Those words sliced like a knife into his heart, and it showed all too early on his face. His thumb caressed her cheekbone, hating to see such pain and hope in her eyes. "I cannot stay forever in Midgard, my lady. I must protect both Asgard and Midgard from the dangers that will threaten them. From either side, there is much demanded of my time. Yet..." In a rare moment of quiet hesitation, looking down to her, "there is one place my heart has resided, since the moment you captured it."