A/N: For part six (of eight) of our epilogue, we check in on our family of five Ms now (Murtasim, Meerab, Meesam, Maahir, and Maira + the goats who are out frolicking somewhere). Hope y'all enjoy this chapter!

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In the dimly lit room, Meerab watched anxiously as the physician examined her twins, Maahir and Maira, laid out on the soft bed. Her heart was heavy with worry, her mind racing with the possibilities of what could be wrong.

"They've been fussy all night, at first I thought it was because they missed Mur—their father, but they're both a little warm and keep crying," Meerab explained, her voice tinged with concern as the doctor held a thermometer to Maira's forehead.

A wave of relief washed over her as the thermometer flashed green, indicating Maira's temperature was normal. Meerab held her breath again as the physician moved to take Maahir's temperature. She silently prayed for another green light, which came, much to her relief.

She watched closely as the doctor checked each baby's ears and then their mouths, her fingers gently stroking their hair in an attempt to soothe their cries. The familiar sound of her shushing filled the room, a soft counterpoint to the babies' distress.

"No sign of any kind of infection, it's just teething, their gums are a little sore. Some children have a harder time with it than others," the physician finally concluded with a sigh, offering a smile that seemed meant to reassure.

Except it didn't.

"Do they need medication? Ointment of some sort?" Meerab asked, remembering tales from other mothers about numbing gels for teething babies—Meesam had been so different, simply waking up one morning with teeth breaking through her gums.

"No, ointments and gels aren't great for babies. If they get really irritable, you can give them baby acetaminophen to help them sleep through the night. But not more than once a night," she advised. "I'll have my assistant bring you a teether, it's just rubber. Put it in the fridge for a while and let them chew on it. For now, you can just run your finger across their gums or a cool spoon if they get fussy. This is one of those things that you just have to get through, sadly. I recommend making pureed fruits and freezing them to make ice lollipops. They might not fuss about those because it'll help with the pain," she explained further, his voice calm.

Rifat Bi, the head of their house staff, chimed in. "I'll have those made and brought to you," she said.

"I'll also send up the medication just in case," the physician added before packing up her tools.

Rifat Bi escorted the physician out. Meerab knew one of the maids would be standing outside the door, ready to assist if needed.

Meerab gently picked up both Maahir and Maira, moving them further up the bed until they were nestled among the pillows. She sat cross-legged beside them, her motherly instinct kicking in as she began to soothe their tiny bellies with gentle rubs.

Maira's face scrunched up into a screech of discomfort. "I know, baby, I am sorry it hurts," Meerab whispered softly, her finger delicately tracing along Maira's tender gums in an attempt to offer some relief.

Just then, Maahir started to cry.

Quickly, Meerab scooped him up and nestled his face against her neck, rocking him gently while continuing to tend to Maira. She sang softly, a lullaby to calm them, her voice wavering as her own eyes filled with tears.

The emotional weight of seeing her babies in discomfort was overwhelming.

She had always been sensitive to Meesam's pain, but now, with twins, the experience was doubly intense, the though of them being in pain was worse than being in pain herself. "It's okay, I know it hurts, but before you know it, you'll have little teeth and you can try even more foods like Mee-Mee," she reassured them, trying to infuse her voice with cheerfulness despite her aching heart.

Lifting Maira with her other arm, she cradled both twins against her neck.

Maira, perhaps sensing her mother's distress, began to pull at Meerab's hair, a familiar gesture that brought a small smile to Meerab's face. Maahir, unusually quiet, simply nuzzled against her, his soft breaths against her skin providing a different kind of comfort. She wished he'd pull on her hair and laugh as he usually did.

"I bet you both miss chewing on Abbu's hand right now, don't you?" Meerab chuckled lightly, attempting to lighten the mood. She lay back slowly, bringing the twins close against her chest, their little bodies warm.

"I miss him too," she continued, a plan forming in her mind. "Don't worry, we're going to change the rule; he's not allowed to leave for more than two days."

Maira responded with a loud sound against her neck, causing Meerab to laugh softly. "I'm glad you agree."

"And when you're older and vaccinated against all the scary things, we can go everywhere with him," she added thoughtfully.

Maahir babbled something in return, his intonations rising and falling as if trying to mimic her, she loved how they their babbles changed in response to what she said. Each of Maahir's vocalizations seemed like tiny inquiries, his little voice rising at the end of each babble as if asking questions only he knew.

