....Annika blushes crimson red.
Can I.....ask you something?(She nods)Annika,do you.....love me?
At the question Annika shivers then looks down.Seconds later when she lifts her face she meets Shivaay's ardent gaze.Her lips tremble as she utters-
A: Yes,I.....love you.I am also madly in love,a totally smitten wife.................They look into each other's eyes.Slowly,Shivaay pulls her towards him without breaking the eye contact.Annika's hands rest on his back as she stands staring at her husband.Shivaay picks up a half-bloomed lily flower with which he starts trailing Annika's face.She closes eyes clutching his kurta in her tight grasp.He brings the flower near her mouth then makes it caress her wet lips.Afterwards,he kisses the same flower then let it drop.This time he pulls her more close,keeping the distance just a breath's away.Shivaay aims for Annika's wet,trembling lips and within seconds they are sealed with his.Annika moans yielding to the sensuous touches of her husband's lips.Their bodies are crushing against each other thus igniting the fire of passion.Raw,wild desire wraps them up as they go on drenching in that aphrodisiac moment........They withdraw from each other after what seems like an eternity.In a complete breathless state,they join their foreheads.Shivaay says cupping Annika's cheeks-
S: I can't live without you Annika.Not even for a second....Annika says hugging him close-
A: I...I want to tell you something.
S: What is it?
A: Shivaay,I am...............Annika stops feeling a strange movement under her feet.All of a sudden black,dark clouds gather up in the sky out of nowhere.There one by one all flowers start drowning deep,vanishing in the water.Fire flies are scattering away because of the gusty,howling wind.Shivaay and Annika get frightened watching the sudden change of the nature.Within seconds a whirlpool surfaces in the water and it pulls them into it.They struggle to come out but an unknown force strikes which separates them still they keep on holding each other's hand.In no time that force becomes more powerful.Shivaay and Annika have to let go each other's hand as they are pulled apart in the opposite direction................Here Annika wakes up from the sleep with a jerk.Her body is convulsing terribly and the feeling of suffocation is extreme.Annika starts coughing.Right that moment Shivaay comes out of the washroom and finds her in that wretched condition.Throwing away the towel he rushes towards the bed then holds her.He offers her a glass of water which she refuses to drink.He tries to calm her down which is seeming like impossible seeing her condition.He takes her for a tight hug in his arms.Annika starts crying.
S: Sshhhh.....Don't cry,plz.Won't you tell me what happened?
When Annika opens up finally,Shivaay manages to get only this- She dreamed a terrible dream.It was very bad rather worst.Like a little girl she goes on sobbing.Shivaay realizes no matter what he says,Annika will remain inconsolable.That nightmare has left a lasting effect on her.She is totally shaken and afraid.Shivaay consults their family doctor on the matter.
Some Time Later
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Annika is getting ready standing in front of the mirror.Taking the vermilion box she tries to open the lid but couldn't.Both her hands start shaking dangerously.Shivaay comes and touches her hand.
S: You are still thinking on it?It was just a bad dream Annika.
A: I saw something in that dream which is eating me out.You know even before that dreaded incident I dreamed you were leaving me and....She stops.
S: That can be a co-incidence Annika.
A: No,it's not(She almost shouts)You won't understand but my heart is saying something amiss is going to take place.What if.....Sentence remains incomplete again.Her eyes turn moist.Shivaay takes a deep breath then takes her hands into his warm grasp.
S: Tell me this Annika- What is the worst ever incident happened in your life?She tries to remember.
Should I tell you?I believe......it's our marriage.Neither you saw that coming your way nor you imagined.You were sure at that time nothing,nothing could beat it in experiencing the worst.You were shocked and shaken beyond imagination which was significantly expected.After you came in terms with the reality,what did you do?Did you accept defeat and got cornered?No,you didn't.You protested and fought,continue fighting till the last minute without breaking down.
