A/N: As the title says, it is a 3 times 1 fic (My first one of this type...) with Kabir and Nafeesa...

Warning: Auto corrects and typos are always behind my back so please forgive me for any mistakes. And please don't get mad at my attempt at typing Hindi, it is NOT my First or Second language so I am prone to make mistakes.

The first time...

Abdul and Kabir were currently on their way to Abdul's home, Abdul claiming that he had left something related to the mission back at home and needed to pick it up but Kabir had his doubts regarding the claim as he was sure that he just wanted to see his family before going on the mission, even though he might deny that claim of Kabir's. And who was he to defy the orders of his superior?

"Hum paunch chuke hai. Welcome to my house" Abdul said with a broad grin as he climbed out of the jeep, Kabir following right behind him.

"Baba!" was all the warning Abdul could get before his legs were tackled by a small boy, who might've been 3 years old. He immediately lifted the boy up and spun him around before letting him down again. "Arey beta, itna bad gaya tu?" he asked in mock surprise, emitting a giggle from the small boy.

"Khalid, kya kar rahe ho? Andhar aajao" a stern female voice asked from somewhere inside the house. Abdul mischievously asked Khalid to keep silent and hide behind him as he stepped forward.

"Khalid?" she asked, now worried as she stepped outside, looking around, only to find her husband standing there with Khalid and another person behind them.

"Arey, aap aa gaye? Chutti mili hai kya?" she asked in surprise. "Kaash aisa hota. Mission hai, nahi patha ki kitna dher hogi usko pura karne ke liye. Toh socha ki main tum dono ko ek baar milkar chalunga? Anyways, kuch bhool gaya tha isiliye main use lene aaya tha" he said as he moved towards her.

"Aur haan, Kabir, yeh mera biwi Nafeesa hai, aur mera beta Khalid. Kabir toh mera partner aur dost hai, mere saath mission par aa raha hai." he introduced. Khalid ran towards his mom and hid behind her legs, just noticing the stranger who had been standing behind his father.

After all the pleasantries were exchanged, Abdul went inside to take whatever was needed, leaving Kabir with Nafeesa and Khalid.

"Arey Khalid, uncle ko hi bolo na?" Nafeesa said, looking at Khalid who was peeping from behind her. Kabir approached them and knelt down, holding his hand out. "Main Kabir hoon. Tum kaun?" he asked. "Khalid. Aap mere saath kheloge?" Khalid asked shyly.

"Kyon nahi? Tere ammi se permission maanglo phir khelenge" he said with a small smile. Just then Abdul called Nafeesa for something and Nafeesa allowed Khalid to play with Kabir and went to see why her husband had called her.

"Colouring karlen?" Khalid asked curiously, looking up at Kabir. Kabir just smiled and asked him to lead the way and they sat there, colouring until Abdul came back to see what they were doing.

"Kabir, dher ho rahi hai. Saaman le liya maine. Khalid, Kabir uncle ko bye bolo" Abdul said with a smile. "Yes sir" Kabir said as he got up, only to look back down at Khalid's insistent tugging. "Math jaaye please" he asked with a pout. "I'm sorry par mujhe jaana hai abhi. Par we'll keep in touch?" Kabir whispered as he knelt down again.

"Promise?" Khalid asked, his eyes wide. "Promise. Ek minute..." Kabir said as he as he searched his pocket for something. "Aha! Yeh tum raklo. Jab hum phir milenge, tum isko mujhe waapas dena" Kabir said as he gave him a locket and ruffled his hair as he got up. Khalid nodded enthusiastically as he received the locket, looking at it curiously.

"Baba ko bye nahi bologe kya?" Abdul asked and Khalid immediately ran upto him and gave him a hug before asking him to lift him up. "Jaldi aana hai aapko. Mera birthday ko miss nahi karna" Khalid said seriously, causing all the elders to laugh. So yeah, they didn't have much interaction but... it was the first time they had met.

The second time...

Kabir hesitated in front of the door, unsure of what to do. He was definitely having second thoughts about this. After all, how do you convey to someone's wife that her husband was a traitor and the one delivering the message was the one who killed him?

He just took a deep breath and steeled himself for whatever is to come and finally knocked at the door. There was some shuffling and clanging inside with a muffled voice asking him to wait for a minute and Kabir took this time to look at the surroundings... nothing had changed in five years. Everything looked the same but at the same time, he knew nothing will be same after this.

The door opened and he stood there, facing Nafeesa once again. "Kabir? Andhar aao na. Mera pati theek hai na?" she asked in worry as she saw the look on his face. Kabir just looked down as he entered the house, not having the courage to look into her eyes. He had just made her a widow, a son, fatherless... the guilt was starting to creep up and Kabir forced it down as he sat down.

"Aap bhi bhaitiye... Khalid hai kya yahaan?" he asked. "Nahi, who toh school mein hai. Kya hua unko? Kya chupa rahe ho?" she asked. Kabir just shook his head and steeled himself again as he said "Woh... who toh duty pe shahid hue... aur..." he trailed off.

