"You can't handle the responsibility…" the silky voice said, belying the terrible visage of the being that was trying to convince him. "Give me the stones, boy. I'll take care of it."

Pain was clouding his judgement, but Peter knew that was a terrible idea. Even half mad with agony and shock, Thanos was the enemy and he knew it with all his being. He felt a wave of fury go through him, and it was the power stone. The most awesome of all of the infinity stones – and easily the deadliest. It had already been used once to destroy, and it didn't welcome the idea of being returned to Thanos, now that it was away from him.

"The universe is mine," Peter told him, standing on the roof top, with Tony and Pepper standing behind him, providing the reminder of what he was going to die to protect. He meant the small portion of it – the Avengers, and the people that he cared for – even the city to the south that was in danger of being decimated. "Mine."

The cold eyes narrowed, looking at him; filled with fury that a simple boy would try to thwart what he'd long known was his destiny.

"Give me the stones, Clyde."

A snap of the fingers in reply, and then a white light that coursed through him with remembered agony. The stones all responding to Peter's command. Their power combining in a way that the universe hadn't felt since its very beginnings. All of the stones feeling what Peter wanted and channeling their power to the boy's will – amplifying the power stone, which surged through the glove he was wearing, along the vibranium which increased the power even more.

Within minutes, Peter was on his knees, certain that he was dying, but secure in the knowledge that everyone that he loved was going to live. He had a fleeting thought of trying to save himself by pulling the energy back a little, but the stones were seductive in their own way; reminding him that they could heal the world – they could heal the universe – and Peter had acquiesced in a split second.

The universe was his.

He felt himself fading, knew he was dying, but it was alright. It was worth everything to him to keep it safe. To heal it.

He felt Alec in his mind, cushioning him, and then felt the cloak's solid presence, as well, and then he didn't feel anything.

OOOOOOOOO

Tony and Pepper both looked up when Natasha walked into the room. She wasn't surprised that they were awake; it was after nine in the morning, but she was a little surprised Peter was still asleep – and then noticed how tired all three of them looked.

"How's it going?" she asked, walking over to the boy's right side and looking down at him – over Tony,

"Rough night," came the reply, even as Pepper brushed a hand along their son's forehead. "He was restless."

"Dreams," Tony said. He wasn't guessing; Peter had woken them with his restlessness and had told them – of course, he hadn't been completely coherent, so they couldn't be sure how much of what they'd been told was what had really happened. "Mostly about a bright light trying to kill him, and May sitting in the park with him."

"Stephen gave him painkillers?"

Pain medication would explain some of the dreams. Peter's own mind almost certainly provided the rest – especially if May was involved.

"A mild general one," Tony confirmed. "And then a local shot to keep his hand from keeping him awake all night."

"Poor baby." She turned her attention from the boy to the adults. "Go get some rest," she told them. "I'll keep him company."

"Shuri will be by, today," Pepper said, not arguing with Romanoff. It wouldn't do any good to even try, she knew. And if she trusted anyone with Peter while she wasn't with him, it was Natasha. She looked at her watch. "Probably sometime around lunch."

"We'll be back by then."

"Take your time," the assassin replied. She settled herself on Peter's left, in the spot Pepper had vacated. "Stephen is going to come check on him in a little while, so you guys will know the very latest by the time you're rested and ready to hang out with him."

"He hasn't had breakfast," Tony said, taking Pepper's hand in his.

"I'll take care of it."

Or Stephen would when he arrived.

They left and Natasha scooted just a little closer, until she had her hip right beside Peter's sleeping form. Sure enough, he responded to her presence, automatically, and his left hand pressed against her, the right still tucked protectively in the sling and somewhat between them, now. He mumbled something in his sleep but didn't quite wake up. Then he settled once more and was still.

She brushed her fingers through his hair, checking for fever – it was always their biggest concern with him, after all – but his skin was cool to the touch.

"Go to sleep, baby," she crooned, gently.

Then she pulled her tablet out and started watching the video of the alien dog crashing into Peter's quarters, once more trying to figure out what the hell happened off camera.

OOOOOOO

The same restlessness that had kept him up most of the night woke him only half an hour later. Natasha had felt him tensing beside her and had long since put her tablet aside, focusing on him when he opened his eyes, looking up at her owlishly.

"Hey…"

His voice was soft, but he sounded fairly lucid – even in that one word.

"Hey, yourself," she said by way of greeting. "How's my favorite guy?"

Peter smiled at that.

"Stephen?"

Which made her smile.

"He's a close second."

Peter yawned and stretched as well as he could with one arm completely immobilized and the other underneath his body with only the hand free and pressed against her.

