The Price of Pride

Chapter 2

"This is the last thing I need," she mutters to herself as she limps to the bathroom, trying to ignore the edges of darkness attempting to creep into her vision. She gets about halfway to her destination before she realizes she isn't going to make it. Her body starts swaying and it's a struggle to keep her eyes open. She barely has enough time to make out the figure approaching her before she loses the battle completely and the darkness finally takes her under.

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"Reyhan?"

Emir makes a running dive and manages to catch her as she faints. His heart stops at the sight of her unconscious body in his arms. What's happened to her in just a few days? Her skin is so pale that it's almost translucent. It makes the dark circles under her eyes stand out all the more. He brushes her hair out of her face and notices how hot her skin is. He presses his lips to her forehead just to be sure.

"Fever," he mutters to himself before carefully lifting her up into his arms. She's burning up and she's collapsed. This isn't good. He realizes he has to get her to a hospital.

"Hold on, Sweetheart. I'm going to get you some help."

He yells for Sefer to start the car. There's no time to wait for an ambulance. He has to get her to the hospital immediately.

"Oğlum? Kızım? What's going on?" Melike asks, running into the room at the sound of Emir's shouts. She stops abruptly, in shock at seeing an unconscious Reyhan in his arms. "What's happened to her?"

"I don't know. She just passed out as soon as I walked into the room," he explains as he races towards the door."Was she like this earlier? How long has she been sick?"

"I don't know," Melike shrugs. She falls in step right alongside Emir, taking one of Reyhan's hands in hers. "She's so warm! When did she get this fever? She's been closed up in the room for the past few days. She hasn't left the bed much. I should have checked on her sooner."

Emir can't help but think the same thing. This is all his fault. He let his pride keep him away from her and now she's paying the price.

"Emir? What's happened?"

A panicked Suna meets them at the door. Emir doesn't have time to explain. He just tells her that Reyhan is sick and that he's taking her to the hospital. After promising to keep her updated on their status, he runs to the car Sefer has pulled around.

"Hang on," he whispers to Reyhan. "You are not leaving me. I won't let you."

His heart pounding in fear, a small part of him wonders just when Reyhan became so important to him. He has no answer. Just like he has no answer to the question of what he would do without her. If he had only figured this out four days ago, then Reyhan wouldn't be in the situation she's in right now.

But she's alive, he reminds himself. As long as she's breathing, there's hope. He'll be able to make it up to her. And if she ever forgives him, he has no plans of losing her. Not now that he realizes how much he lo-....

He has to stop that train of thought. He's not ready to admit what his heart has known almost since the moment he first met her. He'll just admit that he cares more about her than everyone realizes. A lot more. And the thought of losing her terrifies him.

When they get to the hospital, Reyhan is immediately taken for an initial examination. After what seems like forever, a doctor comes out to speak with Emir and Melike.

"Our first priority was the fever and getting it down," the doctor starts. "We've started her on some intravenous fluids and medication to lower her temperature and to help with her dehydration. But the temperature is an indication of some sort of infection. We found infected cuts on her feet. Has she been to the beach recently? We found sand in the cuts."