Saad's pov: 

"Who was trying to kill you?" Raising a brow, the officer inquired as the constable stood beside him with a pen and some papers, ready to write whatever I tell them. 

"Yes, please tell us, don't hesitate. No one will be able to harm you now. And please meet me in my cabin after this." The doctor patted my shoulder while giving me a nod before walking away, without even telling me anything about Atifa or ammi! 

"What if I don't want to file any complaint?" Glaring at the retreating figure of the doctor and folding my arms, I asked through gritted teeth. That guy was testing my patience. I was waiting for their reports for so long and when he came out, he wanted me to complain first? Was he crazy or what? 

"We are sorry sir but it is a police case, someone was shot and for that, a gun was used. Which could be illegal so we need to investigate. And we can't do that if you don't cooperate." Shaking his head in dejection, the officer replied. 

"What if it isn't actually illegal? Then?" Turning my gaze to look at him, I counter questioned with a raised brow. 

"We will first have to investigate to know that. Please cooperate and answer us." Looking at me suspiciously, he replied. 

"It is my mother-in-law's gun. And she was the one who accidentally shot her daughter while aiming at me." Squeezing my eyes shut in frustration, I ran a hand through my face before looking at them and replying reluctantly. 

"So it was an attempted murder. But why would she want to kill you, her own son in-law?" Pacing in front of me, he stated while nodding his head, looking intrigued. 

"No, it wasn't. She was just trying to scare me." Quickly defending her, I shook my head. I couldn't get her in any mess, not because of me. Especially when I knew that she wasn't like this. There was something wrong somewhere, and we had to find just that! 

"Why? If you are scared then please don't hesitate in telling us anything, we won't let anyone harm you." Quirking his brow, the officer inquired while finally stopping in front of me. I could hear Ali sighing in annoyance as he shook his head and leaned back on the bench. 

"I'm not scared or anything so I'm not lying. We were just teasing each other about something when she took out her gun to scare me, but my wife came in between us and she ended up shooting her somehow." Closing my eyes, I willed myself to lie. Honestly speaking, at first I actually thought that she was just kidding, so it wasn't entirely a lie. It just so turned out that she was being serious, and not just teasing me.  

"But it could be possible that she was actually trying to kill you because why else would someone actually pull the trigger of a gun." The officer concluded while nodding his head, looking deep in his thoughts. "By the way, where is that gun now? And your mother-in-law?" 

"I- I don't know. I don't remember anyone picking the gun up while coming here. Ya Allah, we must have left it there!" Realising we actually didn't pick up the gun while coming here, I ran a hand through my hair while starting to pace around in frustration. Now what were we supposed to do? And what if someone had already picked up the gun, what would we do then? 

"Where? The place where the incident took place?" Looking at me inquisitively, he inquired. 

"Yes. Oh God, I shouldn't have been so careless! Allah!" As these thoughts continued to roam around my mind, I felt like banging my head somewhere. 

"When did this incident take place, at what time?" Gesturing something to the constable, the officer asked me while taking a step towards me. 

"Around 2:30 pm." I mumbled as a searing headache shot through my head, making me more frustrated. 

"And where?" 

._._._. 

"I'm sorry, I know this might not be the time to say such a thing, but you will have to come with us to the place of the incident. We are going to try to find the weapon there and investigate." Coming to stand beside me after a while, the officer told me soberly. 

"Are you kidding me? How do you even expect me to go there with you when my wife and mother-in-law are admitted here and haven't even gained their consciousness yet?" Looking at him incredulously, I snapped. 

"I know, it might sound ridiculous but it's the matter of a weapon, which if gotten in the wrong hands, can lead to many deaths. So we will have to get there as soon as we can." Looking apologetic, he replied. 

Closing my eyes and heaving a long sigh, I paced around the corridor while running a hand through my hair. All this stress was going to make my hair turn white before my age. But that wasn't my main concern, not being able to stay here with them was. 

"Don't worry Saad. If it's necessary, I will go there with them. You should stay here and talk to the doctor." Ali interrupted, attempting to give me a small smile. 

"Were you there during the incident?" Turning to him, the officer raised a brow. 

"No but-" 

"Then I'm sorry, you won't be able to help us." Giving him a tight lipped smile, the officer replied apologetically. 

"I can try. I reached there soon after the incident took place." He suggested hopefully, giving me a side glance. 

"Okay but you still won't be able to help us identify the place where the incident took place and where the weapon could be." Sighing, the officer replied with a shake of his head, looking annoyed. 

"You can go with him if you want, but I'm sorry I won't be able to come with you. Now you can decide what you want to do." With a frown on my face, I replied in annoyance before glancing at Amira. Finding her still sleeping, I walked away from them, hoping to return before she woke up. 

