Control | S. Rogers [2]

FIFTY THREE

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE

    "STARK, WE GOTTA TALK," MELISSA exclaimed across the hall, seeing Natasha hurrying away from Tony.

"Don't bother," Natasha muttered to the Superhuman and Vigilante, thinking she knew what they'd ask when in reality, she didn't. "He won't listen."

Tony glanced back to see the pair, his eyebrows furrowed confusingly as he tried to hide his sadness from Natasha actions. "What, Melissa?"

Glancing back at her friend, Melissa urged Reyna to go, leaving the Superhuman and Iron Man to talk alone. The Vigilante did just that, giving a nod at Melissa before waving at Tony, leaving soon after.

Melissa approached Tony with long strides, her arms crossing as she replaced Natasha beside him. He turned back to look out of the balcony, admiring the green scenery before he spoke. "I know you saved them from that building." Melissa looked over to him in shock, but his words only continued to make her decision easier. She always found his remarks amusing, but right now, they were unneeded.

"What? You think I was just gonna let Steve Rogers be crushed by a building?" Melissa exaggerated, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. Steve may be a criminal now, but he was still Melissa's friend, nothing would ever change that. "He's your friend, Tony-"

"He's helping a killer," Tony snapped, glaring at the blonde hero. "And you know that he is considered a fugitive now. We-no, you. You and Natasha helped him and Barnes escape-"

"Because he's like family to me!" Melissa exclaimed, snapping her head to look at him before wincing at her neck pain. "You know what, I'm gonna cut to the chase. We're done."

Tony's emotions did a full one eighty, switching from angry to shock in a split second. "Wha-what..."

"You heard me. Reyna and I are done, finished. The Avengers can go on without us," she clarified for the billionaire who was at a list for words. "And judging by how Natasha left, it looks to be just you, Rhodey, Vision and Peter."

Saying that felt like a stab wound to Melissa. The Avengers went from a large group of extrodinary people, who protected the earth until their final breath, to a robot, a high schooler and two men in advanced suits. She truly was saddened by the fact there was only four left, but she understood it because Reyna and her wanted out as well.

Melissa and Reyna were loyal, their hearts and trust always being within the Avengers. They had fought along side them since the battle of New York and no one would've ever thought that they'd give it up. Then again, it wasn't the Avengers anymore. Tony was now the only one out of the original eight that hadn't left, he began to realise that the accords well and truly tore Earth's mightiest heroes apart.

"I'm not going to be controlled by the government," Melissa stated, turning to head back inside. "At least in Wakefield, Reyna and I work when we want and on the cases that we think deserve our attention."

Tony frowned as she watched Melissa turn, his brain trying to string together words and make a sentence to convince her to stay, but it didn't work. So, as Melissa turned, expecting a stupid remark, he kept his mouth shut. He could easily see the pain this one decision was causing her, and speaking on behalf of Reyna too.
But she didn't care. Melissa didn't want to be stuck on a team where Tony called the shots, bossing his teammates around and getting on Melissa's nerves more then usual.

"Goodbye, Tony," she said when she realised he wasn't going to reply.

And with that, the Avengers lost two more members and Tony was left alone on that balcony, knowing his decisions were part of the reason Reyna, Melissa and Natasha decided to metaphorically pack their bags and leave.

He drove the Avengers apart.

🎶

      "IT'S DONE," MELISSA TOLD REYNA as she stepped out of the compound. "Superhuman and Vigilante are no longer Avengers..."

Despite wanting to leave, Reyna's heart ached as Melissa spoke those words. The Avengers had been the pair's family and home for over four years, and it felt like it all vanished in the blink of an eye.

Clint, Wanda, Sam and Laurel were all being kept in some prison that they had noway of finding, Natasha was off to who knows where, and Thor and Bruce had been gone for a long time. No one had any idea where they went.

But people change, friendships break and teams drift apart slowly over years but Reyna didn't expect this to happen this way.

"I can't believe it..." Reyna admitted as the pair of best friends began to walk down the compound's front yard for a final time. "These people... They were our family and now..."

"I know, I know," Melissa threw her arm over Reyna shoulder, hearing the brunette begin to get emotional over the subject. "This is the better option for us... The team is basically toxic now, and thinking back to that meeting over the Accords, Steve was right." Reyna nodded agreeingly before leaning her head on the blonde's shoulder. "I'm so sorry for dragging you into this, Rey... I should've let you make your own decision instead of persuading you to agree with mine."

"I made that decision, Melissa," Reyna reasurred, grabbing the blonde's hand that hung over her shoulder. "You may of helped persude me, but I still signed, it was still my choice."

Melissa sighed. "I was so overthrown with emotion, angry about loosing my job that I..."

"Stop," The brunette interrupted, making them stop moving and stepping in front of Melissa, resting her hands on her shoulders. "Whatever we do, we do together, Melissa. I will never leave you, I'm always going to be here. Nothing you do or say can ever change that."

Melissa looked up, her blue eyes glossy as she let the realisation set in. She smiled sadly before Reyna opened her arms, allowing the Superhuman to step into them and hug her tightly. Melissa hides her face in the crook of Reyna's neck as Reyna rest her chin on the blonde's shoulder, taking one last look at the Avengers compound.

A lone tear rolled down her cheek as she realised that this might be the last time either of them see it.

"Come on," she said softly, patting Melissa's back as they seperated. She wiped her thumb under her eye, swiping the tear away to see Melissa do the same. Reyna held her hand out to the Superhuman, her sad but genuine smile never leaving her face. "Let's go home."