112 Court Days 2-5

Another day of listening to them drone on about what evidence proved the guilt or innocence of the 'Nurse'. I didn't even bother to leave the courtroom when Mina began to fuss, just threw a blanket over my shoulder, lifted my shirt and let her nurse while I drowsed in Alexandre's arms, leaning my head on Alexandre's shoulder.

"Sleep well love-I intend to keep you up all night tonight too." Alexandre murmured in my ear and I felt my stomach clench. I heard Cornelius' chuckle behind us. One thing was certain, I couldn't be anxiety riddled if I was kept exhausted and half sedated, damn them.

There was an overwhelming amount of evidence from a grand total of approximately eighteen cases of murder and one case of attempted murder. They weren't sure if they had even found all her victims, but these were the only ones with enough evidence left to convict her that they knew about. One specialist after another was paraded through. Alexandre and Cornelius rushed me out of court again at the end of the day and true to his word, Alexandre kept me up most of the night.

Day three followed the same pattern, except Mina was being fussy. It was a welcome distraction as it allowed me to walk her up and down the halls, taking breaks when things got boring, alternating with Alexandre and Cornelius. Part of the day in, Mina bit me, hard and I realized why the sudden fussiness.

"Oh my gosh Alexandre-I think she's teething!" I whispered excitedly, getting a few angry looks from people around us.

"I guess that means her breastfeeding days are numbered." Alexandre replied almost wistfully.

"I will smack you with a wet bra sir." I hissed and he grinned wolfishly. Although I also felt a little sad to be seeing our baby growing up so quickly.

Day four came and went with Mina drooling and chewing all over Alexandre's finger. He winced occasionally and I scolded him for letting her do it.

"It keeps her calm." He replied with a shrug. She wasn't even out of a carseat and already had him wrapped around her finger. She smiled at me as if she knew that herself, a tiny little adorable baby half-grin.

"Oh God, this one's going to be trouble." I sighed. Alexandre kept me very busy on night four as well, though it took a while to get Mina to sleep, she was too busy babbling and cooing at him, which he thoroughly enjoyed. I sat watching them from a soft chair in the living area of the motel room, a small smile on my face. Alexandre had to be the best father I had ever seen, a direct contrast to anything I had ever experienced. I felt a tear slide from my eye and brushed it away quickly, but should have known that Alexandre was too in-tune with me for me to hide anything like that.

"Carys, what's wrong?" He asked gently, carrying Mina towards me as she gummed a stuffed toy. She cried out once-her 'momma feed me' cry and I looked at the time. It was too early for her to be fed, but I held out my arms for her anyway and took her from Alexandre. He crouched beside the chair as she nuzzled against my chest. His warm hands wrapped around my thighs to get my attention. "Carys.."

"It's too hard to put into words." I waved a hand at him. "Just know that I'm so very glad that our daughter has you as a father, and that seeing you with her makes me love you more every day." I held back a soft sob, and the next instant Alexandre was pressing his lips urgently to mine.

"Carys, you best hope the baby goes to sleep soon." He said urgently. "Or we're going to have to hire a baby sitter." I laughed, and in fact, Mina did not go to sleep soon.

Alexandre tossed me a donor blood bag the next morning.

"You're not eating enough." He scolded lightly.

"Nervous, scared. Whatever. Makes me nauseous." I replied.

"Well either you drink this down properly this morning, or I inject it into a vein. We can't have you attacking a room full of humans, and Carys-you're starting to look a little dehydrated." Alexandre growled. I ripped a corner of the bag with my teeth and drank it all while eyeing him challengingly.

"I didn't mean you had to drink it cold." He sighed, rubbing at his forehead. I chuckled darkly.

"Don't challenge me.. love. I'm a smartass. Our kind is known to do crazy things." I mocked, walking towards him and running a hand over his chest. He growled slightly.

"If you intend to be in court on time, you may wish to stop touching me like that." Alexandre growled.

"And if I don't care?" I asked, letting my hand dip below his waist. In a flash, he backed me against the wall. Alexandre pressed a soft kiss to my neck above my pulse.

"Then we'll most definitely be late." He replied. I turned my face into the kiss.

"That's alright with me." I murmured and Alexandre sighed, pulling away. He ran a hand through his hair.

