Wheelchair Bound, Pt. 01

"The Hero of Hell's Hall"

That's what the headline said.

"Avery Morgan at her finest despite a twisted knee."

Neil ran his thumb over the worn paper in his pocket, grinning. He'd read the story a hundred times. No, more, definitely more. He'd admired Avery since her first college game. But that night--leading a comeback while pushing through a knee injury--she became something else. Jordan's flu game didn't even compare in Neil's mind. She'd been in obvious pain as she raced up the basketball court to score another three pointer... and when she'd made that half-court shot in the dying seconds. His pulse pounded in his throat. Even now, just remembering, his breath caught. She'd been powerful, unstoppable, sensual.

She should have been in the NWBA by now, and a star even as a sophomore. Not here. Not trapped in this tiny little house, ignored by the world who once loved her. He knocked on the battered door.

He waited for a while, looking around the garden. The lawn was overgrown, the path had weeds coming from it, and the basketball hoop now hung by one nail on the wall. This wasn't right. She deserved so much better than what happened to her.

He knocked again.

"I'm coming, all right?!"

There was the sound of something falling over from inside the house followed by a curse. Her voice--harsh, impatient, still unmistakable even though he'd only heard her speak once in an interview. His hand found the second clipping, fingers pressing into the thin paper as if he could crush the memory itself.

"Hell Bursts Open!"

It had to be the tackiest headline he'd ever read. How could any respectable reporter ever report on the tragic car wreck that had damn near killed her like that? It was obscene!

It happened at night. She'd been riding with her parents to town to celebrate making the college ball finals when some drunken asshole had run them off the road. Neil knew he was drunk, he had to be. The cops said otherwise though and the piece of shit had got off without being charged. Just an unfortunate accident, they'd said. Nobody's fault.

Neil seethed at that. Avery had spent months in the hospital. Lost her legs. Lost her parents. And it was NOBODY'S FAULT!?

He forced himself to take a deep breath. There was nothing he could do about that idiot now but he could do something for Avery. She'd put an advert in the local papers looking for a live-in aid. The money wasn't great, but she offered free room and food at her house. A house, Neil now realized, that was nowhere near as good as she deserved even had it not fallen into neglect in the year since her accident.

The door opened slowly. There she was, sitting in a wheelchair before him. Her hair was matted, her clothes dirty. When she had last been able to shower he didn't know. She'd lost muscle definition too; her body looking softer, more rounded than before. But she was still there. His Hero of Hell's Hall who had faced a much bigger hell than any basketball game. And even through the exhaustion he knew she was still his Avery.

He pulled his hand from his pocket, forcing himself not to think about the other thing in there--the deepfake of her, bare and perfect, exactly how he wanted her.

"Hi, I'm Neil Calloway," he said, holding out his hand to her.

She didn't take it. She didn't even respond.

"Er... I came about the advert you placed for a live-in caregiver?"

It took her a moment before she sighed and turned away. "I suppose you better come in."

Neil stared at her back as she wheeled herself back into the house. This wasn't her. No, he thought, that wasn't right. It was her, he could see it was, but she looked... defeated. And his Hero was never defeated. She'd only lost one game in her career - and her next opponents suffered for it. She was never defeated, she was strengthened by adversity. Sure, she'd lost more than anyone could be expected to deal with in the wreck and it was obvious she didn't have anyone supporting her afterwards, but his Hero was unbeatable. No, she wasn't beaten; she was a wounded warrior. And he would make her stronger.

He shook himself out of his stupor and followed her into the house.

The scent hit him at once: rotting food and stale air freshener. Glancing around he saw the fast food cartons lying around on tables, counters, even the floor. The kitchen sink was overflowing with dishes and it looked like they had been there a long time. Furniture was in disarray and envelopes sat unopened on a desk. The blinds were closed and two bulbs in the overhead light were burned out.

Neil's fingers twitched. If he ever got his hands on the bastard who did this to her... But first he would make sure the Hero returned, and the articles the paper wrote would glow on the stands. He wanted her more. He needed her like she needed him - because she needed him. He shook his head as she started to turn towards him. He had to keep himself under control. He had to be the one.

Avery sighed as she looked at him. "I'd offer you a seat but..."

She didn't even indicate the fact that most of the few chairs in the room were covered in papers, books, trash. So was the couch. Neil shrugged. "That's fine, if you didn't need me there'd be no point in hiring me. Would you like me to sort some stuff out for you while we talk?"

"What?" Avery scowled at him, but it wasn't anger he could see that. She was surprised. "I haven't even hired you yet. You're not being paid to do anything!"

"It's fine," he said as he picked up a fallen side table and the magazines that had spilled from it. "I don't mind."

"Stop!" she snapped. "Look, you're not doing anything unless I hire you, ok? I don't need that."

He stopped and nodded. "OK, I'm sorry," he said.

She sighed deeply. "Why the hell do you want to do this anyway?"

Neil thought about how to respond. He couldn't reveal just how he felt about her. She'd never accept that. Not from someone like him. He wasn't in her league. No, he had to approach this logically, coldly, with the kind of answers she needed.

"Actually, it's a perfect fit for me right now. I'm studying a sports psychology masters degree via correspondence, so working with someone who's been in sport is perfect. And since it's a correspondence course I can do the work whenever I want, so I can fit it around your needs easily. Plus your ad said you're giving free room and food so most of my expenses are covered."

"Ok, but can what makes you think you can do this?"

That one was easy. "Well, I looked after my mother in her later years. She had rheumatoid arthritis and ended up as a wheelchair user too. I did her cleaning and cooking, shopping, and medication management. I even helped her with hygiene and massage when she wanted too."

Avery sighed and looked away from him. Her eyes drifted around the room as if she was realizing just how much help she needed. For an athlete like him, he realized, that had to be tough. She probably hadn't relied on anyone in years.

"I can't pay much," she said. "I tried looking for a professional aid but they all wanted at least $30,000 and I can only pay about a third of that at most."

Neil nodded, "Yes, your ad said it was a salary of ten thousand, but without needing to pay for a place to live or food I don't need much. Books for school maybe, but even them I get second hand usually."

She shrugged. "Ok, you're hired, I suppose. It's not like anyone else is going to work so cheap."

Neil paused. That was far too simple an interview. Apart from anything else, she was a gorgeous and vulnerable woman and he was a stranger.

"And you're really ok having a man move in?" he asked.

She snorted. "What, you think I'm in any danger?! Come on! Maybe at one time, but nobody's gonna wanna touch a cripple like me!"

She was glaring at him, furious. Everything in him made Neil want to grab her and tell her she was wrong, that she was still the sexiest woman he knew... and she was. But if he said that, there was no way she'd hire him. He might as well tell her he wanted to throw her down on the bed and fuck her as say that. He made himself freeze for a moment, stilling the raging torrent in his mind.

"I'm... I'm sorry," he said.

The tension hung for a moment before passing. Avery shook her head.

"No, I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. It's just... look... let's not pretend. I know what I am now. I look like shit. I smell like crap. And I'm stuck in this damn chair for the rest of my life. Anyway... if you're still interested, when can you move in?"

Neil smiled. "Whenever you want me to. Is tomorrow ok? Or... tonight?"