Astrid could hear voices, but she wasn't sure where she was. She sat up and stretched, only to be met by Thor's familiar cologne. She looked down to find herself dressed in his t-shirt and sweatpants, which she wasn't concerned about.

She was more interested in what was going on outside of the door.

"She is Raymond Watson's wife Thor! The man won't just give up looking for her," Duke argued.

"Except will he find her? This is me we're talking about," Thor countered.

"I hate to admit it, but he's right. If there's anyone who can pull this off, it's him," Scott added.

Margot sighed. "Is the poor woman even ok with this?"

"It was actually her idea," Thor replied.

"What? She's willingly wanting to go with this madness?" Duke asked.

"As opposed to what? Do you have a better plan?"

All four heads whipped to the passage entrance where Astrid was leaning on the wall, arms folded. She'd been listening to them going back and forth and she could tell that they wouldn't be getting anywhere soon.

"Do you have any idea what you're asking of him Astrid? Your husband isn't known for being temperate," Duke pointed out.

Astrid sighed, walking further into the room. "The first time Raymond hit me, it was because another man couldn't keep his eyes off of me, so he accused me of seducing the man. The second and last time he hit me, it was because a man had groped me without my permission. Mind you, this was a man Raymond himself had sent me to seduce for business purposes. The man damn near beat me to a pulp, accusing me of not only letting the man grope me, but for apparently enjoying it too. The beatings stopped because of an eye witness who threatened to speak if he ever lay a hand on me again. So, would you like to explain to me a situation where I go back home with my big belly, to tell my husband who is incapable of having children, that I'm pregnant? Please be so kind as to tell me how that situation ends well for me and my children, especially just weeks after I told him we could adopt."

"Children?"

"Adopt?"

She turned to Scott, Margot and Duke. "We're having triplets."

She then turned to Thor. "On the night before the masquerade ball, he came home and asked me to adopt since we couldn't have kids of our own. I agreed because I hadn't seen him that genuinely happy in a really long time."

"So, what? You were going to further trap yourself in a marriage you didn't want?" he asked angrily.

"If I remember correctly, you didn't bother to get me out of it," she snapped back.

He instantly felt bad.

"What do you mean by that? This didn't happen by accident?" Duke asked.

Astrid shot him a confused look. "In which scenario does he accidentally get me pregnant?"

"I don't know, a sperm bank or something," Duke replied, visibly upset.

"Hun, shut up and sit down. You're making no sense," Margot told him.

"I met Astrid at a club and she told me all about her marriage to Raymond before we slept together. It was meant to be a one-time thing, but I couldn't stay away, so I followed her to Palm Springs where she was with her best friends. We slept together there again before deciding that it was a bad idea. I left her there and came to San Diego with Scott to set up our headquarters. I saw her again a couple of days later when I was coming back from buying dinner, and she was outside a restaurant visibly fighting with Raymond. I rescued her from that situation, only for her to tell me that she wanted to give him another chance. I got mad and drove her back to the mansion before wishing her well in her marriage. On the night of the masquerade was the first time we were seeing each other since, and that's when she told me about her pregnancy. I took her with me to the lake house to figure things out and that's where we were the whole time before returning," Thor explained.

"You slept with her after she told you all about her husband?" Margot asked sceptically.

"I was there too you know? My husband isn't an innocent party here," Astrid pointed out.

"That much is true, except he didn't get any of his mistresses pregnant," Duke argued.

"They wouldn't have existed if he could," Thor countered.

"Even if that's true, why would you sleep together knowing that the possibility of pregnancy was there?" Margot asked.

"I didn't know it was," Astrid defended.

"What do you mean you didn't know? Unprotected sex almost always leads to a pregnancy," Duke pointed out.

"Don't treat her like she's stupid Duke. She knows that much. What she's talking about is the fact that Raymond lied to her," Thor elaborated.

Margot shot Astrid a silent look, requesting an explanation. "Shortly after we were married, Raymond wanted to have kids. We tried for six months, and when I wasn't falling pregnant, we headed to the doctor. Now, at the time, the doctor told me that I couldn't have kids, and that's what caused the rift between Raymond and I. All these years, he made me feel like the lowest person on earth simply because I couldn't give him children. It took my pregnancy to piece together that the problem was never me. Raymond is the one who can't have kids, so when Thor and I slept together, I was genuinely under the impression that I couldn't have kids."

