CH. 11: Crossroads
The following week and Tayler was facing another uphill battle. This time is wasn't only with her new school, but with her parents as well.
First it was with her social studies teacher and then her English teacher.
It all started out the week before when she was called on for not paying attention in class multiple times and not being able to answer the questions her teacher asked.
"Miss Donovan, since you are busy staring out the window. Perhaps you can answer a question on the American Revolution." Mrs. Sanderson zeroed in on her.
"Which country was not an ally of the colonists?"
"I don't know," Tayler shook her head.
"Is it Spain, France, Mexico or Canada?" Sanderson continued to push for an answer.
"I don't know!" Tayler finally yelled. Clamping her mouth shut just as soon as she spoke. Still surprised she managed to get the words out. Knowing yelling wasn't her usual form of expression.
"First of all don't yell," Sanderson corrected. "And secondly, I warned you about this last week," she continued. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to email your parents."
All of Taylers classmates "Eww'd," except for Becky who gave her a reassuring look.
"Fine," Tayler grumbled.
If Tayler thought things were bad in her social studies class. Things got even worse in her English class.
"Miss Donovan," her teacher Mrs. Winters called her over to her desk just as soon as the bell rung, calling an end to class and announcing the start of the lunch hour.
Tayler didn't say anything, but she did make eye contact with her.
"Do you have your essay on the reading assignment?"
"No Mam," Tayler shook her head.
"It was due last week," Winters reminded her. "But I gave you an extension because of all the adjustments you've had to make at home."
Tayler nodded in understanding, but again refused to speak.
"I told you on Monday that if you didn't have it by today that I was going to have to give you a zero and send an email to your parents regarding the situation."
Tayler again didn't say anything, causing Winters to speak again.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes Mam," Tayler said half-heartedly as she trudged out of the class room and over to the cafeteria.
"What do you think your parents are going to say when they get the email from Sanderson?" Becky asked, finding her friend at their usual table in the lunch room.
"I don't know," Tayler had to admit. "But two teachers in the same week. It probably won't be good."
"Two teachers?" Becky asked clarifying.
"I didn't write my essay for Winters."
"Augh," Becky squinted. "Good luck."
"Thanks, I don't think it would have been a problem with one teacher, but two will probably mean trouble." Tayler said expectedly.
"Anyways," Becky said excitedly, changing the subject.
"Yeah," Tayler smiled at her friends current showing of exuberance.
"I'm having a party Friday night. You want to come over right after school and help get ready for it?"
"Sounds great," Tayler said excited. "But I have to ask my mom and stepdad."
"Ask them as soon as you can?" Her friend was pleading.
"So how'd you talk your parents into letting you have a party?" Tayler wondered aloud.
"I didn't. They are going to be out of town for my brothers football game."
"And they are letting you stay home by yourself?" Tayler couldn't help but sound surprised.
"Not exactly. My uncles staying with me, but he's an emergency room doctor and always gets called in to work. Didn't you say your mom worked the emergency room?"
"Yeah," Tayler nodded.
"Which hospital?"
"I don't know," Tayler said thinking about it. "Never asked."
"You don't know which hospital your mom works at?" Becky sounded shocked.
"Never talked to her very much."
"Maybe you should," Becky shrugged. "Things got better for me when I decided to accept my stepmom and actually talk to my dad. Maybe that could be you in reverse."
"Enough with the heavy please," Talyer begged. "I'm going to get enough of that from Danny and Linda this evening."
"Just ask them about the party okay?"
"Okay!"
XXXXXXXX
Tayler had been wanting to ask about the party all afternoon since she was picked up from school. But each time she started up the basement stairs she froze. She knew she was going to have to do it eventually and figured the best time would be immediately after dinner.
In Taylers opinion dinner came all too soon and what made it even worse it was over just as quick as it came. And just as Tayler was going to bring up the subject to her mom and stepdad now that both her half-brothers were upstairs her mother voiced a question of her own.
"How was school today?" Linda asked her as Tayler cleared the table.
"I got invited to a party," Tayler for once was glad of her mothers usual annoying question that she usually didn't have an answer to.
"Really? What kind of party is it?"
"I don't know," Tayler shook her head. "So can I go?"
"I don't know Tayler," Linda exchanged glances with Danny to make sure they were on the same page. "I dont know what kind of party it is."
"It's just a bunch of people from school getting together at one of the kids house."
"I understand that, but you are only 13."
"Are her parents going to be there to chaperone?" Linda asked the main question that would help her decide on an answer.
"No, why does it matter?"
"Because there's no way your stepfather and I are going to allow our daughter to attend a party where there are no adults."
"It's just a party, we're not going to get into any trouble," Tayler tried to convince her to change her mind.
"I know your not, because your not going." Linda said firmly.
"This sucks! I finally make a friend and get invited to something fun and you have to kill it!" She slammed the door behind her before rushing down the basement stairs and down to her bedroom.
"I'm about ten seconds from using my dad voice," Danny warned his wife.
"Please do," Linda was flustered and ready to hand the situation over to her husband.
"Oh no," Danny said quickly. "You have to be mom before I get involved."
