YELLOW, marvel

024. images of the past

"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha questioned politely, without a beat of hesitance.

"How about "dangerous"?" He suggested to the room for all to hear, and Hallie knew it was true. They were dangerous. But only to those that nodded to be stopped. Not to the citizens of Earth who just wanted to live their lives peacefully. "What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?"

Ross activates a screen behind him, and Hallie glances back, meeting Tony's eyes. He looks down, almost guilty and Hallie looks back, a sickening feeling in her stomach as news footage from past Avengers and SHIELD matters flash on the screen as he speaks.

"New York."

A Chitauri leviathan. Terrified citizens. A soldier firing a gun. The Hulk smashes into a building and sends a dust cloud to engulf the camera. Rhodey looks regretful. He glances behind him at Natasha who meets his eyes, though her own don't give anything away.

Hallie had seen this footage from this perspective a thousand times. There were news channels against the Avengers that she'd find Harley watching and criticizing weeks after the Battle of New York. But she'd also seen the outcome, and thankful citizens. Thankful for the Avengers because they were alive. And it was all due to them.

"Washington DC."

The three Insight helicarriers, firing on each other. The destroyed Triskelion. A helicarrier crashing into the Potomac and throwing up a massive wave, engulfing citizens and the camera.

"Sokovia."

If there was one thing he was right about, it was perspective. Hallie had never watched the riding of Sokovia, it made her to sick to think about. She figured with a frayed end of her sweater, looking down.

"Lagos."

The burning building. Paramedics moving a body. A dead girl.

It is finally now that Wanda looks down, guilt shining in her eyes. Hallie glances back to her, seeing Pietro who sat behind Wanda place a hand on her arm as a form of comfort.

Having seen enough, Steve intervened noticing the look on Wanda's face. "Okay. That's enough." Secretary Ross nods to an aide and the images disappear.

"For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution." he places a thick document on the desk and passes it to Hallie, who doesn't pick it up, but instead stares at it, before raising a hand and sliding it to Rhodey who looked ready to read through all of it.

"The Sokovia Accords. Approved by 117 countries. . . it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel, only when and if that panel deems it necessary."

"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that." Steve states.

"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Steve looks up and meets Ross's eyes as Ross continues, "If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes. . . you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."