He was still immersed in his thoughts when the commotion from outside pulled him out with a jerk. Shooting up from the chair, he moved towards the door and opening it, followed the noise.

Ahid and Ayat along with some girl were banging on the door, chanting, "Open the door!"

"What's going on?" He asked in confusion.

"Aapi is not opening the door." The blonde girl answered. Her tear stricken face was completely morphed with dread as a few strands of her hair coming out of her roughly tied bun stuck to the sides of her face.

He was still confused as to who she was referring to when Ahid yelled. "Step aside. I'm breaking the door."

All three of them took a few steps back as Ahid threw his body on the door but in vain.

"What have you done, Safa?" Ayat cried, shaking Azlan from within.

His eyes trailed towards her slowly as his chest rose and fell heavily. As if in trance, they finally moved towards the door which Ahid was still trying to break open, and the next thing he knew he joined him, launching himself on the stubborn wall of wood. The only barrier between him and his life. In two attempts, the door finally came off its hinges, and the scene that welcomed them slipped the earth away from Azlan's feet as he felt weak on his knees.

Lying there on the floor with blood oozing out of her wrist, she was looking at him with almost closing eyes. Adrenaline flushed away from his body, the fright infusing in every cell. And in that moment, only one scene flashed across his dreadful eyes.

Even now, years after, he still remembered the harrowing events of that fateful night. That night when his brother was snatched away from him. He could still hear his pleas, begging that monster to leave his Irtiza alone in that chaos of horrifying shrieks. Sometimes at night he could still hear his brother crying for mercy followed by nothing but silence, the quietness of which turned his life into a never ending storm.

And right now, it was exact that moment. The only difference was that this time he could do something.

His eyes focused back on her. He couldn't move for a second as if all the strength had been snatched away from him. He felt too frail. But he had to stay strong. For her. He couldn't break down now. He had to save her – his life.

He had already lost Iritza. No way he was going to let life take her away from him, too! Not this time.

Feverishly, he dashed towards her lifeless body, and flopped down on his knees. He looked into her bloodshed eyes boring back at him. There was so much pain in them he wanted to lose himself in it. It was as if someone had ripped his heart open and cut it into two pieces, one of which was lying right in front of him.

They were two souls tied through the same knot of trauma.

He held her bleeding wrist in his trembling hand as the scalding drops of his tears fell on them transfusing with the blood.

"Can someone please get me a bandage?"

Waliya, who was knelt on the opposite side, rushed towards the drawer and discarding a first aid box out of it, extended it towards him.

Instantly, he wrapped the bandage around her wrist to stop the bleeding but the blood was merciless. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." He grimaced and it was that moment when her eyes rolled back and she slipped into the world of oblivion.

"HAYAT..." He yelped her name as he patted her alabaster cheek but no response came. Dreadfully, he held her wrist and let out a breath when he felt her pulse. Scooping her in his arms, he shot up on his feet, and dashed out of the room, followed by the other three.

The ride from NGO to the hospital felt as if he was walking on the carpet of endless thorns. It didn't seem to end. It was too long, as if he'd never reach there.

"Can you please drive faster?" He let out feverishly from behind, his one arm gently wrapped around Safa as her face was buried in the crook of his neck, while the other hand held her bleeding wrist firmly.

"I'm driving as fast as I can. It's Karachi. You know what happens here when it rains." Ahid replied in hurry. Ayat rode shotgun while Waliya sat beside Safa in the backseat.

The rain still hadn't stopped as it fell down mercilessly in full torrents. Rain had never been her good friend.

"She's going to be alright, right?" Waliya looked at Azlan with hope, her lips wobbling.

"Your sister is a fighter. And not just a fighter; a winner." His obsidian orbs glinted with determination, while his heart a chaotic wreck. I'd die before I let anything happen to her. The car finally came to a halt and he stepped out hastily.

Her arms flailed lifelessly on either side of him as he carried her inside the hospital in the protective cocoon of his strong and muscular arms, her head lolling downwards as the curtain of her wet hair swung lose on the back. He had thrown a shawl over her wet clothes which was now soaked in the harsh drops along with them, too. The blood still flowing from her wrist tumbled down on the unblemished marble floor. The other three were right behind him who were now completely drenched, too.

