|| Always... || RasDeep Fics Next part 25/06 - Page 5

A/N: First off, sorry it took so ridiculously long. Life happened and I got tangled in it. I know the show's ended and all but after this, I might write another chapter or two if you guys are interested. Anyways, sorry again for the inevitable delay. Hopefully, it will make up for it.

Please note that in my fic Bidisha is very much alive and Shahana is very much dead. Swami is still... Swami, an ass and a jerk. No double agent though. Also, the nature of this fic is light. Much to my horror, there aren't any intense or angst moments.

Rashmi muttered a string of profanities under her breath. It was another day in the SIU headquarters and just like the previous days, she sat seething at one corner. She pretended to go over her files but in reality, she was unabashedly staring at her man and the woman with him. Apparently, she was laughing at some joke that he had cracked. Though she was hundred per cent sure that the joke was not really funny, however, the way she jerked her head backwards and barked a throaty laugh, it told her otherwise... as if it was the funniest joke she had ever heard.

Son of a ...

Okay, maybe she was over-reacting. Maybe they were simply indulging in some friendly banter and maybe it was harmless. It wasn't that she didn't trust her dearest Randeep; it was the woman with him who raised red flags. Anyways, coming back to the work at hand (instead of watching the aforementioned people like a creep) Rashmi quickly made some notes and made some phone calls before obviously, returning her gaze towards the said people.

Thankfully, this time around they were absorbed in their respective work. No laughs, no snickers and no affectionate touches. Thank God.

Giving them a final look, she resumed her work.

***

Rashmi did not believe in fate. She felt that it was an over-rated concept. Destiny, serendipity, they were simply for dreamers and suited the television screens only. But that day, she seriously questioned her beliefs.

That day was turning out to be better than many of her recent days. Because of Swami's work and his insistence on minimizing the 'distractions' Randeep and Miss s**t didn't talk much. They strictly did their respective jobs and steered clear of each other. She was almost happy because of the turn of events. But the important word here was: Almost. Almost, because Mr. Fate decided to struck its ugly nose.

"Rashmi?"

Rashmi turned around to see her guardian angel regarding her with gentle eyes.

"What is it, Randeep?" she muttered, looking away from those piercing eyes.

"Rashmi, I was wondering, if you are free tonight, maybe we can catch up some dinner?"

"Why isn't Miss I-don't-care-you-are-engaged-I-still-want-you free?" she wanted to retort but instead, she replied, "Okay, I guess."

He smiled one of those charming smiles which momentarily made her forget her name. Her 'yes' made him this happy? Oh, it were these moments when she realized that she was head over heels in love with this frustrating yet amazing man.

They were about to walk hand in hand when dun-dun-dun who else but Miss I-am-perfect made her appearance.

She regarded the couple solemnly before locking eyes with Randeep and gushed in a hurried tone, "Randeep, my car broke down. What do I do now?"

"Well, let me see... call a mechanic, you fool!!" Rashmi wanted to shout. But her darling, being an angel, took to helping the She-devil and set out to the dangerous journey of repairing the She-Devil's car. Rashmi almost smirked as her imagination gave two horns, a long tail and two overgrown teeth to the She-Devil.

Exactly, 11 minutes and 45 seconds later, her hero came carrying a subdued expression on his face. Something told her whatever he was going to say, she wasn't going to like. All her doubts were confirmed when he spoke.

"Hey Rashmi, there is a little problem. Bidisha needed to pick up her Aunty at 8 and as you can see the car is, well, not in a working condition and the mechanic won't be here for the next half an hour, so I offered to give her a lift. I hope its okay?" he asked, slightly nervous.  

Rashmi remained silent for a long, long time. Her mind was screaming at her to make some retort, to scream at him for cancelling the plan and also scream at the s**t for ruining their dinner, but she stayed quiet. She stayed quiet because she was Rashmi Bhargava-the epitome of self sacrifice and patience. Patience, that she quickly found diminishing.

"It's okay Randeep. She is your friend, you should help her. You know what, I will take a taxi or something," saying this, she was about to turn around when he grabbed her hand.

"Hey wait, I will drop you home and then, take her to the airport. Luckily, your home lies in the way of the airport."

Yeah, luckily...

***

It took hardly 15 minutes for Rashmi to reach her home. During the ride, she tactfully avoided any kind of conversation and strictly looked out of the car window careful to avoid any kind of eye contact. This led to Randeep giving her uneasy looks and Bidisha snickering somewhere from behind. She would have turned around and slapped Miss I-want-Randeep on her face if it wasn't for the mere presence of Randeep that calmed her. Nevertheless, the rest of the ride remained non-violent and here she was... standing in front of her building. 

Randeep, as was his chivalric ways, walked with her and before leaving, gave her a hug. She lingered for a bit more, hoping to send a clear message to the woman sitting in the car, and pecked him lightly on the cheek. Then her man and Miss Randeep-was-my-ex were gone.

Enough was my enough. No one stole her man from her. No one.

She needed a plan. And fast.

A/N: Another A/N to tell you that the next part is interesting, very interesting. And it will be up only and only if you read, like and comment. Thanks!!