A/N And I'm back! Thanks to all of the people who reviewed! I'll leave a shout out to you at the end of the chapter.
Percy P.O.V
Percy was feeling really guilty.
He took a hasty shower when they got back to New York and then reluctantly dragged himself to the living room to see what the news had to say about him.
He found Wanda sitting desolately on the couch, staring up at the screen where the news reporters were unashamedly trash talking the Avengers, but most especially Percy and Wanda.
Percy sat down on the couch next to her and she barely acknowledged his presence. The news reporter was showing footage of the bomb ricocheting of Percy's sword and exploding near civilians.
"This, beyond else, shows that the Avengers are only saving themselves. Tsunami hopes to avoid persecution by staying anonymous. Is it right for the world to be cowering under masked vigilantes? Whose side are these people really on?"
Percy turned away, but he couldn't help but listen. Now a second reporter was talking about Wanda.
"They are operating outside and above the law. Because that's the reality, if we don't respond to acts like these. What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nig-"
The television switched off. Percy hadn't even noticed Steve walking in before he set the remote on a shelf.
"It's my fault." Wanda said. Steve sat down on the couch next to her. Percy leaned on the window frame and stared out the window.
"That's not true." Steve said. Percy turned around suddenly. "Yeah, it's not. It's my fault, Wanda. If I hadn't been too worried about saving my own life then they wouldn't have paid attention. Don't beat yourself up."
Wanda ignored both of them. "Turn the TV back on. They're being very specific."
"Percy's right." Steve winced. "That came out wrong. I mean, it's not your fault or Percy's fault. I should've clocked that bomb long before you had to deal with it."
Steve walked over and sat down. "Rumlow mentioned Bucky and… suddenly I was a sixteen year old kid again in Brooklyn. And people died. It's on me." Wanda sighed.
"It's on all of us."
"But this job… we try and save as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody. But if we can't find a way to live with that then maybe next time… next time nobody gets saved."
Vision materialized through the wall and all three of them started.
"Vis!" Wanda exclaimed. "We talked about this." Vision looked confused. "Yes, but he door was open so I assumed-" He gestured towards the door and stopped. "Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr. Stark was arriving."
"Thank you." Steve said. "We'll be right down."
"I'll… use the door." Vision said. "Oh, and he's brought a guest. Mr. Jackson, I suggest you put your suit back on." Percy frowned.
"Who is it?"
"The Secretary of State."
Percy cursed in Ancient Greek and ran out the door to grab his suit.
(Annabeth)
Annabeth wished she could punch herself.
Of course the Secretary of State would want to know why Tony Stark's assistant was going back to the Avengers base with him.
"Um, just, business." Annabeth invented wildly in the back of the convertible that Tony was taking to Avengers Facility. Ross frowned like he didn't believe her but didn't ask any more questions. Tony nodded approvingly at her like, nice save.
Now they were back at the base and Annabeth had barely enough time to dart into her room, pull on her suit, run into the meeting, and hope to find an adequate excuse as to why Annabeth Chase had suddenly disappeared from the building.
On the way to her room she found Percy looking similarly disheveled. He was running so fast he rammed into her. "Sorry!" He gasped. Annabeth massaged her side. "It's fine! Just hurry up and get on your suit before Ross wonders why two adolescent kids are running around the Avengers Facility!"
Percy nodded and ran around her. Annabeth shoved on her suit in her room and darted out to the meeting house and tried not to look too sweaty. She sat in a chair next to Piper, also in her suit, who whispered, "Close one, huh?"
Annabeth nodded and looked up at Ross who was giving some sort of speech. "Five years ago, I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my backswing. Turned out it was the best round of my life, because after thirteen hours of surgery and a triple bypass… I found something that forty years in the Army had never taught me: Perspective."
"The world owes the Avengers an unpayable 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'."
Annabeth felt a sick feeling in her stomach. She glanced over at Percy and he looked similarly worried. Natasha leaned forward in her chair. "And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?"
Ross looked like he was glad she asked. "How about 'dangerous'? What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore borders and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind? And some of whom don't even show us their true faces?" He gestured towards the masked demigods.
Frank shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Jason coughed.
Ross activated the screen behind him, and it started showing footage of the destruction the Avengers caused on their many world-saving exploits.
"New York." Secretary Ross said. The screen showed a Chitauri leviathan. New Yorkers screaming and running from a Chitauri alien. The Hulk slamming into a building and a dust cloud enveloped the camera.
Rhodey looked regretful. He glanced behind him at Natasha.
"Washington D.C." Ross said, and the screen changed. Three helicarriers, firing at each other. The Triskelion collapsing. A helicarrier smashing into the Potomac, making a huge wave and engulfing citizens.
Sam looked down.
"Sokovia." Ross said and the screen changed again.
The city was rising. A building fell off, and civilians screamed and ran from rocks falling from the air. Wanda and Tony stared at the screen.
"Lagos." Ross said finally and the screen changed once again.
A bomb falling on a shack. Tsunami making no attempt to grab it, though Annabeth knew that couldn't be true… could it?