He yelled for the doctor and a few nurses emerged out with a stretcher. Delicately he placed her on it as if she was the most fragile thing in this universe. They moved the stretcher towards the ER while he scurried along, his hand holding hers.

Poison dissolved within him once he had to let go of her hand. The creak of ER's door closing crushed his already broken soul as he saw her being taken away from him. A silent prayer left his mouth as he crashed on the wall behind.

Ya Allah, please, give me my Safa back. I promise, I'll vanish from her life. But please don't let her vanish from mine. Take mine instead. I'd be more than happy to serve it to you on a platter, but not hers please.

He broke down as he slid down against the wall.

******

Her half-tied hair danced along with the rhythm of the wind as she stood on the corner of the bridge, drinking away at the beautiful sight of waterfall. The exotic view was able to somewhat relax her. That was until the clouds roared. Her eyes instantly trailed upwards towards the black clouds, moving something inside of her.

Her first thought was of her best friend.

Safa was in trouble. She could sense it. Something had happened to her and she was sure. Clutching the railing tightly she cowered forward as umpteen duas escaped her mouth, the chain of which was now broken by the chime of her phone.

"Is she okay?" She questioned instantly.

"Who?" The confusion in Arham's voice lucid.

"Safa, of course!" She seethed out.

"How do you know Azlan's found her?" He was actually pretty shocked now. Did this woman have a ghost or something?

"I just know. Now, give me the answer, God dammit." Her anger was shooting sky now. Asmara Zanjani never cursed but the woman in question was her best friend.

"No, she is not okay." The wave of despondency was not hidden in his tone. "You just stay there. I'm coming to pick you up."

"No. It'll waste a lot of time. You just message me the address and I'll be there." She rushed towards the annex.

"It's in Karachi."

"So?" He could detect her raising an eyebrow.

"Are you sure you can come to another city by yourself?"

"Arham Nawaz, I've done everything on my own my entire life, without you. And I think I've been doing pretty well."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you." He said guiltily as he smacked himself for the sheer stupidity.

"Doesn't matter. Allah Hafiz!"

She didn't want to be rude with him, but it was for their own good.

******

She had been given blood transfusion as she had lost a lot of it, to the point doctor thought her chances of survival were little to none, but she was a tough woman. A tough woman who was still too viciously after her own life that the moment her eyes flew open, she had gone violent and tried doing it again. So they had to sedate her. Right now she was fast asleep under the effects of sedation.

Leaned against the chair, his arms were folded on his hard chest as the now dried white T-shirt hugged his muscular frame, displaying the perfect dents between the curves, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, revealing tanned forearms with veins jutting out.

Ayat and Ahid had to leave for Islamabad after hearing about her recovery. They had something really important come up and even though they didn't want to go just as yet, they had to.

He stood up from the chair as he maneuvered towards the door of her room. Taking a peek inside, he lost himself in the whirlpool of their encounters.

The first time he saw her in that valley. When she had dropped her precious coffee on him. She had offered him a tissue for the damage. He chuckled as he remembered, eyeing her with inexplicable emotions. She was fast asleep, her one hand rounded to the side, while the other one resting on her stomach. She was sleeping like a baby with no worry in the world as her pitch black hair framed her peaceful face.

"I can cut that tongue of yours."

No one had ever dared speaking to him in that manner, let alone having the audacity to raise their voice. But this woman wasn't just anybody. She was Safa Hayat. A rebellious woman who feared nobody. He all too well remembered when she had stuck that tape on his mouth to shut him up. She was something, he had always known.

The memory of her bitching about him in front of Asmara right after she had spilled coffee on him replayed in his mind. The way she had once again collided with him and then extended the cup towards him to throw the coffee back at her tugged at his heart. She was a drama queen. He let out an inaudible laugh.

Her jibes, her lame jokes, her witty comebacks; they were still embedded in his brain as he reminisced them. Those colorful names she used to adorn him with.