"Except you slept with someone who wasn't your husband and now you're pregnant," Duke commented.

"Look, I get that you're not particularly a fan of mine right now, even though I can't seem to figure out exactly what it is that I did wrong, but sleeping with Thor is a decision I do not regret. The only time I was happy in my marriage was before that doctor's appointment that changed everything. Meeting Thor has to be one of the best things to ever happen to me because he sees me solely for who I am, but I will also not take responsibility for his role in this. It was his choice to approach me, and he could've stopped us from getting anywhere on the night we met. It was a mutual decision to sleep together, and like I said, I don't regret it. I don't know what the future holds for us, but I'm counting on it going in our favour. I'm looking for anyone's approval, so really, I don't care what you think about me."

Astrid turned and left the room, leaving behind a stunned Duke and Margot, an impressed Scott, and a surprised Thor. Thor already knew that there were more layers to her than he'd seen, but he didn't expect her to show one of those layers to the people he holds closest to his heart.

"Well, I like her," Scott commented.

"How can you? This whole situation is madness! It's just a scandal waiting to happen," Margot argued.

"Her marriage has been a scandal from the moment Raymond cheated on her. While he only went public with Vienna recently, we all know that his affairs were the worst kept secrets. This situation is complicated, that much I won't dispute, but doesn't Astrid deserve a chance at happiness?" Thor questioned.

Duke sighed. "What about your happiness Thor? Is she worth all of this?"

"She revived a part of me that I thought would never be revived again. She makes me happy and she makes all my hard work worth it. She's about to give me three children, a family, and the last thing I want to do is make this difficult for her," Thor replied.

"We hear you, but is this something you see in the long term?" Margot asked.

"When was the last time the two of you saw him genuinely smile?" Scott asked the couple.

They couldn't remember.

"The looks on your faces and the silence says it all. When I walked through that door, the first thing I said was 'you're going to be a father', and you know what his response was? He gave me the biggest smile and told me that he's going to have three beautiful children with a woman who makes him feel like he can face anything. If there's one thing Thor fails to do, it's lie to me. He can lie to anyone else, the both of you included, but he can't lie to me. I can tell you now that Astrid Watson, despite whatever baggage comes with her, makes Thor happy. Do they have obstacles to overcome? By all means. Could this be a mistake? Possibly. However, I'd like to think that this is their journey to explore. We should at least allow them to face their obstacles and be given a chance to conquer them. Like he said, doesn't she deserve to be happy? Hell, doesn't Thor deserve to be happy? The two of you have been pushing for him to be happy for so long that one would think you'd be happy for him now," Scott pointed out.

"He's happy with another man's wife!" Duke snapped.

"True. Like I said, the situation isn't an ideal one, however, you're not taking into account everything. She's someone else's wife yes, but she doesn't want to be that person's wife. She's unhappy in the marriage, and the very fact that she's afraid to face her husband with this speaks volumes about the kind of man he is. Do you really want to sit there and tell me that we should willingly send her back to him, knowing damn well what will happen to her if we do?" Scott questioned.

When Duke wasn't saying anything, Thor sighed. "I know that you're just being my big brother and trying to protect me, but I know what I'm doing here. It's a risky plan, I know, but if there's anyone who can help me pull it off, it's you. She's worth it Duke, and she's carrying our children. You know how I feel about family. I want this, and I will do anything to not only make it happen, but to protect my family. Duke, she's my family now. Whether or not things work out for us doesn't change that. She'll always be the mother of my kids."

Margot watched him in silence. She was searching for any signs of doubt, but there were none. It was then she knew and understood that nothing anyone said would really change Thor's mind about Astrid.

It was his final decision to carry on with this and see where it leads him.

"I'm on board," she said after a while.

Duke turned to her, sceptical. "You are?"

She caressed his cheek. "Look at him hun, truly look at him."

Duke turned back to look at Thor. All he could think about was how much Thor had been through; how much he had seen him through. He truly did think of him as his little brother, and the last thing he wanted was to see him hurt again.

