Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Witch and the Widows

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 23:

Special trigger warning applies for talk about past suicidal thoughts.

Chapter 23:

It had been four days. Four days since the swelling had gone down in Kate’s head. Four days where Wanda, Yelena and Eleanor only left the room to go to the bathroom to change. Widows disguised as nurses and cafeteria workers brought them food and clothes to change into.

Four days and Kate had still not woken up. The doctors had no idea when she would wake up. Kate still had brain activity but the longer she stayed in the coma, the less likely she would wake.

Wanda and Yelena remained invisible the entire time they were in the room to everyone beside Eleanor. Agatha came twice a day to check in. Oksana Cheng had arrived and was playing the part of the personal physician Eleanor had brought in to monitor the case to the irritation of the chief physician.

Agatha walked in with dinner for the trio along with Ava and Bea.

“No change?” Ava asked.

Yelena shook her head. “She isn’t ready to wake up yet. Wanda is afraid what healing her now will do to her brain.”

Wanda knew Yelena was frustrated but the idea of doing further harm terrified her. Agatha had brought her the Book of Vishanti and though the book was supposed to give the witch or sorcerer the spell needed to defeat their enemy, it didn’t offer the exact spell needed to heal these types of injuries, specifically the brain. The doctors did not believe the damage to her brain was catastrophic but couldn’t be sure of lasting brain injury until she fully woke. It was frustrating, because she had been successful lately at healing but even Agatha agreed it wouldn’t be a good idea.

“The doctors think she will wake up when she is ready.” Eleanor agreed. “But the longer she remains in the coma the more likely…” Eleanor stopped speaking and wiped a tear from her eye.

Agatha conjured seats for herself and Ava. “Has anyone watched the news today?”

The three shook their heads.

“Amato Augusto committed suicide. He jumped from the top of a twenty story building. His fingerprints and DNA will match.” Agatha told them.

Wanda was surprised but she shouldn’t have been. As powerful as she was, Agatha was also incredibly powerful and had forgotten more spells and tricks than Wanda knew.

“Whose body was it?” Wanda asked.

Agatha shrugged. “John or Rick or Charlie Doe. Some Doe is now Amato Augusto. We needed him to be found and the case closed. Now he has been. Is she dreaming?”

Eleanor took a deep breath. “Her eyes were moving a bit overnight but it didn’t last long. I don’t know if she is dreaming or stuck in a nightmare or just asleep. I pray she is just asleep but the doctors have no way of knowing. None of us do. We just sit here helplessly waiting. I can’t help her. None of us can.” Eleanor said.

“Wanda, why don’t you take a walk inside her head and see if she is alright.” Agatha suggested. “Perhaps she is lost and needs a guide back.”

Eleanor and Yelena looked at Wanda with wide eyes. Wanda grimaced.

“You can do that?” Eleanor asked.

Wanda shook her head. “I’ve never gone into someone’s head in this state. I could do more damage. I also never go into a friend’s head without permission. It can be very intrusive.”

Agatha brushed her concerns off. “If her mind is not open, you can back out. As far as consent, Kate is sixteen. Eleanor can give parental consent.”

Wanda didn’t like the idea, wishing Agatha would shut up. Agatha didn’t.

“I know your telepathy is one of your space rock powers and not magic but you have perfect control over them. Honestly you are better at space rock powers than magic. Give it a shot. You comfort girls in their sleep from nightmares and don’t even realize you are doing it or actively trying. You can do this. Go inside, say hello, take a look around. The worst you could find is her fantasizing about Yelena.”

“Hey!” Yelena said sharply.

Eleanor had ignored the byplay in favor of staring at Wanda. Wanda met Yelena’s intense eyes and then looked toward Eleanor and her pleading eyes.

“If you can do it, Wanda, please do. I know they said we wouldn’t have to worry unless it went past two weeks but if you could find out anything, just check on her and let her know we are here… I’m begging.”

Those words were a slap in the face to Wanda.

“Never beg me for anything, Eleanor. You will never have to. If this is what you both want then I will try.”

Wanda looked towards the door and Agatha understood. The witch stood and went to the door, ready to encourage any doctors or visitors to leave should they decide to check in. Ava walked out of the room to give them more space.

Wanda sat on the floor, crossed her legs and rested her arms on her legs with her palms up. She closed her eyes and the familiar red glow surrounded her.

A red glow lit up behind Kate’s eyelids but her body didn’t move. Not that there was much she could move. Only one leg wasn’t in a cast unlike the rest of her limbs. Her back was injured and her ribs were cracked. Her neck was braced and her spine was in traction. One thing they could all focus on was the rough rise and fall of her chest as she breathed on her own.

