Thanks for your reviews, very positive as always.

I read them all and appreciate your ideas and thoughts.

I incorporate those that fit with the arc. I am trying to write more Harley ( as requested), I find him much harder than Peter who writes himself.

Enjoy! Salutations!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

''I feel sick,'' Peter said plaintively.

''Shall I get Bruce cos I've heard he has a very painful shot ready for you?'' Tony smiled and Peter furrowed his brow- Bruce was a traitor. You just could not trust grownups, they always stick together.

''Tony! No one is going to give you a shot Peter but sit up young man- you are not sick. Bruce gave you a clean bill of health,'' Steve said firmly and Peter reluctantly did as he was told.

''So?'' Tony looked directly at Harley who went scarlet.

''It was my idea!'' Peter stepped up, it was true- it had been his suggestion.

''Was it? Why doesn't that surprise me? Peter James, you mess with my AI again?'' Tony fixed the younger boy with hard eyes and Peter bit his lip.

''I..I.. well kind of but you know Dad it is way too easy so that's kind of your fault, '' Peter was sassy which was a very bad idea.

Harley stared at him in consternation; his brother had lost his mind, completely lost his mind.

''What did you just say?'' Tony was not impressed; he pointed a warning at the seemingly unrepentant boy.

''I take that back,'' Peter held his hands up.

''Peter, you know the potential consequences of hacking. You have been told over and over again, FRIDAY's our security system. You put us all at risk when you do that, '' Steve scolded him and Peter dropped his eyes, chewing at his thumbnail.

''Apologise to your father for your disrespect!'' Steve added for good measure.

''Sorry,'' Peter mumbled. Tony nodded; he wasn't entirely pacified but let it go.

''And you, what do you have to say for yourself?'' Tony turned his attention to his eldest son.

''I'm sorry; this is all on me. Peter shouldn't get in trouble, it's my fault. I drove, I took him there and I shouldn't have, I know that. I put him in danger so I'm the one who should be punished not Pete,'' Harley rushed out.

Steve and Tony looked at each other- exactly the response they were expecting- they had to put a decisive stop to this once and for all.

''Harley son, this is not only about your brother, this is also about you putting yourself in danger. You are just as important as Peter- it was dangerous, so dangerous. The car you took is way too powerful for you, you could have been killed Harley. Do you understand that?'' Steve asked, slightly frustrated that Harley did not consider his own well-being meaningful.

''I could handle the car Pops,'' Harley was stubborn.

''Until you couldn't! I don't know if you recall kid but the car ended up in a ditch smashed beyond repair!'' Tony snapped and Harley blushed.

''I am sorry about the car Dad,'' he apologised.

''I don't care about the goddamn car Harley, I care about you! I can buy another car but you kid are irreplaceable! Why won't you accept that?'' Tony pinched the bridge of his nose.

''But it was a real expensive car,'' Harley stuttered.

''Can we please stop talking about the car? What were you thinking Harley? Jesus kid, if something happened to you, I…'' Tony faltered.

''What Dad is trying to say Harley is that we love you, you are our son and if you were hurt, it would destroy us. You are our son just the way Peter is our son,'' Steve helped his husband out.

Harley blinked in surprise, he honestly thought they were only upset because he took Peter with him but the issue was the fact they went at all.

''Are you listening Harley? Really listening? We love you, you are our son,'' Steve reiterated and the boy nodded.

It was an epiphany, deep down he had always felt second best, believed that Peter was their real child but it wasn't true- they considered him as much their son as his brother and loved him the same way. He could see they had proved that over and over to him; however for the first time he believed them.

He glanced at Peter, worried he would be upset, angry even but he just smiled at him.

''I love you too,'' Harley said to his parents and he meant it, he really meant it.

''Don't get too warm and fuzzy bro, there's a but coming and I don't think it's gonna be much fun,'' Peter piped up.

''Oh yeah there's a but smartass; in your case a sore one if you're not real careful,'' Tony retorted and Peter dropped his head, looking petulantly at his father from beneath his bangs.

'' Watch the attitude Smalls,'' Tony pointed at him.

''That's not fair, it was me not Pete,'' Harley defended his brother.

'' Oh kid, I would worry just as much about yourself as your partner in crime,'' Tony said and Harley gulped.

''Why didn't you come to us Harley? Show us the text? We would have dealt with it. Don't you trust us?'' Steve pulled the conversation back to the main point.

''Yes, course I trust you. I thought I could deal with it,'' Harley felt tears start to gather.

''Kiddo, you're a child; it's not up to you to deal with something like that, it's our job okay?'' Steve squeezed his hand and Harley stared at the ground, sniffing loudly, he was slightly overwhelmed- it had been an eventful couple of days.

