A/N Sorry this took a while, but I'm all moved out and back from my vacation so I'll try and get these up before I go back home for a few weeks and things get all hectic again =P

So Grounded

Adam was lounging on the sofa in the front room channel surfing, of course he'd rather be actually surfing however he found himself grounded. It was (officially) the first week of the winter break that Adam had been celebrating for a week prior, it is safe to say that Pepper when she found out had not been impressed. Adam was now confined to the house and banned from the pool and workshop.

"I'm pretty sure your mom also said no TV" Tony said, causing Adam to fall off the sofa in shock. He turned around to see Tony chuckling.

"Don't tell?"

"How long are you banned from the workshop from?" Tony asked

"I got another week yet." Adam huffed

"Well I know for a fact, that exactly…" Tony checked his watch "…15 minutes ago, your mother left for New York, there was a last minute board meeting called and she needs to be there." Adam smiled "Temporary work release?" Tony suggested and he could swear he never saw Adam move that fast as he flew towards the workshop stairs.

They'd been working for about 10 minutes when JARVIS announced that Pepper was calling.

"Answer the call JARVIS but let's just keep it to voice no video." Tony instructed

"ADAM POTTS GET OUT OF THE WORKSHOP!" Pepper's shrill voice yelled out.

Adam and Tony looked at each other, the look conveying the question 'how did she know?'

"He's not down here Pepper!"

"Don't lie to me Anthony Stark! JARVIS called me and told me he'd violated the terms of his punishment!" Tony was about to answer when she continued "And don't think I don't know it was your idea!"

"How did you get him to do that?" Tony asked

"That is not the issue at hand here Tony! Has he gone upstairs yet?"

"Leaving now mom!" Adam called as he hurried up the stairs.

"Pepper…"

"Don't Tony. I was trying to teach him a lesson, I can't have you undermining the parenting decisions I make."

"I'm just trying to help"

"Well then act like a parent instead of his best friend!"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, if he's done something wrong tell him, or if he's trouble don't let him do something he'll enjoy him. Act like a grown up Tony!" She sighed "We'll discuss it later it Tony."

"Ok. I love you, see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah tomorrow Tony." She was about to hang up "I love you too." She added quickly and cut the connection between the two.

"Did you and mom fight?" Adam asked when Tony emerged from the workshop a short time later.

"No, but no more workshop or TV." Tony said firmly.

"Sir there is an incoming message from Director Fury." JARVIS announced, Tony huffed and instructed the AI to connect the call.

"Cap'n Fury, how be yee? Ya one eyed scurvy sea dog?" Adam snorted

"You're so funny Stark…"

"I do try."

"…This is not the time for humour. We've got a situation in Russia that requires immediate…"

"Is there anyone else who can handle it? There's no one to supervise Adam."

"Babysitting aside Mr Stark, I'm sure that fancy house of yours can make sure the kid doesn't kill himself. Or you could call someone…"

"I'll have the hot chick that babysat Tony!" Adam called out

"Can you get Natashalie or whatever it is she goes by these days over?"

"Don't test me Stark! Are you going to suit up?"

"Yes dear."

"Fine. I expect you in Russian air space in the next few hours" Fury cut the call off and Tony left to get suited up. When Adam heard the familiar sound of his suit blasting off he grinned and began to formulate a plan.

"JARVIS! You there?"

"For you Mr Potts? Of course."

"What are the limitations of what I can or cannot do given my current 'grounded' status?"

"Ms Potts has told me to contact her if you; leave, enter the work area, watch the television, use the pool facilities or try and access your Facebook account or use your cell phone."

"Are there anything else that would require you to call my mother?"

"Apart from certain situations relating to Mr Stark I would be required to call your mother if you became seriously ill or wounded."

"Thank you JARVIS." He thought for a moment "Would you bring up my twitter account please?"

"Yes Mr Potts."

Adam looked at the twitter screen projected on the wall and began to use the coffee table keyboard in front of him to type.

