Finding Home: A Captain America FanFic

Chapter 13.

A month passed and everyone was talking about what happened in Nigeria. The whole world seemed to be out for Wanda's blood and the more everyone blamed her, the more Steve blamed himself. Nat, Sam and I kept trying to point out that Rumlow was the one that let the bomb off. There was no reasoning with them. They needed to blame themselves for this. They didn't want to be able to dismiss those lives as being acceptable casualties.

I was finding it harder to keep the barriers up to keep Steve's mind from mine. After what happened in Nigeria my mind felt weak. I ended up just giving up and trying to just not pay attention to the noise.

I was playing with Jamie alone on the grounds of the compound when Tony arrived. Tony was with some others. I scanned the intruders. Most were just security but one was not. His name was Ross. I didn't trust him.

Jamie saw Tony and ran to him as fast as his chubby little legs could carry him, his arms outstretched. Tony lifted him up and swung him in the air.

"Hey there, Slugger." He said, resting Jamie on his hip. "Got any words for your Uncle Tony? No? Still nothing?"

I shrugged and offered Tony a peck on the cheek.

"Daisy. This is General Ross." Tony said indicated to the man he'd brought with him.

"Miss Adams. It's a pleasure." Ross said holding out his hand. I didn't take it. I just looked at Tony. What he'd brought to the compound was not going to lead to anything good.

I followed them into the compound to the briefing room. The others all trickled in, in different states of wariness about the presence of General Ross. Tony didn't seem to want to put James down. I don't know if James was soothing his mind, or he just felt that holding him would protect him from any hostility he might receive from what he'd brought to us.

When he sat it wasn't with the rest of us, but in the corner alone. James struggled from his lap and crawled under the table. I took one of the note pads and pens from the table and gave them to him and he started drawing quietly.

Everyone made their introductions and Ross began his well rehearsed speech.

"Five years ago I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my back-swing." He said miming playing golf. "Turned out it was the best round of my life because after 13 hours in surgery and a triple bypass, I found something forty 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. 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?" Natasha asked.

"How about dangerous?" He answered. "What would you call a group of US based, enhanced individuals. Who routinely ignore sovereign borders. Inflict their will where ever they choose. And who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?"

He turned on a screen about bought up a video of an attack on New York by some beast I have never before seen the likes of. "New York." Ross said. I started rooting through his mind.

The video changed. It was now of the Hellicarriers falling from the sky in the battle against Hydra I had been a part of. "Washington D.C." Ross said.

It changed again, this time the falling island that was once a city. "Sokovia." Ross said.

The video now showed the burned out side of the building from our mission to capture Rumlow. "Lagos." Ross said.