The first thing that Sif became aware of, was hearing the sound of distant voices.
As she desperately strained to listen she began to notice throbbing pain in her left leg, back and neck.
She tried to move but it caused a sharp stabbing sensation to run from her neck, down between her shoulder blades. Wincing, she prised her heavy eyelids open and tried to focus on her surroundings.

"Sif!"
A familiar voice spoke and as the face came nearer, she recognised it as her tormentor, Loki.
"Thank the Gods you're awake. You've been completely out of it for hours now, and I need you to drink this."

She squinted in the dim light of what she now took to be Loki's bedroom, as he proffered a dainty glass bottle. It was so small, he held it between his thumb and forefinger.

"What....what is it?"
She croaked, her tongue felt like it had been temporarily welded to the roof of her mouth.

"It's a healing potion, you must take it. You were in an accident remember?"

Her mind whirled and all at once it came flooding back to her.
....The road. The car. Loki pursuing her at break-ankle speed along the Thames embankment.....Lorelei!

"You, you lied to me!"
She said accusingly, her brow furrowing in irritation.

"As if I'd do such a thing. I'm deeply offended Sif."
His tone was sardonic, but he was reluctant to meet her eyes.

"Enough of the games sly one, I saw you with Lorelei, you said you were meeting with Laurel but instead you were with that-"

"You must be mistaken. Your memory is impaired due to the concussion..."
He interrupted, feigning an innocent expression,
"...now you must take this-"

"No!"
She cried, swiping his hand away,
"Stop lying to me!"

He opened his mouth to speak again but before any words came out, another voice cut in abruptly.
"Oh just tell your little shield maiden the truth, Loki."

Sif whipped her head around, an action which hurt immensely but she couldn't have cared less in that instant.
Her eyes fell on Lorelei standing to the right of the bed, her arms folded beneath her ample bosom.
She was here. Her arch nemesis and one-time love rival.

"Of course he was with me, when I call, he comes..."
She supplied with a devious smirk,
"....and who else on this god forsaken realm has access to potions of healing?!"

Sif's stomach dropped, making her feel incredibly nauseated.
"I'm not taking anything that's been concocted by her!"
She snapped, opting to ignore her.

Loki sat on the edge of the bed beside Sif and looked at her imploringly.
"Sif, there is no other choice. You refused to go to the hospital so you must take the potion. I promise you it isn't poisoned."
He assured her gently.

"To hell with poison, I will not take anything from her on principle!"
Sif argued defiantly, her brown eyes shimmering fiercely.

"You always have been a proud, stubborn fool."
Lorelei piped up again, much to Loki's irritation.

"Look, I really didn't want to have to resort to this, but you leave me no choice and it's for your own good...."
His voice was hardening now, along with his expression,
"....drink it!"

To her agitation, the pendant began to glow. Her hands were trembling with temper as she unwillingly took the bottle from him and drunk down the warm, purple liquid.
It tasted foul. Yet, within moments of ingesting it, a warm glow seemed to envelop her from the inside out, soothing away her aches and pains.

"Good girl."
Loki said, forcing a tight smile.

Sif glared at him angrily,
"Do not call me that as if I am your pet. This would not even have happened in the first place had you not made me halt in the road by barking your commands at me!"

For a moment he briefly looked shocked by her words, before his expression quickly gave way to one of anger; but he did not erupt as she expected him to. Instead he simply turned his face away, as if ashamed.

"There's nothing wrong with being someone's pet, is there Loki?"
Lorelei interjected, and shot a deliberate, knowing look in his direction.
"You really don't appreciate the lengths that your master was willing to go to in order to obtain a potion of healing for you."

"He is not my master!"
Sif roared, but then fell silent as Lorelei made her way around the bed slowly.

"Listen to you both squabbling like disagreeable, love-lorn youths. You're both as pathetic as each other. Him for attempting to send you to a mortal hospital, in spite of it imposing a serious risk to his identity being discovered....And you Sif, for refusing to go in order to protect him, even though you were badly injured."
She jibed scornfully.

"You have not the least idea what you speak of, harlot!"
Sif retaliated angrily.

"Haven't I?"
Lorelei challenged, and something about the threatening look in her eye made Sif uneasy.
"Stand up."
She commanded suddenly, as she came to a stop in front of Loki.

