Make Me. ~ T.Stark

sixteen

"Your self worth does not depend on what others think or say about you."

Aphrodite Harper.

"Oh, fantastic! You two decided to show up!" Ross exclaimed angrily, and I looked at him.

"I don't see why us not being here matters so much, especially since this meeting is about Wanda blowing up a building," I fought back at Ross, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Which by the way, I knew would happen. I told you she wasn't ready." I said, turning to Steve, who looked at me with an unreasonable expression.

"Among other things. Sit down." Ross ordered, and I sat next to Steve while Tony sat in the corner, too angry to look at anyone.

"Five years ago, I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my backswing. Turned out it was the best round of my life, because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass, I found something that fourty years in the Army had never taught me, perspective." Ross started his speech, and I looked at Nat, both of us rolling our eyes.

"The world owes the Avengers an un-payable 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'." He continued, and Nat looked at him.

"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?"

"How about 'dangerous'?" Ross asked, and I laughed.

"Well Aphrodite, what would you call a group of enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?" He shot at me, and I shrugged.

"I'd call us a group of warriors, Secretary."

I noticed a few small grins around the room, and I leaned back in my chair, watching as Ross turned on the screen behind him, showing news footage from old SHIELD and Avengers battles.

"New York."

The footage showed the Chitauri, the citizens, the soldiers, and the Avengers.

Rhodey, Sam, Vision, Wanda and I weren't in it, but the original six Avengers were.

The destruction to the city was shown in the footage, making Steve and Nat share a look I couldn't quite read.

I looked back at Tony, and he didn't look happy at all.

"Washington DC."

The footage shows three helicarriers destroy eachother and one plunging into the Potomac, sending a large wave, engulfing citizens in the mass.

I knew that Sam, Nat and Steve were responsible for it.

Sam looked down at the table, twiddling his thumbs.

"Sokovia."

Wanda looked at me, worried. She knew this was where we came in, and didn't want to see the footage.

I gave her a reassuring nod, and looked at the screen.

The first thing the footage showed was terrified citizens, running away and screaming. It showed Sokovia rising, and buildings falling over because of it.

I looked at Tony, who was already looking at me.

"Lagos."

This was the mission today.

I looked at the footage, and it was bad.

It showed the burning building Wanda was responsible for, several paramedics on scene, and a dead body being wheeled away.