Behind the Veil

Lola began her decent down the driveway and to the main road. A few miles down the road a white vintage Lincoln town car pulled over to stop in front of Lola. The window rolled down to reveal the older couple that seemed utterly flabbergasted with Lola‘s presence walking on the road alone.

“What in tarnation happened to your shoes Little Lady?”

“Well I don‘t have any.”

“You poor girl, let us take you into town, there‘s no sense in hurtin‘ your feet.”

“That is very kind of you,” she smiles looking at the couple.

“Don‘t just stand there darlin‘ get on in,” the man replies with a welcoming smile. Lola gave a bright smile and moved to get into the back of the car. The couple were a bit worried about the young woman being that she was walking along the road wearing silk pajamas and no shoes. “My name is Rick and this here is Maggie.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Got a name?”

“Lola.”

“Pretty name for a pretty girl,” Maggie says.

“Thank you.”

“Where are you headed?”

“Town I suppose, somewhere I can get a delicious meal.”

“Well you‘re in luck little lady, we are heading into town,” Rick states enthusiastically.

“Fantastic,” Lola responds with a big smile. The ride into town was filled with the older couple explaining their trip to California for their 50th anniversary. Lola enjoyed the stories because they filled her with warmth and hope that this world was not entirely filled with sadness and pain. She didn’t give much information about herself except she was traveling through the area and the couple insisted on giving her their number in case of an emergency. Rick and Maggie took a shine to Lola while driving to town and found her smile contagious. Still they thought perhaps she needed a little guidance since she seemed so alone in her adventures. Lola waved goodbye to the couple and continued to walk towards to a clothing store that surely would have something she could wear.

Of course it was strange that a woman would show up to the shop wearing pajamas and no shoes so when the attendant saw Lola walk in, he gave her a strange look. If the sunlight hadn’t hit her in a certain way that made her glow, she wouldn’t have been stared at so much. She waved at the attendant and gave a smile before proceeding to look at the array of clothes available at the shop.

“Excuse me but is there anything I can help you with?”

“Just need something to wear, I haven‘t anything of my own. Your shop seems reasonably priced and very well made, do you have shoes here as well?” Lola inquires.

“Near the back of the store yes, do you want me to start a fitting room for you?” he replies looking at the black sheer skirt she held in her hands.

“Sure.”

The attendant took the skirt that most avoided and began to set up a dressing room for Lola. All the while Lola headed towards the undergarment section. She head the bras against her body mimicking the mannequin set up until she chose the one that best suited her body. Settling on a black lace bra and black undergarments she then grabbed a fitted jean jacket. Her attention went the attendant and she smiled.

“What size shoe are you?”

“Not sure, but this is my budget,” she states holding out a hundred dollar bill.

“Well um the most you‘ll spend is on the shoes, I think you are okay so far. I think you may be a size eight so I’ll find something that’ll go with this,” he responds. “In the meantime this is your dressing room. If you plan on wearing this stuff out just be sure to take off the tags and give them to me for scanning.”

“Thank you,” Lola says entering the small closed off area of the store. The young man closed the door and Lola began to put on the items after taking off the tags. She didn’t really mind the way things fitted or the fact the skirt was sheer. Sliding on the jean jacket she exited the fitting room. The attendant was ready with some platform ankle boots that were studded and black. Lola smiled at the choice and she sat down to try them on. He handed her a pair of socks then Lola began putting them both on. It seemed the outfit was complete and Lola stood up feeling accomplished.

“You look great, do you have a party to head to?”

“I don‘t know actually, do you know a place where they have live music?” she counters.

“Yeah, you should head to Marlin‘s Club, there‘s going to be a great show,” he states as he took the tags to ring her up. “It starts around eight.”

“Lovely, what time is it now?”

“Nearly seven, that‘ll be $87.63.”

“Thank you for your time.”

“Alright,” the attendant says as she walked out of the store smiling. She was strange yet people had to stop and stare. Lola was persistent on having a good time and with one hand carrying the pajamas in a plastic bag she walked along to find herself a meal to satisfy her hunger.

Tony Stark sat in his lab working on his usual projects, this one being his vintage hot rod‘s engine. Without realizing it, the time had passed and it was nearing three in the morning. He heard a light tap on the door of the lab and he looked up to see Lola looking rather lovely yet uniquely dressed. She smiled from the other side of the glass and he ordered Jarvis to let her have access. Lola walked into the room and Tony continued his work. Her eyes drifted to the vehicle Tony was working on and the many others that were in the area. Opting to get into the empty one near him, Lola relaxed in the back of the convertible. She rested her chin on her arm as she watched him work on the engine.

“So did you get to do everything you wanted?” Tony questions without taking his eyes off his work.

“Just about everything except the whole fornication aspect.”

“Couldn‘t attract anyone?”

“Opposite actually, I had someone, very attractive, but last minute I stopped myself. I don‘t quite understand why I would do such a thing, strange really because for a brief moment I thought about you,” Lola spoke causing Tony to stop what he was doing. “Did we have something going on before I died?”

“I don‘t think you really trusted me,” he states.

“I don‘t think that‘s true.”

“How can you have an opinion on the matter when you don‘t remember anything?”

“Don‘t be ridiculous, I don‘t think I would be here if I didn‘t trust you. It‘s obviously been carried on from my other life. If it hadn‘t I‘m sure I wouldn‘t have sought you out like I did that night,” she says simply. Tony turned on the stool and looked at Lola. “You could have died that night. Are you not aware of this?”

“I‘m aware.”

“You were there in the end when I died weren‘t you?”

“I found you if that‘s what you mean.”

“I‘m sorry, I‘m just trying to understand,” Lola says sincerely.