When that couldn't dampen your fighting spirit then why are you letting a mere dream give you a melt-down?Do you think it's fair on your part?I saw how fierce you were during the time of our marriage.You were least intimidated despite being pushed so hard.When Annika Vardhan Trivedi didn't fear then why should Annika Shivaay Singh Oberoi?As far as I know,they both are born fighter and giving up,accepting defeat simply don't exist in their dictionary.Do you know the best part?Even if they have to burn in the fire of fear or anything,they rise like a phoenix in the next very moment.And they both are- (He kisses her forehead)
My Annika,Shivaay's Annika.You are the most strongest,bona-fide,most beautiful person inside out I have ever met.Always remember this- You are my strength,Shivaay Singh Oberoi's strength.We are not two but one Annika.If you fall weak,I fall weak without even asking.Perhaps you never noticed but that's the truth.Look at me and tell,do you want me to fall weak?
Annika hugs Shivaay.
A: Never,ever..........Smiling,he kisses her hairs.There,Annika says in her mind-
"..........Shivaay is right.I forgot that my worries,tensions,stresses are affecting not only Shivaay but our baby too.But,what could I do?Ever since I have realized my love for you,the definition of fear got changed.What it really means to get feared,experienced with my entire being when I was about to lose you to death.You too are my strength Shivaay.Together,we can fight against all possible odds.Just don't leave my hands.Stay with me,always.........."
They retreat from the hug.Shivaay opens the lid of vermilion box and fills Annika's hairline.He kisses her forehead then says-
S: You are ready now it's my turn.We are going out.......He goes away jingling her jhumka.
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Shivaay takes Annika to watch a recently released romantic movie.Afterwards,they do lots of shopping.Later having lunch,he drops her at OM and goes to office to sign some important papers.Completing the matter as quickly as possible,he returns home......Shivaay was drinking coffee when Pinky entered into the room.He asked her-
S: Where is Annika Mom?
P: Her college friends have come to do group study.All are doing masti in Prinku's room!
S: Good.
P: Do you need anything?
S: No Mom.Thanks..........She leaves.
Opening the laptop he stands up to take a project file from the drawer.That moment Annika's phone rings on the bed.Coming near he picks up."My Doctor" is seen displaying on the screen.He receives-
S: Hello?
D: Can I speak to Mrs. Shivaay Singh Oberoi?
S: Actually doctor,my wife left her phone in the room.She is busy otherwise...Is everything okay?
D: Everything is fine....The thing is,she called me sometime back but I was in the middle of an OT.Just got the time to call back.
S: I will inform her that you have called.
D: Thank you Mr. Oberoi................The conversation ends.
Hanging up Shivaay heads for Priyanka's room with Annika's phone.On the way to home from the office,he thought something.Now thinking on it brings a sweet smile in his lips.What he thought is this-
Once he returns from Delhi,he and Annika will set out for an abroad trip.A world tour could have been perfect but that can hamper her study.One or two week would be perfect.But they will take on a world tour at the year end after Annika's semester final exams get over.Him and her being close without those harmless restrictions of study and business is definitely a luxury- Shivaay thinks.It's true to a great extent.If Annika would have been a housewife,he could enjoy a major portion of her attention.Now half of her time is invested in studying,college,exams and all.Still,he is a very happy husband.If a husband is happy,credit for it goes to his wife.And this is told by Annika herself.Shivaay recalls smiling.
There is no doubt Annika was exceedingly tensed in the morning.He has seen pain in her eyes.She must have gone through tumultuous time when he was in coma.She has seen that incident in front of her eyes.Some people can't recover from such traumatic experience.That's why perhaps fear has got rooted in her heart which has made her sensitive to feelings.Even a dream has managed to trigger her like that.When Shivaay came out of coma,he was surprised noticing a drastic change in her.That edgy,quick to react,sharp-tongued,devil-may-care attitude holding Annika got turned into a sweet,soft,calm and composed one.Though he felt and caught that change in her first at Badalpur,came to understand fully in recent time.Is this change happened because she...........Shivaay's racing heart makes him stop.He puts his hand on his chest and says-
S: Has Annika fallen in......in love with me?Did that happen actually?Is it for real?
In his mind,Shivaay goes back to the night of his and Annika's first wedding anniversary.She gave him a surprise gift and then.......Every single word,gesture,expression of Annika starts playing in his vision.It was written all over her face,so clearly but he failed to notice.She accepted him and his love that night in fact they celebrated the love they felt for each other.He and Annika became one from two,merged into each other.The world was forgotten on that love-enchanted night.
A love story is incomplete without those three magical words that Annika said without saying.Shivaay Singh Oberoi realizes this with a jumping heart inside his ribcage.