Salam and hello everyone!

HAPPY NEW YEAR dear readers

I wish this upcoming year will bring dozens of joy for all of you. Be safe from the evil and thankful for the blessings

~*~

Unedited.

"How long will you shut yourself away? Go for a holiday with Kanwal before she runs away considering you a lunatic." Moosa said taking a small sip from the coffee.

"You are one to talk." Ahad smirked.

"I think my wife has already accepted it." He answered in a satisfied tone.

Moosa came to visit him out of the blue, Ahad was surprised at his sudden arrival. He knew that it has been almost a week that he didn't leave the house and his work was on hold but he wasn't able to school up himself to get up again. The emptiness he felt within was making him unable to focus on anything for too long. He even distanced himself from Kanwal too and when she tried to inquire him, he avoids answering her.

Is it as Moosa said that day, I was just an avenger!

This thought surfaced up in his mind repeatedly, making him even more irritated.

"Listen, Ahad. You are needed by the end of this month. While I will be out of the city, you will be working as in-charge of Black Eagles and for quite some time. Including the matters related to Shahina, Noor, and Yawar."

"Are you referring to the meetings regarding the group named Jehal?" Ahad narrowed his eyes.

"Yes."

"And if I am not mistaken, the people you are going to meet is the local drug smugglers of a few remote areas?"

"Yes."

"It is a wise decision to shake hands with them?"

"We don't have any other choice. That particular place is disputed territory, where power is the law and they have the power. We don't have government support from backdoor channels in that area, therefore the only choice remain is to work with them. Otherwise, it can be the next base after Jehal will be chased out of the other places."

"Do you think that the people of Jehal will let you meet them?"

"Of course not. But it is a risk we have to take."

"Moosa, it's too dangerous."

"I know, but like I said before. We don't have any other choice. I don't want our efforts to in vain."

Ahad's mind was analyzing all the situation and was not convinced by the idea. There was a high chance that Jehal would make any move and the people Moosa is going to meet didn't possess any intelligence network. Means they will be relying on Black Eagles' information. A little miscalculation can be the result of huge destruction. Even the lives of participants will also be on stake.

"Moosa, let someone else take care of it. It is too risky for you to go there."

"No, Ahad. We cannot afford this dialogue to be failed. Furthermore, I will be going with full preparation to set up small camps with there coordination. If everything went well then I will be staying there until we complete our mission and in that period of time, I want you to take full control of here. Sarmad's team and Yawar are ordered to report everything to you. But I will prefer if Yawar will be kept away from these things, his exams are near."

"You think too much Moosa."

"Moosa smiled, "I told you before, they are not my subordinates. They are my family." Moosa smiled and stood up, "Its include you too. So I don't want you to stress over something that is already a part of the past. I don't understand your emotions right now. No one can, but you have a responsibility of Kanwal on your shoulders. How can you afford to make her worry?"

"Even if she was worried, she didn't approach me."

"She didn't try to ask you anything?"

"...She did." Ahad said thoughtfully.

"And what was your answer?" Ahad remained silent on that.

" If you keep brushing her off then her hesitation is justified. If I wasn't sure of a positive response from you, I would also think thrice before coming to you. Besides you guys just got married and the story behind your marriage isn't very pleasant."

"learn to be more gentle with your words, Moosa." Ahad sighed.

"Will definitely learn from you later."

"Oh? Moosa Khan is willing to change himself." Ahad smirked.

"Things changed when you let someone into your life. Well, I will take my leave now."

Ahad also got up to escort him to the door.

"Thank you for coming."

"That's what are friends for." Said Moosa patting his shoulder and slid inside the car.

Allah Hafiz."

"Allah Hafiz." Ahad nodded.

Friends...

~*~

"Do you know how it is to live in limbo?" Ahad crouched down to Arsalan's grave and dusted the withered flower petals. "Ask me, if you don't. How it feels to be stuck in a place where you are hesitant to move forward and have no option of going back. Why you aren't here to help me out? Do you see how I messed up my life? My parents left me, I can't see my brother anymore and even Kanwal is unhappy with me... Listen yar, why don't you visit me someday and give me a piece of advice?" He stared at the name on the gravestone for a while, as if he was waiting for a response.

But it didn't come, it was never meant to come.

He let out an audible sigh and stood up after putting fresh flowers on the grave and praying for him but didn't leave instantly. He found peace in this place, like being in Arsalan's home. Foolish deed it may call but Ahad has become habitual to spend hours here and voice it up all whatever he had on his mind. He knew that Arsalan wasn't listening, nor he will be able to answer him, it was just a gesture for him to believe that he hasn't forgotten to share his thoughts with his best friend.

"Listen yar, would you forgive me if I told you that I killed the people who took you away from us? I know Auntie would never, she told me not to do anything like taking the revenge and even warned me that if I did such thing, she would never talk to me. I have disobeyed her, I disobeyed a mother, would you tell her to forgive me?"

