It was the last month of the calendar year, but the first month of a new journey of their life.

December was bringing winter gala time for everyone, but in two lives it was starting of autumn

Autumn... The season of fall...

Autumn... In which the day length decreases and night length increases...

Autumn... What took away the fragrance of bloomed flowers and left them lifeless behind...

The unpredictable wheel of life took an unexpected turn which flings Sara on the hospital bed in an unconscious state. On the other side, Adnaan was sitting outside the room of the emergency ward of the hospital clutching his hair in both fists. It was a hard time for him, Sara wasn't a negligible member of his life, now she had become inextricable just like Lock and key or Bow and arrow, incomplete without each other.

It has been a while in the same tense state when the silence of that lobby was broken by the cracky sound of the door, which was pushed open by a doctor who stepped ahead while gently pulling down the greenish-blue mask from his face.

"Doctor, my wife" Adnaan stood up and The grey-headed doctor hummed "She is better now, we are shifting her to ward, you come to my cabin" Adnaan just nodded while looking towards the door of the room, then moved after the doctor to the discussion about Sara's situation.

"Doctor, how is she? And what happened to her?" Adnaan's questioned with restless feelings flooding inside his heart.

"She was fainted because of hypertension. Her blood pressure is way too high according to her age and weight. Maybe it's due to some lifestyle changes or anxiety." Adnaan was shocked after listening to that, Sara was looking completely fine and unaffected from outside but she was stopping herself from a breakdown in a front of everyone, specially Adnaan.

"She is fine now, isn't she?" Adnaan asked in a hushed tone

"Hmm... Better but it could be dangerous for her. Does she have a problem with hypertension or fainting like this? Or any other medical problem?" The Doctor asked and Adnaan think for a minute then shook his head slowly

"She is absolutely fine, it's the first time that she passed out like this." Adnaan replied but he suddenly remembered one incident "But she was depressed some years back due to her father's death, at that time she fainted once or twice." Placing the fact in front of doctor Adnaan wait for his replied and the old doctor wrote down something on a white paper, in his messy handwriting

"Does she have some stress nowadays?" Adnaan was silent on that question but then nodded slowly.

"Dispute between husband and wife..." the old man mumbled under his breath with disappointment while writing down some medicines on the paper

"Take care of her, don't let her do any physical work for some days, it could increase her BP again." Adnaan nodded and the doctor discusses some more things with him related to her diet and medicines.

"When she'll be discharged?"

"Tomorrow morning " Adnaan nodded to the doctor's answer and thanked him formally before leaving the cabin. Marching towards the ward where Sara was shifted.

He looked upon her still unconscious physique with exceeding tenderness, he was realising about his love, which was as deep as the ocean but as silent as grave.

"Jangli Billi" he whispered near her face and kissed her forehead and silently sat down on the chair placed next to her bed. "I'm missing our arguments" He grabbed her hand in his, continuously lightly caressing the back of her palm with his thumb, 

"I love you yaar, though I wanted to hate you, I'm unable to hate you anymore, I love you so much" He whispered in her ear, but she was sleeping due to the medicine injected in her body, so unable to listen or respond.

=============

"Carefully" Adnaan held Sara's hand when she hops out of the car and moved towards the lift "I'm fine, I do not need your support or sympathy," Jerking his hand she said rudely but Adnaan choose to stay silent and they both walked in the lift before Sara could press the button to go her desired level Adnaan pressed '5' and Sara looked away.

Adnaan's feelings were wounded badly due to her rude behaviour, But instead of making his complaint list in front of her, he stays silent. After going back home the first work he did was filling the bathtub and prepared a warm bubble bath for Sara. Though she was angry so didn't want to take his favour she listens to her body which needed that relaxing bath right then.

"I've hung your clothes and towel too" Adnaan informed her and Sara stepped into the bathroom. Freeing herself from the clothes she was wearing for 24 hours, she slipped into the bathtub.

The aroma of Refreshing Jasmine along with the warmth of water relaxed her muscles. Spreading her legs wholly she rests her back and closed her eyes to feel the ultimate relaxation she could get from that bubble bath. But unfortunately, her heart wasn't at peace.

Her heart was putting up only one question 'What flaws do I and my love have, that Adnaan still cheating on me?'

This question was bringing tears in her eyes and silent gashes in her heart.

"Oooo Jangli Billi, I don't like a single quality about you, it's my bad luck to get you as my wife otherwise I deserve much better than you" Sara remembered Adnaan's playful assertion and cried out with tears. That wasn't a joke, but the testimony of his heart. Sara thought and cried more than before. A share ache again clasped her head and sobs filled the dull environment of the bathroom.

"I hate you Adnaan... I hate you" She sobbed while closing her eyes and soon she was consumed by slumber due to the aftereffect of medicines.

On the other hand, he set the bed and started preparing something light and tasty for Sara. Being clumsy in cooking he took a whole hour in making tomato soup and to adds his touch he put a handful of sweet corn knowing that Sara likes them. But suddenly a horrible thought invaded his heart when he realised that she was in the bathroom for almost an hour.

"Sara" Adnaan banged the door of the bathroom to get her attention but she was sleeping in the bathtub. "Sara~" this time he yelled which awake Sara and she looked here there to realised her situation. "Sara are you fine? open the door" He shouted with the feeling that Sara was again unconscious but Sara ignored him.

"Sara..." This time Adnaan call her by twisting the knob of the already locked door; indicating to Sara that he was about to open the door.