"I think I'm going to have to," Linda walked over and opened the basement door before hollering down the stairs. "You can call your friend and then come back and give me your phone! You can have it when you decide to be respectful again!"
"That was different," Danny spoke up after his wife closed the door.
"It's the first time I've had to punish her," Linda moved to take a seat next to him.
"You knew it was going to happen," Danny placed an arm around her.
"I know," Linda sighed picking up her phone to check her emails, wondering if she had received her new work schedule yet.
"Becky," Tayler said just as soon as her friend picked up the phone.
"What's up?"
"I can't go to the party Friday
"Why not?"
"My parents said no parents no party."
"Aww," Becky moaned. "That's the whole reason to have a party."
"I know," Tayler said annoyed.
"It won't be the same without you."
"And I won't be able to text after this," Tayler said carefully.
"Get your phone taken away," her friend predicted.
"Yeah it sucks," Tayler grumbled.
"We're teenagers, happens all the time."
"Not to me it doesn't," Tayler let on.
"Let me know how you like it," Becky teased.
"Yeah right," Tayler said hanging up.
"That's strange," Linda said aloud, setting her phone down.
"Your work schedule?" Danny figured she was going to have to work the weekend.
"I just got a combination email from two of Taylers teachers scheduling a parent/teacher conference tomorrow afternoon with me," Linda said looking at him confused.
"Why?" Danny sounded surprised. Knowing that from Taylers past records, it didn't seem like she had been much trouble.
"One of them said she isn't doing her assignments, and the other one says she isn't paying attention in class and has been disrespectful. Apparently, she said that she has tried to get through to her but it hasn't done any good. And she said that she hoped that bringing it to the attention of her parents, that it would make a difference.
"Let me know how it goes. And if you can't get through to her, I can assure you I will." Danny stood to walk away.
"Where are you going?"
"Upstairs," Danny said blankly.
"What happened to presenting a united front? I'm going to call her up here. See if I can get to the bottom of it. And I need your support."
"I can stay," Danny leaned against the wall, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Tayler!" Linda opened the door again. "We need to talk!"
Seconds later, and Tayler made her way up the stairs.
"Phone," Linda started out by holding her hand out for her daughters cell phone. Knowing she had to stick to the punishment she handed out earlier.
Tayler grumbled, but she reluctantly took her phone from her pocket and placed it in her mothers hand.
"Were you planning on telling us about the email from Mrs. Winters and Mrs. Sanderson?"
"No," Tayler shook her head. "I kind of figured the email would do that."
"We don't like getting emails like this regarding our children.
Tayler wanted to say that it was a good thing she wasn't one of their children, but she refrained, thinking that now wasn't exactly the time, since she was already in trouble.
"It's not that bad," Tayler continued with a shrug.
"Tayler you got a zero," Linda said emphatically. "And if that's not bad enough, you aren't paying attention in class or doing your assignments. We don't pay for you to go to a good school for you to just stare out the window."
"Great, I'll quit!" Tayler said sarcastically.
"Tayler," Linda warned. "I don't like the sarcastic attitude. And what I really don't like is the disrespect you've shown your teacher."
"It's the only attitude your going to get," Tayler surprised them both by turning from meek to anger. "Because this whole thing sucks! If your not on my back about my social life that I'm trying to develop, than its about the stupid school!"
"Tayler," Linda looked at her sternly. "This is the last time I'm warning you about your behavior. And regarding your school work," she pointed at her. "I want to know about every assignment you have."
"Oh so now your going to decide to be my mother?!" Tayler didn't even bother to turn down the attitude or disrespect she had been warned about countless times already that evening. Even though she already lost her phone for that exact thing just minutes ago.
"Tayler!" Danny spoke up for the first time since the lecture started. "You need to check your attitude and listen to your mother."
"You can't tell me what to do," Tayler scoffed.
"I'm the one that pays the bills around here and I'm also your stepfather. And before you start saying step parents have no authority over their stepchildren. I want you to think again. Because I'm going to treat you the same as I treat my own kids. And from now on, I want you to start thinking of yourself as such.
"Whatever," Tayler said angrily. "I don't want to listen to either if you. Even if she is biologically my mother. Which doesn't mean that much to me right now."
"Whether it means much to you or not," Linda continued. "As long as you live under our roof you will do as we say."
"Fine whatever," Tayler stalked off and out to the backyard.
"That was handled well," Danny said sarcastically.
"You want to try?" Linda opened the back door and stepped aside.
"Somebody's got to."
"You know this is technically still our yard," Danny said approaching Tayler.
"Fine whatever," Tayler said the same as before, once again walking away.
"That was handled well." This time it was Linda's turn to sound sarcastic as she crossed over to where Danny was standing.
"Well it didn't work for either of us," Danny shrugged.
"Wonder what she's going to do next?" Linda looked at him, feeling as if they were in a guessing game now that they were raising a teenage girl.
"I don't know, but you can guess it's not good," Danny shook his head.
"What makes you say that?" Linda sounded confused.
"Because before that happened she moved into the back yard. What's left for her to move to?" Danny had a point.
"Augh!" Linda said exasperated. "I knew raising another child, especially one that doesn't want anything to do with us was going to be difficult. But this is a nightmare."
