The Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross, stood at the head of the table as every member of the Avengers shifted nervously in their respective seats.

"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 'vigilante.'"

"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha interrupted.

"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?" Ross pounded on the table, rubbing his forehead with a sigh.

He activated a screen behind him. News footage from past Avengers and SHIELD matters flashed on the screen as he spoke.

"New York."

A Chitauri leviathan. Terrified citizens. A soldier firing a gun. The Hulk smashed into a building and sent a dust cloud to engulf the camera.

Rhodey looked regretful. He glanced behind himself at Natasha who only frowned at the screen.

"Washington DC."

The three Insight helicarriers, firing on each other. The destroyed Triskelion. A helicarrier crashing into the Potomac and throwing up a massive wave, engulfing citizens and the camera.

"Sokovia."

Terrified citizens, running. The city rising. A building falling over. Wanda stared at the screen, as did Tony.

"Lagos."

The burning building. Paramedics moving a body. A dead girl.

"Okay. That's enough," You stopped him. "They get it." It was so much worse seeing the damage in person.

Secretary Ross nodded to an aide and the images disappeared. "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 placed a thick document on the desk and passed it to Wanda.

"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."

"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that," Steve protested.

"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" There was only silence. "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. Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords."

Steve glanced at Tony with a frown.

"Talk it over," Ross suggested.

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

"Then you retire," Ross said with no remorse, turning to you. "And you, where do I even start? You're only allowed to be here to stop these disasters, and yet you let Wanda do this! I have half a mind to demand you be sent home."

"I know more than you think." You so did not like him. "Wanda's accident, and that's what it was—an accident—is a fixed point. You don't know how many times I've gone through the situation, trying to figure out a way to stop this. Of course, I care about the casualties, but there was nothing I could do. Now, on the other hand, if you lock me away, I can't prevent even worse things from happening. Trust me, things get worse."

Ross scoffed. "Sure, because I should trust a child about this. Stark is working on a way to get you back and the second he does you're gone."

"Actually," Tony interrupted. "I think it would be helpful if we keep her here for a little longer."

Ross rolled his eyes. "This is why you're not in charge of these kinds of things." With that, he stormed out.

"So let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they lo-jack us like a bunch of common criminals?" Sam asked, giving a reasonable point.

"117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, 'No, that's cool. We got it,'" Rhodey scoffed.

"How long are you going to play both sides?" Sam shot back.

"I have an equation," Vision spoke up.

"Oh, this will clear it up," Sam muttered sarcastically.

"In the eight 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," Vision said.

"Are you saying it's our fault?" Sam asked.

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

"Boom," Rhodey said.

"They would have come no matter what. Instead of some casualties, everyone could have died or just been enslaved by Thanos," you pointed out.

"Thanos?" Sam asked.

"Nevermind," you sighed.

Tony laid silently on the couch but looked at Natasha when she spoke to him.

"Tony. You are being uncharacteristically non-hyper-verbal," Natasha noted.

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

"Boy, you know me so well," Tony rolled his eyes. He got up and winced, rubbing the back of his head. "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?"

He put his phone in a basket and tapped it. The phone projected an image of a smiling young man. He looked down, then back up, and pretended to notice the picture for the first time. "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."

Wanda and Pietro looked down, uncomfortable, while Steve frowned.

"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, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up," Steve protested.

"Who said we're giving up?"

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

"I'm sorry. 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 SHIELD, it's not HYDRA."

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

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

"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." Steve stood up.

"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," Wanda said, and Pietro frowned.

"We would protect you," Vision said, and Pietro nodded in agreement.

"Maybe Tony's right," Natasha spoke up, and Tony looked genuinely surprised. "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?" Sam asked.

"I'm just...we have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back," Natasha explained.

"Focus up. I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Tony joked.

"Oh, I want to take it back now," Natasha sighed.

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

Steve's phone buzzed and he pulled it out to read it, his face fell as he read the message. "I have to go." He dropped the Accords on the coffee table and left.

"Excuse me? Rogers!" Tony yelled. "We're not done here!"

"Let him go," you said.

"We're in middle of a life changing situation and you want me to let him leave?" Tony complained.

You glared at him. "I know where he's going. Let him."

"Okay, so tell me little miss know-it-all," Tony said. "Where is the great Captain America going that needs to happen right now?"

"Someone is dead." That shut him up, at least. "Now we have somewhere to be, don't we?"

   *

A few hours later, you all piled into a building where Bucky was going for evaluation and you tried making a plan to get Ross to let you down there.

