Avengers: New Blood (Peter Parker)/ A.M

28. Making A Decision

After that, the eight of them were at one of the Avengers' base's living rooms.

Steve was sitting in an armchair, reading the Sokovia Accords book, while Vision and Wanda were both on a couch next to him and Natasha with Andria on another couch opposite of them.

In a nearby armchair was Tony who had his eyes closed and Rhodey with Sam were standing behind Steve, arguing.

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honour which is one more than you have," Rhodey said, pointing his finger towards Sam who had his arms crossed in front of his chest and seemed all fed up.

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

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

"How long are you going to play both sides?" Sam said, irritated.

"I have an equation," Vision cut him off.

"Oh, this will clear it up," Sam said sarcastically, but they all turned to Vision either way.

"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 cut him off.

"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, hearing Vision, earning an annoyed look from Sam.

"Tony, you are being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal," Natasha turned to Tony who raised his head for the first time since they started talking.

"It's because he's already made up his mind," Steve said, before Tony could speak.

"Boy, you know me so well," Tony said, getting up and heading towards the nearby kitchen stall, starting to make himself a coffee.

"Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. 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 said the last questions angrily and then got out his phone, putting it on the stall and pressing a button so a hologram of a picture showing a young man smiling appeared.

Tony stayed silent before finally turning to the rest of the Avengers inside the room.

"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," he paused, looking at the guilt spreading on all their faces.

"He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know cause we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass," Tony said again and looked away, taking a sip from his coffee.

Turning to the others again, he came closer to where Sam was standing.

"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?" Tony cut him off, but Steve went on talking.

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

"I'm sorry, Steve. That is dangerously arrogant. This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Counsil, it's not S.H.I.E.L.D., it's not HYDRA--"

"No, but it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change," Steve cut Rhodey off, before Tony spoke again.

"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realised what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped 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," Steve stated, but turned to look Tony when he spoke again.

"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty," Tony said and Wanda turned to him.

"You're saying they'll come for me."

"We would protect you," Vision stated calmly, looking at Wanda.

"Maybe Tony's right. If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off--" Natasha started, but Sam cut her off.

"I'm sorry, aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" He asked with a slight tone of anger in his voice.

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

"Focus up. I'm sorry. Did I just mishear you or did you agree with me?" Tony said, making Natasha roll her eyes.

"I want to take it back now."

"No, no, no, you can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented. Okay. Case closed. I win," Tony said, before Sam cut him off.

"Alright, okay, hold up a sec. We haven't heard Andria's opinion yet," he said and everyone in the room turned towards Andria's direction.

"The Avengers' main duty is to protect innocent people. And yeah, before I joined, when I heard about all those people dying and the damage that was left behind back in New York and Washington DC, I thought it was just part of the job. Not everyone can be saved. But...being there, seeing them falling in front of your eyes, because you weren't strong or fast enough to save them is a whole new thing. And after Sokovia...I didn't get any sleep for weeks...months, actually. I just kept thinking what more I could have done and how many people would still be alive today. And then, I thought about 9 years ago, when I saw my aunt waiting for me after school. I thought to myself it was nice to finally see her, you know...she was working that hard I never got to hang out with her. But then...then I got closer...and I saw she was crying...she said a fight had happened and innocent people had been in danger, so mum and dad ran to help...and never made it back. My whole world came crashing down on me. I was so angry...for so long, cause they had their orders not to go, but they still did cause they thought it was the right thing to do. I thought they didn't care about me, didn't care if I was alone, left with nothing but pity. It took me long enough, but I finally realised and understood why they did what they did. And I decided that choosing a life like this, like theirs, helping the innocent...was a way to stay close to them...to honour them. And I still do. So, when you ask me to sign this, Tony...to protect the people around me...I should probably think you're right. But then I remember how my parents died...but still saved as many as they could, by disobeying their orders...I just can't sign...because I feel like I betray them...and I feel like they died in vain. So, my answer is no...I can't...won't sign it. Even if it means I'll have to retire and forget this life," Andria said and Tony looked at her, disappointed, before Natasha spoke.

"Andria...I know it's hard for you...but think about it. If you retire, no one gets saved...but if you sign, then--"

"Then what, Nat? I'll blame myself twice if I can't help people who need it because of a stupid signature. I am not signing it. And there's nothing you can do to change my mind," Andria said again, before a slight buzzing sound echoed and Steve looked at his phone. His expression turned into a mixture of sadness and grief.

"I have to go," he said and left the room.