Early update, busy day tomorrow.

I introduce the Guardians here, just imagine Thor met them earlier- the idea entertained me and it still works in the timeline; you just need some imagination.

Hope you are all staying safe in this most difficult of times.

Here's some light relief.

Enjoy. Comment and review.

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Peter sat on the landing bay dangling his legs over the edge as he looked out over the glittering city lights, he was itching to swing away into the falling dusk but he didn't dare. His parents had said little to him over the last few days-he was grounded but the expected scolding had not materialised-instead they stood back whilst the other Avengers tortured him. Well it felt like torture to him but they called it training; grudgingly Peter had to admit he was learning some useful skills and starting to find it easier to work with others, even following the occasional order.

''Hey Pete, hope you're not thinking about going anywhere,'' Tony's voice made him look up.

''I can't. I'm grounded,'' Peter sniffed derisorily.

''Yeah you are. Do you know why?'' Tony sat beside him.

''Cos of Washington,'' Peter glanced nervously at him, here we go.

''Hmmm, we need to talk about Washington,'' Tony replied.

''Yeah, we do,'' Steve sat on the other side of Peter, he was trapped now.

''Do we?'' The boy looked between them as he braced himself for what was surely about to come.

''My Dad never really gave me a lot of support so I am trying to break the cycle of shame,'' Tony lamented which totally confused his son.

''Right,'' Peter replied, where was this going?

''So nice job in DC,'' Tony finished.

''WWWWhhaattt?'' Peter was now beyond amazed.

''Peter, you did well. You were brave and saved a lot of people,'' Steve backed up his husband.

'' Thanks I think,'' Peter waited for the other shoe to drop.

''It wasn't your intentions that were misplaced Bubba; it was the fact you took the weapon to the city in the first place. We talked about adult issues didn't we? You should have come to us,'' Steve placed a comforting arm around his son's shoulders.

'' I know that but I didn't get it was dangerous,'' Peter was embarrassed, he should have trusted them.

'' Learn a lesson kiddo. No man is an island; we all work better as a team. We are your back up, your team sweetheart,'' Tony pushed back long bangs away from deep brown eyes.

''I know, sorry,'' Peter bit his lip; in that moment he was beguiling and so innocent. Tony groaned and enveloped him in a huge hug.

Peter sat back and smiled shyly at his dad, he needed a hug- Washington had been terrifying.

''It's that with great power comes great responsibility thing Bubba,'' Steve squeezed slight shoulders.

''Yeah, I kind of understand that but I have always been Spiderman alone,'' Peter replied honestly.

''Not anymore okay Bubba? We know that you are going to do this and we are going to manage it together; which means training, learning how to take orders, operating as part of a team. Do you understand?'' Steve turned his son's head with a gentle finger to the chin. Peter nodded.

''Okay Pops,'' he complied solemnly.

''Love you Bubba,'' Steve kissed his forehead and Peter blushed.

''Real proud of you kiddo but we are playing this safe from now on,'' Tony ruffled his curls.

''Am I still grounded?'' Peter chanced his arm.

''Yes Bubba, you are still grounded,'' Steve laughed.

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'This is hell, complete and utter hell,'' Peter moaned as he lay on his bed bouncing a ball off the wall which was the nearest he got to fun these days.

It was extreme hard core grounding- no technology, early bedtimes, no dessert, no movie nights with popcorn and ice-cream, no anything, plus chores, a lot of chores and absolutely no freedom; all the adults were standing together ( even Aunt Nat) and there was so many of them. Peter had not been able to breach the embargo, not once. It was said that kids these days lack strong male role models in their lives; Peter had the opposite problem- he had them in abundance and they were everywhere, literally everywhere!

It was killing him.

''Uncle Thor wants you,'' Harley said with a grimace and Peter sat up abruptly.

''What? Why? Why does he want me? I cannot, I just cannot train anymore, everything hurts already,'' Peter was horrified.

