Chapter 16
AN: Thank you so much for the support. I really hope you like this chapter.
January 9th 1961
After a couple of days of travelling and undertaking the difficult task of getting out of the Soviet Union without getting caught, Peggy, Michael, Dugan, Jack, Gabe and Natasha are finally arriving home. Due to Peggy's concerns the six of them have headed straight to SHIELD's New York Medical Facility where Howard, Daniel, Rose, and Jarvis are waiting for them.
Arriving at the facility Michael, Dugan, Jack, Gabe, and Peggy, who is carrying Natasha who is asleep, get out of the car. Ever since they left the facility in Russia Natasha has been staying extremely close to Peggy, and Peggy hasn't wanted to let the little girl go far away.
"I'm sorry about Dottie, I know you once considered her a friend," Howard says, as he walks straight to Peggy, and being careful of Natasha he gives Peggy a hug and a kiss. "Is she okay?" Howard asks his wife, glancing down at Natasha, as he and Peggy break apart, as they head towards the building.
"I don't know," Peggy admits. "Natasha says she's seven but even I can tell that she is smaller and lighter than she should be," Peggy admits. "She was also connected to a lot of different serums. Michael has samples for you, as well as details about what Natasha knows about each of them" Peggy explains, as it helped Natasha to talk about what she knows and so that's what they did on the plane.
"I'll test them as soon as I can; get some answers," Howard assures Peggy, as they head into the facility.
A few minutes later Peggy and Natasha are in a private room in the medical area while the others have gone to get the medical personnel they need.
"Natasha," Peggy says. "Wake up Tasha," Peggy says, in a caring tone of voice, and slowly Natasha opens her eyes.
"Peggy?" Natasha asks, as she opens her eyes. "Where are we?" Natasha asks, looking around, and a look of fear flashes on her face.
"We're in America, at a medical facility," Peggy explains.
"No, no more experiments," Natasha says, shaking her head, looking afraid.
"Oh Darling, no one is going to experiment on you," Peggy promises. "But we need to know what was done to you," Peggy explains to Natasha. "I need to know that you're healthy, and going to be okay," Peggy explains. "I will make sure that all the tests are as un-invasive as possible, but if you're really not comfortable, and really don't want the tests to be done; I won't make you," Peggy promises.
"Will you stay with me?" Natasha asks, looking up at Peggy.
"Of course," Peggy says as she pushes Natasha's hair back. "I promise I won't go anywhere," Peggy says, causing Natasha to look relieved.
"I'll do the tests you want," Natasha says, with a small nod.
"Okay," Peggy says, and the two of them drift into silence.
A few minutes after Natasha agreed to do tests there is a knock on the door of the room Peggy and Natasha are in.
"Come in," Peggy says and once she speaks Howard and a doctor, she recognize walk in. "Natasha this is my husband Howard, and Doctor Matheson," Peggy explains, pointing to each as she introduces them.
"It's nice to meet you, Natasha," Howard says, giving her a comforting smile, and Natasha just gives a slight smile back.
"Well Natasha, first of all I'm going to take some blood," The doctor explains, and he proceeds to take some of her blood and do the other procedures he needs to do.
A few hours later Peggy and Natasha are still in the private room except rather than being held by Peggy Natasha is lying on the bed, with Peggy sitting next to her.
"What's going to happen next?" Natasha asks Peggy curious.
"Well because you're dehydrated, and malnourished, you need to be connected to those IV's for the next few hours," Peggy explains, as the doctor was worried about that. "Howard's checking your blood, and the serums, to see if there is anything else that we need to be worried about. Then we'll go from there," Peggy explains, and as she does Howard gets to the open door, but he doesn't want to interrupt so he just watches.
"Okay," Natasha says, as her eyes flicker open and close.
"Why don't you try and get some sleep, Tasha. I'll be right here," Peggy promises, and as she does Natasha looks around. "What are you looking for Sweetheart?" Peggy asks curious.
"The handcuffs," Natasha answers, like it should be obvious, and Peggy feels a stab in her heart.
"Oh Honey, I promise, you will never have to sleep handcuffed to a bed again," Peggy promises. "Close your eyes, Tash, get some sleep," Peggy says.