'' Harls, we thrive on drama and conflict- its our speciality, plus we have a secret weapon,'' Tony spoke and Harley looked up, his dad winked.

''Aunt Pepper,'' Harley laughed and wiped his eyes.

''Yeah, our resident ball breaker Ms Potts who already has this all under control. You are not going anywhere capeesh?'' Tony touched Harley's cheek and the boy smiled shyly.

His dad had just said they had fixed it- it was fixed. He could stay and the adoption would be finalised, Harley blinked back more tears.

''Thanks Dad,'' Harley hugged him and Tony rubbed his back, he loved this boy so much- nothing and no one was ever going to take him away- he would destroy anyone who tried again.

''Love you too kiddo,'' he said softly and Harley beamed at him as he stood up.

''Am I going to jail?'' Peter asked in a small voice and Tony rolled his eyes.

''No Smalls, you are not going to jail although maybe refrain from hitting people with blunt objects in the future okay?''

''Got it, no blunt objects,'' Peter nodded.

''So now that's all clear, how about we discuss consequences?'' Steve looked between the boys who looked very sheepish all of a sudden.

''I think we learned a great life lesson Pops, I really do,'' Peter pulled out the charm smile and doe eyes.

''Yeah totally. I will never, ever do anything like that again. I won't!'' Harley added with as much sincerity as he could muster.

''Harley, this has got to be said buddy, you are the older brother and you should be setting an example to Peter. This was not a great example was it? Plus, you stole a car again!'' Steve was very aggravated about that fact.

''I am pretty sure you promised never to do that again, am I right?'' Tony pointed at him this time and Harley began to fidget awkwardly.

''I don't need anyone to set me an example,'' Peter protested.

''Oh yes you do, you really do! Zip it Smalls,'' Tony warned and Peter slipped back down in his bed.

''I asked you a question Harley. Answer me!'' Tony had to control his temper.

''Yes I did but it was an emergency,'' Harley replied, trying to justify his actions.

''Only because you made it one,'' Tony did not accept his excuse.

Just then his phone went off; he glanced at it and then nodded at Steve- it had arrived.

''Okay guys, listen up. Please think through your actions in the future and come to us. You are not adults and there are situations that are too much for you. We do not want any more of this rushing in without thinking, you are children and we are the adults, which means we are in charge whatever you think. Do you understand?'' Steve steered the conversation onto safer ground again.

Harley nodded; nothing from Peter.

''Hey, verbal responses please. Pops just asked if you understand do you?'' Tony was the authoritarian one today and he was getting remarkably good at it. A case of practise made perfect and he'd had far too much practise recently.

''Yes sir,'' Harley nodded.

Tony stared at Peter who didn't appear to be listening; in fact he was staring out of the window.

''Hey Smalls, you got something to say to us?'' Tony snapped his fingers and Peter looked over at him in confusion.

''Uuum yes,'' it sounded more like a question which it was as he had stopped listening after 'situations that are too much for you.'

He had been too busy thinking about the blue glowing rock hidden under his bed- he was pretty sure that constituted a go to an adult situation.

''Excuse me?'' Tony was exasperated.

Steve was equally as irritated.

Harley widened his eyes at Peter and flicked his head at their parents.

''I mean yes sir,'' he said quickly.

''What did you just say yes to?'' Tony was onto him.

''What?'' Peter replied without thinking.

''I said Peter, what did you just say yes to?'' Tony repeated himself.

He had been experiencing flash backs of picking his half dead child off a wet, deserted road; he was determined that never happened again.

Peter looked blankly at him, what hadn't he listened?

''What situations are classed as too much?'' He asked suddenly.

Steve frowned. Oh no! What now?

''If you have to ask then that situation. Let's hear it- confession is good for the soul,'' Tony was more forthright.

''What? No, nothing, I was just wondering is all,'' Peter stammered.

''Very convincing, what have you done?'' Little did Tony know he gave his youngest son a get out with his question.

''Nothing I swear, I haven't done anything,'' Peter heard the word 'yet' clearly in his ear, he ignored it. Although, he avoided looking at his parents.

''Hey Smalls, you remember our little chat in the park when I told you that if you disobey me that I would whale the tar out of you? You remember that?'' Tony snapped his fingers again and Peter looked up at him to be met by very serious eyes.

He nodded slowly.

''Still stands, so think twice okay?'' Tony pointed and Peter looked guiltily back at him.

''I haven't done anything, I haven't,'' Peter dropped his head again.

Tony looked at Steve who gave a barely perceptible shrug, they had little choice other than to believe him, not that they did.

''So boys, time for consequences. Harley, you wrecked the car so we are going to take a look at Dad's new delivery,'' Steve was cryptic and Harley nodded, completely bemused.

