It was a very happy and bright evening with the large banquet hall of the famous five star hotel of Mumbai city full of guests. Different types of voices of different ranges could be heard from it while the stage was still empty. The guests... wait a minute!... none of the guests were any ordinary people, but they were officers of higher ranks from different departments of different states of the whole Indian Police Force as today was the evening of Annual Award giving Ceremony of Police force, arranged by Maharashtra Police this year. This evening was the evening of success!

ACP sir along with rest of the team were seemed to be sitting in the front row of the hall, looking very much bright and happy as they were confident that this time also, they would get a number of awards in their basket with a lot of praise! But among them, Daya was seemed to be a bit of absentminded. He was actually searching for someone in the seats of the invited guests. Finally he pressed Abhijeet's palm a bit which made his brother face him with a low...

Abhijeet: kya hua?

Daya: woh nahin dikh raha hain... card diya tha na tumne use?

Abhijeet: haan... bheja to tha... mere guest list mein sabse pehle usi ka hi naam tha... in fact maine uske aane ka sara arrangements bhi kiya tha... aaya nahin kya ab tak?

Daya: shayad nahin... dikh to nahin raha hain...

Abhijeet was about to say something when the announcer entered the stage and the ceremony started with a lot of applause. Daya and Abhijeet did not get the opportunity to search for their special guest anymore as the award giving process started and they had to congratulate the winners with a lot of applause. After giving awards to the police officers now it was the turn for the intelligence officers to receive their awards. The announcer announced in cheerful tone...

Announcer: now I am going to announce the name of the winner of the title of "The Best Cop" among all of the intelligence department across whole India. The winner is the man who has proved himself as the fighter against all catastrophes and also a winner too. He has proved himself best as the senior, best as juniors and best in the missions even! He can be called as the Man of Iron Spines in front of whom no danger, no threat, no difficulties and even not his physical and mental problems have been ever able to stand up. Even in his ill period, he has proved himself as a strong support and a moral inspiration for his team and his friends. The story of his fight and success is really like a mental boaster for many people across the world. So friends, with your huge round of applause, please welcome senior inspector Abhijeet from Mumbai CID in the stage, who is the worthiest person to deserve this award at this moment.

Aage aage rastein naye

The team of CID Mumbai stood up while clapping loudly for their dear senior while Daya's happiness level was at the pick point which was clearly reflected by the broad smile displayed over his lips. Abhijeet once looked around himself and moved towards the stage with a beautiful satisfied smile playing over his lips and with measured confident steps, after having a glance of his brother whose bright eyes and wide smile really made him happy. He stepped on the stage and shared a warm handshake with DIG sir who smiled at him and took the microphone with...

DIG sir: good evening ladies and gentlemen, today we are here to give awards to the best achievements of the police forces across whole India. But I can say that I am really feeling so much proud to hand over this award to Abhijeet. You all can see his face. It is burnt. Yes it is! He is an acid attack victim. A notorious criminal had poured acid on his face in order to avenge his arrest which lead Abhijeet to suffer for a long time. He has been grounded for a long time. But this can not stop him from helping common people or the police force. He has saved a lot of common people from the clutches of X gang while getting shot multiple times. After recovery, he had completed two missions very successfully within a very short period. He has proved to all of us that beauty does not exist in our body. It exist in our heart. We are really proud to have such a gem in our police department. Thank you.

Naye mod sare

This heart touching speech was followed by a huge round of applause again. Abhijeet could see that some eyes had become moist too while ACP sir's and Daya's eyes were bright. He could easily identify that it was pride which was making their eyes such bright. They were proud for him.

Na tu kabhi ghabra re

He had not forgotten that period when he got habituated to notice just sympathy and tease in people's eyes for him. He could never forget those bitter memories which still hurt him from his core. They still kept on haunting him... even now. But he knew that he had left them behind. If those bitter memories, teasing comments and sympathetic gaze were true, then these sweet moment, praising comments and proud gazes were true too. And both were significant in his life. The former one to gain courage and the later to relish about. He smiled.

Chale jaa akele tu apne hi dum pe

DIG sir handed over him the award with a big smile playing over his face while Abhijeet too had a small satisfied smile over his lips. He grabbed the memento in firm grip and came near the microphone as the announcer requested him to say something. He once took a glance of the audience and then began with a fixed smile playing over his lips...

