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Steve gazed at Tony for a moment as he waited for the man to say something. What was it? Did he...? No, he wouldn't be remembering something, Steve told himself. Right? He didn't think he was but-

"I'm sorry I don't love you anymore."

Those words hit Steve like a freight train.

I'm sorry I don't love you anymore.

I don't love you anymore.

He suddenly found himself blinking rapidly and trying to force the smile from just a moment ago back onto his face, but he just couldn't. Those words... Hearing Tony say that... It was one thing to know his husband didn't remember him, but to say it in words like that killed Steve. Made him feel like someone had just ripped out his heart and stomped on it, and whether Tony meant to or not, he had honestly hurt his feelings.

"It's..." he finally managed after a moment, trying to keep his voice steady. "It's okay."

No, it wasn't okay, actually. But what the hell was Steve supposed to do? Scream at Tony? Yell in his face? Yeah, none of that would solve the problem.

Clint cleared his throat, attempting to diffuse the awkward feeling in the air. "Well I'm sure you're gonna be back to normal in no time, Tony."

Tony suddenly realized how...wrong that came out. "Wait...I'm sorry. I don't mean it like that. I...I don't really know. I don't know what I'm supposed to tell you."

"Tony..." Natasha began.

"You'll have to bear with me, Steve. I will do everything I-"

"It's okay, Tony." Steve told him, but a hard tone was creeping on the end of his words. He was clearly trying to keep himself together, to not outburst in anger. Tony almost wanted him to yell, because all this touchy feely sad shit was starting to get on his nerves.

"No, it's not!" he challenged.

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath, telling himself just to stay calm. No matter how frustrated he was right now, he was not going to lash out at Tony. It's not like he could really help the situation he was in.

"Yes it is," he finally ground out before standing up, avoiding gazes of the others. "Excuse me, I need some air." With that, he abruptly left the room.

Natasha stared after him for a moment.

"Nat," Clint said quietly.

She nodded, before standing and following after Steve.

Tony didn't stop any of them from leaving. He sat there, fuming, regretting everything that came out of his mouth. But he knew it was necessary. He had to deal with this on his own, like he always did with his problems. Clearly, Tony married to Steve had gotten past that, but unmarried Tony had no problem.

He didn't need anyone's help.

Natasha trailed along behind Steve as he paced to the end of the hallway and back. "I figured he'd act like this."

Steve laughed humorlessly. "Really? Did you? Because I didn't."

"Steve, we have to give him time."

"The more time we give him the more time he has to realize, that he doesn't have to remember everything! Tony in there doesn't want to be a part of the Avengers, much less be with someone to spend his life with, share all his secrets that I know he already told me." Steve was pinching his arm fiercely to not yell.

"It's still Tony. There's no changing that." Natasha said soothingly.

Steve clenched his jaw before speaking to Natasha again, trying to keep his voice low. "It might still be Tony, but it's not the Tony I've been married to. What... what if he decides he doesn't want this, Nat? What if he-" he paused for a moment to take a calming breath, once again trying not to snap, "-what if he... divorces me? Then what? I will have nothing. The Avengers won't be the same. My group of friends won't be the same. My whole damn life won't be the same!" he shook his head and turned away.

He already knew he wouldn't be able to handle that.

Clint winced inwardly as Steve and Natasha's voices carried out into the room. Because he could not simply stand there and listen, he shut the hospital room door shut. Well. This was a bit awkward now. "So, uh, you okay?"

The glare he got from Tony told him that, no, it was not okay. For a minute, neither of them said anything, and Clint could tell Tony wasn't taking the silence well.

"So, you're my best friend these days, huh?" Tony's voice had less scorn. At least he was making an effort on remembering someone.

"More or less."

"You seem like a decent guy. A bit hardened. Lemme guess, archer army dude?"

Clint looked at him in surprise. "I knew you were good at reading people, but not that good."

"Obviously I had more plans to amaze you in the future. It's not that hard to guess. Your arms are well formed and muscled, your eye catches everything, and you just...seem the type. Where'd you serve?"

"I'm an agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. You're a bit off."

Tony nodded. "S.H.I.E.L.D...If I remember correct, Fury's a bastard."

"And your opinion hasn't changed since you began working for him." Clint laughed heartily.

"Work? As in, taking missions? I thought I was only a consultant."

"He did that at first to keep your nose out of his business before the time was right."

"And so? What happened then?"

"The Avengers happened," Clint said easily as he took a seat in one of the hospital chairs. "Threw together a bunch of badass superheroes and bam, we're saving the day," he gave a small shrug at that. "It's pretty cool."

"And I willingly work for Fury?"

Clint couldn't help but chuckle at the comment. "Yes, you do."

Tony recalled peeking out an "Avengers Initiative" folder when he'd signed the consultant papers. Fury was more manipulative than he thought. After the mess with his palladium poisoning, Director Nickolas Fury had come by his ruined mansion

"We're part of the superhero squad, huh?"

"Yup. 6 of us total. Usually we're put together in world crisis, hence our first mission." Clint explained. He was glad that he could talking something useful and not make everything so...weird.

"...Who's on our team, then? Me, you, Natasha..." Tony shuffled though his mind to think of the other 4 who he could be working with.

"There's Bruce. He's a wannabe scientist, but he's also the Hulk. You know, big green guy? Don't call him that though. We call him the other guy."

"I've heard of him."

"There's Thor, he's a god...oh, and Captain America."

That took Tony by surprise. "Captain...America. Like, 1940's hero Captain America?"

Clint realized he should have maybe kept his big mouth shut. He wasn't sure if either Tony or Steve was ready for this information to be revealed. Clint sort of just shrugged, not knowing what to say now. He definitely didn't want to make things awkward by saying something he shouldn't. In any other situation he wouldn't care, but this situation was different from usual.

"Well," he finally said and took a swig of his coffee, "you gonna look at any of those pictures from home?"

Out in the hallway, Steve pressed the palms of his hands to his eyes. "God, it's only been a day and I feel this stressed out. What am I going to do?" he looked to Natasha then, seeming helpless. "I cannot handle this. Villains I can handle; regular stress I can handle, but not... this."

"I know, Steve, it's hard for all of us. Bruce is holed up at his hotel and refuses to see anyone, Clint feels awful and God knows he can't handle the awkwardness-"

"You're lucky. He remembers you."

"We definitely didn't get off to a good start." Natasha said lightly, trying to loosen him up a little.

"Doesn't matter."

"But Steve-"

"No, I'm serious. He remembers you, Nat, and that's... it's not fair!"

"Its not fair," Natasha repeated. "Well, of course it's not fair! Did you suppose that since you went through a couple of...speed bumps along the road in the beginning, it's all going to be apple pie and laughs after that?"

"No, I-

"Your husband needs you to get yourself together and try everything to help him, Steve."

"He doesn't want my help. He's made that clear." Steve said coldly. "Did you not hear?"

"I heard fine. I heard a man who doesn't know what's happening around his life anymore. Who's scared out of his wits and sick of us trying to baby him with pity." Natasha's boiled annoyance was coming to a snap. "How do you deal with Tony when he's being stubborn, Steve? On any other day?"

"I'd...give him a good reason."

"Then give him one now."