Knocking on the doctors cabin, I entered the small white room, my anxiety at its peak. I could hear my own blood rushing through my veins, making me nervous. I didn't know what to expect but I was hoping for a positive response. Because honestly, I wasn't ready for any kind of bad news. I didn't know what I would do if something, anything happened to any of them. I didn't know what I would answer to Amira or to the other person. I didn't know how I would be able to live with that guilt. The guilt of being the reason behind their conditions. 

"Hello Mr. Saad. I was waiting for you. Please have a seat." Looking up from some file, the doctor said while closing the file, joining his hands and keeping them on the table. 

"Hello Doctor. May I know how my wife is now?" Sighing and shaking the negative thoughts away, I asked while taking a seat in front of him. 

"Her name is Atifa Ahmed, right?" Looking back at some files, he inquired. 

"Atifa Saad Ibrahim. Please tell me how is she?" Moving the chair closer to the table and keeping my hands on it, I asked him, desperation leaking into my voice. 

"She's doing better now. We were able to take out the bullet and stop the bleeding, although she had already lost a lot of blood. Since it's a bullet wound, there are chances of it being infected. She's out of danger for now, but we will be keeping her under monitor for the next twenty four hours to check her progress and avoid any symptoms of sepsis." Looking up at me, he replied while extending a file towards me. 

"Alhamdulillah." As soon as the doctor's words dawned on me, a relieved sigh escaped my lips as I muttered a string of words of gratitude under my breath for her and her safety. Grabbing the file from him, I opened it to find her reports in it. 

"And how- how is my mother-in-law?" Hesitantly, I looked up at him while asking about her, internally praying for her to be fine too. I couldn't lose her, at least not now, when everything seemed so messed up and confusing. 

"I was going through her reports just now. Since she was taking memantine and donepezil, we will have to monitor her until she gains back her consciousness before doing some tests. We can't say anything for sure now." Sighing, he replied soberly while opening the file in front of him again. 

"Memantine and donepezil? Sorry but what... What are these? Drugs?" Getting confused, I asked him while closing Atifa's reports and turning my attention back to him. 

"Not drugs, but medicines. It looks like she has been taking them for a while now. Don't you know about it?" Looking up at me in confusion, he inquired, uncertainty lurking in his voice. 

"No, I'm sorry. But what are these medicines for?" Baffled, I asked him as my heart beat picked up it's rate once again. What was happening here? 

"These are prescribed to Alzheimer or dementia patients and since she was taking them, it looks like she is suffering from Alzheimer. But we can't be sure about anything until we are done with the tests." Sighing, the doctor shook his head and looked down back at the reports before replying. 

"Oh… I- She will be alright, right?" Hesitantly, I asked him anxiously while playing with the corner of Atifa's reports. 

The news; it was too much to take in. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that the woman who once remembered memories of years ago could now be suffering from Alzheimer's. 

But it kind of made sense, if not about anything else then about whatever it is that happened today. It was possible that maybe she actually didn't remember me? Or anything that happened years ago. Maybe that was the reason why she was being like this today. Her behavior was starting to make sense and guilt was starting to get settled in my heart. 

Maybe Atifa knew about her mother's condition, that's why she was asking me to leave her? Maybe that's why she didn't trust ammi? Maybe that's why she was sure that ammi could do anything? 

"Hopefully. As I told you, we can't be sure about anything right now." The doctor's voice brought me out of my thoughts. 

"In Sha Allah. Can- can I know how long she has been taking these medicines for? Or suffering from Alzheimer? Or maybe any other detail about her medical condition?" Looking up at him, I inquired hopefully. 

"No I'm sorry, we can't know that either until she gains consciousness. It all depends on her and the test results." Extending another file towards me, he replied apologetically. 

"Oh… Okay thank you. Is there anything else?" Grabbing it from him and going through it, I asked him. They seemed to be ammi's blood test reports. 

"Nothing as of yet. But if we get to know anything else, we will surely let you know. And you can go meet your wife and mother-in-law now." 

"Thank you, I'll meet them in a while." Returning both the files back to him, I replied while giving him a tight lipped smile. I didn't know what to think or do anymore. I didn't know how to face Atifa or answer her about ammi anymore. I didn't know anything! I- my mind was blank and I was numb. 

Getting up and turning around, I walked out of the cabin, way too numb with the new revelation hanging on my head. Instead of walking to where Ali and Amira were sitting, I made my way to the prayer room in the hospital. I needed peace, my heart, my mind, everything needed peace, and I didn't know any other way or any better place than praying in the prayer room for a while and trying to clear my mind. 

 ._._._. 

