#i figure rajan is the last one to get checked on because he has 'i try to get out of every doctor's appointment' vibes

[i-lavabean]

There will be time to figure out what happened later after you finally rest

[fiftyeightminutes]

I kinda had this request floating through my mind: After Kala tells Rajan she is leaving him, his father starts trashing her name in the papers. Kala is so affected by all this, and Wolfgang can feel her pain and that's the first time Kala sees him cry. For her

Since you prompted the original fic of Kala telling Rajan, this one is a direct sequel to that.  I hope that’s what you had in mind.  (Also holy shit I love this prompt, I have feels just reading it.)  Also guess who’s never written a news articlein their life?  Just roll with it, y’all.

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After the cluster (and their family) has been in their newsafe house long enough for it to start feeling almost like home, they start tofall into daily routines.  With so manyof them living together, it’s easier this way. Part of the daily routine is each member of the cluster taking theirturn at Nomi’s computer to check the news in their home countries.  Usually there is not much to tell, but theyalways keep an eye out.  They know BPOmust be looking for them.

When they start to run low on blockers, they start to stretchthe time between taking them.  It’s notas safe, but they don’t want to risk not having one to take if they absolutelyneed it in the future.  During the briefperiods of time that they feel their connection, it’s intense.  All of their emotions rush into each other,crashing over the cluster like a tidal wave.

One morning, Kala is taking her turn at the computer,scrolling through a Mumbai news website. Wolfgang sits next to her, idly running his fingers through her hair asshe reads.  As she skims the site, hereye catches on a name she hasn’t thought of in a while – Manendra Rasal.  A tendril of fear snakes through Kala.  Now that he has become an official politicalfigure, she knows his life is in plenty of danger even without the threat ofBPO.  Despite her tumultuous relationshipwith her (now former) father-in-law, she does not want him to have been hurt.  Without reading the whole headline, sheclicks on the article.  Once she sees it,Kala wishes she had.

Manendra Rasal SpeaksOut On Daughter-In-Law’s Disappearance

She knows this is probably not something she needs to read,maybe even something she should avoid. But now that Kala has already opened the article, her curiosity gets thebetter of her.

Manendra Rasal, CEO ofRasal Pharmaceuticals and prominent political advisor, has finally come forwardabout the disappearance of his son’s wife, Kala Rasal.  Mrs. Rasal’s last known location was in anairport in France, drawing speculation about a potential affair.  Prior to now, the Rasal family has kept quieton the matter.  After almost two monthsof silence, Manendra Rasal held a press conference this morning to address thenumerous questions the family has been receiving.

“My son, Rajan Rasal,was contacted recently by his wife,” Rasal stated to the press corps.  “She has confirmed that she is safe, but didnot reveal her location.  Only that shewill be ending their marriage.”

When asked for thereason for her disappearance, Rasal answered, “She was scheduled to take a tripto Paris.  It seems that some time beforethis was scheduled, though, she began having an affair with someone living inEurope.  When this trip was scheduled,she took it as an opportunity to leave my son.”

Regarding questionsabout the original reason for Mrs. Kala Rasal’s trip, Manendra Rasal had nocomments.  He did, however, take otherquestions about Mrs. Rasal and the alleged affair.  “My son believes that his wife must have metthis man when they were on their honeymoon in Italy,” Rasal stated.  “While on their trip, my son was injured andon bedrest by doctor’s orders.  He is atrusting enough man that he did not want his injury to spoil their vacation forher, so there were several days where she went out alone.  It seems that since she was unable to have asatisfying honeymoon with her husband, she went and found someone else tocelebrate her new marriage with.”

Neither Rajan Rasalnor Kala Rasal’s family were available for comment.

Kala’s not sure what she expected, but Manendra’s words hurther more than she anticipated.  As shefinishes the article, she feels the sting of tears pricking the corners of hereyes.  She doesn’t want to worry the restof the cluster by crying, though.  Everyone is safe, that’s what matters,Kala tries to remind herself.  It doesn’treally help.

Wolfgang is stiff behind her.  Kala turns around, expecting to see a look ofconcern.  Instead, before she evenrealizes the blockers have worn off, she sees her own pain reflected inWolfgang’s face.  Then the depth of theirconnection comes flooding back, rolling over her all at once until she almostfeels like she is drowning in their shared sorrow.

“The things he said about you,” Wolfgang mutters, anguish inhis voice.  Kala has only heard him thisway when discussing his past.  And eventhen, even when confronting his worst memories and ending Sergei Bodganow’slife, Wolfgang had pushed it down. Pushed it to where only Kala could feel it, sobbing for him in heroffice in Mumbai.  Now, though, this isnot his own pain.  It’s Kala’s.  And there is nothing about Kala that Wolfgangwants to push away.

“It’s nothing,” Kala says, shaking her head.  She closes her eyes, trying to will away thetears that are threatening to fall.  Sheknows he has been through so much worse, knows that most of their cluster hasat some point or another.

Wolfgang’s eyes become fierce, but the pain is still clearbehind them.  “It’s not nothing,” hereplies.  “This is something you careabout.”

“It’s stupid,” Kala says, but she feels herself start cryingeven as the words leave her mouth.  “You’veall had so many terrible things happen to you. I almost lost you,” shesobs.  Wolfgang puts his arms around her,pulling her into his chest.  Once theyare touching, the connection is too much. It is all Kala can do to keep from falling apart against him.  “Why am I so upset about this?” she asks.

Her pain flows freely into him now, and Wolfgang doesn’thave to reach far into her mind to find the answer.  “You struggled with guilt about us from thebeginning.  Because you are a goodperson, and you didn’t want to hurt Rajan,” he whispers into her hair.  “And now his father is telling people thatyou didn’t care at all and just wanted to sleep with anyone you found.  He’s lying to hurt you.  To hurt your family.”

As she listens to him speak, Kala lets herself cry openlyagainst him.  (He’s right, ofcourse.  Wolfgang has always been rightwhen it comes to her.)  After a fewmoments, through their connection she feels that it is not just her own face wetwith tears.  Kala looks up at him insurprise.  For the first time that shehas ever seen, Wolfgang is crying.  Herheart breaks and swells with love for him simultaneously.  This man, who never lets himself express hisown pain, is allowing himself to shed tears for hers.

Still choking back sobs, Kala pulls him down into akiss.  It is messy, both of them stillcrying as their lips meet.  Her painflows through her lips into him, and his love and strength caress her consciousnessgently in return.  They hold each othertight, kissing fiercely as this new aspect of their connection overtakesthem.  After a few moments, Wolfgangpulls away and rests his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry,” he whispers.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Kala says immediately,already knowing where he is going.  Itdoesn’t stop him from saying it, though.

“You’re feeling this pain because of me,” Wolfgang replies.

She grabs his face gently, guiding him to meet hereyes.  Kala softly brushes a tear fromhis cheek.  “This pain is because ofhim.  You, on the other hand,” shestarts, kissing him on the other cheek, “you have given me love that I wouldnever have known with Rajan.”  Kala giveshim a quick, chaste kiss on the lips.  “Itdoesn’t matter what he says.  You areworth it.”

“God, I love you,” Wolfgang breathes, tracing his fingersalong her back to try to sooth her.

Kala rests her head in the crook of his neck,allowing his light touch to ease the pain between them.  “I love you, too.”