Taylor twirled the pencil in her right hand, her eyes fixed on the plant in front of her. She felt a thrill of satisfaction as the plant changed color every two seconds, cycling through shades of blue, red, green, and yellow like a living disco light. It had taken her ten days to get to this point, ten long days since she had gained her powers. In those days, she had spent countless hours experimenting and testing, trying to understand the full extent of what she could do.

A smile tugged at her lips as the plant turned a vibrant shade of purple. She had a good idea of what her powers were by now. She could alter the molecular structure of anything she touched, both living and non-living. With non-living things, she could transmute their composition, changing one substance into another. With living organisms, she could induce biological changes, altering their physical and biological characteristics in ways that seemed almost magical.

Taylor leaned back in her chair, letting the pencil fall to the table. She studied the plant with a critical eye, noting the smooth transitions between colors and the healthy, almost glowing appearance of the leaves. It was a far cry from the withered, sickly specimen she had started with. Her powers had not only changed the plant's appearance but had also enhanced its vitality.

The past ten days had been a whirlwind of discovery and experimentation. She had transformed a piece of scrap metal into gold, much to her amazement, and had turned a withered flower into a blooming masterpiece. The possibilities seemed endless, and her mind buzzed with ideas of what she could do next. Yet, despite the excitement, there was also a sense of caution. She knew she had to be careful, to control her powers and not let them get out of hand. And most importantly, built enough rapport with people that she would be invaluable to anyone.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. She turned, slightly startled, and saw her father standing in the doorway. He had a concerned look on his face, which had become all too familiar in the past days.

"Hey, Dad," she said, trying to sound casual. "What's up?"

He stepped into the room, glancing at the brightly colored plant. He took a deep sigh. "Just checking in on you. You've been spending a lot of time in here lately. Everything okay?"

Taylor nodded, pushing the chair back and standing up. She looked up at him and gave a smile. Atleast, one good thing came out of Locker other than her powers. Her dad was actually having concerns about her. He was getting out of his shell. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... working on some stuff."

Her father raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "Alright. Just don't forget to take a break now and then. You know, get some fresh air. Also, dinner's gonna be ready in some minutes."

"I will, Dad. Thanks."

As he left, Taylor turned back to the plant, her mind already racing with new ideas. She knew she had to be careful, but the potential of her powers was too exciting to ignore. She reached out and touched the plant again, focusing on the molecular structure, and watched as it shifted to a deep, rich blue. Technically, she didn't need to touch it even. She just had to maintain a distance of one and half feet with the target of hers. However, touching felt a lot better currently. It provided more soothing sensation to her mind.

She got up and paced around her room. She was doing a lot of it these days. Her mind drifting to the plan she and her father had concocted. It had been her idea, mostly. Her father had been hesitant, not entirely comfortable with the whole thing. But under her insistence, he had finally agreed to it.

Her father was a bit peculiar that way. His immediate reaction had been to suggest joining the Wards. Taylor had shot down the idea quickly. As appealing as the concept was, the Wards reminded her too much of her bullies. Madison, Sophia, Emma—names that brought a bitter taste to her mouth. The comparison wasn't fair, she knew, but she couldn't help it. The Wards, with their popularity and their tight-knit camaraderie, felt too much like the clique that had made her life hell. She didn't felt that it was the best way at the current stage.

Screw that, she thought. She didn't need to be surrounded by people who would just remind her of her past. She wanted to take her time, figure out her powers on her own terms. Besides, she had practical matters to consider. Useful things she could do for herself and her father.

Her father had taken a diamond she had created with her powers and sold it to a pawn shop. Two thousand dollars. It wasn't a fortune, but it was enough to alleviate some of the financial strain. Enough to help them out of the hole they had found themselves in after the hospital bills. There was still a shadow of guilt in her father's eyes whenever they talked about it, but Taylor knew how important the money was.

If they had had this kind of money before, they might not have had to settle with Winslow over the medical fees of the Hospital. Thirteen days, she had been there for thirteen days. Hospitals weren't cheap. Healthcare was expensive. The medicines didn't help either.

It wouldn't have been much of a problem if her powers hadn't put a fucking joke on her. She could alter everything she touch and was around her in one and half feet. However, she couldn't do anything with her own body. It was ridiculous on so many levels. She could alter anything or anyone, but she couldn't alter her own body. She could make diamonds out of thin air, yet she could get killed by bullets. It was such ridiculously infuriating and bullshit.

They might have been able to afford better care, if she had powers before. The thought made her chest tighten, but she pushed it aside. They couldn't change the past. They could only move forward.

Money was important. Money opened paths. It wasn't greater than life. But it wasn't useless either.

Taylor glanced at the plant, now a deep, rich blue. They had a way to make things better now. She could help her father in ways she hadn't been able to before. She could make their lives easier, more comfortable. And she was going to do just that. She could help so many people and change so many lives.

She sat back down at her desk and picked up the pencil again. The plant's transformation was mesmerizing, but it was only the beginning. She had so much more to learn about her powers, so many more possibilities to explore.

Her father's voice echoed from downstairs, calling her to dinner. Taylor took one last look at the plant before heading down. As she reached the kitchen, she saw her father setting the table, the familiar lines of worry softened on his face. She knew he was still uneasy about their plan, but he trusted her. And that trust meant everything.

"Hey, Dad," she said, joining him at the table. "Thanks for dinner."

He smiled, a small but genuine smile. "No problem, kiddo. How's the experimenting going?"

Taylor returned the smile, feeling a warmth spread through her. "Pretty good. I've got a few new ideas I want to try out."

Her father nodded, a hint of pride in his eyes as he looked at her. "Just be careful, okay?"

"I will, Dad. I promise."

Danny looked across the table at Taylor, his brow furrowing slightly as he spoke up. "So, what's your schedule like tomorrow?" he asked, trying to sound casual as he took a bite of the pasta.

Taylor leaned back in her chair, considering for a moment. "I wanted to go out and buy a laptop," she replied slowly. "Something decent for research and work."

Danny nodded. "Alright, we can do that. Anything else on your agenda?"

Taylor hesitated briefly before continuing. This was it. The golden goose for her. "I also want to start looking for clients."

Danny sighed, rubbing his temples. He had dreaded that it would come sooner than ever. "Are you sure about that, Taylor?"

Taylor nodded, her expression firm and stubborn when she made up her mind. "Yes, Dad. If this works, we'll get filthy rich. Besides, we agreed that if things go well, we'll use the money to start more businesses in the Bay. Create employment opportunities."

Danny gave a resigned nod. "Maybe I'm too soft sometimes," he admitted.

Taylor laughed, the tension easing as Danny huffed. "You? Soft? Come on, Dad. My clients will be filthy rich. Spending a few million for treatment won't even put a dent in their coffers, but it'll certainly increase ours."

Danny shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. She was right. Maybe, he was over thinking. "You've got a point there."

Taylor leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand before she took a bite of her own pasta with a grimace. "So, how was your day today?"

Danny shrugged, leaning back in his chair slightly. "Busy. We had a few more issues crop up with the docks. Nothing too serious, just the usual bureaucratic nonsense. Had to deal with a couple of disgruntled employees too."

Taylor nodded, listening intently. "Anything I can help with?"

Danny shook his head. "Not right now, but I appreciate the offer. Just focus on what you're doing. We need to make sure this plan of yours works."

Taylor smiled, feeling a sense of camaraderie between them. "It will, Dad. I promise."