"Five years ago, I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my back-swing. Turned out it was the best round of my life, because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass . . . I found something 40 years in the Army had never taught me: Perspective. The world owes the Avengers an un-payable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives . . . but while a great many people see you as heroes, there are some . . . who would prefer the word 'vigilantes'."

Thaddeus Ross, the Secretary of State, stands at the head of the conference table. He looks at all of us, Sam, Natasha and Steve on one side, the other starting with Wanda, me, then Rhodey. Tony is seated at the back of the room in a chair against the wall, not a part of the table.

"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?"

Natasha's head is tilted in a curious manner, testing him in front of everyone. He picks up on her slight attitude and shoots back, "How about 'dangerous?'"

Wanda and I look at each other, her face unsure of what's about to unfold in front of us. I have a bad feeling.

"What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?"

I hang my head at that, understand that he has a point. Even before I joined the team, I was always shown things about them, shown the destruction they caused. Strucker was a douche, but he was right when he said that once the Avengers formed, chaos just seemed to follow. I know we fight for the greater good, but is it worth it if all we leave behind is rubble that was once someone's home? Or letting innocent people like Charlie Spencer die?

He then pulls up a clip, saying "New York" as I see the Hunk crash through buildings, civilians screaming in perils and fear. I glance at Tony who is just hanging his head, shaking it in disappointment. Nat can't even blink her eyes are glued that tightly to the screen.

"Washington D.C."

Ships crash into water, hurting innocent people, causing them to run, get injured or just ruining city property.

"Sokovia."

This one makes my fists clench. That's where Pietro died.

I watch as the city flies up, ripping apart from the ground, buildings falling into the crater that has now formed. I sense Wanda stiffen as she watches her home falling apart. Tony glances up now, closing his eyes in despair as he tries not to watch.

Then it cuts to a clip I know too well.

"Lagos."

The burning building Wanda threw Rumlow into, people being pulled out on stretchers, many injured, and then a close up of a woman lying dead on the ground.

Wanda sucks in a sharp breath, looking away as tears begin to drip from her eyes. I grab her hand and hiss up at Ross, "Okay, that's enough."

He nods and turns off the monitor, "For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution."

He slides over a pretty hefty document in front of Wanda who delicately picks it up.

"The Sokovia Accords."

I lean over her shoulder to take a look myself, noticing Rhodey reaching his hand silently out to us, asking for it. I nod and tap Wanda's arm so she notices and slides it over to him.

Secretary Ross begins to walk around the table, "Approved by 117 countries . . . it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel, only when and if that panel deems it necessary."

I sit back, taking in a deep breath, hearing Steve speak up as-a-matter-of-factly.

"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that."

"Tell me Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?"

Now that I think of it...Thor is probably back home on Asgard but Bruce...he disappeared not too long ago. He didn't tell us where but he just...left.

"If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes . . . you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground." His eyes now land on me. I nod in understanding, "So, there are contingencies."

"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords."

Steve turns to look at Tony for anything, a word even, but Tony just looks up at him, then back down. I watch the silent conversation between them go down before Ross tells us to "talk it over."

Nat chimes in now, "and if we come to a decision you don't like?"

He pauses and looks right at her, dead serious look in his eyes.

"Then you retire."

When he walks out the room is silent. Wanda is frozen in place, eyes trained on the Sokovia Accords before everyone else leaves the room.

"Wands," I whisper, reaching for her hand. She closes her eyes while taking a deep breath. She's holding back her tears but when she opens her eyes I notice the glossiness.

"If Pietro were here, he would be so disappointed in me."

"What?! Why-why would you ever say that?"

Her hands push her back from the table as she stands and grabs the remote, turning the monitor back on and going to the clips of Lagos.

"Look what I did! I killed innocent people! That woman is dead because I couldn't keep my emotions in check. He just started talking about you and what they did to you and I-I-I..." The clip reverses back to showing Wanda first attacking Rumlow, trapping him in the fire ball. Her eyes are fiercely red, face scrunched together in furious anger before the destruction happens.

"I'm a monster."

Her voice comes out in a mortified whisper before her body shudders at the images of children coughing, being pulled out on stretchers. I grab the remote and shut it off, then pull Wanda into my arms, cradling her head against my chest as she cries.

"You are the farthest thing from a monster. Pietro would be proud of you, you are a hero, Wanda."

"Heroes don't torture people."

"Yeah well villains don't regret their actions."

Pulling away, she lifts her gaze to meet mine and her lips ever so slightly curl upwards.

"How did I get so lucky?"

With a smug shrug, I offer a lopsided smirk, shoulders shrugging, "I've been asking myself that about you for quite some time now."

__

A/N: Protect Wanda at all costs 🥺