Worthy

Chapter Twenty Seven

"NO!" Thor's scream was deafening. It was pitch black in our bedroom and the bed was rocking violently as he trashed around in his sleep. I called his name, hoping to wake him, but it didn't help. I switched on the bedside lamp, continuing to call his name. I tried shaking him but he was moving around too much and I ended up getting caught in the chest by his flailing arm.

"Oww" I cried out clutching my chest where he had struck me. My yelp of pain woke him and he jumped straight out of bed.

"What? Where? Did I hurt you? Oh gods above, did I hurt you?" he asked frantically.

"I'm fine. You were having a nightmare. I tried waking you and didn't dodge your arm in time. I'm okay, come back to bed." I patted his side of the bed next to me.

"How can you want me back in the bed with you? It's not safe. You were just injured hours ago and now I've hurt you. You should stay there, you need your rest."

I stood up and crossed the room to him. "I am safe with you. You were asleep, it happens. We both need rest after last night. Please come back to bed." I stretched up on my toes to kiss him and stroked his beard softly, trying to calm him.

"I've hurt you. I let you fall and now I've hurt you. I've failed you twice in less than a day." his eyes were so far off and scared that it was starting to worry me.

"No, you didn't. Thor, look at me, I'm fine. I want to go back to sleep and I want you to join me."

"I can't. Not right now. I'm sorry. I'm going to stay up a bit and then I'll be back once I'm tired again."

I took a long breath, debating if I should push the issue. He was rattled though and I worried if he went right back to sleep he would have another nightmare or pick up where the last one left off. "Okay, I'm going back to sleep. Please don't stay up too late."

"I won't."

"I love you."

"I love you too." And with that he headed out and downstairs. I fell asleep to the distant sound of his video game loading.

When I opened my eyes again it was a little after 9am. I hardly ever slept that late and the room was filled with bright daylight. Thor wasn't on his side of the bed and it looked just as rumpled as he had left it earlier that morning. I worried he had stayed up all night instead of coming back to bed as he'd promised. Slowly, I got up and started my day. My head still throbbed a little and the faint nausea was back. I headed downstairs to look for Thor and make a cup of tea. He wasn't in the living room but I saw a collection of beer bottles on the coffee table so it wasn't hard to piece together what had happened after I fell asleep.

I wandered into the kitchen to make my tea and found his cell phone sitting on the island. He never went anywhere without his phone. Tucked under his phone was a folded piece of notepad paper, my name on the front fold in his elegant looped handwriting. The note was brief but it might as well have been a live grenade.

Mia,

I cannot be a burden upon you any longer, nor a danger to you. I will love you for the rest of my days and while you will miss me at first, please know you are safer without me. I only want what's best for you, and unfortunately that will never be me. I'm so sorry it took me this long to realize it. Don't worry about Beau Terre or how you'll get by. I've transferred all of the money from my Swiss account to your personal one. You are set to live out the rest of your very long life in comfort. I hope you find love someday with someone worthy and perfect for you. You deserve all the good things the universe can give you.

I love you.

Thor

I read the letter again, over and over again until the words stopped making sense. I checked his phone and saw only the call to 911 from the day before. There was a text though, to Valkyrie around 4am. All it said was "You were wrong. Be safe my friend." The message was still unread. I called her, hoping Thor had retreated to the cottage again. She answered on the fifth ring, "What is it Odinson? You're interrupting a very important meeting, you tremendous oaf." she snapped.