Natasha was the first to notice it, of course, since she was practically on the bed with him, when Clint's fingers twitched.

She covered them with her hand, and held them reassuringly.

With the other hand, she pushed the call button to summon the doctor.

Clint's body jerked, almost like when he was shocked, and Tony shuddered a little at the memory. But this time it wasn't a surge of electricity going through his body, but perhaps a surge of adrenaline from waking up in an unfamiliar environment, feeling like crap and something in his throat. Tony's throat tightened in sympathy. He'd been there, more than once.

Natasha leaned over him more, so when Clint opened his eyes he could see her. "Hush ребенок ястреб," she whispered to him. His heartbeat slowed slightly at that, and he relaxed minutely. "There you go," she soothed, patting his hair down. "Just lay back for a second. The doctor is coming to take care of you."

The aforementioned doctor came through the door at that moment.

"Hello Agent Barton," she said, smiling at him.

Clint only glared.

Nurses followed behind the doctor, and everyone but Natasha was shooed out, as Clint's grip on her wrist was not something anyone was going to fight.

Curtains were yanked around the bed, essentially shutting out the rest of the Avengers.

"Rude," Tony muttered, perhaps a little put out that Steve had pulled him out of the room, ignoring his protests that he could control the wheely chair on his own.

The nurse from before came out of the woodwork to attack Tony's head.

"Would you just piss off, please," Tony snapped, waving his arms around to place them between him and the nurse.

The man frowned at him, but left.

"Tony," Steve said behind him, definitely with a hint of disappointment.

Tony spun around to face Steve's sad face. "I'm fine Steve. I'm oriented times three, there is only one of you, and I still know my prime numbers. In general, brain intact."

Steve looked like he was going to protest, but finally relented. "Alright," he sighed.

Tony really didn't think that would work, but he wasn't going to look a gift Steve in the mouth.

"Good move Cap," Tony agreed.

The doctor emerged from the curtain, and the hoard of nurses, spare one, followed her.

The curtains were pushed aside enough for Tony to see Clint, who was very much awake, and looking less than pleased with everything.

Tony rolled himself back into the room. "Good to see you're not dead bird brain."

Clint rolled his eyes, and opened his mouth to chirp him back (aha, Tony was so clever, chirp), but his throat protested at that.

"Ungh," he said.

"Eloquent," Tony said, grinning.

Clint glared at him, but cheered up when Natasha pulled out a cup of ice chips, which she surely must have procured through magic, since she hadn't left the room.

Clint happily accepted the ice chips Natasha spooned into his mouth. The sigh that came out of his mouth was practically obscene, and it was almost justified that he winced immediately.

"What creature sat on my chest?" he croaked. "Did Thor use Mjolnir? Did Hulk do CPR? Why does it hurt so much," he moaned.

Steve looked horrified. "Oh my god, Clint, I'm so sorry-"

"Shut up," Natasha ordered. "He's complaining for the sake of complaining. It has nothing to do with you."

Steve didn't seem mollified by that, but shut his mouth.

"CPR hurts," Natasha told him, holding out another spoonful of ice chips. "But you know what hurts more? Being dead."

"That doesn't even make sense," Clint grumbled.

"It does, because if you died, I would kill you myself, in the most painful way imaginable. I'm thinking spoons and shoelaces."

Clint's eyes widened, and he wordlessly accepted the next spoonful of ice chips.

"Thanks for breaking my ribs Steve," Clint muttered.

Natasha swatted him gently. "They're not broken."

Steve smiled. "You're welcome."

"Thanks for shocking me Tony. Thanks for catching me Tony. Thanks for the armour upgrade so my heart wasn't completely pummelled," Tony mocked.

"Did... did you hear something?" Bruce muttered, emerging from his blanket cocoon in the corner. Somehow he'd been missed in the grand shooing, and had been in the room the whole time.

Thor considered it, grinning widely. "Nay."

"I hate you all," Tony announced, getting to his feet so he could stalk off angrily. Wheely chairs were a lot of things, but dignified for escapes, they were not.

"We love you too Tony," Clint smirked.

Tony realized he may have made a grave error when the room began to spin.

"Oh," he whispered, right before passing out (not fainting) into Steve's general direction (certainly not into his arms, he wasn't a damsel in distress).

He woke up in the bed next to Clint, which must have been added just for him (embarrassing) to Steve staring him down.

"Not a word," Tony hissed.

Next to him, Clint began laughing, and it was almost worth it, because of the moan of pain that followed.

"I saved your life," Tony pouted.

"You're an idiot," Steve sighed.

Natasha nodded.

"I hate you all," Tony sighed, but laid back into the pillows.

Tony was discharged the next day, mostly anyway, he certainly left the next day, and the doctors were only mildly angry about that. Clint had to stay for another night, against his vehement protests, which was cute, really. Natasha pointed out that his heart had stopped, and then gave him the look that threatened bodily harm if he attempted to leave, and Clint shut up after that.

Also, Steve brought him real food, which was surprisingly thoughtful.

Plus it had the added advantage of shutting Clint up, because he couldn't really talk and eat at the same time, or at least not if he valued the continued use of his tongue.