All Previous Disclaimers Apply.

As per a reader's request: This chapter contains sex between a consenting man and woman.

A/N: I debated putting this in or making in a separate one-shot, but in the end I think it fits well. It sets up for the next chapter, I think. Last interlude. One more chapter from Thor and then a couple from Steve, then an epilogue. Thank you so much, everyone for sticking with this and all of the great comments and encouraging likes and kudos. They're very much appreciated.

"Lady Sif!' Thor calls out to the retreating back of one of his brother's greatest friends as she flees from the loud, boastful feast in Thor's honor. Thor himself hates that his parents insisted on having the feast in honor of his birth even as Loki lies worsening in his bed, struggling with fever and to gather enough breath, weaker and weaker every day. He could not even lift his head this afternoon when Thor sat with him at his bedside. As much as he laughs and tries to make light of it all, Thor know that there is nothing now that will prevent his brother from his fate. And despite all of it, Thor understands why his parents insisted upon the feast. The people, the court, need frivolity and celebration even as their hearts are burdened with worry for his brother. When Loki passes…mourning a royal on Asgard in a years long process and Loki is so loved by them all that no one will resent him the full mourning period. Aside from the grief that will pervade them all and cast a grey pall on Asgard and all of her people with his death, there will be no large celebrations, no grand feasts, until Odin declares the mourning period over. As much as he hates that his birth is the cause for this release of energy and frivolity he understands it. But, he also understands how difficult Hogun and Sif, ever Loki's closest friends, are finding it all. Hogun left the celebration soon after it began, no doubt to sit by Loki's bedside. Thor is actually proud of how long Lady Sif was able to hold her decorum and dissatisfaction.

"My lady!"

He finally catches her up and wraps his hand around her deceptively delicate upper arm to slow her pace. As expected she whirls toward him in a swirl of fabric from her formal dress. He is barely fast enough to catch her hand before it punches into his throat. She struggles for a moment against his hold and lets out a frustrated shriek before she glares up at him and see the same grief she is feeling reflected in his eyes. Her beautiful eyes fill with tears, something he has never seen before, and she throws herself against his chest with all her strength. He catches her with barely a step back and does not quite know what to do for a moment. She doesn't sob as he expects but she shakes against him as if on Jotunheim without a fur to cover her. Finally, he wraps his arms around her and sets his chin to her loose, dark hair.

"I cannot bear it," she murmurs after a time, her voice unsteady.

"I know," Thor agrees, "I know."

"I know they have not forgotten that he is so ill, but I cannot bear the celebration as if all is well. It seems so…as if they…"

"I understand," Thor unwraps her from his arms and takes her face between his hands, wiping away the falling tears from her cheeks with his thumbs, "But, we know…we feel it as keenly as ever, aye?"

She nods and looks right into his eyes. No coy glances from under her lashes. Not for a warrior, "I…I miss him. I feel his absence as keenly as if her were already…already gone from our lives."

"I do as well," Thor rumbles. He moves to hold her again when her actions stop him short. She stands on her toes and wraps her arms around his neck, burying both strong hands in his hair and gripping tightly.

"Make me forget," she demands on a hiss, "Just for a time. Stop my mind's racing."

"Gladly," He growls, needing the release and distraction as much as she. He buries one hand in her hair and wraps one roughly around her hip before pushing her into the darkened alcove at their backs. He covers her lean, strong body with his own, pulling her head back roughly by the hair in his hand. Her eyes hold a lustful challenge that sparks the passion low in his belly. She is the most gorgeous creature he has ever seen, has been for the past three hundred years, and while he can never be happy of Loki's current situation he cannot help but be grateful that he finally has excuse and permission to put his hands on Sif as he has longed to do for so long. He puts his mouth to hers and it feels like lightning has struck when she deepens the kiss, seeming as though she will die if she does not. His knees threaten to tremble and he loses all control. Never has a bedmate made him need so much in the course of just one kiss. She gasps against his lips as he moves the hand cradling her hip to tear at the fabric above her corseted waist and take her bared breast in his wide palm when it gives. The kiss becomes a battle as he pulls harder on her hair to force her head back and her chest forward. She moans, deep and husky into his mouth as he first massages her breast then pinches her pebbled nipple between thumb and forefinger perhaps a little harder than he intended when she bites his lip fiercely and his arousal jumps between them.

She breaks the kiss on a loud moan and drags her hands out of his hair to grasp her long, heavy skirt and pull it up to her waist. With one hand she holds it up. With the other, she uses her considerable strength to take hold of his wrist and force his hand away from her breast down lower until it travels under her undergarments. He is momentarily stunned at the wet desire he finds when he covers her mound, but recovers quickly when she grunts in frustration and her hips jerk unsteadily toward him. He has known this woman since they were children, wanted her for more than three centuries, raged when he heard Hogun quietly confirm that they'd taken each other's innocence. But, he has never realized until now that her sexual appetite may very well rival his own. She is no shirking, coy maiden. She wants gratification from him as much as he wants it in her. He will not hurt her by showing her the full extent of his passion for her.

