It was a small group that met at the sanctum not long after Pepper and Tony left the compound with Peter.

Steve, Carol, Clint and Natasha were all brought there with a portal created by Wong, who greeted them all with a slight bow and silently led them up the staircase to the library, where Stephen was seated at the massive table that he and Wong preferred to use for their research when they were in that particular room. The cloak was in its usual spot on his collar, but it waved a corner of fabric toward them when they entered the room, and Strange looked up at their arrival.

"You heard about our conversation with Alec?" he asked the others without preamble, even though a pot of coffee and several mugs appeared on the table – along with a plate filled with pastries.

"Yes," Steve said, taking a mug and filling it. "Natasha told us. But tell us, again, so we have it from you as well."

They all seated themselves at the table, and the sorcerer told them his version of what had happened the evening before – and then Natasha told Wong from her perspective, well aware that the other sorcerer was going to need the information, too. He wasn't an Avenger – in name – but he was definitely going to be in the middle of everything that was coming – whatever it turned out to be.

When they were done, they were all silent for a long moment, mulling over what they'd heard.

Clint looked at Carol.

"You've never heard of this Thanos guy?"

"No. But it's a big universe."

"We'll look here," Stephen told them. "And drop the name at the other sanctums – just to see if we get any recognition."

"I assume we're not telling anyone else about the connection with Peter?" Steve asked.

"Including Peter," Natasha confirmed. "The guy has enough to worry about, already. We're not going to add to it."

"Agreed," Stephen said, nodding. "Alec has him able to handle the infinity stones being close to him – and has implied that he's working on healing some of the trauma caused by the spider bite. Presumably, he'll keep Peter informed if something comes up that he needs to know about, and is mentalist enough to shield him from the rest."

"So we've decided he's an ally?" Clint asked, uncertainty in his expression.

"I have," Strange allowed. "Peter's confirmed that the being can't force him to do anything – and hasn't tried to – and the connection that the boy has with the Mind stone makes me believe that the thing wouldn't have allowed Alec anywhere near Peter unless it knew he has his best interests in mind."

"Thanos can hide from the Mind stone, though," Clint said. "We already know this Alec guy is powerful. Maybe he can, too."

"Thanos isn't hiding from the Mind stone," Wong disagreed. "The Mind stone just isn't sharing what it knows. Nothing can hide from it."

"Which is why Alec is in the perfect position – clearly by design. If the Mind stone lets something slip to Peter, Alec will see it – hopefully – and can pass the information on. Whatever this Thanos guy wants the stones for, it can't be good."

They all agreed to that.

"Makes you wonder, though…" Clint said, stretching from being in the same position for so long.

"Wonder what?" Carol asked.

"The stones are the most powerful things in the universe, right?"

Strange hesitated, and then shrugged.

"They're right up there, from what I've researched."

Wong nodded his agreement.

"Then, if the Mind stone didn't put Alec in Peter's head to spy on itself, it makes you wonder who else out there is powerful enough to do it. You mentioned he's in there by design. But who designed it?"

Now the room was silent, again, and Natasha scowled, and shrugged, finally.

"It doesn't matter. Not right now, anyway. We can work with the assumption that he/she or it has the best interests of the universe in mind, or it wouldn't be taking steps to figure things out."

"Yeah. True."

"But we'll keep our eyes open," Wong said.

"So will we."

OOOOOOO

"You understand that I'm rich, right?"

Peter looked at Tony, who was leaning on a clothes rack near at hand, watching him, and nodded, wondering why he was mentioning it.

"Yes. I've noticed."

"And that when I adopted you that made you officially my son…"

The boy smiled.

"That's how I understand it to work from what the judge told me, yes."

"Vicariously, that makes you rich, too."

"I was already rich," Peter reminded him. "I have the trust fund, from when my parents died."

It didn't hurt, quite as much, to think of them, lately. Even when he mentioned it so casually.

"Then would you please pick out something other than jeans and t-shirts?"

"I got those slacks…"

Tony rolled his eyes, waving his arms, expansively, at the clothing store they were in – and all of the stacks of clothing.

"You need more than one pair of slacks, son."

"I have half a dozen back home."

"But those aren't new ones."

"They're pretty close to new. None of them have holes in them, or are worn out."

"How about some new shirts, then?"

"I have shirts, dad."

"Peter… you're killing your mom, here… look at her." He gestured to Pepper, who was also leaning against one of the clothing racks, holding up a salmon colored button down shirt in one hand, and a teal colored similar shirt in the other. "You need some nice clothes."

"It's high school," he reminded them, both. "I don't need a $75 shirt to wear in algebra."

