Chapter 20

AN: Thank you so much for the support. Hope you like this chapter. Depending on how I go with assignment I'm trying to get done over the next few days there might not be another update to the end of the week. But I will try for sooner.

February 4th 2016

Ten days have passed since Peter went back to school, and ever since he has been acting as 'the friendly neighborhood Spiderman'. Due to the fact that he has been keeping pretty low profile Peter hasn't got caught on camera yet, and so his Dad and Natasha haven't become suspicious.

It is reasonably late on a Thursday evening and Tony is in the lab working on his designs as even though he has taken a step back from the Avengers he is still working on a lot of different things.

"Boss, incoming call from Jill Keener," FRIDAY informs Tony.

"Put it through," Tony requests. "Hey Jill," Tony greats.

"Hey Tony, how's Peter doing?" Jill asks concerned.

"Okay, I think," Tony admits. "He's back at school, and hasn't missed a day," Tony explains. "How are you? How are the kids?" Tony asks curious.

"Not bad," Jill says, unknown to Tony she is lying. "The kids are good. Spring Break starts tomorrow, I was wondering if Harley and Kenzie could spend Spring Break with you, Nat, and Peter, if that's okay," Jill explains.

"It's more than okay," Tony admits. "I can fly down tomorrow; get them from school and bring them up if that works for you," Tony suggests as he knows that will be the easiest way to handle things.

"Yeah, that will be good," Jill admits. "Thank you, Tony," Jill says, feeling grateful for his support.

"It's no problem," Tony assures her. "I'll bring them back the day before they start back at school," Tony tells Jill.

"Sounds good to me," Jill responds. "I'll go talk to Harley and Kenzie," Jill says. "Night," Jill says.

"Night," Tony responds, before hanging up. "FRIDAY, call Nat," Tony requests.

"Yes, Boss," FRIDAY responds, and after a couple or rings Natasha picks up.

"Tony? Is everything okay?" Natasha asks concerned as she and Tony hung up with each other less than an hour ago.

"Yeah, everything's okay," Tony assures her. "I just got a call from Jill. She asked if Kenzie and Harley could spend Spring Break in New York, so I'm going to fly down tomorrow and pick them up," Tony explains.

"That's good. It will be good to see them," Natasha admits. "But it's been a while since they have been here for Spring Break. Did Jill explain why?" Natasha asks interested.

"No, I figured the kids asked," Tony admits. "So, I know things are complicated at the Compounds, but I was wondering if you could be around tomorrow afternoon, wait for Peter while I fly down to Tennessee," Tony explains.

"There's actually not a lot going on around here now. I can drive up a few hours earlier," Natasha comments. "What time are you going to leave?" Natasha asks curious.

"About one," Tony answers.

"Okay, I'll be at be at the tower about twelve," Natasha explains, as she wants a chance to see Tony first.

"I like the sound of that," Tony responds, smirking slightly.

"You going to go to bed anytime soon?" Natasha asks curious.

"Just going to finish something, then yeah," Tony explains.

"Goodnight Tony," Natasha says to him.

"Night Nat," Tony says, before hanging up.

The following day, after telling Steve to call if the Avengers needed her, Natasha has headed to the city and is arriving at the tower.

"Hey Fri, Tony in his lab?" Natasha asks, as she steps onto their floor.

"Yes Nat," Friday answers, and Natasha heads straight there.

Walking into the lab Natasha finds Tony working on something clearly, he is trying to get something done before leaving for Tennessee. Walking over to him Natasha puts her arms around his waist and kisses his neck.

"Hey," Tony says, leaning into Natasha's arms, as he turns his head and the two of them kiss. "I'm really glad you're here," Tony admits.

"Me too," Natasha responds, then she notices what Tony is working on. "Is that what I think it is?" Natasha asks, sounding a little annoyed.

"I haven't built it yet; I'm just working on designs in case you change your mind," Tony admits, knowing exactly how this conversation goes as they have had it many times.

"Tony, I don't need it. I'm not going to change my mind," Natasha tells him in a kind voice, though she makes no effort to move away, though Tony does move in her arms so that he is facing him.

