~:~

A FEW WEEKS LATER

Come on pick up….Pick up!

"I'm guessing you saw the news?"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "What do you think, Sam?"

"Sometimes I think you're a better shot than Clint."

"How is she?"

"Shaken up. She blames herself." He sighed, "What do we do?"

"I can't bring her here, if that's what you're implying," I replied. "They'd be all over us in a heartbeat."

"I know, I know. I'm guessing you're coming down?"

"I'm taking your advice and I'm going to try to stop this mess before it gets any worse than it already is."

"I agree with the old you: I think it's too late."

I hung my head. "I know it is, but I need to try."

~:~

"The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives… but," Secretary Ross explained, " 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 asked.

"How about 'dangerous'?" he retorted. "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 scoffed, "That's a bit hypocritical coming from you, General Ross. I know what happened between you and Doctor Banner.

He ignored me and activated a screen behind him, playing news footage from New York, D.C., Sokovia, and Lagos. I felt Sam's emotions build up and I placed my hand on his leg, reassuringly. I look over and saw Wanda's reaction to Lagos. That good for nothing… Steve noticed as well and intervened.

"Okay. That's enough."

Ross nodded to his aide and the images disappeared.

"As you were saying, Ms. Jarvis?"

"That council sent a nuke towards New York. That nuke would have killed more people than you could imagine, and you're worried about this group of people!"

"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."

Ross motioned for the aide and she handed him a thick book. He slid it to Wanda, who handed it to Rhodey. I immediately grabbed it from him and started reading.

"The Sokovia Accords. Approved by 117 countries…" he began. "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."

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

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

"I think you just mean Banner…" I muttered.

Ross glared at me. "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 said.

"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords." Steve glanced at Tony. "Talk it over."

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

"Then you retire."

~:~

After I finished reading the Accords, I threw it down.

"Okay, it's final. No one's signing till we find a better solution ."

"This is the solution, Angie." Tony replied. "I can't think of any other way. "

"What do you suggest?" Rhodey asked me. Before I could speak, Vision interrupted us.

"I have an equation."

"Oh, this will clear it up." Sam retorted, earning a smack in the arm from me.

"As you were saying, Vision."

"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. And during the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate."

Steve frowned, "Are you saying it's our fault?"

"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict… breeds catastrophe. Oversight… Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."

"Boom," Rhodey added.

"No, no 'BOOM'," I said shaking my head, "What Vision said may be true, but answer me this: where in history has something like this gone well? Huh?" No one was able to find an answer. "Exactly, NEVER."

Tasha looked over at Tony, "You are being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal."

"It's because he's already made up his mind," Steve answered.

"Boy, you know me so well." Tony got up and winced, rubbing the back of his head. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache." He walked to the kitchen and grabbed his mug. "That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort." He slammed his cup on the counter. "Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?"

He put his phone in a basket and it projected an image of a smiling kid. He pretends to not notice it and looks back up.

"Oh, that's Charles Spencer, by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA. 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 a 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." I look around and see everyone's faces, full of guilt and regret.

Tony continued on,"He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass." He downed a pill with some coffee and turned to face us."

"That wasn't your fault, Tony." I said.

"To heck it is!" he exclaimed. "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 boundaryless, we're no better than the bad guys."

Steve looked up. "Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up."

"Who said we're giving up?"

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blames."

"I'm sorry. Steve. That - that is dangerously arrogant," Rhodey objected. "This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Council, it's not SHIELD, it's not HYDRA." Steve shook his head in reply.

"For the first time in my life, I want all of y'all to shut up and listen," I exclaimed. "Yes, you've made some mistakes before. And you've learned from them... No one is signing because I will not let you be their little puppets. This will not end well. It-." A wave of nausea hit me. "Excuse me please." I walked off, hearing the argument continued. I rushed into the bathroom and vomited up my last meal. Uhhh...

Wanda walked in. "Are you alright?"

"I-I don't know. I think the General Tso's from last night did not agree with my stomach." I replied, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. "Okay, I think I'm okay."

"Are you sure? I can go get…" She gestures towards the common room.

"I'm fine, really."

"Alright, could you keep me company? This ordeal is very nerve wracking."

I nodded my head. "For you and me both."

~:~

We sat in her room, watching Tv, without saying a word to each other. Finally, I broke the silence.

"I'm sorry."

She gave me a confused look. "For what?"

"Your brother. I'm sorry I let you down." She sat up, shaking her head.

"I know that you tried. And that is all I could ask for." She squeezed my arm reassuringly. I sighed and looked out the window. "What is it?"

"There's something I wished I did a long time ago."

She tilted her head. "What is that?"

"I-" There was a knock at the door. When it opened, Sam walked through.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" We shook our heads.

"Not really."