Abhijeet: thank you everyone for being a part of our success. I thank my seniors, juniors and even those hospital staffs without whose help I would have been never able to reach here, in this position. I promise you all to keep honour of this title and make you proud of me forever.

Tera humsafar hausla re

This speech was followed by a huge round of applause again. He waited for the claps to stop and when it did, he continued in a bit emotional tone...

Abhijeet: I know you all are curious to know about my war against all these mess happened with me, but I am sorry to say that it's a quite long story. It is impossible to share all of my experiences here. But what I can share, is the summary of all the experiences which I have gathered from my life of 21 years. Yes my life is only of 21 years. Till date I do not know how was my life before 21 years. It is like a blank paper for me, with all of it's words washed away. I do not know how was my parents and how they treated me, but still I am grateful to them as they had given me a chance to born and to grow up properly to be a police inspector. I am really thankful to ACP Pradyuman, senior inspector Daya, Dr. Salunkhe, Dr. Tarika and the whole CID Mumbai team who are large hearted enough to accept me in their family as how am I and have encouraged me not to hate myself or my life. They have always stood beside me in the dark phases of my life like a real family does! I really do not have any proper words to thank them enough!

Each and every person's eyes were moist as they were really amazed to realise the positive spirit this man had to succeed and to be happy in his life despite all difficulties. Abhijeet continued in same tone after wiping away his tears...

Abhijeet: some months ago I was just another cop, just another cop who was enjoying his life with those persons whom he loved the most...

He looked towards ACP sir, Daya and Tarika, who were sitting in the front row, and smiled sweetly. Three of them too smiled back towards him while Abhijeet continued...

Abhijeet: until one night when some notorious criminals poured acid on my face. Yes poured acid, not thrown. They had poured acid over my face drop by drop to give me more pain.

Tujhe kya fikar jo siyahi

He looked down as he felt that his eyes were getting moist remembering that horrible accident. After a while he took a deep breath to compose himself his emotions and continued...

Abhijeet: they just had not burnt down my face. But they had burnt down ME. They had burnt down my confidence, my dreams and even my will to live. Frankly speaking, it was a very much painful incident to go through and in fact, it is even more horrible to remember it and to feel it again and again... repeatedly through nightmares in each and every night after the incident took place. I know that I am not the first person to go through this painful and humiliating experience, but now I pray every time that I should be the last one...

Bhari hain jahaan mein

He stopped there a bit to shallow down the ball of pain which had risen near his throat while remembering the dark incident of his life again. He noticed that there was a pin drop silence prevailing in the hall, perhaps they too were trying to cope up with the same pain which had become an ever lasting part of his life. He continued in same tone...

Abhijeet: it would have been too easy for me to give up when I was battling with those devils then while they were torturing me, it would have been very easy to commit suicide when I was fighting against depression, so easy to walk away from all these... but I could not... not because I was too strong to accept all these so easily for I too had broken down too much. But I just could not take any foolish steps because there is someone who did not want me to die. Even after all these I suffered, he accepted me as I am and he did not want me to give up as he still loved me, even after I lost all of my physical beauty and mental strength. I was still his life... and till date I am still there in same position.

Charaghon ke aage khushaamat kare

He smiled looking towards Daya who was starring towards him with moist eyes. Feeling his stare on him, he too smiled back. Abhijeet removed the last remnants of tears which was still present there in the corner of his eyes and continued...

Abhijeet: he shared my each and every pain, fear and tears but provided me love, comfort, sooth and trust. Sometimes he used to act harsh or had to raise his hands on me even, but he had never left me alone. He even got agreed to let me go away when I said him that I need to discover me again. He always had been a partner of me in my battles against my demons and today as I am able to emerge as the winner, it would have been just impossible if he was not there beside me in the darkest phase of my life.

Kyun bhala teri shaamein

He stopped a bit and then searched somebody from the spectators. And this time, he succeeded in finding what he searched for. So he smiled a bit and then continued...

