Avengers: The End of Family

Chapter 2: One Step Back

The disaster of what happened in Lagos was all over the news, Steve sat in his office, watching the news as it was bad.

"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.

"Our people's blood is spilled on foreign soil... 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."

"The Wakandan king went on to..."

Steve cuts the fee and places the remote down, but then he heard the news again, coming from down the hall. He looks to his door, then stood up walking towards the sound, and found that he was lead to Wanda's room.

She sat at the edge of her bed and stares at the news as it was going over the amount of power she possesses and how they questioned her. But the news was cut right off as Steve places the remote down and looks at her, crossing his arms. "It's my fault," she states.

But he shook his head in disagreement. "That's not true," he tells her, but she looks over her shoulder. "Turn the TV back on. They're being very specific," she said to him, finally looking at him. He just sighs, "I should've had that bomb vest long before you had to deal with it." he said as he strides into the room. "Rumlow said Bucky... and all of a sudden I was a 16-year-old kid again, in Brooklyn," he said and sat down next to her.

Then leans forward, "And people died. It's on me." he states, as she looks away from him, "It's on both of us." she informs him. "This job... We try to save as many people as we can. Sometimes it doesn't mean everybody." he states as she looks at him, "But if we can't find a way to live with that... then next time... maybe nobody gets saved." he said and looks at her.

Wanda nods at him, "I heard what he said... about Millie." she states, Steve was taken back and looks away from him. "That must have been hard for you, to hear someone speak of her in such a vulgar way," she informs him, Steve just sat there. "For the longest time, I can remember, it was always me and her against the world. I would cause some stupid fight and she would either break it up and be right at my side making things worse, but then Sokovia happened and I watched as she fell, as she chose my life over her own," he states and exhales, tears formed in his eyes.

Wanda rubs his shoulder. "You were her brother, take it from my experience. The younger ones will always love their older brothers or sisters more than their own lives." she informs him, he sighs and looks away, "Do you think... she's really alive? Out there?" he asks her.

Wanda was silent for a moment, almost hesitant in her answer. "If she is... she must have a good reason not to come to us." she states, he just looks away, rubbing his hands together "Ever since no one could even find her body. The media proclaimed her dead, I didn't want to believe it, but no proof came up that she was alive, so I started to believe," he said to her.

Wanda crosses her hands as she looks at him, "But when he spoke of her like that, like some... prize to be won. I slipped." he states. Then looks away from her, "Then he told me, that she was alive. I was thrown off." he states and looks away. "If she's alive, I'm gonna find her." he declares and Wanda looks at him. "What if she doesn't want to be found?" she asks him.

He just looks at her, "Still, I can't just abandon her. She's family." he states this makes Wanda smile, but then Vision phases through the wall, getting Wanda and Steve's attention, "Vis! we talk about this." Wanda reminds him. "Yes, but the door was open and so I assumed that..." he states, pointing towards the door, then looks back as the two kept looking at him.