But now there was nothing. He had robbed her of even that. He missed those quips of hers. That cheerful aura. It crushed him, what she had become now. Those dark circles under her hollow of her eyes and the dents on those ashen cheeks; he had turned that woman into a carcass. It was all his fault and he'd never forgive himself for that. Not even if she did.

"How do you know my Aapi?" Waliya asked from where she was sprawled just opposite to him, breaking the chain of his memories.

He craned his head towards her as he leaned against the wall. "She works in my school."

"Is that it?" She asked. She could feel there was something more.

"Yes. That's it." He replied, sternly. His intimidating persona was back.

She scooted back in her seat, not daring to say another word.

It was the footsteps that broke the heavy silence between them, making them both look up.

The black coat hung lose on Arham's arm as he approached them, the top two buttons of his pristine white shirt undone. He had come here straight from the office.

"Azlan!" He drawled.

Azlan threw himself at him for a hug which he reciprocated back as he patted his back.

"I can't lose her, man." The sheen of precipitation glistened in his eyes as the faucet broke once again. "Tell them to save her. Please." He pleaded like a kid. Too vulnerable.

"You won't. We won't." Arham sniffed, his own bloodshed eyes mirroring Azlan's. "That crazy woman can't spare our lives that easily. Her lame jokes are not going to leave us so soon." Both chuckled through the river of tears.

"Where's Asmara?" He asked once they pulled away.

"She didn't come with me as she thought it would waste more of our time than it should. It has already taken me 15 hours to reach here and I drove like a maniac."

"I always knew she was a wise woman." He chirped before introducing him to Waliya.

Asmara arrived almost 5 hours after Arham. Safa was still asleep. She hastened when her eyes landed on Azlan, catching his attention as he looked up.

"Finally you're here?" He stood up.

"How's she?" She inquired, her breaths heavy. She had almost run here.

"She's fine now." He assured and she closed her eyes in content. "Right now, she's sleeping, but will be awake soon. The effects must have started wearing off by now." He said as he gestured her to sit and she flopped down beside Waliya.

Someone extended a water bottle towards her and a "thanks" let out her mouth as she grabbed it in a reflex, looking at the host. Her peripheral vision caught Waliya's hand extended towards the bottle, too, and she wiggled her eyes towards her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She apologized as she let go off the bottle still caged in Arham's hand.

"Oh, no you take it. You need it more than I do, anyway." Waliya countered back with a smile.

"I'll go grab you another one." Arham accosted Waliya before handing the bottle to Asmara. "You take this one." This time it was directed towards Asmara.

She blushed, her cheeks fuming up with embarrassment at the sudden event that had just taken place while the other two felt second hand embarrassment.

"I'm Waliya, by the way." She held her hand out towards Asmara for a hand-shake. "Hafsa Aapi...err...I mean Safa Aapi's sister."

She choked as water spilled out of her mouth. "HER WHAT?" She squealed, still coughing.

Waliya swiveled her eyes between the water spilled on the floor and Asmara as she chuckled. "Her sister. It's a long story."

Capping the bottle, she moved back in her chair, still baffled. What's going on? She couldn't fathom anything. Everything was so messed up. First Safa leaving, then Alzan going all berserk, then him finding her along with her sister. She felt being stuck in a Pandora box.

Standing up, she moved towards the room Safa was in. She stared at her through the small window on the unblemished white door. Her bird frame wrapped in hospital clothes was snugged in peacefully. She looked so calm, so pure, her hair falling over her face. She was seeing her best friend after two weeks and there was nothing in this world she wanted more than to just hug her.

Gazillion questions occupied her mind as Waliya's words reverberated in her ears. She looked back at her. Wasn't Safa an only child? Then who is this girl? And why the hell does Arham keep serving her? Her thoughts suddenly shifted as she caught Arham giving her water again. It's not like she's the eighth wonder of the world!

A pang of jealousy perforated through her as she eyed him sitting beside her and opening the bottle for her. She's not a kid. She can open the bottle herself. Back off! She screamed inwardly. She couldn't stand the fact they were sitting so close. Shut up, Asmara! He's not answerable to you. You have no right over him.

