"Now I thought we had a deal." Natasha groaned as the back door of the quinjet slowly closed. "Stay close, check in, don't take any chances." She spun around and started toward the front of the jet. Wanda sat beside an injured Vision and Sam in the pilot seat. Steve stood at the front staring into the back with his thumbs hooked on his belt.
"I'm sorry." Wanda apologized. "We just wanted time." Natasha plopped down in a chair and twisted around to look at Steve.
"Where to, Cap?" Sam asked, peeking over his shoulder.
"Home." Steve answered simply.
~~~
"Still no word from Vision?" Secretary Ross asked, his hologram pacing back and forth before Rhodey.
"Satellites lost him somewhere over Edinburgh." Colonel Rhodes replied, shaking his head and shrugging.
"On a stolen quinjet with four of the world's most wanted criminals." Ross added, a hint of anger in his voice.
Rhodey scoffed. "You know, they're only criminals because you've chosen to call them that, right, sir?"
"My God, Rhodes. Your talent for horseshit rivals my own."
"If it weren't for those Accords, Vision would've been right here." Ross paused and stepped closer.
"I remember your signature on those papers, Colonel."
"That's right." Rhodey agreed, standing a bit taller as he folded his arms across his chest. "And I'm pretty sure I paid for that."
"You have second thoughts?" Ross rose a challenging brow.
"Not anymore."
The faint beeping acceptance of the security system drew both of the men's attention toward the doorway. Steve and Natasha strode in side-by-side, Wanda behind them. Vision followed, his arm wrapped over Sam's shoulder for support.
"Mr. Secretary." Steve greeted as he stopped in the doorway. The hologram of Ross moved toward them, his mouth slightly agape as his eyes flicked between them.
"You got some nerve. I'll give you that."
"You could use some of that right now." Natasha added confidently.
"The world's on fire." Ross began. "And you think all is forgiven?"
"I'm not looking for forgiveness." Steve stated simply. "And I'm way past asking permission. Earth just lost her best defender. So we're here to fight." He took a single step closer. "And if you wanna stand in our way, we'll fight you too."
Ross turned back to face Rhodey. "Arrest them." He mumbled.
"All over it." He nodded before swiping the hologram away. A computer beeped somewhere deeper in the room and Rhodes huffed. "That's a court-martial." A grin fell over his face and he stepped forward, outstretching a hand toward Steve. "It's great to see you, Cap."
"You too, Rhodey." Steve smirked as he shook his hand. Natasha smiled and pulled Rhodey in for a hug, which he happily returned. He looked between each of them once more and his arms fell back to his sides.
"Wow. You guys..." He paused. "Really look like crap. Must've been a rough couple years."
"Yeah, well, the hotels weren't exactly five star." Sam remarked, eliciting a chuckle from Colonel Rhodes.
"Uh, I think you look great." Natasha spun on her heel and her eyes grew wide when they landed on Bruce Banner walking toward them. "Uh..." He laughed nervously as he played with his hands. "Yeah, I'm back."
"Hi, Bruce." Nat breathed. A silence settled across the room, one that nobody dared interrupt for a few seconds.
"Nat."
"This is awkward." Sam whispered.
The conversation was soon moved to the living room area where Bruce paced anxiously behind Rhodey. Steve's gaze wandered the familiar room, finding it odd to be back. He glanced from person to person, his hand perched on his cocked hip.
"So we gotta assume they're coming back, right?" Rhodes asked.
"And they can clearly find us." Wanda added.
"We need all hands on deck. Where's Clint?" Banner interrupted, his eyes falling to Nat.
"After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott took a deal. It was too tough on their families. They're on house arrest."
Bruce's face scrunched up in confusion. "Who's Scott?"
"Ant-Man." Steve answered.
"There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?" Rhodey nodded. "Okay look, Thanos has the biggest army in the universe and he is not gonna stop until he gets... Vision's stone."
"Well then we have to protect it." Nat said as she stepped forward.
"No, we have to destroy it." Vision argued from where he stared out the window. He held a hand to his spear wound. "I've been giving a great deal of thought to this entity in my head. About its nature. But also its composition." He pushed away from the window and slowly started toward Wanda, their eyes locking onto one another's. "I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something very similar to its own signature, perhaps..." Wanda's expression fell and a bit of fear flicked through her eyes. "It's molecular integrity could fail."
"Yeah, and you with it." She protested. "We're not having this conversation."
"Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it." Vision said softly.
"That's too high a price." Vision gently placed a hand on either side of Wanda's head.
"Only you have the power to pay it." She stepped out of his reach and turned away, her eyes beginning to water.
"Thanos threatens half the universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him." Vision explained, turning to the rest of the group.
"But it should." Steve added. "We don't trade lives, Vision."
"Captain, 70 years ago, you laid down your life to save how many millions of people?" He frowned. "Tell me, why is this any different?" Steve sighed.
"Because you might have a choice." Banner but in. Vision looked at him oddly. "Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. Jarvis, Ultron, Tony, me, the stone. All of them mixed together, all of them learning from one another."
"Your saying Vision isn't just the stone?" Wanda asked, cocking her head aside questioningly. Banner turned to face her.
"I'm saying that if we take out the stone, there's still a whole lot of Vision left. Perhaps the best parts."
"Can we do that?" Natasha questioned.
"Not me, not here." Bruce answered with a shake of his head.
"Well, you better find someone and somewhere fast. Ross isn't just going to let you guys have your old rooms back." Rhodey hurried. Steve's gaze switched from the floor beneath his feet to the people standing before him. He drew in a deep breath.
"I know somewhere."
A/N
The GIF, I just- I can't with his beauty.
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Everly || Steve Rogers
Fanfiction"Though I may cry a river, I will not drown in it." In which she needed a hero, so she became one. "She loved him too early, and he loved her too late." #1 in "thefirstavenger" as of 1/24/20 #1 in "buckybarnes" as of 5/4/20 #1 in "captainamericathef...
