Rumi rarely screamed but when Meerab had cried on the phone and told her what happened, Rumi had screamed.

Not at Zara.

Not at Murtasim.

But at her for sitting around and wallowing in her misery when it was clear that it was all a misunderstanding.

Meerab didn't understand why she had such a hard time believing the words of the people closest to her when they said that Murtasim loved her. Somewhere along the way, Murtasim's indifference towards her had made her an insecure woman, and she hated it.

Rumi groaned on the other side of the phone. "That's it, I am coming down there, or you'll do something stupid and ruin a perfect relationship!"

"We don't have a relationship."

"Listen, Meerab, I even have the songs I am going to dance to at your wedding picked out along with the outfits. I even know what your and Murtasim bhai's children will look like - "

"Children?"

"Three, two boys and a little girl that Murtasim bhai will dote on because she looks like you." Rumi said dreamily.

Meerab hated how her heart fluttered at the thought despite all the turmoil of the past hour, it was only something Rumi could do.

When she had returned to her room, her first thought had been to call her friend, knowing that she needed something to ground her. Because Rumi was the kind of person who made the world a brighter place just by being in it. She was silly and childish, yet wise beyond her years, her contagious energy and infectious personality had the power to lift anyone's spirit.

"You're crazy." She told Rumi.

"I am right. He loves you."

"Everyone says that, but then why doesn't he say anything?" She asked, the confusion and pain apparent in her voice. She felt like a tennis ball, being hit from one side of the court to the other. Zara and what she had said hit her across the court with force, but Rumi tried to catch her, rather than hit her back.

Rumi paused for a moment before responding, "Sometimes, the things that matter the most are the hardest to say. And just because he hasn't said anything doesn't mean he doesn't love you. You know Murtasim better than anyone, he's not one for words."

"He always talked to me before."

"That doesn't mean that he doesn't love you, Meerab."

"Then explain Zara."

"I don't know, she's...on drugs? Hallucinating? Who knows? All I know is that Murtasim Khan is in love with you."

"He might not be."

"ARE YOU DUMB? HE DROVE 400KM JUST TO SEE YOU FOR AN HOUR."

"Maybe he had something else - "

"Maryam said you two were eye-fucking the whole time!"

Meerab gasped at the words. "Rumi!"

"What?! The point is that he loves you. He even brought you candles, you squealed about it for an hour on the phone after waking me up in the middle of the night."

"Maybe he cares for me, that's it."

"Hay Allah, this girl! SHUT UP MEERAB AND BE THE WOMAN YOU ARE! Get up, pack a bag, and go down to the village and demand an answer. Or you're going to spiral until Murtasim comes back and convince yourself that he's not in love with you – also wear something cute when you go down, it's going to be an epic love confession so you have to be dressed for it."

"Rumi, no..."

"Listen, I know I am right. And you love me because even though you won't admit it, you're already feeling better."

Rumi was right. Speaking with Rumi had stirred within her a glimmer of hope. Maybe Rumi's speculations were correct. Maybe she was just overthinking everything. Meerab's heart is filled with gratitude, and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to have such a friend, a sister really, one who knew her so well and could offer her comfort even in her darkest moments.

"If it doesn't work out, I am coming back to you." Meerab muttered.

"I'll come get you myself if I am wrong, Meerab, but I know I am not. I have known you for five years less than Murtasim has and I love you, if you were a man, I'd marry you. He's had a whole extra five years with you, he'd be crazy to not love you!"

Meerab couldn't help but laugh at Rumi's reasoning, wiping her tears away.

"Murtasim bhai is not dumb, people can't help but love you."

"Thank you." Meerab whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "Thank you for always believing in me, even when I don't believe in myself." The weight of her sadness began to lift ever so slightly, and Meerab knew that Rumi's words have given her the strength to face whatever came next. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd become Paro and Devdas instead of Prem and Preeti. Now go pack, I am going to go watch Hum Saath Saath Hai again to calm down my nerves and then I'll beg baba to send me to you."

"I miss you."

"Of course, you do, you're an idiot without me."

Meerab couldn't help but laugh through the tears.

"That's better. Don't cry anymore, you're too pretty to cry, be the Meerab that storms through crowds and fights for her right. Murtasim is yours, don't even let anyone think of taking him away from you."

She nodded.

"Are you nodding?"

"I am."

"Good. Now go! And I'll go start the theatrics so I am shipped off to Hyderabad!"

----------------

To Meerab's utter surprise, Maa Begum did not protest when Meerab ran down the stairs to announce that she was going to the village to see Murtasim.