Watching with growing apprehension, Sif was rendered speechless at the sight of Loki obediently standing for Lorelei.
"Now, let's have a taste of that silver tongue shall we?"
She chuckled fiendishly.

Loki raised his head, turning his icy stare on her. If Lorelei noticed the pure hatred in his eyes, then she did not seem at all perturbed by it.
"Kiss me.....and mean it!"
She ordered.

Sif felt herself crumple inwardly at the sight of the trickster tenderly cupping the face of her enemy in his strong, capable hands.
It was then that she noticed the small blue stone in his signet ring glowing in exactly the same way her pendant did whenever her own actions were being controlled.
His mouth met with Lorelei's and she kissed him back eagerly. Her tongue like a lizards, was flicking it's way between his slightly parted lips.

"You whore!"
Sif hissed in disgust.
She desperately wanted to look away, yet she was unable to tear her eyes from the awful sight.
She felt sick to her stomach and she was reluctant to explore the reasons why.

She saw Loki's hand move to Lorelei's hair, running his long fingers through its lengths.
She briefly recalled how those same hands had tangled in her own locks, and suddenly she could stand no more.
Taking advantage of her newly healed body, she sprung up from the bed and launched herself at Lorelei, forcing the two of them apart.

She let out a shriek, as Sif tackled her to the floor and began grappling with her, whilst Loki stood looking on in stunned silenced.
He knew Sif did not need his assistance, Lorelei was no match for her when it came to physical strength and agility.
Within a matter of seconds, Sif was back on her feet, her hands balling into fists as she pulled the evil seductress up by the hair.

"Call your pet to heel, Loki.."
Lorelei growled,
"....before I order you to snap her neck!"

"As she said, I am not her master."
Loki replied coldly, in the hope that Lorelei was bluffing.
But the clear look of warning in her flinty eyes suggested otherwise.
Reluctantly he turned to Sif, placing a hand on her arm gently; which she promptly shrugged off, but he attempted to appeal to her sense and reason regardless.
"Sif, let it go. She really isn't worth it."

"Oh, I'm sure she disagrees..."
Lorelei taunted, as Sif hauled her onto her feet.
"She's always been jealous of me because I stole Holdur from her...and I could have the mighty Odinson too if I so wished, unlike her!"

Sif drew her fist back and prepared to unleash her full fury on her. She so much wanted to rearrange her smug face.

"....and now, what is this new-found fondness for his wicked brother?"
She continued, her tone mocking.
"For it can only be jealousy that could provoke such a response, I'm right, am I not, Sif?"

Sif felt the all too familiar sting of humiliation at her words, and Loki could hardly bring himself to look. For he knew that if Sif struck her properly, then her fate would be sealed....and he had no desire to break the neck of Asgard's most formidable and desirable Goddess.
He placated himself with the excuse that for him to kill her, would be a terrible waste of such exquisite beauty.
Then just when he thought all hope was lost and he feared Lorelei's command to attack her at any moment, Sif suddenly dropped her hair and shoved her roughly towards the bedroom door.

"For once I am in agreement with Loki. He is right, you're not worth it."
She spat,
"Now get out, before I change my mind!"

Loki breathed a sigh of relief, which was short lived, as Sif then rounded on him.
"What have you gotten yourself entangled in now? Consorting with the likes of her? Why would you debase yourself in such a way? It's sickening!"

"I was doing what I had to in order to take care of you, I needed the potion. I made you a promise! You know the mind stone cannot be overruled-"

"And how far would you have been willing to go in order to honour that promise?"
She roared,
"Would you have bedded her, like you did Laurel?"

"There is no Laurel, you simpleton!"
Lorelei declared suddenly.

Sif slowly turned to look at her, as she dropped this new, dramatic bombshell.

"It was me, Loki simply cast one of his illusions in order to mask my identity from you. He would not even have those mind gem trinkets were it not for me, I have made his evasion of justice possible. I am his only ally."

Blinking in confusion Sif turned back to Loki, a mixture of confusion and contempt visible in her face.
"So it was her that spent the night with you?"
Her question was more of a statement.
"You, you bedded her!"

"Sif, it only happened the once. It was the first time. I swear!"
He insisted. But he could see that she did not believe him. In fact, she was looking at him as if he were less than the dirt on her shoes.
"You doubt me?"

"Entirely!"
She fired back, and it took every fraction of self-restraint in her to keep from hitting him.
"And who is to say that last nights' date wouldn't have led to the same outcome?"

