The wound in his back healed with astonishing speed, much like any other injury he had sustained since the serum had been coursing through his veins. The physical pain he experienced only lingered for a brief moment. Steve didn't mind if he got a scratch or two. In his line of work, those things happened a lot. He understood that those minor wounds wouldn't be an issue for him, because that capacity usually helped him save the little guy and defeat the supervillain of the day.
Steve was the first to say that he was just one man, with limitations to what he could achieve alone. He couldn't save everyone, but getting harmed while trying was fine with him. He believed that every small sacrifice he made was a step toward a better world. Life wasn't always fair. There would always be collateral damages.
This time, Steve hadn't fallen victim to an enemy's attack. Then again, Wanda had swiftly switched allegiances when she saw an opportunity. Steve had believed that they had developed a strong relationship, even considered themselves as close friends the days before the battle. He couldn't believe for a moment that he might have been mistaken about Wanda. One thing he had always been able to trust, without fail, were his instincts. They had never led him astray.
"You need to get back out there, Steve. The people need to see you again, to know that you're alive and well. We contributed to the fight against the invasion, but we still need all the positive public relations we can muster," Natasha urged.
"So you want me to become a dancing monkey again?" Steve retorted, his bitterness evident in his response.
"We may have been pardoned, but that doesn't mean we are liked." Natasha pointed out, her tone measured. "We'll have to work hard to regain the people's trust, especially when the news of Wanda switching sides becomes public."
"Stark and his team won't say anything." Steve replied with confidence.
"Are you sure about that?" Natasha retorted, her scepticism apparent, before she left the room.
Stark had been a perpetual thorn in their sides right from the very beginning. Shield had made an effort to control him. Fury thought he had found the perfect solution by playing on Stark's ego and insecurities, but their attempts had fallen short of expectations. Steve couldn't but wonder whether a different approach, like playing into the genius' pride, might have given better results, but deep down, he doubted it. Regardless of the strategy, Stark would have made their lives as difficult as possible. The man thrived in conflict. He had to have his way all the time.
Steve couldn't help but think about Howard. The older Stark had likely done his best to raise Tony to be a good person, worthy of his legacy. It seemed that some people were simply born wrong, with a predisposition to take the incorrect path. Tony Stark was, unfortunately, one of them.
At times, Steve had thoughts he really shouldn't have. Wanda had been vocal in her belief that the world would be better off with the likes of Tony Stark. Her perspective was deeply influenced by the personal tragedy of her parents' death, for which Stark was responsible for. Wanda had wanted him to pay for this crime with his life, a desire that, as Captain America, Steve Steve was unable to endorse or act upon.
As the days and months had passed and Tony had been on the way of the Avengers, Steve began to suspect it had made a mistake. Of course, as a hero, Captain America could not kill innocent people. Stark's actions might have painted him as a good and compassionate person, but the bigger picture said otherwise. Perhaps it would have been kinder to stop Tony Stark before he would do something the world would not be able to come back from.
Natasha was trying to sell the story of Wanda's sacrifice and the Rogues' ultimate victory in that formidable battle to the press. The truth was, hardly anyone had set foot on Asgard apart from Stark's team. There were no cameras, no journalists, not even a third-party observer to describe what had happened there. Romanov was banking on the Guardians returning to where they came from and Doctor Strange and his order's apparent desire to remain out of the spotlight.
