Stay With Me - A KathNiel Story

Chapter 58

Kath shushed Camille as she slowly sat on the couch, wincing from the pain still but she was thankful when DJ helped her so she didn't put all her weight down straight away. He sat on the arm of the couch closest to her, ready to protect his girls. Min sat next to her daughter, Teddy taking a seat across from her. DJ's eyes never left either of them. He'd heard everything that they'd done, heard stories of the little things that she'd be punished for - from getting a question wrong on her homework to refuse to go to church with her father on Sundays because she didn't believe as they did, everything in between. "I know, baby girl..." Kath breathed, leaning down and kissing her head as the baby girl whined and she looked up at DJ. "You think she's getting hungry?" Kath asked, her nerves building about facing her parents and she knew that wasn't helping Camille to calm down, but she couldn't help it. She hadn't faced her parents since she was sixteen and as the shock of seeing them faded, so was her confidence. DJ could almost see her retreating back into herself, turning back into the terrified girl she was when they first met - the girl her parents had raised her to be.

"You want me to feed her in the kitchen?" DJ asked softly, but Kath shook her head quickly. Holding her daughter was a reminder of why she couldn't have her parents in her life, no matter what they did or said... why she could only let them say what they wanted to say and then they'd have to leave, be warned to never come back.

"I-I can feed her here." Kath breathed, DJ handing her the blanket from the bassinet to cover herself up and they were both relieved as Camille quietened down, starting to feed from her mother.

"How, um... how old is she?" Min asked and Kath looked up from the blanket that covered her daughter, looking at her Mom. DJ placed a hand on her shoulder gently, silently assuring her that she was safe. He wasn't going to let them harm her or Camille.

"She was born at six minutes past four this morning," Kath said and Teddy raised an eyebrow.

"You're already home?" He questioned.

"Obviously." She mumbled, and DJ leaned forward slightly when he noticed Min tense and Teddy's hands curl ever so slightly as if he were trying to control his temper. Kath noticed it too and it made her hold Camille a little closer, running her thumb across her daughter's skin to keep her calm and relaxed as she fed - it still caused Kath some pain, but her main focus was to simply keep her safe.

"I think it's best that you just say what you have to say and leave." DJ warned.

"We, um... we'll wait until the baby is settled," Min said, sharing a look with her husband and DJ couldn't help but be increasingly uncomfortable and protective over Kath and Camille. Their daughter was less than a day old and Kath was still exhausted and recovering from the labor and birth, terrified of her own parents who had suddenly barged their way back into her life and he could only imagine what she must be feeling to know that her father was gravely ill. He helped Kath to adjust Camille as the baby girl finished feeding and Kath took the blanket away once she'd fixed herself and she rubbed and patted Camille's back to wind her.

"When did you find out you were sick?" Kath asked, looking over at her Dad and Teddy sighed.

"N-Not long ago. We wanted to find you - put things right." Teddy said, watching with an expression impossible to read as Kath and DJ both cooed over Camille as she spits up slightly and Kath used the corner of the blanket to gently clean her mouth and chin and she very slowly and gently set the sleepy baby down in the bassinet that she'd pulled between herself and her Mom with her foot.

"She looks like you did when you were a baby." Min said, peering into the bassinet to get a proper look at her granddaughter for the first time as Kath grabbed a clean blanket from the back of the couch, swaddling her little girl so she would be kept warm and feel safe as she slept. Camille whined at the movement, but her Mom's touch was enough to reassure her that everything was okay.

"She's beautiful." DJ complimented his daughter, watching as Kath was able to soothe Camille to sleep by simply caressing the baby's cheek with the back of two fingers.

"Daniel, could I... trouble you for a coffee?" Teddy asked and DJ hesitated before nodding his head.

"I'll get you some water," DJ said softly to Kath, kissing the top of her head before he left the room, and Kath jumped as Teddy got up and rushed to her side as soon as DJ was gone and he grabbed her hands, Min holding onto one of her arms.

"Come back with us, Kath - you have to come back with us so we can save you from your sins!" Min urged and Kath's eyes burned with tears, terrified at how close they were to her.

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