SS |Fawad/Mahira/Barun S. crossover. 'Inteha.' Part I B updated.

"Hello... Can I speak to Mrs. Khan please?
"Yes... speaking.

_

Her head against the wall her body frigid and scrunched on to a side in one of the tight uncomfortable thick plastic chairs , one leg under the other, her slippers on the carpeted floor.

Her knuckles stark white fisted, her palms cold as a chill passed down her spine- clutching her dark beige shawl mumbling a prayer non-stop.

"Please God, please please don't let anything happen to him. Her hearbeats were in a frenzy thumping under her ribcage, horrible feelings unsettling her making her want to throw up, settling deep within her paralyzing her soul with a scare. Sitting still, numb with pain she didn't know what else to think or do, except mumble these words over and over again, praying and praying to not let anything happen to him.
A hard sob escaped her unwillingly weakened and heart-broken replaying the words for the umpteenth time that shook her soul. Scrunching her eyes closed, hot tears ran down her face trying to think of something keeping her hope alive.

It was half past eight in the evening as she sat unmoving, still her nerves constantly on edge for the past god knows how many hours. Due to consistent tears, her eyes burned and not knowing when, her vision blurred as eyes unwillingly closed against her will, their conversation looping in the background as the main alert from her this evening kept echoing in her system way louder than the background voices as darkness took over.

"This is a call from St. Michael's hospital. I'm regretfully sorry to inform you, but your husband Mr. Azlaan Khan has been in an accident. Please get here as soon as possible. We're "

_

She was at the supermarket picking up his favourite - white lilies and white chocolate, cranberry cake, in the parking lot when she got the call dropping her phone onto the pavement mid call not even hearing the rest of the call. Standing in the parking lot, unable to take the words in until a car honk interrupted her bubble and sped her way to the hospital, tears streaming down her face and her heart lodged in her throat. It had been pouring all day as she sped as fast as possible, afraid to not skid her car.

"Ma'am I'm sorry you can't see him now- the patient is currently in the ICU. Please take a seat down the hallway since there are no seats available rights outside. You can even go down to the ground floor to the caf, if you'd like something to eat. It can take a several hours. I'd inform you when the head surgeon comes out.

"several hours?! What do you mean several hours?! Please... is he going to be-? She hiccupped her sob, her unshed tears glistened her eyes.

"Ma'am please relax. I'm sure it's not that serious. Just an approximate time which can vary. I'm not sure when the doctor will be out. The doctors are highly qualified and they're doing there best. Please keep hope and take a seat. Sorry, I've got to take these calls. Informing her, she picked the call after the incessant ringing.

Several people still lingered around half past 5 on a Saturday evening. Due to the rush and limited doctors it was still quite busy on the 5^th floor. It was so hard to process anything as she took a seat awaiting her fate. Hers. Her husband lying in the ICU. Her husband who was due to come back today, after being out of city due to a business conference for a week. His birthday was earlier this week and due to him being away they were going to ring in his birthday tonight in the evening. She had been planning a birthday surprise for just the two of them and a possible getaway half her across town for the two day weekend. His cake and the flowers that were left scattered untouched by him on the passenger seat of her car parked in the parking lot.

Ringing him up just like last night, it went straight to the voicemail the familiarity, the softness, the smile in his voice lulling her to a calm heartbeat for a milli second. Everything would be all right.

She could feel it in his voice in the calm persona he carried, in his wide smile, the arms that tightened around her for the warmest bear hugs he gave whenever she was stressed or worried where she could feel his heart beat stilling her soul, his soothing voice that calmed her, in his forehead kisses, the warmest, softest hands that carried her weight when she didn't feel like walking or was too tired, and intertwined through the spaces of her fingers tips enclosing her hand to never let go always giving it a squeeze, through the fingertips that ran so softly down her hair playing with her hair at night- telling her he loved the texture and the waist length hair of hers the smile that overpowered and everyday magical for him, her hazel eyes which he could read like a book a mirror to her soul. His light brown eyes which held all the love for her just like when he saw her for the first time, the respect he had for, seeing her for the person she was, for the vulnerability she held, the sensivity of her heart.

"Hey, this is you know who. Yours, Azlaan Khan. Please leave your messages since I'm obviously not around. Will get back to you not so soon followed by a chuckle.

Holding back tears, she spoke after a beep with a quiver in her voice. "Hey Azzu, It's Zari. Taking a deep breath, sniffed cont'd. "Please. Please -- Please Azzu, wake up. I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say. I'm so so scc- scared. I need you abhi. But they're not letting me see you. Please, uth jao. Mujhe tumhari zaroorat hai. Tumhare ilawa mera koi nahi hai. Wiping her tears, she took another deep breath. "Pata hai tumhare liye tumhara favourite cake and phool bhi kharede hain aur ek surprise bhi hai jis ke liye tumhe uthna hi pare ga. Tumne tumne promise kiya tha, tumhara birthday hum akhate manaye gay aaj. Tum apna promise Nahi tor sakte, main bahut - - bahut naaraz ho jao gi. Main-" And it beeped ending the message.

Not noticing before, he clicked on the voicemail notification being busy all day and rushing around. Due to the consistent pouring all day, the signals were down. It was sent seven in the morning.
Clicking on it, she put the iphone to her ear.
"Heey Zari! Kaisi ho? Acha, I'll be leaving in a hour or so. And my flight around 8:45. Will be landing around 12/1. I'll call you when I'm on the way. Can't wait to see you. Love you babe. Bye

"Hey. Sorry yaar, Zari. Flight got canceled due to fog and crazy pouring rain. It's delayed another 2/3 hours. Will talk soon.

