Chapter 28

The tissues rustled loudly as Maria stuffed them down the front of her nightshirt roughly. She was clashed with a combination of embarrassment and frustration, both emotions battling for dominance. So far the frustration was winning.

Then she glanced up and caught her husband's eye from the bathroom doorway and the embarrassment triumphed in her red flushed cheeks.

She stopped what she was doing, tissues spilling out from the top of her nightdress like a mad woman.

"What are you doing?"

Thor wondered into their bedroom from the bathroom, wearing the loose shirt and soft breeches that he often slept in. He walked over to Maria's side of the bed and cupped her cheek softly, staring around at the mass of tissues crumpled on their bed.

Maria kept her eyes averted. "Promise you won't laugh." She mumbled bitterly, voice so quiet Thor barely heard her.

Brow furrowed, the god nodded suspiciously. "Alright…"

With a heavy sigh, Maria turned to face him, but she couldn't bring herself to look at his face. "I'm leaking." She finally told his stomach.

Thor's brow just furrowed further. "You're what?" He didn't understand – she was… leaking? What?

Maria's glum, sulky expression seemed to snap all of a sudden and she pouted, her narrowed eyes shooting to Thor. "Look!" she suddenly exclaimed, pointing at her chest, bulging with tissues. "My breasts are leaking this gross milk stuff and…oh my God, it's just…argh!"

Her little hands curled into fists and as her words failed her she dug the heels of her hands to her eyes, feeling frustrated again. Her cheeks were absolutely aflame with embarrassment.

Thor's gentle laughter didn't help.

His hand settled on the top of her head and eased her closer to him, until her head was resting against his torso. Maria slumped against him, miserable.

It had started a few nights ago, getting worse and worse with each day. She woke up with wet stains on the front of her nightshirt and, if she wasn't careful, moisture creeping through the material of her bra and dress during the day. It was embarrassing and uncomfortable, and she really did not like it. She had been feeling her breasts swell ready for lactation, but she hadn't bargained on this sort of problem until after the babies had been born. The surge of hormones were not making her happy about it.

Thor on the other hand seemed pleased: "Surely, that is a good thing." He reasoned. "Your body is getting ready to feed our children."

Maria's heart just sank at Thor's reaction. He was happy and she was so miserable about it that she felt her eyes blur with unshed tears. "You don't understand how awkward it is." She mumbled, keeping her wet eyes low. "I don't want people to see me such a mess…"

Sensing the despair in her voice, Thor forced himself to stay his reassured smile. Instead, he dropped to a kneel and cupped Maria's cheek once again, guiding her eyes up to his. Gently, his thumb brushed away a traitorous tear that escaped out of the corner of her eye. "Maria," His tender voice soothed. "You are just as radiant as ever."

What she was going through was only a natural thing, surely. Her body was preparing itself for when the children would be born, and for Thor, that was a good sign. Everything was working how it should. Things were getting ready for when they came into the world.

They had merely a few months to go until the little forms in Maria's womb would pass through into their arms. Apparently, her pregnancy would be shorter than normal as she was with twins; they would run out of room sooner. It gave Thor even less time to brace himself for the responsibilities of fatherhood.

Maria was ready. From the day he met her, Thor had seen how wonderful a wife and mother she would be: so caring and kind, so wise and gentle. She was born for this.

Still, Thor did not want her to be unhappy in the meantime. Lowering his gaze to her chest, he reached for the tissues and Maria was still as he carefully folded the paper into the front of her nightdress. He made neater work than she had in her frantic efforts. When all of her chest was well padded against any accidents that might occur during the night, Thor stood up and pressed a kiss to the top of Maria's head.

"Have heart, Maria." He smiled gently, heart soaring as Maria's lips curved in a soft smile in return. "Our toils will all pay off soon."

The god's fingers ran gently along her cheek as he wondered away from her and made his way to the other side of the bed. Maria twisted herself round, settling her back against the headboard.

Her hands fell to the large bloom of her stomach and she sighed. "Not long to go." She agreed.

She wondered what it must be like for the babies. Could they see changes in the light when she walked outside? Could they hear her when she talked? Did they cradle each other in their little personal bubble?

A soft smile spread across her lips at the thought and she barely noticed the bed shift as Thor set himself down heavily beside her. Maria's palm ran over her stomach carefully, fingers fluttering over the intricate weaving patterns of her nightdress. The pads of her fingers paused and pressed slightly heavier into her skin – she could feel the firm bumps of her children's limbs inside her.

"Do you think we can do this?" Maria suddenly asked, mind weighing down on her heavily all at once.

Beside her, Thor frowned. "What?" he questioned curiously. "Parenthood?"

Maria could see out of the corner of her eye that Thor's furrowed gaze was watching her, so she nodded her answer. "You think we're ready?" she wondered aloud. "I'm so young and you…" Her head just shook; she wasn't sure.

For a moment, Thor just stared at his wife's anxious face, brow furrowed. What was putting such doubts into her head? He had remembered her being anxious about this when they had first discovered she was with child, but they had not discussed anything since then. Thor had thought such thoughts had been chased from her mind; he guessed not.

