The first time He held a girl’s hand, the concept of a boy and girl was something foreign to him as he had yet breathed his first breath of air. A thin filament was between them, yet, He could tell. Small, warm, a hand worth holding. A hand worth protecting. For a time, the two were together until forced from their warm abode. He went first to make sure it was safe. It was His first taste of powerlessness as there was nothing He could do. The doctor slapped Him, and He cried. Energetic, loud, and short. She was next, and she cried stronger, louder, and longer. She cried and cried, even when her mother held Her. It wasn’t until He reached out and held Her hand that she finally stopped crying and even cooed. In the place where people are born and die, they were born together; Marty and Alice.

...

As the years past, it was clear that the differences between them were more than just their genders. She had looks while He had brains. Even at a young age, it was clear that She would become a beautiful young woman. In contrast, He would only be average looking. However, His mind was one that might barely be comprehended if you labeled Him a genius. Skipping grades for Him was a goal and not a challenge. His sole obsession in his academic studies would soon change.

...

One day in their youth, the girl was playing outside when two older boys approached Her. Innocently she smiled.

“Hey little girl, that toy looks fun, give it to me.”

Confusion appeared on Her face as She tilted her head.

“This is my toy.” She said, holding it close.

Anger filled the older boys face as he was reaching for the toy.

Suddenly, the door flung open as the boy came from the house.

“Alice, go in the house.” He said with a serious expression getting between them.

She nodded Her head and did as He asked.

He stumbled in minutes later with cuts and bruises. It was the second time he would experience His powerlessness.

“Are you okay?” She asked Him.

“No, but what’s important is that you are.” He said with a smile.

...

She did not see Him for a week until He returned with different bruises and a smile on His face. Several days later, She was back outside playing when the older boys approached Her again. The scene repeated except He told Her to go inside calmly and with a slight grin. He came inside a couple of minutes later, His hands scuffed and slightly bloodied, but otherwise not a mark was on Him.

“Don’t worry; I’ll protect you.” He said with a smile.

A bright smile filled Her face as she hugged Him. “My brother is a hero!”

She never had to deal with the two older boys ever again.

...

Years later, She was in middle school, and He was finishing high school. She was waiting at the front of her school as her friend approached.

“Hey Alice, whatcha doing?”

“Waiting to be picked up.” She answered with a smile.

Her friend covered her smile. “Oh? Waiting for your beloved brother?”

“Huh?” She said, shocked and slightly flustered. “Beloved brother is a bit much. He’s just my brother.”

“Really? When we were younger, you would always be saying he was your hero and how amazing he was. Admit it, you want to be with Him, and He makes your heart beat fast, right?” Her friend said with a grin as she elbowed Her.

The girl became flustered. “It… It’s not like that at all! Stop teasing me!”

“I see, you don’t feel that way, huh?”

“Not at all.”

“I see, well I do.” Her friend said with an evil smile.

“What! why?”

“What’s not to like? It’s not like he’s a hunk, but he’s not bad looking; He’s mature and smart and will bring home the big bucks. My mom says to pick someone who has money so I should hurry up and try to snatch him before some older girl takes him.”

“I’m not gonna let you have him!”

“You won’t let her have who?” He asked as He approached.

“N-n-nothing. Let’s go.” She said in a fluster.

“Is it alright to leave your friend alone like-”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” She growled as She dragged Him away. Her friend waved at him, and he waved back, making her all the angrier.

“Is something troubling my little sister?” He said with a teasing tone.

“I’m not your little sister! We are twins!”

“Yes, and I came out first, so I am the older brother, and you’re the younger sister.”

“Humph, you just think you’re older because you’re smarter and more mature.” She said sarcastically.

“I think everyone thinks that.” He said with a smile.

“And I’m sure you’re pretty popular with the older girls too.”

“…”

“No way.”

“At first, it was because they thought I was cute. That earned the ire of some of the male students, so I got bullied for a little bit. The first time I willingly got beat up and reported to the principal, and I warned him that there wouldn’t be a next time. Then, the next time it happened, I let them off easy with some bruises and a warning. The time after that, they came at me with baseball bats, so I disarmed one of them and broke their legs.”

“How did you not get in trouble?”

