Khan Mansion:
Asad lay Zoya's bruised and bleeding semi naked body on her bed and immediately his first reaction was to cover her with a duvet, his eyes not leaving her face for even a second as he did. His fists then clenched at his sides as he gazed at her face and saw the angry finger marks staring back at him, and it felt like someone shot bullets of acid unto his already bleeding heart. His eyes flickered to her neck and then snapped shut just as he caught only a glimpse of the hickeys on her neck, his lips trembled as he felt incredibly overwhelmed not knowing what to do or what to believe. What had happened tonight? Not knowing what else to do he pulled out his phone and with a trembling hand began dialling whilst walking away from Zoya, standing with his back to her wiping his tears and taking a deep breath, closing his eyes painfully trying to get the images of all the bruises marking her body out of her mind.
Kasauli Hospital:
Aisha giggled as Aahil continued hugging her tightly and swaying on his feet with her in the reception of the hospital outside the gift-shop.
Aahil- I love your brother you know that..I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM I LOVE HIM-
Aisha - (pulled back with a raised eyebrow holding up the flower he had bought her from the gift shop) Oh did you want me to pass this unto him?
Aahil - (shook his head and placed a kiss on her cheek) I am eternally in his debt for knocking sense into you.
Aisha - yah well trust me you'll also be eternally in his debt for sparing your life if he sees any of this (pointing to the flower and her cheek) before our wedding..in fact (laughed) even after it, so you might wanna keep the PDA to a minimum
Aahil - (held his hands up) I may love the guy and he did knock sense into you, he may also be younger than me but I'm still scared to death of him..(shook his head) he is intense.
Aisha - and I wouldn't have him any other way.
Aahil - (nodded) when's Aunty coming back? So, I can send Ammi to talk to her about our wedding-
Aisha - (her smile faltered) I don't think it'll be anytime soon..things between her and Asad are a little..tense to say the least (Aahil nodded understandingly) I mean I know they'll work it out..they always do. Asad will forgive and forget because that's who he is...and he loves Ammi way too much but..it's better not to poke the bear. Let him take his time and space and when he's ready to talk about it he will.
Aahil - (gave her a sympathetic smile) Asad toh unhe maaf kardega..but do you think aunty will ever be able to forgive herself? Even if it was an honest mistake and she couldn't have known and I know she'd never allow this to happen if she had the slightest inkling that Asad would be caused the slightest pain...but still...kya woh khudko kabhi maaf kar payeengi?
Aisha - (gave him a small smile which pretty much did all the answering for him) my Ammi is the bravest woman I know. She's strong and she's courageous (sighed) and...she's been through a lot but she is still able to walk in this world with her head held high because in the face of the toughest choices in her life she has always chosen the right path regardless of how difficult it was (Aahil nodded) so she doesn't have many regrets..but I do know that all the regrets she does have...(smiled through her teary eyes) they all have to do with Asad and the way he turned out. The way he is. Because her decisions are what led to him, what caused that damage to him (and then her lips trembled, and she closed her eyes unable to speak recalling all the horrific memories of their childhood, her stepfathers abuse on Asad and her mother, the poverty, the darkness. Aahil wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in a tight hug)
Aahil - shh (stroking her hair) trust me, sab theek hojayega. (Aisha nodded in his hold, maintaining her faith..but as they hugged her cellphone rang and pulling it out of her lab coat she saw Asad's frowning face staring back at her, making her smile)
Aisha - well if it isn't the love of your life.
Aahil - (rolled his eyes) saale sahab may be the reason I'm one step closer in marrying you but I have a feeling woh saari zindagi kabab mein haddi banke rehne waale hain (Aisha laughed hard seeing his sullen face as she answered but the next second that smile wiped off her face)
Asad - (in a broken whisper, a trembling voice racked with sobs) Aapi?
Aisha - (frowned, her heart hammering in her chest. Just like Asad she too jumped to the worst of conclusions in a heartbeat) Asad? What's wrong?
Asad - I..(sniffed) I..need you...
Aisha - what..what is it? Tumhari tabeeyat toh theek hai-
Asad It's (closed his eyes after catching just one glimpse of Zoya laying unconscious in her bed behind him) it...it's not me it's (his voice trembling) it's Zoya..please just come home..(Aisha's eyes darted nervously between her phone and Aahil who was looking through some file. Feeling his eyes on her he looked up and raised an eyebrow shrugging asking if everything was okay and she gave him a smile small averting her eyes at once)
Aisha - I'm coming. (Saying so she didn't waste a second and shut her phone before turning to Aahil suddenly in a rush to go home. Aahil frowned)
Aahil - everything okay?
Aisha - yah..yah it's just Asad..he..he needs me..do you mind?
