Parasite: A worm AU

[NTaiwo]

You never know just what you're capable of, until you reach your breaking point. Taylor Hebert learns that the hard way.

This is my first time posting and writing a fan-fiction, and I'm a total rookie when it comes to creative writing, so please be patient with me. I'll try to update regularly, but with school and life, I'm bound to be a little inconsistent.

TW: This fic will be exploring darker themes, such as indoctrination, child manipulation and suicidal idealisation

 

[NTaiwo]

Taylor vomited, the black green chunks of acid spilling out onto her stomach, adding to the rancid scent of her prison. The bugs were everywhere; in the walls, in her hair, in her mouth. They crawled over her skin, like a million tiny needles tap tapping away and they just wouldn't STOP!

The stench was overpowering, so much so that she couldn't breathe.

Taylor couldn't fucking breathe!

She gasped for breath, her lungs burning with the effort as caterpillars, and beetles and flies and who knows what else crawled into her mouth, suffocating her and choking her and blinding her.

I'm going to die, Taylor thought, I'm going to die in this stupid fucking locker and emma and sophia and madision are going to fucking get away with it!

It wasn't hard to figure out who trapped her in this prison. Emma Barnes, Madison Clements and Sophia fucking Hess had been there when she approached. They'd giggled to each other as Taylor opened the locker and the…objects inside began spilling out. She felt Sophia's hands on her back, pushing her in, locking her in with the waste and grime and dirt, trapping her in a box of pure toxic waste!

Taylor didn't want to let them win. She didn't want to give up, to let them break her. So, she kicked and screamed and cried, struggling desperately for someone, anyone to hear her and let her out!

…but no one came.

Not during the school day, not during recess or lunch or the break between periods. The janitor didn't check her locker, not even as she watched him walk past and kicked and screamed wilder than ever before, shouting and shouting for help until her throat went raw with pain. She heard fucking Emma and Madison and Sophia come to her at recess, cackling as she tried to escape.

"Taylor, you're so fucking pathetic!" Emma had giggled. "Just give up already. You're a weak, insignificant bitch, and no one's coming to save you, because no one her actually gives a shit about you or your broken little family."

Taylor sobbed, remembering her ex-best friends words, the sting of them resurfacing, so painful it felt like a freshly dealt blow, hitting her heart dully.

"Yo, Ems lets leave Hebert here until tomorrow," Sophia had said, and she heard the trio cackle in response.

"That would be so funny!" Emma had squealed, "Imagine if no one finds her all night!"

Taylor had sobbed, banging her fists against the door, tearing into it with her nails to get out of this fucking locker!

She screamed and cried and kicked and struggled.

But no one came

Taylor sobbed, her chest heaving unevenly with the strain.

Her nails were gone, the skin underneath torn and ripped to shreds.

Her arms were slashed and bleeding, chunks of vomit still lingering on them.

I'm sorry dad… Taylor thought, and then darkness consumed her.


Destination.

Agreement.

Trajectory.

Confirmation.


Two entities, in the sky….giant Leviathans and Behemoths and Simurghs all fighting above her.

They all wanted her….

She saw something falling down onto her, a beam of light crashing down, a kaleidoscope of colours above her.

Then….it hit.

 

[NTaiwo]

1.1

I'm surrounded by waste. That's the only way to describe the dirt and grime and puke in this locker. I bang my head against the metal, desperately trying to get out. I thought I'd died. I wanted to die.

I don't want to be in here! I cant still fucking be in here!

I push my hands to the door, scrabbling and clawing at it for any reprice. I keep on going no matter what, even when my nails bleed and crack, even when they tear off completely, leaving only the pink, raw, fleshy skin underneath.

I need to get out! I can't still be here!

Emma..she- she put me here! She betrayed me! She left me to die!

Her and Sophia fucking Hess; they'd both tried to kill me!

Well..they could still succeed…

The thought sends a wave of panic through me, and puke spills out of my moth, compiling in a fetid puddle by my feet. I try to ignore the bugs crawling over my feet, on my legs, crawling and scuttling up my shirt and into my back, burrowing in my ears and nose and mouth and-

Everywhere. They're everywhere. I can hear them clicking, like a never ending beat, the mandibles clacking together in time with my racing heartbeat. It's like a countdown, like they're waiting for me to die. And maybe I will. Maybe I'll never see dad again, never see the sun again, never have to go to fucking Winslow again!

Maybe..maybe dying would be a good thing.

NO. I shake my head and resume my banding and scratching, hoping to at least loosen the lock enough to open the door.

"Help!" I scream - my throat is raw and sore - but I scream nonetheless, at the top of my lungs.

Someone has to hear me. Surely someone has to pass my locker.

Yes. Then I'll be out of this rotten, squalid place and Blackwell will finally have to do something about the Trio. shell have to do something if I end up in the hospital.

Or in the morgue.

NO. Those thoughts are bad. Bad Taylor.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps.

A human? A way out of her, out of this god's damned school and his stupid, stupid locker.

"HELP!" I scream as loud as I can, my voice breaking and cracking as it strains but who cares? I'm getting out. I'm going to be free of the vomit and grime and blood and sweat. I'll be free from the bugs and their incessant scuttling, always moving around on me with their hairy legs and hexagonal eyes.

"HELP!!"

The footsteps stop, and my heart leaps in my chest. I'm really getting out. The person, whoever they are, is going to let me out.

When I'm out of here,,, I'll go to Arcadia. There'll be no ex-friends, no psychopathic track athletes, no students who make it their life mission to torment you and tear you down. My grades will improve without Emma, Sophia and Madison always stealing my notes, and maybe it'll make dad feel something for once, instead of being a dull, lifeless hunk.

I press my back to the locker's inner wall.

"My password is 14696!" I shout out, just in case the person doesn't know it. For a while, I hear nothing, and a horrible feeling grips me as I panic.

What if they left?

No, they wouldn't. They must've heard me screaming- they had to. They're probably just getting supplies and backup to help me out, along with an ambulance. Maybe the school will even pay for it, because god knows dad can't afford it.

Yes. they're not gone, they're coming back. I await their return, the uncomfortable feeling settling in my gut. Soon i hear footsteps and i shoot up to bang against the door

"HELP ME! I'M STILL STUCK IN HERE!"

For a moment, silence falls upon us. Then- then I hear giggling.

Giggling? Who would find this funny? Other than the Trio of course, but they aren't here they can't be here.

"Oh Taylor, are you stuck?" a mocking high pitched voice says, and their words bite at me.

