JATHELLE’S GIFT

By Donna and Ev

After Katherine and Connor returned to her rooms, the Highlander walked up to his Lady and put his arm around her, smiling down at the tiny baby in her arms. "She's beautiful," he said with a soft smile on his face.

"She will be yours as much as mine," she said, her eyes shining with joy and happiness. "After all, it was your party."

There was a soft knock on the door and Connor answered it to find Ev, Rayden, their twins, and his parents all there. "Congratulations, you two!" Ev gave Connor a one-armed hug, as she was holding Rayven. "Can I see her?"

Rayden gave Connor a grin. "Quite a day, hm?" He shifted Jae on his shoulder, as she began to fuss a bit. Jathelle gave Connor another hug, then turned to Katherine. "Can I see, too?"

Katherine pulled back the blanket and held her so Ev and Jathelle could see the tiny little girl, her sweet face in a little grimace. She had a beautiful crown of reddish blonde hair that lay in soft curls around her head. "Oh, she's beautiful!" Ev gushed.

Jathelle smiled and couldn't resist touching one little hand that had wiggled out of the blanket. She was so tiny and perfect! Babies fascinated her. "So lovely!" Rayden came up to see, too and smiled quietly.

"She didn't even weigh six pounds," Katherine said as she tenderly touched the small girls face. "And we are having trouble finding a formula that she doesn't spit right back up." Her voice was filled with concern.

Jathelle felt the depth of Katherine's worry and looked carefully at the tiny baby. "Its because she's so small. Most things are too hard for her to digest. Breast milk would work for her."

Ev cuddled her son to her, glad that the twins hadn't had problems with anything. She kissed her sleeping baby. He was being fairly quiet today. She broadcasted support for Kat.

"Well, unless we had a new mom with lots of extra milk, we are stuck with formula," Katherine said with a sigh. She knew that Ev was nursing but she was already feeding two and would not have enough milk for a third baby.

Rayden and Jathelle had a quick mental conversation, while Theron had a turn admiring the beautiful baby. Finally Rayden turned to Ev and she smiled. "Ask her." She said.

Jathelle smiled down at the baby again. "I think I know where we can find some breast milk for her. If you would agree to it."

Katherine looked up with interest. "That would be great!" she said happily, "She would do much better on it! Do you know of someone who could nurse her?"

Jathelle smiled at her. "You know that I have healing powers. I can make a few minor adjustments and you would be able to nurse her yourself. It seems that it is a very pleasurable experience on both sides." She raised her eyebrows watching the expressions on Kat's face.

There was a look of shocked disbelief for just a moment, that was quickly replaced with one of hope. "Can you really do that?" she asked. "It would be absolutely wonderful if you could." Connor was studying Katherine as well, and from the look on his face, he wasn't unhappy about the idea either.

Jathelle gave her a gentle hug. "I wouldn't offer if I couldn't do it. Is that what you would like? It would be the best for this lovely baby and probably easiest for you." She grinned at something Connor was thinking and turned her attention back to Kat and the baby.

"I would like to do it," Katherine said firmly. "What do you need me to do?"

"Just stand still for a minute and let me concentrate." Jathelle smiled. She reached out with one slender hand to touch Katherine's shoulder. It wasn't really necessary, just helped her to focus more easily. She closed her eyes and calmed her breathing. This was a little more involved than healing an injury, actually. A faint blue glow began to envelop Katherine, finally focusing more on her breasts and one little spot on her head and two little spots on her neck, over some major glands. After about a minute, Jathelle opened her eyes, smiling. "Do you feel any different?"

Katherine swallowed hard. "It felt like something warm was flowing throughout my whole body." Then her eyes grew wider and her free hand pressed up against a breast. "It's tingling now."

The white-haired goddess, smiled at her. "Maybe Ev can help you with getting started. I think this little one is hungry." She kissed the tiny baby on the cheek. "Do you have a name for her?"

"Not yet," she said, wincing as the tingling sensation was replaced wth a full, tight feeling that was not very comfortable at all. "I always did like the name Elspeth, though."

Rayden was cuddling his mate and their babies, some silent communication passing between them, as Rayven began to wake and start chewing frantically on his little fist. Jae had her eyes open and was looking up with wide blue eyes at her mommy, from the comfort of daddy's arms.

Ev refocused on what Katherine and Jathelle were saying. "That's a beautiful name!" She shifted a suddenly squirmy Rayven, as he seemed to be winding up for a good fuss.

Jathelle grinned at the twins. "I think they spend half their day eating."

Katherine's little one was starting to stir as well. She threw her little hands up in a startle reflex and started to cry, Katherine looked hesitant at first and then reached up and tried to unbutton her tiny buttons of her high necked shirt one handedly.

Ev grinned. "First you need to sit down. You might want to wear something easier to open. I have some special dresses and shirts that have little openings in them that make it easier."

She let Kat over to the big bed and they sat down. "Connor, come and help with the buttons." The Highlander grinned broadly and stood in front of Katherine and started to help her.

Rayden helped Ev get settled and helped her arrange the loose shirt. In only a minute, she was cradling both babies in her arms and they were greedily nursing. Rayden beamed at her. "You are so beautiful."

Ev grinned at him, then turned to Kat. "It gets easier with practice. Do you mind if Rayden helps a little? I don't have any hands left over."

"I don't mind," she said with a grin as Connor struggled with the last buttons with the tiny baby squirming and rooting at Katherine's now aching breast. She reached up and pushed her shirt aside and pulled her bra strap off her shoulder so the cup could be pushed down. Rayden smiled as he helped Katherine get the baby positioned so that they were both comfortable. The baby seemed to know exactly what she wanted. It was easy to get her started and she latched on almost immediately. The expression on Katherine's face as the baby began to nurse told them all that it was working just fine.

Ev smiled. "You might be kind of sore at first, but that doesn't last long. Just make sure you switch sides or you'll get lopsided." She giggled. "I accidentally had these two on the same sides for a week and you could see the difference."

Katherine chuckled at Ev. Connor was watching the proceedings with undisguised fascination. Katherine looked down at the growing wet spot on the side that was not being nurse and laughed. Then she looked up at Jathelle and asked, "Is this colostrum, or actual milk?

"At the beginning its colostrum. Same as if she was your own baby. That's very good for them, you know." Jathelle smiled down at the baby and stroked her tiny hand. "I think she'll do much better now." Theron was cuddling against her as she talked, watching in as much fascination as Connor and Rayden.

Katherine did not seem bashful at all about nursing in front of them all, and after a few minutes, switched the baby to the other side. She was looking thoughtful about something. "Jathelle, it might be a little late to think about this, but is she getting some of what makes me immortal in her system?"

Jathelle hadn't thought about that. "I'm not entirely sure. We might need to just wait and see. I'll have to think of a way to find out, otherwise."

Katherine just shrugged, and smiled. Before too much longer, all three babies had been fed and changed. As they drifted back to sleep, a wonderful feeling of peace and joy spread all over the room as Katherine sang a welcome song to her new daughter.