Fallen | Steve Rogers

10

The so called "vigilanties" ride in the back of the van. Nobody has spoken a word until...

" So you like cats".

" Sam...", Steve warns.

" What? Dude shows up dressed like a cat, you don't wanna know more?".

" Your suit... it's vibranium?", Steve asks.

" The Black Panther has been the protector of Wakanda for generation. A mantle, passed from warrior to warrior. And now, because your friend murdered my father... I also wear the mantle of king. So, I ask you... as both warrior and king... how long do you think you can keep your friend safe from me?", T'Challa asks.

" What did your claws do to my wife?".

" Something that was fixed".

Lauren sits back in her seat, still in slight pain from the cut on her calf that a Wakandan doctor had fixed. Lauren hears Steve's winding thoughts. She promised she would never go inside his head again, but sometimes it just happens involuntarily.

When they arrive at the base-- Lauren still in her magic resistant cuffs-- they find none other than Sharon Carter next to Everett Ross.

" What's gonna happen to him?", Steve asks as he approaches them.

" Same thing that outta happen to you. Psychological evaluation and extradition", Everett says.

" This is Everett Ross. Deputy Task Force Commander", Sharon says.

" What about a lawyer?", Steve asks.

" Lawyer. That's funny. See their weapons are placed in lockup. We'll write you a receipt", Everett says.

" I better not look out the window and find anyone flying around in that", Sam says as a few guards walk out with their uniforms.

"{clears throat} Um... hello?", Lauren asks as she holds up her wrists.

" Right, sorry", Sharon says as she pushes a button on a remote that turns her cuffs into two bracelets.

" Seriously?".

" Sir, their has to be some sort of misunderstanding. My wife is not a criminal. I told her to stay home, she wasn't supposed to be there", Steve says.

" But she was", Everett shrugs as they all walk off, " You'll be provided with an office instead of a cell. Now, do me a favor, stay in it?".

" I don't intend on going anywhere", T'Challa says.

" For the record, this is what making things worse looks like", Natasha says as she joins them.

" He's alive", Steve says.

" I thought you weren't gonna get involved", She whispers to Lauren.

" I guess we're both full of surprises".

" No, Romania was not Accords-sanctioned. Colonel Rhodes is supervising cleanup", Tony says while he's on the phone.

" Try not to break anything while we fix this", Nat says.

" Consequences? You bet there'll be consequences. Obviously you can quote me on that, I just said it. Anything else? Thank you, sir".

" Consequences?", Steve asks.

" Secretary Ross wants you three prosecuted. Had to give him something", Tony says.

" I'm not getting that shield back, am I?".

" Technically it's the government's property. Wings and catsuit, too", Nat says.

" Not the government's property if you made it", Lauren mumbles as she crosses her arms.

" That's cold", Sam says.

" Warming than jail", Tony adds.

Later on, Tony joins Steve in the coference room.

" Hey, you wanna see something cool?", Tony ask, " I pulled something from dad's archieves. Felt timely. FDR signed the Lend-Lease bill with these in 1941. Provided support to the Allies when they needed it most".

" Some would say it brought our country closer to war", Steve says.

" See? If not for these, you wouldn't be here", Tony quips, " I'm trying to... what do you call it? That's an olive branch. Is that what you call it?".

" Is Pepper here? I didn't see her".

" We're kinda...".

" Pregnant?".

" No, definitely not. We're taking a break. It's nobody's fault".

" I'm so sorry, Tony. I didn't know".

" Well, you've been a little too busy with the Mrs, huh?........... A few years ago, I almost lost her, so I trashed all my suits. Then we had to mop up HYDRA... and then, Ultron. My fault. And then, and then, and then, I never stopped. Because the truth it I don't wanna stop. I don't wanna lose her. I thought maybe the Accords could split the difference. In her defense, I'm a handful. Yet, dad was a pain in the ass, but he and mom always made it work".

" You know, I'm glad Howard got married. I only knew him when he was single".

" Oh, really? You two knew each other? He never mentioned that. Maybe only a thousand times. God, I hated you".

" I don't mean to make things difficult".

" I know, because you're a very polite person".

" If I see a situation pointed south... I can't ignore it. Sometimes I wish I could".

" No you don't".

" No... I don't. Sometimes--".

" Sometimes I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth. But I don't wanna see you gone. We need you, Cap. So far, nothing's happened that can't be undone, if you sign. We can make the last 24 hours legit. Barnes gets transferred to an American psych-center instead of a Wakandan prison".

" I'm not saying it's impossible, but there would have to be safeguards".

" Sure. Once we put out the PR file, those documents can be amended. I'd file a motion to have you and Wanda reinstated".

" Wanda? What about Wanda?".

" She's fine. She's confined to the compound, currently. Vision's keeping her company".

" Oh, God, Tony. Every time I think you see things the right way--".

" It's 100 acres with a lap pool. There's worse ways of protection".

" Protection? Is that how you see this? Protection? It's internment, Tony".

" She's not a U.S. citizen, they don't grant visas to weapons of mass destruction".

" Oh, come on, Tony. She's a kid!".

" Give me a break! I'm doing what has to be done. To stave off something worse".

" You keep telling yourself that. Hate to break up the set".

" How's Mrs. Rogers doing?".

" She's fine, given that you've put her in cuffs that don't allow her to use her magic".

" That's a precaution. We don't know what she's capable of. For all we know, she could destroy an entire country without blinking an eye".

" Tony, she's just a girl".

" But no... she's not. She's not just a girl. She's not from this world. She's Asgardian. She's something else entirely.You've seen what she could do in New York, DC., Sokovia, and Lagos. Like it or not, Lauryna Victora Kamenev-Rogers is dangerous... with or without her powers".