𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 ━ steve rogers

chapter five

Phillips pursed his lips before turning around. "I spoke to the President this morning. As of today, the SSR's being re-tasked."

"Colonel?" Peggy asked, surprised.

"We're taking the fight to Hydra," he said. "Pack your bags, Agent Carter. You, too, Stark. Both of you. The four of us fly to London tonight."

Grace glanced at Howard and he shrugged. She nodded and Peggy smiled softly at her.

"Sir?" Steve asked, stepping forward. "If you're going after Schmidt, I want in."

"You're an experiment," Phillips told him and Grace looked at the blonde in sympathy. "We're sending you to Alamogordo."

"As what, a lab rat?" Steve asked with a frown. "The serum worked."

"I asked for an army," Phillips said. "All I got is you. And you... are not enough."

Grace sighed when she saw Steve's defeated look. Senator Brandt waved over his aide, walking toward the newly-minted super soldier. "With all due respect, Colonel, I think we may be missing the point," he said and Grace glanced at Peggy who shrugged. "You've seen Steve in action. More importantly, the country's seen it."

Brandt's aide handed over a clipping of a newspaper and Grace, having moved away from the submarine, looked over Steve's shoulder. There was the headline in thick, bolded letters: 𝙽𝙰𝚉𝙸𝚂 𝙸𝙽 𝙽𝙴𝚆 𝚈𝙾𝚁𝙺: 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚈 𝙼𝙰𝙽 𝚂𝙰𝚅𝙴𝚂 𝙲𝙷𝙸𝙻𝙳. There was a picture of Steve deflecting gunfire with a car door, a star in the middle of it.

"Enlistment lines have been around the block since this hit the newsstands," Brandt continued, looking at Steve. "You don't take a soldier, a symbol like this and hide him in a lab."

Steve looked surprised while Grace was more apprehensive. Since when did a politician do something good for an individual person?

"He needs to be out there, showing the world what the American fighting man is made of," Brandt said and Grace turned to Peggy.

"'The American fighting man'?" she repeated in a whisper. Peggy shrugged as they both turned back to the senator.

"Son, do you want to serve your country?" Brandt asked, turning back to the blonde. "On the most important battlefield in this war?"

"Sir, that's all I want."

Brandt smiled, shaking his hand. "Then congratulations. You just got promoted."

⸻ ~~~ ⸻

𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐈𝐍 the United States. Howard sent her home for a few days to ensure everything at his company was running well, even though she told him that Jarvis was more than capable of overseeing things until they returned.

He didn't listen.

Aside from listening to an occasional complaint, Grace found herself with nothing to do with her remaining time. That was, until a flyer appeared at her doorstep with a familiar face. Which was how the younger Stark found herself sitting in a seat at one of the newest USO tours. And the headlining act? Steve Rogers, or as he's now known to the world, Captain America.

Her eyes scanned the theater and they landed on Senator Brandt in the front row with one of his staff members. He was smiling at the turnout of the crowd. When she heard the music start, Grace turned back to the stage as several dancers took the floor.

Who's strong and brave, here to save the American Way?

Grace's eyes went wide as Steve looked as though he was pushed onto the stage, having missed his cue.