"Nat, I can't put a suit of armor around the world, Ultron proved that, but I can make suits to protect the people that are my world," Tony admits. "I have a suit that is coded to Peter, which he doesn't know about, just in case he's ever in danger," Tony reveals, as he almost deployed that during the battle of New York. "Sharon, Happy, and Hope are all coded to specifics suits just in case, and suits will obey Aunt Peggy, Harley, and Kenzie in case I need to deploy one to be with them. I've built one for Pepper, and I know you don't want one, but I keep working on designs for you because I need to know that if needed I've done something to help protect you," Tony explains; wanting Natasha to understand his reasons.

Even though she has suspected that Tony's reasons are something like this it is another thing all together to hear Tony confirm his reasoning himself, and so she smiles softly.

"I'll never say never, but I will probably never use it," Natasha admits. "But if it does make you feel better you can make the designs you've been planning," Natasha explains, as she realizes that this will help Tony, and who knows there may come a time where she is glad to have an ironman suit.

"Thank you," Tony says, sounding glad, before kissing her.

For a few moments the two of them kiss, before they finally break apart.

"How…. Long… before… you… have…. To… leave?" Natasha asks between kisses.

"An hour," Tony answers, glancing over at the clock.

"FRIDAY, full privacy," Natasha requests.

"Yes Nat," FRIDAY responds, as those protocols are put in place.

As it becomes clear that the privacy protocols are put in place Tony and Natasha continue to kiss, there being more passion, and attention, being put into it, and Natasha starts to remove Tony's top, as he takes off her jacket.

Hours later Tony has flown down to Tennessee while Natasha is sitting in the living room reading and waiting for Peter to come home. As she knows Peter's schedule well Natasha knows that he should be home by now, and so she finds herself becoming concerned about him, and so she sends him a text message asking where he is.

After a few moments Natasha gets a response back which says he is walking as he missed his train and so he will be home soon. Feeling a little better Natasha goes back to reading, but she carefully watches the clock, and waits for Peter, knowing that if he takes much longer she will go back and try to find him herself.

About ten minutes after the Natasha texted Peter the elevator doors open and Peter walks out, and the second he does Natasha realizes something.

"Peter? What's wrong? You're limping," Natasha says worried, as she gets up and hurries over to him.

"I'm okay," Peter assures her. "I twisted my ankle," Peter explains, telling the truth as he knows that to get away with lying to Natasha, or doing what he believes is getting away with it, he has to be as close to the truth as possible.

"How?" Natasha asks worried as she helps him over to the couch.

"I fell over," Peter says, as technically he landed badly when one of his webs, which use an altered version of his web formula, snapped, and he is pretty sure that if it wasn't for his healing it would have been a lot worse. "It was actually why I missed my train," Peter explains.

"Why didn't you call? I would have come and picked you up," Natasha says worried, as she, very carefully, takes off Peter's shoe.

"I didn't want you to worry," Peter admits, as Natasha lifts the leg of his foot up.

"That's not broken," Natasha says, knowing because she knows injuries well. "I think it's a bad sprain, but I think I should go to the hospital to be sure," Natasha explains; not looking forward to the phone call she has to make to Tony.

"No, it's okay, I trust you," Peter says, speaking rather quickly.

"Pete…" Natasha stats to say.

"I walked here," Peter reminds Natasha. "Would I be able to do that if I had badly damaged my ankle?" Peter asks. "It's not that bad, I'm okay," Peter explains.

"I'm going to grab some ice; and we're going to see how you go," Natasha explains. "When your Dad gets home we'll see how you are doing and we will re-think the idea of going to hospital," Natasha explains.

"Okay," Peter says, as he knows his ankle will be even more held by then and so while he is likely going to make Natasha suspicious, he also knows it should mean he won't have to go to the hospital.

Heading out of the living room Natasha heads to the kitchen, grabs a icepack and then returns to the living room. "Put your leg up," Natasha requests, as she grabs a cushion and so Peter does that, and Natasha gentle puts his foot on the cushion and the ice on it. "Leg stays up, ice stays on," Natasha informs Peter.

"Yes Nat," Peter says, and he does exactly what Natasha tells him to do.

"Are you in much pain?" Natasha asks concerned, as she sits down next to him.

"Not really," Peter admits. "I'm okay, Nat," Peter responds.

"We'll see about that," Natasha says, and it is clear she is worried. "How was school today?" Natasha asks, wanting try and get Peter to be open with her so she might be able to figure out more of what is going on with him.

"Good, really good," Peter says with a smile, and as he does, he realizes something. "Nat, how do you tell a girl you like her?" Peter asks and as he does Natasha can't help but smile.

"You like someone?" Natasha asks curious.

