Apparently Taylor was a believer in not conceding anything easily because she immediately went for denial. She very obviously avoided eye contact with me as she spoke.

"Sam, I don't know why you think I'm Zookeeper but you got the wrong idea."

"Don't think playing dumb is going to save you Taylor. I saw you fighting the empire today. The longer you deny it the worse it's going to be for you."

She was quiet for a few seconds before she finally admitted her secret "…Fine, I'm Zookeeper. Are you happy now?"

"If you had said that few months ago I might have been."

Apparently Taylor didn't like my tone, drawing her own conclusions about what it meant. "Oh, so are you just mad that I didn't join the wards at the first opportunity?"

"What I'm mad about is that you fucking lied to me Taylor. You've been lying to me and Dad for months now."

"I only lied because you would have both wanted me to join the wards the second you heard. I'm not interested."

My hopes that convincing Taylor to join the wards would be simple were rapidly dying. So I tried to switch to a logical approach to get to the root of the problem."What's your problem with being in the wards?"

"What do you think my problem with the wards is?"

"I don't know! Why don't you tell me? Do you have something against them?"

Taylor started looking away from me again, saying "No, I just wanted a chance to prove myself."

"What for? You could have just done that as a ward. There's plenty of fucking crime in this city to go around."

"That's not what I meant."

"Then enlighten me Taylor, what is your problem?"

That got her to pause for a short time, as she considered her next words. Finally she decided to open up "Fine, you want to know? My problem is that the second I joined you'd be insufferable to be around. I bet you got everyone wrapped around your fingers there don't you?"

"What! Where the fuck did you get that idea?"

"I don't know, maybe it's how you're always palling around with the other wards. One day you're throwing them down stairs for training and literally the next day you're hosting a movie night with them."

So it seems Taylor has been getting some funny ideas about what I actually do in the wards. I tried to set her straight "Okay, so first thing there's this thing called socializing Taylor. You're allowed to do it with more than one person. Second, there's nothing wrong with being friends with my teammates."

"Even Shadow Stalker?"

"Oh come on Taylor it's been almost a year since she stopped bullying you. Nobody is going to make you be friends with her. I'm certainly not."

She stood up from the couch and started shouting "I don't care! I know for a fact she's a terrible person and any place that has her as a member isn't something I want to be a part of."

"What are you even afraid of! It's not like Winslow, she's not going to bully you in front of the other wards."

"I'm not afraid of anything! I just have other priorities besides doing dumb PR events."

"Oh really? What are those priorities anyways? Me and Dad don't seem to be very high on the list."

She seemed to take offense to that implication, and she took a sanctimonious tone saying "What I'm focusing on is making Brockton Bay a better place to live for everyone. Not some place where Nazi's and drug dealers can do whatever they want."

"Are you going to do that by getting yourself killed? You were surrounded and about to die out there before I showed up."

She flinched at that reminder "That was a fluke. It won't happen again."

I could hardly believe what I was hearing "Really? That's all you have to say to almost dying?"

"Yes, because I'm not stopping." She said as if it was a dare for me to try to do just that.

I tried to change tacts, saying "You think Dad's going to be cool with you going out and risking your life every day?"

"He seems to be fine with you doing it."

"Because I'm in the wards and I've proven I can be responsible. Dad won't let you do this by yourself."

"If he tries to stop me I'll just move out. I don't have to live here."

"That just sounds like another way of saying you'll run away if Dad doesn't let you do what you want. God, Mom would be disappointed in you."

It seems I pushed one of her bigger buttons there because that got her to scream "Don't you fucking dare bring Mom into this!"

But I wasn't intimidated by this and I kept going "I will because she wouldn't want you getting yourself killed."

"She believed in fighting for things bigger than yourself. She taught me I should stand up for what I believe in."

"Mom taught me that too Taylor. But it doesn't give you a free pass to be reckless."

"You wouldn't understand because you don't care about anything that doesn't immediately affect you. What about all the people the gangs hurt?"

"That's what the Protectorate and police are for."

