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Natasha slips through the crowded streets of Berlin to the cafe where she’s supposed to meet Fury, who had asked her to courier an important package. Natasha doesn’t know what’s in the package; she’s not sure she wants to know. For all that he’s supposed to be dead, Fury has stayed very involved.
And Fury’s involved in things that Natasha has no desire to be involved with, like aliens.
She plops into the seat across from him. He’s dressed casually, in jeans, a t-shirt, and an Army jacket, with sunglasses and a ski hat. “How was your trip?” Fury asks.
“It was fine,” Natasha replies evenly.
Fury waves over a passing waiter, and Natasha says in German, “Could I get a beer, please?”
The waiter nods. “Of course, madam.”
Fury smirks. “Your German is a little rusty.”
“And you would know, how?” Natasha asks. “It’s not like you speak the language.”
“I know a few words,” Fury replies. “Did you have any trouble with the package?”
Natasha passes him the envelope under the table. “I think you know me better than that.”
Fury slips it inside his jacket. “Have you seen Winchester or Banner lately?”
Natasha sighs. “You know I haven’t. I’ve been too busy running other people’s errands.”
“It was necessary,” Fury replies.
“I’m sure it was,” Natasha says. “And I don’t want to know.”
Fury grimaces. “If I’m reading the signs right, you won’t have a choice about knowing soon.”
Natasha doesn’t like the sound of that. The last time Fury had plans like this was before Sokovia, and he had a network of people and vessels ready to ride to the rescue. She can’t deny that Fury made the right call, and she’s sure he’s making the right call now, but she still doesn’t want to know.
“And you’ve been helping the Captain,” Fury comments.
“On occasion,” Natasha admits. “There are some folks who don’t deserve the restrictions of the Accords.”
Fury grimaces. “True enough.”
Natasha still believes in the Accords, in their necessity, even though they’d made Dean and Bruce fugitives. At the time, the Accords had kept the peace, and allowed people to believe that the “alien threat” had been contained, that the government was doing something about it.
There are still vigilantes who take the law into their own hands, and Steve isn’t the only one who’s helping behind the scenes, but things have calmed down.
“You should visit,” Fury says quietly. “Check in on them.”
Natasha frowns. “Is there a reason for that?”
Fury shrugs. “It’s nice to know that there are a couple of Avengers waiting in the wings just in case we need them. But that would mean knowing that they’re both willing to step back into the spotlight.”
Natasha drums her fingers on the table briefly, before clenching her hand into a fist, and then relaxing. She knows that Fury caught that tell.
“Do you think they won’t?” Fury asks.
“I think they both have no desire to be used as weapons,” Natasha replies. “And it would probably take another alien invasion or the Accords being revoked for them to emerge.”
Fury tilts his head. “An alien invasion, huh?” The pause is pregnant and telling. “If you’re going to be seeing them anyway, I do have a package that ought to be delivered to King T’Challa.”
Natasha has never been to Wakanda, although she knows how advanced they are, better than the rest of the world. “I’ve heard they don’t welcome outsiders.”
“King T’Challa will send a courier to meet you,” Fury replies. “And you might stop in to see Banner and Winchester while you’re there.”
“What does the king know?” Natasha asks bluntly.
“King T’Challa knows where they are, and what they’re doing,” Fury replies. “Neither of them have done anything in two years, other than working for an NGO.”
Natasha frowns. “And T’Challa is fine with them operating in his backyard.”
“They’ve been doing a lot of good work,” Fury replies mildly. “Building schools, transporting medicines and other supplies, teaching… If they had an incident, that might change.”
Natasha knows there’s more going on than what she knows about at this point. There’s something brewing, and Fury is trying to put his chess pieces into the optimal places. “What about Stark?”
“You’ll have to ask him,” Fury replies. “Will you go?”
Natasha holds back a sigh. “Of course.”
It has been too long since she’s seen Dean, and she feels like she at least owes him a warning. Dean should know about Fury’s machinations, and that Dean is currently a piece on Fury’s board.
Fury passes her an package of his own. “That has all the details, as well as the package for King T’Challa.”
Natasha makes it disappear and takes a sip of her beer. “Anything else I should warn them about?”
“There’s nothing definitive,” Fury replies. “So, I wouldn’t say anything at all.”
Natasha doesn’t love the idea. She’s hidden the truth from Dean often enough in the past, she doesn’t want to hide the information from him now. “I’ll assess the situation,” is what she ends up saying.
These days, she does favors for Fury, and for Steve, but her loyalty isn’t to them. Her loyalty is to Dean, and to the world.
Fury snorts. “You can just say, ‘go fuck yourself.’”
“When have I ever said that to you?” Natasha asks.
Fury chuckles. “More times than I can count, but never in so many words.”
Natasha smiles. “I’ll carry your message.”
But she doesn’t promise anything about the content.
“Watch your back, Natasha,” Fury advises.
“I always do,” she replies.
She finishes her beer, and then she takes her leave, slipping back into the crowded streets.
And it seems as though her next stop will be Africa. She just has to figure out where Bruce and Dean are at present.
