Chapter One:

Drowning the Soul

Through the haze and wooziness that is my intoxicated mind, I can hear the roar of jackhammers somewhere in the distance. In the area that used to be my old bedroom. I scowl in that general direction. The contractor should've been finished with this months ago. Besides it's not like Toby really needs that much space for his damn playroom. I already had to give up my room for the little shit... Ow, I rub my throbbing head.

After relocating to this room, the one that's been mine for a good while now, the contractor literally tore down two walls between my old bedroom and the guest room beside it. The other side of the hall, the left, is the first half of the playroom. Three rooms destroyed for his playroom and are across from where my old bedroom was.

That room had sentimental value to me, dammit!

Another pulse of pain through my skull has me wince, and rub both temples with my fingers. The squealing drills and crumbling drywall is almost deafening, I can't even hear myself think. Living in this section of Avengers tower has become hell. With a lot less burning floor and more irritation. My lip curls at the sound of rubble clattering against the hard wood floors on the other side of my wall.

Why didn't dad make these bedrooms soundproof? That would have been one hell of a great idea. Shifting my body up, I reach a hand beneath the pillow beneath me and drop back down on the remaining two. With the newly freed, purple cased pillow, I forcefully hold the pillow over my head to block out the construction sounds.

I only succeed in nearly suffocating myself.

Chucking the pillow across my room, it smacks the mirror and falls on the floor beside the closet. Snaking a hand beneath the pillows on the other side of the bed, I curl my fingers around the cold glass bottle of scotch that I hid there.

Maybe I can drink myself into a coma, then I wouldn't have to listen to this bullshit. Taking a swing, the alcohol burns its way down my throat.

I pull myself into a sitting position in the center of my bed, and reach for my cell phone. There's at least a hundred missed calls from Rae, she's been bugging me ever since that thing that shall not be mentioned—happened. Like I'm unable to handle myself or something. I'm an adult and I don't need her stepping on stones around me or acting like I'm made of glass that will shatter at the smallest impact. I'm a tough kid and I can handle anything.

"Panic!" I hear Pepper's voice shouting through roar of power tools. Sighing in frustration, I hide the bottle under my pillow and throw on a pair of jeans and a red and black stripped shirt. The first items in my closet. Tying my hair back in a ponytail, I start for the door.

I'm really not in the mood to deal with all this hair today, I just want to crawl back under the blanket and be left the hell alone.

Slipping through the hall, I find myself at the stairs and facing the strawberry blonde. She doesn't look very happy. Her eyes are ringed like a raccoon, she has a scowl on her face, and she looks exhausted. Probably up all night with Toby, I concluded, intentionally ignoring the tension between her and Dad.

"What do you want?" I ask, resting a hand on my hip. Smirking at the angry glare aimed at me.

"Enough with that attitude missy! I don't know what's up with you, but everyone's had it. I have enough to deal with between Toby, your father, and the company. I don't need your teen angst added to the mix."

"Well you wanna know something, no one wants to listen to your constant bitching this early in the morning," I fire back, laughing at the shade of red her face takes on. "Try not to pop a gasket, I don't think you'd survive a heart attack at your age!"

With that I turn and step into the elevator, leaving the fuming Pepper behind. My head pounds as I glare at the button on the elevator. As soon as the door opens I step out into the early morning world and scowl at all the damn people. Seriously, why are there so many people in New York, this place isn't as amazing as every moron seems to think it is.

Taking my usual way to school, I push through the crowd gathered by the front of the building. Why they're all standing around? I have no idea, but I can guarantee that it's a complete waste of time. Rolling my eyes, I stop by my locker and pull out my backpack. Unzipping the main zipper, I dig around for my drink container.

A water canister.

The only difference is that I have whiskey in it instead.

Damn, I think when my eyes meet the clock. Still way to early for class to start. At 7:10, I've still got twenty-five minutes to blow before I can start the stupid school day. Slinging my backpack over my shoulders, I slam my locker door shut. Wincing at the sound, I make my way to the autobody shop near the back of the building.

Cars aren't my favorite thing to work on, but it's the only thing in school that I can show off my innovating and genius with technology so it's not bad. Better than sitting in some stuffy class room where all the teacher are stiff like someone shoved a sick up their asses. When I reach the autobody shop, I'm not surprised by the silence.

