Chapter 30: Disasters Waiting To Happen

"You're not a bad person for the ways you tried to kill your sadness." —Unknown

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AVENGERS COMPOUND

LOCATION: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

JUNE 20. 2016

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"HOW could you? Signing the accords on behalf of myself which is bullshit since I'm underage!" Aurora shouted in frustration, accusing him of doing something without her opinion beforehand. She was for once enjoying some peace and quiet after giving up on the transmission that glitched the audio from their meeting. Just when she wanted to say something meaningful to him, the whole world turns their back on her for once attempting to be a decent human being. The teenager was beyond angry— furious, that no one saw her as a person but an object they could obtain. If she was in that meeting with the Secretary of State, he'll say a vigilante that needs to be contained like HYDRA. Spitting in her face to create some reaction from her.

"How could I? The government will be on our ass if we don't sign it." Tony remarked with the same tone as her, both stubborn in their own right for different reasons. He sighed harshly through his nose as he didn't see anything wrong with trying to protect her. Immediately she shook her head while chuckling at how her father thought she was an idiot. Manipulation. Like second nature when it comes to the Starks... lying, cheating, and calculating, almost if passed down to the new generation.

"You don't get it, I don't care about the accords and their stupid decision! All I want is to be treated like a member of the team!" The teenager confessed before realizing what she said, sealing her lips shut as she looked away. Purposely, trying to change her discomfort by picking up the journal and reading up on where she last left off.

"You are one but this will have serious repercussions if we don't follow the rules. Look, we'll level it out on the playfield for a while and when you're ready, you can go back on doing missions. Small ones like the new web-slinger—." The older Stark verbalizes his thoughts, earning a discreet eye roll from his daughter but thankfully he couldn't see. Aurora didn't care if a new hero was doing so mediocre neighborhood watching, she just didn't want to rot away her life.

"I just think I have the right to at least consider the options—." She commented calmly, not wanting to chat as she noticed the clock and noted he didn't have much time before another meeting. At this point, she was numb feeling his absence... another thing Starks was good at.

"So you can go back to being out of control? This isn't HYDRA!" Tony yelled suddenly and then there was silence. The girl stared at him stunned, concealing her tears and the feeling of drowning with emotions. He stood still before closing his eyes shut at the mistake he made, regretting bringing it up to spit in her face.

"If you worry I might betray you, then there's nothing more I can say. You don't trust me— but Steve was right... you really only think for yourself when it benefits you." The girl announced firmly, gripping on her journal that she kept reading about her mother. In more ways than one, Athena and Steve have similar beliefs while Tony cares about anything that didn't damage the Stark legacy. He paused for a while, unsure whether to continue or leave her alone since she's been temperamental for some time.

"Listen—." The billionaire wanted to say something important but she wouldn't let him, shaking her head in disagreement. Close the journal with a sad sigh, looking into his eyes as she uttered the words she always wanted to say.

"I'm sorry I'm not the perfect daughter you wanted or that you don't have a son to carry on the legacy. That I screwed up your life ever since London, having to babysit me and worry if I fuck something up. I was better off alone," She hold back her sob diligently as she remembered her life before, sure it was torture but the teenager didn't need to depend on anyone.

"Come on, don't be like that Firecracker." Tony eased his frustration, making his way to get closer towards her but that's when she pleaded with him to stop. Outstretching her hand in a swift movement, almost demanding him to not move an inch.

"Just go... you'll miss another meeting," Aurora insisted before giving a small fake smile to ease the frustration. But the more he stood there, the more she couldn't bear to let him see her cry. Feeling his touch on her arm, immediately pulled away as she finally snapped, "GO! LEAVE ME ALONE! I HATE YOU!"

Those words struck a deep nerve when Rory said that... hate. Seeing Tony wasn't leaving, she threw the closest thing next to her at the ground and shattered the photo frame. Then he left with sparing one last glance— there was no goodbye, no good luck, or I love you. Aurora cried silently after that, her face turning red and puffy from the incoming tears. Irritably getting off her bed to lock the door, the girl stepped on a piece of shard as she clenched her fist in pain. Seeing the broken glass lying on the ground, a photo sticking out of the frame. Crouching down to see a picture of Tony, Pepper, and herself spending Christmas Eve last year. Quivering a hand over her lips as she sobbed, clutching the photo tightly as she wept, "No... no.... what did I do?"

