Darcy returned the next morning with the art supplies and books she'd promised Steve.

He was sitting up in bed when she came into the room. He looked a little better, but since she wasn't a doctor, Darcy wasn't completely sure. He looked less pale, at any rate.

"Hey, Steve. Look what I brought." Darcy dropped the grocery bag she had been carrying next to him.

Steve smiled in thanks, and this time, he seemed to mean it. Darcy knew Steve was optimistic, but she'd sort of expected him to still be as upset as he'd been the day before.

"Thanks, Darcy." Steve told her, reaching into the bag and pulling out several different books, colored pencils and notebooks.

"It was no problem. Do you like them?"

"Yeah, they're great. I also have some things in my apartment. I shouldn't have to stay here too much longer."

"Whoa, they're letting you leave already? That's awesome, dude." Darcy beamed, excited that her friend would soon be able to get back to his own apartment in the tower and not have to be in this hospital room.

"Yeah, it is."

They lapsed into silence, Steve flipping through blank pages absently.

Darcy sat in that same chair as yesterday.

"Did they tell you when exactly you can leave?" Darcy asked, leaning toward him, laying her hand on one of his as he stopped turning pages to look at her.

"I hope it's today, but it might not be until tomorrow." Steve replied, turning his hand and squeezing her fingers.

His hand was smaller, like the rest of him. It was just another thing Darcy would have to get used to.

"I'm happy you'll be out soon, Steve. I was really worried about you yesterday when you were unconscious. I know it's going to be a huge change, for everyone."

Steve nodded, looking slightly sad again. "It is a huge change." He repeated, still holding onto Darcy's hand.

Sometime later, Darcy suddenly looked at Steve again.

"Hey, so someone got you new clothes?" She asked, blinking.

Steve winced. "tony had someone get them for me. He insisted he pay for them, too." Steve frowned again. "He hasn't been here much. He said he was still working on something. He wouldn't tell me what it is."

Darcy nodded in agreement. "He didn't tell me, either. Just said he had to get back to work. I reminded him to eat and sleep, and Jarvis said he would remind him, too, but you know Tony. He probably hasn't slept yet."

Steve nodded, too. "He probably hasn't."

"Hey, Jarvis? Has Tony slept yet? Has he done anything other than work and buy Steve new clothes and shoes?" Darcy asked the AI.

"He has not slept, Miss Lewis," Jarvis answered. "I have reminded him several times. Sir is ignoring my requests that he sleep."

Darcy's eyes narrowed. "Tell him that I said he needs to take a break. He'll overwork himself."

"I shall tell him, but I cannot guarantee he'll listen to your request, either."

"All right. Thanks for trying, Jarvis." Darcy told him.

"You're welcome, Miss Lewis."

The day passed slowly, Darcy making a trip to get something for lunch for herself and Steve. He could eat light foods now, so she got him soup.

Around two, a doctor finally showed up. Darcy left the room to give them privacy.

When the doctor left and she reentered the room, Steve smiled at her.

"I can leave now." He told her, standing from the bed and making his way to her. "I just have taken it easy for a few days…"

Darcy threw her arms around him, grinning. "That's great, Steve!"

Steve froze for a few seconds, then tentatively, he wrapped his arms around her. His body felt so different than the one she was used to.

The embrace lasted for several minutes, both getting caught up in it. Darcy knew Steve needed the physical contact, and if she was being honest with herself, she needed it, too.

She'd missed Steve when he'd been on that mission. It had been a relatively short one, but she'd still missed him.

"Thank you, Darcy," Steve said, pulling away from her slightly. "I… I really needed that."

Darcy smiled. "I don't mind, Steve. You know that."

"You didn't mind before." He muttered, and Darcy was sure he hadn't meant for her to hear the comment.

"The only thing that's changed is your body, Steve. You're my best friend. That's not going to change."

He nodded, but didn't say anything in reply.

They left the hospital floor shortly afterward, and Darcy wasn't sure what to do now. She'd meant it when she said she was happy Steve was getting released.

"What do you want to do now, Steve?" She asked.

"I don't know." Steve replied.

"Do you want to go to my place and do something? Watch a movie or show?" Darcy wondered.

Steve's expression faltered for a second, so fast that if Darcy hadn't been paying close attention to him, she would have missed it.

