Frostbite

Three

We had moved into the lounge attached to the kitchen, still debating on the accords. Steve was silent as he sat and studied the document Ross had left us. Tony looked miserable in the chair across the room, his face covered by his hand. Sam and Rhodey were standing behind Steve still going back and forth. Natasha, Wanda, and Vision has been mostly quiet as they sat and listened to the two. I was pacing behind Natasha's seat, too agitated to sit.

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

"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 argued, not backing down. I agreed with that, but it would be dumb to openly defy the UN.

"One-hundred and seventeen countries want to sign this. One-hundred and seventeen Sam, and you're just like, "No, that's cool. We got it."

"How long are you going to play both sides?"

"We've seen firsthand what happens when people obtain too much power. Why should we willingly subject ourselves to their whims? Who is to say we sign this, and they don't turn around abuse the situation? Abuse us? I'll retire. I won't sign that disaster waiting to happen, but I'll respect their wishes enough to step away," I shrugged truthfully. It would be hard but maybe it was time to try for a normal life and this was the sign. I received a few surprised looks in return.

"And what happens if a boogie man comes knocking on your door?" Sam questioned, shaking his head, "Can you even defend yourself? Or will you be thrown in a cell?" I didn't have an answer for that.

"I have an equation," Vision spoke up.

"Oh, this will clear it up," Sam muttered. I cocked a brow at him but turned back to listen to Vision.

"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 clarified, lowering the document in his hands.

"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, raising his hands and glancing at Sam. There was no way around this. No strings to pull. This could end the team.

"Tony. You are being uncharacteristically non-hyper-verbal," Natasha observed, staring at him from across the room. He lifted his hand to look over at her.

"It's because he's already made up his mind," Steve guessed.

"Boy, you know me so well," Tony said sarcastically, getting up and strolling into the kitchen while holding the back of his head. "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 nagged, shaking his head in irritation as he made his drink.

We all waited as he plopped his phone into a basket on the island and tapped in roughly. The phone projected an image of a smiling young man. Tony glanced down, then back up and pretended to notice the picture for the first time.

"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."

I bit my lip guiltily. Images of Sokovia in ruin surfacing in my mind. Tony continued, now obviously agitated. "He wanted to make a difference I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass... 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."

This had clearly been weighing on him all morning. This is what had made up his mind for sure. The guilt seemed to always follow Tony, weighing him down and forcing him to drown in his own remorse.

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

"Who said we're giving up?"

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

"I'm sorry. Steve. That- 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 butted in again.

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

"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing," Tony told him earnestly, moving past me towards Steve.

"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."

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

"You're saying they'll come for me," Wanda finally spoke quietly.

"We would protect you," Vision reassured her.

"Maybe Tony's right," Nat said hesitantly. Everyone looked over at her in surprise. "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 asked her incredulously, leaning down to her level, arms crossed.

"I'm just- I'm 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 asked smugly. I rolled my eyes and moved to Tony's now abandoned seat.

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

"No, no, no. You can't retract it. Thank you. Unprecedented. Okay, case closed. I win."

Steve pulled out his phone and his composure slumped slightly. His hand tightened around the phone, and he didn't look up. He abruptly shot up from his seat, dropping the accords onto the coffee table.

"I have to go."

He quickly disappeared down the stairs before anyone could mutter a single word. Everyone's eyes focused on me, and I shrugged, just as confused as them. But I stood from my seat and followed his path down the stairs to see why he had suddenly fled.

He was at the bottom of the stairs, head bowed into his hands. I approached slowly, trying to figure out what it could be. He didn't move as I got closer. My worry grew as I came closer. I placed my hand gently on his arm and he finally looked up. His eyes were watering.

"What is it?" I asked in confusion.

"Peggy..." he whispered. My heart sank, and I closed my eyes for a few seconds. She was gone.

"Oh, Steve."

I pulled him to me, embracing him and holding him close to me. Giving him the only comfort I possibly could. He wrapped his arms around me and took a deep, shaky breath. I pushed everything else out of my mind so that I could focus on Steve. He'd need me more than he'd probably want to admit over the next few days. At least now dad would have his best friend again.