Nadia rubbed her forehead, tired of everyone bickering. She sat next to Steve as she flipped through the Sokovia Accords. She sighed looking up towards Sam and Rhodey, who continued argued.

"Secretary Ross has the Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have," Rhodey told him, crossing his arms. "So let's say we agree to this thing," Sam began.

"How long before it's gonna be before they LoJack up like some common criminals?"

"A hundred seventeen countries want to sign this. A hundred seventeen, Sam. And you're just like 'Nah, it's cool.'"

"How long are you going to be playing both sides?" Sam demanded as annoyance filled his eyes. "I have an equation." Vision announced. "Oh, this will clear it up," Sam muttered. "Maybe if you would shut up, it would." Nadia snapped and turn to Vision.

"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of noted enhanced persons has grown exponentially. And during the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commissive rate." Vision told the group slowly.

"So you're saying it's our fault?" Steve asked, his eyebrow raised. "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 could be dismissed out-of-hand."

"Boom." Rhodey glanced over at Sam, who rolled his eyes. "Tony, you're being uncharacteristically non-hyper verbal," Natasha noted, glancing over at Stark. He was laying on the couch with his hand over his face.

"That's because he already made up his mind," Steve replied. "Boy, you know me so well." He sighed, getting up and heading towards the sink.

"Actually, I'm nursing my electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain... says Humphrey. Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal?" He demanded. "Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?"

Stark pulled out a device and an image of a man a little older than Nadia appeared.  "Oh, that's Charles Spencer by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree. 3.6 GPA. Had a floor level gig. An Intel plan for the fall. But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul. Before he parks it behind the desk. See the world, maybe be of service."

Nadia stared at the picture, confused at what Stark was getting at. "Charlie didn't want to go to Vegas which is what I would do. He didn't go to Paris or Amsterdam. Sounds fun. He decided to spend his summer, building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where. Sokovia."

Nadia put her head down. She knew where Stark was getting. "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."

Tony took a sip of his coffee and looked back at the group. "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, we're boundless, we're no better than the bad guys."

"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up," Steve told them, his eyes flickered towards Nadia. She took a deep breath and forced a weak smile. "Who says we're giving up?"

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame." Rhodey shook his head at Steve's response. "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 S.H.I.E.L.D, it's not Hydra."

"No, but it's run by people with agendas and agendas change," Steve responded. Nadia glanced at her sister, knowing this was going to be a long argument.

"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 them." Stark approaches the group, staring down Steve.

'Not fast enough.' Nadia thought, her sister glanced at her, shaking her head. "Don't say that," she whispered. Nadia rolled her eyes.

"Tony. You chose to do that. If we sign these, we surrender our right to choose. What if this Panel sends us somewhere we don't think we should go. What if it's somewhere we need to go, and they don't let us. We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."

"If we don't do this now, it's going to be done to us later. That's a fact. That won't be pretty." With a sigh, Stark shook his head, wondering how his point wouldn't go through Steve's head.

"You're saying they'll come for me, for us." Wanda bitterly glanced at Steve. "I won't let that happen," Nadia told her sister, facing her chair towards her. "Nadia's right, we'll protect you." Vision confirmed.

"Maybe Tony is right. If, we have one hand on the wheel that can still steer." Natasha spoke, tired of spectating the conversation. "Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss our ass a few years ago?" Sam questioned, earning a snort from Nadia.

"I'm just... monitoring. We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win our trust back." Nat replied, her eyes scanning around the room. "I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Stark asked, a grin spreading across his face for the first time since he arrived.

"Oh, I want to take it back." Natasha regretted it immediately. Nadia began picking at some dry skin on her finger as she observed Steve on his phone.

"No, no, no. You can't retract it. Thank you. I'm impressed by what you did. Okay, case closed. I win." Steve's face showed no emotions, but Nadia could tell by his eyes something had happened. She glanced at his phone, "She's gone. In her sleep."

"I have to go." He muttered, getting up and leaving the room in silence.

—•—

The conversation continued but Nadia left the room. She walked the hallways and found Steve on the stairways.

Steve sat there, a single tear going down his face. He turned quickly, hearing footsteps. But relaxed seeing it was Nadia. She sat down next to him, quiet.

They sat in silence for five minutes, both thinking about the ones they had lost. "You alright?" Nadia asked him. He nods, "Are you?" Nadia shrugged. "None of us truly are. We all need therapy." She joked, trying to get Steve to at least smile.

Steve chuckled softly and Nadia grinned, proud of her accomplishment. "Are you going to sign it?" She asked him. "I can't. I'm Captain America, I fight for freedom. I don't give it up." Nadia nodded. "Unless Wanda does, I don't think I will."

"And if she does?"

Nadia pursed her lips together. "Then I go with my heart, something someone special taught me two years ago." Steve smiled, letting them both sit in silence again.

"It's going to be okay, Steve." She told him, resting her hand on his shoulder.

"I know. And thank you. You act too old for your age."

"It's not a problem. I'm afraid I never got to act my age. Guess I grew up too fast."

aw, i feel bad for nadia...

guess it's time to throw everything bad at her.