Abhijeet: today, I am here as the best cop of India this year, I have been awarded with this trophy but for me what the most precious thing I got today is all of yours respect, pride and love for me. It is the thing which is making me the happiest. And I really admit that I could not have ever able to reach here if he was not there beside me... and he is my best friend, my younger yet elder brother, my world and my everything... senior inspector Daya! And today I want to dedicate this award to him for what he did for me. I know dry thankful words are not sufficient for his contributions in my life and neither this award is, but still, thank you Daya for everything. I would never have been achieved this so easily if you were not there. Similarly I want to make a appeal to everybody present here and to the outside world too that please do not give up in front of any problem or never let any of your dear one do so. Look at my success, I have not achieved it overnight. It is the product of my many months hard work and struggle and every month my fortune, which world had termed as a dark one, has shown gradual improvement towards brightness again! Life is really beautiful and if you started to dream about something, don't quit your attempts of achieving it due to the obstacles lying on your way. No problems are big enough to stop you. Hold the hands of your beloved ones and set out to achieve it. Thank you!

Hain teri dono ankhein

He once smiled toward the spectators and got down from the stage with firm and confident steps. He reached to his seat and occupied it while Daya gave him a warm side hug while being in sitting position only. Abhijeet could see that his brother's eyes were overflowing with tears. He just smiled and grabbed his hand tightly.

Roshni se bhari

The ceremony ended after three long hours after a grand dinner party. Daya and Abhijeet came out from the banquet hall while a bunch of reporters encircled them with a bunch of comments like...

Reporter 1: congratulations Abhijeet sir... aaj aapne jo speech diya woh to dil chu gaya... lekim sir, aapne to sara credit Daya sir ko hi de diya... aisa kyun?

Abhijeet: kyun ki usne credit pane wala hi kaam kiya hain... agar woh mere saath nahin hota to shayad hi aap log mujhe yahan dekh pate...

Kehkasha tu meri

Reporter 2: Daya sir, jaisa ki Abhijeet sir ne kaha ki aapne us waqt unka bohot saath diya... waisa kyun kiya aapne? Mera matlab hain ki aaj kal to sage parivar wale hi zyadatar cases mein victims ka saath nahin dete, aur Abhijeet sir to aapke sirf dost hain... unke liye itna kuch...

Daya: jee yeh to mera farz tha... Abhijeet mere liye sirf mera dost nahin hain... woh mera bhai hain... aur agar koi bada bhai musibat mein hota hain to kya uska chota bhai use akela chod sakta hain? Maine bhi bas woh hi kiya...

Kehkasha tu meri

Reporter 3: Abhijeet sir jis tarah aapne apne sare opponents ko harake aaj phir se India ki best cop ka award haasil kiya hain woh beshaq kabile tareef hain... aap kuch kehna chahte hain kya is desh ki aam admiyon se?

Abhijeet: haan zaroor... main bas yeh hi kehna chahta hoon bhagwan na kare agar aap mein se kisi ke bhi koi bhi apne ke saath kuch bhi galat hota hain to kabhi unka saath mat chodna... agar zyada kuch kar sake to kam se kam unka haath hi pakadke rakhiye... isse unhe bhu takat mil jayega aur woh bhi apna jung jeet payenge... jeetna mushkil zaroor hain magar namumkin nahin... mujhe dekhiye... maine bhi to jeeta na? Now please excuse us...

Kehkasha Kehkasha tu meri

Reporter 4: Abhijeet sir ek last sawal, hume pata chala ki aapne yahan Surya Singh Randhawa ko apni special guest ke taud par invite kiya hain aur unhe yahan lane ka sare arrangements bhi kiya hain... aisa kyun kiya aapne? Kya aap unhe yeh dikhana chahte hain ki unke ghatiya karname se aapko kuch farq nahin pada?

Reporter 5: kya aap unke saath ek psychological game khelna chahte hain?

Abhijeet(with a small smile): aisa kuch bhi nahin hain jaisa aap log soch rahe hain, maine unhe bas isliye yahan bulaya hain taki main unhe samjha saku ki chehra barbaad ho jane se zindagi nahin ruk sakta... mujhe ehsaas hain unke dard ka... isliye hi maine bas unhe hausla dene ke liye yahan bulaya hain...

Kudrat saari... tere sahare

Reporter 6: par unhone hi to aap par acid dala tha na? Yahan tak ki aap se badla lene ke liye unhone khud par acid dalne jaisa ghatiya kaam kiya hain... aap ek waise insan ke liye itna soch rahe hain? Kamal hain!

Abhijeet: dekhiye mister, woh bure hain iska matlab aisa to nahin ki hum bhi bure ban jaye... aur phir unhe to saza bhi mila haina? Hume unhe yeh batana tha ki is hadse ki baad zindagi ruk nahin gayi hain... woh humne kar liya... so please excuse us now.

