___

marte honge laakhon aap par
hum to aapke saath marna chahte hai
___

When Madiha was young, her Baba Jaan would sing lullabies to her sister and her. Well, they thought they were lullabies but they were just hums of songs from his time on this soil.
Her Baba was quite huge, a Hulk of a man if you will. A police inspector by profession with the discipline and countenance of a dictator. He would be reduced to a soft gentle man, as he caressed his hand across her hair and hummed along the lyrics to his favorite qawali songs.

Her Amma was another story, Madiha was never all that much fond of her, because according to her mother ladkiyon jaisi harkatein kyu nahi karti, Madi. Isse accha to ladka hi payda kar leti main.

Madiha and her mother had always been at war, because of Madiha's lack of feminity. But, when the time came, the latter wouldn't let anyone utter anything harsh against her daughter.

Now that Madiha reminisced, maybe it was her Amma's anger that was embedded in her bones, the rage and defiance floating across her skin. Maybe her Amma just wanted to protect her, maybe she didn't want her daughter to face the ruthless world before being prepared for the battles coming her way. Maybe engulfed in her bitter words were pieces of reality that she herself had endured.

Alas, a lot of unresolved feelings floated across Madiha's mind as she twisted in her sleep. The same nightmare visiting her every now and then, causing her to toss and turn in heat. Feeling her bones heat up with the thirst of vengeance as the flickers of hot molten fire raged inside her closed eye lids, the awful screams echoing in her ears, causing them to bleed in agony.

Her Baba screaming for her Amma to wake up while he himself bleed on the floor beside her, the charcoal covered crying face of her sister as she held her ears which were seeping out crimson liquid.

Snapping her eyes open, Madiha sat up straight breathing heavily, a sheen layer of sweat covering her body as her arm throbbed with pain. The effect of the pain killers wearing off. Looking around the abandoned hundred square feet warehouse that they had taken shelter in, her eyes searched for him.

He was nowhere to be found nor were there any traces of his existence being there in the first place. Had he finally left her all alone?
Sighing Madiha leaned her head against the moldy brick wall, breathing heavily to calm herself.
Atleast he hadn't seen her losing her shit in sleep. So that's a plus point.

Like a genie being summoned, the man himself entered the warehouse, through the plastic tarp door, the rays of light streaming inside, indicating it was already morning.

"Shit! What has happened to you?" Those were the first words that left his mouth as he leaned down a few feet away from her, his forehead bunching up in tension.

"The painkillers have worn off.." Madiha bit back closing her eyes shut, as waves of pain shot up her arm.

Suddenly something cold touched her forehead as she managed to flicker her eyes open at the same time. The cognac in his eyes swirling in her direction with concern was what she was met with, his long finger tips touching her skin.

"You are burning up."

"It's so hot in here.." She moaned, unconsciously leaning into the coldness of his hand.

"It's definitely the fever." He whispered as he moved his hand away from her face, causing a groan to leave her mouth. "Remove your Abaya."

"No!" Madiha yelled, finally coming to her senses as she searched her shirt for the file, and there it was safely tucked right against her beating heart. She had to do what she was assigned, there was no time for her to play injured.

"Woah woah, calm down. I just want to check your wound. It might have become infected." Mustafa said, raising his hands in the air defensively.

"Hotstuff" Madiha winced as she felt another wave of pain shoot across her injured arm. Yup, it was definitely infected. There is noway a normal wound would hurt like this bitch.

"Just let me take a look. I promise I'll not do anything."

"Haah! Bold of you to assume I'd not break your bones if you did." Madiha snorted as she slowly lifted her dried sticky Pepsi coated Abaya with great difficulty.

"Of course, Of course. I don't doubt your abilities." Mustafa rolled his eyes helping her remove the Abaya over her head.

"Why are you still here?" Madiha bit down on her chapped lower lip, as she shrugged her leather jacket with great inability finally exposing her blood soaked gauze.

"What do you mean?" Mustafa grimaced, as he slowly unwrapped the scarlet fabric from around her swollen skin.

"You know what I mean, Dumb Sherlock!" Madiha grunted as the gauze finally unraveled, exhibiting the unpleasant cut, it was a huge scab with red swollen streaks all around it, the blood seemed to have began clotting around it giving it a horrendous appearance.

"Shit. You probably need stitches." Mustafa cursed as he pulled out a small packet from his pocket with a few tissues.

Madiha remained mute, as she eyed his every moment, tearing the packet with the corner of his teeth he removed the wipe, which she assumed was antibacterial and looked at her straight in the eye.

"I am going to clean the wound and redress it okay? It's going to hurt a little." Like talking to a small kid he whispered, his voice holding an unlikely softness.

Inhaling a huge gush of air Madiha turned her head to the side, giving him affirmation. Seconds later a jarring burning sensation lit up against her wound causing tears to form automatically in her eyes. Her head swung in odd directions as she finally rested it against his shoulder, her injury free arm digging in the ground as her face inched towards his  neck.

"There it's almost done. You are doing so well." The reassuring words put some comfort in her mind as she held onto him to dear life as he finished dressing her wound with whatever scrap up things he had at hand.

After he was done, she still seemed to be holding on to him. Like it provided her some sanity of endurance. And he let her, whispering soothing words hoping to calm her down. He didn't know why, but he was doing it, because it felt like in the moment he was only ever created for this, to provide this fatally gorgeous woman with any bits of numb sanity that he could offer to keep from losing her mind.

