Author's Note: I just wanted to clarify that this story takes place during season 4 of AOS, and after Captain America, Civil War (though Bucky is obviously still with them). Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I'm glad to know you're liking the story.

When Daisy finally awoke the next day, her room was painfully bright. The sun had clearly been up for a while, but she had no idea what time it was. There was no clock, and she had completely forgotten to grab her phone or laptop before going to bed last night. She wished she was one of those agents who could tell time by the position of the sun. Maybe hold up her hand for measurement and determine that it was 10:15 or whatever. But she wasn't.

So, she would just have to lay here and wonder, because she was not ready to get out of bed yet. She was stiff, she felt weak, and moving even the slightest amount hurt like crazy.

Pulling the blankets up she snuggled in a little more, using the corner of one to fling over her eyes to block out the cheery midmorning light.

BANG

Daisy jolted upright. She would have cleared the bed entirely if she hadn't been so ensconced in blankets. She let out a cry at the pain from her sudden movement. Hunching over on herself and breathing hard from where she had risen onto her knees on the bed, she looked up into the innocent eyes of Natasha Romanov. "Whoops." She said sweetly. "Lunch is ready." Then gave Daisy a little smile, blinked again innocently at her and left.

Goddamn Russian psychopath Daisy thought seething and panting from her crouched position. Her door had been locked. Then it occurred to her that they could all probably hear her door locking last night. She probably took it as a challenge. It was the kind of entrance May would have made.

"Was that really necessary?" Daisy heard Steve asking from the main room.

"What? I thought she'd be hungry." Was Natasha's calm reply.

A moment later Steve's head popped around the doorway of her room. His eyes narrowed when he took her in. She knew she probably looked like a mess. Her hair wild from sleeping on it, bruises on her face and body more apparent now in her brightly lit room, and makeup days old. She tried to straighten up and mask her pain so that she wasn't grimacing anymore. "You okay?" He asked her. She nodded back immediately. She was pissed, every part of her throbbed in pain and now she was embarrassed to have been caught in that position at all but sure, she was fine. He frowned, clearly aware that she was lying and not liking it. "Food is ready." He said. "But maybe you'll feel better if you have a chance to clean up first?" Yup, I look disgusting. Daisy grimaced at the confirmation to her thought, but nodded again, slowly moving to get up. "Not that you don't look fine- "He started to say, but she cut him off with a look and a small smile.

"A shower sounds great, I'll just be a few minutes." She said, inching past him out the bedroom. Once again, he didn't move far enough out of her way, so she brushed against him as she went. She may have accidentally brushed against him a little more than was strictly necessary. That wasn't her fault though, she was injured and couldn't help it she lied to herself.

She stumbled into the bathroom and shut the door before she began the struggle to get undressed. She decided to remove the bandages from her arms for the shower, they weren't permanent, and her arms would be fine for a few minutes. They immediately ached at the loss of support.

She finally got her tank top off when she realized she forgot her bag again. Damnit. She was just in her bra and jeans. Now she would have to put the shirt back on to go out and get it. She picked the tank top back up when there was a knock on the door.

"Daisy?" It was Steve. She froze for a moment before pulling the tank top to her to cover her chest. It was tiny and basically just covered her bra leaving her stomach exposed, so she stepped behind the door as well before she cracked it open. "Thought you might want this." He said, pushing her bag against the crack in the door.

"Oh, thanks." She said flashing him a smile before going to reach for it. She immediately realized her problem when she tried to reach for it with her broken arm. No way was that going to work. The other was clutching the tank top to her chest. She hesitated a moment before deciding what the hell, don't make a big deal out of it and it won't be. She held her broken arm to her chest next to the other and quickly stepped out from behind the door. In one quick motion she reached out and grabbed the bag from him, opening the door wider so that she could pull the bag through. She was grateful to see that his face was tilted politely away. Until the flash of movement caused by her tank top falling drew his eyes back to her. He got an eyeful before his head whipped back away. She jerked the bag out of his hands and kicked the door shut.

Before it could shut completely however she caught a glimpse of Bucky standing stock still behind him, facing the bathroom door. Their eyes met as the door closed and she could have sworn she saw him start to smile. She closed her eyes for a moment in frustration. "Good job Daisy, you just flashed the Avengers." She mumbled to herself, too quiet for anyone else to hear.

Except the super soldier in the next room, apparently. "I didn't see anything…" Steve said helpfully through the door. She shut her eyes again, shaking her head. Awesome. she thought, as she turned the shower on and continued the painfully slow process of cleaning up.

