Thursday was a busy day.

Not the beginning of the day, but everything after school. A special change in protocol had the kids from Peter's group project riding back to the tower with Peter, Maria and Phil – also followed by another SUV with SHIELD agents that the students (including Peter) were unaware of. It was exciting to the others, of course, and they were all excited when they walked into the tower with guards hovering over them, protectively – even though it was really Peter that they were watching.

The group was greeted by Tony, but there wasn't any time for an afternoon snack, as they were all eager to get to the robotics lab and finish their rover.

Tony didn't want to be a distraction, so he forced himself to leave them to it, but when they were done a couple of hours later, he was the first one in the room. The kids set their miniature rover on the floor and to their great delight, it reacted to all the commands they gave it through the radio control system that they'd created.

"That's really impressive," Stark told them, admiringly.

Which had made all four of the students preen – and Peter had hugged himself, excitedly.

"Definitely an A," one of the older boys had said, looking almost awed at their success.

So pleased that for the moment, they were more impressed by their rover than the fact that they were in the same room as Tony Stark.

That didn't last long, though, because Tony gave them enough time to enjoy their creation and box it into a special transport crate – a little bigger than a shoebox, which gave them an appreciation for how little their machine was – and then offered to show them all his new suit. As a little treat to congratulate them for their project being finished. All of them jumped at the idea of getting a first-hand look at the Ironman suit, even Peter, who had better access than the rest of the world, really.

They spent the time waiting for their parents to arrive in the lobby watching Stark explain the special mechanisms that allowed his suit to activate over his clothing, and even gave them a peek at the newest one that was being created – although he didn't allow any of them to know any of the new tech he'd developed for it. Peter was one thing, of course, but three kids who probably didn't have ties to the tech world but who knew? Nope. The addition of Peter in his life was softening his outlook, he knew, but not that much.

When his classmates had all been picked up, and arrangements had been made for the rover to be delivered to the school the next morning, Tony took his son out to eat at the restaurant of his choice – as a special treat. Not because he'd forgotten to take any chicken out to thaw and that would have meant they had sandwiches for dinner. Or pop tarts.

They went to McDonald's which wasn't too surprising, since it was Peter who chose their destination, but they ended up getting it to go. The playland was closed, anyway, and one of the cashiers in the lobby had eyed Tony with an awed expression that silently told him that she'd recognized him (or Peter?) and they weren't going to have any chance of eating inside in peace and quiet.

Better to eat at home, where they would be surrounded by all their amusements. And besides, they had other things to do that evening.

"I want you to be packed for the weekend," Tony told Peter when the boy was finished with his meal and was sucking air through his straw as he wiggled it along the bottom of the paper cup, trying to get every last drop of chocolate from it. "That way we can leave as soon as you get out of school."

Peter nodded.

"Okay. You'll help me?"

"I fully intend to, yes," he was assured. Stark got to his feet, gathering their garbage as he did so he could toss it into the trash. "Go get your bag out and put it on your bed, and I'll be right there."

The boy jumped to his feet, too, and hurried off to his bedroom.

"JARVIS? Any weird weather expected out by this new place this weekend?"

"Nothing, sir. Sunny skies, but cold."

"Thanks."

Now he knew what to pack.

OOOOOOO

"So your teacher was impressed?"

Peter grinned, excitedly, and nodded.

"Yeah. We'll get a good grade."

"Will they send it to Mars?" Pepper asked.

"No." The boy was too happy to be upset at that. "It isn't that good. But it's good."

"It's great," Tony assured him. "And, even better, now you're free to enjoy the whole weekend without worrying about what kind of grade you're going to get. Right?"

"Probably be an A," Peter said.

"Definitely." Tony hugged him, even though Peter didn't need the reassurance. Then he looked at Pepper. "Are you ready?"

"I am." She looked at Peter. "My SUV is loaded, already. Tony put your stuff in it and his, and we just need to stop at a grocery store and pick up the fresh foods that we couldn't pack in advance. Are you bringing your backpack?"

It had his schoolwork in it, but even she knew that the real treasures were all in the safe back at the house.

"Yeah."

"Let's get going, then," Stark said, setting Peter down. "Grab your coat, buddy."

"Yay!"

Peter did as he was told, slipping back into the coat that he'd taken off only twenty minutes, earlier, when he'd arrived at Tony's office.

Pepper smiled at the show of excitement that never got old, really, and looked at Tony.

"I need to stop at my office and get my coat, too."

"We'll come with you."

OOOOOOO

They stopped at a small grocery store on the edge of the city, conveniently located on the way out of town. They needed milk (chocolate for Peter, and low fat for Pepper), eggs, butter, fruits and some last minute snacks for the road. Peter was buckled back into his seat in the back of Pepper's car, but now he was munching, happily, on licorice.

Tony loaded the groceries in the back cargo area with the rest of the supplies needed for a simple weekend getaway in the middle of nowhere, and now he was the one to get behind the wheel, giving Pepper a break from driving, and allowing her to be the navigator.

"That way it's her fault if we get lost," Tony explained to Peter, who grinned at the way she rolled her eyes in response to the statement.

Peter didn't care who drove.

Pepper was able to turn in her seat, though, and chat with him as they made their way out of the many small suburbs and into a heavily forested area that gave way only to the two laned road that wended through the trees. The roads were clear; it hadn't snowed in days and had been plowed, and then treated to some sunlight filtering through them. Enough that everything was bare and dry, which allowed Tony the chance to join in on the conversation, as well.

Since Peter had already nagged Pepper relentlessly the past few days for all the information she had about the cabin, the discussion was more focused on how everyone's day had gone. Peter had already told both adults about his project and how well it had been received, so the conversation went to the meetings that Pepper and Tony had had that day.

A conversation that Peter fell asleep during. Proving, once again, that he didn't stay awake on long car rides, no matter what amount of sugar was coursing through his system. Pepper's expression was amused when she realized that the comments from the back seat were fewer and further between, and she watched as the boy gave up conversing, entirely, and drifted off, lulled by the powerful engine and the voices of the two adults who were still discussing one of the more colorful people they'd met with, earlier.

"He didn't last too long."

Tony verified that with a glance in the rearview mirror, and he shook his head.

"All the better to stay up late, tonight, and drive us crazy."

Pepper didn't look too concerned.