Chapter Text
Steve sighted in frustration.
He did not think it would end like this.
Ever since their confrontation with Tony, the one that he revealed he had known about Bucky and what Hydra forced him to do. Things had not been going his way.
Sam had not been happy to learn about the lies that Steve was keeping. After they returned to the compound, Sam yelled at him for his actions. No matter how much Steve tried to show him that he had done the right thing, Sam refused to listen. He left the compound on the morning with a simple letter that he was resigning from the Avengers.
Then Tony kept his word. Policemen came in and told them they had to leave the compound immediately, or they could get thrown in jail. With Wanda powers sealed, they could do nothing about it and were forced to abandon their home.
At first Natasha tried to call Clint, to see if they could stay with him until all of this was resolved, but the man did not answer. A text message said that he was on vacation with his family, and is currently unavailable.
They had to stay in a safe house that Nat had, while they wait for Tony to come to his senses.
He had kept the truth from him to protect him. To not open old wounds. Steve only did what a friend would have done. Why didn't anyone just listen to him ?
Steve only wanted to protect Bucky. He could never have imagined Tony would react to well to the news. He had no idea it would be like this ! He had good intentions !
Then the hearing happened. Steve didn't want to go, but he had no choice.
It somehow made things even worst.
They asked him a lot of questions. Why did he not inform anyone where the Avengers were heading, his methods of leadership and training new teammates. His policy of leaving behind the damage of a fight.
Steve respinded that as leader of the Avengers, it was his right to keep that information. He decides were the team goes, and no one can tell him the contrary.
The senate was not happy about that.
"It seems Mr. Rogers." One of them said. "That you have made it clear that not only the Avengers need oversight, but that you are no longer fit to lead the team. You might never have been fit."
"Wha...what are you talking about ?"
"Effective immedialty Mr. Rogers, you are being stripped from your post as the leader of the Avengers. Adidditonally, you, Ms. Romanoff, and Ms. Maximoff will be suspended from the initiative until further notice. It is clear the way the Avengers have functioned until now needs to change. You want to bring conflict with your secrets, that's fine. But we will not allow you to drag the country, or the Avengers Innitaitve, with you."
Steve looked at him in shock. "You...you can't do that !"
"I can, and I just have." He slammed his papers on the table, making his words more definite.
No matter what Steve said, he was ousted as the leader of the Avengers. The whole Initiative was placed on hold while a new system was created. One that Steve was told, that he would have to earned his place on it.
It was so unfair, but he was powerless to do anything.
The New SHIELD came in, and agreed to take Steve and his team in. Not because they liked them, but to keep an eye on them.
When they arrived to the base, an alive Phil Coulson was waiting with a woman they did not know.
"Coulson ?" Steve asked. "Wha...we thought you died !"
"I did die. But it simply did not stick. Wasn't my idea though."
"But why..." Coulson interrupted him.
"Let me make this clear. Even if we are allowing you inside, that does not mean you are gonna get to do what you want. You will be given tasks to perform while the Avengers Initiative is rebuilt. After that, you can decide to apply again. You won't get to chose your missions, you won't get to choose what to do. You are no longer in command Rogers, and you will listen to to my orders. You want to go search for the Winter Soldier, then it would have to be with your own many."
"None of us want you here." The woman growled. "Yet despite on how many of us you killed, we are willing to keep you just so we can be sure you don't go do anything stupid."
Since then, there has been nothing but hostile from the SHIELD Agents towards him, Nat, and to a lesser extend Wanda.
Nat said all of them are mad for what they did during the info dump, but Steve can't understand. He did what he had to do. He hates people died but you can't save everyone.
The Agents did not care for his reasoning, and kept being hostile, or sometimes aggressive.
So Steve had his team taken away, his post on the Avengers removed, and his search for Bucky permanently halted. He....he can't believe it all came to this.
He tried to think what led to this, what could have changed the story that Steve was so close to his victory, to put him on a place like this.
Then he realized the awnser.
It was that new woman, Fridaline.
Natasha had found information about the Guardians, about the new people that Tony had gotten, but that woman....that woman was an enigma.
Yet she was the one that found out about Steve's secret. She was the one that told Tony about it. Her, a stranger, instead of Steve, a friend of Tony. Yet for some reason, Tony believed her.
She probably manipulated the truth so that Steve would come out as malicious or maybe downright evil. With how hostile Tony was, he would not be surprised.
There was something about her that Steve did not trust. She was hiding something, probably something to manipulate the Avengers.
Steve knows when there is a threat, and his instincts are telling him that Fridaline is an enemy. One he has to defeat.
He can't fight her right now. With her under Tony's protection. But Steve will find the evidence he needs. He won't back down from a bully. He will expose Fridaline and her lies, and finally bring things back to normal.
He will take the Avengers back, and then finally find Bucky, and everything will be perfect.
It might take long, but Steve will not back down from this. He is ready to fight, and he is gonna win.
Whatever it takes.
"So they are no longer Avengers." Friday asked.
"Nope. They have been taken off the roaster after Rogers blew it at the hearing." Tony said. "I do feel bad for Coulson, having to deal with them."
"Yeah." She remembers that Daisy had not been happy to learn about what SHIELD had to do on their last call.
Yet, Coulson knew well what Rogers could do if he remained out of control. Specially since its only a matter of time before Barnes resurfaces. They are doing the best to do it as the most calm way possible, but as he proved, Rogers simply can't keep his head straight when Barnes is involved.
He is still dangerous, and Friday will do anything to stop him.
"So what of the Avengers ?"
"For now, the Avengers are on hold. A new system for the team is being created, but we are taking our time with it."
"Thats good. There is no need to rush for now."
"You tell me." Tony nodded.
"So what now ?"
"Now. now you live baby girl." Tony told her. "Now you enjoy being alive."
"But Thanos...."
"Thanos will come, and we will prepare for it. But that does not mean we can forget about all else. Even with all of our preparations, we don't know for certain we will win. We have to enjoy the moments we have Fri, and you have yet to experience any of that. You have yet to know what it is to live."
"Wow....what did you do to my father ?"
"Heh, blame your mother, she said the same thing to me. I realized she was right."
"Speaking of, now that you both are dating, you are now even more offficialy my parents."
"Heh, I can see that. "
"Well.....Yelena did say we should hang out. Have a girls night out."
"That is a great idea. Go and have fun."
"Yeah, I will get changed and get going." Friday stood up. "I....I am very happy we can be like this, Dad."
Tony smiled in return.
"Me too kiddo, me too."
"Peter says that Earth fathers have trouble to see their daughters go on with life." Gamora said. "I trust that won't be an issue."
"Nah." Tony said. Both of them sat on the living room, having watched Friday as she left with her friends. "I want her to live. God knows she hasn't."
"She was born on a broken world. I do hope she can enjoy the life that I didn't."
"Me too. So, you guys are staying for now ?"
"Yes. We will help this world prepare for Thanos. Besides Peter has reasons to stay....and so do I."
"I am glad to hear that. Friday will be happy to have you around."
"Its not only her I am stay for, you know that."
"I know that." Tony said, kissing her. "I know that."
The future was uncertain, but Tony knew one thing.
No matter what happens, they were gonna face it together.
END OF BOOK 1