Do read the short Author's note at the end :)

Epilogue.

Do you know when it's war? It's when you don't find bodies scattered around, nor bloodshed. You only live in fear of it happening - Unknown

Sameena's POV.

Two years later...

It was three in the morning.

An exhausted sigh escaped my lips as I tilted my head to glance at the digital clock hanging directly to my right. For the last five hours since I got into bed, I had been tossing, turning and checking the time every few minutes. In between it all, I most likely gained only an hour worth of sleep. In the end, I became frustrated with myself and resorted to just staring up at the ceiling.

This happened every time Tariq had a late shift.

I couldn't help it. I worried about him so much and lately, I felt like all I had been doing was worrying.

Alhamdulillah, after a lot of begging and dare I say, sucking up, the hospital agreed to give him working hours throughout the day. It had made a big difference in both our lives as we could now dedicate not only more time to ourselves, but to our families also. I could see the subtle change in Tariq; his sleeping patterns became constant, he was eating better, getting much more sun and overall his energy levels increased drastically. This was an amazing development when compared with his behaviour during the time he had randomly allocated shifts.

Every now and again however, he was called in for emergencies and those were the nights where I found myself in this very situation.

As the clock struck three twenty, I heard the sound of our door opening and instantly, I felt my heart rate pick up speed. Even after two years of living together, I felt a thrill pass through me whenever he arrived home from work.

His footsteps were light as he moved but since I was so used to them, I could track exactly where he was going. Just as I predicted, he moved off into the kitchen, the sound of the refrigerator opening and closing and then a lid popping off a water bottle resounding through the silence of our house.

His shoes clacked against the wooden floorboards as he headed towards our bedroom and I hurriedly shut my eyes and tried to even my breathing. The last time he caught me awake, he had gone on a ten minute tirade about how sleep was so important but being the sweetheart that he is, he had followed it through with a breathtaking kiss, thanking me for being so concerned over him.

Our door creaked open and I almost smiled at how cautious he was being, barely making a sound as he placed his duffel bag onto the floor. After a few seconds, I felt both his arms rest on either side of me as he hovered for a few moments. He planted a soft kiss onto my forehead. Like always, I felt the effervescence of the same goosebumps on contact. And I never got tired of it. Hopefully, I never will...

When he had retreated, I dared to open one eye. He was moving around the room, pulling out clothes for his shower and for the next few minutes, I just lay there like a creep, watching him in utter silence.

To my relief he didn't seem very tired. He didn't have bags under his eyes, those usual tell-tale signs that he was overworking himself.

He ran a hand through his hair and blew out a breath before finally moving into our en suite bathroom and for the next ten minutes until he returned, I continued to stare up at the ceiling. Sleep had completely escaped me at this point and I actually considered just getting up, making a coffee and reading some Qur'an until fajr.

When I felt the bed covers moving and Tariq shuffling in next to me, the idea flew out of my head and I found myself automatically inching closer. Unsurprisingly, two arms came right around my waist.

"I know you're awake."

My eyes snapped open and I huffed in annoyance.

"But I thought my acting skills were good!"

A deep chuckle left his lips and I turned onto my side so that I was facing him.

"Sorry baby, but they're not that good."

"Oh." I pouted. "Is that why you kissed me?" I asked with a raised brow. "'Cause you knew I was awake and you thought you could get brownie points?"

He laughed lightly and pecked my lips. It was quick and soft but as always, it left me craving for more. "No, I do that because I love you."

"Aww darling, I love you too." I snuggled in closer, resting my head on his chest. "How was work?"

He began playing with some wisps of my hair and I felt my eyes close at how relaxing it felt. "It was one of those days where I felt like I was just on auto-pilot. Moving but not really thinking."

"Oh honey."

"But alhamdulillah, the most severe injury we had was from a seven year old who swallowed a coin."

I blinked. "Swallowed a...coin?"

He shook as he laughed. "Yep. The poor kid stole it from his mum's purse and when she questioned him, he swallowed it whole behind her back."

I shook my head. "Wow, poor kid."

"Speaking of," Tariq started, and I looked up at him expectantly. "What time is Abir's birthday party tomorrow?"

"At noon. Will you be able to make it?"

