Tony Stark didn't clip anymore suitcases to Peter's arm. He didn't ask him to spar or throw him in the boxing ring with a pretty lady who gave him ankle hickey's. He didn't pile paperwork on Peter even not while going 110 mph on some back road where there might just be a cow in the street.

What Tony did do was his house and squashed Peter's space along with it. That small area of computer, desk and bed were the only thing that Peter had felt was sort of "his," in a long… well, ever. That, more than anything, seemed like the official end to his "internship." Trying not to think about what he'd lost but all that he had to gain (a long, hot bus ride with a variety of people including a seat mate who would probably be holding a large box on his lap and part of Peter's - sigh) he stepped through the open door into Ms. Potts executive office at Stark Industries.

"Ms. Potts, this bus ticket says I have a transfer in Oklahoma City, but then it goes all the way to Dallas and I transfer there to a bus that goes to Wichita? Can Stark Industries just buy the bus-line and...uh..." He stopped suddenly as he found himself facing Pepper and Tony at the desk having an animated conversation.

"I need you to leave."

Peter had one of those desperate, sweaty moments before he realized she was talking to Tony. "And you're not going anywhere," she said to Peter.

"Wheels up in 25 minutes," said a voice behind him that set the buzzy-hand-saw-ice-chipper thing off. Natalie Rushman walked by him and caught the ticket in his hand as she passed. It would have been a smooth move, if the ticket hadn't become made of industrial strength fly paper and (sigh) stuck tight to his fingers. He was pulled off balance a couple of steps forward as he came with the ticket he was stuck to. Natalie stopped and there was that squint, this time with a slight tilt of the head that said: "I'm going to prove the existence of dark-matter here before too long." She let go of the ticket and turned back to Pepper.

"Anything else boss?"

"No," Pepper said, standing and gathering her things. "We're headed out now." She crossed the room leaving Tony sitting at the desk and, turning Peter toward the door, tugged him along. Natalie followed.

"What?" Tony shouted after them. "I lost both kids in the divorce?"

Peter, at that moment, would have given anything for the hand-gluey-thing to affect his feet and affix him to the floor so he didn't have to leave. Of course what Tony had said was just a joke, ha ha funny. Peter only just stopped himself from absurdly calling out "no! I wanna stay with dad!"

…

Once again, Peter was at the wheel of the Rolls Royce… well, a Rolls Royce. There had been a few now. He stopped in front of the main Stark Expo auditorium to let Pepper out. "Peter, this thing is already half-way done, just keep the car here, ok?"

"Sure thing," he said, but his mind had really gone all Blues Brothers: "It's 3000 miles to Malibu, I've got a full tank of gas, I don't smoke so no cigarettes, it's dark … and now I have a crazy-commando-secretary sitting in the car with me." Natalie slipped into the back seat to wait as well.

"Not going anywhere for a while, right Peter?" she said.

Ok, a mind-reading-crazy-commando-secretary.

Small talk was not Peter's strong point. Actually, it was his non-existent point, so when all hell broke loose a few minutes later, he was kind-of relieved. Natalie began to go back and forth with Pepper on her ear bud.

"Hammer Industries? Got it. Peter, drive."

Peter decided right then that he had a secure future as a Rolls Royce Racer. Was there such a thing? He could invent it. Then there was the distracting sound of zippers from the back seat and he momentarily forgot about racing and driving in general. The rear-view mirror was full of black bra as Natalie stripped out of her shirt.

"When we arrive-" she was saying "-I need you to watch the perimeter. I'm going to enter the facility and take down the target. Watch the road!"

Peter's eyes flicked back to the street just in time for him to mash the breaks, almost slamming into a Hammer Drone that landed to block the road in front of them. It pointed a weapon at the car, but was suddenly and (oddly, for a drone) distracted by a thrown rock. Peter looked to see a little kid in an Iron-Man helmet throwing stones at the drone.

Buzz buzz hey that's the same kid how funny went the biting-horsefly-ice-cream-headache, which then reminded him to push a certain button in the car. The child threw another rock just as the Stark Rolls launched a pair of mini-missiles at the drone and reduced it to scrap metal.

"Nice work kid!" Peter yelled out the window as he put the gas pedal to the floor again. To his credit, the child, seeing who it was, slapped both hands down on top of his helmet and ran away as fast as he could.

After careening around a few corners and running a light or two (buzz car buzz car buzz building buzz turn signal) Peter did a perfect sideways hydroplaning parallel park in front of Hammer Industries. There were no other vehicles, so he could have just stopped the car anywhere, but adrenaline said: "make it count man!"

Natalie jumped out of the car almost before it stopped moving and was working on the security pad to the door before Peter tumbled his way out after her.

"Stay in the car," she said in a tone meant to brook no opposition.

"I'm not staying in the car," Peter said back like a petulant kid.

The security panel gave a few confused blips and bleeps and then the door to the facility slid open.

"I said stay in the car," Natalie jogged through the doors and Peter noticed she was in different, very form-fitting, clothes.

"What are you wearing?" he demanded, the adrenaline having taken his tongue hostage. He sprinted through the doors after her. "I'm not letting you go in there alone!" Then his tongue freed itself from its abductee, slapped his brain around a little and he recalled she could handle herself like a ninja. "I just want to help," he finished lamely, coming to a stop as she scoped out the corridor ahead of them.

"You want to help?" she said, turning on him in fierce frustration. "Keep the car running!"

dot dot line line spider crawling up your spine

"Hey, look ou-" before Peter could put the last consonant on the word, Natalie had efficiently taken down the security guard that came out of nowhere and tried to jump on her. She hadn't even looked before starting to move!

Guards seemed to come out of the walls at that moment, most of them aimed at tackling Natalie, but one taking special interest in Peter.

Oh crap oh crap duck swing right there ow my hand ow my face kick elbow I know what that means now thank you go for the face maybe undercut palm up WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT GLOP THAT JUST SHOT OUT OF MY HAND

Pale, webby stuff covered the guards face and seemed stuck fast to eyes, nose and mouth! The man stumbled backward clawing at it. He hit a wall pretty hard knocked himself out cold.

"I got him!" Peter shouted in jubilation, turning with fists up to help Natalie with the other half-dozen.

The corridor was full of groaning bodies, some dangling from the ceiling. Natalie was nowhere in sight.

"You are welcome!" Peter said, striking a yes ma'am pose for a moment. Then he went to check on his own handiwork.

…

Dear Aunt May,

I'm writing a letter because my computer got squashed and you don't e-mail anyway. Also, I don't actually know your phone number I have just realized. Anyway, Stark Industries has asked me to stay a little longer and help-out with some tech stuff since Mr. Stark's house is being remodeled and he doesn't have any paperwork for me to do. I know you won't mind because you are putting up new wall paper in the guest room. I'm feeling really good and have a lot of energy. Turning 17 has a big effect on a person I guess.

Love Peter.