Our Break is over....now for the finale
Comment on each paragraph if you're excited and maybe an earlier update 🌚

••••••

‎تَقَبَّلَ اللّهُ مِنَّ وَ مِنْكُمْ
Taqaballahu minna wa minkum!

Eid Mubarak.
May Allah accept our ibadah,
supplications and efforts during the month of Ramadan. May Allah give us steadfastness on the path of righteousness, elevate our Imaan, cleanse our sins and bestow His blessings and mercy in the world and in the hereafter.
May we all withness a better one next year in sha Allah

Ameen

•••••••

A car ride has never felt so awkward for Fahad and he was sure Khadijah would say the same too, expect well, she didn’t seem to be in touch with reality.

The first moments he’d thought to just let her deal with it her own way, he didn’t want to intrude.

It was going well, until she started picking at her fingers, he’d winced two or three times on her behalf which went missed by her.

She was assaulting her fingers, at least not in a way that would injure her but she was turning her ring in different ways. He was sure it was grazing her skin and would probably peel soon enough.

Mind your business.

He told himself, forcing his eyes back on the road, needing them to stay there because he keeps glancing at her.

He didn’t last five minutes before turning back, he let out a small resigned sigh and reached for her hand, peeling it from the other. He felt her stiffen before she loosened up and looked up at him in question.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice low.

“Nothing.” He said the truth, it was nothing he could say because he actually did not know what to say to her to make her feel better.

He didn’t get why she was so worked up, though what Sadiya had gave a lot room for worry and seeing how much she adored her father, her fear was understandable. Being let down by the person you look up to more than anyone would destroy you, not that he knew firsthand what that felt like but just the thought of it made his heart sink.

He squeezed her hands gently, hoping it would offer her a little comfort.

“You’ll be fine.” He muttered in a whisper, he wasn’t so sure she heard.

Instead of heading to her parents’ house that he knew by heart, he turned going towards his own parents’ house.

“You’re going the wrong way.” She said in a little above a whisper.

“I’m not,” she wanted to argue but he didn’t let her get a word in. “I know where I’m going, don’t worry.”

Khadijah stared at him for a few seconds before nodding.

He wasn’t crazy like Suleiman, he wasn’t going to hurt her. She had to keep telling herself that to calm herself down and maybe the assurance worked, or maybe it was his hand that was stroking the back of hers gently that did the job but either way, she was calm and her mind stopped running with multiple possibilities of what exactly Sadiya had meant.

She really hoped it was her sister just being her over dramatic self and just jumped into conclusions.

Her father never fancied polygamy, she had to say umma was a handful she didn’t see why he would want to multiply that. Her simple father.

She shook her head no, it wasn’t possible, it didn’t even sound like him.

Somehow she convinced herself it was all good as Fahad took a familiar turn, she raised her eyes to look at him.

“A little diversion for you to calm down, they are not back.” He added when he saw the question in her eyes.

The house wasn’t empty per se, just the main house but that was the safest place he could bring her with the threats on his wellbeing and hers.

Huda always believed in comfort food but after seeing what he had seen at Dahlia’s restaurant, that wasn’t a safe space either which left only the Aliero’s or his parents place. The latter was the obvious option seeing they had privacy there and Khadijah looked like she was going to have a breakdown.

A much needed one, even he had to say.

He used his key and opened the main door, the security was available 24/7 and since the family was actually coming everywhere was pristine.

Fahad urged her in and went to the kitchen to get her something to drink, feeling grateful when he saw the pantry restocked though the fridge was still empty, he picked a bottle of water and searched for a glass before walking back out to meet her.

He met her reclined on the chair, her eyes closed though he wouldn’t say she was sleeping, he didn’t want to interrupt her momentary rest so he walked back to the kitchen and followed the back door to the storage so he could fix the lights in the main house, it had been switched off to avoid accidents since there weren’t people inside unless the cleaners were working.

“Do you want anything else?” Fahad asked softly, handing Khadijah the water with a grateful nod.

She looked slightly better, and that being her eyes weren’t turned over in worry.

He may not have known her that long but he had to say he was sadly familiar with that look. He didn’t want to see her looking like that again, he balled his fists and moved to an empty seat to avoid doing something they both didn’t want.