"I guess I can go over and lay down the law," Danny turned serious. "But I kind of think it should be you."
"Why me?"
"Because I got on to her earlier, so she doesn't like me any more than she likes you."
"I kind of think she likes you a bit more than she does me," Linda begged to differ. "You helped her with the bully."
"Which makes this one your turn," Danny pointed at her.
"You know I'm tired of this," Linda's tone was stern. "We're the parents and she's going to do as she's told, whether she likes it or not." Linda stalked off to where her daughter was standing alone.
"Tayler Donovan, you are to go straight to your room and get ready for bed. We will talk about your disrespect when you home from school tomorrow."
The form of behavior Tayler had recently been showing was so new to her, that she was at a loss of what to do next and reluctantly returned to the house.
"What just happened?" Linda looked at Danny once they were alone. Surprised that her daughter didn't say or do anything to resist.
"I have no idea," Danny admitted. "She's definitely not like me when I was a kid. My dad would have had to drag me into the house."
Tayler lied in bed that night pondering the past few hours. She was still shocked that she had shown such disrespect that day. First to her teacher and then to Danny and Linda. This was a new record for her, and inwardly she didn't like it.
She wanted to go to sleep and put the day behind her, unfortunately sleep refused to come. She was tired, not only physically, but from the emotional roller coaster she was on as well. She was tired of guarding the wall she had built inside, she was tired of feeling alone, but most of all she was tired of being told what to do by people she had yet to get to know.
XXXXXXXX
The following day, and Tayler begrudgingly returned to school. It was Friday, and the only thing she hated more than school was the fact that she was going to have to miss her friends party but also succumb to another lecture and no doubt receive another form of discipline that afternoon for the disrespect she had shown the day before. She had been wrestling with the problem all morning, and contemplating a plan during her lunch break. Once the halls began to a empty, as students started to return to class, Tayler started for the door. Standing in the doorway of Blessed Hearts Academy, Tayler struggled with the pondering question. Should she let her good girl persona win again or should she for once in her life do something no one would expect? Something not even she would believe she did. "But what could she do?" She asked herself stepping out the door.
She waved an option or two in her head before she made her decision and decided to stick to it. Bounding down the stairs, Tayler didn't think twice as she left the school grounds and waved down an uber. She was going home to Plattburgh.
"Danny," Linda placed a call into her husband several hours later. "I just got a call from the kids school. Tayler hasn't been to any of her evening classes."
"What? Why would she skip school?"
"Danny she's been a little out of sorts since I told her no party. Remember yesterday?"
"You got a point."
"What are we going to do?" Linda asked anxiously.
"Don't worry, I'll find her," Danny didn't sound all that worried about it. "She's probably just wandering around near the school."
"I have a better idea. Why don't you put out an APB and alert the entire force," LInda said dramatically.
"Linda, calm down," Danny was still trying to figure out where she learned the 5-0 jargon. "I'll take care of it." He assured her before hanging up.
"What to do?" He said weighing his options.
School hours were over, so he didn't think there was any reason to go by to see if there was anybody to ask. And even if it wasn't he knew she wasn't exactly the social type and hadn't said much about making a whole lot of new friends. At the same time however, this all started when a friend invited her to a party. But again, who was it? He didn't think Nicki would know, considering they were still being forced to be friends. And it wasn't like the school staff knew which kid spent time with whom. It was a parochial school, so cameras were basically non-existent considering funding was almost always low. He was just on the verge of changing his mind, when he remembered Jamie. Jamie had just spent some time there working security and paid exceptional attention to his new niece. After calling his brother, it didn't take long for him to learn his step-daughters one friend at school was Becky Rawlings.
With the school closed for the weekend, that left him calling his partner to get an address from the NYPD database. After a few clicks, Baez had him back on his way and over to her house.
When Danny arrived at the Rawlings home, he was pleased to see that the party hadn't started yet.
"Becky Rawlings?" Danny asked just as soon as a girl who appeared to be the same age as his stepdaughter opened the door.
"Yes," Becky looked a little worried when she saw the gold shield on the mans belt.
"I'm Detective Reagan," Danny introduced himself.
"Your Tayler's stepdad," Becky breathed a sigh of relief, glad that an officer wasn't there for any other reason.
"Right," Danny smiled.
"Do you want to come in?" Becky stepped aside.
"I can't, I'm looking for Tayler. Do you know where she is?"
"Sorry, no," Becky shook her head.
"She skipped all her afternoon classes," Danny enlightened her.
"I had no idea," Becky looked shocked. "The last time I saw her was at lunch."
"Did she say anything unusual?"
"Not really," Becky shrugged.
"What did you talk about?" Danny was hoping that anything she had to say would give him a lead.
"She was pretty upset about missing my party," Becky hesitated to say. "But that wasn't it. I'm sure you know about her trouble at school?"
Danny nodded, and Becky continued.
"She's been saying things like she doesn't belong here. But when she says it, I get the feeling she's not just talking about school."
"Anything else?"
"The last thing she said at lunch was that she wanted to go home."
Home, the word went off in Danny's mind like a bomb. He knew where she was.
"I think I know where she went," Danny told the girl. "Thanks," he said just as he started walking away.
