"Oh my God I love it!" Jenna exclaimed as her and Hudayfah stepped into Rami and Rana's apartment. Hudayfah grinned, and put their suitcases down.

"I'm glad you like it! It came furnished so of course they can change whatever they want when they get back from the honeymoon, but I think it's pretty nice."

Jenna nodded.

"Oh it's very nice! You are so generous!" she exclaimed, and he flushed slightly.

"Thank you darling. Shall we go up to one of the guest rooms?" he asked, picking up the bags again. It was three days after the wedding, and all of the guests had left except for Emma and Maria who would be leaving the following day. Rami and Rana had gone to Jersey to pack up her apartment, as they had decided to live in New York, and while it wasn't exactly a romantic honeymoon, Jenna knew that they just wanted to be together, no matter where they were, or what they were doing.

"Sure. Is anyone else here?"

"Muhsin and Omar should be upstairs, they moved in during the wedding."

"Oh I should go say hi." Jenna said, but just then her sisters appeared in the doorway.

"Oh my God this place is amazing! It's perfect for Rana and Rami!" Emma exclaimed as she came into the apartment.

"It really is pretty." Maria added, and Jenna looked at her sister.

"Where is your suitcase Emma?" she asked, and Emma grinned sheepishly.

"Jafar is bringing it up."

Jenna's eyebrow raised slightly.

"Oh really."

Emma scowled.

"Shut up Jen. And don't think I don't see you smirking too Hud!"

Hudayfah raised his hands in surrender.

"Hey I didn't say anything!"

"Yeah whatever I know what you're thinking." She said narrowing her eyes at him, and he laughed, shaking his head in amusement. "Anyways, we leave tomorrow, and I still need to buy a few more gifts. Can we go shopping Hud?"

Hudayfah shrugged.

"I don't see why not if Jenna wants to."

"Oh please Jenna?! Please!?" Emma exclaimed, and Jenna rolled her eyes.

"Fine."

"Yay!" Emma exclaimed. "And since Rami is out of town, who will go with us?" she asked, and Jenna rolled her eyes again.

"I guess it would have to be Jafar."

"Ask Farris to go as well." Hudayfah said trying to contain a smile, and as the two men came inside the house carrying suitcases and accompanied by Ali and Ramzy, Emma bounced excitedly.

"Farris! Can you come with us shopping?!"

He laughed.

"Sure. Who else is coming?"

"I'll go." Jafar said quietly, and everyone looked at him in surprise.

"Yay it's settled! Can we go now?!" she asked and Jenna sighed in annoyance.

"Can't you be patient for a second? We just walked in the door, and I have to unpack!"

Emma blew a breath out between her lips.

"Fine. But make it soon, you know we leave in the morning!"

"You go on ahead darling, I'll do the unpacking." Hudayfah said, and Emma jumped up in excitement.

"Thank you Hud! Come on everyone!" she exclaimed, before pulling her sisters hands.

"I'll follow momentarily, I just have to talk to Hudayfah about something." Jafar said nodding at them, and the three girls and Farris left the apartment.

They rode down in the elevator, Emma keeping up a steady stream of chatter, and as the doors opened on the lobby floor, it gave them view of Laith, who was standing near the mailboxes.

"Salaam neighbor!" he exclaimed as he spotted Jenna.

"Walaikumasalaam! You're back in town!" She said, and he nodded.

"Yes, yes just got back."

"Welcome home! Laith, these are my sisters, Emma and Maria."

"Salaam." Maria said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you." Emma chirped.

"And this is Farris. He's a friend of my husband." Jenna said motioning towards him, and the two men clasped hands.

"Nice to meet you." Laith said before turning back towards Jenna. "I heard about the fire! I hope everyone was okay!?"

Jenna nodded.

"Alhamdulillah nothing major."

"How did it happen?"

"Um, we aren't sure." Jenna responded, and Laith nodded.

"Probably the wiring."

"Maybe."

Just then the elevator doors opened, and as Jafar appeared, Jenna beckoned him forward.

"Jafar, this is our neighbor, Laith."

