*Flashbacks are in Bold

Ahmer held her hand tightly in his as they stood in front of Doctor Riffat's cabin. It was the very first time Waniya was going to have a thorough check up along with her very first sonogram. She was both terrified and scared. What if there were complications? Seeing her health and the mental trauma she had faced since the very beginning of her pregnancy, she was sure there weren't any good news waiting for them. And it was making her heart sink. Her baby was the only thing which provided her with the strength to fight it all. The mere thought of something happening to it was making her weak and buckle on her knees. Ahmer guessed her discomfort and pulled her close to him. She didn't try to pull away. Holding her hand he knocked at the door and after getting the cue entered inside.

"Good morning Mr and Mrs Ahmer."

Doctor Riffat flashed them her kind smile. Both of them greeted her back and took the seats in front of her.

"I was waiting for you. Since Waniya haven't had a complete check up it's necessary for us to run the entire tests to know the actual condition of the fetus. You ready, Waniya?"

Waniya looked at her face and nodded nervously.

"Then come with me."

She took her along into another small room attached with her hospital cabin. Ahmer sat there lost in his thoughts. He was praying for everything to be all right. After everything he and Waniya went through, this baby was the happiness they both deserved. The baby was the thread binding them together when the whole world was against their union. He couldn't lose Waniya or the baby. They both were his family.

It took some time for the doctor to run blood and other necessary tests and when she came back Waniya's face was telling him she was exhausted already.

"I'll send you guys the report by evening. All the tests have been done."

She took her seat in front of them.

"Things look pretty fine as of now. Because of all the tension Waniya has faced last few weeks there is surely some complications but we can work on her health. Nothing's that serious."

Ahmer heaved a deep sigh of relief. He glanced at Waniya to find her frowning at the doctor. Over thinker little thing. She was definitely thinking about the complications instead of the fact that nothing was serious.

"Now it's time for you guys to meet your baby for the first time."

She took hold of Waniya's hand and made her lay down on the comfy seat next to her. Rolling her shirt over, she revealed her slightly puffy stomach and applied a jell substance over it. All the while Ahmer was standing close to her holding her hand in his tightly. He was as eager and scared both at the same time. Eager to see the tiny life growing inside of his wife and scared to think what if things were not as good as he was hoping them to be?

The doctor placed a small knob like instrument over Waniya's belly and started moving it. Her eyes were focused on the monitor in front of her. A smile reached her face when she pointed towards the small bob and turned to them.

"That's your baby."

Waniya could feel her heart had stopped beating. Her whole focus was on the tiny thing which was her baby. Unconsciously she had gripped Ahmer's hand tightly and looked at him. His eyes were focused on the monitor only. A small smile etched on his face as if he was going to explode with happiness. She turned back towards the screen when her eyes started welling up. This was the life she was fighting for so hard. This was the life which kept her going no matter whatever happened. This was the life for which she sacrificed her self-respect and accepted Ahmer back in her life. It was an irony both the people she loved more than anything in her life were connected. Ahmer and her baby. There was a time when this man was the center of her universe and now that position was taken by his baby only. She came back to her senses feeling warm fingers wiping her tears. She looked up and found familiar warm eyes. The doctor was gone giving them some privacy to share this life changing experience with each other.

"Did you see? My baby? So tiny. So small."

He chuckled and kissed her nose lightly.

"I did. I can't believe we managed to create something as beautiful as this."

She laughed while tears rolled down her cheeks. Was it even possible? She was crying and laughing both at the same time. Ahmer kept on looking at her intently and the next second fused his lips gently with hers.

She was taken aback by this sudden movement from his side. Her mind was so tempted to kick him away but her heart didn't agree. Not even a bit. May be it was because of the emotional vulnerability she was feeling as of now but she clung onto him clutching his shoulders.

"Thank you, Waniya. For everything. For being so strong even when I wasn't. For never giving up. I know I have a long way to go. To earn your forgiveness but I just want to tell you I'm proud of you. I'll make it up to you. I will. Just give me a chance. "

She had pulled back staring right back at him. His eyes were speaking of honesty and determination. Taking a deep breath she put some distance between them.

