Redemption's Lifeline

03

The Avengers had gathered at HQ. Steve was sitting, studying the Accords, while Rhodey and Sam argued behind him.

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have," Rhodey said.

"So let's say we agree to this thing," Sam stated. "How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?"

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

"How long are you going to play both sides?"

"I have an equation," Vision said.

"Oh, this will clear it up."

"In the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. And 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. 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 said. Tony was lying on the couch. When Natasha spoke, he looked at her.

"Tony," Natasha called. "You are being uncharacteristically non-hyper-verbal."

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

"Boy, you know me so well," Tony retorted as he got up and winced, rubbing the back of his head. "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache." He walked to the kitchen and grabbed a mug. That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?" He put his phone in a basket and tapped it. The phone projected an image of a smiling young man. He looked down, then back up, and pretended to notice the picture for the first time.

Tony continued. "Oh, that's Charles Spencer, 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. 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. 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." The others looked affected by the information. "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." He took a pill with some coffee, then faced the others. "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, if we're boundary-less, we're no better than the bad guys."

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

"Who said we're giving up?"

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

"I'm sorry. Steve. That - that is dangerously arrogant," Rhodey told him. "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."

Steve shook his head. "No, but it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change."

"That's good," Tony replied. "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."

"Tony, you chose to do that. 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 is 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. That's the fact. That won't be pretty."

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

"We would protect you," Vision told her.

"Maybe Tony's right," Natasha admitted and Tony looked at her, surprised. "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 remembered.

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

"Focus up," Tony said. "I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?"

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

"No, no, no. You can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented. Okay, case closed -- I win."

Steve's phone buzzed, and he pulled it out to check it. A text message read: 'She's gone. In her sleep.'

Steve said, "I have to go." He got up sharply, dropped the Accords on the coffee table, and went downstairs. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, leaned against the banister, bowing his head.

LONDON

A cathedral was packed with mourners. A choir was singing. Steve was one of six pallbearers carrying a coffin draped with the Union Jack. His eyes were red from crying. At the altar, a candle burned by a framed photograph of Peggy Carter in a military uniform. The label read "Margaret 'Peggy' Carter".

The priest addressed the mourners. "And now, I would like to invite Sharon Carter to come up and say a few words." Agent 13, Steve's 'neighbor' from DC, stepped up to the podium. Steve sat next to Sam in a pew at the front. Steve was looking down and didn't see Sharon walk up. Sam was watching, and nudged Steve. He looked up to see Sharon, who glanced at Steve and took a breath.

Sharon spoke. "Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of S.H.I.E.L.D.... but I just knew her as Aunt Peggy." Steve realized exactly who Sharon was, and took a surprised breath.

Sharon continued. "She had a photograph in her office. Aunt Peggy standing next to JFK. As a kid, that was pretty cool. But it was a lot to live up to. Which is why I never told anyone we were related." She looked directly at Steve. "I asked her once how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time when no one wanted to see a woman succeed at either. And she said, compromise where you can. But where you can't, don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move... it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in they eye and say, "No, you move.""

LATER

Steve stood in the aisle, still dressed in black. Natasha walked up to him and he turned to her.

Steve began to speak without any introduction. "When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I had known was gone. Then I found out that she was alive. I was just lucky to have her."

"She had you back, too," Natasha said.

"Who else signed?"

"Tony, Rhodey, Vision."

"Clint?"

"Says he's retired." She smiled slightly.

"Wanda?"

"TBD. I'm off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. There's plenty of room on the jet." Steve sighed and bowed his head. "Just because it's the path of least resistance doesn't mean it's the wrong path. Staying together is more important than how we stay together." She almost seemed to be convincing herself.

"What are we giving up to do it?" Natasha sighed. He shook his head, unconvinced. "I'm sorry, Nat. I can't sign it."

"I know."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I didn't want you to be alone." She pulled him in for a hug. "Come here."