A Heartless Nobody.

Kingdom Hearts + Worm X-Over

In the locker, Taylor Hebert was unnerved enough that she began to lose herself. She, in an act of desperation, asked for any kind of help. She asked even the darkness that was her locker to make it all fade away. She pleaded with the darkness to make her strong enough to overcome all and it consented.

"Talking" Everyone talking

Thinking

"Talking" Heartless/Nobody talking/thinking

Disclaimer: I don't own either KH or Worm.

When he spoke does words, I immediately froze.

His voice was so broken when he said it. It was as if he had searched for me all throughout the week and every day he would lose a bit more of hope. I think he was on his last legs there. When he came home, he must have been so angry with himself, like he had failed both him and me.

After those words he continued to hug me, murmuring thanks to whatever had happened for me to come back. I tried to coax him out of his grip slowly, trying to get him to increase the distance between us. It wasn't that I didn't like my dad, but my memories of hugging always came with mom doing the most of them, and after she died we hadn't been that close to do so.

In this case, I think I feel uncomfortable with how he is responding.

After a few minutes I finally had him sitting down at the table, the food forgotten. There was, not an uncomfortable silence, but more like pressured. It pressed for one of us, to speak out first and I was still reeling from his declaration of my time… away? There wasn't for me a sense of loss of time and what I remember went from one point to another without jumping. The locker –event- and inside I… I felt, closed off. The walls of the locker were constricting and the smell suffocating. Maybe I became unresponsive?

At the moment, I couldn't think much about it. Dad was here, too silent and searching all over to see some unseen thing. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and was about to speak when he cut me off before I even started.

"When, when you didn't come home that day, I was worried. I thought that you might have been out maybe with some friends or hanging out, whatever it is you do, so I didn't do much and restless I went to bed." Now he was looking at the table, the untouched coffee in his hands. "I'd wake up after a few hours and go to your room. Obviously you weren't there and by morning I was too agitated to fall back to sleep."

He was taking it hard, relieving those moments a scant few days ago. I wanted to let him take a break, but he continued before I could speak up.

"I went to your school, I was there before the first student or teacher arrived. I'd talk to the teachers and asked if you had gone to school yesterday and if they saw you today that they contacted me immediately." He was spilling it mechanically, shutting off whatever else he was feeling at the moment. For a moment, I had a surge to feel indignity that he would ask others to keep an eye on me, never mind that it was to the useless teachers. "I stayed at the school gate trying to see if I could see you but by the time the bell rang I didn't see you."

God, he looked devastated at that. At that moment I realized that he needed to let it all out so carefully I asked him to continue.

"Obviously I couldn't stay there all day, or I'd be questioned by the police. The forty-eight hours for a missing person to be reported hadn't happened so I couldn't even get them to do something about it. I mean, I had a few friends that could have helped but officially they couldn't do much."

He took a breath and continued. Turns out he called work citing personal reasons and spent the day looking for me. He looked at every place that I had frequented in the last few weeks that I had ever told him I went. Considering those few weeks were Christmas break spent half in the house and the other outside, I'd say he had gone to a lot of places. From the library to Fugly Bob's, to The Market and all around our neighborhood.

"The next few days I stretched out, the police had a look-out for you, but in this city with the Merchants and the ABB…" He must have imagined I was abducted and had things done to me, I imagine that's what produced that earlier question. "They weren't hopeful."

He stopped for a second, and I could see that he was debating with himself about something so I asked. "What'd you do then?"

He looked at me with a guilty expression. "I searched your room for clues." He nearly whispered. And from that I understood why he looked that way. We always had an agreement that each one's room was their own domain, where we could stay and shout our feelings into the air, break our stuff or even cry and the other would wait until the other was out of the room to talk about it. Of course, I being whom I am, any of those things I did, I did when he wasn't home.

To come into my room and search it clean, was our highest violation in the house. And with that I understood another thing. "You found it." My voice was low, but he heard it all the same. My eyes were locked on his face and at his admission I… I felt I should have been angry. To know that my own father found my notebook with the trio's pranks, it should have made me livid and ashamed to let him know of it all. Yet, I believe he was justified. He wasn't looking for it specifically but he found it all the same.

"Taylor, why didn't you tell me?" he was heartbroken, knowing his own daughter was bullied and never knowing about it. To know every single thing that had happened to her –to me in this year and a half.

I stayed silent for a long time. Partly to sort out how should I feel about it all. Disappointed, angry, ashamed, understanding. And partly to figure out just why I hadn't said anything. I know that in the beginning I was… disbelieving of it. I couldn't wrap my head around the thought that Emma had changed so much and would betray our friendship like that. I honestly thought it all a joke. That she would go back to the next day laughing and saying 'Sorry, it was a joke. You know you're my best friend, right?' and I would forgive her and laugh. I'd meet Sophia properly and while we wouldn't be friends at first, we would grudgingly come to respect one another.