"My decision of leaving you after baby's born is still intact. But few months is a long period. You really are regretting everything? You want a chance to gain my trust once again? Then make me change my mind. Earn your chance. I've struggled so hard for both of us. Now it's your turn."

She had gotten up smoothing out her shirt when a small smile reached his lips. He was breaking her walls slowly. For the very first time in these few weeks she actually told him to try persuading her. It was a sign. A positive one. He was so right when he had thought their baby would pull them together. The little munchkin had started doing the work even before coming into this world.

______________________

Moeez looked at the dejected form of his daughter leaning against the wall. Waniya was sitting on the bed looking at nothing in particular. It had been days since she had gotten here. Just yesterday he had come to know about her pregnancy. It was time for her to go back home but the circumstances weren't likely.

"Waniya, if you are not going to then I can talk to Ahmer."

Waniya shook her head.

"Okay, I can talk to his parents. This isn't the right way of handling things. I've been so ignorant towards the gravity of this situation. I hoped Ahmer will himself take you back but he seems like under family pressure. "

"Whatever it is, you aren't going there, baba! No."

There was finality in Waniya's voice. She'd been humiliated enough already. She won't let her father get humiliated as well. After coming back from Ahmer's office she had closed herself in her room. She was in no mood of even gulping a drop of water. She wasn't even crying anymore. There was numbness to her which was making it obvious something had happened to her. She wanted to cry. Cry at the love she had lost. The once full of love eyes would haunt her in her dreams making her stomach churn. Whenever she would dream about him, about them, the scene from his office cabin came like a slap of reality. Telling her everything was over. They were over. Ahmer wasn't her anymore. He was most probably hating her for something she never did. But had he forgotten her this easily? Was it that easy for him to forget her? Forget what they shared.

Her family had come to know about her pregnancy through Hareem. Rehana hadn't said anything but Moeez was worried. His only daughter's future, marriage, and happiness everything was at stake. So that's why he had decided to take things in his own hand. It was enough. The damage was enough.

"How long will things go on like this? This way there is nothing we will be able to do. Let me talk to Ahmer or his parents, Bacha. This is the best option we have."

"His mother will not even let us inside her house, talking to her is out of question."

Waniya said bitterly. She wasn't unaware how much of havoc her mother in law must have created. She wasn't a woman to sit down quietly.

"Then what? I can't let you stay here all your life. This issue needs to be solved. I'm not comfortable with you staying among Ihtasham's family. These people are not what they once were. I can't take you back to the town as well. We need to be close so that there is a way of having a middle ground with Ahmer's family."

"Baba, you won't go there. I know what will happen. I can't just let you get insulted like this. Ahmer was the one who had dropped me here that day. He will be the one to take me back. I haven't done anything wrong. There isn't anything I should be ashamed off. He needs to set his priorities straight."

She was angry. Her hurt was forming into frustration and before it turned into indifference, Ahmer had to talk to her.

"You are not alone now, bacha."

Waniya took a shuddering breath.

"I know. May be that's what keeping me going, baba."

A tear had rolled down her cheeks. Moeez heaved a sigh. He had to do something.

Waniya needed Ahmer beside her like her next breath. She needed him the most and he was nowhere to be found.

___________________

He stood close to the line of ornamental plants their garden was decorated with. Looking at the starry sky. It had been a week since that talk with his mother where she had blatantly asked him to leave Waniya. Even the thought of it was still ridiculous to him. But this was an eye opener. It was his family after all. If he could lose his calm around Waniya, he didn't want to think what his mother would do. The circumstances were twisted that time but Alishba was now slowly coming back to her usual self and the first thing she did was telling her mother off on putting such a bad idea before Ahmer. That was the support he was hoping from his mother but Alishba provided him with it. His father had always been in his favour stating how unjust it was to an innocent soul. Things were not that bad. He would be able to bring Waniya home and after that with the passage of time, would win her back. He'd do anything for her to grant him with her forgiveness. No matter what it took, he'd do it. He just had to get her back home. His mother was still bitter but he won't always wait fo her mood to settle. Alishba's taking his side had come like the support he was hoping to get. Now he'd just get there in the morning and bring Waniya back.

He had gave her the pain and now him only would sooth it.