I freeze.

Their voice is too recognisable, too distinguishable.

I- it cant be real, this cant be happening.

It's the goddamn Trio.

"Too pathetic to get yourself out Hebert/" I hear Sophia say snarkily.

"She's probably passed out in her own puke."

"She's probably dead already, the weak little wimp."

"Her dad won't miss her, that's for sure."

"Isn't that right Taylor?" Emma calls out, "That your dad is a no good, sleazy drunk who fell apart after mommy dearest died?"

No…

"Good one Ems. I bet she's crying in there."

Please, just leave…

"Your entire family are a bunch of weaklings Hebert. Your drunkard father, you, and your stupid mother who was dumb enough to get herself killed in a car crash. How pathetic."

"S-shut up!" I croak out, and the trio crackle with laughter.

"Oh, is widdle baby Hebert upset? Are you gonna cry?"

Shut up…why wont they just shut up!

I throw my entire weight into the door, banging and crashing and scrambling at the metal to finally GET OUT OF HERE!

"I think we'll leave you here until morning Taylor." Emma says, "We'll see if you're strong enough to survive it."

I tense as fear grips my chest, tightening around my neck like a noose.

They can't leave me here! Not overnight! I'll die!

Tears stream down my face, and I don't even bother to wipe them away.

…what's the point anymore?

My hands drop down to my side, and I lean my head against the metal door, letting my body sag against the walls.

I'm sorry dad…but I can't do it anymore, I can't live anymore.

I wonder if he'll cry when they find me.

I wonder if he'll care.

Then, just before I close my eyes, something happens. A kaleidoscope of colours flash in my face, greens and blues and reds and yellows all in front of me. Up above, three giants are fighting.

They look down on me…

Something breaks away, a fragment, a shard from each one of them, merging into one in a brilliant burst of light, and now it's falling, falling down towards me.

I'm powerless to stop it, powerless to do anything but watch as the glowing object descends above my head.

Then, it hits, and everything dissolves into white.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I wake up- still in the locker goddammit- I feel…different. Rejuvenated somehow. Like something changed. My body's buzzing with energy like a never ending battery, and my eyes feel more alert. The darkness of the locker feels less dark , and I can make out the objects and other contents of it.

I try slapping back palms against the door, and I feel it dent. Not fully, but enough.

What's happened to me?

Then, I hear whistling, my heart leaps but I chain it down, reminding it of what happened last time I allowed myself to hope.

But.. the Trio don't whistle. Gary, the school janitor, does. And if it's night, he could be making his rounds before locking up…

"HELP!" I scream at the top of my lungs, and I reach out as far as I can, desperately trying to get whoever it is outside to notice me.

I reach out with my eyes, with my mind and.. I feel something. A connection between us. Instantly, a flurry of information floods my brain.

//name is Gary, is janitor at Winslow high, not a parahuman//

Parahuman?

I don't ponder on it longs, because Gary's stopped walking and is now looking around at the lockers to see where the noise came from. I don't know how, but I know that I can make him do things. I can make him free me.

'Free me, I'm in locker 278'

I send the command down the thread connecting us, and feel it override his brain. The lock on my locker jangles as Gary uses the master key he carries around school to unlock it. Unbelievably, the locker door swings open, and I spill out into his arms, alongside a wave of bugs and tampons and other, less pleasant things, but he still supports me on my wobbling, unsteady legs.

"T-thank you." I stammer out, but Gary doesn't reply. I glanced up at him, and would've jumped back if I had the energy to.

In place of his normally green irises, are a glowing gold taking up his entire eye.

Did- did i do that?

"Hello?" I croak, and wave a hand in front of his face. Gary doesn't respond.

'Talk to me' I think, and his gold eyes flash even brighter momentarily before his mouth opens.

"God, are you okay?! I'm calling an ambulance right now. Y- you need medical help!"

"No," I croak, "no ambulances, please."

He clams up immediately, and drops his phone to the ground.

Oh god. Oh shit.

I'm a parahuman, and not a good one at that. I can master people.

Oh god. I'm like Heartbreaker! What will the PRT do if they hear about me? Would I be able to join the Wards with a power like this?

No. no they'd never let someone as dangerous as me be able to run free in the city. I have to hide my abilities.

But first…

'Take me home,' I think, 'then forget about all of this.'

Gary's eyes flash, and he picks me up gently in a princess carry before walking out the door towards my house, with me mentally giving him instructions the whole way.

---------------------------------------------------------

The shower water runs over my body, cool and soothing, washing away all the blood and grime and bugs on me. I inhale deeply as the water patters on me back, and I finally feel refreshed after everything. I turn it off eventually, not wanting to wake up dad, and change into my pyjamas. I climb into bed, and nestle myself under the covers.

Bugs, crawling all over me, vomit puddling up at my feet, blood squeezing out of those horrible things and runs down my back, darkness, pure darkness, nothing but darkness-

I frown and turn the light back on. Then, I close my eyes and try to sleep.

Safe to say, my dreams are not pleasant.

-----------------------------------------------------------

"Morning dad." I say as I walk downstairs, grabbing the pot of coffee to make myself a mug. He grunts noncommittally and takes a drag from his flask. His eyes are bloodshot and glazed over, which means he's already drunk enough to pass out.

I sigh and shake my head. Dad fell apart after Mom died, and he's left me to figure things out on my own. But right now, the more pressing issue is that of my power. I have to go to school, and face the Trio again after what they did to me, and the thought of seeing Emma or Sophia or Madison again makes my blood boil.

It would be so easy to just…master them and make them humiliate themselves. All it would take is one command…

But no. NO. I can't do that, not unless I want to be arrested. And…mastering your bullies is something a villain does. I want to be a hero. Even if I can't join the Wards, I'm going to be a hero.

So, I go into school and keep my head down, praying that just this once the Trio's found someone else to torment. But as usual, I'm wrong. Emma spots me almost immediately after I walk in, and she nudges Sophia and Madison, gesturing at me. The three saunter over, all smirking at me.

"Well, well, well Hebert." Sophia says, bringing her hands together in a slow clap, "Looks like you got yourself out. Maybe you're not as wimpy as I thought."

"Or maybe, Madison says, her voice laced with venom, "maybe she cried so much someone actually heard her."

They all burst into laughter at that, and Emma fixes me with a cruel smile.

"Did your dad even notice you were gone? Or was he too busy passed out drunk on the couch?"

"S-shut up." i whisper, and Emma grins.

"What're you gonna do about it Taylor? Cry for a week again?"

