This is the sequel to "Enemy of the Nation". I recommend reading that first. It takes place roughly six month after the Civil War, and focuses more on ScarletAmerica than Punisher/Maria Hill (though the latter pairing will appear in later chapters). Also, Magneto/Erik Lensherr is Wanda and Pietro's biological father. I'll say that from the get-go. AXIS was a PR stunt to prepare having the Maximoffs in the MCU.

Cast of Characters:

Avengers (currently disavowed)

Steve Rogers aka Captain America: a super soldier in remission
Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow: master spy and martial artist
Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch: an enhanced with powerful telekinesis and mind manipulation
Vision: synthetic android and friend to all
Sam Wilson aka Falcon: currently serving term for role in Civil War
Frank Castle aka Punisher: a former vigilante, now an expectant father
Peter Parker aka Spider-Man: an untested recruit

United States Government

Claudia Rodman: 46th President. A tough and resourceful woman.
Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross: Secretary of State and four star general
Jim Berry aka Zodiac: the cold, calculating Director of the CIA
Robert Kelly: Senator from New Jersey and one of the main writers of the Sokovia Accords
Sharon Carter: a CIA agent and confidante to the Avengers
Ryan Howard: a Major in the Marine Corps

The Acolytes

Erik Lensherr aka Magneto
John Allerdyce aka Pyro
Emma Frost, "The White Queen" and owner of Frost International
Deimos Petrakis aka Avalanche
"Rogue", a mysterious young woman

Other

Tony Stark aka Iron Man, owner of Stark Industries
Maria Hill: formerly a top SHIELD agent, she is now excepting her first child
Bucky Barnes: a former HYDRA operative in psychological recovery
Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke, former Army Colonel and world-feared contract killer
Lieutenant William "Billy" Wintergreen, ex-SAS officer
Aisar III, Sultan of Madipoor
Elektra Natchios, mercenary hired by unknown party
Gideon Malick, former head of HYDRA on the run

Chapter 1

Gideon Malick didn't usually dispose of needed assets. But in times like this, it was necessary. Very necessary.

"So," he said to the two bounty hunters in front of him, "the elite contract killers I hired to help my men assassinate the royal family of Great Britain, whom I graciously paid $20 million in advance, couldn't deliver."

"W-We had a plan, but the authorities found out-" One of the hunters was getting desperate. The look on the other's face showed essentially the same.

"Limeys came out of nowhere, took out eighty men in under a minute-"

Malick waived a hand, then took out his P38 Luger. A weapon used by the Red Skull himself, the weapon had passed down from the Skull to every leader of HYDRA, and was currently in Malick's possession. "I don't care. To everyone else present, let this be a lesson."

"Please sir, next time-"

Malick shot the man dead. As his body crumpled to the wood floor, the Luger moved to the other man. "I'm thinking that there won't be a next time."

The remaining bounty hunter closed his eyes, waiting for death.

It was to be delayed.

"I hear you have a job opening," said an unfamiliar voice using a voice scrambler.

All guns from the henchmen in the room turned towards the new figure. He was clad in state of the art metal armor, and had a helmet/mask that was orange on the left side, and black on the right. There was only an eyehole on the left side.

"Perhaps," said Malick, thinking of what to do with this intruder. Clearly he had training.

"You're going to give me control of all your assets and men."

Now Malick laughed. "And why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't, everyone in this room will be dead in five minutes."


"There, I think that's good enough for today."

Wanda Maximoff put down the Latin book of spells dating back to the Dark Ages and said, "Thank you, Doctor Strange. I think my enchantments are getting better."

And they were. It was one of her two occupations during the last few months since the fight over the Registration Act and subsequent Sokovia Accords. The other was helping Steve Rogers walk again, but she'd save that for tonight.

Stephen Strange nodded. "Your lack of depth in Greco-Roman curses is a little concerning, given the threats I face on a daily basis that require such curses. Nevertheless, the amount of effort put into them as well as the demonology related hexes is impressive and sufficient for me. You may go."

Wanda thanked him and began summoning the energy to transport herself back to the penthouse she and Steve were staying at in New York. Stark had given them the place and was paying rent for the forseeable. Motivated by pure guilt, sure. But it wasn't going to go to waste. Teleportation had been one of the first lessons Dr. Strange had taught her, and she was glad she learned it early on. Without it she'd have to fly for hours to get back to Steve.

