A/N: This is more a filler chapter before the main emotional stuff happens next chapter.
Chapter Eight
Christian paced up and down the waiting room for what seemed like the millionth time. He had been waiting for hours but he hadn't been told anything about Syed's condition. All he had been told was that his lover had been attacked. Feeling sick at the thought, he continued to pace until he felt as though he was going to go mad. He needed to know exactly what happened but the only person who could tell him couldn't.
It didn't help that it brought back very painful memories of his own attack all those months ago and how it made him feel afterwards. He knew that Syed would take this badly so he made a resolve to help him get through this as best he could.
"Mr Clarke," he was greeted by Syed's doctor.
"How is he?" Christian asked anxiously.
"He's been beaten rather badly and received a severe blow to the head. We're keeping him in overnight for observation."
"Is he okay?"
"He's groggy and in a lot of pain. I've given him some painkillers to help."
"Can I see him?"
"For a few minutes, we're preparing to take him up to the ward."
"Thank you," Christian smiled appreciatively and followed the doctor to see Syed.
No matter how much he prepared himself for the sight, Christian couldn't help but be shocked at Syed's appearance. His face was a mess, completely covered in dark purple bruises; his left eye was swollen shut. A large white cast was encased on his right arm. Christian sat down next to him and entwined his hand in Syed's.
"Hey," he said softly.
"Christian?" Syed moaned quietly; his voice tired and sleepy.
"How are you feeling?"
"Tired."
"Maybe you should go to sleep."
"Don't want to. What happened?"
"You don't remember?"
"All blurry."
"Someone attacked you." Christian tightened his grip on Syed's hand as he felt the younger man start to cry. "Hey, it's okay," he soothed but Syed continued to cry.
"I want my mum," he said between sobs. No matter how she had been treating him the last few months he still wanted her here.
"I tried to phone your parents but they were out. I'll try again, okay?" He said and Syed nodded slightly. Christian stood up and headed outside before phoning Zainab.
"Hello?" Zainab's voice echoed down the phone.
"Don't hang up on me Zainab," Christian told her. "Something's happened to Syed. He's been attacked."
Zainab felt her heart pound in her chest as she and Masood hurried to the hospital. Ever since Christian had phoned she had felt as though she was going to be sick. She had been so horrible to him and now this had happened.
"Christian, how is he?" She asked by way of a greeting.
"He's going to be okay," he reassured her. "They took him up to the ward a little while ago so they can observe him but otherwise he'll be all right."
"Can I see him?"
"There should be a nurse around somewhere to ask. He wants to see you," he told her before she hurried off leaving Christian alone with Masood.
"She's been like that the entire drive over," he told Christian. "She's really worried about him."
Syed had been sleeping lightly when Zainab entered but woke when he felt her sit down next to his bed.
"Mum?" He whispered quietly.
"Oh Syed," Zainab gasped. "What happened?"
"Not sure, blurry," he replied.
"How are you feeling?"
"Tired. Everywhere hurts."
Zainab didn't know how to react. On one hand she wanted to rant at her son for flaunting his homosexuality, because that was what the attack was for, wasn't it. On the other hand he wanted to wrap him up in her arms and protect him from everything bad.
"How did this happen?" She asked.
"Don't mum."
"Don't what?"
"Don't try and blame this on me being gay, please don't. I just need you to be my mum," he said as he started to cry and Zainab gave in and leaned over to hug her eldest son.
"I want you to come home," Zainab told Syed the next day when she came to visit. She had practically chased Christian out of the ward so she could spend some time alone with her son. "You'll be more comfortable there."
"Mum, you know I can't. I'm not going back until you can accept that me and Christian are together."
"Syed, can't you just do this for me?"
"I am not going to leave Christian if that's what you're hoping for. I'll come home if you can accept us together. Until then I'm staying with Christian."
"Then I suppose you have made your choice," Zainab said calmly as she stood up from her chair.
"Please mum, don't," Syed begged but Zainab still left, almost running into Christian as he came back through the door. Seeing how distraught Syed looked, he hurried straight over to him.
"How bad was it?"
"It made this worse than before," Syed told him. "I just wish she would come around."
"She will," Christian told him but by now even he was having difficulty believing it.
"How could he choose to stay with him instead of coming home?" Zainab rhetorically asked Masood, not really expecting him to answer; it was more of a rant. "How could he." Masood attempted to answer but Zainab continued. "I mean we are his family and he still decides to be with him. How stubborn is he?"
"Zee," Masood attempted to get her attention but she continued ranting to herself. "Zee," he said louder. This time she stopped. "You're being just as stubborn as he is," he told her. "You need to compromise on this with him if you want him to come home. He said he would if you would accept him and Christian as a couple, why don't you do that? Why don't you make him feel welcome in his own home?"
"I suppose you're right," Zainab sighed and admitted defeat. "I should compromise. But it doesn't mean I have to like it."
Masood just smiled and shook his head. "You should be telling him that not me," he said as he handed her the phone.
