Chapter 11: Peace. 

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"Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding."

-Albert Einstein-

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Zamaairah paced her room, biting her nails. She was anxious about her request to Safwah but she knew why she asked him that. She was too afraid to lose someone else in her life at this point. She was too scared to know that somehow, without Safwah, she might be losing her life.

Her eyes went on the clock that set on the table reading 10.13pm in blue digits. She frowned and went back to the chair hammock hanging by the balcony of her room. She took a seat and picked up her phone. I'll check my messages and emails while I wait. With that determination, she began browsing through her phone. The first reply went to her best friend, Ayisha in UK who was asking about her. Zamaairah didn't mention the recent events because knowing how protective Ayisha is, she might end up coming over in the middle of her internship. She didn't want that. 

A while later, a knock sounded on the door of her room. She stood up, switching off her phone and walked to the door. Opening it, she came face to face with Vardah Siddique. She grinned at her despite the little sadness in her heart for she was expecting Safwah and Vardah picked it up instantly.

"Hi. Did I disturb you?" Vardah asked her and she shook her head, gesturing for Vardah to enter. The woman walked in and turned to Zamaairah awkwardly as she closed the door.

"I wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday." Vardah was straight up with her words and Zamaairah felt slightly guilty for making Vardah worry.

"Your job wasn't to protect me but you did. I should be thanking you." Zamaairah told her with a soft smile. The smile almost, almost melted Vardah Siddique. She cleared her throat and with a determined look, Vardah spoke.

"Look. I'll come clean. The whole mission is not to only protect Safwah, its to protect you too. As much as we can and I hope you know that." 

"What do you mean?" Zamaairah frowned. The two women were standing in the middle of Zamaairah's bedroom now.

"You are registered with ACE for protection. All this while, you were being protected by us; I mean my agency. The thing is though, that it wasn't me. I didn't even know until after yesterday's threat. Somehow, you are part of the classified list." Zamaairah let out a small laugh.

"Probably because of my mother."

"I know. I am sorry to bring up the topic."

"Nah its fine. So what is it that you wanted to tell me?" Vardah frowned at her and Zamaairah shrugged.

"You wouldn't come here at 10pm to apologize. What is it, Vardah?" Zamaairah asked her softly and Vardah frowned. She looks troubled.

"Nothing. I just wanted to inform you that you are now under my team too. So don't worry about anything alright? We got you." She sounds so sure that she will protect me. Zamaairah smiled and placed her right hand on Vardah's left shoulder, the latter freezing under contact. Zamaairah saw this and immediately retreated.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to touch you without permission-" Vardah chuckled.

"I am not used to it." Zamaairah somehow understood this very well.

"I know." The two woman stared at each other silently before Vardah nodded.

"Right then. I'll see you around." With that she began walking to the door. Zamaairah bit the insides of her cheeks. Should I? With an over whelming feeling inside her chest, Zamaairah spoke.

"You want to accompany me to the pharmacy tomorrow?" at this Vardah turned around with raised eyebrows.

"Pharmacy? Why? I can have-" Zamaairah interrupted her.

"No. No. I-uh its fine if you don't want to go." Vardah stared at her for a while before nodding.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Allah Hafiz."

After Vardah's departure, Zamaairah set on her bed replaying her interaction with Vardah. She tried to analyze the woman but to no avail. There are many sides of Vardah but I am glad to be on the right one. Did I make her uncomfortable by asking her to accompany me to the pharmacy? I needed to restock my medications anyway. I could have asked Safwah so why did I ask Vardah? The door of her room opened, startling her. She looked up to see Safwah shutting the door behind him as gently as he could. She wanted to laugh at how comical he looked. Sneaking into a lady's room at this hour, oh what scandal.

He turned to her and found her staring at him amusedly. He grinned and walked over to her.

"As salaam alaikum." He said, taking a seat beside her. Zamaairah replied to his salutations and then turned to him.

"Have you been waiting long?" he questioned her and she shook her head, no.

"Vardah came a while ago." Safwah's face morphed into a frown. Unconsciously, Zamaairah's hands moved up to his face and her fingers gently soothed out the frown.

"Why?" Safwah asked, ignoring the way her touch ignited fire within him. She hasn't lost that touch though.