His body seemed to have a mind of its own because even seated he found himself leaning towards her direction, she was swirling the remaining water in the cup and again he told himself to look away, not only because he looked like a creepy stalker watching her like that but to stop from reaching for her.

Fahad brushed his hand over his face and said a silent prayer, hoping that would ease his own nerves that seemed haywire. It wouldn’t do them good if he lost it too because he knew what that meant and it is never good.

“Fahad,” Khadijah’s soft voice pulled him from his trance and he was at a risk of falling into another one when he heard her call him again, he has never heard her call him, or it probably never sounded like that, maybe he just never noticed the way his name rolled off her tongue, it sounded enticing and that made him realize just how beautiful the name actually is.

He had to shake his head to stop from asking her to try Muhammad, his actual name.

“Fahad, your phone.” That did it because he reached for the device that was presently the bane of his existence.

If the caller surprised him, he didn’t show it and slid the answer button.

“Fahad? Fahad are you there?” his eyes widened on their own accord at Dahlia’s tone.

“Yes, is everything okay?” he asked pulling the phone from his ear as he did so, he wanted to make sure it was actually her.

“Fahad, tell me where you ar—“there a static sound cut off what she wanted to say. He called her name twice but she didn’t answer so he hung up and called her again, it didn’t go through.

“What is wrong?” Khadijah asked her eyes slightly widened seeing how his whole demeanor changed.

“I don’t know, she ended the call.” He was already trying her again as he spoke.

Dahlia wouldn’t just call him out of the blue, maybe a few months ago it might’ve been normal but she avoids calling unnecessarily since he got married but her voice, it didn’t sound like it was something trivial, heck she had called him by his name and not Barkindo like all the guys did.

He hated the thought that came to his mind but it was the truth. Something is wrong.

Not feeling comfortable with everything, he got to his feet and excused himself to go and try calling her again outside to see if there would be much luck there. Not that something like that has ever happened but he wanted to at least try.

Images of Nai’a kept coming to the forefront of his mind and he had to control how his fingers were trembling to be able to call Jawad and ask him to go and see if she is okay.

Like it did with her phone, it disconnected even before it started ringing and after it happened thrice his heart sank when he realized who was actually in danger.

Fahad could’ve sworn his feet were flowing on air when he rushed back to the front door, praying with everything in him for Khadijah to be fine.

His heart stopped when he found the place she was sitting earlier empty but that soon changed when he saw her walking out of the kitchen, she gave him a questioning look seeing how disheveled he looked.

“Fahad, are you okay?” Khadijah knew her question was dumb seeing as he didn’t exactly look okay but she didn’t know what to do, he didn’t look like he was breathing to be honest.

Toughing it out, she walked the few steps in between them and touched his arm, that seemed to do it because he blinked multiple times before telling her to follow him, she did so wordlessly.

“Give me your phone please,” he spoke in a rush and she handed him the device immediately, thankful she had picked it because she’d considered leaving it at home.

Fahad opened the passenger side’s door for her and when he was sure she was securely inside, he walked back to the other side after typing in Jawad’s number that he knew by heart, it didn’t go through.

“Please, please, please.” He muttered to himself climbing in and sitting behind the wheel, this time he dialed Zayn though he wasn’t the smartest option but he wanted to reach someone whose phone was always reliable.

When it didn’t go through, he only prayed to Allah to protect Khadijah because he knew he needed it.

He started the car and drove out of the house looking behind him to make sure no one was following him, there was no car in the street but it didn’t make him feel any better.

He knew right at that moment the only thing that would let him breathe well is when he couldn’t feel Khadijah beside him, he needed to know she was safe then he would go and deal with his mess, although as much as he wanted to be with her he needed her away from him because he wasn’t good for her and especially right at that moment.

He hated that Shaheed was right, he had no right to include her in his problems when he knew firsthand the kind of people that wanted to get their hands on him.

Khadijah glanced at Fahad again, seeing how his hand was gripping the steering wheel, she pitied the object. She was surprised his obvious agitation didn’t scare her, with Suleiman, even his breathing changing scared the living daylights out of her and she told herself that was the difference between them.

