2.x

Danny Hebert Interlude.

Life was hard.

It was a fairly simply statement that anyone could brush off as common sense. For me however I could feel it on my mind every day. After Anne died I almost crumbled, a bit of me left with her. But I couldn't, Taylor still needed me, she lost her mother so she needed her dad more than ever. I wasn't the perfect father but I did what I could to keep myself together, so I threw myself into my work.

Considering that this made me drift away from Taylor even more it ran counter to me trying to be there for her but it was all I could do to not fall apart.

For a time I was treading water, she needed her space and maybe so did I. She went from a chatty, bright eyed little princess to a morose, quiet girl that I no longer knew how to speak with. We were stuck in a rut. I thought that things would pick up eventually, that if we persevered we would work through all the pain.

Then before I knew it disaster struck again. I didn't have all the details but I was told that she was pranked.

Such an innocent word, pranked.

When I saw her there, in that hospital bed 'pranked' was the last word on my mind.

Pranked. This was practically murder.

I couldn't lose her, I already lost so much. So I yelled, I screamed, I got angry but soon reality set in. I tried to find those responsible and when I couldn't I turned on the school. It didn't work and all I could manage to get from the snakes were the medical fees. I tried to make things right, make things better for Taylor but life took one look at me and pushed us back down to where we started.

My daughter was all I had left and life had almost taken even her away.

So even after all that, even after my little girl almost died, no one seemed to care.

Nothing changed. Taylor was quiet, I was away at work, neither of us could talk. I didn't just miss my wife, I missed my daughter even when she was right in front of me.

Days, weeks and months passed and the depressing routine comes back, perhaps it was always there.

But something changed in Taylor. At first it was subtle, something I couldn't notice at first. Then it grew, perhaps I didn't want to latch onto the first signs, perhaps I didn't want to truly hope but eventually I couldn't deny the change.

My little girl was happier.

She smiled more often. She was still quiet but there was an energy beneath the surface. I didn't know what it meant honestly but I was happy for it all the same.

Then more clues began to reveal themselves. She started cooking more, salmon steaks, vegetable soups, apple pies and most importantly sweet rolls.

A wonderful treat that was a cross between a cake and some sort of doughnut.

Once again I didn't really question the good fortune but soon contentment turned to amused curiosity.

Another clue presented itself, the house began to smell of flowers. Soon my mind provided the answer.

The smiles, the cooking and the flowers.

It was a boy.

There was another change, we had been talking, I had been smiling more naturally, life for once was looking up. That wonderful girl that Taylor used to be was coming back. I always imagined that I'd be strict with her inevitable boyfriend but at this rate I wouldn't be surprised if I gave him a big hug.

So it was a big shock to me when I came home with Taylor's arms wrapped around me with tears in her eyes. At first I was shocked at the sudden contact but then I began to take things in. I wrapped my arms around her and just stood there, hopefully giving comfort. I hadn't been there for her all this time so I had to make it up to her. I didn't know what to say but sadness from my daughter's clear grief soon turned to rage.

I was furious of course at whatever or whoever had done this to her but first I had to make sure she was alright. Eventually we were sitting down, tea in our hands, Taylor's favourite drink.

I didn't want to pry but memories of the past haunted me where nothing was said and nothing got better.

"Taylor." I piped up after taking a sip of tea. "Is everything alright?"

She looked back up to me. "It's okay dad."

I grimaced. She wasn't opening up to me.

"Don't think I haven't noticed Taylor, I'm your dad after all." Her focus was on me now. "I mean seriously, all this extra cooking, the flowery smell you're keeping in your room somewhere? I mean, it's not like you can hide the smells." Her eyes widened in panic. "If I didn't know any better I could swear that you've sneaked out already."

"NO! Not what you think!" She denied. I grinned, looked like I was right on the money.

"When are you going to introduce this boy of yours?"

She began coughing into her hand, surprise evident on her face as she choked a bit on tea. Alarmed I stood up to help but she waved me away.

