With a tired grunt, I fell into my usual seat at the kitchen table and laid my cheek on the back of my hands as I looked out through the back sliders doors. Last night had been… tiring.

Teaching Rachel had been an effort in frustration, but also, satisfaction. Once she had stopped being pig headed and stubborn about things she had taken to things well enough for me to test her. Although once I'd pushed the matter she'd become rather… subdued, something to look into I suppose.

Letting out a long, tired sigh I suddenly perked up as the tantalizing smell of sugar was filling my nose and a plate was set down in front of me. Blinking, I slowly raised my head to look down at a tower of golden pancakes dripping with syrup.

Dad had been at the stove and I thought something had smelt familiar, but I hadn't realized- another, smaller, plate was set down next to it. Sausage, Eggs and Bacon.

Looking over the spread I saw it was a bit much. But, as my mouth began to salivate I swapped out one of my selection for THE GLUTTON and ACTIVATED it; there, now I should be able to eat all of it no problem. "Is there a special occasion?"

"Maybe," he answered as he set out a pair of empty glasses and jugs of milk and orange juice before sitting down on the other side of the square table with his own plate; a concerned frown on his lips.

"Well," I prompted as he cut into his pancakes. Sighing, he carefully put his knives down. Bad news maybe? Then the pancakes were to… ah, he thought I might get upset.

"I didn't get a chance to tell you last night, I didn't want to interrupt you, but the school called again. They asked if I would be able to come in with you."

"Oh. That's ok." I gestured to the spread, "I'm not angry or anything but I appreciate it. We haven't had pancakes in a while."

Relief washed away the concern and Dad smiled, "Oh, that's good. I was somewhat afraid- what you said about when she called you in on monday."

I shrugged, and stabbing a forkful of pancake I shoved it into my mouth, "Ish 'ine-"

"Manners Taylor."

Swallowing, I finished. "Its fine, Monday was my bad. I don't think she, or for that matter, would be dumb enough to try anything after I told them about the Journal. Did they say what it was about?"

"No, it was the secretary that called."

At that a sour taste filled my mouth but another forkful of delicious sugary pancake washed it away. Reaching out, I grabbed the syrup as I chewed and squeezed a generous helping onto my pancakes. "Well I guess we'll see when we get there I guess."

Nodding, dad opened his mouth to say something but closed it and raised an eyebrow as I picked up a sausage and smothered it in the syrup on my pancakes. I looked down, blinking until I saw what I was doing.

Oh. So THE GLUTTON had some side effects after all, surprise surprise. I took another bite of syrupy sausage, still, this was actually pretty good.

+X+X+X+X+

I stared at the Secretary on the other side of the waiting room, my face blank and expressionless; thank you NERVES OF STEEL. I didn't blink, I didn't look away, I didn't say anything. Shifting uncomfortably in her chair she looked up to see me staring at her; just as I'd been for the last few times she'd looked up.

Quite honestly, I was tempted to ACTIVATE INTENT to see what kind of effect that would have on her but I held off. Just staring at her seemed effective enough to make her uncomfortable. Bitch.

She glanced up again and this time I smiled. She looked away and I was beginning to wonder how long it would be until she said something or left; and I almost missed a new selection appearing in my mental rolodex when Blackwell's office door opened, the skinny blond woman herself standing in it. Although I did make a mental note to check on it later though.

" , Taylor." I shifted my attention to her as said my name, it sounded like she wanted to say something else. "Please come in," and it also sounded like she wanted anything but.

Standing, I smiled and met Blackwells eyes. "Why thank you, I'll do just that." A muscle in her jaw twitched at my too-sweet voice, and as Dad stood up behind me I walked into the office to find ; sitting in a chair a little off to the side.

Dad suddenly clamped a hand on my shoulder, it was a little tight but it didn't do anything and he knew that.

"Alan," Dad said in way of greeting, his voice cold and professional. He didn't make to go over and shake his hand and Alan didn't stand.

The door closed behind us as we took our seats, "Thank you for taking time out of work and joining us today , with any hope this shouldn't take too long," Blackwell said as she shuffled around to sit behind her desk; folding her hands in front of her as she looked between Dad and I before settling on me. "Miss Hebert, It has become apparent that there is a problem with your continued education here at Winslow. As such-"

"Your expelling her!" Dad exclaimed, the armrests of his chair creaking under his hands and Alan shifted in his chair, sitting forward just a little; as if he'd been ready to get up and restrain him.

Looking to Dad Blackwell calmly held up a hand, "Please , may I continue?"

Breathing heavily through his nose for a few seconds dad eventually nodded, settling back into his chair as Blackwell looked to me, "As such, I have spoken with my counterpart at Arcadia High and Principal Howell agreed to take you on. You will be able to join the student body there by next monday if you so wish."

"That's-" I touched a hand to Dad's arm and glanced over to meet his eyes, he closed his mouth. Looking back to Blackwell again I reached into my selection and pulled PHYSICAL LINGUIST to the top; and ACTIVATING it I looked at Blackwell. The selection hadn't been the most useful when it had first appeared, but since I'd last used it at school the day before I'd noticed it was much more effective.

Tired- heavy makeup under the eyes, lack of sleep. Stressed.

"Right, and what about the last few times times I applied for a transfer. I'm pretty sure one of them went into the shredder and I checked, Arcadia had a waiting list a mile long…" I cocked my head a little, "You must really want me gone don't you?"

A muscle twitched in her neck and her hands tightened on each other- Anger, Frustration. Oh yeah, she really wants me out of here.

"Yes, you are right that Arcadia has a lengthy waiting list. However," she gestured to Alan, " was kind enough to provide a donation and I was able plead your case and have you moved you up the listing."

