"Bhai! Is she okay?" Maryam asked as Murtasim carried an unconscious Meerab into the house.

Maryam's heart was pounding in her chest as she saw the woman who was no less than a sister, unconscious in her brother's arms. The brown shawl Murtasim had been wearing was wrapped around her tightly, her yellow suit she wore peeked out in places, covered with dirt.

Seeing Meerab so affected Maryam more than anyone else would have, for Meerab was the strongest woman that Maryam knew, and her state told her that she had gone through hell. Maryam couldn't even begin to imagine the horror that Meerab must have gone through in the hours that had passed between Maryam seeing her being taken and right then.

She had been missing for over seven hours, the scariest hours of all of their lives.

"The doctor should be here soon, bring her to my room." Murtasim's voice was low and rough with emotion, deep lines were etched into his forehead, and his jaw was clenched with tension. He did not even look away from Meerab for a moment, even as he spoke, as if something horrible would happen if he did.

Maryam nodded, pointing to one of the maids and motioning that she wait at the door. Her eyes remained on her brother as he rushed through the hallway, his movements deliberate but careful.

"Khan, let us help..." One of the maids said as she and her father stepped towards Murtasim. But as they reached out to take Meerab, his demeanor changed.

His eyes darted up, and his jaw tightened as he stepped back, shielding Meerab from their grasp.

Maryam could feel the tension radiating off him, his body seeming to vibrate with anger.

"Don't touch her." His voice low and dangerous as he clutched Meerab closer to his chest, as if he was afraid she'd slip away forever if he let her go. Like he didn't trust anyone else to touch her.

The raw, visceral display of protectiveness made Maryam's heart ache. She knew how much Murtasim cared for Meerab, even if he didn't say it out loud, but seeing him like this, so vulnerable and desperate, made her wonder how he had coped with the hours he had been searching for her...and how he had lived without her for so long.

Murtasim walked her swiftly to his room, like he didn't even trust her to be anywhere but the safety of his space, with him. For once, he didn't seem to care about how it would look or what people would say.

Maryam let out a shuddering breath as she followed Murtasim to his room, remembering the man her brother had become when she had told him that Meerab had been taken.

He hadn't picked up his phone when she frantically tried to call him so she had rushed to the house to tell him. Anger and fear had burned in his eye, and Maryam had dreaded that he would burn the whole village down in his search for Meerab.

The anger had barely hidden the turmoil on his face though. Maryam only knew Murtasim to be strong and capable, a protector, so to see him being so vulnerable and overcome with emotion had shaken her to the core. She had never seen her brother cry since their father had died, but his eyes had swum with tears as he took in a trembling breath, whispering Meerab like it was a plea to the heavens to send her back. It had sent a shiver down her spine, the whisper was so low, so fragile, and yet in that one word she had heard all the pain and fear he felt.

And then the yelling had started, and her brother's face had contorted with rage

Maryam had watched helplessly as her brother's eyes burned with a fierce intensity, like a wildfire that threatened to consume everything in its path. He barked orders at the servants and guards, his voice laced with venom and urgency, demanding that they find Meerab at all costs.

"How could you two leave her alone?" Murtasim had spat, turning his fiery gaze on Maryam and the driver. "You should have taken her with you, or sent someone else to keep an eye on her! Do you not understand the danger she's in?"

Maryam remembered shrinking back at the force of his words, feeling a pang of guilt and regret for not taking Meerab with her, one that she still felt.

But it seemed that he had seen her guilt too because he had taken a deep breath, his eyes closing for a moment before he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Maryam." His voice had been tight with emotion. "I'm just worried for Meerab."

She had nodded, understanding, as he turned to the driver. They had followed the car that Meerab was taken in far enough to know they were in the village somewhere, the car abandoned on a road.

Everyone had been sent out to look for any sign of her.

Murtasim himself had made phone call after phone call, his knuckles turning white from gripping the phone too hard. He had screamed at the police officers on the phone, demanding that they find Meerab's kidnappers at any cost, and then he moved onto the Malik patriarch, for her suspected it was Zubair Malik who had taken Meerab.

His voice had been low and menacing, and it was clear that he was not holding back. Maryam had watched her brother with a lump forming in her throat as she saw the sheer intensity of his fury.

