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(𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN----▹

"This is all definitely going to leave a mark," Leigh quipped, she was focused on ignoring the shooting pain in every part of her body, at this point she could assume she had several fractured bones from the impact of falling out a literal window. 

"Walk it off, Strange," Cap stated, "Yeah, yeah. I know we've got some serious ass-kicking to do." Leigh said. The two of them made their way through the crowds, when Leigh slipped off to the side, "What are you doing?" the blonde man asked, and she stood very still for a second, "I am borrowing this motorcycle."

Steve gave her a look, "What? Don't worry your righteous little heart about it," the brunette stated before speeding off,  "They ditched their gear. It's a shell game now. One of them has the payload." his voice cut through the radio, but was cut off with a click, which was followed by an explosion, "Well that doesn't sound good...Nat, where are you?" Leigh asked after a second, "On my way over," she replied.

Sam knocked one guy out and another one came around gun raised, but before he had the chance to do anything a bullet was shot through his shoulder, "You're welcome." Leigh smiled, "A stolen bike?" he arched an eyebrow, "Not all of us have wings," she shrugged.

"He doesn't have it," Sam reported after searching through the bag quickly, they took cover for a minute, Sam sending Redwing after Natasha, "Payload secured. Thanks, Sam." Leigh heard Natasha say, "Don't thank me." he smirked, "I am not thanking that thing." Natasha shook her head, "His name is Redwing." Sam stated, "Yeah Nat," Leigh keyed in, "Still not thanking it." Natasha spoke, "He's cute. Go ahead. Pet him."

Steve was still busy fighting off Rumlow, through the radio, Leigh and everyone else overheard the conversation becoming intense, and Wanda got there just in time to block the explosion from hitting Steve, the red mist surrounded Rumlow, and Wanda's hands danced around as she tossed him up, the explosion plowing through the tenth floor of the building. The witch's hands fell over her mouth seeing all the destruction she caused. Leigh made her way over to Wanda wrapping her arms around her briefly, "It'll be ok..." she whispered.

AVENGERS FACILITY, UPSTATE NEW YORK

"I tried to tell her to avoid watching the news, I learned a long time ago, that all it causes is more grief. And grief makes it harder to do a good job at you know our jobs." Leigh said, as she and Natasha sparred, "You know I tried to tell you the same thing when your powers went A-wall, did you listen? Absolutely not."

Leigh scoffed, "That's not fair Nat, we know that I never listen to anyone ever." Natasha rolled her eyes playfully, "Sorry to interrupt," Rhodey spoke entering the room, "Stark is on his way, bringing an unwanted guest with him, I assumed you two would want to know."

"Oh great." Leigh spoke, "Who's he bringing this time?" Natasha looked towards Rhodey for the answer as well, "The Secretary of State."

---

"Five years ago, I had a heart attack," he spoke, motioning a non-exsistent golf club, "I dropped right in the middle of my backswing." All of the current Avengers sat around the table, Leigh sat close to Wanda, "Turned out it was the best round of my life because, after thirteen hours of surgery and a triple bypass, I found something 40 years in the army never taught me. Perspective."

Leigh wondered where he was going with all of this, perspective, that was his point, the brunette's knee bounced up and down slightly, a nervous habit she had picked up over time. "The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt." he continued, "You have fought for us...protected us, risked your lives. But while a great many people see you as heroes,  there are some.." he paused.

"Who would prefer the word 'vigilantes'" Natasha was the first to speak up since Ross had begun speaking, "And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" sensing the slightly mocking tone, Ross looked towards her, "How about 'dangerous'?" he stated sharply.

"What would you call a group of U.S.-based, enhanced individuals...who routinely ignore sovereign borders, and inflict their will wherever they chose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind." he walked over to the screen.

"New York," clips from the battle where aliens reigned down on the city played through, the hulk destroying buildings, "Washington D.C." the screen flipped playing footage of helicarriers crashing and burning, Leigh's heart sunk when it flipped to a clip of her, there had been a split second that day, where she lost control of the different time speeds unintentionally holding back innocents who were trying to flee the scene. Her eyes flickered down to the table, and Natasha looked at her with a look of worry. 