She trusted Fahad, she trusted his upbringing because it honestly leads back to that.

Her mind and fears were at war, the former wanting her to reach out to him like he did for her moments ago but her fear was holding her back, and after a mental debate she breathed in slowly and leaned back into her seat, calling herself coward as she did so.

Fahad who missed her mental debate desperately tried to reach to every emergency contact he could, he tried the one in his car and soon realized it had been tampered with. He regretted going out with Khadijah because whatever happened was on him.

He stopped at a red light, his eyes looking around to see if anything looked suspicious. Nothing was out, save for him that he was letting the paranoia in again.

His phone pinged with an incoming message and he muttered Alhamdulillah in his mind.

The service was back and he was probably over reacting, it should mean something since it wasn’t only his phone.

He reached for the device and let out a shaky breath when he saw a message from a private number, he didn’t tap on it, he knew that but whatever the person sent started playing and the scream of agony gained Khadijah’s attention, he was frozen in shock to do anything.

Her eyes moved between his and the image on the screen and he saw her flinch before turning away, he didn’t know where or how she gained the courage but she pulled the phone from his hand and tossed it towards the backseat.

“Fahad?” her voice was shaky when she spoke and she was sure his name sounded choked on her lips but she didn’t care, what she had seen would be imprinted in her mind for a very long while.

She didn’t blame him for freezing, any sensible person would do so.

It had been a single glance but she saw enough to keep her up at night, she didn’t even want to think of who and why they did whatever they did in the video but she hoped Fahad wasn’t a part of it.

“Please, snap out of it.” She pleaded, this time not thinking twice before she held his hand. That gained his attention and he turned to her then she saw his lips part as though he wanted to talk.

She didn’t hear the sound, they both didn’t but the feel of her body losing its weight and her name being called at a distance and was the one thing she could hear.

Fahad’s hand tightened in hers and that was the only part of her body that she felt, that and the unbearable pain in her lower abdomen. It was like nothing she has ever felt before and even miscarriage was a dull ache compared to that, there was a static ringing in her ears blocking out everything and even the echoes of her name disappeared and it was just nothing.

Blood rushed to her head and she couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore, she heard it though, her name as a whisper, then everything went black.

*****

The soft whirring of the standing fan and gentle hum of the air condition was the only sound in the room, the occupants both deep in thought.

Sadiya had been the only calm one which surprised malam Sadeeq because she was most likely the one to blow things out of proportion but she seemed to have left that to Baraka who was doing a marvelous job at it.

Malam Sadeeq’s eyes roved towards the grandfather clock above the TV and saw it was a few minutes past one, the only thing his mind could register was that Khadijah was supposed to be there. He was dreading her arrival in equal fervor if he was being honest because as much as Batool deserved to be free of the lies he’d interwoven simply because of his cowardice, he didn’t think he could handle whatever emotions she would feel when she finds out.

“Her phone isn’t going through,” Fatimah Batool stated tapping her phone furiously.

She looked anxious and offered her a assuring smile but she looked away, it wasn’t going to work.

He too was worried about Khadijah because it was unlike her, sure she left her phone everywhere and sometimes forgot its existence but if she was told it was an emergency then she would be there, even before he’d breathed after delivering the message.

“Call her husband then,” he said lowly and the glare he received from Batool told him she had tried.

He wanted to say something but there heard a voice at the door and Sadiya walked in with a small smile.

“Baba, we just finished lunch. Should I bring it for erm, ammi?” Fatimah Batool didn’t know when her lips lifted in a smile at that and she told her to go ahead.

“That one is more like you,” she joked and he chuckled.

“You have to see her when she wants to wreak havoc, it is just the face she has.” She waved his comment off with a small laugh because contrary to what he says she believed Sadiya was calm and it wasn’t just for that, she remembered her when they were children.

While Baraka and Farhan would fight whenever they were playing she would much rather sit with her in the room and watching something or sometimes sleeping, even then they had a silent understanding and she could see nothing has changed.

She reached for her phone that was ringing, the bitter taste in her mouth returned full force when she saw the caller ID, she turned it towards malam Sadeeq and he too looked panicked.

