His watch woke him the next morning, startling him.

"Peter? It's probably not an emergency, but I could use your help at the field door."

The boy nodded, even before he was really all that awake – and Natasha stirred next to him. She frowned and looked at him, but Peter pushed the button on his watch. Tony's voice didn't hold any real anxiety, so Peter didn't hurry, even as he rolled out of his bed.

"Be right there," he promised.

"Hold on and I'll come with you," Romanoff told him, also rolling out of the bed and running her fingers through her hair and looking down at herself, visibly debating whether she needed to change into something a little was casual.

Since Peter was in sweats and didn't want to take time to change, she just shrugged and the two of them left, heading for the door that led to the field.

"How did you sleep?" She asked, her hand resting on his shoulder.

"Soundly." He always slept well when she was with him – which he knew was the whole idea. He looked at his watch and saw that it was still very early. "Wonder what's going on."

They came around a corner and found a small group of people standing in the corridor near the exit that led to the field, including two SHIELD security folks and Steve, who was dressed in sweats, clearly ready for his morning run. Also in the corridor were Tony – and Groot.

Stark smiled, not at all surprised to see Natasha with Peter, or that they looked as if they'd just woke up.

"I need a translator, son. What's he saying?"

Peter looked at Groot, who held up his hands.

"I am groot?"

"He asked if he can go to the lounge," Peter translated. "Everyone's asleep on the ship and he's tired of waiting for them to wake up. He says it's boring."

Tony hesitated.

"They're not going to wake up wondering where he is and think we've kidnapped – tree-napped – him?"

"I am groot."

"He says he left a message."

"I bet it was a short one," Steve said, making Peter smile.

He wasn't the only one, and Groot did, as well.

"I don't have a problem with that," Tony replied. "He's not a prisoner, but it might make some of the others nervous."

"I'll go with him," Peter offered, looking at Groot to see if he minded the company. "That way I can translate for him if he needs something."

"You don't mind?" Tony asked.

"No."

Tony looked at Groot.

"Do you mind?"

"I am groot."

Since the tree shook his head while saying it, Tony didn't wait for the translation.

"Have fun, then. If you need me, call – otherwise, I'm going back to bed for a while."

Natasha nodded.

"I am, too."

Clearly they had already decided that Groot wasn't a threat to Peter, because none of them objected to the idea of him being alone with him. Of course, the boy had already taken the tree down, once, so they knew he didn't pose a physical threat, anyway.

The security left, and Steve moved past Groot, excusing himself to go outside and continue his interrupted run. Tony looked at Peter.

"Need anything?"

"No. We'll see you at breakfast."

He looked at Groot.

"I need to stop in my rooms and get some shoes on and get Nutmeg. You okay with that?"

"I am groot."

They walked down the corridor and Peter wondered what May would think if she saw her nephew walking through the Avenger compound with a walking, talking, tree. It made him smile when he thought of the way that she would probably shake her head in disbelief and probably come up with something smart-assed to say.

Peter opened his door and gestured for Groot to precede him. He watched as the tree looked around the living room, his gaze taking in the TV and the video game controllers that were sitting on the coffee table next to his laptop.

"I am groot?"

"No one. I live here, alone."

"I am groot…"

The boy smiled, picking up the controller closest to him and handing it over, just as Nutmeg came into the room to see who was talking. The kitten took one look at Groot and his fur puffed up all over and his tail went straight up in the air. Clearly his kitten wasn't impressed with his cat tree come to life and walking around.

Peter chuckled and picked him up, cuddling him with one hand and picking up the other controller with another.

"You play video games?"

He hadn't missed the hand held game the tree had been holding the evening before.

"I am groot."

"Sit down," Peter offered. "I'll show you how to play."

He settled his discombobulated kitten on the back of the sofa and showed his guest how to toggle through the various games and use the controllers, and then surreptitiously watched as Nutmeg inched his way closer and closer to Groot, who ignored the kitten in favor of learning how to drive through a Grand Prix game.

OOOOOOO

It was another hour or so later when FRIDAY announced to Tony that the other visitors had made an appearance at the door to the field.