The force of his emotions had radiated off him in waves, and Maryam had felt a little afraid of him in that moment with his words sharp and biting, filled with venom and rage. It was as if he could barely contain the urge to hurt someone, anyone, who had laid a hand on Meerab.

Maryam had longed to comfort him, to be strong for him, she had felt the weight of his pain on her shoulders. But he had left as soon as he could, to look for Meerab himself. Bakthu had been her source of information as they searched for Meerab, and the man, who was rarely ever shaken by anything, was shaken by Murtasim's behaviour.

Now, as she watched Murtasim carry Meerab through the house hours later, Maryam could see that he was different. He was still scared, still worried, but there was a softness in his eyes that she hadn't seen before. He moved with purpose, gently laying Meerab down on his bed before turning to Maryam.

"Maryam, please get some water and a towel." He said, his voice filled with urgency.

She didn't need to be asked twice. She rushed to the kitchen and quickly filled a bowl with water before grabbing a towel from the counter, rushing back to the room.

Murtasim hadn't budged even one bit, he sat on the bed, hovering over Meerab, patting her face gently, his hand trembling, and whispering her name with so much emotion that it brought tears to her eyes. Maryam sometimes forgot how small Meerab was for her presence always filled any room she was in, but watching her brother's hand, so large against her small face, reminded her of it then.

Maryam thought he would let her tend to Meerab, but he grabbed the damp towel from her hand, tending to Meerab himself. His hands were gentle as they worked the damp towel over Meerab's face and neck, wiping away the dirt and sweat that clung to her skin. Maryam could see the worry etched into his features, the way his brow furrowed and his lips pulled into a tight line as he worked.

He was so focused on Meerab that he barely seemed to register Maryam's presence in the room.

As he wiped her face, his touch delicate, Maryam couldn't help but marvel at the tenderness with which he treated Meerab, the way he touched her like she was the most precious thing in the world. It was a stark contrast to the anger she had seen in him earlier, when he was yelling at the police and the Malik patriarch. It was even different from the cloud of anger that usually hovered over his head.

Maryam knew her brother well, and she knew that he wasn't one to show such care and attention to anyone. She could see the love in his eyes as he tended to Meerab, even cleaning her feet. If anyone else lay in Meerab's place, he would have let her help them, or called the maids to.

But with Meerab, it was different, it always had been.

He was the one that had always put the band-aid on even her smallest of scratches as they grew up.

He had been the one to comfort her when she was scared, to make her laugh when she was sad, and to put her back together when she was broken by her father's neglect.

She had always run to him when something went wrong, and he had always helped and taken care of her.

He had always been her protector, her guardian, her rock – lingering slightly behind her, ready to pounce on anyone or anything that messed with her.

And now, as she watched him caring for Meerab with such tenderness and love, Maryam knew that nothing had changed. She had thought that her brother had been lost in the shuffle somewhere, because he was always so consumed with work and duty, she thought the power and responsibility had hardened him.

He had been hiding behind a façade of strength for everyone.

But it seemed that Murtasim was still the same person he had always been - the one who would do anything for the people he loved, especially Meerab. With Meerab safe in their home, Maryam was starting to see the man she thought they had lost. The soft, caring brother that she had missed so much.

If she thought of it that way, then Maryam wasn't really surprised that the whole ordeal made him not want to leave Meerab's side for even a moment. He had been like a man possessed, searching for her tirelessly, how could he have possibly let her go then?

As Murtasim finished cleaning Meerab, Maryam watched as he leaned over her, his movements were slow and deliberate, like he was afraid of disturbing the stillness that had settled over Meerab.

He brushed her hair away from her forehead with gentle fingers, taking care not to pull too hard or cause any pain.

Maryam could see the love etched onto his face as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Meerab's forehead. It was such an innocent gesture, but it was filled with so much tenderness and care that she felt like she was intruding on something immensely private.

As he pulled away, Maryam noticed the tears that glistened in his eyes, evidence of the fear and worry that he had been carrying with him since Meerab's disappearance. For a moment, he simply sat there, staring down at her, as if he couldn't quite believe that she was really back and safe in his arms.

He sat back against the chair, and Maryam couldn't believe her eyes as he wiped his face with the back of his hand, his eyes red and swollen. She could see the tears glistening in the corners of his eyes as he looked up at Meerab. He looked vulnerable and exposed, and Maryam felt a surge of protectiveness towards him.

