SaHil SS: HOPE - Thank-You-Note - Pg 13! - Page 6

** * **

Sanam was seated at the living room, waiting for Aahil to walk down the stairs.

The minute she had walked in, something had felt different. As she went to call on Lateef for a glass of water, her eyes found a small wooden crafted dinner table replacing the bigger one. A heartfelt laugh had escaped her lips once understanding what Aahil had done. He had actually taken her advice for the very first time. And to Sanam it was the biggest accomplishment she had ever received.

Sanam took a sip from her glass of water and sighed. "He must be avoiding the session."

"Sanam?" A soft yet deep voice spoke where she looked up to find Rehan. "Are you waiting for Bhai?"

"Hi. Yes, I am. He was supposed to be here 15 minutes ago. I know he is facing difficulties with opening up, but it'll only help him do better."

Rehan nodded with a smile. "Actually, I think he's sleeping in his room. He must have stayed awake last night."

"Oh... Well, I can come back some other time then, it's no problem."

Collecting her notepad and placing it in her bag, her eyes caught something. She bit her lip before turning around. "Mind if I check up on him? Maybe he might be awake."

"Uh, sure. His room is upstairs on the first door to the left. I'm just heading out for a meeting. Lateef is here if you need anything else." He spoke with one last smile before walking out from the front door.

Looking back into her bag where her eyes were resting, she reached for it and decided to carry it with her upstairs. She made it front of his room, noticing the door was half open. She knocked gently but without any answer.

"Aahil.. It's me Sanam.. Are you awake?" She slowly opened the door and walked inside the darkened room. She caught him peacefully asleep on the bed - if only she knew what really was going behind the closed eyelids.

--

All he could see was darkness. Blindly, he was pushed roughly through a room with his breath heavy and quick. Almost like he was about to pass out any minute.

.. Bang ..

A gun shot was fired followed by hurried footsteps which were getting louder.. Getting closer to him..

--

Aahil shot awake, painting heavily once he took a rapid look around his surroundings.

"Relax, you're safe now." A soothing voice spoke making him furrow his brows. He mentally cursed himself for catching Sanam in his bedroom.

"You shouldn't be here." He said taking the glass of water she handed him.

"And you should have told me about these nightmares you're having."

"It must have slipped from my mind." Aahil swung his legs across the edge of the bed and took a sip from his glass.

Sanam stood with her arms crossed in front of her. "Why am I finding it so hard to believe that?"

Without expecting any answer in return, she went on to pull the curtains so ray of sunlight could stream in.

Blinking rapidly by the sunlight, Aahil ran a hand through his hair. "Look, we both have different thinking and.."

"This has nothing to do with thinking or liking. I'm here to listen, Aahil. It's all I do."

"I can't sleep. I can't seem to get rid of the hazy memories from that place.. I that what you wanted to hear?"

"What I want to hear is what makes your soul calm." Sanam took a step forward. "Aahil, your inner will determines if you want to embrace the guidance someone is offering. I am just another person in this unscrambled puzzle yet I am ready to reach a hand forward, hoping my words might get through to you.. I can only do as much, the rest is up to you."

Aahil raised his gaze as he was about to respond, but Sanam interrupted him.

"There's no obligations. We are both free to go our separate ways, but consider this. - Are you really willing to spend your next few weeks, months and years on the same phase of your life? Do you not see any changes in yourself from the moment you arrived from the hospital and till now? For once, be honest with yourself.."

Taking a small breathe, she glanced down at her feet before looking at the table where the jug of water stood.

"I brought something with me today." She unfolded a soft prayer mat. "Maybe this would be able to help you restore your soul. And today, I tell you that our 60 minutes are up."

All Aahil could do was stare at the prayer mat in silence.

----------

The psychiatrist however was not quite satisfied with the answers she had gotten from Aahil. He still found it hard to share his story.

Even though she had a firm professional secrecy toward her client, she decided to ask his brother, Rehan. He was after all the person who had reached out for her to help Aahil in the first place. He must have some details about what his brother had been through.

Therefore, Sanam had decided to approach him the very next day.

She took a long glance at the tall building from outside. She locked her car at the large parking lot and swung her handbag over her shoulder. She stepped inside the glass entrance, not knowing whether she was disturbing his privacy.

