DON'S OBSESSION: Chasing the hunter

The past's ghosts.

-Hi...
It was all Laksh could formulate his gaze warming at the sight of her shocked face as she straitens up breathless.
- Laksh!...
A whisper she's barely able to breathe out blinking several times surprised. Sensing him about to hug her, she makes a step back retiring her headsets to say clearing her throat and pasting a smile over her lips:
- H... Hi...
He shakes the hand she stretches toward him detailing her from head to toes with interest. In the coldness obliging him to tighten his leather jacket around him, she's so relaxed in her black jogging pants and sleeveless top, her vest knotted around her hips shaping her harmonious body's curves so perfectly.

She takes a sip from her bottle of water her eyes focusing on his roaming gaze until he looks back in her eyes. Smirking at his embarrassed expression and says:

- Thousands of kilometers to stay here staring silently, inspector Maheshwari?
He frowns. Was it so obvious that her effect on him is still intact after all those times?
He let's go of a sigh replying:
- not staring.. Admiring! You seem have worked out a lot these months!
For all responses, she shrugs looking around a strange feeling filling her heart... this road is deserted at this early time but still her it is, that impression of being observed again...

- should we walk?

- Sure!

She looks finally back to him, a smile draws her lips detailing his perfect profile, a some days' beard and some strands escaping his brushed back hair. his tanned skin makes her feel how much she missed being in her country with her people... She's a bit tired to see so much pale figures all the day for the past two months.
They start walking in an awkward silence until they both ask on the same tone:
- so?
They smile at each other feeling stupid for behaving like teenagers, they're two adults working in one of the most dangerous fields in the world yet here they are, unable to face each other.
Swara says looking straight in front of her :
- you made such long trip, I suppose that there is something you couldn't say on phone or e mail.
- subtle manner to tell me that I'm not welcomed here, Swara?
She looks to him frowning for a moment, he's avoiding her gaze but she could feel that he's hurt by her behavior. For a moment, she's nostalgic for those old times they used to be a happy couple, making plans of future and imagining their common life in years... But it seems like another life she's no more sure has really lived.
Taking a deep breath, she chases her morose ideas trying to have a detached tone replying:
- no, real observation regarding the fact that we just talked together yesterday and you didn't mention anything about this... Surprise.
- we talked about work..
- ha... So you're here for personal matter?
Some steps further he suddenly walks in her way facing her which makes her stop abruptly.. She sees him taking her hand in his. A sudden need of jerking it away gives her goose bumps but her attention is caught by his sad voice making her look up to his face:
- bohot hogaya, Swara! Stop running away... Let's go back home and start again... Let's return back to those times when we were happy and forget about what happened six months ago... You were angry and I understand it but can't we...
He stops feeling her grip his wrist by her other hand freeing herself before saying calmly looking straight in his eyes:
- no Laksh... We can't... Neither me nor you!
- of course I don't! It was my fault, it's my work to judge the risks and anticipate them... I know I failed protecting you and...
She smiles to him taking his hand in her both hers saying:
- we had this conversation then, Laksh! I don't blame you... I knew the risks myself but...
- then why are you punishing me like that?
She let's go of his hands looking up to him sternly:
- you... You and only you! Can you please put yourself in my shoes for once Laksh? I was happy having you as friend, confident and mentor yet it wasn't enough for you... And blindly I believed you when you said that its love, that our relationship was much more than friendship, that professional and personnel matters can be managed if we're together... I was so fool !
- but...
- let me finish please... You don't love me, Laksh... It was never love, it's not your fault if my past will never leave me but it's for that past that I have been chosen for this mission and you know I'm right... It's my fault for having believed that the ring you put at my finger has finally proved me the respect I craved for my whole life... But if I don't respect myself so how can I except respect from you? I'm not the kind of women which a good son like you can bring at family's home saying this your daughter in law ma, this why I never met your family... I'm just good to put in someone's bed for work...
He grips her arms forcefully stopping her shouting:
- don't say that, Swara... That life is over, baby...
Hearing him call her that again brings unwelcome tears up to her eyes, she closes them hearing him add:
- I respect you, Swara... And you know that... I even never touched you just because I wanted you to feel cherished for who you are and not what you are...
- but you stayed there letting me in his hands just like it has always been in that life you saved me from... You threw me back in the hell I run from in your arms...
He let's go of her arms feeling punched in his stomach by her accusing dark pupils fixing his eyes and daring him to even blink. Her words from that day six months ago reason again in his ears
"You're just like him... There is no difference between you and Shekar Gadodia"
Anger submerges him feeling insulted to be compared with that criminal he himself jailed for using numerous girls like Swara in his human and sexual traffic!
Her words were softer today yet they had the same meaning and it's unacceptable! He did all his possible to give her a new life yet she could mock his feelings so easily!
Flashback sounds from that night fill his ears deafening him and blinding him in that jealousy sentiment he refused to even express till now and before he analyses his own thoughts, he says hatefully:
- don't act as a victim! I was there, Swara... The torture you're complaining about wasn't so displeasing for you!
He sees at the horror her eyes express hearing his words the meaning of them and before he could rectify it, she already turns away walking as fast as she could without running in need to put a necessary distance between them.
It hurts... No... It's killing to be faced by our own fears like that. The unbreakable woman she thought turned to after there was no more things to break inside her anymore was about to be shattered in million of pieces in front of him and she refuses that.