Author's Notes: I just want to let my readers know that this isn't the way I wrote my story, but every time I upload it, the site changes my indentation, tabs, paragraphs, line spacing, fonts, etc. I know it looks really sloppy but this is not the way I wrote it, yet I can't figure out how to get the site to return my stories to their original format, so please bear with me, and excuse me. If you have any idea how I can get the site to keep, and post the stories in the original format with the same indentations, tabs, paragraphs, line spacing, fonts, etc., please tell me. You can email me at: benbrattlover at yahoo dot com

Please read and review. Be kind, yet please give me honest feedback. If you have a negative comment, it is okay to post it, but also include some practical suggestions on how I could make the story better. I love to write stories and poems and I want to be a good writer so I don't mind negative comments as long as they are not flames. Positive and/or helpful advice and pointers are appreciated and welcomed. Negative, AND unconstructive feedback is not, and will be deleted. Otherwise, feel free to write what you think, with the exception of flames. Thank you!

I don't own any of the characters, except for the ones that I create. This story is a crossover of one of my favorite movies, "Monsoon Wedding", and one of my favorite TV shows, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit". The "Monsoon Wedding" characters belong to Mira Nair, Sabrina Dhawan, and all the other creators, writers, producers and directors of this movie. The "Law & Order S.V.U." characters belong to Dick Wolf, Neal Baer, Rene Balcer, Ted Kotcheff, David Burke, Judy McCreary, NBC, The USA Network, any other channel where the show is in syndication, and all the other creators, writers, producers and directors of this TV show. But I've written this story, I own this story, and all the others that I write, or have written. Please do not use, copy, post elsewhere, or reproduce it in any way, shape, or form without my permission. Thanks!

In the movie, "Monsoon Wedding", I don't know for sure if they ever mentioned where Lalit's younger brother, Uday, lives with his wife, Sona, and two children, Ayesha, and Aliya. I know they said that Pimmi's brother C.L., and wife, Shashi live in Muscat, one of their sons, Umang, is in America, while their other son, Rahul, came from Australia. I also distinctly remember them saying that Lalit's older sister Vijaya, and her husband, Tej Puri are living in the United States. But, even having watched the movie like a gazillion times, I still don't know if they ever said where Uday and his family live, or in which part of America Tej and Vijaya live. So, for purposes of this story, I am having Uday, Sona, Ayesha and Aliya, as well as Tej and Vijaya live in New York City. I am taking some liberties from the original movie (such as the example above) so that it fits, and works with the characters and plot of my fanfic. Please understand and hold off on throwing the tomatoes :) !

Also, even though on "Law & Order S.V.U.", Stephanie March, the actress who plays the character of A.D.A Alexandra "Alex" Cabot, has left the series, she is still the A.D.A. in this story. I have not yet seen the most recent episode (the first one after Stephanie March's exit) so I don't know, or have enough of an idea yet of the personality and character of the new A.D.A. replacing Alex, to be able to effectively portray her, and include her in this fanfic. So, therefore, all the events which took place in the episode, "Loss" never happened in this story, and the A.D.A. is still Alex Cabot.

Rating: PG-13, but may, or may not be increased to R rating, depending on author's whims:)

Contact: Any extra comments (beyond the review) questions, or concerns, Email me at: benbrattlover at and after you're done, please hit the pretty, little purple button at the bottom of the page, and leave me a review. Thank you!

Once the doli1 leaves, carrying Aditi and Hemant to a limousine waiting nearby, which will take them to the best local 5-star hotel, where they will spend the night in one of the fanciest wedding suites before leaving for their honeymoon the next morning, and the reception ends, and all the guests leave, Lalit and Pimmi head inside to the living room, where C.L., Shashi, Umang, Veena, Uday, Sona, and Mr. & Mrs. Rai are all sitting and chatting. Ayesha and Rahul had already sneaked out to have some time alone together away from all the "parental eyes", and doing the same thing, Varun is watching TV in the den. Being so late at night, and exhausted by all the events of the previous few days, Aliya fell asleep, reclining on a divan set up on the floor. Since both her parents are engaged in conversation without disturbing her, Ria picks her up and gently carries her to an empty bedroom where she lays her on the bed, tenderly draping a light coverlet over her. After she returns to the living room, both Uday and Sona, quietly take Ria aside to talk to her privately.

"Ria, we wanted to thank you so much for what you did," begins Uday. "We can never express just how grateful we are to you for protecting Aliya from Tej, and alerting us to what he was doing. If it weren't for you, we might never have known. Thank you so much for rescuing our daughter!"

"You're more than welcome, Chachu2." Ria says, shaking her head. "But I did not really do anything. I love and care about Aliya, and I merely wanted to keep her from having to endure any more hurt and pain than she already has, because of Tej. That's all. I just did not want Aliya having to go through what I've gone through. But I really did not do that much."

"Are you kidding? You absolutely did!" exclaims Sona taking Ria's hand. "Whenever Uday and I have had to go out of town, or we have had to just go out, and Ayesha is not available, we have left Aliya with Tej and Vijaya. We never, ever would have, if we had, had even the slightest suspicion of what was going on, and what he was doing to her. Thank you so much for looking out for her. Had it not been for your intervening, and bringing this to our attention, we would never, in a million years have had any idea that Tej, one of our own relatives could hurt our little Aliya the way that he has."

Sona's eyes fill with tears at the thought of what her daughter has gone through, and she nods for her husband to continue.

"I guess what we're trying to say is we really appreciate it, and we're so indebted to you for what you did." Uday clears his throat before speaking again. "But we do have one more favor to ask."

"Anything," replies Ria immediately, without a moment's hesitation, or missing a beat. "Name it."

"Okay. Although we appreciate Lalitbhaiyya3 taking the first step by kicking Tej out of the wedding, quite frankly, it's just that – the first step. But it is not enough. He has to be punished, and severely, for what he has done." Uday proclaims firmly. "Sona and I want to see Tej pay, so that he can never hurt anyone else ever again."

"I absolutely agree." Ria says, nodding, as she turns to Sona. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Well, in a few days, we're going home – Uday, the kids, and I. As soon as we get back to New York, we're going to call the police to see about pressing charges against Tej," declares Sona resolutely. "We want to make sure that he doesn't get away with hurting you, and Aliya, and who knows how many others. He needs to pay the price for what he's done. If the police and prosecutors decide to press charges, and if it's allowed, and its necessary, would you be willing to testify about what Tej did to you?"

"Definitely! I want that bastard to rot in prison for the rest of his sick, miserable life."

"Thank you!" Uday and Sona reply in unison. "We really appreciate everything you have done."

"You're welcome!" answers Ria modestly. "We're family, and families are supposed to look out for and take care of each other."

"You're right." Sona admits, before she, Uday and Ria, head back and rejoin the rest of the group. "But we are still really grateful to you."

To Be Continued…

---

1 A type of hand-held carriage (see image at: ) used in Asian Indian weddings to bring the bride to the wedding ceremony, and to transport both the bride AND groom away afterwards.

2 A term of endearment for an uncle.

3 A term of endearment for an older brother