Disclaimer: The Characters from House M.D. aren't my property
She was leaning against James' car waiting for him. She didn't dare go into the hospital and risk running into 'him'. She wasn't ready. She was scared? She'd admit it. He's the one person she wasn't in control around and she had trouble dealing with being that vulnerable.
She smiled as she watched her brother exit the hospital. It was 7:45pm. James was nothing if not predictable. He'd probably been cleared to leave hours earlier free of the crazy schedules that plagued those who weren't attendings or department heads. Leaving at 7:45 assured that he'd miss a domestic dinner with his wife so he spent time doing more work.
Sarah watched as he discreetly flipped open his cell checking for missed calls he'd ignored throughout the day. He hadn't yet spotted her. She saw his face change the moment he did catch her in his sight. The grin spread freely over his features and his pace quickened.
He had her in his arms before he spoke. "Sar, hey you okay?"
Sarah had expected that. The first thing he'd assume was something was going on when she showed up unannounced. Of course he was right but she wasn't ready to talk about it so she lied.
"Everything's good, can't a girl just miss her big brother?" She prompted.
"Of course. I'll ask again later." He said sensing her slight withdrawal. He'd gotten good at reading people's emotions working in the oncology department and he did know his sister.
"You drive or take the bus?" He asked.
"Bus." She answered.
He was never sure what was going on with her. Sarah had always been good at holding things close to her chest. She was turning thirty this year but had yet to settle down. She wasn't flighty, how would he put it? She only did what she liked doing spent time with the people she chose. This dictated her unconventional life up till now.
She'd gone to Cornell's Hotel School then switched to studying psychology and counseling focusing on kids. After that program was completed she turned down quite a few job offers to take a job as a tour manager in Europe for a few years.
The ride was silent and Wilson allowed her the reprieve. He knew an inquisition would get him no where till she was ready to share.
"Where's my current sister in-law?" She asked following him into the house.
"Julie's at her friends." He told her.
"How long?" She asked with a look.
"Two weeks." He admitted how long they'd been apart.
"James." She started.
"Don't. You were the one who just showed up here." Wilson told her.
"I decided my life needed a change. I need to settle down." She started and saw the confused look on his face. "My friend got me an offer of the head counselor position at the Department of Visiting and International Students here at Princeton." She told him.
"Do you want it? What happened to London and Henry?" He asked.
"I don't know, yes, maybe. I told you that wasn't serious. I never really fell for him. He on the other hand wanted more." She said.
"Sarah you need to..." He started when she cut him off abruptly knowing where he was going with that line of thought.
"Don't you dare say it. I'll leave right now." She warned her brother dead serious about the consequences of bringing that subject up. "And I'm not a 19 year old kid anymore."
"That's the point. Things change people change and not just you." He said then decided it would be safer to let the subject drop. After a pause. "You're gonna take the job. I know you've already decided or you wouldn't be here."
"Yeah I have a lunch meeting tomorrow to confirm. I'd start first of the month. The moneys good and I also get a moving allowance." She told him.
"It'll be a big change from the life you are used to." He warned her since a University Counselor and European Tour Organizer were vastly different.
"You're the one who said time changes everyone priorities and goals change." She said with a gleam in her eye.
"Sarah." He warned.
"James I love you. You are my favorite family member and until Peter comes back from Australia my best friend so please accept I'm almost thirty and completely independent." She said.
"You're also young and still the most beautiful girl in the world. So I have to continue to exercise my older brother duties." He informed her.
"Well in that case you wanna chaperone me on a trip to a Princeton bar? I have to acquaint myself with the area and find out which bars feature a clientele who aren't university students." She said.
"Sure." He decided he didn't have anything keeping him at home. Just then the phone started ringing. "Let me get this," he said.
"Hello… no… how did you… I do not… fine… Just about to go out… Not a good idea… No Julie's not back…" He turned to glance at Sarah who was watching his bothered glance intently. "Fine…Flannigan's." He sounded defeated when he hung up the phone.
"He's coming." She said hiding all emotion from her comment.
"Yeah. Let's go he'll bitch if we don't get a booth." Wilson said.
