Author's Note: Now I know I'm cheating with not writing all the fight scenes etc. but they are not important and don't want to get bogged down with them. Need to focus on our little Hawk and his little crush… Also – am taking some creative licence with some Norse mythology here…

Disclaimer: Don't have anything to do with Marvel and their wonderful play-land of creations … sigh…

They Didn't Know

Natasha kicked her legs back and forth languidly from where she sat on the medical bed, waiting not-so-patiently for the doctor to return and officially dismiss her. Normally she would not bother with such a trivial thing – but the presence of one Agent Barton sitting by the door kept her in her place. The female regarded her friend thoughtfully.

"I don't need a babysitter you know."

"I know," Clint shrugged. "But doc said you could only get out if someone looked after you the rest of the night. Or what's left of it."

Natasha tilting her head slightly in acknowledgement. It was almost late enough in the night to start calling it morning. The doctors had finally agreed to let her leave the medical wing – but only when Clint had arrived to visit her and agreed to stay with her for the night. Natasha had insisted they were over-reacting but she was tired and so she had relented and agreed. Pursing her lips slightly she narrowed her eyes at the other agent.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" she asked simply.

"Nothing's wro…" the archer cut himself off with a wry laugh. Was he really about to lie to Natasha? Christ he was tired. "Well… you know how I said I spoke to the guys about… the thing? I… eh… kinda spoke to all four of them."

Natasha's eyebrow arched.

"You told all of them they weren't the one?" she rolled her eyes, mentally chastising herself for not seeing it coming. "Who ratted you out? Tony?"

"With some help from Thor by the sounds of it," Clint grumbled, running his hands over his face. Natasha shook her head.

"Back to square one then?"

Clint just grunted, tilting his head back to rest against the wall behind him, closing his eyes wearily. Back to square one indeed…

x-x-x

"Welcome Agent Barton," JARVIS's voice greeted the archer as he grudgingly stepped up to the front door of Stark Towers early the next evening. Apparently Tony required some file or other and he was the only one that could deliver it. He had been hoping to hide from his teammates, for a few days at least. Give him a chance to get his head back together. But then – as Natasha had pointed out that morning – he could not hide away from them all forever… "Mr Stark is on the ninth floor."

Clint gave a small nod – out of habit – and made his way to the elevator, waiting patiently as JARVIS opened the elevator door and selected his destination for him. Within moments he stepped out onto the ninth floor, running a hand through his hair wearily. May as well get this over with…

"Well it's about time," Tony appeared suddenly in front of him… holding a bowl of popcorn. Clint blinked at the other man's casual demeanor – not what he had been expecting from the way he had urgently been shoved out of SHEILD headquarters – but he offered a faint smile, holding out the file he had been given to deliver. Tony took the file and tossed it onto a nearby counter with a dismissive flick of the hand. "Come on."

Clint blinked again as he found himself being shoved toward a nearby room. He stopped abruptly, arching an eyebrow as he found Steve and Bruce sitting on a large, plush sofa, Thor sitting on a matching single chair next to it. Natasha lounged on another sofa opposite Thor. Clint opened his mouth to question what was going on but nothing came out.

"Movie night," Tony stated, seeing the confused expression on the archers face. "From here on in – unless you bring it up yourself – your love life is none of our business. And…" Tony's voice grew a little quieter, a faintly sheepish smile pulling at his lips. "I know I may have taken full advantage of it but I was not trying to trip anyone up last night."

Clint inhaled deeply but gave a small nod of acknowledgement to Tony's statement. The man had a big mouth – but he was not malicious with it. And even he with all his… insecurities could recognize that movie night was really the guys saying you're still part of the team – we're all still friends.

"You didn't have to do this," he gestured around the room. "Surely Pepper and Jane and…" he frowned slightly before gesturing apologetically at Steve and Bruce. "They can't appreciate being blown off two nights in a row?"

"The bonds of friendship are as important as any other," Thor replied firmly, raising the bottle of beer he held in his hand as a sort of toast.

"Exactly, like he said," Tony waved a hand about. "Besides, Pepper's flown off somewhere important to do… something important…" he shoved the bowl of popcorn into Clint's hands and pointed towards the seating area. "Sit."

For a moment the uncertain expression remained on Clint's face but quickly his lips curled into a faint smile. With a small mock salute the agent made his way over to sofa on which Natasha sat, flopping down next to the female. She turned toward him, offering him a quick, knowing smile as she handed him a bottle of beer. Clint accepted the drink with a small nod.

"So – what movie are you subjecting us to then?" Natasha drawled. Tony pretended to look offended as he opened his mouth to reply – but it was JARVIS's smooth voice that filled the room.

"Sir, Director Fury is on the line."

Tony sighed loudly.

"Looks like I'm not subjecting you to anything…"

x-x-x

Director Fury sighed heavily and looked around at the newly gathered avengers.

"It would appear that your little adventure yesterday was merely a preview to the main event," he began. Clint glanced over at Natasha who arched an eyebrow, instinctively touching the back of her head as the director continued. "While you were dealing with things last night a contingency of our agents were in east Europe and they sent us this," a picture of a female, elaborately dressed in an ornate helmet and robes flashed up on the wall behind him. "She reeked havoc. Apparently she made Loki's party tricks look like... well. Like party tricks."

A short silence fell over the room although as usual it was Tony who broke it.

"Ok… I'm guessing she isn't from around here," he commented, eyeing up the helmet that reminded him all too quickly of Loki and Thor. Said Norse god sighed.

"That is Skadi."

Fury's eyebrow arched.

"Another Asgardian?"

"She is not of Asgard," Thor shook his head, although he did look a little uneasy. "Our… families however do have a history."

Fury sighed.

"In that case I hope you have some idea of what she wants and how we stop her?"

Thor's face twisted slightly.

"She will want the world. And… there was only ever one who could really match her…" he replied slowly. His teammates looked back at him expectantly, waiting for more. It was Clint who was first to understand.

"You are fucking kidding?" he muttered. Tony looked from Clint back to Thor.

"Loki?" he too came to an understanding of Thor's unease. The Norse god gave a small nod.

"A physical attack – brute strength – may take out any followers she has amassed but her skills are…"

Fury gave an understanding nod as Thor's voice trailed off.

"Would he help us?"

"Now you're kidding," Natasha was the first to voice what many in the room instantly thought. Fury however stood calmly, looking expectantly at Thor. The thunder god's brows raised slightly in thought.

"He and she…" he frowned slightly, pausing before giving a small nod. "I think he might."

"Then see it done," Fury said simply.