Ahhhh only one chapter left! I can't believe it's almost done! I'm so excited to start the sequel. Can anyone guess who it's about?! :) Sorry for any mistakes, didn't have time to edit as closely as I would have liked. Stay awesome!

"Careful! Be careful with her please!" Hudayfah ordered as the nurses helped Jenna into her wheelchair, and she laughed, looking up at him.

"Hud habibi, they are trained nurses. They know to be careful." She said teasingly, and he grinned.

"I'm just trying to be cautious! After two weeks of you being in the hospital, I don't want to risk anything that will keep you from going home!"

Jenna smiled, taking her husband's hand in her own. The past two weeks had passed by quickly and it was sort of hazy for Jenna.

She barely remembered anything.

Except for the pain.

She wouldn't be able to forget that.

She was doing a little bit better, in a few weeks she would be able to go to the doctor and get her twenty three staples removed, and she could move and bend over now without screaming out in pain Alhamdulillah.

She was just anxious to go home, and be with Hudayfah again.

To finally be able to be normal.

To have a normal life, a normal marriage, without living in fear.

They had made her talk to the hospital psychologist about what had happened. When she had first heard about the baby, she had cried a little bit but had tried to push it out of her mind. That lasted all of three days before she just absolutely lost it. It was too painful, too hard for her to bear. While she knew that she shouldn't ask why it happened to her, it would take a while for her to be able to get over it. Ever since the time her and Hudayfah had gotten stuck in the elevator, her deepest wish had been to have a family with him. And now the thought that she might not even be able to give him any children, killed her inside.

Hudayfah had tried to be supportive, tried not to show her how badly losing the baby was affecting him as well, but she knew. She knew, and it ripped her heart up. One night, after he had fallen asleep, he refused to leave her alone in the hospital, she had just cried and cried, making Duaa and praying to Allah swt like she had never prayed before. She had prayed that he help ease her and Hudayfah's pain, that he would bless them with children, that he protect anyone else from ever experiencing this gut wrenching agony. Even though she hadn't known that she was pregnant, and even though she would never get to meet their baby, she could feel the hole the loss had made.

A part of her would forever be missing.

Once when Jenna was ten, her Aunt had miscarried during her eighth month of pregnancy, and the things people had said to her, were horrible. People had no tact, had no sympathy, and it worried her that people would say those type of things to her if they ever found out.

"Jenna? Habibti are you ready?" Hudayfah asked breaking into her thoughts, and she snapped her head up, looking into her husband's face.

He had been so supportive and loving and kind through all of this. She didn't know what she would have done without him, and from this day on, she would always be thankful that Allah brought them together.

"Yes I think so. I just need my purse from the side table." She said pointing, smiling as Hudayfah lifted it up and shouldered it.

"Is that everything?"

"Yup."

He took her hand, brushing a kiss over her knuckles.

"Let's go home."

***

Emma pushed the kitchen door open with her back, carrying the large platter of rice and chicken towards the dining room table.

"Oh here let me help you!" Rami exclaimed, taking it from her, and placing it in the middle of the table.

"Thank you." Emma said, pausing to tie her hair up into a ponytail. "I have another plate of grape leaves in there if you want to go get that too."

Rami nodded, giving her a mock salute.

"Yes Ma'am!" he exclaimed, and she laughed, turning back towards the table where she began to roll the silverware into the cloth napkins.

She had gone all out for Jenna's homecoming. Well, her and her mom had. She would never have been able to roll that many grape leaves without her mom's help. There was like a million of them, and with so many guys in the house, she had to wonder if that would be enough!

But she had taken care of the decorating, and the color coordinating, and the desserts. Everything was decked out in purple and gold, Jenna's favorite colors, and there was a lovely array of brownies, red velvet cake, chocolate chip cookies and baklawa. In addition to the grape leaves and chicken and rice there was also a huge salad, a hummus plate, and roasted vegetables.

It was going to be an epic homecoming party!

"Hey Em, where do you want this?" Rami asked balancing the tray on one hand, and Emma hurriedly made room in the middle of the table.

"Right here is fine."

"Okie dokie. Do you need help with anything else?" he asked, and she shook her head.

"No thanks, I'm just finishing the napkins, and Rana is going to bring out the lemonade when she finishes mixing it. You may go watch television now, but you tell them in there that whoever didn't help set up or cook, has to clean and do the dishes when we are done!" She exclaimed.

"Deal!" he said with a laugh before hurrying towards the living room where the sound of the other men cheering could be heard. Everyone was there waiting for Hudayfah and Jenna to show up. Her parents, Rana and Rami, Maria, and all of Hud's men.

Well almost all of Hud's men...

