When Loki woke again, he was in his bed, covered and tucked, warm light shining in through the windows.

He pushed the covers away from his sweaty body as he stood up, stretching the stiffness from himself. He gazed around for a moment, half expecting Thor to be there, but his brother was not.

Loki figured that Thor had gone sometime in the night, probably off to his own bed or something like that. Loki did notice however that the covers on the other side of his own bed were ruffled, indicating that someone had been lying next to him that night.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly in a half-hearted smile, and he was surprised how much he was touched by this gesture. He shook his head to clear it, as he finished dressing himself, fastening the last fixture of his robe.

He could not understand how Thor could manage to walk around all day in a suit of armor. Loki preferred his robes much more. Not that he was unarmored. His robes held a coat of chainmail on the inside, made of a special metal to stave of heat and to allow him more flexibility.

He opened the door to his bedroom, shutting it quietly behind him. He stood awkwardly in the hall for a moment, unsure of what he was actually planning to do.

He hadn't really given it much thought, but his anger at Sif had resurfaced. He could easily reach her bedroom from the hall, and Loki was confident enough of his abilities that he might even slay her in her sleep.

He stood still for a few moments, contemplating his next move. It had taken a lot of manipulation and sucking up and biting his tongue to be even allowed to come back to Asgard, let alone stay, and he had no intention of fucking that up now. He knew that if he murdered Sif, and someone, anyone, found out about it, he would no doubt be punished. He was walking a fine line with the Allfather, and falling off it would be very unpleasant. Loki's mind continued, cogs turning and processing information as he always did. Observing and thinking and running through countless scenarios in his head.

But he was not his brother. Loki would not allow his rage to blind him. To get him into trouble he could not get out of.

He would have to be meticulous. Slow, make sure he left no indications or mistakes. How dare she try to end him?

He assumed that any previous friendship meant nothing to her. Honestly it brought a smile to his face to know just how jealous Sif was of him now. For the longest time, he was reluctant to admit, he had been jealous of her.

But now the tables were turned, and Sif wanted to play dirty.

Loki turned, heading toward the next hall where Sif and the Warrior's Three slept. It would have to be quick. Then he'd have to get back to his bedroom and play the sick and injured brother part.

His body hummed with his anticipation, as he walked silently down the hallway, toward the Lady Sif's bedroom.

"Brother?"

Loki stopped dead, holding his breath, body stiffening. Damn…

Loki put a charming smile on his face, turning slowly to face his elder brother, who stood haphazardly in his bedroom doorway, hair and clothing askew, rubbing the back of his head and yawning loudly. "Hello, Thor," Loki began, trying to hide the irritation in his voice, "did you need something?"

Thor yawned again, "Where are you going?" Thor's voice was raspy and drawn out, and Loki could guess that Thor had just woken up. Loki sighed, giving up his idea and heading back toward Thor.

"Nowhere, brother, I was simply getting ready to go join mother and Odin for breakfast. I figure as long as I'm here I'd try to butter them up."

Thor chuckled hoarsely, shaking his head, "Just don't try anything, trickster," he joked, gazing lazily at Loki. "Go tell them I'll be down soon."

Loki nodded to his older brother, walking past him briskly toward the stairs. Once he was out of earshot, he let out a frustrated growl. His brother was always getting in the way of things, even unintentionally. Loki's boots made an echoing sound as he descended the stairs. He could hear the voices coming from the dining hall. He was reluctant to even enter, but he knew that if he did not show, people, especially Thor and Odin, would get suspicious.

The intoxicating smell of breakfast wafted toward him as he entered the room. Loki noticed that the room became a lot less loud when he entered, but paid it no mind as he took a seat at the opposite and of the table, surrounded by empty chairs.

He sat staring into an empty plate until everyone began speaking again.

Odin sat at the head of the table as he always had, Frigga had sat beside him. Thor's empty chair on the opposite side, and then, Loki's; which was empty also, because Loki was sitting at the side of table that was completely vacant.

His heart hurt for a moment, but he knew that everything he had done pretty much prevented him from sitting there. He knew that it would cause tension. He was content with sitting alone, nibbling his breakfast, wishing that it would be over already.

He picked up an orange and peeling it meticulously.

He had just begun eating it when he heard footsteps. They were too light to be Thor, so Loki glanced up, as Sif walked into the room. When she caught sight of him, her face paled, but she sat down at her usual seat, grabbing a plateful of whatever was spread out before her.

Loki watched her, sticking another piece of the orange into his mouth. She joked nervously with the Warrior Three, and they all glanced at him occasionally.

Loki hated it. He wished he could just seat his breakfast in peace.

When he heard Thor's loud footsteps come into the dining hall, Loki looked down toward what was left of his orange.

