Home Sweet Home

[Two Weeks Later]

Mid-day, the doors of a hospital elevator opened to reveal Vincent/Elias on a wheelchair. Behind him and pushing him was Michelle wearing a much more relaxed expression. Getting out of the elevator she led him outside, where a car was waiting for them.

" Vincent, let me hel-"

Before she could finish talking, "Vincent" forced his body up from the wheelchair and got inside the car.

" It's fine, I can do it myself."

Michelle closed her eyes and frustratingly sighed at his headstrong attitude. After releasing her pent up frustrations she very loudly closed his door. Then going around she entered the car through that side.

" Take us home, Frank."

" Right away, Ms. Michelle."

As they drove away, Michelle glanced at Vincent but decided to give him some space. More than anyone else she knew that he was trouble accommodating to life after waking from coma.

' I truly hope you regain your memories and go back to being your old self again.'

For his part, Vincent stared out the window absentmindedly, due to his world literally turning upside down.

' Everything looks exactly the same, almost like I'd never left, yet it's not my city not my home.'

_

A handful of minutes later, the car they rode in stopped at a street light. Then Vincent who'd apathetically looked out the window the entire time. Noticed something in the distance, a place he knew all to well, where he felt free.

" I still have that..."

Uttering those four words, Vincent undid his seat belt, practically jumped out of the car and started hobbling down the street. It appeared that his weakened nobody would crumble underneath him at any second. However clenching his jaw he pushed himself past those limits and soon enough he was running.

" Vincent! Vincent! Where are you going!?"

Michelle screamed still inside the car before ordering their chauffeur to follow after him.

_

' I'm almost there. I'm almost free...'

Even as his knees buckling under him from overexerting himself Vincent didn't waver. His desire to head over there was so great that he'd get there crawling if he had to.

Thankfully it didn't get to that point, but by the time Vincent stopped. His body had clearly gone far beyond it's breaking point some time ago.

" I'm finally here, I made it..."

In front of him, a blacktop with a singular basketball court, the sight of which brought him to literal tears. Taking a step forward, he could feel the emotional shackles he'd been carrying around loosen. For this was his long awaited return to a basketball court since arriving here.

Momentarily snapping out of his daze, Vincent noticed a ball had rolled to his feet. Crouching down to pick it up, he took his time handling the old worn out ball.

' I know it's been only a couple of days since I woke up here but with everything that's happened it's felt like years. Yet this right here, this hasn't changed a bit, it feels like home, like freedom.'

He then started dribbling, at first his movements beers wide, forceful and even ambit clunky. However as he started to get used to the ball, his muscles and soon after his entire body felt relaxed. What soon followed were a succession of quick and smooth movements.

' First, control with the left hand, switch to the right, back to the left through the legs and then behind the back to the right.'

Focused solely on himself and trying to recreate some of his skills from his past life. Vincent became oblivious to the countless stares from little kids in the park.

' Once you get them to bite, step back and shoot!'

The step back jumper was a shot Elias had thrown thousands if not tens of thousands of times before. If he was wide open anywhere inside of the three point line, it was most likely going in. So when the ball left his hands towards the wide open rim he truly expected the ball to go in.

Surprisingly it did go in, just not through the rim but a trashcan some feet away.

" Hahahaha!!!"

Seeing his shot literally going into the trash, caused all of the little kids staring at him with awe to laugh at him.

' Why didn't it go in? I've taken that shot countless of times and it's never missed that badly. For it to not even graze the rim or backboard, what's wrong with me?'

" Vincent! There you are!"

Turning around, he saw Michelle running towards him obviously worried about him. Yet his mind was still on the shot he'd just air balled horrendously.

" Why did you jump out of the car and what are you doing in a park? You hate sports."

" What?"

" Eh, what's gotten into you?"

" What did you just say? Repeat it, that last part."

" That you hate sports?"

" Yes, that's it there's nothing wrong with me, it's this guy's body that's the problem!"

Becoming increasingly accustomed to Vincent's weird behavior post coma. Michelle tried her best to remain calm while leading a distracted Vincent back to their awaiting car.

" Come on, we can talk about it on the ride home."

" Eh, yeah sure."

Absentmindedly agreeing with her, Vincent allowed himself to be taken back. All the while trying to figure out how to regain his past abilities.

' I'm relieved that miss wasn't really my fault, it obviously didn't go in, because this guy's body wasn't used to it. The problem now becomes how fast I can get my current body and skills to a competitive level.'

Getting back in the car, Michelle made sure to put on the child safety lock on Vincent's door. Not wanting a repeat of his earlier stunt and having to chase him down. Interestingly enough, this time he didn't look out the window but actually started a conversation with her.

" Michelle, could I ask you something?"

" O-of course, what is it?"

