A/N: Okay, you get this chapter earlier than I'll normally supply them. I'm trying to keep them all in character so if I'm failing miserably please tell me! Thank you to all of my lovely readers and reviewers, if your reading and you haven't reviewed don't be shy, I need the confidence boost.

Disclaimer: Yeah, I'm good but I'm not that good; I don't own the Avengers.


If the Chitauri had a weakness, it was their complete lack of peripheral vision. This was the thought running through Janet Van Dyne's head as she flew along the corridor. What's more is they couldn't care less about what seemed like a wasp. Because that's what she was; The Wasp. She took a sharp turn down another corridor and came to a door. The vent above it looked like the perfect entrance.

Grinning to herself Janet buzzed through and landed in front of the computer monitor.

"Ant-Man?" she whispered into her comm. "You here yet?"

Someone dropped down beside her, a really small someone. "Yep."

"Gotta say," she muttered as she tapped the password into the computer. "The Chitauri really should invest in a better security system, and maybe they should have changed the passwords."

"It's lucky they didn't," murmured Hank as she placed her small hands on the pad and scrolled through the data until she found what she needed. "You got the stick?"

"Uh huh," she nodded and pulled the small memory stick off her back. "It's actually pretty heavy."

"It would be it's almost the same size as you," snorted Hank.

"Only when I'm mini," she protested. "I think this is it!"

Hank plugged in the stick and they downloaded the file.

"You think the plan will work?" Janet whispered; she knew just what was at risk if it didn't.

"If it doesn't, then God or whoever is out there help us all," frowned Hank. "C'mon, we'd better get out of here."

Janet strapped the stick to her back and grabbed Hank under the arms before lifting off; leaving through the vent and finding their way back out of what used to be SHIELD HQ.


Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Constantly dripping, for hours, days!

Natasha Romanoff breathed deeply and tried to focus on something other than the water droplets sailing down from the pipe to land on her head.

From all the dripping her long red hair was soaked; it was the closest she'd ever had to a wash in that God forsaken place. The worst thing was that the drips were erratic; you never knew when they were going to hit you. She had been trained for this; as the Black Widow, as a SHIELD agent; but she had no idea how long she had been there. They had wanted information at first, the torture had been daily back then. They didn't do physical stuff, just went inside her head and rooted around. But once their borders had expanded and they had access to all the information they wanted they just threw her into their maximum security prison. On the plus side she had kept in shape; there wasn't really much else to do. On the downside every now and then they would grab her and lock her in that chair for heaven only knows how long! Natasha closed her eyes and waited for the next drop. But it never came.

Her eyes flew open and she saw a hand over her head, blocking the water drops. Natasha's eyes followed the hand up an arm covered in scarlet wrappings up to the elbow, up a shoulder to a scarlet strap and then up to a woman's face as she smirked down at Natasha. She grinned, tossing her dark brown hair back over her shoulder, and raised her other hand to the restraints on Natasha's wrists. Something seemed to glow red around her hand and the restraints unlocked.

Natasha lifted her wrists cautiously and let the woman pull her up to a sitting position.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice hoarse from lack of use.

"Wanda Maximoff," she grinned. "Or the Scarlet Witch." She pulled Natasha up and she got a good look at Wanda.

It was obvious why she was called the Scarlet Witch; she wore a scarlet halter top which dipped into a V shape in the front, she was wearing black skin tight trousers with a thick crimson stripe down the side of each leg. She had some sort of gun resting on her hip.

"What are you doing here? Why are you helping me?" asked Natasha.

"I was sent to break you out," answered Wanda, handing the gun to Natasha. "Use that on the way out if you need to."

"Why? And who sent you?" demanded Natasha, even as Wanda started dragging her to the door. She knew it was a small hope that Fury had sent someone after her; if they were going to they would have done by now.

"My boss," answered Wanda, looking both ways down the corridor before dragging Natasha out.

"Who?" hissed Natasha, digging her heels in and refusing to budge.

"Look Romanoff, d'you want outta here or not?" glared Wanda.

"Who sent you?" Natasha repeated, turning the gun on Wanda.

"Really?" she huffed. "Fine, I was sent by Agent Baxter; new director of SHIELD. Well what's left of it anyway. She wants me to get you out so you can re join the Avengers."

Natasha lowered the gun. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"You don't," smiled Wanda before the smile melted from her face very quickly.

A bolt of energy shot down the corridor and Wanda barely had time to pull Natasha out of the way. Another bolt shot towards them and Wanda brought up her hands, a glowing red seemed to shoot from her palms and deflect the beam, sending it back towards the Chitauri soldier who had shot it. He hit the ground and Natasha shot another two soldiers who came around the corner.

"Let's go," urged Wanda and the two women ran down the corridor, Wanda leading the way. They had to take out several Chitauri but eventually an alarm blared through the prison and Wanda groaned before she grabbed Natasha's wrist and muttered something under her breath. Natasha saw a red glow engulf her and Wanda before the Scarlet Witch let go and beckoned Natasha further down the corridor. They ran through the halls, past the Chitauri who seemed to have no idea they were there.

When Natasha opened her mouth to speak Wanda lifted a finger to her lips; telling her to be quiet. Natasha obeyed and soon they were outside in the exercise yard. Wanda punched something into a device on her wrist and a second later an old SHIELD quinjet was landing in front of them. The hatch opened and they ran in; just as Wanda's spell wore off.

The Scarlet Witch practically threw herself into the pilot's chair and Natasha took the other one. Wanda flicked several switches and they lifted into the air.