Wanda was in a familiar world of darkness, searching for light. She saw points of light around her and recognized them for who they were. Eleanor, Agnes, Yelena and Ava along with everyone else in the hospital’s consciousness.

She discarded those outside and focused on the room. She was beginning to panic, unable to find Kate’s mind until she saw a very dim light off in the distance, so dull it was nearly lost in the darkness.

Wanda felt herself moving towards it and it glowed slightly brighter when she entered it.

She was no longer in the darkness.

She was in Kate Bishops room. She saw herself in the mirror and realized she had the reverted to a younger version of herself.

Wanda was a girl again, perhaps eleven or twelve, close to the same age her parents died. She wore a familiar dress. It had been her favorite before she lost it when the bombs struck.

There was a rumbling around her and thunder in the air. A cloud passed over the large skylight.

Wanda looked at the cloud and realized she was wrong. That was no cloud. She had seen many pictures of the battle of New York. That was a Chitauri dragon, some sort of mechanical troop carrier that doubled as a wrecking ball. A dragon was how she always thought of it.

Being this close to one was very different than seeing it in a magazine.

She heard a little girl crying out for her father and watched Kate run out of the room. Wanda ran behind her calling Kate’s name but the little girl didn’t see her or ignored her.

When they reached downstairs in the room attached to the balcony Wanda and Yelena first encountered Eleanor, both Kate and Wanda screamed. The wall had been blown away. The balcony was still in one piece but everything else was gone.

Wanda calmed herself and followed a shell-shocked Kate out onto the balcony.

Aliens were coming straight towards them. The girls were transfixed by the sight of death speeding their way.

Then the aliens and their sled exploded. When the fire and smoke cleared Wanda followed Kate’s line of sight to their savior.

Clint Barton was on top of a building killing aliens. They were converging on him though and he had ran out of arrows. They watched him grab another from somewhere on the roof and jump off the building. Both were in too much awe of his heroics to scream when they saw him jump and then swing through a widow rather than falling to his death.

Eleanor was there. She picked Kate up and Wanda ran after them. She followed Kate and Eleanor to the emergency stairs. A wall had collapsed and Derek Bishop’s hand was the only sign that he was under it when it crumbled. The hand wasn’t moving.

“Daddy!” Kate screamed in panic.

Eleanor said but Wanda could barely hear her over the explosions outside. “I have to get you to the basement. Hold on to me and close your eyes.”

Kate closed her eyes and cried as they ran into the stairwell and down to the basement. Wanda tried to hold Kate’s hand in the basement but the little girl was unresponsive. She had a dead look in her eyes while her mother kept an arm around her and pulled her rag doll form in close.

The darkness eventually lifted, the thunder above stopped and they were in the daylight. The thunder had been replaced by sirens. To Wanda and Kate it looked like a post-apocalyptic landscape. Hundreds of people were injured, crying and calling out for loved ones. Kate held onto her mother’s hand as Eleanor pulled her towards an ambulance. When they reached the ambulance Eleanor demanded Kate be seen at once. Kate turned and looked to the sky and Wanda followed her sight. Above them was the Bishop building. The top floors were mostly smoke and rubble.

“My Daddy is up there.” Kate said, suddenly looking at Wanda. “He is never coming down again. Who are you?”

“I am your friend, Wanda. This is all a dream. You can change it. You can make it go away.”

Kate shook her head. “This isn’t a dream. This is a memory. You can’t change a memory.”

Wanda and Kate were back on Kate’s ruined balcony but the motion around them had frozen. Clint was in mid fall.

“Look at Hawkeye. He wasn’t afraid. I was. I was so scared. I didn’t want to be. I wanted to be like Hawkeye.”

Wanda squeezed her shoulder. “It’s okay to be afraid.”

Kate finally looked Wanda in the eyes. Neither were little girls anymore.

“You never are. Yelena tells me everything about you. You weren’t scared to fight HYDRA or the Red Room. You aren’t even scared of death. You are more powerful than Captain America and Iron Man combined. Yelena is better than the Black Widow. I thought maybe I was as good as Clint. Maybe I could be Hawkeye. I’m not though. I’m just a spoiled rich girl playing at being a hero.”

Wanda sighed and pulled Kate in for a hug. “That isn’t true Kate. You are a hero.”

Kate pushed her back. “Does this happen to heroes?”

Wanda found herself in what she recognized as Central Park. She was on the ground, seeing this memory through Kate’s eyes. Her jaw hurt so badly she couldn’t think. She recognized what was happening. Amato was above her. It hurt worse with every swing. She felt every blow breaking her. She couldn’t move. All she could do is curl up into herself, make herself as small as possible and take the blows.

“I was too scared to even scream.” Kate’s voice told her. “Do heroes let people like this crush them into nothing? I remember it all until I saw the bar coming for my head. I remember every blow. I remember feeling my arms breaking.”

