It was Tony who steadied Peter and helped him get bundled into snow clothes once they were done eating. Ned and MJ were much quicker, of course, and were already outside with Steve and Clint – and Jack. He could hear them laughing on the other side of the door as he leaned on Tony to rest for just a moment once the snow pants were on and his coat was on, although not yet zipped.

"Are you okay?" Pepper asked, standing close by in case she was needed.

She was wearing her snow boots and her coat, but she had no intention of playing in the snow and didn't think she needed anything other than what she was already wearing.

"Yeah. I just need a second."

"There's no hurry," Tony assured him, staying close enough for Peter to continue leaning against and also getting his boots in position for the boy to slide his feet into them. "It's not like we're going anywhere."

Pepper stepped up and offered Peter a shoulder to balance himself as he stamped his feet carefully into the boots and pull on his gloves. Then she zipped the coat for him.

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

"Are you coming, Stephen?" Tony asked.

The doctor was seated on the sofa with Natasha. He had the Avenger book in front of him and she was watching them help Peter, aware that they didn't need three adults to dress one injured teenager.

"No. I'm going to finish this book. I want to see how it ends."

Stark rolled his eyes.

"It ends with the doctor being tossed into a snowbank."

"Not likely."

"Naked."

Peter smiled at that threat, but he was eager to go outside – otherwise he could have listened to them verbally spar all day. He reached for the door just as Bruce and Elmer joined them nearby, having finished the dishes and starting to get bundled up as well.

Tony supported Peter with a simple hand under his right arm as they walked out onto the porch, and Pepper stepped up onto his left guiding the boy to the rail so he could lean against it and watch the activities going on in the front of the cabin.

Steve and Ned and MJ all had shovels and were clearing a large area in the snow about 30 feet from the bottom of the stairs leading to the porch. Clint was sitting on the top step of the porch and was pulling the plastic templates for the blocks that they were going to use as blocks for their igloo – or whatever they ended up building if the igloo didn't turn out as planned.

"How's it going, Peter?" Clint asked, smiling up at the boy and fighting down the urge to throw a snowball at him.

"I'm good."

He was, too. It was really cold, but he was well bundled and not feeling it at the moment.

"Going to help play Nanook of the North?"

"No. I only get to supervise."

Pepper smiled and leaned against him at the rail.

"We're clearing the igloo area right now. Then it'll probably take a while to make all the blocks Steve thinks we'll need."

"Tony is willing to help," Pepper volunteered.

Stark rolled his eyes again but nodded.

"When it comes to making bricks. Not shoveling the clearing."

"They have that covered," Clint told him, gesturing to the three shoveling the snow and piling it to the side for use later.

The door opened again and Bruce walked out with Rupp. Bruce joined Clint with the blocks, but Rupp stayed on the porch. He was holding his camera and started taking pictures, leaning against the railing of the porch, not too far from where Peter and Pepper were standing with Stark.

"What are you planning on doing with your photos?" Pepper asked, curiously. "Make a book?"

Elmer shook his head.

"I wouldn't dream of it. For one thing, I'd need permission from parents to use any picture of Ned, Peter or MJ since they're minors, and I don't want to bother with that. I thought I'd turn them over to you and see if any were ones you'd like to have. I'm not a professional, but some will turn out pretty good. It's the least I can do. You guys letting me stay with you – and for what happened with Peter."

Pepper forced down a scowl at the ready answer, but Peter smiled.

"Can I try your camera?"

"Sure." Elmer walked over and handed the camera to the boy, who pulled off his gloves to make sure he didn't drop it. "It's pretty forgiving. Just point at your target and push the shutter."

Peter did as he was told, taking a bunch of pictures in only a couple of minutes. The majority were Tony and Pepper – his favorite subjects, of course – and then he switched to taking some of Ned, MJ and Steve. As Jack ran into the camera's angle, he snapped several of the puppy, who was chasing snowballs that Clint was lofting at him.

He didn't keep it long, though, and was looking a little pale when he handed it back to Rupp.

"Thanks. It's pretty nice."

"Yeah. I work a part time night job to pay for all my camera equipment," Elmer told him – and Pepper and Tony, who were also close enough to hear. "That way I can have the really nice stuff and not feel like I'm taking food from my family to do it."

"You have kids?" Stark asked.

"A daughter. Paige. She's five."

"I'm going to go inside," Peter said, giving Elmer an apologetic look for interrupting.

"Are you alright?" Stark asked, immediately.

"My hip hurts."

As Strange had predicted – even though he hadn't actually pointed the possibility out to the boy or his adopted parents – the cold had seeped through Peter's winter clothing and was now centered on his hip, causing a sharp ache that Peter had tried to ignore but finally couldn't. It was almost crippling the way it seemed to affect not only his injury, but also the muscles around his hip.

"I'll help you," Tony offered.

OOOOOOOO

Strange looked up when the door opened and stood up to help Tony bring Peter inside and start pulling the winter clothing off.

"You lasted longer than I thought you would," he told Peter, helping the boy over to the couch to settle him beside Natasha, who tucked a pillow against the inured side. "Open injuries and the cold do not go well together."

Peter closed his eyes, miserable.

"You could have warned me."

"I tried. You wanted to go sledding."

Sometimes a rebellious teen needed an object lesson, and Strange was as good at handing them out as anyone. He'd been on the receiving end of a lot of them, after all. Even when it was someone like Peter, who he was truly fond of. Now he was sure he wouldn't have to listen to any complaining whenever he made a suggestion about the treatment of Peter's injury. From the boy, or from Tony, most likely. He suddenly had a blanket in his hands, one that was so warm it was almost too hot to hold, and he draped over Peter, tucking it carefully against the injured side especially.

"It'll stop hurting so bad once you warm up," he promised.

He wasn't a monster, after all.

Peter felt the warmth seeping through the fabric of the sweats he was wearing, and the pain receded almost immediately from unbearable to just agonizing.

"Thanks."

He'd spend the day inside, instead of watching the others play in the snow. Maybe he'd be better by the next day and could go sledding then.