Chapter Text
Slowly eating her homemade sandwich, all Taylor Hebert could think about was how an hour was too long for lunch. It was the last day of classes before Winter Break, and the outside courtyard at Arcadia felt rather lonely. While she would probably not have socialized even if anyone else had risked the chilly December weather, the sounds of her fellow students could be soothing. Empty spaces and quiet meals brought up memories that she did not want to focus on. It happened enough at home as it was.
Of course, a less stubborn girl would have probably just eaten inside. The school supplied one free meal a day for her due to financial hardship and the cafeteria was better than her dad's cooking. But that would have meant dealing with HER, and even the thought of it was almost enough to turn Taylor's stomach. Besides, jogging to school for her exercise routine often meant that she grabbed breakfast there after a quick shower. So it was not like the credit was going to waste or anything. No, it just provided the perfect excuse to avoid her biggest headache in the place both figuratively and literally.
Victoria Dallon and her stupid aura could go to fucking hell.
Some part of the dark haired teen had considered complaining, but in the end she just shrugged in resignation. Victoria "call me Vicky" was one of those people who seemed to be charmed by Fate. Good looks, popularity, wealthy family, an even wealthier boyfriend and powers from a foul at a basketball game! The day that the administration listened to anyone speaking poorly of their golden child was the day that Taylor would be summarily dumped in WINSLOW. Even an antisocial mess like her knew enough to avoid that fate like the plague!
Finishing up her meal, the lone student headed inside. Her next class was World History, and the teacher was not one of those well meaning jerks who insisted she socialize while waiting for the bell. With nothing better to do with her time, she might as well finish her homework for the break. It would leave her more free time at home than she really wanted, but that was just how life went. The Computer Labs were closed during Lunch and she did not have a phone to mess around with. So another early night it was.
However, before she could make her escape, a signature bout of laughter echoed in the hallways. Wincing out of habit, Taylor had to double check to make sure she was out of the range of Glory Girl's powers. As it stood, she was practically conditioned to feel discomfort at the blonde's very existence. It was almost enough to make her consider testing out, school prestige or no.
Another day another evening at home, alone.
Taylor sighed before preparing for dinner. Her dad was not due back until late, so she would have to make something easy enough for the man to heat up when she was in bed. As usual, he had forgotten to do any shopping that week, so it would be up to her to hit the stores for some of the better staples the next day. At least if she did not want to live off of questionably fried proteins and nearly expired milk.
Which led to another problem. Checking the cookie jar on top of the fridge, the teen felt a headache coming on. Danny Hebert KNEW he was supposed to keep some money there for grocery runs. It was one of the things she had been very firm about with the man once high school had started. If she was going to keep up with the crowd at Arcadia, skipping meals and doctor appointments was not in the cards. But, like always, he had forgotten to restock the funds put aside for when she had to do the shopping. Which meant embarrassing him later or hearing about how they were going to have to tighten their belts for a bit. It was almost not worth the effort.
Mentally calculating her own savings, the dark haired girl frowned. Mrs. Peterson had passed away last month and Mr. Davis had moved to Philadelphia to be closer to his grandkids. So that meant two fewer neighbors willing to pay for errands or the odd chore. Which, in turn, cut down her personal resources more than she liked to think about. However, she did have about a hundred bucks on hand for emergencies, and avoiding a confrontation with her dad could be worth the effort of getting reimbursed rather than talked down to. She would just have to remember to get a receipt. That was HER money, and she was not going to brush off using it like it was no big deal!
Especially if she ended up at Brockton Bay University to cut expenses as a legacy student. She had already checked out that little song and dance and was hoping for some sort of scholarship elsewhere to avoid the trouble. Living at home during her college years would be even more depressing than highschool so far.
Well, enough wool gathering. She could probably throw together a casserole with what was on hand, and maybe she could get lucky and splurge on a new book or something if she got a good deal the next day?
The house was cold and empty.
Dad was gone, mom was gone, and there was nothing to eat.
Taylor started thinking about what to do. Food cost money, and she did not have any. She was not allowed in her parent's room, but she did not think there was any money there either.
