Sam frowned as he spotted an envelope with his name on the bed that he'd claimed as his for the duration of their (what he assumed would be short) stay at the safehouse. He picked it up and tipped it to empty the contents onto the bed. His frown deepened as he found a passport and driver's licence with his photo on them albeit slightly altered and under a different name, some cash, and a slip of paper with an address on it that he didn't recognize. What the hell?

He turned over the envelope to look at the writing on the front again and quickly recognized Natasha's writing. Okay, so courtesy of our resident spy… But why? Are we splitting up?

He rubbed the bridge of his nose as he let out a heavy exhale and resolved to ask Nat for some more information before he jumped to conclusions. He shoved the contents back into the envelope and headed out of the bedroom in search of Nat. It didn't take long to find her in the kitchen, leaning against the counter discussing with Steve some intelligence she'd brought back with her after her last trip, while Wanda was on the nearby couch, feet tucked underneath her as she read a novel

"So, uh, we gonna talk about these, or no?" All three of them looked up and Sam wiggled the envelope for them to see what he was talking about. "Because I assume she gave you guys your own envelopes too," he added, flicking his gaze first to Wanda and then to Steve.

Steve turned to face him with concern written clearly on his face. "What is it?" he asked as he reached out to take the envelope and have a look. Sam watched as his expression shifted to confusion and then into disbelief as he examined the contents before he turned to face Natasha. "Nat?" Steve prompted, but she just shrugged.

"It's a precaution. Yours is over there," she said, nodding with her head toward the bag by the door that held Steve's combat suit. "And Wanda, yours is in your bag in the other room."

"What is it?" Wanda asked, closing the book in her hands, and moving to get up and join them in the kitchen.

"Fake IDs, cash, and what I'm guessing is an address for a safehouse," Sam filled her in, noting Nat's nod at his mention of the safehouse address. He saw Wanda's eyes widen in surprise as she joined them and held out a hand to take the envelope from Steve and have a look for herself.

"These are a precaution?" Wanda said carefully, echoing Natasha's earlier words.

"Yes."

"For what exactly?" Sam chimed in while watching Steve's gaze shift back over to their friend as well.

"The worst-case scenario," Nat replied. Her tone was all business, with no real emotion to it. It was, truthfully, a little unsettling how casual she was being about it. Maybe that's just what you get living as a spy…

"You don't think that maybe this is already the worst-case scenario?" Sam said, voice rising a bit at the end. "We're all global fugitives. You probably even more than us because you broke the Accords after signing them." He held in a slight grimace because he realized as the words tumbled out of his mouth that they'd been a bit too accusatory. Nat had been keeping them all safe for a while now, not to mention he knew she was the mastermind behind their breaking out of the Raft in the first place.

"Thanks for the reminder," she replied coolly, shooting him a raised eyebrow, "but no, I don't think this is the worst-case scenario."

"Nat," Steve said, the unspoken request for more information rolled into her name.

She sighed before explaining. "When you're on the run and trying to keep off someone's radar you need escape plans, and you need backups for those plans. This is one of those backups."

"Backups?" Wanda echoed with a slight frown. "For what?"

"For if we need to disappear. Each of us needs that option given our current circumstances."

"What do you mean, each of us ?" Sam asked with a sinking feeling in his gut. He saw Wanda's wide eyes flicker with worry as she came to the same conclusion he had - the prospect of their little group breaking up.

"The safehouses are different for each of us."

"Why?" he pressed, hearing Wanda and Steve echo his question at the same time.

"Divide and conquer," she offered. "If we split up, then their forces do too."

"We're not splitting up," Steve said firmly, his tone leaving no space to argue...and yet, argue is exactly what Nat did.

"No offense, Steve, but that's too optimistic for our current situation. Look, I hope we don't have to split up and I'll do everything I can to try to make sure it doesn't happen, but we need to be prepared regardless. And right now, that means having escape hatches for each of us."

"I don't like this," Steve said with a deepening frown.

