Vacation

"Lar, I think I should bring him here. The closer it gets to the fourth of July the worse he gets. No, I don't think he's sleeping. He's for sure not eating. I don't know what he did last year but I don't think it was healthy. I'm certain it's not good for him I mean Tony even leaves the city. I know it's a huge step. Well I mean Nat knows and she has kept it secret for years. Maybe it's time to let the team see this side of me. I know I will talk with Nat and see what she says. Love you Lar."

Clint hung up the phone. Steve needed a way out right now. No one really knew what he did last year. All Jarvis knew was that he was in his room, curtains drawn and lights out. Tony was in Malibu with Pepper and Bruce dropped off the planet like he always does when he wants to get away. He found Nat just back from her mission sitting in the common room.

"Just the lady I was lookin' for. I um… I think we need to tell the team." She turned to look at him. He now noted the bruises, bloodshot eyes and stains on her uniform. "Please tell me that's not your blood." She shook her head. "Steve's"

"Shit. He was in No shape to go on that job." She closed her eyes "No, he wasn't but strike said he had to. Not sure what's eatin’ at him but it damn near got him killed well, that and Rumlow." Clint scowled at the mention of the name. "Who ever let that garbage example of a human being get as far as he did has some serious issues." Nat nodded "Nick thinks someone owed him a favor and that was the easiest pay up. So what's got you wanting to make the big announcement now?"

He gestured broadly "this. You and I have a safe place to shut all this out. Tony has Malibu, Bruce has mission work in third world countries. Steve...has nothing. It's breaking him Nat. He's not sleeping, he's barely eating. He is withdrawn and frankly he is scaring me. I know he goes to a counselor but clearly it's not working. If we don't give him a safe out now he won't last the year."

She nodded "a bit of a dramatic assessment but I see your point."
"I don't think it's dramatic. He is floundering Nat. I just want him to be ok. How did you get his blood on you?"
"Had to get shrapnel out of his back. He got hit and it healed before we could get out. I sent him to bed. He was miserable." Clint got up "yup I'm taking him home. Laura will understand."

He gave it a few hours before he was dropping in on Steve to ask. He knew it was late at night but he also knew Cap was up a lot at night. He knocked on the door and waited. There was no answer so he knocked a little harder. "Hey Steve, it's Clint. Ya there man?" It was still silent. "Jarvis welfare check please."
"Of course agent Barton."

"I am granting you access to the Captain's room. It would appear he is in distress. Please inform me if medical needs to be alerted." He shook his head "sure thing Jarvis." He walked in carefully, unsure of just what he was walking into. He saw Steve in the armchair when he walked in. He knew it was his go to spot when he felt bad. It was his post mission tell. Nat pointed it out to him a few weeks after New York.

"Hey big guy...you ok? I don't mean to barge in ….kinda worried about ya." He was now kneeling beside the chair. He could see Steve was taking shallow ragged breaths and his skin was cold and clammy. "Steve?" He could see his eyes flutter open and then close again. He was about to call Jarvis when Steve let out a pained gasp.

"Jarvis hit the lights please." He took a good look at Steve and could see the dark bruises on his chest. "Clint? When…….. did you get….. here?" He shook his head "got a hunch to check in on you. A little widow told me. What happened on that detail? I thought it was supposed to be easy." Steve coughed and blood dribbled down his chin. "Was a set up. Team tripped a bomb….took the brunt of it. Team got out ok."

Clint frowned "I'm sure they did. Thought Nat scoped that place out before you moved in." He gave a small nod. "Yea…..she did." His eyes fluttered again and his arm went slack. "Come on Cap, stay with me. You like fishing?" He didn't open his eyes but he did answer "ne…..never…..been." he let out a nervous chuckle. "Jarvis, I need medical…..internal bleeding possible punctured lung." At that moment Steve took on a grey pallor and he barely had a chance to get him turned so he could vomit onto the floor. "Maaaaaybe a concussion?"

He held Steve's hand. "Stay with me big guy. I know things have been rough. I'm taking you away. You need a break. Nice quiet place, no one to bother you. How's that sound?" Steve didn't answer but he could see his chest heaving so he knew he was breathing.

Steve woke up and he could hear the heart monitor beeping gently. When he opened his eyes Clint, Bruce, and Natasha were talking in the doorway. Nat looked up and walked over to him. "Hey welcome back." Clint patted his shoulder "Hey big guy you scared the shit outta me." He could see bandages on his chest. "What happened?"

"You still had shrapnel in you moving around. You're lucky Clint checked on you." He closed his eyes and laid his head back. "Thank you. I didn't know." Natasha leaned in and gave him a kiss. "I have a job to get to. Nick's sending me out for a few weeks. Take care of yourself. Clint you're in charge of watching him, don't disappoint me." She gave Clint a peck on the cheek and left.

"So um….holiday is coming up." Steve stiffened. "You don't need to worry about that." Clint shook his head and let out a breath. "I told ya I was gonna take ya fishing. There's a lake at my place. It's nice and quiet. No one out there but us." He smiled "I've never fished before but why not. I'm due some time off." Clint relaxed a bit "cool, cool, good plan but um there's um...something or rather someone you should know about."

"Please tell me this isn't a S.H.I.E.L.D. thing." He laughed "no no it's just…. I live with someone." He reached into his shirt and pulled out a chain with two rings on it. "I'm married." Steve nodded "I knew there was something more with you and Natasha." Clint began to laugh hysterically. "No, not Nat. She's like a sister to me." He pulled out his wallet and handed Steve a picture. "This is Laura, Cooper, and Lila." He looked at the family portrait and then back at Clint.

"You're not shittin me are ya?" He smiled "no. Nick helped me make sure no one, not even S.H.I.E.L.D. knows about them. It's me and Nat's escape. Lila is 8 and Coop is 6." He held the picture a moment longer "do they know what you do?" He nodded "yea more or less. They don't know the dirty details but they know I work with the Avengers." Steve sat up a bit more. "You would let me into your home?"

"Of course Steve. You need to get out of this city so two days from now we are gonna go off the radar a bit." Steve smiled "I can't begin to thank you." He could see for the first time in weeks an easiness in Steve that was sorely needed. "Don't mention it."