The New Avenger

Maybe

Peter's POV:

Even Captain America messes up. And not just a little whoops I pushed a pull door mess up. False imprisonment? That's serious, something that will completely ruin someones life. In this case a girl who was practically my age. Now they're saying that she took my aunt, she's the reason that Aunt May might be dead right now. 

When Aunt May was gone I would've torn down the world brick by brick to find her, destroyed anyone who stood in my way. Now though? Now I can't help but feel pity for this girl, Joselyn. In the note she left for Rogers she called herself Remix. It had been confusing at the time but now it makes complete sense, with her story. Joselyn is a remix of herself, of the girl she was before the helicarriers fell. Before Captain America himself labeled her guilty. 

And all this, in some sort of twisted way, makes me feel better. Not the fact that Rogers messed up, but the fact that Captain American messed up. He's the face of all that is good and right and just, but he messed up. Why does the fact that all that is good and right and just is a lie make me feel better? It doesn't. But the fact that someone else has to live with the guilt of not knowing, of being rash and blaming the wrong person, of becoming something they desperately didn't want to become, that helps. Because if Rogers can move on, keep on living, so can I.

"That's a good lead. We'll find her Captain, and bring her in." I nod, feigning confidence. Even leaders can't always be strong.

"But what is she doesn't deserve to be brought in?" Quiet rushing into the room like all the air being forced out. Captain Rogers statement, it's out of character but it isn't. For Joselyn to be in jail, to him that isn't justice. Honestly, I'm not sure either. 

I do know she took my Aunt. I do know she was falsely imprisoned. I do know my Aunt could be dead. But I also know that this "Remix" wouldn't have even existed if not for the man standing before me. 

"Captain Rogers- Steve," I correct myself. This isn't some formally Avengers meeting (or as formal as an Avengers meeting could possibly be) this is personal. This is guilt. This is pain, at a wrong decision made in an instant that you can never change. This is the dark and unwanted past coming to tap on your shoulder like some skeleton in a haunted house that shouldn't scare you but does. "Just because Jocelyn was an innocent girl when you arrested her the first time doesn't mean she still is. When you arrested her she didn't have to become a villain. And you know what? She could have still become Remix without you. But now we have to see her as she is today- a villain. Somebody who needs to be stopped. We can bring her in, give her a fair trial. Then maybe we can help her. Help her become the person she used to be. If we just let her walk free she'll get worse and worse. At best she would stay a villain. At worst she'd get herself killed. It's kinder to everyone to bring her in."

For a moment the room is quiet. Captain Rogers won't say a word. He doesn't agree with me. But he has to, he has to see that what someone used to be doesn't dictate what they are today. People change, and not always for the better.

"If I may?" Percy asks tentatively. I nod for him to speak, trying to push down guilt that he feels the need to ask. "A lot of people make bad decisions in desperate times, thinking they have no other options. Maybe that's what happened to Joselyn. She could still come back, still realize how wrong what she's doing is. A reality check will do that for a lot of people. Just like Peter said, letting her go wouldn't do anyone any good. Bringing her in though, that might be enough to bring her home." And if we can bring her home maybe we can bring Rogers home too. I hear Percy's unspoken words. 

The moment is fragile, and I should keep silent but I can't. It seems like I say the wrong thing at the wrong time almost constantly. That's pretty impressive, to be fair. However, not very useful. Right now my ability seems to be working overtime, because I can't seem to keep quiet.