She had never seen her brother cry like he was since they had been children, and the sight was heart-wrenching. Murtasim was always so strong, so composed, but it seemed that the thought of something happening to Meerab had taken a toll on him.

Tears streamed down his face unchecked. Maryam could see his shoulders shaking, his hands holding Meerab's hand tightly in both of his. He leaned over her, his head resting on their joined hands, as if willing his strength to flow into her.

For a moment, Maryam just stood there, unable to move. She had never seen her brother so vulnerable, so broken. She felt a pang of guilt for not realizing how much he had been affected by everything that had happened, she had just expected him to take care of it like he did everything else.

Like they all did. Always.

And he took care of it all, without a sound, without a peep.

Slowly, Maryam approached the bed and sat down beside him. She placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to offer some comfort. As Murtasim wept, Maryam could feel her own tears welling up and flowing.

For a few moments, they sat there in silence, Murtasim's crying the only sound in the room. Maryam knew there was nothing she could say to ease his pain, but she hoped that her presence would offer some comfort until Meerab woke up. She didn't know how he had found her for his reaction to be so visceral, and she didn't want to ask.

Murtasim looked up at her, his eyes filled with pain and sadness.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, his voice choked with emotion. Maryam knew those words weren't meant for her. Her brother was taking on the burden of responsibility, even though he had no control over what had happened, like he always did. She could see the love and the protectiveness he felt towards Meerab, and the guilt that he had not been able to shield her from harm. "I should have protected her better."

Maryam shook her head, trying to offer some reassurance. "It's not your fault." She said softly. "You did everything you could to bring her back. She's here now, she's safe. "

Murtasim just shook his head, his tears still flowing. "I should have never let her go." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. She knew he didn't mean just that day, that he was going through that cycle of what-if and only-if that plagued minds at such a time. "I should have kept her with me, always."

Maryam felt a lump form in her throat as she watched her brother, wondering how long he had been keeping those words inside him, of wanting to keep Meerab by his side. Her name had been uttered by him in the rarest of circumstances in her absence, and when he had uttered it, it was always when she could clearly see the longing in his eyes.

Maryam didn't know what to say. She could see the guilt and regret etched on her brother's face, and she knew that nothing she said would make him feel better. No one but Meerab could deal with him, she knew that once Meerab woke up and felt better, she'd shut down his self-blame with a few pointed words and looks.

Theyy just sat there, in silence. Maryam watched as Murtasim cried, his head continuing to rest on his hand, holding Meerab's hands tightly. She didn't know how long they stayed like that, but eventually, Murtasim's tears ran out, and he leaned back in his chair, exhausted, wiping the tears away as the doctor came into the room.

She had short, curly hair that framed her gentle face, and kind, understanding eyes that seemed to take in everything around her. Maryam stood up and greeted her, gesturing towards Meerab. The doctor smiled kindly and walked over to the bed.

"She was taken?" The doctor asked quietly.

Murtasim didn't say anything, and he refused to move out of the chair he sat in, forcing the doctor to move around him.

"Yes." Maryam replied.

The doctor sighed, picking up Meerab's hand gently, looking under her fingernails. "Just dirt."

Her actions confused Maryam, she didn't quite understand why the doctor would look under her nails of all places.

The doctor continued her examination, seeming to check for any signs of bruising or swelling around Meerab's wrists or ankles.

"You found her like this?" She asked Murtasim, who nodded.

"And did you find any reason to suspect she had been sexually assaulted?"

Maryam could see that the question caused her brother to panic, the line of questioning and the doctor's action suddenly made sense to her.

Maryam grew increasingly worried with each passing moment. She knew that Meerab had always been a target of unwanted attention from men, and the thought of her being hurt or violated in any way made her stomach churn.

But thankfully Murtasim shook his head.

"I'd still like to assess the patient privately." The doctor said causing Maryam to look back at her.

"I am not leaving." Murtasim insisted, his eyes not leaving Meerab's face, like he couldn't trust anyone to be close to Meerab right then. Maryam knew her brother well enough to understand that he wouldn't leave her side, even for a moment, despite how hard the doctor tried.

