What is family?

You need to stay

* This is set around the time when Leyla's dad was asking her to come back home, and Kemal still didn't have evidence to get him arrested. This is what I imagine could happen if she actually decided to go. Enjoy.

She is leaving. Packing her bag in the next room, right under your nose, Kemal. He was sitting at his desk, typical grim expression on his face, lips in a thin line. The only sign that he was in a state of distress was the way his fingers tapped on the desk. But inside her was on the verge of exploding. I have to stop her. But how? She doesn't listen to reason. She's so stubborn.

Leyla walked out of her room, bag in hand. She looked at his direction, but refused to meet his eyes.

Think, what could stop her? His eyes watched as she walked down the stairs. You can't afford to lose her. Masal wouldn't bear it... He made a fist. Admit it, already Kemal. You wouldn't bear it either. Get up!

He jumped from his chair and ran to the stairs. Taking two at a time, he raced down to the front door.

"Leyla, stop!" He yelled and grabbed her wrist.

"What do you want, mister Grumpy?" She was trying to keep a brave face, but it was so hard.

"Will you listen to me for a second?" He let go of her hand and she made a step back, feeling this close to him was unbearable.

"Ok. I'm listening"

Years and years of not speaking his feelings out, was making it hard to actually do it.

"I...good luck" The moment he said it, he wanted to punch himself.

She was surprised, bunching her brows in confusion and looking around.

"Thank you. You too"

She turned to leave, squatting to take the handle of her bag.

"You need to stay" He said to her back, it was easier that way, not looking into her eyes. "I love the way you wake me every night with your sumnambulism, the way you tie yourself with ropes. I notice everything. i'm a creature of habit, but you broke my every rule, just like that" He stopped when he saw she was turning to face him. He looked straight into her eyes and continied. It was his last chance.

"I love the funny and the crazy. I love everything about you. I cannot tell you what it means being this close to Masal again. You gave me the most precious gift in my life. I'm a difficult person, i know that, that's why you, of all people, should understand how tough it is for me to beg like this. But I'm ready to do anything to keep you here. The things that made me like this are not a thing to discuss right now, but they made my heart almost like stone, don't think i dont know it. I wasn't always like this, i used to believe in happiness, love, i laughed and lived. Things changed, life changed me. But you, you are the only person beside Masal and Shehriye that made me smile, that made me feel. I closed my heart for everyone a long time ago, but you managed to break into it the same way you broke into my house"

Kemal blinked a tear away and balled his fists. The look in his eyes could tear a heart apart. The pain and vulnerability in them were basically breaking Leyla in half.

"I...can't do this without you. Masal can't do it either. I got so used to your presense in here, that if you walk out that door right now, i might never recover"

He fell down on his knees, almost defeated. Kemal Tarhun, the epithome of stoic, looked like a broken man. He just stood with back straight, hands beside him, looking right into her eyes, pleading. Waiting his faith to be decided.

"Leyla" he finally uttered. "I'm giving you my heart on a platter. You have the power to either break it or save it. Decide now"

Leyla didn't even feel the tears streaming down her eyes. Looking into his black depths, it felt like he was pulling her toward a black hole. She wanted so bad to make the couple of steps to him, to tell him the words he desperately wanted to hear. But she has a family, her father needed her, Taji needed her. She was never good at goodbyes, so she wouldnt say goodbye now. The pain will go away. Time heals she told herself. She turned on her heals, turning her back on Kemal. Her hand hesitated on the doorknob, but she pushed it nonetheless. The sound of the closing door sounded like a gunshot, and felt like that to her heart. Each step she took was harder and harder, the more she walked, the more the teares flowed.

Her hand in her pocket touched something familiar.

Masal's favourite ribbon. She likes to wear it at dinner and pretend she is a princess, and we the rest of the characters in a story. Sometimes she lets me be the robber, sometimes her queen mother. Sometimes her dad is a servant and im the princess. She swallowed.

Leyla, what are you doing? Who else knows this, but a family? Where are you going right now? Where? You're...you;re walking away from it. God, you're so stupid. What did you do?

"Oh my god" she said out loud. "Oh my god" she ran back toward the house. She almost broke through the door oh ner way in. The sight before her broke her heart even more. Kemal was in the same spot, in the same position, only his chin was resting on his chest, looking completely broken.

"Kemal?" She walked to him, dropping to her knees as well in front of him. "Kemal?" She called him again, but he didn't answer. As if he didn't hear her at all. She cupped his face and lifted his head. His eyes were looking at nothing, no life in them. Fear crept into her heart. What did I do?

"Kemal? Look at me, please" She tried to meet his eyes, without luck.Kemal she called for him louder. His eyes met her, but were lifeless. Still holding his face, she started speaking. "Listen to me, listen, you stubborn grumpy man. I won't leave you, not now, not ever again. Are you listening to me?"

His black eyes looked at her for real this time, holding her gaze.

"Ok, you are listening. I tried to walk away, so many times. But i always returned, thinking of Masal, but it was also about you. I like making fun of you, it brightens my day, I like our little arguments about literally nothing. I like the way you secretly follow my every step, thinking i don't notice. Kemal? I want you to listen to me very carefully now. Nod if you understand"

He blinked and nodded.

"Kemal, Mr. Grumpy, I love you too. Every day I spent in this house, I saw more and more of you and liked what i saw. You might have hidden it deep within, but it's not invisible. A lawyer and a thief might be the craziest match that ever existed, but we can make it work. Because I found out I've never loved anyone like this. With you I've felt both love and sadness. Every book I've read says that's when you know it's real"

He closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them, he took her wrists in his hands and asked.

"Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I mean it. Why else would I tell you all this? It's true I joke a lot, but there's a line I too don't cross"

She pressed her forehead to his and stared into his eyes.

"I love you, I'm staying, now please get up. Don't let Masal see you like this"

He grabbed the back of her head in his hands and nodded a few times quickly against her forehead, squeezing his eyes to stop the tears. Kemal stood up and held his hand to help Leyla up. He looked at her hand in his, then into her eyes. He squeezed her palm and pulled her to him. Leyla was never the one to show affection so freely or to accept closeness, but now, in his arms, she wanted nothing more than to be as close as possible to this man.