"Of course, Ca- I mean, Peggy.", Steve caught himself before he smiled and took a deep breath. "Is it wrong for me to say that I'm probably going to miss that after today?".
Peggy gave him a supportive smile, "You can call me anything you want, Steve. Agent, Captain, Peggy.", and walked up to grab his hand gently, "I won't leave you. You may think you're sickly and small right now, and sure, that will perhaps change today, but you are beautiful to me no matter what size you are.".
Steve blinked in surprise, staring at her before smiling, and glanced at her lips, and reached up to caress her cheek as he leaned in to kiss her gently and shortly, just a peck on the lips.
"Thank you, Peggy. You've made me the happiest man on earth, and even if I am not ready to say those three words yet, I can say that I would never forget you as you are part of my heart, and that will remain when I am a giant.", Steve whispered warmly.
Peggy exhaled at him in awe and smiled as she is slowly realizing that she may have found the right one for herself, and then chuckled, "Good, keep that in mind. Let's go change your life.", before turning around, and with a sweep of her head as she opened the door, "Okay, you're clear. I'll be there in a minute.".
"Right...", Steve took a deep breath, knowing he had to get prepared mentally for the change.
It was strange that now that he was here, he somehow had the moments to think back and reflect on the chain of events that led him to this moment. His meeting up of Dr. Erskine when he tried to volunteer, the doctor sweeping him up into the Office of Strategic Services that would end up having him be the best choice for the program.
Of course, there was last night when Erskine told him about Schimdt and his concerned feelings about the enemy giantess being related to Schimdt in ways. Still, after hearing that the enemy giantess was clearly intent on being powerful and dangerous, Steve is the opposite of that, wanting to feel worthy and helpful, and that, with heart, is supposedly the most important thing for the test to be successful.
Steve really wants to make Erskine proud, to make everyone see him as not something weak or sickly, but something brave and strong, to have Peggy smile at him with love and confidence, and he had a taste of that for a few precious minutes.
As he made it back to the main hallway where the escort had been waiting, "Took you long enough, man.", and Steve replied, "Sorry, needed a breather after taking a piss. Is Captain Carter waiting up ahead?".
The escort snorted, "Apparently, you haven't heard that ladies take their time putting up their makeup, and-", and a female voice replied, "You were saying, soldier?", as Peggy walked up to them with a raised eyebrow.
The escort shook his head, "Nothing, ma'am!", and Peggy nodded, "That's what I thought.", before smiling politely, "Shall we?", at Steve who nodded with a smile, "Yes, let's not be late.", and all started off to head further down to the lab with the escort guiding them.
"How are you feeling?", Peggy asked as she and Rogers walked, following the escort. "Nervous.", Steve admitted.
"Any second doubts?", Peggy glanced over to him as he smiled, "I put those away last night, I'm prepared for whatever comes.".
Peggy gave him a small, supportive smile, "Good to know.", and subtly touched his hand with a finger barely breezing across the skin, with Steve realizing that the gesture was to signify her love to him.
Steve returned the smile, and there was a comfortable, companionable silence, with their footsteps echoing as they soon made it to the underground lab, with Steve widening his eyes in amazement to see the technology, the secret technology that the government has been developing with Howard Stark's help.
And there, is a steel, layered, large, and strong enclosure, in the center of the lab. "Gonna be a little cramped in here.", that was the first words from Steve's mouth as he looked around while Peggy chuckled.
"I'm sure they've planned ahead for this.", Peggy told him. Steve nodded, "I hope so. I don't know if it's instant or it takes like several minutes to grow. After all, we don't know much about that enemy giantess.".
Peggy nodded, "Good point, but they have thought similar, I am sure.", smiling with a gesture at everyone, and Dr. Erskine saw them, coming up to them, "Ah, hello, Agent Carter. And Steven. Brilliant, isn't? Mr. Stark over there has been helping around.".
Mr. Stark waved his hand, "Hello, I am so stoked for this. I can't wait to see the results, and I know my tech.", and Steve nodded, "I believe you. I saw you at the Expo. I am sure your technology is strong for this.".
Mr. Stark grinned, "Thanks, kid. Doc, shall we start?", and Dr. Erskine nodded, "Oh, yes. Agent Carter, would you be more comfortable in the observation room?".
Peggy shook her head, "I'll stay down here, and besides, I am a woman of my word. I won't touch anything, Dr. Erskine.", with a small smile at Steve, and Steve gave her a small smile. Dr. Erskine blinked in slight surprise, his mind observative of anything and everything, and then nodded, "Alright, then.", seeing the obvious love between the pair.
"How are you feeling, Steve?", Erskine asked as the two of them walked towards a different part of the room. "Alright, better than alright in a few ways.", Steve admitted.
"Certainly from the time you spent with Carter there?", Erskine chuckled as Steve blushed. "Don't be embarrassed, son, it's natural. I was in love once myself...", he sighed, his memories going back to Gerta and their children, lost to Dachau... the first of the concentration camps which now were turned into factories of death for his people and others the Nazis deemed 'undesirable'.