Aahil - (sighed) I do...but..(smiled) I also need to suck up to the in-laws if I want them to be in my in-laws now don't I? (Aisha gave him a half hearted smile not quite paying attention to what he was saying and then leaning up she pecked his cheek before rushing out, leaving Aahil a little confused and worried)
Aahil - (yelled after her) KABAB MEIN HADDI! (Shaking his head, he turned back around ready to get back to work when instead he came face to face with Azlan who was standing in the same spot Aisha stood not a minute ago, and Aahil's smile disappeared. Azlan however, looked like he was in no mood to joke and in fact given the sullen, angry, and fallen face of his it didn't look like he would be smiling in a long time or he even knew how to smile. The guy looked like hell, and even Aahil felt bad for him)
Khan Mansion:
Aisha came running trough the still dark house. Her worry only mounted. She half expected Asad and Zoya to be ripping each others hair out and the whole house turned upside down as they got into another argument or brawl, but the house was in an eerie, haunting silence and darkness. Her heart suddenly sank with fear. She walked in further and saw Asad pacing the window next to Zoya's room which was engulfed in darkness and the door was half shut. She saw a cigarette in his hand and a half-filled ash tray on the table next to him. His hair was tousled like he had spent all night running his hands through it in frustration (which he had) and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked even worse than he did this morning, and Aisha's heart began hammering fearfully.
Aisha - (tried to find her voice but due to her fear it broke) Asad? (Asad spun around, his eyes wide and Aisha's heart only sank further. She had seen a lot of looks in those eye's before, but she had never seen Asad look so devastated or helpless)
Asad - Aapi...
Aisha - (dropping her bag) wha...what happened? (But she was surprised to see Asad avert his eyes and his lips tremble, as he shook his head, like he couldn't say it. She saw the tears in his eyes, and watched him gulp as his jaw set tight, fighting for control and strength) (Aisha stepped towards Zoya's room) Zoya- (but Asad's hand shot out and grabbed her arm and that did it for Aisha) OH FOR GODS SAKE ASAD!! TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!!
Asad - Zo..(his voice breaking) Zo..I found her at college..she...(shook his head, struggling with the words, and in the end they came out in a broken, disbelieving whisper, Asad wasn't even sure he had actually said it out loud because he still was unable to come to terms with the fact that it ACTUALLY happened) assaulted. (Aisha shrieked, covering her face. Tears rushing to her eyes as she shook her head in denial repeatedly) Some guy..I...(and then that familiar, mind numbing, fury overtook him making his whole body shake with rage. He could literally strangle the guy with his own bare hands) I don't know (shook his head) I found her like this...locked in the dance studio..the..there was fire-
Aisha - (felt her knees give way so she collapsed to the ground, holding her chest..trying to process what happened) Ya Allah...
Asad - (shook his head, his voice breaking again) I didn't know what to do I..I brought her home. Aishe was struggling to breathe and gain some strength. It was clear Asad wasn't thinking straight but one of them had to, for Zoya's sake and it seemed like today that had to be her. Asad was still rambling, smoking compulsively his one hand still gripping and running through his hair as he paced agitatedly, his eyes wide, almost manically) I..I mean I.. I don't if..if it's just an assault or..(shaking his head, his heart breaking with the worst sort of pain and fear..for ZOYA if the next words and the fear in his heart since he had found that note which was consuming him from within were actually true) rape but..I..I didn't know what to do s-
Aisha - (standing up, with a new resolve settling in her eyes. A new strength. They would get through this, together. They were here for Zoya, regardless of what had happened or what would happen, they were here for Zoya. But it seemed it would be like withstanding a storm to try and get the usually most calm, most reliable, resilient and strong Asad to understand that and get on the same page) Asad...(facing him, she held his face in her hand and shook him with the other. Yelling.) ASAD. (He finally stopped rambling and looked at her, his eyes still as wide and unhinged as before and Aisha nodded fiercely at him. Her resolve only intensifying) it's going to be okay. Alright. I need you to believe that. And I need you to pull yourself together. (Nodded, and Asad nodded along) we need to be strong, for Zoya's sake. Aggar hum khud bikhar gaye toh Zoya ko kaun sambhale ga? Hunh? (and all Asad heard was Zoya's sweet voice reminding him of the same not too long ago, but in reference to his mother & sister. But regardless who she said it for. He would be strong. For her. For them. So he nodded to Aisha, gulping nervously and taking a deep breath and Aisha gave him a small smile, internally falling apart as she prepared herself to face Zoya) I..I'm going to go check on Zoya. (Asad nodded, and like a reflex began stepping towards Zoya's room right behind her putting his cigarette out but Aisha stopped midway, confusing him)
Aisha - I uhh..I think it's better if I..go in alone. (She searched his eyes to make sure he understood. Not only did she need to give Zoya a medical check up but given the extent of what had happened there was a high chance she may not be okay having him, a guy around her at the moment. This second thought didn't even occur to Asad, like it wasn't even a possibility. Zoya, afraid of him..never. But he did understand that Aisha may be talking in a doctor's capacity and although it just pained him more that Zoya was going through this and filled him with more rage at whoever that guy was responsible for doing this to Zoya he understood and nodded. He didn't trust himself to be able to hold it together if he looked at her pretty face marred with all those heinous bruises and injuries, a reminder of what she had to go through unfairly. Beside's it would give him a chance to handle other matters and boy was someone going to rue the day they were born once Asad Ahmed Khan/Shaan got his hands on him.)