"Well guess what! They aren't doing shit! I would know because they've basically forgotten about the bastards that tried to kill me. They never even cared about who shot Julia's brother."

I tried to press her about this "Is that what this is about, revenge?"

"No it fucking isn't. I might have wanted those bastards dead at first, but this is bigger than just me now." She denied, though I'm not sure she even believed herself as she spoke.

"So what? Are you just going to keep doing this until you get rid of all crime?"

"Don't be stupid. I'm just doing what you and the other heroes should be doing, getting rid of the gangs." She claimed, as if that goal was any more realistic.

I tried to reason with her "You're outnumbered Taylor, you're never going to win."

"You're wrong, I have the power. I just need to figure out how to use it right."

"Will this be before or after you get someone killed, and I'm talking about innocent bystanders here."

"I have enough control that it won't happen. The only people I hurt are the ones who deserve it."

"Then what about the villains you're fighting? Can you stop them from hurting people?"

"I can figure it out when it happens."

I was really starting to lose whatever patience I had with her because that response was pathetic "God damn it Taylor that isn't an answer. This is why the Protectorate and PRT are pissed at you."

"Well that's too bad for them. Even if they find out my identity I'm not joining the wards."

I sucked in a breath at that because I knew I'd have to drop this bomb eventually. She definitely noticed my reaction to her last statement, so I decided to tell her "Hate to break it to you Taylor, but they already know."

"What!? Did you fucking tell them?" she yelled, looking betrayed.

I tried to correct her immediately "No! They were the ones who told me about you. They figured I already knew, because they apparently overestimated how smart you are."

"But how would they know if you didn't tell them?" she said skeptically, as if it was inconceivable that I hadn't ratted her out.

"They thought I was helping you earn bounty money, and they worked out who you were from the money you got. Long story short on how they figured you out; there are very few teenagers paying for animal feed in hundred dollar bills in Brockton Bay."

"Goddammit, I knew I should've used smaller bills."

"Of all the mistakes you've made so far, that's the one you regret?"

"Shut up, do they know about Precaution's identity?"

"If you're talking about Julia I already know. And while they didn't say they knew, I think they can put two and two together that your one friend is your sidekick."

She groaned in frustration and started rubbing her neck from the stress of it all "...So are you going to try and bully her into joining the wards too?"

I took offense to that saying "I'm not bullying anyone! What I'm doing is making you look at the mess you made! Do you know how much fucking trouble you got me in?"

She didn't seem troubled by my question. "Oh, I'm so sorry I embarrassed you with the other heroes."

"I'm serious Taylor. They threw a bunch of trumped up bullshit charges at me because they thought I was working with you. Even if I beat those charges they can easily make something else up as long as you operate as an independent."

"What?… No. You're just lying. They wouldn't actually punish you." She said, but I could tell she seemed to be in a state of denial as she spoke.

"Excuse me, what! I literally got benched for over a year because I agreed to lie to the public about my powers." I tried to counter.

"What about when your team leader found out you blackmailed Emma? He basically gave you a pass." She said, as if that proved her point by itself.

"That was a completely different situation!" I told her. Because it was, and it isn't my job to look for someone to punish me for every sin I have committed.

"Sure it was. I doubt they'll do any worse than bench you again for a little while before they need you again."

"Uh, yes they fucking can do worse Taylor. They can put me on probation, or even force me to transfer me to another branch if they can prove I'm to much trouble to keep here."

"If that happens why don't you go on PHO or go to the media and tell everyone how the PRT is treating you? I'm sure you'd get more leverage from getting the public on your side than you would from recruiting me." she said, like she wasn't just casually suggesting I go against the most powerful PR machine on the planet.

"Taylor, I don't know where to begin with how many problems doing that would cause for me. Like, you do know I actually want to actually have a hero career after this right?"

"You have the facts on your side, what are you so afraid of?" I don't know, maybe becoming the most hated ward in existence?