Steve replied, "Is it really good as everybody said? Falling in love? I mean, Peggy is the first woman that has ever liked me for me...".
Erskine blinked, refocusing on the present, and then smiled as he patted Steve's shoulder, "It's slightly different for everyone, but it's pretty much the same. When you're in love, you put them first before yourself...My wife used to say something for our children...'People always do crazy things when they're in love.'...", with a fond nod.
Steve blinked in slight confusion, wanting to understand what he meant by that...After all, Peggy is the first one to give him feelings, where he couldn't help thinking almost every moment, how it makes him feel like he's both free yet breathless.
Erskine chuckled, seeing the look in Steve's eyes, and spoke, "Don't worry, you will understand in time. Now, let's get that jacket and shirt, and the shoes off. I believe it won't be instant, but we need you to be exposed to the Quantonium and the serum in an effective, respectful way, and you will be fine with the trousers on. After all, we have highly respected people watching including Carter.", with a smile.
"Guessing what I've got isn't going to fit long then?", Steve asked as Erskine chuckled, "Well, at least we came somewhat prepared for that, but it'll remain to be seen.".
Steve nodded, and went to take his shoes, jacket, and shirt off, and followed Erskine up to the platform, and one of the other scientists guided him to the machine enclosure, with Steve undergoing shots for known illnesses, and then waited for the signal for himself to go inside.
Erskine gave a powerful, simple speech, with the people watching, and Peggy watched patiently, side-glancing at Steve with secret twinkles in her eyes, and in one of those glances, she caught something else which is instantly turning her senses on high, narrowing her eyes as one of the floor audiences is acting strangely.
She was certain one of those men was not someone she recognized, and she knew everyone who in attendance was, it was easily possible he might be here on behalf of someone but that still didn't put her at ease.
Then she saw something familiar in his hands. Peggy shouted, "GRENADE!", pulling out her gun, and everybody ducked as Peggy shot at the man who was about to pull the pin while holding a gun.
The man shouted in pain as Peggy shot him in the shoulder, and he narrowed his eyes, shooting at Steve, and Peggy shot him again as Steve was hit in the leg, screaming out in pain as it hit an artery narrowly, creating a deep scar cut.
Erskine shouted, "Steve!", and Peggy looked his way as the enemy was dead, and widened her eyes in horror, and ran up the corridor down to the machine enclosure, seeing Steve clenching his leg as he struggled to get up from his spot, "Steve!".
Phillips commanded, "Time's running out! Get in there!", and Erskine shouted, "But Steve is injured!". Steve panted, shouting, "Don't pull me out! I can do this!", looking at Peggy with desperation and determination in his eyes.
"He can do it...", Peggy said before the sound of a pin being pulled rang out when Peggy realized that apparently the infiltrator's grenade had a dead man's switch to it. "Shit, it's primed!", she screamed.
Peggy quickly went to pick up Steve with her arms, running into the enclosure, and put him down, and was about to head back out when the explosion came, causing Peggy to shout and trip back in, the force of the explosion closing the door.
Howard Stark was pushed by the force of the explosion as well, accidently starting the machine by kicking up the levers and such, and the glass containers of the Super Soldier serum and the Quantonium sparked brightly.
The explosion was so loud that it rattled the ears of everyone, and Erskine, when he came to, saw the machine on, and looked around, widening his eyes as he couldn't see Peggy or Steve, realizing that they were inside, together!
"Mr. Stark! Stark! Can you stop it?!", Erskine shouted, and Howard shouted, "The levers are jammed! I can't stop it!", hearing muffled screams of pain, and both of them looked at the enclosure with horror and prayers of hope, wondering what is going through Peggy and Steve's minds as of now.
"I guess we say a few prayers and hope it works with the both of them...", Stark admitted. "And I'm not even that religious of a man...". Erskine spoke, "You and me both, Mr. Stark.", never leaving the sight of the enclosure in his eyes.
Steve was in pain from the deep cut, but when he saw Peggy falling back in from the force of the explosion, he ignored the pain, catching her before she could hit her head on the floor, seeing the door close.
"Peggy! Are you okay?", Steve asked in concern, looking at her as Peggy refocused, blinking, and nodded, "Yeah, I'm okay...", before widening her eyes and saw that she was inside with Steve.
"Oh, shit!", Peggy cursed as she tried to turn around to knock open the door. "Don't think that's going to work... I think we're trapped in here... for better or worse...", Steve said as Peggy took a deep breath.
"Right... calm...", Peggy whispered to herself. "Are you alright, Steve?", looking back at Steve with concern. "I don't know... can't tell if I'm still bleeding... I still feel awake, so I don't know if he got anything vital...", Steve replied.
Peggy sighed as she nodded, kneeling down to help him sit up when she saw green and gold gas coming down from vents, and widened her eyes, "It's starting.".
Steve grabbed her hand, "Hey, you can do it too, Peggy.", with a smile as Peggy nodded, and removed her jacket and flats, leaving her in her tank top and skirt, and Steve blushed, "What are you doing?".
