A/N: Too many chapters coming at you guys? A slow Sunday can make for a few updates.
OOOOOOO
Lunch was boisterous. It would have been hard to be otherwise with the addition of fifteen soldiers and Polly. Especially since Grady was the only one of the group who had ever met any of the Avengers – and even he hadn't met Tony before. Steve was the absolute center of attention when it came to the military people that were gathered around the table and the three card tables that had been 'found' by Strange in a pantry off the kitchen.
He handled it easily, very much used to having people surround him, wanting photos and autographs and to simply ask him about being Captain America. Natasha, Clint and Tony were all being gawked at, too, of course, and Ned – who was sitting beside Steve – was enjoying the attention immensely. Peter sat between Grady and Tony, and Pepper was on the other side of Tony and beside Polly, who enjoyed the meal, even if she didn't really seem all that excited about lunch with the military – or the Avengers.
When the meal was finished Grady assigned four of his guys to dishwashing duties while the rest sorted out which snowmobiles and snow machines everyone was going to be riding in. They were going to leave two machines for Stark, Peter and Tony – who assured them that they didn't need anyone to come guide them out. They'd be able to follow the obvious tracks made when the others left – although they had no intention of doing that, of course.
When dishes were done, and bags were stowed in the snow machines to keep them in place and everyone was bundled into their snow gear for the chilly ride back, the group that was leaving said their goodbyes to the few that were staying. Strange walked out onto the porch with Natasha, who gave Peter a hug and told him to take care of the guys before leaving. Pepper and Tony were both hard-pressed to hide their amusement when MJ hugged Peter goodbye and told him that she'd see him at school the next week.
Peter had blushed, stammered a few words that sounded like a foreign language and had hugged her back. Then he'd told Ned to have a fun ride – and to see if Grady would let him drive one of the snow machines.
Finally, it was just Pepper, Peter and Tony in the cabin, and she hesitated.
"We're going to get back fairly late," she told Tony. "So I'll keep the kids at the compound tonight and take them home sometime in the morning."
Meaning that they were going to have to stay at the cabin at least through the next morning – probably a little later. Tony nodded, and pulled her into his arms for a kiss.
"We'll call before we come home. You're not working tomorrow, are you?"
"No. I'm going to soak in a hot bath for hours and shave my legs."
He smirked, winking at Peter.
"She always says the sexiest things, doesn't she?"
The boy grinned, and Pepper kissed Tony soundly, before letting him go and hugging Peter.
"Try to keep them out of trouble, Peter."
"I will."
She pressed a kiss against his cheek and hooked an arm through theirs and let them walk her out onto the porch. Strange walked from the snowmobile Natasha had settled herself on and joined them on the porch, where Pepper hugged him, as well.
"Be good."
"Of course. Have a good trip."
She went to the snowmobile behind Natasha's and put on her helmet, while Peter, Tony and Stephen watched. The engines all started up and after a moment the first machine turned and headed back the way they had come, followed by all the others, one at a time, like baby ducks following their mother until they all vanished behind the trees. Eventually even the rumbling sounds faded.
"Alone at last," Tony said, slapping a hand onto Peter's shoulder. "What are we going to do with ourselves?"
Peter had spent the morning sleeping, so he was well rested.
"Can we go sledding?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"They already packed all the sleds and innertubes."
He gestured to the drop crate, which had been loaded and sealed, ready to be picked up eventually.
"So? Dr. Strange can magic one up."
"You're not really up to sledding, Peter," Strange told him, reasonably. "Not to mention I don't feel like pulling you up the hill over and over – and I'm sure Tony feels the same way."
"You wouldn't have to," Peter reminded him – them. "Just make a portal at the bottom of the hill that goes to the top. I walk through, I'm at the top. I slide down and then walk through it again and back to the top. All I'm doing is sliding down the hill." He gave Strange a hopeful look. "Honestly, if you set it up, you guys don't even need to be on the hill at all."
"Oh, we're not leaving you out there by yourself," Tony said.
"Why not?"
"Because you'll get eaten by a moose," Strange answered.
"Go get your snow pants on," Tony told him.
The boy gave him an excited smile and limped back into the cabin to do what he was told.
"Indulging him?" Strange asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.
"The kid got shot on his own birthday trip and missed a few days of fun," Stark said with a shrug. "I'll go Ironman and make sure no one is still in the area, and then we'll get a couple of chairs and sit at the bottom of the hill and let him wear himself out and have a good time. Then we'll be able to have a nice dinner and a relaxing evening, and everyone wins."
"That's smart, Tony."
Strange even looked impressed. Stark smiled.
"I thought so, too."
OOOOOOO
Despite everyone else being gone, Peter had a good afternoon. He always enjoyed the company of those around him, and Strange and Tony were two of his favorite people. Strange waited until Tony made sure the area was clear, and then moved all three of them to the bottom of the sledding hill. He then made a portal and summoned up an innertube which he handed over to Peter and told him to have at it.
Finally, he brought up a couple of fairly comfortable folding chairs for him and Tony, a small folding table that went between them and a never-ending coffee thermos with a couple of mugs.
Peter would go through the portal, find himself at the top of the hill and would slide down on the innertube and then grin and go back through the portal. He cajoled the two men to join him once or twice, but for the most part, he amused himself on the hillside for several hours before the ache in his hip, the freezing temperatures and the fading light finally forced him to call it a night.
The chairs, the table, the innertube and the portal all vanished, and it was almost a relief to Strange that he didn't have to repress his use of magic when he jumped the three of them back to the cabin rather than walking. Peter was told to get out of his snow clothes and relax on the sofa, while Tony built up the fire and turned on the heat in the living room.
"What do we want for dinner?" Strange asked them, sitting on the arm of the sofa and watching Stark stoke the fire until it was blazing brightly.
"Steak," came Tony's immediate request. "With all the trimmings."
Peter nodded his agreement, but he wasn't really a picky eater. True to Stark's prediction to Stephen earlier, the boy was weary from his day on the hill – even though he didn't have to walk up the hill every time. He was content to simply sit on the couch, soak up the heat and rest for a while.
"How's the hip?" Tony asked him when Strange headed into the kitchen.
"A little sore," Peter admitted. "I'm ready to be still for a while."
"And glad to not be on a snowmobile or the jet?"
"Yeah. That was a good call."
"We'll have Stephen check it out after dinner, but I want you to take it easy the rest of the night, okay?"
"Okay."
"You feeling alright other than that?"
"Yeah. I'm good."
Stark settled in the spot beside Peter, with an arm over the back of the sofa behind the boy. Peter picked up the book Strange had summoned him the night before and he started reading, while Stark pulled out his phone and browsed through his social media, both just spending time with the other while they waited for dinner – which Peter knew wouldn't take long considering the excessive tingle of magic he could feel coming from the general direction of the kitchen.