"Oh and speaking of party, do your parents know about it?"
"Ugh," Becky drew on. "Not exactly. There out of town, I'm staying with my uncle."
"I wonder how he would feel if he found out?" Danny looked at her blankly.
"I get your point," Becky sighed, knowing she had to cancel. Figuring it beat her uncle finding out, knowing that would only get her dead or worse.
"Good decision," Danny said before continuing on his way.
"Oh and Detective Reagan," Becky called after him.
Danny turned around and Becky finished.
"I hope you find her."
"I will," he promised, hurrying back to the car. "1 run away and I still have time to make another kids life miserable."
"I think I know where she went." Danny placed a call into his wife just as soon as he put the car into drive.
"Where?" Linda asked immediately.
"I think she went back to Plattsburgh."
"You really think so?"
"It's the only place I can figure," he replied. "I'm going to go get here."
"I'll pack you a bag," Linda started for the stairs just as soon as he said he was leaving.
"Do you want to go?"
"I have to help Sean with a science project. And I think it would be better if you went alone and talked to her."
"Linda," Danny started to say.
"Danny, this hasn't worked out like I thought it would. I thought we would be one happy family by now. But if she ran away, we're obviously not. Taylers still distant, she and the boys don't get along." Linda continued until Danny interrupted.
"There not supposed to get along. There brother and sister."
"In the word sense yes," Linda agreed with that part. "But not really, not so you would know it."
"They just don't know each other yet. You just have to give it time. But things will change, I know it will."
"I hope your right," Linda sounded desperate.
"I think it may be time for her to learn my dad voice," Danny knew that in order for things to change he was going to have to start it. And that was going to be by him becoming serious.
"I'll have your stuff packed by the time you get here."
XXXXXXXX
Tayler was fresh out of money after paying for the train and uber that once she arrived in Plattsburgh, she had no other choice but to walk home.
It had been raining all evening and didn't show any signs of letting up, leaving Tayler soaked to the skin after only a few shorts minutes of walking. It was pitch black out, and although the lightning was doing a fair job lighting the surrounding area it did little to comfort her and instead led to an increase of fear rising deep within. The wind was blowing, but it wasn't blowing hard enough to result in a tornado, and for that Tayler was grateful for small mercies. She had just reached the street of her home and before long she was standing in the driveway. Pulling out her key, she unlocked the door and walked in.
"Tayler," her Uncle Rick was the first to spot her standing in the doorway.
"What are you doing here?" Her Uncle Sam appeared in an instant, when he heard his brother say her name.
"Uhh," Tayler stared at them blankly. Shocked to find them there. "It's my house," she managed to find her voice, when she realized what was going on now that her uncles were obviously living there.
"Not anymore," Rick shook his head.
"But," Tayler started to say. Still confused by it all. "It was my dads."
"And he left it to us," Sam explained. "Now why are here and not at your new home?"
"I got to go," Tayler rushed out the door in tears, not even bothering to give him an answer.
Rick closed the door behind her and started to return to the tv when Sam followed him.
"What are you doing?"
"Watching tv."
"We can't just leave her out there!" Sam pointed at the door.
"She's already gone," Rick shrugged, not at all concerned by the past few minutes events.
"We have to do something!" Sam jerked the tv remote away from him.
"Fine," Rick relented. "Do you have a number for that family that took her in?"
"You mean Linda? Her mother?" Sam looked at him as if he was clueless.
"That was her mother? Hmm," Rick shrugged thinking. "She's sure changed," he said remembering the funeral service.
"She married into a predominant family in law enforcement from the city. I think their name is Reagan." Sam recalled. "I don't have a number for her. But if her husbands in law enforcement maybe we could call and get a contact number for him." He said thinking aloud.
"Do you remember his name?"
"I didn't even know that was Linda, and you want me to remember his name?" Rick looked at him sarcastically.
"Good point," Sam decided that he was going to have to take care of it on his own.
"But what's the point in calling if we don't know where she's going?"
"Which is why we're going to follow her."
"Sam it's raining," Rick complained.
"Just get the keys Rick. I'm going to try to find a number for Reagan." Sam said as he pulled his phone from his pocket.
"Since when do we care?" Rick knew that hardly ever in the past 13 years had they paid much attention to her.
"Because she's our niece and Tim would want us to. And we've technically never done anything for her. So the least we can do is keep a low profile and call her parents."
The Donovan brothers discretely followed their niece for an hour before she stopped at the Glendale Cemetery where her father was buried. She hadn't been there since the funeral and she didn't know why she was there now either.
"Reagan," Sam called Danny again. "She's at the cemetery."
"I'll be there in thirty minutes," Danny glanced at the gps.
"Just get the kid out of here and don't let her come back. It isn't safe." Was all Sam Donovan said before hanging up. Wanting to get this night behind him as soon as possible.
Tayler stood in front of her fathers tombstone not saying a word. In truth, she didn't know what to say. They hardly ever spoke when he was alive, why should now be any different? But if she wasn't there to talk why was she there now? She didn't think it was safe to say she missed him. How could you miss someone you didn't know? Even if they were your father. But again, why was she there now? She just couldn't wrap her mind around the question and come up with a suitable, yet truthful answer.
