Peter had been back to his normal age for two weeks and Tony still couldn't help the grin that spread across his face every time the boy called him dad. He had been worried Pete would be embarrassed about how he acted as a toddler and pull away from himself and Pep but it seemed the opposite had happened. The boy had no issue with them running their hands through his hair or pulling him close when they sat watching a film, he also never pulled away when Pepper kissed his head before school every morning. But still he was worried. He knew Peter was still having nightmares but he refused to speak about them, May was due home in a few days and he wanted to address the issue before Peter returned to living in Queens half the week.

Tony decided the best way to get Peter to talk about it was to simply force the issue, the first few times F.R.I.D.A.Y. woke him up to tell him Peter was in distress he had left the boy hoping he would come to them but it didn't happen. After that he went to Peter's room and held him close until he stopped crying but the boy still refused to talk and the nightmares continued. Tony knew he rarely fell back to sleep after a nightmare and it was clear to see, the bags under Pete's eyes had bags. It had been two weeks now though and enough was enough he would not let the boy continue to suffer needlessly. Pepper, May, Rhodey and even Nat had tried to speak to him about his obvious exhaustion but he had just shrugged it off and tried to say he was fine. Peter was not fine.

Also Peter's stubbornness over the nightmares was beginning to have a knock on effect, Tony had received an email from Midtown that morning telling him Peter's grades were falling, this could easily be explained away by the days he missed when he was ill and while he was a toddler but the email also mentioned a poor work ethic and disrespectful behaviour in class. He had also been sassing back to both Tony and Pepper much more than usual in the past few days to the point it was bordering on insolence. Similarly Gregor had reported Peter's internship work wasn't up to his usual standards and Karen had told him Peter was becoming reckless in the suit. So yeah, it was past time he spoke to the kid.

Tony was sitting on the couch waiting for Peter to come home from school, Pepper had rearranged her schedule after hearing about the email from Peter's school and would also be back shortly so they could discuss the issue as a family. Tony had asked May if she wanted to be part of the conversation but she had a shift that evening and believed all three of them sitting Peter down to discuss things would probably just make him defensive rather than open with them.

Peter felt uneasy. Usually when he stepped into the elevator FRIDAY would ask what floor he wanted to go to but today he just received a greeting and the elevator began climbing immediately. His spidey sense was quiet so he knew he wasn't in danger so he racked his brains tying to think of anything he had done in the last few days that could get him in trouble, why else would he have to go to the penthouse immediately? He couldn't think of anything in particular though, sure he was slightly short with his dad the evening before but if Tony was going to mention it he would have brought it up straight away, his Spanish grade had dropped to a C- but there was no way his parents could know about that already, he himself only found out today after all. His mind was still racing when the elevator finally stopped at the penthouse and he couldn't help his nervous swallow when he laid eyes on his mum and dad sitting side by side on the couch, the opposite one clearly left for himself.

"Why don't you take a seat Peter?" Peter knew his dad wasn't asking despite how he may have worded it, he did however notice that he wasn't being sent to the office so maybe he wasn't in trouble.

Tony watched as Peter perched himself on the edge of the couch, the boy was clearly nervous and confused with no idea what was going on. "Peter we need to talk about you sleeping habits." He watched as his son's face closed off completely at his words.

"What about them, I'm sleeping fine."

Pepper responded to the boy's defensive words without missing a beat. "Peter, there's no need to hide, we know you are having nightmares but you need help if you want them to get better. You need to talk about them. We let it go for the last two weeks and that was a mistake on our part. Your lack of sleep is seeping into the rest of your life."

Peter scoffed and looked at them with challenge in their eyes. "No it isn't. I'm fine, my grades are fine, Spiderman's fine."

Tony arched a brow at the boy's blatant lie and help up a hand to stop him. "Peter. Your grades are falling, you internship work is not to its usual standard, Nat says you've been sloppy in training with her, you're receiving more injuries as Spiderman than usual and your behaviour both at home and school is deteriorating. So before you try to lie to us again think about that." He watched as Peter blanched as his problems were practically shoved in his face. Tony softened his voice as he continued. "Pete, asking for help doesn't make you weak, we are all worried about you."

