Natasha and Clint stepped outside into the brilliant sunlight as the window tinted limo pulled up to the drive. There wasn't much of a need for window tints in the deserted little town, but no one could claim Tony Stark was without flare. Of course Bruce had arrived on Tony's private jet, choosing to avoid commercial airlines for obvious reasons. "The gang is all back together" Tony said as he clapped Clint on the back and gave Natasha a hug. Neither reciprocated the gestures.

"Steve is already inside with Fury." Natasha informed them, her eyes only smiling slightly when they met with Bruce's, Natasha and Bruce had always gotten along well, and she had a soft spot for the nervous doctor part time giant green monster.

"Does anyone know what this is all about? We haven't gotten an order to assemble in years…" Bruce asked as he tried and failed to yank one of his many suit cases out of the back of the limo.

Clint waved him off "Fury hasn't said a thing, but he wants us all in there ASAP so leave the bags for someone else, lets go."

They all turned towards the large building that had been providing agent Romanov and Hawkeye their shade. It was a large building, standing for the most part, alone in the woods. Five stories high with lots of windows, it was a tactical mess… and Natasha knew exactly where they were, though she didn't care to share this information with her teammates… perhaps she was wrong, perhaps they had been called here to help with something completely separate….

Once inside they found themselves escorted to a small conference room in the basement, no windows for people to peek into, and cement walls to contain their conversation. While Tony and Bruce caught up with Steve and Clint, Natasha sat in a chair on the far side of the room and took in her surroundings. Fury had stepped out through the only door just as they had arrived, there was no technology in the room, just a table and seven chairs around it. Wait, seven chairs…. But there are only six of us… who could the seventh one be for? Natasha thought she might know the answer, but she prayed she was wrong.

Natasha had been so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't notice Steve sitting next to her until he touched her hand with a worried look on his face. Caught by surprise she acted on instinct and dropped him to the ground. The room went silent, all eyes on her as she stood over Rogers, her hands raised ready to fight.

"What the hell?" Tony exclaimed, Clint hurried to her side but she raised her hand in protest.

"I'm sorry, I was distracted… I didn't see you there and you surprised me Steve." She offered a hand to help him up, and he accepted.

"It's alright" he said as he brushed off his shirt "I should know better than to sneak up on the black widow!" People laughed, it was no big deal, but Tasha's hands were still shaking. Fury walked into the room taking everyone's attention away from her before people could ask further questions.

"Avengers," he said in his loud commanding voice "I want to thank you all for coming on such short notice!" They all sat and looked at him expectantly.

"I would like to start off by stressing that what I'm about to tell you is highly classified, and possibly the best kept secret within shield. After I brief you, you will be among about ten people who know the truth. And so I must stress that we keep this under wraps…. For the safety of all involved."

"What?" Tony challenged, "more secret than aliens attacking New York?"

Fury nodded and Tony's smirk disappeared. "After the attack on New York a woman contacted me shield and said that she needed to speak with me and only me. There are a lot of holes in the story… but it seems that that incident was not Loki's first adventure to earth. We don't know how, but fifteen years ago, ten years before any one knew who Loki was, he came to earth."

Fury had not meant to pause here, but the room erupted into questions.

"How is that possible?"

"How could you keep this from us?"

"How do we know you are telling us everything?"

Only one person did not looked shocked, and did not ask a single question; Natasha.

Finally Steve got everyone to be quiet "Look you guys, I don't like being lied to anymore than you do… but Fury is telling us now, so lets just deal with one question at a time. Fury, what did Loki want with earth fifteen years ago?"

Fury shrugged, Nick Fury actually shrugged, "I wish I knew Captain. I don't know why he came or how long he stayed… all we have is that woman's story."

"Which is?" Bruce prompted.

"The woman recognized him from a video on the internet, the one of Loki in Germany confronting the Captain. She was in shock because here she was ten years later and he looked exactly the same, the father of her child."

Again the room exploded into panic, but Fury silenced them with a great shout. "I promise to tell you what I know but please be quiet!" they all silenced. "The woman said that it had been a one night stand, she never even got a phone number from him… and but the time she realized she was pregnant he was long gone. She had given up the child for adoption and had no idea where it was. It took some digging but we found her and brought her here about four years ago. I thought about telling you all then but the child showed no promise of having supernatural abilities… and your focus was better served else where.

There was a silence for a moment, and then Bruce spoke up. "So now, why are you telling us now?"

"Two reasons actually; one, the child has started to show some signs of powers, and two… as best our scientists can guess… we will be getting a visit from Asguard very soon."

"And the child" Steve asked quietly "It's a…."

Natasha sat up and looked at Fury, he nodded, and she whispered "A girl, it's a girl."

Clint and Tony swung towards her "How do you know, have you known this whole time?"

She took a deep breath before responding… there was no going back now, might as well get it over with. "I know, because she is my daughter."