She just nodded. "Anything that stops this stupidity. I'll tell the driver to prepare a car."

"I'll go too!" Maryam piped up, her eyes on Meerab, it seemed that Maa Begum had debriefed Maryam on the happenings of the day upon her arrival back from university. Because Maryam looked at her with a look she could only describe as pity.

"You should talk some sense into her on the way over." Maa Begum muttered before walking off to instruct the car to be prepared.

Maryam gave her a pointed look.

Meerab turned around to head up to her room to pack.

Maryam was hot on her heels.

"I don't know what Zara is up to, but trust me when I say there is nothing there."

They all made Meerab feel like she was crazy, but she had heard it. "She sounded so sure when she said he liked her."

"She's being delusional, she likes bhai, but bhai doesn't like her."

"How do you know that?"

"She kept staring at him and hovering around him, bhai didn't give her the time of the day. It's no different than Haya."

"Zara wouldn't come here with her parents if she didn't believe that Murtasim would give in, he must have given her a reason." It didn't make complete sense to her, but she didn't know what to do about it.

"Meerab, seriously, you're being unreasonable."

"Tell me Maryam, if the man you loved didn't even look your way, call you, text you, come to see you, not for days, but for years, would you believe he loved you?"

Maryam sighed. "I don't know why he does that."

"Only Murtasim Khan knows what he does." She muttered as she walked into her room, throwing the clothes she had pulled out into the suitcase she had only emptied last week.

Maryam sighed again. "I'll go pack too, just...calm down, okay?"

-------------------

A hurricane of emotion raged within Meerab, her thoughts a tempestuous swirl, cycling between so much that she didn't know how to keep up as the car raced down the road, the city giving away to a familiar countryside.

She felt like there were four tennis players on the court that was her brain, hitting her around from corner to corner, leaving her unable to keep up with the constant barrage of emotions.

Her mind struggled to process Zara's words even hours later, a part of her not wanting to believe that the person she loved so deeply might love another.

But then a gust of wind knocked her off that track towards another corner, and she was suddenly filled with rage - at Murtasim for ignoring her, for falling in love with someone else, and not telling her, for letting her hope and build dreams for years about their life together only to send them crashing down.

The anger washed away with tears, an overwhelming sadness overcoming her as her brain imagined a life without Murtasim. Something she had never imagined. No matter what changed in her life, Murtasim's presence had always been a given. As she grew older, her dream wedding changed, but the groom was always Murtasim, smiling at her as they uttered qubool hai.

A hailstorm descended then, hitting her relentlessly with what-ifs and if-onlys.

What if she hadn't gone to Karachi for school? Would they already be married?

If only, she had told Murtasim how she felt. Then she would have known what was in his heart.

What if she had asked Murtasim about Zara when she came back? It would have saved her from her turmoil then.

If only, she had called Murtasim even if he didn't call her. He would have eventually pick up and talk to her.

The what-ifs and if onlys settled into a simmering anger again.

Her chest tightened as she thought of Murtasim's silence, his unwillingness to reveal his true feelings.

How could he be so cruel, so selfish?

How dare he always leave her wondering about how he felt and what they were?

Anger burned within her, hot and consuming, and for a moment, she felt almost powerful.

The weight of her sorrow lifted, replaced by a fierce determination to confront Murtasim and demand the truth.

Did he love someone else?

And if he did, why didn't he ever tell her?

Why did he let her just wait?

And if he didn't, why the hell did Zara show up at the Khan Mansion saying he loved her?

First there was Haya, who was obsessed with him.

And now Zara.

What did he go around doing and saying that they all decided they were in love with him?

She hmphed. "Kabhi Haya, kabhi Zara, god knows who else." She muttered under her breath.

As the car jolted over a particularly rough patch of road, Meerab's grip on the seat tightened, her jaw set with resolve.

"Can you please stop somewhere? I need to use the restroom." Maryam's voice brought her out of her thoughts.

She looked over at her cousin to find that she looked rather uncomfortable.

The driver looked around the side of the road, Meerab knew that bathrooms were hard to come by on the countryside but it seemed that Maryam was in luck because they found a dhaba shortly after she had requested a stop.

Meerab rolled down the window as the car came to a stop, Mariam rushing out to the bathroom, the driver following her while telling Meerab to stay in the car because it wasn't exactly a five-star restaurant. It wasn't the nicest of places, but it was still pretty.