"Ahad Bhai." Ahad's guard called out for him.

"Hm? What is it?"

"Moosa Bhai needs you at the Main base."

"Coming." Ahad turned on his heels after glancing at the gravestone once again.

I haven't told you Arsalan. This guy, named Moosa, he called me a friend... am I qualified to be a friend???

~*~

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere away from home." Ahad looked up from his phone and answered.

Ahad came to home just before dinner and announced to pack the bag they are leaving the city. But he didn't tell her their destination and after that unclear answer of Ahad, Kanwal didn't bother to ask again. Willingly or not, she has become acquainted with his traits, if it was something he wanted to keep hidden, he always beat about the bush.

"Oh! in case you are hungry, you can eat. Or wait until we land." Said Ahad turning his attention to the phone.

"Are we about to reach?"

"Yes, soon."

"Are we going to the capital city?" Ahad head snapped right up but he remained silent.

"What?" She asked when his gaze kept on Kanwal for quite some time.

"You were eavesdropping on my conversation with Moosa. Right?"

"No. Why would I do it?"

Ignoring her denial Ahad said in a calm tone, "I don't mind it though but next time, be more careful. I don't want you to be caught red-handed. It would be embarrassing."

"I wasn't caught." Kanwal blurted out.

Ahad chuckled leaning back on his seat and closed his eyes. Silence hung between them for quite sometime before Ahad speak again.

"Once we become familiar with the suffering of losing our loved ones, we fear to open up ourselves to others. It's human nature. The instinct of protecting themselves from misery, people built walls around them. To put it simply, the fear of losing someone, force them not to let anyone in. Should a person be hated for this?"

Kanwal stared at Ahad as he threw the question in the last. He didn't open his eyes, like if he wanted to avoid the expression on his wife's face as he confessed his problem.

"This emotion, called grief is unknown to me. Yet, I think it is not something people get over with. The path of grief is lonesome, no one can walk with you on it or understand it. Still, I believe, the person should know that the people who left will never come back and the people who are here will not live forever."

"I see, thank you for the answer and thank you for being here." Ahad whispered and once again both gone quite.

~*~

After arriving at the capital city Ahad announced that they will be attending his employee's wedding and later he dragged Kanwal to shopping. It was a pleasant surprise for Kanwal that her husband was considerate enough to attend the wedding for his employee. Therefore, she didn't complain about anything. But soon she realized that it was a bad decision of coming shopping with him. As he kept finding faults in every dress Kanwal chose. In the end, she gave up and asked him to select a dress for her, which he gladly did.

During the lunch, Ahad told Kanwal about Shakeel, who was his personal assistant in Dubai and came here to get married because the bride's family live here. For Ahad, he was more than just an employee, since he was always there for him when he felt homesick and want to hang out with someone.

Kanwal listened to everything Ahad told about his days in Dubai and then she began to realize how difficult it was for him to cope up with the challenges. Unlike her, she had no family or friends to support him. He struggled all that time alone but for what reason? She doesn't know. There were times when she felt that Ayan was right, he might have a strong reason to join Black Eagles.

The time they were apart, he went through a phase where he was alone, seeking and longing for his loved ones. This thought and Ahad's excitement softened Kanwal's heart and she silently went with the flow.

Kanwal stole a glance of Ahad who was fixing his tie standing before the mirror., looking handsome as ever. She lowered her gaze to her dress thinking did she match his standards or not.

Why I am being so self-conscious???

She got irritated on herself.

"Is something wrong?" Asked Ahad coming over to her.

"Han? Oh, nothing. It's just, this bracelet... I am unable to lock it." Kanwal startled for a moment.

"Let me see." He took it from her hand and tried to tie it around her wrist.

"Leave it, I will wear something else." Said Kanwal after a few minutes when Ahad failed once again. But he didn't pay any heed and kept trying.

"We will get late."

"It is my employee wedding, not yours. It will be no problem if we got late."

"But why should we waste time when I have the option of another bracelet."

"I bought this bracelet, especially for this dress. You aren't wearing anything else."

"Fine, then let me do it."

"No, I will do it."

With an audible sighed, Kanwal gave up. After the struggling of three to four minutes, Ahad managed to lock it and raised his head with a victorious smile.

"Thank you, now shall we go."

"Of course, as you say, my lady." Ahad grabbed her hand and start leading her to the door.

By the time they reached the car, his fingers were intervened with Kanwal's and a small smile was playing on his lips. Kanwal didn't see this smile for quite some time, she knew something happened a week before and since then he was upset. He shut himself away, he was not going to work, in fact, he was not leaving the house at all. If he was in the mood, he would answer the calls, otherwise, his phone kept ringing all day long. Perhaps, it was Moosa's small talk with him that brought him out of the situation. Kanwal was happy, getting back the old Ahad and with the same confident look and the satisfied smile, he usually had.

__________________________________

Hope you have enjoyed the chapter. Next update will be in this month (INSHALLAH) no long waiting.

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