A Super-Soldier for the Modern World

Eighteen

"Would it be okay that I spoke first?" Amanda asked.

The man across from her, Doctor Faustus, nodded.

"Okay. Thank you. I've agreed to be civil, but I don't want to be here," Amanda said.

"Then why are you here, Agent Carter?" he asked, staring intently into her eyes.

She couldn't look away. "I don't know. I woke up this morning and decided to make the appointment, but now that I'm here. I can't seem to remember what triggered the phone call."

"Hm," he said, making a note on his pad of paper in front of him.

Amanda stretched to read what he'd scribbled down, but she couldn't make it out.

"You know, I did a pysch rotation in med school, too. I could…"

"You could help yourself, I suppose?" he asked her. "How has that been working for you thus far?"

Amanda narrowed her eyes. "Now you listen…I'm fine."

"Then you wouldn't be here."

That quieted her down immediately. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out.

"Tell me, when is Captain Rogers due to come back?"

Amanda folded her hands in her lap. "Two weeks ago," she replied quietly. "I'm not used to being the lovesick female that I feel like I'm being right now. I talk to him more than once a day most days and yet I'm still struggling. He's not away forever."

"And when he returns from the capitol and his meetings with the president, are you going to get married as planned?" Doctor Faustus asked.

"It's likely that we'll wait to see what comes of the Registration Acts. We want to wait until whatever happens happens."

"What do you expect will happen?" Doctor Faustus asked her.

She looked back up from her hands and into his eyes. Amanda's head felt heavy and her thoughts were muddled.

"It's entirely possible" she said slowly. "That this could be the end of SHIELD."

"Why would you say that?"

"With Nick Fury MIA and Tony in his place as Director, plus the added separation between Tony and Steve, well, the members of SHIELD will need to choose a side. They won't be able to remain as SHIELD agents if they oppose the Registration Acts. Coulson is leading a team to locate more super humans and Xavier's school upstate is looking for more mutants…which side note, I don't like that they're called 'mutants'."

"Where do you lie in this debate?" Faustus asked.

"I support Steve, of course," she said. "Is it warm in here?" she asked, fanning herself.

"I'm fine. Perhaps you're just worked up over the topic of conversation?" he suggested.

"Oh," she replied. Her eyes had become glazed over as she continued her talk with Faustus.

She didn't know it, but his ability to control people's thoughts was at work in her own brain.

"How do you feel about Steve's disapproval of the Registration Acts? Just between the two of us," Faustus asked.

"You promise you won't tell anyone?" she asked like a little girl.

"Your secret is safe with me," he smiled.

"I wish that he would have just agreed to register himself," Amanda said, before her eyes went wide. "Did I just say that out loud?"

He nodded. "It's perfectly normal to have thoughts like that. Would you care to elaborate?"

"I…I…I just wish that this hadn't happened. I love him, but he's caused problems between me and my job at SHIELD and with Tony. I know he didn't do it intentionally, but…"

"But it was essentially collateral damage," Faustus finished for her.

"Yes," Amanda nodded. "And a deep part of me hates him for it. I was fine before I met him and now I'm torn. Tony's like family. SHIELD took me in when I didn't fit in my own family and Steve…well, he's the best and worst thing that's ever happened to me."

"Everyone resents their lover at some time or another," Faustus told her.

"They do?"

"I've found it to be true," he replied. "There's always that one thing that your mate does that makes you want to kill them…" he told her. "You just have to be stronger than the urge to not kill them."

The fog was beginning to life on Amanda's thoughts.

"Do you have many patients plotting to kill their significant other?" she asked.

He smiled. "Not that I can say…"

…

Steve Rogers had been in Washington DC for a grand total of 19 days. It was originally slated as a 4 day trip, at max, but things were more complicated than he'd ever thought.

Quickly, Steve had learned that some of the senators, especially Stern, were very opposed with any super human intervention in the slightest.

Each day, for the last 18 days, he'd gone into a conference room and argued the same thing. And the folks that benefit from their services, were unwilling to budge.

