The road to recovery is long, hard and painful. I've tried to show some aspect of it, medically it's not very accurate I think but hey, who cares?

This is probably my fav chapter so far because of how it's written.

This deserves bazillion comments lmaooooo! Okkk sorry :/ that was lame.

I hope you guys like it!

Vote, comment and share your thoughts. Love you guys!!

♥️♥️

Five days.

It's been five days and she knows, she knows that he is yet to speak yet. The doctor told her he could speak, he can talk.

But for some reason, this Hassan is silent.

This Hassan is silent even when his parents visit. Even when his mother hugs him, even when his father leaks tears from his eyes.

This Hassan won't speak.

And she tries, Anaaya tries.

But this Hassan won't even look at her now, let alone speak.

She doesn't know why.

She doesn't understand why this Hassan won't say anything.

But she has patience.

And that's all she can have for now.

Ten days.

His mother visits him for the first time. She gently soothes his head, she kisses his face, she cries.

She tries to make him say something.

But he doesn't.

The doctor tells them he's not stable from the inside. He's going through an emotional storm and might breakdown.

They're scared he might get a nervous breakdown with the way he's reacting.

Hassan doesn't say anything. He stares into nothingness. As if his life doesn't have a meaning anymore.

Anaaya doesn't say much either.

She doesn't want to force him.

She wants him to take his time.

Fifteen days

It's their sixth wedding anniversary today. Anaaya remembers it. She's not sure if she does.

She wears the dress that he bought her on their first anniversary together.

He notices. She knows that he does because his eyes linger at her face, longer than they usually do.

The same brown eyes look at her, up and down, up and down. And then he looks away.

She bites her lip to stop herself from crying.

The doctor tells them that Hassan can walk, that he will be able to do so, he might need help at the start but he will be fine in a few more days.

That's a good news. Hassan should be happy. But he isn't.

Infact, he closes his eyes when the doctor briefs him.

Anaaya wants her Hassan back. This quiet Hassan is not hers. And she doesn't know how long can she take it.

Twenty days.

Today, when she visits him, for instance, he's sitting up, and he has the television turned on.

She's not sure if he even notices her arrival, he's too attentive, eyes focusing on whatever is being played on the television.

It's the first season of suits.

He looks at the lawyers with eyes full of envy and something else that she can not comprehend.

She understands then.

She understands that he misses it.

And that he's scared.

"You won't lose yourself, you know? I won't let you." She says as she sits down on the chair by the bed.

He looks at her for a long moment. His mouth opens and closes. From the look on his face, he's struggling to hold the thoughts inside of his head.

She's so sure that he might speak. But he doesn't. Instead, he switches off the television and turns his back on her.

She sighs, but doesn't say anything. What can she say?

Twenty five days.

He can walk without the help of a walker now, the rehab is helping him to a huge extent.

He limps a little but she's so happy that he can actually walk.

He can change his clothes, he can write, he can sign anything, he can read, he can understand it all.

But she doesn't understand why he won't speak. What stops him? He's okay. He is literally okay.

Then why?

Why won't he talk to her? Why does he want her to suffer this way? She tries to think of anything that she might have done but nothing comes to her mind.

He doesn't talk to anyone. But she's special. Isn't she? Why won't he speak?

The rehab center thinks he might be ready to go home, soon, since he no longer needs constant supervision, and she wants him home.

Dr Shepherd wants him to stay though. He doesn't want him to leave, not until he speaks.

His vocal ability will decide his whole future. But he refuses to talk.

How can a man be this stupid? He doesn't know.

Anaaya talks him out of it. She tells him that Hassan going home might do them some good.

She just wants to be selfish for once. She doesn't want to listen to anyone. She wants to take him home

She's tired of hospitals and rehab centers. She's absolutely tired of it all.

The doctor advises her against her. Dr Shepherd says that Hassan not speaking isn't juts because of the fact that he is emotionally disturbed. It's also because of something else.

The doctor tells her that even though his mind is intact, even though he remembers everything, even though he has the same level of intellect as before, his word formation might have gotten disturbed.

He is not sure about it. He says he can't be sure about anything, not until Hassan speaks on his own.

He says there's a sixty percent chance that his theory is correct.

Which means that he can think, he can understand, he can remember but forming it all into words would be a tough task.

Anaaya takes this news and goes back inside the room. She wants to sit with him.

She decides to stay in the hospital for another week. For the sake of the man she loves.

Thirty days.

Today, she's reading to him.

She needs this. Even if he won't talk, she wants to read to him. She wants to be the one to talk.

"But hearts don't have locks," She said.

"Some do." He replied. "There are people who give the key to theirs for safekeeping. Others are mistrustful and give out several keys, just in case. Then there are those who have misplaced them and never cared to look."

"What about your heart?" She asked.

He smiled.

"Your words are the key to mine." He replied.

"Never forget your words."

She looks at him as she finishes the page and turns it over, he's still looking at her, staring at whatever the hell she's doing.

She gives him a smile. A beautiful smile. He always adored her smile. Her laugh.

So he decides to smile back at her.

She feels like her heart might explode.

His smile is painfully beautiful and Anaaya can wait for her entire life if he just smiles at her like that.

Thirty three days.

Three days later, Anaaya brings Aira with her. Her daughter is wide awake, giggling and clapping throughout.

The doctor advised her to do so.

And she didn't think there was an idea better than that.

So she holds her daughter, in her fluffy purple coat and her bean cap, a giggling little angel, spreading her light all across the corridor.

Anaaya kisses her cheek as she enters the hospital room. Hassan has his back turned. He's faking to be asleep.

He does it every day.

Anaaya doesn't say anything, instead she let's Aira's laugh reach Hassan's ears.

