Ch 66 The Sokovia Accords

The next day, everyone had some breakfast. The atmosphere was a bit tense due to what they were all going to watch.

"Promise me one thing." Benjamin said as Steve and Tony looked at him, "No fighting here."

Steve and Tony looked at each other and laughed awkwardly.

"No."

"No fighting here."

"That's ridiculous."

"No one will be fighting here."

Odinson and Logan exchanged a look. The weird laughter reminded him of his and Quill's laughter when the Guardians had suggested they knife-fight each other.

"Why am I not convinced?" Natasha muttered.

"Because it is not convincing." Bucky told her.

"Damn right!" Fury said.

"I think we can do better than that, right?" Tony said.

"We sure can." Steve agreed.

"Well, they're becoming friends now." Thor joked and everyone laughed.

"Yeah we can see that." Logan said.

"Where's older me?" Wanda suddenly asked.

"She went to meet Dr. Strange for something." Odinson said and they all nodded.

Wanda had first decided to break up with Vision this day but now, she had decided breaking up at the end of all this was better for them all.

"I think it's time now." Clint said.

"Yeah, I need to see how that happened." Bruce said too.

"Well then, brace yourselves." Benjamin said and they all moved to the viewing room. Logan switched on the TV as they all sat on their respective places on the couches.

In 1991, at a secret Hydra facility, a Hydra agent pulled a red book with a black star on the cover out of a secret compartment. Meanwhile, The Winter Soldier was being let out of cryo-freeze.

Steve watched the scene uncomfortable while Bucky watched with wide eyes. Natasha had his hand in her firm but gentle grasp.

Later, Bucky screamed in pain as he was strapped to a chair, machinery on his head that was obviously causing him pain. The machinery was removed and the Hydra agent opened the book, saying different words in Russian until Bucky stilled. But it was no longer Bucky Barnes, but The Winter Soldier, ready to comply with his master's demands.

Steve, Bucky and Natasha felt physically pained at what they were witnessing as Bucky took deep breaths. Tony himself seemed very uncomfortable. If he hadn't apologized to Bucky earlier, he would have now.

"Those words are no longer in you now, are they?" Natasha simply asked.

"No." Bucky simply shook his head.

"My sister and the other scientists removed the programming." T'Challa said as Bucky nodded in appreciation.

Wanda herself felt uncomfortable and felt empathy for Bucky, remembering how they had duped her and Pietro by claiming to be SHIELD and how the Mind Stone had made her unstable.

Peter would have shook with fear if he hadn't seen the earlier recording of Bucky's torture. But it didn't make this any less heart-wrenching. Bucky really had gone through a lot. More than most.

The scene changed to a road at night. A car passed and The Soldier, on a motorcycle, drove after it. With a single shot from a pistol, The Solider caused the car to crash. Parking, The Soldier walked up to the truck and opened it, revealing a silver brief case inside.

Tony, Steve and Bucky were all pale at this scene for several reasons. Tony because he remembered his parents dying and him trying to kill Bucky. Steve because of what he had kept from his friend, even though he shouldn't have. And Bucky because of what he had done.

Sam put a hand on Steve's shoulder and he nodded in appreciation while Pepper and Natasha held Tony's and Bucky's hands respectively.

No one commented wisely.

Later, at the Hydra facility, The Soldier gave the briefcase to the Hydra agent, who opened it up to reveal three liquid packets.

"The Serums" Sam muttered in realization.

In present day Lagos, Wanda and Natasha were in a café, surveying the scene. Steve was in a hotel room overlooking the scene as Wanda updated him over the Comms. Some newspaper articles about Brock Rumlow were seen in the hotel room as Steve spotted a bullet proof van on the streets.

"Oh! That!" Natasha said.

"That Rumlow guy from the earlier recording huh? He's back then." Scott said.

"He is the one we were trying to stop in Lagos." Steve said.

"And it was a disaster." Sam sighed.

"Unfortunate." Hope muttered.

Natasha gently scolded Wanda about her lack of awareness, causing Sam to remark about Natasha's paranoia.

"I have been more aware since then." Wanda said and everyone simply nodded.

"Don't say that to her face." Clint told Sam and they all chuckled.

"You're lucky you're still alive." Fury joked and everyone chuckled.