“What could he want?” he asked and she shrugged. “You know it is never good news with him.” he muttered under his breath and again she only shrugged.

“Hassan what is it?” she was taken by surprise when he didn’t chastise her for calling him by his given name, rather his breathy voice came.

“Batool I need you to come to the hospital right now, please.” His tone was urgent and she got to her feet, slightly scaring malam Sadeeq who asked her what’s wrong.

“What is it Hassan? What happened?” she asked frantically, trying and failing to stop her heart from going into overdrive.

“Just come, I—you’ll, just come please.”

“Listen to me, tell me what happened and who the hell is in the hospital before I—“

“Khadijah. Khadijah was just in an accident and she was rushed—“Malam Sadeeq took the phone from her hand when he saw how she was hyperventilating.

“What happened?” he heard the slight pause when his brother heard his voice but he recovered soon enough.

“It is not that bad and she is already at the hospital you just need to get here, her husband looks like he is losing his mind.” He said the last part softly.

He hung up and turned to Batool whom he helped to sit then handed her a cup of water, her hands trembled and he had to help her take the cup to her lips.

“Ammi, it—it’s Khadijah. Ummi just called me—“he stopped mid-sentence when he saw how she was.

He’d refused to sit with his father when they arrived and went to his siblings because one, his father wasn’t there and two Kamla was there. Somewhere deep in conversation with Farhana in his hand Ummi had called and he’d wanted to start telling her about Farhana but stopped when he heard how she sounded panicked and only said two words, Khadijah and hospital.

He walked out of the house after informing his parents with only a head nod at Kamla, he was not sure he could speak.

Multiple thoughts ran through his mind and none was good, he pressed the gas on the car telling himself he wasn’t going to lose his sister, not when he just found her.

Her anger aside, Umma had been the first to snap them out of their trance before they headed out of the house, she’d even reached out and squeezed Batool’s hand when she saw just how shaken the woman was.

She didn’t like her of course but she could understand what she was going through, she may not have given birth to the girl but she was the only mother she knew. She was putting up a strong front because they all looked like they needed someone to anchor them and she was going to be that.

Whatever happens she only hoped her daughter would be fine, biological child or not.

****

HSM stared at his phone bewildered before tapping on the message icon again, to be sure it wasn’t a photo. Sadly, it wasn’t and he felt something crawl over his skin.

He dialed the number at the top of the screen and when it went through, he could’ve sworn he heard when his heart fell.

“Fratello,” he didn’t let him finish.

“What have you done?” he shook his head. “Whatever you think you’re doing, please do not do it. I am begging you.” he heard a sharp intake of breath.

“This is the problem with you Hassan, I tell you to do things and you don’t do it, I come to do it myself and you want to beg me?” he said the ‘beg’ with disgust.

“I said I would handle it.” He said through gritted teeth, trying desperately to get himself to calm down.

“And you haven’t, it been more than five years. If not now then when”

“Sadeeq, Khadijah is in that car, whatever you do will affect her. She is your niece for fucks sake!” the man huffed and when he spoke his voice was tinged with annoyance.

“Her father said we aren’t his family, she is not related to me.”

“Not for that, what is her fault in this? Just, please think this through. You know he wouldn’t want her to be a part of it, let him drop her off somewhere safe first and you can do whatever you want.”

“Hassan you know how this works. She,” he could imagine him waving his hands at that, as though pushing that from his mind. “Just call her a casualty and that is it.” HSM ran his hands through his short cropped hair saying a prayer.

“You have lost your mind Sadeeq, I promise you’ll regret it.”

“She isn’t the first and she wouldn’t be the last either, grow up.” The line went dead after that.

“Your brother has a stick shoved up his behind, like damn, even I’m not that crazy and I take mental problem pills.” HSM ignored Fahad Ibrahim his hands flying around his screen typing faster than he has ever done in his life.

Seeing how he was, Fahad sighed and gave the man a sympathetic look, he could go as far as calling them friends and though they weren’t exactly good people, he wouldn’t say they were all that bad.

“Don’t tell me he is going to shoot at his tires, is his aim really to kill?”

“Yes his aim is to kill but he not shooting anybody’s tires, your country might have no law but I think even my stupid brother won’t try open shooting in the middle of the day.”

