"Doctor Banner is only here to track the cube. And there's a lot more to this situation than you know yet. Time to read you in." Phil takes a seat at the table and Clint slides in next to him, all the levity of the Tony Stark show put aside.

"Right, the time loop," Bruce says, and everyone around the table turns to look at him, except Natasha, who is looking at Clint.

"A time loop?" Tony asks incredulously as he sits down next to Banner. "Seriously?!"

"Yes, a time loop." Phil says firmly, and Tony's eyebrows migrate toward his hairline.

"Who?" he asks, "You?" He looks toward Bruce, who shakes his head vehemently.

"No, me," Clint says, Phil's hand on his thigh under the table giving him courage.

"And what's so special about you?" Tony asks bluntly. Clint can see Rogers' frown of disapproval at the apparent rudeness and reminds himself to have another talk with Steve. To most people, Tony's question would sound demeaning, dismissive. Before he'd had a chance to get to know Tony, Clint would have taken offense. Now he knows that Tony's question is just that - a question. It's not intended to be judgemental.

"In the previous go around," Clint answers before Steve can utter the rebuke he clearly intends, "I was in Webster's position."

"Oh," Tony says, eyes flicking down and then back up, a flash of pity on his face gone in an instant. "That sucks." In the silence that follows, Steve raises his hand adorably.

"Um . . . what exactly is a 'time loop'?" Phil opens his mouth to answer, but Tony beats him to it.

"It's a plot device," Tony says scathingly. "As in fiction, not real life."

"Most people would say the same about aliens," Bruce points out, and Tony concedes the point reluctantly. Phil clears his throat for attention before answering Steve's question.

"A time loop is when time loops back on itself, repeating an event or series of events over and over until a particular set of circumstances occur, at which point time flows normally again. At Tony said, it is usually used as a plot device in fiction, in which the loop centers itself around a person or group of people who are the only ones who retain the memories of each previous loop, and are thus in a position to effect the 'correct' circumstances, whatever they may be, to break the loop." Steve's eyes grow wide. He turns to Clint.

"So you've lived through all of this before?" He asks, appalled. Clint looks down in remembered shame.

"Yeah. And the first time around, I was one of the people Loki took as a slave. It was . . .," Clint trails off, looking back up at Steve before running a nervous hand through his hair, tugging on the ends. "It was goddamn awful, actually," he says finally with a self-deprecating laugh.

Everyone is staring at him with various expressions of sympathy and horror, with the exceptions of Natasha and Phil. The former is blank-faced as always, but her eyes convey empathy and understanding to those good enough to read her - namely Clint and Phil. Phil, on the other hand, leans closer to Clint, his hand finding Clint's under the table and wrapping around it, eyes glaring at the others who are staring too long for Clint's comfort. Tony's gaze turns from disturbed to speculative in an instant and moments later Clint can practically see the lightbulb flash over his head.

"Holy fuck, you're the cellist!" Tony exclaims loudly, which earns him an immediate glare and a remonstration of "Language!" from Steve. Clint can't help it - he leans back in his chair and laughs until there are tears streaming down his face. He makes the mistake of glancing over at his husband and Phil's chagrinned expression sets him off yet again. It's probably a good minute or two before he gets himself under control.

"Not a cellist, Stark," he finally gasps between fading chuckles, "but I do have a bow!" Tony rolls his eyes at the cheesy pun.

"Whose idea was that?" he asks, and Clint points at Phil, whose ear tips have gone pink. "So you two -"

"Are married, yes. That a problem, Stark?" Phil asks, eyebrow raised. Tony grins manically.

"Nope, no problem with me," he says, eyes sparkling as he tips his chair back, clasping his hands behind his head. "How 'bout you, Captain?" Tony asks challengingly. "You ok with the Big Gay Love?" Steve frowns at Tony reprovingly.

"I think love is too precious to disdain simply because of the form it takes."

"Well that's ok then," Tony says. "In fact, I have to congratulate you, Agent. He's hot. I like him."

Clint bats his eyelashes and coos "I like you too, Tony." Phil just rolls his eyes.

"Now that Clint's and my relationship status is confirmed, can we get back on topic?" he asks caustically.

"Of course," Tony replies magnanimously. "So, time loop? Seriously? You believe that? How do you know he's not just crazy?" Phil sighs.

"Yes, Stark. I believe it. Fury believes it. Hill believes it, grudgingly. So far we've been letting things proceed much as they did last time, and they have. Now that you're all here, however, we have some decisions to make."

"Like what?" Steve asks.

"Like whether or not we should let Loki escape when Webster comes for him in oh . . ." Clint looks down at his watch, "forty minutes or so now.