The super-soldier serum worked…until one day it didn't.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel characters. Spoilers for well everything!

Captain Nuisance

It had all started after his battle with the Winter Soldier-Bucky. He had nearly died, and the doctor's had insisted on keeping him for an entire week. For the first three days he was too out of it too really care; and each time he woke up Sam Wilson was there. And at one point he was positive he had seen Tony Stark stride in carrying a very familiar red, white, and blue disk. But he had been too tired and in too much pain to ask how he had retrieved it.

By day far he was feeling better; still awful, but better. And Captain America might have been the symbol of truth, justice, and kids make sure you eat your veggies, but Stephen Rogers was a terrible patient. A nuisance really, in Sam Wilson's opinion.

"Seriously, I'm ready to leave," Steve tried for the tenth time to sweet talk the little nurse taking his vitals. "I promise I'll be good; stay in bed, take the medicines that don't work, brush my teeth between meals…"

Sam was sitting in his usual chair, arms crossed across his chest. The nurse, Alaine, just shook her head. "I'm sorry Mr. Rogers, but you still have a fever and cannot get around unassisted. Not to mention you have four bullet holes and a stab wound. And ten stitches in your face."

Steve let out a large puff of air. "So as soon as I can walk around this room by myself, I can go home?"

"Nice try Captain," she smiled fondly at him. "But that's not what I said. Why don't you just let us take care of you for once…I'll be back in an hour, here's your dinner menu. I'll be sure to add in extra veggies."

Steve sighed and leaned back against the soft pillows and closed his eyes. He would never admit it, but he was exhausted and still in a considerable amount of pain. The gallon of drugs they were pumping into his bloodstream were practically being absorbed before they could do anything but take off a little bit of the sting.

"I brought checkers," Sam announced, pulling a travel sized version of the game out of his duffel bag.

Steve reopened his eyes and glanced at his faithful friend, who was wearing a sympathetic smile. Guilt tugged at him. "You don't have to stay Sam. I appreciate it, I really do, but I know I'm not the best company today."

"You're lousy company today," Sam stated as he moved his chair closer and set the game on Steve's bedside table. "But what are friends for?"

Finally the day came when Steve was released. Quite possibly, he had never been so happy in his life. He was given a long list of instructions on how to tend to his wounds, prescribed a very large dosage of pain pills and sent on his merry way. It had been arranged that Steve would crash at Sam's house for a couple of days, since he couldn't go to his own apartment and with S. H. I. E. L. gone, he wasn't quite sure what he was going to do. Besides find Bucky.

"I don't have a guest room, so you take my bed and I'll crash on the couch."

"No way," Steve shook his head as they rode the elevator to Sam's apartment. He leaned against the wall and hoped he didn't look as pale as he felt. "Your house; I'll take the couch."

Sam snorted. "Like I'm going to let the injured guy sleep on the couch. You look awful, by the way."

"Thanks," Steve rolled his eyes as the got to Sam's floor. His steps were slow, one arm wrapped firmly around his abdomen.

Sam grinned wickedly as he unlocked the door. "Bet I could beat you running today."

"Give me a few days and I'll be running circles around you. Again."

"Man, can't you just let me have my moment?" Sam pointed him towards the couch. "Go sit."

"Sheesh, I'm out of commission for a week and you're suddenly given me orders? I guess we'll have to start calling you Lieutenant Bird-boy."

"Hey, at least I haven't been a Captain for like, seventy years." He poured two large glasses of water. "Shouldn't you at least be a Colonel by now?"

"Doesn't have the same ring to it." He downed the entire glass and leaned back, eyes closing involuntarily. "Thanks Sam, for everything."

"Don't mention it," Sam told him and Steve nodded. "I- I don't like feeling helpless. It brings back unpleasant memories."

"Like I said, don't mention it. It's not like I haven't dealt with cranky Captains before."

A small smile spread across Steve's lips. "I hate to break it to ya, but I'm not really a Captain."

What Steve didn't say before he went to bed that night was that he'd never been this injured before, or out of commission for this long since he'd had the serum. And he couldn't remember being this sore and in so much pain for so long. It felt like the serum wasn't healing him as quickly as it normally did. He didn't like to think why that might be. He tried to push that unpleasant thought away as he drifted off to sleep.

Slow start perhaps, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway! This story is going to include a quest for Bucky so stay tuned.