Chapter Text
The assembly was not nearly as packed as Tony remembered it being the last time; probably a big part being the bomb from the last gathering. He sat in the back, one face in a sea, as he listened to the people give their speeches about why the Accords were good. He heard, but he wasn't processing. It was all background noise to him, at least until the speaker's voice changed, thanking the newest speaker and as the translator left the stage, the voice asked if there were any other voices that wished to be heard. Still recovering from his fight with Steve, Tony glanced towards the side of the room where T'Challa sat - the man was moving to stand when a voice spoke up.
"I wish to speak to the assembly."
All of the assembly broke into chatter, everyone looking for the source before someone found the woman attached, pointing. This garnered the attention of others, and the chain reaction eventually reached Tony, who knew before he laid eyes on her.
Cassie Rogers. The girl created from Steve's DNA and raised originally simply for S.H.I.E.L.D. to gain access to the Rogers' estate - which Tony was stunned to find out was worth more than all of Stark industries. The girl who would have died had a certain redhead and archer partnership not realized just how smart she was. The little blonde who had stayed at Avengers HQ and helped find any breaches in Tony's security system by making little hacks. The girl who despite barely being eighteen, knew and understood the world on a level perhaps even Tony couldn't understand. She stood at the very top in the center aisle of the assembly hall, literally above the rest of the members, dressed in a way that would have made her father - wherever he was - very proud. She was clothed modestly, in a dark blue pantsuit with a white button-up underneath. Her hair was tied back into a high ponytail, dirty blonde hair falling in curly waves down to her shoulders. Hazel eyes were not looking at anyone, but staring down at the man at the podium who had asked his question.
"Uhm, may I inquire-"
"My name is Cassandra Rogers." she said simply. "I wish to speak against the Accords." There was another chittering uproar, and Tony felt his heart sink a little. Of course she would be here to speak against them - she was Steve's daughter; even if she had a knack for seeing both sides of a debate. She had been an orphan before they had found out about her, Steve had believed he was one as well. Now Steve was missing; forced into hiding with Natasha, Clint, and all the others who had helped and Cassie was once more an orphan again because of the Sokovia Accords. Surely it wasn't enough to move anyone to renege on their agreeance, though. The man at the podium seemed confused, but gave a nod, announcing her to the assembly as she made her way down the steps to take the stage. She moved with her head held high, determination in every movement. She walked right between the two sides of the aisle where Tony and T'Challa were, unbothered at the murmurs around her.
"You are definitely his kid, Cassie." Tony muttered to himself as he watched her.
The girl stepped up to the podium, laying her hands on the sides and looking around the room. Tony was confused for a long moment, why wasn't she speaking? He wasn't the only one, others were giving quiet, snide comments about how a girl could know anything about these papers. Then hazel eyes found his and locked on, and Tony instantly knew. Cassandra Sarah Rogers was not just here to speak against the Accords. She was here to speak with him. Tony wasn't so sure how he felt about that.
"Good evening." Cassie finally said, tearing her eyes from Tony's and letting her body relax as she looked around the vast room again. "I am Cassandra Rogers, I am the great-great niece of Captain Steve Rogers, who most of you know as Captain America." She was lying at that statement, but she didn't bat an eye; Natasha had trained her well. "Most of you might think I am here to speak against the Accords merely to have him pardoned."
"Well, yeah." Tony scoffed almost silently, eyes widening very minutely as Cassie's eyes fell on him again, as if now that she knew where he was, she wasn't going to let him escape. He wondered if her hearing was as good as Steve's.
"To that, I say you're wrong. Not entirely wrong, but mostly wrong." she continued. "My uncle Steve did go against the Accords, but he did it for the right reasons. He didn't believe in these Accords because of certain things. One, that these Accords would take away all choice from being able to save people. That's a part of who he is. Who he has been and will always be. Yes, people have ended up hurt, or even dead in some of the bigger battles the Avengers have fought. I can't change that; no one can. Not even the loved ones of those who have died have that ability. Yes, they lost their lives, yes, it hurts beyond imagination, but you know what hurts more? Making the Avengers fighting the evil that shows up sound worse than any other war." She stepped away from the podium enough to nod in a direction off the stage. The room darkened, and a slideshow of images appeared along the window as shades dropped down. The array was vast; from black and white images from World War I all the way to the Iraq war. Not all of them were pleasant, most of them weren't, if Tony was honest, but it caused a stir among the patrons of the assembly. "No one said anything horrific about the thousands of soldier and civilian casualties that were caused in any of the wars in the last three hundred years. What makes the Avengers any different than them? Their abilities. If any of the soldiers any of you had fought a war with had the abilities of Dr. Banner, Mr. Stark, or my uncle, would you have crucified them and demanded they sign these papers?" The question had many people turning to speak to each other in quiet whispers. "No. Because they aren't famous - not like the Avengers." Cassie moved back to face the assembly. "There is still more to this. My uncle was concerned that the stipulations in these Accords that limit the Avengers' ability to step in would work in the favor of HYDRA. Yes, the very HYDRA whose files were exposed. Not all of those who are with HYDRA have been arrested or committed suicide. Many have easily gotten new identities and he was concerned that HYDRA agents could be in powerful positions all over the world. As someone who has seen the pain HYDRA has caused, who that organization has controlled and killed in the name of their superior goal - world enslavement - that concern is one that I, too, share. If HYDRA has no agents high enough for this Oversight Council the Accords stipulates to be made, you can bet they will create as many accidents as they need in order to insure their members reach that rank." Her face was serious, and she stepped away, holding out her hand for a microphone, and was granted one a few moments later.
