Chapter 5
All the Avengers watched Steve decompose. His crew had smiles to cheer him up when everyone else looked radiant. They laughed at his unhappiness. How can we be happy about Steve's nightmare? The woman he loved was kissing another man and seemed to have children with him. He knew where the resemblance came from, they were the spitting image of Toni. Steve pulled himself together and tried to get her away from Strange but he had to stop his movement when a missile was pointed at him.
"Rodgers, may I ask what you were trying to do? I'd like to ask you to let me kiss my husband any way I like. "said Toni in a murderous tone.
"Husband? Husband? But I'm your fiancé. How can Strange kiss a woman who belongs to another? When we are married you will stay at home and clean the house until you apologise for your behaviour."
Toni did not react and seemed to restrict Strange to move. Danvers seemed to do the same with Rhodes but she had a murderous look on her face.
"Mr Rodgers, don't say anything more because I'm afraid you have injuries that can't be treated if you continue with this speech. And that's not a threat but a fact because to explain it to you simply more than three-quarters of this room want to hurt you and Stephen and Rhodey have a lot of ideas. But I'm magnanimous and I'm going to let you live a little longer because I can fight on my own, I don't need anyone to make you disappear. So for starters, you're going to stop that last century mentality. Already back then my godmother Peggy Carter would never have accepted that attitude and you said you loved her. If this is how you treat women I sincerely feel sorry for Maximoff and Romanoff, I never thought I'd say that. Moreover I have never had to obey you and I would never do it because I am independent and I have absolutely no need to have your opinion on my life of which you are not a part. »
"But Toni! I'm your fiancé and maybe I was wrong but I'll only apologise when you admit you were wrong about the Accords and ................................................................."
"Not another word," she said in a murderous tone. I'm going to forget that you just spoke to try not to kill yourself. Who do you think you are? You're nobody, I don't understand myself for agreeing to go out with you and even to marry you. I think it was the biggest mistake of my life, and I've made a lot of mistakes. I'll set the record straight, you went out with me because I reminded you of your lost love Peggy. You like smart women, but you don't understand anything. At the first difficulty you accuse me of all evils without questioning yourself and try to understand the events because you are Captain America you know better than anyone else. You asked me to marry you because you were jealous of Stephen not because you love me. Our marriage was doomed to failure, so why ask me to marry you after such a short relationship. And just so you know, I never loved you. You were just a way to forget Stephen who disappeared. When he came back I started to see the truth and wanted to break off the engagement but I didn't want to hurt you. How silly of me. You never took me seriously, you find out Howard was murdered and you don't react because he's Bucky "my friend". You told me so much that Howard was your friend and he was your friend and a good man and you don't even think about telling his daughter. And when you found out it was Bucky you didn't think to ask me for help that I would have given you without any ulterior motive. Besides not liking me, you don't watch the work I do so you don't pay attention to me. You know what hurt me the most was not to learn about the murder of my parents that I already knew but that you lied to me shamelessly without any ulterior motive. And I'm not even talking about that letter, I think I've never laughed so much in my life and you thought I was going to call you and you'd be forgiven because you had forgiven me, a letter you didn't have the decency to sign. So, Steve Grant Rodgers, I solemnly ask you to stay away from my family.
"But, Toni, Strange is taking advantage of you to get away from me. He even tried to scare me at Stark Tower. You have to see what he did. It was horrible. We had a nightmare. "Steve said. He wouldn't answer his accusations in public (and he'd only listened to half of them, his attention quickly wandered away). He preferred discretion and not to wash his dirty laundry in front of everyone. Also, by walking away from the Avengers she would no longer be under their influence and then Wanda could manipulate her more easily.
She laughs before answering him
"But you think it was Stephen who set this whole thing up. I'm very good at organizing this kind of event. I started thinking about this plan when you didn't come to the group bonding exercises. After that non-appearance, the group bonding exercises were to build the perfect plan. Peter gave us some film ideas, Jessica looked for what you were most afraid of with Shuri. Because yes everyone knew about this plan but your two spies didn't learn anything. They should be retired, they're dinosaurs. I've arranged with Quentin Beck to lend me his drones to make the desired shapes. Logan wanted to help when he heard my plan when I went to Charles for the vibranium for Erik. And Stephen partnered with Nightmare for the finishing touches. These exercises were a great success, the group cohesion is stronger than ever so thank you for your participation.
"But how could you come here? You're not an Avengers. You quit. I watched the press conference. "he asked.
"You really haven't read the Accords, my name is written all over the place as the head of the Avengers, but of course no one has read them. Matt will be happy to destroy you in court. And even though I don't have to justify myself to you, I will. When I gave that press conference I was pregnant with the twins and I couldn't put myself at risk. I preferred to give this version to the press so that they would leave me alone and keep my private life private. I agree with you on this, the less the press knows the better. And before you ask the question, yes, they are Stephen's children. You know it's a good thing he was able to get here quickly or I'd never have children so you almost destroyed it. So thank you for aiming for this place and not another. On that note I'll leave you with my friends in security, they have a lot to discuss. Ah yes and that little impromptu outing we knew about all along. »
And she left when security came in. Steve's life was really over and so was his life before that with Toni.