InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Timey-wimey wibbly-wobbly"

Lady Agatha had taken charge of Sif on her release from Loki and helped her to find the things she needed for the chamber she'd been assigned. It was, as Loki had suggested, basic by Asgardian standards, but a luxury compared to some of the places she'd slept while on the hunt for Odin. No, Loki. She'd promised she wasn't going to pick a fight with him and she meant it, but it sat ill with Sif to realize that she'd been unable to help Thor and Asgard when she was needed.

But she was here now, and what little she could do to help would be done, whether that was working with the Avengers or SHIELD as a proxy for Thor, or helping the healers with Jane, or simply keeping an eye on Loki so he didn't do anything stupid. Well, anything treasonably stupid.

Sif was putting away the changes of clothes that Lady Agatha had located for her when the door chime told her someone was here to see her. "Pray enter," she said, shutting the chest that sat at the foot of her new bed and turning to greet the newcomer.

When Thor had learned Sif was there -- SIF -- he practically dropped everything and ran.

Of course, since the news had to come to him while he was doing inventory, he felt compelled to finish. Look over the lists. Nod approvingly. Make suggestions. All those tasks that he had to do while his mind was racing.

Sif.

He couldn’t remember the last time he saw her. It had to have been years, and since he’d been here, he’d only seen her once … or at least so he had been told. Mind leeches had taken any memories he’d had, and to be honest, he didn’t know if this was the same Sif or not. More than likely not, if history had taught him anything.

At the end, it didn’t matter. He’d lost so much, and slowly had been regaining it back. Sif was just one more thing that he was thrilled to have again, however short (or hopefully not) that would be.

Standing in front of her door, he waited until allowed entry, and then he did. And stood there, a wide smile across his face, with his arms outstretched happily.

Before he could even speak, Sif was coming to him to throw her own arms around him.

“Sif. You’re here. You’ve returned.” He strode into the room, the smile firmly in place. Nothing would be able to wipe it off now. “It is good to see you. Truly. You look the same…” He was well aware that with his short hair, his eyes two different colours... well, he was not the same Thor she knew from before. Physically. But he was still the same inside. “You look well. I am pleased, so pleased to see you.”

And embrace him Sif did, as a warrior and comrade, with none of the reserve she was meant to offer to her king. She held him tight for a long moment and then retreated to arm's length to examine Thor.

The shorn hair meant little to her. It was undoubtedly an outward sign of Thor's inward grief, and he had much to grieve over. But the different-coloured eyes were new, and a sign of suffering. "And I am delighted to see you again. For me, at least, it has been too long. I have heard--" she hesitated for a moment, and went on "--the Midgardian sorcerer spoke of Asgard's woes, and your brother greeted me when I arrived in this place. He told me--he told me terrible things, things he had done, things that had happened to you. I will not ask how you are after everything, but I am glad to see you still on your feet and moving.

"And so glad to be here to help you." Her own smile, so rarely given, shone brighter than the sun.

“Is there any doubt? I have no choice but to move on.” Thor tried to say it lightly, but in truth, it was a long period of sadness and depression that had overtaken him. It had taken him an alarming amount of time to be happy again, and that was only due to Jane, to Loki, to Val … having people in his life again had been amazing.

And then having his people back, as safe as they could be?

Wonderful.

If only Jane was healthy ...but that was another topic.

“I too am glad to have you here to help. Did Loki tell you about Tonsberg? We have a new home for our people, for all of us. There is a place for you, naturally, and there are many different teams here for people like us, skilled warriors. The people of Midgard are lucky to have you here now.”

"Loki told me about Tonsberg. I will serve in whatever capacity you need, either there or with the Avengers or SHIELD." Which reminded Sif that there was an apology owed to Thor. "Loki told you that he sent me to hunt for escapees from Asgard when he was masquerading as your father? And that he sent me to Midgard in search of Lorelei?" Which was not a name she wanted to dwell on, so she barreled past it.

"When I came to Midgard, I met the people of the SHIELD again, and learned that Coulson was not truly dead. I was bade to keep silent for reasons that no longer apply, and I do not know where you were, but, still--I am sorry that I failed to find you and tell you. I'm sorry that I left you alone when you needed me."