"Okay," Natasha responds, before closing her eyes, and within moments she is fast asleep.
After he is sure that Natasha is asleep Howard walks into the room, and pulls a chair over so that he can sit next to Peggy.
"Have you got any results back yet?" Peggy asks curious.
"Not on the blood, but I am starting to get a picture of what the serums are," Howard admits. "In a couple of hours, I should know for sure," Howard admits. "I'll let you know when I know what we're looking at," Howard assures Peggy, as he takes her hand.
"Thank you," Peggy says gratefully, squeezing Howard's hand as he does.
"How's she doing?" Howard asks curious.
"She's resilient, and tough, her whole word has been turned upside down and she is handling it," Peggy says, with a fondness to her tone of voice. "But she is scared, and confused," Peggy admits. "Since she saw Dottie die, she's clung to me, and honestly I don't want to let he go as much as she doesn't want me to," Peggy admits, looking over at the young girl and making sure she is still asleep.
"Then don't," Howard says, causing Peggy to look at him. "Peg, I saw the look on your face the second you got out of that car, you're already Natasha's Mom, and I want to be her Dad," Howard admits, surprising Peggy as she knows, even after all the years they have been together, that it usually takes Howard a bit to be so honest about something so personal and vulnerable. "I can't explain it, but it's like…."
"She meant to be ours," Peggy says. "I feel it too," Peggy admits. "She deserves the choice though, Howard. After everything she's been through, she deserves that," Peggy explains.
"Yeah, she does," Howard admits. "I should head back to the lab. I'll let you know when I have something," Howard says, before giving Peggy a kiss goodbye.
Once they break apart Howard gets up and heads out of the room while Peggy makes herself comfortable in the seat next to Natasha's bed.
Over the next few hours Howard works in one of his labs, looking at Natasha's blood and the various serums she was injected with. Due to his experience Howard is able to recognize all the serums, or at least what they were supposed to be, once he gets the breakdowns, and once he gets a chance to really look at Natasha's blood, he realizes, with his horror, what it means.
Even though he doesn't want to Howard knows that he promised Peggy, and by extension Natasha, the answers about what he discovered and so he leaves the lab that he is working out off and goes back to the room Natasha and Peggy are in.
When he gets back to the room Howard finds Peggy asleep in the chair while Natasha is awake, just lying in the bed.
"Hi, can I come in?" Howard asks Natasha from the doorway, who nods, and so Howard walks in and sits down on the end of Natasha's bed. "Have you been awake long?" Howard asks curious.
"No," Natasha answers. "My blood told you something bad," Natasha says.
"What makes you think that?" Howard asks curious, wondering how she tell that.
"Your face," Natasha answers. "You have a sad look. I was taught to see it," Natasha explains, knowing she was also taught to manipulate things like that. "Am I weak too? Like the others?" Natasha asks curious.
"No Tash, you're strong. Amazingly strong," Howard admits, and as he does Peggy opens her eyes. "Hey Peg," Howard greats.
"Hi," Peggy greats, smiling at her husband. "How are you feeling this morning, Tasha?" Peggy asks curious, despite the fact that it is still very early morning.
"Sore," Natasha admits. "I feel like I have been training for days," Natasha explains. "The bad thing you realized explains that, doesn't it?" Natasha asks, looking at Howard.
"Howard? What bad thing?" Peggy asks concerned.
"As I was saying to Natasha, she's strong, amazingly strong, which is actually the problem," Howard reveals, as he looks between Peggy and Natasha.
"Strength is never the problem," Natasha says. "The strong survive," Natasha says, clearly quoting something she was told.
"It's a problem this time Kiddo," Howard explains. "From the samples I have, both the blood and the serums, you've been injected with several serums which are attempts of recreating serums I have seen before, but they're unfinished, uncomplete, flawed, and now reacting to each other," Howard explains, and because of his chosen words Peggy suspects she knows what serums he is talking about. "Because of that fact your body is fighting them and exhausting itself will doing so. It's why you're still dehydrated and while your nutrients levels aren't increasing," Howard explains, and Peggy gets a sinking feeling in her gut that tells her what that means.
