We were now at the Avengers Compound. I was taken to the hospital wing and told it was a second-degree burn. My arm was red and looked like an irritating rash, but some of the advanced medicine there helped the skin look somewhat normal. Wanda did such a good job containing the blast that the majority of the burn was only surface level. I was lucky that it was my left arm and that there was no nerve damage to my arm. I begged to leave after hours in my hospital room and reluctantly they let me go.

Steve and I were walking around the compound just trying to figure out what to do. He kept glancing at my arm. I could tell he felt guilty for it, even though I would say differently than what he thought. We walk into the living area space and the TV was one.

"11 Wakandans were among those killed during a confrontation between the Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos, Nigeria, last month. The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outreach mission in Lagos when the attack occurred." The news anchor says.

"Our people's blood is spilled on foreign soil. Not only because of the actions of criminals but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent is no victory at all." King T'Chaka: says on the news.

"The Wakanda king went on to..." The news anchor started to say before Steve shuts it off. We then hear the news coming from somewhere else. We walk around and catch Wanda watching it as she sits on her bed.

"They are operating outside and above the international law. Because that's the reality, if we don't respond to acts like these. What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nigeria -" The news anchor was cut off again by Steve turning off the TV.

"It's my fault," Wanda says looking down at her hands.

"That's not true," Steve said.

"You saved me," I said walking over to her and sitting next to her on the bed.

"Turn the TV back on. They're being very specific." Wanda said in a sad voice.

"I should've clocked that bomb vest long before you had to deal with it," Steve said.

He then walks over to Wanda kneeling in front of her.

"Rumlow said "Bucky" and... all of a sudden I was a 16-year-old kid again, in Brooklyn." He says as he kneels in front of her. "And people died. It's on me."

"It's on both of us," Wanda said. She tried to look at my left arm and I moved it out of view. I didn't want to bring my burnt arm into the conversation.

"This job... We try to save as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody. But if we can't find a way to live with that, next time... maybe nobody gets saved." Steve said shaking his head.

The vision then materializes through the wall. He interrupts us by walking through the wall into Wanda's room.

"Vis! We talked about this." Wanda said to him.

"Yes, but the door was open so I assumed that..." The vision started to say as he gestured at the door and stops.

"Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr. Stark was arriving." Vision said.

"Thank you. We'll be right down." Steve said.

"I'll... use the door. Oh, and apparently, he's brought a guest." Vision said to us.

"We know who it is?" Steve asked.

"The Secretary of State."

As we enter the room, The Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross, is standing at the head of a table. Rhodey, Natasha, Steve, Tony, Sam, Vision, Wanda, and I gather around the table. I sit in between Wanda and Sam as Steve sits across from us.

"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 said to us.

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

"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?" Secretary Ross says.

Ross then activates a screen behind him. News footage from past Avengers and SHIELD matters flash on the screen as he speaks.

"New York." Secretary Ross says.

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

Rhodey looks regretful. He glances behind him at Natasha.

"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.

Sam looks down as I turn my head away from the screen. Steve notices and tried to make eye contact with me. I avoid his gaze as Secretary Ross continues.

"Sokovia."

Terrified citizens, running. The city rising. A building falling over.

Wanda stares at the screen, as does Tony.

"Lagos."

The burning building. Paramedics moving a body. A dead girl. He continues to show us video footage of all the carnage caused by the Avengers trying to save the world. He focuses on the destruction caused by Wanda trying to contain Rumlow's bomb. A video flashes up on the screen of when Rumlow grabs me and sets off the bomb, including when Wanda tries to contain the explosion and then the explosion destroying the build. This clearly upsets Wanda. I reach out to hold her hand. She stared down at my arm, I then realized it was my left arm and quickly retracted it to my side.

"Okay. That's enough." Steve says.

Secretary Ross nods to an aide and the images disappear.

"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 says.

He then places a thick document on the desk and passes it to Wanda. She picks it up, then slides it to Rhodey.

"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." Secretary Ross says.

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

"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Secretary Ross says.

Steve looks up and meets Ross's eyes. I know he doesn't know and I want to help him out, but I can't think of a good lie.

"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." Secretary Ross says.

"So, there are contingencies," Rhodes says.

"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords. Talk it over."

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

"Then you retire."

After the meeting, we all gather at HQ. Steve was just sitting there, studying the Accords, while Rhodey and Sam argue behind him. I sat there not wanting to be involved in anything. I already knew where I stood and that's with Steve and whatever decision he makes.

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

"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?" Sam argues.

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

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

"I have an equation." Vision says.

"Oh, this will clear it up," Sam asks crossing his arms over his chest.

"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. Hayes was assigned to kill them because of the large numbers. And during the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate." Vision said.

I sank deeper into my chair wanting nothing to do with this conversation.

"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve asked as he placed a hand on my knee.

"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." Vision said.

"Boom," Rhodes said loudly.

Tony laid on the couch, one hand over his face.

"Tony. You are being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal." Natasha calls to him.

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

"Boy, you know me so well," Tony says taking his hand away from his face and sits up.

"Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache," Tony says jokingly.

He walks to the kitchen and grabs a mug as he continues.

"That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds at your disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?"

He puts his phone in a basket and taps it. The phone projects an image of a smiling young man. He looks down, then back up, and pretends 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."

The others look affected by this. I look at Sam as he shakes his head.

"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."

He takes a pill with some coffee, then faces us again.

"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 pleads.

"Who said we're giving up?"

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blames." Steve said sitting back in his chair.

"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." Rhodes says to him.

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

"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 says back.

"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 argues.

"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 says.

"We would protect you." Vision reassures her.

"Maybe Tony's right," Natasha says.

Tony looks at her, surprised.

"If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off..." Natasha starts, but I cut her off.

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

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

"Focus up. I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Tony says to the group.

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

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

Steve's phone buzzes and he pulls it out to check it. I look over his shoulder to see a text message that reads: 'She's gone. In her sleep.'

"I have to go," Steve says with no emotion. Steve gets up sharply, drops the Accords on the coffee table, and goes downstairs. He stops at the bottom of the stairs, leans against the banister, and bows his head. I follow close behind him.

"Steve? Is everything ok?" I ask keeping my distance.

"It's Peggy." He says still looking at the ground.

"What do you mean it's Peggy?" I ask unsure what's happening.

"She was alive and now..."

"Oh, Steve." I pulled him into a hug. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know. It was like my little secret she was alive. I wanted to protect her."

"It's hard getting over your first love," I said to him as I pulled away from the hug.

"Sam and I are here for you."

"Thank you."