"So what are you going to do about this guy?"

"Nothing to do," Wong replied before Strange could. Which was fine, since Stephen was tired of talking. It hadn't been a long conversation, but he'd been right about Natasha taking it apart to make sure she knew everything that had been said – and some of the finer nuances that might pertain to things that hadn't been said. Of course, with a creature like Dormammu, there weren't a lot of finer nuances. Evil like that could be tricky, and lie, but they were often brunt, because they had enough power that they didn't need to be subtle. "He wants to talk to Peter, and that isn't going to happen."

Romanoff looked a little concerned. Not surprisingly, really, since they were discussing a potential threat to Peter.

"And if he somehow manages to figure out who Peter is? And where he is? Are we going to have to worry about him sneaking in Peter's bedroom window some night to talk to him?"

"He'd come through the fabric of our dimension, first," Stephen said. "There isn't any sneaking."

"Is that something we should be concerned about?" she asked, doggedly.

"I won't say no," the sorcerer answered, honestly. "I can't say no. But he'd have to find Peter, first."

"Not to mention, it is incredibly difficult for someone like Dormammu to leave his own dimension. Even as powerful as he is."

"Not to mention, demons lose some of their power when they aren't in their own environment," Wong pointed out. "Dormammu isn't going to come looking for Peter. Not even if he does, somehow, find out where he is. He'd send an underling, instead."

Natasha rolled her eyes.

"So we would just have to deal with a little demon? That's all?"

Both men smiled.

"He has to find him, first, Natasha," Stephen said. "And even though there are some people out there who will deal with demons – not as many as there might be, before the demons kill them and prove why no one should – none of them know exactly who is responsible for the light."

"Or where to find him."

"We'd have some notice," Stephen assured her.

"Not to mention," Wong added. "Demons are creatures of great evil, but still subjected to the mind stone. Since the gem isn't going to allow anything to sneak up on Peter, chances are we'd hear something from it."

"Peter would, anyway," Stephen agreed.

"And Vision," Natasha said, nodding.

Peter might not say anything, or might not understand the warning that was being given, but Vision was even more intimate with the stone than Peter – and far more comfortable communicating with it.

"True."

"Well, that's good, then. Thank you."

Strange smiled.

"You're welcome. Can we eat, now?"

"Of course."

As if the two sorcerers really had to wait for her to give them permission? In their own home? It was nice of them to give her the chance to reassure herself, though. She'd still watch for danger, of course – it was who she was and what she did – but they were right about the mind stone being a good way to know if something was coming. Or someone.

"Good," Wong said. "I'm starving."

OOOOOOO

Pepper had returned to the compound from the tower, beating Peter and Tony home. As such, she was the one waiting in the garage when the Lamborghini pulled in, with Peter behind the wheel – no surprise there. She smiled, and showing that she trusted the boy's driving, she didn't move from where she was leaning against the fender of her own sedan. Peter brought the car to a stop exactly where it needed to be to allow Tony to open the door and smile up at her.

"Hey, handsome," she said, leaning over and smiling. "Looking for a good time?"

"You know it…" Stark replied. "Better watch out for my wife, though. She's the jealous type."

Pepper smirked, her expression amused, and so filled with love that Tony felt his heart make a happy flop in his chest.

"That's no problem," Pepper assured him. "I was talking to the other guy."

Peter laughed, and Tony rolled his eyes.

"He has a girlfriend," the billionaire said. "And she's even more a jealous type. Princesses don't share, after all."

Pepper leaned in and kissed him.

"How was the drive?"

"It was fine," Tony told her, waiting for her to move aside and then unbuckling and getting out of the car. "I don't know why you said he's so reckless. He stayed within a reasonable speed the entire way here."

"Don't listen to him, Peter," Pepper said, cheerfully. "I happen to think you're an excellent driver."

'Which is why I never get to drive to the tower in the morning?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

He was teasing her, now, and well aware of the fact that she drove because he was always sleepy in the morning. It was still fun to see Tony smirk, also pleased at the teasing.

"He's got you there, honey," he said, closing his door and wrapping an arm around her waist, loosely. "I don't know that I've ever seen him drive you in the morning. Why is that? Because he's such an excellent driver?"

"Because the best driver in the world isn't going to get us to the tower with his eyes closed," she pointed out, reaching out to catch her son when she and Tony came around to the front of the car. "And I'm much more awake in the morning. Why? Because I don't have a girlfriend living on the other side of the globe who thinks some of our holidays are crazy and needs them explained – repeatedly – keeping me up all night."

He hesitated, trying to think of a good comeback to that, but Pepper was sharp. In a lot of ways, she was more intelligent than he and Tony, combined, and the two guys knew it. And loved her because of it. He finally was forced to shrug, accepting defeat.

"Yeah, that might be it," he conceded.

Pepper chuckled, and hugged him, one-handed, before releasing him.

"Do you want to drive in, tomorrow morning?"

"No. I want to sleep."

Tony snorted.

"Let's go find some dinner," he suggested, knowing that she'd just been waiting for them. "Then Peter can tell you all about MJ's new boyfriend."

She raised an eyebrow.

"MJ has a boyfriend?"

"Yeah."

"Is he cute?"

"Ugh."

"That isn't a question you ask the ex-boyfriend, Pep," Tony said.

Pepper laughed.

"Let's go eat."

OOOOOOOO

"My master seeks information."

"Why tell me? I don't know anything your master would be interested in finding out."

If he did, he'd have sold that information long before.

"Because your master knows many things. Perhaps something that my master is interested in knowing."

"My master doesn't sell information. You know that."

"He collects things, however," the creature said, smoothly. "My master has access to many things that even your master has never heard of – and will offer one or two as a reward for the information that he seeks. The person who brings this news to your master would almost certainly be rewarded handsomely, don't you think?"

The greed in the other's eyes was easy to read.

"What does your master want to know?"