So, he looked.

He searched Thor's face for any doubt, any deceit, but he found none. Instead, before him was the same person who had a fire in him that wanted to serve and protect nine years ago when he was recruited for special forces.

Before him was a man who would do anything for his family as he'd put it.

"I'm not sure how I fully feel about this, but you're my brother and I'm choosing to not only trust you, but to trust that you're going to pull this off. I will help you wherever you need me to, but I need you to just tell me one thing- do you see yourself falling in love with her?" Duke asked.

"If he isn't already," Margot said knowingly.

Thor smiled. "I'm not there yet, but I could get there with her. She definitely has the power to get me there, but it's going to be a journey for us both. I'm not the only one with walls here."

"I can imagine. Being in a marriage like the one she's been in must do something to a person," Margot commented.

"I guess, but I feel like the deeper scars are the ones she has from before she married Raymond," Thor responded.

"And that will be your journey to figure out. For now, you have our support. Has she told anyone on her side?" Scott asked.

"Her best friends were with her when she figured out that she's pregnant, but she didn't know my name then, so they don't know that I'm the father," Thor replied.

Duke got up. "You might want to let them in on things. The last thing they need is to be harassed by Raymond while worrying about her."

"I'll ask her about it," Thor said.

"And please extend our apologies to her. We didn't mean to offend her in any way. We just want to make sure that you're protected in this whole thing," Margot added.

"I think she understands that, but I'll tell her nonetheless. I'm thinking of inviting my mom and Kylie over for dinner to break the news to them. Would you be around for that?" Thor asked.

Margot beamed. "We'd love to."

"Perhaps invite her friends to that dinner too once you've talked it over. It will make sense to have your entire support system in one place," Scott suggested.

"You'll be there too, right?" Thor asked him.

He smirked. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

They said their goodbyes before Thor was left alone. A part of him knew that Astrid would be upset by the time he went to her, so he got himself some ammo before heading to his room. He found her standing in the middle of his closet, staring aimlessly at the wall.

"I come in peace," he joked, handing her a vanilla cupcake. They'd become her favourites in their time away.

She smiled a little, taking it from him. "I get worried when you're being playful."

"Ouch! You make me sound like a Grinch," he said dramatically.

"You're not the cheeriest person Thor," she argued.

"True, but I haven't had anything to be cheerful about. The kind of life I've lived hasn't afforded me such a luxury," he countered.

She licked the icing of the cupcake. "And now?"

He pulled her in by the waist before licking some icing too. "Now things are looking up for me, despite the craziness."

"I don't remember inviting you to share my cupcake with me," she commented, frowning.

"Sharing is caring," he replied.

"Then I don't care because I don't want to share my cupcake with you," she said.

He shrugged. "Tough!"

"Are they gone?" she asked after eating her cupcake.

"They are, and Margot said to extend her apologies," he replied.

"I'm not mad," she said.

"I told them that you wouldn't be," he said confidently.

She cupped his cheek. "But they're right."

"What?" he whispered.

"Maybe this is a bad idea after all. Maybe I should go back to Raymond and spare you any heartbreak. God knows heartbreak and pain follows me everywhere," she said, a tear falling down her cheek.

Thor felt his heart break, but not for himself. It broke for her. She was willing to sacrifice herself once more, even when she'd been offered safety. He held her to him and she just breathed him in before he kissed her forehead.

"Stop fighting Annalise," he said softly.

"It's all I've ever known," she sniffed.

He pulled away to caress her cheek and wipe away the fallen tears. "I know, but I'm telling you that I'm here. I'm here and you don't have to fight anymore. Let me fight for you."

She frowned. "I don't know how. I've been fighting for so long."

"Just how long exactly?" he asked.

"Since I was eleven," she said lowly.

He sighed. "Will you ever tell me about it?"

"The day you're ready to tell me about your demons, I'll do the same," she bargained.

"That's not fair," he protested.

She smiled a little. "I never said I would play fair."

"Touché. What do you want to do now? I'm guessing we disturbed your sleep," he said knowingly.

"Not completely; I'm still tired. I'm exhausted actually. Your children have a superpower of draining me," she complained.