12:45 "Just got on the flight. Will be landing in a couple of hours. Will call then.


__

"Hi, excuse me. I'm here to pick up my sister's Sana Ali's reports. I spoke to doctor Weatherfield and he told me he'd leave it to the department and I can come pick it up since my sister couldn't do so.
"Just a moment, please. "Um, yes. For that, you'd have to go to the fifth floor. Dr. Weatherfield's department and you can ask for the reports at the reception, since it was transferred to that floor. He's currently not in at the moment as he'd to take a half day.

...

"Yes, please take a seat. It can take about 10 minutes due to his assistant being on her break. She'll be back from her break as she assists here and she has the file. All our other receptionist's are busy due to being a weekend, and taking calls. Please do take a seat. I'll page her just now. Sorry for the wait.
"No, it's all right. I'll wait.

Just as he took a seat far end of the hallway, he picked up a call.
"Hey Sanu. What's up? Yup, I'm here to pick it up. Just waiting around until the assistant comes back from her break in 10. She's the only one who has it and can give it. Yeah man, I had such a long day with work and all. I had to submit a report and all which took forever. So took a while even longer to get here, due to the downpour that's been on going all day on and off. Sorry yaar, it'll take a while longer to get home. I'll see you soon. Bye.

...

Zara.

Zara Saeed.

Could that actually be her?


Home screen of her iphone confirmed as much.

Her side profile facing him and gingerly, very thoughtfully he proceeded to check it she was sleeping as the bangs were covering the side of left side of her face.

Standing still debating, he took a step and very gingerly with a tremble sort of fingers just as airly side tracked the wisps of her bangs by her ear careful to not touch her or her skin. His heart was hammering under his rib cage while doing so it shouldn't be a big deal. He was just checking if she was sleeping and wanted to give her phone back and just as as much wanted to see if she was ... if this was actually her. But it somehow was a big deal he wasn't supposed to see her like this out of the blue and for her to him here.

Zari.

He gasped, taking a deep breath confirming his fears. His heart called out just as the time hadn't all passed and they were still in college. As great friend, great buddies, as someone who had feeling for her, over loved her her, still in love with her. Countless insistent of hers to their gang to just call her Zara. She loved her name as is. Where other friends of theirs four of them, called her Zaru, Zee - . But she was Zari to him. Zari the name effortlessly rolled of his tongue in a whisper as she slept soundlessly.

Thin, fit frame. Hazel doe eyes behind those closed eyelids. Long eyelashes. Bits of freckles. Darker one of the tip of her right cheekbone still there. Waist length darn brown hair was now chopped to elbow length hair with auburn highlights, tied into a bun on the nape of her neck. She got even thinner than he remembered, gazing at her face features noticing her taunt cheekbones and dark circles clouding her.

Trying to deny as much as he could, it somewhat came as a shock to see her here. Out of the blue in the city's one of the major hospital at this time on a Friday night at the same time as he passed through the hallway to collect his sister's reports. What was she doing here?

Should he just take it as a coincidence or a sign of destiny which he stopped believing in long back when she left for Canada right after she got married. Staying in the same country or even city brought way to many memories of her, them, their gang which he wanted to forget and move on. And move on he did to London, after they all graduated and he left to pursue his MBA and internship. Ended up staying there for work after internship for more experience that led to years and looking for better opportunities he decided to take a bit of a break before he started up with another company. In the works of it, his sister called needing him for a more just than a weekend or few days and missed his company after his parents back during their teens. Then on, it was just his older sister who was married with a five year old.

Her name rolled off his tongue just as if they'd be friends forever since College, embedded in his system. Her name always stayed with him while he was in London Ten years between them and yet she still looked so familiar just as if it was just yesterday third year in College when he fell for her, after having spent two years together in College.

A loud vibration of her iphone shook him out of his thoughts, held in his hand. Seeing the screen, it was inaya' agan. She had left 10 missed called and many messages.
He decided to take the call since he didn't want to wake her up.

"Hello?! Zeee?! Where the hell have you been yaar?! Yaar, I've been so worried... you have any idea how many texts and calls I've left. I knew there was something wrong. Are you trouble? Did something happen? Please tell me. Have you picked up Azlaan yet? Are you guys on the way-?
Hello? Why aren't you saying anything? Plea-

"Um. Hello He greeted softly, walking few feet from her.
"Excuse me? Who's this? Why are you hushed? Where's Zee? Where' s my friend?! Is she okay? Is-"
"Please calm down. I I just. I'm at St. Michael's hospital and I just found her phone and she's -.
"What do you mean?! What the hell she's doing at the hospital? Is she alright?! I I ...
"She's alright and just sleeping on one of the chairs. I'm not sure what has happened. I just passed by- I can wake her up if you like..."
"Oh my god. Oh my god. No wonder she hasn't replied back. Please God, I hope it's not A Azlaan. Oh God. No d don't. May I know who am I speaking to?
"It's Shayaan Sheikh."

"Shayaan? she whispered to herself, wondering in thought. "Thanks Mr. Shayaan for picking up the call. I was going crazy. Listen, can you do me a favour? Please just stay with her for 2o minutes I'll be right down asap. I just don't walk her to run away from me or panick. Just just with her while I get here as quick as I can. I know it's asking a lot "
"Hey, no worries. I'll be here. It's 5^th floor 2^nd hallway to the right.
"Thanks. Thank a ton.
"yeah, no problem. Bye."


Just as he was making it back to his seat by her, suddenly, a harsh frantic gasp filled around the air, with a tremor as she woke up hazzerdly, sitting straight - heaving and calling out for someone repeatedly to herself.



cont'd x