Leaning my head back on the wall, I slid down as the stress finally bursted on me, weighing me down. With my shoulders sagging and tears rolling down my face, I wrapped my arms around my knees, thankful that the room was empty for I really needed some time alone. 

Keeping my head on my knees, a sob escaped my lips as I tightened my hold around myself. It was too much. It was too much to take in and to stay strong and pretend like everything was going to be okay when I wasn't even sure about it myself. It was too much to keep myself from snapping at others and keeping myself from breaking down in front of them. It was too much to pretend like a strong person when I knew what was going on through my mind at that time. It was too much to stay strong. It was too much to- it was too much! Everything was too much! I- I didn't even know how I was able to handle myself for so long. I didn't know… I didn't know anything!... 

I didn't even have it in me to question anyone or anything at that time. I just wanted them to be okay. To be fine. I just wanted them to stop hurting themselves first before others. 

Rubbing my arms, I stayed like that for a while, letting the shock wear off. It must have been shocking for Atifa too, right? And I wasn't even here with her at that moment. She must have needed someone to be there for her, to support her, right? And I don't think anyone was there for her, with her at that time. 

Ya Allah, how hurt must she have been? How would she have handled herself and Amira after this news? I couldn't even imagine their hurt or pain at that moment, let alone anything else. 

When did they even get to know about it?! Was she already suffering from Alzheimer when we got married? Or when they left? Did Atifa know about it? Was that the reason for them to leave? But it didn't make any sense. It didn't add up. 

Wiping my tears away and leaning my head back on the wall, I stood up, wanting to pray. For her and for ammi. They needed it now more than any other day or time. And it was time for maghrib already, people would start coming in anytime. 

Alhamdulillah. Alhamdulillah alhamdulillah alhamdulillah, that's all that left my lips as I kept my forehead on the ground and cried my heart out. I was relieved. I was happy. I was grateful. I was… 

Gratitude; that's what I felt at that moment. I couldn't describe it in words how thankful I was. For finally finding them. For them to be fine. For finally being here for her, for them. 

._._._. 

"Bhaijaan?…" 

"Huh? Y- yeah princess." Hearing Amira's sleepy voice beside me, I blinked my eyes, coming out of my thoughts and replied while turning to look at her. 

"Where are ammi and api? Are- are they okay?" With trembling and glistening orbs, she inquired hesitantly. 

"Yes princess, they are fine now alhamdulillah. I was waiting for you to wake up. Shall we go and meet them?" Attempting to give her a small smile, I replied gently while sitting straighter. 

"Yes, I want to be with api." Nodding her head and wiping her tears away, she replied. 

"Okay. But don't you want to meet ammi first?" Confused, I asked her with a raised brow. Was she avoiding meeting ammi? But why? Was it, by any chance, because of today's incident? 

"She- No. She's fine, haina?" Looking up at me, she asked hopefully. 

(Right?) 

"Yes. But we should still meet ammi first, she must be waiting for you." Smiling slightly, I suggested softly. 

"I want to meet api." Shaking her head, she insisted. 

"But-" 

"Can we please go and see api?" Looking away from me, she whispered, sounding breathless.  

"Okay." Taking a deep breath, I replied, not wanting to hurt her or force her for anything. Hopefully she will go and see ammi with Atifa. Maybe she wasn't feeling strong enough to face ammi alone? I had wondered. 

"Saad!" Just as we stood up, Ali rushed towards us and bent down while keeping his hands on his knees, huffing. 

"Yeah?" Perplexed at his behavior, I replied hesitantly. What could be so… important? Shocking, perhaps? 

"Thank God you are still here!... We- we didn't find the gun there,... near the car..." He huffed while holding his stomach and trying to stand straight, scowling, most probably at the abdominal pain which one gets after running too much. And who even told him to run, couldn't he just walk like a normal person? Was this news that exciting for him that he couldn't contain his excitement? 

"What?!" Shaking away my useless thought, I exclaimed while getting worried. Running a hand through my hair, I looked away from him, trying to think if there could be any other place where the gun could have been left. 

"He is right Mr. Ibrahim. We didn't find anything near the car. In fact, we even checked the car but couldn't find anything in it. Could you be, by any chance, mistaken about the car?" The officer joined us and inquired while raising a suspicious brow. "Or are you trying to save your mother-in-law?" 

"No, I'm sure. I- I'm sure it was the same car. I- We were standing opposite to it and ya Allah, where could it have gone?!" Ignoring his last statement and running a hand through my face, I muttered, feeling stressed. I didn't remember anyone coming in the street, let alone near the car! Then where could it have even gone?! Ya Allah, I just hoped that it wouldn't have gone in wrong hands. We- I- No one should get hurt because of us. 

"Please think about it and let us know. We are just as worried as you. We will be going now but let us know if you remember anything else." 