Kate’s face morphed into something bruised and bloody that was nearly unrecognizable.

“Do I look better or worse where you are? Can Yelena stand to look at me? I don’t want to go back. All I’ll find is more pain. At least here I can be alone with my shame.

Wanda reached up to Kate’s face and waved a hand over it, clearing away the blood and bruised skin. “Yelena and your mother ware waiting for you. They need you back. Once you wake you will have to stay in the hospital for a few days and then I can heal you. When you look in the mirror it will be as if it never happened. I will mend your bones as strong as before. I can’t heal your mind. You will always remember this but you won’t have any physical reminders. Yelena hasn’t left your bed side in days. Neither has your mother. They are worried so you need to wake up.”

“Yelena could do better than me. I’m not sure my mother even likes me.”

Wanda walked around to look into Kate’s eyes. “They love you.”

Kate crossed her arms and shook her head. “Yelena will find her equal. She will fall in love with a Red Widow. She will fall in love with someone who isn’t a failure, who isn’t always scared, who isn’t a loser who got beat in the first real fight she had ever been. My mother never liked me. She is probably there because she is expected to be.”

Wanda became angry. “Your mother loves you more than you can imagine! Maybe she wasn’t the fun parent like your Dad but you have no idea the lengths she will go for you! You are her everything. Do you know what I would give to have my mother back? What my sisters would do to have any mother, especially as one as dedicated as her? Did Yelena tell you what her parents did to her? How they betrayed her? You your mother’s love that for granted. If you truly believe that she doesn’t love you then there really isn’t much more to you than a poor spoiled little rich girl who doesn’t amount to much. Is that really who you are?”

“I’m scared!” Kate screamed. “I’m not you! I’m not Yelena!”

They were back on the balcony, watching the Battle of New York around them.

“Fine.” Wanda muttered. “You want to play head games with your memories? You think I’ve never been scared? I have lived with fear my entire life. Would you like to see me scared? Let me show you my fear.”

Kate was standing next to Wanda, watching her a red headed little girl and a boy with blonde hair watching an old television in a very small apartment. Kate could hear gunfire outside the window but it didn’t effect the children. They were sharing a bag of popcorn on a small couch. The people who must have been their parents were sitting off to the side in a love seat, closer to the television and nearest the window. The mother kept glancing out the window and replaced her worried look with a smile when she turned back to who must have been young Wanda.

Kate’s perspective changed and she was seeing through the eyes of the little girl. She felt the girl’s joy at such a simple thing as watching a black and white television show in English.

Then her parents were gone before her eyes. It was if a hole had swallowed them up. And explosion below rocked them and the roof began to crumble. The couch was tossed on them, giving them some cover from the concrete ceiling falling.

Kate felt terror.

Then another bomb fell. It landed with a thud as the point stuck in the floor only a few feet away from the twins.

Wanda reacted on instincts she didn’t know she had. Her arm reached out in fear as if to ward the blast from her eyes.

The bomb just blinked. She couldn’t take her eyes off the one word written on it.

Stark.

Kate wasn’t sure of how long she had stayed. Pietro tried to comfort her while she closed her eyes and told herself it wasn’t real. She couldn’t move and was afraid to breathe. The worst moments were when the rescuers found them and she was certain the bomb would go off.

Then they were in a horrible, smelly and dark place.

“You think I do not know what it is to be a victim?” Wanda asked.

Kate once again saw through Wanda’s eyes. They were in a large room with hundreds of bunk beds. Pietro was being dragged off with a bloody nose and bloody fists after fighting with a boy who had picked on Wanda.

Kate felt her fear grow as the lights went out. Wanda had just crawled under the covers when her bunk was surrounded by four boys.

Kate felt sick with fear and disgust and hopelessness. They grabbed her and the scene changed once again.

Kate watched Wanda in rags walking toward a glowing object. Once again Kate could still feel Wanda’s emotions. She was determined but also afraid. Above that was a depression that overcame all else. There was a feeling that nothing mattered. She was afraid and hopeless and somehow the hopelessness was worse than the fear.

The scene changed once more and Kate found herself in a ravaged city surrounded by flying robots, a passenger in Wanda’s body. There were so many of them. Kate felt power at the tips of her fingers but fear had her paralyzed. Death was all around her and she couldn’t make herself fight back. The guilt was so heavy it felt like a bowling ball in her stomach. She was glued to the spot, unable to move as Ultron’s minions aimed weapons at her and she knew she was going to die.

Then she was grabbed and thrown into a building just before she was shot.

Kate saw Clint had tackled her.

“This is all our fault .” Kate found herself saying in Wanda’s voice. Her mouth was dry, she was shivering and her heart was beating so rapidly it was a surprise it hadn’t burst from her chest.

