Na Jaane Kyon...

Tum hue meherbaan toh hai yeh daastan

Title is the song 'Tumko paaya hai toh jaise khoya hun' from movie 'Om Shanti Om'

Sameer felt a dampness in his eyes. He had wanted so hard to make Naina come out of her dismal memories, but somewhere in his heart, he wasn't too sure if she could let go of the demons of past. Yes she had put aside the traumatic period of her life when she had stepped into this bond of love that she shared with him willingly. He had seen her struggle to come out of pain that gripped her every time she tried to smile for him in the beginning... but as nanu had said, she was a fighter. The Naina who was with him today had truly left behind that part of herself and opened her heart to all love that he gave her, cherishing it and giving back much more.

Still, some corner of his heart was filled with dread when he thought of this idea. This day wasn't like any other. He had seen her completely broken on the same day last year. Lost to the world, she was drowning in her grief, plunged into the sea of pain and tears. He was shocked at that time, since he had always seen her poised and in control. Now that he knew the reason, he was scared that Naina would never be able to break the connection. Excruciating memories would forever haunt her... on this day specifically. She had known tribulation, when she was betrayed so brutally... she had suffered distress, when her only support her parents were snatched away in a cruel stroke of destiny... she had suffered persecution, when every person around her had hurled bitter accuses at her. With him, she did leave behind most of her sufferings. But he knew she still attached the day to only that one bleak incident. He wished to break this last thread too.

And he was successful.

Naina had shown her strength yet again... also, her immense faith in him. It was the relief of this realisation that blurred his eyes when he looked down at her smiling face in his arms. As she watched him, he couldn't help the tear that rolled down his eye, his lips curled in a small smile. She blinked, swallowed, then lifted herself and placed her lips on the drop that was still on the edge of his stubble.

"Hey!" He smiled widely, "Khushi ke aansu hai. Don't worry."

She cupped his face, looking into his eyes intently, "I don't want to be the reason of your tears. Kabhi nahi."

He gently rubbed the pad of his thumb between her brows, erasing the little frown, "Tum meri har smile ka reason ho. Aur aaj tumne jo kiya hai... I'm so proud of you Naina, and so happy."

"Maine toh kuch nahi kiya Sameer. Sab tumne kiya. Yeh." She waved her hand at the decorations, "Yeh," she pointed at the glittering sky above, "Yeh," she indicated at her own smile, "Mere andhere ko taaron se bhar diya."

His eyes brimmed with elation. Raising his brows, he looked at he expectantly, "Toh?"

Her brows went up too, a little perplexed, "Toh? Toh kya?"

One corner of his mouth stretched into a teasing smile, "Aise hi celebrate kar lein? Bina meethe ke?"

She waved her head slightly, "Uske liye tum kab se permission maangne lage?"

He squeezed his eyes shut, sighing dramatically, "Uff Naina, kitni one track ho tum. Main toh birthday cake ki baat kar raha tha."

He opened his eyes just in time to see her flushed cheeks before she swatted his arm and turned her back to him.

Grinning, he whispered in her ear, "Abhi aaya," and dashed towards the stairway.

Naina turned, a smile pasted on her lips. He had managed to dissipate the heaviness of their emotions with his charm, yet again.

Sameer returned shortly, with a plate which held... Naina was surprised to see... a block of kesar kulfi.

"Uhh..." He scrunched his nose, "main... main cake isliye nahi laaya tha kyonki... mujhe laga kahin tum... matlab kahin tumhe bura na lage."