Title: Running out of Time

Rating: K+/PG

Summary: Frank's doctor has a surprising and devastating diagnosis for him.

Author's Note: So I was too vague in "Hello from the Other Side," and while I'm not sure I want to narrow possibilities and expand all of them, I did end up doing this.

And succeeded in not using the Iron Man version as it would have been a rip off. Go me.

Running out of Time

"Mr. Hardy. Please have a seat."

Frank did, frowning as he did. He hadn't known what to think of the doctor's call, and he still wasn't sure if he should worry or not. He swallowed. "Dr. Reisner, is something wrong? I thought everything was good on my last checkup."

The doctor came around the desk, folding his hands together and facing him. Frank's sense of unease grew by the minute. "When you were here, you mentioned that you had been exposed to a biological agent."

Frank nodded. "I had, but it was such a small dose and when I didn't show any symptoms, I figured that I was clear. It must not have been concentrated enough to affect me or I'd be dead already."

Reisner's expression turned to one of pity. "I'm afraid it's more complicated than that. You see, the agent you were exposed to was highly experimental—"

"The people who were used in his 'tests' died within days. I'm fine. It's been months. Totally over the whole thing and not needing to go back into therapy, thank you," Frank said, aware of the edge in his voice and the way he'd almost lost control of his emotions there. He was sick of the mandated therapy, and no amount of it would change the fact that it was his decision, his operation, that had been a mistake and gotten civilians injured.

"It was always fatal."

Frank swallowed. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that even at a lower dose, you weren't safe from it. The symptoms aren't apparent yet, but as your blood work shows—you're already starting the first stages of degeneration."

"I'm... dying?"

"I'm afraid that may be the case. We don't have any way of reversing the deterioration once it's started, and as your body's systems shut down, there will be less and less we can do for you."

Frank shook his head. "I don't understand. All of them died within days. Why am I not dead already if this thing is really killing me?"

Reisner sighed. "Think of its progress as something similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis."

"Lou Gehrig's disease?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes. As your nerve cells degenerate, you will lose control of your voluntary movement and muscle control. In the end, the inability to control your muscles will lead to you being unable to move... and breathe."

Frank tried to accept that. "And... how long do I have?"

"We're not sure. If you had the actual disease this is seeming to mimic, we'd have a better timeline for you, but as it was introduced by a biological agent—we can't be sure. Your neurons are showing signs of shutting down on a chemical level, but you didn't mention noticing anything amiss yet."

"No. I feel fine," Frank agreed. "Fine enough to make me think you have to be wrong about all of this."

"I'd like to say we're not, but the tests indicate that you are affected and will likely begin to decline soon."

"Does anyone else know about this?" Frank asked, and the doctor looked at him with a frown. "I don't—it's just between us now, isn't it?"

"Yes."

Frank nodded, knowing it would stay that way. He wasn't about let his family see him suffer through this thing. "Okay. Tell me what I need to do now."