It's painful. The way he desperately turns around, jolting up.

She gulps, but walks forward and sits on the edge of the bed.

Hassan is still staring at his daughter. Anaaya doesn't say a word, instead, she stands up and puts Aira in his lap.

He's strong enough. The doctor had already assured her.

Hassan looks at Anaaya, she looks around. She thinks it's better if she leaves the room. So she does.

She decides to just eavesdrop instead.

For a few minutes, Hassan is just staring at her. Like she's a ball of sunshine.

His eyes glimmer.

And then, she hears it.

She hears his voice and she wants to just do something to take away this feeling of overwhelmth.

"Hi, darling girl." His voice is broken but it's still the same.

He doesn't stutter. He doesn't think before speaking..

"You're," He tries to speak but Anaaya feels as if he's crying.

Because his shoulders are shaking as she keeps on peeking from behind. Her vision blurrs too but she pays all her attention on the scene in front of her.

"You've grown so much."

"I missed it. I missed so much." He speaks too clearly.

She's happy. She should be happy.

But she feels so insecure. Why couldn't he talk to her? Why did he have to stay mute with her?

She doesn't know.

She decides that he's okay now.

She decides to be mad at him.

How can he not share it with her? Is she not good enough? She shakes her head and keeps on listening.

She sees him as he kisses the top of her head and hugs her close to his body.

She wipes away the tears and holds a bottle of juice in her hand, making a noise before entering the room.

And he goes quiet.

No words.

Anaaya didn't expect him to speak. She's just happy to hear his voice. She's angry but she's happy.

Forty days.

A week later, she's packing up his stuff in the hospital. He's getting discharged tomorrow.

She decides that she has had enough. She's done sleeping on that cold sofa and she's done waiting around.

She doesn't want him to remain quiet in front of the kids.

She wants him to talk to her.

But right now, she just needs to feel him.

"Can I.." She swallows hard. She can't think of how to ask what she wants.

But she needs this. She needs him. Even if he's acting different.

Even if he's different.

She sits on the edge of his hospital bed. The mattress sinks. He says nothing.

She throws off her shoes, pushes the blanket down past his knees and she crawls into the hospital bed with him.

It's an uncomfortable position and her back hurts from the side area being jammed into her.

"You can tell me if you want me to leave the bed." She says quietly.

He doesn't talk. Ofcourse.

But then he shifts. Not away from her, he moves away, gives her space to adjust and she smiles, her heart beats rapidly in her chest.

She pulls up the blanket. And settles against him.

"Your parents are so excited for you. Aunty made crazy food, she knows you can't eat it but she still did it. Uncle Shafqat has been so happy ever since he heard you'll get home." She says, she wants to talk to him, even if he won't reply.

"Abaan is so happy too. Today, he begged me to take him to you. I just couldn't do it. He'll be so glad to see you tomorrow."

She tells him again.

"I've promised them that I'd take the kids to Disneyland once you're healthy. I'm already dreading that day." She chuckles slightly.

She rests her head against his chest, and she pulls a tiny bit of his t-shirt and holds it between her fingers, in a slight grip.

She feels how warm his skin is and how his heart is beating in an even rhythm.

She listens to his inhales and exhales. She hasn't done this in three months, hasn't been this close to him in three months and she has missed it.

She has missed him so much.

"I love you," she says, trembling.

He doesn't say anything.

"You don't have to say anything. I know you love me too and I know you're scared." She looks up at him, cupping his face.

"I know you think this accident has changed you and yes, maybe if has. But what matters is that you're alive and you're here, with me. With all of us. Your family is with you."

She says softly.

"You can stay quiet and you can stay afraid but that's not the Hassan that I know. My Hassan is the bravest man I know. And my Hassan always rises on top, no matter what the circumstances." She continues.

He says nothing.

"Main hoon tumhare saath, Hassan. Thora naraaz hoon, kyun ke tum baat nahi karte mujhse, magar tum se bauhat pyaar karti hoon."

(I am here with you, Hassan. I'm mad at you, because you don't talk to me but I love you alot.)

Hassan simply stares at her.

"Ek baar tumne mujhse vaada kiya tha, yaad hai?"

She tries to remind him of that promise he had once made to her.

It was the time when she had gotten pregnant the first time, she was scared.

"I told you that I didn't want to lose perspective of my own life and you promised that you wouldn't let me. You've kept that promise." She reminds him.

Hassan only stares. She takes a hold of his hand.

"Today, I promise you the same. I'll never let you lose perspective of who you are." She promises him, he squeezes her hand in return.

She puts her head back on his chest.

"Ab bhi kuch nahi bolo ge?" 

(You still won't speak a word?)

She asks quietly. He doesn't respond.

"Kam se kam mera naam to le lo."

(Atleast, speak my name.)

She pleads. But he doesn't say anything again.

She sighs, but feels so comforted that she might sleep in mere seconds, without any worry.

She thinks she's dreaming when she hears his voice.

"Anaaya." He says it almost breathlessly, like saying it pains him in a way.

Her eyes widen and she lifts up her head.

"Phir se kaho." (Say it again)

She begs. He gives her a watery smile.

"Anaaya."

He says again.

She has never heard her name sound so beautiful before. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so hard but she does. And then she cries, he does too.

But their tears are hidden away by her head on his chest and his face above.

"Thank you." She hears his voice again and its filled with tears and love and gratitude.

She shakes her head and turns up to look at him.

"Main sirf tumhari humsafar nahin, humdard bhi banna chahti hoon."

(I don't just want to be your life partner, I want to be someone who shares your pain.)

So for the first time in three months, she sleeps in content. And he doesn't.

He stares at her.

Because he has missed her. More than she knows.