~~~~~
Unlike the first time she tracked Dean down, Natasha doesn’t have to try quite as hard this time. Dean and Bruce are both still working for Crossing Borders, still operating out of Africa, and so she only has to figure out where their current assignment is.
Right now, they’re in south Sudan, dispensing food and medicine to those displaced by the continued fighting between the rebels and the government.
And Natasha knows exactly where they are.
She buys a motorcycle in Juba, as well as a few supplies, and begins traveling the roads to the White Nile state, where they’re working with Doctors Without Borders. She knows they’ve been moving between various locations to courier supplies, and that they’re both regarded as trustworthy and capable.
Natasha doesn’t know exactly where they are, but she has a good lead, and she heads for Dilling. She’s heard that medicines are being dispensed to expecting mothers and children.
She finds them there, working out of a tent. Dean is in conversation with a woman and a small child, and she can see the gentleness in his eyes as he cups the child’s cheek with a tender hand. He says something that causes her to giggle after it’s translated, and then she throws her arms around Dean’s neck.
Natasha isn’t terribly interested in kids, but she has a tendency to watch people around kids, and judge them accordingly. Dean ticks every box. He’s fundamentally kind and generous, and children seem to understand that instinctively.
Dean holds the girl while the doctor administers the vaccine, and then the doctor applies a brightly colored band-aid, and Dean sets the girl down gently.
He presses his hand to the top of her head and smiles at the mother, and she presses his hand, which Dean waves off.
Bruce is the first to catch sight of her, and he’s one of those administering vaccines. He nods at her, and offers a welcoming smile, and Natasha is grateful for that much.
And then Dean seems to sense her, because his head comes up, and he grins, his teeth very white against the reddish gold of his beard. He says something to the child and her mother he’s helping, and then makes his way over to her. “Hey, stranger.”
Natasha accepts his hug and clings a bit to him. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s always good to see you,” Dean replies. He rests his forehead against hers. “Pretty sure I want to scandalize everyone here.”
“Let’s avoid that, no matter how tempting it might be,” Natasha says. “How are you?”
“Busy, as you can see,” Dean says. “If I could get a couple of hours, I can wrap up here. Bruce is a good sport, and he’ll finish up the rest.”
Natasha has always admired a good worth ethic. “Can I help?”
Dean blinks. “If you want, but you don’t have to.”
“I wouldn’t have offered if I had to,” Natasha replies. “Besides, what is it they say? Many hands make light work?”
Dean’s grin widens. “Well, I certainly don’t mind if you participate. Bruce! Can we put Natasha to work?”
“Of course,” Bruce replies. “Dr. Nichols could use another pair of hands.”
Natasha rolls up her sleeves, and Dean introduces her to Dr. Nichols, who’s an older woman from England working for Doctors Without Borders. “Do you speak Dinka?” the doctor asks.
Natasha shakes her head. “No, it’s one of the languages I don’t speak.”
“Well, no matter,” the doctor replies. “Many of the people here do speak English, and you’ll be fine. I mostly just need another set of hands to keep the patients still.”
Natasha nods. “Which vaccines are being administered?”
“Several, today,” Dr. Nichols admits. “Yellow fever and polio mostly, but also tDAP. I assumed you’ve had your shots.”
“I’m good,” Natasha replies. “I’m well vaccinated.”
“Then there’s no problem,” Dr. Nichols replies.
Natasha gets a feeling for how hard Dean and Bruce work that afternoon. There’s a steady stream of refugees coming in for vaccines, many of them malnourished and dehydrated. Natasha’s role is similar to that of Dean’s, just holding babies and children and providing another set of hands.
She’s wrung out at the end of the day when the pop-up clinic closes, and she follows Dean and Bruce back to the tent where they’re staying. Dean offers her a tired smile and says, “I think we’ve got MREs if you’re hungry.”
“That would be good,” Natasha replies. “I did bring a few supplies of my own.”
“We have enough for tonight,” Bruce says. “But we wouldn’t say no to the supplies.”
Natasha is a little surprised that they have MREs, and some of that must have shown on her face, because Dean says, “We picked them up in Dar es Salaam, part of a care package that Tony sent.”
“You’re still in contact with him,” Natasha comments.
Bruce shrugs. “And sometimes we even meet up.”
Natasha isn’t surprised by that information. Bruce had help from SHIELD to stay off the Army’s radar before the Avengers Initiative, but he’d been good at hiding. Dean is a highly skilled operative, and he’d made it extraordinarily difficult to find them. She doesn’t doubt their ability to slip in and out of various countries in order to meet up with Tony, even though Tony makes a big splash anywhere he goes.
But then, she hasn’t seen Tony in the news much recently.
“I haven’t heard much about Tony,” Natasha comments.
“He’s not interested in being an errand boy,” Bruce says dryly. “And he’s trying to position himself to be selected as the next Secretary of Defense, or maybe State.”
Natasha isn’t surprised. “It’s probably the only way you’ll be able to go home.”
“Tony is aware,” Bruce replies. “That’s why he’s been staying quiet and keeping his nose clean, while greasing the right palms.”
