AN: Well, I'm back. Kind of. Still feeling sick but getting better. Covid is a bitch! I'm going to take time to work myself back into a schedule, so nothing too regular, right now, but it was fun to write, again.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Wait… what?"

Pepper smiled.

"I want you to learn how to swim," she repeated. "Clint has agreed to teach you, and since you're not busy doing anything else, today, and he's free, now would be a good time."

"But…"

"He taught me," Peter told his doppelganger. He'd been just as surprised by the request, but he was all for the idea. Of course. "I'm pretty good, now."

They'd just met in the lounge for breakfast, and Pepper had waited for them to have their meal in front of them before she'd spoken up, making her request. One that had definitely startled Pete – and surprised the others.

"It's a skill that you should have," Pepper told the boy. "Peter one time found himself making a water rescue – and it isn't something that he would have been able to do before Clint taught him to swim." She smiled, clearly well aware that he wasn't hugely enamored of the idea. "All the well-rounded superheroes can swim."

"Oh." He looked at Tony. "Can you swim?"

"Of course."

"Oh."

The boy still didn't look completely sold on the idea, and Tony understood completely. He remembered just how afraid of the water Peter had been. The billionaire shrugged.

"Ned is coming over this weekend," he reminded Pete. "He likes to spend time in the pool when he does." No mention that he liked to spend time in the pool because Natasha was usually there. "If you get a lesson in, then you can have a good time, instead of clinging to the sides of the pool looking terrified."

Pete looked at Peter, who also shrugged.

"You'll be fine," he assured him. "It is something that you should know how to do. I'm glad I learned."

The boy hesitated only a moment longer, and then he shrugged his acceptance.

"Alright."

She smiled.

"Thank you."

"But if I drown, you're going to have to be the one to explain to May what happened."

Pepper wasn't the only to one to chuckle at that.

"I'll take that under advisement."

"I'm going to be here," Tony told him. "I was planning on doing some work on my suit, today, so it won't be a problem for me to swing by the pool during the lesson."

"You'll be there?" Pete asked.

Peter wasn't the only one to notice that he looked a little relieved. Of course, why wouldn't he? He didn't know Clint beyond the quick meeting, but Tony was Ironman. Who could keep him safer than Ironman?

"Yes."

"Oh." The boy nodded. "Okay. What time?"

"After breakfast," Pepper said.

"More than an hour after breakfast," Peter added, reaching for some bacon. "You can't swim on a full stomach. You'll get cramps."

"That's a myth," Tony told both boys. "But I know that the lesson will be sometime before lunch since Clint and Romanoff have to go to Virginia this evening."

"What for?" Peter asked, curiously.

Tony smirked.

"Secret Avengers stuff."

"Awww…"

Pepper smiled, well aware that if Peter wanted to know what the Avengers were up to – and it wasn't something secret – all he had to do was ask Natasha. Or Clint.

"Eat your breakfast, boys. I don't want to be late."

OOOOOOOOO

The pool was quiet. It was late enough that all of the lap swimmers who used it in the morning were done and off to whatever assignments or projects that they were doing that morning, and too early for those who tended to swim on their lunch breaks. Pete stood at the edge of the water and shivered, looking down at Clint, who was already in the water watching him, expectantly.

"This looks eerily familiar…"

Tony Stark nodded, turning to Natasha, who had walked up to stand beside him. He turned his attention back to the water before answering.

"Doesn't it? He looks almost as afraid as Peter did, doesn't he?"

"Almost. But not quite."

Pete wasn't as injured as Peter had been back then, now was he?

"Think he's going to change his mind?" Tony asked.

"Nah. He's-"

The conversation was interrupted when the boy jumped into the water with a loud splash and promptly grabbed the side of the pool. Tony and Natasha both smiled and walked over to the edge of the pool – although the billionaire held back just a little. He wasn't an idiot, after all and if Romanoff was feeling nostalgic then what was to stop her from pushing him into the water, too?

It wouldn't be the first time.

OOOOOOOOOO

"How did it go?"

"Well… he didn't drown."

"That's a good start. Did he learn anything?"

"He's not as bad as Peter was in the beginning. He listened when Clint explained how to turn his head to breathe. No flopping."

Pepper smiled and glanced over at Peter, who rolled his eyes with a grin. He'd been working on his school assignment when Tony's call had come in and since it was on speaker he had no trouble listening in on the call.

"That's good to hear. What is he doing, now?"

"While we were having lunch we discussed some of Peter's more interesting moments as his alter-ego. Karen is letting him watch some of the videos."

"Is that wise?" Pepper asked.

"Yeah, there isn't any harm in it. She'll scrub it enough to make sure that he doesn't know who the individuals are and it'll be good for him to see what Peter can do. He can do it, too, after all."

"Except that Peter has the Avengers to look over his shoulder and keep him safe while he does it," she pointed out. "Pete only has Stephen."

"Stephen and Wong," Peter added. "They're pretty bad-ass."

"Watch your language, mister," Pepper told him, smiling despite the reprimand.

"But I'm right."

"Yes."

"Well, we don't have any way of making sure the Avengers are looking out for him when he gets home," Tony said. "But any ideas that we can give him will only help keep him safe."

"Like making him learn to swim?" Peter asked.

"Exactly," Tony agreed, sounding smug even over the phone. "That one was mom's idea, though."

"It's a good idea."

"Agreed."

Now Pepper looked a little smug, too.

"What are the plans for this evening?" she asked.

"You're bringing Peter and Ned home?" Tony verified.

"Yes. After practice." She looked at Peter. "Ned's staying tonight, but as far as we know not tomorrow?"

"No. He has to help his mom Saturday night. But we're going to work on the pumpkin chucker thing while he's there."

"Sounds like fun. Is MJ coming, at all?"

"No." Peter answered – although Pepper knew the answer, already. "She has family stuff this weekend."

"Alright. We'll expect you guys around 5 o'clock."

"I'll call if we're going to be late."

The call ended and Pepper turned to her son.

"How much work do you have left, today?"

"Just some history assignments for the test Monday. I'll work on it while you have your meeting."

"Need any help?"

Peter shook his head.

"It's easy stuff."

"Then I'll see you when I'm done with my meeting."

"Okay. Need any help for your meeting prep?"

Pepper's smile was amused, and she patted his cheek.

"I wish you could help with it," she told him. "I'll see you in an hour."

Peter nodded.

"Okay."