*Bang*
All stood still, watching in horror as Bhujang pressed the trigger aiming for Aryan who had fallen down. Bhujang tried to fire again, as Sultan's hand had loosened over his neck, but to his dismay, it was his last bullet.
"Aryannn'." Sultan screamed loudly, as he threw Bhujang away and ran towards his son, knowing he was probably too late, after all who could compete with the speed of a bullet. But can a father's soul rest unless he at least tried to protect his helpless child?
Madhu, who had been lying hurt beside Aryan, acted on instinct as she saw Bhujang in Sultan's grip as both fought with the pistol. Before anyone could make out what had happened, there lay Madhu in a pool of blood.
She had come between the bullet and Aryan just in the nick of time and the bullet hit her, in her stomach.
Madhu doubled over, covering one hand on the wound as pain she had never known shot up her body. Stifling the urge to cry out in pain, she frantically covered Aryan protectively in case any more bullets were fired.
Everyone froze as they saw this.
And then started the screams, while everyone ran to her.
"Madhuuu'''"
"Biwiii'''."
Grasping the opportunity, amidst all this confusion, Bhujang escaped, seeing that he was all alone had no more chances to fight.
=========
Sultan reached them, falling down beside them, looking at the woman who he had shown nothing but distrust and dislike lying in a pool of blood.
Because of him.
She was in this state because she had saved his son.
Again.
The last time she had done it, needlessly so, he had shouted at her for her meddling.
Even then, he had seen the fierce protectiveness she had shown towards Aryan, an unknown child, but he had paid no heed, life had taught him too many harsh lessons and he hadn't been able to look at anyone with even the modicum of trust.
He kneeled beside her, his hands which had never shaken while killing where now trembling and he couldn't seem to touch the child and woman lying together in a pool of HER blood.
=================
RK had been watching in horror as the fight had brewed between the two Dons. He wanted to just grab his Biwi and leave from there, but he hadn't been given any chances.
And now she lay hurt, keeling over in pain. Her pain was equal to his, lancing through him the same way the bullet had when it had hit him.
He ran towards her and tried to take her in his arms, however to his surprise she showed him a hand and motioned him to stay away, "Don't! Don't you dare touch me!"
=======================
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn4-gFQXDpk[/YOUTUBE]
Tujhse Naaraaz Nahiin Zindagi
Hairaan Hoon Main
O Hairaan Huun Main
Someone shouted for an ambulance while Padmini ran to Madhu, taking her in her lap, crying for her daughter. Madhu released Aryan, and after ensuring that he was okay, she gently pushed him towards his father, who was in too much of a shock to react.
Aryan was shocked to see Madhu bathed in blood and his lips started quivering, "Madhu, tum theek ho na? Tumhe kuch nahi hua hai na?" His innocent mind wanting his Madhu back. Madhu tried to reply, but the pain made her gasp and a few tears escaped her eyes.
Scared now, Aryan started to cry. He moved towards his father, his only savior, his idol. The man whose word was law according for him.
Tere Masum Sawaalon Se Pareshaan Hoon Main
O Pareshaan Hoon Main
"Sultan Madhu theek ho jayega na? Bolo na sultan?"
"Sultan Madhu ko kuch nahi hone dega na?" he sobbed, while shaking his father's hand.
Receiving no answer from his father, he crawled back to Madhu and hugging Madhu, started sobbing again.
"Jana nahi Madhu! Please don't leave me." He wept, burrowing his small head into her bosom while sobbing heart wrenchingly.
Madhu put her arms around him, consoling him while he wept, calming him down, and murmuring that she was all right, even though it pained to even breathe. "I am not going anywhere Aryan. See I am right here." She wiped his tears and pecked his forehead. "My Aryan is so brave so how can anything happen to his Madhu?" she questioned, smiling through her pain.
Aryan got up and wiped his tears, nodding his head, "Aryan and Sultan won't let anything happen to u. Tum ghabrana nahi Madhu."
Madhu smiled at the brave child who had unknowingly made a place in her heart. Her gaze then went past him to the man who was kneeling a few feet away, his head bent in guilt and pain.
She didn't need his words to know what he was thinking. In these few days, she had come to read him to some extent and could follow his convoluted thought processes.
"Sultan'" she called out, making him look up. But he refused to look her in the eye.
"I know what you are thinking. You never wanted any favors from me. But such is life. Pata nahi kab kis mod pe le aaye hume."