"Yes, we have to take guards with us because there are people out there that'll try to hurt you just because of who you are," Meerab explained to the twins, the weight of her words masked by a gentle tone. "I am sure your father will have all kinds of people following us around without our knowledge as you get older. It's just a part of life, but they're good at blending in. It took me months to find out he had additional people tailing me."

Maira responded with a spirited screech, and Meerab couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, your abbu is sneaky and—" Her sentence was cut short by a knock at the door.

Rifat Bi entered swiftly, a soothing presence as she approached the bed where Meerab sat with the twins. She placed two teethers on a plate beside Meerab.

"That was quick, they seemed to have calmed down a bit," Meerab noted, appreciating the slight calm that seemed to settle over Maira and Maahir, though they remained unusually subdued, not attempting their usual squirms and rolls.

"That's good, but maybe the teethers will help more," Rifat Bi suggested, gently stroking the babies' heads as Meerab began unwrapping the teethers.

"I'll go wash these," Meerab declared, taking the teethers to the bathroom.

She carefully ran warm water over them, scrubbed them with soap and rinsed them, before turning the water to cold to soothe the twins' sore gums. The panda-themed and duck-shaped teethers looked almost cheerful under the stream.

After drying them thoroughly, Meerab returned to the bedroom, climbing back onto the bed. She handed the panda teether to Maira, who immediately took it in her mouth, a small victory in calming her discomfort.

Maahir, a little puzzled by the object, needed Meerab's gentle guidance to bring the duck teether to his mouth.

Rifat Bi added, "I had the other ones washed and put in the fridge to cool along with the popsicles."

"Thank you, Rifat Bi," Meerab expressed with heartfelt gratitude, wondering internally what she would do without such invaluable assistance. "Is Meesam still asleep?"

"She's sleeping like an acrobat as she usually does, her feet on her pillows tonight," Rifat Bi replied with a chuckle.

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Murtasim took the stairs two at a time, his heart pounding in his chest as he ascended towards the quiet sanctum of their bedroom. The house was enveloped in the deep silence of 2 a.m., a stillness that did little to soothe his racing thoughts. He had caught the earliest possible flight from Dubai the moment Meerab's hesitant voice had hinted at the twins' discomfort. She had downplayed it, her words attempting to reassure, but her tone had betrayed her worry.

Despite Meerab's assurances on the video call that the twins were merely teething and managing well with their new teethers, Murtasim couldn't shake the unease. On screen, Maahir and Maira's little faces had seemed redder than usual, their lively movements subdued even as they chewed on the rubber toys designed to ease their pain.

As he reached the top of the staircase, his mind replayed Meerab's forced smiles and the slight puffiness around her eyes that she couldn't hide. Her hair was more disheveled than her usual controlled chaos, her cheeks flushed not with health but with the stress of managing it all alone. The laughter that usually brightened her face seemed hollow, her jokes absent, and her voice lacked its characteristic playful lilt.

These signs had spurred Murtasim into action, cutting short his business obligations to return home. He knew all too well the challenges Meerab faced juggling the needs of their three-year-old Meesam alongside the twins. The thought of her feeling overwhelmed was unbearable.

Murtasim knew he made the right decision as he pushed the bedroom door open, the soft cries of his twins drawing him in. The light spilling from the room painted the hallway in a warm glow, yet the sound that filled the space was anything but comforting.

As he entered, he saw Meerab pacing the floor, each twin nestled in one arm. She was humming softly, a desperate attempt to soothe their incessant cries. Her face, tear-streaked and weary, turned towards him as he stepped inside. The relief in her eyes was palpable, yet it barely masked her exhaustion.

He crossed the distance between them in seconds, enveloping his wife and babies in a warm embrace. "Shhh, it's okay, meri jaan," Murtasim whispered, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his heart.

He pressed a kiss to Meerab's forehead, wiping away her tears before he reached out to gently take Maahir from her arms, hoping to share her burden.

Maahir's cries didn't cease, but softened slightly in his father's embrace.

"What do you need?" he asked Meerab, his tone laced with concern.

Through sniffles, Meerab responded, her voice broken by fatigue, "I don't know. They woke up crying again and I tried everything from the cold teethers to running my fingers across their gums to breastfeeding to rocking to singing. I even gave them the painkiller but it's not helping."

Murtasim nodded, understanding the gravity of her struggle. "You did well, meri jaan, it might take a bit for the painkillers to kick in," he reassured her, guiding her to sit on the bed.

He carefully placed Maahir beside them, then turned to pick up Maira as she reached out for him.