Albeit caught off guard by the sudden shift, she agreed. Believing that he might finally be regaining some semblance of his former self.

" What you said back there, that I hated sports is that true?"

" Well yes, primarily focusing on your studies, you never joined or played any sports. Even in school, you had a note to excuse yourself from all physical activities."

" Really?"

" You used to say that there was no need for you to bother with such things."

" That makes sense, I mean, why become an athlete when you're already rich."

Listening to his response, Michelle could almost see tiny gears inside his head turning.

" Speaking about money, how rich am I really?"

" I'm not entirely sure, but I'm certain that your grandfather set a trustfund for you."

" Then what about my family, how rich are they?"

" If you're referring to the Lawlett estate, I'd guess around 1.8 Billion, at least that's the number reported on the news."

" I see, it's impossible for me to just outright buy a basketball team. Now that would've been awesome!"

" A basketball team?"

" Yeah, a professional basketball team. Too bad, I can't afford it even now."

" My shock was in reference to the idea itself, not the price. Why would you want to purchase a basketball team?"

" Wouldn't that be the easiest way to becoming a professional basketball player? I mean if I own the team, I could just put myself on it."

Hearing that, Michelle couldn't help but be dumbfounded.

' Is this really the same Vincent who never once attended a sporting event much less participate in them?'

" Michelle, hey are you alright?"

Seeing as she suddenly froze up, Vincent called out to her while waving his hand in front of her face.

" Yes!"

" You spaced out for a second there, are you sure you're okay?"

" Yeah, I was just thinking how different you've become since waking up."

" Is it weird? That I'm different now?"

" No, I don't think so. Just a few days ago you were on your death bed and now you're here talking with me. As far as I'm concerned you were given another chance at life, so do whatever you want. No matter what I'll continue to support you in whatever way that I can."

When he asked her that question, Vincent wasn't expecting anything like that. It honestly madre him somewhat emotional hearing that because she was right. He'd come back from the dead, so why shouldn't he live his new life to the fullest.

" Michelle, I'm not sure if I've told you this before, but thanks for being my friend."

" You did, although I always thought that you could've said it a few more times."

The remaining car ride became much more light-hearted as the two of them talked, mostly about Vincent's past.

" So what about us? How did we become friends? By what you're telling me I wasn't all that fun to hang around with."

" You weren't, but that always seemed to go with you. As for our friendship it started because of a misunderstanding and a thrown cupcake. If you'd believe it."

" Wait what? A cupcake, seriously? That sounds made up."

" Alright let me explain, although we met when we were really young. We never really talked or interacted with one another. Since my dad worked with your father we'd seen and said hello but that was it. Until my sixth birthday party, which you begrudgingly attended, I just add."

" When does the cake show up?"

" I'm getting to it. You see even back then you were always in your own little world. While all the kids were running around playing, you sat in a corner reading a book. Well at some point Rebekah Moore started making fun of me. Then out of nowhere you stood up and loudly told her to shut up. The look on her face was priceless almost as much as yours was when she threw a cupcake at your face."

" So we became friends because I stood up for you? That's nice."

" I thought so to, until I brought it up to you a couple of days later. It seemed that the reason you told her to shut up wasn't because of me, but rather because she bothered your reading."

" Did he at least put it nicer than that?"

" You, didn't. But that's just the type of person you were... Well it also helped that you were a genius who'd help me with school."

During the first part Michelle's tone was somber and her expression was pained. She did catch herself and put on a brave front, trying to appear fine. Vincent could only act like he didn't notice, while quickly changing the subject.

" While I may not know much about my past, what I do know is that whatever part of me was a genius is long gone. So I hope you'll pay me.bavk for my help, by helping me now."

" I doubt that, but if you don't understand something I'll gladly help you."

in their conversation Vincent failed to notice the change in scenery. They'd since left the city to enter a more reserved area surrounded by tall gates and hedges. Only realizing it when Michelle lowered her window to greet a guard.

" Welcome back, Ms. Long."

" Good afternoon, George."

After exchanging pleasantries, Michelle turned over to Vincent who wore a puzzled look on his face.

" Where are we?"

" This is, Delmar Oaks. A gated community an hour away from Los Angeles. It's were we both live, in different houses of course!"

" So if I want to leave or enter I have to go past that gate?"

" There's another two entry ways but this is the closest one to our houses."

" Is there something I have to show them or, I mean how do I get passed the gate?"

" There's a small sticker on the cars that acts as a pass but for you specifically just by seeing you they'll let you through."

After that short stop at the main gate, their car finally came to it's final stop.

" Eh, we've stopped? Are we here is this my house?"

" Yes, I lived a couple houses down that way."

Lowering his window, only a single word could describe his new home.

" Woah."