"Wait, what?" She asked as the coughing subsided. While I was worried about her I still grinned at how flustered she seemed. As her father it was my privilege, no, it was my right to tease her about it!

"This person, who made you come crying home, I'm going to grab my bat and break their legs!" If her shocked expression was anything to go by I was being very convincing in my threat. Her open mouth and eyes full of panic almost made me break out into laughter.

I was about to lose control when she spoke up again.

"NO! I mean, you can't break her leg!" She cried out. Wait her? "That might make it worse!"

"You're dating a girl?" I asked. Not that I had anything against that, it's just that I hadn't really seen any evidence of it. Not that I paid enough attention to Taylor. That thought just made me depressed.

"No, I'm not dating a girl! I mean I'm not dating anyone, it's just that." She paused and seemed to consider her words. "Just, these people said some scary stuff is all."

These people? That implied more than one person and in Brockton Bay that often meant one thing.

"Taylor, did some gang members approach you?" She looked away from me. I frowned at that before noticing that I had clenched my fists. I never wanted to get angry in front of her so with great effort I calmed myself. "Taylor, you know I love you right? These last few weeks have been nice, you've been happier and I don't want to lose that even if I don't understand why you've been happier. So if anything is bothering you I want you to tell me alright?"

She looked into my eyes once more.

"I….that is today….." Again she lapsed into silence but this was still an improvement. "I've got this new friend." She began. "He rides a bike." At that I frowned again.

"Is he part of the gangs?" She laughed at that. Actually laughed as if the idea was the most absurd thing in the world.

"No way, he's like the opposite!" She continued to grin. "He wears blue." Realization dawned on me, a cop! "He's really cool!" She was practically gushing. A policeman huh? If that was the case then this was an adult, I'd have to keep my eye on this.

"Why are you hanging around the police?"

"Coincidence really." She looked down again. "He helped me out of a bit of trouble awhile back and we've been hanging out in our free time since."

"Trouble?"

"Nothing big, just some people from the ABB, they didn't attack me or anything, I told them to back off and by the time the cop turned up everything was fine. He actually drove me back home awhile back." I was still skeptical but if Taylor trusted the police officer then that was enough for me.

Barely.

It's not as if the system had done any favors for this family as of late.

"Well, it's nice that you've made a new friend but you should still hang out with people your own age, I mean you haven't had a sleepover with Emma in a long time right?"

"I uhh, we've drifted apart." Oh, that was a shame. I knew it happened sometimes but those two were like sisters. I made a mental note to talk to Alan about it, maybe we could organise a family outing. As focused as I was on work I figured it was time I got more involved with Taylor's life.

"Well, what made you upset enough to cry and hug me then?" I asked. "And what does it have to do with your cop friend?"

She seemed to consider her words again.

"It wasn't him, it was some gang members." She said. I looked her over for injuries but as far as I could tell she was okay. "They didn't hurt me or anything but since I've been spending more time with someone who is part of the police force I guess they decided to talk to me and I guess I didn't like what they said." It was there that she became silent once more. I waited and was rewarded by her taking a long drink from her tea. When she finished there were still no words.

"Taylor." I said her name hoping that she would open up more.

"You don't want to know what they said, but I'm just glad you're okay dad." She hugged me and once again I could not help but return the favour.

"Don't worry Taylor, I'm here for you, no punk is going to get the better of me." Just in case I'd have to go find my old baseball bat wherever that was. "Maybe we should invite this police officer over for dinner one of these days, maybe bake some more of those sweet rolls huh?" I asked, a hint of hope and amusement in my voice.

"Is this just an excuse for more sweet rolls? You're starting to get fat." I laughed at that. She laughed as well and I felt that everything was going to be alright.

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Taron my beta reader: Too sweet, not enough explosions.

Omake alternate ending:

Then the world exploded. The entire world. Not just my perception of the world, I meant that it all blew up, literally. Because it amuses my beta reader so.

Edit: SON OF A GUN! I swear that this chapter had no spelling/grammar issues then months later someone quotes a bit of this chapter and it sticks out to me in such a way that I can't ignore! CURSED ENGLISH LANGUAGE