"Alright I made regular and pink! What makes the lemonade pink I wonder?!" Rana exclaimed coming over balancing four pitchers and placing them down.

Emma laughed, arranging the drinks so they were centered in the large table.

"I don't know, I guess it's one of life's finer mysteries!"

"I guess so. Do you need any help?"

"No I finished folding the napkins, I'm just going to place them around the table. I guess you could help with that." She said handing half to Rana. The two worked in silence for a few moments, before Emma cleared her throat. "Um Rana, where is Jafar?" she asked placing the last utensil covered bundle on a plate, and when Rana didn't answer, she looked up. "Rana?"

Rana shifted uncomfortably.

"He uh, went back to Long Island."

Emma started in surprise.

"Oh. When did he leave?"

"Around noon."

"Wow, um okay. That's kind of surprising because he was here at breakfast, and me and my dad were talking with him about dinner tonight. I had assumed he would be here."

"He went to be with his family right now. They are taking Ali's arrest pretty hard."

"Oh. Okay, well that makes sense. Of course he would want to be with his family." She paused to brush her hair away from her face. "Um, is he coming back soon? Cause you know we leave to go home tomorrow InshaAllah, and well, I'd like to say bye."

Rana hesitated before shaking her head.

"I don't think he is coming back any time soon honestly. I'm sorry Emma."

There was a small silence between them before Emma cleared her throat, moving one of the candles so it was centered.

"No it's not a problem. Of course there would be nothing keeping him here. Family comes first."

"Emma," Rana said, putting a hand on her arm, but Emma stepped back, shaking her head.

"No don't' worry about me Rana. Obviously it wasn't meant to be. I actually have to go make sure that the um, thing is working..." She trailed off lamely, before she rushed away from Rana, pushing her way towards the balcony. Once outside, she closed the door behind her, sinking onto the ground.

He left.

Obviously she didn't mean anything to him.

She would not cry.

She was not going to cry...

Great, now she was crying.

She had thought there was something between them. She had thought there was chemistry, and that he cared about her as much as she cared about him. Yes, he was quiet and a bit closed off, and had never led her on or anything. But she had caught a glimpse of the wonderfully amazing person that he was, and it was someone that she could fall very much in love with.

When her parents had arrived, she had been so excited, thinking that now he would have easy access to her father to ask his permission.

But now he was gone, and she would be going home tomorrow.

It just wasn't meant to be.

She would have to accept it.

She was Emma for heaven's sake!

She wouldn't let this keep her down!

The sound of the door opening caused her to jolt out of her thoughts, and hurriedly wipe her cheeks with her hands before she looked up, watching as Maria stepped onto the balcony.

"Emma! There you are!" Maria exclaimed, closing the door behind her. "Oh my God! Oh my God Emma I need to talk to you!" she said plopping down next to her sister.

"Calm down Maria! You're shaking! What's wrong?!" Emma asked in concern, gripping her sister's hands.

"You will never beli..." she trailed off, staring into Emma's face. "Wait were you crying?"

"No."

"You so were crying! What's wrong Em!?"

Emma shook her head.

"No don't worry about it habibti, I'm fine. What did you come out here to tell me? Is there something wrong?"

"Emma." Maria said sternly.

"Maria." Emma said in return, and Maria laughed.

"Promise you'll tell me if you need to talk about it."

"I promise. Just tell me what's up!"

A giant smile lit up Maria's face.

"Well," she hesitated for a second, biting her lip slightly.

"What!? Maria just spit it out! Hurry, before Jen and Hud get back!" Emma exclaimed, and Maria nodded.

"Okay. Farris proposed to me!"

Emma's mouth dropped in disbelief.

"What!? Are you serious?!"

Maria let out an excited squeal.

"Yes! It's true!"

"Oh my God! Maria! When did this happen!?"

"Baba just told me that he asked his permission this morning, and apparently after consulting with Hudayfah and Rami, and talking it over with Mama, they agreed to it. Now it's just up to me to say yes or no!"

The two sisters squealed, clasping hands.

"I didn't even know he liked you! Did you!?" Emma exclaimed, her cheeks flushed.

Maria colored slightly.

"I had my suspicions."

"Well do you like him!?"

Maria blushed deeper, looking down at her hands.

"Yes."

"What?! When did this happen!?"

"Since like as soon as I met him."

"Maria! Why didn't you tell me!?"

"It was never the right time! I mean first we came for Jen and Hudayfah's wedding party, and then you got kidnapped and then Hud got kidnapped and then well you know what happened after that. My silly crush seemed kind of trivial!"

