Avengers: A Wedding At Last

A Little Emotional

"So this is the gift?" Thor asked as he stood before Dean with his arms folded across his chest. "That you were lying to me?"

"We should probably clear out," Tony told the others. "Give these two some space."

Thor looked at Tony with a fierce glare. "Do not go to far, Stark. I would have words with all of you."

Reed, Sue, Bruce and Tony hastily raced to the exit. As the doors slid shut, Bruce looked at Dean and gave him an encouraging smile and thumbs up.

A few tense seconds of silence passed during which Dean tried to find the words.

"You lied to me," Thor muttered.

"I..."

"I found the bottle of your nausea medicine and saw you have continued to take it. Even after you said you were well again," Thor angrily continued.

"I didn't mean to..." Dean started to speak up but lost his voice to emotion.

"Dean, why would you keep this from me? I am to be your husband. I should be here! Holding you through all of this!"

Thor's voice had grown louder with each word. Dean knew that this wasn't anger as much as it was hurt that he was showing. Tears began to obscure his vision and he looked down at his lap and watched as drops began to fall onto his paper gown. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"But you did! Seeing that you were still sick scared me, Dean. But knowing you would lie about it and seek out help without me. You lied to me just like Loki..."

At that, Dean felt a rush of anger. "I lied to protect you. I would never lie to hurt you!"

"But you did!" Thor shouted back. "Knowing you could keep me in the dark about this hurt me! I lost you once, Dean. Just thinking about it happening again..."

"That's why I didn't want to say anything," Dean argued. "I wanted to keep you from worrying."

Thor shook his head. "But that is not how a marriage works! We share each other's burdens!" He began to pace, his strides quick and angry. "When were you going to tell me, Fair One? When you found that you were seriously ill?"

"Yes. Of course I would tell you!" Dean urged as Thor stopped pacing and stood in front of him again.

"But if not, you'd have kept all of this from me. What else do you keep from me?" Thor snarled in accusation.

Dean hopped off of the exam table and began to pace as an endless stream of words poured out of him. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry! I just didn't know why I was getting sick and all I could think about was Samantha and how she got so sick before we found out it was cancer!"

"Dean," Thor said, his tone softening.

But Dean kept on going, barely taking a breath. "And then I couldn't stop worrying and I didn't want you to worry too! And now my human chorionic gonadotropin levels are really high and everyone thinks I'm pregnant even though I don't have girl parts!"

Thor's eyes widened at what Dean was saying. "Dean," he said more firmly.

"And I can't even begin to think about what that means and now you're being so mean and telling me that I'm a liar and that I'm going to be a bad husband and that our marriage isn't going to be a good one!"

"Dean..."

"And if I am pregnant I'm already a bad parent and it isn't fair to the baby and you're yelling at me and I'm just really scared right now!"

Thor reached out and took Dean by his arms to stop him from pacing. "Breathe, Fair One," he said in a gentle voice.

Dean pulled away and Thor didn't stop him. "People keep telling me to breath and I can't because I'm freaking out!" He shouted before turning away and storming off, oblivious to the fact that the paper gown was open in the back which lent a little unintentional humor to the situation. He reached the changing room, slamming the door behind him and locking it.

Thor smiled at the silliness of Dean locking a door to him, as if that could keep him out. He took a deep breath and then approached the door. He could hear Dean crying on the other side and felt the last of his anger dissolving. "Fair One," he sighed as he rested his forehead on the door. "Please open the door for me."

"No. You're mad at me and I want to be alone right now."

"I promise, Dean, I'm not mad at you. Please let me in."

Dean sniffled. "You promise?"

"I swear it, Dean."

A few seconds slipped by and then the lock clicked and the door slowly opened up. When Dean came into viewer he appeared a little more composed. Thor gave him a soft smile and opened his arms up. Dean stared at his open arms and started to cry again at the gesture. Thor bridged the gap between them and swept Dean up into his arms, holding him tight against his chest.

"It's alright, Fair One," he spoke in a soothing voice as he rubbed his hands up and down his trembling back.

"I'm so sorry for being a liar and a bad fiancé," Dean cried.

"You're not a bad fiancé. And you aren't a liar either. It was just a little fib you told," Thor said. "And you told it to protect my feelings."

"I'm just feeling a little bit emotional right now," Dean sniffled before he began to cry again.

Thor couldn't help but smile at the understatement of Dean's words and gave him a loving squeeze. "Let it out," he whispered. "I'm here. Let it all out, my love."

The room was silent aside from Dean's choking sobs. He clung to Thor, who was only too happy to be his anchor. His crying gradually grew weaker until it came out in pitiful little whimpers. All cried out, Dean fell asleep and Thor pick him up and carried him out of the room. When they stepped out of the lab and into the adjoining corridor, the others quickly scattered and pretended they weren't listening in.

"Is he okay?" Sue asked.

"He is fine. Just...a little emotional," Thor said with a big grin.

"A little?" Tony asked with a chuckle.

"Those were his words," Thor said before turning serious. "So, what have your tests uncovered?"

The four of them shrugged their shoulders collectively, each of them at a loss.

"Only that his HCG levels are abnormally high," Reed said. "That, along with some of his other symptoms- food cravings, fatigue, increased urination and...being 'a little' emotional- have led Sue to theorize that Dean could be pregnant."

"But we didn't see any signs of a baby," Tony quickly added. "So don't quote us on that."

"But there is no cancer? No sickness?" Thor clarified.

Bruce spread his arms wide. "None. Every test we ran checked out. Dean is perfectly fine. Completely healthy."

Thor nodded. "Well. I believe I already know what is happening to my Fair One," Thor said as he looked down at Dean with deep affection.

"You do? What is it?" Tony asked.

"Midgardian science may have failed to confirm my strong suspicion, but Asgardian science will not."

"Asgardian science?" Reed asked, intrigued.

"I am taking him to New Asgard. There is a device there- the Soul Forge. It, along with the wisdom of my people, will give us answers."