Could she go to Emma's?
No, they had not spoken with the Barnes family for nearly a month before...before mom went away.
Kurt and Lacey? No, she did not know where they lived.
She was all alone, and if nothing changed, she might not survive much longer...maybe she would see mom again...
No.
No, she was not going to give up! Mom would never forgive her if she gave up!
Mrs. Preston used to share cookies during the holidays. Maybe she would make some if Taylor helped around her house? She was a pretty big girl these days and the nice lady was getting old...
Grumbling at the weight of the groceries, Taylor swore she was going to get back every damn dollar from her father for this. Not only had she been unable to find any decent sales, half the canned food options were gone because of the early bird shoppers! She had to spring for some more expensive brands or just go without. With a car she could have probably gone to a cheaper place and loaded up. But on her own, taking the odd bus? No way that was happening. But of course dad would complain she spent too much, ignoring that they were out of everything! What was she supposed to do, gnaw on the kitchen table?
Her moment of irritation was interrupted by a spike of foreign emotions. Grumbling under her breath, the teen looked up, only to see the familiar sight of Glory Girl in all her radiant splendor. The blonde Parahuman seemed like she was looking for something, but Taylor did not particularly care. It was her damned vacation and she could choose to spend it as far from Victoria fucking Dallon if she bloody well wanted to! Determined to get away, she started storming down the street towards home twice as fast as before.
Being grabbed and dragged into an alley was not a part of that plan.
Taylor could not really see her assailant, only feeling his grip on her arm. A rank, disgusting odor came from each heavy breath, while the cold press of a gun barrel pinched her cheek. "Be quiet you little cunt! You do what you're fucking told or I'll ventilate your fucking head!" For just a second, the skinny teen could only picture her skull splattered like a ripe tomato on the broken road below.
Then a stronger spike of pain and frustration changed that fear into burning hot anger. "Let her go you creep! I told your last victim that you wouldn't get away with this, and I sure as hell don't plan on breaking that promise!" There was Vicky FUCKING Dallon, cape and hair floating in the breeze while dispensing judgment from up on high. What a fucking perfect way to make her day that much worse!
Being a daughter of Brockton Bay, Taylor would normally have tried to stay calm. Her assailant was clearly in a stage of criminal stupidity that threw logic out the window, and there was a known Parahuman hero right there. The correct and logical action was to stay fucking still until she could be extracted from the whole mess. But after the last fifteen months of frustration, coupled with another unwelcome push of Aura manipulation, Taylor was not in the correct state of mind to do the logical thing.
Half remembered defense lessons from Annette Hebert kicked in, and the skinny girl rammed her heel into the mugger's instep. Caught by surprise due to the distraction in front of them, the assailant cried out even as she ducked down. Almost by accident, her grocery bag swung up, knocking the gun out of the way. The sound of it going off was thunderous in the enclosed alley, stunning them both.
That moment of distraction was all that Glory Girl needed. She rocketed forward like a shining bolt of lightning, knocking the criminal back with absurd amounts of force. Taylor could practically hear the sound of bones breaking, even as she was forced farther away. Crying out in pain again, the bastard managed to fire his gun once more, missing them both by a mile. Then, after a small sound of stone shattering, the darker haired girl gasped. A burning sensation filled her abdomen.
Looking down, she saw a growing spot of blood covering her stomach. Some part of her mind started laughing hysterically as she fell to the uncaring concrete. The fucking bullet ricocheted into a perfect gut punch. Just another example of the Taylor Hebert luck!
Sensing more than hearing someone else, she was treated to the sight of a panicking Victoria Dallon. Even as the girl took out her phone to call for backup, the darker haired girl could not help but resent her. Glory Girl had been chasing the mugger who killed her. Glory Girl had blasted them both with her aura like a fire hose. Glory Girl was going to make her death just another part of the young hero's back story. Without Glory Girl, Taylor might have been worth more than a report card and a glorified housekeeper.
It was not nice. It was not accurate. But in that moment, it was just so easy...to give up...
...
[DESTINATION]