As Jafar stepped closer to them, Laith's eyes narrowed a fraction, before he nodded in Jafar's direction.

"Salaam."

"Walaikumasalaam." Jafar replied, and Jenna was surprised to hear the clipped tone in both men's voices.

"Well we should be off now! Lots of shopping to do!" Emma exclaimed, and Laith nodded.

"Of course, I've monopolized enough of your time already. Please enjoy yourselves, and it was a pleasure to meet you."

They said their salaam to him, before leaving the building, and getting into the limo.

"Jafar, did you know Laith?" Emma asked, and he stared at the window for a few beats of silence.

"No."

An awkward silence fell qover them, before Farris cleared his throat.

"Um Jenna, does Hudayfah know about Laith?"

She frowned.

"What is there to know? He's the neighbor, and we say salaam when we pass each other."

He shook his head.

"You know you have to be..." he hesitated looking at Emma and Maria, who were watching him curiously. "Just be careful around strangers. I would tell him."

"Alright."

***

"Okay, so first we need to go into Macy's, then JC Penny, then Bloomingdale's, then we should meet up at the food court for drinks!"

"Um we are splitting up?" Jenna asked apprehensively, and Emma shrugged.

"We don't have to. It was just in case you two got bored and couldn't keep up with me!"

"I think it's better if we stick together." Jenna said, and Farris nodded.

"I agree."

"Fine, let's go to Macy's!" she exclaimed, linking an arm through her sisters arms and leading the way.

"It was such a beautiful wedding wasn't it?" Maria asked as they started to walk down the sidewalk, and Jenna nodded her head in agreement.

"It really was. MashaAllah Em, you did a wonderful job!"

Emma gave a pleased smile.

"Thank you ladies! It was fun! Maybe I should become a party planner!?"

Her sisters laughed.

"That's not such a bad idea." Jenna exclaimed, and Emma shook her head.

"I don't think so, I love my profession. I haven't been keeping up with my exercising since I got here, I'm probably as big as a house."

Jenna rolled her eyes.

"Shut up Emma, you look fine."

"Yeah well I...hey!" she exclaimed coming to a halt, causing her sisters to jerk beside her.

"What is it Emma?" Maria asked.

"Hey! Jenna look down the street isn't that Sami!?" she exclaimed pointing, and Jenna pushed her finger down.

"Don't point!" she scolded, "and it can't be Sami, he left yesterday."

"No I think she's right Jen." Maria said squinting across the street. "It is Sami!"

Jenna followed where her sisters were looking, her eyes widening in surprise as she spotted her brother in law. He was walking down the sidewalk, his shoulders hunched, and a hood pulled over his head, but it was definitely him.

"It is him!" Jenna frowned. "What is he doing here? I watched his taxi leave the hotel yesterday!"

Emma shrugged.

"Maybe he missed his flight?"

Jenna shook her head.

"Wouldn't he have called Hudayfah or come back home or something if he had?"

"I don't know. Sami! SAMI!" Emma yelled, but the figure kept walking until he turned around the corner out of sight.

"He wouldn't be able to hear you over this traffic even if it was him." Maria pointed out, and Emma gave a slight huff of annoyance.

"Hey what's going on?" Farris asked coming up behind them, and Jenna turned to look at him and Jafar.

"We just saw Sami!"

Jafar raised an eyebrow.

"He left yesterday."

"That's what I thought, but we literally just saw him!" Jenna exclaimed.

"Maybe you saw someone who looks like him. His doppelganger!" Farris exclaimed cheerfully.

"Like The Vampire Diaries!" Maria squealed, and Emma stomped her foot.

"No! We saw him! One of you call him! Jafar call him!" she exclaimed, and he blinked in surprise at her tone, before taking out his phone, scrolling through his contacts for a few seconds, before clicking on one. He put the phone on speaker phone, and it rang a few times before they all heard a 'hello?'

"Um hey Sami, it's Jafar."

"Hey cousin. What's up?"

"Nothing, just wondering, did you get home safely?"

"Yeah I did."