My head snaps up to meet hers. She- she wouldn't say that, even now, she couldn't. The Emma I know would never use my mother's death and the weeks of depression and haziness that followed against me like that. But now, looking into my ex-best friend's eyes, I realise that the Emma I knew died a long time ago.

"Are you crying? God, that's pathetic."

I can't bring myself to look fully at Sophia's eyes, and instead focus on her stomach. Then, I freeze. At her core, in the middle of her body is a golden light. It's pulsing with energy, brighter than the light in Gary's eyes. Gary didn't have that light at his centre, so why does Sophia?

I look at Madison and Emma, and they don't have it either. So what makes Sophia different? Is it just her general bitchiness or something more?

Already, an idea is forming in my mind, a horrible idea that i hope and pray isn't true, for once, i pray that i'm wrong, that when i just thought isn't real. It couldn't be real. I look up to meet Sophia's eyes, and stare at her brain.

//name is Sophia Hess, is student and Ward at Winslow high, is cape - shadow intangibility - is shadow stalker//

No. Nonononononono.

Sophia… is Shadow stalker?!

No, this can't be real, it can't be true. She can't be a Ward!

"You- you're Shadow stalker." I whisper, and Sophia's eyes widen before narrowing at me.

"How did you figure that out, huh Hebert!" she hisses, stepping towards me, and i back up into a wall. Flanking Sophia are Emma and Madison, both looking completely unsurprised by my revelation.

They knew already…

"Listen to me, Hebert, and listen closely. If you tell anyone, anyone at all about me, the PRT will come down on you. Even as a powerless wimp you'll still be shipped off to the birdcage, and we both know you wouldn't last a millisecond in there. So, here's what's gonna happen. You're going to forget about ever knowing my secret identity, and you're going to stop reporting us to Blackwell." she smirks at Emma. "It's pretty boring to have to listen to her drone about costs to replace all the report sheets she keeps burning."

What…she's been actively covering for Sophia and Emma and Madison this whole time?

"I mean, why would she want to discipline and suspend a ward with all the benefits she gets from having me here. Especially the bonuses and increased budget. I heard she bought a new car last month with it."

"No…she- she can't be…"

"She is." Emma confirms, stepping forward, "And there's nothing you or your alcoholic father can do about it."

"Speaking of him, maybe I'll pay him a visit tonight." Sophia says, "I'm sure i can get him arrested for something, maybe drug possession. That's about 15 years."

"My dad doesn't do drugs." I say quietly, and Sophia grins.

"The judge doesn't know what. And besides, who's word do you think they'll take? An alcoholic father or an exemplary ward with a perfect track record." she leans in close, "I bet if he somehow died suddenly, they would class it as an 'accident'. That should be enough of a deterrent for you."

RAGE courses through me, hot and powerful as my blood boils.

How dare she threaten dad?! She can't do that!

And Blackwell, covering up for the Trio because Sophia's a ward! They're all corrupt, the whole lot of them! The PRT, Blackwell, the legal system. They'll never listen to me, they'll never let me have my say! I'll never be able to join the wards, not with Sophia always there, and one word from her and the pet will just arrest me!

What's the point in being a hero if everyone supports the villain?! Why should I hold back when Sophia threatened to kill my dad?!

I want her to hurt, I want her to know what it feels like to have everyone turn on you, your friends, your classmates, your teachers, the entire fucking school!

I don't even realise what I'm doing until the threads are connected, and I feel every mind in the school except for Sophia's. She looks around uncertainly and Emma and Madison turn to face her, their eyes glowing gold.

"What did you do to them?!" she demands, and i just smile.

Before I give them their orders though, I look at Sophia and that conduit of power at her core. I connect a thread to it, and pull.

The golden light inside her begins to dim, and I pull and pull and pull until it disappears completely. My body buzzes with energy, the feeling of pure ecstasy and I tried tapping into it.

I shift into a shadow state, my arms and legs translucent but murky at the same time. Sophia gapes at me.

"My power…you- you just stole my power!"

She roars and lunges for me, but Emma and Madison block her, holding her arms to restrain her.

"You threatened my father." I say, and Sophia's face pales. "You almost killed me. Now," I say, and send only one order into the minds of everyone at Winslow.

"I'm in control."

'Attack Sophia Hess. Stop at nothing until she's dead.'

 

[Angry_Crustacean]

Hell yeah.

 

[Despacitoleo]

Yeah baby murder that hoe

 

[NTaiwo]

Sophia's face goes chalky white as Madison and Emma turn to her, their eyes glowing gold with a murderous hue. She looks at them, then back at me, and her face contorts into a snarl.

"What the fuck did you do to them Hebert!" she growls, and i smile back in response

"I've got control over them now, Shadow Stalker. They'll follow my every order." The cool, calm of my voice surprises me a little but I revel in how it makes Sophia flinch, her face paling even more to give her rich dark complexion a more pulled, sickly tone. She backs away from Emma and Madison as they approach her their arms held out in front of them like a zombie.

"Hebert…" Sophia starts, and I grin at the tremble in her voice.

"What's the matter Sophia?". I ask, cocking my head slightly to the left "You seem stressed."

"This isn't a joke, Hebert. Give me back my fucking power !"

"No I don't think I will," I reply as my smile widens.

Sophia glares at me, then glances back to Emma and Madison, their golden eyes glowing as they get closer. She steps back again, swiveling her head between us as if unsure of what to do.

"Listen to me, Hebert," she spits, "I don't know what sort of fucking game you think you're
playing, but it isn't funny."

"Oh but it is funny, Shadow Stalker. For me at least." I lift my hand and send a mental order down the threads connecting me to all the minds at Winslow, Immediately a large group of students walk round the corner, their eyes glowing gold and fixated on Sophia. The dark-skinned bitch goes chalky white at seeing them and she looks at me with a newfound fear as if only just realising what I'm capable of.

I relish it.

"Look Hebert, think about this, she starts, pleading with me and I smirk at her, my grin stretching to my cheeks.

Sophia Hess, pleading with me. Pleading with me.

"You won't come back from this," Sophia continues, "Piggy- Director Pingeot and the PRI will come for you. Hard. The entire Protectorate will be on your ass. You'll be 'caged or imprisoned for life at the least."

I pause for a moment, my thralls stopping in their tracks. Sophia's right: if I did attack her I'd be a villain forced to leave Dad and go on the run. And Dad wouldn't be able to survive on his own, not without me there to take care of him.
And…attacking your bullies isn't something a hero does.