“There are witnesses who backed me up. It was self-defense, they came at me with weapons, I didn’t hurt the guy that gave up, and someone four years younger beat up three of them. They would end up going to juvie if I hadn’t said that it was fine so they owed me and haven’t bothered me since. Then the girls went from thinking I was cute and teasing me saying I was so strong and they wanted me to protect them.”

“Then why don’t you spend time with them instead of me?” She unhappily said as She pulled away from Him.

He quickly grabbed Her and hugged from behind, causing Her face to turn red out of shock and embarrassment.

“One day I’ll find a beautiful girl, get married, and start my own family. No matter what, there will always be a special place for you in my heart, my little sister.”

Her cheeks got all the redder as Her heart rate rose. She pulled away from Him in a slight panic as She continued to walk ahead.

“Is something bothering you?” He asked Her.

The conversation with her friend flashed Her mind.

“It... It’s nothing,” she hesitated.

“You can tell me anything.” He said with a smile

She began to fidget uncontrollably out of her embarrassment. “My… My heart beats for you.” She said softly in her near panic instead of ‘my heart beats faster around you.’

He tilted his head and slight confusion. “That’s a strange way to put it.”

“Geez, forget it.”

“You know, one day you find your prince charming and forget all about me.”

“As if anyone can leave as big an impression as you.” She said, clearly still unhappy.

“Of course, he will need to be worthy and be capable of protecting you, so he’ll have to beat me in a fight.” He said with a smile.

“Don’t ask the impossible! Besides, what if he is a guy that is all brains?”

“Oh? You have someone in mind.” He said teasingly.

Her face regained Her blush. “I don’t, idiot.” She said in anger as He laughed.

...

It would only be days later that everything would change; A car ride with their family to eat at a restaurant. The driver asleep from fatigue caused the 18 wheeler crashed into the small car which carried Him, Her, and their family.

The next thing He experienced was bizarre. He was hovering above His broken and bloodied body in the place where people are born and die. His body, bandaged and swollen, was hardly recognizable.

[Am I going to die?] He wondered. [What happened to my family?]

He could not have known that His mother and father were dead. He could not have known that His sister was dying. He could not have known how broken His heart was.

The next thing He saw hovering above His body was that He was in the middle of surgery. He saw the doctors take out His heart, which He could tell was damaged, and replace it with a new heart.

[How rare. Why do I get a real heart? There must be a shortage and those who need it just as bad as I. Is it because of my grades and potential?] He wondered as the scene faded.

His eyes snapped open days later as he awoke from His long slumber. Upon seeing Him, the nurse rushed to get the doctor. With a sad expression, the doctor walked in and sat down while the nurse hooked up the camera to the TV. Tears formed in His eyes as the doctor told the sad news.

Only He had been saved; been spared. It was then that the pain in His chest increased and He hunched over and grabbed His chest. Only then did He feel the cut and the stitches. He recalled the scene he had witnessed earlier though it had felt like a dream. His mind flashed back to their youth. He remembered the little girl he decided to protect, and for the third time, He felt His powerlessness. He remembered how she’s called Him a hero, and now He was sick at the term.

[I’m no hero. I couldn’t even protect what is important to me.]

His tears began to fall as the video started.

On the screen was a girl bruised and bandaged. Even then, Her beauty could not be denied.

“Hey, Marty.” The girl said with a smile as tears slowly trickle down her face. “If you’re watching this then I’m already gone with mom and dad. The doctors say that I have too much internal damage and I don’t have long. They say it’s a miracle that I can even be conscious even with the painkillers. They said that you would be okay except that your heart was damaged and it will only last a couple more weeks at best.

“I was really happy to be your little sister. You were always smarter, stronger, and better than me in everything, but you never held it over me. You were always there for me. You always protected me. So I decided, if I’m going to die, I am going to die protecting the one who protected me. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for being my brother and best friend.”

Tears flowed down His and Her face all the faster.

“I’m not going to be needing my heart where I’m going, so I’ll give it to you. Please live, live for me too. Find a pretty girl who’s good enough for you and make a wonderful family. Please be happy. Please remember that I love you. Please don’t forget me. Please live. Please remember, my heart beats for you.”