Asad - (whipping out his cellphone the minute Aisha shut the door behind her of Zoya's room. Lighting yet another cigarette, gripping his hair in a deathly grip, his agitation knew no bounds) YAH. DID YOU FIND THE SON OF A- WELL THEN TRY HARDER. I don't CARE. I don't want excuses I want results. I WANT MY HANDS AROUND THIS bas***dS NECK BEFORE SUNRISE TOMORROW. HE'S GOING TO REGRET THE DAY HE EVER LAID EYES ON HER.
Jay - I know I understand Asad (the hate and anger in his voice unmistakeable as well) trust me I WANT TO FIND HIM JUST AS BADLY AS YOU FOR WHAT HE DID TO ZOYA BUT WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST HERE WITH THE DESCRIPTION YOU GAVE but...
Asad - (misdirecting his anger) BUT WHAT?
Jay - (hesitating) don't you think we should..tell Ayaan-
Asad - NO. I SAID IT BEFORE, NO ONE TALKS TO AYAAN ABOUT THIS.
Jay - But Asad. He's her brother he'll want to know..remember last time-
Asad - I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME, OKAY. I'm aware of that. But like I said. No one talks to Ayaan..not until we know what we're dealing with here. I just..(pressing his eyes in) I just want all the facts before I tell him anything okay, that's my job. Now I need you to do your job and find me the bas***d
Jay - (sighed, understandingly) Okay. How's..zoya?
Asad - s- (he spun around hearing the sudden crash and screams from Zoya's room and dropping his phone, his heart in his mouth he didn't waste a second before rushing to Zoya's room in two large slides and barging in.)
xxx
Kasauli Hospital - Aahil's Cabin:
Aahil was sitting on his chair, tapping his leg impatiently whilst glaring at Azlan with despising eye's.
Aahil - (checking his watch again) Look Azlan, I have actual work to do here..(pointing to his door) as you may have noticed..I have..a hospital full of patients I need to get back to so if you don't mind..do you actually need something or-
Azlan - I..(closed his eyes) I'm sorry..(Aahil frowned confusedly, not understanding where this was going) okay I..I'm sorry for whatever it is my family did to upset you or your Ammi enough to break my sister's heart the way you did..(realization dawned on Aahil's face, and then came awkwardness) but I..I just I want you to know. I'm sorry okay. I'm sorry for my fathers mistakes, I'm sorry for what he did 27 years ago before Aapi or me or Asad or even YOU were born..I'm sorry for Aisha and Asad being born if their births can be used as a liability against my sister's happiness okay I'm sorry..and I'll say it again..as many times as you need me to. To whoever you need it to. You your Ammi..AYAAN..anyone I just - (not letting Aahil get a word in despite his desperate attempts, but he just kept on going, his eyes closed, massaging his head feeling like it would burst from all this stress any second) just I just..I just need you to tell me what it is..I can do to fix this? What it'll take for you to accept my sister. I know..I know how degrading it is to my sister and how desperate it must make me look..coming here begging you for her happiness like this but..(laughed, and Aahil could see it. A glimmer of the same emptiness that shined bright in Asad's eyes all the time..so Azlan finally saw a small little fraction of pain and torment that the world had to offer) I don't care. If this is what it takes to give her the happiness she deserves then I don't care. I'll beg. Please Aahil..I (laughed) I'm begging you here tell me..tell me what it is you or your Ammi want. What will it take for you to agree to marry my sister?
Aahil - (had had enough, he snapped) AZLAN. ENOUGH. STOP IT. WILL YOU LISTEN TO YOURSELF FOR GOD'S SAKE. (Shook his head) STOP INSULTING ME, YOURSELF AND MOST IMPORTANTLY YOUR SISTER, OKAY! She doesn't deserve this...(shook his head annoyedly) I'm..look I'm terribly terribly sorry for what happened and most importantly the way it happened. I think your sister's great and..I didn't want to hurt her..but...but I'm sorry..I just can't marry your sister.
Azlan - (losing it. He shook his head laughing in denial) no no no no you..you don't understand. See if you don't marry her, my mother and...Razia Mami are going to marry her off to the first loser they find for her. Okay..they don't care if he's 39, or balding or unemployed or-
Aahil - (equally annoyed and losing it) I..I'm sorry okay..I sympathize with you..and with her but there's nothing I can do. I wish I could but I can't.
