For anyone reading this who's also reading my Blue Exorcist fic- I know I have to update that I promise it'll be up soon (probably within one or two days) this idea just popped into my head after watching Wilson's Heart and I wanted to write it. This is just a really short one shot and I hope you enjoy.
Cuddy sat in the chair next to House's bed, watching him for any sign of change. Thoughts rolled over in her head as to how stupid he had to be to try something like this when he was already injured, and they always circled back to the same place- Wilson. Of course House had done it for him. She sighed and ran a hand across her face, "Come on, House." She whispered, "Give me something here." She waited for another few minutes before deciding to run out and get some food but before she could do so, Wilson entered the room. "Wilson!" She exclaimed, surprised to see him so soon after the death of his girlfriend.
"Hey, Cuddy." Wilson replied quietly, "Any news on House?"
Cuddy shook her head and offered a sympathetic smile, "No, I'm sorry." After a moment's pause she added, "You should go home, get some rest. I'm sure House will be fine."
Wilson sighed, "Yeah." He mumbled trailing off.
"What is it?" Cuddy asked, picking up on his hesitation.
"It's just," He sighed, trying to figure out what to say, "I asked House to risk his life to save Amber. Now she's d-dead and he's in a coma." He ran a hand through his hair, clearly agitated.
"You can't blame yourself." Cuddy said softly.
"I don't, I blame him!" Wilson exclaimed. He breathed heavily after practically shouting the last bit of his sentiment as he pointed accusingly at House's prone body.
Cuddy placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Come on, why don't we step out for a minute." she offered, leading him out of the room. They wandered in silence for a minute while they found a quiet place to sit. Once situated Cuddy said, "Come on now, Wilson, you know that's not fair."
Wilson sighed, "I know, I know, I'm sorry. He was willing to risk his life because I asked him to. I just… I can't lose two people I care about in one day." He swallowed, trying to hold back the tears as they threatened to fall but once Cuddy pulled him into a tight hug he couldn't help it. He cried into her shoulder for a few minutes before pulling away and wiping at his face hastily. "I'm sorry." He mumbled, looking uncomfortable.
Cuddy shook her head and replied, "It's fine, I'm here for you. And for what it's worth I really am sorry for your loss."
Wilson nodded, "Thanks Cuddy." She smiled and patted his hand gently before standing up.
"I should get back to House." she said.
"Yeah." Wilson said quietly, "House."
"House?"
House slowly opened his eyes and looked around where he was sitting. He was surrounded by bright white, and appeared to be on a bus.
"House!" The voice said again, louder this time.
House looked to his left, his eyes falling on Amber. "Amber?" He asked. After a moment he said, "You're dead."
Amber nodded, "Good observational skills there, House."
House drew his eyebrows together as he puzzled the nature of this encounter. "Does this mean I'm dead too?"
Amber shook her head, "Not yet. Why? Did you want to be?"
"There's no pain." House stated as he moved his leg experimentally.
"There's also no life." Amber said, "And life is pain, right?" House scoffed, to which Amber replied, "Hey those were your words, not mine!"
House sighed, "I'm guessing that means I have to go back."
"If you want to." Amber said. "But I think they want you to."
"Who's 'they'" House asked.
"Cuddy." Amber said, "She's with you now. And Jimmy. Your team would miss you too."
House scoffed, "Sure they would. They'd probably throw a party."
Amber shook her head, "They'd miss you more than you think."
House just shrugged it off and replied, "Yeah well Wilson probably still hates me."
"You'll only know if you go back." Amber said. "But if you want a little incentive, just listen in. He's with you now, so's Cuddy."
"Listen in?" House asked, "How do I do that?"
"Just focus." Amber whispered. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and after a moment House sighed reluctantly and followed in suit. The second he closed his eyes it felt like he'd been submerged in water, and after another second he was clear of it and he could hear again.
"You can't blame yourself." Cuddy was saying.
House heard Wilson sigh then exclaim, "I don't! I blame him!"
House's eyes flew open and the voices disappeared, "He really does hate me." He whispered, guilt coming down on him in a crushing wave.
Amber sighed, "I'm sure he's just being emotional. I did just die after all. Give him some time."
House shook his head, 'He doesn't want me around."
"Well now you're being emotional." Amber exclaimed, "You two aren't going to like each other all the time but you can only fix that if you're around to do so."
House shook his head, "I've screwed up his life enough already. I'm not going to make it worse by going back."
Amber rolled her eyes, "Come on, House, seriously?"
House nodded, "Seriously."
"Get off the bus, House." Amber snapped, "Come on!"
"House, come on!" Cuddy whispered anxiously, "Breathe!" She had just stood to head back to check on House when they heard the call. Both she and Wilson had run to House's room, arriving to see Chase already charging the paddles.