"Sokovia." Footage of the floating land, and crashing buildings, played through, Leigh reached over gently squeezing Wanda's shoulder, "Lagos." the burning building played through, then switching to victims of said explosion. 

"Ok, that's enough." Steve spoke up, "For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement that the governments of the world can no longer tolerate." Ross stated.

"But I think we have a solution." Ross spoke, accepting the thick booklet from the man beside him, he slid it over to Wanda, "The Sokovia Accords." Leigh glanced over Wanda's shoulder looking at the book. 

"Approved by 117 countries," Natasha's eyebrows were pulled together in thought, as Rhodey motioned for Wanda to pass him the book, "It states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of the United Nations Panel." Ross walked around the table, "Only when and if that panel, deems it necessary." he stopped beside Steve.

"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that." Steve spoke not looking anywhere in particular. "Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Ross asked, Steve, looked back towards him, "If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes...you can bet there'd be consequences." They were all growing more annoyed about this by the second.

"Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground." he spoke motioning towards the document. "So," Rhodey started, tapping on the book, "There are contingencies."

"Three days from now the UN meets in Vienna...to ratify the accords." Steve turned back to Tony, who looked down avoiding the blonde man's gaze. "Talk it over." Ross stated, "And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha asked, "Then you retire."

---

"Secretary Ross has a congressional medal of honor...which is one more than you have." Rhodey spoke, his words directed at Sam. Leigh was getting tired of the constant arguing, they had all been going back and forth for what felt like hours by this point. "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 asked, "117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like 'No, that's cool, we've got it.'" 

"How long are you going to play both sides?" Sam asked, "Shut the hell up, both of you." Leigh spoke raising her voice, "Look, I'm sick of the bullshit back and forth, we need to actually communicate." 

"I have an equation," Vision spoke up, "In the 8 years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced people has grown exponentially. During the same period, the number of potential world-ending events has risen at a commenced rate." 

Leigh glanced at the floor was playing the blame game really going to help anything here, "Are you saying this is our fault?" Steve 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."

"Boom," Rhodey said looking towards Sam, and Leigh rolled her eyes, "Tony..." Natasha started, He took his hand off his face, "You are being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal." Leigh glanced over towards him, "It's because he's already made up his mind." Steve answered for him. "Boy, you know me so well." he quipped sarcastically.

"Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on Cap, it's just pain. It's discomfort," he grabbed a mug, "Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?"

Tony set up the small projection, "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 his 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."

It took a second for his words to sink in, some people didn't understand the real effect it had on them. Leigh felt every death she caused, for months after DC, she spent time at Clint's farm just trying to find herself again. "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 it takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less...we're not better than the bad guys." Leigh leaned on Natasha's shoulder, "He has a point." she whispered, and the redhead nodded.

"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up." Steve spoke, "Who said we're giving up?" he countered, "We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame." 

"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." Rhodey spoke, "No but it's run by people with agendas. Agendas change."

"Can I leave?" Leigh whispered to Natasha, who just sent her a sympathetic look, the redhead knew all about Leigh and knew that this was doing nothing but bringing up bad memories for the girl. "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, stopped manufacturing." Tony added, "Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this we surrender our right to chose."

"What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there's somewhere we need to go and they don't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest is still our own hands." Steve tried to reason, "Look, if we don't do this now, it's going to be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty." Tony stated, "You're saying they'll come for me?" Wanda asked, "They'll come for any one of us." Leigh stated.

"Maybe Tony's Right." Natasha spoke up, and the man looked over to her in almost disbelief, "If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off..." Natasha continued but was cut off, "Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" Sam asked, "I'm just reading the terrain, plus I have different priorities than I did before. We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back." 

"I agree with Nat." Leigh added in, "Focus up. I'm sorry. Did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Tony asked, "Ohh, I want to take it back now," Natasha said, "No, no, no, you can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented. Ok, case closed, I win."

"I have to go." Steve spoke, standing up abruptly, Wanda moved to sit on the other side of Leigh, "Do you really agree?" she whispered, "Yeah...I do."