The Beginning (Steve x Reader x Bucky)

(11) Part 2

Dr. Erskine pulls an overhead microphone down to him. He looks up to Colonel giving him the signal to go to the speaker. Once Phillips is there the doctor taps hard on the mic, as a test. The Colonel winces holding his ear.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this morning we do not take another step toward annihilation. Today, we take the first step on the path to peace." the doctor begins into the microphone.

Brandt watches, skeptical. "We will begin with a series of micro- injections to the subject's major muscle groups." he continues. "Clemson" gets up and offers his seat to Peggy, as the guy next to "Clemson's" old seat, gets up offering his seat to YN. The girls sit down.

Stark and his assistants ready the machine and the engineers look to their monitors. An EKG beeps. "The serum will cause immediate cellular change. In order to prevent uncontrolled growth, the subject will then be saturated with Vita rays." the old man states.

He turns off the microphone and nods to the nurse. She opens a case, revealing an aluminum syringe. She taps the needle, pulls back the plunger and injects the fluid into Steve's arm. He winces, but after a few moments he relaxes. "That wasn't so bad." the blonde says, surprised. 

"That was a tetanus shot." Erskine tells him. A panel slides back, showing a carousel of blue vials. Seven tubes filled with the serum stand at the ready. Erskine and the nurse place six vials into the injectors. The doctor nods to the tech guy, who gets the injection pads ready. They have hundreds of tiny needle tips.

The injection pads close over Steve's arm, pressing him to the table. "Beginning serum infusion in five, four, three, two... one." the doctor announces. He presses a switch and the injection pads click. Steve jerks as the needles come in contact with his skin. The blue fluid slowly empties from the tubes into the injectors. Steve's veins being to swell. His head begins to shake.

Erskine hits another button. Padded restraints close in on Steve's head, holding him still. Steve's eyes begin glowing a bright and intense blue. Now, the injectors vials empty completely.

"Now, Mr. Stark." the doctor says. Stark pulls a lever and the table begins moving slowly to an upright position. Steve rises, like a rocket ready to blast into the sky. The panels unfold. A hood comes down over Steve's head, locking him in the Vita chamber. A window shows Steve's face. The doctor speaks into his microphone.

"Steven, can you hear me?" he asks the blonde. "Is it too late to go to the bathroom." the blonde responds. Doctor Erskine smiles, knowing so far everything is going as planned.

"We shall proceed." the doctor tells the people around him. Stark moves one of the switches, his Vita ray reactor comes online. Finally, Stark begins moving the dial.

A very loud whine is heard in the room. On a big gauge, the needle begins to climb.

10, 20... Steve's face grows tense. In the chamber an intense orange light builds. The technicians pull on their googles. Peggy and YN hold hands, while their free hands are in their laps with crossed fingers.

30, 40... Steve shuts his eyes as the pain gets more intense. Erskine looks at Steve's vitals and signals Stark he may continue. Stark turns the dial up higher.

50, 60... Steve's head snaps back, seizing. The EKG starts beeping extremely fast. Peggy stands worried, while YN remains in her seat playing with her hands. Peggy's breath fogs the window.

70, 80... The glowing surges, filling the chamber, Steve no longer visible. The EKG makes a very high pitched noise.

90... a scream echos in the room. Erskine rushes to the chamber, trying to look into the window, but can't. He goes back to the microphone and starts shouting. "Steven? STEVEN?"

YN and Peggy sprint out of the observation room. "Stop it!" YN says shakily, "Shut it down!" Peggy says at the same time. The lights in the chamber grow even brighter. Everyone covers their eyes.

"MR. STARK, KILL THE REACTORS!" the doctor demands. "No..." an out of breath Steve says. Up in the booth, Brandt and Phillips share an amazed look.

"Don't..." Steve continues. Stark's hand hovers above the dial. "I can do this." the blonde reassures.

"I don't care what he says. Shut it down or I will!" a very worried YN demands. She starts walking to Stark, Peggy wraps both her arms around her friend, trying her best to hold her back. YN fights to get out of Peggy's grasp, but fails.

With great hesitation, Erskine nods to Stark so they can continue. Stark turns the dial one last time reaching 100. The loud whine splits the air. The Vita ray chamber stops glowing orange and flashes to white. Then, it goes dark. The EKG and whine die down, then stops. "STEVE!!" YN sobs.

Erskine walks to the chamber. Stark looking down to his hand on the dial. Peggy swallows hard, still holding her now sobbing friend. Phillips even has a sad expression on his face. Suddenly, the EKG starts beeping, steadily. The lights come back on.

"Mr. Stark!" the doctor shouts. Stark hits a button making the hood and panels pull away, releasing steam. When it clears everyone sees a tall, muscular, perfect man. His head hanging low, eyes closed. "Steve...?" YN asks in shock.

Everyone in the booth gasps and makes their way to the lab, except "Clemson". He opens a cigarette pack and flicks a switch. A red light begins to blink. He closes the pack and sticks it to the bottom of a chair.

The technicians take off the straps on the tall, muscular man. Steve falls into Erskine's arms causing the old man to stumble back. "Steven?" he asks.

"Doctor? Did it...?" Steve finally speaks. Under Steve the old man says, "I think... yes..." Howard walks over to help the doctor who's being crushed by Steve's now big body.

"You did it, Doctor. You really did it." Howard says looking over to YN. Everyone finally arrives into the lab. Phillips looks to Brandt. "Sorry you woke up early now, Senator?" the cocky Colonel asks.

"I can think of some folks in Berlin who are about to get very nervous." the Senator answers. Peggy let's go of YN and goes to get Steve's clothes, while YN runs over to Steve. She hugs him like it's the last hug she'll ever give him.

"Don't scare me like that again, Stevie." YN tells him. "Sorry, (NN). How do I look?" YN try's to speak, but can't seem to say anything. Steve looks at YN with sad eyes, thinking she doesn't like how he looks now.

After a short time, YN finally answers, "You look great. Wow..." Steve chuckles. Peggy comes over with Steve's old clothes. He puts on his now, really small shirt.

"How do you feel?" the red head asks. "Taller." the blonde responds. 

Peggy smiles, "So you're okay? Because YN was going to kick everyone's ass when she heard you scream." Steve looks to YN and smiles.

Steve puts on the remainder of his clothes. "Clemson" enters the lab. He looks around the room, seeing the last tube of serum. He opens a lighter, revealing a button. Erskine hears the click of a lighter opening and turns.

"Please, do not smoke in here-" Erskine begins, he looks at the man puzzled. Kruger pulls out a gun and clicks the button in the lighter. "No..." the doctor manages to say.

The lighter clicks. The booth explodes, shattering the glass and making fire and glass fall into the lab. Phillips moves Brandt out of the way. Peggy pulls out her pistol, while Steve steps in front of YN. Kruger makes his way to the serum, but Doctor Erskine races him to it, trying to make it there first. Kruger shoots Erskine, sending him flying back into the machine.