The workshop is empty, and there are car parts and tools scattered across the room. Grease and oil staining every surface imaginable.

The smell of metal and grease eases my irritation and shot nerves. Twisting the canister lid, I take a swig. Enjoying the burn it makes going down my throat and the shiver it sends through me. I set the drink beside me as I lift the hood of the car, checking the inside.

Third Person POV:

Pepper Stark was absolutely livid, angry, confused, and concerned. She felt all that at once. It'd been three months since the incident and Panic's spiraling out of control, Tony doesn't seem to notice how serious her behavior's gotten, not that she expected him to. Speaking of her husband, she was going to have a talk with him about his daughter right now.

Panic's always been a complicated girl, no doubt.

Even with her troubled past, she's always had a likable personality. Panic was respectful to some degree, well, more so than her father anyway. Ever since that incident, Panic's been nasty and hateful, often spitting horrible things at anyone and everyone. Most Pepper.

She was always on her step-daughter's, or daughter really as she she's always seen Panic as her own, case about her actions and attitude. It was her job to protect and nurture the girl given her relationship with Tony, which was now rocky. Ever since Sokovia and the Accords, she and Tony have been butting heads more harshly than usual and they're not getting along so well.

Having a new baby also adds to the stress of their marriage and Panic was about to be the straw that broke the camels back.

Unless Pepper fixed it.

Nothing seems to work though. Panic just lashed out the more she tried, like she summons her wit like knives to throw. Using her words as weapons to push everyone away from her while she's screaming out for help on the inside. Pepper can see it, but how do you get to someone like Panic? She was just like Tony.

Panic didn't like to be weak and refuses to show it. And her father does the same.

"Tony!" Pepper shouts, standing at the top of the stairs that lead down into his workshop. "Tony! Are you down there?"

"Hey Pep, what's up," he asks, appearing at the bottom of the steps. He's tired and the dark rings under his eyes prove it. They've both had another sleepless night like, Toby's been sick and the two of them have been taking shifts to care for the child. Though Tony was also working on something so he was sweaty, his hair disheveled, and covered in grease.

"We need to have a serious talk about Panic."

He raised an eyebrow at his wife. "What about her, she seems fine. And if this is about the whole 'where babies come from talk,' I think Panic already knows that. Plus that would be really uncomfortable to talk about with my only daughter."

" What, no! Not that talk! Tony have you even seen her lately? She a living nightmare for everyone, even the construction team is afraid of her."

"Maybe she's just having a bad day, or going through a phase. Teens are always hormonal and whatnot" Tony says, shrugging it off. Pepper curls her lips into a prominent scowl.

"Ugh, you really don't care do you? You know I thought you of all people would be concerned about your daughter's well being, but I guess not. Whatever project you're working on down here must be so much more important than Panic!"

A dark look marred Tony's naturally calm and snarky face. "What the hell are you implying. If you seriously accusing me of not caring about her than you must be the most idiotic person alive!"

"Idiotic, me! Ha, Mr. I-can't-remember-my-social. Then if you care so much about her, why am I the one riding you about Panic and her attitude lately. She's been nasty and hateful and unlike herself and I'm concerned about her well being."

"Well if Panic is such as hassle for you, don't worry about it. She's not your kid!"

The last statement echoed throughout the lab and a dangerous silence filled the tower. Pepper's face was frozen in shock and anyone could see the hurt on her face as she took a deep breath, turned, and walked away without another word.

Tony was right.

Panic wasn't her kid, Toby was. It sure as hell felt like she was though...

A/N:

Welcome back again, this is the fifth installment in Panic's Universe in case some of you aren't aware. I list the stories in order below for all you new readers. You'll be absolutely confused if you don't. Also, I'm gonna be wrapping up the Panic's jealousy arch thing because personally, I think I've beaten her out of place(ness) to death and will begin a new type of journey for Panic, maybe about Panic finding herself and what she wants to be. Also, WARNING, underage drinking will be in this series if it wasn't apparent in the last chapter of "Pandora's Panic Box" anyways, thank you all for reading and supporting this series. There will be some spoilers for CA:CW, though this chapter isn't too heavy with them. Be sure to favorite and comment below!