It was a beautiful night
It was a beautiful night. The sky was clear and there were Christmas lights everywhere. But he didn't care. All he could think of was what Wilson had said to him earlier in his office. "You don't have cancer. You have people who give a damn. So what do you do? You fake the cancer, then push the people who care away."
"Because... they're boring." He had answered, trying not to show that he was having a hard time looking his best friend in the eye.
That scene of that afternoon just kept playing in his head. Over and over and over again. It had to stop, but he didn't know how. House felt the sudden urge to leave his warm apartment and walk in the cold for a while, just to clear his head. Hoping to find some other things to think about and just forget about the whole I-faked-brain-cancer-thing.
House had walked for about fifteen minutes when he walked past a restaurant. He stopped and looked through the window. He saw something or some one familiar in the restaurant, but he couldn't see it very clearly, so he decided to take a few steps and then he looked again. He was shocked to see that his Ducklings were sitting in the restaurant. They were talking, laughing, seemingly having a good time.
It made him think of what Wilson had said that afternoon. Start small, House. Take a chance. Maybe something that doesn't involve sticking stuff in your brain. Pizza with a friend. A movie. Something.
In that moment he made a decision. He wasn't sure if he would regret it, or not. He decided to go inside to talk to them. He puts his hand on the doorknob and opens the door.
Inside the restaurant people were talking and laughing. He ignored all that and went to the bar where he ordered a Scotch on the rocks. He said there, waiting for the bartender to make his drink.
Meanwhile, the Ducklings had seen him come in. They were contemplating whether or not to talk to him.
"I'm not going" Cameron said. "He faked brain cancer! Who does that?!"
"I get it. He just thought that this was an easy way to get high. He didn't mean for us to find out…" Foreman answered.
Cameron and Chase gave him a look.
"Well if you like him so much, why don't you go talk to him." Chase said.
"No chance in hell. I said I get why he did it. I didn't say that I agreed with that decision."
They sighed.
"Well some one has to go over there…" Chase said after a long silence.
"Not me!" Foreman answered.
They all looked at Cameron again. "You know what? I'll go talk to him."
"What?" Foreman and Chase both said at the some time. Chase continued, "But you just said you wouldn't."
"I changed my mind"
Foreman rolled his eyes.
"Ooh, don't think I'm letting him off the hook that easily." She said while she stood up from her chair to go to the bar.
"Good luck." Foreman yelled after her. Chase just shook his head.
Cameron walked to the other side of the bar and ordered a Scotch. She needed something to help her to get the courage for talking to House. After she got it, she sighed deeply and drank the content of the glass all at once. Then she put the glass on the bar and walked over to House.
House was sitting there, trying to order his third Scotch on the rocks, when some one sat next to him.
He looked to his left and he saw Cameron there.
"Did you guys draw straws to see who would be talking to me?" He snarked.
"Actually, I volunteered to do that." She replied.
"Why? Did you want another kiss?"
Silence.
"Why did you do it? Fake the cancer?" She asked with a serious look on her face.
"Wow, starting with small talk, I see." He answered. "Can one of you imbeciles fix my drink, or are you too stupid to do so?" He yelled at the bartenders, who seemed to ignore him.
"Why, House?"
"You already came to the conclusion that I only did it to get high. Why bother asking? And besides, what makes you think that I would tell you anyway?"
"I'm just giving you the chance to explain yourself, but if you won't, I might just think about using that letter of recommendation you so kindly signed for me." She said.
"Are you blackmailing me?"
"I don't know. Am I?" She replied with a smirk on her face.
House finally got his drink and started gulping it down.
He thought for a minute. It can't hurt to tell them the truth… "Okay you won. But I will only tell this once, so I want Chase and Foreman to hear it too."
"That can be arranged." She replied and she hopped of the barstool. House picked up his cane from the floor and got his coat. Then he followed her.
"Cam just told us you had something to say." Foreman said an annoyed look on his face.
"Yup." House said, trying to avoid the looks of his minions.
Silence.
"So…" Chase said.
"Okay, I will answer all your questions on one condition. You are not allowed to bring this up again. Agreed?" He said, while looking at his Ducklings for the first time.
They thought for a few moments and looked at each other.
"Agreed." They answered.
"Ok, shoot."
The three looked at each other to see who would go first.
"Why did you do it?" Cameron asked.
House sighed and looked at his fingers.
"I didn't do it to get high…" They all gave him a surprised look.
He continued. "I did it to be without pain again. To be able to go running, without being in constant pain, just like when the Ketamine still worked."
The look on Cameron's face changed from slightly pissed to compassionate.
He looked at the other people in the restaurant, who were all busy talking or eating.
"Do you know what it's like to have constant pain all day every day? Do you have any idea what I'm going through?"
"Well no, but…" House cut Chase off.
"If you were in pain and there would be something you could do about it, wouldn't you do it? Even if it required lying to your friends and co-workers?"
"I honestly don't know." Foreman replied. Chase and Cameron nodded, agreeing with him.
"Then why are you judging me? I'm not proud of what I've done, but it was the only option. If I told you that I didn't have cancer, wouldn't you have called Massachusetts General to tell them that? I couldn't take that risk…"
They stayed silent for a moment.
"If you just would've explained what you just did, I wouldn't have called." Chase said.
"Well, it's a little too late for that now, don't you think?" House gave him a look.
"Do you have any more questions?" House looked at them.
They all shook their heads. Their questions had been answered.
"Good, 'cause that means that my work here is done." He said dramatically.
Foreman quirked an eyebrow.
"What?" House asked innocently.
"Nothing." He replied.
"I'm leaving. Do I see all three of you tomorrow? Without one of you resigning?"
The Ducklings nodded.
"Good. Then I guess I'll see you then." He stood up from his chair at their table, picked his cane up from the floor and walked through the door, without looking back at his employees. He closed the door and kept walking 'till he was out of sight.
Then he inhaled deeply and he smiled. 'I think I made the right decision.'
He thought of what Wilson had said. "Start small, House. Take a chance. Maybe something that doesn't involve sticking stuff in your brain. Pizza with a friend. A movie. Something."
'Or just talk to people who care about you' House silently added. He smiled again.
It was indeed a beautiful night.
I hope you all enjoyed it. Reviews are very much appreciated. Also, let me know if I should continue or not - it's up to you:).
Layla