Peggy smiled, "Better for skin to get impacted, remember?", before starting to feel something encase her body, hearing Steve groan, "Pain's getting bad.".
"Hey, hey, I'm with you.", Peggy squeezed his hand, focusing on him as she feels the pain too, and Steve looked at her, and nodded with a smile as he kissed her hand, and suddenly, the pain became even more torturous as tears came to Peggy's eyes as she screamed, and Steve flinched so much as he screamed out in pain, barely seeing Peggy and grabbing her in a teddy bear hug, trying to comfort her at the same time.
The gas became lightning bolts and thunderstorms of green and gold as they became absorbed in the pain, their eyes tight, their hands clenched into each other, barely feeling the first changes as Steve became stronger and thicker, and Peggy became stronger and curvy, alliterating their features better than ever, yet they remained normal size, well, as much as normal for Steve gained a couple of inches over Peggy, and Peggy somehow fits within Steve's arms easier than before.
The two of them were so overwhelmed with pain that it was hard to register but both of them were now wondering if something had gone wrong for brief moments of clarity and that they were both about to die, the experiment a total failure.
Steve struggled the most, but somehow, with Peggy in his arms, he felt like he could do anything, and then Erskine's words came to his mind. 'People always do crazy things when they're in love.'
Not wanting to have Peggy suffer through the pain, he managed despite not seeing due to so much bright lights and everything, to kiss Peggy with his hands helping him, discovering that Peggy feels perfectly molded to him.
Peggy was surprised by the kiss on the lips and realized that the slight pleasure is somehow fighting the pain, and kissed him right back, figuring if they're to die together, at least they'd die together in love.
The two of them continued to kiss as the forces around them continued; trying as best to at least stay awake and hopefully alive just long enough to be freed from the chamber.
"Steve...", Peggy muttered. "I'm here...", Steve said, trying to be the guardian for once rather than needing a guardian.
And before they knew it, the pain was decreasing as the Quantonium and Super Soldier Serum was finally drained from the glass containers outside, leaving the couple, still shaking from nerves and feeling their blood rushing through their ears and hearts.
Peggy cautiously opened her eyes, panting, and laughed, "I'm alive...Steve, we're alive!", looking at Steve, and the breath escaped her in shock and surprise, "Oh...", realizing that she's now shorter than Steve, and blushed hard as she saw the arms, pecs, and gods, the 6 pack on his abs...
Steve was the same, blushing as he can feel her arms, somehow stronger and her breasts were straining against her tank top, seeing a 4 pack on her abs through the tank top as it was doused in sweat.
They pulled back from the embrace, clearing their throats as they blushed some more, and Peggy picked up her jacket, putting it on, and realizing that it was too tight on her, "Oh, great.", before an idea came to her, and she took it off, ripping the sleeves, and then put it on, smiling as it fit better, hiding her tank top yet it's still tight.
Steve stood up, nearly hitting the ceiling, and looked over himself before realizing that he didn't feel the gunshot wound anymore, and lifted up his trouser sleeve, and blinked to see a scar, a freshly healed scar without stitches, through the trouser sleeve was soaked with blood.
"Looks like it's actually healed...Wow...", Steve commented, and Peggy hummed in thought, "Must be the Super Soldier serum. I guess the Quantonium is not kicking in just yet.".
A knock at the door sounded out, with Erskine calling, "Agent Carter, Steven?", as audible grunts sounded out, with the door slowly opening up.
The light entering the door was blinding for a moment as their eyes tried to readjust from the sheer change of night and day which they had been through before the door was wide open, revealing their new selves to the rest of the room.
"God...", Stark couldn't help but say seeing the two of them, though certainly much more so for Steve with how radical a change to his body was.
Erskine himself was amazed yet proud, smiling, "You two have surpassed my expectations of the Super Soldier Serum. How are you feeling?".
Steve spoke, "Surprisingly, I feel good...I feel like all of my health problems are gone...", and Peggy replied, "Me too, I feel good, and somehow, I feel more sharper in mind and stronger, and even my minor allergies of pollen and pet dander is gone too.".
Erskine chuckled, "Sounds like the serum fixed wrong things within your bodies, then. Now, let's hurry to the hanger in the bay. The Quantonium will kick in soon.".
"As you wish, doctor." Steve nodded, still surprised at his new self and certainly Peggy's change too. She was already beautiful to begin with to him, but somehow, now with her new 'enhancements' all over, she somehow surpassed perfection.
"We're still trying to find out how that Kraut got in. Apparently, he had a few forged documents on him, good ones too." Phillips explained. "Heinz Kruger, member of the SicherheittsDienste, the SD, Himmler's intelligence arm of the SS. The German Army's one, Abwehr, is in total shambles, if he was that, he wouldn't have gotten into the area.".
"One of Johann Schmidt men, I fear, Colonel.", Erskine said. "Schmidt must have guessed we'd try to fight fire with fire in terms of his Jötunn.".