She didn't go out of her room for days, tears overflowing and when it stopped was after falling asleep. No one bothered to check on her— Steve, Sam, and Natasha were in London currently and last time she heard the female Avenger will attend the Accords. Wanda herself was slowly moving on, leaving Vision but since he didn't know the girl well, he decided on respecting her privacy. She felt exhausted, desperate, wanting to spill everything for the sake of her sanity. She received a notification on her phone, Sam texted about the funeral they held for Peggy Carter, Steve's old lover.

At least, Steve wasn't alone in London, Aurora pondered as she forced herself off the bed to get out. Nobody questioned her appearance, she just walked around to distract her mind and regret glistening in her eyes. The teenager didn't want to spill anything to her mother, fearing she'll argue with Tony that'll lead to something catastrophic. Besides, she had a whole planet to rule and that would only cause more harm than good, so she kept it locked inside her mind. Missing calls were on left read, Tony's messages were ignored as he promised to take her to the Avenger Tower on the weekend.

She honestly didn't care about going back home, Aurora needed to make amends for her mistake even if she was too stubborn for her own good. Throughout her day consisted of trying to do some physical exercises to gain energy and then when she was exhausted sleep for longer than ten hours. Thank god, her menstruation ended two weeks ago, or else she was going to feel like shit and binge eating. Not that she didn't mind eating the snacks available in the kitchen but decided against it seeing she had no one to share. God, she was such a loner, admitting how lame it was being alone and young still.

It's not like there was another teenager that had above-average abilities or was a superhero. One thing that has changed throughout the summer was she grew almost two inches and was slightly curvy than she remembered. Her facial features were sharper and leaner but Sam would often joke that she looked like starving even if she's a big eater. And never passed the opportunity to push her buttons of being the shortest in the group, however, it felt strange without him. Sure she disliked him but he never failed to at least crack a joke or two when the situation called for it.

"Do you have a moment?" Wanda knocked on the doorframe from her room, seeing the young girl staring silently at the phone with a message. Aurora took a moment to compose herself before hiding the phone and acting with a tiny smile, guessing even her once enhanced senses were losing their touch. She should have noticed her, however, that was beside the point rather than nodding her head in consent.

"How are you feeling? And the truth please... or I'll have no choice but to see." Maximoff joked as she wiggled her fingers in the air, coming closer to sit beside him. Aurora unintentionally moved away as she debated her dilemma, sighing loudly before confessing what was bothering her.

"Alright... I'm terrible. Honestly, I don't get why I'm a member of the team if I'm not even there to voice my opinion." The young Stark answered in annoyance, not towards her— just the thought of being used always felt wrong. HYDRA was different, they saw her as an important asset yet here it was more like babysitting.

"Hmm, you're afraid that no one will listen to you." Wanda pointed out cautiously, causing Aurora to inhale sharply. Did anyone really listen to her? On her own, she only worried about herself and now, everything she did was seen wrong.

"If that's what you'll call it...." She grumbled, playing with her necklace to calm herself. Getting better at distracting her mind to avoid having panic attacks that became more frequent.

"You know what I think? I know you're more than capable of doing so, but there was a loophole if you signed— Tony will lose custody of you," The older girl confessed, knowing it was better than to keep secrets from her. Everyone on the team advised against saying anything but it wasn't easy, Wanda saw how the guilt was eating her alive.

"What?" Aurora swiftly stared at her, wondering if she was lying... only to find out it was the truth. God, now she felt worse than any negative emotion she felt before.

"Signing that document will mean you'll no longer get to choose. You'll no longer be treated as a person, Rory. That's why Tony didn't let you because the Supreme Court will see him as an unfit parent and sent you away to a place you've always known. You'll be nothing more than the government's 'security' to make up for your liabilities in the past." Maximoff explained with deep concern, sensing how quiet the girl became after the declaration.

"Fuck... I'm such a horrible daughter." The teenager whispered to herself, hugging herself on the bed while Wanda tried comforting the girl. That's why Tony hesitated to tell her until Aurora yelled at him in frustration.

"I promise you, you're not. You see yourself as a burden when the team thinks of you as their family. They saw something in you that you don't see in yourself. I see you as my sister." The older girl started with sincerity, giving some thought to how to cheer her out for a bit. Aurora tried to not cry, thinking about how to form an apology when she saw him again.

"Where are we going?" The Stark questioned when she felt her being tugged away from her room, Wanda holding a small smile. Going down the hallway towards the elevator and entering to click one of the buttons.

"Let's make dinner together," Wanda told her, waiting patiently as it descended from the top floor to a few below them. Aurora wiped away a stray tear as confusion was written on her facial expression.