"In shaa Allah, I'm going with the boys to visit Omar and his wife in hospital at eleven and we won't be staying that long."

"How is Samira and the newborn?" I smiled fondly at the thought of Omar being a father!

"From what I hear, both happy and healthy."

"I wish I could go see them too but Sarah needs my help setting up. Maybe I'll go the day after, it is the weekend after all."

"That would be nice." A few minutes of quietude passed as we both just listened to each other breathing. Then, "it seems like everyone is having a baby."

"Except us," he added.

Immediately, I was pulling myself out of his arms and sitting up straight. I turned my face away to gaze out of our balcony doors at the moon and city skyline, feeling overwhelmed, as I always did whenever this topic was brought up.

"I didn't mean to upset you."

I shook my head. "You know it's not about that."

And it was true.

There was nothing wrong with either of us, alhamdulillah. We were both healthy and able to have children. We both wanted a baby so badly, and although Tariq had been pushing for it quite determinedly, I was more resistant to the idea.

Because it's 2047. In just two years the situation had worsened. Baba retired, and things only went downhill. No bloodshed. No dead bodies. Just tension. Who would have thought that the balance of power would shift so drastically in just thirty years? That the west would no longer hold the economical and cultural monopoly? That the world would witness a neo cold war era? The moment we were free, and the time came to write history, politics took centre stage and we eventually got ourselves into another conflict. This time It's the middle east against the east. Bluntly put, Palestine against India, the two superpowers representing the two blocs.

I knew politics like the back of my hand and I knew that soon enough, it would come to that. Because it's all a dirty game of acquiring and misusing power. It seems we've forgotten what we stood for, how we earned our freedom.

There were rumours and whispers surfacing that spoke of the involvement of Palestine and India's biggest aviation firms. Just hearing that made me sick to my stomach...

Why?

Because Samir was a test pilot for one of them: Dodi & Fork. Samir being pulled down to the status of a pawn, simply flying, validating ultra modern killing machines... I didn't want to think about it.

At one point we had woken up to the whine of drones, counting bodies. And now we are actively investing in the same technology to protect ourselves if something went wrong.

"Sameena, I know you're scared about what the future holds. We all are," Tariq spoke softly, reaching out for one of my hands. "But we can't let that fear control our lives."

"Tariq, I'm scared." His face was full of understanding as I spoke. "I don't want to bear a child when the world is so full of hate and it feels like we're sitting on a time bomb. Anything can go wrong anytime. You've heard the stories from our parents and grandparents. I wouldn't wish that upon anyone else." I felt a knot rise up my throat and somehow whispered the last bit. "Especially when that someone is an extension of us."

He sat up so that he was on level with me and held both my hands in his. "Baby, you're overthinking this! Hopefully nothing will come out of this conflict. Let's not assume the worst!"

"Maybe you're right." I looked at him and tried to smile. I hated the fact that I was making him upset. Am I really overthinking this? Only time will tell...

Suddenly, Tariq's fingers were on my waist and I burst out laughing as he tickled me mercilessly.

"Stop!" I gasped, trying to push him away but failing miserably as his hands moved at the speed of light.

"Never!"

He laughed evilly - or at least tried to - and the strangled sound that emerged from his mouth just made me laugh even harder.

"What...was...that?!" I asked as I tried to breathe in deep gulps of air.

Tariq chuckled. "I have no idea." Finally, he removed his hands and fell back against the bed with a pleased expression on his face. "Anything to make you smile."

I flipped onto my stomach, using my elbow to support me as I bent down to kiss him. "Thank you," I whispered.

He placed a finger under my chin, forcing me to peer into his eyes. "Have faith. Everything will be alright, you'll see."

I smiled.

"In shaa Allah."

####

A/N

AAHHH! SubhanAllah can't believe this book has come to an end! Felt like it went so quickly! 

As always, I'd like to thank you all dearly for your support, for your constant votes and comments. Even to those silent readers out there, your reads means a lot to me too! 

Please don't forget to comment feedback and vote :) it is the epilogue after all and I'd like to know what you all thought of this book as a whole! 

Salam!

I have an askfm : https://ask.fm/booohhs 

Instagram : booohhs