The elevator dinged at the 12^th floor where she stepped out noticing many collogues working. Walking through the hallway, she saw a brown haired woman sit behind a desk.

Approaching the woman with a smile she greeted her. "Hi. I'm here to speak with Mr. Qureshi. Is he available? My name is Sanam Ahmed Khan."

The woman smiled back. "Let me just check, in the meanwhile you are welcome to take a seat."

Sanam nodded as she took a seat.

The secretary pressed a button on the phone calling her boss.

"Yes Naina?"

"Sir, there's a woman named Sanam Ahmed Khan, who is here to speak with you. Should I let her inside?"

Rehan leaned forward. "Let her inside, Naina. Thank you."

The secretary, Naina raised her gaze into the other woman. "Miss Khan. You can go inside."

Rehan's eyes were fixed on the door, as he watched Sanam step inside.

"I hope it was alright with you that I came seeing you."

"It's all right, take a seat."

Sanam smiled gently before taking a seat.

"I'm sure you're keeping yourself busy nowadays.. Can I offer you something to drink? Coffee or something cold?"

"No thank you, I'm fine. I've just finished drinking a latte when I was making my way over here."

He nodded as a small silence crept between them. "How is it going with Bhai?"

"He's.. doing progress. But there's a still part of him which is untouched."

Sanam noticed a small look across his brown eyes. "However it would change in future.. I'm making sure to give you hope, Rehan. That's what I do."

He nodded with a faint smile.

"Mind if I ask you something.. Did your brother ever have any enemies or anything of that sort?"

It took a lot of self-convincing to ask such a question, especially when she couldn't really discuss anything about Aahil's case.

Rehan took a deep breath while lowering his gaze. "It does look like it doesn't it.. Bhai was sent off to an base-to-base mission. Somehow things went down and he was held hostage for good two weeks..."

Sanam noticed the stain in his voice. "What happened? I know there's more to it."

He raised his gaze, recalling the dreadful moment seeing his brother for the very first time post kidnapping.

"I can't tell why Bhai hasn't spoken about the incident with you, perhaps he can't remember it or doesn't want to. But I remember it clearly... The rescue team had tracked down the warehouse where Haroon, the kidnapper had kept Bhai. I demanded to come along even though there was a risk, but at that point of time, it didn't matter. All I wanted was to bring him back..."

--

Sirens became louder as various cars stopped right in front of a warehouse where armed men hurriedly surrounded the place. The officers took a clear range of what was going on inside the abandoned bulding.

"I can see a target moving in one of the main rooms."

Meanwhile, Haroon took a deep calm breath, before extending his arm to grip tightly around a gun he held in his hand. 'Showtime.' He thought to himself.

"Qureshi, is that you?" He yelled loud enough before hiding behind a thick brick of a wall.

Rehan shared a look with the officer in command, where he was seen taking a steady look inside. He nodded at the young man.

"Yeah." Rehan answered loudly. "You got me. I'm here."

"Just as I thought." Haroon smirked.

"You can end this. You've got every special unit outside the this building. Every person have their eyes on you. That's what you want right? Well, you've got it. There's still a chance for you to make it outside. Just raise your hand behind your back and come out."

"Hah! Thanks for the advice, but no thanks. Maybe some other time." He clicked the trigger of the gun.

... Bang ...

Suddenly a gun being fired filled the scene.

Everything happened so quickly. The officer signaled to his men, following by smashing the door open and storming inside.

As quickly the gun battle had begun, the quicker a silence fell over the place.

"Clear!" One of the officers spoke after having searched only half of the warehouse.

They smashed another set of door. Haroon stood a few meters away and pointed a gun at someone they couldn't see.

Haroon looked at the corner of his eye. "I know you're here, Qureshi. Let's see if you can save your dearest brother.."

Before he had a chance to press the trigger, he was shot down making him loose his balance. Heavy guarded officers surrounded him, before kicking away the gun lying on the floor.

Rehan rushed forward to the place where he had pointed the gun at. But to his shock, nothing was there.

"Where is he!? I'm tired of playing your sick jokes." Rehan yelled, grabbing his collar and yanking him forward. The guarded officers pulled him away.

A sinister laugh escaped from Haroon, despite of being in pain. Inhaling a short breath he answered. "He's dead. You were too late."