Gently, he leaned forward and caught Maria's chin between his thumb and forefinger, guiding her sad, doubtful eyes to his tranquil crystal gaze.

"Maria, we have saved realms together." He breathed with a soft smile. "You convinced the Allfather to overturn an execution notice. You are the first Midgardian to marry into an Asgardian lifestyle, and you are pregnant with the first royal twins in our history. You are an extraordinary person…"

His gaze held Maria's firmly, hoping to encourage her; his heart sank therefore when Maria's sad eyes fell to her lap instead.

He wouldn't let himself be deterred though: "Raising two youngsters will be nothing." He grinned confidently.

He knew that would not be strictly true – raising children would not be easy! But they could do it. Maria had more courage than half the men in the Asgardian army; she'd thrown herself off a sky riser for heaven's sake! Despite her fears, Thor knew she would be a remarkable mother.

Sadly though, Maria still didn't seem convinced. She let out a heavy sigh, eyes still low.

"What will happen though?" she breathed, voice sounding weary. "Where will you be? Will I just be stuck on my own while you're busy being King of the mountain?"

The god's smile fell in a heartbeat. "Is that what you truly think?" he breathed, feeling his chest tighten sharply.

She thought he would leave her? Sure, he would be king someday but he was a husband and would be a father first; he would always be there for Maria. He hadn't thought Maria would feel otherwise. He had thought she would know he was better than that.

His head leaned back against the headboard – apparently she did not. He screwed his eyes shut, clinging onto his rapidly falling heart.

Had he not shown to Maria his devotion to her? After the battle, he had come back to Earth for Maria. He had travelled across realms, left his homeland to be with her. He had brought her back to Asgard to marry her – the first mortal to marry an Asgardian in this realm. How much more did he have to do to prove that he was with her, through it all?

"I will be there." He insisted in a deathly quiet voice, peeling his eyes open to the ceiling. "I will not abandon you."

His gaze leaned over and glanced at his wife; Maria's eyes were lowered to her stomach, hands cradling her bump. Her face looked troubled, brow furrowed.

Thor's eyes lowered too; he had hoped Maria would have a bit more faith in him. "I want to be a part of our children's lives." He said firmly, eyes burning with intensity as he shifted it back to Maria. "I want nothing more than to start this family with you. I am going to be there everyday – there, beside you."

Silently, Maria nodded.

In the back of her head, she knew he was telling the truth. Fingers stroking over her bump, her heart ached. She didn't want to doubt Thor and she wasn't sure what made her do it now; all she knew was that she was scared about this. About all of it. About how fast everything was happening.

That fear was making her paranoid, she knew. Her doubts about Thor were far from rational but she voiced them anyway, perhaps just to hear him try to prove her wrong.

From the tone of his voice, he wasn't lying to her. She didn't doubt him. Her cheeks blushed; she had for a moment though.

Her fingers brushed a stray stand of hair from her face and shyly, her gaze crept to her husband. His darken blue orbs met hers firmly. "I'm sorry." She whispered quietly.

Maria's heart stilled in her chest; she didn't want to make him sad or mad. She owed him everything about her life; the very air she breathed was thanks to him! He had saved her from monsters and men, from foreign dangers and demons in her own home. She would be tortured and pained, if not dead, if it were not for him.

Even after all that had been done, he had stood by her. He came back for her, taken her as is so she would stay by his side, taken her to live in the realm of the gods. He had taken care of her.

Slowly, Thor's hardened eyes softened and his lips curved into a gentle smile. His hand reached out and his fingers closed around hers.

She met him with a smile of her own.

Her fingers clung to Thor's, losing herself to her husband's beautiful blue orbs. She was lucky to have him.

Sighing out the last of her frustration, Maria eased in as Thor opened his arm to her, snuggling up against his warm chest. The god crushed her closer to him, enjoying the feeling of Maria's soft body against his. He rested his cheek against the top of her head.

"You will walk our youngsters through the grassland and orchards by day, while I keep our lands safe and harmonious." Thor dreamed aloud in a wistful voice. "They glisten in the sunlight like stars and will be adored by all. I will come home to you every night and we will laugh and tell the children stories. We will tell them of Midgard. We will tell them of your parents."

Maria's eyes dimmed as she listened her happy heart sinking once more as her thoughts turned to her parents. "You think they would have approved?"

Would her mother have wanted her to marry so young? Would her father have given them his blessing? She had only been twenty one when she had married Thor, and here she was not long later preparing to give birth to his children. So young…

Thor's arm tightened around her. "They would be proud of their daughter." He said firmly. "Your father especially. Though I had not met him, I understand him to be a noble man. I only hope to be able to look after you as well as he did."

Maria reached her arms around Thor and squeezed tight. "He would have loved you." She murmured.

Her head bobbed against Thor's chest as he chuckled, and a smile finally returned to her lips. She knew her father would have loved Thor – in the end. He probably wouldn't have been keen on the whole 'Thor's brother trying to kill her part', but ultimately Thor was a good man. All her father would have wanted for her was a good life with a good man.

