FCT ABUJA,

NIGERIA.

Zayn's mother left after spending quite an amount of time with him, bonding. About a month ago, Zayn wouldn't have bothered for that little reunion as he wasn't one for feelings and whatnot but he has changed since his little trip to Duste.

As Batoulah said, he might not need his antidepressants as much. He had needed them for years since he was diagnosed with Schizoid Personality Disorder years back. A part of him wasn't so surprised considering all that he had been through in his childhood.

He didn't have it when Kulsum was alive, at least, it wasn't evident until she passed away. That was its onset.

Because of this, he emotionally detached himself away from everyone, a character of his even before he was diagnosed with the illness. Thus, he didn't have friends and barley interacted with people outside of work. Some who didn't know of his condition, deemed him apathetic, anhedonia, and insensitive.

They weren't wrong though; he was all of that.

He was indeed aloof, indifferent and cold but not anymore. Granted, he wasn't all better and good but he cared a little now, on his own accord when there's no positive or negative expectations on him.

Zayn waited for Kamal to come as he said he won't, but the man never showed up. Zayn tried to call him but he couldn't get through to him.

The day eventually ended but still, there was no trace of Kamal anywhere.

~*~

There was still no trace of Kamal. Zayn had tried call him numerous times but his phone wasn't going through. There was also no text from the man.

Nothing.

It was like he disappeared from the face of the earth.

Zayn stopped calling him eventually. Whatever is going on, he trusts Kamal and so, waited patiently. Patience has never been a virtue he possessed, but he did learn to be patient since he had hit a dead end again. There was nothing he could do without the information he can get from Kamal.

Nigeria isn't his turf. He doesn't have nearly the connection the man does.

Had it been he was in the US, he would've known the strings to pull and what to get, since he's in the military's special force. But he wasn't. He's in Nigeria where he desperately needed help to move on with whatever is going on in his life. Or at least, what is left of it.

It was a little after midnight when Zayn received Sabrina's call. He wasn't asleep. He could barely shut his lids. It is his insomnia, it's slowly coming back and he doesn't like taking medicine to make him sleep.

Confusion masked his features as he picked up the phone, then swiped across thescreen to answer it. He said his salaam, and the minute she answered it, he knew something is going on. "Sabrina, what is it?" He asked, wondering what could be making her cry at the moment.

"Zayn..." She hiccupped, then sniffed as the sound of her sobs came yet again.

"Sabrina speak to me, what is it?"

"It's Dad" Her words made his lips tug into a frown. "He got a heart attack, we're in the hospital right now"

Zayn was quick to end the call and picked up his car keys. He didn't need to ask to know which hospital they took him to. Since the place wasn't far from his, he got there in no time. Soon enough, he was at the receptionist's, asking of his father's whereabouts.

When she told him, he set out there. Throughout the way, he kept thinking of the last time he saw him which might quite possibly be the last.

"Zayn"

He stopped in his tracks, turning around to face the person that had called him. He was about to drive off the airport when the man showed up, out of the blue. Zayn shook his head, dismissing the question of how he found out where he lives.

The man has connections, he can get just about anything he wants in a matter of minutes.

Zayn blinked, eyes never wavering from his father. "Dad" He muttered, hoping the man would make whatever reason he came for short so he could get going.

The old man released a sigh, making his way closer to the boy that he raised who had grown into a man now. His gaze briefly glanced at the suitcase he held in his hand, "I want you to stop this trip of yours"

"What?" Zayn's word was a mumble, so that his father did not hear. "What are you talking about?"

"I want you to stop this trip of yours" The man repeated, much slower this time so the words can sink in Zayn's head. "I want you to stop digging up the past"

Zayn shook his head slightly, "I'm sorry, I can't do that"

"Ahmed!"

"If you don't mind me asking Dad, why are you so against me finding out the truth, huh?" He kept his voice low, but anyone could hear the edge in his tone. "It's the same reason why you threw me out before, right?" He prodded further when the old man looked away.

Releasing a sigh, the man looked again, this time around; his face somber. "Everything I have done is to protect you"

"From who?" Zayn's voice came out low, disbelief coating his tone. "You know who it is, don't you?"

His father's silence is all the answer he needed to hear.

"I can't ever get peace if I don't find out everything" He stated, his voice dripping with determination.

His father shook his head. "What you'll dig up will only hurt you and the people around you"

Zayn thought about it for a couple of seconds before he made up his mind. Letting out a low breath, he spoke his last words to his father. "So be it"

Zayn stared at his father's seemingly lifeless body from the door of the ICU. He blew out a shaky breath, while his sister sobs in their mother's arms who is still having a hard time stopping her own tears.

He wasn't dead, but there's no certainty. Apparently, he hadn't been taking his medications, and somehow, his problem seemed to have increased, hence, the heart attack. The very same problem no one in the family knew he has.

Footsteps approaching them was heard, and that had Zayn looking up. His gaze landed on Hanif who approached them, and like the loving husband he is, he embraced his wife who had gotten out of her mother's arms and consoled her. When he looked up, he met with Zayn's passive face that had his gut clenching in guilt.

Zayn, unable to keep up with the sight made his way over to his mother, opting to console her since she had been the one consoling others since. She rested her head on his shoulders while he patted her back to calm her down. "It's okay" He muttered softly, "He'll be alright in shaa Allah"

His mother sniffed, not bothering to wipe her tears. "I hope so" She muttered, "I hope he recovers"

~*~

At a point, Sabrina and her husband went home after promising to return the next day while Zayn stayed the night there along with his mother though they weren't allowed in the ICU, they still weren't planning on leaving in case the old man wakes up.

Morning came and neither Zayn nor his mother were able to get a wink of sleep. The situation reminded them both of a point in their lives which they didn't wish to relive. They didn't want to lose another loved one again. They both survived the night off coffee which Zayn fetched them sometime around 3 am.

When the morning rolled, the duo was still sitting in silence. It didn't take long for Sabrina to arrive, and then she had to demand Zayn go home to rest while she stayed with their mother who obviously won't budge one bit.

After much persuasion, Zayn agreed to do so promising to return as soon as he can. Before he left though, he made sure to drop by his father's doctor, who just happened to be Kulsum's doctor and asked him to let him know if anything happened. The man promised to do so.

He knew everything is in the hands of Allah but he wanted to try his best with Alhaji Danbatta. He obviously does that with all his patients but still. When he was convinced at long last, Zayn stepped out of the man's office and headed out to where he parked his car.

Just as he got there however, he saw a ball flying round and hitting his car window. Thankfully, it didn't hit hard enough to break it but still. Zayn's lips parted slightly at the sight, his eyes dilating slightly.

That was when he heard the familiar voice screaming, and then, she appeared, running over to pick up the ball. She was still mumbling incoherent stuff to herself that she didn't Zayn walking over to her. After picking up the ball, she inspected the window make sure she did not break, releasing a sigh of relief when she didn't spot a single crack on it.

He leaned down on the car beside her, still going unnoticed by the said person. "You really do have a thing for hitting my car, don't you?" Zayn asked, folding his hands over his torso as he tilted his head to look at her.

She froze when she heard his voice, eyes clenching shut for a brief second as she mumbled stuff to herself before she looked up after much hesitation. She peeked an eye open, then other opened slowly too. "Zayn?"

"Hey Doctor" He offered her a small smile, "I see we've met again"