Will I be any better than the Trio if I do this? I'm just about to return my thralls control back to themselves, and leave this goddamned place, when I see, out of the corner of my eye, something flicker on Sophia's face. A whisper of a smirk.

That bitch thinks that she's won!

NO! Sophia Hess DOES NOT get to WIN AGAIN!

Rage consumes me, my vision tinging red and my thralls glare at Sophia, my anger projecting through them.

"You know what Sophia?" I say quietly, "You've pushed me. You and Emma and Madison; you've all been pushing me to the edge, laughing and goading each other on as you all tried to get me to break!"

Sophia makes an audible gulping sound and I flash my teeth at her.

"You left me in that filthy rancid locker to die. You wouldn't have cared if I survived or not. You wanted me to suffer, to push me off that cliff. Well Congradu-fucking-lations. You've succeeded."

Sophia goes even paler at that and she looks around wildly as golden-eyed students and teachers alike start to emerge from the hallways, filing in uniform lines like soldiers in an army. My army.

"You, Emma, Madison, you all forgot one key thing." I take a breath, and stare right into Sophia's eyes, watching the way her body trembles.

"You forgot what happens when a person reaches their breaking point. They. Fucking. Snap.

I release my thralls, and they surge towards Sophia, wailing and screaming like banshees. Sophia tries to shove them while but they push her back, the sheer mass of bodies overwhelming her. She screams out curses at me and I laugh in return as she darts about, trying to find an escape. More and more students and teachers flood from the corridors, sprinting for her now, the entire school converging on one person.

"I hope you can run Shadow Stalker!" I shout and the rest of my thralls shout it with me, making the word come out distorted but clear, like a hive mind. One consciousness speaking through hundreds of vessels.

"Fuck you Hebert," Sophia shouts back at me as Mr Gladly knocks her in the cheekbone with a fist. She groans as she goes down and my thralls pile on her, crushing her underneath them.

"How does it feel, Shadow Stalker!" I shout, my arms spread wide, "How does it feel to have the entire school turn on you? To have your best friend attack you and put you down? To know that no one here is on your side!"

"Urrgh." She groups as my thralls pummel her, their fists punching relentlessly into her skin. More and more of my thralls join the ever growing mass of writhing bodies and I hear bones snap and crack under the stress. Sophia screams from underneath them, the sound coming out muffled and distorted but I can still make it out.

"I'm gonna kill you for this Hebert!"

I smile.

"Still making empty threats, are we Shadow Stalker?"

I reach into my own reserves of golden glowing power and tap into it like I did before. My body turns musky and I walk through my thralls in my shadow-state, aiming for the center. At the very core of the pile I find Sophia, bruised and battered but still conscious. Her left arm is bent at an unnatural angle and her right shoulder is much further from the joint than I thought possible. She looks small, nothing like the Sophia Hess that was tormenting me only moments ago. Her hair is matted and frizzy, her braids tangled ground her.

But she's still alive.

Do I…do I want her to still be alive?

The simple answer is no. Fuck no, this bitch need to die. A Ward tormenting a 15 year old girl? The Words are supposed to be upstanding citizens. The model child heroes. But… for someone like Sophia to join them… for them to even let her in…

Maybe they're just like her. Maybe they're all sadists.

NO, No, Sophia has to be the exception. The rotten apple in the orchard. And…rotten apples need to be disposed of.

But, could I take a life? Could I live with myself after doing that?

Yes, Something in me whispers, you would live with yourself, and you will revel in it knowing that you have the power to end a life.

Sophia snarls, snapping me out of my train of thought.

"Fuck you Hebert! And your stupid, drunk-ass dad! And your dead mother. Your entire family is nothing but worthless trash!"

…Never mind then.

I plunge my hand into Sophia's gut, and turn it back into human flesh as I do. It goes cleanly through her shin, then explodes the right side of her body in a mass of blood and guts, Sophia screams, a bloodcurdling scream that makes my blood sing for more, so I heed it, I turn my hand shadow again then place it at the base of Sophia's left knee between her lower and upper leg.

Shadow stalker may be a Ward but Sophia is a track star. Now, I'll take that away from her.

I turn my hand back to normal and her lower leg bursts from the knee joint, completely detaching itself from Sophia's body. She screams and screams and screams, her voice cracking from the effort, and I grin and grin and grin my cheeks aching from the muscle work.

I turn my head towards Sophia's chest when that cold, black heart must lie. I angle my
arm towards it, ready to deal the final blow to end this bitch's life!

…

My breathing stills and tremors cease as a cool, calm certainty takes over my body. I'm resolute in my choice, and nothing - nothing at all is going to stop me now. I draw my arm back ready to make my first kill when-

"Unknown parahuman, step away from the civilians!"

FUCK.

---------------

Velocity has always run from his problems. Whether it be the traumatic nature of being a cape, or his trigger event, that seems to haunt him even now- Velocity's always split when things go too close to home. It's his power and it certainly is well suited for him,

Before Velocity used to dash from any to city never caring what - or who - he left behind. But now, Velocity has a family. A group of friends. He doesn't know what he would do if it weren't for Hannah, or Assault, or even Colin. They give him something to fight for a reason to don the red and yellow suit and face the world every day.

So, when an alarm comes through - blue and green, the symbols of a Ward in trouble - Velocity doesn't hesitate to dash to the meeting room where the rest of the BB Protectorate stand solemnly, already suited up and ready for battle.

"What's the situation?" He asks in a hard voice and Director Emily Piggot - Piggy as the Wards dubbed her - turns to face him.

"Around 30 seconds ago, we got a ping from Shadow Stalker's emergency pager. The tracker pinpointed her location to be at Winslow High school where she resides in her civilian identity."

Shadow Stalker, Velocity muses remembering the first time he met the eccentric young Ward. She was a vigilante back then and an effective one at that but her methods were known to be overtly violent and cruel, almost sadistic. He didn't think she should've been put into the Wards back then, but she has shown improvement in the year or so she's been here.

"The pager has a tinkertech vitals monitor embedded inside it and when we received the results it was evident that Shadow Stalker was aggravated, afraid even."

That stops Velocity in his tracks. Shadow Stalker is many things, he thinks, many many things, but nothing has ever truly scared her

"So... a new parahuman is in town!" Ethan says, smirking lightly. Piggot shoots him an irritated look.

