The boys walked with MJ to her quarters where her bags had been left, and waited while she gathered everything but what she would need for the next day's traveling into a single bag and zipped it up. Then they walked to Peter's quarters and she sat on the sofa, watching Ned do the same.

"What did you get Peter?" she asked Ned when their friend had vanished into his bedroom to get his things.

"I'll tell you later," Ned said.

"He can't hear you," she pointed out, gesturing to the closed door, which meant he was probably changing into sweats or something equally comfortable to sleep in.

Ned gave her a mysterious look.

"The walls in here have ears…"

"What the hell does that mean?" she asked, a little annoyed at the weird way he'd said it.

And because she wanted to make sure they hadn't gotten him the same thing.

"It means Karen is listening, and if I tell you, she might tell Peter."

"Who?"

"Peter's AI," Ned explained. "Artificial Intelligence. Like the one Mr. Stark has in his suit and in his cars, and in his quarters – and maybe everywhere in the compound and the tower, I'm not sure. I haven't seen it in action, really."

"What are you talking about?"

Ned decided it was easier to demonstrate.

"Karen? Can you turn on the TV, please?"

"Sure."

The TV in the living room suddenly came on, and MJ stared at it, and looked around, trying to find the speakers that the feminine voice had come from. It had seemed to be everywhere.

"Who was that?"

Ned grinned, pleased that he knew something that she didn't. She was pretty smart, after all – which was saying something, coming from him.

"That was Karen. She keeps an eye on things for Peter, here in his room. And can interface with Friday, who is Mr. Stark's AI, in case something happens that he needs to know about."

"Like what?" she asked, curiously, getting up and walking around the room, obviously looking for a control panel or some other point of contact for the AI.

Ned knew that she wouldn't find one. It wasn't there. He'd looked, himself, already.

"Mostly in case he sleepwalks," he told her. It wasn't a secret that he did it, Peter had mentioned it to her weeks ago. He certainly wasn't going to tell her about Peter's other nocturnal activities. Robin didn't tell on Batman, after all, and he knew it wasn't his place to reveal Peter's secret. "He could hurt himself if he went outside and didn't know what he was doing."

"Oh."

She was clearly processing that when the door to Peter's bedroom opened and he walked out wearing sweats and a pullover sweatshirt, carrying a duffle bag. Both of them looked at him, and he frowned.

"What?"

"I told her about Karen," Ned explained, shrugging. "And explained what she was."

"Oh. Okay."

"That's impressive tech," MJ said, looking around, still.

"Mr. Stark doesn't have any tech that isn't impressive," Ned said, wisely, obviously still in awe of his friend's connection to Ironman. "The toaster probably butters the bread for him."

"No, he still has to do that," Peter said, smiling. "Do you have everything?"

"Yeah."

"Karen? Is Steve at the jet pad?"

"Yes. So is Clint Barton."

"Where's Natasha?" Ned asked, grinning because Peter had already given him permission to interact with the AI – and he loved it.

Anything with that much technology involved was sure to be a win with Ned.

"In the lounge."

Peter rolled his eyes, knowing that Ned was showing off a little, but he didn't say anything. Whatever made his friend happy – and that clearly did.

"Let's go drop this stuff off before he goes to bed."

HE picked up his bag and MJ's, and waited while Ned got his, then the three went through the corridors and out the exit closest to the jet. Sure enough, Clint and Steve Rogers were both packing a large, heavy-looking metal crate that was holding everything from snowshoes to skis and sleds – as well as assorted baggage and food items and who knew what else. Steve smiled a greeting to the three, which made MJ smile in response, and he took the bags from the boys.

"Got everything?"

"Yeah."

"Is there a kitchen sink in here?" Barton asked, holding up Ned's bag, which he had taken from Steve.

"Everything but that," Ned told him. "My mom's crazy. She acted like we were going to Siberia and would be gone for a month."

Clint nodded.

"Moms are like that."

"She sent a birthday present for you, too, Peter," he told his friend. "So make sure you pretend to like it."

They didn't linger at the jet, well aware that they were just in the way, really, and wanting to have some time to play VR before bedtime. Instead, they headed back to Peter's room, and spent the evening playing video games.

OOOOOOO

There was a cake. It was set in front of him with a flourish from his mother, who was wearing a pointed party hat held onto her head with a rubber band under her chin. The cake was a simple one, white frosting and a clown drawn in the middle. Peter felt a thrill go through him, knowing it was his favorite kind. He looked over at Spot, was watching, intently, because he liked cake, too. There were four candles that his father carefully lit before telling him to make a wish and blow them out.

"What if I don't blow them all out?" He asked. "Does the wish still come true?"

"Of course it does," May told him, touching his chin and smiling at him. "Don't worry."

He needn't have been concerned. The candles went out in one puff, and as he watched everyone clapped.

"What did you wish for?" his father asked him, leaning over him from behind and pressing his bearded cheek against his own, making Peter automatically raise a hand to brush against it.

"A bike."

"That's a good wish. Let's have some cake and see what happens."

"How long does it take for the wish to be granted?"

"It depends on the wish," May told him, sitting down beside his mother. "Some are easier than others."

"And some require more candles," his mother told him "Wait until the day you have sixteen of them, you're really going to love it."

He didn't understand the look that passed between his mother and father, then, but he saw them smile – and that made him smile, too.

OOOOOOO

"Peter's on the move."

Tony opened his eyes at the gentle announcement, but didn't get up just yet. With his friends at the compound, there was every chance that the kids were out getting a midnight snack – even though a glance at his watch told him it was almost three am.

"Where is he?"

"Coming through the door, now."

"Is he alone?" Pepper asked, sleepily.

"Yes. Karen says Ned is asleep."

Stark started to roll himself out of bed, but the door to their bedroom opened, and Peter was suddenly at the edge of the bed. He wordlessly joined the two of them when they made a space for him between them, and Pepper pulled a blanket over him.

"Sleepwalking?" she whispered to Tony as Peter shivered next to her.

"Peter?"

"Hmm?"

"What's 10 and 7?"

"Baked Alaska."

"Yeah." Tony shook his head, but tucked the blanket around him. "He's sleepwalking."

Peter cuddled against Pepper, his nose pressed against her shoulder.

"It's my birthday, Pepper…" he murmured, softly, closing his eyes and relaxing against her.

"I know, sweetheart," she said, brushing her fingers against his cheek. "Happy birthday."

"I made a wish…" he told her. "But there are a lot of candles…"

She looked over at Tony, who shrugged, silently telling her that he didn't know what that meant, and then he leaned over Peter to press his cheek against the boy's.

"Go to sleep, Peter. You can blow the candles out, later."

A hand reached up to touch his jaw for just the briefest of moments, and then he sighed and settled between them. Tony smiled at Pepper, and kissed her.

"I wonder what he wished for…"

"You're not buying him a pony."

"But I owe him one, remember?"

"Tony. No."

Bah.