Till the End of the Line

Chapter 9

Time Skip: 1 week

~Diana's POV~

Howard and Dr. Erskine are already waiting for me in the lab along with other people to help run the machine and a nurse in case something goes wrong. We finished the machine 2 days ago and now were going to test it on me. I really hope nothing goes wrong.

"Alright let's get this show on the road Howie." I say as I walk into the room in shorts and a short sleeve top. 

"You know I hate it when you call me that." 

"Well, I don't care Howie. That's what I like to call you. Plus, it's very fitting."

"What is that supposed to mean?" He looks at me confused but mostly annoyed.

"I believe she's calling you a child sir." Jarvis steps in.

"Oh, hey Jarvis, I didn't know you would be watching." 

"I am not a child." Howard whines like a child.

"You're just proving my point." He crosses his arms.

"Just get on the damn chair." 

"Geez I'm going." I step up into the chair. It's a little big but that's because it's meant for when it hopefully makes Steve stronger.

They don't think it will have that same effect on me. Dr. Erskine said that I should stay relatively the same size, but I will be stronger. Howard comes to my side.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Of course, I'm sure. Now do it before I change my mind."

They strap me in before they start the machine. 

"Coils are at peak, levels are 100%.

Dr. Erskine and the nurse insert six vials into the injectors. He nods at a tech, who deploys the injection pads. They bristle with hundreds of tiny needle tips. They close over me, pressing me to the table. 

"Beginning serum infusion in five, four, three, two... one." Dr. Erskine presses a switch. 

The injection pads click causing me to jerk. The blue fluid slowly empties from the serum injectors. My veins swell and my head begins to shake. Dr. Erskine hits another button. Padded restraints close in on my head, holding me still. My wide eyes begin to glow an intense blue. Finally, the injector vials empty completely. 

"Now Mr. Stark." Dr. Erskine points at Howard.

Howard pulls a lever. The table slowly tilts upright. Rising like a rocket ready to launch. The panels unfold. A hood lowers over my head, sealing me inside the vita chamber. Howard flips another switch and the vita ray reactors come online. He then turns the power dial. A piercing whine fills the room. I squeeze my eyes shut as the pain grows. Dr. Erskine checks my vitals before nodding to Howard to continue turning the dial higher. An orange light builds in intensity. As the dial hits 90 I scream. Howard runs to the machine.

"Diana? Diana?" I don't respond so he turns to the tech. "Shut it down!" The light gets brighter. "Kill the reactors!" 

"No... Don't... I'm okay."

Howard runs back to the dial before turning it to 100. He then hits a button, and the hood and panels retract, releasing a blast of steam. Howard runs back over to make sure I'm okay. My head rests against my chest with my eyes closed. The techs undo the straps and I collapse into Howards arms. 

"Diana? Are you okay?" He looks at me worried.

"Yeah, I think so." I let Howard hold most of my weight as I try to catch my breath. 

"You did it, Doctor. You really did it." Howard says to Dr. Erskine

"I couldn't have done it without your machine. So, thank you Mr. Stark. How do you feel Miss. Rogers?"

"Different..." 

"Well, you don't look any different." Howard helps me into a chair.

"Gee thanks." 

"We'll have to run some tests on you just to make sure that it really did work." Dr. Erskine takes my dress from the nurse and hands it to me. "Preferably now."

"Okay I'll change and meet you in the lab." With the help of Howard, I make it to the bathroom, and I change. Once I'm done Howard helps me to the lab. They run a couple of tests, taking multiple vials of my blood. 

"Alright everything seems to be good, and the serum seems to have worked." Dr. Erskine shows me his chart of my vitals.

"That's great."

"Yes, but you need to get some rest." 

"Okay thank your Dr. Erskine." 

Time skip: 3 days

I walk into the lab at Stark Industries and see Howard and Dr. Erskine working at one of the tables. He only had enough serum for one person so now he's making more for Steve. I notice a bottle on the table labeled "anti-aging." I walk over and when Dr. Erskine turns away from me, I slide it and hide it behind a box. 

"Steve doesn't need that." I think.

"Oh, hey Diana, I didn't see you there." Dr. Erskine smiles before going back to work.

"I was just wondering if you could explain the science behind all of these ingredients." I take the seat next to him.

"Of course. We use Vibranium from Wakanda to give the subject superhuman strength, speed, and agility, Steroids to promote muscle growth, enhance athletic or other physical performance. And finally, anti-aging serum to help the subject heal quicker if I put enough, like I did with you, it will result in the subject not being able to die." He starts mixing all the ingredients together. 

"How much of the anti-aging serum do you need for the subject to just be able to heal itself?"

"Only a few drops I suppose. However, I tested it only a few times and I do believe it is best to just put enough for them to not die. I can't guarantee that what I put in will be enough for them to heal themselves. 

"When you say them not being able to die are you referring to them not being able to die due to injuries or them not being able to die ever?"

"From my knowledge it will result in them not being able to die ever. Speaking of my anti-aging serum where did I put it?"

"Look I don't think you should add that much to this set as you did to mine."

"Why not?" Howard asks.

"You're saying that whoever takes this serum will live forever, right?"

"Essentially yes."

"I know my brother more than anyone in this room and I know that he would not want that. I went into this not knowing what would happen to me and if I'm being honest, I don't think I necessarily want to live forever either but there's no changing that now. If I have the chance to change my brothers fate I will. I'm asking you in the nicest way possible please do not add as much anti-aging serum into this batch. Just enough to help with healing and that's all."

Dr. Erskine pauses. "Alright I'll do that. I trust that you know what your brother would want."

"Thank you. Oh, and here's the anti-aging serum. It was behind this box."

"Thank you. I don't remember putting it behind that box."

Howard looks at me and chuckles.