"I know it is, but we don't need any further attention or trouble should it be noticed. Come on now love, let's go." He tugged me towards the door, gathering up Mina on the way out, and so began day five.

"How LONG is this damn trial going to drag on?" I complained bitterly, laying on my back on the couch in our hotel room with an arm over my eyes. In case I hadn't mentioned it before: Vampires can get headaches apparently. Go me. Cornelius placed a cool hand along my cheek.

"You don't appear to have a fever or anything. Have you ingested any weird substances lately?" Cornelius inquired.

"Just all those damn sedatives you guys keep knocking me out with." I snarled.

"Hmm, valid point. You might actually be developing a reaction to them. Perhaps I should scale back and let your blood cleanse itself for a time." Cornelius observed.

"Or we could do a blood purification." Snickered Rory from his place on the floor. Cornelius hummed, but I heard a sharp 'No' from Alexandre. I peeked under my arm at Rory.

"What's a blood purification?" I asked him and he snickered again.

"Oh, it's where a group of vamps get together to 'purify' one vamp who's 'unclean'. They drain him or her of almost all their blood, seriously to the point of death again, and then feed their blood back to the vamp in an effort to 'reset' the vamp's body or 'purify' it. It's supposed to be a very.. sensual.. experience, and it usually ends in an orgy. They usually have humans on tap to drink from, for after the purification. I don't know how many of those I went to. Seriously, watching the guy vamps get 'purified' so they could experience an almost endless hard-on..." Rory shook his head.

"You have very weird friends." I told him.

"What?" He asked looking between me and Cornelius. "WHAT?!"

"It might be worth a try though, to clear the sedative from me. Sort of like draining a bit when having a blood high. Cornelius, your blood is very potent, you guys wouldn't have to bring me that dangerously close to have the same effect. Honestly, the only thing I'd be worried about is losing the mutated virus at this point." I said, sitting up carefully.

"I don't think that would be a problem, we ah, have it. Alexandre's is the strongest of the three of us. It should replace the mutated version easily enough." Cornelius responded thoughtfully.

"I still say no." Growled Alexandre. "She's still nursing and we don't know how it'll affect her. Plus, recovery time, too many things can go wrong. It's dangerous. You are NOT. KILLING. MY. MATE." Alexandre's voice dipped into such a low growl the room rang with it. Mina, nestled in Alexandre's arms, began to cry. I looked at him with shock. He'd never made the baby cry. Then I giggled as he looked flustered while trying to comfort her.

"You scared the baby!" I accused.

"You scare me almost every day!" He shot back. "Honestly this idea of draining your blood away. That woman killed you the first time like that and you're willing to go through something like this again!" Alexandre shouted. The room grew deathly silent. Mina wailed louder and Rory took her from his arms as Alexandre ran his hands through his hair. Mina's wailing quieted as Rory and Cornelius withdrew to the bedroom with Mina, shutting the door and leaving me to face Alexandre alone. I was grimacing, holding my head. His shouting had not helped ease the pain pounding through it. Alexandre sighed.

"We're here because that woman almost succeeded in ending you by draining all the blood from your body. I still smell your blood Carys. At night, I hear the stuttering of your heart as it tried to give out on me over and over again, and have to reach out to make sure you still live. I hold you while you toss in your sleep. The first few months you stayed with me were torturous. Hearing you scream over and over. I wondered constantly if I'd done the wrong thing. Carys, you were a stranger to me then. Please, please don't make me go through that now when my very heart beats in sync with your own. If I were to lose you.." Alexandre took a shuddering breath and I stood slowly to walk to him and wrap my arms around him. I buried my face in his shirt and let my tears mingle with his own. I nodded.

"Ok. I'll wait. I won't do anything rash. I promise." I squeezed him around the waist and I felt his shoulders slump as he gripped me desperately.

"Thank you, love. I'm sorry I'm being so selfish. I just can't imagine living without you." Alexandre whispered hoarsely into my hair, kissing my head. I nodded I understood.

"No more sedatives though, until this headache's gone. Damn it's a bitch." I groaned and gripped my head again. Alexandre chuckled lightly.

"Ok we'll have to go along with that, unless you start having a meltdown." Alexandre replied.

"Deal." I answered, thumping my head against his chest. Ugh that hurt too.