Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!

AN: I'm so sorry that this update came so late. But here it is, extra-long, and I do hope you'll enjoy it. One more chapter to go after this. Oh, I had so much fun writing this. I hope you all enjoy reading it! Please let me know what you think.

~ Wildest Moments ~

Chapter 8

Sif felt a tremble course through her body. She had never expected to hear the voice of her daughter and she had certainly never expected to actually meet her. When she and Loki had been banished to Midgard twenty years ago, she had feared she made the wrong decision. She loved her little girl deeply and whenever she thought about her, she imagined a small, one-year-old with short, blond hair and a pair of big, round blue eyes.

But today that little girl had been transformed into a young, elegant and confident woman.

Sif had never imagined her looking like this.

"You look-" She forced the words out of her mouth, though they were barely audible, "you look absolutely beautiful."

Frida smiled profoundly while her eyes shone with tears. She wasn't sad or angry. She looked happy and relieved. Tension slipped away from her shoulders and she stepped forward, closing the remaining distance between herself and her mother.

"They do always say I got my looks from my mother," she said as she embraced Sif.

Sif eagerly returned the hug, although she only reluctantly let go of Loki's hand. She needed him by her side now more than ever, but she knew he was there for her. He gave her strength.

Always.

"I am sorry," Sif whispered into her daughter's ear, "I am terribly sorry for leaving you."

Frida released her, but she never let her eyes slip away from her.

"Don't be," she replied, "I know why you did it. Father explained it all to me when I was just a child because I had so many questions. I admit I have been angry with you for so long, but over time…I began to understand and I knew there was no point in being angry with anyone."

Sif quickly wiped away tears that ran down her face.

"I came to Heimdall every day," Frida continued, "and I asked him how you were. He always told me the same. You were happy on Midgard, but you thought of me always."

"Always," Sif agreed.

"If you had stayed," Frida said, taking hold of her mother's hands while she made sure she kept hold of her gaze, "you would have been deeply unhappy. I don't blame you for going with the man you love."

Sif couldn't help but glance behind her. Loki stood a few steps back, watching the scene with interested, warm eyes. He smiled at her, having an almost smug expression on his face. He looked like he was saying: 'I told you so, I told you Frida would not be angry with you'.

Sif returned his smile with one of her own and then focused on her daughter again.

"I have so many questions for you," Sif said, "so much I want to know about your life."

"We have all the time," Frida answered, clearly elated.

Thor stepped forward suddenly. He was smiling as well, though Sif could see he was somehow sad. She understood why he felt that way. It couldn't be easy to have your ex-wife and your brother return home after twenty years. She was simply grateful that he handled the situation so well. He could have made Frida hate her. He could have made sure she would never see her daughter again. Instead, he had done the most honorable thing.

"Frida," Thor said, his hand pointing towards the man standing almost directly beside him, "this is my brother Loki."

Frida swallowed heavily, yet couldn't help but crack a smile when she went to stand before her uncle.

"I have heard much about you," she said, almost looking a bit intimidated, "you have quite the reputation here in Asgard, even though you've not been here in so long."

Loki clearly enjoyed Frida's comment.

"I do hope you've heard nothing but good."

"Is it true you can create fire out of nothing and make it grow until it looks like a horse?" Frida looked like a small child when she asked the question. She appeared like she had just met the most fantastical, mythical man in the Nine Realms. When Loki nodded, she began to grin. "I have tried my hand at magic, but I'm really not good at it. Father tries to help me as much as possible, but I'm sure you know he is rather untalented when it comes to magic."

"I can teach you if you want," Loki said, smiling.

"Loki is a marvelous teacher," Sif chirped in.

Frida looked absolutely thrilled.

"Can you perform magic?" She asked her mother.

Sif quickly shook her head. The mere idea of performing magic went against everything she'd worked for her entire life. She had trained to become a warrior; she had offered tears, blood and sweat to become a feared woman in Asgard. For some reason, she always thought learning magic would undo that image.