“Well, why don’t you try and intervene.”

“I can’t do that! There is no way I get someone there before he decides to execute whatever sick game he has up his sleeve, all I can do right now is damage control.” He added in a low voice. “I’ll be damned if I let Batool lose her daughter, not after just getting her.”

He dialed the one person he knew would help at the moment, he’d almost thought she wouldn’t pick but her voice came through.

“You know I’m not interested in your back and forth banter with my sister, what do you want?” Dr. Sakinah spat at her sister’s friend.

“I’m not calling to fight, send an ambulance to—“

“I am not getting involved in whatever mess you’re in Hassan.” He let out a resigned breath. “I may sound crazy to you right now but send an ambulance to Khadijah and Fahad right now because her life is not going to be on my hands.”

Silence. That was the only thing he heard.

“What exactly do you mean by that statement? What did you do to my niece and nephew?”

“Just do as I say.” He called out the address before hanging up.

“Man, you really have a fucked up family.” Fahad Ibrahim muttered giving him an incredulous look. “You’re in love with your twin brother’s wife and your psycho older brother wants to kill your niece and her husband. Damn.” HSM ignored him dutifully and tried the person that called him to inform him of his brother’s arrival even before he received the message.

“Uncle H, did you talk him out of it?” her voice was worried and soft, a contrast to her father that sounded like a crazy man.

“We just have to hope he doesn’t cause too much damage sweetheart, you know how he is when he puts his mind to something.” He heard her sob.

“It is all my fault, it is all my fault. I—I didn’t even know I was helping him but he used me and now, whatever happens is my fault.” She wailed, her voice shaking.

“It is not your fault, your father is out of his mind.” She didn’t believe him he could tell but he was glad that she had calmed down at least.

“Someone just sent you a footage, man I really am rethinking this our partnership if this is how your brother thinks.” He took the tablet from his hands and saw the black car he knew all too well, mostly because he saw it that morning when they were driving out of the house.

The tint wasn’t that dark and he could see the man’s head lowered, looking at something on his phone definitely and he hated that he knew what he was watching, he hated that he hadn’t stopped that too from happening.

“Tell him to ignore traffic rules and get the hell out of there.” Fahad Ibrahim yelled watching his cousin.

They don’t get along, that is a fact but he didn’t exactly hate the guy. He didn’t even dislike him if he was being honest and he was aware that he was just a pawn in the game, they all are. Even HSM that looked so put together had to answer to someone and it was horrifying to know that the strongest of them has very little compassion.

He watched the video and saw as another car, an SUV drove straight at them. He jumped at the sound of metal colliding with metal, he looked way from the chaos of people running to the scene.

“They hit her side.” HSM spoke in a small voice turning off the video.

“I really hope she survives that because, the-the force alone is something.” They both let out collective sounds.

“This would need a longer recovery time, it just made the case with the other girl look like a joke.” Fahad nodded in agreement.

“He really has shitty luck.” He brushed a hand over his face, telling himself he needed to take his medication because his hand was starting to tremble but just like he’d been doing the past months, he balled his fists digging his finger into his palm.

“I pray she doesn’t die though, I kind of like this one.” He muttered and threw his head back with his eyes closed. Hoping to silence the voices that were starting to scream in his head.

“He knew what he was playing at,” HSM muttered to no one then added when Fahad came to his mind. “He wouldn’t be able to get over that, not now and not anytime soon.”

******

“Let’s go! Trauma bay one!”

“She isn’t breathing get ready to intubate.”

“I need an air cart now.”

“Her left lung is hemorrhaging, we need to get her to CT now!”

“CT? What? Why are you going there?” Dr. Sakinah asked when she saw them wheeling out of the emergency unit.

“There’s a hemorrhage, we need to know exactly what is happening.” She nodded already walking off in the opposite direction.

It was taking a lot for her to stand on her feet but there was nothing else she could do except that.

“Dr. Sakinah, you nephew is awake and he is—“

“Let’s go,”

The voices faded in and out of Fahad's mind but he fought to stay awake, trying to piece the broken medical words and piecing them together, he hated that he understood what was being said because he knew how bad it could be.

