A/N: New chapter, time to bring in the rest of the family :D

Chapter Three

Christian's hand shook as he picked up the phone and dialled a familiar number. He just hoped the person he wanted answered the phone.

"Hello?" Came the voice down the other end. Christian breathed a sigh of relief that it was Masood and not Zainab.

"Masood," he greeted back.

"Is everything okay, you don't usually call?"

"I need to talk to you. It's about Syed."

"What's wrong?" Masood's voice shook slightly. It was as if he knew something was wrong before Christian had the chance to tell him.

"He's in hospital," Christian told him and he could feel the tears well up in his eyes once again.

"What' wrong?"

"The doctor's are still doing tests but they think it's leukaemia."

"Oh God," he heard Masood say. "How is he?"

"Not taking it well," Christian explained. "I think he could really use his family."

"Of course. I'll need to speak to Zainab."

"I understand. Just call me if you come."

"I will," Masood said as he hung up the phone.

"Who was that?" He heard Zainab ask. He sighed and turned his head to look at her, his eyes filling with tears. "What's wrong?" She sounded worried.

"Uh..." Masood said, trying to find his voice. "That was Christian."

"What did he want?" Her voice; although worried, still managed to be filled with disapproval.

"It's Syed. He's sick and he's in hospital. Christian just phoned to tell us."

Zainab felt like crying. She and Syed had not parted on the best of terms and now she was beginning to regret it. She had been so angry with him when he left, he hadn't even said goodbye to her before sloping off to wherever he had gone. She still had no idea where he was now living and it had been six months. She had pretended not to care but in reality it had hurt her greatly.

"What's wrong?" She finally managed to ask.

Masood called Christian shortly after their previous conversation to tell him both he and Zainab were on their way to visit. He had left the flat and made his way to the hospital.

Syed was lying in bed staring out of the window when Christian arrived. He looked pale, deathly pale. It scared Christian seeing him look so ill and tired and it made him want to pull him into his arms and hold him until he was better. But he was scared he might break Syed.

"Hey," Syed greeted; his voice quiet and hoarse. He had been crying again Christian could tell.

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly as he sat down on the chair next to the bed and took his lover's hand in his.

"Is it my fault?" He asked quietly so Christian could barely hear what he was saying.

"What?"

"Is it my fault that I'm ill?" He asked again and Christian stared at him; visibly shocked by what Syed was asking.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because I'm a bad Muslim. God is punishing me for the things I've done."

"Don't you ever think that," Christian said forcefully. He couldn't believe Syed could even contemplate it. "None of this is your fault. God is not punishing you for anything, it's just something that has happened and you and I are going to get through this together, you hear me?"

Syed nodded slightly, tears glistening in his eyes making them seem brighter. He had spent so much time crying recently but he couldn't seem to stop. It was just too much for him. "I don't know what I'd do without you," he cried.

Christian simply sat on the bed and pulled Syed into a hug. He seemed to be doing that a lot these days. "I called your mum and dad," he informed Syed.

"Thanks," he replied.

"They're on their way, should be here later on this afternoon."

"The doctor wants to do the biopsy this afternoon," Syed told Christian as casually as if he was telling him about his day. "He said that they might have to do a lumbar puncture to see if it has spread. I don't want them to do that."

"I know," Christian soothed, "But anything to help you get better has to be a good thing. Have you eaten anything this morning?" He asked to change the subject slightly.

"A little; I'm not really hungry though."

"You have to keep your strength up."

"I'm just tired."

"Then go to sleep and I'll wake you when your mum and dad arrive."

"Thanks," Syed smiled and closed his eyes.

Zainab was worried about seeing her son again after all this time. She didn't know what to expect or how he would react to her being there.

"He'll want to see you," she heard Masood say. It was almost as if he was reading her mind.

"Really?" What if he doesn't? I was horrible to him, what if he hates me for it?"

"I don't think he'll be in the kind of mindset for hating you, Zee. He's going through something huge at the moment and he needs us both to be there for him. We are going to go to his hospital room and be supportive and you will have to be civil to Christian when he's with Syed."

"I know."

"They are together and they are happy so you just have to accept that."

"Don't you think I know that?" Zainab snapped at her husband. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Just try, please Zee. He misses you so much."

"You talk to him?" Zainab asked, surprised.

"At least once a week, just to make sure that he's happy and okay. He never mentions you but I can tell he misses you. You're like this elephant in the room whenever we speak. I know he wants to talk about you but he just can't bring himself to do so."

"I miss him too," Zainab finally admitted what she had been keeping locked inside her for the last six months.

"Then we'll go in and we can spend time being his parents again. Just promise me you won't make a fuss."

"I promise."

"Let's go then," Masood said as he held onto Zainab's hand and they walked into the hospital together.