_________________

Moeez was all set to go and talk to Ahmer. He hadn't told Waniya about it knowing too well she'd not like the idea. But he was a father and knew how much his daughter was suffering. In Hayam fiasco, this situation had been neglected way too much already. Now it needed to be resolved and they all needed to handle it like mature adults.

But at the last moment he had gotten a call from his business partner from the town. The paper work was still pending to get his share back. This was urgent and he couldn't say a no. His brother was forcing him to go and settle things down. He still hadn't told Ihtasham about what he intended to do. He didn't trust his brother and sister in law anymore. They had ruined Alishba's life and he knew if it were in their hands, Waniya would be next.

"It's just two hour drive, Moeez. And the work will end in just few. What's stopping you?"

Ihtasham had asked annoyed.

"Bhai Jaan, I'm worried about Waniya. I don't think I should..."

"Leave her alone? Seriously, Moeez? All her life she'd lived with us only. You really think we let something happen to her? This is your trust in your own family?"

Moeez had kept quiet. He had his issue with his family but it was the truth. Waniya had always lived with them as a family member. Could he leave her here?

"Go, take care of your business. Waniya is safe with us. She's in her house only."

Moeez agreed reluctantly. This wasn't a bad idea. He'd go straight to meet Ahmer after getting back from town and his brother won't know.

"Okay, Bhai Jaan."

So had left that morning. Waniya watched her father getting into the car. She heaved a sigh. Him away meant him not making any efforts to contact Ahmer or his family. His respect was dear to her and the way her in laws were at the moment, she knew Yumna wouldn't hesitate using her sharp tongue when he'd go to meet them.

She got back from the window and sat down on the bed. There was nothing on her mind still there was so much she was thinking about.

What now?

That was the only question making her sweat with worry. There were no signs of any reconciliation or any contact. How long would things go this way?

Dropping her face in her palms she tried rubbing the worry off but it wasn't easy.

She needed to eat something. She had reminded herself. This was not the right way of treating herself in this condition. Getting up she had just taken a step forward when a sharp pain shot through her midriff. Her hand clutched around the area with eyes running on her from.

Fear. Intense fear.

There was no sign of any blood but the pain was not slowing down. She hit the same spot she'd just gotten up from still clutching her stomach. The pain was dulling but she was still horrified.

She needed to visit the doctor.

________________________

"Where that lover boy of a husband of hers is? Still trying to pacify that mother and sister of his right?"

Rehana had scoffed seeing the way Waniya was trying to ease out her pain. Her cramps weren't stopping so she had asked Hareem to take her to the doctor. Rehana had come to know about this and was now mocking Waniya along with making arrangements of taking her to the hospital to have a check up.

"Ammi, now's not the time."

Hareem had tried making her shut up only to earn a scoff in return.

"Love is nothing in today's word, Waniya. Look at yourself. You were in love with Ahmer and where he is today? It's only the family that last forever. Now get up so we can take you to the car."

Waniya hadn't said a word. Just got up with the help of Hareem. Stomach cramps were intensifying. Her fatigue was also taking part in making her feel worse. Getting inside the car with a concerned Hareem and an irritated Rehana, Waniya just looked out the window. A tear had rolled down her cheeks.

Ahmer Ahsan had broken her or her own expectations? She couldn't decide.

_____________________

"This is going to be the norm from now on. We'll have to take care of a kid who has the blood of the family I don't ever want to see my entire life."

Rehana had commented after the nurse had taken Waniya inside the doctor's cabin.

"Ammi, Waniya is a part of our family so is her child. Stop with this, please."

"Have I said anything wrong? So eager Waniya was to marry that Ahmer. See where it has landed her."

"Or where we have landed her?"

Hareem's question was sharp. Rehana looked away not before glaring her way. After the wait of almost fifteen minutes, a nurse had come out.

"Waniya Moeez?"

"We are with her!"

Hareem had said getting up. But the nurse was more interested in the almost bored looking Rehana.

"The doctor is checking her up. I just wanted to ask, is it illegitimate?"

"What?"

Hareem was shocked.

"Her baby, of course."

"What the hell! No! She's married."

The nurse looked smug.

