The next morning was cold – as usual – but they had a good day ahead of them and were looking forward to it. There were mines to explore, after all, and the Avenger lands had several (even though none of them were active) and none of the kids were claustrophobic.

It was late back at home but Peter knew that Tony and Pepper would want a quick check in, so he called while they were eating breakfast.

"You're going to the mines?"

Tony knew the schedule, of course – and so did Pepper – but they wanted to make sure nothing had changed – like the elephant thing the day before.

"Yeah."

"We're going to find some diamonds or something, Tony," Ned told him. "Peter said we could keep what we find."

"Not vibranium?" Pepper asked. "It's probably worth more."

"A lot more," Ned agreed, cheerfully. "But it'd need to be processed to be worth what refined vibranium is worth, and that would cost money – and a lot of it, according to Shuri."

"If we find some diamonds or something, it's a lot easier to have them polished and cut," MJ added, joining the conversation with Peter's folks willingly. "Like the bracelet that he made for you with the ones you guys found on your honeymoon."

"Just don't get lost in the mines," Tony told them. There wasn't any chance of that happening, of course, since there was plenty of technology available to keep track of the kids in the mines – although it would still be an adventure, of course, for them. "I don't want to have to explain to your folks that Peter's the only one to come home because you couldn't remember that north doesn't always mean up."

Smiles greeted that.

"We'll be fine," Peter assured them both. "Have a good night."

"Have a good day, son," Pepper told him.

"Night, Tony. Night, Pepper."

"Night, Ned." Stark smiled, too. "Find a lot of gemstones, MJ."

"I'll try."

Peter wasn't quite done, though, even as Ned, MJ, and Shuri turned their attention back to their meal. He hesitated, but it was enough – even over a phone call – that Tony didn't end the call.

"Need something, son?"

"Is Natasha around? Do you know?'

He wanted to talk to her but if she was heading out on a mission the next morning, he didn't want to call and wake her.

"She was in the lounge when we went to bed," Pepper told him.

She didn't mention that Romanoff had been with Stephen at the time since she knew Peter would hesitate to bother her quiet time with the sorcerer. Time that neither Strange nor Natasha would mind having interrupted.

"Friday says she's still there," Tony added.

"Thanks." The boy smiled. "Good night."

"Night."

The call ended but Peter didn't put his phone away.

OOOOOOOOO

Natasha was still in the lounge. She was enjoying a final cup of coffee with Stephen and simply relaxing before bed. When her phone rang, buzzing against her thigh, she winked at the sorcerer supreme (who smirked since he knew – without magic – who would dare call Romanoff so late in their day) and pulled it out of her pocket and answered it.

"Hi, baby."

"HI."

"What are you doing?"

"Eating breakfast. We're going to check out the mine today. How are you?"

"I'm good. Getting ready to go to bed."

"You're going on a mission?"

She smiled.

"We are. It isn't anything serious, though, so don't worry. Just a quick trip down to Columbia."

"She's bringing me back some coffee, Peter," Stephen said, letting the boy know he was there. "Tell her to bring you some, too."

The boy smiled at that – which had been the whole idea.

"I don't like coffee, Natasha knows that."

"Then tell her to bring you some exotic fruit. Columbia is famous for it."

Romanoff smirked.

"Peter doesn't like fruit."

"What are you going to Columbia for?" Peter asked.

She didn't tease him by telling him that it was secret and if she told him she'd have to eliminate him. Instead, she acknowledged that he was concerned. Understanding that he was worried and wanting to put him at ease. Not just to make sure he wasn't working himself up into any kind of baby panic attack, but also make sure he didn't worry himself into a sleepwalking episode that had him ending up in Columbia with her.

"I have a contact there. She's been working with us to provide intel about some of the shadier people down there, and I'm going to go down and talk to her in person to make sure she's alright."

"Is she?"

Natasha smiled.

"She says she is," she told the boy. "But I want to make sure. Kind of like when you tell me that you're okay and maybe you're not as okay as you really are. If I look at her and she looks okay, then I'd feel better. But I'm going to go down and make sure."

"Oh."

That didn't sound so terrible, really, and she didn't look too concerned.

"Besides," Romanoff added. "We're going to take Barnes with us and see how he does."

"You are?"

She nodded.

"Yeah. Steve thinks he's ready."

"What do you think?"

"I think Steve knows him better than anyone, so I believe it. This is a good way for us to ease him into things and see if he wants to do it full time."

"Or if he wants to become a veterinarian," Stephen added, well aware that the running joke in the compound was what other career Barnes might try out if he decided that being the Winter Soldier wasn't what he wanted to do, any longer.

Peter snorted, amused.

"You'll be careful?"

Natasha smiled.

"You know I will. I'll check in with you when I can."

"Okay."

"Stay away from the rhinos," Strange told the boy.

Peter rolled his eyes, amused.

"We haven't seen any, yet."

"Just putting it out there."

"Go have fun with your friends," Natasha told the boy. "Find me a souvenir."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye, baby." She let him end the call – which he did – and then she put her phone away. "That went well."

"Yes. Well enough to keep him in Wakanda?"

"We'll see."

OOOOOOOOOOO

The trip to the mine didn't take too long. Mainly because they didn't stop to look at anything on the way. When the two sleds pulled to a stop at the wide area that contained the openings to the mines, Peter was the first to jump out. He offered a hand to Shuri to help her down and then did the same for MJ who smiled a thank you.

"This is cool," Ned said, hopping down as well and looking at the three mine entrances that they could see. "Which one do we go to?"

It had been decided – by the kids and not by the adults (although the adults, including the guides were pleased with the idea) – that they would all check out the same mine. Not only would they all be in the same area and have more fun hanging out with each other, but then they would also make less concern for their guardians by being all in the same mine.

Peter had already discussed this with T'Challa and Tony. There was the power stone to consider and even though it was next to impossible that any of the others would happen onto the alcove where the stone was stashed, it had been decided to not even take the chance and stay out of that particular mine, completely. Since tony and Pepper had already explored the other one (and presumably had taken all the interesting and easy to find items out of it) the decision had been made to take the unexplored one. That way it would be new for Peter, as well.

"This one," he said, pointing.

They weren't going to just run into it, of course, but like the last time, they didn't need to be chaperoned in the mine. There was zero chance of a cave in and zero chance of anyone getting lost, so the kids were going to be allowed to just go and explore on their own. With quick efficiency they were all given little rock hammers, bags for their loot, and lanterns. They did divide into two groups to be able to cover more ground so to speak, and then they vanished into the mine, talking excitedly.

Chai and the others erected a type of awning to shade against the Wakandan sun and they pulled out folding chairs and settled in to wait.

"We are certain there are no snakes?" one of the Dora Milage asked, coming over to seek the shade as well.

"No dangerous ones," one of the guides assured them.

"This should be interesting, then."