"Most of you will not believe me, but I have a Master's degree in Technology from two Ivy League colleges. I helped create the security systems used at the various Stark buildings, as well as other government buildings. I have worked hand in hand with Mr. Stark, Miss Potts, and others to help people. The event that caused these Accords to be pushed forward was due to an explosion." She lifted her hand and the video lit up the screen. Tony watched the fire ball lifting into the air and exploding into a building. "People backlashed at Miss Maximoff because she is an enhanced being. Called her inadequate, that she was a murderer. Yet all any of you saw was this small video. What none of you have ever seen was the actual events leading up to it." She motioned her hand and the video changed, somewhere in the market where the explosion had happened, a clearly amateur video where someone was speaking in broken English.
"It's Captain 'Merica - fightin’ a metal man!" the voice of the recorder claimed. The camera moved around people to get a better view, catching when the fight stopped and Steve stood over Rumlow. Words were being said, but over the chatter, no one could hear. Then there was an explosion that was caught by something and lifted, raised until the explosion became stronger than the magic, and went off course into the building.
The lights came back on as the shades lifted, voices silent as people began to look at each other. New light had been shed on this whole scenario, even Tony could feel it. The snide comments had ceased, and more people were looking like maybe they had made the wrong choice.
"The casualities from the building's explosion, yes, they were unnecessary, but it was an accident. More people have been killed by IEDs used in the Middle East. I have studied that explosion, and had it been allowed to happen on the ground, the building would have enitrely collapsed, and the death toll would have been tenfold." Cassie spoke. "And that death toll is calculated using the technology and analyzing programs at Stark Industries. Wanda Maximoff may have caused deaths accidentally, but she saved so many more by stepping in and saving the crowd." She moved back to the podium, handing off her microphone and standing at the posium once again. "I am not saying these Accords are all wrong, perhaps a few things can be implemented so that the Avengers can have more assistance to ensure that no matter where they go, the world can help against whatever it is they are facing - even if it's as simple as helping get people to safety. Loss of life is what caused these papers, preventing it with aid should be the key, not punishing those who have saved more lives than they have lost." She stopped speaking, looking over each person slowly, and she made it a point to linger on Tony's face before she gave a slight nod. "Thank you." She finalized, moving back the way she had come down, passing by people rendered silent, only watching her make her leave. She waited until she was on the other side of the doors before she showed any emotion, making her way down the hall. Her boots made little tapping sounds with each step, but it wasn't hard to know when she wasn't alone.
"Cassie-"
She spun at the name, glaring at the man before her. "Don't you dare call me that, Tony."
"I know this is hard for you, but you can't just join in on this half-cocked."
"Is that so?" Cassie asked, crossing her arms and staring at the other genius. "Do tell me what it is you understand so much about my situation? Is it the fact that my father is now missing, because of your ego? Or the fact that you got used just like Uncle Bucky did, and you're too much of a pig headed fool to admit you were wrong."
"Cassie, Barnes killed my parents."
"And he was brainwashed." Cassie countered.
"Your father knew."
"Did you actually give him a chance to explain it? Or did you do what you always do and not let him get that far before jumping to your worst fear and lashing out?"
"Excuse me?" Tony demanded, clearly insulted.
"Oh, you haven't caught on that you do that, yet? Surely it's not that hard. Pepper only agreed to help me because I was doing it for my dad."
"You actually brought Pepper into this? That wasn't a jab at me?"
"No, it wasn't a jab. It was the truth. She oversaw my analysis of the explosion Rumlow caused, helped with all of my research that I used, even took me to get a custom outfit for this speech against the Accords."
"Pepper doesn't even know what happened, Cassandra."
"She knows enough." Cassie retorted angrily. "She knows that you let your ego do all the talking like always, Iron Man." She spat the name like it was venom to her. "She knows that while you're playing the victim because you found out the accident that killed your mom wasn't an accident, there's going to be more to this whole ordeal. She believes that everyone on the team that helped my dad could see beyond the Accords to the true issue - making sure there was actual justice done. That the real bad guy was caught, not the scapegoat. Your ego - the very thing that cost you the woman you love - cost you your team. And you just think they're the idiots. Even Natasha saw through it in the end. The only ones still fully on your side are who? Rhodey and Vis. Do you really think Thor or Bruce would have just sided with you on this?"
