The doorbell rung, and Howard shouted that it was closed.

It rang again, and he started walking towards it. 'We're closed!'

It rang again, and he gave up on telling them. He opened the door, seeing two people, a woman and a man. From the looks of the rings on their fingers, they were married. The man was thinning on the top of his head, but the hair he had left was a light brown colour, and he had bright electric blue eyes. He had his arm around the shoulders of the woman, who had streaked hair, mainly a deep russet red, with black streaks running through it, with the brightest green eyes he'd ever seen.

'Can I help you?' he asked politely.

'We're here to see Vincent.' The man said tightly.

'Vince is out at the moment,' Howard said. 'If you can come back tomorrow, he will be here.'

'Nonsense.' The woman said. 'If we want to see him, then we will see him.'

'But he isn't at home at the moment,' Howard argued. 'If you want to see him, then you should have phoned ahead to make sure he was here. As such, you haven't and it looks like you have had a wasted journey.'

The man shook his head. 'For god's sake man, just lets us in so that we're out of the rain and phone Vincent to get him to come back now!'

Howard opened the door fully, letting them past, and closed the door behind them.

He opened his phone, and scrolled down his contacts. What did Vince say he was doing today? Was he going out with Naboo? I'm pretty sure he was. Howard thought as he rang Naboo's number.

'Hello? Howard?' Naboo answered.

'Hey Naboo.' Howard started before Naboo interrupted.

'What do you want this time?'

'Is Vince with you?'

'Yeah, he is.' Naboo said. 'You need him?'

'Yeah, there are visitors for him at the shop. They won't leave until they see him.' Howard said.

'Ok, I'll pop him back.' Naboo said before hanging up.

Vince popped into being in front of him, wearing the usual sort of clothes. 'Are you wearing girl clothes again?' he sighed.

'What's wrong with them?' Vince protested. 'They're floaty around the arms and tight around the torso!'

'Whatever!' Howard said, 'There are visitors for you in the back room, they refused to leave until they saw you.'

Vince was bouncing on the balls of his feet, 'Come on then.'

Vince ran to the door, and Howard followed more slowly.

He looked at Vince, ad became worried when he saw the hurt look on his face.

'Howard.' He said, his voice wobbling slightly, 'I don't suppose you've ever met my parents have you?'

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

'What are you doing here?' Vince asked as he sat down, happiness gone, replaced by hurt, and upset.'

'We wanted to see you son.' His father started.

'NO! You never wanted to see me before, you never cared before, I was better off on my own than with you!' Vince interrupted. 'You never got the right to call me "son".'

'We needed to talk to you Vincent.' His mother tried.

'Vince, my name is Vince.' He said.

'Your name is Vincent.' His father spoke up angrily. 'It's what we named you, as your parents. And if we come to ask for your help, then you will sit and listen to our plea, and you will help us, without being an uncooperative brat!'

'Hang on here!' Howard said, standing up. 'He is my best friend, and I know him better than you do, if you knew him at all, you would know that he changed his name to Vince, and that he isn't a brat!'

'Oh shut up!' his father snapped.

'Vince.' His mother said disdainfully. 'Your sister-'

'Kaylee?' Vince asked. 'What do I want with that manipulative little-?'

'Do not insult your sister!' his father snapped at him.

'She's been ill lately.' His mother continued. 'And the Doctor's have confirmed that she is suffering from Cancer of the kidney, and as you know, Kaylee only has one kidney, and the only person who has the same blood type and any chance of saving her is you.'

'We want you to give her your kidney.' His father said, commandingly.

'What!' Vince shrieked. 'I only have one kidney!'

'But you've lived longer than she has.' His father argued.

'Get out!' Vince yelled finally.

'What?' his mother screeched.

'Get out of this shop!' Vince told her calmly.

'Fine.' His father glared at him. 'Obviously, you are no son of mine.'

'I'm so glad!' Vince said sarcastically.

They left the shop, and Howard turned to Vince. 'How the hell did you survive them?'

Vince smiled at him sadly. 'I hardly did.'

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

The next time Howard opened the door to Vince's family, it was a young girl, maybe 14 ish.

'How can I help you?' He said.

'Can I see Vince please?' she said. 'I phoned ahead to see if he was in.'

'He's just in the back room.' Howard said, letting her in.

She walked in, waiting in the middle of the shop for him.

He watched her from behind the door, and waited until Howard called him before moving.

'Hello, Vincey.' She said calmly, smiling.

'How are you Kaylee?' he asked quietly.

'I'm happy Vince.' She replied.

'Are you?' he asked surprised.

'This struggle is finally about to be over Vince, and it's been a lot time since I was free of all the machines.' Kaylee said.

'But you're going to die.' Vince said.

'And I want to Vince,' she said. 'My life isn't really my life, I haven't lived it!'

'I'm sorry I can't help you Kay.' Vince whispered.

She laughed. 'I didn't want you to Vince.'

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Kaylee died three weeks later. Vince attended her funeral, and got yelled at by his parents for not helping her, then having the audacity to attend her funeral. His older brother tried to beat him up to cause him the pain, he, in their opinion, caused Kaylee.

Howard went with Vince to her funeral, and watched him grieve over his younger sister, and watched as he got over her death.

THE END