He left them and Daya behind and went to Surya who was standing there, in the corner, guarded by police. He patted his arms and said...

Abhijeet: Surya hume galat mat samjhna... tum to samajh hi gaye ho shayad ki humne tumhe yahan kyun laye hain? Accha laga na tumhe?

Tu hi ugaaye... Chand Sitaare...

He smiled at towards him and left without waiting for any reply. But before going he slightly winked at Surya and said...

Abhijeet: Daya gadi nikalo... kaam khatam ho gaya hain yahan ka... Ice cream parlour bhi chalenge...

Oh jalta hai sooraj

Daya: haan kyun nahin? Aaj to celebration ka din hain... chalo...

A few hours later, Abhijeet was seemed to be standing in the terrace of their house, starring towards the vast night sky above him. There was a layer of peace and satisfaction present on his face and his eyes were a little moist. He was seemed to be starring something or somebody in the sky as he really wanted to share many things with her... yes it was none other than his mother! He was saying in his mind...

Abhijeet: aap mujhe galat to nahin samajh rahi haina maa? Kahin aapko bhi to nahin lagta ki mujhe Surya ke saath yeh sab nahin karna chahiye tha? Use kanoon ke sahare saza dema chahiye tha? Maa, aap please mujhe galat mat samajhna... main kaise use saza dilwata kahiye? Uske khilaaf to koi bhi saboot ya gawah nahin tha mere pass... kaun yakeen karta mujh par? Sab Daya nahin hota haina maa? Aur main Surya ko aise khula bhi to nahin chod sakta tha na? Maine sirf isliye hi aisa kiya... aap mujhse naraz to nahin ho na maa?

Tere tapish mein

At that moment, he jerked badly as he felt somebody's hand over his shoulder. He startled and looked behind himself to find the expected person standing there with a calm smile over his lips. There was a tray containing two coffee cups kept there on the centre table. Abhijeet took a deep breath while Daya asked...

Daya: maaji se kis baat ki shikayat laga rahe the Abhi?

Abhijeet: shikayat nahin laga raha tha yaar... bas yeh pooch raha tha ki kahin woh mujhse naraz to nahin haina? Maine jo yeh sab kiya woh to kanoon ke khilaaf...

Daya: Abhijeet... tumne hi mujhse kaha tha na ki Surya ko kanoon ke taud par saza dilwane ke liye hi hum yeh sab kar rahe hain? Aur phir ise kanoon ne hi to saza diya haina boss? Aur rahi baat humare karname ki, to woh agar tum saath na bhi dete to, main akela hi kar deta... kyun ki usne tumhe haath lagaya tha... tumhe takleef diya tha... to itna saza to banta tha hi...

Tu hi na jaane...

Abhijeet looked towards him with bright eyes and smiled a bit. Daya too smiled a bit and said...

Daya: bhai maine coffee banaya hain hot coffee peene ke liye... agar tumhe cols coffee peena tha to tum keh dete na? Main woh hi banata... aise coffee ko thanda karne ki kya zaroorat thi?

Abhijeet smiled and slapped his head lightly with...

Abhijeet: chal coffee peete hain...

Both enjoyed the hot coffee in total silence. After finishing the drink, Daya stood up with the cups and said...

Daya: main yeh rakhke aata hoon...

Abhijeet grabbed his hand tightly and requests in soft tone...

Abhijeet: thodi der baithna Daya yahan...

Daya: arey main rakhke...

Abhijeet(in deep tone): please!

Daya sat down silently beside him and grabbed his palm tightly. After some moments of silence, Abhijeet spoke up in soft tone...

Abhijeet: Daya mujhe shayad yeh pehle hi keh dena chahiye tha magar maine aisa kiya nahin... mujhe tumse kuch kehna hain...

Tere karishmein

Daya: kya kehna hain bolo... yahan sirf hum dono hi hain ab...

Abhijeet: thank you kehna hain... (he raised his hand to stop as Daya tried to say something)... meri baat abhi puri nahin huyi hain Daya... mujhe tumhe isliye thanks nahin kehna kyun ki tumne meri itni madad ki is sab se bahar nikalne ke liye... balki isliye kehna hain kyun ki tumhe mera ek bohot hi keemti chees dhundke wapas kiya jo kahin kho gaya tha... aur woh keemti chees hain main khud... main jab apne aap se bichad gaya tha tab tumne mera bohot khayal rakha aur yeh jo tumne mujhe mere hi khoya hua satte se milwaya hain, iske liye main tumhari jitna bhi shukriya ada karu woh kam hain... main bas yeh hi keh sakta hoon ki thank you Daya... thank you for saving me from all those harms which could have happened with me if you were there, beside me. Thank you for being beside me. Thanks for each and everything.