Maira's cries grew louder, a clear demand for her father's attention.

Murtasim lifted her into his arms, feeling the tiny weight of her body settle against him as he tried to comfort her. Meanwhile, Meerab attempted to soothe Maahir with the teether, but he turned his face away, his cries mingling with his sister's.

Just then, a knock on the door pulled his attention.

"It must be the maid; I sent her to get the ice-lollies Rifat Bi made," Meerab said.

"It's okay, I've got it," Murtasim responded, placing Maira gently on the bed. He opened the door to find the maid, Shazia, who looked surprised to see him home so early. "Khan," she greeted him.

Murtasim nodded in greeting, and reached over and took the tray of iced-lollies with a grateful smile. "Thank you," he said softly before shutting the door gently behind her.

Turning back to the room, his attention was immediately captured by the colorful array on the tray. "There are apparently different flavors," he remarked as he walked back towards the bed where Meerab sat with the twins.

"Yeah, Rifat Bi said there are avocado and pears; carrot, mango and raspberry; and strawberry-banana," Meerab informed him, watching as he placed the tray on the night table.

Murtasim picked up a light pink iced lolly, "Strawberry banana for Maira, my princess loves bananas," he declared, carefully wiggling it out from the mould.

"And avocado and pear for Maahir because my prince loves avocados," Murtasim continued, freeing another lolly from its mould, this one a vibrant green. He walked back to the bed.

Handing the green lolly to Meerab, he watched with a tense hope as she brought it to Maahir's lips.

Relief washed over him when Maahir ceased crying to suck on the cool treat.

Maira, however, was still fussing, so Murtasim sat down on the bed and pulled her gently into his lap. "It'll make you feel better, princess, I promise," he coaxed, but she stubbornly kept her mouth closed.

"You have to make airplane sounds because you've spoiled her," Meerab teased, a tired smile touching her lips.

Taking the hint, Murtasim held the iced lolly away from Maira's face, then zoomed it through the air with accompanying airplane noises.

Finally, she opened her mouth, accepting the lolly.

Relief flooded through Murtasim as he watched his daughter's face relax at the soothing coolness of the treat.

"See, that's better," he murmured, his heart settling as both twins began to calm.

The relief in the room was palpable as the twins slowly calm, each sucking on their iced lollies.

"It must really be hurting," he commented softly, observing Maira gnaw on her strawberry-banana flavored ice lolly with such vigor that it mirrored her brother's fervent nibbling.

"We're going to need towels, they're going to make a mess when it starts melting," Meerab noted, shifting as if to rise from the bed.

"Stop," Murtasim gently instructed, placing a reassuring hand on her arm. "Just relax."

"But—"

"Is there anyone outside?" Murtasim called out, his voice carrying across the quiet room.

Almost immediately, a knock sounded, and the door creaked open to reveal Shazia again. "Can you please get us some towels? Two large ones and two facecloths," he requested.

Shazia nodded and shut the door behind her.

Turning back to Meerab, Murtasim added, "You don't need to do everything yourself, Meerab."

"I probably look like a homeless person right now," Meerab muttered, sniffling slightly, a trace of self-deprecation in her voice.

"No, you look like a worried – but very beautiful - mother who loves her children a lot," Murtasim reassured her, his voice warm and encouraging. He smiled as her lips curved upwards slightly in response.

Just then, Maahir decided he wanted to grab the popsicle Meerab was holding. Murtasim chuckled as his little hands flew off the cold object almost as quickly as they had gripped it, followed by a surprised squawk.

"Is it cold?" Murtasim asked his son, who looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Baaaaaa," Maahir responded, his baby voice echoing in the room as Meerab carefully slid the popsicle away from him.

Murtasim laughed heartily as Maahir made another attempt to grab the popsicle. "No no, only ammi gets to touch," Meerab instructed, bringing the popsicle back to his mouth.

Murtasim couldn't help but laugh again at how eagerly Maahir opened his mouth and resumed chomping on the ice lolly. "Either the popsicle is really good, or the painkillers are finally working," he mused aloud.

"Probably a mix of both," Meerab agreed, just as another knock echoed through the room. Shazia re-entered, placing the requested towels on a nearby table.

"Can I get you anything else?" she asked politely.

"No, that's all for now. Thank you, Shazia." Meerab replied, her smile weary but grateful as she got up, placing Maahir in his lap too.