"We'll never know that answer, so don't bring them into this." Tony said, pursing his lips and stepping forward. "And don't you dare lecture me, you're young enough to be my daughter."
"And yet I can see beyond you." Cassandra hissed, glaring up at him, appearing unphased although there was obvious tears in her hazel eyes. "Everyone locked up, or wherever they are? They can see beyond this, too. This was never about you. You were part of a team, damn it all, and you always tried to make it about you. This isn't a freaking pageant. It's real world."
"Then maybe you should get out of that fantasy in your head where everything is blurred in the middle and live in reality." Tony snapped. A moment later, there was a loud pop, and a pain across his cheek. He reached up, stunned as he stared at Cassie, her arm still crossed over her body from where she had reared back and slapped him full force. He could feel the familair twinge in his jaw that had been all over his body as he'd fought with Steve. The girl was no doubt the man's daughter - but her strength was similar to Bruce's in the way that her emotions determined just how hard she could hit.
"If I'm living in a fantasy by seeing both sides of this, then you're in one for seeing only your side, Anthony." She snapped. "Screw you, you son of a bitch. I can't believe I thought I could get you to tell me where he was."
"You really think I knew?"
"You always know something. Even when you say you don't." Cassandra said. "It's the M.O. of the great Tony Stark." She let her arm go back to her side, huffing at him. "I have to go. I need to continue my search." Before the man could say another word, she was gone, down the hall and taking an exit to the elevators.
"Is that young woman really the daughter of Captain Rogers?" a voice said, causing Tony to turn, a brief panic that the conversation had been overheard. T'Challa stood calmly a few yards behind him.
"Yes. S.H.I.E.L.D. created her with some miracle DNA or something to try and recreate Steve." Tony looked back where the girl had vanished, shaking his head. "It's hard not to see the resemblance in them once you know him."
The Wakandan King gave a slow nod. "It is understandable as to why she would be searching. I cannot say I would not do as she has in her search if I were in her place."
"Yeah, well, no one knows where any of them are." Tony replied, sighing. "If you'll excuse
me, Your Highness, I should return to the assembly."
"Of course," T'Challa replied, letting Tony walk by him as he looked back the way Cassie had left. Once Tony was out of view, he followed after the girl, having an idea as to where she would be. He rode the elevator down to the cafe hall, and as soon as he walked in, he could pinpoint her. A lone blonde, curly waves in a ponytail as her back faced the back wall, a cup of coffee sitting untouched in front of her. He gave a soft smile; even not knowing Steve Rogers very well, he could see some of the man in the young woman. He walked forward calmly, unbothered by those who addressed him with nods. "I was very moved by your speech, Miss Rogers."
The girl turned to look at him, arching a brow. "Well, that was the point, to make people see the error in the Accords' demands."
"I didn't need to hear your speech for that. I saw first hand why the papers need to be adjusted." T'Challa said. "May I?" he asked, motioning to the chair across from the girl.
"Sure." Cassie replied. "Why did you leave the assembly? Surley there are other issues that are being addressed?"
"Perhaps there are, but it is not something I will particularly miss." T'Challa answered, bridging his fingers; the rings showing he was King as well as the one that declared him Black Panther (though no one was aware of the second) on his hands giving a faint shimmer in the overhead lights. "I have never been very fond of politics, unfortunately." he added, letting his eyes take her in. "I can tell you are concerned for Captain Rogers." He watched the girl tilt her head, finally reaching for her cup and slowly pulling it to her lips where she took a slow sip and set it back down.
"And what of my concern for my uncle applies to you, sir?"
The panther gave a grin as he watched her. "You are definitely his." he replied, leaning forward. "I happen to know where he is. As well as the others."
Cassie gave a quiet scoff that turned into a disbelieving laugh before her face fell when he didn't do the same. "You're serious."
T'Challa nodded. "He, as well as others who aided him, are in a safe place in my home country." His words were whispers, where only the blonde could hear him. "They are safe, Miss Rogers, believe me." he assured. "If need be, I can take you with me to them."
Cassie felt her heart rate skyrocketing. This man really knew where her dad was? Where everyone who had helped was? She missed Sam's sass, Wanda's cooking, Clint's stories about his kids, Nat's little hand to hand training sessions. Above all, she missed her father, she would do anything to know he was alive and safe. "And how do you plan to do that with so many people?"
"I can say I would like to see the research up close; first hand.” T’Challa replied. He watched the little blonde think, blue eyes showing the emotions flickering through her before she finally nodded.
“Alright. If you know my father, who are you?”
T'Challa grinned. “A warrior king, my dear.”