Dean grins briefly. “I figure if anyone can do it, Tony can. And I’ve heard that there are a few lawsuits being pursued to force the U.S. to withdraw from the Accords.”
“Good luck to them,” Bruce comments. “I think they’re risking Inhumans being labeled as…well, not human.”
“Just because we’re different doesn’t mean we don’t have rights,” Dean replies. “But you do make a fair point.”
“It will take years to work through the courts,” Bruce points out. “And there are a lot of people who are going to be hurt along the way.”
Dean shrugs. “Which is why we’re in South Sudan, and will remain as far removed as possible.”
Natasha raises her eyebrows. “You do know that Wakanda is just next door, right?”
“Wakanda doesn’t need our services, and they keep themselves to themselves,” Dean points out. “As long as we don’t cross the border, and we don’t cause an incident, Wakanda doesn’t have a reason to have interest in us.”
Bruce finishes up his meal, and says mildly, “Think I’ll go have a drink with Dr. Nichols. She did invite me over tonight.”
“Does she know you’re taken?” Natasha asks.
Bruce gives her a look. “I’m perfectly capable of having a friendship with both men and women. Just ask Dean.”
Natasha winces. “Sorry.”
Bruce shrugs. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
“Was that his way of leaving the way clear for us?” Natasha asks after he’s gone.
Dean smiles. “That’s exactly what that was, especially since Bruce isn’t entirely fond of Dr. Nichols because she likes to hint at forming a friends with benefits relationship any time they get together privately.”
“So he really is taking one for the team?” Natasha asks.
Dean scratches at his beard. “He really is. And you tweaking him about his relationship with Tony isn’t great, Nat.”
Natasha knows he’s right. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I know you didn’t,” Dean replies. “But Bruce doesn’t deal with people making passes at him very well.”
Natasha nods. “I get it. I won’t bring it up again.”
Dean inclines his head. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
Natasha gives him a look. “Since Bruce is taking one for the team, should we—?”
“If you’re up for it,” Dean replies. “Who knows when we’ll get another chance?”
She wonders then if he feels it, too, this sense of impending doom. She hasn’t even told him about what Fury had said, about it being good that there are a couple of Avengers at large.
“I have some information that you might be interested in,” she begins.
Dean shakes his head. “Later. Let’s not talk business right now.”
They come together then, discarding clothes, with a passion that comes from a long separation and knowing how brief their time together will be.
“Condom?” Natasha asks.
Dean grimaces. “I haven’t bought any for ages.”
Natasha grins. “Good thing I brought supplies, then.” She grabs a condom from her pack that she’d stashed at the foot of Dean’s bed. “I came prepared. You were obviously never a Boy Scout.”
“Hey, it’s been months since I’ve seen you,” Dean protests. “And I don’t have a reason to buy them without you around, do I?”
Natasha can appreciate that. “Then it’s a very good thing I came prepared.”
She rides Dean, wanting the control, and appreciating the fact that Dean is willing to cede it so easily. Dean rests his hands on her hips, but he lets her move at her own pace, to take her pleasure.
“I’m close,” Dean warns her.
“Don’t come,” Natasha orders, slowing down, moving at a rhythm she knows will keep Dean on edge but that works for her.
When she does come, Natasha says, “You can come any time you like now.”
And then she speeds up, and Dean comes in short order.
They’re both covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and Natasha removes the condom and ties it off. “Is there a place for us to clean up?”
Dean nods. “There’s a place for aid workers, but it’s not much.”
“I doubt Bruce is going to want to smell sex,” Natasha replies.
The shower is a tepid trickle of water from a makeshift shower made out of a pipe and a bucket. Natasha has soap she’d brought along, and she got as clean as she could under the circumstances.
She uses her dirty shirt to towel off, since she didn’t bring one. She pulls on clean clothes, and heads back to the tent and finds Dean already there.
“That was fast,” she comments.
Dean shrugs. “Practice. What information do you have?”
Natasha sits down next to him. “There’s something brewing, Dean. King T’Challa knows where you are and who you work for, but he’s willing to let that go. I think he might be glad that there are a couple of Avengers in his backyard.”
“Which means that he’s going to need us for some reason,” Dean comments. “Do you know why?”
“There are some questions I don’t ask,” Natasha says gravely.
Dean blows out a breath. “So, the king of Wakanda knows who we are, where we are, and he knows if he needs a human bomb and an enormous green rage monster, he can get us?”
“What are you going to do?” Natasha asks.
Dean rolls his eyes. “Come on. You know me. If I need to save the world, I’m going to save the world. It’s what we do.”
Natasha kisses him. “The world thanks you.”
“I’ll settle for your gratitude,” Dean replies. “Are you going to stay tonight?”
Natasha has stayed with Bruce and Dean before, and while it’s a bit awkward, it’s not terrible if she and Dean squeeze together.
“Where else am I going to go?” Natasha asks.
“That’s not what I asked,” Dean replies.
“I’m going to stay,” Natasha says. “And I’ll stay for a few days. I don’t have anywhere else I need to be right now.”
And she wants to see Dean while she can before the shit hits the fan, as she know it probably will.