Author's Note: A great big thanks to everyone who has read the last chapters and to those who have left a review. Bear with me on this chapter and the next few events. If anyone is familiar with the Captain America comics, I'm following along those lines. Okay, folks, read on…

… …

A Super Soldier for the Modern World

Chapter 16

"It is SHIELD's official position, as well as mine, that we will support the Superhuman Registration Act," Tony announced. "And in the same vein, we will support the Mutant Registration Act."

Tony was standing at a podium in front of a sea of reporters, TV cameras, flashes and government officials. He was doing one of the things he liked most…making everything all about him.

"Mr. Stark!" a blond woman in the second row shouted.

He smiled down at her. "Yes? You."

"Can you tell us what happened to Nick Fury? Wasn't he running SHIELD?" she asked.

"I am now the director of SHIELD and that's what you need to know. Next?" he asked, but the woman wasn't finished.

"Since SHIELD is supporting the bills, does that mean the Avengers team is also in support of them?" she asked.

"If you can get a hold of Thor in Asgard, will you ask him?" Tony asked.

"Seriously, Mr. Stark," the woman said.

That was the one single question that Tony was hoping that he wasn't going to get. It was the one single question that he didn't want to answer. He didn't even want to think about it.

He'd met with Steve Rogers the night before to discuss what he'd decided on after reading the packet of information provided to him. Tony had received a very definitive no as his answer. Stark knew that Cap had read the information about it; he'd been able to repeat facts and statements word for word. But Rogers had no interest in it. In fact, he told Tony that he would publicly dismiss it if he had to. He wanted nothing to do with it.

Regardless of his answer, he'd sucked it up and invited Cap along to the press conference. Tony thought that it would be better in the long run if there was at least one more member of the Avengers there. Rogers thanked him but had essentially kicked him out of his apartment.

And that morning he'd been on his own when the press conference had started.

Everyone standing around Tony knew that the bills wouldn't pick up much steam without the Captain, but they were pushing forward anyway. The really didn't have any other options.

"It is SHIELD's stance…"

"Which of the team doesn't agree, Mr. Stark?" she asked, undeterred by his ploy.

"You might as well just tell them," Rhodey said into his ear. "They're going to find out sooner or later.'

But before he could say anything, the doors to the conference room opened up and in walked Steve Rogers in full Captain America gear; he had everything except his shield.

"Ah, Captain Rogers, everyone!" Tony announced.

What had gotten into this guy? He used to be shy and quiet and reserved. Tony would have never imagined he'd be bursting into press conferences.

The camera flashes and questions did not stop Steve from heading towards Stark at the front of the room.

"Please," Tony said as he motioned to the microphone on the podium. "Why don't you tell the nice people why you're here?"

Steve pulled back his mask and stooped slightly to talk into the microphone. "First, I would like to apologize for interrupting this press conference. However, I was invited here. I want the people out there, watching and listening or not, to know that these bills will affect their way of life. The American people that were both born with powers and abilities and those that developed them over time for a variety of reasons should never be forced into declaring themselves for the government."

The press in the audience went while. The conference room became a loud frenzy of motion. But why wouldn't it? Captain America, an American icon, was publicly telling the US citizens to not agree with the government.

"Therefore," Steve began. "I will not be in support of the Superhuman Registration Act or the Mutant Registration Act, now or ever. I will fight to make sure those bills are not passed. And, for whatever reason they are passed, I will not be registering."

Steve nodded, thanked them for their time and then exited the conference room.

Tony was left with damage control. Something that was entirely unfamiliar to him.

"Well, there you go, folks," Tony said. "Any other questions?"

Ten hands immediately flew up into the air.

"Yes, you," Tony said, pointing to a man in front.

"Mr. Stark, without Captain America, do you feel the American people will vote yes to pass these bills?"

"I trust that the people of this fine country will do what is best for them and their country. It's actually best for the whole world. The more people out there to defend against any future attacks, the better," Tony explained. "You," he pointed to another reporter.

"If and when these bills are passed, if Captain America and any others refuse to register, will there be consequences?" the reporter asked. "If so, what will they be?"

Senator Stern pushed past Tony up to the microphone.

"Of course there will be consequences. When the Superhuman and Mutant Registration Acts are passed, it will become illegal to run around as an unregistered superhuman or mutant. Captain America will be treated like any other criminal that breaks the laws of the land, if he makes that choice in the end," Senator Stern explained. "I do, however, believe that Captain America will see the error in his judgment."

Once again, the crowd went crazy.

"I think that's all for now," Tony said, almost dazed at the occurrences of the day.

He and Rhodey walked out as quickly as possible.

"That got out of hand quickly," Tony said. He turned to the woman at the front desk. "Hi, did Captain America leave or is he lurking here somewhere?"

"Captain America left a few minutes ago," she told Tony.

"Awesome," Tony said. "Great. What the hell got into him?"

"Aside from the simple fact that it didn't go the way we wanted it to, you have to kind of admire the backbone that Rogers has. He was kind of one of the reasons I went into the armed forces…" Rhodey said.

"I knew there was reason you didn't argue when they painted War Machine all 'stars and stripes'. The truth comes out now," Tony said.