Murtasim carefully balanced Maahir beside Maira, his brow arching in mild surprise when Meerab chuckled at his expression. "You have two hands, I need you to use them right now," she instructed, handing him the popsicle Maahir had been nibbling on before she rose to lay towels around him, preparing for the inevitable mess while he held popsicles in both Maira and Maahir's mouths.

She walked to the bathroom and returned with a mug of warm water, placing it near the melting lollies on the bedside table. "Want one?" Meerab asked, gesturing towards the colorful array of iced lollipops.

"Aren't they for the babies?" Murtasim responded, eyeing the lollies with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"It's just pureed fruit and veggies, plus they're just going to melt," Meerab reasoned, yet she walked back to the bed without grabbing one for herself.

She lifted Maira from Murtasim's lap, placing her on the towel, then handed her the lolly.

Maira's delight was immediate; she giggled, trying to smash the cold treat between her hands, screeching when she realized how chilly it was. "No, my little bug, hold it from here," Meerab advised, adjusting Maira's grip to the large handle designed for tiny hands.

After setting Maahir next to his sister and giving him his popsicle, Meerab selected a carrot, mango, and raspberry lolly for herself and a strawberry-banana one for Murtasim.

Returning to the bed, she handed him his treat.

Murtasim took the popsicle and, in a fluid motion, pulled Meerab into his lap, eliciting a surprised screech from Maahir. "Shhhh, it's ammi's turn," he soothed his son while lightly scratching his head.

Maahir, seemingly convinced, returned his attention to his popsicle.

"I missed you," Meerab murmured, nestling deeper into Murtasim's embrace.

"Me too," he whispered back. "What made you cry?" he asked gently, noting the earlier distress in her voice.

"I—Nothing worked, and the longer they cried, the more I cried. I guess it's just hard to watch them in pain. They're usually so good with crying; they calm right down when you give them what they want, but I couldn't even tell what they wanted. They were just—in pain, I guess. And then Meesam has been trying to play with me all day, and I haven't been able to give her any attention, so she was sad too," she explained, her voice thick with emotion.

"I am sorry I wasn't here," he sighed.

"You can't be here all the time, Murtasim, but thank you for coming...even though I said you didn't need to," Meerab acknowledged, her voice softening.

"It made me feel so unwanted," he teased lightly, earning a chuckle from her.

"You're always wanted, I wanted to let you get some work done," she replied with a smile, the warmth returning to her eyes.

"You all come first, meri jaan, always," Murtasim whispered, sealing his reassurance with a gentle kiss on her cheek.

Suddenly Maira screech loudly, "BAHHHHHHHH!"

Their attention snapped to her when they saw Maahir leaning over trying to bite off her popsicle.

"No no, you can't steal your sister's food, eat your own," Meerab laughed, gently pulling Maahir back to his own space.

Murtasim couldn't help but snort as Maahir then tried to lean towards the popsicle Meerab was holding for herself. Swiftly, Murtasim took the popsicle from Meerab's hand to manage it himself as she settled Maahir down.

Just then, Maira turned towards her brother, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Did she just stick out her tongue at him?" Murtasim laughed heartily. "You can't blame me for this one, that's all you," he jested, turning to Meerab, who, caught in the moment, playfully stuck her tongue out at him too before realizing what she had just done.

He snorted.

"Shut up," she muttered before turning back to the twins.

"Are your sister's feet funny?" Meerab giggled, watching amusedly as Maira grabbed one foot while Maahir grabbed her other foot. They seemed much happier now, the tears having faded.

"You're making her conscious of her very cute feet, stop," Murtasim chided gently as Maira dropped her feet and beamed a huge smile up at him.

Following his sister, Maahir then lifted his feet up.

Meerab, amused by their antics, playfully threw the towel she was holding over Murtasim's head, causing both kids to erupt in laughter as he 'disappeared.' Pulling the towel down, he declared, "Peekaboo?" and covered his face again.

Murtasim listened as Maira screeched again, but Maahir remained quiet. "I think he thinks you're actually gone," Meerab observed, leaning down to tickle Maahir's tummy, causing giggles as Murtasim reappeared from behind the towel.

"Okay, apparently not as interested in peekaboo as they were yesterday," he sighed, feigning disappointment.

"Aw, you poor baby. Whatever will you do to occupy your time now?" Meerab teased sarcastically.

Murtasim responded by playfully pinching the side of her stomach, making her yelp, "Hey! That hurts."

"Aw, you poor baby," he mimicked her earlier tease, chuckling as she scrunched her nose and stuck out her tongue at him again. "I told you, don't stick it out unless you plan to use it," he teased back.