Then again, she lost that image the moment Thor found out about her affair with Loki. She swore to herself she had to talk to him about that. She refused to believe all had been forgiven and forgotten. One look at Thor told her otherwise.

"Let's get inside," Frida said, "we can talk there."

"Sounds wonderful," Sif replied.

~ o ~

Loki could only watch with amusement in his eyes as Frida and Sif talked about everything and nothing. They had not seen each other in twenty years – Frida probably couldn't remember the time her mother had lived here in Asgard – but they appeared as if they saw each other every day. At times there was a moment of awkwardness, of uncomfortable silence, but it was always easily resolved with another question or another story.

It was a truly magnificent feeling. He was home again, yet everything felt different. He noticed Thor looking at him in the corner of his eye, but once he turned to look at his older brother, Thor quickly glances away. They still had difficult times ahead of them. When they arrived at the palace, many Elders – many whom Loki knew from the Peace Council – suddenly turned to whisper against each other. Loki didn't care. He took in every detail of his home and even found that it still smelled the same.

Once they arrived at the throne room, four guards lead them inside where Frigga was awaiting them. As soon as her eyes fell on her youngest son, she rushed forward and embraced him tightly. Loki returned to hug and buried his face in her hair. He had missed his mother and he knew she'd missed him. They had always been close and leaving her twenty years ago was one of the hardest things he had ever done.

"I am so happy to see you again, my love," Frigga whispered, "you look so thin, Loki!"

"I am fine, mother," Loki smiled, knowing that none could stop Frigga from fussing over him, "and I am happy to see you again as well."

Frigga placed a hand on his cheek and offered him a warm, but watery smile.

"I never thought I would live to see this day."

Loki sighed and said, "I am sorry, mother, that I was not here when father passed away."

Frigga closed her eyes while more tears streamed down. She began to shake her head and sucked in a sharp breath. "You are here now," she said, "that is what matters. Odin cared for you deeply, Loki, he loved you. You must know that."

"I do."

"You must be tired. Your chambers are as you left them. Servants kept them clean and such."

Loki nodded.

"Have breakfast with me tomorrow," Frigga said, a smile now spreading across her face.

Loki smiled along with her.

"I would love to."

~ o ~

It had been a strange night. Loki had never thought he would sleep in his old bed again and he had been unable to find rest. His mind was too busy with thousands of thoughts. He could barely admit it, but he missed Midgard. The peace and the silence where he and Sif had lived for the last few years had been something he longed for now that they were back in the palace.

Sif loved it all of course. She only had attention for Frida and Loki couldn't blame her. She had been with her daughter most of the evening and night – talking and laughing – and she had come to bed very late. They hadn't talked. They just laid together closely, their fingers intertwined and their heads against each other.

The morning had come too soon. Sif left quickly since she'd promised Frida she would have breakfast with her, but Loki had other plans. He had to meet with his mother, but first he needed to speak with Thor. There were certain things he needed to discuss. It would all be very awkward at first, but it was a moment they would just have to survive.

He made his way to Thor's personal chambers and ignored the stares and whispers of servants and Elders along the way. Once he arrived in a brightly lit hallway, he strode towards a large oak door. It surprised him there weren't any guards stationed outside. As king of Asgard, Thor shouldn't be taking the risk of leaving his rooms unattended. Loki knocked twice and waited for a response.

"Enter," Thor called.

Loki inhaled deeply to steady himself. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he was confident and therefor confidently entered the room. Thor was just putting on his vest, but stopped when he saw Loki standing in the doorway. Clearly he hadn't expected Loki to be the one standing before him.

"Good morning," Loki said.

Thor inclined his head and even offered him a kind, albeit small smile.

"You are up early," Thor said, sounding a bit strained and uncomfortable, "how was your first night back in Asgard?"