Steve mentioned they've been looking for Rumlow for six months before spotting a suspicious garbage truck. Steve ordered Sam to tag it and Sam fired Redwing from his pack.

"Okay, that is awesome." Peter said in awe.

"Cute, right?" Sam asked as everyone chuckled.

Redwing scanned the truck, showing it was filled to the max and the driver was armed. Steve realized the target isn't the police on the street as the driver jumped out of the truck. The truck flipped over and took out a security checkpoint just as the guard jumped away. A utility truck then pulled up, opening up to reveal armed men dressed in tactical gear.

"Son of a bitch." Tony said.

As they began gassing the building, Steve jumped down as Sam flew over him, having dropped him there. Steve smashed one of them into the truck with his shield before kicking the truck. It moved and hit a soldier, sending him flying off.

Everyone clapped a bit as Rhodes said, "You get stronger in every recording."

"Thank you." Steve shrugged.

Steve threw his shield, taking out one of the men as the shield returned to him. Steve then rushed up the side of an AFV and onto the roof, sending a kick to one of the armed men. The man was sent flying into the wall, hitting hard it and getting knocked out as Steve told the others what kind of gear they wore. Meanwhile, Sam flew onto a bridge, where two of the armed men were. Sam used his wings to shield himself from the bullets before kicking them out and then shot a third. The man fell and landed on a truck, smashing the top of it and getting knocked out. Another opened fire on the ground but Wanda flew in, using her powers to shield herself from the bullets before sending the man flying into the air. Sam flew down and punched the man, sending him flying down to the ground and knocking him out.

"Atta girl." Clint complimented and Wanda flushed at the praise, though she still had a sinking feeling in her gut as she knew what was coming.

"I find your powers…impressive." Loki said.

"Thank you." Wanda said simply.

The trio met up and Sam used Redwing to locate Rumlow on the third floor of the building. Wanda used her powers to hurl Steve into the air and through the window on the third floor. Steve ripped out one's mask, suffocating him and kicking him out. Rumlow broke the lab door and walked into the lab and found the biological weapon.

"He has gear to match your strength this time, Cap." Peter said.

"I know, kid." Steve sighed.

"He doesn't know who he is facing." Logan said.

Steve took cover behind a pillar and threw his shield, ricocheting it off the ground and dazing a guy before punching him out and then blocking another man's shots, pulled him down and slammed him into a pillar.

"Brutal." Hope said, "Though they deserve it."

Wanda used her powers to pull the gas out of the building. As she sent it into the area, Sam covered her, engaging Rumlow's men. Sam whirled around, his wings forming a shield and two missile like projectiles shot out of his pack, taking out Rumlow's men.

"Nice." Rhodes said and Sam smirked.

"Always a good thing to have more gear." Pepper said.

Outside, Rumlow and his men emerged from the building. Seeing the gas, Rumlow knew The Avengers had come. Inside, Steve found the fridge holding the now empty container and warned the others as the men got into their truck. Natasha drove up on a motorcycle and jumped off, making it trip a guy.

Everyone clapped as Bucky said, "Nice"

Natasha smirked.

She hit one guy with the Widow's Bite and grabbing him, kicked another away and then flipped him down. Another opened his truck door but she kicked it into him before taking another's gun and knocking him out. She disarmed another and kicked him away before kicking another. She kicked the last one down and leaping on the hood, hit the last with Widow's Bite, knocking him out.

Everyone clapped as Clint said, "Now the big one."

"Not very easy." Natasha said.

Rumlow then grabbed Natasha. She tried to fight back but in spite of better skills, his gear gave him better strength and durability as even her Widow's Bite didn't affect him.

"Oh no!" Aunt May said.

"Goddamn gear!" Tony said.

"The building coming down on him also probably made him immune to pain." Natasha said.

Rumlow threw Natasha into the AFV, where two of his men were waiting. Rumlow then tossed in a grenade before closing the hatch. Natasha kicked the grenade away as the two mercenaries rushed her. She kicked the first out and grabbed the other as the grenade went off. The blast sent Natasha flying out the door, dazed but otherwise unhurt as the other man had taken the brunt of the blast.

Almost everyone let out tense breaths they were holding.