In fact, the only reason she could come up with was based on the fact she had no other place to that she had lost her home to her uncles, she was basically hungry and homeless. She was at a crossroads looking for home. She thought it was Plattsburgh. But now that she was there, she couldn't feel more lost. Was home with the Reagan's? And had she been wrong this whole time?
In the distance, Danny pulled up on the street nearest the cemetery.
It was dark, but he could see a shadow in the distance that resembled a young girl. He didn't have to guess which plot she was at, he had been there once before for the funeral and he knew the location in which her father had been buried.
After placing a quick call into Linda to let her know he found her, Danny steeped out into the rain.
"Do you have any idea how worried we've been?" Was the first thing Danny said when he came up behind her.
"Danny," Tayler spun around.
"I have to say I'm surprised to find you here." He admitted.
"It's the last place I expected to be too," she said in all honesty.
"Find any answers?" Danny nodded at her fathers headstone.
Tayler shook her head no and Danny continued.
"Did you really expect to?"
Again Tayler didn't say anything and responded with the shake of her head.
Silence spread between them for a moment and just as Danny took a step closer Tayler gulped, bracing herself.
Danny stopped when he saw the expression on her face, and Tayler carefully looked up at him.
"Aren't you going to hit me?" She said half expecting to receive a harsh smack across the face.
"What?" Danny couldn't believe what he just heard.
"Your my stepdad. Stepparents hate kids that aren't there's. Especially when they do something wrong."
"Where the hell did you ever get an idea like that?"
"Things I've read online," Tayler shrugged.
"No more internet for you," Danny didn't have to think twice about that one. "Listen Tayler, I'm going to punish you when you do something wrong. But it's discipline, thats it. And I would never hurt you just because you are not my real kid."
"Why not?" She asked carefully.
"Because it's wrong and because you don't hurt someone you love."
"How can you love another mans child?"
"Because I love your mother and you are apart of her, it's that simple," he said firmly.
"And do you really think I'd be here if you didn't love?" Danny gestured at the flashing lightning and the rumbling of the thunder.
With the weather, along with the location Tayler was beginning to regret her choice of destination as fear started to set in.
"Can we go?" She asked uncomfortably.
"Yeah," Danny could tell she was shivering.
Tayler started to walk towards him, and just as she was about to pass him he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Come here," he pulled her in for a hug.
Part of him expected her to pull away from him, and he had to admit he was surprised when she didn't.
Tayler enjoyed the comfort he was giving her. She was scared the second she decided to walk out the door of the school, and it continued until she was wrapped in her stepfathers arms. She couldn't believe how quickly the fear faded, or why it did. After all she had been the one bound and determined to feel anything towards her new family.
"Where are we going?" She asked, once the reached the car.
"It's too late to drive home. We'll get a hotel for the night where we can get some sleep and have a long serious talk."
They hadn't been driving for more than ten minutes when Taylers stomach growled. She tried to cover it up with a cough and a clearing of the throat, but Danny wasn't a rookie at this parenting thing and he knew the tricks of the trade so to speak.
"Have you had anything to eat?"
"No," Tayler didn't exactly want to answer. But she figured that now wasn't the best time to lie since she was already in trouble and didn't think adding to it would be the best idea.
"Burgers, pizza or take-out?" Danny gave her a few pickup options.
"Pizza," Tayler mumbled the answer.
"Your going to have to actually talk to me if you want me to stop," Danny looked at her, tired of the mumbling and attempts to barely speak.
"Pizza," Tayler spoke up clearly.
"That's better. Now what kind?"
"What do you want?" Tayler wasn't used to having a choice.
"I'll eat anything."
After locating the same hotel they stayed in when picking Tayler up the first time and getting a room, the two made their into the elevator and up to their assigned room. The room was basically set up the same way as the other one had been. A bathroom, two double beds, a tv and small table in the corner.
"You want to get warmed up before you eat?" Danny asked setting the two duffel bags he had brought with him down near the bed.
"No," Tayler shook her head. "I'm hungry."
"At least put this on," Danny handed her his dry jacket. "Don't want you getting sick for being out in the rain."
"Your wet too?" Tayler gestured at the shirt and tie that was stuck to his chest.
"I'm not worried about me. I've been out in the rain a lot longer on the job than I was out there with you." Danny took his shirt of and pulled on a dry t-shirt he left in the car.
Tayler set the pizza box on the table in the corner of the room and had just taken a seat in one of the chairs when she realized they didn't have anything to drink.
"Can I go get a drink out of the vending machine?" Tayler remembered the coke machine around the corner that they had passed when they left the elevator.
"Your not going to run off are you?" Danny looked at her questioningly before giving his permission.
"No, I'm hungry."
"I'm leaving the door open," he said before dishing out some change out of his pocket. "Get a couple of sodas."
Tayler nodded and hurried down the hall. She didn't like the fact that he couldn't trust her, then again she hadn't given him any other choice. She had run away.
Danny in the meantime, silently hoped that he would be able to get through to her that night as they sat alone in their room. He always hated when he couldn't trust his children to do something as go down the hall. But this was the child that seemed to be bound and determined not to accept or adjust to their new way of living.