Tony's cell phone rang a second later. He looked down at the display.

"Hello, Pepper," he said, putting the phone to his ear.

"That was a disaster," she told him simply.

"Really, I hadn't noticed. What part specifically?" Tony asked sarcastically.

"Tony," Pepper said in her warning voice. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet," Tony replied. "Listen, can I call you back? I gotta fight through this mob of people."

"Sure, sure," Pepper said before hanging up.

SHIELD agents descended upon both Colonel Rhodes and Tony Stark from nowhere and the sea of people parted for them to pass through. Tony's total disinterest in everyone around him made it clear that he wasn't about to answer any more questions.

"Rhodey, we need a plan. A real plan. Because Rogers isn't going to be the only one that won't register. He'll be the first, but he certainly won't be the last."

Rhodey nodded. He'd been reading the messages that he'd received the second Tony made his announcement at the press conference as well as the ones that had popped up on his phone since Captain Rogers had made his declaration.

"You're right, Tony. There are already protestors. There are people out in front of the White House. There are people that agree with Cap already marching; thanking the masked crime fighters that have already given up their lives to defend their cities. They're saying that being born a superhero or a mutant is okay. And there is the group that is calling for folks to register. They're screaming to know who their kids are in school with, who they're riding on the bus with, who they are standing in line with at the DMV," Rhodey explained.

"Well, duh," Tony said as they climbed into one of the SHIELD vehicles. "Where was Amanda through all of this? Rogers came here alone; I want to know what her opinion is on this."

…

Amanda Carter's opinion was to be very concerned for her fiancé.

It wasn't that it wasn't like him; someone who didn't know him as well as she did might be thinking that something was seriously wrong with him. But Amanda knew that once Steve Rogers made up his mind about something, whether it took seconds, minutes, hours or whatever, that is what he decided. There would be no changing his mind. It was something she really admired about him.

And even before she'd talked to Steve about the bills how he was going to react.

Most people probably would have thought that Steve was going to go along with whatever the government told him. Amanda was proud, if not a little surprised, however, that he went on live television to tell everyone.

However, Amanda had really enjoyed the look of pure terror on Tony Stark's face when Steve marched up in full gear and took the microphone, and all of the attention, away from him.

The truth of the situation was: Steve didn't want to involve her. It's not that Steve didn't want her support, but it wasn't Amanda's fight. While she worked for SHIELD, Amanda was not a superhuman or a mutant. Her opinion mattered very much to Steve, but this was going to put her in a bad position.

Steve knew, whether he wanted to or not, he was going to put a wedge not only between her and SHIELD, but between her and Tony. And he didn't want to make it worse by asking her to go with him that morning.

Steve came straight back to the apartment right after he'd crashed the press conference. He'd rushed away before any reporters followed him, not that anyone would have been able to catch up with him anyway.

"Welcome home," Amanda said as she walked out into the living room to greet him.

She was still dressed in her pajamas, her hair pulled back and in her glasses. Despite all of his concerns, he pulled Amanda into him and kissed her hard.

She was breathless when she pulled away.

"What was that about?" she asked as she watched him start to remove his Captain America uniform.

"It just felt like a good idea," he told her.

"I definitely didn't mind."

"Have you heard from Stark yet?" he asked.

"No, and I don't expect I will. At least not for a few days," Amanda told him.

"I'm sorry, I…"

"Don't apologize, Steve."

"It was never my intention to create a problem…"

"Steve," Amanda said, stopping him by putting her hands on both of his arms and focusing his attention. "You have nothing to apologize for. You have to do what you have to do. I support you; you know that."

He leaned down to kiss her again. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

"You know this isn't going to be easy, right?" Amanda asked him. "These bills aren't going to just disappear like that," she snapped her fingers.

"I'm prepared to deal with that. And I do understand if you have changed your mind about the wedding," he told her.

"Excuse me?" Amanda asked. "You think this is going to stop me from marrying you?"

"Well, I…"

"It's going to have to be postponed, I know that. I'm not going to go all Bridezilla on you because of this, I promise," Amanda laughed.

He looked at her with a confused expression. "What is a bridezilla?"

"Um, basically the Hulk in a white dress," Amanda explained.

They both laughed as the image must have appeared in both of their heads. The tension of the situation was broken, even if momentarily. No matter what, they would have each other to lean on in times of stress and that was a great comfort to both of them.

Steve smiled down at her, shirtless now. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied. She leaned in to hug him, but his phone played a tone.

"Sorry," he told her as he pulled the phone from his pocket. "I should probably take it."

Amanda nodded and he walked the rest of the way back to his bedroom to take the call.

She was going to have to get used to this. Everything was about to change. Things really already had.

A few minutes later, Steve was changed into a pair of jeans and a plaid shirt, his normal daily uniform.

"Everything okay?" Amanda asked as she looked up from the computer screen she was now sitting at.

"They want me to go to Washington DC," Steve told her. "This afternoon."

"Well, then, we need to find you a suitcase," Amanda told him.

"I don't know how long I'm going to be gone," he told her.

"It's a good thing that they want to talk to you. I will be fine here," Amanda told him. "We need to get you packed," she told him as she stood up.

… … …

Author's Note: Let me know what you thought!