Monday— April 11th, 2011.
TAYLOR MADE A FRIEND.
9:05 PM.
Taylor tiptoed into her room, her heart still racing from the adrenaline-filled escapades of the day. She had managed to lose the tail that was the PRT, thanks to Spidey's advice and quick thinking. The high-speed chase with Armsmaster had been particularly intense, but Spidey had handled it with his usual wit and agility, ultimately ending the pursuit with a clever webbing maneuver that left Armsmaster stuck to a fire hydrant.
As Taylor caught her breath, she couldn't shake the feeling of being wronged by Armsmaster's pursuit. It felt unfair to be chased as if she and Spidey were criminals when all they had been doing was trying to stop Lung's rampage. But dwelling on it wouldn't change anything, she realized.
Admittedly though, it was Taylor’s fault for provoking the Rage Dragon— Spidey even remarked jokingly the next thing she knew, she might be referred to as the Queen of Escalation if anything.
Here in Brockton Bay, escalation was something people liked to avoid as much as possible, thus the obsession of PRT about the status quo. Criminal gangs, vigilantes, and heroes alike also followed the same unwritten rules that had preceded the peace of Brockton Bay.
Upon entering her room, Taylor was surprised to find her dad, Danny Hebert, waiting for her. His expression was a mix of concern and relief, and Taylor couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for worrying him. She quickly assessed her appearance, realizing she was still wearing clothes straight from the donation box, evidence of her recent escapades.
"Dad," Taylor began, trying to keep her voice steady despite the lingering adrenaline coursing through her veins. "I can explain..."
Danny Hebert held up a hand, cutting her off gently. "Taylor, I've been worried sick about you. You disappeared this morning without a word, and I've been trying to reach you all day."
Taylor's guilt deepened as she realized the distress she must have caused her father. "I'm sorry, Dad. It's just... things got a little out of hand today."
Danny's expression softened, and he motioned for Taylor to sit down beside him on the bed. "Tell me what happened, Taylor. I want to understand."
And so, Taylor recounted the events of the day, from encountering Lung to teaming up with Spidey and their subsequent escapades. She left out LOTS of the more dangerous details, not wanting to worry her father any further: basically, she warped the story so much that what she said was so far from what truly happened.
Danny sighed, his worry evident in the furrow of his brow. "So let me get this straight, you were annoyed by life, decided to jog, and things happened— you going to the docks, pissing off some thug, and then making a friend while at it. That didn’t explain why you are late, young lady. You need to tell me more… Why are you being so cagey? I mean, I am glad you didn’t take your own life or anything, but you didn’t need to run away from me. You worried me; it was past 9:00 in the evening, and I was scared of what might have happened to you. You didn’t even text me."
Taylor shifted uncomfortably, her guilt weighing heavily on her. "I'm sorry, Dad. I made a friend though…"
"Yeah, I heard you the first time," Danny said, his tone gentle but firm. "You woke up early in the morning and decided to jog as per your routine. You didn’t even get breakfast, which clued me in that something might be wrong. So you tell me what was wrong."
Taylor hesitated, knowing she couldn't reveal the truth about her newfound identity as a cape. "I... I skipped school," she lied by omission, her gaze dropping to the floor. “I went to the docks, I thought… I was curious… I wanted to feel high. I somehow ended in ABB territory.”
Since it was difficult to tell her dad what exactly she did as a ‘cape’, Taylor felt the need for a smaller lie. If anything else, she didn’t want her dad to find out what was she up to.
"Oh my god, Taylor!" Danny's voice cracked with worry and frustration. "Skipping school? Going to the docks? Getting mixed up with ABB? What were you thinking?"
Taylor bit her lip, feeling the weight of her father's disappointment. "Listen, Dad, I didn’t take any drugs! I am clean! I told you already, right? I went to the ABB territory, pissed off some ABB thug, and then this... stranger helped me."
Danny's eyes narrowed, his concern turning into anger. "You didn’t tell me it was an 'ABB' thug, and god help me, don’t tell me this stranger was your new friend."
Taylor's heart sank. She knew she was digging herself deeper with each word. "He is a good guy, Dad. He helped me out from a pinch."
Inside, Taylor berated herself for her weakness. Why couldn't she stand up to her dad? Why did she always cave under his scrutiny? But she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth, not when it could put her and her newfound friend in danger.
“Dad,” Taylor softly calls to her father. “I am okay. I am sorry I worried you. You know me, I abhor drugs, and maybe that’s why at the last second, I decided I am not curious enough to test if I’d like it.”
Danny's expression softened as he listened to Taylor's response, but his concern didn't waver. "Taylor, I need to know you're safe. I need to know what's going on with you. Please, talk to me. Tell me what's really happening."
Taylor looked up at her father, torn between wanting to confide in him and wanting to protect him from the truth. "Dad, I... I can't tell you everything. But please, trust me when I say I'm okay. I promise I'll be more careful from now on."
Danny sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Taylor, I just want what's best for you. I want to help you, but I can't do that if you shut me out."
Tears welled up in Taylor's eyes as she felt the weight of her father's worry and disappointment. "I'm sorry, Dad. I'll try to do better. I just... I need some time to figure things out."
Danny pulled his daughter into a tight hug, his voice choked with emotion. "I love you, Taylor. Please, promise me you'll be careful out there."
"I promise, Dad," Taylor whispered, holding onto him tightly. "I love you too."
As they sat there in each other's arms, Taylor couldn't shake the guilt gnawing at her conscience. She knew she couldn't keep her double life a secret forever, but for now, she would do whatever it took to keep her father out of this.
Taylor while new to this, wasn’t a totally naïve girl… she knew the risks, and while not as well-versed as she initially thought of herself about the unwritten rules, she was to some extent aware of their significance in the world of capes both in the big picture and the small picture.
“One last thing,” Danny said, his voice was stern. “I don't recognize your clothes. Is this new friend of yours a boy? Did you and him...uh...” He trailed off, his implication clear.
Taylor's face turned bright red. She couldn't believe her dad was thinking such things. “No, Dad! No!” she exclaimed, trying to defend herself. “That's so wrong, I'm only fifteen!”
Danny raised an eyebrow, still not convinced. “And he...he is a nice guy?” he asked, his tone skeptical.
Taylor nodded, her blush not fading. “Yes, he is. We're just friends, I promise.”
Danny let out a sigh, relieved that his daughter wasn't involved in anything scandalous. “So, he is a boy. I'm just making sure, young girls can get pregnant as early as twelve years...” he said, trailing off again.
“Dad! Stop it!' Taylor exclaimed, exasperated. 'My clothes came from a donation box. Some idiot spilled their drink on my clothes.”
Danny's expression softened as he realized his mistake. “Oh, I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to jump to conclusions. I just worry about you.”
#Angry Daddy #Watch out, Spidey!
