Lian couldn't believe her eyes Warren was sitting with a friend a real flesh and blood friend and she was a girl! He hadn't brought a friend home since before his father was arrested. Her happiness that he had a friend however didn't excuse the fact that her lazy grandson was supposed to be working right now not slacking off.

"Warren!" She yelled trying to get her grandson's attention. "Stop flirting with your girlfriend and get back to work already."

"Yeah I'm coming gran." Then he stopped to say something to the girl before adding "And she's not my girlfriend."

"Don't lie to your grandmother!" Lian scolded him.

"I'm not lying!"

Lian rolled her eyes, teenagers always thinking they could get away with lying to her.

-22 Years Earlier-

Fen was sitting in one of the booths watching her mother waiting for her to leave. It was Friday her mama always closed the restaurant early on Friday to go and play mahjong with the other parents on the block.

"Mama?" Fen asked watching her mother sweep up the floor of the restaurant. "Don't you have to leave soon? You'll be late if you don't." Her mother needed to leave now! If she didn't she might meet Barren and that would be worse that having a picnic with Stronghold and his friends. Fen had even lied to Barren about being busy on Saturday just so that he would come over when her mother wasn't home.

"No I won't be late! We are playing mahjong here tonight. I'm not leaving you here alone with a boy." Fen's stomach dropped when she heard what her mama said.

"What? Fen stuttered. "How uh how did you even find out about that?" She stood up and started helping her mother to clear off the tables while she waited for her answer.

"You were too happy yesterday I read your mind. Why didn't you tell your mama…" Lian was interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Barren. Fen managed to quickly slip past her mother and open the door. She had never been happier to see Barren in her entire high school life.

"Come on." Fen grabbed Barren's hand and hauled him upstairs to the living room trying her best to ignore her mama yelling at the dreaded boy not to go anywhere near her daughter.

Barren was suddenly standing in a small sweltering room with a fire burning in the fire place in front of them and an ugly beat up blue couch behind them. He was trying desperately not to laugh at the cute embarrassed shade of reddish brown Fen was turning.

"Sorry about her." A quiet voice whispered. Barren couldn't help it he burst out laughing.

"It's fine she's funny." He laughed. "Well do you want to get started?" Barren asked as her took a seat on the couch behind him.

Barren and Fen had been sitting in her living room for over an hour in silence working on their homework. Barren looked up from his mad science homework over at Fen deciding to finally say something.

"Wasn't I supposed to be helping you with your powers?" At the mention of her powers Fen looked as if someone had told her she would have to go kill a little puppy dog and she would do anything to get out of it.

"Oh right." She stuttered. "But first I was thinking you could help me with this question." She added opening her textbook to show him one of the questions she had just skipped but he grabbed her book and closed it.

"Come on Fen what's the problem?" He asked. It can't be that bad can it? He thought.

Fen sighed accepting that he wouldn't give up and started trying to explain her powers. "I can assimilate other heroes' powers." Barren looked completely lost. "I mean I can take other people's powers just by touching them."

Barren whistled. "Wicked! But I don't see what the big problem is then."

"THE PROBLEM…" Fen yelled. "…IS THAT NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY I CAN NEVER FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE THE POWERS I STEAL FROM OTHERS!"

"Oh." He whispered afraid she might explode again if he said anything else. Barren thought for a good ten minutes before speaking.

"Well why don't I teach you how to use my powers so that you can borrow them when you need to. In school I mean." He moved closer to Fen on the couch and grabbed her hand. "Is this okay?" Fen tried to speak but realised her mouth wasn't working so she just nodded.

"Right let's get started." Barren had absolutely no idea how to teach someone to use their powers it just seemed so natural to him but he decided he would start with the little bit he did know. How did he control his powers anyway? "I find my powers work best when I'm angry I think. The angrier I get the easier it is to control my powers so let's start by trying to make you angry."

Fen stared at Barren for a moment like he had two heads. "And just how do you expect me to do that?"

"Think about Stronghold." He suggested. There was silence for a few minutes before the two of them burst out laughing. They were so busy laughing in fact that neither of them noticed a few sparks shoot out of their entwined hands.

Meanwhile at the Stronghold house Steve was suffering all alone though supper with the Battles.

"So where is Barry?" His mom asked Barry's mom.

"Oh at a friend's house" Mrs. Battle smiled "I think her name was Fen."

"Fen?" Steve asked making sure he had heard the name right.

Yes, Barren's father nodded. "Why what's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." He smirked. "As long as you want powerless little Chinese witch."

"What?" All the adults questioned him now staring at him.

So. Steve thought. If Barren wanted to play hard ball and mess with him at school well two could play that game. "I said Fen doesn't have any powers everyone wonders how she even got in hero class. The only reason Barry is being nice to her is because he thinks she's pretty."

The look on Mr. Battle's face slightly improved Steve's crappy mood as he thought about what would happen to Barry when he got home that night.

A/N Disclaimer I do NOT ship Warren and Layla! I also don't own Sky High. Also don't be afraid to leave a review and tell me if you like my story or if you noticed that I made a mistake somewhere. Thank you Angelesblack for leaving a review.