“No, of course you want to know, it‘s your life.”

“Know that I trust you Tony and don‘t question that.”

Tony gazed into Lola’s eyes and did not see her waver in her words. There was no tell that he could see to discard the statement she just proclaimed. She may have been slightly different but the old Lola was in there, Tony could see that now more than ever. Somehow she was the same woman that stirred up emotions in him and for some reason it just clicked in his head that this was Lola. She was alive before his eyes and not some trick. Tony turned his attention back to the engine, feeling the guilt creep up on him.

“I couldn‘t save you,” Tony finally says in a regret filled tone. Lola moved from her spot and got out from the back of the car. She placed her hand on his shoulder and spun him around to face her once again.

“It‘s okay, it wasn‘t your fault,” she states as she moved so that she was sitting on his lap. Lola rested one hand on his chest as she placed her head against the crook of his neck. Her hand raised and touched the other side of his neck. “You don‘t have to prove anything to me. I know that you are good.”

Tony relaxed under her touch and her words. Hesitantly he put his arm around her waist and let his other hand rest on her knee. It was quiet and Lola remained relaxed against Tony’s warm body. He took comfort in what she had to say and couldn’t help but smile looking down at her. Lola lifted her head and gazed up at Tony with a small smile playing on her lips. Raising his hand, Tony touched the side of her face and kissed her. Moments passed and Lola pulled away only to look at Tony with a knowing grin.

“Let me guess you have to leave,” he mutters. Lola let out a soft chuckle and kissed him lightly on the lips.

“No, not quite but I believe someone just arrived.”

“I didn‘t hear anything,” Tony replies pulling her into another kiss. She smiled into the kiss and closed her eyes once again, thoughts of the outside world fleeting away. As things got more and more heated, Director Fury and Salvatore Novak showed up, immediately gaining access into the room. Sal was quick to storm towards the pair and they pulled apart. Lola got up and looked at Sal with a smile.

“You must be Sal,” Lola smiles.

“Stay the fuck away from my sister, Stark,” Sal growls as he suddenly collided his fist with Tony‘s nose. Lola pulled Sal away from Tony and gave him a stern look. “What the fuck Lola? You can‘t be serious about this guy, you don‘t even know who you are.”

“Calm yourself, there‘s no need for violence.”

“You‘re crazy.”

“Is that out of the ordinary?” she responds turning her head slightly.

“Actually it isn‘t, you‘ve always been extremely off, come on, I‘m taking you to my place,” he states walking towards the door.

“I thought I had to wait for Professor Xavier so I can get my memories and what not.”

“Yeah, about that, it‘s a horrible idea.”

“Why‘s that?” Lola inquires as she walked in the other direction. She grabbed a towel from the kitchenette side of the room and brought it to Tony for his bleeding nose. Carefully she assisted him with his wounds and gave a small reassuring smile to him. Tony returned a smile and took the towel in his hands. Lola’s eyes drifted back to her brother that seemed to be frustrated. “There is a word for the way you‘re acting.”

“What‘s that?” Sal retorts.

“Asshole, I heard it being used for someone who was acting horribly towards others.”

“Well this asshole is trying to get you back on your feet,” he states.

“I am on my feet. I went out, meet several lovely people, came back when I said I would, I think that qualifies as something,” Lola states.

“You weren‘t even supposed to leave. What if someone that knew you saw?” Nick Fury counters giving her the eye.

“Why should that matter?”

“Because we don‘t even know what you‘ve become,” he replies. As soon as the words left Nick’s mouth, Lola’s eyes that were bright with life dimmed. Sal turned to Nick with an angry look then looked to Lola.

“And what have I become?” she questions with a furrowed eyebrow. “Am I to be treated like some sort of monster that needs to be quarantined from the world? I haven‘t done anything wrong.”

“Dolores, we don‘t know the extent of your powers,” Nick argues.

“You don‘t need to know the extent of anything, I‘m not going to let you tell her something is wrong with who she is,” Sal snaps at Nick. He then turned to his little sister that looked genuinely upset. “You did absolutely nothing wrong Lo.”

“But the problem does not lie in that does it? It lies in what I am capable of isn‘t that right?” Lola retorts snapping her gaze to Nick. “You think I‘m a monster, have the gumption to at least admit to that.”

“I don‘t think you‘re a monster, I just think that we don‘t know what you are capable of. You knocked out every single one of my agents on guard here, who knows what else you are capable of.”

“And how do they feel? Did you even think to ask or check their health? No you did not, each one of them were sleep deprived, some were sick, riddled with stress and if you ask them now how they feel they would tell you it was the best rest they’ve had. I didn‘t knock them out, I made them better,” she responds sharply.

“Lo, we should leave,” Sal suggests holding his hand out towards his obviously upset sister.

“I think you‘re right, I would like very much to remember on my own. I don‘t feel comfortable with someone in my mind. My sincere apologies that you believe me to be some menace with no self control. I won‘t hurt anyone.”

Lola took Sal’s hand and trusted him wholeheartedly, feeling the pure love he had for her. She knew by looking in his eyes he wanted what was best for her and trusted in her abilities without fearing what was to come. Looking back at Tony she gave him a smile, the smile entailing that he would see her again and that she would be staying if it weren’t for Nick’s behavior. Nick stood unsure what to say exactly, only he had this controlling need to be sure Lola would not turn into what his good friend Norman had. With the amount of power she acquired through death surely there was the chance of her losing control. The head officials of S.H.I.E.L.D. were breathing down his neck, demanding information and control over situations so things were getting increasingly difficult. But he knew if he forced Lola to remember there would be consequences and considerable damage that wouldn’t be able to be repaired. Against all the rules he let Sal take Lola away.