In Sunshine or In Shadow ✔ [Completed]

Chapter 5.1 - Falling

Kabir and Angre made a mutual decision to check up on Riddhima on Monday using the guise of paperwork that could keep her busy. They wanted her to feel like she was still an active member of the team, that not everything was different. That was a hard lie to swallow; it was becoming increasingly clear that a new definition of 'normal' would have to be discovered. Their biggest concern was what the new normal would be.

There was no guarantee that it would be good.

Riddhima greeted them at the door with a very bright and cheery smile. "Hey guys, you really shouldn't have come. Don't you have work to do?"

Angre raised his eyebrows at her sunny disposition but didn't push it. "Just dropping off some paperwork."

"And checking up on me," she said with a grin and a shake of her head.

Well there was no point in trying to deny the obvious. Kabir and Angre exchanged looks before the senior agent asked, "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Riddhima assured them. "I'm just glad that I'm home and out of the hospital." She grinned at the stacks of paperwork in their hands. "And now I have something to do." She tried to take the papers that Angre was holding into her arms but her cast was cumbersome and they slipped from her grasp.

"Here," Viraj said, stepping forward to take the paperwork from her. "Let me do it."

For a moment that sunny veneer slipped, just a small moment, but she put the mask back on. "Yeah, this thing," she pointed to her cast, "is getting in the way a bit. But it'll be off in a few weeks, I'll be better then."

Viraj and Kabir set the paperwork on the table by her sofa where she could work on it at her leisure. "Oh I almost forgot," Angre said and put a large paper bag on top of the paperwork. "The coffee crew sent this."

Riddhima peeked into the bag and smiled again. "Of course, more muffins." She nodded her head towards the kitchen where a few other muffin baskets of various sizes were sitting. "If I didn't know better, I'd say everyone at the CBI is trying to get me fat." She chuckled a little and the three men gave her some perfunctory smiles. "Seriously guys, eat something there's no way I can eat all of these myself." Angre looked at the tempting muffins, they had included some blueberry ones, which looked damn good.

She took one out of the bag and handed one to her always-hungry teammate. "I just made some coffee, would you guys like some?"

Angre nodded over his bite of muffin while Kabir agreed. "Thanks, Boss."

Riddhima walked over to her kitchen to fetch the beverages, leaving her teammates alone with her brother. Once she was out of earshot Kabir turned to Viraj. "How is she really doing?"

Her poorly constructed mask of cheer hadn't fooled Kabir. Riddhima never smiled like that even when she was in a good mood.

Viraj sighed and shook his head. "She didn't sleep. She keeps saying that she's fine but...how can anyone be fine after something like that?"

"Has she talked about it at all?" Angre asked.

"Are you kidding?" Viraj replied sarcastically. "She never talks about anything."

"Has she gotten over the touching thing?"

Viraj shrugged. "She doesn't say no, but she tenses up, even if it's on accident."

Kabir nodded. "So that's a no."

"I don't know," Viraj admitted, "She's trying, I think. I mean she's eating a little now but she's so..." His voice trailed off as he tried to find the word. "She's acting fine."