Clint gave her his attention despite the fire they were under.

“Hey, look at me. It’s your fault, it’s everyone’s fault. Who cares? Are you up for this? Are you? Look I just need to know cause the city is flying. Ok, look, the city is flying, we’re fighting an army of robots, and I have a bow and arrow. None of this makes sense.

“But I’m going back out there cause it’s my job. Ok, and I can’t do my job and babysit. Doesn’t matter what you did or who you were. If you go out there, you fight and you fight to kill. Stay in here, you’re good. I’ll send your brother to come find you. But if you step out that door, you are an Avenger. All right. Good chat.”

Kate found herself in Central Park once again with Wanda in front of her.

“That is fear. That is guilt and that is a depression so deep sometimes you don’t care if you live or die. I live with it every day. I fight it every day of my life. There have been so many times since Pietro died that I wanted to die. I stayed so many nights alone in the woods, thinking of how easily I could end it. Yelena asked me after I woke up from surgery in the Red Room if I hadn’t called Vision because I couldn’t or because I didn’t want to. To be honest, I still don’t know the answer. Sometimes I am afraid to die and sometimes it scares me how little I am afraid to die.

“That’s what fear is. That is what hopelessness is and that is what being a victim is. I understand more than you will ever know.

“You will live with it every day. Every time you walk past Central Park you are going to remember what happened to you. It will make you scared and you will be depressed and you might have panic attacks. Its going to be hell, Kate Bishop. It is a part of you now. That bomb, that orphanage, Ultron, they are a part of me. None of that will ever leave me and this won’t leave you.”

Kate began to cry and Wanda placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Do you know what a miracle it is that Yelena can love anyone? After what she has been through it shouldn’t be possible for her to romantically love someone, yet from the moment she saw you she fell in love. She has told me so many times, if she lives to be a hundred, she will never find anyone who compares to you.

“She is a good judge of character so that gives me hope that you are more than the ungrateful spoiled brat that thinks her mother doesn’t like her. It makes me believe you are the selfless girl who works hard every day so maybe she can help other people even though you have everything you could want.”

Kate looked around the park, avoiding Wanda’s eyes. “My Mom is really upset? She isn’t just acting like she is upset?”

“Your mother loves you. Why do you think I am here? She asked me to find you. She knows you and Yelena are in love. She has made sure Yelena stayed by your side.”

Kate was surprised. “She knows I’m gay?”

Wanda nodded. “She doesn’t care, Kate. She just wants her daughter back. The woman has everything, yet you are all that matters to her. She loves you, like my mama loved me. Love like that is special and when it is gone, you can’t get it back. Don’t take it for granted.”

Kate wiped her eyes and grinned. “What about you? Do you love me?”

“I just want you to wake up so I can go home. I hate the United States and I hate this city. The sooner you wake up, the sooner Yelena is happy and the sooner I can leave.”

Kate began laughing and then crying.

“Am I going to remember this?” she asked. “I’m already forgetting what you showed me. I remember… what is going on?”

Wanda shrugged. “I’m taking my memories I showed you away. I’m not going to leave you with my trauma. You shouldn’t live with that. It is mine and belongs only to me. I only wanted you to understand.”

“If you made those memories go away could you make the park go away?” Kate asked.

Wanda shook her head. “I might be able to but I won’t. We are our experiences, Kate. This is part of you now. To take it away would be to change who you are. When will it stop? Every time something horrible happens, would you ask me to make you forget? This happened and it has changed you on a fundamental level. I could repress your memory but you would always feel an emptiness. You would always feel wrong. I comfort my sisters when they are hurting but I never make them forget why they are hurting. For better or for worse, our experiences make us who we are. This can break you or make you stronger.”

Kate took that in and nodded, understanding. She couldn’t remember now what Wanda had shown her of her own life or feel what she felt but she understood.

“You felt what I felt. Can you make yourself forget it my memories?”

Wanda shook her head.

“That isn’t fair.”

Wanda shrugged it off. Kate was beginning to understand what Wanda had learned long ago. Life wasn’t fair.

“I knew what I was getting into when I did it. I am strong enough to take it. You will be too eventually. It is time to wake up now Kate.”

Kate took a deep breath and looked around the park again. “How badly am I hurt?”

“Bad.” Wanda told her. “You are going to be strong and you are going to learn to live with the memories everyday and you will beat them. You are Kate Bishop. You are the next Hawkeye and nothing will stand in your way. Now wake up!”

Wanda opened her eyes. Yelena was beside her.

“Did you find her?” the blonde asked.

Wanda nodded and Yelena felt a great tension release. She had been worried that Wanda would not find Kate anywhere.

“Do you know when she will wake up?”