"Yeah, I've seen all the horror movies. You don't split up. That's an easy way to get killed," Sam added, a bit flippantly.

Nat rolled her eyes at his comment. "It's just a precaution. Not a foregone conclusion that we'll have to ever split up. And it's not like we couldn't link up again later."

"I bet you and Barton didn't have separate safehouses," Sam muttered a little petulantly, unable to imagine the two of them ever splitting up in their SHIELD heyday. And okay, he was maybe a little bitter about how things had turned out for them after getting out of the Raft...not that he hadn't expected it. He knew that the four of them had chosen this option by not going for deals, but it still stung to know Barton was safe and sound at home with his family while they remained global fugitives. Nice guys finish last, I guess , he thought darkly.

"We had lots of separate safehouses," she countered, a hard look in her eyes at his attempt at a barb. "You can't be in this business and not be prepared." Wanda sighed then and he watched as Nat's gaze flicked over to the younger woman. "I don't mean to scare you," she said to Wanda in a gentler tone than she'd used previously. She looked back at Steve before continuing, "I've spent more of my life on the run than not, so I'm used to preparing for all contingencies."

Steve's expression fell at her reply. "You don't have to live like that anymore, Nat," he said sadly. "You have us."

She half scoffed and half laughed at that, and Sam couldn't help agreeing with her reaction. Steve really was painfully naive at times. "Yeah, but we're still fugitives," she pointed out. "We need to be prepared to manage everything that comes with that."

"Seems a bit drastic," Steve offered with a frown.

She scoffed again. "Does it? Because I know for a fact Ross is gunning for us. By escaping we embarrassed him and by extension the US military. And maybe they'd be a bit lenient with you given your service record and reputation with the country and the world, but the rest of us wouldn't be looked on so kindly. Me especially, as Sam pointed out." Sam winced at her words. There was no venom in her tone though thankfully - it was just Nat being brutally honest.

"I think she's right," Wanda offered tentatively after a moment. "I don't like it either, but it seems necessary."

"I suppose it can't hurt to have backup plans, right?" Steve sighed. Sam could tell he wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea either but had to concede Nat was right - the world they were living in now was a lot different than when they'd been living at the Avengers Compound a few months prior.

"Could hurt in the long run," Sam pointed out, playing a bit of devil's advocate because there was no way that he was getting off easy if he was caught with fake IDs. Steve maybe. But him? Definitely not. Not Wanda either. And he's quite sure that they would throw Nat into the Raft and throw away the keys to her cell after everything she'd pulled over the years.

"You're currently a global fugitive and some fake IDs are what you're worried about?" Nat countered with an arched eyebrow. She seemed almost amused by his concern...and yeah, maybe she had a point.

"Yeah, okay, that's fair," Sam replied. "I'm just not-"

"I get it," she interrupted his reply, "this isn't your area of expertise. It's mine. That's why I'm taking care of these things."

Sam blew out a heavy exhale. "So, you just...what, like...have a guy for this kind of stuff?"

Her lips curled into a smile. "Why do you assume it's a man?"

"Whoa, no, no. We're not doing that," he said, waving his hands at her in innocence. "I said 'guy' and I meant that in the completely gender-neutral sense," he defended, though he could tell she was teasing him. It hit him then that she was manipulating the situation to put him at ease. Damn .

She smirked. "Yeah, I have a guy. He's who you can thank for the jet too."

"So, it is a guy," Sam said with a grin.

Steve, for his part, looked a bit pained. "Did you have to pay for it?"

"Of course, I did," she replied with another scoff. "These things aren't free."

Sam whistled. "You got some serious cash lying around, huh? What're we doing in this dump then?"

Steve shot Sam a look of warning and then refocused on Natasha. "I'm just worried we're running up your tab and you don't have enough to cover it."

"Don't worry, Cap. My registered safehouses were compromised when SHIELD fell, but I've always had stuff off the books. We'll have some spots we can use to jump around. Most of them have some stashed cash on hand, plus I've got a bunch of offshore accounts. Just a matter of being careful which ones to access and from where."

