Falling In: America's Trial

Wanda: By popular demand, after some thought, I decided to write another chapter for this. You're welcome!

Tyene: (shrugs) It helps keep writer's block away.

Wanda: A nice bonus! I do not own any Marvel properties.

**~Two Days after Steven Rogers's trial~**

**~Carrie's POV~**

It's startling to wake up and realize you're face to face with the God of Mischief.

It took me a few seconds to process it – I woke up next to the dumpster I called a home, blinking rain away from my eyes, and saw a tall, dark haired man in a gold and green suit standing in front of me. I actually wondered if he was from social services for a second before his face clicked in my still-waking-up brain. Seriously.

"GAH!" I shrieked, scrambling to my feet.

Loki Odinson regarded me with some amusement, a lazy, easygoing smile on his face. You know, up close he didn't look much like Your Death Incoming – he actually looked pretty snazzy.

"Hello, Carrie." He said pleasantly.

I gaped back at him for a second – hey, I couldn't help it. My brain had gotten such a bad shock it had stuck a blue-screen note in my hand and shut down for repairs. Logic dictated that I should be running as fast as I could, but somehow I doubted that would help.

"W-whuddya want?" I managed to squeak out.

"I caught your speech." Loki responded easily, leaning against the wall and examining me with an unreadable look in his brilliant green eyes. "I have to say...I was rather impressed."

"Buhwha?" Brilliant display of my vocabulary, I know. But that was the best I could do at the moment; and part of me was still kind of expecting him to vaporize me, or turn me into a frog, or whatever other crazy thing he would do.

"I thought you'd have trouble believing me."

That's when my jaw finally unlocked. "W-well, you are the God of Lies...and Mischief...I-I mean, why do you even-? Why-?" ...Okay, partially unlocked. Forgive me for still being surprised.

"Because you're right." Loki said, as if he'd expected me to know that from the start. Suddenly, I was starting to understand that look in his eyes...he wasn't amused anymore, he was calm and serious. That was even more freaky then what I was expecting, to be honest. "About everything. Particularly...about why I do what I do."

"...I am?" I stared up at him.

"Mmmm." The god hummed, before snapping his fingers. I yelped as a chain and amulet appeared around my neck.

It was a green and silver crystal, and it was warm to the touch. I felt a distinct hum of power and energy under my fingers when I touched it.

"That's for you." Loki said casually, as if he gave orphan mortals handouts all the time. "You've likely upset some people with your little lecture. That will keep you safe whenever there's trouble."

And then he vanished. Just like that.

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%

I'm not sure how long I stood there, staring at the pavement, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened.

But some time later, a couple of random people spotted me. Instead of calling the cops, they walked up, handed me a pack of gum and fifty dollars, patted me on the head and said, "You're a brave kid. Thank you for what you said."

...Why do I have a sinking feeling in my stomach all of a sudden...?

Carefully putting the money into my jeans pocket, I pulled my tattered hoodie over my head and started walking quickly towards the nearest library. I felt like everyone was watching me or looking for me. The streets were less crowded then usual.

It was only three blocks away, thank god or gods or whoever. I ducked past the book shelf and hurried over to the first unused computer and sat down. I opened up google and paused, my fingers hovering over the keys.

Taking a deep breath, I cautiously typed out the phrase, "Steven Rogers Trial Freakout."

Instantly, I got 300 million hits.

One link lead to another. My name, Carrie Richter, plastered all over the World Wide Web. Pictures of me, my tear stained and furious face, was everywhere.

Yup. My stomach was going skydiving without a parachute.

My hand shaking slightly, I clicked the first link. "From the Mouth of a Child – Street Girl calls out how fall the American Government as fallen."

It was a online newspaper article with an embedded Youtube link. My dramatic rant and exit had nearly half a billion hits and climbing.

I was mortified.

I am so effing screwed.

Nervously, I scrolled down and started reading the comments in the video. Then...I could hardly believe my eyes.

"I f**king love this girl. Ripped the words right out of my mouth!"

"You're god damn right, Carrie. You tell those fat cats. They've turned democracy into Fascism!"

"Carrie, you don't know me...but I thank you so much. I'm a mutant, and I lost a lot of my former life when everyone I knew found out. Then you came around and reminded us that we're still human, that we don't deserve to be feared. Thanks to you, I'm mending fences with my dad."

"Just summed up why I effing despise Politics. Fuck it, I'm moving to New Zeland, and on my way out I have this to say – HEIL AMERICA!"

"It's a sad day when a street girl is the only one who notices that we've been turned into an eternal civil war, fed and encouraged by the fear and hate mongering."

"You're done something I didn't think was possible, Carrie. You've renewed my faith in non-mutants."

"I'm ashamed of myself. I've thought about this for years, but I've been too afraid of speaking up with the Daily Bugle and the politicians insisting otherwise. But, nuts, if a little girl can stand up to them then what excuse do I have?"

"Down with the Registration Act! I prefer to have a do-gooder around to save my neck when aliens roll up to the welcome mat again!"

"THANK YOU! God, I had thought everyone else had gone insane. I'm not the only one who realized this is bullshit after all!"

"I'm so glad Steve had someone on his side. He saved my life once...he and the other brave heroes of ours deserve so much better then this."

I was floored. I swear my mouth was hanging open.

What...since when, since when did my words have impact on anyone? They always listened for a second, smiled condescendingly (more often then not with a pat on the head) and forgotten about it by the next day.

But now? Now I've gone viral.

My fingers numb, propelled by confusion and astonishment, I scrolled back up and looked at the article.

And I was dumbfounded. Again.

I had triggered a series of riots down in DC. A mob of civilians had beaten Bullseye to death with Zerg Rush tactics, killed at least two senators who had supported the Registration act, and put Maria Hill in the Emergency Ward.

Reed Richards had made a public appearance this morning in an attempt to smooth things over. But his speech was drowned out by the people booing and heckling him, with several voices demanding the release of those heroes who had been imprisoned.

I shook my head, my lips suddenly dry. I pulled back and started scanning through the other links to the trial...

My history was now public knowledge – all of it. My parents deaths in the crossfire during a Kree invasion, my various run ins with Vince's violent gang, my record. But – but that wasn't even the freakiest part.

There was a charity raising money for me – people were offering to adopt me, for chrissake, people I've ever heard of or met.

Including...Tony Stark.

My eyes caught onto the link. It was only twelve hours old; where had the time gone?

I moved the mouse over and clicked on it.

Another shocking, splitting headache.

The Tony Stark who had pushed the Registration Bill was a shapeshifting alien. A Skrull. The real one had finally managed to houdini his way out of the ship he had been imprisoned on and return to earth.

He'd gotten rid of his doppleganger, aaaaand was about as happy about the Registration Bill as anyone who knew anything about him expected.

Needless to say, now Richards was its only advocate among the Metahuman community.

So I sat there for a long time. Trying to figure out what I should do...or even think. Slowly, I got up and left the building, my hands sliding into my pockets. I paused at the corner, biting my lip and looking up at the sky.

The world was changing.

...Maybe Vince was wrong.

Maybe the world can get better. Maybe people can get better.

I bought myself some lunch and headed down into the subway. Hell. The tower was probably safer then the streets. At least, there was that.

End Chapter

Well? What do you think? I honestly wanted the Tony of Civil War to be a Skrull. It was a perfect explanation for his character derailment, but nooo, that'd be intelligent. (grumbles)

Read and review please!