"Send a security team to escort them to the lounge," he requested, not even opening his eyes. "I'll be there in a bit. Tell them to go ahead and start eating."

"FRIDAY?" Pepper said, also in bed and showing no interest in waking, just yet. "Where's Peter?"

"In his quarters, Karen says."

Tony frowned.

"He was going to go to the lounge with Groot."

"Where's Groot?" Pepper asked.

"Peter's quarters."

"Are they alright?" Tony clarified.

"Karen says they're playing video games."

Tony rolled his eyes and cuddled Pepper close for a moment.

"Should have known."

"True."

"I'm going to go eat breakfast with them and see if I can learn the secrets of the universe. What did you want to do today? Hang nearby? Or go into the city?"

He knew that she'd intended to make a few stops at the homes of various friends, but that had been the plan before the spaceship had landed in the field. He just wasn't sure, now, if she wanted to keep that schedule.

He wasn't surprised when she shook her head.

"I'll come join you in a little while. If something comes up, though, call me, alright?"

"You know I will."

He kissed her and then got out of their bed, reluctantly, and headed for the bathroom.

OOOOOOOO

"This place is pretty nice," Rocket said, walking into the lounge with the others.

"So you've already said," Gamora reminded him.

"It's still true this morning."

"We were advised to suggest you go ahead and start ordering breakfast," one of the security people told them when they sat down at the same table they had the evening before. "I can get you menus, if you'd like."

"That'd be great, thanks," Quill said, approvingly. "Any idea where Groot is?"

"That's the tree?" the man clarified.

"Yeah."

The security team didn't even have to ask. With FRIDAY keeping track of every member of the group and constantly feeding that information to the compound security, it wasn't a problem for him to answer.

"They're on their way here, now."

Clearly, Groot and Peter weren't the only ones, because even as the menus were being handed out, a commotion at the entrance showed Clint and Steve walking in with Carol Danvers. All three made a bee-line for the tables in the corner, and settled in chairs more than willing to continue getting to know their visitors better.

"How did you sleep?" Steve asked.

"It's been a long time since I woke up to birdsong," Peter said. "I forgot how annoying it could be."

"At least you don't have deer gnawing on you," Clint replied with a smile.

"You have deer here?"

"Yes. They'll usually graze in the field in the morning. But early."

"You're from earth?" Carol asked, curiously.

"I am."

"How did you end up in outer space?"

He shrugged.

"It's a long story."

"He was abducted," Drax told them. "By –"

Before he could explain, another movement at the entrance, and this time it was Peter and Groot walking in.

"What the hell is that?"

Steve wasn't sure exactly what Rocket was referring to. The two newcomers were talking, animatedly, as they walked, and Nutmeg was perched on the tree's shoulder, looking around as he was carried over to the tables. Peter reached up and plucked the kitten from Groot's shoulder and set him up on the cat tree next to the table.

"That's a cat," Quill answered. "You've seen them."

"There are cats in space?" Peter asked, curiously.

"There's everything in space," Drax replied. "Including nothing."

Peter looked at him, uncertainly, as if trying to decide if he was making a joke, and Rocket just shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, kid," the racoon told him. "He grows on you – after a while."

Peter sat down, noticing that they were holding menus. He hadn't even known there were menus.

"What's for breakfast?" he asked, somewhat curious if they even really ate normal food. Well, Quinn, yeah, but the others?

"What do you suggest?" Gamora asked the boy, studying him anew in the morning light, with some sleep under her belt.

He was so unassuming, but there was obviously a lot more to him than meets the eye. Her own dreams about him aside, the boy had no trouble communicating with Groot and from what she'd heard from the three, he'd been the only one in the hallway when they'd been knocked out.

Peter's smile was friendly and warm.

"Pancakes?"

"Oh! Yeah. Pancakes," Quill agreed, setting the menu on the table with finality. "That's what I want."

"What is a pancake?" Mantis asked.

"Cake for breakfast?" Rocket asked.

"I will have cake," Drax assured them.

"And eat it, too," Danvers said, watching the aliens with interest – even though she. Herself, had been in space for years, now, and surrounded by odd looking people.

Drax frowned.

"Of course I will eat it."

Steve smiled. These people were interesting, if nothing else.