Rehan pulled away and roughly held on to his collar. "Where is he!"

"You won't find him. He's gone. He's dead. You think I wanted ransom? It was all part of the plan all along. I got what I wanted - You hear me? I got exactly what I wanted." He yelled as Rehan took the run in search of his brother.

With his heart beating loudly in his chest and breathing heavily, he prayed nothing had happened to Aahil.

He rushed, passing various empty places but there were no signs of him. Suddenly he saw a closed door. Reaching forward as he held his breath, Rehan opened it.

Stepping inside he saw a man lying on his stomach with a pool of blood around him. Once his eyes caught his brother, who he hadn't seen for two weeks, everything stopped.

Aahil was leaning against a concreate wall where blood was smeared across it. He was sitting on the floor with his head hung low, holding into a gun on his lap.

He couldn't believe his own eyes seeing the state he was in. His face was covered in various bloody bruises and his wrists were red from the being tied in ropes.

"No... Bhai!" He said dropping on his knees beside his beaten brother. Upon seeing the state, Rehan immediately checked for a pulse. He shook his head in anger while tears threatening to fall.

"No, don't do this to me, Bhai. Come on." He tried once again as he found a faint one. "Come on, open your eyes. Bhai... Don't do this, don't leave me.."

Blinking away the tears, he held Aahil close to his chest, as he yelled loudly. "I need an ambulance in here! Now."

--

Rehan blinked as he swallowed with difficulties. "Sharing this is not easy.. It was a horrible time which we all went through. Bhai was admitted to the hospital where they told me he had slipped into a coma.. I thought I had lost him for good that day."

Sanam reached up to brush a silent tear which had escaped. She had always found it hard not to show emotions due to her work. She would convince herself to stay strong no matter what her clients had been through. But sometimes, it was hard..

Inhaling a long breath, he raised his gaze to look at Sanam. "I don't know if there's anything he is either hiding or suppressing.. But all I know, is that he was a changed man."

She nodded in sympathy. "Any other person would behave this way as well. It's never easy returning to your usual surroundings."

"I just wish I could do something in return.. Something which would vanish his pain."

"You are doing something." Sanam assured her with a small smile. "You are helping him coop with his matter in his own way, and I can tell you this much, that he is doing so much better. Far more than he would give himself credit for."

Rehan nodded.

"Thank you for sharing this. I appreciate it even though it must have been difficult."

"Like I said.. I'll do anything to get my brother back."

----------

One Week Later:

Aahil stood by the pool side, where he ran a hand over his tired face, sensing a headache coming through.

Sanam was sitting on a chair taking a glance down her papers. "I've seen a list of medication you were told to take when you were released from the hospital. Are you still taking any of them?"

"No. I don't." He said.

"Which one ae you taking? As far as I have read, strong medicine is not healthy for your body on the longer run."

"The only ones I'm taking are sleeping pills. They help me sleep at night."

She nodded slowly. "And what happens if you don't take them at night? Do you notice any differences or changes? Mood swings? Trouble with anything?"

"I don't know.. I haven't really thought about it."

Sanam's eyes were fixed on him. She could tell that he was lying. "I like to think you have."

"Look, if you're implying that taking these pills might turn into addiction, then you are mistaken. They just help me sleep, that's all there is to it."

Sanam nodded. "I know how hard it can be to get some hours of peacefulness. What I am telling you is not to be depended on them as much as you once were.. Even knowing how hard it might be."

Aahil stared back not knowing if he had the will to do whatever she was asking him of. He stood up from his seat and went paced around.

Sanam lowered her gaze as she scribbled down, knowing the topic had ended. She glanced up.

"You said something about the time the incident happened. The kidnapper had asked for ransom which later got delivered through a video. A rescue team arrived and they managed to end the nightmare."

Sudden memories flashed before his eyes. .. Captured.. Held... Beaten..

"How do you know all this!?" Aahil looked over his shoulder with narrowed eyes. "Have you been prying around? Just who gave you the authority to snoop around?"

Once hearing his deep yet demanding voice, Sanam couldn't help but feel a bit alarmed. "I did not, Aahil.. I asked.."

He snapped once turning around. "I don't give a damn who you asked. Get out! I want you to leave this instant!"

Pushing a vase down the table. "I said leave, damn it!"

