A/N: I'm trying I'm trying, but it is getting increasingly hard to continue stories and not start one of these many ideas floating in my head. But imma try to update this story more and finish it up so I can start yet another Steve/Nat Post:AOU story. And it doesn't help that I keep getting sick and instead of writing I find myself binge watching How I Met Your Mother or reading other fanfictions. Anyway here's the next installment.
It had been a month since Steve shot himself, and it was still a sore spot for the team. Nat threw herself into training the Avengers and tried as hard as she could to busy herself. Sam and Rhodes followed suit and worked until they couldn't, when they couldn't push themselves physically anymore, they then took refuge at the bar in the New Avengers facility. All of the alcohol seemingly disappeared within a few days and if it wasn't for a gracious Tony Stark's wallet, Sam, Rhodey, and Nat would be broke. Vision was still beginning to understand emotion so he spent his time helping Wanda, unable to grieve himself. But Wanda showed the worst of all of them. Wanda was a wreck. She started losing control of her powers again even after all of her training with Steve, but the soldier was like a second brother to her and it was like she lost Pietro all over again. Clint returned home and mourned with his family and Thor left for Asgard again. Everyone's assumptions were that Jane left with Darcy and were simply hiding in sadness and Tony drowned himself in alcohol and work. Little did the other Avengers know that Tony and Jane, with Darcy and Pepper to keep them alive, were trying to help the very much alive Steve Rogers in his memory loss problem. They tried the entirety of the month to help him regain his memories. Tony tried different machinery to bring it back and Jane put many different chemical compounds and equations together in an attempt to do the same. But it was no use, they taught him the simple stuff; his name was Steven Grant Rogers, he worked in the military for the most part and he was their friend. But after the end of the month and Steve still had immediate recall only, they gave up. Tony finally pulled plan B.
"Hello?" Clint's voice came through the speaker of Jane's Starkphone.
"Hey, Barton…"
"Jane? What's up? We haven't heard from you and Darcy in a while."
"Well, we have been helping Tony with something-"
"Is he okay? He hasn't answered to anyone's calls in a while."
"He's fine but we need a favor." Jane was starting to bite her lip in nervousness, it was now or never.
"Sure, sure."
"Um, do you happen to have a loft or makeshift type bedroom in your barn?" Clint paused.
"Yaa… Why do you ask?"
"We have a friend that needs a place to crash and work but go undetected." Jane locked eyes with Darcy who was helping Tony help Steve with something on a StarkPad.
"May I ask who? After all they would be living with me."
"You might just want to see for yourself, can we some by tonight?"
"Sure." After a few more questions and pleasantries Jane hung up and looked over to Tony and Darcy. She caught Darcy's eye again and Darcy smacked Tony causing him to turn around and look at Jane.
"Did he agree?" Tony questioned hopefully.
"He did."
.~.~.~.~.~.~.
Later that night after the sun set, one of Tony's quinjets landed in the field in front of the Barton Farmhouse. Jane walked to the front door with Tony and Darcy walked a couple yards behind with Steve. Before they could even ring the doorbell the door opened to reveal Clint holding little sleeping Nathaniel in his arms.
"Who is it?"
"Wow Barton, no hello? No 'hey, how ya doin'?"
"Well I want to know who is so important to you, Stark, that you are willing to...oh my god." Clint cut himself off when he caught sight of Steve walking up the pathway to his porch. He started to try to push past Tony to go to his friend but Jane stopped him.
"Barton, we need to talk." Jane forcefully spoke, Clint nodded absentmindedly as he led Tony and Jane into his house. Darcy sat with Steve on the porch steps.
"The rest of the kids are being tucked in, now," Clint sat down at the dining room table(after putting Nate in his crib) with the two, "Why is he here, How is he awake, Why can't I say hi, and how come you didn't tell me when he first woke up?"
"He's been awake for about a month," Jane started softly but Clint cut her off.
"A month?! A whole entire godda-"
"But he can't remember anything." Tony shut him up.
"What? Are you serious?" Tony nodded and Jane responded softly,
"We have tried everything but he has immediate recall only." Clint nodded and matched her tone of voice.
