The movie wasn't boring, but they were both relaxed – even holding each other as they were – and they dozed off somewhere toward the end. The screen was black when JARVIS spoke up, softly, to avoid startling, even as he was attempting to wake them.

"Incoming call from Natasha Romanoff."

Tony sat up, just as Pepper opened her eyes and did the same, looking around, sleepily. She'd been leaning against him, slightly, with her head on his shoulder, but had lost that comfortable position when he'd sat up.

"Everything alright?" she asked, looking at her watch.

"Yeah. They're probably winding down…" He'd planned on calling before going to bed – just to check on things. It appeared that Natasha had simply beaten him to it. "Put her through, JARVIS. Video, too, please."

The display lit up, again (no sense using the small screen of a phone when you had a much bigger TV one, available) and Natasha was suddenly looking at the two of them. From the looks of the background, she was sitting on the bottom bunk of the new bed that had been put into Peter's bedroom at the compound (after Fury had brought it up with Tony to make sure the boy hadn't fallen off the one in the cabin).

"Hey, sorry if I'm interrupting…"

Her expression was amused, and Tony realized that he and Pepper were still somewhat close to each other on the sofa. He didn't move, though, and even though Pepper was just as perceptive – if not more – he was pleased that she didn't move aside, either.

"You're not," he assured Romanoff. "How is the card game going?"

"It's done," she replied. "And he cleaned up."

"So he really does know how to play?"

"He's pretty good," she confirmed. "Not the best at bluffing, though." She smirked. "It'll give you something to work on, later."

"Is he there?"

"Changing into his pajamas, but don't go anywhere, because he won't take much longer, and then-"

"Hi, dad!" Peter was suddenly climbing into Natasha's lap, looking at the display on her phone, eagerly. His eyes lit up when he saw that Tony wasn't alone. "Hi, Pepper!"

Tony smiled, already missing having the little guy in his own lap. Bony knees and all.

"Hey, buddy."

"Hi, honey," Pepper added, leaning forward just a little. "Are you ready for bed?"

"Yeah." Peter leaned back against Natasha, who had her arms around him, clasped in front to hold him still. "I played poker and won a lot of candy."

"You didn't eat it, though, right?" Tony asked. "Romanoff isn't filling you full of sugar before bedtime?"

The spy rolled her eyes, but Peter just shook his head.

"No. She said I can have it on Sunday – right before you come to get me."

"Whaaaaat?" Natasha's eyes widened in exaggerated innocence, and one hand moved to cover Peter's mouth. "Don't listen to him, Tony. He's tired and not thinking straight."

Peter giggled behind the hand over his mouth, his brown eyes happy at the treatment. It made Tony smile, and he heard Pepper make a soft noise beside him.

"Do you need anything?" he asked his son.

The boy shook his head, his smile broad when Natasha lowered her hand.

"I'm good."

"Nat? You good, too?"

"I'm going to read him a story and put him to bed – and then I'm going to go eat all his candy."

"Hey!"

She smirked, and Tony and Pepper both smiled in response.

"Thanks."

"Goodnight!"

"Night, son."

"Goodnight, Peter."

The call ended and he stretched, getting up and looking at Pepper.

"It's late," he said, offering her his hand to help her to her feet, in case she was as stiff as he was from sitting so long. "Let me find my shoes and I'll take you home."

She smiled up at him.

"Or… I could stay the night."

His hand tightened on hers, and he felt a rush of warmth go through him.

"Or you could stay the night," he agreed, pulling her into his arms.

Pepper went, willingly, and kissed him.

OOOOOOOO

Natasha dumped Peter off her lap and onto the bed next to where she was sitting.

"You brushed your teeth?"

He nodded, sprawled on the bed and grinning up at her.

"Yes."

"Washed your face?"

"No. Was I supposed to?"

"No, I suppose you don't need to worry about that, yet." The assassin stood up and picked him up, hugging him, tight. "Top bunk? Or bottom?"

"Top."

"I can't cuddle next to you while I read to you, if you're on the top…"

"Bottom!"

That made her smile.

"What are we reading?"

"Something long."

"Define long…"

"A whole story."

"Does Tony usually read you a whole story?"

"No." the boy smiled up at her. "We're negotiating."

Phil was a dead man, she decided, even as her smile widened, amused.

"I'll read you three sentences," she countered.

"Four."

"Aim a little higher," she told him, walking over to the little bookcase. "Four sentences aren't very many."

If he was going to learn to negotiate, she might as well help him learn it, right, after all

"Oh." He watched her look through the books that were on the shelves. "A hundred sentences."

"I don't want to count out sentences," Natasha said, choosing one of the anthology books that was filled with short stories – mainly adventure stories and mysteries. "How about one full story, but a short one?"

"Five full stories…"

Romanoff set the book down, leaned over and cupped his face in her palms, smiling down at him.

"Two."

"Six."

"Wrong direction…"

"Four."

"Three."

"Okay."

"Get under the covers."

The boy did what he was told, getting himself situated and then going still, watching her. Natasha settled herself beside him, and Peter cuddled up against her. The boy had had a long day and was ready to be quiet for a while. He put his head on her belly, looking at the pictures as she opened the book and started to read a random story.

It wasn't too surprising to her that he fell asleep before she had finished the first tale. She finished it, still reading aloud, because she wanted to know how it ended. When she was done, she closed the book and set it on the stand next to the bed. Then she stretched, and quietly detatched herself from his limp grip before she kissed him, and then slipped out of the bed, leaving him to sleep.

The guys were still there, after all, and she wanted a chance to discuss the experiment they were going to do with Peter the next day. It wasn't dangerous – at all – and it was almost simplistic in the basic plan, but she wanted to make sure that everything was ready and that they had enough people to cover every angle that she and Steve wanted to explore.

Romanoff glanced back at the little boy, sleeping in the bed, and then turned the light off and left, automatically looking around for anyone or anything that might pose a threat to him. None emerged, and she knew that as she left JARVIS would be taking over the duty of keeping an eye on him. The AI wasn't in Peter's room, but it was everywhere else, she knew.

It worked out well, that way.