𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 || 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘐𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘥

"SECRETARY ROSS HAS A CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR WHICH ONE MORE THAN YOU HAVE."

"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 questioned.

Rhodey scoffed. "117 countries want to sign this," Rhodey stated. "117, Sam, and you're just like, "No, that's cool. We got it"."

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

Since the discussion had started, the two had been at each other's necks. Each of them barking comments at one another like children. And truthfully, Carter was sick of it. Instead focusing his attention on Judge who purred under the brush of his finger. Oblivious to the problems 

"I have an equation," Vision announced, placing a chest figure down.

Sam let out a laugh. "Oh, this will clear it up."

"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man the number of unknown enhanced persons has grown exponentially," he explained. "During the same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate."

"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve asked.

"I'm saying there may be a causality," he reasoned. "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."

"Boom," Rhodey muttered, looking at Sam.

From beside Carter, Nova sat up. "But wouldn't you say that those respective governments were willing to kill more than save?" She asked, glancing at Vision. "Tony and I dealt with a nuke that was being sent straight to the center of New York. But they want to cuff us and order us around like dogs?"

"Nova, you know that was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s orders," Rhodey dismissed.

"Fun fact: S.H.I.E.L.D. worked for the United Nations. They worked beneath and answered to the President," Nova spat, a plastic smile curving across her lips. "And although I hate my father for a lot of things, it wasn't his fucking choice to send that nuke at New York."

Sam laughed. "Boom!" He exclaimed, smirking at Rhodey.

"Tony," Natasha spoke up, looking at the man who hadn't seemed at all interested in the bickering. "You are being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal."

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

Tony sighed. "Boy, you know me so well." He sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort."

Rinsing out a cup, Tony groaned. "Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal?" He questioned. "Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?"

His jokes didn't seem to reach the team as they all stared at him, aware that he had yet to state his reasoning, and it seemed he took notice. Reaching into his pocket and pulling out a holographic pad, leaning it against the basket of fruits, and projected an image of a man.

"Oh, that's Charles Spenser, 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," he explained, pouring himself a coffee. "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."

He continued. "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. Carter felt his throat close up as his head lulled back, jaw clenching with Nova's hand falling on his shoulder. "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 ran a hand over his goatee and took a sip of his coffee. Allowing his words to sink into the group. "There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game," He told them. "If we can't accept limitations, if we're bounder-less, we're no better than the bad guys."

"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up," Steve countered.

"Who says we're giving up?" Tony asked.

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions," he stated. "This document just shifts the blame."

"I'm sorry, Steve. That is dangerously arrogant," Rhodey spoke up. "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."

"That's good. That's why I'm here," Tony announced. "When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing."

"Tony, you chose to do that," Steve emphasized. "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'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 gonna be done to us later," Tony said. "That's the fact. That won't be pretty."

"You're saying they'll come for me," Wanda spoke up.

"We would protect you," Vision said resolutely, looking to Carter who still hadn't lifted his head. Only able to see the man's Adam's apple bob.

"Maybe Tony's right."

Most of the team turned to Natasha, perplexed by the assassin's agreement. Primarily Nova, who couldn't shake the dumbfounded look off her face. "If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off..."

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

"I'm just reading the terrain," Natasha reasoned. "We have had some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back."

"Focus up. I'm sorry. Did I mishear you or did you just agree with me?" Tony asked, leant on the arm of the couch.

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

"No, no, no. No, you can't retract it," Tony announced. "Unprecedented. Thank you."

Nova scoffed, staring at her girlfriend like she'd grown a second head. "And when they throw us into a war?" She questioned, earning the attention of everyone in the room. "When they have us tasked to kill people in a war we want no part of? What then?"

Tony shook his head. "It won't come to that."

"Then please, Tony, explain to me how you know?" She asked, waving a hand toward him, raising a brow. "Please. The floor is all yours to tell us how you plan to speak for us. Because as far as I am concerned, this is guilt weighing on you. As it does for all of us. But we've found a way to keep moving forward and trying to do right by the people we've failed. You want to stand for an entity that countless times jumps to conclusions and fucks up. But who pays the price? Us!"

Her eyebrows scrunched together, looking between Natasha and Tony with a scoff. "I don't know what I expected from either of you, but this isn't it."

"I have to go." Steve's unannounced departure had caused the group to grow silent. Watching him leave before Tony looked amongst the group. Waiting for someone to speak up until he pushed away from the couch with a hum.

But he couldn't get too far before Natasha spoke up. "Carter? What is your decision?"

The collective remaining members turned to Carter, who held his head in his hands. Exhaling in exasperation as he lifted his head, clasping his hands and pursing his lips with a faint shake of his head. Looking up at Natasha, he smiled.

"I'm done."

They stared at him, confused by the defined statement and by how simple of an answer it had been. No build-up. No devil's advocate. Just a simple response of him checking out. "I'm not... I'm not doing this," he laughed, looking amongst the team in defeat. "For so long, I disregarded human life for my desires. It was only after Sokovia that I realized how obligated I'd been to keep people safe, and it nearly cost my life."

Waving his hand toward Wanda, he said, "It wasn't Wanda's fault for what happened in Lagos. It also wasn't our fault for what happened in Sokovia." His face scrunched up, hands clenching together. "But I am given a second chance here to be with each of you and be proud of everything we've sacrificed to keep our world safe. And that..." He shook his head. "That I won't allow to be tarnished by picking sides in a fight that we shouldn't even be thrown in."

Standing to his feet, Carter stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "So, I'm done. I'm leaving," he announced, shrugging. "I won't ruin my memory of each of you by fighting you."

And without warning, he teleported away. Their last look of the man being shimmering sparks before silence. Nova stared wide-eyed with her gaze flickering to Wanda, who bit her bottom lip, bolting to her feet and sprinting out of the room despite Nova's calls.

Wanda panted, nearly tripping over her feet as she raced down each hall and slid into each wall when taking a corner. But despite her heart hammering against her chest, she forced herself farther and faster.

Please, don't go. Please.

Making it to Carter's bedroom door, she was surprised to find no sign of him. Only the remnants of his presence by drawers pulled open, clothes astray and small belongings missing. "No. No, no, no," she muttered, looking around in childish hopes that he was just hiding from her.

But her gaze fell to a small ripped piece of paper resting on his bed. She picked it up and stared at it for a few moments, chest tightening as a sob fell from her lips.

I know you won't leave him, but if you ever do, I'll be waiting.