"So what is he doing here?"
"He needs somewhere to stay, to work even, that may trigger memories without getting too many hopes up." Clint nodded.
"I just need to take it up with Laura and let the kids no the context of the situation. But I bet Laura will say yes."
"We understand, thank you so much Agent Barton." Clint nodded before offering them coffee in which they gratefully accepted. After the coffee was brewed and being poured into their cups they began general discussion about Steve's state. They became quiet as Laura came down stairs and looked skeptically at a sheepish looking Clint.
"What's going on?"
"Um, Tony and Jane need us to house someone for a while." Laura crossed her arms over her chest and looked pointedly at Clint.
"Who?"
"Steve." Laura uncrossed her arms and held an expression of shock.
"He's awake? Where is he? The kids have been missing him so much! When did he get out of his coma? How is he? Is he alright-"
"He has amnesia and immediate recall only." Jane interrupted her. "He's been out of his coma for about a month, and we just need a place for him to lay low and maybe regain some memory."
"Okay. That's fine, he can sleep in the second guest bedroom and he can help out around the farm with Clint."
"Thank you so much Mrs. Barton." Jane shook her hand before getting up to go get Darcy and Steve.
"Do you think we can convince the kids to play along?" Laura asked Clint.
"I'm sure we'll figure it out. We always do." Clint responded with a chaste kiss on her lips. Tony leaned back in his chair ready to drop the bomb.
"No one else knows..." Clint turned to him again.
"Wait, Really?"
"We didn't want him to never be him again and make this worse for everyone."
"Well everyone still could've helped! They still can!"
"And do you really want to see the look on Nat's face when she realizes that he's not the same person and doesn't love her anymore? Do you really want to see the look on Wanda's face after she is given hope that Steve, her new brother figure since Pietro's death, may be fine only to see he's practically a different person. I knew you guys could handle this but the rest the team, especially the girls, are so emotionally unstable as it is. Do you really want more heartbreak?" Clint looked to the floor. "I just…" Tony sighed, "...it's hard enough for us to handle, I can't imagine what it would be like for the rest of the team. And come on Barton you're a spy for Thor's sake! Can't you just lie? Or just keep this secret a little bit longer?"
Clint pursed his lips before nodding reluctantly.
"Thank you…" Just then the door opened revealing Jane followed by Darcy and Steve. Laura ran forward and hugged Steve, unable to control herself. He uncomfortably hugged her back with a polite "ma'am". Clint coughed and Laura pulled back with a sheepish smile.
"Welcome Steve." She said in a soft tone. Steve gave a shy smile in return with a nod.
"Thank you ma'am for letting me stay in your home, I don't mean to be any trouble."
"Oh it's no trouble Steve. You used to visit us all of the time, we love having you."
"As I have been told, and I feel rather weird having been here but not remembering it, but thank you none the less."
"Your welcome… I'm probably going to have you be doing some work around the farm like feeding the animals and repairing stuff that Clint hadn't gotten to."
"Thank you ma'am." And with some more scheduling for Steve's checkups and pleasantries Jane, Tony and Darcy left Steve to get unpacked and the Barton's to adjust.
How was it? I know it probably doesn't justify 2 months of silence but whatevs. Because of the long time and such I figured I would give feedback on 5 lucky commenters, here we go!
Romanogerreader: Thanks so much for the feedback and the idea of Nat being overprotective is a really great idea I think I'll use it!
CrazyCaz: Memory Loss=A blessing and a curse- And I'm counting on Natasha helping or else there really wouldn't be a point to all of this. It would just be Steve getting over memory loss and angst and not at all romantic.
Kelsocspanatarailka: Aaaaaaaaaahhhh I know right!
MeowMix110: I AM SO SORRY! It was a cliffhanger and I left you hanging! *tries to give you internet hugs* And also thanks for the awesome reviews!
Supesfan18: Tony would totally get beat… he probs will get beat, Nat's not gonna like it at all.
Thanks to all of the other reviewers and reviews! Hope you enjoyed and pray that I update this sooner rather than later(like two months later)!