3.

Frustration mounted in Elliot as he watched the 200 pound bundle of death approach. There were so many things he was never gonna get to do now. The first and most important being, prove to his family that he wasn't some kind of freak. The memory of the way they treated him when his powers awakened haunted his dreams. His next goal was to be stronger than that cocky jerk, Albert. He and Sheree put in twice as much effort as that prick everyday and, because of genetics he got to gain power instead of them. His last regret was never getting to see Sheree's boobs. She was a cold, robotic, pain in the butt, but she was also gorgeous. A regretful smile crossed Elliot's face as he thought about what the front of her body probably looked like naked.

When the cat was so close that Elliot could smell its breath, something black and shiny sprouted from its right eye. Blood splattered across Elliot's dazed face as the cat was knocked out of the air. It hit the ground on its side with a heavy thud. The jagged end of a broken beetle mandible stuck out of its bloody eye socket. It stumbled back into the woods whimpering and clawing at the wedged jawbone. Elliot turned around and saw Sheree sitting up. Well, she was leaning on her left elbow with her head slightly elevated above the ground. Her right arm outstretched like it always was when she used her powers.

The world seemed to fade in and out of focus as Elliot weakly stepped in her direction. He managed to take a half step in her direction before collapsing from blood loss. Sheree dragged herself the few inches needed to be face to face with Elliot.

"That was stupid, you should've run away," she said, scolding him.

"No, I couldn't let that dumb cat eat you. That's my job," Elliot said and gave a slow, exhausted wink.

Sheree completely missed his joke until he winked. She took a few seconds to think about what he had said until she finally caught his meaning. Even as he lay bleeding out he found a way to be perverse. Still she was too grateful for him protecting her to hurt him anymore than he already was. She honestly wished she could save him. The blood streaming from the wound in his arm had to be from a vein or artery, and she was too weak to stand. She was still unsure where she found the strength to rip off that mandible and throw it at the cat. That beeping alarm should've made campus security come running by now. If they got here in time they might be able to save him, but where were they? All She could do for him was try and comfort him, and for some reason, she wanted to. She wanted him to know that she appreciated his effort. She just couldn't force herself to say the words. She decided to simply say thank you. She owed him that much at least. She took a deep breath and touched his bloody right hand.

"Than.....," her words were cut short when a rush of energy and emotion raced through her. She snatched her hand away from his and crawled backward away from him.

"What the hell was that? That felt weird and good, like really good," Elliot said as he opened and closed his hand.

Sheree immediately noticed that he wasn't bleeding anymore. She looked at his bicep and couldn't find the cut.

"Your cut is gone," she said and pointed.

"What, oh yeah it is," Elliot said and jumped to his feet. "Take that you stupid cat, we kicked your furry butt!" he yelled into the trees around them.

His arm had not only healed, but he seemed invigorated. Sheree had to admit that she felt more energetic as well. She stood up and brushed the dust off herself.

"I don't know what just happened, but I need a shower, let's go," she said and started walking out of the woods.

Elliot followed her without a second thought.

They went back to their dorm and continued their discussion after their showers. Elliot sat on his bed, in his black boxers and a gray tank top as sheree walked out of the bathroom draped in a long, black towel.

"So what happened back there?" Elliot asked eagerly, Sheree being in nothing but a towel and her pendant also increased his excitement.

"I'm honestly not sure, I touched your hand and then it happened," Sheree said, simply restating what she remembered.

"I mean yeah that part, but did you feel what I felt? It was the best thing I've ever felt. Like all my good memories rushing through me all at once," Elliot said, clearly pumped as he remembered the feeling.

Sheree did remember the feeling, it was the first time she had ever felt anything like it as well. What she wanted to know though was how it healed Elliot. Out of curiosity she scanned him with her pendant.

"Why are you scanning me?" Elliot asked cautiously as the yellow light traveled across his light brown skin.

Sheree wasn't really sure what she was looking for until his rank appeared above his head.

"You got stronger," She said with a surprised excitement in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Elliot said and looked up to see his own rank.

It was true, he had gone from a rank G9 to an F1. He jumped up and started doing a happy dance, not caring that he wasn't alone in the room. Sheree scanned herself and learned that she had gone up to the F rank as well. She sat and thought about how that could have happened. Was it because they had almost been killed? That didn't make sense, getting hurt couldn't make their bodies suddenly work differently could it? The only other possibility was the physical contact they had. It was the only time they had ever touched each other's bare skin before. That was also when that strange jolt went through them. She had wondered if their powers were somehow connected, could it really be as simple as physical contact. The only way to be sure was to try it again. She was sure Elliot wouldn't mind touching her skin and honestly, if it would make them stronger neither did she.

"Hey, calm down for a minute, we have to try something," She said as she walked over to his bed.

Elliot stopped dancing and turned to face Sheree. His joy quickly turned to curiosity as she reached her left hand out toward him. When he realized she wanted him to take her hand his heart began racing. A basically naked Sheree reaching out to him was how most of his fantasies started nowadays. He quickly took her hand in his, not wanting to miss a chance to touch her. Even if the feeling from earlier didn't come back he would remember this day fondly forever.

The feeling did come though. It hit them like an electrified wave of ecstasy. It was so powerful that they both began to moan and groan in pleasure.

After a few seconds, they pulled away from each other. Both of them breathing heavily as the energy raced into their cells. Sheree scanned herself and just as she hoped, she was an F3 rank now.

"We got stronger again. But why?" Elliot asked and ran a hand through his curly dark brown hair.

"I think our bodies are meant to touch to process energy," Sheree said before walking back to her side of the room. "Also you have an erection,"

Elliot's hands shot down so fast he accidentally smacked himself in the testicles. As he rolled around on his bed wailing in agony he glanced over at Sheree. For the first time since they had met she was laughing.