"Damn, girl," Sam said, impressed. Most of the unease at the discovery of the fake IDs (which, he recognized with hindsight was more about their overall situation than the details) had faded, leaving him free to relax into some of their familiar banter.

She flashed him a grin. "I told you, my backup plans have backup plans."

"Clearly. Is there anything I can do to help? I feel like I'm freeloading at this point."

She snorted in amusement. "You are, but it's okay. I actually have some business to deal with, so I'm going to leave you here for a few days. You can get the lay of the land here, and stock up on some essentials for the jet. We should be good for at least a week, maybe two here."

Sam saw Wanda's brow furrow into a frown of concern while Steve's eyes widened eagerly. "Need any help?" Steve asked.

"She just said she's leaving us here, Steve," Sam reminded him with a chuckle. "That was Nat being polite and telling us she doesn't want us tagging along."

She smirked. "Not as dumb as you look, Wilson."

"That's what all the ladies say," he quipped with a wink. "What's on the list?"

She listed off some stuff which Sam jotted down on a notepad and added a few extra things that she agreed with. "I'll pick us up some new burner phones on my way back that we can use, but for now you can use this one. My number's pre-programmed on it already, so shoot me a text if you need me."

"Where are you going?" Steve tried again and Sam groaned. He was clearly not accepting 'no' as an answer.

Nat rolled her eyes. "You are not subtle. At all."

"Wasn't trying to be. Given the reality we're living in, I think it's a good idea for us to know."

"You're just gonna have to trust me on this one."

"Nat," Steve pressed.

"Not gonna happen, Cap. This is something I have to do. Alone. I'll be back in a few days, a week tops."

Steve frowned deeply. "Aw, c'mon, Cap. Lighten up," Sam said, clapping his hand on Steve's shoulder. "Nat's a big girl, she can handle herself. Hell, she's been handling herself and all of us for years."

Nat flashed a grin at him, but Steve's frown remained. "I don't like this."

"Well, we all have to do things we don't like from time to time," she replied dryly, and Sam couldn't help but compare her to a disappointed parent speaking to a child who was pouting. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he figured Nat probably did feel like a disappointed parent a lot of the time with the Avengers. He held in a snort at that realization. Guess we're lucky she didn't just bounce and leave us on our own.

Sam glanced around to see if Steve was nearby before he poked his head into the room where Nat was to ask a question. Not seeing the man, he proceeded, "So, uh, I'll ask once and then drop it," he began, watching as Nat glanced up to meet his gaze, halting her task of throwing some clothes into a bag. "Where you're going...should we be worried?"

She shook her head. "You boys worry too much," she chided fondly. "It's fine, Sam. Really."

"Okay," he agreed. He may not be a fan of her leaving them so soon after she'd just gotten back from her last trip away, but he'd take her word for it. Like she'd told them - she'd been living this way far longer than any of them.

She tilted her head. "What, no objections?"

He flashed her a grin. "That's Steve's area, not mine. You're better at this than all of us combined, so I've got no leg to stand on to judge you or tell you what to do."

"I appreciate that," she replied with a nod before returning to packing.

"So, Leonard Reynolds, huh?" he said with a grin, referencing the name on his fake ID.

"Believe me, that's a good one. My contact screwed me over with one of mine." He looked at her expectantly, waiting for the reveal. She sighed as she looked up, pausing her packing for a moment. "Fanny Longbottom," she finally offered reluctantly.

Sam couldn't help the laugh. "Oh, that's good. I gotta meet this guy and shake his hand. I don't think there's anyone except maybe Clint that I woulda thought could do something like that to you and live to tell the tale."

She grinned as she resumed packing. "He and I go way back."

" Way back huh?" he said, using air quotes and throwing a wink her way.

She glared at him briefly. "Not like that." Then she paused for a beat. "Maybe a little like that," she conceded with a wink of her own.

"Oh, damn. Now I really gotta meet this guy."

