A Fighting Chance

Comfort and Joy

We stood in the doorway, just watching them sleep. I stood in front of Tom, his arms wrapped around me, his hands gently caressing my stomach. I leaned back into him, placing my hands on his and he rested his chin on the top of my head. I felt content and comforted and oh so very loved.

"I still can't believe we made these two" he murmured as he hugged me tightly. "You were so clever and brave darling" his voice was thick with emotion and I felt tears prick at my own eyes. I was a bundle of raging hormones still, two months after our beautiful children had finally made an appearance. In a strange way I never wanted them to settle, it made me feel alive to have such an intense love for both my husband and my two little boys. I didn't doubt it made me 'interesting' to live with at times but we'd come through worse!

"Kate" he said softly, voice low "let's go into the garden - we have the monitor - I need to speak to you." he didn't sound worried or upset, so neither was I. We'd been through too much not to be able to read each other like a book these days.

"Ok, one minute" I didn't take my eyes off my children, I crossed into the room and kissed them where they lay in their little baskets.

"Mummy and Daddy will just be outside" I whispered, "sleep tight Christopher" I kissed the little dark blonde bundle and then "sweet dreams Jamie" to the other, a pale gingery fuzz covering his little head. Both as cute as a button but then I was biased!

Tip-toeing out, we took the monitor and went into the garden. I was amazed as I saw a table, set with a delicious looking meal of cold cuts and salads and all the summery foods I loved, complete with my new favourite - elder flower prosecco. I was determined to feed the boys myself, so alcohol was still off the menu for now.

"When ? How? Why?" I turned to Tom and smiled up at him, he really had pulled out all the stops.

"While you were feeding the boys and do I need a reason? Can't I just spoil my wonderful wife?" he caught me in his arms, kissing me gently. I would never tire of him calling me that. "But, actually I do have a reason" he pulled away, a sly grin on his face. "I've been keeping a secret - a GOOD one - "he looked anxious all of a sudden given our past history with secrets. "Please, come and sit down and I'll explain" he took my hand and led me to the table where I sat down.

"I know that the past few months have been hectic, preparing for the twins and working and all the day to day stuff that happens, so we haven't really taken any time for us. And we never did celebrate our marriage properly, like you dreamed of..."

"Darling, I have you and the boys, what more could I possibly want - other than an F-type Jag and I drive yours so....." I shrugged with a grin, beginning to wonder exactly where this was going.

"We-l-l-l-" he said, sliding off his chair and kneeling down "perhaps this? " he pulled something out the pocket of his jeans and I knew instantly "Kate, will you marry me - AGAIN?" he held up the emerald and diamond ring - MY ring, that I had loved and lost and now had returned to me. He looked at me with such love and devotion my hormones took hold of my heart, scrunched it up wrung it out and put it back filled with new overwhelming emotion.

"Yes - yes - yes - a thousand times yes!" I cried with delight. We had never done things by the book, and this was as near as we had ever got to traditional. He slipped the ring on my finger where is nestled next to my wedding band. Suddenly I realised he had his signet ring on too - the one I had given him in Atlanta. We both thought it had gotten lost whilst redecorating the boy's room, thrown out with some rubbish because he'd put it somewhere 'safe'. There had been tears - truthfully mainly his - but no recriminations, these things happened. I was still sad though, it had been a link to the better parts of our journey.

"Oh Tom, you found it!" I grabbed his hand and held it up, overjoyed. He nodded and we kissed, slowly and tenderly, with every ounce of our love flowing between us. Pulling back, slightly breathless, we giggled like teenagers our faces flushed. Suddenly Tom's face changed and he cast me a glance that could only be described as pure mischief. My stomach clenched and a small fire lit somewhere deep within me.

"Come along Pet, before that Midgardian Oaf you married comes back," Loki said, pulling me up to stand with him "this meal isn't getting cold any time soon and the little Midgardians will sleep for a while yet" he winked and went to walk into the house. I shivered with delight. My Frost Giant was back to visit and although I was still tender, there was more than one way to enjoy a little afternoon time with my lover.

As we walked back in, for the first time in a very long time, everything was just perfect.

Wasn't it?