In another AFV, Rumlow was firing at Steve at the building. Steve used his shield to deflect the first two blasts but missed the third. The blast sent Steve flying out of the window and onto the ground. Groaning, Steve alerted Sam of Rumlow's location. In the AFV, Rumlow gave the Bioweapon to one of his men and ordered them to ditch the AFV and head for the airstrip. The AFV crashed into a stand, causing panic as people back away. Rumlow and his men got out, Rumlow telling his men he won't be meeting up with them.

"He has planned something." T'Challa said.

"Just wait." Natasha told him.

Using facial recognition, Sam was able to spot Rumlow's men going left and right, two each. Natasha arrived on scene on a motorcycle, which she then used as a booster to climb onto the horde of vehicles as she went after those on the left. As Sam pursued those on the right, Steve arrived on the scene, taking a moment to consider the civilians before heading in. He saw the abandoned gear on the road before a small explosive landed on his shield. Acting quickly, Steve threw his shield into the air and the explosive detonated harmlessly as little more than light show.

"His plan almost made civilians get hurt." Vision said.

Rumlow suddenly emerged from the crowd, punching Steve in the back. Steve was sent flying through a stand, landing on the ground as Rumlow approached, flexing his gauntlets as he boasted that he'd been waiting for this and punched him away again.

"Boy does he hate you." Tony said.

"Not as much as I hate him." Sam said.

"Hope you don't hate me then." Scott joked to lighten the mood and everyone chuckled.

Elsewhere, Sam spotted the two men he was trailing and flew down. He kicked one of them, knocking them out as the other one opened fire. Sam uses his wings as a shield and whirled around, sending a spinning kick to the man's chest. He slammed into the side of a small building that resembles a shack before falling to the ground out cold. Sam searched him and found that he didn't have the bio-weapon.

"Which leaves the one you're following." Rhodes said to Natasha who nodded.

Natasha was running after one of Rumlow's men. She jumped over a table and tackled him to the ground. They stood up and he pulled out a gun, causing people to panic. Natasha struck him many times, stopping him from pulling the trigger before he staggered back after a blow to his throat. Rumlow's other man rounded the corner, armed with a gun, and Natasha threw a basket at him, stopping him from pulling the trigger. She then struck his knee caps, sending him to the ground before she jumped on the other, wrapping her legs around his neck and bringing him down, knocking the other one down as he got back up. She punched the second one a few times before she saw a gun. She picked it up and she and the second one jumped to their feet, aiming guns at each other. The first one then pulled out the Bio-Weapon, threatening to drop it if Natasha didn't drop her gun.

"Wouldn't that kill you?" Peter asked.

"They are stupid." Benjamin told him.

"Or you can say, not that smart." Odinson said.

Redwing flew in, unseen and fired. The bullet hit the first man and, as the other turned his head, Natasha fired, killing him. Natasha then dropped the gun and makes a grab for the vial, grabbing it just before it hit the ground.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"At least it was stopped." Hill sighed.

Natasha thanked Sam but Sam insisted she thank Redwing, to which Natasha refused.

"You'll hurt his feelings though." Sam teased and Natasha rolled her eyes while the others chuckled.

Steve and Rumlow exchanged blows, Rumlow's Gauntlets giving him a clear edge. As he backed Steve up against a building, one of Rumlow's gauntlets revealed a small blade. Steve moved his head, dodging the blade and Rumlow got the wall instead. Steve grabbed Rumlow's arm and elbowed him in the face, making him lose the gauntlet. Rumlow uses the second blade but Steve dodged, grabbed his hand, punched him twice and kicked him, sending Rumlow flying. Rumlow landed on the ground, hard, and sat up, on his knees. Steve stalked over as Rumlow removed his helmet. Steve grabbed him by the front and got a look at Rumlow's scarred and deformed face.

"That looks really messed up." Rhodes said.

"Can't believe anyone could survive that." Scott said.

"High willpower." Hope said.

Steve demanded to know who the buyer was but Rumlow distracted Steve by bringing up Bucky, claiming he remembered Steve.

"He was stalling." Bucky told him.

"And he used the best way to." Steve said guiltily.

"That's what enemies who know you do." Tony told him.