"Stop being annoying," she whined. "Isn't your abbu so annoying?" she asked the twins.

Just then, Maira grabbed Maahir's hand and chomped down on it, causing him to yell loudly.

"Stop eating your brother, princess," Murtasim laughed, kneeling at the side of the bed to gently remove her brother's hand from her mouth.

She giggled at him, and he couldn't help but lean down and plant kisses on both their faces, tickling their tummies while Meerab took their popsicles to clean them up.

The door creaked open, drawing Murtasim's attention away from the twins.

Meerab, with a gentle smile lighting her tired features, greeted their eldest daughter who shuffled into the room. "Hi Mee-Mee, did we wake you up?" she asked softly.

Meesam, clutching the beloved stuffed lion, Sher, was a sleepy figure with tousled hair and half-closed eyes. "Are you having fun without me?" she pouted, her small voice filled with a mix of sleepiness and a touch of jealousy as she placed Sher on the bed first and then climbed onto the bed herself.

"No, baby, Maahir and Maira are growing teeth so it hurts," Meerab explained gently, smoothing back a lock of Meesam's hair.

Meesam seemed to ponder this for a moment, her little fingers rubbing at her eyes again.

Her gaze shifted to Murtasim, and her expression brightened remarkably as recognition set in. "Ba-Ba! You came back!" she exclaimed joyfully, launching herself into his arms.

Murtasim caught her effortlessly, his heart swelling with love as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Did Mee-Mee miss me?" he asked, setting her down but keeping her close within his arms.

Meesam responded by placing her small hands on his cheeks, mirroring the affectionate gesture Meerab often used. She nodded vigorously.

"How much?" Murtasim's voice was playful.

Stretching her arms wide, Meesam showed him just how much she'd missed him.

"Wow, that much?" Murtasim feigned astonishment, his voice echoing softly in the quiet room.

"Did Ba-Ba miss Mee-Mee?" his little girl's voice was earnest, filled with hope.

With equal earnestness and a wide smile, Murtasim spread his arms as wide as they would go. "This much," he declared. Meesam's giggles filled the room, a sweet sound that warmed his heart. She then turned her attention to her younger siblings, "They okay?"

"Yes, they're better now, they had medicine," Meerab responded, her smile reassuring as she watched the twins interact.

"Teeth?" Meesam's curiosity was piqued as she peered down at the twins curiously.

"They're inside their gums still, it hurts when they come out," Meerab explained, her voice tender as she helped Meesam understand.

"Poor babies, they're no fun," Meesam concluded with a pout, her childlike candor drawing a quiet chuckle from Murtasim.

Carefully, Meerab lifted Maahir, gently placing him in the crib beside their bed, his little face scrunching momentarily before settling into the comfort of his blankets. She repeated the process with Maira, ensuring each twin was snug and secure.

Turning to their eldest, Murtasim's voice was gentle, "Does Mee-Mee want to sleep here too?"

Meesam's face lit up with a sleepy grin, and she nodded enthusiastically. Murtasim couldn't help but smile at her eagerness. He rearranged the pillows and made room in the middle of the bed, signaling for Meerab to join him on one side. Once settled, he pulled Meesam close to his other side. Almost instantly, Meesam threw her little leg over his. She drifted off to sleep within seconds.

Holding back a chuckle, Murtasim whispered to Meerab, "Who did she get this from?" His voice was low but amused.

"Beats me," Meerab responded in a soft whisper, her lips curling into a smile.

"Are they asleep?" Murtasim asked after a moment, his voice a soft murmur in the quiet room.

Meerab hummed affirmatively, her eyes scanning the peaceful faces of their babies in the crib. "Their eyes are closed, and they aren't moving around," she confirmed, her voice filled with a mother's relief at the sight of her children at peace.

With a content sigh, Murtasim turned his head to nuzzle into Meerab's hair, his lips finding her temple in a tender kiss. "Sleep, meri jaan," he murmured, the endearment slipping out naturally, filled with love.

She hummed in response, a sound of contentment that filled the dim room.

"I love you," he whispered into the quiet, his voice soft but resonant in the still air.

"I love you too," she sighed back, her voice a gentle echo of his love, as they settled deeper into the warmth of their family nestled around them.

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A/N: Soooooooooo, what do you think? What was your favourite part? I am obsessed with the idea of their little family of five! In the next chapter, we'll see more of MeeraSim (some smut) + their kids (some fluff).