Lori slipped into Thor's chambers, quietly, and got into bed next to Thor; who was sleeping soundly. Lori closed her eyes. She felt the sheets move behind her.

"Good morning, my love." Thor whispered lovingly to her. Her stomach clenched, if only he knew… "I hoped you slept well, I'm going out training with Volstagg and Hogun today; Loki may be coming as well. So Mother would like to meet you informally, I've tried to ask her to wait until I return, but she is adamant; I believe that Sif is joining you. I hope you're eager to meet my mother, because she is…"

"Oh… Um… Okay… Let me get ready and I'll meet with her." Lori smiled; she left the bed and entered the side-room.

"You will?" Thor's voice rose in hope.

"Sure, if it means that much to you and your family of course I will." Thor stood and enclosed her in his arms.

"Oh, Lori, thank you, I'll leave you to get dressed and then I'll meet you in the dining chamber."

Lori looked into the wardrobe, and pulled out a royal blue dress, made of silk which was cut off at the knee. She also picked out a silver necklace with a delicate chain. She took a deep breath and made her way to breakfast.

When Lori entered the chamber, Loki and Thor were already seated, and eating, Lori made a conscious decision to sit next to Thor. Loki looked up at her, calculating, reading. Lori tried not to make eye contact, but failed, she concentrated on breakfast; a bowl of fresh fruit.

"Loki, will you be joining us, for training – as it were?" Thor asked, after a while.

"I most certainly will, brother." Loki replied, a smirk in his voice.

Silence filled the room again.

"Lori! Are you almost ready? We'll be taking a walk around the grounds this morning, and Sif has confirmed that she will be joining us." Frigga had entered the room.

"Sure!" Lori stood, Thor standing also, he kissed her on the cheek and Lori blushed in reply.

"It'll be fine, don't worry; just keep calm… I'll see you soon, I love you..." Thor said to her, a lump appeared in Lori's throat, she quickly dispelled it. "I love you too." She left, to go with Frigga, but not without taking a backward glace, at the two brothers; Loki winked.

Frigga and Lori were walking through the palace's gardens; all the colours were vivid and bright, greens, reds, yellows and blues. Their pace suddenly changed when Frigga began to speak:

"I've highly anticipated your arrival, and meeting you Lori."

"Me too…" Lori replied, feeling her cheeks begin to redden.

"Thor... Oh, hello Sif."

"Good morrow, your Grace, Lori." Sif greeted them.

"As I was saying – Thor seems quite set on this relationship."

"Yes, I agree, I..."

"I know; being in a relationship can muddle your thoughts, my dear."

Lori noticed that Sif looked up, at the mention of Thor's name, and her eyes widened; she likes him, it was obvious; Lori felt her stomach clench slightly with guilt.

"He seems absolutely besotted with you, and I'm so glad he's found someone who truly appreciates him."

Lori nodded in agreement. Sif shifted her necklace uneasily.

"But, I've noticed that my other son; Loki; has seemed to also take an interest in you." Frigga announced.

Lori stumbled over her feet at this. "Lori, are you quite alright?" Sif asked her.

"Yes, fine." She smiled, recovering her composure. Lori had no clue where her sudden acting skills, came from. She could act; it was just the acting through the lying.

The three of them came to a clearing in the gardens, and five specks appeared in the distance, and they were gaining speed, and coming closer to them rapidly. The four of them dismounted their horses, and they greeted the other party. Thor greeted his mother, and then Lori "How was it?" Lori smiled in reply and finally he greeted Sif. Loki greeted Frigga then Lori, he stayed by her side.

"No harm done then?" He asked. Lori looked at him. "Good… And I like you in this dress… and a necklace made of silver. How you do tempt me…"

"Hush. Not in front of Thor, and anyway – I need to talk to you." Lori whispered.

Loki raised his voice, "I'm just going to show Lori around the mazes."

"Very well, dear," Frigga said.

Loki held his arm out, letting Lori go first into the mazes.

"What's troubling you my dear?" Loki said playfully.

"Guilt. Sif likes Thor; like a lot, and Thor deserves better; and better might be Sif. But Thor's mine. Oh, I'm… So what do we do?"

"Lori, hush… What he doesn't know; won't hurt him." He leaned in closer.

"But your mum knows."

"What?" Loki took a step backward.

"Well, she doesn't know exactly, but she's noticed that you've taken an interest in me."

"Ah, I see. I'll sort it out, don't worry Lori." He moved a strand from her neck.

Lori turned around to face him. "No, I need to talk to Sif…"

"About what; exactly?"

"Oh, I don't know; maybe to say sorry that I got to Thor first, because she deserves him more than me?" Lori offered.

"Lori, there's no point – we're leaving later."

"I'm sorry?"

"The three of us are leaving, tonight," Loki explained.

"Oh, what shall we do?" She asked.