With Steve distracted by Rumlow's lie, Rumlow was able to pull out a bomb. Steve tried to stop it but it was too late. As the bomb went off, Wanda was able to use her powers to contain the blast. But it was visibly straining on her and she attempted to send it into the sky. However, her powers failed her and the bomb slammed into the side of a building, taking out a good portion of the south side. People panic and Steve radioed Sam for help as Wanda sank to her knees and covered her mouth, horrified by what has just happened.

Wanda's lip quivered as her self-loathing all returned, remembering the dead people.

"It is your fault." Tony said, "But blaming yourself won't get you anywhere. All we can do is move on and not repeat the same mistakes."

Wanda looked up at him, surprised that he was trying to comfort her.

"It's on both of us and him." Steve said, "People died. We can't let that happen again."

Wanda simply nodded in agreement, though she still looked bothered.

"You okay to go on?" Benjamin asked gently.

"Yeah." She sighed, "I am."

Marai Stark was playing the piano, singing the lyrics to 'Try to remember'.

Pain shot through Tony's heart as Pepper held his hand while everyone looked at him in sympathy and Bucky in guilt.

She finished playing as Howard Stark walked in, rousing the person sleeping on the couch. The person got up, revealing a younger Tony Stark.

"Hey man, isn't that you?" Rhodes asked as he looked over at Tony.

"Yes." Tony sighed. BARF had helped him move on from this final conversation at last.

Steve always had trouble reconciling this Howard from the 1945 version.

Tony and Howard bickered as Maria tried to gently play peacemaker. Tony joked about throwing a toga party before inquiring about where his parents were heading. Mario said Howard was taking her to the Bahamas and Howard said they will need to make a stop beforehand. Tony, angry at his father always putting work before family, made a sarcastic comment. Howard responded in kind before walking out of the room to grab something.

Tony winced, filled with guilt. While BARF had helped him move on, he still wished sometimes if he could correct the actual incident.

Maria stood up, telling Tony that Howard misses him when he was not home and that Tony would miss them, as this would be the last time they were all together.

Some of the viewers were confused but most, including Tony and Rhodes realized what was going on.

Maria pointed out Tony would regret it if he didn't say something as Howard reentered the room. Tony told Howard he loved him and knew that Howard did the best he could. Howard and Maria walked out and young Tony stared after them as the current Tony was seen standing behind him.

"How are there two of you, Stark?" Thor asked, "Did you learn to make illusions, like Loki?"

"I think this illusion is different from mine." Loki said.

"Let Stark explain." Odinson said.

"Binaurally Augmented Retro-framing. Something I worked on. Helps people go back to moments they'd like to relive, clear traumatic memories," Tony explained.

"But is that a wise decision?" T'Challa asked.

"How is helping people remove regrets a bad thing?" Tony asked.

"Because some might lose perspective in reality." Thor said.

"They would want to just stay in the past and not care about the future." Odinson told Tony, "Not everyone can use it to move on the way you did." [1]

Tony nodded, realizing the point, "What if I made it a one-off? Like you use it to remove your greatest regret and then it stops working for the person?"

"That actually sounds much better." Benjamin said.

"Yeah, that is a pretty good idea for everyone who wants this tech." Pepper told Tony with a smile.

"All right. Decision final then." Tony said.

Tony ended the hologram, talking about the project, BARF as he called it. The crowd of MIT students cheered as Tony revealed that the September Grant Foundation had funded and approved all their projects. However, Tony paused as the teleprompter told him to introduce Pepper. Tony quickly gathered his bearings and told them to 'go break some eggs' before walking back stage as the crowed broke into cheers.

Tony and Pepper winced as they looked at each other and back at the screen. This was when they were on a break. And it had hurt both of them.

The MIT liaison tried to talk Tony into giving him some of the funding but Tony ignored him, walking passed him and rebuffing the apology of the stage director who didn't know Pepper had cancelled. Tony walked off, into the back hall. As Tony took a moment to gather his bearings, a woman was by the elevator. As Tony walked up to the elevator, she struck up what appeared to be a casual conversation with him. As Tony pressed the button, she reached into her purse. Tony instinctively grabbed her hand, startling her.

"Sometimes that paranoia is good for you." Natasha told Tony who nodded, staring at the screen blankly, recognizing the woman.

"Charles' mother?" Pepper asked gently and Tony nodded.

"Is it just me or does she look like Mariah Dillard?" Logan asked and several nods followed. [2]

"Mariah Dillard?" Pepper asked, remembering the name.

