Visitors for Khaat and Abbey

Katherine had been at St. Mungos in the predawn hours of the morning, while Robert caught some sleep, and brought Khaat some of her own clothing from home. Khaat's gowns, that she had planned to wear after delivering Abbey were entirely too big now because Khaat was just so thin. It had become obvious now that Abbey was here. Katherine had gone home and rifled through Khaat's closet and drawers and packed a new bag for her. She had exchanged it for the useless bag Khaat had packed months before.

She had helped Khaat refresh early that morning and dress in a fresh pink silk gown from home with a beautiful pink silk robe. She helped her fix her hair and washup so she looked and felt better. She had even helped Khaat feed Abbey. Robert had been very firm--Khaat was going to use bottles because she herself was so thin and nutritionally deficient that he refused to strip one more ounce from her. Nor did he trust that Khaat's body would provide enough nourishment for Abbey. His third thought, though he had not discussed it, was that Khaat would need help, whether it was because she was recovering or later because she was working. Bottles were just a better choice in this case.

Abbey was a good little eater, and Khaat took to feeding her easily. This was not the first baby she had ever fed, even though it was her first child. She had very little difficulty getting Abbey to accept the formula and enjoyed her time holding her. She told the NICU worker that she wanted to be the one to feed Abbey, as much as possible so she could bond to her. The worker seemed to respect Khaat's need to step in right away as a good mom, but also knew the restrictions Robert was putting in place because of Khaat's fragile health at this point. It was going to take some careful balancing.

When Abbey was full and sleeping again, Khaat laid her back in the NICU unit's incubator, which the staff assured her could be brought back and forth as often as Khaat was up to it. They returned Abbey to the NICU, leaving her to rest. Her mother left her as well, going home to watch Steven's boys and to make sure Robert got a decent meal before he came in for another day with very few hours of sleep.

Brian had gone to the cafeteria to get some breakfast while Katherine was with Khaat and when he returned, he found her refreshed, changed, alone,and fallen back into a very light sleep.

steven apeared in the main entrance of the hospital he had never like hospitals and had been glad all those months ago when he left this paticuler one. Waliking inside he headed to the main desk and aaked for Khaat dents room . After being told he paused but then headed to it with his pride stuck well and truly out the way he was here to visit nothing more. Reatching the door he gently knocked as he saw Brian in the room with a sleeping Khaat " ok if i come in?" he asked spoeacking in a hushed voice so not to wake Khaat if she was sleep.

"Sure," Brian said, "Gives me a chance to go get some coffee. I'll bring back enough for all of us. She'll be glad to see you." He nudged Khaat gently to wake her. "I'll be right back. I'll bring you some fresh French Roast."

Khaat saw Steven there and it made her smile. She watched Brian leave, and said, "It is good to see you. I"m glad you came. Steven, I did not plan this, I swear. I wanted Abbey to go full term. I am so sorry I made such a frightening mess for everyone. Come sit. Tell me how your first mission for Daddy went. Tell me all about it."

Steve moved to the chair Brain had just left "first off its all right you didn't , second don't blame yourself" he said sitting to face her. he looked at his hand when she asked about his first mission " not bad for being thrown in at the deep end" he said with a smile " we got 37 children " he said soflty "and brian got new scar , he got hurt, witch left me to continue the mission , but we all did our jobs and it was done" he said "nuff about me what about you how are you feeling , Kates worried" he finished knowing she could tell his nervousness at being back in a hospital again "Im sorey Khaat I wish could have helped, but we needed some one on the ground, besides from what I heard you had enouph people here any way, you didn't need me to get in the way"

"Steven," she smiled, "What Daddy does, saving all those children, is so much more important than me. I am so very glad you were there. And 37? They've never done that good. But its not unusual for Brian to get hurt. But it looks like you suvived. I know that was one of those heavy baptisms by fire, but it sounds like you did really well.

"As for me, I'm fine. I'm just really tired. I think its going to take some time. I want you to see Abbey. That's important to me." She called a healer in and asked them to bring Abbey.

They brought her in a portable incubator from the NICU. "Do you want to hold her, Director?" the healer asked.

"Please," Khaat said. The healer got Abbey out and put her in Khaat's arms. "Steven--I'd be honored if you wanted to hold her. I want you to meet my daughter."

Steven looked at Khaat "well we didn't lose anyone, our only injury was brian" he nodded when she said it was important for her that he see abby. it left him some what confused why she would say that but he came to see both . He could see Khaat now looked very under nurished and underweight and this worried him he had not seen it before he knew now because of the added weight Abby added it had hid it. But now she was no longer there he saw it clear as day.

He watched as a healer brought in an incubator and liftling her out handed her to Khaat, he knew it was abby, at first when she said she wanted him to hold her he wanted to say no. But he just smiled and nodded " I'd be honored to hold her, I just hope i remember how to its been a while." He said smiling as a healer handed her to him, he held her head in the palm of his hand and the rest of her in his other hand as he looked at her. " shes beautiful Khaat she really is" he would have said more but just thought it instead "shame she has such a jerk for a father" he finished in his mind. he looked at Khaat and sighed "Khaat will you now take care of yourself " he said gently rocking Abby in his arms as he ahd all those years ago with John.

"I really will do my best," she said, watching him with Abbey. He was handling her just like an old pro. She was comfortable with him holding her. "I think Daddy has the same plans for me for now. I think he's going to leave Abbey here for awhile and make sure he builds me back up. He hasn't exactly said that yet, but he's said enough that I know that's exactly what his plan is at the moment." She watched him for another moment. "So are the boys finding enough to do on the farm to keep them busy and happy? I don't think I would have ever gotten tired of being a child there and playing there. Not ever. It's one of the happiest places I've ever known in my whole life."

Steven looked at her " There fine, John found an old tree house and they played pirates this morring while I mended a fence for kate" He placed Abby back in her incubator and stood up behind his chair "you do know he wouldn't have done the same for you" he said to her as he lent on the back of the chair watching her as he waited for her to say something as to how he knew the goings on of that night .

"Rob has been so anxious and fearful that something would happen to me or to Abbey that he just was not strong enough to be here for me. I understand that," she said softly. "I think once he has some time, he'll adjust. He loves Abbey and me too much to not be here. He just needs time to let this sink in. He's been a bachelor for so long and doing whatever he wants, that all of this is a massive commitment for him. I know how much it scares him. The only thing I can do is wait. He'll be here." She believed she knew Rob, but she also needed to hear the words for herself, because part of her was still so frightened that she had scared him away forever. Her mind had been so muddled by her father's deliberate spells during labor and delivery that her mind was fuzzy about what had actually happened with Rob.

Steven could say no more he looked at Abby then at Khaat "I hope for her sake and yours he dose " he said as he sat back down on the chair " hes cause a lot of pain to both you and abby, but as you mother told me , its not my place to say one way or the other, im just a widowed father " he looked up at her "she implied i had romantic feeling towards you too" he shook his head "I know you'll probably not rember its why im telling you now , I did at first but not now, your a married woman and I don't do that sort of thing " he said his voice soft but loud enouph that she could hear him " the last thing you need is a widower dumping his problems on you, I came today to see if you and Abby were all right, but I can see your still as stuborn as ever" he sat quiet having said all he needed to.