The throb in his head was unrelenting and every other bone in his body protested to how he was laying, he has never really been a fan of hospital beds.

Focusing all the strength on his body which sent a sharp pain to his head which he ignored, he finally snapped his eyes open and immediately regretted it when the bright lights from the emergency room slithered his through lids.

"His vitals are stable, blood pressure is stable now." He craned his neck to the side and a small sound left his lips when he saw the multiple white coats of the doctors and nurse practitioners.

"Fahad, Fahad calm down and lay back down." He recognised Dr Sakinah's voice but that didn't calm him enough to do as she said.

"Khadi-Khadijah." He managed to rasp out, fighting out of her hold.

She realized it was better to let him go on his own before he hurt himself and when he sat up with no assistance she gathered he was fine enough.

"Fahad, look at me, here." Their eyes met and she saw how his was bloodshot with a small cut right above his eyebrow but aside that he looked pretty much fine.

Whatever must've happened, Khadijah got the worst of it.

He tried to get up from the bed but she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"I have to examine you for other injuries please wait for a few seconds, I know you are worried about Khadijah but she is fine." She gave her a look that told her she wasn't helping but sat back down either way.

She got to work with the help of a nurse, first cleaning and dressing the obvious cuts and bruises. She reached for his shoulder and he flinched.

"Bite through this?" She asked holding his arm and he nodded, she raised a brow and he gave another single nod, not in the least bit reluctant.

"On my count, one, two-" a small groan of discomfort left his mouth but that was it.

"Do you feel any pain anywhere?"

"No, can I see Khadijah now?"

"They went for a scan. Fahad, can you feel your hands?"

"Yes." His reply was curt and his voice was gruff. She hesitated, looking for signs of discomfort but there was nothing.

If anything he only looked bored, so unlike someone that just got his arm reset which had her worried.

Him swallowing up pain like that is never good.

Something the paramedic had said came to her mind and she told him to turn around.

"I am fine ummie please I don't need this." He argued but she didn't listen, praying his mother was close enough to the hospital.

He was very stubborn and her saying that when she lived with Shaheed said a lot.

"You have cuts in your back and you'll let me dress it before it gets infected." He didn't move a muscle. "Trust me I'll have you here for the rest of the day if you don't let me do this, so if you want to see Khadijah, let's get this over with."

"Don't be like that ummie," He whined turning as he did so.

He pulled the bloodied shirt off, wincing at the thought of it being Khadijah's blood.

He really needed to see her.

The back of the shirt was completely ruined and he asked himself why he even decided to wear white that day.

He heard his aunt take in a sharp breath when she saw his back, he knew it was bad but he hoped it wasn't all that bad.

He would lose his mind if they admitted him, he still had hospital phobia from the multiple times Noor had to be taken there and then the issues with Huda too.

"How bad is it?" He asked, breathing through the pain in his head.

"Might take a few minutes, there's a lot of glass here." He grunted a reply and held his hand in his head, she didn't miss the act but decided not to comment on it.

She hoped he didn't have a concussion because it was already hard enough having him sit through the dressing, he wouldn't agree to lay for an hour and he probably needed two or more hours of rest.

"Your back must've gotten the worst of it, fell through a window I can tell." He lifted his shoulder in a barely there shrug.

"If anything happened to Khadijah you'll tell me right?" He asked his voice soft, losing the determined tinge it had when he was being stubborn.

"I will." She promised. She actually prayed it wouldn't come to that. "It is not your fault Fahad so don't even start blaming yourself."

"But it is," He mumbled under his breath.

"All done," She said as she pinned the gauze in place, he tried to stand again but she stopped him with her hands.

"Let's see if you have a concussion."

"I don't," He stepped out of her reach and started heading to the reception.

"Fahad get back here, what if you have internal bleeding or something? Let me look after you please."

"I am fine please ummi, can we go and see where Khadijah is?" She gave a side look with a shake of her had but followed him nevertheless.

He halted in his steps when he saw where she was going.

He didn't know she was in surgery.

"Wh-"

"It is nothing serious," She said and added ‘I hope’ to herself. "You can wait in the reception or my office, Batool and your mum will be here any moment now and mamie too."

