{Later That Day}
Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross stood in front for the conference room table. The Avengers sat down, with you sitting at the end of the table with Steve on your right and Sam on your left. Tony was also in the room, sitting on a chair in the corner of the room.
Thaddeus: Five years ago, I had a heart attack and dropped right in the middle of my backswing.
He starts mimicking his golf swing as he continues.
Thaddeus: Turns out it was the best round of my life because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass...I had found something that 40 years in the army had never taught me. Perspective.
You all continue to listen.
Thaddeus: The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives, but while a great many people see you as heroes...there are some that would prefer the word...vigilantes.
That was a term you were very familiar with throughout your career as Spider-Man.
Andrea: What word would you use, Mr. Secretary?
Thaddeus: How about dangerous?
That statement catches you off guard. You notice Wanda as she looks down.
Thaddeus: 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, seemed unconcerned about what they leave behind?
You rest your arms on the table. Steve rests his head on his left hand as he looks on. Thaddeus calls up the large television screen.
Thaddeus: New York.
You start seeing clips of the Chitauri invasion back in 2012. You see firsthand footage of the turmoil and destruction the battle caused. Rhodey looks at Andrea, who in turn looks down.
Thaddeus: Washington D.C.
You start seeing footage of the Triskelion incident in 2014. Steve, Sam, Andrea, and AJ were involved in this event. Sam swallows and looks at his hands, fiddling with his fingers. Steve still has his eyes glued to the screen.
Thaddeus: Sokovia.
You see clips of the Ultron offensive in 2015. Buildings are falling and the huge floating rock of Sokovia is shown. This time, Tony is the one who looks away. Steve still stares at the screen.
Thaddeus: Lagos.
Footage of the Lagos incident last month start playing. It shows first responders escorting injured out of the damaged building. Wanda looks away, and this time Steve decided it's enough.
Steve: Okay. That's enough.
Thaddeus Ross tells his assistant to turn off the television.
Thaddeus: For the last four years you've operated with unlimited power and supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate.
He turns to his assistant again, who brings over a large booklet.
Thaddeus: But I think we have a solution.
He hands the book to Wanda and she looks at the cover. Thaddeus continues.
Thaddeus: The Sokovia Accords. Approved by 117 countries it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization.
Wanda hands it to Rhodey, who looks at it too. Thaddeus continues speaking.
Thaddeus: Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel only when and if that panel deems it necessary.
Rhodey hands it to Steve, who simply gives it to you. You examines it yourself.
Steve: The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that.
Thaddeus: Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?
Steve doesn't respond.
Thaddeus: If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes you can bet there will be consequences.
You decide to speak.
You: Bruce and Thor aren't weapons.
Thaddeus: Tell that to the people of Sokovia, Mr. L/N. Or at least those who remain.
Rhodey speaks next.
Rhodey: So, there are contingencies.
Thaddeus: Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the accords.
Steve looks back at Tony, who simply looks back at him. Tony already knew about this.
Thaddeus: Talk it over.
He starts to leave with his assistant, but you ask him one last question.
You: And if we come to a decision you don't like?
He looks back at you before leaving.
Thaddeus: Then you retire.
• •
{Later}
You were in the lounge with the rest of the team discussing the Accords. You stand around behind the sofa that Andrea is sitting at. Tony lays down on the couch while Vision sits with Wanda on the other. Steve sits on the seat reading the booklet while Sam and Rhodey argue behind him.
Rhodey: Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor which is one more than you have.
Sam: So let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?
Rhodey: 117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like "No, that's cool. We got it."
Sam: How long are you going to play both sides?
Vision chimes in.
Vision: I have an equation.
Sam scoffs.
Sam: Oh, this will clear it up.
Vision: In the thirteen years since Mr. L/N arrived as Spider-Man. We've seen a jump in the amount of enhanced individuals. You add the eight years since Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, we get more.
You listen in. Vision continues.
Vision: During this same period, the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate.
You: Are you saying it's our fault?
Vision: I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict...breeds catastrophe.
You cross your arms. The synthezoid brought up some good points.
Vision: Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand.
Rhodey turns to Sam.
Rhodey: Boom.
Andrea looks at Tony, who has his hands in his face.
Andrea: Tony, you're being uncharacteristically non-hyper verbal.
Steve: It's because he's already made up his mind.
Tony: Boy, you know me so well.
He gets up from the sofa and goes to the kitchen nearby. He looks into the sink and notices coffee grounds in the disposal.
Tony: Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?
Tony goes over to the counter and activates a hologram. You see a photo of a young boy. He explains the boy's accomplishments and accolades before telling you that he was killed during the Battle of Sokovia. He was there on a humanitarian trip.
Tony: 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 pops an Advil for his headache before walking back over to the team. He continues.
Tony: There's no decision making process here. We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game.
Steve: Tony, somebody dies on your watch, you don't give up.
Tony: Who said we're giving up?
Steve: We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame.
Rhodey: I'm sorry, Steve. That is dangerously ignorant. 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.
Steve: No, but it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change.
Tony: 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.
Steve: Tony, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose.
You all stood in silence for a moment. Steve continues as he holds onto the book.
Steve: 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 brought up some good points too. You start to think of how this piece of legislation can change things. How will it effect your work as Spider-Man? How will it effect your responsibility?
If you don't sign, you're time as Spider-Man is over. If you sign, you can still continue it. Maybe it'll be best after all. You decide to give your thoughts.
You: If we don't do this now, it's gonna be forced upon us later.
Tony nods.
Tony: That's the fact. And it won't be pretty.
Wanda: You're saying they'll come for me.
Vision: We could protect you.
Andrea: Tony's right. If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer, if we take it off—
Sam: Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?
Andrea: I'm just reading the terrain. We have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back.
Tony: I'm sorry, did I just mishear you or did you actually agree with me?
Andrea rolls her eyes.
Andrea: I want to take it back now.
Tony: Nope. You can't retract it.
You: Andrea has a point. We can't continue our work with public opinion how it is now.
Sam: You agree with this, Y/N?
You shrug.
You: I feel like it's for the best.
Steve gets a message on his phone, and excuses himself. Sam goes over to grab the book and hands it over to you.
Sam: Read Section 17A. I actually did my research.
You give a look as you start flipping pages. Tony stands beside you, and knows what Sam wants you to see. You make it to the page and read through the text, finally making it to the part Sam wanted you to see.
Those with secret identities must reveal their legal names and true identities to the United Nations and global community.
You sigh. This was going to be complicated.