First off, thank you everyone for the kind reviews! I didn't expect so many people to read this story, to be honest haha. I had not intended to continue this story, but then the plot bunnies started dancing in my head, so here we are. I was just going to do one more chapter, but then it ended up going on and on and ON and eventually I split it into two, mainly for the reader's sake. So the story does NOT end here and there will be another chapter in the next few days (just wrapping up some stuff and editing). There will be one more and that's where I plan on stopping it. This one is really short compared to the next one mainly because there was no other place to stop it, haha.

Also, please keep in mind that I am writing off the movieverse. Since the movies make no mention of Heimdall and Sif being brother and sister, that's why I haven't mentioned it here either.

DISCLAIMER: As always I don't own the characters. Sadly.

When Loki woke up the next morning, no one was there. Just as he had thought. Sif left him, unable to face him in the morning. He sighed and laid his head back down, running his hands over his face. How could he have been so stupid? To think that she would actually come to care for him? After everything he had done?

He had thrown out any chance he had of redemption long ago. To think that anything else would have resulted from that night was ridiculous.

He sat up and walked over to the mirror, examining his back. She'd left a few marks, but rather than make him pleased with himself and his love making skills, it just made his heart sink. That would be the only evidence of their night, and even that would fade in time.

He dressed and silently began to pour over the defense plans again. Still, he could barely think and get much done with Sif continuously lingering in the back of his mind.

God, she was such a fool. Why had she done that? Why had she thrown herself at Loki like that? How had she let herself actually sleep with that monster! She'd let herself enjoy it so much…it was embarrassing, those noises and sounds she'd made. Why had she done it? Why?

She knew why. It was all Thor's fault. Damn him, for making her fall in love with him only to run off with this mortal girl that he hardly even know. He'd known Sif since they were children, didn't that make her the obvious choice? She'd just been so hurt, especially when she heard Loki say that he had left…in that moment she didn't even care who she turned to for comfort. Even the God of Mischief himself.

Had he really been telling the truth? She had her obvious doubts.

Sif felt bad leaving him in the morning, but justified it by telling herself that Loki didn't even deserve to share the air she breathed, let alone the courtesy of letting him know that she was leaving. She needed to go on a walk. It was a beautiful day, and she hadn't even stopped home to change out of her clothes from the previous night. If she concentrated really hard, she could still smell him on her clothes.

She tried not to think about it as she charged forward.

First things first – the Warriors Three. It was still early, and she had to check and make sure they were actually in their quarters before she went to look for anymore answers. She went to the cottage near the tavern by the palace – the obvious place to look – and peered inside the window. To her joy, she saw them there, all passed out from a night of drinking and snoring loudly on the floor. She let out a sigh of relief. Good, they hadn't been banished, just like he'd said. That was the least of her problems, however…before she knew where she was going, she was crossing the rainbow bridge, headed for the Bifrost.

Even though she knew, deep down in her heart, the answer to the question she was about to ask, she had to hear it from him. He, of all people, was the only one in this place who could give her the answers she needed. After all, Loki had flat out told her not to trust him, had he not?

"Heimdall!" she called. The guardian turned and smiled softly at her, not showing much emotion as always, although his golden eyes seemed to light up with happiness upon seeing her.

"Good morning Lady Sif," he greeted her politely before looking back into the sky. She hurried up behind him and gazed into the stars, although she would never see the things he saw when he looked up there. She often wondered what it was like, to be watching so many people and so many worlds all at once. It must be awfully confusing.

"Heimdall, I come to ask you a question. I want to confirm that – well, that the rumors are true. Where is Thor?" she asked softly.

Heimdall was silent at first, but eventually he answered. She could tell by the tone of his voice that he knew what reaction she'd have to the news he was about to deliver.

"Thor went to Earth, to be with Jane Foster, the mortal," he told her. Sif felt her breath catch in her throat.

Loki hadn't been lying. Everything he'd said, it had been true. Thor had left by his own account. She looked away, not wanting the tears to show even though she was certain Heimdall knew what emotions she was experiencing right now. She knew deep in her heart that she would never gain Thor's affections, and as soon as he'd met that girl, all bets were off. She could see it in his eyes. Now he was gone and there was no telling when he would return, and if he did – well, it wasn't like she was going to be waiting for him in a wedding gown. They'd just be friends. That's how they'd be, forever more.

"And does Thor know what has happened up here in Asgard? About his brother?" she asked him.

"I have been ordered by Loki to not communicate with Thor unless absolutely necessary," he said plainly. Sif snorted and shook her head.

"Of course, how convenient. And why do you not just commit treason? You did so only a few weeks ago!" she pointed out. Heimdall didn't even turn to face her as he replied.

"That is true, and I could still pay the price for that, should I attempt it again," he said plainly. Sif understood what he was saying – Loki could easily hold it over his head that he'd committed treason once before. There was no one in the nine realms more skilled and qualified to watch the Bifrost, but that wouldn't stop Loki from killing him without a second thought.

"To tell him now, with Loki having the throne so secure in those laws he passed, would only cause problems. I am simply bidding my time. Should I need to contact him…I will," Heimdall assured her. Sif let out a small sigh of relief. That was good to hear – he was basically doing what he did best. Keeping watch. If Loki set a single toe out of line and really started to cause problems…Thor would be notified in a heartbeat. It was both a reassuring and distressing thought, since she wasn't sure when or if she wanted to see the God of Thunder again…

"Heimdall, the late king, when he passed, did you see it?" she asked.

Heimdall was silent for quite a few seconds this time. Still gazing into the sky, not looking her in the face, he answered, "Yes."

"And was it when Loki came back to reconcile with him?" she asked. Heimdall's silence confirmed her suspicions before he answered.

"No."

That was all she needed to know. Loki may have been telling the truth about Thor – she tried not to think about him too much, now that she knew he was on Earth for the time being, it was not important, no matter how much her heart hurt – but he had been lying about Odin's death. He had been up to something.

There was one last thing she needed to hear, one last thing that was bothering her that had to be cleared up.

"One last thing…did Loki really save Thor's life?" she asked. She was still fuzzy on those details – apparently once they got the Aether out of Jane, they had fought Malekith on his home planet. That was all she really knew about it…but had that been a lie as well? Perhaps Loki had never helped Thor in battle? That he'd just faked his death? Started his master plan to take back Asgard right there on that godforsaken planet?

"Yes. Granted, his almighty sacrifice was only another step into helping himself later…" Heimdall grumbled. "But at the time, yes. He did save his life. The Cursed One would have killed Thor had Loki not stepped in," he explained.

Sif's eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. For some reason, she'd had no doubt that Loki had been lying about that. But it was true? He'd really saved Thor? He could have easily let him die there, let Jane die, let Malekith take over the Earth…but he didn't. It occurred to her that he could have killed Thor again when he came back, before he left, but he didn't. Wouldn't that have just been easier? To eliminate the threat rather than risk him staying on Earth forever, never interfering in Asgardian matters again? Her thoughts were spinning. She needed to go, needed to get to the bottom of this…

"Thank you, Heimdall," she said before she left, and Heimdall nodded, still gazing into the stars and watching the many realms and the many lives that passed his gaze.