"The councilwoman in Harlem who was secretly a criminal?" Aunt May asked.

"Yeah. Her." Benjamin said, "She came into conflict with Luke a lot till her death."

"Wonder why they look so similar. Parted twins maybe." Peter joked and all chuckled.

Tony apologized as he released her. She told him that she worked for the State Department's Human Resources Division and it allowed her to raise a son. She pulled a picture out of her purse and slammed it into Tony's hands, explaining that her son, Charles Spencer, was one of the casualties of Sokovia. She blamed Tony for his death and claimed Tony only fought for himself before storming off.

The room was silent as Tony winced, his guilt over creating Ultron coming full surface.

"Stop blaming yourself." Pepper said again.

"We are here to learn from our mistakes." Clint reminded, "So we don't repeat them."

They all nodded.

The scene changed to the Compound. Steve was watching a news report on the incident from Lagos, with the reporter revealing that eleven Wakandians were killed in the explosion.

T'Challa closed his eyes, a pang of grief hitting him as Wanda looked down.

"I'm sorry your highness." Wanda said, shame filling her again.

"You failed to save people. But you tried and had you not, more people would have died." T'Challa assured her, "Our people have forgiven you already."

Wanda nodded in appreciation and simply turned back to the screen.

Steve turned off the news report, unable to watch as T'Chaka called The Avengers 'indifferent' to the lives lost.

T'Challa felt another pang of grief as he saw his father in the recording. His shoulders shook but he managed to control himself.

"Did they all not see what happened though? It's clear Wanda was trying to save people." Scott said.

"People need a scapegoat. And you, Miss Maximoff, were the perfect one unfortunately." Fury told Wanda and Scott.

Steve heard another news report on the same incident. Steve stood up and followed the sound, finding Wanda in her room watching the news on the incident.

"You shouldn't watch that all the time. It's not healthy." Clint told Wanda softly.

"To an extent, I can understand the blaming on us though." Steve said, "That is on me. We never really explained it to the press. I should have. I am the leader." [3]

"Accepting your mistake is always a good first step." An impressed Odinson said.

Steve turned off the TV as Wanda continued to blame herself. Steve sat down on her bed, pointing out she never would have been in that position if he hadn't gotten distracted by Rumlow. He insisted it was on him but she disagreed and said it was on both of them. Steve said, "This job…We try to save as many people we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody. But if we can't find a way to live with that…..then next time…..maybe nobody gets saved."

"It doesn't mean be insensitive to suffering." Sam said, "Just learn from the mistake."

Vision suddenly phased through the wall, surprising Steve and Wanda. Wanda chided him, reminding him they had 'talked about this'.

"How often?" Clint demanded.

"Too often." Wanda said while Steve, Natasha, Sam and Rhodes nodded.

"I see." Clint said as he gave Vision a glare.

"Don't piss Clint off, buddy." Tony said.

"I know." Vision said.

Vision said Steve wanted to know when Tony arrived. Vision awkwardly went to use the door but paused, telling Steve Tony had brought a guest: the Secretary of State.

"And Secretary Jackass is back after many recordings." Logan snorted as everyone groaned.

"If only I had known what he did to you, Bruce." Tony sighed.

"I think I'm seeing green." Bruce said.

The scene changed to the conference room. All the Avengers were seated as Ross told them a story about having a heart attack before getting down to business. He started by sugarcoating them before he pointedly pointed out that, while most of the world considered them heroes, some considered The Avengers vigilantes. At Natasha's question, Ross admitted he saw them as dangerous, declaring they routinely ignored sovereign borders, inflicted their will, and seemed unconcerned about what they left behind.

"Didn't you do that when you came after me in Brazil?" Bruce asked in disgust and anger.

"He never changes." Benjamin said.

"He had to cover up all that to even become Secretary of State." Hope snarled.

Ross then showed them clips on a monitor of The Avengers' past battles in New York, Washington DC, Sokovia, and Lagos. Specifically, the civilians caught in the crossfire.

"We were trying to save lives then too." Thor said.

"He is focusing on the casualties to make us feel guilty." Natasha said, "Emotional manipulation."

"He is only interested in power and position." T'Challa reminded, "That is why he made you a fugitive, Dr. Banner, and even threatened his own daughter."

