Unforgotten

Chapter 15

"Please, if you insist on continuing to work, I insist you have to at least eat something," I lifted my head from the kitchen counter and narrowed my eyes at Loki as he pushed a plate of peanut butter toast into my arm. I scowled at him, imagining his handsome face had three heads.

At nearly six months along, my morning sickness showed no signs of slowing down, and there was precious little that I could keep down on a daily basis. I felt enormous, as if I had begun to incorporate my own zip code - none of my clothes fit, and I had just had to go up another shirt size to cover the 'bump.'

"I'll eat when I damned well feel like it," I muttered, turning up nose at the dry toast.

"I would settle for just eating," Loki sighed, sitting across from me, and running his hand over my hair. I sighed too. I knew I worried and infuriated him, but the entire business felt so foreign to me. And truth be told, as the days ticked by, I was getting more and more frightened at what the final days of my pregnancy might bring.

I visited Bruce on a bi-weekly basis for checkups, with Loki in tow of course. What I hadn't told my raven-haired god was that on the weeks he wasn't coming, I was still visiting Bruce at the tower, attempting to get any image on an ultrasound machine. And we couldn't.

    I shook the thought from my head, and picked up one of the pieces of toast and forced myself to eat the entire thing. I knew Loki was worried about me, and our baby, staying healthy, and I didn't need to cause him any extra stress. I pushed away from the counter and headed for the bedroom to slip my tennis shoes on.

    "Are you sure you don't want me to go on this shoot with you?" I heard him ask as he came down the hall. I glanced up, and he was standing at the door with a glass of apple juice and a horse pill in his hand. I groaned. Prenatal vitamin. I had forgotten.

    "No, it's fine," I said, walking toward him to take the glass. I took the pill and stared at it for a moment, then put it in my mouth and concentrated on forcing it down with the sweet liquid. "It's just a simple still shoot. Christmas trees in their natural habitat, you know?" I tried to chuckle, but still had some of the sickeningly sweet taste on my tongue, so I gagged a little as I handed the glass back. Loki immediately drew me into a hug.

    "I love you so much, Paige." He said, kissing my hair. I returned the hug, knowing he was telling the truth, and wishing I felt better. "I'm so sorry you're having to endure this." He smiled, though, as he placed his hand on my round belly. I chuckled.   

"You would think this kid is going to be born tomorrow, as big as I am." I said, putting my hand over Loki's. I was concerned, too, that I hadn't felt the baby kick at all. Bruce could hear a strong heartbeat on every test, we heard that - we just couldn't get a picture. This was the god of mischiefs child, though, so I wasn't ruling anything out. "Besides, Happy is going to drive me, Loki. I'll be fine." I moved my hand from my belly to his face, and Loki raised his eyes to meet mine. They were full of worry, that much I could see.

    "I'll be fine." I looked out at the sunny day outside, and knew it was fooling us all with its deception - it may be sunny, but it was frigidly cold in the New York December weather. "I'll even wear a coat." Loki managed a small laugh, and I smiled.

    "I do need to meet with Tony about a couple of new weapon designs this afternoon," Loki said quietly. I nodded.

    "Yeah, so see? We'll both be busy!" I said. Loki searched my eyes, and finally nodded.

    "Very well. I'll see you this evening, for dinner at the Tower?"

    "Yes," I said, and I stood on my tiptoes to kiss Loki. He kissed me back, lingering for a moment, then stepped away from me. He glanced back, and I put a hand on my lower back. It had been so sore for the last few days. I smiled and raised my other hand to him.