'PARTY AT MY PLACE! 2 HOURS! BE AT STARK MANSION OR BE SQUARE!"

Adam felt proud of himself. "JARVIS order 5 pizzas and charge them to the house and let's get tunes started!"

"Sir I think throwing a party is against your mother's wishes." JARVIS tried in vane

"She didn't specifically forbid it, so don't call her. That's an order JARVIS!"

Three hours later and it appeared a large portion of the Malibu High School student body was there and the party was going strong. Outside people were trying to leap from a balcony in to Tony's pool. The liquor cabinet had been raided, one girl was throwing up in the water feature and Adam was currently lip locked with a girl (a drunken high school senior) on the couch having his first kiss/make-out.

"What the hell is going on here?" A voice called out causing Adam to shoot up from the couch, James Rhodes was stood in the room. "Cut the music JARVIS." The music stopped instantly and the crowd booed. "EVERYONE OUT NOW!" He yelled and the room cleared quickly.

"Uh, hey Colonel Rhodes!" Adam said.

"Don't hey Colonel Rhodes me, kid." Rhodey said sternly. "Your mom called, said you were home alone, and although alone may not be the right words."

"I'm sorry I just thought it'd be some friends…"

"Just get it cleaned up before Tony and more importantly your mother get back."

Whilst Adam cleaned he dialled Pepper on his cell phone.

"Hey Pepper."

"Hi Jim, are you at the house yet?"

"Yeah just got here, listen…"

"Oh my god what happened?"

"Nothing Pepper, it's just when I got here Adam had some people over."

"There's something else isn't there!"

"It was kind of a party…"

"How can it be kind of a party?"

"Well it wasn't Tony bad but it wasn't pretty."

"I am going to kill him."

"Do it in the morning, he's cleaning up right now."

Rhodey ended the conversation and helped Adam clean stuff up, getting JARVIS to keep a record of exactly what was broken. Adam went to bed about midnight and Tony arrived home about 3am.

"Hey platypus what are you doing here?" Tony asked causing his friend to wake up with a jump

"Don't call me that." He yawned "Pepper, called apparently she didn't think it was a good idea for her child to be hanging out home alone."

"I'm sure he was fine."

"If you call having a massive party fine. They've emptied your liquor cabinet of that scotch you like and the rum…"

"Why is the rum gone?" Tony asked doing his best Captain Jack Sparrow impression.

"Tony…"

"Sorry, I'll um…talk to him."

"I'm going home." Rhodey sat up and started to slip his shoes back on.

"It's late Rhodes, just go crash in a guest room."

"Thanks man." Rhodey turned towards the stairs.

Adam came downstairs about 11am and saw Tony sat at the counter. "Morning Tony."

"Is it still morning?" Tony joked "Oh you're um…grounded for another week."

"What the hell dude?"

"The party last night."

"Yeah cus you can talk about partying."

"Yeah well I'm an adult you and your friends, if the people who showed up were your friends."

"Whatever dude."

"No, not whatever! This is my house there's…rules."

"You're not my father! You can't do this!"

"Yes he can." Pepper had returned home unbeknownst to either of them and had watched the whole exchange

"MOM!"

"No Adam, you can't throw a huge party and expect to get away with it. You'll be paying for the damage yourself out of your allowance."

Adam stormed off back upstairs and Tony's gaze followed him looking concerned. Pepper walked over to him placed a light kiss on his lips.

"Well I knew that would happen eventually." Pepper said. "You did good Tony."

"I just feel bad, he's right, I'm not his dad."

"No but you're a better father than his real one. Don't be scared to punish him Tony, you're a part of this family."

"I don't want to be the douche-y step-dad though."

"Not possible." She kissed him again. "You're allowed to be the grown-up sometimes."

Tony wrapped his arms around her. "I'm a grown up? When did that happen and how do I make it stop?"

TBC…

Not too long, just something to keep you all going. Another (longer) update in a few days I promise.