•||Ch15: As Long As||•

||Izzah POV||

"Don't freeze here. Go and take your actions quickly. And be careful everyone," Dr. Shabbir ordered us.

There was screaming coming from the corridor with the sound of a gun fired which made me worry and I quickly rushed there with Dr. Zaffar. We both were careful with our surroundings and hid in the corner.

"Oh no! They shot my guard," I whispered as I saw the blood coming from his leg.

The doctors around him were frightened and few doctors were trying to stop his blood. I observed the actions of those people and noticed a gun few feet away from us.

"Doctor, there are few children on the second floor, in the childward. There are also few patients admitted in the emergency ward on the second floor. I hope they haven't done anything to them," Dr. Zaffar whispered, quietly.

There were patients admitted in the hospital and most of them were on the second floor and few were

"Just pray they haven't done anything to any patient," I whispered back as I turned around and saw the box fixed in the wall.

I went to it and opened it as quietly as I could. In that box were light switches of that corridor. I turned and looked at Dr. Zaffar with a smile.

"Take this gun. I'll switch off the lights and quickly pick that gun laying there. When I switch them off, after counting 5, you will turn them off and shoot the leader who held your collar," I told him my plan in a quiet whisper and handed him the gun in my hand.

He nodded his head and I quickly switched the lights off. The whole corridor fell in darkness and I quickly ran to pick the gun.

"Wha-," Someone was yelling but stopped when the lights turned on.

There were sounds of two guns fired, one was from Dr. Zaffar and the other was from me. He shot the brother of the dead patient and the leader. The leader fell on the floor with a scream and held his arm. I shot the man near the doctors and the bullet hit his shoulder.

The abducted doctors quickly stood up and grabbed the guns of the man. Before the other parties people came out of shock, security staff took their guns back and pointed their guns at them.

"Throw your weapons or we will kill this man," One of the security staffs said pointing his gun towards the wailing leader.

I rushed to my guard and sighed as I noticed the bullet just grazed his leg badly. There were police sirens and loud noises of them. Their sounds and noises increased as they were approaching us. In a blink of an eye, one of the ladies from other parties grabbed my arm and pulled me up and moved backward, a little away from everyone. She pointed her sharp knife around my neck but her hands were shaking.

"Let us go or else I'll kill this doctor," She yelled like a mad woman near my ear which made me wince.

She moved her knife a little closer to my neck and cut my skin a little. I closed my eyes tightly and clenched my fists tightly and endured the pain.

"If you don't leave her in ten seconds, I'll shoot you," I heard the firm familiar voice which made me open my eyes quickly.

I felt a little relieved after seeing him standing in front of me and a small smile stretched on my lips. My heart was telling me to trust him and his eyes were telling me to trust him.

"We have your people and if you make any move on her, we will kill all of them," I heard Dr. Shabbir's voice from behind us.

That lady didn't listen to them and moved her knife a little more against my skin. A winced escaped from my lips and his eyes filled with anger and rage.

"Let us leave," She demanded and moved her knife a little more against my neck.

This was increasing the pain in my neck and her actions were increasing fire inside Daniel. I moved myself a little backward and looked in Daniel's eyes.

"Six.. Five... Four…"

I moved a little more backward and put a little distance between the knife and myself.

"Three.. Two.."

I pressed myself against her completely and moved my hands up quickly and grabbed her arm tightly, in which she held her knife.

"One."

I moved her arm away from my neck and pulled her in front of me and twisted her arm. The knife fell on the floor and I also made her knee down. Police quickly handcuffed her and her partners while Daniel rushed to me as he put his gun in his holster and pulled me with him.

"Unlock all the rooms of the hospital and treat those patients first whose condition is worse than before. Find the remaining doctors and give my order to them too," Dr. Shabbir ordered all the doctors present there.

Daniel took me to one of the rooms and aided my injured neck. He was trying to be gentle with my neck but it was throbbing there. He put a bandage on my neck then pulled me in a hug.

"I am fine, Daniel. Nothing happened," I whispered and wrapped my arms around him.

"ThankGod! That cut wasn't too deep," He mumbled and kissed my head.

I pulled away and looked at him with a smile as I saw the concern in his eyes for me. I looked from him out of the window and quickly stood up.

"We have to check the patients. Come and help us," I told him and quickly pulled my hand around my neck when it started hurting again.

"Don't talk much," He told me, firmly.

I nodded my head and pulled him with me. Those people had locked our patients in their rooms and many of our doctors and nurses too, on the other floors. The police investigated one by one everyone while half doctors treated those patients whose condition wasn't stable and other doctors checked and examined other remaining patients.

Daniel also helped us but unfortunately two patients lost their lives. Doctors who had an off today quickly rushed to the hospital and started their work. There was media outside the hospital but the security had prevented them from entering the hospital.

After working nonstop for six to seven hours, Daniel pulled me with him to the Dr. Shabbir's cabin. He pulled a chair for me and made me sit then sat beside me. Dr. Shabbir was sitting across us and waited for Daniel.

