Author's Notes:

Inspired by esama's Brighter Stars (on AO3, not sure if it is on here?)

This is a lighthearted take to get me started on NaNoWriMo. I have a few chapters written already and will post as I finish editing them.

Hope you enjoy! :)

...

Natasha peers through the cockpit window at the darkening skies, thunder rumbling in the distance. She doesn't like how quickly the dark clouds are forming. So far the mission has been a success, but her instincts have her waiting for the next obstacle.

Loki has been captured they and are on their way back to the Helicarrier. It had been easier than expected, in no small part thanks to Stark's help. As obnoxious as the man can be it had been quite the relief to see that Coulson had managed to convince him to help.

Over her headset Fury asks, "He said anything?"

"Not a word." She answers with a concerned frown.

"Just get him here. We're low on time." Fury orders, so she focuses her attention on navigating the oncoming storm. They are flying as fast as the stealth jet can go and the sudden, unpredictable gusts of wind are making it difficult.

Her co-pilot is very experienced however, so she feels comfortable navigating while half listening to the whispered conversation behind her.

"I don't like it." Rogers and Stark are standing close to each other, Stark's helmet recently taken off and resting on one of the equipment racks.

"What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?"

"I don't remember it ever being that easy. This guy packs a wallop."

"Still, you are pretty spry, for an older fellow. What's your thing? Pilates?"

"What?"

Natasha breathes slowly out through her nose, too professional and well-trained to sigh like she wants to. Stark better be keeping a close eye on Loki, and not letting the novelty of Captain America distract him too badly.

"It's like calisthenics. You might have missed a couple things, you know, doing time as a Capsicle."

She can hear Captain Rogers shift on his feet. Hopefully she doesn't also need to worry about Rogers staying on task. Babysitting both of them is beyond the scope of her mission.

"Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in."

"Yeah, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you."

Natasha doesn't have time to think about whether or not she should reply to that, for she's jerked in her seat as lightning nearly hits the jet. Behind her, Rogers and Stark stumble as it shakes violently. She'd tell them to sit down and buckle in, but they also need to be ready to move if Loki tries anything.

"Where's this coming from?" She asks the jet at large, getting frustrated as stronger and stronger winds buffet them. This storm isn't behaving like any she'd flown through before. It almost felt as if it was homing in on them.

But that was impossible.

Thunder rumbles even closer to the jet. It was so close and loud she can feel it vibrating in her chest. Not a good sign.

"What's the matter?" She spares a glance back, thinking Rogers is talking to her for a moment, to see him frowning at Loki, "Scared of a little lightning?"

"I'm not overly fond of what follows." She can't see his face, focused as she is on navigating the storm, but she finds it curious that the first words he'd speak since they picked him up were to comment on a storm.

A blinding flash briefly forces her to close her eyes. Had they just been hit by lightning? The jet rocks again. She tries to blink the spots from her eyes, worried about damage to the jet. But the instruments all show readings she'd expect while flying in a storm, nothing out of the ordinary. Her co-pilot quickly confirms that his readings also match hers.

Movement has her looking up at the window. She can't stop herself. She yells, "The hell!"

Twin calls of, "What?" echo behind her.

Followed by a more high pitched, "What!" from Stark.

Out there in the storm, straddling the nose of the stealth jet, face pressed against the glass, is a bearded man with messy long hair.

"How is he- Who is this guy?" Stark asks.

"One of yours?" She turns to look behind her, giving up control to her co-pilot. But Loki is just sitting back in the seat, watching them with a pinched look on his face.

"Another Asgardian?" She asks out loud, more to herself than the others, not completely sure. He almost looks like the guy they have on file, or at least the long hair seemed to match. However the beard, the storm, and the clothes made it hard to tell.

They all blink in shock when the surprise passenger waves at them.

"Think the guy's a friendly?" Steve asks hesitantly in response to the wave.

"Only one way to find out." Stark's voice went mechanical part way through the sentence, his helmet now in place. She doesn't need to look to hear the heavy clank of his boots as he stalks towards the back hatch, an alert on the console showing he has opened it.

"Stark wait, we can't just-" The Captain futilely tries to reign Stark in.

Natasha is still staring at their surprise passenger so she sees when panic starts to fill his face, his eyes darting around the interior of the ship. If this is the Asgardian known as Thor, then Coulson had reported he'd declared himself the 'defender of Midgard'. She sure hopes that is still true. As much confidence as she has in Fury, it would put her mind more at ease to have a source of intel on Loki on their side.

"He's starting to slip-" Natasha manages to warn, just as the man-sized fly slides off the nose of the jet, and starts to fall