It had been months since Aaiyra's funeral had put the incident behind them. Jaffar had invited them all over for an evening. Mubashira was sitting closer to her father, with Zaid sat right next to her. The evening was going decent, until her brother decided to join them.

"Wah, aaj toh royalty aayi hui hai ghar pe. And as usual, mujhe kisi ne bulaya hi nahi," Rayaan came in and poured himself a drink from the pitcher, knocking over the rest.

"Dekh ke nahi kaam kr sakte?!" Mubashira jumped up as the juice spilled on her feet. "Sabh kuch bigad diya! Thik thei hum tumhare aane se pehle!"

"Mubashira, calm down. Kuch nahi bigda," her father stood up and consoled her. "Dekho, abhi thik ho jae ga. Relax."

The maids came in to clean the mess and Mubashira sat down and leaned back, holding her head.

"Accha, I'm sorry," Jaffar pleaded. "Tum mood off mat kro. Abhi sabh tumhari marzi se ho ga. Chalo, tum batao, hum kya lunch karein, hmm?" He added a smile.

"Konsi ghalti ka azaala kr rahe hai aap?" Zaid couldn't hold back his words.

"Zaid? Tameez se baat karo. Father in law hain tumhaare. Kya ghalat kiya hai Jaffar nein?" His father scolded him.

"Sabh. Sabh kuch ghalat kiya hai inhon ne." Zaid accused his father in law. "Agar Mubashira chaand bhi maange gi to aap suraj le ayein ge."

Rayaan sat back in his seat and smirked as he drank his juice.

"Of course!" Jaffar chuckled, still confused on how him spoiling his daughter was an issue. "Baap hoon main iska!"

"Wrong!" Zaid corrected him. "Gunnehgar hai aap iske."

Mubashira looked at her husband, stunned at his words. "Zaid..." she tried to stop him, not sure herself what had gotten into him.

"Aap usko duniya bhi de dein ge toh woh kum ho gi. Kiyunki jo usse chhin chuka hai woh aap usse kabhi nahi luta sakte."

"Zaid! Yeh kya bakwaas kr rahe ho tum?!" Asif demanded.

"Aap jaante hain!" Zaid stood up, pointing fingers at his father in law. "Aur sirf, aap hi jaante hain! Har marzi maan ke usse chup karane ki koshish ki aapne. Lekin apne uski habit kharab kardi. Mubashira cheekhti hai, kyunki jo uski kehne wali baat hai, woh aapne usse kehne nahi di."

"Zaid," Mubashira stood up and grabbed his arm. She was starting to panic. "Zaid, please chalo yahaan se."

"Beti to beti hai hi," Zaid continued, holding Mubashira's hand, "lekin bete ke aage qurbaan ho jati hai."

Asif was starting to pick up the pieces. He looked aghast at Rayaan.

"Tum, tum kya bole jaa rahe ho, Zaid," Jaffar was quivering. "Mubashira bhi meri utni hi aulaad hai..."

"Mat! Mat kahein Mubashira ko apni aulaad. Baap kehne ke laik nahi hain aap. Beti ka haq to ada nahi kar sake aap," he threatened, "meri biwi ka haq ada karne se aap mujhe nahi rok sakte!"

Zaid turned at the end of his dialogue and punched Rayaan in the face. Mubashira covered her mouth, no scream coming out anyway. Zaid continued beating up his brother in law and Jaffar walked up to stop him, but Asif held him back.

"Baap toh tu ban na saka, lekin mere bete ko shohar banne se tu nahi roke ga," he tossed his old friend back. "I am ashamed of calling you my friend, my brother! Tumhe tumhara beta mubarak ho, lekin is second, is moment se, hamare beech mein koi rishta nahi hai."

"Z-zaid, ruk jao," Mubashira nervously approached him. "Please, Zaid use chod do! Zaaaaiid!" Mubashira held his arm and screamed.

Zaid turned to face his wife. He took her hand off his arm and held her hand, pulling her forward. "Main sun raha hoon, Mubashira," he cupped her face, "puri duniya sun rahi hai. Jo batana hai bata do."

He yanked Rayaan to stand up and held Mubashira's hand, aiming it for her. "Bata do ise."

Mubashira looked at her sinner, brows furring. She slapped him, not too hard, and enjoyed the sting in her hand. She hit him again, and went wild at him.

"Get off me!" She screamed at him, and yelled so much more until she didn't even know she was crying. She had never cried since her childhood, and now it felt so cathartic.

Zaid watched his wife get her revenge. With all the years of watching her scream and demand, she had never looked more powerful than right now. He only pulled her back when he realized she was crying. He pulled her back in his arms and she wailed, finally crying her heart out until she fainted.

"Zaid, gadi mein leke jao ise. Hospital le jao, chalo," Asif reached out to help his son stand up as he carried his wife in his arms.

Asif was right behind him but stopped for a moment. "Aaj se tumhara meri beti se koi rishta nahi hai. Usse contact karne ki bhi koshish mat karna," he warned and went out to the car.