And I waited, and waited.

After the first month, I lost hope that she was joking and tried to find out why she had broken up our friendship, unfortunately she was never without her 'friends' and she would just keep gutting me, stabbing me in the back.

Without her as my friend, as my rock, I just let it all happen.

I remember that dad had that big emergency down at the Docks, some kind of accident that had left many of his men hurt. He had spent the vast majority of the weeks after in his office and even if he came home he was too exhausted to talk with me. It wasn't that I felt alone, but rather I didn't want to burden him with my problems. He had enough of his own and as the weeks went by I simply closed off.

"I don't know." I answered instead. And it was true. Regardless for my reasons at that time, I couldn't understand why I hadn't said anything now.

He seemed to accept it, no matter how grudgingly.

"Do you, do you know where you were?" he asked both scared and determined to find out.

I shook my head in answer. "I remember going to school and at the end of class I was… locked in my locker. Emma…" it was difficult to admit it to him even now "Emma and her friends had filled it with tampons and other things" his face turned semi-disgusted with a touch of anger "and I was left alone there. Every girl there saw it and no one came, after a while a think I went into shock. Next thing I know I'm here."

"Those girls!?" he was trying and failing to cover his anger.

"Didn't anyone tell you went you to the school? Surely they found the locker smell?" his head shook barely restrained by his anger. Honestly it didn't surprise me that much that the teachers were that incompetent.

"I was going to go to the school tomorrow." He started. "Christ, I almost believed you dead Taylor and I was going to Winslow to, to…."

"To look for Emma?" I asked curiously. Remembering the strange memory I had of him walking throughout the school, searching for her, finding her in the classroom and scaring all the students.

He nodded. "I was going to speak out, tell them all what I had found. First the students, then the teachers, and if I could the police. I was going to make it all go to the media and damn the consequences, I didn't know if you were dead or alive, but I was going to do what I could as your father, and if it meant that I few heads would roll..."

I nodded at that. It seemed like something he would do. Dad wasn't by any means physically strong, or had the greatest wisdom in the world. He wasn't the one with all the answers, but he was someone that cared. He was the head of hiring and the spokesperson of the Dockworkers Association. He knew how to work with those that wanted jobs, those that wasted their time on the job, the unruly and the problems of the everyday. Even going bald did not diminish the look of respect that came with his position and years. So yes, I think that if it was anyone that could get any kind of attention to the bullying it would have been him. His connections to the city employers and his men would have helped him find some way to get the story out.

Even so what bothered me the most was that I somehow knew that he would do that. Hours before he came home and talked, I already had the impression that he had done so. The question is: how?

"I think I can see it. You would leave the car barely at the doorsteps, keys in the ignition. You'd force open the school door and walk by every classroom, looking for Emma's face." As I kept looking at him, saying my thoughts, his eyes slowly widened. "and you'd find her, open the door and interrupt the class. Obviously you'd be angry, furious at least, and you'd talk with a barely boiling anger and a sadness hinted at the edges." I couldn't stop my words now that I was speaking, it was like I knew what he had felt at that moment and needed to let it all out, what he thought and how he'd do it. I wasn't looking anymore at him, I was seeing through him, seeing the memory –thought, planned- play out.

"You'd speak about how disappointed you were with them and how they as the ones that would have a part in the future, you could see now how'd they'd be better off dead, for the better of the city." He flinched at that, not that I particularly noticed. It was at recognition at the edge of my sight. "you'd see Emma at the back of the classroom and her eyes going wide as she heard you speak, and you would see how she understood why you were here. And then you'd take the gun-"

"Stop!" he suddenly yelled to me. He was breathing heavily, eyes wide at me. A disbelieving look and haunted face. Haunted knowing that I knew how it would go on after.

I blinked slowly. Realization came over me, understanding what just happened. Based on the look he had, I had spoken of something he was intimately familiar with. It was something he knew that I knew.

It was something that he had imagined that he knew and I knew.

It was something that he had thought and I knew.

It was something a cape would know.

And now it was something we both knew.

I left right after that. My chair scrapped the floor, loudly reverberating in the otherwise silent room. Dad didn't care to stop me, I imagine too shock for words. I didn't understand what had just happened but I knew that the conversation would be stall for a while. While I didn't feel uncomfortable with how it all progressed the look in his eyes stirred something in me that left me hollow. It was annoying feeling that. I wanted to leave the house. Go out, either to the Boardwalk, or the Market, hell I'd even take going to the library right now.