I looked to Alan. He hid it well, he was a Lawyer after all and he had to lie to a judge with a straight face all the time, but he was tense; weighted down by guilt and shame.

"That's good news, and if Taylor does accept to be transferred?" Dad asked.

Taking things in stride Blackwell looked to Dad, I could give her that at least; she could keep her cool… well at least when she was prepared for it at any rate. "Then your daughter would go to Arcadia tomorrow, Friday and Saturday to take several assessment tests in order for her academic levels to be gauged and to determine where she will placed. Then, as I said, she will start on Monday."

"And what about the girls that were bothering Taylor?" He pressed and looked to Alan, his fingers tightened on the armrest. The other man had sense enough to look away.

"I am afraid there is little concrete evidence as to who has been bothering your daughter." Blackwell answered with a little shake of her head, "But if you do wish to press the issue you will need to speak with the district's legal representative. If that is the case, however; then your daughter may not be eligible to transfer."

Translation: Get out and the trio gets off, or don't and it becomes a legal issue. But were they really ready for me to release my journal… probably not, but they didn't have many other options and were likely hoping I would just go. And it was most likely the best option I would be given. I sighed, "I'll take the transfer."

Dad shifted in his chair, "Are you sure kiddo?"

I grimaced, "Yeah. I couldn't care less about the girls anyway, they'll either learn otherwise by the time they graduate or they won't and do what they did to someone else who will actually retaliate." From the corner of my eye I saw stand and leave the room, the door hissing shut behind him as Blackwell nodded.

"Very well, in that case there are some forms that you will need to sign ." And with that she produced a manila folder

+X+X+X+X+

"Danny!" called as we walked through the front doors and out of Winslow- for what was hopefully the last time - but Dad just ignored him and we kept walking to the car. "Danny please!"

Dad whipped around as we reached the car, the footsteps of who'd been trailing after us the short distance coming to a halt. Smart, as Dad's expression had incrementally grown more and more angry as we'd walked.

Of course he'd known Dad when they were younger so of course he probably already knew how Dad could get. And he'd still come anyway.

"You've got an awful lot of nerve Allen." Dad snarled, his hands curling into fists as he shook his head. "Covering your ass by paying for taylor to transfer, I guess all those lawyer stereotypes I defended you from were true after all."

He stood his ground and didn't shy away from the accusation. "I didn't know what Emma was doing- I swear. And I paid to grease the wheels, yes, but I did that to try and pay you back for what-"

"So you think throwing money at the problem will fix it!" Shaking his head he turned away from the other man, "Get in the car Taylor." He stalked to the drivers side but held off from getting in and looking at , "I don't know what made Emma how she is but I would suggest you take her to a psychologist, before she does something."

He seemed to shrink in on himself a little, showing more than he had in the office or when dad had yelled at him.

Sadness, Shame.

"I already put a call in." He opened his mouth, but hesitated and looked down for a moment before meeting my eyes. "And for what it's worth I'm sorry for what he put you through."

"What's done is done. Emma doesn't really mean anything to me anymore, I actually rather pity her that she has to go to such lengths to make herself feel good." I sighed and shook my head, "But that's something for her shrink to talk to her about. Have a good day ."

Opening the car door I slid onto the old sedans somewhat threadbare seats and Dad pulled out as I buckled up; and glance at the mirror showed still standing in the parking lot.

We drove a bit before I broke the angry tension induced silence Dad had been putting off. "He was telling the truth, about not knowing… And at least he felt guilty enough that he payed to get me into Arcadia, if that helps any."

Sighing, Dad slumped in his seat, the anger fading a bit and he rubbed at his forehead as we rolled to a stop at a red light. "It does, but he still should have known..." He trailed off, looking straight out the window but the Shame was clearly visible to me when I looked.

"Yeah, but look on the bright side. I'll be attending Arcadia by Monday. Better lunches, better computer lab, better principal, no more half broken bathrooms, no more gang fights or gang graffiti."

Dad hm'd, but he didn't seem to get any better when I looked at him; and the next few minutes passed in silence as I wracked my brain trying to come up with something to say until a Staples cargo truck drove by.

"Oh!," I exclaimed, and Dad jumped a little in his seat; oops. "Can we make a stop at the pet store and Staples? I wanted to I wanted to pick up something from the pet store since Rachel agreed to come by again tonight and I'm going to need some stuff so I can review for the assessment tests."

"Uh, yeah. That shouldn't be a problem. I'm not sure I know how much I have on me but we can pick some stuff up."

I waved off his concern with a dismissive wave of my hand, "I have it covered, the money Tattletale gave me remember."

Dad cringed a little, "Are you sure you want to use that, you don't know where it came from."

I shrugged, "It probably came from Lung, he was the last person the Undersiders hit before I met them."

That didn't seemed to make him feel any better but he rolled with it. Although it reminded me what was being said on my coming out thread and decided to go patrolling again. The ABB members had been scarce and the E88 thugs had kept to their turf but it was probably only a matter of time.

"I see," he said with a frown, "and was there anywhere else you wanted to go?"

I thought about it, but shook my head, "There's a few other things but I there on the opposite end of the city so I'll just wait."

"Ok… how about you tell me how your first night of teaching went then, it didn't seem like you were giving her much choice when I left you to it."

I felt my cheeks warm a bit, but I ignored it. "She's stubborn… and for the rest of the ride I told him about how my night had gone with Rachel and afterward. And taking a look at him I was happy to the Shame faded away and mostly replaced with… Pride?

With a tired grunt, I fell into my usual seat at the kitchen table and laid my cheek on the back of my hands as I looked out through the back sliders doors. Last night had been… tiring.