a bennett witch and the original Hybrid

19

A little mewl that resembled a cat sounded from the bassinet next to the bed, rousing an exhausted Bonnie from her sleep in the wee hours of the night.

It had been almost a week since Amari Rebekah had made her debut, and Bonnie was still feeling the effects of the birth. While it hadn't been a hard labor and Amari's blood had healed her physically, her body was experiencing the loss of the strong magic she shared with Amari, making her recovery slower than expected. Most of her muscles, her lower back muscles in particular, were sore, causing her to wince when she tried to swing her legs to get out of the bed.

Her bare feet touched the floor as she made the short walk to the bassinet, noticing how warm it was. She was reminded that it was summer, after all. It didn't feel like it; probably because she had spent most of June and now a part of July locked up, but a muggy summer was starting in Louisiana. Without the need to turn on the lights to orient herself, Bonnie dragged her feet; blinking her eyes so they could focus on the baby.

Lying there, swaddled in a white blanket with little pink embroidered flowers, Amari whined; sounding very disgruntled. With the unsure demeanor that was common to most first time mothers, Bonnie picked her up, trying to mimic the movement Lydia had shown her. The baby settled down a little, and started to make small suckling motions with the rosy lips, letting her mother know what she really wanted.

Bonnie smiled, tracing her cupid's bow, even though she felt insecure in that particular task. In the past days, there had been tears of frustration from both sides, as they hadn't figured out the best way to do that yet.

Again, the baby whined, and Bonnie remembered that she didn't like to be swaddled while nursing. With the utmost care, she loosened the soft cotton blanket, leaving the baby in her pastel yellow onesie with a ducky pattern. Kicking her chubby little legs in impatience, Amari looked like the perfect mixture of her parents. She had Bonnie's complexion; her skin tone just a tad lighter than hers, her nose and pursed lips, and Klaus' everything else; his blue eyes and personality.

Surprisingly- and thankfully- Amari latched on the first try and started sucking with all the enthusiasm her little body could muster. Bonnie winced at a certain point, but the discomfort was manageable. Seeing the serene look on Amari's face, her splayed hand on her breast twitching and the way she tried to keep her eyes open was worth any pain.

As a matter of fact, Bonnie could withstand anything just to look at her baby, period. Even in her young age, Amari was showing signs that she would be a curious one. Whenever she was not sleeping in someone's arms, she had her blue eyes-inherited from her daddy- set on what was in front of her, always willing to discover something new. Bonnie had come to find out her newborn girl was already developing likes and dislikes. She liked to spend the afternoons out on the porch; being rocked and listening to her daddy speak. Klaus would sometimes read her poems, and it never failed to capture her attention.

Sensing the movement around him, Klaus woke up. He groaned, wondering how it was possible to feel so tired when he was a hybrid. Of course, he would never admit it to anyone- or even himself- that his exhaustion was mostly his own fault, as he had spent most nights awake and watching his daughter sleep; mesmerized by the sight of Amari's rising and falling chest.

"What time is it?" he asked; his voice still raspy from the lack of use.

Bonnie ran a hand through the baby's head, smoothing her chestnut curls, and smiling when she noticed Amari's eyes snap open at the mere sound of Klaus' voice. So young and already a daddy's girl. She was doomed.

"Five, I think. Go back to sleep, Nik."

"In a moment," he replied even though his eyelids felt as heavy as lead. The scene before him had the power to keep him awake, though.