Chapter 2
It had been over five years since Steve had seen his fiancée. He missed her and he still loved her. Although he had had a few affairs with women during his stays outside Wakanda, for him it was proof that Toni was no longer angry with him. She wasn't watching any security cameras. He knew she was still faithful to him. He trusted her. Like she said, she'd completely withdrawn from the life of a superhero. She was hardly ever in the tabloids. He read the tabloids for information about her, but no articles or photos appeared for a year after her announcement. We started seeing her again at charity events. There were very few pictures of her in armor anymore. After her departure the Avengers continued to grow and welcomed new members such as Spider-Man and Captain Marvel. These were the most public members but he didn't know their true identities. He didn't approve of the secret, but they were finally back. They were going to take their rightful place, and Steve was going to set some new rules. But what he really wanted to see was Toni. They were all on the plane that was going to land at Avengers headquarters. Clint and Wanda were in front of him. They had big smiles on their faces. Clint was finally on his way to see Laura. He had sent many letters but hadn't received a reply. Steve hated to see the hope fading away in his eyes. It was a good thing that T'Challa had told them they were coming home, otherwise Clint would break down and abandon them like Scott had done. Steve had never been able to talk to him because he had been held up by obligations (a pretty girl) and when he wanted to talk to him the next afternoon, he couldn't find him anywhere. His bed was made up and all his things were gone. He had learned from the newspaper that Ant-Man was on parole for 2 years before his profile was considered for joining the Avengers. Steve had to see him to explain to him the way he was thinking. He had made a fool of himself in front of his crew. The tabloids loved it: a defection from the Rogues. Because yes, they were no longer considered Avengers. The nerve of the UN, with their Accords that had been ratified by all states, not to give them the role they deserved. Steve was sure that you didn't have to sign the Accords to be an Avenger. He was going to plead their case to the UN Security Council. He was sure it was just a misunderstanding.
They had finally arrived home. Toni wasn't expecting them but he wasn't surprised, she wasn't one of the Avengers. He was nevertheless disappointed, he would have to make the move. He was willing to make the effort if it was to see his fiancée. They got out of the plane and walked on the tarmac. Steve was happy to be home and enjoy the scenery. Wakanda was beautiful, but it wasn't his country. They approached two individuals who were waiting for them. Steve didn't recognize the woman but he was happy to see Rhodes, Toni's best friend.
"Welcome to the Avengers HQ, I'm Major Carol Danvers better known as Captain Marvel and you already know James Rhodes. We're the co-leaders of the Avengers. You already know the HQ, it has been refurbished but your rooms have not been touched. The eastern part is only accessible to you while the southern part is under construction. The complex is composed of a cafeteria where you can buy what you want, two training grounds with specificities for each one. It is possible to book them outside the collective training hours. The procedure will be explained to you by your liaison officer. It is also possible to book the cinema room for private screenings but I think the planning is complete for 17 months but don't hesitate.
"The organisation of the trainings is different from the one you know, recited in a monotonous Rhodes tone, it is compulsory to attend two trainings per week and a group cohesion activity. You will be tested as soon as you have settled in to see which training is the most suitable for you. There are many members of the Avengers that you may not know as well as independent groups that we work closely with. Please do not damage or break anything in the HQ. Any item that is not in its original condition will be repaired at your expense. You have a budget of $1000 per month for everything you need. You can have an outside job as long as you respect the rules of the HQ. Failure to do so will be reported to your liaison officer and the UN and will extend your probationary period. It is not possible to move more than 10 km away from HQ without permission from one of us. The rules are simple for you to follow. »
"Excuse me Rhodey (he made a face at the nickname) but why must we obey you? I am the leader of this team and that suits them very well. We have already fought together and we have a good group dynamic, I don't understand why there is so much group training. And why do we have to pay? This is our home, this is our home. And why isn't everything accessible? »
Danvers spoke again after passing something on to Rhodes. It sounded a lot like money.
"We are the leaders of the Avengers and the chain of command will be communicated to you shortly. This is non-negotiable. Some parts of the complex are not accessible to you because you don't need it and you can live without it. There are members coming and going with some who have children. I would ask you not to approach them uninvited. Because of the large number of members, it was not possible to have everything available, but I think I heard that the prices were very competitive. You will now return to your quarters and your liaison officer. The latter will explain the latest arrangements to you. »
They left in a low voice, they seemed to be bickering. Well, it wasn't as he'd hoped, but he was back home. He just had to see Toni and everything would be all right.