"In case you've forgotten I've already got a sample of being part of a national scandal when my powers got revealed and it tasted like shit. I don't want to taste a full course of that when the PRT's PR machine is working full time against me thank you very much." I replied. I know it wasn't the most courageous stance but there are some battles you should not fight, and some bears you should never try to poke with a stick.

"Why are you expecting me to help you if you're not going to help yourself? You can't even get yourself to fight back when they're obviously using you."

"Well fuck you too! All I wanted was for you to at least give the wards a try but apparently that's too fucking much for you."

"The only thing that's too much for me is how much of a bootlicker you are. God, even when the heroes are screwing you over, you're doing their dirty work trying to recruit me."

"I'm not doing it for them, and if you can't understand that then I'm not going to keep wasting my time with you. When Dad gets home he's going to hear about everything you've fucked up!"

"Fine, I think I'm going to spend the night at Julia's house. Don't want to risk you deciding to take it upon yourself to drag me to your masters."

"Don't fucking tempt me. And you're not leaving at least until Dad gets home and has a word with you. I'm going to make sure he gets the whole story."

"Whatever, it'll give me a chance to get my things together. If the PRT knows then it doesn't matter much if he knows I'm a cape at this point anyways."

She stormed out of the living room and up the stairs into her room. As she went up the stairs I heard Dad's truck pull into the driveway. I went to check at the window and I saw Dad turn off the engine and climb out of his old beaten up truck. I almost ran to meet him at the door. I tried to reassure myself that maybe he could be the one who can make Taylor see reason.

The door opened and Dad came in with his old lunch pail in one hand and a storing type clipboard he used for carrying any work papers he needed in the other. He noticed me standing by the door almost immediately, and he perked up.

"Sam, I'm glad you're okay. Sorry I'm a little late. I was out of town meeting a contractor from Boston and Mrs Houlihan's call caught me at an inconvenient time."

"It's okay. Mrs Houlihan said when she called you she told you about what happened at the PRT today. How much do you know?"

He started taking off his coat and said "I just know that they were accusing you of working with that Zookeeper cape. You're not right?" He asked the question like it was meant to be a joke. He walked past me to hang up his jacket on the coat hanger.

"No, but they had a very good reason for thinking so. I found out that Taylor is a cape today. She's Zookeeper." I said.

That got a reaction from him, because suddenly he turned to stare at me like I had grown a second head. "Taylor, she's…what?"

"If I had to guess she triggered because of the attack from last year and didn't tell us."

"Are you sure?"

"I just confronted her about it."

"Where is she now?"

"She's upstairs, we kind of had a fight." I said, feeling embarrassed because I had hoped to have persuaded her to join the wards myself by now.

He took a long deep sigh to center himself, and he closed his eyes as he put his hand on his head to rub it as if he was getting a headache. "Alright, is there anything else I need to know?"

"Aside from the fact that she almost died today fighting the empire?"

"I'm sorry, am I hearing you right? She almost died today?" He seemed almost bowled over. I couldn't blame him, it was a lot to take in.

"Yeah it's a long story, but the more immediate problem is she's getting ready to go over to Julia's place because she can't stand to be around me right now."

"Was your fight really that bad?"

"Well I kept telling her she needed to join the wards but-" I paused when I heard Taylor walking down the stairs. I turned around to see her with a backpack and a duffel bag.

When she saw me and dad standing in the hallway staring at her she declared "I'm sure Sam's already told you everything already. I'm not staying here any longer than I have to in case Sam gets any more ideas."

I couldn't let that dig slide "In case I get any ideas? It's your fault we're in this mess."

Dad suddenly snapped out of his stupor. "Taylor, Sam said you have powers. Is that true?"

Taylor remained stone faced as she replied "Yes, I do. I'm only spending the next few nights at Julia's house because a certain someone decided her hero career is more important than me."

"No I don't, I just think that you should help clean up the mess that you made."

Seeing us getting warmed up for another round of arguing Dad tried to play peacemaker. "Alright! Let's all take a deep breath. We're not going to solve anything by blaming each other. Sam?"