When Thor plopped down in the seat next to him, Loki almost choked. He had expected Thor to sit in his usual space; actually, Loki would have preferred it that way. But obviously his brother had different plans.

He watched out of the corner of his eye as Thor grabbed a ton of food from the table, trying to make it fit on the limited space of his plate, some of it inevitably falling onto the table.

Loki made a face of disgust as Thor began stuffing himself.

"Good morning, Loki." Thor said mouth full, but obviously more awake now than before.

Loki made a grunt like sound, eating the remainder of his orange. Meanwhile, the table had gone relatively silent, and Loki suspected that they were shocked that Thor would disregard his place in favor of a seat next to Loki.

Loki hesitantly reached out and grabbed some more fruit, the growing silence making him increasingly uncomfortable. He looked over at Thor to see if his brother shared his growing discomfort, but Thor, as usual, seemed unaffected by it.

Loki sighed, irritated, nibbling from his plateful of fruit.

"Loki," Thor began, as close to Loki's ear as possible, "We have to speak later. I think you know what it's about."

Loki nodded, acknowledging Thor's request, but saying nothing.

Thor nodded to Sif, and the two exchanged smiles, Thor stuffing his face. Frigga gazed and Loki and offered him a warming smile.

He gave her a hesitant one in return, but all fell silent as Odin began to speak.

"What is this?"

Thor looked at Odin with a confused look, "What do you mean, Father?"

"I mean, why is my family sitting at the opposite end of my table?"

Thor answered, "Because a piece of our family is down here."

A very uneasy silence followed, and Loki cleared his throat loudly to alleviate some of the tension.

Odin sat at his usual place, continuing to eat as if no one had shook his head. He had noticed that the Warrior Three had gone silent also, and Loki knew that the Allfather would notice that something was amiss. And he was correct.

"What is my house not telling me?" Odin asked nonchalantly, gazing around the table. Loki noticed the Warrior Three stiffen at his question.

"It is nothing, Father," Thor began, "There was just a spat back on Vanaheim." Thor swallowed his mouthful of food and continued, "But it will be taken care of."

Loki watched the Allfather's reaction, and was surprised to see him disregard it. "Alright, as long as you're taking care of it, I see no reason to pursue it further."

"Thank you, Father." Thor said, taking a large swig of whatever was in his cup. Loki made a face, disgusted. His brother could be sloppy and foul.

After a few more minutes of this, Loki stood abruptly, walking briskly from the room.

"What," Thor mumbled, confused, watching as Loki walked away. Thor sighed, looked apologetically at Frigga, and stood to follow Loki.

They needed to talk anyway.

He had just gotten out of the doorway and halfway down the hall when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Thor, wait!" Sif stood behind him, wringing her hands and looking like she might faint. Thor sighed, and stopped. "What is it, Sif?"

"I just wanted to talk about what had happened."

"Fine, speak."

She stuttered a moment, before she began, "I just wanted, I, well," She took a deep sigh, "I wanted to say I was so sorry. I know that nothing I could do could ever make up for it, and I can't say why I did it, but," She took a step toward Thor, "I hope that you'll let me try and make it up to you, for as long as it takes."

Thor put a hand up to stop her as she attempted to get even closer. He sighed as he tried to calm himself, "Listen, Lady Sif, I understand how sorry you are. But you need to understand that I am not a calm man. You should know this. I was deeply upset by this, Sif."

"I know you were, but does our friendship mean nothing to you?" The desperation in her voice was evident, and Thor was beginning to feel bad. But he was no less upset than he was in the beginning.

"You know it does, but I cannot promise you will not be punished. What you did was terrible, Sif. It was attempted murder."

"But Loki-"

"If you dislike my brother so much, think on this, Lady, you've lowered yourself to his level. You have no room to speak ill of anyone." And with that Thor walked away, in search of his brother.

"Sif?" Fandral walked up behind her, laying a hand on her shoulder, "Are you alright?"

She shook her head, "I do not know, Fandral." Her voiced hitched, but she held herself and did not cry. She simply stood with a blank look, and Fandral was worried for her. He rubbed her shoulder gently, trying to comfort her as much as he could. "Sif, listen, nothing is going to happen to you. I will not let it."

She turned to Fandral, "But I cannot go unpunished! Oh how I regret what I've done!"

Fandral brought her in for a hug, wrapping his arms around her gently, comfortingly, "We all have regrets, my dear Lady Sif. It is how we deal with the aftermath that matters." He smiled at her, reassuringly. He would make sure she wasn't hurt. Even if it cost him everything.

"I guess so. Thank you Fandral, your support means a lot, even if the other Warrior's Three aren't as inclined to help me."

"You're welcome, Lady."