She followed her brother into the pub and smiled at the interior. It was all wood it reminded her of its real Irish counterparts till she noticed the glasses were shorter than the pints she was used to.
She stopped at the bar when she noticed James head for the last empty booth. When she got the bartenders attention she ordered. "A Guinness and a Yuengling, start a tab." She said handing over a credit card.
"You new in town?" The bartender asked.
"Yeah so this place full of regulars?" She asked.
"It is. I'm Douglas and you came in with the good Dr. Wilson so the Guinness must be your drink of choice." He said.
"That it is. Sarah." She offered her hand to Douglas he looked about her age and was tall, built, and very blonde. Wishing she was more attracted and could rid herself of the yard stick that she'd established years ago she smiled.
"Thanks I see you met Doug I swear that man has worked here forever." James smiled when she got back.
Her attention was drawn to the door like a moth to a flame when it opened again. In walked Dr. Gregory House he gave a nod to Douglas at the bar and headed over to the wall with booths. He showed no reaction to seeing Wilson sitting across from his sister.
He chose to sit next to Sarah rather than Wilson and picked up his drink to take a sip after a waitress dropped it off. A neat scotch like clock work.
"So the Little Wilson is in town. You forgot to tell me." House said with a slight gleam in his eyes.
"Caught me by surprise too." Wilson told him.
"Scoot over." He said to Wilson then propped his leg up on the seat across from him.
"It's good to see you again Gregory." She grinned watching him wince at the use of his full first name.
"Ouch. Upset at the Little Wilson comment?" He asked with eyebrows raised.
"I'm not so little anymore." She said and Wilson mentally groaned.
Sarah may have been a skinny teen when House first met her but he's seen her since. She's been grown a woman with a full body slender with all the right curves and wild wavy almost black dark hair for a while. Wilson had always been serious when he made the most beautiful girl comment. Sarah was a natural beauty she never bothered with much make up just lip-gloss and the occasional eye shadow. She was wearing a black skirt and tawny v neck shirt that accented both her eyes and her breasts.
"No indeed you are not. Hell you've got all the goods a man lusts for." He said looking at Wilson instead of her. Watching the brother's eyes darken he wasn't sure if it was anger or protectiveness but it was amusing either way.
"I like to think so. I heard about your leg, I'm sorry. Though I never thought of a man wielding a cane as sexy before. It adds character." She said brazenly.
"And inhibits movement." He added coldly.
"I'm moving to town." She announced moving to a gentler topic.
"Don't expect a party." House said and Sarah grinned not bothered by his cold brush offs. She had no idea why but they amused her always had.
"Actually James said I should expect house warming baked goods from you, brownies?" She shot back and he turned to look at her for a minute.
"You got a place?" Wilson asked. She definitely hadn't mentioned that when he'd driven her back to his place earlier.
"I forgot to mention that?" She quipped.
"She always was a brat." House said to Wilson.
"I'm renting a town house on Eisenhower," She told them at that House turned to look at her once again.
And Wilson knew why. House lived on Eisenhower literally around the corner from a row of townhouses. She ignored the looks and finished her beer catching Douglas's eye to signal for another.
She steered the conversation to their recent cases and kept it off herself. A while late she pulled the tired card and told them she was heading home.
"I'll drop you off." Wilson said.
"No allow me the Little Wilson here does live right around the corner." House said with an obviously fake grin.
"I'll stop by after lunch." She said to her brother letting him know she'd be fine.
In the car she'd hoped for the comfortable silence she'd had with her brother earlier. Especially since she seemed to have a problem around House, she was a superb liar creating realistic stories on a whim usually just telling people what they wanted or needed to hear. A talent that had always abandoned her when dealing with Gregory House. Maybe that was the discovery that first drew her young 16 year old attentions to the man. An attraction that she obviously hadn't been able to escape.
"So you're working at the university?" He asked.
"Starting the beginning of next month." She told him. "And till then just moving in and bothering you and James." She admitted.
"Yippee." He said gleefully mimicking the response of a young boy. "As long as you stick with the v-necks and skirts."
"You should see some of the clothes... shit." She exclaimed suddenly.