"She told me that my bodyguards up until now were from her agency, something about me being her agency's certified client. Was it certified? I forgot." Zamaairah muttered. Did she say certified? Classified? Confidential? See this is why you should eat Badaam's in the mornings.

"Classified. She must have said classified client. These are clients that are highly confidential and have the highest protection." Safwah explained her and Zamaairah shrugged.

"Something like that. So she came to apologize and said that now that she knows about me, she'll protect me." Huh. Sounds familiar. Zamaairah looked up to meet Safwah's gray eyes and immediately smiled. "I know I have you but additional protection isn't a bad thing."

"No. No I wasn't thinking about that." Safwah replied, smiling mysteriously. Zamaairah wondered what was going on inside his head. So she asked.

"What are you planning?" at this Safwah snapped out of his head and raised an eyebrow at her. He then placed his arms over her shoulder and leveled his eyes to hers.

"I am being recruited by Sahl's agency." Safwah had chosen his words carefully but Zamaairah caught on real quick. Her eyes widened and she shook her head.

"Safa no. You just got better! You cannot just run back into a sinking hole like that!" Zamaairah's heart raced as unwanted thoughts entered her mind. What if he left and never came back? He was lucky enough to come alive this time, what about the next? Will there even be a next?

"Zam! Zam!" Safwah shook her slightly, pulling her out of her thoughts. By now, her eyes had watered. Safwah's expression morphed with distress. He hated seeing her cry and recently, he was becoming the reason of her tears. He leaned down and placed his head on her shoulder, his face near her neck. Zamaairah closed her eyes and focused on calming down as her heart raced; partially from anxiety and mostly because of Safwah's closeness. He was practically breathing on her neck and she felt familiar tingles running down her spine.

"I am not going anywhere, I promise. I haven't answered Vardah yet but I love my job, Zam. You know that more than anyone else." He whispered and Zamaairah felt the tears threatening to fall. She held her breath for a few seconds before releasing it slowly. Its okay Zama. He loves his job. You knew everything before you married him. You knew what you were stepping into. Don't stop him from pursuing his happiness, even if it makes you cry. He's saving someone else out there.

"Zam?" Safwah's voice was louder and it reverberated over Zamaairah's neck and collarbones, sending chills straight to her heart. Her heart picked up its pace and she took deep breaths.

"I am fine." She finally managed. Safwah set up straight and looked at her. She's not fine, he thought with disdain. Its okay Zama. Trust Allah. Trust Allah. Whatever Allah has planned, is the best plan. If Allah didn't will it, Safwah would not have survived. It is all part of the bigger plan.

She finally opened her eyes and smiled genuinely at Safwah.

"Its fine. I am sorry I tried to stop you from doing what you love. I know your job is your life, your passion and so much more. I cannot come in between you and that. Whatever is to happen, shall happen. After-all, Allah plans best." Safwah stared at her for a second before smiling.

"Allah plans best." He repeated her words.

"Are you going to sleep in these?" Zamaairah changed the topic to his clothes and immediately Safwah's smile was replace by a sly smirk. When Zamaairah realized her mistake, her cheeks tinted pink slightly before she pushed Safwah away.

"What? I never said anything!" he laughed and she rolled her eyes, getting up from bed.

"I am going to shower and change. Make yourself at home," she told him sassily before walking towards her bathroom. She was glad that the bathroom was attached to the closet as like all other master bedrooms in the Zaeef mansion. Safwah chuckled at the complete change in her demeanor.

"Fine. I am sure I'll find one of my t-shirts and sweatpants somewhere in your closet." Safwah told her and she laughed from inside the bathroom.

"I left a lot of them back home. Sorry."

Half an hour later, Zamaairah walked out of the bathroom dressed in a gray t-shirt and sweatpants with a towel in her hand, drying her hair. She had thick dark brown colored hair that fell to her waist and most times than not, they were a nuisance when drenched. Her eyes fell onto Safwah to see him seated on the floor in front of the bed, on his phone.

She walked over, drying her hair in the process. When Safwah noticed her presence, he looked up. For a moment he was speechless and Zamaairah raised her eyebrows. He smiled and held out his hands as he stood up, his phone long forgotten.

"What?"

"Towel. I'll dry your hair." Zamaairah gave him the small towel with hesitation.

