AN: Thank you to everyone who followed this story!
I sat on my bed with my legs crossed my eyes glued at my muted TV showing the incident in Lagos while I spoke to my sister on the phone. The title appeared as 'WHIH News Front, Special Report'. 'Breaking News' flashed. A blonde woman appeared on the screen, her name being, Christine Everhart.
I looked away from the screen and down at my purple comforter as I began picking at it, "Have you had any problems at school, since what happened last month?" I asked, concern evident in my voice.
"No, not too many...it's Midtown. I mean there are stares and whispers, but nothing I can't handle. Plus, some students think you're a complete badass," Leona stated casually, and I could imagine her shrugging her shoulders as she said this. "If anything, they're probably too scared to taunt me in fear of me calling you in for back up," she added laughing.
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, "I have to be the worst daughter, granddaughter, and sister in the universe in that order," I complained. "Ever since I returned home, I have caused nothing but trouble for the family," I added grimacing, as I threw myself back onto the bed.
"Oh stop being dramatic!" Leona exclaimed laughing. "You think Mom, Dad, Grandma, and I love you any less because of this? You're wrong, absolutely wrong!" Leona stated firmly.
"Thanks lil sis," I sighed again, but this time a small smile formed on my lips. "You don't know how much that means to me to hear that," I added, staring at the white ceiling of my room.
"Anytime! That's what sisters are for! Hey, I gotta go. I have some friends coming over to study," Leona explained.
"It was good talking you Leona, study well. Love you, bye," I stated sincerely.
"Love you too! Bye," she responded, and ended the call.
I threw my phone on the bed and heaved myself up from the bed, picking up the TV remote, and stared at the TV screen. There were TV anchors still discussing Lagos, for some reason I decided to unmute the TV to hear what they were talking about, leaning closer to the TV.
"What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nigeria?" one news reporter spoke which made my blood boil. They're making her out to be a criminal, but the new reporter didn't stop there. "And the Avenger, Amara Sinclair, also known as Eryss, was seen by many witnesses to have killed two men, quite brutally. We have known for years that she's a dangerous individual-"
I grabbed the remote and shut the TV off angrily, before dropping my head in my lap letting out a sigh.
"Miss Sinclair, Mr. Stark is back with the Secretary of State, who is here to see the whole team," FRIDAY told me.
I looked up in confusion, "Alright FRIDAY tell him I'm on my way," I ordered the AI.
~~~x~~~
"Five years ago I had a heart attack," Secretary Ross began, as he held an imaginary golf club. "And dropped right in the middle of my back-swing," Ross told us as we all were gathered in the conference room. Minus Clint, Bruce, and Thor. "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," He got along with the story stopping for a moment. "Perspective,"
He looked at each of us, "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," he finished, making me scoff silently.
"And you're not, Mr. Secretary?" I retorted, clearly insinuating that his hands are just as dirty and raised a challenging eyebrow and he looked straight in my eyes.
Natasha spoke up before Ross could respond to my comment, "What word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha asked, looking cool and collected.
"How about dangerous?" he said. "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?" He asked, looking at me returning my challenging gaze and then turned on the projector showing us footage of our previous battles.
"New York," Patchy footage of when Loki brought the Chitauri popped up. I gripped my hands tightly as I stared at the screen. I saw people running in fear as the aliens began to attack. I watched as Hulk jumped from building to building until the footage went black and all you could hear was people screaming.
"Washington D.C." A video showed of Steve, Sam, Natasha, and I took down HYDRA and Project Insight. I glanced at Sam who looked down. The clip changed suddenly to the city that was emotionally draining to body. Footage of the smoking helicarriers crashing down from the sky. The scene switched to the Triskelion in flames, before it switched again. The scene changed again as it switched then to the helicarrier crashing into the Potomac River, sending a huge wave into a crowd of screaming people.
"Sokovia," My chest tightened and the grip on my hands became bone-crushingly tight, as I thought of Pietro. I feel a lump in my throat as my eyes water. I can't help it; I couldn't stop my mind from going back to Pietro's face, his beautiful face, with his dark beard and silver hair. How I longed to run my hand through those locks again. I could feel my gut clench, knowing I'll never get the chance. Because Pietro Maximoff will forever be in my mind, frozen in a running position with several bullet holes riddling his body.
I felt Wanda's sadness as she watched her home be destroyed all over again and be reminded that her brother is no longer with her. My leg fidgeted as I tried to not have flashbacks from that fight. Footage of people running through the streets and the city floating passed the screen. Buildings collapsing filled my eyes as I almost felt like I was there again.
"Lagos," The explosion in the building passed the screen. Sirens wailing sounded as people were being pulled out in stretchers. I saw Wanda grow uncomfortable at the view of a dead child laid in the streets. It moved to another shot of a woman laying on the ground with her eyes open, unmoving. You could tell she was dead. I looked over to Wanda who looked down and it looked like she was gonna start crying.
"Okay that's enough," Steve halted Ross, seeing that Wanda was visibly uncomfortable and upset.
"Doesn't Ross see that we already know about all of this? That we blame ourselves already? Does he want our conscious to be guiltier, than it already is?" I thought.
"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," He paused before turning to his assistant who handed him a book.
He set the book down on the table and passed it to Wanda, "The Sokovia Accords." he announced. "Approved by 117 countries it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization," Ross said, as Wanda took one glance at it and pushed it across the table to Rhodey, who picked it up and begin flipping through it. "Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel only when and if that panel deems it necessary,"
At this time, I had noticed that my good friend, the billionaire robotics expert, had not said one word this entire meeting, causing me to look up to see him holding his hand in front of his mouth and staring in one place.
"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that," Steve argued, trying to control the annoyance in his voice, as he looked at Ross, it was very obvious that he didn't like this idea at all.
"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Ross asked, and Steve averted his gaze which made Ross' thin lips curve into a smug smile. "If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works,"
"For your information, Secretary Ross. Thor is in Asgard, at the moment, probably dealing with his own problems right now. As for Banner...we haven't seen nor heard from him. He's managed to hide from the government before, he's probably doing again," I answered, jutting out my chin and Ross just glared at me.
I'm starting to think that he doesn't like me that much.
"Even so, Thor wouldn't willingly attack earth, neither would Bruce unless he was provoked, by someone that purposefully trying to unleash the Hulk, it and that's definitely not Bruce's fault," I finished firmly, laying my hands on the table, defending my teammates that weren't able to do it themselves.
"Why that may be true, Miss Sinclair, he still is dangerous," Ross stated, looking slightly smug yet serious. "Just like any of you. Believe me, this is the middle ground,"
"So, there are contingencies," Rhodey asked, twisting his fingers together.
"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords. Talk it over," Ross suggested gathering his things and getting ready to leave, but it was more of an order and he started to walk away.
"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha inquired, and didn't even look up as she tossed out the thought that everyone was thinking.
Ross stopped, turning back to us with a look of superiority, "Then you retire," He said finally leaving the facility.
"This is going to be an...interesting next few days," I murmured, mostly to myself.
AN: The Accords are introduced, dun dun duh! Anyways, hoped you liked the chapter and sorry for any mistakes I made; I swear I quadruple check and still miss stuff.