It's another oneshot.
Disclaimer: I don't own House, except on April Fools Day
Stand In the Rain
She took a deep breath, then exhaled. She stood, her arms hanging limply at her sides, her face to the sky.
She was soaked by now, and she was sure House was looking for her, but she didn't care.
To be outside in the rain had always seemed peaceful to her, serene, and the harder it was raining, the better. That's why today, when the rain was coming down in sheets, after she'd just heard, or rather read, the worst news in the world, she couldn't resist.
She was right in the middle of the parking lot. If anyone looked out their windows they would see her, but she didn't care. She was facing out into the rest of the world, the hospital at her back.
The rain had a calming effect on her. It always had. The cool water hitting her face, the sound it made when it hit the pavement. It took her to other places, places where she didn't necessarily have to be her.
That had been the point when she came here, but it hadn't worked. Her past had caught up with her. It wasn't so easy to pretend you were someone else in real life.
She wondered how long she'd been standing there. On one hand, she didn't care. She fully intended to stay there until the rain stopped, but on the other hand, it would still be nice to know.
The rain made her forget her problems, it was only temporary, a quick fix, but if it could give her ever half an hour of happiness, or something like it, she was grateful.
Her hair was soaked by now, as if someone had just poured a bucket of water on her head. Her clothes and her lab coat were sticking to her. She was sure her necklace was so wet she wouldn't be able to see the time.
Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. She didn't look to see who it was. She didn't care, and maybe, if she didn't acknowledge them, they'd go away.
"Thirteen?" the person said nervously, stepping into her range of sight.
"Are you okay?" Kutner asked, his voice dripping with so much concern it was almost tangible.
She hadn't intended to say anything. She wanted to remain caught up in her own world, and to answer, especially to answer truthfully, would be a sign of weakness. But she opened her mouth and choked out the word, "No."
"Tell me," Kutner spoke softly.
Thirteen shook her head, at the same time wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face the shoulder of her lab coat. For the first time since she was six, Thirteen cried.
She'd never been much for hugs. In fact, all her life she'd cringed at the idea of a hug. Whenever someone had hugged her she'd stiffen up. She'd never been much for crying either, but today, she needed a hug. She just needed to vent for a while. Then she'd go back into the hospital as if nothing had happened.
Clearly Kutner was shocked. Obviously he'd never expected her to hug him, to cry on his shoulder, to hold him there in a death grip. This was Thirteen. She was strong, tough as nails. She never showed emotion, and she never needed anyone. Whatever this was, if she couldn't get it to bounce off of her, it was big.
Kutner awkwardly wrapped his arms around her. He'd never been good at consolation, especially when the other party was in tears, but as long as he didn't have to say anything, he figured it would be okay.
He looked back towards the hospital. He could just make out the doctors inside.
Foreman and Taub stood at the door. They had all been looking for her together. Kutner had been the only one willing to come outside. He thought Cameron from the ER, who used to be on House's team, was there to. It was someone blond with pink scrubs anyway.
He looked back at Thirteen. She seemed to be nearly done crying.
Just as he thought it, she relinquished her hold on him and stepped back, quickly brushing away her tears.
"Sorry," she said quietly.
"No, it's fine," Kutner assured her.
"I'm not usually this emotional—"
"I know."
"I'm just really tired," Thirteen explained. "I haven't slept."
"Thirteen…" Kutner hesitated. "What happened to you?"
Thirteen looked away, deciding if she should tell him or not. Maybe he already suspected. That day in the elevator before Christmas he had asked, and her answer, now that she thought about it, had been very suspicious.
But she just sighed and shook her head and looked back at him, and Kutner knew better than to ask again.
"Do you want to go back inside?" Kutner asked, uncertainly.
Thirteen nodded, and she and Kutner began silently toward the hospital entrance. Everyone who had been standing at the door had disappeared, probably because they'd seen them coming back inside.
Thirteen took a deep breath as she placed her hand on the door to push it open.
"I'm dying," she said, not looking at Kutner, not wanting to see the shock written across his face.
And with that, she pushed the door open and stepped inside, leaving Kutner standing, seemingly frozen, in the rain.