Strange took the news about the demon trying to get information from the Collector much more calmly than Tony. The sorcerer supreme had arrived in the compound shortly after Tony had called him, asking if he wasn't busy, would he please stop by that morning when he had time. Not surprisingly – although he was somewhat busy – Stephen walked into the lounge, dressed in one of his impeccable suits and looking like he was on his way to a classy party. Somewhat more of a surprise was the fact that Wong was walking beside him.
Both men had accepted the offer of a cup of coffee and a pastry, and had then listened to Peter tell the story of what he'd dreamt about.
"I didn't go there," Peter said, glancing at Tony when he did. "It was just a dream conversation, or something."
"It wasn't like the last time?" Strange asked.
"No. And I wasn't tired, or anything, when it was over and I woke up."
"You know this guy who is looking for Peter, Stephen?"
"The minor demon? No. His master is the one who threatened Earth and destroyed the sanctum in China, though."
Tony raised an eyebrow. He knew the story – they all had heard it, at some point or another, by then.
"So this guy has every reason to have a grudge against the Earth?"
"And me, in particular," Stephen agreed. "I've already spoken to him, however."
"He had a demon summon us," Wong added.
Pepper frowned.
"Can demons summon people?"
Despite the seriousness of the conversation, Strange smiled.
"Not in the way that you're thinking. It sent a message, asking – as politely as a demon can – for us to meet. When I went-"
"Alone?" Tony interrupted.
"Yes." The sorcerer appreciated the fact that the question meant that had he asked, Stark would have gone, too, and provided back up. "It isn't something you could have helped me with," he added. "And – at the time – I didn't know that it had anything to do with Peter, or the Light."
"So the little demon was sent by a bigger demon?"
"Correct. Dormammu isn't – exactly – a demon. Just a ruthless, powerful, creature from another dimension that tried to take over ours along with a multitude of others. It would have been a toehold into our dimension – and a start to some truly horrific outcomes."
"So he was asking about Peter?" Tony asked, glancing at his son.
"He wanted to know the origins of the light. Presumably to discover if it can reach him in his own dimension."
"Can it?" Pepper asked.
"If you'd have asked me that, before, I'd have said it was impossible."
"But…?"
"But there are rumors of the light entering the dark realm, and I would have said that that was impossible, as well."
"That's another reality?" Tony asked.
"It is," Wong replied.
Stark looked at Stephen.
"Should we be worried about this Dormammu guy finding out about Peter and coming after him?"
"No. He won't leave his dimension."
"If he did, he would lose much of his power," Wong explained. "Not to mention, it's extremely complicated for beings to cross dimensions at will. Short of someone actually summoning him – which isn't even a possibility, really – he'd practically destroy himself forcing his way into our world."
"Leaving him vulnerable," Strange added. "Something he won't risk. Which is why he's seeking the information that he wants through middlemen."
"The bigger possibility is that he – or one of the minions – finds out about the origin of the light and comes looking for Peter."
"So we dodge the huge demon and just have to deal with a little one?" Tony asked, looking slightly incredulous. "Or maybe a bunch of little ones?"
"How little?" Pepper asked.
"Size depends on the person who summons them," Wong replied. "It's their imagination that creates the form. Usually."
"But we're not worried about that," Stephen assured them.
"We're not?" Tony echoed. "I gotta say, I'm feeling a little worried."
"We can deal with the little ones, should any manage to make their way into our world. We already do that, really. The odds of one finding the information that they need, and then finding where to look for Peter, and then managing to get themselves summoned here, expressly to look for him, and maybe try to hurt him? I won't say never, because I refuse to use that word, but it's incredibly unlikely."
"And that doesn't even bring the mind stone connection into the equation," Strange added. "Demons can't hide from it any more effectively than anyone else."
"We think," Wong said.
"We're fairly certain." It was clear that this had been discussed between the two several times. That was actually reassuring to Tony – and to Pepper. There was a lot of calm, and no panic. "There should be ample warning if something arises that we need to handle, long before it becomes a danger to anyone – especially Peter."
"Huh." Tony nodded, looking at his son. "Is it saying anything to you, now?" he asked the boy.
"No."
"What do we do, Stephen?" the billionaire asked.
"Get your plans made for your party, and decide what you're going to be for Halloween. Let us worry about the dimensions."
Tony rolled his eyes.
"Fine. Thank you, though. Both of you."
"You're welcome."
"You don't know what you're going to be for Halloween, yet?" Wong asked, incredulous. "I'd have thought you'd decided weeks ago."
"We did," Pepper said, smiling for the first time since they'd seated themselves at the table. "He keeps changing it, though. If he keeps it up, I'm going to make him go as Batman, so Ned can have his DC theme."
"He's already basically Batman," Peter pointed out. "He's rich, and has a lot of tech."
"And I don't dress up like a giant bat and go out solving crimes," Tony said, pretending to be annoyed.
"More like a can of soup, or something similar," Stephen said. "You could be chicken noodle man."
Pepper snorted, amused, and Tony shot her a look.
"Don't encourage him."
She just smirked.
"We're going to head back to the sanctum," Strange said. "Did you need anything else?"
"You're coming to the party?"
"I am. For some of it, anyway. I will not be bobbing for apples – or any other fruit."
"But you're still going to set up the haunted house…?"
"Yes."
There was actually going to be magic used to make it as easy as possible to get something impressive and save Tony the trouble of figuring out a lot of tech to make ghosts and mummies and whatever else might be needed – not to mention the hassle of building the thing out in the field only to tear it down the next day.
No sense being a magician if you couldn't use that talent to help out a friend.
"Great. Let me know if you need anything."
"We will."
The two sorcerers left, and Tony turned to Pepper.
"Feel better?"
"A little. Yes."
"Good."
"Do you?"
"Yes." He looked at Peter. "But you keep an ear out for the mind stone. If it even makes a hint of some kind that there's trouble, I want you to tell me, or mom – or Stephen. Understood?"
"I will."
"Thanks."
Pepper looked at her watch, and then at Peter.
"It's still early. Why don't you go get whatever you'll need and we'll go into the city and see if we can keep you from falling behind, and me from missing any meetings."
Peter nodded, but he didn't make a move to get up. Instead he looked at Tony.
"Am I grounded?"
The billionaire shrugged.
"I guess not. Go learn something interesting."
"Yeah." Feeling much better, himself, Peter got up. "I'll meet you in the garage whenever you're ready," he told Pepper, and then he left, taking Nutmeg with him.
Pepper waited until he left.
"You're really not worried?"
"No." he reached over and took her hand. "They know what they're doing, right? They've been dealing with the weird stuff without our help for a long time. But keep an eye on him, will you? Just to make sure it isn't freaking him out."
"You know I will."
"I do know it," he assured her, smiling. "It's one of the many reasons that I love you so much."
"And the other reasons?"
"You're brilliant, and beautiful, and funny."
"Awww…"
"And you make me a lot of money so I don't have to go to work."
She rolled her eyes, but she was amused.
"Just for that, you're going to show the kids how to bob for apples."
"What?"
"You heard me," she said, standing up and smiling down at him. "Better get some practice in, before next Friday, so you don't look too ridiculous."