The ambulance arrives about five minutes after Gülfem hanim is shot. Ates hasn't moved, hasn't so much as breathed. He just hugs her close, eyes closed, and face hidden in his mother's hair.
Her heart aches for him, despite everything, because she knows losing a mother is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone, and it will hurt no matter how old you are.
The paramedics arrive, dragging a gurney between them. One of them kneels beside Ateş and attempts to take Gülfem's body from his arms. Ateş holds onto her tighter, shaking his head as he rocks back and forth like a child. "Sir," the old man says as he lays a hand on Ateş' shoulder, "we need to move her."
He shakes his head again, tears streaming down his face as he looks down at his mother's face. "Anne," he whispers hoarsely, "anne, open your eyes, please. Please."
The two paramedics try to get him to let go again, but to no avail. It's like he's not even here anymore; like a part of him has died with her.
"Ma'am, can you help us out?"
She startles out of her trance and nods. Feraye gets up and walks closer to him. She gets down on one knee and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Ateş," she whispers, and gets no response. She says his name louder, and his head twitches towards her before he's back to staring at his mother's lifeless body.
She swallows, lifts her shaking hands, and lays them both on his wet cheeks. "Ateş," she whispers, using the grip she has on his face to turn it towards her, "Ateş, you have to let her go."
His face crumbles as his body shudders, and she feels her chest tighten at the sheer agony she sees in his dark eyes.
"You need to let her go," she tells him gently.
"I can't."
She strokes his cheek, wiping away the tears that continue to fall. "You can. You have to."
He shudders again, sobbing as he hangs his head low. She's never seen him this devastated. Granted, she doesn't know him that well, but the Ateş in her mind is this invincible, untouchable man. Now, he's almost unrecognizable to her.
Feraye grabs Ateş' hand in hers and tugs it gently towards her. He struggles a little bit, but eventually gives in. The paramedics work fast, and in less than a minute, Gülfem is no longer on the ground, but on a gurney, being wheeled away. Ateş' breath hitches in his chest at the sight, and Feraye finds herself drawing him into her arms, his head on her chest and her arms around him; as if she's shielding him from the hurt.
He cries, anguished sobs that seem to rip their way out of his throat.
She can do nothing but hold him through it.
.
The ride to the hospital is quiet.
Ateş is slumped against the seat like a puppet with its strings cut off, staring out the window lifelessly.
When they get to the hospital, Ateş, by some miracle, seems to have pulled himself together just enough to take care of the things he needs to. She's with him the whole time, feeling like a useless shadow.
It takes a while for procedures to be done- who knew death required that much paperwork.
When everything is done, he walks out of the hospital, swaying on his feet like he's about to fall any moment. "Ateş, why don't we sit-"
"Go to him," he interrupts her.
She jerks away from him, surprised. "What?"
"Go to him, Feraye," he tells her quietly, "I just called Dede, told him what happened. He probably told Yaman by now. So go to him; he probably needs you."