''Pete, they are all pissed at you. You are gonna have to suck it up, once your jail time is over stay out of trouble. Train and listen- they have accepted it, that's a win but now you have to help them out. Don't just be Spiderman for a while, be a normal kid; enjoy baseball. You are real talented, you could make varsity if you want to,'' Harley tried to talk some sense into his little brother; he wanted to protect him as much as the adults.

Peter had tried out for baseball at school and unsurprisingly been selected; it was proving a good distraction although not completely effective.

''I am not normal and I am not a kid. But I guess you're right, they are talking sense,'' Peter conceded, much to Harley's relief.

''That's great bro. But you've still gotta go see Uncle Thor unless you want me to tell him you said no,'' Harley cringed, he didn't envy him- Thor had been running Peter ragged.

Peter leapt from the bed and shoved a laughing Harley to one side.

''What?'' Peter came into the kitchen and gave his previously favourite Uncle, now chief torturer, a resentful glare.

''Aaaah Mini Starkson, you are late- I have a task for you,'' Thor clapped him on the back and Peter shook his head.

'' I can't, I have to study for a big test,'' he countered (a lie) and Thor smiled, slightly maliciously in Peter's opinion.

''Don't think he was asking kid,'' Clint remarked as he made coffee. Then Peter noticed that the room was full- all the Avengers were present plus a tall, menacing figure sitting at the counter staring at him, reproach in his eyes.

''Last time I checked I still have free will, I'm not in the army,'' Peter crossed his arms.

''Yet, although that can be arranged,'' Tony took his coffee from Clint.

Steve stood impassively nearby; a neutral look on his face- Peter's pleas for mercy were falling on deaf ears even when they were aimed at Pops-who had always been the one to soften first but not this time.

Peter sighed and rubbed his hands over his face trying to control the urge to yell and storm from the room- that would not help. He knew this only too well as he'd already tried it several times to no avail. It only led to a scolding and even more chores, or the worse of all a Pop's special delivery; Peter was officially out of options.

He had considered running away but they would find him immediately; Peter began to suspect he had a tracker implanted in his body somewhere.

Peter looked suspiciously at Nick Fury, why was he here?

''Hello Peter. How are you doing?'' the man spoke to him and Peter frowned, he never spoke to him. Fury didn't like kids, everyone knew that.

''Oh you know, terrible because my parents hate me and have destroyed my life,'' he gave a snarky reply which was brave or foolhardy, depending on your perspective.

''We do not hate you, we love you very much,'' Tony smiled sweetly and Peter scowled at him.

To Peter's surprise Fury chuckled, clearly amused by his predicament.

''Scaled any national monuments recently?'' he asked and Peter looked at him in consternation; so he knew- that was an interesting development and offered a possible way out.

''You know I am an asset, don't you have a school for assets? A school that is a long way from here, another continent would be good,'' Peter was not intimidated, far from it.

Tony and Steve exchanged a regretful glance, neither liked hearing that from their son but this harsh response was necessary- they had to get him to mind them- his life depended on it.

''We do but you have to follow orders there, abide by rules; from what I hear that is not one of your strengths,'' Fury engaged with him.

''Peter, you are not an asset; you are a child, our child and we are protecting you Bubba,'' Steve said quietly and Peter ignored him, he was sick of hearing that.

Steve was finding this zero tolerance approach to his youngest son very hard to keep up, he usually enjoyed a tactile and loving relationship with Peter; the previous evening his boy refused to hug him goodnight and it hurt, really hurt.

He had to come to realise that he preferred to deal with bad behaviour definitively; then all was forgiven and a line drawn under the incident. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this tough love up; Peter was so stubborn, even more stubborn than Tony.

Sam patted him on the back, reading his distress- Steve looked at him and sighed heavily.

''So you don't value initiative then? Kind of limiting, sometimes you have to break rules to get stuff done. Isn't that right Dad?'' Peter challenged Tony who most definitely did not follow rules.

Tony didn't react; he merely raised his coffee cup.

The fridge door opened and Peter's mouth fell.

''Why is there a racoon eating our food? Isn't that kind of unhygienic? They carry rabies,'' Peter stepped back making Thor chuckle.

''Rabbit, do you have a disease? '' He asked gleefully.

