"137 dead. 11 Wakandans were among those killed during a confrontation between the Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos, Nigeria, last month. The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outreach mission in Lagos when the attack occurred."

Wanda sat glumly on her bed, watching the news report, looking devastated as they counted all the deaths that happened in Lagos.

"Our people's blood is spilled on foreign soil," the king of Wakanda, T'Chaka, was saying. "Not only because of the actions of criminals, but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent, is no victory at all."

Percy Jackson leaned on her doorway with his arms crossed, head tilted down, looking at the floor.

"I already know what you're going to say," Wanda muttered. "This time, it isn't true. I killed those people. But at the very least … you were there to try to help and get them out."

Percy sighed. "You're being too hard on yourself. People would have died regardless, nothing was stopping that vest from exploding. The difference is that also saved Steve in the process."

"Yeah, I'm sure he's grateful," Wanda muttered bitterly.

"For as long as there's people like us, there will be … other people who oppose us, make it difficult for us," Percy explained. "Like Rumlow. All we can ever do is try our best to stop them. Because if we didn't, if we let them just do as they please and not bother, a lot more people would have been dead."

Wanda was unresponsive.

"You know, a while ago, me and my brother, Triton, we dethroned Attuma," Percy started.

"You told me about this already."

Percy nodded. "Yeah but … I didn't tell you how many Atlanteans died in the process. The civilians of Atlantis got into a massive war with Attuma's soldiers. There were a lot of deaths on both sides. Even after Triton took over, he told me about the that shit that went down afterwards. Some of Attuma's enthusiasts that stuck around tried to get Triton killed. They orchestrated terrorist attacks, killed innocents and tried to blame it on Triton."

"Why?"

Percy shrugged. "People are weird. Why does anyone want a bioweapon? Some people are just corrupt beyond repair." Percy sat on her bed. "But at least, Triton handled all that mess that came after him. He did a better job than I would've, that's for sure." Percy placed his hand over Wanda as the redhead looked into his eyes. "It's all any one of us can do, Wanda. Try our best. Doesn't mean it's going to be one hundred percent clean all the time."

"Percy's right," Steve's voice said as he suddenly entered Wanda's room. They both looked towards the captain. "This job … we try to 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, next time … maybe nobody gets saved."

"And people are obviously not going to be okay with that," Percy added. "They demand perfection, but it's simply not possible." He shrugged. "It is what it is. Because if it weren't for us, Ultron would have gotten his way. He would've annihilated everyone on this planet. All 7 billion of us. He would've laid out nothing dust and metal, like he said he would've."

"Exactly," Steve agreed. "If anything, I should've clocked that bomb vest long before you had to deal with it. Rumlow said 'Bucky' and … all of a sudden I was a 16-year-old kid again, in Brooklyn."

"Is that the guy from your World War 2 days?" Percy asked.

"Yeah."

Vision suddenly materialized through the wall, scaring all of three of them.

"Vis!" Wanda exclaimed. "We talked about this."

"Yes, but the door was open so I assumed that …" Vision trailed off, gesturing towards the open door.

Percy raised his eyebrows. "If the door is open, you go through there. If the door is closed, you go through there as well, but you knock the door beforehand. Don't phase through walls, that is just a creepy thing to do. Especially if it's someone's bedroom."

Vision nodded and and grimaced. "Apologies, Mister Jackson."

Percy smirked at Wanda. "Guess he still has a long way to go before he truly learns how to be human."

A hint of a smile appeared for a millisecond on Wanda's face before it disappeared and it was back to the same frown she was wearing before.

"Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr. Stark was arriving," Vision explained.

"Thank you. We'll be right down," Steve said.

"I'll … use the door. Oh, and apparently, he's brought a guest," Vision added.

"We know who it is?" Steve asked.

"The Secretary of State," Vision stated.

Percy's smile melted. He and Wanda exchanged worried expressions.

…

Rhodey, Tony, Nat, Steve, Sam, Wanda, Vision and Percy were all gathered around a table as the Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross stood at the helm. Percy had his knuckles in his mouth worriedly as he listened to Secretary Ross.

Secretary Ross began with a heavy sigh. "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 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 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'."

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

"How about 'dangerous'?" Ross suggested. "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?"