Azlan - (banged the table hard) DAMN IT..NO. DON'T DO THIS TO HER. WOH JEETE JI MAR JAYEGI..AAHIL PLEASE. PLEASE. THERE..THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING, SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT..PLEASE..ANYTHING JUST NAME IT AND..I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU IN A HEARTBEAT..MONEY, OUR HAVELI OUR-
Aahil - DAMN IT AZLAN! I CAN'T MARRY YOUR SISTER BECAUSE I'M IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE ELSE OKAY. I'M MARRYING SOMEONE ELSE. (The words, the list of materialistic things Azlan was ready to offer Aahil died on his lips) I...(shook his head closing his eyes) I'm sorry I let it get that far the last time but...but even then I was in love with someone else..but I got forced into getting engaged to your sister. Fortunately or unfortunately it didn't actually happen and now I'm getting a second chance to set things right..and..and I have to Azlan I...I love her, and for your sister...trust me..no one feels worse about what happened than I do...I..I'm going to have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life but...(shook his head) I can't marry your sister..I..won't. (Azlan sat stunned, not knowing what more to say. There was nothing else left to say. He hadn't even thought of that as a possibility. Aahil sighed watching him sympathetically before reaching behind him and grabbing a water bottle which he placed before Azlan) trust me Azlan, if this wasn't the reason..I would never have let my mother break the engagement off in the first place..I would never do that to your sister..or any other girl. Call me a coward but (shook his head) my only regret is I didn't realize the mistake I was about to make till all that went up in flames. Aggar aisi baat hoti toh my mother would've been back at your place with the proposal the day Asad offered her all that money and land in exchange for it, and she wouldn't be hiding from Asad's wrath instead (Azlan looked at him surprised and Aahil nodded in confirmation) it was never about your one sister Azlan, it was about the other. It always has been. (Azlan looked to him confused and Aahil smiled grimly) see, that's the difference between you and Asad. He always acknowledges that he has two sisters, not just the one. He looks out for both of them and values both their happiness equally. But you..you fail to remember that Aisha Ahmed Khan is also your sister...(Realization, followed by shock, followed by realization registered on Azlan's face as he looked at Aahil in pure disbelief. The entire world, or more like their world had just come full circle hadn't in) Aisha Ahmed Khan, also happens to be the girl I'm in love with..and I'm marrying..(Azlan closed his eyes, accepting defeat) and..I guess..I have you to thank for that
Azlan - (cleared his throat, opening his confused eyes) me? me to thank for that?
Aahil - (nodded) see before Asad and Aisha both weren't ready to even consider the idea of me and Aisha since they found out that Anaya and I were once getting engaged. But (getting out of his chair) after yesterday's unfortunate events, they feel differently. (Held the door open for Azlan) more specifically they decided to simply put their own happiness above others for a change (Azlan looked towards him and Aahil nodded) and I hope, this time around...you can do the same. Return the favour, by putting Aisha's happiness above yours and Anaya's like she and Asad have done countless times before. (With that he stepped out of his office, leaving Azlan's mind reeling with realizations and the burden of painful decisions)
xxx
Khan Mansion:
Asad stood frozen in the doorway as he tried to wrap his mind around and understand what was going on. Aisha sat on the floor holding her wrist which was bleeding slightly. There lay shards of glass from a broken vase all over the floor, and Zoya stood frozen and still in a corner, her eyes wide and empty, her face pale as a ghost as she held a long shard of glass in her hand, pointing it defensively at Aisha. She didn't even realize but the glass was cutting through her hand and a long line of blood was trickling down her hand.
Asad - (winced and without thinking stepped forward) Zoya- (but Zoya screamed silently, her whole body shuddered violently, and she cowered further into a corner closing her eyes trembling whilst the glass cut her deeper)
Aisha - (staring from Asad to Zoya and then realization dawned on her and she panically held up a hand) NO! ASAD, STOP!
Assd - (looked towards her as if she had lost her mind) STOP?? AAPI SHE'S HURTING HERSELF (but Aisha could see the fear in Zoya's eyes, the way her eyes wouldn't blink or leave Asad's face for even a second the way she gripped the glass tighter like it was her only saving grace the way her body trembled more and more violently with each additional second Asad spent in the room, the way her eyes darted around in paranoia)
Aisha - NO!! (Rushed to her feet effectively blocking his path towards Zoya) ASAD, I SAID NO! STOP!! (She saw Asad's eyes narrow at her angrily, clearly unable to understand what she was going on about, clearly he was about to unleash the anger upon her within a second so Aisha began pushing him out the room)
Asad - AAPI!! AAPI WHAT THE HELL!! AA-
Aisha - (shut the door behind herself and Asad at once rounded on her furiously but she held her ground and held up a strict hand, her eyes even more strict) ASAD NO! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND SEE SHE'S IN SHOCK!! CAN'T YOU SEE SHE'S AFRAID OF YOU!!
Asad - (as she said the second thing the realization that dawned on his face vanished and he took a staggering defensive and appalled step back, confused) afraid? Of..me? (The disbelief evident in his voice)
Aisha - (shook her head, stepping forward to comfort him and make him understand) but she doesn't see us Asad, you. She's..she's still seeing that guy..still seeing that incident playing before her eyes..she's..she's stuck there. She doesn't understand it's over..and that she's safe and sound..at home. WITH US. HER FAMILY-
Asad - (struggled out of her grip, his agitation from earlier returning, tenfold) so..what? WE DO NOTHING? She could be inside, HARMING HERSELF-
Aisha - (snapped frustratedly, helplessly, not understanding what to do, being a doctor she knew what to do professionally but she had never in her worst nightmare thought she would be dealing with something like this personally and the personal side of it she didn't know how to handle) Keep your voice down will you! YOU'LL SCARE HER..