"Yes Assault there is an unknown parahuman in Brockton Bay. Now, usually we would send someone like Armsmaster or Mrs Millita to deal with them but…" She trails off, and Velocity can only guess what she means. The Wards are sacred. Untouchable, even. The entire program is built on the promise that the kids will be safe and able to train so that they can control their powers and eventually (hopefully) join the Protectorate once they're over 18. To even touch a Ward risks the entire Protectorate cracking down on you. Hard. The last time anyone tried then ended up & feet under after an 'accidental' explosion.

Attacking a Ward is basically washing for a kill order. And yet, someone did. Now they'll have to face the wrath of the entire BB Protectorale.

"Let's move out," Armsmaster grunts and Velocity speeds out of the room at superhuman pace.

He arrives at Winslow in seconds, the ratty, rundown building greeting him. He tries (and fails) to hide his grimace at the groups of Asian and white kids hanging about, staring daggers at each other. Winslow's known for its high gang population with around 90% of the kids being either ABB, E88 or Merchants.

Truly a shitty school, he thinks as he approaches shouting out for the kids to evacuate. Most listen, but one smart alec decides to test his luck.

"Beat it Velocity," he sneers, and his other friends snigger behind him. Their enlarged pupils are telltale signs of Merchant gang members, and Velocity pushes past them.

He doesn't have time to deal with druggies. Not with Shadow Stalker's life on the line.

He examines the tracker on his wrist. Shadow Stalker's signal is pinging from the left wing by the back entrance. He's there in a second, and scans his surroundings.

Shadow Stalker is nowhere to be found, but there in front of him, staring intently at a pile of bodies whose fists are slowly drawing back to strike something below. He walks over to them, and their eyes, usually coloured blue or green or brown, glow a brilliant gold.
Shit, he thinks, a master.

The master in question suddenly turns murky, and translucent. It's oddly similar to Stalker's power - very similar in fact…

But, Velocity can't dwell on that now. No, his attention is focused on the dark haired girl as she disappears into the pile of bodies, and for a moment there's silence. Then, a scream shutters it. Stalker. The sound has been ripped from her throat and it spurs Velocity into action.

"Unknown parahuman, step away from the civilians!"

---------------

Shit, I think as the hero's voice calls out. Why is Velocity here?

How did the PRT even know to come here? No one but Sophia could've called and she's currently incapacitated. How do those bastards know about me?

I look back through the pile of bodies - or rather try to. Sophia's power doesn't include x-ray vision, so I clear away my thralls, and they cease their attack on Sophia. I line them up behind me, an army at my feet, waiting to strike.

In front of me Velocity stands in his red and yellow costume. He stares at me - most specifically my hands, and I turn my gaze down to inspect them.

They're stained red, slick with blood and guts and internal juices. Chunks of flesh fall from them, plopping to the floor with a squelch. My arms are covered in the mixture of bodily fluids as are my legs, but for some reason it doesn't bother me. I feel calm, temperate even while facing the storm of PRT officers that surely await me. Sophia deserves to die, and I'll be the one to kill her. A hero helps people by getting rid of villains so that's what I'll do.

After all, Shadow stalker caused me to trigger, and tormented me for years. That must be a crime worthy of revenge.

Speaking of Sophia, she lets out a groan, and both me and Velocity snap our heads to look at her. She's barely conscious, save for the occasional twitch in her arm.

"Listen to me, Velocity says, holding his hands out in a peaceful gesture. "You don't want to do this. We can help you with whatever you're dealing with. You just need to step away from Shadow Stalker."

"Shadow Stalker?" I hiss. "You mean Sophia Hess, the sadist that bullied me for over a year and a half, the girl who turned my own best friend against me, the girl who put me in a FUCKING LOCKER AND LEFT ME TO DIE!"

Velocity winces a little at that, and looks uncertain, but speaks with the same valiance and fervour he would arresting a criminal.
"Put your hands up and surrender quietly." He says, "Or else I'll have to do it forcibly."

Leave me the fuck alone!" I shout back, "I need to do this! That bitch threatened to kill my dad!"

I glare back at Sophia, lying in a pool of her own disgusting blood, and turn my arm shadow one last time.

If the PRT are going to take me in, they can do it without Shadow Stalker. If my last act as a free civilian is to take Sophia Hess's life, then so be it. At least she won't be able to hurt anyone else like she hurt me.

I thrust my hand towards her chest, but a bolt of something large and heavy hits me, knocking me to the side. I fly through the air before cracking into the lockers by the wall. Pain blooms in my chest as the air is knocked out of me, and my ribs ache, but i fight to stand up and face my attacker.

When I see who awaits me though, my face pales. Fuck.

The entirety of the Brockton Bay Protectorate stands in front of me, armed and ready for a fight. One man in power armour - Armsmaster - steps forward, swinging his signature halberd.

"Step away from the Ward and let these innocent civilians go!"

"These people aren't innocent!" I scream back at him, "None of them are!"

Armsmaster glares at me, and shifts his stance into a fighting position. "If you won't comply, we'll make you. Trust me, you do not want to mess with us. You crossed the line and attacked a Ward, so we aren't going to hold back."

His speech is probably meant to intimidate me, but all it does is pull a bark of laughter from my lips.

Then another one.

And another.

And another.

Soon, I divulge into a fit of giggles, laughing like an insane person, but at this point I honestly don't give a shit! The PRT is supposed to protect people from those like Sophia, who use their powers to steal and hurt and bully and take and take and take from everyone. Yet, they're not only letting her into a program like the Wards, and rewarding her for hurting more people; they're also defending their sadistic 'Ward', and trying to arrest the girl who could stop her because it's easier to do that than to admit they fucked up!

It's not fair, I think, and ball up my hands. It's just not fucking fair. I don't want to go to jail, not for this.

I try to move my arms: nothing.

I try to move my legs: nothing.

In fact, everything below my neck is covered in white foam. Containment foam. Rage roars in me, hot and wild as I realise what's happened. As I see the trap I fell for. I look at Velocity, but he won't meet my eyes.

"You- you…" I start, but can't bring myself to finish.

The bastard tricked me. He acted sympathetic to distract me long enough for Miss Millita to shoot me with the containment foam.

Stupid. That's what I am, stupid for believing him, for letting my guard down for even a second. I should've just killed Sophia when I had the chance, but now I never will.

And, Sophia will probably be awarded for her bravery after I'm dead locked up in jail. Taylor Hebert will just become another invisible girl that no one thinks about, and Sophia will get off scot-free with everything she's done! My blood is boiling, my insides fuelled with a rage I've never known before, and I glare at the Protectorate capes. Immediately, their cores all light up with a golden glow, and I blink.