Ross activated a screen behind him. News footage from past Avengers and SHIELD matters flashed on the screen as he spoke.

"New York."

A Chitauri leviathan flew and crashed into buildings. Terrified citizens ran for their lives. A soldier fired his weapon at some aliens. The Hulk smashed into a building and sent a dust cloud that engulfed the camera. At the table, Rhodey glanced back remorsefully at Natasha.

"Washington, D.C."

Three helicarriers fired on each other. The destroyed Triskelion building was shown with smoke coming out of it. A helicarrier crashed into the Potomac and threw up a massive wave, engulfing citizens and the camera. At the table, Sam looked down.

"Sokovia."

More citizens ran away in terror. The city lifted itself into the sky as people watched. A part of an apartment building collapsed over. Percy sighed as he started to remember the events that happened that day. Wanda and Tony seemed fixated on the screen.

"Lagos."

The video showed the burning building that they had blown up on accident. Paramedics moved a body on a stretcher. Percy was seen carrying a woman, his skin sooty with ash before he dropped to his knees, the woman limp in his arms. A dead body was shown on the screen. Wanda was very much affected by this.

"Hong Kong."

Percy perked up, knowing exactly what Ross was talking about, even if the others didn't. A video footage showed the docks at Hong Kong. Missiles whistled and flew around. Some struck the ground where workers ran for their lives and caused an explosion. Some of them jumped into the ocean to avoid getting charred. A massive container crane fell over and right on top of some other escaping workers.

The Avengers looked confused and Ross noticed it. "Oh, you don't know about this one? This was his doing." He pointed directly at Percy, who clenched his jaw as the rest of his companions stared at him, as if waiting for an explanation.

"Do you remember this happening?" Ross questioned.

Percy sighed. "Yeah."

"There were good people there," Ross said.

"Good?" Percy retorted. "Is that what you call crime bosses, black market auctioneers, mercenaries, and pirates? The ports of Hong Kong were a trading post for some of worst scum of the planet. Yeah, I bet you tried to manipulate everyone into thinking I was running around, causing explosions, didn't you?"

"There were also government officials," Ross contradicted.

"Corrupt government officials," Percy correct. "Making deals with Lonnie Thompson. You ever heard of him?"

"What about the innocent workers that were just trying to work to get their day by?" Ross questioned. "Wives were widowed because their husbands never returned home that day."

Percy felt a twinge of guilt inside of him. "Yeah, I know some of those workers died. It still had to be done, though."

"So what? They were just collateral in your … vigilante expeditions?" Ross remarked.

Percy didn't entertain him with any more answers, eyes looking away from the Secretary of State.

"I see," Ross finished with a nod. He turned off the screen. "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."

An aide handed Ross a really thick book, which Ross slid across the table to Wanda. She picked it up, and then passed it on to Rhodey.

"The Sokovia Accords," Ross stated. "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."

It started to sink in to Percy what Ross was saying. Essentially, the Avengers, himself included would be soldiers for the UN, dispatched only when the UN themselves felt like it was necessary.

It went against everything Percy stood for.

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

"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Ross questioned, Steve looking up to meet his eyes. "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."

"So, there are contingencies?" Rhodey asked.

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

So, it was really happening, Percy thought. They were just going to be pawns for the government. He looked at the book with an expression that was nothing short of detest. He'd be damned if he ended up as a soldier for the government.

Percy and Wanda exchanged glances and Percy could tell that was she scared. She didn't know where she was supposed to go from here. A part of Percy wondered if he could run off to Atlantis, maybe live among them for a bit. The UN wouldn't find him there, probably. But he'd be running from Wanda as well, whom he had just started to really get something going with her, a possibility of a future with someone that he loved.

Wanda watched worriedly as Percy rubbed his forehead in distress, as if having an internal debate about where to go from that point, which he was.

What do I do, Percy thought.

What am I supposed to do?

"Talk it over," Ross told them.

"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha said.

"Then you retire," he said.

Percy grimaced. Retiring was also an option, he guessed. He would have to probably retire and leave the Avengers to go live like a human being because as much as he loved all of his companions in the Avengers, the last thing he was going to do was be a soldier for the UN.

Percy sighed deeply. What a mess, he thought.