March, 2018
Avengers Compound, Upstate New York

Noah hovered just outside of the room where Rhodey was in a meeting with secretary Ross, and the others.

"Still no word from Vision?"

"Satellites lost him somewhere over in Edinburgh." Rhodey answered, "On a stolen Quinjet with four of the world's most wanted criminals." Ross continued dryly.

Rhodey sighed, "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." Ross grumbled.

"If it weren't for those accords Vision would've been right here." Rhodey stated, "I remember your signature on those papers."

Rhodey nodded slowly, "That's right. And I'm pretty sure I payed for that."

"You have second thoughts?" Ross asked.

"Not anymore."

A small beeping sound signaled the entrance, of, in Ross's words, the world's four most wanted criminals.

"Mr. Secretary," Steve nodded, Ross's hologram took a few steps forward, "You've got some nerve. I'll give you that."

"You could you some of that right now." Natasha stated.

"The world's on fire." Ross walked to the right, looking at each of them, "And you think all is forgiven?"

"I'm not looking for forgiveness. And I'm way past asking for permission." Steve paused, "Earth just lost her best defender. So we're here to fight. And if you wanna stand in our way, we'll fight you too."

Ross turned to Rhodey, "Arrest them."

"All over it." Rhodey nodded, before hanging up on the man. "That's a court marital." he paused, "It's great to see you, Cap."

Noah took this as her signal to finally re-enter the room, Natasha gave Rhodey a quick hug and pulled back just in time to see Noah bounding over to her, "Hey sweetness," Natasha smiled into the hug.

"Hi, Mama."

"Wow, you guys, really look like crap." Rhodey teased, "Must've been a rough couple of years."

"Yeah, well the hotels weren't exactly five star." Sam stated, "Yeah, we can tell." Noah quipped.

Sam rolled his eyes, "Whatever, mini Romanoff."

"You know, you can really stop calling me that now. I'm not a kid, Samuel."

"What are you? Thirteen?"

Noah rolled her eyes, "Fifteen, actually."

"I think you guys look great," Bruce entered the room, and chuckled a bit, "Yeah, I'm back."

"Oh, yeah. He's back. Tony's gone, along with Peter, and the wizard dude." Noah noted, "Things are not in fact great."

--

Noah stood with her arms crossed, slightly annoyed that she wasn't being involved in the conversation.

"So we gotta assume they're coming back, right?" Rhodey asked, "And they can clearly find us." Wanda added.

"We need all hands on deck, where's Clint?"

"House arrest. Uncle Clint, and the Ant-Man dude took deals, so they could stay with their families." Noah stated.

"There's an Spider-Man and a Ant-Man?" Bruce questioned, and Rhodey nodded.

"Okay look, Thanos has the biggest army in the universe. And he is not gonna stop, until he gets...he gets Vision's stone."

"Well, then we have to protect it." Natasha stated.

"You guys might not want to hear this...but it might be best to destroy it..." Noah trailed off, "Don't look at me like that! You know I'm right!"

"Noah is right." Vision stated, staring out the window, "We have to destroy it. I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head. About it's nature. But also it's composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source...something very similar to it's own signature, perhaps..." Vision walked to Wanda, "It's molecular integrity would fail."

"Yeah, and you with it." Wanda whispered, "We're not having this conversation."

"Eliminating the stone, is the only way." Vision stated, "The only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it."

"That's to high a price," Wanda shook her head, tear built behind her eyes, Vision gently held her face, "Only you have the power to pay it." Wanda pulled away upset.

"Thanos threatens half the universe. One life can not stand in the way of defeating him."

"But it should," Steve spoke up, "We don't trade lives, Vision."

Vision crossed the room towards him, "Captain, 70 years ago, you laid down your life...to save how many millions of people. Tell me, why this is any different?"

"Because you might have a choice," Bruce started, "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."

"You're saying Vision isn't just the stone?" Wanda asked.

Noah crossed the room to stand beside her mother, gently leaning against her, "I'm scared, Mama. Tony and Peter are just gone."

"I know. They'll be okay. We're going to figure this out." Natasha whispered.

"I'm saying that if we take the stone, there's still a whole lot of Vision left. Perhaps the best parts."

"Can we do that?" Natasha asked.

"I actaully know the perfect person," Noah quipped, and then looked towards her mother, "This means going to Wakanda though..."

Noah had been hesitant to go with Tony on anymore of his trips to Wakanda since she found out Bucky was there. The teenager was unsure how to act around her father, because before he never really was her father.

As the others began to move towards the Quinjet, Noah and Natasha stayed back a bit, "You don't have to come if you don't want to. I'm sure May or Maddie's family would be happy to have you stay with them." Natasha spoke.

Noah shook her head, "I want to be with you. I want to help."

"Only if you're sure." Natasha said softly, and Noah leaned into the arm Natasha had wrapped around her.

"Who says I even have to talk to him. It'll be fine. Let's just go."