Asad - (muttering under his breath as he smacked the wall, pacing again) scare her..I'll scare her (unable to believe what he was hearing. His fingers itched and convulsed violently. He had to hit something, he..he needed to do some damage)
Aisha - we..we need to get her to snap out of it..to to break..to crack. She needs to understand that it's over..that she's safe that he's not here and he can't harm her. That WE aren't him.
Asad - and what? We're just supposed to wait around patiently for that to happen?
Aisha - (Shook her head) we don't have time to wait around..her medical tests need to be done asap, if...(Asad just stared at her stunned, and she realized he understood..she couldn't look him in the eye, the pain, the fury, the devastation was too much, she felt herself falling apart just as much as he was if she dared to look into them so she looked away, pacing before him...thinking hard) we..we need to do something. To get a reaction out of her...to get her to show some emotion..crying, anger. I don't know but it has to be a sure thing and it has to be now...something that will definitly make her snap out of- (but seeing the look of resolve, of pain, guilt and self loathing in Asad's eyes she realized he knew what to do or rather what he had to do even if he didn't want to or even if he'd hate himself for it for all of eternity. Without so much as sparing it another thought or wasting another second Asad brushed past her and just as Aisha realized where he was headed again and rushed to stop him she found the door to Zoya's bedroom slam in her face and then, the lock turn. He faced the door, his hand pressed against it, falling in his own eyes for what he was about to do..gulping nervously, the only words ringing in his ears was his own inner voice screaming "I'm sorry Zoya hoping that she would be able to understand why he had to do what he was about to and that she was able to look at him again even if he was never able to look at himself again. He gulped nervously, his strength, his determination, and his will to do what was necessary for Zoya all faltering. Meanwhile, Zoya was sitting leaning against her built in wardrobe, her arms wrapped around her knees which she had pulled up, rocking back and forth agitatedly as images of Sameer and what he did to her, where he touched her, how he touched her, his voice ringing in her ears constantly, his words rooting even deeper into her mind and with it her suspicion that they were true haunting her. She had frozen when she heard the door shut, her paranoid and alarmed eyes snapping up to it at once and her heart nearly stopped beating in fear as she saw a man standing there and at once Sameer's words began haunting her "that's all any man ever wants from you. She tried to scream, to whimper, to yell and ask him what he wanted but it failed to come out, she could only hear her screams inside her nothing was audible no matter how hard she tried to say it. Just as he spun around, slowly, Zoya too rose to her feet, her whole body shaking like a leaf nervously. She was desperately clutching the t-shirt Aisha had put on her before she woke up screaming just so she didn't catch a cold, her fingers were pale as she clutched the edges with an almost deathly grip, like it was her lifeline to prevent what he had come to finish. However, given that she wasn't living in the present, that she was frozen in shock and stuck in that moment, in that dance studio with Sameer still, unable to come to terms with it she didn't see Asad's ashamed and desperately apologetic eyes, or the way he gulped nervously as he turned to face her. Instead, she only saw what confirmed her paranoid but highly rational fears, his dark eyes his tousled and messy hair, his dark stubble, that unhinged and wild look in his eye's (although it was out of denial, anger and heartbreak) all Zoya saw were his heinous intentions. Which is why as he took an apologetic but determined step towards her she took another tiny one back, attempting to shake her head, to say "no which should be more than enough to tell him to back the hell off but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't, she was wide eyed and frozen, paralyzed with fear, as she clutched her tee-shirt backing away from him till her back collided with the wardrobe and her heart nearly constricted, especially as she watched him strip off his-t-shirt pulling it over his head, leaving his hair even more tousled and wild, standing before her with his disgusting intentions bare chested, his chains shining bright which is what her eyes were fixated on and clad in nothing but his jeans. She stood wide eyed, blinking slowly her heart stopped beating altogether out of fear realizing this was it, it was going to happen, Sameer was finally going to finish what he started first years ago when he saw her at that birthday party and became weirdly and sickly obsessed with her which led him to kill her brother-in-law and now, what he started back at college he was going to finish here, whatever this place was and with that her heart nearly stopped beating altogether. As she saw him approach her even closer, missing how he gulped nervously, the way his lips trembled as he did, the way his eyes watered slightly as he did, begging for mercy for forgiveness, her scream was stuck in her throat her lips slightly parted in a silent scream but no sound came out of it. Just as he was one step away from her Zoya screamed inaudibly again and spun around closing her eyes believing that she could run, trying to escape. However just as he lunged forward determinedly, wanting to get this over with, wanting to end this misery and most heinous act of his, grabbing her from her waist, his rough large hands gripping her both sides of her waist, his face buried stilly in the crook of her neck in her hair, his entire large body against hers, covering her entire tiny frame with his large and muscular ones Zoya had her eyes closed, her arms up desperately slapping the wardrobe her eyes closed, her lips parted in a silent scream which Asad could now hear just a smidge, meaning she was on the brink of breaking. Unfortunately, his determination and will had broken once he was close to her and he couldn't do the sick but "drastic and necessary act he thought he could, willed he could FOR Zoya, he just couldn't do that to her which is why he was absolutely still behind her hoping that