Steve had already tried helping Bucky break out, but of course they were caught like you knew they would be. Bucky was too unstable to expect any coherent thoughts from.

"What's gonna happen to him?"

"Same thing that ought to happen to you, Steve. Psychological evaluation and extradition," Everett retorted.

"This is Everett Ross, Deputy Task Force Commander," Sharon introduced.

"What about our lawyer?" Steve asked.

"Lawyer. That's funny. See their weapons are placed in lockup. Oh, we'll write you a receipt," Everett chuckled.

"I better not look out the window and see anybody flying around in that," Sam said as suited men took his falcon wings.

"You'll be provided with an office instead of a cell. Now, do me a favor, stay in it?" Everett said.

"I don't intend on going anywhere," T'Challa assured him.

"For the record, this is what making things worse looks like," Natasha told Steve with a sigh.

"He's alive," Steve said.

"Consequences? You bet there'll be consequences. Obviously you can quote me on that 'cause I just said it. Anything else? Thank you, sir," Tony said to his phone.

"'Consequences'?" Steve asked.

"Secretary Ross wants you both prosecuted. Had to give him something." Tony shrugged.

"I'm not getting that shield back, am I?" Steve asked.

"Technically, it's the government's property. Wings, too," Natasha said.

"Hey, you wanna see something cool? I pulled something from Dad's archives. Felt timely," Tony pulled two pens from a box, but you left them, searching for Ross.

You found him pretty quickly and tapped on
his shoulder. He first ignored you, but when you tapped again, he sighed and turned to you. "Yes?"

"I need to see Bucky," you said firmly.

Ross laughed. "Yeah right."

"If you want him to stay in that cell, you have to send me down," you insisted.

"I wasn't born yesterday." He walked away with a laugh despite your protests.

If Zemo got to Bucky before you...

A guard caught your attention as he fiddled with a card on his belt. Fuck.

Walking over to the guard with a smile, you were immediately greeted with the smell of too-strong cologne.

He whistled at you—actually whistled—and brushed a hand through his dark hair. "Hey there."

You wrung your hands and gave him an innocent look. "I think I'm lost. Could you help me?"

"Er—" he looked around. "Sure, lady." He swung his arm around your shoulder, pulling you tight against him.

He didn't even bother asking where you were going, instead leaving his post and leading you down the hall.

"I just need the bathroom, sir." Where did he think he was taking you?

"Ah, yes. The bathroom." He gave a sly smile and you almost vomited all over his pristine outfit.

"I think I may have, you know." You gave him a look. "I started my monthly."

Aaaaand there was that disgusted face men got when a period was brought up. He cringed back, pointing down the hall, before scrambling away. "The bathroom is there."

You walked away with a smile, following the signs to the room you needed; the guard didn't even notice his card was missing.

Finally, after wasting precious minutes searching down the halls, you found a plaque labeled "Mental Evaluation."

The door to the room didn't open so you swiped the card on the scanner, seconds from ripping your hair out when it beeped red.

Shit. Zemo must have messed with the scanner so he wouldn't be interrupted.

"No no no no."

A blackout to an alarm had you spewing curses under your breath. The TVA was not making this easy for you.

Hopelessness suffocated you like a physical weight on your chest. Could it be possible everything you were trying to stop was inevitable?

If even the most genius minds couldn't prevent these disasters, how could you possibly think you could?

Steve and Sam's yells jolted you out of your thoughts as they approached and Steve rammed his body against the door.

"Help me. Help!" Cried a voice inside the room.

Steve opened the door with a strong kick to find Zemo on the floor. He grabbed Zemo and shoved him against the wall. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Steve! Not important!" You reminded him as Bucky entered the room behind Sam and swung his fist which smashed through the wall as Sam ducked. Bucky grabbed him by the jaw and threw him at the open pod. Steve let go of Zemo and went into the fight.

Bucky and Steve took their fight outside into the hallway and Sam jumped back up but was shot down with a punch to the face.

"Zemo don't do this," you begged as tears threatened to fall. You opened your mouth to say who-knows-what when your eyes rolled back into your head as you went limp and fell to the floor.

Zemo took his chance and ran out the door and left you on the floor as Bucky battled with Tony out in the hallway.

Sam opened his eyes a few moments later to look for Zemo, who he had just missed when he noticed you on the floor. He cursed and kneeled on the floor next to you. He yelled for Tony a moment later when you started seizing.

Sam tried to hold down your arms and head so you didn't accidentally hurt yourself. When you stopped moving he lifted you up and quickly ran you out of the room, having to dodge through the chaos to get you checked out.

You stayed blissfully unaware in unconsciousness as your fever started to rise.