Sif squeezed Thor's hands again because she could, and to emphasize how sorry she was.

Thor shook his head vigourously. “No, my friend. You have nothing to apologize for, and I will not accept it. You did what you thought was good and just at the time, following the orders of the Allfather...even if we learned later it was not him. How can I fault you for that?”

And if he had forgiven his brother for all his past deeds, he could forgive Sif for ...well, nothing. She had done nothing wrong.

“What matters is that you are here now, and I have your sword again.” He glanced around the room. It was one of their better ones in the sense that she did not have to share. With so many bodies, space was at a premium, even with all of Loki’s magical skills.

A sudden thought popped into his mind. “Come,” he said, pulling at her hand before letting go of it. “Let us speak elsewhere. I can give you a brief tour along the way, although I’m sure Lady Agatha did well in that regard.” Agatha was a bore, but she did a good job.

As mentioned, it was a brief tour, basically showing her where the royal chambers were, pointing out that Loki, Val and Jane were the only ones beside himself that resided there before they stepped up on the roof. His mother’s rose garden, one of his favourite spots, was tucked away and he brought Sif to it. “My mother was here. Briefly, but here. We made our amends and peace with each other. When she left again, her garden stayed. I have been taking care of it. I find it relaxing, and I enjoy spending time here. I have needed peace and tranquility, these last few months.”

"Then I will help you find it and serve you, and Asgard, as needed." Sif moved to slide her hand into Thor's--a friendly clasp, but without the threading of fingers that would have suggested more than friendship. "I have been told already that the Lady Jane is ill, and that all the healers and the Midgardian scientists are working to help her recover from the effects of the Aether.

"Do you intend to make her our Queen?"

Thor cough suddenly, almost sputtering at her blunt question. “You have never shied back from anything, Sif,” he said when he finally could. With a squeeze to her hand, he slipped away, moving closer to one of the rosebushes.

How could he answer that question when he didn’t even know?

He was quiet for a moment, trying to figure out something to say when he finally just sighed. “It is not so simple as that. She has her own life and aspirations … I cannot ask her to do something she does not want to do. Only time will tell.”

"A woman's will is her own," Sif agreed with a nod. "But I was asking you. And your words suggest that you would ask her, and would have her if she will have you." Sif looked at the roses for a bit longer before turning her attention back to Thor. "She makes you happy. This is good. If she wishes to wed you, I will support her as Queen: a Queen who does more than support the King, with a life and duties of her own."

That was reassuring. Loki had made the same thoughts as well, although it seemed Loki would be wed before Thor would. Which was fine. In a way, Thor was in no rush. Everything would work as it needed to.

“I appreciate the support, Sif, and I expect no less from you. You have been by my side for many centuries and I continue to hope for that.” He smiled at her. “It is a time for new beginnings as well. You mentioned earlier that you would like to assist on a team. The Avengers would be thrilled to have you, I am sure. I can speak with Steve Rogers about it.”

"Then let us speak to him. It would be good to have an Asgardian presence regularly among the heroes of Midgard. And I can spare you some of the duties there so you will have more time to spend doing as you will. You have enough duties as King; let us not add watching the world in shifts or whatever the Avengers do to them."

Sif had no idea what the Avengers actually did on a day-to-day basis but her forays to Midgard working with SHIELD suggested that there was as much in the way of paperwork and meetings as there was in the royal court--and on Midgard, there would not be a scribe to do the writing, either.

She moved to slip her hand into Thor's--not in the way of a maiden seeking her lover's hand at all, but as she might with a friend, though not so firm as a warrior's clasp. "It will be well, and where it is not yet, we will make it well."

It was nice, having someone else feel as comfortable with him in this way. For too long had he held himself apart from others, recognizing that he was different. Taking advantage of the hand hold, he pulled her close again for another hug, this one a solid hug in which he tried to pour affection in.

“I simply do not have the words to say how happy I am with your arrival. I truly am blessed. I have good friends, my brother by my side, my people, the love of my life … do I need more?”