"Aur kya? Kaise mar gaye woh?" she asked in shock. "Maine hi unko maara" Kabir admitted. "Tune? Par kyon? Kya kiya unhone? Aap dono toh partners the, dost the? Kya hua?" she asked as tears gathered in her eyes, seeing the stoic look on his face.

"Duty ke same no friendship Nafeesa ji. Who toh desh drohi nikle. Unke dosti ke toofa that yeh" he said stonily as he showed the freshly bandaged wound in his collarbone. "And in return I shot him in the eyes. Do bullet, do aankhen." he said with a voice of steel.

"Unke aakhri ichcha thi ki main is envelope ko aapke paas dekar Khalid ke paas yeh dene ko kaha..." he said softly, handing over the envelope and a watch that might've seen better days.

Nafeesa just looked at him, not knowing how to react, should she be angry at him for widowing her? Making her son fatherless? Or be ashamed of her husband for betraying the country? Should she be proud that Kabir had killed off her traitor of a husband? What will be their life after this?

Nafeesa then faced Kabir and said the only thing that came to her mind. "Dobara yahaan math aaiyega. Humko aapka aisan nahi chaahiye, na hi aapka daya. We will manage our lives somehow. But thank you for telling this to me, face to face" she said in a detached tone and went back inside, not wanting to break down right then.

Kabir, knowing that he wasn't welcome there anymore just got up and left, not looking back at the house, his own anger and guilt simmering inside him, knowing that it will never go away.

The third time

Kabir is standing in front of the same house, again and this time he doesn't hesitate to knock at the door as he knew that it needed to be done. He knew that Nafeesa deserved to know the truth. He knew that he couldn't hide this from her. He knew that he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he doesn't confess this to her.

The door opened and Nafeesa stepped out, completely tired and her eyes red from crying. "Ab kya bolne aaye ho? Mera beta ko bhi tune hi maara? Ya phir..." she asked, resignation in her eyes.

"Khalid toh do saal pehle hi mar chuka tha" Kabir said, deciding to rip the bandage off. And she dropped down in shock, Kabir catching her just in time and settling her down gently. She just sent him a questioning look and he just nodded in conformation.

"Do saal pehle jab hum Iliyasi ko pakadne ke liye gaye the... humare team mein ek gaddar tha. Khalid ne usko peecha kiya aur... he was cornered... humne socha ki he was just MIA and believed it when we supposedly found him on the beach par... jab maine usko kuch din pehle mila... I noticed that he was acting oddly, woh... right side peripheral vision... that gave him away. Aur usne confess kiya ki usne Khalid ko us din maarkar plastic surgery kiya tha... uska chehra use karne hum sabko bewakoof kardiya woh gaddar Saurabh ne. And I killed that Saurabh who wore Khalid's face..." Kabir said, wiping off one traitorous tear.

"But you should know, he defied all expectations and stood up strong, sab khaandan par laga hua dhaag ko mitane ke liye. Patha hai usne mere paas kya bola jab usne pehli baar mujhe mila? Mera baba gaddar tha, sabko woh nazar aa raha hai. Par main mere ammi ka bhi beta hoon. And he has proved that to everyone." Kabir said.

"Yeh... I noticed that Saurabh had taken this away from your son while trying to impersonate him toh... socha ki I'll bring it back to the person who it actually belongs to" he said, giving the now broken watch that he remembered giving to her all those years ago when he came to inform her about her husband's death.

"I'm sorry for your loss... We all lost a good person when Khalid died..." Kabir said awkwardly and took his leave, not wanting to face Nafeesa as he didn't want to breakdown here... he knows that he will breakdown anytime if she starts to speak and he thinks that he doesn't deserve it, not after being the one to kill her husband and leading her son to death...

And so he leaves without turning back, the guilt over the years just crushing his heart with each step he took away from the house.

And the one time she visited him

Kabir was discussing something with his team when a soldier informed him that someone was out there to meet him. Kabir was surprised, as he had no one who would like to see him, except maybe the Colonel and he was sure it wouldn't be him as a) He was in Delhi and b) He wouldn't need any permission to meet him.

So with all cautiousness he went outside, only to find Nafeesa, an envelope and a small box in her hand. "I found it while I was cleaning up Khalid's room... he would've wanted you to have it" was all she said as she handed over the box and turned around, moving away from the place, not wanting to stay there longer than necessary.

Kabir slowly looked down at the envelope and box and took it inside to open it privately and he was glad that he did so. For the envelope contained the drawing that they drew the first time they met and the box had the locket which Kabir had given to him, promising that he would meet him again. And finally, Kabir let himself mourn, those two being the last straws. On the other side, Nafeesa was having her own breakdown from opening up all those memories.

And that was the last time they saw each other.

A/N: Technically, this should've been my first fic in the fandom but... fate had other plans... but... this is done. Hope you all like it! All comments and criticism accepted and appreciated! Prompts are always welcome!

Thank you all for reading!

Rasi10 signing off

Published 7 April 2020