Peter loved staying in the tower, he was able to work in SI labs outside his usual internship hours and Tony invited him into his personal labs often, admittedly he wasn't allowed into Tony's labs alone nor was he allowed to work without approval in the SI ones. He was sick of the restrictions though. He wasn't even allowed to make his web fluid without Tony being in the room. He obviously wasn't allowed to make it in the SI labs because of the whole secret identity thing but he had no idea why Tony wouldn't let him into his private lab to make some!

Peter sighed loudly and threw his head back against the couch. He had come in from school and completed his homework but he still hadn't seen hide nor hair of Tony. Why did he even let me stay if he wasn't going to be around? He thought to himself angrily. The man had been acting strangely the past four or five days, he always made sure to be at the table for dinner, Pepper insisted all three of them were to be present while Peter was staying but he disappeared straight after. It was odd, Peter hadn't wanted to pry, maybe Tony was just sick of him? Maybe looking after Peter fulltime was too much?

Sure Tony made sure to be in the kitchen coffee in hand each morning, he insisted on driving Peter to school but he hadn't been in the penthouse when he got home. He had asked yesterday over dinner if he could use Tony's lab to make his webs but the man said he would have to wait a few days, he was too busy and wouldn't be able to supervise until the weekend. He had been making webs for over a year and a half now, why did he suddenly need supervision? He never had supervision when he had been making them in the chemistry lab at school, but suddenly he wasn't trusted. What was Tony's problem?

Suddenly it came to him, he had been making the webs for ages, he could practically do it in his sleep these days. Mind pretty much made up he quickly glanced at his watch. It was only four and dinner wasn't until half past seven…plenty of time.

"F.R.I.D.A.Y. when will Tony and Pepper be home?"

"Miss Potts' final meeting ends at seven o'clock, estimated time of arrival seven fifteen. Boss has no estimated time of arrival. Would you like me to enquire when he will return?"

"No! No! It's fine Fri thank you."

Tony hadn't come in until seven twenty five all week, so he was definitely fine, no one need ever know. Mind made up he made his way to Tony's lab.

"Fri? Do you have to tell Tony if I enter the lab alone?"

"…no…I do not. But I recommend you do not enter the lab alone"

Grinning Peter ignored the AI and entered the lab pressing his finger against the pad to open the door. He knew better than to touch anything, Tony was far too observant he would know if anything moved, but Peter had his own workbench so we was fairly sure Tony wouldn't notice if anything on it moved slightly. He quickly set to work collecting the chemicals he needed for his web fluid. He hummed to himself as he worked, settling into the familiar movements oblivious to the world around him. He ended up making much more than he intended, but that was fine surely? He didn't know when he would next be able to come in here either with or without Tony for that matter. He had asked Friday to alert him at quarter to seven so he had time to clean up and sit in front of the TV so he had no worries about being caught.

ʘ-ʘ-ʘ-ʘ-ʘ-ʘ

Pete was going to be thrilled, Tony knew it. The boy had spoken for a full half an hour about 'Dr Banner' just two weeks ago, and now Tony had Bruce with him. He couldn't wait to see Peter's face. He'd spent the last five days trying to get everything ready for Bruce's arrival, more Natasha's arrival to be honest but still. He had been busy.

He had to ensure she was not going to be arrested on sight. He had been shocked when Bruce had got in contact with him earlier that week asking if himself and Natasha would be welcome. They had been with Thor and the Asgardians in Norway for the last several months but were eager to come home. Tony was thrilled. He hadn't realised how much he missed Bruce. Probably because Peter did such a great job filling the void, the kid was a great help in the lab but he was glad his friend, his science bro was back…they could be like a science squad now with Pete there.

He knew Nat had been slightly wary about coming home, which was why it had taken so long to get everything sorted. Both of them wanted physical proof, documents and the like to show she would not be sent to the raft. Sure she let Cap get away at the airport but it was just to stop anyone doing something they would regret. Sure tensions had been running high in Berlin but no one was aiming to kill, Siberia was another story entirely though.

