TWO BIRDS OF A FEATHER

Standing her ground...

When love fills the heart, it makes it stronger. Firmer. Sturdier. It makes one believe that they are capable of reaching new heights, spreading their wings, and standing their ground against life's challenges. Whatever they may be. Likewise, sometimes it makes one believe that the choices they make are not made out of necessity, but out of conviction that they are capable of much more. So much more...

As they arrived back at the agency, Can smiled at Sanem. She sat beside him, in his car, again. They were beloveds, again. And they were going to work together, again, Can would make sure of it. Even if it would take a bit of convincing. Actually, quite a whole lot of convincing because Sanem was, well, Sanem.

Can asked Sanem once more about returning to Fikri Harika. The agency needed her, and she would soon understand she needed to stop working for Yigit. That, above all, was Can's top priority. But Sanem was not sure whether returning to Fikri Harika was a good idea. At least not yet. They exited Can's car, and Can tried asking her about it once more. She shook her head, and asked him for more time. He smiled, aware of the storm of emotions she must have been going through. After all that they had gone through, he wanted to make sure Sanem was sure of her decisions, and sure of their future together.

The fact that Can smiled and nodded in agreement with her, calmed Sanem down. It caused her to smile back at him. The Can she knew would ave advise her what to do, and this time Can listened. He still insisted that she would resign from working for Yigit, but he did not respond with hot a temper simmering under his skin. This alone was enough for her. She was certain that working through their problems as one, together, would help them in the long run.

Filled with a newfound sense of belonging and strength of their love, they returned back to work. If Can assumed his return to the agency that morning would go unnoticed, he was mistaken. He walked into a welcoming party of smiles, bravo's cheers, and one very happily excited Ceycey, who glided through the air and right into his arms.

No one would have understood Ceycey at that moment, even if they tried. Ceycey missed Sanem. Everyone knew that. But no one was aware of the bond growing between him and Can. Ceycey wasn't just a man who knew the story of Can and Sanem's love. He wasn't just their confidante. He stopped being just Sanem's friend when Can had asked to join him for a boys-only evening at the tavern a few days before. And since that day, Ceycey began to see Can as more than just his boss. And he carried the sorrow and sadness regarding Can's departure deep in his heart.

The moment Ceycey heard Can's voice echoing through the agency and announcing his return, Ceycey's heart leaped to the high heavens. He smiled, jumped out of his chair, and sprung right into Can's arms. Although Can was surprised at Ceycey's uncensored reaction, it did not baffle him as much as the fact that Ceycey continued to hold onto him, with his happy feet dangling up in the air.

Can patted Ceycey's back, and set him down on the ground. He welcomed the cheers and happy smiles of those gathered around him. His announcement that he was back, and he was there to stay caused an even bigger uproar among his happy employees. Even Deren clapped her hands in solidarity with those around then. However, their smiles were short-lived, because they heard Polen's voice.

As usual, Polen waltzed in as if she owned the place. Though, she did her best to hide the insecurities when it came to the uncertainty of where she stood with Can. It was clear that he had mended his relationship with Sanem. But it was also clear to her that Can did not know that she was aware of it. She had to play her cards right, if she wanted to cause a rift between him and Sanem. She was not the type of a woman who gave up easily, and Can was definitely not someone who wasn't worth fighting for.

Polen smiled, greeted everyone, and picked up on the way Can welcomed her. He was polite, but no longer as open with her as he was the day before. Only a fool would have been blind to that fact. And she was no fool. She advised Deren that she was back because they had to finalize arrangements for her book's launch. She also advised her that Yigit did not leave for Izmir either. Deren exclaimed her joy to high heavens. But what Polen mistook for Deren's happiness about Yigit staying in Istanbul, was actually Deren's excitement at the news that Yigit hadn't left - and since he did not, neither would have Sanem.