"Sleepy. Where's Tony and Pepper?"

"Hopefully sleeping, themselves, by now. They'll be back."

The boy nodded and shifted just enough to rest his cheek on her belly, knowing that she wouldn't mind and definitely in the mood to cuddle a little.

"You're okay?"

"Yes. And you will be, too."

He nodded.

"It doesn't hurt too much."

She didn't believe that.

"Stephen will be by in a while to check you out. We'll make sure it doesn't hurt, at all, if we can. Yeah?"

"Yeah." He sighed; a somewhat contented sound and realized that the items on the stand by his bed were still on the stand by his bed. "Where's Nutmeg?"

"Last I saw, Carol had him. Steve's started debriefs on the battle, and he wanted to start with Nutmeg and Jack, since they are part of the biggest mystery in the compound, right now."

"What mystery?" he asked, curiously, turning his head to look up at her.

With the stack of pillows propping them up, it wasn't too difficult.

Natasha smirked, and reached for her tablet.

"Sit up a little, baby, and watch the video."

He did as he was told, and she felt his body tense when he saw the creature smash through his door, and he looked toward his living room, automatically, even though it was obviously gone, now. A confused noise when they both watched the kitten and half-grown lab leave his room minutes later, unhurried and clearly intact.

"That's weird."

"What does Alec say?" she asked, curiously.

"That's weird," came the reply in Peter's mind.

"He thinks it's weird, too."

"If we brought Nutmeg in here, could Alec get into his head and see what happened?"

It was obvious that the superspy was going crazy not knowing. Peter felt an amused chuckle from the ancient sorcerer, and an echo of that amusement from the cloak.

"It doesn't work that way. I'm not the kitty whisperer; animals are different than people. Even different kinds of aliens are similar enough I can get into their minds. Animals are on a different level."

"He says no," Peter said, smiling an apology.

"Damn."

"Incoming call from MJ," Karen suddenly announced before Natasha could do more than scowl at the continuation of the mystery.

The assassin smiled, too, and reached over to the stand, picking up Peter's cell and handing it to him, before shifting out from under him.

"I think I need to check my hair," she told him, making the first excuse she could to give him some privacy for the call. "I'll be back in a minute."

Peter wasn't fooled, and it showed, but he did smile.

"Thanks, Natasha."

He answered the phone, activating the video capabilities to make it a video call instead of just voice, and saw MJ on the high-tech display. Clear enough that he could see that she looked worried – although she did smile, slightly, when she saw him.

"Hi. Ned said that you were back home."

"Hey." He frowned. "Home from where?"

She shrugged.

"We thought that you might have been sent to Wakanda. You know, to keep you safe from whatever it was that happened at the compound. With all the aliens attacking."

Oh. He hesitated, uncertain what had been revealed, and who knew it, and feeling very much out of the loop, just then.

"No. There wasn't time," he told her. "It all happened too quickly."

"Ned said you were hurt?"

"Oh. Yeah. Just my hand. And my arm. A little."

MJ frowned.

"Let me see."

He tilted his phone toward the damaged arm, still in the sling, and clearly wrapped in a mass of bandages from the hand up to his shoulder.

"A little, huh?"

"It looks worse than it is," he lied – poorly.

She didn't believe him.

"Why didn't you get healed by the light that healed everyone else?" she asked, suddenly. "My mom's broken thumb healed instantly – and Bobby Clairmont's cancer was cleared out. He was actually back in school, yesterday." There was no hiding how amazed she was by the happenings that had been going on, but she had once again proven that she wasn't stupid – and was extremely observant. "What happened that you were left out?"

Peter froze, unable to think of a good reason at the drop of a hat. He wasn't very good at improvising and he knew it. Worse, so did she.

"I… maybe it's my alter-ego…"

MJ didn't look convinced about that, either. For that matter, Peter decided that she looked annoyed – and then somewhat resigned.

"Have I mentioned how tiring it is, worrying about you all the time, and wondering what you aren't telling me?"

Peter felt a stab of consternation.

"It's-"

"I have to go, Peter," she said, interrupting. Now she looked more annoyed than anything. "I have to get to class."

"Yeah. Okay." He hesitated, because there was something in her tone and her expression that had a finality to it that made his chest hurt a little. "I'll talk to you, later?"

"I don't know. Maybe." She looked confused, too. "Get better, okay?"

"Right."

He started to say something – maybe apologize – but the call ended and the screen went black.

Peter sighed and leaned over to set his phone on the stand, again, then closed his eyes.

"Everything alright?" Natasha asked from the doorway.

He opened his eyes and shook his head.

"I think MJ just broke up with me…"