A/N: Not exactly canon, but the thought of writing this got me through this year's exams!

Natasha moved so fast that not even she, let alone anyone else, could register her movements. In an instant she had Clint pinned against the glass, her knife at his throat. She could hear her heart hammering in her ears, her chest rose and fell rapidly, and hot, angry tears began forming in the corners of her eyes, which were fixed on Clint's. Nobody moved and the only sound was Loki's distressed panting.

Despite the blade grazing his skin, Clint smirked. "You gonna kill me, Tasha?" he murmured.

Two Weeks Earlier...

Natasha skidded into the hangar, still trying to hastily zip up her jacket, and found the jet waiting for her. "This better be good," she muttered to herself, quickly brushing away a damp curl of red hair from her forehead. She cursed her stupidity for ever believing that the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. would let her have one early night.

"Nice of you to join us, Agent Romanoff," Agent Hill said, without turning as Natasha boarded the jet. Fury's right-hand woman was sitting up front with Clint, preparing for take-off.

Natasha did a double-take when she saw Dr. Banner sitting to her right. She took a seat next to him and strapped herself in. Tony, Thor, and Steve were sitting opposite them; the God of Thunder was looking unusually pale, staring blankly into his lap, with his prized hammer standing forgotten between his feet.

"Busy were we?" Tony said with a grin, drawing Natasha's gaze away from Thor.

"I was in the shower, OK?" she snapped, her hand jumping self-consciously to her hair. The jet's engines roared into life as they began taxiing towards the other end of the hangar.

"Thanks for the mental image," Tony replied, his grin only widening.

Shooting him one of her signature death glares, Natasha turned back to Thor. "What's happened?"

"We've found Loki," came the answer from Agent Hill.

Natasha's stomach gave an uncomfortable jolt, and she swallowed, trying to rid herself of the sudden feelings of nausea. Six weeks ago, a group of Chitauri, who had somehow survived the nuclear missile, broke into Loki's Asgardian prison cell and disappeared with him. All the hours of searching, by Asgardians and Avengers alike, failed to recover Loki... And he was presumed dead in some dark, forgotten corner of the universe.

"Where?" Natasha whispered, only able to manage the one syllable.

"New Mexico," Agent Hill answered. "It's turning into quite the alien drop-off hot-spot."

With Thor looking like he was on the verge of a nervous break-down, Natasha wasn't sure she appreciated the agent's tone, but she let it slip. Turning to Bruce, she found him rummaging around in a black duffel bag at his feet which was stuffed to the brim with medical supplies. "He's alive?"

Bruce looked up. "Only just," he said solemnly. "I'm going to need your help, Natasha."

Natasha's stomach gave another jolt in protest. A few years ago she had taken a break from S.H.I.E.L.D. to train as a nurse in a military hospital in Afghanistan – another way to wipe the red from her ledger. Thinking of the wounded soldiers, and then thinking of Loki, who was quite literally out of this world, she wasn't sure they were transferable skills. The look on Bruce's face told her he was thinking something similar; she tried to give him an encouraging smile, but failed miserably.

The jet finished its taxiing, and the roof of the hangar directly above gave way with a mechanical clunk, revealing the Manhattan skyline, scattered with stars. As the jet began its ascent, Stark Tower came into view – newly refurbished after its almost-destruction two months ago. The four missing letters of its moniker had been returned, and Tony had welcomed its appointment as the new Avengers Head Quarters. Everyone watched as the blur of bright primary colours that was New York City disappeared below a blanket of cloud.

"Where's Fury?" Natasha asked, a blush creeping into her cheeks; she was aware that she seemed to be the only one speaking, and that everyone else who had boarded the jet on time had clearly already been filled in.

"Already there," Agent Hill said curtly.

Yep, Natasha thought, this is my punishment for wanting an early night. She looked across to Clint, hoping for just the hint of a comforting smile or glance, but he was busy with the jet's controls. No one seemed to be in the mood for talking – even the usually loud and obnoxious Tony Stark... who had pulled out a copy of TIME Magazine which just so happened to have his face on the cover. Steve was lost in his own thoughts, Thor kept his head bowed, and Bruce was still sorting through his duffel bag. It was going to be a long ride.

