A/N: No I haven't abandoned this story. I've just got a lot extra work to do these days.

Lady Liberty and Captain America

The helicopter headed out over the Hudson River headed toward the gleaming green Statue of Liberty.

Leslie was studying the map on her phone. "I never realized the Statue of Liberty was in New Jersey," she commented.

"It isn't!" Steve exclaimed, an outraged New Yorker to the core. "It belongs to New York!"

"But it's on the New Jersey side of the Hudson," Hill said.

Steve huffed.

"Actually, it belongs to the federal government," Leslie said, reading further. She laughed. "According to some old court case, all the parts of Liberty Island above the water are in New York, below the water it's New Jersey."

"Lord!" Hill rolled her eyes.

"I guess that means some clams are New Yorkers at low tide and New Jerseyites at high tide," Leslie said, tongue in cheek.

Steve crossed his arms and pretended to sulk, but the corner of his mouth was twitching in amusement.

"We're coming up on Ellis Island," Hill announced. "Who does it belong to?"

"Again the federal government," Leslie answered after some diligent scrolling. "But it's mostly in New Jersey, according to the Supreme Court in 1998."

"But still partly New York," Steve insisted.

"Twenty percent New York," Leslie agreed. "Per an agreement in 1834, New York owned the island up to the 1890s, but New Jersey owned the water. When New York expanded the island, using dirt that came from constructing the New York subway system, New Jersey cried foul, claiming New York was stealing their property. They squabbled over it for 160 years, until finally the Supreme Court found for New Jersey and said 90 percent of the island was Jersey. But since it's part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, it really belongs to the feds."

Leslie's eyes had gone ahead to the famed statue, but Steve stared down at the connected pair of squares that formed Ellis Island. Hill obligingly slowed their pace so he could study it.

"My parents came through there," he said quietly. "A healthy young Irish couple, ready and willing to work hard in America. They didn't have any trouble getting in. It's a good thing I hadn't been born yet. With all my health problems, I would have been marked unfit. They might have been turned away and they didn't have anything to go back to in the Old Country. Most of their family had died in a famine — not the "Great Potato Famine," but a later one. Ma always said there were more than enough famines to go around."

Steve looked sad, thinking of his family's hardships. Leslie squeezed his arm.

"But they did make it here and started a new life," she reminded him.

"Yeah, it wasn't easy. A lot of people didn't want to hire the Irish, but the Army was willing when the war started. My father was killed before I was born." Steve gave a watery smile. "Ma sent him a letter when she found out she was expecting. His letter in return was one of her most treasured possessions. Her proof to me that Da was so happy to know they would have a child together."

"He would have been proud of you," Leslie said with certainty. "You have always had a fighting spirit."

Steve barked a laugh. "Too much fighting, something," he admitted.

"We could take the ferry out there to visit," Leslie suggested.

"Maybe," Steve said noncommittally.

Leslie let it drop. It might be just one more reminder of everything he'd lost.

"Moving on to the statue," Hill announced.

Hill buzzed over to the nearby Liberty Island and slotted neatly into the formation of choppers rotating slowly around the National Monument at a respectful distance. Bizarrely, it reminded Leslie of the tweeting birds and stars that circled the head of a cartoon character who had been hit on the head. That had amused Leslie when she was a kid. Now that she thought of it, head trauma birdies just weren't funny.

She shook away the odd thought and focused on the statue. The helicopter was just coming around to the front.

Steve smiled. He'd never expected to get an up close view of the lady's face or her golden torch.

"She's beautiful," he breathed.

The women murmured agreement.

"Is that real gold on the torch?" Steve asked.

"Yes," Hill answered.

Leslie took a couple of photos, then opened up a page of trivia about the statue. "The statue was refurbished for its centennial in 1986," Leslie reported. "The original torch was replaced by a copper torch that is covered with 24 karat gold leaf. The statue itself is covered with sheets of copper that are thinner than the thickness of a penny."

"Can you climb up to the torch?" Steve asked. "My ma and da did it once, but they closed it when I was a baby."

"No, it's still closed. You can climb up to the crown. There are 154 steps from the pedestal to the crown," Leslie said. She made a face.

"Not up for it?" Steve teased.

"It would have to be a very good day for my arthritis," Leslie said. "I did it when I was younger, so I don't feel like I need to do it again. I'd be glad to wait for you at the base, however."

"I'm sure you wouldn't have any trouble making the climb," Hill contributed.

Looking for more trivia, Leslie touched a link, then caught her breath. The others heard it.

"I accidentally clicked on a website," Leslie said. "Top 5 symbols of the USA. No. 1 is the flag, No. 2 is Uncle Sam, No. 3 is the Statue of Liberty, and No. 5 is the bald eagle."

"What's No. 4?" Hill asked.

"Captain America," Leslie answered, turning the phone so Steve could see the heroic image.

Steve studied the picture. "That's not me," he protested.

"No, it's an actor who played you in a movie." Hill chuckled. "One of the better movies."

"You just say that because of the shirtless scene," Leslie accused.

"Shirtless!" Steve exclaimed.

The women giggled. "That's not the only reason," Hill protested. "It has great action scenes and an actual multicultural cast."

"OK, you're right," Leslie agreed. "It is one of the best."

"One of … how many movies are there?"

"Lots," Leslie said. "A couple of the earliest are white supremacist trash. All the Commandos are white and the only woman is a vapid secretary."

"The one from the '60s is worse," Hill said. "It's a Vietnam Era anti-war movie. Cap is practically a villain."

"Then there's the newest one by Steven Spielberg — a highly respected director," Leslie told Steve. "It won a lot of awards, including the Best Picture Oscar, but the violence is too realistic for my taste."

"None of them sounds like something I'd want to see," Steve said.

Leslie knuckled his shoulder. "You lived it. You don't need to watch it on film."

"I think you would like Spike Lee's version. He's a black director. His movie focused on Gabe Jones during the war and after. Cap was a secondary character," Hill said.

"I like that idea," Steve agreed.

"Everyone had their own interpretation of your life," Leslie said. "I hope someday you get to tell your own story."

Steve looked doubtful.

"You could draw your own comic book," she coaxed.

"That sounds like something I could do," Steve agreed. "But who'd be interested in reading it?"

"Anyone, everyone," Leslie said instantly. "You are the No. 4 most recognized symbol of the USA," she reminded him. "All these movies good and bad, and the books, the comics … they've all kept Captain America in the public's eye. But people only know Cap. No one knows Steve Rogers. That's the story you can tell."

Steve blushed.

"Are we done at the statue?" Hill asked. "There are other air tours that would like to take our place."

Steve blushed again to think a discussion about Captain America movies had taken attention away from a National Landmark. Of course, they were looking at the back of her head right now.

"Yes, thank you," Steve said.

"My pleasure," Hill answered, as she backed the helicopter away. "Moving on. Next stop, Brooklyn."

A/N: Still no guarantees about weekly updates, but I'll keep plugging along. I've written the final chapter, but we have about 10 days Steve time until we get there. Anything you'd like to see? Any topic you'd like to see covered? We won't be traveling far. No meeting Peggy. No meeting any other Avengers. No major action but I have a couple of ideas for little stuff. Nothing that would reveal Steve as a super.

See you next week, I hope. Next weekend is my birthday weekend, so I hope to earn some reviews.