"Miss Potts," Nick Fury's voice was a mixture of annoyed and amused. "I have something in my bed that belongs to you. Would you please send Captain Rogers to move him, please? Again…"

Pepper looked over at Steve, who was already getting to his feet.

"What do we try next?" he asked. His own voice was mostly amused, although there was a little exasperation in it, as well.

"Just put him in bed with Natasha. He's going to hurt himself if we can't keep him in place."

Rogers nodded.

"I'll be back."

Fury was standing in the doorway to his bedroom, arms folded over his chest, eye on the boy that was sleeping in his bed. He turned when Rogers rapped on his door and let himself into his quarters.

"I suppose I should be pleased," he said, softly, to avoid waking Peter. "If he's this good already – sleepwalking – he's going to be a hell of an asset when he's older. And awake."

"He's restless," Steve explained. "He's getting better, and Strange doesn't want him to get too close to Stark or Natasha – to avoid re-catching that cold. He's worried about them, and still dealing with losing his aunt and his own cold symptoms. He hasn't been sleeping well, and when he is asleep, he doesn't stay in his bed – obviously."

"Obviously."

"He's got some amazing moves, though," Steve said, with a smile. "I tried to corral him back to his bed yesterday, and he walked up a wall and around me like I was just a speedbump."

"I thought Strange's cloak would keep him in bed…"

"Only if it wants to – or he lets it. And obviously only when it's here with him."

"I see."

"He's not doing it on purpose, Director," Steve reminded him.

Fury sighed.

"I know. How are they doing?"

"Stark's fevered and irritable, so Strange is keeping him dosed pretty heavily. Natasha is finally losing the cough and is able to get some sleep, so she'll be up and around in a few days to a week – as long as nothing else comes around."

"Where are you going to put Houdini here?"

"With Natasha. Getting a fresh wave of the cold is probably a better option than pulling him out of the river – or the pool. He'll stay with Nat, almost certainly."

"And if he doesn't?"

Rogers shrugged.

"You know how to reach us if he winds up back here."

Fury scowled, and watched as Captain America went over to his bed and easily picked the sleeping boy up into his arms. He held his door for him and shook his head, now his expression was grudgingly impressed.

"Can't wait to see what that boy can do…"

As long as he didn't have to keep giving up his bed, of course.

OOOOOOOO

As the empty mug on her nightstand evidenced, Romanoff was sleeping off a dose of Wong's medicine. She and Stark were both a bit sicker than Peter had been – probably because neither of them had the same stamina nor healing ability that the boy did – thanks to his spider incident. Neither was in real danger, Strange was quick to assure the others – especially Pepper and Peter – they were just taking longer to get well and had been hit a little harder by the illness.

Steve shifted Peter in his arms enough to free a hand to pull the blankets back, and she opened her eyes when he carefully put Peter into the bed beside her.

"What…?"

The boy rolled toward her in his sleep, his right arm almost instinctively going over her stomach and his cheek against her breast. She reacted automatically, bringing an arm around him to hold him close to her side, tucking her chin over him, protectively.

"He's fine, Nat," Steve told her before she could ask, covering them both with the blankets. "We're just running out of ideas to keep him in place. You don't mind?"

She shook her head, sleepily, and looked down at the boy.

"No. I'll watch him."

"Need anything?"

"Chicken nuggets and French fries for dinner…"

Rogers smiled, allowing himself to brush her cheek, affectionately, for just a moment before doing the same to Peter's. "I'll let Strange know."

He let the room, and Natasha closed her eyes, already almost asleep again. Before he was out of her quarters, they were both resting peacefully.

OOOOOOOOO

"He's okay?"

Steve nodded, reclaiming his chair and his glass of tea.

"Yeah, he's fine, Pepper. I put him with Natasha."

"How does she look?"

"Tired. But she told me she wants nuggets and fries for dinner, so she's getting back to her old self."

"Stephen can bring some when he comes to check on them this evening."

"That's pretty much what I told her. No sense dating a wizard if he can't deliver up some fresh McDonald's when a Big Mac Attack hits, right?"

Pepper smiled at that. She didn't know that she would have called it dating, per say, but there was definitely an ongoing chemistry between the two that everyone was enjoying – not that they would let Stephen and Natasha know. Well, she knew Tony had dropped a few teasing remarks Strange's way, but would know better than to tease Romanoff unless he wanted to be turned into a pretzel.

"Good point. If you hear from him before I do, a burger does sound good."

Rogers nodded.

"I'll let him know."

Peter would probably eat one, too. He'd wait until they were all more awake to see.

Pepper finished her coffee.

"I'm going to go check on Tony," she said, standing up. "Maybe he'll be asleep, too."

"Good luck."

OOOOOOO

He wasn't asleep.

He was in bed, though, which was a victory of its own, because he was restless and irritable from the fever, and didn't want to stay still. Only the fact that her will was an equal match for his and he loved her whether he told her enough or not – which he didn't, he knew – kept him in place.

He was long past the stage in his life where his feelings meant more to him than hers did, and even sick like he was – and grumpy, which he definitely was – that love for her was enough to keep him from lashing out at her when she told him to stay in bed. Or else.

Stark looked up when she entered the bedroom and turned off the movie that he hadn't really been watching.

"Everything okay?"

She nodded and sat on the edge of the bed next to him. She smiled, covered his mouth with her hand and then pressed a kiss against the back of her hand. Which made him roll his eyes every time she did it. This time was no exception.

"Everything is fine. Why aren't you asleep?"

"Because I'm not tired."

"You look tired."

"Where's Peter?"

"Sleeping."

"Where?"

"With Natasha."

"Did he sleepwalk again?"

"M-hmm…"

Pepper shifted until she was sitting beside him, and pulled him into her arms, brushing her hand along his jaw, cuddling him to try and get him to relax enough to get some sleep.

"Where did he end up?"

"Nick's quarters."

Tony snorted, and leaned against her, putting his arms around her, resting his head against her collarbone.

"He's okay?"

"Nick?" she asked, smiling, even though he didn't see it. "He's fine."

She knew he could hear her amusement in her voice, and he didn't care. Even sick and irritable, he loved her.

"Peter."

"Peter's fine, too, Tony. If you get some rest and feel a little better…" meaning not grumpy… "We'll let him drop by to say hi later this evening."

"And spend some time with me?"

"Yes. If you sleep, now…"

He really didn't have a lot of choice. Her calm presence and gentle caresses were relaxing him and that was all that it took for Wong's medicine to get the upper hand. He closed his eyes and let her lull him to sleep.

Pepper just held him. She didn't have anything pressing that couldn't wait, and she wanted to try and keep him asleep for a while. At least until dinner time.

Maybe he'd want some nuggets, too.