The cross-country flight only took forty minutes, but to Natasha it felt like a life-time. Peering out of the window, she saw nothing but black; they must be getting close. Steve had tried to make awkward small talk, and Agent Hill occasionally commented on the flying conditions. In an attempt to ease her mounting nerves, Natasha had asked a reluctant Bruce to brief her on the medical equipment he'd gathered to treat a fallen god. Thor was yet to say a word.

The awkward silences only made Natasha want to ask more questions. Why had the Chitauri chosen to abandon Loki on Earth? Why did Fury expect her and Bruce to treat him, and not better-trained S.H.I.E.L.D. medics? And if Loki really was 'only just' alive, why was everyone suited up? This last question preyed on Natasha until she could hold her tongue no longer.

"Why are we suited up? Surely Loki's not a threat if he's half-dead?"

Thor looked up for the first time, his expression pained. She heard Clint stifle a chuckle. "Erm... This is the guy who almost flattened Manhattan two months ago. You forget that, Tasha?"

Natasha bristled at Clint's sarcasm, wishing she didn't feel so hurt by his comment; she thought she was tougher than that. "No, but –"

"Doesn't matter what sorry state he's in, the guy's still a psychopath!"

Thor let out a low growl and reached for Mjolnir, but Steve put a firm hand on his shoulder. "Easy, Thor... Wanna keep your opinions to yourself, Clint?"

Clint turned around and began to reply when Agent Hill said softly but dangerously: "Eyes on the road, Agent Barton – we're almost there."

Steve stared Clint down until he reluctantly turned back to his control panel. Thor's gaze returned to his lap, and Tony made a point of turning his magazine page very loudly with a sigh. Lights suddenly appeared in the left hand windows, too large and yellow for stars.

"This is it," Agent Hill announced, and Natasha's stomach did another flip. As the jet began a steady descent, Thor suddenly ripped off his seatbelt and leapt up.

"Dude, the seatbelt sign hasn't even been switched off yet!" Tony said, stashing away his TIME Magazine.

"Not the time, Tony," Steve groaned, also unbuckling, and grabbing his shield.

One by one, the Avengers followed suit. Bruce hauled the black duffel bag onto his shoulder and handed Natasha a matching messenger bag. She took it without a word as the jet landed. The rear doors hadn't fully opened when Thor lunged forward and scrambled out. There were several shouts of "THOR!" as the rest of the Avengers piled out of the jet, trying to match the god's frantic gallop. They saw the bright lights of what they assumed was the 'crash' site a few hundred yards ahead, surrounded as it was by armoured vehicles and helicopters bearing the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo.

"LOKI!" Thor half-shrieked, suddenly taking flight towards the site.

"Thor...NO!" Bruce panted, vainly attempting to sprint after him. "Tony, stop him! Don't let him man-handle Loki!"

With a nod Tony disappeared in a flash of red and yellow. Bruce, Natasha, Clint, Steve, and Agent Hill, running after him, saw the collision as Tony tackled Thor mid-flight and slammed him to the ground. Oh great, Natasha thought, I can't patch up one god, let alone two! Thor threw Tony off him and, abandoning his hammer completely, staggered towards the small crowd of agents that were crouched or kneeling around something a few feet away. He pushed two of them roughly aside and Natasha caught a glimpse of a... body.

"Tony!" Bruce yelled in frustration.

Tony scrambled to his feet and got to Thor just before his hands reached for his brother. The God of Thunder let out a strangled howl as Tony wrestled him back. Hearing Thor's cries, Natasha wondered why Bruce didn't want him gathering his brother in his arms... Surely Loki's injuries couldn't be that bad? They reached Thor and Tony, the agents stood up to let them past, and Natasha had to clamp a hand over her mouth to stop herself crying out. It was worse than she'd ever imagined.