In her reverie of thoughts she hadn't realized she was staring right in to his umber eyes which were glued to her only. She could see a shadow crossing those beautiful orbs as they bored right into hers. There was hurt in them. But she knew him better than letting it show on his face. She was pushing him away and he respected her decision. She didn't want her anywhere near her? That's exactly what he'd do.

He loved her enough to let her go.

But did she really want him to?

******

It was the thirst that woke her up as she yearned for water. She couldn't make anything out of her surroundings. Where was she? She looked around in bafflement, trying to make sense of everything. The coldness of last rain of the season seeped into her bones as she sat up straight on the bed. That's when the shooting pain registered in her brain and her eyes landed on the bandage wrapped around her wrist. Everything came rushing back that moment.

The confession. The confrontation. The lies. The truths. The betrayal.

"Feeling better now?" The nurse inquired with a kind smile gracing her lips as she entered.

"Not really." Her raspy voice barely reached her. Her throat was thoroughly parched as her entire body ached as if she had been running for years.

"Do you need water?"

"Yes please!"

Once the nurse had left, Waliya was the first one to march in, followed by Arham. Azlan didn't even think of going inside. He didn't want to rile her further. She had woken up and that was enough for him. He wanted nothing more.

"Aapi!" Waliya threw herself on Safa as she sobbed. "I thought I had lost you."

"But I'm here now, aren't I?" She stroked her hair and her gaze landed on an equally disheveled Arham.

"You're here?" She asked as she pulled away.

"Ya, it's a civilian hospital. Anyone can come." He quipped as he moved towards her and patted her head. His eyes watered. "I hate saying this but I missed you."

She chuckled amidst her tears. "Of course, you did!"

There she was. His sassy friends with her lame comebacks. He grinned through the tears.

"You had us all worry real bad!"

"All?" She raised an eyebrow. She was trying to stay as calm in front of them as she could. She was already pretty good at it.

"Me, your sister, Asmara, and..."

"Asmara's here?" She almost screeched, not letting him complete the statement.

"Of course she is! You thought your best friend wouldn't come visit you in this condition? She's just offering her prayer right now."

"Oh, my God, she's gonna kill me!" She gasped.

"YOU BITCH!" Asmara barged in, her face scarlet as she dashed towards Safa, the dupatta on her head swaying away.

"Hey, that's my line." Safa slumped back. "Plus, you've just prayed. Have some manners please! And you're supposed to be the good one who doesn't profane."

"You pushed me into saying this." She fumed up as she snatched the glass away from her hand and almost thrust it on the side table. Waliya stepped back in fright as she threw Arham a scared look who just looked at the scene with amusement.

"I?"

"YES! YOU!" She lunched forward at her and at this, even Safa jumped back a bit. She had never seen Asmara in this much anger. She was supposed to be the calm and composed one.

"Couldn't you have just left me a simple message that hey, Asmara, I'm in mood of a vacation so I'm taking a little trip to Karachi, you don't have to worry? But NOOO! Safa Hayat loves torturing others!" She spat out. "And then this? This stunt! What were you thinking, hun? Suicide really? If you love to die so much, you could've told me. I would have loved to do the honors myself." At this point, the scalding liquid in her eyes was streaming down her distraught face.

Leaving the two best friends throwing tantrums at each other, Arham went out to get coffee for Safa. He knew she needed it even though she hadn't asked for it.

"I'm sorry." Safa wavered, trying to fix the crack in her voice.

"Shut up!" She snapped.

A moment later Arham was back as he extended the cup towards Safa which was snatched away by Asmara as she shot a deathly glare towards her. "No more coffee for this cold-hearted human."

With that she turned away and stomped out of the room.

A heavy silence ensued between them as Waliya threw awkward glances at both Arham and Safa.

"Wait for it." Arham voiced as he started the count. "1...2..."

"What are you doing?" Waliya scrunched her brows, perplexed.

"She'll be back here before I even reach 10."