One of a Kind - A KathNiel Story

Chapter 8

It was a little under an hour later when they both started to wake up and Kath smiled at the sight of Noah. Her head was still pounding, but she knew she could simply take some painkillers and it would help to take the edge off of it.

"Good morning, sweetie," Kath said, rubbing her eyes and Noah slowly sat up in the bed, looking around. The curtains weren't too thick, so he could see the room - all the cream furniture and the matching decorations and artwork on the walls.

"I need the bathroom," Noah said shyly and Kath smiled, shaking her head.

"That's okay, sweetie! We'll give you a bath too, since as we skipped that last night and then we can have breakfast. Come on, we'll go." Kath got out of bed, holding out her hand and Noah kept hold of Leo as she took Kath's hand, letting her lead the way out of the room and down the hallway to the family bathroom. There was a walk-in shower and two sinks to go with the toilet and the big bathtub underneath the window that overlooked the private backyard, Noah looking around the room in shock but he was relieved when Kath helped him up onto the toilet since as he didn't have the little stool that he had at home. Kath started to run the bath for him as she waited for him to be done, giving him some space and she grabbed a towel for him. "You okay, Noah?" She asked as he flushed the toilet and he nodded his head, fixing the big shirt of Kath's that he was wearing and he let Kath lift him up so he was sat on the counter, just so he could reach the sink to wash his hands.

"Leo!" Noah exclaimed.

"He'll sit with us when you're in the bath! I don't have any bath toys, but I have something really cool." Kath said with a smile, helping him to get undressed and she lifted him into the warm water, turning off the taps.

"What is it?" Noah asked, sounding a little excited - it was the happiest she'd heard him since they met less than twelve hours ago.

"It's this," Kath said, picking up a bath bomb. She had a few different ones all stacked up on the side of the bath for when she wanted to relax, but she thought it would be good for Noah and by the look on his face, he'd never seen one before.

"What's that?" He asked, his eyes wide.

"Watch," Kath said, setting it in the water and she laughed at the look of shock on Noah's face as it instantly started fizzing.

"Wow!"

"Can you feel it?" She asked as Noah put his hand over it and he quickly nodded his head, still in complete awe. Kath didn't leave his side once as he had a bath, using her own shampoo and conditioner to wash his hair and she encouraged him to clean his body himself, praising him when he did it. She didn't want her time with Noah to come to an end - she'd never given the idea of children much realistic thought because she'd always been so busy, but she couldn't help but think about it more as she spent time with Noah. She wanted a family.

Once Noah had been dried and dressed, Kath made them both a bowl of cereal for breakfast - she only had the basics in the house until she could find time to do grocery shopping.

"When we're done here, we can go and see Daddy," Kath said and Noah instantly perked up, but Kath put a hand on his arm as he went to start eating quicker. "You'll make yourself sick, sweetie, slow down." She said and Noah sighed, but he kept eating his breakfast and he brushed his teeth afterward with one of the spare toothbrushes that Kath had in the cabinet in the bathroom. They were about to walk out of the house, but Noah set Leo down on the floor by the door. "What are you doing, sweetie?"

"Leo yours." Kath knelt down in front of him, picking up Leo from the hallway floor and she took a deep breath.

"I've had Leo for a very long time, and he helped me a lot... but I'm all grown up now, and I think he needs someone like you to look after him, so he can do his job properly in making you feel better. Just promise to take good care of him for me, okay?" She said, holding it out to him and Noah instantly hugged the lion close to his chest, nodding his head.

"I promise." He vowed.

Once they arrived at the police station, Kath had to give her statement to the police but Noah refused to leave her and she was reluctant to leave him even to go and play with an off-duty officer. She ended up giving a written statement and it was as she was handing that back over to the officer that a door opened and Noah instantly let go of her hand.

"DADDY!" He screamed, launching himself at the man and Kath laid eyes on her hero properly for the first time, his eyes on her too.

"You saved my life." She breathed.

"You looked after my son."