Aaja Mahi- Avneil AU story

Farewell for now

 Part Six

A terrorist ploy was reduced when Neil and others captured the illegal weapons and drugs in Jatin Farzi's lair. Jatin himself had fled with whatever he could grab before Neil was able to return with his team to capture the remains left after Ananya had thrown the bomb down the hidden staircase.

She too arrived with Sunheri and one of their senior agents to the scene.

" Yaar you did what you had to. You saved innocent lives last night. Don't forget that," Sunheri stated.

Ananya nodded. Somewhere she felt defeated. Yes she had tried to be a good agent and did her best the last few tasks she had been tasked with. However she was beginning to realize this undercover stuff maybe was not meant to be. She was probably better off in Mumbai working as a doctor at the veteran's hospital there.

Sunheri noticed her forlorn look at the safe house the following day when she was packing to return to Mumbai.

" Ananya are you sure you want to go back to the Mumbai office? Since you have the medical background they will not need you in the field out there. They may just suggest you take a job as a doctor in the government hospital," her friend stated.

Ananya sighed.

" Yes mujhe gear ki raad aagayi. Besides I am sure they will need me for some cases here and there. I need to use my medical training too. I mean I worked hard for both fields. Meine koshish ki thi. Ab mujhe wapas jana hoga," she stated.

She stopped short noticing the vest Neil had lent her the other night.

" I am just going to the base before my flight later. Do you want to see DD ?"

"Kya? Why would I want to see him?"

" I heard you call out his name in your sleep last night," Ananya joked.

" No way. You are lying!"

She swatted her arm.

They giggled a bit then composed themselves.

" We work for the government. We must be serious Sunheri!"

" Yes my friend. Now I guess I can be a good friend and help you return Neil's vest. Finish packing. I will have the driver take us to the airport after the base," Sunheri stated.

" Theek hai," her friend answered.

The girls arrived at the base and asked to meet Neil.

" Sir woh Ananya madam aayi hai aap se milne."

Neil nodded.

He had a serious mission to head the next few days. They were going to destroy a terrorist cell. He wouldn't have any contact outside Commander Joshi and his team after today for about 3-4 days.

Neil thought about the hours he got spend alone with Ananya the other night. He wondered if he would ever see her again.

He arrived at the reception and smiled at Ananya. He noticed she had something in her hands.

"Hello aap kaise hain officer?"

" I am well. Yahan kaise aana huya?"

" Aap ka vest. I had it laundered. Also I am flying back to Mumbai today. I wanted to return this and thank-you for everything ," she stated.

For a moment he felt disappointed, but then he realized she could have left this vest with the receptionist or had someone else return it. She had wanted a reason to come see him.

He took the vest from her hands.

" So where to next Ananya," he said stressing her name.

By now he knew it was probably a undercover name.

She looked at him with the same intensity on their second first meeting the week before.

" I am going back to work in medicine for awhile. These assignments aren't for me. I salute you for your hard work and I wish you all the best for your next mission," she stated.

He took his hand and offered it to her.

" I really hope you reconsider if the nation ever needed you .."

" Then I will return and do what I can," she declared as she shook his hand.

" Take care now madam," he said turning formal as it was time for good bye perhaps for forever,

He didn't know if he would return alive. But if he did, he wanted to find her again.

She smiled slightly realizing Sunheri, DD and the receptionist were nearby.

" Thanks for saving my life twice," she stated before leaving.

Realization dawned on Neil that she recalled the night of November 26.2008. It was then he promised himself that if he survived the next mission he would return to Mumbai and find her again.