"I am sorry I didn't see you there". Steven said startled
His eyes narrowed at him, as he moves closer to his wife, "I asked you a question".
"I wasn't doing anything. It's been an hour since she slept so I was planning to wake her up". Steven lied
He knows he was lying which made the anger rise within him.
"Don't lie to me". He stood in front of his wife, "I know exactly how you were looking at her and I swear if I ever found you near her again, I will rip you apart".
"There is no reason to be violent". Steven laughed, "She is a free woman to do as she wants. We are doctors, we save people not hurt them".
He stepped closer to Steven knowing that this man was digging his grave the more he talks, "Let's get something clear here. This is my hospital and that is my wife. You threaten her comfort or mental health and I will not care that I am a doctor who saves lives. I promise if I found you being inappropriate to her or if she even so much so tells me anything about you that makes her uncomfortable I will make sure you feel worse than what you made her feel, you hear me?"
Steven chooses the wise option to leave. He grunted as the door shuts a little more forcefully and he turns immediately to check if she is awake. He release a breath when he realises that she is still asleep. The sun was shining over her through a small video and she look exceptionally beautiful. He tilts his head trying to understand why he suddenly have these urges inside of him.
He is or was famous for his calm exterior yet when it comes to her all bets are off. He becomes a wild animal in a seconds who can't be caged. He hate losing control, but, how is that he never minds when it comes to her. Losing control over or for her seems to brings a sense of belonging and longing. It's like they are attached by a thin thread that he can't see.
Since he bears the few interactions with his family in events. He had often heard Awais uncle speak about the red strings of faith. He wasn't the one who ever paid attention to the nonsense that comes out of all the men who are deeply in love with their wives. Most of them said a lot of things. Yet, now, most of them makes sense. Like Zafar uncle speaking about jealousy and possessiveness over his wife. It all starts to make sense.
He carries his wife through the hospital to his office room where he has a sofa with massager. He place her on it and starts the massager knowing she will love it. He can see when she relaxes and releases a sigh and somehow her comfort and the fact he was the one to provide her with it brings a sense of satisfaction.
He asked the nurses to brings all the next patients and hand over her urgent patients to him instead of waking her up.
She felt it when she woke up that something was wrong or something was going to be wrong. She woke up in his office which he has access to, only. It has fingerprint option outside of the room and no one is allowed in. He had left her a note saying that he will register his fingerprints when she is awake so she can sleep or rest here. This room is as equipped as the rest room and cafeteria.
She didn't want to overstay her visit so she starts to move out when her eyes fell on a picture on the desk. It was a family photo from when he was young. She takes the picture in her hand as she watches no smile on his face or any emotions just like how he is now. She frowns when she found that his younger self looks awfully familiar to someone. She had a feeling she had seen him somewhere. Since she had wiped away some of her past memories she couldn't tell who he is or where she had seen him. Her past comes to her in bits and pieces and mostly in her dreams even when she bears physically and emotional trauma from it.
She steps out of his office after freshing up in his bathroom. She takes charge as she starts her round only to find that he had already looked at all her priorities patients. Her stomach growled and she thinks about when was the last time she ate. She can't remember and it must be when she came into work at least 17 hours ago.
She sighs.
She looks at her watch and she knows she can't eat in few minutes without using more time. She already use her husband privilege while sleeping for so long. Just as she went to nurse station to get the files she needs the two female doctors who were with her husband came to her.
"Dr. Ehan said we will be accompanying you from now onwards". One of them said, "He is so handsome. I heard about him. I tried speaking to him and to get his attention but he has hyper focus".
Her hand clench on the top of her file hearing those words.
"I know right. Even when I ask something he just answer in one word. He seems to hate physical touch because when I accidentally touched him - and let me tell you his skin is so soft - he jumped a mile away from me".
She slammed the files on nurse station watching as everyone gasp around her with their eyes wide.
She felt a burning anger brimming inside of her as she imagine her husband in situations he shouldn't be in.
"You know Dr. Ehan is married?" She glare at the two doctors who nodded, "You have no shame in disturbing him? If you know he doesn't like to speak, then don't talk to him. If he hate touches, then don't touch him. If he is not promoting your advances - which you shouldn't have done knowing he is a married man - then you should have stepped back. Yet, here you are boosting about harassment. You do know we take harassment as a crime which can result to us suing you and taking your rights to perform upto an year?" She knows she was shouting, but, she was just so pissed, "If I see you talking, no, even looking at my husband the wrong way, I promise I will be the one taking care of it, do you hear me?"
The hospital was very quiet. She could hear her loud beating heart and heavy breathing.
"I asked you something". She snarled and the two doctors jumps at her words nodding, "Good. Now get back to work. I think you are already done accompanying doctors to be familiar with the hospital".
Just as they went away she turns to place her head on the desk.
"That was awesome". One of the nurse commented, "You did good".
She couldn't help the smile that appeared on her lips. She nodded when she heard the emergency patient coming in and she jumps back to her duties.
She was with one of her patients when the nurse came running inside the room.
