Whatever It Takes [Wanda Maximoff AU]

12- Out of the Shadows

"Still no word on Vision?" A holographic version of Secretary Ross asked James Rhodes who was currently residing at the Avengers Estate.

"Satellite lost him somewhere over Edinburgh." Rhodes replied as he watched the Quinjet land outside on the landing platform.

"On a stolen Quinjet with five of the worlds most wanted criminals." Ross replied as he flipped through papers at his desk.

"You know they're only criminals because you've chosen to call them that, right sir?" Rhodes asked defending his friends.

Ross furrowed his brow. "My god Rhodes, your talent for horseshit rivals my own."

Ross stood up and walked around his table to face Rhodes.

"If it weren't for those Accords, Vision would be right here."

"I seem to remember your signature on those papers Colonel."

Rhodes stepped forward and crossed his arms. "That's right, and I'm pretty sure I paid for that." He said subtly mentioning his paralysis.

"You have second thoughts?" Ross asked seemingly threatening Rhodes.

Rhodes smirked at him. "Not anymore."

He turned to the entrance of the room where Carter, Natasha, and Steve walked in followed by Wanda, Vision, and Sam who were helping a wounded Vision walk.

"Mr. Secretary." Steve said nodded.

"You got some nerve. I'll give you that." Ross said walking up to Natasha and Steve.

"You could use some of that right now." Natasha said bobbing her head at him.

"The worlds on fire. And you think all is forgiven?" Ross asked Steve walking in front of him.

Steve became serious. "I'm not looking for forgiveness. And I'm way past asking for permission. Earth just lost her best defender."

"So we're here to fight." Carter said coming out of his silence.

Steve nodded at him before taking a step towards Ross. "And if you wanna stand in our way... we'll fight you, too."

Ross turned around. "Arrest them."

Rhodes nodded. "All over it." He presses a button near Ross's left shoulder and swiped him and the rest of the council away. Rhodes shrugged his shoulders. "That's a court-martial." He smiled before walking towards towards Steve. "It's great to see you, Cap." He said shaking his hand.

"You too." Cap replied as Natasha hugged him.

Rhodes nodded towards Carter respectively who returned the gesture.

"Wow. You guys... really look like crap." Rhodes said finding the words. "Must've been a rough couple of years."

Sam nodded and smiled. "Yeah, well the hotels weren't exactly five star."

"Uh, I think you guys look great." A voice said from the back room.

Everyone's head snapped to the origin of the voice as they saw Bruce Banner walk out of the shadows.

"Uh..." Bruce laughed a little. "Yeah, I'm back."

"Hi Bruce." Natasha said to him.

Bruce nodded. "Nat."

"This is awkward." Sam whispered from where he stood with Vision.

Carter walked past Natasha.

"I guess we both have relationship issues." He said to her before heading to an empty room.

***
I changed out my suit before I walked into the room where the others had been waiting for me.

"About time." Sam said to me.

I rolled my eyes. "This takes time." I said gesturing to my face.

"You need a haircut." Wanda said as I took my spot in our little circle next to her.

I didn't turn to look at her. "I like the red hair. Goes with your abilities."

"So you noticed?" She asked. "I thought you were avoiding me?"

"I am." I said as Rhodes started talking as a holographic pictures of the aliens we fought appeared on the screen.

"We have to assume they'll be back right?" Rhodes asked.

"And they can clearly find us." Wanda said to me.

"We need all hands on deck. Where's Clint?" Banner asked still dressed in his raggedy clothes.

"After the whole accords situation, he and Scott took a deal. It was too tough on their families. They're on house arrest." Natasha said to him.

"Who's Scott?" Banner asked.

"Ant-Man." Steve said from behind the desk.

"There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?" Bruce asked shocked.

"Okay, look. Thanos has the biggest army in the universe and he is not going to stop until he gets... he gets... Vision's Stone."

"Then we have to protect it." Natasha said stepping forward.

"No. We have to destroy it." Vision said causing heads to turn. "I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head. About it's nature. But also its composition. If it was exposed to a power source, something very similar to its own signature, perhaps.... its molecular integrity could fail." Vision said walking towards Wanda and making eye contact.

"Yeah, and you with it. We're not having this conversation." Wanda said shaking her head.

"Eliminating the Stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it."

"That's too high a price."

Vision shook his head and put his heads around her face. "Only you have the power to pay it."

Wanda was sick of the conversation and walked towards the kitchen frustrated.

"Thanos threatens half the universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him." Vision said continuing.

"But it should." Steve said speaking up. He shook his head. "We don't trade lives, Vision."

"Captain, seventy years ago you laid down your life to save how many millions of people?" Vision said arguing his case. "Tell me, how is this any different."

"Because, you might have a choice." Banner said to him. "Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. Jarvis, Ultron, Tony, me, the Stone. All of them mixed together, all of them learning from one another."

"You're saying Vision isn't just the Stone?" Wanda asked putting her hands in her pockets.

"I'm saying if we take out the Stone, there's still a whole lot of Vision left. Perhaps the best parts."

"Can we do that?" Natasha asked.

"Not me, not here." Bruce asked.

"Well you better find someone and somewhere fast." Rhodes said. "Ross isn't just going to let you have your old rooms back."

Steve nodded. "I know somewhere."

Natasha and I both smiled, we knew exactly where Steve was talking about.

"Why are you guys smiling?" Sam asked clearly not remembering what Steve had done a few years ago.

Steve had dropped Bucky off there before returning to break us out of prison. He explained shortly after we had dropped the others off where he had gone too.

"Ohhhh, no way. We're actually going?" Sam said excitedly.

"Where are we going?" Banner and Rhodes asked confused at the same time.

I smiled before I spoke up when Steve nodded giving my permission.

"Wakanda."