Heaven Sent (Loki/Asgard Fanfiction - Aislinn's Story)

Chapter Fifty-Four

Over the next week, Steve slowly began to regret wanting to look at houses. Linda was nothing if not thorough and night after night, after football practice, he came home, only to be told they had to go meet Linda at some property or other.

To be fair, Aislinn didn't seem any more thrilled at running all over Somerset County, either. In fact, she looked paler than usual, with darkening circles under her eyes. But whenever Steve tried to suggest she go lay down, she reacted by snapping at him. The early stages of pregnancy took their toll on her and he tried to be sympathetic, but there were those nights when he just wanted to throw his hands up, say to hell with everything, and walk out the door.

Thursday afternoon, he eased his Denali into his parking spot and climbed out, smiling at Mrs. Jeffries, who lived in the next unit. "Hey, Mrs. J. How're you doing?"

"I'm fine. How are your wedding plans coming?"

He rolled his eyes as he tugged open the rear door and grabbed his bag. "Slowly. You know how it is."

"I vaguely remember."

He slung the bag over his shoulder and slammed the door, set the alarm, then made his way inside. The townhouse was dark. Quiet.

"Ash?"

No answer.

She might have gone to Asgard. She still had to get Kyra and swear her to secrecy about their wedding.

With that, he went upstairs to unpack and as he crossed the threshold into their room, he saw Aislinn sound asleep, curled into the fetal position on his side of the bed.

She looked wiped out, her skin chalk-white, those shadows looking like bruises beneath her eyes. He sighed softly, setting his bag on the floor before coming over to gingerly lower himself onto the bed. She sighed as he reached down to draw a thick tendril away from her face.

"My beautiful girl," he murmured, tucking that same tendril behind her right ear. "You have no idea, Aislinn. No idea at all."

She stirred then, her eyelids fluttering, then opening slowly. Squinting up at him, she whispered, "Steve?"

"Sorry, baby, I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, it's okay." She stretched, then sat up. "What time is it?"

"Almost six-thirty."

"Damn it. We're supposed to meet Linda at seven. She thinks she found the perfect house for us."

"Screw Linda. I'll call her and tell her you're not up to it."

"No, I want to see this place. She said three other couples already showed interest in it."

"Ash--"

"No, Steve, I want to see it." She threw back the blanket and rose to go into the bathroom.

"Fuck," he muttered as the door closed. And he had no one but himself to blame. He was the one who suggested they look at houses. Now, he was convinced they would never be done looking at houses.

He got up and crossed to the bathroom door. "Ash, there are plenty of houses in Branchburg. So what if we don't see this one?"

"This one sounds perfect," she told him through the closed door. "And what's the point of a realtor if we don't let her do her job."

The door opened then and in the soft light, Aislinn looked more worn out than ever. "Honey, you look like you need three solid days' of sleep."

"I'm fine." She waved off his concern, brushing by him to go to the closet, where she dug out a gray Under Armour hoodie.