A/N: next chapter up. Note Zainab's lack of reaction. There's a point to that which will be revealed in a later chapter

Chapter Three

Don't you cry tonight
I still love you baby
Don't you cry tonight
Don't you cry tonight
There's a heaven above you baby
And don't you cry tonight

They sounded happy; that was the first thing he noticed when his parents walked through the door. He was about to ruin this happiness with what he was about to tell them. He clutched the edge of the sink and took a deep breath to push the sudden wave of nausea that engulfed him before steeling himself and leaving the relative safety of the kitchen to face his parents.

They had already seen that Amira was crying but she had not told them the reason why. That pleasure was completely up to him.

"What's wrong?" They asked, sitting down on the sofa beside her, one on each side. Amira didn't answer though, she was too busy crying. Masood put his arms around her and pulled her into a hug; acting like the father he had become to her.

"Mum, Dad," Syed greeted them as he walked nervously into the living room. It was the moment of truth; there was no going back now.

"What's going on?" Masood asked Syed, looking very concerned for Amira.

"I have something to tell you all," Syed told them and looked at his mother. For the first time since the wedding she looked directly into his eyes and saw the pain and anguish in his face. She knew exactly what he was going to tell them. And she was desperate for him to keep that particular secret to himself.

"Syed... don't" she pleaded quietly; so quiet that Syed struggled to hear her.

"I have to," Syed said by way of an apology; there was no way he was going to turn back now. "I have to tell you all this."

"Tell us what?" Masood asked; feeling extremely concerned now.

"I've been hiding something from you all and I tried my hardest to deny it but now I realise that I can't any longer. I am really sort for the hurt and shame but I can't live my life as a lie. Please forgive me."

"What are you talking about?"

Syed looked at Zainab and once again she tried to silently to dissuade him from telling them. Syed simply closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "I'm gay," he said.

"What?" Masood asked quietly; his voice filled with shock and disbelief.

"I'm gay," Syed repeated. "I am so sorry," tears were once again falling down his face and he choked back the large sob that had risen into his throat. "I just couldn't carry on living a lie."

Masood just sat and stared at him. Zainab couldn't even manage to do that; choosing instead to stare at the ground; not trusting herself to not do something stupid. Tamwar also didn't say anything, he was too shocked.

"I've been in a relationship with a man for the last few months," he admitted but he wasn't ready to tell his father and brother who it was just yet.

"You've been cheating on your wife?"

"It ended before the wedding. I ended it before the wedding but I haven't been happy. I haven't been happy for such a long time and tonight I realised I can't go on like this," Syed told them. Amira simply sobbed and ran out of the room, not wanting to hear any more. Syed felt guilty for hurting her so much.

"Who is it?" Masood asked. "Who is it that you've been seeing?"

"Christian."

"And how long exactly has it been going on for?"

"Since June."

"You've been hiding it that long?" Masood's voice rose in shock and anger and Syed felt his heartbreak for the third time.

"I tried so hard to stop these feelings. I married Amira because I was told it was the right thing to do, that eventually I would learn to love her and forget Christian but it didn't happen. I think about him every minute of every day and I can't see my future without him in it."

Masood stood up and walked over to his son; standing right in front of him. He looked calm, too calm and Syed was right, confirmed when he felt Masood's fist connect with his jaw. He felt his head snap back and the taste of blood filled his mouth.

"Get out!" Masood instructed. "Leave this house now."

"Dad, please," Syed begged but Masood didn't listen.

"How could you have an affair behind your wife's back? How could you betray her like that?"

"I'm sorry."

"That's not good enough Syed. I want you out of this house now."

"Mum?" He whispered softly, even though he knew that she would not back him up on this. He was already perfectly aware of how she felt about his confession and tonight would only reinforce this. Even make it worse.

"Just go Syed," she told him bitterly. "There is no place for you here anymore."

Syed knew that he had to leave. Nothing he could say would make his family change their mind. His mother and father both hated him and his brother had not expressed an opinion one way or the other, so with a heavy heart he turned and headed towards the door without another word. Closing the door behind him, he hurried over to Christian's flat as quickly as he could; hoping desperately that no-one would see him in this state. Pressing the buzzer frantically, he waited for Christian to let him in before rushing up the stairs and into his arms. He buried his face into Christian's neck and allowed the older man to hold him while he cried.

"It's going to be okay," Christian whispered. "It's all going to be okay," but Syed didn't know how it ever could be okay. His family hated him and would never speak to him again.

So he just continued crying until he felt the dark wave of sleep begin to engulf him and he welcomed it. He just wanted the pain to go away.