"It wasn't a date. It was more of a.....meeting."

"I don't believe you!"

Shaking his head, he could not stifle the laugh that suddenly escaped him.
"How ironic. When I actually tell the truth, you don't believe me."

"I'm glad you find it so amusing!"

"I find it frustrating!"
He corrected, his agitation rising.

"He speaks the truth, Sif......it was the first and only time, as I wouldn't normally mix business with pleasure..."
Lorelei blurted out, clearly pleased with herself for adding fuel to this fire.
"And even then he had to cast an illusion over me that looked suspiciously like you, in order to do the deed! You clearly must've got him all riled up, but unlike you I was willing to help relieve his tension-"

"That is enough, Lorelei!"
Loki snapped, feeling decidedly uncomfortable.

Sif stood frozen to the spot, feeling like she'd swallowed a lead weight. She was anchored to the spot by feelings of disbelief, disappointment, and disgust. It was all like a terrible dream that she wasn't able to wake up from.

"Tell me you didn't willingly sleep with her, Loki?"
She croaked, her voice threatening to break with emotion.
"She took advantage of you, yes? Loki! Tell me she commanded you to do it. That you didn't have a choice."

Unable to stand it any longer, Loki let out an over exasperated sigh and turned to stare out of the window.
He didn't want Sif's judgemental eyes boring into him anymore, whilst asking questions he suddenly found extremely difficult to answer.

"I could....but I can't lie to you, Sif."
Shit. What was he doing? How could he explain this away? He genuinely couldn't bring himself to lie to her about this, and his silver tongue would not save him this time.
He could still feel her gaze burning into the back of his head, like two lasers.

"I was blind drunk,"
He admitted reluctantly.
"But if I hadn't have been, it would never have happened."

He awaited a response from Sif with bated breath, but none came.
She was struggling to breath, as her chest tightened painfully and her bottom lip began to quiver.

Lorelei had gone through the doorway now, hesitating only briefly to stir up further trouble between the fractious pair.
"You're in no position to judge Sif, you have kept Thor's bed warm at night in the past. He even tempted you into breaking your vow of chastity, despite the oath you took in order to become a shield maiden."

"Why are you still here?!"
Loki erupted suddenly, whirling around, his expression fierce.
His angry outburst caused both Sif and Lorelei to jump simultaneously. It would have been funny, under different circumstances.

Sif watched Lorelei's retreating back disappear before shooting a watery glance in his direction, though she could not bring herself to look him in the face. He was sucking in his cheeks, trying to calm himself down.

"Lorelei is mistaken..."
She muttered, fixing her tearful eyes on the floor,
".....I could not, and do not give a damn what you do, or with whom."
She turned to leave, and felt Loki grasp for her hand,

"Sif, I....."

"Do not touch me!"
She yelled melodramatically and fled the room like a hysterical adolescent, before he saw her cry.

*******************

Perhaps she'd lost her wits.
But having spent the majority of her time on Midgard cooped up in Loki's guest bedroom, she had decided if she didn't break this trend soon, then she soon would lose them.

She'd kept a low profile all day, leaving the sanctuary of her room only once in order to shower.
To her relief, Loki himself had also remained elusive all day, she had neither heard nor seen him. Which suited her perfectly.
She was sick of the sight of him and his irritatingly handsome face, with its lazy smile and twinkling eyes. Damn his eyes.
Determinedly, she threw open the wardrobe where her new clothes now hung, and pulled her little black dress from its hanger.

She needed a distraction.....

Meanwhile Loki was downstairs sprawled on one of the living room sofas, cradling his fourth bottle of beer whilst trying to read a book on Necromancy. But he was in a languorous mood and finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate. His mind kept inadvertently wandering back to the confrontation that had occurred during the early hours of that morning. And it was making him highly irritable.

He couldn't understand, nor did he wish to explore the possibilities, for why it had rattled him so.

He was just about to abandon the book, when the clicking sound of heels approaching forced him to look to the doorway.

She instantly registered his surprise upon entering the room.
His eyes bulged as they roved over her, blatantly looking her up and down and his mouth fell open slightly like a fish out of water.
"S-Sif, you look....you look....ravishing.....but what are you doing?"
He managed at last, still gawping at her.

