It was Christmas Day and Avengers Tower was deserted. Natasha wake up feeling glum. Even though she had a new family that also happened to be an elite superhero team that had saved the world from aliens and an evil A.I. that had gone rogue, she was yet again alone for Christmas. Natasha ticked them off on her fingers; Clint was spending Christmas with Laura and the kids, Steve had gone to spend Christmas with a very old Peggy, Tony was with Pepper in Malibu, Thor was in New Mexico with Jane (and probably Darcy, that girl was like a shadow), Banner had gone to some third world country to help out, Sam had gone with him, and the Maximoffs had gone back to Sokovia to aid the clean up after Tony's Ultron disaster. Nat was still furious with him for that. She thought for a moment... Now she came to think of it, she didn't know where Loki had gone. A feeling of dread spread through her. If Loki wasn't anywhere else, then he must be –
The lights cut out.
Nat almost yelled, but stopped herself at the last minute; two could play at that game.
She silently got out of bed and grabbed a hairgrip, twisting her mane of chestnut twirls into a ponytail. Natasha decided to stay in her pyjamas as a) it was Christmas and b) they were black and so she could remain stealthy.
Nat crept out of her room and down the hallway. She made her way silently into the main room where the sun was rising over Manhattan, silhouetting the large Christmas tree.
The lights came back on. Nat stood frozen in the middle of the room, anticipating the next move... The tree fell. Right on top of her.
"LOKI!" She screamed.