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

Chapter Seventy-Eight

       

For Aislinn, returning to Asgard was not quite like coming home any longer. She considered Midgard her home now. Asgard was what Midgard had been, a lovely place to visit, but not where she wished to stay.

Christopher handled his first trip by Bifrost like a champ, as Steve would say, and Aislinn was equally proud of both of the men in her life, since Steve also handled it well. It was a far cry from his last trip. No green complexion, no throwing up—he just stepped out of it as if he'd been doing it his entire life.

"Welcome home, Princess Aislinn, Prince Steven," Heimdall greeted them warmly. "And a very special welcome to you, Prince Christopher."

Christopher gurgled in his carrier, and then let out a cry. Aislinn bent to unbuckle him and carefully lifted him from the carrier, rubbing his back as he rooted about in her neck. "Is someone hungry?" she murmured, nuzzling his silky baby hair.

His cry was almost pathetic, as if he was trying to make her feel guilty. "Well, you have to give Mommy the chance, little bit. Can you wait ten minutes?"

He whimpered, but his cries quieted. Slipping his arm about her waist, Steve said, "I'd swear he understands everything we say to him."

"Well, he should certainly know your voice by now," she smiled at him as they made their way out of the observatory and toward the docks, "considering how much time you spent talking to him before he was born."

Steve pressed a kiss into the top of her head. "Told you it would pay off."

They climbed into the waiting hover ship and by the time they reached the palace, Christopher was busily working himself into a frenzy. Finally, they were in her chambers, where she sank into a comfortable chair and tugged up her tee shirt to bring him to her breast.

As he latched on, a peaceful silence descended and Steve breathed, "Thank God." He smoothed a gentle hand over Christopher's head. "I love you to death, Chris, but man, you can scream when you want to."

Aislinn settled back to let the baby nurse. It only took her a few tries before she figured out exactly how to do it, and it only stung the first few times. Now, a sense of tranquility settled over her. She leaned her head back, letting her eyes close.

Steve's lips brushed her cheek. "This is a sight to behold," he murmured, his lips brushing her ear now. "I love this."

"You just like seeing my boob."

"Well, there is that, but no. This is just... damn... it's amazing. Every man should see this sometime in his life." He sighed softly, reaching out to trace his forefinger along her cheek. "I'm in awe of you, baby. First, I was lucky enough to actually watch him be born and now, I get to see this. It's like being part of something so much bigger than me, so much bigger than anything."

She smiled as Christopher pushed away, and brought him to her shoulder to pat his back. "I know. He really is amazing, isn't he? It blows me away, as you'd say, when I look at him and think, we did this."

He crouched to meet her gaze, his eyes soft and serious. "I love you, Aislinn. Do you know that? Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

"I love you, too, Steve." She looked down to see Christopher had fallen asleep, so with one hand, she carefully tickled his foot to jolt him back awake.

"That seems mean."

"I know, but in the hospital, that's what I was told to do."

Steve grinned. "Man, last summer, when I saw you that first time, I don't think I could've pictured things turning out like this. I thought you were hot. I wanted to know your name, definitely wanted to see you naked, never thought I'd marry you."