"Do you know the hospital is lacking security? And the security staff that the hospital has is so weak?" There was a calmness in Daniel's voice but I could tell that he was very angry.

"Yes. I noticed it," Dr. Shabbir said with a sigh and nodded his head.

"But you didn't inform me?" Daniel asked him and clenched his fists.

"What if terrorists enter the hospital and kill you all?" He added in anger and glared at Dr. Shabbir.

"I am Chief Doctor not the head of security," Dr. Shabbir answered, quickly and raised his hands.

"But I handed this hospital's responsibility to you," Daniel told him and stood up.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me up. He walked to the door and opened it. He turned around and looked at Dr. Shabbir.

"I hope there will never be a second time," There was a warning in his voice as he told Dr. Shabbir.

He turned back and walked out of his cabin with me behind him. He took me to my cabin and grabbed my bag then took me home.

• • •

The next day, Dr. Shabbir held a meeting in hospital and told us about the changes on behalf of Daniel. Daniel had strict the security at the hospital and made the security staff undergo special training. He also changed my guard and gave holidays to my previous one.

The people who attacked us were a small gang that had done many crimes. The whole next week, all news channels broadcasted about them and made our hospital famous.

I was getting ready for Waniya's Mehndi in my room when the door of my room knocked. It opened and Daniel entered but stopped when he looked at me.

"Am I looking really handsome?" I asked him with a laugh.

A smile stretched on his lips and he moved closer to me slowly. He stood behind me and moved my hair behind my ear then put his hands on my waist. During past days, I was getting used to him and found myself safe and at peace around him.

"I take this complement for myself," He said with a smirk then added softly with a kiss on my cheek, "You are looking gorgeous."

"No need to tell me, Mister. I know I always slay," I said with a flip of my hair.

We both reached the hall a little late because of me and traffic. I ditched him and went to Waniya quickly and pulled her in a hug.

"You are late, Missy!" She said in anger but hugged me back.

"He made me late," I put the blame on Daniel.

She pulled away from the hug and looked at me with a ‘show me your husband’ look. I pointed towards Daniel who was approaching us slowly.

"I approve," She whispered and gave me thumbs up.

I introduced them to each other then again ditched him and roamed here and there with my bride friend. I glanced at him and noticed he was sitting in the corner, looking slightly uncomfortable in a gathering.

"Come on, Izaah. Let's dance!" Waniya said and pulled me with her to dance.

• • •

I was sitting in the library and playing ludo with my father-in-law. He was winning the game and I was losing which made me pout.

"He never attends any parties or functions," He said while taking his turn.

"He hates gathering but you took him to your friend's wedding," He added as he sent my token back home.

"Nooo..," I groaned and rolled the dice and asked him in confusion, "Is it a good thing or bad?"

"Good," He answered me.

"I am not playing anymore. I am almost lost to you," I whined like babies.

He looked at the game board then at me with a smile.

"Remember, my child. Never leave your war or game unfinished even if you are losing. What if you win in the end with a miracle?" He said to me and handed me dice again.

We both continued playing the game and in the end I won. He stood up and put the board back on its place while I glanced at my phone to check the time.

Today I had off and there was so much time to get ready for Waniya's Nikkah function.

"You have many questions to ask about your husband?" He asked me and sat back across me.

I nodded my head and thought of all the questions that I wanted to know specially about him.

"You want to know who he is? And what does he do for a living? And why is he always cold?" He asked me and leaned back.

• • •

I sighed while doing my makeup and remembering my father-in-law's words. I put the makeup brush on the vanity and stared at myself in the mirror.

"He was a happy go kid and always talked to everyone nonstop. But slowly he distanced himself and one day because of my mistake, he lost his childhood, his teenhood and now he is ruining his youth. I want one thing from you. Don't let him ruin his youth."

When he told me this, there were many emotions in his voice and he was looking at me with a hope. We all lived in one house but I had never seen Daniel and father-in-law sitting together and having father-son conversation. It was always like he was ignoring his father and considered his father a stranger.

Also, it was very rare to see both of them together on the table. Father-in-law didn't answer my question because Hareem interrupted us and called us for lunch.

I was so curious to know about my mother-in-law and Daniel's past. What made him change so much from that happy kid? All I could think of was what if his mother left him when he was a kid and that made him what he was today?

"You are looking beautiful as usual," I startled hearing Daniel's voice from behind me.

I turned around and glared at him with my hands fisted on my waist. I looked from his handsome face to his hands in which he held my heels. He approached me and kneeled in front of me with my heels.

"I am feeling like Cinderella," I said, slipping my feet in my heels.

"You should have told me if you don't like gathering. If you are feeling uncomfortable to go, I can go alone," I told him in concern as he stood up.

I was feeling bad because I ditched him many times yesterday and ignored him. If I knew he wasn't comfortable then I wouldn't bring him.

"It's fine as long as I am with you or you are around me," He said and put a ring in my finger.