"Secretary Jackass." Logan reminded and everyone chuckled a bit.

Wanda was uncomfortable so Steve told Ross to turn it off. Ross turned off the clips and revealed the true reason for his visit. The governments of the world were no longer willing to allow The Avengers to operate on their terms. Ross then handed them a copy of The Sokovia Accords, explaining that they would sign and then operate under the supervision of the UN panel. Only if and when they deemed it necessary.

"Politicians feeling ineffective." Rhodes said and nods followed.

"Which is why they want to control you all." Aunt May said.

"A lot of stuff in them was simply inhumane." Benjamin said.

"Wish I had read." Tony said.

"There might be a way to get them reformed." Pepper said, "To something all of us can agree with."

"Yes there is." Odinson said.

Steve argued that The Avengers were made to make the world safer. Ross demanded to know if any of them knew where Thor and Hulk were, which they admittedly did not. Ross then made a comparison between the two absent Avengers and nukes.

"He called me a weapon?" Thor asked shaking with rage.

"Not surprised." Bruce said as Ross did consider Hulk a weapon.

"He did, bub." Logan said, "He is like Stryker. They see powerful mutants and Enhanced as weapons to be used and controlled. Nothing more and nothing less."

"He needs a lesson in manners." Clint snarled.

Ross again tried to play them, telling them The Accords were a compromise.

"Compromise would be if you all agreed on it. This is not a compromise." Hill said.

Rhodes asked about contingencies but was ignored. Ross said The Accords would be signed in three days in Vienna as Steve and Tony exchanged a look.

"Not even giving you all time to read it." Loki said.

"Their grand plan to control the Earth's Mightiest Heroes." Fury said, "You were made to fight threats we never could. Abiding to this version of the Accords would make you all ineffective."

Ross told them to talk about it and Natasha inquired if he didn't like their decision. Ross told them they would be retired before leaving.

"Retire? Try and make us." Tony laughed mockingly.

"If only the two of us were like this when he came to us." Rhodes sighed.

At a house in Cleveland, a man was sitting at a table, eating dinner when he heard a crash outside.

"My handler." Bucky said, pale, as Natasha held his hand while everyone looked at him in sympathy.

Vasily Karpov walked over to a window and lowered the blinds slightly. He saw a man on his front porch, looking freaked out by his car hitting the car in the driveway.

"Oh! Him!" Sam said.

"Who is he?" Scott asked.

"The guy we were trying to stop." Steve said and he nodded.

Karpov quickly stepped away from the blinds as the man outside walked up to the door. He spoke in an American accent as he suggested they take care of the auto accident themselves. Karpov eyed the gun he had on a table before letting the man in. He opened the door as Zemo lunged for him, striking him and knocking him out.

"Bad guy killing bad guy." Tony muttered casually.

"It's kind of like a rule." Logan said.

"I know." Loki said, remembering Ronan killing The Other.

A bit later, Zemo was taking a hammer to the wall, uncovering a box. Karpov was tied, upside down, his head inside a sink that was filling with water. Zemo emptied the box of its contents, finding a familiar red book.

"That thing." Bucky snarled.

Zemo went through a file, finding a picture of the man in Russian Armed Forces uniform. Karpov demanded to know who Zemo was and Zemo, now with a Sokovian accent, told him to call him Zemo.

"So he is trying to get revenge for Sokovia?" Hope asked and nods followed.

Zemo demanded to know what happened on December 16th, 1991. Karpov wanted to know how Zemo found him and Zemo explained he went through the files Natasha dumped onto the Internet during The Hydra uprising. Zemo's only interest was finding out what happened on December 16th, 1991. When Karpov refused to cooperate, Zemo walked over and, to Karpov's surprise, turned off the water.

"Okay, wasn't expecting that." Natasha said.

"He played you all. He is playing him too." Fury said.

Zemo pointed out that killing Karpov was not something he wanted and would be pointless in the end, giving him a chance to live if he talked. Karpov responded with 'Hail Hydra', so Zemo turned the water back on and walked away as the water consumed Karpov's head.

"So much anger and hatred." Hill said, disturbed.

"Some men just want to watch the world burn." Vision said.

Bucky though, ended up sighing in some relief as his handler was gone finally.

