I have no idea what happened in this chapter but yeh! Weird plot thing towards the end for sure! This chapter was based off my experience after I got a blister infected and it sucked so yeh! It wouldn't have sucked had I gotten the treatment Clint got from Cap ;) Enjoy!

Clint awoke with a throbbing headache and a burning arm. He hissed as he slowly peeled back the bandage on his arm, revealing the previous night's episode. His face paled at the sight that met his eye. The area surrounding the cuts was swollen and puffy. A yellow tinged substance seeped from the cuts, and Clint had to cover his face to prevent gagging. He ran to the bathroom, wetting a small cloth and dabbed it on the cuts. He saw stars when the cloth made contact, causing severe pain to radiate to his shoulder. He new he was in deep trouble. As much as he did not want to, Clint knew he was out of his depth. Quickly rolling his sleeves down, wincing while doing so, he left his quarters and made way to the lab, where Clint knew Bruce would be.

Bruce's curly gray hair was disheveled, and his glasses lay in front of him. He had his head down on top of multiple files. Clint heard the snores when he approached the room, seeing the mess around the scientist. He tiptoed his way over to Bruce, and lightly tapped him.

"Hey, I really need your hel-" but before Clint could finish his sentence, Bruce's snapped open, and in a fit or shock he grabbed Clint's wrist.

Clint let out out a non masculine howl, as he dropped to his knees trying to wrench his wrist out of the man's grip. Bruce pulled his hand back, as if he had touched fire. The archer was on his knees, protectively holding his arm, as tears formed in his eyes.

"God...I am so sorry Clint." Bruce said quietly, kneeling beside his friend. "Did I hurt you?"

Clint wiped off the tears, and shook his head. "You didn't make me feel much better." He chuckled, trying to make light of the moment.

Slowly taking in a breath, Clint rolled up his sleeve, taking precaution to not jar his wrist any further. He tightly shut his eyes, not knowing what his team mates reply would be.

"Christ Clint...that's a bad infection. I'm talking Mersa. Get up on the table." Bruce said, steadying his friend as he saw Clint sway.

Clint sat on the table, and extended his arm out to the doctor. Bruce ran his hand through his hair, before he rushed off to grab supplies. He returned with a rolling tray, a few syringes and bottles with liquid, and an IV set up tray.

"Look, it's regulation that I tell Cap or Tony. They need to know."

"No. No don't look just patch me up, I'll be okay." Clint begged, but. Bruce wouldn't listen to him, and grabbed the phone.

"Hey cap, can you get down here? Thanks."

Clint let tears form in his eyes, as he suppressed a sob of anger. Bruce returned by his friend, as Clint set his arm on the sterile cloths on the rolling tray. He began by using a saline filled syringe and lightly cleaning out the wounds. He did not bother asking the archer how he had gotten the wounds, he already knew.

"I know why you did this Clint. It gets better. It really does." Bruce muttered, as Steve entered the room.

"Hey what's...Clint?" Cap said, seeing his friend wincing as his wounds were poked and prodded.

Cap quickly hauled a chair beside Barton. "Whaddya need help with?" The soldier asked.

"I'll just ask for tools, and you just get him to relax. I'm struggling trying to find a vein." Bruce said, as he once again attempted to place the IV port within the crook of Clint's arm, earning him another hiss of discomfort "got it." The doctor said, taping the port and attaching him to a bag of antibiotics.

He continued treating Hawk, next injecting a sedative around the area of the cuts.

"I'll get the sutures ready, as he sedative kicks in to numb your arm up." Bruce gave Clint a reassuring smile, squeezed his team mates shoulder, and walked off.

Once Bruce had left, Cap and Barton were sitting in complete silence. Clint was in pain, sweat gathering on his brow from the fever caused by the raging infection. Cap just sat, and fiddled with some of the tools on the tray, which had been placed haphazardly on the table once they were used. He wanted to ask his friend what in the hell had gotten him to this point. Why he had fallen so helpless. He was asking himself who's he'd let it get this bad for Clint.

"Why?" Cap finally said, quietly and shakily without breaking eye contact with his own hands.

Clint just let his head roll to the side before he scoffed, rolling his eyes at his friends question.

"Why do you think Mr. Super soldier?" Clint said sarcastically.

"No Clint why? Why in the name of god did you think this was an option? What if you had gone to deep with the knife, what if you had died..." Cap's voice cracked at the end of the sentence, as he had to turn away.

"There is nothing left of me. Loki took the man I was and turned it to dust. There is no light for me Cap. Can't you see that? I'm already dead inside so what difference would it make if I was dead physically? Who would it make a difference to?" Clint said, his voice tapering off as he let tears roll down his unshaven face.

"Me." Cap said, finally making eye contact with his friend. "It would make the world of a difference to me."

Cap hadn't entirely been aware of the answer he'd given his friend, nor was he aware that they were slowly leaning towards each other. Cap also wasn't expecting what happened next.

They kissed. Clint had melted into the other man's arms, but Cap's eyes flew wide open. He pushed off of Clint, seeing his friends confusion. Cap closed his eyes, and leaned in for another kiss. The two men held onto each other, before Cap once more pushed off his lover and whispered,

"Let me save you Clint. Let me help you."

Before they resumed their compassionate session.

"Okay so I got the sutures, and a pack of new bandages, which was odd that we didn't..." Bruce re-entered the room rambling about bandages, but his sentence was cut short by the sound if clattering materials.

Bruce's hands had opened, letting the supplies fall to the ground, as he gaped at the sight before him. Captain America making out Hawkeye. Hearing Banner's voice, the two team mates quickly let go of each other, and sat back.

"Sorry 'bout that Agent Barton." Cap said, before he sat back down beside his friend.

Hawkeye chuckled at Banner's face, as he fixed his clothes.

"So you gonna stitch me up doc?"