"See that building?" grinned Wanda, pointing to a building in the centre of the prison. "Think you can take it out?"

Natasha smiled, taking control of the weapons. "It would be my pleasure." She launched three missiles at the building and shot down any Chitauri trying to escape it.

"That's essentially the nucleus of the prison," explained Wanda. "I imagine all the cells are open now; the Chitauri are gonna be too busy re capturing their prisoners and cleaning up the mess you just made to come after you."

Natasha raised an eyebrow at her. "You really thought that through didn't you?"

"Yep," grinned Wanda. "You were very high on our list."

"So, what's the plan?" asked Natasha as Wanda cloaked the jet and started to fly them back to base.

"Honestly? Jackie hasn't exactly been forthcoming," sighed Wanda. "But I suppose you can't really blame her; she's still reeling from Fury's death."

"Fury's death?" repeated Natasha. "What happened?"

"Chitauri attack, he was badly injured; I don't know the full story since I was at another base, but as far as I gather he took a blast for Agent Baxter. He didn't make it; Hill is in a coma and they don't know when she'll wake up. Jackie was his protégé and he made her his successor just before he died."

Natasha bowed her head for a moment, in respect for her old boss. "Who've we got to work with?"

"Well there's me," grinned Wanda. "The Scarlet Witch."

"Weren't you our enemy?" frowned Natasha, tensing up slightly as she remembered the name.

"That was a while ago now, Black Widow," answered Wanda. "With the Chitauri in control a lot of people have switched sides." She looked down, pain crossing her face briefly.

Natasha didn't comment on that. "Who else?"

"Captain America, or Steve Rogers," continued Wanda. "I believe you knew him; he's always spoken of you with respect."

Natasha smiled slightly as she remembered the super soldier.

"Hank Pym, a scientist who can change his size; known as Ant-Man or Giant-Man," continued Wanda. "The Wasp; or Janet Van Dyne; she can shrink, fly and shoot little bolts of energy at you that hurt like anything!"

"First hand experience?" smirked Natasha.

"They hurt!" she scowled and Natasha laughed. "She's like some… really tough brunette version of Tinkerbell! Anyway; we've also got our leader; Jackie Baxter; she… well it's kinda hard to explain what she does. Let's just say she can control electricity, but not just control it. It literally runs in her blood, so she can shoot it out too." Wanda glanced sideways at Natasha. "Some know her as Electrica."

"Electrica?" repeated Natasha. "I know her; Barton and I took her down a few years ago. Wait, what about Barton? Is he with you?"

"Uh, I think I'll let the boss explain that one to you, and anyway you look like you need some real food."

On cue Natasha's stomach let out a loud rumble and Wanda smirked.

"C'mon," she started lowering the plane and Natasha raised an eyebrow when all she saw was water. The jet got lower and lower until in was submerged in the water. Apparently they were rigged for underwater travel too. Wanda steered it downwards towards the sea bed and opened up communications.

"Identification?" asked the young agent on the line.

"Quinjet 324, identification 194574, Scarlet Witch piloting, password; Lincoln," rattled off Wanda.

"You are cleared for entrance and landing quinjet 324," answered the man.

"Agent would you be a sweetie and contact Director Baxter for me?" smiled Wanda, as the sea bed opened up beneath them and she started lowering the jet.

The agent tapped on a screen for a few seconds before lifting his head and looking back at Wanda. "Director Baxter is in a meeting right now and specified that she not be interrupted."

"Believe me sweetie, she'll want to hear this," smirked Wanda. "Just send an urgent message saying that her good and incredibly useful friend the Scarlet Witch is back with the Black Widow in tow, and that she's taking the latter down to Medical."

"I'll pass on the message," agreed the agent.

"Thanks darling, Scarlet Witch out."

She glanced at Natasha and frowned slightly when she saw the look of barely concealed amusement on the spy's face.

"What?" she frowned.

"Sweetie? Darling?" smirked Natasha.

"Hey, I always say 'Be kind to the messenger in case he gets shot'," grinned Wanda. "I doubt Jackie would do that; but hey if she's with Ben who knows what could happen!"

Natasha chuckled. "You really are something else Wanda."

Wanda landed the jet and stood up, walking to the back and preparing to open the hatch. She glanced back in time to see Natasha try to stand up, only to grab onto the weapons console for support. Wanda raced back over and placed a hand on Natasha's shoulder.

"Can you walk?" she asked, concern lacing her voice and eyes.

"Yeah," nodded Natasha, forcing herself off and shrugging Wanda's hand off. "I have to do this."

"There's no shame in asking for help," murmured Wanda.

"I'll remember to tell you that next time you're injured," chucked Natasha. "No, I'll be fine; I have to walk to Medical on my own strength. Then I can collapse."

So with her head held high Natasha Romanoff re entered the world of the living. As soon as she was off that quinjet agents from all around stopped and stared, jaws dropped and whispers of 'She's alive? The Black Widow is alive?' were heard through the landing area.

Anyone who tried to approach her received a hard glare from Wanda and she and Natasha went through security undisturbed.

True to her word as soon as they reached Medical Natasha practically collapsed onto the nearest bed. The adrenaline from the escape and the fight had been enough to keep her standing; but as soon as it had worn off malnutrition and exhaustion set in.

Wanda smiled at her as she relaxed on the bed; nurses who had managed to get their jaws off the ground were rushing off frantically to find a doctor.

"And now I know why Steve speaks so highly of you," she grinned.

Natasha smiled softly in return, before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep. Her last thought was; 'I wonder where Clint is?'