"Sure, we can do that." Steve answered. "I'm not sure if I'll be great company, though."

"I don't care, Steve. You're allowed to be upset." Darcy told him, grabbing his hand.

"I know that." Steve said shortly.

He was holding the grocery bag Darcy had given him full of things on his arm, and in his other hand he held another bag, but this one had medication and an inhaler.

The grocery bag made it a bit awkward to hold his hand, but Darcy wasn't going to let go.

When they got to Darcy's apartment, Steve carefully read the medicine bottles.

"Are you memorizing them?" Darcy asked.

"I don't have to memorize them, Darcy." Steve answered, glancing at her. "I'm trying to figure out when I'll have to take everything."

Darcy flopped down on the couch next to him, sighing in relief. "This is a lot more comfortable than the chair was, just saying."

Steve snorted in amusement. "'Course it is, Darci."

He put the medication back into the bag, then slumped back against the couch, breathing out slowly.

Darcy reached out, tugging him closer to her. "Let's just sit here for a little bit, then we can watch something."

'Yeah," Steve murmured, leaning against her.

Darcy woke up to movement next to her.

She blinked, reaching up to take her glasses off and rub at her eyes, then put them back on her face.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you…" Steve said quietly.

"It's fine, Steve." Darcy told him, stretching slightly.

She and Steve were still sitting close together, but Steve had shifted slightly away from her.

"What time is it?" Darcy mumbled.

"A bit after six." Steve replied.

"Oh, shit, dinner!" Darcy shot up off the couch. "What do you want? Pasta?"

"I'm not really hungry, Darcy."

"You're not? You should try to eat something anyway, Steve. You need the calories." Darcy said firmly.

Steve's eyes narrowed slightly, but he stood up, too.

"I'll help you." He offered, trying to smile.

"Sure, you can help if you want."

Steve followed Darcy into her kitchen, getting a pot and putting water in it. Darcy grabbed some pasta out of her pantry and set it on the counter. Steve put the pot on the stove, setting the temperature.

Now, all they had to do was wait for the water to boil.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Steve ate in silence, and Darcy still didn't know what to say. She was trying to get Steve to interact with her, but he wasn't cooperating. So they sat in silence.

"So… what do you want to watch after dinner?" Darcy questioned.

"You pick." Steve replied, putting another forkful of pasta in his mouth.

Darcy frowned. "Do you want to watch Lord of the Rings again?"

"That's fine."

"Okay."

"I'll do dishes," Steve offered.

"Nope, I'm doing them." Darcy shook her head. "You're supposed to take it easy, remember?"

Steve blew out an annoyed breath.

"You can get the DVD's out, if you want." Darcy said, trying to compromise.

Steve only frowned in reply.

In the kitchen doing the dishes quickly, Darcy let out a quiet sigh.

This was hard. She was trying to act like nothing had really changed between she and Steve, but it sort of had. He could put on a brave face for her all he wanted, but she still knew he was struggling. This was a difficult situation, a downright strange one. Steve had every right to be upset or depressed about it.

"Hey, Steve, do you want something to drink?" Darcy called into the living room.

The dishes had been easy enough to clean she was used to doing dishes by hand. There hadn't been a dishwasher when she'd been in college, so she'd gotten used to doing them by hand and was efficient at it.

"Water's fine, Darcy." Steve replied.

Darcy grabbed two glasses and filled them with water, bringing them out to set on her coffee table.

Steve was back on the couch, remote in hand and the Fellowship of the Ring main menu screen on the TV.

"Thanks," Steve said, taking his glass of water and taking a drink.

"You're welcome." Darcy smiled.

The movie passed in silence, the two sitting close to each other. It was their movie ritual, watch a movie, sit close, legs touching and arms brushing when one of them moved.

After the movie was over, Steve stood, glancing at Darcy.

"I should go," He told her.

"You don't have to." Darcy replied.

Steve smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "It was nice, hanging out like before."

"Yeah, it was. We can do it any time, Steve. Whenever you want." Darcy smiled back. She hoped hers reached her eyes.

She was being sincere, but Steve's sadness was starting to rub off on her.

"Thanks for saying that, Darcy." Steve was frowning again.

"I'm not just saying it, Steve, I mean it." Darcy reassured him.

She didn't care how many times she had to tell him, she would get it through his head.

