Making Jane Proud

Chapter 16 - The Delights of Midgard

He was used to towering over people, something that had become an everyday occurrence since that growth spurt in his teens. Although, with his fellow cast members on this particular movie, his 6'2" height wasn't so unusual – Stellan, Chris, Idris, Ray and Sam were all taller, though not by much.

But today he felt ten feet tall, a giant among men - and the coincidence of him playing a Frost Giant wasn't lost on him. It was all due to the incredible revelation that Ellie loved him. She loved him. 'I love you too' she'd said and his whole world had shifted on its axis.

Nothing had prepared him for the overwhelming sensation of being in love and loved in return, this feeling of elation and invincibility. He could take on the world – would  take on the world, happily, if she asked or needed him to.

He hadn't realised that he loved her before he left London, that had hit him right between the eyes once he'd been here a couple of weeks and found the sun shone less brightly when she wasn't around. He felt the distance between them as keenly as if he were actually on the mythical Asgard and she on Midgard, carrying with him the constant physical ache of longing to be with her; he could sometimes condense it down, certainly, especially while he was on set, but it never left him, not for a single second.

Since then he'd been in the grip of sheer terror at the thought that she might not care as deeply for him as he did for her; he'd kept a tight rein on his emotions when working but afterwards, when he was relaxing in his trailer or goofing around with his cast-mates, then he'd become a nervous wreck. They'd noticed, of course, and teased him about it – all except Chris H, who had met his girlfriend Elsa around the same time Tom met Ellie, and was going through a similar situation.

"Tell her," Ray and Stellan had said to both of them. "Tell her how you feel."

Never in his life had he been more thankful that he had followed someone's advice.

He couldn't wait to get back home.

---

"Tom!"

"Maggie, hi. Ah, is Ellie here?"

"No, she's at a doctor's appointment. I thought she said you weren't coming back until Sunday?"

"I got my filming finished earlier than expected, so I thought I'd surprise her ..."

"Well, I'm just on my way out but you can come in and wait if you like; her appointment was at four, so she shouldn't be long." It was now almost five thirty.

"Thanks." He couldn't sit still, pacing the flat nervously after she'd left, picking things up to look at, then putting them down again without really seeing them. A hand ran through his hair and he checked his appearance a number of times in a mirror – he'd showered and changed into the jeans Ellie said made his bum look sexy and her favourite blue t-shirt, though he was worried he may have been a little heavy-handed with the aftershave lotion.

As he was reading a poem by Anne Kennedy he heard the door open and Ellie's voice.

"Mags, that really cute guy was serving in the deli tonight; you should totally ask him out." She put down the bags she was carrying, digging a package out of one and putting it in the fridge. "I got some of your favourite cheese."

He could tell the moment she caught sight of him; she stopped, blinking a couple of times as if she didn't believe what she was seeing, and then began walking toward him. His feet moved of their own accord to meet her in the middle of the room and without exchanging a single word they kissed - a kiss that said 'I missed you' far better than words ever could.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear then said it again and again as he showered her face and neck with kisses.

"I love you too." She captured his face and brought it back to hers for a deep kiss, running her hands through his hair, down his neck and across his shoulders before coming to rest over his heart. "Did you drown in a bottle of cologne on the way over here?" she asked once they drew apart, the smile on her face and in her eyes telling him she was teasing.