Chapter Nine: A Trip Down Memory Lane
Okay so last time Panic got a letter in her locker from a mysterious man who also gave her the one in "A Girl Named Panic" ooh, so who could this mystery man be? Comment and let me know now enjoy chapter nine and next chapter will reveal something big about Panic's childhood and yet another reason she never wanted to met Tony in the first place.
Today is the day that all my stuff from the storage is being sent here! I'm so excited, I thought I'd lost all all my family photos. Those pictures are the last things I have of my mother, aside from the childhood ones with Obadiah and Jedidiah—who I really don't want to think about—so it's going to be fun to look over all the stuff remaining.
"Panic, your stuff's here!" Dad calls from downstairs.
Bolting up off my bed I literally fly down the hall and thunder down the stairs then slide across the floors, stopping by the large plastic gray totes. Using my knees as a chair I grab the sides of the containers and pop the lids off. I notice dad walking off toward the workshop rather reluctantly so before he reaches it I say.
"If you want to stay and see what's in here you can, I won't mind."
Not even halfway through that sentence Tony is sitting on the couch closest to me with Pepper at his side, her strawberry blond locks falling down around her face. I set the lid down and looks into the objects in the box. I start pulling out all my science fair trophies as they weren't my main concern. I was in a lot of science fairs as you all can guess why but I never did it for fun, I did it for the prize money to help mom pay the bills.
Sometimes we were low on money so I'd join school science fairs or even some that college students would be in and the prize money would be just enough to cover that months rent while mom, using the money from working, paid the water, electricity, gas, all that stuff. From the corner of my eyes I saw Tony picking up the trophies I lazily set on the floor, looking over the plaque and running his fingers over the black and gold letter inscribe prize.
"You were in science fairs?" he asks.
Looking up at him I nod. "Yeah, I did it so mom wouldn't loose the apartment."
"Loose the apartment? How bad off were you guys?" he says, brown eyes fixed on me.
I pick up a dark blue alicorn stuffed Ty Beanie Baby, running the soft fur in between my fingertips, making sure not to look back at dad. I was really, really poor. Not homeless poor but cutting it pretty close.
"I grew up dirt poor. So I used science fairs to make $1,000, $1,500, or even $2,000 and I'd give it to mom so she could pay the bills, even with her working two jobs and me and my science fairs endeavors we barley scrapped by. Most of my clothes were hand me downs or cheap one dollar items from a thrift shop. I never indulged myself in eating because what she bought for the week was all we had for the entire month."
Neither Tony or Pepper say a word so I continue.
"There is a good thing that came out of our struggles which was me being so careful and responsible with money. It's not easy to get high on the latter when you grow up on the bottom," I turn to face my dad. "The reason I made you take the car back wasn't because I wasn't grateful, it wasn't that at all. It was me, I don't want you to buy me everything because you have the money and are able. I want to work for what I get, no, I need to make a name for myself that has nothing to do with you being my father."
I gasp when I set the bean and stuffing filed alicorn to find it, the photo album as well as my school grade file which has a record of all my grades throughout the years. I rise to my feet, clutching to photo album against me.
"Panic, what's that?" Pepper asks, pointing to the album. She scoots over making a spot on the couch for me to sit between her and dad. Sitting down in the space I flip the album open to the first page with four picture placed under the plastic. Dad and Pepper lean over to get a better look at the photos.
"It's all my childhood photographs, from school pictures to birthday parties, and even to holidays."
Just as we get halfway through the album the watch on Pepper's arm beeps and I know it's time for them to leave for New York. Pepper and Tony give me hugs before leaving but not without Pepper's list of precautionary measures and all the rules for being here by myself. As soon as they're gone I head up to my room and crawl into bed, falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.
Third Person POV:
A dimly lit light gave the small laboratory a faint moon colored glow. Ian stood back behind the glass watching his new, and old captives. He was waiting for orders from his higher up commanders. Steve Rogers had to be locked up in his own room due to him being more dangerous. A containment room for Bruce Banner had already been put up and was currently laying unconscious inside it.
Thor, the God of Thunder has already awoken in his cell and was now pounding his fists against the impenetrable and unbreakable glass. Even his mighty hammer was of no match to the soundless glass. Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow as she's more commonly known and her partner Hawkeye are side by side, strapped down to metal bolted lab tables currently struggling against the restraints.
Now there was only one avenger left to go, Tony Stark, little Panic's scum of a father. There was a faint knock on the door to Ian's back and he turns, shouting for the person to enter. The man, a dangerous adversary who knew Stark Industries better than anyone, aside from Mr. Stark himself, enters the room, looking at him.
"What is it OS?" Ian asks, looking at him intensely.
The man grins gleefully. "Tony Stark and Virginia Potts have left on Stark's private jet. They're going to New York."
Ian smiles. "The set up that present we picked for Panic, I think I'll visit her and teach her her place and this time make sure she never forgets."
"As you wish sir," OS says, leaving the room as Ian plans his next move.
"This will be fun..."