Wanda was regretfully going to tell Yelena she wasn’t sure, but Kate’s heartbeat picked up. The occupants of the room rushed to her bedside and saw her eyes moving rapidly behind her lids. Her breathing quickened.

When Kate’s eyes opened she saw Yelena and her mother looking down on her with teary eyes.

Then, the pain blindsided her. She tried to moan and felt a fresh jolt in her jaw.

“Don’t speak, baby.” Eleanor told her. “Your jaw is wired shut. I know you are in pain. As soon as the doctor looks you over we are going to do something about the pain.”

Kate’s eyes roamed over her body and her swollen eyes widened seeing her elevated arms and leg in a cast. Her unbroken left leg began kicking out and her heart began racing faster.

“Love, look at me.” Yelena told her. “I know it is scary but I need you to relax. You are very injured and it will take a few days before we can get you home but when we do, Wanda can heal you, good as new. We have some painkillers, but you must be still until after doctor sees you. Can you do that for me?”

Kate tried to mouth the word ‘hurt’ but failed. Yelena understood her regardless. “I know my любимый. I know it hurts. Do you remember what happened?”

Tears pooled in Kate’s eyes and she tried to nod.

Eleanor choked back a sob, having hoped Kate wouldn’t remember the details.

Kate’s fingers near Yelena wiggled and Yelena took them in her palm. Kate traced out a word.

Girl?

Yelena sighed. “Yes, you saved girl. She got away. You saved her. All of New York knows what a hero you are. You are bigger than Avengers.”

Kate traced another word.

Him.

Yelena’s face hardened. “He will never hurt anyone again. We all made sure of it.”

Kate looked at the foot of the bed where Wanda stood with Agatha and Ava. Kate met Wanda’s eyes and the look made it clear that Kate remembered their talks. There was a gratefulness in the look and Wanda winked at her.

“I never thought I would see the day Kate Bishop couldn’t talk. I hear the nurse on his way. I need to make four of us in invisible so we have to step back.” Wanda told her.

After the nurse and then the on call doctor had checked on Kate and assured she was awake and aware, they gave her a dose of painkillers. Kate wiggled her fingers nearest Eleanor. Eleanor laid her palm under Kate’s fingers.

I love you was traced on Eleanor’s palm.

Eleanor bent down and kissed her gently on the forehead. “Katie, you have no idea how much I love you.”

Kate motioned for her palm again.

Yelena?

Eleanor laughed. “I’m not as dense as you think I am, sweetheart.”

Kate looked like she was about to try and smile when the morphine kicked in and she fell back asleep.

The next morning Yelena called Nat and told her the good news. She promised to meet Nat in a few days as soon as she was certain Kate was out of the woods and Agatha’s pain inhalant was working.

That afternoon, just after lunch, Clint Barton came to visit Kate. He couldn’t see Wanda and Yelena until Wanda lifted the veil of invisibility and scared the hell out of him. Kate was obviously delighted and he spent time telling her about the life of a farmer and how he had tried to talk Wanda into it and her steadfast refusal. He spoke of shots he had made and growing up in the circus. It was obviously painful for Kate not to talk but Clint seemed to enjoy her inability to speak.

While Clint was visiting Wanda took a call in the hallway.

“Hello Everett.”

“It’s happening, just like we thought it would. The United Nations Security Council has been meeting in secret. I didn’t even know about it until ten minutes ago when we were briefed. They are ready to propose what they are calling the Sokovia Accords to the United Nations. It will call for registration of any enhanced individuals or vigilantes with special skills to register and sign an agreement to only undertake missions deemed appropriate by a United Nations committee. This isn’t just the Avengers either.”

Wanda chuckled. “Of course they would want us. Ross knows we won’t do it and he can criminalize us. It doesn’t matter. We knew this day would come. The rest of General Ross’s life is about to begin. We are ready to act as soon as Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson refuse to sign.”

“You want to call Rogers to warn him? Ross left not long ago for Avengers Compound with Stark. If you want to warn him, now is the time.”

“Steve can handle it. I am interested in what Natasha does. Everett, take your phone and dump it in whatever body of water you are near. I’m going to have one of us erase all information remotely but as soon as the U.N. announces the Accords, I’m a criminal. The world doesn’t know what the Red Widows look like but my face will be world famous. I won’t be a contact anymore.”

“You don’t know if Ross will show your face.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m showing it to the world first. Its all part of the plan, Everett. This has been fun. See if you can beat us to Osborn.”

Everett was silent for a moment. “We can still do good work together, Wanda. Screw the U.N. We will just have to be more careful feeding each other information.”

Wanda laughed. “It’s your career you are risking. You sure you want to do this? You will be watched closely.”

“We make a good team, Wanda. I kind of feel like an honorary Red Widow by now. If you could get me some Widow Bites that would be great.”