would be enough to break her but unfortunately it wasn't. However, as he heard a silent but slightly audible scream clearly stuck in her throat he realized he was nearer than he thought, she just needed one more push to throw her over the edge and finally make her snap out of it and realize it was over. Whatever it was, it was over she was safe and sound and at home whoever that was would never ever be able to get his hands on Zoya again, Asad would make sure of that. So, ignoring Aisha's screams telling him to stop and open the door, from outside as she heard Zoya slapping the wardrobe blindly, her eyes closed desperately believing she was actually getting away from him, saving herself he pushed himself to just go the one further step, one more notch knowing it would be the final nail in the coffin and Zoya would break. Although he wished to die a thousand times over rather than do it, he dug his nails in deeper into her waist and spun her around, killing his conscious one second at a time till his eyes shined with nothing more than disgust and loathing but a strong determination. Zoya's eyes snapped open wildly in shock, realizing her attempts to escape as she believed they were, hadn't gotten her even a mile away from him and instead he was right there before her. Again, her lips were parted and open in shock, a silent scream which was begging to release as an audible scream stuck in her throat as she felt his fingers touching her bare skin now, having managed to sneak underneath her top and her mind flooded with images and flashbacks of Sameer's tongue, his blade his disgusting fingers there earlier and her skin crawled with disgust and overwhelming desire to separate it from her body filling her. She could feel his fingers touch her higher and higher, riding her top higher and higher, his body still stuck against hers, pressing hers further into the wardrobe covering her frame with his own but she was trying to scream even louder yet no one could hear her, she was trying to kick him but it wasn't doing anything to him, she was slapping him but it wasn't doing him any harm when the truth of the matter was she was only imagining that. Her hands were frozen as were her legs and her scream was inaudible and silent. Finally, unable to take it any longer Asad grabbed her wrists pinning them roughly against her head on the wardrobe, his fingers stroking her bracelets, reaching up and then weaving his large cold fingers with her tiny and warm one's as he enveloped her entire hand with his and mustering up all his courage looked her square in the eye. Needing her to demonstrate the strength he knew she possessed, and slap him hard across the face as his gaze snagged to her lips wanting her to know exactly what he was intending to do and where he was headed. Zoya was frozen in shock though as she understood too, she saw him dip his head further and further, getting closer and closer to her lips but she didn't do anything, her hands and feet as well as her whole body was frozen and a crippling fear filled Asad what if she didn't react, what if she didn't break, how far would he have to go, how far could he go because lord knows he had had enough, he didn't think he'd be able to live with himself after what he had disgustingly allowed himself to do up until now just to get her to cry, scream, hit him and realize what had happened but he couldn't do anymore. Internally he coaxed her, begged her to scream, to cry, to hit him but even then, he was a hairs breath away from her lips, he could feel her breath on his lips, another inch and he could feel her lips with his but she still hadn't reacted. But he had his eyes closed and so he didn't know but Zoya wasn't going to disappoint him, she was showing the strength he knew her to be capable of, her eyes were slowly but surely filling with tears of anger, of humiliation, of pain, of fury of disgust, her face was returning colour, red, of anger, of humiliation, of pain, of fury, of disgust and her screams although still inaudible and silent were getting louder and louder threatening to break through, and just as his lips were about to close over hers he heard it that silent but a scream nonetheless and it broke his heart, and the very next second it broke through, the dam opened, the damage was done and she broke and he broke right along with her. Zoya ripped her hand away from his and smacked/punched him hard across the face screaming a very loud NO' before those screams turned into nothing but screams filled with agony, filled with pain and filled with humiliation, her eyes were closed her tears were endless, but she was hitting, and screaming and crying all that he wanted and with her cries Aisha's panicked ones grew louder too, but Asad's heart was simply broken. There were tears running down his cheeks, and ignoring the stinging of his own cheek which was angry blue and bleeding due to the cut Zoya's ring had made on it as she punched it he tried to calm her down, to orient her to reality..but she was simply crying and screaming with her eyes closed her arms still flaring about trying to hit him and she was hitting him but he couldn't feel that, what he could fee though was the breaking of his own heart hearing her cries.
Asad - ZOYA...ZOYA LISTEN TO ME!! LISTEN TO MY VOICE..IT'S ASAD...YOUR HOME..ZOYA YOUR SAFE YOUR WITH ME..NOT HIM..PLEASE ZOYA..PLEASE LISTEN TO MY VOICE PLEASE (but as he held her face in his large hands, his fingers weaving through her damp and sweaty hair which was sticking to her face due to her endless tears she just shook her head repeatedly and desperately trying to get rid of his touch, her screams getting louder and louder as were her cries, ripping his heart apart as he cried along with her, but she wasn't focusing on his voice and words like he needed her to) ZOYA...ZOYA PLEASE LISTEN TO ME..LISTEN TO ME IT'S ASAD..LISTEN TO MY VOICE!! YOUR HOME ZOYA..YOUR..YOUR HOME...YOUR WITH ME..YOUR..YOUR SAFE..YOUR SAFE WITH ME Y..ZOYA (yanking her face forward with one hand tangled through her hair at the back, his eyes and his voice fierce, as he glared at her, her eyes opening wide in shock, her screams abruptly ending but her tears didn't, her hands freezing midair as well, she stopped hitting him, she just stared at him, in shock, brokenly and Asad wrapped his other trembling hand over her face too and his heart broke as he saw her flinch from his touch.)