The doctor took a deep breath, her eyes flickering between Murtasim and Meerab before she spoke again. "I understand your concern, but I need to assess her for any injuries or signs of assault."

Maryam knew exactly what the doctor meant. She had heard stories of women who had been abducted and assaulted, left with physical and emotional scars that lasted a lifetime. But she also understood Murtasim's position. He couldn't bear to leave Meerab's side, not even for a moment.

The doctor seemed to sense the tension in the room and spoke again, her voice softer this time. "You can stay, but turn around, I promise to be gentle, and I'll be as quick as possible."

Murtasim didn't respond, but Maryam could see the reluctance in his eyes even as he turned away.

Just as the doctor was about to continue her examination a knock sounded on the door, Maryam looked over to it as the door opened. To her utter surprise, Armaan and Hamza bhai stood at the door.

Maryam had picked up enough to know that Murtasim had been on the phone with Hamza bhai when she had run in screaming that Meerab had been taken. She guessed they had been too worried to not show up. Thinking of it, she was sure they had called Murtasim for updates, but he was likely in no condition to answer as he looked for Meerab.

Both Armaan and Hamza seemed to sigh in relief as they caught sight of Meerab on the bed. Hamza arched his eyebrow at Maryam asking if they should come in, his eyes flickering between Meerab who the doctor was standing by, and then Murtasim, who still refused to move from the chair beside the bed, even though he was looking away.

Maryam shook her head, knowing that Murtasim would not take kindly to letting anyone close to Meerab at that moment or see his tears.

Armaan bhai motioned her outside, and she followed the two Shah Brothers into the hallway, closing the door behind her, letting the doctor continue her examination.

"Is she okay?" Armaan bhai asked, his voice urgent.

Maryam nodded. "I hope so...just unconscious, cold, and covered in bruises but the doctor is still assessing." She didn't want to say that she was also assessing for signs of sexual assault, she didn't know how to say it, and didn't want to say anything because it seemed that Murtasim was sure nothing had happened. She knew her brother well enough to know that his reaction would not have been that calm if he suspected someone had touched Meerab.

"Murtasim?" Hamza asked.

Maryam sighed. "I don't know...he's shaken but coping."

Armaan sighed. "Leave it to Meerab to run in head first to help someone."

Maryam wondered what they were talking about, she hadn't seen anyone but Meerab being taken, hadn't known why or how but it seemed like they somehow did despite having just arrived.

Armaan seemed to pick up on the confusion. "I spoke with the police outside, apparently she was trying to rescue a girl who was being kidnapped...to be trafficked."

Her heart stopped as she realized what that meant. She could hardly believe what Armaan had just said. Her mind raced as she tried to process the gravity of the situation, suddenly understanding what the doctor was checking for when she first walked in. She had likely known that Meerab had been taken to be trafficked, to be used in the worst way possible by monsters who walked among them.

The thought made Maryam feel sick to her stomach.

Maryam, and Murtasim, had thought it was Malik's men just holding her hostage for land.

But Meerab could have been – a sob left her as she realized what Meerab must have gone through. She had always known that human trafficking existed, but it had always seemed like something that happened to other people in other places. The thought of Meerab, her gentle and kind-hearted cousin, being subjected to possibility of such horrors made Maryam's heart break.

She couldn't even imagine the fear that had likely riddled her for hours, she had probably run the worst-case scenario in her head hundreds of times in the hours she had been away.

"Does bhai know?" Maryam whispered, asking the question she already knew the answer to.

Armaan sighed. "If he did, he'd burn the whole village down to find anyone that is tied to them...he's already shot one of them dead, the other two are in critical condition but the police realize it was in self-defence and won't arrest him." He ran his hand through his hair.

"He won't leave her side until she's awake." Hamza muttered.

Armaan nodded. "We need to take care of this before Murtasim leaves her side, or he won't leave anyone alive."

Hamza let out a sharp chuckle. "We can't stop him once he knows."

"We can try...the last thing we, or Meerab, want is for Murtasim to end up in jail."

Maryam remembered the franticness with which Murtasim had looked for Meerab, and knew they were right. If he knew the other men had a chance of surviving, he would go kill them himself once he found out what they intended to do with Meerab. And it wouldn't be considered self-defence then.

They knew they had to move, yet all three of them stood outside the door until the doctor came out, reassuring them that Meerab was okay, just in shock.