A burning building. Paramedics moving a stretcher. A dead girl. Percy and Wanda looked horribly guilty. Steve seemed to notice this and intervened.
"That's enough."
Ross nodded to an aide and the images flickered off.
"In the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That is something the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. However, I think we've found a solution." Ross handed Wanda a thick book with a glaring red cover.
"The Sokovia Accords." Ross said. "Approved by one hundred seventeen countries. It states that the Avengers will 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."
Steve looked angry. "The Avengers were created 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?" Steve glanced up. Natasha looked slightly hurt. Ross looked satisfied.
"If I misplaced a couple of thirty megaton nukes, you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."
"So, there are contingencies." Rhodey said.
"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords." Ross informed them. "Talk it over."
Steve glanced at Tony. "And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha asked.
"Then you'll retire."
Natasha stifled a smile.
Jason P.O.V.
Jason still didn't know how he felt about joining the Avengers.
Sure, they were doing the right thing. And sure, he was helping keep the world safe other than stabbing monsters. But the video they'd just seen was confirming the obvious: The Avengers were far from perfect.
Now they were all meeting in the kitchen and living room to discuss the Accords. Sam Wilson and James Rhodes were already arguing.
"Secretary Ross has a congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have." Rhodey shot at Sam. Sam frowned at him.
"Okay, let's say we sign this thing. How long until they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?"
"One hundred and seventeen countries agreed to this. One hundred and seventeen, Sam, and you're just like, 'No, it's cool, we got this.'"
Vision interceded into their argument. "I have an equation."
Sam rolled his eyes. "Oh, this will clear it up."
"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of enhanced persons has grown exponentially. And during the same period, the number of world-threatening events has risen at a commensurate rate."
"You're saying it's our fault?" Steve said aggressively. Vision shrugged.
"I'm just saying there may be a casualty. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge creates conflict. And conflict… breeds catastrophe. Oversight… oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."
Percy argued back. "But it comes down to the same point. We are the only ones who are willing and have the strength to fight, no matter the cost. I didn't see the military rushing to help when we were fighting Ultron."
Jason looked at him. "All the same, people got hurt. We need to be kept in check so that we don't run away with our power. The government has good people in it as much as bad. Octavian and Reyna are one example of that." Percy glared at him.
"Yes, but-"Natasha interrupted them.
"Tony. You are being uncharacteristically non-hyperbal."
Tony was lying on the couch with one hand over his face. He took it off when he heard Natasha speak.
"It's because he's already made up his mind." Steve said. Tony sat up, wincing as he did so.
"Boy, you know me so well. Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache." He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a mug. "That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds in the garbage disposal? Am I running bed and breakfast for a biker gang?"
He put his phone in the basket and tapped it. It showed a picture of a smiling young man. "Oh, that's Charles Spencer, by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, three point six GPA. He had a floor level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul before he parked it behind the desk. See the world. Maybe be of service."
"Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where, Sokovia."
They all looked affected by this. Jason was starting to see where this was going, and agreed with it. "He wanted to make a difference, I suppose." Tony continued. "I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking butt." He put a pill in his coffee and faced the others.
"There's no decision making process here. Like Grace said, 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."
"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up." Steve said.
"Who said we're giving up?" Tony argued.
"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our answers." Steve replied. "That document just shifts the blame."
Jason thought that sounded like Steve was a bit full of himself, and it looked like Rhodey agreed. "I'm sorry, Steve, that... that sounded dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Council, it's not S.H.I.E.L.D., it's not HYDRA."
"No, but it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change."
Tony set down his mug. "That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing." Steve still looked calm, but Jason could tell that his restrain was starting to crack.
"Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. 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 won't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still are own."
Percy looked like he was struggling to not speak up, but the rest of the Avengers' eyes were flicking between the Steve/Tony show. Jason saw Annabeth and Piper look at each other, look at Percy and Jason, and exchange a worried look.
"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's a fact. That's not gonna be pretty." Tony said. Wanda glanced up.
"You're saying they'll come for me."
"We would protect you." Vision said immediately.
"I think Tony's right." Natasha said suddenly. Everyone looked at her in surprise. "If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off-"
"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her *censored* a couple of years ago?" Sam debated. Natasha looked slightly abashed.
"I'm just… reading the terrain. We have made… some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back." Tony stared at her.
"Focus up. I'm sorry, did I mishear you or did you just agree with me?"
"Oh, I want to take it back now." Natasha said. Tony grinned. "No, no, no, you can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented. Okay, case closed, I win."
Steve's phone buzzed, which made them all jump. He pulled it out to check it. Jason saw a text message that read, 'She's gone. In her sleep.' Steve stood up suddenly.
"I have to go."
Jason and Piper looked at each other. Piper looked conflicted, not like the faces of all the other demigods in the room.
A/N I bet you all can feel the tension rising between Percy and Jason. Wanna take a 'wild' guess on who's on who's side? Okay, so I'm gonna try my best to update every other day. Expect in update in two days, okay?
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