"He sounds like he's on a busy street." Emma whispered to Jenna, and she nodded, motioning her sister to be quiet.

"Well I was just asking because the girls thought they saw you walking in Times Square."

There was the briefest of pauses, before Sami gave a weak chuckle.

"Oh that is funny. Haha I wish I was there. Look Jafar I have to go, send my love to everyone." He said quickly, before hanging up, and the five of them stared at the phone before Jafar put it away, clearing his throat.

"I guess it was just someone who resembled him."

"Yeah I guess." Emma said unconvincingly, and there was another silence before she shook her head. "Well let's go finish our shopping."

***

Hudayfah stepped into the charred remains of his office, wincing slightly as his shoes sunk into the ash covered carpet. He had been putting off coming to the apartment, but as the repairs were due to begin the following day, they needed to move things they wanted to keep. The men were partly downstairs packing up the kitchen, and moving the furniture to put in storage, some were in the rooms packing up the clothes, and anything salvageable, and he had come to check out his office.

He gave a frustrated sigh as he took in the room which was in pretty bad shape. Muhsin and Omar's rooms were the worst, followed by his office, and then he and Jenna's bedroom. Other than their clothes, nothing in their room had survived, and he was worried the same thing would be said about this room.

Luckily for him his most important documents were in a fireproof safe that he actually had hidden behind a painting, something that made him feel very much like a spy. But as for the other things he had in his desk, he was worried it would be all gone.

He opened the first drawer, grimacing as the papers began to fall apart in his hands. He tried to be as gentle as possible, but after two drawers, he had only managed to save about thirty documents. He opened his bottom left hand drawer, pausing as he realized that the drawer was half empty.

Marwa's things were missing.

He pulled out his phone as he rummaged around in the drawer, dialing Jenna's number.

"Hello?"

"Salaam darling."

"Walaikumasalaam habibi!" she replied, and he smiled to hear her voice.

"How's the shopping going?"

"Oh you know Emma. We had to split up because I couldn't handle her anymore."

He frowned.

"You aren't alone are you?"

"Nope, Farris is sitting with me, we are at the food court. Jafar went with Emma and Maria into Bloomingdale's."

"Okay good. Don't go anywhere alone!"

"I won't. Did you need something?"

"Yeah actually I was wondering, did you come by our apartment?"

"No I haven't been back yet. What's wrong?"

"Some things are missing from my desk."

"Are you sure they just weren't burned?"

"No, it's missing."

"Hmm," she said thoughtfully, "maybe Rami or one of the other men took it?"

"I don't think so, nothing else has been touched except for this drawer."

"That's strange." Her voiced took on a worried tone. "Who do you think it was?"

"I'm not sure." There was silence on the phone before he decided not to scare her and just figure things out on his own. "Okay I'm going to go, I just wanted to make sure you didn't take anything."

"Alright. Be careful habibi."

He laughed, wishing she was near enough for him to kiss.

"Thank you darling. You be careful too!"

"Okay Salaam!"

"Walaikumsalaam." As he hung up the phone, he placed it on the desktop, and once he had finished, he only was able to save fifty papers.

***

He let himself into Jamaal's apartment, feeling slightly uneasy about why he was being summoned. All the text message had said was 'come now', and as he was currently occupied with something else, it had been almost impossible to get away.

Eventually he had managed to give the slip, but had been unable to find a taxi, so he had to take the subway. It had been close to an hour before he finally arrived, and now he was worried that Jamaal would be pissed.

"Ah there you are! Welcome." Jamaal said coming into the living room, and clasping him on the back.

Well that was odd.

Jamaal was in a good mood.

That had to be bad news.

"Uh yeah hi. Sorry it took so long, I couldn't get a taxi, I had to take the subway and there was a small delay."

Jamaal waved his hand, before lighting up a cigarette.

"No worries! Want one?" he asked extending the pack towards him, and he shook his head, staring at Jamaal suspiciously.

"No thanks. So you asked me to come?"

Jamaal nodded.

"Yes I did red snake," he grinned, "how are things?"