“They won’t let me have Widow Bites.” Wanda told him. “I have a way to contact you that is absolutely impossible to trace. Astral Projection.”

Everett laughed, then stopped realizing she wasn’t laughing. “You are serious?”

“Absolutely.”

“Huh… that’s cool. I won’t ask you to stay low but if you need anything contact me however you can. I’m here, okay? You can trust me. Don’t ever forget that.”

“You are on a very short list of people we know we can trust. Keep looking for Osborn. I’m going to be busy for the time being. See you soon, Everett.”

Avengers Compound

The Avengers had assembled in the conference room watching Ross stand tall and proud, talking about perspective. Steve couldn’t say he was surprised. They didn’t speak of it but they all knew this was coming. The world was still in an uproar over Lagos. Steve hadn’t expected the United Nations to take action so quickly but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.

He hadn’t slept more than a couple hours since they had come back from Nigeria. He wasn’t sure Sam or Nat had either. They all found themselves meeting in the gymnasium at strange times talking about what had gone wrong and whether the fight was worth it anymore.

“That is the deal. You sign the accords and answer to the United Nations or you can retire. No more vigilantism.” Ross finished. “I’ll give you a day to think about it.”

He grinned smugly and turned to leave but Cap’s voice stopped him.

“There is no need for a day for me. I’m not signing.”

Ross turned and glared at the Captain, his face turning red.

“I would suggest you reconsider.” he told him threateningly. “The world won’t stand for you conducting your own operations. If you do, you will go to prison.”

Steve smiled sadly. “That’s just it. I’m not running operations anymore. Not for myself, not for the United States and certainly not for you. I’m done. I’m retiring.”

“I’m out too.” Sam said. “My sister needs me to be a fisherman more than the world needs the Falcon.”

Nat sighed. “I was going to talk to everyone this afternoon but this is as good a time as any. I’m quitting the Avengers. I made my decision days ago. My bags are already packed.”

Tony’s eyes widened. He had been prepared for a long debate, arguing into the night until he could hopefully come to some compromise with Cap.

He hadn’t expected half the team to quit.

“Secretary Ross, maybe you should leave us alone for a while. I’ll get back to you.” Stark asked.

Ross shook his head in disgust to hide his shock. He could give a damn about Sam Wilson. If the Black Widow and Captain America quit there would be no point in the Accords. They were designed to bring the Avengers under United Nations control, specifically his department. Without them the Accords would just suppress enhanced individuals from fighting threats. He pointed to Nat and Cap. “Get your team together, Stark. You told me they would be on board.”

Ross walked out quickly before they could say a word, the door swinging behind him

When he was gone Cap looked at Tony. “You told him we would be on board, Tony? I guess you heard about this before we did. Thanks for the heads up.”

Rhodey spoke up. “He was trying to get the best deal for all of us. He has been working…

“Shut up, Rhodes.”

The room quieted and looked in disbelief at Natasha.

“Stark, you can’t answer a question for yourself? You need your military liaison officer and sidekick to help?”

Rhodey sighed and sat back refusing to be baited.. “This is about Lagos. I get it. It was a screwed up situation.”

“A situation that you knew nothing about because you weren’t there.” Nat reminded him. “This isn’t about Lagos for me. I’ve been thinking of this for a while. Its time I stopped being an Avenger. I need a new life where I can focus on the things that matter. I need to focus on the people that matter. I’m not changing my mind. “

Nat stood up and began to walk out.

“Nat, can we please talk about this?” Tony asked. “Can we have a team discussion like we used to? We can have a few beers, tell stories about the good old days and plan some team bonding events or something. Talk to me. We can make it work. You can have both. This is about Yelena, right? Maybe she can talk Wanda into signing he Accords. Would you would just read them? The Red widows can become legit, and maybe if I stay away from the compound Wanda wouldn’t mind being here. Yelena could be here with you. You two can have a whole floor to yourselves.”

Nat smirked and shook her head. “Tony you are supposed to be a genius. Why would you say something so stupid? Wanda would never work for Thaddeus Ross. She barely works with Everett Ross. In what world can you imagine the Red Widows joining the Avengers and taking missions assigned by the United Nations? It isn’t just that, Tony. I don’t believe in what we are doing. Not anymore. Find new Avengers. Leave me out of it.”

Rhodey huffed and sat back, crossing his arms. “I guess you believe in the Red Widows, huh? Going to join your little sister? You know they are about to be hunted.”

Nat grinned, humored by his anger. “By whom? Who do you think in this room can take Maximoff down? Vision can you defeat her? Even if you could, how can you hold her? Truthfully I don’t think the people in this room can beat the Red Widows even without Wanda. They are too good, too efficient and smart for anyone in here to beat, especially an Airforce pilot in a metal suit. Take care, Tony. Thanks for everything. I’m sorry it has to be this way.”

