Guardian Angel | Steve Rogers

10

Arden making her way slowly to Tony, sitting in the back corner of the room. 

"Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of the United Nations panel, only when and if that panel deems it necessary." Secretary Ross added. 

"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that." Steve commented, looking down at the table.

"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Ross scolded. "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." 

"So, there are contingencies." Rhodey assumed. 

"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords." Ross mentioned. 

Steve turning to look at Tony and Arden, but Tony looks away.

"Talk it over." Ross insisted, walking towards the door. 

"And if they come to a conclusion you don't like?" Arden spoke up.

"Then they retire. And that includes you Miss Lee." Ross answers, leaving the room.

Once everyone had a chance to skim over the accords, they started to ask questions and bring up concerns, causing arguments in the common area. 

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have." Rhodey pointed at Sam.

"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?" Sam brought up. 

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

Vision bringing up that since Tony announced himself as Iron Man, there have been many casualties, and enemies that have felt an invitation for challenge. Arden staying quiet, standing near the stairs, facing the windows. 

"Tony." Natasha got his attention from his palms covering his face. "You are being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal."

"That's because he's already made up his mind." Arden explained for him, turning around.

"Boy, you know me so well." Tony sarcastically commented, getting up from the couch. 

"Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on, just pain." Tony added, walking to the kitchen, then complaining about coffee grounds in the sink disposal. 

Tony setting down his phone, tapping the screen, projecting a photo of a young man. 

"Oh, that's Charles Spencer, by the way." Tony pointed. "He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA... had a floor-level gig at Intel planned for the fall." 

Everyone turning their attention to Tony, Arden seeing his guilt from miles away. 

"But first, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul, before he parked it behind a desk. 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 houses. Guess where. Sokovia." Tony spit out. 

"He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. We won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass." Tony wiped his face. "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 take limits, no boundaries, we're no better than the bad guys."

"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up." Steve commented. 

"Who said you're giving up?" Arden jumped in.

Steve sighs, "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 Council. It's not S.H.I.E.L.D., it's not HYDRA." Rhodey argued.

 "No, but it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change." Steve countered. 

"That's good. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing." Tony mentioned. 

"Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. What if the 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 expressed. 

Arden took a seat on the top step, tired of hearing the banter, but close enough to still hear it and be in the loop.

"If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later." Tony suggested. 

"Maybe Tony's right." Natasha spoke up, surprising everyone, including Arden. 

"If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off-" 

"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" Sam reminded Natasha. 

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

"Focus up. I'm sorry. Did I just mishear you or did you just agree with me?" Tony teased.

"Oh, I want to take it back now." Natasha replied. 

"No, you can't retract it. Okay. Case close. I win." Tony smiled.

"I have to go." Steve announced, getting up from his chair.

Arden picked her head up when she heard footsteps coming towards her, Steve rushing down the staircase. 

"Cap?" Arden called after him, following him down.

"Steve." This time she touched his shoulder, feeling a pang of sadness as he slowed down at the bottom of the steps.

"She's gone." Steve whispered, dropping his head. 

She released her hand from him, crossing her arms as she stood in front of him. 

"Who?" She asked, feeling the nerves build up inside her, but she knew the answer. 

"Peggy." He answered, covering his face with his hand. 

Arden bit the inside of her cheek. He didn't know the pain she felt too, losing an old friend like that.