"I can't,"

"Fahad, I know you are stubborn but I don't think it is a good idea for you to be there." He shook his head stubbornly and she knew she couldn't change his mind.

"I can handle it." He was sure he could, besides he'd been the one to watch the car come at them at 120mph or probably more.

It was his fault that he hadn't acted fast enough, she was in the side of car that was going to be hit and if he hadn’t been frozen in shock he would’ve…done something he didn’t know what but surely there would’ve been something he could’ve done to avoid everything that happened.

He felt Dr. Sakinah’s hand on his arm and he turned to her.

“There was nothing you could’ve done to avoid this, you got her out of the way in time and that was good.” He didn’t nod or do anything to signify he heard her and she shook her head. “Only authorized people can go in there but I’ll make this exception because you look like you’re about to lose your mind.”

She said as she opened the door leading to the OR, the hall there was dim lit and she could see the computer showing the image of how the surgery was going.

Ignoring the look she was giving him, Fahad walked further and stood directly in front of the large window that was showing the inside of the operation room, seeing the blue overalls and bent head of the attending surgeon and resident.

“Mamie just got here, will you be fine by yourself?” he nodded absently.

When he couldn’t stand well on his legs he moved back to the bench that was kept there and lowered his head to his hands, massaging the sides of his head. He did have a concussion and he knew the longer he ignored it the more he would have to be treated but he would take that risk because he needed to be near her.

“I should’ve known you wouldn’t be resting Fahad, she wouldn’t appreciate you doing this.” He gave Jawad the stink eye before turning.

“I know it is the stupidest question to ask but how are you?” he did give him a look that suggested he was stupid.

“How do you think?”

“Not good,” he took the seat beside him, fighting between keeping his eyes on him and on the monitor, he chose the latter. He was squeamish around blood but Fahad would probably punch him if he kept looking at him.

“You know I have no idea what I’m seeing, care to explain?” Jawad voiced, his eyes still on the monitor. He was supposed to be a distraction and he knew Fahad was aware but since he didn’t call him out on it then that meant it was appreciated.

“She is bleeding internally, probably from blunt force trauma since there is no obvious opening.” He muttered his voice slightly groggy.

Jawad nodded to himself. “A simple procedure, yeah?” he nodded, looking up at the large window.

It was simple if there weren’t other complications, which he hoped—multiple beeping got him to his feet, he had to stay and steady himself because of how fast he got up.

“Her blood pressure is dropping,” they heard from inside.

“She is about to code,”

“That is not good.” Jawad stated to himself. He may not have been the one to go to medical school but he knew that word. They’d used it multiple times with his sister, her heart was stopping.

“Fahad, come with me.” he urged his friend who didn’t spare him a glance.

He was holding onto the slab around the window so tight that his knuckles were turning white, Jawad who had thought he was doing much better felt his hands trembling when the familiar scene played in his head over and over again.

He said a prayer under his breath to calm himself down enough to calm Fahad down but he looked to be in much better shape than him, which was somewhat not a good sign.

A nurse rushed out and Dr. Sakinah basically ran inside.

“You need to leave right now Fahad, this is not good for you.” he ignored her, his eyes boring holes into the glass.

“Page Dr. Andrew, we need a gynecologist in here.” She nodded and reached inside her pocket still trying to get him out but he was frozen.

He didn’t move an inch or even blink until he heard the steady beep of the machine that indicated she was fine.

“Oxygen stats are rising, blood pressure is normal.”

Dr. Sakinah let out a small breath and stroked Fahad’s hands before intertwining their fingers.

“She is fine now, let me have a look at your head.” she spoke softly, he shook his head barely.

“She was bleeding in her abdomen, how had they missed that?” she shook her head not knowing what to tell him. She was also surprised because they’d done a scan.

“There was free fluid everywhere a basic scan would show that,” he breathed out. “She would’ve bled out.”

“She didn’t okay, they got it in time and now she is stable.”

“What caused the bleeding?” she held up the tablet in her hands. “There was a piece of glass that cut a vein but it is nothing deadly, they’ve gotten it under control and just need to close up now.”

He gave the monitor a look before nodding.

“You should go and pray, she’ll be out by then.” He nodded but made no move to leave.

