Coming Home (Sequel to This Time Around)

Chapter Thirty-One

"No..." Aislinn insisted, shaking her head. She sobbed into McKenna's neck, drenching the shoulder of her tee shirt. "He's not... he's gone..."

"No, baby. He isn't." McKenna held her away. "Do you want to see him for yourself?"

Aislinn's eyes were shiny and overflowing, her cheeks wet with tears as she nodded. "Yes."

"Okay. Come on." It was all McKenna could do to keep from limping as each step sent a fresh throb of pain through her right foot. But she managed to make it back to her and Loki's chambers, where Loki lay on his back, still sound asleep, one hand thrown over his head, the other resting on his chest. "See, sweetie?" she whispered, smoothing Aislinn's tangled mess of black curls. "He's right there."

"Daddy..."

Loki's eyes opened at that and he squinted up at them. "Aislinn? What's the matter, little bit?"

"Daddy..."

He sat up, gesturing for McKenna to come around the bed. "Come here, little one..."

McKenna set Aislinn down and Aislinn ran over to him. He scooped her up and sat her on his lap. "Did you wake Mommy up?"

McKenna limped over to her side of the bed and sat, biting back a wince as she reached down to rub her foot. Aislinn nodded, looking contrite. "I had a bad dream, Daddy."

"You should have called me, then, sweetling," he told her, wrapping his arms about her and rocking her slowly. "I'm right here, see?"

McKenna pressed her lips together, the backs of her eyes stinging as Aislinn tucked her head under Loki's chin and whispered, "I thought you were gone."

"No, love. I'm right here." He kissed the top of her head as he shifted to the edge of the bed and stood. "Let's get you back to bed, little bit. It's very late."

"Stay with me, Daddy?"

"I'll stay until you fall asleep."

"Okay."

McKenna sighed softly as she lifted her foot onto the bed. Her sigh turned into a wince. The entire side of her foot was bruised and puffy. "Wonderful."

She tried to wiggle her toes and had to bite down on her bottom lip so she didn't let out a yelp as fire flashed through her foot. "Okay, we won't do that again."

She was still gingerly prodding the bruise when Loki returned. "I think she's finally asleep," he said around a yawn as he pushed the door closed.

"I'm amazed you slept through those screams," she told him, pausing in her rubbing. "Actually, I'm kind of amazed she didn't wake everyone up."

He skirted the bed, dropping back onto his side with a groan. "This is going to sound awful, but I really hope these nightmares stop soon."

"Tell me about it."

He shifted onto one elbow and gazed up at her. "What are you doing?"

"I caught the doorframe on my way out before."

"That looks broken," he said, sitting upright once more and shifting to catch her by the ankles and gently swung her legs over his.

She sucked in a sharp breath. "Careful."

He glanced up at her. "I didn't even touch it."

"I know. But it really hurts."

His fingers barely grazed her as they moved lightly along the outer edge of her foot, yet the pain rocketed through her as if he'd stomped on it. "Ow."