After finishing the ritual and finding herself in the kitchen of the penthouse, she grabbed herself a quick snack and went up to Steve's bedroom. To her surprise, Steve was actually standing up, albeit leaning on the bed for support.

"Can we begin?" he asked playfully.


"Let's begin," said the masked man. Malick had insisted that the intruder fight without any weapons, a challenge he wholeheartedly agreed to. The first four thugs gathered around him and began firing.

The intruder lunged towards the first of them, using his metal gauntlets and gloves to protect himself from the bullets, and slammed the other man's head into the floor with enough force to kill all four of them. The second barely finished reloading his pistol when a gloved hand was squeezing the life out of his trachea. The third was punched in the face so many times that he was unrecognizable when the beatdown was over. The fourth was simply scared.

"W-Who are you?" he asked fearfully. He was rightfully so.

"The name's Slade. But you can call me Deathstroke."

A neck was snapped.

Several more necks were snapped in the next few minutes. Malick had severely underestimated this man and his takeover.

"Money and other hard assets are to be transferred to my Cayman Islands account. Do you understand?" Deathstroke's boot was on Malick's neck. It was stained with blood.

"Y-Yeah." Once the arrangements had been made, Deathstroke put a gun to Malick's head and made a call to his client. This client seemed a bit batty, but had arranged for a luxurious compensation and had powers beyond Slade's ability to counter.

"I have the target. Unless you say otherwise, I'm putting a bullet in his head."

Nearly a thousand miles away, Erik Lensherr said, "No. In death he has nothing left to fear. Arrange for him to be sent to Genosha. His punishment must be more comprehensive than a simple beat down."

Magneto ended the call. From the other side of the room, John Allerdyce, better known as "Pyro" to the media, walked in. "I don't understand why you just won't let him kill."

"He must be ready to kidnap as well. I want to test how well he subdues a man he despises, for I plan on having him subdue a person the world hates."

"Captain America? Iron Man?"

"No. My daughter."


Wanda moaned under Steve. He pushed himself as hard as he could, although ramming himself inside her had taken much time.

For Steve Rogers, even having sex was an ordeal.

Then again, considering he'd had his back broken in various places, it was a miracle he'd lived to have it again at all.

Crossbones' damage had to be physically restored. And by that, the vertebrae had to be slammed back in by force. He had grunted as each one had been pushed in by a CIA strongman, but he knew he'd had it much worse, and took the pain as best he could. The first few months were mostly spent in a wheelchair, with occasional trips to the gym to get out and try walking again.

It was literally one step at a time. Wanda took no chances.

It had been a long, stressful ordeal for both of them – various doctor's visits, rude (or flirty) nurses, and the overall stigma of being the two figureheads of opposition to superhuman regulation. But as the months went by the hysteria died down. And Captain America got better over time. He stood again. He walked again. He ran again. He fought again.

And with enough time, could make love again.

Wanda sighed as Steve grasped just below her breasts as he began to speed up his thrusting. He held onto her body for actual support as he began to approach climax. Admittedly, Wanda thought he'd lasted longer than she thought he would, though he thought it wasn't his best. Then again, he'd been immobilized for the past six months. It was forgivable.

"Please," Wanda whimpered.

"What?" asked Steve, ever eager to satisfy her wants and needs.

"Fill me. Make us whole again."

He did. With another push, he came deep inside her, pouring into her all the pleasure she wish they could have had for the past six months. It sweeps over both of them, like a tornado in the prairie. They are exhausted, but just happy to spend time with each other in this way.

They're at peace again.

Steve climbs up onto her and slams down, his body worn out. Despite everything, he still needed time to go back to the level he was at before his spine was broken. "Good?" he asked.

"Better than that," she replied gleefully. "Breathtaking. Incredible."

"I've heard it all before."

"But it still means the same."

"I know." The rolled around in their leisure, kissing and groping each other whenever they felt like it.

Then there was a distant crashing of glass. Someone had broken in.

"What was that?" asked Wanda, her senses coming to full strength.

"I don't know. You stay here." Using some of his depleted strength and not saying another word, Steve got out and walked down to where the noise came from.