"Um they are okay."

Jamaal blew out a ring of smoke.

"How was the wedding?"

He started in surprise.

"You knew about it?"

"Of course. I have spies everywhere." He blew out another stream. "But I wouldn't want to ruin little Rana's day. I've known that girl since she was a child, it would be terribly rude to intrude upon her wedding!" Jamaal exclaimed, putting a hand over his heart in mock horror.

"Um, okay. What did you need me for?"

Jamaal motioned with a finger.

"Follow me."

They walked through the apartment, passing by various rooms which had Jamaal's men scattered about, and finally they came to a stop in front of one of the rooms, two men guarding the door.

"Move." Jamaal ordered, and as they stepped aside, he opened the door. "Go inside."

As he stepped into the dark room, at first he didn't realize what he was supposed to be seeing. But then Jamaal motioned towards the corner.

"Recognize her?" he asked almost mockingly, and as he saw a figure slumped on the ground, his stomach sunk all the way to the ground. Even with her being unconscious, her hair all messed up, her arms and legs tied up, there was no mistaking who she was.

***

Farris sat back down at one of the food court tables, and handed Jenna her smoothie from Jamba Juice.

"Here you go. One mango smoothie!" he exclaimed, and she took it with a smile.

"Barak Allahu Feek." She said taking a sip, and he grinned, sitting down in the seat across from her.

"I'm glad Emma let us take a break! My feet were killing me! I don't know how Jafar could keep standing!"

"Yes well I think he has his own reasons." She said, and when he raised an eyebrow questioningly, she shook her head with a laugh. "Never mind. So tell me Farris, how do you know Hudayfah?"

Farris swallowed a drink of his smoothie.

"I actually was one of his roommates in college."

"Oh how nice MashaAllah!"

He nodded.

"Yeah he really helped me a lot. I moved from Oklahoma to attend school, and he really helped make the transition easier. I was pretty shy and didn't talk much, but you know how kind Hud is, he really makes you feel at ease."

She nodded, and gave a smile.

"That he does MashaAllah."

"Forgive me if this is too forward, but I must say that I think you are perfect for him. I have never seen him happier."

She flushed slightly.

"That's very kind of you to say. I think he's perfect for me too! So what do you do Farris?"

"I'm a dentist."

"Oh cool! So how are you able to be here in New York? Don't you have work?"

"I own the practice so I can pretty much take time off whenever I want," he laughed, "but in all honesty, I would have taken sick leave if I had to. I owe so much to Hudayfah, I wouldn't be able to not come."

"That's very noble of you."

"Well I couldn't leave him in such a dire time." He fiddling for a second with his straw wrapper. "I assume you are aware of what's going on?"

She nodded.

"I am."

He shook his head.

"I was there the night that Hud found out about Muhsin's deal. We stayed up the entire night trying to figure out a plan to keep you safe, and actually I was going to propose, but Hudayfah beat me to it!"

"You didn't even know me!" she exclaimed.

"That didn't matter. We just needed to keep you safe." He shook his head again. "I met Jamaal once, when we were sophomores in college, and the man scared the heck out of me. I think all of us were on the same wavelength that we had to protect you no matter what."

She flushed again, fiddling with her straw.

"I'm very honored to have all of you looking out for me."

He grinned.

"Well consider all of us like your big brothers!"

She laughed, and nodded.

"I will. Thank you."

He glanced down at his watch. "When do you think your sisters will be done? I know Hudayfah has a big surprise dinner planned for their last night."

She nodded, and took another sip from her smoothie.

"That's right, we should get going. Let me text them." She said pulling out her phone. She was just about to text Emma and ask when they were going to be done, when Maria came rushing over, her scarf trailing behind her, and panic on her face.

"Oh my God Jenna! Jenna!" she exclaimed, and Farris quickly rose from his seat in concern, turning it around so she could sit.

"Maria! What's wrong!?" Jenna exclaimed, standing up and putting an arm around her sister.

Maria took a few more gulping breaths, before looking up at Jenna, her eyes filled with tears.

"Emma's gone!"