Peter was awake when they walked into the room. The hospital bed that Stephen had put him in was raised on the end, so that he was almost sitting up, completely, and his eyes followed them as they walked over to the bed. Rather than go one on each side like they normally would, they both ended up on the left side of the bed, since the right side was cluttered with machinery, and all the IVs tubing and wires were on that side. Not to mention it was the injured side, and neither wanted to risk hurting him, further, with any contact, there.

Peter was dry; Tony assumed that was Stephen using magic when he could to keep the boy from being soaked and still covered with goo. Maybe another reason that he'd sent Shuri out of the room. He was wearing blue pajamas, and there was a bulky white bandage covering the entirety of his hand, all of his forearm and most of his upper arm, as well, but he smiled, weakly when they joined him, and he opened his mouth to say something.

"Ah." Tony held a hand up to interrupt him before he could speak. His own eyes were examining the boy's face. The burns that had been there after Peter's confrontation with Thanos were faded completely thanks to the goop, but he could tell Peter was tired, and probably hurting, to judge from the pinched expression. But he was alive, and wasn't in the fluids that had kept them from being close to him. "Stephen said you're not supposed to talk, so don't even think of saying anything. Got it?"

The boy nodded, and lifted his left hand, clearly wanting someone to take it.

Pepper was closest and she did just that, sitting on the edge of the bed to allow Tony a place to stand just as close.

"You look tired," she murmured, bringing his hand up to her cheek, but watching him.

He nodded, silently, and looked at Tony. The way he looked at him made Tony certain he wanted to say something, and Stark pulled out his tablet, brought up the word processor and held it up to him.

"What's on your mind, son?"

Peter moved the right hand, automatically and there was a pained moan at the motion. He let go of Pepper's hand, reluctantly, and awkwardly typed a sentence.

Is everyone okay?

"Yeah, Peter," Tony said. "Everyone's fine."

He ran his hand along the screen, again.

Natasha?

"She's fine, too," Pepper assured him. "Are you in any pain?"

He shrugged, silently, not wanting to lie but unwilling to worry them. They both looked tired, and had that familiar concerned expression he was so used to seeing in their eyes when he was bedridden. But they were his. He'd made the choice, and he knew – in every part of his being – that it had been the right one.

He lifted his hand once more to the tablet.

It isn't bad. Can you stay with me?

"We weren't told otherwise," Tony murmured. "So, yes. But you should try to get some rest. You look tired."

Peter dropped his hand from the tablet, reaching for Pepper's once more, and he closed his eyes when he felt them both settling close to him, Pepper's hand tightening on his own and the unmistakable brush of facial hair brushing against his cheek.

"I have something that belongs to you," she said, suddenly, making him open his eyes, curiously. She reached into her back pocket, pulling out the stuffed Ironman doll and settling it on the bed beside him. "You know… in case you get lonely, or something."

The boy felt the toddler inside him squeal with happiness at the sight of the doll, and felt Alec react to that childlike happiness with his own flare of amusement. He closed his eyes, again, though, too tired to keep them open.

"I love you guys," he whispered, hoarsely, before either could chide him.

"We love you, too…" Pepper assured him. "Now, hush."

He did as he was told, and allowed their warm, loving presence to lull him to sleep, once more. It didn't take long; he was tired.

When he was still, Tony looked at her.

"Feel better, momma?"

She nodded.

"Relieved."

She knew that he was, too. They had him in a bed, anyway. Now they could take care of him.

OOOOOOO

"Did you check on him?"

"No. You heard Stephen; we're not supposed to bother him until tomorrow."

Barton rolled his eyes.

"He didn't mean you, Nat. Not only are you Peter's favorite – aside from Tony and Pepper – but the guy's your boyfriend. You don't have to listen to him."

She shook her head, amused. Romanoff was well aware that if Clint had wanted to, he would have been absolutely willing to sneak in and check on Peter, himself. He didn't for the same reason that Natasha didn't; to allow Pepper and Tony the first chance to spend time with him. There would be plenty of opportunity to sit with him the next few days, after all.

Besides…

"Bruce needs us, right now," she reminded him as she slid into the copilot seat. "Did you talk to him?"

"Yeah. He's going to meet us at the airport in Columbus."

"Did he say what's wrong?"

"Nope. Same as before; 'I'll have to show you…' and then ended the call."

She scowled and shook her head. Spies didn't like surprises. Or mysteries.

"Let's get there, then. I'm curious, now."

Clint was, too, and the jet took off at near vertical, but then swooped out of the compound airspace with the throttles already fully engaged.

OOOOOOO

The call took longer to answer than Ned expected, but Shuri eventually appeared on the screen. She looked annoyed, and Ned wondered if he woke her p or something, although he'd done the math fairly carefully.

"Are you busy?"

"Not at the moment." She lost a little of the scowl that he'd seen. "Peter is fine. Do not worry."

"What? What's wrong with Peter?"

"That isn't why you called?"

"I called because I can't get hold of Peter and was wondering if Tony had sent him to Wakanda to keep him away from the alien thing going on at the compound. What happened?"

She frowned, uncertainly. The princess wasn't used to keeping secrets, and definitely not from Ned, who seemed to know everything that was going on with Peter. More than she did. He was Peter's best friend, after all.

"What have you been told?"

"Peter told me some of it," he said. "When he brought the alien girl to the safehouse. But he hasn't activated his suit in a while, and I lost my connection with Karen, somehow."

"You mean Tony found out that you hacked Peter's AI and he pulled your link."

Ned shook his head.

"I couldn't have hidden my link with Karen from Tony. He might have pulled it, but not because he just learned about it. What's going on? Where are you?"

"I am at the compound…" she paused. "But I do not think I should say anything on the phone. They can be monitored, after all."

"What do you know about the light that went across the globe?"

"No more than you, most likely. I was not present."

"Is Peter hurt?"

"He – yes." She wasn't good at lying, and wasn't good at being interrogated – even by someone as inexperienced at it as Ned. "But he is healing."

"Is anyone else hurt? What about your brother? And Natasha? Are Tony and Pepper o-"

"There are no other injuries," she said, interrupting. "But that is all I can say. You should call Tony in the morning, Ned. I am certain that he will give you more information."

Ned scowled, but he didn't argue with her. Instead, he shrugged.

"Yeah. I'll do that. Are you going to be at the compound a while? Will I see you?"

"I am uncertain." She smiled. "I hope so."

"Call me if you can."

"I will."

The call ended and Ned sat on his bed for a moment, and then pressed a button on his phone. MJ's face came on the screen. She looked worried enough that he didn't really need to say anything, but he did.

"You heard?"

"Yeah. Are you going to call Tony, tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"And you'll tell me what you find out?"

Friday would immediately catch on to a conference call. Shuri hadn't – and Ned hadn't actually had a chance to tell her that MJ was on the call, as well. She hadn't had her video conference activated.

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay. I'll see you, tomorrow."

The call ended and Ned went back to bed.