Zaid was in the back seat, cuddling Mubashira and patting her face, still trying to wake her up. They couldn't drive fast enough for him. Eventually, they arrived and Zaid ran out with her to find the nearest doctor and they called a stretcher to take her in. Zaid followed, while Asif Shahwani made sure his bahu got the best treatment.

Zaid was sitting beside his wife while the doctor checked her. "Well?"

"Aapki wife ka blood pressure suddenly drop hua hai, iski wajah se abh woh behosh hain. Isko hypotension kehte hain."

"Doctor, yeh uth to jae gi na?"

"Ji. Iski koi fikr ki baat nahi hai. Lekin kabh uthein, woh abh inpe depend karta hai," by the time she was talking, a peon brought her other charts. The doctor took a look at them.

"Inki history dekh ke aisa lag raha hai, inko pehli baar sukoon aaya hai. Meri maanein, toh inhein sone dein. Let her have some peace. Koi khatre ki baat nahi hai."

"Thank you, doctor," Zaid said, for her reassurance as they walked out of her room. "Main, iske saath reh sakta hoon?"

"Ji, hum ma'am ko aapke private ward mein shift kar dete hain, then you can easily stay the night with her," the doctor replied.

"Yes, quickly. Aur dekhiye ga ke meri bahu ke comfort mein koi kami na ho," Asif instructed as he joined them.

The boys stood aside and watched the staff wheel Mubashira up to their ward. Zaid stayed behind, pacing as he breathed into his bruised hands. Asif went up and hugged his son tightly, and finally Zaid broke too. He cried for a few moments in his father's embrace before Asif pulled him away to face him.

"Mera sher beta," he patted his cheek. "Today I am so proud of you! Fakhr hai mujhe tumhe apna beta bolte hue. Yeh mera beta hai," he held up Zaid's broken hands.

Zaid wiped his tears. "Dad, aap ghar jaein. Aap ka yahan koi kaam nahi hai."

"I know. Main jaa raha hoo. Lekin mujhe meri bahu ki timely updates chahiye, samjhe?"

Zaid chuckled. "Of course, dad. Main aapko inform karta rahun ga. Good night."

"Good night. Aur, yeh, apne haath bhi dikhwa lena," Asif pointed out Zaid's bleeding knuckles before he left.

Zaid watched his father leave and headed up to his private ward. They had already set up Mubashira's bed and she was sleeping peacefully. He smiled contently as he watched her, and moved a hair out of her face.

"Aap apne haat dikhaein mujhe," the nurse called him, and sat him on the couch as she touched up his hands. She smiled as he was still watching his wife.

"Bohot pyaar karte hain aap apni biwi se," she commented.

Zaid quickly turned his face to the nurse and blushed.

Mubashira woke up almost half a day later. Zaid was sitting on the couch, doing some computer work when he noticed her stirring. He put his laptop away and went to sit beside her.

"Good evening," Zaid smiled down at her.

Mubashira weakly tried to smile back. "Shaam ho gayi?"

Zaid chuckled and shook his head. "Hmm. Agle din ki. Baara ghenton ki neend puri ki hai tumne."

Mubashira sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Aaj aisa lug raha hai baara saal baad so ke utthi hoon."

Zaid grabbed her hand in both of his. "Bus aisa samajh lo abh tak sabh eik bura khwab tha. Aaj se tumhari nayi zindagi ki nayi subha hai."

Mubashira turned to face him, taking a quick look at his hands holding hers.

"Tumhari zimmedaari khatam ho gayi hai mujhse," she placed her other hand on his. "Azaad kr sakte ho mujhe abh, main rokun gi nahi."

Zaid shook his head. "Nahi chod sakta."

"Kyun?" Mubashira raised a brow.

Zaid kissed her hands. "Kyunki hum dono ne vaade kiye hain. Main ne vaada kiya tha ke tumhe nahi chodun ga. Aur tumne vaada kiya tha, ke tum mujhe meri mohabbat se milwao gi."

Mubashira smiled.

"Abh woh pehli waali hi kyun na ho," Zaid smiled at her.

"I love you, Zaid," Mubashira finally said to him.

"I love you, Mubashira."

Mubashira giggled. "Abh iss peh toh gaana banta hai."

Zaid laughed. "Life mein sirf tumhare liya gaaya hai main ne."

"Good. Tumpe sirf mera haq hi toh hai. Abh suna bhi do!"

"Accha, accha!"

Hmmmmm....hmmmmm

Tere sang guzre mere jo lamhe
Tum se woh mangoon
Main talabgaar hoon
Tum se thodi mohlat maangu

Tu wohi mein wohi hai magar bebasi
Zindagi ko gawara ab kaise karien

Dil ke darwaze pe
Phir se teri dastak maangu
Tujh se hi phir apni
Pehli si muhabbat maangu

Wo chah jo hum mein thi
Phir se wohi chahat maangu
Tujh se hi phir apni
Pehli si muhabbat maangu