…Right, I forgot about that. I could steal a power to escape, but Sophia will walk away alive. Powerless, and crippled, but still alive. But then…I'll be able to finish the job later…

I attach my threads to their minds, reading their powers to find the best one to escape. Not Armsmaster, or Battery or Dauntless or Miss Millita.

Velocity.

//power is enhanced speed - can accelerate to supersonic rates but trades off physical strength as speed increases//

Just what I need to get out of this place. I focus on Velocity, staring at him intently, then I pull.

His golden light dims as his power floods into me, and my head swims, dizzy with the sweet rush that comes with taking a power. Velocity notices the absence of his power almost immediately, coming out of his breaker state to return to normal time, and his face goes grey as he drops to one knee. All of the Protectorate turn to look at him, and I make my move.

Turning my body to shadow, I step out of the containment foam, and activate Velocity's breaker state just as Armsmaster turns to me, his halberd pointed at my chest.

"The cape!" He shouts, but by then it's too late. The world slows to a halt, and I run out of the hallways and into the night, away from Sophia, away from the PRT and away from the wretched school that's Winslow High.

 

[NTaiwo]

Heh...It's been a while, hasn't it? Please don't kill me, it's only been...a few months...

Ok, so I'm not abandoning this fanfiction, because I'm actually really invested in my plot. The problem was really the way that I would write it. I used to be a really slow typer, so I would have to write my work out physically, then type it out, and it ended up taking too long. Looking back now, I also realise that my initial plot was a bit...well it was a mess, but luckily I can keep going from my current chapters. I'm going to rewrite them though, because I'm sure I had like billions of typos. I'm going to now update every one to two weeks, and I'll make sure that I'm consistent with it, so expect an update next week.

 

[NTaiwo]

Danny Hebert wouldn't consider himself to be an angry man. Sure, he got angry from time to time whenever the ABB tried to expand into the docks where he and his crew worked, and sure, maybe once he punched a cop for daring to put his hands on Annette. She may have been part of Lustrum's group once in college, but it didn't mean she was a crazy, penectomising feminist. And ok, maybe, just maybe he's been known to shout and scream at a few irritating people, and maybe they've tried to sue, but all in all, Danny thinks that he's a pretty 'chill guy', as Taylor would put it.

Maybe Annette softened me, he would think sometimes, looking back on his childhood and remembering the rage that inhabited and grew in his own father. He'd always been afraid of that rage, of letting his father's genes fester inside him until he became exactly like the man who tormented him for so many years. After Annette's death, he thought that he'd go back to before - always flying off the handle and letting his fists talk instead of his mouth - but actually, the fire inside him dimmed, as the loss of his wife took away the fuel and passion from his soul, leaving it empty.

Oh, how he wished to fill that emptiness. It was like a void swallowed him up when he got the phone call, leaving him floating in darkness. His life, his best friend, his love was gone in an instant, leaving Danny hollowed out.

Danny wanted to fill the gap left behind, so he did. With alcohol.

At first, it was just the occasional whiskey. Then, it quickly snowballed into something much worse.

He would drown himself in endless bottles of vodka and beer and any type of alcohol he could get his hands on, letting it numb his thoughts and dull the pain and emptiness that rested in his heart.

Maybe Danny Hebert wasn't like his father at all. His father would never cry over a woman, or drink to drown out his sorrows.

But, standing in his doorway, watching two PRT officers try to tell him that his own daughter was a wanted fugitive, all Danny can feel is rage.

"What d'you mean she's gone?!"

The two officers look at each other nervously, as if they're afraid of him.

One of them steps forward, clearing her throat. "After engaging with the Protectorate, she ran off, and we don't know her whereabouts at this time."

The other officer perks up. "We were hoping that she might've come here, to pick up some money, or clothes, or maybe just to say goodbye? Most runaways visit their home one last time before they disappear."

Danny frowns, pressing a hand to his throbbing head. "She isn't here."

He definitely needs a Tylenol after this whole thing. God knows he's way too hungover for this conversation.

"So let me get this straight. You're telling me that my daughter is a parahuman? And she attacked a student?"

The two officers bob their heads in agreement.

"B-But why would she do that?!" Danny splutters, working to get his alcohol-addled mind around this. "It doesn't make sense."

Taylor would never attack someone. That girl would have to be one of the biggest pacifists Danny has ever known; she used to get upset when someone trampled a bug!

"Look, sir, we have to ask: was Taylor involved with any…shady friends? Did you notice any changes in her mood or attitude?"

Danny furrows his brow at the officer, not understanding her point. Taylor had just been…normal. She hadn't seemed any different to him for the past few months, but maybe his habits of letting the numb, hazy, blissful feeling of alcohol blind him to his daughter.

"I-I don't think so…" he says uncertainly. "I mean, she's been a bit quieter, I guess."

Both officers lock eyes with each other, and share a look.

"Sir, are you sure that Taylor wasn't involved in any…gang activities?"

Silence.

Rage blooms in Danny's gut, coursing through his body, and for a moment, no one says a word.

Then, he explodes.

"Taylor would NEVER do that!" He roars, charging at the two officers, seeing nothing but red, hearing nothing but his alcohol tainted blood pounding in his ears.

How dare they say that about Taylor! His daughter would never get involved with any of that. Not after hearing how much the gangs affect him. She's not violent; she's energetic and chatty, and ok, maybe she's been quieter after Annette's death, but she wouldn't join a gang!

He swings his right fist at the officers, determined to hit at least one of them, but his vision blurs, and he stumbles wildly, his day-drinking habits finally coming back to bite him. His fist sails through thin air, missing the officers entirely. The momentum sends him crashing to the floor, and he lands with a hard THUD.

Immediately, one of the officers - a man with cropped brown hair - jumps on top of him, pressing his knee into the indent in Danny's back.

"Y-You dickheads!" Danny spits out, his face red. "My daughter would never join a gang!"

The man on top of him sighs heavily, as if he's been through this too many times before.

"Look, Mr Hebert…we've both seen this before. A kid turns quiet, and the parents don't notice until it's too late. Next thing y'know, they're running around with the Empire, or the ABB, or - god forgive - the Merchants." He pauses, loosening his grip on Danny's arms. He steps off him, holding out a hand for the man to take. "Winslow kids rarely ever escape the gangs. Working-class families need money, and most end up running away. Others…are just victims. They're probably the most dangerous. All the pressure and constant harassment gets them to snap."

Danny looks up at him from the floor, his eyes red-rimmed and glassy. "Do you think that's what happened to Taylor? Someone made her…snap?"