"I'm coming" She yelled giving relaxation to Adnaan. After some five minutes, Sara stepped out of the bathroom and the first work she did was nothing else but showing up an angry look words husband who was standing near the bed with a tray of food.

He was silent, so was his fondness towards her.

Sara had often noticed his love but sometimes words are the bricks that must be needed to make a bridge from one heart to another, which Adnaan never bother to build.

"Sara that you are so clever, still you're not understanding Mansi's intrigue, I swear I am not lying, that was only her plan to create misunderstandings between us and she is successful in that" Adnaan pleaded one more time but Sara looked away perhaps she wanted to believe on his every word but there was a doubt, dismay as well as a secret fear which was a stopping her to do so. Ignoring him completely she sat in the bed, she was about to pull the blanket on her legs when Adnaan made his place beside her, placing the tray of food on his lap he lifts a spoonful of soup to her mouth but in return for his love, he got a gaze full of wrath.

"Please Yaar, you've to have it" He bade "Get lost, I don't want to witness you in front of my eyes" Adnaan sighed before placing down the spoonful of soup and put the tray on the nightstand.

"Today I need an answer," He asked straight forward looking into her eyes.

"You are not worth questioning me" That was the rudest reply she could give.

"Do you love me?" Even after the rude reply, He asked politely but she looked away "No I don't" Adnaan passed a half-smile, he was aware of Sara's emotions for himself.

"Look here, see in my eyes then say this" On his demand, Sara glare at him with anger and breathing out a loud sigh. "Can't you hear? I don't love you!" Yelling that she again looked away and masked an arrogant expression, but only she knew how she was controlling the clouds of her eyes which were ready to shower the fresh crystal-like drops of tears. Only she knew about the precious treasure of Adnaan's love she was hiding in between the dull walls of her heart.

"Sara" That's the smallest whisper one could do but enough influential to forced her to look upon him, their gazes met making her heart skipped over a beat and his lips covered by a sad smile. "Yes you do, I know you do." Holding her face in between his both hands he pressed his words and Sara left out a sob, which she was trying to suppress for a long time

"Y... Yes I do love you, but you don't" She broke down in tears while muttering what she was concealing. Adnaan sighed with relief feeling that at least she confessed her feelings. Running his tongue on his dry lips he slightly wet them before passing a shot smile to her "And why do you feel I don't?" He muttered cupping her face firmly, his palms were resting on her cheekbones and his fingers were entangled with her curly hair.

"I... I know you don't" She muttered before crying silently but with hiccups.

"I love you," He whispered with a weak smile but Sara moves her head left and right "No you don't, you're still involved in a relationship with Mansi and playing with my emotions" She Sobbed and tried to push his hands away from her face, but Adnaan was much more powerful than her.

"Jangli Billi you're the only woman in my life, there's no place for Mansi or any other woman," Adnaan mumbled and Sara's love stopped her to disbelieve in him anymore.

She couldn't find any reason to distrust him, their love was so pure and simple which understand the honesty of each other's words. "Sach bol rahe ho?" She muttered but a sob hopped out from her parted lips.

(Really?)

Adnaan smiled lightly while resting his forehead in hers, for a sec he closes his eyes and feels Sara crying with hiccups. "I don't need anyone to make my life harder only you're enough to make my life hell" He laughed lightly Sara glare at him suppressing her sobs, Adnaan smiled and added in a whisper, "and I'm happy with it."

Poor Sara was in mixed emotions Adnaan's confession was making her happy to lead the way of tears of joy in her eyes but the thought of Adnaan's deceiving was making her weak.

Sara was sobbing silently feeling his gaze on her face and forehead on her forehead. "I love you Jangli billi" with that whisper she opens her eyes and smiled but two tears slipped out of her eyes as her heart flicks "Pehle kyu nahi bataya? But I love you too Bandar" both Smiled but Sara sobbed one more time.

(Why didn't you confessed earlier?)

"Tu sar pe naachne lag jati na" Adnaan laughed lightly still resting his forehead on hers and cupping her face. Sara titter and a tear slip from her eyes.

(You'd start behaving bossy)

"I'll do that yet too" she smiled with tears

"As if I'll tolerate" he laughed and Sara also chuckled silently, this time she only sniffed, no tears come out from her eyes. They both keep watching in each other's eyes. Unexpectedly Sara's heart skipped a beat when Adnaan deliberately captured her lower lip in between his parted lips and suck that gently, Sara gasped loudly completely startled by his sudden act but closed her eyes, feeling the tender lips of Adnaan, lifting her hand in the air she cupped his face to answer the series of pecks on the lips with the same affection; making him wilder with every passing moment. After savouring the flavour of subtle as well as crazy love, which last long until they both were inhaling with open mouths; Adnaan opens his arms and Sara hugged him tightly. For a long time, they both only feel each other's warmth in their arms and Adnaan was the first to break the hug.

"Now have lunch, I have cook for you with my hands," he whispered placing his chin in her head but she shook her head. "I'm not hungry" She muttered on his chest "Eat a few bites" He demanded. "Not a single bite" without breaking the hug she muttered and Adnaan kissed her head, his one arm hold her properly and another hand stroke her head, his act was full of love.

"Want a head massage?" He asked as he knew Sara always suffer from headaches after crying.

"Nah... Feeling good just like this" enveloping her arms around his torso she whispered, and Adnaan smiled.

"Get sleep" Fasting his arms around her he whispered back and lay down straight, Sara also adjusted herself and soon she was slumbering in her lover's arms.

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_Naaz Jamal