NCIS Navy Yard

Washington DC, Capitol of the United States of America

"Miss Abigail!" Ducky announced as he started to enter the lab. "I have something of importance you must – "

He stopped short when he noticed the lab was empty. "Know," he finished to himself, looking around. Everything was really quiet since she wasn’t there.

The elevator doors opened, and Gibbs walked out, approaching Ducky. "Do you know where she is?" Gibbs asked, coming to his side.

"Unfortunately, I don’t have a clue," Ducky admitted, looking over Abby’s desk. "If I did, I would – "

He stopped again, seeing the handwritten message on the desk. "What?" Gibbs demanded, starting to walk over.

"Nothing, Jethro," Ducky replied, sighing and looking around. "It’s nothing."

Gibbs eyed Ducky, and the latter knew the former didn’t believe it. Fortunately, Gibbs didn’t press. "Just let me know if you have any idea," he told Ducky, then left.

Ducky watched Gibbs leave, then picked up the letter that was addressed to him.

Ducky,

Since you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering where the hell I am. Gibbs probably is, too. The photograph that Natasha told me to find has given me an idea.

I’m trying to find someone that could help her, and I need to do this by myself. If I ever need you, you will be the first to know. If Gibbs or anyone on his team finds out, tell them that I’m trying to find a cure for Natasha.

I’m not going to say anything else, except that this is probably the craziest thing I’ve ever done in my career.

Good luck, and tell Gibbs I’m sorry.

Abby

Ducky sighed, putting the letter down. "Abigail," he said out loud to empty air. "What have you gotten yourself into?"

　***

Somewhere in the Streets

Calcutta, India

Not for the first time, Bruce Banner considered why he had returned to India after the Avengers Initiative.

Also not for the first time, he reminded himself that people on this side of the world needed medical help. That was the kind of doctor that he was.

He finished giving a vaccine to a young Indian girl. "There you go," he told her.

"Thank you," she whispered in Indian, then started to race out of the alley.

She bumped straight into a man dressed all in black. "Sorry," she whispered again, then dashed around the man and was gone from sight.

Bruce slowly straightened. The man looked up at him, then pointed after the girl. "That was nice," he informed Bruce. "What you did for her."

Bruce started. The man stepped into the light more – "Clint?"　he asked in surprise.

Clint tilted his head. "Of course it’s me," he replied innocently. "Who else would it be?"

Bruce scoffed, starting to gather his things back up. "I was expecting the Widow."

"She’s out of action currently."

Bruce blinked, then looked back up at Clint. The man was looking right at him. Stress was clearly etched in his face. "What happened?" he asked, positive that he wasn’t going to like the answer.

"Remember the gamma radiation that you found and told us about?"

Bruce’s eyes widened. "She found the source?"

"She didn’t just find it," Clint replied. "She was the source."

Bruce started packing up at double the speed. "Tell me what happened," he demanded.

"The woman that informed me said that there was a case of two murdered Navy SEALs," Clint began, starting to help Bruce pack. "NCIS – the agency that Natasha was working for – was sent to work the case. Natasha knew who it was from the start, but only Abby – the woman – was the one she told."

Bruce looked up sharply as Clint finished packing. "Who was it?"

Clint swallowed, looking up into Bruce’s eyes. "Don’t Hulk out on me."

"I’m not promising. Who?"

Clint swallowed one more time. "Loki."

Bruce growled low in his throat, feeling his anger bubble up inside of him. "I thought Thor was watching him," he said slowly.

"That’s what we thought." Clint stood, looking around. "Apparently not."

"Have you thought of contacting Foster?" Bruce asked, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"That’s what I was planning to do right after we got Five’s attention," Clint admitted, starting to walk. "Are you in?"

"Hell, yes," Bruce replied, jogging to his side. "As long as I get to smash Loki around again.

Clint gave a smile. "Hulk smash."

That made both of them laugh.

***

The Desert of New Mexico

United States of America

It was at times like these that Jane Foster decided that she didn’t like being an astrophysicist. She groaned when she heard Darcy call her once more, then she tossed her blankets off of her. She quickly changed back into her shirt and jacket, then went down the stairs. "What, Darcy?" she barked.

"You’re being hailed."

Jane narrowed her eyes, then sped up, arriving in the main room. Darcy was on her phone, looking at her. "Where’s Erik?"

"No idea," Darcy admitted. "Are you going to take it or not?"

Jane gritted her teeth. If it was Director Fury or the Council again . . . "Put it up."

She turned to face the huge viewscreen that she used for video conferencing. She heard Darcy say something behind her –

The screen flickered to life, and Jane felt a grin come across her face. "Agent Barton! Dr. Banner!" she exclaimed. "It’s good to see you both."

"I wish it was under better circumstances," Clint acknowledged.

Jane frowned. "Under better circumstances?" she repeated. "What’s happened?"