I turned to him "What?"

"I think it would be best if me and Taylor discussed this alone for a few minutes."

I felt a bit of concern creep up "What? You're only going to listen to her side of the story?"

"I'm going to hear both of your sides. I just need a few minutes with Taylor."

Taylor chipped in "If you're going to try and convince me to join the wards, then doing it without Sam isn't going to work."

Dad rebutted that "We're not going to make you join the wards tonight, I think Sam jumped the gun a bit on that decision."

Now it was my turn to be taken off guard "What! But why not?!"

Dad tried to sooth me "Sam, I just found out Taylor had powers, and the PRT is bringing charges against you. I'm not just going to sign Taylor up for the wards without talking through our options OK?" He turned to Taylor again "Could please give me one minute to talk to Sam? You can wait in the living room if you want."

Taylor looked apprehensive but agreed "Fine, I'll wait."

She trudged back into the living room while glancing my way and giving me an evil eye. Once she was out of sight Dad turned to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Sam, I know you've been through a lot today but you should leave this to me."

"But she's being completely unreasonable! She's acting like she didn't do anything wrong."

"Maybe she did do something wrong, but we're not going to get anywhere by trying to rub her nose in it. Just wait in your room for a few minutes while I talk to her, okay? I think you need a few minutes to cool off anyways."

As much as I didn't want to, I decided to trust that Dad knew what he was doing and gave in. "Alright, fine. Let me know when you're done."

I suppressed my displeasure at how everything had fallen out of my control as I grabbed my backpack and walked away from him and up the stairs to my room. I almost slammed my bedroom door when I went to close it. Dropping my bag I went to my bed to grab one of my pillows. I screamed into it, trying to release all the various frustrations and stresses I was feeling.

After a minute of this I tired myself out and let my vocal chords rest. I still felt stressed from the whole situation but my anger had diminished to a low simmer. I was still frustrated Dad had undermined me like that. Granted my recruitment attempt was probably already dead but it still stung that he was the one to basically put the final kibosh on it.

I couldn't imagine how to distract myself because everything seemed inconsequential compared to the conversation happening downstairs. So instead of doing homework or reading one of the few books I kept in my room I decided to try and text Missy. If there was anyone else who would want to know what was happening to me it would be her.

I knew she was probably busy with one of the late patrols but I decided to give her an update anyways about my situation. I kept the details generic since even if she was my friend I didn't want to text anything too sensitive before I could talk to her in person. So she would know I was in trouble with the PRT, but not the key details like the secret identity of Zookeeper or the argument I just had with Taylor.

Once I finished typing and sent my update to her I heard Taylor and Dad raising their voices at each other for a few seconds. I couldn't make out the words since it didn't last very long. Then a minute later I heard the sound of the front door slamming from downstairs. I looked outside and saw Taylor walking away onto the sidewalk with her bags. Even though it was dark I'm pretty sure I saw a few pigeons suddenly start following her. She was headed for the bus stop. I decided that was my cue to go back downstairs to go check on Dad.

When I got downstairs I saw Dad was still in the living room sitting in his armchair, rubbing his forehead again. I chose to speak up.

"So I'm guessing your argument didn't go so well either."

He looked up at me and sighed "We agreed I wouldn't try and push her into the wards right now but she wouldn't give up on being an independent hero. Unfortunately things broke down once the topic of her almost dying came up."

"Yeah, I think she's just considering today's fight with the empire a setback. She doesn't understand how bad it could have been."

"To think that I thought it couldn't get any worse than what happened to her a few months ago. I can't believe I didn't even notice she triggered."

"Don't beat yourself up too much, I didn't figure it out myself either." I tried to reassure him. Dad could get into funks really easily if you let him, so it fell upon me to give him some comfort.

"It's just that after you joined the wards they told me that it was very likely that Taylor could trigger as well, since it runs in families. So I tried to prepare myself for when that day would come. But I let my guard down after she was attacked last year, since I thought if that didn't cause her to trigger then nothing would. I just wish she had felt like she could have told us then."