Watching how it crumbled into millions of pieces, Sanam gasped taking a step back.

Holding her breath, she gathered her bag and left the place with beating heart and shocked eyes.

---

Now that I'm older and life's a little colder, You're told you need to let go of your dreams
Everything changes, they stare at blank pages
I had the dream but couldn't find the key

The chains rattled as Aahil kept punching with rapid fire punches across the punching bag. Jumping lightly on his toes with his arms raised, right foot back from the left and began to punch the bag with fierce determination.

He had gone down to the gym room in order to calm his nerves. His mind was going crazy and the last thing he wanted to do something he would regret... Again.

Sweat began to circle around his forehead as he clenched his jaw, trying to prevent his thoughts into shifting into others horrific moments. He inhaled a deep breath, trying hard to ignore the blood pumping into his veins.

Jumping slightly onto his toes, he landed another punch. The punches grew rapidly as his breathing became ragged. Ignoring the pressure from within, he closed his eyes and landed a solid punch, before letting out an echoing yell.

Aahil took a few ragged breaths in order to calm himself.

"What was happening? What was happening to him? How could he go so far at leashing out on the woman who wanted to offer her genuine help.."

** * **

To Be Continued!

Thank you so much for reading, Lovelies. I hope you enjoyed it.

The song I have used is: "Howl At The Moon" by The Script.

beautiful update
loved it

sensitional update, I am at a loss for words, so well written, Sanam in this story reminds me why I became a nurse and still am passionate enough to try to pursue higher education in the field. I think if i am ever reborn or had a chance to go back change my profession, I would still want to pick something related to helping others. i don't what it is but it seemed ingrained in me from the moment I could dream that I wanted to help others.

A very interesting update all together

Omg that was awesome
So much of intensity
Aahil is in a great mess and sanam is trying her best to make him get out of it
Hope Aahil starts responding to sanam
And apologies for shouting at her
Loved the update

Beautifully written...

Nice update... Your story is progressing really well 👍🏼

Aaand the banner is beaaauuutiful... In fact I forget to mention that the banner in the previous update too was so apt... You always put in all of my favorite stills

That was really deep... replacing the bigger dinner table with a wooden crafted one

And she managed to catch him when he was having that nightmare?? Nice excuse he has... "It must have slipped from my mind."

"Aahil, your inner will determines if you want to embrace the guidance someone is offering..."... Hats off to you!! I couldn't agree more 👏

I was wondering why Rehan wasn't helping Sanam with those questions... A thrilling flashback you've put in... Who had kidnapped Aahil? And why? 😕

Sanam has figured him out well enough to know that he has been taking medicines in spite of Aahil's plain denial 😛

And kudos to you for making Aahil regret his behaviour with Sanam 👍🏼... I hope he makes amendments soon & this becomes a turning point to their psychiatrist-patient relationship 😉

Continue soon Mahu 🤗

Beautiful update, Mahwash!

Navk & MysticRiver:

Thank you so much for liking the chapter. 🤗

Adventure_gurl:

First of all, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. I am glad that you can see some resembles between Sanam and yourself. I feel honored. I'm really glad you enjoyed the update. 🤗

Muskaan17rocks:

Honestly, all I can say is thank you so much for the overly kind response. I am so touched and no matter how many times I say this, all these reviews I get mean the world to me. I appreciate it so much. ❤️ Thanks for liking the song selection - it's such a beautiful song and fits perfectly to Aahil.

Cutie15:

Thank you for always liking the chapters. I am glad you enjoyed the pace of the story. Let's see what Aahil is going to do in the next update. 🤗

Lovesahil:

I cannot tell you how I felt when I read you praise me such a way which is beyond me. I thank you so much. I honestly don't even deserve all the love, but I appreciate it so much. I guess, when writing becomes passion it develops into an active part of your life. It's what it has become for me. 😳🤗

Innocentangel4u:

Thank you, Lovely. You always like the banners. I am so touched that you caught the deeper meaning behind the small moments they shared - hence the dinner table etc. And can I just hug you for life? Because you are such a gentle soul that I will forever and always be grateful of people like you to push me forward and acknowledge what I have to offer. Especially for loving this one: "Aahil, your inner will determines if you want to embrace the guidance someone is offering.." ❤️ Oh, I cannot even write without blushing. I send you so much love and appreciation your way. 🤗

Promise, I'll show you more into Aahil's past. I cannot wait to read the reviews once we get deeper into the story. But for now, let's see which route their relationship is heading toward..