Bruce looked over at his friend and smiled. It was good to be back, good to be home. Natasha and himself had spoken at length once they had reunited and had been happily together for a couple of months now. They were taking it slow but things were going well, he was happy. He could see Tony was as well. He was surprised to be honest, Tony didn't have a great track record when it came to looking after himself. He had been gobsmacked the first time the man had hung up on him so he could go and eat his dinner.

Nat felt her whole body relax as soon as she stepped into the elevator heading up to the penthouse. The top several floors of the tower always had that effect on her, it was one of the only places she could let her guard down. She had been worried it would feel different being back after so long but it felt like she never left. Tony was welcoming despite her actions against him and more importantly she had Bruce. She had been relieved when she quite literally walked into him in Oslo, she had begun to think he maybe wasn't going to come back to earth at all.

She could see Tony bouncing slightly on his heels in her peripheral vision. She couldn't remember seeing him looking so happy before. Pepper had told her it was Spiderman…Peter that had changed him, changed both of them in fact. Nat was eager to meet the kid, she had seen him in Berlin, he had potential…could cut down on the chatter but he definitely had potential. Why he was staying with Tony she didn't yet know, but the man had invited both herself and Bruce for dinner so they could meet him.

The three of them stood in silence as the elevator climbed the tower, each in their own thoughts. About halfway up it stopped and smiles spread onto all their faces as Rhodey walked into the elevator.

"Did my invite get lost in the mail Tones?" he asked with a grin as he pulled both Bruce and Nat into quick hugs.

"It's Friday, you always come for dinner on Friday why would I invite you when you would be here anyway?"

Letting out a small chuckle Rhodey nodded unable to argue the point. The last time he couldn't make Friday family dinner and didn't give warning beforehand he had been shouted at by Pepper. Just the memory made him shudder. Needless to say he would always give at least a days' notice if he couldn't make Friday dinner. He enjoyed them, he was able to catch up with his nephew, he still hadn't heard the word dad being used but he knew it would be…some time…no idea when but some time it would be.

A few floors later the elevator came to a stop again and Pepper walked in a stack of files in her hand.

"I thought you weren't finishing until seven Pep?" Tony asked as he pulled his fiancée in for a quick peck on the lips.

"I cancelled, wanted to spend some time with my favourite boys, I can catch up tomorrow anyway."

Several moments of quiet passed as the elevator continued to climb towards the penthouse. Tony still bouncing slightly on his feet, he couldn't wait to see Peter's face when he saw who he had brought with him to dinner. Speaking of Peter…

"Hey Fri? Where is underoos? I have some people he would like to meet."

"He's currently in your lab sir, should I alert him?"

Nat and Bruce saw the change in everyone as those words were said. Pepper immediately reached out placing a hand on her fiancé's shoulder as if to ground him her face falling slightly into a look of disappointment at the same time. Anger crossed Tony's face immediately as he swore under his breath, Pepper's comforting hold seeming to do little to calm him. Rhodey just sighed in exasperation and palmed his face knowing perfectly well what awaited his nephew, and himself he always helped the boy with the washing up when he was in trouble.

The tension in the elevator could be cut with a knife and the silence was finally broken as the elevator stopped at the floor of the lab without the need for a command.

"I'll take them upstairs and order dinner, Thai? Hear him out Tony, he maybe just nipped down for a second." Pepper tried to assure him.

Tony scoffed at her words as he stepped out the elevator. "He's fifteen Pep he knows the rules and he knows the consequences, I don't care if he only put a finger inside he knows the lab is off limits when he's alone. And Thai really? You are rewarding the kid."

Its Peppers turn to scoff at that one. "Which of us let Ned come over when Pete was grounded?"

With no response to that Tony simply walked away, towards his lab, towards his kid…his kid who was in deep trouble.