It was almost a custom by now that they were in the garage when Pepper pulled into the compound at the end of the day. Both of them liked to see her smile when she saw them waiting for her – which made the waiting worthwhile, and it was an added bonus for Peter that day that Ned and MJ were both in the car with her.

Ned waited just long enough for the car to stop before opening the door and getting out of the back seat.

"Happy birthday. Let me see it."

Peter had texted him to let him know that he'd passed his test, of course, but hadn't taken a picture of the license, wanting to make it a little more dramatic. He grinned and pulled his license out of his pocket – it was getting a bit wrinkled by then – and handed it over to Ned.

"Happy birthday, Peter," MJ told him, smiling over the car at him.

He blushed, but smiled.

"Thanks."

Stark gave Pepper an amused smile.

"Did you have a good day?"

"Yes. What did you guys do?"

"Peter took Natasha for a ride in his car."

"Really?" Pepper smiled. "That didn't take long."

"Can he take us for a ride?" Ned asked, excited, handing Peter back his license and looking hopefully at Tony.

Tony hesitated, but only for a moment – and you had to know him well to notice it.

"If he wants."

"Peter?"

"Yeah. Of course." He looked at MJ. "Want to go?"

"Sure."

"Not for long, though," Pepper said. "Back in time to eat at a reasonable hour."

"Okay."

Ned opened the back door of the Pontiac and got in before they could change their minds, deferring the front seat to MJ since it was the chivalrous thing to do, he knew. Besides, he was at the compound a lot more than she was – he knew he'd have plenty of chances to ride in the car with just him and Peter.

"Have fun, guys."

Tony put an arm around Pepper's waist, and the two watched as Peter and MJ got into the car as well, and Peter started the engine. He tightened his hold just a little as the car reversed enough to turn and then it was driven out of the garage and the door closed behind them.

"You're going to give yourself an ulcer if you don't stop worrying about him," Stark told Pepper, feeling the tension in her body from his contact with her.

"I know. I can't help it."

She leaned against him for just a moment. "It's new, now. I'll relax a bit when he's done it a few times, I suppose."

"He'll be fine." Tony kissed her temple and let her go, then pulled her work bag out of the car for her. "And so will you. Let's go find something to do until they get back."

OOOOOOOOO

"How was the test?" Ned asked as Peter drove them down the access road toward the highway. "Did you fail anything?"

Peter shook his head.

"It was easier than I thought it would be. The guy just tells you where to go, and when to turn and all you have to do is remember to turn on your blinker and try not to run anyone over."

"Did you take your test in this?" MJ asked.

Both of them were close to being old enough to get their licenses, as well, but neither actually had a reason to do so, since they lived in the city and couldn't actually drive there until they were seventeen. Peter had a reason to be excited. Even though he couldn't drive in the city, there were plenty of places that he could go outside of the city. Especially since he lived at the compound.

"No. I used the Lamborghini."

She shook her head.

"Mr. Stark's going to teach me how to drive it, too," Ned told her from the back seat as they pulled onto the highway. "Maybe I'll be able to take my test in it, too."

"Probably," Peter agreed. He grinned at his friend in the reflection of the rearview mirror. "If he doesn't, you can use this."

Ned's eyebrows rose and vanished into his bangs.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. Of course. You can't drive it until you've had some lessons, though."

Ned was his best friend, after all, and had proven it a million times. Of course he could use it.

"Thanks, Peter."

He shrugged, and focused his attention back to the road, well aware that he was responsible for their safety and not taking that responsibility lightly.

"Where are we going to go?" MJ asked, curiously. "There isn't much around here, is there?"

"No. Not really. I filled up the tank earlier, so we can just go for a drive. I don't want to be gone too long, the first few times I drive alone – I think it freaks Tony out."

"And Pepper," MJ added. "She looked a little worried, too."

MJ had already proven that she was extremely observant.

"Yeah."

They drove as far as the truck stop down the highway, and Peter pulled into the parking lot in order to turn around. He was flagged down by a familiar state patrol trooper who was leaning on his cruiser talking to a trucker and holding a cup of coffee. The Pontiac pulled up beside the two men and Peter rolled down the window.

"License, son…"

Peter grinned and handed it over, while the trucker walked around the car, obviously admiring it.

"This yours?" the man asked, coming back to stand by the police officer.

Peter nodded.

"Yeah."

"You passed on your first try?" the officer asked, rhetorically, handing the license back to the boy. "Congratulations."

"Thanks."

The officer grinned, poking the trucker with his elbow.

"I pulled him over one time for going too slow. It was hilarious. He looked nervous as hell."

Peter shook his head, blushing, but also amused – and hoping that MJ couldn't hear.

"I'd never been pulled over before," he reminded the trooper.

"It's getting dark," the officer told him, slapping his hand on the hood of the car. "Get home before the folks start worrying about you, okay?"

"Yes, sir."

Peter rolled the window back up and turned the Pontiac toward the compound.

"How fast were you going when he pulled you over?" MJ asked, before Ned could.

"Fifteen miles an hour – something like that."

She snorted.

"Seriously?"

"It was my first time on the highway," he said, only slightly defensive, but definitely blushing. "And the first time I drove the Lamborghini with Tony. I was pretty nervous."

Ned laughed.

"I wish I'd seen that."

The conversation turned to the upcoming trip, and MJ asked who all was going. Peter was naming the list – which wasn't a long one – when he suddenly felt an intense tingle that told him to hit the brakes, which he did without thinking. The Pontiac stopped just as a deer ran out onto the road, right where they would have been. The creature kept going, oblivious to the audience it had, and Ned swore.

"Holy shit! We would have hit it." He slapped the back of Peter's seat. "Nice driving, Peter."

Peter started breathing, again, and then pressed the accelerator, gaining speed once more since he didn't feel any further tingling.

MJ looked over at him, curiously.

"How did you know to stop?" she asked.

He flushed.

"Saw it coming. Out of the corner of my eye…"

"I didn't."

He shrugged.

"You weren't watching for it," he told her. "I know there are a lot of deer out here. We see them standing on the road sometimes. It was one of the first things Tony taught me – to watch out for deer, I mean."

Which wasn't even close to the truth, but was all he could think of.

She gave him a skeptical look, but then turned her attention to the trees on either side of the road as they continued their drive back home. Peter caught Ned's reflection in the rearview mirror once more, and his friend grinned, and made a motion – pretending to wipe sweat from his brow.

Yeah. That had been a close one.