Hello, hello!

I have a message for you, babies, but let's get to the story first.

So, we're back to the cave of love :D

Chapter Seven

"Can't you see, my darling?

The harder I try, the more we grow apart

(…)

Don't you feel it?

The colder your touch, the more it turns me on

And the faster beats my heart

Baby, more I love you…"

(I love you, HIM)

Sif's eyes flickered open and the first thing she became aware was the heat. She was sweating. Lifting her head up, the next thing she became aware was Loki. She was lying on top of his chest, her legs entangled with his and his arms were tightly around her waist, so she couldn't move much. Still, she tried. Unsuccessfully. She was so concentrated on her task she didn't notice he was awake and watched her struggle with an amused smile on his face.

"Hello."

Looking up at him, she sighed annoyed. "Hi. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Not as much as I wish I was." He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes. "I take it you're not cold anymore."

"That's right. Actually, it's too hot in here, I'm sweating. Could you please let me go? This is getting uncomfortable."

"I'll say!"

She snorted impatiently at his clearly malicious tone as he dropped his arms slowly from her, his fingers brushing the soft skin of her lower back on purpose as he did. Rolling around, Sif held the blanket tightly over her chest and stared upwards, listening to the rain still pouring outside. Judging by the darkness inside the cave, it was the middle of the night.

"Well, if you're warmed enough…", he said, sitting up and pushing the blanket to her. "…you can have this."

She watched as he got up and checked if their clothes were still wet. "But what about you?"

"Cold doesn't bother me." He turned to her. "Unless you're eager to share the blanket for any other reason."

"Can it, Loki."

"I thought so. Our clothes are almost dry. If the rain stops soon enough, they will be dry by the morning and then we can leave."

She nodded, sitting up, rolling the blanket around herself, as he sat across from her, leaning back on his horse.

Sif eyed him. "Thank you." Her voice came out raspy and she cleared her throat. "For coming after me… for helping me. Thank you."

"My pleasure." He bowed his head.

"Why did you come?"

"Why not? Still thinking I want to torture you? You should know better by now."

"No. I mean, why did you come? You have guards, you could have sent anybody to get me. Why did you come?"

He was silent for a long time before he answered her. "If I can't protect my own wife, how can I protect the kingdom?"

She smiled, shaking her head. "You're a mystery to me, Loki."

Loki mirrored her smile. "And why is that?"

"You can be a lying, manipulating, cruel little shit…"

"You're so sweet."

"… but… then you act like… I don't know… Like there's more to you than this. These are the moments when I get a glimpse of what you once were. The Loki I knew as a child. Before… whatever happened to make you like this." She shook her head again. "I don't understand you."

He watched her intently. "Do you want to, Lady Sif? Do you want to go beyond the darkness to understand the mind of the Trickster? Why I am the way I am? Are you willing to take that leap? I must warn you, you are not going to like it."

Sif shivered at his words, looking at the waterfalls outside to avoid his gaze. "Maybe some other day. I'm tired." She lay down, shutting her eyes. "I just wanna go home."

Loki smiled, tempted to point out she was referring to the palace as her home for the first time, but kept it to himself. No point enticing her rage when they were at peace for the first time in Odin knows how long. Besides, he liked to watch her as she slept.

This time, she woke up with the faint sound of birds chirping outside the cave, and she realized the rain was gone, otherwise it would be impossible to hear it. There was light inside so it should be morning already. "Time to go", she thought.

Sitting up, she looked around, not finding Loki anywhere in sight. Nor their horses. She dropped the blanket and reached for her already dry shirt. She could hear splashing outside and while putting the shirt on, she carefully walked out the cave to see the Silver-Tongue bathing in the lake, his back to her, the water barely up enough his waistline. She crossed her arms and watched. She could see the horses grazing on the grass across the lake and the sun was so bright you could bet it hadn't rained in days.

"It's not polite to peek on people while they're bathing, you know." He said.