Steve started to turn, but Darcy reached out and stopped him. She stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing.

"If you need anything, Steve, let me know." She told him.

Steve's arms came around her after a slight hesitation. "Thanks, Darcy. I don't deserve you."

"You deserve a hell of a lot, Steve. Being friends is the least you deserve."

Steve's arms tightened a bit, squeezing, then he let go and stepped back.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Darcy."

"See you tomorrow, Steve. Have a good night."

"Good night," Steve repeated, grabbing his two bags and leaving her apartment.

Darcy was in Jane's lab the next morning, getting the work she hadn't gotten done the day before finished. Jane had been understanding, letting Darcy have yesterday off to be with Steve.

"How's Steve doing?" Jane asked, glancing up from her work.

"He's doing better than I thought he would be." Darcy responded, pausing in her own work. "I think he might be trying to put on a brave face, not wanting me to see how much this is messing him up."

Jane winced, but didn't say anything in reply. The two women worked in silence for a while, the only sounds were Jane's pen scratching on paper and Darcy hitting keys on her keyboard.

Darcy knocked on Steve's door after she and Jane had finished with work for the day. She'd been worrying over how Steve was doing today after her conversation with Jane, not that she hadn't already been worrying, but the conversation had only amplified it.

The door opened, Steve just behind it. He looked incredibly tired.

"Rough night?" Darcy asked, frowning in concern.

"Yeah." Steve answered. "Want to come in?"

Darcy nodded as Steve stepped back. She entered his apartment and glanced around.

She and Steve usually hung out at her place, or outside of the tower. It wasn't a big deal, Darcy didn't care where they hung outs long as they were together.

The two of them went into Steve's living room and sat on his couch.

"Do you want a drink?" Steve offered, standing in front of her.

"Sure. Just get me water or whatever."

Steve walked into his kitchen, leaving Darcy in the living room.

Steve returned quickly with two glasses of water. "Here you go, Darcy."

"Thanks, Steve." Darcy smiled, taking her drink. from him

Steve sat next to her on the couch.

"So, you had a rough night last night?" Darcy repeated her earlier question.

Steve nodded, sighing. "I had a lot to think about…" He told her. "This is still so strange, being in this body again."

"I can only imagine what you're going through right now, Steve." Darcy said, reaching over and taking his free hand.

"I don't know what to do now, Darcy."

"We'll figure something out, Steve, I promise. I'll help you." Darcy said, smiling. "How about drawing or painting? I didn't get you paints or anything like that, but we could get some, if you want. You have those colored pencils and notebooks. Have you tried them yet? It could take your mind off all this." Darcy suggested, trying to get Steve to focus on something positive.

"I've done a little, but I haven't been able to concentrate much." Steve explained to her, wincing slightly.

"It's okay, Steve, don't worry about it." Darcy told him, smiling. "You got a little bit done, at least. You can work up to doing more, once you get a bit more settled."

Steve smiled, although it looked slightly forced. "Thanks, Darcy. I know you're right. I'll be able to focus more in a few days."

Darcy smiled again in response.

The two ended up just sitting and talking for a while on Steve's couch. They didn't put anything on the TV, just sat next to each other. Darcy was happy to do anything with Steve, and she liked talking with him, so it was a win-win situation.

Steve was loosening up, although he still looked tired. Darcy hoped he would be able to get some more sleep that night. He really needed the rest.

"Do you want to do something tomorrow?" Darcy asked, smiling. "I can after I'm done with Jane."

Steve smiled in response, and Darcy took that for a yes.

"We could go out, if you want. Outside and do something? We could look at paints, see which ones you'd want to get."

"I'm not sure if it's such a good idea to leave the tower, Darcy." Steve told her quietly.

Darcy frowned. "I guess you're right, but I figured I'd offer."

"I know you meant well, Darcy. I would like to go somewhere with you." Steve said, frowning. "I'll ask Tony. Since my body has changed so much, people might not recognize me."

Darcy nodded. "I'm sure people won't be able to recognize you, Steve. You… look a lot different than you used to. It's not bad, just… different. People might recognize your face, but I don't know. It would be pretty bad it if got out that you're… you know, changed."

Darcy could only imagine the headlines that would be all over the internet and newspapers within hours of people discovering what had happened. It would be chaos.

What would Steve do, though, if Bruce and tony couldn't recreate the serum?