"So where are we going?"
The two men in the front of the SUV looked at each other. Steve Rogers turned his attention back to the road and the traffic that was around them, but Barnes turned in his seat to look back at Peter, who was sitting behind Steve. The Winter soldier was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt with a sweatshirt over it that proclaimed he was
"We're going south."
The boy rolled his eyes, amused.
"I knew that. But where are we going to end up?"
He'd been sleeping pretty well, maybe even having a dream – although he didn't usually remember them, anyway – when he'd been woken by someone shaking his shoulder. Surprised, because it was Saturday, after all, he opened his eyes and been surprised and a little concerned to see Steve was the one waking him.
"What's up?"
Rogers had smiled, silently telling him nothing was wrong.
"Get dressed," he'd said. "We need to get on the road."
"What?" Peter had frowned and had looked at his watch. "It's 5am."
"I know. Bucky's going to meet us in the garage."
"What?" Yeah, he'd already said that, once, but it bore repeating. "What's going on?"
"We're taking a road trip. Get dressed – and pack for an over night."
"Where?"
"It's a surprise."
"Is Tony going?"
"Nope."
"Natasha?"
"Nope. It's you, me, and Bucky. Get dressed."
Still confused, but now a little more awake, Peter had done what he'd been told. He threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and walked into his living room area carrying shoes and socks. Steve was sitting on his couch with Nutmeg on his chest, kneading the t-shirt the man was wearing with his tiny, sharp, claws and purring every time Steve stroked his head. Jack was sprawled on Peter's sofa beside him, head resting easily on his thigh – although his tail beat a steady, happy, beat against the leather of Peter's couch.
"Where are we going?"
"I told you; it's a surprise."
"Are we taking Nutmeg?"
"Nope. Natasha is going to watch him and Jack, both."
"She's okay with us being gone overnight?"
If she was pet sitting, then that meant that she wouldn't be able to spend too much time at the sanctum while they were gone, after all. Nutmeg turned loose in the sanctum was a bad idea (and they knew that from experience) Jack turned loose would be a disaster. The lab was well behaved – sometimes – but still puppy enough to be unpredictable at times.
"She's fine." Steve stood up, keeping hold of the kitten. "Pack a bag, I'll go tell her that she's officially in charge of our babies."
"What should I bring?"
"A change of clothes and your toothbrush."
"Oh."
"And your wallet," Steve had added as Jack hopped down to join him when he headed for the door. "You'll need ID."
Peter hadn't bothered to ask why.
"Okay."
He'd gathered a change of clothes, his toothbrush, and then stuffed them – and his tablet – into his backpack. Less than half an hour later the three of them were in one of the nondescript sedans that SHIELD liked to use when they were trying to be inconspicuous, and Steve was driving them out of the compound and onto the highway heading south.
All without telling Peter where they were going.
Not for the lack of trying on his part, though. Hoping that he'd make one of them slip, he kept a litany of conversation going.
Neither man was fooled, though, and Barnes smiled.
"We're going to end up south of here," he replied.
He was enjoying himself, already. When Steve had mentioned the idea of taking Peter on the road trip, he'd assumed that his friend was planning on taking Carol with them. When he'd invited Bucky, instead, it had been a surprise, but had been immediately accepted, because it was another one of those things that he could do, now, that he hadn't been able to do in a long time.
Besides, he liked Peter. The boy was good company – and fun to tease.
Peter rolled his eyes, again, but he was enjoying himself, as well. He allowed his expression to become suspicious.
"Are you guys kidnapping me?"
That actually made Steve snort.
"Do you think Natasha would let me kidnap you?"
"No. probably not."
"Then we're not kidnapping you, are we?"
"No. I guess not. Tony knows?"
It was Bucky's turn to snort.
"Do you see Ironman following us to come rescue you?"
The boy rolled down his window and stuck his head out, looking behind the car and up into the sky – even though he knew Tony wasn't following them and that Steve and Bucky weren't doing anything sneaky. Obviously. He was just messing with them, now. With his hair wind-blown from the slip stream, he shook his head.
"Nope."
"Then he probably knows."
"Yeah." Peter smiled; he didn't know what they were doing, but he was sure it was going to be fun. "Are you going to feed me?"
"Yeah. But not until we're at least in New Jersey."
"We're going to New Jersey?"
Why?
"No."
Ugh.
He leaned back into the leather of the seat and watched the familiar scenery go by. It really didn't matter where they were going, truth be told. He hadn't even considered asking Alec to tell him.
OOOOOOOOOO
"You're sure you're alright with him going?"
Tony didn't hesitate. He just nodded.
"Yeah."
"Alone?"
The billionaire rolled his eyes, leaning into the sofa and pulling Pepper down beside him so he could put an arm around her.
"He isn't alone, Pep."
"You know what I mean…"
She didn't look too concerned, though. No more than Tony was.
"If Captain America and The Winter Soldier can't keep one teenager out of trouble, then there's real problems afoot."
"James doesn't like being called that," she chided. "You know that."
"I do," he agreed. "But he isn't here, is he?"
"True." She smiled. "What are we thinking letting him go on a road trip after not having him home all last week?"
Tony shrugged.
"Steve made me."
Had suggested it would be closer to the truth, but Tony and Pepper had both agreed that it was a good idea when Rogers had posed it to them (and not to Peter, in case they decided they were against the idea) and hadn't hesitated – much – at the idea of their boy being away from home with only a couple of escorts. They were formidable men, after all, and Peter wasn't a pushover himself, either, if something actually came up.
"Uh huh."
She leaned into him, though, ready to relax and change the subject before he had a chance to rethink the decision and maybe go Ironman and try to join them.
It was nice to have him to herself, after all – although she'd be glad to have their son home, soon, and with nothing else on their calendar that would take him out of their shade of protection any time in the near future.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
"What are you doing, boss?"
Vladimir Varsto looked up from his tablet and frowned, slightly, as he glanced at the man who had walked into the room without knocking. One of the few people who wouldn't have been reamed for doing it. Someone who was as dangerous as they came but was on his payroll and stayed bought when he was bought. When he made sure the man was alone, he shrugged.
"Just looking into something."
"What kind of something?"
"There's a kid in New York who is a pretty smart guy. Nicholai was considering…" he trailed off, his expression suddenly uncertain. "He…"
"Boss? You okay?"
"I think so…"
Then he crumbled to the floor with a lifeless thud.