Dressed in her new dress, stockings and shoes, and wearing eyeliner, shadow, lipgloss and blusher; she'd given herself smoky eyes - which conveniently disguised their puffiness due to her having cried - but overall she'd succeeded in achieving a sexy, sultry look.
And she could see by Loki's reaction that she must look quite appealing....but it wasn't, she told herself, for his benefit.

Still, in spite of being fully clothed, it still felt as though he'd just stripped her bare with his eyes, which made her feel hot and prickly. She quickly shrugged off the feeling of exposed vulnerability and eyed him steadily.
"I'm going out..."
She announced, a clear tone of defiance in her voice,
"...I agreed to our meeting with Annabelle tonight and as long as I'm not trying to escape you, then there's no reason why I cannot go."

He quirked a pointed eyebrow at her, which instantly riled her.
"I don't think it's wise going out alone, looking so...."
His words trailed off, as though he was unable to string a simple sentence together,
"....and it would probably be more beneficial to you if you stay and rest, you were hit by a car last night, Sif-"

"Yes I'm well aware of that thank you Loki, I don't need reminding. But perhaps you need to be reminded of the fact that I've been healed now, by your slut!"
She shot back, her determination unwavering. She wouldn't want him to know that she had been crying all day over his dalliance with the sorceress.
"I have rested all day. So I am going out with or without you....although I'm sure you're eager to see Chelsea. I'm assuming she is real, yes? And not another guise for Lorelei?"

Visibly bristling at her words, Loki heaved himself up from where he'd taken root on the sofa and headed for the stairs,
"Give me a minute, whilst I change my shirt."

Several minutes later and they were both heading for the Globe Tavern, which was just a few minutes walk away from Clink Wharf.
It was dark and had been raining outside, and now there was a biting wind that made Sif shiver due to her bare arms.
Noticing this, Loki slipped from his full-length, double breasted overcoat in one swift motion and attempted to drape it around her shoulders.

"You need not do that."
She said, shrinking away from him as though he might cause her to have an allergic reaction. Well, he was an irritant after all, she mused to herself.

"What kind of gentleman would I be if I allowed you to freeze?"
He remarked smoothly, clearly undeterred by her refusal.

She shot him a withering look that could easily have stripped paint,
"Gentleman?!"
She scoffed.

Rolling his eyes at her, he thrust the coat towards her again.
"Just take the fucking thing Sif, I've not got the plague and I'm only offering you my coat, not asking you to bear my children!"

Heaving a heavy, couldn't-care-less sigh in order to make it absolutely clear that she was doing so under duress, she reluctantly accepted it.
They walked the remainder of the way in awkward silence and she was relieved when they reached their destination.

As soon as they stepped inside a wave of warmth and the smell of alcohol hit, which was alien to Sif but comfortingly familiar these days to Loki, in a strange way.
The Globe was a relatively small scale, traditional English pub, with a meagre dance floor, wooden pillars and tiny stage set into the corner. The sound of laughing, chattering drinkers, along with glasses clinking and semi-loud music playing in the background filled their ears.

Just then Annabelle appeared out of the crowd, beaming.
"Awesome! I'm so glad you guys made it."
She bounded towards them like a friendly, excitable puppy, embracing them both simultaneously by placing each hand on one of their shoulders; forcing the three of them into some kind of strained, group hug.
But her enthusiasm was infectious, and Sif couldn't help smiling.
"You look amazing, Sofia!"
Anna was saying now, as she led them towards a table at the side of the room.

"Thank you."

"I knew you'd arrived when Jason was like, 'who's that babe with Luke?'.."
Anna laughed, before adding,
"...he was actually pretty happy when I told him you're Luke's sister. He thinks you're hot."
Her eyes momentarily flicked towards the bar and Sif involuntarily found herself following her eye line, which came to rest on a broad, muscular, chisel jawed man.....obviously Jason.

"He's not too shabby, right?"
Anna winked, causing Sif to giggle.

"Yes well, you can tell Jason to keep his inappropriate remarks to himself..."
Loki cut in, his tone icy along with his expression,
"...in fact, no....he shouldn't even be thinking such things. He's not even worthy enough to breath the same air as her."

"Whoa! Easy there, big brother..."
Anna joked, seemingly oblivious to the violence in Loki's glare as he eyed the unwitting Jason.
"I know you're just being protective, but he's a nice guy...as well as being pretty well-cut."

"I couldn't give a rats arse how nice he is, he could be Gandhi and I still wouldn't like him."
Loki retorted bitterly.