"Do you remember the gamma radiation we discovered?" Bruce asked.

Jane nodded. "Yes, it was coming from Washington D.C."

"That was where Special Agent Natasha Romanoff was stationed," Clint revealed. "And it’s also where Loki Laufeyson currently is."

Jane’s jaw dropped. "You mean Loki has the Tesseract again?"

"We’d need Thor to confirm that," Bruce admitted, "but I don’t think so. Natasha’s been poisoned."

"Is she OK?" Jane asked worriedly.

Clint shrugged. "Abby hasn’t mentioned that," he replied. "She’s the woman that told us about Natasha. Do you think you could get over here and help us out?"

"I’ll be on a flight to D.C. in an hour," Jane promised.

Clint’s expression relaxed. "Thanks, Jane."

Jane smiled. "Anything for a fellow agent."

The signal was cut, and Jane picked up a photograph on the table next to her, looking at it. She was standing in her SHIELD catsuit and lab coat, standing next to Agent Maria Hill. Natasha and Clint were standing next to each other. Together, the four of them made up the best response team that SHIELD had.

What would it be like if Natasha wasn’t there?

"Darcy, I need the next flight to D.C. ASAP," she ordered, heading back to her room.

Darcy had already pulled up the flight plans.

***

NCIS Navy Yard

Washington DC, Capitol of the United States of America

McGee looked at his phone when it rang that evening. He minimized the facial scan that was on his computer and picked it up. "Special Agent McGee."

He nearly dropped the phone when he heard the voice that answered him. "McGee?"

"Abby?"

"Not so loud!" Abby’s voice came sharply. "I don’t want Gibbs to hear!"

McGee lowered his voice. "Why? Where the hell are you?"

"I’m at the Pentagon. And I need your help hacking into something."

McGee blinked. "What do you need my help hacking into?"

"A very advanced robotic system."

McGee sighed, starting to pack his stuff up. "Fine. Where do you want me to meet you?"

Abby sighed her relief. "My friend here will meet you in the front lobby."

McGee stopped, narrowing his eyes. "Abby? This is going to be something insane, isn’t it? You’re not just there for fun, are you?"

"No, McGee. I’m trying to help Natasha."

McGee started packing up at a faster pace. "You know, had you said that at the beginning, I would’ve gone quicker."

"I just wanted you to fight a little bit."

"Classic," McGee growled, zipping his bag up. "Real classic, Abby."

"I’ll see you here, too, McGee." Click.

McGee put the phone back in its cradle, then headed towards the elevator. He pressed the button, then waited.

The doors opened, and he walked in as Ducky was trying to come out.

"Oh, sorry, Timothy!" Ducky apologized, getting out of McGee’s way. As McGee hit the garage button, he frowned, looking at him. "Where are you going now, Timothy?"

"Don’t tell Gibbs," McGee replied, closing the doors.

***

Ducky watched as the doors closed on McGee. "I wonder," he said out loud, then turned and started heading towards the staircase.

He was met by Gibbs and Tony, who were discussing. "What’s been happening?" he asked.

Gibbs stopped talking to reply. "We’ve been talking to the Director about getting the authority on this case."

"Fornell wants the FBI on the case, and not NCIS because we’re ‘emotionally attached’ to the whole thing," Tony added in disgust.

"And how has that been going?" Ducky asked.

Tony shrugged. "Fornell hasn’t been able to reach his partner at the FBI on any phone or e-mail."

"Did something happen to him?" Ducky asked.

"We don’t know, but he’s freaking out about it," another voice announced, and Ziva started to come down the stairs. "No one at the FBI has seen him come to work today."

"So we’re not only looking for the terrorist that attacked Natalia," Ducky started, "but also a missing FBI agent?"

"Fornell says Agent Clint Barton is one of his best," Tony confirmed.

Ducky shook his head. "Of all the craziest things . . . "

"Hey!" Gibbs suddenly said sharply. "Where’s McGee?"

Ducky feigned confusion. "I didn’t see him when I came up here."

"Find him!" Gibbs ordered, and Tony and Ziva raced down the remaining stairs and practically threw themselves into their chairs.

Ducky sighed. "Here we go again."

**

It was about five days into his personal stakeout, and Thor still had not run out of poptarts.

He had watched people come out of the NCIS headquarters for a while, and he had watched them come back. But for about two days, he had not seen the familiar face of Natasha Romanoff enter back into the building.

He frowned, lowering his latest fudge sundae poptart. Something had gone wrong. He knew it.

The problem now was that he had to find out what exactly had gone wrong.

At least he had enough poptarts to last him while he tried to figure it out.

***

OK, I had to throw in poptarts. Thor and his poptarts . . . hilarious! So Abby's asked McGee to help her hack into some robotic system. Avenger fans, you should now know who will be entering in the next chapter. If you do not . . . well, I'd be speechless. It's pretty obvious. It's just a good system. ;)

See you all!