Wow I only have notes from three more episodes and after that I'll have to go off canon, I shall miss my little changes to the episodes but maybe it will calm me down as I think if I keep going like this I'll hit chapter 40 by Monday! Well here goes more, hope you enjoy.

Kuroseed

Part 21 (16-02-09) The Masood's and the Beale's are still trying to work together at the unit. In this episode Ian tries to take charge enforcing new rules, like the white and blue uniforms and starts trying to oversee everything and get in everyone's way. Due to a mix up with a taxi and some food delivery the wrong food goes to the wrong people and the Asian business dinner gets the traditional English food and the football club gets the curry's, in light of this success they decide to team up and make one business.

For two weeks Syed managed to avoid Christian. He didn't come round, he was never at the unit, and his only reply to his numerous texts were amicable apologises and insistent excuses that he was just too busy at work to come and see him. It was killing him. He tried to keep his mind on work or going out because anytime he stopped he heard it in his head again. Syed had a fiancé. He was going to get married.

"There is no way I'm wearing that!" Christian said picking up a white hat despairingly and sharing a look with Zainab relieved to see that for once they were in agreement. But of course they ended up in them.

"Tamwar cumin please now!" Zainab called to her son, who, knowing what was good for him, immediately hopped to it. Christian turned slightly to glance at him as Ian started to lecture him on the dangers of running in a kitchen. He rushed to get some eggs just as Tamwar pulled back and knocked him forward the eggs spilling all over the floor.

"Sorry." Tamwar muttered and Christian was instantly reminded of the soft way that Syed apologised.

"It's alright." He assured him.

"That that is exactly why we don't run in the kitchen!" Ian yelled turning around sharply to continue his tirade knocking right into Masood holding a big pan and sloshing the contents all over him much to Christian's amusement. "I've had enough!" Ian whined holding up his hands and fetching a roll of kitchen roll and using it as a barrier between the two sides of the kitchen like a petulant child.

"What's he doing?" Masood asked Christian as if he could act as translator between his demented brother in law and the rest of humanity.

"I would have thought that was obvious." He said bitterly as he tied one end to the top of the oven and pulled back to stretch it across the kitchen.

"Ian this is madness." Christian tried to reason with him.

"I am trying to bring some order to this chaos!" he insisted like a madman.

!

They cooked in relative silence for a while trying to ignore the absurdity that was the kitchen spilt in two like a bad sitcom.

"Christian do you mind?" Masood asked for the salt and he immediately went to get it.

"What you doing?" Ian stopped him.

"You are joking?" he asked pleading for some sanity.

"Rules are there for a reason."

"Ok." Christian agreed mockingly and then tossed the salt over the line to Masood. "Didn't cross the line did I?" In the background Tamwar turned on the Radio, it was playing some Indian music that Christian didn't understand in the least, but it had a good beat to it and had the bonus of annoying Ian. He wondered aimlessly if Syed would have liked it. He had never heard him listening to any Indian music, and didn't seem that interested in it in general. He never minded when Christian would play his music while he read. In fact they had spent many hours together on Christian's sofa, Syed reading some weighty book or going over a proposal while Christian relaxed with a magazine, their backs pressed up against each other. He sighed to himself, he missed him. To distract himself he started to dance along everyone was getting on fine until Tamwar got a text. He opened his phone and looked at it.

"Oh big surprise, Syed isn't coming home till late tonight. Again." He rolled his eyes and shut his phone.

"That boy he's going to run himself ragged if he keeps this up." Zainab commented frowning slightly with worry. "You tell him if he's not coming home till late I want him here at the end of the day. I feel like we've been living with a shadow the past two weeks."

"Ok, I've told him." Tamwar said clicking at his phone briefly before putting it back in his pocket.

"I think it's good to see him putting in the effort, after all he's going to have a family to support soon." Masood said flatly.

"Oh yeah, Sy, said." Christian tried to edge into the conversation keeping the gulp of nerves out of his voice. "The fiancé."

"Oh yes my little Syed…" She stressed his name against Christian's shortening. "is going to be a married man." She sighed dramatically.

"You had to let him out of the nest sometime." Masood told her soothingly.

"Besides Zulekha is so fit." Tamwar commented from the back. Zulehka, she had a name, she was a real person, a whole real person who Syed was going to marry, to touch, to kiss, to make love to. He felt nauseous but forced the feeling down.

"Hey, this is a kitchen not the hairdressers." Ian put in forcefully. "Less gossip you lot."

!

"What can I say?" Christian smiled as the new head of their combined business was chosen. "She's the best person for the job." Once they had decided to merge the companies of course Ian had tried to sway the votes for leadership in his favour but Christian knew that if they wanted this business to flourish it was Zainab that would put in the hands on effort that it needed.

"You know what; I have put nothing but blood sweat and tears into this business…" Ian moaned getting to his feet. "Thanks for nothing."

"Oh come on you've been beaten fair and square." Zainab teased. "Take it like a man, Ian." As he left he was passed by a familiar face. Christian couldn't hep but sit up in his seat as Syed came in still in his suit, slightly tired looking around the eyes.

"Tam said you needed to see me?" He checked his watch briefly. "I haven't got long."

"No, it seems you never do at the moment." She replied cattily. "Here, it you insist on staying late at least I can make sure you have some decent food in you, who knows what you've been eating. Look at you, your all skin and bone." She criticised handing him a plastic bag of home cooked food.

"Thanks, mum. But I really should…"

"Aren't you even going to ask how today went?" Tamwar said looking at his brother with a miffed expression.

"Yes, sorry, how was it?"

"Well it started off badly." Christian put in and Syed turned to look at him just for a second and he felt his heartbeat.

"But it ended up ok; in fact we've merged businesses." His mother said proudly. "With me as the boss."

"That's great." He reached around and gave his mother a hug. "I wanna hear the whole story but I really should get back." He said looking at his watch again.

"Wait, I'm meeting some people in London in a bit, not too far from Mayfair. I'll come with ya, fill ya in shall I?" Christian suggested.

"I wouldn't want to make you go out of…"

"No it's a good idea actually." Zainab said calmly "…and you…" She pointed at Christian. "don't miss anything out." She warned playfully.

"Yes, boss." Christian grinned back and taking the food from Syed's hand lead his back outside. "You've been avoiding me, I was beginning to forget what you looked like." He accused once they were outside.

"I've been working." He muttered his excuse.

"Yeah, so it seems. And it looks like I'm not the only one your avoiding. Is this about Zulekha?" Syed jumped at her name.

"Don't Christian." He warned.

"How long have you known her? What's she like?" He could hear the slightly hysterical quality coming up in voice and tried to push it back down swallowing hard against the lump in his throat. "Do...do you love her?"

"No." Syed replied with a numb voice and Christian could feel the relief flooding through him. "She's Bushar's daughter. It would be good for my family." He said in such a small voice.

"And what about what's good for you?" He asked grabbing hold of Syed's shoulders and making him stand still.

"It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me." Christian told him pulling up his head by his chin to force Syed to look at him.

"Well it can't." He put on a smile, a little fake smile that never made it to those sad brown eyes. "This is just what's supposed to be, destiny." He took back the bag with the food in. "Look, I can make the rest of the way alone. I'll see ya." Christian grabbed hold of his hand forcing him to stay.

"When? When will you see me?" He asked desperately.

"I dunno…soon?" Christian shook his head at Syed vague promise. "Tomorrow." He said finally and pulled away. Christian just watched him go.