Divided |2|

six

While Pietro was speaking to Katja, the team gathered in the HQ after the meeting. Victoria studied Steve's expression while he read through the Accords – though she couldn't quite focus fully with Sam and Rhodey bickering behind him.

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honour, which is one more than you have."

"So let's say we agree to this thing – how long is it gonna be before they lojack us like a bunch of common criminals?"

"A 117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, no—that's cool—we got it."

"How long are you going to play both sides?"

"I have an equation."

Sam and Rhodey shut up once Vision spoke. The team turned to Vision, who clasped his hands together at their attention.

"Oh, this will clear it up."

"In the 8 years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. And during the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate."

"Are you saying it's our fault?"

Victoria glanced at Steve when he spoke up. His expression was stern, and yet emotionless. But Victoria saw through the façade. Steve was conflicted, just as much as she was.

"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict... breeds catastrophe. Oversight... Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."

"Boom."

"Tony," Natasha glanced at the playboy. "You're being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal."

"Maybe he finally got his voice box removed." Victoria tried to lighten the mood, but her comment went ignored by the team.

"It's because he's already made up his mind."

"Boy, you know me so well." Tony rose—wincing—and moved to the kitchen area. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?"

Pietro returned and paused by the door when he entered. He obviously felt the tension in the air and walked slowly to where Victoria sat. He pulled her against him while Sam asked him a question.

"Where's Katja?"

"She needed to return to Asgard. There are more important wars being fought than this one, apparently."

"Is she going to sign the Accords or not?"

"She says she is no longer an Avenger, if this was what being one has come to."

Tony nodded, fiddling with a few buttons on his phone and a holographic image of a young man popped up. "Oh, that's Charles Spencer by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA. Had a floor level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul... before he parked it behind a desk. See the world. Maybe be of service. Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas or Fort Lauderdale, which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam, which sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where, Sokovia. He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass. There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations—if we're boundary-less—we're no better than the bad guys."

"Tony," Steve sighed. "Someone dies on your watch, you don't give up."

"Who said we're giving up?"

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blames."

"I'm sorry," Rhodey shook his head. "Steve—That—That is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Council, it's not S.H.I.E.L.D., it's not HYDRA."

"No, but it's run by people with agendas and agendas change."

"That's good. That's why I'm here," Tony replied. "When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stop manufacturing."

"Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there is somewhere we need to go, and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."

"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty."

"You're saying they'll come for me?"

"We won't let that happen, Wanda."

Wanda turned her head to where Pietro and Victoria sat, and the pair sent a reassuring smile to the girl. Wanda looked to Vision when he took her hand.

"We would protect you."

"Maybe Tony's right." Victoria stared at Natasha, utterly shocked and feeling betrayed. "If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off..."

"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?"

"I'm just... reading the terrain. We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back."

"By giving up what we—some of us for our whole life—have been trained to do?"

"We're not giving anything up."

"By signing that document," Victoria pointed to the booklet in Steve's hands. "Yes. Yes we are."

"If that is what it takes, Victoria, then we need to do it."

"I can't believe you, Natasha. After everything, you want to bend over and show your belly the minute someone throws you a bone."

"Focus up," Tony changed the subject. "I'm sorry, Natasha, did I mishear you or did you agree with me?"

Natasha held her gaze—well, Victoria's glare—for a moment longer before replying to Tony. "Oh, I want to take it back now."

"No, no, no. You can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented. Okay, case closed – I win."

Annoyed beyond belief, Victoria looked at the rest of the team.

She knew Sam would follow whatever Steve chose to do. So would Victoria, but this was about more than just trusting her Captain. If she went against what she had been brought up to believe and follow by her parents, what kind of child would she be?

When her eyes floated to Steve, she noticed the sad frown on his face. His eyes caught her's for a second and she saw the pain etched into his own. He looked down at the phone again before standing up.

"I have to go."

The team watched as he stormed out, and once they dispersed, Victoria went to her room.