"It was well," Loki replied, not bothering to tell Thor to truth of his troubled and restless night. "I missed everything here. There are small things I had forgotten over the years, like how the sun casts the entire palace in a golden and orange shade in the morning. Or how you can always the smell the fresh bread that is baked in the kitchens."

Thor only nodded.

Loki had absolutely no idea what to do with himself. He folded his hands, but ended up fidgeting with his fingers and looking like a small, uncertain child. He wished he could regain his confidence. He inhaled deeply and forced himself to speak again.

"But I'm not here to talk about that," he said.

"I figured that much," Thor replied, eyeing his brother steadily.

"I realized I never truly apologized," Loki continued, "for everything. I know it has been twenty years, but what is twenty years to us? I stole away the woman you loved. I never made myself any illusions. I know how deeply you cared for Sif and I know that what we did – having an affair – hurt you."

Thor sighed and cast down his eyes.

"All is well."

"No," Loki quickly countered, "do not tell me all is forgiven and forgotten. I can see in your eyes that you still experience the pain of losing your family. And that was my fault, not Sif's."

"But she chose you," Thor suddenly exclaimed. He looked instantly regretful that he had admitted this.

Loki swallowed heavily.

"She chose you, Loki," Thor continued, clearly realizing that lying to his brother was pointless. After all, Loki was a master at lying and deceiving and therefore he could detect any lie. "It is hard to admit to yourself that your brother is a better man than you are. You, Loki, were always a better man than me. You cared for Sif when I did not. You loved here when I did not know how to love her properly."

Loki wasn't sure what to answer to this.

"I'm sorry," he ended up whispering.

Thor shook his head and rubbed a hand over his tired face.

"I thought the two of you would be married by now," he said, "I thought you would be surrounded by a dozen kids already."

It was Loki who looked away now. He shouldn't be telling Thor this since it wasn't actually his business anymore, but he went ahead anyway. Perhaps Thor should be made aware of how hurt Sif was as well.

"Sif couldn't bear the idea of having another child, not after what she did to Frida."

Thor frowned.

"She left her only daughter," Loki explained, "and that broke her heart no matter what anyone says. She thought she hurt her girl by not…choosing her. She chose me, her lover, over her family. She thought Frida hated her because of it. Afterward, she was always so afraid that if she had another child, she would leave it as well."

"Frida doesn't hate her."

"I know."

"She doesn't even hate you."

Loki didn't quite understand Thor's comment.

"Whenever she asked me a question," Thor explained, noticing the strange look on Loki's face, "I answered her truthfully. There was always a part of me that wished she despised you for taking away her mother, but she never did. She knew, long before me, that if Sif had stayed she would have grown so utterly unhappy. In her eyes, you saved her mother."

Loki could not believe that.

"So Frida never hated you," Thor concluded, "and as much as I tried, I could never hate you. You are my brother and I love you. Many things have happened between us and I might never be able to forget, but I can forgive. You make Sif happy and that is what matters I suppose."

"You are so-" Loki couldn't believe he was actually admitting this, "wise."

Thor chuckled, sounded genuinely humored.

"There is a Peace Council this afternoon," he said then, "you should attend."

"I will."

Thor smiled, though there was still sadness in his eyes. Loki wasn't sure whether that would ever disappear.

"And I know for a fact that you promised mother to meet her for breakfast," Thor continued, "so you shouldn't keep her waiting. She has been looking forward to this for years."

Loki bowed his head respectfully. Thor was still his king after all and he should acknowledge that. However, just before he exited Thor's chamber, he found himself tightly into his brother's arms. He had not expected a hug and he was completely taken off guard. He did not even think of lifting his arms and returning the embrace.

"And I have missed you too, brother," Thor said, "I cannot even deny that."

When Thor released him, Loki was lost for words.

Thor chuckled again.

"Now go to mother."

"Join us," Loki said, not sure if this was even a good idea or not, "there is still so much I want to ask. I want to know everything that has happened here the last twenty years."

Thor contemplated on his answer, but then smiled.

"I would be honored."

Loki gratefully smiled back.