"Oh, please. Get over yourself. I'm not peeking. I just woke up."

"Sure you did." Loki turned around. "Care to join me?"

Sif scoffed. "Right. As if."

He rolled his eyes. "I promise I won't touch you, if that's what you're afraid of."

"I am not afraid of that." He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not afraid, period."

Loki grazed his fingers gently on the water, causing it to ripple. "Maybe you're afraid you won't resist touching me." He smirked at her expression. "Come on, lighten up. Just a little dive. The water is cool."

"After being wet for hours? Not a chance."

He pursed his lips apologetically. "Well, I'm sorry then. Or maybe not."

She looked at him puzzled, just before she was thrown on the water with a huge splash by his telekinesis. As she submerged, spitting every profanity known on Norse language, he laughed until she started swimming towards him with an outraged yell. Loki only had time to grab her furious wrists before they could hit him yet she didn't give up trying.

"My shirt! It had just dried, you asshole! Now what will I do? Ride naked to the palace?"

He laughed, trying hard to contain her. "You would make a lot of peasants really happy."

"You treacherous little shit!"

"You should stop calling me that, I'm starting to like it."

Sif stopped her attack to catch her breath and he cocked his head on one side to watch her, still smiling. He looked down at his hands holding her wrists and when he looked up at her again, the smile had dropped.

"Now this…", he said, pulling her fists to his chest, yanking her closer in the process. "… brings me good memories."

She swallowed hard, knowing he was referring to their "honeymoon". "Th-that makes o-one of us."

"I might even believe you if you say it without stuttering."

"Let go of me." She asked weakly, mesmerized by the green of his eyes. "Please."

"Give me one good reason to do it."

"Just… just…"

"I thought so." Loki smiled just before ravishing her lips on a searing kiss.

He eventually let go of her wrists, his hand entangling itself on her wet dark hair as he pushed his tongue deeper into her mouth, just as her hands planted on his chest to brace onto something.

As his mouth trailed her jawline and her neck, she murmured. "Loki… we should… we should go…"

"There's plenty of time to go back. It can wait." He cursed under his breath at her shirt, keeping him from feeling the soft skin of her shoulder.

"Not if… they're…" A suppressed moan escaped her lips as he bit a spot on her neck. "… if they're on their way to get us."

Loki stopped his caresses to look at her. She was right. He had no idea what time it was, but he knew Frigga would be worrying sick by now and would send guards after them first thing in the morning. They could be getting there any minute. He looked at her: gasping, her wet air stuck to her face, her lips, red and swollen… Tempting. Sighing, he reluctantly let go of her.

"Fine. We can finish it later." Winking at her, he pushed himself out of the lake, not minding his nudity as he walked to the inside of the cave. "You can wear my shirt, if you want."

After having to assure her friends and Frigga she was fine a thousand times, Sif had her breakfast. She hadn't realized how hungry she really was until the table was arranged with so much fruits and bread, she thought she would burst from eating. Later that night, she flopped on the bed of her room, with a satisfied sigh.

"You know, Ingrid? I never thought I would be this happy to be back in this room." She commented to the servant as she filled the large tub with water for her bath. "Now it's just… the best place to be!" She laughed out loud. "I missed this bed."

Ingrid managed a little smile. "After spending the night on a cave, I can imagine what you mean, milady. You're so brave. I couldn't imagine going through it like you did."

She thought for a while. "Well… it was easier because I wasn't alone."

"Indeed. You're a lucky woman, my Queen."

"Why do you say that?"

"King Loki was so worried about your disappearing out in the storm! He was furious with the guards, even with me, because I didn't tell earlier where you were."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No, no, Your Majesty. As soon as I told him, he was out looking for you. Such a devoted husband." The handmaiden felt the water. "It's ready, milady."

"Thank you, you may go." As the servant bowed her head and turned to leave, Sif called her. "Do you know if… my husband will be joining me?"