She laughed. "He's shy. Doesn't like meeting new people. But I'll tell him you're a fan."

"So, he's who you're going to visit, huh?"

"Nope, but we talk occasionally. You know, like when I have to get shit for you all."

Sam held up his hands in a show of innocence and surrender. "Okay, ouch. You made your point earlier, no need to rub it in. I've accepted that I'm freeloading and at your mercy."

"Just tellin' it like it is, Wilson."

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled. "So, besides restocking the jet, you need us to do anything while you're gone?"

"Not really. Keep an eye on Steve though. He gets-"

"Antsy," Sam finished for her, "I know. He'll be alright. He's still dealing with Barnes going back into cryo. Tough for him - he had his friend back and then suddenly he's gone again."

"Yeah," she agreed distractedly, while she continued packing some things into her bag. She stopped for a moment. "And maybe check on Wanda too. I'm a little worried this is pushing her limits a bit."

"C'mon now, Nat. I'll keep an eye on them. You know I will. I got this."

She smiled. "I know. Don't tell Steve, but you're the level-headed one out of the three of you."

Sam chuckled. "Now you're just stroking my ego, Widow."

"You want me to take it back? 'Cause I can do that."

"Nah, it's out in the open now. Can't retract it."

She grabbed her bag and zipped it up, having finished packing. "I'll text you when I know how long I'll be gone. I should have cell service for most of the time."

Sam nodded seriously. "Got it. If we get made - where should we head to?"

"If you're together, go to the safehouse I gave Wanda. It's probably the easiest one for you guys to get to without me. If you get separated, then go to your individual ones. I know them all, so we can regroup that way."

He nodded again. "How bad you think it'll be for us if they find us?"

"Well, it's not gonna be good," she answered. "Your military service will probably help, as will the fact that you're less known than me and Steve. Wanda will be messier because she isn't a US citizen. Steve...depends on how much control they give Ross over his punishment. Honestly, I can see a deal being cut given Steve's mostly spotless record."

"And you?" Sam prompted, curious how she saw her own situation.

She smiled, and Sam couldn't decide if it was grim or amused. "They'll lock me up, no hesitation. My past is far from clean - I've done a lot of things that were against American interests-"

"Not of your own free will."

She smiled at his attempt to defend her. "They're not going to be making that distinction. I'm lucky they didn't throw me in a prison after I testified following the whole Hydra/SHIELD fiasco."

"You could escape though, right? I mean, you're the Black Widow. Sort of your specialty, no?"

"Thanks for the ego boost," she chuckled. "It depends on the situation. Maybe I could, or maybe I couldn't." She hesitated then for a second, her expression telling Sam she had something else she wanted to say. He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head in a silent gesture for her to go ahead and share. "Maybe I wouldn't ."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Nat-"

"It's okay," she reassured him, holding up a hand to halt his response. "I just mean - it might be the best play to dangle information in front of them to keep you guys out of their crosshairs."

Sam frowned. "You don't need to make that sacrifice play."

"Not your choice to make, Sam. It's mine."

"See, now I'm worried you're leaving to go do something stupid," he said, taking a step forward to close the distance between them a bit.

"Relax, Sam. Just some business I have to take care of. I'll be back to hand you your ass while training before you know it." He held her gaze, his brow knitted in a deep frown. "Careful, or your face'll stay like that," she teased. "I'll be back soon. Let me know if Steve's thinking of doing something dumb so I can get back here to talk him down if you can't."

"Alright," Sam conceded after another beat of silence between them. "Take care of yourself though, okay?"

"Always," she replied with a wink as she headed out the door to say goodbye to Wanda and Steve.

Enjoyed the banter between Natasha and Sam? Amused by Steve's stubborn tendency to be naive?
Always love to see your thoughts/comments. 😊

(And yes, I 100% envision this trip being one Nat takes to go visit her sister.)

Also, for those interested, I posted a oneshot called Trace Decay about Yelena's memories of Natasha - check it out if you're so inclined!