"Sure." I muttered absentmindedly as my mind riled up while thinking about all the places the gun could have gone to, or have been left by ammi. 

"There will be a few guards around here, but still, take care." Patting my shoulder once, he informed me before walking away. 

"We will, thank you." I mumbled before turning to Ali. "You guys actually didn't find anything there?" 

"Haa yaar. Pura area chaan maara lekin hame kuch nahi mila." Sounding annoyed, he replied with a scowl on his face. 

(Yeah man. We searched the whole place but couldn't find anything.) 

"Accha…" 

(I see...) 

Before he could say anything else, a call disrupted our thinking process, making him give me an annoyed look before answering the call and walking away. By the look on his face, I could guess that it would have been Mehta Sir, most probably calling to ask him about this sudden change of our plans. 

"Bhaijaan…" 

"Yes princess." Sighing, I turned my attention back to the girl beside me. 

"Were they… talking about ammi's gun?" Looking up at me through her lashes, she asked me hesitantly. 

"Yeah. But you shouldn't worry about anything, no one will take ammi anywhere." Giving her a small smile, I replied. 

"No- I- Uh…" 

"Kya hua? Why are you scared, ab to sab theek haina alhamdulillah?" Frowning, I asked her while bending down and tucking a few wisps of hair behind her ear. 

(What happened? Why are you scared, everything is fine now, right?) 

"Wo… I picked up ammi's gun and kept it back in our house before we came here…" Stealing a glance at me before looking back down again quickly, she mumbled quietly while playing with her fingers. 

(That…) 

"Huh? What?! When did you do that? And- and why?" My frown deepened as I asked her, getting confused. 

"I- I was scared…" 

"Ya Allah! You should have at least asked me! God! What am I supposed to do now!?" Standing up, I muttered in annoyance while running a hand through my hair. 

"S- sorry…" 

"I- it's okay. Let's go see your api, I will see what we can do." Closing my eyes and exhaling loudly, I replied while giving her my hand. 

"But still… I- I'm sorry… I shouldn't have done that. T- they won't take ammi away, right?" She murmured with a trembling voice while looking up at me with her big hopeful eyes, making me look away. 

"It's okay Amira, no one will take her anywhere. Let's go and see your api now, okay?" Looking back at her after calming down, I replied softly. She was just a kid, and she was scared. Her actions were understandable, but I didn't know how to explain that to the officer now. 

Nodding her head, she held my hand as we made our way towards Atifa's room, my mind jumbled up with another flurry of thoughts and questions. 

Just as we entered the room, the nurse turned to look at us before passing us a small smile and turning back to the notepad in her hand. 

My gaze landed behind her, on Atifa, only to leave me breathless. With an oxygen mask on her face, wires attached to her hands and her body looking pale in that blue patient's gown, she looked… She looked so lifeless. 

A tear rolled down my face, making me look away from her as I wiped a finger under my eye. This was all happening because of me, wasn't it? I should have just listened to Atifa and left her hand when she had asked me to. But no, I didn't listen to her! 

Leaving my hand, Amira rushed towards Atifa, tears streaming down her face as she held her hand and rubbed it while whispering quietly. "Api…" 

"She should be up in a while, hopefully. Call us if there is anything." Turning around, the nurse told me with a small smile before making her way towards the door. 

"Has she woken up yet?" Moving aside, I asked her in a hushed voice, afraid of disturbing her slumber. 

"No, she is under medication." Stopping by the door, she replied before nodding her head and walking out, giving us privacy. 

Thankfully the room had only one bed, which meant that there was no one besides Atifa here, giving us enough privacy to talk about our matters. But since she was still unconscious, I had to wait until tomorrow to talk to her about anything. And I didn't think it would have been a good idea to discuss ammi's case with her just as she woke up, it would just cause her stress, and I didn't want that. At all. 

Moving closer to them, I made Amira sit on the chair beside her bed before wiping her tears away. "Your api is fine now alhamdulillah, see. So don't cry because your api wouldn't like to see you cry, haina?" 

(Right?) 

Nodding her head, she hastily wiped her tears away before holding Atifa's hand once again. "Jazak Allahu Khairan bhaijaan. For saving them and for being here for us." She croaked out before trying to clear her throat as a small smile broke on my lips. Ruffling her hair, I turned to look at Atifa, my smile disappearing just at her weak sight. I didn't deserve her thanks because I was the reason for their current condition… 

Running a hand through her face lightly, I tucked away the few strands of hair on her cheeks before giving her a weak smile, although she couldn't see it. "Get well soon Atifa." A broken whisper left my lips as I looked away from her to blink my tears away. It was undoubtedly going to be a long, sleepless night.

._._._. 

• What will happen now?

._._._.