"Yeah, her name is Liz, she is a junior and she is amazing," Peter explains. "I really like her, but I don't know how to tell her, or if I should. She's our Decathlon captain and she is awesome," Peter explains, grinning as he talks about her, clearly happy.

"I'm not that great when it comes to the whole relationship thing…" Natasha starts to explain.

"But you and Dad are together," Peter reminds Natasha.

"Yeah, and it took a push from your Uncle Rhodey for us to have the conversation we needed to have," Natasha explains. "So that's my best advice, the best way to tell someone you like them is just to tell them, have an honest conversation," Natasha explains.

"Okay," Peter says, with a nod. "Not sure I'm ready for that," Peter admits.

"I get that," Natasha says, as she puts an arm around Peter's shoulders and kisses his head. "Want to watch a movie?" Natasha asks curious.

"Yep," Peter confirms, and Natasha puts a movie on.

A while after Peter arrived home hurt the elevator opens and Tony, Harley, and Kenzie walk out.

"Harley, Kenzie!" Peter says happily, and he quickly gets up and walks over, still limping slightly.

"Peter be careful!" Natasha tells him, as she gets up too.

"What's wrong?" Tony asks concerned, as Peter hugs Harley and Kenzie.

"I twisted my ankle, but I'm okay, I'm even limping yet," Peter points out.

"That's true," Natasha admits. "But you still need to rest," Natasha informs him, as she hugs Harley and Kenzie.

"But no hospital, right?" Peter asks, as he looks between Natasha and Tony.

"What do you think?" Tony asks Natasha, as he knows Natasha knows more when it comes to injuries.

"I know for sure that it's not broken, but it is a sprain. I think Peter should rest tonight, and use ice, and we'll see how it is in the morning," Natasha explains, as she knows it is the best idea.

"Okay, you heard Nat, Pete. Rest and ice," Tony tells his son.

"Yes Dad," Peter says as he heads over to the couch as he really wants to avoid going to the hospital.

"If Peter's stuck to the couch can we play video games?" Harley asks curious.

"Sure," Tony answers.

"I'll order food," Natasha says, and while Tony goes to get the video games set up and goes to order food.

February 14th 2016

For over a week Natasha, Tony, Peter, Harley, and Kenzie have been enjoying spring break together, thankfully Peter's ankle healed on its own and he didn't have to go to the hospital. Apart from needing to go to the Compound once to help Steve with something Natasha has been at the Tower.

It is about midday on Sunday and Natasha, Peter, Harley, Kenzie and Tony are sitting around the table in the kitchen having lunch. As the kids are trying and failing to keep grins on their faces Natasha can tell that they are trying to keep a secret, and because of the day it is Natasha suspects she knows the cause of the smiles, even if she doesn't know the specifics.

"Nat, can we go do gymnastics in the gym?" Kenzie asks curious.

"Sure," Natasha says, suspecting that distracting her is part of the plan and so she might as well allow Tony, and the kids to do whatever they are planning. "Are you finished lunch?" Natasha asks curious.

"Yep," Kenzie confirms.

"Then let's go," Natasha says, and once she does she and Kenzie get up and head out of the kitchen. Once Natasha is out of hearing range Tony turns to Peter and Harley.

"Okay, that gives us a couple of hours at the most to get everything set up," Tony explains, looking between Peter and Harley.

"We know, Dad," Peter says.

"We'll get it done," Harley assures him.

"Let's go," Tony says, and the three of them head out of the kitchen so that they can go and organize what they have to organize.

A couple of hours later Natasha and Kenzie are still in the lab, and Natasha has noticed that Kenzie seems to be getting tired, and struggling.

"Okay, that's enough," Natasha tells Kenzie. "You've done brilliantly, Kenz, but it is time you have a rest, and we both should probably have showers before dinner," Natasha explains.

"This has been really good, I think I'm really learning," Kenzie admits.

"You are, you're doing great," Natasha assure her, as she puts an arm around her shoulders and kisses her head.. "But there is no point doing more and exhausting yourself," Natasha explains. "Plus, dinner is soon and after working out for a while there is almost nothing better than a hot shower," Natasha explains to Kenzie.

"You know we should both dress up for dinner," Kenzie tells Natasha. "It's our last night here. We should dress up," Kenzie suggests, and Natasha suspects this has more to do with whatever it is that Tony has arranged rather than Kenzie's desire to be wearing nice clothes.