Jeene Ke Liye Sochaa Hi Nahi
Dard Sambhaalane Honge
Jeene Ke Liye Sochaa Hi Nahi
Dard Sambhaalane Honge
She waited for him to say something, but he didn't. He couldn't as guilt was eating him up from within. Why had he let her talk him into coming here? He knew danger was his second name, and his staying here could be dangerous to her. But still, he had allowed his emotions to rule over cold logic and the result was right in front of his eyes.
Muskuraaye To, Muskuraane Ke Karz Utarne Honge
He remembered her smiling and happy face of just a few hours ago. Running around and playing with Aryan, spreading her brand of happiness around. It had been so infectious that even a cold hearted stone like him had felt tempted by her smile.
Looking at those eyes of hers, which hid a million pains while her lips smiled, he had felt like smiling and living too. And he had, smiled with her.
This morning when she had come to wish Aryan and was going to retreat without wishing him, he had wanted her brand of joy. No matter if it was only for a minute.
Muskuraauun Kabhii To Lagataa Hai
Jaise Honthon Pe Karz Rakhaa Hai
The happiness which shone through her on his submission to her as he had all but asked her to put the tilak for him, still made something within him melt.
He remembered splashing her with kumkum by mistake. Her smile as she lessened his embarrassment, her giggling with Aryan as he had been pushed.
Her holding out a hand to help him up.
And the Sultan who had mocked any kind of 'sahara' had without any hesitation grasped her hand.
But now she had to pay, pay for his deeds.
It seemed like happiness wasn't meant to be a part of his life.
And it was high time he remembered that.
Ho Tujhse Naaraaz Nahiin Zindagi
Hairaan Hoon Main
O Hairaan Huun Main
"Abhi sultan ke kandhe itne kamzor nahi hai ke itne se boj se zhukh jaye!" He looked up at her words, remembering her taunts of spondylitis, which had made him smile inwardly in spite the irritation he felt at her sauciness.
Their eyes locked together, guilt meeting compassion.
Zindagii Tere Gam Ne Hamein
Rishte Naye Samajhaaye
Mile Jo Hamein Dhoop Mein Mile
Chaanv Ke Thande Saaye
"Maybe this will prove to you, that everything in life doesn't have a price tag and can't be brought in that shopping mall of yours."
She looked so calm, even though he knew that she must be in immense pain. Yet she was talking to him, trying to alleviate his guilt. Why hadn't he understood her worth before? She had been more than a mother to Aryan, and he had mocked her always, questioning her concern for his son.
He had been a sorry excuse for a father, not knowing how to love his own child, till she had made it her life's mission to tell him so. How could he ever repay her for all that she had done for him? his head hung in shame as he remembered his taunts about money.
Like she could read his mind, she whimpered as talking had become painful now, "Don't think of ways in which you can repay me. This is also a gift, no strings attached."
He leant closer to her to hear what she was gasping, as she added, "But if you really want to do something, then give Aryan the love that he deserves. Be his father and mother not just his 'Sultan'"
"Now take Aryan and go from here. Somewhere far away, so that you both are safe. Those men will come back any instant and I want you to go before they are back." she stated
Ho Tujhse Naaraaz Nahin Zindagi
Hairaan Hoon Main
O Hairaan Huun Main
She suddenly crumbled, over making Aryan scream while he jerked towards her, almost touching her before he realized his boundaries.
RK who was standing back and watching all this like a silent spectator came to kneel before her, unable to bear her pain. However she refused to allow him to touch her. He had no role to play in this scene he realized. Madhu had moved a sphere away from him, where he couldn't seem to touch her no matter what he did.
Aryan was weeping copiously now and refusing to leave Madhu's side while Padmini screamed for the ambulance, crying at the condition of her daughter. Suddenly, Aryan got up and wiped his tears followed by Padmini's.
He went to the side and closing his eyes, joined his hands and began chanting his favorite prayer. (Especially for Rolzzy and Jules!)
"Hoslon se Veer hu.
Sankaton me Dheer hu.
Dushmano ki Peer hu.
Apni Madhu ke sahare bas yuhi Balveer hu."
Seeing the little boy's dedication, Padmini cried more, not able to even blame him for what had happened to her daughter.
Aaj Agar Bhar Aai Hain
Boondein Baras Jaayengi
Kal Kyaa Pataa Inke Liye
Aankhein Taras Jaayengi
Sultan looked away, as Padmini glared at him, knowing he had failed in his promise to her. As he turned away, he caught a few people whispering among themselves and glaring at him. Before he could think more about it, kaka came to him and whispered something in his ears, which made him stiffen.