He chuckled. "My children?"

"For every time they do anything bad, they shall be yours alone," she said sweetly.

"Mhmm," he laughed before kissing her.

She ended up just wanting him to hold her until she fell asleep, except he fell asleep before she did. She was lost in thought, trying to think of a life where Raymond didn't exist. He'd been a part of her life for so long that she wasn't sure what life would be like without him.

Thor woke up hours later and she wasn't there. He listened out for any sounds coming from the bathroom and found none. He got up and headed to the kitchen where he found her making breakfast. She was humming to herself and he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen anything more innocent.

"Good morning Mama Bear," he teased.

She turned to face him with her brow raised. "Call me that one more time and see what happens."

"But it's such a cute name," he pouted, going over to wrap his arms around her.

He jumped back when she put hot oil on his arm. "Try me, really."

"Why have I never noticed how violent you are?" he taunted.

"Because you know that you don't want to find out if I really am," she played back.

"Touché," he laughed.

She pulled him down for a long kiss. "Good morning Papa Bear."

"Oh, so you can say it but I can't?" he asked.

"You clearly haven't been in a relationship in a long time. You have to yield to me all the time, let alone a pregnant me," she joked.

"It sounds a lot like slavery," he commented.

"You also want to watch the things you hint at. Suggesting that I'm a slave master doesn't work in your favour," she pointed out.

He sighed, making her laugh. "I was a soldier, but even then, I didn't face this many traps."

"Look at you being defeated by a tiny pregnant woman," she teased, flipping the bacon.

"You and I both know that you're not tiny, and there's nothing light-hearted about watching what I do or say around you," he argued.

"Now you're making me sound like the Grinch," she mumbled.

He smiled. "Let's note that I didn't say the words."

His arm was the recipient of more hot oil.

"Remind me to never let you back in the kitchen," he murmured.

She giggled. "When are you going back to work?"

"Are you that eager to get rid of me?" he asked, sitting at the island.

"Well yeah. I was thinking of having a party while you're gone," she replied.

He scowled. "Are you serious?"

"No, you silly man. I just want you to get back to work," she said.

"Oh. Well, I can always pop in later today and then officially go back tomorrow. What I'm more concerned about is what you plan to spend your time doing for the next six months," he responded.

She switched off the stove before turning to face him. "I was thinking of studying."

"Studying?" he questioned.

"I mean yeah. I want to do an online course to refresh my memory," she replied.

"Memory of?" he asked.

"My degree," she informed.

His eyebrows shot up. "You have a degree?"

"I do. I have a degree in Public Relations. I got it online though, so Raymond knows nothing about it since I kept the browser on private when I did anything relating to the degree," she explained.

He beamed at her words. "I'm so proud of you. That couldn't have possibly been easy."

"It wasn't, and you're the only person who knows about it," she admitted.

"Well, it's definitely something we should celebrate. Maybe we can have dinner with your friends and my family to celebrate," he suggested.

She raised an eyebrow. "My friends don't know about you, and I don't recall you telling your mother and sister about me. Is this you saying we should have a dinner to do so?"

"Maybe it is. Is that ok with you?" he asked.

"I mean, I haven't thought about it, and I've avoided my phone for so long, I'm almost afraid to see them again. They might just kill me for leaving the way I did," she replied.

"You can tell them that I kidnapped you," he said, sacrificing himself.

"Because I totally made an effort to get away from you after that," she said, deadpan.

He looked thoughtful. "That you most definitely didn't do."

She threw a grape at him. "Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Technically, my mind was in our room back at the cabin. The things we did there..." he trailed off, giving her a naughty look.

"It's too early for you to be this naughty," she said.

He got up and stalked towards her, a gleam in his eyes. "I don't know. I feel like I'll always be naughty where you're concerned."

"Then you're going to have big problems," she responded.

"How come?" he asked.

She leaned as though she was about to kiss him. "I'm not going to always want to play."

She dashed off, giggling, and he chased after her before catching her and landing a sweet kiss onto her lips. The kiss got heated fast, and their breakfast was forgotten as he proceeded to make sweet love to her.

And it was in that moment that he understood that it was moments like these that he would be fighting for.