"Spend the rest of the day with Thor, don't make anyone else suspicious. I promise it'll be okay, but before you go…" Loki touched her lips with his fingertips, and then kissed her. Lori pressed her body against his; completely giving in to him, and not even trying to fight against him. Their hands trailed up into each others hair, and they pulled and tugged, until…

"Lori?" They broke apart at the sound of Thor's voice.

"Thor," Lori said with a smile, again having no idea what so ever, where her sudden acting skills came from, "Everything alright?"

"Yes, I wanted to find you, because we've got to go soon, and I thought we could spend some time together." Loki moved forward, and patted his brother on the shoulder and smiled at him; Lori saw him glance at her, then he moved back out of the maze.

Thor walked toward her, and pulled her into his side. He kissed her head. "Shall we take a walk through the maze?" He said as he led the way.

Thor's arm wound gently round Lori's waist as she stopped to look at one of the beautifully carved shrubs that had been dotted around the maze. His head dropped onto her neck as he pulled her closer to him. Lori smiled contentedly as she felt his strong heart beat against her back.

She turned around slowly in his arms as he pulled back watching her as she moved. She raised her hands to his face, stroking his smooth, chiselled features as his eyes closed.

"What did I do to deserve you?" she whispered, her hands now stroking the base of his neck.

"You are the most beautiful woman in all the Nine Realms, it was only fair you had a man to extenuate those features," he joked. Lori slapped him playfully before racing off through the maze, Thor hot in pursuit.

They raced around like children before finally crashing down onto the grass below, gasping for breath. Thor rolled over, his arms pining Lori down as he looked deeply into her eyes. His hand reached hesitantly towards her cheek before brushing it tenderly.

"You are happy, are you not?" he asked quietly, a nervous gleam in his eyes.

Lori giggled, "Of course I am, I'm with you."

"Good," Thor moved off Lori; lying on the soft green grass.

Thor reached out and found Lori's hand, together they looked at the sky, looking at the other Realms and the constellations around them. They stayed like that for a long while, Lori moved so that her head rested on his chest.

"Lori, I've been thinking…" Thor started.

A dangerous past-time, said a foreign voice in her head; Lori quickly dispelled it.

"Yes?" Lori replied.

"I've been thinking about the future…"

"Go on…" She encouraged.

"Our future…" Lori started to wonder where this conversation was heading.

"Lori, if I asked you…" Thor started trailing.

"Ask me what?" She was now certain where this was heading.

"About being my wife?" Thor's question met silence.

"Oh."

"You're shocked?"

"It's a shocking question, Thor." She dodged it.

"You don't have to say anything now, its just I see a future together," he said this although Thor looked crest-fallen.

"Okay, I just think that we need more time together as a couple."

"Since before we were only friends…" Thor finished. Lori nodded slowly and smiled; guilt formed in her stomach, she did her best to ignore it. Thor returned the smile.

"Come – let's go inside."

They entered through the main doors and Sif appeared at their side.

"Sif? Why are you coming through here? Shouldn't you already be inside?" asked Thor.

"Oh, Heimdall wanted to see me; that's all." Sif walked in front of Lori, making her way down the corridor; however what struck Lori as odd was that Sif looked back at Lori and gave her an evil glare.

Thor led Lori back into his chamber where they both began to pack. What was shocking was that Thor took longer to pack than Lori; then they were ready to go.

"Have you ever ridden a horse before?" Thor pondered.

"No." Lori replied and looked at Thor oddly.

"Very well, you shall ride with me," he smiled, "Loki, are you coming?"

"Shortly, Thor." Loki called back, "Sleipnir, I have to leave…" he gave the horse with eight legs an apple, mounted another horse and followed them.

Lori held Thor's waist tightly while riding the horse to the Bifrost. Lori looked behind her, sky-line of Asgard gradually getting smaller.

"Aren't we saying good bye to your parents?" she asked.

"My parents are already awaiting us, Lori," As if on cue they three of them dismounted their horses and entered the Bifrost.

Frigga engulfed her sons in very tight motherly embraces, saying to them half-sternly, "Do visit us more often."

"We will, mother," They happened to say it at the same time.

Thor shook hands with his father. When it came for Loki, he shook his father's hand tentatively; Loki wasn't making eye-contact with him. Odin said something to Loki, which made him give a fleeting half-smile. They looked at each other, a moment of understanding.

Suddenly Lori was consumed in a warm hug from Frigga; during this Lori noticed Sif and Thor talking, she assumed they were saying their farewells until Thor laughed and Sif looked slightly shocked.

Frigga brought Lori's attention back to the embrace, "Make sure my boys visit more often," she pulled away, she was smiling but there were tears in her eyes.

"I'll try, and it was lovely to meet you," said Lori.

"And you, dear."

They took their places; Heimdall placed his sword like a key, into the Bifrost. Asgard disappeared in a blinding light.

They landed on the top of Stark Tower. Thor walked ahead of them to the door that led to the lift and stairs of the Tower. A hand touched the base of Lori's spine and lips touched her ear.

"Heimdall knows."