''Kid, watch your mouth or I will teach you some respect,'' the racoon spoke, it spoke.

''What the fuck?'' Peter exclaimed.

''Hey! Language!'' Steve reprimanded.

''I am Groot,'' what appeared to be a walking twig spoke as well and Peter thought maybe this was some kind of twisted dream.

''Yes he is somewhat like you. I believe you could be friends although that would result in considerable mayhem, so best not,'' Thor answered, which was even more twisted.

''Okay I am so out of here cos this is beyond weird. What boring task do you want me to do this time?'' Peter turned to the God.

''Oh yes, your task. I have papers, a lot of papers and they require sorting and put in order. I am writing a book,'' Thor stood up.

''You're what?'' Peter began to laugh, he couldn't help it; it was funny.

''I have many stories and I believe they would make a good book,'' Thor noticed that Peter wasn't the only one who was amused, all his friends were smiling.

''Fine, whatever. Where are they?'' Peter was relieved, that actually sounded fun.

''I will show you. Come,'' Thor placed an arm around the kid's shoulders and guided him from the room.

''The boy is right, he is an asset,'' Fury spoke and the reaction was instantaneous and extreme.

''No! Absolutely not!'' Steve said vehemently.

''Hands off our kid El Jefe, he is not available to do your biding,'' Tony was equally as zealous.

''Well going by recent events he definitely doesn't do yours, that's for sure. Kid's a loose cannon; you need to get him under control. If you don't then I will; whether you like it or not, I have jurisdiction under the Accords,'' Fury fought back.

''The Accords addresses the underage enhanced question; they state very clearly they are the responsibility of their parents or guardians and that only under extreme circumstances do you become involved. So back off Fury,'' Tony virtually snarled.

''So you have read them then?'' Fury was sarcastic.

''Yes, I've read them, I lived them for months,'' Tony retorted instantly.

''Not sure you are living up to your responsibility right now. Maybe we have reached extreme circumstances? How could you allow the Washington debacle? He's a child, how could two of the sharpest men I know let a child run rings around them?'' Fury was blunt.

''I said back off! It's not that simple okay?'' Tony slammed down his cup and stepped towards Fury.

''Hey! Hey! Stop, just stop,'' Steve pulled his husband back then he turned to Nick.

''It was a mistake okay? It won't happen again. We do have Peter under control, we do. There is no need for any involvement from you,'' Steve was conciliatory but firm; his eyes told Fury very clearly that he would not tolerate official interference in his family.

''You cannot afford one more incident involving Spiderman, questions are being asked. Handle it!''

''It is being handled!'' Tony voice was raised and angry. Fury nodded.

''So why are you here? What is this threat?'' Steve asked- they had serious business to discuss.

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''So that's not good is it? Several incidents of alien like creatures attacking random locations,'' Tony said.

They were alone for once, sitting together in a quiet kitchen. Steve felt crowded by all these people. His family was fragmenting and he wasn't sure all this involvement from others was helpful, although they meant well.

''Tony, I think the team should go to the compound for a while,'' he said abruptly.

''What? Why?''

''We need to take back control of the kids Tones, they are our kids. I know they all love them but this is our family,'' Steve voiced what had been bothering him for days now.

It wasn't just Peter, Nat had virtually commandeered Morgan and Harley was always with Sam, always. Steve was experiencing a huge disconnect from his children.

Tony didn't reply immediately but then he nodded.

''Yeah I agree. Need to restore some order, some routine. How do we do that though?'' Tony didn't want to upset the team, they had only just reconciled.

''Well, I have that covered. With Fury's visit and all, we need the weapons serviced and ready, plus the jet mission ready. Along with some intense training so we are up to speed, you can only do that at the compound; it requires space. We can continue to go there weekends but I want, need some time with our kids, don't you?''

''Its Morgan's birthday in a few days, so after that?''

''Yes after that,'' Steve nodded, his relief profound.

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As it was Thor left with Rocket and Groot anyway, some crisis up in space- Star Lord and Gamora ( whoever they were) required rescuing.

The others had agreed readily, spurred into action by Fury's dire warnings.

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