Chapter Seven: Woman in the Black Veil

Here is chapter seven with picks up just a little bit after chapter six at the Press Conference about baby Toby Stark, anyways this chapter will really start the plot progression and if Panic's been a bit boring, I blame it on her high school adventures. Be sure to favorite this story and leave comments on what you think or want to happen.


I stumble out from the bathroom stall, trying to ignore the trembling of my leg that I'm afraid with collapse from under me, now that would be embarrassing, not that anything worse could happen. Literally, I ran off the stage like a bat out of hell during Dad's press conference, his must be pissed or at least Pepper will be, Dad's unpredictable so I'm not positive on how he'll react.

Pepper will be furious, at least until I explain my reason for bailing during the press conference that is, she'll probably let it go after that but still, it's a brewing storm that I'll have to settle before the real wind picks up. Splashing a handful of water on a towel, carefully wiping my face with it, and examine my face in the mirror, making sure I don't look like I've been throwing up.

Satisfied with my appearance, I turn towards the swinging door of the restroom, nudging the door open with my foot, and step out into a very grand, expensive hallway line with the sort of artwork that'd be displayed in a Gala instead of a long slender hallway by the restrooms. Out of the corner of my eyes I see the faint outline of the black veil of the woman in the crowd.

Taking a left where I saw the woman rather that right, which leads back around to the stage and the backstage behind it where Dad and Pepper are probably waiting with... it. Rounding the corner I see the flow of the back of her dress as she disappears behind another wall, I hurry after her in my high heels, pissed at Pepper for tricking me into wearing them in the first place.

Just as I reach the area the woman walked past, I see a heavy metal exit door swing shut, banging loudly against the frame attaching it to the building, bouncing a few times before finally closing for real. Not for long though because soon I throw the door back and step out into a shabby alley with spray painted wall with profanity written across in deep blue.

The woman stands, her back facing me and the door as a gentle breeze brushes by, blowing my dress and her skirt along with it. She stands straight, she about a inch or two taller than me, up close I realize that under the veil is some type of black fabric, I assume it's to hide her hair from everyone else around her in case they need to identify her.

"Who are you, what do you want?" I ask, closing my hands into a fist at my side, just in case this takes a turn bad.

The woman laughs lightly, using one of her hands to muffle the sound slightly before letting her giggles fall away and her tone taking a more serious ring to it. "I don't have much time, so I'll say this quickly. Stay away from this, keep out of the brewing trouble, keep yourself safe and overlook any clues and evidence you find, it'll be better if you do."

I raise an eyebrow at her, her voice sound familiar but I can't quite place it but the cord it strikes feel like something close to me, buried deep in myself. "Wait, what are you saying?"

"Time's up, stay safe Panic," she throws down two small dark, round balls which explode and a plume of dust erupts around her, enveloping her and me in the smoke but once it clears, I realize that she made a getaway. Why would she warn me about staying out of this? If she's the enemy, wouldn't she want me in the fight so that I get hurt? It doesn't make any sense.

Just as I'm about to throw in the towel and re-enter the building, I see something that catches my attention. On the ground is a square sheet of paper, when I pick it up it is thicker than most. Flipping it over I realize why, it's a business card and while I don't know whether or not she meant to leave it but I do know it may be the key leading to the answers taunting me.

Dr. Christopher Quinn

Plastic Surgeon

555-0472-8924│ChristopherQ │512 Madison Avenue, New York City, New York

Slipping the business card into my pocket, I make a mental note to get Rae to use her teleporting powers to get us there so I can speak to this surgeon and ask about this woman in the veil. I don't know if Raven will agree to take me or not though, she's been a little different lately, I can't understand her without knowing what happened at Asgard over the summer.

Obviously that's what's bothering her but she doesn't want to talk about her and I can't blame her, when something happens to me, I just need time to mule it over by myself, to understand it better, but I hate not being able to help her when I know she's struggling with whatever this is. However, I have to respect her wishes and keep my nose out of it until she tells me herself.

My main question is what does a plastic surgeon have to do with this? Obviously I know what they do as a career but how that applies to the unknown threat emerging is beyond me. I know I should tell Dad, or one of the other Avengers at the very least because they have a right to know but I'm gonna visit this Dr. Quinn guy before saying anything to anyone.

"Panic!" I hear my dad's voice from inside the building, close to the door where I stepped out of. Slipping the card into my pocket, I pause when I see a number scrawled on the back in messy handwriting. $165,000.00

My eyebrows pinch together at the number, that's a lot of money. Especially considering it's written on the back of a business card, something isn't right here, but what is the main problem. Hearing the heavy metal door to the building creak loudly, I know Dad's about to step through in a matter of seconds so I slip the card into the pocket inside my dress and turn, stepping towards the door.

Instead of seeing Dad like expected, Pepper stands there instead, baby Toby held tightly in her right arm, left on the door, propping it open but clearly struggling to do so. Stepping forward, I grab the door, holding it open as I slip back inside.

"Hey, are you okay?" Pepper asks, tilting her head slight, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder and for a moment everything feels the way it used too, at least until Toby begins crying, his face flushing a deep crimson shade only seconds following. Tear drip down his faces, soaking the blue blanket with each tear that falls on it.

"Shoot! I'll be right back okay?" Pepper asks, she doesn't wait for my response and scurries off to the bathroom I assume to take care of Toby and once again, I'm all alone and have no idea what I'm supposed to do next. Toby's the prized apple and I'm just the almost eighteen year old who has no idea what she wants to do with her life after high school.

In the midst of everything going on like a whirlwind, I still have no idea what I want to do in my future, I can't be a superhero, not really a great career choice, plus I'll need to be able to support the Panic Stark Domestic Trauma Foundation I started over the summer because I doubt Dad will still be giving me an allowance once I turn eighteen, he'll probably save it as a future fund for baby Toby.

So Toby can do this and that and go to an Ivy League college, buy his own football team or whatever because it's a 'guy thing', I roll my eyes, more to myself than for anyone else considering I'm all alone, plus, there's still that note burning a hole in the back of my mind. Meet behind the football stands after school... I blow out a breath of air, keep it together Panic.


A/N: Okay so I know I haven't mentioned this foundation Panic started but trust me, I have something coming up that will explain it, on the one year anniversary of "A Girl Named Panic" on June 16th there will be a longish one-shot type thing that takes part of the universe during nine months I skipped in Pepper's pregnancy which will tell all.