Tejasswi Prakash didn't want this to be her life, to be living on her own, her husband fighting for their country. He was gone more than he was home, doing what he felt was right.

Coming home for two weeks at a time wasn't enough, she needed more, wanted more, deserved more. She wanted to wake up beside him every morning and go to bed with him every night. Bring him breakfast in bed and fall asleep in his arms while watching a late-night movie.

No, this was not the life that seven-year-old Tejasswi had envisioned for herself. Yes, she would take Karan, the love of her life, and see him for two weeks every so many months, rather than living the perfect life.

He had returned home, safe and sound but was leaving again, returning for his second tour of service. After three years of marriage and countless months alone, she became accustomed to the routine. Yet, never got used to saying goodbye, thinking that it would be the last time.

So there she stood in the airport, holding onto him with all her might, breathing in his scent that reminded her so much of home. She stood on her tiptoes, her face buried into his neck. His strong arms wrapped tightly around her as she clung to him.

I'm not going to cry. I AM NOT GOING TO CRY. She repeated in her head.

"I have to go, sweetie," he whispered into her ear. His grip loosened but she held on even tighter, begging him not to go.

She shook her head, "Don't go." Her eyes filled with tears that threatened to fall, but she promised herself she wasn't going to cry. "Please."

Karan pulled back, cupping her face as his thumbs wiped away the tears that had begun to fall. She looked up into his light green eyes that held unshed tears. "I have to go, andaa."

"Sunny, please," she begged. "Don't."

"I'll be back soon, I promise." He smiled faintly, kissing her forehead. She relished in the feel of his lips on her forehead and leaned into the touch.

Tejasswi nodded, reaching up to wipe at her tears, willing herself to be strong. "I love you," she whispered, smiling up at him.

"I love you, too," he smiled, his eyes shining. His hands wandered down, wrapping around her back.

She was pulled up against him and before she knew it his lips were crashing against hers. Her hands reached up around his neck, holding him to her.

After what felt like hours, a throat was cleared beside them and they reluctantly pulled apart. Her cheeks were bright pink while he smiled wolfishly at the others. They had forgotten that they weren't alone.

Karan let go of her, moving to his family to embrace each member in huge, whispering words of encouragement and love into their ears. Madhu di, his eldest sister was sobbing in his arms while he tried reassuring her that he would, indeed, be fine.

It was time to go, but before he turned his back to them he took her in his arms one more time. He kissed her with everything he had like it might be their last kiss. "I love you," he said against her lips.

"Come home to me."

"I promise." He pulled away, leaning down to pick up the bag at his feet. Karan slung it over his shoulder, taking a last look at everyone around him. His three sisters were there, smiling but with a hint of sadness in their brown eyes. His mother, sobbed quietly, holding onto his father. His nephews and brothers-in-law are trying to stay calm for the sake of the people around them.

Tejasswi stood in front of them all, hugging herself as tears quietly slid down her cheeks. He offered her one last smile before he turned his back on all of them.

She watched him leave, clad in his army attire. Before she could sink to the floor, a pair of arms wrapped around her pulling her into his chest. She looked up to see that Bharat had grabbed onto her, his eyes holding back unshed tears.

He turned around, giving everyone a small wave. Even from afar, she could see the fear and sadness spread across his features. But he turned around, straightened up rolled his shoulders, and continued before he turned the corner out of view.

It had been over a month since Karan had left and Tejasswi had gone on with her life and normal routine. Wake up, prepare for the day ahead, work, come home, have dinner, write a letter to Karan, read, and go to bed. Some nights she had company, whether it be in the form of friends or family.

Often her mother visited her or Madhu di or another one of Karan's family members, knowing how she got lonely from time to time. She liked it when Bharat or Arjun, had similar traits to their mamu, making her feel like he was with them in spirit if not in person.

It was little things that first alarmed her that something was different. Like throwing up first thing in the morning, or not being able to keep her breakfast down. That had been the first clue but being stubborn Tejasswi pushed it off as having the flu. Yet the flu wouldn't last for a week and be like clockwork, six a.m. on the dot every morning.

Then it was smells, like her favorite perfume, the one that Karan had bought her for her birthday last year, and started making her queasy. Tiredness took over and the moment she was home from work she would pass out on the couch and she wouldn't wake up for hours.

The headaches had been terrible, making it difficult to concentrate at work. After telling Madhu di all this she forced her to go shopping with her for only one item, a pregnancy test.

They bought five, all lined up on the counter beside the sink waiting for the results to show. Tejasswi sat on the toilet tapping her foot nervously while Madhu di sat across from her on the edge of the bathtub, timer in hand.

"How much time left?" Tejasswi asked, biting her thumbnail.