Darkice7_12:

*Sends a long warm hug*

Reading your reviews is always the best thing for me. It always makes me head toward other scenarios for the story. Awesome to know that you loved the banner. I guess we'll still have to see what will happen between SaHil. Would he be able to go after her? Or is she stubborn enough to still come around?

Thank you so much for all the love and acknowledgment. You are truly a gem of a person. ❤️ Supporting one another is something I feel is the most important and valuable aspect to have. And you're doing it every single time that it always makes me both proud and touched. 🤗

--

I promise I will try to keep you all on the edge of your seats and come up with different and deep chapters for you guys. Thank you for showing me so much love. You mean so much to me that you might have no idea to begin with.. Your words are everything and more that I could ever ask for. ❤️

--

** * **

Who I am from the start, take me home to my heart.
Let me go and I will run, I will not be silent.
All this time spent in vain, wasted years, wasted gain.
All is lost, hope remains and this war's not over.
There's a light, there's a sun, taking all shattered ones. To the place we belong and his love will conquer all.

** * **

"Did you know that I tried so hard to be like you. I even collected every article of you and the Family Business you ran. I bet Rehan would be proud, huh.. Can't seem to say the same about your father though.." Haroon sighed.

Head hung low, Aahil furrowed his brows. "How do you know about my father?"

"Hmm, I seems to know a lot more. Your step-mother arrogantly murdered your father only because she had a sheer lust for money. Poor her.. Poor you.. Poor The Ibrahims.. I bet that's why you chose to join the Air Force, huh?"

The clicking of his shoes filled the abandoned room. He was circling Aahil like he was some kind of prey tied to a chair.

"I bet you wanted to achieve something on your own. To be free - but little do you know.. You are not free nor will you ever be." Haroon spoke from behind following by a loud sound of his laughing.

"You know, I watched your every move - studied you - to be more precise. What time you used to leave from the Haveli. What route you used to take." He sat down on a chair in front of Aahil. Watching how he was fighting to stay awake despite of his bad appearance.

He spoke with a sudden serious glimpse in his eyes. "I even worked at your Company once. But of course high society people like you never really know its staff, do they? Well, just so you know I worked at one of the accountant departments. You see, I am very clever and unpredictable by being around you all along yet you had no idea. Shocking isn't it?"

Did he know him from somewhere?' Aahil's head was throbbing by the information. Why the hell had he kept him here?'

"You see.. The old man never liked my ideas. Yes, I am talking about your father." Haroon spoke as his eyes clouded in anger. "He no longer had any interest in developing my ideas further. He was ready to put me on the streets, because of a small fallout we had. But I was wise, I learned to use my mind in the right moment. And years later, I returned back to the same company which had thrown me out.. Ironic, isn't it? Though, I must say following you around has been annoying but interesting to say at least.. I discovered how similar his eldest son really is to his father."

Aahil raised his gaze. "I am nothing like him!"

A dark smirk grew across Haroon's face. "Oh, you soon will be. That's a promise."

--

Aahil exhaled loudly before staring into the silence of the darkened night. Arms crossed in front of his chest, he could feel someone's eyes on him.

"Look.."

Rehan interrupted him, not wanting to listen anymore. "- If you think that I will give up on you, then you are highly mistaken. Family never abandons each other."

They had stood in the same position for the last 10 minutes. Having the same conversation which Aahil had hoped to avoid.

He looked over his shoulder before responding. "This was never me, Rehan. I was never supposed to do something others told me. You and I both know that I only took the business course because of Abu's dream. He wanted me to run the family business."

"Yeah and you were damn good at too. I still remember how you would put your mind into each meeting we had. What your demands were before coming to an agreement. It all paid off in the end."

"Don't do this." Aahil warned knowing how he was lurking him back into the world which he wanted to free himself from.

"I'm not telling you what to do - Bhai, you know I would never do that. But maybe if you came back it might do some good, besides I might need some help."

"With time anyone would be able to learn. Just the same way you were able to achieve your own goals and set a basic standard in the world of business."