The officer sighs. "I don't know what type of cast Taylor Hebert is…but one thing we both know for sure is that she's dangerous and unstable."

Danny frowns and opens his mouth to argue, but the second officer, a woman with short hair tucked into a bun, cuts him off before he gets the chance.

"You may not want to accept it, Mr Hebert, but one way or another you cannot deny the fact that she attacked and brutalised a Ward, one who is currently in critical condition. She fought back against the Protectorate and resisted arrest. She mastered every student and teacher present at Winslow High that day. She may be your daughter, but she isn't safe or stable right now."

Danny freezes, hearing one word echo through his head. "Wait…did you say she mastered people?"

Master.

Taylor controlled people. She mastered them and took over their minds.

God, she could be controlling him now, Danny thinks, the thought sending a shiver up his spine.

"S-She's a master?!" He squeaks out. "Like-like Heartbreaker?"

The two officers nod solemnly at him.

"Yes, Mr Hebert," The woman says, "She is a master, and also a trump. She can steal powers from other parahumans."

"I-I…" Danny stutters, swaying slightly. It's too much. All of this. Taylor's disappearance, Annette's death, Lung's threats on expanding ABB territory into the docks - it's all too much.

Danny doesn't want to hear that Taylor is a criminal now, or that she put a Ward in the hospital, or that she mastered everyone at Winslow.

He wants Annette.

He needs Annette.

God, he can't do this without her. The world, once a place of vibrant colours and light, now seems to fade into grey, barren nothingness, as if she took all its life with her into the grave.
His love- his soulmate- gone because of a phone call - his phone call.

The alcohol was and is the only thing that numbs it down for him, the pain, the grief, the guilt.

The crushing guilt of knowing that you killed your partner. The all-consuming, devastating knowledge that their absence is because of you. It takes up every space in your brain until there's nothing left but sadness and hate. Hate at the world, hate at yourself, but also hate at your partner, for leaving you to pick up the pieces they left behind. There's no space for anyone else, no way for them to push through the thick shroud of black nothingness that clouds his mind.

The alcohol dulls the edges. It makes it easier to forget, easier to ignore the sea of emotions that threatens to drown Danny every single day. It makes life easier.

He knows that he has a problem. He can tell by the way his vision swims in front of his eyes all the time, or by the chronic blackouts he seems to have, that keep getting more and more frequent. But…Danny just can't bring himself to care anymore. He's done too much of that, and look where it's gotten him.

"What will you do now?" He asks the two officers, his voice coming out every bit as broken as the man it belongs to.

The officers share a look, yet again, before the man nods at his partner.

"Mr Hebert, at this point in time your daughter is a wanted fugitive. She has been named as an A-class threat by the Director, and is at the top of the Protectorate's list of criminals to catch."

Danny slumps down onto his couch, putting his head between his arms, and groaning loudly into his legs.

"She-she's gonna go to jail when they c-find her, isn't she?"

"I…most likely, yes." The male officer says, and Danny groans even louder. "But if she surrenders, she might get off. The Protectorate has a program for criminals, to reform them and turn them into heroes."

Danny looks up at him with bloodshot eyes. His expression says otherwise, but hope blooms in his chest.

"A…a program?" He repeats, and the female officer nods.

"Yes, a program. It's a subdivision in the Protectorate and the Wards, so if Taylor gave herself up, she would be eligible to join it as part of the Wards."

She fixes her gaze on him and stares at Danny with a meaningful look. "This is why we need you, Mr Hebert. Runaways like Taylor will always come back one last time. Convince her to give herself up. If you do, there's a high probability that Taylor will avoid doing jail time, and instead will become a hero."

"Don't you want your daughter to be known by the city as a shining beacon of light?" The other officer chimes in.

"Rather than another one of the dirty scum that litter our streets?"

Something in the woman's voice appeals to Danny. It sounds so sweet and melodic…like nothing could ever go wrong if he just listened to it. He finds himself nodding along to the officer's words, as if they make perfect sense. Which they do.

"Mr Hebert," the man says, handing him a card. "If you ever see Taylor, contact us immediately, then try to approach her. Keep in mind that she will likely be in a state of extreme agitation, so be careful when handling her."

"Yuh huh," Danny mumbles, his attention solely locked on the female officer and that lovely, heavenly voice.

"And remember that Taylor isn't in her right mind right now," the female officer says in her layered, echoing voice, like the tinkling chimes of a mark tree on the wind. "She may attack you, or use her master effect on you. Make sure that you are armed and ready."

Danny nods along obediently, not objecting to any part of it.

"And, Mr Hebert," the officer says as she prepares to leave with her partner, "Remember, the PRT knows what is best for you, and your daughter."

Danny feels his mouth go slack as his mind blanks out momentarily. "The…The PRT knows best…I should listen to them," he intones, and the female officer smiles. She crouches down to his level on the sofa, patting his cheek lightly.

"Good boy," she says, then turns and walks out the door, her partner following right behind her.

Danny sits on the couch, his eyes glassy and his expression blank. Then, he snaps back to normalcy.

Where on earth did I put that bottle?

He makes his way over to the kitchen, his head blissfully clear after talking to the officers. Not once does he think about Taylor's criminal status and what that means for her. Not once does he think about her A-class rating.

What he does think about, though, slumped on the sofa with a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a beer in the other, is the pure goodness of the PRT, and their willingness to help Taylor become a hero. He thinks about how grateful he is, and the debt that he holds to them.

And so, Daniel Hebert doesn't notice the conversation that takes place outside his door.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
"He seemed very cooperative," the male officer says, stroking his chin. "Almost…too cooperative."

The female officer takes off her sunglasses and rolls her eyes. Without the cover of the glasses, they glow a deep purple, with a kaleidoscope of colours swirling within.

"I can be very persuasive." She replies simply, and the man smirks.

"Piggot will have your hide for that, Casey. You know that you're not supposed to use your power without authorisation."

Casey scoffs. "What's the point in being an officer and talking to people if I can't use my power?"

"Well, you saw what happened to your sister. I wonder when Piggot's gonna let her out- oh wait, she can't."

Casey's jaw clenches, and she glares at the man. "It's not my fault I got a shitty power. Not all of us can be 'stealth masters,' Brayden."

"Just because you have a master power doesn't mean you have to use it on people! That's exactly why she isn't here!"

"It's not mastering people, it's just…nudging them in the right direction."

Brayden gives her a skeptical look, and she rolls her eyes.