"Loki is proving himself useful." Thor suddenly said. "His aid has helped to secure all the breaches in the east and north east. Towns and cities there are safe. It will only be a matter of time until all the realm will be the same."

Maria's lips pricked as Thor spoke. Thor always sounded so passionate when he spoke of Asgard, especially about keeping it safe; she admired that.

And she was glad to hear him speak well of Loki. There had been a time when Loki's name could only be spoken with a batch of bitterness.

Now, he almost praised him for his efforts.

"Odin has agreed to extend his freedoms within the palace." Thor went on, as casual as if he were speaking of any other friend. "He does not feel he is a threat but wants to limit Loki to the palace, until he has more public trust."

That made sense. The kingdom knew of Loki's assistance, but most of that had been Loki under chains and guard. To them, he was still a traitor. Perhaps when they saw him acting more freely to safeguard them, they would believe in him too, as Maria and Thor did. Until then though, they had to buy their time.

Maria nuzzled her cheek against the soft shirt masking Thor's chest, sighing peacefully. "Loki must be grateful."

She felt his smirk lift, the short bark of laughter leaving him. "He spends all his time hidden in the library!" Thor shook his head disapprovingly. "What a great use of his freedom! Still, he always was dull like that…"

Maria smiled. "He likes books." She murmured. "Likes to read."

"He could go anywhere in the palace, yet he chooses to sit in quiet and solitude. He might as well have stayed in his chambers."

Maria's head shook lightly, but she kept herself silent. Her lips smiled still.

"At least he has the choice." Thor mused to himself, settling his arms firmly around Maria. "Things are no different than from when we were young."

Maria's smile curved wider at that. "Almost like New York never happened."

Above her, Thor nodded. "Almost."

With a heavy sigh the god shifted and Maria moved with him, moving so they lay down in their bed rather than sat up against it. The god settled amongst the sheets, Maria curling up at his side with her hand on her bump.

Arm around his wife, Thor pressed a kiss into the top of Maria's head. "You need to rest." He insisted softly.

Cheek against his chest, Maria grimaced, hand stroking over her blooming belly. "I'm finding it hard to sleep lately." She confessed. "Everything aches…"

Thor drew Maria deeper into his arms, pressing his lips against her forehead and holding them there. "Try." He murmured. "I will watch over you."

Maria nodded softly, but she didn't feel tired in the slightest. Her back ached and she could feel her lungs short of breath as she lay curled up against Thor. How could she ever sleep like this? She had barely slept the last few days, napping at various intervals but not able to get more than a few hours sleep before her body protested or the babies kicked her back to consciousness.

Groaning, she nudged herself free of Thor's hold and lay on her back. She wasn't going to sleep yet, so why try? It was pointless.

Her hands cradled her bump tenderly, staring down with an unreadable expression.

Beside her, she heard Thor's sigh, could feel his shoulders slump with defeat. She knew he meant well; she wished she could sleep too! All she wanted was a comfortable rest. Frustrated, she threw and arm over her eyes and revelled in the dark, longing for more of it in the clutches of sleep.

"Watch this."

She felt the bed shift and peeled her arm from her face as Thor shuffled down the bed, until his face was level with her bulging belly. The bright grin on his face was a surprise.

She watched him curiously, as his playful eyes glittered up at hers. "I discovered this one night while I could not sleep."

Maria's brow furrowed as she propped herself on her eyebrows, not understanding what he meant. His face was a hairsbreadth away from her stomach and their two infant children; so close Maria could feel his breath ruffling the thin cloth of her lacy nightdress.

Gently, his fingers peeled back the silky material of her nightdress over her stomach and his palm smoothed over her skin. His eyes lingered over the flawless curve of her belly.

Maria watched his every move carefully – what was he doing? For a moment, all he did was watch and grin.

Then, he leaned back slightly and clapped his hands loudly, a heartbeat from Maria's stomach.

In a second, Maria jumped. "What the-"

She wasn't sure what she was most alarmed at: the sudden noise or the sudden kick from her womb.

As soon as Thor's palms made contact, the babies leapt in her womb, startled. It was so sudden, it almost hurt. Maria's hands shot straight to her belly, soothing over the outside of her womb where the babies had kicked. She could still feel them moving around underneath her skin.

A lot actually.

At her side, Thor laughed.

She followed his gaze – right to her womb. He chuckled with amusement as he watched her belly shift and rise with little bumps. Tiny little lumps rose and fell over the usual smooth skin of her stomach.

They were really wriggling, Maria thought, her annoyance slowly washing away with wonder. It was a curious thing to see.

"Last time, I shut a book." Thor chuckled. "You were asleep, but I was restless. When I slammed the book shut, you didn't stir, but they did."

They both kept looking at her stomach, watching their unborn children wriggle around at the sudden noise. It felt weird for Maria. She had felt them move before but this was something else, and being able to see those movements so vividly from the outside of her womb…

As moments went by, and she and Thor found themselves still staring, Maria started to chuckle too.

Thor moved back up the bed and settled his arms around Maria, his wife leaning into his embrace. They both fell asleep with smiles on their faces.