An Alluring Force ~ Captain America: Civil War

Sokovia Accords

"Wait, what happened? I'm confused" I say as I sip my coffee lightly, looking across at Cap who is talking to fast to comprehend.

"Rumlow, he saw Bucky. Bucky is still alive and out there." Steve said as he grip his cup of hot chocolate tighter. "Bucky said 'Tell Rogers. When you gotta go, you gotta go.' He remembers me. I need to find him."

"Steve, we both know he won't be found if they don't want him to be. I can't even imagine how hard this must be for you, but running around trying to find him won't do any good. Rumlow mentioned him for a reason, I sure that he'll pop up soon" I try to explain, even though I really don't know much about this superhero stuff.

"Wanda blames herself, of course. She just started to be okay after... you know. This can't be helping." Steve sighs

"The best you can do is to keep reminding her that this wasn't her fault, she tried her best, people mess up. Even superheroes." 

"Its on me." Steve whispers quietly, I quickly grab his hand across the table and he looks at me. " Rumlow said 'Bucky'... and all of a sudden I was a 16-year-old kid again, in Brooklyn. And people died. It's on me."

"That's not fair Steve, Your job... you try to save as many people as you can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody. But if you can't find a way to live with that... next time... maybe nobody gets saved," I said as I squeezed his hand. "Part of what makes you hero, is being able to get back up." 

"Alyx, I know its a school night, and as your legal guardian I shouldn't be asking this of you. But I think it would really help Wanda, and the rest of us, if you stopped by." He says finishing his hot chocolate.

"Well Peter and I were going to work on our science project, but I sure it'd be fine if I rescheduled." I say as I take out my phone and begin the text to my best friend

"Thanks Prodigy" Steve says and I smile at the nickname

Back at Avengers HQ Steve goes to talk to Wanda separately while Natasha talks to me in German, because quote I suck at it unquote, while everyone waits for Tony to get back from his meeting at MIT.

Not long after Tony arrives with some other guy in a suit.

"Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross." Tony says as he walks to make a coffee.

"Im sorry but this is a government issue, I'm afraid you're going to have to leave." Secretary Ross says to me with a fake smile.

"She stays." Tony calls over from the counter. "If this has to deal with us, she stays."

Secretary Ross' smile flattens to a thin line, he nods slowly before walking away from me.

A couple minutes later, and the rest of the Avengers are assembled around the table, minus Tony who was still making his coffee.

"Five years ago... I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my backswing. 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 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.'" Secretary Ross says, speaking slowly. I shift in my chair and Steve pushes it into to table more.

" And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha practically grits through her teeth.

"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 displays  a map on a big screen, zooming in to a city. "New York. Washington DC. Sokovia. Lagos."