Mom's been texting me all day. I want to ignore her, but I think she's worried for real. _F

Do you think I should text her? _F
No, I shouldn't. She's been awful to you. _F

Or should I? _F

Ingrid? _F

Please? _F

Ingrid, What do I do? _F

Sighing, Ingrid hits send. Yes, she may text her If she wants to. Freya has no need to be as angry as she herself is. It was nice of her to follow Ingrid home and make sure she was safe. Breaking off her connection to her mom? Freya gets angry easily, but she doesn't hold her grudges.

It's weird. Ingrid thought she would hold hers longer. Yet she only wants to know why. And she wants to know what they've found out, even though she'd never admit it. She won't ask. If her mom texts her, fine. But she won't be the one thinking about it.

That's all lies, of course, and Ingrid knows it is. She can't stop thinking about who the father of her baby is. She can't stop thinking about what her baby is. This lunch date is a welcome distraction.

Troy – or Thor, but she can't call him that without thinking about Chris Hemsworth – is nice. She's surprised he's called her after that first encounter at the library.

"I know one or two things about being in your position", he said when she asked, "I'll explain when we meet."

She felt slightly ambushed when she found not only Troy sitting at the table. In a stroller next to him two little girls, not older than a year, were dozing off. Troy's daughters. Their mother is a Valkyrie with absolutely no interest in them. Troy has more, though he's obviously struggling. The bags under his eyes, the stains on his wrinkled shirts and his mismatched socks tell her he's exhausted. Also, he tells her so himself.

He tells her all about his first eight months of being a single parent. Ingrid knows he does that to show his sympathy for her situation. He's very open and she appreciates that, once she's recovered from the shock. It's also nice that he doesn't expect the same of her. She's just sipping her juice while he's rambling away about the joy of disposable diapers and easily heatable baby bottles.

It's different from any other first dates Ingrid has ever been on and she doesn't know whether it's a real date at all. But he seems so happy that she's there. Especially, when she offers to hold Molly, the younger twin, after she wakes up.

"You must tell me If she gets too heavy... or If you have to go somewhere else?" He nods towards her phone.

Ingrid blushes. Of course he's noticed all the texts. "Oh no, that's just my sister."

"Freya." Troy's known them in Asgard. It's both comforting to know that she can tell him anything without him calling her crazy, and weird to know that he might know more about her than she does herself. "Still causing trouble after all those centuries?"

She likes his smile. "Some things never change, huh?" With a look at the baby in her arms she adds: "And some do, I guess."

"Yes... yes, they do", he agrees pensively.

"Everything alright with you?" They nod at their waitress. "They're very sweet", she compliments the twins.

They leave soon after, when Mardi wakes up too and both of the girls start fuzzing. Ingrid offers to come with him. It's comfortable. She wants to know more about Asgard, and maybe, eventually, perhaps, discuss her own issues with him. But not right now.

The waitress is not the last to have a look at the 'very sweet' (although very cranky) twins. It's astonishing how seasoned Troy answers the strangers questions.

Then, Ingrid changes the first diaper of her life.

She finally tells him about how complicated her situation really is when the girls are both asleep again. Splitting them up apparently sped up the process of getting them there and Troy is very grateful.
"I guess a thank you and an apology are in order?"

"What for?" She's seriously puzzled.

"Well, thank you for helping me with the girls", he raises his glass of water in cheers, "And sorry because I assumed your situation was as easy as mine. It obviously isn't."

He's trying to be funny, but it doesn't really work on her. "Yeah. I guess it's not."

"Hey. I'm sorry. Really."
"It's fine. It's not your fault."

Then, whose is it?

She stays till dinner. They change their topic to Asgard mostly. It's funny to think of this handsome guy chasing after her. That's usually Freya's role. She can't believe that her Asgard-self could ignore him like that. For ages. Her own self surely can't.
"I had a nice time today", Ingrid says, standing in the doorway. She's put on her shoes and jacket, ready to go, yet the door is still closed. She doesn't really want to leave. And she can see he'd rather have her stay. If that is for being with her or for her helping with girls she can't be sure of. Probably a little bit of both.

"Me too", he says. "I'm glad you agreed to meet me... and didn't run off when you met the two Graces." His wink is utterly handsome. "Maybe we can do this again sometime?" He looks down at her hands? Belly? She can't possibly tell. "Maybe without the girls..."

And there it is. "I'd love to Troy, but..."
But.

I'm not in the right place right now.
I'm not what you're looking for.

I'm not...

"I understand. With the girls then."

She smiles. "I'd love that."

Ingrid cycles home with a few ignored calls on her phone. She doesn't mind.

A/N: Had to pass some exams, sorry for the delay. Let me know what you think :)