Asad - (in a broken, trembling whisper) it's me...Asad..please...(closed his eyes) please listen to my voice..remember me..feel MY touch. (He went silent for a few seconds, as Zoya's eyes closed too, wanting to process his words which just sounded like a haze as they fell upon her ears mixed with Sameer's words, his blurry face mixed with Sameer's as well as she tried to orient herself tried to make her foggy, overwhelmed, tired brain to work and understand what was happening, where she was, who she was with and what they were saying) it's..it's me...it's..(lightly his hands travelled down her neck to her upper arms, Zoya's whole body shuddering as she felt his hands travel along her body, not just because as she felt the familiar touch, remembered it, welcomed it, relished it but also because it was no longer the touch she welcomed, relished even craved, it was tainted. Tainted with the memories of Sameer's unwelcome, unappreciated touch and all that he implied Asad's touch meant..he simply wanted her for her body "he could never love her for herself, a s**t, a tease, a wh**e like herself didn't deserve that. Asad slightly shook her body)
Asad - (speaking in a broken whisper still, unable to open his eyes, unable to face her) Zoya please...please Zoya..(still shaking her) Zoya..hear my voice, feel my touch...remember it..remember me..it's Asad...Asad...
Zoya - (her lips began trembling at once as she started screaming again, which raised in notches, beginning from a silent but slightly audible whisper, to a full silent scream as she remembered but it did the opposite of what Asad wanted to accomplish. It simply broke her further, the recalling went from confusion, to hope, to realization, to relief, to happiness to ecstatic hapiness to overwhelming heartbreak as the word, the prayer, his name echoed in her ears, his face haunted her vision blocking out all heinous memories, voices and images of Sameer and as the understanding settled as a chant inside her..it was Asad, Asad, Asad that was the scream that escaped her again, rising in notches again from a small silent but slightly audible whimper to a silent scream which broke Asad's heart again, her fingers clamping with an itch to hold him, touch him, hug him, break down in his arms until she screamed his name Asad' before crashing against him as the tears flew endlessly again, as she screamed, and cried and her cries broke Asad's heart as he cried along with her, wrapping his arms around her in a deathly grip refusing to ever let go, relief like he had never known before washing over him, coursing through his veins. It had worked. As disgusting as his actions were, they were necessary and he was relieved that they worked, his Zoya was back, she was okay, she was safe, she was in his arms and she was okay. But Zoya's screams and cries mixed with just the sound and the chant of his name as a question, as a complaint, as a blessing, as a thank you, as a prayer as she hugged him and cried over all that she had lost tonight. Her dignity & her integrity over her body which was JUST hers, which no one but she had the right to regardless of what someone else thought as they tried to forcefully touch or take control of someone's else's body, her confidence, her self respect her jeeju once again, her self worth but mostly she felt like she had lost Asad because she had definitely lost the ability to look him in the eye, to face him with dignity and respect, to believe she and he had a chance that there could be a world where they could be a possibility, that...she was worthy of loving him, of deserving him. Asad winced as her fingers dug so deep and so painfully into his back that they dug into his wounds on his back causing them to bleed and in turn when the pain became too much his own fingers dug so deep into her arms that he drew blood, but she didn't even realize, the pain of what she had lost was too much to bare. So much that she felt her knees give way with weakness and loss of strength, the willpower to live and face all that she had gone through tonight, all that she had been subjected to and unfairly had to live through, what had happened with her that she fell to the ground and Asad dropped to his knees with her, still hugging her, cradling her and still refusing to let go and Zoya hungrily and greedily clung unto him as well, refusing to let go, afraid that her hopes, her innocent dreams and desires, her innocent dare to dream of a possibility at a life, a dream, a world she knew she wasn't worthy of would crash and abandon her forever, gone with the moment if she let go of him so she hugged him with all her might, with all the life and strength left in her..and cried, and he cried with her and for her as they sat on the ground, two beautiful souls marked and changed forever by the tragedy that they both lived through that uninvitedly struck them and broke them and the marks and evidence as wounds of both the destruction and victory (of what they had gone through) the stronger it made them was evident by the blood and marks on both their bodies as they sat as a heap on the ground, one soul two bodies and cried over all that they had lost together, and Aisha sat broken and exhausted outside the door too, listening to Zoya cry as much as she needed to, to get it out of her system even though it broke her heart too.
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Haveli:
A troubled and highly confused, yet surprisingly feeling considerably lighter than he had in days Azlan strode into the house and into the living room where surprisingly his whole family was gathered. His steps slowed to a confused pace as he saw them all get up at once almost hopefully and his mother come rushing towards him.