Finally, moving away from his body she looked at him with red brimmed eyes. Those devilish sliver eyes were every inch coated with vulnerability for the first time since he had met her and he hated seeing her like this. She looked like half corpse, half goddess.

"Rich boys aren't supposed to have hearts, Mustafa." She whispered, running her tongue across her lower lip. Her lashes clinging with unshed tears.

"Are you scared because I have one?" He breathed back, his eyes scanning her entire face with scrutiny.

"I am scared for you.." She said, her lips curling upwards in a sly grin as the vulnerability in her eyes fading back, like it never was there, initially. "Because I don't have one."

And Mustafa knew at once, even if she was on her knees, she wouldn't let the other person have the benefit of doubt that she was any less than what she claimed to be.
___

The sun streamed down through the nets of clouds as birds chirped across the bright blue sky, causing Madiha to twitch in annoyance.
What was so good about mornings? She could never understand.

They had walked a few miles into the village, stopping at a small dhaba. Both of them had been starving and it was best planned that whatever course of action they were going to take, it would only be after they had filled their stomachs.

While Mustafa went to get them chai-coffee and some Parathay-Anday, Madiha made her way towards, a small phone booth that was not far from the dhaba, and contemplated dialing of the two numbers she had memorized. As much her heart urged her to ring up her probably worried sick sister, she resorted to calling the other number.

The other line rang a few times before, the person picked up.

"Hello?"

"It's me" Madiha let out a strained response.

"Do you have it?" The person on the other end went silent for a few seconds before asking.

"I wouldn't have called you, if I didn't have it. Is my sister safe?"

"You didn't get caught, right?"

"Is my sister alright?" Madiha fired back sternly, her hands starting to get sweaty, just imagining any harm befallen on her sister.

"Yes, she's safe, Madiha. Now, I hope you are too. You were chased by Chaudhary's men, correct?" The person, questioned this time with a much gentle tone.

"Yes, I am fine. Where should I drop of the documents this time?" Madiha asked, methodically. Knowing well enough this was all a ruse, a lie to coddle her.

"The dumpster near King Faisal Street, opposite to the bank. Sharp 11:45 pm."

"Alright." Madiha was about to end the call, when the person on the end spoke again.

"You are so close, Madiha. You are doing so well. Just a few more tasks and you'll have all that you've desired within the palm of your hand."

Scoffing at sentence, she slammed the phone back in its holder. Something was off though. She couldn't pin point what was, but it made her heart go uneasy.

Dismissing it as probably pain ridden thoughts, Madiha walked back to a table outside the dhaba and soon enough Mustafa came and sat adjacent to her with two cups of coffee in his hand, and forwarded one of it towards her.

"So where are you planning to go from here?" Madiha questioned, sipping at her piping hot coffee.

"Are you that eager to get rid of me?" Mustafa questioned back as his eyes strained on the small television that hung from one of the walls of the dhaba, displaying some sappy 90s Bollywood romcom.

"Are you not eager to get away from me?" She questioned, squinting her eyes at him, the sun shine fell on all the right places on his face, giving him a godly glow and a killer jaw line. Already causing her to drool her pants off.

Before he could reply, a young boy placed two plates of greasy Parathas and Eggs in front of them and both of them dived right into it, with no second thoughts. They had been so famished that it was impossible to even breathe from the way they were gobbling down the food.

Suddenly, Mustafa stopped chewing the Paratha in his mouth leaving a foul taste.
"Listen.." He whispered dangerously slow, as his eyes were strained at something behind her. "We have to run. Now."

"What?" Madiha sat up straight alarmed as her hand clutched itself onto the oil ridden Paratha.

"They are telecasting my face all over the news, and a very blurry picture of your stunted back." He whispered, measuring his words very heavily.

"My back isn't stunted!" Madiha retorted, looking up at him with squinted eyes.

"Madiha, there is a huge reward for anyone that catches us. We have to run now! The owner is already eyeing us with suspicion." Mustafa grunted, almost angered by her aloofness.

"How much?" She questioned stuffing her mouth with the remaining Paratha.

"1,00,000 bucks, damnit."

"What are you waiting for then, you idiot?! Tumhari bakra halali ka? Run!" Madiha yelled as she got up sprinting away, followed by a very alarmed and frustrated Mustafa.

________

(Le author ready to disappear back into the wild, now that the update is given, lol jk jk)
___

Hello, my beautiful jalebis!

Did you enjoy the chapter?
I hope it was not boring, it's a little short, but I'll make sure to compensate soon.

Did you mistake Madi to have a heart like Mustafa did? ;) ;)

Where do you think our borderline psycho FL and dukhi daastan ML going next?

Anyways, my uncalled disappearce for a few months was because of exams and school, I am still trying to piece my life back together so I have very very limited time to write and even in that i feel like I am procrastinating, alot.

For what it's worth, I am not abandoning this book, it's my baby and I love you all, I'll start giving consistent updates soon. Thank you to each and everyone who has remained patient and messaged me if i was doing alright. (I am legitimately going to cry, you guys are such sweethearts༎ຶ‿༎ຶ)

Also, Belated Eid Mubarak! I hope you had an prosperous, blessing filled Eid!

(i.e this chapter is dedicated to all of Farris Bhai's fangirls who missed him,lol)

Alright then, please do leave your precious feedback!
Bring your foreheads to your screens.
*smooches*

Love you
Byee!

~flawfully