"It's not as if you weren't using your power," Casey mumbles, looking down.

"My power let the agents search the house, so it was actually needed. And unlike you, I got authorization from Director Calvert. And guess what they found."

He holds up a thick, leather diary with a smug smile. "This is the girl's diary. Let's see what really makes her tick, why don't we?"

Brayden opens up the diary and starts reading.

"Monday, September 11th. I don't know what I did wrong. Emma's been avoiding me all day, and she glares at me whenever I try to approach her. She's hanging around the new girl,
Sophia Hess-" Both the officers' eyes widen at that "-who just joined this year. Those two are always laughing and smiling together, but Sophia isn't…she's not nice. She tripped me up before homeroom because I was 'in the way of her locker'. Even so, Emma looks really happy when she's around her. Even happier than she was with me. Maybe I was too bland or boring for her, and she needs a new friend to make up for my inadequacy."

Brayden stares up at Casey, and when their eyes meet, they know that they're both thinking the same thing.

Is there more to this case than we thought?

Why would Taylor mention a Ward in her diary? Why would a Ward trip her up? Taylor Hebert is not as clear-cut as she appears, and Casey vows to find out the truth.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Danny wakes up to the sound of rustling. His head is pounding from the alcohol, and his vision blurs, even in the pitch black. He lets out a slow groan, and the rustling pauses momentarily, then starts up again. He rolls over on his bed, pressing his head to the pillow, making no move to confront the intruder in his house.

What's the point? He thinks dimly; it's not like there's anything valuable to steal here.

He's about to close his eyes and let the sweet, silent murkiness of sleep overtake him, when he hears it. Something falls with a thud, and he hears it.

"Shit!" The intruder says, in her feminine voice.

But it's not really an intruder, because Danny could recognise that voice from anywhere. Even half-asleep and drunk, he could recognise it. The low, hushed tones, the little inflections in her speech; he could recognise all of it.

Slowly - ever so slowly - Danny reaches over to his bedside table and flicks on the small, cheap candle lamp.

"Taylor?"

The girl freezes, dropping the items she was holding to the floor. They flutter down as she turns around to reveal the bruised and battered face of his daughter.

"Dad," she croaks, her voice cracking on that one word.

Danny slowly climbs out of his bed, stumbling slightly, and stands up in front of his daughter.

"Taylor, what's going on? The PRT told me that you almost killed someone."
His daughter's eyes go wild with shock, and she waves her hands desperately in front of him. "No, Dad, they aren't telling you the full story! Sophia attacked me first; she trapped me in
my locker with-with things!"

She chokes the last part out, then her eyes glaze over. "So…so many things."

Danny sways on his feet, but manages to step forward without falling over, and lays his hand on Taylor's shoulder. What was it that the officer had said in her beautiful voice? Oh yes! He should call them and convince Taylor to turn herself in.

"Lishen Taylor; I don't know eshactly how much trouble you're in, but ish only gonna get worsh if you keep on running. You haff to turn yourshelf in."

His words slur slightly, but Taylor picks up on it. She frowns at him.

"Are you drunk again, Dad?"

The resignation in her voice breaks Danny's heart. It's almost as if Taylor is used to this, to seeing her own father struggle and fail to remain sober every day. The past few years have been hazy for him, but surely even in his worst moments, he would hide his intoxication from Taylor.

"A bit," he confessed, and Taylor sighs, bending over to pick up the items - which, on further inspection, appear to be dollar bills - she dropped on the floor.

"You should get some sleep, Dad." She rubs her temple. "I'll bring you some water before I go."
Danny doesn't like how calm his daughter is about all of this. She's on the run from the biggest superhero team in town, she almost killed a girl, and she's come back home to see her father drunk.

"Taylor, you don't have to run," he says, but Taylor cuts him off.
"I do, Dad. The Protectorate capes will all know my name, and they'll all be searching for me. If they find me, I'll never leave prison. I might even get 'Caged."

Danny's breath stills, and he instantly sobers up. What could his sweet, innocent little girl have done to go to the Birdcage?! She's as far from the scum in there as possible!

"Taylor, talk to me. What did you do?"
Taylor audibly gulps, twisting her hands together nervously. "Dad, I-I have powers now. A-And at school Sophia just made me so angry, speaking about you like that and I…I just wanted to hurt her, and then they were all punching her and then next thing I knew I had her power and then Velocity showed up but he tricked me! And then they almost took me, they almost had me but then I took his power and ran and now they're after me!"

By the time Taylor is finished, her face has gone pale, and her hands are trembling. Danny places his on hers, to still the shaking, then looks straight into her eyes.

"Taylor, you don't have to run. The two officers who came by earlier told me that you could get out of doing prison time if you just surrendered yourself."

Taylor's eyes widen. "I…I don't have to run?"

"Yes," Danny says, "You don't have to run. If you turn yourself in, they'll help you control your powers, stop you from accidentally hurting anyone. They'll train you and put you in the Wards. You could be a h-"

"I will NEVER join the Wards!" Taylor roars at him, her features contorted in a snarl. She clenches her fists by her side, and her nose flares in and out deeply.

Slowly, Danny reaches for his phone on his table. Taylor notices, and her face drops.

"Dad…" she whispers, "Please don't call them. I can't join the Wards, I just can't. Please, be on my side."

"I am on your side," Danny murmurs, typing the memorised numbers into his keypad. "I'm always on your side, Taylor, and that means doing what's best for you. This," he gestures around him, "Running away isn't going to help you. You'll be caught one way or another, and be in even more trouble. Please, let me help you."

"Help?" Taylor says, her voice shaking. "Where was your help when Mom died? Where was my dad then? For two years I took care of you! I had to feed you, wash you, make sure you actually went to work instead of getting hammered at the bar! I was twelve back then, Dad. Twelve years old, and I had to learn how to make myself look older to get a job, just so we could eat! When I needed you the most, you weren't there!" They're both crying now, the tears streaming freely down their cheeks.

"You're right," Danny croaks, his voice hoarse, "I wasn't there. But I will be now, starting with this."

He presses the dial button on his phone, and Taylor's eyes widen.

"Stop!" She shouts, and the last thing Danny sees is his daughter's eyes, glowing with a golden light. Then, that gold floods his vision, and he drowns in it.



A.N
Soooooo I'm back! Yeah, now that I'm really looking at this fic properly, I actually have a whole new plot line, and I'm actually quite interested in it. I think I'll probably update every week, maybe on Saturday, but I'll try and write a lot to make up for the past few months.