"What does that mean?" Natasha asks confused.
"It means I've got work to do," Howard tells her. "Tasha I'm going to create a stabilizing agent. It will stabilize all the serums in you, which will take the pressure off your body, and you'll be okay; probably more than okay," Howard admits, as he is pretty confident in the hypothesis that once everything is stabilized Natasha will start to exhibit at least some effects of the various serums.
"What if you can't make this… agent?" Natasha asks.
"I don't know if Peg's told you, but I'm kind of a genius, one of the smartest people in the world actually," Howard comments.
"And the most modest," Peggy says with a smile, shaking her head fondly at Howard's antics.
"And I'm not going to give up on you Nat. I'm not giving up or taking a break until I come up with this agent," Howard explains.
"Thank you," Natasha says, feeling amazed.
"So, I need you to stay here with Peg. Rest, and I'll be back as soon as I can," Howard explains. "Do you think you can do that?" Howard asks curious.
"Yes," Natasha says, with a nod.
"I'll be back as soon as I can," Howard says, as he stands up. Then once he is standing he kisses the top of Natasha's head, then kisses Peggy, and then leaves; knowing he has a lot of work to do.
Over the next few hours Howard continues to work on his stabilizing agent, and just like he told Natasha he would he hasn't taken a single break. As Jarvis is concerned about Howard, he is bringing food and coffee into the lab.
"Sir, I've brought breakfast," Jarvis says.
"Thanks, I'll have some later," Howard says, checking various things and so he isn't paying much attention to his friend.
"No, you won't," Jarvis says, knowing that, as he walks over to Howard. "Sir, you've been working for the past few hours without a break. You need to take a break," Jarvis explains.
"I don't have the time to take a break, Natasha doesn't have the time," Howard says, as he looks between things and makes several notes.
"Mr. Carter-Stark. It is noble that you want to help Natasha, but even you need to take a break sometimes, otherwise you are going to collapse from exhaustion," Jarvis argues.
"Nah, I've got plenty of time before then, joys of the serum," Howard argues, as he and Peggy can both go for longer periods without sleep, but they still get effected by sleep deprivation; it just takes longer. "That's it!" Howard exclaims as he realizes something.
"What's it Sir?" Jarvis asks confused, as Howard goes over to where his supplies are and grabs a needle, and other supplies. "Sir, what are you doing?" Jarvis asks concerned.
"I need a sample of my blood," Howard answers. "One of the serums Natasha was infected with was a poor attempt at recreating what altered me and Peg; and our cells are protected, it might just work," Howard says, as he starts to try to take his own blood. feeling glad that the serum was so glad so it is clear that whoever might have had samples of it; likely taken from the ambush, don't know how to correctly recreate it.
"If you're going to take your own blood let me do it Sir," Jarvis says, walking over to his friend.
"Thanks Jarvis," Howard says relieved, as Jarvis starts to help her take his blood.
A few hours after Jarvis took a sample of Howard's blood he is walking into Natasha's room where Natasha is asleep on the bed, and Peggy is sitting right next to her bed. Due to Howard knowing Peggy so well Howard can tell exactly how worried she is, even though she is trying to hide it.
"Peg," Howard says, walking over to her. "How's she doing?" Howard asks worried as he sits down next to her.
"Not good," Peggy answers. "She de-hydrating fast, she's got a temperature. The doctors are worried that her organs are going to start to shut down because of the strain," Peggy admits. "Please say you've got something," Peggy says, looking at Howard.
"Almost," Howard answers. "The serums were extremely poor, and uncomplete, soviet attempts at the Super Solider Serum, and the serum we have in us," Howard explains.
"Why these side effects? Not even Red Skull had side effects like this," Peggy comments as she heard Erskine talk more than once about the specifics about Red Skull so she knows that he didn't experience this and she, Howard and Steve certainly didn't.
"Red Skulls serum was complete, these weren't," Howard comments. "They're poor imitations, and should have never been mixed together," Howard admits, a level of anger to his voice as not only is he angry about this being done to innocent children, he is angry about the butchering of science.
