"Oh? Why's that?"
Taylor took a breath.
"Because I killed someone."
"Tay, you didn't kill the guy ok?" Zac said exasperated. "He died from the surgery afterwards."
"Kill? You killed someone?" Nate asked.
"Well, thank you for making the situation so much better." Zac retorted. "He's been going around in a daze the past few days and it's driving me insane."
"Tay, ignore them." Rachel cut in. "If you're not comfortable with the idea right now, that's fine."
She reached out and touched his cheek.
"But I trust you. And I know the last thing you would do is hurt me."
Taylor stared deeply into her eyes. He could feel her complete trust in him emanating off her. Finally he nodded.
"Ok." He said. "I'll do it. I'll see what I can find out."
She smiled and they sat down in front of each other. Taylor closed his eyes and concentrated. It was the first time he had made a probe since, well, since the incident, and he had dreaded this moment.
*Ready Rach?*
*Yes.*
Slowly he sent his probe into her mind and searched, starting with her memory of the most recent spasm. He then compared it with other memories of spasms.
Taylor nearly had one himself as his probe passed by the more sensitive parts of her mind. The more vulnerable parts.
Jess stared. For the first time in days, she could sense Taylor. With all his attention focused on the probe, his empaths-block had come down.
She could feel the guilt and sorrow and regret at what he'd done so unwittingly. She could feel his nervousness of the situation. The fear that he might, somehow, hurt Rachel. But most of all, the love that he felt for Rachel.
Jess searched around for calm feelings amongst everyone else, and then projected them onto Taylor. Once, she had to heal Avie desperately, but the severity of the injury had made Jess hysterical, and therefore unable to focus on healing. Taylor had helped her then. Taylor had sent her calm feelings so that she could actually heal Avie and now, she would do the same for Taylor.
Now she would project calm feelings on Taylor so that he could help Rachel, and perhaps, in time, help heal himself.
A few minutes later, Taylor's probe left Rachel's mind. He opened his eyes.
"You know Rach, how we were talking the other day about whether you would have an immunity to electricity?" He asked.
"Vaguely. Why?"
"Well, I think it's safe to say you do. Or at least, you can."
"Tay? What are you saying?"
"You can turn yourself into rubber."
"Now there's an interesting idea." Isaac commented.