Peter nodded at his dad's words trying to push down the lump in his throat. "I'm sorry about the nightmares."

Pepper sighed and moved across to sit next to her son "Pete…you don't need to apologize for the nightmares, they are not your fault okay, it's normal to have nightmares after a traumatic experience but you have to speak to someone."

Peter nodded once again and thought for a moment. Who should he speak to? Clearly May was out she would worry too much and probably ban him from being Spiderman for life and there was no way he would speak to a therapist about anything.

Pepper could see the indecision on Peter's face and decided in this situation it was probably best she just chose for him. "Pete speak to Tony, I'll go any get us something sorted for dinner okay. You will not be going out as Spiderman again until you have got this off your chest, you are putting yourself in danger going out as exhausted as you are."

Peter sighed at her words but couldn't help the small smile that came to his face as she took the decision from his hands, it was much easier to simply be told what to do sometimes.

Tony waited until Pepper left the room before moving to take her place next to Peter and throw his arm round his shoulder. "So Pete, hit me."

"Dad…I don't really know what to say."

Tony sighed, he supposed just straight up asking was a bit easy. "When you were a toddler Pete you woke up screaming but you managed to get back to sleep, do you know why? You didn't tell us what your dreams were about then but you got back to sleep again every night." He hadn't expected a blush to cover Peter's face at his words. The boy had turned red as a tomato and Tony was bewildered.

Ugh this was so embarrassing. This was exactly why I didn't want to talk, Peter thought to himself frustrated. "You'll laugh." He mumbled almost too quiet for Tony to hear him.

"Peter. I promise I won't laugh at you, I need you to be able to sleep I'm worried, we're all worried, whatever it is I'll do my very best to help you."

"I fell asleep because I was in your bed." Peter blurted out after a moments pause studiously avoiding eye contact.

Tony's heart broke at his boy's words. "Peter there's no need to be embarrassed, you are welcome to come into our room if you have a nightmare, it's fine. We encourage it, I would rather you share our bed than not sleep. And when you're at May's call me okay, you know I don't sleep all that much, I can help you get back to sleep. Hell. I'll fly to Queens if I have to Pete."

Peter nodded still not looking at his dad.

Tony knew Peter was avoiding looking at him and knew he probably wouldn't come to their room of his own initiative, at least at first so was already mentally planning to carry the teen there next time he woke from a nightmare, which would likely be that very night. "Okay, so that will help you get back to sleep, but what are you dreaming about Peter? How long have you been having these dreams?"

"A few months." Peter answered ignoring the first question completely.

"A few months…a few months" Tony mumbled largely to himself. "The Vulture! Is that what you are dreaming about?" The shaky nod he gets in response is answer enough.

Peter takes a breath, gathering his courage, now Tony knows part of what his nightmares are about he just wants to tell him everything. "I dream…I dream I'm stuck under that warehouse. And I'm alone and stuck, and no one is there."

Tony pales dramatically as it hits him, he had never asked Peter for a full rundown of what happened homecoming night after all. He pulled the teen tight into his chest and soon felt his t-shirt dampen from Peter's tears. "Shhh…you're fine Peter, I'm here. Daddy's here." He reassures the boy, just as he did when Peter was a toddler he rubs soothing circles on his back to calm him down. "Pete…you should have told me." He knows nothing more needs said on the subject, at least for now and is simply content to hold his son in his arms for a while, even when the tears have stopped he continue holding him tight until the boy himself pulls away and looks up at him, a watery smile on his face.

"So I've talked…can I go on patrol now?"

Tony snorts in response and ruffles the boy's hair. "As soon as I see that C- rise to a B kiddo." He laughs as the boy pouts, clearly wondering how Tony knew about that. "Nothing gets past me son, now I believe that sounds like Pep setting the table, go get washed up."