Madhu Di looked down at the timer, "Thirty seconds left. How are you feeling?"

"Anxious."

She leaned over, squeezing her hand, "It'll be fine."

Suddenly a loud ringing filled the bathroom and Tejasswi looked up at Madhu di with wide blue eyes. She sat there stunned, not moving as she frantically looked over at the pregnancy tests. "I can't do it, you look," Tejasswi demanded.

Madhu Di nodded, getting up and walking the small distance to the bathroom counter where the tests were lined up. There were plus symbols or two lines, all indicating one thing.

"Pregnant."

Tejasswi's head snapped up. "No," she whispered. Madhu di nodded, handing her all five of the tests. Tears began to pool in her eyes as she tried to wipe them away. "I'm pregnant," she whispered in disbelief. "You're going to be an aunt, Sunny is going to be a dad!"

Tejasswi jumped up, hugging Madhu di as tight as she could. "I'm going to be an aunt!" She laughed, squeezing her back just as tightly. "When do you talk to Sunny next?" She asked, pulling back to look at the other girl.

"We have a phone date in a few days, I'll tell him then," she smiled.

A few days later, Tejasswi sat near the phone, anxiously waiting for Karan to call her. It was one minute to eight and he would get half an hour of phone calls starting at eight.

A ringing came from the screen and she saw that he was calling her. She quickly hit answer and his smiling face filled her screen. "Hello, ladoo."

"Hi," she breathed, feeling calmer after hearing his voice.

He smiled, "how are you?"

"Good, and you?"

"Excellent now that I get to hear your beautiful voice," he smirked.

"Sunny," she blushed. He chuckled, liking that after four years of being together, he could still make her blush. "I have some news for you!"

"Like what?" he asked with raised eyebrows, leaning slightly closer to his side of the phone.

"I'm pregnant!" She exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear.

Karan's face lit up instantly, his blue eyes shining. "We're having a baby?"

"Yes, we're having a baby."

"I love you so much, Ladoo."

"I love you too, Sunny," she replied, her eyes brimming with tears threatening to fall. "Come home safely, I don't want this baby to grow up without a father."

He knew that her hand would have fallen to her flat stomach and he straightened up, sounding serious. "I promise, sweetie-pie."

"Teju, you have to push, the baby is ready to come out," Madhu Di pleaded from beside her.

Her face scrunched up as another contraction hit and she reached for a hand, squeezing hard until the pain let up. "I'm waiting for Sunny, he needs to be here."

"Teju, you are putting not only the baby but yourself in danger if you don't start pushing now," the doctor said.

She shook her head furiously, "I can't do this without him."

Madhu di squeezed her hand causing her to look up at her. Her face was full of concern, "you have me and we'll do this together. Teju, please, Sunny isn't here, he's out there on the border."

"Di, I can't," she cried, feeling the pain radiate through her belly as it tightened. "I want Sunny!"

"Teju -" Madhu di started but was interrupted.

"I'm here!" Came a very familiar and masculine voice. He was dressed in his army greens' and looked slightly out of breath probably from running through the hospital looking for her. He ran right up to the side of her bed and took her hand in his, "I'm here."

"Sunny?" Tejasswi questioned as she squinted not believing he was there beside her for the birth of their child. "You're here! But you're supposed to be on the border, not here."

"You wouldn't think I would miss the birth of this little one, did you," he smirked.

"No," she shook her head, tears beginning to fall. She reached up with her free hand to wrap around his neck, pulling him down to her. She kissed him with all the strength that she had before she felt another contraction hit.

When she pulled back she looked down at the doctor waiting expectantly at her feet, "Now we can have this baby."

"About time," Madhu di muttered.

Aranya Kundrra was born at 11:11 a.m. weighing seven pounds two ounces. She cried as everyone welcomed her into the world. Karan got the honor to cut the cord before the baby was placed on Teju's chest.

Tejasswi and Karan got a good look at their daughter before she was whisked away to get cleaned off and checked out by the nurse. She was returned wrapped tightly in a white and pink blanket and placed right into her mother's arms.

"Aranya," she whispered, smiling down at the child sleeping. She looked over at Karan who was sitting beside her on the bed watching the infant.

"Aranya," he repeated, testing the name out. "It's perfect."

"Would you like to hold her?"

Karan nodded eagerly, reaching out and grabbing his little girl. He held her to his chest, watching as her eyelids fluttered open so she was staring up at him.

"She's beautiful," Tejasswi noted watching Karan with their daughter.

"Like her mother," he smiled, looking up at her.

There was a soft knock on the door causing the couple to look up. Madhu Di was in the doorway, "can we come in?"