He was enjoying the clothes shopping with them; the last time he had gone was when Natasha and Pepper had taken him, right before May's funeral (and even that didn't hurt that much to think about, just then), but Peter was frugal by nature, and didn't have expansive – or expensive – tastes, and it was almost amusing to him to see Tony roll his eyes at his choices.

"Homecoming is coming, though, right?" Pepper asked, breaking into his reverie. "You'll want to wear something nice for that. We could get you a suit."

"I have nice clothes, already. And a suit. Two of them."

Not the one he wore to May's funeral, though. That one had gone to the cleaners and had never returned. A thoughtful gesture on Tony or Pepper's part that Peter hadn't mentioned, but much appreciated.

"Peter…"

The boy shook his head, and held up a Star Wars shirt that he'd found on the clearance rack.

"This is cool."

"Yes, and you can get it. But what about this one, too?" Tony asked, holding up another button down. "It's cool."

"It's covered in little palm trees."

"Cool little palm trees."

"I'm not wearing that. Not to school. Do you want me to get beat up?"

"No one's going to beat you up."

"I'd beat myself up, being seen in that."

Pepper snorted, holding up the salmon shirt a little higher.

"This one's nice."

He shrugged, and nodded.

"Okay. But just that one."

"And the yellow one," she added, holding up one he'd declined, earlier.

"I'll look like a giant banana."

"Men look good in yellow," Tony told him.

"You've never worn yellow," Peter countered.

"Sure, I have."

"Fine, I'll get the blue shirt and the pink one –"

"Salmon," Pepper corrected.

"Salmon one, and you get the yellow one."

Tony frowned.

"We're not shopping for me, though."

"You found new shoes…"

"We're not clothes shopping for me."

"Meaning, you don't like the yellow shirt, right?" Peter challenged.

"No. It's a great shirt. Pepper? Talk to your son, will you? He's being a pain in my ass."

Peter smiled.

He was thoroughly enjoying himself, and he could tell – despite the current conversation, or because of it – that Tony and Pepper were having a good time, too.

They'd driven into the city in Pepper's Audi, and had gone to a high end clothing store. One Tony and Pepper both frequented, but that Peter couldn't find anything that he really wanted to wear, there. He'd been reasonable, he thought, pointing out that either the fit of the shirts was uncomfortable, or the colors were a little too flashy, or the combinations of colors weren't anything that he liked.

Tony found a pair of shoes and Pepper had wandered off, returning with a couple of new blouses and a sweater that Peter and Tony both agreed looked good on her. Then they had left, heading for yet another store. This one had been a little better for Peter, and he'd picked out a few pairs of jeans, the Star Wars shirt and some socks and boxers – but he still wasn't all that interested in the clothes that his parents were choosing.

Obviously.

Pepper smiled, too, and pulled out her phone, making a call while both of the guys watched her, curiously. A moment later, MJ's image popped up on the 3D display.

"Hi, Pepper."

"Hello, dear. Busy?"

"No, not really. What's up?"

She was clearly a little surprised to be receiving a call from Peter's mom, and had that slightly concerned expression that they'd all noticed she tended to wear when anyone mentioned him being Spider-man or doing anything dangerous.

"Will you tell Peter that men can look nice in yellow?"

She handed the phone to Tony, who gave Peter a smug look when he held it up so MJ could watch as Pepper brought the yellow shirt over and displayed it in front of Peter, who rolled his eyes, but looked at MJ.

"It looks good," the girl said. "You have decent coloring to wear yellow. But don't wear it with khakis; you'll look like an over-ripe banana."

Tony snorted and handed the phone back to Pepper.

"Thank you, MJ," she said.

"You're welcome." The girl smiled. "Anything else you want me to talk him into approving?"

"Nope. We're good."

The call ended and she looked at Peter, one eyebrow raised.

"Well?"

"Fine. I'll get the yellow one, too. But not the palm trees."

"Deal. Tony can get the palm trees."

"What?" The billionaire frowned. "I didn't-"

"It's cool," Peter reminded him. "Covered in cool little pine trees…."

Tony rolled his eyes, again.

"Fine. Just for that, though, you're buying lunch."

Peter nodded; he was done clothes shopping – for now. If they bought him any more things, he'd need a bigger closet.

"That's fair."

Pepper handed all of the shirts to Tony and put an arm around Peter as they walked toward the salesperson, who had been standing attentively close at hand, but far enough away that he wasn't hovering.

"I want a hot dog."

He smiled and his arm went around hers.

"Anything you want, momma."

The End.

A/N: So, there we go! Things are moving… wheels turning and the plot is thickening. I'll start the next story within a couple of days. Hope you liked it!