"Okay, that sounds good," Natasha responds, deciding to let Kenzie believe that she succeeded.

"Awesome," Kenzie says, with a grin, and the two of them head out of the gym together.

A little while later Natasha has had a shower and gotten changed into a light blue dress, and has put her hair up. As she suspects she knows exactly what is going on Natasha purposely also picks up a wrapped present before heading out of her room.

Walking into the living room she finds Peter, Kenzie, and Harley sitting around the couch with a pizza.

"Wow Nat," Harley says, sounding impressed.

"You look great," Peter tells her with a grin.

"Really Pretty," Kenzie confirms.

"Thank you," Natasha says, smiling at them. "I'm assuming you three are meant to send me somewhere?" Natasha asks, looking between them.

"Yep," Harley confirms.

"Common level, Dad's waiting," Peter explains.

"Okay, if you three need anything…" Natasha starts to say.

"We know," Kenzie, Harley and Peter say together.

"If anything happens, if we need anything, we'll tell FRIDAY," Peter assures her. "You two have a good time," Peter explains.

"Thank you," Natasha says, and she calls the elevator. "Have fun," Natasha says, before getting into the elevator, and she goes up to the top floor.

Stepping out of the elevator Natasha finds a trail of rose petals leading from the elevator to a small table that is set up for two where Tony, who is wearing a suit, is standing next to.

"Happy Valentines day, Nat," Tony says smiling at her.

"You really didn't have to do this," Natasha says, as she walks towards Tony, though she smiles.

"I wanted to," Tony admits. "Nat, when we started this both of us said we weren't good at relationships, but so far things between us have been incredible, and I wanted to celebrate that," Tony explains.

"We should, because they have," Natasha says, before kissing Tony.

"So, I got the food we love," Tony explains, once they break apart. "And I thought we could start with presents, because you clearly realized something was going on," Tony says, seeing what Natasha is holding.

"The kids weren't exactly subtle, but I like that you involved them in this," Natasha admits.

"There was no way I was going to get it done without them," Tony admits, and Natasha smiles.

"I'm going first," Natasha says, as she hands Tony her gift for him.

"Let's sit down," Tony says, and they both sit at the table. "I got this for you," Tony says, as he hands Natasha her present, and together they both open the present.

Tony is the first to get his present open and inside he finds a big album, full of pictures of him with people he loves.

"Nat…. this is incredible…." Tony says sounding amazed, as he stares at a picture of him and his mom.

"I talked to Rhodey, and Pepper, Harley, Kenzie, Peter, May, Sharon, Hope, and Sharon was even able to talk to your Aunt Peggy in a good moment, and added them to photos I had," Natasha explains.

"I love it," Tony says, sounding amazed, as it is just the kind of personal gift that no amount of money could buy, and as he flicks through the pages he finds an envelope. Wondering what is inside Tony opens the envelope and inside he finds a picture of the louvre. "The Louvre?" Tony asks curious.

"I don't know when we'll have time, but when we do I thought we could go to Paris. There is a secret bunker under the Louvre. it's full of things I think you would find pretty amazing. I thought we could do a tour," Natasha explains.

"That would be incredible," Tony says, as he grins as he had no idea that there was a bunker under the Louvre so he would love to see what's there.

"I'm glad you think so," Natasha says before opening her gift. Opening the large box she finds a beige, double breasted jacket with a belt.

"I added ballistic protection for it, for those times when you have to be a bit more undercover, but still protected," Tony explains.

"Thank you," Natasha says, sounding amazed, and she lifts the jacket and inside she finds widow bites, which have clearly been updated, and a photo of the two of them, Peter, Harley, and Kenzie, that was taken a few days ago, in a frame that has family on the bottom and was clearly made by a child.

"Peter made the frame when he was six, when I told him that I was giving you a photo of our family for Valentines day he told me I had to put it in that frame," Tony explains.

"I love it," Natasha says, sounding amazed, and knowing she will have to thank Peter. "Thank you, Tony," Natasha says, her voice full of sincerity as she puts everything Tony gave her back in the box.

"I'm just really glad you like it," Tony admits.

"I love it," Natasha says.

"Me too," Tony admits, and as he does Natasha picks up a glass of the champagne.

"To us, on our first valentines day together," Natasha says, raising her glass.

"And it won't be our last," Tony confirms, and the two of them toast and proceed to enjoy their first valentine's day together.