Nat walked out and Sam stood and followed. He had his bags packed for a few days as well.

Tony’s eyes were wide open, trying to digest what had just happened. He then looked to the only hope he had left.

“Cap, c’mon. I know we have had a rough week but it just needs time to blow over. I get that you hate Ross, but the man knows what he is doing when it comes to tactics. These Accords can get us back in the public’s good graces. You can’t just quit, Cap. That’s not who you are. You are our leader.”

Steve shook his head. “That’s the great thing about the United States, Tony. I can just quit and I just did. I’m done. Like Nat, my bags are packed. I had no idea she was leaving but Sam and I talked it over yesterday. It’s been on my mind for a long time.”

Vision turned to Steve. “This is not the time for us to be divided. We should be focused on working with the world, holding our team together and convincing Wanda to join us. We should be looking for more enhanced individuals. We should be integrating the Red Widows into our ranks. We should be expanding, not falling apart. Giving up is not in your nature, Captain Rogers.”

Tony opened his arms. “He has a point, Cap. We need to be ready. What about that threat from above the atmosphere. We already seen the opening act. You think it will end with that? We need to be ready!”

Steve nearly rolled his eyes. “I’m not giving up. I am moving on. Tony, if aliens attack, call me. I’ll fight aliens by your side but it’s not going to be on Ross’s orders.”

Rhodey rubbed his eyes in frustration. “What is your problem with Ross? The man has two Congressional medals of honor. He is an American hero but you and Nat act like he is garbage. Yeah, he can be arrogant but he has earned the right. He’s dedicated his life to this country.”

“You remember the stories Banner told us? What he did to Emil Blonsky and how Ross avoided blame for the incident in Harlem? Despite the good she has done, Ross cannot wait to call Wanda Maximoff a terrorist and the first thing he would assign us to do is hunt her down.”

“Maximoff wants to kill him.” Rhodes countered. “Nat has told him as much. Two hundred and forty two. That’s how many confirmed kills have been attributed directly to Wanda Maximoff since we left her in Sokovia. One hundred and seventy six. That’s how many were left alive in a catatonic or psychotic state. One hundred and sixty deaths have been attributed to the Widows. Those aren’t execution style killings either. The Widows torture, dismember, drown, electrocute. They have fun killing. How many others have they killed we don’t know about? Wanda can disintegrate bodies.

“Yeah her targets are scum but she is a mass murder who does not believe in any justice system. I always thought Captain America would believe in a judicial system.”

Steve nodded. “You mean the judicial system that didn’t hold us accountable for the murders Ultron committed? A system like that?”

Tony rubbed his forehead. “I own Ultron. That was me. I screwed up. That is why we need to be reined in! We can do better! I can do better! We can’t do it separated though.”

Rhodey spoke again. “What are you going to do when Wanda Maximoff decides the President is guilty of a crime because he makes a move she doesn’t agree with? Who is going to stop her and her cult from killing the President? If we just stand aside while she kills Ross, who is next? Where does her line stop? Where does yours?”

Steve picked up the Accords document and slid them to Rhodey.

“It isn’t my problem anymore. You are the Avengers. I’m sure you will figure it out. I need to go. I have a long drive ahead of me.”

“Where are you going?” Tony asked.

Steve smiled. “I’m going to the Northwest. Maybe into Canada. I traded my bike for a truck and its waiting for me in the city. I’m going to throw my bags in the back and just drive. I grew up in New York and have been fighting wars since I left. I haven’t had a chance to see much of the world without a mission sending me there. I’ve never been to Canada. I’d like to see Alaska too. I guess wherever the wind takes me.”

Tony looked at Vision and Rhodes. “You two giving me and Cap a minute alone?”

The two walked out. Tony asked Cap to follow him to the lounge where he pulled out a bottle and poured them a drink.

“Did you know Pepper and I split?” Tony asked.

Steve nodded. “I’m truly sorry to hear that Tony. Is there any chance of reconciliation?”

Tony tossed back his drink and poured another “I hope so. Its my fault. I told her I was done with Iron Man but then I came back for one mission and told her it would be the last. Then another and another until she had enough. I didn’t think I could live without Iron Man. I was hoping if I could show her these last few months that I could still be an Avenger from behind a desk maybe she would cut me some slack.”

Tony paused.