"You need to come with me". The nurse said almost horrified
She thought something happened and in the next few minutes she was pushed around until she was locked in the compound that was made for the patients who came in with the disease that was spreading around the world. It all happened in a matter of minutes and she thought it was an eternity. She was locked away without anyone else in the room because the patient she treated who had the disease passed away before the results came back as positive.
She sat on the metal bed with her hand on either side as she tried to calm her breathing. She needs to think as a doctor which means she needs to be hooked with the machines and before that she needs to take her blood. One thing she hates the most is to treat herself.
The door opens and she turns to find one of the trainee doctor she had confrontation with standing there.
"What are you doing here?" She asked confused
"No one else wanted to come in so I volunteered".
"Does my husband know?"
"Yes".
She frowns because she was sure his actions would've been different if he knew. She wouldn't trust this woman words about her husband.
"He was busy with other important patients". She added
The doctor move her scrub to take the blood sample and instead of doing it gently she inserted it in painfully.
She hisses.
"Oh sorry. I didn't check the vein". The doctor said taking the needle out with a twist that cause more pain
She was sure she will have brusies now.
"Why can't I go in?" He was pissed, no, he was livid
He was out of a sugery when he heard what happened. He didn't even stop until he was right in front of the compound only to be stopped by the guards stationed there. He could hear how his heart was pounding, terrified of the outcomes. He had only briefly imagined himself in this place, and, he would take her place if he could even if he might not survive it. Yet, he physically felt the pain of her being alone in this compound.
He was terrified for her. He was scared for her.
He heard something fall and he immediately pushes away the guards entering the compound. He found the syringe on the floor and his wife glaring at the doctor.
"Get out". He shouted and he didn't need to know the doctor did something to kick her out, all he knows is that this woman upsets his wife
His wife turns to him and a what he saw almost broke him for the first time in years. She had tears in her eyes when she saw him. He can see the relief but the fear was there too. She starts to breakdown and he rushes towards her. Before he can move closer she shakes her head moving away from him.
"You can't touch me". She cried harder and he wanted nothing more but to disobey her, "Y-You might catch it too".
"Ziva". He whispers helplessly, "Please, baby".
He wanted to soothe her and he was desperate to make her feel ok.
"Don't cry, my love". He coaxed, "It's all ok. I am here. I promise everything will be ok".
She wipes her tears, "I am so scared".
He knows. Dammit. He knows. He was scared too.
"I know. I know you are so am I, baby. But, we will take one step at a time, ok? We will take your blood sample to test and then we will go ahead with whatever the results are. Could you hold onto me until then? Lean on me as much as you want. I won't leave you".
Tears filled her eyes, "I-I don't want to stay here". She screams, "I- I can't stay here, Ehan. I can't breathe. I can't".
He slammed his hand on the metal bed creating enough noise to startle her and stop her panic attack along with potentially hurting his hand.
"I know you are scared, baby. Just look at me. Focus on me. Can you do that? Can you only look at me and imagine a future with me. Somewhere it's only the two of us". She can, so she nodded, "Good. I will take your blood now". He said as he steps closer to do so only to stop when he was a bruise forming on her hand
It takes everything within him to control his anger. His body was shaking violently as he imagined how scared she was and how she was treated in this way after the whole thing.
"What do you think our future would be like?"
She looks thoughtful, "I don't know. I know I want something quiet. But, then again, I lived in such a chaos that normal might make me go insane".
"I will be there, baby. So, I won't let that happen".
It was actually hard to find her vein.
"Hmm. True. I am thinking about living in a bigger house where we build all the furniture".
"We?" He laughs
She smiles because she loves his laugh even when this was the first time she had heard it. She wanted to tell him how beautiful it sounded. Even when it was raspy and a little scratchy as if he hadn't used it before.
"Ok. Maybe just you". She smiles, "But, that will be a lot of furniture".
"The good thing is all my uncles are retired and only manage the main operations from time to time so they will all be happy to assist us".
"We won't be burdening them? They might get annoyed and angry for asking so much".
She said that so innocently that he had to think twice before replying to her. She had hinted to her past a couple of times now. Her nightmares and her words right now all seems to put him on edge.
"They will be happy, baby especially because they are helping in building our home. Just imagine and tell me exactly what you want".
"Can we have library full of anime books? All my favourite plus more. Maybe a big television in the middle with a sofa bed so we can also watch anime together?
"We can".
He dresses her wound while she silently thinks more. He took the sample and send them out. He came back sitting on the bed besides her.
"Do you have a favourite memory from your childhood?" He asked wanting to divert her attention somewhere else
"What do you mean?" She asked, confused
"You know something that you loved doing".
"I didn't do much in my childhood". She mumbles, "I liked stargazing".
"Why?"
"It takes the pain away".
His body stiffened.
"What?"
"You know why I hate this place?" Her breathing was heavy again, "Because I have lived in a similar place for years and I wouldn't want to go back there again".
"What place?"
"My father's basement. I lived there since I was three years old. Without any source or knowledge of the world outside". She turns to look at him and the haunted look that appears in her eyes almost slayed him, "Whenever my father used to hurt me, I would look at the stars because they took my pain away".