''Are we still going to the Jets game for my birthday?'' Harley rather belatedly remembered a consequence that would really hurt.

''Yes kiddo, that's your birthday treat, we wouldn't take that away,'' Tony reassured him and Harley smiled in relief- he was really looking forward to the game. Several of his buddies from the team were coming and it was going to be amazing, completely amazing as they had a private box with all the Avengers.

''Peter, Peter!'' Steve said but he still wasn't listening. Little did they know he was fretting about the surprise in his room.

Tony rolled his eyes; he couldn't believe this kid sometimes.

''Peter!'' he yelled.''

''Uh yeah,'' that got his attention.

''Pops is talking to you.''

Peter looked at his father.

''Peter, you know that I do charity work, visit the Children's Hospitals in my uniform, work at the homeless shelters?'' Steve saw the confusion in his son's eyes.

''You are going to come with me, you can play with the kids, help out in the kitchens,'' he said and Peter looked completely baffled.

''Why?''

''Because Smalls you need to learn some humility. Time you got out of that bed, take a shower and get dressed, lunch is in half an hour. Come on Harls, let's go,'' Tony was excited as he jumped up holding out his arm to guide his son.

Harley went, not sure what was going on.

''Get dressed Bubba,'' Steve patted Peter's leg and stood up.

''What does humility mean?'' Large puzzled brown eyes stared up at him.

''You'll find out,'' Steve laughed, tousled auburn curls and left for the garage.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

''We are gonna do what?'' Harley stared incredulously at Tony then at the battered, rusty car than looked very odd beside the long row of shiny, pristine vehicles.

''You and me, together we are going to rebuild this car. I will teach you about the engine, how to repair the body. It's gonna be beautiful, it will rise like a phoenix from the flames,'' Tony got all poetic.

''Just you and me?'' Harley checked and Tony nodded.

''It's gonna be our special project kiddo,'' the adult grinned.

''Thanks Dad, this is the best! You're the best!'' Harley threw himself at Tony, hugging the air out of him.

''You're welcome kiddo,'' Tony squeezed back then looked over at Steve who was watching silently and nodded, his eyes glistening.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

''You buy him a car and I have to visit hospitals and feed homeless people?'' Peter was disgruntled; this had turned around a little too quickly for him.

He was happy that Harley was feeling better but this felt unfair- he was the only one who was actually being punished.

''No, Harley is going to help me build a car. We did not buy him a car,'' Tony was careful how he worded his reply. The difference proved elusive to Peter.

''Right okay,'' Peter looked at his lunch-it had a lot of salad. His dads did that when they were upset with him, made him eat green stuff.

''You excited for your birthday Harls?'' Steve asked as he sat down, placing a jug of iced water on the table.

''Yeah, totally. I haven't been to a game before,'' Harley was on cloud nine. It was a rapid turnaround, what a difference a few hours made.

''Its great kiddo, you're gonna love it,'' Steve was pretty excited himself; it had been a while since he'd been to a game.

Tony sat Morgan in her high chair and placed her bowl before her.

''Now little miss, today you are going to use silverware just like a big girl,'' he placed a spoon in her hand. He chuckled as she babbled happily and waved said spoon in the air.

''Can I be excused?'' Peter asked but no one was listening.

Steve and Harley were talking football and Tony was busy helping Morgan.

''Hey Pete, how are you feeling?'' Natasha appeared next to him.

He shrugged and looked miserably at his lunch.

''I could do with some real food,'' he said and Natasha laughed.

''Hey, you wanna come downstairs with me? We have pizza and ice cream,'' she whispered in his ear.

Peter nodded enthusiastically.

''Come on then,'' she flicked her head and Peter stood up.

''Peter sit down. You were not excused,'' Steve said abruptly, he had actually been listening and was none too happy with Natasha's actions.

''But I don't like it,'' Peter thought he might cry- he wanted pizza and ice cream.

''Sit down,'' Steve said again and Peter had no choice- he slumped miserably onto the chair.

Natasha glared at Steve who was taken aback by the venom in her eyes.

''We're eating as a family Nat,'' he said succinctly.

''Well give the kid something he wants to eat then, he's healing.'' She snapped and there was a stilted silence.

Tony froze and stared over at Natasha.

''That is good nutritional food; it is exactly what he should eat when he is healing,'' Steve replied very calmly.

Natasha looked as if she was going to say something else, thought better of it then turned and left.

Peter glared at Steve, pushed his plate away and buried his head in his arms.

Tony opened his mouth but Steve silenced him with a shake of the head; it was better to ignore tantrums.

'So first live game, huh? You will be able to see more of the plays- it gives you a much deeper understanding, '' Steve said cheerfully to Harley.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Let me know what you think.