“I saw these Accords coming and so did you. I’ve tried to make them the best I could. I expected us to argue over them, maybe even go a few rounds like we always do. But we have always worked it out. I can’t be Iron Man anymore. It isn’t just Pepper. Its everything. I get it. The guilt… its killing me Cap. Novi Grad haunts my dreams. Wanda Maximoff and her brother under a pile of rubble haunt my dreams. Pietro Maximoff’s dead body killed by my creation haunts me. I still remember that dead look on Wanda’s face where she sat next to his body on the Helicarrier and held his hand. A lady came to me at a speech at MIT not long ago and showed me a picture of her son who was performing relief aid in Novi Grad. He died while we were fighting Ultron. I can’t remember when I went a day without fewer than ten drinks.”

Steve sighed, disheartened to listen to Tony’s problems. The life they led had given them all tons of guilt to carry.

“The Avengers don’t need me.” Tony told him. “Without you, there are no Avengers. Without the Avengers this Earth is defenseless.”

Steve shook his head. “It’s not, Tony. We both know that. She may not be popular with Ross or Rhodes but Wanda Maximoff is this planet’s best hope of defense. You’ve read the reports. You know how powerful she becomes every day. She isn’t twenty yet. In a year from now if aliens invaded New York again she would win the fight in minutes and they would beg her for mercy.”

“Rhodey had a point about her. Where does her self-appointed authority end?” Stark asked.

Steve shrugged. “Does it matter? We can’t do anything about it.”

“We could, together if we needed to. Maybe we couldn’t beat her but she listens to you. I still think something could be worked out. Yelena listens to Nat and Wanda likes you, Cap. Nat thinks its impossible and maybe it is with the way the Accords are written but it could happen with some changes. What if Everett Ross was on the committee that decided the missions? What if you were? What if the General had no hand in it?”

Cap put a hand on Tony’s shoulder.

Tony dropped his head. “I can’t talk you into staying, can I?”

Steve shook his head.

“The Avengers are dead. Vision is going to have a really big house.” Tony said, looking around.

Steve grinned. “He does love quiet. Maybe you can recruit more people.”

Tony snorted, thinking the only enhanced he knew of was a fifteen year old kid he never made contact with that he still didn’t understand the extent of his powers.”

“Are you going after Barnes?” Tony asked.

Steve shook his head. “Every lead I have ever found has gone cold. I don’t have the money to globe hop trying to chase him down. Wanda… well there are eyes out there.”

“Wanda is looking for him, right?” Tony asked.

He nodded. “She said she would keep an eye out.”

Tony raised his glass.

“Good travels to you, Cap. You ever want to come back, you have a home here.”

“Good luck to you too, Tony. If it makes this easier, I was never going to sign those Accords anyway.”

Tony chuckled. “I guess I always knew.”

He put his drink down and the two hugged each other, then Steve left.

Tony continued drinking alone for the next hour,

Vision and Rhodey walked in after giving Tony time alone.

“Ross isn’t going to take this well.” Rhodey said, having a seat at the bar.

Tony poured himself another drink and laughed quietly. “Ross can go to hell. It was never going to work. I thought Steve might stay for Natasha but I never expected her to leave.”

Rhodey was surprised. “You never thought she would join her sister’s crew?”

“I thought if she were going to, she would have already. Nat was my last hope to get her sister’s crew and Wanda to work with us. Nat’s gone, Thor is gone, Clint is gone, Bruce is gone and now Steve is gone. The Avengers are gone.”

“Perhaps given time away to process the trauma of Lagos, they may see reason and return.” Vision suggested.

Tony looked at the synthezoid and stood, patting him on the shoulder. “There is a lot you still don’t get about humans, Viz. This isn’t about one disaster. It’s a cumulation of things, mostly my fault. There are a lot of factors that have gone into it. The Avengers were a response team that came together during an immediate threat. We tried to hold on to something that was never going to last.”

“This is why we need the Red Widows. We can adapt their methods into our team framework and become a ready battle unit with Wanda and…”

“Vision! Stop already!” Tony shouted. “How can you be so smart and so stupid when it comes to Wanda? Do you know why they work and we don’t? They have no egos. They look out for one another first. They are bonded in a way no one else can understand, not even Nat.

“Wanda is there most powerful member but those operations they are running aren’t the plans of a nineteen year old Sokovian orphan. She follows their lead in the field! No egos! We couldn’t talk for more than fifteen minutes before a heated argument broke out between us and we didn’t even discuss the Accords!”

Tony turned to Rhodey. “What about you?! Read the damn room! It was a delicate situation and you defended the guy everybody hates! You are a part timer, Rhodey. You weren’t there in Lagos! Do you think they have forgotten about that? Do you think they haven’t noticed I haven’t been in suit in months and I’ve been cozying up to politicians and assholes like Ross?

“I’ve become a guy I would have hated ten years ago!”

Tony sighed and rubbed his head. “I’m going to bed. Nobody bother me. Tomorrow the world is going to find out the Avengers are done. I’d like to sleep through it.”