"Well obviously it's bigger than you thought if he proposed to you! I never saw it coming! I mean the only time I saw you around each other was that one time at the mall!"

"Yeah well, there was a lot of times that I was left alone with him and Muhsin, and well I got to know him, and he's amazing!"

"Well I want details!"

"Like what?"

Emma pulled her sister's arm.

"Everything! His age, what is his job, family, all that!"

Maria leaned against the wall, her brown eyes sparkling.

"Well, he's twenty six, like Muhsin,"

"Not too bad, six year age difference." Emma interrupted, nodding her head thoughtfully.

"Let me finish!" Maria exclaimed with a laugh. "He is a dentist, actually he owns his own practice, and he has like four dentists working for him."

"Ooh boss man! Siblings?"

Maria rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"He has two brothers, both older than him."

"The baby of the family! Just like you!" Emma crowed, and Maria laughed.

"Yeah I guess so."

"So what are you going to say?! Are you going to accept his proposal?"

Maria was quiet for a few seconds, before a full blown smile lit up her face.

"Yes. Yes I am."

***

"SURPRISE!"

Jenna laughed as all of their family and their friends popped out as Hudayfah helped her into their apartment, keeping his arm securely around her waist.

"Oh wow! Such a surprise!" She exclaimed, as everyone began to swarm her, all trying to hug and kiss her and greet her at once.

"Okay everyone, let her take a seat, the doctor said she should rest as much as possible." Hudayfah said in a firm tone a few seconds later, causing everyone but Jenna's mom to back off.

"She is my daughter, I will help her sit down." Yasmin said reaching out her arm, and Hudayfah smiled, keeping his hold on Jenna.

"And she is my wife."

"She's my daughter."

"She's my wife."

"Okay, before this battle continues, why don't I help her sit down?!" Adam said in amusement, and before the other two could react, Adam had taken Jenna's arm, and led her towards the couch. She winced slightly as she sat down, laughing as both her parents and Hudayfah bent down next to her.

It was nice to see her parents again after all this time, but she really just wanted Hudayfah. It was a bit of a weird feeling, preferring her husband's embrace over the warmth and comfort of her own mother's. Yet she had come to realize after all this time, that being with Hudayfah was not something that could be matched by anything else.

He was her cover, and without him she didn't feel secure.

"Jenna!" Emma exclaimed, pushing her way through the crowd, and her dad jumped up, grabbing Emma around her waist as she was seconds away from tackling her sister.

"Woah! Calm down there Emma, your sister is still in a lot of pain."

"I wasn't going to hurt her." Emma pouted, and her dad laughed.

"I know you wouldn't purposely but I think you seriously broke one of my ribs when you hugged me hello when we got here." He teased, and Emma rolled her eyes, bending to kiss Jenna's cheek. As she pulled away, Jenna was surprised to see that her sister's eyes were rimmed with red as if she had been crying, but as everyone was currently watching them, she kept quiet and let Maria and then Rana hug her.

"Sit with me." She whispered, tugging on Hudayfah's arm as everyone sat down and a conversation started. She was feeling a bit overwhelmed with all of the people who were staring at her, and as she felt the heat from his body as he sat down next to her, she started to feel a bit calmer.

"How are you feeling habibti?" her mom asked sitting on her other side, and she smiled reassuringly at her.

"I'm a little better. Feeling hungry though, I could smell the grape leaves all the way from downstairs!" she exclaimed, and her mom immediately jumped up.

"Oh of course! Emma! Maria! Let's uncover the food! Muhsin, go get the servings spoons from the kitchen. Rami help him!" she ordered bustling into the other room, and everyone laughed, following in the direction of the dining room.

"Do you think I could go change my clothes first?" Jenna whispered to Hudayfah once they were alone, and he nodded.

"Of course darling. Come on."

It took her a few seconds to stand up, and another ten minutes for them to make it up the steps before they finally got to their room.

"It looks so nice in here." She said with a small smile, admiring the new wallpaper she had picked out. They contractors had finished construction on their apartment a week ago while she was still in the hospital, so it was the first time she was seeing it completed. Hudayfah had brought tons and tons of catalogs for wallpaper, carpet, and furniture so she had managed to completely redecorate the place without even having to leave her bed!

"It does MashaAllah."

"It's not too girly for you?" she teased, and he laughed, helping her out of her sweater and shirt.

"It's perfect." He paused to hand her a clean dress from her closet. "The important thing is that you love it."

"I picked it out, of course I love it." She said with a smile, and as she winced as the dress got caught on one of the staples, he hurriedly helped her with it, before handing her a blue scarf.

"No, the white one." She said and he laughed.

"I guess I don't have your fashion sense."

She shook her head in amusement, wrapping it around her head, before turning back towards him.