"Right now? It's only five pm," She checked on her phone, quickly putting it away to avoid seeing the message twice.

"Yes now, remember the deal we made? You teach me and I teach you to cook." The redhead remembered, getting out once they arrived and swiftly going to the kitchen.

"And you remember that now?" Aurora snarkily remarked, seeing how rude she was to the only friend she had. Giving a moment to calm herself, seeing the ingredients being placed in front of the table. Turning around to Wanda and said with a grin, "Alright, what are we making?"

"Ever heard of Goulash?" The Maximoff girl asked, Aurora answered with a silent shake of her head to signal no. She started with preparing the vegetables and showing her how to cut and clean them. While Wanda mend the meat to a soft paste and get the pot prepped, she uttered, "It's the Sokovian national dish and... my brother's favorite."

"I'm sorry," The teenager vocalized with a crestfallen frown but feeling a hand gently pat her. Wanda acknowledged her with a tiny smile, thinking it was the right time to start expressing her thoughts to relieve the pain.

"Don't be— just relax and listen to my instructions, you'll do great. I promise," She insisted, the pair didn't speak afterward, instead following along with the recipe. There was an occasional question if Aurora was doing it correctly, but they spent the evening preparing. It was fun to say the least, the savory smell of the soup and being with someone felt nice.

"Wanda?" The young Stark called out to her, smiling genuinely towards her friend as she continued. Aurora could only mutter the words thank you, seeing how they tried bonding for the meantime. Suddenly, Vision came marching down to them, an unrecognizable look was plastered on his face.

"Vis, is something wrong?" Wanda inquired as she knew something was troubling his mind. The android walked towards the dining room and grabbed the remote to turn on the television. After several channels, it seemed recent to be the aftermath of some attack.

"Miss Stark, you might need to see this." He advised with caution, Aurora quickly washed her hands and wiped them onto her shirt. Strolling closer to hear the report with concern, it was the United Nations ceremony... or what's left of it.

"More than 70 people have been injured. At least 12 are dead, including Wakanda's King T'Chaka. Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier. The infamous HYDRA agent, linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations." A female reporter declared as the images of the surveillance camera captured what seems to be him.

"What? That's-s impossible," She clamped her hand over the mouth, immediately grabbing her phone to gain access to M.A.T.T.H.E.W. before walking away. She input the password and began a thorough review of the recent attack and intel of eyewitness reports.

"Where are you going?" Wanda commented, still observing the disturbing images of victims being pulled away and survivors with minor or serious injuries.

"Um... I'll be back. You don't have to wait for me." Aurora declared, leaving no room to argue as she lost her appetite. Her phone beeped at another message, this time with more urgency to find him, and decided on taking a detour to lay off her trail. Of course, her device was being traced, deleting everything she gathered to her mirror and started packing what she needed. The girl only hopes to get him first before they do.

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STEVE walked out of the elevator with Sharon Carter beside him as they strolled through the hotel's top floor. The pair were sharing the moments they had with Peggy, bringing some reassurance to Rogers. It's only been a few hours after the funeral services being held a few blocks south, there was a sudden hollowness that was buried inside his heart. He at least had one last chance to see her well a few weeks ago, Captain tried convincing himself. It didn't work. Eventually, they met up with Sam, who abruptly came with a grave expression as he explained, "Steve. There's something you gotta see."

There was something in his eyes that told Steve he was serious, nodding his head solemnly before heading to the room. Sharon led the way swiftly, keeping a lookout in the hallway until reaching the door and swiping the key card. Immediately, Sam grabbed the remote and turned the TV on, skimming through the channels and stopped as the News Anchor stated, "A bomb hidden in a news van...."

A ringtone echoed as the female agent quickly replied as she was witnessing the live feed of the accident. Quietly exiting to another room to create less noise, Steve turned back to see the building being surrounded by fire trucks and swat vehicles everywhere. The News Anchor continued with the following statement, "More than 70 people have been injured. At least 12 are dead, including Wakanda's King T'Chaka. Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier. The infamous HYDRA agent, linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations."

The mere mention of Bucky created some sort of notion within the super-soldier, staring with a blank expression as the scene unfolds. The next frame was video surveillance with poor quality but showed a man walking to one of the news vans before going away. Although they couldn't get a clear shot of his face, there was an eerie resemblance to him that no one can deny. Sharon returned to the main room with a new set of clothes as she informed the men, "I have to go to work."