"Oh. The situation was looking like it so thought of asking. You know in such cases people don't really keep the baby. The doctor isn't in favour of this unless it's extreme important but I can do it. I do it with just a bit of extra cash."

Hareem wanted to slap shut this woman. What rubbish she was implying?

"You can?"

The voice had come from her side making Hareem shocked and disgusted both at the same time.

"Why not? You want me to?"

"Yes."

Rehana's calm face was making Hareem dizzy.

"Ammi!"

"Stay quiet. How much?"

She had turned back to the nurse when Hareem stood between them.

"Look, we do not need any such favour from you. Go and do your actual duty for which you are being paid. Get out of my face."

The nurse exchanged few unsaid words with Rehana as if they were old pals, and left from there.

"What the hell was that, Ammi!"

Hareem was finding it hard to keep her calm.

"What? See this from my side, Hareem! Waniya isn't going back. This much is decided. Those people will never accept her again. And this will leave her with us. Your father loves his brother and he'll keep Waniya close like before. This kid will be born among us. This will be our responsibility. The blood of the same people I can never stand in the same room with. And how old Waniya is anyway! Her divorce with Ahmer is a reality we all should be ready for. We'll have to marry her off one day again and this baby will only be a nuisance."

"Ammi, for God's sake! Are you hearing yourself right now? These are all assumptions! And somewhat your wishes. You want all this to happen because you can't see Waniya settling down in the same house your son can't even enter. Being happy around the people you so much hate just because they didn't put up with the shit your son has pulled off!"

"My son is your brother!"

"He is nothing but a coward! Hiding away in the hills to get away from the repercussions of his own deeds! You can't punish Waniya like this, Ammi. I won't let you!"

"I'm not doing anything. You sent the nurse away. Now calm down and just wait for the doctor to complete the check up. And one thing. I don't want any discussion on this topic anymore."

Hareem didn't say anything. That was her mother's way of putting a full stop to a conversation where she wasn't going to win the argument.

"I need water."

Hareem had said and left from there. Coming out in the next corridor, she looked around. Her hands were clammy. She was sure something was up the way her mother and the nurse had talked in vague gestures. She wasn't sure but her intuition was telling her something wasn't right. Pulling her phone out she dialed a number she so wanted to since the time this fiasco had started.

Ahmer was on his way towards Ihtashm's house when his phone had rung. Why was Hareem calling her? He picked it up with a frown settled on his face.

"Ahmer?

She was panicking.

"Hareem? What happened? Is everything okay?"

"Nothing's okay! Waniya! She... I'm sure something's about to happen. Save her!"

His eyes widened.

"What? What are you talking about? Where is Waniya!"

"Civil hospital. Please come soon! Waniya needs you!"

He didn't wait for her to hang up. Rolling the car towards the hospital route he increased the speed all the while praying for Waniya's safety.

__________

Evening

Waniya sat down on the chair in the garden sipping the juice in her hand. When they reached back after visiting doctor Riffat, Alishba was the first person to greet them. She was pacing the entire length of the living room looking worried. Ahmer had assured her besides mild complications there was nothing wrong. She was visibly relieved to know both her and her baby were doing fine. In Waniya's opinion, Alishba was the only person in this household who was genuinely concerned about her health. She was seeing her as a human being not as a tool who was carrying the heir to their clan. Yumna accepted her in this house just because she was carrying her son's baby. She didn't know about Ahsan uncle but may he was also thinking on the same lines. And they were right in thinking about it like this.

Sometimes, Waniys used to think what if she wasn't pregnant? What if there wasn't a baby growing inside of her? Would Ahmer still be ready to move the worlds to win her back in his life? Her thoughts were disturbing. She thought she knew the answers to these questions too. He was in love with her there was no denying. He was trying his best to gain her forgiveness. But she couldn't brush of this fact that the baby was the main driving force to make him do all this. He hadn't even talked to her after that infamous office encounter and when he came to know about her pregnancy all the traits of a caring husband were back. He was ready to do anything for her and the baby.

Would he do the same if there weren't any baby involved in this situation? Her eyes welled up once again knowing too well that she, without the presence of this baby was nothing for this family. As if her own self, own identity didn't even matter. Motherly instincts aside but the woman in her was bruised badly to think of this.