"Clear!" He called as he pressed them to House's chest. His body lept off the bed but there was no change in his heart rate. "Going again." He said to no one in particular, "Charging. Clear!"
"House, please," Cuddy whispered.
"House, please!" Amber yelled, "Just get off the bus, they need you."
House scoffed, "No one needs me."
"Jimmy does." Amber said quietly. "I'm dead and he's going to need someone."
"Yeah and I highly doubt that that someone is going to be the person who got you killed." House snapped back.
Amber stared at him for a moment in shock, "You didn't get me killed, House."
"You wouldn't have been on that bus if it wasn't for me." House said darkly.
"We were in a bus accident." Amber said, "That's why I'm dead. Not because you made me get on the bus or any other equally ridiculous idea- because we were in an accident. That's it." House said nothing in response so she continued, "I didn't have a choice whether or not to make Jimmy miserable." She said, "You do. Go back, help him through this. If you really want to blame yourself for what happened then consider this your penance."
House sighed and closed his eyes for a moment to think. "Okay." He said finally. "I'll go back."
A small grin played across Amber's face, "Good. I'll see you the next time 'round then."
House nodded, "And for what it's worth," he said, "I'm sorry."
Amber nodded, "Yeah. Me too."
House pushed himself up at walked towards the door of the bus. Right before he stepped out he glanced back to where they were sitting only to find the seat empty. "Yeah." He muttered to himself, "The next time around." He took a deep breath and walked through the doors.
"Clear!" Chase called again. House's body lept but he continued to flatline. Chase was breathing heavily but he still brought the paddles back up. "Charging!" He called. Cuddy put a hand on his arm to stop him, tears in her eyes as she shook her head.
"He's dead." She said quietly.
Chase exhaled sharply as he set the paddles down, his chest feeling heavy. Wilson sat in the chair, putting his head in his hands. Chase shook his head and turned away before saying quietly, "Time of death," Before he could read the number a single beep interrupted him. He whipped around as Wilson lifted up his head, everyone in the room staring at the monitor. And another beep resonated through the room, followed by another, and another. Wilson lept to his feet and Chase and Cuddy ran to the bedside, all three looking expectantly at House, not even daring to hope.
"House?" Cuddy asked tentatively.
"House, can you hear us?" Wilson said next.
"Come on, House." Chase murmured, following the sentiment.
Wilson leaned over, "House come on, open your eyes." As the beeping from his heart monitor grew steadier House's eyes began to flicker under his eyelids.
"Come on, that's it." Chase muttered encouragingly.
Slowly House managed to pry his eyes open and look around. "House, blink if you can hear me." Cuddy ordered.
House stayed still for a second, then slowly blinked. All three of them broke into smiles. House tried to open his mouth but Cuddy shushed him, "Don't talk yet." She said gently.
Wilson ran a hand down his face then said, "You scared the shit out of us."
"Sorry." House mumbled.
Cuddy slapped him lightly on the hand, "What did I just say?" She snapped, but her tone was light.
Chase chuckled, "I'm going to go inform the others." He said before looking at House, "I'm glad you're not dead." He said sincerely.
House scoffed, "Thanks."
Cuddy watched him leave then after a moment's silence said, "I'm going to go with him, make sure he doesn't freak anyone out by telling them you died."
"Or disappoint them by telling them I'm alive." House replied.
Cuddy sighed, "I'll be back later." She said, "Try to get some rest." After House nodded she left, giving Wilson a very pointed look that clearly meant "Talk to him!" on the way out.
After she was gone House turned his attention to Wilson, "I'm sorry about Amber." He said softly.
Wilson nodded, "Thanks, House."
House continued, "And I'm sorry I-"
"I'm just going to stop you there." Wilson said, "What happened wasn't your fault, and I don't blame you for anything."
House stared at him for a moment, a confused expression on his face. "But you said…" He trailed off, not really wanting to discuss the conversation he had with Wilson's dead girlfriend.
"What did I say?" Wilson asked.
House shook his head. "Nevermind."
Wilson sighed, knowing he would never get anything out of House like this. "Cuddy's right." He said, "You should get some rest."
House nodded, "Yeah, probably."
Wilson shifted awkwardly in the chair before saying, "I'll stay here. At least until Cuddy comes back."
"Thanks." House said genuinely, his eyes already drifting shut.
"Anytime." Wilson replied quietly. House was asleep within seconds and Wilson was left to his own thoughts, though they were mostly devoted to what he would have done if both Amber and House- the two people he cared about the most- had died. The conclusion was that he didn't know. He stayed by House's bedside for the rest of the night, even after Cuddy came back.