"Is there anything you can do?" Peggy asks, looking at Natasha in worry, as in the short time she has known Natasha she already loves her, and doesn't want to lose her.
"I suspect a serum that contains a concentrated sample of a complete, original, serum, will work as a stabilizing agent," Howard explains. "I've tested my blood and the concentration of the serum in it isn't pure enough; the concentration isn't strong enough to have the effect needed," Howard explains. "I need a sample of your blood so that I can distil the serum from both of us and combine them to create the stabilization agent. It should work to stabilize, and to a degree, neutralize the serums in Nat, while also activating elements," Howard explains.
"Do it. Take my blood," Peggy request, not even needing to think about it and while she doesn't completely understand what Howard said she trusts him completely, and Howard starts to do what he has to do.
"What effects will be activated? Is she not going to get older like us?" Peggy asks not sure how that would be as she and Howard were well into adulthood when they stopped aging, Natasha is only a child.
"No, even with the stabilizing agent that part serum isn't close enough to the right formula to completely stop her from getting older. I suspect she will get older slower, I'm not sure exactly how slow," Howard admits. "It's more likely that the other serums effects are the ones that will materialize; strength, speed, durability," Howard explains, as he finishes taking Peggy's blood. "Okay, got it," Howard says.
"How long do you need to create it?" Peggy asks curious.
"Three, maybe four, hours," Howard answers.
"Hurry, she's getting worse quickly," Peggy explains, giving Howard a pleading look.
"I'll go as fast as I can," Howard says, kissing Peggy's cheek before standing up. "Hang in there, Nat," Howard says to the little girl before heading out of the room, and after Howard leaves Peggy takes Natasha's hand.
Over the next three and a bit hours Howard works extremely hard to get the serum to what it supposed to be. Finally, he has a serum that is dark purple in color. Once he has completed the serum and put it into an injector Howard hurries back to Peggy and Natasha.
In Natasha's medical room Peggy is sitting extremely close to Natasha's bed, and holding the young girls' hand.
"Just hold on, Tasha, okay. Howard will be here soon," Peggy promises the little girl as she has complete trust in Howard and knows that if he said he is going to get something done then he will.
"I'm tired," Natasha admits, as her eyes flicker open and close.
"I know Darling, but you need to keep your eyes open for just a little while longer. Okay?" Peggy asks, there being a level of pleading to her voice.
"You're sad," Natasha realizes.
"I don't want anything to happen to you," Peggy tells her.
"No one has ever cared what happened to me," Natasha admits.
"I care, and so does Howard," Peggy tells the girl and to her relief Howard hurries into the room.
"Got it," Howard says, as he hurries over to Nat, and sits down on the edge of the bed next to Peggy. "Tasha, I've created a serum. It's going to help you," Howard explains. "Can I inject you with it?" Howard asks, not wanting to do anything without her permission.
"Yes," Natasha confirms, and once he gets the conformation Howard preps the needle.
"You're going to feel a little bit of pain, a burning sensation," Howard explains, as he injects Natasha.
"How long before it takes effect?" Peggy asks, leaning forward, surprised that Natasha isn't at all reacting to the serum.
"Should be pretty much instant," Howard says, as he finishes injecting Natasha and once he does he puts the cap back on the needle and puts it in his pocket as he knows he cannot risk anyone finding residue of the serum.
"Tasha, how do you feel?" Peggy asks concerned.
"Better, stronger," Natasha answers, as she sits up. "Thank you," Natasha says to Howard.
"You never have to thank me, Kiddo," Howard assures her, with a comforting smile.
"What is going to happen to me now?" Natasha asks, her accent slightly thicker than usual.
Hearing Natasha's question Peggy and Howard exchange looks and Howard gives Peggy the smallest nod, it being clear to Peggy what he is nodding to, even if it wasn't to most people.
"If it's okay with you, Howard and I would like to take you in, become your parents," Peggy explains.
"Think that's something you'd like?" Howard asks curious.
"Yes," Natasha says, nodding quickly as real parents is something she accepted a long time ago she would never have, and so she is amazed at the possibility of having parents now, and in response Peggy and Howard hug the young girls; having their first family group hug.
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