"Was she..." Maryam asked, the words lingered in the air, but the doctor shook her head.

The relief in the hallway was palpable.

An awkwardness settled between the three of them as the doctor mentioned had dressed all of Meerab's bruises, and left ointments and instructions with her husband. For what else was she to think when Murtasim refused to leave her side. Maryam wasn't sure how to correct her without raising a scandal. She knew that in their culture, it would be seen as scandalous for a man who wasn't her husband to be so protective of Meerab and to stay in the same room as she was assessed by a physician.

"Are you going to go back in there?" Armaan asked, motioning towards the door as Hamza walked the doctor out.

Maryam opened the door a little, Murtasim still sat in the chair, but he held Meerab's hand now, his head resting on the mattress, looking up at her, like she would disappear if he looked away.

Maryam shook her head, knowing that Murtasim needed to be alone with Meerab until he calmed down, that he would force himself to hold it together if they went in. Like he always did. And she knew her brother didn't need that right then, she wanted to give him the comfort he needed, the ability to let himself feel what he felt rather than put up a façade of strength

"Let them be." She uttered.

She noticed Armaan's eyes flicker to the house staff who lingered close by. "They shouldn't be in his room alone." He whispered to Maryam.

The thought of the staff gossiping about them did cross her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. Maryam knew that it was not common practice for an unmarried man and woman to share a room, that it would cause whispers. But at that moment, she didn't care about societal norms or decorum. Meerab and her brother's well-being was all that mattered to her.

"They'll get married soon enough. I think they'll work through this Zara thing just fine."

"Zara?" Armaan asked, confusion colouring his voice.

Maryam told him then, why they had rushed to the village in the first place. As she remembered the way her brother looked at Meerab, Maryam couldn't help but wonder what Zara was thinking. "This could have all been avoided had she not...but then the girl Meerab rescued would have met a horrible fate."

Maryam wished she had the courage Meerab did, for she would have never tried to help and the guilt would have eaten her up inside for the rest of her life. But Meerab had acted, at her own expense, saving both herself and the girl.

Armaan nodded, and they left to deal with the mess. Maryam was utterly grateful for Armaan and Hamza's presence, for if they weren't there, then she would have had to pry Muratsim away from Meerab's side.

The police offered them rather enlightening information about the hours that had passed, one she was glad Murtasim wasn't there to listen to, for if he heard of the possibility of Meerab being shipped across the border in a container to be bought by men, he would have done something dangerous in his rage.

Maryam was in awe of Meerab's bravery and selflessness as she heard more. She couldn't imagine being in such a terrifying situation and having the courage to try and save someone else. She knew that if it were her, she would have been paralyzed by fear and unable to act.

As Armaan and Hamza spoke with the cops, Maryam noticed a tension in Armaan's jaw, an anger simmering in his eyes while he heard about the trafficking ring they had likely disrupted. It was as if he too was barely keeping his emotions in check as he realized what could have happened to Meerab.

Maryam wondered then if he felt the same way about Meerab as Murtasim did, he had rushed to the village after all, in record time. There was a similar protective look in his eyes, one she saw in her brother's eyes when it came to Meerab, but this one was more tempered, as if he had resigned himself to the fact that Meerab belonged to another.

Maryam had always thought that Armaan had a soft spot for Meerab, but she had never been sure. But as she watched him pace back and forth, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, suddenly understanding the tension that seemed to linger between Murtasim and Armaan on ocassion.

Murtasim likely knew of his feelings as well, he had to have known.

Meerab's mami's constant comments about wishing that Meerab would marry Armaan suddenly didn't feel like harmless jokes to Maryam.

Perhaps that is why he didn't come around as often as his brothers.

But she couldn't pinpoint how Murtasim was still cordial with Armaan if he knew that the man was in love with Meerab. She wondered if they had talked about it, if Armaan had stepped away knowing that Meerab's heart belonged to Murtasim, it had never been a secret to any of them.

Maryam's heart ached for Armaan. She knew he was a good man, and she wondered how many times his heart had been broken by Meerab's unwavering love for Murtasim.

She sighed, wanting to laugh at the fact that all of her cousins seemed to be in love with either Murtasim or Meerab, the only two that were unavailable. They were so in love with each other that they saw no one else.