__________________

Night

Waniya had called Moeez to know how he was doing. He was settled in the new house he had bought. He was asking her about her health and she was replying in a soft tone. She was glad her father was finally away from the family on her uncle. Other than her father she was in contact with Hareem. Her cousin sister stood by her during her hard times. The rest of that family was stranger to her. Since the day Rehans had decided to abort her child, Waniya had lost the remaining respect and love for them she had in her heart. That family was the biggest evil in her life. They destroyed an innocent soul like Alishba for their own selfish reasons and then tried ruining her life because of their own stupid beliefs and assumptions. She wouldn't want to see the faces of all of them ever again and knowing her husband she knew he would take care of it. He cooled off for her sake or else what they were about to do to her baby was unforgivable. It took Ahmer a great effort to let Rehana leave the hospital premises alive that day.

Thinking about that day evoked the same question in her mind she tried brushing off in the evening.

What if there wasn't any baby involved in this situation? Would he have fought for her the same way he was doing now?

Her reverie of thoughts was broken seeing Ahmer coming out of the closet night clothes. He smiled and lay down next to her bringing her close to him. Her eyes were reading his features intently.

"Wanna say something?"

He asked tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. She had denied it many times but his touch had a soothing effect on her. She always felt an air of security surround her whenever he touched her with his gentle fingers.

"Yeah. I want to ask a question. Can I?"

"Of course. Go on."

He said still playing with the stray lock of her hair in his hand.

"What if I weren't pregnant? Would you have fought for me the same way? Did you come back to me just for the sake of the baby?"

His gaze never left hers. At last a sad smile reached his face.

"You know what, Waniya? When someone is as idiot as me with a temper he can never control, things often tend to go out of hands. But it's human nature after all. You always come back to what you need."

He interlaced his fingers with hers.

"Ever wondered why I didn't contact you after you left my office that day?"

She knew what he was talking about.

"Because you were mad at me. May be done with me."

He shook his head bringing her hand to his lips and planting a soft kiss on the back of her fingers.

"Because I was ashamed, Waniya. Ashamed of what I did. Lashing out on you was a big thing for me. The thing I could never imagine doing. You didn't deserve to be at the receiving end of my wrath. I was trying to punish myself for acting that way. But guess what? In my oblivion I punished you without even knowing. I know there are so many things you can never forgive, Waniya but one thing I want to tell you. I was bound to come back to you. I was going to. Earning your forgiveness and securing our future together was always on my mind. And that time I didn't even know you were pregnant. So baby or not you will always be my first priority. I lost my way but I was bound to come back to you. Because you Mrs Waniya Ahmer, is the only woman I've ever loved. And no one can change this fact. No one."

His steady voice made it clear to her what he wanted to convey. She couldn't even blink after listening to his confession. This was surely not what she was expecting.

_____________

Waniya was waiting on the stretcher for the doctor to complete the tests. The pain in her stomach was just a normal pregnancy condition but the doctor insisted on having few more tests. Waniya stayed there with closed eyes when she felt the nurse injecting her with something. She immediately got up.

"What is this?"

"Nothing bad. The doctor asked me to inject it. Relax and lay down."

Waniya rubbed her arm but kept on looking at the nurse. There was an off feeling about her. The nurse had left from there when after exact five minutes Waniya felt her head spinning.

What kind of medicine this was?

She was feeling drained. As if she was forcefully being sent into a slumber. The sound of clanking of surgical instruments close to her had told her everything was wrong.

"You are going to sleep. Just keep calm."

The nurse voice was like a summon from hell. Waniya's sweaty hands were trying to pry the nurse away. She couldn't let this happen. She didn't deserve this. Whatever it was wrong. So damn wrong. With great difficulty she pushed the nurse aside and sprinted out of the room into the corridor. As if on the cue her eyes landed on a silhouette of someone she had least expected to see. Her feet took them towards him on their own accord and the next moment she collided in his hard form. The same way she had collided into him when they had first met. He turned around abruptly only to be frozen seeing her like this. She didn't know he was there. All she could utter before passing out in his arms were just few words.

"Save our baby. Don't let me down...this time...please.."