"You sure you can dry my hair without breaking it?"

"Don't you have a hairdryer?"

"At home. I forgot."

"Then borrow from someone here. Your hair will take ages to dry!"

"Its past 11pm Safa. I am not going to disturb people." The two bickered back and forth as Safwah dried her hair. He stood behind her and patted dry her hair. Since he was tall, it was easier.

"This is so tiring," Safwah sighed in pain making Zamaairah laugh. "Wait here, I'll go get my hairdryer."

"Saf-" Zamaairah could not stop him for he had already walked out of the room. That man is really quick on his feet. A while later, he came back with a black hair dryer labeled as Safwah on a white paper and stuck to it with clear cello tape.

"You label your dryer?"

"Yes. The boys are very good at taking things and not returning. There's even a mark here somewhere." He muttered, plugging it in. Zamaairah shifted near to the wall where Safwah was. He gave her a chair to sit on and turned on the dryer.

"Ah perfect." Safwah ran his hands through Zamaairah's thick dried locks in satisfaction. He switched off the dryer and placed it on the dresser. He turned back to her and that was when he saw a silver necklace around her neck. He walked in front of her, eyes never leaving the necklace. Gently, he pulled it out of her t-shirt making her gasp.

"What-"

"You still have it." Safwah beamed. The necklace in his hand was silver. It had a thin chain with a 4cm rectangular pendant attached to it. On one side of the pendant read: Safwah Zaeef; 09.01.95 while the other side read Two in Chinese.

"Of course I have it."

"It was a gift from abba and ammi on Sahl and my 21st birthday. People gets keys, Sahl and I got these. The others also got necklaces but I don't know what kind. Kulthum di I think got the key." Safwah told her with a grin. Zamaairah touched the necklace attentively.

"I remember. You told me once. Why does it read Two in Chinese though?" she questioned, running her fingers across the word. Safwah grinned slyly.

"Its for me to know and you to find out." Zamaairah frowned before giving up with a sigh.

"I'll have to wait I guess." She muttered in dejection making him laugh. He let the necklace go and it fell over her chest. She held onto it making him smile. It's the only thing apart from your clothes that I had with me that reminded me I belonged somewhere, to someone. Safwah took her hand and led her to the bed. Zamaairah climbed onto it and slipped under the blankets, sighing with content. The soft bed was perfect for her sleepy state.

Safwah then switched off the lights and took one last walk around the room, ensuring the door and windows were locked securely. He then lowered the air conditioning to an appropriate temperature before heading to where his wife slept.

Zamaairah watched him walk around the darkness as if he were used to it, in awe. She knew she'd struggle to walk without tripping or getting hurt. Such perfect coordination he has. But then, it came from his line of work. Her heart raced restlessly when the thought entered her mind. His line of work.

Safwah slipped onto the bed quietly, above the blanket and turned to face Zamaairah. He frowned when he saw her anxious look. He held out his hand and waited for her to take it. She did so a while later and Safwah realized she was shaking.

"Is it too cold? Should I turn-" he turned to get the AC remote when he felt Zamaairah pulling onto his hand. Without prior notice, the said woman was in his arms and buried her head in his chest.

Zamaairah didn't understand what was going on with her but she knew that she could not handle losing him. Anyone but him. He is everything I have right now. Without much thought, she had leaped up and lay her head on his chest while holding his hands tightly.

So tightly that Safwah felt the hand sting.

"Hey. What's wrong?" he questioned her, rubbing her hair soothingly. He knew she'd fall asleep if he did either that or a scalp massage. I cannot lose him too. But oh Allah, what do I do? On one hand is his passion and the other is my fears.

Without saying a word, Zamaairah closed her eyes and hoped for the best. Please Allah, let tomorrow be better. Somehow. Safwah kept running his hands through her hair lulling her into a peaceful slumber. 

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Hey guys. As salaamu alaikum. How is you all? 

I am really sorry for the late updates. It's been hectic on my side but I promise I'll try my best to update. 

The rating of this book had to be changed to Mature. I am really sorry I didn't notice the tags before and now that I do, I realized that mentions of mental illness, etc (which would be part of this book) come under mature ratings. 

Take care my loves. 

| R - C - V |

xx,

-Aalihha.