Rehan remained quiet for a small while as he kept his gaze on his brother.

"You don't get it do you?" Aahil shook his head. "It's not about whether I want to return or not, but what might happen afterwards... What if one of the staff members had some kind of reputation with our father? We never exactly knew how he did business, do we, Rehan?"

"Abu did it in his own way. It no longer matters."

"Does not matter? It almost got me killed!" Aahil turned to look at him in the eye, where a hint of fear and anger was mixed behind the gaze.

"I'm not saying that we should forget and everything would be normal again but what I can tell you is that we won't make the same mistake as our father. This city knows who we are and they respect us because we have given the same amount of respect back."

Aahil laughed bitterly. "You would be surprised by how comfortable people really are with wearing masks in public. Hell, we would know, won't we, Rehan?"

The two brothers shared a long look, as if they were recalling their past.

Rehan blinked and shook the heavy images from his mind. "Well, I am not wearing any masks." He shrugged his shoulders.

"It's because you're too kind for the world we live in. Everyone are manipulative, demanding and not what they seem.."

"Okay, stop. You're getting paranoid alright. Let me get you something to drink." Rehan went into the kitchen leaving Aahil to roll his eyes sensing the tension slowly leave his body.

He returned back shortly handing him a cold soda. Sitting at outside the garden, they allowed the fresh air to clear their minds.

Taking a sip from his soda, Rehan watched how Aahil's eyes traveled up into the sky.

"I never asked you before because I thought it was your personal matter, but what made you choose this path?"

"There's something about the moment you can actually witness the horizon right in front of you. Being able to fly through the skies and being so far away from everything.. You gain an adrenaline kick into your veins and realize that life is so much more than just the ordinary things you stumble upon. Sometimes you need these small moments in order to find your true self."

For the first time, Rehan could see how his usual expression was replaced with a proud feeling.

Aahil's eyes began to cloud suddenly and whispered. "You understand the value of someone's life.. What matters and what don't.."

"And did you find it?" He asked interrupting his thoughts.

"Hmm?" He blinked.

"Did you realize what really mattered, Bhai? What life is really about?"

His simple question had silenced him. All Aahil could do was stare at his younger brother because all honestly, he didn't quite know how to answer.

----------

Once Rehan had left his brother alone for a few hours, Aahil were still thinking about his last words. Maybe he did realize what really mattered and was afraid to acknowledge it in the first place.

Aahil placing the empty can of soda on the small garden table, he stood up and headed to the front door before grabbing his black leather jacket.

A while later, he looked up at the tall apartment building. Arriving in front of a wooden colored door with a name across it, which he very much recognized, Aahil knocked.

A moment later it was opened.

"Aahil?.. How did you get my address?" A surprised looking Sanam asked.

"Hi.. It was rather easy. Found it from one of your documents."

"You actually read those?" She asked not knowing if she should have the conversation outside her front door.

"I can assure you that it's nothing you should feel alarmed about.. Can I come in?"

Sanam nodded once stepping aside for him to enter. Locking the door behind her, they walked further into the long set of hallway and into the living room.

Aahil took a quick look around, realizing that it was the first time he had ever stepped into her home. Seeing how everything was neatly placed with a simple setting style made him feel appealed by her sense of decorating.

Catching a picture frame on one of the shelves of her and an elder woman, who he thought might have been her Badi Ammi. They were smiling joyfully into the camera, almost making him notice how real their happiness was portrayed in a single frame.

It would be a lie if Sanam wasn't thinking why Aahil was here. She never allowed her clients to meet her at her home, as she liked to maintain a separation between her work and personal space.

"I came here to see you because I wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I behaved the other day."

Sanam tightened the light brown shawl she had draped around her shoulders. "It can happen to anyone. It was my mistake too knowing I shouldn't have pressured you so much."

"No, it's not." He turned to face her. "There has been a lot on my mind lately. It was wrong of me to take it out on you, Especially when you're here.. To help me."

She nodded and decided to get something to drink for Aahil from the kitchen.

Aahil stepped forward catching his own refection upon the living room window. "How do you do it?"

His deep voice made her halt and stared back at him. "Do what?"

Turning around he asked. "Carry so much weight on your shoulders?"

Knowing what he was asking, she shared a long look with him before responding. "I don't see it as a burden... And neither should you."