By the time she finished in the shower she was weak and shaking. She had lost a lot of blood, and the strain of washing was more than she could handle now. She felt a pang of grief at the thought that back home she would have probably had Jemma to help her with this. She certainly wouldn't have had to struggle through it on her own. It took forever to dress, and she didn't bother with makeup or drying her hair before she left the bathroom.

She would have gladly ignored everyone and gone back to bed if Sam hadn't called out to her when she appeared from the bathroom. "There you are, we were worried we would need to send in a rescue party." He said jokingly, standing up from his seat at the table. She noticed there were fresh bandages out in front of him. Figuring they were for her she made her way over to him at the table. He took in her pale face and slow, shaky steps and started to meet her halfway, as though to help her to the table. "You ok, hunny?" He asked with a frown, looking worried that she would collapse or something.

Daisy gave him a tight-lipped nod and tried to pick up the pace so that he wouldn't try and help her. She half collapsed into the chair he had left empty. Rude, maybe, but it was the only one already pulled out and with a clear shot to it. He didn't comment on it though, reaching past her to pick up the bandages and a bottle of what she assumed was medicine. He waved them at her with a small smile. "We need to patch that up again." She nodded, she knew, and was silently grateful for the help. If he hadn't offered she wouldn't have bothered. She could only imagine what Jemma would say if she knew Daisy wasn't taking care of an open wound. She slowly, slowly lifted the loose T-shirt (that had taken forever to get on in the first place) off so that she was just sitting there in a tank top again.

Sam moved behind her as Steve sat down in a chair facing her. He picked up the brace and roll of bandage they had used on her arms before. Giving her a small, shy smile, he held his hands out, silently asking for her broken left arm. She extended it out to him and he took it in gentle hands. "How are you doing?" Steve asked her, and he opened the brace and began to fit it to her arm.

"Awesome," Daisy said, trying not to flinch at the manipulation of her arm, or the gentle prodding from Sam behind her. "how's your whiplash?" Steve didn't respond for a moment, clearly confused as to what she meant. Then he flushed when he remembered how quickly he had looked away from her earlier, and why.

For the first time in a long time Daisy felt a real smile creep across her face. Teasing this man was easy and took her mind off the pain for a moment. He gave an awkward smile and shook his head, clearly at a loss as to what to say to that.

Instead he changed the subject. "You never did answer my question yesterday about how this happened." He said, running his fingers lightly over the dark bruises streaking down her arm. The light touch gave her goosebumps. Sam apparently noticed judging by the light chuckle she heard behind her. "Who did this to you?" Steve asked, pressing the issue. "Anyone we need to be worried about coming here?"

Ah, that was why he was asking. Daisy realized. That's why he was pushing the issue. He was worried she would compromise their safe house.

"I did." She answered quietly. He raised his eyes to her in surprise. Apparently finished, Sam came around to stand behind Steve so that he was facing her too, crossing his arms to listen. She rushed to explain before they got the wrong idea. "When I use my powers, it doesn't just affect whatever I'm using them on. The force goes through me too, and if I use too much or am not wearing protection then it…hurts me." She kept her eyes focused on Steve's hands wrapping her arm.

"That's what the gauntlets are for?" Sam asked her.

She nodded. "My friends made them. They're scientists" she clarified quickly, before it sounded too amateur. "But the gauntlets aren't perfect. No matter what I will eventually get hurt and if I don't take the time to heal…" she trailed off, realizing she was almost about to quote one of the numerous lectures Jemma had given her on the topic.

"So, you need better equipment…" Steve began before he trailed off. Finished wrapping her broken arm, he had taken hold of the other. He seemed to be thinking about something though and hadn't started wrapping it yet, just held her wrist gently in one of his big hands, the wrap in his other. Daisy began to feel uncomfortable at the contact and tried to tug her wrist out of his grasp. His hands tightened though, not letting her go.

"It would be a good reason to get back in contact with him." Natasha spoke up from behind Daisy. RIGHT behind Daisy, causing her to jump in surprise. This wrenched her arm painfully as Steve still held it tightly.

"Sorry!" He said, quickly releasing her. Fortunately, it hadn't been the broken arm. Still, that was twice today, and Daisy was starting to hate Natasha a little bit.

Steve nodded absently, then apparently came to a decision about something. He looked at Daisy and smiled. "I think we know someone who can help you."