*1 year later*
" Sorry, I'm late..." I said entering the Avengers compound. Wanda, Vision, Natasha, Steve, Rohdes, Sam, and Tony were sitting around a table. They were in a meeting. I looked to the left. The secretary of state was standing there presenting a book. " uh... I thought you said this was about something important Tony." I said looking at him. He looked mad. I sighed. I nodded at the secretary. " Hello," I said walking forward. I stood in the corner of the room. " Thank you for joining us, Axel." He said. I glared at him. He hesitated. " Night... Wolf," He said clearing his throat. I nodded. " As I was saying... Talk it over." He said walking around the table. " And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha asked. " You retire," The secretary said. He left the room. I sighed. " What is that?" I asked pointing at the book. " The Sokovia accords," Wanda said. Everyone turned to me. " What?" I asked. " So you just don't show up for forever?" " where were you?" " You could have helped train the new soldiers" Everyone started saying to me. I looked down. " Enough," Steve said. He stood up. I looked at him. " She's been doing things important to her," Steve said. I nodded. " Thank you, Steve," I said. He nodded. " important things like running around the streets of new york at night." Tony said. I sighed. " Signing people's boobs," Natasha added. " I'm here now aren't I?" I said looking at them. They all stayed silent. " If you were all so offended by me not coming here. Why didn't you just call me?" I asked. Vision stood up. He turned and looked at me. " Wanda has been improving with her abilities" Vision said smiling. I smiled slightly at Vision's change of topic. I looked at Wanda. " That's great," I said. She smiled and nodded. " What happened to your wrist?" Rhodes asked. I looked down. You could see my brace. I pulled down my jacket sleeve. " nothing. It's a heart rate monitor." I answered truthfully. " And why would you need that?" Sam asked. " She's been having panic attacks. You know. Just reliving traumatic memories. The use" Tony said. I looked at him. I tilted my head. " You put Friday in my watch?" I asked. He shrugged. " I didn't give you permission to dig into my personal life Tony," I said approaching him. " Woah there Wolfie. I like my head so maybe don't bite it off." He said. I scoffed. " Yeah because we all know Tony Stark needs his head," I said nodding. " Wait," Natasha said standing up. " What do you mean panic attacks?" Natasha asked. I glanced at her. " Friday said she's been quite active during her sleep. I get memories sometimes too but dang. Wolfie's take the cake" He said. " you know what" I said walking toward Tony. Steve put his hand on my chest. I looked at him. He shook his head. " Ah, of course. Capsicle. Stepping in to stop the wolf from getting its prey. You know... I bet he knows what you're dreaming about. I mean. You had to have told someone about your past right? Or are you just too scared to tell anyone?" He asked. I glared at him. Everyone stayed silent. I shook my head.
" Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor which is one more than you have," Rhodes argued with Sam. Steve was reading the Sokovian Accords. I was tinkering with my watch trying to get Friday out of it. " 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 asked. " 117 countries want to sign this. 117, Sam, and you're just like, ' No, that's cool. We got it" Rhodes said. I started tuning them out. Vision started talking but I ignored it. I got the majority of it. He was talking about how challenging invites conflict. I only started listening again when Natasha started talking. We hadn't talked for a while. She was on some missions and I... Well, I was destroying headsets. " Tony. You're being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal." Natasha said. " It's because he's already made up his mind," Steve said. "Boy, you know me so well," Tony said getting up. " Actually, he's nursing an electromagnetic headache," I said digging into my watch with my screwdrivers. I looked up at Natasha she was already staring at me. I looked back down. She got up and walked over to me. " May I see you Ms. Schnider outside for a moment?" Natasha asked from behind me. I sighed and stood up. " Of course," I said following her out the door.
