Author's Note: Again – not a doctor. Just roll with me.

Why Bruce Was First To Officially Find Out

Chapter 10

Pain.

Everything was in pain. His head throbbed and his limbs felt heavy. Through the pounding in his head Cayden could hear faint voices – two he was pretty sure, no three – but he could not make out anything being said. He tried to open his eyes but they too were heavy and uncooperative. Finally he managed to blink them open, blearily focusing on the figure who appeared by his side.

"Doctor Poole," Bruce smiled, turning his eyes to the monitor next to Cayden's bed and jotting a few notes on the tablet in his hand. Cayden closed his eyes briefly, raising his arm tiredly to rub his face.

"Shit… sorry I must have conked out," he muttered, trying to pull himself into a sitting position. Bruce quirked an eyebrow but said no more as he continued to check the other doctors vitals and responses. "How long was I out?"

"Eight days," Bruce chuckled quietly as Cayden's eyes widened. "Your temperature peaked at a hundred and seven point one."

Cayden blinked rapidly.

"Oh," a quiet, tired chuckle escaped his lips as Bruce checked his blood pressure. "So you came up with an anti-virus then?"

"Yeah," Bruce nodded, pausing briefly to finish writing up his notes before returning his full attention to the man lying in the bed. "Steve and a team managed to retrieve some data from the virus's origin that proved useful."

"Great," Cayden smiled, rolling his shoulders as he tilted his head back, eyes closing for a moment before the doctor quickly looked back at Bruce. "What about everyone else?"

Bruce's relaxed demeanour grew sombre.

"We lost both original agents and one of the extraction team," he replied. Cayden nodded slowly, dropping his gaze to glare down at the bedding.

"I should have seen it sooner," he frowned. "I should have…"

"Hey," Bruce stepped up close to the bed. "There was nothing anyone could have done. The guys that did this knew what they were doing – this thing was designed to go undetected for as long as possible."

Cayden tilted his head slightly in acknowledgement although Bruce knew he was still beating himself up internally. Glancing over his shoulder toward the door a smile returned to his lips.

"You are going to stay in at least two nights for observation," a finger was pointed at Cayden as he opened his mouth. "No arguments. Now…" Bruce smirked and started to head for the door. "You actually have a visitor."

Cayden blinked, brows furrowing in confusion. Even if someone had called his parents they would not be allowed into the building so… The doctor tilted his head inquisitively as he heard Bruce inform whoever was waiting outside "he's fine" before stepping back to let the person enter. Again Cayden found his eyes blinking, this time in surprise at the figure that appeared in the doorway.

"Hey," Clint quickly made his way over to the bed and sat on the edge close to Cayden. Natasha remained in the doorway, offering a small wave and a smirk. Cayden returned a quick smile to the female before looking back to Clint. The archer shuffled a little closer. "How you feeling?"

Cayden's mouth opened but nothing came out. Letting out a wry chuckle he shook his head and leant toward Clint although in reality he barely moved.

"Like I've been hit by a freight train," he admitted. Clint returned a half concerned/half understanding smile, reaching out and running a hand over Cayden's arm. Behind the archer Bruce put away the last of his testing equipment.

"I'll be back to check on you in an hour or so," he interrupted quietly. Cayden turned his attention to the other doctor although Clint's focus remained on him. The former Navy SEAL looked between Bruce's amused expression and Clint, surprised to find the archer apparently completely unconcerned by the fact Bruce was still in the room. Bruce's smile widened as he gave Cayden a quick wink. "I'll leave you two to it."

"Thanks Bruce," Clint replied, finally turning to offer his friend a parting smile as all Cayden could do was give a small wave, words escaping him at that moment. Probably for the best. He had realised early on that when Clint did something out with his comfort zone it was actually best not to draw attention to it. With the door safely shut behind Bruce – and Natasha – Cayden turned to Clint.

"Hey," he said quietly. Clint laughed softly.

"Hey," he replied, leaning over and brushing his lips over Cayden's. His lips curled up wryly as he pulled away. "Didn't think it would be me sitting in here praying for you to be ok."

Cayden chuckled, closing his eyes tiredly as he leant his forehead against Clint's.

"Yeah, wouldn't have thought that," he agreed. Clint traced his fingers lightly over Cayden's hand before twining their fingers together.

"You really scared me," Clint admitted softly. Cayden's brow furrowed faintly as he opened his eyes to look back into Clint's.

"I'm sorry Darlin'," the doctor whispered, squeezing Clint's hand back although there was not much strength behind it. Clint smiled meekly.

"And I'm sorry in advance for all the times we know I'm going to scare you."

Cayden returned the smile albeit with a hint of resignation.

"Noted."

A comfortable silence fell over the two, Cayden content to relax as lethargy still lingered through his body and Clint happy to sit with his fingers wrapped round Cayden's hand in such a way that he could feel the pulse of his wrist.

"So how many smitten ladies did you have to dance with at the wedding then?" Clint asked lightly, finally breaking the silence. Cayden chuckled.

"I actually only had to dance with my cousin," he replied. "Couldn't very well say no to the bride could I?" he smiled as Clint too let out a quiet laugh. "Oh – and Mom too obviously," Cayden's eyebrow quirked. "Can't say no to Momma."

"Ha, no…" Clint agreed. "Speaking of – you'd better call her. I was at your apartment while you were still contagious and she was leaving some rather… colourful messages," he smirked as Cayden flinched slightly. "Apparently just 'cause you've been to visit does not mean that you are allowed to ignore her for days on end," the smirk faded into a more apologetic smile. "I did think about answering it but apart from the fact I was scared of giving your Mom a hernia if I answered your house phone I figured I couldn't tell her you were sick when she wouldn't be able to get anywhere near this place and I didn't see the point in worrying her until…"

"Hey…" Cayden interrupted. "It's ok. If she did survive you answering the call you're right – you couldn't have told her anything," the doctor rolled his eyes but gave a nod. "Can you take my cell phone in then? Longer I leave it the more she'll yell."

Clint quirked an eyebrow and delved into his back pocket with his free hand, handing Cayden his own cell phone.

"Just use mine," he tilted his head slightly. "You gonna tell her you got sick?"

Cayden barked out a laugh.

"Hell no! I'll tell her everyone else got sick and I was working," he pursed his lips as he twirled Clint's cell phone in his free hand. "She'll still rip me a new one for overdoing it but it won't be quite so bad as telling her I got sick."

Clint smiled and gave a nod.

"Sounds like a good idea," he agreed as Cayden started dialling. He leant back slightly – although kept his hand around Cayden's – and studied the man next to him.

"Hey Mom," Clint smiled as Cayden's face screwed up. He could hear Mrs Poole's voice coming through the speaker and although he could not make out what she was saying he could tell Cayden was getting an earful from his mother. "Ye… I… Mom!"

Clint chuckled quietly, allowing a full laugh as Cayden stuck out his tongue at him. Again he studied the doctor, thinking back to just how worried he had been the past few days at the thought of not having the other man in his life.

And how that was a much scarier thought than just moving the last box or two of stuff out of the apartment he had not stepped foot in for weeks…

x-x-x

Author's Note: The end! Thank you to all those who have been following this and to those who have reviewed. Next stop (hopefully early in the new year?) the eighth – and final – part in this series, Why Cayden Finally Got To Say I Love You. See you there?