She gazed out the window and beheld the picturesque scenery across the road, the sun's waning rays casting a warm glow over the fields. The rustling of the leaves and the gentle hum of birds filled the air, creating a serene soundscape that was a balm to her troubled mind.

For a brief moment, Meerab forgot her worries and allowed herself to be enveloped by the tranquillity of the moment.

The tranquility was interrupted by the blaring of Maryam's phone which she had left on the seat, she looked over and saw Murtasim's name flashing across the screen.

Meerab's hand hesitated for a moment before she picked up the phone, her anger rising like a tempest. She put the phone to her ear, and the sound of Murtasim's hello sent a wave of conflicting emotions through her.

She felt her muscles tense up.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, but her voice came out sharp and harsh when she answered. "What do you want?" She snapped, the short sentence full of bitterness.

He clearly knew how to use the phone, he had called his sister just fine.

"Meerab? Are you coming?" He sounded confused, likely by her tone, and Meerab could picture the crease between his eyebrows that he got when he was perplexed.

"Yes! Sadly for you!"

Murtasim chuckled lightly, and despite herself, Meerab felt a flutter in her chest at the sound of it. How could he sound so relaxed, like nothing had happened? Anger boiled within her, but there was a part of her that longed to hear his laughter, to bask in its warmth.

"Ladne aa rahi ho?" [Are you coming to fight?] He asked, his voice just a little teasing.

"Tumhari jaan lene!" [To take your life!] She said with venom in her voice.

How dare he act so nonchalant, as if everything was fine? As if he hadn't broken her heart into a million pieces. "Do you have any idea what you've done to me?" She continued, her voice shaking with emotion

"What did I do now?"

Her anger was like a raging fire, burning bright and hot inside her. She scoffed. "Kabhi Haya, kabhi Zara, wahan aakar pata chalega ki koi Apsara bhi hai." [First Haya, then Zara, when I get there, I'll find some Apsara too].

"Meerab, what are you saying?" Murtasim sighed just as she heard someone calling him from the phone. "Listen, I have to go, please be careful, I'll see you soon."

She screamed as the phone beeped, indicating that the call had ended. Meerab felt like her anger was consuming her, and she couldn't keep it in anymore. She got out of the car and began to pace, her mind racing with confusion.

Did Murtasim even know why she was coming? Did his mother tell him about Zara? Or was he simply naive, unaware of what had happened?

She couldn't fathom how he could sound so relaxed and carefree if he knew why she was coming to the village. Her thoughts were muddled, and she felt like she was on the brink of a breakdown, the emotional roller coaster she had gone through was too intense.

She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

As Meerab breathed out, her ears filled with a sound of piercing screams, sounding like someone in distress.The sound was high-pitched and frantic, sending shivers down her spine.

She also heard the sound of something hitting glass, like fists banging against a car window. It was a violent sound that echoed through the air, and Meerab can't help but feel a sense of urgency and worry as her eyes flickered around her, trying to find the source.

Meerab's feet moved on their own accord when she saw a white van, her eyes noticing a girl who was crying and screaming for help inside. Her heart raced, and she felt a sudden sense of worry that spread throughout her body like wildfire.

As she got closer to the white van, the sound of the girl's screams and the repeated pounding on the window got louder and more desperate. Meerab's nostrils were filled with the smell of burning rubber, and she could feel her eyes stinging with the acrid smoke as she moved closer to the car on the edge of the road.

It was as if her gut was telling her that something was terribly wrong. Panic set in as she realized that someone was likely taking the girl somewhere against her will. She looked around for any sign of help but saw no one.

Determined to help, Meerab took a deep breath and tried the door handle, it was locked. She tried the driver's door handle, and was surprised when it opened.

"Help me, please!" The girl was crying uncontrollably.

She was crying in panic, tears streaming down her face, she looked absolutely terrified.

Meerab immediately started to look for a way to free the girl, to open the back door, but her mind was in a panic and the buttons on the door to unlock weren't working, there was some sort of safety lock that she couldn't disengage.

"Climb to the front." Meerab begged.

"I can't, my feet are tied."

Meerab suddenly sensed someone behind her, the sound of footsteps, and she turned to see two men advancing towards her, their faces twisted into cruel sneers. Her stomach churned with fear as she tried to look for a way out, knowing that she was in trouble.

The men ran towards her and in a sudden rush of movement she was being shoved into the car, one of the men saying take her too.

Her head hit the roof of the car with a sickening thud, and she felt a sharp pain spreading across her scalp as she was shoved in through the driver's seat and pushed to the back, beside the crying teenager. As Meerab tried to scramble away and out the door, she felt a rough hand come down hard on her cheek, leaving her reeling.