"Did you want coke or dr. Pepper?" Tayler returned shortly, interrupting his thoughts.
"Dr. Pepper."
Then again, maybe this was going to turn out to be a good thing, he thought.
"How'd you get here anyway?" Danny asked in between bites of his pizza.
"Train," Tayler answered with one word.
"What the hell you were thinking?!" Danny was trying to keep form yelling being he wasn't exactly ready begging the lecture, not to mention they were in a hotel room.
"You went to Grand Central Station by yourself. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?"
"I didn't know what else to do," Tayler said solemnly.
"Why did you run away?"
"I'm not used to having someone on my back all the time and Lindas always telling me what to do."
"She tells you what to do because she cares. And so do I."
"Oh come on Danny. I don't buy that for a minute. I'm just the kid you got stuck with because you married my mom." Tayler didn't believe him.
"We've been through all this Tayler," Danny was getting tired of repeating the same phrase. "If I didn't care about you, I wouldn't be here right now. I drove five hours to come find you. But what I want to know is why you came here? You hated it here."
"I may hate it. But I know it. Rather the devil you know, then the devil you don't." Tayler figured.
"I don't belong there. I'm not used to living with a family like yours."
"It's your family now too Tayler," Danny was holding it out for her all she had to do was reach out and take it.
"The next time your feeling lost, talk to someone. You can always talk to me, your mom or any of the other family members for that matter. We all understand how difficult this has been for you, but we're here for you."
"I want to believe that," Tayler finally opened up. "But I've lived 13 years without that and then for me to move into a family that's completely the opposite isn't something I know how to do just like that."
"Which I why from now on we're going to show you," he pointed at her.
"How?" Tayler couldn't help but be curious.
"For starters your going to start spending a lot more time with the family instead of staying in your room."
"Am I going to be in trouble when we get back?" Tayler chewed on her lower lip nervously.
"You skipped school which I could call a case of truancy since you took off without your parents permission."
Taylers head dropped
Danny sighed and took a seat on the edge of the bed next to her. "You will receive some sort of punishment. What? I don't know, your mother and I still have to discuss it. "Probably a lengthy grounding."
"I've never been grounded before."
"There's always a first time for everything."
"Yeah I wouldn't mind missing this one."
"If it would be one of the boys, I'd be taking care of part of their punishment right here. Give them a little something to think about by making them a little uncomfortable on the five hour drive back."
"Are you going to do that to me?" Tayler stared at the floor.
"I ought to, but I won't because I'm your stepfather. I have every right to. My name is on the custody papers. And even if it wasn't, I fully support, supply you with everything and I've already told you that I was going to treat you exactly as I do my blood kids. But the real reason I'm not doing it, is because I want to talk to your mother first, being you haven't lived with us long. Just remember this, today is the first day of the rest of your life. Tell yourself you want to make a change and do it. That's the only way your going to be happy."
Tayler nodded in understanding but eventually spoke. "Will you help me?"
"We'll all help you," he gave her a small smile.
"Even Jack and Sean?" Tayler asked, knowing it was no surprise to anyone that they had yet to really get along.
"That I can assure you."
"And that may be the hardest part for all of us," Tayler admitted.
"Tell me about it," Dany shook his head. "I grew up with three siblings."
"I guess I should be glad I only have two."
"Just so we're clear," Danny wanted to make sure he made his point. "Your going to try right?"
"I'll try," Tayler started to let go.
"Good. Now I need to call your mom and try to calm her down."
Tayler nodded and moved to kick her shoes off by the door.
"You want to talk to her?"
"No," Tayler said immediately.
"She needs to hear from you. She needs to know your safe."
"I can't Danny," Taylers voice was low.
"Go take a shower," Danny had to admit he would have preferred for her to say yes, but he knew that it was still going to take some time for her to adjust completed and he figured he just needed to be grateful that she wanted to make a change.
"I don't have any clothes," Tayler stopped when she remembered that all she had was her school backpack.
"Your mom packed you some," Danny tossed her the small duffel bag he had brought in from the car.
Tayler nodded, but didn't say anything as she went into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
With Tayler busy, Danny took the time to first check his work email and then place a call into his wife. Knowing that she had been worried sick since Tayler didn't come home after school.
"Is she okay?" Linda couldn't keep the worry from showing in her voice as it was obvious to her husband that she was trying to keep from crying.
"She was cold and wet, but she's fine." Danny tried to calm her down a bit before he continued with his observation of her. "We got a hotel, picked up something to eat and had a heart to heart talk."
"And?" Linda was almost begging to hear some good news.
"We're going to have to start doing some proactive parenting by keeping her out of the basement. But I believe we're making strides of progress."
"Just get her home so I can hug her and ground her for the rest of her life."
"First thing in the morning," Danny promised. "Right after breakfast."
"Will she talk to me?"Linda held her breath when she voiced the question.
"No," Danny said blankly. "I sent her to get cleaned up."
Linda took a deep breath before she finally replied. "Tell her I love her."
"I will."
"Thank you for taking care of my daughter."
"I thought she was our daughter?"
"I love you," Linda's voice was again showing emotion.
"I love you too."