Back at the Compound, The Avengers were in the longue, talking about The Accords. Steve was sitting on a chair, reading The Accords as Sam and Rhodes argued behind him. Sam felt that The Avengers would be tagged like common criminals if they signed while Rhodes thought, because The UN authorized The Accords, they should sign.

"Seriously? That isn't good reasoning, especially considering UN's track records and Hydra's infiltration." Hill said.

"And Sam's prediction ended up coming true." Fury reminded and everyone sighed.

Rhodes and Sam's argument was interrupted by Vision, who declared he had an equation. Since Tony announced that he was Iron Man, the number of powered individuals and world ending events had increased exponentially. Steve asked if Vision thought it was their fault and Vision clarified that their strength invited conflict. Oversight was not something they could dismiss, Vision insisted.

"I don't think we were." Steve said, "We are ready to sign a better version of the Accords. But these were made to control us."

"Not just you." Hill said, talking to Steve for the first time in days, "But also SHIELD and any Enhanced they could get their hands on."

Natasha noted that Tony was being uncharacteristically quiet and Steve said it was because Tony had already made up his mind. Tony made a sarcastic comment as he headed over to the kitchen to make some coffee. Tony complained about coffee grounds in the disposal before pulling out a holographic photo of Charles Spencer. Tony explained who Charles was and that he was one of the casualties of the battle of Sokovia.

Wanda winced, guilt eating at her in her part of the destruction of her home and all the lives lost. Vision put a hand on her shoulder for comfort as Benjamin and Clint glanced at her with some sympathy.

"Okay, I am making it sound like a game." Tony said, shocked at his tone.

"Well, don't repeat it then." Loki said.

Tony said, "There's no decision making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary less…we're no better than the bad guys."

"There is a difference between being boundary less and having to wait to save a life." Sam said.

Steve and Tony argued about The Accords, which Steve saw as only shifting the blame, which Rhodes, still advocating for signing The Accords, said is dangerously arrogant. Steve argued that the UN was filled with people with agendas and that those agendas changed. Tony said this was good, using his trip to Afghanistan and realizing the harm he was doing as an example. Steve argued that Tony chose to do that, something he could not do if he signed The Accords. Steve asked, "What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there is somewhere we need to go and they don't let us?"

"That's a good point Cap." Clint said.

"And I didn't listen to that." Tony said in guilt.

"We may not be perfect but the safest hands are still our own." Steve said. "If we don't do this now, it will be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty."

"The way it's being done borders on harassment." T'Challa noted

Wanda realized that he meant they would come for her. Vision immediately said they would protect her.

"How do you think you would do that?" Bruce asked Vision who glanced at hi,, "This man ignored Brazil's borders to get to me and covered stuff up to frame me. If you sign, you won't be able to stop him from doing anything he wants to any of you."

"Good point." Tony agreed.

Natasha suddenly spoke up, saying that Tony might have a point, to Sam's surprise. Natasha said, "If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off…" Sam interrupted her, reminding her of when she had asked the government to kiss her ass and she pointed out they need to earn back the trust of the world.

"I can't believe you are supporting it." Fury said.

"That was what my head said at the time." Natasha said, "I made the mistake of forgetting the government though. I only wanted the team to stay together. I didn't consider the conditions at the time, which was a huge mistake. Won't happen again."

Tony and Natasha began to joke when Steve got a text. 'She's gone. In her sleep' it read.

Steve felt a wave of grief crash over him as he remembered Peggy's death and funeral wash over him. Sam and Bucky put hands on his shoulders as Natasha held his hand.

"I'm sorry." Hill said and he nodded in appreciation.

Steve abruptly said he needed to go before standing up and walking out, to his teammates' confusion. Steve walked down the stair and put his hand to the bridge of his nose.

"You gonna be okay?" Rhodes asked.

"Yeah. I think I will." Steve said, "I did make a mistake here. I left without telling anyone but Sam. Doesn't send the right message."

"You were in grief and shock so while you're not blameless, it is understandable to an extent." Natasha assured Steve who nodded in appreciation.

"And I shut off arguments. My guilt is making me so unreasonable." Tony said, shocked by his behavior now.

"You are being unreasonable. I am being reckless." Steve said.

"Both of you realize your mistakes at least." Pepper said.

"Which is the first step." T'Challa reminded again.

They nodded as the recording continued.