"Wanda, can I borrow her for a bit?" Sam asked. "I promise I'll bring her back."

She smiled. "Of course."

I hopped off the bed and followed him out the door. We walked into his room and he called out, "FRIDAY, privacy mode, please."

"And execute Order 626," I added.

"Of course. Privacy mode activated and Order 626 executed."

I gave him a smile. "Now, where were we?" We leaned in an pecked each other on the lips.

"I'm sorry about all that." He said pulling me into a hug.

"Let's not talk about that right now."I buried my face in his chest. "I should have got her out of here when I got Pietro. Gah! What did I do?"

"We knew if we did that, they would have been all over you and the school."

"I know. I just wished I had tried."

He pulled away to look me in the eyes. "Is that what's bothering you?" I shook my head.

"Not completely. I-"

"Mr. Wilson, Captain Rogers is requesting your presence in the common room."

He huffed. "Can it wait?"

"He said it was urgent, sir."

"Go, Sam. I'm not going anywhere." Hesitantly, he nodded and pressed a kiss on my forehead.

"Don't go to far."

I smiled. "I won't."

~:~

While Sam was talking to Steve, I walked outside to sit by the fountain.

"You going to Vienna?" a voice called out.

I turned around and smiled, earning a 'hey' from Rhodey. "Not sure yet."

"I understand that," he said as he came to sit next to me. "Sorry about that in there."

"I've only heard that once today and I'm tired of hearing it."

"Sam?" I nodded in reply. Another wave of nausea hit me and quickly faded away.

Rhodey noticed and gave me a concerned look. "You doing okay? You didn't look to good again."

"Wow, Uncle Rhodey. Way to make a girl feel great." I said, glaring at him. "Last night's dinner didn't agree with this morning's breakfast." He nodded, looking off in the distance. "What?"

"Why are you against the Accords?"

"I'm not entirely against them," I drawled.

"Then, why did you tell us not to sign them?"

I let out a deep breath. "As an idea it's great, but in hindsight, it's not. I don't trust the people behind it. People like Ross are-."

"Not this again...You better not-"

"This is not another grudge like I had with Stane." I corrected. "Years ago, General Ross approached my friend about using gamma radiation to recreate the super-serum. He declined and, so, Ross went to Banner. You know the rest. Banner turned into the Hulk, and Ross wanted to weaponize him."

His forehead furrowed. "And your point is?"

"If the Hulk got in the wrong hands, think of the destruction." He studied my face, then nodded. "Think of what could happen with the team."

"That's not the same," he interjected.

"Oh, really?" I replied. "It's not like one day they would, i don't know, turn on y'all and make superheroes illegal altogether. Or better yet, murder all of you." I looked away, trying to hide my tears. "Since New York, I've seen things and learned things that I wish I hadn't. And that scares me."

"That's why we need the Accords, Angie. It'lll-"

"I'm not scared of what you could do without the Accords, Rhodey." I let out a shaky breath. "I'm scared of what y'all could do with them."

He slowly nodded. "I get what you're saying, but if you could understand-" I interrupted his sentence, scoffing.

"You know what? I'm done talking about this," I said, storming back towards the compound. "See you when you're all in jail or dead!" I heard him call out after me, but I kept on walking. I walked past Sam and he grabbed me.

"Whoa...what happened with you?"

I shook my head. "Doesn't matter anymore. I'm grabbing my stuff and leaving."

"Why-" he was cut off by Rhodey walking in. "I'm guessing you tried to get her on your side?"

"Trying to tell her it was the right thing," he replied.

"Maybe to you," I muttered. "Well, as I said, doesn't matter now. I'm leaving." I pulled myself from Sam's grasp and turned towards my room. "Call a meeting. I have one last thing to say to everyone."

~:~

"So, it seems like everyone has made up their minds," I began. "I know that the two of you," I point at Steve and Tony, "are going to head this gang war." Tony furrows his brow, mouthing 'gang war'. "Don't start, Tony." I throw two files on the table. "I've surrendered all my assets to their respective owners. There's y'alls and I've already wired my SI assets to Pepper."

"Hold on a sec, Angie," Tony said. "Let's talk about this."

"I'm done talking about it. I understand that the two of you can't get past your arrogance to actually work something out."

"Trust me, this'll fix things."

Steve shook his head. "No, it won't."

"Shut it, both of you." I snapped. "Both of you are wrong. There is a fine line between you right now and that's where the answer lies." I looked to the two and saw that their expressions never changed. "You guys are my family, the only one I've ever known. I'd rather die than watch this go down." I picked up my bags and turned towards the door. I looked over my shoulder. "If anyone gets hurt or gets killed, either in this team or anyone dragged in, it'll will be on the two of you. And I will never let you forget it."

~:~