He dialed Amanda's cell phone number for the third time that morning and it went straight to voice mail. Where the hell was she?

Looking at the time on the phone's display, he realized that he had to be going.

Steve had originally been apprehensive about going to DC alone and publicly speaking out against the Registration Acts, but he was a firm believer in doing what was right, not necessarily what was popular.

Amanda had done a lot to help him boost his confidence and he'd selfishly hope that she'd be available this morning. But today he was going to have to take on the day on his own.

Steve dressed and made his way down to the lobby of the hotel he was staying at. He made the short walk to his destination and he was let in.

Walking into the usual conference room the usual folks he'd been meeting with were already there.

"Nice of you to join us, Captain," Senator Stern told him.

Steve took his seat. "I'm ten minutes early," he said as he glanced at his watch. He looked up and counted the people in the room. "Should we get started since we're all here?"

"Unfortunately," Stern began. "We are waiting for one more."

Steve looked confused for a moment. "Who is joining us this late in the discussions?"

A second later, the door opened and Tony Stark walked into the room.

"You're kidding, right?" Steve asked.

"Listen, if you get a say in these talks, I want one, too," Tony told him.

Tony took a seat opposite Steve and turned to an assistant that was against the wall. "Can you get me a coffee? No cream, no sugar. Just a shot of Red Bull."

The young woman scurried off to fulfill Stark's order and Steve rolled his eyes.

"What?" Tony asked snidely.

An hour later, Tony and Steve were deep into their argument. What had started as a civil debate between two men, had become a shouting match.

"Not everyone wants the fame that you seem to feed on, Stark," Steve told him.

"Well, not everyone wants to play the martyr like you. How do you, a science experiment, think you get to say that for everyone? That no one wants to be a superhero?"

"I'm not saying that no one wants to do what you and I do, Stark…"

"Than what are you saying, Captain?" Tony said back.

"My whole reason to oppose the registration acts is to give the folks born with their extra abilities the choice to register or not. Not everyone wants the weight of the world on their shoulders, Mr. Stark," Steve explained in a very even tone.

It was very easy to understand his point. In fact, point was hard to argue with.

But Tony could argue anything. "Simply asking those folks," he said in what he thought was an amusing impression. "Asking…"

"Forcing…you mean," Steve corrected him.

"All right, forcing them that they have to register does not mean…"

"Did you not read the packet of information you provided me with? Once the government feels as though they have the most complete list of super humans, they intend to spread them out over the fifty states. This legislation would build teams for each of the states."

Tony was silent, but only for a beat. "Of course, I knew that you don't think that having fully-trained and ready people to take on whatever comes at us from another dimension would be a bad thing?"

"If the people were forced to do it, yes I do."

"Gentlemen," a female senator said, rising from her seat to get their attention. "My assistant has just informed me that our time is over. These bills will be put to the senate for the vote."

Steve put his fist down on the desk and rattled everything while Tony wore a smug look on his face.

Steve was disappointed. He'd been out here this long, hoping that the bills would just get shot down before they even needed to be voted on. He knew he'd made progress with legislators on both sides, but this was disheartening. And Stark's smug face across the table was about to make him go totally crazy.

Steve stood from the chair and addressed everyone.

"I really appreciate everyone who has take their time to meet with me and to listen to my point of view. I know this is just a small part of the Senate, but I feel like you will all be able to get my point of view across," Steve said. "Thank you."

He nodded at them and then exited the room.

Now he had to decide if he was going to stay here and wait for the news, or go home and wait there. It wasn't that hard of a decision.

…

"It's almost time, Doctor," a voice said through the phone. "How did she do today?"

"I planted the seed today. And she set another appointment. I can complete the last step before the event. Her mind will be receptive to the memories I intend to implant within it," Faustus said.

"Good. That's what I like to hear, doctor. That's what I like to hear," the Red Skull said before disconnecting.

…

Author's Note: Okay, let me know!