Stars. So many stars. In the cold darkness, all that existed were stars. He had heard that people looked to stars when they were lost. Travelers gazing towards the skies to help find their way, to make the world seem friendlier. Was he lost? Where was he?

"Luke…"

And yet somewhere…

"Can you hear me?"

Someone was calling out for him

"Wake up…"

Calling his name.

"Luke?"

He opened his eyes, and the darkness gave way to the light. A white background that nearly blinded him.

"Luke…do you know where you are?"

The world was slowly coming into focus. He was…in a hospital. He tried to sit up, but his body couldn't move. He was running, running against the street to his apartment.

"Luke, can you hear me?"

His heart was racing, but he couldn't stop. He rushed head first into a burning building to…to…

"Leon!"

He sat straight up against his bed, almost smacking the doctor with his forehead.

"Woah woah. Hold on." The doctor placed his hands on Luke's chest. "You need to calm down."

Luke looked all around him. Where was Leon? Was he alright? "Where's my cat?" He heard himself say. "I-I"

Gentle hands slowly pushed Luke back down to his bed. "Your kitten's fine. We have him safe and sound. Please, just relax." The doctor removed the blanket from Luke's legs in order to get a better look at his burns. "You have first degree and second degree burns all over you." He shook his head. "What were you thinking?"

Luke closed his eyes, and breathed a little easier. Leon was okay. Leon was okay. Leon was okay.

"Luke." Out of nowhere Matt barged into the room…he looked like he had just gotten into a wrestling match with a truck.

"Matt?"

Without thinking Matt rushed over to his side. "Dude, I came as soon as I could. What the hell were you thinking?" Matt looked like he wanted to throw his fist through Luke's face. "You should have just let the firefighters handle it." Matt's breathing was erratic; Luke was terrified the guy would fall over. "They would have gotten to Leon in time!"

But Luke didn't want to take that chance.

"Where are you hurt? Let me see? How could this have happened? The guys at the bakery are goin' nuts. I-"
"Matt, Matt, it's alright. I'm alright, and everything's alright." Luke forced a smile. "See, me alive? You don't have to worry."

Matt shook his head. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

Luke turned to the doctor. "Can I see my cat please?"

He smiled and said "Wait here."

This hospital was different than the last one he was in. The sheets weren't as clean, and the nurses only stared without even giving him any kind of hello. When he tried to ask Matt about it, the only thing he could get was.

"They're probably just on edge. After all this hospital is the closest one to Avengers Tower. Those low lives." Matt was still upset about the last meeting. "I fuckin' swear, if that Captain Douchebag ever shows his face again I'll"

"Uh…hello?" And just like that Steve Rogers had wandered into the room. "Luke…right?" He asked. Steve's jacket hung from his shoulders, and his pants were faded from overuse. "You came to the tower the other day."

Luke smiled. "Yeah. Sorry I didn't get a chance to talk with you Captain. I left in su-"

"What the hell do you want?" Matt asked without even so much as a pretense.

Steve stepped back, surprised by the sudden interruption…but no matter. "I caught wind of the fire that happened, it was all over the news. I had no idea the place was yours. Are you alright?" Steve smiled and moved closer.

"Dude, keep back." Matt stood up and moved in between Steve and Luke's bed. "And keep your star spangled hands where I can see them."

"Matt. Relax. This is Captain America." Luke clutched his stomach as he tried to rise. "He's the sentinel of liberty. If you can't trust Captain America, than who can you trust?" Luke smiled and fiddled with the bandages around his arms.

Shit…Matt hated when Luke did that. This guy walked into the bakery and tried to abduct Luke in front of all of their customers, and this moron just wants to let it go? Bull crap.

"Anyway Luke, seeing as you don't have a place to stay-"

"He's staying with me." Matt said before Steve could even finish his thought.

Luke looked towards his friend surprised. "Matt, I coul-"

"Shut up Luke." Matt said without taking his eyes off of the Captain. "Hey, Captain shouldn't you be in jail or something?" Matt shrugged his shoulders "I guess attempted kidnapping and public disorder isn't a crime when you're drugged up on Super Soldier Serum, huh?"

Steve winced at that. "Uh look son; you've got it all wrong. I-I just want to help Luke here."

"You can help by leaving. That'd be a great help."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Matt, it's alr-"

"Shut up Luke." Matt didn't move at all. "Leave. Now."

Steve raised his hands in surrenderance. "Alright. But think about it alright?" He smiled. "It's really now trouble." And he left as easily as he came.

Matt rolled his eyes and sighed. "I really hate that guy."

"Matt, you didn't have to be so rude to him. He was just trying to help."

"Yeah, just like he was trying to help when he grabbed you by your shirt. That was a great help." Matt's body began to shake. "Luke, you gotta be more careful around the Avengers. If not for me, then at least for Le-"

"Leon!" Luke almost screamed as the doctor returned with a small animal.

"Here he is, safe and sound" the doctor said as he placed the kitten in Luke's lap. "Honestly, he looks a lot better than you do."

Leon crawled into Luke's lap and rubbed his face against Luke's bandages.

"You're alright."

Luke felt his cat's fur against his hands and his burns. Stars made the cold sky look friendly. Stars light up the darkness when the moon was overshadowed. Stars helped people find their way…wasn't that right? He closed his eyes…

"I'm so glad you're safe"

…and all he saw were stars.