"Eleven 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."

"You know, for being the good guys you get a lot more bad stuff said about you than good." Pietro interrupted the news reporter. He was lay behind his sister who sat up right on the edge of her bed with her brown eyes focused on the screen.

"That's because when you're the bad guy you're expected to cause casualties." Countered Crystal, who also had her eyes trained on the TV. "When you're labelled as the good guy that's not supposed to happen."

"Our people's blood is spilled on foreign soil." King T'Chaka spoke to the reporter, his voice filled with venom. "Not only the cause of the actions are criminals, but by the indifference of those pledge to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent is no victory at all."

"The Wakanda King went on to ask, 'What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nigeria?'" Suddenly the TV went off, causing the elder Maximoff and young blonde to turn towards the door. Steve stood in the doorframe with his arms folded tightly over his chest.

"It's my fault."

"That's not true."

"Turn the TV back on, they're being very specific." Wanda argued softly.

"No they're just using your name because you tried to stop it." Ruby spoke up, causing all four people to jump. The seventeen year old was sat in a chair in the corner of the room, a scowl etched on her face as she glared at the TV. "They'd be the same with anyone, they're scared that's all. It's only natural. Besides this was a month ago, it's took them long enough."

"Look." Steve said. "I should've grabbed that bomb as I'm the leader, I'm meant to deal with it. Rumlow said 'Bucky' and all of a sudden I was a sixteen year old kid again in Brooklyn. People died."

"It's on me."

"It should be on neither of you, it's not like you two set the bomb off." Pietro added, shifting slightly as Steve joined them on the bed.

"If anything you minimised the damage, it would have been a lot worse on the ground. Plus you saved Steve's life."

"It's on both of us. This job, we try to save as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody, but we can't find a away to live that. Next time, maybe nobody can be saved." Captain Rogers looked down at his hands before he felt someone touch his shoulder gently. Miss Evans smiled down at her leader, sadness yet confidence shine from her eyes.

"It's okay Cap, we'll be fine." With that she too plopped down on the bed, sitting the other side of Pietro just as The Vision wandered through the wall.

"Vis, we talked about this." Wanda sighed, shaking her head slightly as the red skinned 'male' tilted his head in confusion for a few seconds.

"Yes but the door was open so I assumed-"

"That who you were looking for would be in here?" Ruby quipped from the corner before pushing herself to her feet as the Vision continued like she hadn't spoken.

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

"Thank you. I'll be right down."

"I'll use the door." He paused for a moment before making his way towards the gap in the wall. "Oh and apparently he's brought a guest." All four enhanced looked at Steve with a confused expression.

"You know who it is?"

"The Secretary of State."

~~~~~

"Oh. Five years ago, I had a heart attack." The Secretary of State spoke, pacing slowly in front of the conference table. Steve, Natasha, Sam and Crystal all sat on the right side of the table while Sam, Vision, Wanda and Pietro sat on the left. Tony himself say at the back of the room while Ruby stayed standing, feeling vulnerable if she sat in front of the man who she could tell disliked them a fair bit. "I dropped right in the middle of my batting swing. Turned out, it was the best round of my life because after thirteen hours of surgery and a triple bypass, I found something forty years in the army never taught me: Perspective.

"The world owes the Avengers an unplayable debt. You've fought for us. Protected us. Risked your lives. While a great many people see you as heroes, there are some who would prefer the word 'vigilantes'."

"And what word would you use Mr Secretary?" Natasha asked, leaning forward on the table slightly with a raised eyebrow.

"How about 'Dangerous'?" He replied coldly. "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."

"That's not true!" Argued Crystal, going to get out of her chair before Ruby pushed her back down roughly and with a firm shake of her head. Secretary Ross glared for a moment before turning to the screen behind him.

"New York." A clip began to play, causing Natasha to look towards Steve for a moment. "Washington DC." It was Sams turn to look towards the super solider who made no effort to move or look back. "Sokovia." Crystal turned towards Ruby and then Pietro who was already staring back at her, giving her a soft reassuring smile. "Lagos."

"That's enough." Ruby interrupted harshly as Wanda spun her chair away from the screen as the video began to play.

"You currently have no authority here Miss Jackson." Ross somewhat growled, eyes narrowing at the seventeen, nearly eighteen year old in distaste. "For the last four years, you operated with unlimited power and no supervision." He turned back to everyone else. "That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution. The Sokovia Accords." He handed a large white papered folder to Wanda who eyed it carefully with her twin reading over her shoulder. As it got passed around the male continued to talk.

"Approved by 117 countries. It states, the the Avengers shall no longer be a private organisation. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations Panel. Only when and if that Panel deems it necessary."

"More people die that way." Pointed out Mr Maximoff, but Steve shook his head as he spoke.

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

"Tell me Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now? If I misplace a couple of thirty mega tonne nukes, you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."

"So." Rhodey finally spoke up. "There are Contingencies?"

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

"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Questioned the red haired assassin with a smirk, thinking she had one upped him. However Ross simply shrugged:

"Then you retire."