He looked at the woman in front of him, one more time.
Maybe for the last time. His eyes drank in her simplicity, her beauty, her courage, her pain.
He knew that the time had come to release her from his evil aura. He whispered something to kaka and straightened himself, getting a control on his emotions and reverting to his cold self.
Jaane Kab Gum Kahaan Khoyaa
Ek Ansuun Chhupaake Rakhaa Thaa
He saw the chawl people coming towards him and removing a gun he had frisked from one of Bhujang's goons, he grabbed the nearest man and pointed the gun to his head yelling, "Stop right there!"
Everyone stopped, glaring at him, yelling at him to leave the man, threatening him with police calls. Some even started bad mouthing Madhu for having given shelter to a gangster in their chawl.
Madhu and Padmini were shocked at his stance, and all they could do was stare at him in betrayal. Aryan was also shocked at his father's attitude and clung to Madhu. But Sultan gestured Kaka to take Aryan away.
"Ye sab drama bandh karo." His tone was all the more deadly for its silence. He didn't need to raise his voice to make himself heard. Menace coated each word he uttered.
"Agar is bekawoof ladki ne apna mu bandh rakha hota to ye sab hota hi nahi!" He spat, then turning to Madhu, he looked directly into her eyes, "Kaha tha na maine tumse? Agar tumne kisi ko mere bare me bataya ya mujhe dhoka dene ki koshish ki to anjaam accha nahi hoga? Par teri itni himmat? Tune mujhe pakadwane ki koshish ki?"
Madhu was at first confused as to what he was saying, he wasn't making sense, and the pain in her stomach was making coherent thought difficult for her.
Padmini who was weeping yelled, "My daughter helped you and you are'." But he cut her off, "Your daughter didn't help me out of any goodness of heart, she did it because she had no choice. Had she not done so, I would have killed you all without a second thought."
"And you should know by now, your daughter has a habit of thinking more of others and less about herself. It was so easy to manipulate her." He laughed.
"But now, it's time for me to leave. If anyone moves from their places, it would be their last step." He threatened as a guy was trying to take out his phone.
Ho Tujhse Naaraaz Nahin Zindagi
Hairaan Hoon Main
O Hairaan Huun Main
He looked back at Madhu one last time, trying to meet those hazels which looked at him, tears shining in her eyes as she realized what he had just done.
Madhu looked into those deep blue eyes, finding unheard and unsaid words. Those eyes were the last thing she saw as he disappeared with Aryan and kaka from her life.
Maybe forever.
Tere Masum Sawaalon Se Pareshaan Hoon Main
O Pareshaan Hoon Main
As they left the chawl, Sultan took a crying Aryan into his arms, hugging him tight. He didn't know whether he was consoling his son or did he needed the solace himself.
Aryan kept on weeping and asking, "Kya hum Madhu ke pass nahi jaa sakte?" the entire way untill he slept.
And for the first time, Sultan couldn't promise his son what he wanted.
==============
A tear escaped her eyes at the thought of never meeting Aryan again. He had managed to worm his way into her heart and she would miss him terribly.
She remembered those intense blue eyes, will she miss him too? She didn't know but she just prayed that wherever they go, may the Lord take care of them.
Would she ever meet them again? She had no idea.
==========
RK stepped forward, saying, "Why didn't you tell me that he was blackmailing you Madhu? Dekho kya haal ho gaya hai tumhara'."
But she again pulled away from his touch, showing him her blood smeared hands and watched as his face crumbled.
"Mr. Superstar, ye aapki film ka set nahi hai aur nahi yaha koi apki is beshumaar acting ke liye aapko paise dene wala hai. To aapki is jhooti fikar ka quota aapke pass rakhiye"
"Biwi'" He almost begged but she turned away, looking at her blood smeared hands, "This blood has no value for you. Didn't you tell me that?"
She looked up at him, reminding him of the UN-wedding, her pain increasing at the thought of the torture and humiliation he had put her through
"Is khoon ki tumhari liye koi ehmiyat nahi hai! So don't bother with faking emotions that you know nothing about. Get out of this chawl and my life forever." She gasped as breathing became more and more difficult for her.
"I never want ''to '.see'..u'.ever''" she managed to whisper before falling into a dead faint.