Danny was just hanging up the phone when Tayler stepped out of the bathroom.
"Feel better?"
"The shower helped," Tayler nodded.
"Think you can sleep?" Danny knew that sleep was one of the first things to go when you were stressed.
"I am tired."
"Been a long day," Danny agreed. "Now I'm going to go take a shower. Can I trust you not to run off?"
"Yes Sir," Tayler yawned.
"I don't want to have to handcuff you to the bed. But I will."
Tayler wasn't sure if she should call his bluff. She had no intention of trying to run off, she already tried that, and it obviously didn't work.
"Can I watch tv?" Tayler wasn't sure if she should ask. Then again what was the worse he could say.
"Yes," Danny replied. "But first you call your mom." He bartered.
"Do I have to?"
"Yes, your mom is really upset about this."
"Augh," Tayler moaned in response.
"Am I going to have to place the call myself?" He looked at her seriously.
"No," she grumbled as she picked up his phone.
"Linda," Tayler said carefully. "Danny said I needed to call you."
"Tayler," Linda said just as soon as she heard her daughters voice. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine Linda."
"I have been so worried about you."
"Really?" Tayler wondered.
"Of course, I was."
"I'm sorry," Tayler apologized. "I guess I didn't think you really cared."
"Tayler, your my child. I wouldn't be able to live if something happened to you." Linda was trying to get through to her.
"You've hardly seen me over the years," Tayler had to admit she didn't understand her mothers feelings.
"Tayler, your a part of me." Linda said emphatically.
"I've heard that twice already today," Tayler said beginning to think that was the only answer Danny and Linda could give.
"Why did you run away?"
"Do we really have to go through this now?" Tayler was getting tired and she wasn't sure if she felt like going any deeper than they already had.
"No," Linda didn't want to push it. "But we are going to talk when you get home."
"I know."
"Tayler, I can't go through this again. I love you too much to lose you."
"I don't want to come back," Tayler said truthfully.
"You feel like your life is over there?" Linda interpreted, showing she understood. "I've been there."
"Yeah," Tayler agreed. "Too many things have changed."
"You feel like it isn't your home anymore?"
"Something like that, I guess."
"Maybe because this is your home?" Linda asked carefully.
"Maybe," Tayler wasn't willing to say anything further about home.
"Maybe because whether you realize it or not. You belong with me and Danny." Linda pressed a bit further.
"I don't know," Tayler said honestly. "But can we talk about this later? I'm kind of tired."
"Sure," Linda was just grateful that Tayler had called her and was willing to say as much as she did. "Love you."
Tayler was just about to hang up, when she stopped short.
"Linda."
"Yes."
"Thanks for caring," she said hanging up.
Placing Danny's phone on the nightstand, Tayler reached for the television remote. But instead of turning it on, she surprised even herself when she crawled under the covers and drifted off to sleep.
Walking out of the bathroom, Danny was surprised he didn't hear the TV. And he was even more surprised to find Tayler asleep. After turning the TV on and dropping the volume down, Danny flipped through the channels. He hadn't really settled on anything when his cell buzzed on the nightstand beside him.
You don't have to worry Dad," Danny already knew why he was calling.
"It never stops Danny," Frank let on. "It only gets worse."
"Dad, I'm not the one who ran away."
"No, but you are trying to father a child you just met."
"Yeah, that hasn't been easy," Danny admitted. "First it was Grand Central Station then Platsburgh."
"Two dangerous places for a 13 year old to go alone," Frank knew exactly what his son was talking about it. "What are you going to do?"
"Linda says ground her the rest of her life."
"Not about that."
"Then what?"
"After you and Linda took Tayler in, I looked into Tim Donovan and the Valdez Crime Family he was working with." Frank started to say.
"They already got Stuart Norton," Danny reminded him. "He was the one that killed Tim."
"You know that's not the end of it though," Frank knew that after the many years of wearing the title detective, his son had to expect more.
"You mean Norton was paid off by the crime family," Danny interpreted.
"Right," Frank sighed.
"I assume you have someone in the inside?"
"I do, but it's been kind of quiet for a while."
"You don't think they found out they have an informant?"
"I would have heard," Frank replied. "I think they are just keeping a low profile right now."
"So what do you want me to do?" Danny knew his father was getting at something.
"You need to give her your name."
"What?"
"We don't know how deep Tim was with the Valdez's. But if it got him killed, it wasn't shallow. We also have to assume they know about Tayler and may think she knows something."
"Which means they would want to silence her too?" Danny knew where he was going with the observation.
"It's not something we can gamble with."
"I know," Danny agreed. "And Tims brothers called me earlier and warned me not to let her come back."
"There probably involved."
"I expected it," Danny admitted. "But they did call me and followed Tayler to the cemetery. Which means they don't want anything to happen to her."
"And giving her the Reagan name would offer a realm of security in more ways then one. Being a prominent family in law, the name Reagan would help protect her from people like the Valdez's."
"You know I already have primary custody right?" Danny wasn't sure if he mentioned it before.
"With that, and telling her she's part of the family. Giving her your name would prove it."
"I'll talk to Linda when we get home, and let you know."
"Just get you and your daughter home."