He didn't seem to move from his spot at all. Instead, he inhaled a deep breathe.

Sanam paused slightly before she responded heartedly. "I make sure to deal with it in my own way. It becomes a part of us."

"How?" Aahil asked keen to know how she got by every single day knowing there was a restlessness in the heart. According to him, listening to others daily problems were never easy task.

"Hope." She answered surprising him a little. "Having hope does not necessarily mean that you are nave to your surroundings or that you are living in a delusional world. It means that you have come to accept the flaws in yourself and have enough strength to carry forward. As you go through the hardships, you have to remember to stay honest, not only to yourself but to the future you are making."

He nodded slowly, allowing her words to take effect on his mind for once. "I know you have changed, Aahil. Too unsure to go back to who you were before this happened to you, but sometime.. Change is good. Like I said.. Hope is everything. It can determine your faith and be the important factor which is much needed in order to move on."

"Quite some deep words there, doc.."

She smiled briefly. "Well, I hope the deep words works."

Aahil ran a hand through his hair, debating heavily whether he should let her know what really had happened..

"Have you read everything my file wrote about me?"

"Whatever I could have access to." Sanam responded.

Aahil reached a hand inside his leather jacket and dropped an old newspaper article on her glass table.

Taking a small look down, her eyes scanned the date of the newspaper.

Date: 2009 ... "The Grace of Bhopal."

Along the title there was a portrait of him with his brother, Rehan and their parents.

The so called family were smiling into the camera.. Facade.. Being happy.. Hiding.. Being at ease.. Wearing masks..

"What's this?" She glanced up.

"You think you know someone when in reality you don't at all." He spoke in a bitter voice.

"I thought you didn't care about what others thought of you?"

"I don't - until it makes someone become judgmental." He let it linger into the air, as Sanam lowered her gaze and removed a few strands of hair behind her ear. Suddenly feeling very conscious under his stare, which honestly didn't know why she felt this way at all. She hadn't done anything wrong, had she?

"Sometimes there's some sides of you which you do not wish people to see.. Maybe because you do not want to be judged or just.. Spare them from the pain."

Taking a quick look across the article and noticing how his body language changed, she wasn't sure to ask him to elaborate further.

"What secrets were you and your family keeping?"

He stiffened slightly and looked over his shoulder. "Nothing you need to worry about."

She took a step forward, determined to unleash whatever his mind was hiding. "But I do and I wish to know."

"No you don't." Aahil turned around to meet her gaze. "It was our family matter. Believe it or not, but my brother and I have dedicated our lives to what we believe in. You go around and trying hard not to let your name define you as a human being.. I joined the Air Force so I could become an individual. Not to stand in the shadows for someone who didn't even deserve my happiness or my misery."

"You were never a person to stand in the shadows. You purpose was beyond that." She passed watching how tensed he was.

"Your father.." Sanam blinked trying to put the puzzle together. "Was he so much against your decision of pursuing whatever you wanted? Maybe he was trying to protect you?"

A bitter laugh could be heard in the room. "He never did nor was it in his nature to care.. It was like he changed once he got married again.. Even if he had been worried, then I'm sure as hell that it had a hidden agenda behind it. Everything else always did."

Aahil took a small look down at his hands and shook his head in disbelieve. "That's why I became what I am. I knew I wasn't going to walk the same path as him. I wasn't going to change for the worse."

Sanam stood silently absorbing his words. "Why haven't you spoken about this before? How is this connected to what happened to you? I know there's more and you can't just stop here.. What really happened, Aahil?"

He swallowed with blank eyes before closing them. "It's late.. You must be tired and my driver is waiting for me outside. I was just passing by and thought to talk to you."

"Aahil.. This stays within these four walls. It's a promise." She said watching the look he carried behind his brown eyes.

"I like to see you keep it." He showed her one last look before letting himself out of the front door.

"Good night."

Sanam followed quietly behind and gently locked the door after him. Learning against the wooden door, she inhaled a deep breathe. "What is going on.. What am I doing? Am I really helping him?"

** * **

To Be Continued!

Hey Lovelies, I hope you enjoyed the part. I will try to make the next one longer or at least update sooner. Please, do leave a comment and let me know what you think.

The song I have used is called: "Shattered" by Trading Yesterday: