Broken Remains || Bucky Barnes

The Sokovia Accords

Nikita's POV

"11 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." The woman on the TV spoke.

I watched the news in the kitchen trying my best not to throw the TV across the room.

"Our people's blood is spilled on foreign soil, not only because of the actions of criminals, but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent is no victory at all..."

The Wakandan king, T'chaka spoke. I turned off the TV before the reporter could go on. I didn't feel like guilt tripping myself today.

I heard another TV down the hall that was talking about the same mission.

"...What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nigeria...?"

I was at the door of the room and saw Steve turn off the TV.

"It's my fault."

"That's not true." Steve said.

"Turn the TV back on. They're being very specific."

"I should've clocked that bomb vest long before you had to deal with it." He walked to sit beside her on the bed. "Rumlow said "Bucky"... and all of a sudden I was a 16-year-old kid again, in Brooklyn. And people died. It's on me."

"It's on both of us.

"It's nobodies fault." I spoke up. "You can't save everyone, no matter how hard you try. If you can't live with that then maybe next time, nobody gets saved."

I jumped when Vision walked through the wall and into the room. He always scared people that way.

"Vis! We talked about this." Wanda said.

"Yes, but Nikita was standing in the doorway so I assumed that...Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr. Stark was arriving."

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

"I'll use the door." I got out of the way and right before he left he stopped. "Oh, and apparently he's brought a guest."

"We know who it is?"

"The Secretary of State." And with that he left.

***

"Five years ago I had a heart attack and dropped right in the middle of my backswing." He held up his hands like he was playing baseball. "Turned out it was the best round of my life because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass, I found something 40 years in the army had never taught me. Perspective. The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives for us, but 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?" Nat asked from her seat across the table.

"How about "dangerous."? 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?"

He walked out of the way of the screen. A world map showed up and zoomed in on New York.

"New York."

Videos and pictures from the time we stopped aliens showed up. People screaming and us destroying things. We'll say it didn't paint a pretty picture.

"Washington, D.C."

Images and videos of the helicarriers falling into the river showed up. The SHIELD building on fire.

I looked over at Steve and Sam who were looking down. Literally and figuratively.

"Sokovia."

Same thing. Robots, flying cities, and crumbling buildings. I could tell Wanda was getting tense.

"Lagos."

Our most recent slip up.

"Okay, That's enough." Steve put a stop the the secretary's slide show.

"For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution." He layed a thick book down on the table in front of Wanda.

"The Sokovia Accords. Approved by 117 countries...it states the the Avengers will no longer be a private organization. Instead they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel...only when and if that panel deems it necessary."

The book made it's way back to me. I didn't want to look at it so I just slid it to the front of the table.

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

"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now? If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes...you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."

"So, there are contingencies?" Rhodey asked.

"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords. Talk it over." He left with his body guards and I looked over the room at everyone in it.

"And if we come to a decision that you don't like?" Nat asked before the secretary left.

"Then you retire."