The Path Less Travelled.

If tomorrow starts without me...

Fair warning, its gonna be slightly emotional.

Do not pity the dead. Pity the living, especially, those who live without love.
- Albus Dumbledore.

The 9 of them, along with some others, are reviewing the documents the entire night, in hopes of finding something, some little thing, which might save him.

And they find, indeed, the officers were right.

Theirs hearts cannot believe, what theirs eyes cannot deny.

There is undeniable proof of Raj's involvement.

Its almost 7 am.

Abhi gets up, and leaves.
Nobody has the emotional energy, to ask him why or where is he going.

.........

Abhi heckled with the presiding officer for hours, resquesting, pleading, and at one point, even threatening.
He stood there, as people came and went, even as the officer threatened consequences.
He kept pleading, until finally his luck decided to help him.
BC had come to meet the officer, and heard Abhimanyu pleading.
And on his recommendation and personal responsibility, Abhi was allowed to see Raj, for half an hour.

.....

He is seeing him upclose after weeks.
He looks even worse. He can see that the gash on his cheek is pretty deep.
His eyes are sunken, face pale.
And he had grown frail.

Abhi and Raj stared at each other, neither of them speaking, for a long time.

Then finally, Abhi broke the silence.

Abhi (Sarcastically) : Serving your country by staying alive, is sometimes more important than dying for it.
Aisa hamara ek dost kaha karta tha.

Raj smiled.

Abhi went and sat on the raised platform near the wall.
Cold and hard, he noticed.

Abhi : Kya hai na Raj, I hate hypocrites.

Raj sits down on the floor, his back supported by the wall.
R : Chauhan saab.... aap mujhe galat samajh rahe hai....

Abhi (angrily) : Ham galat samajh rahe hai Raj?
Ham?

Raj closed his eyes.
Exhaustion was overpowering him.

Raj : Aapko, ....mujhse milne ki..permission kaise mile? He said, with a slight smile on his face, aware that his friend must have fought tooth and nail, for this meeting.

Abhi : Choryena Raj. Kya farak padta hai.
Bas kuch der aur, aur phir game over. Kuch din sab udas rahe ge, phir move on.
Life goes on...nai Raj?

R : I had no other option, Chauhan saab.
This was the easiest way.

Abhi ( getting up, angrily, and comming to Raj, sitting down on his knees, opposite to him, shaking with anger.) I see...ye..ye drama zaruri tha nai? You had the necessary proofs. Why feign the proofs against you, and put them with the others?
Why go through all the trouble, if you wanted to die anyway.
Raj...you always liked showmanship, nai?

He turned his face away from Raj, in anger.

Raj : Chauhan saab.....aapko kya lagta hai?...Those proofs are enough to put Gehlot behind bars? Nai...
They will never be enough.
In fact...theres a lot more...I...I did not have the time...warna...

Abhi : Phir kyu Raj? Kyu??

Raj : Abhi...mere dost...dont you get it.
My death will put pressure on the authorities,....if they have convicted and executed one member, they will have to bring to book, the others too.
Or else, there will be public outrage.

I mean...I have...made sure there will be.
I have made sure, that my death will be politicized.
Only public pressure, can ensure that Gehlot and his cronies pay for their crimes.
Warna...warna phir wo log bach jayenge.

Raj eyes had turned misty.

Abhi...Gehlot was using my money to fund terrorism.
He...he..used me.
Made sure I was out of the way.
All those...talks,...all that support...
Sab jhooth tha.

Wrenching his hair.

I...insaniyat se...bharosa uth gaya tha mera...jab I...found out.
I ....just dont have the will to go on...
But...I couldn't let Naveen's death be in vain.
Bas...isiliye...ye plan...
At least...meri maut se..desh ka to faayda hoga.

He rested his head back, against the wall, tears flowing down his face.

Abhi, for once in his life, was speechless.
He could not think of a single argument.

Raj...aap...I am sure koi aur...tarkeeb hogi..plz Raj.
I know you know.
Please.
Please tell me.
Please tell everyone the truth.
You tampered with the proofs, you will know how to prove the ones against you are fake.

Raj : Nahi Chauhan saab.
I can't tell you that.
I am sorry.
This must go on.
And anyways....I have...no reason to continue living.
Kiske liye jiyu....

The guard came, to announce that the visiting time was up.

Abhi desperately racked his brain..for something. Anything..to convince his friend...to live.
And only one thing came to his mind.

Naina.

Raj...Raj please meri baat sun ( the guard was grabbing Abhimanyu, to take him out).
Raj Naina.
Uske baare me soch.
(Struggling with the guard)
She loves you Raj.
She loves you.
Uske liye. Please.

Raj looked at Abhi, for the last time.

Nai Chauhan saab. You are wrong. She dosen't.
If only....
He did not complete his sentence, as a tear slipped from his eyes.

Abhi jerked the guard away, and came to Raj, who had stood up.
They hugged each other, both crying.

Abhi cupped his face.
He was still pleading.
Raj please...

Rajveer however, shook his head.
Nahi Chauhan saab.
I have been the reason for a lot of pain to her.
I cannot do it anymore.
This is for the best.
Uska...khayal rakhyega.
Please.

Those were the last words Abhi heard from him, as the guard yanked him out of the cell.

......

Naina opened the letter.
She had spent the entire morning in panic, not knowing what to do, when suddenly, she remembered the letter.

Cadet Naina Ah Singh.
(Naina could almost hear him saying that, and invariably, a smile came to her lips.)
Let me begin by telling you, how truly honored I was, to have met you.
You are exceptional and your trust, is something invaluable to have.
I am deeply honored to have had that.
I wish you will live the happy life, that you have always deserved.

Please forgive me, if I have ever hurt you, by words or deeds, and believe me, when I say, that if I have, it was unintentional.
I will only add, have courage, and be kind.

And..if tomorrow starts without me, promise me you wont give up on life.

Rajveer.

Naina looked at the paper, desperate to find more.
Turning it around, upside down, everything.
There just wasnt.
This was it.
Why had Rajveer Sir, written the letter as if...as if, he will never meet her again?
This cannot be true.

Her heart sank, as tears came unbidden, to her eyes.
And she sank to the floor, crying.

That was how a distraught Abhimanyu found her.

They looked at each other, finding the confirmation of their knowledge, in the other's face, as the clock struck 1.