Anna quickly shot Sif an almost sympathetic look, making a face behind Loki's back.
"Well mister narky arse, don't get your balls in a twist over it. It isn't you he's interested in. Everyone else seems to fall at your feet, now it's your sis's turn to have an admirer."

"He is...rather handsome, I'll admit."
Sif mused, more for devilment than any other reason. She enjoyed seeing Loki irked over such a trivial thing.
Instantly a megawatt smile lit up Loki's face as he mistakingly thought she was referring to himself. And his smile soon faded when she clarified her comment,
"No, I wasn't talking about you...'brother'....I was referring to Jason."

"Oh please!"
Loki grumbled, his frown deepening,
"The man's an absolute gargoyle! Just look at that huge, thatched head and square face, he could double for Frankenstein's monster....now he is, a child frightener!"

"Wow."
Anna said, once his tirade had drawn to a close,
"Just, wow. So much hate. Where did that come from?"

"I'm going to get some drinks."
Loki announced abruptly,
"What are you drinking, Anna?"
His ability to swerve a potentially awkward line of questioning was usually far more subtle, but he wasn't quite on top form tonight.

Anna had barely answered when Chelsea suddenly appeared behind Loki, her face practically lighting up upon seeing him.
Damn. Sif had forgotten all about her and her ridiculously oversized breasts, which seemed to start just below her chin. The plunging neckline of her top was straining to contain them.

"Hey gorgeous!"
She cooed, leaning over his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his neck territorially and no doubt resting the weight of her bosom against his back.

Craning his neck, Loki smiled up at her,
"Hello darling..."
His voice automatically dropped to a deep, velvety pitch.
"You have impeccable timing, I was just about to ask Anna here what you like to drink."

She moved, allowing him room to stand, and then accompanied him to the bar.

Sif momentarily forgot herself and did not attempt to hide her distaste.
And Anna, who was incredibly perceptive, recognised the resentful look that Sif was casting in their direction.
"So...."
She said gently,
"...has he made a move on you yet?"

"Who?"
Sif asked, somewhat confused by her terminology. But she was sure she'd caught the drift of the question.

Anna gave her a pointed look, but Sif just stared back at her blankly.
"Luke."
She said bluntly, causing Sif to visibly reel in shock.

Perhaps she had misunderstood after all.
"W-what? He...he is, he's.....my brother!"
She attempted to sound outraged and offended but Anna looked more insulted by her weak efforts.

"Yeah, and I'm your mother!"
She joked, with a knowing smile.

Sif looked winded, her eyes rounded as the sudden panic hit her like a bucket of cold water.
"What makes you think he isn't my brother?"
She managed weakly.

"I'm a body language expert and I study behavioural psychology ..."
Anna explained proudly,
"....you guys are way too tetchy around each other. I don't know what your story is, but there's so much tension between you two, and not the kind you get between siblings."

Sif took a deep breath. Despite the possible potential danger, she trusted Anna.
"Yes, well. We have a complicated relationship....or rather, friendship. In fact he's more of a life-long acquaintance. I don't actually like him much at all. I've just been, I mean....I have no other option than to stay with him for a while."
She babbled, fumbling for the right words.

Anna was frowning slightly, obviously baffled by her vague proclamation, but she nodded understandingly.
"Hey listen, if you need a place to stay then you can always crash at mine. I rent the flat upstairs, there's a spare room."
She offered, kindly.
"....plus if my sister succeeds in getting it on with him tonight..."
She indicated towards Loki, who was heading back towards them now with a tray of drinks,
"...it could be kinda awkward."

Sif didn't have time to respond, as Loki and Chelsea rejoined them at the table.

"I've opened a bar tab.."
He announced,
"...so the drinks are on me tonight, ladies."

Chelsea pulled a chair up next to him and placed a perfectly manicured hand on his knee.
"You're like, such a sweetheart."
She purred, fluttering her eyelashes and Sif watched as her hand edged up onto his thigh.
She looked on in silent contempt, as Loki responded with a heart-stopping smile and devilish wink.

Ugh. Please.
She reached out and grabbed a bottle of beer and took a long swig.
It was going to be a long night, and she had no intention of remaining sober........

************ A/N the second part of this chapter willj contain descriptions of a sexual nature. Please bear this in mind before continuing. If you think you may find this offensive, then please simply skip to the next chapter (Day Seven) which will be posted shortly. Thanks! xD ****************