"Yeah, from what she said to me it was probably my fault she didn't feel 'comfortable'."

"Sam, she's just angry and afraid right now. Give her some space and we can figure something out about your problems with the PRT."

"Do you really think we can do that?"

"Well I've learned a lot about negotiation and the legal system working for the dockworkers. And if I can't figure it out I have some contacts that can. Just leave it to me. Honestly I think figuring out what to do about your sister will be the harder problem to solve."

"Did you really mean it when you said you weren't going to make her join the wards?"

"Yes, like I said I'm not going to trust them with another of my daughters after I've seen how they treated you. Besides, Annette would kill me from beyond the grave if I tried to force either of you to do anything like that against either of your wills."

"Was Mom ever this stubborn?"

"On a few issues, but she was the more flexible of the two of us. No, I'm pretty sure you both got your stubbornness from me."

"Maybe someday it'll actually work in our favor for once."

"Yeah, maybe. Anyways, before she left Taylor agreed to call me once she got to Julia's house. She also at least agreed to not do anything for a few days to avoid causing any more problems. For what it's worth I think I got through to her that you weren't exaggerating those charges from the PRT. Once she's had some time to cool off we'll figure out what to do from there."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Not right now, no. I need to make a lot of phone calls in the morning before I involve you or Taylor in anything. Ask me again in a day or two okay?

"Alright I will."

After that we agreed to just eat some leftovers for dinner that night, since neither of us were really up for cooking. I took some time to answer some of his questions about what happened today in my interrogation as we ate leftover pasta and almost stale bread rolls ("I'm still not sure if I should be grateful or pissed that Armsmaster was secretly watching the whole thing with his lie detector"). I also got a message back from Missy demanding I basically explain everything. But I had to ask her to wait for the full story until we could talk in person tomorrow.

Taylor lived up to her promise and called us about an hour later, though Dad was the one answering the phone. The conversation consisted of a few reassurances and the promise to call us again the next night. Apparently Julia's parents were very understanding and hospitable people, so they were willing to let Taylor stay in their guest room. Either Taylor had made a very good impression on them as Julia's friend or they were absolute saints.

Later as I was laying in bed that night I wondered where it had all gone wrong. My wards career was fucked, Taylor's room was empty tonight because of me, and Dad was going to run himself ragged trying to fix this. It all made me feel guilty, even though objectively speaking I shouldn't be feeling responsible for any of this. This could have all been avoided if Taylor had just told me she had triggered from the beginning.

Despite that I felt like I had to do something, but I couldn't figure out what. Each individual problem felt like it was out of my hands, and any solution I thought of just felt inadequate. Needless to say, even though I was bone tired from today, I didn't get much sleep that night.

A/N

-I hope the argument lived up to your expectations. I probably could have made it even more heated and acrimonious but I wanted to leave some room for reconciliation at some point. Of course if and when that happens it won't come easily for Sam and Taylor.

-While it would be fairly easy to screw over the PRT by airing their dirty laundry on PHO, Sam isn't mentally ready to make that jump. She considers it the suicide bomber option. While it does have a good chance of damaging the PRT it's almost certain to destroy her as well in her mind. She's going to need to build up a support network to build up her confidence and convince her it's not suicidal before she's ready to even consider doing that. Taylor on the other hand I'm sure would happily make that leap if you gave her the right excuse.

-If it seems like Danny is a bit different from his canon counterpart, remember that he's parenting two daughters here. He's had to mediate a lot of their disputes over the years, so he's picked up some tricks to diffuse tension. The only thing different here is the superpowers. I decided to make Danny against making Taylor join the wards both for the obvious reasons stated in the story, and the fact it would fit with his worldview (Based on his in story background). As someone in union leadership he would have dealt with the government enough to have a healthy distrust of it. So I imagine he would see through the PRT's attempt to get to Taylor though pressuring Sam fairly easily.

-Please leave any feedback you can. I highly appreciate it and I'm always looking for ways to improve.