"That's the plan Dad."
XXXXXXXX
It was almost noon when Danny pulled up in front of the house. He had just started to get out of the car but stopped short when he realized Tayler had yet to budge.
"Can't avoid the inevitable Tayler," Danny looked at her seriously. "You know your going to have to face her."
"Yeah," Tayler sighed unbuckling her seatbelt before reluctantly following him to the house.
Walking through the door, Tayler didn't even get a chance to catch her breath before Linda engulfed her in a hug.
"Are you okay?"
"A little tired," Tayler said in all honesty. "But okay."
"I was so worried about you!" Linda said once she realized her daughter was truly okay. "Don't you ever run away again!"
Tayler didn't say anything, but she did nod in understanding.
"Go unpack your bag," Linda turned serious, nodding at the basement door. "We'll be down soon to talk."
"Yes Mam," Tayler mumbled, taking her bag from Danny and heading down the basement stairs.
Once Tayler closed the door behind her, Danny and Linda began their usual partental talk as they discussed the upcoming lecture they planned to have with their daughter. A few minutes later, after taking seats around the room, they were ready to begin.
Linda started out doing most of the talking, and again Tayler turned absolutely silent and barely mumbling a reply.
"Hang on a second," Danny paused his wife.
"Tayler, I'm going to tell you like I did last night. I'm tired of the mumbling. I want clear and direct answers."
"Yes Sir," Tayler spoke up for the first time since they began discussing the matter.
"Tayler, do you know how worried we both were?" Linda repeated the question from before.
"I was fine," Tayler assured her. Knowing they would never get the lecture over until Linda was certain she was more than okay.
"Then why did I find you in a cemetery?" Danny voiced the question.
"I guess you have a point." Tayler didn't want to say that truthfully she wasn't fine till he got there, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to admit that she needed him. In fact, she was still having trouble dealing with all the concern her mother was showing, but she was doing her best to keep her promise in seeking a change in life.
"As much as we don't want to punish you. You have to be disciplined for running away."
"I know," Tayler hated to say, but even she knew what she did was wrong. Especially now that she was beginning to understand how much Danny and Linda cared.
"Your grounded for a week," Linda said first of all. "No tv, no stereo," she started going through the list when Danny interrupted.
"I kind of told her no more internet for awhile. It puts too many wild notions in her head."
"We're also going to have a mighty clean house, since while you are grounded you will be working with me around the house. It'll give us a chance to get to know one another a bit better."
"Is that it?" Tayler was hoping to get the lecture with over sooner than later.
"And since we already discussed you being treated as the rest of the members of the family. The only way that's going to happen is by you spending more time with the family than you do alone in your room." Danny proceeded with by far the easiest part of his task with his stepdaughter.
Tayler wasn't sure if she should reply, but for once she didn't feel as if she was opposed to the idea. At least not after the amount of time she spent alone with Danny, and she hoped with everything in her that spending time with Linda would turn out just as well. As for Jack and Sean, she wasn't quite sure what to think about them. They were siblings after all and she didn't think they should expect all that much from one another.
"And Tayler," Danny began with the second part of the discussion. The part that had him thinking the entire drive home. "I want you to take my name."
Tayler didn't say anything, but she did look at him confused, as if she was trying to understand what he meant by his name.
"I want to change your name to Tayler Reagan."
At first, Tayler was going to reject it. But just as soon as she opened her mouth, she shut it. Remembering how she had never been all that close to her dad. And thinking that if she was serious about making a change in her life. The name Reagan would help, hoping it would make her into a new person.
"You want me to have your name?" Tayler finally managed to find her voice. Still having trouble believing all she had just heard.
"The same as Jack and Sean."
"Why?"
"Couple reasons. I want you to be protected. The Reagan name would give you that protection." Danny felt that she was mature enough to understand. Yet he didn't want to go overboard and frighten her with he and his fathers observation regarding her fathers past.
Tayler nodded in understanding and Danny continued.
"I know you don't see me as your father. And you don't have to. But I see you as my daughter and that's all that's important in you having my name."
"I didn't think you wanted to be my father. I had experience with one and he wasn't much of a father." Tayler said in all honesty.
"How do you know I would be like that?"
"I just didn't think," Tayler started to say but was interrupted.
"You wouldn't give us a chance. But now that you have decided to try and make a change, why not go a bit further in taking a chance with me, Linda, your brothers and the rest of the Reagans?"
Tayler had to admit he had a point. Going by the name Reagan would help her to feel like a true member of the family. And not only that, she figured they deserved a chance. Not only did they completely redo their basement in creating a bedroom, but they supplied her with everything she needed. On top of that, they cared about her enough to step in when she was having trouble with the bully and pay attention when she was having trouble in school this past week. Not only that, but Danny spent his time coming after when she ran away. If that wasn't enough, they cared about her enough to actually discipline her when she did wrong. Something her father only threatened to do, but never cared about her enough to actually follow through.
If anyone deserved a chance, it was Danny and Linda Reagan. And all Tayler had to do was give it them.
"I'll do it."
Hope you all enjoyed the update... Thanks for all the follows, favorites and reviews... Stay safe and Happy Easter... JusticeStandsTRUE