"Thank you. For everything."

"You don't have to thank me Jen."

"No I do. You are the most amazing person and husband in the world and..." he suddenly cut her off, pressing his lips to hers, and it was a few more minutes before they rejoined the party downstairs.

*** Farris paced up and down the dining room in agitation, pausing to stare out the window while biting down on his nail. He had seen Maria and her dad disappear into Hudayfah's office and he couldn't help but wonder what that meant.

Was she accepting him?!

Rejecting him?!

Did she need more time?!

Ugh it was killing him!

He had been as surprised as ever when he realized how strong his feelings for her were. He had started out having a small crush on her when they first met. She was adorable, and because she was often overshadowed by Emma's personality and all the attention being on Jenna with this whole Jamaal thing, he had specifically started paying attention to her, trying to get to know her. It helped that he was her bodyguard every once in a while, but it wasn't until he realized that she was really going back to Arizona the next day that he didn't want to let her go.

Yes, he lived in Arizona too, but he felt he needed to seize the moment now. With both Adam and Yasmin already here, and Jenna safe and back home. He had already told his parents, and to his great surprise, he found out that they already knew Maria's family from the Masjid.

What a small world! His conversation with Adam had been quite interesting. They had been standing in the backyard, starting up the barbecue...

"Well Farris what do you say? Think my daughters and Rana made enough hamburgers?" he asked pointing to the pile of ground beef, and Farris laughed.

"Hey I've seen the way those guys can eat, I'm worried this won't be enough!"

Adam laughed.

"Well with the chicken and rice, grape leaves, and assortment of desserts I think we will be fine. Worst case scenario, we send out for pizza! Hand me that first plate will you please?"

As Farris handed Adam the plate, he watched quietly, trying to muster up enough courage to ask. He just needed to get it out there...

"Um Abu Muhsin, may I ask you something?"

Adam smiled.

"As long as you never call me Abu Muhsin again. It makes me sound like an old man."

Farris smiled.

"Okay, Adam then?"

Adam nodded.

"Yes go ahead."

"Well, I'm just going to come out and say it. I'm interested in Maria for marriage."

Adam's hand stilled for a second, before he resumed flipping the burgers.

"Are you now?" he asked, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Yes sir."

"None of that 'sir' stuff. Do you know if she likes you?"

Farris shrugged.

"I don't know honestly."

"Hmm," Adam paused, stroking a hand over his chin. "Well, your parents do speak very highly of you, and your mother and my wife are very close."

"You know my parents!?" he asked in astonishment, and Adam laughed.

"The Muslim community in Phoenix is pretty tight knit, of course we do. Although I don't recall seeing you that often at the Masjid."

"The past few months I've been trailing all over the country with Hudayfah trying to figure out a plan to save Jenna." He said a bit defensively, and Adam smiled.

"Do not make yourself anxious my boy, I am not scolding you. You will come to realize my sense of humor soon enough. Take this plate and hand me the other one if you could please."

After Farris had traded plates with Adam, he leaned against the wall expectantly.

"Forgive me Adam, I am finding it difficult to gage what your reaction to my expressed sentiments are."

Adam smiled.

"Such formality."

"It's meant to be respectful."

"And that it is." He paused to add a few more burgers to the grill. "I will speak with my wife and if she agrees, I will ask Maria. Of course her answer is the final decision, but you have my approval."

All of his breath had left his body at that...

"Farris? What are you doing bro?" Rami asked, coming over and Farris looked up at him nervously.

"Waiting."

"For what?"

Farris wasn't going to tell anyone until he had an answer.

He didn't want to jinx it.

"To see if Maria accepts my proposal!" he blurted out and as he clapped a hand to his mouth, Rami's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"No way?! Are you serious!?"

Farris nodded.

"Yes."

"Man that's awesome! Congrats bro!" he exclaimed attacking Farris with a bear hug.

"She hasn't said yes yet!"

"She will InshaAllah."

"How can you be sure?"

"I have like a seventh sense about these kinds of things."

Farris rolled his eyes.

"Don't you mean a sixth sense?"

Rami shook his head.

"No, I have a sixth sense too."

"What is it?"

"Top secret. If I tell you, I'd have to kill you."

Farris rolled his eyes again, preparing to respond, when Maria and Adam came down the stairs, and his heart jumped into his throat.

"Good luck bro." Rami muttered before he walked away, and Farris began to shift back and forth as they approached him.

"Um Salaam." He said a bit awkwardly, and Adam smiled.

"Salaam son!"

Farris froze, before he looked over at Maria.

"Son?"

She smiled, blushing slightly.

"I accept your proposal."