Tejasswi nodded, not wanting to wake the baby up. Madhu Di entered the room followed by the rest of the family members. They stood at the side of the bed all carefully observing the baby in his arms.

"What's her name?" Bharat asked quietly, eyes trained on the bundle.

"Aranya," Tejasswi responded, looking at the perfect creature beside her in her husband's arms.

"It's perfect," Meenu di cooed.

"Can I hold her?" Poonam di asked, walking around to the other side of the bed to where Karan was sitting.

Tejasswi nodded and Karan reluctantly handed her over to his sister as she made faces at her niece. Arjun and Bharat joined her, staring at the new addition over her shoulder.

"I am going to spoil you rotten," Meenu Di whispered.

"Not as much as me," Arjun added. "Look I already got you something," he said, pulling out a teddy bear from behind his back. He waved it in front of her face but she just stared at it, slowly closing her eyes and drifting back to sleep. "She doesn't do much."

Tejasswi laughed, "That's because she's only a few hours old."

"When did you return, Sunny?" Gaurav jiju asked, looking over his shoulder at his brother-in-law.

"Just a few hours ago, in time to see that little one be born," he smiled brightly, like a proud father.

"And how long will you be with us for?"

"Gaurav!" Madhu di scolded, glaring at him.

"I have a month's leave, jiju. I've put in for a position that is closer to home but I won't find out for a while, so we'll see." Karan said, addressing Tejasswi. This was the first she had heard of it, he had wanted to surprise her with the news as he surprised her with the visit.

Tejasswi turned her head, capturing his lips in a soft kiss. "I love you," she whispered, low enough for only him to hear.

"I love you, too," he replied, giving her a quick peck on her forehead.

"I thought he was able to come home for her birthday?" Suneeta Ma questioned as she stuck a big candle in the shape of one on top of the large square cake.

"It got pushed back, he's coming home in a few weeks," Tejasswi explained. His tour was coming to an end after over a year of being deployed. They usually varied on time, anywhere between six months or a year and possibly longer, depending on if they completed their mission.

Suneeta Ma looked over at her daughter-in-law, seeing the unshed tears she was struggling to hold onto. She reached over, gently squeezing her hand. "He'll be alright and before you know it he'll be home."

"Thanks, Ma," Tejasswi smiled, wiping her eyes. "Shall we go join the party?"

"Of course, I think someone's ready for cake," Suneeta Ma replied, lighting the candle and picking up the cake.

Tejasswi quickly grabbed the video camera and turned it on, following her out into the room where the party was held. The guests were crowded around the high chair at the far end of the table.

The little girl was staring around at everyone, looking up at them with wide green eyes, so much like her father's. She had black hair, so short and thin that she looked bald. Tejasswi had dressed her in a pink, frilly dress, her baby girl looking like a princess.

Aranya sat staring at the guests who sang her 'happy birthday' clapping her hands and bouncing in her seat. Her aai placed the cake down in front of her, Tejasswi handing the camera over to her father-in-law as she kneeled beside her daughter.

She gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as she pointed to the camera, causing Aranya to look up at her grandpa with the camera in hand. "Say hi to Daddy, Aru!"

"Hi!" The little girl squeaked.

"Blow out your candles, baby girl, and don't forget to make a wish," Tejasswi said. "We'll do it together, on the count of three. One, two, three" Tejasswi blew while Aranya stuck her hand in the middle of the cake.

Everyone laughed, watching as Aranya repeated the action many times, often spreading it on the tray in front of her or eating it. Tejasswi watched, snapping pictures, while Omi videotaped it.

Eventually, when the cake was fully destroyed, Tejasswi stood up, retreating to the kitchen with Adaa, her helper. "I knew that was going to happen," Tejasswi said, a little disappointed that the cake she made had been so easily destroyed.

"Good thing I brought another one for the guests," Suneeta Ma said, pulling a fresh cake out of the fridge.

Tejasswi flung herself at the girl, "Mom, you are a lifesaver!"

"I know," she shrugged.

When the two returned with cake, plates, and utensils for the guests, Tejasswi saw the mess already cleaned up around her daughter. Omi is there, finishing up by wiping her mouth. "I thought you might have needed some help."

"Yes, thank you, Omi."

"I would have helped, but I rather enjoyed seeing my girl covered in chocolate cake," Nikhil smirked from beside him. He leaned down beside his niece, "Next time, Aru, we will get the cake on Omi chachu's shirt."

Pra stepped up, never wanting to be outdone by Nikhil as his favorite uncle. "No, Aru, next time we throw our cake at Nikhil chachu."

Tejasswi stepped forward, "how about next time Aru puts the cake in her mouth?"

"Good idea, Teju !" Madhu Di said from beside her. "Now help us hand out some cake."