“How can they be out of blood? Call the blood bank, two bags O-neg right now!”

“What? What do you need blood for?” she asked the doctor when he’d scrubbed out.

“She has lost a lot of blood and once the one she is on finishes, there won’t be another one.”

“How can we run out of blood?” she asked confused as the doctor walked away.

“She is O-neg, not exactly a lot of them out there.”

Fahad gave her a look. “You will not!”

“I will.” He retorted.

“You are not fit to donate blood right now and even if you were I wouldn’t let you do it, now let’s get you back to trauma and have that head checked.”

“Ummi if you let me do it, I’ll go to trauma myself. I’ll even tell them to admit me please, I’m a universal donor please.”

“You know he is stubborn, just let him do it. I’ll hold him down if he tries to move after.” Jawad chipped in, giving Dr. Sakinah a charming smile, she rolled her eyes but turned to Fahad.

“He wouldn’t be able to move.” She assured before telling him to come with. “Your mother will have a field day with you when she finds out,” she breathed out a small laugh. “But I guess it is quite romantic, she’ll understand.”

A hand checking his pulse made Fahad open his eyes with little difficulty, he wouldn’t say he felt relaxed but it was a far cry from how he’d woken up the first time.

“I was hoping you would be under for a while longer,” he heard his aunt’s calm voice. There was a slight echo which meant they were probably alone and no longer in the emergency room, that place wasn’t the least bit quiet.

“You gave me sleeping meds.” It wasn’t a question and when he opened his eyes and saw the satisfied smile on her face, it only confirmed what he already knew.

“You would’ve passed out either way, one gallon of blood for the wife coupled with head trauma and your own injuries. You’re not a cardboard Fahad, don’t torture your body.” She stroked his hair, messing the dark strands. “You’re so much like Shaheed, you literally have to be drugged to be taken care of.”

She pecked his forehead before moving back. “Ammie would be here in a few minutes, I’m sure you want to see Khadijah so come on,” he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“Everything is okay right?” he asked, half dreading the answer.

“Yes, perfectly fine. Just a broken arm that would heal and that is the worst of it.” He got up realizing his mistake too fast.

Dr. Sakinah rolled her eyes at him when he groaned in a pain. “Your other hand needed more care than the first but leave it in that cast until it fully heals and everybody is happy.” She placed her hand on his chest when he tried to walk out which looked comical since he was much taller than her.

“If you don’t take care, I’ll bring you back in here and it won’t be sleeping pills I’ll give you next time. Am I understood?”

“Yes ma’am,” He nodded, telling himself how much she looked like Fatima Batool just then.

They walked out of the private room and to the ICU where Khadijah was, she stopped when they got to the door and she placed a comforting hand on his.

“Try to be calm okay and be careful with her abdomen, she had more surgeries there.” He nodded and pushed the door open, his breath caught in his throat when he saw her laying with the oxygen mask on her face, her eyes closed and she looked more peaceful than he has ever seen her.

He hated the circumstances they found themselves in and as much he tried to sway the blame, he knew it was mostly his fault and his past demons but maybe it took a near death experience for him to see clearly how much he can’t live without her.

The bone chilling fear at seeing the inevitable and knowing only Allah’s help would save them—and He did save them, he did have to accept one thing though.

He was in love with her, and there is no use in denying it.

•••••••

Hey Assalamu alaikum, it is me again after my month long break.

Hope you all had a blissful Ramadan and wonderful Eid, may Allah accept all our ibadah, ameen.

I've given you your Eid now please give me mine, comment as you go, did 7k words because I'm a sweetheart like that.

I'm going to sleep anyways so please vote comment and share and have fun this Eid. Don't Forget to pray for the victims of the unfortunate train incident.

Now.....I have news, that'll probably not happen soon but oh well, did you see the cover in the media, it's a sequel and we have a pretty good idea whose it is but there is a twist, (I'm evil like that) it's a two people book and the second couple is.......*inserts drumroll*

Shaheed and.......

I'll leave his bride to you.

*Cheat* she is his cousin.

I'll happily wait for your guesses.

PS if there's 200+ comments by midnight, another chapter will up tomorrow, so start guessingggg.

Stuffing my face with food

Amyrah