The third Maximoff

Chapter 09

"Payload secure. Thanks, y/n." Natasha nodded to you while you handed off the vial to the assassin of the team.

"Where's Wanda?" You looked to your brother as he sped in and Sam landed beside you.

"Wanda, check in. Where are you?" Pietro called through comms.

"Sam . . . We need . . . Fire and Rescue . . . on the south side of the building. We gotta get up there." Steve replied out of breath. Looking to your brother with worry, both nodding in silent agreement. He sped you over to your sister who was standing in shock, staring at the building ahead that was burning.

"Oh Wand" you sighed, using the nickname you had given her as a child, moving closer to her as she collapsed back into your brothers arms for fear of what she had done.

"Let's get you three home" Natasha pulled you away from the scene to avoid any more problems while the firefighters dealt with the situation of the building.

~~~

"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." The news anchor spoke on the tv. "What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nigeri -" you flicked off the tv from your spot in the doorway as you entered your shared room with Wanda.

"It's my fault." Wanda stated quietly.

"That's not true." You told her, taking a seat next to her on her bed where you would sit when watching sitcoms with your sister. "I used to think that everything that happened with Ultron was my fault for not standing up and doing what I thought was right, but you showed me that even if we do bad things we can still do good to fix our mistakes." You gave her a small speech, not as good as Captain America but as good as you could do.

"Turn the TV back on. They're being very specific." She tells you darkly.

"Steve should've clocked that bomb vest long before you had to deal with it."

"She's right, you know" Steve appeared in the door soon after you spoke. "People died and that's on me"

"It's on both of us." Wanda looked down at her hands in her lap. Steve moved to sit in between you both as he spoke next.

"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." Steve gave his small speech, one upping yours. You are suddenly startled as Vision phases through the wall as Steve whips his head around.

"Vis! We talked about this." Wanda scolded the Android.

"Yes, but the door was open so I assumed that . . ." He gestures to the open door, but decided not to explain further. "Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr. Stark was arriving." Vision finished his original statement.

"Thank you. We'll be right down." Steve nodded to him.

"I'll use the door. Oh, and apparently, he's brought a guest." Vision walked out briefly.

"We know who it is?" Steve asked.

"The Secretary of State." The Android answered simply with a stern tone.

~~~

"Five years ago, I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my back-swing. 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 un-payable 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'." Ross started his speech, explaining the problem to the group.

"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha asked calmly with a raised eyebrow of curiosity.

"How about 'dangerous'? 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 turned on the screen behind him to show scenes from previous battles. "New York." Clips of the battle of New York showed up as you all stared at the screen with sadness, the Hulk ravaging through New York as an alien portal opened above. "Washington DC." The fall of SHIELD is shown, helicarriers falling from the sky.  "Sokovia." You watched your home fall from the sky again, turning your head away slightly to see your brother shift in his seat uncomfortably at the memory of your home being gone."Lagos." People were rushed out of the building that had blown up as your sister looked down, avoiding seeing what she had been part of causing.

"Okay. That's enough." Steve stops, noticing Wandas reaction.

"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." He places a large booklet on the desk, sliding it towards Wanda who picks it up first. "The Sokovia Accords. 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." She hands the book over to Rhode who was sat across from her.

"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that." Steve gives his point on the situation, not wanting to give up your freedom because of a few mistakes made on missions.

"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Steve looks up at Ross as he is being questioned. "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." Ross continued.

"So, there are contingencies." Rhode said, pulling them back on topic of the accords.

"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords." Ross said as Steve looked back at Tony who was seated away from the group. "Talk it over." Ross suggested.

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

"Then you retire." He states.

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Question of the day: what side would you be on for the accords?