Shireen - Azlan..Azlan tum Aahil se milne gaye the na? Bolo kya hua? Woh maan gaya naa..main jaanti thi (hugged him at once relieved while Razia rolled her eyes, her plan as she feared was in danger, the plan of putting the Khan's in their place) main jaanti thi tum apni behen ki khushiyon ke liye kuch bhi kar sakte ho aur tumne kiya..main jaanti thi tum uske liye dunya se lar jaoge..(Azlan stood stunned, frozen with confusion, surprise and shock as he looked at all the hopeful and smiling faces of his family realizing the very rude but very integral to understand reality..his family was as entitled and privileged as one could get..cushioned by the comfort and peace that money and sometimes their own power could buy or they could extort into forcefully obtaining they really did not know what pain, hardship or the slightest suffering was..they were used to getting their way by hook or by crook and the possibility that things might not go there way didn't even occur to them. It was a rude awakening for Azlan as he realized that what people thought of him, of his family was completely right and he also realized that the grudge and anger he held against Asad was nothing but the same privilege, entitlement and his own spoiled self that had led him to such distances from his brother, from losing such an important part of his life...and just like that anger at himself, at his family coursed through him and he frowned. Enough was enough, they had gotten away with this too many times, forcefully taking other people's happiness for themselves, it was what had happened with his Ammi and Dilshad and they were hoping for it to happen again with his two sisters with Anaya getting Aisha's rightful happiness but no more, not on his watch..it was time to make amends, time to apologize, time to make up for his family's wrongs and time to give Asad & Aisha the happiness that they deserved and that HIS family, THEIR family had cruelly snatched away from them and he Azlan would be the one to do so, that was a promise)
Shireen - (staring at him confusedly as he just stood there not answering any of their questions) Azlan...kya soch rahe ho? Kuch bolo na? Kab aa rahe hain woh log hamari taraf..Anaya ka haath maangne? Ab bolo bhi..apni behen ko aur intezaar mat karvao..dekho toh kitni besabri se tumhara intezaar kar rahee hai woh (Azlan looked from her annoyedly to Anaya who was beaming with excitement and happiness, her eyes filled with tears of hope. Azlan's heart broke for her but he also knew this wasn't right, what they had been taught since childhood, that no one but their own happiness mattered and they could do whatever they had to to obtain it, go by hook or by crook. Without answering his mother, he calmly but determinedly walked up to Anaya, making her smile even more, her heart hammering with hope & anxiety, dying to hear Azlan's response but he simply stood there staring at her, she saw a million emotions and thoughts running through his eyes as he gave her a half hearted smile before swallowing determinedly, the tears in his eye's drawing up at once. He then, still without saying anything leaned up and silently kissed her head, lingering a bit longer..regardless of the epiphany he had had he was still apologetic that he wasn't able to fight for his sister's happiness for once..as he moved back from her Anaya stared at him quizzically and again he gave her a half hearted smile)
Azlan - (held her face) forget about him okay...it's time to move on (and just like that Anaya's smile turned into a frown and her heart dipped, plummeting painfully. Azlan turned around about to walk off leaving the rest of his family as confused and as upset all wanting to ask how he had the sudden change of heart but only Razia bothered to ask because they all understood that Azlan may not want to talk about it)
Razia - Kya matlab tumhara forget about him? Yeh bhala kya baat hui? Tum toh barre daave karke gaye the ke jaise Aahil ko manane ke bina tum waapis ghar nahin lautoge aur ab aake keh rahe ho ke bhool jao usse? Yeh kya baat hui-
Azlan - (spun around, fed up and done with her bullshit and need to spread poisonous involvement in everyone's else's matter so he decided to deal with her in a way that she deserved and the only language that she understood) baat aisi hai ke jo daave karke gaya tha main woh apni behen se karke gaya tha aur ab bhi main apni behen se baat kar raha hoon..aapse nahin...kyunki main aapse kuch samajhne ki umeed nahin rakhta..par main jaanta hoon (staring at Anaya square in the eye, beseeching her, needing her to understand and trust him and he knew that she would) ke meri behen zaroor samajhe gi ke agar main uski khushiyon ke liye wahan larne gaya tha toh woh uski behtari ke liye tha aur agar aaj main usse Aahil ko bhool jaane ko keh raha hoon toh woh bhi uski behtari ke liye hai..(Anaya swallowed the lump in her throat, seeing the change in Azlan, the maturity, the responsibility, the strange and never seen before (epiphany ) look in his eyes she realized that she also needed to be mature, and strong for him, with him and so she walked up to him and smiled at him through tear filled eyes)
Anaya - and I do. I know. (Azlan smiled at her proudly) but..but I..I want to know..why? What is it that Aahil said to you that caused your change of heart..
Azlan - (gave her a small sympathetic smile) he..he's in love with someone else. Always was. (Anaya closed her eye's and a tear escaped from them but the look on her face told him that she already knew. Feeling incredibly horrible for her, he stepped forward and enveloped her in a tight hug whilst pressing his lips to the side of her head) I'm sorry Aapi..sorry (Anaya nodded against his chest, hugging him back, unable to find the strength to speak in that moment, mourning and gaining her strength and dignity to walk away from the chapter of her life that she almost once began writing but a chapter that wasn't meant for her to write, she may have developed an infatuation or childish crush on Aahil but he was never meant to be hers to begin with, and she hoped God blessed her with the strength to accept that and move on in dignity, hopefully towards something better)
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Continued in next post...
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Indian Mythology
Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan
Shiv Shakti
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