"Fine," Pra and Nikhil grumbled, standing up and grabbing plated pieces of chocolate cake.

Tejasswi grabbed a piece for herself and sat down beside her daughter, sharing bites. "I'm sorry your father couldn't be here, he'll be home soon, don't you worry," she said, dragging her head over her head.

Aranya smiled up at her, enough to show her dimples and at that moment she looked so much like Sunny that it physically hurt her heart. That he missed his daughter's first birthday, her first steps, her first words, almost her first for everything.

All she had was to remain onto the small shred of hope that he would be home soon and he would be there to stay. He would come home in one piece and watch his daughter grow up.

"Ready, baby girl?" Tejasswi asked Aranya, bending down and picking her out of the stroller. She felt her tiny head rest against Tejasswi's shoulder, nodding slightly in answer. "Are you sleeping on me?"

"Afraid so," Nikhil said, coming up to stand beside her.

"Aru, wake up, you know your father is coming up, he'll be through those doors in mere minutes," Omi said, joining them.

Tejasswi felt Aranya raise her head off her shoulder, "Daddy?"

"Yeah, baby, you're going to see your daddy soon," Tejasswi said.

Aranya began to squirm, realizing the importance of what was to come. Tejasswi laughed, placing her on the ground. She held onto her little hand, making sure she didn't run off. The adults stood around, all waiting.

The entire family stood there waiting alongside Tejasswi and Aranya. All waiting for Karan to walk through the set of automatic doors, finally coming home after close to two years away on a mission.

Aranya close to the age of two had curly hair, shades lighter than her father's but shared the same colour eyes. He had come home from a visit shortly after her first birthday, amazed at his little girl's growth. He left two weeks later, returning to his mission, one that was close to complete.

They had gotten the call last week that he would be on a flight home, already scheduled for him and his buddies. He told her he found a job locally on base, a training officer for young recruits, something that he always wanted to do.

So a week later, his family stood amongst other military families waiting for their loved ones. A second later, after an hour of waiting, the doors opened and a flock of men clad in their army greens and duffle bags came out, all stopping short to look for their families.

Tejasswi had positioned them farther back, giving them more room to see when Karan finally came out. Which he eventually did, his eyes squinting as he scanned the area when finally he set his sights on her and then the girl at her feet. A huge smile broke out on his face and he practically pushed his way through the crowd.

Tejasswi bent down so she was the same height as her daughter, "Daddy's here, look." She pointed ahead, Karan breaking free of the crowd and stopping short when he caught sight of his daughter.

"Daddy!" Aranya squealed, pulling herself out of Tejasswi's' arms and sprinting as fast as her little legs would carry her and towards her father.

Karan dropped his bag at his feet, kneeling and opening his arms just in time for Aranya to run into them. He wrapped his arms around her tiny frame. Karan looked up and caught her eyes and she felt herself moving towards him, not able to stay away any longer.

He stood up, Aranya secured in one arm as his other was open. She fell into his open arm, nestling his neck as the tears she had been trying not to shed at his arrival fell.

"Shhh," he whispered, running his free hand over her hair.

Tejasswi pulled back, "I'm just so happy that you're here."

Karan leaned forward, capturing her lips with his for a brief moment. "Don't cry, ladoo."

"Don't cry, Mommy," Aranya repeated, pulling back to wipe at the tears that fell down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," she said, kissing Aranya's cheek and Karan's. "I think our family wants to see you."

Karan looked over her shoulder, seeing his family huddled together watching the scene in front of them. His mom was crying, his father comforting her while Omi and Nikhil were smiling madly. He smiled at them, kissing Tejasswi on the forehead and taking her hand to join the rest of his family.

Tejasswi watched from the side as Karan greeted and chatted with his siblings, not once putting Aranya down. Everyone was all smiles as they talked to their brothers face-to-face for the first time in months.

An hour later, the group was finally ready to leave, noticing the pickup area of the airport was empty except for them. Karan pulled Tejasswi into his side, kissing her temple. "Ready to go home, ladoo?"

"Yes, more than anything. I can't wait for us to be a real family, Sunny," she said, smiling up at him.

"I love you, Tejasswi Kundrra."

"I love you, Karan Kundrra."

"And I love Aranya!" Their daughter giggled, causing the two parents to laugh along with her, momentarily forgetting Aranya was still perched in Karan's arms.

"Let's go home," Tejasswi said, grabbing his hand and leading the group out of the airport. Tejasswi was on cloud nine, excited that her family would finally begin, that she had her husband back home, and that he wouldn't be leaving her again for the mission.

Karan was home now, she was finally home again in his arms and that wasn't going to change any time soon. She had her family back and wasn't planning on giving that up, not if she could help it.