Suddenly as I was turning away from the room, dad could still see me, I stopped. Why? Because no more than a feet away from me a strange sight appeared. A dark pool no more than a meter on the floor that gave rise to some tendrils of the same kind. None lighter as they reached closer to the lamp, as if absorbing the light. They came together forming an oval shape, vertical pool. It swirled back and forth as if drawing anything close to it into it and nothing could be seen to the other side.

Well, damn. I did have powers.

It was some kind of portal, how I knew I couldn't know. Maybe my powers gave me instinctive knowledge of it, but I hadn't concentrated on it ealrier, I guess I was denying having them at the time. Or I hadn't realized.

A quick look at dad saw him still on his chair. Head down and hands on it. I think I should feel bad about how I spoke out, but I had at the moment another pressing issue.

Turning back to my sort-of-portal, because, really, what else is it? It didn't seem to spew lasers, it didn't move, or give me some sort of powers when I put my hand through it. I admit I didn't care much for the categories of capes –I was always interested but not invested on them- and while I knew of the most famous ones either in Brockton Bay or worldwide and some generalization of them, I hadn't taken to care for much else. When you have to take care of homework, assignments, escaping the trio, re-organizing past 'broken'projects, well you don't have much time besides the PHO site for all cape info.

I took a look around it, observing its limits. It didn't seem to grow bigger than my personal space and no taller than a few inches off my head. Every few random seconds a tendril or two would break away from the vertical oval as if catching an invisible subject and drawing them to the portal.

Hmm, I think I should feel spooked or have strange feelings about it. I mean this is a strange foreboding, dark pool. And I didn't where it led to or if there were effects after I stepped in completely. Perhaps knowing it wouldn't negatively affect me was an innate awareness. Regardless I had a dark portal in my home, feet away from dad and in the sake of not having to make him even more nervous with the fact I had this thing here I needed to find away to make it go away. If it could go away.

"Stop. Disappear. Leave." I whispered. Well, that didn't work. I stepped to the side mentally recounting every stop synonym in my mind. Maybe it-

"Taylor, look. I don't understand what happened, but I have an ide-" he stopped. Looking wide eyed at my portal. Turning his view every second between us. Unbelieving. "Taylor?" he warily questioned.

Fuck.

Why do I do? Do I make it seem like it isn't mine? Have it destabilize as I attempt a poor act of it trying to extract me to my own home? Jump in?

"Taylor? Is this what I think it is?" he asked.

"Um." I replied uncertain. "Well, do you see an ominous black portal that's appeared on our living home and seems to become a cape power of mine?" Seriously I could not find a way to make this work for me. Dammit, why couldn't it happen in my room? It didn't help that dad already had an unbalanced frame of mind on what just happened at the kitchen. I don't think it showed how much I wanted to keep this hidden for a time. I know we just had a discussion about hiding secrets for too long, but this was big, possibly bigger than the bullying and I don't know how other teens have told their families but based on past experiences I was conflicted on how to precede.

"I- uh" he kept it in his vision's edge. "Is, that how, how you got out?" he sat down on the floor, apparently worn out.

Well, the cat was out of the bag now. I didn't know how to continue with this. It was a bit strange, not knowing how to console him. My feelings were still muddled, or better yet detached. I had an idea on how it would be better, considering past experiences, but it was troubling or at least I imagine it is that I haven't still expressed myself better. Minutes ago, I would have probably exploded, feeling betrayed by him entering my room, or having an episode or showing guilt at how I handled knowing he basically wanted to kill my ex-best friend.

Yet none were forthcoming. I hadn't felt anything about them. Would this mean I would forever relinquish, no matter how involuntary, my emotions? In time become cold-blooded? That I would forget little by little how it was to feel until I became an empty appearance of my former self? Looking at dad, would that mean I would forget my love for him, forget to care for my own father and discard him at the easiest convenience?

It was a hard pill to swallow.

"I don't know, maybe? It appeared when I was thinking of leaving for a while."

"Leaving?!"

"For a few hours!" I placated. "You were clearly stressed and I clearly went out of line, and I saw how you were looking at me and…" my eyes rounded at the floor. It wasn't guilt I felt, as I said, but more of an uncomfortable itch that wouldn't go away. This wasn't making any sense.

"Oh, Taylor…" he kept quiet, for a moment looking lost. It was clear that he believed to be at fault here. It was always like this. Anything that happened at our family, he would take it upon himself. Even mom's death.

"Ok, we can deal with this." He sounded resolute. "First things first. Can you make it go away?"

I frowned lightly. "Yes, I think. But I don't understand how exactly. I've tried every word I can think of that sounds of 'stop'. Both vocal and by mind. It hasn't even flickered." It was undermining not knowing how to control your powers.

Dad kept silent for a while, hands writhing in nervousness, obviously trying to figure out a way. Meanwhile I kept reciting words from the top of my head that would sound near what I wanted.