Jo laakhon aasman hain thaame

Daya just pressed his palm softly and spoke up with a smile as...

Daya: agar main kahu ki thanks to mujhe kehna chahiye tumse... Abhi, yahan bhi aur wahan hotel mein bhi, tumne tumhare theek hone ka sara credit mujhe de diye... lekin aisa nahin yaar... maine jo kuch bhi kiya woh kaafi nahin tha agar tum apni taraf se bhi koshish na karte... isliye hi thank you very much apni himmat banaye rakhne ke liye aur mujh par vishwas karne ke liye... aur haan ek thank you mere saath rehne ke liye bhi banta hain... main janta hoon ki tum yeh hi sochke apne saath kuch bura nahin kar paye ki tumhare jane ke baad mera kya hoga... haina?... (Abhijeet smiled)... baki maine jo kuch bhi kiya hain woh to mera farz tha aur tumhara haq... jis rishtein ki dor se hum dono saalon pehle jud chuke hain uska sabse pehla gaanth to yeh hi na ki chahe halat kaise bhi ho, hum dono kabhi bhi ek dusre ko akela chodenge... jis haq se tum hospital bed pe laite huye bhi mere bare mein sochte the usi haq se hi maine bhi tumhe sambhalke rakha jab tum dard mein hote the... thank you Abhi for being with me... is jung mein agar tum mere saath na dete to shayad hi hum yeh jung jeet liya... kyun ki yeh jung tumhare akele ka thodi na tha... yeh jung to humara tha... tum khud ko wapas pana chahte the aur main tumhe...

Tu wo zameen

Abhijeet could not say anything as his voice was chocked with emotions, but he smiled sweetly and pulled his brother in a tight hug. Daya too smiled sweetly and rested his head on his brother's shoulder with an extreme peace in his eyes. The star lit sky above their head was the only witness of this sweet moment of this lovely relationship!

When tears fell from my eyes,
You were there to brush them away.
When I was lost in confusion,
You were there to say that everything would be okay.
When I stood before you falling apart,
You were there to lend your heart.
When I felt like no one could understand,
You were there to take my hand.
When no one else was left to care,
You were there.

They did not know what would happen to them tomorrow, but they knew that this moment of trust, had become a part of eternity! This moment would never end, and they would live forever in this moment.

Friendship means being there just to be there. Friendship means listening and not asking questions. Friendship means lending your shoulder for someone to cry on. Friendship means being comfortable around each other in silence. Friendship means being able to tell each other anything and understanding without questions. Friendship means being honest with each other no matter what the cost. Friendship means staying up all night and talking about nothing. Friendship means being able to say I need you! Friendship means forgiving each other no matter what you have done. Friendship means learning from each other's mistakes. Friendship means me and you.

Because the full form of FRIEND is Few Relations In Earth Never Dies.

END OF THE STORY

Some words from the Author: Some readers have asked me the reason of delay of updating this last chapter. You may not believe this but I was feeling emotional turmoil inside my heart before and while writing this chapter. I really was not able to believe that this story is going to come to an end. It is above an year since I am writing this story. And many things have changed in my life during this period and the biggest example of this is I was a school student at the start of this story and now I am a college student. This story was so close to my heart and I had become a part of my life. I will miss this story so much. Please review in this story for the last time. Please make it cross 1450 reviews.

Sayonara.

Colouring Crayons: yes of course. You can call me di. Thanks for the review.

Lovelife235: Hi. Welcome to fanfiction. Thanks for the review.

Guest: yeah, the thing Abhijeet sir suffered here is never forgivable. So he acted a bit hard. Thanks for your review.

Crazy for Abhi: tathastu putri. Aa jaao. Thanks for the review.

Please read and review

Thanks to each and every reviewers

With love and regards

Your Nikita

Song Source: Kehkasa Tu Meri from the movie Akira.

A\N: only 5 reviews have remained to complete 625 reviews in Lamhe. Please review friends.