"I don't know, milady. He said he would eat on his private room."

"I see. Thank you, Ingrid."

Loki looked up when the door cracked open and Sif's head popped inside.

"Hey. Are you busy?"

He smirked. "Not more than I was a couple of days ago when you barged in here while I was in the middle of a conference with the General."

She smiled as she entered the room. "A simple 'no' would be enough." She looked at the maps on his table. "What are you doing with these maps, anyway?"

"I'm reviewing Asgard's defenses."

"And why is there a Jotunheim's map too?"

"Safety reasons." Before she could ask more questions, he spoke. "Is there anything you wanted to talk about, my Queen?"

Sif sat on a chair across his desk. "I forgot to thank you. For pardoning the Warriors Three and ceasing their banishment."

"It's conditional though. No more rebellious acts; I won't be so forgiving next time."

"What made you change your mind?"

"Anything to make my Queen happy." He smiled, winking at her.

Sif raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh, really? You didn't seem to care so much about my happiness when you banished them in the first place."

Loki sighed.

"Why do you have to overanalyze everything? I just don't think they will be a threat anymore."

"And why is that?" She was suspicious about his demeanor. Loki would never leave loose threads that could risk his plans. And the Warriors Three would always be loyal to Thor. He was probably up to something.

"I could always order their execution if it's troubling your pretty mind so much." Sif shot him a dirty look. "I thought so. Anything else?"

She bit her lip, her eyes wandering over the decorated walls of the private room. He noticed.

"You look unsettled. What is it?"

"Loki…" She surprised him when she took his hand in hers. "If you really care about my happiness, please cease Thor's banishment as well."

He hastily pulled his hand from hers and got up from his chair so violently he nearly knocked it down.

"No. That's not up for debate."

"Loki…"

"I said no! And enough about Thor already! I'm so tired of this. I offer you a kingdom for you to rule and all you care about is Thor's absence. I will never understand. No matter how much he has disgraced himself, or how far away he is, all I hear is Thor, Thor, Thor!" He slammed his fist on the desk.

Sif was startled by his sudden aggressiveness. "I don't understand this feud with Thor. He always loved you, never mistreated you in any way. Why do you hate him so much? Is the throne that important? Power? What is it?"

Loki 's expression was a mixture of pity and irony as he looked at her. "Oh, Lady Sif. You really have no idea, do you? It has nothing to do with power. I couldn't care less about the fuckin' throne!"

She looked at him confused. "I... don't understand."

"Clearly!" He sat on the desk. "Are you ready, Lady Sif?"

"Ready?"

"You said earlier you didn't understand me, that you would want to know some other day why I act the way I do. I hope you're ready for the story now! The story about the lying monster, incapable of loving, as you like to say it. Oh, you're gonna love this story, my Queen! You're the main star!"

Please, don't kill me. I didn't mean for this chapter to end on a cliffhanger, but it was getting too long so I cut it in half.

The good news is the next chapter is almost ready. The bad news is it's going to be the last =/

Guys, I love you all for the support you've been giving me. I love the feeling that I haven't written this on my own, because you helped me with your insights and feedback and it gets more awesome by the chapter. You rock!

Do all of you ficwriters get emotional like that? lol

I wanted to thank specially BrightWatcher for offering help. That means a lot and I'm really looking forward for your advices.

And Rika-chan, you read my mind : "He definitely is a more complex character than Thor and it's interesting to see how Sif deals with seeing the facets of Loki that no-one but his mother knows. He may be a complicating character, but one thing is clear about him and straight-forward. What he desires, he works hard and relentlessly to achieve it."

That's exactly how I feel about him. He's not downright evil. He does bad things, but he's much more complex than that. He wanted Odin's approval so bad, he wanted people to see he was just as worthy as Thor, he messed up and snapped. And this is very important to the next chapter, because on this fic, there's more than that for him to be the way he is.

See you next chapter ;)