Advising them to start inside before she can give a secure place for them to leave without being recognized. Steve asked if he can get as much intel, only promising that she'll try before heading off downstairs. Going to the elevator to the main lobby, finding herself surrounded by her team as they walked out to see the smoke still hovering throughout the atmosphere. Swiftly giving orders to the group, "Call MI-6, see if we can get Micro Forensics to hurry this up. We need the whole team here in two hours or it's not worth it."

It was a short walk to the aftermath of the attack, passing by the injured individuals gathered around the makeshift medical center outside. She passed by giving orders to the others when Natasha spotted the Prince of Wakanda sitting on the bench alone. The woman recognized him from their brief interaction and the last thing of normality before the explosion. She sat on the next bench but near enough for him to hear her condolences, yet he was too stunned to answer. His father was pronounced dead about ten minutes ago, dying in his arms while silently pleading to stay with him.

The man turned to glance at her, toying with the silver ring between his fingers that belonged to his father. A sort of mantle that was now passed down to him, T'Challa briefly nodded in appreciation before recalling the wise words, "In my culture death is not the end. It's more of a... stepping-off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into the green veldt where... you can run forever."

"That sounds very peaceful," Romanoff commented in a sincere tone, not sure what else to say. She made an effort to offer some words but wasn't able to for the reason of not knowing him.

"My father thought so," The Wakandan Prince responded solemnly, slipping the ring on his finger. He no longer spared time continuing to mourn for his father, only a thought raptured his mind for justice. Revenge. Without a moment to waste, the man declared with ferocity, "I am not my father."

"T'Challa. Task force will decide who brings in Barnes," Natasha advises in a low tone, understanding his intentions for getting vengeance. It's always human nature to have spilled blood paid from another, or what they like to call an eye for an eye.

"Don't bother, Miss Romanoff. I'll kill him myself," T'Challa clenched his fist tightly as he quietly excused himself and walked away to do what he must. The former agent felt her phone vibrate, recognizing the caller ID as she picked up with a neutral expression.

"You alright?" Steve asked sincerely, watching from the distance to keep his cover wearing a dark cap and black sunglasses. Staring from a safe distance to observe Natasha with a neutral expression, knowing what was coming.

"Ah, yeah, thanks. I got lucky," She started to get up, looking around to see if she spotted him. Taking a moment to sigh before putting the phone on her ear to whisper, "I know how much Barnes means to you. I really do. Stay home. You'll only make this worse. For all of us. Please."

"Are you saying you'll arrest me?" He boldly called out, almost challenging her for a response. The woman didn't say anything at first, but the situation got worse after each passing moment.

"No. Someone will. If you interfere. That's how it works now." Natasha affirmed with honesty, understanding the consequences that lay ahead for him.

"If he's this far gone, Nat, I should be the one to bring him in." Steve insisted, hearing her ask why he had to be the one. Part of him to see if his best friend is really alive, and another so he can return the favor Bucky did many years ago. He answered calmly and then hung up the call, "Because I'm the one least likely to die trying."

Walking back inside the cafe, standing nearby Sam who was also in disguise waiting for Sharon with more information. Eventually, she came with a file and slid it towards Steve before saying, "Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public. Everybody thinks the Winter soldier goes to their gym. Most of its noise. Except for this. My boss expects a briefing, pretty much now... so that's all the head start you're gonna get."

"Thank you," He nodded in acknowledgment, starting looking discreet through the papers with a solemn look. She left him with a final warning and left them, Steve was staring curiously at one photo in particular. Satellite footage from a while ago of a man that fit the description— and someone accompanying him.

What are we going to do now, Steve?" Sam questioned after a long time of silence, the situation was escalating quickly and they were running out of time. The super-soldier pondered for a while until he remembered a vague detail he forgot ever since the downfall of HYDRA. Aurora. She was the only one he trusted enough to know his location, there was no other explanation.

"I have an idea...." Captain realized as he reached into his jacket pocket to retrieve the phone he was gifted from Tony. Still struggling with the concept of technology, even if Sam and Aurora tried teaching the basics he was finally about to find the phone app and click on her name. The device began to dial through as he muttered under his breath that she'll pick up, waiting for a few rings the line came through. There was no response, therefore, he asked her softly, "Rory?"

"Steve...?" Her confused voice echoed through the call, certainly surprised by the sudden urgency. Sam almost wanted to remark that their last resort was a fifteen year old ex-HYDRA assassin, yet decided to seal his lips to listen to the conversation.

"I need your help. I need you to tell me where Bucky is."