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©MischiefsLady
“Darcy.” That was it. That was all that was needed to wake her from her sleep. Well, that voice saying her name was all that was needed. She rolled over when she felt a dip in the mattress. Her eyes focused in the near darkness on the man seated next to her.
“I thought you weren’t coming back.” Her voice was a touch raspy from sleep. She had waited days to see Loki again, knowing each day that he was gone he might never return.
She felt rather than heard his answering sigh.
“You don’t have to be here for me, Loki. I can take care of this by myself.” She didn’t sit up, didn’t welcome him to her bed as she once did. She fought an inner battle with herself, needing to touch him, but not strong enough to let go if he wanted to leave again.
He looked at her, his gaze taking in the sheet neatly tucked under her arms, shielding her body from his view. It didn’t matter he had committed her beautiful form to memory long before now. He needed to see her. A wave of his hand and the lamp on the nightstand was dimly lit.
“This was never planned. You and I were never meant to be.” His honesty hurt, and she flinched slightly as though the words were knives piercing her heart.
“Please, Loki. Don’t. Don’t say anything else. I’m letting you walk out of here now, no hard feelings between us. I understand.” Loki tilted his head slightly in thought. He had left, yes. But she had shocked him with the news of her pregnancy. Never once did Loki think he’d ever have the opportunity to father a child. He was Jotun despite his Aesir appearance. It could be dangerous, even deadly to any woman who would carry his child.
Loki reached out to tuck some hair behind her ear. “I don’t think you understand at all, Darcy. Sit up, please. There are things I must say to you, things you need to hear.”
Darcy bit her lip. She didn’t want to hear anything, but the look he gave her was so earnest, so plainly wanting that she was moving before she even realized it. Damn him and his emotional green eyes.
The sheet slipped down to reveal that she was wearing one of his t-shirts and his heart gave a little squeeze when he recognized it. Once she was situated he scooted a bit closer so that they were seated hip to hip facing one another. One of his legs rested on the bed to make his position a little more comfortable.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” And her breath hitched. Oh, here it comes…the goodbye Darcy speech.
Loki saw her face and grabbed her hands. “I had to go and speak with my mother. Darcy, carrying a half-Jotun child has never been done by a Midgardian. There is no precedence for this. I had to know, to find out what could be done to protect you both. I should not have left without telling you why. For that I am sorry.”
She squeezed his hands while he spoke, relief flooding through her at the realization that he hadn’t just left her and their child behind.
“My mother and I think it best you come to Asgard.”
“Asgard? Why Asgard?” The look she gave him was filled with confusion and he wondered if the idea of carrying a child whose biological make up was vastly different than hers had even sunk in yet.
“You would be watched by healers who have more experience dealing with foreign biology. Your healers here certainly do not have the knowledge our Lady Eir does.” Darcy knew he was right. Knew also that despite his calm demeanor his eyes gave away his deep concern for her and their unborn child.
“But what about your work here, with Thor and Jane and the rest of the team?” She bit her lip, concerned that this pregnancy was ruining the positive strides he had made since his return to New York City.
Loki let out a little chuckle and maneuvered himself so that he now sat next her. One arm was wrapped around her shoulder, bringing her close to him and the other hand lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes.
“I can do those things no matter where I am. You know traveling between worlds has never been an issue for me.” She nodded. Thor occasionally referred to him as a world walker and not long ago he entertained her with the story of a brief, unintentional visit to Muspelheim in Loki’s youth.
“Loki, I…this is all so fast. I mean, we started dating around Christmas time and its only July now. I wasn’t planning on children. Were you?” Her words mirrored some of his own thoughts from earlier. He leaned back against the headboard and tucked her head onto his shoulder.
“Truthfully, I never gave it a thought. Once I learned my true parentage I never thought there would be opportunity to ever have a child of my own.” His words were painfully honest and she ached for him, wondering what it must have been like to find out how and why he was raised by Odin and Frigga. And then to believe himself alone, a solitary creature with no hope for a future family? Darcy’s arms wrapped themselves around his waist as she burrowed closer to him.
“What’s this?” Loki questioned softly, brushing a soft kiss onto the top of her head. He breathed in the scent of her strawberry shampoo before speaking again. “Do not feel sorry for me, sweetheart. I had long ago resigned myself to that fate. But this,” he placed a hand on her still flat abdomen, “This is a gift you are giving me. One I won’t be careless with. I promise you.”
Darcy’s heart skipped a beat at the gentle way he was caressing her belly and the quietly spoken words. He so rarely let this side of himself be seen by others, save occasional moments with Thor and Jane, that she squeezed him just a little tighter to be sure that he was real.
They sat that way for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Darcy, unsure of the future, but certain that her path lay with his considered his request that she go with him to Asgard. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go. She was curious to see where he grew up. And Frigga. She definitely would love to visit with the woman again. Darcy had a feeling Frigga had many, many stories about Loki and Thor and she wanted to hear them all.
But Asgard? It wasn’t like California. Or France. Or the Southern Hemisphere. It was a whole different realm. A whole different race of beings. Hell, the child that was forming within her now was half something else. Could she handle the sharp left turn her life had just taken?
She peeked up at Loki only to find he was already gazing down at his hand on her stomach. There was such awe on his face that she knew in that moment she would not deny him. She…well damn! She loved him, didn’t she?
Loki stared at his hand as it covered Darcy’s womb. There was a child growing in there. A child of his and Darcy’s making. He hadn’t asked for this. When he entered into a relationship with this woman he did not plan on it changing the course of his entire life. But then, what plan of his had ever gone the way it should have?
Falling for her was easy. He had done it over the course of Midgardian Christmas celebrations and hadn’t looked back once. She brought a softness to his life that had long been missing. She accepted him, his past, and his mercurial ways with nary the blink of an eye. She centered him. She changed him.
And now she carried their lives entwined in physical form beneath her heart.
He loved her.
His heart gave a painful little lurch at the admission to the feelings he’d been denying for a while. Falling for her, caring for her, that was acceptable. But love? No. It certainly wasn’t on his to do list. Yet he’d gone and done it anyway.
Foolish man, he thought wryly, knowing the only truly foolish thing would be to let her go. And that was something he would never do.
Loki chanced a look at her face. She looked tired, but there was something else. Something that settled the last lingering question in his mind. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Her blue eyes were startlingly clear as he gazed into them.
“Will you come home with me, Darcy?” I love you. Please let me take care of you and our child. Despite the risks I want for us to be a family.
Darcy gave him an unwavering smile. Oh, she loved this man. “Loki, I would be happy to go home with you.” I love you. For the rest of our days, wherever our story takes us and whatever the future holds. I am yours and I will give you the life you never thought you could have.