Her heart raced with panic as she realized that she was being taken against her will.

She had no doubts as to what the men were planning to do with them.

"HELP! HELP!" Meerab screamed, hoping against hope that someone would hear her cries - the driver, Maryam.

But the car was already in motion, and Meerab was being thrown around inside, with no idea where she was being taken or what was going to happen to her.

The only thing she could see was a blurred image of the passing scenery through the window, and the terrified face of Maryam, looking her way with horror and panic.

Meerab desperately wished she could escape and run to safety, but she was trapped, and as she looked over at the young girl beside her, she knew she couldn't leave her alone. The guilt would eat her alive if she did.

The sounds of the two men in the car were making her feel sick. They were talking in low voices, but Meerab could hear them discuss how much they would get for her. She knew they meant to sell her off along with the young girl.

Tears were streaming down her face as she thought of Murtasim, praying that he would find her as soon as Maryam told him she had been taken. He was the only one who could save them. She had faith in him, trusted him completely. But the thought of what might happen to her before he arrived made her feel sick with fear.

What if he didn't find her in time?

What if something terrible happened to her before he could come to her rescue?

She tried to calm herself, but the situation was too overwhelming. Her mind was racing with worst-case scenarios, and she couldn't shake the feeling of hopelessness.

To her utter surprise, the men moved towards the village rather than away from it. She knew they weren't Murtasim's men, and she couldn't help but suspect that they were somehow supported by the Maliks, and if not, they were likely just passing through, using the lands.

Meerab's mind was racing as the car jolted and swerved along the bumpy road. She knew that time was running out and that she had to act fast if she was going to escape. She looked around frantically, trying to find anything that could help her, but all she saw were dark, empty fields stretching out on either side of the road. The men in the car with her were silent, their eyes fixed straight ahead, occasionally looking back through the mirror, their gaze predatory.

Despite the fear and desperation that filled her, Meerab refused to give up hope. She was determined to get out of this situation, no matter what it took. As the car slowed down for a turn, Meerab saw an opportunity. She took a deep breath and quickly scanned the car for anything she could use as a weapon. Her eyes fell on a water bottle lying on the floor and she snatched it up, gripping it tightly in her hand.

She used her feet to pull at the ropes that were haphazardly tied around the girl's foot, it took her a good few minutes to free her.

As the car turned, Meerab's heart was pounding in her chest.

She knew that this might be their only chance to escape. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, she swung the water bottle at the closest man, hitting him in the face with all her strength. He let out a yell of pain and surprise, and the other man turned to look at Meerab in shock as he slowed the car down.

Seizing the moment, Meerab scrambled to the door and flung it open, leaping out of the moving car, pulling the girl with her. They tumbled onto the ground, her body getting bruised and battered, but her spirit unbroken. As the car screeched to a halt, Meerab picked herself up and began to run as fast as she could, pulling the young girl with her, her heart racing with fear.

Meerab and the girl raced through the fields, the night air whipping against their faces. Every step they took made the distance between them and their captors grow, and Meerab felt a flicker of hope in her heart.

But it was short-lived.

Meerab could hear the sound of footsteps, getting louder and closer. Fear gripped her heart, but she pushed it aside, her determination taking over.

It felt like she had been running for hours. Her lungs burnt, and the girl fell to the ground, unable to run any longer despite Meerab's pleas.

As they were caught and dragged to the warehouse, Meerab's thoughts raced. She wondered what would happen to them now that they were back in their captors' grasp. Would they be sold off to someone else, or would they be kept in the warehouse and assaulted? Her mind was a jumbled mess of fear and panic.

Meerab's heart was pounding as they were pushed into the building. The smell of damp and dust hit her, and she could hear rats scurrying along the walls. The room was dark, with only a few slivers of light streaming in through the cracks in the walls, and a large dirty glass window.

Her panic only grew due to the darkness.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out the shapes of the men who had captured them. Their eyes glinted in the dim light, and Meerab felt a shiver run down her spine.

The men threw them into a corner and began to circle around them, their eyes raking over them hungrily. Meerab tried to back away, but the girl was shaking and clinging onto her tightly. She knew that she had to be strong for both of them, but she could feel her resolve slipping away. She prayed silently that Murtasim would find them soon, but with each passing moment, she felt more and more hopeless.

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A/N: Y'all didn't expect this, did you?

Hehehehe. The only thing I will say is that the mahawajahatkhan photoshoot/videos is giving me everything I ever needed for this AU! :)