It had started to rain by the time they arrived at the park entrance. More than a drizzle, but nothing so serious that either of them were watching for a guy in a robe to start gathering up animals two by two and shepherding them into a cruise ship, either. It was gray and chill, but they had no trouble spotting Peter, who was sitting on a bench near the sidewalk holding an umbrella against the rain.

He wasn't sitting next to MJ, however, which made them both frown, since the plan had been for them to come pick the kids up when they called and drop her off at home before they left the city for the tower. Instead, there was a scruffy looking fellow who was reading a book and enjoying the benefit of Peter's umbrella being big enough for two and that the boy didn't mind sharing. In fact, when he spotted the car before Tony had a chance to honk and alert him, Peter handed the umbrella to the other guy and after a brief exchange got up and headed to the car.

"Where's MJ?" Tony asked when the boy closed the door, and awkwardly buckled himself in using his braced hand.

"She took an Uber home," came the reply. "She said she'd text me when she got home, and I heard from her right before you pulled up."

"Did something come up at home?" Pepper asked. "Is everything alright?"

Peter shook his head, and they both could see that he looked down. He leaned his head against the window.

"She's mad. Again. Or still. I don't know."

It was clear he didn't want to talk about it, and the busy traffic in the city was distracting enough to Tony that he didn't press. Pepper wanted to – only because it was upsetting to her to see him looking so sad – but she was in the front seat and not in a position to comfort him more than words could, and he was looking out the window, rather than at either of them. Obviously not interested in words.

"I'm sorry."

Peter nodded, not turning toward her.

"It's okay. Really. This one was my fault."

He shivered, slightly, and wrapped his arms around himself – and even distracted by traffic, Tony didn't miss that. The billionaire turned up the heat in the back, and the seat warmer the boy was enclosed in. Always a good way to get him to relax whether he wanted to or not, this time Stark was just doing it to make sure he didn't catch a cold on top of everything else.

"Do you want to stop anywhere?" Tony asked him, looking in the reflection of the mirror.

"No. I'm good. Thanks, though."

His voice was tired, and a little depressed, maybe, but he wasn't crying, so they decided that it wasn't as bad as the argument that had driven him to wrecking his car. They exchanged a glance that Peter didn't see, and Tony thumbed the audio system controls on the steering wheel, turning on the light jazz that lulled Peter to sleep quicker than anything else. It didn't hurt that he was short on sleep from the abbreviated evening with Ned. They both watched in their mirrors as they drove through the city and then out on to the highway heading north, Tony easily navigating the traffic on the road, as Peter's eyes closed, and he eventually fell asleep, injured hand still tucked under his left armpit.

Pepper looked back over her shoulder, confirming that he was truly asleep, her fingers itching to push his bangs back out of his face. They'd forgotten to get his haircut what with everything else that was going on that weekend.

"They certainly have a rocky relationship, don't they?" she whispered, to avoid disturbing their son's nap.

Tony nodded, reaching for her hand and putting it on his leg now that he was in cruising gear.

"The rocky ones sometimes have the best results, though…"

She smiled, well aware that he was talking about their own – which had been as rocky as it could be in some points.

"True."

Not all of them ended so well, however, and they both knew it.

OOOOOOO

He woke when they pulled into the garage, opening his eyes with a startled noise, and sitting up, looking around.

"You're fine," Tony told him, noticing even as he stopped the car and turned off the engine. "We're home."

"Oh." He rubbed his face, sleepily. "I had the weirdest dreams…"

Which made them both turn and look at him. Not surprisingly, really, since dreams had become something of a harbinger of things to come, sometimes, now, with him.

"What kind of dream?" Tony asked.

He was awake enough, now, to see their concern, and he shook his head.

"Nothing serious. Weird. Ned and I were talking about becoming space pirates and we stole the space shuttle from the display in DC and then tried to convince you that fixing it up would be a great idea."

Pepper frowned.

"How would that be a good idea?"

Peter shrugged.

"I told you it was weird. At the time it sounded pretty reasonable – and Ned was making some good arguments for it."

Tony rolled his eyes, more relieved that Peter's expression wasn't so bleak, and that the dream hadn't been something depressing – or scary.

"I can tell you right now," he said, opening the car door and prompting them all to do the same. "There is no argument that Ned – or you – can make that will convince me to a) allow you to steal the space shuttle from DC – or anywhere else – and b) fix it up so the two of you can become space pirates. Understood?"

The boy smiled.

"It was a pretty good dream…"

"No." Tony held up his hand, wagging a finger at his son. "No space shuttles… no becoming a space pirate. I mean it."

Peter looked at Pepper, his expression purposefully turning entreating, and his eyes widening until they were huge and innocent and hopeful. It was remarkable.

"Mom…? Can Ned and I become space pirates…? Please?"

She chuckled, delighted at the display of playing one parent against the other – which wasn't something that he did, luckily, because he'd probably be very good at it. Pepper hugged him, careful of his hand, but squeezing him close to reaffirm with him that she loved him very much and was there for him if he needed her, later, when he was ready to discuss his problematic afternoon with MJ and whatever conversation had cut it short.

"Of course you can, sweetheart," she crooned, making Tony roll his eyes, amused at the over the top baby talk. She smirked at him, pleased that she got to be the good guy, this time. "Momma will let you be anything you want to be. Including a space pirate."

The boy laughed, and hugged her for a long moment before letting her go.

"I'll think about it. We might come up with something better."

"You do that," Tony said. "Think about it while you're swimming."

Might as well get his therapy out of the way since he was home.

"Okay." He was awake enough, now, that he didn't mind the idea of a little exercise. The pool was pretty relaxing when there weren't a lot of lap swimmers and he had a lot to think about, really. "Are you playing lifeguard?"

"Friday? Is Natasha on site?"

"In her quarters."

Tony smirked, looking at Pepper, who shook her head, already knowing what the next question was going to be.

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"There's your lifeguard, then." They all knew that Romanoff had promised Peter a long time ago that she'd watch him anytime he was in the water, and even though that had really only been for his swimming lessons, she preferred to be there when he was wet. "Meet us for dinner at six."

"Alright."

They parted ways, then, with Tony and Pepper going toward their quarters – and then probably the lounge – while Peter headed for Natasha's to see if she minded watching him swim.

"You didn't tell them about the stone," Alec pointed out.

"That wasn't really a dream."

Kind of.

"It's something that they're going to need to know."

"They already know it," Peter replied. "And I'm probably not ready to make the trip, yet. Another day and I'll talk to them."

He wanted a night without any more stress than he was already feeling. Luckily, Alec agreed and let the subject drop.