"Have you tried willing it?" his voice sounded from the floor. I realized that I had spent a few minutes reciting whatever came to my head and considering mom was an English major and she taught me a lot, there were many things I could say.

"What?" Confusion etched in my voice. So that meant that I could feel confusion and amazement and things like that, but not happiness and anger? Or was I producing the emotions based on memory?

"Willing it?" he reiterated.

"What do you think I've been doing?" irritated I said. He flinched slightly at that. Ok irritated was, was it based on the now, or memories? It felt like the now, because I don't think I should have sounded like that because of his question alone. I mean it alone wouldn't or perhaps shouldn't make me irritated. Maybe there was something going on here. As I had thought, the feelings felt detached, not completely there, but barely held by a few strands; maybe that's what it was. I few would pass over at random times?

Great. Now on top of being a cape I had the emotional capacity of a menopause woman.

Trudging past it, he continued. "No, that's not exactly what I meant" he hesitated for a second "you've been ordering it, words to make it stop, right?" a slow nod from my part "Then it isn't the same. Ordering something doesn't make mean it will do it, or the contrary willing it will make it do so regardless of desire."

"Ok." Was my only response, because what else could I say? While he had no clue of how my powers work, as I did, he was the adult of the pair of us, and had the experience on the subject. Indeed I could see his desire? Wish? Feeling on the matter? Had he had the power to will others he would have done so to help the Docks, specially the mayor. Typical dad, instead of wishing powers for an escape he'd use them to help his friends and co-workers.

Turning to the portal, I stared at it. Words weren't coming to mind as earlier, but rather I was filling them slowly with the intent of what I wanted. Disperse!

The portal drew down for a second, as if fighting for a second over whether to do so or not.

Almost there. There had to be another word that would fit. Ah. Dissolve! Yes! The shadows disentangled one by one, the swirling portal stopping or slowing until it fell out of existence. The wooded floor of my house visible again. I slid down the wall to the floor. Triumph filled me. I did it!

"You ok?" dad's voice came from my side, worried as usual. I spare him a glance before giving a huge grin in return for the question that seems to soothe his worries.

Nodding at me, he stood. "I think that's enough for the night, don't you?"

No I didn't, in fact. I wasn't tired at all about it, nor was I sure that was the extent of my abilities. I could feel it. Lurking close what I could do. So easily to call them forth…

"Taylor?"

I returned his stare and noticed what I hadn't before. Dad was tired. And of course he was. He had been looking over for me all over the week, possibly barely sleeping or eating, and the events of the night have him worn out. I realized that he understood my wanting to continue but he was too tired to continue at the moment and he wanted to be there for me as I continued. I saw it clear.

Trepidation. His knows capes have powerful abilities and believes I could accidently destroy our house. Distress. It's difficult for him to figure out what I need. Worry. Doesn't want me gone in the middle of the night.

Well, that sucked. It's some kind of clairvoyance or perception that much I understood. It leaned over to his, well not darker but more negative emotions because while I'm sure he's happy I'm here I didn't 'see' it. It was how I knew what he had thought earlier that much is for sure, but I don't know how it went into a summary of his mental picture of killing Emma. Maybe as I continue to think about him it gives me the most prominent on his mind. I'd do it, but this was an invasion of privacy of the highest degree between us. Even more than he entering my room and while I think it would be a good retaliation motive, my own memories stop me from carrying them out. The Taylor from yesterday wouldn't dream of hurting her father this bad and neither would I.

"Yeah," I replied after a few seconds. Smiling reassuringly to him I got up. "you're right. Come on, I got dinner ready ages ago and I ain't about to let it go to waste."

Dad smiled back faintly and followed me to the kitchen. For the moment I'd follow his desires, I wasn't still completely sure of my responses emotionally to the world and dad was my sounding board. Until I could figure out the extent of my abilities he would be the steady boat on my course. After that, I don't know.

Author's Note:

If you feel that her reading is a bit jumbled it was meant to be that way. Not all capes have a grip on their powers at the get go and not all can understand them perfectly (example, Grue was told by Tattletale that his powers could actually damper radiation, but he didn't know it. And Imp has to keep herself concentrated on not been invisible.)

Remember ,to Taylor she had just trigger and not even hours ago at the least to her she was but a simple girl. In cannon she didn't understand right at the beginning what her powers were doing and was actually sent to the psych ward (interlude 1) and it wasn't until she calmed down that she understood. So yes, my Taylor is somewhat the same and will learn all she can do as the days go.

Don't expect a full OP character, I took her example on how to behave based on one particular KH character and I had to tone down what I would bring over to the Wormverse. At the moment Taylor is confused on how to act even if she herself doesn't understand it and like cannon she will change on her outlook of life.