" Why didn't you call? And what's this I hear of panic attacks?" She asked looking out into the forest. I walked next to her and leaned on the railing. " I didn't want to be a bother. I knew you were busy here and... Like Tony said I was scared." I said looking down at the ground below us. I felt her look over at me. " It's okay to be scared, Axel." She said putting her hand on mine. " Not when you have the whole world watching," I said. " No one's watching you now." She said. I looked over at her. " you are" I said. She smiled. " Do you not want me to watch you?" She asked. I looked down. " Of course I want you to watch me Romonaff. You're all I ever think about" I admitted. She trailed her hand up my arm. She wrapped her arms around my neck. I looked her in the eyes. " You're all I think about too. Day and Night..." She looked as if she was about to say something. " go ahead. This is a judgment-free balcony" I said. She bit her lip. I saw the pain in her eyes. I sighed. " Want to talk about it later?" I asked. She nodded. " So... make your mind up?" Tony asked as I walked in. " Judging by what I skimmed over... I'll sign it," I said. Steve looked down. " As much as I would like to tear the book to shreds to Steve... I spent my whole life obeying orders its... It's all I know." I said looking down. " Then learn something new," Steve said. I looked up at him. " I spent 70 years beside you in ice, Steve. I- I'm turning 27 in November. Well, actually I will be 93... Doesn't look like it huh?" I said shrugging my shoulders. Steve sighed. " I- I want to do something good before I die now that I have the change. If obeying the law is something that gets me there then I'll do it." I said. Steve looked up at me. " You know Bucky is wanted right? Are you prepared to fight someone that helped you?" He asked. I looked at him. " I fought people that helped me a lot Steve," I said. He sighed. My phone dinged. I picked it up. Steve's dinged too. I opened the text. " It's Peggy. She's gone. In her sleep" It said. I... I didn't know what to say. I looked up at Steve. " Steve..." I said. " I've got to go," He said getting up. I watched him leave. " What was that about?" Nat whispered. I looked over at her. I sighed. " Peggy. She's... She's gone." I said. Nat nodded slowly. " Axel and I are gonna go on a walk." She looked over at Tony. " Don't light anything on fire" She said pulling me. I sighed and followed her.
We were walking when Nat spoke. " Are you going to the funeral?" Nat asked. I glanced at her. " I don't know. I... I want to go and be there for Steve but..." I looked over at her. " I have to sign the accords," I said kicking a rock. She nodded. " Are you taking your own car or..." She said looking at the cars behind us. " I'll go with you if you want me to. Of course, I won't if it will be a bother" I said shaking my head. She smiled and turned to me. She put her hands on each side of my face. " Axel Schnider. You will NEVER be a bother to me." She said pulling me down and kissing my forehead. I laughed slightly. " If we don't want to be stuck next to the gross men... We should get going" I said. She nodded.
We arrived in Vienna. I was finding Nat and I seats. I looked over at her once I found some. She was talking to the prince of Wakanda. I heard some very good things about Wakanda. I watched as the King of Wakanda approached them. Nat walked over to me. I sat down and folded my papers. " Looks like the prince want's a Russian princess," I said as she sat down. She scoffed and hit me in the shoulder. " He's not my type." She said looking at me. I made an O shape with my mouth. " And what is your type Romonaff?" I asked putting my hand on my chin. She looked over at me. " Well... They HAVE to have trauma. If they don't have trauma. I don't want them" She said shaking her head. I smiled and covered my mouth with my hand so that no one saw me laugh. " I like brunettes. Especially ones with scar's" She whispered the last part. I looked at my papers. The microphone screeched as King T'chaka walked over to it. " When stolen Wakandan vibranium was used to make a terrible weapon... we in Wakanda were forced to question our legacy. Those men and women killed in Nigeria... were part of a goodwill mission from a country too long in the shadows. We will not, however, let misfortune drive us back. We will fight to improve the world we wish to join. I am grateful to the Avengers..." He said. I tried to focus on his speech but some noise caught my attention. It sounded like beeping. I heard a dog bark. I stood up. " Everyone get down!" I yelled at the same time as Prince T'challa. I grabbed Nat and hovered over her as a bomb went off. I heard glass shatter. My ears were on fire. I stood up slowly. I saw Prince T'challa holding King T'chaka. Nat stood up and looked at me. I looked over at her. She sighed.
I was sitting outside on a bench. 70 people had been injured. 12 were dead. They were saying Bucky did this. I didn't believe it. " I'm very sorry," I said as I turned to look at T'Challa. He looked at me. Nat came up to me and sat down on the bench. " In my culture... death is not the end. It's more of a stepping-off point. You reach out with both hands... and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into the green veldt... where you can run forever." he said looking ahead. " That sounds very peaceful," Nat said as she put her hand on my shoulder. " My father thought so. I am not my father" T'Challa said. I sighed. " T'challa... The task force will decide who brings in Barnes." Nat said. T'Challa put on his ring and stood up. " Don't bother, Ms. Romanoff, Ms. Schnider. I'll kill him myself" He said. " You won't be able to" I warned. He looked down at me. " watch me" He said then walked away. I looked down at the ground. My left leg was bouncing up and down. " I know you want to go after-" Nat's phone interrupted and rang. " give me a minute," She said then stood up and answered her phone. I could hear Steve on the other side. " Shit" She mumbled under her breath. " What is it?" I asked looking at my hands. " Steve's going after Barnes," She said. I nodded my head.