He swallows her scream with a breath-stealing kiss as he plunges two fingers into her with a speed and force he knows many women would not be able to handle. One of her strong hands wraps around the back of his neck and she arches her back as he begins pumping his fingers in and out of her body, curving his fingers to sweep against her most sensitive area with every thrust in. She moans wantonly, moving her hips into the thrusts of his fingers and lets go of her skirt, trusting him to keep doing as he is to bring her over the edge. He groans low in his throat and curves downward to take her nipple in his mouth as her clever hand cups his desire and she rubs roughly. He again fists his hand in her raven tresses as her hand not on his cock doing incredible things to stoke his passion cups his head in a deliciously gentle counterpoint to their animalistic desires to encourage the continuing of his mouth at her breast. He redoubles his efforts with his fingers at her sex, increasing his pace and rubbing harshly at the nub of her desire as she begins to pant. He revels in the little undignified noises she makes on each exhale as she draws near her completion and he tears his mouth away from her breast to swallow her shriek as she falls apart in his arms. His fingers are covered in her juices, her legs shake, and she clutches him to her with all of her strength, kissing him desperately, their tongues continuing their battle. It's only a moment before she's tearing at his breeches with both hands.

"Inside me," She murmurs, "Now, Thor."

"Sif," he moans as she frees his aching cock from its confines. He takes her ample backside in his hands and lifts her off of her feet as she again pulls up the skirt that fell when he removed his fingers from her sex. She holds her skirt with one hand and grasps his shoulder with the other for balance as she hitches her legs around his waist. He pushes her back roughly against the column behind them, almost laughing with the sheer, lustful joy as she gasps at the slight pain, then growls at him and attacks his mouth with her own again. They groan in unison when he drives his aching flesh home into her body. She is tighter, warmer, and wetter than any other he has coupled with. He makes a couple of initial thrusts, trying to control himself.

"By the Norns, Thor," She growls, "I will not break!" Her hands in his hair grip in a tight challenge and yank his head back so that she can attack his neck with teeth and lips. He growls and slams her back against the column harder than previous and begins to rut against her and into her like an animal. He knows he has found exactly what she is looking for in their coupling when she throws her head back and screams and he feels her legs begin to shake as she begins to clench around him. His roar of completion joins her scream as he empties himself in her body so violently his sight goes white for a moment. When he comes back to himself she in panting, her eyes closed and her head resting quietly against the column. He chuckles quietly when a small smile curves her mouth.

"Something we should have done long ago, aye?" He nuzzles her just behind her ear, presses a kiss there, then moves so that she is cradled in his arms, her back no longer against the cool stone, but fully in his embrace. He has never wanted to hold someone after bedding them. Has never felt compelled to keep someone in his arms the way he feels compelled to keep her. He has been attracted to her for so many long years, but this is more than that. Her passion, her strength…he will never be satisfied with another. He knows this to be true with all he has in him. It is not the same thing that Loki has described to him he felt with Steven. It is not the utter certainty that he must be with her, to protect her and love and know that he will die without her. If she tells him now that she is done with him he will survive. It will hurt for a good long while, but it will not be his ending. No, he knows that she is meant to be his the same way his father described to him knowing Frigga was supposed to be his. It is the knowledge that she is his perfect match, that she will be as good for the realms as their queen as she will be for him as his wife. It is what little magic of the Allfather that he is able to access now before he has been named king. She will be his wife, his queen, and the mother of his children. If she will have him.

"Something I have wanted for many years," She agrees sighing as she allows him to hold her, "If I'd but known you'd be receptive to my affections," She opens her eyes slightly and pulls back to place a kiss to his jaw before she settles, comfortable and adorably drowsy against his chest, "I would not have pined so long but forced you into my bed long ago as Loki said I…" She draws in her breath on a pained gasp.

"As Loki said you should," Thor rumbles deep in his chest, "He's said the same to me on more than one occasion."

"He is wiser than both of us." She sniffles and pushes her face into his chest, "Thor…how are we going to…"

"I wish I knew, love."

They are quiet as Thor lets her down out of his arms and they attempt to put their clothing to rights. Thor sweeps his cloak off of his shoulders and around hers when he realizes that he has damaged the top of her gown beyond repair. He laces their fingers together and kisses the back of her hand before leading her to his rooms. She is silent as he lights a fire in the large hearth and builds it up until it is roaring. Then he turns to her and takes her in his arms once more to kiss her slowly, tenderly, as she wraps her arms around his neck and allows his cloak to fall from her shoulders. In the flickering light of the fire he undresses her slowly, kissing her skin as it is bared before him. She turns her back to him and pulls her long hair over her shoulder as he unlaces her corset and it, along with the last scrap of her under-shift, falls to the floor. When she is bare as the day she was born she turns around and does the same for him, placing small kisses to his golden skin as she undresses him. For a long while they just hold each other in front of the fire, taking what comfort they can simply from each other's company. When they have both stopped trembling with their emotions Thor leads her to the large bed. They curl up together, keeping no distance between them, their legs entwined, their arms around each other and her head over his heart.

"Will you stay with me?" He asks.

"For as long as you want me," She responds.

He does not tell her then that he wants her forever. It would be too much, too soon, he knows. She will not believe him so soon and it may cause her to flee from him. That is the last thing that he wants. He will have to do everything he can to show her what he feels for her, how he wants her at his side from now until the end of all things. Instead he holds her close, rumbles a lullaby his mother used to sing to them as children, and strokes her hair until he feels Sif fall asleep. He presses a kiss to her dark hair and, allowing himself to be lulled by her calm, steady breaths, closes his eyes and sleeps.