Nadir lay motionless in the small cot. His mind was still quite awake. Mostly at the fact he had so little time left. In the end he was not scared to die. But it was how he was going to go. He was as desperate to pray for rescue in his daily salah. But with it now entering December he was growing anxious on what Andrei would do. The pain of losing part of your senses and a limb still ached. Despite this he was still confident in the religion he had subscribed to. Making sure to pray five times a day. With some sunnah salah to add in as well, even going as far as to fast during Ramadan.

Still, every religious person feared hell. But some days he questioned if he was already in it.

His thoughts were broken as the doorknob to the room made a quarter turn and a click. His nerves shot up, along with his tired body. He had little defense against anyone right now. His fist balled, and his mouth formed into a grimace. The door slowly opened, creaking only slightly and in the doorway was Isa, his old ward. His features relaxed a bit. And his ward pulled him up into a tight but gentle embrace. He looked down into Isa's gray eyes. His voice quivering only very slightly.

"Isa what are you- how?" Nadir held Isa's face in his hands

"Don't worry, we don't have time, we have to go." His voice barely above a whisper. Pulling his arm though the house hallways and into the courtyard.

"If he catches you he will kill you." Nadir chided. His anxiety was at an all time high, as he looked at the child he raised since Isa's mid teens.

"Not if I kill him first." Isa grunted as he helped nadir up the horse. "For Now let's get you somewhere safe so I can treat your wounds."

"You will not, Isa!" The thought of Isa being hurt by Andrei terrified and angered him. There was really no telling what torcher he would implement on his ward. Isa urged the horse forward.

They had gone completely undetected to a rather rundown house. Nadir glared up at the poor quality as he was helped down.

"Sir, I assure you it's clean, it just looks a bit… rough." Isa said sheepishly as the horse was helped into a small pasture next to the house. "It was the best thing I could obtain when I rushed here."

"No it's alright, I just want to have these wounds cleaned, and have a bed to rest in."

"I can do that." Isa nodded ushering in Nadir.

The inside of the house was in fact clean but it was also modestly decorated. Simple furniture and curtains, no rugs. It was yet to acquire its own charm and the personality of an owner. There was no theme to it yet.

He was led into a room with a bed. Sterile white linens. A bag of tools and a bottle of clear, water-like solution, most likely an alcohol solution to clean instruments and wounds, sat atop a nightstand. Next to it was a basin. On the bed, An extra pair of sheets sat atop it. "Can you sit down? I need to look at your um… shoulder. And eye." Nadir nodded, pulling off the well worn shirt exposing his bandaged shoulder, the arm missing at the joint. Isa would start on bigger problems first then move on to his eye.

"I need you to tell me if I am hurting you, and we can stop okay?" Isa pulled at something under his shirt and rolled on his shoulders, as if he was uncomfortable. Sitting on a chair as Nadir sat on the bed.

"How long have you been wearing your bindings, Isa?" He regarded him with a tone a teacher or a father would give to a child.

"I'm not quite sure sir. I have been too busy to remember. Perhaps this morning. I will take them off before bed." Isa explained, as he unwrapped his shoulder and chest. Isa's eyes and fingers were studying and analyzing, Nadir's wound was almost entirely healed up. With some stitches yet to be taken out. And with further studying he realized it was catgut. Which would dissolve into his body thankfully. Washing his hand and rubbing the solution on their skin. And with Isa's hands searching for any infections- in the end there was none even in his eye. It was all clean, albeit still healing with the appearance of delicate fresh scars. Which was very relieving for the both of them.

Now that everything was sterile, Nadir's ward bandaged him up tightly, taking care to keep everything clean. Isa had become more paranoid as he often handled wounds and sometimes even worked as a surgeon. Boiling his instruments to keep everything clean. Isa was in the minority in this. But he also had a better success rate of recovery. And so he would give Nadir the best treatment possible. After all he was the closest to a father Isa ever had. And Isa helped fill the void in Nadir's heart that Reza left.

Nadir sat at the table, staring down at the cup of tea in his hand. Now that he was somewhat safe and with the aid of Isa, the only thing plaguing his mind was the thought of Erik. He was told he was coming. But now he was no longer safe. As much of a pain Erik was, he would be damned if he let Andrei kill him.

Isa pulled out a chair across from nadir. Who folded their arms and buried his head in. Peaking back up to look at a Nadir. A slight frown told Isa that he was lost in thought again.

"What are you thinking about sir?" Isa innocently asked.

"Do you remember Erik, Isa?" He looked up and his right eye had dark circles under it.

"Oh yes, he killed my brother. How can I not forget him?" Isa's tone turned bitter.

"Isa for the hundredth time, it was not his fault." Nadir snapped, not quite a yell but his voice raised an octave.

Isa looked down again in shame. "You've known my feelings about him. Just say what you were wanting, sir." Isa urged.

"He is coming to take my place. We've saved each throughout our lives. I can't let him die like that, it's just not right.'' Isa remained silent, but was losing to every word he spoke.

"That being said. I can't help like this." His hand gestured widely to his form. Isa looked up at him, dreading what he was about to ask of him. " I need you to help him. Please. I know how you hold a disdain for him but please for my sake."

"Nadir I- Please don't ask this of me." Isa begged.

"I want you to take out Andrei. And help Erik."

Hurt coursed through Isa's veins. " You promised I would never face my father like that." He went silent.

"Andrei, tried to kill you. He tortured me and mutated me. He took your mothers life. That man is a monster. He needs to go."

"I buried Sophia a long, long time ago, Nadir. But for your sake I will do it." He quietly responded.

"And after this you can go home, back to Greece. You can live your true life. As a woman or as a man. But please do this one thing for me, don't die. And don't let Erik die either that's all I ask." Nadir slipped a hand into Isa's and squeezed.

"You have always been the closest thing to a home." Isa let go of Nadir's hand. "Get some rest please. We will be leaving in the morning." And with that Isa got up and left for his own room. Leaving Nadir at the table alone.