Untangling the Web

Chapter 26

"Emir?" she calls out, quickly getting to her feet and standing over him. "Emir! Emir!"

She calls to him over and over until the noise she's making brings in the nurse.

"He's waking up," Reyhan tells her excitedly.

The nurse looks him over and can see no signs of activity aside from an increased heart rate. But she goes to get the doctor anyway. Just when she leaves, Emir blinks open his eyes, meeting Reyhan's. She's crying and kissing his hand when the doctor comes in.

"Emir bey. Welcome back," the doctor says, surprise evident in his voice. Each day that passed without him waking up made it that much more unlikely he ever would recover. But it would seem that he has defied the odds. "Let's take a look at you, shall we?"

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Emir doesn't take his eyes off of Reyhan the whole time. He can see that she's been through a lot. Once the doctor is done examining him and he's alone with Reyhan, he reaches a hand out to her. She eagerly comes to his side, laying her head on his hand. He can feel her hot tears on his skin.

"I was so scared I'd lose you," she cries.

The sound breaks his heart.

"Never," he promises. I'd never leave you. Not as long as you're by my side."

"Always," she promises in return, finally lifting her head to see the sight she's been praying for for days.

"How long?" he asks, wondering how long it's been.

"The longest nine days of my life," she admits. "But I haven't been alone. Everyone has stopped by to see you. Kemal, Narin, Zeynep, Suna, Zafer. Even Sefer and Nigar. At least one of them has been here with me at all times."

He frowns, not hearing one name.

"Annem?"

She sighs and he isn't sure he's going to like what she has to say.

"She's fine. You pushed her out of the way before she could be shot. You took the bullet instead," Reyhan explains. "But she was arrested shortly after your surgery. They all have been arrested. Your mother. Talaz. Cemre."

He just nods. They expected that would happen. But it still hurts that it had to come down to this. But looking up at Reyhan, he realizes how lucky he is she's there with him. Despite what his mother tried to do, she couldn't separate them.

"Come here," he says, easing over in the bed to make room for her. "I need to hold you."

She protests for a second, but just smiles and climbs into bed with him. Having her in his arms is just the medicine he needs. He drifts off to a peaceful sleep, this time the darkness filled with light and hope as he holds his whole world in his arms. She's proof that with her, he can survive anything.

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Kemal and Narin come in later and find the two still sleeping on the bed. But when they step closer, they see that Emir is awake and just watching his wife as if she's the most precious thing in the world.

"She must be exhausted," he whispers, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"She's been with you the whole time," Narin explains. "I barely managed to get her to leave your room. But I threatened to tell her OB/GYN on her and we managed to get her to take short breaks."

When Emir finally looks up at his new visitors, he's stunned to see Narin in her hospital coat.

"What have I missed?" he asks with some shock and some amusement. "You're a doctor now? Reyhan said it's only been nine days."